Category Archives: Auntie Lenora

AI for Laughs Plus…

2 Replies

Weather in the Tries:
Snow, thaw, freeze, thaw, cold, not quite so, in other words: blech!

AI for Laughs Plus…
AI has infiltrated not only our lives, but the lives of our computers, too. I’m not a fan of AI, but I can see where it has advantages. And not. My biggest gripe with AI is when I make a call and have to touch key 3 and ask a question to which I receive an answer to a question not asked. I find it fascinating that we humans have been able to design and build a computer that thinks and learns, and faster than we can.

Well, I spend waaaaay too much time prowling around through YouTube, especially when I’m fighting a cold or something similar, and I have found some of the most fun stories on YouTube. There are several channels—Revenge Road, The Storyteller’s Haven, Revenge Alley, and more I can’t remember. 

Of course, I have no proof, but I’m pretty sure the stories I’ve heard are, well, not quite ‘right.’ They sound, in many cases like they were written by men who don’t have a clue what a woman is, how she thinks, what she wants in life—or fiction. And the narrator’s voice well, it doesn’t ‘fit’ either. Words are mispronounced—usually to great peals of my laughter. City dwellers sound like they were raised out on the range, cowboys sound like Oxford Scholars. Women sound like Jackie Kennedy wannabees. One of my favorite lines takes place in a hospital room, where the quiet hum of the machines and “the constant drip of the four…” I’ll let you figure that one out. Enjoy your laugh.

The narrator frequently speeds up or slows down for no reason I can discern. The emPHASIS is not consistent with the word or accepted pronunciation that I’m familiar with. The stories I’ve listened to are supposed to be some kind of drama (if you’re old enough, think old time radio drama, without the music, or professional writers). All in all, they are fun, though I enjoy the AI videos more. Think Zythi studio. They put out short pieces with dragons and spaceships, and aliens, oh my. Music, and a bit of a story, but a lot of beauty. My guess is that they are an ad studio and what’s on YouTube are ads for their ads. Whatever, they are short and very enjoyable. 

As the lady on Anka Daily News says, though “AI is very advanced, it’s still not as good as us.” Boy Howdy, is she correct!

Photo of the Week:
The little pond outside our apartment is frozen solid, all the way to the bottom, I think. The kids had great fun shoe skating and with their skating on the ice and snow, etc., it now reminds me of a storm at sea. I love how the green of the algae on the bottom shows through.

from the desk of the warm dog;
my human is getting her voice back. it’s been a long time. she said something to me this morning and housemate dan heard her. 

Video of the Week:
 Texas Judge Can’t Believe What Was Said In His Courtroom – YouTube  This is marvelous, a huge shoutout for Judge David Fleischer!!!

Earworm of the Week:
INKA GOLD – GHOST RIDERS IN THE SKY live at Mesa Regal Resort AZ – YouTube This has been one of my favorite songs since I was a little girl. 

Quotes of the Week:

“If your actions inspire others to dream more,
learn more, do more and become more,
you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams

“Re-examine all you have been told. 
Dismiss what insults your soul.” 
~Walt Whitman

Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ “We are all related” ~ Lakota Saying

Love n Hugs to you all, 
be well!

Something Scary That Way Goes

Leave a reply

Weather in the Tries:
“Oh, myyyy” (to quote my favorite Uncle George). It’s gonna be really, really, REALLY cold the nights of this week. Invite a wild beast in to stay warm in your home at night. Temps will be in the high teens to low twenties. The daytime highs will be slightly higher, in the low thirties, with a couple of days above mid-thirties. I spelled out the numbers because they don’t look so cold in letters instead of numbers. I find my happiness, and warmth, wherever I can 😉 Wherever you are, I hope you are warm, safe, and enjoying life.

Something Scary That Way Goes:
I get a lot of my news off my computer. I subscribe to two newspapers, one local, one not, but I also subscribe to Anka and a few others to get news of what’s going on over there. Wherever over there is. This morning, I saw something somewhat scary in a report on the Russia-Ukraine war. I don’t know who the soldiers belonged to—hard for me to tell one army’s camos apart from another army’s camo in a quick look. Anyhow, there was a group of soldiers standing around, conversing, and one of them wore dangly earrings that caught light and tossed it every time they moved their head. 

When I was in the military, earrings were allowed only when we were off duty. It seems to me having a soldier wear earrings in uniform, especially camos in a battle zone, is akin to lighting three smokes off one match in the dark.  Of course, if the earring was worn by one of our enemies, heck, ship the whole battalion some really blingy bling 😉 Maybe some for everyday camo wear, and something for nighttime camo wear? Yessss, my loveliesssssss……..

Housemate Dan finally convinced me to go get a flu test. Symptoms didn’t warrant a flu test, but I did get a test for Strep. It’s negative. However, I have been told it’s that really bad cold that’s going around and lasts a full two weeks plus some now and then. Got prednisone to help with the pain/inflammation of the sore throat and told not to talk or sing and only speak in whispers, as if I have a choice. When I’m masked, no one can hear my whispers. This is worse than Covid, when I had it! Thank goodness I’m current on ALL of my vax. Keep those vax current, if you can. I’m not a doctor, and I never played on in high school, but I’m pretty convinced this coulda been a whole lot worse if I hadn’t been vaxxed to the max.

