I’m 100% onboard with the Hollywood writers/actors strike (I have major issues with CEOs earning 399-1 more than the workers who create the success of their companies). The vast majority of those writers (and actors) are not highly paid A-listers, but just regular folks trying to scrape by. Why do CEOs—and anybody wielding power over others—always balk on fair pay, benefits, and rights? At least with the writers, I know that the studios refuse to even negotiate. But, I have to say, I achingly miss my Stephen Colbert monologues and Seth Meyers’ Closer Looks. Argh, the pain! And lack of laughter. They would be having such a great time with all of the indictments. It’s going to be a long summer. (And fall…and winter…and spring?)
I might have spoken too soon in my previous posts about a couple of things. First, John’s recovery from his new teeth and having 18 extractions, bone grafts, and implants installed last week, is not going swimmingly. The fit of the dentures have major problems and the soreness in his jaw, gums, tongue, and lips are beating him down. He hasn’t felt the need to take the heavy duty pain meds (just Tylenol), but improvement seems to be glacial, and there’s nothing really that his dentist can do quite yet until he’s healed more. So, John being John, he did take his bottom dentures (that have been especially problematic because they were poking down too far into his gums) out to his shop and did a bit of dremel grinding. He says it’s helped quite a lot. Mostly, the issue is that he is SICK AND TIRED OF SOFT FOODS, plus he is HUNGRY, and he absolutely cannot chew. Hurts too much to bear down on those tender gums. He has become quite adept at blendering up banana milkshakes. He has plenty of smooth soups and yogurt, but he misses MEAT. Poor guy. I think he’s also feeling stressed because he’s very busy at the Hydroplane Museum getting the Miss Squire Shop ready for SeaFair the first weekend of August where he will be driving and crew chiefing. Helen will be coming up from Oregon and we’ll partake with SeaFair festivities on Sunday (the final big day where they award the Gold Cup). Don’t think I could manage more than one day of said festivities…
The other thing I may have spoken too soon about is Stacey Abrams’ book that I’m currently reading for Book Club. I’m a little further along in it, and it’s actually not quite as well written as I noted before. It’s hard to put my finger on, because it’s not terrible by any means, but after reading so many exquisite books lately, this just rings kind of…amateur. Characters with over-the-top behavior, clunky dialogue, and a fair amount of melodrama. I guess that sums it up. So far. The story itself is quite a “yarn,” but that can’t be the end-all be-all. Speaking of Book Club, I suddenly am the host for our next one (shortly after SeaFair) because our next door neighbor who was going to host has sold her house and she’s packing! Argh! I’m going to miss her terribly when she moves away (to Nevada!), but I’m also stewing at the prospect of having brand new next door neighbors! What will that be like?!
Additional angst include the kids in Virginia. We’d hoped (and sort of planned) to go visit them in October and I brought it up recently with Nate via text and was summarily told that they will likely be too busy. Before, he’d told me they would have plenty of Leave time and the fall sounded great and now… I guess not? I’m sad. But I also understand because they are both subjected to the whims (and demands) of the Navy, so there’s no point in whining. I probably will anyway.
THIS little shit has been bringing lizards and butterflies inside the house (since we didn’t put the birdfeeders up this year). John rescued the lizards (ew) and a couple of butterflies, but I’ve also discovered a disturbing amount of butterfly parts…
CEO-to-worker pay ratio in 1965: 20-1
CEO-to-worker pay ratio in 1989: 61-1
CEO-to-worker pay ratio today: 399-to-1
-Robert Reich
