What Used To Be Hot, Is Now Not...

 Well, the whole Cox thing was an Ordeal, the Bot tells you there's a 5 Minute Wait for a Customer Service Human Rep, it turned out to be over an Hour and 15 Minute Wait instead on Hold.  *Le Sigh*  But, I ended up with Chloe in the Philippines, who was a stellar Rep, good English with not too thick an Accent, and she understood me perfectly.  Unlike Maneesh from India the last time, who, Bless his Heart, didn't understand a damned thing I was asking for so none of it got done.  Now I'm back to Paper Billing and properly Opted Out of Paperless.  And while I had a good Rep on the Line, decided to Negotiate the Rate increase of $80 Monthly that just kicked in.

I have found that if they think they may lose a long time Customer, they have some Authorization to Negotiate Deals.  And do I ever Like me a good Negotiation!  *Winks*  You never get what you Deserve in Life, you only get what you Successfully Negotiate.  So, since it was going up $80 a Month anyway, we haggled about increasing my Data from Limited to Unlimited, my Internet Speed Doubled from what it is now, and all New Equipment {which would be Mandatory anyway come 2030}, AND have the $100 Installation Fee Waived... for an increase of only $60 a Month... so, all that Extra and for $20 less a Month than keeping inferior Service that had increased in price by $80 anyway, booyah!!!  Color me Satisfied now and not having to change Carriers.  *Whew*

Of coarse that was just over 2 Hours of my Life spent on the Phone that I'll never get back.  But Chloe was pleasant to Deal with and efficient, she had a lilting Laugh too, I Liked Chloe and Thanked her for all her Help.   A lot is Changing that we will NOT have Control over and being a Control Freak, I like to Control whatever I can for as long as I can and as beneficial to us as I can.  *Winks*  Once I'm in Negotiation Mode things generally go Well and in my Favor, it's just getting to that point with someone who has the Authority to Negotiate a Deal with you effectively and efficiently, then we can do Business together.  I've had Cox since the early 1980's and overall been pleased enuf not to hop around with other Carriers.  If you treat me Right I can be a long-time Customer.

Okay, so that got Settled and out of the way, Splendid, on to the Next.  Their Rep will be out here Christmas Eve to swap out all of the Equipment with new improved Equipment.  The Kiddos use a lot of Data so the Unlimited was important to Score at a Discounted Plan Rate, I hated having to track all their usage to make sure we didn't go over, which, will cost you extra.  I use my Internet a lot here on the Blog, so doubling my Internet Speed and Data usage was also quite handy.  I usually only come to The Land Of Blog, Facebook, E-bay and my viewing of Accounts/E-Mails.  Whereas the Kiddos spend a lot of Time on U-Tube, Tik Tok, Streaming and such, I don't even know what all they do on their Internet usage really that I'd never use or be interested in.  They are almost glued to their Devices like Tech Addicts, most of Society now is.

The Man is glued to TV, mostly Reruns of his Favorite Shows, he'll watch the same Episodes endlessly.  Marathon watching Shows like NCIS and all the Alaska 'Reality' Shows of Societal Recluses living like it's still the 1800's.  *LOL*  I only sometimes spend too much time watching The Food Network Shows, especially the Holiday ones that are Contests.  And some of the Paranormal Shows and Cryptid Hunting Shows, coz I do Believe a lot exists that we just don't know fully about yet, but, has always been with us.  Most of that I got from my Parents, both of their Cultures Believe fully in a deeper Paranormal/Spiritual/Cryptid Existence than a lot of Americans do.   Most Native Americans never Question the Existence, they've always just known Ancestrally that it exists as Normal and present, not Paranormal.

The Gaelic Cultures also have many Beliefs that things exist that they don't need any further proof of, Ancestrally they just accept it and don't Question it either.   I think that's why folks always thought my Mom to be a Witch becoz she could know and do things that Scared the shit out of them and they couldn't explain nor understand.  Even my Dad's side of the Family wouldn't mess with Mom, becoz they felt she could be a Skinwalker and/or a Welsh Gypsy Witch.  *LOL and Winks*  Since Mom didn't get along with her In-laws, she was perfectly Okay with them Fearing her.   And in her extended Family all of them could know and do what she was endowed with, to varying degrees, myself, my Children and Grandchildren included, so, it must be passed down somehow from our Maternal Side, I dunno?  

