The Land Of Blog... And More Political Observations

I'm now up to Unpublished Posts ahead to hit Daily until August 8th, Crazy, since in Real Time it's only July 22nd as I'm Writing this Post, which will be Scheduled to Publish on August 9th now!   So, delayed Dailies will just now be my Norm since I'm not Publishing anything I've Written in Real Time, and I'm Fine with that.  I could go Off Grid for a Fortnite and you'd never know here in The Land of Blog that I'd been away at all.  *Winks and Smiles*  It's Raining this Morning so I may adjust my Plans according to the Weather now.  For now it's just sprinkling but it's very Overcast and a big Storm could blow in since it is Monsoon Season now.  And we need the Rain and I like when it Rains here coz it's so infrequent and does Cool things down, tho' it does increase Humidity, and Humidity is The Devil.  *Smiles and Ugh, Shit, Dammit, Pouting!  Dont'cha HATE being Broke?  LOL*

The Son accidentally Walked to Work to be there by 5:00 a.m. and didn't Wake me to take him, which was fortunate, coz he'd forgotten they'd changed his Hours and he didn't Need to be there until 8:00 a.m., Ooops!  So he felt like a Dumb Ass and said he had to Walk his Dumb Ass back Home in the Rain like a Putz.  So now he's Wet and had to change into Dry Work Clothes.  I'll drive him there by 8:00 a.m. this time.  Princess T got dropped off to be at her Work by 7:00 a.m. so at least their Hours do work for me taking them both.  She's hoping the Storm gets big and knocks the Power out at Work so they get to go Home.  I joked with her, why don't you tell me how you REALLY Feel about Working Today?  *LOL & Winks*  I thought I might go to the Discount Grocery Store when it opens at 10:00 a.m., it's in Peoria, which is a drive, but worth it coz of their low Prices and Discounts.  But when I looked at our Checkbook Balance, I reconsidered.  *Le Sigh*

Yeah, this close to EOM and due to increases in the Cost of everything, Utility Bill especially going up by a ridiculously huge amount, I should just wait now until we get Paid in August.  *Huge Sigh*  It's cramping my Style I tell ya!  *Winks and Laughs*  Whaddya gonna do, all Americans are Feelin' it unless they're obscenely Wealthy ones and engaged in rigging The System in their Favor, not ours.   And so it goes.  I'm thinking my Grandsons could have been Right, they wanted Bernie Sanders for President, as did just about every Young Person I spoke to during that Election that Bernie was a contender in.  I didn't initially understand why so many of the Youth were drawn to Bernie since he is further Left than someone Moderate like me prefers, but, hearing Bernie's Solutions to Problems, he makes perfect Sense.  How many Politicians can you say that about?  That have Sensible workable Policy that would actually Solve Problems we Care about?  And his Solutions aren't Radical in the least actually, quite doable if you want a Fixer to implement Common Sense Solutions that would Work.  Oh, but Wait, the Uber Rich and Greedy would have to Sacrifice something for a change!?  *Gasp!*

I'm a Fixer, it was my Super Power in my Corporate Lives and why they Paid me handsomely to Fix their Problems.  So, I can Identify and Respect another Fixer even if they aren't as Moderate leaning as I tend to be.   I like Balance... being Radical has it's drawbacks IMO, tho' sometimes it takes Radicals to Change things and not all Radical Changes are Negative or Crazy and Extreme, I think Bernie is Radical, but not in a way that alarms me like this Regime alarms me, and how Impotent and fractured I see the whole Democratic Party right now.  They got Democratic Socialists and all watered down versions of Democrats so Honestly, the Blue Wave IMO ain't gonna be some big Tsunami and they can be their own worst Enemy.  They've relied way to heavily on Not Being Trump, and that's just not Enough anymore.  Okay, so you're NOT HIM, now what?  Fucking Crickets... except for Bernie, who actually has Sensible Solutions and Good Ideas that aren't fucking Partisan.  Or have Mega Donors controlling them.

Bernie Posted the Above to his Social Media Pages just 15 Hours ago, I think Gavin should withhold Federal in Cali coz that States provides more Money to the Feds than anyone in any State combined.  Use leverage against this Evil Fucker I say, and Cali makes more money than many whole Countries.   California has a higher GDP than 190 Countries Globally, just consider that for a Minute.  With an Economy exceeding FOUR TRILLION, so Donnie Two Dolls Needs Cali more than they Need him... so do many Poor Red States need what Cali Federal Taxes provide. Truth be told here, Red States have a higher percentile of Residents on Social Services Programs and Poor, yet still consistently Vote Republican, who've not done anything for the Poor in as long as I've been Alive... go figure.  I'm Anti-Partisan and not just Non-Partisan, coz I think it's what is Wrong with our Political System.  Most Partisan folks are so defensive of their "Side and Party" and have such a Need to vilify Americans not of their "Party", and Define themselves as one or the other, that its become Cultish and Weirdly Tribalistic to an Extreme, Americans against fellow Americans, Crazy!!!

