Remember that old SNL sketch “Fecal Matter with your host John Fecal”? No? Yeah I figured it was just me. It was a solid (heh) talk show format with a specialized host and topic. Well, we ain’t exactly doing Pod Flies Open around here, but what about in written form, maybe say like a mix between John Fecal, Jack Handey, Balls’ 25 questions, Rev’s take on Larry King, and I don’t know, my own fucked up mind? With that backdrop I present to you the twenty-fifth edition of a potentially sporadically recurring irregularly scheduled Random Thoughts with BFC! Now also (occasionally) in open thread form! If you want to make this interactive, drop a note/question/bon mot in the comments ala my old Mouth Flies Open  attempt at an advice column.

• Rev is off tonight. I’m not saying it’s because Mac Jones beat his Bills, but I’m also not above strongly implying it.
• So how about that Tyson Bagent? I guess he doesn’t suck yet. Sure is better than last week.
• The NFC North, however, still sucks out loud.
• And no, I did NOT need Q-A-RON on the Manningcast this week. But his mic conking out so he sounded like he’s had a tracheotomy or is a cyborg worked for me. Let’s take him out back and beat the shit out of him with a shovel just to make sure we quell the robot uprising early.
• I didn’t mind, though, the weird ad for Irish Spring during MNF because it always reminds me of this little known fact: rats hate Irish Spring. Or maybe it isn’t a fact, there’s some disagreement on the interwebs .
• All this talk of strikes recently and yet no one around here has found a way to push for a rejection of pants requirements in the workplace.
• Perhaps slightly more likely, let’s talk about the push for a four day work week, as called for by the UAW president.
• As some of you know, I recently changed jobs and negotiated a nice bit of time off in between. In so doing, I have learned that my ideal work schedule is like 4-5 hours a day, 4-5 days a week. But since that’s not gonna happen, maybe a 4 day work week is the next best thing.
• The whole 5 day, 40 hour work week is thanks to the work of oft derided labor unions (though the Fair Labor Standards Act as first passed in 1938 made it 44 hours, it took an amendment two years hence to get down to 40). In the late 1800s, the average workload in the US for those in manufacturing jobs was 100 hours per week.

• On the metro in DC, when you tap on and tap off, the turnstile displays your current fare and your balance on your SmarTrip. This morning, I glanced down to make sure the person in front of me had processed their exit fare before I tapped and she had a balance of…(drumroll please )…$597.85! WHAT!? For reference, I keep about $4-12 on mine, so the only thing that makes sense to me is this person has a transit benefit that was auto deposited to their account monthly while they cut back on commuting during COVID. For years. Or maybe they have a very transit focused sugar daddy. Otherwise this is the dumbest financial decision outside of a professional sports league.
• Speaking of the metro, a couple of mornings I’ve seen the same guy go train to train making his pitch for money or food, totally get it even though it’s uncomfortable for everyone involved, but what took me back the most recent time was when he started thanking some folks VERY specifically. I didn’t except a transition from “thank you” to “thank you, black queen, thank you beautiful, thank you beautiful black pussy.”
• And no, he wasn’t directing that at me.
• I also saw a guy get on the train in full military fatigues and immediately had to stifle laughter when I saw the Space Force patches.
• Man, I really hadn’t thought about how much fodder I would get resuming a commute by public transit. #manofthepeople
• During the Erin Andrews trial, did the press call her stalker Man of the Peephole? They should have.
• Want to see something creepy (that I found while walking, not on metro)? Too bad, it’s almost Halloween, which must be peak season for this person:

• In news of other things I walked by recently, there’s apparently a Victims of Communism Museum in DC now. I wonder if “is it free” is as big of a mindful for them as I hope it is.
• Have you ever heard of PCS? Not the sprint appellation, apparently it means “Professional Children’s School” for working children like ballerina dancers and actors and stuff. Bring back the mines.
• Landed in Orlando this afternoon and the pilot non ironically said “Welcome to Boston” when we touched down. The purser had to clarify. And yet there was very little concern/confusion from the passengers.
• And yet I can’t really feel superior. I walked into my hotel and said to myself “wow, self, you got a suite.” Reader, I’m staying at a Homewood Suites. They’re all suites.
• ICYMI, last night Maestro asked for Chicago restaurant recommendations. I’ve lost count but there are at least a half dozen Chicagoans or former denizens in the clubhouse, let’s help him out.
• Speaking of commentist participation, let’s wrap it up as alwaysish with a fill in the blank. “When things get really tough, __________ never fails to cheer me up.”

What’s On Tonight?

Hockey

Foliage at Caps, 5pm DFO time on ESPN

B’s at BHawks, 7:30pm DFO time on ESPN

Flyers at Knights, 9pm DFO time on ESPN

Balancesto

Lakers at Nuggets, 6:30pm DFO time on TNT

Suns at Warriors, 9pm DFO time on TNT

Fútbol

I don’t understand these acronyms so please consult your local Hippopotamidae.

Fiiiiine there’s also playoff baseball on. Something about a game 7 between reptiles and angry Pennsylvanians. 7:07pm DFO time on TBS, go former Nats!