Sunday Stealing

1. What do you want to be remembered for?

A. It's ok if no one remembers me. But I hope I have been a nice person. I would like to be remembered for being kind.

2. If you were put in solitary confinement for a year, what would you do to stay sane?

A. I'm not sure what all you are allowed to have in solitary confinement, but I would read books, write, and sing.

3. If you could have video of any one event in your life, what event would you choose?

A. There are things I remember that I'm not sure are real memories. I'd like to have videos of those so I'd know.

4. What are the top 3 things you want to accomplish before you die?  Have you accomplished them?

A. Write a book, obtain a Ph.D., and save the world. I haven't done any of those things.

5. If you were forced to live one 10-minute block of your life again and again, what 10 minutes of your life would you choose?

A. One where I am eating chocolate cake and then going to play on the computer, I guess. Weird question.

6. Have you ever saved someone’s life?

A. Yes. When the Internet first became a thing, I was on AOL and I met a person online with whom I became friends. She was depressed, and one night she was suicidal. I managed to contact the police where she lived in Missouri, and they broke in and saved her life.

 
7. What are you addicted to?

A. Apparently Extra Sugar Free Bubble Gum sticks, which is terrible because up until a couple of years ago I avoided all forms of sugar substitutes.

8. What keeps you up at night?

A. Pain.

9. What do you regret not doing?

A. No point in having regrets, I can't go back and fix it.

10. What gives your life meaning?

A. Trying to offer up happiness to the world.

11. What are you most insecure about?

A. Name something and I'm probably insecure about it.

12. What’s the most illegal thing you’ve done?

A. Um. Drove a car 90 mph? Smoked pot? (I wasn't driving and smoking.) It would have to be something like that.

13. What’s the most surprising self-realization you’ve had?

A. That I am not likeable person. I'm kind, and I'm nice, but I don't think I'm likeable. I used to think I was, but I've come to the conclusion that I'm probably not.

14. If you could make one rule that everyone had to follow, what would it be?

A. No war.

15. In what situation or place would you feel most out of place?

A. Anywhere there is a lot of people.

__________

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: Cool Night

Saturday 9: Cool Night (1981)

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

1) In this song, Paul Davis invites his old girlfriend to "come on over tonight." Have you more recently extended or received an invitation?

A. Does asking my husband to go to the grocery store with me count? Otherwise, I guess I last received an invitation to my parents' house when my cousins were in from out of state.

2) He tells her she doesn't have to commit to any plans. Do you like having a schedule ahead of you with things to do delineated? Or do you prefer to see how your days naturally unfold?

A. My days are just days anymore, and I think I would prefer a productive sort of schedule.

3) He wants them to cuddle by the fire. Will tonight be a cool night where you are?

A. I'm writing this on Thursday, and we are expecting the remnants of Hurricane Helene to come through sometime late this night or early morning.

4) A quiet night in front of the fireplace is likely how Paul Davis spent many evenings. When he died in 2008, his best friend remembered him as a quiet man, "a homebody" who liked staying up late into the night enjoying conversation and music with friends. Describe your perfect evening.

A. A good book, a little TV or music in the background, a blanket around me, and a hot chocolate. A little bit of hot lovin' with my man later in the night.

5) Mr. Davis also enjoyed playing pool and golf. Do you have a liking for either of those games?

A. I play pool fairly decently, though it has been a long time since I played. I do not play golf.

6) When he retired from music, Paul Davis returned to Meridian, MS, the town where he was born and grew up. Since we Americans can be a nomadic lot, let's find out: Is the town where you were born the same place where you spent most of your growing up years?

A. I live close to where I spent my growing up years. I'm about six miles away.

7) In 1981, when Paul Davis was a hit, so were The Rolling Stones with "Start Me Up." What's your favorite Rolling Stones' song?

