Biden my time til 2020, Warren it to get here sooner with a Bern-ing desire to vote for Pete's sake.

So I've been looking for the perfect opportunity to post about the 2020 presidential race, and these ridiculous allegations against Uncle Joe come out. I'm all for the #MeToo movement.  Men should treat Women better and we need to respect personal space and all that. We also know the kind of man Joe Biden is and this just doesn't match up. This is obviously a blatent attempt to discredit the democratic front runner, who hasn't even announced that he's running yet. Compared to our sexual assalter in chief whatever Uncle Joe's missteps, these are nothing. And even though I'm a progressive and Joe Biden is a centrist, i think he's our best shot to beat trump, leading by 10 points in the last polls i looked up. Joe Biden will likely not get my vote next February, however.

I supported Bernie Sanders in the 2016 primary, and still get fire from both the left and right because of it. My "friends" on the right think I'm a Pie in the sky dreamer and those on the left accuse me of being a party crasher. I recently joined the Democratic Socialists of America and Bernie's our guy, but I'm not planning on voting for him.

I love Elizabeth Warren especially the way she takes on the big banks. After we failed to elect our first female president in 2016, it would be great to right that wrong, but she probably won't get my vote.

My vote February 2020 will almost assuredly go to Mayor Pete Buttigieg, the openly gay mayor of South Bend, Indiana.

If you haven't heard of him, the best piece on him was done by Trevor Noah of "The Daily Show".

https://youtu.be/13OypBRrwv8

It is rumored that Joe Biden will not only announce Stacey Abrams as his running mate from the get go, but that he will run as a one-term president.  If that happens, or worst case scenario we get another four years of trump, look out for Mayor Pete in 2024.

I'm mad as hell......

I know what these federal workers are going through.  I live paycheck-to-paycheck. I had a terrible summer financially because i wasnt getting enough hours at work. I had to end my dental and vison insurance and reduce my United Way donation from $5/week to $1/week because I simply wasnt taking home enough money. I had to drop DirecTV which i was very happy with because i simply couldnt afford it anymore.  I'm very fortunate that my parents allow me to live in this house practically rent free ($25/week goes from my paycheck to an account my father uses to pay bills). I know what its like to miss a paycheck.  Donald Trump doesn't understand that.

Our "president " has never struggled to pay a bill in his life. He said in a speech defending voter ID laws (which are thinly veiled voter suppression in my opinion) that you have to show your ID to buy groceries.  I want a President whos bought their own groceries in the past 60 years.

Donald trump is holding these people hostage because hes having a temper tantrum and few Republicans have the guts to stand up to him.

A border wall would do nothing and immigrants are not the propblem anyway they are just a scapegoat.  If trump really cared about security,  he would be just as eagar to reopen the government as anyone. Our security is at risk because of this shoutdown. How anyone,  even the most staunch conservative,  can still support this idiot is beyond me.

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).