Well, it’s been over four years since I more or less retired this blog. That was in the middle of coronahysteria. I was, as I explained in my goodbye post, burned out from years of working both a full-time job and a nearly-full-time second job as blogger and filmmaker. I was beyond ready to take a break.
And to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, I was also disgusted by quite a few low-carb enthusiasts because they swallowed the Covid nonsense — hook, line and sinker. I’m talking about people who had frequently said in their posts, videos and speeches that the federal health agencies don’t work for you; they work for Big Pharma. You can’t just trust what those federal agencies or their pals in the media say; you have to do your own research.
Then Covid put a little scare into them, and suddenly they became obedient sheep. A scientist I’d previously respected and whose motto was “follow the data” even said we should wear masks despite the lack of any evidence they worked because by gosh, it would make people feeeeeel safer. I posted this graphic on Twitter at some point.
Between being burned out and being disgusted by coronahysteria and the otherwise-intelligent people who fell for it, I decided I was done with regular blogging. I probably still am done with regular blogging. In fact, I’m not sure blogs are much of a thing anymore. Seems like the bloggers I used to follow who still write are all on Substack or a similar platform. I may be writing this post for myself, since I’m not sure anyone will see it.
But I’m writing anyway it to let anyone who comes across the blog know that I’m alive, I’m well, I’m happy, and I’m still involved in creative pursuits. In my goodbye post, I wrote this:
Perhaps I’ll be inspired to write another book someday. Perhaps I’ll record all the songs that have been floating around in my head for decades.
Yup. That’s what I’ve been doing, along with a few other activities. Back in 2020, I expressed how I felt about cornahysteria in a music video.
I received the hater-comments I expected from people caught up in the hysteria. Interestingly, one of them was from a relative who told me I’m awful person, because by gosh, his wife works at a care facility for the elderly and SOME OF THEM DIED! Interesting response to a video in which I was making the point that we’re creating a mass panic over a virus that mostly kills old people. (Some of my relatives aren’t the sharpest tools in the shed.)
When Pharma Whore Peter Hotez made excuses not to debate RFK Jr. on the Joe Rogan show, I was inspired to produce this music-video. (My lyrics, but not my music. The song is a parody of Farmer Tan from the musical Pump Boys And Dinettes.)
Way back in the 1980s, I wrote a musical-comedy play titled Homecoming Dance. The play followed a group of characters from the 1950s to the 1980s. Each musical break was an homage to/parody of the popular music at that point in the story. Those songs have lived in my head ever since. (Well, they also lived on four-track recordings on hissy old cassettes, but those were hardly worth a listen.) I’ve told myself for years that someday I’d re-record them, especially since it’s now possible to produce studio-quality recordings on home equipment. I finished that project a year ago.
Here are the links to the stores:
http://itunes.apple.com/album/id/1731658122
I also created videos for a few of the songs on the album.
The next project was a book. When I lived in California, I was asked to lead a comedy-writing workshop at a theater where I’d performed sketch comedy. Shortly after I agreed to lead the workshop, it occurred to me that I had no idea how to teach other people to write funny stuff. It was just something I did.
To avoid looking like an idiot, I started thinking about what makes people laugh. I analyzed my own standup act, other standup act, skits I’d written that made people laugh, movie or TV scenes that made me laugh, etc. I came up with my own version of comedic theory and broke it into lessons for the workshop. After coming across my notes last year, I decided to turn them into a book.
Just over a year ago, I was in a local theatrical production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. I played the night guard with the drinking problem. I of course gave him a comedic edge. Another member of the cast who’s naturally funny did likewise with his character. He and I have become good friends, and we recently received permission from the theater’s board to form a sketch-comedy troupe. So I’ll be more involved in the funny stuff later this year.
In addition to the songs from Homecoming Dance, I had other songs that were written but not recorded, or recorded on old, inferior equipment from back in the day. Those songs have been nagging at me, wanting to be recorded. They felt like unfinished business. So I finished them and released them on album titled Songs From My Fat Head. (Three of the songs were in Fat Head or Fat Head Kids.)
Here are the links to the stores:
http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1799423135?ls=1&app=itunes
I’ve created a video for one of them so far. More will follow.
So that’s what’s been happening during the past four years. To catch up on the rest of the family:
Chareva is still doing aerial arts and is now a member of a professional troupe with regular gigs. She’s 52 years old and is in better shape than when we met more than 26 years ago. My daughter Sara is her fourth year at Alabama, where she has a five-year scholarship to study metallurgical engineering. My daughter Alana is earning a degree in art at Murray State in Kentucky, where she’s wowing her professors with her crazy talent as an artist.
A predator (likely a bobcat) wiped out our chicken flock a few months ago. The chicken coop is secure, but the predator got into the chicken yard during daylight hours. We haven’t previously had to worry about daytime attacks. Now we know better. We have 25 little chicks being raised in a trough in our sun room. They’ll move to the chicken coop when they’re ready. Then we can stop buying eggs at the grocery store and start selling them again.
I’m still at the programming job, but — wait for it — I retire in four months. That’s it. Done with the workin’ world. More time for golf and the creative pursuits that make me happy. Maybe I’ll even start blogging again.
To any of my former readers who see this, I hope you’re well and happy.
If you enjoy my posts, please consider a small donation to the Fat Head Kids GoFundMe campaign.
I was actually more surprised I still had your feed in my list after such a long hiatus. See you in another four!
I’m surprised as well. I suspect a lot of long-time readers from back in the day will never know this was posted.
Glad to have you back. See your posts on occasion on X, but good to see the long form posts.
Not sure I’ll back to regular blogging, but maybe. I’ll certainly have more time after June.
I appreciate you and the update. I had forgotten some of the old names, like Ivor Cummins, Mike Eades, Zoe Harcombe, and Malcolm Kendrick. If memory serves, I heard Ivor doing political or social commentary on Redacted News a week ago.
I see Ivor’s work on YouTube as well.
Thanks for the update, Tom. Glad to hear you’re doing well. Love the songs!
Thank you. Not long ago, I couldn’t have recorded the songs the way I wanted to hear them without booking a studio and hiring a horn section, a drummer, a good guitarist, etc. With Logic Pro and a few add-ons, anything I can hear in my head I can put in a song. It’s a great time to work with music.
Hi, Tom! Delighted to see you back, healthy – with your family – and still the same sharp, funny guy. We loved “Fat Head” back in the day and learned a lot from it.
I just left a comment on Dr Kendrick’s latest article, mentioning you (in the context of “Follow the money” – I still see your goofy/sinister lurker with the hood whenever I utter that sentence).
Best wishes to you all, and thanks! There aren’t so many intelligent people who actually use their brains according to the manual. I am grateful for every one of them – such as you, Dr Kendrick, and Ron Unz.
Thank you.
Still following and I appreciate the update. It’s great that the family is doing so well and congrats on a possible retirement soon. I will admit to having been curious how life was going for you and the family after you signed off. I figured you’d be enjoying life and such.
Sadly, have to agree with many of the people who went crazy over the last couple of years, even though many are now trying to memory-hole that craziness. 🙁 I also think that’s why so many people shifted toward Substack – because they could publish things that didn’t fit the narrative without being completely shut down.
YouTube and Twitter (at the time) certainly weren’t havens for free speech. I had my Twitter account suspended for posting a link to an article saying people should get their vitamin D status up to snuff to avoid getting sick with Covid. Apparently the censors at Twitter believed that was dangerous advice.
Not dangerous at all but not in the narrative. We’ve always kept our vitamin D up to snuff and had no problem with covid.
The PTB wanted us all sick so that Big Pharma and the vaccines could save the day 🙁
BTW Good to see you XX
Thank you.
Happy (pending) retirement! Enjoyed the videos and will check out your books.
Thank you.
Have certainly missed the blog…it was a daily read…but as they say c’est la vie. Glad everything is going well for you and the family.
Thank you.
Welcome back!
Thank you.
RSS still works 😀
Glad to read you’re alive and well!
