Buffa's Buffet, Vol. 73: Toxic driver habits, the power of deodorant, and 'The Last of Us' review
Let's get into it before the weekend officially starts.
As I take a break from the most indie of indie sci-fi thrillers that could double as a porno, let’s clear the deck. Here’s the thing. From the first dose on this site at the beginning of 2022, the pledge has been to keep the paid subscription rate at the lowest possible, and offer up the majority of the content for free.
The Buffets have always been something I like to put behind the wall. If the rest of the content is free for the most part, the potpourris will remain partially paid at least. You may get one or two topical discussions, but something has to be dangled to make the monthly charge or one Starbucks drink palpable. It’s not about the material; more about offering the more unfiltered, random thoughts as the next tier.
Consider this bonus material, or possibly a piece of bait.
Drivers seem pretty mean these days, right? Red lights and stop signs have been run for decades, especially in St. Louis. But the anger around the streets is new. Drivers cutting each other off, and adding vulgarity to the equation. I saw a driver get mad at me for not getting out of his way faster so he could run the red light. The next light after, however, he stopped.
I know it’s connected to the pop culture mix with politics, because those two things really steer a society’s mood, more than people would like to admit. How do you tweak or mess with that? Hard to fathom, much less pull off. I could tell you that a special task force of road officers could help improve the streets, but it wouldn’t get past the laughed-off stage downtown. Such is life…
Can I tell you how important deodorant is? Essential. Simple. Something an adult should know and trust to be important. Far too many souls-humans that are also far too close to me-forget about the wash and soap process. The mere coating of a deodorant stick. Bad driving is one thing. You either can, can’t, or fake it until the parking lot. Bathing yourself should come as natural as making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
One could at least hope.
The Last of Us is good television, if not as Earth-shattering great as many made it out to be. That’s a movie or show for you. Everybody sees these things differently, like walking past someone’s imagination, exposed for the moment. Pedro Pascal is a solid everyman, but it’s Bella Ramsey and the frequent guest stars who make this post-apocalyptic drama series what it is.
An unusual, but not anti-climactic, final scene does leave a viewer chewing on his mental fingernails. Pascal’s mercenary is a courageous and mostly noble soul, but Joel is also a damaged bird with a void to fill. Ramsey’s special and important passenger goes from strange target to friend to close confidant over the nine episodes.
I liked how it didn’t settle into one tone, but delivered genuine thrills and emotion. Episode 3 with Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett (the Australian concierge from The White Lotus) is top-tier storytelling. I wanted more time with those two than anyone else on the show.
The Last of Us is like the recently arrived Yuengling Lager. It’s overhyped, but still enjoyable.
The Cardinals won yesterday, hours after the sun rose following another harsh loss. They’re 10-16. All they needed was a good old fashioned start from their pitcher. Miles Mikolas gave them innings, and the bats opened up. The sound off the bat of Alec Burleson’s home run could cure a bad mood in seconds. Take it one game at a time, folks.
We’re not playing the games, thankfully. But the big takeaway, positive at least, is the young infusion of power and production. Burleson and Jordan Walker haven’t been perfect, but look at their strides. Nolan Gorman is a beast already. The team can put up some runs. Just need the starters to clear the runway more often.
One final thing. Hang with your folks as much as you can. That’s what I do every Friday night. Hug the mom, and hang with the dad. We fire up a little cannabis, take to the road, and our GPS somehow breaks. It’s about the time spent, not necessarily the activity.
The other day, on a rather beautiful afternoon, the old man and I had some lunch at Chris’ Pancakes. So good. We laughed like kids, ate some good food, and time passed smoothly. Isn’t that the goal? Passing time smoothly and filling it with good times.
I hope so. Have a good weekend.
