The July 4 holiday passed by uneventfully here at the ol' farmstead. We went up on top of one of the hills on the farm and watched the fireworks all around us.
The moon was full and a beautiful orange, highlighting the revelry of exploding colors. We turned our heads constantly, watching the fireworks explode first to our right, then to our left, then directly in front of us. It was just my husband and me, and we held hands while we sat in the car. In the moments when the fireworks were silent, the fireflies paved the way as they danced through the hayfield. Each firework boomed or sizzled, sometimes sounding like cannons volleying, and other times sounding like bacon frying. The air soon smelled of sulfur even though we were, in some cases, miles away from the exploding celebrations. I could see the haze of gunpowder across the valleys, the smoke swirling in the moonlight.
Sunday, we spent the day inside for the most part. July has come in hot and humid, with temperatures hovering around 95 degrees. Last week, my husband worked on a septic installation job, and he came in with his hair and shirt both soaking wet every day. Not from rain, but from the humidity.
Tomorrow I go for a mammogram, a follow-up to a visit in November. Allegedly I have cysts, but they wanted me back in six months. That should have been May but they weren't doing things like that then.
When I made the appointment for this, we had few cases. Now we are climbing in numbers and frankly it is scarier going out now than it was back in April, when the cases were in the cities. While other parts of Virginia are decreasing in cases, southwest Virginia's numbers are climbing. We now have 134 cases in Botetourt alone. I remember when I thought 33 was a lot.
My husband is going with me tomorrow even though he can't go in and will have to wait in the car. The appointment should go quickly - I have to call and tell them when I'm in the parking lot before they will let me in the building. I doubt they will tarry. I have to wear a mask, which I would do anyway. I expect they will take my temperature and all of that. I appreciate the precautions. I still find it scary, though.
The temperature of the nation seems like the entire place has Covid-45. People are protesting, still. I think that's been going on for a month. They are still removing statues, and I say good riddance to most of those, although I would have preferred a more orderly removal and placement in a museum or something. It is time those reminders of a lost and loathsome cause are put out of the public sphere. They certainly don't belong in front of the capital building in Richmond.
Our fearless leader, #45, over the July 4 weekend gave doomsday speeches and called everyone who opposed him evil and someone who should be dealt with firmly. It was so Hitler-esque that I personally don't see how others can't see that, but people only hear what they want to hear, I suppose. I'm sure that includes me. I hear evil and others hear greatness. Sometimes I feel totally out of step with my neighbors and my family. But my morality insists I remain true to my heart.
I have been reading a book called The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, by Mark Manson. It has interesting ideas in it, some of which I am trying to implement. I need to stop giving a fuck about a lot of things, but most especially things I have no control over. I wish it came with a workbook.
These remain strange times. At least the aliens didn't land on July 4, although frankly I think that would have been a cool thing to see.
Monday, July 06, 2020
Sunday, July 05, 2020
Sunday Stealing
Sunday Stealing
1. Have you ever had a vacation ruined by the weather or did you just work around it?
A. We have had several vacations interrupted by hurricanes when we were at Myrtle Beach, SC. We evacuated and came home. It's rather hard to work around hurricanes and severe flooding.
2. What small changes do you feel people could make to give the planet a fighting chance against global warming?
A. Drive less (that seemed to help while we were all in lockdown), recycle (although I think the US recycling attempts are abysmal), try to purchase things without so much packaging.
3. Are you adversely affect by the weather, such as SAD?
A. Yes. I also get headaches with thunderstorms.
4. How is the weather where you are and have you seen drastic changes in it during your life time?
A. We have much more wind now than I recall as a child, and summer comes earlier. Right now it is hot and humid.
5. Do you think we can stop global warming or is it too late?
A. It's probably too late. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't eliminate pollution as much as possible. Who wants to breathe dirty air? I mean, besides #45, who keeps taking away the regulations on businesses.
6. What could you do for an hour or so today that you would really enjoy doing?
A. Read.
7. What could you do for an hour today that might improve your life in the future?
A. I have some financial figuring to contemplate with my husband later in the day.
8. What could you do for an hour today that could strengthen or improve a skill you would like to be able to rely on?
A. Read.
9. What could you do for an hour today that would make your living space more pleasant to live in?
A. Clean up my husband's office, but I think that would take more than an hour.
10. What could you do for an hour today that would improve your relationships with loved ones?
A. Call somebody.
11. Do you like, dislike, or pay no attention to the wind?
A. I am not a fan of wind. I don't mind a gentle breeze, but strong winds are scary.
12. Do you have allergies or sinus made worse by the wind?
A. I have allergies and the wind doesn't help.
13. Have you ever been caught in a big wind (not a hurricane or tornado)?
A. Yes. In 2012, we had a derecho wind come through here. Many folks lost power for about 10 days, trees blew over, all sorts of things.
14. When was the last time you flew a kite?
A. Maybe 30 years ago.
15. Would you like to have the power of flight?
A. Not particularly.
1. Have you ever had a vacation ruined by the weather or did you just work around it?
A. We have had several vacations interrupted by hurricanes when we were at Myrtle Beach, SC. We evacuated and came home. It's rather hard to work around hurricanes and severe flooding.
2. What small changes do you feel people could make to give the planet a fighting chance against global warming?
A. Drive less (that seemed to help while we were all in lockdown), recycle (although I think the US recycling attempts are abysmal), try to purchase things without so much packaging.
3. Are you adversely affect by the weather, such as SAD?
A. Yes. I also get headaches with thunderstorms.
4. How is the weather where you are and have you seen drastic changes in it during your life time?
A. We have much more wind now than I recall as a child, and summer comes earlier. Right now it is hot and humid.
5. Do you think we can stop global warming or is it too late?
A. It's probably too late. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't eliminate pollution as much as possible. Who wants to breathe dirty air? I mean, besides #45, who keeps taking away the regulations on businesses.
6. What could you do for an hour or so today that you would really enjoy doing?
A. Read.
7. What could you do for an hour today that might improve your life in the future?
A. I have some financial figuring to contemplate with my husband later in the day.
8. What could you do for an hour today that could strengthen or improve a skill you would like to be able to rely on?
A. Read.
9. What could you do for an hour today that would make your living space more pleasant to live in?
A. Clean up my husband's office, but I think that would take more than an hour.
10. What could you do for an hour today that would improve your relationships with loved ones?
A. Call somebody.
11. Do you like, dislike, or pay no attention to the wind?
A. I am not a fan of wind. I don't mind a gentle breeze, but strong winds are scary.
12. Do you have allergies or sinus made worse by the wind?
A. I have allergies and the wind doesn't help.
13. Have you ever been caught in a big wind (not a hurricane or tornado)?
A. Yes. In 2012, we had a derecho wind come through here. Many folks lost power for about 10 days, trees blew over, all sorts of things.
14. When was the last time you flew a kite?
A. Maybe 30 years ago.
15. Would you like to have the power of flight?
A. Not particularly.
________________
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.
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, July 04, 2020
Saturday 9: You're A Grand Old Flag
Unfamiliar with James Cagney's 1942 version of this song? Hear it here.
