The Cheese Stands Alone

 Mo 3/30/26 805am (GB: 6/ Hybrid Popcorn)......Ahhhh!!!! 915am {1/4 of 100 mg VIIA 'Day Drift': 25 mg total}. 1025am (2-B: Frozen Lemonade). 140pm (GB: 5/ Hybrid Popcorn). 530pm (GB: 6/ a mix of Hybrid & Frozen).  Up 7am: {couldn't sleep}. Partly cloudy & windy with temps to low 80's. I vacuumed the living room, hallway, bathroom, and kitchen & put the items back into the cabinets in the bathroom. Watched 'My Brooklyn' (Kanopy). A thought provoking documentary about the racial and class aspects of Gentrification. When poor people get money from the government, it's called 'Welfare'. When rich developers get money from the government, it's called 'Subsidies' and 'Incentives'. If the government can let communities be 'redlined' and sold out to the highest bidder, then why do we need a government? City planners are actually acting against the best interest of the people that live in that community. Why can't i...

 Su 3/29/26- Bathroom Remodel: Day Three Up 545am: {To the alarm} Partly cloudy & breezy with temps to mid 60's.  Constipation is no longer an issue and I really haven't eaten enough in the last couple of days but I feel OK, just very drained.  Since yesterday I've been pissing in an empty gallon laundry soap container.  Works great. And, I'm really glad that Tyler recommended the American Standard toilet. It's ten times better than the old Toto model.  This morning I had three cups of coffee and didn't even turn on the living room computer. I was reading the Orson Scott Card novel, 'PRENTICE ALVIN'. I'm hooked on the story and will buy more of this series. It's a semi-fictional & slightly mystical profile of colonial America 'that might have been'.  The installer called 740am and told me that he would stop at Lowe's for a faucet for the tub which 'Perfect Choice' had forgotten to give him and he got to Westview about ...

 Sa 3/28/26- Bathroom Remodel: Day Two Up 530am: {15 minutes before the alarm; surprisingly well rested}. Sunny & breezy with temps to mid 50's.  Constipation is still an anxiety issue and the biggest downside to the entire project. 710am: Bowel movement is not going to happen, however, three moderate sized 'pebbles' at 740am. I ate very little yesterday and I only took one 'tan' laxative and tonight I will be sure to 'double up'.  805am: The installer called and said it would be about an hour before he arrived. He stopped at Menards for more of what he needs and he'll get something to eat. It's over 100 miles from here to Pontiac. Began 'THE NEIGHBORS' (Kanopy). The plan is to finish the film downstairs when the installer arrives. The story is set in Gyeonggi Province which includes the city of Seoul, South Korea.    ***Began work about 930am and the tub demo and sledge hammers will be involved. 950am: I relocated downstairs.   Finished ...

 Fr 3/27/26- Bathroom Remodel: Day One 535pm (GB: 5/ Frozen Lemonade). {Another 'T' Break?} Alarm 7am: Partly cloudy & breezy with a 40% chance of snow showers and temps to upper 40's. Nearly fifty degrees cooler than yesterday.  Watched 'BERNADETTE LAFONT, AND GOD CREATED THE FREE WOMAN (Hoopla). A fluff piece on a famous actress of '60's New Wave'. It was only an hour and not that interesting because I was completely unfamiliar with any of her films.  ***It's almost 10am and no word from Perfect Choice. I was put on hold for over 5 minutes and when I called back they said that the installer would be on Westview within the hour. It's 1210pm and still no call and no installer. At 1215pm I got a call from the installer and he said he would be here in about a half hour. He was surprised that I was replacing the floor tile and didn't seem to know about the new light with the vent. I've got a bad feeling about all of this.  And, I got a promp...

 Th 3/26/26 830am (GB: 5/ Hybrid Popcorn). 1225pm (GB: 5/ Hybrid Popcorn).  535pm (GB: 6/ Frozen Lemonade).  Up 725am: Partly cloudy & breezy with temps to 90 degrees! Strong storms for late tonight that could include everything from tornadoes to volcanoes.  ***7pm: Checking the radar it looks like 'battle conditions' after 8pm through early morning.  ***three of the tiny tan colored laxatives were just a little too much, however I am 'cleared'. Tomorrow I will back off to 2 for the beginning of the bathroom remodel. 945am: an attack of diarrhea that was just as strong as a 'pre-colonoscopy' flush. This is not helping the anxiousness of not having a bathroom for most of tomorrow.    Watched 'THE DONNER PARTY' (Hoopla). {A film by Ric Burns}. "The Donner/ Reed Party": James Reed was a prominent Springfield business man who had made his fortune, but was convinced that he could make much more in the far west. In the last part of the journey he...

