John

Friday morning’s breakfast

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The hotel offered a killer breakfast, and we got our money’s worth:

There was also a coffee station and a water station.

Our first night’s dinner

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At the Monastery Boutique Hotel in Budapest, where we’re staying for two nights before we board the Emerald Star for our Danube riverboat cruise, we grabbed an hour-or-so nap upon arrival, and then we had a most delicious dinner in Umo, one of the two restaurants associated with the hotel.

John, Al, Ken, & Bob at dinner

Carlos, who was just adorable, was our server, and when we asked him where he was from he said, “A small city near Mexico City.”

And when we asked him what brought him from Mexico to Budapest, he said, “I came over with a person.” Since any straight guy would have said something like, “I followed my girlfriend here,” we assumed he was on “our team.” And then he added, “But we’re no longer together,” which drew a collective, “Awww” from all of us.

This place had fantastic food.

The menu:

Bob’s and my choices:

And our comeuppance:

Our receipt

Our Danube Delights Riverboat BearCruise

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It’s the beginning of our Danube Delights Riverboat BearCruise vacation.

We flew from Raleigh to Paris (on July 2) and to Budapest (on July 3). They were Delta Flights, operated by Air France, and our friends Al & Ken were on the same flights. We were slightly delayed out of Raleigh due to bad weather, and we had a 2-hour delay for our Paris to Budapest flight.

We’re staying at the Monastery Boutique Hotel, which is on the other side of the Danube from the House of Parliament building.

Three 50-word stories about the 50 books I’ve read in the first 6 months of 2025.

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Ratings Sources Format
I have a 5-star rating system and of the 50 books I’ve read in this first half of 2025, the ratings distribution is:
•  15 ★★★★★,
•  18 ★★★★☆,
•  9 ★★★☆☆,
•  6 ★★☆☆☆, and
•  2 ★☆☆☆☆.
I abandoned the 2 one-star-rated books, because that’s part of the definition of a 1-star rating.		 I rarely buy books, and I haven’t bought any of the books that I’ve read so far this year. They’ve come — free — from 3 different sources:
•  Amazon First Reads (10),
•  BookBub email list (5), and
•  Wake County Public Library (32).
Two were from friends, and one was free through Prime Reading.		 My preference of reading formats from most-to-least favorite is: 1) Kindle, 2) audiobook, 3) large-print book, 4) regular-print hardback book, 5) regular-print paperback book. This year-to-date’s 50 books comprised: 21 Kindle books, 6 audiobooks, and 23 printed books (3 of which were picture books, and one of which was large-print).
Read other 50-word stories that I’ve written.

Gendered eyeglasses

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The Costco optical department person is ringing up a new pair of glasses that I’ve chosen.

Her, pointing to that dotted design along the temples: “You like these?”

Me: Yeah, they’re fine.

Her: Hmmm.

Me: You don’t like them, I take it?

Her: Well, they’re usually on girls’ glasses.

Me: Oh. I don’t care about that. Besides, I can’t see them when I’m wearing them. They’re fine.

Simple syrup, rock candy, and science experiments

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At Costco this morning, a man had a cart with 10 25-lbs of fine granulated sugar and 6 18-packs of bottled water.

Of course, the wheels in my head started immediately spinning to answer the question: “Is there anything you can make with just sugar and water?” So I took it to ChatGPT:

With just sugar and water, you can create a few things, including:

  • Simple Syrup: This is made by dissolving equal parts sugar and water, typically by heating the water and stirring in the sugar until completely dissolved. It’s a versatile liquid sweetener used in:
    • Cocktails
    • Sweetening coffees or teas
    • Making lemonades or other fruit beverages
    • Moistening cakes or pastries
    • Creating sorbets or granitas
  • Rock Candy: You can grow rock candy crystals by creating a supersaturated sugar solution (dissolving more sugar in water than it can usually hold at room temperature by heating it), then letting the solution cool. As it cools, the sugar molecules will crystallize onto a string or stick placed in the solution.
     
  • Hard Candy: By boiling a sugar and water mixture to a high temperature (hard crack stage), then pouring it into molds or onto a prepared surface, you can create hard candy. Note that some recipes for hard candy may include additional ingredients like corn syrup.
     
  • Science Experiments: Sugar and water can be used for interesting science experiments, such as demonstrating density. By creating solutions with varying amounts of sugar, you can layer them in a glass to create a colorful “rainbow” effect.

Pet peeve: Asking for information that I’ve already provided

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About a month ago, I booked an eye appointment for my annual check-up. As a new patient, I filled out a 10-page form with all the usual medical history questions.

At my appointment this morning:

Person checking me in: “Would you sign that form on the clip board for me?”

Me: Just sign it?

Her: No. Fill it out and sign it.

Me: Is this the same information I provided on the 10-page form I filled out and submitted when I made this appointment?

Her: I’ll check, but sometimes those things don’t take.

Me: I don’t love doing a lot of work that doesn’t matter.

Her: Okay, you don’t have to fill it out then.

A patient-hygienist silver anniversary

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At my dentist appointment in March, my hygienist and I talked about when I first started going to this practice, which used to be Lake Boone Dentistry but is now Gover & Gover [David & Susan, husband and wife team] Dentistry.

I told Leigh Ann that I thought it might be 45 years this year, and she said, “Wait a minute. We have records going all the way back to when it was Lake Boone Dentistry. Let me check!”

And sure enough, my first appointment was in November of 1980!

I always schedule my semi-annual cleanings when

Leigh Ann

is available, and we talked about how long we’ve been “seeing each other,” and she saw in those same records, that my first appointment with her was on June 29, 2000.

Which, of course, means that yesterday was our “Silver Anniversary,” and today, she received the card I put in the mail to her last week.

She texted me to let me know she got it:

Good morning! OMG how thoughtful YOU are!! I just got your card!! Happy 25th and 1 day to US! 🥂 Cheers! Hoping you guys are doing well! I’m hanging this card in my locker forever!!!

Days made all around.

Finished book #50 in 2025

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Book #50
Reckoning Hour book cover		 Book: Reckoning Hour Author: Peter O’Mahoney
Source: Free First Reads download
Format: Kindle		 Pages: 315 Duration: 06/25/25 – 06/27/25 (3 days)
Rating: ★★★★★ Genres: fiction, legal thriller, mystery crime
📕10-word summary: Chicago lawyer returns to hometown — takes on two interconnected cases.
🖌6-word review: Good tension. Good pace. Satisfying resolution.
💭Favorite quote: “Crimes of the disadvantaged were punished much more harshly than crimes of the advantaged.”
🎓Some new-to-me words: pluff mud, bowrider, tomahawk steak
Description:* Big-city defense lawyer Dean Lincoln left his picturesque hometown of Beaufort years ago. But now, the lure of small-town life and a family matter have drawn him back. Amidst the sultry heat and the Spanish moss, and beneath the facade of Southern small-town charm, Lincoln begins work again and is immediately thrown into two cases: a rich kid charged with murder and a poor kid accused of arson. Both swear they are innocent. Both feel the system is trying to crush them. And in this corner of the South, guilt is rarely decided in the courtroom… Lincoln’s return has stirred a long-standing grudge, and it could cost him everything — his career, his clients, even his life. As the clock runs out on the truth, trouble is closing in fast.*From goodreads.com’s synopsis.
Thoughts: I was surprised at, and pleased with, how much I enjoyed this book, especially since it was the first in a series (Dean Lincoln Legal Thriller #1) and a free download, which as a combination in my experience doesn’t often bode well. As of right now, there’s only one other book in the series, and if I can find it free somewhere, I just might read it. I thought the setting, — Beaufort, SC — was described and integrated into the story to the extent of itself becoming one of the “characters.” Also, the small-town legal corruption felt believable, if not on the verge of stereotypical, and at more than one point, I thought of the lyrics, “A big-bellied sheriff grabbed his gun and said, ‘Why’d you do it?’ The judge said ‘guilty’ in a make-believe trial, and slapped the sheriff on the back with a smile…” I liked this book enough to possibly make it a Mostly Social Book Club choice of mine some day. And last, but certainly not least, I’m thrilled to have reached book #50 by the end of June. I’d love for this to be a 100+-book year, which I haven’t had since 2022, when I read 102 books.

