Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. If you could witness any event from history, what would it be?

A. The actual creation of the US Constitution, so I would know for sure what the Founding Fathers meant by their language in the document.

2. What do you think about conspiracy theories?

A. I think they are symptoms of a sick society.

3. Do you like cartoons? Do you have /had a favorite one?

A. I like cartoons sometimes. I liked most of the ones I watched as a kid - Bugs Bunny, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Underdog, Milton the Monster, etc. Typical late '60s and early 1970s cartoon-watching kid.

4. What did you most dislike in school times?

A. Going home.

5. How do you think the end of the world will look like?

A. Like that sentence, all mixed up and not grammatically correct.

6. What sounds are in your opinion relaxing? The sound of the sea? Traffic? Vacuum cleaner? Combine harvester on the field? Some kind of music? Birds singing?

A. I find music relaxing, and the sound of the air purifier at night helps me sleep.

7. Which would you take: The well-worn path or the road less travelled?

A. I seem to have followed a road less traveled, so I'll go with that one.

8. What was the last thing you read?

A. The Return, by Nicholas Sparks

9. What is one thing that has stumped you so hard you won't ever forget it?

A. Does this sentence mean like a math problem, or some kind of life issue? Or a time I hit my little toe and broke it? Apparently, grammar has stumped the writer of these questions.

 
10. What are you interested in that most people aren’t?

A. Grammar. Fantasy. Time.

11. What’s something you really resent paying for?

A. The Internet. Electricity. Things that people need to live should be free.

12. What did you think was cool when you were young but isn’t cool now?

A. Smoking.

13. If you could choose a different time period and place to be born, when and where would it be?

A. I would be born at some future date, like the year 5555, in whatever would be considered the "first world" in that year.

14. Do you think cats have any regrets?

A. I don't think too much about cats.

15. What question do you hate answering?

A. Some of these weren't my favorites, but the questions that ask you if you'd rather be old/young and still have health/or not, or be a certain age, etc. always irritate me.

__________

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: Walkin' After Midnight

Saturday 9: Walkin' After Midnight (1957)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
 
1) The lyrics tell us Patsy Cline was out walking after midnight. Where were you at midnight last night?

A. In bed asleep.
 
2) She's sure she hears the night winds whispering to her. Is it windy, breezy, or still outdoors right now?

A. It's pouring rain as I write this, with a bit of a breeze, and the possibility of a tornado.

3) When she was 13, Patsy came down with a fever and throat infection so severe she ended up in the hospital. She believed the illness changed her vocal cords and enabled her to sing in a lower key. How are you doing this cold and flu season?

A. I've had an ear inflammation this week, but otherwise managing. I've had my flu shot, so fingers crossed.

4) Patsy is well remembered today not only for her voice but for her generous spirit. Loretta Lynn, Dottie West and Barbara Mandrell all considered Patsy a trusted personal friend and professional mentor. Have you ever been a mentor?

A. I have never been called that, but I think I have fulfilled that role a time or two. Maybe even now.
 
5) Patsy had a tough side, too. While traveling by bus and playing one-nighters, she found she and her band sometimes never got paid for their efforts. So she began demanding payment -- in cash -- before they would take the stage. She'd insist, "No dough, no show." Tell us about your tough side.

A. My tough side shows up when someone I love is being treated unfairly. I will take you down in a heartbeat if you mess with somebody I love. I'll leave you so verbally scorched you won't know what burned you.
 
6) Patsy became the first female country star to headline at a Las Vegas showroom. Who is your favorite country performer?

A. I am not a big country fan, but I liked Dolly Parton back in the day. I still like her now as a personality/influencer.
 
7) In 1957, the year this song hit #2 on the charts, embroidered cotton handkerchiefs were a popular present for the ladies on your gift list. Do you own any handkerchiefs?

A. My husband does. I don't. Or if I do, I don't know where they are.
 
8) 1957 was a banner year for Elvis. He released four hit records, two top box-office films, and his TV appearances topped the ratings. 65 years later, he is still recognized the world over by his first name alone. Can you think of another performer for whom one name is all that's required?

A. Beyonce, Adele, Pink, Prince.

9) Random question: What's the most embarrassing story your parents (or siblings) tell about you?

