Okay. Let’s Talk About It.

Can we talk a moment, you and I? You all know I try to keep things light around here, but sometimes it’s necessary to get serious. I promise to stay as respectful as I can and try to tone down the snark. I know, it scares me too, but here we go.

There’s been a lot of talk about the Olympics this weekend. Well, more about the opening ceremony, really. I’m going to touch on that, but there’s something bigger involved here. Bear with me, and we’ll get there.

We all are entitled to our own opinions, of course, but this whole situation has gotten out of control. There are a lot of people out there, many of whom I love, who seem to have been caught up in what can only be classified as a fabricated controversy. Please keep reading, I can explain. Indulge me here.

Many of my fellow Christians are upset by what they have interpreted as a “mocking of God” and Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting of The Last Supper. The claim is that the painting was recreated using Drag Queens.

Others have argued that the reference was not to that painting, but the Baccanaal, which is a part of Greek cultural history, this being the Olympics and all. These people claim that the painting referenced is “The Feast Of The Gods” by Jan Harmensz van Biljert.

Here’s the thing, though. According to the actual director of the piece, and I am always one to take the creator of an artistic piece at their word, it’s not directly tied to either painting. The party was meant to celebrate togetherness and inclusivity.

Anyone who actually watched the ceremony (and I wonder how many of the enraged did) would have seen models of all races, sizes, genders, and abilities walking down the runway of the fashion show (not a supper or feast, mind you) in the spirit of love and inclusivity intended.

Which is where my confusion sets in. I watched the ceremony and thoroughly enjoyed it. The Last Supper never entered my mind, and I truly believe it was just the camera angle and pan out that set this all off. One shot of a fashion runway which then zoomed out to show people on both sides. So, no table, just a runway.

I’m thinking maybe some people got carried away here.

Okay, my Christian sisters and brothers, I love you, but we need to talk. If this blog is a bottle, here comes the message. I say this with love. Tough love, but love nonetheless.

This is why people hate us. This is why people run from the church and not to it.

Some of y’all have nothing better to do than to make up things to be angry about. Many of you reacted to this whole kerfuffle without taking time to research the cultural touch points, reasoning, or intentions of what you saw. My guess is that a lot of you were triggered by a social media post and just went off from there.

You know, if we as Christians (and I include myself in this) spent more time caring for “the least of these”-feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, housing the homeless, seeking justice for the oppressed, welcoming the stranger, etc., the world would see that and the pews would be full every Sunday. Because we’d be doing Jesus stuff.

But do you know what they saw instead? Hate. Prejudice. Self superiority and a “holy” righteousness that does not invite others in to know Christ, but pushes them away. It turns people off, guys.

And you know what? It turns me off, too.

I had a pit in my stomach all weekend over this whole thing. It hurts my head and my heart. Jesus is about love. God is about love. I haven’t seen any of that in the posts I’ve been reading or rhetoric I’m hearing. The problem is that this is not an isolated incident.

Guys, I am embarrassed to tell people I’m a Christian. I don’t know how to reconcile the message of love with the culture of hate and prejudice. I don’t know how we can say that God is the only judge and then judge people based on their gender, sexuality, race, or anything else. I mean, I kinda don’t want to be involved anymore. That’s how bad it’s gotten. I feel like giving up.

But… God has his ways, doesn’t he? This morning, I opened my drawer full of t-shirts and saw this one on top. I bought it from The Chritian Left website a while back. I also may or may not have been responsible for the design due to my suggestions on a Facebook post.

Anyway. It reminded me that I have some Christian friends who feel the same way I do and that I am not alone. I’ve found a church that is both inclusive and biblically sound. There are other Christians out there who are horrified at the thought that we would turn away any of God’s children from our door. It’s not just me. And that gives me just enough strength and hope to keep on the path.

I know I’ve stepped on some toes here, but it’s my hope that providing an often overlooked perspective may do some good, or at least get others thinking about the way we represent ourselves and how we deal with the outside world.

Oh, and if you think it’s a reach to say that Christians got carried away by all of this stuff and are looking for something to be angry about, remember this. The same day that the ceremony aired, an ex-president and current candidate told a group of conservative Christians that if they voted for him, they’d “never have to vote again.” The man just threatened to take away our right to vote and implied that he’d set himself up as dictator for life. But sure, let’s get mad about art. That’s clearly where the conversation should be, right?

