Thursday Thirteen

Here are 13 weird laws in Virginia:

1. Single people cannot have sexual relations. According to this Virginia law, any person, not being married, who voluntarily shall have sexual intercourse with any other person, shall be guilty of fornication, punishable as a Class 4 misdemeanor which is punishable by a fine of up to $250. (There are a lot of people who have committed this crime, I'm sure.)

2. Until 2004, it was illegal to work on Sundays. This old blue law (laws designed to restrict or ban some or all Sunday activities mostly for religious reasons) stated that “On the first day of the week, commonly known and designated as Sunday, no person shall engage in work, labor or business or employ others to engage in work, labor or business." That certainly didn't fit in with the loss of the blue laws, which happened in the 1980s. All the stores have been open on Sundays since the blue laws were eliminated. I remember when this happened.

4. Don’t use an X-Ray machine for shoe fitting. It’s unlawful for any person to use any X-ray, fluoroscope, or other equipment or apparatus employing roentgen rays, in the fitting of shoes or other footwear. This section shall not apply to any licensed physician nor surgeon in the practice of his profession. Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 3 Misdemeanor which is punishable by a fine of up to $500. I have no clue why this is a thing.

5. You are not allowed to drive a golf cart on the highway. Virginia code 46.2-916.2 states that “No public highway shall be designated for use by golf carts and utility vehicles if such golf cart and utility vehicle operations will impede the safe and efficient flow of motor vehicle traffic.” This law, however, does not apply to state employees provided the golf cart or utility vehicle is being operated on highways with speed limits of no more than 35 miles per hour.

6. Being in possession of a radar gun is illegal. Virginia Code Section 46.2–1079 makes it illegal on the highways of the state to operate any device or mechanism, passive or active, that can detect or purposely interfere with the measurement and use of radar, LIDAR, or any other speed detection equipment used by law enforcement. Additionally, a person cannot sell them, and they cannot possess them.

7. No one is allowed to keep a skunk as a pet, at least not in Prince William County. There is also illegal to keep a raccoon, skunk, wolf, squirrel, fox, leopard, panther, tiger, lion, lynx, or any other warm-blooded animal, poisonous snake or tarantula which can normally be found in the wild, as a pet.

8. Referring to any other brand of ham as "Smithfield" is against the law. Virginia takes its cured meats very seriously. Unless it's been smoked and processed within the Smithfield area, you could get fined for trying to label a generic ham as "Smithfield."

9. Certain walking sticks or canes are unlawful in Virginia Beach. I have no idea why or which ones.

10. Parking on railroad tracks is forbidden. One would hope this would be self-evident, but perhaps not.

11.  Washing a mule on the sidewalk in Culpeper is illegal. While it’s unclear why this law was originally enacted, it’s likely tied to historical concerns about sanitation or public obstruction

12. In Virginia, owning a pet skunk is illegal due to concerns about disease transmission, particularly rabies. The Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) strictly prohibits keeping skunks as pets without special permits or licenses. Skunks are considered wild animals, and their natural defense mechanism, which stinks terribly, can make them difficult to care for. Additionally, if someone is caught illegally possessing a skunk, they may face fines or even imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offense.

13. The state has several laws that regulate public displays of affection, including kissing on the lips in certain public places. While this law isn't widely enforced today, it was originally intended to maintain public decorum and prevent disturbances in areas with high foot traffic. Virginia has a history of morality-based laws, some of which still exist in the legal code. Many of these laws were enacted decades ago and remain technically valid, even if they are rarely applied in modern times.

Sources:

14 Weird Laws In Virginia That Are Sure To Baffle You

14 Surprising (But True) Laws You’ll Only Hear About in Virginia

The 8 Weirdest and Strangest Laws in Virginia (2025)

Code of Virginia Code - Article 5. Obscenity and Related Offenses

*This idea for this came about with the assistance of an AI tool and then the article was curated and written by a human.

_________________

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 909th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Early Morning Bear

I overslept this morning. I did not get up until about 7:15, which is late for me. After I put on my robe, I slipped into my office to turn on my computer. I also looked out the window, as I often do.

