Saturday 9: I See Love

Saturday 9: I See Love (2010)

(Which is much better than seeing dead people)

Unfamiliar with this week's song. Hear it here.

1) This is the theme from Mike and Molly, a TV show that ran from 2010 to 2016. Were you a fan?

A. I have never seen the show.

2) Molly was played by Melissa McCarthy. Today she's one of Hollywood's best-paid actresses, but when she began her career, she was barely scraping by. She recently recalled the time when, as a struggling actress, she was rejected at the ATM because it only gave out $20s and she didn't have even that much in her checking account. How often do you visit the ATM? Several times a week? Several times a month? Never?

A. Maybe three times a year.

3) When she was broke, Melissa couldn't afford blueberries and avocados.  Now she savors them. When you're a few bucks ahead, what do you splurge on?

A. Books.

4) Mike was played by Billy Gardell. He was working at a comedy club, cleaning the bathrooms and answering the phone. He used to crack jokes with other employees and finally one of his coworkers dared him to go onstage on "open mic night." A comedy career was born. Tell us about someone who pushed you to make the right move.

A. My English professor at the community college was instrumental in pushing me to go on after my bachelor's degree. I earned an associates' there and transferred. She said I had a talent that should not be wasted. She thought I could be another Lee Smith if I applied myself. Obviously, I did not go in that direction, choosing instead to write for newspapers. I suppose it is not too late.

5) On the show, Mike's best friend was his fellow officer, Carl McMillan. Carl was not especially motivated and still lived with his grandmother, well into his 30s. How old were you when you moved out of the house for good?

A. I was 20. I lived at home until I married.

6) Mike's and Molly's mothers are different as night and day and frequently did not get along. Have you ever had in-law trouble?

A. Not really, no.

7) This week's song was written by Keb Mo. He switches among several different guitars when he works -- electric, acoustic and resonator. Can you play guitar?

A. I can! And do. You can go to the "music" label and see videos of me playing. I have been posting one on Tuesdays this summer.

8) In 2010, when this show premiered, Apple introduced the iPad. Do you use a tablet?

A. I have a Kindle HD tablet, but I don't do any work on it or have Facebook on it, or anything like that. I have one game and lots of books on it. I do all of my work on a desktop.

9) This week's random question gives you an opportunity to brag: What's something you do better than most people?

A. I'm not very good at bragging. I write well. I don't know that I do it better "than most people" but better than some. I take decent pictures, but I do not consider myself a professional photographer even though I've published and been paid for at least 1,000 pictures. I have always considered myself a "Jill of all trades," meaning I do a lot of things sort of well. I am loyal and forgiving although I do have my "time to stop" point. I try to be a nice, kind, decent human being. Really, isn't that the most important thing?

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

Thursday Thirteen #670

My blogging friend, The Gal, is participating in "The August Happiness Challenge." So I thought I'd do another list of sorts for this Thursday 13.

1. Dr. Pepper, it turns out, is readily available in our area. This makes me happy because it makes my husband happy. Last week there were articles about a Dr. Pepper shortage, and he rose early and went to Food Lion to stock up. He found plenty. I don't drink it but I am happy for him that he found it.

2. Understanding that I am not at fault for every little thing that goes on around me makes a big difference in attitude.

3. My laryngitis is starting to clear up! I still sound gravelly but at least I am no longer croaking.

4. Pops asked me to help him out with some church work, and I obliged. Few people can sell my community to someone as well as I can.

5. Time seems to be measured differently these days. This is not a bad thing. I remember how amused Diana Prince was in the Wonder Woman movie when she saw Steve's watch. "You let that little thing tell you how to run your life?" she asked (paraphrasing). In the days of coronavirus and husband's retirement, time has taken on a different meaning. A better one, I think.

6. Running has never been my strong suit (I couldn't if I wanted to, probably), but I do like walking on the treadmill. I am working hard to get my heel spur under control so I can return to that. I've set up my own physical therapy routine that seems to be helping.

7. Until yesterday, I didn't realize how close we were to Autumn. I stood and watched the early morning sun shifting through the leaves and noticed the lack of green in them. The trees are readying themselves for colder days.

8. Monday, my husband fixed dinner. He can cook when he wants to and I'm urging him to do that more often. Not having to cook makes me very happy.

9. Pandemics have a way of changing society. I hope it makes ours better - as in, more loving, more kind, more "other" oriented and not so selfishly individualistic. We'll see. Fingers crossed.