A. I honestly have no idea. I'm not somebody the family talks about much, at least, not in my presence.

_______________

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

Thursday Thirteen

Like millions of other people, we played the Powerball lottery with hopes of winning $2 billion. We did not, of course, though someone did. That's a lot of money, though. What would I do with it?

1. Set aside about $2 million to ensure we had plenty for our old age. This would be money we never touched. Our base funds, one might call it.

2. Set up a trust fund of about $100 million to take care of other people who needed assistance, some kind of foundation, maybe, to help folks with heating, food, or whatever. That would have to have staff, of course, to go through requests and do the helping.

3. Purchase property around us.

4. Maybe build a new home, or at least make updates to this one.

5. Build a library in Daleville (a small community in the southern end of my county that desperately needs a library).

6. My husband wants a Ferrari (I have no idea why) so I guess he would go buy that.

7. I'd give the maximum amount allowed by the IRS as monetary gifts to family and friends every year. What's the point in having money if you can't make life easier for others?

8.  I'd also build a fire station in Daleville, equip it, and pay for the staff. That would cost probably $10 million or more. Just a fire truck costs a $1 million.

9. Massive donations to the political party of my choice? Maybe, but I'd rather the government not be run on monetary donations and bribery.

10. I'd make a large donation to my alma mater.

11. Donate to help find resolutions to cancer, heart disease, etc.

12. Hire a personal trainer/cook/personal assistant.

13. Hire whoever my husband needed to help him do whatever he wanted to do.

I don't think I'd be anywhere close to spending all of that money. But hopefully I would do good with it.

___________________

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 781st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Autumn Really Has Been Lovely

 

Beaver Blood Moon

I rose at 4:45 a.m. this morning to look at the lunar eclipse. I took over 100 photos, but most of them blurred. My camera simply isn't that great for taking pictures in the dark, and when the moon is eclipsed, it's dark.

While I was outside, around 6 a.m. I stopped taking pictures and stood watching the moon, listening to the neighbor's rooster crow, and saw a meteor fall past the edge of the moon. It looked a piece of the moon fell off!

I was incredibly sorry I wasn't taking photos then, but sometimes the memory is good enough. I'd rather have seen that in person and not through the lens, I think.

Here are some of my better pictures.

Moonrise, Monday, November 7, 2022

The tree branches are reaching for the moon.

Lunar eclipse, Tuesday, November 8, 2022, around 4:50 a.m.

Near total eclipse, around 5:15 a.m.

Used the star trail feature on the camera, just for fun.

Full eclipse, around 6 a.m.

Moon setting, around 6:20 a.m.

Amazon's Trick

On November 1, I asked Alexa to shuffle my playlist, and she said, "Shuffling your playlist and similar songs."

Then she told me I could now access over 100 million songs, instead of the 2 million I'd been "making do" with.

What she didn't tell me was what they took away. They gave me access to 100 million songs but:

1) I can no longer ask for the specific song I want to hear and listen to only that song.

2) I can no longer hear only the songs on my playlist (which I spent years building up on this platform).

3) I can no longer hear only songs by a specific artist (unless I've bought the album and it's in my Amazon library, but I noticed some of those are missing from my library).

4) I can no longer ask for songs by a lyric that's running through my head and have her play only that song.

5) I can no longer listen to the music I fell asleep to sometimes (Bread, and only Bread's greatest hits).

6) I can no longer have her repeat a song, so that I can listen to it over and over. This was helpful when I was learning a new song on the guitar.

7) When she does shuffle my "playlist and similar songs," so far, the 7 or so times I've tried that, she starts out with the same songs and plays those in the same order, every time. That's not shuffling.

Basically, they turned Alexa into Pandora. If I wanted to listen to Pandora, I'd listen to Pandora. They took away the things that made listening to the music on Alexa a unique experience. Sure, sometimes one of the songs I asked for wasn't one of the 2 million available to me, and I heard, "That song is only available on Amazon Unlimited,"but I had no problems with that. I'd go find it on youtube if I wanted to hear it badly enough.

"To listen to specific songs you like, try Amazon Music." That's now her refrain when I ask for things I used to receive without question.

