Kinda Makes You Wonder

Mercury in 1975
(Public Domain)

While some fans were recently celebrating Freddie Mercury’s would-be 80^th birthday, others were likely wondering what, where and how Freddie himself actually is…

Is he aware of the continued hoopla concerning his former life?  If so, is he touched to the core of his continued being?  Perhaps not.  Perhaps he has already moved on to different realms.  But perhaps he was at these same celebrations, disguised as a dragonfly…

Ah, sweet mysteries of life!  We can hope to know and even think we know, but gray areas remain within the gray matter we often seem stuck in.

Resources

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/music/articles/dont-stop-them-now-fans-205122351.html 

Drink down!

Back in 1731
(Painting by William Hogarth)

Whereas “Drink up!” used to be a common catchphrase among barroom buddies, “Drink down!” might be more indicative of current American trends.

Gallup recently reported that “only 54% of U.S. adults” are consuming alcohol, the lowest percentage of such that Gallup has ever noted.  Young adults have particularly cut down on alcohol, whereas marijuana consumption has remained largely stable within recent years.

Health warnings linking alcohol to “cancer and heart disease” may be somewhat responsible for this reduction.  “Johns Hopkins University emphasizes that no amount of alcohol consumption is safe, a message that seems to be resonating with the public.”

Resources

https://www.iheart.com/content/2026-08-20-fewer-americans-drinking-alcohol/

Dolores had Hope

Dolores Hope in 1990
(Public Domain)

Although Dolores Hope had been greatly admired throughout her lifetime, many wondered how – and especially WHY – she so graciously fulfilled the role of Bob Hope’s wife for decades upon decades.

After all, it’s not as though Bob seemed to appreciate her steadfast devotion. To an outsider looking in, he seemed way more enamored with fans – the curvier the better - than with family.

The answer likely lies within the source of Dolores’ strength.  Her love was rooted more in Jesus than in any human being.  As a faithful Catholic, she viewed marriage as a holy sacrament - a relationship to be embraced not only with body and mind, but mainly with Soul.

Her lifelong devotion bore Fruits of the Spirit, not only for her, but also for Bob.  At the end of his long life, as the fanfare faded, he was inspired by Dolores to also embrace Catholicism.  The two of them are buried side by side within the San Fernando Mission Cemetery.

Resources

https://www.ewtnnews.com/world/us/dolores-hope-remembered-for-deep-catholic-faith?redirectedfrom=cna 

Bucket Half Full

(Photo by Wolfgang Sauber)

Although a glass half full seems optimistic, a bucket half full may feel even more so.

Many folks, especially within their elder years, begin focusing upon what they call a “bucket list.”  It consists of things they still wish to experience before kicking the proverbial one.

Not a bad idea, generally…  Yet when it becomes so consuming that the rest of life pales in comparison, some reverse bucketing might be in order.  While tipping life’s bucket backwards, one can begin to feel gratitude, and perhaps even joy, for what has already biographically occurred.  One’s cup may then feel more full than empty.

Psychiatrist Sue Varna therefore advises: “Grab a pen and paper and highlight the moments that [already] brought you joy and made you feel confident and seen.  It only takes 10 minutes.”

Resources

https://www.today.com/health/mind-body/reverse-bucket-list-psychiatrist-explains-rcna593097 

 

Is a little old ant a sentient being?

 

(Photo by Stephen Ausmus)

There’s a well-known song titled “High Hopes” which tells of a “little old ant” that can “think” about moving a rubber tree plant.  Lyricist Sammy Kahn goes on to attribute a capacity for “high hopes” to this very same creature.

Whether an ant can “think” and even “hope” remains debatable, but whether an ant qualifies as a sentient being is becoming way more acceptable. 

In 1991 the Institute for Medical Ethics (IME) drew up a list of criteria for sentience that has been instrumental in establishing animal welfare policies.  This list includes the following: receptors sensitive to noxious stimuli, behavioral follow-ups to avoid such pain, plus receptivity to analgesics. 

