The Reaction

I would like to report that I had little reaction to my second Moderna shot, but that was not the case.

For 24 hours, I experienced chills, a fever, body aches all over (especially in my back), and a headache. At one point Friday night, my skin was so sensitive I could barely stand light clothing on my body.

Additionally, I have had very vivid dreams every night since I had the shot.

However, the symptoms eased by Saturday morning, and by today (Monday), aside from itching in the area of the shot, I am doing well.

I suspect some of this was exacerbated by the fact that I already had a sinus infection when I took the shot. I wasn't running a fever, and my doctor had said to get the shot unless I had a temperature.

But Friday morning, I was doing the teledoc thing with my PCP. She popped me on an antibiotic for the sinus infection, a new drug for me, and that cleared up fairly quickly.  In fact, it is about gone now, too. Good drug.

One of my Facebook friends said she would never take the shot again after experiencing similar symptoms. Extremes vary from person to person, and while I wouldn't want to go through that again, if I have to have a booster for Covid, I will take it. Better to feel lousy for a little while and not end up dead.

The dreams were entertaining. Dreams never make sense when you write them out, but I remember that at one point, there had been a tidal wave over Roanoke (that would be some tidal wave, since we're about 4 hours inland). I was wandering around and I found a huge lot of earrings. Nothing fancy, just various studs in multiple colors. Then I was at an old law firm where I used to work, and one of the women told me I had stolen her earrings. I realized that all of the earrings I had found came from the law firm. In order to give them back, I decided to place them all in envelopes and put them discreetly in everyone's desk, since I was being accused of stealing when I'd only picked up what I'd found that I though was lost.

In another dream, or a portion of this one, I can't remember, I was driving along the road where my grandmother used to live, along the Roanoke River. A house was on fire. My grandmother said not to go near it, but I said we needed to go because it was Aunt Elsie's house. I raced to the car but the road started twisting and buckling and somehow I ended up in Myrtle Beach, SC. That's an 8-hour drive from here.

The mind is an interesting body part. I wonder what part of the Moderna shot it affected. I hope it enhances mood. That would be a good side effect. I am pretty cheerful today so . . . maybe? I'd like a dose of permanent cheerful, please!

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. What issues are important to you?

A. Climate change, child abuse, mental health, gun control, job security, social safety net, healthcare, elder care, women's issues, etc.

2. Which breakfast foods are your favorite?

A. Eggs, bacon, grits, biscuits and gravy.

3. How often do you change your hair style?

A. Seldom.

4. What are your most peculiar talent or interests?

A. I am a nerd. I like fantasy, I like comic book superheroes, I like role playing video games. None of that is particularly peculiar except that I am female and thus considered the domain of men, for some reason.

5. Name something you’re a natural at.

A. I can generally play at least Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on any instrument I pick up.

6. Name a few women who inspire you.

A. The Gal, Bev, Kwizgiver, Zippi & my other blogging friends, Hillary Clinton, my mother-in-law, my next-door neighbor, Ann Compton, Nora Roberts, Kamala Harris, and my friends B., T., and L.

 

7. How often do you take a break from everything?

A. Recently I have taken a break for two days because the Moderna 2nd shot whupped my little butt all the way to the bed.

8. What are your go-to dancing songs?

A. Uptown Funk and anything disco.

9. What are your favorite carryout and takeaway foods to order?

A. I like a junior cheeseburger from Wendy's occasionally, although I haven't had one since last November.

10. Name some people you like to spend time with.

A. My husband, my brother, my friends, other writers, my father if he is in a good mood.

11. List some hobbies you started within the last year.

A. I haven't started any new hobbies.

12. What scents, sounds, and sights of Spring do you like?

A. I like the flowering trees and it always amazes me to watch the grass go from brown to green literally overnight when the weather warms.

13. Name some cultural aspects you cherish and enjoy.

A. Cultural aspects of what? Since I live in the southern USA, I'll for that. I like southern food - fried chicken, mashed 'taters, cornbread. Yum. I like southern music, too. Anybody remember the band Alabama?

14. Name the TV shows and films you liked this month.

A. The Mare of Eastown on HBO looks like it will be good. Supergirl returned for her last season.

15. What do people usually come to you for help with?

A. Writing advice, and sometimes life advice. Folks who remember me from when I wrote for the newspaper frequently ask me to explain the local government to them.

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

Saturday 9: All I Ever Need is You

Saturday 9:  ALL I EVER NEED IS YOU (1971)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.  
 
1) The lyrics tell us that some men search for silver, some for gold. Are you wearing either silver or gold right now?

A. My watch band has both gold and silver on it. It's a Timex so I doubt it's real gold or silver.

2) This song was a top 20 hit in the United States but sold much better in Canada. What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of our neighbor to the North?

A. They don't have mass shootings.

3) It's performed by one of pop's most successful duos, Sonny and Cher. Can you name another duo that made hit records?

A. Hall & Oates.

4) In addition to their recording career, Sonny and Cher were TV stars. In a recurring sketch on their variety show, Cher played a "v-a-m-p: VAMP!" These characters were always sexy and seductive. Do you consider yourself a good flirt?

A. No.

5) Sonny dropped out of high school in Inglewood, CA. Cher dropped out of high school in Fresno. What's the last year of education you completed?

A. I have a masters degree.

6) Sonny first became Mayor of Palm Springs, and then represented the district in Congress. The city erected a statue in Sonny's memory. Tell us about a statue or monument in your town.

