An evening of schmoozing

In Mexico, November 1st is traditionally known as Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead). In the rest of Christendom it is celebrated as All Saints’ Day.

“The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died.”

Last night at dinner I counted about 30 people, which is about half of our total membership. Does it mean that half of the club kicked the bucket?
No, some people simply chose not to attend to express their displeasure with the chosen venue.

Le Chalet Basque has some good things going for it (central location, easy parking, private room) but inspired cooking is not one of them.
The food is bland and sorely lacks originality.
Our tasting buds (at least mine) need to be satisfied and so far they are not.

Last night, the food still lacked pizazz but the service (orchestrated by a single waitress) was excellent.
This waitress is a pro and deserves a medal.

The annual dinner/meeting is a good idea. It is a way for club members to socialize and get to know other people and their (seldom seen) mates more intimately.
Yesterday I enjoyed talking to Noel Marcovecchio who as a former (repented) barrister proved to be an entertaining conversationalist.

After dinner, Christine Cragg (our steadfast president) gave a short State of the Union address.
I think that our union is fairly strong but (like vampires) we need new (young) blood.
We could loiter around high schools and proposition young people… but on second thought it might look a little suspicious.
Anyway, we need to find a way to attract more energetic people.

After thanking numerous deserving members for their help throughout the year, Christine Cragg told us that Brigitte Moran accepted to be part of our Board of Directors.
An excellent bit of news.

We were extremely lucky this year to snag Herb and Brigitte Moran. Their dynamism and good cheer is propelling our club to new heights. And the best is yet to come.

At the end of the dinner, people signed a book (Pétanque Memories) that will be sent to our dear friend Colette Van Der Meulen who is presently feeling a bit under the weather.

Get well quickly Colette, we miss your smile and your contagious laughter.

Alain

PS: Go to “My Photos” to watch the few pictures I (hurriedly) snapped last night.

Watch the following video in “Full Screen”.

 

Holy Fuck

The F Word
The F Word

Fuck, fuck this, fuck that, fuck that fucking motherfucker…

I am tired of hearing these totally meaningless terms uttered every three words, mainly by speech-impaired individuals (or aged adolescents).

I am not a prude and I occasionally use four letter words (good, nice, holy, jive, jerk, bozo, mojo, mumu, puce, buns, wife, caca, spam, boob, oink, milf, shmo, orgy, butt, smut, gaga, fart, food) but… I don’t use any of those words in a sickening repetitive fashion.

And the word “fuck” has become so common in the American lingo that it does not shock anybody anymore because repetition numbs the senses.
It certainly does not have the same impact as a mousy looking nun occasionally bursting in a loud “holy shit”.

The word is not shocking anymore, it is simply tiring.

I am presently watching on HBO (Hot Baloney Online) a television series called “Six feet under” and Claire (an innocent looking teenager) cannot utter any sentence without using this word. It is fucking tiresome.
Repetition to me is the indication of a constipated mind. Get a good laxative and flush it out for crying out loud.

“We are a country of excess. So it’s not the violence, per se, but the exacerbation and constant repetition.” Norman Lear

 I am pretty sure that in every language on earth they have swear words, but I don’t think (I could be wrong) that they have anything like the American “Fuck” epidemic.
And it is extremely catchy. Kids are extremely susceptible to it. Vaccinate them early.

“Egyptian legal agreements from the 23rd Dynasty (749-21 B.C.E) frequently include the phrase” if you do not obey this decree, may a donkey copulate with you!” Reinhold Aman

Was this their equivalent of “fuck you”? I like it better. It sounds more confident and elegant than a vulgar “fuck you”.

So if you are a “fuck” addicted fiend, stop it. You sound retarded and in need a good fucking spanking!

Alain

Une bonne action ne reste jamais impunie ☹

I have not written anything in my mother tongue for a long time, so here is a (politically incorrect) refresher:

☹☹☹☹☹

Je lisais ce matin dans l’Express (je lis n’importe quoi):

« L’accueil par les autorités allemandes de centaines de milliers de migrants suscitent une recrudescence d’actes xénophobes et de manifestations d’hostilité envers les étrangers ou les responsables associatifs et politiques. »

ça vous étonne ? Moi pas.

Tout d’abord, soyons précis. Qu’est-ce que cette vilaine bébête que l’on appelle la XENOPHOBIE?

IMG_0875« La xénophobie est une « hostilité à ce qui est étranger », plus précisément à l’égard d’un groupe de personnes ou d’un individu considéré comme étranger à son propre groupe (endogroupe). »

Excuse my French, comme on dit dans mon quartier, mais dans le monde animal on est tous plus ou moins xénophobe.
Demandez à un groupe de lions de partager leur entrecôte avec quelques hyènes affamées… Good luck guvnor!

La xénophobie, C’est juste une affaire de chiffres.
Accueillir quelques étrangers traumatisés par une guerre civile, bien sur. Mais héberger des régiments entiers de refugiés, c’est une autre paire de manches.

J’aime les bêtes, c’est bien connu.
Quand mon nouveau voisin vient s’installer près de chez moi avec son caniche et son minou, je leur dis « bienvenue dans le quartier ».
Mais quand il emménage avec une meute de « Grand bleus de Gascogne» forts en gueule, c’est autre chose.
Au bout d’un certain temps, lassé des aboiements incessants, je suis prêt à dynamiter son chenil.
Serais-je pour cela un cynophobe?
Nenni ma mie !

Et qui pourrais me dire avec certitude si parmi tous ces petits Syriens si bien, il n’y a que des gens qui nous veulent du bien ?
J’ai des doutes, mais j’espère que l’avenir me donnera tort

Et comment subvenir aux besoins d’un large groupe de gens incapables même de s’exprimer dans notre langue, et qui se regrouperont automatiquement dans un nouveau ghetto ?

Parce que derrière cela, il y a toujours une affaire de gros sous. Un cheptel humain, c’est cher à entretenir.
Beaucoup de gens se demandent même, pourquoi donner la priorité a des étrangers quand nos concitoyens sont au chômage et n’arrivent même pas à se loger ?

En toute chose, l’excès nuit.
Même dans la sacro-sainte charité.

Alain