Here is a list of Lifestyle Blogs. A Blog is a journal you may enter about your life, thoughts, interesting experiences, or lessons you've learned. Post an opinion, impart words of wisdom, or talk about something interesting in your day. Update your blog on a regular basis, or just whenever you have something to say. Creating a blog is a good way to share something of yourself with others. Reading blogs is a good way to learn more about others. Click here to post a blog.
Today
Today I am going to do the long overdue job of giving my bathroom (it's a bathroom without a bath) a good clean. I may be gone some time. 
online today!
Corona Light...
This has nothing to do with Trump and ultraviolet.
Yeah, I need a haircut...
Yeah, I need a haircut...
How to survive life.
Song from Red Dead 2 game...May I stand unshaken amidst the crash of worlds.
Best words ever. Anyone who is approaching or into old age has seen many worlds crash around them. Children have a view of how life is, should be and will be for them. And then they get B slapped. How seldom does life turn out the way expected.
I see life as a river you float down. Sometimes you rest on a lush island. Sometimes the flood carries you and maybe even over a falls. With luck you survive and float on again. Very few people get to live their life on a lush island and some end up dying going over a falls.
My dad was born in another era. All the changes he went through in life is mind boggling. He lived through the Spanish flu and never even talked about it!? Went from gas lights to electricity, horse era to autos. Radios to TVs.
When I think life is tough, I remember what he and mom lived through and say I have no comparison.
I feel sorry for the spoiled young of today. Sheltered from adversity, spoiled and told the world is awaiting them, they run head on into the real world and bury themselves in drugs or suicide. They grow up with no coping skills. Death is hidden except on video games where they can always reset. The first time they are told no, they flip out.
My parents had the means to spoil me. I know mom was an easier mark. But, they knew the rest of the world didn't care. And it was their job to say no more than yes. Make me think..do I really want that. Teach me that money takes work and spend and save wisely.
So many lessons we old folks were taught are gone. So many skills we learned are fading into obscurity.
I am surprised by the kindness shown in this time of plague. But, see already the greed factor kicking in, lead by corporations ticked off cause profits are falling. I hate the phrase..oh I love it. No, I don't love foods or cars or clothes. I only love special people. I may really like materials goods, but, reserve love for humans and animals and the earth.
We face a crash of worlds. What will next year prove we are?
Best words ever. Anyone who is approaching or into old age has seen many worlds crash around them. Children have a view of how life is, should be and will be for them. And then they get B slapped. How seldom does life turn out the way expected.
I see life as a river you float down. Sometimes you rest on a lush island. Sometimes the flood carries you and maybe even over a falls. With luck you survive and float on again. Very few people get to live their life on a lush island and some end up dying going over a falls.
My dad was born in another era. All the changes he went through in life is mind boggling. He lived through the Spanish flu and never even talked about it!? Went from gas lights to electricity, horse era to autos. Radios to TVs.
When I think life is tough, I remember what he and mom lived through and say I have no comparison.
I feel sorry for the spoiled young of today. Sheltered from adversity, spoiled and told the world is awaiting them, they run head on into the real world and bury themselves in drugs or suicide. They grow up with no coping skills. Death is hidden except on video games where they can always reset. The first time they are told no, they flip out.
My parents had the means to spoil me. I know mom was an easier mark. But, they knew the rest of the world didn't care. And it was their job to say no more than yes. Make me think..do I really want that. Teach me that money takes work and spend and save wisely.
So many lessons we old folks were taught are gone. So many skills we learned are fading into obscurity.
I am surprised by the kindness shown in this time of plague. But, see already the greed factor kicking in, lead by corporations ticked off cause profits are falling. I hate the phrase..oh I love it. No, I don't love foods or cars or clothes. I only love special people. I may really like materials goods, but, reserve love for humans and animals and the earth.
We face a crash of worlds. What will next year prove we are?
online today!
