Sunday Stealing: Simple Life

Sunday Stealing


What are five things you would like to do more often?

A. Write, read, travel, take pictures, practice drawing, and learning to cook healthily.

What is your quote to live by?

A. Not all those who wander are lost. - J. R. R. Tolkien

What was the best thing that happened this week?

A. The Democrats won big in the state elections, and the candidate I was pulling for in the local election also won.

What is something you are stressed about?

A. My health.

What book has influenced your life?

A. All of them, but I think it was Anne of Green Gables that made me want to be a writer.

Share a childhood memory.

A. When I was in second grade, in the first 6 weeks period, I received a B+ in reading. No one received an A, and I had the highest grade. I have always been one to want to know what the heck I did wrong, so I went to the teacher and I asked her why I didn't get an A. "You are the best reader and English student," said Mrs. Wright. She picked up a nearby book. "But when you read," she dropped her head down and looked into the book, "you just read." She then read off something in a monotone. "You don't give it any life." I stood there in a mix of panic and consternation. Nobody had told me I was supposed to offer inflection when I read, and so I was penalized for it. I didn't think that was fair and thought it would have been nice if she'd said something about three weeks prior to my asking. But I took the lesson to heart, and if you ever want to hear someone tell or read a story that includes real life dog-sounds or changing voices for people, I'm your girl.

What fictional character would you most like to be?

A. Gandalf the white, except as a girl. I'm tired of the patriarchy. Blah.

What is something you are proud of?

A. My marriage.

What was the last thing you celebrated?

A. My birthday.

What are weird things you like?

A. I'm a nerd so I like nerd stuff. I like tech toys, superheroines, video games, and staring out the window.

What is your favorite song to sing?

A. I don't really have a favorite, but I suppose American Pie might come close to being my favorite to sing. It is long and I know all the words.

Name three things you do well.

A. Eat, drink, and fart. (And surprise people. I seriously doubt many expected that answer.)

What are your priorities in life?

A. To be happy, to keep my husband happy, and to be kind.

What is something that scares you?

A. Heart palpitations.

Best book you read this year?

A. I reread Black Beauty, the children's classic, earlier in the year. It is a classic for a reason.

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Get Down Tonight

Saturday 9: Get Down Tonight (1975)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

Well, this one's an oldie but goodie, isn't it? Do a little dance . . . I always did like disco.


1) Tonight, KC has three things on his "to-do" list: do a little dance, make a little love and get down. Tell us three things you'd like to accomplish this weekend.

A. Finish editing a manuscript, get the bedding changed, and read the novel I need to finish up for book club.

2) This week's song is considered emblematic of disco, a genre that had as many detractors as fans. Is there a kind of music you simply cannot stand?

A. I don't listen to hip-hop or rap. It's not that I can't stand it, really. I just don't understand it. There are some country music forms that make me shudder, but then there are other country songs that I love.

3) Before becoming a musician, KC, aka Harry Casey, worked in a record store. In those days, record stores were very popular. Peaches, Coconuts, Sam Goody and Tower Records are four store chains that once dotted the landscape but now are gone. Today, if you wanted to purchase a CD, where would you turn?

A. I would probably get it on Amazon; that way it is in my Amazon music on Prime and I can download it instantly onto my computer or smartphone.

4) One of his duties at the record store was unloading the big corrugated shippers filled with LPs. What's the heaviest thing you've lifted lately?

A. I have back problems so I don't lift much. I think the crock pot was the heaviest thing I've lifted in a while. It's 34 years old - we received it as a wedding present - and thus it is sturdy, well-made, and heavy.

5) KC is proud that he's lived his entire life in Miami-Dade County. Do you expect to change your address in the next year or so?

A. No.

6) In 1975, the year this song was popular, former Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa disappeared, never to be seen again. Many theories flourish about what may have happened to him. Is there a famous criminal case that has a hold on your attention?

A. Not really a criminal case, but I like the local legend of the Beale Treasure. The Beale Treasure is supposedly hidden somewhere in my county or an adjacent county, and there is a bunch of codes that supposedly reveal the location of the booty. Great story. You can read about it here. You can find websites that claim to have cracked the code, but nobody's found any treasure.