A. Miss You.

8) Also in 1981, Snoopy was all the rage, with kids and adults alike. You could buy Snoopy magnets, pencils, pencil sharpeners, note pads ... even a Snoopy bulletin board. If today we went shopping for office supplies, what would you pick up?

A. Post-It notes, scrap paper, notebooks, Pilot G-2 05 ink pens, paper clips.

9) Random question: In a biopic of your life, who would play your mom and dad?

A. Oh, what a great question. Elizabeth Taylor would play my mother and Elvis Presley would play my father.

My mother & father. Don't they look
like Liz & Elvis?

_______________

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

Here’s a list of 13 ways to be the ultimate professional, applicable to almost any occupation:

1. Maintain a Positive Attitude. Always bring a positive, can-do approach to your work, especially when facing challenges. Positivity is contagious and helps foster a productive environment.

2. Be Punctual. Arrive on time, meet deadlines, and respect others’ schedules. Punctuality demonstrates reliability and respect for time.

3. Communicate Clearly. Whether written or verbal, ensure your communication is clear, concise, and respectful. Effective communication prevents misunderstandings and enhances collaboration.

4. Stay Organized and Manage Time Effectively. Keep your workspace and tasks organized. Being organized allows you to prioritize, meet deadlines, and be more productive. Prioritize tasks, set realistic deadlines, and avoid procrastination. Effective time management helps you maintain high productivity levels.

5. Show Accountability. Own up to your responsibilities and mistakes. Being accountable builds trust and shows maturity.

6. Dress Appropriately. Adopt a dress code that reflects the standards of your profession or workplace. First impressions count and dressing appropriately shows respect for your work environment.

7. Develop Emotional Intelligence. Be aware of your emotions and how they affect others. Emotional intelligence helps in managing interpersonal relationships and navigating workplace dynamics.

8. Be Solution-Oriented. When faced with problems, focus on solutions rather than just identifying the issues. Demonstrating initiative in problem-solving makes you invaluable.

9. Respect Confidentiality. Handle sensitive information with care. Respect for confidentiality shows integrity and professionalism.

10. Continuously Learn. Stay updated with industry trends and continue developing your skills. Lifelong learning keeps you relevant and competitive.

11. Show Respect for Others. Treat colleagues, clients, and supervisors with respect, regardless of their position. Kindness and respect foster a positive work culture.

12. Adapt to Change and Stay Calm Under Pressure.

Be open to change and adaptable in dynamic work environments. Flexibility is a valuable asset in a fast-paced world. When things go wrong, stay calm and collected. Handling stressful situations with composure reflects strong professionalism.

13. Deliver Quality Work. Aim for excellence in everything you do. Consistently delivering high-quality work ensures you stand out as a professional in your field.

I have trouble with some of these, particularly organization (I have a system, but no one else understands it), and keeping a positive attitude. I'm prone to depression so that makes positivity positively difficult sometimes. I always do my best but have accepted that sometimes the best I can do on one particular day maybe would have been better done on another day, but that's how things roll sometimes.

I don't think I'm very strong on the "emotional intelligence" thing, either. The older I get, the less tolerant I am becoming of people and their idiosyncrasies. I'm trying to do better, which is taking the form of simply not talking and trying to listen without speaking. That in and of itself is becoming problematic. 

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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 876th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Game Review: Elder Scrolls: Castles

Elder Scrolls: Castle is an app for Apple and Google Play. It's sort of like Fallout Shelter, which is a little app that Bethesda put out around 2015.

The idea is to manage resources, not get your king killed, keep the people in the castle happy, have children, go on little quests, etc.

The Elder Scrolls: Castle games has quite a few nods to Skyrim, which is my favorite video game of all time. I received an Ulfric Stormcloak character within a week or so of downloading the game to my iPad. There are also the different races found in the Elder Scrolls/ Skyrim world, so if you're familiar with that, you won't be surprised to see Dark Elves and High Elves, Khajitt, Argonians, Bretons, etc.

