Wow … Saturday Night Live debuted 50 years ago
RichC | April 22, 2025
Tech Friday: Replaced the “fairly new” television in the condo
RichC | April 11, 2025
Just a bummer of a Tech Friday and shopping post after our “fairly new” 65” TCL Smart TV failed to light up the screen when we were at the condo in Florida. It was a great buy and the image quality was excellent … but it didn’t last. After looking around on the Internet, it […]
Enjoying “The Life of Riley” … as the old phrase goes
RichC | February 5, 2025
While sitting down after our long beach walk with a warm breeze on a sunny day while in Delray Beach, Florida, I commented to Brenda that we were living “The Life of Riley.” I assumed she would be familiar with the reference and meaning that we were living a comfortable and carefree life. She surprised […]
There are Rockford fans and then there are super Rockford fans
RichC | January 1, 2025
Television has made a lot of people famous, but only a handful of cars have tagged along with a show’s protagonist to lasting fame. One such example is the pairing that rose to a lasting stardom is the 1977 Pontiac Firebird Formula and James Garner as the stars of The Rockford Files. While Garner passed […]
Getting better sleep by watching an episode of Hogan’s Heroes
RichC | December 26, 2024
Sleep has never been a problem for me until this past year or so. I don’t know if it is age or that my mind is filled with too much stuff — my running out of hard drive space theory (a worthless thought for another time). Anyway, I mentioned this to my primary care physician […]
Archiving Chrstmas photos: Gigi, Santa, the Oostra family and Mickey Mouse from Disney on Ice in Toledo, Ohio
RichC | December 17, 2024
It is that time of year … time for Christmas photos … with children and pets? Well a “dog” in the case of Megan and Taylor, but our granddaughters in the case of Katelyn and Drew. In both cases these 2024 photos belong on in the My Desultory Blog archive. Here’s one of Gigi with […]
Tech Friday: Is there a way to get SiriusXM on an Apple Watch?
RichC | December 13, 2024
Although I don’t have an Apple Watch like Brenda, but I think one is coming my way for Christmas now that I have a modern iPhone (my Fitbit Versa 2 is “still ticking after taking a licking” — old Timex joke). One of the features or apps that does not exist, is an app for SiriusXM.I […]
Music Monday: Weird Al Yankovic and “The Saga Begins”
RichC | May 6, 2024
If you’ve followed Music Monday entries in the past, you might have noticed a post or two have been generated by Fox Business segment breaks. On Friday, Stu Varney’s producers slipped in “The Saga Begins” a parody song by Weird Al Yankovic from 1999. I thought to myself, the short 15 second audio-only segment does […]
Tech Friday: WSJ review of sports streaming options
RichC | March 22, 2024
Although at this point I’m still sticking with cable for my Internet and television entertainment, the difficulty in watching certain sporting events is increasing. I’m not happy about Amazon locking up Thursday Night Football and did not like having to plan ahead for the NFL playoff game in January, but for the most part … […]
A movie recommendation: “The Catcher Was A Spy” (2018)
RichC | March 16, 2024
During our final days in Florida this winter, Brenda and I watch a movie that we both enjoyed called “The Catcher Was A Spy.” I recommended it to Taylor who also enjoys World War II history and am looking forward to his comments. The movie is based on a book by Nicholas Dawidoff about Morris […]
Happy Valentine’s Day: A NEW, but OLD, television series for us
RichC | February 14, 2024
After subscribing to PeacockTV in order to watch one of the NFL playoff games this year, Brenda and I found a new but older television series call “The Office.” We are not so disconnected from popular TV entertainment to not have known about it, but just never spent time watching television when it was in […]
Music Monday: Remembering David Soul – “Don’t Give Up On Us”
RichC | January 22, 2024
As a “car guy” who grew up admiring the 1976 Ford Torino in the 1970’s television series Starsky and Hutch, I was saddened to hear of the passing of actor and singer David Soul. I always enjoyed his movies and TV roles … as well as his music. David Soul – […]
Tech Friday: A new iPad Wallpaper and fix the Harmony remote
RichC | January 5, 2024
While watching a couple of college football bowl games on New Year’s Day, I updated my “everyday carry” iPad with a new family wallpaper photo — slightly enhanced above. It was an opportunity to tinker with the new iPadOS 17 gadget feature (see stock and weather at lower left) anyway but the wallpaper photo needed […]
Music Monday: “Chrstmas Tree Farm” by Taylor Swift in 2019, Time Magazine’s 2023 Person of the Year
RichC | December 18, 2023
I’m not really a Taylor Swift fan … nor do I spend much time listening to “Swifties” pop music, it is probably apropos to highlight this BILLIONAIRE entertainer again on MyDesultoryBlog (surprisingly, I also posted a clip in 2015 … who knew)? The most stream women on Spotify also happens to be Time’s 2023 Person […]
Happy Birthday Taylor. Embrace the change this year.
