Happy New Year 2026

Does anybody really know what time it is?

In my foggy old mind, I've been trying to think what to say for the beginning of another year, how to sum up my thoughts and feelings at this turn in the road. Once again, I have been surprised to find that I already said all that as well I as could ever do. So with a few changes, I'm reprinting last year's post, for whatever it's worth.

The quiet days at the end of the year have always been a time of retreat and reflection for me.  This past year, a dark new era has begun, and the old certainties have gone out the window -- no one can be sure what will come next.  

The world has been in a parlous state all my adult life, what with wars and rumors of wars, crisis upon crisis, rebellion here, revolt there, and no end of foolishness among the peoples and leaders of the world.  And yet, at some points there has been greater hope for the future than seems apparent just now.

Somehow, I have lived through many years of light and shadow, joys and sorrows, ups and downs, to be a very old man.  And I have learned that nothing is guaranteed but change.  The currents of human affairs are always shifting, now quickly, now slowly, like the winds and the waves; the pendulum is always swinging to and fro.  

Human nature does not change; if it did, we would have become a different kind of critter long ago.  But the world around us is always in flux.  Moderation and balance, the middle way, is the best course to follow, but fools young and old are always chasing after something "new and different" - which soon enough they despise as "that old stuff."  So the old lessons must be learned anew by every generation.

Human life is a mixed bag, a game of skill and chance - win, lose, or draw, you have to play the hand you are dealt, and do the best you can.  Have fun, but don't be a prick.  Be honest, fair, and kind to everyone.  Do your part, don't leave a mess, and mind your own damn business.

That's it.  That's the wisdom of the world, in a nutshell.  Take it or leave it.  There are other, spiritual truths worth knowing as well, but you'll have to find those on your own.  (But beware of fakers and fanatics, who are legion.)

When I was a kid, I used to think it would be a fine thing one day to be old and wise.  Well, in a way it is somewhat satisfying to finally have seen through the world and all its illusions - to see things and people as they really are, not just what you imagine them to be.  

But at this late age, it doesn't do you much good.  Your body and your finances (unless you are exceptionally lucky) don't allow you to do much with all that wisdom.  And nobody wants to hear what an old man has to say.  So you just keep it to yourself, mainly, while you contemplate the view from the top of the mountain.

When you have lived into old age, you can feel the rhythm of time passing:  a river always flowing, a cycle of stars always revolving above our heads and the earth rotating under our feet.  Generations come and go; empires rise and fall; war alternates with peace; wisdom and folly, love and hate, poverty and plenty, life and death - the wheel keeps on turning, endlessly, regardless of our petty wants and wishes here on this little rock in the vast depth of the cosmos.  

A rather frightening picture, if we are not in tune with the Love that moves the sun and other stars, as Dante put it.  And that Love is closer than breathing, nearer than hands and feet - if you are willing to believe. And I do.

We can't be sure what 2026 holds in store for us; but no matter what comes or goes, we can each be true to the goodness within us, and do small things with great love - with gratitude for all the good things we have.  So here's wishing all my truckbuddies health, happiness, and peace in the New Year.  God bless you all.

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The Pork Boys Do Christmas, 2025

 At long last, M.P. has finally figured out how to send pics from his smart phone to my email address.  

As I mentioned the other day, this Christmas has been quieter and much less hectic than usual, without a houseful of M.P.'s family to feed.  So we have done less and done it when we felt like doing it.  We had a little Christmas buffet for just us two last Friday night in front of the Christmas tree - I'll try to add a pic of that here - with a tasty array of hors d'oeuvres, including homemade liver pâté, a creamy homemade cheese ball, some pigs-in-a-blanket, with honey-mustard and barbecue sauces on the side, and more cheeses, assorted crackers, homemade shortbread oookies, and brownies with chocolate-mint icing.   And some mulled wine to wash it all down.  All quite scrumptious, believe me when I tell you!

We had our Chistmas dinner on Sunday, the 28th, and oh was it good.  It began with our traditional Cream of Green soup (green beans pureed with green onions and parsley in a cream sauce) - it's much more delicious than you might think.  Next, M.P.'s famous Red Cajun Duck stuffed with jambalaya was the star of the show, as seen below, accompanied by braised baby carrots and pearl onions, fried turnip slices, and crescent rolls.  Alas, not until we had finished dinner did M.P. realize he had fogotten to set out the deviled eggs and Green Fluff!  The latter being pistachio pudding mixed with Kool Whip and mini-marshmallows.  It was all good, though, and we had it again last night, and will have it again tonight.  No problem!

