When I saw this cartoon, it reminded me of a story about my mother. For those who do not know, I am not allowed to tell stories about family (is one of the rules), but I am about to get in trouble for breaking one of the commandments. She was telling me about her ordeal at therapy that ended with a massage. The therapist was telling her to relax because she was too tense. Her anxiety was about her worries that if she relaxed as the therapist wanted, her insides would take over. It was one of those moments in your adult life when your parents share some of these anecdotes, and you have to listen to them, no matter the length, the details, and the rambling or ranting. She went on with her story for several more minutes, describing the excruciating pain of gas rumbling in her insides wanting to get out. However, her resolve triumphed as she held on her butt cheeks shut like a hockey goaltender after completing a shutout.
Ever since I began this journey, my plan was to write daily and post weekly. However, life has a say so and another turn and twist that happens to all of us made my plan difficult. The last few years had been challenging for everybody trying to recover and make sense of the last three years. I was cautious but gave our leaders the benefit of the doubt, but after the 2020 election, my support for our leaders waned. Right now, one of our greatest challenges is education and people’s mental health. So far, all we hear is crickets. Please take some time this holidays to heal yourself and specially those around you. Make time to meet in person and to share stories, tales, and return to normalcy because civilization must move on.
As you celebrate this Christmas, follow the advice of my stepson’s quirky say “ah…good times”, as he remembers good times in our family. Little stuff that fills every-day life. We have to lift ourselves during these times and history is on our side as throughout human history we have overcome challenges that seemed difficult if not impossible to overcome. We wish all of you the best during this time and make some “good times” in the following year, and thanks for your support.
Back to the Post
I have waited to review this show until I had the chance to watch it again. This was the last show I remember watching, right before my exile from the Island. Through all the moves, jumps, and periods of not knowing what would happen next, I missed most of the episodes of the first season.
At one point, I found the show once again in a local station from South Florida, and it was the premiere of the second season, and I was clueless about what was going on. However, I still watched it since the show had an appeal and interested me. After watching two more episodes, I lost track of the show again. Months passed (or maybe years…it was a blur) and yet another move, this time to North Central Florida, and by the next time I found again it was season 4, and I was even more clueless. However, just like the show, a new chance came to watch the whole show from the beginning. TNT was beginning to work on producing shows, and gave the show’s creator J. Michael Straczynski the opportunity to finish his vision of the show after the dissolution of PTEN. He envisioned the show into a five-year project, instead of the usual at the time for television lingering endless seasons. TNT also wanted to develop the story of the Minbari War (Babylon 5: In the Beginning (1998) ),and made it into a movie to be also shown on TNT before the 5th and final season of the show.
And so, it began…the airing of all seasons including the pilot on a nightly basis, leading to the 5th season premiere on prime time.
… So from the beginning, it was the start of the year 2022, and life on Earth has gone insane. The third pandemic year and the rise of discord, misinformation, and extreme political views that demand obedient followers and acolytes.
The show is the story of a station built by Earth to promote better relations and understanding among alien governments across the galaxy.
The plan for the station was a progressive and proactive idea after a mistake by an eager commander, caused a war that almost destroyed all human life.
The show was visionary in its use of CGI renderings of the station, space, and some of the planet’s instead of miniatures and redecorating locations or using studio lots to look like alien cities. This was a first in its kind and certainly influenced many shows after. For the human actors, a studio then was used to create the station and other locations throughout the show. Both of these were then blended, creating a world or worlds that were unique to the viewer. However, the best part of the show was the story and the writing. It was a blend of history, humor, and current events (of the time) interlaced with the show’s story. In some instances, the show parallels past and present day reality that makes you wonder if humanity will ever evolve again. It is not Messianic or ahead of his time, the creator of the show, merely used the usual cycle of the time that humans seems to enjoy because of its simple and predetermined way. Critics on IMDB have been the usual band of young something’s that were not even born then and cannot have or care about putting context to the past. Moreover, the show’s best achievement was its ability to survive the perils of the television landscape of the time.
My favorite characters were the chief of security, Michael Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle) who provided some of the funniest one-liner in the show. Mr. Doyle died in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2016. He led an interesting life with many jobs, careers, and those experiences can be seen in his portrayal of Garibaldi (his father was a police officer in New York… In the episode: Grey 17 is Missing, Garibaldi has a .38 pistol from his grandparent cop).
My other favorite character is Londo Mollari (Peter Jurasik), who along with Garibaldi got to the station because nobody wanted them anymore. Garibaldi has been an alcoholic troublemaker that was shuffled from post to post, and Mollari got the job because nobody in the Centauri Prime court wanted to go to the station because it was a dangerous place. He also provided some memorable one-liners, specially from the perspective of an alien who is baffled by Earth culture (The meaning of Hokey Pokey song that kept him engaged for days without finding the mysterious meaning while driving him mad).
