Bag of Randomness for Monday, November 27, 2023

  • Until that photo, I’d never seen Jimmy Johnson and Tom Landry in one together. Granted, they aren’t posing with each other or anything. I’m sure this photo was taken during Landry’s induction into the Ring of Honor.
  • Out of all my Thanksgivings, this year was the worst of them all. And if that’s the case, then I still have things pretty good. But, you know, I like to playfully find things to gripe about. I mentioned last week it was the first in which I wouldn’t have a chance to physically be with any family members. Well, my Thanksgiving dinner didn’t include any turkey, mashed potatoes, or gravy – staples I love and think should be part of every Thanksgiving feast. Also, two of my sides had cinnamon in them, and I’m not a fan of that spice. Oddly, I only like artificial cinnamon, like the kind that’s in candy and gum, like Big Red. Despite all that, it was nice to be amongst friends, and I didn’t lose the true meaning of the holiday.
  • I touched base with my friend Tony I wrote about last week. It was also his first Thanksgiving not physically being around any family.
  • This should be the last week I have to visit the wound-care doctor.
  • Thankfully I’m no longer in pain and no longer have to take certain medication I would rather not take. Pain only happens when I get up from sitting or lying down. It occurs at the midpoint of getting up. There’s no pain when I sleep, but I find the pain getting up is much worse, almost excruciating, when I lay on my side instead of my back.
  • The Cowboys looked good, but they need to have a win against a solid opponent to show they are legit. The Longhorns also looked good, but have beat at least one very solid opponent. That school in Waco lost and I think is not bowl-eligible, just like the Aggies. The youngest female I know in my family used to detest that school. So, it was a surprise when I learned she wore school spirit apparel when her mother forced her to attend homecoming activities.
  • Jerry Jones was at the Texas Longhorns game to support his grandson on the team, who is a senior this year. I’m almost positive he few there, but there’s a part of me that thinks he loaded everyone up on his luxury bus.
  • Dallas Cowboy DaRon Bland now holds the NFL record for most pick-6s in a single season with 5. What doesn’t get mentioned is that this is only his second year, he’s a 5th-round pick from Fresno State, and was the 22nd CB drafted. Praise him and the coaching staff, but don’t overlook the Cowboys scouting department, VP of Player Personnel Will McClay, and, well, I guess the GM, whoever that is.
  • The Cowboys Thanksgiving game had a massive audience with 41.438 million viewers. It was the most-watched program on any network since Super Bowl LVII and the third-most-watched NFL regular season game ever. Some credit needs to go to Dolly (there’s no need to put her last name, you know who the heck she is).
  • The three 2024 presidential debates will be held next year on Sept. 16, Oct. 1, and Oct. 9. The first will take place at Texas State University in San Marcos, a first for them. I’m happy they will get some national exposure.
  • Here’s a 1995 Texas Monthly article in which the daughter of Lee Harvey Oswald was interviewed at the restaurant where she worked. Two paragraphs stood out:
    • Old Life magazine photographs used to hang on the walls, including one of Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvey Oswald. “I don’t think anybody I worked with ever thought twice about it,” Rachel Oswald said. “You see that image everywhere; it’s easy to take it for granted. But it was still depressing, seeing my father shot every time I came to work.”
    • “You know, it’s interesting if you think about it,” Rachel said, lighting a cigarette. “Probably the only other people in America who have to routinely see film images of their father being killed are the children of President Kennedy.” She blew a long stream of smoke toward the ceiling. “Kinda strange, huh?”
  • Texas Has the Fewest Personal Freedoms
    • Texas was found to be the state with the fewest personal freedoms, according to the Cato Institute’s new Freedom Index. The index is a yearly measure of both economic and personal freedoms at the state level. The methodology looks at issues from taxation to debt, as well as eminent domain laws, occupational licensing, drug policy and educational choice.
  • Luka had an incredible pass that went in between Lebon James’ leg.
    https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1727543267456074044
  • And some people wonder why the fans of the Philadelphia Iggles get a bad rap.

