My grandmother's grandparents

Leftovers & links
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♦ If I think of genealogy at all, which I never do, it seems like a peculiar fascination. I can understand a general interest in history, but it's harder for me to grasp people's specific interest only in the history of sperm and ovum that led to their own selves and relatives.

That said, I would also add ‘wow’. My brother sent this picture, unearthed by the genealogist in our family, of a couple I’ll call Elvira and Randolph. These are two people I’d never heard of, who were the grandparents of my grandmother on my mother’s side. 

My grandmother was born in the late 1800s, and lived almost to the brink of this century. I don’t have a copy of the family tree, but these people — her grandparents — were probably born before the Civil War. In the cosmic scope of things that's a finger-snap ago, but to me it feels like several forevers. Looking into their eyes I am slightly awestruck, and certain that they'd disapprove of everything about me, but maybe I can see the appeal of genealogy after all. 

♦ Almost everyone I’ve ever known who’s still alive and knows where I am has called or messaged that I must be overjoyed that the Milwaukee Bucks won the NBA championship last week.

This presumption is an odd cultural phenomenon. While it's true that I live only a hundred miles or so from Milwaukee, I am neither overjoyed, underjoyed, or just-right joyed about the Bucks. I’ve never seen a Bucks game, can’t name anyone on the team, and couldn’t afford a ticket even if I cared enough to attend.

♦ More sports reports! I wasn’t wild about it at first, but the Cleveland Indians’ rebranding as the Guardians is growing on me. It sounds like Indians, and they made the logo look like the Indians logo, so it should be easy for folks to accept, except for the obvious racists who think 'Indians' was just fine.

The new name is inspired at least partly by the 'Guardians' statues, on the bridge near the stadium. I’ve decided it’s classy, and might be the classiest thing I’ve seen in baseball in a long time. 

♦  Until today, I had been unaware of this gentleman Rémi Gaillard and his work. Having now watched his celebration of the Olympics and some of his other greatest hits, I hope he’s frequently arrested, but also, I laughed. The grownup in me says "dangerous" and "impolite,” but if I ever paid attention to the grown-up in me, jeez, my life would be completely different. 

♦ Dames who are superheroes are still dames, but when the movies keep reminding us that they’re dames, it kinda defeats the whole notion of ‘female empowerment’.

♦ Dancing Communists

♦ Killed by Google. 

♦ Looks like rain.

♦ The Museum of Bad Album Covers

♦ This man built a very long piano.

♦  Mystery links — like life itself, there’s no knowing where you’re going:

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7/25/21

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