Also in my opinion, Michael O’Hare (Commander Sinclair), made a great and honest portrayal of Commander Sinclair. Many critics label him as a mediocre actor, but the whole essence of Sinclair’s character is that he is a mediocre commander who was put in charge of the station by the powers who usually operate behind the scenes. He was a good man who tried to command Babylon 5 as a good guy, but he was over his head, for command sometimes require making hard decisions that may not be understood by the common people. Mr. O’Hare died in 2012.
At the time when I was editing this post, I read that Mr. Straczynski, the show’s creator, is pitching or had to pitch a draft for a remake of the show, and as humble plea; Mr. Straczynski or Joe as your cast called you, please do not remake this show. This show worked then, but it would not work with the same premise today. I respect and support your vision and was very happy when TNT picked the show and the five-year plan you envisioned became a reality. Please make something else using the lore of the show like what happened next, or what happened before, I am sure you have ideas. This is a humble comment from someone who liked and enjoyed your show, but if this about money or relevance, then do what you must. However, I respectfully will not be watching.
Over the years, 8 members of the original cast have been mourned as they passed, The list is long, and they will live forever at the place where there are no shadows. Mira Furlan (2021), Richard Biggs (2004), Stephen Furst (2017), Andreas Katsulas (2006), Jerry Doyle (2016), Jeff Conway (2011), and Michael O’Hare (2012). O’Hare was very tragic because after not working for almost a decade we learned after his death from Mr. Straczynski that he battled with debilitating schizophrenia and this was the main reason for his departure from the show.
This is another detour or break in my usual stories and postings about movies and TV shows.
Dear reader, here comes another April, and it is the turn in the “social awareness” calendar for Autism Awareness Month.
I get frustrated with all these “awareness” motifs simply because it turns into a bombardment parade of savants showcased in a plethora of videos that do not “raise” awareness.
I have high expectations in life, but these presentations does not do much for awareness which is the main purpose of the whole activity and hence the word awareness being part of the title in the social calendar.
People with autism live among us, they are part of the workforce, they live in communities, and just like the rest of us, they do not want pity or condescendence; no, just to be part of the collective we call society.
Yes, I am bias in this subject because in my lifetime, I have the privilege to live and share among them—the beauty of life.
From my cousin, who many (even among our family) related to her as an “ay bendito” person (person to feel sorry for), and only be showed among family and friends during special occasions and then shoved into a dark room the rest of the year because she was not expected to accomplish anything in life.
However, Mrs. Smarty Pants, as we called her, has exceeded all expectations in her young life. She finished high school, she struggled in community college, but her relentlessness led her to learn how to drive, to get a job, and to have her own place. It is a bright future and one with struggles and achievements that is far from over, as she lives among us doing her thing.
Just like the rest of us…
I am also biased because I am married to a great woman with an autistic boy. Yes, we are not biologically related, but we are related in our shared world of Godzilla, Jurassic Park, Primeval and many other quirky and creature shows. His world is a place of wonders and marvels of an imagination that know no limits.
His sense of a world that does not understand or care about people like him gives him pause and causes him fear and anxiety, but he is slowly understanding that the world is not going to change, and he seems determined to live and to make the best of it.
Just like the rest of us…
He dreams to be a scientist and as he says, “I want to create a portal, so I can bing a T-Rex back”.
He also struggles with type 1 diabetes and food aversions, which makes controlling his blood-sugar levels a difficult matter because these professionals (I wonder) cannot seem to be able to adjust to things that are not part of the one-size-fit-all blunt procedures.
Yes, I understand what many people may think about these accomplishments. They are mundane, simple, and small because in our alpha society (where everyone is awesome and a winner) this is expected and taken for granted, and hence my initial commentary about what awareness should be about.
It is easy to showcase these incredible people, the savants, with larger than life achievements for the average folk to say “ah, they can be great too”, or say something like “they are very smart…like the guy from Rain Man”. Only to finish the month, have a few warm belly fuzzy moments, and move to the next month’s theme, and since there is no real connection to people—well no awareness.
Just like us, the “normal people”, all autistic people are not the same, and over time an umbrella is used now to try to group them. Moreover, we had made enough progress in diagnosis that we had been able to track adults who may have slip through the cracks and endured a life that at times did not make sense.
Continuing with my bias, my experience with people with autism has been a journey into a world with a specific order that is logical and not contradictory. It is not confusing and everything have one meaning.