The day was gray and overcast, with rain. I could see the mist and drizzle, the water making the grass grow almost before my eyes. I also saw something large and black heading up the side of the hill toward the oak trees. At first, I thought it was a cow, since we are presently pasturing them near the house. But I quickly realized it was a black bear.

I called for my husband. "There's a bear!"

The animal was moving fast. This bear was not moseying. It was heading towards its destination with purpose.

The black fur stood in stark contrast to the green pasture. I was so busy admiring the animal, I did not grab a camera. This bear had no mange and obviously was healthy. It was also quite large, one of the biggest bears I've seen in a while.

It trudged swiftly up the hill and onto the knoll. For a moment, it sniffed around an oak, and I began to grab a camera, but it moved on and then disappeared out of sight into the woods.

Even a gray morning can shine when it begins with something wild and wonderful.

This was not the bear we saw this morning.
I took this picture of a bear in 2021.

*This post was written by me in its entirety.

Morality and AI

I have been playing around with chatGPT. There are many things it can do that work well - I have asked it for advice, for example, about specific incidents and it's given me options that I had not considered.

ChatGPT and I have also written poetry. I quickly figured out after two sessions of free verse that it has a formula for that. So free verse from chatGPT is going to look a lot alike after a while. Some of it makes sense, some not so much.

It can't do more evolved poetry forms, like sestinas or villanelles, with any real accuracy. It loses the syllables, doesn't always make sense, and sometimes just seems so out of whack that aside from using it for ideas for end rhymes, I can't see chatGPT being much use there.

It can take a plot outline and turn it into a story, but is the story then mine? I don't think so, not in a moral sense. I saved what it wrote but I put it in a file with the idea that one day I may take it back out and totally rewrite it. Then I started to wonder, well, what if there's a good line or two in the story that I leave? Is that ok?

My internal jury is still out on that one. I read an article the other day that said at the end something like, "This article was created by an AI tool and thoroughly reviewed by a human." I thought that the disclaimer was good.

I have used AI for images on my blog. I generally mark them as such, at least the first time. The logo I use for Saturday 9 was AI generated. I noted it the first time but not in subsequent uses.

I have also used AI for Thursday 13. Usually, I do this by asking for a list of 25 things on a specific topic, and then I choose the 13 I want and add information to it. I haven't been noting the use of AI on these, but I think in the future, I will put up a disclaimer.

What I would not do is what a friend of mine said she was doing. She is letting AI completely write her articles that she is then selling. I think personal use in a blog, especially one like mine that has no ads, is not a big deal, but if I am selling my work, then it needs to be my work. She is going so far as taping an interview, then putting the tape into a transcribing program, then taking the transcription and running it through AI to spit out an article.

In the first place, I would have never even thought to do that, and in the second place, I think that is not a moral way to use AI. She is representing this as her work when it is not. All she's doing is letting AI do the work and turning it in.

I have started reading articles about AI and morality because this is of great concern to me. This article was a good start.

How are teachers handling AI? I do not know as I am no longer in a classroom environment. I do know that the one time I played with chatGPT and asked it to write an article for me, it made up quotes, non-existent universities, etc., so I would never trust AI for something like that. 

And now, just for the heck of it, I'm going to ask chatGPT about the morality of using AI in an article I am selling. Let's see what it says:

From chatGPT:

The morality of using AI to write an article that you then sell as your own work depends on several factors, including transparency, context, intent, and any agreements or expectations involved. Here are the key ethical considerations:

1. Disclosure and Transparency

• Ethically Questionable: Claiming full authorship of something entirely written by AI without disclosing its role may be considered dishonest, especially if others (editors, clients, readers) expect human authorship.

• More Acceptable: If the use of AI is disclosed—either explicitly or implicitly (e.g., in a terms-of-service agreement or contributor note)—the ethical concerns are reduced.

2. Contractual and Legal Obligations

• If you're writing under contract or for a platform that expects original human-created work, using AI without disclosure may violate terms and be both unethical and legally problematic.

• Some publications, especially in journalism or academia, have strict rules about ghostwriting or non-human authorship.

