Thursday Thirteen

I am too scattered to write today. It happens.

So here are the first 13 things from my FB feed this morning.

1. "They are the oligarchy. They continue to siphon off the wealth of the nation. They are supporting a tyrant who is promising them tax cuts and regulatory rollbacks that will make them even richer, and destroying democracy so they won’t have to worry about “parasites”  . . . demanding anything more from them." - Robert Reich

2. "The first chunk is about the traditional "she made him do it" when it comes to rape and gender violence. Then it shifts to world affairs:  "She made him do it" operates in politics too. The most recent example is XXXXX declaration that somehow Ukraine's President Zelensky was responsible for Russia's invasion of his country, declaring "But he should never have let that war start.” The war began with Russia's invasion of Crimea in 2014, well before Zelensky's presidency and well into Putin's, so there's that. As Aaron Blake at the Washington Post notes, "Since the war’s earliest days, XXXXX has frequently talked around any sort of blame being cast on Putin.... Almost every comment deprives Putin of agency and casts what’s happened as a result of the Biden administration’s (and now Zelensky’s) failings." XXXXX envoy Steve Witkoff blamed Ukraine too, saying Russia was "provoked," as if Ukraine was wearing a miniskirt. 

later on: 

In mainstream discourse, it's become standard to blame the excesses of the right on liberals, the left, feminists, Black Lives Matter, affirmative action, environmental protection, and BIPOC and LGBTQ people. It's a way that the right is granted masculine prerogatives and the left feminine responsibilities for the right's behavior. " - Rebeccas Solnit

3. "Devastated. I just won an asylum case for a Guatemalan man - he was granted withholding (a win) where he would be released from detention. As he was being released/processed, ICE put him on a plane to Mexico. Mexico just deported him back to Guatemala. He won his case. And they deported him anyway. If this is happening with this one person then I’m assuming it’s happening with others. Unprecendented." - Debra Rodman via Amy Siskind

4. “Michelle, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you. The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it. I will be brave. I will live… for you”  - Sarah Michelle Gellar on the death of Michelle Trachenberg

5.  On the House budget resolution passed earlier this week:

6.  Not something I agree with, but it is what it is. I hope the parents of the child in Texas who died from measles (which we had declared eradicated in 2000), find this comforting.

7. "I know I keep harping on it but the news cycles are making it clear that not enough people grasp a core point on basic civics, so here it is again:

(1) Congress creates agencies and funds them, requiring (these days) sixty votes in the Senate. These agencies and funding are both "laws." 

(2) No one in the the executive branch can *destroy* agencies or defund them, that's also Congress' job. You can't destroy laws with zero votes that took 60 to create. 

(3) The chief's executive constitutional responsibility to "take care" that the "laws are faithfully executed." 

(4) Anyone from the exectutive branch that attempts to defund or destroy federal agencies (even in the name of curbing "fraud" or "waste") is not taking care that the laws are faithfully executed and thus violating *the* core tenet of Article II of the Constitution.  

(5) With respect to the foregoing, it doesn't matter, so far as the Constitution is concerned, if Congress cravenly avoids a confrontation with the Constitution-violating executive branch officials. There's no use-it-or-lose-it clause in the Constitution. 

(6) The aforementioned would be true, and I'd still be yelling about it, even if YYYY YYYY was genuinely identifying fraud and waste and not breaking everything he touches. 

(7) But since he demonstrably is breaking everything he touches, even if you don't care about the Constitution, you should still be anti-getting-Ebola, and be deeply concerned about what's happening right now." - Scott Pilutik via Chris Boese

8. "Thus in winter stands the lonely tree,
   Nor knows what birds have vanished one by one,
   Yet knows its boughs more silent than before:
    I cannot say what loves have come and gone,
    I only know that summer sang in me
   A little while, that in me sings no more."
   ~ Edna St. Vincent Millay (Pulitzer Prize winning poet, born February 22, 1892.) via Sharon McCrumb

9. "In "The Substance," Demi Moore plays an aging TV star who finds a sinister potion that can give her a younger, more perfect version of herself, but at a horrifying price. Moore says the experience sometimes left her feeling raw and exhausted. “You just go fall into your bed.”