1) The flag we currently fly, with 50 stars and 13 stripes, was designed by a high school student. When Alaska and Hawaii were added, President Eisenhower invited Americans to submit designs for how best to incorporate the two new states. Ike chose 17-year-old Robert G. Heft's submission from more than 1500 entries. Tell us about a contest you entered and won. (Or really hoped to win.)
A. I won the Sherwood Anderson Short Story Writing Contest once, and placed second in it another time. The contest was for short stories in the style of Sherwood Anderson, a writer known for some odd works. His most famous book was Winesburg, Ohio. He died near Marion, VA, and the library there sponsored the contest. I don't think they have it anymore.
2) The government also has another of Mr. Heft's designs waiting: one that incorporates a 51st star if another state is added. When you were in school, did you memorize the states and their capitals?
A. Probably, but I don't recall them all now.
3) Six American flags have been planted on the surface of the moon. Those are undoubtedly the flags farthest from you this morning. Where is an American flag flying near you today?
A. I would guess at the county courthouse, one of the cemeteries, or the VFW post.
4) This version of the song was performed by James Cagney in the 1942 classic, Yankee Doodle Dandy. Have you ever seen it?
A. No.
5) In that film, Cagney portrayed George M. Cohan, the composer of this week's song. In 1940, Cohan was honored by with a Congressional Gold Medal. In presenting him with the award, President Roosevelt specifically thanked Cohan for "You're a Grand Old Flag," "Yankee Doodle Dandy," and "Over There." What's your favorite patriotic song?
A. America the Beautiful or This Land is Your Land.
6) Though a performer his entire life, Cohan disliked listening to recordings of his own voice. How about you? Do you like your singing and/or speaking voice?
A. I sing ok but I speak and sing with a nice southwestern VA twang, I'm afraid. I don't like my speaking voice at all.
7) James Cagney won the Oscar for Best Actor his performance as George M. Cohan. Also nominated that year was Gary Cooper, who portrayed Lou Gehrig in Pride of the Yankees. Tell us about another movie about a great American.
A. I don't watch a lot of movies. The only thing I can think of is the John Adams series that was on HBO some time ago.
8) As a teen, Cagney juggled high school with a variety of jobs, including bell hop and delivery boy, and gave all his earnings to his family. Looking back, Cagney was grateful that he had to begin work early, saying, "I feel sorry for the kid who has too cushy a time of it. Suddenly he has to come face-to-face with the realities of life without his mama and papa to do his thinking for him." Do you agree?
A. To a degree, yes. I know some kids who've had too cushy a time of it and have found the real world to be a challenge.
9) Cagney had a rebellious streak. His boss, studio head Jack Warner, nicknamed Cagney, "The Professional Againster." Cagney joked that he enjoyed earning the title. What about you? Are you rebellious?
A. I don't think so, but others do not share that opinion. Every time I went to report on the supervisors' meetings, someone invariably said, "Here comes Trouble." I know my parents thought I was rebellious.
______________
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.
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.
Friday, July 03, 2020
Facebook is Evil
Here are the first 15 things I see in my FB feed as I start to write this:
1. An article that says "Anxiety Makes People Clean Obsessively."
2. A political advertisement
3. An article from Bill Moyers that says, "John Roberts is Following Corporate America's Long Time Plan."
4. A post from "Empaths, Old Souls & Introverts" that is a quote about solitude.
5. Another quote that says, "Quarantine ain't over, get back inside."
6. A post from NBC news about the US Supreme Court about a ruling on voting.
7. A political advertisement
8. A picture of somebody's kid drinking a milkshake
9. A post with an article about a church
10. A post from WDBJ7 about a vandalized cemetery in Georgia
11. A post with a cartoon of #45 hugging the Confederate flag
12. An advertisement for masks
13. A post with a quote about parenting.
14. A post from Slate.com about "White Fragility"
15. A post from PBS about how Independence Day should be July 2.
Was any of that relevant to me at that particular moment? No. And the thing is, I will never see that same stuff again. Facebook changes every time you open it, offering something new.
It's part of it's allure.
I have 582 friends, and of the 15 posts above, two are things shared from friends. The rest comes from media pages or is advertising. None of my friends are unfollowed or anything. Maybe they don't post. But mostly I don't see it. I'm allowed 30 people to list as "see first" and none of those are posts I should see first. My "see first" list is mostly family members and close friends.
Not a single one of those first 15 things is from a family member or close friend.
Facebook is evil. I have been searching for something different, but there isn't anything else out there that keeps me connected to people, that allows me to ask for recommendations, or allows me to see things I might otherwise not see. (I have a twitter account but I don't like twitter. It's just a bunch of noise.)
As a (former) news reporter, being able to connect is important. But connection is not the end-all of life, and I'm starting to wonder if I wouldn't be better off without some of those connections.
For one thing, why do I see an ad every 5th post? That's a lot of ads.
The anonymity of Facebook is a problem, too. Even if people are posting under their own names, they are pontificating out into a space without regard for the people behind the names who might see it.
People are mean on Facebook. I have blocked a lot of people I don't know. They are people whose comments under articles are horrific. They call names, they are evil, they offer nothing of value. I block them so I never see them again.
Yesterday, I nicely asked someone who was sending me stuff on FB messenger quite frequently to stop. Here's my request and her response.
Then she unfriended me.
Bye bye. No skin off my teeth, although she might have a hard time explaining to my brother why she unfriended me at some point, since that was our connection. Or not. Who knows.
And yes, it stung a little even though this person did this for no reason but spite, I guess. (This goes back to a conversation I had last week, wherein it was determined that I am a people pleaser and part of the reason I haven't finished a book is because I'm afraid someone won't like it. Or me. And maybe that's true. But this morning the sting of the "unfriend" is gone and replaced mostly with amusement and a bit of a wry, "Fuck you" attitude. I'm working on the latter as a default. Topic for another day.)
Back to my point. Facebook is bad for us. By us, I mean all of humanity. Actually it isn't only Facebook, it's the whole of social connectedness on the Internet. If all we had on the Internet were resources, as if it were one gigantic encyclopedia where we looked things up, then the Internet would be great. But this push for "connectedness" is the problem.
Because the connection has become the value, not the people making up the connection. When humanity is not valued, when we stop recognizing there are people behind the names, folks with real feelings and pain, then we're lost.
Facebook manipulates. It does this solely for the sake of revenue. Facebook's algorithms don't care if a person is good or bad. It sends that person what it thinks the person wants to see. I get weird ads because I am curious about many things and I think Facebook can't decide whether I'm a Republican or a Democrat. I receive ads for both, because I try to read stories from both sides of the fence.
But Facebook and other companies like LinkedIn, for example, are driven by profit. They need us to engage, to like, to click. Every click helps the software understand what we like and want to see more of. This helps them target advertising, and Facebook in particular doesn't care what that advertising is. If someone wants to target "witch haters" there's a category for that, I suspect. If someone wants to target "witch lovers," same thing.
It goes like this:
I react to a post with a thumbs up.
Facebook decides I like that kind of stuff (kitties, Lord of the Rings topics, guitars, whatever)
Facebook sends me more stuff like that.
The company uses its knowledge of me to send me ads that it thinks I will like, hoping I will click on them.