3. Creative Integrity and Professional Identity

• Selling AI-generated work as your own might undermine your credibility if discovered—especially in fields where creativity, voice, and critical thinking are core values.

• If you're marketing yourself as a writer but letting AI do all the writing, there's a mismatch between claim and reality.

4. Value Provided

• If you significantly revise, guide, or curate the AI’s output (e.g., prompt engineering, structural editing, style tuning), you're still applying your skill and judgment—this is often viewed as collaboration rather than deception.

• If you're simply passing along raw AI content, it's harder to justify claiming authorship, particularly in moral or professional terms.

---

Summary:

Using AI to help write or co-write is increasingly common and can be ethically sound if you:

• Add your own input or editing;

• Are honest when required by contract or context;

• Don't mislead others about the nature of the work.

However, presenting entirely AI-generated content as your own original human creation, especially for profit, without any disclosure, is ethically shaky—more so in contexts where human authorship is assumed or valued.

(No disclaimer because it's in the post that I used chatGPT.)

Five Things

 

In solidarity with federal workers, I started listing 5 things I did last week every Monday. I don't know if they still have to do that, but I have kept it up since it's a quick way to get something on the blog for Monday. Since I don't have a regular job, it's a fairly mundane list.

1. Visited the chiropractor.

2. Went to Walmart to complete the shopping list I was unable to finish last week when we shopped, and the power went out.

3. Finished up three books: (1) The Griffin Sisters Greatest Hits, by Jennifer Weiner, (2) A Circle of Uncommon Witches, by Paige Crutcher, and (3) Like Mother, Like Mother, by Susan Reiger.

4. Walked on the treadmill, did laundry and other chores, yada yada.

5. Played the guitar, wrote a short story.

Sunday Stealing

These questions were inspired by a blogger named Becca. Back in 2007, Becca was asked to reveal 8 interesting things about herself. We're turning her answers into questions to learn a little more about YOU.

8 Questions

1. What habit do you wish you could break?

A. At the moment, I am trying to stop cursing. It is a difficult habit to break.

2. Where is your favorite vacation spot?

A. I'm not sure I have one anymore. I used to love Myrtle Beach, but it has changed so much that I no longer recognize it as the place I used to enjoy. I like Williamsburg but it's not somewhere I want to go all the time.

3. How many years of formal education have you completed?

A. I have completed my master's degree.

4. Have you ever had a job that required you be certified or licensed?

A. I have never had a job that had certification or licensing requirements.

5. Do you enjoy camping?

A. No. I like hotel rooms and room service.

6. Tell us about a time you got away with something.

A. When I was younger, my foot was much heavier on the gas pedal than it is now. Somehow, I never received a speeding ticket, though.

7. Where have you lived the longest, and what do/did you like best about it?

A. I have lived the longest in the house I am in now. I love it because it belongs to me and my husband, we built it ourselves with help from friends and family, and it is small.

8. When you were a kid, were more of your playmates boys or girls?

A. Most of my young playmates were boys. I had two young uncles and my brother as my companions most of the summer.

__________

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: American Soldier

Saturday 9: American Soldier (2003)

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

Memorial Day is a federal holiday that honors men and women who served and died in the United States Armed Forces. We want to make sure that message is not lost this weekend.

1) Are you a veteran? Are there veterans in your family? Do you know anyone who is active military? We are grateful and want to hear about it.

A. I have veterans in my family, but I do not know of any relatives who are actively in the military now.

2) In this song, Toby Keith reminds us soldiers "work straight through holidays," even this one, and we are grateful for that, too. Have you ever had to work on a federal holiday? If yes, did it make you sad to be on the job when everyone else was celebrating?

A. I have worked on federal holidays, and my husband, who was a firefighter, worked on many federal holidays.

3) The video for this song was filmed at Edwards Air Force Base. This site was chosen to make it easier for off-duty soldiers, reservists and their families to appear. Have you ever visited a military base?

A. I visited a military base called Fort Story in Virginia Beach in 2017. We went on the base to see an historic lighthouse on Cape Henry. You can read about our visit here. I did not like being searched when we entered the base.