7) Jaws was the most popular movie of 1975. Are you afraid of sharks?

A. I don't go in the ocean, so no.

8) Actress Angelina Jolie was born in 1975. People magazine once named her "most beautiful." Who is the most beautiful woman you can think of?

A. Elizabeth Taylor comes first to mind, so I will go with her.

9) Random question: A wizard offers you a choice -- would you like your life to stay as it is right now (in terms of your health, your career, your relationships and your finances) for the next 5 years, or would you like to take a chance that the future will be brighter?

A. Aren't we always taking a chance every day that the future will be brighter? How is that any different than regular life? I'll take the chance. It's not any different than where I am now, and the chance of improvement is better than stuck where I am.

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.

Trying to Draw

I have never considered myself to by a drawing sort of artist. I may be a photography sort of artist, and a writing sort of artist, but "artwork" does not seem to be my thing.

This morning, in a moment of meditation, I thought I'd try to draw something on an LED writer I picked up to use instead of post-it notes.

Here is the item I was drawing:

Yes, a little basket with checkbooks in it. Whoo hoo.

This looks like a basket - maybe - but one would never know what was in it.

I did find it an interesting exercise, much like I find coloring to be helpful to my anxiety. And with the LED board, one little click and my efforts are gone (unless, like this, I take a photo of it).

I should probably stick to coloring books.

Thursday Thirteen #525

I am one of the many hundreds of thousands of people who have a problem with inflammation. From my reading, some of this is genetic. Some is diet. Some is stress. Some is . . . well, who knows. I have tried anti-inflammatory diets in the past and did not find them helpful. If they made me feel better, it wasn't noticeably so.

While we were at Virginia Beach a few weeks, I noticed I felt better. On the way home, as soon as we topped Afton Mountain outside of Charlottesville and were in a higher altitude, I felt my fingers begin to swell, as if I were retaining fluid. This was, in fact, noticeable.

The question of whether altitude causes inflammation apparently hasn't been scientifically answered (or even studied, from what I can find), but since at least one person has asked the question online, I am not the only one to wonder.

Anyway, I think it is time I return to an anti-inflammatory diet, so here are 13 foods that supposedly make a difference in how you feel.

There are more than 13 foods that help inflammation, of course. These are the ones I can eat. Some, like onions, are probably very good for you, but I have a propensity to develop ulcers and things like onions and peppers tend to not help that.

1. Whole grains: Eat these to gain more fiber, which has been associated with fewer signs of inflammation. They also have a lower glycemic index, for those watching blood sugar levels. My favorite is brown rice.

2. Berries and tart cherries: Fruit in general is high in antioxidants, and berries in particular have anti-inflammatory properties because they contain healthy polyphenols and anthocyanins. I like blueberries. My husband uses cherry juice all the time to keep his gout at bay.

3. Olive oil: This plant-based fat is great for a heart-healthy diet and contains healthy oleic acid. It’s also delicious and fits in well with the Mediterranean diet. This is, for the most part, the only oil I use.

4. Cruciferous vegetables: Vegetables in the cabbage family contain numerous nutrients, including antioxidants, which protect the body from the free radicals which can prompt inflammation. I liked cooked cabbage but I don't eat enough of it. This is a food I need to add.

5. Tomatoes: Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that may reduce inflammation in the lungs and elsewhere in the body. I love tomatoes but don't eat them as often as I should. I also am not sure that hybrid tomatoes really do the job.

6. Leafy greens: Spinach, kale and other dark leafy greens contain an abundance of healthy compounds including vitamin E, calcium, iron, and phytochemicals that help reduce inflammation. I like leafy greens but my husband will only eat kale.

7. Apples: Apples, like most other fruits, contain healthy phytonutrients that help protect against age-related diseases. I used to eat more apples but since my gallbladder surgery, they seem to bother me.

