So today I was told that Dave (the guy on your left in yellow, wearing glasses, and Bill (the one with the cute smile, on your right) are going to talk about wrasslin’ (wrestling). Dave claims knowledge as the former owner of Buzz Saw Wrestling Federation and I think Bill is just curious. So join the guys for a few minutes of nonsense as they talk about behind the scenes of pro-wrestling.
By Anna Hessel
If you have ever worn clip earrings, or even know what clip earrings are…you might be a woman of a certain age.
If your hairdo (or your boyfriend’s) was a party in the back and business in the front…
If you have ever done anything in a phone booth…
If you know what a phone booth is or what it has to do with Superman…
If you used Tickle deodorant…
If you have ever worn shoulder pads when not playing powder puff football…
If you have a landline, had a landline, or even know what a landline is…
If you had a Princess or Trimline phone…
If you ever used a phone book…
If you ever used a clothing iron or frozen orange juice cans to fix your hair…
If you ever drank Tab, or know what Tab is…
If you ever served a Swanson Pot Pie for dinner…
If you refer to Lean Cuisine or the like as a TV dinner…
If you ever wore sequin mesh boots from Desperately Seeking Susan…
If you saw Desperately Seeking Susan on opening weekend…
If you ever had a Bianca Blast or used a Maybelline Kissing Potion before a date…
If you even know what a Bianca Blast is…
If you got peanut butter in somebody’s chocolate, or vice versa…
if you remember Madge the manicurist…
If you know what a manicurist is…
If you ever had a glass or half-moon manicure…
If you used baby oil with iodine to get a tan…
If you ever smoked an Eve…
(please note, I am NOT advocating the iodine, baby oil, or the Eves!)
Editor’s Note: I saw this on Twitter from @rbisrband. I loved the sentiment.
Editor’s Note: The following was published in O Magazine in May of 2017 when O Magazine was still a print magazine. Oprah wrote these words in her ‘What I Know For Sure’ column. I thought her comments were important to repeat, now six years later.
We Bleed the Same
On the subject of race here’s what I know for sure: We the people of planet Earth have made it far more complicated than it needs to be. Whether you’re type A, B, AB, O, positive or negative, you bleed the way I do, and your pain feels the same as mine. This is the ultimate lesson I’ve absorbed, person by person, from the thousands of interviews I’ve done over the years. Members of every race have heartache. Circumstances may differ, but sorrows are the same.
More Alike, Than Unalike
Joy and triumph are felt by people of every creed and belief. And though it’s true what Maya Angelou always said-“We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.”- it’s also true that our unlikeness makes us whole. A whole family. A whole community. A whole nation. A whole world. It’s your differences that make you you.
“It’s So Simple”
I sometimes feel a wave of sadness for us spiritually deprived, unconscious creatures who just don’t seem to get it. Years ago on my show, a grieving mother recounted her dying son’s last words and final breath, “Oh, Mom,” he said. “It’s so simple.” Those words made a lasting impression on me.
A Similar Journey
It is so simple to see that we’re all on the same journey, carving our paths with every choice and experience. With every action and reaction. Quite simply, to live well, we need to love well.
Harm To The Collective Soul
The audacity it takes to judge another because they don’t look or sound or act like you goes against the current of humanity. Every time we discriminate against a woman in a headscarf, the whole of us suffers. Every time we treat a brown skinned man with a Hispanic name as though he’s the “other,” we do harm to our collective human soul.
An Accuser’s Lies
Emmett Till’s accuser has finally admitted-after six decades-that the young boy’s racist murder, a murder that tore the soul of our whole country, was wrong. Shouldn’t have happened. And though she can no longer remember exactly what occurred, she says it didn’t take place the way she testified.
The List Of Names Is Long
The senseless injustices will continue. Trayvon Martin, Laquan McDonald. Twelve-year-old Tamir Rice. Srinivas Kuchibhotla, the Indian engineer fatally shot in a Kansas bar in February (2017). The nine good people killed at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. All different names and different circumstances, but all Emmett Till. When will it end?
When we decide to end it.
Mushroom information was the topic of discussion between David Shadrick and Bill Cook when they met up at the Calamity Politics studio today. Mushrooms and more mushrooms was the consensus of our guys. Between these two men we are talking 50 years of eating enjoyment. You can also watch the video casts on the Calamity Politics YouTube channel or the David Shadrick YouTube channel.
I had several advantages going for me when I called writer, author, editor, publisher, D. S. Mitchell to ask her for an interview. The first big advantage is that I have known Darlene Mitchell for nearly forty years, the second was I wanted to do a story about her. I hoped our long term friendship and my appeal to her vanity would seal the deal. So after a few hiccups we got together at her home in beautiful southern Oregon and I started asking questions. Here is the result of that interview.
David: When we first met you were an RN. How and when did you decide you wanted to abandon the bedpan for the ink pen?
Darlene: You’re funny. It wasn’t like that. I’ve been writing short stories and bad poetry since I was a young kid. I spent my school years in advanced creative writing classes, encouraged and mentored by a number of wonderful teachers along the way. But, so few writers find success that I chose a “reliable” career. Professional nursing was a sure paycheck, not a hope and a prayer. My mother said a hail Mary on that choice, thankful that the four years of college she paid for wouldn’t be wasted on a low paying unpredictable career as a writer.
