I’ve got Bob Ferguson on the brain this year. If you haven’t seen Paul Thomas Anderson‘s most excellent One Battle After Another, the trailer is all you need to see why I connect Leonardo DiCaprio‘s poor, hapless Bob with this Thing of Ours.

Bob is us. Sean Penn‘s obsessed Col. Steven Lockjaw is The Boy. When Lockjaw returns from Bob’s revolutionary past to kidnap Bob’s daughter, Bob is not the rescuer he needs to be. His mind dull from years of alcohol and weed abuse, he can’t remember the password sequence to call on his old comrades for help. And when the underappreciated Benicio Del Toro‘s Sensei St. Carlos provides real, material aid, Bob’s ineptitude threatens to short-circuit all of it.

Bob hits the road to play hero. We try to plan our comings, goings, and doings to avoid our rhythmic predator.

Bob needs a gun and info. We employ earbuds, playlists, and allies to build whatever buffer we can.

Despite—or because of—his efforts, Bob falls down a lot. We get laid low when we least expect it.

Meanwhile, Lockjaw and his team are always a step ahead.

As is The Boy.

Bob is, to put it in a way appropriate for a family-friendly site, a fuck-up. But his heart’s in the right place. And he won’t quit.

Sound familiar?

At one point, Bob laments how he’s failed his daughter.

“Don’t go dark on me, Bob,” the sensei tells him.

That’s all we can do in our struggle with The Boy—and in life. Try to find the light.

But it ain’t easy.

Mrs. LDBC and I thought we’d be safe in our local produce store, where the holiday playlist was varied and loaded with tunes we’d never even heard before, to grant us favorable odds.

Not favorable enough.

I do my best to warn people about new threats, such as episode 7 of The Beast in Me. I tell them to check our Deadly Movies and TV list, which links to an even more comprehensive resource. Yet every year, The West Wing‘s “In Excelsis Deo” and Pee-wee/Grace Jones claim their share of victims.

Hell, I even found myself talking someone off the ledge with less than 10 days to go in the game. She wanted to sing it to herself just to rid herself of the painful suspense.

That’s life. We welcome this Thing to distract ourselves from the ongoing hell of the real world. Yet if we’re not careful, we need a distraction from the game.

Courage, Bob.

And now, we put a bow on it and bid 2025 goodbye.

Also, please note: this post includes em-dashes. That doesn’t mean I used AI to write it. I’ve employed those things for decades, and I’m not stopping just because too many people didn’t know what they were until now.

Mind blown? Check out the whole mishpachah. Get with the dash program. Jump on the team, and come on in for the big win.

Viva la revolución.

The happiest of Happy New Years to you and yours, all. Look for the helpers; keep passing the open windows; be kind to one another early and often.

Thank you for your attention and enthusiasm. It’s a light in the cold, early evening darkness every year.

For Bill!

And Fawn forever.

Puh-rum-pum-pum-pum, people.