Nobody has to Agree with me lock step, or what Candidates I happen to think have some decent potential Solutions to America's Problems.  But somebody has to come up with Solutions and Policy, not just fake Promises and performative Political Theater, that is for sure.  This is why Higher Education and Critical Thinking is very important, so Ignorance and Poorly Educated Americans don't get easily taken for Marks, manipulated against their own best interests and fall for the Con and Bullshit.  It's why Donnie openly admitted he Loves The Uneducated, why, of coarse he does, every consummate Conman and Criminal does. Easy pickins to victimize, exploit, grift off of, feed Bullshit and Red Meat Bait to, or weaponize.   The Uneducated and the Poor usually aren't getting much out of Life so Grievance Politics is like Bait for any Politician to use against that Demographic to Win Votes and Gin them up.   Desperate People do Desperate things... and are easily swayed if they think you could or would improve their shitty Hand dealt in Life.  Even if you never had any intentions to and were blowing Sunshine and Smoke up their Asses.  Which he successfully did and it worked.  Now they're in worse shape than before his Administration.

And Creating a Cult, well, that was fucking Brilliant to make his Followers become Mindless, Brainwashed, Radicalized and Indoctrinated Followers and a Staunch Base.  To where they no longer think for themselves, are rigidly Controlled, are no longer tethered to Reality and Believe anything he tells them as the Cult Leader, no matter how absurd or false.  Cults be like that and come to Believe they alone are The Chosen and everyone else is The Enemy out to get them.  And become so Paranoid they Insulate from the Outside World or get shunned or thrown out and Punished by The Cult if they Question any of it or voluntarily leave or have another Point of View or Opinions of their own.  That's why the Red MAGA Hats and other Symbolic Cult Devotion became so important to their Identity.  And they'd Buy into whatever shit he was hawking to get more Money out of his Devoted.   Cult Leaders always enrich themselves out of the Sacrifices they demand their Followers to make, to show their Loyalty and undying Devotion to whatever Cause the Cult makes up and wants to Finance using Members Money of coarse.

Around Pandemic and during 1.0 I had a long time Friend become very MAGA and becoming more and more Cultish, Radical and irrational.  To where it was deeply disturbing and distressing to see how it was changing her in Unlovely ways, and she was Older and Life hadn't played out well for her.  I semi-joked about the Weird Devotion to try to snap her out of it, coz I thought she was better than that and was just getting Conned, which I Hate to see anyone be a Conman's Mark.  I knew she was struggling, floundering Economically and becoming desperate of her personal Situation and unfortunate circumstances, needing to shift Blame somewhere, anywhere.  It's hard to look in the Mirror sometimes and know some Shit is or could be the result of Personal Choices made over a Lifetime.  Or that sometimes Life just ain't Fair... Fair is Rare.  Bad things often happen to Good People and Good things happen to Bad People... that's Life and playing the Blame Game or Scapegoating is never Helpful.

  But Logic and Truth wasn't getting thru at all, hard as I tried to Reason with her.  Or suggest mebbe don't watch so much Faux News Station and Parrot that Bullshit they Spin for Ratings and know is total Bullshit and intentional Misinformation and Lies, it's why they got Sued so Big and Lost in Court.  So, I tried Dark Gallow's Humor tied to Truth and I did say I Hoped she was Writing him BIG Checks that she couldn't afford... coz that's what a Billionaire Conman and Lifetime Grifter wants out of her.  That's all he ever wanted out of any of them in his Base, he doesn't give a Shit about them, never has, never will.  But they'll be Used as handy Instruments to get what he wants, whatever it Costs them matters not to him.   The sad part is, she probably was Funding the Movement out of her Lack.  And would Buy all the MAGA Paraphernalia that our Antique Mall was Selling and probably Write Big Checks to Donnie's Coffers that he did mostly keep for himself.  Like the Fake Charities they Formed too.  And the whole Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Scams he's in Bed Deep with now.  A Criminal's Wet Dreams they are for a Host of Reasons.

 And she went totally Off Grid and Isolated herself from anyone not MAGA.  I've not heard from her since just after Pandemic began, even when I reached out to her. Crickets.  Coz I want her to be Okay, but I don't think she's ever gonna be Okay again, not Mentally anyway.  I even suggested she seek Psychiatric Help coz she was sounding so Crazy and Unhinged that it Worried our whole Family.  Die Hard MAGA are so far Gone, I don't know what kind of Psychiatric Help would bring them Back to Reality and Reason tho'?    So as far as I know, she was just as All In with 2.0 and will likely be to The Grave, Big Banners up at her Home, the whole Nine Yards.  It's tragic and was preventable, but if you go in Eyes Wide Shut and can't be Rescued or Deprogrammed when you Join any Cult, you're fucking Doomed.  And it seems about 30% of our Nation is still Die Hard MAGAts and a total Lost Cause that's becoming increasingly Dangerous to the other 70% they View as their Enemies now and don't want Unity of America anymore.