Wish I could hand all my truckbuddies a plate.  Hope your Christmas fare was good, too.

Click to enlarge.

For desssert, we had what has become our favorite holiday tradition:  chocolate mousse cake topped with real whipped cream and cooked reaspberry sauce.  I'm afraid this picture, taken in a hurry at the end of our meal, looks rather pathetic.  But I assure you, it does not taste pathetic!  It's really a most delightful thing.  The portion size is small because it's so rich and filling.

We have plans afoot for our New Year's Dinner on Thursday, so check back later in the week for more pics. 

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Long-Term Couple: Elliott and Clark's Story

Two Alabama boys from my generation found each other in college back in the early 70's and have managed to survive and thrive together for the last 53 years, ending up as wealthy property developers in Northwest Florida.  A lovely story.

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Sunday Drive: Amazing Grace

'Twas grace that brought me safe thus far,

And grace will lead me home.

The beloved hymn, sung a cappella by six Irishmen known as Celtic Thunder in 2010:

The Lessons Appointed for Use on the Feast of the

First Sunday after Christmas Day

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"Take a Picture . . ." by Clint Collide:

You can save time by pausing the video and right-arrowing through the pics, though you may miss some of the captions that way.

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The King's Christmas Broadcast, 2025

From Westminster Abbey, His Majesty the King delivers his annual Christmas message to his peoples in Britain and throughout the Commmonwealth.  The King is a deeply spiritual man, befitting his role as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, not to mention his historic title, Defender of the Faith.

Bonus:  The Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte, age 10, perform a piano duet that was filmed for the annual service of carols at Westminster Abbey, which took place on December 5th and was broadcast in the UK on Christmas Eve.  The composure of the young princess is most impressive.

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Merry Christmas to All 2025

The Lessons Appointed for Use on the Feast of

Christmas Day

Madonna and Child by Il Sassoferrato, circa 1650

Well, fellas, Christmas has come round again, with its timeworn message of peace, goodwill to men.  A message this old world desperately needs to hear - but is anyone listening?  

As I've been preparing this post, I've tried to think of how to express what Christmas means to me, but my sluggish old man's brain has been slow to respond.  However, I happily discovered that I already said those things in this Christmas post from 2022, if anyone cares to read it.

Sadly, Christmas at our house is not as merry and bright as it has been in Christmases past. For one reason or another, none of M.P.'s family are coming to enjoy the usual big Yule feast with us.  So no need for all that cooking, baking, and decorating: a single wreath over the fireplace is enough.  But M.P.  has begun preparations for our smaller Christmas dinner a deux, probably on Sunday, which will feature his luscious Red Cajun Duck, a real bell-ringer.  I do wish some of my truckbuddies lived nearer, so we could invite them over for a really festive dinner now and then. 

Anyway, I wish all my truckbuddies a very Merry Christmas with the ones they love.  Here's one of my favorite Christmas songs in a thrilling a cappella version by Heart that I just now discovered.  Crank it up, sit back, and enjoy.

+   +   +   +   +

Bonus:  Pope Leo delivers a brilliant and beautiful homily during Midnight Mass at St. Peter's Basilica:

This is the Christian faith.

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Matt and Jonathan's Cozy London Townhouse

Well, isn't this nice. These handsome fellas have got their pretty little home all decked out bright and gay, and they'd like you come for a sleep-over.  I just can't tell you when I last had an offer like that.  

Click the link in the video description box for details.

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It's a Wonderful Life: The Real Bedford Falls

Distinguished journalist Ted Koppel takes us to the town that may have inspired the setting of that wonderful movie.

I think of it not so much as a Christmas movie as an inspirational one. Your Head Trucker saw this film in the student union theater during my first term at a big university, nearly half a century ago. Mine was not the typical college experience:  I was broke, friendless, and terribly homesick for a place I could never return to. But the quiet inspiration of Frank Capra's magnum opus gave me comfort and lit the way ahead; it was the grace of God that I needed in that lonely time. I am still grateful for that.

When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on tight.  When you come to the dark tunnel of despair, go through it -- and at the other end, you will find Hope.  

Keep on; do what you can.  Your life matters more than you know.

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Sunday Drive: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Emmanuel means "God is with us."

