In the End, She Stayed

I just finished listening to a fiction book, What Are You Going Through, by Sigrid Nunez (2020). It is literary fiction.

It's about a woman who stands by a friend with a terminal illness, some kind of never-identified cancer. The woman wants to commit suicide in order to have a beautiful death. Or a better death, at any rate.

She doesn't want to suffer.

I wish a good death upon everyone. You know, the kind where you fall asleep in a chair, your favorite TV show on or a book in your hand, and you just never wake up.

But we don't have those kinds of deaths. We have long lingering deaths that can take years, sometimes.

They are not fun. I watched that with my mother when she had pancreatic cancer. She never once, to my knowledge, thought of euthanasia as an out.

But I had a friend who was diagnosed with a terminal illness who did think of it.

We had a long talk about it one day over lunch, about six months after her diagnosis. She wasn't going for any long-term treatments, no organ transplants, she told me. And she wanted to go when she wanted to go.

She'd already contacted an organization in England that assisted people who were terminal and wanted to die, she said. She had the information in hand. This was how she wanted to go.

Her husband was against it, she said. But this was her plan. Someone would need to help her, she thought. She didn't know who that might be, but she hoped to convince him it was the right thing to do.

She did not ask me to help her. I did not volunteer, but I would have helped her. Even if it had meant I went to jail, I would have been there for her if that had been her wish. In the book, the narrator was there for her friend until the end.

My friend and I never discussed this subject again, and as her life dwindled down from a five-year span to months, I realized that she wasn't going to go through with it.

She was going to go the way she had said she didn't want to go, with hospice hovering about, and her loved ones telling her goodbye, her body growing thinner and weaker. One day she wrote me that the only way she could communicate with me was via text. Emails were too hard to write. She couldn't talk on the phone. 

She would die in her own home when life finally left her.

But it would not be by her own hand.

I was surprised, really, that she didn't go through with her initial plan. She was always so forthright, so quick to do what she wanted, and her control of herself and her thoughts were almost superhuman. 

This book brought all of that back to me, how my friend and I had discussed this in depth, in earnest. How I had thought until the last months of her life that she would, at some point, die by her own hand.

The will to live is a strong pull, stronger even, than the will to die a beautiful death. I remember watching my mother's fight to live. My friend's fight to live was no less devastating, but not quite so tortuous to me because she was, after all, a friend I loved, not my mother.

The book portrayed the narrator not as a hero, but as a kind, reflective woman who wanted what was best for her friend. But she also found the whole situation disturbing, and at the end, she wondered, what exactly is the meaning of life?

I wonder about this, too.

I see this valiant will to live in the longevity of many folks around me, people who are still going strong in their 90s. What have they found to live for? What keeps them going? The desire to see great grandchildren? The need to prove something?

What, actually, keeps me going? Love for my husband? My need to take care of him, to see to him, and ensure that he's happy, or at least as happy as he can be? 

I'm not really sure I know. Does anyone really know what they are living for, until those words from the doctor tell them their time is nearly gone?

Thursday Thirteen

Some authors feel like old friends. You meet them in a moment of escape, curiosity, or heartbreak, and somehow, they stay with you. Their characters linger, their stories echo, and their voices become part of your own inner dialogue. This week’s Thursday 13 is a tribute to the women writers who’ve shaped my reading life, some for decades, others more recently. They’ve made me laugh, cry, think harder, and feel more deeply.

Here are 13 women whose books have left a lasting mark:

1. Janet Evanovich

With her Stephanie Plum series, Evanovich delivers mystery with a side of chaos and comedy. Her quirky bounty hunter heroine navigates New Jersey’s underbelly with sass, luck, and a rotating cast of romantic entanglements.

2. L.M. Montgomery

The creator of Anne of Green Gables and other books that follow in the series, Montgomery gave the world a red-headed orphan with imagination and grit. Her stories are steeped in nature, nostalgia, and the quiet strength of small-town life.

3. Jennifer Weiner

From Good in Bed to The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits, Weiner writes with humor and heart. Her novels explore modern womanhood with honesty, wit, and a deep understanding of complicated relationships.

