Preparations And Being In The Right Head Space

 

Above is my New Custom Price Tags I just had made for the Showroom that I Created and Ordered Online at such a ridiculously low cost that I can't Believe they turned out better than expected!   The back is blank, so I can put the Price and info on both sides, with this being the Visual Draw Side.  It's nice quality thick Organic looking Card Stock and Jute String. This Image is one my Friend Pamela made for me many Moons ago and somewhere I also have a Rubber Art Stamp of it which I can't locate, so, when I saw this Online Vendor offering Custom Bulk Tags, I decided to give it a whirl.  Glad I did, I'm very pleased with the Order and would re-order and toy with more fav Graphics I have, for variety.   I think this Order had 250 so it'll last me a Minute.  I like having Fun with my Hobbies like this.

I'm bringing in a whole bunch of higher end Merch Today to give it a whirl and see what happens.  It's mostly Ltd. Edition Collectibles that are Numbered and Signed, that Online seem highly sought after and I have no Attachments to mine, so, I'm Selling them Off now.  Locked Case will be full after this and no more Space in it tho'.   I have an Embroidered NAVY Jersey, that's the only Branch of the Service that The Man wasn't in during his long 39 Year Career.  But, back when he was in the Marines they were still part of the Navy, so, Technically he has actually been in every Branch, but wouldn't wear a NAVY Jersey.  It's an expensive one, New Old Stock, and will easily Sell tho' in the Showroom.

So, now we have ole Worm Brain RFK, Jr. in charge of Health, and they cut all Medical Research Funding too!  Splendid, all the ole eradicated Diseases will now be back, and no more finding Cures or new Vaccines developed, Fun Times!!!  When people's Children start Dying , going Blind or becoming seriously Disabled, of once preventable or eradicated Diseases, we'll see how Down for this Fool they really are?  Measles is already back, remember Measles?  Even ole Turtle Face Mitch couldn't get behind this nomination, having Survived Polio himself as a Toddler.  The Unvaxxed and Die Hard Anti-Vaxxers will be Carriers of infectious and deadly Diseases to cause more Epidemics or Pandemics... Fun, Fun, Fun!!! 

I dunno, the last Pandemic was horrendous enuf with over a Million Americans perishing horribly and over Five Million perishing horribly Worldwide.  With his 1st Administration botching shit up so badly to contain it or take it seriously.  Shutting everything down, necessitating Lockdown and scaring the bejesus out of us all for Three long Years, wasn't that having enuf Fun for these people!?  I guess NOT!  Mebbe it's their way of Culling Humans, especially the Undesirable ones, the Weak ones, the Elderly, the Marginalized of Society, the Communities of Color, the ones with inadequate Health Care available to them?  How very Hitleresque.  I'm always suspicious of insidious ulterior motives for these seemingly Reckless intentional Bad Decisions that are Harmful on a grand scale.

There is Intent behind each and every one of these extreme Policies, Firings, Dismantling of Key Institutions, it's not at all Random.   Every Long Con has it's End Game in Mind and took a very long time to patiently put together before it's implemented.   Follow the Money, well, IF we had anyone left to Investigate any of this, that is, since, of coarse they were Targeted first and either Fired or did a Principal Resignation.  And replaced by his Chosen Few Loyalists who'd commit any Crime FOR him, since, he'd Pardon them or have their Cases Dismissed With Prejudice, even if they did get caught and Prosecuted... that's how the Politically Weaponized DOJ apparently now Works.  Recall when they Cried about how it WAS Weaponized, before?  Well, it wasn't REALLY, they'd committed actual Felonies and gotten Due Process.

