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Weak XIX

7 May 2024

No. 6,860 (cartoon)

Will you marry me?

Bad decisions can make great stories.

8 May 2024

Better Off Dead

A few days ago the Washington Post ran an intriguing headline, Why some corals are better off dead. The subject matter was of little interest, but the slug hinted at much bigger things: a daily series of essays, Why [fill in the blank] are better off dead.

Since the “news” usually involves only opinions and speculation, I’d think that such a regular feature would appeal to even the laziest pundit, er, journalist.

9 May 2024

The View from Fujikawaguchiko

The good people of Fujikawaguchiko, Japan, have had it right up to their collective keister—and beyond!—with the annoying tourists who are overrunning their modest village to get a clear view of Mount Fuji. To address the problem, they were forced to choose between leveling the mountain or erecting a large curtain to block the view.

They chose the second option, and I’m glad they did. I have no interest in seeing Mount Fuji since Duane Michals already showed me. No, I want to go to Fujikawaguchiko to photograph the huge wall of fabric; it seems like a Cristo piece without all the associated trademark and copyright headaches.

10 May 2024

Unscheduled Maintenance Break

Oh dang oh dear, I just discovered that I misspelled “Coronarama” several times over the last few years. And so, today’s notebook entry just became tomorrow’s notebook entry while I fire up my personal Wayback Machine to return to 2020 and 2021 to fix the typos.

It took me some uncomfortable cogitatin’ to reach that decision. I’m sure there are literally hundreds of typos in the notebook that I’ve been cranking out daily since 1996, but I don’t go looking for trouble. The Coronarama stinkers are different, though, since they’re easy—albeit tedious—to find and correct.

That’s enough bellyachin’ and bloviatin’; it’s time to grab a corkscrew and get to work.

11 May 2024

Masks Work

Roscoe put on a mask when we got to the liquor store, and wondered aloud how long we’ll be able to do that before the cashier becomes suspicious that it might be a robbery.

I was glad that he too remains wary of Coronarama; the crafty virus is still picking off people like a sniper in plain sight. Governments around the world seem to have collectively decided to end the pandemic by ignoring it. Denial works!

When I mentioned that to Roscoe he looked at me as if I was even crazier than I am. (I get that look a lot.) He said he wasn’t worried about “itty-bitty cootie molecules”; he explained that the only reason he covered his nose and mouth was to prevent anyone from noticing he hadn’t shaved in days.

The moral of today’s prate is obvious: masks work.

12 May 2024

Dada Mother’s Day

Become the tree you want to climb.

I jotted that down a few weeks ago and haven’t been able to forget it. I don’t want to brag, but I’m going to anyway: that has to be one of the stooopidest things I’ve ever said.

I couldn’t imagine what I’d ever do with it until now when I used it as the antidote to all of the saccharine Mother’s Day fluff that’s floating around today.

Become the tree
You want to climb
Dada Mother’s Day

Dada’s usually a good answer, especially when there’s no question.

13 May 2024

Rent Is Too Damn High

Rent Is Too Damn High was (is?) a single-issue political party that was popular because of its simple message: rent is too damn high. I’ve always thought conventional rents were too damn high, so I haven’t had a traditional place of my own in almost forty years. I’m not a rocket surgeon or a brain scientist, but at least I’m smart enough to live within my modest means.

An anonymous woman took the same approach and chose to live in an unused room attached to signage on the roof of the Family Fare grocery store in Midland, Michigan. She was there for a year with the basics (clothing, a computer, and a coffee maker) before anyone noticed.

A policeman spokesperson said the thirty-four-year-old had a job but was homeless, but that’s not exactly true. She had a home of her own until she was asked to leave and skedaddled gracefully.

“It’s a story that makes you scratch your head,” he added, “just somebody living up in a sign.”

There’s no need to chafe your noggin, officer; there’s a very simple explanation: rent is too damn high.

14 May 2024

THIS IS NOT A PHOTO OPPORT UNITY

When it comes to making a series of photographs, I’m consistently inconsistent. I never made it past the first image or two in lots of aborted collections. I’ve been making Intentionally Blank photographs sporadically for years. I started the Bucatini no. 15 series earlier this year and have made seven of ’em so far with no end in sight.

I started with another group in January, made ten images in two or three days, then decided I’d come back to edit and review them later since I was moving too fast. (First time for everything!) Every time I did I couldn’t think of anything to add or anything to delete. After four months of stasis I concluded that I was done and completed THIS IS NOT A PHOTO OPPORT UNITY.

Coming next weak: more of the same.

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©2024 David Glenn Rinehart