Gratitude, Connection, Money, Change

This was floating around on Facebook. "The first 4 words you see are your mantra" for the new year.

The first four words I saw were gratitude, connection, money, and change.

I will be grateful for all of my connections and any money I make and change my wicked ways. Or maybe I'll just change my diet. It's hard to say at this point.

Change is pretty much a constant, though a lot of people fight against it. I am not always a fan of change, either, but learning to accept change is a lesson everyone must learn one way or the other. If nothing else, we all experience that big change at the end of life when we take our last breath.

I'm also not sure I want this to be "mantra" for 2025. Some years I attempt to come up with some worthy goal or words of wisdom to try to live by, other years I don't. I generally don't start thinking about next year until after Christmas.

What four words do you see? Would they be your mantra for the upcoming year, or is this silly game just . . . another silly game?

You Are Home

Untitled

 

Dona Nobis Pacem

 

I am joining in with other bloggers to write about peace today. I have done this before, although some years I forget. I started in 2007, but since 2020 I have blogged about peace annually.

This year, Blog4Peace is the day before election day in the USA. The theme is "hold the light" but I cannot write on that theme. Not right now.

Instead, I am going with "let the peace begin inside of me." Because I do not feel peaceful about much of anything.

I am fearful and afraid. I race in and out of the grocery store as if I were on fire, running from the visions of the scowling, angry faces of the members of my community. Oh, of course they are not all looking like they are going to eat me; most of them, in fact, smile if I smile and are polite and say, "excuse me," if they cut in front of me.

But the atmosphere feels tense and I feel exposed and seen. I feel like they are going to accost me, though for what, I have no idea.

Being hidden and unseen, or feeling afraid and fearful, are not the ways to bring about peace within oneself; nor are they ways to bring peace to a world that is sorely in need of it.

How can I, an older woman, overweight, out of shape, and afraid of my own shadow, be able to make a difference - in anything? What can someone like me do to bring about peace? I can hold no meetings with great worldly leaders. I cannot even manage peace in my own relationships, particularly not with the men in my life.

But I can slow down in the grocery store, and smile at the people who glance my way. It is not my concern what they think of me - those are their thoughts, not mine. My only concern is what I think of them. I must choose to see them as I see myself and acknowledge that they too are lonely and afraid, even if they don't show it.

Maybe I can bring peace one single, slow step at a time.

Let it begin with me.

This is MY Blog

My blog serves as my personal sanctuary where I can express my thoughts, share my experiences, and work on creative pieces as I see fit. My blog is a unique extension of myself. This is a space where I can formulate ideas and perspectives. Sometimes, it is hard work. 

But it is MY work, my opinion, and my expression.

When I write a blog post, I create original content that is automatically protected by copyright law. I also have a copyright notice on my blog. Copyright is a form of intellectual property that grants me, the creator, exclusive rights to my work. This means:

Exclusive Rights: I have the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, perform, and display my blog content. No one can legally copy or republish my posts without my permission. That means if you share much of the content of my blog, like a paragraph, you have not only violated the law, but you have also stolen from me, and you have violated me. (That doesn't mean you can't share a post, but it's nice to be asked first if I mind if it is shared. Sometimes I mind.)

Protection from Theft: Unauthorized use of my blog content constitutes copyright infringement. Plagiarism— taking someone’s work and passing it off as their own — is not just unethical; it’s illegal.

Monetary Rights: I hold the potential to monetize my blog. Whether through advertisements, sponsorships, or selling my content, copyright ensures that any financial benefits derived from my blog go to me.

My blog is a reflection of my unique voice. My opinions are my own, shaped by my experiences, beliefs, and values. When my individuality is disrespected, I feel violated. I feel voiceless. I feel like I have had my larynx removed.

I don't mind constructive criticism. It comes with the public part of this form of social media. However, to get here, you have to want to come here. My blog is not in anyone's face (like on Facebook). If you are reading my blog, you have made that choice. I haven't pushed my opinions upon you.

So please remember that my blog is my domain. I have the right to express my thoughts without fear of being unduly called out or censored.

I have been writing this blog since 2006, and I have been writing for the public since 1984 - 40 years. I realize this blog and writing in general can be a powerful tool for personal expression and creativity. I cherish the hard work I have put in here, and it is personal to me.

If you like what you read here, sit a spell and I welcome you. But if you don't like what you read here, then please don't come back. And please do not comment or write me privately and try to encroach upon my voice and my freedom of speech because you disagree.

And if you threaten me, I will have the law track you down.

Reviews & Complaints

Reviews

We started watching Hacks on Max over the weekend. Highly recommended! Jean Smart is terrific. Wish I'd been watching this all along, but it's a good binge in the nights when nothing else is on but Big Bang reruns.

Also saw the first episode of Maryland on PBS. It stars Suranne Jones, Eve Best, and Stockard Channing. Didn't hate it, it's only 3 episodes, will probably watch it all. I first encountered Surrane Jones in Gentleman Jack on HBO. I liked that series. In Maryland, she's a bit of a sobby thing while her sister is quite stoic. I guess I related a bit more to the stoic one. And who doesn't love Stockard Channing when she shows up in something? The plot is the mother, who passes away, has a secret life on the Isle of Man and the sisters are unraveling it.

***

Friday night, we checked out a new restaurant in Daleville. It's a steak and seafood restaurant, and since I'm giving it C- I won't name it. It was expensive ($70 for the two of us), and LOUD. At first it wasn't too bad when we arrived before 5 p.m. but as the place filled up, it grew so noisy in there that I had a headache when we left (which was as quickly as we could). I don't think we will be going back.

***

While I'm "reviewing," I prefer Food Lion to Kroger in Daleville. Food Lion is bright, it has actual people running the checkout lines, and the prices are lower (on some things). Kroger is dark, the shelves are too tall for me to reach many things up high and they are also too close together, and it looks like an outdated warehouse that someone thought would make a grocery store. It used to not look like that, it used to be bright and had flooring (not the cement floor), and the walls weren't painted black. I don't know who thought this make-over (several years old now) was a good idea but I only go in there for my prescriptions now. Brighten that store up, make it more user friendly! Please, I beg you. (Also, the parking is better at Food Lion.)

***

Complaints

Facebook makes me feel stupid just for looking at it, because there is so much stupid on it. There are some things that aren't stupid, but you have to weed out a lot of stupid to find something that isn't. And sometimes I stupidly go and look at the stupid just to see how stupid it is! Doesn't that make me stupid?

***

I would very much like to see adults act like adults. When did that become too much to expect?

***

People who say the climate isn't changing do not raise cattle and need hay to feed them.

***

Why can't I upload only my contacts to the Apple cloud? It wants to upload everything, and I don't want to upload everything. Just the one thing. My contacts. The rest of it doesn't matter. If I lose the notes or the reminders or the pictures, I don't care, but I do need the phone numbers. If I could just upload the contacts I wouldn't have to pay for any extra storage space, the space that comes with the phone would be plenty. But no, it has to tell me every time I think about uploading to the cloud that I need to buy more storage space. I have it all backed up to my computer but it's in iTunes and who knows if that's even accessible to a newer phone. My phone is an iPhone 5(SE). I have had it since 2017. No, it's not worth anything apparently, so I just keep using it. Why not?

3 Things

1. I finished a Stuart Woods book and a Taylor Jenkins Reid book in the last two days. The Reid book was weird. Reid is like Ann Patchett or Barbara Kingsolver to me - I know I'm supposed to love their work, but I don't. It's tolerable but it doesn't do much for me. The Stuard Woods books are so formulaic that you know exactly what's going to happen. The Woods books are fast reads, though.

2. I made a fast trip through the grocery store this morning. Peter Pan Peanut Butter was $8.79 for the largest size. I bought the medium size for $4.79. My husband eats a lot of peanut butter. I can take it or leave it. I know that the price of groceries is not because Joe Biden has any control over this, but instead the corporations are doing their best to finish wiping out the middle class and who cares about the impoverished and whether or not they eat peanut butter. It's called a monopoly, and the people who own the food are all billionaires. They've had record profits since the pandemic.

3. My iPhone 5 (yes, I am using an ancient phone) needs a new case but I like the one I have and can't find it again. I prefer the military grade cases so that when I drop it, it just bounces. The case I have has a picture of Rivendell (from Lord of the Rings for those who don't know) on it and I don't remember where I bought it. I also need to get the more current iPhone, as this one is no longer updating the OS. 

 

Multitasking

I am cold. I am sitting in my office with the door closed and a room heater running. It is doing double duty, as I have a sweater that I don't put in the dryer hanging on a hanger off the back of my desk chair, and the heater is blowing right on it. So it is almost dry, and I am warm. Multitasking at its finest.

The book I am listening to while I am multitasking (I am also watching the eagles on youtube and playing at a video game) is narrated by Julia Whelan. I don't know when I discovered that she is an excellent audiobook reader, but now I listen to anything I find that she is reading. Sometimes this leads me to authors I might otherwise have overlooked. 

Back in the early 2000s, my favorite book reader was Dick Hill. Hill, I'm sorry to say, passed away in 2022 after narrating more than 1,000 books. The first works I recall hearing him read were The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. But after that, like Whelan, I listened to most anything he read.

In fact, I sent Mr. Hill a fan email in 2008, and I still have it and his response:

Dear Mr. Hill:

 

I have been enjoying your work with audiobooks for quite some time. Today I found your website and I had to let

 you know how much I appreciate the characterization and life you bring to a novel.

 

I have discovered a number of authors I otherwise might not have read because of your work. I will pick up an

 audiobook regardless of what it is if you are the narrator.

 

My husband, who is not a book reader, is also a fan and I have been delighted to be able to introduce him to the joys of a good story through your voice.

 He started listening to you as I listened to Wizards First Rule by Terry Goodkind and he has since come to know that if I'm listening

 to Dick Hill read, he'll likely enjoy it.

 

I look forward to listening to you for many years to come.

 

 

dick hill	Mon, Jul 14, 2008, 1:31 PM
to me

Thanks for the kind words Anita.......I hope the publishers feel the same way so I can continue doing this work.  

I love it, and love working with my wife Susie Breck, who engineers and directs our projects.  

It's a good fit and we count ourselves blessed.  Glad you've been enjoying the Goodkind.  We sure did.

 

I do end up recording some not so great things, so it's probably good to make sure you check

 out a synopsis or something going in, so you know what you're in for.  I'll make a couple suggestions

 though, things I've really been enjoying..........Crawfish Mountain by Ken Wells is a whole lot of fun, and 

for mysteries the Dr. Alan Gregory series by Stephen White is great.  

Thanks again for the kind words.........it's nice to know actual living people hear this stuff, and I'm not

 just reading into a microphone.

 

dick

Q & A

A couple of readers asked questions about my responses to the weekend memes Saturday 9 and Sunday Stealing, so I thought I'd address those.

One question I answered asked about money. I answered that I have "purchase rule" in my house.

Managing money, either personally or as a couple, is probably one of the harder things to do in the U.S. I'm not sure about other nations that are not so capitalistic. But here, the advertisements to buy and spend your money are fairly constant. My ad blocker that I installed in November tells me it has blocked 1.445 million ads since then - and that's just on my desktop. Who knows how many ads I've seen on TV, on my Kindle, etc. That's a lot of advertising in less than six months.

I feel like it's my job to hold on to my money, and everyone else's job apparently is to try to take it away from me.

Our "purchase rule" began early in our marriage. We decided within the first month that we would not make any purchases over $100 without discussing it with each other. Of course, now you can drop $100 on groceries so the figure has increased, but we still discuss major purchases. In the back of my mind, I still keep that $100 figure in the foreground.

The other rule is to wait a day, unless it's the last day of a sale. If you can wait a day, then you may decide it's not something you actually need or want. We live 30 minutes from a city, so the drive was often enough of a barrier to stop either one of unless we really wanted something.

I have always thought that young couples should go grocery shopping and watch each other's shopping habits before they live together or marry or whatever they're doing these days. If one person carefully checks prices while the other throws stuff in the cart willie-nillie and doesn't blink when he or she swipes the credit card, those two might need a discussion about financial management.

We track our expenses using Quicken, which I try to update fairly regularly. If it looks like we are spending too much on something, then I speak up. Generally, I am the most fiscally conservative, though my husband is fairly good about it. It depends on what it is. If it's something to do with the farm, he doesn't hesitate to spend the money. I wait until stuff blows up to replace it.

The other question had to do with my car. I said I might have purchased a different vehicle than the 2014 Camry we bought that year, if I'd had the chance. But our old Camry had a safety issue that wasn't worth the price of the car to fix, so we made the trade in a hurry.

The 2014 Camry is not a bad car, but I can't see well out of it. It has blind spots for me because I am short. The console had changed shape by the time we traded in the 2003 model, and it makes the car feel close and less spacious inside. I would have liked to have driven various other vehicles to see if I could have found something I could see out of better (fewer blind spots) and perhaps something that felt more open up front.

Also, we have had the same issue with doors in the 2014 Camry that we had in the 2003 Camry. The doors in the 2003 Camry started locking up and I couldn't get out of the car. Or in the car, sometimes. This became a real safety hazard because I would have been trapped in the car in the event of an accident, or stranded somewhere if I couldn't get the car doors opened. (That actually happened, and that was the day we traded the car.)

The 2014 Camry developed the same issue with the front doors last year, and we had it fixed. Obviously, Toyota has some issue with door locks.

So that is the answer to that question. I may have ended up with this car anyway, because I may not have found something I liked better for the price, but I do wish I'd been able to take the time to look around and see if some of these issues could have been addressed by another vehicle manufacturer.

Monday Monday

You really can't trust Mondays. One never knows what a Monday will bring.

Today brought me more of the same viral thing that I've had since mid-January, along with a new source of work.

Short term freelancing is always good. Fortunately, it's mostly internet research and I won't have to talk on the phone.

Good thing, because my laryngitis is bad. My half-deaf husband hasn't heard a word I've said for 3 weeks.

He's probably good with that.

New Year's Questions

1. What did you do in 2023 year that you had not done before?

A. I began playing music with my father and his friend Joe. We meet once a week at my dad's house and play old country songs. I also saw a different physical therapist when I went back to physical therapy. Since I'd been seeing the same one for over a decade, this was a big change.

 
2. Did you keep your New Year's Resolutions/goals for 2023, and will you make/set more for 2024?  What are they? What are your new ones?

A. I don't make resolutions. I have goals but at the moment I don't care to share.

3. Did anyone you know give birth? Or get pregnant?

A. I'm sure somebody did, but nothing is coming to mind at the moment.

4. Did anyone you know die? Or have a serious illness? 

A. People I knew died. I am of the age when people die. Lots of people have been ill and some have had accidents.

5. What places did you visit? 

A. The grocery store, the doctor's office, the gas station. I may have hit the bookstore once last year. I stay home too much.

6. What would you like to have in 2024 that you lacked in 2023 (doesn't have to be a physical thing)?

A. Better health.

7. What date from 2023 will remain etched in your memory and why?

A. In 2023, I turned 60 and I celebrated 40 years of marriage. They are both big numbers, so I will remember the year for that.

8. What was your biggest achievement this year?

A. I didn't do anything that I consider a "big achievement."

 
9. Did you get sick or injured? Anyone you know?

A. I have actually been quite healthy since the onset of the pandemic (for me, anyway). Staying away from people has been good for my physical health. I know several people who have been sick or injured. I hurt my leg when I fell off a stool in October.

10. What was the best thing you bought?

A. A new electric guitar, which I did not actually buy. It was my wedding anniversary present from my husband. 

11. Where did most of your disposable income go (money left over after you pay for food, transportation and shelter)?

A. Into the farm.

12. What song will always remind you of this year?

A. I can't think of any.

13. What do you wish you would have done more of?

A. Writing. I wish I had done more writing.

14. What do you wish you would have done less of?

A. Playing video games.

15. What was your favorite new TV program? Movie? Album/Songs? Or if you didn't pick up any new ones, what are you still watching/listening to?

A. My favorite movie was Barbie, and the song What Was I Made For, by Billie Ellish, is a new favorite song (although it's very sad). I binge-watched Alaska Daily (I think that was in 2023) and was sorry it wasn't renewed. I still listen to 1970s music, Melissa Etheridge, and early Sheryl Crow music. 

These came from Sunday Stealing; there seemed to be two entries for this week or else I'm simply confused.

Friday Mish-Mash

No one has become ill since Christmas, when we had an accidental exposure to the Covid virus. We have been following the CDC recommendations, which are: if exposed to Covid, mask for 10 days, and on the 5th day, take a Covid test. If negative, continue to mask (but you can stop worrying - they don't say that, but I inferred it) until the 10-day period is over.

My husband, my mother-in-law, and I all took at-home Covid tests this morning, and we were all negative. None of us have had any symptoms. Well, I always have sinus drainage and nasal issues, so it's not easy to tell with me sometimes, but I'd not experienced anything out of the ordinary. We have no plans to go anywhere until next week, so I think we're good. Hopefully, I am not speaking out too soon.

We haven't taken down the tree yet. I never know when to take it down. Usually, I take it down when I tire of it. Sometimes that is before New Year's Day, sometimes not. I know there is folk lore about when to take the tree down, but I don't pay attention to that. I've done it all sorts of ways and never noticed a change in my luck for good or ill.

There are still hundreds, if not thousands, of starlings flying about. They are not congregating at the bird feeder, so I don't know what is going on. They all rise en masse, flutter about for a half-second, and land again. It's like one big hive mind of birds milling about in the front yard. They are also quite noisy. It's a bit unnerving to see so many flitting about, covering up the fields, and filling the trees. When the flock flies over the house, it sounds like a little plane.

Cold is seeping in as the temperatures drop. We have a slight chance of snow. I am not expecting that to happen, but one never knows. We could wake in the morning to a world covered in white stuff. Or maybe it will only rain.

A new year brings changes, I hope. I just never know if they are for good or ill.

Dona Nobis Pacem - Peace Blog 2023

 

And Today I'm Outta Here

 

My Name in Elvish

I wore my Lord of the Rings t-shirt into the grocery store the other day. The checkout fellow kept giving me strange looks, and I asked if there was a problem.

"Just admiring your shirt," he said.

I glanced down to see what I had on. "Oh, Lord of the Rings. You a fan?"

"Oh yeah. My brother used to read it to me before bed every night," he said. I asked him if he'd liked the movies, and he gave me a nod. "Have you read the books?"

"Sure, several times," I told him as he slid the groceries across the little beepy thing. "I have a copy on my cellphone to read while I'm at the doctor's office."

"Have you read the Appendices?"

"Of course," I said. "And some of the extra books too."

"I learned how to write in Elvish using the Appendices," he said. Then he asked me my first name. I told him.

On the back of my receipt, he wrote this:

"Cool," I said. "Thanks. I'd never thought to learn Elvish."

I came home and looked up an online translator. It gave me this:

A little prettier but basically the same.

Nerds. You gotta love 'em.

Happy Fourth of July!

I Want Pockets

Why do they make women's pants without pockets?

I bet there isn't a pair of men's dress pants anywhere that doesn't have pockets, yet I have trouble finding pants with pockets. Especially at my size.

Women need pockets too. It's a place to put a tissue. Or your car keys. Or your hand.

No pocket in my pants means I have to carry to some kind of purse or pocketbook. I generally do anyway, but I carry a much larger one than I would have to if my pants all had pockets.

My pocketbook has things in it like my inhaler, tissues, ink pens, Tylenol, Dramamine, and the other usual things one must have, like a driver's license and a credit card. I know wallets are lifted from men's pockets, but it seems safer to carry a wallet in a pocket than it does throw a big honkin' purse over your shoulder.

Not only that, but the dress pants I have on today have FAKE pockets. If they're going to all the trouble to sew in a line that looks like a pocket, why not make an actual pocket? What's the point of a fake pocket?

Give me pockets in my pants!

What AI Says About My Blog

This is what the Bing AI says about this blog:

Your blog is called Blue Country Magic and it is hosted by Blogger. You write about various topics such as music, memes, holidays, and personal experiences. You have been blogging since 2007 and you have a loyal following of readers who comment on your posts. You also share photos of your life in the country and your pets. Your blog is a reflection of your personality and interests. I think your blog is interesting and engaging.😊

I think your blog is interesting because you write about a variety of topics that show your perspective and opinions. You also share personal stories and anecdotes that make your blog more relatable and authentic. You have a sense of humor and a positive attitude that shine through your posts. You also interact with your readers and respond to their comments.👍

From ChatGPT:

As an AI language model, I can analyze the structure and content of your blog, but I am not capable of forming opinions or subjective judgments. However, I can provide you with some objective feedback based on my analysis.

After visiting your blog, I can see that it primarily focuses on sharing your thoughts and experiences related to country living and rural lifestyles. The layout of your blog is simple and easy to navigate, with clear categories and tags for readers to explore.

In terms of content, you have a good mix of personal stories and practical tips on topics such as gardening, cooking, and raising animals.* Your writing style is conversational and easy to read, which helps to engage your readers.

One area where you could improve is by adding more visual elements to your blog. Images and videos can help to break up large blocks of text and make your blog more visually appealing. Additionally, optimizing your blog for search engines could help to increase your traffic and reach a wider audience.

Overall, your blog has a clear focus and provides valuable insights into country living. With some tweaks to your blog design and optimization, you could attract even more readers and followers.

What do you think? Are the AIs on the mark?

*I don't think this is true. 

Sports

Virginia Tech's women's basketball team is going to The Final Four! They had an amazing game last night against Ohio State.

Regular readers are probably doing a double take, as I seldom write about sports. But I have watched the last two Virginia Tech women's basketball games. I generally don't root for the Hokies - we're University of Virginia fans here - but when Virginia Tech is playing the big dogs, we are Virginians first and root for them.

The team will be going up against LSU on Friday night. I plan to watch that game, too.

Just because I don't watch sports doesn't mean I know nothing about them. I may not be up on player names, stats, etc., but I do understand how most games are played. I think I like basketball best of all, as it is almost always constant action.

Some sports are slow. Baseball bores me to sleep, as does golf, bowling, and tennis. I have watched women's tennis matches before, but all that batting back and forth becomes monotonous.

I enjoy ice skating, as I find it beautiful, and during the Olympics we watch other winter sports like the luge or skiing. We watch the summer Olympics, too, but not as much.

My husband is a big fan of racing, so he watches NASCAR. Let's face it, the only reason to watch NASCAR (look, they're making a left turn! Now they're making another left turn!) is to watch somebody wreck. I lost my taste for that when I saw Dale Ernhardt die at Daytona in real time. My firefighter husband, watching the emergency folks, knew the driver was dead long before any announcement was made.

He does not watch football, baseball, or much of anything else, except for hunting shows. I suppose that's a sport, but it does not interest me. I'd rather do my shooting with a camera.

Since he does not watch other sports, I don't watch them, either. He reads the sports pages in the newspaper (yes, we still get a print newspaper), and I glance at them sometimes. Generally, I am more interested in the high school sports than anything else. I like to know how the local kids are doing.

Virginia Tech, at the moment, are the local kids.

It didn't take long to figure out who the stars on the team were. Georgia Amoore, who hails from Australia and is only 5' 6", is a stunning player on the court. She was free and easy with free-throws, and obviously a team leader. She dropped the ball into the net nearly every time with scarcely a thought (though she missed a number of 3 pt attempts last night). Elizabeth Kitley is also a strong player. She was the leading scorer last night.

So, go Hokies! Yay for the women's team!

Something . . .

Something in the way I feel
Tells me I need to see my doctor.
Something in the way my ears hurt.
I don't want to leave my house
I don't want to see her now.

(Music refrain)

Something in my eyes just shows
That I don't really feel well
Something in my eyes tells husband
That I need to go today
to the doctor right away

(Music refrain)

You're asking me if I could know
What's going on, what's going on?
If I knew then I would say, 
I would say and not see someone today.

(Music refrain)

Something in the way I feel
And all I have to do is make a call
Something in the things I am feeling
I don't want to leave the house
I don't want to leave the house