Wondering on Wednesday (v204)

Ready... Set... Wonder!

Let's get right to the wondering, shall we, first off, on those stimulus checks.

• What, I wonder, other than megalomania, narcissism, delusions of grandeur, would compel a president to put his name on checks that are returning our own money to us as part of one of the coronavirus pandemic stimulus packages? Whether he suggested it himself, or if someone else suggested it, a reasonable president would say that it was a bunch of hooey and turn down the offer.  Now, we know that the same guy who's doing this is the one who demanded - or allowed - his name to be the same size as the name of our country on the sign on the new embassy in Jerusalem, so I'm guessing that he is likely the driver behind this effort. Either way, no need to wonder - it's ridiculous.

• Staying on the stimulus, there are multiple memes floating around wondering if #NeverTrumpers like me are going to refuse the stimulus checks because "they're from Trump" - which of course, they're not - as noted above, it's our money. Because that's where the government gets money -- from us. But now I have to wonder, will the Trumpeters keep the check, you know, frame it or something, like businesses do with their first dollar? 

• And lastly, on this topic, I wondered out loud on social media whether anyone had gotten their check yet.  After a few hours, it's almost dead even: 50.8% of respondents had gotten their checks, 49.2% had not (including my husband and me). Two people tried unsuccessfully to check the status of theirs on the new IRS website; one person got less than expected, for as yet unknown reasons; one changed banks last year and so will have to wait for the paper check - and one person said the check would be returned to the government. 

Let's see, what else...  Anyone wondering who will be the next person to endorse Papa Joe Biden, now that That Guy from Vermont and Barack and Elizabeth have come around? Are there any other endorsements still out there that will be meaningful, or any that might be unexpected? I'm not thinking of anyone off the top of my head, but let me know if you've got any ideas.

If you're wondering, I'm not going to go there on the whole question of 'authority' and 'permission' and whatever on earth we've been hearing about who can do what to whom when it comes to reopening America. I'll save that for later. 

I will wonder, though, whether you think it's true that Mitch McConnell (R-White House) has been suggesting older conservative judges consider retiring, so that more slots can be filled by, you know, all those Gen Y kids selected by the good folks at the Heritage Foundation, on the chance that either he or the president doesn't win reelection. I know that's month-old news, but I didn't catch it earlier. Thoughts?

And now, for the good news. I don't really wonder all that much about this stuff, other than to think what will happen when we're back to (ab)normal? Will the good stuff continue? Will people keep talking about it? Or will it fall by the wayside?

This story is about a wonderful kid, a friend of my nephew's, who passed away a few days ago. We know that it's not possible to have 'normal' funerals, if that's the right word, where people gather and share stories and hug and cry on each other's shoulders and what not. But all is not lost, as his school and his friends showed - all is not lost.

And this one's from a sibling's adopted hometown, where the teachers did the parade thing, driving by every student's house.  Said sibling was, for a time, stuck in the parade, which made it more entertaining. 

And finally, if you're a movie fan or a Tom Hanks fan, you'll remember the piano dance scene from the movie 'Big'. Well, here's a much more complicated example, with four players, from a couple of years ago. So no, it's not specifically from this age of social distancing, but it sure did put a smile on our faces!

Got a good news story to share? Drop a note in the comments! And if you're willing to share your go-to hand lotion, let me know!