Mini Memoir:
When I was 16 or 17, and quite wise to the ways of the world (NOT) a dirty movie with a rape scene came out and was (maybe) Banned in Boston, Poor White Trash. In reading the Wikipedia article I’m now positive I saw the 1961 version or the second edited release. It doesn’t really matter. The first thing that had my gal pal and me in giggles (that didn’t stop) was the theme song that played during opening credits, the song, Poor White Trash. Talk about appropriating what ain’t yours! The banjo work is pretty good, but, well, watch the clip, and tell me if the melody doesn’t call forth older lyrics of Mammy’s Little Baby… I enjoyed seeing the clip, and it sure brought up some fun memories. I vaguely remember it was Banned in Boston, but I’m old and have gray hair, and my memory ain’t whut it usta be 😉

One of the funniest parts was at the very end. Normally, theaters of the day brought up the lights slowly during end credits. The night we attended, the lights went from off to on, no slow rising. Most of the audience was already on their way to the exits. Most of that same audience were little old ladies and little old men who were sooooo embarrassed being seen leaving that kind of a movie, and hoping none of their church/civil buddies in good standing saw them. You know, like a Baptist will never see another Baptist at the liquor store? My gal pal and I laughed so hard our sides hurt! 

Photo of the Week:
the light at the upper is sunshine, the light at the lower is reflected from windows. This is our frozen duck pond with ice and snow. Our apartment is to the right.

from the desk of the big dog;   
my human still can’t talk. or sing. she can’t carry a tune, so seldom sings unless housemate dan is out of the house. but the people vet said she should be fine by the time this is in your mailbox. she isn’t. I’m glad she doesn’t still have her cow bell. I don’t like those kinds of noises. we had snow Tuesday night, and it’s pretty to look at, but not to walk in. I don’t have boots and the snow gets between my toes and it’s cold. I’m going back to bed where it’s warm. have a nice week.

Video of the Week:
Holy moly guacamole! Watch this 6-minute of Ilia Malinin skate & jump. WOWZA!! HUZZAH!! GOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!!

Earworm of the Week:
US Navy and Marines in Afghanistan Gangnam Style Parody. I always enjoyed Gangnam Style, and when I found this, I found it utterly delightful. We need something fun today, don’t we?

Quotes of the Week:
I lost a dear friend Monday night. Her doctor put her on new chemo meds, and the new meds while more aggressive on her cancer, were also extremely aggressive on her, and she stopped taking them. I never met Janie close enough for hugs, but she was one of the poet/writers who welcomed me to a large open mic zoom group, and encouraged my writing. We met every week, she was one of the reasons I looked, and look, forward to Sundays, and the group, which has, in no small part, become a very large, essential, and beloved family to me. For Janie Meinie with much love:

“Death is not extinguishing
the lamp; it is putting out the light 
because the dawn has come.”
~ Rabindranath Tagore

“Re-examine all you have been told. 
Dismiss what insults your soul.” 
~Walt Whitman

Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ “We are all related” ~ Lakota Saying

Love n Hugs to you all, 
be well!

Every Coin Has Two Sides

Leave a reply

Weather in the Tries:
Going to be cold. Still. However, if it matters, it’s cloudy outside today, 2 Feb, so if I venture out, it’s pretty sure I won’t see my shadow. Phew. There may be an end to this yet. Nights will be in the 20s, and days in the 30s. Friday, we may get some snow on Friday, and Sunday, we may actually get some sunshine and 42F. Of course, a lot of this depends on how well fed the WeatherPerson is, yes?

Believing every coin has two sides:
(I won’t get technical with the statement they all have 5 sides, because I don’t like numbers and…) I have looked at this week past with the sunny side v. the cloudy side. I’ve been fighting a cold, a sore throat, and laryngitis. My kids used to love it when I’d lose my voice—until they realized the cow bell tolled for them. Mothers must learn to be devious if they’re, well, mothers.

So I’ve had some extra snuggle/nap time with the dog, read a few books, and had a grand excuse for watching a lot of things on YouTube. If you’ve followed Auntie Lenora for any time, you know I have a thing about Ancient China, especially during the Spring and Autumn Wars and the Warring States period, and of course the First Emperor and then the time of Genghis Kahn. When I came across a 25-minute video about a young man who made a replica of King Gaujian’s sword from the Spring and Autumn period, I had to watch. I wish the video had told us what he was doing at each step, and how long each step was. The original sword was made of bronze, and when found in 1965 in an ancient tomb in Hubei was remarkably well preserved. The wood scabbard that covered it was almost air-tight.

There is a marvelous map of Ancient China showing both Yue and Wu with modern cities shown in parentheses. Look to the Southern Coast. (Hangzhou) is just below the ancient border of Yue while (Shanghai) is near the southern edge of Wu. If any of you read my novel, My Adventures as Brother Rat, you read about the war between Wu and Yue. 

And I read a couple of truly fun books by Rebecca Ross, Book 1 A River Enchanted and Book 2 A Fire Endless. I think they might be classified as Romantasy. The author married old Celtic and Norse mythologies to write two truly fun books. Brain Candy of the highest flavor and NO CALORIES. I don’t regularly read ‘romance’ but this came highly recommended, and is a romance like the Outlander Books by Diana Gabaldon are romance books. Oh, wait, those are romantasy, too.

