OH THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY

Winner takes all
Over a decade ago I couldn't fathom why any
sane person would bother. However my CEO
had decided our company should sponsor the
national Monopoly game (sweepstakes). Post
months of working with our partners the "game
board" was designed, prizes defined, marketing
efforts planned. Soon thereafter we were ready
to let the game begin. And even while I didn't
participate in the resulting frenzy, it was a great
success. Who knew that someday I would join
the fun? By playing "Monopoly" at my grocer.
Hoping that just maybe I would win millions as
I clipped my coupons. Could I finally win big?

Lucky lady
Why is it that even the smartest of us assume
that we alone can beat the odds? While never
a gambler, I'll admit that I've bought myself
the random Power Ball ticket. And every time
I truly believed that I would be the one to win.
Such delusions aside, I've obviously never hit
the jackpot. Yet some are just inherently lucky.
My mother-in-law was one of those lucky few.
Winning almost every time she played for cash
at our local casino. Yet years ago I embraced
the fact that all too often I end up the biggest
loser. Subsequently learning how to limit my
gambling forays to breakeven at worst.

Game on!
Money isn't everything. However in theory
it can make dreams come true. The problem
is that instant gratification is temporal by its'
very nature. Here today, and gone tomorrow.
Like everything in life, even free cash comes
with a price attached. Thus while a sudden
windfall may be thrilling, carefully investing
in one's future is much wiser. Thus beyond
supermarket Monopoly my thrills will be
limited to Wall Street and auction houses.
Happy to slowly but surely win some, lose
some. And quite blessed to enjoy a winning
combination of a health, love, and happiness!

FALSE DIAGNOSIS

Factitious disorder
As Coronavirus spreads across the world
America is confronted with more than a
pandemic. Rather it's further evidence of
our national crisis. One which prohibits
us from trusting anything our President
says. Mr. Trump is asks us to trust him
post years of falsehoods, deception, and
blatant lies. Stating that America has little
to no risk of infection. That a vaccine is
imminent. Hoping spring weather might
magically end the threat. Naming a puppet
politician as our Coronavirus expert. And
asking us to believe his false diagnosis.

Prognosis - negative
While many of us have feared the worst since
Donald Trump assumed power, that was much
ado about nothing. His threats to democracy,
judiciary, and world leadership worrisome,
they were no immediate threat to our health
or safety. Now it's obvious that Mr. Trump's
smoke and mirrors stand between us and our
literal survival. Rather than worry about the
fate of those he serves, his primary concern is
how this health crisis impacts his re-election.
His reaction being to treat this like any other
political threat. Claiming anything else but the
truth in order to heal his self-inflicted wounds.

Truth serum
Given Mr. Trump's disingenuous history, we
cannot take him at his word. Yet all is not lost.
As Trump's acolytes offer faux reassurance
medical experts speak the truth. Tempering
dysfunctional deception with their actionable
assessments. Times of crisis are opportunities
for greatness. Hence while the bottom may be
falling out of the stock market, there is hope.
Has the truth finally found Donald Trump out?
Exposing him for the megalomaniacal charlatan
that he truly is? Ultimately this crisis may be
good for us. In that now we can seem Trump
or who he is. And cure our ills this November.

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LATEST C+V HOME BLOG

IF YOU SNOOZE... YOU LOSE?!

Bearly there...
As time passes, my evolution as a gay man
has transformed me from peacock to bear.
Sadly my added girth is not the reason I'm
simpatico with my furry friends. Rather it's
because lately, all I want to do is SLEEP.
No matter the time of day, I suddenly drift
off to dreamland. Which makes sense given
winter is my most sedentary time each year.
Is that what has driven me over the edge into
hibernation mode? Or am I bored? Getting
old? Depressed? Or just a drowsy melange
of the above? Is this just a temporary hiatus
until I finally reach my spring awakening?

Rise and shine?
Presidential antics aside, it's quite easy to drift
off amidst CNN's endless swirl. Hence I could
blame my catatonic state on "fake" news itself.
Occasional Democratic debate wake up calls
aside, it would be much easier to sleep this one
out. Until we end up with one option. However
with Russian meddling, Trumpian buffoonery,
and public infighting it's hard to tune out. What
is keeping me asleep these days? It isn't as if
I don't have things to do. Every day I ponder
our silver and consider giving it a good polish.
Thinking that might possibly be the only way
to shine during these darkest of days.

Bedtime snacks
With plenty of time on my hands I should be
able to accomplish great things. Yet the daily
grind of existing gets in the way. Every day
I confront the same challenge. Which is what
am I going to make for dinner. A task that is
NOT rote given my beloved is easily bored
when it comes to culinary pursuits. Thus I've
been trying lots of new recipes with varying
degrees of success. Which alone should be
more than enough mental stimulation to keep
me up to the challenge. But I find the task of
cleaning up after ourselves beyond boring.
Ample motivation to sleep this one out.

