Thursday Thirteen

1. Some weeks Thursday creeps up on me and here I am, with nothing to write. Then I have to do what I'm doing today - just fly off the cuff and hope something comes to me.

2. A book I listened to recently split a character in two and gave her two parallel lives. This was a nod to the theory of the multiverse. Listening to a book that utilizes this was a bit difficult, but not impossible. (The book was Maybe In Another Life, by Taylor Jenkins Reid, if you're interested.)

3. As I understand multiverse theory, and this may be incorrect, I am not looking it up, what happens is that with every decision you make, because there's a choice, the "you" in another multiverse makes a different choice. That splits into a new universe where that person continues on. 

4. While this seems like it may be possible, if you follow it through, that means every micro-nano-second of your life, you're splitting into pieces and creating new universes, because don't we make decisions practically every second?

5. Much of what we do is habit - but it's a still choice as to whether you wash your hair the same way, or not. So, theoretically every little second there would be a split, ad infinitum, on and on, because each one of those splits would go on to make decisions and create new universes, too, while you're still creating new universes.

6. As Sheldon said in The Big Bang Theory, in one of those universes I am probably a clown. As in the kind that dresses up in a suit with a big nose, not the snarky somewhat sarcastic person I actually am sometimes.

7. I have often wondered where my life would have gone had I made different choices along the way. What if I had not decided to go to the high school football game where I met my husband? Most likely he would have met someone else and he would be married to another woman.

8. And me? Maybe I would have gone on to become a college professor, or a lawyer, or maybe none of those things. Maybe I would have met some other man and married him. Maybe I'd be a bag woman living under a bridge. I have no way of knowing.

9. Isn't this what fiction is, sort of? We fall into a different world when we read fiction, a whole other universe, so to speak, even if the fiction is not fantasy or science fiction. It's still a fictional world with fictional characters. 

10. Or is the writer subconsciously channeling a life being led by some alternative person created by some decision made when he or she was five years old? Are we aware on some level that we're creating different worlds - or are we losing parts of ourselves in this process? Shouldn't there be a gain and a loss to even things out?

11. Fortunately for me, I am no quantum theorist, I just know about this because I read a lot and I've seen it come up in various things. They talked about it some in The Big Bang Theory, too. I wonder how many people know more science from watching that show. I know I do. I just hope it's good science.

12.  Maybe ghosts are actually other universes that somehow bisect with our own, some place where there's a thin veil and the worlds cross over. 

13. And then there's the concept of time. I doubt it would be the same in each universe, so in some universes maybe it would be pre-industrial times, and in others maybe it would simply be hunter-gather land. Some would have to be in the future, wouldn't they? Or not. I don't know.

Weird things to think about. I should read a book about it sometime when I have time.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 856th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Red Alert

Since the beginning of the year, we've been notified of security breaches with our bank, our insurance agent, a doctor's office I hadn't been to since 2015, and now ATT.

Some of these companies offered free monitoring through one source or another. We signed up for them.

Last night, my husband received a notice that his Social Security number was on the dark web (whatever that is), and along with this information was a list of other information available with his number.

The problem was the other information wasn't his information. It was someone else entirely.

After a 50-minute wait on the phone, my husband got an agent with the monitoring company, who told him that the criminals on the dark web create names and addresses to go with the Social Security number, and then sell that information for who-knows-what nefarious purposes.

And there was nothing they could do, the agent said. We could only take some precautions that were already outlined in the email that alerted him to this potential problem.

This morning, I spent several hours first reviewing our credit reports and then implementing credit freezes and fraud alerts on our information. I keep up with this stuff fairly well anyway, but this was an engrossing detailed look at everything. It was a pain in the butt, but I am happy to report that I didn't find anything amiss.

But that doesn't mean something couldn't be amiss a little further down the road.

There is no escaping this kind of thing in this country, because we have politicians who do not believe in regulating companies so that they would have to say, actually implement good hacker protection on their accounts. It is beyond comprehension to me to know that my bank was hacked, for example. The bank should have better protection. Plus, they didn't even offer any monitoring. They just sent a letter that said too bad, so sad, your tough luck. 

My insurance company and ATT should have had better protection, too. However, I guess they saved money so that 73 million of us could now worry about whether or not our credit or our good name was being stolen.

Sometimes, your name is all you have. You shouldn't have to defend it, yet here we are.