Because of all of these ads, Facebook is the world's largest marketing company. It can pinpoint, with some accuracy, what a person wants to see and what companies want me to see their product. Facebook makes money from the ad clicks.
Facebook is collecting tons of data every time I open up my FB page, or leave it sit open on my computer. (I refuse to put FB on my phone.)
The only choice I have in the use of this data, really, is whether or not I use Facebook. If I use it, I lose control of the data the minute the account is created.
That leaves tons of personal data, most of which I am not even aware I've imparted, in the hands of a massive corporation that sees me not as human being, but as a data set. I'm just a bunch of 010101s in their eyes, and the way that data is manipulated equals how much money I make them.
Because we live in a capitalistic society that worships money and does not give one damn about humanity, either in aggregate or as a sole entity, Facebook can and will use this data any way it wants to make as much money off of my data set as it can. Never mind if the ads hurt my feelings, or manipulates me into something I otherwise would not have been manipulated into.
If Facebook uses my data for nefarious reasons, it might show me content to try to change my mind on something. Theoretically, it could try to make me fall in line with whatever agenda is most beneficial to it - and maybe that's a political stance, or maybe it's just a lot of ads that Facebook is good so I'll keep using it.
Unfortunately, Facebook has actually experimented on its users to see how people react to things. In 2014, an article published by Forbes described a “massive psychological experiment” Facebook created to test reactions to emotional content. The result? Users created similar content that reflected the emotions Facebook was throwing at them. This is called "emotional contagion." I feel sure they do such tests regularly, and we don't know it.
This means Facebook has the power to manipulate me, no matter how intelligent I may think I am.
I think this is evil.
The more I am on Facebook, the more exhausting and useless I find it to be. I don't post much, and I try not to post too many political items on it because of my work as a writer.
My last 15 posts?
1. How to watch the "Buck Moon" lunar eclipse
2. A personal post about my heat pump dying and the good service I received.
3. A quote from The Lord of the Rings
4. Sharing of an article about #45's decisions on the coronavirus and how poorly the federal response has been to this pandemic.
5. A quote from the mayor of Edisto Beach, SC, about wearing masks.
6. Shared a post from Carilion Clinic about its "Art as Healing" program
7. Shared a video of a priest dancing to "Oh Happy Day."
8. Posted a photo of my mother on her birthday and suggested folks donate to pancreatic cancer research foundations.
9. Shared a post about Ian Holms' death (he was an actor in The Lord of the Rings movies)
10. Posted a photo about maintaining social distance that I thought was novel.
11. Shared Roanoke Fire-EMS's announcement of my husband's retirement.
12. Shared a survey about responses to the pandemic and mental health
13. Posted a request that people who live around me report to APCO if they were having power outages.
14. Shared a story about how Germany responded to the pandemic.
15. Thanked people for wishing me happy birthday.
I have no idea what any of that says about me, other than I think the US response to the pandemic has been poor (which is obvious to anyone who can read), I like Lord of the Rings, astronomy, and had a birthday.
But all of that can be used against me, somehow or another. I guess a Lord of the Rings hater could come after me with gusto if he/she wanted.
Let's face it. Facebook is bad. It's only grown worse. It's irritating. It is no longer just a place to share stories about pets. I've been on Facebook for 11 years. When I look at my friends list, I honestly don't know who a lot of these people are. Many asked to be my friend when I was writing for the newspaper. Some I went to high school with and have no desire to ever see again.
If I haven't talked to someone in three years, do I really need to see photos of his or her dinner in my Facebook feed? Do I need to know that they are Republican or Democrat?
It's really better if I don't know, to be honest.
My news feed doesn't do me much good anymore, aside from updates on the weather and occasionally local news. The algorithm has gotten out of hand. Facebook now knows so much about me that it belches out everything it can at me, regardless of my stance on various issues. Since I'm a curious person who does a lot of online research, I see some bizarre things sometimes.
How do I fix this, if I want to stay on Facebook? Sometimes I unfollow someone for 30 days - put them on "snooze" - if they're posting things constantly that I find ridiculous. Or if I realize I don't know who someone is and don't care if I ever see anything from them again, I could unfollow them. I could even unfriend the people I recognize only as names.
Then I'd end up with a feed full of news, I suspect, because I also follow various newspapers and other news media. I used to be a reporter. Of course I wanted to see the press releases of obscure crap when I was writing for the paper. But I'm not so sure I want to see it now. Why did I see a story about the Buck Moon first thing this morning? Because Facebook knows I follow NASA and am interested in eclipses.
So then a valid story becomes propaganda, doesn't it? Doesn't that reinforce my "like" for things not of this earth?
Is Facebook still relevant to me in my life? I don't know.
I do know I don't want to know that neighbor-so-and-so thinks #45 was anointed by God. That just gives me the creeps and it isn't information I can do anything with.
I do want to know if my friend fell down and hurt herself, so I can offer to help, or if my local county government has done something that would affect me. Some information is important to me.
But I think most of it is not. Not anymore. Facebook has now tied me to people I'd just as soon not be tied to, really, and I know more about them than I want to know. I try not share too much personal information on Facebook (see above). But of course I do. It's what it's there for. I want my friends (my real friends) to know my husband retired. I want them to know there's a lunar eclipse at midnight on July 4 because I think that's interesting. But politics? Religion? The things we were told not to talk about when we were younger?
Maybe most of that stuff needs to stay where it used to be, between close friends who meet for tea on the back patio on a warm summer's evening.
Facebook is about connections. Sometimes connections aren't good. I see posts all the time with pictures saying "This person did thus and so . . . let's make this go viral." This is to punish the person for whatever they did and I never, ever post those. This kind of thing is how the governor of Michigan ended up with a bunch of white rednecks with AR-15 style rifles in the state house, bitching about wearing masks.
It is how wearing masks became political.
Not all connections are good. When a company creates connections and sees those connections only as data, it can and will do whatever it likes with the information. You can do anything you want to data. You can do things to data that you'd never do to an actual human being.
Maybe it's time to let Facebook go, or let it just be a news feed and not a social connection.
1. An article that says "Anxiety Makes People Clean Obsessively."
2. A political advertisement
3. An article from Bill Moyers that says, "John Roberts is Following Corporate America's Long Time Plan."
4. A post from "Empaths, Old Souls & Introverts" that is a quote about solitude.
5. Another quote that says, "Quarantine ain't over, get back inside."
6. A post from NBC news about the US Supreme Court about a ruling on voting.
7. A political advertisement
8. A picture of somebody's kid drinking a milkshake
9. A post with an article about a church
10. A post from WDBJ7 about a vandalized cemetery in Georgia
11. A post with a cartoon of #45 hugging the Confederate flag
12. An advertisement for masks
13. A post with a quote about parenting.
14. A post from Slate.com about "White Fragility"
15. A post from PBS about how Independence Day should be July 2.
Was any of that relevant to me at that particular moment? No. And the thing is, I will never see that same stuff again. Facebook changes every time you open it, offering something new.
It's part of it's allure.
I have 582 friends, and of the 15 posts above, two are things shared from friends. The rest comes from media pages or is advertising. None of my friends are unfollowed or anything. Maybe they don't post. But mostly I don't see it. I'm allowed 30 people to list as "see first" and none of those are posts I should see first. My "see first" list is mostly family members and close friends.