10. Nobody gets me like my brother, and that is a good thing. I'm happy we are friends.

11. Ordinary items, like pencils, pens, paper, paperclips, notebooks, etc., make me happy. I normally buy a few extra notebooks in August, when the school supplies are out. Not this year, so I am happy that I have a stash.

12. Wonder, that is, a state of curiosity, is something I try to build. I like to be curious and find wonder in all sorts of things, from bugs to deer to birds and zoom lenses in cameras. The world is full of many lovely, beautiful things. 

13. Focusing on the good is a positive, and I'm happy I am doing that 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 670th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Fawns at Play

 

The Meadow

This is a guitar arrangement that I first started when I was a teenager. Since I have had laryngitis for most of August, I pulled it out and worked on it some to share here.

I call it "The Meadow." I've never played it for anyone before, although my brother may remember it from when I still lived at home. Well, my husband's heard me practicing it. But this is its public debut.

Boots

 

The first time I saw my husband's firefighter's boots laid out beside the door of the fire engine, I teared up. I never liked to think about him out on a call. I preferred to think about him waiting, like his boots.

That was a long time ago, and the firefighters still have their boots and gear at the ready, sitting by the door of the fire truck. I took this shot on August 10, when my husband was having his retirement farewell at Station #5.

The boots by the truck make it very real how fast and efficient these men are as they dash into danger to save a home or a life. 

May the Universe bless all of those who fill these boots in times of need,

Sunday Stealing

 Sunday Stealing

1. What makes it easy to talk to someone?

A. It helps if they listen. So many people are so busy thinking about the next point they want to make, they don't hear what you are saying. I learned to shut that part of my brain off when I was doing interviews for the newspaper. I had to learn to listen.

2. Have you ever had a great conversation with a complete stranger?

A. Yes, but it has been quite some time ago.

3. Do you like to argue?

A. I like to discuss. I do not like to argue. I like to hear other people's opinions and then either validate or contradict them. I consider that debating, not arguing.

4. Some people like to talk about things, and some people like to do things. Which are you?

A. I do a bit of both.

5. Who is easier to talk to – men or women?

A. It really depends on the personality.

6. What is your favorite place?

A. Home.

7. What is your favorite place in your home?

A. In my office.

8. Would you most want to live in a city, a suburb or the country?

A. I live in the country and always have. I expect to die here, too.

9. What is special about the town you live in?

A. I live in a rural community. It's beautiful. It's historic. It's bucolic.

10. How much time do you spend in nature?

A. I live on a farm. I think it's pretty much 24/7. I just watched a hen turkey leading her chicks up the ridge.

11. Do you make up a dinner plan for the coming week?

A. No.

12. Do you make up a grocery shopping list and stick to it when shopping?

A. Generally. These days I shop online and pick it up.

13. What is one thing that you always buy, but never write down on a list?

A. Chocolate.

14. Is there anything that you always think you are out of and come home with it to discover you already have a year’s supply on hand?

A. I don't know that I have a year's supply of anything on hand.

15. Do you get your groceries delivered?

A. They don't deliver out where I live. Too rural.

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

Saturday 9: Who Are You

Saturday 9: Who Are You? (1977)

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

1) This song, originally recorded by The Who, was the theme of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, which ran from 2000 to 2015. Did you watch it? Were you a fan?

A. I did not watch CSI in any of its incarnations. I don't believe I've seen a single episode.

2) When the show premiered, Gil Grissom (William Petersen) was the CSI team's supervisor. Gil's mother was deaf, and so he was fluent in American Sign Language. Can you communicate using ASL?

A. I am afraid not. It would be a good thing to learn.

3) His assistant is blood-splatter analyst Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger). Catherine's family moved often, which made it hard for her to get traction in her studies. She finally just dropped out of high school. She later got her GED, and even graduated from college. Have you ever considered going back to school?

A. I did go back to school. I finished up my master's degree at the age of 49. I am starting a new course on Coursera shortly.

4) Though set in Las Vegas, most of CSI was filmed in Santa Clarita, CA. Santa Clarita is also home to Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park. Do you enjoy roller coasters?

A. Not particularly.

5) The vocalist on the CSI theme, Roger Daltry of the Who, made a cameo appearance on the show during season 7. Do you have a favorite Who song?

A. Pinball Wizard.

6) CSI became a franchise, followed by CSI: Miami and CSI: New York. If we could organize a Saturday 9 field trip, which of these CSI cities would you prefer we visit: Las Vegas, Miami or New York?