8. Nuts: Walnuts contain omega-3s, almonds and macadamias contain oleic acid, and nearly all nuts contain antioxidants — key ingredients in helping the body fight inflammation. Many nuts and their oils are also considered healthy fats. I like almonds.

9. Ginger and turmeric: These two spices often found in Indian food have anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric contains curcumin, a particularly potent anti-inflammatory compound. If these flavors don’t appeal to you, try supplements. I have tried turmeric supplements and they upset my stomach.

10. Carrots: Carrots are rich in the antioxidant beta-carotene, which helps reduce free radicals in the body. I like carrots, but they are also a bit hard on my stomach since I had my gallbladder removed.

11. Low-fat dairy: Dairy can prompt inflammation in certain sensitive people, but high-quality and low-fat dairy products like good cheese and yogurt are an excellent source of protein, probiotics, and calcium. I eat a lot of non-fat yogurt.

12: Sweet Potatoes: Another healthy carbohydrate, sweet potatoes also contain fiber, antioxidants, and the phytonutrient beta carotene. We have discovered bags of steamed sweet potatoes, which turn out very good.

13: Tea: White, green, and oolong tea in particular contain phytonutrients and flavonoids which help reduce inflammation. I drink black tea every morning, and need to add a cup of green tea in the afternoon.

Another food is fish, but I stopped eating fish several years ago after I developed a severe sore throat every time I ate it. We never could figure out if it was simply shellfish or other fish that was perhaps cooked in shellfish grease, and it made me too sick to try to experiment, so I simply gave up all fish. I miss it but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Here's to healthy eating. The foods from the list came from this website. Check it out for the 7 I left off.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 525th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

Election Day

Today is Election Day here in the U.S.A. It is not a presidential election year, so we are voting for state and local folks.

For the first time in a long time, I have a choice of representation on the ballot in my local supervisors' district. I have a choice in some of the state races - the ones at the top - but not delegate or senator. The incumbents are running unopposed.

I have never missed a vote. Even if I have no choice, I vote anyway. Sometimes I write in names when people are unopposed (because I can). At the very least, it should let the winner know not everyone is happy with his or her performance. Additionally, it means incumbents won't get 100 percent of the vote, not that 100 percent of the registered voters will have voted.

We have rain and it's growing colder by the hour, so I bet the turn out is abysmal. Will we even have a 30 percent turn out of voters? Stay tuned.

When you feel your vote makes no difference, I am not sure what you call it, but I do not call it democracy. In fact, I wear solid black to the voting both, to protest the death of democracy. Not that anybody asks.

Locally, the Republicans have a stranglehold on most of the seats. I expect my county will go Republican; it has for years. Folks seeking lower taxes moved in in the 1990s and brought with them their desires for more government services somehow paid for out of thin air. We've had some real winners on the local governing board in the last 15 years. They represented somebody, but they did not represent me. I was a news reporter at the time and had to keep my opinions to myself.

Why aren't there more people willing to run for office? For one thing, it's not a regular person's game anymore. Unless you're a millionaire plus, you may as well forget it. Even at the local level, you have to spend thousands to get what you're after. For another, the election process has become as vicious as vultures pecking out the eyes of a calf. If you have the least little crack in your life's history, the opposition will break it open until your guts are strewn all over the floor.

Who wants to deal with that?

Twenty years ago, the candidates for the local board ran as independents. And then the political parties crept into it, and all was lost. Once that game started, there has been nothing to do but sit back and watch the dive into divisiveness and derision. No amount of sanity is going to save us now.

So go vote. I vote to honor the women who lived before me, who died so that I might exercise my right to write-in the name of a candidate, even if that person will only receive the single vote I cast. It is your civic duty, even if you're as jaded and as regretful as I am over the way the process is handled today.

Go vote because it is the right thing to do. And don't hesitate to write in Yosemite Sam if you don't like the choice of candidates.

Miltary Aviation Museum

When we do finally settle in for our little vacation, we like to hunt up obscure museums. In Virginia Beach, we found the Military Aviation Museum.

This is a private collection of World War I and World War II aircraft. The hangers are even made from parts hauled over from England and Germany.