4) Toby Keith never served in the military but often performed for the USO. While the USO is best known for providing entertainment to our troops, they also have a "Canine Comfort Crew." Local USO centers make dogs available to troops who long to see a wagging tail. Are you a dog lover?

A. I love dogs, but I am allergic to them to the point where I can't be around them without having a reaction.

 

5) Memorial Day kicks off the summer season. What's your favorite picnic food? 

A. I like watermelon.

6) Let's welcome summer with ice cream. What's your favorite flavor? Cone or cup?

A. I don't eat ice cream anymore, but I hope to partake of a hot fudge sundae one of those days just because. I would prefer a cup, if I could eat ice cream.

7) This marks the weekend when Americans step up their outdoor activity and do things they may not have been able to do during the winter months. For example, when is the last time you applied mosquito repellent?

A. I don't use mosquito repellent. I use little things you wear on your wrist that are supposed to keep the bugs away. I'm sure they have a name, but it escapes me at the moment. I also tend to wear long sleeves and long pants to keep from being eaten by bugs.

8) Or swam?

A. It's been a very long time since I went swimming. 

9) As you answer these questions, is there an air conditioner or fan on?

A. At the moment, there is nothing running except the air purifier. We are having a pleasant day that doesn't require the air conditioner.

_______________

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. 

Is Anybody Listening?

AI Image

A reflection on AI, loneliness, and the lost art of conversation

The other day, I was talking with a friend who mentioned she’d been having issues with her boyfriend. I remembered their brief breakup over the holidays. She hadn’t taken it well.

“I got through it with an AI therapist,” she told me.

Really? There are AI therapists?

Apparently so. A quick Google search brought up a list of the top-rated ones for 2025. Most offer a 7-day free trial, after which there’s a fee to continue. Some still provide access to basic advice even without a subscription.

It made me wonder if AI will eventually become everyone’s therapist. There’s something to be said for in-person talking. A chatbot might express concern or outrage on your behalf, but how would you know if it says that to everyone? It’s certainly not your friend.

Then again, therapists aren’t supposed to be your friends either, although over time it can feel that way. Still, we’re paying to be heard.

And maybe that’s what gets to me. That we’ve reached a point where so many people need to be heard, and not enough people are listening. So here come the AI therapists, who will now step in where actual humans no longer tread. We don’t take time anymore to hear each other’s stories, to ask why someone feels the way they do, or to understand the long path behind someone’s point of view.

We live in a 140-character world with short bursts of thought, shouted into the void. Background and context get left behind. Everyone’s yelling, typing whatever comes to mind, and in the end, we’re drowning in half-told tales. Most of them signify nothing, because stories told in fury rarely carry truth.

Or maybe they do mean something, but only to certain people. Bullies love a short format. It’s hard to argue with a tweet. Or an “X.” Whatever they call it now.

I’ve read that loneliness is becoming a major public health threat in the U.S. The kind that affects your body as well as your heart.

Can AI step in as someone’s best friend? I’m not sure. I’ve played with it, but I don’t have a mic on my desktop, so I don’t use the voice feature. My laptop has one and the one time I used it, it sounded robotic.

I’ve had Alexa for years. She’s chipper enough, but she can’t carry on a conversation. Maybe newer versions can, but mine are older and I've no plans to replace them. Frankly, between Alexa and Siri, I already feel like I’m under constant surveillance.

And Siri? She’s not much of a talker, either.

Once upon a time, people actually talked about deep things. They discussed the stars, big ideas, good books, the best way to diaper a baby, work struggles, or the price of hamburger. They shared stories and passed a beer between friends.

I still have a few people I can talk with like that, and I cherish them. Those rare relationships are the ones where we go deep and take time with each other. Most people skim the surface of every problem. Some made up their minds years ago and haven’t listened since. Maybe they never did. Maybe they were kids when they stopped, convinced they were always right.

No one is right about everything.

Not even AI. I’ve seen it get confused. Sometimes it spits out something funny, but other times it can be alarming. And if a computer bot can get that turned around, imagine what goes on inside the human mind.