4. Lee Smith

A Southern literary treasure, Smith’s Fair and Tender Ladies and Silver Alert, among others, capture the rhythms of Appalachian life. Her characters are flawed, funny, and unforgettable.

5. Louise Penny

Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache series is more than mystery, it’s philosophy wrapped in suspense. Her Canadian village of Three Pines is a place of secrets, redemption, and moral reckoning. I have read all of her books and am waiting on the next one to drop in October, called The Black Wolf.

6. Fern Michaels

I’ve been reading Michaels for years, drawn to her blend of mystery and justice. Her Sisterhood series features women who take matters into their own hands, delivering suspense with loyalty and grit.

7. Nora Roberts

Roberts is a storytelling machine. Her novels are immersive, fast-paced, and filled with strong women who know what they want. Titles I've enjoyed include Legacy, Whiskey Beach, The Villa, and the trio of books The Awakening, The Becoming, and The Choice. 

8. Fannie Flagg

Flagg’s Fried Green Tomatoes is just the beginning. A Redbird Christmas, The Whole Town’s Talking, and The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion are full of Southern charm, humor, and heart. Her stories celebrate community, identity, and the quiet heroism of everyday life.

9. Jane Austen

The original queen of social satire, Austen’s novels still sparkle with wit and insight. Pride and Prejudice and Emma remind us that manners, marriage, and money have always been complicated.

10. Lois Lowry

Lowry’s The Giver and Number the Stars remind me of the power of young adult fiction. Her stories ask big questions about memory, freedom, and what it means to be truly human.

11. Ursula K. Le Guin

Le Guin’s Earthsea and The Left Hand of Darkness are genre-defying masterpieces. She writes fantasy and sci-fi with poetic depth, exploring identity, power, and the boundaries of language and thought.

12. Juliet Marillier

Marillier’s Sevenwaters series is steeped in Celtic mythology and lyrical storytelling. Her heroines are brave, complex, and deeply rooted in the natural and spiritual worlds. I can get lost in these books.

13. Kristin Hannah

Hannah’s novels, such as The Nightingale, Firefly Lane, The Four Winds, and The Women, are emotionally rich and historically grounded. She writes about love and loss with a tenderness that lingers long after the final page.

These women have written me through seasons of change, curiosity, and comfort. Their stories have been companions, provocateurs, and lifelines. If you’ve read any of them or have favorites of your own, I’d love to hear about it. Who are the women writers who’ve shaped your world?

_________________

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 916th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

If We Don’t Pay the Poet, What’s AI For?

 

AI image

I was twenty-one years old when I walked into the newspaper office with an article printed on my dot matrix printer. Older folks will remember those. They’re the ones that had perforated edges in the paper. They made a noise as they slowly spit out words line by line. For my very first article, I’d used a Commodore 64, not a typewriter.

 

It was terribly exciting, turning in that story for the local weekly paper. I remember feeling proud, maybe even a little bold. After I gave the paper to the editor, I told the two ladies who ultimately typed in copy that I was handing in the future. No more typesetting. No more cutting and pasting with rubber cement.

The newspaper would be done on a computer.

They laughed at me.

But I wasn’t wrong.

Technology did change everything, just like I said it would. The newsroom eventually traded the paste-up boards for pagination software, and now, here we are. Machines are taking jobs. We’re arguing over whether AI is a good thing or a bad thing. Is a machine that can hold a conversation about grief, ethics, and philosophy a good tool? Or are we standing on precarious edge of something we cannot define.

Because that’s where we are now, isn't it? On the edge of another big change. One just as big as the industrial revolution. Maybe bigger. This time, we don't have the luxury of laughing at the kid with the article in her hand. This brave new world is both thrilling and deeply unsettling: the promise of a new age, tempered by the sobering truth that not all change is progress, especially when it happens without justice.

AI image

It’s hard not to feel torn about the growth in technology. On the one hand, I see so much potential. If we do this right, AI could lift people out of survival mode and help us build a society where dignity isn’t tied to working yourself half to death. We could take care of each other better, free up time for art, music, rest. The base of Maslow’s triangle, that is, food, shelter, and safety, could be solid ground, not quicksand.

