Still Piping Along In The Arizona Desert

 Well, on The Man's Birthday I freed us up from having to pick Princess T up from Work so we could do a leisurely Celebration after his Cardiac Appointment.  And then wouldn't ya know it's Irrigation Day... fuuuck!  I don't have Mando and The Daughter here doing it now so The Son said he'd do it with The Young Prince helping him when it comes.  *Whew*  They will have to step up and step in to do what Mando was doing of the Yardwork, Irrigation and Handyman Projects now coz I don't have the Budget to Hire folks to do any of it.  

 You can't find folks willing to do Irrigation anyway for Pay, coz it never comes at the same times and often comes at oddball times like 2:00 in the Morning if that's your scheduled Rotation assigned for that distribution of it on that Day.  It can come anytime SRP Schedules it for you and notifies you of it only a little bit in advance.  I don't know how Working Folks manage it?  How with a Working Schedule you could make yourself available at any time of the Day or Night at the Scheduling by someone else that you can't Control or request a convenient Time for to receive and must receive, coz it's coming.  If you don't take on your Water, your Neighbors down-cycle Flood and you'd be liable for their damages.

I don't really like getting Irrigation but with a Mini Farm it's necessary, we're assigned Agricultural Status so don't have Residential Status even tho' we're a Subdivision Client of small Farms.  And the Water is Free, you just pay an Annual Fee for the distribution of it from the Main Canals and you Maintain your Smaller Canals that feed your Property the Water.  Usually it's a Shared Canal with your immediate Neighbor, but, not always.  Some of our Mini Farms in our Community have their Canals in front of their Property or beside their Property between them and the Street.

  Ours happens to be behind our Property so we Share it with the Neighbor directly behind us.   Ours is larger than those who have it beside or in front of their Properties, those with a Canal behind your Property have a twice as big one coz you are Sharing it with a Neighbor.  Only Old Properties have Old Style Irrigation distributed, I don't know any New Builds that are Grandfathered in.

So, anyway, The Man and I have his 9:00 a.m. Cardiologist Appointment and then are Freed up for the rest of his Birthday.  He wants to go to "Merchant Square" and "Highland Yard Vintage" Spring Fling Event and Sale to see if they have anything he wants for his Birthday?  He also likes me to take him out for a Meal, which, I will, his Choice of Restaurant.  The Son is cooking us our Breakfast as his Gift to his Dad, since, he doesn't have any Money and won't even be getting his Interview with DES 'til Mid-March for Nutritional Assistance. 

 He owes the IRS his Soul this Year and cannot pay them the enormous amount they're Clawing Back of what they gave him in Affordable Care Act Medical Benefits for 2025 and now want Repayment of!!!  That Healthcare Marketplace for the ACA Working Class is like a Scam IMO.  If you couldn't afford your Company's Healthcare, you were Signed Up for Marketplace ACA assuming the Subsidy wasn't something you would be required to Pay Back!

He only ever used his Healthcare one time in 2025.  So, it would have been cheaper for him to just pay out of Pocket for that ER Visit and Meds than what he's now getting hit with by the IRS.   To repay the ACA Clawing Back the Subsidy the Government Awarded him and Qualified him to receive, and now wants reimbursement for to the tune of almost $1,600 he doesn't have, coz he got Laid Off at the end of 2025 and has no income, no Savings, and had to be taken in by his Elderly Ailing Parents or he'd be fucking Homeless and Hungry!!!  

It's really quite dire for a lot of these Young and Middle Aged Americans right now and gonna get worse as AI takes away even more Jobs and the Country isn't Retraining anyone to have other Jobs or Careers like a lot of European Countries do when they eliminate certain Jobs.  And by the time you're Middle Aged, if you Job gets eliminated, you really need to have the ability to be retrained, but most folks couldn't afford to pay for all of that and never know which Jobs/Careers will be eliminated or at Risk next?  Some already Invested a lot in their Education and Careers, only to find that now those Positions are eliminated by Technology that is exponentially putting folks out of work at an accelerated pace now.  Companies only Care about Profits, not People.

And I think Zuckerberg of META is foolish going to Trial, he ought to just Settle out of Court with Victims and their Families like some already have wisely done to mitigate their liability and exposure.  For the Harm his Social Media has clearly done with being intentionally addictive by Design and targeting our Youth/Children to use and expand their Platforms for Profits.  The Tech Industries have always known how Addictive their Product is and they exploit that and intentionally Addict Children to it earlier and earlier, Negatively impact their Mental Health.  Like the Tobacco Industries in the Past and the Asbestos Makers, they all knew the Dangers and yet pushed out their Products to make Billions off it and pretended it wasn't dangerous, when, all along it was and posed Risks, even Fatal Risks, but increased their Profits.  

 And our Privacy is no more, we're being constantly Tracked.  Just driving to the Plasma Center and dropping my Son off there Yesterday and then going to "Better Buzz Coffee" to get a Coffee, which is in the same Parking Lot, I almost instantly got Social Media Feeds for BOTH places!!!  They make decisions about what we see and what we don't see by the Algorithms and all Children are vulnerable.  I think AI will also end up with liability issues for those that rolled it out.  And what it may end up being responsible for that is quite Negative and harmful.

LATER:  The Man enjoyed his Birthday out.  His Cardiac Appointment went well, they did Labs.  They said if he falls again to take him to an ER to get checked out to ascertain if it's just a trip and fall or something going on like a Mini Stroke.  Too late now to discern that and it's just a speculation I had, I don't know what caused his Fall, he doesn't either, I didn't even see it happen.  Anyway, directly after the Appointment we headed to Chandler to go to the Event and Antique Mall, disappointed upon arriving that this first Day of the Event at "Highland Yard Vintage" they're only Open in the Evening from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., which, is just Weird.   For Friday thru Sunday they're Open regular Hours, I Wish I'd known.