You Learn how not to Abuse or Misuse it and to be Careful around those who Fear it so much they would do harm to you becoz of it.  And you will always have a problem with Churchy folks who think it's all Evil, which, it is not,  Tho' it can be used in Negative harmful ways and Abused, but, anything can, depending upon the Person using it.  Since early Childhood I did Learn not to tell those whose Time was Close that their Time was almost up, by the Halos I saw around the Iris of their Eyes shining outwards.   As a Child you just think everyone can see it and Know, my Mom had to tell me they couldn't and it's not something to ever mention to that Person, it's not your Place to nor appropriate to.  When I do see it I have confided in The Man sometimes, or immediate Family, and, I'm always Right. 

 I don't Like seeing it, but I do, nothing I can do about it, I can't Unsee it, if that makes sense?  And I don't know Why I see it either?  Nor get Premotions that are uncannily always accurate, it's a Mystery, I have no Explanation.  I had to Teach my own Children and Grandchildren how to handle and manage their Premonitions and what they See or Know that isn't Typical and is considered Witchy or Scary and Unsettling by Society.  I did always Wonder why People in Society Feared the Witches more than they Feared those that burnt them Alive?  Seems to me the perpetrators of Burning another Human Being Alive, or do anything Inhumane to another Human Being, for ANY reason they try to Justify, are much, much Scarier People to actually Fear!!!

They have overbuilt the Far West Valley around us so much now that Traffic is nightmarish by about 3:00 p.m. every Workday.  I was gonna go to the Antique Mall after picking The Granddaughter up from Work and drop off some Inventory, but Traffic was just too heavy.  As it was we needed to stop by "Sprouts" Supermarket just a Block away from the House and it took us a full Hour to go One Block, I kid you not, it was ridiculous.  The Inner City now doesn't have as heavy Traffic as the Outer City in the West Valley and surrounding Sister Cities has now.   Princess T came along with me and we were joking that it only took us 15 Minutes to Shop and get out of there, but an Hour to GET there!

  

She's Sad coz she heard John Sena Retired, she had such a Crush on him as a small Child and Loved his Hefty Commercials where he'd flex his Pec Muscles.  *Winks*  I told her he is 48 now, so what he does for a Living, that's pretty Old to still be doing it... and he's also a Cancer Survivor.  When she was Pre-School Aged she Lived for him saying Hefty, Hefty, Hefty and flexing his Pecs in those Trash Bag Commercials, she thought that was the Coolest thing ever.  Yeah, not many Guys have that much Control over their Pecs.  *LOL and Winks*  Anyway, she used to think she wanted to Marry John Cena.  *Smiles*

She got ready to go out again with Rusty, they want to go back to "Glendale Glitters" and this time mebbe get out of the Car now it's not the Crowded Weekend, and walk around to enjoy the Christmas Light Displays.  They both have Social Anxieties and are quiet Introverts, so they don't like being around too many people in a crowd.  They may also go to the "Santa House" if it won't be as crowded on a Weekday too.  They didn't go on the Weekend and it was crowded there too, so it was for the Best that they didn't then.  I don't mind Crowds and it was even too many people for me during the Weekend.   And "Glendale Glitters" had literally no nearby Parking available so you couldn't have gotten out and enjoyed it even if you wanted to, no Parking.  When I take The Man with me anywhere, that's always problematic if there's no nearby Parking, since, he is Physically and Emotionally Disabled, plus Elderly with Health Problems.

She looked Adorbs but always runs her ensembles past me for approval, she wasn't sure this wasn't too 'Sparkly', I didn't think so.  It looked Festively Goth/Rocker/Biker Babe, so I gave it The Thumbs Up.  *LOL*  You can't see it well in the Pix, but the Tights have Sparkles in them like tiny Diamonds, so, she does Sparkle.  But, who doesn't wanna Sparkle, Right?  *Smiles*   And, if it gets Cooler Tonight the long Sleeves are a plus coz she's a tiny little Sprite with no Body Fat whatsoever, there's lotsa Daylight between those Thighs and Calves.  *LOL*  Now me, I still got lotsa Natural Insulation to keep me Warmer, yet I still get too Cold sometimes.  But, on the Ozempic I am losing Weight and Inches as a Bonus to it also Controlling and Managing the Diabetes.  So, I am Hopeful to eventually get my Girlish Figure back?  *Bwahahaha*

 

While at SAVERS I Scored a very Expensive Extra Wide Walker for only Three Bucks!!!  We use them when we go to Parades and such, and upgrade to better used ones for me when we can find them.  The Man has a New One the VA sent to him by his Doctor, but the one I had is pretty Old and not upgraded like this one.  Well, Princess T and her Young Co-Worker Friends see me walking around the Store with a Walker and thought something Bad had happened to me since this Morning when I dropped her off at Work!!!!!!!!!!!!  *LOL*  I had to tell them right away, No, I'm just Buying this, it's only gonna be Three Bucks coz it's Senior Discount Day and they only Priced it $4.99, which was already a Steal for one that nice.   It's either a DMI or a Karman Extra Wide Walker you can Buy at "Walgreens" for around $120 on Sale, it's usually $149... and other places it's around $167.

 

I wasn't passing it up for only Three Dollars, mine looks exactly like this one, same Color and everything.  It hardly looked used and I saw a lot of Extra Wide Medical Equipment there too, like Shower Seat, etcetera, so assumed someone might have Passed Away and barely got any use out of any of it?  We usually Donate ours that we're getting rid of to a Southwest Lending Closet that Loans Out Medical Equipment to disadvantaged Clients who can't afford any or don't have Insurance Coverages, or might only need something temporarily.  So, now our Older Walkers, now that both of us have Newer Upgraded ones, we can Donate to that Charity.

While I was on Hold for over an Hour waiting this Morning for a Cox Customer Service Rep, look what The Daughter made me for Breakfast to make me Laugh Out Loud.   A Happy Face Omelet!  *LMAO*  She's a Riot and could tell I was running out of Patience.  I don't like being on the Phone anyway, let alone for Two Hours Plus to get One Thing taken care of that needed to be addressed!  I mean, it all worked out in our Favor in the End, but Two Plus Hours was more than a bit much.  So, I did Need some Levity of a Childish Omelet.  The Kids remember me doing shit like this with their Food when they were little so they'd make a "Happy Plate".  I'm not a Food Pusher tho' so I'd always tell our Kiddos to just "Eat 'Til Full Then Stop". 

 But, I did have fussy eaters, The Daughter and Princess T being exceedingly picky, with food allergies too... and The Young Prince's Schizophrenia made him think his Food was Moving and still Alive... so, it was challenging at Mealtimes.  The Son is the only hearty Eater, he'd sometimes overeat as a Kid if it was something he really liked.   But now he's Grown, for a Man, he is like his Dad, The Man and The Son aren't big Eaters at all.   The Man isn't heavy coz he Eats too much, it's mostly due to Health Related Ailments and Inactivity due to Disabling factors.  He was actually very Thin and Muscular until past his 50's, so was I actually.   Various Surgeries and Health Problems made us both gain Weight even tho' our Dietary Habits of Healthful Eating and not eating much didn't really change.   I'm an Organics and Granola Hippie Gal from way back when.  *Winks*

The Daughter also made some Deviled Eggs, those didn't last long, she had to Ration them to a maximum of Two per Person to make sure everyone got some.  *LOL*   And I made another batch of Six Minute Microwave Chex Party Mix since that first batch all got eaten right away.  Now I've used up all the Chex Cereal, Pretzels, most of the Nuts, and all of the Herbed Butter I had in Stock.   The Aroma in the House smells Sublime after you make some of that, it's so fragrant in a good way.  This time I added some Pinon Pine Nuts to it, since I had put Walnuts, Hazelnuts, Cashews, Almonds, Brazil Nuts, Macadamia Nuts, Raisins and Peanuts in it both times and wanted to change things up a bit with this batch.   The Nuts get almost a Toffee Like Texture to them with this Microwave Method, which I really liked.

I was so Grateful to get this easy quick Microwave Method that takes no time to prepare and Serve.  I've missed having Homemade Chex Party Mix since my Dad Died, he always made it the Traditional Labor Intensive way and handed it out in Festive Tins to all his Friends and Family for Christmas every Year.  Of coarse, being a Master Chef he enjoyed preparation of any Food, no matter how long it took to make it from scratch, and made it look effortless, even tho' it often wasn't at all.  I'm no Culinary Jedi and didn't Inherit his Natural Ability, but my Younger Brother did.  My Brother is an excellent Culinary Jedi and does most, if not all, of the Cooking in their Home.   My Mom became an excellent Cook and quite accomplished, but said when she met our Dad she couldn't even boil Water, so he taught her everything she knew.  He tried to Teach me, I was Culinary Challenged.  *Bwahahaha*