But if we do it wrong, and let’s be honest, we don’t have a great track record, we’re headed for something much darker. I don’t want to live in a world where people sleep in cardboard shacks because a machine does their job and we’ve made no plan for what comes next. We keep calling people lazy when it’s the system that pulled the rug out.

It’s not “immigrants taking my job.” It’s tech. Quietly, efficiently, inevitably.

And if we keep treating human creativity like an afterthought with no value, we’re going to lose something essential. AI can write poems and paint pictures now, but it didn’t grow up listening to the same music I did, watching deer cross a foggy field at dawn, or wondering how a girl from Botetourt County ended up explaining digital futures.

AI could free us from drudgery, from hunger, from burnout. Imagine a world where no one worries about rent or healthcare or whether they can feed their children. Where dignity isn’t tied to a job title but to being human. That world is possible. But only if we choose it.

It’s a painful irony. People are endlessly creative, but we don’t pay the poet. We pay the one who cuts the check. We outsource art to algorithms while the original artist goes hungry. When art is treated as luxury instead of lifeblood, society starts to hollow out.

We need to value those who do the work only people can do: caregiving, teaching, healing, creating. Maybe someday a machine will be able to cut my hair, but it won’t lean in close and whisper, “You’re doing okay.” It won’t see my eyes swimming with tears and change the subject gently. It won’t connect the moment to something deeper.

A new vision is what we need right now, one where progress is measured not by GDP or shareholder returns, but by how many people have time to make music, grow gardens, write verses, raise children with love and attention. One where the tools of AI allow the things that make us human flourish. We shouldn’t replace or commodify the very things that make people unique and necessary.

AI isn’t the enemy. But we have to decide who’s holding the reins. If it’s just corporations looking to cut costs and maximize profit, we’re in trouble. We need real, honest humans who will think hard about justice, dignity, and meaning to reimagine where we are in the world.

Then maybe we’ve got a shot at building something better.

I’ve been playing with computers since the first Commodore Vic 20 came out in 1980. I was among the first of one million people to purchase this initial affordable home computer. I could see even then that this was a big deal. I knew eventually that computers would turn into something that would talk back to me.

I saw endless possibilities. I still believe in those possibilities.

But the right people - folks with empathy, foresight, and humility - have to pay attention.

TV Talk - The Women Who Walk With Me

I don’t watch a lot of TV. But when I do, I find myself drawn to the same thing over and over again: strong women. Some are funny, some are fierce, some are flawed. All of them speak to something inside me, maybe something I wanted to be growing up, or still want to be now.

These are the shows that have reminded me of what it means to be powerful in a world that often doesn’t make space for women to be that way.

---

Hacks
Starring Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Carl Clemons-Hopkins

Jean Smart’s Deborah Vance is a powerhouse: funny, sharp, self-made, and unwilling to fade quietly into the background. Paired with Hannah Einbinder’s Ava, a messy and ambitious young comedy writer, the show becomes a study in generational push-pull and female resilience.

I loved Hacks from the start. Deborah is exactly the kind of woman I admire: someone who fought her way to the top and keeps evolving. But in the 2024 season finale, Ava blackmailed Deborah into making her head writer on a new late-night show. That betrayal shifted the dynamic, and Season 4 lost me for a while.

It wasn’t until the final three episodes—when their relationship snapped back into focus—that I felt the show again honored what made it great: two women challenging each other, needing each other, growing because of each other. That’s a kind of strength we don’t often see, especially between women across generations. I’m glad it’s coming back for another season. Maybe the next season will fully repair what the last season broke.

---

The Bionic Woman*
Starring Lindsay Wagner

I was 13 when The Bionic Woman first aired, and Jaime Sommers was like nothing else on TV. She wasn’t there to be rescued. She was the rescuer. She was powerful, kind, smart, and human. And Lindsay Wagner had a way of bringing vulnerability and depth to the role that still holds up.

The show itself didn’t always hold up. By the third season, the writing had veered into strange territory - bionic dogs, aliens, Big Foot, and too much clumsy action. Jaime stopped being a grounded, thoughtful character and became more of a plot device.