 We 3/25/26 845am (GB: 6/ Hybrid Popcorn). 1255pm (GB:  5/ Frozen Lemonade). 230pm (2-B/ Frozen Lemonade). 535pm (GB: 5/ Hybrid Popcorn).  Up 735am: A mix of sun & clouds with temps to about 75. Watched 'KOLN 75' (Hoopla). The film is based on an incident in the life of the record promoter, Vera Brandes. She booked Keith Jarrett to play at the Koln Opera House and this concert recording went on to become the best-selling recording of a piano performance ever. The big problem in the film is that the piano was not up to snuff. I wonder how much of this narrative is true? {According to Wikipedia the 'broken' piano that Jarrett used was historically correct}  However, the movie is more about female empowerment in a patriarchal system than a film about a pivotal moment in the history of jazz. And, why use a song by the Bee Gees instead of one of Keith Jarrett's pieces? And I think that I look as much like the real Keith Jarrett as the actor who portrays him in the mo...

 Tu 3/24/26- Vehicle Sticker Online 850am (GB: 5/ Hybrid Popcorn). 915am (1/4 VIIA 'Day Drift' 100 mg: 25 mg total). 1205pm (GB: 4/ Frozen Lemonade). 545pm (GB: 4/Frozen Lemonade). 830pm (GB: 3/ Frozen Lemonade).  Up 745am: Breezy & a mix of sun & clouds with temps to about 60. Watched 'INSIDE THE YELLOW COCOON SHELL' (Hoopla). This one I watched in 2024 and is rated 'one of the best foreign films' on Hoopla. A man's sister in law is killed in a motorcycle accident. He must take his brother's five year old son back to their home village. Stunning & mesmerizing photography of daily life in Saigon and the hilly terrain of rural Vietnam. Nobody in the tiny villages takes money. They will provide a service for free because 'it's just family'.  The funeral expense for the boy's mom was $16,000,000 Vietnamese dong or $607.00 usd.  Filmed over two years in Vietnam; Ho Chi Minh City, Lam Dong province, Bao Loc and Di Linh. I watched a...

 Mo 3/23/26 815am (GB: 6/ a mix of Hybrid & Frozen). 1020am (GB: 2 fat rips/ Frozen Lemonade). 2pm & 230pm (1 hit portable black vape). 535pm (GB: 4/ Hybrid Popcorn).  Up 730am: A mix of sun & clouds, breezy and temps only to 50 degrees.  Watched 'ALONERS' (Hoopla). I gave this '5 stars' when I watched it in January of 2024, so it must easily be worth another viewing....{I  hoped and it was}. A young woman has a boring job as a telephone business rep. She talks all day, but is basically alone. Her mother passed away recently and left the entire estate to her estranged ex-husband. And, to make matters worse, her next door apartment is haunted. A wild study of a young woman under intense psychological pressure due to her 'aloneness'.  90% of the problem is that she has never dealt with the loss of her mother. I watched a five minute YouTube review and agreed with the reviewer (we were both impressed). "72" Metascore and I would easily go to ...

 Su 3/22/26 815am (GB: 4/ Hybrid Popcorn). 1035am (2- B/ Frozen Lemonade). 1215pm (GB: 4/Hybrid Popcorn). 535pm (GB: 4/ Hybrid Popcorn).  Up 650am: Cloudy & warm with temps to about 80. Winds pick up this afternoon and tomorrow we won't break 50 degrees.  Weekly Cleaning Watched 'FIREBREAK' (Netflix). An eight year old girl wanders away from her family's cabin in the woods. A fire is racing towards the area and suspicion falls on the next door neighbor. He's a 'Death/ Psychedelic' counselor and the family becomes convinced that he's behind the disappearance of the eight year old. Actually, the little girl was chased by a bear and fell in a hole. The freaky neighbor had nothing to do with any of it. The script was fast paced and it kept you guessing. Filmed in the Segovia region of Spain which is about 55 miles northwest of Madrid.  Finished 'SALVADOR' (Netflix). It was the 'incel' guy who killed Luis Tosar's daughter and Claudia S...