That's all been altered now, you don't have to do anything Criminal now to be targeted and put away or 'disappeared' at just his say so, that's how Authoritarianism and Dictatorships Work.   So, it IS now Weaponized against anyone who Resists or gets in their way, or is a certain complexion being rounded up like Animals, and you ain't seen nothing yet Honey!  Once the Rule of Law means nothing to these people and there are NO consequences for only their people for breaking any Law, or for NOT complying with any Court Ruling, Contempt of Court is an empty Threat now and it's like the Wild, Wild West again Baby!  Whoo Hoo and Yippee Kai Yay Motherfuckers!  How ya Like 'em now?!   Oh, mebbe some of those who Voted him in are already shocked into Waking Up, you know, that dreaded Word of "Woke", which is the opposite of being "Asleep".  *Snicker*

Okay, so enuf of all that nonsense going on in the Greatest Shitshow on Earth, let's Move On shall we?   I'm Mentally preparing myself for the Surgery on Monday, that I'd thought I'd dodged.  *Le Sigh*  When Dr. Kim originally Cancelled it I was irritated, then, considered it a Sign, that mebbe I shouldn't even be having it?   So, now he changed his Mind about doing it on the Original Day, becoz it's apparently just that necessary, well, fuck, I don't know HOW to actually Feel about it in my Spirit now?  So, I'm going thru with it and Hope I have no regrets about that decision?   My Family are equally conflicted, they really can't afford me dropping Dead you know.  Either from neglecting or avoiding what should be done... or having something done Electively that has risks!  So, double edged Sword either way, Right?  Well, dammit!

My Brother had the most excellent Advice, as I knew he would, since he's Cheated the Grim Reaper so many times now he's worn that Fucker out!  *LOL*  He's got a calcifying Heart, among other Terminal shit he's Outlived way beyond his alleged Expiration Date given by Western Medicine.  He's had a few of these Heart Monitors installed and keeps Outliving the Batteries Life.  *Smiles*  He said, Just Do It, the worst that can happen Sis is you Die under Anaesthesia, and ain't that a Good way to go out, you won't even know it!?   Yeah, he's got a Point, kinda like Dying in your Sleep, which was my first request for leaving this Realm when it's my Time, so, during a Surgery WOULD be a close 2nd request, I ain't gonna Lie!  *LOL*  I don't Fear Death, just Dying horribly.

So, now I'm just preparing myself Mentally for how little Time I have to get ready now, for a Surgery I'd already crossed off the Calendar once... and had to then put back on there!   The Daughter is going with me, since she's my Designated Driver to get me Sprung from Hospital once it's over.  They don't have to know she's a permanently restricted Driver. She can appear to be and give the Illusion of being a Responsible Adult and be allowed to retrieve me.  *Bwahahahaha*   It's not that far to our House from the Hospital anyway, and, I'll still be groggy from Surgery, so, a Schizophrenic Driver with no License, no problem, no other Options, we'll Work with what we have.  *Winks and Shush, our Secret*  

Us Seniors make do, you'd have no Ideas of the Stories I could tell of that Fact, regarding Seniors having to do foolish shit coz they have no other Options available to them.   Besides, we've all had a Good Run by this Season of Life, so, we're probably even more apt to take risks than the Young and Dumb.  We're at the 11th Hour of Life anyway, so, what the Hell, roll them Dice.   This is Why tho' you DO NOT need Geriatrics in Politics or Leadership making YOUR fucking important National Decisions my Dears!!!   Our last Fucks to Give flew away a long, long Time ago, Trust and Believe.  You have much, much more to Live For than any of us Old Farts do, and I'm saying that in only the Nicest, Honest and most Sincere way. *Winks*

I'm making a 15 Bean and Vegetable Vegetarian Soup Today becoz it's Cold and Raining.  I Hope mine turns our as Purdy as the above cribbed inter-web Pix?   UPDATE:  Well, it's not, but it is tasting good anyway. *Smiles*  I got as much shit in mine too, to look good and taste good, including Heirloom Rainbow Carrots.  *Winks*  So, nice Healthy Comfort Food that will be simmering in the Crockpot all Day until Suppertime and go a long way to feed a lot of people cheaply.   I'm very pleased that so far I've gotten everyone on Board my Healthier Eating kick, usually I was the only one eating my Hippie Foods.  *LOL*   But, when they try them and realize it's actually tasty, they acquiesce.  *Winks*  Often I won't even tell them all the Healthy shit I popped in there and they blissfully eat it unawares.  *Shhhhhh*

