You know why I'm liking that the World Cup being Hosted here is bringing in so many People from around the World who are Soccer Fans? Becoz World Cup Attendees remind us why America is Wonderful... that's why! Now, I know we got our problems, for sure. I Rant about what I don't like a lot, but, I've also been a World Traveler and know that I Love America more than any other Country I've ever visited or lived in. And some of them have been really nice places, don't get me wrong, but, I was always Homesick to return Home to the U.S.A, the Country that is mine and that I Love more than anywhere else in the World. I'm so fortunate to be an American, even tho' in this Political Climate I'm also frustrated to be one, Two things can be True at the same time.
And I'm glad that people who've heard a lot of Bad things about America and are coming here for the 1st time ever, are raving about us in a Positive way, and having a great experience during their visit. They're in Awe of things we Americans take for granted. And becoz we're so used to it, don't even realize nobody else has it in the World! And I always watch Bill Maher coz I just LOVE Bill and his Show. He always has Guests on that I want to see him interact with and interview. This Night he had J.D. Vance on... and Raphael Warnock. Now, I knew I'd like Warnock, I'd like Raphael to be President actually, I think he's a good Man and an excellent Politician... so few of those around that I can say that about. But, my Surprise was, that I liked J.D. in his Interview with Bill, not expecting that at all!!! *Gasp! Yeah, I know!!!* How did that happen?!
He came across not so much like a Bullshit Artist, tho' I know he can be one and usually is. On Bill's Interview he seemed more Authentic. And my Spidey Senses spiked and I thought to myself, humnnn... seems to me like J.D. be Gaming the Game and the fame... Playing the Player with Donnie Two Dolls to usurp him and replace him??? Gave me a different angle of how he's Playing the Game Politically. I mean, at one time he did compare Donnie to Hitler, and so when Orange Hitler chose him as his V.P. you couldn't be more Surprised than I was, given how much Smack Talk and Shade J.D. had done against Heil MAGA Cult Messiah. I do think Donnie may be catching on and why he's got Rubio so far up his Ass now, scheming to replace J.D. and why Donnie is trying to throw J.D. under the Bus now and discard him as a handy Scapegoat. But, the Interview with Maher did reveal some stuff about Ole' J.D. that was in a Word... veeeeeery Interesting... as they used to say on "Laugh In" as Arte Johnson's Satirical German WWII Character. *Winks*
Of coarse Bill had also Interviewed Mike Pence, so he's killing it with getting Vice Presidents to be on his Show. And Honestly, even Cyborg Pence came across a lot more Human during his Interview too. What bothers me is that Bill can never get the Democrats high up the Food Chain to come on... he's tried... they won't do it. I have to wonder Why, since, really... if the ReTrumplicans are Game and Brave enuf to face Bill and be in the Hotseat on his Show, it at least shows that they are willing to take some punches and state their case, whatever it may be, and whether or not I agree with it, I can Respect that with whoever the Guest is. Even if I loathe their current Political Party's way of doing everything. But I tell you what, as much as I loathe everything MAGA stands for... I'm not liking where the Extremist Democratic Left is heading with the Democrat Socialists. It's like the Left's version of MAGA, which is disturbing, sans the constant Lying and making things up. So far anyway.
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Have you heard some of these People, like Darializa Avila Chevalier, who was just Elected in NY?! Christ on a Bike... she's OUT there in Extremist Far Left Field, isn't she!!? Fuuuuck! If that's where the Democrats are going, my Vote is really in Question and up in the Air now!!! Being very Anti-Partisan I don't LIKE either Party anyway, been disenchanted with damned near all of them for a long, long time. But 2016 and The Cult of MAGA along with their Orange Jesus, who I knew was exactly what he's always been and attracts Weird and Extremists in a way like nobody else probably ever, did make me Vote Blue No Matter Who, coz... well... would have no part of that Insanity and Fuckery. But, these Democratic Socialist Extremists, swing from one Extreme to yet another, also want no part of that Insanity and potential Fuckery either. I don't think Socialism is a dirty Word or particularly scary to me, Socialized Medicine for example I'm completely On Board with, as most Progressive 1st World Nations have had it a long time for their People, we're the only ones who don't.
