I was going to skip another week in this blog. Novel number two is occupying my time and mind lately. It’s hard to tear myself away from the story and its characters. I like spending time with them.

But I saw something last night that stirred up the creative juices. (Disgusting pun intended.)

As if we needed more evidence beyond a Trump candidacy that America’s depravity has hit a low from which it may never recover, last night I saw the most obscene commercial I’ve ever watched. It was for a product by turns called “GlowBowl”, “BowlLight”, or my personal favorite, “IllumiBowl”. That last one sounds like some sort of bizarre superhero. It lights up your toilet at night so you aren’t, as the commercials put it, blinded when you turn on the bathroom light.

You’ve probably heard of this beast by now, but it just came to my attention. Upon seeing it, I was at a loss as to how to respond. Laughter was my first reaction. Is this a joke? You know you’ve lived too long when you can’t tell a real commercial from an SNL lampoon. Can the Love Toilet be far behind?

Upon further consideration, I’m pissed. (Pun once again intended.) Can there be any doubt that Americans have too much money? Everyone (especially talking heads on Fox News) want us to believe our economy is in a shambles, yet we have money to spend on such dreck? Has no one heard of the $2 nightlight??

What can we expect from a nation that uses what the rest of the world calls drinking water to flush its toilets? In a world where 40% of its people have no access to modern sanitary facilities, we’re spending money that could be used to save the lives of some of the 1.5 million children who die from diarrhea every year to light up our johns.

I’ve had it. Back to something that at least resembles reality: my novel.