The ancient hymn as performed by Enya in English and Latin, with stunning choral effects:

The Lessons Appointed for Use on the

Fourth Sunday of Advent

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"Just Got Eyes for You" by Clint Collide:

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Dick Van Dyke at 100

A bit of happy news: the indefatigable Dick Van Dyke turned 100 on Saturday, still full of life and good cheer. Bless him.

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Sunday Drive: The Magnificat

Also known as The Song of Mary, as performed in Latin by Il Volo in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, last September:

English version from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer (1979):

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

My spirit rejoices in God my Savior;

For he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

He has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

And has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

And the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,

For he has remembered his promise of mercy,

The promise he made to our fathers,

To Abraham and his children for ever.

The Lessons Appointed for Use on the 

Third Sunday of Advent

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"Love + Support" by Clint Collide:

You can save time by pausing the video and right-arrowing through the pics.

N. B. -- Strange to say, the two guys by the water keg in the thumbnail photo look just like my junior-high phys ed teachers.  But they were not friendly, and did no education.  They just handed out balls at the beginning of the period and told us to go play, while they sat in their air-conditioned office.  In my day, P.E. teaching was just a stepping stone on the way to becoming principals.  They took no notice of whether anyone did well or not.  

Your Head Trucker was one of the guys who was always last to be chosen for teams, and was routinely mocked and scorned by the other guys.  I hated it.

I'm sure many of my truckbuddies can relate.

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Growing Old as Gay Men

Is it okay to be gay and over 30?  A 2008 documentary explores gay attitudes to aging, featuring several notable gay writers and activists.  I may add my own thoughts later.

Warning:  contains some NSFW language.

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Old Gays Look Back

Apparently, the Old Gays were pretty famous on social media a few years back, but your Head Trucker was out of the loop - typical - and just came across some of their vids last week.  The first one below was made in January 2019 and has had over 9 million (!) views on YouTube.  Here are a few of their videos; I can relate to much of what they say.

Bonus:  The group appeared on the Today program in November 2023, plugging their new book:

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Sunday Drive: In the Bleak Midwinter

James Taylor sings the poignant Christmas carol writen by Christina Rossetti:

The Lessons Appointed for Use on the

Second Sunday of Advent

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"Timeless Whispers" by Clint Collide:

In a hurry? Just pause the video and right-arrow through the pics.

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Sunday Drive: Once in Royal David's City

The famuliar carol, as performed by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge:

The Lessons Appinted for Use on the 

First Sunday of Advent

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"Mates + Maybes #1" by Clint Collide:

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Thanksgiving Song

Here's wishing all my truckbuddies a happy Thanksgiving Day. M.P. hasn't felt well lately, so we are postponing our turkey dinner to Sunday.  This song by Mary Chapin Carpenter is a favorite of his.

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Balls

A couple weeks ago, I wrote that Mamdani has balls, but I was wrong.  Mamdani is a just a pretender.  Senator Mark Kelly is a MAN with bull balls.  Read this, and weep for the state of our country:

Mark Kelly To Hegseth: I Won’t Be “Silenced By Bullies” 

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Sunday Drive: Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

The beloved hymn of thanksgiving as performed by renowned organist Diane Bish:

Be still and know that I am God.  --Psalm 146

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Trump and Mamdani: Who's Fooling Whom?

Well, fellas, truth is certainly stranger than fiction in this deranged modern world.  Y'all remember last week, I predicted Mamdani would play David to Trump's Goliath.  Yesterday's meeting in the White House might have been a remake of Daniel in the lions' den.  But oh, was I ever wrong.  Turns out, it was Beauty and the Beast all over again. Love has bloomed, and life is beautiful.  Ain't that grand?

Ain't love grand?

I'm going to keep my predictions to myself in future. When you get two New Yorkers in a room together, there's no telling what the result will be -- love or murder, or who knows what. But I'll say this:  I don't believe a fucking word either of them said. There's a devil's game being played for the cameras, and it stinks. But I'll stop right there.

Put not your trust in princes . . . 

Bonus:  Republican Curtis Sliwa, who came in a distant third in the NYC mayoral race, agrees with your Head Trucker, saying "everyone got played" by these two fakers.  (Can't embed the short here.)

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"What Is Collide Press?" by Clint Collide:

Just pause the video and right-arrow through the pics if you're in a hurry.

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Jeffrey Kevin: Blue and White Thanksgiving Tablescape

Jeffrey Kevin goes over the top once again for Thanksgiving. It's much more than we would ever put on one table, but he does have some very pretty things, and he enjoys displaying them.  And why not?  À chacun son goût!