A. New York.

7) In 2000, the last original Peanuts comic strip was published. How many Peanuts characters can you name?

A. Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Schroeder, Sherman, Lucy, Peppermint Patty, Violet, and I can describe others but don't remember their names - Charlie Brown has a little sister, as does Linus and Lucy, P.Patty has a friend who wears glasses, the boy who is always dusty. Snoopy has a brother who visits him sometimes, too.

8) Also in 2000, media giant Time Warner merged with America Online, the email provider. It's estimated that 74% of us check our email at least once/day. Are you one of the 74%?

A. Yes.

9) Random question -- Did you more recently cut and paste, or delete?

A. I cut and pasted the links to the Saturday 9 blog and the video.

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. (#350)

August Happiness Challenge Day 14

Looking around this morning for something that's made me happy. I'll go with what I hope was a decent recording of a guitar instrumental that I will post next Tuesday if it really came out okay.

Also, the above makes me happy. After 37 years, my husband is finally reading. Old people covered in blankies reading books. What more does one need?

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

Hosted (?) by The Gal Herself 

Thursday Thirteen

My blogging friend, The Gal, is participating in "The August Happiness Challenge." So I thought I'd make a list of 13 things that make me happy since it's August 13. (Actually that makes me happy, 13 on 13.) 

It's the little things, sometimes.

1. Finding toilet paper at Sam's Club!

2. Holding my husband's hand before we go to sleep at night.

3. Seeing the chiropractor when I can during this pandemic.

4. Playing my guitar and learning a new song.

5. Figuring out a way around some of Google's stupid changes to Blogger and to its "G Suite."

6. Seeing the light in my husband's eyes Monday when he was lauded by his former coworkers.

7. Taking on a little project.

8. A new pair of sneakers.

9. A new coloring book!

10. "Ozium," which is found in the automotive section at my local Walmart and also at other auto stores. It is great for making perfume, cigarette, and similar odors go away, and it is anti-bacterial. It has a lemon scent that I can tolerate and it doesn't create build up on the tile floor in the kitchen like Lysol can. 

11. The post office. I love the postal service and I am really sorry to see it under siege by the current administration.

12. Chocolate frozen yogurt, which at the moment is the only chocolate I'm allowing myself to have while I try to lose weight. (It isn't going well, but I'm giving it a go.)

13. Family and friends, even the ones who don't want to talk to me anymore.

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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 669th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Pandemic Journal - Day 145

Last night we watched the final episode of season one of Stargirl, a DC comics character. The show is on the CW channel.

It is basically Buffy the Vampire Slayer in hero costumes and not with vampires. Which is to say, it isn't like that show, which was much darker, but in many ways it is.

Stargirl starts out as Courtney, becoming the "chosen one" when the staff of the long-dead Starman, in the possession of her new stepfather, picks her to be the new superhero. Formerly there was a Justice League in this comic world that consisted of Starman, the Flash, and a bunch of other superheroes, but the Injustice Society killed them all about a decade ago.

Courtney is moved to a new school, so she has no friends, and she sits at the table with the other no-friend kids. (Yes, this is very much like Buffy's beginning.) Eventually, her mentor (aka her stepfather) shows her where the Justice Society used to meet, and she takes items belonging to certain former members and hands them out to her new friends, who then become superheroes, too.

The villains, the Injustice Society, all seem to have settled in this peaceful little mid-west Nebraska town where Courtney and her family have moved. The Injustice Society's evil plot is a massive mind control over most of middle America. The goal is to get them to "think properly." They must acquire a huge satellite to make this work, but before that happens, Stargirl and Brainwave (bad guy) have a meeting and Stargirl puts him in a coma for a lot of episodes. In the end, Stargirl and her super friends defeat the bad guys.

I will be watching season two, and my husband I both agreed that Stargirl has much more promise that last fall's Batwoman, which began well but was so poorly written that in the end it was a relief when the season ended. The lead has been recast and a second season slated for that show as well, so we'll see how it goes.

As the pandemic rolls on, the viral numbers locally have climbed. 0.65 percent of the county's population now has the virus. That doesn't seem like a lot, but I know of at least three people who have died and I suspect the number is higher. In the nearby city, they've reached more than one percent of the city's population. I don't know how many people have died. The numbers are strange, and I blame a lot of that on the federal government and its mismanagement and manipulation of facts. The CDC and public health officials should be in control of this, not politicians.