The whole point, of course, is to force me to purchase Amazon Music for $8.99 a month. I'm not going to be nickled and dimed by these massive, bloated overbearing corporations. I have the CDs, I have a CD player, and I have a radio. I can hear music some other way.

When my Alexa dies, as electronics do, replacement at this moment appears doubtful. I lived without Alexa before, and I can live without her again.

I can even live without Amazon, convenient though it may be.

In the meantime, this sent me scurrying to find my CD player, to see where I had stashed my CDs, and to see what albums I'd put on my cellphone. I listen to Sheryl Crow (and only Sheryl Crow, not "and similar songs") when I am writing my news stories. Those CDs are on my desktop, and they are on my cellphone.

I have a work-around. But I am not at all happy with my 100 million songs that comes with a lack of choice, so every night now I give Alexa feedback and tell her so.

At least I have the satisfaction of thinking I'm wasting somebody's time somewhere, if they actually read or listen to the feedback.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. Have you ever written to a celebrity? Did they respond?

A. I don't recall any specifics, but I may have when I was much younger, like pre-teen. But I don't think they responded.

2. Do you read letters immediately, or wait until ready to reply?

A. I usually read them immediately.

3. My preferences when it comes to reading are . . .

A. Fairly eclectic. I read mysteries, fantasy, science fiction, women's literature, mainstream literature, nonfiction, biographies, memoir, etc.

4. What I'm least likely to change my mind about . . . 

A. Is the harm one half of the country is trying to do to the other.

5. The topics I would get wrong about during trivia . . .

A. Would be anything to do with cooking, including names of foods.

6. What am I hopeful about right now?

A. I am hopeful about the November 8 election, my husband's improving health, and the weather. 

7. Philosophies I've learned/embraced from others . . .

A. Tomorrows are generally better days if the one you're in is bad. Wear clean underwear. Don't eat rotten fruit. Brush your teeth twice a day. Don't pick at scabs. Don't bite your nails.

8.  What makes home feel like home?

A. My husband lives here with me, and my stuff is here. We have a lovely view of my beloved Blue Ridge Mountains.

9.  Talents and skills I like to cultivate . . .

A. Include working on my guitar playing, writing, and learning the names of birds and plants.

 

10. What makes my heart race . . .

A. Is a kiss from my husband, and riding in a car while he is driving. He tends to see out of his ear and terrifies me sometimes when we're in the car.

11. What power means to me . . .

A. Is the ability to do what I want when I want to do it.

12. Some of my comfort hobbies . . .

A. Include playing guitar, video games, and reading.

13. Last time I was pleasantly surprised . . .

A. Was probably in 2013 when my husband threw me a surprise birthday party.

14. How was my October 2022?

A. It was lovely; we had beautiful colors in the leaves this year. I took loads of photos.

15.  Those who inspire my growth . . .

A. Are people who teach me to be a better person.

__________

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: New Attitude

Saturday 9: New Attitude (1984)

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

1) In this song, Patti Labelle sings that she feels good from her hat to her shoes. Do you often wear hats or caps?

A. I used to wear hats and was married in a hat instead of a veil, but I stopped wearing them after I married.

 

2) The lyrics tell us that Patti's worries are few. Is anything particular bothering you as you answer these questions?

A. I'm having some pain issues tonight; it's not really a worry, as I know what it is, more like an aggravation since there is no way to actually resolve the problem and I must live with it.

 

3) The video for this song takes place in a high-end boutique. What's the most recent article of new clothing you bought, and where did you buy it?

A. I purchased bras off of the Internet. 

4) In 2019, a street in Philadelphia was renamed "Patti LaBelle Way." At the ceremony, she was referred to as "The Godmother of Soul." Do you have godparents? If yes, tell us about them.

A. To the best of my knowledge, I do not have godparents.

 

5) Patti dropped out of high school during her senior year. When she was in her mid-30s, she went to night school and earned her diploma. Do you have any diplomas or certificates framed and displayed in your home or office?

A. I have my Associates Degree and my Bachelor of Arts degree displayed in my office. I have a frame for my Master's degree but I've never got around to framing the diploma and putting it up.

 

6) Patti was once engaged to Otis Williams, founder of the Motown super group The Temptations. Who is your favorite Motown recording artist? (Here is a list.)