See the rest of the books I’ve read in 2025 and previous years: 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019.

Hollaback b-a-n-a-n-a-s!

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My friend sent me this image saying, “7’s for me. Is it 12 or 13 for you?”

She’s not wrong:

  • She’s a lot like Bob (my husband); he picked #8.
  • To me, 12, 13 & 14 are great.
  • 13 looks perfect to slice and put atop some cereal that could use a little natural sweetener.
  • 14 would be good mixed in some vanilla ice cream.
  • And 15 is approaching one that we’d put in the freezer for when Bob makes my annual Best. Ever. Banana. Cake.

This reminds me, Bob knows me so well that one time when I was still working, I wanted a banana for lunch, but he knew the ones we had weren’t ripe enough for me, so he doctored one up with a Sharpie and packed it in my lunch.

Windows is getting rid of the BSOD after 40 years (2-minute read)

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Microsoft plans to overhaul its blue screen of death (BSOD) error message in Windows 11 in favor of a simplified black screen known as the Black Screen of Death.

Read the article on The Verge.

Sources:
•  TLDR. (2025, June 27). TLDR Newsletter. https://a.tldrnewsletter.com/web-version?ep=1&lc=f5cb7e17-003d-11ed-9258-0241b9615763&p=29c1d0c0-532a-11f0-8a05-dfd4e7565873&pt=campaign&t=1751021762&s=dc783f725385f35826ce3417523b7fb4d1e69f6f44d7ed849655265c20bdc9ab
•  Warren, T. (2025, June 26). Windows is getting rid of the Blue Screen of Death after 40 years. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/news/692648/microsoft-bsod-black-screen-of-death-color-change-official

The first non-opioid painkiller (11-minute read)

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In January, the FDA approved Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ Journavx (suzetrigine), the first non-opioid pain reliever suitable for treating post-surgery pain.

Clinical trials found that patients didn’t show any of the problematic side effects associated with opioids. Unlike opioids, Journavx doesn’t meaningfully interact with the brain – it instead targets a specific sodium ion channel found almost exclusively on peripheral nociceptors (pain-sensing neurons), blocking them from sending pain signals to the brain.

The drug is a product of 27 years of research and billions of dollars.

Read the article on The Works in Progress Newsletter.

Sources:
•  TLDR. (2025, June 27). TLDR Newsletter. https://a.tldrnewsletter.com/web-version?ep=1&lc=f5cb7e17-003d-11ed-9258-0241b9615763&p=29c1d0c0-532a-11f0-8a05-dfd4e7565873&pt=campaign&t=1751021762&s=dc783f725385f35826ce3417523b7fb4d1e69f6f44d7ed849655265c20bdc9ab
•  Ma, M. (2025, June 26). The first non-opioid painkiller. The Works in Progress Newsletter. https://www.worksinprogress.news/p/the-first-non-opioid-painkiller

Ewwwwww!

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We got a bad watermelon at Publix yesterday, and I took a picture of it, along with its receipt, back to get a replacement one.

When I showed the picture to the customer service attendant, she said, “Ewwww! That’s nasty! Go get another one right now.”

When I brought the replacement one up to her, she said, “I’m sorry you had to run back here for this. I know when I open some fresh fruit, I want it to look good — not like that!”

I said, “Well, you had no way of knowing what the inside looked like, either, and I appreciate being able to exchange it for another one.”

A coincidence and why???

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Recently, “The Flintstone’s purple pet” was a clue in one of the crossword puzzles I do. I hadn’t thought of Dino in a good long while.

Then lo and behold, yesterday at the grocery store, I saw these chunks of chicken.

So many questions… not the least of which is: “Why is that dinosaur on the package green, and are they purple on the inside at least?” And just in terms of making them at all: “Why??? It seems very, very arbitrary to me.”

Finished book #49 in 2025

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Book #49
Death Row book cover		 Book: Death Row Author: Freida McFadden
Source: Free First Reads download
Format: Kindle		 Pages: 74 Duration: 06/24/25 – 06/24/25 (1 day)
Rating: ★★★☆☆ Genres: fiction, short stories, mystery, psychological thriller, suspense
📕10-word summary: A condemned murderess professes her innocence until the bitter end.
🖌6-word review: Clever twists, but sometimes confusingly executed.
💭Favorite quote: “Bowman explained to me that the protocol in this state calls for the injection of three drugs. First midazolam, a sedative. Then vecuronium bromide, which will paralyze my muscles. And last, potassium chloride, which will stop my heart from beating.”
🎓Some new-to-me words: peewee football, omakase
Description:* Talia Kemper is on death row for murdering her husband. She had an alibi and no known motive, yet Talia’s unwavering protestations of innocence have always been ignored. Then one day in the visiting area, she sees a recognizable stranger she’s certain is her husband. It turns out the man she’s been convicted of killing may not be dead after all. But as the days tick away toward Talia’s execution, what will it take for her to be believed?*From goodreads.com’s synopsis.
Thoughts: This was a bit of a roller coaster while reading, between the alternating “dream” chapters and the “current day” (but not “real?”) chapters, and at times confusing — as in “Wait. What’s going on here?” I did think that, overall, there were clever twists and that it would be interesting to re-read it knowing everything I knew by the end. With that said, I’m not one to re-read books, and I won’t be re-reading this one.

See the rest of the books I’ve read in 2025 and previous years: 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019.

Touching the sky

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There are a number of songs whose lyrics include “I can touch the sky,” which makes me wonder, “Exactly how far up is it before the sky actually starts?”

Copilot AI to the rescue:

The “sky” doesn’t have a hard boundary. What we typically call the sky is Earth’s atmosphere, which extends about 62 miles (100 kilometers) above sea level to what’s known as the Kármán line — often considered the edge of space. That’s higher than any commercial plane can fly and where things start to get truly weightless

So, I says to Copilot, “But where does the sky start? Is it one-inch off the ground?”

In the most basic sense, yes—the sky starts right at your feet. The “sky” is really just Earth’s atmosphere, and we’re all living in the thickest part of it, called the troposphere, which begins at ground level and stretches up about 7 to 12 miles (12 to 20 km). So technically, every breath you take is part of the sky.

It’s just that when we look up, we perceive that vast expanse differently—like it’s separate from us, a thing up there rather than around us. But truly, you’re walking through the sky every time you stroll down the street. Kind of poetic, don’t you think?

With all that said, being able to touch the sky isn’t really a big enough deal to brag about.

Three 50-word stories about neighborhood coincidences this past Monday.

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Mowing Exterminating Gutter cleaning
We were mowing our lawn — and by we were, I mean my husband was — and at the same time, the kid across the street from us was mowing his mother’s lawn. And while mowing, Bob noticed 2 other neighbors’ house maintenance goings on that we’re also having done this week. The same across-the-street neighbor was also having her extermination service this morning, by Economy Exterminators, and our exterminator, BugOut, is coming today as well. Our assigned BugOut exterminator is Josh, who — another coincidence — was the exterminator assigned to the Red Hat building I used to work in before I retired. Also this morning while mowing, Bob noticed that our neighbor two doors down is having their gutters cleaned, and we’re having ours cleaned on Thursday. The company our neighbor is using is amusingly named Suck My Gutters Clean. Our roof and gutter cleaner is — boring by comparison — Raleigh Gutter Cleaning.
Read other 50-word stories that I’ve written.