I also watched a whole lot of Tasting History! Must get the cookbook!!!

Photo of the Week:
While walking the dog the other day, I was caught by the sparkles on a frozen windshield. Didn’t think much of the pix after I took it, then got to looking at it, rotated it 90 degrees, put it into b/w (noir) and have a rather good shot of Sunrise on Europa and one of her sister moons seen in the background. Who says we have to book a trip with Musk to travel through the galaxies? 

from the paws of super dog;
we had a few days of sunshine, but not much in the way of warmth. I finally convinced my human to take me out without my sweater. yes sweater helps keep me warm, but it’s uncomfortable. makes me like coming into a warm home better when I’m without it. I like my warm home, especially when my human covers me with her sweater on the bed. I don’t stay under it long, but I love to sleep on it.

Earworm of the Week:
Not sure when I first found Sound of Silence by Disturbed, but it’s been one of my faves for years. Just found another one, not quite as dark (if that’s the right word) when he performed for Conan’s show. I like it, but the official music video compels me to sing out loud with it. I only play it when my housemate is not home. He’s happier not to hear me, and I’m happier to sing it full volume in my tuneless voice. Which version do you like the best?

Quotes of the Week:

“There is no greater privilege than accompanying the dying, to witness a soul’s transition from this world to the next. There is no greater heartbreak either. The capacity to hold these two extremes in the cradle of compassion is what determines the quality of our presence. It is what determines the depth of care we embody and ultimately it becomes our practice, our rehearsal for that day when each of us dies.” ~David Maginley, “Beyond Surviving”

“Re-examine all you have been told. 
Dismiss what insults your soul.” 
~Walt Whitman

Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ “We are all related” ~ Lakota Saying

Love n Hugs to you all!

Addendum:

Just heard that one of my all time favorite You Tubers, Andrew, the Desert Drifter, was in a horrendous auto accident and is currently in ICU with severe injuries, including a brain injury. I don’t often ask you to donate, but only if you have it, can afford it (even if just a couple dollars), please consider going to https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-crosses-with-medical-expenses. I really miss the desert SW, and the Desert Drifter’s video keep me from being too homesick. Check out the Desert Drifter. Leave a Like. Leave a comment for his family. Leave a good thought, and if you worship a god who answers prayer, leave a prayer.

What Heroism Looks Like

Leave a reply

Weather in the Tries: 
Gonna be cold nights most of the week—23F to 37F. The two nights above freezing will be cloudy and rainy. The days will start at 37F and work up to 47F (can you say rain?) and down to 39F. The first 3 days will be sunny, then the gray, and wet, move back. 

What Heroism Looks Like:
I am not a hero. I did not watch any of the festivities of the swearing-in of FFOTUS (First Felon of the United States). I figured there would be plenty of snippets on YouTube later. And there were and still are. From his oath not taking with his left hand by his side, not on the stack of FFOTUS Bibles to the sermon by Washington Bishop Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde to those of the FF Family (FFF or F3 of Fcubed, which is better?) who attended, as well as the regular attendees. (I’m fairly sure there were enough seats for the regulars as well as the FFF). Watch Hero Budde and the FFF &c conspicuous in the front pews. 

For one Christian to beg another Christian to show love and mercy seems downright weird. I mean, isn’t that what they are supposed to do? Wish they’d spend more time on Matthew 5:3-10 and less on Exodus 20:2-17. I get asked every so often why I am no longer a Christian. I often respond by telling them I couldn’t stand the hate anymore. I don’t miss the guilt, either.

I don’t know which made me the sickest—that the traitorous FFOTUS and his side kick were sworn in, or that the South African Nazi GAVE THE NAZI SALUTE TWICE IN OUR CAPITOL! Did you see his expression—pure venom, hate, anger. It was NOT enthusiasm, at least not joyous enthusiasm. He should be deported before you read this! (I am forever the optimist. He won’t be.)

When I was stationed in Germany in ’67, ’68, my dearly beloved and I would go down to Basel, Switzerland every so often for a week-end away, and stay at a nice hotel. We’d go down to the bar and order our beer. Then we’d be quiet, and listen. When we needed a refill, we’d just raise our hand, or show our empty glass. Pretty soon, the good old boys would forget we were there and start talking about the good old days in Germany (right across the river/border), before the Reich fell, and how they were working to re-establish it. Little did Dearly Beloved and I believe they would succeed and in the USA, to boot! I’m glad he died years ago and didn’t live to see this sad state of affairs materialize. We thought the Eagle would get tired of rattling his sword. We were wrong.

And the oligarchs (I like my spelling better, oligarks, but spell check had a hissy fit. I just added it to my dictionary, so you may see it again/snicker/) staring at Jeff Bezo’s girlfriend’s boobs, especially Zuck. But did you notice where Jeff was staring? Doesn’t it make you proud to be an American with those wonderful, loving, caring, billionaires, I mean people, leading us? and giving us the honor and privilege to happily pay their share of taxes?