A. The Commodores/Lionel Richie.

 

7) A diabetic herself, Patti has volunteered her time to organizations that fight the disease. Do you know anyone currently dealing with diabetes?

A. I know at least three people who have it, probably more that I am unaware of.

 

8) In 1984, when this song was popular, Angela Lansbury premiered in Murder, She Wrote, a show still seen in reruns today. Were you a fan?

A. I watched it occasionally, but it was not must-see TV for me at that time. I suspect I would like it better now.

9) Random question: What's your secret to a good night's sleep?

A. I use drugs, but eliminating that, then (a) getting off the computer by 7 p.m. (b) listening to calming music before I fall asleep, (c) feeling all of my muscles and forcing them to relax one by one, starting at my feet and working up; and (d) counting backwards.

_______________

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

Dona Nobis Pacem

For this is a time for courage and a time for challenge. Neither conformity nor complacency will do. Neither the fanatics nor the faint-hearted are needed. And our duty as a party is not to our party alone, but to the Nation, and, indeed., to all mankind. Our duty is not merely the preservation of political power but the preservation of peace and freedom.

So let us not be petty when our cause is so great. Let us not quarrel amongst ourselves when our Nation's future is at stake. Let us stand together with renewed confidence in our cause--united in our heritage of the past and our hopes for the future--and determined that this land we love shall lead all mankind into new frontiers of peace and abundance. - John F. Kennedy

Thursday Thirteen #780

1. I've been seeing commercials for products that I hadn't noticed in a long time, like Lipton Tea, Quaker Oats, and Nestle Crunch chocolate bar. I'm assuming these are products that people aren't buying because of price increases. (I've not a seen a Nestle Crunch bar on the store shelves in years; have they brought this one back because of the chocolate shortage?)

2. We are shopping with our budget in mind, too. We are sticking to the necessities. We do consider peanut butter and Ritz crackers to be necessities. I stopped drinking tea two years ago when I developed an ulcer and never returned to drinking it; I drink only water these days.

3. I priced frozen turkeys in the store the other day; a Butterball was $2.99 a pound, while a different brand was $1.99 a pound. The Butterball costs almost as much as a steak used to.

4. A good ribeye steak at the supermarket costs $11.99 a pound.

5. My father asked me how I liked paying Biden's prices; I responded that he doesn't have anything to do with it. He laughed at me and said it was all his fault.

6. However, inflation is worldwide. We're at an inflation rate of about 8.5%; the United Kingdom is at 10.1%. Canada is at 8.1%, Turkey's jumped 79%, and Australia's is at 6.1%. Goods from China don't have as far to travel, I guess.

7. Corporate profits are currently at all-time highs, so much of this "inflation" is being fueled by greed. "A study in April that found corporate profits accounted for more than half of the price growth between 2020 and 2021 in the non-finance corporate sector, which makes up about 75% of the private sector." - ABC News

8. "Despite rising inflation, major U.S. corporations are reporting record profits, as companies pass rising supply-chain costs onto consumers. . . .  concentrated market power is contributing to inflation. - PBS News

9. It really doesn't matter the reason; if people stop buying Lipton tea because it now costs $5.49 for 75 tea bags, then there eventually will be a drop in prices as the products sit on the shelf.

10. In the cattle market, a piece of beef has to go through many hands to reach the consumer. We, the little farmer, send our calves to market and we receive about $1.25 a pound, on average. From there it goes to a feed lot, which fattens our grass-fed cattle up with grains. They sell the fatter cattle to the meat processor, who sells it to the grocery store. Everyone has to get a share of the sale, with the consumer paying the end price that is ultimately passed down the line. If the farmer only receives $1.25 a pound for a ribeye steak on the hoof, I am not sure who is getting that other $10 plus that the grocery stores are selling the meat for. There's a profit margin or a greater expense (fuel, perhaps?) there somewhere that wasn't there for the last 10 years (our prices haven't increased much over the past decade), and it's not on our end, not after we pay for fertilizer for the pastures, required vaccinations for the cattle (yes, there are required vaccines), and the machinery it takes to make the hay to keep them well fed.

