my journal: various subjects, opinionating, CW at times
The title explains itself.
If you're interested in the ramblings of a middle-aged man with chronic conditions who, at times, sees things a little too clearly for his own good, then read on.
Sometimes I get political, but it won't be all the time.
I don't mind comments in general but if you're going to differ with what I write, that's fine--as long as you can explain your position clearly & reasonably. Rants, shouting & general incoherence will be ignored or flagged, depending on the situation. Try to remember that not everyone else in this world holds your beliefs.
Every so often I may post art or snapshots of projects I'm working on.
If you're still interested after reading all the above, great. (I do wonder at how much time you have on your hands, though)
Best comments I've seen about Trump's foolishness with tariffs lately:
Whenever a current event grabs a lot of attention, it's always good to get the backstory.
One thing that doesn't change no matter where I am: waking up & having to empty the bladder at odd hours.
...it's something that probably every man who is 40+ knows about. 😒
Something else about me that never changes: the wasting of occasional moments in regret about past decisions...every so often, I can't help it. Like I wish I had made aaliyah* when I was young, & had energy to burn...& life was full of possibilities. I should've gone to be with my people & nation.
*translit. of the Hebrew term for emigration to Israel
A much older pet peeve I didn't tell you folks about: guys who drive pickup trucks with their dogs in the bed of the truck. I hate that s***.
They're worse than age regressors by far, because they put innocent sentient lives at risk for no reason at all.
"It's okay, he knows he's gotta stay there." ...Yeah, until you hit a pothole/rumble strip/speedbump/anything that suddenly jolts the truck. There's a good chance the pooch will fall or bounce out of the truck. If you're in fast-moving traffic when this occurs then the remaining lifespan of your animal will be measured in seconds to minutes...guaranteed his/her consequent death will be most unpleasant. And loud & messy.
Even if you are as good a driver as you think you are & never hit a pothole etc., no dog can be relied on to obey commands 100% of the time. It's an animal not a machine, with a mind of its own. If Fido comes up with a good enough reason to jump out the back while you are driving then he will do it, no matter how much you tell him otherwise. If your dog is leashed to a tie-down point then once he jumps over the side, if the leash & collar hold he will dangle & strangle while bouncing off the side of your truck like a bell clapper covered in blood & fur...
Why not put your dog in the cab with you, where he's safe & sound. It's the sensible option, not to mention the only decent one. If you must keep him in the back of the truck, put on a godd*mn camper shell so he can't jump or bounce into oncoming traffic.
If I were in charge of the United States, any fool caught driving around with a dog (or any animal) loose in the back of his truck would have his animal confiscated forthwith, with no appeals permitted. If the same individual is caught with a different animal doing the same thing, his animal would be confiscated & he would be executed with no appeals permitted. His remains would then be left outside his city/town of residence for a few weeks for local vultures, coyotes etc. to pick over for their sustenance.
@slowdecline48 I agree wholeheartedly with this. I never let my pups ride in the back. They were always in the front with me. So much could go wrong if they're in the back
Can't say I'm surprised, Twisty. You live out in the sticks & are certainly more native to it than me, but you're also much smarter than the average redneck... The urban equivalent of the aforementioned a**holes are the well-to-do (usually) women (mostly) who insist on bringing their poodles or other purebred purse-dogs with them--& then leave the creatures locked inside their cars while they're off getting their hair done or whatnot. With the windows up. In summertime.
I won't tell you what penalties I would impose for such monied cretins who get caught with a dog that has heatstroke...or got cooked inside their Lexus or BMW. Seriously, you don't want to know.
@slowdecline48 Damn straight! I'm an above average redneck 😂😂 My animals have always come first. I would go without before they would
That's a good way to get your windows busted out. Although I have seen a few cars with signs in saying the AC is on and there's a thermometer so people can see the temp inside. But I believe in fair play and they should have to suffer the same. If you're planning on being out of your car longer than it takes to pay for a drink or pump gas there's a problem. Leave them at home if it's going to take hours
@mytwistedsoul "Dude, take my upvotes!"
@slowdecline48 😂😂
@slowdecline48 I AGREE!!
@azurePond Thanks. I didn't know my opinion would get such a reaction this time 😂
@slowdecline48 Because I don't like dogs? I may not like them.... but I do recognize that they have a life and should be treated well. Simple as that. Respect life.
@azurePond For what it's worth, I would never leave a cat locked inside a car parked in the sun on a hot day, either...& I'm not "cat people".
@slowdecline48 That honestly shows you're a genuinely good human—being kind even to things you don’t personally like, as long as it’s not, u know, violating the Geneva convention or basic human rights or something (you get the range)
@azurePond The Geneva what?
😉
@slowdecline48 Geneva motor show? 🙃
@azurePond I will say I find it much easier to be kind to animals I don't care for than to humans, though I don't go out of my way to be...in fact, I've had many moments of misanthropy.
