my careless contagion

My favorite dog (a chihuahua) on TikTok recently passed away. I was filled with grief for the little creature and her people. Dogs mean a lot to mankind, and have for eons. They are wonderful animals, and earned the distinction "man's best friend" for a reason. We all know that. Here are some conclusions I came to about dogs, and there is a human application, as well, if you're so inclined.  For my work, I'm often in people's backyards, so naturally meet a lot of dogs. I think about them a lot. One principle is people's perception of their animals versus a stranger's perception. How many times was I told, "Oh, he's nice," only to have a dog attempt to tear me limb from limb? There is a dichotomy in that. Dogs are a protective force, fierce when protecting their people. It's their job. Always was, though we don't need them much for that anymore. They are loyal and gentle with their own but brutal toward outsiders. I qualify as an o...

Hang on. This may be a rambling, sprawling, insipid post. I'm sick and about to dig into some Theraflu. Normally, I don't stay sick for long and bounce back quickly, but whatever this is took hold and continues to waste me week after week. I need someone to take care of me. So, this post may not make a whole lot of sense. Or it may be brilliant and you will give a standing ovation! Insert wacky emoji here. Regardless, I plan on feeling good momentarily. Got my heater on my feet. Got myself looking out a window at the sunshine. Let's go. I say I'm sick, but I'm not laid up in bed. I'm quite well enough to do everything I need to do and many things I want to do. But it's also clear it's gone on too long and avenues to fix it elude me. It may have a psychological basis, but I also can't figure that out. So I gave the situation to God. I'll be fine.  Thunderclouds is not a new song, but it is fairly recent. LSD is considered a supergroup of talented,...

About a week ago, my dear Inky left us. She was the only pet I called my own except for a turtle (Scooter) I had when I was growing up. He disappeared under mysterious circumstances. One of my brothers later admitted he dispatched poor Scooter. I never understood his cruelty, and I feel there is a family-line curse of cruelty. All the men in my family and even some of the women have that trait, though it manifests often when they don't realize it. Which is worse, when you think of it. I tried to expunge myself of that trait over the years. Only God knows if I was successful.  Haven't had good luck with pets. And it's always sad when they leave. So, that explains my reluctance to get a dog or something. A dog would be the best bet, as I hear they are man's best friend. And I could sure use a friend.  Back to Inky. There were a few things I wanted to talk about regarding her passing. I felt God answered my prayers about the timing of her passing. I left it in His hands in...

Before I begin, let it be known I was into Creedence Clearwater Revival before I saw The Big Lebowski. Anyone who saw that movie knows The Dude loves CCR. With that out of the way, let us begin.  I love John Fogerty's voice. It was a perfect fit for its time, and it still resonates. The songs are actual songs, and not the nonsense on popular radio now. This is beyond oldies (people are calling music from the 2000s oldies now). There is a deep humanity in this music. Okay, so this song came out in 1971, so why does it have a video? No such thing was done at that time. Certainly not by CCR. This is something my mom would have listened to, so why am I discussing it? I read a bit about the meaning of this song from Wikipedia and it struck me how some people aren't happy with everything they've worked for, even if it surpasses their wildest dreams and expectations. It makes no sense, and it brings to mind passages from Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Anyway, here is what it said.  ...

Nine years it's been. It was today nine years ago you came into my life, small but all there, as the NICU doctor noted. You came early for yourself but late in my life. Someday you'll be stronger and bigger than me. I am grateful God gave me you and all the time we've had together, though it seems improbable that half of it is already gone. I pray you grow strong and brave and faithful to the Lord and go far but always stay in touch. I tried to teach you everything you'll need to know, but only God knows the life you'll live, so I always directed you to Him. He will always be there, even when I am gone. You are the best thing God brought into my life, an unexpected blessing and always loved appreciated. Thank you for being my son.  — Your dad.  Thank you for reading. And God bless. Christian blog:  a-better-hope.blogspot.com And my other blog, None Dare Call It Treason.

Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley is forever ensconced in pop-culture for a number of reasons. It's a simp anthem.  It's infinitely meme-able . It's white people acting white. It's catchy. It's relatable. It's some impressively well-styled ginger hair. And the song is impossible to hate!  Go ahead and watch! The manly voice and boyish face are a cartoonish mismatch. This song came out in 1987 (Rick was 21), but it remains a part of popular culture. Kids today would probably pronounce it "cringe," but that's okay. There is a difference between good cringe and bad cringe. This is good cringe. Feel free to indulge. My favorite part of the video is the barkeeper. He really enjoys it when the goofy, white folks are getting down and can't help but show off.  This song is basically an auditory version of this blog. Pause and consider the lyrics. Haven't I said all of those things a million times? Is this blog good cringe or bad cringe? Admitt...

I remember sitting in a dentist chair in the late 80s with this song  (which came out in '84)  playing on the radio. It seemed strange that he was singing of a time that was so long ago (it was only 20 years prior) and wondered if he was even alive in 1969 (he was 10). Our concept of time is sometimes faulty, and, well, I wasn't the brightest kid, either. Anyway, Bryan Adams started rocking in a band at the age of 15, and it's entirely possible he had a heckuva summer in the summer of '69. This guy continues to rock, and he's in his mid-60s now. We will forgive his being from Canada. He has an impressive string of hits, and even performed this song with Taylor Swift in her recent tour. Still relevant. Still rockin'. I won't even delve into his politics because it's sure to be a disappointing misadventure.  Little did I know when I sat in that dentist chair this seemingly wholesome and nostalgic hit song was actually about sex. Yes, Bryan said just that i...

Haha, oh man. This one is loaded. I'm pregnant with thoughts as I sit here. This one is from the vault. B.J. Thomas' Hooked On A Feeling came out in 1968, but it lingered on radio for decades. It is another simple song that has a lot going on. This is a song from my childhood that still echoes in my mind. It's a good one, and let's look at why.  Let's get this out of the way. The television treatment of this song is laughable. You could put up a blue background, some lighted Os and a ladder as props and background, and then overlay the video shots ... and ta da! It was probably high tech back then, but now it makes us cringe. And B.J. looks incredibly polished. His image after this is decidedly hippyish. He died in 2021, sadly. Another great song from B.J. is Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head, which we won't discuss today because today we're doing a happy song. He's got some really good songs, which he shared with all of us.  What struck me about the...

Once upon a time, I used to listen to quite a bit of urban music like rap. I was young once and my music was bumpin. 2Pac was one of those artists. I was quite upset when I heard he was murdered and even more upset by the average man's explanation of thug life, thug death. Man, how cold are you? Anyway, this song speaks about a life I don't really recognize, though we all have struggles. I can't say how much of it is art and how much is biographical. Only the artist knows.  I agree with the sentiment that something needs to change. Comparing this song to where we are now and when it came out, I'd say we went in the wrong direction. We've let those in charge of the world divide us even further. It's a shame. And why do we insist on calling those with differing melanin levels a different race? We're all one race. Don't let anyone tell you differently. Watch the words they make us use. Yes, there are cultural differences, I realize. But, the same God create...

Save Your Tears by The Weeknd was a popular pop song a few years ago. Can't say I know much about the artist, other than he probably sold his soul to the devil, but, hey, that's how you do business in show business. Digressing far too early. It's the weekend. So let's listen to The Weeknd!  This song is a typical "love" song where love isn't involved at all, obscuring true love and substituting a vile replacement. It's a heartbreak song. It's a lost-something song. Maybe it was love but probably not. Anyway, it's gone. I just like the music. The lyrics are bleak. That's one thing about popular music. The music and lyrics don't agree, carrying two different experiences. Maybe that's why I often make up my own damn lyrics. Y'all be putting poison in your songs.  This video is preferred to the official because it isn't grotesque. It's just some cars doing some choreography while the the singer sings his hit song. Straightfo...