Not a single one of those first 15 things is from a family member or close friend.
Facebook is evil. I have been searching for something different, but there isn't anything else out there that keeps me connected to people, that allows me to ask for recommendations, or allows me to see things I might otherwise not see. (I have a twitter account but I don't like twitter. It's just a bunch of noise.)
As a (former) news reporter, being able to connect is important. But connection is not the end-all of life, and I'm starting to wonder if I wouldn't be better off without some of those connections.
For one thing, why do I see an ad every 5th post? That's a lot of ads.
The anonymity of Facebook is a problem, too. Even if people are posting under their own names, they are pontificating out into a space without regard for the people behind the names who might see it.
People are mean on Facebook. I have blocked a lot of people I don't know. They are people whose comments under articles are horrific. They call names, they are evil, they offer nothing of value. I block them so I never see them again.
Yesterday, I nicely asked someone who was sending me stuff on FB messenger quite frequently to stop. Here's my request and her response.
Then she unfriended me.
Bye bye. No skin off my teeth, although she might have a hard time explaining to my brother why she unfriended me at some point, since that was our connection. Or not. Who knows.
And yes, it stung a little even though this person did this for no reason but spite, I guess. (This goes back to a conversation I had last week, wherein it was determined that I am a people pleaser and part of the reason I haven't finished a book is because I'm afraid someone won't like it. Or me. And maybe that's true. But this morning the sting of the "unfriend" is gone and replaced mostly with amusement and a bit of a wry, "Fuck you" attitude. I'm working on the latter as a default. Topic for another day.)
Back to my point. Facebook is bad for us. By us, I mean all of humanity. Actually it isn't only Facebook, it's the whole of social connectedness on the Internet. If all we had on the Internet were resources, as if it were one gigantic encyclopedia where we looked things up, then the Internet would be great. But this push for "connectedness" is the problem.
Because the connection has become the value, not the people making up the connection. When humanity is not valued, when we stop recognizing there are people behind the names, folks with real feelings and pain, then we're lost.
Facebook manipulates. It does this solely for the sake of revenue. Facebook's algorithms don't care if a person is good or bad. It sends that person what it thinks the person wants to see. I get weird ads because I am curious about many things and I think Facebook can't decide whether I'm a Republican or a Democrat. I receive ads for both, because I try to read stories from both sides of the fence.
But Facebook and other companies like LinkedIn, for example, are driven by profit. They need us to engage, to like, to click. Every click helps the software understand what we like and want to see more of. This helps them target advertising, and Facebook in particular doesn't care what that advertising is. If someone wants to target "witch haters" there's a category for that, I suspect. If someone wants to target "witch lovers," same thing.
It goes like this:
I react to a post with a thumbs up.
Facebook decides I like that kind of stuff (kitties, Lord of the Rings topics, guitars, whatever)
Facebook sends me more stuff like that.
The company uses its knowledge of me to send me ads that it thinks I will like, hoping I will click on them.
Because of all of these ads, Facebook is the world's largest marketing company. It can pinpoint, with some accuracy, what a person wants to see and what companies want me to see their product. Facebook makes money from the ad clicks.
Facebook is collecting tons of data every time I open up my FB page, or leave it sit open on my computer. (I refuse to put FB on my phone.)
The only choice I have in the use of this data, really, is whether or not I use Facebook. If I use it, I lose control of the data the minute the account is created.
That leaves tons of personal data, most of which I am not even aware I've imparted, in the hands of a massive corporation that sees me not as human being, but as a data set. I'm just a bunch of 010101s in their eyes, and the way that data is manipulated equals how much money I make them.
Because we live in a capitalistic society that worships money and does not give one damn about humanity, either in aggregate or as a sole entity, Facebook can and will use this data any way it wants to make as much money off of my data set as it can. Never mind if the ads hurt my feelings, or manipulates me into something I otherwise would not have been manipulated into.
If Facebook uses my data for nefarious reasons, it might show me content to try to change my mind on something. Theoretically, it could try to make me fall in line with whatever agenda is most beneficial to it - and maybe that's a political stance, or maybe it's just a lot of ads that Facebook is good so I'll keep using it.
Unfortunately, Facebook has actually experimented on its users to see how people react to things. In 2014, an article published by Forbes described a “massive psychological experiment” Facebook created to test reactions to emotional content. The result? Users created similar content that reflected the emotions Facebook was throwing at them. This is called "emotional contagion." I feel sure they do such tests regularly, and we don't know it.
This means Facebook has the power to manipulate me, no matter how intelligent I may think I am.
I think this is evil.
The more I am on Facebook, the more exhausting and useless I find it to be. I don't post much, and I try not to post too many political items on it because of my work as a writer.
My last 15 posts?
1. How to watch the "Buck Moon" lunar eclipse
2. A personal post about my heat pump dying and the good service I received.
3. A quote from The Lord of the Rings
4. Sharing of an article about #45's decisions on the coronavirus and how poorly the federal response has been to this pandemic.
5. A quote from the mayor of Edisto Beach, SC, about wearing masks.
6. Shared a post from Carilion Clinic about its "Art as Healing" program
7. Shared a video of a priest dancing to "Oh Happy Day."
8. Posted a photo of my mother on her birthday and suggested folks donate to pancreatic cancer research foundations.
9. Shared a post about Ian Holms' death (he was an actor in The Lord of the Rings movies)
10. Posted a photo about maintaining social distance that I thought was novel.
11. Shared Roanoke Fire-EMS's announcement of my husband's retirement.
12. Shared a survey about responses to the pandemic and mental health
13. Posted a request that people who live around me report to APCO if they were having power outages.
14. Shared a story about how Germany responded to the pandemic.
15. Thanked people for wishing me happy birthday.
I have no idea what any of that says about me, other than I think the US response to the pandemic has been poor (which is obvious to anyone who can read), I like Lord of the Rings, astronomy, and had a birthday.
But all of that can be used against me, somehow or another. I guess a Lord of the Rings hater could come after me with gusto if he/she wanted.
Let's face it. Facebook is bad. It's only grown worse. It's irritating. It is no longer just a place to share stories about pets. I've been on Facebook for 11 years. When I look at my friends list, I honestly don't know who a lot of these people are. Many asked to be my friend when I was writing for the newspaper. Some I went to high school with and have no desire to ever see again.
If I haven't talked to someone in three years, do I really need to see photos of his or her dinner in my Facebook feed? Do I need to know that they are Republican or Democrat?
It's really better if I don't know, to be honest.
My news feed doesn't do me much good anymore, aside from updates on the weather and occasionally local news. The algorithm has gotten out of hand. Facebook now knows so much about me that it belches out everything it can at me, regardless of my stance on various issues. Since I'm a curious person who does a lot of online research, I see some bizarre things sometimes.
How do I fix this, if I want to stay on Facebook? Sometimes I unfollow someone for 30 days - put them on "snooze" - if they're posting things constantly that I find ridiculous. Or if I realize I don't know who someone is and don't care if I ever see anything from them again, I could unfollow them. I could even unfriend the people I recognize only as names.