Nego-sha-gate
In November 1999, five year old Elián Gonzalez was found in an inner tube floating at sea three miles off the coast of Florida's Fort Lauderdale. The fishermen who found the boy turned him over to the US Coast Guard. Elián's mother and twelve other escaped from Cuba headed to The United States. The motor of the boat broke down and started taking on water during a storm. Only three made it to safety, the others including Elián's perished at sea.
Elián was released temporarily to his great-uncle, Lázaro, who lived in the Little Havana section of Miami. His cousin Marisleysis acted as the guardian to Elián.
Elián's father In Cuba, was trying to get the boy returned to his country and the Miami family was trying to keep him in the United States. Negotiations went on for weeks and all options had run out
A Florida family court judge revoked Lázaro's temporary custody, clearing the way for González to be returned to his father's custody. Attorney General Janet Reno ordered the return of Elián González to his father and set a deadline of April 13, 2000
The house was surrounded by protesters as well as police. There was speculation that some of the protesters were armed and prepared to thwart any government action. The relatives insisted on guarantees that they could live with the child for several months and retain custody, yet the family defied the order to release custody of the boy. Negotiations carried on throughout the night, but Reno claimed that the relatives rejected all workable solutions and made the decision to remove González from the house and instructed agents of the Border Patrol's special BORTAC unit to raid the house in the pre-dawn hours of Easter Eve, April 22. They snatched the boy to safety and four hours later, reunited him with his father who was flown from Cuba to the Coast Guard Station in Opa Locka, Florida.
It's all over but the shouting... I remember hearing Elián's cousin Marisleysis crying to the media "We've always tried to nego-sha-gate..."
My ex-wife and I followed the story and it became an inside joke to mispronounce negotiate. Marisleysis... you go girl!
Currently, I'm nego-sha-gating some small details on the sale of my house.
Elián was released temporarily to his great-uncle, Lázaro, who lived in the Little Havana section of Miami. His cousin Marisleysis acted as the guardian to Elián.
Elián's father In Cuba, was trying to get the boy returned to his country and the Miami family was trying to keep him in the United States. Negotiations went on for weeks and all options had run out
A Florida family court judge revoked Lázaro's temporary custody, clearing the way for González to be returned to his father's custody. Attorney General Janet Reno ordered the return of Elián González to his father and set a deadline of April 13, 2000
The house was surrounded by protesters as well as police. There was speculation that some of the protesters were armed and prepared to thwart any government action. The relatives insisted on guarantees that they could live with the child for several months and retain custody, yet the family defied the order to release custody of the boy. Negotiations carried on throughout the night, but Reno claimed that the relatives rejected all workable solutions and made the decision to remove González from the house and instructed agents of the Border Patrol's special BORTAC unit to raid the house in the pre-dawn hours of Easter Eve, April 22. They snatched the boy to safety and four hours later, reunited him with his father who was flown from Cuba to the Coast Guard Station in Opa Locka, Florida.
It's all over but the shouting... I remember hearing Elián's cousin Marisleysis crying to the media "We've always tried to nego-sha-gate..."
My ex-wife and I followed the story and it became an inside joke to mispronounce negotiate. Marisleysis... you go girl!
Currently, I'm nego-sha-gating some small details on the sale of my house.
Someones Culture
While reading and doing some hard thinking about something today.I read a post about someones culture and such.About how that particular culture was or is.It proved to me that there are still prejudices in this country today.
One of my older late brothers had enlisted in the Army many years ago during wartime, and during that time frame he had met and wished to marry a young lady but because she didn't wish to move to the states and leave her parents behind they both went their separate ways.I did see a picture some time ago of her sitting on his coffee table of the many times I'd been at his apartment and she was very pretty. I thought to myself on how neat it would've been to have had some possible Japanese nieces and nephews.I would've been such a proud and happy Aunt. But it never happened.
I'm of mixed race myself.My late father who was born Native American had been adopted by a American Indian family when he was a small child cause his own mother who was white had given him up.
When I had learned of my older brother and the lady that he had wished to marry back then and if they obviously would've had any children should I had just had nothing to ever do with them or her even though they would've been my nieces or nephews regardless of their culture which their mother had originally came from?
