A Time For Everything

First of all--apologies for missing both posting days last week. I ran out of days and energy and, quite frankly, give-a-damn to worry about it.

Life has taken a turn. Not a bad one, maybe a good one, although time will tell, but a turn none-the-less.

The point of this blog from the beginning was that, as an aspiring author, I should establish myself on various social media platforms for when I became published... So I picked blogging as my primary platform of choice. After sixteen years (WOW!) I have (only) two dozen followers. I'm grateful to all of you over the years for showing some level of interest in the journey of my life and my mind.

But as my knowledge and experience grew over time, I made decisions about how I'd steer my author "career." Forcing people to follow me on any of the social media platforms out there wasn't part of the equation. Hence the low number of followers.

I didn't bribe people to follow me or charge people a fee for taking part in drawing and giveaways. For most authors that fee was usually an email address which then was supposed to be used for sending newsletters. Which I never did because I blogged instead. If readers want to know me they could visit here and/or sign up for receiving my blog posts electronically.

I've mostly enjoyed blogging over the years and have kept on with it for personal reasons, but I'm reaching a point where the time it takes to think up topics, research as needed, and then write them up isn't worth the hassle or the ROI--which is, in all honesty, nothing.

I need things off my plate as my journey through life morphs changes, blogging seems like a likely target for plate-clearing.

That said, it's not happening yet, but I'm cutting back to every other Monday, and I'll be consistent with that until the end of the year. I'll revisit my feelings and my plate come the new year and I'll go from there.

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I came across a YouTube video of Konstantin Kisin (the guy on the left) giving a speech at Oxford Union in the UK entitled "Woke Culture Has Gone Too Far."

What he said really spoke to me and so I was led to investigate his podcast...which I did and I've been impressed and enlightened.

Not every guest comes from a place that I agree with. Their guests are from many industries, from comedians to authors to scientists and more. Many guests are on the opposite side of the political aisle from me, but the thing I love most is that these guys value and present respectful dialogue with people who may have differing opinions than they do. That's something I really respect and admire, and that's something that's being lost in this country. 

While listening to the conversation, it's always interesting to me that while I may not agree with everything a guest says, there is usually a point or two that I do agree with. At the very least, the topics and points of view are definitely educational, and they are broadening my knowledge of what's going on in the world. I've even changed my mind about an issue or two.

So if you just want some intellectual stimulation, do check them out on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform.

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And that's all I've got for this week. I'd been hoping for a few more topics, but that obviously didn't happen.

So...I'll see you in a couple of weeks.

Take care.

It seems like I've been busier than ever over the past several years and I don't understand why...

The kids are grown and/or gone, so I don't need to "mom" everyday anymore.

I do need to "wife," which is fine. DH and I rub along well.

I need to be a better housekeeper, which I've mentioned ad nauseam over the years, and I have a system that works when I'm firing on all cylinders. I'm not fond of the system, but it does work. One of these days, though, I'm gonna pay someone to keep my house like we pay the guy who mows our lawn.

But that's neither here nor there.

The question really is why do I feel busier now than I did five or ten years ago or when Sonshine was still in high school and I was juggling all of the above plus Band Boosters and writers group?

I have sooo many things I want to do right now but not enough hours in the day to accomplish them all.

I haven't even been writing for last year and a half!

It's a mystery for sure and a conundrum I'm going to need to ponder.

If you have any thoughts, let me know!!

Have a great weekend!

Image courtesy IMGBIN.

Do you remember where you were? What you were doing?

I was on my home from dropping off Sonshine at school. He was in Kindergarten!! I had the radio on, as I did in those days, and heard the news pretty much immediately. I spent all day in front the of the television until it was time to pick Sonshine up from school. By that time, I was over-saturated by information and images, so no more TV when we got home.

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And OH LOOK!

It looks as though triple digits in North Texas is a thing of the past! I gotta tell you, I'm so thankful and I'm looking forward to getting out in the yard with a rake. After a crazy storm this past Saturday night--which I slept through--the yard needs some tidying.

Fall is just around the corner and I can't wait.

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And in other news, DD and I spent most of this past Saturday re-arranging the living room. While we were doing that, I got froggy and swept and mopped the floor. Let me tell you--my hips are not happy with me!

Here's the new layout:

Previously, the couch and end tables were in front of the window and the TV was centered on the baby-poop colored wall...

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Have a great week. Catch you Thursday.

My annual trek to Omaha to see my family was good...

I took a different approach to the actual driving portion of the weekend which was to just not hurry. I really love the scenery of the mid-west corridor or this section of the fly-over states.

Farmers' fields in the plush bloom of being just about ready for harvest feeds my soul. The sky, usually a crisp blue, was blocked by hazy air most of the way this year due to heat and wildfires. But I hit a stretch of road and sky between Holton, Kansas and Nebraska City, NE with the clear blue that brings me so much joy. I rolled down all the windows and enjoyed the view along with the "cool"--only mid-80's that day!!

The actual visits are uncontrolled chaos. There are toddlers and elementary-aged kids along with young adults and, really, just A LOT of bodies in a very small space. My step-mom says next year we're dividing up the visits. Half the fam on Saturday, the half on Sunday. I am very okay with that. :0)

Mostly we sat around chit-chatting and getting caught up on one another's lives. And then there's always some delicious food. This year, spaghetti, pulled pork, and fajitas.

Also--my brother James arrived home from boot camp/tech school on Thursday evening. So the whole crew was there.

One of the highlights of my trip was visiting my dad's grave during daylight hours. I've always gone at 5am on my way out of town. This time I went Sunday morning around sunrise. And it was lovely and I'm doing that again next year.

Another bonus of going to the cemetery while it was light out was seeing deer, but more importantly, actually seeing the pinwheels I leave behind. As an extra special hello, there was a bit of a breeze, and I managed to catch the whirling pinwheels on video.

Hope your three-day weekend was relaxing.

And now that Labor Day is behind us, it's time to for me to get back to work and back on track with exercising and eating right and all the other things that have taken a back seat to surviving the heat.

Catch you Thursday!

Hope you're enjoying your three-day break from your usual labors.

As I have done for at least five years now, I went home to Omaha, NE to visit family. Actually, today, the Monday of Labor Day, is the day I'm making the ten hour trek home.

I look forward to getting home, but I have to admit that the drive back home is tougher than the drive to Nebraska. Mostly because I'm driving south the whole way and since it's usually bright and sunny, as this time of year is wont to be, the sun is shining directly into the car through the front windshield. I have to take care to consume enough non-caffeinated liquids. Especially once I hit Oklahoma.

More about the trip and the fam later.

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The March 2024 Buc-ee's road trip itinerary has been altered and mostly finalized. We're re-routing from our original Buc-ee's destinations in Tennessee and Kentucky to the two in Georgia and the two in Alabama we didn't realize existed the last time we...went to Alabama.

We'll also be hitting the Memphis Zoo (and a staying at a hotel in Memphis as a way point) and the Coca-Cola Museum in Atlanta as well meeting a couple of friends of mine, one in Huntsville, AL and one in Atlanta, GA respectively for a meal.

It's going to be a four-day whirlwind of driving...

* * *

Speaking of Buc-ee's...Finance Buzz is offering positions to taste-test Buc-ee's snacks. So DD and I signed up. Chosen Buc-ee's Bud-ees receive money to offset their expenses.

*fingers crossed* that one or both of us get selected.

Still speaking of Buc-ee's, there's a new one being built juuust south of the I-35 split/rejoin which is juuust north of Hillsboro. It should open sometime in 2024. I pass that location at least four times a year on my way to and from the fireworks store which is probably another thirty minutes south of Hillsboro.

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Our new air fryer...

Why oh why did it take me sooo long to break down and buy one? And we've already decided we need another so we can cook two things at once. :0) It won't take me as long to buy the second one though.

The best things so far cooked: tater tots (!!!) and breaded ravioli.

I've even cooked pork chops and burgers in it and both were good. My technique and the timing both need adjusting for even better results although the burgers were pretty good. Pork chops were a little tough, so less cooking time me-thinks.

And thats it for today. Enjoy the rest of your day/weekend! See you Thursday