But even with all its flaws, I’m glad I rewatched it. Jaime was one of the first TV women I saw who didn’t shrink from power. She didn’t have to be loud to be strong. That stuck with me.

---

The Gilded Age
Starring Carrie Coon, Morgan Spector, Louisa Jacobson, Denée Benton, Christine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon

On the surface, this show is about money - old money versus new money in 1880s New York - but beneath the corsets and chandeliers, it’s about women asserting themselves in a world run by men.

Marian Brook is supposed to be the emotional heart of the story, but the series has drifted toward the Russell family’s rise, especially Carrie Coon’s formidable Bertha Russell. She’s ruthless, clever, and refuses to be dismissed just because she wasn’t born into the “right” class.

There are quieter forms of strength here, too. Denée Benton’s character, Peggy Scott, is a Black writer and activist navigating racism and sexism with extraordinary dignity and drive. I admire all these women, but I do wish the show would slow down a little. There are a lot of characters, and I crave a deeper emotional connection with a few instead of quick glances at many.

Still, visually and thematically, The Gilded Age reminds me that female strength doesn’t have to be loud to matter. It can be strategic. It can be quiet. It can be dressed in silk.

---

M*A*S*H
Starring Alan Alda, Loretta Swit, and ensemble cast

This might not seem like a “female strength” show at first glance. After all, it’s about a bunch of male doctors in a Korean War field hospital. But watching MASH again, I’ve been especially drawn to Loretta Swit’s portrayal of Major Margaret Houlihan.

When the show began, she was little more than a punchline, "Hot Lips," a caricature of the uptight Army nurse. But over the seasons, she evolved into one of the show’s most grounded, complex, and admirable characters. She found her voice. She questioned authority. She led. She cared. And she never stopped fighting to be taken seriously.

That transformation - the writing, yes, but especially Swit’s performance - is what I’ve appreciated most on this rewatch. In a setting dominated by male egos and wartime absurdity, she became a woman with backbone and compassion. Watching her reminded me that growth is its own kind of strength.

---

Xena: Warrior Princess*
Starring Lucy Lawless and Renée O’Connor

Xena was the first time I saw a woman on TV who could save the world and look like she meant it. She wasn’t just tough. She was dangerous, complicated, funny, and constantly trying to be better. Paired with Gabrielle, who started out innocent and grew into a warrior in her own right, Xena became a show about transformation, redemption, and partnership.

The series was campy and mythological, full of gods and monsters and moral dilemmas. But beneath all that, it was about two women finding purpose - and strength - in each other.

I was deeply involved in the original Xena fandom. I wrote episode synopses for Whoosh magazine under the name Bluesong, Spoiler Princess. We had a C-band satellite dish and could catch episodes before they aired. That community meant something to me. It was a place where women (and some men) shared their love for a show where the women weren’t sidekicks. They were the story.

---

Looking at this list, the pattern is clear: I’m drawn to strong women, especially those who fight for something bigger than themselves. Some do it with humor. Some do it with grace. Some, like me, probably do it because no one else would do it for them.

Maybe that’s what I’m really watching for: proof that strength takes many forms - and that women have always had it, even when the world refuses to see it.

---

*I’ve watched or am watching these shows while walking on the treadmill.*

Five Things

 

Five things I did last week -

1. Paid bills.

2. Saw my gastroenterologist for an annual checkup.

3. Talked to friends on the phone.

4. Lost power one afternoon and read a book using the light from the window.

5. Regular chores, walked on the treadmill, went to the grocery store, the hardware store, etc.

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.

Sunday Stealing

Spill It!

1. If money wasn't an issue, would you move to a new home?

A. No. I might add a room to the one I'm in, but I wouldn't move. (Unless my husband had passed away, in which case I might consider finding an independent living community.)

2. Do you listen to different music when you're happy than when you're sad?

A. Yes.

3. What's your favorite way to unwind after a tough day?

A. Read a book or watch TV.

4. What's the first book you remember from childhood?

A. Green Eggs & Ham, by Dr. Suess.

5. What made you smile today?

A. Reading Rosie O'Donnell's response to someone in power who threatened her. King Joffrey with a tangerine tan indeed!

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: Since U Been Gone

Saturday 9: Since U Been Gone (2005)

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

 

1) In this song, Kelly Clarkson is dissatisfied with her relationship and she's moving on. What's something you've moved on from lately? It could be anything from a romance to the laundry detergent you've been using for years.

