Category: Rev. Joe Dirt’s Ramblings

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

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Quote About Masks

I don’t like wearing masks.

Do I wear masks, hell yes.  Why?  First because I do not want to get COVID.  I am vaccinated, but I could still contract or carry COVID. Secondly, I want to protect other people, even those do not think they need protecting or want to be protected.  Thirdly, I am trying to make a statement about what is the right thing to do.

In this week’s edition of the local free alternative newspaper, Riverfront Times,  there is a quote about masks that I absolutely love:

Masks are a metaphor for selflessness. During a pandemic they should be a symbol of community and national sense of duty, much like rationing was at the outbreak of World War II.  ~~ Editorial by Ray Hartman, Faisal Khan’s Well-Aimed Middle Finger

Absolutely, freaking YES!!!

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Soy un comediante

There are a couple skills that a person needs when they start a language learning journey, but that are not mentioned in the syllabus.  One is that you need to accept making lots of mistakes and the other is that you need to be able to laugh at yourself.  It took me a while to realize this. Self-deprecating humor is my forte, but it  is difficult accepting the making of errors, partly because I am a bit of a perfectionist, ask anyone who has programmed behind me, partly because I could not laugh at myself about those mistakes, partly because I hate feeling stupid in front of someone else, it is bad enough in front of yourself.  It is the last that has flattened my Spanish learning curve, but I am somewhat more accepting of my foibles now.

I read an article on language learning sometime ago, and one of their theories was that it took 10,000 Continue reading “Soy un comediante”

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Revengeful Robin…

On either side of our driveway are two large trees. On the right is a sycamore tree that towers above our two story house.  On the left is a sweet gum tree, tall for its species, with an impressive canopy.  One thing I have always liked about this arrangement is the shade they give our principle vehicles. With the garage being filled with kayaks and my baby – Li’ Blue – aka a certain Mazda MX-5 Miata, the other cars cannot find a home inside.  Of course if you are going to have tree limbs over cars, you will have the occasional avian calling card on your vehicle.  This has been an infrequent and bearable problem… Continue reading “Revengeful Robin…”

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Double Takes

La Señora and I were driving on the north side of the St. Louis metro area when we passed a bar with a sign in the parking lot that read: Karoke – Vaccine Event.   Why not?

That same day driving home we passed a van advertising mobile windshield and chip repair.  You guessed it…  the windshield of the van was cracked.

And so it goes

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Rev. Joe’s Random Thought #6,811

yeah I know you did not ask!

When I was a kid in the middle of last century, we bought our gasoline at a “gas station”.  It was a business with gas pumps outside, awful snacks and cold soda pop inside, frequently with a garage attached to do minor repairs. These “gas stations” have all but disappeared,  I cannot think of one anywhere near our suburban St. Louis home.  Now days we purchase our fuel at a convenience store that has gas pumps outside, and not infrequently, a small tunnel car wash somewhere on the property.

I bought gas the other day at such an establishment, and needing to spend my anniversary present, I went in to buy a lottery ticket.   With laxer alcohol regulations in Missouri, many convenience stores are mini liquor stores.  Just about everywhere convenience stores are known for their large coolers full of beer and soda pop.  Other big profit centers for these businesses are tobacco products, lottery tickets and other associated gambling games, practically any type of unhealthy snack food you could imagine, impulse buys of such things as a packet of vitamins for an outrageous sum, in short nothing that you absolutely need or frequently should even buy.

Given that, perhaps we should change the name of this type of store from convenience store to con-VICE store.

And so it goes.

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Rev. Joe’s Random Thought #3,356

yeah I know you did not ask!

I visit with people via Skype to practice my Spanish.  Two of the countries I “Skpe” to are El Salvador and Ecuador. The official currency of both countries is the US dollar.  This came about mainly because it was the most common currency on the black market and the governments gave in to a fait accompli. Because so many transactions are for smaller amounts of money, the US dollar coin, the Sacagawea coin that was so unpopular here, is very popular there, as the coin is more durable,   All of which got me connecting random dots in my brain.

Canada as far as I know does not have a $1 bill; at least all I have seen when I was there were $1 and $2 coins.

Stay with me I am about to get there…

It has been a while since I was in a “Gentlemen’s” club, but when I was last in one, it was a common practice to place $1 bills in whatever apparel was still left on the performer’s body, or barring that, throw the money onto the stage.

Thinking about this made me worry about the exotic dancers of our Canadian neighbor. The loonies – Canadian $1 coins – certainly would not stay inside a g-string strap, leaving tossing them at the ecdysiast as the only option.  Bruising must be an occupational hazard.

And so it goes.

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Rev. Joe’s Random Thought #4,906

yeah I know you did not ask!

I realized a long time ago that for most of the big questions of life I would never have a good answer to or for… I’m okay with that.  I’ve accepted that big portions of this existence are just a mystery, and the best thing to do is accept it as so and live your life.

BUT – There is one thing I do want to know the answer to – Where the hell do socks go to, how is that I end up with so many un-mated socks?

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Rev. Joe’s Random Thought #7,667

yeah I know you did not ask!

I have a certain playful streak – well, certain folks say mean streak – that can come out at the oddest times.

Señora had an outpatient surgical procedure this morning. In preparation for this the nurse left us alone in the surgical prep room to remove her street clothing and to put on her the customary paper surgical gown.  It was one size fits most, nearly dragging the floor on Señora, containing sufficient fabric to wrap around her a couple times, being the petite thing she is.  As we all know, they tie in back.  I had the damnedest urge to tie the strings of the gown in quadruple granny knots.  Of course the surgical staff would not have messed with my knots for a nano-second, taking scissors to them without pause, but still…

I did pretend to be a grownup for that nano-second, and I managed to squelch the impulse.