A Motivational Funk

 So, I did more Marathon Binge Watching of "Goliath" with Billy Bob Thornton on the Free NetFlix Trial period we're getting for now.  I don't know when the Trial ends so I'm really trying to get thru as many of the Episodes as I can.  I'm very Invested in it now, and am halfway thru Season Two in just Two Days of watching it.  *LOL*  I'm enjoying it even more than I enjoyed "LOST" and actually so far Two of the Actors/Actresses from LOST are in it!!!   What a coincidence!  The ones on LOST who played Alex and Michael are in "Goliath" too.  The Actor who played Michael in "LOST" is a Judge in "Goliath" and the Actress who played Alex in "LOST" is a Hooker/Paralegal in "Goliath".  The Series ran from 2015-2021 when it was on TV, I never knew about it then.  But, before Streaming, I never watched much TV.

Anyway, it was very Hot Today and I almost came close to turning on the Air Conditioner, but resisted, tho' it did get uncomfortable, so, if it gets hotter we'll have to.  The Daughter and Mando took apart the Pool Vacuum when I told them what Brad had said it would cost to repair.   They got it to working, so, that saved us that expense I couldn't afford.  I swear, those Two can fix damned near anything.  The Daughter said in Mexico people just fix everything themselves and are very resourceful, so after 20 Years there, watching everyone she knew repair damned near anything, she learned how to too.   She said the Pool Vacuum wasn't even that hard or complex, it was very simple mechanism, so they were done with cleaning it in no time and it seems to be working fine now.  I'll just tell Brad we had someone we know fix it already.  It's so new I didn't want to toss more Money at it that I don't have.

I made some Pork Belly Stew Today in the Crockpot and it turned out really good.   I'd never made it before but I'd gotten some Pre-Seasoned cubed Pork Belly Meat while doing our Grocery Shopping and I had all the other ingredients to use.  Pork Belly Stew is a Chinese comfort food, but I just used my own made-up Recipe for ours.  I put several kinds of Beans, Potatoes, Beef Bone Broth, Mixed Veggies in the Crockpot and brazed the Port Belly in Olive Oil and more Seasonings first before adding it to the Crockpot.  The Meat became very tender and easy to chew, practically falling apart and imparting such flavor to the Broth, Beans, Sliced Potatoes and Veggies.  Nobody complained about it and those that don't like fatty Meats could just serve themselves sans the Pork Belly.  If you like Salt Pork in your Baked Beans, you'd probably enjoy Pork Belly Stew too.  It's an inexpensive Meal that can feed many.

We opened up the Doors once it was Nighttime to Cool off the House, so now it's more comfortable.   The Nights are still quite Cold even tho' during the Day we're getting Record Heat already.  Sometime this Week I've got to tackle my Tax Paperwork to organize it for our CPA to file.  I used to do my own Taxes for many Years, but the Laws now are changing so rapidly that I just pay someone to do them now, less hassle, tho', quite spendy IMO, even if yours aren't complicated.   I think the whole way they structure Taxes is quite a racket that is skewed in favor of the Wealthy and exploits the Middle Class and Retired shamelessly.  So an unfair burden is placed upon regular folks to carry the whole cost of Taxation.  I do think this is why so many Americans dislike their Government and the Status Quo and were thus made vulnerable to be exploited by the Long Con going on now with this Fascist Regime.  I do Understand about being quite Anti-Establishment, I do.  But, this change was never the Answer or any Solution.

It's Tuesday Morning in Real Time and Princess T is Sick, she lost her Voice and her allergies are really bad, so she feels terrible too.  She was Sick all day Monday on her Day Off and stayed in Bed mostly.  She worries about being Sick a lot, but they know she has chronic Respiratory Issues, I made that clear when they asked me about her coming to Work for them after High School, that she had Medical Issues since Birth and was a Special Needs Child too.  They've been great about it but she still worries and knows it puts her Co-Workers in a jam when people are out for whatever reasons.  She's dedicated and a good Worker, so really tries hard not to miss Work.  She likes her Job too and her Co-Workers, she's made Friends there and is well liked.