I started playing the game on September 10, when it first became available, so I've been playing it for 13 days. I'm already a little bored with it.

It starts out with the assassination of the king, so the player gets to choose a king. My first king ruled for 10 years (each day is a year in the life of the kingdom) before somebody stabbed him in the back. Then I chose another king, who is currently ruling.

The king has to make rulings on various and sundry things, like someone isn't working well with somebody else in the kitchen, the warlocks wants to land on the shore and will curse the kingdom if not allowed to do so, and so on and so forth. The rulings make the subjects happy or sad, and sometimes makes someone an enemy of the king.

People can be banished, but I have only banished one person because I simply don't have enough workers to keep things going. I can't summarily banish people for sleeping with somebody else because I wasn't paying attention to who was married to whom. I look for my current king to be stabbed shortly, if I keep playing.

The quests are rather boring because there isn't much to do besides stick your fighters with good weapons and armor and send them off. You can watch them take down the enemy and occasionally use a special effect or a healing potion, but there isn't much else to do to make the quests interesting. 

The castle world is promoted through experience points, and those allow upgrades of such things as the kitchen, the mill, the oil press, the workshop, etc. You can also put up little decorations that add to happiness or knock 1 second off of production of certain items.

I found Fallout Shelter to be much more engaging, even though the cartoonish look of Castles is cute. They are both repetitive types of games, but Fallout Shelter offers the opportunity to quickly get to 100 or more little characters and they all have something to do; Castles makes me feel lucky to have 50 and have them working. The aging thing in Castles is too quick, and older little workers die off while it takes a long time for the kids to grow up.

I am also more than a little irked that Microsoft owns Bethesda as of 2020, and the app is not available in the Microsoft Store. I prefer to play on the PC. I prefer a mouse to my finger on a tablet. I would have thought that Microsoft would have made this available as an app to its users, but apparently not. I know a lot of their games - maybe most of them now - go through the XBox game pass, which I do not use, but this isn't available through Microsoft for my PC at all.

I give Elder Scrolls: Castles a strong C- . It is not as much fun as the game it's based on, Fallout Shelter, and I'm surprised I've already grown bored with it.

Bethesda needs to figure out how to make the successor to Skyrim sometime before I'm old and too feeble to play a new game.

Contentment Day 23 - 20 Minutes

Today, for the first time literally in years, I managed to walk for 20 minutes on the treadmill.

I was not going at a fast pace. Just a nice even walk while I watched TV.

I used to do 20 minutes all the time. Then I had my gallbladder surgery in 2013, and everything went to hell with the pain in my midsection. Double-over and can't do anything but lie there kind of pain.

I had stopped physical therapy in 2019 in September, intending to go back after my husband had recovered from his ankle surgery.

Then we had a pandemic.

I have not been back to physical therapy except for a very short little period last fall. In the midst of caring for my husband, dealing with a pandemic, helping him with another surgery on his hip, taking care of life, I stopped walking on the treadmill.

I knew I needed to get back to it. So, about two months ago, I started back on it. I could manage about 5 minutes before the pain hit.

For about 10 days I did 5 minutes. Then upped it to 6 minutes. Then 8. Then 10. Then 12. Then 15. Last week, I was doing 15 to 18.

And today, I hit 20 minutes.

I will pay for it later tonight; I did 18 yesterday and was up in the middle of the night in pain. But I did it and I intend to keep doing it. My goal is 45 minutes every day.

I walked 20 minutes on the treadmill. Not bad for someone who could barely do 5 minutes two months ago.

 

Sunday Stealing

1. What popular TV show do you refuse to watch?

A. I will not watch anything on FX or Fox. I do not watch shows like Law & Order, NCIS, etc. I don't watch hospital shows. I don't like horror, gore, misogyny, or lots of blood (which means I have no idea why I liked Game of Thrones, but I guess there are exceptions particularly for the fantasy genre). I do not watch the shows that feature preachers telling viewers they are going to hell.

2. What pets did you have while growing up?

A. We had dogs, and at one time we also had ducks, chickens, guineas, quail, and some other birds. We also had cattle. We never had cats. My father did not like cats, although he has a cat now. Go figure.

3. What is the luckiest thing that has happened to you?

A. I met my husband, and I married him. He has been the best thing and the luckiest thing that ever happened to me.

4. What are some small things that make your day better?

A. A phone call from a friend or my brother, a present of Tic Tacs from my husband (this seldom happens), writing a good sentence, or playing my guitar.

5. What’s your favorite piece of clothing you own/owned?

A. I guess my "blue thing" which is just a fleece not-sweater cover that keeps me warm. I imagine it has a name but when it comes to fashion I tend to be rather clueless.

6. What’s the most annoying habit other people have?

A. Talking over me. Most people talk over me, like I never said anything or have anything to say.

7. What game or movie universe would you most like to live in?

A. Middle Earth, of course, for movie universe. I know there are Lord of the Rings games too but I think I would like to live in the world of Skyrim (in a world called Tamriel) for that. Although knowing my luck, I'd be eaten by a dragon before I could turn around to see what was coming and wouldn't live long enough to enjoy anything there.

8. What’s the most impressive thing you know how to do?

A. I don't think that anything I do is impressive, but I can make stories out of next to nothing sometimes. Some people might find that impressive.

9. What was the best book or series you’ve read?

A. I've read thousands of books. I do like the Annie of Avalon series by L.M. Montgomery. That's a series that I have read more than once. There are very few books I reread, but I do reread those books.

10. What state or country do you never want to go back to?

A. I have never been anywhere I would not visit again.

11. Where do you usually go when you have time off?

A. Home.

12. What amazing thing did you do that no one was around to see?

A. There was no one around for nearly all of the articles I wrote. I was alone when I wrote them.

13. What is something you think everyone should do at least once in their lives?

A. Say "I love you" to someone, even if it's only a close friend and not a lover. People need to know they are loved.

14. What’s something you’ve been meaning to try but just haven’t gotten around to it?

A. Taking an online class.

15. What is something most people consider a luxury, but you don’t think you could live without?

A. My camera, maybe. Or my guitar. I guess either of those could be luxuries to others.

__________

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: Drive to You

Saturday 9: Drive to You (2006)

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

1) In this song, Jewel sings that she can't sleep and is staring at the ceiling. Did you fall asleep easily last night?

A. Yes.

2) She concludes that the only thing to do is drive to her lover's side. Last time you got behind the wheel, where were you headed?

A. The last time I drove, it was to the grocery store.

3) Jewel grew up in Alaska. Have you ever visited our largest state?

A. I have never visited Alaska.

4) She once performed at the Sydney Opera House, which is more than 7,300 miles away from Anchorage. There are no direct commercial flights between those two cities. Given your choice, would you rather spend less on travel but have to change flights, or spend more and fly non-stop to your destination?

A. I would rather spend more and fly non-stop to my destination.

5) Actor Sean Penn developed a crush on Jewel after seeing her perform on TV and attended many of her concerts during her 1995 tour. What's the best concert you ever saw?

A. Elton John.

6) She married Ty Murray, a successful rodeo cowboy. Have you ever attended a rodeo?

A. I used to attend the Loretta Lynn Rodeo with my parents when I was a child. I'm pretty sure that is what it was.

7) In 2006, the year "Drive to You" was released, Al Lewis died. He was best known as Grandpa on The Munsters. It's time for you to declare where you stand on this issue: do you prefer The Munsters or The Addams Family?

A. Both of those shows were just a wee bit before my time, and I don't remember ever watching much of either one. For some time, we could only get one TV channel and if it wasn't on that channel, I didn't see it. I'm afraid I really do not have a dog in this fight.

