A Well-Balanced Kittay

In three acts, for Mundane Monday.

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Mugging It Up

Mugs. I like mugs, OKAYYYY? Mugs are great, and not just for the obvious like tea or coffee, though I am drinking coffee out of one at the mo. It may sound like lunacy, but I like having soup and cereal in a mug (not together, derp) ~ much neater than a bowl. I also like ice cream in a mug, especially if it’s trysting with Bailey’s. Mmmbailey’s.

I like unique mugs, such as the ones pictured above. Two are from my daughter: the giraffe in the back and the Chicago one from a HS trip (it has a grammatical error though, lol). The one that says “Fran” my mom bought on a vacay to New Mexico. The silly zoo one I filled with pens and whatnot was also my mom’s. I bought the pink cupcake mug on a trip to the Huntington Gardens in San Marino. I also have a few boring but serviceable mugs that came with my set of dishes from Target.

Note that we’re not talking about dainty lil teacups you set out with fancy cookies for when the duchesses come to visit. Pffft. We’re talking mugs, people.

You might think that 10 mugs is enough for a person who lives alone like a hermit, but I don’t. I asked for more for Christmas (Chanukah really, but I wanted to use the prompt).

So, there you have it. Mugs! 😜🤪🙃

Rolling on a River [SOCS]

Roll does make me think of “rolling on a river” from “Proud Mary,” a song I love. But I also think of rolls, like the kind you eat warm with butter, not that I do much of that. I hardly eat any bread these days, just some boringly healthy whole wheat for the occasional snadwich, not that I’m doing paleo gawd no, but I try to avoid it because eh. Bread. So high in cals & carbs. I love the group Bread though… didn’t I mention that already recently? Those songs break my heart. “If the world should stop revolving…” Kills me. Dead. And there was that line in Young Frankenstein about rolling in the hay, which was hilarious… and I said I was going to rewatch YF at Halloween but I didn’t. I just haven’t been into movies lately. I do want to see Bohemian Rhapsody though. And Mary Poppins. I thought I might talk about role play, but it would just be talk, IYKWIMAITYD.

Yeah, I didn’t do troll and droll and proletariat. Whatever dudes. I’m tired. 😜

3-2-1 Quote Me: Truth

Fandango tagged me in this fun game, and I am almost at my NaNo goal of 25K, so I’m relaxing a bit.

Here are the rules:

1. Thank the the person who tagged you. Thank you Fandango.
2. Post 2 quotes for the dedicated Topic of the Day. See below.
3. Select 3 bloggers to take part in “3-2-1 Quote Me.” My tags will be at the end of the post, so you’ll need to read the whole damn post to see if you’ve been tagged.

There is no deadline for participating in the game, which makes it perfect for everyone.

Truth is a tricky thing. We discussed it a lot in philosophy (my phone wants me to put Philadelphia). We spent a long time on the sentence “Katie is waiting for Santa Claus.”

There are things that are true, things that are correct, and things that are real. Are they always all the same things? Hmm.

But I don’t have to ponder any of that now. All that’s required of me is to plop a couple quotes here and then tag peeps.

“When truth is replaced by silence, the silence is a lie.” — Yevgeny Yevtushenko

(And silence favors the oppressor.)

“The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth.” — Niels Bohr

(See? Truth is tricky. Told yas!)

I’m tagging:

Steven’s Scribble

Keera Ann Fox

Blogorahmah

Done and dusted!

Whose Lane Is It Anyway? [rant]

You may have read that the NRA recently admonished doctors to “stay in your lane” when they decided docs shouldn’t be talking about gun control. Then a whole bunch of doctors tweeted “this is my lane” regarding bullet holes in their patients. They gave a well-deserved takedown to those arrogant bullies at the NRA who believe no one has the right to disagree with them.

There was a time when I agreed with the idea that people should, in public, stick with their field of expertise. I disliked it when actors and other entertainers gave their political opinions publicly. When I watched an award show, I didn’t want to hear political diatribes. When I listened to a speech from the Prez, I didn’t want him going off the rails to rant about his pet peeves.

Topics had their places and you could call them lanes. Celeb gossip was for tabloid mags, not the nightly news. Crazy grandpas made holidays miserable for their own families only. Religious loons preached to their choirs. Now it’s all mixed together like a toxic soup. Scholarly, researched articles are accessible on the internet same as wackadoo ramblings about aliens popping out of volcanoes. So, where are the lanes?

There aren’t any. The lanes have been erased. Now anyone gets to jabber on about anything at anytime, in all our faces. It’s up to the listeners to sort out the wheat from the chaff and decide what’s good info, what should be addressed in debate, and what to switch off altogether because it’s not even worth our attention.

Unfortunately, I am finding the “real news” to be extremely tabloid-like lately, at least online (I don’t watch TV news). Suddenly Monica Lewinsky is opining about Bill again. Why? Who cares? Michelle Obama “wrote” a book and her feelings keep popping up. They aren’t news. Neither are the doings of the royals across the pond every damn day. Charles is 70! Why do I need to know that?

Talk about drifting out of your lane! I swear, half the “journalists” aren’t even on the freeway any longer. 😡

Many Are Called…

A thousand and twenty-seven thanks to the lovely Blokey Guy for nominating me for a Liebster and for coming up with a set of clever questions. I am going to attempt to answer these while waiting in the jury pool at OC Superior Court. Hopefully my battery will last and I won’t get interrupted to listen to some pesky case.

RULES

Acknowledge the blogger that gave it to you and display the award. ✅

Answer 8 questions that the blogger gave you. 🆗

Give 8 random thoughts about yourself. ⚠️

Nominate 8 other bloggers and notify them of their nomination. ❌

Ask your nominees 8 questions. 🌀

Questions for Me

1. Are you happy with the person:
i] You are
ii] You were
iii] You think you will become?

I’m okay with who I am now and I’m always trying to do better (by my standards). Going by the past six months, I’m encouraged with my progress, in particular exiting FB and devoting more of my free time to real writing instead of pointless jabber.

***

2. How many colours can you see in the image below, list them in detail.

Zillions! Heliotrope, lavender, amber, shamrock, black, mauve, azure, turquoise, stone, violet, magenta, white, spring green, rust, burnt sienna, etc.

***

3. Is there anything within five feet of where you are currently typing that is a permanent feature and motivates you to explore your mind deeply?

No. I’m in a huge room, full of prospective jurors, and around me are chairs and tables that could easily be moved.

***

4. How many vices do you have and of them which are your worst?

This may sound conceited, but I’ve pretty much eliminated all vices from my life over the past couple years. The worst thing I do is not get enough exercise.

***

5. How curious are you to new discoveries, and first time experiences even if they are possibly dangerous or risky for you to try? As in will you try them, or make an excuse not to?

I avoid risk as much as possible, though I still have to drive a car in SoCal. I don’t need to make excuses to get out of trying dangerous things ~ I just say no.

***

6. If you answered No Way to question 5, what prevents you from doing so?

Migraines, back pain, finances.

***

7. If you answered YES Please to question 6, what motivates you to take those risks?

N/A

***

8. What type of song do you think our banjo player here is playing? Provide a link to what you think it might be as your answer to this question.

https://youtu.be/w_lCi8U49mY

***

My Random Thots, in which New Questions are Hiding🐍

6. I’m reading Incognito by David Eagleman and it’s fascinating. What book has fascinated you lately?

2. I may have the slightest touch of synesthesia because I perceive numbers physically, sort of as a quilt. What do you perceive differently from “normal?”

4. I used to have eidetic memory, though it was never perfect. It’s faded with age (as it’s supposed to) but occasionally happily surprises me. Do you have any tricks to help you remember things?

7. A bowl of mac & cheese costs $8.50 in the court cafeteria here, which is ridonkulous, so I bought a protein bar instead. But now I haz a craaaaving! What are you craving?

1. I gave up Facebook this year. A complete and total FEXIT (including Instagram & Messenger). What unhealthy habit have you recently dumped, or are working on giving up?

3. At the beginning of the day, a funny guy described how it would be to work on a Grand Jury and now I wanna do that for a year (or more, if allowed) when I retire. What new experience has suddenly grabbed your attention?

8. I’m happy that my daughter and her fiancé are driving down from NorCal in December and the whole little fam will be together for a few days. Do you have any special plans coming up?

5. I think Gatsby is the cutest kitty ever. Do you agree? Yes or duhhh?

Now for the tricky tagging part. Pay very close attention! Since I’m doing my civic duty and waiting in the jury pool here all day long, in honor of that, and our Constitutional Rights, every blogger reading this who has a J in any part of their real name or their bloggy name… is hereby tagged. J for Jury, hurrah!

Random Lunch Poast

I’m doing unexpectedly great with NaNo. Somehow, doing it in (private) blog poasts is keeping me from rereading my prior days’ output and deciding it sucks too much to continue. That’s mostly been why I haven’t made the 50K at times in the past, not poor time management. I’m still on track for this year’s 50K and will soon fly over my goal of 25K. Even if I end up somewhere in between, I’ll count that as a personal win. I’m really enjoying this story!

It’s suddenly turned cooler however, which means my apartment is freezing. I had planned to exercise to a video every day during November, as part of my yay-me plan, but I have not exercised at all. Being cold makes me tired and listless–like a snake, I have more energy when it’s hot. Luckily, my typing fingers still work.

I’ve finally become besties with my Mac, and I’m keeping mostly to my vow of using it for work, serious writing, longer emails, and record keeping, rather than cluttering it up with social media. I don’t blog publicly or tweet from there, or even read the news. I do want to download my music from the Lenovo backup drive though and I hope it won’t be a hassle. I miss my tunes. I know they’re all on CDs, but it’s not the same as just being able to play one without getting up.

It’s disturbing how we’re such slaves to tech. Just when I thought I was finally free of being dependent on anyone too. But if I can’t find my phone within 5 seconds of waking up in the morning… total panic. Oh, I left it charging across the room. Whew!

Triplets

Name three things – via the Blokey Guy:

You can dunk in tea or coffee?

– Chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, PB cookies. Tea only though – who dunks things in coffee? Psychos!

You can enjoy at a carnival?

– Sense of superiority, rolling my eyes, finally finding my car.

You can’t enjoy when it’s windy?

– Talking, walking, driving.

Your body can’t do?

– Run much, push-ups, pull-ups.

You don’t learn at school?

– Hot-wiring, lock-picking, safecracking.

You can put onto a pizza?

– Coconut, M&Ms, caramel.

You can eat with?

– Phone, laptop, TV.

You don’t suggest you do at home blindfolded?

– Text an ex, stand naked at the window, sharpen my knives. Especially not all three at once!

That are important to you?

– Sumatriptan, Topamax, Advil.

That you love to do at the beach?

– Leave, depart, skedaddle.

That you do in the morning?

– Grab phone, look at news, go omg what a lying shithead!

That you every time you log in to your blog?

– I use the app, so I’m never logged out, lol, but generally I check notifications first, then mosey through the reader for a bit, and lastly drag an idea out of my brainpan for a poast. 😜

Batter Up [SOCS]

Interesting stream of consciousness Saturday prompt: we open a book and the first thing we point to is what we write about. I’ve got Soul Food by Jack Kornfield & Christina Feldman right here, don’t even know why, can’t remember buying it, but I’m opening it up right now… page 144…

“We have not yet plumbed the depths and possibilities of our own awareness.”

How true this is. We’re just a bunch of blind bats flying into the cave walls and crashing down to die in a mountain of bat poop. Those few moments between birth and death, when we’re fluttering madly, before we bash our bat brains out, is when we think we’ve accomplished something, lol. Look at me! I’m doing so much better than those other bats! (Smash.)

I suppose this book is going to tell me how I can become aware of something or other before I hit the wall and die, disintegrating into bat goo indistinguishable from every other bat that was ever born, which is why I spent [can’t find price tag] on it. Maybe it was a gift. Thanks, whoever bought me woo woo self-help actualization type book. I love these things. 🙄

Hard to believe I bought it, but I guess I might have occasional moments of trying to connect with muh spirituality. Such as it is. Okay then. That’s all I can do here. Should have opened the art cat book. 🐱

PSA on VLOGS

It’s not you, it’s me. No really, it is. I’ve been invited to some of your VLOGS, and I’m sure they’re sublime, but I respectfully decline them all.

First, I’m running out of time to do all the bloggy things as it is and have to skip many great prompts already. I’ll be passing up even more in November because NaNo. Yikes, that’s coming right up!

Second, I’m simply not fond of videos, with the occasional cute animal exception. I am and always have been a huge fan of the written word. It’s how I learn best and how I express my thoughts best too. I simply have no desire to turn this enjoyable blogging experience into something resembling television. 😝

So, in case you’re wondering why you don’t see me at your VLOG, this is why.