Anyone who’s tried to noxiously discourage an army of invading ants could affirm the presence of these IME criteria within the ants’ responses!  Add a version of “High Hopes” to the mix as they desperately flee from human attacks…

 

Resources

https://academic.oup.com/book/57949/chapter/475704868#workid-UKAC0026318-book-part-17-boxed-text-1

Getting a Word in Edgewise

(Public Domain)

There are medicalized labels for all sorts of tendencies these days.  The heretofore “blabby motormouth” is now said to be a “conversational narcissist.”  (Discerning readers are likely wondering which is worse…) 

Suggested remedies are as plentiful as silver-tongued pronouncements, and HuffPost has plenty of both.  If you’re caught between a loquacious rock and a verbose hard place, here are some of its esteemed pointers: stay in touch with your own feelings as they’re arising, try not to take the situation too personally, recall the speaker's better tendencies, empathetically communicate when you feel the need to talk, and set an internal limit on how long you will continue with this one-sided pattern. 

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/how-to-deal-with-a-conversational-narcissist/

  

Something Fishy

Count d'Artagnon
(Public Domain)

“Rest in peace” does not necessarily apply to all deceased beings.  Nor does privacy.  Even one’s bodily remains can be subject to probing investigations.

One of the famed Musketeers, Count d’Artagnon,“was killed during the siege of Maastricht in 1673.” You’d think that within all this time his final resting place would be known.  But it’s not.

This makes some folks all the more determined to figure things out.  Archaeologist Wim Dijkman therefore scooped up some bones from a suspected site within the nave of a Dutch church. He  neglected to follow precise methodology and may have limited all chances of knowing for sure.

But wait, there’s a clue!  Analysis of these very bones revealed a diet that had greatly favored salt-water fish. This is not congruent with the locations in France that the Count had often lived in. 

Yet some believe that there’s still hope!  Hope never dies, even though the hardiest of swashbucklers inevitably do.

 Resources

 https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/bones-contention-more-research-needed-092600384.html

One woman's trash...

UNREAL
(Photo by Hubert555)

Okay, so you’re a Taylor Swift fan.  Not a problem.  But when “fan” lives up to its abbreviation for “fanatic,” things start to feel downright creepy.

In the aftermath of Swift’s Madison Square Garden wedding, a so-called “artist” gathered up trash from the surrounding walkways and sold batches of it online for $25 apiece.  These sealed-up "tangential" momentos included “bottle caps, ring pop candy, police caution tape, [and] straws.”  Worse yet, they’re being billed as “sculptures.”

Customers of such have been known as “Swifties,” due to their undying worship of this alleged “Queen of Pop.”  However, it might be far more swift to worship that which is truly Undying.

Resources

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/celebrity/articles/taylor-swift-fans-pay-25-210245224.html

 

  

We used to just call it hinting around...

(Public Domain)

It seems as though things have taken a turn for the dramatic, especially insofar as language is concerned.  What used to be simply called “hinting around” is now dubbed “dry begging.”

The very phrase “dry begging” conjures up images of extreme hunger and thirst. We’re talking the very bottom of Maslow's pyramid rather than just a fatigued spouse who’d rather not tackle the evening dishes.

In the latter case, one partner might sigh out loud, “Gee, that pillow’s looking mighty inviting…”  The other half then has a choice: He or she can make a beeline for the dishwasher or simply reply, “I’m feeling exhausted myself, how about helping out with this one last act of mercy before diving between the sheets?”

Direct communication can often avert cumulative resentments. When wants or needs are stated calmly and clearly, negotiations can more fairly proceed. “Dry begging” would then be reserved for dire situations that far transcend life’s everyday blips.  

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/love-sex/what-is-dry-begging-in-a-relationship-a-therapist-explains/rk

 

Ex Marks the Spot

(Huastec Sculpture, c. 250-900 CE)

On again, off again, on again, off again…  It’s becoming a THING within certain circling circles.

We’re talking relationships.  Ones that break up only to make up.  Ones that eventually last - only after repeated trials and errors.

Some warn against this, saying: “Your ex is an ex for a reason!” But perhaps the reason is also you.  And perhaps you were brought together in the first place in order to learn from one another’s rough edges.  And perhaps no great thing is ever accomplished without a bunch of persistent tries.

John Lennon declared that karma is sometimes instant.  Although that may seem the case, it’s more likely that what seems instant is only the tip of a long-developing saga.

So buckle up and ride those waves.  Love is more of a slow burn than a hot little number. Some relationships may indeed run their karmic course in a hurry, yet others may need LOTS of practice in order to bear spiritual fruit. 