So, I got to Sleep In, not knowing she hadn't woke me up to take her to Work and waking with a start when I realized, shit, it's late!  *LOL* I'm not surprised she doesn't feel well, I have a bad Headache and everything is Blooming right now.  So, anyone with a lot of allergies is suffering.  I don't, but Omar's Citrus Trees are all Blooming and tho' they smell Heavenly, Citrus Blooms are a heavy scent that can be overpowering when so many of them are Blooming.  He has Orange, Tangelo, Lemons, Grapefruits and Limes on their Property.  TJ's Parents have Lemons, so the Aroma is powerful of Citrus Blooms.  And, the Pecans are Blooming as well, we're surrounded by Majestic Old Pecan Trees on Two sides, Omar beside us and Laura behind us, have them.

I've got so much Pine Pollen from our Trees on my Windshield now every Morning, it's like Yellow Talcum Powder covering my Black Truck!  You wouldn't be able to see out the Windshield if you didn't use your Wipers first.  *LOL*   The City or Subdivision Maintenance Crews were out Yesterday too trimming all the Palo Verde Trees along the Sidewalk across the Main Street out Front and those are in full Flower too.  The Yellow Flowers of the Palo Verde Trees rain down like a virtual Shower of Brilliant Yellow Blossoms even when it's Windy.   When Palo Verde Trees Bloom it's almost 100% Blooms and no Leaves.  They are a Native Desert Tree and quite spectacular in Bloom.  They don't Need their Leaves all the time due to their Bark being Green and doing Photosynthesis for them too.  When The Desert Blooms it's Surreal.

Since I don't have to take a Child to Work I may hit the Gym and then perhaps The Desert Botanical Gardens.  Not sure, might take The Man out again since we'd have no deadline to pick a Kid up from Work either, so would have a completely Free Schedule, which almost never happens.  Yet, I'm not very motivated so mebbe none of it will happen, not sure yet?  *Le Sigh*  Lately I've been in a Motivational Funk.  Just staying home gellin' has appealed to me more than getting dressed and going out to do anything productive.  I open the French Doors here in our Boudoir and sit down to Blog and I can hear all the Wild Birds Singing and Fresh Air coming in thru the Screen Door... and... I just don't Need anything else to be happening.  That's not entirely bad unless it becomes habitual and nothing else gets done.

The Daughter is making French Toast for Breakfast and I'm still thinking upon how we'll make use of the day?  She and Princess T like just staying Home, they're very much Homebodies, as is The Man, so, I don't have to take an entourage if I didn't want to Today.  And I might just opt for a Me Day and do something by myself.   I'm really thinking upon Spring so even just visiting Plant Nurseries is Appealing to me, not that I plan any purchases, but, I enjoy visiting those types of Businesses in the Spring.  I was disappointed that The Desert Botanical Gardens restricted their Spring Plant Sale by Reservations and Invitations only this Year.  Before, if you were a Garden Member it was Open to you as a Walk In.  Hard to know why they change to a more restricted status for their Annual Sales or Special Events?

With Spring in the Air I would like to get out and about doing something if I can kick the Motivational Funk that has befallen me.  Once I'm out and about I do just fine, it's getting jump started that has been my challenge.   Starting with getting Dressed.  *Bwahahaha*  I could lounge around in Jammies most days and not feel bad about it or do anything with my Hair either, so, I'm quite a Vision, lemme tell ya!  *Winks and LOL*  I had a V8 Splash Tropical Blend, they're pretty good tasting but misleading on the Ingredients, them being mostly sugary unnatural crap.  They don't have 8 Fruits, just Carrot Juice with "Flavorings" and the pix on the bottle has Kiwi, Pineapple, Orange, Papaya, and Guava, which, aren't in it at all judging by the Ingredient Listings.  So, it's always good to read the Label Ingredients.  Thus, I won't be buying it again.

I even Googled why it doesn't have actual Fruit in it and is misleading and I guess that's been a complaint and disappointment to more consumers than just me.   It intentionally misleads... being their V8 Veggie Juices are known to be healthier... so I know they thought consumers wouldn't read the Splash Labels and take their Word that this is a Healthy Fruit Version of V8.  But their Splash Drinks are nothing but artificially flavored Sugar Water and I was disappointed in the Company for doing that intentional deception and marketing strategy, especially with so many Fruits pictured on the Labels that aren't even in the Drink!  Shame on the Company, we're putting them on Blast then.  *Winks*

A part of me wants to crawl back into Bed and I'm resisting the urge to since it's already 8:30 a.m. now and the Ageism Gym Restrictions for us Seniors lifts at 9:30 a.m. so I could get ready to go soon.  *LOL*  I would have been more Motivated to do a Workout earlier, as the Morning wears on, less so, which has also been a barrier to consistency of attending.   Before the Ageism Restrictions I used to go around 7:00 a.m. and be done by 8:00 a.m., hardly anyone was there to have to wait on Equipment or Showers, the Sauna I'd almost always have to myself too, so it was perfect when I could go on my Schedule and not a Restricted one due to my Age alone.  It's busier during the Hours they restrict us Seniors, so it makes little sense why they've done it, since, it doesn't free up anything at all for any Members, Young or Old!

Ah, to be Younger with no Ageism Discrimination, would be Nice.  *Winks and LOL*  But, when Googled about Why, they claimed it was due to Medicare Negotiations... and I realized Medicare gets reduced rates since they pay for the Memberships of Seniors on Medicare.  But, the Restricted Hours are just Curiously implemented during Peak Hours, which, makes no sense for the Company or the Members that I can fathom.  Had they Restricted certain Peak Hours when it's busiest, would have made more sense to me and not interfered with when I ever go either.  I always went either very early or very late, not when I see most Younger Members and Families even there yet.  Nobody brings their Kiddos in the late Evenings and hardly any Members seem to do their Workouts very early either.  But, it is what it is and I'm Grateful to have my Membership even if attending during Restricted Hours poses personal schedule challenges for me.

With all the Cuts to Medicare who knows what Benefits will remain after DOGE does more Hatchet Jobs?   I'm enjoying what Benefits we have Paid for in the way of our Premiums and Contributions when we were still Working, that we haven't yet been Robbed of by the Fascist Oligarchy.  I'm not even sure what they want to transform America into, a Plutocracy, a Theocracy, an Authoritarian Regime, Fascist States, an Oligarchy, a Communist Nation, they seem quite fractured in what the MAGA are trying to structure it in the Image of?  There really is no firm Policies, just blowing a lot of things up, or tearing it all down, with no real Thought as to what will replace any of it?   I mean, if you're gonna do major Demolition, at least be able to say what will take the place of what you've destroyed!  Or we'll simply have Nothing!!!

 They've only had a Concept of an Plan on Healthcare after a whole Decade of being asked what would they implement to replace the ACA, Medicaid and Medicare they want to just abolish?   You won't get Care with just a Concept... an abstract Idea or general Notion won't cut it when you're Sick, have a Catastrophic Accident or have a Medical Emergency.  But they want us all to be Okay with that, abolishing everything that is working for us now, with simply a Concept of a Plan that never will materialize into anything beyond being just a Concept ever!   And my concerns are, that after the Chainsaw Massacre, the Hatchet Jobs, the Incompetent frenzy of Slashing and Burning, and Blowing shit up... we'll all be left with Nothing in their Wake but carnage and absolute Destruction to have to clean up behind and have the major expense to Bankroll the rebuilding of properly?  We all cannot Afford that!

LATER:  Well, I did make it to the Gym and had a long Workout.  I did have to wait for some Equipment and gave up waiting on some others that just had too many people stacked up waiting to use the Hydrotherapy Machine.  But, overall, a nice Workout and I'm glad I ditched the Motivational Funk to go do it.  I picked up Chinese Takeout for Lunch for the Family on the way Home from "Dragon Garden".  At a Goodwill I got a bagged lot of full Bottles of expensive Perfume and Men's Colognes for Five Bucks while Goodwill Hunting.  Online they Retailed for almost $700!!!  Yowsah, I knew Versace Eros and Jimmy Choo Man was expensive, but the Women's Colognes were from Japan and Europe, so I wasn't familiar with them, they too are very high end.  Booyah!!!  It was Senior Day so all our Purchases were 25% Off the already low prices too!

I only wear Nag Champa Essential Oil, but The Son, The Daughter and Princess T were Jazzed to get such high end Product to smell Rich.  *Winks*  And I got a matching pair of Hull Cornucopia Wildflower Design Vases for $30.  We did do some Environmental Cleanup, but it was one of the first Triple Digit Days, whether Officially or not, it got to 102 on all our Thermometers at Home and in my Truck.  So, I had to relent and turn the Air Conditioner on by Afternoon, since it heated up to 81 in the House and was uncomfortable.   And Princess T was Home Sick from Work so I knew she needed to be comfortable, she'd had to take breathing treatments, but seems to be doing better now.