The Quick and the Dead

LDBC-Elfies: Tragedy and Triumph Captured

LDBCer Tales from the Trenches

The Victorious and the Vanquished: The LDBC Wall

Name	Result
A, Aiden	W
A., Airless	W
A., Alexis L.	L
A., Claire	L
A., Dorothy	L
A., Joni	W
A., Justin	L
A., Karen D.	L
A., Kristen	L
A., Marie	L
A., Peter	L
Adams, Cathy	L
Allmer, Christina	L
Altman, Laurie	L
Anastasia, Shandi	W
Anderson, Joshua B.	W
Anderson, Susan	L
Anthony, Kathy	W
Arby, Audrey	L
Archer, Lisa	W
Arkenberg, Rebecca Nelson	L
Arkless, Mary	W
Artruc, Paul	L
Ashk-etc., Scott	W
Austin, Wren (AKA Wren)	L
Ayala, Victoria Ann	L
B., Alan	W
B., Angela	L
B., Anna	L
B., Becca	L
B., Beth Anne	W
B., Bill	L
B., Cheyenne	L
B., Christie K.	L
B., Claudia	W
B., Emma	W
B., Gloria	L
B., H.	W
B., James	L
B., Jamie	W
B., Jamie	W
B., Jess	L
B., Jodi	L
B., Judith	L
B., Kelly	L
B., Laura	W
B., Laura	W
B., Laura M.	L
B., Liz	W
B., Margo	L
B., Mark–>	L
B., Maureen	L
B., Meghan	L
B., Michelle	L
B., Peter	L
B., Red	L
B., Sammi	L
B., Sandy	W
B., Sarah	L
B., Soosh	W
Babb, Dana	L
Baker, Elizabeth A.	L
Baker, Laura F.	W
Barker, Craig D.	L
Barry, Melissa	W
Bauer, Renée (Mrs. LDBC)	L
Beachy, Susan	L
Beck, Jr., John	W
Berry, Denise Kay	L
Bingham, Craig A.	L
Birkemeier, Glenn	L
Blakeslee, Jennifer	L
Blanchard, Jan	L
Bollaert, Gabrielle D.	L
Boni, Paul	W
Booth, Brendon	W
Booth, Brendon	W
Boyd, Amanda	W
Braganza, Désirée	L
Brasher, Heather L.	L
Brown, Lynne	W
Browning, Heather	L
Bubier, Jason A.	L
Burbank, Valentina	W
Burger, Chad	L
Burke, Justin L.	L
Burlingham, Ann	W
Burnand, Lisa	L
Burns, Christopher	W
Butcher, Elizabeth	L
Butterfield, John	W
C, Donna	L
C., Allie	L
C., Ann	W
C., Becky	L
C., Casey	W
C., Chris	L
C., Chris	L
C., Claudia	L
C., Clay	W
C., Collin	L
C., Erica	L
C., Evan	W
C., Ivan	L
C., Jade	W
C., Jason	L
C., Jay	L
C., Kara	W
C., Mark	L
C., Michael	L
C., Michelle	L
C., Nancy	W
C., Tommy	L
C., Trista	L
Caldwell, Colin	W
Call, Bru	W
Canan, Kate A.	W
Carney, Ann	W
Carr, Kim	L
Casey, Rayelenn Sparks	L
Catlin, Katherine Eppich	W
Chambers, Sloppy Joe	L
Chavez, Ermando R.	L
Chernoff, Jenya	W
Chipman, Jayann	W
Cicero, Morgan	L
Ciucci, Lauren	L
Clara, Fe Santa	L
Clark, Evelyn	L
Clark, Nicole	W
Clayton, Betsy	W
Clements, Kristi	L
Colón, Yvette	W
Crane, Susan	L
Cravens, Timothy	L
Cronin, Michael	W
Cummings, Dan	W
Cummins, Kirsten	L
Cunningham, Catherine	L
Emery, Robbin R	L
Curtis, Tammy	L
Cyr, Nathan Thomas	W
D., Andy	L
D., Anne	L
D., David	W
D., Elizabeth	L
D., Joshua	W
D., Justin	L
D., Kim	W
D., Lyen M.	L
D., Mickie	L
D., Noelle	L
D., Rebecca	L
D., Rick	W
D., Tara	L
D., Thom	L
D., Tim	L
Damon, Steve	W
Dasher, Nathan	L
Daughterman, Erik A.	L
Davenport, Jessica	L
Davis, Tina	W
Davis, Mary	L
De Lora, Thomas	L
De Santis, Solange	L
De Shazer, Karen	W
