Bye, Felicia aka 2018.

From wikipedia: In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus (/ˈdʒeɪnəs/; Latin: IANVS (Iānus), pronounced [ˈjaː.nus]) is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces, since he looks to the future and to the past.

When I went back to USC Upstate to finish my degree in 2004-2005, the teacher in my capstone course of my interdisciplinary studies degree program had us write journals based on the Roman God Janus, looking back at our past class and forward to the future. Seems like a good format to use for my end of the year blog.

Overall 2018 wasn't all that bad. I ran into some financial difficulties due to lack of hours this summer, but they have come back since the fall and Christmas and my upcoming tax refund should get me back on track.

We also didn't have as many celebrity deaths as 2017. Burt Reynolds really hurt, I shed some tears over him, and Penny Marshall was tough, but overall they didn't take nearly as many i loved as last year.

Football season ended on a sour note for my Gamecocks, and I'm trying to be more neutral towards Clemson with my immediate and extended family having so many connections to both Clemson as well as our lifetime connection to South Carolina. Alabama should win again, however.

The biggest change for me has been finally saying goodbye to DirecTV, not because I was unhappy with my service,  but because I don't get AT&T internet, I have to pay Verizon for my internet and if I'm doing that, it made more sense to go with a cheaper streaming service for my live TV. I chose YouTube TV because of all the streaming services I tried, it was the only one that doesn't buffer or skip constantly. The only real drawback is with the dispute between Amazon and Google, there's no official YouTube TV app on my Amazon fire stick. I had to download a rogue one and apart from " minimizing " every sixth or seventh time I launch the app, it works fine. The problem is solved with a reset of my fire stick.

Looking forward to 2019, I'm really excited about my alma mater USC Upstate finally starting Big South play in basketball and baseball. I decided against an ESPN+ subscription because I'd mainly be "keeping an eye" on the games on my tablet while I watched bigger schools or other events on my TV. I figured if I'm doing that it's just as easy and more cost effective just follow the scores. I'm toying with the idea of attending the basketball game against UNC-Asheville, because that's a rivalry I'm really hoping develops. I never attended a basketball game when I was a student there, and its frustrating to me that we still don't have online ticketing.

The baseball schedule just recently came out and to my delight there are two home games on Thursdays, my day off. I have a morning appointment one of those days but plenty of time to get home, watch days of our lives and head over to spartanburg. Sadly USC Upstate is once again not playing at Fluor Field.

As for my Gamecocks I've decided not to go to the Clemson game in Greenville this year. It was cold and got windy towards the end of the game which is in early March and some USC and Clemson fans were kind of jawing back and forth in the stands and it made me uncomfortable. It's also the most expensive game even moreso than Greenville Drive games. I do plan to go to the game against Furman later in March.

I have my eye on 3 Drive games, all on Sundays. One against the Columbia Fireflies, which I skipped the game I had a ticket to last year due to cold temperatures and being more interested in Monday Night RAW that night. One against the Charleston Riverdogs and one on the Sunday after my birthday against the Asheville Tourists. I think I prefer Sunday games because it's more of a family atmosphere (aka less drinking) and they are typically in the afternoon which means I don't have to bring my pills with me.

I don't really have any resolutions again this year. One of the usual suspects, losing weight and eating better, I've done big time. I was around 195 and now I'm usually between 170-180 (I weigh more at my appointments because i have my shoes on). Ive also reduced my dosage of Metformin, for type 2 diabetes, to once a day. My house needs a good cleaning as usual but I have made progress there as well. Also since Judi Buckley got me excited this year by giving me someone to vote for in my SC House district, I've gotten involved in politics and plan to stay involved. I've come to the conclusion, however, that a run for office is not in my future. Being born on the cusp of exposure between Leo and Virgo, I have some Leo the Leader in me, but he's usually brought back down to earth by my ascending Virgo. A gay, HIV+ atheist would have little chance in the upstate of SC. I've also accepted that my current living situation isn't going to change anytime soon, so I'm going to make the most of my life here and stay behind the scenes.

And even though I'm probably more "Green" than "Blue", joining the Democratic Party offically is also a goal of mine.

One week to go. Here's who im voting for in races without Democrats.

I'm having trouble sleeping tonight and we're one week away from the election. I've made no secret of the fact I plan to vote straight party Democrat for the first time (or as I joking say, gay party) but I'm not going to be foolish about it. I know many races are still unopposed republicans or have no democrat, so I'm still going through my ballot for the other races. For years I've had to write-in family and friends, fortunately this year I don't have to do it for state house, but there's still going to be cause to write-in some races.

