FLICK LITE. Our latest listings, as offered by the readers and your own resident Lite Boy:   
• Newest twist to an age-old mistake  
In that ever-continuing confusion between the Bloomingtons in Illinois and Indiana, there is additionally now this all-new wrinkle:  
In a recent press release from the White House was news of President Biden’s intent to nominate five members to the U.S. Amtrak Board of Directors, including, as read the release, “Christopher Koos, Mayor of Normal, Indiana.”  
Umm ... Indiana?  
We checked.  
There actually is a Normal, Indiana, an unincorporated community between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne. But it has no mayor and so few residents it is not even included in census counts.  
• Latest greatest obituary line  
From the notice of Denise Cesario, 67, of Towanda: “She left behind a hell of a lot of stuff for her daughters to go through, most of which they have no idea what to do with. So if you’re looking for a large flamingo walking stick, an obscene amount of slightly snazzy Christmas ornaments, every known color of turtleneck dickies, or any size of serving platter, Denise was your kind of lady and she would want to share her stash with you.” 
• Newest bumper sticker snicker  
As read the sticker on a car’s back window in Washington, Ill.:  
“Go ahead and pass me; I left on time.”  
• Most natural job switch 
Both words -- congressman and commentator -- begin with C and each have 11 letters, and it didn’t take long for Normal West High School grad and former McLean County Board member Adam Kinzinger to make that job switch on Thursday, stepping down from Congress to a job as “a senior commentator” for CNN. 
The move by Kinzinger, 44, elected to Congress 10 years ago as a conservative Illinois Republican, to the TV venue viewed by many as “a liberal mouthpiece” naturally sparked instant criticism and cynicism by Republicans on Twitter, and conservative Fox News host Tucker Carlson devoted six minutes to sarcastically bid a “sad goodbye to my favorite congressman,” suggesting Kinzinger’s “recent mood swing” and ideological sashay was “surely caused by a bout with mid-life male menopause.” 
“Goodbye, Miss Kinzinger,” Carlson ended drippingly.  
• More Fun Places To Visit, If Only For Their Names  
(As offered by the readers)  
 — Chicken Bristle, Illinois. 
— Snow Shoe, Pennsylvania.  
— Eclectic, Alabama. 
— Correctionville, Iowa.   
• Another example of these odd ‘supply chain issues’   
If you went online at Christmas to send someone that annual gift to friends elsewhere -- Bloomington’s own Beer Nuts -- you first were hit by a warning:  
“Given the increasing demand of Beer Nuts products and continued supply chain issues, supplies are limited, and various items remain out of stock for extended periods.” 
As one lamented, “The world has gone nuts!”  
• Moist downright prophetic advance  
According to an AP news report, the new ShakeAlert cellphone app that recently warned Californians of an impending earthquake was hailed by authorities as “groundbreaking.”  
• Best Name Club  
— Rick Ridings. Owns a car dealership in Monticello. 
— Todd Bong. Mayor of Tremont. 
— Brian Cashman. General manager of the New York Yankees who signed Aaron Judge for $360 million.   
• The latest edition of “Kids say the darnedest things …”  
“My family,” says Vicki Tilton, of Bloomington, “is addicted to iced tea, usually from Thornton’s. When the tea gets low, they just top it off with water. Makes for a day of relatively healthy drinking. They joke about it looking like, well, you know, pee. Then, one of the girls says, `Since it’s tea and water, we can call it `Twat-er!’ Mom says, “Umm, let’s not call it that. Maybe we’ll just call it ‘Wea’!  
“They still call it `Twat-er’!” says Vicki. 
• The latest ‘fame’ for the Normal even in Illinois 
On the Showtime series, “The L-Word, Generation Q,” Season 3, Episode 3, a contestant on a Dating Game-like show is asked, “Say something funny about yourself” and the response by the contestant (played by actress Joey Lauren Adams): “Something funny? Umm ... I’m, uh ... from Normal, Illinois.”  
Replies the questioner: “That’s more of a fact than a joke, but, OK, I’ll play along. What’s so normal about Normal? Would I fit in?” 
“Umm, uh, it’s the people, I-I guess, who make it normal. So, umm … well ...”  
We’re not sure if that’s an endorsement or not. 
• Got an item for Lite? Send to: bflick@pantagraph.com, or the Bill Flick page on Facebook. 
• Our January board of contributors: Linda Wiseman, Roanoke; Susan Erdman, Chenoa; Lee Templeton, Palmview, Texas; Meredith McClarty, Queens, N.Y.; Kerry Kidwell, Heyworth; Kurt Gummerman, Mary Louise Hahn, Michael Vandegraft, Vicki Tilton and Bob Bradley, Bloomington; Roy Roberts and Roger Hughes, Normal. 
Bill Flick is at flick@a5.com.