To be Fair, I had Excellent Earning Potential as a Corporate Executive at a very early Age, by 23 I was an Executive Banker running Three Departments for Major Financial Institutions handling their Foreclosures, Collections and Bankruptcies of Real Estate Loans.  But, I was never a Domestic Goddess and really have Admiration for people who are accomplished at any of that, since, I'm Challenged in those areas of Domesticity.   I just don't enjoy any of it and don't happen to be good at it either.   I was fortunate that every Relationship I was in, the Guy was an excellent Cook and enjoyed preparing Meals, including The Man.  Sadly his TBI ended that ability, he can't be unsupervised in a Kitchen now and forgot most of how to do any of it, let alone safely.

  

I miss his Cooking, but, The Daughter is a good Cook and has taken over now.   The Son Cooks too, not as accomplished at it, the same with Princess T, they can Cook what they know best, which is pretty much all I can do too, so, no criticism from the Peanut Gallery here.  *LOL*  LATER: I did make it in to the Antique Mall Tuesday Night to put Two Milk Crates full of Inventory in, Sales are still shitty and there were hardly any Customers to Buy anything there.  That's grim this close to a Major Holiday when Sales typically are Strongest, and, aren't.  *Le Sigh*  People had obviously been in the Showroom and moved a lot of stuff around, but, only purchases nitnoid Merch, nothing substantial.  They mess with the better and more expensive Merchandise, they just don't Buy it.  But, at least they aren't Stealing it... I try to look at the Bright Side of a Dark Situation.  *Eye Roll*

Our Social Security Checks did finally hit, whew.  Now I can finish paying Bills and give the Kids some $$$ for Christmas.  It's not looking promising to get a decent Check from the Antique Mall this coming Pay Period, we've only got Three more Days of it left and Sales are flatlined.  People are only Buying very inexpensive items, nothing really Nice or Quality is moving.  The only Big Spenders are Buying Pokemon and will spend Hundreds on those Cards!!!  Go figure.  Of coarse the Sports Cards people used to do that, not so much anymore.  And even the Disney people no longer come in and spend a lot either, so Sales of those Specialty Vendors has flatlined for Sports Merch and Disney Merch.  Even the Guy that Sells Sports Jerseys, who used to Sell a lot of them, I haven't even Opened his Locked Case hardly at all in Months now for a Customer even just LOOKING at Jerseys.

What used to be Hot is not now, across the board.  And when madly popular Shops like "Ivy & Sage" are Closing permanently, after just opening a new Location, I have no Words.  They gave the reasons as major Supply Chain Issues, Tariffs, and International Suppliers stopping Shipments or skyrocketing Shipping Costs as the reasons... and I'm sure more Stores that rely on International Suppliers will go the same way with this Crazy Tariff Situation and coupled with Tourism Restrictions further tanking an already troubled Economy and Job Market.  The Son said one of his favorite Podcasters just lost a Job he'd had for over 25 Years and got Laid Off... Industry to Industry this is happening in droves now.   When Sourcing to Pricing forces too many last Minute changes, it's unsustainable.  You can only make so many adaptations to Product to make it try to be profitable.

I had no delusions this would happen and play out this way, both other times in History they imposed unreasonable Tariffs the Country went into a Depression.   Smoot-Hawley Tariffs of 1930 caused The Great Depression, there are still some Alive who recall living thru that.  The Tariff of Abominations of 1828 and The McKinley Tariff of 1890 all led to Economic distress and caused The Great Depression, the Nullifcation Crisis of the 1890's and the Panic of 1893.  This will go down in American History as equally disastrous, if not moreso, coz he's trying to destroy Democracy and insert a Fascist Regime and become the first American Dictator or King.  And if him intentionally generating an AI he put on Social Media for us all to see, of him in a Fighter Jet flying over America dumping feces on all of us wasn't Telling enuf, you're an imbecile for not connecting the Dots of what he thinks of all of us and what he would do to any of us.  

Which wasn't the Point of previous disastrous Economic Tariff Crisis, but, he's intent on breaking everything, including functional Government or a functional DOJ.  So you have no Protections of Rights.  And, with no thought on how to run damage control behind himself to ensure there will even be an America once he Bankrupts it like he has every Business he's ever had.  He's great at Destroying his Relationships too, and all our Allies no longer Trust America now, and our Enemies surely see how weak and unstable he's made America and divided us.  Sure, some will Patronize him with their ridiculous Gift Trinkets, disingenuous saccharine Praise, and the paying of his Extortion to pacify him and his whims just enuf to sway his infantile behaviors and appeal to his Narcissistic way of Being.  He's a Senile Psychopath/Sociopath and they know how to Work that kind of Mentally Ill Individual in their Favor, he's Wicked, but, he is also a Vulnerable Adult who can be exploited and manipulated too.

