Richard V. Rupp

July 19, 2021

Good Monday morning. I'm author Richard V. Rupp, writing from Burbank, California. Welcome to Rupp's Notes/FBI Special Agent Hartman Series posts.

 

No, I'm not back in Venice. Just thought for today, I'd use a different photo to start the day off. I still have that white hat and those sunglasses.

 

Yesterday, I finally finished watching 'The Man in the High Castle' series, based on a novel of the same name by Philip K. Dick. I found the series interesting but a challenge to watch or at least follow. Note the book was published in 1962 and the TV series in 2014. But, it does reflect upon a lot of things that are happening in society today. It also interested me as a writer. There was a lot of symbolism – like Helen decorating her cupcakes with chocolate icing. In contrast, her daughter, who has different beliefs, decorates hers with vanilla icing. Then, of course, there is the destruction of the Statue of Liberty as an indication that America had fallen. This has been used in numerous movies.

 

Many things ran through my mind as I watched the series. For instance, at what speed does society change compared to its government? Yes, the rates are different. Sometimes one leads, and sometimes the other. There is a line in the show – "Nothings perfect, nothing is ever finished." Yes, that is a truism, but an important one. The show touch on what makes up a family. The word 'family' has a very lengthy definition in the dictionary. This is an essential question in our current times. Today's evolving tribalism involves the concept of family.

 

To see what others thought of the show, I looked back at its reviews. Here's some of what I found –

'The Man In The High Castle' can't help but mirror our own current circumstances and force us to confront some of the same questions the characters contend with."

 

"If you found the first season of 'The Man in the High Castle' boring and gave up on it, who could blame you? For the most part, it was boring."

 

"From the beginning, 'The Man in the High Castle' has always been a bummer of a show. A series about an alternate reality in which the Axis won World War II, it presents a bleak and grey society guided by hatred. . ."

 

"The story then delves into quantum physics and multiverse theory."

 

"I expected that the freedom in both worlds and in all universes would come through a break in technology, either forcing the Nazis & Japanese to give up, or they to understand their war is pointless, the universe has unlimited room for all of us."

 

"In general, 'High Castle' presents ideas never seen in other shows."

 

Our extreme heat continues. I have noticed its effect on my body, so I offer the following. Drink lots of fluids frequently, every hour or so. I'm using water and sports drinks to maintain my electrolytes and add the sodium we lose through our sweat. We are made up of around 60% water, and if we don't replenish it, dehydration can strike. When dehydration sets in, you start to feel thirsty. Your mouth and lips feel dry, and you become nauseated. You may feel lightheaded or develop a headache. Urine becomes darker in color. Your heart will beat faster, and your blood pressure drops, and some will experience altered mental status.

 

Are you ready for the Olympics? Apparently, they historically have involved a lot of sex. This is what I learned from an article by David Meyer in yesterdays New York Post –

 

To reduce sex between athletics at the games in Tokyo, unique beds designed to only withstand the weight of a single person are being used in the Olympic Village. They are made of cardboard. "The world's best sports competitors are set to spend their nights on cardboard beds — allegedly designed to collapse under the weight of fornicators to discourage sex."

 

Additionally, Olympic officials are waring the 2021 Games participants to avoid two-person push-ups because of the coronavirus.

 

They are also distributing a cache of condoms to the athletes. This has been the procedure at every Olympic Games since 1988. This year, the condom tally is 160,000. That's far short of the 450,000 doled out for the last Summer Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2016.

 

I love this – "the Olympic officials insist the rubber is for athletes to bring home to spread the message of safe sex. "Our intent and goal is not for athletes to use the condoms at the Olympic Village, but to help with awareness by taking them back to their own countries."

 

Here's to interesting television watching. The Olympics should help. Stay cool, stay safe, stay hydrated.

I'll also be working on the manuscript for my novel SKYWARD.

 

Cheers,

 

Richard V. Rupp, Author

Website – www.richardvrupp.com

Email – rupprisk@gmail.com

Copyright©2021 by Richard V. Rupp