Thursday Thirteen

Today, we offer up a list of 13 notorious traitors and their betrayals, in no particular order.

1. Benedict Arnold – A celebrated American general during the Revolutionary War, Arnold switched sides and plotted to surrender West Point to the British. His betrayal was discovered, but he escaped and fought for the British.

2. Judas Iscariot – One of Jesus’ twelve disciples, Judas betrayed him to the authorities for 30 pieces of silver, leading to Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion.

3. Aldrich Ames – A CIA officer who secretly worked for the Soviet Union, revealing the identities of American spies and causing multiple deaths. He was arrested in 1994.

4. Robert Hanssen – An FBI agent who sold classified U.S. intelligence to Russia for over 20 years, compromising national security. He was caught in 2001 and sentenced to life in prison.

5. Mir Jafar – An Indian noble who conspired with the British East India Company to betray his own army at the Battle of Plassey, leading to British control over Bengal.

6. Wang Jingwei – A Chinese politician who initially fought against Japan but later collaborated with the Japanese during WWII, leading a puppet government.

7. Louis Riel – A Canadian leader who led the North-West Rebellion against the Canadian government. He was convicted of treason and executed in 1885.

8. Ephialtes of Trachis – A Greek traitor who revealed a secret path to the Persian army during the Battle of Thermopylae, leading to the defeat of the Spartan forces.

9. Harold “Paul” Cole – A British double agent who worked for the Nazis during WWII, exposing resistance networks and causing the deaths of many operatives.

10. John Brown – An abolitionist who led the raid on Harpers Ferry in an attempt to start a slave rebellion. He was captured and executed for treason against Virginia.

11. John Anthony Walker Jr. – A U.S. Navy officer who spied for the Soviet Union for nearly two decades, providing them with crucial military intelligence.

12. Douglas Chandler, Robert Best, and Mildred Gillars ("Axis Sally") – Americans who broadcast Nazi propaganda during WWII, attempting to demoralize Allied troops.

13. Richard Rich – A key figure in the trial of Sir Thomas More, Rich provided false testimony that led to More’s execution under Henry VIII.

Sources: 

List of people convicted of treason – Covers historical figures who were officially convicted of treason. 

The Most Infamous Cases of Betrayal in US History – Focuses on American traitors and spies.

15 Most Infamous Traitors in History – A broader look at notorious traitors across different eras.

_________________

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 908th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Scribble

 

Regina Raccoon & Tom Turkey

 

It's unusual to see raccoons out during the day - except this time of year
 when they've had kits.

Tom found himself a girlfriend!

He put on quite a show for her.

I don't know if he was successful or not.

Five Things

 

In solidarity with federal workers, I started listing 5 things I did last week every Monday. I don't know if they still have to do that, but I have kept it up since it's a quick way to get something on the blog for Monday. Since I don't have a regular job, it's a fairly mundane list.

1. Fixed (I hope) a relative's issue with her computer.

2. Went to the bank.

3. My husband and I went to Walmart for a stock-up trip. I don't like to shop there, but around here there aren't many options. We went to the Walmart on the far side of the city where the rich people live as it is generally better stocked. We were shopping and the power went out. It did not come back on. We were not able to finish getting what we needed though they were able to check us out with what we had. The checkout machines have batteries, we were told, but they wouldn't last long. The associates stopped letting people into the store. The power had been out for almost 1/2 hour when we left.

4. My helper came, and we cleaned the house.

5. Did the usual daily chores, walked on the treadmill every day except Sunday, went to the grocery store, etc.

Sunday Stealing

Last week we shared questions that centered around your bathroom. This week, with questions stolen from Manic Monday, we're moving to the bedroom.

