The Weekly Smile

Happy Monday! Idk about you, but I miss those 4-day weekends and 3-day workweeks. Wasn’t it just a working Monday a couple days ago? How can another one be here already?! Yet, there’s always a reason to smile, amirite? 😀

For quite some time now, I’ve been off and on feeding a few feral cats that meander into our parking lot. We’re not supposed to leave food out there, so I only put it down when I see them, on average twice a week. There are usually two or three pure black cats, but every so often a grey kitty and/or a splotchy white one stop by.

The last time I fed them was Christmas Eve. After we came back from viewing the lights, two black cats were waiting for me. Since then, no kitties! I’ve been so worried because on the Nextdoor app people are always complaining about coyotes eating up their cats (and dogs too). I know these kitties are pretty smart, having survived outside for years, but nothing’s as wily as a coyote (meep meep). Plus, there are a lot of speeding cars too.

However, this Saturday night when I came home late from my friend’s house, there was a black kitty chillin’ like a villain in the parking lot. This made me so happy! I gave him a big smile and said I’d been worried about him. I didn’t feed him though ~ I keep wondering if it’s a bad idea to encourage them to come to my complex which is so close to a busy intersection. Wherever else he goes to survive is likely a better place for him and his kitty friends too, even if I don’t get to see them. 🐱💕

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Art schmart [SOSC]

Art reminds me of an OKCupid question that went “How important is Art in your life?” You had to choose very or somewhat or not at all and then rate your answer as highly important, moderately important, or not important so they could match you with your soul mate. All my soul mates would have to put Garfunkel? in the comments to snark at OKC’s capitalization of the word Art. I suppose if my potential dream man really wanted to be clever he could come up with a more obscure Art like that game show host wozzname… not gonna google cuz it’s against Linda’s rules.

I know we’re supposed to talk about the art that’s on our walls, or in a museum, which could be same same if we live in a museum but probably no one does (sad), but the first thing that sprang to mind was the OKC thing and this is stream of consciousness Saturday. I have a very eclectic mix of art on my walls, and some people might balk at even calling it art. I’m not putting quotes around words when I meta them because that irritates me, just so you know. I am aware of the rules; I simply prefer not to follow them.

Okay walls, here we go. Scattered around my apartment are needlepoint pictures created by yours truly and framed beautifully and expensively back when I had a husband paying my bills. They are of various motifs, southwestern, floral, etc. These were all from kits, except one, the first few Hebrew words of the Shema, which I designed myself. But that’s not all.

I also have a picture of a dragon and a kitty, which are outline-etched in rainbow colors on black and very striking. A print from the NY Metropolitan Museum of Art titled “Far Eastern Cat.” This cool picture of jaguar eyes over my bed. This ultra awesome piece of art my daughter bought for me in Costa Rica that’s a jaguar painted on leaves under glass.

Over my sofa I have a cheap large painting/print of three abstract flowers I grabbed at Bed&Bath when I was married because it has all my fave colors but later decided it symbolized the girls and me against the world.

In the bathroom I have a couple fantasy fairy mermaids, one tending to a dragon baby newly hatching from an egg. And another needlepoint, this one of little seabirds and pretty shells in the sand and surf.

The jaguar from Costa Rica is in the kitchen slash dining area along with another floral needlepoint and a silly poster of a candy bar, but also there are two actual very small paintings from Paris that my ex MIL (RIP) gave us and I took just because.

I used to have a couple Van Gogh posters in my old apartment, but they got messed up when I moved. I love his work. I love art, painting, sculpture, glasswork, all of it. I love to be around the energy of people who create things. That reminds me: I need to put up the little wave painting I did at my daughter’s house.

Yes, if you’re wondering, I am running out of wall space. 😂

There were a couple men who put Garfunkel? in the comments to the Art question on OKC, but I never found my soul mate.

The Friday Four

A Guy Called Bloke Production

1] Do you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert?

– I’m an introvert. But I’m not pathologically introverted ~ I don’t have anxiety about calling peeps on the phone or interacting in person, and I’ve even done a couple stand-up comedy routines. I just prefer not to. I like to be at home with my kitty, 🐱 writing in relative quiet. But I’ll do the other stuff from time to time, or even often, because life. Part of my issue with “doing things” isn’t being with people so much (though I do joke about that) ~ it’s being on the road. Traveling in a vehicle is very dangerous; there are around 30,000 deaths per year on the roads, not to mention injuries. That’s terrifying. I have a lot of anxiety about driving and other drivers, but I believe it’s quite justified.

