TED Talks And Other Random Stuff

We did Environmental Cleanup and saw another unfortunate Pit Bull Mix Dog at the River.  A Male this time, but looking so much like the Preggy Female River Dog from before.  I'd been putting the rest of the bag of Gravy Train Kibbles in the Bowl I'd left for her before she disappeared and knew some Animal was eating it.  I'd left some this day too, the rest of the Bag.  He looked like he'd had many a fight and looked quite tragic, it broke my Heart.  He may even be a Dog some Criminal Dog Fighters had used for fights and then discarded, so, we didn't try to get close to him.  He was heading towards the Farmhouses nearby the River, so, we left him be, he was on his way somewhere.  I Hope someone takes pity on him and helps him Heal from his wounds, which, looked recent.  Dog and Cock Fighting are a problem, the DA's Office will Prosecute Offenders for.  We Prosecuted Rapper DMX for example for Animal Cruelty and Dog Fighting, I worked that File... he had a very long Rap Sheet in our State, so his Files flowed thru our Gang/ROP Bureau often... he's Dead now, Cocaine related.

We got a lot of Cans and some more River Rocks for our Mosaic Project too.  The River was running fast and deep this day, but it got Hot and very Humid so we quite by 10:00 a.m..   I had gotten Breakfast Tacos from "Rudy's" Steakhouse in Six different fillings, a total of 10 of them.  They have fillings of Shredded BBQ Beef, BBQ Brisket, Jalapeno Sausage, Bacon, and Turkey, all with Egg and Cheese.  They give Military Discount too and it always smells Divine at the Big BBQ Joints, even if you're not Hungry.  We'll have these for Breakfast and for Lunch until gone, everyone in the Family likes them and with such a selection it's cheaper than making your own and trying to buy all those different Meat Ingredients to BBQ yourself.  Princess T was feeling slightly better by 11:00 a.m..  We also stopped by a GOODWILL on the way Home and I Scored some Fiesta Ware Vintage Cups & Saucers in Orange, Yellow and Red... to Resell.

They had them for $1.49 each and I can get $6 each and Sell a lot of Fiesta Ware so I'm almost out of Inventory of it.  These are good Autumnal Colors.  They had Brown too, but I didn't like the Brown, it's not as Festive or as popular as the brighter Colors.  I don't purchase a lot to Resell since I'm mostly using what I already have and need to Downsize, but, some items are a No-Brainer to make Money on and a Quick Turn, so, I never pass them up even if I'm not keeping them.  Anyway, I ended up with 3 Cups & Saucers each in the Orange and in the Yellow, and 2 Cups & Saucers in the Red.  Great Holiday Colors of Autumn and the Red will go well for the Winter and Christmas Holiday too.  Or even the 4th of July Holiday.  I do well with Holiday Inventory so I try to put some out and Let Go of some from Home every Year. 

Princess T went to Work but still isn't feeling 100% so she might come Home early.  I Work Tonight covering for someone, it's Stormy and the temps dropped into the 70's, quite a switch from 113 it's been, so a huge drop.   We need the Rain but the high Winds have been destructive and caused a lot of Vehicular Accidents too, people's visibility is poor and many don't know how to drive in a Desert Storm or Haboob conditions, so they don't know what to do when they get caught in one.  It is scary and I've driven in them since the 1970's, but if I can avoid driving in one, I definitely won't, visibility is Zero and the blowing Sand can pit your Windshield like Sandblasting and strip Paint off your Car.  You definitely don't wanna be a Pedestrian caught out in one, very dangerous.

