Losing Your Marbles... And Losing Or Adding To Mine

 I made a big Donation to SAVERS on Monday Morning, I'm clearing out the She Shed of both Inventory to Sell, and whatever I've decided to just Donate and not try to Sell.  I'm Curating what I'm Selling, and the Yard Sales that The Daughter has done so far haven't been all that well attended.  I just don't think folks have the disposable income to spend, even on essentials, let alone non-essentials.  Tho' the Stock Market is doing quite well, most average Americans don't own Stock and took such a big hit with their 401K's, that even if it's moving towards compensating them for those enormous losses, they'll be Lucky to break even in their Lifetimes now.  My Bank Stock always does well and has for about the last 50 Years.

Anyway, rather than Store a bunch of Product that isn't getting Sold, I'd rather activate the Laws Of Reciprocity and Donate it to worthy Charitable Causes that can use it and help good Causes.  It also brings Positive Chi to be able to clear out things and I've cleared out about half of what was in the She Shed already.  Then I can Curate what's in The RV Garage Mahal and Crate it up For Sale or Donation and use the cleared out Space in The She Shed to hold it until it's rotated out again.  Tackling it one Crate or Banana Box at a time is my newest tactic and it's been working out quite well without being overwhelming to me or cluttering up the Main House either.

I made up a little Cart with my Pricing Supplies that I can Wheel around the House and Price things as I'm watching TV or listening to Music in Climate Controlled Space.    Princess T hung up her Dozen Pink Roses she got from her Boyfriend, and he bought her a Dozen Pink Rose LEGO Flowers, I'd bought her a Dozen Red Rose LEGO Flowers previously.  She likes the Floral LEGO Sets that are out now.  She likes to dry her Flowers and has a Wall of Dried Roses that Rusty has bought for her.  I always liked drying of Flowers and Herbs too, I used to do it to Lavender all of the time, and Sage, along with Rose Petals, making my own Potpourri Bags to put with Clothing and Scent Rooms fragrantly.   We're a very Sensory Family.

Our Social Security should be hitting on The Man's Birthday, which is timely.  He hasn't conveyed yet how he wants to Celebrate it and he has his Cardiology Appointment that Morning.  I'll probably take him out to eat again, he enjoys doing that and can still do that without too many hitches.  We've had to suspend Environmental Cleanup while he's unsteady with his Mobility, until we know what's going on with his Legs and Lower Back?   My Friend Cindy, who used to be his VA Nurse at the Clinic before she Retired, told me to ask if they could order him an Upright Walker for around the House, since our Home is not really accessible with his wider all terrain Four Wheel Walker with a Seat.

Now I'll have to take him to all his appointments coz there's no other Vehicle or Driver in the Household right now.   So we have to more carefully schedule everyone's appointments with no potential for overlapping.  Logistically that's been challenging, but, it's just necessary now coz Four in the Household can't drive and The Son can drive but has no Vehicle that's operational.  He gave Plasma Today for some Cash.  It's been about Five Years since he has done that so they qualified him for their Bonus for coming back again.  If he donates enough times before the middle of next Month he could earn $800.   So, he's shooting for that Goal.  The Daughter only did it once and didn't feel good afterwards so thinks it's unwise to do it again.  They give you a Physical and check all your levels first to make sure you are healthy enuf to donate. 

This is what Princess T said she'll wear to the Renaissance Festival when we go next Month.  I'm taking The G-Kid Force.  We always try to go at least once when it's here.  I've been on a Nostalgia kick recently for Collectible Smalls like Antique/Vintage Marbles.  I'm picky about the kinds I want but have Scored some on Buy-It-Now Features on E-Bay that I was pleased with.  You often see Vintage Jars of them in Antique Stores and tho' I Photograph them coz they're visually attractive, the Sellers are usually way more in Love with their Collection of Jarred Marbles than I'd be to pay that much for them.  *Smiles*  I didn't realize how much the Older and more desirable types of Marbles could fetch tho' and looking at what Auction Bidders have Bid on was an Eye Opener.  They are really Serious about their Marbles!!!  I'm not that Serious a Marble Collector nor that knowledgeable about Values, I just know which ones I like best.