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/love-sex/inside-the-rise-of-the-circular-relationship/

 

 

When it's your time...

Self-Portrait
(Johann Zoffany, c. 1776)

The very thing that you think will protect you might be the very thing that gets you in the end.

Umbrellas were designed to keep us safe from the sun’s burning rays and the rain’s drenching drops.  They are often attached to outdoor dining tables.

So there was nothing unusual about Dana Weinger’s seating on a restaurant patio overlooking Lake Marion in South Carolina. She and her husband were enjoying an evening meal when a gust of wind suddenly appeared.

It knocked over a nearby umbrella which then struck Dana's ”head and neck area.”  Help arrived soon, but not soon enough.  She was ”pronounced dead at the scene.”

There’s a Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids in Matthew 25 that warns of such occurrences and urges folks to prepare in advance. We’re not talking bullet-proof vests and helmets, we’re talking spiritual “dress rehearsals.” 

Although folks often plan for worldly events, they tend to ignore otherworldly ones.  Death will surely come, we just don’t know when.  An ongoing practice of soul-searching can therefore serve us well when the hourglass empties.

Resources

https://www.iheart.com/content/2026-05-26-patio-umbrella-killed-woman-while-she-was-dining-at-outdoor-restaurant/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Ten_Virgins 

Off-the-Cuff Religion

Starhawk
(Photo by Dedda71)

Pastor Jim Rigby of Saint Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin explains that many “intelligent and compassionate” people colloquially describe religion with terms such as “superstition, hierarchy and… intolerance.”

They could just as well have cited examples of how religionists have uplifted women (Starhawk), children (Mr. Rogers), people of color (Martin Luther King, Jr.), the politically oppressed (Gandhi), and the Earth itself (Sadhguru).

Some on this list might not like being dubbed a "religionist." Some might prefer to be viewed as a spiritual leader.  Yet many religious adherents believe that Spirit is a core component of their faith.  Therefore, it may just come down to semantics.

The word “religion” has been bantered about in so many ways that it’s become somewhat meaningless. Worse yet, it’s become a catch-all term for all that folks dislike most about their own recalled experiences.

If only the scope could be broadened to include a spectrum of best to worst and everything in between.  That could paint a more authentic picture of religion’s many hues.

Resources

Before rejecting religion, let's define what we mean

Super Pigs

(Fair Use)

You’ve heard of Mighty Mouse?  Now Porky Pig has also morphed into a super-sized being.  It turns out that nuclear fallout has further implications than was previously cited.

When humans fled from the Fukushima disaster, domestic pigs were left to fend for themselves.  This led to their cozying up with some wilder brethren.

Porky’s lineage quickly began looking less and less like three little pigs, and more and more like countless big boars.  Hybridization moved right along through the maternal line.  Domestic genes were rapidly diluted.

Fortunately, it doesn’t take a nuclear meltdown for scientists to note this phenomenon.  Pigs and boars have interbred within far more tranquil circumstances.

Let’s face it: When humans step aside, nature will take its course.  And who’s to say what’s for the ultimate best?

Resources

Mutant 'Super Pigs' Developing In Nuclear Fallout Zone Near Fukushima 

Handlers, Schmandlers

 

Belle's Ball Gown
(Fair Use - Disney)

During last month’s Met Gala, all eyes were upon the fashion parade.  Artsy gowns seemed to be particularly favored, especially those with poufy trains that required “handlers.”

When Blake Lively’s handler turned this way instead of that way, she motioned to him in a manner that evoked controversy from folks with too much time on their hands. The ensuing hoopla included questions about whether a female should be criticized for issuing orders to a subordinate employee.

Although the jury remains out on that one, a sounder concern might be to wonder whether a dress handler should even be needed by anyone with the wherewithal to prance around on their own two well-heeled feet.

Resources

 https://www.buzzfeed.com/leylamohammed/blake-lively-met-gala-behavior-sparks-debate

 

 

Just One Word and It Ain't Money

 

Buffett in 2015
(Public Domain)

When people hear the name Warren Buffett, they tend to think of money.  Buffett himself may have fostered such thoughts during certain phases of life, but these days his priorities go way beyond that realm.