Deck, Michael	L
Denchy, Ruth Ann	W
Dersch, Maryanne	L
Dewar, Oliver	L
Dillon, Sara	W
Dotta, Andrew	L
Doucette, Rick	L
Douglas, Kim	L
Draper, Dave	W
Druce, Evan	W
Dudek, Matt	L
Dulchinos, Don	W
Dunbar, Janice	L
Durham, Murphy	L
Durkin, Charlotte	L
E.-C., Josh “Slacker”	L
E., Mary Beth	L
E., Pete	L
E., Sara	L
E., Simon E.	L
Eckert-Chu, Corrin	W
Edwards, Bob	L
Elia, Shannon H	W
Ellis, Stephanie	L
Emeigh, Mike	L
Eynouf, Erica	W
Ess, Kevin	W
Essid, Joe	W
Gracey, Pat	W
F., Alyssa	W
F., Angela	L
F., Christina	L
F., Kelly	W
F., Mary	W
F., Molly	L
F., Sam	L
Faucher, Vince	L
Faustine, Sam	L
Feeney, James	L
Fenley, Ellie	L
Fermenich, Justin	W
Finnegan, Sheila	L
Fisher, Stella	L
Fitter, Mara	W
Flinn, Wes	L
Ford, Carl	L
Fox, Amber	W
Fox, Elizabeth	L
Fox, Frosty	W
Frank, Zilpha (Lisa) B.	L
French, Darcie	L
G., Amy L.	L
G., Bev	L
G., Carolyn	W
G., Cristina M.	L
G., Cynthia	W
G., Jan	W
G., Jen	W
G., Jenny	L
G., Kelly	L
G., Lex	L
G., Lila	L
G., Matt	L
G., Mel	W
G., Nikki	L
G., Paula	L
G., Rachel	L
G., Scott R.	L
G., Valerie	L
G.F., Harrison	L
Gail, Andy	L
Garcia, Chel	L
Gardner, Jon	W
Geer, Linda P.	L
Giangrande, Tina	L
Goldfarb, David A.	L
Gordon, Jenny C.	L
Gough, Laura	W
Gow, Jimmy	L
Griffin, Aaron and AiReanna	L
Graves, Jessica Leigh	L
Green, Kara E.	W
Green, Megan	L
Greene, Emily	L
Greer, Johann M.	W
Hawley, Rob	L
Griffin-Whitehead , Dena	L
H., Barbara	W
H., Becca C.	L
H., Cate	W
H., Chris R	L
H., Cindy	L
H., Donald	L
H., Emily	L
H., Eric	L
H., Erin	L
H., Heather	L
H., Jeff	W
H., Jeffrey	W
H., Kristi	L
H., Larry	L
H., Laura S.	L
H., LauraRose	L
H., Lillie K.	L
H., Lynne	L
H., Mandy	L
H., Michael	W
H., Paul E.	L
H., Rachel	L
H., Rachel	L
H., Rima	L
H., Robyn R.	W
H., Rosie	W
H., Sherry	W
Hamilton, Reid	L
Hansberry , Lynn	L
Harkey, Sharon	W
Harris, Joshua R.	W
Hart, Denyse	L
Harter, Tristan	L
Hawkins, Dillon	W
Hodgson, Julia	W
Hay, Ashley	L
Hay, Grant	W
Hay, James	L
Helfen, Heather McLane	L
Hennessey, Christina	L
Henson, Karen	W
Hess, Elias	W
Hess, Jen	W
Hight, Brian	L
Hillyer, Pat	L
Hindman, Joyce H.	L
Hummel, Morgen J.	L
Hoffman, Dean A.	L
Hoffman, Dean A.	L
Hoppenstedt, Madeline	L
Houlihan, Christopher	L
Howell, Valerie	L
Jackson, Warren	L
Hunewell, Christine Gildea	L
I., Peter	L
I., Rob	W
Imhoff, Jerome	L
Ives, Brian	L
J., Chandra B	L
J., Christi	L
J., Kirsten	W
J., Mark R.	W
J., Serena	W
J., Sylvia	W
Jacko, Anne	W
Jacobson, Meredith	W
Jackson, Jon	W
Jacobs, Brittany	W
Jacobs, Rachel A.	W
Lindsey, Patrick A.	W
James, Gregory	W
Jenkins, Elizabeth M.	W
Jenkins, Katherine E.	L
Jenks, Vanessa D.	L
Jess, DJ	W
Johnson, Barb	L
Johnston, Maura	L
Jonas, Rebecca	W
Joseph, Jeff J.	L
K., Dawn	L
K., Jennifer	L
K., Jerome	L
K., Jimbo	L
K., Kevin	W
K., Leah K.	L
K., Nate	L
K., Nicole	L
