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.

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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.

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.

Thursday Thirteen #885

Since is Thanksgiving here in the United States, it seems appropriate (and probably a little lazy) to make a list of 13 things for which I am grateful.

1. My husband of 41 years, who has put up with all sorts of craziness from me and continues to love me in spite of myself. He's a good man and I love him very much.

2. My personal creative process, which encompasses a wide range of things from writing to music to an occasional spurt of coloring in a coloring book. Sometimes I even do crafty things, but not very often. It is generally the writing and the music that attract me and keep me going.

3. I am very grateful for books. I would not be who I am today if I had not been a constant reader, always delving into this world or that. Books broaden my world and keep my brain thinking.

4. Education also tops my list of things for which I am grateful. I loved school, even elementary school, and only found it more to my liking as I aged and moved into high school and then college. I strongly suspect I missed a calling as a professor - I would have enjoyed that, I think.

5. The career I did have as a writer of local news was incredibly satisfying and while it didn't make me rich, it certainly made me well-known and, in some circles, highly thought of. I know not everyone liked what I wrote, but a good journalist makes enemies.

6. I am very thankful for my family, even the ones I seldom see. I have a wide range of cousins out there, too many to list by far, and I recently discovered a new one who lives just down the road from me. She was writing about her great aunt on Facebook in a history group, and that person was my great aunt, too, so we are either second cousins or first cousins once removed. I can't figure that out without a chart, but I think it is the "once removed" part.

7. My friends are also atop my list of people for whom I am grateful. I do not have many close friends, but the ones I have I treasure and love deeply. They help keep me sane.

8. I am especially grateful for my brother, who should be under the "family" heading, I suppose, but I shall single him out because he is the only person in the world who shares my past. My father is still alive but he does not share my past in the way my brother does, because he saw it as adult and child, while my brother and I were both children. We have a tight bond to be siblings, and I am grateful for that.

9. My computer makes me, well, not happy, but it does keep me "out there" and that is something. Occasionally I'd like to throw the thing out the window, but I still use it constantly.

10. I am grateful to be alive. I had a few times when that wasn't a certainty, especially when I had sepsis because of endometriosis and ovarian cysts, and again when I had e-coli, once when I had pneumonia, and a few other times that I won't go into. I honestly never expected to live this long, so each day is a gift.

11. I am thankful for my house, which we moved into about this time of year a very long time ago. In 1987, we built our home ourselves, hammering nails and all of that. My husband had loads of help from firefighters he worked with, many of whom had second jobs as carpenters, roofers, and painters. While not exactly a good old-fashioned barn raising, it certainly was a multi-friend and family effort.

12. I am grateful too for the technology that makes texting possible. It's a quick and easy way to catch up with folks. While I personally prefer an actual conversation to a text, a text is acceptable.

13. There really is no "last" in a list of things for which one might be grateful, is there? There's the beautiful sky, the lovely Blue Ridge Mountains, neighbors, the stars in the dark sky, the clouds that make beautiful sunsets - honestly, there is no end to the list of things I could be grateful for.

And I am especially grateful for you, dear reader, whoever you are and wherever you are. I hope that you have a very wonderful 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 885th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

Back in August, I decided to try to get my stamina up by walking more. I have a chronic pain issue that makes things difficult, but I wanted to try to move past it. I could tell I really needed to be up and moving, having let a lot of my physical therapy exercises slide since 2020.

So, I started out on the treadmill and could manage 3 minutes before pain stopped me. I tried listening to music, then to audio books, and managed to get up to about 5 minutes, but the pain was making it difficult to get beyond such a small time on the treadmill. I knew I needed something to watch that (a) kept me deeply engrossed (so I wouldn't mind the pain so much); (b) greatly enjoyed; and (c) had subtitles because the treadmill is loud.

It turns out that Amazon Prime has all the seasons of Xena: Warrior Princess available - with subtitles! And it's free to watch for prime members.

So, I started watching Xena: Warrior Princess. I was a big fan of the show when it aired originally, but it had been over 20 years since I'd seen an episode.

It took me about a week to walk through episodes 1 and 2. And then I found I was up to 10 minutes before the pain had me stopping. So now it took me 4 days to get through a show.

