Sunday Stealing

Just Another Manic Monday

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

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

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

A. I cut it in the middle.

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

A. A Bicycle Built for Two

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

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

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

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

Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.

__________

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

Saturday 9: Consider Me Gone

Saturday 9: Consider Me Gone (2009)

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

 

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

A. My husband and my friends. 

 

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

A. My husband.

 

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

A. I said yes.

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

A. My ride is white.

 

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

A. I have not.

 _______________

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

The Weight of the Evening

It is thundering without rain.

 The silence between the claps is deafening.

 

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

 

The air is heavy with heat and humidity.

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

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

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

Now I smell it—that scent of rain. 

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

The sky has darkened. 

The thunder continues its ornery grumbling.

I hold my breath. 

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

Suddenly, I think of my great-grandmother. 

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

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

Birds Taking a Bath

 

Thursday Thirteen - Data Centers

In light of Google’s recent purchase of 312 acres practically in my backyard, I wanted to learn a bit more about what might be moving in.  In researching data centers, I found surprising facts about these facilities.

Here are 13 things you might not know about data centers, gathered from facts.net and other reliable sources:

1. Data centers never sleep. They run 24/7, powering everything from emails to online gaming and video streaming. A few minutes of downtime can cost companies thousands.

2. Northern Virginia is the world's data center hub, especially around Ashburn, with more facilities than any other region on Earth.

3. The average large data center uses as much electricity as a small town, with hyperscale versions (like those owned by Google and Amazon) powering hundreds of thousands of servers.

4. Cooling is a massive energy drain, making up to 40% of a data center's power usage. Many now use liquid or immersion cooling to reduce noise and energy waste.

5. Extreme climates lead to creative solutions: Facebook uses Arctic air in Sweden, and others use seawater or recycled water to cool servers.

6. Some data centers are buried underground or housed in former military bunkers, maximizing both security and insulation.

7. Security is intense, often involving biometric scanners, surveillance, and armed guards. These aren't your typical office parks. I'm not sure a security force behind me is ideal.

8. Data centers are becoming more eco-conscious, with some reusing waste heat to warm nearby homes, offices, or even swimming pools. By the time Google builds, who knows what they will actually use?

9. Quantum computing and AI are reshaping how data centers operate, from processing power to predictive maintenance and energy optimization.

10. The world’s largest data center, in Langfang, China, is over 6 million square feet, making it bigger than the Pentagon.

11. Edge (Microsoft) data centers are smaller hubs built closer to users to cut down on lag. Think of them as digital relay stations.

12. Disguised as office buildings or warehouses, some facilities are intentionally low-profile for security and aesthetics.

13. The first data center emerged in the 1960s to support NASA’s Apollo missions. Our digital lives today evolved from moonshot thinking.

An AI tool helped me put this list together.

_________________

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 913th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Google Comes

Yesterday the county Board of Supervisors announced that Google has purchased 314 acres from the business complex known as the Botetourt Center at Greenfield.

The county sold the acreage for a total of:

$18 million from the land sale and Google’s additional contributions will go toward a slew of projects, including:

$4.9 million for new fire trucks and ambulances,

$3.6 million toward a community events center,

$3.5 million to renovate the Buchanan library branch,

$2.6 million toward the county sheriff’s office purchase of body cameras and less-lethal weapons, and

$2 million for the county public school system to use as it chooses.

Money will also go toward new tennis courts, pickleball courts and soccer field lighting at the Botetourt Sports Complex; an E-911 dispatch center; and a new home for the Botetourt County Historical Museum.

That's according to an article in Cardinal News but given that I watched the presentation via online streaming, the numbers seem correct to me, except that the land sale was actually $14 million and change. Google gave another $4 million for community projects, so the $18 million figure includes more than just the purchase price. Still, the extra $4 million was generous of them.

Additional information about the purchase can be found on the county's website here: FAQS.

There was a lot of backslapping about the foresight of a previous Board who went against public outcry and purchased the 900+ acres that made up the Greenfield complex. About 750 acres of that went toward industry, while the remainder went to a new elementary school and recreational facilities, including the Botetourt Sports Complex.

I was one of those people who, at least behind the scenes, was not in favor of this project. Greenfield is not that far from where I live. The property Google purchased is behind me. Not so close that I could hit it with a rock, but close enough that I could walk to it, if I were of a mind to trespass on others' lands and wander through the woods to get there.

At the time, I was freelancing and writing for The Herald, and I attended the meetings as a news reporter. I may have written a column or two opposing the purchase; I honestly don't remember as that was over 30 years ago. I do recall not liking the project.

However, the option was a big subdivision full of McMansions as the property was going to be sold regardless of the purchaser, as I recall. McMansions aren't much of a tax base, while industry at least has the potential to be. It becomes not so helpful when the state and/or the county give away corporate welfare of public tax dollars to lure industries to our community.

I spent a lot of time talking to the county administrator at the time, as well as members of the Board of Supervisors, about what I, as a taxpayer and life-long resident of the county, would like to see. The property held a great deal of historic significance, and after much discussion the county agreed to try to maintain an historic area on the property. Then came the gift of property to the school system so they could build Greenfield Elementary and the ballfield construction.

There is also the Cherry Blossom Trail, which many people use for walking and jogging. I've been on it a few times, and it's a lovely route and well-maintained.

Once the county purchased the property, I pivoted and went all in. There was nothing else to do, really, except hope to convince the county leaders that it was in the best interest of all to see that we had development that was not transient and ugly. I urged for green preservation spaces around the industries, survival of a wetland pond there, and upkeep of the historic structures that remained on the property.

I remember that Bob Bagnoli, who is no longer with us, urged the county to build a training center. They listened, and for a long time Virginia Western had a satellite location there. It is now the county administration offices, with Virginia Western's remaining courses (welding, I think), shunted off to the side.

I did not get everything I wanted when I spoke with the supervisors and county administration. Neither did anyone else. The county was lax in upkeep of the historic structures, particularly the Bowyer House and the 1800s structures where enslaved persons worked and lived on this piece of property. I brought attention to the lack of upkeep via the newspaper on several occasions, and each time the county would step up for a while and then forget again that there are some of us who live here who love our history.

The worst thing the county did was move the historic structures of the enslaved people, relocating them to another place in the park. I wasn't writing then for the newspaper at that time, and I spoke out in letters to the editor about this. Many people tried to stop the relocation of these structures, but we did not succeed, and the structures have not been renovated. I have my doubts that they ever will be, at least, not in my lifetime, and I don't know if there will be anything left of them by the time these old buildings go through historic heat waves, freezing cold, major downpours from thunderstorms, and other weather events.

Greenfield was the name of the plantation/farm owned by Colonel William Preston. Preston purchased Greenfield in 1759 and lived there until 1774 when he moved to Smithfield in present day Montgomery County. In 1775, he was one of the signers of The Fincastle Resolutions, one of the first documents to support the creation of the Continental Congress prior to 1776.

Six of Preston’s 12 children were born at Greenfield, and his legacy has left a large footprint on the nation. Preston descendants founded six universities and influenced two others - Columbia College, now the University of South Carolina, and the University of Chicago.

Additionally, Preston’s descendants served in the Virginia House of Delegates and in the U.S. Congress. His son, James Patton Preston, served as governor of Virginia from 1816-1819.

Because of this legacy, Preston has been memorialized by the Fincastle Resolutions Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) with a garden area at Greenfield County Administration Building.

His legacy as well as historic interpretations of plantation life, including Preston's ownership of slaves, would be explored in depth at the designated historic area at some future date.

We learned that the county is planning to move the Botetourt County History Museum to Greenfield, ostensibly where the enslaved historic structures have been relocated. That's a $6.5 million project that is being funded mostly by the state, with Google throwing in the $500K.

These are big plans for the county, and I don't expect to see movement on them in the immediate future. We will see how things look five years down the road.

 

Bear There

Saturday morning brought a surprise in the form of a bear in the back yard. I spied him from the kitchen window and raced for the camera.

The animal was moving fast, and I ended up going outside to get photos. The first shot I took through the kitchen window, but the rest I snapped as the bear went down the driveway and then into the neighbor's woods.

When I downloaded the photos, I realized the bear has something stuck to its mouth. At first, I thought it was drool, but I enlarged the photos and determined it to be something like surgical tape or something along those lines.

I checked with the local wildlife authorities to be sure the bear would be ok and was told that so long as the item wasn't over the bear's head, it would likely rub against a tree to remove whatever was sticking to it.

The tape didn't catch my gaze when I was taking photos because the bear was full of ticks and I was noticing those instead. Otherwise, the animal looks fairly healthy, not a lot of mange, anyway.

 

Five Things

 

1. Harvested kale.

2. Went to the grocery store.

3. Saw the chiropractor.

4. Regular chores every day (laundry, dishes, general upkeep, etc.)

5. Washed up the bed linens, including bedspread (takes forever to dry) and blanket.

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

Sunday Stealing

What Would You Say at This Moment to:

1) Someone you have hurt?

A. I'm sorry.

2) Someone who has hurt you?

A. I forgive you.

3) Your favorite teacher from grade school?

A. Thank you for teaching me how to read a book aloud with nuance and emotion.

4) Your most hated teacher from high school?

A. Yelling at students is not the best way to teach.

5) Your best friend from college?

A. I didn't have a best friend in college. I went to college part-time while I was married and didn't really have time to make friends. That said, I would like to thank some of my professors. They were wonderful.

6) Your favorite recording artist?

A. You can retire now.

7) Your favorite author?

A. To any author: keep writing.

8) Your first boss?

A. It never was, never has been, and never will be, all about you.

9) Your first love?

A. Thanks for the memories.

10) Your true love?

A. We'll be married for 42 years this year, old man.

Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.

__________

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

Saturday 9: I Fall in Love Too Easily

Saturday 9: I Fall in Love Too Easily (1945)

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

1) In this song, Dinah Shore admits that her impetuous romances don't work out. Do you consider yourself impulsive?

A. Not particularly, but I can be.

2) The songwriting team of Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne composed this in a single evening. Since the song is rather short Sammy considered adding another verse, but Jule thought better of it, saying, "No. That's it." Are you more like Sammy and keep revising, tinkering and tweaking? Or, like Jule, do you find it easy to leave well enough alone?

A. I tend to revise and tweak, but eventually leave it alone.

 

3) The song was introduced in Anchors Aweigh, a movie about two sailors who find love during a two-day leave in New York. Have you ever enjoyed a romance while on holiday?

A. I have enjoyed romance with my husband while on a holiday.

 

4) Though Frank Sinatra sang the song in the movie, Dinah's version was also popular. Her record sales in the 1940s were boosted by concerts, radio appearances and performances for the troops. What singer who is no longer with us do you wish you could have seen in concert?

A. Janis Joplin.

5) Dinah was shy with new people but discovered as a high school cheerleader that she was good in front of a crowd. Give us one of your high school cheers.

A. We're Cavalier born and Cavalier bred and when we die we'll be Cavaliers yet! 

6) She loved golf and was so good at it, she became the first woman admitted as a member to the prestigious Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles. What's your best sport? 

A. I don't have a best sport. I am bad at all of them.

7) Dinah found her greatest success in television. She was so popular for so long that she was able to afford a luxury home, built to her specifications, in Palm Springs. Leonardo DiCaprio now owns it. Do you know who lived in your home before you moved in?

A. We built our home and have been its only occupants.

 

8) In 1945, when this song was popular, Abbott and Costello appeared in the movie The Naughty Nineties, which featured their famous "Who's On First" routine. Do you know it?

A. I am familiar with it but I can't repeat it verbatim.

 

9) Random question – Fill in the blank: After all these years, I still ____________.

A. am not a dinosaur.

 

 _______________

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. 

Happy Birthday, Mom

 

My mother in her Girl Scout uniform

My mother would have been 81 years old today, if she had not passed away in 2000. She was 56 years old when she died.

I was 37. My mother was a young mother, giving birth to me when she was 18. That's awfully young to be raising a child, although back then it was more normal than it might be today.

Looking at the picture of my mother in her Girl Scout uniform, I wonder what that young woman hoped and dreamed. Did she want children? Did she want to explore the world? What was her passion?

Unfortunately, I never really got to know my mother as a person, as one might a friend, say. We were never able to meet one another as adults, on equal footing, and learn about each other as people. I think that may be an issue for many families.

My mother always saw me as a young child who was an adult. She used to say that I wasn't raised, I was "jerked up." She was right about that. I have always felt like an old person, trying to do the right thing, trying to be nice, trying to find my way through what I considered my morality and my justice. I think my ideals and personality were not things she was prepared to deal with. Had she lived longer, perhaps things might have been different, but I don't know. 

My mother worked as a file clerk for a company in Salem, Virginia, that was located a block behind the house her parents lived in. It was a convenient drop-off point for us kids when we were sick or during the summer. 

She hated the drive from Botetourt into Salem; it could be 45 minutes or longer, especially before they redid the Botetourt exit. Traffic would back up there for miles after 5 p.m.