RichC | June 10, 2023
It is hard to believe Taylor, our youngest, is celebrating another birthday (although better than not having them) and that he was born AFTER the long running television show (1952-1989) American Bandstand ended. It just so happens that Taylor was born a month after Dick Clark finished the final episode … it does not seem […]
Filler Friday: A fun dad entertaining his son #video
RichC | June 2, 2023
It seems like a shorter than usual week (it was with Memorial Day), so I’m tossing in a Friday Filler video and a #DDJ below the break that is sure to make most of us smile.
A Friday Filler photo emulating TV’s “M*A*S*H” characters
RichC | May 19, 2023
As a long time fan of the long running television series “M*A*S*H,” I could help but be impressed by a photo making its way around social media (probably something to do with my age). This is an impressive group of young look-alikes posing for an eerily similar photo (I’m keeping my eyes open for the […]
Music Monday: RIP Gordon Lightfoot, a folk singing legend
RichC | May 8, 2023
Canadian singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot passed away last week; he was 84. The respected entertainer has been a favorite of mine since high school and I enjoyed his music throughout the years … and still do. Music Monday has highlighted a few of his many songs and I felt obligated to reflect on his music this […]
Magic tricks: How did they do that? #video
RichC | August 9, 2022
Who doesn’t like knowing how a magician deceives an audience, especially when the magic trick is performed flawlessly. Here a behind the trick look at some deception.
Summer storms continue, more COVID and Gilligan’s Island
RichC | August 6, 2022
Well if one has to stay at home … looking at our backyard “storm is coming” pool photo … and we aren’t to be out and about, there could be worse places to be isolating? The summer storms continued rolling thru this past week and and after testing positive the previous week, I thought a […]
Music Monday: Does Cincinnati still love Jimmy Buffett in 2022?
RichC | July 25, 2022
An especially “cool” Jimmy Buffett concert in Cincinnati, Ohio was enjoyed by Taylor’s Megan and her Parrothead father Dave. As usual (except thru COVID), they were at the annual Riverbend concert and enjoyed the up close and personal and more intimate side of the concert. Dave Schnieder, a Cincinnati teacher and football coach all of […]
Music Monday: “Movin’ On Up” – Ja’net DuBois
RichC | July 18, 2022
Don’t ask me what triggered the 1975 television show The Jeffersons theme song, but caught myself bopping to the tune in my head this past weekend (and I’m not really a “bopper”). The All in the Family spinoff wasn’t a series that I watched as a teenager, but the catchy theme song written by Ja’net […]
Music Monday: The Leonard Skinner and Lynyrd Skynyrd story
RichC | June 6, 2022
I was tuned into a television morning news show a few weeks ago and was shocked that two of the three hosts didn’t know “the band” Lynyrd Skynyrd … in fact one commented, “but I’ve heard of ‘him.’” Shocked, but maybe it’s an age thing? The conversation quickly shifted into the band’s eponym … Forby Leonard […]
Music Monday: Dion – “Runaround Sue” #video
RichC | May 2, 2022
Today’s Music Monday is a little bit before my time, but when hearing Dion DiMucci singing “Runaround Sue” on Varney & Co. FoxBusiness show’s segment bumper music last month, it caught my ear. For me, it triggered memories of my parent’s music … as it would have been their era. I would not be surprised […]
James Garner’s TAG Heuer Carrera watch up for auction
RichC | May 1, 2022
As a James Garner fan and follower of his daughter Gigi on Twitter, I enjoyed a recent article highlighting raising money for animal welfare with his famous TAG Heuer Carrera watch (below). Earlier this year I was impressed with his daily driver, a 2009 Cadillac CTS 4-door sedan up for auction on Barrett-Jackson, raising $100,000 with […]
Cincinnati Reds: Dad catches a foul ball while feeding baby
RichC | April 30, 2022
Major League Baseball is back. Last week, baby feeding did not keep this hardcore fan from from enjoying a Cincinnati Reds game and coming away with a souvenir. Perhaps the Reds could add him to their roster … they sure need some kind of spark.
Cleaning up some trash and NON-trash on my computer
RichC | April 9, 2022
Saw this “trash” can on social media the other day and don’t know if there was an R2-D2 Star Wars intent or not, but it did make me smile … ALMOST as much as receiving a photo from Katelyn and Drew while on spring break vacation with Drew’s family in South Carolina. It sure looked […]
Tech Friday: iOS and App updates … and Internet/Cable/TV
RichC | April 8, 2022
After updating my iOS devices to 15.4 last week, I noticed a few annoying changes (normal when an operating system changes), and a few improvements. I suspected that older devices such as my iPhone 7 and older iPad would start to show signs of reduced battery life and sluggishness, yet how long nowadays do we […]
Music Monday: The 1943 classic movie “Watch on the Rhine” and 1982 song “Bette Davis Eyes” by Kim Carnes
RichC | March 21, 2022
Old black and while films have never been top picks for Brenda and me when selecting a movie for the weekend, but as the Coronavirus pandemic shutdowns started, we decided to add a few classic movies as a way to broaden our life experience. Like reading classic literature as part of a higher education, watching a […]
Movie night: Watched a good one called “The Big Year” from 2011
RichC | January 9, 2022
It might not be a current movie (it’s 2011), but it was one neither Brenda or I watched over this past decade, but it was an excellent comedy. “The Big Year,” with Steve Martin, Owen Wilson and Jack Black (several others), was exactly what the “doctors” (Katelyn and Drew) ordered over our family Christmas. They […]
The “fuel surcharge model” for TV cable content delivery?
RichC | December 11, 2021
It is a sneaky way to increase what I thought was a customer to Cincinnati Bell “contracted-each-year” cable TV and Internet monthly bill? Nope, according to @CincyBell … after being mislead by customer service that the below increases were “government related fees” and “out of their control” … the increases are negotiated contracts with content […]
Music Monday: An Ohio State Football win and the Sloopy Girl
RichC | November 22, 2021
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Music Monday: The songwriting gift that is Brian Wilson
RichC | August 30, 2021
Who doesn’t know who Brian Wilson is or love his many decades of music … especially with The Beach Boys (even my kids played them on our amplified Echo and dance around a week or so ago)? 
I stumbled across his timeline on the BrianWilson.com which highlights each decade with photos and highlights. A […]
A couple weekend family photos – spiders, movies and art
RichC | July 20, 2021
Figured I would archive a couple leftover photos and an animated gif from a nice weekend working out in the yard. Since the concrete crew has not started the driveway project yet, I am continuing to clear brush and cut low branches (contemplating large concrete mixing trucks). Once again, the bonfire brush pile is starting […]
Book: Operation Pedestal – The Fleet That Battled to Malta, 1942
RichC | July 14, 2021
Progress has been slow in my latest nightly book reading, in part due to being wiped-out by full days with our granddaughters last week and more recently watching a few episodes each night of an old 1965-1971 sitcom called Hogan’s Heroes (mention once before). So for a update on reading Operation Pedestal by Max Hastings, “I […]
Abhimanyu Mishra, the youngest Chess grandmaster in history
RichC | July 6, 2021
It was probably the intimidating photo of 9 year old Abhimanyu Mishra that caught my attention, but as someone who once enjoyed the “recreational game” of Chess as a boy, it is also impressive to see what this young New Jersey boy has accomplished. At the GM Mix in Hungary last week, a 12-year old […]
Another Music Monday TV theme song from an in-my-opinion effective Applebee’s commercial with “Cheers” intro
RichC | June 21, 2021
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We celebrated Taylor’s 32nd Birthday in Cincinnati for dinner
RichC | June 10, 2021
We had a great time celebrating Taylor’s 32nd birthday last night after work at Pepp and Dolores restaurant in Cincinnati thanks to Megan. Brenda and I enjoyed arriving a little early and sitting at the bar talking with the bartender while sipping some Italian wine. We ended up discussing menu since she wasn’t overly busy. […]
Music Monday: a commercial for Applebees, John Sebastian, Television themes songs and Welcome Back Kotter (1975-1979)
RichC | June 7, 2021
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Jimmy Buffett in Delray Beach & automotive pandemic insanity
RichC | June 3, 2021
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Celebrities Then and Now Photos (popular on social media)
RichC | April 11, 2021
Last week my sister-in-law shared an update on her Facebook page of some well-known Hollywood celebrities that I thought would be interesting to at to MyDesultoryBlog. I downloaded the 30+ different-sized photos, resized a few and decided it might work as an automated slide show (if you want my resized originals, download this .zip archive). […]
Archive: Granddaughter catch-up photos from this past week
RichC | April 3, 2021
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Who doesn’t love the Gilligan’s Island TV show? #TBT
RichC | March 11, 2021
My generation grew up with a handful of odd, yet popular with kids, television shows, none more endearing that Gilligan’s Island … which shockingly is still loved by almost everyone in reruns still today. After mentioning the passing of Dawn Wells, who play castaway Mary Ann, I realized that only Tina Louise (Ginger) is still […]
Music Monday: Gilligan’s Island theme mashed with Led Zeppelin
RichC | February 8, 2021
For those who grew up on one of my favorite TV shows, Gilligan’s Island … and in later years listened to the music of Led Zeppelin … here’s an interesting YouTube video for this week’s Music Monday. On a more depressing note, I was sad to hear America’s favorite “girl next door” actress Dawn Wells […]
Tech Friday: Our small Echo Dot on the Home Theater ceiling
RichC | January 29, 2021
Now that the wiring in the basement is no longer laying on the floor in order to feed the kitchen television cable extender and ceiling repairs are finished up, I’ve been cleaning up and moving things back into the home theater and game room areas. With some fresh paint everything looks pretty good, so I […]
Music Monday: Early Pure Prairie League and Vince Gill
RichC | January 18, 2021
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Sad, but still enjoying the final season of Last Man Standing
RichC | January 6, 2021
Now that the final season of Last Man Standing has started (Jan 3, 2021), Brenda and I are finally catching up on the previous season that I recorded on the DVR. We had forgotten just how much we enjoyed this sitcom. It is hard to remember the last time both of us laughed at the […]
Remembering a couple 1970s TV shows and commercials
RichC | November 24, 2020
A car enthusiast’s off-topic “Today’s Useless Tweet” got me thinking about old television shows that I enjoyed while growing up. I’m sure almost everyone my age flirts with nostalgia and can go on indefinitely with memories of their youth? His Banacek share (good show) and the George Peppard memory, which for me will always be […]
Tech Friday: Streaming services and a price increase by Netflix
RichC | November 6, 2020
Although it was announced in October 2020, most existing Netflix subscribers won’t be feeling the 8% price hike immediately (new pricing over the next few months) … but prices are going up again. In our house we also have Amazon Prime for the movies and Prime shipping, but haven’t added any other services … our […]
A weekend Brenda birthday photo and Jimmy Buffett video
RichC | August 18, 2020
We are really enjoying the time we have to stay around home this summer amidst Coronavirus concerns … although Brenda has never stopped going to work … she works in an “essential business” – pharmacy. We certainly enjoyed having Katelyn, Drew, Annalyn and Ellerie to our house for a mini-vacation for several days earlier this […]
Music Monday: Remembering my Glen Campbell listening days
RichC | July 20, 2020
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Currently my favorite podcast: Streetwise by Jack Hough
RichC | June 17, 2020
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Music Monday: Van Morrison – Ballerina/Move On Up #video
RichC | June 8, 2020
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Payment processing: Testing Square’s link tool with a Monocle
RichC | May 31, 2020
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Music Monday: Yet another great Jackson Browne song
RichC | May 18, 2020
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Music Monday: Demonstrating your talent at a public piano
RichC | May 11, 2020
One of posts that once received a lot of traffic on my blog was Jacob Tolliver playing a piano in an Ohio hardware store several years ago. The Facebook embed was taken down, but I reposted the video from YouTube last year. I must not have been the only one who appreciates watching those with […]
Having fun with a “left brain – right brain” teaser photo
RichC | April 17, 2020
We all must be looking for things to share or to occupy our thoughts after about a month stuck at home (like the Engine Parts word search post early this week)? Perhaps we are not alone since my brother Ron sent one of those viral images that makes its way around the Internet last year. […]
Engine Parts word search from ConsumerGuide Automotive
RichC | April 16, 2020
For those automotive enthusiasts who are spending A LOT more time at home due to the Coronavirus stay-at-home orders and interested in ways to entertain our minds, try the ConsumerGuide.com Automotive blog’s Engine Parts word search. Tom Appel and crew always find something interesting for their blog (and car stuff podcast). Click image larger or […]
Muzak Monday: The Pink Panther Theme – Henry Mancini
RichC | April 6, 2020
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Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.