Okay, that was snarky, but it wouldn’t be a MonDaves without a little snark, and I’ve been really good the whole time!

Thanks for indulging me and taking the time to read this through. You’re one of the good ones. See you next time.

The One Where I Get All Enthusiastic About My Kids, My Past, The Theater, And A Man Eating Plant

This weekend, daughter Tessa’s high school put on their Spring musical, “Little Shop Of Horrors” which *might* be my favorite musical of all time. There are a few others that can give it a run for its money, but “Little Shop” is one I can always return to and be lost in. The stage play differs quite a bit from the movie musical (which I also love), and significantly from the original 1960s non-musical original movie, which is barely watchable but does feature a young Jack Nicholson and is a Roger Corman production so I have some healthy respect for it too. Anyway, “Little Shop” is a really fun show that also happens to be tragically beautiful amidst all the murderous mayhem, hungry plants, situational comedy, and certified showtune bangers.

It is also very special to me because this show gave me my first sizeable role in a production, back when we performed it at my high school in (gulp) 1988. I’d had a few walk-ons before, but playing Mr. Mushnik was my first big part. In some ways, everything I’ve done since, from Children’s Theater in college through stand-up comedy in the1990s, and even making music in various bands can be traced in some way back to that production. I owe a lot to “Little Shop”, and even more to our director Bob Fowler for seeing something in me and giving me a shot. Thanks, Bob, if you’re reading this!

So it is with this background that I went to see this current production. Tessa wasn’t onstage this time-though she very well could have been. She’d have made a great urchin! Instead, she used her years of dance experience to choreograph the show. You see, the Assistant Director bailed out-I think due to a contract situation but I’m not too sure on the story-and that left a big hole to be filled. So, since Tessa was already “Dance Captain” for the show, her director asked if she knew anything about choreography. Now, she just so happened to choreograph a few songs for a Summer Theater camp last year, and since she has been a dancer for years (and is a member of a dance company here in town), the answer was yes. Follow up question: would she like to be in charge of choreography for a few songs? Sure. Okay, great, how about the WHOLE SHOW?

So she did. Every song that had a dance number, it all came from her noggin. There were even a few that didn’t really need choreo, but over achiever that she is, she got it in there anyway. And it was awesome! I know I’m biased, but I heard other audience members talking about the dance numbers too, so it wasn’t just me. It’s a credit to her that she took on a large chunk of responsibility, quite unexpectedly at that, saw it through, and nailed it.

I’m not sure how I could be more proud. Strangely, though, my sense of pride didn’t stop with just her. Perhaps it’s because I love the show so much, or because I’m a grown-up Theater Kid, or I’m just becoming a sentimental old fart, but I was proud of all of these kids-most of whom I don’t even know. Some I’ve met briefly, or heard Tessa talk about, but I don’t actually know them.

Yet, I kind of do. I know what they went through to get to this weekend. I know all the hours spent at school in rehearsal. I know about spending your free time in the evenings running your lines by yourself or with family. I know how it feels to be a teenager, feeling simultaneously sure that you can do anything and that there’s no way you can do any of this. To be fair, that’s a lot of adulthood too, but I digress. I know the frustrations of putting on a show, the panic that sets in about two weeks before, the elation when things go right and the heartbreak when even the tiniest thing goes wrong. I’ve been there. That’s why I’m so proud of them that they not only did it-but did it well.

These kids stepped it up. Apart from Tessa’s choreo thing, not having an assistant director meant that the student stage manager had to do a lot more work with the actors and the crew to get this show running. Also, this production was very fortunate in that the props head is also a legitimate puppeteer-and she made the Audrey II plants used in the show. ALL OF THEM, from the littlest pod to the giant man-eating plant we see in Act Two. They were excellent. This is what happens when passionate people are allowed to follow their hearts, use their own creativity and unique skill sets, and make their ideas a reality. It’s a joy to see.

That’s what amateur theater is. Especially High School Theater. It is joyful. It is pure. It is theater in its truest form. The same can be said for community theater groups as well, but High School theater can be really special.

Was the show perfect? Honestly, no. However, it was very, very good. I mean, we’re not talking about a professional touring production here. There are going to be a few glitches here and there, but it’s easy to overlook and forgive. In any amateur production, the cast and crew are shooting well over their heads for the stars, and when it all goes right-even if just for a moment-they can by God touch ’em.