Wake up call?
The art of daily maintenance provides ms with
ample cause to rise to the occasion. However
I've come to the conclusion that dusting is an
exercise in futility. And vacuuming SUCKS.
Said endless cycle of dishing the dirt makes
me little more than a repeat offender. Hence
rather than battle the inevitable, why can't one
step aside and take a nap? Somehow life seems
much more promising post a snooze. Even if
that means it's time to do the laundry. Or to face
the most egregious of tasks - grocery shopping.
I guess all of the above are necessary evils. Like
making one's bed... and then sleeping in it.

PRIMARY EDUCATION

Bewitched, bothered, & bewildered
If I seem confused... it's because I am. I have
to be candid (as if you're surprised by such a
statement) but I was never political prior to
Mr. Trump's meteoric rise just five years ago.
Therefore I didn't pay attention to the primary
process. Sure I voted. But back then I felt the
choice was a simple one. Not that it was easy.
Nor that I haven't been wrong before. I recall
standing in the Sutton Place Synagogue on
East 51st struggling between Barack or Hillary.
Finally deciding a white woman had a better
chance than a black man. Only to be surprised
when later on America made the right choice.

Damned if I do or don't
Which brings me to my current state of mania.
With the plethora of options available it's hard
to figure out who is who. Let alone who has a
chance of saving us all. Add my angst about
ending up with the biggest loser of the bunch.
And being tortured for yet another four years
under a man of dubious merit. At this point
I've done all of my homework. Reading three
newspapers daily. Tuning into CNN for hours
on end. Plus as much time as I can on Fox as
it's good to know exactly where the other side
is coming from. Yet after all that I'm clueless.
What happens if I make the wrong choice?!

The importance of being earnest
It's not that I'm lazy. Or that I don't care. It's
simply that I've no idea who to choose. An
exception to the rule given I've normally no
problem making a decision. What is driving
my inability to draw a primary conclusion?
Fear mixed with complete and utter terror.
You see I've no doubt that post another four
years under Donald J. Trump our democracy
will be in an even worst state. Therefore my
vote and that which the rest America makes
this November has never been more important.
No wonder I'm scared silly. Paralyzed by the
gravity of this at best adverse situation.

My summer vocation
The end is near. Fortunately I'm confident that
our primary process separates the wheat from
the chaff. After the Democratic Convention in
July we'll have but one choice. Until then my
greatest challenge will be trying to maintain
my sanity. Next I'll do my best to encourage
everyone I know to VOTE. All while I reserve
some time for a backup plan. In that should Mr.
Trump win again, I just may move to Lisbon.
Or embark of a four year trip to anyplace but
here. Hence while confused by the primary
process I am certain of one thing. Trump
must be defeated! We have no other choice!

LET THEM EAT CAKE

Half baked ideas
I completely understand that there is a right
way to do everything. The question is whose
way?! Yesterday I hit preppykitchen.com to
watch a video. There a very fastidious host
taught me how to make a "cake strip." Which
when wrapped around one's cake layer pans
insures even cooking sans "dark" edges. And
a flat versus dome topped outcome. A remedy
that in theory makes sense. Except for those
who love said burnt parts. Hence while I am
certain he knows what he's doing, it's simply
not something I need nor want to do. Causing
me to wonder who is right or who is wrong?

House rules
My husband tends to maintain high standards
of execution in the oddest of things. Therefore
he's attempted over the years to direct me in
his right of way. However, all too often I beg
to differ. Suggesting that there isn't just one
correct or improper way to getting things done.
Rather how one gets from here to there must
be a matter of personal choice. In that some
approaches may be effective for you and yet
disastrous for me. Thus to each his own has
become the rule of this house. At least as long
as Frank isn't looking. Maybe some day I will
learn my lesson. Whatever that is!

Basic instinct
Like most men I rarely read the instructions.
Opting to do it myself whatever the outcome.
At times said approach yields the right results.
Yet all too often I end up accepting that others
know better. And doing exactly what I'm told
step by step. Is my primal urge to still rebel the
manifestation of deep, dark urges? Does my
inner cave man force me to purposefully color
outside of life's lines? To follow my own path
even if that means a major detour? After a
lifetime of struggling with the status quo I've
found that I'm best left to my own devices.
Meaning this writer must learn the hard way.

Recipe for success
Fortunately it's rare that innocent bystanders are
negatively impacted by said stubbornness. Thus
while it takes me longer to get where I'm going,
I still reach my destination. Equally important,
at this point in life I'm more than willing to give
others some wiggle room. Allowing them the
benefit of my doubt. We can and should learn
from each others mistakes. Therefore instead of
myopically dictating one course of action, I opt
to maintain an open mind. And that hopefully if
things go well learn something new along the
way. So I'll continue to follow my own path of
least resistance. Viva la difference!

7th Day Surprise: Trial & Error

It could be worse...

Everything in life is challenging.

Hence even the best of times
are subject to trial and error.

The good news

is it could be worse.

The bad news 

is shit happens.

BE PREPARED.