2] What makes you feel complete, whole or accomplished?

– I enjoy office work. I like being thanked and knowing I helped get a project done. I also like completing an organizing or decluttering task and seeing all the things in their Rightful Places, whether at home or at work.

3] Do you judge a book by its cover?

– Sometimes I am guilty of this, in both directions. 😱

4] What’s the one thing that people always misunderstand about you?

– People take my fiction literally. Ah, if only I had done the all things I write about… what an interesting life that would have been! ✨

Journal: Week 1

(Thanks to Nova)

1. I’m most looking forward to making progress on my novel.

2. Three goals for this month: edit everything I wrote on my novel in November, exercise daily, blog daily.

3. Today is quiet and productive; wish I had Diet Coke.

4. Looking forward to seeing my grandbaby again soon.

5. I don’t want to forget how much fun I had over the holidays when my whole little family was together.

6. This year I’ll be going up to NorCal at least twice.

7. My top three priorities are: work, health, writing.

8. Places I have visited so far this year would be… home and work! Target and the gas station. Costco for an eye exam and to order new glasses and sunglasses. Oh, and the restaurant that didn’t have hot tea. 🙄

One-Liner Wednesday

This has always been my philosophy, even though I’ve pushed it aside at times when trying to navigate relationships, especially romances. But since I’ve given those up, I feel much freer to live my life on my own terms. I may appear to be “normal” and blend in with the crowd wherever I go, but the older I get the more of an oddball I am. For example, I just had four solid days off from my office job and spent quite a bit of that time at home (my preference), but I did not once turn on my TV.

“It’s not you, it’s me.” <– That’s what I say to the offerings on Prime and Netflix, plus to my own library of unwatched DVDs. Lots of good stuff in there, but I’d rather read and write. As I said, I’m an oddball. But I can’t make progress as a writer if I zone out in front of the TV like the rest of the world. And writing is simply a higher priority to me than watching another show, however enjoyable it may be.

Most nights, I don’t eat dinner. Omg! Yes, I know: I’m a freak. But I like to stay slim (and given my family history, I believe it’s important), and I have a slow metabolism from being older and not exercising much. I like to eat breakfast and lunch (not huge meals for either), and have only a small snack at night, such as a banana, with a cup of tea. Obviously I make exceptions for getting together with peeps for dinner (I skip lunch those days), but usually this is what I do. I find this way of eating to be extremely helpful in keeping me more alert during the day and getting better sleep at night too.

I’ve been so much more productive since finally flinging off the shackles of what I should do to “be normal” vs what works for me in terms of progress. You can see how none of this would be conducive to a dating type of relationship where a guy would want a real dinner every night and then need to snuggle with me in front of the tube. Been there, done that. Thank u, next!

~*~

One-Liner Wednesday

The Liars Club

Like Fandango, I’m already breaking my own rules and playing a game instead of writing, aka lying. Blame Rory and his Daily Fun Three.

Name Three…

Three of your childhood books?

– Arty The Smarty, The Velveteen Rabbit, Little House on the Prairie

Three of your best memories?

– the themed parties I did for my kids ~ forex… one Barbie/pink, one Halloween/pirates, and one backwards birthday (probably the most fun ever)

Things that are yellow and triangular?

– a slice of lemon meringue pie and a lemon square cut on the diagonal which is now two triangles if you know math which I do so that’s three right there boom 💥

Wishes you would like to be granted if you had a magic genie lamp?

– instant and complete elimination of all weapons that cause mass death and our ability to make more of same, eliminate pollution everywhere, fix my fucking heater since my landlord is ignoring my text 😡

Beautiful places you have ever visited?

– Zion National Park, the Grand Canyon, Monterey, CA

Things you fall back on to make you feel better when having a bad day?

– sugar, rage, resolve

Things that best describe your family?

– smart, successful, funny (daughters & sons-in-law)

Of your favourite blogs?

– Fandango, The Haunted Wordsmith, Msjadeli (also all others, bloggers or not, who comment here regularly… much ❤️)

Things you would choose if you had ten minutes in your favourite store if you didn’t have to pay for them?

– three fucking heaters

Dishes you can cook in less than 15 minutes and ready to eat direct from serve?

– I don’t understand this question

Pet peeves?

– passive aggression, vehicles with obnoxious blindingly bright headlights, BMWs in general

Bird species beginning with the name G?

– gnu, goose, green parrot 🦜

Of your most favourite letters from the alphabet?

– XYZ

Of the most boring things you have ever done?

– tried to read Ulysses, played Encore with geniuses, driven from Irvine to LA on a Friday night omg

Questions you would ask of your pet if you could?

– why are you so yowly, why don’t you bury your p00ps so our enemies won’t find us, why can’t you let me smoosh you when I’m cold???

Of your favourite cartoons from now or when younger?

– the Pink Panther, Rocky, Bullwinkle

Of the emoticons you use the most when writing or in social media or comments?

– ❤️😀😂

Rule of Three

Name three things (via Rory) –

That you cannot under any circumstances live without ?

– Hot shower, hot tea, internet connection

That you write about every week?

– How I don’t miss Facebook, how I don’t miss dating, how it’s so great I’ve moved on from things I’ve given up and don’t discuss them endlessly and forever like a boring person 🙄

That you wouldn’t recommend doing whilst holding one foot in the air?

– Meeting Queen Elizabeth, reciting your wedding vows, tickling a grouchy tiger

That you say to people every day?

– Just coffee, thanks, goodnight

To do with your street?

– Ugly, noisy, busy

That you can eat with brown sauce?

– Don’t know, what this, is

You like about your favourite bloggers?

– Funny, smart, creative

That you don’t eat every week?

– Frogs’ legs, chocolate covered ants, prairie oysters

That you wished you could eat every day?

– Guacamole from Avila’s, Cathy’s chocolate chip cookies, mangoes

About your favourite pair of shoes that you like?

– Comfy, black, moccasins

That annoyingly always arrive in three?

– Unexpected expenses, work stresses, social dramas

About books you really don’t like?

– Twin mixups, getting back with exes, main characters who must return to a small town to confront their demons…

Mundane Monday: Cup

When I put the word “cup” into my google photos app, the search returned a lot of images. Because cupcakes! It was hard to choose a favorite for this prompt. But I have to go with Gatsby gazing at a cup of tea that has the word “cupcake” on it. He’s probably wondering if he can attack the teabag without getting his paw 🐾 too soaked.

Light Bulb Moment

Me: Oh no, one of the bulbs in my ceiling fan light has burnt out and now I’ll have to climb on a ladder to change it, which will be difficult to do one-handed, since I can’t let go of the heavy glass cover at the same time.

Also me: Why don’t we just start using the floor lamp instead? It has three bulbs and provides plenty of illumination.

Me again: Brilliant idea!

~*~

Via Sammi Cox’s Weekend Writing Prompt

Black Friday [pretty ranty]

Anyone else find it ridonkulous that the day after Thanksgiving has now been elevated into a national go into (more) debt day such that “Black Friday” is pre-marked on our calendars and we’re sent auto-reminders on our phones? Go shopping! Deals are waiting! Pssst, buy something already, wouldja!

Fucksake. Idk about the rest of the world, but Americans don’t need any prompting to be mindless consumers and spend money they don’t have. Do you ever think about the overwhelming amount of stuff we throw into the trash because we neeeeed new things? We need them. The ads tell us we do, so it must be true. I like to dump stuff, but I have been trying not to replace everything I toss.

What’s funny is that these dubious deals will still be available. All weekend. Next week, through December, and don’t forget the after-Christmas sales! If you don’t rush out today to trample over your neighbors to grab a cheap iPad… there will be another opportunity.

I confess I am spending money today, but it’s on car maintenance. Today was a super convenient day for me to make an appointment, which I knew was going to take several hours, because I have nothing else going on. I’m certainly not going near the maul afterwards. Gahhh!

It’s true I bought myself some emotional insurance by shopping last Sunday and Wednesday afternoon, just a little bit, but enough to feel like I got my retail therapy done for the holidays. Planning ahead! But even if I hadn’t, I still wouldn’t go out there today.

Speaking of Black Friday, check out this melody…

https://youtu.be/92zMMZWPyGE