In any event, we must all be diligent. Things are falling apart, and we must take care. Watch our backs, so to speak. Maybe watch your friends' backs, too.

Here are steps you can take to protect yourself:

1. Create a mySocial Security account with the Social Security Administration to claim your SSN and prevent others from doing so.

2. Review your earnings on your Social Security Statement to ensure accuracy.

3. Obtain free credit reports from annualcreditreport.com and check for unrecognized accounts or charges.

4. Monitor your bank and credit card accounts regularly for any unauthorized transactions.

5. Set up a fraud alert by contacting one of the major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion.

6. Consider a credit freeze with the three credit bureaus, which makes it harder for someone to open new accounts in your name.

7. Additionally, it’s important to update your passwords and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for an added layer of security. If you suspect any fraudulent activity, report it to the authorities immediately.

For more detailed guidance, you may want to consult with a professional who specializes in identity theft protection and recovery. However, I don't have any idea how to find one of those professionals and neither does anyone else, I suspect. If you know, let me in on the secret, please!

Sunday Stealing

1. What have you been the most ignorant about in your life?

A. How food works and interacts with the body. I still haven't figured out how a little tiny brownie turns into 3 pounds.

2. What in the world would you most like to see protected?

A. Women's rights as human beings.

3. How do you waste the biggest chunk of time each day or week?

A. Internet

4. Who is the scariest person you've ever known?

A. I've met a lot of politicians. Many of them are/were scary, especially at the state and federal levels.

5. What was the job you enjoyed the least?

A. Parts manager.

6. What thing about your family are you the most proud of?

A. My father built up a decent business.

7. What kind of power do you want most?

A. I would like to be strong-willed, not weak-willed.

8. What's the best piece of advice you ever received?

A. I don't know. Wear clean underwear all the time, I guess.  

9. What's the thing you know the most about?

A. I am a Jill of all trades. I know a little about lots of things, but not necessarily a lot about one thing.

10. When were you most moved by a ceremony?

A. I don't remember. 

11. What is the best gift you ever gave to someone?

A. A bird feeder that takes pictures.

12. What is the cruelest thing you've ever suffered?

A. Really? I'm not going there.

13. What's the single nastiest thing you've ever done to someone?

A. I don't do nasty, at least, not intentionally. I try to be a nice person.

14. What problem do you think is most common among friends your age?

A. We're all getting old and we creak.

__________

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.

15.    What is the strongest craving you get?

Saturday 9: She'd Rather Be with Me

Saturday 9: She'd Rather Be with Me (1967)

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

1) In this week's song we learn that this particular girl would rather be spending time with her lover. Instead of answering these 9 questions, what would you rather be doing?

A. I enjoy answering the questions, so there really isn't anything I'd rather be doing at the moment.

2) Lead singer Howard Kaylan was a very good student. First, he won a Bank of America Fine Arts Award, then he was the valedictorian of his graduating class, and was awarded a scholarship to UCLA. Tell us about something that distinguished your high school career.

A. I graduated 4th in my class of 252 students, I was in the National Honor Society, and I was chosen to speak at graduation.

3) Howard Kaylan formed this week's group, The Turtles, with Mark Volman. They met while performing in their high school choir and continued working together for 55 years. Are you still in touch with old friends from high school?

A. Sort of. I connected with many of them in 2011, when we had our 30th reunion. I see their posts flit across my Facebook feed from time to time. Sometimes what I see are obituaries. We are growing old. Also, my husband and I attended the same high school, though he graduated four years ahead of me. I see more of his friends than I do my own.

4) First Daughter Tricia Nixon was a big Turtles fan and brought them to the White House to perform for a private party. They almost didn't go. When the engraved invitation came, tied with ribbon, the boys thought it was an elaborate practical joke. Have you ever successfully pulled off a practical joke?

A. A very long time ago, my father had a band. They were playing music in a parking lot across from the high school. It was a hot day and there was little to do except listen to them play and I'd heard them often. I wandered around and found some tarry asphalt and rolled it into rolls so that it looked like black licorice. I innocently went up to one of the band members and asked him if he'd like some licorice. He accepted. I stopped him before he put it in his mouth. His girlfriend lit into me like I'd committed murder. I just laughed at her. She was really mad, though. I'd have never let him eat it.

5) The Turtles' bass player was Chip Douglas. He left the band in 1967 to produce The Monkees. It's Chip that Davy Jones refers to at the beginning of "Daydream Believer" ("What number is this Chip?" "7A!"). What's your favorite Monkees song?

A. Last Train to Clarksville is the first one that comes to mind.

6) The Turtles broke up in 1970. Pressure from their record label to do more and do it cheaper was just too much of a hassle. But Howard and Mark continued to work together, renaming themselves Flo and Eddie. They sang backup on records by Frank Zappa, Alice Cooper and Bruce Springsteen and on children's TV shows like The Care Bears. Backup work provided less money but more fun. Given the choice, would you rather do a job that paid well that you didn't enjoy, or a job you liked that earned you a smaller paycheck?

A. I would prefer to do work I like. That is basically what I did. It didn't pay well, but I don't regret it.

7) In 1967, when this song was popular, the RMS Queen Mary was retired after 31 years of service. Now docked in Long Beach, the ship has been refurbished with state-of-the-art wifi, satellite hookups, and projection screens and is a popular choice for conventions and annual business meetings. When were you most recently on a boat or ship?

A. We toured a warship when we were in Charleston, SC. The USS Yorktown is on display there for tourists and visitors.

8) Also in 1967, Elvis married Priscilla. You don't need last names to know who we're talking about, do you? Can you think of another couple with whom the world is on a first-name basis?

A. Lucy and Desi, Barrack and Michelle, George and Barbara, Sonny and Cher.

9) Random question: If your phone were to ring right now, who do you think would be calling?

A. My brother.

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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. 

For the Birds

The winds last night howled so that I thought the end of the house was going to rip off the foundation. I do not recall such winds in my youth. Now it seems that every time we get a front through, the winds are right behind.

***

I have been watching the eagles at Big Bear in California attempt to raise a clutch. The eggs were not viable and did not hatch. They should have hatched around the first of March. Now it is mid-April, and last night was the first night one of the eagle pair did not sit on the nest. One of the eggs broke yesterday morning, and that seemed to be the end of it. Jackie, as they call the female, had given up on the eggs about five days ago, but Shadow, as they call the male, was determined to continue attempting to raise chicks. He began sleeping on the nest at night. But last night he roosted in a nearby tree with Jackie. When I check the live feed now, I see two small eggs, half buried in nesting material, and a backdrop of a beautiful lake and mountains. It's a lovely view to look at, but the eagles made it interesting. They are quite personable, and each has its own way of doing things. They both like sticks, however, and generally returned to the nest each time with a stick to add to the pile. I don't know if they will continue to add sticks and work on the nest over the summer. From what the moderators of the live feed say, the female is only able to lay eggs from January through March. I will check in occasionally to see what's going on.

***

We have another bag of feed for the birds, one we bought some months ago. We usually stop feeding them about now, but last year we attempted to carry over a bag of feed and it molded. So once the wind stops blowing, we need to fill the feeder again so we can rid ourselves of this bag of food. Once it is gone, the birds will have to wait until late September or early October for more goodies. The bird feed is too expensive to waste.

***

And let's end this weird little post on a lovely note:

Thursday Thirteen #855

Here is a list of 13 sites of historic significance in Botetourt County, VA.

1. Anderson House - A historic home located in Haymakertown, known for its architectural significance. It was built about 1828, and is a two-story, central-passage-plan dwelling with an unusual asymmetrical four-bay principal facade. A two-story brick west wing and a single-story frame ell, were added in 1969. Also on the property are a contributing early 19th-century meat house, a small frame, early 20th-century barn, and the site of a 19th-century mill pond.

2. Annandale - A historic property on Gilmore Mill Rd., showcasing early American architecture. It is also known as Alpine Farms. It was built in 1835, and is a two-story, Greek Revival-style brick dwelling with a deck-on-hip roof. It has a one-story, three-bay, wooden front porch with tapering square columns.

3. Bessemer Archaeological Site (44 BO 26) - An important archaeological site at the confluence of the James River with Craig Creek. The area is a prehistoric Native American site, first excavated in 1977 prior to the construction of Virginia Route 220 through the area, and again in 1987 when the roadway was widened. It included pit hearths, evidence of a large (20 meter by 6 meter) rectangular building, stone tools, and pottery sherds. Human burial sites were also identified, as was the location of portions of a palisade that probably surrounded the settlement.

