Keep On Keepin' On My Friends... It's My Birthday!!!

In Real Time it isn't my Birthday but this will Publish on it.  I don't think The Daughter did the Crazy Ride to Buckeye on her Bike when it was 111 Degrees and I was at Work, after all, whew.  When she's on the Crazy Train with what she intends to do and is Psychotic about it, there's usually no swaying her otherwise.  She hasn't had the Money for her Two Drinks to take The Edge Off and it shows.  And frankly I'm so Tapped Out this close to EOM that I haven't had any to lend to her but I can see it's necessary, the Self-Medicating with Moderated Alcohol is better for her Function than NOT having it.  She really becomes very Schizophrenic and exceedingly Paranoid otherwise.  I'd prefer Psyche Meds and Treatment for her, but that's not happening and might not even Work as well as Two Mike's Hard or this new Purple Canned Liquor she's liking which are 3 for $5.

Anyway, apparently she got thru the Night but was very dramatic and Psychotic as Hell.  Some of her more unpleasant Alters also become the Dominant Personality when she's Feeling very Unwell.  And she was definitely Feeling very Unwell becoz she got bold enuf to be a tad bit confrontational with me, not much, but that's Testing my Waters and I made her aware, before I left for Work, don't fucking Go There Darlin'.  I could tell she was rolling that over in her addled Brain and deciding, yeah, Mom's got a LOT to Deal with, so if she Snaps, it will be very Bad, and... we'll ALL be Screwed.  So, from what I was told she Slept it Off and was no problem for her Daughter, who was left Babysitting her Grandpa, since her Mom wasn't up to it and her Uncle was already closed off in his Room coz after his Drunken Night where he did Set me Off, he hasn't touched a Drink since.  He'll go Cold Turkey for a while without ending up totally Mental like his Sister.

He will never take Psyche Meds again but isn't opposed to Therapy or going to a Rehab, but he doesn't wanna lose this new Job.  He likes it and tho' it's only Part Time and Minimum Wages he can Walk to it if he has to and he gets Paid Daily by it.  He's not good Managing Money so that is better for him to Manage his funds, he's even built up an impressive Savings.  He'd like to get the Restrictions lifted from his License and Buy a reliable Used Vehicle so he can get Work in the Trades again eventually.  But, everyone in the Trades is struggling right now coz Asset Strippers are Buying Up a lot of those Companies and doing what they do to make big Money and leave it Debt laden and everyone holding that Bag.  Society is suffering for the few Asset Strippers and most wealthy Venture Capitalists preying on them IMO.  They don't call them Sharks for nothing.

Anyway, The Niece said she'll be here by next Week, still no Word from The Young Prince about when he and Allen will be showing up or when Allen plans to relocate back to Metro Phoenix?   Whatever they work out, so long as it works out for me too, I'm good with it actually.  The Young Prince is a LOT for me to Manage and Care for without more Help, so if Allen is willing to split the Care and Costs, I can be Okay with that so long as they Manage it without Drama and Headaches.  I know how mine can be, and Allen lived with us long enuf I know how he can be, so, it's Six of One and Half a Dozen of the other with those Two.  So I'm not placing 'blame' anywhere, Allen took on more than he could Manage and Cope with and The Grandson is totally Mental and a Handful... I know, I Raised him, he's been that way and so Unwell since Age 7, Bless him.

The Daughter is doing better Today and has helped me Clean and Price a lot of Inventory to go into the Showroom, I bought her Two Mike's Hard coz she definitely Earned Six Bucks worth of Drink.  *LOL and Winks*  We joked about it, will Work Hard for 2 Mike's Hard.  *Ha ha ha*  I don't want her going thru Withdrawal or going Mental, I'm not Cruel or trying to be and she knows that... so does The Son.  They know I Love them Unconditionally but I have Boundaries that can't be crossed and I have limited Income that has to be parsed out to Support us all and Priorities are set and can't be compromised on this kind of a Budget and with this many Mouths to Feed, Maintain everyone's Medical Needs, and keep a Roof over the Heads of.  We've still got a shit ton of Pokemon Cards to Price, have to look each one up so it's Labor Intensive but profitable.

The Daughter and I had Fun sitting out on the back Porch with Fans blowing on us and talking while we Worked, she's enjoyable to be around when she's not on the Crazy Train.  And she knew she had been all of Yesterday so really tried hard to get a Grip by Today and I appreciate her striving for Sanity, sometimes she even Succeeds... me too.  *Winks*  Hey, we're not Well Women and we know it, so, what can we say, sometimes we Feel like a Nut, sometimes we don't.  *Smiles*

  It's only 11:00 a.m. but now we're getting Tired so we're taking Time Out from Pricing and had gotten Two Banana Boxes filled, plus a Donation Box filled, not bad for a couple Hours of Work we Partnered to get Done.  It emptied out about Four Milk Crates from The She Shed and we're gonna clear out all Inventory from there and then load more Inventory into the Crates, Fresh from The RV Garage Mahal.  A steady Rotation that will go out the Doors either to a Charity or the Antique Mall For Sale. 