The older I get, the more particular I am about who is entitled to my regard for human worth, let alone any affection or kindness on my part.
@slowdecline48 I get it. And yeah, it’s definitely easier to be kind when you’re young and healthy like carrying boxes for someone or giving up my seat on the metro little things like that. (But I do have my moodyy misanthropy days where I fight with old people and even children -- not my best moments ehh)
That was the fastest neck shave I've done so far.
(Was inside a Circle K gas station bathroom)
So far I've been getting things done, mostly...Christ in a sidecar, it ain't easy at all. Not when you're my age...
@slowdecline48 I hope your health is ok
@azurePond 'Preciate the thought, dear. All things considered, yeah...while I do have chronic issues & am not young, in some ways I'm doing rather well. I have never been morbidly obese...that's more than many people in affluent nations can say. Thus far I've never had cancer of any kind. Can still get things done for the most part. Not doin' it today, though 😂
@slowdecline48 Yeah... I was actually asking about your hospital check up—your chest condition.... But I’m really glad to hear you’re doing okay!
"nonspecific chest pain"...a diagnosis which is not helpful at all. 😤
@slowdecline48 I guess that's something—at least the big scary stuff is off the table (I guess that is the translation of the diagnosis)😶
Stayed in one place & got some sleep today...for once, I am rested.
Only problem is I'm a night creature... When I rest during the day (easy to do), I stay up more at night. You day people make everything worse for us nocturnal folk.
@slowdecline48 As a proud representative of the Day People community, I sincerely apologise for our collective noise and as a peace offering, I’m sending you a paintball gun. Feel free to use it on any overly enthusiastic morning people who disturb your sleep.
@azurePond That would be fantastic...pretty sure I'd get arrested sooner or later, but I'd happily peg my neighbors with it every time they drive by me at six in the morning anyway. 😂
@slowdecline48 I walk a very fine line between day and night 😅
@mytwistedsoul Oh yes, I understand. I used to be a day person.... still am… I mean, does being awake all night and day count? I don’t know. At this point, I am barely even a person so... 🙂
@azurePond You seem like a full-fledged person to me...(& a cute one, I bet) Do you mean to tell us that you've been a bot this whole time? I thought Noni was the only AI in Cups!...
@slowdecline48 Thank you Slow Decline😭 Yes, I am a person... not a bot🤣
@azurePond Tbh I feel like that alot too. I'm sorry you struggle with sleep too. You'd think that something so simple wouldn't be so hard to do
@mytwistedsoul I feel you, truly... I’m sorry you go through it too, Twisted Soul, but I wish neither of us had to deal with it. Here’s hoping for peaceful nights ahead <3
@azurePond @mytwistedsoul May the sleep fairy visit us all gladly & often...with her magic lead-loaded baseball bat...
@slowdecline48 That ...sounds... painful. You know what? I will take this. Anything for sleep!
@slowdecline48 Lol! That works for me! 😂
One fact I end up re-learning every so often: I don't have the alcohol tolerance I had two decades+ ago.
Growing old stinks.
Think I'll have to build my lean-to a little more quickly than planned, as temps are climbing already...it's not even May yet! *smh* Christ on a hot tin roof, man.... 😤
Some accomplishments in the last two days or so:
- Organized (somewhat) my stuff in the storage unit
- Removed a few non-essential items from my truck in the process of above
- Large patch on right knee of my old pair of jeans (about half sewed on now)
- stripped rust off baseplate & "bowl" of hibachi grill; painted naval jelly on said parts; sprayed said parts w/ high-temp black enamel
- Rented PO box; talked to mgr at local post office & straightened out change-of-address confusion (box good for six months from last Friday)
- Contacted bureaucrat in leasing company (owns apartment anthill I moved out of); directed her to send refund check to PO box
The plan is to finish de-rusting & spraypainting the grill parts tomorrow, then reassemble them....would be nice to have a shower & head-shave, too. So where's my bat cape? 😁
@slowdecline48 
@azurePond
My vestibular migraine (or whatever) slowed my roll this morning...had a flareup right in the middle of breakfast. Once I was done I had to lie down in the back seat for a bit. Now I'm up but still a bit dizzy.
It's not cool, especially since my phone keeps cutting out (the screen goes dark) & I gotta drive into town & get it fixed, i.p. Wish me luck, folks.
@slowdecline48 Good luck Slow! Have a safe trip to town to get your phone fixed. I hope the headache eases. Some days it feels like if it's not one thing it's another 😕
@mytwistedsoul It did mostly...after a while...
Got a room at a local motel for the night. As I have to get to the next town over for a medical thing tomorrow & pick up a prescription still further out, there's no sense in going back to my land tonight. Plus, I can take a shower! 🤩
Your tip about a camp shower is probably even wiser than I thought...
@slowdecline48 I'm glad it mostly went away. Yeah that makes sense to get a room and stay closer to where you have to be tomorrow. You never realize how much you can take for granted until you go without something for a while 😬 A shower might ease the residuals of the migraine
@slowdecline48 
@azurePond Did you see The Hunger Games? I did...never saw any of the sequels.
@slowdecline48 I love The hunger games.... not to be that person, but yeah, I’ve read the books too 😌
But same... I haven’t watched the latest prequel yet... the one with the snakes and songbirds. Do you like Hunger Games?
I enjoyed the movie when I saw it...didn't get into the whole franchise the way you have. Maybe I should try to expand my literary horizons one of these days... One reason might've been because I wasn't a Jennifer Lawrence fan. As an actress she's capable enough, for sure...her screen presence just doesn't grab me for some reason.
@slowdecline48 Oh! I get it. I actually started with the books first so when I saw the movies... the cast felt kind of jarring—like the actors didn’t fit the characters I had imagined. But then again that’s always the case when you go from book to screen. That said.... Jennifer Lawrence did a solid job. Katniss was meant to be unremarkable, awkward and just a girl who rose to the occasion....and she definitely captured that (especially in the later movies.. she becomes better)
But yeah, the books hit very differently.... waaay darker and more political than the movies let on. If you ever feel like dipping into dystopian lit....The hunger games trilogy is a solid gateway drug 👀📚 No pressure though, your literary horizons are already valid!
And I think Suzanne Collins recently released another book in the series—I haven’t bought that one yet. But yeah if you’re into dystopia—Orwell and all that—youd probably enjoy this too. Unlike the other YA dystopias like The maze runner or divergent, The hunger games has real depth. The world building is amazing and actually makes sense within its own dystopian logic. It also shows the true cost of rebellion.....like, it’s messy. The sacrifices, the massacres... the world doesnt change in a day, and rebellions don’t spark and spread in a week. Even the villains have motives and layers. It’s not just good vs evil... it’s complicated and I love it!
@azurePond I liked the books better than the movies. Have you read or watched the Divergent series?
@mytwistedsoul Me too! High five! 🙌
I mean.... books are waaay better.... we get to do the casting, the directing… basically our version is the best version . Also Suzanne Collins' writing has so much depth. And yes I did read and watch the Divergent series… and I’m still mad about how they changed the ending in the movies. Honestly, I think Hunger games is better. Divergent had so much potential (like the factions and everything were a new concept) but for me, the characters felt a bit flat. Like… the world was there, the idea was there, but the emotional oomph? Kinda missing. How about you? Are you a Divergent fan?
@azurePond Exactly! Alot of the time the movies are some what of a disappointment. Hardly anything matches the book and They leave out key things. I know they have budgets and have to compress for time but still...
@mytwistedsoul I guess the POV also matters in books. In them we’re either in the character’s head or we’re omniscient .... we see everything and know the logic behind it. When that translates into a movie.... it’s not quite right. We don’t get to see behind the scenes so it feels like something is off. The feeling we get when we read and when we watch someone else’s interpretation is also different.
Yeah... I get that. The first Divergent was pretty good. I think it was also the possibilities that existed at the time and we were just introduced to the characters. But with the later parts, as readers, I think we weren’t able to connect with the characters motivations. Even the romance felt a bit forced. And yes it mostly comes down to the writing.
Suzanne Collins' writing really packs a punch lol. The symbolism and references are amazing. Our brains are constantly invested and curious about them, always having those aha moments. She also does foreshadowing and symbolism so well that the twists never feel jarring. You may or may not see them coming but everything falls into place perfectly. Now that’s powerful writing!!!!
But yeah... the movies aren’t that great. Just go into them with low expectations and you’ll be fine ....And I agree... it’s the best way to spend a rainy weekend!
@azurePond I think it's really cool that you're passionate about reading! In all honesty I don't read as much as I used to. I love reading Dean Koontz. Lisa Jackson has a lot of good books. Harlan Coben too (alot of his books have the same characters in them and you kind of grow to love them) 😊
@mytwistedsoul Thank you! I am really passionate about reading but I have to admit... I’m not reading as much as I used to either. Your reading choices are great… so you're into thrillers! I haven’t read Dean Koontz or Lisa Jackson yet, but I’ve heard amazing things about them. I have read one Harlan Coben book...The stranger (though I totally went the wrong way...watched it on Netflix first (I know!) then read the book 😅) I ended up loving the book way more! (no surprise) I loved that it had binge-able chapters and I loved the ethical dilemma - the price of secrets (pun intended)
In the room; managed to get some sleep despite the remodeling going on (figures I'd pick this motel. Oh well, f*** it)...I didn't shower as I was very tired, but I did wash my face & other parts before lying down....there is a microwave in here. Guess I should heat something up.
The patch on my old jeans' right knee is almost fully sewn on.
...I hear Spanish outside. No surprise, since Latin Americans do most run-of-the-mill construction & remodeling work these days.