This Vendor had some in her Jarred selections I did like, but many I was Meh about so I wasn't willing to pay the price asked for a Jar of Marbles I was only mebbe a quarter interested in the contents of.  I rather buy them Loose and choose the Marbles I want.   I have a big Collection already, many from my Childhood and 'Won' in Europe as a Kid when I Played Marbles.  Many of those Marbles are Antique European ones and apparently quite valuable now even individually, who knew?  They hold Sentiment and Nostalgia for me, I was a good Player so would almost always Win the ones I most wanted and coveted and would Trade a lot with Friends who had Marbles I wanted. 

 They wanted Volume, I was a Kiddo that preferred Quality over Quantity.  So, if there was a Special and Unusual Marble, that I didn't wanna risk getting damaged during Play, I'd give them several ordinary ones for that extraordinary one and they were always happy with our Trade.   These type were always my Favorite kind and I don't know what they're called in Marble Collecting Circles?  But, I kept every one I ever Won or Bought of this particular Marble type.   And I guess the ones Below are called JABO, coz the Seller Listed them as such, not that I Cared, I just Liked the Look of the Lot and that I didn't have to Bid against anyone and just Buy them on a Buy-It-Now Feature offered.

Some International Sellers had good Lots at good Prices, but with Tariffs I just haven't been Buying Internationally now, not knowing what kind of Tariff I'd be hit with to receive them?  It's always the Americans that are paying for Tariffs on those Taxes this Administration is levying, remember that.  It's a Tax that American Businesses and American Purchasers end up paying and absorbing the actual Cost of, not International Sellers.   Donnie Two Dolls Spins his lack of knowledge with whatever he makes up off the top of his Head and will give numerous different made-up Stories each time he opens his Mouth.   It's all a Long Con, ALL of it.

Our Mall was having their 20% Off Sale for President's Day so I did go in, Visit with some of my Vendor Friends and Paid Staff Friends, and Buy Three items I'd wanted that were gonna be at that considerable Discount.  One was a large Canadian Mounted Police 9" Dam Troll from 1977, I got him for only Six Bucks.  I also got the above Prim Doll my Fav Maker of them Sells on occasion, she'd made this one for St. Patrick's Day apparently and just brought it in.  I have a growing Collection of her Prim Dolls.   She has a small Unlocked Case of mostly worthless Crapola, but the Prim Dolls are worth looking for when she gets them stocked, and very rarely, she has actual Collectible Treasures at low prices.  I once bought a Vintage Magnolia Pearl Line OOAK Bag from Robin's earliest Line from this Vendor for under Twenty Bucks!!!

I also got a 1960's Woodstock T-Shirt for Four Bucks in XXL, which, Rare to find any that Large for that Era, folks were so much Smaller/Skinnier back then, as was I back then.  *LOL*   If it is a newer made Shirt it had been washed and worn so much that it looks like it's from the actual 1960's, and at that low price, and in my Size, who Cares?  *Smiles*  That Vendor too had mostly worthless Crapola, but low prices on the few Nice items they had in their Upstairs Booth.  I trawl the Upstairs Vendors coz Rents are lowest up there and a lot of the Newer less Experienced Vendors Rent Space up there and often have the best Deals, if not consistently the best Inventory.  It was very busy and a lot of Cases were going to Last Call coz they had some Slacker Lazy Key-Dealers working the Sale.

My Co-Worker Friend Jeff and his Wife Cindy were there and Jeff was talking with me about how laisse faire the Dealers were who were working this Sale.  He's complained to Management about the Slackers who work on the Shifts he works, he's fed up with doing double the work coz of Lazy people and I don't blame him.  He's kept his Permanent Shifts and doesn't wanna give them up over Lazy Ass Co-Workers who aren't up to the Job and Management isn't confronting about it.  I like working with Jeff and he's relieved if I'm filling in for someone he'd rather NOT work with.  *LOL*  He'd like for me to fill-in for some Day Shifts, but he knows why I can only Work Nights and as only a Fill-In.  And Why I gave up my permanent Shifts too.  His Wife used to be The Man's VA Clinic Nurse before she Retired.  They know his Health has been steadily declining.  She still really Cares about him.

