TBT: McDonald’s: A Vision of Our Dystopian Future

13 March 20259 March 2025 The Portly Politico5 Comments

Last March I wrote a lengthy post about different experiences at three different McDonald’s, two in different parts of South Carolina, one somewhere in the wilderness that blurs between Georgia and Florida. According to my budgeting software, the last time I purchased anything from McDonald’s was 17 March 2024, which is shortly before I wrote this post on 20 March 2024.

I like McDonald’s. I do not like what it has become—overpriced, low-quality fast food. The classical trade-off of fast food generally, and McDonald’s particularly, is that, in exchange for low-quality food, you get high consistency and low cost. Now the experience is expensive, inconsistent, and inconvenient.

In other words, it’s not worth it. I’ve always seen McDonald’s as “travel food”—the kind of cheap crap you shovel into your face on a long road trip because it’s quick, hot, and fairly delicious—not as everyday fare, but there are so many superior options. Taco Bell is a vastly more affordable fast food experience, and the food is better—and, I’ll risk claiming it, marginally better for you. I’m not saying Taco Bell is healthy, but a bean burrito is filling and cheap, and way less life-ruining than a Big Mac.

That said, I’m hankering for a Shamrock Shake. ‘Tis the season. If I head back to a McDonald’s anytime soon, I’ll be sure to give a full report on the weird, alien world I encounter.

With that, here is 20 March 2024’s “McDonald’s: A Vision of Our Dystopian Future“:

TBT^256: Nehemiah and National Renewal

6 March 20254 March 2025 The Portly PoliticoLeave a comment

Ah, yes, another timeless TPP classic—my highly politicized commentary on Nehemiah. It’s a powerful story of God’s people working together and placing their faith and trust in Him, overcoming formidable odds in the process. It’s a great “But God” story—rebuilding this wall would have been impossible but for God.

From an historical standpoint, the story is also an important reminder that the life cycle of nations is often cyclical. Perhaps no people understood that better than the Hebrews, who were often the cause of their own misery, thanks to their tendency to forget about God as soon as things got comfortable. That sin is not unique to the Hebrews, ancient or modern; it is an affliction all peoples in all times have struggled to resist.

We’re in a moment of national renewal in the United States. Let us remember, when the times are good again, that it was Divine Providence—God—that allowed us this reprieve, this second chance.

With that, here is 14 March 2024’s “TBT^16: Nehemiah and National Renewal“:

TBT^2: Groundhog Day

20 February 202519 February 2025 The Portly Politico3 Comments

In looking back at posts from February 2024, it seems that February is a busy month, in that I tend to fall behind on posts during it. I’m not sure why, but I just seem to lag behind in February.

Speaking of, I’m way behind observing this dubious holiday, the day in which a subterranean rodent in Pennsylvania predicts the weather.

With that, here is 1 February 2024’s “TBT: Groundhog Day“:

TBT^4: Getting Medieval… with LEGO

13 February 202510 February 2025 The Portly Politico2 Comments

Yours portly is forty-years old, but still suffers from a crippling LEGO habit. Perhaps my saving grace is that I am so busy, I don’t have much time to sit down and assemble these massive LEGO sets. I have some awesome ones from Christmas that I still need to dig into and build.

My first really big set meant for “adults” was the one featured in this old piece. It’s a pretty cool “medieval” blacksmith’s shop. It was an absolute blast to build, and took me several hours across a couple of days.

Note that the posts below may contain Amazon Affiliate links; I honestly can’t remember. If they are there, and you make a purchase through those links, I get a portion of the proceeds, at no additional cost to you. Amazon requires me to write that, so I’m covering my butt to appease a corporate megalodon.

With that, here is 8 February 2024’s “TBT^2: Getting Medieval… with LEGO“:

TBT^4: Composing Humorous Miniatures

6 February 20252 February 2025 The Portly PoliticoLeave a comment

My next album, PRISM, releases tomorrow, so I thought I’d look back at a post about the bit of online frivolity that, in many ways, kickstarted the massive amount of composing I’ve undertaken over the last year.

I never did get around to writing those flute pieces for that one guy (see below), but I’m not too worried about it. I imagine one day I’ll get some more requests to compose some pieces, and I have quite a back catalogue from which to pull and adapt ideas.