I'll start with Comptroller General. Far be it for me to judge someone's personal life, but there was a scandal over our current Comptroller sending racey emails to a then female Candidate for Superintendent of Education, and Richard Eckstrom just won't get my vote. I'm casting a write-in vote for my father Dan Patten, Jr ; a former CPA.

Due to the Democratic candidate for Superintendent of Education being disqualified from the ballot, it's an unopposed republican, and since I'm writing in my father, I'll write in my mother, Jean Patten, a retired public school guidance counselor.

While we're on the subject of education, the ballot question this year is whether to elect our superintendent as in the past and present, or make it an appointed position. This is the one issue I disagree with our democratic candidate for Governor. Currently, if you're elected to a four year term and not doing your job, it's very hard to get rid of you. If it's appointed, however, and you're not up to snuff, the governor could get rid of you. And there should be consistency, even if it is a republican administration.

One Republican I may vote for is our Commissioner of Agriculture, Hugh Weathers. I LOVE the "Certified SC Grown" campaign, and when I was doing my research on him, I found and article from 2016 on how he supports immigration reform and he recognizes the contribution immigrants, legal and illegal, make to our states agriculture industry. It may be an election day decision, however, as there is a green party candidate, who I could find little information on. There's also a United Citizens Party candidate, but I can find no info on him.

There's a petition candidate for circuit solicitor 13, Lucas C. Marchant, who has the support of my new democratic friends.

I'm writing myself in for Auditor against Scott Case, who is responsible for passing our counties "anti-gay ordinance" in 1996. Basically an individual was upset at the Olympic committee for supporting gay rights, so they faxed an ordinance to upstate counties where the torch run was coming through in order to disrupt it. Spartanburg county council passed it, but then realized what they had done and repealed it the next day. Greenville county council then got their teeth into it, and after both sides and made their speeches for and against, Scott Case basically said " I'm tired of this taking up council time" and it passed. In case you're wondering, even though I'm not really interested in or qualified for the job, I submitted my name as a write-in candidate and a vote for me should count. (That's Daniel Patten...note the -en not -on, although I specified both should be acceptable.)

County treasurer is an unopposed republican, and my youngest sister, Caroline Wylupek has an MBA from Clemson.

There's a non partisan race for soil and water commission, and Mike Stewart is the only person I can find any info on. He's a high-rankung member of the green party here in the upstate, and he is very active on Twitter. He's a huge soccer fan and seems to follow most sports except college football, which I'm willing to overlook. The only thing I know about the other two candidates is they are the incumbents. That leaves one spot open. My first thought was my friend David Phillips, who my late friend David Morris and a bunch of us got elected as a write-in candidate one year when only one name was on the ballot, but since the rest of my family are getting write-in votes, I can't leave out my sister Katie Batson, who has a degree in science (I think biology) from the University of South Carolina.

So 5 write-ins, all family, 1 petition and one either republican or green. Every other race, Democrats get my vote.

Will the real Christians please stand up?

I went on a sort of rant earlier today about our Governor starting his press conferences with someone leading a prayer and I want to expand on my comments a bit.

People often assume because I'm gay that I was somehow raised differently. Nothing could be further from the truth. I grew up going to Sans Souci Baptist Church, I went to church camp in the summer (my high school band camp was at the same campground the week before or after so at least once I stayed a whole two weeks). I had my moments of accepting Jesus as my savior, but I realize looking back on it how set up it was with the emotional music and guilt trips. It was never specifically stated "homosexuality is wrong" but one year we did have a discussion about how its ok to tell another man you love him as long as you don't mean it "that way". I had no problem with this concept but I could tell my other male friends were uncomfortable. I had always known I was different, but I was 20 before I put the word "gay" and applied it to myself. Actually at the time I said I was bisexual, not a total lie but a lot of gay men don't want that "gay" label at first.

It was probably an even tougher decision to admit I lacked belief in a "higher power". A magical being sitting on a cloud answering prayers, people turning into pillars of salt, being thrown into lions dens and being unharmed, or magical zoo boats with animals from all over the world showing up two by two, although this would explain why unicorns no longer exist because two males probably showed up and weren't allowed on the boat as a gay couple.

Despite my lack of belief in a "creator God", I still retain the values I was raised to follow. Love they neighbor. Judge not lest ye be judged. Caring for the poor and sick. There's a facebook group and organization I follow called "The Christian Left". I've even donated to them several times. $3 (as in queer as a...) Is all I can afford now and then. They and other groups like it, give me so much hope that true Christianity is not dead.

I recently read an article shared by my local state house candidate about Nixon's southern strategy which was revised by Lee Atwater and is still keeping the republicans in charge in the south today.