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Most of what Bernie Sanders says makes Sense to me and to most Young People I've talked to actually, and Bernie is an Independent, not a Democrat, and I'm an Independent, just more Moderate leaning than Ole' Bernie. *LOL* He's the longest Serving Independent Member of Congress in U.S. History and that Staying Power speaks for itself, Bernie has some Common Sense Policies, which if passed and implemented, would Solve and be Solutions to a lot of Problems in sensible ways that are not the least bit Extreme, even tho' he's quite the Socialist. I didn't Vote for Bernie when he ran for Prez, coz I would have preferred Andrew Yang and was part of the Yang Gang, Andrew left the Democratic Party in 2021 to become an Independent, he's also very Smart, very Common Sense in Policies that would be very Helpful to Solving American Problems.
He's more comfortable trying to Fix The System than being a part of it, I Like that. That's my Tribe of peeps in Politics. I have zero Hang Ups about an Intelligent Asian Man being President, but I knew far too many Americans would so he'd never Win. Any more than a Woman would... especially a Woman of Color, so tho' I Voted for Kamala and thought she'd make a Fine President, I knew she would not Win. I think she came closer to Winning than I thought... and against Donnie Two Dolls she should have Won, but, his abysmal 1st Term had not Taught his Supporters a damned thing. And of coarse I was Right and she didn't and I do Believe it had more to do with Gender and Race than any other reason and nobody could convince me otherwise. It stuck in the craw of too many Americans that she was even VP coz she was a Woman AND Black. I know how biased Racially and how Patriarchal America still is and it won't change in my Lifetime unfortunately. I always held out Hope it would tho', but, it hasn't and it won't before I'm Toes Up. We got a tonnage of Evolution and Evolving to go... *Le Sigh*
But, back to my Point of this Post, that America is, as a Country, still Wonderful and there's nowhere else like it in the whole World. It's why so many from all over the Globe flock here and want to become Americans and be a part of the American Dream. Yes, that Dream is wobbly, but, compared to most other parts of the Globe, it still has the Promise that many other places don't have at all, to do anything and be anyone you want to be. Sure, some Poor will stay Poor, but some Poor have Made It and Prospered too in America. My Dad was a Fine Example of a Man with very limited Education and almost no Opportunity, who still made himself a good Life with a successful and Honorable Military Career spanning 27 Years and was also a Master Chef in Civilian Life. He told me I could do anything I wanted to do and be anything I wanted to be, I just had to work harder than any Man or White Person to attain it, so, I did, and he was Right.
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I was an Assistant Vice President of a Bank before turning 23 Years Old. In an Era where it was a Good Ole' Boy Network and the vast majority of other Bank Executives were Old White Men wearing Power Ties with complete disdain for Females in positions of Authority. And there is a lot still Wrong, and stuff that won't get Fixed, mebbe ever and certainly not in my Lifetime. But I do think most of America will stand on the Right Side of History and those who stand on the Wrong Side of History will be accountable for it, one way or another. Karma does have a way of evening things out in The End. And I just think Public Pressure will go a long way when the Majority get Fed Up and Resist strongly. There are very few folks I know who want constant Chaos, Drama, Headaches in their Daily Lives that could be avoided and are caused by outside influences that disrupt their way of Life and cause Hardships for them. And America is still the best Country in the World to Live in IMO. I try to be Mindful and Grateful of that even when I'm Bitching about our current Political Fuckery and Woes.
Speaking of Resistance, I watched a really good Movie on NetFlix Tonight called "One Battle After Another" {2025} starring an All Star Cast of Leonardo DiCaprio, Benicio del Toro, and Sean Penn, well worth watching, it's an Activism Inspired Drama, but also rather a Dark Comedy. With that Cast I knew it would be good and they play well off one another's Characters. I enjoyed each Actor's Character Portrayal. I haven't seen Penn in anything in a long time coz I know he works behind the Scenes in Hollywood now Producing and Directing, I always Loved his Body of Work. DiCaprio and Benicio also are some of my favorite Actors. It does have an Activism Theme to it relevant to Today's messy World and Injustices abounding. Penn is well known for his Humanitarian Activism and he's very hands-on and doesn't mind being Controversial when doing it. I applaud him for that, it can be risky.
The Daughter Works Noon to Four in Chandler Today, The Son finished all the Yardwork in prep for Irrigation coming at a ridiculous time Monday Morning again. We've had shitty Rotation Hours the past few times, wee Hours of the Morning where he has to be Asleep to get enuf Rest for Work, since he Works Early Shifts starting at 5:00 a.m., so he can't stay up 'til 2-3 in the Morning to do Irrigation for us. So, The Daughter and I have had to do it instead and she gets Scared at Night about Scorpions and Paranoid about what might 'get' us as we're wading around in the pitch Black Darkness. Our Mini Farm Community is very Rural Dark after Sunset even tho' we're in the Heart of the City. So you can't see your Hands in front of your Face after Dark.
Well, we're back from The Daughter's Gig, while waiting on her to finish the Work I found a GOODWILL Clearance Center in the East Valley. It's got AC, the West Valley Location in a Warehouse is bigger but doesn't have AC. You pay by the Pound, like $2.18 a Lb. and they had really nice Brand Name Clothing and Shoes there, so I got some for each Family Member, including a T-Shirt by Versace and a Gay Pride Pair of Overalls. I had 9 Lbs. worth of Clothing and Shoes, very pleased with my Haul from there and it's near the Antique Mall I always go to there in Chandler. Also next door to the Clearance Center was a "Dollar General" that was Closing so they had everything marked 30%-50% Off. I got Eli his Food, Treats and Litter. I got the Colorful Cheerful Wreath Below for the Front Door for Summer from SAVERS and got some more Fiesta Ware Vintage Coffee Mugs. Someone must have Donated their whole Fiesta Ware Collection to that Location the Granddaughter Works at?!
Below was my Brunch from "Tipsy Egg", the Manager there now feels like he Knows me and always comes up and talks with me, nice Guy. He said, you're here late Today, coz it was past Breakfast and damned near Lunchtime becoz her Work Hours were later this time. I told him I'd gotten to Sleep In and The Daughter had a later Gig. He'd been there since 6:00 a.m. and I told him usually I keep those kinds of Hours now myself, so it was a Luxury to "Sleep In" until 8:00 a.m. and not have to get a Kiddo to Work until Noon. *Smiles* I don't think a lot of folks would consider rolling out of Bed at 8:00 a.m. as "Sleeping In" tho'. Especially Retired Folk. *LOL* He Laughed at that Truth. He probably came up to talk to me Three different times coz it was thinning out by Brunch coz they Close after Lunchtime, they don't do Dinner there, it's strictly a Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch Restaurant in Old Town Chandler's Main Street.
They won't be having their Monthly Event at "Highland Yard Vintage" again until Fall. They Close it for the Summer Months. It's in a huge Warehouse Space behind the Antique Mall and perhaps it's not Economical to Cool that thruout the Summer? A lot of Businesses Close for the Summer Months due to the Heat and the fact Visitors and Snowbirds have left by late Spring, sometimes even early Spring, depending on how Hot it gets early on now. With Climate Change we're Heating Up even during Fall and Winter Months now. They'd done their 250th Anniversary Patriotic Themed Event before Closing for the Summer and it was really good and a nice way to Close Out for the Season. Their Antique Mall does more Theme Decorating Seasonally and for Holidays than our Mall's Vendors do. I've yet to go to the newest Antique Mall that Opened recently, a lot of my Vendor Friends have Rented Space there already. So, I'll have to make a Pilgrimage there and check out the Competition. *Winks*
It's called "America's Antique Mall" and is at 2820 West Dunlap, so, closer to our other Downtown Phoenix Antique Mall's Location than ours. They Opened in early May. It's large, 45,000 sf and we're 55,000 sf, our Downtown Location is 45,000 sf so it rivals that one but is 10,000 sf smaller than our Location. I'm glad it Opened tho' coz we've lost a lot of Antique Stores, Malls and Specialty Shops. I prefer Shopping for Vintage items and Salvage, so those are the places I become a Regular Customer and like to trawl. I'm not one to often go to Big Box Stores unless I specifically Need something they have that's Essential. And I don't tend to look around much at any place that only Sells Mass Produced Merch, it's not Interesting to me, there are no "Deals", and Mass Produced Product has no real Value, so is no Investment Vehicle on the Buy of it.
I do Hope you're having a Great Summer my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian
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