It was a good day out and some amazing Deals trawling a couple Chazzas.   We also stopped at Handel's for Ice-Cream since it was so Hot.  They have Mister Fans in their outdoor eating area so it felt good.  Below is what they consider a Single Scoop!   This was Praline Pecan... The Man had Orange Dream Cream.   Oh, we also got some Wooden Dolls from Alaska, Circa 1980's called Naber Kids, a Boy and a Girl with German Traditional Clothing, from our Goodwill Hunting Spree.  I only paid about Six Bucks for both due to Senior Discount Day but Online the Value is about $75 each.  I think they're creepy, like Ventriloquist Doll Creepy, and tho' I like creepy Dolls, not this kind, so I'm going to Sell them at the Antique Mall.

I also got a Vintage Raggedy Ann, I've Sold those easily before and she was only $2 and in very good shape for her Age, I'm guessing she's a 1970-1980 Era one.  It's hard to gauge Value of these Dolls anymore becoz Online the price point runs the gamut from Stratospheric to reasonably priced.   The ones like mine are right around $50 average that Sellers are asking from that Era, tho' some Sellers are asking ridiculous prices for even that Era.   I've always been able to get $30 up for a Vintage one in good Shape tho' and they're Nostalgic enuf they're a Quick Turn usually too.   I've never passed one up at a Chazza when you can find them, Vintage and Antique Toys always Sell well, especially the Iconic ones.   And I got a Pre-1900 Children's Book on Magic with the greatest Drawn Graphics... I paid $5 and Online it Sells for $45, in worse condition than mine.

I got some Alcatraz Playing Cards in a bagged lot, but we're keeping those.  I'm also keeping Two Decks of Specialty Tarot Cards I got in a bagged lot too.  Oddly, those were in the Children's Toy Section!!!  I guess they had no idea what they were?  *LOL*   Anyway, the bagged lots are usually only $2-$3 and I got them on a 30% Discount Day... the Tarot Decks retail for around $25 each and these are New Old Stock, never been opened.  I've never seen the Alcatraz Inmate Slang Playing Cards before so I don't know if they were Sold in the Alcatraz Tourist Gift Shop?   Online they Sell for around $7.  The Kiddos like to play Cards and I thought they'd get a kick out of using those.  *Smiles*  They are something I could always Sell from our Locked Case tho' as an unusual Specialty Novelty.

There's one Goodwill that always seems to have New Old Stock of expensive Cookbooks, so I did also find Five there this day as well for $3.49 each, but it was Senior Day so 25% Off.  Each retails for $25-$35 and has amazing Recipes and Photos.  I probably have a bigger Book Section of the Genres I like than Barnes & Noble has, I kid you not!  I am obsessed with Books that have great Visuals in them, I'm not much of a Reader actually... so I couldn't say I have all these Books becoz I'm an avid Reader... but I am Inspired by great Visuals a Book has of Home Decor or Food.  *LOL*   And, whenever I've put any up for Sale in our Showroom, they Sell quite well with good Margins.  Every so often, becoz my Collection/Library is so vast, I get duplicates by mistake and then Resell those for more than I paid for them... so, Win-Win.  And a few times I've taken them to "Bookman's" used Bookstore for Store Credit, they will Buy some of your used Books, you get more for them if you ask for Store Credit rather than Cash.

And, when The Man has gotten rid of his Books, we've usually had to Donate them.   Since they're not the Genre that Sells well in my Space and "Bookman's" hasn't shown an Interest in Purchasing that Genre either.  He usually buys Military Novels, Gun Books, Hunting Books and Fishing Books.   I have been able to hawk his Ghost Town Books tho', those are popular and we don't use them anymore to go seek out Ghost Towns now.  We used to visit every Ghost Town we could find, but, we've pretty much visited them all now and he's not well enuf anymore to be out in the middle of nowhere visiting them.   Some of the best ones are quite remote and difficult to even get to.   I also often Sell the "Now And Then" Book Series of various American Big Cities.  I have about Five in Stock right now in the Showroom, including a Phoenix Then And Now.  I do Well with Books even tho' we have some Vendors who are Booksellers exclusively.

Okay, the only Political shit I'll Post about Today is an interesting one a Friend sent to me and she Fact Checked it first for accuracy.

So, some Facts about the Orange Felon:

64 Times Mentioned In Epstein Report.

97 Times Pleaded The Fifth.

34 Felony Convictions.

91 Criminal Charges.

26 Sexual Assault Allegations.

6 Bankruptcies.

5 Draft Deferments.

4 Indictments.

2 Impeachments.

2 Convicted Companies.

1 Fake University Shut Down.

1 Fake Charity Shut Down.

$25 Million Fraud Settlement.

$5 Million Sexual Abuse Verdict.

$2 Million Fake Charity Abuse Judgment.

$93 Million Sexual Abuse Judgements.

$400+ Million Fraud Judgment.

First President in history to serve a full term increase the deficit every year he was in office.

First President in history to maintain a debt to GDP ratio over 100% for his entire term.

Highest annual budget deficit.

Most added to the national debt in a single term.

Most new unemployment claims.

Largest single day point drop in the history of the Dow.

First major party candidate in half a century to lose the popular vote twice.

Longest government shutdown in history (and he did that while his own party controlled both chambers of Congress).

First President in the history of approval ratings to maintain a net negative approval rating for his entire term.

First President to be impeached twice.

First President to have bipartisan support for his conviction after impeachment (which happened both times).

Most indictments, guilty pleas, and criminal convictions of members of an administration.

First president to have a mug shot.

Now, if anyone can Ignore that many Facts that have Evidence that is easily Fact Checked to back it up, to be able to still Support him, and make excuses for him, or think none of that is Wrong and is Okay, then they are really Morally Bankrupt themselves I would think.   This is why I have trouble with getting close to any MAGA Supporters and keep distance between myself and any I do know.  Becoz Honestly, at this juncture, it makes me question THEM more than ever.   Of what kind of a Person they really are at their Core, how Morally compromised, you know?   I already know what the Orange Devil is and always has been, he's not someone I ever would have shown any Support for... his Track Record from the 1970's has been pretty consistently abhorrent and well documented over many Decades in fact.   He hasn't changed and he's pretty Proud of what he is and who he is, no Shame about any of it.

I'm actually MORE Surprised at some of the People I THOUGHT that I KNEW and since 2016 have shown a side of themselves I didn't realize they had and that I find to be shockingly alarming, deeply disturbing and extremely distasteful.   I look at them differently now and I always will. They've revealed a side of themselves, a dark underbelly, that is ugly, abhorrent to me on a level where I lost Respect and have Distrust of them now, their Character is questionable to me.   I seriously doubt they could redeem themselves in my Eyes frankly, no matter how much they tried to prove their 'goodness', while being okay with what clearly they don't have any problems with that has no goodness to it at all.

I'm all Friended Up enuf I don't have to resort to associations with people who Support things that repulse me on a visceral level.   If a Moral Compass is so visibly absent in them, it makes me wonder what they could be capable of or allowing?   Once you've Sold your Soul to any Devils, well, you're just too compromised for me to ever have any Trust in you anymore.   The Company you keep is Telling... just sayin'.   As my Old Welsh Nanna always told us, if you Sleep with Dogs, expect to Wake Up with Fleas.  {No offense to our Furry Friends, but some Humans are Dogs of another kind and so it is fitting for an analogy of them and I'm sure what Nanna meant.}   She did also tell us that Bad Company corrupts even Good Character and that is very True.  You will be Judged by the Company you keep... whether you like it or not.   And so if you have a Good Reputation, it's best not to soil it with Bad Company.

And now to balance out heavy topic shit... some Sweetness of Two Great-Granddaughters up to their Necks in Beach Sand.   *LOL*  Not sure how the Oldest if Feeling about it, she doesn't look like she's diggin' it or having a big time being buried almost alive?   But, the Little One probably doesn't know this is not a good Space to Hold and couldn't escape without Help?  *Bwahahaha*   I recall when we lived near a Beach on Cape Cod, as a Kid, never wanting to agree to something like this.  Even as a Child, I never thought it to be something 'Fun' or that I wanted to Trust someone to do to me, or was a good idea for any reason.  *Smiles*   I do have many Happy Memories of living near a Beach.  We'd do things like lay on the Warf and drop tiny Pebbles onto the Schools of Jellyfish and watch them just slide off.  We didn't intend to hurt the Jellyfish, but we knew if we were in the Water with them, they'd sho' nuff hurt us, so we didn't exactly have Jellyfish Love either. *LOL*  Some People are like Jellyfish... so, just be Cautious around them...

*******

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