It is a beautiful stroll into a life from different perspectives, but one goal is certain: to enjoy life…
Like the rest of us…
As one of my former students stopped me in the middle of a class about idioms, and said,“ you cannot throw anybody under the bus, that is bad”. My stepson also encounters these moments of enlightenment as he came home from school one day and declared that the drama teacher at his school loudly said while rehearsing a song for the school’s play “Common, let’s fill up our tanks…” referring to taking a deep breath. His confusion apparent because he did not understand what he meant, and more importantly and correctly said, “I don’t have a tank”.
Such simplicity and such elegance are one of their many qualities, and one of the many reasons for you, dear reader, to become aware that there is more to life than social media and causes that are so far removed from reality that are empty and vanilla.
Become aware the old fashioned way, and just like the long-distance telephone company advertising many centuries ago about “reach out and touch someone”
As I have mentioned several times through this post, I am bias about this subject. I also have the privilege to work in a special school. A school that works with children of various exceptionalities, including social emotional exceptionalities. In my professional career, I had many jobs, a few in the criminal justice system, and had seen society’s refuse program that dumps people into an abyss simply because they do not fit the one-size-fits-all, and the old NIMBY(not in my backyard) because it makes my habitat ugly, or it may depress me seeing people in despair.
It may sound cliché or disingenuous, but for me, I never had the opportunity to have a job that does not feel like a job, for the work that the staff and administration do every day should never be considered a job but a calling.
This job is not for everybody, and for me, is the completion of a circle…of life, yes!
Finally, (yes…roll the credits), dear reader, I found this video last year while teaching a digital class and shared it with them because within our class there was one student with autism.
This whole ranting is my argument and my plight, to made everybody I can, aware that autism is just a name, a word, a term, and it is not a social category in which to group people that are unique, not different, and they just want to live their life…
Please take some time and watch the video, and thank you for reading this post.
It has been a while since my last post “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and during this pause, I had grown tired and bored at the polarizing of our society. It is like if you do not indulge, or participate, or pledge your livelihood to the tribe’s P&P’s (policies and procedures), endure its initiation, along with adopting the tribe’s colors, languages, views, allegiances, and membership you are simply a blip, an aberration, an invisible and inconvenient nuisance to be ignored. It has become a fanatical drive for support like contestants in some bizarre reality show running 24 hours a day where the only source of information is social media where the issues are laundered, exposed, and validated depending solely on popularity instead of logic. I managed to devote some lines to the insanity of this “us against them” tribal view, but it became meaningless after all the events that are happening in our country specially in the last few weeks. Moreover, my views are in the “minority” since I am one of those people suffering from that social mental condition called “moderate” and my views are not going to persuade or cause any thought in this massive collective hysteria. So instead, I am writing a tale of an imaginary trip (or maybe not) to the big city during the time where the Earth remained still, and people did not know or were not sure…
We been this way early in the year and returned during the beginning of the pandemic at a time were most roads were deserted like apocalyptic movies that for decades had entertained people. However, this time was weeks after the initial scare and people were growing restless.
Since the moment that the “Earth Stood Still” (1951), our world has split into alternate realities that converge and clash on public places creating cracks and fissures as the alternate worlds collide into each other like an episode of “Fringe” (2008-2013).
Our family got in the car and drove through the interstate and converged into the turnpike until we saw the bright lights of the big city, the ones that attract the eye and confuse the mind like fireflies toward the fire—towards Aunty Entity in Bartertown. Traffic was light but more active than the last time.
We kept driving towards the friendly and calming sign marking that consumer emporium based in Bentonville, Arkansas famous for selling almost everything and more important—not made in the USA.
As we walked in it felt like being on an episode of “The Leftovers” (2014-2017), as some people wandered through the store paranoid while others walked in denial, all mixed together recreating a scene of the movie “Dawn of the Dead”. Granted back when the original 1978 version, the scene was a sort of criticism of the commercialization of American life, but 41 years later seems like it fell in deaf ears since everybody today is a brand or want to be one.
These alternative perceptions of what is happening and what actually is happening have breed confusion, anxiety, anger, and more distrust for government institutions. This is happening in most cities across the country, as people’s actions seem solely defined by their tribal affiliation. It is confusing when certain places require to wear masks and other precautions, yet you cross to a neighboring county and it seems it is all back to normal or that nothing happened.
Back in Gainesville, life has been at a slower than usual pace, as schools and many places are still closed. Some because they have to, others look like they may not survive this crisis, a warning that despite the “experts” demands of closing everything (sort of) there is a need to rethink and reconcile the other extreme view of “business as usual” and find common ground solutions that benefit everybody (sorry, having an episode of “moderate”; that mental medical condition that makes people find common ground instead of endless conflict).