K., Phoenix	L
K., Tina	L
K., Tori	L
K., Vanessa	W
Karst, Laura	L
Kelly, Adam R.	L
Kidder, Paulette	W
Kief, Kristen	L
King, Judy	W
Kitrel, Elizabeth	W
Knauerhase , Robin	L
Knight, Andy	L
Knop, Josh	W
Kragick, Dana	L
Kraiger, Michael	L
L.-C., Lorien	W
L., Arianna	W
L., Bridget	W
L., Brigid	L
L., Cara	W
L., Carol	L
L., Carolyn M.	L
L., Carroll	W
L., David	W
L., Diana L.	L
L., Ericka	L
L., Jason	W
L., Jennifer	W
L., Kate	W
L., Kevin	W
L., Lisa	W
L., Lori	L
L., Michael	W
L., Sabrina	L
L., Scott	L
L., Tiffany	W
L., Tiffany	L
L., Trent	W
La Pantera, Xmoki	W
Lama, Jen B.	L
Lane, Keith	L
Lariz, Audrey	W
Larkin, Nancy	W
Larsen, Laura	L
Laughlin, Robert	L
Lebowsky, Beth	L
LeClair, Joe	W
LeCluyse, Chris	W
Lerner, Mark	L
Leveridge, Brett	L
Levitan, Stacy	L
Lin, Nancy	L
Lindner, Karl	W
MacDuffee, CJ	L
Lockwood, Rose	W
Loeffler, Lauren	L
Long, Ali	W
Lynde, Jerry	W
M., Amanda	W
M., Bonnie	L
M., Cathy	L
M., CJ	W
M., Debralee	W
M., Ellie	L
M., Hugh	L
M., Jen	L
M., Jessie	W
M., Jim	L
M., K	W
M., Katy	L
M., Ktea	L
M., Lily M	W
M., Linda	W
M., Liz	L
M., Marine	L
M., Mary	L
M., Nicole	W
M., Perrin	L
M., Roy	L
M., Saoirse	W
M., Sarah	L
M., Sarah	L
M., Stef	L
M., Steve	W
M., Suzanne	L
M., Suzanne	L
M., Teenuh	L
M., Tom	L
McGrath, Siobhan Lucien	W
Madonna, A.Z.	L
Mahar, Lizz K.	L
Manguchei, Kendyce L.	L
Manson, Tycho	W
Marks, Scott	L
Marracco, Muffy	L
Marshall, Karyn	L
Marsten, Jeff	W
Martino, Brian	L
Massey, Misty	L
Mc., Trish	L
McElligott, Kevin	L
McFadden, John	L
McNeely, Karen S.	W
McIntosh, Grace	W
Miller, Claire E.	L
Melton, Morgan	W
Merk, Bill	L
Messinger, Eli	W
Micha, Alyssa	L
Milton, Denise	W
Miller, DJ	L
Mochari, Loren	L
Morgan, Denise	L
Moilanen, Kristin L.	L
Montano, Louis R.	L
Moore, Wein	L
Segall, Margaret	L
Musson, Michael	W
Myers, Carol	L
N., Angie	L
N., Daniel Arthur	L
N., Elle E.	L
N., Kate	L
N., Ron	L
N., Sharon	L
N., Sharyn	W
N., Stephanie	L
N., Victoria	W
Nathan, Don Lester	W
Nesbit, Garry	L
Nickels, Brenden	L
Nixon, Jen L.	W
Noel, Morgan	L
Nordstrom, Elizabeth	W
Nordstrom, Ron	W
Now and Then, Convoid -4	W
O., Carol L.	L
O., Jacqueline	W
O., Julie	L
O., Michael	L
O., Nick	L
O., Ollie	L
O., Sandi	W
O., Tatiana	W
Olschanski, Stephen	L
Olson, Kara	W
OSullivan, Jennifer	W
Ozenne, Stephanie	L
P., David	L
P., Eddie	L
P., Gael	L
P., Jackson	L
P., Jami A.	L
P., Karen	L
P., Keenan	L
P., Mike	L
P., Nicole	L
P., Shonda K.	W
Pannunzio , Charles	L
Pannunzio, Charles	L
Pattisall, Ellen	L
Pearson, John	L
Pearson, Jeannine	L
Peck, Gayle W.	L
Peck, Michael (Mr. LDBC)	L
Pierson, Melissa	L
Porter, Brett G	W
Princehouse, Jill	W
Printz, Irit	L
Quinn, Jen	W
R., C.	L
R., Chris F.	W
R., David	L
R., Diane	L
R., Gino	L
R., Jack	L
R., Jennifer	W
R., Khajha	L
R., Pat	L
R., Regina	L
R., Reuben	W
Radding, Wendy	L
