Well that’s a summer wrap

Like a squirrel I have been storing away little news bits this past summer that have been of interest in their wackiness. I just have not had the time to sit, process and write about them as I used to. Amazing how a new job, a new coast and a general sense of wanting to get to know my new environment have kept me from writing up snarky takes on the news of the week.   However, I have been squirreling them away, post-its and all.

It’s the crips vs bloods. As someone who travels a lot and who gets a pat down on almost every trip I had to shake my head at this story.   On a recent flight this summer, two passengers got into a heated and eventual physical argument after the plane landed. The person by the window was anxious to get off the plane apparently. So anxious that she started to climb over the person seated in the aisle seat. Aisle lady wasn’t haven’t it. Window lady pulled out a razor blade. Aisle lady pepper sprayed her. What? I bring a pear in my carry on and get a pat down (yes this happened in Tennessee airport).   Yet these two ladies brought weapons that they ended up using. How did they get past TSA?

The hair has it. Seriously, at the end of May would anyone have predicted that Trump would be ahead in the polls for the Republican nomination? I don’t even think Trump would have predicted or even bet his casino money on it back then. Jeb Bush must be wondering why he didn’t run in 2000.

You say tomato, we say hypocrite. Do I even have to keep writing anything else here? Ok, I will. It seems for the most part a major part of the summer news was the public’s outrage (which is really getting tiring) at the hypocrites in the public eye.   Josh Duggar admits to molesting his sisters when younger. They publicly defend him because he was young and did it while they were sleeping. So, it doesn’t really count. Then someone hacks the cheating website and lo and behold his name is there and he admits to cheating on his wife. Now, there is even some family outrage.   Why, oh why, doesn’t a magic wand truly exist to make them all go away?  By the way, Trump may be up ahead in the polls, partly because he just says what he means. Considering all the hypocrisy out there, he might seem refreshing to some. The social psychologists in me sees many possible research studies here.

Vast uncouplings. Ever since Gwyneth noted that she was uncoupling, it has been fun to use the phrase and make fun of her. Sadly, the media keeps reporting to no end on the celebrities that decided to end their relationships this summer.   Do we really think this past summer saw more uncouplings than others? I honestly do not know. However, the media is engaging in a bit of a false sense of shock. Jennifer and Ben, Gwen and Gavin, Blake and Miranda have all called it quits. And, we care because …..I will say this, hopefully, Gavin Rosedale will now go back to making good music and Jennifer will finally star in a true movie hit (if such a thing exists anymore).

Was there a big action blockbuster? For the first time in several years, I have started going to the movies again. However, I can barely remember them and do not even know what is currently out at the theatres. Was there a big movie this summer? I think Mission Impossible (whatever the latest one is called) was the big summer hit.   But I so don’t know what has happened to the movies. Is it dying off? Are movies still a major part of our popular culture? It seems we need another Lumiere moment.

Going from selfies to squad photos. I do neither. Yet, this summer so longer and longer selfie sticks while groups of people claiming to be a squad posing together.   I can assure you that in a year, many of the people in these squad photos will look back and ask “who is that next to me?” Does the world seem more and more like we are reverting to high school? OMG SMH #squadgoals should include eating.

Transracial still exist or is its 15 minutes of fame done? Rachel Dolezal, president of the Spokane, Washington, chapter of the NAACP , despite presenting herself differently, is not Black. The family got involved in media interviews and one felt a bit like at a family home during a family argument.   Then everyone started debating if there is such a thing as being transracial; likening it to transgender. Whoa. Not so fast and not so much. Moving on

Lastly, there were also very important, human interest and social justice stories that unfolded this summer from #blacklivesmatter to the refugee crisis to the various shootings in the US. They don’t belong in this type of snarky column. I will tell you, though, that at times it seemed that the summer action movie was just being disturbingly played out in the real world with shootings at movies, churches and even on live television.   I think I will crawl back into my home and watch rom-com Netflix movies such as dirty dancing. May those who lost their lives rest in peace and those that struggle find a path forward.