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One More Time!

It doesn't get any better than this.  Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell tap out a storm in Broadway Melody of 1940:

And here's Eleanor remembering that number in a tribute to Astaire, 1981:

Somewhere on YouTube is the same delightful clip of their dance, but set to "Sugar, Sugar" by the Archies. I can't find it today, though. 

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Sunday Drive: A Sunday Kind of Love

As performed by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons at Atlantic City in 1992:

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"Be Kind + Rewind Time" by Clint Collide:

If you're pressed for time, just pause the video and right-arrow through the pics.

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Nineteen Seventy-Five

I've been meaning to write something about 1975 for months now, but the year is nearly over.  So I'll just post a few thoughts today, and may post some personal reflections another time.

Bernie asks a question that can only be answered by those who are old enough to remember the time: Was life better fifty years ago?

Regardless of Bernie's remarks, the truth is that the question has no factual answer. Whether life was better then depends entirely on one's point of view. And indeed, no matter what year you want to talk about, in human life it is always the best of times or the worst of times - for somebody.  Your answer hinges on whether you feel loved or unloved, content or unsatisfied, hopeful or despairing.

I am annoyed by some people's comments on YouTube and in other places, people who were children or young teens then -- Oh, what a glorious time it was to be alive, a golden age! The music, the clothes, the cars - and everybody was so kind and courteous and loving. Well, no, that's not the way it was -- it was far from a golden age, as this CBS news summary makes clear, for anyone who cares to look back at the reality of 1975:

After long, dreary years of conflict and protests, defeat and deceit, Vietnam and Watergate were finally behind us.  Tricky Dick Nixon was gone, and steady Jerry Ford was in the White House; he survived two assassination attempts by wild-eyed leftist radicals (seriously) in this year.  Other wild-eyed leftist radicals blew up the State Department, and the Patty Hearst kidnapping ended horrifically.  The Middle East was still in turmoil, as it always is, and the Cold War was still on, with the spectre of nuclear war always in the background. The crime rate was rising, and there was a growing sense of decline in American power, politics, money, and manners, from the bold optimism of the Kennedy years to the stagnant malaise of the post-Nixon era.  Many felt the country was going to pot.

The change was felt most acutely in the pocketbook.  Inflation was out of control:  the Oil Crisis of '73 had made the prices of everything go up sharply.  I remember that the price of sugar zoomed from, say, a dollar a bag to five bucks.  (That equals $30 today.)  The same with coffee.  And for the first time in my life, there were empty shelves in the supermarket.  The recession of 1974 was still going strong, and jobs were hard to find.  Your Head Trucker was finding out the hard way that it was just not possible to live well on minimum wage - $1.60 an hour, so take-home pay was about $240 a month.  Rent on my first little cottage was $80 a month, plus phone and utilities.  For comparison, an apartment in a nice complex with swimming pool cost about $120 a month, or more.

My first home after high school was very similar to this one - but the front door was on the side, under a porch roof, and there were no basement stairs, so the kitchen was wide enough for a table and chairs.  It wasn't new, but it was decent, and it was MY place, where I could do as I pleased.  I felt very grown-up,

The placid "happy days" of the 1950s and early 1960s were long gone by this time, as I remember discussing with my friends.  However, I will say that compared to the state of the world today and the polarized society we now live in, it was easier to live without constant fear and dread back then. The world was already quite complex in those days, but it all seemed more understandable somehow - and it was easier to hope that tomorrow would be better.  

In the Deep South, far from the tumults and convulsions in the big cities up north and out west, everyday life was mostly calm and pleasant as long as you could pay your rent and feed yourself:  books, magazines, records, radio, television, movies, church doings, and simple outings with friends were enough to keep a young man occupied.  Nobody had a home computer; cable TV was non-existent, as were VCR's and DVD's.  Phones still had dials, and they were hard-wired into the wall.  You didn't buy one, you rented it from the phone company for a nominal fee, with a choice of four styles and half a dozen colors.

All that would soon begin to change, but as yet, no one felt a need to be "linked in" every single waking moment, and broadcast to the world pictures of their cat, or their butt, or what they were eating at the burger joint.  People would have fallen down on the floor laughing at the very thought of such nonsense.  

But now we live in a world seemingly controlled in nearly every detail by nosy machines and callous trillionaires. Since this old man's exit will be coming up sooner rather than later, I don't obsess about these things, though I deplore them heartily. But God help the younger generations.