8) 2006 was a very good one for tennis pro Roger Federer. He reached the finals in all four Grand Slam tournaments and won three. What's the last game you won? (Yes, Wordle counts.)

A. I last won a game of solitaire.

9) Random question: Using one word, how would you describe 2024 so far?

A. Expensive.

_______________

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. 

In All His Glory

Here's the 5-point buck I've been watching all summer without his velvet, ready to head into the rutting season with his horns.

Thursday Thirteen #875

Here are 13 reasons to like autumn:

1. Beautiful Foliage: The changing colors of leaves create breathtaking landscapes, although this year, with the drought we've had all summer, the leaves are either dropping straight from the trees or changing color early.

2. Cooler Weather: Crisp, refreshing air makes outdoor activities more enjoyable. After two months of blistering 90+ degree days, it's time for a bit of a cool down.

3. Cozy Clothing: Sweaters, scarves, and boots make for warm and stylish outfits. I like the bulky clothes because I can hide in them.

4. Festive Holidays: Halloween and Thanksgiving bring a sense of celebration and togetherness. I love Halloween even though I do nothing to celebrate it.

5. Seasonal Foods: Comfort foods like soups, stews, and apple cider are perfect for chilly days. Cooler days are definitely good soup days. Also, I like apples, and they ripen in the fall.

6. Outdoor Activities: Apple picking, corn mazes, and hayrides are fun autumn traditions. I don't personally partake in them anymore, what with my allergies, but I know lots of folks enjoy these types of things.

7. Fewer Allergies: For many, fall offers relief from the pollen-heavy spring and summer seasons. However, it also means mold, and I'm allergic to mold in abundance.

8. Less Humidity: Cooler temperatures often mean less sticky humidity, creating a pleasant environment. I'm thankful for that.

9. Long Walks: Scenic hikes through colorful forests are peaceful and rejuvenating. It has been a long time since I've gone hiking, but I used to love to take a roam around when I was younger.

10. Festive Decor: Decorating with pumpkins, gourds, and warm colors brings a cozy atmosphere to homes, although I personally go for the evil looking pumpkin faces and witches.

11. Starry Nights: Clear, crisp autumn evenings often make for great stargazing opportunities. There's nothing like looking at the vastness of the night sky to realize how insignificant you really are.

12. Football Season: Fall brings the excitement of football games, whether you’re a fan of playing or watching. We sometimes watch the college games, but not the professional games. Also, I met my husband at a football game, all of those many years ago.

13. Back-to-School Energy: A fresh start for students brings a sense of renewal and focus. I always want to buy notebooks and pencils this time of year.

How about you? Does Autumn mean anything special to 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 875th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

 

Osage Orange Tree

This is an Osage orange tree (we sometimes call it a mock orange, but that's incorrect):

The ball looking thing is the Osage orange tree fruit.

A little closer shot.

This tree is not native to Virginia. I'm not sure how our farm came to have Osage orange trees, but we have several. 

This one is right out my office window. It's been there for 35 years, and this is the first time I've noticed the fruit on it that identifies it as an Osage orange.

The Osage orange tree (Maclura pomifera), also known as hedge apple, horse-apple, or bodark, is a unique and interesting tree native to the south-central United States. Here are some key points about it:

• Appearance: It is a medium-sized deciduous tree, typically growing 30-50 feet tall. The tree has a short trunk, dense, round crown, and stout thorns. Its leaves are dark green, shiny on the upper surface, and paler with some hairs along the veins on the lower surface.
• Fruit: The tree produces distinctive, large, spherical, bumpy fruits that are bright yellow-green and about 3-6 inches in diameter. Despite its name, the fruit is not related to oranges and is generally not eaten by humans.
• Uses: Historically, the wood was highly valued by Native Americans for making bows, hence the name “Bois d’Arc” (bow-wood) in French. The tree was also used as a natural fence before the invention of barbed wire due to its dense, thorny growth.
• Modern Uses: Today, the Osage orange is often used as a windbreak and for erosion control. Its wood is still prized for its durability and resistance to decay.
• Ecological Role: The tree is considered a pioneering species, often invading exposed soils and overgrazed pastures. It can become locally dominant in such environments.