4. Blue Ridge Hall - A historic building in Fincastle, recognized for its contribution to the cultural heritage of the area. The structure served as a historic stagecoach hotel as it was located on the historic main road down the Shenandoah Valley. The house is a two-story wood-frame structure, with a gabled roof and clapboarded exterior, and a 20th-century Colonial Revival porch across the front. It was built about 1836 and is a well-preserved example of a Federal style antebellum house, later used as a tavern and stagecoach stop.

5. Bowyer-Holladay House - A historic residence along U.S. Route 220, noted for its unique design and historical importance. The site is located in The Botetourt Center at Greenfield industrial park. The site consists of the ruins of an Early Republic/Federal Style two-story brick house with a limestone lined cellar in a rear-centered ell configuration. The house was part of the plantation complex commonly referred to as the "Holladay Place." In addition to the ruins of the main house, a log structure with an early timber and modern frame addition survives 25 feet north of the bulkhead entrance to the limestone cellar.

6. Breckinridge Mill - A historic mill west of Fincastle, representing the industrial history of the county. The mill was built about 1822 and is a 3+1⁄2-story, brick structure. The mill was converted to apartments in 1977. Associated with the mill are two contributing wood-frame, late 19th-century sheds. Also associated with the mill is the miller's or Howell house. It was built about 1900, and is a two-story, Queen Anne style frame structure with a T-plan and gabled roof. The mill was built for James Breckinridge (1763-1833) and replaced an earlier mill erected by him in 1804. 

7. Buchanan Historic District - A significant area in Buchanan, featuring Main St. and its intersection with U.S. Route 11. It encompasses 277 contributing buildings, 5 contributing sites, and 4 contributing structures in Buchanan and Pattonsburg on both sides of the James River. They include commercial, transportation-related, domestic, religious, and industrial resources associated with the community's development from the late-18th century through the late-20th century. Notable buildings include the Pattonsburg Mill (1838), Buchanan Presbyterian Church (1845), Trinity Episcopal Church (1842), Hotel Botetourt (1851), Sorrell House (1850), James Evans Mason Lodge (1884), Virginia Can Company complex (1903), "Oak Hill" (1840), Town Hall Municipal Building, Bank of Buchanan, Ransone's Drugstore, Buchanan Theatre (1919), and Buchanan High School (1928). The contributing sites include the James River & Kanawha Canal project site, Johnston-Boyd Cemetery (1835–1906), and Mountain View Cemetery (1854). The contributing structures include the Stone Arch Tunnel (1870s).

8. Callie Furnace - A historic furnace site north of Glen Wilton, showcasing the region’s industrial past. It was built as a hot-blast charcoal furnace around 1873–1874, and subsequently enlarged and converted into a coke furnace. In 1883, the stack was raised an additional five feet, and a tuyere was added. Callie Furnace went out of blast in 1884.

Botetourt County Courthouse

9. Fincastle Historic District - The county seat, with many historical structures dating back to the 1770s. It encompasses nine contributing buildings in the central business district of Fincastle. The district resources portray an excellent example of a typical small 19th century town. The buildings include examples of Late Victorian, Greek Revival, and Gothic Revival styles. Notable buildings include the Botetourt County Courthouse (1845, rebuilt 1970 and currently in the process of being torn down and a new structure underway) and jail, Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church, St. Mark's Episcopal Church (1837), the Peck House, Selander House (c. 1800), Ammen House (c. 1826), and Kyle House (1832).

The Town of Fincastle from Godwin Cemetery

10. Nininger’s Mill (Tinker Mill) - A historic mill in Daleville, reflecting the agricultural heritage of the county. The mill was built about 1847, and is a three-story, brick structure with a gable roof. Wood-frame additions added in the 20th century, are found on the north and east walls. Also on the property is a contributing simple one-story, wood-frame late 19th-century house. The mill was converted to a restaurant in 1980. It is currently empty.

11. Phoenix Bridge - A notable bridge near Eagle Rock, part of the county’s transportation history. It was built in 1887 by the Phoenix Bridge Company of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. It consists of rolled wrought iron "Phoenix post" compression members and round and rectangular tension rods with pinned joints. It includes a cast panel embellished with anthemions and garlands, small urn-like finials, and quatrefoils and trefoils.

The Phoenix Bridge

12. Roaring Run Furnace - An old furnace at Roaring Run, representing the iron industry’s history in the area. It was built about 1832 and reflects the national and statewide economics of the iron industry during the 19th century.

13. Santillane - A historic home in Fincastle, exemplifying the architectural trends of the time. It was built in 1795, and consists of a two-story high, three bay by four bay, main block with a one-story, rear kitchen wing. It is constructed of brick and is in the Greek Revival style. The house has a shallow hipped roof and tetrastyle two-story front portico dated to the early 20th century. Also on the property is a contributing stone spring house. The house stands on a tract purchased by Colonel George Hancock (1754–1820) in 1795. The kitchen wing may date to his period of ownership. Hancock's daughter, Judith aka Julia, married William Clark, of the famous Lewis and Clark expedition.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 855th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

3 Things

1. I finished a Stuart Woods book and a Taylor Jenkins Reid book in the last two days. The Reid book was weird. Reid is like Ann Patchett or Barbara Kingsolver to me - I know I'm supposed to love their work, but I don't. It's tolerable but it doesn't do much for me. The Stuard Woods books are so formulaic that you know exactly what's going to happen. The Woods books are fast reads, though.

2. I made a fast trip through the grocery store this morning. Peter Pan Peanut Butter was $8.79 for the largest size. I bought the medium size for $4.79. My husband eats a lot of peanut butter. I can take it or leave it. I know that the price of groceries is not because Joe Biden has any control over this, but instead the corporations are doing their best to finish wiping out the middle class and who cares about the impoverished and whether or not they eat peanut butter. It's called a monopoly, and the people who own the food are all billionaires. They've had record profits since the pandemic.

3. My iPhone 5 (yes, I am using an ancient phone) needs a new case but I like the one I have and can't find it again. I prefer the military grade cases so that when I drop it, it just bounces. The case I have has a picture of Rivendell (from Lord of the Rings for those who don't know) on it and I don't remember where I bought it. I also need to get the more current iPhone, as this one is no longer updating the OS. 

 

Eclipse Photos

We had so many clouds! And I had trouble juggling

 the camera and keeping the solar glasses on my face without my regular glasses and then I couldn't see a darned thing at all. I may have ruined the camera but it's an old camera anyway. I suspect it is fine, though, because the cloud cover was so thick.

The photos with black are where I got my homemade filter to work during one moment when we had a cloud break. The rest I just took straight with the camera on various settings.

When it was at its peak here, I was outside. It was beginning to rain, and it was dark. The birds were freaking out and I saw a turkey fly up into a tree as if to roost. The smaller birds grew quiet and were flying around as if they were looking for home. Then it got a little lighter and the turkey flew off, and the other birds went back to normal. It must have been really cool to be in totality.

When I am filthy rich, I will chase the eclipse so that I see totality one day. (Ha ha.)

 

Minutiae

Today is solar eclipse day. We will have about 86% coverage here in my area. In another universe, I am in the area of totality, as I have never experienced a full eclipse that I can recall. I remember seeing partial eclipses in elementary school. We made little pin holes in boxes and watched as the black took over the white dot. I don't recall it being very exciting, viewing it that way.

In 2017, we had some cloud cover, but I was able to get photos. I was also better prepared; I had solar film for my camera, which I forgot to purchase this time. Instead, this morning I tore up a pair of solar glasses and removed the film from that and made a little cover for my camera. I am not sure if that will work. I consider it better than nothing.

It may be a non-event here, though. We have mostly cloudy skies with rain expected this afternoon, though I see peaks of sun every now and then this morning. We may not have the weather for this cool thing.

I should have solar film from 2017, but I can't find it. I probably put it up somewhere where I'd be sure to remember it . . . 

***

Yesterday, we watched the final in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. South Carolina beat Iowa fairly handily. South Carolina had a deep line-up of players and could send in fresh bodies, while Iowa kept most of its starters on the floor for the entire time. In the last few seconds, Iowa sent out its second string so they could stand on the floor while the team lost. There was no way they could make up that deficit in the time left, so it didn't matter who was holding the ball.

I like basketball but I seldom watch it. I don't like men's basketball much, as I find it very rough, but I like to watch women play. Perhaps now there will be more airtime for the WNBA, since there appears to be a viewership for women's sports.

