June

It's June 6th. Many years ago today ("It's been 84 years, and I can still smell the fresh paint..."), I was one of many young men in my Paterson, NJ high school protesting the dress code (no shorts for guys, despite the heat) by wearing a skirt in school. (We got the policy changed!) Even more years before that, over 150,000 Allied soldiers invaded Normandy to liberate France (and much of western Europe) from Nazi Germany. Civil rights activist James Meredith was shot on this day in 1966 during the Walk Against Fear; five years later, "The Ed Sullivan Show" broadcast its last episode (a rerun, and yes, it took place in the Ed Sullivan Theater where Stephen Colbert was hosting "The Late Show" until recently). In 1982, the second (!) Israeli invasion of Lebanon began on 6 June. And thirteen years ago today, my then-fiancée and I met with our intended officiant to discuss our impending nuptials (a month and a half later, we were no longer engaged, but I don't think it had anything to do with the reverend...).

The 37th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre just passed, too. I guess I'm trying to say that June is a hell of a month. It's Pride month, despite an awful lot of people (or is that a lot of awful people?) still not understanding that LGBTQIA+ people are still just people, deserving of the same unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness the rest of us feel entitled to. There's Flag Day on the 14th. Juneteenth happens this month. So does the solstice (the start of summer or winter, depending on whether you're north or south of the equator). Ashura falls on the 26th this year.

Preparem-se, o hexa está chegando! (Hopefully.) Yes, the World Cup starts this month. ⚽ I'm dreading what it's going to do to traffic (I live less than three miles from MetLife New York New Jersey Stadium as the corvid flies), and I'm not generally a fan of noisy, rambunctious (and inebriated) crowds, but I just might venture out to one of the local-ish events in June. We'll see. I'd have loved to have attended a match in person, and I wouldn't have even needed hotel accommodations, but the ticket prices are just astronomical, so... no.

I've been playing guitar regularly for the past several weeks, which is an awesome and much-needed feeling. (Bass, too, after finally restringing that thing.) A new song or two should result in June. Hopefully I can get back to the beach (or "down the shore") at least once or twice this month, too. Maybe to the Coney Island Mermaid Parade again...

OK, one thing that's not happening this month, though: Andersen Silva is not participating in UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn. Stop asking! I won't do it. Thppt!