Speaking of whom, someone has come up with a way to assimilate them even faster into the Hive Mind: watch this report on a new school with no human teachers -- and shudder.

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Pork Boys Recommend: General Tso's Chicken

Here's a sure-fire recipe for the best General Tso's Chicken you ever had.  At least, it's the best recipe we've found.   From America's Test Kitchen, father and son team Jeffrey and Kevin Pang - they call themselves the Hunger Pangs - show exactly how to make it, step by step.

M.P. has used their recipe a few times before, and he just made it again yesterday for our Sunday dinner - boy howdy, it's GOOD!  Took a long day in the kitchen, but M.P. says it was worth it - and your Head Trucker totally agrees.  We'll have it again tonight.

Using chicken thighs rather than breast meat makes tender, juicy eating.  And the sauce is just the right balance between sweetness and mild heat.  It's finger lickin' good - I tell you what, boys!

Bonus:  Get the Hunger Pangs' printable recipe here on the ATK website.

BTW, to make a complete meal, you'll also need some white or fried rice and perhaps an egg roll or two to go with the chicken.  Unless you're an experienced cook like M.P., I suggest you get those at the store, ready to heat up.

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"No Matter How Far + How Long #1" by Clint Collide:

To save time, just pause the video and right-arrow through the pics.

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The Anti-Trump Has Arrived

As my longtime truckbuddies know, I've pretty much given up following or blogging about politics lately - it's all too terribly sad, and totally disgusting.  But I did watch the astonishing New York mayoral returns last night, and I listened to Mamdani's victory speech; a cinematic finale to a hard-fought campaign by a political upstart.

So come January 1st, New York will have a Muslim socialist mayor from Uganda.  That's a scenario even Hollywood wouldn't have tried to put over -- "What?  Nah, nobody would believe that."  I'm not sure what to think about it.  New York, you know, is a whole 'nother world from Texas.  What's normal here is considered bizarre there, and vice versa.  So I will reserve judgment until I see what he does in the job.  

Right now, Mamdani is an unknown quantity:  a youngster with lots of idealism but no executive experience - and more than a little naivete, too.  But what's apparent to all is that Mamdani is a born politico, and Fate has dealt him a mighty good hand of cards.  Call it charisma.  It's what makes people sit up and listen.

First of all, he's a sexy guy - handsome, smart, witty, friendly, talkative, flashing a megawatt smile often and easily.  He'd be the life of any party he cared to drop in on.  These things shouldn't count for much in politics, but of course they do.  Imagine if an unknown 33-year-old Woody Allen had run for office, saying all the same things Mamdani has said - would he be in the driver's seat now?  I think not.

Besides his looks and personality, the other thing that stands out is that he's got balls.  At this dark moment in our history, when so many others who ought to be leading the resistance are quaking in their boots, afraid of the Orange Wrath, Mamdani seems ready and eager to face off with the Tyrant.  No fear.  No worry.  Bring it on.  You have to admire a guy with that kind of guts.

One more thing that stands out is his cocksure confidence that he is right.  He doesn't beat around the bush; he knows what he wants to do, and states it plainly.  Promising free goodies is always a crowd-pleasing strategy, on the right or the left.  The possibility of being wrong or mistaken doesn't seem to enter his mind.  That may show leadership ability - or foolhardiness.  A little time in office running the biggest, grittiest, most contentious city in the world will surely temper his juvenile certainties. 

But beyond all that, the headline of  this article from The Atlantic - "Mamdani Is the Foil Trump Wants" - made me realize what the dramatic set-up is here, the protagonist and antagonist.  David and Goliath.  Wow.  Oh wow.  This will make great reading in the history books of the future.  All the elements and players are coming together now, and the drama will proceed to the climax step by step.  

Of course, no one can foresee with certainty the eventual outcome.  But I say, firebrand socialist or not, thank God somebody is standing up for truth, justice, and the American way!  Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

So go make some popcorn and stay tuned.  This is gonna be quite a showdown.

For further reading:  "Zohran Mamdani Is About to Confront Reality" in The Atlantic.

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Old Fashioned Homo Love

I just came across two young fellas who have shared the story of their life and love in many YouTube videos.  They don't look gay, they don't sound gay, but they sure as hell are gay.  And so much in love.  Beautiful.

The vids I've posted below are the most poignant to your Head Trucker, who used to be a great romantic - before life knocked the stuffings out of me.  I always wanted the things you see in these videos - the rapturous love, the proposal, the wedding, the home, the happily ever after.  Someone to build a life with, a shared life worth living, not an empty string of one-night stands.