Finished book #48 in 2025

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Book #48
This Impossible Brightness book cover		 Book: This Impossible Brightness Author: Jessica Bryant Klagmann
Source: Free First Reads download
Format: Kindle		 Pages: 308 Duration: 06/20/25 – 06/24/25 (5 days)
Rating: ★★★★☆ Genres: literary fiction, fantasy, mystery, dystopia, magical realism, science fiction
📕10-word summary: Grieving woman develops unlikely connections with — dead and alive — townsfolk.
🖌6-word review: Interesting premise. Ended right on time.
💭Favorite quote: “It is agonizing, the disposition of the human mind to construct obstacles in one’s own path, when the world itself has given us none.”
🎓Some new-to-me words: QL card, rappie pie, hepatica, phonautograph, ogham, mottled, cairn, lupine
Description:* After the mysterious disappearance of her fiancé, Alma Hughes moves to a remote island in the North Atlantic, where she hopes to weather her grief and nurture her ailing dog. But the strange town of Violette has mysteries as well. Townsfolk say that the radio tower overlooking their town broadcasts messages through their home appliances, their dreams, even the sea itself. When lightning strikes the tower, illuminating the sky in a brilliant flash, Alma finds herself caught in the unexplainable aftermath of one of Violette’s deadliest storms. As the sea consumes the island, threatening its very existence, the deaths and lost memories of the recently departed also devastate the community. Alma, with a unique link to the lost, may be the only one who can help them move on. But to do so, she must confront a tragic loss of her own.*From goodreads.com’s synopsis.
Thoughts: I acquired this book in January of 2024, and I’m surprised I downloaded it because I dislike 4 of the 6 genres listed for this book: literary fiction, mystery, fantasy, dystopia, magical realism, science fiction. The only thing more surprising than that is that I actually didn’t abandoned it and I liked it pretty well. I did experience, although to a minimal degree, a couple of the things I don’t like about fantasy, magical realism, and science fiction, which is constantly trying to figure out “the rules” of how things work in these unreal worlds, and then making sure the author is true to them. For example, in this book, one of the characters can see and hear dead people (and a dead dog), but only certain dead people, and those dead people can see and hear each other. Also, I’m a stickler for “speaker attribution” (a.k.a. “dialogue tags”), because if they’re not used for a chunk of conversation between people, I think the writing has to be very, very strong to keep the reader from asking, “Wait, which person is saying this?” I experienced this a couple of times in this book. And, finally, I spent too much time wondering why the name of this book was This Impossible Brightness instead of The Impossible Brightness.

See the rest of the books I’ve read in 2025 and previous years: 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019.

MIT student prints AI polymer masks to restore paintings in hours (5-minute read)

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MIT graduate student Alex Kachkine developed a technique that uses AI-generated polymer films to physically restore damaged paintings in hours.

It works by printing a transparent ‘mask’ containing thousands of precisely color-matched regions that conservators apply directly to an original artwork. These masks can be removed whenever needed, so it’s a reversible process.

Read the article on Ars Technica.

Sources:
•  TLDR. (2025, June 23). TLDR Newsletter. https://a.tldrnewsletter.com/web-version?ep=1&lc=f5cb7e17-003d-11ed-9258-0241b9615763&p=dd5977b2-5007-11f0-b624-ab515b556d6f&pt=campaign&t=1750676146&s=f4bf968090147c3e45e91710fa090b11fa8d202792df01f603fc61e1b1df5ac6
•  Edwards, B., & Edwards, B. (2025, June 20). MIT student prints AI polymer masks to restore paintings in hours. Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/06/mit-student-prints-ai-polymer-masks-to-restore-paintings-in-hours/

ship v. boat

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Long-time cruisers love to correct you when you call the vessel a boat, as in “We need to be back to the boat by 6 p.m.”

“It’s a ship!” they’ll cry.

In anticipation of our imminent Danube Delights Riverboat Cruise, I read Diamonds on the Danube in which, most times, the characters refer to the riverboat as a ship, which got me to musing… and Googling, of course:

A riverboat is generally called a boat, although in some contexts, particularly with larger river vessels, “ship” might be used. The distinction between boat and ship often relates to size and whether the vessel is designed for ocean travel (typically called a ship) or inland waterways (typically called a boat). Riverboats, designed for shallow draft and inland navigation, are usually classified as boats.

I’ll be saying, “It’s time to get back to the boat,” during this trip. This is what our boat looks like:

In contrast, our fall New England & Canada Cruise will be on NCL’s Norwegian Getaway, which is unequivocally a ship:

Words, words, words! Ever the editor.

Finished book #47 in 2025

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Book #47
Diamonds on the Danube book cover		 Book: Diamonds on the Danube Author: Cheryl Dougan
Source: Borrowed from a friend
Format: Print		 Pages: 103 Duration: 06/19/25 – 06/19/25 (1 day)
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ Genres: fiction, cozy mystery, travel
📕10-word summary: Tour guide on Danube riverboat cruise uncovers diamond theft shenanigans.
🖌6-word review: All-around mediocre writing, characters, and plot.
💭Favorite quote: “Temptations are a reminder that I have a choice.”
🎓A new-to-me word: Lipizzan
Description:* She never expected to be cruising down the Danube trying to catch a diamond thief red-handed. Adelle didn’t expect her 60s to be boring. So when her travel-agent friend asks her to guide a cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam, the born people-pleaser jumps at the chance to help four women have an unforgettable vacation. But when expensive jewelry goes missing, she fears one of her happy travelers could be the culprit. Will Adelle unmask the crook before her adventure sinks into muddy waters?*From goodreads.com’s synopsis.
Thoughts: I bought this book as a gift for a friend who is also a reader and a book club member (although we’re not in the same book club) and with whom I’m going on a “Danube Delights Riverboat Cruise” soon. We thought it would be fun to read a book related to cruising the Danube — but not a nonfiction book about it — and then get together one day on the cruise and discuss it; you know, sort of like a book club meeting but while enjoying our unlimited drink package and taking in the scenery along the way from Budapest to Regensburg, Germany. With all that said — and I have a lot more to say that I’m not including here but have outlined for our discussion on the cruise — this book wasn’t very good. It was more a travelogue (which is what we didn’t want to read) than it was a mystery. At the end of chapter 7 (out of 13), there was still no mention of diamonds or a crime. We’re hoping that “sometimes the worst books make for the best discussion” will come into play with this one. I definitely would not recommend this book, nor would I read any other books in this series, which is part of the “River Cruise Cozies.”

See the rest of the books I’ve read in 2025 and previous years: 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019.

Our freezer inventories

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Why yes, we do keep an inventory of what’s in our freezers, which informs our weekly menus and helps prevent waste. You know you want a snapshot of what’s in each of them at the moment.

KITCHEN FREEZER
6 Angus burgers 1 can OJ
Eggo waffles 1 package cheese ravioli
Mini breakfast quiches (Box of 72) 1 portion tortellini & meatballs
18 spinach egg white frittatas 1 10-lb bag of ice
¼ bag french fries Plan-ahead brownies
Chopped celery Chocolate ice cream

 

HALL FREEZER
2 lbs. bacon 2 (2-packs) of RAW cordon bleu
16 PB&J Uncrustables 2 packages smoked sausage
4 chicken breasts 1 bag African peanut soup
1 package of 6 chicken thighs 1 bag crispy crown potatoes (hash browns)
2 pork tenderloins 1 bag mixed vegetables
2 trays of 6 chicken & veggie dumplings $1M-dollar spaghetti plan-ahead
AmyLu chicken patties 2 lunch portions Italian Wedding Bake
3 packages hot dogs 2 bottles of OJ
1 package hot dog buns 6 plain bagels
½ bag of shrimp (~12 oz.) 6 sesame bagels
2 1-lb packages lunch meat (1 ham, 1 turkey) 1 lb. butter
1 bag boneless chicken bites 1 whipped topping
4 1-lb packages ground beef Haagen-Dazs® ice cream bars
2 bags of scallops

Our menus 06/22/25 – 06/28/25

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Day Meal
06/22/25
Sunday		 •  Chicken patties on sesame buns
•  Yellow squash
•  House salad
06/23/25
Monday		 (Front-porch happy hour cheering on Pelagic Run Club runners)
•  Shrimp dinner salad
06/24/25
Tuesday		 •  Smoked sausage c̅ pineapple
•  Crispy crown potatoes
•  Green beans
06/25/25
Wednesday		 •  Cabbage fried rice c̅ scallops
06/26/25
Thursday		 •  Ham
•  Butternut squash
•  Caprese salad
06/27/25
Friday		 •  Cheesy noodle casserole (What’s Cooking at Westlake cookbook, p. 318)
•  Mixed vegetables
06/28/25
Saturday		 •  Ham & potato soup
•  House salad

Plume doom

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A Hershey's Kisses bag and 3 kisses with their plumes highlighted.

In my recent reading of The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars, I learned that before there were machines to produce Hershey’s Kisses, the line-people (almost always women) in the factory had to lay that little strip of paper (the “plume”) down on the foil, put the chocolate on it, and then wrap it.

But sometimes the plume blew away before they could set the chocolate on it and wrap it. Because it happened enough, and because there was a lot of pressure to maximize their productivity, the women sometimes licked the chocolate and stuck the plume to it to keep it from blowing away before they could wrap it.

Reading that caused me to muse about, realistically, how important that plume is to the consumer. Please take this brief survey to let us know.

What effect would discontinuing the plume in a Hershey's Kiss have on your life? 1) It wouldn't affect met at all, because my helicopter parents unwrap my Hershey's Kisses for me. 2) I simply wouldn't be able to go on. 3) It would take me 1-2 years to adjust to it. 4) I could successfully transition to the new reality with a maximum of 2 sessions with my therapist. 5) My arthritic hands would welcome this improvement to the unwrapping experience. 6) It would be a mere spec in my circle of concern.

FDA approves powerful HIV drug that nearly eliminated spread in clinical trials (10-minute read)

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The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a new HIV-prevention medication called Yeztugo. The drug nearly eliminated the spread of HIV in clinical trials.

It is the first in a new class of antiretrovirals that block HIV from infecting and making new copies of itself inside the immune cells it targets.

It costs $14,109 per injection, so health insurers will likely decline to cover the treatment in favor of other forms of PrEP, which can cost as little as $30 per month.

Read the article on nbcnews.com.

Sources:
•  TLDR. (2025, June 20). TLDR Newsletter. https://a.tldrnewsletter.com/web-version?ep=1&lc=f5cb7e17-003d-11ed-9258-0241b9615763&p=3ff15ee2-4dad-11f0-8a0a-0bdfefe0127d&pt=campaign&t=1750416976&s=64bf54165cbacd5282266e883d964a07f581266b3d17c910203228b42356c048
•  FDA approves powerful new HIV drug. (2025, June 19). [Video]. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-hiv-prevention-drug-prep-lenacapavir-rcna208387

Cutting up at Costco

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As soon as I committed to a Costco checkout line, I noticed the cashier, and thought: “Oh, it’s him, the guy who commented on my t-shirt the last two times I’ve been in his line.” I immediately checked which t-shirt I had on and was thankful it wasn’t my PLAYS UNDER PRESSURE one — the one I’d had on both times I’d previously gone through his line.

Sure enough, when I got to the register he said, “I like your shirt. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man with a pumpkin head, though.”

“Thanks,” I said. “Apparently he’s famous on YouTube, which I only found out after about 10 “kids” told me they like my shirt, and I finally asked one of them, “Is this a famous person or something?”

I had no idea about the pumpkin man dance pop-culture phenomenon when I bought that t-shirt from 6 Dollar Shirts [sic]. I just bought it to wear on the 2023 Ultimate Disco Cruise, because the pose of the pumpkin man had immediately reminded me of:

Then I remembered that this cashier also likes to yammer while he rings you up (which I don’t love), and that he fancies himself as funny. Sure enough, after the shirt comment, he starts:

“What kind of bee can’t make a decision in springtime?”

“I don’t know.”

“A May bee.”

Then another:

“Earlier today, I was driving behind an ambulance when a cooler fell off the back. I stopped and opened it up to find a foot inside. So, I decided to call a toe-truck.”

Lest I be unarmed in a battle of wits, I said:

“What’s better than a candelabra on your piano?”

“I don’t know, what?”

“Tulips on your organ.”

Him, after a 2-second processing delay: “Ha! Nobody’s gonna argue with that!

Three 50-word stories about when and what classical music I listen to.

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Editing Reading Exercising
I don’t edit as much as I used to before retiring, but whenever I do, I listen to classical music while doing it, because if I listen to music with words, I start singing along, and I lose my place editing. I typically listen to music I own while editing. I listen to classical music while reading for the same reason I listen to it while editing — to avoid being “lyrically distracted.” For this activity, I typically listen to one of two free classical music providers: Venice Classic Radio Italia internet radio or a classical music playlist on Amazon Music. Three times a week, I do 40 minutes of core, back, and left-knee stretching and strengthening exercises. For some reason, for this activity, I always listen to WCPE, theclassicalstation.org, a local classical radio station that broadcasts globally, and it is typically when George Leef, whom I love, is the announcer.
Read other 50-word stories that I’ve written.

Finished book #45 in 2025

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Book #45
Abscond book cover		 Book: Abscond: A Short Story Author: Abraham Verghese
Source: Free First Reads download
Format: Kindle		 Pages: 38 Duration: 06/15/25 – 06/15/25 (1 day)
Rating: ★★★★★ Genres: fiction, short stories, coming of age, relationships, family, death, Indian culture
📕10-word summary: Fate challenges Ravi to find his place in the world.
🖌6-word review: Great author. Compelling characters. Tight story.
💭Favorite quote: “You want to know when I fucking see God, Connor? I see God when Sheryl McGilicutty comes to our pool in her bikini and I see the outline of her coochie. That’s God speaking right there.”
🎓Some new-to-me words: sambar, idli, palaver
Description:* It’s a New Jersey summer in 1967, and thirteen-year-old Ravi Ramanathan has the makings of a tennis prodigy. His surgeon father encourages his ambition, while his mother dreams of their only child following his father’s path. Surrounded by his parents’ love, Ravi chafes a bit at their daily routines and little traditions. Then one unexpected day, everything changes. Realizing how much he took for granted, Ravi must grow up overnight and find a new role in the life of his family.*From goodreads.com’s synopsis.
Thoughts: This was a bonus free short story First Reads book for June 2025. I was curious to see what an author of often “heavy” and often long books would do with a short story — and what the heck, it was free! I read Abraham Verghese’s Cutting for Stone (560 pages, so intense!) 13 years ago as one of our Mostly Social Book Club‘s 2012 books, and I’ve had my eye on his The Covenant of Water (715 pages!) for a while now, but I’m not ready to commit to that yet. Not unexpectedly, the writing and tale told in this short story was excellent, and the subject matter, while grave, was less intense to me than Cutting for Stone. This is an author whose work I like, so I’m sure I’ll eventually get to The Covenant of Water.

See the rest of the books I’ve read in 2025 and previous years: 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019.

Father’s Day musing — hearing loss & back pain

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My dad was “hard of hearing” for about as long as I can remember. Obviously, I could deduce that it was a result of being around loud noise, but I wasn’t ever exactly sure of the diagnosis.

In this medical record it says, “History of noise exposure includes heavy artillery beginning in 1948 and being a loader on 90 mm. guns up until 1953.” This is what one of those “guns” looks like:

And here’s the medical record:

Also for as long as I can remember, my dad had — sometimes debilitating — back pain. Not that there’s anything funny about back pain, but I had to laugh when I saw this note about prescribing PT for him, because 3 times a week I do 8 exercises to strengthen my core and my back, and those 2 exercises are part of my routine!

Father’s Day musing — a well-decorated Marine

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My dad’s uniform hosted a lot of ribbons and some medals. This is a picture in the latter part of his career, when he was a Sergeant Major.

Looking through the many military records of his, before recycling them, here is a list of the “decorations, medals, badges, commendations, citation, and campaign ribbons” awarded to him:

Pistol Expert Marksmanship Badge Rifle Sharpshooters Badge
Korean Service Medal Korean Presidential Unit Citation
Vietnam Campaign Medal Vietnam Service Medal
Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal, 1st Class Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Vietnam Cross of Gallantry w/Palm Combat Action Ribbon
Presidential Unit Citation Navy Unit Commendation
United Nations Service Medal National Defense Service Medal
Commendation Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Good Conduct Service Medal (at least 10 of these) Purple Heart

The Purple Heart is the most distinguished award he earned, and I always thought it was a result of punji sticks, a type of booby-trapped stake, that went into his shin. However, this account that I came across in his medical records paints a different picture:

22 AUG 69. C Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Division. While serving on active duty with C Co. of above named unit at approximately 19:15 hours on 10 AUG 69, 1st Sgt. Martin received fragment wounds to the right leg resulting from an enemy rocket, while in a defensive position. He was treated at 1/4 [illegible acronym] and returned to duty. Condition and prognosis are good. He will receive his first Purple Heart Award.

Receiving said Purple Heart:

Father’s Day musing — dad’s first job

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Recently, I went through several file cabinet folders of paperwork related to my dad, who died 10 years ago this September 11th. The majority of the paperwork comprised health records and records of his military service in the U.S. Marine Corps, and I learned a few things about him in the process.