Little by Little I think if we consistently slog away at it for perhaps 1-2 Hours Daily we can make some significant Progress again?  And perhaps make some much needed Discretionary Income so Finances aren't so tight every Month?  I don't see the Economy improving so long as this Criminal Idiot and his Sycophant Cabal of Vulgarians are in charge tho', so I'm bracing for at least Two more Bad Years.  Perhaps worse Years, but The Daughter reminded me she Lived impoverished for the past 20+ Years in a 3rd World Country, so we Got This and will Survive when most folks can't or won't, and she's Right. 

 We've been very Poor before and know how to be Content and Survive anything, regardless of what happens to the Society and the Economy around us.  I know that many Americans won't be able to tho' and it will be Interesting to see what happens when those who've enjoyed unmerited White Privilege start to feel the Squeeze, the Oppression, and React?  I think the Wheels will Come Off, I really do.  If some of our Population has never suffered any real Hardship or lack, I don't know how they can or will handle it when it hits them too?   And until it's them, far too many simply don't Care when it's somebody else and very abstract to them coz they have no Point of Reference.

But, until The Hurt is put Hard on everyone, too many will remain complacent, even supportive.   Until the Bottom drops out on them and they realize they've been Played and it's all coming Home to Roost what they've ignored or been complicit of or too complacent about.  People often don't know what a Good Thing they had 'til it's Gone.  I appreciate what we've always had as a Good Thing in America, becoz I have been a Global Traveler and experienced other Countries.  Many are lovely but I always wanted to come Home to America becoz I appreciated what we do have here that many Countries simply don't have and often we take for Granted becoz we've never NOT had it. 

 We're very spoiled and soft really in this Country, compared to most parts of the World, and have much to be Thankful for in America.  It's why so many come here and make it their Home, even tho' they may miss where they came from, the vast majority do stay and make this their permanent Home.  And they have contributed, each wave of Immigrants, and we should be Grateful for those contributions, instead of vilifying Immigrant Communities and resenting them.  America was not built on just One Demographic here.   The Above Thrifted LP always Amuses the Hell out of me, Wish I'd Found it... just the Names of those Fundie Couple is hilarious... Mahulda Ezra and Pastor Deke!!!   And just look at their Dour Facial Expressions... no Joy of The Lord evident there... I can only Imagine what the Recording was like?!  LMAOROTF!

Anyway, some folks will have their irrational Biases and Prejudices based mostly on Ignorance or Fear and Insecurities they have.  If you have to put anyone down to feel better about yourself, then you have Issues of your own Self-Esteem and Self-Worth.  Grievance Politics exploit that Human Weakness, Fears and Insecurities by Scapegoating.  Lyndon B. Johnson once said the following, and this Administration is exploiting this Fact even Today:

 “If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you.”

― Lyndon B. Johnson

I've been watching some British TV on Cable and enjoying it tremendously, mostly on PBS.   It's frivolous Programs but I enjoy seeing the English Countryside and how the Cast on it are being with one another, coz most of it is going to Antique Shops and then taking what they Buy to Auction Houses and trying to make a Profit, as a Game, and they have Two Celebs paired with Two Antique Dealers.  It's Interesting but I think none of them really knows what they're doing.  Coz they almost always overpay on the Buy and don't choose stuff that does well at Auction.  

 So there's no way taking it to Auction and paying a Premium they really made any Money, most of the time they substantiated a Loss even if deemed the "Winner" at the end of the Auction and Show.  So, it's just who Lost Less in most cases.  They start out with 400 British Pounds each and I've hardly seen an Episode where they increase it to even 500 Pounds after Auction... usually they're left with 200 to 300 Pounds, which, any way you cut it, was a Loss.  But they're having Fun and I like looking at what the Antique Stores have there now.

Today's Episode they had Two former Olympians who Won Medals in Track and Field as the Celebs.  The Countryside was lovely, they always give them Vintage or Antique Vehicles to drive in.  The Quartet always have a good Relationship doing the Episode.   Sometimes I'm familiar with the parts of Britain they're Visiting and Shopping at, so that's been Fun to see what is the same, since the 1970's when I was there.  Seems to me Pricing is way higher than it used to be for Antiquities, Britain used to have reasonable pricing for their Antiques when we were there, my Parents brought a lot of it back when we returned Stateside.  And some of my Industry Friends, before the Pandemic, would visit Eleven different European Countries to do Picking and bring it back for Resale.  Few, if any, do that now with the Tariff Fiasco.   A pity coz I prefer Imported Antiquities.   I have a lot of them still.   If I was still a Global Traveler I know I'd always be shipping things back Home to America.  *LOL*

Today I do Plan to go in to the Antique Mall and deposit all the Merch we Priced on Wednesday, before the Weekend.  Hoping Sales will improve, since we only have Three more Days in this Pay Period and my Sales aren't decent enuf to ensure a Profit after Expenses this time... dammit!  I Sold a lot of Smalls, nothing significant, and Rents are high, over $600 a Month for a Showroom now and over $100 a Month for a Locked Case... which takes a considerable chunk out of your Bottom Line, along with the 10% Commission, Fees, and Cost of what your Inventory was... so, it's getting harder and harder to turn a decent Profit Margin on it all now.  I used to make more than I did at the DA's Office back when Antiques were Selling well, just as a Hobby and necessity of Downsizing my Personal Collections, those Days are long gone. 