We've got our Air Condition Company we have on Retainer coming Today to do the annual flush on our Hot Water Heater.  We bought it from them so it's a new Unit and bigger than the one that came with the House when we bought this Property.  The Old one caught on Fire!!!  Since it's in a Hallway next to our Washer & Dryer that was a big deal when it happened in the middle of the Night!   Luckily I'm always up at Crazy Hours so I saw the Smoke before it burst into Flames, woke The Son, he found where it was coming from and put it out.  Then we had the faulty Water Heater immediately removed and replaced.  Costly, but, WTF, I didn't even know they could catch on Fire, the Electric ones!!!  Anyway, with a larger Household we needed a bigger one anyway so everyone can have Hot Showers and not be fussing about who used up all the Hot Water?  *Winks and Eye Roll*

We were going to go to Opening Day of the Halloween Event at "Highland Yard Vintage" this day, but with the inclement Weather, the Technician coming between 8-10 this Morning to Service the Water Heater, Princess T mebbe gonna need to be picked up early if she gets Sick at Work, and me having to Work Tonight, we're waiting until Friday instead, Day Two of the Four Day Event.   I prefer to see the unmolested Vignettes on Opening Day for Blog Fodder Imagery to be the best, but, whatever.  I think Friday will work out better to drive all the way to Chandler, it's a lengthy Commute and I don't like driving that far in bad Weather, especially if a Haboob is possible, they often roll in from the East Valley.  But, it is the Halloween Event so I'm definitely going.  *Smiles*

 

Above and Below is my Adorable Retro Friend Sarah from the Antique Mall, she Lives a Bygone Era 24-7 and 365 and Specializes in all things from it.  I Need her to Teach me on the ways she knows to Tie a Head Scarf and Turban, she always looks so Beautiful in the ones she wears.  She also had an incredible Weight Loss Journey, she's a tiny little Sprite now, but once was morbidly obese and lost all the Weight and has kept it off.   I Love her Booths, it's like walking into a 1940's-1950's Era Shop.  And even tho' I don't Decorate or Dress from that Era, and am more of a 1960's-Early 1970's Era Hippie Gal, I appreciate it when it's done well.  Really anything Decor or Fashion from 1950-1960 Era still does very well coz the Younger Generations are infatuated with it.

Okay, so my early Halloween Decor & Merch Critique for 2025 is that "Spirit Store" is on Point and Crushing it... but, TARGET's Line this Year is underwhelming and I am disappointed.  Usually their "Hyde & Eek" Line is impressive, this Season, not so much, so far, they weren't fully stocked tho' yet.   And, to be Fair, Tariffs might have put the kibosh on Production, Availability, Delivery of Imports and Price, so, there's that.   "Cracker Barrel" had a Fair offering of Halloween in their Gift Shop and I'll be Critiquing the Halloween Events this Week and next when they drop.  I think the MAGA Meltdown over the "Cracker Barrel" Logo Change was fucking hilarious trifling, when so much more should Outrage them, so predictably White Cracker Outrage that it was comical and so Redneck Satirical it had to spawn Satirical Comedy, HAD to!!!  I enjoy the Season so even if the Merch isn't anything I'd actually Buy, that's Okay, I still enjoy the Atmosphere and frivolousness of it all.  I did go down in Flames in "Spirit Store" Eastside Location and spent more than I intended to, while they still had the selection I J'Adored of Product I wanted.  *Smiles*

 

Pixs further Below of the 2-Pac Votive Creepy Doll Head Ceramic Candle Holders I bought that match the Candelabra {also Pictured} that I'd Scored last Year.  Last Year the Candelabra could only be had Online but I managed to Score one of the Displays they had at a Store at Close of Season when they were getting rid of everything and even Display Items.   I will Buy a Display if they'll Sell it to me and sometimes they've just given their Props to me coz they're only gonna toss 'em in the Dumpsters.   Seems a shame to waste good Props that can be utilized for a Home Display, tho' most are not Weatherproof for Outside Displaying.   Some of those Displays are Hollywood Set worthy!  I did like the Haunted Subway Theme of this Year, and I liked the Haunted Carnevil Display Theme of last Year too.  I had a Carnevil Display last Year, haven't thought what direction I'll go this Halloween?