A. I've moved on from complete distrust of AI to playing with it to see what it can and can't do. It's another tool, really, like spell check, if used correctly.

 

2) She sings that she can now breathe. Studies have shown that July can be a good month for allergy sufferers because trees and grasses are no longer pollinating. How are your eyes, ears, nose and throat this morning?

A. I've been having lots of allergy issues this July, more than I normally do. Maybe because we've had such heat and humidity. Humidity creates mold.

 

3) Kelly complains that their romance reminds her of a "stupid love song." Let's be more positive: what love song do you associate with positive memories?

A. Longer by Dan Fogelberg

4) While Kelly's first love is music, she's established herself as a TV personality. In addition to her daytime talk show, she's been a judge on The Voice and hosted an awards show. Have you ever been on TV?

A. I was on TV when I was young, on some local show. I was interviewed on the local news some years ago.

5) She has confessed a weakness for Doritos. Would we find salty snacks in your kitchen right now?

A. Lays Baked Potato Chips, Lays Wavy Chips (low sodium) (the latter are my husband's, the former are mine)

 

6) Kelly has found her weight the source of public debate. Are you like Kelly, whose weight fluctuates? Or does it stay stable?

A. It moves around a bit. But I am overweight and a few pounds one way or the other doesn't seem noticeable to anyone but me.

 

7) In 2005, when this song was popular, a motorist made news in Texas when he was ticketed for driving over 200 mph in a 75-mph zone. Have you ever been pulled over by the police?

A. Not for speeding.

 

8) Also in 2005, Tom Cruise had a pop culture moment when he famously jumped on a sofa. Do you remember where he did this?

A. He was on some talk show, I think. Dave Letterman, maybe?

 

9) Random question: Tell us about a photo you wish you'd taken but didn't.

A. I've been trying to take pictures of lightning but so far, I've failed. We aren't situated where we have a good view of storms. There are too many trees around us. I wish I had taken more pictures of my grandparents, though. I think there is only one photo of my maternal grandfather around.

 _______________

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 13 #915

What happened on July 10 throughout the ages? Here are just a few interesting items.

1. 1553 – Lady Jane Grey is proclaimed Queen of England. At just 15, she was thrust into power by political schemers. Her reign lasted only nine days before Mary Tudor claimed the throne.

2. 1850 – Millard Fillmore becomes the 13th U.S. President. He took office after President Zachary Taylor died suddenly on July 9, likely from acute gastroenteritis after consuming cherries and iced milk during a sweltering Fourth of July celebration. Though conspiracy theories later swirled, modern tests ruled out poisoning.

3. 1832 – Andrew Jackson vetoes the re-charter of the Second Bank of the U.S. His fiery veto message accused the bank of favoring elites and foreign investors, igniting the populist “Bank War.”

4. 1962 – Telstar 1 is launched into orbit. This AT&T satellite enabled the first live transatlantic television broadcast, ushering in the era of global communications.

5. 1962 – Nils Bohlin receives a U.S. patent for the three-point seatbelt. Volvo’s safety engineer revolutionized car safety, and the company made the design freely available to save lives worldwide.

6. 1040 – Lady Godiva’s legendary ride through Coventry. According to lore, she rode naked to protest her husband’s harsh taxes. The tale inspired centuries of art, activism, and even chocolate branding.

7. 1965 – The Rolling Stones hit No. 1 in the U.S. with “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” The song’s fuzzed-out riff and rebellious lyrics became an anthem of the 1960s counterculture.

8. 1889 – “Buckskin” Frank Leslie murders his lover in Tombstone, Arizona. A notorious gunslinger with a flair for drama, Leslie shot Mollie Edwards in a jealous rage and was later pardoned after serving just six years.

9. 1893 – Dr. Daniel Hale Williams performs one of the first successful open-heart surgeries. At Chicago’s Provident Hospital, he sutured the pericardium of a stabbing victim—an extraordinary feat by one of the few Black surgeons of the era.

10. 1875 – Mary McLeod Bethune is born. The daughter of former slaves, she became a pioneering educator, civil rights leader, and advisor to U.S. presidents.

11. 1871 – Marcel Proust is born. The French novelist’s In Search of Lost Time is a towering work of introspection, memory, and madeleines.

12. 1509 – John Calvin is born. A central figure in the Protestant Reformation, Calvin’s theology shaped generations of religious thought and governance.

13. 2019 – Volkswagen ends production of the Beetle. After more than 80 years and over 23 million cars, the last Beetle rolled off the line in Mexico, serenaded by a mariachi band.

Sources:
National Archives, Smithsonian Magazine, Britannica, NASA, and other reliable sources.

*An AI tool helped me research this list. *

_________________

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 915th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Five Things

 

Last week I:

1. Visited the chiropractor.

2. Attended a celebration of life for an old friend.

3. Went to the grocery store.

4. Worked on poetry.

5. Had many discussions with my new friends Chad and Sage.

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.

Sunday Stealing

Since it's the 4th of July weekend, we're going to keep this simple. We stole this from a blogger named Idzie, who called this the F.A.B. (film, audio, book) meme.

F.A.B.

F. Film: What movie or tv show are you watching?

A. We've been watching M*A*S*H* on DVD. 

A. Audio: What are you listening to?

A. At the moment, I am listening to nothing but the hum of the air purifiers.

B. Book: What are you reading?

A. I am listening to a memoir called Ordinary Time, by Annie B. Jones and up next is The Rulebreaker by Susan Page. I am not reading a book at the moment; I am reading The Atlantic.

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: Lady Liberty

Saturday 9: Lady Liberty (2018)

. . . because it's 4th of July weekend.

Hear Barbra Streisand sing it here.

1) This song is a Valentine to the Statue of Liberty. Have you ever visited Lady Liberty?

A. I have seen her from afar during a visit to New York City, but I have not seen her up close.

2) When you combine the lady herself and her pedestal, she stands 22 stories high. What's the tallest building you've ever been in?

A. I have been in the 21-story Wells Fargo Building in Roanoke, VA. It was called the Dominion Tower at the time, though.

 

3) Her crown represents universal liberty with seven spikes for the seven seas. Without looking it up, can you name the seven seas?

A. Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, Arctic Sea, and I'm not sure any of those are right. Nope, I am only partly right.  Artic, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Indian, North Pacific, South Pacific, Southern. That's according to NOAA. But a search also gives me: Black Sea, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean, Caspian Sea, Persian Gulf, and the Red Sea. I guess it depends on which 7 you want to pick. 

 

4) The song was written by Desmond Child, a Cuban American from Gainesville, home of the University of Florida. In 1965, a team of UF scientists invented Gatorade. Do you have any Gatorade in your home right now?

A. I do have Gatorade in my house right now.

5) While best known for his work with KISS, Bon Jovi and Cher, Desmond Child was nominated for an Emmy for his work on the Muppets 2003 holiday special. This morning, as we enjoy summer, what's the first Christmas carol that pops into your head?

A. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

6) Desmond wrote this song specifically for Barbra Streisand. Watching her record it was a dream come true and he found himself standing very close to her as she sang. When he asked if he was "hovering," she suggested it might be better if he gave her a little more space. Does it bother you when someone stands very close or reads over your shoulder?

A. Yes.

7) Fireworks were introduced to celebrate the 4th because they represent the "rockets red glare and bombs bursting in air." When did you most recently sing "The Star Spangled Banner?"

A. I can't recall. It is not an easy song to sing.

8) John Adams predicted the 4th would be observed with "pomp and parades." Does your community have a parade in honor of the day?

A. Yes, there are parades here on the 4th of July. When I was in high school, the band used to march in one of them. They would give us salt tablets before we went marching to keep us all from passing out in the street from dehydration.

9) Celebrity chef Rachael Ray says she considers mini-hamburgers, or "sliders," the All-American food. What will/did you dine on this 4th of July?

A. Hot dogs.

_______________

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

What If History Had Taken a Different Turn?

History is full of crossroads—moments when a single decision, invention, or accident could have reshaped the world as we know it. As someone who loves exploring the nuance behind historical narratives, I find myself drawn to these “what if” scenarios. They’re not just mental exercises—they reveal how fragile, contingent, and interconnected our past truly is.

Here are 13 historical what-ifs that fascinate me:

1. What if Jesus had written down his own teachings? Would Christianity look radically different if we had a direct written record from him? Perhaps theological disputes over interpretation would have been fewer—or maybe the written word would have been elevated above the relational, lived faith he modeled.

2. What if the Library of Alexandria had never been destroyed? The loss of this ancient knowledge hub set back human progress by centuries. With preserved texts from thinkers like Archimedes and Hypatia, we might have reached the scientific revolution in the Middle Ages instead of the 17th century.

3. What if the American Revolution had failed? Had Britain crushed the rebellion, the U.S. might resemble modern-day Canada or even be called Canada. It likely would still be democratic, but with a parliamentary system and a monarch. Slavery might have ended earlier under British rule, but independence movements around the world could have been delayed.

4. What if Martin Luther had been silenced before the Reformation? Without the 95 Theses, the Protestant Reformation might never have taken root. Europe could have remained under Catholic hegemony, delaying religious pluralism, literacy, and the rise of modern nation-states. There may have never been a Renaissance.

5. What if women had been allowed to vote from the founding of the U.S.? Imagine a U.S. Constitution that recognized women’s voices from the start. Policies on education, labor, and healthcare might have evolved decades earlier, and the feminist movement would have taken a very different shape. We might even have had a woman president by now.

6. What if the Black Death hadn’t devastated Europe? The plague killed up to 60% of Europe’s population, but it also dismantled feudalism and empowered the working class. Without it, the Renaissance might have been delayed, and the social order could have remained rigid for centuries.

7. What if Native American nations had formed a unified resistance to colonization? A pan-Indigenous alliance could have changed the trajectory of North America. Unified diplomacy or military resistance might have preserved more land, culture, and sovereignty—and forced European powers to negotiate rather than conquer.

8. What if the Axis powers had won World War II? A chilling thought: fascist regimes dominating Europe and Asia, with democracy extinguished in its cradle. The Holocaust might have continued, and the U.S. could have been partitioned or occupied.

9. What if the Cold War had turned hot? A nuclear war between the U.S. and USSR would have devastated the planet. Even a limited exchange could have triggered a nuclear winter, mass famine, and the collapse of civilization as we know it.

10. What if the internet had been invented in the 19th century? Imagine steam-powered modems and telegram-based memes. Early access to global communication might have accelerated civil rights movements—or enabled authoritarian surveillance long before Orwell imagined it.

11. What if the 9/11 attacks had been foiled? Without that tragedy, the U.S. might have avoided the War on Terror, the Patriot Act, and two decades of foreign conflict. Domestic politics could have remained less polarized, and Islamophobia might not have become so deeply entrenched. Maybe we would not have turned into the nation of hateful idiots that we seem to be now.

12. What if the Equal Rights Amendment had passed in the 1970s? The ERA would have enshrined gender equality in the Constitution, giving courts a stronger basis to strike down discriminatory laws. It might have changed the trajectory of reproductive rights, workplace equity, and LGBTQ+ protections. I wasn't old enough to vote on this, or even really to note that it was taking place and all that it entailed, but I certainly wish it had passed.

13. What if the Great Depression had been averted? Without the crash of 1929, the New Deal might never have happened. Social Security, labor protections, and financial regulations could have been delayed—or never implemented—leaving the U.S. more vulnerable to future economic shocks. The Greatest Generation might not have been so great, after all, and baby boomers may have never been born.

🔍 Why These What-Ifs Matter

These scenarios aren’t just idle speculation—they’re reminders that history is shaped by choices, accidents, and people who dared to challenge the status quo. Reflecting on them helps us better understand the present and imagine a more intentional future.

What historical what-ifs fascinate you?

