Getting Through Winter

If January was a flavor it would be cold, unseasoned, watery cream of wheat. February is more of the same but add some salt, sandy dirt and put it in the freezer for an hour.

If January and February was a painting it’d be one done by Jackson Pollock but only in black, white and grey.

If these months were music they’d be the rhythmic industrial banging and buzzing you hear during your MRI.

I’m not looking forward to January and February. Could you tell? I absolutely need to do something to make sure I can get through these next two bleak-ass months without spiraling down into the pits of slothful, constant cake consuming sadness .
Here’s a good, hope inspiring post: 

55,000+ Acts of Dissent: The Resistance Is Rising
What the scale of dissent in 2025 reveals about a nation and that path that lies ahead

From the post, these 10 states hosted the most protests, rallies, demonstrations, and vigils this year:

1. California – 8,919
2. New York – 4,044
3. Massachusetts – 3,868
4. Washington – 2,957
5. Wisconsin – 2,026
6. Pennsylvania – 1,804
7. Maine – 1,798
8. Texas – 1,708
9. Oregon – 1,679
10. Florida – 1,667 

 Jenna on Threads asks: 

I know it’s not a competition, however, Maine won using a per capita breakdown with Massachusetts in 2nd and Oregon in 3rd. I’m proud of everyone for all that was accomplished this year……. and it’s not important, but if anyone is asking, Maine and Massachusetts were the saltiest about this loser president. Can we get trophies? Or at least an honorable mention in the history books?

Yes and I’d like my trophy made out of cake, thenkyewveddymuch! Carrot cake plz.

Related, apparently Prez Pedo has referred to all those who disagree with him as radical leftist scum. Huh. I’m assuming here that Antifa is the umbrella organization and Radical Leftist Scum is a subsidiary. Do I have that about right? When do I get my T-shirt and badge?

Jen, Oni, and I have started watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. We absolutely LOVE it but there are some things tripping me up. Such as? Midge’s family and her husband’s are tremendously well off. Good for them but does that get them out of the societal realities of the late 1950s? I realize they’re in Manhattan and day to day life, the culture, is going to be a bit ahead of, say, Cleveland, Mobile, Grand Rapids, and Shreveport but still… Was it no big for a white woman to be seen smoking a jay with three Black jazz musicians outside a club at midnight? That wouldn’t attract violent cop attention? 

The show is set, I think, in ’58. In real life, in 1959 Miles Davis was playing Birdland in Midtown – his name was lit up on the marquee.

Shortly after midnight, the 33-year-old trumpeter and bandleader stood outside the club between sets. Despite the oppressive summer heat, he was dressed to the nines in a bespoke Italian sports jacket. Puffing on a cigarette, he walked a white, blonde woman to a taxi. Then he stood beneath the marquee, sweating, and signing autographs for a group of fans.

That’s when white patrolman Gerald Kilduff walked up to Davis and told him to move along. Davis explained that he was working at the club. He pointed at the marquee and the photos on the lobby card. Kilduff made it obvious he didn’t care. He called Davis a wise guy and told him to follow orders.

 But Davis, having done nothing wrong, refused to obey.

Davis elaborated on the scene in his 1989 autobiography, Miles. “I just looked at his face real straight and hard, and I didn’t move. Then he said, ‘You’re under arrest!’ He reached for his handcuffs, but he was stepping back … I kind of leaned in closer because I wasn’t going to give him no distance so he could hit me on the head … All of a sudden from out of nowhere, this white detective runs in and BAM! hits me on the head. I never saw him coming. Blood was running down the khaki suit I had on.”

The detective swinging the blackjack was Don Rolker, who, as Davis wrote, was “beating on my head like a tom-tom, his breath reeking with liquor.” (source) 

Was it common in ’58 for an unmarried couple to move in together? SPOILER ALERT! Midge’s husband, Joel, moves in with the woman with whom he’s been having an affair. Oh and Joel and Midge aren’t divorced yet. 

That wasn’t scandalous in '58? I kinda think it really, totally was. Especially for an upper middle class, multiple home owning, synagogue belonging, tenure having, European vacation taking, Upper West Side living, extended family.

Maybe not so much for radical, bohemian artist types who are already living on the edge but that doesn’t describe Joel and family at all. He’s the pampered frat boy son of wealth who wants to be seen as a cool Rat Pack type. He has no understanding of Frank, Dean or Sammy’s origins, talent, work ethic, and integrity. Doubtless he’s also clueless about them being big supporters of Black artist’s rights and civil rights activists too. Yeah, I don't care much for Joel.

In any case, as long as I can ignore the historical inaccuracies (this isn’t a documentary after all), I’m LOVING this show. Maybe this is how I’ll get through winter. I’ll ignore reality and just watch teevee while pedaling on my elliptical.