On Flying -- Nothing About The Bakken -- October 7, 2017 -- Maintaining An Attitude Of Gratitude

I'm starting to get back on schedule. This has nothing to do with the Bakken, but occasionally I get "burned out" talking about the Bakken and have to do something else to maintain sanity.

I had a four-hour flight from DFW to Portland, OR, earlier today so had some time to write about things other than the Bakken.

If you came here for the Bakken and don't want to read a meandering note, scroll down a couple posts or scroll to the right and check out the sidebar.

Flying
I think one needs to fly once a month on American Airlines just to read the current issue of American Way.

Wow, only a complete cynic could read that magazine from cover-to-cover and not feel related to Oprah.

Nothing but feel-good articles. Some of the articles are really, really good. Some of the profiles are absolutely hilarious.

Having just seen (to my regret?) Blade Runner 2049 — you know, it just hit me. In my review of Blade Runner 2049 I said that I would never see another movie. No, I’ve decided just the opposite. I will now go to any and every movie my wife wants me to see with her. This is why.

Paging through American Way, I came across a full page glamour shot and short profile of Ana de Armas. Yeah, you know: Ana de Armas, “the Cuban actress who starred in the ‘fall’s most anticipated sci-fi follow-up.’” Sequel, in other words.

Had I not seen Blade Runner 2049, I would have simply turned the page, assuming Ana was just another empty-headed Hollywood starlet (maybe she is), but having seen the movie, I was at least interested enough in a) reading that bit of fluff, which helped “shorten” the 4-hour 2-minute flight to Portland, Oregon); and, b) gave me something to blog about. Always looking for ideas. LOL.

By the way, Albert Einstein was correct: time can slow down. Watch Blade Runner 2049 and you will know within fifteen minutes Einstein was correct.

So what did Ana have to say, or at least purported to have said? “I felt very lucky that someone was finally paying attention to my audition — and not just my accent.” LOL. She could eat crackers in my bed, whisper naughty things in my ear, and I wouldn’t say a thing about her accent. I probably wouldn’t even notice.

My wife would notice the cracker crumbs.

In the movie, de Armas “plays the mysterious lover and confidante of Ryan Gosling’s LAPD officer K. She called her role ‘complex, multi-layered’ and ‘a big surprise.’”

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Chicago

American Way had a huge multi-page feature article on the city of Chicago. Nothing dystopian about Chicago. Not a word about … well, you know what.

I wouldn’t even write about the story, but the profile/essay by Rahm Emanuel was the epitome of hilarity in the 130-page issue of feel-goodness. I can’t wait for the profile/essay by President Donald Trump some day.

But I digress.

Some quotes from the article: Rahm describes Chicago “as a big city with small-town feel …. Chicago combines the best of being a global city, and everyone is working to achieve greater things.”

He says Chicago has the five Ts: talent, training, transportation, technology, and transparency.

He doesn’t mention the two Ms: murders and muggings.

One of Rahm Emanuel's favorite activities: walking home after dark.


I did not make up any of this.

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Best Travel Tip

The best travel tip comes from Nneka (no typo) M. Okona, an Atlanta-based food and travel writer.

Her two travel tips and I agree completely:

a) locating a good pastry shop with strong coffee; and,
b) write down five things you must do or see in your travel destination and don’t plan anything else.

So, I’m flying to Portland, OR, where I will pick up a rental car, our younger daughter and her husband, and then drive to Flathead Lake for a one-week getaway.

The five things on my list right now, and subject to change:

a) the little barbecue place on the north side of the lake
b) tackle the “to-do” list that my youngest sister left me with regard to the house
c) read at least five books
d) barbecue every night on the big community fire pit next to the lake
e) fill the kitchen with cooking gadgets

My brother-in-law and his wife, from southern California, will meet us there. Over the phone one night, to my wife, he mentioned five things he wants to do. I don’t recall all five but I do remember two:

a) the little barbecue place on the north side of the lake
b) huckleberry and cherry pie at one of those local restaurants (think Twin Peaks)

In Mexico City, Nneka recommends visiting Limosneros: savor local flavors in dishes like pork ribs in mezcal sauce and gorditas stuffed with Oaxacan cheese and salsa in this moody eatery. I won’t ever get to Mexico City, and I can’t imagine eating in a “moody” eatery, but I do like the idea of pork ribs in mezcal sauce.

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NFL Players' Protest

Updates

October 17, 2017: CBS earnings to disappoint due to weak NFL ratings. 

• Credit Suisse cut its third-quarter EPS estimates on CBS by 5 percent, citing the company's softer Sunday NFL ratings
• the firm's new estimate is $1.08, below the Wall Street consensus estimate of $1.12.

Later, 10:15 p.m. Pacific Time: NFL now least liked sport, core fans down 31%.

From the end of August to the end of September, the favorable ratings for the NFL have dropped from 57 percent to 44 percent, and it has the highest unfavorable rating – 40 percent – of any big sport, according to the Winston Group survey provided exclusively to Secrets.

From the end of August to the end of September, the favorable ratings for the NFL have dropped from 57 percent to 44 percent, and it has the highest unfavorable rating – 40 percent – of any big sport.

Original Post

Wow, I wish everyone could see this. In American Airlines' American Way for October, 2017, there is a feature article on Sonequa Martin-Green, described by the writer as “the star of Star Trek: Discovery, which began streaming in September on CBS’ All Access service.”

If you have not heard of her or do not know of her, check her out on the internet. My hunch is you will be impressed.

But this is what caught my attention: a huge full-page glamour photograph of Sonequa and this tagline dominating the photo that explains her key to success: “Maintaining an attitude of gratitude helps me concentrate.”

Wow. I think that encapsulates in eight words why Kaepernick’s capers don’t resonate with NFL fans.

Much could be said, but I will leave it at that.