Hope the chicken will last a while…
I’m amazed people are being notified after four years. Good to know.
It was nice reading again. I subscribed to your YouTube channel and follow you on X (Twitter). I’ve used a feed reader and you appeared today. I didn’t think you were that old to be retiring in June. I had to retire in 2015 because Parkinson’s told me that I couldn’t type anymore which is a requirement for my job as a Computer scientist/programmer. The first six months was the hardest for me. After that I was fine with my programming, though I still have some open source stuff on github.
Maybe instead of returning to blogging every day, once a week or even once a month. Stay active in retirement.
I’ll definitely stay active in retirement. Probably more music, definitely more videos for songs I’ve released, working with the theater group, etc.
I’ll be 66 and 8 months in July. That’s when I hit the next level of Social Security. I’d have to work until I’m 70 to hit the top level. I’m ready to call it quits on the programming career.
Tom, welcome back.
Consider yourself lucky for not being in China during covid. I was and it was a f-ing nightmare. It wasn’t as strict in the city I was in as say Shanghai. In Shanghai, people were locked in their apartments for months at a time. And were only allowed outside to do a daily covid test. Where I was, we were able to go outside but you needed a QR health code to go anywhere. Even to use a public outdoor bathroom. They had a security guard stationed outside of the bathroom checking people’s codes on their phone. Same for all public places. I never used the QR code. I refused to. Rarely wore a mask except under threat of arrest. Which meant I got kicked out of places including grocery stores and hospitals.
It was a terrible time, with the worst thing about it being that the lockdowns and restrictions literally ended over night one day, and everyone just moved on as if it never happened.
I believe there are people in our government who would have imposed those same draconian measures if they thought they could get away with it.
Saw your post on X. I always enjoyed the blog.
Thank you.
It’s good to read one of your posts again, Tom. I miss all the blogs that were active years ago.
I noticed regular readers at my blog disappearing when I started objecting to all the COVID hysteria. I’m still writing, though.
I’m afraid political loyalty mixed with bit of fear caused many of our readers to lose all sense of logic. Very disappointing to witness. But as my brother says, at least now we know which people have the souls of Nazi collaborators.
You were one of the people that helped me feel sane in the wilderness years. Back when my doctor wanted to prescribe me, a woman in her mid 30s a statin and seemed genuinely confused when I wrote her a long letter with references to why I thought that was a terrible idea. Now I realise it was all training for the last 4 years. Meant I had a totally different experience of Covid than the masses and I knew it was the start of big truths being uncovered.
Love your mix of creativity and logic. I’m following you on X. Thanks for the update.
All the best,
Rachel
Thank you. The research I put into making Fat Head and writing posts on the blog absolutely prepared me to get through coronahysteria without falling for the nonsense. Fool me once …
Cool deal to see you update us. Made quite a few enemies during Covid. Stopped going to my local grocer because his insane policies on masks. Didn’t go to summer vacation for 3 years with my wife’s family because they insisted that we get the vax. Obviously now they mumble about our decision these days…
I didn’t make any enemies, but I sure lost respect for some people.
You’re a true Renaissance man, Tom. I really love getting to know guys like you. And congrats on the retirement! I’m pretty much convinced that, because of how things have played out for me, my retirement poarty will end up being my funeral…
Thank you. I hope to enjoy many years of not being tied to the job.
Hey Tom, great to see you’re still kicking! Any chance you’ll record an audiobook for What’s So Funny?
Not sure if I could make that work. There are links in the book to videos online that I don’t think I could legally record into my own book — and course, ou wouldn’t be seeing the video, just hearing it. But I’ll give it some thought.
Miss you! Please blog more!
I always liked your blog because:
1. It was only 3 times a week instead of dozens a day.
2. Articles have humor.
3. Articles have common sense.
I still use your Not-Yogurt recipe. Ah, good times.
Congrats on retirement!
Thank you. I may start putting up posts again, but probably not two or three times per week like before. I also think the nutrition/low-carb topic is played out, as I explained in my goodbye post four years ago, so if I do start posting, it will be on topics bound to annoy some people.