I do feel very accomplished this Morning coz I Worked for about an Hour in The RV Garage Mahal, moved that new Display Rack in there, found decent placement for it and have now started putting my Fiesta Ware Mug Collection and some of my filled Antique Canning Jars with Zinc and Milk Glass Lids on the Tiered Shelving of it to Organize and Display it all better.  I'm not done yet but well on my way. {See Below}  I had more Mug Colors than I realized, some that looked similar are a different Color Shade and thus a different Fiesta Ware Colored Line put out over the Years.  I'm Color Blind so unless you put Two close Colors together, say Black and Navy Blue, or different Shades of Green or Blues, I can't tell the difference unless they're side by side and then the difference becomes apparent to me that they are different Colors.  And some they put out were very subtle differences in Color Shades, hard for anyone to tell.

The Lighting in there isn't great for Photography unless I Open one of the Big Doors to The RV Garage Mahal and let Natural Sunlight help light it up.  But, you get the gist of how many Colors I've Collected of the Art Deco Handled Fiesta Ware Mugs.  I Sell all my Rounded Handled ones, not interested in Collecting that Style of Mug... and that Style is actually more Popular with Collectors so they Sell really quickly and well.  So do the Teacups, which, I don't Keep any of those either.  I used to, I had complete Sets of Fiesta Ware over the Years and we used it a lot, but, tho' I still Love it, I wanted the Money and we didn't use it as often anymore either.  But then, after I Sold so much of it the Kiddos Freaked Out coz they had wanted to Inherit THAT, who knew?  I should ask and now I do so that I know what they want me to Keep that they are interested in Inheriting and using when I'm Gone.

They told me what they'd use most would be the Cereal/Salad Bowls, Mugs, and a few Specialty Pieces I have like Platters and Bowl or Disc Shaped Pitchers, so that's what's being Collected and Kept now.  Everything else, when I Source some, goes into the Showroom coz it's always Popular and has been since the 1930's.  It's Colorful, Festive, Fun and holds up well to use becoz it is well made.  They come out with New Colors constantly and have Rare Ltd. Edition Colors that were limited Production.  There's more of the Mugs on the Tier below coz I do have a few duplicate Colors, but, not many duplicates... I have amassed many of the Colors of various Eras... both in Mugs and in Cereal/Salad Bowls.  I have a Bowl for every Color of Mug I've Collected.  It looks so pretty to Display it together and have it accessible for use if we have a Party or Gathering and wanna use it.  Everyone gets their own Color... which is what the Kiddos all LOVED about it and had fond Memories of, it turns out.

And Collections like this make me Happy to Own and Enjoy during my Lifetime.   It was Fun Sourcing it and Enjoyable to Own it.  So I don't wanna get rid of them if I don't have to... and mostly, I don't have to.  I can detach from anything at any time I want or need to, so it's all subject to Change or Detachments without Notice.  Some stuff I have isn't For Sale but it can be Bought, is my Mantra.  Not all of it, but, if an Offer is made that would be difficult or impossible to Refuse, then, Bye Bye, the Hunt can be on for another.  And if it was a OOAK then I can probably Live just Fine without it and know I did Own it for a Time and now someone else is Enjoying Owning it, so, it's All Good.  Especially if I really made Bank by Reselling it, coz I like Money too, it's always the Right Size and Right Color... and, it Buys Options... and Options are always Good as well.  *Winks* 

After I was Done I Skinny Dipped in The Pool and feel quite refreshed now and it's only 11:00 a.m., but I got a lot Done.  I want to try to make that habitual, spending at least an Hour doing something that needs to get Done around here.  It's not so overwhelming to only spend an Hour of a Day with the Projects I have to do and want to eventually Imagine will get Done.   And I did bring some Projects Inside to work on in Climate Controlled Space coz you just have to this time of Year.  And there's no getting around that and we still have a Month and a Half at least of brutal Summer Heat.  Last Year it didn't even Cool Off in September, but I'm Hopeful it will get Cool Enough this Year?   Daily Data Centers will Heat the Environment up by a lot and use 5 Million Gallons of Water Daily per Data Center, which is equivalent to what a Small City of 50,000 People would use!!!   Do the Math to see how disastrous that is already.  And Power Plants use massive amounts of Water to produce the Electricity Data Centers require too.

A Tech Company's indirect Water consumption from Power Generation can be over 20 Times Greater than it's direct Water useage for Cooling.  Many are situated in Drought striken areas like Arizona and Nevada.  In the Phoenix area facilities draw heavily from Municipal Systems and stressed local Aquifers, yet they keep building the fuckers at an ever increasing alarming rate.  AI only intensifies the demand for these destructive facilities.  It is already heightening tensions with local Residents facing long-term Water cuts and much higher Utility and Water Costs.    And Rural Communities in States like Georgia have had local Wells and Water Tables drop and surging Municipal Water Prices as a result of hyperscale Data Centers nearby.  It's an Ecological and Humanitarian Disaster and yet Billionaire Companies profiting off of it are getting permission to keep building, coz clearly they're lining the Pockets of whoever they Pay Off to ensure it's pushed thru regardless of consequences to the Communities it Negatively impacts long-term.