Schools are starting in varying ways. Some are solely online, some are going a few days a week. Some in other states have started and already had to shut down because of coronavirus exposure. Many teachers don't want to go back to the classroom out of fear of getting the virus, and I can't blame them. Who knows who will have an asymptomatic case, and who will catch it and die a horrible, lonely death? What a roll of dice. How much more must we ask of these professionals, who now must not only try to keep children from getting sick, but decide if they should close the door to let in fresh air or shut it to keep out gunmen? It seems a bit too much.

Speaking of school, my niece went off last week for her freshman year at college. Fingers crossed it goes well for her and that the virus doesn't interfere too much with her studies.

Some civil rights protests continue but none locally that I am aware of. The local government in July created a committee to study the Civil War monument at the courthouse. This has upset many people. My great-great-grandfather was a Dixie soldier, and my opinion is the monument should be moved. The public square should be equal to all. Moving it would also keep it safe. It has already been vandalized once, in June, when someone threw paint all over it. If it were moved out of the public square, perhaps in front of the history museum or in a cemetery, it would be less likely to be destroyed. A similar monument in the city was knocked over and broken. While I understand that this obelisk is not history, it is, at over 100 years old, historic in its own right (especially if put in the appropriate context). So my vote would be to move it to achieve equality in the public square while protecting the monument. Not that I have been asked, but I am allowed an opinion on things.

At home, my husband is enjoying his retirement. He sleeps later (fewer 5 a.m. mornings, anyway), and he seems much less stressed. He's always been kind of happy-go-lucky in his attitude, and now he's happy-go-luckier, I suppose.

I've had my usual sore throat/laryngitis/earache issues since August 3. It has eased somewhat, although my brother informed me on the phone this morning that I sounded awful. I am staying in because I don't want to scare anyone who might hear me speak if I were in public. Somebody might throw garlic or holy water on me or try to put a stake in my heart, like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, thinking I have coronavirus.

Being home suits me. As long as I don't stress about "doing" and focus more on "being," I find I am calmer. While I would like to find a project of some kind, I am not ready to commit to anything long term. For the moment, I am happy to play catch-up on paperwork, clear out some old papers, play my guitar, and listen to lots of Melissa Etheridge concerts and other music online.

I finished a book called The Tethered Mage, which I recommend if you like fantasy combined with political intrigue. It is the first part of a trilogy, but stands alone okay as a first book. I just started an audiobook by Debbie Macomber. It's a Christmas romance set in Alaska. My reading habits vary greatly depending on my mood, although to be honest I chose this one simply because it was only seven hours long and I didn't want to listen to anything longer right now.

The Democratic ticket has been set as of yesterday, with Joe Biden choosing Kamala Harris as his running mate. I have thought all along that she would be his choice.

Let the games begin.

Hallelujah

I really have no business even attempting this song, but here it is anyway.

This is Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. I recorded it two weeks ago.

My Fireman Gets His Axe

My husband retired officially from the Roanoke City Fire-EMS Department on June 1. Because of Covid, he wasn't able to have a retirement dinner or anything that is normally done for a retirement.

This morning, we went to Roanoke Fire-EMS Station 5, which was the station my husband worked out of and the Battalion Chief's headquarters for the "north side," as his area is called.

As we neared the station, I saw several engines and ambulances parked in the vicinity. My husband saw them, too. "Oh gosh," he said. I thought I would cry but I did not. Several of the stations and most of the administration turned out in force to say, "Farewell," to their former chief.

After 37+ years of service, my man deserved a little something!

When he walked up to greet everyone, it was very emotional to watch. My husband was a well-respected Battalion Chief. Most of the emergency service workers appreciated his efforts to lead them and ensure their safety. He seemed to get along well with everyone when he was working.

The Chief and my husband elbow-bumped in greeting.

They did a lot of standing around and talking. My husband was pleased to see his old friends.

As you can see, there were a good number of people there. The "white shirts" are administrators.

During a presentation, the Chief noted my husband's long tenure with the department.

Everyone watched respectfully.

My husband was the second-longest serving firefighter in the department when he retired.

The Chief presented him with this engraved axe.

The plaque on it has my husband's name, rank, and years of service.

Here they are posing for the camera. (My husband's the one of the left.)

A little handshaking took place. That is why we wash our hands.

Here's a close-up of the axe. I like that the red of the fire engine is reflected in the axe head.

After some of the emergency service workers left, I had him stand in front of his Battalion Chief's

vehicle, holding his axe. Since it was just us and we were in an open space, he took his mask off so I could get a good photo.

Congratulations to my love. He deserved to be recognized for his long years of service and his leadership. I am so proud!