I knew he entered the military very young, as the family story goes that my grandmother had to sign for him to join because he wasn’t yet 18.

I also knew that he’d never graduated high school, because he earned his USAFI High School GED in 1959, and this document confirms that, where it shows his “non-service education” at the time as 8 years grammar school and 1 year of high school.

The thing I didn’t know about him was where he worked before enlisting in the Marines. This document lists Berkshire Fine Spinning Associates in Fall River, MA as his employer, and the “occupation” field says he was a “spare boy!”

I’d heard of neither that company nor that job position before. Thank the &deity for the internet.

According to Wikipedia: Berkshire Fine Spinning Associates (/ˈbɜːrkʃər/) was an American textile company. In 1955, the company merged with Hathaway Manufacturing Company to form Berkshire Hathaway. Wait! What??? My father worked for the precursor to Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffet‘s company??? 😂

The mill my dad worked in in Fall River was King Philip Mills, an historic cotton mill complex, which was acquired by Berkshire Fine Spinning Associates in 1930.

When I first saw “spare boy,” my thoughts immediately went to bowling, perhaps because as young girl my mother worked as a “pin boy” resetting pins at the bowling alley for, as the family lore goes, “a nickel an hour.”

But alas, in mill work, a “spare boy” was a young male worker who assisted with the operation of machinery in a textile mill, particularly during the early 20th century. They were responsible for ensuring the smooth functioning of the production process in the factory.

For instance, Andrew Stefanik worked as a spare boy in a textile mill in Chicopee, Massachusetts. His tasks likely involved supporting tasks like replacing bobbins and other general duties. This was a common role for young workers, especially “bobbin boys,” who often worked as spare boys.

The term “spare” suggests that they might not have had a specific machine assigned to them but were available to assist wherever needed, filling in for absent workers or helping with tasks that required additional hands. Historically, this could also be referred to as a “spare hand.”

Here’s a picture of a “bobbin boy” working in the mills, one of the jobs my dad presumably did as a spare boy.

Andrew Stefanik, a bobbin boy, works as spare boy, November 1911. Photographer: Hine, Lewis. Original public domain image from Flickr

Finished book #44 in 2025

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Book #44
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry book cover		 Book: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry Author: Gabrielle Zevin
Source: Library loan
Format: Audiobook		 Pages: 290 Duration: 06/14/25 – 06/14/25 (1 day)
Rating: ★★★★★ Genres: fiction, romance, books about books, relationships
📕10-word summary: Man gets a chance to turn around his deteriorating life.
🖌6-word review: Great characters, literary allusions, and story.
💭Favorite quote: “Do you miss your [writer] husband?” Lambaise asks.
“Not really,” she says after a bit. “His sense of humor sometimes, but the best parts of him were in his books.”
🎓A new-to-me word: jejune
Description:* A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island—from Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who’s always felt kindly toward Fikry; from Ismay, his sister-in-law who is hell-bent on saving him from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who keeps on taking the ferry over to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.’s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, A.J. can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly. And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It’s a small package, but large in weight. It’s that unexpected arrival that gives A. J. Fikry the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. *From goodreads.com’s synopsis.
Thoughts: This was a quick, easy read for me. Books, a bookstore, and book clubs are an integral part of the story, which appealed to me greatly. This book alludes to a lot of stories, books, plays, and authors (see all 64 of them), and when I searched goodreads.com for one of the books mentioned early on in this story, The Late Bloomer by Leon Friedman, to see what it was about, I was surprised to find an entry there that said it wasn’t a real book. I love that someone took the time to create that entry, and it made me wonder how many times people search for books that don’t really exist when seeing them mentioned in another book, and what percentage of those have entries like this one for them. I originally read this book in 2020, and this was a re-read as it’s been chosen as a Mostly Social Book Club book by Suzanne.

See the rest of the books I’ve read in 2025 and previous years: 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019.

Look at me now

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I’ll admit that I have a little bias about thinking a lot of weight-lifters are self-centered or narcissistic.

That assessment deepens as I observe someone staring at themselves in the mirror even when they’re not actually exercising — which is to say that I get that some body builders want to make sure their “form” looks good as they’re exercising. But that doesn’t explain why they’re still staring at themselves when they’re between sets.

Today I witnessed staring at yourself raised to a whole new level:

Image generated by Copilot AI

I mean the dude brought a selfie stand with him for the occasion. Perhaps he’s an “influencer.” 🙄 What’s next, light stands and hair-blowing wind machines?

Publix check-in

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I’m at the register unloading my cart onto the belt when I feel tap, tap on my back.

Lady behind me in line: “Excuse me. Are you paying cash for your groceries today?”

Me: “No, I’m not.”

Her: “Okay, have a blessed day.” And away she walks.

Now I want to know what her response would have been had I said yes, since I actually did have enough cash in my wallet to pay cash.

Exercise check-in

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When I was younger, I looked forward to getting up early in the morning to exercise. Now, getting out of bed 𝙞𝙨 my exercise.
 
 
 
 
#Home #40Minutes #Strengthening #Back #Core
 
#PlanetFitness #30Minutes #Cardio #Elliptical
Do one set of 7. And 1, and 2, and 3…

Making up the bed

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We have a picture, which we’ve learned is worth a thousand words, when trying to explain to cruise cabin stewards how we want the bed made up — especially if the steward’s English is a second language.

First of all, we need 3 pillows each.

Second of all, we want only the sheet on one-half (my half, the right side of the pic) of the bed, and the sheet plus the duvet on the other half (Bob’s half, the left side of the pic) of the bed.

This is really quite easily accomplished: put a queen-size sheet on the bed, and then put a twin-size duvet on top of the sheet on the left side — but it’s been our experience that, for some reason, this is very difficult to articulate with just words, so we keep this photo on our phone during cruises.

Picture of a cruise cabin bed made up with the duvet on only one half of the bed

Finished book #43 in 2025

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Book #43
In One Person book cover		 Book: In One Person Author: John Irving
Source: Library loan
Format: Print		 Pages: 425 Duration: 06/04/25 – 06/13/25 (10 days)
Rating: ★★★★★ Genres: literary fiction, LGBT, queer, coming of age, gender diversity
📕10-word summary: A bisexual man shares his richly diverse sexual relationship history.
🖌6-word review: Compelling story with rare, bisexual point-of-view.
💭Favorite quote: “Maybe more to the point, I had acquired an undeniable mystique – if only to the Bancroft butt-room boys. Don’t forget: Miss Frost was an older woman, and that goes a long way with the boys — even if the older woman has a penis!”
🎓Some new-to-me words: derring-do, obligingly, stultifying, habiliment, intercrural, poleaxed, craven, obdurately
Description:* A New York Times bestselling novel of desire, secrecy, and sexual identity, In One Person is a story of unfulfilled love—tormented, funny, and affecting — and an impassioned embrace of our sexual differences. Billy, the bisexual narrator and main character, tells the tragicomic story (lasting more than half a century) of his life as a “sexual suspect,” a phrase first used by John Irving in 1978 in his landmark novel of “terminal cases,” The World According to Garp. In One Person is a poignant tribute to Billy’s friends and lovers — a theatrical cast of characters who defy category and convention. *From goodreads.com’s synopsis.
Thoughts: First things first: Let me give myself a big ol’ pat on the back for getting through this 425-page book with its very small font size. It may not sound like a big deal, but these days that’s usually a showstopper for me, and if the writing hadn’t been John Iriving’s, I probably would have abandoned it after the first chapter. I’d never heard of this John Irving book — his 13th — and I’m glad I came across it. The description says it has a “cast of characters who defy category and convention,” and if anything, that’s an understatement. The protagonist’s bisexual point-of-view was a nice change and it highlighted the many ostracizing things people — even gay people — say about bisexuals. This book has won a number of awards including two bisexual-specific awards that I didn’t even know existed: Lambda Literary Award for Bisexual Literature (2013), San Francisco Book Festival for General Fiction (2013), Andrew Carnegie Medal Nominee for Fiction (2013), Bisexual Book Awards for Fiction (2012). It’s been a long time since I’ve read a John Irving book, and it was nice to do it again. He is, after all, the author of one of my all-time favorite books: A Prayer for Owen Meany, which I read 28 years ago in October of 1997.