Sunday Stealing

1. Name a TV series show or shows in which you have seen every episode at least twice:

A. Xena: Warrior Princess. Star Trek (the original). Gilligan's Island. 

2. Name a show or shows you can't or would not miss:

A. There aren't any at the moment.

3. Name an actor or actors that would make you more inclined to watch a show:

A. Sandra Bullock, George Clooney. I don't know. I'm lucky I know those names.

4. Name an actor or actors who would make you less likely to watch a show:

A. Adam Sandler. Will Ferrell. Mel Gibson, Clint Eastwood. Roseanne.

5. You're having a lovely dinner party for friends and family.  What will you serve for appetizers, main course and dessert?

A. I hate to cook, honestly. I'd have a plate of shrimp w/ sauce for appetizers, meatloaf, green beans, and mashed potatoes for the main course, and cherry pie with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

6. Snowstorm! You've got house guests and you're all stuck inside for the night. What do you prepare for dinner? Will you watch a movie? Which?

A. For dinner I would prepare soup and sandwiches. If the power stays on, we could watch Lord of the Rings.

7. We are going into New York City for the weekend. Where do you want to go?

A. I'd like to see a Broadway play and visit the Statue of Liberty.

8. You are going to night school.  They offer courses in writing short stories, painting, piano or guitar lessons, simple home repairs, baking, and gardening. Which do you pick (or make up one of your own) and why?

A. I would take the writing course and the guitar lessons because I already do both and never mind learning more about either.

9. Ever been to a drive-in theater? Would you like to see drive-in theaters make a comeback?

A. I have been to the drive-in theater many times. I wouldn't mind seeing them make a comeback. They would have been very welcome during the Covid pandemic - we could have all gone to the movies and stayed in our cars.

10. Should towns provide community entertainment like bands in the park, fireworks on the 4th, community picnics or is the cost just too much?

A. I think that depends on the town and its residents. However, I think any investment in the arts and activities that add to the enjoyment of the residents of a community are worthwhile.

11. What would you change about your town if you had the power?

A. I don't live in a town. I live in a county. I like it here for the most part. If I were to change anything, I think I'd have more focus on the historic nature of the area. This was once the wild west.

12. How often do you find yourself shopping for groceries?

A. I go about twice a week. I try for once a week but we usually run out of something.

13. Do you have a favorite nighttime snack?

A. No. I try not to eat anything after 6 p.m.

14. Do you buy in bulk and what kinds of tips do you have to save money on grocery shopping?

A. I use digital coupons and store promotions. Some things I buy in bulk, like toilet paper (can't ever have too much of that), but foods I generally do not buy in bulk. They will go bad before the two of us can eat them up.

15. Let's have a picnic in the park.  What foods are we packing, and will we cook anything there or is it all prepared ahead of time?

A. We'll have fried chicken, potato salad, drinks, potato chips, green beans, deviled eggs, chocolate cake. It would all be prepared ahead, preferably by someone in a store or restaurant where I buy it already made.

__________

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: Diamond Girl

Saturday 9: Diamond Girl (1973)

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

1) This week's song is by Seals and Crofts, a pair of Texas boys who met when they both joined a local band called The Crew Cats. Have you ever visited The Lone Star State? If yes, where did you go?

A. If I have been there, it was in 1977 when my parents drove us across the US to California. But I am not sure we went into Texas. I was 14 years old and I really wasn't paying attention to what states we rode through.

2) Lead singer Jim Seals compliments his girl by comparing her to a precious stone. What's the nicest compliment you have ever received? Who was it from?

A. I recently had my former editor tell me this: "You were fearless when you went after a story." That may not be the nicest compliment I've ever had, but it certainly ranks up there. Now I keep asking myself, where did that fearless woman go?

3) Diamonds are birthstone for people born in April. What's your birthstone? Do you wear it often?

A. My birthstone(s) are pearl, alexandrite or amethyst (depending on the website), and moonstone. My birth month is one of only three months to have three birthstones. I have always used the pearl and amethyst as my birthstone, and I have jewelry with each. I like to wear pearls; for some reason it brings out my facial features when I have on a pearl necklace. 

4) In ancient times, Hindus believed diamonds brought good luck. Do you have a good luck charm?

A. No. 

5) On the other hand, some believe that one of the world's most famous gems, The Hope Diamond, is cursed. 14 of its owners have died from unnatural causes. Those who possessed the diamond committed suicide, were murdered, tortured to death in prison, and even torn apart by dogs! If you received a beautiful piece of jewelry that was rumored to be cursed, would you be concerned? Or do you think curses are silly?