Then I'd end up with a feed full of news, I suspect, because I also follow various newspapers and other news media. I used to be a reporter. Of course I wanted to see the press releases of obscure crap when I was writing for the paper. But I'm not so sure I want to see it now. Why did I see a story about the Buck Moon first thing this morning? Because Facebook knows I follow NASA and am interested in eclipses.
So then a valid story becomes propaganda, doesn't it? Doesn't that reinforce my "like" for things not of this earth?
Is Facebook still relevant to me in my life? I don't know.
I do know I don't want to know that neighbor-so-and-so thinks #45 was anointed by God. That just gives me the creeps and it isn't information I can do anything with.
I do want to know if my friend fell down and hurt herself, so I can offer to help, or if my local county government has done something that would affect me. Some information is important to me.
But I think most of it is not. Not anymore. Facebook has now tied me to people I'd just as soon not be tied to, really, and I know more about them than I want to know. I try not share too much personal information on Facebook (see above). But of course I do. It's what it's there for. I want my friends (my real friends) to know my husband retired. I want them to know there's a lunar eclipse at midnight on July 4 because I think that's interesting. But politics? Religion? The things we were told not to talk about when we were younger?
Maybe most of that stuff needs to stay where it used to be, between close friends who meet for tea on the back patio on a warm summer's evening.
Facebook is about connections. Sometimes connections aren't good. I see posts all the time with pictures saying "This person did thus and so . . . let's make this go viral." This is to punish the person for whatever they did and I never, ever post those. This kind of thing is how the governor of Michigan ended up with a bunch of white rednecks with AR-15 style rifles in the state house, bitching about wearing masks.
It is how wearing masks became political.
Not all connections are good. When a company creates connections and sees those connections only as data, it can and will do whatever it likes with the information. You can do anything you want to data. You can do things to data that you'd never do to an actual human being.
Maybe it's time to let Facebook go, or let it just be a news feed and not a social connection.
Thursday, July 02, 2020
Thursday Thirteen
1. I am so late doing a Thursday 13 today, I almost missed it.
2. Let me explain: the heat pump went out last night just before we went to bed. It was hot.
3. Only the heat pump man could help. He called with a quick fix that my husband implemented.
4. And that worked, but for only about half the night.
5. The heat and humidity in the bedroom was rising around 4:30 a.m., when I got up.
6. How my husband continued to sleep, I do not know. But he did. He even snored.
7. Early to bed, early to rise - makes an old woman tired, to no one's surprise.
8. Took a shower early, a cool one, so I would be dressed and not in my nightgown. I didn't know when help might arrive.
9. Right on schedule, just before 7 a.m., the phone rang and it was Cundiff Heating to the rescue!
10. Understandably, I was elated because we are looking at 95+ degree temperatures today, and high humidity.
11. Man, when that truck rolled into the driveway, I could feel the relief. Still hot, but relieved.
12. Pleased with the results as the cold air began to slide into the house, I slipped the workman a $20 and told him to buy himself an ice cold drink later in the heat of the day.
13. And that's why my Thursday 13 makes no sense, because I didn't sleep well, I was up too early, and my thinker isn't thinking due to overheating last night.
Yeah, I'm a little princess who needs a good night's sleep.
2. Let me explain: the heat pump went out last night just before we went to bed. It was hot.
3. Only the heat pump man could help. He called with a quick fix that my husband implemented.
4. And that worked, but for only about half the night.
5. The heat and humidity in the bedroom was rising around 4:30 a.m., when I got up.
6. How my husband continued to sleep, I do not know. But he did. He even snored.
7. Early to bed, early to rise - makes an old woman tired, to no one's surprise.
8. Took a shower early, a cool one, so I would be dressed and not in my nightgown. I didn't know when help might arrive.
9. Right on schedule, just before 7 a.m., the phone rang and it was Cundiff Heating to the rescue!
10. Understandably, I was elated because we are looking at 95+ degree temperatures today, and high humidity.
11. Man, when that truck rolled into the driveway, I could feel the relief. Still hot, but relieved.
12. Pleased with the results as the cold air began to slide into the house, I slipped the workman a $20 and told him to buy himself an ice cold drink later in the heat of the day.
13. And that's why my Thursday 13 makes no sense, because I didn't sleep well, I was up too early, and my thinker isn't thinking due to overheating last night.
Yeah, I'm a little princess who needs a good night's sleep.
______________
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 663rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
Wednesday, July 01, 2020
Happy Birthday, Dad
Today is my father's birthday. He missed being in June with the rest of us by one day.
He always has been an outlier. Ha. He likes to think of himself as a rogue, anyway.
Before I called my father around 8:20 a.m. this morning, I heard a story on him. A friend had called to see if he could come over to fish. He told me, "I remember your dad one year was making hay here in front of the house. He was driving that tractor as fast as it would go and he would spear those round bales and never even slow down. I was sure he was going to turn the tractor over, but he never did and he kept right on going."
I laughed and said, "Dad only has two speeds: all out and asleep."
My father is 79 years old. He came over on my birthday in June to say, "I came to see you because I've never had a 57-year-old daughter." Well, I've never had a 79-year-old father!
He may have slowed down a little, but not much. He is retired - sort of - but still keeps his hand in the politics of the business he built up starting sometime in the early 1970s. He likes to work around his property - and I mean big jobs, like moving dirt with heavy machinery. He plants corn to feed the bears. I have no idea why.
He played the guitar, and I enjoyed that and hearing him sing. Because of him, I grew up around music and that was a great gift he gave me.
 |
| Dad with his current band |
He was gone a lot. He traveled as a salesman and he played in a band on the weekend. After he bought the farm, then his "free time" was spent working on it, making hay, taking care of cattle, along with his work and his music (he didn't give up the music until after I'd left home).
At one point, he had a lot of birds, like quail and guineas. Chickens, too. I remember having to fetch the eggs until my mother figured out I was allergic to the chickens and the straw in their nests. I stayed sick and my father didn't have much patience with a sick kid, especially a girl.
 |
| Dad with his wife, Rita |
His focus was on making money and being successful, not on parenting, and while I turned out ok, I have always thought that was more because I raised myself and read a lot of books. He was sometimes generous; he gave me an old car to drive when I got my license (a Datsun), and he helped me buy my next car, paid for the big wedding I didn't want but my mother did, and helped us build our house.
I appreciated the time he spent helping us put in the electrical wiring more so than any money he gave us. Money is his love language. Time spent with a person is mine. They don't necessarily work together, and that's okay.
My first guitar belonged to him - an old Gibson that he said a woman gave to him because he rescued her from a burning house. I think I have that right. The Gibson later was damaged when my parents' own house burned down. That seems rather circular, doesn't it, in the telling. There should be a poem there.
When I was 14, for Christmas he and Mom gave me an electric guitar, an off-brand that looked like a Gibson Les Paul and actually played better than a Les Paul. I still have that guitar. It is heavy and it has a short in the wiring now. I had someone fix it but the repair didn't hold. Then I started having back issues and it was too heavy to play. Now I play a lighter electric guitar, but that old no-name electric guitar will always have a special place in my heart even if I never hold it again.