The Man still enjoyed the Antique Mall of "Merchant Square" tho' he didn't find anything he wanted to buy for his Birthday.  But, we ate there for his Birthday Luncheon at "American Way Smokehouse BBQ Restaurant".  He had the Kielbasa and I had the Pulled Pork, which comes with Two Sides each.  He had Potato Salad and Cowboy Beans.  I had Corn Chowder and Potato Salad.  We also went to our Phoenix Antique Mall Location, he didn't find anything he wanted to buy for his Birthday there either.   I got a few Smalls I wanted, and tho' it wasn't a Birthday Buying Spree, he was Happy to just be out walking around and didn't seem all that interested in procuring any Gift actually.  Mebbe he doesn't even really want one?

We went to "Safeway" on the way Home to pick out a Cake Slice of his Fav Choice, and a whole Cake that the rest of the Family could eat.  We got a whole Chantilly Cake 50% Off and it was Sublime and so pretty.  It may now be my favorite kind of Cake, so Light, Almond flavored and with Fresh Fruits on Top and in the Interior in the Layers.  His Slice was a Carrot Cake but he really enjoyed his Chantilly Cake too, we all did.  Nobody has seen The Daughter since Sunday, she's been gone ever since she got Home from her Cleaning Job and been with the Boyfriend.  So, she's missed her Dad's Birthday.  But, not having the Couples Drama here is best for everyone else, so, it's still for the best.

Irrigation never came when SRP told me this Morning that it would come, so, we don't know what to do about that?   I called SRP back and found out it's not 'til the 22nd at 1:05 P.M., and that Today was the day the Schedule would Post for February's distribution at 4:00 p.m., usually by E-Mail or Text Message.  So now that I don't have E-Mail to send it to I have signed up to receive a Text Message when my Rotation is Scheduled.  You only get about 4 Days Notice before it comes, so, again, once The Son goes back to Work, it will be something I'll have to resume doing, probably with The Grandson's Help now.

The weather was wet, windy and cold for The Man's Birthday, so we only did a few things that would be inside, it was too uncomfortable to be outside.  But, since Northern Cali is having deadly Avalanches and the Midwest is having apocalyptic Winds and Fires, Arizona is still enjoying non-catastrophic weather, so we won't complain.  I'm glad that The Niece got out of Oklahoma, it seems to be on Fire!  I do Hope my Dad's Relatives are all Okay, I found out at least one Cousin did move off the Rez, but she's living in Kansas, and I don't know they aren't having the Fires too?  I don't have much contact with my Dad's Family and they only use Social Media sporadically, probably don't have a lot of Technology available?   Google says Tahlequah isn't currently in danger of the catastrophic Fires raging in Oklahoma tho'.

 I took an Afternoon Nap after we'd gotten back Home and didn't wake up 'til almost Midnight!!!  *LOL*  I can only have a limited amount of Fun, clearly.  *Bwahahaha*  The Man held up better than me, he was thoroughly enjoying his Birthday Outing.  When we got back Home we cut the Chantilly Cake and distributed it, Saving some for The Daughter in case she came back Home, which, she hasn't.  Princess T's Boyfriend had some, and The Son and Grandson were here to wish him a Happy Birthday too.  He kept asking where The Daughter was so I told him she may be staying at that Ranch she has a lot of work to do at to help that Friend move since he's already Sold the Property. 

 She had told me on Sunday there was still much to do there and he was paying well and finding more for her to do for extra, so I'm assuming it's keeping her busy and he's putting them up out there right now, coz it's out in Rural Buckeye?  She's gonna do whatever she's got lined up and I don't run interference with the Adult Kiddos.  I just ask they check in from time to time so we know all is Well with them, but, she's never been good about that when she's not just here full time.  She's been prone, in her Past, to go off the grid and we're kinda used to that.  I still don't know if this Boyfriend is the right influence apart from Family and her closest sanctum of Friends tho', so that is the concern?  And of her potentially falling back into Bad Habits, which she's been Free of for Years now for the first time.  Her Brother is most worried about that if she's around the Wrong people that jeopardize her Sobriety from Using.

And when she has Money I help her to responsibly Manage it for her and she knows that works best for her making it last longer.  The Boyfriend just helps her to spend whatever Money she's had and I noticed she didn't put some in her Account like she'd intended to on Sunday after Work.  I should have taken her myself to the Bank to ensure it got done, but she had that Job in Buckeye later that day so I just reminded her to have him drive by her Bank to deposit some.  That hasn't happened and it's Thursday Morning now, so I doubt it will happen now?  He can't seem to provide for himself, let alone her, but, that's not a deterrent or Deal Breaker for her.  She never expects anything from anyone and is used to living Moment to Moment.  So we just don't know she won't go back to reverting to living like that now?

  Between both Jobs she's had recently it's only a few Hundred Dollars, but, usually I can help her make that last coz we provided most of her essential Needs like Food and Shelter.  When you have a vulnerable Adult you have to ensure nobody takes advantage of them and exploits them.  She's used to having Nothing and of being Homeless, so it doesn't bother her tho' at all and I know this.  Her Kids are conflicted, about being disappointed she isn't making Family and closest Inner Circle of Friends a Priority over this Guy, and yet, being glad he's no longer causing the disruption in The Force here at our Home with his volatility in their Relationship constantly causing strains.  

They both told me they'd lived without her in their lives for almost 18 Years, so, they accept if she goes MIA again if that's her Choice.  Her Son did break down and Cry about it, which broke my Heart.  Princess T didn't shed a Tear, she doesn't have that 'Bond'.   And that broke my Heart too in a different way.  How she is they now know and since they're Adults they are having to accept it will likely never change all that much, if at all.  Some Positive Changes were evident, other things were the same and will be the same.   Her Mental Illness is a constant, and her drinking is a constant and she doesn't do it to excess, so, it is better than Using illegal Drugs, which she has been Clean of for the whole time being with us.  Any Addict is only One Use away from losing their Sobriety tho', we know this Fact.  

You saw all the Imagery of the Birthday Cakes that The Man had the option of choosing at the "Safeway" Bakery location we went to.  They were Sold Out of Tarts, which is what we'd intended to get for The Family to eat.  I think he made the right choice with the Chantilly Cake tho', we all Loved it.   I sure Wish that McDonald's Satire T-Shirt hadn't been a size Small at the Antique Mall, or I would have gotten it for myself.  The Vendor only wanted $12 for it and Online it's $30.  It's hilarious and I can only find One Site Online that Sells them and am not familiar with the Site or Seller so I won't risk Ordering one in my Size.  So many fake Seller Sites out there Online pulling Scams, so if I don't know the Seller I generally won't order from them and don't know how Secure they are either to receive Buyer information.  Above is the Booth the T-Shirt was in, Love that Vendor's Spaces, he has good Prices too.

When at the Eastside Antique Mall Location I FINALLY got to meet the Fav Vendor I've bought from for Years.  The Space always looked like it belonged to a Female and I was Surprised when my Vendor Friend Mary told me, No, it belongs to a Guy!!!   The Young Prince was with me at the time and deadpanned to me, well, then Gramma, he's definitely Gay.  Being Fabulous himself, he knows for sure and I ain't gonna Lie, my Gaydar then went Off coz no way that was a Straight Guy's Booth.  The Man even agreed, likely NOT.  *Smiles*  Too Curated meticulously in a Stylish way that was Aesthetically Appealing to Women, along with the types of Merch being decidedly Feminine and Quality Vintage, well Displayed/Merchandised.   He has Merch like the Vintage Wedding Cake Toppers pictured Below in his Booth:

 Well, The Young Prince and my instincts weren't Wrong.  It was a sweet Middle Aged 'Queen', who was Delightful, personable, and  flattered I Loved his Space and has been a regular Customer of his Wares.  I'm glad I finally got to meet him since his is now my Fav Booth there now that Mary Closed hers.  He was re-stocking his Booths for Easter, he has Two side by side Booths and it was transforming from Valentine's Vintage to Easter Vintage and Spring now.   I should have asked his Name but I could see he was busy re-stocking and I know how hard it is when Customers distract you from Working your Spaces.  A lot of Vendors have Real Jobs too and Need to be in and out.  This Guy didn't look Old enough to be Retired yet, perhaps on the Cusp of closing in on Retirement tho'... I'd say in his Fifties.  Hard to say with The Gays, most look Younger than they are, he could be 70 for all I know?  *LOL and Winks*

And I can't recall that a Straight Man has ever Collected Vintage Cake Toppers or told me, isn't that one Fabulous???  I'm gonna make a Vignette now in my Booth of them... EVER?!  *Smiles*  I always Joke with The Grandson that he Needs a Suga Daddy Warbucks and he Jokes right back at me, "How do you KNOW I don't already have one Gramma?"   Touche', coz I don't, Right?  *Bwahahahaa*  Let us just say he's definitely known and been connected to some very affluent Older Men of his Gay Community.  He said most don't really want a Boyfriend or anything intimate, just Companionship of a Younger Guy whose an Intellectual.   And that suits our Grandson just Fine coz he's always more attracted to a Person's Mind himself and of Older Men.  He can't tolerate Stupid and Immature People, and he said, sadly, there's a lot of that out there in the World. 

 I agree, I didn't used to at the Degree he'd always suggested, but, now have to concur, he was Right.  *Le Sigh*  More Stupid out there than I gave Credit for being more Intelligent or well Informed, as a Social Collective, unfortunately.   And you can't Fix Stupid.  And my Grandson would Collect Vintage Cake Toppers and Display them in a Vignette in our Showroom, so, I can Connect to a Guy like that and Partner with them in Business... knowing we be on The Same Page... Bless him, but The Man absolutely cannot do that!  He's never helped me Style a Space ever and even let's me Style his Man Cave areas coz he just really isn't into Designing Spaces... he'd need a Queer Eye to pull that off if I didn't do that for him, so then he asks The Grandson to do it for him.   And now doesn't even Blink Twice or Bat an Eye if The Young Prince would show up in full Drag to do it.   *Bwahahaha*

Now, Years ago, he might have not said anything to our Grandson, and then Quietly asked me, "Honey, is that his Sister's Corset and your Accessories and Makeup he's wearing?"   *LOL and Winks... why Yes, Yes it is.  And, it's Okay, he asked first before he Borrowed all of it.*  He's so Thin that he and his Sister can still wear the same Outfits, and he always Borrows mine and has unlimited access to my Wardrobe and Accessories.  It was always cheaper than Buying his own for him, for me, or for he or Allen.  Princess T and The Daughter also borrow from me often and I don't mind at all.  Flattering really that Two Younger Generations like my Style and Aesthetic really.  And even tho' I recently Purged my Wardrobe, I still have plenty to Share or even Sell Off when I Want or Need to.  I could easily Re=Sell most T-Shirts I wear every Day coz someone always asks me where they can get one like it?  *Smiles*

I'm mostly a T-Shirts and Capris wearer these Days, only Dressing Up more Fashionably for Special Events now.   And I've reached that Season of Life now where wearing a Bra is Optional too, for both comfort and ease, if the T-Shirt is baggy enuf.  *Bwahahaha*  And I'm Blessed that I've almost never Needed or had to Shave coz I'd be Lazy about that if I was.  Inheriting that Indigenous Gene was handy, Shaving being a chore I'd think, to have to do often, if at all.  The Young Prince said he's glad he rarely has to Shave, The Son spent half his Adulthood trying to grow Facial Hair and now Wishes he hadn't coz he didn't used to Need to Shave either.  He looks more like himself and better without Facial Hair.

I realized in Real Time, it being the 3rd Thursday of the Month, that it's Opening Day at "Sweet Salvage" and their "Refresh Gardenology" Event for Spring.   I still enjoy going but the Aesthetic is more like a "Pier 1" or "World Market" Vibe now, which, I don't mind and do have some Decor like that, albeit more Vintage Imports than brand new Mass Produced Import items.  {See Above and Below Sneak Preview Pixs}.  Now I go mostly for the Visuals Sensory Experience now, coz I do like trawling Import Stores too.  But, I do miss the Old Days of True Vintage Markets of Yesteryear.  Even Antique Stores and Antique Malls now rarely have any Antiquities or Quality Vintage or Architectural Salvage anymore.  The Collectibles Market now leans into Pokemon, Sports Cards, Comic Books, Vintage/Specialty Clothing, and lower end affordable Jewelry, Tchotchkes and Knives.  Rather Boringly Pedestrian and not very Unique nor OOAK or necessarily Valuable.  Yawn.

And, the Good Thing about all of that is I feel no inkling to Buy any of it, so I can Visually absorb it without having any Urges to drag any of it Home or spend Money.  *LOL and Winks*  This is great coz at that trajectory it will aide in the Downsizing Project of Editing and Purging my excess Cargo considerably if nothing much is coming in and lots is going out.  Win-Win in the Goal I've set for myself, and tho' it also means less Blog Fodder Imagery available either, coz there's less and less I wanna Photograph of any of it now, it does have an Upside to it.  The Market moving in a direction that makes it so that I won't even desire being a Consumer of Non-Essentials is Budget Friendly.  I don't even wanna Shop now coz what's out there, isn't all that Appealing to me anymore as a Shopper and Collector.

 

And whether Budget or Ambivalence to what's being Sold on the Market now drives down Consumerism, it sure won't Stimulate the Economy, that's for damned sure.  I suspect many folks are feeling the same way about going out and spending anything now?  Either they don't really have it to spend, or they aren't that interested in what's being Sold and offered?   I only took 36 Pixs going to Two different Antique Malls.  And the last few Events I've attended, same-same, found that I didn't see all that much that I bothered to Photograph and Share either.   I did spend an inordinate amount of time at One Antique Mall Vendor's Space that had some very Old Valentine's Elementary Child Exchange Cards.  Her Prices are always too high for me to be a Buyer of any of it, but, it made for some decent Blog Fodder Imagery of some Cards close to 80-100 Years Old in some cases!

Some were articulated with moving Limbs and Eyeballs, which was precious, and probably worth what she was asking for such Old Ephemera that still managed to exist after all that much Time!  Most of this stuff was never Kept, so I do understand her Price Point being not in a Bargain range.  I almost bought the one Card above, but $12 for it was not something I wanted to pay for it, so, I just Photographed it and put it back.   I'd of been a Player around $6 coz it was a big Card, but her very small and damaged Cards were in that range.  So I just pawed thru the large assortment of it she still had in her Booth since she hadn't switched out Holiday Seasonal Merch yet to Easter, and it would be probably the Last Chance to hang on a bit longer to Valentine's Day Visuals for Blog Fodder.  *Smiles*

I'm thinking most of these Cards were from the 1920's-1940's Era range, which would have been about the Era my Mom might have exchanged Cards with Classmates.  I don't think she ever did that tho', and I know for Sure my Dad didn't at the Indian Schools.  Coz they never had enuf to Eat at those Schools, let alone Celebrate Non-Indigenous Holidays with frivolous non-essentials like Cards.  I think in his whole Childhood my Dad never owned an actual Toy.   And my Mom had very few, she often talked of a Single Doll that was Porcelain Faced and so precious and rare for her to own and for her Family to afford, that she never actually played with it.  She Named it and kept it in it's Original Box, I can't recall the Name she gave it, but it might have been Molly or Dolly, or something to that effect?  Thank Gawd she didn't Name me that and gave me a more Bohemian Name for the Era she had Kids in.  *LOL* 

The Man patiently watched me paw thru a huge stack of Old Valentine's Day Cards and Photograph the ones I Liked best and wouldn't even be Buying.  *Ha ha ha*  He pretended to even be interested in looking at them when I'd show him one and say, isn't this Cute, Honey?   Dutifully nodding in Agreement, Yeah, Cute...  *Bwahahaha*  I think he only came along for something to do for his Birthday, it became obvious he really wasn't interested in even LOOKING for a Gift for his Birthday that he Wanted... he didn't really have a 'Want' for anything and wasn't really that Into It.  But, it was Cold, Wet, Windy and nasty looking all day so we weren't going out in THAT and risking him catching his Death of Cold or getting Pneumonia.  Plus, he did have his all-terrain Walker I did manage to get him to use.  I asked if he wanted to attend "Sweet Salvage" with me Today to see if Big Kenny might have something he'd Like for his Birthday?  He declined rather too Quickly.  *Ha ha ha*

I think this had been about as much 'Fun' he could endure ON his Birthday, tho' he did seem to have a good time just being out somewhere... anywhere... all Morning and Early Afternoon.  And it was ME that Needed the long Nap once we finally got Home, had some of his Cake, sang Happy Birthday to him, and then left him alone to watch his Show Reruns, as is his Routine he Happily settles into Daily.  He said he'd had a good Birthday and I have to assume he meant it?  He really doesn't even like to acknowledge Birthdays anymore and when anyone Wished him a Happy One, he was just being Polite about it, he'd rather they not have noticed.   Of coarse at his Doc Appointment, they noticed, coz, his Birth Date is in the File and it lined up with the Date it was.  *Ha ha ha*

The Cheesy sayings on these Old School Valentine's Card, and the Graphics, Amused me and made me Smile, even if he really only glanced at them and feigned any actual Interest.   Before his TBI we enjoyed going Antiquing Together and I do miss his Engagement with what he used to like to do Together.  Now he doesn't even have the Dude Interests like Hunting, Fishing, Camping, Shooting, Gold Panning, Rock Collecting, Football, playing or even watching Sports, that he used to have.  I guess that's Normal given his challenges, but, it's still rather Sad.  He didn't even have any Interest in The Super Bowl and he used to never wanna Miss that and looked forward to it.  He couldn't tell you now who Won or who Lost, or Who was even Playing!?   The Son had wanted to watch it with his Dad but said clearly Dad wanted to watch mostly his Reruns, and even sitting apart in our Room to watch it, he kept switching back and forth from the Game to his NCIS and Hawaii Five-O Reruns he'd be missing otherwise.

He did end up on a New Show recently that he thought was a Fishing Show.  Turns out it was some Show for Veteran's with bad PTSD who are taken out to Fish by Celebrities and let them tell their War Stories, as Therapeutic Healing??!!!   Which The Man never found to be fucking Healing, or Positive Therapy for him personally, rather like Reliving what he'd rather Forget and never have to Talk about to anyone!!!  And so he'd rather not hear the Horrors of War that other Vets can't get over and are tormented by, or enjoy rehashing for whatever reasons, that's for sure!!!  He actually avoids Veterans that Fixate on the Wars or get too interrogatory about "And what did YOU do and where were you?"... as a segway to Talk about their own Experiences.  Yikes, I'm like, Honey, I don't think this is gonna be an Appropriate Show for you to actually watch, it might Trigger you?   Indeed, once he started hearing Old Vets talking about War Zones of places he'd also been in Vietnam, Laos, The Middle East, South America... he agreed, this wasn't the Fishing Show he thought it was and turned the Channel.  *Whew*

So, he won't be watching THAT one ever again.  He did find it a bit funny how the Old Veteran looked in that Episode coz the Guy had the Weirdest Groomed White Soul Patch cut in a perfect Square ever!!!  And the Celeb with him was that annoying Musclebound Old Guy from the "American Choppers" Show, Paul, Sr., who is verbally and emotionally abusive to his Grown Sons on the Show and a real Roided out acting Asshole, so I've never liked anything with that Guy in it.   He built an Empire and Lost it all, not Surprising given his "Personality", which, I don't think would endear that Guy to anyone, not even his own Family, I highly suspect.   I remember Social Media asking "What went Wrong?", and... well, Fuck... where to Start, Right?  *Eye Roll*  Pretty Obvious to most Viewers I would think... what was going so Wrong!!!  Jeeeesus and Christ on a Bike, what contentious interactions among Family!

I heard a Lawsuit and estrangement ensued for the Father & Sons Team that build the Business, and Talent alone couldn't Save that Family from it's obvious dysfunctional Relationship with each other.  It was just sad to Witness their Unhealthy volatile Relationship every Episode that The Man ever watched.  So Professionally and Personally the inevitable happened.  If your Father is a complete Asshole, even a Good Son, after a while, gives up on the whole Relationship Thing, it's not gonna happen or be Safe or Healthy to remain close to Family Members like that.  I think their Show was more a Success for the Relationship Train Wreck happening than for the really spectacular Work they were doing Creating Amazing Custom Motorcycles.   Reality TV feeds off the intensified Drama and Villains in each Show and folks eat that shit up apparently.  Relationship carnage, and people mistreating one another or being Abusive or out of Control, to me isn't Entertaining in the least, it's sickening actually and troubling.  But, it gets Ratings.  Folks do tend to like a Good Train Wreck and Villain it seems.

Moving On, since watching a Washed Up Reality Show Star whose Life fell apart now trying to Counsel Traumatized Veterans, just didn't seem like Entertainment either!!!  Just coz they're on a Boat pretending to Fish, and making it appear to be a Sporting Show was The Hook to draw Sportsmen in I suppose?   It isn't any more Entertaining that watching a Cheesy Washed Up Reality Show 'Star' become President and fuck up the whole Country, it's a Train Wreck I'm not "Entertained" watching, tho', some apparently are, the 39% who still 'Rate' it highly anyway.  *Huge Eye Roll*   Above was a Jacket at our Antique Mall that is a bit of long gone Local Valley Club Scene History I remember from the Seventies.  I think the "Mr. Lucky's" Iconic Sign is still on the vacant Lot along Grand Avenue, tho' the Club was razed Decades ago.  The Club was no great Loss IMO, but I always liked their Iconic Neon Sign and Hope it stays Preserved as part of Phoenix History?

 I went a couple times in the 70's with G.I. Friends from the Base, it wasn't my Scene, but, it was a Popular spot at the time.  I remember it attracted, in the Seventies, way too many Player-Player acting Types who'd wear tight hideous Polyester Clothing unbuttoned and showing too much Chest Hair, wearing Italian Horns and too many Gold Chains around their Necks, and looking like an SNL Skit of Steve Martin and Dan Akroyd's "Wild and Crazy Guys" Satire. *LOL and Winks*  Yeah, Yuk and Hell to the No!!! *LOL*  The Club Closed in 2004, and had become more of a Shit Kicker Red Neck Club by then with Bull riding, C&W Music, and such {see later Images above}, still not my Scene, not my preferred Demographic to Party with, Listen to the Music of, or Befriend.  *LOL*   But the Sign still Stands and is Iconic and one of the last remaining Relics not destroyed yet.  It's 50 Feet Tall and I like still seeing it there.  Some Developer or Investor will likely one day Buy the Lot and take it down, pretty sure, but along Grand Ave. is still quite Blighted, so, mebbe not Gentrified in my Lifetime and I'm Okay with that actually. 

*******

Still Piping along in the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian 

Be Mindful Of What Was Always An Apex Predator

 Today is The Man's Birthday.  He's having a bit of an Old Man's Crisis about it, he'd rather not acknowledge Birthdays anymore and just ignore them.  *LOL*   I woke up Tuesday Morning to The Man telling me that Rev. Jesse Jackson had Died this Morning.  He was 84, so had a long run and was very instrumental in the Civil Rights Movement and Married to his Wife since 1962, so a 64 Year Marriage too.  It must have grieved him terribly to live long enuf to see Civil Rights so hard fought for and won being eroded in his Lifetime and threatened to be taken away again.  I'm glad my own Parents didn't live long enuf to see it.  I remember my Dad particularly being so Proud that his Kid's Generations had so much more opportunity in America than he ever had the Privilege of, due to being Indigenous.  The Man almost is too gleeful about telling me whose Died now.  "Honey, guess who Died Today?", he'll say, all excited... if somebody Died, The Man will know about it and tell you now.  He knows which one I'm waiting for to be Taken... and will be Jazzed to be able to tell me THAT one!!!   *Bwahahaha*

 But, back to my Dad... in his 27 Year Military Career he usually was in Black Units, when things were still pretty segregated in the Military.  The Man was in Mormon Units due to Religious segregation during some of his 39 Year Career.  I recall my Dad being glad to see Civil Rights become a Movement... and when Women could have more opportunity in a Military Career and when the LGBTQ+ Community could Serve openly as well, rather than Closeted for fear of being kicked out.  Dad was a Two Spirit Person, but the Military never really fully or even partially understood Native American Culture and Beliefs enuf to acknowledge any of it, which could sometimes be a benefit due to the ignorance.  He was Married to a Woman and so what being Two Spirit meant to the Average American was Lost on them.  *LOL*  But, Dad always said a Good Activist whose effective, will almost always turn up Dead and become a Martyr for The Cause.  He wasn't Wrong about that.  Only a few Survive, and make it to Old Age, like the Rev. Jackson. 

Back when I considered joining the Military as a Career, once a Woman got Pregnant it was cause for Discharge, so I'm glad I chose a Banking Career instead.  Or my Military Career would have been very short lived and a waste of my Time and Energy due to the Rules, which, Thankfully did Change and now Women in the Military can have a Family, just like they always allowed the Men to have.  Double Standards existed in the Civilian Sector too due to Gender, of coarse.  When I got Pregnant with The Daughter and wasn't Married, another Bank Executive tried to get me Fired over my "Lack of Morality" and promoting a "Bad Image" for our Bank.  *Eye Roll* 

 Coz he was Married with Children, but fucking everything in sight, the hypocrisy was dripping and I threatened to expose his infidelities and make them Public. He'd come on to me a few times but I told him I wouldn't crawl under him if they were bombing Phoenix.  So, he had an Axe to grind for having been spurned and his Pride bruised.  He fancied himself as a real Ladies Man and in those days Sexual Harassment was rampant and a real nuisance.  When Affirmative Action finally had a Department and I was friendly with the Department Manager of it, Roger Betts {RIP 2013}, helluva nice Guy and fought for the Rights of Women and Minorities being discriminated against at VNB, you could go to him when improprieties and unprofessionalism became problematic in your Career due to Gender, Ethnicity, Religion, chosen Lifestyle, or Race.

Roger started his Career in the 1960's as a Bank Teller and also rose up in the Ranks to become a Vice President by the 1980's in spite of being Black.  It was a tough row to hoe in the Good Ole Boy Networking Days of Banking if you were Female and/or a Minority, Glass Ceilings had to be kicked and broken.  I made AVP before I was 30, and ran Three Departments before I Retired, but the Misogynists would always be who they just are and not Respect you, often Openly.  I remember being in an Executive Staff Meeting as an AVP and having some of the Old White Male Executives of the Good Ole' Boy Network, tell me to "Get us some Coffee Honey."   I was the only Executive Female in the Meeting, definitely the only Young Person in the Room filled with Powerful Old Men.   I responded that my Uterus was not a Tracking Device for their Liquid Refreshments, so get one of their Secretaries to Serve them their Coffee or go get it themselves.  *LOL* 

 I also had an Old White Male VP call me a Bitch to my Face once.  I told him I wasn't A Bitch, I was THE Bitch, and that would be Ms. Bitch to him.  He actually gave me Respect after that.   Deciding I made a better Ally than an Adversary Fixated on Taking him Down, now that's a Wise Man.  *Smiles*  I remember visiting my Dad at the time, all Twisted and Offended about the fact I'd Earned my Titles and Position, was excellent at my Career with many accolades racked up at an early Age, yet couldn't get nor gain their Respect.  I was lamenting to him about the discrimination and he was Silent for just a Moment after he'd let me Feel Heard, then just Calmly said, "They will never Respect you, so make them Learn to Fear you."   That was his Sage unemotional advice, coz Dad wanted you to Face Life Strong and Fierce, Fight the Enemy all Day long and make sure they'll never See you, Old School Apache Style, take their Scalps as your Trophies, or their Balls... whatever.  *Winks* 

  So, after that I racked and busted Balls, not Caring if they Respected me, but they damned sure would Learn to Fear me, it Worked Wonders.  I would Today be what the tiny Mushroom Dick Orange POTUS would refer to as a "Nasty Woman".  Racking his tiny Draft Dodging Coward's Balls would be like a delightful Sport, "Rack 'em".  He's REALLY Threatened by Strong Women and it shows.  Try to grab this Pussy and see what happens you Pedo Child Rapist Pervert.  My Dad had watched Donnie Two Dolls Star Rising in the 1970's and said he was a White Forked Tongue Devil, he wasn't Wrong, the Track Record from then to now speaks for itself about that. 

 It's all common knowledge if anyone had done even a modicum of due diligence before Voting for him.  Even after being a Convicted Felon and Adjudicated Sex Offender, unless they absolutely really know and are like him themselves.  Sometimes their own Demons demand Revenge and Retribution when they've got Tortured Souls and Cold Hearts Sold Out to Devils.   Out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth and the Actions always eventually Speak volumes to the World.  So Listen and Watch Carefully what folks Say, Support and Do over Time.  They trip up and the carefully constructed facades fall away to reveal who they really are and probably always were.  Often just masked until they felt confident it doesn't matter coz they Elected a Man in their Image who Represents them and what they really Jones for America to Become and the MAGA Movement embodied in all it's depravity, bitterness and ginned up primal Fears magnified.

 Funny and sickly Ironic how some of the Far Right Fundie Religious can't recognize a Devil when they see one either.  And actually Worship at the Feet of one and the Golden Calves he offers them in exchange for the Hope and their Wet Dreams of installing an American Theocracy.  Their Brand of Religion that promotes 'Christian' Values such as Cruelty, Infidelities, Inhumanity, Racist White Supremacy, protecting Pedophiles, Homophobia, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Religious Persecution of other Faiths or against Freedom From Religion, Anti-Semitism, and Hatred encompassing a Laundry List of other Ungodly abominations before the Lord.  Jesus wept and would weep again over the likes of them and their kinds of Bad Religion, which shows no Relationship with God whatsoever.

Moving on... The Son made Chili this Morning, and since I Woke Late, coz I'd had a very Sleepless Night, it was pretty much Lunchtime for my first Meal of the Day.  And it smelled Sublime, the Aroma of it wafting thru the House.  I have to Work Tonight to cover for my Friend Crazy Ed, whose having a lot of Health Problems lately and is discouraged about Working his Shifts too.  He Rents a lot of Space there and a lot of Offsite Storage Unit Space too, but is nearing his Octogenarian Years and really Needs to Downsize his Cargo in earnest.   But it's hard for him and I Get It and can relate.  A Lifetime of accumulation of The Good Stuff doesn't get disposed of easily or recklessly coz it was/is an Investment that often will supplement Retirement Income which Buys less and less over Time.  His Kids and Grandkids have zero Interest in Inheriting any of it.

He tended to Hoard large Antique Furnishings and the types of other Antiquities that right now can be a Hard Sell even tho' it's Quality Merch.  China, Crystal, Art Glass, Gallery Quality Art, Bronze Sculptures, Western and Native American Collectible Pieces, all a tough Sell and hard Turn at our Location.   And, he often Paid too much for them in their heyday and so the Money wasn't Made on the Buy either.  And now they've depreciated to a place where a Loss is a Given and he should just cut his Losses now and get something rather than nothing for it.  Something is only "In" until it's "Out" and you may not live long enuf to see it recover in your Lifetime now, if ever.  Some things are so far on the "Outs" that you couldn't Give them Away, let alone Sell them, nobody wants it and it's actual Value is now questionable and quite subjective.  Something only being really worth only what someone is willing to Pay for it.

We get people coming in to the Antique Mall all the time trying to hawk their Stuff or their Inheritance to Vendors and expecting to get Full Retail on it.   They seem dismayed that the Industry doesn't Work like that and they certainly don't wanna put in the Work, Time or Expense of trying to Sell it in Hopes of finding the Retail Paying Customer who will Buy it.  I always decline whatever they're trying to Sell and suggest they just Rent Space if they expect to get Full perceived Value on what they have, no Resaler is gonna Pay that and Auctions take a big hunk out of what it Sells for to get their Cut of Commission ranging from 5%-35% of the Final Hammer Price, plus additional Fees and Buyer's Premiums {10%-30%}. 

 It's Why I don't do Live Auctions... exception for E-Bay as a Buyer, not a Seller.  So a Resaler won't get their Margins unless they Pay about Half, or less, not worth it to them after their Expenses otherwise to Buy it from you.   And even Friends who Sell on E-Bay expect to pay about 14% Final Value Fee and 15% on Jewelry.  That's why these Shows I've been watching of UK Auctions that Celebrities are doing and aren't making Money on, usually Losing Money coz they Paid too much for the items and it Auctions for Less, are a Lark, good thing they aren't doing this for a Living or they'd be Broke as Hell and running into the Red seriously Owing after they Auctioned everything off.  They make it seem Celebratory if they make a narrow Margin beyond what they Paid, which won't even cover the Auction Commission and Fees actually.  I've not seen an Episode yet where they actually made Bank.  *LOL*

The same with these proliferation of Pickin' Shows and Storage Locker Buyer Shows... it's comical to me and purely Entertainment, not Reality based.  Buy only what you Love and just Enjoy it until you Need to dispose of it for any reason.   Some things will Appreciate, but some things will Depreciate, as with any Investments, there's few Guarantees.  And Bottoms have dropped out before, erasing even Fortunes.   And since I'm a Statistical person, 60% of Billionaires Wealth is derived from Inheritance, Cronyism, Monopolies or Corruption, which suggests a high retention Rate.  Millionaires may face Financial Mismanagement Issues, but that Data doesn't transfer to the Billionaires Class, who generally Maintain their Assets. 

 So don't Count on Donnie Two Dolls going Broke unless the Government Seizes all his Assets of mostly ill gotten Wealth.  Sorry, Data suggests he just won't, he's gone Bankrupt half a Dozen times, even Bankrupting Casinos, and yet still has Billions.  There's about 2,800 Billionaires Worldwide.  Most Billionaire Wealth is Taken, not Earned.   Monopoly Power is driving Wealth inequality and Global Economic imbalance.   So, overall Billionaires aren't Positive for any Economy or Economic Stability of any Nation.  The Myth that we 'Need' them is just that, Mythical.  When you hit bottom, don't expect Billionaires to be Philanthropic towards the less fortunate, they exploit the underclass as a means to enrich only themselves.  

 Ask anyone whose ever Worked for say, Amazon, being their Employer, unless they're Top Tier Execs.  I know an Amazon Top Tier Employee, he got Stories.  And sure, he's getting some and his, while there's still some left, he's no Fool.   LATER:  Work was SO busy for a Tuesday Night!!!  Lots of folks shopping and buying, so we didn't get out of there right at 9:00 p.m..  I was working with Friends Brigid and Yolanda, so it was a good Shift, we work well together.  I'd eaten Dinner at "Dragon Garden" and they were Celebrating Chinese New Year {February 17th, 2026} .  It's the Fire Horse Celebrations and will last 16 Days until March 3rd.

 

The Young Prince was meeting up with His Dad and the New Stepmom to Sing Karaoke, luckily Boring Car Guy, Chris, could take him coz I couldn't and get back thru Rush Hour Traffic in time for Work.  As it was Princess T was one of the only ones at Work that didn't get off early, as they go in earlier on a Tuesday.  She had to Work late, but it was overtime, it just set me back some to getting to Work and having time to Stock my Showroom with the Merch I was bringing in with me.  I'd done Well for the 20% Off President's Day Sale and even after the Sale, there were stronger than usual Sales, who knows Why?   Mostly it was our Smalls and T-Shirts, but some higher end Merch too for a change. 

And Management had bought "Jimmy John's" Sammies and Wraps for everyone.  They were 3" Subs and Wraps, so I had a Roast Beef one and a Ham one of the Mini Sub Sammies, I like "Jimmy John's", Love their Bread.  Someone also brought in Oranges from their Trees at Home and they were really Sweet and Juicy.  I brought some Home coz they had a whole Basket of them and wanted everyone to take them, as many as we wanted.  So, I took Four and ate one while there, it was delicious, they were Small Oranges compared to the huge ones our Neighbor Omar's Trees produces, which are very Old Citrus Trees from the 1960's... but, they were still good Oranges.

The Daughter has been spending more time with the Boyfriend off site than here, which is fine, her choice and nobody here has to Deal with their dysfunctional Relationship and in-fighting all of the time.  I do think she bores with the Serenity she's still not used to here at Forever Boheme', it's unfamiliar to how she's lived her Life for Decades and hard to break old habits deeply ingrained now?  She has belonged to the Streets a very long time and even staying put here has exceeded her Record for staying in one place very long at all.  The Family are all now a lot more settled with no Drama unfolding between a couple that aren't getting along and can't seem to for a sustained period of time.  

 

Both of her Kids didn't wanna Deal with it another Day either and her Brother, her Dad and I, had enough as well of their bickering and his Adult Man Drama and Anti-Social Behavior towards all of her Friends and ours when we had other Guests.   And we often have other Guests and he was spending much too much time being here rather than where ever he should be living.  He was ingratiating himself to us with abundant helpfulness, he's not a lazy person and is industrious.   But not being functional with other people, including her.  Some people would be better off being Recluses, I think perhaps he is one of them?  We'd met him thru our next door Neighbors who attended Church with him.  But I never saw him going to Church in all the time we've known him and their Missionaries never have come to see him, which is very unusual for the LDS.  They come for The Man all the time and pester him, and he hasn't gone to the Church in all the time I've known him.

And the Boyfriend's complex History is just what I'd been either told or Read in very Old News, so I don't know the accuracy of his Back Story.  You can't really know the accuracy of anyone's Back Story you don't have a lot of History with and even then you can find out Surprise Revelations of what hasn't been told.  I've known folks since the 1980's I'm still finding out new important Facts and Secrets about!!!  I do know he's Lost a lot of Loved Ones and I think it's Negatively impacted his Fear of Losing People?   And so he's clingy and controlling, very insecure and acts immaturely for someone whose 59.  And I'm sure having a dire prognosis is frightening to live with daily just waiting to Die and after nothing has worked to Heal you from a Terminal Illness.  So I have compassion, I just didn't Need him to be a Problem for me and mine, I got 99 other Problems and eliminate even One more that I don't Need to Deal with and can banish from our lives.  

She has to decide when and if she will banish him from hers I guess.  I think she doesn't want him to Die alone or give up on him... and I Get that.  She appreciated those in her life who never gave up on her and have taken Care of her.  And she told me he's not all Bad and I know this, but what has been Bad isn't acceptable and tho' she acts Crazy as a March Hare herself, if he can't manage or handle her level of Mental Illness appropriately, he shouldn't be with her either, it's unhealthy for the both of them.  And neither of them Needs the stress and pressures of that in their respective conditions.  She has Caregiver instincts in her, but often can't be all that someone Needing Care requires.  In Mexico she often looked after ailing Old Men who were scary people before they got Old and Sickly or Dying, so not much Scares her.  In fact she tells them only I have ever Scared her, and that's probably her Truth.   She's Squared Off with me in the Past, it didn't go Well for her and she Remembers that and that it's Wise not to go there again.  *Winks*

 Anyway, she looked after all of them she Cared for, until they Passed and I've been told by many of her Friends in Mexico, that everyone knew how close she became to those Guys, who usually didn't allow anyone to get close to them or Care for anyone else either.  One of the American Heads of an very well known Outlaw Biker Gang, Dave, who was Old and Dying, had been Living in Mexico for Years and still was quite a Shot Caller.  He was so close to her he called often to Check on how she was doing here, and so pleased she'd gotten Clean and was doing well.  He's a really Bad Actor and was up front with me about that and his Past, along with the Present associations he had.   I Liked Dave, but was Mindful of who he just was at all times.  I was Grateful for all he'd done to both Protect and look after my Daughter and he knew this too.  The allegedly "Good Guys" in Mexico and in America have never looked after or out for her EVER.  Just sayin'.  Sometimes it's hard to tell the Good Guys from the Bad Guys in Life.

 But there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for her or to keep her under his Protection while he was Alive.  And nobody Dared mess with her due to who Looks Out for her.  She looked after him, his little Dogs, and took Care of his Home there for Years and until she left.  When he Died others contacted us to tell of his Passing, she was distraught.  She truly Cared for Dave when nobody else really did and most were just justifiably Scared of him.   I just don't want anyone Unsafe around the rest of my Family and she knows that, even if they're Kind to me, they can be Kind from a distance.  I feel like having Scary People in close proximity to you is like having a Wild Animal as a Pet... they're still a Wild Animal and you have to be very Mindful of that Fact.  It's why folks can have Pet Tigers and such for Years and Years, 'til one Day it just acts like a Natural Apex Predator it always has been and was meant to Be.  And nobody should be Surprised when it happens.  It was always a Tiger and Wild.  And Predators Need Prey, it's just that Simple.

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Guard against becoming Prey my Friends, the World is full of Apex Predators who have power, lotsa money and influence... Dawn... The Bohemian