 I don't know how anyone attempts to make a Living doing it?  I'd be Stressed Out if I had to rely on the Income from Resale of what I Own to Survive and have it be the main Source of Income!!!   I'd say more than half the Vendors only do it as Hobbyists or Collectors having to Downsize coz their Heirs don't want their Collections, or they don't wanna burden Loved Ones with disposing of all of it after they're Gone.  Mine will have to coz too much to dispose of in my Lifetime.  *LOL and Winks*  Plus, there's much of it I want to still Enjoy while I'm among the Living and Bought when I had the Income to indulge myself with Investments, those Days are long gone too.  *Le Sigh*  Yeah, sometimes I still Invest in a piece or Two, but it's much more Sacrificial and I'm more hesitant to even if I'm in Lust with something I'd Love to Own.  The Kiddos are more inclined to encourage me to just get it now and to slow down on what I am getting rid of that will be their Inheritance.  *LOL, who knew?!* 

So, I do regularly Solicit their Opinions on what they'd like for us to Keep in case it is something they want or might feel a Need for?  I don't always know what holds the most Sentiment or Value to them.  My own Parents didn't either, us Kids had Nostalgia about random stuff our Parents Collected, coz my folks were avid Collectors of The Good Stuff too, Mom had a Good Eye for the Finer Things in Life.  Dad liked Kitsch and I know I Inherited that juxtaposition of both Parents coz I know and like Fine Things AND Kitschy Things.   And some Kitsch does have Value and can be an Investment if you know the Right Stuff to Collect of it.  Some Fine Things aren't popular anymore, some Not So Fine Things are very popular now, you just never know what will become most Collectible, Hold Value, Increase in Value, or Decrease in Value over Time and with Demand for it or lack of Demand for it.  Just coz something is Rare doesn't always make it Valuable.

And any Art is Subjective to the Beholder and their preferences.  Something is only Worth what someone is willing to Pay for it.   LATER:  Got my 3 Boxes of Inventory into the Showroom and Locked Case this Morning, barely had room enuf to put it all in, but managed.  Several Vendor Friends and Co-Workers hadn't seen me in a while so visited with me and gave me a big Hug, they thought something had happened to me.  Sometimes I forget how long it's been that I've been MIA there. 

 Then The Young Prince's Social Security Disability Caseworker got back with me, she's a very nice Young Woman, I feel good about her being Assigned to us.  Her Name is Briana, she was upset that the Main Office had given us inaccurate Information when we had our initial Intake Interview.  I'd brought all the Paper Evidence since he was Age 7 and initially Diagnosed all the way to the Present and they had claimed they only needed and wanted the last 2 Years worth, which is false, they need it all!!!  I thought so, but... it's not unusual to get faulty and conflicting Information.  *Le Sigh and Eye Roll*

I told her I thought it sounded incorrect but I wasn't gonna argue with the Interviewer there at the Downtown Office giving me the information, I thought perhaps it had changed from Years ago, it hasn't.  *Eye Roll*  I gave her a Laundry List of Psychiatric Agencies and Facilities he's been seen at over the Years, but I told her I could add to it when I got Home and pulled his File I have all the Information in and had brought to Social Security for our Intake Interview but they didn't wanna even see any of it.   He's been seen, since Age 7, at about a Dozen Psychiatric Facilities in Arizona, plus whatever ones he was seen at in Washington State and New Mexico.  He's been in various Mental Facilities and even Penal Facilities Mental Health Units.  So if that's not enuf Evidence that something has been Wrong for a very long time and verifying extent of Serious Mental Illness and Social and Quality of Life Dysfunction, I don't know what is?  *Eye Roll*

 I do have a good Feeling about this Caseworker, been Assigned enuf of them over the Decades of Raising Two Generations of Special Needs Kiddos, and Caring for The Man's extent of Disability, to know when one Assigned to us is a Good One.  It's the Luck of the Draw really.  They did get back to us quicker than anticipated which was a very Good Sign.  They had said even being Reviewed might take 7-12 Months, but this seemed Fast Tracked and taken more Seriously this time.  Which was Surprising given all the Cuts I know all of these Services and Agencies have had under this Administration, everything is understaffed, massive Firings and good folks Quitting or Retiring Early, underfunding, etcetera.  So, it's kind of a Get Yours While There's Still Some Left scenario playing out anymore.

*******

Keep On Keepin' On my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian

Short Term Greed Of Some = Long Term Disaster Of Many

So, my Unpublished Posts are almost all the way up to my Birthday on the 16th of August now when they will Publish, in Real Time it's only the 28th of July tho'.   That big Storm that loomed in the Morning was dissipated by Noon and only sprinkled, the ominous looking Clouds were threatening but ended up doing nothing at all.  So, my Porches are still Clean.  *LOL*  The Cloud Cover and Coolness disappeared completely by Noon and then it was Sunny but Humid, so much so we didn't stay out very long, you just couldn't, the high Humidity made it like a Sauna out there, it was 110 and you became soaked to the skin in your Clothing, very uncomfortable.

