Being The Salty Senior

 I got really excited when I opened my Mailbox and saw my Packaged Pressy from Canada sent to me by generous Blog Friend Debra of SHE WHO SEEKS.  And I got all the more excited that the Camera she Gifted me with is an updated version of the identical beloved Camera I already had which needed to be replaced!!!   So, that meant this Old Dog didn't even Need to Learn new Tricks!  *Whew!*   You see, shit like that worries me whenever I get something new.  And especially upgraded from what I've owned for Years and took so long to Learn, get used to and comfortable with.  I'm very Tech Challenged, you have no Idea.

 One time my Brother, the Professional Photographer, had bought me an expensive Pro Camera to use.  I took it on Vacation and took all the Pixs on Vacay with it, only to get Home and realize I'd never taken the Lens Cap/Cover off!  *Bwahahaha*  You cannot even imagine how distraught I was!  Yeah, not a single Pix of that Scenic loaded Vacation and a whole wasted roll of Film, that back then, I sent off and Paid to have developed!  *LMAO*  Now, in Kodak's defense, they only charged me a very small nominal fee and asked if I'd Learned how to use my Camera or if it was perhaps broken?  THAT is only when I realized, shit, what's this Black thing covering the Lens, Yeah, I was that Clueless and felt like an Idiot!

I was embarrassed for a long time to even tell that True Story!  *LOL*  Especially since The Man thought it was SO hilarious and hadn't said a damned thing during the whole Trip!  That was a hard one to live down, the humiliation of it, coz I was SURE he'd Noticed and I was so Mad at him not telling me something!   He claimed not to realize, he knows what a Pathological Picture Taker I am and doesn't pay that much Attention to me Photographing shit.  *LOL*  Needless to say I went back to a simple Amateur Point and Shoot that I could handle and Learn.  I lamented not having a single Photo Memory of that Special Trip!  Yes, I do get too Fixated on Photographing Memories as they happen.  *Smiles*

I just watched that jaw dropping unbelievable Spectacle in the Oval Office meeting with the Ukrainian President!!!   OMG... it went off the fucking Rails and out of Control into a Publicly viewed catastrophe, in front of the Press... and with Vance antagonizing the Ukrainian President and then our Lunatic Prez making a complete debacle even worse.  I guess they imagined they intimidated this Man by being Bullies?  He's spent over 3 Years being a legit Bad Ass Hero in a deadly War with a Price on his Head by Putin... so... pleaaase.  Ukraine's Prez was trying to be the Adult in the Room, while they talked their shit louder and talked over him, as if being Loud makes you Right or validate Lies you're telling!  

It's Life and Death for the Ukrainians, and our Lunatic Administration mocking their Country, it's President and it's Citizens, to side with Putin and Russia, is a Disgrace!!!   Our Orange Draft Dodger was talking about Cards and their President was saying, we're not Playing Cards, this isn't a Game!!!!!  It's an unimaginable place and space to be in for that Man to Hold, and our Allies must be wondering if they can Trust America at all now??!!!   I'm wondering the exact same thing, I wouldn't Trust us under this Regime, I don't Trust us in fact, even for our own well being, we're all being Sold Out!!!   Our Allies aren't being Respected and it is becoming clear this Orange Egomaniac just expects to be buttered up.   And worse, is so far up Putin's Ass that I really have to Wonder what the Russians have on him that we don't know about and is of grave Concern?

It's not the first time the Orange Criminal has tried to use Extortion against Ukraine, remember the initial "Perfect Phone Call" during the First Administration, that led to his First Impeachment?  Yeah, he is an Extortionist and when it doesn't Work, he goes Mental.  This devolved into Bad Reality TV this time, I don't know how it can be radically resolved, I really don't?   The Spectacle of this I've never seen before with High Level Government Officials, but, I'm not Surprised, given the incompetence, ineptitude, Crudeness, Criminality and Unhinged Mental decline of this Leadership.   Vance, he's clearly a shit stirrer Coward and not Fit on any level to behave Professionally, it was like hearing an unfit Parent talking down to a Child when he was addressing the Ukrainian President, SO Disrespectful!   And of coarse this President is a Cowardly Draft Dodger who has Zero Respect for Real War Heroes and even our own Military/Veterans.  He's even cut Funding to our own Veterans, including the Crisis Hotline, so he could give a shit about our own People, let alone funding what the Ukrainian People desperately Need to Survive annihilation!!!