“The Substance” has scored 5 Oscar nominations, including Best Actress for Moore." - CBS Sunday Morning and CBS News

10. "Remember that the XXXXX supporter from Salem who voted against Medicaid yesterday was a lawyer before entering elected office. He specialized in getting rich drunks off for drunk driving." - Dan Smith on Congressman Morgan Griffith

11. "Donald XXXXX said he would lower prices on “Day 1.”

Well it’s Day 38 and prices are still going up." - Elizabeth Warren

12. "The FAA is close to canceling a $2.4 billion contract with Verizon to overhaul the communications system that serves as the backbone of the nation’s air traffic control and is awarding the work to YYYY’s Starlink. Follow the money and see where it goes." - Alt National Park Service

13. "Second come these protests, which I discount as being particularly important, unless they signify an energized Democratic electorate that turns its energy to organizing for the governor’s race. In that case, they might be quite important — we just don’t know yet. Let’s look at why."--Dwayne Yancey in Cardinal News via Dan Smith

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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 896th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen #895

Here's a list of 13 essential skills that can empower anyone to handle everyday challenges and opportunities:

1. Basic Cooking Skills: Preparing simple, nutritious meals can improve your health and save money.

2. Household Management: Knowing how to clean, organize, and maintain your living space creates a comfortable environment.

3. Financial Literacy: Budgeting, saving, and managing personal finances are crucial for long-term stability.

4. Effective Communication: Mastering both verbal and written communication helps in personal relationships and professional settings.

5. Basic First Aid: Understanding emergency procedures, including CPR and wound care, can make a life-saving difference.

6. Self-Defense: Basic techniques and awareness help protect your personal safety.

7. Digital Literacy: Proficiency with computers, smartphones, and common software is key in today’s technology-driven world.

8. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Being able to analyze situations and make informed decisions is invaluable.

9. Laundry and Clothing Care: Knowing how to properly wash, dry, and maintain clothes keeps you looking your best.

10. Stress Management: Techniques such as mindfulness or exercise help maintain mental well-being.

11. Social Etiquette and Manners: Understanding appropriate behavior enhances personal and professional relationships.

12. Public Speaking: Being able to present your ideas confidently in front of others is a powerful tool.

13. Basic Home Repairs: Handling minor fixes around the house can save time and money.

I can manage all but stress management and public speaking. Neither of those are strong points. I took self-defense classes. I know basic first aid. I am not as good with computers as I once was, but I still can manage them. I keep our books and budget. Being a news writer required critical thinking skills. My manners aren't bad. Alas, I hate to cook, but we don't starve.

How do you do on that list? 

_________________

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 895th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

1. Yesterday, I had a great hair day. I also didn't have anywhere to go and barely saw my husband. What a waste of a good hair day.

2. We had ice overnight on top of the snow and ice that was already here. The sun is out now. I am glad to see the sunshine.

3. I had two asthma attacks yesterday. One was fairly severe and scared both me and my husband. I didn't grab my inhaler fast enough and it went on too long. The second one, I stopped quickly by grabbing the inhaler as soon as I felt that clutch in my throat and a cough that indicates a problem. I think they came from the air; it was heavy with the cold and the water coming with the current weather system.

4. Lesson learned, though. Next time, use the inhaler sooner. I dislike using them; even today I am tasting albuterol as I breathe in out - but better than not being able to breathe at all.

5. I am almost finished with the 2024 taxes, which will then go to an accountant. It is a relief to no longer have it uppermost in my mind.