Please! Proceed to annoy! As I like to say to our little circle of sceptics (three of the four with cholesterol over 300mg/dl and proud of its work, three of the four unvaccinated) it is very healthy to disagree when we still have partial information (I must have read it elsewhere).
I’m really glad you and your family are doing well and I will promote your RSS feed to “favourites” in order to see your future posts in Feedly earlier.
Happy “retirement”.
Thank you.
You have been missed 🙂 I used to read every single blog post
Thank you.
Congrats on your family and your pending retirement. I think most people miss the point about masks, which is in the absence of good information, what interventions can one attempt for oneself to reduce transmission and contraction, i.e. keep R_0 < 1. When the risk is in the future, you can't wait for past data to verify whether something will work or not. Other reasonable interventions should have included lockouts (not lockdowns) and bumping up indoor relative humidity, apparently 40-60%RH can help reduce airborne transmissions.
Early in the “pandemic,” I looked up studies on cloth masks preventing transmission of viruses. They were conclusive — those masks don’t do diddly to stop viruses. Interestingly, one of the studies disappeared from the internet after I read it. That was when I knew censorship was kicking in.
Great to hear from you!
Good to hear from you, Tom.
I made your pizza last night, for the millionth time. Still so good!
I was home sick last week and randomly wanted to rewatch Fathead, after many years. Still makes as much sense as ever!! Glad to hear from you again!
Thank you. I know people are still watching, because I still receive quarterly checks from the distributor. They’re not nearly as impressive as a decade ago, but considering the film was released in 2009, I’m happy to receive anything at all.
Tom, great to hear from you! I retired 2 years ago, my only advice is to retire as soon as you can, and have a plan on what you will do. You are going to love being retired!
I plan to spend more time being involved in the creative endeavors I already enjoy. I also plan to play more golf.
Love reading your’s and your brother’s X posts. Nice to see wise, sane people’s perspectives. And I still suggest Fathead Movie to friends/coworkers.
I like to think we’re sane too. The Older Brother and I have frequently stayed up late, sharing a few scotches and solving all the world’s problems. We’re available if the powers that be ever want to consult with us.
I didn’t open my X account until Elon took over; it was just too discouraging. But when I did sign on, you were the first person I went looking for. I enjoy your posts and comments, of course, but even now, I realize that I don’t get notices of your activity. If I go looking again, there you are, always with something interesting to say.
Glad to see your update here, anyway! I hope you’ll eventually decide to do a substack or just more blog posts. But I am sure I am not the only person who is willing to take, take, take….that in itself may not be quite what you had in mind! I’ll take whatever you’re in the mood to give, though. It’s never wasted attention.
P.S. Chareva is absolutely amazing!
Thank you, Georgene. Chareva’s dedication to aerial arts has paid off. She’s in amazing shape, and she loves doing it.
Glad to see you posting again! We’re glad to hear everyone is doing so well. Things are a bit better here. Life went even more haywire since we saw you last, but things are looking up.
Can’t wait to see what you do next! I’m gonna get your book for sure.
Great to see you back Tom! I love the graphic that you showed between low carb and what people thought about COVID. I think you could also add global warming and the carbon orthodoxy (Love that term from RFK, so true) as a way that people get radicalized through hysteria or whatever the psychological phenomenon is. Thanks for being always a voice of common sense.
Thank you, Andrei.
Saw your post about this post on X – glad I did, as I’d unsubscribed in my RSS reader. I’ve added it back.
Substack might be a great way for you to share things, and especially if you want to charge. I’ve actually started a (free) Substack with some short stories I’ve been writing.
Glad to see you writing again, and I (and others, based on the number of comments!) would love it if there was more. Who knows what retirement will bring – but whatever it does bring, I hope it is good!
Thank you. I may look into Substack, but for now I’ll post on the blog. I’m not sure how often I’ll feel inspired to write.
Looks like l am late to the party, but was happy to read your update. I mention Fat Head to clients who are looking to improve their daily health as a foundation to build from.
Thanks for everything that you’ve done Tom.
Thank you.