11. Many people have no idea how food goes from farm to table. I think some of them think the grocery store just spawns it out in the warehouse in back of the building.

12. My point is, the economy is much more complex than people realize, by the time one factors in supply and demand, costs of production, and shareholders' desire for increased profits. It's not something any one person, not even the president, can snap their fingers and change, not in this day and age. Maybe he could have made a difference before 1980, when we had regulations and large mergers were not allowed by the government. But not today.

13. The thing I remember, always, when dealing with prices and economics I cannot control, is that the experts don't know, either. In 1987, when we built our house, the interest rate was 13 percent on the loan we took out. Economists were shouting that was as low as the interest rates for a mortgage would ever go. We refinanced several times as the rates dropped; they reached a low of what, 3 percent? So, the talking heads don't know. They can't predict the future any better than I can.

___________________

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 780th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Past Peak

 

This has been one of the prettier Autumns we've had in a long time. For a number of years, the leaves have had a bit of color, turned brown, and departed quickly, but this year has been quite lovely.

It's been an Autumn like the ones I remember from my childhood.

Dispelling a Myth

Occasionally, I see weird stuff cross my Facebook feed, generally from people who seem incredibly obsessed with sexual items, gender identity, and children, to the point where I think they may have a mental illness of some sort.

One of the weirder ones that some local folks continually insist is happening in our schools it something called "furries."

Allegedly, this involves young people dressing up as animals, speaking only as that animal would, and using litter boxes.

Reuters looked into this in July and found absolutely no instances of this taking place in public schools, yet there is a segment of the population that insists this happens. The New York Times refuted it in January.

There is not a single legitimate news site that pops up that corroborates anything about this. While some might consider The New York Times to lean left, Reuters is, as best I can tell, one of the most middle-ground news media groups out there.

I certainly do not think it is happening in my local public schools, even though I see posts that insist it is. There are never facts involved, just hearsay (my friend said her friend said she saw it happen) and I honestly find the people posting these things can trip out mentally over practically anything - they are incredibly sensitive and easily riled up over any perceived slight that doesn't meet their idea of a perfect world, whatever that is.

I do not believe this is happening at all, except maybe in some cosplay somewhere (like pretending to be a superhero), and in the minds of folks who apparently need better things to do with their time.

But let's pretend, just for a moment, that this allegation is true. That all over the United States, we have a percentage of children who are dressing up as dogs or cats.

Nobody asks why this would be happening. Why would children suddenly want to be animals?

Might it be because we take better care of our pets than our children?

Perhaps they see momma kissing on the pup while she screams at the kids?

Or they see dad idly stroking the purring cat while he's looking at his smart phone, and then yells at the kids for distracting him?

If this is a constant in their world, wouldn't the children, at some point, conclude that the parents love the animals more than they love their children? Wouldn't they do whatever they felt they had to obtain their parents' attention and love?

And if this is the case, then don't we have a parenting problem, not a school problem? Don't we have here a perfect (though fictional) example of horrid parenting gone wrong?

But these posts never blame the parents, never consider what might cause this kind of action on the part of a child. The posts just announce their horror that the school system might be taking this seriously and adding litter boxes to the bathrooms.

As I said earlier, I think this involves a sick mental illness on the part of the protesting posters, who want desperately to believe this kind of thing is actually happening for whatever reason.

It is part of the weirdness we have going on right now - we have a subset of the population who literally are making up stuff to upset other people. These folks who believe these types of lies and fairy tales are living in an alternate reality, some kind of fantasy that I cannot pretend to understand. Nor do I want to.

Instead of simply passing on stuff as truth and being outraged about it, whatever happened to asking questions, such as why would this be happening? Or doing a little fact checking to see if it's real or just some strange thing someone's put out there to rile up nervous people?

What will it take to shake some of these folks out of their bubble, and back into the real world?

Autumn Leaves

 

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. What did you do today?

A. So far, I've done laundry, mostly.

2. What are 5 facts about where you live?

A. The county has about 33,000 people. The budget is over $105 million. The county formed in 1770. The county seat is called Fincastle. At one time, this was the second-highest tomato producing county in the entire nation (about 1900).

3. What are the must-sees sights around you?

A. Natural Bridge, the Mill Mountain Star, Roaring Run falls, Blue Ridge Parkway, and me.

4. What’s your favorite restaurant meal?

A. A vegetable plate.

5. What was the last thing you cooked or ate?

A. A ham and cheese sandwich.

6. What is something you learned from your grandparents?

A. I learned that grandmas give good hugs, and grandpas give good advice. Grandmas give good advice, too. (Grandpa wasn't much of a hugger.)

7. What’s the weather like as you are writing your postcard?

A. Today it is overcast and a bit cool. We are expecting rain for Halloween tomorrow.

8. Share an interesting fact that you’ve learned, and which most people are not aware of.

A. The Town of Fincastle was formed in 1772 and was originally called Miller's Mill.

8. Are there any local events or festivals in your area?

A. Not at the moment.

9. What was the last concert you attended?

A. Tommy Emanuel, a famous guitar player.

10. What is your favorite charitable organization?

A. I don't really have a favorite, but I donate to my alma mater, the local rescue mission, the American Heart Association, the Red Cross, and others, at various times throughout the year. I like to spread it out and not do it all at one time.

__________

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: Haunted

Saturday 9: Haunted (2013)

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

 

1) In this song, Beyonce sings that she's sure if a man is haunting her thoughts, she must be haunting his. Who is on your mind this morning?

A. My late friend, Brenda. I've been thinking about her for a while now. I miss her calm advice and her tolerance of my whining.

2) The lyrics mention her "wicked tongue." Have you said anything recently that you wish you could take back?

A. Oh, I'm the queen of "I'm sorry." I called my brother earlier in the week to apologize for not minding my own business.

3) Beyonce says her lucky number is 4. Her birthday is 9/4, her mom's birthday is 1/4 and her husband's birthday is 12/4. She chose 4/4 for her wedding day. Do you have a lucky number?

A. Eight, although in numerology it's 6.

 

4) Beyonce told an interviewer that, while on the road, she loves to eat Popeye's fried chicken and the fast-food chain offered her free food for life. She admits she's been too embarrassed to take them up on it. If you could get free food for life from any restaurant, which restaurant would you choose?

A. A cafeteria. I actually like cafeteria food and they have nice healthy varieties of stuff, like salads and broccoli. I know I am weird.

These questions will help us get into the Halloween spirit . . . 

5) Candy corn is a trick-or-treat staple. Do you like it?

A. I cannot stand it.

6) In 2019, the most popular pet costume was a pumpkin outfit designed for dogs. Have you ever dressed your pet in a costume?

A. I have not. I wonder what I would dress a cow as. Hmm.

7) According to the Guinness Book of Records, the award for highest number of jack-o-lanterns in one place went to Keene, NH, where in 2013 there were 30,581. How many carved pumpkins will be at your home on Halloween?

A. None. We are too rural for trick-or-treaters, and it's too much trouble for just the two of us.

 

8) In years gone by, the Irish celebrated Halloween not with pumpkins but by carving turnips, potatoes and beets. Are any of those foods in your kitchen right now?

A. There's a can of beets in the pantry, and Bob Evans mashed potatoes in the refrigerator. 

 

9) Some Elvis fans believe they have seen his ghost hovering in the trees over Graceland. Have you ever seen a ghost?

A. I have been seeing ghosts since I was a child, though I haven't seen any recently. Of course, I haven't been anywhere recently, either.

_______________

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

Poem

There's nothing left to do but surrender

When you know that you have reached the end.

Some cuts are too deep for the healing

And the scars that they leave are your friends.

It was written in the stars

that this is who you are.

Even with the pain, even with the strife

You know you live a beautiful life.

                            -- A. Firebaugh (c) 2022

Thursday Thirteen

The approach of winter can sometimes bring about a condition known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is a form of depression. Here are some tips for handling it.

1. Get outside as much as possible. Morning light in particular seems helpful. Even sunlight on your hands helps create Vitamin D, which is something a lot of folks lack.

2. Stay active. Exercising is helpful not only for physical health, but mental health, too.

3. Try light therapy. They make lights that help people with SAD. Use it in the morning so it doesn't interfere with sleep.