One of my older late brothers had enlisted in the Army many years ago during wartime, and during that time frame he had met and wished to marry a young lady but because she didn't wish to move to the states and leave her parents behind they both went their separate ways.I did see a picture some time ago of her sitting on his coffee table of the many times I'd been at his apartment and she was very pretty. I thought to myself on how neat it would've been to have had some possible Japanese nieces and nephews.I would've been such a proud and happy Aunt. But it never happened.
I'm of mixed race myself.My late father who was born Native American had been adopted by a American Indian family when he was a small child cause his own mother who was white had given him up.
When I had learned of my older brother and the lady that he had wished to marry back then and if they obviously would've had any children should I had just had nothing to ever do with them or her even though they would've been my nieces or nephews regardless of their culture which their mother had originally came from?
On the spur of the moment.
Yesterday a friend of mine suggested to me that since weekends are boring why didn't we just load ourselves in the vehicle and just go out somewhere.He said that's what his parents used do years ago.So that's what we both did.We got in his vehicle and went.Yes we did distance ourselves from other people.We both do reside on his late mothers property and do our errands together so we saw no need to distance ourselves from each another.
We put the dog in his vehicle that we both share the care of and just drove to a lake somewhere that we hadn't been to in years and went fishing and afterwards and had some lunch.It was the best time I had in some time, yes we did practice our distancing from other people.Caught some fish but they were to small in size to keep so afterwards we went to a drive up window and had some lunch and then drove to another location did some more fishing and then drove home.It was a fun time just doing something in the spur of the moment.I wonder if any of you have ever just got in your vehicle and just went somewhere to blow the stink off so to speak.
It felt so good just to be away from our computers,tv and such.
We put the dog in his vehicle that we both share the care of and just drove to a lake somewhere that we hadn't been to in years and went fishing and afterwards and had some lunch.It was the best time I had in some time, yes we did practice our distancing from other people.Caught some fish but they were to small in size to keep so afterwards we went to a drive up window and had some lunch and then drove to another location did some more fishing and then drove home.It was a fun time just doing something in the spur of the moment.I wonder if any of you have ever just got in your vehicle and just went somewhere to blow the stink off so to speak.
It felt so good just to be away from our computers,tv and such.
online today!
Quarter life, versus mid life, "crises".
Been there, and done that, on my own, of the latter. Just look at my rides/sails/lifestyle.. Digressing as I go.
So, now we have so called quarter life crises, which some, but certainly not all, may quetsch about, between the ages of 20 and mid 30's. Variously described, poorly, by some effete alt left juniorversity faculty, on the road to nowhere publications, and cheap academic promotion. But at the Vierk Institute, we'll gladly chirp in. Especially when not at all asked to do so. Always at your servicing, folks.
First of all, it seems to present in a restricted group of younger folks. Don't look for it in the offspring of more working class parents. Or in youngsters choosing the trades, or military, over the glory of costly, debt inducing, beer soaked university years. Seems to sprout up more in liberal parenting situations. It is reported to be a deep sense of ennui, often whined about as, "I used to feel locked out (jobs, boy friend, kids), but now I feel locked in (jobs, wifey, kids)." Clearly essentially intracultural, and, social media scrutiny, and the economies, might contribute, in their minds, at least. It can often follow a disappointment at work, or in love, evolving to life in a basement room, or couch, at Mommy's. Worse, when substances are involved, these moves can be from Park Avenue, to park bench. Blinded, are these sad cases, by parents', and other herd expectations. No religion, but all will swear to being deeply spiritual sentient beings.
Well, our behavioral health team, yes, the same folks who gave you the Trump Derangement, and other liberal syndromes, have come up with our own understanding of things. For starters, it doesn't deserve the status of "Syndrome", not to mention "disease/illness". Such nosologic titles only serve to increase, allegedly, the incidence/prevalence of the beast (hey, Epid terms, these). We recall, with Mona Lisa knowing smiles, entities like "multiple personality, p*nis envy and schizophrenogenic mum "disorders. