Category: Rev. Joe Dirt’s Ramblings

The unsolicited, unreasoned, uninformed, unapologetic opinions of Rev. Joe Dirt

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An Old Man’s Tonterías

In Victorian times there was a very prescribed dress code, the window of acceptable clothing was fairly narrow.  At least this is the impression I have gathered from the many Victorian novels I have read.  I also received the impression that this applied less to the lower classes than those more socially advantaged.

Even in the first part of the 19th century, the acceptable styles were very much dictated by society.  There is hardly a man without a hat on in pictures from the 20s, 30s and 40s, if they were outside.  Men’s clothing was almost always some dull color.  Women had a little more latitude, but not much.  I was a teenager in the 60s before mother dared Continue reading “An Old Man’s Tonterías”

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A Common Attitude of Viejos???

As one of my brothers so delightfully pointed out to me, I have entered my 8th decade. For most of my adult life I have more or less tried to live a reasonably healthy life style.

I put down the cigarettes when I was 31. Drugs have never been my thing, and even if they had been, keeping a job in corporate America would have put them on a back burner.

I have and still do exercise regularly. Currently I do a combination of stretches, weights and aerobic exercises for an hour or more on an average of five times a week.  With Señora’s help Continue reading “A Common Attitude of Viejos???”

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Rev. Joe’s Random Thought #8,600

yeah I know you did not ask!

Divorce is never easy, sometimes very necessary, but never easy.  While going through mine during the last century I came across the following that accurately described how I felt at the time.

Divorce is like hacking off one of your limbs, yourself, using a rusty, very dull, undersized pocket knife.

Oucher for sure.

I was thinking about divorce for reasons I do not need to get into here, but when do you know it is time to get a divorce?  Obviously, it is a very complex situation with many factors, and it is different for every person/couple. Getting divorce can be expensive, time consuming, and emotionally devastating. Frequently it is not for the weak of heart.

However, I think the when can be summarized by saying it is when one or both persons in a marriage stop treating the other person with respect, especially if it is a long term pattern.  It is time to go.  It is time to split the blanket. Life is too damn short to live like that.

And so it goes… about 50% of the time in the United States of Acrimony.

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How Each Little Rascals Cast Member Died (Our Gang)

I subscribe to several YouTube channels and when I go there they usually have several “suggestions” directing you to the YouTube rabbit hole.  I fell into this one as I met a Little Rascal years ago.  Not one the original members recounted in this video, but a later replacement. But still a Little Rascal.  Follow this link to read about my encounter with this child actor: Dissed by a Little Rascal

It was a little traumatic at the time, but now I have a funny anecdote.

And so it goes.

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Rev. Joe’s Random Thought #2,825

yeah I know you did not ask!

Ahhh… the rumble of plastic rollers upon the pavement  as a swarm of trash and recycling bins are pushed, pulled or dragged to be perched on the curb in anticipation of offering their contents to the cacophonous, blue agent of the alien region, simply known as  Fieldlandia.  It must be the eve of Thursday trash day.

Gotta love the soundtrack of suburbia .

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1984 – Ring Camera

Books can talk to you in different ways at different stages of your life.  This is especially true of great books, such as George Orwell’s 1984 which I have read at least 3 times.  I recently watched a Wondrium class George Orwell: A Sage for All Seasons that was utterly fascinating. I would wholeheartedly recommend this class to anyone with an interest in literature or history.   Watching the class inspired me to reread both Animal Farm and 1984.

The Guardian in 2007 proclaimed 1984 ‘is definitive book of the 20th century’. The Atlantic in 2019 declared that “No novel of the past century has had more influence than George Orwell’s 1984.” In my world view Orwell’s book would be required reading for all high school students, and most certainly for college students.

The book is generally summarized as Continue reading “1984 – Ring Camera”

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Veil Replacement

I had to run down to The Hill area close to downtown St. Louis this morning.  On the way back I passed a compact, maybe a subcompact vehicle. I did not notice what brand it was as I was focused on the vanity license plate which read MN’TALA. I was busy trying to decipher what that meant in license-platese. I finally decided it must be a name which piqued my curiosity.

As I passed the vehicle I peeked over from the high peak of my pickup truck to see who was driving the subcompact.  It was a smallish, Arabic looking women dressed Continue reading “Veil Replacement”