Republicans have people convinced that if you don't vote for them; love guns, hate gay people and immigrants, oppose taxes and women's reproductive choices that you're some kind of Godless communist who should be shot with an AK-47...Jesus's weapon of choice.

I think it's time those of us who consider ourselves Christians and are on the left of the political spectrum started pushing back and the best way to do that is get out and vote. Learn about your candidates, not just at the federal level but state and local elections. Lets make our voices heard. The so-called "religious" right has planted deep roots particularly in the south but we can uproot them! "The Christian Left" is starting to make headway, help them out if you can. Lets reclaim The real message of Christianity!

Cutting the cord finally

I've finally made the move. I'm dumping DirecTV in favor of streaming. Since I don't get at&t internet, I'm paying separately for internet (,and phone and tablet),Live Tv and streaming services. It just makes sense to go to streaming. I've chosen YouTube TV for my live broadcasts. They have all the main channels I watch and it worked well when I tried a free trial and all I will require is to hook my Google Chromecast back up. The only negative was the lack of TBS TNT and Trutv for March madness and that's solved now.

The big drawback was a lack of axs TV for new Japan pro wrestling. Also YouTube TV. Lacks science channel, discovery, tv Land and Logo plus others I never really watch but like it have just in case. Enter. Philo.

Philo has two plans, $16 and $20 a month. It has almost all the channels I enjoy. The $20. Bundle includes Logo, where I watch Golden Girls sometimes and occasionally they now have documentarues, and discovery America, which used to be my big napping channel.

All that's left is Hallmark and el REy network. Hallmark is where I watch Golden Girls, Frasier and cheers and el REy I watch lucha underground and the occasional quantum leap or Knight Rider reruns.

Frasier and cheers are on Amazon Prime, which I have a yearly subscription too. Golden Girls is on Hulu, $7.99/month (I didn't go with Hulu live TV because they don't show WWE raw and SmackDown live). Netflix (basic package $7.99/month...I don't have to have HD or multiple screens). All that is much less than I pay currently for DirecTV. It may take a while to get everything because I need some time to recover financially, but by my tax refund next year I should be all up and running.

Birthday (month) Blog

My birthday is just around the corner on the 22nd but I couldn't wait any longer to post my birthday blog. I have some things on my mind that are too long for a Facebook post.

It's been an up and down year, but I'm surviving. I'm looking forward to the rest of the year, particularly the election but I've done enough political preaching, so I'll spare you....this time.

The biggest changes have come in my increased reliance on streaming. I'm sticking with DirecTV for my main source of entertainment, I called and "threatened" to cancel but got another $30 off/month. I also can't bear to part with picture-in-picture, especially with football season coming up around the same time as a new season of Doctor Who. (I'm excited for our new female Doctor....shame on the haters.)

The big news today is the announcement that Patrick Stewart is returning as Jean-Luc Picard in a new Star Trek series. It will be on CBS all-access, which will make it more cost effective. I'm currently not subscribed to CBS all-access. I ended my subscription after I got Amazon Prime and learned both Britbox and CBS were channels on Amazon Prime. I stuck with Britbox, (I'm currently taking a break) but as the Discovery season had ended and the only other show I had started watching, Deep Space Nine, was available on Amazon Prime, I had no need for it. When Discovery returns I will subscribe again, but I have a dilemma. The Amazon Prime channel only has the $9.99 commercial free version. I was subscribed to the $5.99 version. The Amazon Prime channel, however, is easier to cancel, and my experience has been that I have no problems streaming on Amazon channels, but stand alone apps, like WWE Network for exampl (I recently restarted my subscription) only work well when I have high speed, but are choppy at best and buffer at the worst when I pass my high speed limit. So I think the best option is the Amazon channel even if it is more expensive.

As I mentioned, American football season is coming up and I've really given up trying to anticipate or predict what the Gamecocoks are going to do. I've also expanded my availability on Saturdays, choosing to take off days when there's a game I want to watch, which I did anyway, and rely on my phone for updates and maybe even watch a little on my breaks.

As for the NFL I plan to boycott this year at least in the regular season. I completely disagree with the NFL's hard-line stance on the anthem issue. They are so tonedeaf is shameful.

I'm excited about college basketball this year as my Alma mater begins our membership in the Big South. I'm considering adding a subscription to ESPN+ as I'm sure many games will be on that platform as well as baseball. I'm going to consider switching to monthly as opposed to my original yearly subscription which I started but ended before my free trail ended due to financial difficulties.

Speaking of college baseball, some big news concerning the Gamecocoks today. Our neutral site game with Clemson, which has almost always been here in Greenville, will now alternate each year between Greenville's Fluor Field and Columbia's Spirit Communications Park. This will make the series more fair, and I'm also a fan of the Columbia Fireflies. I'm questioning whether I will go to the game when it's in Greenville, however. It's the first Saturday in March, last year when I went on my own, the wind was gusting by the late innings and it was cold. You also have to buy your tickets though the Gamecocok Club (or IPTAY for Clemson fans). You don't get to pick your seat. I was the last seat in the last section in the next to the last row to the top. Also some USC and Clemson fans started jawing back and forth at one point and it was disturbing. I think I'll settle for USC vs. Furman and hopefully USC Upstate will play there again. USC/ Clemson is also the most expensive game of the year.

So I will soon have made my 48th orbit around the Sun. For those wondering if I'm a Leo or a Virgo the answer is both. August 19th-25th is known as the Cusp of Exposure and I'm right in the middle. I think theres a blog about that in my past posts.

I think that's all I had on my mind. If you read this, I'm sorry it was kinda boring. I find if I post something on Facebook or here when I have things on my mind I sleep better. Good night (or morning or afternoon whenever you're reading this).

"Gay" Party Voting

Owing to a request to be off early resulting in Monday and Tuesday off, I will be able to vote in the runoff on Tuesday. As I am a person of no religious beliefs, Brandon Browns statement that his faith guides him, coupled with a lack of response from his campaign on his stance in LGBT issues has me supporting Doris Lee Turner. It's got me thinking about my November choices.

One of the things that really irritates me is the countless races that are republicans running unopposed. I normally write myself or a friend or family member in, except for clerk if court Paul Wickensimer, who's daughter went to school with one of my sisters and who I've served jury duty two times under his direction and I like him. That isn't really a partisan position, however. I've learned that write-in votes only count if the candidate in question has submitted his intentions in writing to to county election commissioner. I've toyed with the idea of doing just that, but such a gesture would be largely symbolic and who knows what kind if trouble could come from such an endeavor.

I toyed with the idea of voting straight party Democratic in 2016, but on stubbling across a vote trading website I agreed to vote for Gary Johnson if a voter in North Carolina voted for Hillary. I never heard from this guy so I don't know if it worked, but due to the electoral college I stand by my vote as I was hoping the national libertarian party would get the magic 5% to qualify as a major party. In 2018, I think I may follow through and vote straight party Democratic.

I've pretty much given up on the South Carolina Libertarian party. They allow candidates to run as both libertarian and constitution party candidates, and to me the Constitution party is the antithesis if what I thought the libertarian party stood for. Besides there are no libertarian candidates in the upstate. The American party is a cute idea, but I don't see much in the way of capturing my vote.

By voting straight party, I avoid casting votes for unopposed Republicans as well as casting meaningless write-in votes. I believe I can cast a separate vote for Paul Wickensimer, who I support. ( Update:not sure if his office is even up for election this time).

(Further Update: there's a democratic candidate in my state house district! I didn't know until just now!)

Big South here we come!

I haven't posted a blog in quite a while and rather than make a controversial one, I'd like to talk about something I'm very excited about. USC Upstate joining the Big South conference on July 1st.

Don't get me wrong, the Atlantic Sun was a good fit, but no rivalries really exsisted. In the Big South you have teams in South Carolina, Winthrop, Presbyterian, Charleston Southern, but the rivalry I'm most looking forward too and hope develops is UNC-Asheville. It's just a natural rivalry to me. The branch campuses of the Carolinas (no disrespect Clemson fans) main universities in the western part of our states.

It's causing me a dilemma on whether or not to subscribe to the new ESPN+. I'm starting to catch up to the times in terms of streaming, which I addressed in my last blog. I'm wondering, however, if I would watch it enough to justify the quite reasonable $4.99 month. There's also a $49.99 yearly rate.

In terms of college baseball, of which I am a huge fan, I do watch a lot of Gamecock baseball games on ESPN3 (aka SEC Network+), but those games are available with my DirecTV subscription. I'm not sure if I would have the time to also watch my Spartans.

The value my be in terms of basketball. I'm unsure how many Big South games involving USC Upstate will be on ESPN+ vs. ESPN3, but I imagine many of the early non-conference games my be on +.

So I think I've come up with a solution. Since you can cancel ESPN+ at any time, I can start a subscription in November and stick with it perhaps through March and see how the early baseball coverage is, then cancel when I feel the coverage has panned out. 

One additional note: Liberty I think you're making a big mistake rejecting the Big South's offer of associate membership and instead joining the Atlantic Sun. I know you're moving your football program to FBS, but we're leaving the A-Sun because of travel and lack of rivalries. Then again I hate your founder. Good luck to you.