  The Man never got out of the Truck but enjoyed driving around just looking out the open Windows of the Vehicle while it was still nice out, Cloudy and Cooler.  So for a couple Hours anyway he got some Fresh Air. I did some Environmental Cleanup and gleaned a lot of Aluminum Cans, since I hadn't been out doing it in a few days and it's noticeable when I haven't.  I don't think anybody else really does it in most of the places I go.  The River was running fast and high, lots of Baby Fishes too, so it must be Spawning Season.  The Oshun {Deity of Fresh Waters} Offerings were abundant there this day, mostly Yellow or Orange Fruits, Sunflowers and Pumpkins.  I'm Guessing it's brought there regularly by the Yoruba Immigrants, and some of the Santeria Practitioners.  

 It kinda Freaks The Man Out, because he doesn't understand it and wasn't as used to it growing up, in the more insulated Communities he grew up in.  But it doesn't bother me or my Kiddos at all, we're more used to these Practices and Practitioners of it.   The Kiddos and I got more Freaked Out going into his Communities where he grew up and their Practices and Practitioners of Religions we don't understand.  *LOL*  Many of the Fundie Christian Faiths and their Followers tend to Freak me Out much more, same with the White Christian Nationalists... way Scarier and Extreme in their ways IMO.  I've had no problems with the Oshun or the Santeria folks ever and I've lived alongside Practitioners a long time. 

 I Respect their Altars and leave them alone, as I would show Respect to anyone's Faith Based Traditions and Rituals or what they show Reverence for.  It's how I was Raised to.  The Man will ask me to explain what I might know that he doesn't.  Coz he wants no Bad Mojo or Attachments Spiritually, by doing something he shouldn't have, so he's very Respectful, but also tends to not have a broader understanding of other Cultures and what they do or why they do it.  I can't begin to tell you how long it took him to get used to me and mine.  *Ha ha ha*  And when his Missionaries would come to visit him, which they don't do very much anymore, on account of me and mine {Winks}, they would genuinely look quite nervous, but Polite. 

 Imagine if you will if Mormon Missionaries had visited the Addams Family Home, becoz Gomez had once been LDS by Birth, and then ended up Marrying Morticia.   And the extended Family also looks like and is as Quirky as the rest of the Addams Home Inhabitants, because they're just that 'different' than your Garden Variety Residential Community folks.  And she took him over to the Dark Side of Traditions, Rituals and her Practices.   Cara Mia... and he Kisses all up and down my Arm.  *Bwahahaha*  The one Home Help that was most able to embrace our ways without batting an Eye was our African Born Immigrant Nurse Remi and so she Loved visiting our Home and bonded with us easily.  She said our ways were so similar to hers... I've not been to Africa... but... Tribal ways are rather similar Globally in basic ways.  We learned to get along with everyone not like us growing up, coz there were no other people of either of my Parents Cultures we lived around.

I personally enjoyed learning about everyone else's differences in Culture, Cuisine, Traditions, Rituals, ways of Life.  I knew we were very different tho' and some folks didn't like that at all.  So, we also learned where we were Welcome or Tolerated, and where we were definitely NOT.  I do think part of what's going haywire in America now is that some Communities don't want or tolerate any diversity and seek to eliminate it.  They want everyone around them to be just like them only and their tolerance for anyone different than they are is a zero tolerance.  That's not New in America by any means, but now it seems to be escalating.  

More polarized, more aggressive again, more divisive and violently cruel, in the lashing out of those with no tolerance for other Human Beings.  Humans they have biases, Hatred, Prejudices against, for whatever reasons they have for being that way towards other Human Beings.  And now they have an Administration like them they are Weaponizing it against anyone not like them.  They try to justify it with faux Patriotism claims, there's nothing Patriotic about it.  They can have their way of Life in America with the Freedom hard fought for and Won by actual Patriots tho'.  And the Freedom to have your way of Life is what most Americans Cherish most about our Beloved Country.  It is why people have flocked here from Countries where they were Oppressed, Persecuted, suffered Atrocities at the Hands of other Human Beings, Impoverished, Killed for being who they just were, or driven out.  We're becoming like those Countries people flee from, not to.

 

Anyway, enuf of that Gloom and Doom talk.  It puts me in a Sour Mood to Fixate on how America is devolving instead of evolving.  I try to do what improves things around me and make Small Positive Differences. I pulled a large Bag of Aluminum Cans out of Nature this day, so it was a bigger haul than I expected to find, with the Weather being so formidable.   I guess the Piggish People will go out in any kind of Weather and litter, it was evident they had been... mebbe even drinking more than usual.  We had some Storm Damage evident with fallen Trees and busted Limbs, so some areas had considerable Winds ripping thru the area and creating lots of carnage.  The City Workers and Landscape Crews were out there in force with Chainsaws cutting up fallen Trees and hauling away the debris.

I got called in to Work at the last Minute, Brigid was out Sick again and called in just 45 Minutes before her Shift begins, so they were scrambling to find someone to fill it this time.  I agreed, and I live close enuf to make it there before 5:00 p.m..  It was very busy for a Tuesday Night too.  My Friend Yolanda was working, Crazy Ed should have been but he had someone else filling in for him and she had a Nickname that made me think I was working with a Guy *LOL*, Older Lady, very Nice, never met her before.  She'd Raised Four of her Grandkids and the Youngest is 20 like Princess T and the only one still at Home and working while going to Community College.  She wants to be an Astrophysicist so must be a really Smart Young Woman.  She said her Son and the Grandkids Mama were both Addicts and so she had to take and Raise all their Children to get the Kids out of that Situation.