 Sa 3/21/26 740am {1/4 VIIA 'Day Drift' 100 mg: 25 mg total}. 740am (GB: 2/ Frozen Lemonade). 930am (2 hits- B/ Hybrid Popcorn). 535pm (GB: 4/ Hybrid Popcorn). Up 7am: Bright & breezy and temps to low 80's.  Watched 'SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE' (Netflix). After WWII Finland lost land to Russia. The film is about one man's journey to return to the ex-Finish territory where he lived and salvage the log-sides of his abandoned home. The Russian authorities put up a legendary offense to prevent him from accomplishing his mission. The film is ankle deep in blood from start to finish, and some of the most inventive mayhem that you can imagine. It's a Finnish film that was shot in Estonia; "76" Metascore and I would go to "89".   More 'SALVADOR' (Netflix). I shut it down 15 minutes into the 6th episode. I'm glad that I'm back into this one. It features two stars of Spanish cinema; LUIS TOSAR & CLAUDIA SALAS. 1145am: The PC is ...

Fr 3/20/26 920am (GB: 6/ Hybrid Popcorn). 1250pm (GB: 3/ Frozen Lemonade). 535pm (4- B/ Hybrid Popcorn). Up 740am: Warm, partly sunny & breezy with temps to just over 80. Called Perfect Choice and realized that I didn't buy the toilet yesterday. They'll call back probably on Monday to put me on the schedule. Also, whether I should go with a 'round' or 'elongated' toilet. I'm leaning toward 'elongated'.  And, deal with the Rebate Registration rigamarole.   Watched 'ROOFMAN' (Amazon Prime). To live in a toy store for months is beyond belief, but somewhat plausible. I think he could have gotten a better and bigger bicycle at most Toys-R-Us. Jeffrey Manchester successfully robbed between 40 and 50 McDonald's and used the alias, John Zorn. Was this a tip of the hat to the guy in Naked City? Based on a real person, Jeffrey Manchester and he will be eligible for parole in 2036. From IMDB: "The script is based on the true story of Jeffre...

 Th 3/19/26- Epperson 1130am/  Menards Bathroom Remodel 835am (GB: 3/ Frozen Lemonade). 535pm (GB: 5/ Hybrid Popcorn).  Up 745am: Bright & sunny with temps to lower 70's. ***I got a call yesterday from Epperson's office that they couldn't electronically file my return because there was a problem with 'the security code'. They need me to stop in and they'll fix the problem. Then, the plan is to head to Menards and buy the bathroom fixtures for the remodel.  Began 'SINNERS' (Amazon Prime- this is the film that Epperson mentioned during yesterday's visit). It's a lurid morality tale that's a feast for the eyes and I shut it down with an hour left to go so that there's a nice chunk of it left to see. Maybe the black point of view was too much for Epperson, although he would probably never admit to that.  Began 'TRUE CRIME STORY: SMUGSHOT' (Amazon Prime). I watched about the first ten minutes of the first episode. PTA mom has drugs...

 We 3/18/26- Doctor's appointment: 2pm Wabash/  The Brandenburg's  840am (GB: 2  1/2: Frozen Lemonade).  555pm (GB: 3/ Frozen Lemonade).  Up 730am: Partly sunny & breezy with temps almost to 60. Watched 'GASLIT BY MY HUSBAND': THE MORGAN METZER STORY' (Netflix). It's based on a real story, but the basic premise is a bit far-fetched. A couple loses their first child, yet eight years later and after the births of two other children, mom cannot accept the fact that she lost her first child. But, I guess the biggest 'reveal' is that the husband has been lying to her about every single thing in their life. The tone is very much like a Lifetime movie, but it keeps your interest. 1035am: The PC is 'Off' and will put in some time on the treadmill before the doctor visit and the visit with the Brandenburg's later this afternoon.  1140am:   ON THE TREADMILL AT 3.6 PACE AND ZERO SLANT; a 'WE MIGHT BE DRUNK with SMON REX. Reading 'VICTIM'...

 Tu 3/17/26- Taxes: 1pm Epperson 535pm (GB: 4/ Frozen Lemonade).  Up 730am: Partly cloudy with temps only to 30. More snow predicted for late tonight, but up to 60 tomorrow.  Watched 'VENGEANCE' (Netflix). A podcaster from NYC travels to West Texas to find out who killed a woman that he hooked up with a few times. The film reaches for more than the obvious story about an erudite and successful urbanite who exposes the phony and childish beliefs of the less sophisticated. The film strains to be more than 'Red State vs. Blue State' and is somewhat successful; with B. J. Novak, Boyd Holbrook, John Mayer, Ashton Kutcher. Filmed near Albuquerque, New Mexico. "65" Metascore and it got a "100" from VARIETY, but I would only go to "75".     Began 'SMALL TOWN MURDER' (Netflix podcast). Two guys talking about a convenience store murder in Velma, OK.  1140am: I felt a little out of it, so I decided to finish the podcast on the treadmill. The p...

