Rainy-day elegy

On and on it goes; when it ends, nobody knows. Everything has now reached saturation level, so let the flooding begin. Here’s how I spent my rainy Tuesday:

I was scheduled for the blood work and x-ray at UltiCare Hospital first thing in the morning. That meant a ten-hour fast the night before. No problem, really, because I’d spend most of those hours sleeping. I woke up during the night feeling hungry but reminded myself eating was off the menu. I tried to go back to sleep but later was tempted by a plate of snacks. It was only after I’d eaten a few that I remembered the fast. Damn, I was pissed at myself and the temptress. So pissed, in fact, that it woke me from the dream I was having about cheating during the fast. I was relieved that I wouldn’t have to extend those hours of denying myself all forms of food and beverage.

The actual blood withdrawal and chest x-ray went fine. I’ll make an appointment with Dr. DeLeon later this week to share the results. I was hungry when I finished the lab work, so I had my driver stop at the Maple restaurant on SBMA before heading to Royal for groceries.

My literal break fast meal was this sweet rendition of French toast.

Refilled my wallet at the ATM and brought home another week’s worth of groceries. Yeah, exciting stuff, but that’s how I roll on Tuesdays.

The usual filling-in hours back home, and then beer o’clock rolled around. Tuesday is the day I try and get Swan her beach fix, but where to go when it’s pissing down rain? I knew Baloy would be a flooded mess after two days of non-stop precipitation, and the limited options in Barretto weren’t appealing in inclement weather either. Hell, even The Rite Spot was a no-go in the wind-blown wetness. So, I made the command decision to stay home and plopped myself down on the patio.

It’s good to have options, especially when they include ice-cold San Mig Zero

I also took advantage of the rare evening at home and fired up the television. Tuned into Netflix and opened up the movie about the life of our future Vice-President–J.D. Vance. I had never considered watching Hillbilly Elegy until Trump made Vance his running mate. I rather enjoyed it, both from the historical perspective and as an inspirational tale of overcoming the hurdles that come with growing up poor in a somewhat dysfunctional family and still achieving your goals in life. And it seems Mr. Vance is just getting started. Give it a watch if you are so inclined.

I didn’t realize Glenn Close was in Hillbilly Elegy until I saw the credits at the end. I’m far from a movie buff, but I vaguely recalled her performance in Fatal Attraction back in the 80s.

I’d hit that
And that’s Ms. Close on the left in her role as Vance’s Mamaw.

Everybody’s so different, I haven’t changed.

Not a bad stay-at-home night. And the rain is still coming down today. We’ll see what I come up with this time.

She’ll blow it
Brain dead
So, it turns out Biden is still alive after all. Kinda sorta, anyway.

Today’s YouTube video is from the Filipina Pea. Apparently, there is a large outbreak of HIV here in the Philippines. Looks like maybe I found a steady girlfriend just in time. One less thing to worry about dying from.

A little something to smile about before I go:

I’m melting, I’m melting
Fill ‘er up!

I’m seeing a lot of Olongapo is flooded. I imagine the streets of Barretto won’t be holding up well, either. Should I stay or should I go? I’ll let you know what I decide tomorrow.

7 thoughts on “Rainy-day elegy

  1. Rainy day elegy

    It’s just in one ear and out the other, ain’t it?

    I had never considered watching Hillbilly Elegy until Trump made Vance his running mate. I rather enjoyed it…

    I’m reading the book right now. Either Vance is a good writer, or he’s got a good editor.

    I’m melting, I’m melting

    You need some enviro-wacko to come by and spray-paint it.

    Everybody’s so different, I haven’t changed.

    Spot the error!

    Dodging the HIV bullet is a good thing. Stick with the faithful chicks, not the easy ones. Enjoy your couplehood.

    And don’t let the deep water sweep you away!

  2. Vance’s story is one I can relate to on a certain level. I grew up working-class in a middle-class community. The kids mocked me for the crap house we lived in and hand-me-down clothes that I wore. Hell, I remember my sixth-grade teacher laughing at my shoes once. In seventh-grade, my math teacher admonished me that if I didn’t focus in class, I’d wind up selling jello out of a truck just like my father (he was a route salesman; jello was just one of the items he supplied). Anyway, I’m no JD Vance, but I respect his achievements.

    Everybody’s so different, I haven’t changed.
    Semi-colon instead of comma?

  3. Yes. That’s a comma splice. You still don’t know what independent clauses are.

  4. Read the book, but have not seen the movie.

    I though that the book was quite good, but my takeaway (and I think Vance has said so also) is that the people who he writes about in the book mainly do it to themselves and have to take responsibility for that.

  5. Brian, I agree that doing drugs and stupid shit like that are the individual’s responsibility. Escaping poverty and other barriers to success are what makes you who you are. You can overcome or you can surrender. Up to you.

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