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| Dad with his grandson, about five years ago |
We went camping when I was young, though I don't remember those trips, just stories about them. I recall an odd and long adventure that involved a drive across the United States when I was 12. We saw the Grand Canyon and many other sights on our way to visit my grandparents, who had moved to California when I was six months old.
Other vacations were spent at Myrtle Beach. Everybody in this area goes to Myrtle Beach. We went so frequently those times all run together in my head, like the ocean waves. Memory in, memory out. Who was there? Who wasn't?
Dad has always worked hard and played hard. He is an extreme sort of fellow.
So happy birthday to Dad. Look forward to having an 80-year-old father next year.
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| Mom, Dad, me, & my brother, 1983, at my wedding. |
Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Monday, June 29, 2020
Pandemic Journal - Day 101
Wow, I can't believe it's been over 100 days since this Covid virus moved in and kicked the USA's ass. And it's still kicking ass. The numbers locally have increased and continue to increase. We now have 21 active cases. Last week we had 16 active cases.
Nationwide, the cases are climbing to rather scary numbers. We opened up too soon. Even Republicans are saying to wear a mask now. Well, Pence is, anyway. I wonder if he'll get kicked off the election ticket for going against the supreme one?
I have decided to remain solitary and defend my home and person from any and all infections as much as I possibly can.
That sounds better than, "I'm a wimp and afraid of a virus." Maybe.
All in all, things are going ok. I know of some folks with the virus right now. They are not seriously ill. I know a few people who have been asymptomatic but tested positive. (I don't know why they were tested in the first place.)
I had a long, thoughtful chat with a friend on Friday. She gave me lots to think about. So I have been busy thinking.
Today I have my house cleaner here. She is wearing a mask. Unless I am in my office, I too wear a mask. Yes, in my own home. I wear a mask to protect her in case I'm a carrier, and she to protect me in case she is. It's just how we do things now.
I think the last week of June is not a good week for me, all in all. My mother's birthday is June 20 and my grandmother died on June 28. It is hard not to think of them on those anniversary dates. They're almost on top of each other but there's time in there for the angst to settle down deep if you're not paying attention.
And let's face it, with everything that is going on, it is hard to keep on top of little things, much less the big important ones.
This is a picture of my grandmother holding my mother. I'm going to guess this was taken September 1944, since my mother was born in June 1944. There are still leaves on the trees in the photo, so it couldn't have been beyond that.
My grandmother was born June 11, 1923 (June really is a hard month, isn't it?), so she was 21 years old when my mother was born. I don't know much about my grandmother's early life. She worked at the Valley Dale plant in Salem until she had my mother. My great aunt also worked there. Grandma then became a mom to six kids, and she kept almost all of her grandchildren at some time or the other.
My mother was 18 when I was born, and I was the oldest grandchild. When I was sick, I went to stay with Grandma if I had to stay home from school. My mother worked only a block away from my grandmother's house. I was sick a lot, so I spent a good deal of time on Grandma's lap.
During the summers we stayed with her, too. I remember those best. She's walk us up to downtown Salem occasionally. We'd go to Brooks Byrd for a snow cone and to the Newberry's to buy a little toy. We usually purchased balsa wood airplanes, those paddles with balls on them, or jacks or something. The walk did not seem that long but it was about 1.5 miles one way. My grandmother would have been in her late 40s and early 50s then, I suppose. She had her last child in 1964, on my birthday. Yes, I have an uncle who is a year younger than I.
Grandma was always kind to me, but she and my mother did not get along well. My mother and I also had our problems, and in hindsight I suspect my relationship with her mirrors to some degree her relationship with her mother. I mean, that's what she knew, right? So of course it would. But by the time Grandma became a grandmother, she knew more and maybe was a different person. People change, after all.
I hope I have, and for the better.
Anyway, those are memories and not anything about the pandemic, but I wanted to remember my grandmother.
We have lovely blue sky at the moment, and it appears the Sahara Dust Storm of 2020 has blown on out of here. The air was very hazy and brown over the weekend but it seems much clearer today.
What a strange year we are having.
Nationwide, the cases are climbing to rather scary numbers. We opened up too soon. Even Republicans are saying to wear a mask now. Well, Pence is, anyway. I wonder if he'll get kicked off the election ticket for going against the supreme one?
I have decided to remain solitary and defend my home and person from any and all infections as much as I possibly can.
That sounds better than, "I'm a wimp and afraid of a virus." Maybe.
All in all, things are going ok. I know of some folks with the virus right now. They are not seriously ill. I know a few people who have been asymptomatic but tested positive. (I don't know why they were tested in the first place.)
I had a long, thoughtful chat with a friend on Friday. She gave me lots to think about. So I have been busy thinking.
Today I have my house cleaner here. She is wearing a mask. Unless I am in my office, I too wear a mask. Yes, in my own home. I wear a mask to protect her in case I'm a carrier, and she to protect me in case she is. It's just how we do things now.
I think the last week of June is not a good week for me, all in all. My mother's birthday is June 20 and my grandmother died on June 28. It is hard not to think of them on those anniversary dates. They're almost on top of each other but there's time in there for the angst to settle down deep if you're not paying attention.
And let's face it, with everything that is going on, it is hard to keep on top of little things, much less the big important ones.
This is a picture of my grandmother holding my mother. I'm going to guess this was taken September 1944, since my mother was born in June 1944. There are still leaves on the trees in the photo, so it couldn't have been beyond that.
My grandmother was born June 11, 1923 (June really is a hard month, isn't it?), so she was 21 years old when my mother was born. I don't know much about my grandmother's early life. She worked at the Valley Dale plant in Salem until she had my mother. My great aunt also worked there. Grandma then became a mom to six kids, and she kept almost all of her grandchildren at some time or the other.
My mother was 18 when I was born, and I was the oldest grandchild. When I was sick, I went to stay with Grandma if I had to stay home from school. My mother worked only a block away from my grandmother's house. I was sick a lot, so I spent a good deal of time on Grandma's lap.
During the summers we stayed with her, too. I remember those best. She's walk us up to downtown Salem occasionally. We'd go to Brooks Byrd for a snow cone and to the Newberry's to buy a little toy. We usually purchased balsa wood airplanes, those paddles with balls on them, or jacks or something. The walk did not seem that long but it was about 1.5 miles one way. My grandmother would have been in her late 40s and early 50s then, I suppose. She had her last child in 1964, on my birthday. Yes, I have an uncle who is a year younger than I.
Grandma was always kind to me, but she and my mother did not get along well. My mother and I also had our problems, and in hindsight I suspect my relationship with her mirrors to some degree her relationship with her mother. I mean, that's what she knew, right? So of course it would. But by the time Grandma became a grandmother, she knew more and maybe was a different person. People change, after all.
I hope I have, and for the better.
Anyway, those are memories and not anything about the pandemic, but I wanted to remember my grandmother.
We have lovely blue sky at the moment, and it appears the Sahara Dust Storm of 2020 has blown on out of here. The air was very hazy and brown over the weekend but it seems much clearer today.
What a strange year we are having.
Sunday, June 28, 2020
Sunday Stealing
Sunday Stealing
1. If you could be a Muppet, which would you be?
A. I don't really know my Muppets that well, but I think I'd be the Cookie Monster because I always want cookies! And chocolate. Is there a chocolate-loving Muppet?