A. I'd probably sell it as soon as I could if it were as valuable as The Hope Diamond. That would pay a lot of bills. I don't know that I would be concerned about the curse. I think curses are things that only have power if we believe them.

6) Rare diamonds share an element with the common pencil. Both contain graphite. Sam is crazy about pencils, pens and felt-tip markers. Do you enjoy shopping for office supplies?

A. I love shopping for office supplies, or I used to, anyway, back when the stores were better stocked. We only have a Staples now and I don't particularly like shopping there. I'd rather shop for office supplies than anything else.

7) In 1973, the year this record was popular, Shelley Hack was a hard-working and well-paid model. She regularly appeared on the pages of catalogs, on magazine covers and then launched Revlon's popular Charlie cologne in print and on TV. What commercial have you seen recently? Did you watch it on TV, online or on your phone?

A. It would have been on TV because I have an ad blocker on my computer, and I don't recall seeing any ads on my phone because all I've been doing with it is listening to a book. I remember a Toyota commercial with a 4.59% interest rate or something like that from last night. To be honest, I usually have a book in my hand when the TV is on, and I read that during the commercials.

8) Also in 1973, Motown great Stevie Wonder was in a car accident that left him with a scar on his nose. Tell us about how you got one of your scars.

A. I have a scar on my hand that I obtained from a minor scratch in the county courthouse one day while I was over there looking up records for a story I was writing. I remember I hit my hand on the corner of a filing cabinet and didn't pay much attention to it until I saw a drop of blood splat on the court document. Then I had to hit up somebody for a Band-Aid. The court document will be there forever; so will my drop of blood. I have always been surprised that this little scratch scarred.

9) Random question: What's your perfect day -- weatherwise?

A. Blue skies with an occasional cloud, an occasional very mild breeze, and between 70 and 72 degrees, with the trees fully leafed out, birds chirping, and bees buzzing.

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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. 

Multitasking

I am cold. I am sitting in my office with the door closed and a room heater running. It is doing double duty, as I have a sweater that I don't put in the dryer hanging on a hanger off the back of my desk chair, and the heater is blowing right on it. So it is almost dry, and I am warm. Multitasking at its finest.

The book I am listening to while I am multitasking (I am also watching the eagles on youtube and playing at a video game) is narrated by Julia Whelan. I don't know when I discovered that she is an excellent audiobook reader, but now I listen to anything I find that she is reading. Sometimes this leads me to authors I might otherwise have overlooked. 

Back in the early 2000s, my favorite book reader was Dick Hill. Hill, I'm sorry to say, passed away in 2022 after narrating more than 1,000 books. The first works I recall hearing him read were The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. But after that, like Whelan, I listened to most anything he read.

In fact, I sent Mr. Hill a fan email in 2008, and I still have it and his response:

Dear Mr. Hill:

 

I have been enjoying your work with audiobooks for quite some time. Today I found your website and I had to let

 you know how much I appreciate the characterization and life you bring to a novel.

 

I have discovered a number of authors I otherwise might not have read because of your work. I will pick up an

 audiobook regardless of what it is if you are the narrator.

 

My husband, who is not a book reader, is also a fan and I have been delighted to be able to introduce him to the joys of a good story through your voice.

 He started listening to you as I listened to Wizards First Rule by Terry Goodkind and he has since come to know that if I'm listening

 to Dick Hill read, he'll likely enjoy it.

 

I look forward to listening to you for many years to come.

 

 

dick hill	Mon, Jul 14, 2008, 1:31 PM
to me

Thanks for the kind words Anita.......I hope the publishers feel the same way so I can continue doing this work.  

I love it, and love working with my wife Susie Breck, who engineers and directs our projects.  

It's a good fit and we count ourselves blessed.  Glad you've been enjoying the Goodkind.  We sure did.

 

I do end up recording some not so great things, so it's probably good to make sure you check

 out a synopsis or something going in, so you know what you're in for.  I'll make a couple suggestions

 though, things I've really been enjoying..........Crawfish Mountain by Ken Wells is a whole lot of fun, and 

for mysteries the Dr. Alan Gregory series by Stephen White is great.  

Thanks again for the kind words.........it's nice to know actual living people hear this stuff, and I'm not

 just reading into a microphone.

 

dick