Grouching Towards Bethlehem
@arkansasmichael.bsky.social
An old grouch who used to be not-quite-someone in small-town Arkansas newspapers until he wasn’t.
Pinned
In the coming American Hellscape. I really should’ve honed other skills than newspaper and magazine layout and napping.
Magazine layout while listening to Harry Styles. The body may be in it's fifth decade but the ears still appreciate a good listen.
November 7, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Magazine layout while listening to Harry Styles. The body may be in it's fifth decade but the ears still appreciate a good listen.
Staring at the Fela Kuti boxset that's on sale and wondering if I can crowdfund my way into a copy?
"For just dollars a day you could help an old cajun's music collection... "
Sigh.
"For just dollars a day you could help an old cajun's music collection... "
Sigh.
November 4, 2025 at 4:41 AM
Staring at the Fela Kuti boxset that's on sale and wondering if I can crowdfund my way into a copy?
"For just dollars a day you could help an old cajun's music collection... "
Sigh.
"For just dollars a day you could help an old cajun's music collection... "
Sigh.
I wish I looked at the world in the same hopeful way my youngest doggo looks at me while I'm eating pistachios. Sure they are bad for her (much as the world is bad for me) but those eyes never waver and that tail never stops wagging in hopeful anticipation.
It's inspiring, really.
It's inspiring, really.
November 3, 2025 at 9:13 PM
I wish I looked at the world in the same hopeful way my youngest doggo looks at me while I'm eating pistachios. Sure they are bad for her (much as the world is bad for me) but those eyes never waver and that tail never stops wagging in hopeful anticipation.
It's inspiring, really.
It's inspiring, really.
As soon as Yamamoto got on the mound it was a forgone conclusion.
What am amazing season for the Jays. Shame it ended like that.
What am amazing season for the Jays. Shame it ended like that.
November 2, 2025 at 4:24 AM
As soon as Yamamoto got on the mound it was a forgone conclusion.
What am amazing season for the Jays. Shame it ended like that.
What am amazing season for the Jays. Shame it ended like that.
It’s always a good day when someone recognizes you in Walmart and tells you that your newspaper column is one of the reasons they still get a printed newspaper.
That’s a nice ego boost.
That’s a nice ego boost.
October 31, 2025 at 10:26 PM
It’s always a good day when someone recognizes you in Walmart and tells you that your newspaper column is one of the reasons they still get a printed newspaper.
That’s a nice ego boost.
That’s a nice ego boost.
Tomorrow it’s my first appointment to the new spine doctor who I predict will look at my back and say “yeah, that shit’s bad, yo” as he bills my insurance thousands…
October 29, 2025 at 4:10 AM
Tomorrow it’s my first appointment to the new spine doctor who I predict will look at my back and say “yeah, that shit’s bad, yo” as he bills my insurance thousands…
Pulled the trigger and now own an Oura4 smart ring. I want health metrics without having the open temptation to obsess over my heart rate and wondering if an anxiety attack is imminent if it goes up..
October 28, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Pulled the trigger and now own an Oura4 smart ring. I want health metrics without having the open temptation to obsess over my heart rate and wondering if an anxiety attack is imminent if it goes up..
What. A. Game.
October 28, 2025 at 5:37 AM
What. A. Game.
Really wish I could get a handle on this back pain. I can be doing perfectly fine with just a twinge but then if I breathe wrong or turn my neck to look at a different location my lower back just screams right into a spasm.
It’s extremely fun…
It’s extremely fun…
the word sarcasm is written on a meter
Alt: the word sarcasm is written on a meter
media.tenor.com
October 24, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Really wish I could get a handle on this back pain. I can be doing perfectly fine with just a twinge but then if I breathe wrong or turn my neck to look at a different location my lower back just screams right into a spasm.
It’s extremely fun…
It’s extremely fun…
In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand:
The fonts won’t embed.
The fonts won’t embed.
In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand:
The drives were clicking.
The drives were clicking.
October 12, 2025 at 10:24 PM
In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand:
The fonts won’t embed.
The fonts won’t embed.
Long day today. New anti anxiety pill taken last night gave me alllll the anxiety and had my heart racing 100-140 all day until mid afternoon.
Not taking that ever again.
Not taking that ever again.
October 9, 2025 at 3:43 AM
Long day today. New anti anxiety pill taken last night gave me alllll the anxiety and had my heart racing 100-140 all day until mid afternoon.
Not taking that ever again.
Not taking that ever again.
It’s surreal that while we’re all teetering on the edge of ever increasing horrors due to one sad old man’s wet dreams (and diaper) of power.. the majority of people seem not to notice and have the energy to be outraged at Bad Bunny or Taylor Swift singing about a boner.
2025 is hiiiiiiigh y’all
2025 is hiiiiiiigh y’all
October 7, 2025 at 4:10 AM
It’s surreal that while we’re all teetering on the edge of ever increasing horrors due to one sad old man’s wet dreams (and diaper) of power.. the majority of people seem not to notice and have the energy to be outraged at Bad Bunny or Taylor Swift singing about a boner.
