50

Fishmans, "Go Go Around This World!" live

I turned 50 today.  To very roughly paraphrase David Lee Roth, "I don't feel tardy."

It's been a hell of a year so far, since the passing of my Dad last November at 94.  I've been working part-time but actually had to recently give that up since I realized I was working for a truly horrible company.  My next job starts in late August, so I've got a few weeks to relax and enjoy the torrid summer.

I've gotten back into Maryland.  There are some things I love about the place, and maybe just a few I don't.  But I see a lot of my family, and that's great.  I'm walking 45 minutes almost every day, which in this weather is not always easy.  My shelter cats are healthy, and one remains a bit of a terror.  I'm obsessed with a Japanese 90's indie-rock band called Fishmans.  As far as I can tell, they did indeed do all their promotional photography either fishing or wearing ridiculous fisherman smocks.  The Orioles may or may not fall apart before the season is over.  Me and my nephew are reading Hemingway's The Nick Adams Stories together, and I'm probably convincing him I'm a death-obsessed weirdo.

Possible!

But in general, I've got a lot and I can only try to appreciate it all as much as possible.

Varsity Tutors Is A Horrible Company And You Should Not Work For Them

I've lined up full time employment for the first time since my Dad passed away last November.  Good for me!  It was tougher than I thought it would be, but Frederick, Maryland is a very competitive place in no small part because there aren't many big employers here beyond the county and city itself.  (My understanding is that the largest employer in Frederick County is -- wait for it -- Frederick County.)

At one point I took a part time tutor job with Varsity Tutors.  It was decent, but also very scammy.  I remember asking if I should contact the parents of one student who wasn't showing up for Zoom sessions and was basically laughed at.

Long story short, I applied for a position which required a Sexual Abuse background check for any jobs in my past ten years involving minors.  A good policy and not a problem!

Well, Varsity simply refused to sign off on this form.  I understand that I was a contractor, but they still wouldn't lift a finger to help me out.  Not to mention, if you have a situation like this there is no HR department.  They will simply give you a dummy email address, and they won't respond to your issue(s) unless you are very, very lucky and/or raise enough of a stink.

I understand people want to boost their kids' chances, but you're better off finding a local company that will provide you with at the very least a phone number and email to talk to a real person.

But it's over, and soon enough I'll update you folks on my new job.

Do You Remember The Summer of 24?

I'll come clean -- I thought Joe should just stick it out.  But it's clear the decline is real, and as I know from first-hand experience with taking care of my dad, old age creeps up on you then attacks like a tiger.

The good news is that the Dems are lining up behind Kamala, and there won't be a messy convention spectacle (to the great disappointment of the New York Times and Washington Post.)

The election was always going to be close.  And frankly, Harris is now the underdog, albeit a much younger and energetic and coherent one.

Meanwhile, Joe Biden should and will go down as one of our greatest presidents.

Let's do this!

LOL Nothing Matters

Of course a Trump appointed judge follows the Supreme Court's Trump appointed judges paving the way for a literally lawless presidency.

Maryland Horse Trials 2024

My nephew (above) participated in the Maryland Horse Trials this past weekend.  It was blazing hot, but a lot of fun.  And he did a great job!

Patrick the horse, who happens to be a very good boy.

Summertime

I'm doing some summer reading with my nephew.  First up is Candide, which I haven't read for ages.  It's easy to forget just how hilarious it is (Byronesque) but turns on a heel to analyzing the moral bankruptcy of Enlightenment Europe.

Lots of Moral Bankruptcy going around.

Anyhow, long walks and literature and still looking for full-time employment, although the tutoring is going well.