The only Hero in the Oval Office was the Ukrainian President, our Leadership was a complete Embarrassment and behaving like Russian Puppets with Putin's Hands far up their Asses!!!   It was like Ten Minutes of OMG, all I can equate it with is when you see a couple of Cowardly Bullies {the VP and American President}, who thinks they can take on a Real Legitimate Bad Ass of a smaller Country {Ukraine's Heroic President, who I Madly Respect and Wish we had Leadership like that, Strong and FOR their People}... and Publicly Disrespect and try to Humiliate him, it's not gonna end well at all.  They were acting like Spoiled Kids who will take their expensive Toys and leave the Playground.   The whole Narrative was demonstratively Upside Down with our Side spinning Russian Propaganda!!!   As if we're representing Putin and just there to punch down on the Ukrainians and Humiliate their President, it was sickening!!!

It makes it seem like we're not a Credible Partner with Allies anymore and siding with The Enemy whose invading other Countries and threatening their Sovereignty with impunity?   When the Orange Kremlin Puppet said Ukraine is not ready for Peace, all he really meant is that Ukraine is not ready to Surrender to Russia!!!   And how many other Countries could then be Invaded if Russia assumes America is backing them instead of our long standing Allies in Europe?   Orange Greed is as bad as Putin, since, he has Wet Dreams of taking over other Countries like Canada, Panama, Greenland, owning Gaza... who knows what other Countries he sees as Future "Real Estate Deals" to enrich himself and other Megalomaniacs?  It's some scary stuff, lemme tell ya!!!  Playing out in Real Time before our very Eyes and we better Wake the fuck Up real Goddamned fast!  We're in Trouble led by this Arrogant Greed driven Fool, his Idiot VP, and his Weirdly subservient Bromance with fElon the Ketamine King... and Putin the ruthless Dictator who freely commits War Crimes and Murders his Adversaries and Critics!!!

I hadn't even Intended to inject any Political Rant Today, but how can you NOT when you're Witnessing Spectacle after Alarming Spectacle damned near Daily!?   And I still manage to be in Shock sometimes at just how Bad it's become so quickly and how Insane it is that anyone is still Supporting or Excusing any of this?!   Anyway, I just had to turn it Off coz it was so shocking I just couldn't watch it on repeat and all Channels were covering it in Real Time.   I was getting Phone Calls about it too, I just couldn't talk about it as the shock hadn't quite worn off yet about what I'd just Witnessed of World Leadership Melting Down during a Live Press Conference!   As if he's still starring in some other cheesy Bad Jerry Springer-ish Reality Show he got known for!!!   I don't think he can distinguish the difference anymore, I really don't!   As for claims of this Administration engaging in "Diplomacy", do they even know what the Word actually Means? 

The Profession, Activity or Skill of Managing International Relations and the Art of Dealing with with other Countries in a sensitive and effective way was TOTALLY Absent by our side during this Meeting... and others... it's always a total Disaster now!   Just waiting to happen and unfold before the whole World like a bad Train Wreck!   I wouldn't let these Clowns Negotiate a Goddamned thing for me personally, let alone for our entire Country, they're inept to.  They only serve to offend, try to bully and extort, be pompous, arrogant and like fucking Buffoons when Dealing with other Positions of competent Leadership.  We're coming off badly, every time.  Even fElon in the Oval Office couldn't control his own Toddler from misbehaving badly and wiping Boogers on the resolute Desk!   

Or, mebbe he just didn't Care, becoz he enjoyed what his Kid was doing?   Due to having no Respect for America and being able to get away with it.  Since he Bought and Paid for this President, so Owns a piece of him, along with numerous others.  And DonOld was completely Impotent to do or say a damned thing and just hadda sit there and take it in front of everyone!   You see, with a Transactional Conman, he only Respects another Con who is Superior to him, or sees them as an Equal Ripoff Artist.   He feels he Bought and Paid for the Ukrainian President, for semi-funding the terrible War they're having to fight, after being Invaded by Russia and forced to defend themselves valiantly, a small Country against a Super Power.   

But the Orange Puppet knows he Owes Putin's Regime... and fElon, who now I'm calling the Ketamine King... big time... coz he's into them for a lot of Money and who knows what Blackmail they have against him too?  So cowtows to them and isn't so Cocky... lest they Call the Note of the Debts he Owes and can't Pay or expose whatever they have On him that he's so Fearful of.  The Borrower always being Subject to the Lender.    Anyway, I took a few of these Pixs with the New Camera Debra Gifted me with, after I Charged it's Battery, quite pleased with the results.   Just traipsed about the Room snapping some random shots of stuff to Download and examine, to see how well I'm doing with it, first time out?

Since it was the Economic Blackout Day I haven't been anywhere or spent anything, as Planned, and I Hope a lot of Americans participated?  But, I kinda doubt it, too many are so self absorbed they don't know anything actually going on.  I did some more Binge watching of "Lost", and have had an upset Stomach all day, so, not much of an appetite.   And have to stay near the Bathroom... Fun Times!   I Hope whatever it is passes quickly and is just a One Day Bug?   I'm not around a lot of people to catch things in Public, but the Kiddos are and probably dragged whatever this is Home and Shared it?  *Le Sigh*  One of the perils of Multi-Generational Living for us Old Folks who don't bounce back if we get something contagious that the Younger Generations living with us catch and Share.  Princess T said a lot of Co-Workers have come in Sick or called in Sick... so... could have come from her Workplace?   She's 19, but has a compromised Immune System herself, so easily gets Sick.

Today is the final Day of the long time Hangout Bar and Pool Hall "Roman's" that is Closing after Tonight, so, everyone is there and the Kiddos are going to say their Goodbyes.  They often met up with Friends there, it's so close to our Home.   And it has been there since before they were even Born, so everyone from my Generation on down that were Regulars is there saying their Good-Byes too.   I don't Drink and Bars were never my Jam, nor Pool Halls, but it's still a shame that a local Business that had endured so long is now having to call it quits in this shitty Economy.  They weathered Pandemic, but, this Administration will be the Nail of some Coffins for sure regarding a lot of Small Businesses and even Big ones.   "Joanne's" Craft Store is Closing all 800 of their Stores, I saw that coming after they went Chapter 11 in Spring of 2024.  I went in and got some Tim Holtz Line Crafting Supplies marked down, the other day, many other Craft Stores no longer carry the Line due to Theft of it.

They announced Today that our Utility Company, SRP, approved a 2.4% Rate hike, with a Monthly Bill increase of 3.5%, Splendid, everything Essential is already too expensive, so, nobody needed that right about now!   It will be delayed until Winter of this Year, so, at least we'll get thru this Spring and Summer without it hitting us in our Wallets.  Those are Peak Seasons for Utility Costs in a Desert and we're already breaking Heat Records now that have stood well over 100 Years, so, it's not looking promising for it not to be another Record Breaking Spring and Summer.   Each Year it gets hotter but they keep over-building and replacing what is Natural with what is Unnatural, which doesn't Help.  I think with the catastrophic Weather in other States we're getting flooded with the Exodus of people relocating to Arizona.  It's not sustainable, Water is scarce in a Desert already.  In the long term Phoenix Metro Area is actually one of the least Sustainable Big conglomeration of Overpopulated Cities in the Nation.  

The most populous Cities in America right now are New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Phoenix.   Phoenix is the 8th fastest growing of the Metro Areas in the Nation with close to 20% increases.   Four Cities in Texas are growing faster, so they're getting huge influxes too, especially Austin, nearing a 30% increase.   We've already got over 5 Million with the combined Metro Area Cities and it will be nearing 6 Million within only 5 Years.   I'd rather more people not move here, but the Migration is in full swing now.  We've always gotten a lot of Retirees coming here to Retire, they tend to come to Warmer Climates.  My own Parents came to Arizona to Retire and how we ended up here in the very early 1970's.   The Metro Phoenix Area had a Population of just over a Million in 1974 when we arrived and the growth rate then was about 5%, which is only about a Quarter of what it is now.

Where we currently live here in the Mini Farms, used to be Rural and surrounded by huge Commercial Farmland or Pristine Desert back then.  This Community of Mini Farms was built between 1960-1980, I still recall when the Main Road out front of it was a Two Lane Dirt Road!   Now Urban Sprawl surrounds it totally.   The long time Homeowners of this Community feel quite conflicted about what's built up around them, some of it is good, some of it is not so good.   The not so good is being built and developed right now and Zoning was changed and compromised... pretty sure City Officials were Paid Off by the cut and run Developers to get that pushed thru and approved despite Resident objections during what few Public Town Hall Meetings they had about it.  I never bothered with the Town Halls, it was clearly already a Done Deal and a pretense of getting Community Feedback.  Objections fell on Deaf Ears, they'd already Sold Out the Citizenry.

Our Elderly Neighbors on each side built their Custom Homes on their Acreages in the early 1960's so were very upset with the new Developments.  We were too even tho' we only bought in Six Years ago.  I'd checked Zoning of Undeveloped Land and the Agricultural Land before purchasing and nothing was said to be on the Horizon or slated to have any of it Rezoned or Redeveloped.   In fact, the Residential Subdivision Hells and Multi-Family massive Apartment Complexes being built required Zoning Changes that were done hastily and devalued Properties already here by a lot instantly!   We lost a Hundred Grand in Equity the moment they broke ground for the shitty little poorly built Homes and hideous massive Apartment Complexes that resemble Chinese Prisons that are now being built.   

 

All of the Developers and Investors are out of Cali or Japan... which isn't Surprising at all.   Some of the Developers had also Developed in Long Beach, and who the Hell wants to Live there now?!   The Daughter said that after over Two Decades of Living in Mexico, and roughing it, no place was scarier to her there in Mexico than Long Beach was to her when she arrived by Bus on her way to come here!!!   That speaks fucking volumes right there.   She said Long Beach was terrifying, especially after Dark.   She's not easily scared at all, but said being there just a Day, was a Day too fucking long!!!   The Son, when he was with the Cambodian DIL, used to go to Little Cambodia in Long Beach, coz they have Family there too.   But said other than being there, with a Cambodian Family, he wouldn't Live anywhere in Long Beach either or visit it.  Yeah, it wouldn't be your Vacation Destination that's for sure.  *LOL*

I realize I'm Being the Salty Senior lately, there's just lots challenging me to be Pleasant on Purpose.  Sometimes I Succeed, other times, not so much.  *LOL and Winks*  Since I was participating in the Economic Blackout, Princess T had Rusty go pick up and drop off some McDonalds for her Dinner here at the House after Work!  *LOL, he Loves her, what can I say!?*  He didn't even stay, he just dropped it off as if he was an Uber Eats Delivery Guy, poor thing.   And she had the audacity not to even act Grateful and asked him why he hadn't Upgraded her Fries to a Larger Order, so, he gave her his!   She's High Maintenance, that Child, but, he knew that coming in and even calls her "Princess".  *LMAO*  I had picked her up in my Jammies, so, I didn't even get out of the Truck and go in to where she Works, I sat in the Parking Lot waiting on her.  It was the last Day of the Month anyway so I had no Money to spend, so, an Economic Blackout was easy for us.  *LOL*

Americans aren't big on being Sacrificial, but I think we're gonna hafta Learn to be.   Things will not be getting Better my Friends, so we might as well get used to it now and figure out how to best Cope with how it will now be?   But, Today I was Content, I had my nifty new Gift Camera all the way from Canada, and happily went on a Pathological Picture Taking Binge around the House, just to see if it was as easy to use as my Old one, it was.  *Whew*   Thanks yet again Debra!!!  With the defective Camera of Old I'd gone thru some Photography Withdrawal, so, it was Nice to get my Fix again.  *Sigh of Relief*  I've carried a Camera of one kind of another with me Daily for so long now I feel all Wrong, at a Loss and rather Naked without it.    

