Au Cochonnet Marin

Don’t look, influencer is not a term that you will find in the dictionary… at least, not yet. But the word is all over the media and a lot of people (many women among them) are furiously vying for the title.

So, what the heck is an influencer? According to the Influencer MarketingHub:

“An influencer is someone who has:

the power to affect the purchasing decisions of others because of his or her authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with his or her audience.

a following in a distinct niche, with whom he or she actively engages. The size of the following depends on the size of his/her topic of the niche.”

 I am a blogger (with a pocket-size audience), who regularly writes some material for my blog, but can I call myself an influencer?

I doubt it… you need a sizable following to claim that title. But I am a pétanque fan and I like to play and write about the game. It is a discipline that is good for the body and the soul and I can testify to this. I am unfortunately burdened by Type II Diabetes and I need to watch the amount of glucose circulating in my bloodstream.

Any type of exercise is good for this affliction, and it can really be confirmed by the numbers. After 2 or 3 hours of pétanque, the level of glucose in my bloodstream drops dramatically, and the lower the numbers, the better it is. This definitely proves that besides being fun, pétanque is also highly therapeutic.

I play and write about this game. If I can “influence” you to take up this sport, then you might (if you are generous) call me a “mini-influencer”.

I write a lot about pétanque, but I am what you might call a “touche-a-tout” (a jack of all trades) who relates what I see or feel about certain events.

I do not write to “influence” anybody. I write to express personal opinions without any intention of swaying any group.

Writing is a pleasant and useful pastime. Because besides keeping the body fit, you also need to keep your mind on par. The little neurons pulsating in your brain need as much exercise as your pet, and if you neglect them, they will get flabby…and so will your mind.

Especially during an election year, I also dabble in politics. I am not an expert but I know which politico I like and which one I despise. And I get mad at some people for being so partial and so blind to the blatant flaws and lies of their champion.

Because of this, you might also call me a nanoscopic influencer… or if you are less charitable, a s**t disturber.

Alain

Yesterday, at the invitation of Jean-Michel, I drove to Sonoma. I came to watch their Winter League finals opposing Peter Mathis and Kris Edwards on one side and Kevin Evoy (the Dread of the Ocean) and Casey on the other side.

I had not come to the city of Sonoma for probably a year, and I was surprised to see how busy it was. Everybody seemed to be out and about, or dining in makeshift outdoors dining areas. And these areas encroached on the street, reducing the already scarce parking slots.

My second surprise of the day was to discover that very few people on the Sonoma pétanque court were wearing masks. In Marin County, it is a capital sin, and you probably could be beheaded for trespassing. In Sonoma though, unlike Marin (and Saudi Arabia), you don’t have to struggle to recognize a concealed face.

The weather was sunny, though a little windy and while waiting for the main event, I watched a few people practicing on the field. Peter Mathis first caught my attention with his impeccable “plombés”. I have been struggling for years to do this without ever really succeeding, and I was fascinated by his prowess. He was kind enough to stop and give me a few tips.

I also watched Ashlee Dencklau practicing her pointing and I was impressed by her accuracy.

By 2:00 pm, there were about 25 people on the field and the finals got underway. Two equally balanced teams (one pointer, one shooter).
The chosen field, the one now equipped with electric light, is difficult. It is covered with pebbles of unequal sizes making it hard to point accurately. Even a good player seldom succeeds with a single shot.

The shooters had a somewhat easier job to hit their targets, but players in California are a long way from the accuracy shown by foreign players. Yes, I watch some games on YouTube and I am flabbergasted by their accuracy. A few days ago, I watched an astonishing 13 meters (about 40 feet) “carreau” that took my breath away.

Even though the Sonoma game was interesting to watch, it did not have the appeal (and the crowds) of a regular tournament. Very little passion or emotion in it.

The game ended unspectacularly with a score of 13/9 in favor of Mathis and Edwards. This subdued atmosphere made me a little nostalgic for the tournaments/picnics of yore. But the cavalry seemed to be underway. With 3 types of Covid vaccines now available to the American public, we dare to hope that things will slowly go back to a certain amount of normality and regular tournaments.

In the meantime, feast your eyes on the few pictures that I took yesterday in Sonoma.

See you soon.

Alain

I don’t know about you, but I am getting a little tired of hearing about racism.
I fully realize that this statement is not politically correct, but I never liked political correctness anyway. There seems to be too much hypocrisy about it.

Yes, racism does exist, and it is highly unfortunate, but saturating the media with this single theme is not the way to go. Just like loud commercials, it will eventually prompt listeners to turn the sound off to avoid listening to another sermon… Especially during the pandemic season when everybody is more preoccupied with health issues than social justice.

Yes, bringing attention to persistent racism is laudable, but finesse is way more effective than brute force. Steady, subtle seduction is the way to go. You don’t win a girl’s heart with loud demonstrations of love. It is the small, steady, delicate attentions that will win her over.

It’s best if you can do things with a sense of humor and finesse. Eartha Kitt

You won’t eradicate racism in a few weeks, no matter how hard you try. Every nationality or ethnic group on earth has been subjected to this calamity one time or another.  Particularly the Jews… and it still persists.

If anything bad happens anywhere, it is a time-honored tradition among certain people to blame the Jews. For instance, delicious  GOP Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene attributed wildfires to Secret Jewish Space Laser. Pretty damn clever those wicked Jews!
Never mind the innumerable good deeds Jewish doctors, scientists, and philanthropes have done for humanity.

The same goes for black Americans. Most are honest, hardworking citizens, but a minority of hoodlums take the limelight away from decent people. The press often emphasizes the wicked deeds of some and neglects to praise the accomplishments of the upstanding. This is wrong and has to stop. And so have police callousness.

Yes, Black lives matter, and “Honni soit qui mal y pense” but no more and no less than any other group.

In America, the Asians, the Irish, the Poles, the Italians, the Latinos, the American Indians, and many others have all been subjected to racism.

If you are a person inclined to make racist comments, mind your thoughts and watch your mouth. The world today is a living camera and whatever you do or say will be recorded for posterity.
Ted Cruz thought that he could get away with duplicity… he didn’t and will be haunted by it forever. And so will you if you err on the wrong side of the track.

Under differently colored skins, we all belong to the same human family.
Let’s all quietly and mutually respect each other.

Alain