When asked by Georgia Tech students about his current definition of success, Buffett replied: “If you get to my age in life and nobody thinks well of you, I don’t care how big your bank account is, your life is a disaster.”  Sounds good, but people think all kinds of things about all kinds of folks, so perhaps some clarification is in order.

And Buffett did indeed clarify by summing up his response with one resounding word: “Love.”  He then elaborated: “The trouble with love is that you can’t buy it… the only way to get love is to be lovable… The more you give love away, the more you get.”

Resources

https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/warren-buffett-success-your-life-1-word-career-advice/91313453

 

Junk in a Monkey's Trunk

Not fit for man or beast...
(Photo by Dietmar Rabich)

Humans aren’t the only ones to stuff the gut with junk food. When monkeys are within easy reach of sugary snacks, they grab onto them by hook or crook.

This can be witnessed firsthand at the fabled Rock of Gibraltar.  While tourists are busy gawking, resident monkeys are snatching a whole bunch of goodie bags. Karma being what it is, this often results in gorilla-sized tummy aches.

Monkeys and humans have both sought ways to offset these gut-wrenching effects. Whereas people generally pay for their over-the-counter remedies, monkeys have it a bit easier. They simply grab a handful of soil and chug it on down. This seems to buffer painful outcomes in ways akin to pharmaceutical antacids.

Or perhaps they could all learn to just say no...

Resources

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/gibraltars-monkeys-clever-way-avoid-160552659.html

 

 

And you thought it was Jesus...

 

(Public Domain)

Ask most Christians what the essence of church is, and you would likely get a lot of Trinity-based answers.

Not so during a recent gathering at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec.  The church was indeed quite full, but full of what is the question.

When such attendees were asked about the essence of church, they didn’t need to pray on it.  The response came quick: “Hockey is a religion in Quebec.”  This crowd was temporarily “churched” in order to drink beer and watch the game on a cathedral-sized screen.

Their logic went like this: The players are like gods, so why not cheer them on within a sacred setting?  They then concluded that Somebody up there must be rightly pleased because Montreal’s team ended up winning the game.

Resources

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/hockey-religion-montreal-fans-pack-030845553.html

Bottle of Wine, Fruit of the Gold Mine

 

(Photo by Alanscottwalker)

When the cost of just one bottle of wine could instead feed thousands of people, it might be time to reevaluate priorities.

“A single bottle of 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti” was recently auctioned off for the grand total of “812,500.  How many gallons of milk could that buy? How many sacks of beans?  Pounds of potatoes?

Sure it tasted good - real good!  But does it truly exemplify “the soul and spirit of Burgundy,” as claimed by the chairman of “America’s oldest wine merchant,” Acker?  

When talking “soul and spirit,” a very different type of wine comes to mind - one that evokes a Body that catered to people who could best benefit from a dietary boost.

Resources

https://www.iheart.com/content/2026-03-31-worlds-most-expensive-bottle-of-wine-sold-at-auction/

 

Camping Out, Way Out

(Fair Use)

Jackie Gleason must have been onto something when he repeatedly shouted, “To the moon, Alice!” 

Here it is, a mere 70 years later, and NASA is planning to make it happen. Not just for Alice, but eventually for anyone with the means to vacation far from the RV crowd.

Twenty billion can buy a lot here, not to mention a space base there. With that wide a wad, NASA is figuring on pioneering lunar land within the next seven years. Astronauts can then set a spell rather than orbiting above.

You and I may have to wait awhile for some timeshares to develop.  In the meantime, we can fruitfully focus on inner space instead.

Resources

https://www.iheart.com/content/2026-03-24-nasa-planning-to-build-a-20-billion-base-on-the-moon/ 

Give a Beneficial Dam

Salmon Run
(Public Domain)

When it comes to preserving the natural environment, beavers give a dam. In doing so, they reshape “rivers into wetlands” that “may help store huge amounts of CO2 – offering a simple, wild solution to climate change.”

Humans, however, have somewhat created a dam nation by indiscriminately blocking the flow of one vital river after another. This not only submerges Native American sacred sites, but also destroys the habitats of salmon, trout, and other prized species.

The film, DamNation, says it better than mere words ever could:

https://www.patagonia.com/stories/damnation/video-79847.html

Additional Resource

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260322020245.htm