A. In nearby Eagle Rock, there is a monument to Lock 10, the last lock of the James River & Kanawha Canal system. This mode of early transportation was an effort begun by President George Washington to connect the James River to the western rivers of the nation in order to transport goods. His dream ended there, a very long way from the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.
 
7) Cher is often described as outspoken. Ask her for her opinion on anything from politics to plastic surgery, and you will get a frank answer. Does "outspoken"  apply to you, as well?

A. I don't know. I suspect it might. Generally I try to think over what I am going to say before I say it, but if I'm upset or caught off guard, I might be outspoken.

8) In 1971, when this song was popular, Sears sold a portable manual typewriter. Described at the time as, "lightweight for travelers," it weighed 10 lbs. Today the average laptop weighs half that. Do you own a typewriter?

A. I do own a typewriter. It is a Brother electric typewriter and I bought it when we first married, so it is rather ancient. I haven't used it in years. I would love to have an IBM Selectric II, although I probably wouldn't use it so it would take up space. Those were the bomb in their time, though.
 
9) Random question -- Which has gotten you out of more scrapes: your smarts, or your charm?

A. I would like to say my smarts, but as a news reporter I frequently found acting helpless and stupid around men seemed to get me further than letting them know I was smarter than they ever thought about being. Some of the people I interviewed over the years were dumber than a bag of hammers, except for whatever it was I was interviewing them about. I guess I used charm. But maybe that makes me smart, knowing not to make the men upset so they'd answer my questions. I didn't do that with women, generally, although I'm sure there were times when I played stupid to get the quote I needed for a story. That's really an awful thing to admit to, isn't it? I didn't lie, I simply didn't let on that I already knew the answer to the question I was asking because I needed an answer in their words to use as a quote for the article.

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

The Shot

Yesterday, I received my second dose of the Moderna shot.

I went in knowing I was having sinus problems. My doctor in an email had said to get the shot so long as I wasn't running a fever, so I did.

So now I'm trying to recover from a shot that has my arm on fire and a sinus infection. I had a teledoc appointment with my PCP this morning. She gave me an antibiotic, something new that I've never had.

It's supposed to be easier on my stomach. My stomach is still not right from whatever upset it last winter.

The second shot going in did not hurt. The first shot hurt terribly. The second one I didn't feel at all, until after a few hours. Then my arm started aching, and now it aches and burns.

I am having chills, too. But I don't know if that's from the shot or the sinus infection.

It's a lot for a body to try to compensate for, I suspect.

In two weeks, though, I will be fully vaccinated and hopefully if I do catch Covid-19, it won't kill me.

A big thank you to my husband, who has gone after my antibiotic and is trying to take care of me while I am feeling bad.

Thursday Thirteen

Today I get the second dose of the Moderna vaccine. Here are 13 reasons why I am receiving the vaccine for Covid-19.

1. I have a tendency to catch everything that comes around. It's a miracle that I haven't had this virus yet. I personally have been grateful for the lockdown because it has made me very aware of how much exposure to people contributes to my constant illnesses.

2. My doctor said I would die if I catch Covid. She pulls no punches and said to get the first shot I could. So I did.

3. It's the socially responsible thing to do. If we do not have enough people obtaining the vaccine, this virus will continue to obliterate portions of hte population. I think 560,000+ US citizens dead from a virus that should have been contained six months ago, had we had adequate leadership, is more than enough death.

4. When I do go out of my house, I want to feel less anxious. Lots of Covidiots running around here do not wear masks and have no clue what personal space is, much less six feet of distance.

5. I believe the vaccines are as safe as they are going to be. They are based on 20 years of research, not specifically for this virus, but for SARS and similar viruses. Scientists and pharmacies didn't just make this up out of thin air.

6. The vaccine was tested prior to emergency authorization. It's an unfortunate trade-off that perhaps one person has died from the vaccine. But that's one person compared to over a half-million.

7. Others have been sickened by the vaccine, but they generally are better within a few days. Covid-19 has been shown to have staying power and people are still dealing with it months later. If a vaccine can keep me from having that kind of reaction to a virus, I will take the vaccine.

8. Getting vaccinated protects not only me but also the people I love who may die if I were to pass the virus on to them.

9. The risks of Covid-19 far outweighs the risks from the vaccine. That's in the numbers.

10. The more people receive the vaccine, the sooner we can stop with the body counts and resume our lives. Or some semblance of them, anyway.

11. The vaccine does not give you Covid, though you may have an immune response to it that makes you feel lousy for a few days.

12. I don't have polio because I received a vaccine for it. Same for tetanus and other diseases.

13. My husband needs me to be around a while, and I need him to be around a while. He received the J&J shot and had no issues. Hopefully, I will have no issues with the Moderna second shot.

Fingers crossed.

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 703rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

All of These Lines

Sometimes I look back over my life and wonder what I have done with it. What have I accomplished?

It's easy to count the thing I didn't accomplish. I didn't have children, which is the big one in the eyes of many folks (including myself). That makes me a DNA failure because I couldn't conceive.

Otherwise, though, I've had a good marriage.

We're not eating cat food for lunch. (I worry about this, that in my old age I will be reduced to eating cat food. I have no idea why it bothers me.)

We have a house that we built with our own four hands, my husband and me. I'm not sure many folks these days can say they did that, raised their own house up and nailed and painted and everything else it takes to build a house.

