Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for November 01, 2020

2020; If you’re not focused by now you’re not even looking.

Better get out your ouija board and tarot cards just to make sure, Arlo.

I don’t have a good answer for that. Let me consult my oracle! … … … … He doesn’t know either.

It means you’re doomed.

It means, I don’t care.

It’s been a year to remember, or maybe try to forget.

[ Cue dramatic music. ]

How about snow storms before November or 5 hurricanes hitting the gulf coast?

Don’t forget the meteor expected today. And the earthquake and tsunami day before yesterday.

“’Not with a sky that colour’, said Lord Tang. ‘That is not an auspicious colour for a sky. It looks like a bruise. A sky like that is portentous.’

‘And what, pray, do you think it portends?’

‘Its just generally portentous.’"

(Followed, of course, by Cohen the Barbarian claiming any stray omens as his own).

Actually, none of those facts are interrelated. But watch out for black cats.

The year turned things upside down. Usually the old people have experienced everything and think nothing of it, while the young are amazed by each new horror. This year, the old have never experienced anything like this. And the young couldn’t care less, and probably won’t see the likes of it again.

With a Halloween this supernatural of an event I feel like I’m being cheated out of something grander. Like an extra special parade Or a giant layered cake. Down the line I feel like people should write stories about this year’s Halloween.

Halloween was a full moon on a Saturday. But we had covid-19 to kill the party mood. So how long before another Halloween on a Saturday with a full moon?

And Jimmy didn’t even had Arlo to refer to climate collapse, unemployment, BLM, Covid19, police violence, most Hurricanes ever, rise of fascism …

DUH! It’s called reality! Or, as some of my red neck friends would say, “Shit happens”.

It’s all in how you respond to what you believe it portends, Arlo.

You can start to establish all defenses within your capability and then maintain a stockpile of what you will need to repel the onslaught. Then plan your offensive to do the cleanup.

Many in the center and left of it are unable to realize that a slapfight in this culture war is not going to do it. Neither will “the power of prayer” and just being a “unifier”.

OR

You can flex and bend as you place your cranium between your patellas, and firmly osculate your posterior as a strong sign of resignation, farewell and termination.

What we are missing is a major catastrophe; a tsunami worthy of the name, nuclear terrorism, maybe a zombie apocalypse or something. So far we have had a troublesome pandemic, resulting historic deficits, and (most disturbing) political campaigns in the US. I was hoping for a zombie apocalypse instead… at least they don’t fill my mailbox with slick flyers that I drop in the recycle bin on the way in. Zombies don’t do that, do they?

Arlo, things happen for no apparent reason (sometimes). Entropy increases. How long can you tread water?

If you want portentous, in November 1963 the President was murdered. We were on an upward progressive swing that started with President Eisenhower, a Republican. (Yes, there was the Cuban crisis and the seeds of Vietnam to deal with.) The President’s death, 57 years and 21 days ago, started a downward spiral, beginning with President Johnson, a Democrat, and was not reversed even with the saintliness of President Carter. That tragic event in Dallas portended where we are today, and the depth of that tragedy could have been the swing toward America’s death knell.

And the witches had to coven in groups of six or less. I don’t think that works.

On picked nit: Time change was November 1.

Only vaguely related… I was thinking recently that my father was born 7 years after the 1918 pandemic and died 9 years before the 2020 one. In a way, I’m glad neither of my folks knew anything about the state of the world today…

Election day is enough. No matter who wins, we are doomed. The only “bright spot” is the coming circus to determine who won.

Your Auburn Tigers beat LSU into submission, Jimmy, it’s not all bad.

There’s a lot going on all at the same time now Arlo. Most of it isn’t even recognized because of all the minor distractions that get our attention.

What is?

“Joe Biden should not concede under any circumstances…"—HRC

Arlo’s got a point; maybe it’s time to see the kids!

I would have expected big smiles on their faces this morning after reenacting “Indiana Jones and His Wild Ride”…..

60 days remaining for something truly unexpected and bizarre to happen…

The End Times have arrived. And not a moment too soon.

2021.

And the first time since 1944 when the full moon could be seen from every time zone.

Perhaps this is a year to remind us of what we appreciate once this has all passed.

Technically, the time change was today.

Clearly, this is all very portentous. But WHAT is portended? That is the question.

“Don’t fear the reaper”. There is a lot worse out there…

He means the coup.

It turns out that the highest inflation in 40 years was coming… and then there’s all the deaths in Afghanistan… not to mention his saying “I think what you’re going to see is that Russia will be held accountable if it invades. And it depends on what it does. It’s one thing if it’s a minor incursion and then we end up having a fight about what to do and not do.”