 

The Man and all the Kiddos are not Holiday enthralled people, except for Halloween, which, we all equally enjoy and participate fully in.  They could care less about participation in Christmas, Easter, 4th of July or even Thanksgiving... they could Pass on any or all of that and don't even involve themselves in Decorating for any of it, but they are All In with me for Halloween.  That makes it much more enjoyable for Yours Truly, who is a Holiday enthralled person, tho' I've Dialed it way back in my Old Age, only becoz it is a lot of Work to Style and Decorate for Holidays, putting it all up and then taking it all down and put away, if  you don't have willing Volunteers to assist you with it.   But, it's the Labor intensive part of it, that by necessity, in my latter Years, I had to Scale Back on coz I didn't have it in me anymore to go All Out like I always did when Younger.

Look at The Man, his Emsemble matches the hues of the Haunted Subway Interior perfectly!   So, he'd make a Great Conductor of it!  Retired Special Forces Assassin with Brain Damage, now a Haunted Subway Conductor, kinda has a Creepy Ring to it, No?   All Aboard!  Aye Aye Aye... *LOL*   So, now, I mostly get my 'Fix' of it all via visitations to places that will and still do all the Work and make it Special and an Experience.  The Man does enjoy trawling the Halloween Offerings with me and we have a lot of Fun with it, like a couple of Old seriously demented Kids.  *LOL*  He always was engaged with Halloween and we used to throw Costume/Masquerade Parties for it and Decorate like a Haunted Attraction.  Granted, our Home is like a Haunted Attraction all of the time, so, I don't have to actually add too much to it for Halloween.  Most people coming in think we did all of it FOR Halloween!  Unless they know us well and that it's our Natural State of Being.  *Bwahahahaha*  There we were in "Spirit Store" behaving like a couple of Geriatric Kids on a Field Trip from a Senior Center or Mental Hospital, having a Big Time.  *LMAOROTF*

Yep, we made every Animatronic do what it is supposed to do when activated by stepping on the Stomp Pads in front of them... winks... I'm sure the Employees have to Tune that shit out after a while?  *Smiles*  Tho' they do hire the best People, most of those Kids look like Halloween all of the time, pretty sure, it's not a Costume for them.  One of the Gals at this Location looked like she'd just stepped off the Set of a Tim Burton Movie, adorable yet quite Creepy if it's not actually Halloween.  *LOL*  I was Tempted to ask her for a Photo, but wasn't that intrusive.  Coz, she looked very much like a Wednesday Addams Disposition kind of Gal by her Countenance, and her Style was very Helena Bonham Carter in appearance, but way Scarier, so you wouldn't have been able to tell if she was okay with ANYTHING, EVER?!  *LOL*   Thus, I didn't even ask.  But, it would have made for excellent Blog Fodder!  *Winks*

The Man found this in the Feeling Sexy All The Time Section they always have if you wanna Channel your Inner Dominatrix for Halloween... or otherwise.  *Bwahahahaha*   He's like, "Honey, look at this...", and I'm like, Have you been a Naughty Boy then?   Yeah, you can't and shouldn't have your Young Children around us.   We're incorrigible Seniors, for sure...  I actually think this is precisely why the Younger Generations like us so much?   Some Seniors are far too Puritan and Uptight, never been accused of that.  Just ask the Young Pool Boy who will never be coming back!!!  *Smiles and Winks*   Hot Pool Guy Owner Brad now has another Young One he finally got to start coming so he didn't have to anymore. And I did Promise Brad I would try to no longer forget it was Monday when I Swim in the Nude.  Notice I did not Promise I would no longer Swim in the Nude, since, I'm no Liar.  *Bwahahahaha*

So, this is the Candelabra that I Scored last Year and didn't realize what a smoking deep Discount they'd given me on mine to close out a Display piece!   I paid about half the Price they are asking now they have them in Stock in Store instead of an Online Only Order Item!   But, I did spring for the matching Votive Holder Set seen Below.   We Burn Candles daily, and I'll put my small Gold Canyon Jar Candles in these to Scent up the Home.   And the Wicca Sticker Book pictured further Below, got that too.  Won't pull the Stickers out but they are some Ahhhmazing Graphics and will go in my vast Library of Books, of which, I rival "Barnes & Noble" and that's not hyperbolic, I really have more of a selection than the biggest of Bookstores of the Genre I have.

I didn't Photograph my Gold and Bling Snake Earrings... or did I?  Yep, I did, so they are pictured Below as well.  *Smiles*   Every Year I've picked up inexpensive Earrings at "Spirit Store" that match Costumes coz they have such a good Selection for every Genre, and, I get loads of compliments when I wear any of them.   Accessories don't just have to be for Halloween and not all are Macabre Genres of Jewelry either.   The Quality rivals any other Costume Jewelry and the Price Point is way lower on Accessories like that than at regular Retail Stores that sell Costume Jewelry and Accessories.   I think this is due to Costumes being so Expensive an Outlay, that to get you to Buy all the Accessorizing for a Costume, they lower the Price Point on all the Accessories?   I don't do Costumes anymore, but I do Accessories, so, Win-Win for Yours Truly.  *Winks and Smiles*   And Princess T always Buys from the Sexy Girl and Goth Section to wear Year Round.  *LOL*

She rather make her own Costumes up by buying those items from a Chazza and making up something Unique to wear for Halloween and Parties.   She doesn't ever wanna look Copy & Paste.  It bothers her that so many Girls and Women do, when we're at the Malls together I can see her contempt when they're all Copy & Paste Females walking around looking like Clones of one another.   Do they have an Original Thought in their Heads she Wonders?   No, they don't, is my response... Hive and Herd Mentality, Fearful of being Different or Extraordinary.   As her Great-Nanna always told all of us from an Old Mae West Quote:  It's better to be Looked Over my Darlings than Overlooked.  *Winks*  Be Fearless with Fashion and who you REALLY are, be Authentic to yourself coz there's only ONE You, and so Why be a Cheap Copy of someone else?   TED Talk now over.  *Bwahahahahah*

Well, it seems the Technician for the Water Heater is coming closer to 10:00 a.m. than 8:00 a.m., so, Splendid... I was Hoping earlier than later just to get him out of the way and that done.   Haven't even gotten the Call that he's on his way yet and it's damned close to the end of the Window of Time they Scheduled us, so, hope he's not running later than any of that?  We've delayed doing another load of Laundry so nobody would be using the Water during his flush of the Water Heater.  When you have a Three Generation Household there is always someone doing Laundry... or needing to do Laundry.   Or be taking Showers.  Luckily, those that Work do it all very early between 2:00-4:00 a.m. so that those who don't go to Work can stagger their times afterwards and still have Hot Water.   You must be Logistic and Considerate when Sharing Space with many people or there will be Trouble In Paradise.

I found out where some other locations were of "Spirit Store" and will go to a couple that are actually closer than the Two we already went to.  Every Store does have some diversity of Merch, some have better selections than others or are larger locations and often they have different Prop Displays too, tho', not always, the Two we went to so far both had the Haunted Subway Display that was quite similar.  They always inhabit any larger Store that has been Vacant, since, they only stay/lease for a few Months for the Holidays.   I'm sure the Landlords give them special rates to entice them to Lease for just a few Months around the Holidays.  Better than having a Vacancy and no Rental Income from a large location.  So, every Year the locations are different, depending on what Commercial Properties had Vacancies and an ideal Location?

Some of their Plushies were Adorable.   So I did Photography quite a few of those.   And Below I liked how Stella Rosa did cover some of their Bottles with a Cardboard Sleeve depicting Dia de los Muertos.  Would have been better if it was on the actual Bottles and every Bottle tho'.  I don't drink so would have to rely on someone getting me one of those Sleeves and giving it to me.  *Ha ha ha*  I did notice that this Year the Offerings of Dia de los Muertos Merch is non-existent and that's a Surprise coz it's Celebrated almost more than Halloween in these parts that have a large Hispanic Population.  And, a lot of Non-Hispanics have embraced Dia de los Muertos as well now, we Celebrate it coz half our Family is of Hispanic Ancestry.  Plus, my Mom's Culture also Celebrated something similar, which was at the same time frame too, in how she always put up an Altar for her Dearly Departed Relatives and Ancestors and also Honored various Saints.

I remember growing up that many of my Friends didn't understand the Cultures of my Parents and why our Home always had Altars and Talisman all over the place.  *LOL*   Trying to explain all of that was futile, so I just told them that Indians, the Welsh, Eastern Religions and the Gypsies just do things differently than your Garden Variety Americans, that seemed to be enuf explanation for most people's inquisitive Nature about it.   Mom's Dad was Buddhist, so we always had a mix of Eastern Religion, Christian, and Tribal Beliefs fused into how we were Spiritually... and we weren't Churchy folks.   My Parents attended Organized Religion Services only much, much later in Life.  Mom liked my Street Ministry Church, which was about 99% Black Members in South Phoenix, so she joined and was much Beloved.  They knew she was a Foreigner so never criticized her being 'Different' and Respected her Cultural ways.   

Dad did join a Southern Baptist Church locally when he was almost 70, but only becoz his Sister had become one and when she became a Widow, she went to live with him as is the Custom of his Tribe to Care for any Widowed Sister.  On the Rez I think most of the Family just went to whatever Church was Kindest to the Tribe, so just about every Member of my Dad's Family are a different Denomination of something.  *LOL*  He said as a hungry Child they often would just go to get fed Food and didn't really Care so much about what the Religion espoused.  My Grandmother just practiced Tribal Spirituality and was an Animist and Naturalist, which, I too Practice.  There are no Written Scriptures for that, but Rituals are performed and Household Shrines or Sacred Groves are common and it's quite a diverse form of Spirituality, not often Understood by Non-Indigenous People.  The Hippies understood it more than most tho'.  The emphasis is always on the Spiritual Significance of the Natural World.  Science is just now catching up to all that actually.

Science is just now unlocking what Ancient Civilizations have known and Practiced for thousands of Years, about how Trees and Plants do communicate in very complex ways they didn't previous understand until recently!    A Tree that has connected to you and your Energy 'knows' you, so do Plants, and they communicate with each other in complex ways.   And it's funny to me that the Science is considered so ground breaking that it's been Proven, since, my Ancestors always knew this and needed no Proof from Science that is existed, always has, always will.   And Animals have more of a Connection than you think they do as well, to us and to the World around them, all Life Forms do actually, to varying degrees.   

The Man was always Surprised at how many Wild Animals will come so close to me without Fear and yet Fear him, I told him our Energies are different and they know this.  They know I'm no Threat and in fact my Energy connects to theirs in a deep and meaningful way.  They know he is a Threat and a Hunter, so he'd have to be with me for them to have that level of Trust that he won't be a Threat while in my Presence.   And if he's in my Presence he can have that different Experience with them, which he has been in Awe of coz he'd never known it could be like that.  He wasn't Raised to Believe that all Sentient Beings have a Spirit and an Energy that is so much deeper than most of Mankind seems Aware of or is Respectful of.  

  

 And sadly, that is Why the Natural World is such a Mess and in such decline and Chaos, due to Humans who are Ignorant of the Connections and the delicate Balance that must be Honored and Preserved on a Shared Planet, for the sake of All.  And Yes, I Talk to Animals, Trees and Plants like I would to any Sentient Being and they do respond in their ways to that Communication.   I'm glad that the Science is finally catching up and validating important Truths like this becoz if we want a Healthy Planet and a Balance Restored, we better be more Aware or we could doom ourselves as a Species.   The Earth will Survive us, but it might not allow us to Survive if Mother Earth and Nature decides we must be eliminated and go Extinct.   Natural Selection and Evolution is always at Work, whether we remain Ignorant of it or Aware of it.

I had to take Princess T in to another Urgent Care by Noon, she had to be picked up from Work, same Symptoms as before.  We couldn't get in to see our Primary Doctor until early October, but we did get her signed up to see Dr. Stacy.  We went to a different Urgent Care, closer by, they ran Tests, will run some more that they can't get instant results for, refilled her prescriptions and made a Referral to see a Gastro Specialist.  She has a Note to return to Work if she's feeling well enuf to, if she misses any more Work tho' she may get Fired so she's Anxious about that.   She used to have trouble with so much missed School due to her fragile Health too and it's not like someone with Chronic Health Issues and lowered Immune System can help it.  They're not being Sick on Purpose and it is a barrier to their Education and Employment.   Schools and Employers are punitive if you are Sick too much.  Yet, getting Disability Benefits is damned near impossible too.  Mando hasn't qualified yet for SSI and he's got Stage 4 Cancer and is not well enuf for Full Time Employment.

Look at the Tole Painted Gourd Witch Halloween Decoration I got at the GOODWILL for $3.49, Love it.   It matches my favorite Tole Painted Faux Pumpkins I bought from MICHAELS about 30 Years ago and still Display.  After Urgent Care I took Princess T to "Wildflower Bread Company" since neither of us had eaten all day.  Her becoz she had been throwing up since Morning, me coz I'd been too busy to eat anything yet until Lunchtime.  I have to Work Tonight so needed to have at least half a Sammie and some Soup.  The Manageress asked me my Critique on their new Stacked Veggie Sammie, it was delicious, a Thumbs Up.  It has Beets, Cucumber, Onion, Tomato, Micro Greens, Cream Cheese.  The Soup I chose was a Tomato Feta.  Princess T got the Chicken Rice Vegetable Soup and Rosemary Sea Salt Bread.

 

The Day was all around hectic, we'd stayed in between 8:00-10:00 a.m. waiting on that Tech for the Hot Water Heater Flush, who never showed up!!!   So, I called to ask why he was a No Show, they claimed he called to confirm he was on his way at 7:40, my Phone never rang but it was on the Call History, which was Odd, coz the Call never actually went thru, I had my Phone right by me knowing he would Call when he was on his way, but, it never rang.  Then he claimed he sat in front of our House for 40 Minutes, which, that was Untrue, or, he was at the Wrong House.  Plus, I told her that we were Home, Two Cars were here, so why did he just sit out in his Vehicle and not come up to the Door and Knock if he was already here?   Why waste his Time and ours?  We'd already confirmed our Appointment and set Time aside for it.  We were Home.

That's just Odd and plus, he never tried to call again, just the alleged one time where he didn't get a response and then just put our Appointment on HOLD with no further contact or Text Notification, also Odd.  Why wouldn't you Text if a Call got no Answer?  No Text.  So, I just Cancelled and told them I couldn't re-schedule now coz I wasn't wasting another Morning, too much to do.  Mebbe next Year after the Holidays.  She knew I was not Happy.   I don't like my Time to be Wasted like that, we had things to do and missed doing them for waiting on that Technician and then he was a No-Show.  I could have gone to my Halloween Event instead.   But, since Princess T was Sick, I probably wouldn't have coz I had to go pick her up by Noon anyway and then take her straight to the Urgent Care... so, just a fucked up day.  And, we still don't know what's Wrong with her?   The Man is going to have his 2nd Heart Surgery on the Morning of October 7th, so about a Month from now.  And Princess T's follow-ups are also in October now too.  Fun Times... 

Also at a new GOODWILL location I got some Global Home Vintage Target Tiki Coconut Shell Ceramic Cups with China Inserts and Lids from the early 2000's, set of 4.  {Exactly like the ones Pictured Below}  The Hoarder in me that Loves Tiki wants to Keep them becoz it was hard to find any Online at Resale, so I think they might be hard to find.   But, I know I'll likely never use them, tho' they're great for Desert Cups as well as Drink Cups, I put some Red Straws in them.  And with the removable Ceramic Inserts they're easy to clean without having to submerge the Ceramic Coconut Portion.   I paid about Two Bucks each after my Discount.  Online they go for about $36 a Pair.  I think their Production Line at TARGET was around 2008.   I'm waffling on whether to Sell, but, I probably will opt to, my Tiki Merch Sells well and we have Vintage Tiki Specialty Vendors that often Buy from me too.   I Buy Vintage Tiki anytime I find it.

 

 
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Be Aware my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian