Missing Nothing.

 

Today's Tids Issue 5,382 

Like just a smile: 

 

 

There is so much beauty in this world. I was feeling the majesty of mountains as I listened to music yesterday morning, It made me think how awesome this earth of ours is. How we are free to appreciate things for what they are intrinsically and not how they are positioned for us. From the peaks to plush valleys to oceans wide. The serene calm of crystalline lakes and fields of newly mown hay. The flowers brighten our days with color and birds that sing. Every living thing. And mostly the hearts of people everywhere. Some that have everything, and others crying for help.  

 

“Fond” is a nice word; fondly, fond of; but it really doesn't say enough about love. 

 

I really struggle with people who don’t get sarcasm and even more-so with those who have no sense of humor. That seems to be a national affliction these days.  

 

How come the type on a piece of paper always seems smaller when your ophthalmologist asks you to read it. 

 

“When you are happy you hear the melody. When you are not you get lost in the meaning of the words.” -Anon 

 

It now looks for sure that Flipper is running for 2024 as he seems to have opened up Alaska lands for drilling, or at least the WH is supposed to announce something like that today or tomorrow. The left is howling but Flipper must have determined that the right howls are more significant especially when he shut down oil production and distribution his first day in office sending gas prices through the roof. 

 

The Question: 

From my limited knowledge of the Civil war, it seemed as though Lincoln had trouble finding the right generals. Name all the heads of the Union army during that war 

 

The Headlines: 

--Markets Open Lower; Rebound in Late Morning. 

--Feds And Banking Community Scampering to Squash Banking Panic; Yellen, Powell and Say Customer Can Get Their Money Starting Today; Biden Comes Out to Say Don’t Worry; NY” s Signature Bank Follows Silicon Valley Down in a Similar Scenario. 

--Ukraine and Russia Feeling Heavy Losses as Key Battle for Bakhmut Rages on. 

--Biden Expected to Announce Opening Tracts of Alaska Land for Drilling but also Seems to Curb Prospects for Willow Project. 

--Major Storm Appears to be Headed Towards Northeast. 

--“Everything Everywhere All at Once” Dominates Oscar Night; Jamie Lee Curtis Completes Slashing of Awards Night by EEAAO with Best Supporting Surprise Win; Kimmel Funny. 

--March madness Brackets Announced. Top Four Seeds Men: Alabama, Purdue, Houston, Kansas; Women: South Carolina, Stanford, Indiana, Virginia Tech.  

 

Ok, ok, here is my final 8 and final 4. It's that time for madness. Some people walk with goats and some people their brackets. I pick brackets. Frankly, I wasn’t that happy with the way my picks flowed, but here are my final eight and final four. The eight are Alabama Arizona, Memphis and Marquette on one side and Houston, Texas, UConn and Gonzaga on the other. The final four has Alabama, Marquette and Texas, UConn, I think I'm a homer. I'm thinking Texas beats Marquette for the Title. This year I don’t have a lot of faith in the favorites and there could be dozens of upsets. 

 

I read yesterday where you can pay to have an expert fill out your brackets. How boring is that. Where is the fun and the angst of living and dying with your own picks. But I guess that's the way of the future, let somebody else or an AI program become your mind and do your work. Where will all of our brains go?  

 

Grapes are sensitive. If you step on one, it lets out a little whine. 

 

I’ve decided to finally learn Morse code. I think I have procrastinated far too long.  

 

I think if I was five or six years old again, I'd probably direct myself into becoming either a world cup class downhill skier or a Conductor of a Symphony Orchestra with an ability to play the piano and the second movement of Chopin’s 1st piano concerto in such a beautiful way that everybody who heard it would fall immediately in love.  

 

Meanwhile I’m trying to overcome an inclination towards typos and carelessness. 

 

To add insult to injury, our local newspaper has decided to replace the great Dilbert Sunday strip front page position with Doonesbury. It is an assault on my senses. 

 

I totally forgot about the Oscars being on TV last night. I most likely wouldn’t have watched and certainly not the Red Carpet mess. Not watching the inane questions and gushing on those Red Carpet broadcasts allows me to maintain the hope that American can survive. BTW, I heard this morning a recording of an interview with a mindless questioner and Hugh Grant. When asked where he got his outfit, he said, out of my closet. He also had a few other funny quips. Thank you, Hugh. 

 

Hollywood doesn’t like funny anymore. 

 

What’s the difference between a poorly dressed man on a bicycle and a nicely dressed man on a tricycle? A tire 

 

The Answer: 

US Grant finally became the answer for Lincoln. But that was after a frustrating and agonizing tine for Abe when he had to deal with McClelland, George Meade, Irwin McDowell, Ambrose Burnside and Joseph Hooker. I don’t know if he liked WT Sherman or not. 

 

We just overdo things today. It happens in entertainment and sports alike. And even in storms and political nonsense. Maybe that’s why I have finally learned to be really happy in the little things that happen every day around me. Like a smile. And it doesn’t go viral or get overexposed on TV. Like this week when I might see a crocus around here. Poking up through the snow. How cool would that be.