I was able to attend three of the four productions this weekend. I watched the show progress from the opening night jitters to the assuredness of the final show. This is what I love about High School theater. The drama/theater department is a home to these kids. It gives the misfit, the loner, the shy kid, the weirdos, the misunderstood, and all those who are searching a place to belong. There is a spot for everyone in troupe who wishes to be there. Sure, there’s the actors onstage, but there are just as many people, usually more, running sound, lights, publicity, props, costumes, make-up, ticket sales and concessions, you name it. There’s a job for everyone, and they are all important to a successful show. Often, people wind up doing tasks they never thought they could do. By the end of the process, everyone has grown and can enjoy a job well done.

My heart has been filled this week. guys, I think I might have missed my calling. I should have been a high school theater teacher!

Both my daughters have been in productions over the last few years, and I have been proud of them both, and thoroughly enjoyed them all. I’ve had fun running lines, giving opinions and encouragement, and watching the success of their shows. I have been content to watch with pride as my kids get experiences in the arts, and take away lessons for a lifetime. I would wax nostalgic on my theater days, but leave it at that. For some reason, though, this weekend I have (finally) realized just how much I miss live theater. I miss the camaraderie and the competition. I miss the creativity and the challenge, the frustrations and the celebration.

I miss my stand-up days a little bit, but not much. I still play music for fun, and am very slowly working on a new project, but it’s not all consuming. This weekend’s shows has moved me more than I thought it would.

This is the part where you’re expecting me to announce that I am going to make a triumphant return to the stage. Well, I don’t know. I’ve avoided doing much performing for a long time, since the rehearsal time and all the work needed would take me away from my family for a good chunk of the week. I’ve felt it would be irresponsible of me as a father to do all that.

But-

The kids are older now, they get what it’s all about. I’ve been saying that I need something new in my life-but maybe I need to bring back something old and make it new.

I’m promising nothing. But I am beginning to think about it, or as Mushnik would say, “mull it over.” It’s a daunting idea. But an intriguing one. Never say never.

I’ll be back soon with more stuff. See you next time.

St. Patrick’s Day Post 2024-Random Irish Stuff

St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching. This is one of my favorite holidays. I’ve got some Irish blood in me, and I adore Irish culture, art, and music year round. Keep in mind, St. Patrick’s Day is a religious holiday observed in the Catholic church. It’s also a day reserved to celebrate Irish heritage and pride. It has become a “party day” for many (even for those with no Irish ancestry at all), but hopefully we can all remember and celebrate that there’s more to this day than dressing in green, wearing a big floppy hat or shamrock glasses, and drinking beer. By the way, if you’re going to drink a beer with some color, make sure it’s either a dark brown Guinness or maybe a nice Irish red, like Killian’s. Stay away from the green stuff-it’s inauthentic and gross. Don’t be that person.

Anyway, since the Emerald Isle will be front and center on everyone’s mind over the next week or so, I thought it might be fun to talk about some of the myths many people believe about Ireland, and perhaps set the record straight a bit. This will give you some interesting things to talk about at your St. Patrick’s day shindig. Provided, of course, you are in any shape to talk. Let’s dive in.

*St. Patrick drove all the snakes from Ireland
Well, no, not technically. Ireland is inhabitable to snakes, and there’s little or no evidence to suggest that there ever were any snakes to begin with. This story is more of an allegory about St. Patrick bringing Christianity to Ireland. Trouble is, it’s not actually that cut and dried.
As near as anybody can figure, St. Patrick was born in Britain or Wales around 390 CE (common, or current, era.) His name was Maewyn, and he was captured in an Irish raid while a teenager. He spent six years in Irish imprisonment (or possibly slavery) before he escaped. Later in life he became a man of the cloth, and went back to Ireland as a missionary because he knew the language and customs and he loved the people.
So that’s where we get the story-St. Patrick drove out the “snakes”, which in this case would be the Pagans. Except he didn’t. Paganism lasted well beyond St. Patrick’s time, and is still practiced today, in Ireland and around the world. Sure, Ireland is predominately Christian now, but it took a long time for the religion to take hold.
St. Patrick may or may not have been the first Christian in Ireland, and he may or may not have used the Shamrock to explain the trinity, as the story goes. None of his writings mention this as far as I can tell. It’s possible that this idea was merely attributed to him over the years, as the stories and myths about the man grew large enough to blend with and, perhaps, overtake the truth.
Still, the patron saint of Ireland is remembered and revered for good reason in the church and beyond.