The Daughter did come back from Mexico with a Healthier Mindset, since they eat Healthier there and Food Insecurities mean a lot of people in Mexico grow their own Foods and Raise their own Livestock to ensure Fresh Food is affordable and available.   After over 20 Years living there, she now rarely eats American Food or Fast Food.   And she helps me a lot with the flavor profiles, she's a good food Alchemist, especially making a tastier Homemade Broth. So, we've been tweaking the 15 Bean Veggie Soup's Broth Base and it's tasting better and better.  The Dried 15 Bean Package came with a Broth Packet, which was Smoky like a Ham and Bean Base might be, but we felt needed something added, so we added some Caldo de Pollo Bouillon and a Veggie Pho' Broth to it, to our Taste.  My own Parents each came from Healthier Fresh Food Mindsets so I grew up like that.  Plus, Dad was a Talented Master Chef by Trade.

Do you know how Spoiled you are about Cuisine when your Parent is a Professional Master Chef?  *Winks*   So, growing up and while living at Home I was probably my absolute Healthiest Dietary Wise.  And it showed, if you eat Healthy, you look Healthy, and have less Illness and Bad Habits.  The Son, like most Single Guys, had the worst eating habits when he wasn't living here.  When he was with the DIL he mostly ate Cambodian Food and looked lean, was muscular, and had a Healthy Diet.  But, when they broke up, he went back to Bachelor eating Habits, and drinking too much, and drugging too much, which rarely is ideal a Lifestyle and he's paid a price for that physically and admits it freely.  Unless that Bachelor is a Chef or Loves Cooking, a Bachelor Pantry and Fridge is a Horror.  And Cigarettes, Booze and Drugs are not Food Groups! *LOL*

When we went into the Antique Mall to bring in my fresh Merch I ran into my Old Co-Worker Vendor Friend Ken.  After he took that terrible Senior Fall and had to have Facial Reconstruction from the damage, he'd given up his Showroom, which is the one we have now, and just kept some Cases and Wall Space.   He's now looking good and had been MIA during his lengthy Recovery and Reconstructive Surgeries Process.   He said he'll never come back to Work again, he just can't do it now and I understand.  He's a big powerfully built Man, but that injury took it out of him and he said they still haven't figured out what caused him to pass out and fall off the Flatbed Truck!!!??   So, like me, he has no Answer yet.  He didn't know I'd had the Stroke and said I was very Lucky I'm doing so well... I know I am Fortunate and Recovering better than expected.

Ken used to be MAGA, not anymore, so he did talk about this 2nd Term with me and how disastrous it is.  He does so in a humorous way, as we always did... but said he was Sorry, I was Right, and he just really did feel Played by a Con.   I said that is how Successful Cons just Work, especially the Long Con... which takes a long time to cultivate the Marks to Trust and Believe in you, earning their Confidence with Trickery, Lies and Deceptions.   Anyone whose ever been Played never feels Good about it once the Revelation comes and they accept that it's happened.   I told Ken I was Sorry that it has come to this, it's not actually something I enjoy being Right about.  Becoz, early Warnings weren't heeded and so it doesn't matter if I was Right and he was Wrong, now here we just both are, Right?   It was good to see him looking so damned good, I'd been quite worried about him, he looked dreadful last time I'd seen him Months ago.  Now he looks like his Old Self.

I ran into several Vendor and Co-Worker Friends while there, they all miss me and understand Why I'm taking a hiatus while Recovering from The Stroke.  It takes Time and not that much Time has gone by yet.  I really feel no sense of urgency to return to normal activities just yet either, my limitations are presently obvious to me and I accept them for now.   I had Sold some higher end items, which boosted this Pay Period's Sales, so, I might do alright this Pay Period after all, it ends Tomorrow Night and the new Pay Period will begin on Sunday Morning.   I'm glad I brought some more expensive Merch in and see what happens?   I'd Sold some higher end Tiki Themed Mid Century Modern Pieces, they always Sell well tho'.   I often Sell to other Vendors who Specialize in that Genre.