Raucci, Samantha	L
Rauer, Jacqueline B.	L
Rea, Laura S.	L
Reardon-Mulhall, Suzanne	W
Reed, Tammey	L
Reid, Mary	L
Reznek, Abigail	L
Reznek, Karen	W
Riley, Kathleen	W
Rigney, Dan	L
Robinson, Noël Bailey	L
Rivera, Hector A.	L
Roberts, Steven M.P.	W
Rose, Mandy	W
Rutford, Doug	L
Ross, Janna L.	L
Roth Smith, Dawn	L
Roth, Amy	W
Rowland, Rick Damnit	L
Sandberg, Cari	L
Rutford, Sue	L
S., Alexis	L
S., Alyson	L
S., Amu	W
S., Andy	W
S., Barbara	L
S., Bill	L
S., Christine	L
S., Danny	W
S., Debbie	L
S., Dina	W
S., Erin J.	L
S., Greg	L
S., Hunter	W
S., Jacob	L
S., Jenny	W
S., Julie	L
S., Karla	L
S., Krista	L
S., L. G.	L
S., Lee Ann	L
S., Liz	L
S., Lynn	W
S., Mary	L
S., Matt	L
S., Misty	L
S., Person	L
S., Russ	W
S., Sandy	L
S., Stephanie	W
Sailors, Kenneth M.	W
Salvador, Phil	L
Samuelson, Michael	W
Scott, Susan V.	W
Sandusky, Sarah	L
Scarberry, Melissa	W
Scheer, Isabelle	W
Schmidt, James Patrick	W
Schreiber, Rebecca	W
Schreur, Lynne	W
Segall, Margaret	L
Scott, Chris	L
Smith, Cathryn J.	L
Sherwood, Autumn Lee	W
Sigman, Laura “Lost Again”	L
Silverman, Riley J.	L
Simon, Gary	L
Sinden, David	L
Slater, Brendon J.	L
Solliday, Jo	L
Smith, Cathryn J.	L
Smith, Jenny	L
Smith, Nikki	L
Smith, Susan S.	L
Snideman, Jim	W
Standhope, James F.	L
Solliday, Jo	L
Spencer, Terie	W
Stahl, Pete	L
Wolfgang, Tracy	L
Stephenson, Sara	L
Stebbins, Matt	W
Steinhauer, Art	W
Strelitzer, Jonas M.	W
Stern, Alice F.	L
Stevens, Andy	L
Stewart, Rebekah	W
Stickley, Aileen	L
Strelitzer, Tristan	L
Sullivan, Jim R.	L
Tetreault, Brian	L
Sullivan, Jason	W
Sussman, Anne	L
Swartzell, Steven M.	W
Swift, Jennifer S	W
T. is for loser, Bre	L
T., Alexander	L
T., Chris C.	L
T., Debbie Jo	W
T., Joe	L
T., John	W
T., Karyl L	L
T., Natalie J.	W
Taylor, Hadley	L
Terpstra, Rick	W
Trapp, Mike	L
The Priest, Zadok	L
Thomas, Joan	L
Vandermark, Bill	W
Traylor, Stephanie	W
Trobaugh, Phillip	L
Tucker, Melinda	W
Turiel, Josh	W
Turner, A. R.	W
Turner, Alan R.	W
U., Amanda	W
Unruh, Laramie	L
V., Chven	L
V., Jennifer	L
V., Matt	W
Vader, Michael	W
Vandermark, Terri	L
Walker, Erin	L
W., April	L
W., April	L
W., Damian	W
W., DeeDee	L
W., Diane	L
W., Drew	L
W., Harold C.	L
W., J.	L
W., Joe	L
W., Kim	L
W., Lizzy	L
W., Lynn	L
W., Lynne	L
W., Melissa D.	W
W., Michelle	W
W., Monty	W
W., Ross I.	W
Walsh, Tom	L
Wolfgang, Tracy	L
Walsh, Chrissy	L
Walsh, Julie K.	L
Walsh, Kayleigh	L
Ward, Jamie	W
Ward, Robin	W
Ward, Rowan	L
Ward, Terence P	W
Watkins, Laura S.	L
Watson, Sophie	L
Watts, Kelly Lankau	W
Whitton, Audra	L
Willett, Lindsay	L
Williamson, Rebecca	W
Wills, Carroll	L
Winter, Stacy	L
Wolfgang , Tracy	W
Woods, John	L
Wrenn, Leslie	L
WW, Mary	W
Y., Ki (rhymes with Sky)	W
Young, Shelle	L
Z., Dianne	L
Z., Michael	L
Z., Zach	L
Zaleski, Bonnie	L
Zions, Jason D	W