*Green is the National Color of Ireland
Nope. Ireland has no official color, but many would argue for blue, which was the first color to be used in association with St. Patrick’s Day. Blue is used on the Coat of Arms of Ireland, and the Presidential Standard, a flag flown at the presidential residence.

*The Shamrock is the national symbol of Ireland
Nope again. It’s the harp. The harp is proudly displayed on both the National Coat of Arms, and on the Guinness label. How much more official can you get?

*Ireland is full of redheads
Gonna have to burst your bubble here, but this is a stereotype. The number of redheads in Ireland is probably closer to 10% of the population than the majority that most people in other countries assume. That’s still a lot of people, but far from a majority.

*All Irish people are drunkards.
Really? Okay, so, yeah, alcohol is a large part of the culture, and many social events center around drink. That’s true of most countries, including the USA. Also, there are just, like, a lot of Irish folk songs about alcohol too. Irish pubs are widely renowned, and nearly every major city around the world has an Irish-style pub. So maybe there’s a little truth here, but it’s still a stereotype. As of 2020, studies showed that roughly 20% of the Irish population didn’t drink alcohol at all, and certainly not all who drink do so irresponsibly.

*It is illegal be drunk or swear on a Sunday in Ireland
Actually, yeah. This law was enacted in 1661, prohibiting “drunkenness, cursing, swearing, and profaning of the Lord’s Day.” Shows you how far St. Patrick’s influence got. This law was finally taken off the books in 2015, but something tells me it wasn’t taken very seriously by most people.

Well, there you go, some interesting Irish info for you. I could go on, but I need to save some stuff for next year. Happy St. Patrick’s Day, MonDavers! See you next week.

Here’s A Story That’s Not Mine.

Folks, I’ve been a little overwhelmed here lately, and my carpal tunnel is acting up something awful over the last day or so. I’m not really in a place to write one of these this week.

So I’ve asked daughter Melody to step in. She’s going to wing it. I have no idea what you’re about to read but it will be…something.

Take it away, Mel.

What’s up guys, Melody here. To be honest, it was just a silly little joke when I said I would write the blog for my dad. He was like “I don’t really want to write anything,” and I was like “I’ll write it.” So he wrote an intro for me and let me take the wheel. My commitment to the bit is too strong for me to say no, and I don’t have school tomorrow, so there really isn’t any reason for me to not write a MonDave. Remember to like, subscribe, follow, comment, share, and whatever else you have to do so you never miss a MonDave.

So, as previously stated, I have no plan for this. Will I tell fun little stories that make you miss your childhood glory but simultaneously give you fear for today’s youth? Will I present you with my opinions that you won’t take seriously? Will I ramble on like this for the rest of the blog? Maybe. We’ll just have to see.

Even though I am in Honors English, I’m not that good at writing. This is one of the only times I have ever used the first person perspective. I never use it for fiction. It feels like I’m lying the whole time because I didn’t really do that stuff. Even though I am good at lying, I can only take so much. The point of that was that this blog won’t be very well written. I’m bad at writing, proper placement of commas, interacting with my peers, spelling, and plenty of other things, but let’s not dwell.

I’m also bad at transitions. So here’s one of the things I’ve done in my Honors English class. One time, during one of the first weeks of school when everyone is still doing those get to know you games, my English class was playing one of those games. This game was called magician, which didn’t have anything to do with performing mediocre cards tricks (which sucked because I know a really cool mediocre card trick.) Our teacher would select one person to be the magician, who had the special power of getting people out. Then, once a magician was selected, everyone would get up and make eye contact with each other. If you made eye contact with some random person, you were still in the game. But if you made eye contact with the magician, they would blink at you, and you’d be out. You could guess who the magician was at anytime. If you got it right, you won, and if you got it wrong, you were out. The magician would win if nobody ever guessed correctly that they were the magician. The prize for winning? Candy.

Trust me that it’s a lot simpler than it sounds and I’m just bad at explaining things. We played a couple rounds. I was doing pretty good. I never won, but I also didn’t get out. I don’t normally make eye contact with people while I’m walking so I just kinda stared at the floor the whole time. Eventually, it was time for the last round. And I was selected as the magician. You make think, “Oh that’s so cool you’re like the important person whose important and stuff.” But it was not cool.

