Bag of Randomness for Friday, April 6, 2018

  • I ate at the In-N-Out at The Colony yesterday and spotted that spinning metal period on top of their roof. For those of you smarter than me, can you tell me what the heck that contraption is?
  • I visited the doctor yesterday to get the results of the MRI I had on my knee. Basically, I got some stuff going on behind the kneecap which will require minor surgery after my back heals up. The doctor strongly suggested I get an exercise bike and wrote me a prescription, which would save me from paying any tax. I got a kick out of the instructions on the script.
  • I got something in the mail from my health insurance company about the request I made about them not paying the “Out of Network” price for the internist who visited before my surgery. You may recall that I did my best to find all “In Network” options before the surgery. Fortunately, they agreed to pay the “Out of Network” price, which will save me about a thousand dollars. Part of me thinks these companies first try to charge the “Out of Network” price hoping patients don’t inquire and simply pay up.
  • The first left-handed ceremonial pitch on Opening Day was thrown by President Harry Truman in 1946. However, in 1950, President Truman made a right-handed and then a left-handed ceremonial pitch to start the season. He was ambidextrous.
  • I still prefer Donald Trump as President than Ted Cruz.
  • Tiger Woods (a BagOfNothing Half-Asian Hall of Fame member) on his back and comeback which gives me hope:
    • “I thought prior to the fusion surgery that that’s pretty much it. I’ll have a nice, comfortable and great life, but I’ll never be able to swing the club like I used to speed‑wise — just there’s no way (after) lower back fusion. But for some reason, I don’t have any pain. Yes, I’m much tighter, but I don’t have any pain. And I’ve had to really work on the strength. For some reason, it’s come back. I wish I could tell you, I wish I knew, but all of a sudden, I have this pop and my body and my speed’s back.”
  • An interesting story out of Azle about a man who was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Last year he groped a 12-year-old girl, and later that night called 911 to turn himself in. I don’t know if his act was a cry for help or mercy out of guilt or he was scared the girl was going to report it.
  • Something I really never put together regarding the civil rights movement, they were encouraged to march in nice clothing – During the civil rights era, the “Sunday Best” look was de rigueur at nonviolent protests. Appearing polished and put-together brought a serious undertone to the proceedings and demanded that the activists be taken seriously as citizens.
  • Not exactly cutthroat – Amazon greenlights Lorena Bobbitt documentary series – 
    Jordan Peele is on board to produce.
  • Bear Bryant’s Great Grandson Paul Tyson Commits to Alabama
  • I imagine this will go to court – An Illinois town just banned assault weapons. The penalty if you keep one? Up to $1,000 a day
  • I’ve noticed CNN.com has been tricking up the titles of their articles to make them more eye-catching or sensational.
  • If you are familiar with Texas Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller, then this will probably surprise you – Texas agriculture chief Sid Miller asks Trump officials for more foreign workers
  • This Texas school that inspired “Friday Night Lights” is overcrowded amid oil boom. One class has 63 kids.
  • The New York Times – ‘It Has to Be Perfect’: Putting Out a Yearbook After the Parkland Shooting
  • Today’s attempt at humor:
    • I asked my girlfriend to describe me in 5 words.She said I’m mature, I’m moral, I’m pure, I’m polite, and I’m perfect.Then she added that I also had a fundamental lack of understanding about apostrophes and spaces.
Posted in Personal | 2 Comments

Bag of Randomness for Thursday, April 5, 2018

  • You can find out what political leaning Facebook has literally labeled you by going to Settings > General Account Settings > Ads > Your Information > Your Categories > US Politics. WifeGeeding was labeled “Very Conservative” and I want to shoot myself. She never posts or follows anything remotely political, so I guess it’s going off the people she follows and the stuff she has liked. Facebook also says she a huge soccer fan.
  • I took the kids to a nearby pond so they could cast the fishing rods DaughterGeeding’s father gave them. If you know me, I’m almost the last person you’d want to teach anyone how to fish. But hey, at least I put forth a little effort. The rods didn’t even have hooks on them and I doubt there are any fish in the pond, I just wanted them to have fun.
  • The pond I took the kids to has been there for as long as I can remember living in the neighborhood and last year a big fancy church was built on the property. Funny thing about the church, as big, new, and modern as it is, they didn’t build enough parking spaces yet there’s enough room on their property to do so. Church members have been parking on the grass and the city has been citing them for parking violations.
  • I wish I could provide enough context so I don’t sound like a mean unspirited parent, but I had a talk with DaughterGeeding about the amount of attention and praise she’s been seeking from us. I told her that one day I hope she’ll look back and appreciate the day Daddy told her she wasn’t going to be babied and congratulated for every little thing.
  • When I was young, I wasted an enormous amount of toothpaste trying to squeeze it on the toothbrush to make it look just like they did on the commercials and on the cover.
  • “DNA testing helps people make new and powerful discoveries about their family history and identity.” – Ancestry.com DNA test reveals fertility doctor is woman’s biological father
  • GIF – Cute: Baby rhino guards mom during toe treatment
  • The Dallas Morning News – Gordon Keith talks God and the literal truth of the Bible with Baptist pastor George Mason – Gosh darn, can I relate to this guy.
  • If you watched ‘The American’s’ last night, you’d agree that Paige will have a certain mental image of her mother stuck in her mind for the rest of her life.
  • For the second time, a resolution to denounce neo-Nazis has failed in the Tennessee legislature
  • Is chronic pain something more people should accept? – Amid the opioid crisis, the concept of “pain acceptance” is gaining credibility.
  • How 50 Famous Female Characters Were Described In Their Screenplays
    • Terminator – SARAH CONNOR is 19, small and delicate-featured. Pretty in a flawed, accessible way. She doesn’t stop the party when she walks in, but you’d like to get to know her. Her vulnerable quality masks a strength even she doesn’t know exists.
    • Bull Durham – ANNIE SAVOY, mid 30’s, touches up her face. Very pretty, knowing, outwardly confident. Words flow from her Southern lips with ease, but her view of the world crosses Southern, National and International borders. She’s cosmic.
  • Video – Shark Comes Out Of Nowhere, Attacks Spear Fisher
  • The Man Who Spent $100K To Remove A Lie From Google
  • If you’ve been following the Sinclair media story, you might find this Huffington Post article interesting.
    • We spoke to a Sinclair anchor this week about the script, the blowback and what people have gotten right and wrong about Sinclair’s relationship with the local stations. The essay below, based on an interview with the source ― who requested anonymity for job security reasons ― has been edited and organized for clarity.

    • All those people who are like, “I would quit,” that’s really easy for you to say. CNN put something out calling all the news anchors complicit or zombies or whatever yesterday, and I just think that portion of this is unfair. These jobs ― they’re very hard to come by. And if I quit, I owe the company 40 percent of my salary, plus a percentage of the [redacted] years remaining on my contract, plus any bonuses that they’ve paid to me and any reimbursements that they’ve paid to me.⁵ And they’re going to take me to court for it. And in the time that I’m in court, I’m not employable.

Posted in Personal | 6 Comments