  

And speaking of Psychos, I was Saddened and Horrified to hear what happened to Rob Reiner and his Dear Wife, well known Liberals and Philanthropists from way back when, at the Hands of their own Son, who has a History of Addiction!!!  We used to Track Crimes committed by Meth Addicts even back when I Worked at the DA's Office before Retiring, becoz their Crimes tended to be the most violent and vicious like that.  Fentanyl too has increased particularly violent Crimes so I'd suspect they might be Tracking Crimes committed under the Influence of that now as well?   But Meth has been found to be the Drug that most contributes to Violent Crime, even more than Alcohol, which, has a long History of Violence associated with the use and abuse of it.  I wouldn't be at all surprised if Nick Reiner was High, probably Tweaking, when he slit his Parent's Throats and Stabbed them fatally.   

And this insensitive Idiot President saying what he did about the Adored Hollywood Victim was beyond crass and inappropriate, yet typically Words of a True Psycho too.  And don't be deluded into thinking Donnie Two Dolls is trying to fight Drugs coming in to this Country or waging a War on Drugs, when he's also Pardoning Major Drug Lords and Drug Traffickers in his Pay for Play Pardon Grift he's running to enrich and ingratiate himself to them all.  When a portion of their Profits are siphoned off to him, he'll be perfectly Fine with Cartel Pandering, since, he's running his Administration like one anyway, so he's no better than any of them.  He's probably worse than some of them actually and has had a much longer and profitable Criminal Career than most of them too.  There's no Bottom to how Low he can go, we've Witnessed that firsthand in case you had any Doubts in the beginning.  You have to be either seriously in Denial to not see it now, or, as Bad and Morally Bankrupt as he is.

This Country can't endure or be sustainable with him Serving out this whole Term, so we can only Hope he can't and won't.  But his Replacement Posse ain't looking too Charming, are they?  His VP JD and Hegseth {U.S. Secretary of WAR}, are quite the Pieces of Work themselves.  They're thoroughly enjoying committing War Crimes and just Murdering People in International Waters with no actual Proof, no actual Threat or Evidence, with impunity, those Two.  Besides, EVEN IF those little Outboard Motor Boats are running Drugs, in America we still have Due Process for any Criminal Activity and Drug Charges are NOT a Capital Offense punishable by Execution.  Even folks Convicted and given the Death Penalty for their most heinous of Crimes and on Death Row, have a Process for their Crimes and Appeals before an Execution can be carried out, that's how it's supposed to Work, in a functional DOJ System in place.  

And if you Imagined this Administration to be a Peace Presidency, why do you think they renamed The Department of Defense to The Department of War?  Exactly.   Defense is one thing, starting and provoking Wars is quite another.   And Pardoning the worst Criminals is not usually how Presidential Pardons is supposed to Work either.  But, everything for him is Transactional and anyone can Buy him and Pay him Off to do anything they want so long as it lines his Pockets.  And, apparently some Americans seem Okay with that, the dim-witted and Criminally inclined see nothing Wrong with it and don't think it will harm Society or Democracy to allow it to spiral out of Control, but, it will, rest assured.  And the consequences won't be pleasant for ALL Americans who fell for the Long Con and misplaced Trust in a Consummate Conman who only knows how to be a good Criminal and enrich himself, with no conscience about who gets Hosed and Hurt in the process.

The Cox Guy is already out here right now replacing all our Cables with Fiber Optics on the Exterior Today.  On Christmas Eve they will come and do the Interior Wiring and provide all new Equipment for the Upgrade we're having.   The Guy said our Wiring Outside is really Old, and I suspect it is and was in need of Upgrading, no telling how long ago it was installed, this Home was built in around 1980... but the Subdivision has been here since 1960.  There may have even been another Older House here from that Period that was replaced by this one?  Both of our Neighbors on each side of us have been here since the early 1960's in the beginning and said they saw this Custom Home being built in 1980 and our Neighbors Two Sons helped build it.  Sometimes people Buy these Older Mini Farms and build a newer Home and raze the older one becoz they like the Community and the Agricultural Zoning & Acreage.

