Didn't Have A Stroke This Time While Doing It

 As you all know, Dear Long Time Readers, I'm a Stats Person.  I've always kept Statistics at both of my Corporate Careers, which was important Data the Financial Industry and the DA's Office used, and I never quit paying attention to Stats even in Retirement.   So, imagine my Surprise that my Stats of Blog Visits has soared since my Stroke, who knew?  I never have been a Blog to get a lot of Comments, but, I have been fortunate to always have had a respectable amount of Views.   More Lurkers than Participants that interact, but, that's Okay, I Lurk at a lot of Blogs myself and have nothing to say or add in the Comments section either.  I just enjoy the Blog content and am often Surprised that some of the BEST Blogs, and Writers or Photographers, in my Humble Opinion, aren't known to as many as they should attract to their Blogs!   I've visited Blogs that are Madly Popular and well known, even considered Influencers, perhaps with 30,000 'Followers', and yet, been unimpressed and underwhelmed.  As Cher once said tho' about the Secret to her Success, "Sometimes People just LIKE you."

And ain't that the Truth about it... Life... Blogging... Politics... Celebrity... Whatever.  *Smiles*  Sometimes there's no other explanation or reason one can fathom.   So, is Post-Stroke Me more charismatic and charming, funnier or 'funner' as the Grandkids like to say, Crazier in my Stream of Consciousness I'm putting out here, more Interesting or more of a Train Wreck to gawk at?   I just don't know. *Bwahahaha*   I just know the soaring of the Stats was meteoric after my Stroke and subsequent Posts I Wrote Post-Stroke, and that was indeed a huge Surprise coz I've been blogging now since 2009!  I've had Statistical ups and downs, but, nothing like this!   They had to make a different graph on it to accommodate the steep rise, not my usual one I've always had before!   So, that was Cool and rather Uplifting, since, I'm having to stay Home a lot now during my Recovery Period, which, could be prolonged from what my Neurologist and Cardiologist tell me.  Even tho' they claim I'm making remarkable Progress, so, I Guess I am?  And thus am trying to be Patient and Kinder to myself taking however long it just takes?

So, anyway, that was a Positive I focused on this day since, not a lot of Progress otherwise has been notable.   The Daughter got the White Tree down and put away, along with 90% of Christmas.   So, we've Moved On Officially now Post Holiday, which feels good.   I enjoyed it being  up, but it was Time.   And I didn't wanna feel Humility or the Embarrassment, when I was too Tired, Weak and not Recovered enuf to take it down and the next thing you know, it's all still up come Spring!  *LOL*   The Daughter laughed when I told her NOW I know Why so many Old People don't Decorate for the Holidays anymore.   *Smiles*   My own Parents both ceased by the time they were 70 and I'd have to do it FOR them so they'd have any Holiday Decorating evident at all in their Homes.   I made it a Ritual to go over to both of their Homes and Decorate for Christmas, put a Tree up for them, and then go over Christmas Eve to Open Presents with them and Visit... bring them a Christmas Dinner... usually a Thanksgiving Dinner too.  They just ceased doing it all in the latter Years.  I didn't Understand, now I kinda do.

Now, I was your Over-The-Top Holiday Person so, if I just quit doing it, my Family and Friends would think I was literally Dying and not long for this World!  So, I still try so as not to alarm them. *Smiles*  The Daughter was alarmed enuf when I just put up that Vintage Gold Tree without Lights, even tho' it looked Lovely, she put up the Feng Shui Tree and Decorated more, realizing, I didn't have it in me.  Post Stroke she realizes its far worse coz not only don't I have it in me, but even if I did, I couldn't do it even if I wanted to.   And, tho' I couldn't right now, I don't even WANT to either.  *LOL*  And I still thoroughly enjoyed my Holidays and having everything Decorated so beautifully, but, without the Help of the Kiddos, I wouldn't have done 3/4 of it, I ain't gonna Lie.  And they knew it, so I'm Grateful they did that 3/4 FOR me, since, they knew it was Important to me, I just wasn't gonna do it... and my Health and lack of Stamina was precisely Why.  Even before the Stroke, I felt a decline coming on.  I'm just relieved I didn't Bottom Out completely, Close Call tho'.

I'm making another "Didn't Have A Stroke This Time While Doing It" Chili Today since it's supposed to go below Freezing by Tonight and also be Colder all Week.  *LOL*  It's something the Family enjoys during inclement Weather and The Son can easily take to Work for Lunch.  Since I make it in a big Crockpot everyone can eat it whenever they feel Hungry without a specific Mealtime either.  I went to 'Sprouts' too and got more Fresh Veggies to Steam, since, The Man has Oddly been eating Plant Based Meals with me without complaints and enjoying it.  So he's Down for the Dietary Change. The Kids will eat whatever is cooking and smells good usually.  *LOL*  I'm not cutting out Meats, but am buying Wild Game Meats and others like Goat and Wagyu Beef which are Raised differently and come in the Wild Game Section of 'Sprouts' and often on Sale with Buy One Get One 50% Off.  So, I stock up and got Wagyu Beef for Today's Chili, and some Goat and Elk to Freeze for another Meal whenever.   We prefer Chili made with Meats like Goat, Lamb, Bison, Elk, Venison, Moose and Wagyu Beef, since, I only ever put a single Lb. in it but it goes far in a Chili or even in Tacos. 

I'd watched a Sad DocuSeries called "Black Fish" about all the Sea World type places and how they get and keep Orcas.  It should have been shut down a long time ago.  Very inhumane and has caused some Human Deaths to how these gentle Giants are treated and deprived of a Natural Lifestyle.  Orcas in the Wild are like a different Culture and Language with each Pod, they are actually more Intelligent than us and extremely Social and loyal to one another.  However, in the Wild the Pod is a Matriarchal Society and the Males, when it's not Breeding Season, have a placement outside parameters of the Pod or the Females will become aggressive towards them and are smaller and thus faster.  In the Wild of coarse a Male can get away and remove himself from Danger, in a Marine Hostage Situation he can't and quite often the Females will injure, badly wound or even Kill a Male they get upset with.  How they've been captured is Heartless too, since a Calf will stay with it's Mother for Life, so any separation is anguishing for the grieving Female who loses her Offspring and not Natural to intermingle Pod Individuals with a group they didn't get Born into and grow up with... not the same Culture or Language.

Anyway, it made me exceedingly glad I've never been to Sea World or any of the other venues that make Orcas "Perform" and keep them in inhumane conditions where the Animal is Mentally and Physically compromised.  It cuts the normal Life Expectancy more than in half, since in the Wild the Males live 50 Years and the Females as much as 100, but in Captivity, it's down to 20-30 Years for any of them!   The droopy flopped over Fin is a Sign of Depression and even potential Mental Psychosis of living a frustrating Life with no outlet for such an intelligent Social Animal.   Handlers have often been given false information when they're hired, about everything concerning the Species or if one has injured or killed a Handler in the Past.  They are friendly Animals if in good Health and in the Wild haven't been known to attack or kill Humans, but, as any Wild powerful Animal, Respect must be given and Caution used, they're NOT Pets no matter how well they could interact with the Humans while in Captivity.  

Considering their torturous existence in Captivity, it's a Wonder they are so well mannered and tolerant of their Human Handlers they come to know.   Since Sea World has fancy Lawyers they've been able to cover up a lot of what happens, and flaunt OSHA and Environmentalist Court battles.  People should Boycott Companies like this, it's Animal Cruelty for Profit and Dangerous to the Animal and Humans.   They would not respond to the Producers of the DocuSeries becoz they know they're in the Wrong and all the Ex-Handlers who Quit becoz they knew what was going on, were in this and telling the Truth about what really transpires, both behind the Scenes and during the numerous Coverups, where even their Lives were put in danger becoz full disclosure was never done.  When Handlers have been Killed, the Company always pretended it was Human Error, when in fact, it was not, not even a single time.  And, on top of that some of the Public have been Killed and that was covered up too.  

When one of the poor Orcas finally flips out under Stress or Duress, or has more of a propensity for violent behavior, punishing it and imprisoning it in too small Isolation Solitary Confinement and withholding Food, only worsens the behavior and makes the Animal angrier, more aggressive and more unpredictable.  But, it's still put with Handlers, the Public and forced to Perform!  Any Wonder these Magnificent Beings acts up?   Any Sentient Being would, especially after Years and Years of such deprivation, abuse and Unnatural Conditions not conducive to it being Happy or Healthy for all of it's Life!   I Cried during the DocuSeries, I always knew it was Bad, since the 1970's I felt the Orcas should not be treated like Circus Animals... even Circus Animals shouldn't be treated like Circus Animals... but... Humans do Love those Shows and that's what drives the Industry with no Thought to the Animal's actual Welfare and Well Being or the Safety of it all to Trainers and the Public so long as lots of Money is to be made off it.   The Animals are worth Millions and so is the Sperm of any Male or Calf of any Female.  The Captive Male whose Killed the most Humans is Bred constantly, so his Genes are being passed along... and if some of his aggression is Hereditary at all, need I say more?