Then my Friend Amy came in, she and her Husband have had bad Health all Year and he's had near Death experiences like The Man has, with his Heart as well.  He's also Retired Military and Amy is originally from the Philippines.  Well, their Youngest Son, whose only 33, and lives with them, was just diagnosed with Cancer!!!   He was in Surgery over 8 Hours next door at the Hospital to remove some of the Diseased Organs.  They haven't been told yet what Stage it is or if it's spread.  He had moved in with his Parents when they got so ill to help them out.  She said he's been Cooking for them, Cleaning for them, doing their Laundry, Shopping for them, looking after their Animals since they too own a Mini Farm but have Livestock... and since she's crippled up with a Bad Back and Bad Hips, so has Mobility Issues now, and her Husband has Heart Issues, he's been a Godsend to them.  She calls him "The Good Son" coz her other Son is The Prodigal Son.

Amy and her DH Above, the Nicest folks and Good Friends.  Three of their Four Kids have been Military too, their Daughter a Navy Officer.  Anyway, I guess her Son didn't even know he was so ill... and he's still so Young.  I had no Words, what can you say?  This is Amy's 2nd Marriage and so this is her Husband's First Son, the Older Son who is the Prodigal, was by her 1st Marriage.  She has Four Kids Total, but I think this Youngest is her Husband's only Biological Child even tho' he Raised all her other Kids as his own.  She said he Cried, and he's a big Tough Guy, so it broke her Heart to see him so devastated.  He and this Son have always had a great Father/Son Relationship.  She said when he was little they had him in the Base Day Care coz they both Worked on Base, and her Husband would spent all of his Lunch Hours there with their Son until he was Old enough to go to School!   Lower Pix is a Younger Amy with her Two Daughters when they were Littles, both are Grown and in the Military now. 

   Her 1st Husband was an American in the Military as well.  She was very Young and Poor, she'd been Raised by her Grandmother, he was much Older and not good to her like her current Husband, who Adores her and a Good Dad to all the Kids.  The Day Care Director told Amy she'd never seen any of the other Fathers do that or be so close to their Child like he was with their Youngest Son.  He's a Good Man and this Son has been so Good to his Parents too.  She's my Friend who Cooks Gourmet Meals for her Husband's Pet African Tortoise, Rex!   I got her into taking Pixs of her Food Porn *LOL*... only with Amy I'm never sure if this is the Meals she's made for the Family... or for the Pets... coz they eat as good as the Humans do!  *LOL*  I want Amy to Adopt me.  *Smiles*  Some of her Food Porn is above, some of it is the Turtle's Meal.   She and I Joke about having Food Porn Pix Wars on Facebook... I'll Post a Pix of my Food Porn and then Amy will Touche' it with better looking Food Porn that she personally made at Home from Scratch... I can't even Compete with that, she Wins Hands Down coz she's a Culinary Jedi and her Food is delicious!  I'm so Hopeful their Son will be Okay.

I thought this Fuggler Birthday Cake that came on my Algorithm Feed was Adorable.  I'm not a Cake eating Person but I thought it was really a Unique Cake and I guess some Husband made it for his Wife's Birthday coz she, like me, Adores Fugglers and Collects them.   I have felt quite Nostalgic lately and I don't know why?   I'm Sentimental but not always really Nostalgic.  I kind of Live in the Present Moment and don't take Look Backs often, but, lately I just have.  Perhaps becoz Life and the State of our Country seems too complicated right now and troubling in so many ways?  I dunno, I just know I've felt a longing for what WAS all of a sudden.  Mebbe it's more common as you get Older, but Today at Work even some of the Younger Employees were talking of the Good Ole' Days... and they're not that Old for those Days to have been as far back as my Good Old Days!!!  *LOL*   Some of them who are in their 20's and 30's have been saying they've been getting so Forgetful, which is early for someone that Young... but they Feel it's coz the Modern World just has too much going on, too much Technology to keep up with, and it's Frying our Brains?   And its too much Data.  They could be Right?

     

One has a New Baby on the way and he said he's forgetting the most Basic Stuff now and it's troubling to him.  He thinks it could be all the Worry and all that we're expected to keep Pace with in these Turbulent and Complex Times?   We got to talking about Memory Care coz I'm getting more Forgetful, but now when Young Adults are telling me they're doing the exact same thing I'm doing as far as Forgetfulness in the same ways, perhaps it's not my Age so much?  *LOL*  Or mebbe we all got a build up of those Microplastics in our Brains now?  *LOL, but Le Sigh, coz they never Warn of us these Dangers until it's all too late and we've been doing it or exposed to it for Years with no knowledge of what they're making that is so harmful!!!*  I highly Suspect in a few short Years to be hearing of the Dangers we suspected all along that Data Centers ARE Causing... but it will be too late by the time the Greedy profiting off of it will expose any of it.  I heard Corpus Cristi is the first Major City already out of Water!  Their Situation is tremendously Grave and will affect over 300,000 Residents... they will run Dry in 2027.  I think Metro Phoenix is close behind them and will affect over 5 Million Residents tho'!  Short Term Greed of some = Long Term Disaster for many.

Above are a couple of Blast From The Past of Eli the Cat when we first got him as a Kitten, with Princess T.  He's so big now I can't even remember him being this Small!   But I should have known he wasn't gonna be an Average Sized Adult Cat coz even as a tiny Kitten he had the largest Paws that didn't match the rest of him!  With Dogs and Cats, the Size of the Paw usually is a pretty good indicator of the Size that Animal is gonna Grow Up to be.   Look at the Size of those Paws of his!  This came up on my Book of Faces Feed too from Several Years ago to remind me of Old Posts, every so often it dredges up some Old ones to remind me and tell me how many Years ago it Posted to FB.  This one I think was Labeled as 5 Years Ago, July of 2021, which sounds about Right.  It helps me to remember how Old the Cat is now.  Easier to remember how Old Princess T is now.   Than how long ago she Begged, Pleaded and Talked me into getting another Cat that her Friend Anthony couldn't keep coz his Aunt ended up being Allergic to Eli!!!  *Ha ha ha and Le Sigh*  She's always had a Cat her whole Life and it had been a full Year since her Old Cat Miss Priss had Died... so I guess it was Time.

 

I keep hearing on the little bit of News I will risk exposing myself to lately that Donnie Two Dolls is getting worse and worse.  That they still haven't verified Proof Of Life for Moscow Mitch either.   I know at local Gas Stations we're up to Four and a Half Dollars a Gallon again.  I'm doing a LOT less Driving on Purpose.  I picked up another Shift for August 7th, from 4-9 p.m. on a Friday Night.  Sales are flat again so I'll need to build up some Comped Space Rent.  The Mall has been really busy but folks are buying the inexpensive stuff mostly and that's not where you make your Money, Selling nitnoid Merch to ensure you make Rent at least coz overhead and costs of doing Business keeps getting more and more expensive too.   We had several Vendors Exiting this Night I Worked and said they don't know if they'll come back and Rent again, or not.  They definitely felt the Summer was a total bust and they just weren't willing to see if this Fall and Winter will improve things with how shitty the Economy is?   One Exiting Vendor had gotten Sick, lost his Job from being so Sick too long and unable to Work, and now has no Health Insurance.  His Dear Wife said she doesn't make enuf to Support them, so they were Scared, and were Older folks, I'd say in their 50's, so not Retirement eligible yet either.

Pretty sure I already Shared this Blast From The Past Pix of me with my Industry Friends Shelly, Punkie and Angela?   I haven't seen Punkie and Angela in Years, since both Retired from the Industry.  Believe it or not, Punkie is almost 80 Years Old in this Pix, she's Ageless.   Shelly still Sells in a Brick & Mortar Shop, but now Shares it with other Vendors.  She used to have Two of her own Stores and I miss them a lot.  She used to do more Shows too and was part of "Sweet Salvage" for Years as well.  But, it gets harder to keep up with it all and so it's understandable she's Downsizing now, Shelly always had the Best Merch, especially Architectural Salvage, and she's Bought a lot from me.   Angela is a Creative Genius so I really miss her OOAK Creations, and her too, such a Kind and Generous Person.   I don't really know why she Retired from doing it all, she was prolific right up until she just disappeared from the Scene and nobody has seen her since.  But, I think she'd been in the Industry for 50 Years Creating things, so, perhaps that was a Wrap and Enough?

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Hang in there my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian

Regulated

 Since Princess T has Mondays Off but her Boyfriend Rusty doesn't, she is in a Cleaning and Organizational Manic Frenzy in her Room and gave me a Stacking System she didn't want anymore.  I was in dire Need of another Bookcase Structure and this Cube Unit was perfect and sturdy enuf, so she schlepped it into the Hoarded RV Garage Mahal for me in the Placement we measured to fit it in.  It's like a Rat's Maze and she had to hold the Unit over her Head, in pieces, coz it does come apart, she's like Ant Woman, Tiny but Strong as Hell.  *Smiles*  And she's narrow enuf to fit thru even tight Spaces and Aisles.  And the Unit fit most all of the Books I didn't have Placement for that were needing a Display so I spent the next Hour in the Sauna that is a Non-Climate Controlled Space, putting the Books on it.  The Young Prince isn't done yet with my Cactus Mannequin, but I'm Displaying her anyway for now.

I thought, well, when I'm done, I'll strip Naked and just jump in the Pool afterwards coz it's only The Man and us Gals here at Home on a Monday, The Son is at Work and The Grandson is still in New Mexico.  Then I remembered, just before going Full Monty, oh Fuuuuck, it's Monday!!!  The day they come to Service/Maintain our Pool... and I don't wanna Run the Hawt Owner, Brad, off, like I have his Help, by Traumatizing them with my Old Hippie Naked Body and lack of Inhibitions.  You can't Unsee what you See and they don't deserve that and what their Geriatric Future is gonna look like.  *LOL*  We had to turn our Pump back on coz the Ditch was Flooding and we and our Neighbors had lifted all our Gates but clearly someone Downstream is messing up.

  I don't mind taking on more Front and East Side Yard Water that can be Pumped and monitored, so we're doing that for now so we aren't Flooded elsewhere that we have less Control if the Ditch is at capacity and overfilling.  SRP will be responsible for checking on whoever has messed up and forgotten to Lift their Gates or take on their Water.  Since we got a low distribution during our time allotted this has been somewhat beneficial to us to get the Water we didn't get.  We just turned it off but got another Hours worth of Water in places that were not getting good Water flow during our Rotation Schedule.  Irrigation lately seems impaired by folks Upstream and Downstream lately, but we have a lot of Newbies in the Community who aren't all that familiar with Irrigating.  And as the Community Ages Out a lot of the original Residents who bought in the 1960-1970's Eras have either Sold, Died or passed the Properties to Heirs.

The Daughter is still Cleaning and Organizing, I did a lot too with Princess T earlier and felt very accomplished.  Princess T bought Lunch for us all from "Dragon Garden" which was a nice Surprise.  She's the only one with Money this close to Month's End.  *Le Sigh*  The rest of us are broke and tho' we get our Pensions on the 1st, until then, we are Tapped Out for the balance of July.  I still have to pay my Truck Note, but have to wait 'til Payday to ensure I have enuf to now cover it since replacing the Irrigation Pump used some of the Truck Note Money in the Account, hadda do it, replacing the Pump was an Emergency measure and paying the Truck a few days later than usual should be tolerable without hurting my Credit Score.  I've usually had Paid Off Vehicles before, but now if you buy a Newer one to have the most reliable Transportation in your Old Age, Vehicles cost more than Homes used to!  

Princess T did get all those Cubes into The RV Garage Mahal for me and I got them loaded up with my Books that didn't have Placement.  Now they all have Placement and I'm trying to Purge some of my Library to Resell, since my Books do Sell Well.  I have some duplicates and some I don't want anymore, whatever doesn't Sell I can Trade at "Bookman's" and get Store Credit for Purchases of Books I do want.   I saw another good Movie on a Cable Channel with Nicolas Cage about the World Trade Center called WORLD TRADE CENTER {2006}, also Starring Michael Pena & Maggie Gyllenhaal, it was Emotional to watch even all these Years later, knowing it's based off a True Story and a couple of the Survivors, of which there weren't that many after the Twin Towers went down after those Terrorist Attacks on 9-11.  It's been too Hot to go anywhere so it's still 110 at 6:00 p.m. and we've just busied ourselves Inside with Projects and Relaxing.

In Real Time it's a Tuesday now and looks like a big Storm is brewing but it has Cooled everything off considerably.  The Daughter had swept the Front and Back Porches so they look pristine tho' and that will all be wrecked by a Monsoon Storm, usually a Haboob Dust Storm precedes the Rains and coats everything with a thick layer of Dust and random debris it blows in and around everywhere... Le Sigh.  So, I only get to enjoy my Clean Porches for not even a full Day!!!   And all her hard Work out there will be erased.  It happens.  Especially this time of Year, a lot of hard Work outside is almost pointless when Monsoons will blow shit around too much to make your hard Work even noticeable afterwards.  We do, however, need the Rains coz everything is very tinder and the Fires this Season have been out of control.  They have Fire bans all over but Lightening Strikes will hit where ever they want to and careless or Mentally unhinged Humans also will cause Fires too.

 

Those catastrophic Fires in Cali were caused by a Mentally deranged Human as it turns out.  Some folks are just Twisted like that and they walk among us.  And Vote.  And Breed.  And even some of them may appear to be Normal and not as anomalous or a threat as they truly are.  Animals are generally more predictable as a Species than Human Beings are.  And often not nearly as dangerous.  If you study Animal Behavior it tends to alert you on what to do or what not to do around them, not so easy around our own Species tho'.  I'm a People Watcher, I've always done it, and I take in a lot of subtle nuances that folks do or even what they say.  Since a great many have put up a facade and are disingenuous.  But if you observe them long enuf, most reveal who they really are by their longer term Behaviors and Patterns and out of the abundance of their Heart, the Mouth will eventually Speak.  And Trust that any Predatory Humans are keen Observers of their Prey.

Outside it's definitely the Calm before the Storm out there.  I doubt I will not be driving in it by the time The Son has to go to Work by 8:00 a.m., but I got Princess T to Work at 6:00 a.m. and it was looking ominous out there.  If it doesn't break after dropping him off I may do some brief Environmental Cleanup at the Local Park, haven't done it for Days since the Heat has been extreme very early and the Humidity has been The Devil.  But I might could get the Park in before all Hell breaks loose with Mother Nature?  We'll wait and see, it's only 6:45 at the Moment and he's not even Woke up yet for Work.  I have thought about getting some stuff done if it stays Cooler, in the She Shed coz I wanna paw thru all the Crates in there and make up some Donation Boxes of stuff I'm deciding I won't even bother trying to Sell.  I want to be more Curated with the Showroom and even go in and Purge some Old Stale Inventory that isn't moving.  I want to ramp up the Great Edit & Purge considerably thru the balance of 2026.

I know I've said that often, off and on, more off than on actually, and you're like yeah, yeah, yeah, you always say that Dawn!  But I am determined that I MUST get my Ass in gear for the balance of this Year.  I was very Motivated by that Bookshelf Cube Unit that Princess T gave me to set up for the rest of my Books laying around.  Small Motivation for me often leads to larger Motivation.   And as things get more in Order and Organized with proper Placement, I do get Encouraged and less Overwhelmed, at least for a Minute.  *Winks and Laughs*  Plenty of Time to get Overwhelmed again and less Encouraged, but while I'm feeling Optimistic and Motivated is when I really try to take Advantage of that Rush of Adrenalin and renewed Hope.  *Smiles*  The Daughter getting so much done in a Day also showed me what's Possible.  Princess T too was in Organizational Mode, since now her Room is a Vision and she completely Re-Organized things including her Closet Space.  The Two of them are very Inspirational Workers and Organizers, so I do have a good Team here if I Utilize their Talents.

I'm a good Delegator and Leader, that is my particular Strength.  So, if I have Minions and Followers, I can get an enormous amount done.  *Bwahahaha*   And I am a Leader who is a Worker, and willing to get my Hands Dirty, but if I'm Solo, less gets Done, that's just the long and short of it.  I don't even know Why that is, but I require at least One Person who is my Partner to Maximize my Potential, otherwise it remains Untapped Potential mostly and a whole lot less Motivated and more easily Overwhelmed if I'm an Army Of One.  I can get a lot done by myself, I just don't WANT to and then I just usually don't.  Or, I start and within about 40 Minutes to an Hour, I'm no longer Focused on the Task at Hand that I'm slogging away at all by myself with no Present Help.  I get overwhelmed and discouraged, but mostly, I get inside my own Head a lot about nobody Helping me.  I don't know if any of the rest of you do that?   I know I do and it's why I'd then get in a foul Mood and who wants to spend the Day like THAT... OR around THAT!?  *LOL*  I've been in a Funk and Foul Mood off and on a lot lately.

I usually try to Sleep it Off, which is what I did Yesterday since I felt very Out Of Sorts and went to Bed while it was still Light Outside and didn't Wake Up at all until 5:45 this Morning either.  I didn't eat Supper, I didn't wanna be around anyone, I wanted to be left alone to get back to Center and improve my Mood.   Today I do Feel better and Uplifted again, Regulated.  Which, can and will be my One Word Title Post Hook Today... Regulated.  Controlled, Directed, and Adjusted according to a Rule, Law or Standard... there is a lot of Unregulated shit going on in the World Today and it's cause Deregulation of myself, for damned Sure.  I like to be Controlled, since, I am a Control Freak.   I like to have Direction to go in and I like to Adjust myself to Standards, even tho' I'm not always a Fan of Rules since I'm a Nonconformist in Nature... but I don't like Lawlessness, it leads to rampant Corruption and total Social Chaos and Breakdown.  We're there now in America.  Our Institutions are now in shambles, are Corrupted and Polluted by whose now in Charge of them.  We need to Clean House, and Quickly.

And with the Breakdown of Society, as I'm Observing it in Real Time, it's been hard to remain even Guardedly Optimistic or Hopeful of the Outcome and the eventual Consequences.  I doubt it will be Good.  And I do have Concerns it will become Worse before it even begins to get Better!  I won't even put a Question Mark at the End of that Sentence becoz I'm that fucking Sure it's not gonna be Questionable.  Sadly and Tragically, it's an Exclamation Point for Sure.   And I'm Old now and so I am Doubtful in my Lifetime we'll Regulate Enough.  I have little to no Hope that we can or we will, I Observe People enuf to know that most are not Rebellious, won't make Good Trouble, and will just Go Along with whatever Leadership is in place without any Resistance at all.  Most People are not Activists, they're Pacifists to their Cores and Fearful of Solving Conflicts with anything but Peaceful Choices and tho' that Sounds just better and preferable... it's not always effective against some Adversaries.  Who Mistake Kindness as a Weakness and will take your Doormat you've become and use it as a Club against you.

I will of coarse use up my Arsenal of Negotiating Peacefully, and being Calm, Measured and Nice until you give good reason for me NOT to be anymore.  If I see that any Adversary will not respond to Passive Measures to get along and play well with others... well, then, THEY have Chosen what Adversary I will then become.  But, most folk won't risk anything even when their very Lives depend on them taking a Stand.  Passive Societies are easily Taken Over and Ruled by Tyrants.  They never put up a Fight.  I am more of an Activist and Fighter by Nature coz my Cause is Righteous and where ever any Devil shows up, I Stand my Ground and The Devil will just have to Deal with me.   Devils and Aggressors generally don't Like to have to do that and Move On to easier Victims.

 Most Devils and Human Predators prefer easier Pickin's, they really do.  They want an Easy Mark, Easy Prey, coz there's lots more of those than there are of us who aren't.  And so why expend their Time, Energy and Resources when Easy Prey are so abundant.  Or when going up against someone Stronger and perhaps equally Dangerous, too much Resistance, and will put up a Fight, which has bigger Risks for them, perhaps even Losing?   I may not Win every Fight, and I won't Start one, but you sure as Hell will know you've been Fought Hard and Viciously, so not soon Forget it.  It's Why Donnie Two Dolls grossly miscalculated Iran, it's not Valenzuela, different Culture and Historically he should have fucking Paid Attention.  He did not and so that Devil now has to Deal with what and who he has Foolishly and Ignorantly gone up against.

*******

My advise to all of you is at least put up a Fight... don't just fucking Roll Over, Surrender, and be Easy Prey... Dawn... The Bohemian