No, we should NOT compromise with them. Why not ask a Judge to compromise with a murderer at sentencing? Can’t be done! Or a student to ask the teacher to compromise over studies (not that they have any anymore) and test scores? Or an employee to ask her boss to compromise on pay? We will not give up our rights, birthrights or other rights. 

Another hero, who should have been our president long ago. It’s only a 7 minute video. Check it out. We do have heroes. We just need to find them, and LISTEN to them. Listen up. Pay attention. They’re here.

Do Not Obey in Advance.

Do Not Compromise with them.

Do not let them get away with swearing to defend our Constitution against enemies both foreign and domestic, and then piss on it within minutes. FFOTUS, when your yellow stream hit the sheepskin upon which our Constitution was written, did the ink run? did the skin shrivel and dissolve into dust? did it go out in a blaze of glory?

Photo of the Week:
took this a few days ago, the pond still hasn’t thawed in our inlet. where the sun hits it at the other end, it thaws a bit, then freezes again. on day one, there was one rock. on day two a few. now there are even more. from some of the evidence, I think most are being thrown in by small rock throwers. better they throw at the ice than living beings 😉

from the desk of the mighty dog;
you humans are really weird. why don’t you let the pack decide who is top dog/ then if you don’t like him, run him out. banish him to the forest or the desert or the swamp. if he doesn’t go like he should, well, the pack has other ways to defend itself.

Earworm of the Week: 
Official music video for ‘Wolf Totem’ by the HU. Read the words of the translation, that’s why I put in this link. A good protest song!

Quotes of the Week:

“Remember: The Lord works in mysterious ways—
but karma works in hilarious ways.”
~ God @godpod.bsky.social

Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ “We are all related” ~ Lakota Saying


“Re-examine all you have been told.
Dismiss what insults your soul.”
~Walt Whitman

Addendum:
I started writing this post on Tuesday of this week, and I am old and lazy and don’t want to rewrite the beginning, but today, Thursday, there is an update on the Good Bishop Budde. FFOTUS demanded an apology (poor, whiny FFOTUS got his widdle feelers hurt). In an interview with Time this week, she made it crystal clear she isn’t backing down. “My faith compels me to stand up for truth, justice, and love—even when it means defying powerful figures who seek to distort it,” she declared. “I am not going to apologize.” [emphasis mine] copied from Letters from God.

Things For Which I Am Grateful

Leave a reply

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT:
this is 2025, 2025, 2025, get used to it

Weather in the Tries:
Wow, I really blew it last week. I’ll try to get it right this week (takes deep breath) here goes: The lows for this week will be 32-34 and the highs will range from 30 to 48! two days in a row. Wonder if the management will open the pool???

Things For Which I Am Grateful:
President Jimmy Carter’s state funeral will be this Thursday. I hope the OP watches it and learns something positive. It’s too bad more churches never met, or if they did, killed him quick, Jesus. Had I attended the Carter’s church in Plains, GA, I might still be a Christian. But I didn’t and I’m not. Here’s a quote that kinda makes my case: “Homosexuality was well known in the ancient world, well before Christ was born and Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things he never said that gay people should be condemned.” ~ President Jimmy Carter.

Did I tell you I’m on Bluesky? I think so, but I’m old and forget things. One of the things I love is it seems much more positive than X, in fact, God @godpod.bsky.social is on it. S/He makes it worth the move. I’m Lenora Good @lenora2.bsky.social should you care to visit.

I will continue my weekly foray into Facebook for a while, probably until 2025 wanders out, only because my chapbook, Saying Goodbye to Thomas will be released to Pre Order effective 24 Feb-2 May, with general release in June. I really want people to pre order, as that is what my royalty is set to, and I want lots of royalty to divide in half between ALS Assoc and End of Life WA.

I must admit, I am extremely grateful to be alive in this time and not in the ‘good old days’ of yore. I’ve seen a lot of new things come and old things go. I saw a pufferbelly pull the train I was riding when I was a little kidlet, I saw the first diesel locomotive pull into Portland OR. I saw the rise of antibiotics, and the first polio vaccine. I saw the arrival of The Pill, and boy howdy was I grateful for that one. BTW, the doctor who gave us The Pill was a Roman Catholic. I witnessed HIV/AIDS go from a death sentence to a chronic illness, and I’ve seen some, but not enough, total reversals. I saw men walk on the moon, books become available in choices of bindings, type size, electronic, and audio available on our phones. 

People get upset at Amazon, claim it’s gotten rid of the mom and pop bookstores, but it really hasn’t. I fear it has made a good sized dent to a lot of traditional publishers, though. However, it has helped many of the small Independent publishers grow. Amazon pays a living wage, at least here in Kennewick where they hired my kids. 

I remember when Fred Meyer’s (in Portland OR) was a five and dime store. Then they added a few staple groceries. Then a lot of staple groceries, and home dec, and electronics, and paint, and a plant nursery. And people started shopping there because it became a one-stop-shop. I shopped there for years, until they sold out to Kroger. When they did that, they started selling Kroger stuff, and I would have to go to 2 or 3 different stores to get my groceries. Fuggedaboutit! I shifted over to WinCo. But they, too, have cut way down on a lot of their bulk foods/spices. 