She retired from the same job when she hit 40 years, or maybe it was 35, but at any rate, she was in her late 40s. She talked of traveling with my father, though she had a fear of flying. I know they took a few trips by car before things fell apart for them.

My mother was a very good seamstress and sewed most of my clothes when I was young. I did not appreciate this talent at the time and wanted store-bought clothes like the other kids had. Young children generally do not recognize or realize what is going on with parents. They are, after all, children. I'm sure this was a money-saving move, and also something my mother enjoyed doing. She was good at painting craft things, such as plaster Christmas houses, and her work always looked quite professional. I wonder what she could have done if she'd had training in art or something. I also wonder if she wanted to do more with that creative side of herself. She never said.

She also was a very good cook. To her dismay, I did not take to the culinary arts and I'm not sure she realized that particular gift went to my brother. Maybe she knew. I hope she did.

My mother and I had a tumultuous relationship. Neither of my parents knew how to nurture a sensitive and creative child and did not have the tools to try. I remember my mother telling me I would never be a writer, that I had to take secretarial courses. I was a secretary at various times, but I also managed to be a writer despite the lack of support.

I don't think my mother found the happiness she wanted. She tried to be happy, but I never knew her to be very pleased with her circumstances in life. I felt that nothing I did was ever the right thing. I spent most of my childhood trying to figure out how to please someone who admired a dandelion one day and threw it back at me the next.  I did not succeed.

For all of that, she was my mother, and as such I of course loved her as best I could love anyone. Her last year of life was not very good; pancreatic cancer is a rough way to go. 

Anyway, happy birthday, Mom. You died while you were still beautiful even though you were ill. In my mind you will always be forever young.

Thursday Thirteen

Important things that happened on June 19:

1. Juneteenth (1865): Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, announcing the end of slavery. This marked the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation, making it a pivotal moment in American history and a symbol of freedom. This day is now a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S.

2. Lincoln’s Anti-Slavery Legislation (1862): President Abraham Lincoln banned slavery in U.S. territories. This was a crucial step toward the eventual abolition of slavery nationwide, reinforcing the principles of equality and human rights.

3. Rosenberg Execution (1953): Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed for espionage. Their trial and execution remain controversial, highlighting Cold War tensions and debates over justice and government secrecy. This case might be something to look into, given current events.

4. First Father's Day (1910): The first official Father's Day was celebrated in Spokane, Washington. It was created to honor fathers and their contributions to family life, eventually becoming a national holiday in the U.S.

5. Battle of the Philippine Sea (1944): A major WWII naval battle between the U.S. and Japan began. Known as the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot," it was a decisive victory for the U.S., crippling Japan’s naval air power and shifting the war’s momentum.

6. King Louis IX’s Decree (1269): He ordered all Jews to wear a yellow badge in public. This was an early example of religious discrimination, foreshadowing later oppressive policies against Jewish communities in Europe. (When I saw this on the list, I gasped.)

7. French Postal Service Established (1464): King Louis XI formed France’s postal system. This was a significant development in communication, allowing for more efficient governance and trade across the country.

8. Continental Army Leaves Valley Forge (1778): George Washington’s troops ended their winter encampment. After months of hardship, the army emerged stronger and better trained, thanks to Baron von Steuben’s drills, leading to key victories in the Revolutionary War. (Some information says they left on June 18. I don't think it matters.)

9. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Organized (1934): The U.S. established the FCC. This agency regulates communications, ensuring fair competition and technological innovation in radio, television, and the internet. Unfortunately, it has been defanged and the fairness doctrine is no longer in place. It was abolished in 1987, and finally removed from the Federal Register in 2011.

10. Valentina Tereshkova Returns to Earth (1963): The first woman in space completed her mission. Her historic flight aboard Vostok 6 was a major milestone for women in science and space exploration, inspiring future generations.

11. James Gandolfini Passed Away (2013): The actor best known for The Sopranos died. His portrayal of Tony Soprano revolutionized television, setting new standards for character depth and storytelling in modern drama.

12. Great Britain Recognized Kuwait’s Independence (1961): Kuwait officially became independent. This ended British control and allowed Kuwait to establish itself as a sovereign nation, shaping its modern political and economic landscape.

13. Execution of Emperor Maximilian (1867): The Mexican emperor was executed. His death marked the collapse of the Second Mexican Empire and reinforced Mexico’s resistance to foreign intervention.

*AI helped me create this list.*

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 912th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

The Rolling Stones Would Be Appalled

AI Image

"You'd better take an extra shirt," I told my husband as he spoke of his plans to wash his truck before heading off to a continuing education class he needed for his contractor's license.

"It's so hot outside, you might stink when you're done."

He laughed. "Smell like a monkey!" Then he sang, "Whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo whoo" in an effort to imitate the monkey singing in the Ray Stevens song Gitarzan.

For a man who believes The Rolling Stones are the greatest band of all time, he has strange taste in music sometimes. I don't know how many times we've listened to that Ray Stevens song lately.

I kissed him goodbye out in the garage and grabbed the cordless vacuum. "I stepped on a Cheerio, I need to clean it up," I said. "Be careful in the heat."

Back into the house I went, all the way into my office, where I'd apparently dropped a lost Cheerio from my robe and then smashed it. As I ran the vacuum, I began singing the Jane part of Gitarzan.  "Baby! Whoooa! Baby! A scooby dooby dooby baby! Whoooa! Shut up Baby, I'm trying to sing."

I decided since I had the vacuum in the back, I would do a quick run-through of the hall, the bedroom, and the kitchen. I caterwauled all the way. "Baby! Whoooa! Baby!"

When I turned the vacuum off, I heard laughter coming from the garage. I went out to find my husband, hat in his hands, laughing so hard I thought he might fall off the chair.

"Is that . . . ," - guffaw - "what you do when I'm not home?" He finally managed to get out.

"Baby! Scooby dooby doo Baby!" I sang back.

Of course it is.

Here's the song on YouTube if you're not familiar with it:

The Parade, the Protests, and a Moment of Empathy

I was sorry to see that the military parade marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Armed Forces wasn’t exactly a proud or inspiring spectacle. Or at least it wasn't from what I saw on Facebook and in the media.

My sorrow was for the participants, who may or may not have been there willingly. I also felt a little sorry for the president, who I suspect was not a happy person when it was all said and done.

I didn’t watch the parade. Nor did I watch any of the No Kings protests. I posted a small No Kings protest on my blog and felt like that was all I could manage right now. I’m not much into marching.

According to historian Heather Cox Richardson, whom I trust on such matters, June 14 really was the birthday of the Armed Forces. She wrote:

…on June 14, 1775, the Second Continental Congress resolved “That six companies of expert riflemen, be immediately raised in Pennsylvania, two in Maryland, and two in Virginia; that each company consist of a captain, three lieutenants, four serjeants, four corporals, a drummer or trumpeter, and sixty-eight privates… [and that] each company, as soon as completed, shall march and join the army near Boston, to be there employed as light infantry, under the command of the chief Officer in that army.”

And thus Congress established the Continental Army.

Unfortunately, the original justification for the parade was the president’s birthday. That announcement raised eyebrows even among his most devoted followers, especially with a $50 million price tag. After public outcry, which also happened when he floated the idea during his first term, the event pivoted to commemorate the Army’s formation instead.

But by then, it was too late.

No Kings Day had taken hold. And depending on which estimate you believe, anywhere from five to thirteen million people marched in opposition to the practices, projects, and prejudices of the current administration.

I was surprised to find that I felt anything at all about the military parade. I consider myself a pacifist. Intellectually, I know that if everyone simply put down their weapons and walked away, there’d be no need to kill. I also know human beings don’t work that way. I took enough sociology courses in college to understand that the forces behind many of our emotions and actions don’t always make sense. They just are.

Empathy is part of who I am, even for people I disagree with—or actively dislike. Hopefully that speaks well of my character.

I see it as layers. The military folks were just doing their jobs. Some probably weren’t thrilled to be part of a PR stunt. Many may have had mixed feelings or were simply ordered to participate without a say. And even the president, behind all the spectacle, looked like a lonely, grasping human. I admit I felt a flicker of pity for him. Where was his family? He seems to have no support. I don’t like to see anyone flailing in public, even if they are powerful, abrasive, and dangerous.

Empathy doesn’t mean approval. It just means I’m still able to feel. I guess that makes me very “woke,” to have empathy for a man I despise.

But I’m human, and I think a lot.

Sometimes, that leads me down strange paths. And in this world full of noise and division, I wonder if empathy might be the last quiet act of rebellion.

Five Things

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

1. Had a haircut.

2. The young woman who helps me with the heavy cleaning had her day here, and the house sparkled.

3. Took a friend out so she could go to the doctor and run errands.

4. Fixed a closet door.

5. Went to the grocery store, bank, voted in a local primary, paid bills.

Also yesterday, we had a small bear in the backyard. Unfortunately, the battery in my camera was dead and my cellphone was in the other part of the house, so I didn't get a photo. Maybe if I stand outside and yell, "Here bear! Here bear!" it'll come back. What do you think?

Sunday Stealing

Complete the Thought

1. I wish someone would ... invent a time machine.

2. When I order Chinese food ... I always get sweet and sour chicken.

3. I know it's not everyone's favorite activity, but I actually enjoy ... doing the laundry.

5. A major pet peeve of mine is ... poke butts who drive slowly.

6. I remember when my grandfather ... took me to Hills Department Store to buy a toy horse.

7. I am not fazed at all by ... what strangers think of me.

8. Long car rides ... put me to sleep.

9. I don't understand the fuss over ... any celebrity anywhere.

10. When I'm home alone ... I listen to music, dance around the house, and enjoy myself.

Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.

__________

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

Saturday 9: I Will See You

 

Saturday 9: I Will See You in C-U-B-A (2010)

 

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

This song was chosen in honor of Father's Day.

 

1) In this week's song, Lucie Arnaz encourages us to hop a ship and join her in Cuba. Is your passport up to date?

A. No, it is not.

2) She sings that Cuba is a great place to enjoy wine and Panatelas. Do you like the smell of a good cigar?

A. I am allergic to cigarette smoke and cigar smoke makes me gag and then have an asthma attack.

 

3) Lucie said her Latin Roots CD represents "the rhythms of my soul" and is a tribute to her father, Desi Arnaz. Cuban-born Desi starred on Broadway and in nightclubs but was best known for co-starring in and producing the 1950s sitcom, I Love Lucy. When you think of I Love Lucy, what's the first thing that comes to mind?

A. Lucy stuffing chocolate in her mouth because she can't keep up with the line.

 

4) While Lucie's parents – Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball – are famous for their TV work, Tony-nominated Lucie has found her greatest success on the stage. She inherited their love of performing, saying, “My parents were always happiest when they were working.” What have you inherited from one or both your parents? (It could be anything from your work ethic to your eye color.)

A. I have my father's aversion to going barefoot and my mother's hands.

 

5) Though "Ricky Riccardo" often mangled English on I Love Lucy, Desi's English was very good. Lucille Ball admired his facility with languages and encouraged him to speak Spanish to their children so that they would be bilingual. When you were growing up, did your family speak any language other than English?  

A. My family spoke only English. I studied Spanish and Latin in high school, but I have forgotten most of it.

 

6) Desi Arnaz often performed "I Will See You in C-U-B-A." Is there a song that reminds you of your father?

A. "Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast," by Wayne Newton

 

7) After Lucie's parents divorced, Lucille Ball remarried and Lucie got a stepfather, Gary Morton. Lucie appreciated how positive Gary always was about Desi. Decades later, when she married a man who already had children, Lucie said she better understood what a tough role stepparent can be. Did you have a stepparent? Are you a stepparent?

A. I have a stepmother now, but I was an adult when my father remarried. 

8) As a single dad, Desi lived south of Los Angeles in Del Mar. Lucie and her brother, Desi Jr., spent school vacations there, going to the racetrack, bowling, and fishing with their dad. Share a happy memory from one of your school vacations (Christmas, Spring Break, or Summer).

A. We stayed with my grandmother during the summers. We - my brother and two young uncles and myself - rode out bicycles around the block, and not far away was an old, abandoned house. About once a week, we'd dare one another to go up to the house and peek in a window.

 

9) Father's Day began in Washington state. In the early 1900s, Spokane resident Sonora Smart Dodd listened to her minister deliver a sermon celebrating Mother's Day and devoted herself to similarly honoring fathers. A century later, more money is still spent annually on Mother's Day. Why do you suppose that nationally we still make more of a fuss over Mother's Day than Father's Day?

A. I suspect it is related to the patriarchy. Mothers are supposed to be in charge of the children while the father goes out and makes the money. That mindset is firmly entrenched in this country even though women have always been in the workforce.

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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. 

Protest Day

 

NO KINGS

DUE PROCESS

NO SALE OF PUBLIC LANDS

NO CUTS TO MEDICAID, SNAP, ETC.

KEEP THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET INTACT

TAX THE BILLIONAIRES

BRING BACK JUSTICE AND THE RULE OF LAW

FREE AND UNFETTERED PRESS

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.