6. Maybe it's time to have a little fun with something. Real fun. Like roller coaster ride fun. Only I don't ride roller coasters anymore. The last time we went on some of those rides, they beat us both to death and nearly dislocated my husband's arm. We don't do amusement parks anymore.

7. We do like historical parks and museums, though. That's more educational than fun, although seeing how people lived 200 years ago is interesting to us. My husband enjoys the farm machinery displays and most old things have to do with agriculture, because we used to be an agrarian society.

8. Now we are a technological society, but we still have to eat. It is unfortunate that many people seem to think food is grown in the warehouse of the grocery store and have no clue where their food actually comes from. 

9. I ran across an episode of MASH on TV, or rather, my husband did. I told him to add it to the DVR because I can't find it otherwise. Sometimes you just want to watch something that you know is good and pure. MASH fits that description.

10. One time I tried to tape every episode of The Partridge Family when it was running on AXIOS, I think it was, but after I watched a couple of episodes, I stopped the recordings and deleted the rest. The show doesn't hold up well. Or maybe I just outgrew David Cassidy. He's still a cutie on the show, but I don't need a cutie. I have my own fellow now.

11. My voice has mostly returned, finally, and I think I'm about over whatever I had for most of January and up until this week. I am feeling better except kind of sad about the crazy things happening in the world.

12. It is hard to complain if you aren't willing to do anything about it, and I don't know what I can do about pretty much anything sometimes. Even figuring dinner can be a pain.

13. So that's a list of 13 things. Not great, but something. Thanks everybody for reading.

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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 894th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

1. We woke this morning to the sound of thunder. How far off, I lay and wondered. I counted to 8 from a lightning flash and then rolled back over and went back to sleep.

2. We also have ice on the trees, and it rained. I don't know how much because we have the rain gauge inside the house to keep it from freezing and breaking.

3. I cannot stop reading the news, and my husband is upset with me because the news does nothing but upset me. I don't know how anyone could not be upset with the current situation in the federal government. Do people want to lose their benefits? How are they going to keep mom in the nursing home? Do they want disabled people out begging in the streets? How are the schools, police, firefighters - you name it - going to function? Do they want a South African certified fruitcake to have access to all of their financial information, including where they live, their date of birth, Social Security number? WTH? This is so sad. And scary. But some people are cheering them on. The racist and misogynistic bastards. Look what they've done! USA Today says it's time to panic.

4. I am trying to work on my taxes, but I keep thinking, "Why am I doing this? This is not my government anymore." What is the point?

5. My ears are ringing terribly today. It sounds like crickets chirping, a million of them, all singing in my ears. I think it is the weather. Some days it is not this bad. Today it is bad.

6. The cold that I took on in early January is still with me, only now it seems to have settled into an upper respiratory version of bronchitis. I see my doctor again next week for a regular checkup. If I am still sick, hopefully she will have some suggestion or something else to try. Two antibiotics and a steroid pack didn't fix it.

7. A friend told me some weeks ago that I should go to bed for three days and then I would be better, but I did not do that. I'm not very good at resting.

8. I am unplugging my Alexas. I enjoy them but I don't trust them now. I am not sure what to do about my smart phone or the iPad. Keep them turned off, I guess. That defeats the purpose of having them, though.

9. Now I need to buy an alarm clock, because I was using Alexa for my morning alarm.

10. I also used her to play music before bedtime. When I was teenager, I used to fall asleep to the sounds of Bread on my record player. After I got Alexa, I started doing that again when my husband was a work. Now I listen to Bread just before he comes to bed to try to relax.

11. My brain never stops, or so it seems. I used to think everyone thought all the time, but apparently not. From articles I have read, I overthink and have a restless mind, and when my husband says, "I'm not thinking of anything" when I ask him, he really isn't thinking of anything. I am always thinking of something. It's very noisy in my head. And it's not just the sound of crickets in my ears, either.

12. This is one of those Thursday Thirteens that to me make no sense, but I think there's a common thread in there somewhere. Or multiple threads.