  • My Republican readers can overlook this bullet, but I want my readers who are Democrats to read something from Captain Sulu.
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Bag of Randomness for Wednesday, November 22, 2023

  • I really, really enjoyed watching David Letterman on The Late Show the other night. I’m just not in the right mental model to express myself properly right now.
  • I’m usually a big Thanksgiving Day kinda person. It will be very different this year, and quite an adjustment for me. It will be the first time that I don’t physically see or be able to touch a family member. Sure, the kids may call, or I might call them. But it’s just weird to think that is how small my family is. And, it’s one reason why I do what I can to be with them. Also, I’m usually the one inviting people who don’t have anywhere to go to our Thanksgiving feast just to make sure they aren’t alone and are fed on Thanksgiving. But this year, just so I will not be alone, I kinda invited myself to Thanksgiving dinner being hosted by someone in my church small group. That’s humbling. The thing is, I know for certain there are certain people rooting for and celebrating this.
  • I recall talking to my father about being alone on Thanksgiving and Christmas. He muttered something about how he spent many of those alone when he was in the Army. Well, if Dad could do it, so can I.
  • Certain things have happened in my life in which I feel like I have been convicted and punished. but never told what law I broke or what crime I committed.
  • Office Space fans will appreciate this. I was at a doctor’s appointment in Las Colinas yesterday, and the office staff had a red stapler.
  • To answer one of my doctor’s questions early in my appointment, I mentioned my divorce and living life as a single father with children in their young teens. The doctor stopped what he was doing and shared about his divorce and the challenge of being a single father. For the next 30 minutes, all we did was console one another. This kind of stuff happens more than you’d think and in the oddest of places. Men who don’t know each other will end up hugging because they know the pain and struggle. It’s like being part of a secret fraternity.
  • Netflix is doing a special on Jerry Jones, which I’m sure was a motivating factor in letting Jimmy Johnson into the Ring of Honor. You have to generate buzz.
  • Credit card nightmare: $7,112 charged for a $7.54 Subway sandwich
    • Conner reportedly tried to speak with the location manager, but they refused, and she was also given a denial from her credit card carrier when she disputed the charge. There is no word from Subway’s corporate offices on the matter.
  • If only we can get Kathleen Kennedy to retire – ‘Star Wars’ Vet Dave Filoni Named Lucasfilm Chief Creative Officer – The ‘Ahsoka’ creator will help guide development of future projects at the Disney-owned studio.
  • Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio Team for New ‘Karate Kid’ Movie
  • Over 900 firearms traded in for H-E-B gift cards at San Antonio gun exchange event
  • High school golfer Happy Gilmore (no, really) officially signs with Ball State – His real first name is Landon, but he started going by “Happy” as a nickname when he was about 6 and started playing in golf tournaments.
  • From black gold to green power: Texas, weirdly, is leading America’s clean energy future
  • A Satanic Abortion Clinic Named After The Mother Of Supreme Court Justice Alito Is Open in New Mexico –  The group made it clear why this isn’t a troll but is, in fact, an accredited ‘religious medical services arm’

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Bag of Randomness for Tuesday, November 21, 2023

  • Seven United States presidents were born in the state of Ohio. The first of them was Grant. What state produced the most? That would be New York with eight.
  • @KUT – Texas State University in San Marcos will host a presidential debate next fall. It’s the first time a presidential debate has been held in Texas.
  • Lobster is half male, half female, half blue
  • The first time I looked at this, I thought three Panthers were blocking (and holding) Micah Parsons.
  • I got a bill from the city for my first ambulance ride. It was a little over a grand, but the insurance paid about $700 of it, so I’m responsible for the remaining amount. Thank you, COBRA. Now, I can’t help but think of G.I. Joe and Cobra Commander yelling. “Cobra!”. I should get another for my other ambulance ride.
  • I don’t think I told y’all why I rode in an ambulance two times in September. But, maybe one day I will.
  • Hey, let me tell you a story about a guy named Tony.
    • He’s a father of some kiddos in middle school and has been divorced for less than five years. The poor guy has been through a lot. He had three surgeries over the past year and has gone through a contentious divorce, and the mother of his children looks for opportunities to alien keep their children from him, despite him being a good father. However, Tony gets some possession time with the children.
    • He’s had to use a cane or walker for most of the year. His last surgery didn’t go well, and his chronic pain only became worse when the incision from the surgery became badly infected.
    • One night, the pain was very intense. The worst he’s ever experienced. Living alone, he begged God for mercy. Tony was used to suffering from chronic pain, but this pain was so intense, he chose poorly. To ease his pain, he took two or three extra pain pills.
    • When Tony woke up, he was confused and didn’t know where he was. He felt very ill and threw up. The confusion led to fear, and was worried he may have done something to hurt himself. He wasn’t sure who to contact for help, but he knew he needed it. He didn’t recognize several contacts in his phone but noticed he called his rabbi recently, so he called him.
    • When the rabbi answered, Tony had a very hard time putting together words. He’s not 100% sure what he said to his rabbi, it was something like, “I think I may have tried to kill myself.” The rabbi was immediately concerned and called an ambulance because he’s a responsible person.
    • Shortly, paramedics arrived at Tony’s house. Thankfully, his cats didn’t get out. The fog was wearing off, and Tony could recall a few things. One paramedic asked Tony what happened. He was searching for words, and in a long-winded fashion, told them about his surgical history and said something about taking too many pain pills the previous night. The paramedic followed up, asking Tony if he tried to harm or kill himself. All Tony could say was that he didn’t think so. They then took him to the hospital.
    • In the ambulance, Tony texted his buddy Mick. Mick replied he was on the way. As Mick was driving, he thought about how Tony didn’t have any family in the area. He felt the proper thing to do would be to contact the mother of Tony’s children. Mick told the mother that Tony overdosed on pain medication, in an ambulance, and was being taken to a hospital. And that’s when things really started to get bad.

      That’s enough about Tony for now. I’ll tell you more about him some other time.

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Bag of Randomness for Monday, November 20, 2023

  • Just a reminder: Letterman returns to the Ed Sullivan Theater tonight.
  • For the first time in a very long time, like six or seven years, I felt chipper. I can’t explain why, but it was a great experience and I accomplished a lot during that time.
  • I recently learned the origin or etymology of “OK.”
    • On March 23, 1839, the initials “O.K.” are first published in The Boston Morning Post. Meant as an abbreviation for “oll korrect,” a popular slang misspelling of “all correct” at the time, OK steadily made its way into the everyday speech of Americans.
    • I discovered that because I follow @ollkorrect0 on Twitter who explained her user name: “OK” stands for “oll korrect.” Editing notes are traditionally spelled wrong on purpose to make them stand out, so copy doesn’t go to print with them. I’m a nerdy writer and I like shit like that.
  • From the BBC – Fewer cousins marrying in Bradford’s Pakistani community
  • Mississippi man buried without his family’s knowledge had ID in his pocket, attorney says
  • I had no idea that visiting fans at BYU football games get free ice cream after the first quarter.

  • Well, it’s about time Jerry lets Jimmy into the Ring of Honor. Now everyone is questioning if either of them has a health concern. Cowboys fans think it’s going to lift a Super Bowl curse. We shall see.  The NFL on Fox crew and Jerry tried to surprise Jimmy, but I had a feeling he knew something was up. Here’s the entire segment if you missed it or wanted to see it.

    ​​

  • If you haven’t heard of hip-drop tackles in football, you will because I’m confident the NFL and NCAA will ban it next year. A week ago, I couldn’t tell you anything about it or how to spot it. Heck, once you see it, it becomes easy to spot. When I first viewed it, I thought nothing of it. But after some research, I learned how dangerous it can be. It’s so dangerous, that rugby has ever outlawed it. It became a huge topic of discussion since Thursday’s Ravens game and the gruesome injury (video below) during the Florida State game on Saturday.It’s described as, “a tackle in which a defender encircles his opponent and then drops his weight down to bring him to the ground.”
    https://twitter.com/NFL_DovKleiman/status/1726034156495184264

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