Eclectic Food For Thought

I’m going to be offline more than on the next few days, as Christmas is fast approaching for those of us who keep the old calendar. But, looking ahead a bit has me quietly laughing and going “wow!” The Trump II team is not thinking small.

What happened this morning has global implications. The illegitimate ruler of a country (anyone thinking any of the elections including the one installing Chavez courtesy of The Peanut were legit is a fool and/or a liar) has been taken on the basis of legally issued arrest warrants from the U.S. for him, his wife, and others. Been on the books for years, and it is worth noting that Argentina also has arrest warrants out for him and many of the same people. Haven’t dug, but they may not be the only ones.

Okay, so a dictator has been removed. Whoop I hear from the peanut gallery. Yes, his “government” still stands — for now. Thing is, it has had it’s legs cut out from under it not just by the strike, but by the blockade and the ending of the illegal oil and drugs that have funded it and provided the means of staying in power. In turn, Maduro and company have been propping up Cuba and some other interesting regimes (cough Ortega family cough).

Without Venezuelan oil, money, and other support, Cuba probably has about 30 days before things go from horrible to nightmare. There are already blackouts, shortages, and more just from the current blockade. Going to be interesting to see what happens in several countries in the region over the next year.

This has also just knocked a major prop out from under the mad mullahs in Iran. They have been playing oil games to keep themselves and others funded with Venezuela a major partner in same. The blockade has hurt, but having this taken from them while they are in the fight of their lives with an uprising is a nice indirect knife twist. Hard to pay Arabic mercenaries to fight for you (which is happening right now) when your already shaky revenue stream takes a major hit. More thoughts on Iran later, but have noted for a year plus now that it was a powder keg and not a lot would be needed to see it explode. Without Obama to intervene on behalf of the Mullahs, think this time may be the time. Also worth noting that two groups had/have transition plans and such in place, which is good.

The actions this morning also cuts off the terrorism and weapon pipeline that Iran had been running into the Americas. Venezuela was not only that, but it was the command and control nexus for all operations in this hemisphere including those being set up here in the U.S. It is a given that assets are already here and in place (as previously discussed here ad nauseum), and they have just been cut off. That could get spicy, but it also changes the nature of the engagement. Been noticing a number of stories about various plots being foiled and such, much of which gets buried because it appears to be related to immigration enforcement that corporate media ignores. I simply note that such would be a good way to bury coverage of intel ops and related.

Nor was Iran the only one using Venezuela as a base for attacking the U.S. Interesting that the Chinese special envoy met with Maduro just hours before the snatch, pledging undying support. Funny how China seems to be the source for a lot of both precursor chemicals to, and fully produced fentanyl, that flooded the U.S. for several years there. Interesting that since the U.S. got serious about the border and eliminating as much of the fentanyl smuggling threat as possible that overdose deaths have dropped dramatically. Sure it’s all just coincidence though…

This is also going to impact some other governments and regions. Maybe more on that later if I get the chance but not counting on anything until after Wednesday. Between now and then will be mostly at Church, or trying to catch a bit of rest.

More soon I hope.

UPDATE I: From Wretchardthecat courtesy of Instapundit

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Happy New Year

A new day has dawned along with a new year, and I hope all of you came through the night relatively unscathed. I have to admit that for the first time in about a decade I went out for a bit. Nothing too crazy, some friends had a small group of people over after the prayer service for the. new year at our Church. I was home well before midnight and the only mistake I made was upon getting home I sat down and decided I would read for just a few minutes…

Unlike a number of pundits and such, I don’t regard 2025 as a dumpster fire or all that horrible. It was, in fact, a year with a lot of positive changes. I will admit that “positive” does not always equal “pleasant.” That said, let’s step outside the box and look at 2025 from a different perspective.

One of the first things to look at is that in 2025 the process of starting to save the Republic truly got off the ground and we avoided a civil war. Note that I said “starting to save” as there is still a LOT of work to do to turn things around, and things can still go south on us in a heartbeat; and, that we avoided a civil war then. We are still, in my opinion, tap dancing on the edge of the razor, but the edge is a little thicker now which starts to provide more options and flexibility of you will.

Yes, a lot of horrible corruption was exposed last year, from USAID to daycare centers, and I suspect more is to come. Fact is, sunlight has indeed hit on the festering mess and despite corporate media and politicians/bureaucrats (of all stripes) being in on it and trying desperately to keep it out of the public eye, the average citizen is starting to be aware. Where corporate media won’t go, intrepid independent journalists are there and the work they are doing is amazing. It will take years for all the investigations and yes some are likely to skate; but, faucets are getting turned off and that may keep us from bleeding out financially.

Along those lines, the corruption of federal law enforcement is getting some sunlight as well. Things can still reset to Biden Regency levels of corruption in a heartbeat, but enough changes are in process that I see hope there. I still think the FBI too damaged for rehabilitation, but the process there is underway as well. Again, it will take time as you have to identify, fire, and then replace. Quite a few at the FBI and DOJ have taken themselves out, which is good. Finding good replacements for them does take time however. For just one example, the changes Harmeet Dhillon is making in the civil rights division are much needed and long overdue. The real bottleneck now, for her and most offices, is finding and hiring GOOD people.

Another positive sign is that race cards and similar are being declined in record numbers for being overdrawn. The public is tired of it and not putting up with it in ways large and small. A lot of groups are finding out that when they block streets and such that the public is quite willing to deal more directly with things when LE and local politicians won’t act. Be aware though that this is a mixed bag, as there are still those (especially overseas) who would love to help push us into a civil war.

Along those lines, X courtesy of Elon Musk, has been not only allowing relatively free speech (still some issues IMO) but has unmasked a huge amount of information operations including an amazing amount of foreign interference. I’m not just talking the goose-stepping bureaucrats of the EU, but when X exposed all the alleged MAGA/AF/ETC accounts that turned out to be foreign it was delightful. Thing is, we need to keep the lights on and extend their reach to keep them running and not thinking of coming back anytime soon.

2025 also saw some very positive steps towards taking humanity to the stars. With the removal of the Biden Regency, Space X was able to push Starship’s testing schedule to something reasonable. This has led to a number of improvements and puts Starship on a good trajectory for use. Also, if you are one of those low-synapse people out there, what Elon and Space X are doing is condensing the equivalent of the rocketry development of the late 1940s and 1950s into roughly a three year program. In all seriousness, by deliberately sacrificing these early Starship designs (and finding out how far you can break them and still have them work) they are skipping a decade or more of development. Also, if you think we didn’t lose rockets back then, you’ve never seen any of the Nevergo (Navajo) and other launch failures.

Despite a setback, NASA finally got a new administrator and we are fortunate it is “Rookie” Jared Isaacman. The man has a plan, and if he is able/allowed to implement it both NASA and America will be much better off. If you’ve read me over the years, you might have gotten a hint (cough, choke, wheeze) that I think NASA has lost its way and needs some serious reform. For all that certain elements of Congress and the military/space industrial complex have been screaming and fighting against Isaacman from the moment his name was first floated, the bloat needs to go. NASA has been the largest bottleneck to space commercialization, space exploitation, and even space exploration for far too long. If the “Rookie” can start to return NASA to it’s charter mission rather than it’s non-mandated expansion, I’d be willing to bet we go further and get more done in the next ten years than we have in the last fifty.

There are a host of similar changes, but the world is not just politics. 2025 also saw a growing number of people return to Faith, particularly in traditional Christian Churches. There have been a number of amazing medical breakthroughs, and a number of blockages to effective research have been removed. There were a number of scientific discoveries that not only will change our understanding of this world, but may help improve the quality of life within it. There is more, but I’m getting tired and hopefully you are getting the point.

On a personal note, 2025 saw changes to health, Faith, and more. There are some things that happened in my past that were not pleasant. Healing from them has not been fun or easy, and in fact it was somewhat debilitating at times this year. Worth it though for the progress made. My physical health, along with mobility, balance, and such, has improved as well. Do I wish I had gotten the physical and massage therapy sooner? Yep. Sure do. Thing is, glad I got it now as I can again ride a bike and am starting to do some serious workouts.

The idea of a pilgrimage for spiritual growth and discernment moved from a crazy dream to practical reality in 2025. The original plans have pretty much been scrapped, and that is a very good thing. What has been developed instead will be much more immersive and hopefully illuminating. Yes, I am still going to get to do the cooking lessons, but they are now part of a much richer opportunity. I’ll be sharing more details soon I hope.

I’m doing more at Church, and getting taught how to do even more. I start my first online seminary course later this month. Well, first formal as I have been doing the “fun” course the last few weeks.

Looking at 2025 from this angle, I’d say it was a year of many needed positive changes. The changes and what they revealed, or require in response, may have not always been pleasant. However, growth of any type — mental, physical, or spiritual — is rarely painless. Growth spurts in children leave them aching, tired, and often grumpy. Yet, that growth spurt takes them to a new stage of life.

Just as a child can’t go back to where they were before a growth spurt, we can’t return to where things used to be. What we can do is try to take the opportunities presented and make the world better on as many levels and in as many ways as we can. Won’t always be pleasant, but growth — particularly positive growth — rarely is so. The best we can do is run with the positive change and make it as pleasant as possible, long-term, for as many as possible. Strikes me as a worthy goal for 2026.

So, let’s keep dancing and see if we can move beyond the razor’s edge to more solid footing. May 2026 be not just a year of continuing positive change, but good year for us all.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Into The Light: Brigitte Bardot

Growing up in the 1960s, I — like so many American boys — recognized beauty when I saw it. Fact is, I had a bit of a crush (if not other emotions) for Goldie Hawn, Ann Margaret, and Raquel Welch. Despite growing up in an area that was about as far from a foreign film hotbed as you could get (and a mother determined to save me from the evils of rock and roll as well as godless foreign sexpots), I became aware of beauties like Diana Rigg, Claudia Cardinale, and Brigitte Bardot. The two latter turned the pout into a sexy art form.

Brigitte Bardot retired early but still managed to pop up in various places and media over the years. While I appreciated her work on behalf of animals, I also have to admit she pushed it well beyond my comfort zone on occasion. I will also admit that when I learned how she treated her pets, I was ready to volunteer as such.

Over time, I came to appreciate that she was a complex individual who battled depression and other issues; was addicted to cigarettes; and who actually had a working mind and a good heart. The latter led her overboard in some things, IMO, but it also showed that she was human. She was also bluntly honest on things, and her take on immigration, MeToo, and other issues made her an outcast from progressive circles (while delighting many others). Also, if you have not checked out her music, you should.

Please join me in saying a prayer for her soul, and in appreciating the beauty of a particular time and place. The era of the movie star is not yet dead, but it is fading fast as those who were such leave this world.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Gym

A couple of weeks ago, I was presented the chance to have a free membership at a very nice gym. We are talking one with an indoor track, indoor olympic pool, indoor full-size therapy pool, various basketball/pickleball/etc. courts, and a variety of outdoor areas when the weather is nice. They have a very nice collection of machines and free weights, along with a huge number of classes. While I do like my original free gym, there just is no comparison between the two, and I also now get a discount on my massage therapy.

So, this week I started the process of truly working out again. Boy howdy I’m glad I bought the jumbo bottle of ibuprofen. 🙂 Going to take a while to settle into a good routine, but what I am doing so far is focused on three major areas/goals: core, shoulders (with arms and chest), and legs with focus on strength, endurance, and mobility. Here’s the basics, and does not include some classes I’m looking at to aid in mobility/flexibility/coordination.

My warm-up is several laps around the indoor track, nice walk pushing towards brisk walk. The order then varies but here’s the basics:

Leg press, focusing on endurance and strength, not bulking up. Right now, I’m doing 6 sets of 20 reps at 100 lbs. First set is with feet close center of plate. Second is feet close at top of plate. Third is feet close at bottom of plate. Fourth bottom wide. Fifth center wide. Sixth top wide. Each one works some different muscle groups while getting core. Current plan (plans subject to modification based on expert input) is to work up to about five sets of all, then work up on weight a bit.

I’m doing both leg curls and leg extensions. Again, working on endurance and strength rather than trying to bulk up. With all the leg work, part of what I am doing is trying to get the muscles used to large-scale contraction/release given that they were locked up for so long after the lightning strike. It is making a difference, will be interested to see what the massage therapist says as she encouraged doing something like this rather than just walking/biking. I would also note that all of the lower body is aimed at helping balance, coordination, and mobility as sub-goals within the workout.

I’m also doing hip abductions and related, via working hips and inner/outer thighs. Main focused core for now is ab crunches and back extensions. Want to get my core in shape, build from there while also hopefully taking off some fat I want gone. For the upper body I’m doing seated dips, different lat pulldowns, chest presses, low row, pec/delt, and some light-weight free-weight curls. I finish with 15 minutes on an elliptical to get in some cardio. Given my meds, I have no shot of hitting official target zones, but know where I should try to hit and for how long.

Short-term goals include adding in one more ab exercise and to start carrying weights as I do my warm up. I eventually would like to add in full Farmer’s Carries to the mix (50 lbs or more each hand, do at least one lap before resting) as well as some crawls and springs.

But, going to take the time needed to build up so I get max results and don’t do anything (too) stupid. Per ortho who put in new shoulders, avoiding chin-ups and military press for now, and being careful with bench press and anything related. Need to build up then bulk up shoulders and upper arms, and that will take time. Hoping to come up with the funds to have a trainer work with me once or twice a month to help me get the most out of each exercise and session.

Really looking forward to a couple of the classes. There is a “flow” class that sounds like the body flow class I used to do up in Lafayette years back that was based in part on tai chi. That class kicked my rear and was great! Should really help with balance, coordination, strength and stability. There is a special class in the therapy pool that works on stretches and balance that sounds good. Also, couple of others that as I get going might make some good “off day” workouts. Then again, might just go swimming on off days.

Meantime, I’ve had to order some new gym shorts. Turns out some of mine were 40 (or more) years old and any elastic in them has given up the ghost. Even my Army PT shorts are almost 20 years old I realized. So, trying some new options to have some good shorts that will work in gym or pool.

Have to admit, I really appreciated the steam room at the new gym yesterday. The sauna just wasn’t warm enough for me, but the steam room really helped after the workout. Did some mild stretches while in there and could tell they helped.

While I may be a bit sore and tight in spots today, it was a good first week and good start to getting back into serious workouts. Hoping to do three days a week, and then see about classes on “off” days to help with the balance/mobility/coordination issues.

More soon I hope.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Merry Christmas 2025!

May your day be Blessed and filled with light, love, and all the things that truly matter. May the kids/grandkids/yourselves be delighted with what awaits under the tree, while not forgetting the birth that is the reason for the season.

I have Vespers this evening, and a service tomorrow morning though not a Christmas service. Our Church is Old Calendar, so Christmas for us will be on January 7, which is December 25th on the Old Calendar. Interestingly enough, January 7 and December 25th were the two dates debated by the early Church for the Birth of Jesus, which was less an argument about the date of birth as it was about the date of conception.

Me, I will enjoy tomorrow and hope to do my usual Christmas call with my Uncle who is about the last immediate family left. He’s 90 now and I do need to get down to visit one day soon. On the 7th I can focus on the spiritual, which is a good thing.

Be safe, enjoy, and make the most of the day.

A Small Bit Of Beauty To Share

Since it keeps me busy, and sometimes from regular posting, thought I would share some photos that catch a bit of what I’ve been up to. I will note that I call our Church a TARDIS church as it is much bigger on the inside than it looks to be on the outside. Here’s some of what I’ve been up to recently.

Our Deacon is out of town, so I stopped by yesterday morning on my way to St. Nicholas church to take care of a few things. This put me in right at sunrise, so I got a few shots to share. These are okay, but really do make me want to upgrade the phone/camera before the pilgrimage…

The big windows at sunrise…

A closer view of the big window. The Lord’s face is dark because over the hundred-plus years this has been up, sunlight has reacted with the pigment used on his face. The windows have been restored, but there is nothing we know of that can be done about the aging of the pigment.

The flanking windows

The Iconostasis and altar area being slowly illuminated by the rising sun. It is fun and fascinating to see beams of light come in and at different times on different days of the year, illuminate faces and things as if the entire layout was planned that way.

We also had a special visitor at Vesper’s the other night: St. Nicholas himself.

It was such fun to watch the children interact with him, and each got a small treat from him.

This is where I spent most of my time during the Christmas Village. The bar is a replica from the Eagle and Child pub where the Inklings — a group of writers including Lewis and Tolkien — met each week. We normally use it for Bible study, small events and discussions, and such but once a year it becomes a full pub complete with temporary license. Hence the 21 sign which is not there normally. (smile).

One of our new attendees is a professional mural artist and she painted this in a matter of just a few hours, and has volunteered to help touch-up or repaint some of our existing set pieces as they sorta need it after 30+ years.

I managed to get out from the Lampost Saturday afternoon and caught a couple of shots in the main Village. It was a good turnout but not frantic which was nice. I ended up out a good bit of Saturday afternoon as I helped with caroling, singing, and working in the Sanctuary answering questions and helping get it ready for Vespers.

Also, today I finally got my little tree decorated and plugged in for the season. Life is good. I hope your lives are as well, and that the Season is good for you. More soon, though I warn you that between now and January 7 there will be a LOT of services keeping me busy.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Keep An Eye

On the murder of Nuno Loureiro. Right now, no connection to anything else including the murders/shooting at Brown (which now stinks to high heaven) other than geographic closeness. That said, we will see what happens.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Heads On Swivels

Following up on this post, this last week has been horrible in many respects. You not only had Bondi Beach, but what increasingly appears to have been a targeted assassination at Brown (which increasingly it appears the leadership there is all-in on the side of the assassin). Nor is this alone. Are you aware of the machete attack in Pennsylvania? The acid attack in Savannah? There appear to be multiple attacks against Jews in New York. You also have lunatics assaulting those who oppose males in women’s sports (again, seem to think more than one such). Loons having vile meltdowns against ICE, National Guard, etc. Oh, and don’t forget the mom stabbed in a Macy’s bathroom while changing her child.

For my Jewish friends in New York, be extra careful right now. For Jews in England and Australia, I’m going to tell you what I recommended to the Jews in France months ago: get out. It’s not going to get better. For anyone who believes in the ideals of Western Civilization, individual freedom and liberty, get out of the Commonwealth.

Be careful out there my friends, and let’s see a New Year in together.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

A Fun Seminary Class

I can’t remember if I mentioned this before (and am too lazy to look), but I’m taking an online class called “Cosmic Nativity.” I was tipped to it by my Priest, and while not in the budget am very much enjoying it.

It’s just a fun class, and not from the Seminary where I will be studying online next year. It looks at this time of year, the Nativity, and more through the lens of C.S. Lewis’s A Christmas Sermon For Pagans and Tolkien’s The Father Christmas Letters, with some Chesterton and others thrown in. Nevermind that it is a delight to read, or reread-for-the-first-time (stupid lightning), excellent writings by some of my favorite authors, it also helps put a different focus and perspective on the season.

Among some of the fun discussions are those on the date for Christmas and how the early Church made the choice it did. Hate to bust any bubbles, but it had nothing to do with pagan traditions far north that the Disciples and Apostolic Fathers may never have heard of. A lot of it boils down to debates on when Jesus was conceived within Mary, with the date of birth being either December 25 or January 7 depending on which day (and calendar) you choose.

If you are traditional Orthodox, you pretty well have the spread covered. Most of the world celebrates December 25, while if you follow the old calendar it puts the date on January 7 according to the current calendar. I see it as an opportunity to spend the 25th on some of the secular things and family/friends, while the 7th is the day we celebrate the spiritual. I’m sure there are those who will quibble with that, but it works for myself and a number of others.

I disliked (a lot) having to add Zoom to my computer, but it has been worth it. I’ve got some backgrounds from my Church in place, along with one from Babylon 5 as one of the other participants uses the Bridge of TNG Star Trek as his background (challenge accepted!).

Hope to share more from the course here soon. For all that it is lighthearted in some respects, there is a LOT of good food for thought in the mix. For all that Lewis’s Sermon is short, it is dense with information and thought. Seems to be true for all the things we are reading and discussing. More on this soon I hope.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Into The Light: Rob Reiner

Rob Reiner and his wife Michele passed into the light yesterday, apparently the result of being stabbed to death. Even more tragic, a family member appears to be the prime suspect at this time. I’m being cautious as this is LA, and the current LAPD, we are talking about and getting information from, which warrants a good deal of caution. Especially since the initial press conference wouldn’t even discuss who had been killed or how and was blindsided to find out Mayor Security Threat (not just because of her loose lips) had already blabbed details ahead of their conference.

Politically, we were worlds apart and I didn’t care for his online persona (and it was a persona). His work, however, was quite often genius and he had a special gift for making us laugh at the absurdities in life. From the extremes of A Few Good Men on one hand to The Princess Bride on the other, he handled generes and topics with a masterful touch. For The Princess Bride alone I would have been willing to put up with much more from him as it is one of my favorite movies of all time. He leaves behind an impressive and enjoyable body of work.

I invite you to join me in saying a prayer for God’s Mercy on their souls; for God’s Mercy and Illumination on their killer (son or other); and for God’s Mercy, Illumination, and Comfort to all those they leave behind.