Still, finding certain items that we took for granted not long ago is a challenge in our city. Maybe this is done purposely to limit shopping since keeping the stores staffed has been an issue, or simply as a way to keep people at home in this southern “Casablanca” (1942), for Gainesville is surrounded by rural counties with different tribes, different languages, different religions, and some in conflict with city’s tribe.
The city has become home for many progressives who base their views solely on their financial circumstances, and every solution becomes a new form of taxation that further expands the economical rift and breeds resentment between social classes. However, their views are solely to appease their guilt because (like their opponents) in the end does nothing to solve the actual problem; moreover, it serves another purpose as it also purges working-class people out of the city since the cost of living makes it almost impossible to afford, thus pushing people to the neighboring towns. This has helped redistricting (economical gerrymandering) the city and ensure their political party is the majority always.
Our trip was a necessary trip and after almost 3 months our family had not gone to a store together, we made a conscious decision and took a chance. We did find some necessary items that we were looking for since growing spurts, and wear and tear do not stop even when the “Earth Stands Still” and the “Walking Dead” are running on the streets “liberating” the people.
In walking around the store, it is noticeable that wearing any face covering seems more like a fashion or a political statement…
There were people wearing the expensive-filter masks that sold out a while back in that other online consumer emporium; the one that many people support only to later criticize the owner for profiting—only in America. However, most people were wearing the home-made cloth versions made in matching colors and patterns appeasing vanity and are mostly as a sign of respect for the workers at these stores or as an unconscious need to feel protected. What seems almost certain is that most decisions in our society today are made along political affiliation instead of what is best for all (sorry, still afflicted with a moderate attack).
Many people would criticize my decision for this trip and taking chances that the “Walking Dead”(2010 to present) may get me, or others would simply say that this “World War Z” (2013) conspiracy theory is nothing but a George Soros creation in a Chinese laboratory and that we all have the right to shop, eat, and drink because “the numbers on this thing are so little and the chances of getting sick are almost nil.” It is a contrast of what we see in smaller towns and I think the biggest confusion is the lack of uniformity in lieu of that same misguided freedom so many seem to mistakenly defend. However, it is not their fault totally when political groups saturate the media with mixed messages that overtime has distorted what patriotism really is.
The same can be said for the others who are in seclusion “out of fear” of losing the next election since their candidate is campaigning from his basement (has resurfaced a little during these chaos and confusing days) and the other candidate who suspended his bid is still lurking around afloat on the bowl after being flushed several times.
We finally concluded our shopping spree, the first since the “Earth Stood Still”, as we stood in line and patiently waited our turn, placed all the articles back on the carts (yes), paid, pushed the carts (yes), exited the store carefully (the traffic was crazier today), loaded the trunk, strapped the munchkin to his car seat, got in the car ourselves, and departed the emporium looking for the exit to the turnpike on our way home leaving behind Walmart, a modern cultural and social center and a visual study of modern America.
As we entered the turnpike, an electronic sound typical of a smartphone alarm was loudly deafening our conversation and without any warning my eyes opened, it was dark, the sound of the fan, the lights outside our window were dim through the curtains. I finally got up and muted the blasting sound of the alarm, sat by the side of the bed, fought the “go back to sleep” inertia, finally got up, and walked to the kitchen.
It was Tuesday morning, four more days until Spring Break 2020 and a chance for a most needed break…
Thanks to the fast forward device on the show that caused heartburn this past year (hint…hint…GOT) with its silly ending and awful writing, I managed to travel forward and get here at this time.
I arrived on Monday March 16, 2020, and by the end of the week the world has gone mad.
In a span of weeks, this little fellow (an organism that had existed since life on this planet began) has managed to halt the economy and maybe forever change the lives of people on this planet. Watching people ransacking stores and hoarding stuff like the end is near is a sort of confirmation that humans are no more than cavemen and cavewomen attached to cell phones, with a superiority complex, and the entitled feelings of “awesomeness”. Because in the end we regress to our instincts, turn our brains off, and behave the same way other humans behave in other parts of the world that we had criticized or made fun in the past. It is funny that once again in my lifetime, I see empty shelves and desperation just like seeing armed soldiers at airports so many years ago after a September day that seems long forgotten.
This little fellow (the designated elephant in the room) has driven political foes mad and insane as well, as the Bernie Fans continue to bicker amidst their candidate being done in the primary. Guys, he is done…do not linger anymore because despite the math and difference in delegates that seems he has a chance, it only seems that way, the contest is over.
On the other hand the front runner, Grandpa Joe, seems to have taken social distancing to heart and is nowhere to be seen, or maybe by keeping him away, he does not fumble with his words which seems to be his main problem, for his campaign managers Abbott and Costello do not seem to know what they are doing.
Emperor Don Segundo is for the first time feeling the heat, as he secured his party’s nomination, but as many political “experts” and pundits have commented; his chances of a second term are linked to the economy and he has a bested interest in restarting the economy soon even if by doing so the pandemic might get worse. This is a sign of desperation and a gamble, as his political foes are stalling to extend the economic crisis that is also a gamble that can cost them too.
As Friday Night Bill (the other Clinton), the Emperor has ridden the wave of scandals, bad decisions, a sham impeachment, and his big, loud, and obnoxious mouth (and Twitter posts) and is still standing (in a manner of speaking).
However, if history holds and if the economy does not restart when this crisis is over, there is a good chance that he will join President George H. Bush as a one-term president doomed by a stalled economy.
This little fellow seems to have changed the course of events that seem certain just weeks ago. With all major sports on hold, there is no entertainment for the masses to remain calm, so boredom is making people stir crazy and depressed and just as in the Island (The Lone Star Estate), politics has emerged as the only major sport still going on. With eight months to go to Election Day, is now anybody’s contest and we shall see if history holds or a new beginnings will make political science theories evolve.
This little fellow also has wrecked people’s dispositions as there is no awesomeness, no peppy positivism, and now Millennials (what a surprise) are now claiming another disaster that has made their generation the recipient of bad circumstances by the evil older generations that preceded them (like they are the only ones living these times). They are like the evangelical Christians who believe they are the only ones “saved” or in their case “cursed” and they are not at fault for what is happening.
At one point, people have to make decisions and not expect governments to make them and then complain, complain and complain some more when the decisions are not liked.
This little fellow brought an important issue for everybody to reflect and ponder, for nobody was prepared for these events. I am not talking about people alone, but our governments and corporations were not prepared and apparently did not seem to take the outbreak in China a few months ago real enough to implement emergency plans that should have been available years ago. As depressing or negative as it may sound, these plans are important because they provide a guide in times when chaos slowly disrupts life.
It is funny reading in some social media places how obtuse people can be and their lack of perspective colored by today’s extremist political views that simply makes this situation worse. In this squawk box, many mention the markets and businesses that are taking a beating from this little fellow, but markets live on the edge and risks are always part of the game and sometimes risks outweigh sense, and that is why governments shall have plans and certain sensible regulations. This relaxations or deregulations are good to jump start an economy, but it can also wrecked it when events like this happens. This effect also affected businesses who were caught at a time when growth left them exposed as investments into this expansion left them short of cash to ride this crisis, and the lack of diversity among some of these corporations will most likely be their doom as there is no certainty that they may be able to restart business as usual once this crisis is over.
As I wrote in the last post about social media (A Christmas Debate), it is clear the effect it has on people’s behavior. The panic-buying frenzy all over the world, and the reinforcement of the news media with stories vindicating these end-of-days people for their preparedness, and even mentioning these “extreme” coupon hoarders that “amazingly” are well stocked for these crisis with their 10-year supply of laundry detergent or never-ending toothpaste that does nothing to help with the panic, but I guess that is the purpose.
I am not here to give advice simply because people need to be take some responsibility, but honestly, if you do not need to leave the house, stay there; if there is people fighting over stuff, let them and go away; the same for people who want to go out because “they must live their lives”; let them and do not argue with them because if in the event that they get sick, well it is their own fault and they shall reap the consequences of their actions. One more thing, please log off or delete all your social media profiles because they are driving misinformation and creating a panic that will not help anybody in the coming months.
I can see this panic, or frenzy, or state in my loving wife, my mother, and my aunt that instead of finding other things to do, they feed off of this information (not) overload and panic to the point of becoming stuck and unable to function.
Remember, it is a panic-driven campaign for political motivations because depending on who do you talk to you can hear the views of their political affiliations in the narrative they are spewing based on what they read or watch on mass media outlets. I know this is boring advice for most of you awesome, fabulous, positive people, but my people and I (shy, odd, introverted, and weird) have been in this world too, and we made social distancing a way of life so for us we are not doing anything new and we are willing to share some advice (who would have thought) if any of you are willing to listen.
Otherwise, be safe and do your best, for things will eventually get better and we will survive this; furthermore, and more importantly it is not all about you, there is also we and them and the lesson here is that we are not islands in the middle of the ocean.
And now I am going back in the time warp machine, back to simpler times.
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Tales from the Estate 