 

Anyway, most of them are already built, along with Acres of those massive AMAZON Warehouses that if Bezos ever bails using them, nobody else Needs 800,000 sf of Industrial Space.  Well, mebbe ICE... but that's a whole other Rant for a whole other day about the Concentration Camp proliferation in America and just who all they intend to Round Up Illegally and Kidnap to put in them for Profit.  Coz you do know it's Private Contractors Profiting off the whole thing, Follow The Money.  It's not about Immigration Enforcement at all or rounding up the Worst Criminals here Illegally.  Since, we've already seen whose already been Targeted, mistakenly or otherwise... American Citizens, Legal Immigrants, those on Legit Work VISAS, and even Illegals who've been here Decades but never committed any Criminal Activity during their long tenure here but just put in Hard Work and Pay Taxes. 

 You can't tell or convince me the Grandfather whose a Landscaper, the Caregiver of our Aged in our Nursing Homes, your Meat Processing Plant Worker, Migrant Farm Worker, Restaurant Kitchen Staff, Pool Boy, or your Domestic Maid is the Worst of the Worst out there... Pleeeease... get a grip on Reality already.   And they're not taking YOUR Jobs either or you'd be fucking doing those Jobs, or did those jobs, but, you're not and you probably never have or even would... so shut the fuck up about that fallacy and Red Meat MAGA Base Bait too.  *Eye Roll*   Yes, in a Perfect World I'd like all Immigration to be Legal, but our Immigration System is and has been so broken for so long that it's make very hard if not impossible to do it the right way most of the time.  I can't even get my Mexican Born Grandchildren into the Country Legally or easily and without being Extorted, and their Mother is an American Citizen, it's just Crazy.

The Stuffed Crust 7 Topping $9.99 Pizza Special at DOMINOS is ending this Weekend so we got one for Lunch Today.   Along with the Pepperoni, Italian Sausage & Ham, this time I had some of the Meats doubled and got Mushrooms too.   They put a little Garlic in their Crusts there and I just Love it, and they sprinkle Parmesan on it too.  The Stuffed Crust has Mozzarella String Cheese in it, very hearty, a Medium feeds all of us just fine and cheaply.  The Employees this Afternoon were Older Ladies, very sweet and pleasant.  I've noticed more Seniors working at Fast Food than you do Teenagers anymore.   I doubt it's coz that was their Dream in Retirement Years to be working at Fast Food for probably Minimum Wages and no Benefits.  The fact they're still doing it tho' and with a pleasant Attitude is admirable of them IMO.

I was upset with some Strawberries I recently bought from "Fry's" Food Store.  They looked Fresh and nice but molded before we could eat a single one of them!!!   They had been on Sale, all Berries were tho' and that's no excuse for them to be so near spoiling and being a complete waste of Money, which, nobody can afford right now.  So, that was disappointing coz I was getting ready to use them and was horrified to see they were seriously furry and not a single one was remotely able to be salvaged in a large container of them I'd just bought!  With the tainting right now of some Produce, especially Salad Lettuces, I had heard that probably we should avoid Berries too, and all Soft Fruits right now that could be contaminated, so, mebbe it's just as well.  I'd rather throw it out than risk getting really Sick from eating it.

I was visiting one of the International Blogger's Blog and right now she's on Vacay from Britain to Greece and it's so Scenic and the Real Estate is such a Bargain, OMG!!!   A Historic Mansion right in Town, walking distance to everything is only 50,000 whatever the European Money is... I don't have that Key Symbol on my Keyboard, but I think it's Pounds?  *LOL*  Anyway, I cribbed the Image of the Mansion and could Fantasize about living somewhere like that in a Manse like that... sigh.   And of coarse then I Googled Real Estate in that vicinity coz I wanted to see Interiors too... and of coarse you can buy Real Estate into the Stratosphere of Price Points as well.  Even when we lived in Europe, Real Estate wasn't necessarily a Bargain.  But it seems it is moreso now, perhaps they're having mass exodus or something and are luring Ex-Pats to Countries experiencing Population losses in some Towns and Cities, I dunno?  I do know a Friend who bought an enormous French Chateau with all the Antique Furnishing in it and lives there full time now.  He lets Retired Locals live in part of it Rent Free as Caretakers of it.

  

via: VINTAGE VIXEN Blog

Anyway, Vix and her Boyfriend Jon Travel extensively on Vacations all over the World and I so do Love her coverage of it all on her Blog.  Even their Home in Great Britain is a Lovely Historic Family Home she inherited and her sense of Style and Aesthetic is Boho Chic.  My European Relatives go on "Holiday" a lot too, most Europeans I've ever known Travel extensively on Vacations more than any Americans I've known ever do.  Of coarse in Europe you're so close to so many other Countries and Cultures, so why wouldn't you experience it all?  But many I know Travel far and Wide all over the Globe, and even here to America on their Vacations.  Vix and Jon often go to India too.  America isn't a prime destination for most Europeans that I know tho' and never has been.   Arizona is a Tourist State and we used to receive more Visitors from Canada, Asia and Mexico than any other Countries... until all this Political Fuckery and Administration Xenophobia anyway, now they rarely come anymore on Vacation and I don't Blame them.

I, for one, miss the International Community Visitors, good people, excellent Guests to Host, enjoyable to meet, and they do a lot for the local Economy when they come.   When I used to be a Global Traveler myself I always appreciated Host Countries that were Welcoming to Foreign International Visitors.  America as a Collective I still think is a gracious Host aside from our current Leadership Xenophobes and perhaps their staunchest Base.  So, when the World Cup was Hosted here I do think our International Guests saw some of the best of us and what America still is.  I just Hope we can get back to being Led by some of the best of us as well and restore our Global Reputation too?   Below... I think The Daughter may have been Scrapping at the Recycle Center and Scored a Street Sign for one of her Kiddos... *LOL*

 

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Blessings, Love and Light from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian

The Critical Crossroads ~ Which Path To Take, Which Stand To Make

 In Real Time being a Tuesday means getting The Son to Work by 5:00 a.m. and Princess T to Work by 6:00 a.m..  She was telling me the other day she doesn't know if she'll ever Drive coz she gets such intense Anxiety when she's Practiced with Timmy or with Rusty.  *Le Sigh and Oh No*  I felt that could be a possibility with her and she's been in no Rush to Drive and she's gonna be 21 in September, so I felt she was intentionally holding back learning to and getting a License.  She said she has Panic Attacks if other Cars are around and doesn't Feel Safe.  She's had her Celica for some time now and Rusty got it completely Road Worthy, so I had expected she might build more confidence.  That clearly is not happening and she Confessed it, which is good, at least now I know.

 I won't and can't be Mad at her if she doesn't, she has Anxiety Issues that are significant.  She starts Crying if they get too bad and why she Vapes MJ to Calm her Nerves just to be around People or out in Public.  She'd rather stay secluded in her Room, which is her Safety Cocoon.  She had wanted to Drive only becoz it would give the Family an extra Licensed Driver who had no Driving Restrictions.  Her Brother and Mom can never Drive due to the extent of their Mental Illness Diagnosis impairing them too much to.  Her Uncle has Driving Restrictions in place and so he hasn't Driven now for a few Years.  So, I'm the only Driver in the Household of Six People and that is very limiting.  Public Transit isn't so good in Metro Phoenix... or that Safe either... Bus Pirates abound who Rob folks taking the Bus System.

And Uber and Lyft Drivers have had some Bad Press about how many Sexual Assaults have happened to their Passengers.  Don't know how well they Vet the whole Uber/Lyft Gig Employees or do Background Checks on any of them?   So, Princess T simply won't take them and I'm glad, I'd worry for her Safety being a Young, Pretty Woman riding Alone in one.   Even The Young Prince, who does take them, said when he's been Presenting as a Female, he's had some Creepy Uber Drivers before.  He lets them know he's a Man and can... and will... fuck them up if they try anything.  He feels it is the only reason no assault has ever taken place.  He's confident had he been a Female he might have been Assaulted by some of the Creepy Perverse Gig Workers who provide Transportation and might be Sexual Predators.

Anyway, so, I will be Uber Mom/Gramma for quite some time I suppose.  And both of them Work within Walking distance from Home so it's not far.  He Walks to and from Work every so often, usually after Work he doesn't ask me to even pick him up.  But I don't want her Walking Alone in the City, ever.   Shit, I don't even know if I'd want a Young Woman Walking Alone in the Country these days either, Truth be told.  Or any Child Playing Alone Outside, which is a Sad commentary on our Society and how it's devolved and become so Unsafe.  And how many Twisted Human Beings are out there and living among us.   Since still damned near 30% of our Citizens still Support this Prez and all he's done, it shows the level of their own depravity and lack of a Moral Compass or having a Humanitarian Conscience IMO and what doesn't bother them and should. 

 What and Who you Support speaks and reveals Volumes about YOU as a person, more than about them.  Coz I know what they are made of, now I know what you are made of too.   And it's disturbing to me that the percentage is still that High since the Bottom was reached quite some time ago in this Regime's depravity and cruelty, they gone Bottomless in fact, no depths too low to go, clearly.  And their Base has gone that far down too in Support of it all.  No excuses for them, you cannot justify what should never have any justification becoz its too abhorrent, Criminal, perverse and Twisted to attempt to justify.   You can't really have any Conviction expected where none would ever exist with folks like that, so Condemnation is all they deserve then. 

 And they should be Judged by the Content of their Character, or lack thereof, by Society as a Collective, in a Functional Society anyway that knows Right from Wrong, Good from Evil.  If we've become so debased we can't distinguish any of that anymore, we're Screwed and a Lost Cause already.   America is at a critical Crossroads about which Path to take and which Stand to make, from my Observations.  Time will tell if we take the Right Path and make the Stand we should, and in Time.  I'm not even sure yet and convinced we'll get it Right as a Nation, coz the Path shouldn't be so difficult to discern and the Stand should have already been made IMO.   Reminds me of those Old Spaghetti Westerns where the Bad Guys come into a Town and terrorize and threaten it. 