 Mo 3/16/26 905am (it's been so long I can't even remember the notation; a few bong hits of Hybrid Popcorn).  535pm (GB: 3 hits/ Frozen Lemonade).  ***First bong hits... I can't even remember when and there is much to be said for a 'T' break. Yippee! Up 815am: Many strange & bizarre dreams last night. I dreamed I was running through downtown Springfield and during the dream my legs were actually pumping under the covers.  I awoke to blowing & drifting snow (about an inch of snow that stuck to the roads as well as the grass). Temperature today only to the low 20's & single digit windchill readings and a wind advisory is in effect until late this morning. Winter's last, fierce gasp and by Thursday we should be back to highs in the low 70's.  Watched 'NUREMBERG' (Netflix). I completely enjoyed the film's angle and it never occurred to me about what the Nuremberg trials might have become. It shows that Goering, as the most senior livi...

 Su 3/15/26 Up 730am: Today we're in for some seriously deranged weather. A strong thunderstorm rolled through about 830am and a chance of storms and strong winds throughout the day. Temps are to hit the low 60's, but tonight the forecast includes 'patchy blowing snow after midnight'. Tomorrow's high temps are not expected to crack 30 degrees. Weekly Cleaning ***840am: I took 1/4 of a 100 mg VIIA 'Day Drift': 25 mg total. This is the first time I've felt like getting high in many days. I'll find out if there is any validity to a 'temperance break'. 25 mg was a nice lift, but I much prefer the flower. The buzz lasted for a good three hours plus. Watched 'NOBODY 2' (Netflix). It's a tight and well written spoof of an Action Film hero. It's not as good as 'NOBODY', but this one has got a plethora of innovative fisticuffs and buckets of hand to hand mayhem. The entire idea of a modern family actually visiting a 60's st...

Sa 3/14/26- On The Mend Up 810am: Partly cloudy & breezy with temps to mid 50's. Finished 'THAT NIGHT' (Netflix). The last couple of episodes the location changes to Pamplona, Spain where the family lived. Dad tries to make a run with two of his daughters through the Basque part of the country to escape to France. It doesn't work. The sister who ran over the cop gets 23 years of a thirty year sentence. Her daughter, who was an infant when the murder occurred, made an impassioned plea to end her imprisonment at 23 years. The series was beautiful to look at, but it could have been much tighter.  I had a bowl of oatmeal and I'm definitely feeling better. The plan is to hit Planet Fitness for an abbreviated workout and then over to Schnucks for a few groceries. Then back home to rest and read more about reincarnation according to 'The Sleeping Prophet'. 1140am: To Planet Fitness...45"Cross; 45"Treadmill 3.5 pace; 15"Recumbent Bike;  15"Tr...

 Fr 3/13/26- Sick Up 815am: Partly cloudy with temps to low 50's and a wind advisory with gusts of 40 mph. Last night I was able to eat a two egg omelet and part of a can of Progresso chicken noodle soup. I had planned to hit the urgent care on Koke Mill first thing this morning, but constipation is an issue. The plan is for coffee and a movie and see what develops. Finished a short video by Rick Beato about the expense of recording studios and the new digital equipment that developed during the early 2000's. Began a Spanish series shot in the Dominican Republic; 'THAT NIGHT' (Netflix).  Shortly before 11am I had a bowel movement. It felt like just a few 'pebbles', but I was surprised to see a normal amount. Although the lab is open during the weekends, I'm going to head out and get this behind me.   1140am- 1220pm: To Koke Mill & back. I thought that the lab was at the other end of the building but it's same place that I get treatment.  1230pm- 115p...

 Th 3/12/26: Wi-Fi Down  Up 8am: A mix of sun & clouds and breezy with temps to about 50. Watching 'ONCE UPON A TIME IN LONDON' (Amazon Prime). Just before 11am I lost the Wi-Fi and then nothing worked. No power to the outlet? I called Dave Eiter at Tech2Door and they will call me back. This is not helping my recovery  although the lung congestion is about gone but the depression has intensified.  1120am:  Chris (Dave's son) called back and mentioned a couple of fixes, but no good. He said he'll pay me a visit in 10 minutes. He came over and had everything up and running in five minutes. A power surge or something affected the power. He didn't charge  me a cent.  Something is going right for a change!  I finished the very mediocre film about the rise of London gangster Billy Hill. Not much action, just fist fighting and the occasional knifing.  1215pm: I shut the PC down and began work on the mold in the bathroom. The plan is to spend a c...