Like I said, I’m bad at making eye contact while walking. But the magician is supposed to make eye contact. That’s the thing that makes the entire game work. So, I was a really bad magician, we were two minutes in, and I had only gotten one person out. My teacher kept saying things like “c’mon Magician” and “I would get people out if I was the magician.” All this pressure was really getting to me. No magician before me had succeeded, all of them had been discovered and defeated. The odds were stacked against me. Things looked hopeless. How could I ever win? But despite the odds, I managed to go down in magician history.

I got more and more people out, blinking like mad, taking away their numbers and-

Just kidding, that didn’t happen. I’m not that candy motivated. Here’s what I did instead. I needed an easy way out. And there was only one way you were guaranteed to get out. By guessing the magician wrong. There wasn’t a single rule that said the magician couldn’t guess who the magician was. So I guessed the first person I could think of that wasn’t myself.

The teacher looked at me for a moment, clearly deciding weather or she would let me carry out my slightly stupid plan. Finally, she said, “No… they were not the magician.” And I got to sit down and watch as everyone looked at each other with no one getting. All while the teacher and the one person I managed to get out looking at me.

Eventually, the people who were left to walk and look at each other did figure out something was up. I confessed and everyone was a little mad at me for giving them a slightly awkward experience where they were forced to make everyone’s biggest fear, eye contact. And though I tried, my teacher didn’t give me any candy (Even though I was technically never guessed by anyone. But I did guess wrong on who the magician was, so I suppose those two things cancel each other out. Maybe I would have won if I had guessed myself…)

Anyway, the moral of that story was to always use exploit the system for the funniest outcome possible. It’s past my bedtime and I’m tired, so I’m signing off for the night. Catch ya later MonDavers.

Okay, thanks Melody! Well, there you have it. A few notes from my perspective:

1. I think she’s a little better at writing than she gives herself credit for, don’t you?

2. From here on out, you are all going to be referred to as MonDavers. That’s all there is to it. Get comfortable with your new title, and wear it proudly.

See you next week when I promise to write my own stuff.

P.S-Since Melody wrote this, should it technically be called a MelDave? Eh. Probably not.

Colander List?

We are now firmly into Winter, and many of us are not only looking forward to warmer months on the horizon, but also to the possibilities they bring for travel. Some people have no doubt already begun booking hotels and transportation for outings near and far throughout the remainder of the year. I too have begun discussions with my family about what weeks would be good travel options and where we may like to go.

Most people have a handful of places they have been to time and again, and have dream vacations in mind for a “someday”, which may or may not ever come. A quick Google search will certainly bring up multiple blogs featuring “Bucket List Destinations” for both serious travelers and daydreamers alike.

This got me thinking about my travel goals. Not only about the places I’d love to see someday, but also the places I have no desire to go. I mean, there are thousands of destinations all across the world that may be interesting from a historical or architectural perspective, or filled with beauty, art, and fine dining that call to me-and others that just plain don’t. It’s not that they’re bad places to go to necessarily, they just don’t have any pull for yours truly. They represent almost an anti-bucket list. A colander list, if you will.

So let’s dive into that. Wait, can you dive into a colander? There’d be nothing to dive into. Never mind. I’ll start again.

So let’s explore this idea (much better!) of places I don’t wish to visit. Now, I don’t want to be too negative, or to dump on any specific location. I’m not out to insult the good people of the world, nor poop on the parade of anyone who does want to visit these destinations. Besides, me typing out a specific list would virtually guarantee that I’d wind up visiting at least a few of them just because I called them out because that’s how karma works. Instead of listing individual locations, I’m going to list the types of places I’d care not to go, and give a few examples just to prove the point. Got that? Me neither, but let’s roll.

-The Frozen Tundra
Okay, I’m not talking about Lambeau Field here (although I could take or leave it, honestly) but destinations known for cold and snow. You don’t have to know me for more than one winter season to know that I can’t stand to be cold, not even for a few minutes. This automatically rules out places like Antarctica, all of Norway, and Greenland. Actually Greenland would be out anyway just because it’s named like a beautiful, lush, green paradise but is full of ice and snow. Conversely, Iceland is green and pretty. I’m not going to either one, just on principal.
Look, I know a lot of people enjoy destinations like these. Some people love downhill skiing, or cross country skiing. People enjoy taking trips to see the Northern Lights, or snow capped mountains and frozen lakes. Admittedly, there is some beautiful scenery out there in the colder climates. It’s just the cold part I don’t like. Hey, I try not to go out of my own house in the Winter months, much less on a trip.
Now, having said all this, I would consider a trip to some of the Northern states in the US, like Minnesota, North Dakota, what have you. I’ve even been to Alaska and Victoria, Canada. Well, I visited in Summer, which is when I’d go up north in the USA. As far as the countries where cold is your thing 24/7- I love y’all, and much respect to you, but I’m not coming to see you anytime soon.

-Volcano Land
I am seriously afraid of volcanoes. Particularly active ones, but inactive ones too. What if they wake back up?
My fear of volcanoes began in grade school. During the volcano unit in Science class, we read up on the eruption of Mount St. Helens. One of the books we had access to began with a scientist who was studying the volcanic activity, and recorded his last words as he spoke them over the radio to, um, whoever he was broadcasting to. Some university or something. Anyway, reading a guy’s last words (without knowing it in advance) really got to me as a child and kinda messed me up. So yeah, I’m afraid of a volcanic eruption happening. It seems like a horrible death.
I know someone who climbed a volcano once. It wrecked her shoes. I have mad respect for this person, and in many ways, and I have been inspired by her, but I’m not going up Death Mountain. Some stories are best heard and not lived.
So I guess what I’m trying to say here is that Hawaii is out. So is Yellowstone National Park, because it’s basically one big volcano that’s gonna blow one day and wipe out just, like, a lot of stuff. I will not be there when it happens. Pity, it looks awesome otherwise, but I am not taking that chance.

-The Middle East
Okay, I know that visiting The Holy Land is supposed to be a moving experience, and that there is much beauty to be seen. I know there are some interesting and lovely people throughout the many countries, and that immersing myself in another culture would make me not only a more experienced person, but also perhaps more empathetic.
But, I mean, there’s been war waging over there since forever, and I am a pacifist after all. I am also a coward. Self preservation keeps me far away from these shores. By the way, please don’t read any of this as a political statement. The reasons for conflict in the Middle East are many. They are varied and complex. I would never make light of anything happening over there- I just don’t like war. Any war. Nor do I want to be caught in the middle of one.
Also, there’s lots of sand. Which brings me to…

-Anywhere With Too Much Sand
Sand sucks. I hate sand. I am not a beach person, and it’s roughly 90% due to my dislike of sand. So beaches are out, unless there’s a full fledged city I can explore with the beach in the background for scenery. That’d be okay. But like, small resort towns are out. Along with a good chunk of Arizona I suppose. New Mexico. Mexico. Parts of Texas. There’s a lot, now that I think of it.
Also, the Sahara desert is out. ‘Cause it’s a desert. I know I said I hated cold a little earlier, but just because I like warm weather doesn’t mean I’d like to melt to death.

-Creepy Crawly Country
Mostly Australia. They have lots of snakes, and what can only be described as big-ass spiders the size of your head. Nope. No thank you. I’ve met some Aussies in my day and they have all been really cool people. Australia seems like an amazing country to visit. I just need y’all to fumigate it before I come over is all. Thanks.
Ooh, and let’s not forget the Amazon Rain Forest. There are as yet undiscovered species of critters waiting to kill me there, along with all the animals that we know of which also want to kill me. Besides the creatures, going to the Rainforest and coming out alive just seems like a lot. I mean, I’m mostly basing this information on movies I saw on cable back in the 80’s and 90’s, but I think the premise is sound.

-Las Vegas
I’m sure it’s fine, and I’d have fun. It’s just that I don’t gamble, and being diabetic I try not to go to buffets since I would surely overindulge. From what I hear, the buffets are legendary, and that’s too much temptation for this guy.
Having said that, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that I may travel there for the right musician’s residency, or a festival of some kind. So Vegas isn’t totally out I guess, but it’s not real high on the list, even if Travis Kelce did make an impassioned endorsement at the Super Bowl.

Well, that’s a general idea of the type of travel destination that I would tend to avoid. Fortunately for me, there are literally thousands of places to explore in this great big world of ours, so there’ll be plenty of trips to be had and memories to be made.

Happy travels, and I’ll see you next time.