I can't come up with anything clever and I'm too lazy to work on it.

  So the chromatic harmonica that got lost in the mail showed up today. What the hell, I got something free to play with. It was a mistake, anyway, as it only has ten holes when it's supposed to have twelve.

 Anyway, let's knock out the news. We stayed close to home this week, concentrating on Mississippi's legislators spending more time trying to usher in a stinker of a tax cut plan and banning trans students from high school girls' athletics. And though it's apparently getting better, Monday was as much a look at the absence of media coverage of Jackson's water problems as it is actual coverage of Jackson's water problems.

 Man, my internet connection is slipping in and out. This is going to be a pain in the ass. I don't know why it's doing it or what's causing the issue, and I'd almost rather it just cut out completely rather than do this on-off bullshit.

 Okay, I've lost all train of thought here. I am not, not, writing about "cancel culture" because I honest-to-God don't care anymore. "Cancel" is all, I don't care anymore. They - whoever "they" are - won't be coming into my house and taking my Warner Brothers Loony Tunes collections. If so, I have guns. I never read Dr. Seuss or had a Mr. Potato Head, and everyone is misunderstanding the whole "Muppet Show" situation.

 This is why being a country music fan before anything else makes life a little bit easier. Way before my politics took its hard left turn, I knew Hank Williams Jr. is a bit of a shitass. I understand perfectly why the Seuss people wanted to pull those books or why "The Simpsons" did whatever they did with the Apu character. I'm just tired of honkies think this is more important than a state capital going without water for nearly a month or a whole party going out of its way to screw over voters.

 I don't know what else. I've talked all I can about XCOM 2 and I'll probably spend a bit more time with Star Control: Origins and Outward before the weekend's over. I'm lazy. Not gloomy or depressed or even angry, just lazy and I really don't feel like I have much to look forward to. I don't mean that in a bad way, either, if that makes sense. Just one day after another and that's... okay?

 I mean, I'm having fun with my harps and my guitar and my accordion. I'm enjoying my books and playing the same three or four computer games. I've developed something of an obsession with Steve Marriott which will keep me busy for a couple of days. I've enjoyed this collection of "Sherlock Holmes meets Occult Detectives" short stories but I think I'll move on to something else. Maybe jump back into Many-Worlds books.

 So I guess that's about it. I just need to fill out the word count at this point. I may go back to sleep or I might mess around with a game, I don't know. I ought to go ahead and finish XCOM2.

And it sure smells like snow in Bossier City.

  We're into Day Four of the Big Freeze, and it's loosening up some. We got a bit of a thaw last night and the roads opened up so people could get around. We're supposed to drop down into the teens tonight, though, so tomorrow's going to be a mess. Luckily, I don't have to get out in it.

 Of course, I have nothing to work with. Hibernating isn't good for the creative juices, I suppose, and I'd whip a bear for a joint. I miss that little bit of reality warp a good lungful brings. I took one of those Klonopin the Psych Doc prescribed but that's just no fun at all. It's like being underwater for too long, if that makes sense.

 I suppose we could discuss Ted Cruz's latest foolishness, but I don't really feel like there's a point. Anyone who doesn't know Cruz is an irredeemable sleazeball is fine with the way he does things, so it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone he'd pull something like this. Nor is anyone surprised his wife's "friends(?)" would drop a dime on him when he tried to blame it all on his kids. No one likes him, this isn't a question.

 I guess the only thing that I'd like to see one of these bozos not do the whole "I had no idea my running off to a resort vacation while the residents in my state froze to death would look bad, I'm so ashamed" thing because it never comes off as genuine. Asshole, you're just burnt you got caught out bad and didn't think people would criticize you for it.

 I wish they'd roll with that just once. "Hell yes, I went to Cancun. This state is already a shithole even when you have power and running water. I did on your dime, too, proles, and the only thing I'll be doing when I get back to Washington is insult another celebrity and plan a "fact-finding trip" to Switzerland for this summer. And you pigs will love it so long as I let you hate gays and cut taxes on the rich." Just once.

 Anyhow. Fuck Ted Cruz in general. His loathsomeness goes beyond his politics. I'm sick of all these ambulatory congealed fat colonies. I know such cheap, third-rate crooks are nothing new in politics, but it'd be nice if all this got boring again. I've cut way back on Twitter since the January 6 Embarrassment because, occasionally, I have to drop out. Since I'm forced to pay attention to keep up with The News, playing with Twitter for fun, well... it isn't all that much fun.

 I've got another world-building thing brewing. No story, still, but this one might be a closer thing. I'm picturing a low-fantasy Forgotten Realms setting wherein a semi-retired adventure has to solve mysteries, a la Kinky Friedman's detective novels. It'll probably be a day or two until it marinates enough to put down on paper.

 I only need five more words, and that right there got 'er done. The usual rules apply, if something comes to me, I'll come back. I doubt it, though. Maybe I'll work on the fiction some, see how that goes.