But wantin' ain't gettin'.  Sometimes, though, you get what you need.  Keep trying.  I had two husbands - as I like to say - before I met M.P.  Despite rosy beginnings both times, they didn't work out: one left and one died. There are no guarantees in this mortal life, none. You pays your money and you takes your chances.  (But it's better to try and fail, than never to have tried at all.  At least you lived and loved.)

There's not many pics of us together.  Here we are at Xmas 2010.
I'm not really that much taller than M.P. - I'd just come in from outside
and was still wearing boots, while he was wearing house shoes.

But then 18 years ago today, M.P. and I met for the first time, and we hit it off right from the start.  We don't do all that sloppy stuff like you see in these vids.  Been there, done that.  Finances are tight, so we don't travel, don't go to bars or movies. don't even eat out. But we think alike, laugh a lot, take care of each other in sickness and in health, and we're content with what we have, despite the ups and downs of old age. A quiet life in a happy little home is enough for us two old boys; it's all we need and all we want.  

As someone who well recalls a time when gay marriage was an impossible dream, it's quite touching to watch these young'uns start their life together, as I would have liked to do - a couple of regular guys in cowboy boots and hats getting hitched before a crowd of family and friends, heading off hand in hand in the prime of youth, in the pink dawn of love.  As all young lovers should, straight or gay.  Sweet.  Very sweet. 

A Ring for My Boyfriend (2016) (9:31)

The Proposal, Part 1 (2016) (10:25)

The Proposal, Part 2 (2016) (8:50)

The Wedding (7/11/17) (4;57)

Bonus: Zach has a deep, sexy voice, but I can't quite place his accent - it's Southern, but not quite Texan. It reminds me of Mark Collie's accent -- my first husband and I saw him in concert more than 30 years ago. Here's a song of his we used to dance to on cowboy night at the gay bar:

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Sunday Drive: Shall We Gather at the River

Prayers for

All Souls Day

Father of all, we pray to you for those we love, but see no longer: Grant them eternal rest; let light perpetual shine upon them; and in your loving wisdom and almighty power, work in them the good purpose of your perfect will; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Almighty God, Father of all mercies and giver of comfort: Deal graciously, we pray, with all who mourn; that, casting all their care upon you, they may know the consolation of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

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The beloved old hymn, as used in seven films by director John Ford:

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"Gay-ly Forward" by Clint Collide:

Some mighty fine men on view in this week's edition.  As always, you can save time if you pause the video and right-arrow through the pics.  BTW, there's now a link to Clint's uncensored website in the NSFW section of the Blue Truck, at the bottom of the sidebar.  

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Feel the Rhythm!

A lively excerpt from the Dean Martin Show, circa 1969:

Who knew Lee J. Cobb could dance?

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The White House That Was

I think my truckbuddies might enjoy this color film produced in 1960, in the last year of Eisenhower's presidency, that nicely summarizes the history of the "People's House" up to that time -- without, however, mentioning the complete reconstruction of the place in President Truman's time.

In this similar black-and-white film produced a year or so later, you can see a few extraordinary pictures of the hollowed-out White House interior during Truman's reconstruction, starting about the 40:45 mark:

Bonus: Lady Bird Johnson dedicates the new Jacqueline Kennedy Garden in 1965. This was on the eastern side of the rear of the residence, while the Rose Garden was on the western end, extending to just outside the Oval Office in the West Wing. Mrs. Johnson is beautfully well-spoken, the epitome of a cultured, gracious Southern lady. 

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Sunday Drive: Jesus Loves Me

The beloved hymn that I learned in kindergarten has been a comfort to me throughout my life, and an anchor of my faith.  Here it is performed by Miss Brenda Lee, accompanied by Emmylou Harris.

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"The Male Gayze #4" by Clint Collide - with one glaring error. But I don't give a damn, I'm posting it anyway.

If you're in a rush, just pause the video and right-arrow through the pics.

Noteworthy:

1:20 and 6:55 - It doesn't get any hotter than this.  

2:25 - The Man.  Nobody does it better.  RIP.

6:25 - Fishermen's Ball?

8:05 - I want to bite your neck.

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Chateau Poseidon: Fountain of Possibilities

Latest updates from those French Canadian guys.

