C. A. Bridges

@cabridges

I write things that explain other things for USA TODAY NETWORK in Florida. I also take pictures, mostly for me. My opinions are my own and I only agree with about half of them. He/him.

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C. A. Bridges@cabridges· 25d

My personal health care future. Clinic. Testing lab. Doughnuts. Death. Repeat the first three, as needed.

A strip mall with a primary care clinic, a Quest lab, a donut shop, and a mortuary.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· 25d

I’m happy to see it, but Goodwill seems to have launched its Halloween section even earlier this year.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· 26d

Alex Norris of the delightful blobby “Oh no” comics had spent a miserable few years fighting a company trying to steal their IP. Recently they offered comics based on 5-word descriptions, to fund the legal battle. I sent in “dancing sexy couple confused dog.” Just got this in the mail.

A line drawing of two blobby, apparently naked people dancing while a nearby dog thinks “oh no.”

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· Jul 7

The new Roku TV Home Screen finally rolled out to me. My screen, which for ages was mercifully free of most of the crap other streaming services have, loaded ‘em up. On the left, what it was. On the right, what it is now. Fortunately you can, at least for now, hide it all in Settings. So I did.

Roku’s former home screen. Big app icons, one easily ignored ad to the left, three suggested things on top (just added recently).

New Roku TV Home Screen. More suggested stuff on top, a Quick Access list of the 8 apps I use most often, in alphabetical order (not the order of must use, can’t move them), more suggestions underneath, and finally my full list of apps. Big push for Live TV, which I don’t use.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· Jul 7

At some point after midnight tonight, a new @chucktingle.bsky.social ebook is going to be waiting for me. I can’t sleep. I feel like I should put out milk and cookies, or bourbon and scones, or something.

The cover of Chuck Tingle’s new book, “Fabulous Bodies,” a pale green cover with pink text and pink sunglasses with blood splatter on them.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· Jul 2

My wife, who has read maybe 15-20 fiction books for fun in the 40+ years since high school, picked up “To Say Nothing of The Dog” by @conniewillisdotnet.bsky.social and is now burning through it. I am very carefully *not* rushing to dump all of my Willis books on her for fear of scaring her off.

A slightly battered copy of “To Say Nothing of the Dog” by Connie Willis my wife picked up at a thrift store, I am convinced, because she figured it would be a nice book about a dog.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· Jul 1

Are the Brits right? OK, I’ll try your beans-for-breakfast thing. I even bought your preferred brand to be fair. Verdict: Ehh. Tasted fine (not quite as sweet as the US version, no surprise there), but it didn’t quite gel for me for breakfast. I suspect I’m missing the cultural nostalgia.

A breakfast plate of fried eggs, bacon, and Heinz Baked Beans, because why not.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· Jun 25

Saw “Supergirl.” I liked it. It’s not triumphant or inspirational like “Superman.” It’s a darker story of two women, their grief, and revenge. So I doubt it will do as well in the box office. But I liked it better for not being sunny and silly. And there were still funny bits.

A bearded guy in front of a Supergirl poster.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· Jun 23

It’s kind of hypnotic.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· Jun 23

I was in a boat. Had a photo shoot on the Barbara-Lee in Sanford tonight.

A white and red paddle boat sis at dock.

The American flag flies over the paddle wheels, with a sunset in the background.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· Jun 20

Hadn’t planned on buying more books today, but a local thrift shop has a 50% off sale their already cheap books and DVDs and we may have gotten carried away. Not pictured, the 19 DVDs I nabbed (4 for $1, then 50% off). Total: $10.75.

A big stack of books, mostly cookbooks and some Doctor Who.

Sign on a bookshelf listing prices as 25¢ for paperbacks and $1 for hardcovers, with another sign listing 50% off.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· Jun 19

It feels like 105 degrees out there. If you are a business sending people out in front to wear or spin signs today, I will never spend a dollar on you.

Screen capture of a weather app showing “feels like” temperatures of 105 at the moment.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· Jun 19

Got my license, because why not. Not bad. I need to work on my velocity, but that’s true IRL too. kojira.github.io/bluesky-lice...

Image of a generated “Bluesky License” in the style of a driver license with stats on Bluesky posting and history. Also my enormous head.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· Jun 16

Just arrived, “The Red Letter Day,” a new Sherlock Holmes book and audio performance kickstarted by AUK Studios featuring Tom Baker as an elderly Holmes in 1924, about to finally be knighted. I think that’s the plot. Honestly, I just saw “Tom Baker as Sherlock—“ and I pledged immediately.

An audiobook CD and novelization of “The Red Letter Day,” a Sherlock Holmes story starring Tom Baker and John Lesson.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· Jun 13

Teresa and I each found things to our interests at the thrift stores this morning. The World Kitchen book is fascinating, with recipes but also stories of how they developed and how they react to the challenges of each disaster (“we don’t plan, we react”).

The World Central Kitchen Cookbook, The Good Hoysekeeping Illustrated Cookbook, and seasons one and two of The Outer Limits.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· Jun 4

If I believed in a religion, it would be based on mercy, acceptance, inclusiveness and joy. If I believed in a religion, it would focus on what you do in life, rather than promise you riches and payback after you’re dead. If I believed in a religion, its scriptures would make you laugh.

Two women in angelic costumes hug and giggle on a settee next to a small table bearing flowers, in the middle of a wooded area.

Models: Janelle Donglasagna & Kiana Perez Velez

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· Jun 4

The Dracula and Edward Gorey figures arrived from the Collectible Cities Kickstarter. I feel they should be enshrouded in wispy fog under the dark of night, but instead you get my kitchen.

A coffin-shaped box containing a figure of Dracula based on Edward Gorey’s drawings, and a box containing a figure of Gorey himself.

The Dracula figure, based on Edward Gorey’s drawings.

Gorey comes ready to hold a book, a cat or a skull. All are likely.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· Jun 3

Paying respects at Pulse in Orlando, six weeks after the shooting,

People gather outside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando six weeks after a man shot and killed 49 people and wounded 58. Flowers and flags and handwritten messages cover the walls.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· Jun 3

Happy Pride. Pic from 10 years ago, when the Orlando Strong display was moved to Dr. Phillips.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· Jun 3

Way better than Tim's #2 Booze Speakeasy Pub Drinkypoo Place. I mean, there's no comparison.

Exterior of dive bar at night. Sign reads BAR George's #1 LIQUOR Lounge. Sign on building says Tavern.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· Jun 1

Granted, some of the puzzles are not the hardest things in the world. But the lessons aren’t bad and the gameplay tends to be just a little bit better than I am, which is probably where you want your teacher to be.

Sample of a Duolingo Daily Puzzle in the chess course. One move to checkmate.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· May 30

So, I grew up next to the ocean. I’m not that interested in smelling like dead fish and rotting seaweed. This is also why seductive images of woman rolling on the beach turn me right off. Beach sand is gritty and gets everywhere and doesn’t make you think of sex as much as it does a garden hose.

Two bottles of shave foam labeled “Smells Like the Ocean.”

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· May 25

I’ve got a couple of these.

Two armed services editions, “Marta of Muscovy” and “Captain Retread.”

Text inside the books:

ARMED SERVICES EDITIONS

THis Book is published by Editions for the Armed Services, lnc, a non-profit organization established by the Council on Books in War time, which is made up of American publishers of General (Trade) books, librarians, and booksellers. It is intended for exclusive distribution to members of the American Armed Forces and is not to be sold or made available to civilians. In this way the best books of the present and the past are supplied to members of our Armed Forces in small, convenient, and economical form. New titles will be issued regular. A list of the current group will be found on the inside back cover.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· May 23

I like making the Duolingo chest quiver with excitement for long, long minutes before finally tapping in it and I understand edging now.

A quivering yellow and purple treasure chest in the app Duolingo.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· May 22

Teresa: Ooh! A two-person screamin’ room! Me: Well, I wasn’t interested in it before, but…

Two-person wooden sauna for sale in Costco.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· May 22

Diets are illegal on birthdays. Well, no. But I am ignoring mine today. I’ll regret it tomorrow. Well, also no.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· May 22

It’s my birthday, which I am celebrating in the traditional way: getting my hearing tested. I am an old.

Picture of the hearing aid center at Costco. A rack of hearing aid batteries can be seen under the sign.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· May 18

I was unaware this was a thing. I’m not sure I want this knowledge.

A pair of white socks with multicolored stripes and the words OFFICIAL COMEDY SOCK OF DEMETRI MARTIN.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· May 18

“Homer! You had it set to ‘whore’!”

A scene from the Simpsons episode “The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace” where Homer is testing his invention, the makeup gun.

C. A. Bridges@cabridges· May 17

Watching @taskmaster.tv New Zealand, and the host Jeremy Wells is distracting me with how much he looks like John Cena’s overly stern dad.