A Saturday Off

We'll deal with this guy as comic relief at the bottom of this post

This is the post I wrote yesterday before the news of the passing of former colleague Rui Soares was confirmed. So here it is a day later.

It began as an average Saturday in June.

Mow the lawn. Pay bills. Maybe even -- GASP! -- chill out.

Didn't feel very impressed with TV. I watched the Yankees and ...  er ... whatever team they were playing, as well as Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

(Oh, wait, the Bombers played Boston. Well ... that's lovely. Not like that ever gets hyped, as in it's ONE FOR THE AGES or anything like that.)

So I scanned Twitter for a few minutes. What in the hell was I thinking?

I discovered literally everyone is working today.

Except me. And I'm none-too-pleased about it.

A week without games is too much for me. Plus there's the whole paycheck thing.

You should always want the ball (or, in this case, the mic). I know I do.

I digress.

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What, exactly, is rolling around in this guys' mind?

A reminder that Catholics should not support or attend LGBTQ “Pride Month” events held in June. They promote a culture and encourage activities that are contrary to Catholic faith and morals. They are especially harmful for children.

— Bishop Thomas Tobin (@ThomasJTobin1) June 1, 2019

In a time in which we're watching women's reproductive rights being seriously challenged (absolutely appalling and disgusting, in case my opinion isn't clear*), this ... person ... is saying "Pride Month" events are harmful to children?

Check the replies to the tweet for what might be more harmful to children in relation to the Bishop. I'm hoping I don't need to say much more as to what I think. I'll politely say I disagree with him.

* You know I normally don't head down this road here, but I've been trying to find the right way to express my own outrage over the continued attempt by politicians to dictate to women. It's THEIR bodies. Who am I to tell them what to do? I realize that the answer is more complicated than that, but the "Cliffs Notes" answer is that it's -- overall -- up to them. I'd certainly like to be heard (if it involves me) but it's their choice. Honestly, how difficult a concept is that?

If you have a moment, follow this link to a picture on Instagram from Adam Jones of the San Diego Padres (that sounds weird). I'm no social warrior, but dear God, come on. I can't even bring myself to embed the picture.

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Speaking of sports, it's the anniversary of an important date in Mets-land!

It's well known that Carlos Beltran's ball over third base in the sixth inning was a fair ball. But, hey, Derek Jeter got a playoff home run on a blown call. It happens, and it would be reversed in this era of replay. So it goes. Happy anniversary, Johan. Blown call or not, it was a no-hitter.

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The headline of this commentary from the Staten Island Advance (SIlive.com) is that 9/11 (you know, September 11, 2001) is becoming "just another day." The truth is that more of this commentary is to complain that neither NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio or NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo had the common decency to show at a ceremony at the 9/11 Museum in Manhattan on Thursday.

The museum had a ceremony to dedicate a memorial to those who have died since 2001 from toxins in the area of the World Trade Center.

I personally don't think September 11 has been forgotten. Goodness knows it's hard to forget when it is, frankly, heavily covered every year, including airing the "Ground Zero" memorial ceremony on TV.

In a lot of ways though, I wish it could be "just another day." So I think, the best thing is to take a moment to remember, and go about our business. No better way to honor it. But that's just me.

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It was 52 years ago. Honestly, I'm just out of superlatives. I listened to it again today, and it's still simply amazing and ahead of the curve.

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Thank you, Zachary Budin, for posting this. I honestly laughed so hard that I couldn't breathe. The tears ran down my cheeks. Absolutely priceless. The laugh that we all need.