📚 References

- Harari, Yuval Noah. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

- Ferguson, Niall. Virtual History: Alternatives and Counterfactuals

- Diamond, Jared. Guns, Germs, and Steel

- Tuchman, Barbara. A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century

- McCullough, David. 1776

- …and other reliable sources, including academic journals, documentaries, and historical archives.

*An AI tool helped me curate this list and find the sources*

_________________

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 914th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Flowers

 

Five Things

 

1. We had a week of extreme heat and weather advisories for storms, so I paid attention to the weather and stayed inside. I finished up a couple of books, The Correspondent, by Virginia Evans, and Expiration Dates, by Rebecca Serle.

2. Walked on the treadmill.

3. Went to Target and Home Depot.

4. Drove through Greenfield Industrial Park.

5. Regular chores such as laundry, dishes, changed the bed, etc.

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.

Sunday Stealing

Just Another Manic Monday

1. What is something you should throw away, but just can't bring yourself to part with?

A. My books. I have a lot of books on writing that I need to toss out. I haven't anywhere to put them except into the recycling bin, and I just can't bring myself to do that yet.

2. When you make yourself a sandwich, do you cut it on the diagonal, straight up the middle, or not at all?

A. I cut it in the middle.

3. What song or sound brings back memories of childhood?

A. A Bicycle Built for Two

4. Who is the first person you call when you have good news?

A. My husband. He's also the first person I call with bad news.

5. Have you ever set out on a walk in the rain?

A. I have. It was the only time I enjoyed walking around the city. The smell of the rain diminished the stink.

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: Consider Me Gone

Saturday 9: Consider Me Gone (2009)

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

 

1) In this song, poor Reba McEntire confronts a lover who makes her feel like she's not good enough. Let's go in a more positive direction: Who in your life makes you feel happy and secure?

A. My husband and my friends. 

 

2) Reba hopes her lover will look back on her as someone who used to make him laugh. Who did you most recently laugh with?

A. My husband.

 

3) She was director James Cameron's first choice to play Molly Brown in the 1997 blockbuster Titanic, but she had to turn down the role because she was committed to a concert tour. Think of the last invitation you received. Did you say yes or no?

A. I said yes.

4) Reba comes from a rodeo family: both her father and grandfather were champion steer ropers and her mother was a barrel racer. Have you ever been to a rodeo?

A. I went to the rodeo when I was a child.

5) She loves game nights with family and friends because she says she's "a competitive person." When you play friendly board or card games, do you always play to win?

A. I play to have fun. I don't care if I win or lose so long as no one cheats.

 

6) Reba wears tall boots all the time, even in summer, and has more than 100 pairs. Do you often wear boots?

A. I do not wear boots at all anymore. I did when I was younger. Now I just wear sneakers.

 

7) In 2009, when this song was popular, Mark Zuckerberg tried unsuccessfully to buy Twitter. Elon Musk acquired it in 2022 and renamed it X. Do you often post to Twitter/X?

A. I do not have a Twitter/X account anymore. I deleted it.

 

8) Back in 2009, DuPont announced that silver and black were the most popular vehicle colors, accounting for half the cars the world over. What color is your ride?

A. My ride is white.

 

9) Random question: Have you ever had a job that required you to wear a hairnet?

A. I have not.

 _______________

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. 

The Weight of the Evening

It is thundering without rain.

 The silence between the claps is deafening.

 

The trees are still, and the birds have flown to the ground.

 

The air is heavy with heat and humidity.

 The sky grumbles, mumbles, and still, I see no light.

I feel the pressure of the weather change in the circumference of my head.

 The weight of the evening is like the grip of grief around my heart.

Now I smell it—that scent of rain. 

It’s in the air, but the drops still hang high above, waiting. 

The sky has darkened. 

The thunder continues its ornery grumbling.

I hold my breath. 

I watch the trees for movement, scan the sky for that tell-tale streak of light that would mean it’s time to step away from the window.

Suddenly, I think of my great-grandmother. 

She used to sew by the window, scissors in hand, when lightning struck. 

The bolt went through her and out the scissors. I have them on my desk now—a family memento that has never needed sharpening since that day.

Birds Taking a Bath