But, you know where I can get a lot of stuff that is not available in Kennewick (at least not that I’ve found)? You got it, Amazon.com. And I don’t have to get dressed if I don’t want to, I don’t have to go out in the cold, I just have to wait a couple of days to get what I need. But I haven’t heard anyone complain about Amazon deliberately setting out to put grocery stores out of business. 

Back to the gratefuls—I am truly grateful for YouTube and related. This morning, as I was going through my newsfeed, I came across Freddie Mercury singing operatic, every time this pops up in my feed, I watch and love it, and him, all over again. Brings to mind the saying that one never truly dies until no one remembers them. A couple stories down the list, I had the pleasure of watching and listening to Snarky Puppy. And then a short video came up of a young woman playing the violin while on a boat and the whales coming up to listen to her. It would be interesting if someone would follow those whales and see if they incorporate a bit of classical music into their whale song. Every so often, I have to get my royalty fix and call up the forever young and sexy Freddie Mercury. Yep from 78s to 33s to 45s to tape, to CD, to streaming. It’s great to be alive today!

And Zoom! (Remember the old Mazda commercials with the kid saying, “zoom, zoom”?) Well, thanks to the Pandemic, I discovered the new and improved Zoom. Just one. Take Monday last—I attended a poetry reading in NYC, then another, non-poetry reading in Seattle by Sherman Alexie (for those of you who don’t know, Kennewick where I live is in Eastern WA close to the OR border. Driving across the Snoqualmie pass in good weather is a 3-4 hr drive.) Tuesday night was an open mic reading, Friday was a poetry prompt gathering, Saturday a poetry critique and Sunday another open mic, and sometimes a gathering from around the world of poets. I can’t go to Seattle to attend a Sherman Alexie reading, but I can certainly attend via Zoom!! Hm, is that Ladysmith Black Mambazo singing the commercial? And drones. Not weapon drones, photo drones. One of my favorite channels on YouTube is the Desert Drifter. He backpacks all over the SW desert and shows some fantastic scenery and old homes and granaries of the Old Ones. I can even watch the Bolshoi with minimal searching, check out the Bolshoi Bolero from 1967 no less. I’ve never seen flamenco like this, if in fact is. Whatever it is, it is Spectacular!

How did we ever live without computers and the WWW and Zoom and AI and Word processing, and all these new-fangled things??

But the one thing I am most grateful for? YOU! None of this would be worth anything if I didn’t have you, my friends, my family of choice, my family of blood, to share my wonderful wacky life with. I have been friends with some of you for 65 years plus. How be them thar apples?

First Photo of 2025:
well, this a first. it’s been rainy and gray and I haven’t taken any yet.

from the paws of the big little dawg;
my human left her bedroom door open one the noisy night so I could go hide in her bathroom or the office with housemate dan. neither my human no me got much sleep. but my human still loves me. and there won’t be another noisy night until summer. why do humans love their noise so much.

Earworm of the Week:

Pavel’s Bolero by Wiener Philharmoniker

Quote of the Week from Stressless Country:

“Here’s to the year that lies ahead,
let’s face it with laughter instead.
With humor as our guiding light,
we’ll tackle each day with all our might!”
~ Catherine Pulsifer, Roses Are Red

It is 2025, 2025, 2025, 2025, do not forget

Dancing Sugar Plums

Leave a reply

Public Service Announcement:

Some of you have asked if I could record these epistles. Yes, I can and No, I can’t. In other words: Sometimes. But if you, dear reader, have a vision problem, you need something a bit more reliable than my vocal cords, and I think you very probably have it. I may be wrong, but…IF you use MS Word, there is something called Narrator you can use. I can’t begin to tell you how, but you can go here for information on how to set it up for a PC, and click here for a Mac.You should be able to hear either your own documents, or a page on the web. A great way to check what you’ve written for syntax, etc.
———————————————————————————————————————

Weather in the Tries:
It’s getting warmer —the highs will not only be above freezing this coming week, on Wednesday the high will be in the 50s!! The lows will get almost kissing close to freezing, but not quite. Such a tease.        

Dancing Sugar Plums:
I don’t know about you, but I always considered sugar-plums dancing through the kidlet’s heads to be, well, sugared plums. I have been shown the truth. There are no sugared plums in sugar-plums. Did Clement Clarke Moore lie to us? No. (phew. that’s a relief). I found a fascinating 22 minute program on YouTube, Tasting History: Victorian Sugar Plums.

I don’t know if Max Miller, who hosts Tasting History, is a trained chef or a trained historian, or both, or neither. Obviously, he loves history, at least he loves kitchen history, and cheffing. Should that be chefing? 

I really implore you to watch the video. You deserve a break today, besides this one, of course. Pour yourself a cuppa your favorite warm libation—tea, coffee, mulled wine—and sit back, relax, and enjoy this instructive video. The subject of sanity arises in the video—well, you’ll see what I mean when you watch it.

I strongly hope you will quell the urge to make your own, and just go out and buy them, instead.

Wee tiny small quilts:
When I moved back to the Tries from ABQ, I decided I wanted to spend my time on small quilts—table toppers, wall hangings, placemats, no more bed sized quilts. Wee quilts are easier, for the most part, to work on. And take up less space. 

Somewhere along the way, I was told about Lisa Flowers Ross. My wee memory, what’s left of it, tells me I was in correspondence with her father when writing Madame Dorian, Her Journey to the Oregon Country, and somehow quilting came up in one of our conversations. Or perhaps he was just evincing Fatherly Pride in his daughter, Lisa, and her accomplishments. It really doesn’t, at this point in the story, matter. I became a fan of her art and signed up for her newsletter. Be sure to watch the video on the opening page of her website (linked above), it’s about 23 minutes long.

Her last newsletter, had some wee tiny small quilts that were as big as the opening in an 8×10 matt—roughly 3.5” x 5.5” in the matts and frames I bought. I made two as ‘drafts’ before tackling the final ones. I don’t know how she does them, but I strongly suspicion there is very little actual sewing, that most of the pieces are fused. In looking closely at the picture she sent, it looks like the quilting is very minimal. So here are my first two:

Photos of the Week:
This is my first one, Snack Time (apologies for the pinked up white matte and the reflection.)

This is my second, Desert Sunset

from the desk of the sleepy chihuahua;
my human is really weird, but what else is new. it’s winter, it’s cold, and it’s dark. she lets her phone make noise early in the morning. then she lets me out for a few minutes and I go back to bed. does she/ no. she stays up which puts me in a terrible bind. my dogness says I should really be by her side to protect her, but it’s dark outside, and my body says it needs more sleep. I’m very glad she doesn’t get upset with me. now, I’m going back to sleep.

Earworm of the Week:

This isn’t really an earworm, but more of a parody, and I fear I will see it every time I think of the OP. When I Think of Trump, a Yiddish song on YouTube. Enjoy.

Now this is an earworm:
Burl Ives singing the first cover of Ghost Riders in the Sky, recorded 1949. This has been one of my favorite songs since I was a kid, a little kid. My three favorite songs as a kidlet were Ghost Riders in the Sky, Oh Buttermilk Skies by Hoagy Carmichael, I’m Just Wild About Animal Crackers by Mel Blanc. 

The Funky Mood has Abdicated

Leave a reply

Weather in the Tries:
Somewhat warmer, high 30s and low 40s with Sunday on deck to be 49F! Break out the swimwear!! One of the ‘problems’ with the warmer weather  in the winterly months is it usually means wetter weather, too, which robs the air of its warmth.  Somedays I just don’t get no respect. (Thanks Rodney D for a great saying.)

The Funky Mood has Abdicated: 
Well, the funky mood has, I hope, passed. Finally dawned on me that when the dr. changed my neuropathy meds the new ones weren’t quite the same, and the side effects weren’t the same, either. Where the other ones let me sleep a good night, all night, every night, the new ones don’t care if I sleep or not. The old ones were originally used as anti-depressants and for other things like neuropathy, as secondary, so of course I wasn’t in a funky mood. The main thing, though, is the new ones are not as good as controlling the neuropathy pain. I may have to go back to the first ones. 

So a couple weeks ago, I wore my Women’s Army Corps cap to a meeting. Like a good (ex) WAC, I removed my cover (hat) when inside, and laid it on a chair next to my purse. A lady in the meeting saw it, and asked if it was mine. She then proceeded to tell me there’s a group of Lady Veterans in the Tries, and they were having their next meeting Dec 7 and would I like to come. I did like and I did attend. It’s the first time I’ve seen so many Lady vets all in a group since I received my discharge back in 1969.  What fun to have so many gals together. We had quite a gathering, and Santa even left some gifts for everyone! 

And we have a Veteran’s Center! I had no idea. I looked Veteran’s up once, but could only find the clinic, and I don’t qualify. Yes, my discharges were Honorable, but I have excellent insurance through The Boeing Company, so I can’t use the VA system, even on a sliding scale. I’m not complaining.

The other fun thing that happened is I bought a new Roku stick, it came the other day, and I got it all connected and one of the free Roku channels is Midsomer Murders. OMG, I can binge and sew at the same time. I love the Midsomer Murders, I’ve seen several, but so far they’re all new to me. Great fun.

Photo of the Week: 
Here’s my baseball cap. It’s like the other military ones, but for the WAC. I laid out a bunch of my new fat quarters (FQ) to put some color in the picture. A FQ is a quarter yard of fabric, only instead of  cutting 9” off the width of fabric (WOF). It’s 18” of the WOF and that cut in half at the fold so it’s 18” by ½ the WOF. More things can be made from FQs that skinny pieces. I’ll wear my hat, sans the FQ when I attend the Coffee Bunker at the Vet Center this Friday morning.

from the desk of the brave chihuahua;
my human is spending more time in the living room now. she’s watching the telly and sewing. sometimes, she sits on the sofa so I can sit with her and snuggle while she watches the telly. my favorite is when she’s on the sofa. then I can get close and get lots of pets. after all, that’s my primary job description—collect pets and snuggle.

Earworm of the Week:
this isn’t an earworm, per se, but one of several I play while writing. It’s kind of like white noise but prettier. There are several of these ambient soundtracks on YouTube, check them out, find one that works for you. Samurai Meditation For 11 Hour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kch_zrI1YO8&t=2382s

Quote of the Week, courtesy Reader’s Digest https://www.rd.com/article/veterans-day-quotes/ :

“Freedom is fragile and must be protected. To sacrifice it, even as a temporary measure, is to betray it.” —Germaine Greer

“Re-examine all you have been told. Dismiss what insults your soul.” ~Walt Whitman

Funky Mood

4 Replies

Weather in the Tries:
Colder. All praise the creator of electric blankets!!

Funky Mood:
Housemate Dan and I are both in a funky mood of sorts. I don’t think either of us is depressed, but I might be close. I think I’m more scared. I’m scared of what’s going to happen to my country that I love come 20 Jan 25? How could any Veteran vote for the Orange Menace? Or any woman? Or…???

But something came to my inbox on 26 Nov that is just beautiful. From the Friendly Atheist, came this invocation to the Tulsa, OK City Council. I am reprinting it here, with Amy Hardy-McAdams permission. This prayer was inspired by a Medusa sigil and Ritual created by Laura Tempst Zakroff and Ms. Amy asked that full credit be given, and I certainly agree. And here is the prayer:

As a Priestess of the Goddess, I invoke the Gorgonaea, champions of equality and sacred rage. I call to Medusa, monstrous hero of the oppressed and abused. I open the Eye of Medusa, the stare that petrifies injustice.

I call upon the serpent that rises from this land to face the Stars, the movement of wisdom unbound.

May these leaders find within themselves the Embodied Divine, the sacred essence of the spark of the Universe and the breath of the Awen.

Place in the hands of these leaders the sacred work of protecting the sovereignty and autonomy of all our people.

Gorgon Goddess, make them ready and willing to be champions for all in this city, not just those in power.

Shine a light for them, that they may walk the path of justice, protected and prepared, illuminating the darkness.

Endow them with the fire of courage, the waters of compassion, the air of truth, and the strength of the earth itself.

As Above, so below.

As within, so without.

As the universe, so the soul.

May there be peace among you all.

And so it is.

This prayer has brought me more comfort than anything. 

The dog and I had a quiet Indigenous Day. I sewed a little bit, and finished the top of a table topper/wall hanging. And started watching as a binge, Doom at Your Service. A Korean RomConFantasy. I watched it about 3 years ago, and loved it, and am loving this one, too.

I also signed on to Bluesky. So far, none of the Hate from Twitter, though some of the “guys” from Facebook are moving over. “Dear Lenora, I just love the way you write, it’s so clear. I have followed you, would you do me the honor of following me so I can get your posts?” And they use the same photos they used on FB. So, no, I’m not following them.

Foto of the Week:
This is the table topper or wall hanging. It’s 22” x 42”. Frankly I really like the picture better than the actual. The points aren’t right, I’ll probably use it to line my sock drawer.

from the desk of the cold chihuahua;
as my human says, boy howdy, it is cold outside. my early morning walk is fast, short, and over as quickly as I can leave appropriate offerings to the grass gods and human can pick them up and place in the altar box. then it’s home, and back to a warm bed.

You Undoubtedly Noticed

Leave a reply

Weather in the Tries: 
Cold

You Undoubtedly Noticed:
I didn’t post a blog last week! I was with a couple of friends who died, one on Wednesday and the other on Monday. They weren’t close friends, but they were friends.

And then I read an article in (I think) the London Times by a man who was nine years old when his mother was diagnosed with cancer. I don’t remember what happened to Dad, but he wasn’t there. And this young boy became a primary care giver for his mom. She died when he was thirteen. He would take care of her in the morning, before school, and rush home to take care of her after school. He did everything, and when the pain got to be too much, she was taken to a psychiatric hospital, where she spent her last weeks without pain meds, and he would come buy every day on his way home from school to be with her, to help, to care.

He is a politician now, and when the vote comes up for medical assistance in dying in the UK, he will vote against it, because he thinks every child should have the same opportunities he did, to care for his dying parent, like he did. Do watch and listen to them scream in agony. Have you ever heard such selfish drivel? Not once did he think that maybe his mom was in enough pain she would have liked to exit earlier and to spare him the agony of watching her die. Maybe he’s a sadist in disguise.

I don’t know, but I sure think he was being mighty selfish. There was another letter a few days later, by a woman, a priest of her church, I forgot her title. Her letter was a little different, but it came down to suffering is good for the soul and I guess her god likes his humans to suffer now so they won’t suffer later. 

The subject of death came up in our Death Café this afternoon. (now is that a co inky dink? or what? /snort/) and I mentioned that in this state we have Death With Dignity for those who want it and qualify. Yes, people have to jump through hoops to partake, and every effort is exerted to be sure it is what the client wants, and 2 prescribers, one a doctor, agree. And they have the right to say, “No.” at any time. One person asked me if Death With Dignity was euthanasia. Another gal said no, euthanasia is what we do for our pets. I thought that was a good response and agreed with her, and gave the patrons of our café two sites to go to for information.

I think about Death With Dignity like I think about Abortion—if you don’t want either one, don’t have it—but don’t force your god’s peccadilloes down other people’s throats. They have enough to deal with, with their gods and his peccadilloes.

So, that’s why I didn’t write a post last week. I was grieving for two new friends I’d made who died before we could even have an argument, and then read those two letters. I was in no mood to write. Anything. Deal with it.

This Week’s Photo:
Took this photo two years ago this week, at Sheryl’s home. Thomas loved this tree, and could no longer see it as it was in the back of the house, and we couldn’t get him there, so I took the picture so he could enjoy the vibrant reds second hand.

from the desk of the mighty chihuahua;
it’s really cold out, and dark. the sun doesn’t come up until after 7 in the morning, and goes away before I can eat dinner and go for my afternoon walk. my human says another month and the days will start to get longer. I think the sun should be out half the time and the stars the other half. but I’m only a dog, and I don’t get no respect.

Whither Thou Goest

2 Replies

Thank you all my Brothers and Sisters who wore the Uniform when called upon to do so. You and your families are appreciated.

Click below to listen.

Weather in the Tries:
A tad warmer most nights, in the low-mid 40s with the highs in the mid to upper 50s. I don’t mind the really cold temps so much, but they are hard on the Desert Dog. I worry about his little bare feets on the cold concrete. He truly does not like booties or sweaters.

“If You Can Survive Basic, You Can Survive Anything!” 
On the 13th of September 1965, I raised my hand for the first of what would become four swearings-in. The first two were for the Women’s Army Corps (WAC), the second two for the Washington Air National Guard (WANG). To be honest, I don’t remember the first one very much. But I do remember what my Recruiter, SFC Annie B. Hawkins told us gals who were enlisting—If we could survive Basic, we could survive anything. I’ve held onto that saying more times than I can count. 

I survived childbirths, a miscarriage, disappointments large and small, but right now, I feel like I’ve been picked up and dropped into an alternate universe where the language is the same, the buildings, the maps, the times, are all what I’m used to, but the government is about to change into something more horrifying than I’ve ever seen outside of a history book. Or in a book by HP Lovecraft or Harlan Ellison and I have no idea how to navigate the almost-upon-us nightmare of the waking day.

I have family, both by blood and choice, who are immigrants, who are Muslim, who are gay or lesbians, who are trans, who do not worship the god of the victor. The new regime, of king OP, actually, hates all of them, sight unseen. He has promised to take children from their parents, especial parents of the same sex. 

I am utterly amazed at the number of people who think in four years we’ll vote him out. OMG! Were they not listening? IF there is an election in four years, it will be as free as they are in Russia and Turkey and North Korea. Stop thinking in the old terms of four-year election cycles. That time has passed. As the famous opossum once said, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” I looked it up to be sure. I remember it slightly differently, but this is the quote online. I remember it as being slightly ungrammatical, but hey, what good is history if not to revise/whitewash it? And in four years if we do have an election I imagine our choice will consist of either Vance or Junior.

The situation kind of reminds me of a short story I wrote in high school. I think I was a Senior, maybe a Junior. And my mom actually allowed me to use her typewriter. Anyhow, if I find the gumption, I may record it and put it Spoken Word. It’s short enough to be considered flash fiction by some. (less than 1500 words)

On the Beach by Nevile Shute had come out, and I was pretty impressed. Probably because the scenes in the movie where the submarine came up in San Francisco, in the book they  came up in Puget Sound, and Shute described the Sound and the shore as it was. Really. He had a Pepsodent billboard someplace and I’d seen it where he had it. In fact, most if not all of the places he mentioned in Puget Sound, I’d been too, or seen. Kinda creepy. And for sure scary.

Anyhow, I wrote the short story, “Whither Thou Goest,” taped two aspirin to the cover (I filed off identifying marks so they looked like the cyanide pills in the movie), and let one of my teachers read it. I just found it squirreled away in my computer, and hey, for a kid, it’s not half bad. Boy Howdy! I hope it remains fiction!!! But I make you no promises.

So, I’ve survived all sorts of rejection letters, some from very prestigious presses, the collapse of marriages and affairs, nine years, five months, and twenty-three days in uniform—full and part time, the birth of two kids who I love dearly, and by gawd! I survived Basic Training! To quote one of the 3.5 Justices on the Supreme Court, “I resist!”

Photo of the Week:
Remember a few weeks ago when I was on my trip? Well, the Northern Lights were displaying in Massachusetts, and Virginia, and other states where they are seldom seen. Ibrahim, the son of my Good Friend Dixie stepped outside his abode in Gilford, New Hampsire at 7.30 pm and got this shot of them, and gave me permission to show them. Many thanks, Ibrahim. I’ve seen them a couple of times, and they were a pale green. These were pale red, showed much darker in the camera eye than they were to his eye. If you look, you can see stars. 

from the desk of the brave dog:
Sammy says he doesn’t much feel like writing anything. he too is hurting this week.

Some videos you might like:
Los Kjarkas a Bolivian group of musicians: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhcUUIaMb6s

Some super crispy chicharrones and how to make them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUSs0emMQ9s

A short video by Professor Tribe. I admit I slept a bit better the night I saw this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z06TJAMY-bo

And this one will bring a smile or two. Professor Kotaro gets a sushi train for his birthday! Frankly, I’m surprised Hana let him have any of it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlBdK155pW8

Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ “We are all related” ~ Lakota Saying
“Re-examine all you have been told. Dismiss what insults your soul.” ~Walt Whitman