 We 3/11/26- Sick Up 830am: Cloudy & breezy with rain/drizzle in the morning and temps only to upper 40's.  Last night I slept on the living room chair from 3am to 6am. I was experiencing some shortness of breath when I was laying flat and the chair put me in a more upright position. I think I feel better, but things are nowhere near back to normal. And, there seems to be less of an aversion to food. We will see...  The front lawn has a new covering of gumballs due to last night's severe weather and there are still many more on the tree. Watched 'TRAIN DREAMS' (Netflix). A feast for the eyes that is about a logger who lived at the turn of the century in Montana. He was an orphan who didn't know his parents, learned the logging trade, married and had a child, but he lost them to a forest fire. Although he suffered a terrible loss, at the end of his life he 'found a connection to all'. This was the kind of film that really resonates. The novella was writte...

Tu 3/10/26- Sick! Very warm and breezy with temps in the lower 80's and it felt much warmer.  It's 230pm and I've just opened the computer. I am feeling completely wiped out and I don't think I've ever experienced anything like this. I haven't eaten anything besides a couple of apples a day for a few days.  I didn't get much sleep last night and depressing thoughts kept me up most of the night. No coughing and not much wheezing, but I felt exhausted and did not sleep much. I'm wondering if something else is wrong in addition to the lower respiratory infection. 'Thoughts of Doom', indeed. I got out of bed at 820am and I was tossing and turning from about 4am. I had a couple of cups of instant coffee and an apple. I started on the gumballs on the front lawn at 9am and I had to come inside and rest a couple of times. About 1230pm I drove to County Market for more lawn bags, soda, and a head of cabbage. I came back and finished the raking. The front ...

 Mo 3/9/26- Urgent Care Koke Mill  Up 745am: Bright & breezy with temps to upper 70's! At first I felt like I'd turned the corner on the flu, but within a couple of hours I realized that 'the recovery' had stalled out.  The fact that I have zero appetite is reason for concern. Around 1130am I decided that I'd write a brief note to Janny and then head over to Urgent Care on Koke Mill. Hopefully stronger meds will knock it out. High anxiety.  Watched  'THE LIFE AHEAD' (Netflix). A young boy from Senegal is taken in by an elderly woman who survived Auschwitz. It's a sweet story of the healing power of love; with Sophia Loren. Beautifully shot in Bari, Italy in the Puglia Region of southeastern Italy. Watched the first two episodes of 'CRIME EXPOSE with Nancy O'Dell' (Amazon Prime).  I wrote a brief Chat and got ready to visit Urgent Care. 1230pm- 215pm:  Koke Mill... They had me breath into a machine for 10 minutes. Then 2 chest x rays; fron...

 Su 3/8/26- Sick/ Time Change Up 8am: Sunny & breezy with temps to low 60's. The flu symptoms have abated (not so sure), but constipated. No Weekly Cleaning ***I tried a bong hit, but no luck. It just brought on a coughing fit. Watched 'THE TIKTOK KILLER' (Netflix). An ugly bum with half his teeth posts popular 'travel' videos as he treks the coast of Spain. Most of the documentary is composed of video that he made on his journey. He was convicted of several murders and served his time, but it looks like he's killed a couple more. He is in contact with the mother of one of his probable victims. This guy seems like one of a kind.  Finished 'UNFAMILIAR' (Netflix). I didn't follow the plot, but it was so well done that I gave it '2 Thumbs Up' anyway. There were so many twists that it made a John le Carre novel seem like a 1st grade primer.  I thought that I was feeling better, but I'm not so sure. I don't know what I'm going to d...

 Sa 3/7/26- No Weed 845am {1/2 'Extreme Chill' 'Wedding Cake' 150 mg: 75 mg total}.  Up 730am {I feel better, but there is severe congestion in the lungs}. Cloudy & breezy and temps to about 60.  Watched 'The Zone of Interest' (Kanopy). From IMDB: "The commandant of Auschwitz and his wife strive to build a dream life for their family in a house next to the camp." From VARIETY: "It’s a remarkable film — chilling and profound, meditative and immersive, a movie that holds human darkness up to the light and examines it as if under a microscope. In a sense, it’s a movie that plays off our voyeurism, our curiosity to see the unseeable. Yet it does so with a bracing originality." "92" Metascore with seven ratings of "100". I agree. You never see the actual horror, yet you always know it's 'on the other side of the fence'.  An episode of  'HOMICIDE' (Netflix). Carnegie Deli Murders- Two guys rob a high end ...