 

A Trio of the Great-Grandkid Siblings of the Oldest Daughter of our Oldest Daughter.  I guess they all like whoever Bluey is?  I don't have to keep up now on Trending Cartoon Characters so much now all the ones I'm Raising are Grown.  *LOL*   This Granddaughter does like to do the Suburban Housewife Thing tho' of matching all their Outfits, of the Kids, she and her Husband.  *Smiles*  She must spend a small Fortune on matchy-matchy Outfits for them all for every occasion and every Holiday.   I'm glad they are all taking so many Pixs tho', they won't regret that, Time goes by quickly and Children especially Change so much over the Years.  In the Blink of an Eye they're Grown and having a Photographic History of that Journey is truly Priceless.   And the quality of Cameras now, and the convenience of the advancement of Photography, especially on Phones, makes it so there's no excuse not to take lots of Pixs as Life plays out now.

Okay, so, my 15 Bean and Veggie Soup is done and it tastes so good everyone is having Seconds already.   It's almost as Purdy as the Food Bloggers was, not as Soupy.  I didn't want it to be heavy on the Broth, I wanted it to be heartier with the solid ingredients and more filling and nutritious.   I had New Potatoes, Heirloom Rainbow Carrots, Zucchini, Mexican Grey Squash, Corn, 15 types of Beans, Celery, and various Herbs, both Dried and Fresh, Veggie Broth, Pho' Broth, Caldo de Pollo Bouillon, and whatever the Bouillon Packet was in the Dried 15 Bean Package that comes with it to make a Soup.   I'm satisfied with how it turned out and just letting it all simmer all day 'til Suppertime in a Crockpot.

We'll have plenty of leftovers coz it made a way bigger batch than I expected when them Beans swelled up and hydrated.  *LOL*  But, Soup leftovers never aren't eaten up and they reheat quickly for a light meal.  At the Grocers I noticed they were limiting Egg purchases to 2 Dozen per Customer even at the very high prices they are now.  Some Stores don't have any in Stock, so, clearly there's a shortage and I also noticed the Fast Food Chicken Chains aren't busy anymore.  Usually the Chick-Fil-A always has a crazy long line like In-N-Out Burger.  Now, hardly anyone is there, probably scared to eat Chicken due to the Bird Flu now transferring to other Species like Cows and Humans?  It will hit those specialty Industries that rely on one type of Food predominantly for their Income.

I Binged Watched some more of Season 2 of LOST, I'm still enjoying it and getting invested in the Characters.   I haven't really honed in on the plot really, but there's 4 Seasons left, so, I'm sure it's a complex one.  *LOL*   Even tho' it ran from 2004-2010 I never watched it way back then.  So, it's all 'new' to me.  The Daughter was living in Mexico most of way back then, so she never saw it either, so we're both Binge watching it, she's further along than I am.  I had about 4 Servings of the Soup left over.  We bought some more Valentine's Strawberries, the only ones they still had on Sale didn't have a Dozen, they only had a Half Dozen now.   They still had the Dozen size but weren't on Half Price Sale now.  So, I got Two of the Half Dozen that were still on Sale.

 

I can only eat the ones that aren't Dark Chocolate, I can't eat that, makes me feel Sick, ever since I was a Kid, I can't even stand the smell of Chocolate.   But, White Chocolate, tho' Sweet, so I can't eat too much of it, doesn't bother me at all, no ill effects.   So, I'm giving The Daughter any of the Brown Chocolate ones.   It was hard to find any that had little to no Brown Chocolate tho', that's the most popular, clearly, and what most people think of when they think of Chocolate.  I was Surprised how many people were still out Shopping for something for Valentine's Day, like this, or Flowers, or Boxed Chocolates.  It was pretty late into Valentine's Day so I'd of thought people would have presented a Gift earlier?   Guess not, a lot of 11th Hour Shoppers doing it at the last possible Minute. 