And then I moved it up to 13 minutes. Then 15 minutes. And now I'm up to 20 minutes. I seem stuck there, so it takes me two days to watch one episode of the show, but that's ok. Twenty minutes a day is not bad and hopefully with time I can move it on up. I try but going longer really sets me back so for now it's better to hold on to where I am and occasionally test it to see if I can go a little longer without as much agony. I may never get past 20 minutes but that's 20 minutes I wasn't doing, right?

Anyway, I have always loved the show, and I thought I'd share 13 reasons why I do:

1. It has an empowering female protagonist. Xena, played by Lucy Lawless, is a strong, independent female lead who defies traditional gender roles. She kicks butt in a campy but enthralling way.

2. The show rests on an iconic duo. Every heroine needs a sidekick, and the relationship between Xena and Gabrielle (Renee O’Connor) is the heart of the show. Throughout the series, their relationship is showcased, and it's a deep and evolving friendship.

3. The series masterfully weaves Greek mythology with creative storytelling, featuring gods like Ares, Aphrodite, and Zeus. The first season also throws in some Biblical stories, and I know later seasons explore other religions, like Tao, Hinduism, etc.

4. The show delivers thrilling fight scenes, including Xena’s signature moves like her warrior cry and chakram throws. For some reason, I really like it when she uses her whip to get herself out of bad situations. She has many skills.

5. The show has a great character and story arc that the writers are fairly faithful to. It has moral complexity as Xena journeys from a ruthless warlord to a hero, seeking redemption.

6. The series tackles themes like love, betrayal, forgiveness, and destiny. It also touches on things like, do we have a soul mate, and the dead can hear our thoughts. Interesting ideas to think about. 

7. The show is campy and has lots of humor and wit. It has quirky characters like Joxer or the playful Aphrodite to help offset Xena's sometimes morose point of view.

8. Despite Xena's dark side, the show offers an inspirational message: we call can go on a quest for redemption and do good. Change is possible.

9. The show's a fantasy, with a mix of myth and history blended into it. 

10. It has memorable villains like Callisto, Caesar, and Alti. They are deeply engaging and provide Xena with formidable challenges.

11. The music score is great. It's the only TV show I ever bought the soundtrack to. It still pops up arbitrarily on my computer playlist sometimes. 

12. The storytelling is varied. Episodes range from epic battles to heartfelt character-driven stories, to light-hearted comedies.

13. Xena and Gabrielle travel across diverse landscapes, from Greece to Egypt, encountering new challenges and cultures.

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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 884th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

Here are some commonly used informal words and phrases, often referred to as “non-words.”

Ain't: A contraction for "am not," "is not," "are not," "has not," or "have not."

Gonna: A contraction of "going to."

Wanna: A contraction of "want to."

Y'all: A contraction of "you all," commonly used in Southern American English.

Kinda: A contraction of "kind of."

Sorta: A contraction of "sort of."

Gotta: A contraction of "got to" or "have got to."

Lemme: A contraction of "let me."

Dunno: A contraction of "don't know."

Cuz: A contraction of "because."

Gimme: A contraction of "give me."

Outta: A contraction of "out of."

Ya: An informal version of "you."

A lotta: A contraction of "a lot of."

Shoulda: A contraction of "should have."

These words and phrases are often used in everyday conversation to convey a relaxed and casual tone. However, in formal communication, it's important to use standard language to ensure clarity and maintain a professional style.

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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 883rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

Here are 13 topics I frequently write about, not necessarily in order:

1. Local life and culture

2. Personal reflections

3. Nature and rural imagery

4. Photography

5. Historical insights

6. Health and wellness

7. Writing and storytelling

8. Literature and book reviews

9. Current events

10. Social issues

11. Personal achievements

12. Relationships

13. Reflections on aging

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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 881st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

It's a Halloween Thirteen!

Here are 13 scary story ideas for the day!

1. The Unmarked Letter

A letter arrived with no return address. Inside was a single sentence: “I know where you’ll be tonight.” She laughed it off—until she saw her own handwriting on the page.

2. The Mirror’s Reflection

Every night, his reflection smiled back at him…until one evening, it didn’t. Instead, it mouthed words he couldn’t hear, pressing a hand against the glass as if begging for release.

3. Whispers in the Walls

New to the house, she started hearing whispers late at night. “Get out,” the voices urged. One night, she saw a shadow dart across her room, only to realize the whispers sounded eerily like her own.

4. The Forgotten Room

When they opened the old storage door in their new home, they found a fully furnished, dusty bedroom. Everything was neatly arranged as if waiting for someone to return—except for the footprints leading to the bed.