The Townspeople are all too Cowardly to make a Stand and expect some Lone Sheriff to be their Savior and Solve it for them all by himself and without their United Support or Participation.  Defending Democracy is not a Spectator Sport nor something you sit the whole thing out on the Bench for or your Team Loses.  So get in the Fucking Game!  Don't Forfeit the Game or give the Game away, even if the Game seems rigged already.   Which, in our Political System, we all can agree quite a bit of rigging is going on, has gone on, continues to go on.  Or we'd certainly have a better Lineup and less funding by Big Donors to rig the Outcomes and whose Playing at the Top Tiers of it all, coz they Own the Whole Team, on both sides usually, and are therefore the Shot Callers.  Whose the most Morally Compromised and has been Bought is sometimes difficult to discern, I'll be Fair about that Assessment and long time Observation.   But the Above Quote incapsulates how I Feel about those being Neutral in Situations of Injustice.

But, that's how the majority of folks are and we need more Participation by the Masses to be most effective at Positive Change.  It can be done, it has been done, but it's all at grave risk right now and too many folks seem ambivalent or indifferent enuf that they do nothing, or too scared or intimidated to say anything either.  Their Silence and lack of Action is therefore complicit.  Doing and saying Nothing is as much as being on the Wrong Side of History, you've made that Choice with your Silence and Inaction and enabled those causing the Problem by not standing up to it and not Standing For something.  And when someone remains quite Neutral I always feel like they could or will switch Sides depending on which seems Safest and Easiest to them to Pretend to be on.

Today The Man sees his VA Doc and we've got to discuss the Meds and how his Cardiologist got so upset about us being told to discontinue the most critical Med he'd put him on.   And about having to discontinue Cardiac Rehab and Why.   Those are the critical Issues to address while there coz we don't get in to see his Primary at the VA very often, Appointments are parsed out sparingly and I'm actually fine with that coz The Man doesn't like going, but it's necessary in order for the VA to cover all of his Medications.  His Primary has to Bless it all regardless of which Civilian Specialists they've sent him to and he's under the Care of.  Therein lies the Problem if it's a conflict of Opinions.  And there always seems to be conflicting Opinions, especially with what Meds are prescribed and covered.  *Le Sigh*  The VA is better than TriCare about it tho' and Approves more of the Meds and at No Cost, for now anyway.

 But, everything is subject to Change without Notice about Funding for anything anymore.  My Meds used to be No Cost until the Base Pharmacy quit carrying or Approving most of them, and now the Cost thru Express Scripts by TriCare is costing me a couple Hundred Plus a Month and going up constantly.  If I had no Coverage tho' I'd not be able to afford any of them.  So some Coverage is still far better than no Coverage, even tho' Earned Benefits of Military Service have eroded considerably or simply been taken away entirely.  But, Listen, either Trust the Civilian Sector Specialists Opinions they're sending you to, or just do everything In-House and Hire VA Specialists instead on the Government's Dime.  They won't coz they cut Veteran's Services all the time in spite of Politicians pretending to Support our Vets and Active Duty Personnel along with their Families.

 Right now the Alcoholic Racist and totally Unqualified Hegseth is holding up Promotions or Firing Military Personnel with exemplary Service just for being Women or being Black!!!  He's Fixated on Testosterone levels of Troops being Screened, and wants Mandatory T-Screening!!!  Brawn over Brains, for some very Weird reason.  I think he Questions his own Masculinity or something coz the Fixation is very Suspect and extremely Odd about his Male Enhancement Obsession with Hormone Replacement Therapy. Cuckoo!!!  So things are worsening considerably in our Military and what they're doing is Illegal, Immoral and should be Challenged in Court coz it's blatant Discrimination, Misogyny and Racism, not even pretending to be anything but what it is.   And some Americans are Okay with that by Supporting it and those making those kinds of decisions.

It's no longer a Merit Bases System in Play, they want Aryan Nation Troops it seems, you gotta be a Cis Gender White Male and that's the only REAL Qualification now.  Performance, Expertise or Experience and real Qualifications means squat now with this Administration.  Very Hitler Youth skewed and reminiscent of some real Bad History we should Hope wouldn't be repeated but is playing out in Real Time by the same Old Play Book actually with few deviations from it.   I'm Visually Focusing on some Closeups in this Post with my Imagery, coz I think we really should be Focusing more on the Closeups of our Fellow Americans and what they Support and Stand For or Against.   It's Important to know.  Whose had effective Facades carefully constructed, a Veneer over What they're About and Who they really are?   I'm not trying to make anyone become Paranoid, but not everyone or everything is as it Appears on the Surface either, so just don't be Deceived.  My Welsh Nanna had a Saying: Better The Devils you Know than The Devils you don't.

TED Talk now over... ha ha ha.  I know most of my Peeps here have their Heads on the Swivel and don't require any of my Advice or Observations. You've been discerning from what I can tell of each of you I know, as well as Observant enough and made your own, and Stand on and for the Side we should for the Good of Humanity and ALL People.  That's Why we can be Friends.  *Winks and Smiles*  Otherwise we fucking can't, coz I'm not very Forgiving of those who choose to stand on the Wrong Side of History, they'll get what's coming to them eventually, I'm sure of it.  I don't give 'em a Pass.  And I won't feel the least bit sorry for them or that they will receive what's due them.  Karma is the ultimate Bitch, so I don't even have to be.  *LOL* 

Moving On... I told The Man to take a Shower this Morning in prep for his VA Doc Appointment and I know he didn't.   But, he'd already gotten himself at least Dressed and in Clean Clothes, so, I choose Battles wisely with him anymore.  Plus, now there's no time to get him undressed, Showered, and dressed again before we'd have to leave for the VA Clinic coz it's a Fair Commute to Sun City West where it is located.  We have a VA Clinic just down the Street within sight of our Home but they weren't taking any New Patients so we'll have to wait until they are to switch him over to that Location.  Plus, changing Docs is a big Question Mark and with all his History and Comorbidities I'm just not up for that either really.  Hit and miss whether we'd get someone we Liked at all or felt was doing a decent Job being his Primary.   Dr. Klein is quite Old and I don't know he keeps up with what's New? 

But we're quite Old and don't either... and he's very Nice, very Compassionate, and The Man does Like him and that's huge.  We like his Civilian Specialist Dr. Pham a LOT, we're so fortunate to now have him on our Team here at The Asylum and Approved as his Cardiologist.  *Smiles and Whew*   I'll be Honest, I don't LIKE a lot of Docs or have a lot of Trust in Western Medicine.   I personally utilize Holistic, Tribal and Eastern Medicine mostly myself.  But I get good Vibes from some Docs and my Gut Instincts usually Serve me quite well about People.  The Man knows I scope People out when I first meet them and if the Vibe ain't Right, he knows I'm not Trusting that one.  *Ha ha ha*  He also knows I've rarely been inaccurate about People, some can Fool you for a little while, but eventually if the Facade drops even just a little, they're now exposed and revealed.  No putting it back up or trying to, I rarely give 2nd chances if you've been Deceptive, now I don't Trust you.  Coz Why did you even have to be?

UPDATE:  The VA Doc went so well, his Primary Doc at the VA is totally on Board with what the Cardiologist wants The Man do be on and do.  So that's good news that they are in Agreement and caught up on things.  We only see the VA Doc once every 3 Months, the Cardiologist more often.  All of The Man's Labs were excellent.  His A1C is down to 6.5 so as low as mine is now, which is great coz for a while his was really high.  He has some early Kidney Disease so they're putting him on a Med to help protect his Kidneys, which I think is a good idea.  His Family has a History of Kidney Disease and Hereditary High Cholesterol.  His Cholesterol levels were pretty good tho', so the Meds he takes to Manage that are working.  His Doc was so Proud of his Progress, I am too, he's on the right trajectory and has put in the Work.  I took him out to Eat after our Appointment, he was in great Spirits with such a Positive Appointment for a change. 

This is my Paternal Cousin Wewokajanna who is very likely Dying.  I'm Hopeful she can get adequate Treatment and Comfort yet I feel she didn't get the Care she should have gotten nor early enough.  Since it's been diagnosed so late and now they know it's TB, I do wonder how many other Loved ones and their Community are or have been exposed to TB and it's been left unchecked there on the Reservation?  I asked her Sister if the Indian Hospital is now Testing everyone, I haven't gotten an Answer and I don't know she would even think about it or have much knowledge of how contagious the Disease is and that it can go from a few Cases to an Epidemic level.   Google claims it's Moderately Contagious but in the Past there was widespread of it that Killed a lot of people and many were sent to Deep Desert Sanitoriums to just Die.  Without Treatments 2/3 will Die within 3 Years of Diagnosis, or sooner if it was caught late.

This was my Cousin as a Teen in the 1960's... and Below, her Older Brother {now Deceased}, and Younger Sister {who told me of her Sister's Illness}.   I haven't seen any of these Cousins since about late 1980's when they came to Arizona with my Paternal Aunt and visited The Man and I when we lived at our Historic Home.  He only met part of my extended Family on both Sides, since all still either live in North Wales or on the Rez in Oklahoma mostly.  Any living elsewhere I wouldn't even know where they're at and have little to no contact with many on either side of the Family now.   One Male Welsh Cousin I'm in contact with now and Two Paternal Female Native American Cousins, that's it.  Really, that's probably damned near all of us that's even left now.  So it's not so much that anyone is Estranged, most have now Crossed Over from Time into Eternity and into the Great Beyond.

When my Dad and his Younger Sister, who lived with him after being Widowed, were still Alive, many of the Paternal side of the Family came to Arizona regularly.  They don't anymore now that both Dad and his Sister Passed Away.   My Welsh Uncle, Mom's Older Brother, came to Arizona for 11 Years Straight on Vacations.  He stayed with us or our Mom for about a Month at a time and I Cherished that time with a Favorite Uncle, he and I were very, very Close and I miss him so much.  He lived to be 90 and his Youngest Son is the only Welsh Relative I'm now still in contact with.   He's closer to my Younger Brother's Age and in good Health, he's come to America often on Vacays and for Work, since he's a Welder and does Work at Nuclear Power Facilities mostly around the World. 

 But, he's never yet visited us so I haven't seen him since we were both Teenagers in the time we were Stationed in Great Britain before my Dad Retired from the Military.   We'd make Trips to North Wales from our Base in England, to visit Mom's Relatives.   I doubt I'll ever return now, I enjoyed visiting where my Mom was from and I was Born, incidentally. Coz Mom always went Home to give Birth to her Children coz of the hostility in America during that Era towards Native Americans and especially Interracial Intercultural Unions, it was very bad, even dangerous back then.  So she didn't risk it, and got good Care in her Country on their National Health System and she was still a Welsh National and never gave up her Identity or Citizenship.  So, I still have Dual Citizenship, being a Child of an Active Duty American GI born Overseas.  

Tho' I consider myself an American and this is my Homeland and I'm Proud to be an American.  In any other Country, even my Mom's, I'm considered an American, not Welsh.  If I didn't have Living Relatives there in North Wales, I doubt I'd be well Received actually.  Any more than I would on my Dad's Reservation either if I didn't have Living Relatives there.   Which is why I feel no Need to return to either, no connections at either place, visited both, was Fine just being a Visitor and not a Resident.  *LOL*   Anyway, I was concerned driving to the VA Clinic, how many Data Centers they've built between where we live and where the Clinic is, just OMG, Miles and Miles of them!!!  It's alarming.  A Veterans at the VA we chatted with while waiting said his Cousin lives in a small Town in New Mexico and they built one near it and used up all the Water and now the Town has no Water!!!  They are doing irreparable damage to Environments and Communities with these Data Centers.

I got invested in a NetFlix Series called UNCHOSEN, which was a Thriller about a fictional Cult in Great Britain, and it had an unexpected ending, I liked it, took me Two Nights to see it all.  The Cast were all from Great Britain, the Northern Irish Actor Fra Fee in it was really good, first time seeing him in anything.   There have been some good short Series on both NetFlix and Amazon Prime, we're getting both for Free, so I'm watching more TV than I usually do.  Not a big watcher of TV and never have been.  While watching my Series I heard something on the Front Porch, thought it was the Storm blowing something Metal around, turns out someone, probably our Neighbor Rob, had left me a really high end Reddish Honey Natural Wood and Black Metal Crescent Shaped Display Rack with Flat Back on Wheels, with several Tiers {Four}!  {See Below}

 I rolled it inside to keep it from the Weather and will remember to Thank him next time I see him.  He's found me some good Displays over the Years and just Gifts me with them.  That's why I think it was Rob, he's the only one whose done that consistently over the Years if he finds something Commercial or Industrial that he knows I'll find Useful or could put in the Showroom to Display things on or Resell.  Don't know where I'll put this one in The RV Garage Mahal, but I'll find Placement coz it's an Expensive High End Commercial Display.  *Smiles*  I've got so many Old Canning Jars with Zinc and Milk Glass Lids that I put small items in that it would be a good Display Rack for those... or even my Starbucks Mug and Tumbler Collection, so it will be Useful and I Love how it looks too.   Totally Jazzed to find it out there as a Surprise Gift from a Dear Neighbor Friend.  The Racks are adjustable and come off, as you can see from the Back side of the Display.  Very Sturdy Construction and the Wood is in remarkable Shape for a Commercial Display, no scratches or gouges, nice Finish.  It was well taken Care of.

I do have so much Work to do this Fall and Winter around here and I am determined to gird myself to knuckle down and really do it in earnest.  During Pandemic I did and so I need to make myself stay Home more when things Cool Down and really tackle things I want Done so I can enjoy the Fruits of that Labor around here.  It's long overdue and I ain't getting any Younger to accomplish this extended Project I've got going on at Forever Boheme'.  I didn't think it would take this many Years and grossly underestimated the amount of Time, Energy and Help I'd require.  Do you ever do that as you get Older, underestimate how long things will now take you do do?  I used to be a good judge of estimating things and that is eroding as Time marches on and I think I can still do things that obviously I either can't or take me so much longer to do.  Then the timeline or deadline gets strung out ridiculously long.  And I get overwhelmed easily now too, which I never used to. 

Seriously, no gargantuan Project ever intimidated me or I didn't think I couldn't do before, I knew with tenacity I could do damned near anything I set my Mind to.  Now, tho' I feel like I still could, I have no delusions about what it will take and I'm not entirely sure I've still got what it takes to do it without a lot of Help?  A a lot of Help isn't always possible or available, coz Volunteers for major Projects are few and far between.  There's no real Projects Budget either to Hire Helpers or throw Money at Family to encourage them to put that much Work into something that's MY Project and not theirs.  *LOL*   The Daughter did a LOT for me in The RV Garage Mahal and around here, so no wonder she's Bailed now, it had begun to Overwhelm her I'm sure of it.  *Le Sigh but Smiles*  I had Projects that might take the next Two Generations all of their Lifetimes to accomplish, let alone mine!?  *Bwahahahaha*  It is Intimidating, what I've Created in the way of an "Inheritance" to dispose of or Manage.

*******

Assessing Life's Challenges and Crossroads here in the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian