Cruel To Be Kind

Today, with Easter commencing and Passover concluding, the Schloss-Blog has four questions it needs to ask. And maybe answer, or hear your answers.

1) WTF is going on in the U.S. Congress in the wake of 18 deaths by gunshot in Colorado and Georgia? Ted Cruz, the manic senator from gun-crazed, COVID-be-damned Texas, is berating Democrats who want to do more than just grieve for the 18 lives in those states in the last two weeks. 

It almost doesn't matter. Parkland. Sandy Hook. Orlando. 

The media pays attention for a week and then the news cycle moves on. Colorado, alone, has suffered enough mass shootings in a school, a movie theater and now a grocery store. Makes you wonder if you're safe anywhere.

Anywhere! And yet, Republicans pledge to do nothing about it. Nothing!

2) Jeans. Where are the sacred jeans? I'm searching for perfect jeans and can't find them. Not at J Crew. Not at GAP. Not at Banana Republic. So, like most men, I keep buying jeans. They sag. Or are too tight (and you know where, gentlemen). They're blue. They're black. They're charcoal (what happened to gray?). But the search goes on. Meanwhile, women buy jeans that fit.

Always.

3) Health. Why are women always smarter about health?

Well, for one thing, they read. They read magazines. They read cooking magazines. They read labels on grocery-store items.

Men eat. Women eat healthy. My wife has upped my nutrition game and I love her that much more for it. 

One more thing about health: I hope everyone is getting their COVID vaccinations. G-d knows Trump made us all wait long enough and put our lives on the line to get those vaccinations.

If you've received one or both injections, I am truly happy for you. It has been difficult to get appointments in many states. Me, I'm awaiting shot No. 2.

But please, I have seen too many selfies on FBK of people, while driving, flashing their injection-verification cards like they're Olympic medals. Stop doing this while you're driving, please. Biden doesn't boast about receiving his injections, period, let alone while driving - he simply urges everyone to get theirs.

Me too.

By the way, 1 in 4 Republicans in the House of Representatives has NOT gotten a COVID vaccination and does not intend to.

4) And finally, what in the world is going on?

If you're like me, do you wake up mornings wondering what day it is? After the mixed-up NCAA Tournament schedule, especially Monday of last week, with games on TV all day, it definitely felt like Saturday. I even checked the TV listings to see if Saturday Night Live was a new episode or a rerun.

Except it showed Jimmy Fallon and the Tonight Show on after the late news.

Huh?

COVID scheduling and rescheduling has me turned upside down and backwards (I can hear my cousins and several of my fraternity brothers asserting that notion).

But a quick pause: one fraternity brother spearheaded a fundraising drive that he would personally match, dollar for dollar, to create a scholarship in the fraternity's name at our alma mater, SUNY-Albany. Another fraternity brother administered it among the membership while keeping the names and amounts donated confidential, where preferred.

I contributed what I could and am proud of all my bros who did as well.

God bless.

One last thing: Bill Mennella, the best left fielder who ever saved this pitcher's ass, passed away last week. May he rest in peace.

Happy Easter, Mrs. Calabash. Hope it was a chag sameach Pesach, Mrs. Robinson.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.