5. Nightly Visitor

For weeks, he felt a presence lingering over him while he slept. One night, he woke to see the shadow hovering, murmuring his name with a voice that sounded strangely familiar.

6. The Broken Clock

Every night at 3:15, the broken clock in her kitchen chimed once. She dismissed it until she checked the date on the clock's calendar: it marked the exact day her grandmother had died.

7. A Call from Nowhere

Her phone rang with no caller ID. When she picked up, she heard her own voice, older, weaker, saying, “Don’t go into the basement.” The line went dead, but the warning lingered.

8. The Locked Door

A locked door stood at the end of the hallway, forgotten by everyone but her. Curiosity won out one night, and she turned the key, only to find herself staring at her own empty house . . . from decades before.

9. The Photo Album

She found an old family album filled with strangers’ faces—but there she was in the background of every photo, staring directly at the camera, decades before she was even born.

10. Flickering Lights

Every evening, the lights would flicker once at exactly 9:00. When the electrician checked, he said the circuit was fine. Later, she found an old letter stating that a child had died at 9 p.m. each day for a month.

11. The Midnight Song

A soft lullaby echoed through the house at midnight every night. She brushed it off, thinking it was an old music box. One night, she found the box broken and rusted—but the song still played.

12. Footsteps on the Ceiling

He heard footsteps above him in his apartment, rhythmic and constant, even though no one lived there. One night, they stopped right above his bed, accompanied by a whisper: “I’ve been here all along.”

13. The Haunted Journal

She found an empty journal in an antique store. Every night, new entries appeared, recounting events from her day that no one else could have known—until the last page read, “Tomorrow, they come for you.”

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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 881st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen #880

Here are 13 great things about Botetourt County, VA, where I live:

1. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Botetourt County offers stunning landscapes and picturesque views. One can enjoy miles of hiking trails, including parts of the Appalachian Trail and the Andy Lane Trail. The James River is perfect for kayaking, fishing, and other water activities and the Blue Ridge Parkway, known as "America's Favorite Drive," offers breathtaking views and connects to many local attractions.

2. Historic Towns: Explore the charm of Fincastle, Buchanan, and Troutville, each with its own unique history and character. The Lewis and Clark expedition started in Fincastle and Clark wed a local girl, Judith Hancock, back in the day (1800s).  Buchanan is a great spot for finding antiques and local art. We also have historic communities such as Eagle Rock and Blue Ridge that are not incorporated towns but have intriguing histories of their own. And we mustn't forget the historic Greenfield, now an industrial park but once a part of a large plantation owned by Revolutionary War hero Colonel William Preston.

3. Botetourt County Historical Society & Museum offers an opportunity to dive into the rich history of the area. The Fincastle Library has an excellent genealogy room that is a must-visit for anyone researching their ancestors from this area.

4. We have local festivals, artisan fairs, and outdoor concerts. Last weekend, for example, we had Open Studios, where artists invited the public into their workspaces to show off their paintings, photography, and woodworking skills.

5. The Botetourt Farmers Market offers up fresh, local produce and handmade goods from April until late October.

6. The TransAmerica Bicycle Trail (we call it Route 76) is a popular route for cyclists passing through the county.

7. The Botetourt Sports Complex is a hub for local sports and community events and is a major draw for many out-of-town ball games and competitions.

8. Much of the county is part of the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests, which offers plenty of opportunities for fishing, hunting, and bird or animal watching. Outdoor sports enthusiasts should feel right at home here.

9. The Botetourt Golf & Swim Club is a great place for golf and relaxation and is open to the general public (along with memberships). The county has another golf course located at Ashley Plantation Golf Course, too, giving golfers plenty of challenge at either location.

10. We have a new brewery opening up in Buchanan! It joins three wineries: Blue Ridge Vineyard, Stoney Brook Vineyards, and Virginia Mountain Vineyards as another spot to enjoy local scenery and chill.

11. The local YMCA in Daleville serves as a community hub. You can pick up or drop off library books there and they have a children's area that is specifically designed to work with disabled youth. They also have a "stay and play" drop-in daycare. 

12. We have a few archeological sites in the county, especially in the northern end, but their location is mostly secret to keep vandals away.

13. Good schools keep our youth active and involved in learning. Botetourt County Public Schools is a highly rated public school district. It has about 4,500 students in grades PK, K-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1. According to state test scores, 76% of students are at least proficient in math and 82% in 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 880th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.