13. I wish everyone was happy. It would help the world, I think. We have too many mean people wandering around.

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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 893rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

One of my former professors at Hollins University, Amanda Cockrell, writes Roman historical novels. I have read several of them and found them quite interesting. She writes under her name but writing as Damion Hunter, a pseudonym she used when she first began this series of books in 1981. The books gained a cult following and a book publisher reestablished it and she began writing new books for the series.

She is meticulous in her research, and I have found her descriptions of Roman road building and other things - some of which are still in existence today - to be evocative. I thought it would be interesting to see why the Roman Empire collapsed, because it was massive and as her books suggest, reached into great swaths of Europe and other parts of the world.

So here are 13 reasons why the Roman Empire fell:

1. Economic troubles: Constant wars and overspending drained the imperial coffers, leading to severe financial crises.

2. Overreliance on slave labor: The economy depended heavily on slaves, and when expansion halted, the supply of slaves dwindled.

3. Military overspending: Maintaining a vast military presence and constant warfare strained resources.

4. Political corruption: Corruption and instability within the government weakened the Empire's ability to respond to crises. 

5. Division of the Empire: The division into Eastern and Western Roman Empires created administrative and military challenges.

6. Rise of the Eastern Empire: The Eastern Empire (Byzantine Empire) grew in wealth and power, while the Western Empire declined. 

7. Decline in civic virtue: The loss of traditional Roman values and civic responsibility contributed to societal decay.

8. Plague and disease: Epidemics weakened the population and the military.

9. Inflation: Rampant inflation devalued currency and disrupted the economy.

10. Urban decay: Cities declined as people moved to the countryside to escape taxes and instability. This in turn let to over-farming and deforestation led to agricultural decline. 

11. Weak leadership: Many emperors were ineffective or corrupt, leading to poor decision-making.

12. Technological stagnation: Lack of innovation in military and agricultural technology hindered progress. 

13. Social inequality: The gap between rich and poor widened, leading to social unrest.

These factors, among others, contributed to the gradual decline and eventual fall of the Roman Empire.

_________________

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 892nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

 

Thursday Thirteen

Over the years, I have read a lot of dystopian literature. Dystopian books generally refer to a society or world that is characterized by suffering, oppression, or extreme injustice. In a dystopian setting, the social, political, or environmental systems are deeply flawed, often creating bleak, undesirable conditions for its inhabitants.

Some of the first books I read that left an impression on me include Alas Babylon, by Pat Frank, which I read in the 10th grade, 1984 and Animal Farm, both by George Orwell, and A Canticle for Liebowitz, by Walter M. Miller. All of those were published before I was born. That was followed up by things like The Handmaid's Tale and Oryx and Crake, both by Margaret Atwood.

Then there were the movies that stuck with me: Mad Max, The Postman, Waterworld, etc. Heck, even Game of Thrones was a dystopian fantasy.

Scary stuff. In none of these did women, in particular, make out very well.

Since we are moving into a bit of uncertainty, I thought I'd offer up some common elements or themes often found in dystopian literature:

1. Oppressive Government: A totalitarian or authoritarian regime controlling every aspect of life, including surveillance and constant monitoring of citizens through technology or informants. There is also a loss of privacy.

2. Propaganda: Media and messages designed to manipulate and control public opinion.

3. Restricted Freedom: Limited personal, political, or social freedoms.

4. Dehumanization: Citizens are treated as numbers or resources rather than individuals.

5. Environmental Decay: A degraded or polluted environment due to human neglect or disaster.

6. Technological Control: Technology used to oppress, control, or replace human functions.

7. Economic Inequality: Stark division between the elite and the impoverished masses; a rigid hierarchy that determines status and rights.

8. Rebellion or Resistance: A group or individual fighting against the oppressive system.

9. Censorship: Suppression or alteration of information to maintain control.

10. Artificial Scarcities: Manufactured shortages of resources to enforce dependence.

11. Loss of Individuality: Citizens are forced to conform, with personal expression discouraged or punished.

12. Fear and Intimidation: Use of violence, punishment, or the threat thereof to maintain control.

13. Cultural Decay: Loss or erosion of art, language, history, or traditions.

These elements often intertwine, painting a bleak picture of a world that serves as a warning or critique of current societal trends.

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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 890th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

January is National Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month. Given what California just experienced, with miles of Los Angeles burned to the ground, and the fact that I'm married to a retired firefighter, this is an important issue. Here are some facts about this:

1. Occupational cancer is the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths among firefighters.

2. Firefighters are twice as likely to develop certain types of cancer compared to the general population. Firefighters face a 9% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer compared to the general U.S. population.

3. Seventy-five percent of line-of-duty deaths among International Association of Firefighter (IAFF) members in 2024 were attributed to occupational cancer.

4. Firefighters are exposed to multiple cancer-causing agents on the job. Asbestos, a hazardous material found in older buildings, is a significant risk factor for firefighters.

5. Firefighters are two times more likely to develop mesothelioma than the general U.S. population.

6. Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), used by firefighters, contains dangerous chemicals known as PFAS. PFAS can build up in the body over time and cause various types of cancer.

7. Sixty-eight percent of firefighters develop cancer compared to just 22% in the general population.

8. Skin melanoma, prostate cancer, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma are among the cancers firefighters are at higher risk of developing.

9. The Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN) provides vital education and resources to combat occupational cancer.

10. Presumptive laws in Canada attribute close to 94% of line-of-duty deaths among professional firefighters to occupational cancers.

11. The IAFF designates January as Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month to provide tools and guidance for cancer prevention. Behavioral health is a key focus during Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month. Weekly themes during the month include topics like reproductive health, cancer prevention, and survivorship. Training briefs and resources are provided to educate firefighters on reducing cancer risks.

12. One of the goals of Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month is to bring increased public awareness to occupational cancer in the fire service.

13. Firefighters' protective gear can sometimes trap harmful chemicals close to their skin, increasing their risk of cancer. Regular decontamination and proper maintenance of gear are crucial to minimize this risk.

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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 889th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

1. I no longer post much on Facebook. I have opinions and information on things, but usually I just let it roll on by. Yesterday, someone posted about the county courthouse, which is empty and will soon be torn down. The current structure is one that was rebuilt in 1975 to replace an historic structure (built in 1848) that burned in 1970. This was my response to the complaints that (1) blamed the county administrator and (2) said this was an historic building. I posted it but then deleted it. I know a lot about this project because I was writing about it from the beginning, plus I have covered other courthouse renovations in other areas when I was a news reporter. There is no talking sense to some people.

Redoing/changing/rebuilding a courthouse is a long process that begins not with the Board of Supervisors but with the judiciary. The state has mandates that the courts must meet as far as ADA, safety, security, etc., and at some point (no I don't know when, best guess is 2010), the judges went to the county and said, we need to meet these mandates. There was a lot of study, a lot of meetings, etc., over a period of years if not a decade, before this began to become a reality. And no offense to anyone who helped construct this replica of the historic structure that burned, but the construction was not the best because the money, which was mostly raised by the community in an effort spearheaded at least in part by my husband's grandmother, wasn't there to build the best. In the end, there was black mold, there were lots of leaks not only in the roof but in the brick itself and into the walls. I saw this for myself. It had become so tainted with mold that I personally could no longer go into the building because of my asthma. I hate to see this structure removed just as much as anyone else but there comes a time when older things must go. This structure, as it exists, is an historic replica. It is not historic in and of itself. The things it houses are historic, but the people who must work in it are as important as the documents it holds, and if you wouldn't work in a building full of mold, then county employees should be given that same grace. This is something that needs to be done. In the end, it will be a benefit to the county, to the community, and to Fincastle. Yes, it will change the look of Fincastle, but so did Dollar General, and I bet a lot of you don't hesitate to stop in there.