Episode 15: Second Floor Possibilities

Episode 16: A Fountain for Poseidon

Note to readers:  I admire the energy and know-how these fellas have; but the work is proceeding very slowly, and in future I may not post all their vids.  The last one above was interesting with the fountain, furnace, and apples.  The one prior to that was dreadfully dull:  scraping and painting all those window frames.  

Problem is, they still haven't made the caretaker cottage livable, and winter will soon set in.  The amount of work needed on the big house is mind-boggling, and so is the expense.  No doubt somewhere in one or both families is an indulgent Big Mama or Big Daddy with very deep pockets.  It must be nice not to worry about how to pay the rent or keep food on the table while picking out designer decor and furniture.

Frankly, I think with this beat-up chateau way to hell out in bumfuck, they have bitten off much more than they can chew or ever make a profit on, but what do I know?  I wish them good luck with this monster reno.  It will certainly be a great learning experience.

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Bernie Denounces Trumpism at No Kings Rally

Last Saturday in D.C.  Goddamn, what a man.  You go, Bernie.

I don't agree with some of Bernie's proposals, and he is wrong on a couple of points of history.  But I endorse the main thrust of his message.  There's far too much money in too few hands.  Money = power, and power, as Lord Acton said, tends to corrupt; and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

That's why our Founding Fathers set up a government with three branches (divided power; checks and balances) and periodic elections, ensuring that power changes hands from time to time.  They also endowed us with a Constitution that cannot be easily changed (the rule of laws, not men) and a free press that can expose the misuse and abuse of power to the attention of the people.  But when 3 or 4 people own most of the wealth in this country, working hand-in-glove with a would-be dictator, you don't have to be a "communist" to see that means the end of democracy. 

The system is not perfect, but then NO system is.  There is not now, nor has there ever been, nor will there ever be a Utopia where everyone gets everything they want when they want it.  The best that can be done is to provide the greatest good for the greatest number most of the time.  Capitalism properly restrained and regulated can be a good thing, bringing prosperity and security to many millions - with enough left over in the public treasury to provide a social safety net for the elderly, disabled, and unfortunate - as has been generally the case in the Western world for over a century now.  

But unbridled, unregulated capitalism is simply the dictatorship of the rich, and profoundly un-American.

Unelected and unaccountable, the super-rich could buy and sell all the lawyers, judges, police, and politicians they need to get their way, immune from any and all consequences.  They could control all sources of news and information, in print or online, indoctrinating everyone young and old with their corrupt wordview, and inciting the masses to fear, resentment, hatred, or violence against anything or anyone, as their masters pleased.  And rhey could manipulate the price of all goods and services and housing to squeeze the last dime out of the propertyless common people, in effect making them serfs perpetually dependent on the goodwill of the overlords and their digital informers/enforcers.  America or Soviet Russia?  Who could tell the difference?

The super-rich could also dispose of whoever is president, if he doesn't do their bidding.  There is an old saying that "there is honor among thieves."  But who knows what might happen when thieves fall out with one another?  

And by the way - don't fear what may happen one day.  It has already happened.  That little god-box in your hand that you just can't live without?  That plastic slab you carry everywhere you go and use to do everything with?  You do know, don't you, that it tracks every movement you make, 24/7, and they are recorded somewhere, as is every call you make and every word you type.  So are all your purchases, all your bank and credit card data, the names and numbers of all your friends and kinfolks, even your casual hookups and favorite porn.  It can all be used against you - and may well be.  Don't fear the slavery to come - the chain is already around your neck and the knife at your balls.  Resistance, I'm afraid, is too late.  You have been assimilated.  And paid good money for it, too, you fool.  So enjoy it while you can.

But what do I know?  I'm just a tired old man who has outlived his time, waiting for his flight to be called, that's all.  Move along, nothing to see here.

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Sunday Drive: What God Hath Promised

By Annie Johnson Flint, 1919, as performed by the Mennonite Hour Singers:

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"The Bold and the Beautiful #1" by Clint Collide:

If you're pressed for time, just pause the video and right-arrow through the pics.

Study Questions (some will appear on the exam):

2:45 - Is it really John Wayne, or is it James Cagney?  Explain.

2:55 - Which one is the gay brother?  Justify your answer.

3:30 - Why does this look like the Marx Brothers at play?

6:25 - Who knew Leslie Jordan was such a stud muffin?

7:55 - Springsteen's great-great-grandaddy?  Why or why not?

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What's Cooking? Plenty!