And I know most of you saw LOST back in 2004-2010, but I used to have to Work Nights, so I never got a chance and now I can catch it all on NetFlix so am currently binge watching it.  *LOL*  We about polished off the big Crock Pot full of my Chili whilst binge watching it.  *Smiles*  I couldn't Believe we all ate so much Chili, but it turned out damned good.  Yes, I know we say that every time, but, nothing beats a good Homemade Chili that is different every time you Dream one up on The Fly with what you have on Hand.  *LOL*  I almost never make the same Chili twice and I think there's limitless versions you can make.  This one I used Wagyu Beef, Crowder Peas, Fava Beans, a Four Bean Medley from 'Sprouts', Two types of Canned Tomatoes, One having Garlic and Onion, some chopped New Mexico Roasted Green Chiles, Vegetable Broth Stock, 3 different Packets of Chili Seasoning, One being Smokehouse Blend, One Mild, One Kroger Original, Dried Corn and Veggie/Spice Packets that come with the Ramen Noodle Soup Bowls Princess T likes, but never uses those Packets, so I save them for making Chili.  For Toppings I chop some Vidalia Onion and grated Mexican Four Cheeses blend. Nom-Nom.  Everyone went back for Seconds and Thirds.  *LOL* 

 

It's a hearty Meal that is inexpensive to feed a large Crowd, the Kids had Company so we fed them too, since they'd done Yardwork for me.   And still has a bit of Leftover for The Son to take to Work for Lunch.   Well, if nobody gets up in the middle of the Night and polishes it off... which has been known to happen.  *LOL*   Anyway, Storms are moving in and so nobody wanted to be Outside after Dark and Winter Comfort Food to binge watch something together was Fun.   It had been damned near 20 Years since any of them that had seen it before Princess T was even Born could remember what had happened, so, no Spoiler Alerts for me.  *Smiles*  I remember it was Madly Popular back when it first came out and I can see Why, I'm really Into It, even all these Years too late seeing it for the first time.  *Bwahahaha*

I did watch the Weather Channel and I guess a bad Cold Spell has hit most of the U.S. and they even had Severe Blizzard Warnings in Louisiana!!!   Some areas like that in Louisiana and Texas recorded Blizzard conditions for the very first time ever!   Climate Change is Real my Friends and not improving each Year.   These rare Winter Storms are hitting places ill equipped to Deal with them.   I'm sure places that never get Blizzards don't have large Snow Moving Equipment and their Homes aren't built for the Snow Load either or to Heat for such harsh extreme Cold Weather.   Some areas that even do sometimes get Snow are having the biggest Snowfall since 1963!!!   We're not that bad off but it's below Freezing Tonight in most of the Metro Area, so I put the little Disposable Cup Hats on my Cacti to protect them from the Freeze damaging them.   And it will trash the Citrus Crops that haven't already been Harvested.

I'm trying to wind down now after a long binge watch of LOST and 3 small Serving Bowls of Chili.  *Bwahahahaha*   Yep, tho' my Appetite has been trashed Post-Stroke, that Chili was so good I got 3 small Bowls of it down me and so did The Man!   He hardly ever finishes One Bowl of anything anymore, so to eat 3 small Servings of it was huge for him too!  It made me drowsy and feeling so Cozy, so I should now Sleep well Tonight.  *Winks*   LATER: I did indeed Sleep well... too well actually, I needed to go to the Bathroom and almost didn't wake up!  *LOL*  It's 31 Degrees and Princess T is so glad we have Seat Warmers in the Truck.  *LOL*  She's a tiny little Sprite, so she can't take the Cold.  I'm glad we got the Ductwork and Insulation done in the House, tho' it cost me a Fortune and is a Monthly Payment that is a definite financial hardship, it makes a huge difference in Cooling or Heating this place.

Since the whole Day is allegedly gonna be very Cold, I shall hunker down and binge watch more of LOST.  *Smiles*  There's Inventory to Price also, which I might multi-task and do whilst watching it.  I haven't been in to the Antique Mall to even Work our Spaces, just don't have it in me right now.   Sales have been so flat that it's not like I have Turned a lot of Inventory to have to restock and replace anyway.  Besides, you can't Sell anything to Customers who aren't even there.  I got some good Vintage Toys to bring in, like a 1970 Baby Beans Doll, which will be Locked Showcase bound.   And a Vintage 1991 Gerber Baby Doll too, not the Porcelain one, the one they came out with that could actually be played with.  Tho' it looks as tho' this one was only ever just Displayed as a Collectible Doll, it's Pristine.   

 

I have some Pokemon and Japanese Anime Plush Toys too, Modern, but Customers can't get enough of those.  Also have to be in Locked Cases tho' or they would come Alive and just Walk Out, if you catch my Drift?   Like my fucking Comic Books and their entire Display, which hasn't yet been located!   And what is more deeply disturbing than if a Customer stole it all, is that I more highly suspect that another Vendor did.  Has Vendor Theft M.O. all over it when ALL of something disappears along with it's NFS Display.  We have some Skimmers and we all know who they are but you have to catch them Red Handed for Management to get involved and only then when you either demand to Press Charges or Confront the Vendor Thief yourself and Create a Situation and make a Public Scene of it, which I WILL do and Management, along with other Vendors knows it.  So, if it is a Vendor, they're Courting the Devil and it's a matter of time before I flush them out.  If you shit where you eat then you deserve to be exposed for the Lowlife Vermin you are.  *Winks*

Sometimes I just have had to put The Word out there that IF whoever took it returns it, I won't go on the Warpath and take any Scalps, and Poof, it Miraculously reappears, like Magic.  *Winks*   So, I did put some Word out there to be Known, and we'll see what happens.   Since no Customer would hear said Word, then you know it was another Vendor who then reconsidered if whatever they took is worth their Scalp and a Scandal?   *Smiles*   I Hate that we have fellow Vendors who Victimize their own.   Worse that Management has failed to Deal with some of them.  They have Banned a few over the Years, but only becoz the Police got involved and one Vendor Victim actually filed a Lawsuit against the Mall for the Liability of his $5,000 Loss and they Settled out of Court and Banned HIM from the Mall, can you Believe that shit!  The Person responsible is still there!!!   She didn't Steal it, but she dozed off while opening his Locked Case for Customers and the Thieves practically cleaned him out of expensive Merch!!!  

The Key Dealer/Vendor is very Elderly and she's a Lovely Person and Beloved, so it wasn't Intentional, but, it's TIME she no longer be given Shifts and yet... they do.   And half the time if you're working with her she disappears and is probably Asleep somewhere coz she really struggles to maintain alertness or wokeness for a Four Hour Shift.  Now, I'm at that place right now Post-Stroke where I wouldn't be up to the Job either, but, I did the Right thing.  And this Vendor has Money, she goes on numerous Cruises around the World several times a Year and Retired with more than your Average Nest Egg... so she doesn't Need to Work or rely on Comped Space Rent, she's Flush.   She should just do the Right thing knowing she's no longer really up to the Job and creates Liability for the Mall and other Vendors.  Doesn't matter it's unintentional and everyone Likes her, she Needs to be put Out to Pasture, as my Nanna used to say.  *LOL*  If I'd of been responsible for that big Heist, in any way, I would have been too embarrassed, ashamed and humiliated to return to Work.

 

The Vendors who were the Victims were Friends of mine and I felt so badly for them being treated more like Perps than who was responsible for them being Victimized and ripped off of a substantial amount.  Banning them and causing them to have to Lawyer Up and go to Court to get Reimbursed, Victimized them Twice IMO.  They prevailed, but I know how the Husband is, he was aggressively pursuing it like a Dog with a Bone when Management wouldn't voluntarily do Right by him and then didn't even punish the Vendor responsible in any way.  He was granted access to the Surveillance Video after his Lawyer got a Subpoena for it in time, so at least it didn't get Scrubbed.  The Thieves appeared to be Pros and they never got Caught and the items, tho' High End, never got Fenced Locally, so, none of it was ever Recovered.  

The Vendor dealt in very high end Antiquities that are mostly Jewelry, Museum Quality Pieces that are OOAK and cannot be replaced.  So, they'll turn up somewhere, but I Suspect in a Private Collection of a high end Client that will never be Publicly Seen and won't mind if it was Hot.  And that is not so uncommon with Professional Thieve Rings of Organized Crime.  Right now the big Thing is they're Targeting Celebrities and Professional Athletes Homes for Heists.   And, getting away with it, which speaks volumes about the Organization of the Syndicates responsible.   And, most likely, Who they're Paying Off that is Bought and Paid For on the Inside to Target said Victims AND to never get caught and Prosecuted.  The Corruption usually goes quite high.  And we see that in our Government Institutions now at the very tops of the Food Chain... and... I'm not Surprised... it's not even 'New'.  Just more unapologetic and brazen now.  Including but not limited to the Commander In Chief now... and his Inner Circle, and we all Know it.

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What a Tangled Web America has now Woven for itself... Dawn... The Bohemian