See the rest of the books I’ve read in 2025 and previous years: 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019.

We’re secretly winning the war on cancer (6-minute read)

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While cancer is still a terrible health threat, the tide in the war against cancer is turning. Thanks to breakthrough treatments, cancer is no longer the death sentence it once was. While there are certain areas where the story isn’t getting better, the future of cancer treatment is improving.

This article tells the story of three revolutions that caused the dramatic bend in the curve of cancer deaths.

Read the article on Vox.

Sources:
•  TLDR. (2025, June 12). TLDR Newsletter. https://a.tldrnewsletter.com/web-version?ep=1&lc=f5cb7e17-003d-11ed-9258-0241b9615763&p=e2e4065c-475b-11f0-b4a2-fdbb6d26bcbc&pt=campaign&t=1749725820&s=05bf35b20ecd03df05de150e2f20a362a0d57368108713905b1e6f854c2c1036
•  Walsh, B. (2025, June 7). We’re secretly winning the war on cancer. Vox. https://www.vox.com/health/415812/cancer-death-rates-myeloma-immunotherapy-smoking

Momma, I’m depending on you to tell me the truth.

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A man is sitting in the Planet Fitness locker room — not in the area with the lockers, but in the area with the showers. Why???

He is fully clothed, looking straight ahead, and talking — possibly into a phone, although there isn’t one in sight.

He says into the air: “He was a rolling stone. You know, wherever he laid his hat was his home.”

He was speaking, not singing, and I thought, “Is he speaking the lyrics to that song, or is he talking to someone on the phone and trying to pass that off as an original thought? What’s happening here?”

Then he says: “Yeah, wherever you lay your wig be you home. I know you wear a wig, girl.”

As weirdly riveting as it all was, I’d finished dressing, and I took leave before he gave an update about papa’s outside children and another wife…

Three 50-word stories about an incident I watched through a window on Monday.

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Man Cop Paramedics
A white man, presumably experiencing homelessness, was bent over so far on the sidewalk bench between Planet Fitness and Dollar Tree that the top of his head was almost touching the ground. A Styrofoam leftover meal container and Arby’s and McDonald’s bags were littered around him. Someone called the police. A Black Raleigh police officer arrived and tried to talk with the man, who couldn’t keep his head and torso up long enough to talk to the officer. The cop took notes, and talked into his two-way radio situated between his neck and right shoulder. Shortly thereafter an ambulance arrived. Two EMTs, one very-young white female and a Hispanic male, emerged from the EMS truck. They wrapped a blanket around the man from the waist down and helped him walk to the vehicle. A few minutes after it left, an older, white woman arrived and spoke briefly with the policeman.

XRobotics’ countertop robots are cooking up 25,000 pizzas a month (4-minute read)

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XRobotics’ countertop robot, xPizza Cube, can make up to 100 pizzas an hour. Roughly the size of a stackable washing machine, the xPizza Cube can be retrofitted to work with pies of different sizes and styles.

A unit can be leased for $1,300 a month for three years. XRobotics recently raised a $2.5 million seed round – it will use the capital to produce more units and install more robots for customers.

Sources:
•  TLDR. (2025, June 10). TLDR Newsletter. https://a.tldrnewsletter.com/web-version?ep=1&lc=f5cb7e17-003d-11ed-9258-0241b9615763&p=4b975464-45cd-11f0-8a77-ed3cea449fbb&pt=campaign&t=1749552945&s=a65960a3afe76fcebddb32316255501e77afb6582056bb32953fdde467becf3c
•  Szkutak, R. (2025, June 9). XRobotics’ countertop robots are cooking up 25,000 pizzas a month. TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/09/xrobotics-countertop-robots-are-cooking-up-25000-pizzas-a-month/

Breakthrough in search for HIV cure leaves researchers ‘overwhelmed’ (2-minute read)

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Researchers have found a way to force HIV out of hiding inside human cells. HIV’s ability to conceal itself within certain white blood cells has been one of the main challenges for scientists looking for a cure.

Further research is required to determine whether revealing the virus is enough to allow the body’s immune system to deal with it or whether other technologies or therapies will need to be used to eliminate it from the body. The method will require successful tests in animals followed by safety trials in humans before efficacy trials can even begin.

Sources:
•  TLDR. (2025, June 9). TLDR Newsletter. https://a.tldrnewsletter.com/web-version?ep=1&lc=f5cb7e17-003d-11ed-9258-0241b9615763&p=a437f6a0-450a-11f0-8f5d-91cc2f75f098&pt=campaign&t=1749466605&s=71f53978b6bb6288e3942fd1aa07d1e80682151cb4780d09967031e505dad7d1
•  Lay, K. (2025, June 6). Breakthrough in search for HIV cure leaves researchers ‘overwhelmed.’ The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/jun/05/breakthrough-in-search-for-hiv-cure-leaves-researchers-overwhelmed

Our menus for 06/08/25 – 06/14/25

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Day Meal
06/08/25
Sunday		 •  Mushroom chicken c̅ orzo
•  Carrot ring / green beans
•  House salad
06/09/25
Monday		 (Front-porch happy hour cheering on Pelagic Run Club runners)
•  African peanut soup
•  Crusty bread
06/10/25
Tuesday		 •  Glazed ham
•  Mashed potatoes
•  Mixed vegetables
06/11/25
Wednesday		 •  Ham-topped chef salad
06/12/25
Thursday		 •  Cheesy noodle casserole (What’s Cooking at Westlake cookbook, p. 318)
•  Broccoli
•  Mixed greens salad
06/13/25
Friday		 •  Westlake pizza plan-aheads
•  House salad
06/14/25
Saturday		 •  Grilled shrimp skewers
•  Grilled vegetables
•  Crispy crown potatoes

Google query: Who is the patron saint of happy hours?

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St. Philip Neri
 While not formally recognized as the “patron saint of happy hours,” St. Philip Neri and St. Raphael the Archangel are often associated with joy and happy gatherings. St. Philip Neri is known as the patron saint of joy and laughter, while St. Raphael is associated with happy meetings and celebrations.
St. Raphael the Archangel

I’m not exactly sure what that thing is at the end of St. Raphael’s left hand, but I’m imagining it’s a formidable, furtive flask of bourbon.

Heteronormative clues

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I regularly do the daily AARP and L.A. Times crossword puzzles and whenever I come across a clue like “Dad’s mate,” I always answer with DAD, which of course is wrong, but I enter it at least 3 times like I just can’t believe it’s not the right answer.

Other clues I do the same thing for:

The clue: Papa’s spouse
I answer: Papa | Papa | Papa

The clue: Mama’s companion
I answer: Mama | Mama | Mama

The clue: Father’s mate
I answer: Father | Father | Father

Bartender extraordinaire

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We had hired someone to help us with our ambitious “Lotsaversary Gathering” — with 92 attending of 200 invited, but he had to cancel due to not feeling well.

We were going to have him barback, not bartend, but as it turned out our friend Fadia comfortably slipped behind the bar and actually took on bartending of her own volition!

Fadia, the bartender with a heavy pour

She had a lot to juggle but did it beautifully.

Midway into the evening I was checking in with her, and she told me she was having so much fun, asking people drinking highballs if they wanted singles or doubles, and many took her up on doubles.

It was then that I noticed that the jigger she was using was actually for a double, so she’d really been pouring doubles and “quadruples” — and into 10 oz. cups, no less!” We have little doubt that that greatly contributed to the success of the party!

Our thank-you note to her:

Thank-you card to Fadia

Thank-you sentiments to Fadia

Our “Lotsaversary Gathering”

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Back in March of 2024, two lots behind our house went on the market, and we nabbed them! And since January of this year, we’ve been planning a 5/31/25 party to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the closing on that property.

At the beginning of May, we got the notion to replace our outdoor standalone deck bar and decided to have one built into the deck instead of getting another standalone one. Roman, our builder, finished it 2 days before the event!

Old standalone deck bar
New built-in deck bar

We did a test set-up to think about where to put the alcohol, mixers, sodas, and ice to accommodate the best flow as people got drinks.

We invited 200 of our closest friends, and 92 of them attended the party. The weather was precarious, with it raining within 30 minutes of the 6 p.m. start time, but then it cleared up and ended up being perfect outdoor party weather the rest of the evening.

We had mostly catered food, all finger foods to preclude needing utensils. We loved “breaking in” our new bar and the flow of people moving about our backyard and into the lots behind it, and in which Bob has done a tremendous amount of work “cleaning up” over the year we’ve owned them.

Scientists in Japan develop plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours (2-minute read)

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Researchers in Japan have developed a plastic material that breaks down in seawater without leaving any residual trace. The material is as strong as petroleum-based plastics and can be used like regular plastic when coated.

It breaks down when exposed to salt, and the components can be further processed by naturally occurring bacteria. It is non-toxic, non-flammable, and does not emit carbon dioxide. While the team has not yet detailed any plans for commercialization, their research has attracted significant interest.

Read the reuters.com article.

Sources:
•  TLDR. (2025, June 5). TLDR Newsletter. https://a.tldrnewsletter.com/web-version?ep=1&lc=f5cb7e17-003d-11ed-9258-0241b9615763&p=b8450da0-41e4-11f0-bbf9-5b665e8caa98&pt=campaign&t=1749120915&s=0cfdedb047f4ff25d34fb1a8051ef02fac1a1d21a2b4d8847fc18b95470e1e36
•  Wang, I. (2025, June 4). Scientists in Japan develop plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours. reuters.com. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/scientists-japan-develop-plastic-that-dissolves-seawater-within-hours-2025-06-04/

Three 50-word stories about June calendar entries of ours.

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“Paydays” Library book due Subscription cancelation
We have 3 “paydays” between the two of us every month. On the 2nd, I collect a chunk of change from a retirement investment. The other 2 are our social security checks, Bob’s on the 2nd Tuesday and mine on the 3rd Wednesday. Not bad for sittin’ around doin’ nothin’. I calendar the due date of my library books even though, on average, I take about 3½ days to read a book, and the lending period is sometimes 2 weeks and sometimes 3. I can’t remember ever keeping a book until its due date, so calendaring it is really unnecessary. We are diligent about canceling trial subscriptions and always make a calendar entry to cancel them the day before they end. We’ve never forgotten to cancel one to avoid any charges for a conversion to a paid subscription. This month, on the 26th, our trial subscription to Apple Music ends.

It’s another sleepy, dusty Delta day…

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AI’s summary of the lyrics of this song:

The lyrics tell the story of a family reacting to the [June 3rd] news that Billie Joe MacAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge.

The family discusses the event during a meal, sharing memories and observations about Billie Joe and other happenings in their lives.

Over time, the story reveals that Billie Joe was seen with a girl throwing something off the bridge.

A year passes, and the family experiences more tragedy, including the father’s death.

The narrator is left spending time picking flowers and throwing them off the same bridge.

Of Course Workers Want a Four-Day Week. Companies Should Too. (5-minute read)

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Studies across hundreds of businesses and nonprofits switching to four-day-week pilot programs show that working one day less every week with no reduction in pay results in reduced burnout, better mental health, and improvements in physical health.

Organizations saw excellent results in performance metrics such as revenue, absenteeism, and resignations — less than 10% decided to discontinue the four-day week. Companies appear to be able to maintain 100% of their performance despite 20% less time at the workplace. The most common productivity hack used by companies was to cut down on meetings.

Read the WSJ article.

Sources:
•  TLDR. (2025, June 3). TLDR Newsletter. https://a.tldrnewsletter.com/web-version?ep=1&lc=f5cb7e17-003d-11ed-9258-0241b9615763&p=a5797562-4054-11f0-a706-bff77af8d31b&pt=campaign&t=1748948034&s=957af4a5260ff075379359c88f38734368315b29992830cc54a30b1288172e2f
•  B. Schor, J. (2025, May 29). Of course workers want a four-day week. Companies should too. Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/workplace/of-course-workers-want-a-four-day-week-companies-should-too-0837a0a1?st=nmPfYi&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

Blood pressure and heart rate stats for May 2025

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I have white coat hypertension (a.k.a. white coat syndrome), so I keep a record of my daily blood pressure readings to take to the doctor’s office whenever I go. I record my heart rate, too, but only because the machine takes it along with my blood pressure.

White coat hypertension aside, knowing your numbers is just plain smart, since high blood pressure is known as “the silent killer.” Do you know yours?

Finished book #42 in 2025

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Book #42
The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars book cover		 Book: The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars Author: Joël Glenn Brenner
Source: Library loan
Format: Print		 Pages: 367 Duration: 05/27/25 – 06/02/25 (7 days)
Rating: ★★★★★ Genres: nonfiction, food, history, business, biography
📕10-word summary: Learn the striking differences between the Hershey vs. Mars corporations.
🖌6-word review: Easy-to-read inside scoop — cut-throat global competition.
💭Favorite quote: “Candy corn was originally called chicken feed.”
🎓Some new-to-me words: blitzkrieged, longitudinal conches, skid, naïf, chimerical
Description:* Corporate candy giants Milton Hershey and Forrest Mars built business empires out of one of the world’s most magical, sought-after substances: chocolate. Joël Glenn Brenner — the first person to ever gain access to the highly secretive companies of Hershey and Mars — spins a unique story that takes us inside a world as mysterious as Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Packed with flavorful stories and outrageous characters that give the true scoop on this real-life candyland, it’s a delectable read for business buffs and chocoholics alike.*From goodreads.com’s synopsis.
Thoughts: This is my 6th nonfiction book this year, and I read it on a long-ago recommendation by my brother-in-law. Being extremely interested in both chocolate and business, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I learned a lot of things about the chocolate-making business as well as the Hershey and Mars families. My biggest “Aha! moment” was when they described Tootsie Rolls as “chocolate-flavored taffy.” I’ve never thought of a Tootsie Roll as taffy, but I’ll never not think of it as that from now on. The only negative about this book (and it’s neither the book nor the author’s fault) is that it was published in 1998, and I couldn’t help thinking about most of the statistics or processes described: “I wonder what they are now, 27 years later.” Thanks, Jimmy, for the recommendation.

See the rest of the books I’ve read in 2025 and previous years: 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019.

Our menus 06/01/25 – 06/07/25

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Day Meal
06/01/25
Sunday		 •  “Lotsaversary Gathering” plan-aheads
06/02/25
Monday		 (Front-porch happy hour cheering on Pelagic Run Club runners)
•  Chicken wings
•  French fries
06/03/25
Tuesday		 •  Pork tenderloin with roasted carrots, cauliflower, celery, & onions
06/04/25
Wednesday		 •  Stir-fry Polish kielbasa c̅ Chinese noodles, cabbage, & other vegetables
06/05/25
Thursday		 •  Deep-Dish Pizza (What’s Cooking at Westlake cookbook, p. 293)
•  House salad
06/06/25
Friday		 •  Grilled hotdogs
•  Coleslaw
•  Caprese salad
06/07/25
Saturday		 •  Grilled chicken thighs
•  Orzo salad

“The Who Cares Era” by Dan Sinker

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Earlier this week, it was discovered that the Chicago Sun-Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer had both published an externally-produced “special supplement” that contained facts, experts, and book titles entirely made up by an AI chatbot. There’s been a lot written about this (former Chicago Reader editor Martha Bayne’s is the best), and I don’t need to rehash it all. But the thing that is most disheartening to me is how at every step along the way, nobody cared.

The writer didn’t care. The supplement’s editors didn’t care. The biz people on both sides of the sale of the supplement didn’t care. The production people didn’t care. And, the fact that it took two days for anyone to discover this epic fuckup in print means that, ultimately, the reader didn’t care either.

It’s so emblematic of the moment we’re in, The Who Cares Era, where completely disposable things are shoddily produced for people to mostly ignore. Read the rest of the article…

Source: The Who Cares Era | Dansinker.com. (2025, May 23). https://dansinker.com/posts/2025-05-23-who-cares/

Three 50-word stories about National “something” Days today.

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Beef Burger Flip Flop Brisket
It is National Beef Burger Day. A beef burger starts with real ground beef on a bun or between two slices of bread. Of course, some of us like ours double stacked, and others prefer them spicy. What’s really important is what is in the middle — that delicious beef burger. Annually on the Wednesday after Memorial Day, National Flip Flop Day encourages us to wear our favorite flip flops and show them off! The term “flip flop” has applied to flat-soled sandals with straps between the first and second toes and across the top of the foot since the 1960s. National Brisket Day celebrates one of the 9 prime cuts of beef that come from the breast or lower chest of beef or veal and when prepared correctly, renders both delicious flavor and tenderness. Select a well-marbled cut of meat. The fat will keep the brisket moist and add flavor.

Sources:

• National Beef Burger Day. (n.d.). National Day Calendar. Retrieved May 28, 2025, from https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-beef-burger-day-may-28
• National Flip Flop Day. (n.d.). National Day Calendar. Retrieved May 28, 2025, from https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-flip-flop-day-first-wednesday-after-memorial-day
• National Brisket Day. (n.d.). National Day Calendar. Retrieved May 28, 2025, from https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-brisket-day-may-28

Anti-obesity drugs for everyone?

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Should Everyone Be Taking Ozempic? Doctors Say More People Could Benefit1
Anti-obesity drugs are showing promise for ever-expanding list of diseases

1Loftus, P. (2025, May 25). Should Everyone Be Taking Ozempic? Doctors Say More People Could Benefit: Anti-obesity drugs are showing promise for ever-expanding list of diseases. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/health/pharma/glp-1-drugs-health-benefits-4014d7d5

AI article summary:2

The article discusses the increasing potential of GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound, beyond treating diabetes and weight loss. These drugs show promise for various diseases, including heart, kidney, and liver diseases, sleep apnea, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and alcohol addiction, and may even have anti-aging benefits.

Doctors suggest that millions more people could benefit from these drugs, potentially up to one-third to a majority of adults. However, caution is advised, as excessive weight loss and malnourishment are concerns for individuals who don’t medically fit the criteria. The drugs mimic natural gut hormones, promoting insulin production and suppressing appetite, leading to significant weight loss and improvement in related conditions.

While many benefits stem from weight loss, some may be independent, possibly due to anti-inflammatory effects. The article mentions specific examples of individuals benefiting from these drugs, like Susan Abernethy, who used Mounjaro to treat her psoriatic arthritis. There is also discussion of GLP-1s helping with liver diseases and potentially slowing cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s patients.

Despite the potential, only a small fraction of eligible people currently use these drugs, due to factors like cost, insurance coverage, tolerability, and manufacturing capacity. The article mentions ongoing research and development of newer GLP-1s with greater efficacy and different administration methods. However, certain groups, such as those with a history of thyroid cancer or pancreatitis, should avoid these drugs. Analysts predict increased usage in the future but acknowledge that it will still represent a fraction of the eligible population.

2Generated by Gemini AI

Our menus 5/25/25 – 5/31/25

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Day Meal
05/25/25
Sunday		 •  The Best Million Dollar Spaghetti
•  House salad
05/26/25
Monday		 (Front-porch happy hour cheering on Pelagic Run Club runners)
•  Grilling with Sam & Neal
05/27/25
Tuesday		 •  Cheese ravioli c̅ Angus meatballs
•  House salad
05/28/25
Wednesday		 •  Chicken patties
•  French onion soup
•  Corn
05/29/25
Thursday		 •  Pork chops
•  Stuffing
•  House salad
05/30/25
Friday		 •  Chicken cordon bleu
•  Mashed potatoes
•  Green beans
05/31/25
Saturday		 (Lotsaversary Gathering)
•  Party food!!!

Finished book #41 in 2025

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Book #41
Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting book cover		 Book: Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting Author: Clare Pooley
Source: Library loan
Format: Print		 Pages: 343 Duration: 05/18/25 – 05/22/25 (2 days)
Rating: ★★★★☆ Genres: fiction, romance, chick lit, LGBT, diversity
📕10-word summary: Train choking incident sparks a friendship between eclectic fellow commuters.
🖌6-word review: Easy reading. Interesting characters. Somewhat predictable.
💭Favorite quote: “Deborah sat down and took a thin file out of the practical but ugly briefcase that paired nicely with her sensible but dull shoes.”
🎓Some new-to-me words: Louboutins, diamanté, insouciance, salubrious, clever clogs, dole money, parterre, oleaginous, ladder your tights, tetchy, taking the Mickey
Description:* Every day Iona, a larger-than-life magazine advice columnist, travels the 10 stops from Hampton Court to Waterloo Station by train, accompanied by her dog, Lulu. Every day she sees the same people, whom she knows only by nickname: Impossibly-Pretty-Constant-Reader and Terribly-Lonely-Teenager. Of course, they never speak. Seasoned commuters never do. Then one morning, the man she calls Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader chokes on a grape right in front of her. He’d have died were it not for the timely intervention of Sanjay, a nurse, who gives him the Heimlich maneuver. This single event starts a chain reaction, and an eclectic group of people with almost nothing in common except their commute discover that a chance encounter can blossom into much more. It turns out that talking to strangers can teach you about the world around you — and even more about yourself.*From goodreads.com’s synopsis.
Thoughts: I didn’t notice until about a third of the way into this book that it was by the same author who wrote The Authenticity Project, which our book club read in 2023. I liked this book slightly better, probably because it reminded me of my years riding the bus to work, during which I wrote what I dubbed “buscapades” that included giving the “regular” riders that I saw on the bus nicknames like the protagonist in this story does to her fellow train commuters. Hers included “Magic Handbag Lady,” “Crazy Dog Woman,” “Terribly-Lonely-Teenager,” and “Smart-But-Sexist Manspreader.” Some of the bus rider nicknames I gave included “The Phone Lady,” “Sci-fi Fantasy Man,” “Logorrhea” (portmanteau of logophile and diarrhea; i.e., someone who won’t STFU), “Arguing Man,” “Right-Hand Rule Lady,” “Thong Lady,” “Waffle House Lady,” and “Madonna and Genetically Beautifully Daughter.” Here’s one of those blog posts with a classic buscapade scene in it that I referred to as “a buscapade character reunion.”

See the rest of the books I’ve read in 2025 and previous years: 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019.

Three 50-word stories about types of CSX train cars that run on the tracks behind our house.

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Boxcars Flatcars Hoppers

CSX boxcars come in lengths of 50′, 60′, and 86′ and heights labelled “standard,” “hi-roof,” and “auto.” The 50’ standard boxcar fleet can carry from 70-100 tons. They carry a range of products, including rolled paper, pulp, newsprint, metals, building materials, appliances, food products, or any bagged and palletized material.
CSX flatcars provide an open platform that offer flexibility that no other freight car can provide. They come in several lengths and configurations, ranging from general purpose to very specialized designs to move extremely large and heavy shipments — from transformers to tractors. There are “general purpose,” “bulkhead,” and “centerbeam” flatcars.
CSX hopper cars are freight cars designed to transport bulk materials like coal, ore, chemicals, cement, and grain. They have a unique funnel-shaped bottom outlet with doors that can be opened to discharge the cargo, often using gravity or pneumatic pressure. There are 2 main hopper varieties: covered and open-topped.

Sources:

CSX Corporation. (n.d.). CSX Railroad Equipment. CSX. Retrieved May 22, 2025, from https://www.csx.com/index.cfm/customers/resources/equipment/railroad-equipment/

Google Search. (n.d.). seaboard+station+raleigh+train+depot. Retrieved May 22, 2025 from https://www.google.com/search?q=seaboard+station+raleigh+train+depot&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS1013US1013&oq=seaboard+station+raleigh+train+depot&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRigAdIBCDg4ODFqMGo3qAIAsAIA

It’s Cher’s birthday today!

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Cher (/ʃɛər/ SHAIR; born Cheryl Sarkisian on May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. She’s 79 today!

And as Bob is wont to do on celebrity singers’ birthdays (or when they die, truth be told), we’re playing “All Cher All Day.”

At around 6 p.m., he walked by me to put 6 of her CDs back in the collection, when I asked, “Do we have any left to play?”

Him: 27. Then we can move on to the Sonny & Cher CDs.

Me: 27 more CDs???

Him: Yes.

Then, after checking the collection: “Actually, only 17 more.”

Shortly we’ll be having dinner, and it’ll be none other than:

Click image for recipe.

And Bob’s most delicious dinner!