Bill Cook visited the CalamityPolitics studio for Episode 3 of the Mushroom-Cannabis Chronicles. Bill joined Dave Shadrick to explore the spirituality of mushrooms. The boys are smiling as they discuss the centuries old experience.
While I was looking through my video library I stumbled onto this little montage of photos my granddaughter, Amber, put together nearly a decade ago of my dog Lily, and her kitten, Inara. Amber then posted her work on YouTube. It’s just a bit long, but so is the song. So, here folks are Lily and Inara, performing their love story to Shaun Smith’s version of ‘Ain’t No Sunshine (WhenYou’re Gone)’. Pretty cute. It brought a smile to my face and smiles are a damn good thing. Hope it makes you smile too.
**My dog Lily passed three years ago. I still miss her. And Inara, is grown up now and is as spoiled as ever.
The game of Pickleball is sweeping the U.S.A. and Canada
Just A Little Help
It was 2017 when I decided to start the www.calamitypolitics.com website. I asked “Computer Jane,” my techie friend for some help. Actually, a whole lot of help. She of course was cool, except she refused to give up her “pickleball time.”
Pickleball?
Pickleball? What’s that? I asked. Her response, “it’s sort of like a mix of ping pong, badminton, and tennis; but played different. It’s a whole lot of fun.”
Tell Me More
Pickleball is played on a court 1/4 the size of a tennis court. Like in tennis, players serve, volley and hit ground strokes but pickleballers use a solid surface paddle and a perforated plastic ball. All serves must be underhanded. Games are played to 11 points. To win, however, there must be a two point spread. Points can only been won if you are serving.
Die Hard Fans
This fun, fast paced, low impact and easy to play game has made 5.8 million Americans and Canadians die hard fans. The pandemic did nothing but accelerate the game’s popularity. Jane tells me she thinks the small court increases socialization and ups the action which she swears helps her stay in shape.
The Funny Name
I looked this up. Co-inventor, Joel Pritchard claims the name came from the term “pickleboat” in collegiate crewing. A “pickleboat” is defined as a boat filled by random rowers that were not selected for competitive races. Fitting since pickleball is a game combining bits and pieces of other games.
Terminology
Dillball: Incoming ball that has bounced once.
Dink: A soft arching shot hit on a bounce inside the kitchen.
Falafel: A shot hit without any force.
Flapjack: A shot that must bounce before being hit.
Kitchen: The 7 foot no-volley zone near the net.
Pickled: Scoring zero points in a game.
Where To Play?
To find a Pickleball court near you check out Places2play.org.
Five Tips For First Time RV Renters
Try an RV
After a couple years of COVID-19 lock down, masking, and social distancing, Americans are ready to move. Everyone I talk to is going somewhere, anywhere, this summer. If you are considering renting an RV and hitting the U.S. highway I guarantee you will have a great time and a totally unique experience. My Uncle Norman had a lovely Class A motorhome and he used to take me and my dog Lilly along on many of his adventures. Here are a few things I learned from those days.
Big to Small
Class A: Basically means large and luxurious. Despite being the size of a bus most do not require special licensure to drive.
Class C: Smaller than the Class A vehicle, the Class C rigs offer good space and are easier to drive than their larger cousins. They frequently have a front end that looks like the cab of a van or pickup truck.
Class B: Are the smallest and are often called “camper vans”. These vehicles are short on space and can feel a bit cramped but for those of us sick of social distancing, a Class B vehicle might be just what we’re looking for. These RV’s are easy to drive and park and have good fuel economy.
How About Towing?
Although you give up space, travel trailers are usually cheaper to rent. Fifth wheel trailers can be quite nice but require a truck with a special tow hitch to haul. One of the benefits of towing your housing is that you can detach your truck to run around once you’ve reached your destination. A big disadvantage is that while traveling you will lose passenger space, no passengers are allowed in a moving trailer.
Campsite Tips
When reserving a campsite ask for a “pull through” site. You might pay a couple dollars extra but you won’t have the challenge of backing into your assigned space. Also, if you can, get a paved site. Paved sites tend to be more level and require fewer vehicle adjustments.
Connections
Water, electric, and sewer hookups are typical at private campgrounds. Larger campgrounds with showers and restrooms eliminate the need to hook up your RV’s water and sanitation system.
Going to Grandma’s
If you plan on visiting a friend or relative and intend to stay in your RV while parking in a neighborhood, make sure you check local rules and regulations. Many cities and Homeowners Associations forbid such visits. If you can legally visit and stay in the RV you will need a generator to run a power cord from the house. Electricity from a standard outlet may not power your A/C.
"If puppies and kittens don't make you smile, you might consider therapy." D. S. Mitchell 2015.
Self-isolating has forced us to turn even more to telecommunication and social media.
The Major Cause Of Sex Trafficking Is Poverty
Many great charities, here are a couple that I support: Sierra Club, World Wildlife Fund, ACLU, and Planned Parenthood.