Pour yourself a beverage, sit back, and take your mind off the state of the world for a while with these fascinating videos.  WARNING:  May cause acute hunger pangs in sensitve individuals.  And everyone else.

1. Short Order Cookery (1973) - This vocational training film shows how one man can cook everything, all at the same time.  Who knew that griddles had different heating sections?

2. Give Your Eggs a Break (1966) - Another vocational film, with some comedy relief thrown in.

3. Spider (197x) - Kenneth Osgood, a former Golden Gloves boxer, was a phenomenal short-order cook at a diner in New Hampshire. When you watch this film, you'll understand how he got the nickname of "Spider."

4. New Jersey's Busiest Diner (2021) - A look behind the scenes at a ginormous diner with 125 staff in the kitchen, serving 15,000 meals a week.  I know M.P. will love the mountain of disco fries, an old favorite of his - I like them too.  We also love chicken and waffles, a Southern treat that goes back at least to the 1920s.

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PJ and Thomas: Fall Getaway

The Chattanooga family heads to the mountains of North Carolina with the kids, who are on fall break this week.  (Say what?  A whole week off from school??  In the middle of October???  I can't keep up.)

I'm posting this for the scenery and the sociological interest:  two gay dads with kids, and everyone seems to be happy, wholesome, and well-adjusted.  Lovely.  I'm glad for them - but a little cutesiness goes a long way.  Your mileage may vary, of course.

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Curlers or Not

Today's meditation from Forward Day by Day, a ministry of the Episcopal Church:

Click to enlarge.

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Todd and Rob Do Up the Outdoor Den

The mountain boys are back from Wyoming and itching to get the back porch all fixed up for fall with new furniture, a chandelier, and a truckload of pumpkins. Their aesthetic is very different from mine; but it's pleasant to see two husbands enjoying their life together. And obviously not at all worried about the price of groceries. I'm sure they spend more on decor every month than we do on food. Lucky ducks.

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Sunday Drive: Debussy, Beau Soir

From the 1976 album Classical Barbra, which your Head Trucker used to own:

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"So Many Men ... #1" by Clint Collide:

If need be, you can save time by pausing the video and right-arrowing through the pics.

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Meet PJ and Thomas

Ya know, when I came out in the closing days of disco, there were lots of sexy guys in the clubs, but no long-term couples to be seen, no role models for a stable, grown-up life.  But nowadays, YouTube keeps showing me more and more of them.  What a difference half a century makes.  

Here's a couple from Chattanooga that I just came across.  They have three kids, a house in town, a farm in the country, and a beach house on the Gulf. I don't know where they hide their ginormous Money Bin, but they seem to have a wonderful family life. Good for them.

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Chateau Poseidon: Treasures and Troubles

The latest updates from the chateau guys.

Epsidode 13:  Fishing for Treasures

Episode 14: Tower of Troubles

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Todd and Rob Escape to Wyoming

The mountain boys finally get out of the garden shed and into the wide-open spaces of the West.  (But where's Wally?)

Geography note:  The Grand Tetons were so named by the first explorers, Frenchmen, because they reminded them of their girlfriends.  I'm not making this up.

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Sunday Drive: Choral High Mass from St. Mark's Episcopal, Philadelphia

Your Head Trucker hasn't been to church in a very long while - for good reasons -  and is not a high churchman; but sometimes a service of bells and smells can be refreshing to the soul.  At least I can make a spiritual communion online, and listen to a good sermon.  

BTW - Psalm 37 is particularly apropos in today's world.

Video description:

Choral High Mass on the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

Sermon by Mother Nora Johnson

The music for the Mass is:

    Missa Octavi Toni – Orlande de Lassus (1532 - 1594)

    O Lord, Increase Our Faith – Henry Loosemore (? -1670)

    Love Bade Me Welcome – Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

The service leaflet (PDF) for today's service is found here.

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Waitin' for the Weekend

"Do You Remember? #1" by Clint Collide:

If you please, you can save time by pausing the video and right-arrowing through the pics.

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Jeffrey Kevin: French Fall Tablescape

Another lavish display with a unique theme. In case you don't know, the Gallic rooster (coq gaulois) has been a symbol of France for ages.  

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Sunday Drive: The Lord's My Shepherd

The Good Shepherd, 1880 magazine illustration
via Wikipedia.  Click to enlarge.

A metrical version of Psalm 23 from the Scottish Psalter of 1650, sung by the choir of Winchester Cathedral.  This hymn was a favorite of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and was sung at her funeral in 2022.

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