2. I have more reactions to medication than anyone I know. I was using Nasacort for my ear infection at my doctor's orders and ended up with a yeast infection in a lower orifice.  The yeast infection cleared up almost instantly when I stopped using the nasal spray. These synthetic steroids do not sit well with me.

3. The ground is white with ice and snow. It is more ice than snow, but it snowed first and then crusted over with ice. The temperatures here are well below freezing and not expected to rise anytime in next week. My driveway is icy and I cannot get the car out. I do not ride in my husband's truck because it smells like hay. It's a work truck so it's supposed to smell like hay.

4. I actually like the smell of freshly cut grass, but my body does not. Talk about an allergy-inducing time! When my husband mows the yard in the summer, I go for a drive.

5. I used to mow the yard, back in the 1990s, but I stayed sick and my doctor finally told me I should stop. Then my husband bought a bigger yard tractor, and it was so big that I had to sit on the lip of the seat in order to reach the pedals, and the tractor wouldn't run unless there was weight on the back of the seat, so that ended that. I actually liked mowing the yard. There's a satisfaction in mowing kind of like cleaning up a big mess - you can see the result of what you just did.

6. Fires rage in California again. My husband's cousin has evacuated; she's in the Eaton (?) fire area. She's safe now, but we don't know if she still has a place to live. I have friends online who live in California, too, who are near or close to evacuating. All are without power. One of them called electricity "magical," and when you don't have it and you get it back, it certainly feels that way.

7. Just think of all the things we couldn't do if the electric grid went down. The world as we know it would stop. Eventually, you couldn't even drive because it takes electricity to make petrol and car parts. We'd be back to steam powered, or possibly solar or nuclear power. We take so much for granted, don't we?

8. I read the Kondo book about decluttering. I can't say I took much away from it - that kind of minimalist lifestyle sounds nice but that much cleaning up would take energy I don't have. I did find it interesting that she thanks her things. As in, thank you computer for working so I can write this blog. Thank you, shoes, for taking care of my feet today. I went around for a few days thanking my stuff, and while I can't say that anything I thanked performed any better, I did find it a sort of peaceful gratitude exercise. 

9. I am trying to stay away from politics on my blog these days. I probably won't succeed (see #1 above), but I am not going to change anyone's mind about anything, and people will just have to F around and find out what's about to happen. Maybe I'm wrong and authoritarianism and oligarchy will be the greatest thing ever, but I kind of doubt it.

10. My most recent book reading was The Women, by Kristin Hannah. It was about women who were nurses in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It was quite engrossing.

11. My friend's mother fell earlier this week, and she is in the hospital with a brain bleed. She is 94 years old. I am quite concerned.

12. I would rather write about good things. What's good? Well, we still have our electricity - I know about 100K in Virginia lost power during the ice storm, but we were lucky. The roads are clear if you can get out on them.

13. Growing old is not fun. What a cruel trick to play on humanity. 

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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 888th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

I don't make resolutions for the new year. They are easily forgotten and broken. Instead, I will set some little goals.

1. Continue walking at least 20 minutes most days.

2. Eat better.

3. Call my father once a week.

4. Write a little every day, even if it's just a short paragraph (or a blog post).

5. See the chiropractor and try to get my back/shoulders/arm working properly so I can get back to playing my guitar.

6. Read more books. I listened to a lot of books last year, but I need to read more. I'm having some trouble with my eyes, hence the 60+ audiobooks in 2024, but still. I like to read.

7. Spend less time on video games.

8. Curb my tongue and hold my temper around my husband.

9. Get the taxes for 2024 done ASAP and keep up better with the 2025 bookkeeping. I did better in 2024 - I am not that far behind - but if I would do it even more frequently it would help.

10. Remove clutter.

11. Sell a few guitars to free up closet space.

12. Write letters to my aunt and my cousin.

13. Donate to charities.

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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 888th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen - Boxing Day Edition

And so this was Christmas:

Lots of food.

Even something healthy.

All set up for guests.

Yum! She brought cookies!

My mother-in-law.

My stepmother.

My father.

The old folks gathering. I'm taking the picture.

Dad opening a present.

My tree

The fireplace with its stocking.

My brother and husband with the food.

My brother with Santa Mouse.
There's a story there, which I will
tell another day.

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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 887th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

Things I say that I suspect other folks, especially those who live in cities, do not, because I have a rather different sort of lifestyle:

1. There's a cow in the front yard.

2. Nice kill on your deer, dear. Now let's be sure we take meat to neighbor so-and-so (and ramble off a long list because I don't particularly like deer meat). (Yes, we fed a lot of the neighbors.)

3. I saw a coyote try to take down a deer!

4. That's a fairy circle (a round circle of mushrooms).

5. There's a bear looking in the back door.

6. The backyard is full of turkeys.

7. I saw a fox with her kit running down in the holler.

8. The creek is running dry because of the drought.

9. The racoons got into the trash again. (People in the city may have this problem sometimes. Maybe. I'm not sure.)

10. It's raining, so the Internet and the landline phone isn't working properly.

11. I am going to play my guitar until my fingers hurt, because my callouses have vanished and I need to build them back up.

12. My deadline is tomorrow morning, so I will be up past midnight writing this article.

13. I can see the Milky Way tonight because the sky is clear.

______________

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 886th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday 13

Things I wonder about:

1. What will happen to all of my stuff should I die suddenly? Will it go out in an auction? Will family comb through it? Will anyone want any of it? Would it mean anything to anybody? What is death, anyway? Will I know if my stuff gets thrown in a dumpster? Will I care?

2. Why does it seem to be windier now than it was when I was a child? I do not remember these rabid cold fronts coming through, eating their way through the windows with blistering winds that rattle the shingles on the house. Is the earth rotating faster to make the winds blow more? Is it dust in the air?

3. Why do we have to age? Couldn't we reach a certain terminus of time and stop there? Wouldn't it be nice to cease aging at some great age like 40? Some physicists and philosophers argue that time as we perceive it may not be reality. In some interpretations of physics time is a static dimension, and all moments (past, present, and future) exist simultaneously. What if this is true? Does that mean our perception of time's flow is wrong? Do we experience time not as flow but as a sequence of events? And if that is the case, could we reverse it?

4. What is the meaning of life? (The answer is not 42!) Some people believe life’s meaning is subjective, varying from person to person. Others hope to discover an objective or cosmic purpose that applies to everyone. For many, the search itself is meaningful—an ongoing journey rather than a final answer. There are whole books outlining various theories on this topic, from Nietzche to Freud to Frankl, etc.

5. What will humanity be like in the future? While technology and society may change dramatically, certain human traits—like curiosity, creativity, and the need for connection—are likely to persist. These qualities may continue to define humanity, even in the face of rapid transformation. But with fast technological changes, humans will have to learn to adapt to change. The most exciting possibilities might come from breakthroughs we can’t yet imagine, just as people 1,000 years ago couldn’t foresee modern technologies like the internet or genetic engineering. In the year 2525, if man is still alive . . . what will we find?

6. Are ghosts, spirits, or supernatural phenomena real? I've seen things that I thought were paranormal and experienced things for which I could find no explanation. Beliefs about the paranormal vary widely across cultures and individuals, and the subject remains controversial, straddling the boundaries of science, psychology, and folklore. Why are people fascinated by the paranormal?

7. Are we alone in the universe, or is there life on other planets or in other galaxies? How would we know? The search for life beyond Earth is as much about exploring the unknown as it is about redefining what it means to be human. Life may not be "life as we know it." For all we know, there are living things that only breathe carbon dioxide and not oxygen. Not all life may come from a Class M planet.