The aircraft has been restored and most of it is flyable. You could even go up in a plane if you wanted. I tried to get my husband to take a trip but he declined, and he didn't suggest I go up, either. He knew I probably would have taken the ride, I think!



Not sure I'd want to go up in something like this!

I'm afraid I didn't take notes on what the planes are or when they flew.

Many were much smaller than I expected. My husband here, is 6' 2", to give you an idea of the plane size.

This one was colorful.

Kind of hard to believe these things flew!

A decoration on one of the planes.

This plane was going to eat its enemies.

The wings were made of canvas, the tour guide said.

I liked the pink tips.

Couldn't get him to properly center in the aviator's suit.

This one had wings that folded up for shipping.



Bi-plane.



Some kind of fighter jet.



The single area that honored women in aviation.



Looking down over the planes.



Air suits.

We watched this plane take off. I think it was a P51 (?).

Supposedly the Red Barron's plane. Or one like it.

Checking out the instrument panel.

This allegedly was the type of plane the first woman aviator flew. The plane turned upside and she and
her co-pilot fell out because they didn't have seat belts.

The P51 (?) taking off.



Up and away.



You could take rides in this little bi-plane.

There she goes!

Sunday Stealing: First Things First (#205)

Sunday Stealing

{1} First thing you would do/buy if you won the lottery: Tell my husband to retire.

{2} First person you call when you get amazing news: My husband.

{3} First thing you do when you've had a bad day: Tell my husband we're going out to dinner because I'm not cooking.

{4} First movie you went to without your parents: I think it might have been Grease, but I'm not sure.

{5} First sport you played (Little League-style or in school): I was in band. I was a nerd. I didn't play sports.

{6} First major injury: I broke my wrist when I was 12.

{7} First product I use in the shower: My Neutrogena facial wash bar.

{8} First apartment or house on your own (away from you parents!): My husband and I rented a small three bedroom cabin.

{9} First Roommate(s): I went from living with my parents to marriage. I was 20.

{10} First Time Living Away from Home: When I married.

{11} First magazine subscription: Writer's Digest.

{12} First real piece of jewelry you owned: My engagement ring.

{13} First time staying home alone: I was a latchkey kid. I kept my brother from about the time I was 10.

{14} First thing I reach for in the fridge: Pitcher of cold water.

{15} First car accident or traffic violation: I was on my way to a job interview when I topped a hill and rear-ended a vehicle stopped in front of me. That was around 1994.

Bonus:  Toilet paper, over or under? So long as there is paper within reach, I don't even care if it is on the roller.

__________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Suddenly I see

Saturday 9: Suddenly I See (2005)
 
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is a tribute to Patti Smith, the rocker who inspired KT Tunstall. What woman who has inspired you?
 
A. I think the women (yes, plural) who inspired me the most were my teachers in high school and college. They saw me as a person, and taught me to be one.
 
2) In this video, you can see a turntable and an LP. When is the last time you played a record?
 
A. We kept the turntable I had when I was a teenager until around 1993 or so, so probably then. I refused to convert to CDs for a long time. But eventually you have no choice, though I am glad vinyl is coming back in style.
 
3) Growing up, Ms. Tunstall seldom sang at home because her father is severely hearing impaired and music interfered with his sensitive hearing aid. Do you, or does anyone in your family, wear a hearing aid?
 
A. Not that I am aware of. I know some people who probably should be wearing one, though.
 
4) In high school, she got experience performing on street corners. Have you ever tipped a street musician?
 
A. I don't think so. You don't see a lot of that in rural areas.
 
5) When this song was popular, Microsoft introduced the Xbox 360 to North America. Are you into gaming?
 
A. Yes. I am a big Skyrim fan and I like city building games. I have a plastic tub full of old 3.5 discs with video games on them. I have no idea what to do with them.
 
6)  In 2005, Prince Charles married his long-time love, Camilla Parker Bowles. At the time of their wedding, 73% of Brits said they disapproved of her. Today, her popularity has increased somewhat and her disapproval has dropped to 55%. Do you know anyone who married someone you didn't like? Did their spouse grow on you with time?
 
