Hellos, and goodbyes. Goodbye, Facebook and X. Hello, BlueSky. If you’re looking for me, read this post to find out where to find me, out there on the Internet.

Like many people, I’ve lately become sick of so many things. It isn’t just Donald Trump and Trumpism, nor toxic forms of religion, nor anti-science attitudes, nor Elon Musk, nor the website X (formerly known as Twitter), nor Facebook, nor Mark Zuckerberg, nor billionaires in general, nor political parties, nor the war on women, nor anti-vaxxers, nor fascists on the far right, nor Communists on the far left, nor mass incarceration, nor the wars at home and abroad, nor people who hate friends of mine just because they want to change things about themselves, such as their own bodies and names. I’m sick of people trying to destroy public education and teachers’ unions. I’m sick of all these things, and more.

Quite frankly, if you’re friend-requesting me on Facebook just to immediately send me a private message, which I call “flirtspam,” I’m sick of you. I’m married, and am not looking to change that. I’m sick of people posting advertisements on my Facebook wall, without even asking for permission first. I’m sick of of Trump and his MAGAs. I’m sick of proselytizing, for or against religion. Frankly, if you’re part of any of these problems, I’m sick of you.

It’s all these negative things, and more, that I want to leave behind. There’s poison in all this hatred, and I don’t want to die from it. Therefore, just like I left the toxic practice of drinking ethanol behind (hopefully for good, this time), on July 20, 2023, I am now leaving my negative social media exposure, with this post.

This is my last post on Facebook and on X. I’m not going to deactivate them; I just won’t be posting anything new on my own FB-wall or Twitter-feed any more. My blog is staying right where it is, at http://www.robertlovespi.net. You’re welcome to follow it, “like” my posts, or comment on them. I usually respond to my blog-comments, especially if I’ve been asked a question. More blog-posts are coming; they just won’t be shared on Facebook or X any more. My blog even has a tip jar, if you’re so inclined, but it’s completely optional and voluntary. You can see everything there for free.

You can also interact with me, if you’re seeking to form or maintain honest, healthy friendships, in one other way, on a new social media website. If you’re also sick of all this toxic hatred, which is literally poisoning our minds, our society, and our world, I will let you know where you can find me. I’ve got a lot of friends on Facebook, after all, and a few on X/Twitter, and I invite those friends to join me in the mass exodus away from those two sites, and toward the new social media platform known as BlueSky. It’s a little bit like Twitter, and a little bit like Facebook, except that it is, so far, not infected with any terminal disease. My profile page there is at https://bsky.app/profile/robertlovespi.bsky.social. All I ask is that you be willing to “give peace a chance,” if you look me up there.

Hello, BlueSky!

The Seven Types of Beatles Fans: My Utterly Biased View

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beatles

I have never met a serious fan of The Beatles who did not have one favorite Beatle. (I’m sure it is obvious which Beatle is my favorite.)

As for Yoko Ono, she is a highly polarizing figure among Beatles fans — they love her, or they hate her, but there is very little, if any, in-between, which is why I omitted “middle-ground” answers to the “Yoko question” in this chart.

Image credits: I found the pictures shown on these websites.

Source for John Lennon quote: this website.

History’s Luckiest Person: Ringo Starr

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History's Luckiest Person:  Ringo Starr

No wonder he’s smiling in this picture. Ringo Starr has reason to smile. I’ve listened to some of his solo work, and it’s terrible. (Sample lyrics: “Stop, and smell the roses — stop, and fill your noses.”) He’s a proficient drummer, true, but not in the same class as, say, Keith Moon (of the Who) or John Paul Jones (of Led Zeppelin). Unlike those two excellent drummers, though, Ringo Starr is still alive — more good luck.

His original, huge portion of good luck, of course, came when he was chosen to replace Pete Best in the early years of the Beatles, thus tying his name, in musical history, to three truly amazing musicians: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison. Pete Best, on the other hand, just might be history’s unluckiest person.

What To Do with Faux Beatles Fans

You know the type. Many were introduced to Beatles’ music by the film Across the Universe. There’s nothing wrong with that, by itself, but, when paired with the presentation of oneself as the biggest Beatles’ fan ever, the equation changes — to one that calls for action.

The action to take? Challenge them to a trivia game.

My favorite such game is “name that tune.” It’s even fun to provide hints, especially if others who know The Beatles are present. The best one yet was challenging someone to name “this song by the Beatle named Mick Jagger,” and then playing “Sympathy for the Devil.”

If you’re in the mood to hear it right now, here you go:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkXIYgsvO0c

As it turned out, this person hadn’t yet heard the Beatles album which contains this Rolling Stones song.

My Newest Relaxation Method: Assembling Music Videos

I could type “making” music videos, but it isn’t my music. In one of these three examples, even the pictures were not created by me. So I’m assembling music videos — nothing more.

It’s relaxing, nonetheless.

Here are three such efforts:

1. Murder By Death covering “We Only Come Out at Night,” a song by by The Smashing Pumpkins:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8L8pBeI548&feature=plcp

2. “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXY3eC15U_Q&feature=plcp

3. Three different versions of “Feeling Yourself Disintegrate,” by The Flaming Lips, back-to-back:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ7lQ-wRkqQ&feature=plcp

I was taught to use Windows Movie Maker in a teacher-training class. It’s probably the most beneficial such training I’ve ever received, for I’m actually using it for something that helps me feel better, when I’m anxious or depressed.

Am I implying that most (but not all) teacher-training sessions are utterly worthless? Why, of course I am!