2. Why is a chicken crossing the road in the first place?
A. Because the grass was greener over there.
3. What's your favorite muscle?
A. My brain. Is that a muscle?
4. Cheerios or Rice Krispies?
A. Either one.
5. Is summer ever going to get here?
A. It is officially here.
6. Have you ever had a utility turned off by mistake or some other reason besides weather or nonpayment?
A. Ours went off for 48 hours when the substation blew up down the street. Does that count as "some other reason," I wonder?
7. What was your "last day" of something?
A. My last day of working for someone else (wherein I received a W-2) was around 2002.
8. If you had to be trapped in a TV show for a month, which one would you choose?
A. Star Trek: Voyager.
9. Did you have any type of class trip, band trip, etc in high school? Where did you go, what did you do?
A. We had a band trip to Bristol, VA one year for a band competition. While we were waiting to compete, a tornado came through. It was the first time I'd ever been in such severe weather. The tornado passed within a mile or less of where the competition was being held.
10. Do your feet smell?
A. I assume so. I don't go around smelling them on a regular basis.
11. Do you know how to french braid?
A. No.
12. Two guys are walking down the street. One drops his hat and reaches down to pick it up, the other kicks him in the ass. Do you laugh?
A. I think I need more information to answer that question. Is it obvious they are friends? Is the person who fell hurt?
13. You wake up one morning and dogs are meowing and cats are meowing - what are fish, elephants and crocodiles doing?
A. Swimming, trumpeting, and chomping.
14. You are going to your high school reunion. What award are you going to win?
A. I have no idea.
15. You find yourself stranded on a deserted island. Soon you find a laptop with a lifelong battery & internet connection, then you find a cave with an endless supply of food and a spring of fresh water. A cruise ship comes along to save you - do you get on it?
A. Yes. And I take the laptop with me.
16. How many shortcuts do you have on your desktop?
A. 42, which also happens to be the answer to the meaning of life.
17. I offer you a pie . . . the most delicious pie you have ever seen. You either have to eat the entire thing in one sitting or allow me to slam it into your face, which do you choose?
A. I guess I'd eat the entire thing in one sitting, as I don't want to be slammed into the face with anything.
18. Are you a pen stealer?
A. Not intentionally.
19. A dude from China comes up and offers you German chocolate cake, French fries and a Boston cream pie . . . what color is your car?
A. White.
20. Sometimes you just have to tap your foot to your favorite song - which tv series season finale are you watching?
A. The last one I watched was Supergirl, so I'll go with that one.
1. If you could be a Muppet, which would you be?
A. I don't really know my Muppets that well, but I think I'd be the Cookie Monster because I always want cookies! And chocolate. Is there a chocolate-loving Muppet?
2. Why is a chicken crossing the road in the first place?
A. Because the grass was greener over there.
3. What's your favorite muscle?
A. My brain. Is that a muscle?
4. Cheerios or Rice Krispies?
A. Either one.
5. Is summer ever going to get here?
A. It is officially here.
6. Have you ever had a utility turned off by mistake or some other reason besides weather or nonpayment?
A. Ours went off for 48 hours when the substation blew up down the street. Does that count as "some other reason," I wonder?
7. What was your "last day" of something?
A. My last day of working for someone else (wherein I received a W-2) was around 2002.
8. If you had to be trapped in a TV show for a month, which one would you choose?
A. Star Trek: Voyager.
9. Did you have any type of class trip, band trip, etc in high school? Where did you go, what did you do?
A. We had a band trip to Bristol, VA one year for a band competition. While we were waiting to compete, a tornado came through. It was the first time I'd ever been in such severe weather. The tornado passed within a mile or less of where the competition was being held.
10. Do your feet smell?
A. I assume so. I don't go around smelling them on a regular basis.
11. Do you know how to french braid?
A. No.
12. Two guys are walking down the street. One drops his hat and reaches down to pick it up, the other kicks him in the ass. Do you laugh?
A. I think I need more information to answer that question. Is it obvious they are friends? Is the person who fell hurt?
13. You wake up one morning and dogs are meowing and cats are meowing - what are fish, elephants and crocodiles doing?
A. Swimming, trumpeting, and chomping.
14. You are going to your high school reunion. What award are you going to win?
A. I have no idea.
15. You find yourself stranded on a deserted island. Soon you find a laptop with a lifelong battery & internet connection, then you find a cave with an endless supply of food and a spring of fresh water. A cruise ship comes along to save you - do you get on it?
A. Yes. And I take the laptop with me.
16. How many shortcuts do you have on your desktop?
A. 42, which also happens to be the answer to the meaning of life.
17. I offer you a pie . . . the most delicious pie you have ever seen. You either have to eat the entire thing in one sitting or allow me to slam it into your face, which do you choose?
A. I guess I'd eat the entire thing in one sitting, as I don't want to be slammed into the face with anything.
18. Are you a pen stealer?
A. Not intentionally.
19. A dude from China comes up and offers you German chocolate cake, French fries and a Boston cream pie . . . what color is your car?
A. White.
20. Sometimes you just have to tap your foot to your favorite song - which tv series season finale are you watching?
A. The last one I watched was Supergirl, so I'll go with that one.
________________
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.
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, June 27, 2020
Saturday 9: Beautiful People
Saturday 9: Beautiful People (2019)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This song is about the fantasy of being one of the "beautiful people," but how hollow the reality can be. Do you often find yourself envying others for what they have?
A. No. What is the point? I have enough.
2) Ed Sheeran sings that he and his girl don't fit in well because they're "just ourselves." Who among your close friends do you find it easiest to be "just yourself?"
A. Usually the ones who are creative and share similar thoughts politically.
3) The lyrics refer to Hummers and Lamborghinis. What's your dream ride?
A. A Toyota Avalon. Yeah, I dream big.
4) Ed believes in giving back. One cause he supports is No Cold Homes, which helps ensure that everyone in the English city of Bristol has the fuel needed to keep their homes safe and comfortable. Here in the United States, he's raised funds for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Is there a cause that's near and dear to your heart?
A. I give to the local Rescue Mission (takes care of the homeless people), my alma mater, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, and a few others.
5) Ed's arms are covered in tattoos, so clearly he doesn't suffer from trypanophobia, or a fear of needles. How about you? Do you look away when the doctor gives you a shot?
A. Yes. And I close my eyes.
6) One of Ed's tattoos is a bottle of Heinz Ketchup. What condiments would we find if we peeked into your refrigerator this morning?
A. Mayo, Miracle Whip, Heinz Ketchup, Heinz 57, mustard, salad dressing.
7) Ed is a natural redhead, a trait he shares with only 2% of the population. Does red hair run in your family?
A. No. We're mostly brown-headed and/or gray.
8) In 2019, when this song was released, the FDA recommended the approval of a drug for treating peanut allergies in children. Do you suffer from any food allergies, or sensitivities?
A. Yes. I am allergic to fish, black pepper, and several other foods. Some of them I can eat if I don't over do it.
9) Random question: What of these do you think is the biggest contributing factor to success -- hard work, luck, or talent?
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This song is about the fantasy of being one of the "beautiful people," but how hollow the reality can be. Do you often find yourself envying others for what they have?