8. Why do we dream, and do dreams have meaning? One of my first purchases as a child was a small booklet that cost me 35 cents. It's called "The Book of Dreams: a guide to the mystic meaning of your dreams." It has been on my desk for at least 40 years. Dreams remain one of the most enigmatic aspects of human experience, blending science, emotion, and mystery. I have at various times written down whole notebooks full of dreams (I've thrown those away), and I have attempted to write poems from my dreams. I have studied my dreams, but I also have shrugged them off. Sometimes I gain something from them, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I dream about my brother and call him and tell him to be careful.

9. How did ancient civilizations achieve remarkable feats without modern technology? Who built the pyramids? Who built Stonehenge, and why? Where did Machu Pichu come from? The decline of civilizations often reveals patterns, such as overuse of resources, political instability, or failure to adapt to environmental changes. It would be nice to know more about why these things happened, so it can be avoided in the future.

10. Is there such a thing as luck? Does it matter if I eat black-eyed peas on New Year's Day? Luck refers to the idea of events occurring due to chance, rather than effort, skill, or planning. While some view luck as random, others believe it’s influenced by mystical forces or personal attitudes. Some, like the author of The Gift book (which I hated and flung across the room), believes that you draw "luck" to yourself by the way you think. Some think luck is fate. Was it luck that penicillin was invented? Luck that put together Steve Wasnick and Bill Gates? Was it luck that I met my husband, and we married?

That's not 13 things, but I am stopping there because that's a lot of sentences. This will just have to be a 10 Thursday for me. All of that thinking made my brain hurt!

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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 887th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

1. This is the week to ponder about the death of my friend who died in 2021. There was no closure. No funeral, no anything except my own personal visit to see her headstone. She was cremated. She died of a terminal illness, but things still feel unfinished. I wonder if it will always feel like this.

2. This was also the week to celebrate the life of my mother-in-law, who had a birthday. We bought her flowers and took her out to eat for dinner. She gets around very well to be an older person.

3. Winter finally decided to put in an appearance with colder temperatures and wind. I don't mind the cold temperatures, but I do mind the wind. It was howling like a coyote with its tail on fire around 5 a.m. this morning.

4. I wasn't expecting any packages today but found one at the back door just a while ago. I wasn't expecting it until Saturday. I do a lot of online shopping this time of year. Maybe one day I will visit the mall. That would be different.

5. My office is messy, and I feel overwhelmed when I think about trying to clean it up. I know I need to do it in steps . . . today just do this section . . . and it will eventually get done, but inertia is easier.

6. My walking on the treadmill is going well. I have moved the speed up a little and am now up to 21 minutes. I know that doesn't sound like much but when you have health issues, trust me, it's good.

7. I have a lot of books that I need to donate or give away, but no one wants books anymore. The library holds a book sale a few times a year and I have donated books to that in the past (and then once or twice bought my own book back without realizing it). But the last few times I've tried to donate books there, they told me they were full.

8. I also need to rid myself of a few guitars. They take up a lot of space.

9. And while I'm ridding myself of things, I have lots of paper records that one day need to find their way to a shredder. I still have checks from 1983 up in the attic. Not that I can get into the attic, but I know they are there. The banks used to mail you your checks back, long time ago.

10. I have a lottery ticket here on my desk that I'm trying to keep at the top of the piles of paper. That thing might be lucky come Friday. Whadda ya think?

11. We have not filled the bird feeder this year. It swings there, empty. When the wind stops blowing, I should probably bring the feeder inside if we're not going to use it.

12. I am listening to a Fern Michaels book that came across the library app when I was looking for something new. I hadn't read a Fern Michaels book in many years. I didn't even know anyone was still writing under that name.

13. Back in the day, not only did I like Fern Michaels, but I also liked Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney. I wonder how many of my blog readers know who those authors are?

There. Thirteen things. Whew. I thought I might not make it today.

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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 886th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.