The Stomach Bug is lasting another Day, I have to stay close to a Bathroom.   And my Stomach is making sounds like a Horror Movie's Monster!  I'm glad I stocked up on over the counter Meds for stuff like this.   If it persists it's gonna be another miserable day of not feeling good.   I do still have to drop the Munchkin off at Work and make a Post Office run with the Bills to Mail that are due on the first of the Month.  I'm hoping Today is the last Day of it since I have to drive The Daughter to Chandler on Sunday Afternoon for a Cleaning Job, a long commute.  And wait for her to finish the Job, so have to hang around.  I'm popping Amodium AD and keeping hydrated for Today.  I don't think it's anything I ate coz I didn't eat hardly anything the first day it hit.  

And it's not like a usual Stomach Bug either.  Things aren't running thru me, but, you can't trust a fart.  I know that's TMI, but, that's how odd it is.  You'll be fine for Hours and feel okay, then have to make an urgent Bathroom run and barely make it in time, just in case it's not just being gassy and passing gas alone?!  A weird set of symptoms and I don't know what Bugs are going around right now to ask anyone in Real Life, hey, do you feel like this too?    Dr. Google instantly went to Novovirus inquiries before I even finished typing my query, so, must be a lot of folks Googling it tho'?  *LOL*   All I could type in was "What Stomach..." and it instantly went to what I needed to know.  *Bwahahaha*  

Yes, a Stomach Virus is circulating and Yes, the Symptoms are like mine, Mystery probably Solved.  You feel like you're burning up and sweating cobs, but, no real fever.  Nauseous, Stomach Pain and the Trots.  The Flu Shot won't prevent it and there is no Treatment for it.   Masking won't usually Help, and Hand Sanitizer won't either, they suggest Washing everything, including Hands, often with Soapy Water and with the Hottest temperatures of Water you can tolerate, or have on your Washing Machine and Dryer Settings.   It is highly contagious so I'm staying away from the Family as much as possible.  Not easy when a lot of you are Sharing Space.  But, I'm rather confined to a limited Space of our Bedroom and Bathroom right now, so they can stay away and have the rest of the Living Space to roam around in.   Other than that, everything is Swell... *LOL* 

It was interesting to hear the Take of the Far Right on the embarrassing Spectacle their Boys made in the Oval Office with the Ukrainian Prez.   They seem to mistake being Childish, Ignorant and Rude with being Tough.   The only Tough Guy in the Room came from Ukraine, the other Two are Cowards with fake Bravado, no Class, and Taxpayer Money backing their reckless irresponsible Mouths, that's all.   Being a Bully and Offensive is NOT being Tough or some kind of Hero to Idolize and Worship, yet, those in his Camp still do.  Their Spin on inappropriate behavior is so skewed that it almost seems like they've completely and utterly lost Touch between what is Right and Wrong, Legal and Illegal, Decency and Indecency.   And seem Proud of all the Wrong Things rather than Ashamed or Embarrassed.  They have no Shame or any Honor and Positive or Noble Attributes left in them apparently.

So, I have zero expectations that any MAGA can or will self correct any time soon, they LIKE America being this way and viewed this way, it's what they DID actually Vote for.   And, until it completely bottoms them out to support such things, they don't have any regrets of Electing this Insane Clown Posse or how many people it hurts, Nationally or Globally, so long as it's NOT THEM.  When IT IS THEM we'll hear a whole other Song and Dance, and it's coming for them too and they'll expect pity and Mercies when it does, even tho' they never extended any.   I'm fresh out of pity or Mercy for anyone complicit in the causing of this fall of America, and our Global Reputation being destroyed, too much will be lost, too much was at stake, it is their Fault.   And I will Blame them.  They will have destroyed our Nation for those Generations that will Inherit it.  MAGA will have been the antithesis of what Greatness is for any Nation.

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Yes, I'm being a Salty Senior... Dawn... The Bohemian