Before I get into specific subject matter, I just want to clarify what you will and will not find on these pages. I can’t promise anything (Remember… I’m old and cranky) but my goals are pretty simple,
I am aiming to provide a balance of information and entertainment. Since Deborah Norville has retired you are stuck with me! (Does anyone get that reference?!) After some thought, that is a terrible comparison. How about the non-retired Mario Lopez? Nah! I’m too old and not quite as handsome. Anyway, the point is, I would like to share thoughts and information that might enlighten a little without hurting your brain and about subjects that matter. So, you won’t hear me talking about what Sydney Sweeney wore (or DIDN’T wear) on the red carpet somewhere. (Although, I just did that, didn’t I?) The only time I might reference the Kardashians is in an off hand derogatory manner. If I use the word “moist” just shoot me! (Why does that word bother people?)
There will be no use of AI in this blog space. As tempting as it is to depict a certain political figure swinging on a wrecking ball outside a particular white building ( ala Myle Cyrus), you will not see that here. (Although that image in now racing through your brain no matter how hard you try to stop it!) That’s right : every letter of every word will be handwritten on this legal pad and then pain-staking reproduced by hand on my IPad or cell phone to share with you. As you may have noticed, no spell check either! There is no editorial board to get past. No influencer advising me on how to increase my “exposure” or “market penetration” with certain verbiage. (I don’t know about you but, “market penetration” is much more disturbing than “moist”!) Just little ol’ me trying to make sense of what is going on around me.
I will try to avoid “political speech” as much as I can – although I will defend my right and the right of others to express themselves. I don’t want my ramblings to be ammunition for the red state/ blue state, right wing / left wing, fascist/ democratic battle that practically consumes our day to day. I would hope to be “the voice of reason” in a sea of hate and disrespect. We will see how that goes. (That wrecking ball thing kind of crossed the line already, huh?) Remember, I am old and cranky! For those who know me, I generally have the best of intentions but sometimes…it doesn’t work out that way.
Lastly, I will try not to embarrass my friends and family. That IS something I am quite good at, or so I am told, but I will avoid that to the best of my ability. At the very least, their names will be changed, or better yet, REDACTED, for their protection. (I’ll bet that’s one job that hasn’t been eliminated by the DOGE crew!) But seriously, I don’t want anybody to cringe when they see what I wrote for the whole world (very optimistically) to see. After all, that wouldn’t be good for my “market penetration” Ha!
So… those are some of the ground rules. I hope I can stick to them. I also hope you are getting used to my writing style by now. I know, it takes some concentration to follow where I am going. I was thinking about this the other day and I came up with a helpful comparison. For those of you who are familiar with “The Office” (sitcom from the early/mid 2000’s – American version) I feel like my parenthetical statements – of which there are many – are like when Jim looks at the camera in response to some ridiculous thing Michael just said or did. (Of course, I am just responding to what I just wrote, but you get the picture) it’s subtle but adds to the narrative. (My thanks to John Krasinski for his inspiration here.)
What do you think? I will try to avoid the “That’s what she said”, moments for now.
Don’t worry, Volume 1 No. 3 will actually have some subject matter, probably about people’s driving habits (Cranky!). Stay tuned for more!
DFSmith
11/07/2025
Old and Cranky News 
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