 

Our Mall never did do much for Valentine's Day in the way of Merchandising for it, they do have some Easter, not much tho'.  Ours is one of the only Antique Malls where you can't tell what Season it is or what Holiday it is, they rarely have Vendors who do Themes with their Merchandising.   Those that do Holiday Merch, well, they do Christmas all Year in their Booths, so, it's more like that.  I don't know how I finished out last Pay Period on Saturday, but I know I had that $300 worth of Parisian Fashion Art I Sold, so I think I closed out pretty decently overall for the 2-Weeks.   I'd like to have more Serious Collectors of the Good Stuff like that Customer that bought all the Vintage Parisian Fashion Art, but they're few and far between these days now.  Right now the Pokemon Serious Collectors will spend a Fortune, but, that's it.

Even the Militaria Collectors, Disney Pin Collectors, Sports Memorabilia Collectors, Comic Book Collectors, and Coin Collectors, have slowed way down in what they spend and how often they come in to even Buy now.  And due to Tariffs and America's tenuous relationship with all overseas Countries, we no longer get any International Buyers like we used to.  The Canadians, Europeans, and Japanese always came and spent a lot, now they don't come at all.  Arizona is renown for it's Climate and Tourism but we've noticed this Administration just Killed the Tourism Industry deader than Hell.   I have Friends in the Hospitality Industries that said they're concerned it won't ever bounce back now due to the Bad Reputation he's given America???   

I do know most of our International Friends realize most Americans don't align with MAGA Politics.  But it doesn't really matter, when MAGA Mental Policies is destroying International Relations and alienating Allies while cozying up to Adversaries and Bad Actors around the World.   I do Hope that the Midterms don't get cocked up too bad with all the Voter Suppression Tactics the ReTrumplicans are wanting to instigate to disrupt a Free and Fair Election they always Claim everyone else is doing, yet, they're the only ones that actually can't Win unless they commit Fraud or Intimidate Voters.  Now they're spouting some bullshit about having the Right Voters who will Vote for the Right Candidates... pray tell what they really mean by that?  I think we all Know.  

The whole Spin on Illegals Voting has been BS for a long time, and Red Meat for Xenophobes.  Evidence has shown less than .04% ever of Votes were cast by those who weren't Citizens... minuscule percentiles, more Dead Voters cast Votes actually.  *Eye Roll and that's a Statistical Fact BTW*  I think we all know their Wet Dream is to have no Women Voting, no People of Color Voting, no Gays Voting, no Democrats Voting, no Independents Voting... coz only then they would be really able to feel less threatened and if they can't rig the System, they are exceedingly fearful of Losing.   For a Party that used to profess they wanted Less Government in their Business, they sure wanna put a lot of Government in now to everyone's Business, don't they?  I never seen so much Government in my Business as this Regime, in my entire Lifetime!!!

 

I had such Fun falling down the Rabbit Hole of Marble Auctions and looking at the Marble Lots being offered.  I cribbed some Images of some of the Lots I liked best, some priced only for the very Serious heavy hitter Collectors and in the Stratosphere of Marble Collecting, where Money apparently is no Object.  But, they are little Works of Art so worth the Free Visuals.  *Winks*   And, made for some Pretty Blog Fodder to Share too.   Free of Charge.  *LOL*  Did I get Carried Away with it, yep, I did, Free Falling Down that Rabbit Hole and gleefully Cribbing away the Imagery that was a Visual Delight even if I couldn't Bid on 99.9% of these Lovelies.

So, I do Hope you enjoy looking at Marbles as an Art Form coz I'm dumping the whole Bale on ya in this Post my Friends.  *LOL and Winks*  To be sure some of the more unusual ones seemed of irregular shape and smoothness of exterior, that would roll well if you were using them as intended rather than as just a Collectible Display of tiny Glass Art pieces.  And tho' I didn't download Photos of Clay ones, they had those too, which seem to be Collectible and perhaps Older Marble composites?  I don't know the whole History of the Marble or how to Date or differentiate the various Types.  I know us Kids used to give them fancy Names of our own like Steelies, Fireflies, Aquarius, Bumble Bees, Cat's Eyes, Clearies, Agies, Corkscrews, Spaghettio's, Pee Wees and such.