2025 is hiiiiiiigh y’all
2025 is hiiiiiiigh y’all
Considering an Aura 4 instead of a smartwatch. Anyone use a smart ring?
October 4, 2025 at 5:06 AM
Considering an Aura 4 instead of a smartwatch. Anyone use a smart ring?
I forget how damn good this album is…
September 24, 2025 at 12:29 AM
I forget how damn good this album is…
Wasn’t watching Disney+ anyway, so bye Felicia…
a man wearing a black and white sweater with the word schitts creek on the bottom
Alt: Eugene Levy’s son wearing a black and white sweater closed a door while making an ewwww face.Gif is a moment from with schitts creek
media.tenor.com
September 18, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Wasn’t watching Disney+ anyway, so bye Felicia…
Damn this administration for placing me in any position to care about Jimmy Kimmel. There should be NO timeline where I have empathy for one of the two jackasses behind The Man Show..
September 18, 2025 at 4:58 AM
Damn this administration for placing me in any position to care about Jimmy Kimmel. There should be NO timeline where I have empathy for one of the two jackasses behind The Man Show..
First arrhythmia episode in a while today. Zero stars. Would not recommend.
Plan to call cardio doc in the morning and ask for guidance or possible med adjustments.
Plan to call cardio doc in the morning and ask for guidance or possible med adjustments.
September 15, 2025 at 3:46 AM
First arrhythmia episode in a while today. Zero stars. Would not recommend.
Plan to call cardio doc in the morning and ask for guidance or possible med adjustments.
Plan to call cardio doc in the morning and ask for guidance or possible med adjustments.
Two days of walking on the treadmill for a half hour and… this it is my life from now on isn’t it? Sweating and suffering just to decay less swiftly…
I should have taken more care the first half century, shouldn’t I?
Sigh.
I should have taken more care the first half century, shouldn’t I?
Sigh.
September 12, 2025 at 3:05 AM
Two days of walking on the treadmill for a half hour and… this it is my life from now on isn’t it? Sweating and suffering just to decay less swiftly…
I should have taken more care the first half century, shouldn’t I?
Sigh.
I should have taken more care the first half century, shouldn’t I?
Sigh.
Jesus the words and hashtags added to my mute list today…
September 11, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Jesus the words and hashtags added to my mute list today…
I can only assume I’m not a much bigger account simple because I’m not all that interesting.
My dogs bark to differ!
My dogs bark to differ!
September 9, 2025 at 5:00 PM
I can only assume I’m not a much bigger account simple because I’m not all that interesting.
My dogs bark to differ!
My dogs bark to differ!
Lord give me the self confidence of someone less than half my age and 1/25 my experience in sending pages to a newspress as they tell me why they're right and I'm wrong.
I'm not and they're not but man that self confidence will take them far if they back it up with the ability to listen and learn.
I'm not and they're not but man that self confidence will take them far if they back it up with the ability to listen and learn.
August 25, 2025 at 3:29 AM
Lord give me the self confidence of someone less than half my age and 1/25 my experience in sending pages to a newspress as they tell me why they're right and I'm wrong.
I'm not and they're not but man that self confidence will take them far if they back it up with the ability to listen and learn.
I'm not and they're not but man that self confidence will take them far if they back it up with the ability to listen and learn.
Starlink advertisement email in my inbox.. Jesus I nearly hurt myself blocking that email sender and deleting.
I should have stretched first.
I should have stretched first.
August 12, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Starlink advertisement email in my inbox.. Jesus I nearly hurt myself blocking that email sender and deleting.
I should have stretched first.
I should have stretched first.
Took the eldest doggo for shots and a checkup and - much as I deduced - she's doing well and will likely outlive us all.
August 7, 2025 at 3:08 AM
Took the eldest doggo for shots and a checkup and - much as I deduced - she's doing well and will likely outlive us all.
The new Buddy Guy is sublime. How the hell is this dude 89 and sounding this good?
August 3, 2025 at 4:34 AM
The new Buddy Guy is sublime. How the hell is this dude 89 and sounding this good?
24hr heart moniter shows I'm good for the majority of the time but showed occasional signs of an av block and tachycardia.
They don't seem extremely concerned but will refer me to a specialist.
Methinks this old man will have to lose weight and start to exercise daily.. and maybe meds? We'll see..
They don't seem extremely concerned but will refer me to a specialist.
Methinks this old man will have to lose weight and start to exercise daily.. and maybe meds? We'll see..
July 22, 2025 at 4:20 AM
24hr heart moniter shows I'm good for the majority of the time but showed occasional signs of an av block and tachycardia.
They don't seem extremely concerned but will refer me to a specialist.
Methinks this old man will have to lose weight and start to exercise daily.. and maybe meds? We'll see..
They don't seem extremely concerned but will refer me to a specialist.
Methinks this old man will have to lose weight and start to exercise daily.. and maybe meds? We'll see..