Sunday Stealing

 Sunday Stealing

1. What are your plans for August?

A. To not be where I can catch Covid, to read a lot, to reconsider a lot of various things in various contexts, and to pursue a project of some kind (as yet to be determined).

2. Review the first half of 2020.

A. Oh dear. January - Husband still on knee scooter from ankle fusion surgery. February - Husband walking around in boot. March - Present day. Husband up and walking around, back to farming, he retired from the fire department unexpectedly (couldn't get his fire boots on with a fused ankle, who knew?), he installed a few septic tanks, too, and we learned to wear masks, wash our hands, and watched in horror as some of the most idiotic people I've ever seen turned up on youtube/twitter/etc. doing things that they should have learned not to do when they were toddlers (who throws a temper tantrum in a store when they're an adult?). I've never seen such entitled twits in all of my life. I suppose I should mention there is a pandemic?

3. A place you’d go if money were no object.

A. I always wanted to see the pyramids in Egypt. If money were no object, then I'd go in style, with people waiting on me and tending to my every whim.

4. Who was your childhood best friend?

A. I had new friends every year because I seldom had the same people in class with me. In high school, I had some friends who stuck around for a good long time - one I am still friends with though we seldom communicate - but mostly I kept to myself. 

5. Name the city or town you love most.

A. I guess that would be where I am now, although anywhere in the Blue Ridge Mountains would probably fit the bill. If I were to move, it would be to Charlottesville, VA, I think.

6. How do you spend hot days?

A. I have air conditioning, so the same way I spend other days. Inside, reading or working on the computer, or folding clothes. I do make an effort to get the weeding out of the way in the early mornings or late evenings on hot days.

7. Are you a skilled cook or baker?

A. Not particularly. I make decent fudge.

8. What is one thing you wish you could currently do?

A. Be healthier, but that takes time.

9. Name a time when you learned your lesson.

A. I can name a time when I learned *a* lesson. That was the day an adult in charge of me allowed a doctor to slap me in the face because I "backtalked" as I tried to explain to the adult and the doctor why I had constant earaches. The adult said nothing, did not defend me, did not take my side, did not walk me out there, or slap the doctor back. The adult laughed and said I deserved it. I did not, of course. I think I was 14 or so. I learned with absolute certainty who I could not count on to protect me. I also was 100% sure I wasn't the first young girl that man had slapped around in his office, and I refused to go back to see him. And years later when I read in the paper that that doctor had a motorcycle wreck and had to shut down his practice because he lost the use of his hand, I thought, "Karma is a bitch, isn't it, you asshole." 

10. What consistently makes you laugh?

A. A good joke.

11. Name routines that bring you calm and peace.

A. Tai chi helps lower my blood pressure. I also like coloring, putting together jigsaw puzzles on the computer, or snuggling with my husband.

12. Who annoys you the most?

A. The Orange Menace.

13. Describe some of your favorite household items.

A. My computer, my guitars, my books, and my frying pan.

14. What have you gotten better at?

A. I've gotten better at standing up for myself. Unfortunately, some people cannot accept that I have an opinion and find it easier to walk away from me than attempt to understand that I am my own person, too, and not his or her doormat. I am getting better at not being a doormat.

15. Share a random memory.

A. Picture it - a beautiful June day. A young girl of five plays with her dolls and a doll blanket on the stoop at her grandmother's house. Somehow, her feet become tangled in the blanket and she falls off the stoop. She breaks her front tooth off and busts her mouth. Blood pours. Her grandmother hears the screams and rushes out. The front tooth remains missing until the permanent tooth grow in. Snaggle tooth.

16. How many pairs of shoes do you have?

A. I don't know. I have several pairs of sneakers that are all alike. That is all I wear these days.

17. Who do you go to for encouragement?

A. My husband or my friends.

18. References you make that others don’t get.

A. I think most of my references about The Lord of the Rings go right over people's heads, with the exception of my brother. He gets them.

19. What are 10 things you consider essential for you?

A. That's a big number. A hair dryer, showers, deodorant, clothes, shoes, socks, underwear, unscented soap and shampoo, toilet paper, Q-tips. That's more than 10, I think.

20. Is there any accent you wish you had?

A. I would like to have no accent. I am southern and sound it. I'd like to sound like a news anchor person, with no accent.

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

Saturday 9: Mad About You

Saturday 9: Mad About You (1992)

 

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

1) Mad About You was a sitcom that ran from 1992 to 1999. Are you familiar with the show? Were you a fan?

A. I watched it occasionally. It wasn't something I made a point of seeing.

2) The show was rebooted in 2019/2020 on the Spectrum streaming service. Do you have any streaming services? If so, which ones?

A. I have Amazon Prime, which I guess is a streaming service. However, I have DSL for my internet, and that's a slow connection. I seldom attempt to watch TV using it.

3) The series revolved around Manhattan newlyweds Paul and Jamie Buchman. They met at a newsstand, where they were both purchasing The New York Times. With so many publications online, newsstands are now uncommon. When you want to purchase a printed newspaper or magazine, where do you go?

A. I usually pick something up at the grocery store, although I haven't since the pandemic.

4) Paul is played by Paul Reiser. He created the series because he believes marriage is a tough but satisfying adventure. He and real-life wife Paula have been married for more than 30 years. They met when she was a waitress at the comedy club where he was performing. Have you ever waited tables?

A. I have never waited tables. I did, however, serve as kitchen help and may have waited tables when I worked for Camp Fincastle (a church camp) when I was about 13. I really don't remember. I always forget I did that.

5) Helen Hunt won four Emmy Awards as Jamie. Over 10 million people watch the Emmys each year. She also won an Oscar, which has an annual viewership of twice that. Therefore huge audiences witnessed Helen's acceptance speeches. Are you comfortable speaking in public?

A. Not particularly. One of the reasons I keep doing the music videos and putting them on my blog on Tuesdays is to try to get better at being in public. I found that the camera acts as "the public" so I am trying to move out of my comfort zone and do better by making these videos.

6) During the opening credits, Paul and Jamie are sharing an ice cream bar. When did you most recently have ice cream?

A. I had frozen yogurt earlier today. Otherwise, I do not eat ice cream.

7) Paul and Jamie's best friends were another couple, Fran and Mark. Eventually Fran and Mark divorced, and Paul and Jamie worked at being friends with both of them. Have you been friends with a couple who split? Did you manage to stay friends with both of them?

A. I have been friends with a couple who split, and I am no longer friends with either person. One moved away. The other is still the area but I haven't seen him in years.

8) In 1992, when Paul and Jamie were playing New Yorkers, real New Yorkers were following the trial of mobster John Gotti. Mr. Gotti acquired many nicknames, including The Teflon Don, The Dapper Don and Black John. Is there anyone in your life that you call by a pet name or nickname?

A. My husband, whom I call by various and sundry pet names, and my brother, who goes by the nickname of "Diddle."  He received that name when he was quite young and liked to be tickled. He'd go around saying, "Tickle tickle little Loren (that's his real name)" but it came out "Diddle diddle little Loren" so eventually he became "Diddle." These days, I generally call him "Bro," though.

9) Random question  -- What subject do you wish you knew more about?

A. I wish I knew more about geology. I always found rocks fascinating when I was a child, and once considered pursuing it, but I did not. I also wish I knew more about astronomy.

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

Rainbow

The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain. ― Dolly Parton

I took these through the car windshield with my iPhone. We were on our way to pick up groceries Sunday night.

Thursday Thirteen

The Top 13 Inventions of Humanity

1. Pigments (colors - prehistoric times)

2. Textiles (cloth, clothing - prehistoric times)

3. The wheel (circa 3,500 B.C.)

4. The nail (circa 1 B.C.) (Runner up: The screw (circa 300 B.C., Rome)

5. Aquaducts (used to make water flows and for sewage) (ancient Egypt and Rome)

6. The compass (between the 9th and 11th century, China)

7. The printing press (1440, German)

8. The internal combustion engine (19th century)

9. The telephone (19th century, USA but others contributed)

10. The light bulb (19th century, USA but others contributed)

11. Penicillin (early 20th century, Scotland)

12. Contraceptives (Condoms - 18th century, "pill" - 1930s)

13. The Internet (1960s, USA and others)

What do you think? What other inventions should be added to this list?

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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 668th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Forty Questions

I stole this from my brother's Facebook page.

1. Do you put ketchup on a hot dog? My hot dogs are adorned with ketchup and relish. That's it.

2. Choice of soda? I haven't had a soda in well over a year, but I like a good A&W Root Beer when I do partake.

3. Do you own a gun? Yes. I know how to use it, too.

4. Can you swim? I can swim but I haven't in a very long time.

5. Hot dogs or burgers? Hot Dogs.

6. Favorite type of food? Chocolate, which is why I'm overweight and have banned chocolate from my diet.

7. Do you believe in ghosts? Yes. I have seen them in different places, including an old house in West Virginia where a great-aunt and uncle lived, the courthouse in Craig County, and in a field outside of Fincastle.

8. What do you drink in the morning? Water and a cup of decaffeinated English Breakfast Tea.

9. Can you do 100 push-ups? Probably in a 100 days.

10. Summer, Winter, Spring or Fall? I like Autumn and Spring the best.

11. Your favorite hobby? Reading, writing, and playing music.

12. Tattoos? No tattoos, but I have a lot of scars.

13. Do you wear glasses? Yes.

14. Do you have a phobia? I am not fond of snakes. I also don't like elevators.

15. Do you have a nickname? Yes, but I do not use it. Some family members still use it but I do not, and I delete references to it on Facebook when I catch them.

 

16. Three favorite adult drinks? I don't drink "adult" drinks. I drink only water, tea, and occasionally cranberry juice.

17. Biggest downfall? Procrastination.

18. Rain or Snow? Snow if it is the kind that looks nice for a couple of hours and then vanishes. Otherwise, rain, preferably in the form of a good thunderstorm.

19. Can you change a tire? I can.

20. Favorite flower? Iris. It was my mother's favorite, too.

21. Can you drive a stick? It has been a long time, but I might remember.

22. Ever gone skydiving? No, and have no plans to do so.

23. Kids? I like them. They are good with ketchup, like hot dogs. (I lean left and folks on the right think we eat kids, so there you go. It's a joke and sarcasm, for those who can't tell the difference.)

24. Favorite color? Blue.

 

26. Can you whistle? Yes. I can do the Macarena, too.

27. Where were you born? In a hospital early in the morning.

 

28. Siblings? I have a wonderful brother. Wouldn't trade him for anything. 

29. Surgeries? Multiple.

30. Shower or bath? Shower.

31. Last song you heard? Hallelujah, sung by K. D. Lang

32. Broken bones? Right wrist, left ankle.

33. How many TVs are in your house? Two, not counting the P.C.

34. Worst pain? Worst physical pain was abdominal surgery. Worst mental pain will go unmentioned.

35. Do you like to sing? I do. I don't sing as well as I used too, and my asthma has me taking breaths at inappropriate places sometimes, but I still sing.

36. Are your parents still alive? My father is still alive. My mother died in 2000.

37. Do you like camping? No.

38. What do you enjoy binge watching on Netflix? I don't have Netflix.

39. Pumpkin or pecan pie? Pecan pie.

40. Someone who will play along? This question isn't really applicable since it is on my blog, but if someone else wants to steal it, be my guest.

Talking to My Angel

This is called "Talking to My Angel," by Melissa Etheridge. I changed a wording where it is supposed to say "under the mid-west sky" to "under Virginia skies" because I'm from Virginia.

Spider's Web Like Tinsel

Pandemic Journal Day 136

I can't let a tornado in Botetourt County go by unremarked.

We did not see the tornado, though apparently it was just over the ridge. We went riding around immediately after hearing about it, though. We think it formed near the intersection of Haymakertown Road and Lee Lane and ten followed the Catawba Creek, mostly as a funnel cloud, but perhaps touching down.

The National Weather Service is supposed to be investigating today to confirm touchdown.

The alert went off on my phone while I was in the middle of watching a Melissa Etheridge concert online that I'd paid $10 to see. About the time the alert went off, my PC screen froze, but I was able to refresh it and continue watching. I wasn't getting up from that unless I absolutely had to and we don't, as a rule, have tornadoes here. 

My husband left my side and went prowling around the house to see if he could see anything. He reported rotation in the clouds towards my father's house, which is about where we think the tornado began. Photos began pouring in on social media and my friends Cathy and Teresa both say they felt the tornado and/or heard it.

The tornado apparently came through around 6:40 or so, and we hopped in the car at 7 p.m. and drove around to see if we could find its path. Nothing was visible from the road aside from the one spot at the aforementioned location, whether there were some downed tree limbs. That's why we think it formed around there.

As for the pandemic, we continue to have zero leadership at the federal level. Governor Northam has done a good job trying to keep things in hand in Virginia, but I'm not sure how you deal with so many stupid people and manage a pandemic all at the same time. Everyday there are utterly appalling videos of people who should know better having temper tantrums over wearing masks. You'd think they were all two years old and have never heard the concept of community and protecting others, the way they act. I would be embarrassed. The sad thing is, they think they are in the right and this is all some kind of hoax. A big world-wide hoax, I guess. Must be the best damn hoax ever, is all I can say.

More than 153,000 US citizens have died from this virus. I'm pretty sure a lot of them did not have to die and would not have died if we'd had appropriate leadership to begin with. But we did not.

Last night I started getting a sore throat and that continues into today. My neck glands are a little swollen. I also have a bit of a headache. The headache could be weather-related since we have a tropical depression/hurricane coming up the coast.

I was out a lot last week - I drove my mother-in-law to get her car, I picked up groceries Monday and last night (I do the online thing, I don't go in the store), I had to see the orthopedic doctor, I went to the chiropractor. I probably picked up something somewhere down the line even though I use a lot of Purell and wash my hands at every sink I see. I am not concerned it is Covid-45. I suppose it could be, but most likely it is either an allergy (my husband kept rolling down the car windows because they kept fogging up Saturday night when we were looking for the tornado's path and everyone had mowed their yard), or I picked up one of the many other little viruses that I frequently get.

In other words, it doesn't feel like an out-of-the-ordinary illness for me, although I am quite tired and more than a little depressed.  Time will tell.

The children are supposed to start back to school this month, some homeschooling completely, some going back two days a week, some doing a mix of both online and in-class learning. My niece is headed off to Radford University.  Hopefully she will be safe there and wear her mask and do the things she needs to do take care of herself.

My husband came in this morning fussing because yesterday he'd seen a woman and a child in a silver vehicle stopped a long the side of the road at the pasture field. He did not say anything to them - he should have - and for some strange reason he assumed they were picking up trash (nobody picks up trash, why would he assume that?). At any rate, he came back up ranting and raving because apparently the woman and child had decided to fly a kite and the string was wrapped around the power line and power pole and the kite is in the pasture field. Because of the way the string is wrapped around the power line, he is afraid to touch it. The kite is a hazard to the cows.

What a stupid thing to do.

Then he went to Walmart. Apparently the stores are still having trouble keeping stock; we can't find Clean Shower anywhere, not even online. I like using that to help keep the shower clean. I've considered a mix of water and vinegar but I'm afraid the vinegar will eat the finish off the shower head and the grab bars, all of which are covered with some kind of dark bronze. The Lime-Away has already eaten the color out of the water drain cover and I'd just as soon not mess up the other items.

He stopped by a body repair shop to let them look at a dent in the car. The car has several dents, including one acquired last night on the way home from a grocery store pickup. He slowed but the deer hit into the side of the car. The repair estimate for all the dents is a lot. I think I'll just drive a dented car.

The political divisions in this country are strong, deep, and sick. I read a post on the "Local Conservatives" Facebook group page that was sickening. (They have it open to the public, it is very full of hate. I'd be ashamed to belong to that group.) This one guy advocated separating the country into two nations, and anyone who wasn't a Conservative who wanted to stay in the real America (i.e., the Conservative one), "socalists will loose the right to vote here and be disarmed." [sic] So, in other words, fascism.

I think I need to stay off that page but it is aggravating because I see people I thought otherwise knew better on it and not a single one pointed out to this nut case that he was advocating the same thing Germany did prior to World War II. Their silence implies compliance and agreement.

That's not to say I don't see stupidity on "the left" because I do. I do, however, point out when they overreach. I also am not active in any groups and especially not in any local groups. My father thinks I'm a flaming liberal just because I believe in a social safety net and equal rights for women. But that just makes me a moderate. We have no real left in this country. What used to be center is now considered left, that's how fascist we've become.

Maybe they'll wake up one day, when one of #45's paramilitary stomps on their mommas' faces or something, I don't know.

I'm getting off topic, I was talking about the pandemic, although the pandemic has been made political so it's hard to separate the two. A public health issue shouldn't be political. We should be gracious enough to take care of one another.

I guess that is too much to ask.

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For those who need to know (and someone must because I felt very led to do this):

Fascism: a totalitarian governmental system led by a dictator and emphasizing aggressive nationalism, militarism, and often racism.

Socialism: a theory or system of social organization in which the means of production and distribution of goods are owned and controlled collectively or by the government

Democracy: government in which supreme power is exercised directly by the people or by their elected agents.

Democrat: an advocate of democracy

Capitalism: an economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately owned.

Just for fun: if the governments/states owns the roads, and you transport your privately made goods over those roads (distribution), is it capitalism or socialism?

Think about it.

Take your time.

*Webster's Dictionary. Everybody ought to own a hard copy.