Got to be to tough.

  I've got some Actual Paying Work to do tonight and I'm still in whatever weird mood I was in Tuesday. So we're just going to gonzo this out to fill the white space. Bear with me, perhaps one day I'll have an interesting thought again.

 Blogger's apparently changed the labeling system. That's good because whatever they had going was a mess. I'm still not sure why they changed what worked perfectly well, but then again, I'm not sure if anyone still uses Blogger.

 I wish I could put my thumb on what's causing this weird mood. Maybe then I could do something about it. All that comes to mind is that it's been six months since I talked to anyone by my family, and maybe just four of them, and it might be making me wiggy. I haven't reconnected with anyone since I've moved home nor have I made new connections, and I don't want to. Still, one underestimates the importance of talking to someone from the outside once in a while, even if it is the Therapist or the Psych Doctor. Or, for that matter, the guy behind the counter at Bill's Quick Mart.

 A source close to him has said Trump's refusal to visit a cemetery of American World War I dead wasn't because of the poor weather preventing the helicopter from flying there and the Secret Service's refusal to drive him. Instead, it was because he thought the rain would mess up his hair, which we already knew about.

 What we didn't know is it was mainly because he doesn't feel war dead should be honored. He calls them "losers" and "suckers," and considers the whole process a waste of time. Furthermore, former Chief of Staff John Kelly has said Trump took a similar stance at the funeral of Kelly's son, a combat casualty in Afghanistan, saying he "couldn't understand what was in it for him."

 Now, I'm on record as having little use for the military and while I see no need in dissing the dead for no good reason, I'm not going to pretend that I am shocked and disgusted at these revelations. It's tacky, sure, but anyone who didn't know Donald Trump bled gaucherie hasn't been paying attention to him the past forty years. He's dissed Gold Star parents and widows and showed little concern about military deaths during his administration. Far as I know, he hasn't even acknowledged the Russian bounty accusations, and that's been going on for four months.

 No, I'm not surprised nor am I going to pretend this is the straw that breaks the camel's back with me. The best way I can see to honor war dead is to stop war of any kind, but that's neither here nor there. As usual, what's going to be interesting is watching how the Base reacts to this. As of right now, they're still firmly in the "Fake News" mode, pretending it's all made up, but that's to be expected.

 When it becomes something they can't deny, though, what will they do? Will they ignore it like they've ignored all his explicitly anti-veteran stances or will they agree with him? I imagine it'll be the former, but it's only a matter of time before they do the same. It took them no time, remember, to shit on John Kerry back in 2004 and that was before they'd found their Savior.

 Anyhow. I just learned that a Valley girl's sixteen-year-old daughter has been hospitalized with COVID-19. The mom I've known all my life. She grew up down the road for me, maybe 10 years older. We never were what you'd call close, but there is a bond between people who grew up here in Peaceful Valley, particularly back in those days. Furthermore, her mom is one of Momma's closest friends.

 Both the girl's parents are in high-risk groups. My homegirl, matter of fact, has dealt with Lyme disease for the past 20 years. The father's diabetic. This didn't need to happen. It didn't need to be this way. We could've acted like something other than spoiled children for the first couple of months and maybe we might've been able to get a better handle on it. But, no, we can't be seen as "weak" for being concerned with our health and the health of others. It also doesn't help we have a president enthusiastically embracing the dumbest conspiracy theories concerning the epidemic, but that's the kind of country we are now.

 To end, let's all send good vibes to Toots Hibbert. The 77-year-old reggae godfather had to be put into a medically induced coma after having trouble breathing. He was tested for COVID-19 last week but the particulars aren't known yet. However, as of this morning, his family says he is doing better.

 I am a great admirer of Toots & The Maytals and Toots In Memphis is one of my favorite records. He just put out a new album, Got To Be Tough, and it's one of his better latter-day efforts. So check it out from your favorite indie record store, and send those good vibes his way.

 And if you've got enough good vibes, spread them around. Do something nice for your neighbor or postal carrier, just something small. It's a mean ol' world and getting worse. And believe you me, it's a bummer to go through without the help of marijuana. For my own sanity, I hope we pass the medical marijuana initiative come November. I'm not sanguine because Mississippi must get off on being miserable for Jesus.