But on Auction sites I did see specific Names given like JABO, Akro Agate, Alley Agate, Peltier, Bennington, Vitro, Latticinio, Marble King, Das, New London, Oxblood, West Virginia Redbuds, Dark Knight, etcetera.   Some Sellers were High End and had some distinctive Product that wasn't anything I'd seen in my Childhood that us Kids were familiar with and may be Art Marbles Produced for Collectors, or Rare Production, and not for Children's Games?   Anyway, enuf about Marble Talk, just enjoy the rest of the Eye Candy of them as we discuss other Topics, not as frivolous, like how to Save the World or prepare for Armageddon.  *Bwahahahaha*

Seems with the enormous amount of Cash bestowed upon ICE that exceeds our whole Military Budget, they're now forcing tiny podunk Towns to tolerate them purchasing Warehouse sized Detention Centers they'll turn into their Concentration Camps.   That will exceed the Populations of said Town's Residents and strain or exceed their available Resources.  So, coming to a Town near you soon.  Larger Municipalities have successfully fought them and prevailed in Court to block Purchases of Buildings.   That rival the size of Amazon Warehouses and were never built to house Prisoners and those ICE is indiscriminately Kidnapping without Due Process and without having commit any Crimes, often being American Citizens they've just Racially Profiled and abducted.  The "Worst Of The Worst" this Regime speaks of is actually themselves, as it turns out.  They've committed more Serious Crimes than anyone they're Targeting.

Is it any wonder I'm choosing Free Falls down Rabbit Holes of the Fluff of Life when the Stuff of Life is so grave and atrocities are being committed all across America now with impunity?!  I fear every time my Loved Ones go out, especially the Younger ones and those in the Family who look more Ethnic.   Coz Phoenix is one of the Battlegrounds and if you're a Family of Flavor, you could be a prime Target for their Gestapo Goons.  Our Communities Locally are using Social Media to Report where they see Raids actively going down.  And it's not where the worst Criminals would be rounded up, if in fact they were actually going after, who they Lie about are their Targets, you know, to make American Citizens allegedly feel 'Safer'.  Nobody is feeling Safer, quite the opposite.

And if those feeling Smug that they aren't coming for them {yet}, I'm pretty sure when they do, it will be far too late my Friends.  If you're only worried about your Four and no more, and don't mind them rounding up your Neighbors, they're counting on that ambivalence, indifference, personal bias, and callous inhumanity you're displaying about your fellow Human Beings.   And so when they do come for you too, don't expect anyone to feel Sorry for you either then.  If you didn't give a shit when it was somebody else, what did you expect when it's finally YOU?  Yeah, they have already rounded up some MAGA Loyalists too, you're not Immune, just coz you aided and abetted, enabled all of this and caused it.  

 

And some of the most Die Hard influential MAGA like MJT finally Woke Up and realized, shit, this is Spun and really fucked up.  And are now running Scared and have their Heads on the Swivel, for their own Safety and that of their Families, coz they got Bulls-Eyes on their Backs now.  What, our Fearless Leaders and Orange Messiah don't Care that 9 Year Old Girls were Sex Trafficked by our Elite, Gasp, the Horror, you mean he's a PART of it and Covering it up?!  I don't know at what Age Raping Children was their fucked up Hillbilly Gold Standard, but apparently 9 got to some of them more than 14 or 16 did?!  And now the Pearl Clutching Realization is hitting them of what these people really are all about.  Well, of coarse not, you Fool, it's of Record he personally Raped a 13 Year Old, and her Name has been out there for Years, so 9 isn't such a Surprise or Stretch really.  

And he is now an adjudicated Sex Offender, coz Pervs and Pedos be doing Perv and Pedo shit, they never stop if allowed to continue and get away with it.  He's bragged about that and of his Bromance Buddy Epstein liking getting them Young for the Parties they ALL attended on The Regular.  They saw, they knew, they were involved, and why the FBI he's rigged and totally corrupted now with Nepo Hires, is redacting Perps Names like a Motherfucker and only exposing the Victims so they are the ones Victimized all the more.  And this goes back a long ways, so, there's lots of dirt and Tea to be spilled Politically and in high places, so, yeah, they're afraid if all Names are Named, they Crash "The Whole System" Globally.   

The Elite obscenely Rich do some really fucked up shit when they can Buy anything and anyone.  And have the Power, Influence and Money to eliminate anyone at any time who might expose them for what and who they are.  Our Tiered Justice System has always gone Light on their Type... I saw it firsthand for too long to not be Cynical.  And if they can't Buy your Children, they'll just Steal them now.  Right off the Streets of America, easy pickins when even a 5 Year Old is Abducted and used as Human Bait, then Imprisoned until the Public Outcry was a bit too loud so they let THAT ONE go, but how many others are there?  We just don't really know, do we?  

How was that Kindergarten Aged Child the "Worst of the Worst" by the stretch of anyone's Imagination, no matter how fucked up your own Moral Compass, Personal Biases, or Imagination is?  What Baby belongs in a Prison or a Cage?  Just how far do you Dehumanize another Human Being?   You know, I'm the type of Human Being with enuf Compassion and Empathy in me I don't even like to see Animals Caged Up and denied their Freedom, Abused or otherwise mistreated, let alone other Human Beings.  But that's me, each Individual has to Square Up with their own Conscience, if they even have one, when they've sunk that low with their particular levels of depravity and Hatreds.   Looking at Pretty Marbles is much easier than looking in the Mirror of America now and what is reflected back of some of those who live among us, isn't it?  We're quickly becoming a Global Spectacle of a Nation of Abominations, aren't we?

Okay, enuf of that, I don't Suspect many of my Dear Readers are Abomination inclined and more likely stand in Agreement with me about this Fuckery and that it must be stopped.  How to do so is complex and when the paradigm shift comes, how it will play out is anyone's best Guess?   The fundamental shift in and Change in our Core Beliefs, Assumptions and World View is really vague right now, isn't it?  We're definitely not all on the same Wavelength, that's for damned sure, here in America and what we want or Hope to Become.  We're definitely seeing Two Americas emerging, one on the Right Side of History and one on the Wrong Side of History... which will prevail remains to be seen, but for sure we'll never be the same due to it, of that I am Sure.  

 

 

I'm paying very close Attention to whose on which Side of that History, you can bet on it.  Nobody can be Neutral in this one even if they wanna be.  To Witness Evil and Do absolutely Nothing in Hopes it will just not Touch You, is to be complicit with it and aiding in it's Purpose and Goals.  Bad Company corrupts even Good Character eventually and over Time.   It's why when someone shows themselves to be Bad Company, I drop 'em like a Rock and distance myself from them.  They're just not gonna turn into Good Company to be exposed to.  So I refuse to be corrupted of my Character by having them around me and mine and be Guilty by Association.  Your Inner Sanctum should be of People you don't have to feel Shame or Fears about cozying up to.  If you do have Shame or Fear of who you're allowing Close to you, then it's time to Clean House my Friends.  Or take a long hard look in the Mirror and see what's reflecting back at you of what and who you've Become or are Becoming?

Anyway... Moving On.  I had to vent coz I've had the Three in the Mornings again and it's happening with more regularity lately.   And the Weirdness of Days is that it kinda feels like we're all Frogs sitting in a Pot of Water on the Stove right now with the Heat turning up slowly but steadily.  To where we'll be boiled Alive and yet never fully realize when it's going to be Fatal to us as a Nation.   And my Nature usually leans more towards Guarded Optimism, and that Humanities Better Angels will prevail, but I'm having trouble Feeling THAT, I ain't gonna Lie and Shine you on.  I keep it 100% here on the Ole' Blog and don't Bullshit you or Sugar Coat Life and keep it Saccharine Sweet, so that it attracts more Readership or 'Likes'.   I can be controversial about my Opinions and I have Strong Ones that I don't often keep to myself, coz I'm not Timid about speaking Truth to Power at all.  Always have, always will.  If you can't Handle the Truth, or Speak your Truth without Fear, you got to Deal with that Weakness in yourself.

Wrong Blog to visit if you avoid Truths and Reality.  I can and sometimes will indulge in the occasional Fantasy and Fluff of Life, it can be Fun and frivolous.   But it's detached from Reality and I can discern Reality from Fantasy and don't Live in some Alternate Reality of my own Creation.  I do see some who do tho', Full Time, not tethered to Reality anymore.  Or Living so Insulated a Life that they wouldn't stray out of their Comfort Zone unless dragged out of it kicking and screaming.  And they wouldn't rock the Boat either coz they might not be a strong Swimmer.  And in a Titanic Moment, they might not even have the Bandwidth to Survive the Shipwreck coming and get their Seat on any existing Liferafts... Natural Selection at Work there.

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Sorry I wasn't a Ray of Fucking Sunshine for this Post... it happens... Dawn... The Bohemian