Back to Bed

1. Let's say your alarm wakes you up with music. What would be the worst song to hear first thing in the morning?

A. A funeral dirge.

2. How many pillows do you sleep with?

A. I sleep on a big wedge pillow with a round pillow under my neck, and two pillows under my knees and feet.

3. What size mattress do you sleep on?

A. We sleep on a queen-sized mattress.

4. Do you always sleep on the same side of the bed?

A. I always sleep on the same side of the bed.

5. Do you make your bed every day?

A. I make my bed every day.

6. Do you keep water on your bedside table?

A. I keep water on the bedside table. We like the little 8 oz water bottles for that. They have a lid and so you can't spill them all over the bed, unless you can't get the lid back on.

7. How often do you change your sheets?

A. I change my sheets once a week unless one of us becomes sick. Then I might change them daily or as required.

8. What's under your bed?

A. I imagine there is a little dust under there, but that's all. And there shouldn't be much of that.

9. Do you sleep in total darkness or do you like to have a light on?

A. It is not totally dark in my bedroom because of light from the alarm clocks, but I do not sleep with a light on.

10. What do you remember about your childhood bedroom?

A. My childhood bedroom had white furniture with a canopy twin bed. It looked a little like this, but not exactly:

Stolen from Pinterest

Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.

__________

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: Nothing's Gonna Stop Us

Saturday 9: Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now (1987)

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

1) In this song, Gracie Slick challenges, "Let them say we're crazy!" Tell us about something you're glad you did, even though your friends or family may have advised you against it.

A. I am glad I went to work for the newspaper and became a writer. My mother in particular was totally against that as a career path, but it was what I wanted. Well, I also wanted to be a ghost writer and write Nancy Drew books, but they stopped publishing them.

 

2) Slick is the lead singer of Jefferson Starship. This band got its start in 1965 as Jefferson Airplane but updated their name in 1974. Part of their reasoning was that by the 1970s, airplane travel was commonplace. In 2023, an estimated 820 million Americans flew domestically. When was your most recent flight? When is your next one?

A. I haven't been on a plane in 30 years, and given the state of things, I have no plans to be on one anytime soon.

 

3) Songwriter Albert Hammond said the song was inspired by his divorce. After years of legal wrangling, he was finally free to marry his long-time, long-suffering girlfriend. They're still married today. What is something you waited a long time for? Was it worth the wait?

A. I took 8 years to obtain my 4-year bachelor's degree. It was definitely worth it. I wouldn't give up that knowledge for anything, even if I don't remember a lot of it now.

 

4) Albert Hammond is perhaps best known as the one-hit wonder who sang, "It Never Rains in Southern California." Is rain expected where you are today?

A. We have thunderstorms in the weather forecast. We have been in a moderate drought, and then we had too much rain all at once, so it ran off and turned into small stream flooding as opposed to being a soothing rain that seeped into the ground. Rain is welcome.

 

5) He co-wrote the song with Diane Warren. In January, she lost her home to the Los Angeles fires. When a friend is confronted by heartache or tragedy, what can you say or do for them? What shouldn't you say or do?

A. When a friend is confronted by heartache or tragedy, sometimes the best thing is a long hug and silence. I personally do not find things like, "It was for the best," or "It was God's will," to be comforting, so I don't say those things. Oh, and take a vegetable tray instead of a cake or other snack food. They need to be able to eat something healthy without thinking about it.

6) "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" was the love theme to the romantic fantasy Mannequin. In that movie, a department store mannequin comes to life and falls for a struggling artist. While it was a moderate success at the box office, the gritty Vietnam drama Platoon was a much bigger hit. When you sit down to watch a movie, what genre would you prefer (fantasy, romance, comedy, drama, etc.)?

A. My movie preference depends on my mood. But generally, I like fantasy or drama, so long as it's not overly gory.

 

7) In 1987, when this song was popular, Aretha Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Aretha was proud of her Detroit roots. Have you been to Michigan? If yes, where did you go?

A. I may have passed through Michigan a long time ago, but it has never been a destination point.

 

8) In 1987, the Chevy Corvette made news by adding a low tire pressure light to its dashboard. When you're driving and a yellow warning light comes on, do you handle the issue promptly? Or is it something you'll get to when you get around to it?

A. If a warning light comes on in my vehicle, I take care of it as soon as possible.

9) Random question: A magic mirror reflects your appearance five years from today. Would you look at it?

A. I would look into the mirror. The future is never written in stone.

_______________

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. 

Mary, Queen of Scots

AI Image

On May 16, 1568, Mary, Queen of Scots made a desperate escape to England after her forces were defeated at the Battle of Langside. This pivotal moment marked the beginning of her downfall. What she hoped would be a refuge soon became a prison, ultimately leading to her execution in 1587.

Mary’s life was marked by political upheaval from the moment she was born. Crowned queen as an infant after the death of her father, King James V, her early years were spent away from Scotland. To secure an alliance between Scotland and France, she was sent to the French court, where she was raised in luxury and refinement. Her marriage to the Dauphin, Francis II, elevated her to Queen of France, but his early death forced her to return to Scotland in 1561—a land she barely knew.

Upon her arrival, Mary faced a deeply divided kingdom. Scotland had undergone a Protestant Reformation, and as a Catholic queen, she struggled to assert her authority over Protestant nobles and religious leaders. Despite her efforts to rule with tolerance, tensions between Catholic and Protestant factions led to increasing opposition. One of her most formidable adversaries was John Knox, the fiery Protestant reformer who openly challenged her reign.

Mary’s political struggles were compounded by her personal life. Her marriage to Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, initially strengthened her claim to the English throne, but soon deteriorated into scandal. Darnley proved to be arrogant and unstable, and their relationship became tumultuous. His mysterious murder in 1567, widely believed to have been orchestrated by nobles, cast suspicion on Mary. Her subsequent marriage to James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, the man suspected of Darnley’s murder, led to an outcry from Scottish nobles and the public. Accused of conspiracy and unable to quell the rebellion, Mary was forced to abdicate in favor of her infant son, James VI.

The Battle of Langside: A Queen’s Last Stand

The Battle of Langside, fought on May 13, 1568, was a defining moment in Mary’s struggle to reclaim her throne. After escaping imprisonment at Lochleven Castle, she gathered a force of around 6,000 men, intending to march to Dumbarton Castle, a strategic stronghold.

However, her half-brother, James Stewart, Earl of Moray, who ruled as Regent for James VI, was prepared. Moray’s forces, though smaller in number (around 4,000 men), were strategically positioned and led by some of Scotland’s most experienced commanders.

Mary’s forces attempted to advance through Langside, a village south of Glasgow, but Moray’s army blocked their path. The battle was fierce but short-lived—lasting only about 45 minutes. Moray’s well-disciplined troops, supported by William Kirkcaldy of Grange, a skilled military strategist, outmaneuvered Mary’s forces. The Queen’s army suffered over 100 casualties, while Moray’s side lost only one soldier.

Defeated and with no safe refuge in Scotland, Mary fled south on that fateful day 457 years ago, seeking protection from her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I of England. Instead of receiving aid, she was imprisoned for nearly 19 years, ultimately leading to her execution in 1587. The Battle of Langside was not just a military defeat—it sealed Mary’s fate, forcing her into exile and captivity. After her execution, she left behind a legacy of political intrigue, tragic misfortune, and an enduring connection to Britain’s royal line.

Sources:

• Wikipedia
• Mary Queen of Scots History

Thursday Thirteen

Do you remember these items that I grew up with, most of which are now either gone or just shadows of themselves?

 

1. Did you look up numbers in telephone books, those thick directories that everyone had by the phone?

2. Was an 8-track tape player in your vehicle, along with those bulky tapes? They were the predecessors to cassettes.

3. How about those rotary dial phones? Your finger did the dialing. And you can slam that thing down very satisfactorily on a call gone wrong.

4. And then there were TV antennas (rabbit ears) that ultimately looked somewhat alien because there was tinfoil attached to them to try to get a clear picture. Do you remember adjusting them this way and that? And do you remember having to get up to change the channel on the television set?

5. Before there was Google, there was the World Book Encyclopedia, or Brittanica, as the case may be. That's where you went for all of your information. No typing in and clicking search. You had to at least know the alphabet and have some idea of how to find something.

6. Did you ever use a pay phone to call for a ride home? They used to be everywhere - in the stores, on the street corners. I wonder where Superman changes clothes these days?

7. Floppy disks were the storage method of choice in the early days of computers. They seemed high-tech at the time, especially when they went from the 5 1/4 inch to the 3.5-inch disks.

8. Did your first car have an ashtray and a cigarette lighter?

9. I used to roll carbon paper into a typewriter so I'd have a copy of my work. Do they even make that anymore?

10. My mother and grandmother collected S&H Green Stamps. I remember licking stamps and putting them in the books for whatever reward my mother wanted. There was a little catalog to pick things from, and she could get a toaster or a blender, stuff like that. I think they were no longer a thing by the time I married, though.

11. Did you attend the movies at the drive-in theater? I remember going to see many shows at them, most of which I was supposed to sleep through, but I watched through half-closed eyes. There are still some drive-in movie theaters, but they’re rare.

12. When it was raining outside, the gym teacher would pull out the reel-to-reel projector and show some film on health. Do you remember the flap-flap sound the film made when it broke?

13. I carried a metal lunchbox with a thermos occasionally, though I mostly bought my school lunches at the cafeteria. I seem to remember a Scooby Doo lunchbox, but maybe that was my brother's. Or possibly one that I coveted that belonged to someone else. (Which is another way of saying I don't really remember what was on my lunchbox.)

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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 907th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

I Think It Just Means I’m Human

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We almost all have feelings of inadequacy, insecurity, sadness, bewilderment, and low self-esteem, unless we’re suffering from a personality disorder like narcissism. And most of us want to be a good person.

Being a good person isn’t about being perfect. It’s about the choices we make every day, how we treat others, and how we handle challenges. If a person is kind, honest, and strives to do what’s right, that’s a strong sign of a decent human.

What other ways might we be good humans? How about these questions: Do you listen to others and show empathy? Do you take responsibility for your actions? Do you try to make the world around you a little better?

Hopefully, we all do that. But sometimes, we can be too hard on ourselves. Our perspectives might get skewed, or maybe they’ve been skewed by someone else. But one person’s viewpoint, including your own on a bad day, doesn’t define who you are.

For me, one of the biggest things is feeling heard. As a woman, it’s easy to feel voiceless in a patriarchal world, where male voices, especially white male voices, are often the ones that count. It’s painful when people don’t really hear us. It can make you feel invisible, like your feelings and experiences don’t matter.

But my perspective, everyone's really, is valid. All voices deserve to be heard.

Sometimes, people get so caught up in their own version of events that they don’t realize they’re shutting others out. That’s someone who may not be ready or willing to truly listen.

Feeling unheard can be isolating and exhausting. You can do your best and still feel like a ghost in the conversation. But that reflects more on the listener’s inability to see or acknowledge what’s being said than on the speaker.

All of our experiences, our emotions, our truths matter. Whether or not someone else chooses to recognize them doesn’t make them any less real.

When someone feels unheard, it’s natural to build walls to protect the self and try to control how one is perceived. When your perspective is constantly dismissed, it can make you second-guess yourself. That can lead to habits like over-apologizing and striving for perfection. But perfection? It's an impossible standard, and no one needs to earn their worth that way.

Sometimes, all we can do is strive to create a connection. Maybe we share knowledge, experiences, and interests in a meaningful way that feels safe. It’s like extending a hand without exposing the deepest parts of yourself. We offer something valuable without the weight of vulnerability.

We all need to build a life, a voice, and a community that is ours. We get to choose who is a part of that. We get to shape our own story. Maybe the most important family is the one we create: the people who support us, who hear us, who make life feel lighter instead of heavier.

There’s resilience in that. It takes strength to move forward, even if it’s in tiny increments, every day.

Sometimes the goal isn’t to fix everything. Sometimes we just need to create a moment of relief, a way to breathe a little easier. Even if the weight doesn’t fully lift, having something that helps, even just a little, is important.

Someone told me recently that when they look at me, they see someone who is thoughtful, who has endured difficult things without becoming cruel, who strives to understand herself and the world around her.

That, they said, is goodness.

I think it just means I’m human.