A. I can't think of anyone in relation to this question.
 
7) Harry Potter ad the Goblet of Fire was popular in theaters. Who is your favorite "Harry Potter" character?
 
A. Hermione.

8) In 2005, YouTube was introduced by three young men who met while working at PayPal. What's the last thing you paid for using PayPal?
 
A. Probably some "diamonds" for my city building game, Elvenar. I allotted myself the amount a video game normally costs (about $50) to use in this "free but with in-app purchases" game. Those kinds of purchases can get out of hand so I always set a budget.
 
9) Random Question: After a long, exhausting day of travel, you check into a motel. The room is not at all to your liking. It's next to the ice machine, so you can hear cubes dropping noisily into metal buckets. Your view is of the parking lot. The bath towels are thin and tiny. In short, you feel like you're being ripped off. Do you grab your bag, turn on your heel and check out, hoping there are better accommodations nearby? Or do you say, "What the hell, it's only one night," and climb into bed?
 
A. I have been known to leave hotels in the middle of the night and drive back home, even though I was eight hours away. So I assume I would turn on my heel, get my money back, and flee, given my history.

 _____________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.

Thursday Thirteen: People on the Beach

Game in progress.

Sandlot football for real.

Sun, surf, sand.

Walking the boardwalk.

Taking baby for a walk.

A tender moment.

Did she say yes?



Time to fold the blanket.

Done for the day.

Bike versus skateboard.

A stroll with a seagull.

Just after sunrise.

Waiting for the sunrise.

________

 

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 524th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

Happy Halloween!

Bird on the Wing

Seeking the Photo

Sunday Stealing: More Monsters

Sunday Stealing

The goblins and ghouls ask questions:

Ghost: What would you like on your tombstone?

A. Words. (Ghost: Smart aleck.)

Dracula: Are you afraid of aging? Or death?

A. I'm more afraid of being old than I am of dying.

Nosferatu: What, as a child, did you imagine went bump in the night?

A. Just the usual monsters, I suppose. Living with two parents who fought all the time and threw things at one another was scary enough; I really didn't have to imagine much.

Godzilla: What do you do when you are angry? Are you ever destructive?

A. I yell sometimes. Mostly I fuss. Sometimes I slam drawers. I am not destructive. Although the drawer might beg to differ, I suppose.

The Blob: Do you collect anything? If so, what and why?

A. I collect Christmas mice, because I think they're cute and I have a long history with them. I also collect signed books and have a nice collection of works signed by their authors.

Zombie: When was the last time you trusted your gut? Was it successful?

A. My gut and I are not on speaking terms.

Mothra: What is something dangerous that attracts or fascinates you?

A. Fire.

King Kong: What are some questionable choices you've made lately?

A. I have put off seeing a doctor about an issue with my foot for far too long.

Alien: What is your strangest feature?

A. My sense of humor.

Cthulhu: Do you like the ocean? Why or why not?

A. I like to watch it. I am not much on getting in it. It is hard on my skin.

Nessie: Have you ever felt invisible to people -- the feeling of not existing?

A. Yes.  (The answer is invisible.)

Mutant spider: What is one of your biggest fears?

A. Growing old and living under a bridge and eating out of dumpsters.

Werewolf: If you could change into any nonhuman animal and back at will, what animal would you change into and why?

A. A deer, because they are curious animals and can blend in and move quickly. Or a dragon. If you can be a dragon, you should always be a dragon.

Golem: If you could make up an imaginary friend, what would they be like and why?

A. I had imaginary friends when I was a child. They were always nice although they did occasionally get blamed for thing that somehow sort of happened.

Leprechaun: What is your "pot of gold" (or white whale, if you'd rather).

A. Um. I don't understand this question. I guess that is why I can never find the end of the rainbow.

Sharktopus: What is something you've done that was ridiculous or a bad decision?

A. I once left a job that I shouldn't have, a very long time ago.

Robot: What is a habit you do without thinking?

A. Eat.

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.