This Container was Heart Shaped.  Rusty has taken Princess T out for Dinner for Valentine's Day, she'll likely come Home with Flowers too.  The Kiddos didn't do anything for Valentine's Day, The Daughter and The Son aren't seeing anyone Special so they had no Love Interest to Buy for or receive from.   Princess T said the Valentine's Day Pot Luck at Work was Okay, almost all Sweets and she is not one to eat a lot of Sweets, so, she didn't partake of much and brought just a few things Home to Share with her Grandpa, Mom and Uncle.  She knows, like her, I'm not into Sweets either.   I did like these Strawberries tho', the Strawberries were excellent flavor and the coating was thin and not overwhelmingly Sweet.   Sometimes White Chocolate can be sickly Sweet.

The Niece {above} has kept in Touch with me about her Mom, but, still they don't have any new information to report.   So, like me, and my Friends Ken and Sal, nobody in the Medical Community seems to be able to figure out what went Wrong or Why with any of us... Curious indeed.  I find that Interesting and Strange, at the same time.  And, I hear that the Measles outbreak is spreading rapidly, Measles being highly contagious.  And coz now only 1 in 5 Kids who are School Aged are even being Vaccinated at all anymore!!!  Yikes!!!  Too many Parents have become Anti Vaxxers and I think the main reason is, so many of these infectious Diseases were controlled or eradicated for so long by Vaccines, that now people are too complacent and thinking it's not necessary or is more dangerous than the Diseases they prevent.  Mostly due to the Conspiracy Theories, speculation and misinformation that circulate and have no actual evidence or validation to the claims.

I'm hoping all my Great-Grandkids are being Vaxxed.   When a lot of these Un-Vaxxed Children start dropping like Flies, their Parents will then have a Lifetime of regretting ill informed decisions made not to Vaccinate them to prevent the Diseases that can be so deadly or damaging and ARE preventable.   You can't even get Herd Immunity unless more than 1 in 5 people are Vaxxed, so they put everyone at risk really by their decisions not to Vaccinate.   Believing Theories with no actual Proof over Proven Science is just ignorance, and that is not Bliss, it's just ignorance.  No telling now that RFK, Jr. is heading up Health, how much worse it will get with a Whack Job at the helm and making major decisions without having qualifications or experience to even be in that level of Leadership for the Health of the entire Nation!!! 

I am wondering just how long it will take for shit to Bottom Out?  We're only barely a Month in and it's already this Bad, so the unraveling is happening at Warp Speed.  Even faster than I suspected shit would go completely Sideways with the Lunatics running the Asylum.  I do know their Intention is to take a Wrecking Ball to everything, a lot of people who know Demolition well to just Wreck and Destroy things, aren't necessarily the most Skilled at Rebuilding or Replacing what they have obliterated tho'.   This is my major concern, they will do exactly what they Intended effectively and efficiently, then have no fucking Idea how to replace it with anything that even remotely Works and Functions at all.   They don't even have the experienced or competent people to replace those who were let go already or resigned.   A Nepotism Hire doesn't mean they know anything about what they're doing.

It's like reforming Healthcare, they've always been relentless Critics of the ACA and say they're intent on eliminating it and will overhaul it.  But, they've had a whole Decade now and not come up with anything at all but a "Concept Of A Plan"!!!  Are you fucking kidding me, that's all he's got in a whole Decade!  No real Replacement or Reform Plan at all... just MEBBE a Concept of one!!!  An Abstract Idea and General Notion to replace something they wanna just do away with completely.  Which would mean, NOTHING, they got Nothing.  And I suspect it's the same for every damned Agency and Government Function they're intent on Destroying, they got Nothing to replace any of it.  Nobody competent to Lead or to know what the Hell they're doing enough to step in, step up, and understand Government and how it functions at all.   Anyway, Above is one of the Younger Granddaughters back East with her Boyfriend.  And a Pix of her also Below.   She's never been Married or had Kids yet, she's a Year Younger than The Young Prince.

She did Graduate in late 2024 from College as a Special Effects Artist and Animation Designer.   She's an accomplished Artist and Cosmetologist and does a lot of Freelance Custom Work.  The Young Prince does a lot of the same types of things and always has, but without having gone to College for it or get a Degree.   She decided to take it all the way after High School to make a solid Career out of it.   GCU and Phoenix College Locally offer Programs in Animation and Visual Effects, so I'd like for him to explore options to take it further.   It's expensive tho', about Sixty Grand.   And there's only about 1,300 Job Openings after Graduation at this juncture, so... not a lot of Demand IMO for what Sacrifices you'd make to afford the Course.   The average Salary is around $69,000, so, you could recoup what you Invested in Tuition in a Year's worth of Earnings if you landed a Career.

I'm a Numbers person, so I'm always assessing shit like that if I'd be Investing in anything, especially anything really expensive.  We sent the Oldest Daughter thru University and were in Debt for that a long time.  We just couldn't afford to send the other Four we Raised thru College coz the Debt Load would have been crushing.  Especially since, while Raising Two Generations of Kiddos, you're already on a fixed Retirement and/or Disability Income before you get all of them Raised and able to provide for themselves.  And that's IF they don't have significant Special Needs, that can be a barrier to Employment and Independent Living, which, some of ours do.  And not every person who goes to Higher Learning finishes or succeeds.  Our Oldest Granddaughter back East dropped out almost 2 Years in, her Parents spent a Fortune before she decided it wasn't for her.  She Married Young, started a Family and is Happy... but the College Tuition was a Write Off.

I know how I am, if I was in Debt to the tune of Sixty to a Hundred Grand for something a Kid didn't finish and either Dropped Out or was Washing Out, I'd be really upset about it.   I can be very Sacrificial to Help any Loved One Succeed, but just throwing in the Towel would not be tolerated if I funded something that expensive and they didn't follow thru and make it Work.  Money is too Hard Earned to Waste.  And if you're Wasting your own Hard Earned Money that's one thing, you got Skin in that Game, but I'm certainly not Okay with you Wasting mine.  I don't always feel that Higher Education for some things is necessary to Succeed.  I've seen people with more Degrees than a fucking Thermometer that were Morons on the actual Job and couldn't cut it.  Not everything is 'Textbook' in the Real World.  Or were so Arrogant they assumed they already knew everything coz they took Classes and flaunt Degrees.  Hey, you could have a Masters Degree or a Doctorate, but if you can't do the Job or are not up to the Job, I'm NOT impressed.

And, I've known other people who sucked Academically but on the Job they were on top of their Game and highly Successful.  Many people have good Instincts and Natural Talent and you can't Buy that nor necessarily Teach it to someone who lacks either.   I realize in some Career Fields, the Training and Higher Education is absolutely necessary, I wouldn't want a Self Taught Doctor or Surgeon for example.  *Winks*  And I do know folks who had Dreams and aspirations for a Career, that once they'd already spent a Fortune to pursue it, realized it just wasn't for them and they didn't want to do it once they got into it.   Or, mebbe they were just no good at it, or good enough, but they couldn't know that until they tried and found that out.

I didn't Buy Flowers for Valentine's Day, but I always Admire the Floral Section and take a few Pixs of the Offerings that I find Visually Lovely.   I liked the Bouquets of Roses they had this Year for Valentine's Day, and at good Price Point mostly, affordable.   The Live Plant section was great too, but for some reason in this Home I haven't had Good Luck with Living Plants inside.  It seems to have good Lighting and Natural Light, but the Plants I've had either struggled or Died.  I usually have a Green Thumb so I really don't think they Like the Location and I haven't been able to figure out exactly Why?   The Villa McManse was the easiest place to grow Living Interior Plants, so I did while Living there.  The Historic Property had the easiest places to have Exterior Plants thrive and do very well.   Here, it's been iffy for both Interior and Exterior growing of Plants that are Decorative.  Except for Victory Garden Plants, they do well here.

 

Princess T with what she called Nipple Cookies.   *LMAO*

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