Porthole

30th week and waning warmth

 

— OKTOBER —

 

"When do we start?" "When the lengthening shadows gather and no one can distinguish between light and dark." "But some have an inner light!" "Then that light must be extinguished." KE

16

Will I make progess at home today? I leave in two weeks so the 'to-do' list becomes more urgent. This week: a new chromebook, getting rid of empty boxes, plane seats, first night accomodations, pre-packing. Anything urgent or non-urgent to just show progress and lessen the oncoming anxiety of next week.

Sat with Dylan today. He leaves for NewJersey/Vermont tomorrow and won't be back before I leave for Thailand.

Pre-packed some clothes. Need to find two AAA batteries. Phone cord still awol.

15

40 calm degrees at 8:04. Gentle easterlies this morning. Sun still behind the mountains.

Market day.

Traumas... like Groundhog Day... stuck in the past without context. Reactions to what isn't happening or what isn't there.

After two pork-avocado sandwiches and a cherry pastry from Irina I'm at Butterfly Herbs with a much needed coffee.

I'm 'dull' today, but so is every else? Angie thought I wanted a milkshake like usual...

To Sarah: "Exactly. I was thrilled to share a few thoughts and photos about my trip to Portugal. I need to do better in Thailand. I'll make my postcards do double-duty. 😉 I should probably flesh out my song/story about the "Patthuma [flowering ginger] of Chaiyaphum [small city in Isan that tourists don't visit]" before I go and then rewrite it when I get there. I need to take my readers there... and make them care about my characters."

"How little you know me, huser:buddhangela... In Blogville, circa 2010, we had a very diverse group of people, many with viewpoints opposite of mine. We're still friends, albeit most of us are at facebook. I have little in common with some of the peple I currently support here. I try to find something we can converse about, and maybe connect. I've worked on race/sexuality issues since the 1980s. It's time for the younger generation to step up as I'm worn out (not that I'll give up or shut up).

WdC is not very diverse and some live small lives in tiny worlds (due to poverty, cultural upbringing, religious taboos, personal phobias, fear of damnation). If you can reach out to them, please do. I have had a lifetime of trying.

14

I crave connections as loneliness leads to depression. I crave stability around me so I can be creative.

I deal better with chaos and change as long as I stay connected. Travel helps... as long as I have a quiet place to come home to.

All of this has been threatened these last three years.

If you won't see me, hear me, hug me ... then throwing money at me will not help.

38 degrees this morning.

Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) has died. Sad day for Potterheads.

DJT continues to have his tantrums. Very disturbing.

Behind in transcribing blog into my journal but left Sr. Ctr. due to noise. My nerves couldn't take it.

Finished Eclipse ep. 10. Very good episode.

I don't keep track of every contest entry ... so ... "Only one exit"  may have been entered before to Shadows and Light.

13

"Minus 455 or one degree above my former boss's sense of humor? We all die... but whether we cease to exist is the question.

Wanted to sleep in this morning. It's Angie-day and Meatloaf-day and January-sixth. Coffee may or may not help.

Breathe?

Met with Angie and Billie Jo. Skipped lunch. Made egg-salad sandwich instead.

Watched January Sixth Commision. Great layout for a criminal case of sedition due to leading an insurrection.

PBS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mhhCNqsrcI

I commented at YCC: "Very good job. Focused, easy to follow, intelligent. I was amazed!

I watched the Insurrection live on ABC as it was happening (wanted to watch the boring presentation and counting of results). How anyone could come to any conclusion that day, or any day since, that it was something less than an attempted coup is beyond me.

Nothing stopping the DoJ from charging DJT with sedition and charging at least 30 others with collusion. A massive arrest with 10 million $ bail ... each ... would put a smile on my face. DJT? At least 100 million, house arrest, turning-in-his-passport, no social-media until trial.

I know this may seem outrageous to his supporters but Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette lost their heads for less."

"Romney: The Last Nice Guy"

12

The entire week is supposed to be calm <10 mph wafts, sunny with a couple clouds, 70/39 with the high around 4 pm. This is not San Diego...

Finished "Why Didn't They Ask About Evans?" I'd read it before but didn't remember it. I'll pass the book on. It's a classic Agatha Christie.

Sara left WDC and gave me her gps... very sad. She was here about 20 years. I will ask why but she was a blogger and photographer about daily life in Greece and Italy and when Blogville died... there was no audience. She lives back home in Zimbabwe now.

We see this... people come and go. They die, move on, or get pissed off at someone here.

Websites go through changes. Little lasts forever. Like Life, like Life magazine, life has a season.

Did some shopping. Bought wide egg noodles.

I have enough in the bank for my trip... but I should transfer some money before I leave.

Looking forward to "Thai Green Papaya Salad" ส้มตำไทย (som tum). Hope I like it. Too many foods to try.

I commented at YCC re new NHC guidelines and messaging: "Very well put. Did the NHC (can they?) kick off sports, entertainment, 'news' and have an emergency broadcast? In the days of 3 channels it was easier to get out the word. Emergency messages on facebook? Tik-tok, Twatter? "Oh... but I'm watching the Dolphins because this game is oh-so-impoertant" sums up the average American. Did the state have local emergency vehicles going up and down the streets 24/7 making announcements? I mean... as a kid we listened for the ice-cream truck. Sirens? So loud that they cannot be ignored? Mandatory *gasp* evacuations? Some folks here at YCC would accuse the NHC of being a bunch of commies, or 'woke' or..." and "Averaging didn't work with Julia. The COC went across Nicaragua to the EPac. The convection went north to Belice and the BoC.           My take? Floridians are typical Americans with a Burger King attitude of "I can have it my way" and We-Americans-are-Exceptional! (as if Mother Nature cares). Heaven help that <i>anyone</i> harsh their mellow. Between apathy, temper tantrums and a bad case of affluenza, no one should be surprised at the results. Underlying racism and poverty cannot be mentioned on social media, here included, without ruffling people's feathers." and "I think an emergency broadcast message on ALL stations, TV, radio, social media (like does anyone really think that facebook/twatter/tiktok doesn't know where they're at?) And yes, that person should be someone trained in communication. And there should be more than just one person unless they can speak multiple languages and multiple accent in ways that 10 year olds can understand... because many a 10 year old has saved their families from disasters (they pay attention). Bonus points if they can communicate directly to the family dog." and "Maybe housing codes that demand structures withstand Cat 5 winds, max surge and max flooding? Build all hospitals, nursing homes, city buildings, infrastructure (electrical, water) with even stricter codes? Allow poor people to live in neighborhoods that are safer (do away with covenants and restrictions)? Worry less about millionares who choose to live on the beach and die on the beach."

11

Up at 8 this morning, now 10.

No great wisdom.

Saw a comic/meme (by Jim Benton) of a dog reading a suspense/horror book: "The Master Who Left For A Minute".

Karl, son of Julia, may be spinning in the Bay of Campeche.

Ukraine War is heating up.

In response to Wm Shatner's lament posted at YCC: "Very strong words. I see it locally as people refuse to embrace each other and live behind their barricades, scrubbing away anything and anybody that offends them. The weeds in the alleyways are the hope of the bugs, bees and birds... not the watered golf-green lawns or the non-pollen, no-seed, no-maintenance flowers that may as well be plastic. And yes, that applies to people as well."

Another response re Russia: "Interesting thoughts. I don't see how Russia can be made to pay [reparations]. Limiting access to Europe only strengthens the Emperor of Beijing. Elities will still vacation in Thailand. Common people will bear the pain.

IMHO, Ukraine should be given a path to join the EU.

Militarily? Forfeiture of Crimea, Kaliningrad and Belarus. 100 - 200 km DMZ along the new east-west border. From Norway to Ukraine. Very disruptive for some folks. Very historic in concept and scope."

To Stik:"DEI: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion. Minnesota may pride itself on being 'progressive'... but I doubt it. Committee and planners need to go to the people (not just at public meetings) and ask and listen and educate.

Diversity: does either committee or planning board reflect the diversity of people living in the community? Do they live in the community? If not ... *major alarms going off*

Equity: Is money an issue? Many only think in terms of $$$ and costs, not liveability. And by liveability I mean affordable to impoverished people (without subsidy) and walkability (to stores, services, etc.) as cars are a major drain on income. Also... public transportation in and out and around that's affordable or even free.

Inclusiveness: Put another way... gated communities are exclusive, as are many churches and organizations; wealth excludes poverty. Americans love to think of themselves as better than others; inclusivity is a four-letter-word.

If certain people are NOT welcome... there are issues beyond planning boards and committees.

I would want to know how much collective experience these people have... because the general public probably doesn't. If they have never visited world-class cities like Toronto (diversity), Torino (liveability), Taipei (transportation) ... than I'm more knowledgeable and competent than they are. And that's not good...

If people are fundamentally fearful... then no amount of talking, listening, planning, will overcome their fears. And frankly? I suspect that's the #1 obstacle."

10

41 and foggy at 9 a.m.

Last night was the Hunter's Moon. Today is Gary's Day. He turns 600 months or 618 moons old.

So... have some energy this morning, but I need to go to Sr. Ctr. Found my charger for my razor so I'll shave. Found my phone but not my charger. Things will need replacement next week if I can't find them this week. Travel is three weeks from today, but I cannot wait until the last second.

Found my other backpack too. I need to find a spot to put things so I don't misplace them. Also... it's time for empty boxes to go. I will still need to throw stuff out but this place needs to 'look' uncluttered for my sanity. It's been a very long and slow three months.

I need to focus more on my trip.

Lunch with Merry and Dalton. Merry gave me an air-purifying. I hope it helps with dust.

Still feeling fine enough to actually do something!

Found my camera and charger. Found my charger for my tablet. Still missing my phone charger, but a weight has been lifted.

Wrote in my journal. Wrote card to Gary.

It's 8 o'clock in the evening and 64 degrees.

I didn't attend the new bridge dedication today but I could see/hear some of the festivities looking out the window. We live on Salish land and the bridge is named after Grizzly Bear Tracks (Sx͏ʷuytis Smx̣e) He was a sub-chief who signed both the Hellgate Treaty and Judith River Treaty in 1855. The Salish were 'removed' from this valley in 1891.

Taiwan: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/6-000-year-old-skull-found-in-taiwan-may-co...
Thailand: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/buddhist-funeral-rites-held-before-crematio...
Coming out when Black: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-trouble-with-national-coming-out-day/ar-AA...
Forbidden Love (auf deutch): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KavHcCWmL4M
Why? Party? Photos? https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/the-top-10-coolest-neighborhoods-in-t...
Short novels: https://www.theatlantic.com/books/archive/2022/10/best-short-books-weekend-read/...
Romney martyr theory: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/there-s-only-one-group-to-blame-for-how-r...
Jan 6th dropped ball: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/on-jan-6-our-intelligence-officials-may-have-d...
Uthai Sawan: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/in-wake-of-nursery-killings-thailand-faces-...

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