Our Internet is also Down but I had this Post already Open and can Type only the Storyline and have it Saved when Internet/Cable are back up in about 20 Minutes.  The Tech told us that's how long it should only be Down.  Many Moons ago The Man worked for a Cable Company as a 2nd Job, so he knows all about what they do.  When I met him he always worked a 2nd Job along with his regular Career in the Military, he was quite a Workaholic.  He did Paramedic Work on the side, Cable Work on the side, DJ Work at Clubs on the side, and was a Club Bouncer on the side too.   He also did some Undercover Narcotics Work when he was a Cop, infiltrating Outlaw Biker Gangs after returning from Two Tours in Vietnam.  Then he went back in the Military and finished out a total of a 39 Year Military Career from High School 'til Medical Disability forced Retirement.

That's why it's hard for me to see him so out of Character since his TBI that he's just not the same Man he used to be at all.  Now you can hardly get him to do anything at all that he still can do.   And even if he does it under protest, he'll fuss and complain like a Teenage Boy about being given any Work to do as a contribution to running the Household.  *Eye Roll*  And any of you who have Raised Teenage Boys know how that goes and what a Pain in the Ass it is to get them to DO anything without Manchild Drama and giving everyone a Headache!!!  *LOL and Le Sigh*  Right now I'm multi-tasking doing Laundry, Dishes, Pricing Inventory and I'll be Working a 5-9 Shift Tonight covering for my Friend Crazy Ed.  He's the only one I'll not have a problem filling in for when he needs me to.  He's been battling some Health Issues that sideline him sometimes.

I needed the extra Comped Space Rent it will provide anyway since Sales are shit again this Pay Period and the last Three Days of it better Kill it, is all I can say.  I'm bringing in another Crate filled with Merch when I go in Tonight, which is why I've been furiously Pricing Inventory this Morning.  I got all the Hazel Atlas 1950's State Souvenir Tumblers Priced, some Wedgwood 1970 Christmas Plates, several Specialty T-Shirts, some more inexpensive Collectible Bagged Toys that make great Stocking Stuffers.  I'll go into the She Shed once it warms up some and I eat a late Breakfast, to rifle thru more Milk Crates and Banana Boxes to decide what else to Price and bring in?  

We're having record breaking Heat that will last all thru past Christmas, it's been well over 80 Degrees daily.  Except for 3 Normal Temperature Days so far in December, we've broken Heat Records all the other Days!  That feels good Outside but in a Non-Climate Controlled Interior Space, it's too Hot to Work in coz when it's over 80 Outside, the Interior of a Closed Space not Climate-Controlled will get into the 90's or more.  So, The She Shed and RV Garage Mahal haven't been all that useable for Autumn or Winter so far, too Hot.  Climate Change is Real and it's worsening every Year it seems now.  On both ends of the spectrum since its not just excessive Heat here, but excessive Cold in some places, and way more Natural Disasters and Extreme Weather Incidents than usual in the way of Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Typhoons, Droughts, Floods, Haboobs, Fires, and Mudslides.

  The Monsoons don't come when they should now and when they come late, they are dumping too much Rain all at once and much later than it can or should be received by Nature.  The Ground got too Baked when they didn't come on Time, so when they come Late and with too much Rain dropped in a short period of time, it Floods badly coz the Ground can't absorb it and you just get runoff.  We've sometimes recently gotten more Rain in a few Minutes than we usually get ALL YEAR, which is just Crazy!!!  Especially after prolonged Drought, things have Died Off or become weakened or diseased, and then that just magnifies the damage it causes.  But, some folks are in deep Denial about Climate Change too and Believe this Moron in the White House that says it's a Hoax.  *Eye Roll*

Everything is a Hoax that Donnie Two Dolls doesn't want to face, understand and address.  Affordability... a Hoax, Invented by the Democrats, of coarse. Tho' he ran on it and got Elected coz he said Affordability was a problem he'd Solve.  Now he can't Solve it and is creating more of it, suddenly it's a Hoax. *LMAOROTF*  Oh and he calls it "THE Affordability", so, not certain he knows what the Word even means?  I mean, this is the Guy who thought the Country of Belgium was a City!   And numerous other Uneducated shit he's said as President that shows that all the Money in the World his Rich Daddy had, couldn't buy that Stupid Liar Fool of a Son an Education.   And the Good Son Died Young, a pity, he should have been the Surviving Son, the World would have been a better place for it.