4. Get enough rest. (If you're having a particularly bad day, sometimes taking a nap helps. You might wake up in a better mood.)

5. Practice good oral hygiene. Flossing and brushing your teeth helps by (1) being an activity anyone can quickly do and feel accomplished and (2) keeping your teeth and gums healthy.

6. Watch your diet. It's easy to overeat when you feel stressed and out of sorts. Put away the candy and snack on something healthy, like an apple or grapes.

7. Keep in touch with friends. Even reaching out with a little "hello" text to someone you don't speak to on a regular basis can help. Go back through the list of folks you've interacted with in the past. Is there someone you don't talk to now that might welcome you if you reach out?

8. Listen to music - but not too loudly. Music can be soothing, but don't add hearing loss to your list of woes!

9. Try not to think about yourself too much. Maybe your bones creak and things are sagging in all the wrong places, but we all grow old. Obviously, if something is wrong you need to go to the doctor and have it sorted out, but there's little we can do about the strange changes bodies go through as they age.

10. Practice safe walking. Look for obstacles around your home that might cause a fall, and then remedy the situation. Not only will removing things like throw rugs or furniture that's sticking out in the wrong place keep you from falling, you'll also get a sense of accomplishment from making your home safer.

11. Try yoga or tai chi. Videos can be helpful here. Check out what's on youtube for free.

12. Meditate. (This is actually a little harder than you might think but give it a go.)

13. If all else fails, see your doctor. There are medications that can help.

___________________

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 779th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

End of the Hay Season

 

Who Has This Job?

Recently, we've been seeing a commercial for, um, body deodorant.

The advertisement specifically mentions it as a deodorant for your butt.

If you google this, you will find some people call this a scam, and perhaps it is. I've not made a purchase to find out and have no plans to do so.

What intrigued me were the statistics in the ad.

After a shower, butt odor is 0/10. But it's 6/10 by the end of the day. Unless, of course, you're using the deodorant. Then it's still 0/10 for odor.

Who determined this?

How did they determine this?

Is there a chief butt sniffer? A team of butt sniffers?

Whose butts are they sniffing? 

Are they paid by the hour or by the sniff?

Are there people who walk the streets with a sign offering payment for butt sniffing?

Do they offer couples free trials of the deodorant for morning and evening sniffs, along with a questionnaire for ratings?

Have they invented a smelling robot, or is there someone sticking their nose up people's butts to smell them at certain times of the day?

Inquiring minds want to know how this statistic is achieved.

(And then I ran across this . . .)

https://youtu.be/OnrICy3Bc2U

Walked It Back

A few weeks ago, I wrote about leaving the fellowship of a video game that I've been playing for over five years.

I am back in that fellowship.

Not only am I back, I am the fellowship leader.

I returned on my own, so this is no one's fault but mine. Playing this city-building game by yourself is a bit boring. But I wasn't stopping. I had hoped the boredom would lead me to quit playing. 

It didn't.

Maybe I needed to give it more than two weeks. I decided, though, that if I were still going to play, I may as well find a fellowship so that the rewards were better. Just until I finished up the current chapter I was in, mind you. It was taking a lot longer than I'd thought it would.

My old fellowship had not yet replaced me. Better the devil you know, right? I had friends there. I asked if I could return, but I said I didn't want to return to my old role of mage in charge behind the scenes.

But upon arriving back into the fellowship, I found it in disarray (fortunately mostly behind the scenes and not in front of the majority of the players). I had greatly underestimated my impact on this group. The leader was incapable of managing the thing alone. Another good player left shortly after I arrived because of something the leader said.

The next thing I knew, I was dragged into this, and then I was the archmage. I agreed to take it because everyone expected me to. 

Things settled down almost immediately.

I still think I need to drop this game. The problem is, I don't have faith in myself to replace it with something as satisfying, or time consuming, or whatever need a video game meets.

It doesn't help to call myself an idiot, but I shouldn't have gone back. I did not expect this turn of events.

If I accept a responsibility, I tend to it, so I will deal with this as best I can now. But I know I need to make changes somewhere. I know I should be using my time better.

I know this isn't permanent.

Motivation, it seems, eludes me. Or maybe it really is an addiction.

Eventually, I will figure this out.

Damn it.