I have three college degrees. That was a lot of work and something that has helped me in many areas of life, from the way I approach people to the way I think about politics and life.

I worked in the legal profession for over 10 years. 

The thing that stands out, though, are the lines. The lines of written words that I have published or shoved in a drawer.

Hundreds of thousands of them. Just not in a novel form. Put them all together, though, and there are thousands of pages.

I began publishing articles in local publications in 2004. I have estimated that over the years I have published about 7,500 articles for various newspapers and magazines. At 500 words each, which is a low estimate, that's 3.75 million words. 

That is a lot of words. A book is about 300,000 words. So had I been writing books, I'd have written about 12 books, give or take.

This blog has 4,635 published posts. Many of those are photos more so than paragraphs or stories, but that's still a lot of posts. I've been posting in this particular blog since August 2006. That will be 15 years this summer.

All in all, not a bad showing, if one looks at all of these lines I've written over the years. 

I don't think I'm finished, though. 

Still other lines to come.

A Coyote Says My Husband (I am not so sure)

This coyote (or red fox) was not far from the house yesterday morning. I took the pictures through the window and was not using a tripod, so I am surprised any of them came out at all, especially since we have a screen on the window and I shake a bit now when I hold the camera.

Not the best photos in the world, but I thought my readers might like to see a wild coyote (if that is what it is). This one was smaller than some I've seen around here. This one was about as big as a small collie, perhaps. It was really too close to the house for comfort. And before anyone asks, no, I did not shoot it except with the camera.

My husband says it is a young coyote, anyway. I tend to think it might be a fox.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. The best story your parents or grandparents tell about the good ole days.

A. This is a story my grandfather wrote. He sent me many stories through letters when I was in my 20s. These are his words.    

As I have stated previously, this was the summer of 1935.  Me and my sweet little Toots made a lot of love that summer.  We lived in two little rooms in the back of Grandmaw's house, and didn't have too much privacy.  So we would wander around through the woods and hills, pick flowers, mountain teaberrys, done whatever suited our fancy, and made love behind every rock, stump and bush on Deer Creek from Ermon's cabin to the Trimble School House. 

Of course, Toots got in the family way, which generally happens after such carryin' on, like Maw would say.  Once the word was out she was pregnant, everybody in the neighborhood started to count to see when she got that way -- before June 22, 1935, or after June 22, 1935.  That was the most arithmetic some of them old people had done in 40 years.  

Old Uncle Lee Trimble, who rode his horse by our house every Saturday morning going to the store and post office, would stop and ask me, "Son, has lil' Tootsie broke down yet?"  

He done that for eight months solid, and I'd say, "No sir, Uncle Lee, she ain't had it yet." 

And he would say, "Well, shi-eet.  I won't have anything to tell Maggie (that was his wife)" and ride on.  

I remember one time that summer, me and Sweetie Pie had been up on Deer Creek just kinda assin' around.  It was a nice warm day.  We found a place down below the Trimble School House where a lot of flowers and such was growing.  The woods was pretty dry.  We hadn't had any rain for about two weeks.  We laid down behind a log in the sun and after about a half hour of extra good love making, we dozed off.  We probably slept an hour.  

All at once I smelled smoke, and I raised up from behind that log to see what the hell was going on.  And low and behold, the whole damn woods was on fire and burning to beat hell.  I jerked on my britches and shoes and got Toots awake.  We had one little narrow place to get through and we made a run for the creek.  To this day I have never figured how them damn woods caught afire unless it was from that hot love making me and Toots had done.

 

2. The best things in life are . . .

A. found within the heart.

3. What are some things that drive you batty?

A. Hearing the former guy's voice, being interrupted when I'm playing my guitar, not being able to find something.

4. Name a place you'd like to live and why.

A. If I were to move, I'd stay in Virginia and maybe head to Charlottesville, which is a college town, and be in a less rural area now that I'm getting older. The only way I'd move would be if my husband were no longer with me, so I would need to be closer to people, I think. College towns appeal to me because they have lots of talks and learning opportunities.

5. What is the best thing you've ever found?

A. My husband.

6. What is the best thing that has happened recently?

A. The chiropractor helped my TMJ.

7. I admire people who . . .

A. follow their passions.

8. What makes you special?

A. I'm not special. I am empathetic, loyal, generous, intelligent, and creative, but I'm not special.

9. I am looking forward to . . .

A. getting my second Covid shot. I'm afraid it will make me ill, but so many people say the relief you feel, and the lessening of anxiety when you're in public is great, that I am ready for it, come what may.

 

10. What are things that scare you?

A. Being old and having no money to take care of my needs. Snakes. Spiders. Bad dreams.

11. What are some of the things you complain about?

A. Pollen.

12. I could never live without . . .

A. My husband.

13. Name things that make you laugh.

A. Monty Python & the Holy Grail, Alexa farting, my husband.

 

14. What is a new skill that you would like to learn?

A. I'd like to learn how to do more things with the Internet and computer.

15. What brightened your day today?

A. My husband went out for a while, and I had time to myself so I could answer these questions.

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

Saturday 9: Don't Rain on My Parade

Saturday 9: Don't Rain on My Parade (1968)

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

1) Is rain expected where you are today?

A. Saturday's forecast is for lots of clouds and a high of 62 degrees and a low of 44 degrees. I'm not sure about rain but clouds bring rain.

2) In this song, Barbra Streisand warns everyone to not spoil her optimistic mood. What is something you're feeling really good about today?

A. I put new strings on an old guitar. One of my first guitars, actually. A beat up old Yamaha FG-150 that my grandfather gave to me.

3) She sings that life is candy and the sun is a ball of butter. Which have you consumed more recently, candy or butter?

A. Butter, I suppose. I haven't had candy in a while.

4) This song is from the musical Funny Girl. It's based on the true story of Fanny Brice, who starred on Broadway, in movies and on the radio between 1910 and 1951. At the beginning of her career, no one thought she would succeed because of her unconventional looks, but she forged ahead, saying, "I make things happen for me." Are you focused, like Fanny?

A. Not anymore. I was long ago but then I broke.

5) When the stage version of Funny Girl was in pre-production, the part of Fanny was offered to actress Anne Bancroft, but she felt the songs were too difficult for her. Singer Eydie Gorme dropped out when told her husband, Steve Lawrence, could not play the male lead. Carol Burnett said she'd love to do it, but also admitted she thought she was wrong for the role. Running out of time and options, producer Ray Stark decided to give lesser-known Barbra Streisand a try . . . and the rest, as they say, is history. Has there ever been a time in your life when you were glad things didn't work out as you'd originally planned?

A. Nothing comes to mind.

6) Funny Girl was the top grossing movie of 1968. #2 was 2001: A Space Odyssey. Given the choice, would you rather watch a musical or a sci-fi flick?

A. I would watch either, given the time and right company. If I am on my own and my choice was between those two movies, I'd probably go with #2.

7) Streisand's favorite color is burgundy because it reminds her of when, as a little girl, she received a hand-knitted sweater as a gift and wearing it made her feel special. What color is your favorite sweater?

A. Blue.

8) In 1960, she began performing in New York clubs but she had a hard time getting work because she was only 18 and most nightclubs wouldn't hire a girl not yet old enough to drink. Do you remember your first legal alcoholic beverage? What did you have?

A. I do not remember my first legal alcoholic beverage. I was drinking MD-2020 before I was of legal age. I think by the time I was of legal age, I'd decided to stop drinking anything alcoholic.

9) Random question: How many people know the real you?

A. My husband, maybe. But like most people, I am somebody different with each person I meet. We all have many facets to our personality and generally only show what we think will keep us in good standing with the other. Unless you're just a real prick and don't care. Then everyone knows you're a prick and that's probably the real you.

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

Let Me Know You're Here

Before my mother passed away in 2000 (gosh, so long ago), we had a discussion about the after life. I don't believe in heaven and spending time bowing to Jesus - doesn't sound like much fun, really - and I am ok with turning into ant food.

I do think, though, there is a spiritual part of living creatures that goes into the universe. Sometimes it stays whole, sometimes it moves on to another star. We're all breathing the air of our ancestors.

My family didn't raise me with religion. We didn't attend church. I went to church for a while after I turned 18, and was baptized, but as the evangelicals rose, my interest waned. I wanted no part of what they were preaching. They preach a small god. My goddess is vast and encompasses everything, and is all about love and goodness. She has no time for the pettiness of a small god, and the preachers I heard preached a very petty, mean and vindictive god.

Anyway, during this long-ago conversation, my mother asked me how how she could let me know there was an after life if there was one. I told her to send me something orange. Orange is not a color I am fond of, and it is not a color I have much, if anything at all, of. I remember sitting on the edge of her hospital bed, watching her say to herself over and over, "orange" before she fell asleep. 

My mother passed away that August. The following spring, about this time of year, my dog Ginger died. She was 17 years old. I was overwrought and terribly distraught at the loss of my dog, especially so close to the time I lost my mother. Ginger was an outside pet, but I had spent a lot of time going to the back door and talking to her. It took me a long time to stop watching for her to run up to the car when I came home.

Shortly after Ginger died, an orange cat showed up on the front porch. It was sick with distemper and had to be put down.

That was followed by a sandy colored (almost orange) dog. This was an older animal that seemed well-cared for, groomed, and smelling nice of powder. We put up flyers, called neighbors, and placed an ad in the paper (pre-Facebook, remember), but no one claimed the dog. This animal was obviously an inside pet, and we couldn't keep him because of my allergies, so we gave him to someone who wanted him. It bothered me that we couldn't find that dog's real owner.

Then it was June and my birthday came around. I was 38 years old. My friends took me to lunch, or came to my house and had lunch.

One friend brought me a rose bush for my rose garden. I planted it, and not long after, the bud that was already on it bloomed out.

It was a brilliant orange. It bloomed orange every year around my birthday up until about five years ago, when the bush died. By then, I think I had resolved most of my issues with my mother in my mind.

After the rose, I received no more orange. I received a black cat. The black cat appeared on my mother's birthday, when she would have been 57. It was a feral cat, and I would see it in the front yard often. There was no reason for the cat to hang around the house, as I did not feed it. It would have been better off at the barn, but it seemed to like the front yard.

I decided it was my mother. I thought this because my mother had been sure that my grandfather had come to my grandmother as a black cat after he died. The day of his funeral, when my grandmother went home, there was a black cat hanging around the porch. It stayed for a year, and disappeared on the day my grandfather died, never to be seen again.

Apparently this had happened with other deaths in the family and was a well-known conceit about the dearly departed in our lineage. Black cats come along after the dead are gone.

So I felt sure the black cat was my mother's final way of showing up. Sure enough, the cat hung around until August the following year, and then it stopped visiting. The next time I saw it was when my brother had his daughter a few years later. I caught a glimpse then of the black cat slipping through the yard at twilight, and I woke the next morning and went to see my new niece at the hospital even though at that time my brother and I were not in a good spot in our relationship and I wasn't sure I would be welcome. My sister-in-law expressed surprise at seeing me, but how could I not go?

After that, when I saw a black cat in the front yard, I expected something was up in the family. Usually it was. But I haven't seen the black cat since the rose bush died.

Thursday Thirteen

1. The morning is an open arm waiting to embrace the day.

2. The leaves on the trees are coming out full speed; the grass is green, and the world is renewing.

3. Watching Spring reminds me why ancestors celebrated the end of winter and the coming of the new season. How can one not celebrate when the redbuds burst forth, and the dogwoods bloom?

4. My bird feeder is empty, as we stopped feeding the birds when the weather warmed, but still I see cardinals and red-bellied woodpeckers there, searching for a remaining seed. They need to eat nature's food now, though. I don't want fat birds!

5. Mick Jagger released a new video about being stuck in the pandemic. It's called Easy Sleazy. It's not a Rolling Stones song.

6. Speaking of pandemic, I am a week away from my second shot. Everyone tells me that once you're fully vaccinated, the anxiety lessens when you're out and about. I hope that turns out to be true in my case.

7. I had little reaction to the first shot, and am hoping for the same with the second. Fingers crossed!

8. Crossing your fingers for luck is a superstition, apparently one that comes from pre-Christianity. It isn't a common gesture in areas where there are Muslim, Buddhist, or other religions.

9. Do you believe in UFOs? That can be a religion, believing in things like that. Government can be a religion, too. Me, I soak it all in like a sponge. Some stays, some goes, most I forget.

10. Honoring the Earth Spirit seems to me to be the best part of any religion. Too bad we don't do that often enough anymore. Imagine if we simply thought of our planet as our home, and tried to keep her as neat and clean as we could. I'd sure like to see the end of industrial pollution.

11. My desk is polluted with papers. I need a clean-up day. I don't know where this stuff comes from, but it sure collects even though I'm not actively writing anything much at the moment.

12. Reading has become my go-to of late. Lots of books that aren't literature. Life is too hard for literature right now. These times call for Janet Evanovich.

13. I have a sign on my wall from a card. It says, "No one can stop you but yourself" - Liam Linisong. A friend sent me the card last fall. I don't think that's totally true - there are many things that stand in the way of people's lives - money, racism, misogyny, etc. Things do get in the way. Finding another course is not always easy. Some days the doors are all shut. Occasionally, one opens a crack. Looking for cracks right now.

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 702nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

I Need a Sign

I was able to feel comfortable for about a month and a half. That's how long it took the media to gear back up and decide to begin anew its rounds of horrific news.

Or maybe that's how long it took the news to become horrific again. Because we sent the children back to school, and the shootings started.

We've opened up the restaurants, and the Covid numbers rise.

The prejudice, bigotry, and hatred received a shot in the arm when the media reported on the former guy's vitriol at some Republican conference over the weekend. White supremacy still exists. Videos of Karens and Kooky Kens still pop up in my social media feeds. Don't these people ever tire of being mad, angry, and hateful?

I like nice. I like calm. I like quiet. A little peace goes a long way.

As a former news reporter, I find it difficult to ignore the news, to be uninformed, to not know what is going on around me.

Some days, though, I think being an ostrich would be a good thing. I know people who don't read the newspaper, who don't watch the TV news, who have no clue what is going on (although many of these people do seem to watch mostly FAUX news, so there's that. They're generally the angry ones.). 

I try to check out all sides of issues. I watch snippets of Tucker Carlson on FAUX, even. He's just a mouth with an opinion, but many people seem to take his opinion as fact, so I listen to see what his problem is. He's like a thorn on a dying rose. He's pretty to look at, but nothing but prickles underneath.

I don't watch the news channels, except for the local news and occasionally CBS evening news. I read the local papers, the New York Times, the Guardian, The Atlantic, and other sources for news and opinions. I'd rather read than listen to the irritating grunts of talking heads.

Racism is a big question for me. Am I racist? I'm sure I am. I suspect everyone is to some degree. But to what degree? I'm not sure. I don't go around making a big deal out of different races, or call people names. Frequently I don't notice color. In my video games, nobody knows who is what race, sometimes not even what gender, because we all go by made-up names. We also don't talk politics at all, and so that's a good getaway for me. Do I imagine that I'm playing with people of all races? I hope so. But I don't know. We talk about the game and sometimes the weather.

The Blacks are again marching in Minnesota because once again a police officer shot a Black man. In Virginia, my lovely state, two police officers pulled over a military lieutenant who was black, handcuffed him and pepper sprayed him, and one of the officers has lost his job over this man's treatment. I don't know why this keeps happening.

Many people believe, myself among them, that if the rioters on January 6 at the U.S. Capitol had been mostly Black instead of white, they'd have been mowed down with guns the moment they stepped over some unspecified line.

This world has always been full of turmoil and hatred. Humanity is full of strife. It does not stop from generation to generation. It may change form, but it doesn't go away. 

I'd like to think we're evolving into a better form of human, but the evidence indicates we're walking backwards, not forward.

De-evolving, as it were.

I'd like a sign that shows me I'm wrong in feeling so despairing about the state of this country and the world.

Friends

Ever since I learned that an old high school friend passed away, I've been thinking about friendship.

I do not think I am a good friend. I try hard to be a good friend, but I've had so many people pass through my life, I think it is safe to say that unless I am supposed to be learning an awful lot from a vast amount of people, many of whom I can barely remember, then I likely am not a good friend.

Many articles claim to know what makes a good friend. It depends on the person, the times, the types of people involved, though. I don't think one can make blanket claims as to whether this person is a good friend or a bad friend, although I just made such a claim about myself, I suppose. Everyone is different and so each relationship is different, and must be counted on its own merits. It does no good to try to compare people, one to another.

However, I have friends. Close friends. Acquaintances. Dear friends. Long-distance friends. Long-term friends. Friends with whom I once was quite close but now they're in another category. People come and go, sometimes quickly, sometimes not.

My friend from high school was not a long-term friendship in that we remained friends as adults. Friendly toward one another, yes, the few times we happened to meet, but not friends. She did not call me and I didn't call her. Many people I know from both high school and college fall into this category. We were friends, we would speak and be friendly if we saw one another in the supermarket, but we don't call, text, or much else. Maybe we make an occasional comment on a Facebook post, if that.

However, some of those relationships can turn. I was quite friendly with one of my high school teachers, and we have stayed in touch all of these years. For a long time we exchanged Christmas cards and that was the extent of it, but after she retired, we began to eat lunch together occasionally. We email and text. Sometimes we talk on the phone. It's a nice, easy relationship with no expectations, but I am always glad to hear from this person. She's also someone I turn to occasionally for advice.

I have over 500 Facebook friends. These people are not all my "friends." They are people I know. Some are people I barely know. Maybe I met them in passing, or I wrote an article on their great-aunt. Sometimes I'm not sure how I know someone, I simply recognize a name or face.

My husband and I are friends as well as spouses. I think friendship in a marriage is essential if the relationship is going to survive the inevitable up and downs of life. If you're not friends with the person you are in love with, what exactly do you have?

One of my longest friendship dates back to 1983. Leslie and I worked together, and co-workers in general are a class of friends in and of themselves. Generally, once you leave a workplace, those friendships end. Oh, there may be a phone call or two after you've left the building, but those relationships dissolve quickly. Fortunately, Leslie and I had a lot in common outside of work, and we've remained friends all of these years. There were times when we were not close, particularly when I was working in downtown Roanoke and attending college in the early 1990s, but we have always had a good friendship.

Other friendships continue but have changed. Walls went up, maybe on both of our parts, and there you go. Those walls are hard to bring down once they are in place.

I have another friend who is like a sister. We have known each other for about 10 years. I knew the moment we met that we would be friends. She's a helper friend, in that she likes to help out and is good in emergencies.

My brother is also my friend. It is a complicated relationship because we are siblings, but I consider him a friend as well as my brother. I can't say that about many other family members, that they are also my friends. Some are just the roles they have been assigned - aunt, cousin - whatever.

I have friends online, too. I have people I am in touch with that I met online back in the 1990s and still have some connection to, mostly through Facebook. These people are not "real life" friends, I suppose, but they are in my life. Peripheral friends, for the most part. I did have a daily communication with a person that I cared about deeply, but it seems to have ended. I guess in the end it was only a lot of words, and "I'm sorry" is not in her vocabulary. 

Many people are incapable of apologizing, I've learned. This is generally true of men, but some women refuse to acknowledge any fault or otherwise confirm that they have contributed to an issue in a relationship. I assume always that I have a 50% share in whatever happens, but I don't take 100% credit for it anymore. At one time, I think I did that, I took on all the blame if a relationship failed, but it takes two to make or break a friendship. Response to incidents is everything.

My old friend from high school, the one who passed away, left me a note in my senior annual that said our relationship was "on thin ice" at the time she wrote. I do not remember issues between us. I only recall good times and adventures we shared, some of which were probably not the best idea at the time, but we were young and it was part of growing up in the 1970s. She also signed the entry in my annual as "Toots" and I never knew why, because not once did I call her that. Then I graduated high school and she was a year younger than I, and so we naturally grew apart.

I prefer it when relationships end on a good note. A general growing apart is acceptable because people change; the things we need from one another may change. No one person can be everything to someone, and people needs friends of all kinds in order to live a nice rounded life.

Part of what we've all been missing during this pandemic is the nice rounded life we had before, where we said "Hi" to the checkout clerk who wasn't a friend but who was friendly, or to the ladies in the book club that you haven't seen in over a year, with whom you are friendly but not exactly close friends, or anyone else for that matter because I've been stuck in my house basically since November 22, 2019, when my husband had his ankle surgery and then we went straight from that to a pandemic.

These are melancholy thoughts, I think. The pandemic has made me a little crazy, along with everyone else. 

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. You have just been hired to clean your own home, what is your first complaint?

A. I'm not getting paid enough! I don't do windows! I don't clean books, either. Nobody reads that much; these should all be tossed out.

2. Are you able to ignore a ringing telephone?

A. Yes. I do it all the time.

3. How often do you allow a ringing phone to go to voice mail?

A. Frequently. If I know the number, I pick up. Otherwise, it often goes to voicemail.

4. Do you answer your cell phone, out in public, every time it rings? Or do you silence it and get back to it when you’re in a more private area?

A. I generally do not answer it in public, unless I am alone and expecting a call from my husband. I seldom answer my phone if I am out with a friend. My friend deserves my attention. My cellphone does not.

5. How often would you say you’re on your home phone? Your cell phone?

A. I average about 31 minutes a week on my cellphone, according to the thing the iPhone offers on Sundays. I probably spend an hour a day on average on the house phone.

6. Do you like talking on the phone or do you view it as a necessary communication tool?

A. I don't mind it. I'd rather talk than text or video chat.

7. When did you last go for a bike ride?

A. A very long time ago.

8. Do you own a bike?

A. Not any more.

9. Given the most popular New Year’s resolution of losing weight, would you consider putting bicycle riding as one of your exercise options? Why or why not?

A. Stationary bikes are difficult. They make your butt hurt, which is why I think they do not get used much. Regular bike riding on these rural roads requires courage I lack.

10. If you had to name a smell that always makes you nostalgic, what would it be? What sorts of memories does the smell evoke?

A. The smell of someone getting a permanent in their hair always makes me think of my grandmother, who would haul us kids once a week up to her sister's house, where she'd give her a homemade perm.

11. What did you do over the weekend? No detail is too small. This is your journal, so tell us about the mundane tasks in your life.

A. I changed the bed linens. I watched one of my favorite poets read poetry in a Zoom meeting. I played video games. I fixed a salad for lunch for my husband and me. I wrote in my blog. I read blogs. I showered. I did laundry. I listened to disco music and classical music. I read the newspaper. This is just on Saturday, mind you.

12. If it weren’t for my blog, I’d _________.

A. Probably not write as much.

13. When was the last time you replied “because I said so”? Do you find yourself saying that a lot? Or do you prefer to tell people WHY you want them to do something for you.

A. I don't know that I have ever replied with "because I said so" to anybody. Maybe my husband but no specific incident comes to mind.

14. What is the worst gift you’ve ever received?

A. I've never received an awful gift. My husband gave me a vacuum for Christmas one year and that didn't go over well.

15. Tell us the worst gift you’ve ever given. What was the reaction of the recipient?

A. I don't know what that might have been. I'm sure over the years I gave older people useless things that to me did not seem so useless but to them surely was. I imagine it went into a drawer. Now that I am one of the older folks, I can see how  useless the things we give to other people may be sometimes. The best presents are food, clothing (if you know the sizes), books or music, and stamps. You can rarely go wrong with any of those.

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

Saturday 9: The Bones

Saturday 9: The Bones (2019)

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

1) The lyrics compare a relationship to a house, saying that despite superficial problems like peeling paint or broken glass, the foundation can still be solid and strong. What home improvement project is next on your list?

A. We are in a mild decluttering phase, but it is moving slowly. Nothing big on the horizon.

2) Maren Morris sings that she knows she and her lover can face any storm. Are you afraid of thunder and lightening?

A. I love storms. I have yet to capture lightning on my camera. It's a goal.

3) The video for this song shows Maren and her husband, singer/songwriter Ryan Hurd, on the beach in Maui. Would you rather go for a long walk along a beach or a hike in the woods?

A. The beach is easier walking for an old fart like me now. I used to love to hike in the the woods, though.

 

4) "The Bones" won Morris and her collaborators (Jimmy Robbins and Laura Veltz) the 2020 CMA "Song of the Year" Award. Here's your chance to pat yourself on the back. What's something you have done well lately? (Go ahead. We want to hear about it!)

A. My accomplishments during the pandemic year include: I no longer bite my nails (but I keep them cut very short). I lost 20 pounds (because I was sick). I have read 22 books so far in 2021. I have a poem coming out in Artemis. I've written articles for the local online paper.

5) The song was also nominated for a Grammy for Best Country Song. For the awards show last month, Maren put a lot of work into her look, including lightening her hair and lipstick and reshaping her brows. She was surprised when saw on social media that people confused her with reality star Khloe Kardashian. How long does it take you to prepare to face the world (on an average day, not for an internationally telecast awards show)?

A. Since the pandemic, I have stopped wearing makeup (no point in it because of masks), so it takes me about a half-hour to shower and dress. It used to be 45 minutes. Also, this song does not sound like a country song to me. It sounds like a pop song, so I was surprised to see it received a country nomination.

 

6) Experimenting with hair and makeup comes naturally to Maren. Her parents have owned the same hair salon for decades. She and her sister played there as children and took turns working the reception desk when they were in high school. Do you have a hair appointment scheduled?

A. I do not. I lost my hair dresser two years ago and bounced around from place to place, seeking someone. I found someone in September (yes, in the pandemic), and she cut my hair three times. I asked her in late November to cut it very short so I could stay away from places during the holidays, because I knew the coronavirus would be bad. Then when it was time to call to make an appointment, in early March, I found my hairdresser had just adopted a newborn baby! So I went back to a Supercuts and it looked like a dog chewed my hair off when the guy was done. After it grows out I will call my chosen hairdresser and see if she's back to work. If she's not, I'll keep bouncing around looking for someone else. But I don't think I'll go back to that particular Supercuts.

 

7) Mom and Dad do not go out of their way to play Maren's songs in their salon. They don't want to "bombard" clients with her music, just because she's their daughter. But, if one of Maren's songs happens to come on, they are naturally very proud. Where were you the last time you had to listen to someone else's choice of music? (Bank, doctor's office, friend's car, etc.) Did you enjoy it, or did you wish you could change the station?

A. I haven't been anywhere to notice music. When I used to actually go into stores to shop, I never minded what they were playing.

 

8) Maren says her favorite foods are tacos and tortillas. When did you most recently eat Mexican food?

A. I don't eat Mexican food. Too spicy.

9) Random question: What do you call that thing in your living room? Is it a sofa, couch, or a davenport?

A. We call it a couch or a sofa. I have never called it a davenport. Davenports are fancy pieces that no one ever sits on in our neck of the woods.

______________

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

Thursday Thirteen

I am out of ideas today, so I'm going to grab the paper and discuss headlines.

1. Biden to unveil actions on guns. Well, that one will make the strange people rush to the gun store for more ammo and rifles, I suspect. If one reads the story, this has to do with "ghost" guns, or homemade weaponry. It requires buyers of homemade guns to undergo a background check. Apparently there's a black market for homemade weapons. I don't see this as effective legislation, to be honest.

2. Pot laws to change. Virginia is going to legalize simple possession of marijuana on July 1. No retail sales, though, until 2024. Households can grow four plants. I don't even know where one purchases the seeds for that. People cannot sell an ounce of MJ, but they can make a gift of it. Seems like a weird law. I have no opinion on whether or not pot should be legal.

3. Va. reports 1,550 new cases. We're talking coronavirus here, of course. The paper's been running little updates everyday on new cases. My county has had 2,438 cases out of about 32,000. That's 7.619% of the county's population that has had the virus. I think we've had about 60 deaths (not noted in today's story). The virus is real and scary, and I'm not sure why people believe we are incapable of having a pandemic without it being some kind of government plot or cover-up. Nature is going to do what nature wants.

4. Game of Thrones celebrates Iron Anniversary. The show launched 10 years ago on HBO. I watched it and enjoyed it, although I thought the last season drifted a bit from the original premise. Of course it would, as George R.R. Martin has not yet written his ending to the series and HBO had to wrap it up. Every episode is currently available on HBO Max and there are going to be GOT marathons on Saturdays.

5. Fed signals no soon moves. This means the Federal Reserve is not going to raise interest rates or make any changes. Personally, I think the lower interest rates are detrimental. When I first had a mortgage, the interest rate was 13% and everyone swore they would never be lower. Let that be a lesson to everyone to show that economists and forecasters have no clue what they are talking about, really. I remember when saving accounts paid 5% interest to people with the foresight to chuck something away, and Christmas Clubs were a thing, and they paid interest, too. The Fed is also purchasing Treasurys and mortgage-backed securities. They shouldn't be doing this, either.

6. Prisoners fall behind in race for vaccinations. This story cites Florida (imagine that) as not vaccinating its prison population. Nationwide, fewer than 20% of state and federal prisoners have been vaccinated. They're a trapped population, and once someone brings the virus in there, it will spread just as it does in nursing homes. This needs to be fixed so that this population receives the vaccine.

7. Over 500,000 gain coverage under Biden. A special sign-up window for health insurance has helped more than 1/2 million people get coverage. Millions of people became eligible on April 1 due to pumped-up subsidies toward their premiums under the coronavirus relief legislation. The sign-up period closes August 15.

8. Natural Bridge park gains designation. The Natural Bridge, which is a large rock formation that is actually used as part of a highway in a neighboring county, has been designated a Dark Sky Park. That means this is a good place to go see the stars and the Milky Way.

9. Botetourt County hire assistant administrator. This is my county. I have no idea why we are hiring yet another assistant administrator. Apparently he is needed to help run the government during the pandemic, although we did just fine without him last year. I think it is to help use up the coronavirus funding.

10. Job search rules to be reinstated. Drawing unemployment once again will mean one must be actively searching for work. That rule was suspended during the pandemic, but now folks must show that they are applying for jobs each week. This rule has been around a long time - back in the 1980s I drew unemployment for a short time and I had to show that I had visited two potential employers every week. Finding a job today is not an easy task. In the old days (yes, I am ancient), I opened the newspaper, circled a bunch of help wanted ads, sent in resumes to blind boxes or made calls to the companies wanting people, went on interviews, found a job. Now there are no ads for jobs in the newspaper. Everything is online but unless it's a company with a physical presence in my area, I have no idea how a person determines if a job offering is legitimate or a scam. I like the old way better. Put that stuff back in the newspaper.

11.  Land added to Jefferson National Forest. I live near the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. Nearly half of my county is forest land. Most of nearby Craig County is forest land. This adds 237 acres near McAfee Knob, which is a popular location on the Appalachian Trail, and will help preserve scenic beauty. The property was private, but a conservation group purchased it and gave it to the government. Since under the former guy (and G.W. Bush, too) there was a push to sell government lands, I'm not sure that was the best move, but time will tell.

12. Old-fashioned sitcom still going strong. Apparently we still like to laugh. This is a story about new sitcoms that start soon.

13. And I'm out of headlines in the local paper. It's a much trimmer paper than it used to be and costs a lot more, too. I think they are trying to put themselves out of business with their high prices. The news media is not evil nor is it the enemy of the people, but I think it needs to take a long hard look at itself and go back to the division between news and entertainment. People used to know the difference; now opinion is tossed out as fact, especially on TV. Even in the print media, opinions are not fact checked. Long ago I remember editor's notes at the bottom of ridiculous accusations in letters. That doesn't happen anymore. Perhaps it should.

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 702nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.