Contentment - Day 16

I confess I'm having trouble with the contentment thing. I seem to be a bundle of nerves, having mild panic attacks every time I leave the house. A fellow made a dog toy squeak in the grocery aisle this morning and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

But, it's supposed to rain. We need it to rain. The dust is thick, the trees are already turning colors, or the leaves are simply dropping off. I think it's too late to save the foliage for a lovely Autumn.

The idea of rain makes me content. If I wake to rain in the morning, I will be very content.

Plus, the young woman who helps me with the house cleaning comes tomorrow, so there's that.

Sunday Stealing

 

1. What takes up too much of your time?

A. Playing on the computer, reading articles and social media, and the laundry.

2. What do you wish you knew more about?

A. Astronomy. I would like to know the constellations better.

3. What’s the best way to start the day?

A. Get up, get a shower, get rolling.

4. What mystery do you wish you knew the answer to?

A. I always wanted to solve the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle.

5. What’s your favorite genre of book or movie?

A. Fantasy, although according to my reading list this year it's not.

6. What’s the farthest you’ve ever been from home?

A. 2,728.5 miles to California and 4,015.1 miles to Paris, France.  Alexa told me the mileage.

7. Where is the most interesting place you’ve been?

A. Paris was incredibly interesting with the museums and architecture and all. I would love to go back now that I am adult. I went when I was a teenager.

8. When was the last time you climbed a tree for fun?

A. I am too old to remember when I last climbed a tree. It would have been over 40 years ago.

9. What do you consider to be your best find?

A. My husband. If you mean an inanimate object, then my best find was my wedding dress, which was marked down from something like $2k to $300 because it had a tear in it. But the tear was right where I needed to have the gown taken in anyway, so that was a great deal. I no longer have my wedding gown because it burned up in a house fire.

10. What’s special about the place where you grew up?

A. I grew up on a farm and on a farm, one learns the circle of life. You also learn how to amuse yourself and look after your brother.

11. What age do you wish you could permanently be?

A. I don't think I would want to live forever or be a permanent age.

12. What fictional place would you most like to go?

A. Middle Earth.

13. Where is the most relaxing place you’ve ever been?

A. One of the best vacations we've had was in Charleston, SC. I don't know that it was more relaxing than anywhere else, but we took our time and enjoyed ourselves.

14. What’s the most interesting piece of art you’ve seen?

A. I don't know the name of it, but in the Louvre in Paris there was a painting where the light detail was exquisite. It fascinated me and I could hardly tear myself from the picture to go on the with the tour. You could see the interior of a woman's hand as the light shown down upon her. I probably would never recognize the painting again, but I can still remember that detail of light upon that woman's hand.

15. Who has impressed you the most with what they have accomplished?

A. I went to college with Beth Macy, who is now a famous author who has written several nonfiction books, one of which was made into a miniseries called Dopesick with Michael Keaton. She has done very well. She stepped out of news writing long before I did and was able to channel her work into longer pieces, something I have not yet been able to do. She is just a little older than I am.

My father also impresses me with his business acumen. He has gone from a shoeshine boy to the owner of a country club and a major corporation.

Saturday 9: Minute by Minute

Saturday 9: Minute by Minute (1979)

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

1) It's easier to keep track of the minutes if your timepiece has a second hand. As you answer these questions, are you wearing a watch, or can you see a clock that has a second hand?

A. I am wearing a watch with a second hand. I also have a clock above my desktop, but it does not have a second hand.

2) In this song, Michael McDonald admits he knows his girl has lied to him. Do you suspect any one of your friends/family has fibbed to you recently?

A. I imagine so. My husband is not good about telling me how he received those cuts and bruises, for example. "I just hit it on something," he says, without telling me he was probably doing something semi-dangerous that maybe he shouldn't have been attempting.

3) McDonald's big break came in 1973 when he joined Steely Dan's touring band. What do you consider your first professional success?

A. My first professional success occurred when I had my first article with a byline printed in The Fincastle Herald in 1984. You can see it here, if you want. I recently ran across it.

4) In 1975 he joined The Doobie Brothers. He was originally supposed to be a temporary replacement for Tom Johnston, but he ended up working with the band uninterrupted for seven years. Tell us about something that's happened to you that turned out better than you anticipated.

A. I will have to think about this one. I stay home so much anymore that it's hard to come up with something.

5) In 1986, he guest starred on an episode of The Young and The Restless. Have you ever been hooked on a daytime drama?

A. I watched Dark Shadows when I wasn't supposed to. Later I started watching the Guiding Light during a job layoff, but that ended when I went back to work.

6) Michael and wife Amy raised their family near Nashville, where they had their own pond and a garden they lovingly tended. Do you enjoy yard work?

A. I don't enjoy it now as much as I used to. My allergies are worse and my body is worse, too.

7) In 1979, when "Minute by Minute" was popular, movie star John Wayne died. In 2004, the US Postal Service honored him with a stamp. What was in the last envelope you stamped and dropped in a mailbox?

A. Cards for some relatives who are having birthdays.

8) In 1979, the most popular new car was the Oldsmobile Cutlass. Ads promised drivers the Cutlass could make it easy to get in and out of tight parking spots. Are you good at parallel parking?

A. I am not especially good at parallel parking, no, and will go out of my way to not do it.

9) Random question: Did you know your great-grandparents?

A. Apparently, I knew my great-grandfather, who died in 1969 when I was six years old. I remember absolutely nothing about him, though. His first name was Elkanah, which I find a gob smacking sort of name. I may have met my great grandfather on my father's side when I was about the same age. We went to Florida to see somebody like that. I don't remember much about that, 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. 

Thursday Thirteen

It's another free-for-all Thursday 13! I have nothing in my brain to write out, so here we go with a little freewheeling thinking.

1. The "Top Ten" music show on AXIOS had a "200 top songs" from the 1970s countdown. I disagreed with a lot of the top 20. They had Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen as the number 1. I don't know what they used for their criteria for top songs.

2. I listen to a lot of 1970s music because that's the era I was a teen in. Once I figured out I could turn the dial on the radio in my bedroom, I got off of that country stuff my parents listened to and was Top 40 with Casey Kasem all the way.

3. My husband, on the other hand, listens to hard rock. His bands are AC/DC, ZZ Top, and the Rolling Stones. Our record collection looks freaky, because we kept our old albums. So, he has all of these hard rock albums and I have The Captain and Tenille.

4. The other day I was sitting at the computer working and I started humming Christmas carols. When I realized what I was doing, I stopped. It's far too early for that!

5. There aren't many Halloween songs. Monster Mash is one. Flying Purple People Eater is a possibility. Perhaps the best one is Michael Jackson's Thriller. It helps to have the video with that one.

6. I have read thousands of books, magazine, and newspaper articles over my lifetime. Most stories are forgettable. I read one book when I was about 20 that involved a heroine who was in a car crash. She was a concert pianist and when she realized the car was going to wreck, she put her hands into her lap to protect them so she could continue to play. But she ended up hitting her head and so she couldn't play anyway. I don't know why that has stuck with me. Maybe because I thought it was not a smart thing to do but I understood why she did it.

7. Changing gears now. What do people do with the little bits of leftover bar soap? I keep them but I don't know what to do with them. It seems a waste to throw them out. Sometimes I smush them together and when it's a big enough blob I use it at the sink to wash my hands, but that can get messy. There must be a real solution to this. No, I haven't searched for an answer, it just popped into my head.

8. Monday, we received our 9th notification of a data breach. That's one a month for this year. Some of these have been healthcare billing companies that we knew nothing about. How do you keep your data safe when you don't even know your dentist or doctor uses a different billing company?

9. We also received a notice from the Pennsylvania Turnpike people that we owed them money for being on the turnpike. Except we have never been on a Pennsylvania Turnpike. And we haven't been out of Virginia since 2019. It's a real notice, I checked, but the license plate is actually an Arizona license plate, not a Virginia one.

10. Everything has gotten hard. I don't know if that is age, society, or just life in general, but it seems like everything is much harder than it needs to be. Even going to the grocery store creates anxiety anymore.

11. Speaking of groceries, I cannot find good grapes. I bought some about a month ago - they were Welch's - and they were really good. I bought some more of the same brand on Tuesday, and they are awful. I know some people taste test grapes before they buy them, but I never do that. They haven't been washed and who knows what is on them.

12. Thursday really snuck up on me this week. I thought it was Wednesday which is why I'm trying to get out something that is completely disconnected in thought. Sometimes the days just go really fast. Time really does go by quickly as you age.

13. I never thought I would live this long. When I was younger, I thought if I made it to 30 it would be a miracle. And then I made 30. At some point, I stopped worrying about it. I think that happened after my mother died.

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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 874th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Remembering 9/11

In the days after September 11, 2001, I remember seeing blue skies unmarred by the trails of aircraft, because the planes were grounded. It was eerie to look up and see the sky so blue without the chem trails of planes, the crisscross patterns that indicated people were going on about their day, flying hither and yon without a care.

People were quiet, at first, and helpful, at first. But after a few days, the air changed. I felt anger, hatred, and evil seething in the store when I went after groceries. It has ebbed and flowed over the last 23 years, that feeling that I have when I am in a crowd, but it has never gone away, not since September 12, 2001. For a day - maybe two - we were one nation, pulled together by the horror of what we'd witnessed.

But after that? We were an angry, scared bunch of people, and we've stayed that way. We frayed. We pulled apart. And the distance and the turmoil grew, and in the end, the terrorists won after all, for all that they've been dead for a long time.

In the end, they destroyed us - because we have destroyed ourselves.

We've raised an entire generation in that atmosphere of fear and hate. They don't know anything except fear and hate. That's all they know.

What has it been like for them, growing up in this new world that we allowed to happen, the one where everyone is afraid, and big men must carry guns with little, deadly bullets to compensate for their fears?

I know what it has been like for me to live in this time - it's been basically an ulcer-creating atmosphere. But what must it be like for those young folks, the ones who are now turning 21?

What do they think and feel, having grown up every moment with this disease of the soul, this dark pall that has fallen over this nation?

I remember the blue skies on September 12. I looked up at the blue, blue skies, those brilliant September skies.

And the memories of what we were before, knowing what we could have been, and the thought of those clear blue skies, are what pulls me through.

Today I remember the 343 firefighters who lost their lives on that fateful day, and the numerous others who have died over the years from cancers and demons that day brought on.

Contentment - Day 10

Today has been a bit frazzled, so contentment has been a bit hard worn, but perhaps that makes it all the sweeter.

I found contentment in playing video games. There, I said it. I like to play video games and I'm not the least bit sorry for it. It's a great way to break away from the trials of the day, shut my mind down into a narrow plane of thought, and regenerate for a while.

Contentment - Day 9

We're also having much cooler weather, which is welcome, but still no rain. Our drought is not yet over and it's too late to save the hay for this year. But we could sure use some of those water droplets to help raise the water level for the wells and such.

I finished my 50th book of the year yesterday. When I was younger, I used to read about 100 books a year, but my older eyes tire easier. I find audiobooks compelling because I can multitask while I listen - fold clothes, listen to a book. That makes the chores go faster.

I am glad I am getting in more reading/listening time.