A. No. What is the point? I have enough.
2) Ed Sheeran sings that he and his girl don't fit in well because they're "just ourselves." Who among your close friends do you find it easiest to be "just yourself?"
A. Usually the ones who are creative and share similar thoughts politically.
3) The lyrics refer to Hummers and Lamborghinis. What's your dream ride?
A. A Toyota Avalon. Yeah, I dream big.
4) Ed believes in giving back. One cause he supports is No Cold Homes, which helps ensure that everyone in the English city of Bristol has the fuel needed to keep their homes safe and comfortable. Here in the United States, he's raised funds for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Is there a cause that's near and dear to your heart?
A. I give to the local Rescue Mission (takes care of the homeless people), my alma mater, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, and a few others.
5) Ed's arms are covered in tattoos, so clearly he doesn't suffer from trypanophobia, or a fear of needles. How about you? Do you look away when the doctor gives you a shot?
A. Yes. And I close my eyes.
6) One of Ed's tattoos is a bottle of Heinz Ketchup. What condiments would we find if we peeked into your refrigerator this morning?
A. Mayo, Miracle Whip, Heinz Ketchup, Heinz 57, mustard, salad dressing.
7) Ed is a natural redhead, a trait he shares with only 2% of the population. Does red hair run in your family?
A. No. We're mostly brown-headed and/or gray.
8) In 2019, when this song was released, the FDA recommended the approval of a drug for treating peanut allergies in children. Do you suffer from any food allergies, or sensitivities?
A. Yes. I am allergic to fish, black pepper, and several other foods. Some of them I can eat if I don't over do it.
9) Random question: What of these do you think is the biggest contributing factor to success -- hard work, luck, or talent?
A. Hard work is the biggest factor, but a little luck never hurts.
______________
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.
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, June 25, 2020
Thursday Thirteen
The other day I accidentally purchased an "essential birth chart reading" from Tarot.com. I have some "karma coins" in an account there that someone gave me as present about ten years ago. I seldom visit the site. Sometimes I do a tarot reading on Solstice if I think about it, but mostly I get emails from them to an account I don't check often. The "karma coins" have hung around for ages, so this has been a gift that's been languishing for quite some time.
I was clearing out the barely used email account and ran across a Tarot.com notice for "your essential birth chart reading." A while back someone had commented to me that they were Gemini with Pluto rising or something like that. I wasn't sure what that meant, so that was in the back of my mind when I clicked on the ad. Then it said, "reveal the meaning" and I clicked on that, but I didn't realize I was using the "karma coins" until I saw the balance drop.
Oops.
Anyway, I have no idea what a lot of this means because I don't study astrology. I read my horoscope, say, yeah, that might be good advice, and move on. I know I'm Gemini (and that fits in general). This thing I purchased is 30 pages long.
From the chart, apparently I am Gemini with Aries Ascendant. The Moon is in Sagittarius. I don't have any idea what that means.
But let's see what in here might apply.
1. Fire is strong and Water is weak. This has to do with elements. "You prize personal independence and autonomy so much that you're apt to downplay your needs for closeness and caring. . . you hide your feelings of sadness and inadequacy. . . . Striving to be (and often believing yourself to be) emotional self-sufficient limits your ability to be truly intimate with others and to get the nurturing you need." Ok. I'll go along with that.
2. Fire is strong and Sun is in an Air Sign. "Your need to participate socially, to communicate and relate to other people is quite strong." I'll go along with that one, too.
Apparently Fire is strong in my birth chart. Funny, I always thought I was more earthy and other people have said so, too.
3. Ascendant in Aries and Sun in Gemini. "Even though you come across as headstrong and independent, you are not a loner. . . . you are really a very social and gregarious creature at heart. Communication is very important to you . . . be careful not to let your fast-paced life cause to become high-strung and nervous." Yikes. Where's my Valium?
4. Sun in Gemini. "Your mind is bright, alert, curious, flexible, playful and always eager for new experiences - and your attention span is often quite brief. You grasp ideas quickly and once your initial curiosity has been satisfied, you want to go on to something else. You crave frequent change, variety, meeting new situations and people. " Yes, I will agree with that one. That is why being a reporter was a good fit for me. It involved constant change.
5. "You have a multitude of interests and are loathe to limit yourself by concentrating on just one. You are easily distracted by all of the other fascinating possibilities." Yes, that's me, too.
6. "You live in your head a great deal - reading, observing, thinking, spinning ideas around - and you need mental stimulation every bit as much as you need food and drink. . . . You have a creative mind and often live by your wits." Yes, that's me, too.
7. "You enjoy using and playing with words and have a real flair for getting your ideas across in a clever, interesting, articulate manner. Writing or speaking are areas you have talent for." Well, not so much the speaking part. But the writing, definitely.
8. Sun in the 2nd House. "Ownership gives you a sense of security, and you have a strong attachment to your possessions. You also have a natural instinct or understanding of economics, finance, trade, and appraising the value of merchandise." Now see, I don't think this is me at all. I don't plan to be buried with my guitar or anything.
9. Sun Sextile Jupiter (what does that mean?). "Your life is apt to be blessed with more than your share of helpful friends, fortuitous connections and doors opening to you at just the right time." I am not sure about that one, either. Maybe I look at doors wrong.
10. Sun aspects both Jupiter and Saturn. "You also have a heavier side which keeps your optimism from becoming ungrounded or overblown." I am a terrible pessimist. Is that what this sentence means?
11. Sun Trine Saturn. "Realistic and practical, you set goals for yourself that are modest enough for you to actually achieve. You are able to tackle long, difficult projects and see them through, for you possess self-discipline." Yeah, right. That's why I don't have a novel written, because I'm so full of self-discipline. And why I'm overweight, because I'm so self-disciplined. The first sentence I agree with, but not the last.
12. Sun Square Pluto. "You are intensely willful, zealous, and fanatical, though often you hide the intensity of your feelings and your personal motives and desires. You have an infatuation with power (!) and an almost compulsive desire for personal recognition, the desire to be "somebody." You tend to worship heroes who have powerful person magnetism and charisma, and often seek to emulate them. (Does Wonder Woman fall in that category?) You also have both a fear of, an an intense fascination with, death and the hidden, secret dark side of life." Wow. Sun square Pluto is big deal stuff. I don't think I'm infatuated with power, though. The other things I will have to think about.
13. Sun Quincunx Neptune (what does that mean?). "You tend to be very impressionable and psychically open, and as a youngster, you could have been dominated by more forceful personalities. Afraid of confrontation, you may have become passive, identified yourself as a helpless victim, or tried to gain your desires in underhanded ways." Geez. That sounds terrible. "Your hypersensitivity to your environment is apt to be a challenge for you in other ways as well. Pollutants, ugliness, or dissonance in any form is apt to affect you more than most people." That sentence I agree with. I'm having a difficult time right now from many areas outside of my control - the political arena, the pollutant increase (thank you #45), and I'm having more migraines from the weather pattern changes.
So. This seems to require study. Of course that does not encompass the whole 30 pages of this document. That was just one part. Looks like I will have to do some studying up to understand it better.
What about you? What do you know about your birth chart or sun sign or whatever?
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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 662nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
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