With that, here is 29 February 2024’s “TBT^2: Composing Humorous Miniatures“:

TBT^256: Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony

30 January 202523 January 2025 The Portly PoliticoLeave a comment

My love for programmatic music, especially music that depicts the glory of God’s Creation, is as strong as ever. Indeed, I am currently working on an album that will be my own attempt at something akin to Camille Saint-Saëns‘ The Carnival of the Animals. One day, I’ll have to write a post about that piece.

Regardless, it’s time once again to take my annual look back at one of Beethoven’s symphonies, and my personal favorite.

With that, here is 25 January 2024’s “TBT^16: Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony“:

TBT: Stone Cold Sunday

23 January 202520 January 2025 The Portly PoliticoLeave a comment

With the dawn of the Second Trumpian Golden Age, I’ve been reflecting a bit about the First. Trump’s first administration, in retrospect, was less-focused and more carnival-esque than what his second appears to be. Trump is a wiser man, and knows who he can—and cannot—trust.

But part of the fun of the first Trump presidency was the cavalcade of grifters, courtiers, and hangers-on who hitched their wagon to Trump’s star.

One of those was Roger Stone, who actually was an important figure while also embodying the kind of naughty, playful, mirthful, bawdy side of the Trump phenomenon. I wrote a review of his book Stone’s Rules: How to Win at Politics, Business, and Style back in 2019, and it seemed like an appropriate time to revisit it.

Note that the link above is an Amazon Affiliate link; if you purchase anything through that link, I receive a portion of the proceeds, at no additional cost to you. I’m required to point that out.

With that, here is 10 February 2019’s “Stone Cold Sunday“:

TBT^2: More Mountain Musings

16 January 202513 January 2025 The Portly PoliticoLeave a comment

It’s been awhile since I’ve been to the mountains—the last trip was hiking with a friend of mine in early August—and the mountains of western North Carolina were devastated during Hurricane Helene. One does not typically associate the Appalachian Mountains with severe hurricane damage, but there you have it—the hurricane hit in just such a way that western North and South Carolina suffered terrible damage. My hometown of Aiken, South Carolina still has massive piles of leaves and tree trunks awaiting pickup from overextended State work crews, and it’s been two months since the storm.

Regardless, it’s fun to look back on my various mountain adventures. I find that I need to get up to the mountains periodically to rest and recharge. I’m not sure when I’ll get back up there again, but I’m looking forward to it, hopefully with Dr. Girlfriend, her dog, and Murphy along for the fun.

With that, here is 18 January 2024’s “TBT: More Mountain Musings“:

TBT^4: The Joy of Romantic Music II: Bedřich Smetana’s “The Moldau”

9 January 202531 December 2024 The Portly PoliticoLeave a comment

It’s been several years now since I last taught the fun but short-lived Pre-AP Music Appreciation course that spawned some of these pieces highlighting classical and Romantic musical works, but I still love the musical selections dearly. Bedřich Smetana’s The Moldau still captures my imagination, and I still have not composed anything that comes remotely close to its beauty and genius.

Nevertheless, I routinely cite Smetana as an influence, especially when uploading my pieces to CD Baby for digital distribution. He almost always gets a mention in the “artists like” categories I fill out for each release. Hopefully he’s not spinning in his grave at the thought of that.

With that, here is 11 January 2024’s “TBT^2: The Joy of Romantic Music II: Bedřich Smetana’s ‘The Moldau'”:

TBT^4: The Hermit’s Life

2 January 202520 December 2024 The Portly PoliticoLeave a comment

The new year has dawned, and yours portly is enjoying his last day of Christmas Break before returning to work. It’s been a busy break, full of appointments and Christmas cheer. At the time of writing, I have (so far) avoided the annual respiratory illness that always seems to descend upon me during this dark, wintry season, although now I have surely called down this wretched curse upon my head (and lungs).

I’m looking forward to 2025—and turning 40 tomorrow. Life is good. God Is Good.

And I still enjoy being a hermit from time to time.

With that, here is 4 January 2024’s “TBT^2: The Hermit’s Life“:

The Portly Politico

One Southerner's unique, erudite, conservative perspective in a hectic world

Category: TBT