The Cox Tech is done now, I'm noticing the Internet is already faster and they haven't even done our Interior Upgrades yet.  I figured by 2030 we'll have no choice but to Upgrade, so, since they gave me such a Deal to do it now and Waived Installation Fees, which are considerable, and our Regular Service went up by $80 a Month anyway, all these Upgrades for only $60 a Month is Saving me $20 a Month from doing Nothing... so, it would be foolish not to take advantage of paying less for much more.  Their Technician came out right away to do the Exterior, I didn't expect that, I only Negotiated the Deal Yesterday Early Afternoon and  he was here by this Morning.   And he was Done before Noon.

I got a bunch of Vintage Fisher Price Toys Priced to take in to the Showroom for the Holidays.  Toys do Sell, especially the Classic ones you can't get anymore and have been Retired from a still Popular Line like Fisher Price.   Fisher Price has been around since 1930 and we all had FP Toys growing up.  Some of the Vintage ones I'm Selling are from my Childhood's Era and I had some of the harder to Source Pieces.  The Little People were introduced in 1959.   More than Two Billion of the Little People by FP have been Sold since 1959!!!   I only Kept the LP FP Indian Chief from the early 1960's.   He can fetch about Ten Bucks all by himself tho' if I wanted to Sell it.  Mine is in better Shape than the one pictured Below that I Cribbed the Image of off an Auction.  

 

I'm Selling some of the 1960's-1980's LP FP Cowboys and Farmers.  Plus a Police Officer, Dog, Pony, Construction Workers, a Grandma, Babies, Boys, Girls, Male & Female Adult LP by FP.  And many of their Vehicles & Accessories, Car, Tractor, Plane, Stroller, Dump Truck, Fire Truck, Playground Equipment, Schoolhouse Equipment, Highchair, Chairs, Craft Table, Telephone Booth.  It was Fun to sort thru them since I had a very large Bagged Lot I'd bought some time ago and just waited to Sell when I wanted more Vintage Toys to take in that I know would be Popular.  Since I have several Fisher Price Buildings right now also For Sale, Castle, Sesame Street Tenement House & Store, Barn & Silo.

 

I'm hoping Princess T doesn't have to Work too late so that I can get to Work on time.  She's been having to Work later coz they've Laid Off so many Co-Workers and it's making more Work for those that are left now, covering more than their usual Positions.  So many Employers are doing that, downsizing Staff, so they don't have to just Close their Doors.  The Son did get Approved for AHCCCS Healthcare, which is a relief, he's still waiting to see if he'll get any Nutritional Assistance since he's not Qualifying for Unemployment Benefits due to the Employer doing everyone Dirty like they did... and he has no Income.  If he, The Daughter and Princess T didn't have us, they all would be Homeless coz they either have Zero Income, or Minimum Wage, which, isn't a Livable Wage to support yourself on, not even close.  

A glut of Apartments is being Built but none of it is Affordable Housing... mostly Luxury Apartments costing more to Rent than I pay for Owning a Mini Farm Property now worth $800,000+!   I don't know who they're Renting these Units to since most Wages aren't enough to afford the Rent they're asking.   Affordability is a huge National Issue, it's why there is an epic Migration of People from States they can no longer afford, to States they PERHAPS can afford, but, no guarantees they'll find Work or Livable Wages in either.  Some States have Housing Shortages so it doesn't matter what you Earn if there's no place to Rent or Buy.   And it's Sad for the Young People coming up that they can't find Work, Housing, Livable Wages if they can find Work, AI taking their Jobs even White Collar good Jobs that AI is already replacing, can't afford Health Insurance, on and on and on... it makes them feel Hopeless about having a decent Future.

When I was quite Young and first starting out I had to live in some Low Income Housing for a while in tough Neighborhoods, but, you could find and afford something to Rent, now, you can't.   The City keeps tearing down affordable Housing for the Low Income, or Investors Buy it up Cash if it's a Fixer Upper and flip it for profits or to Rent Out at high prices.  Home Buyers can't compete to get Approved for a Loan for Homes that Investors can pay Cash for and Close in a Day and they'd need 20% Down depending on the Cost of the Property, unless they're a Veteran and use their VA Loan.   Even then, you're competing against Big Pocket Investors and often can't if they start a Bidding War to price you out.

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Merry Christmas from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian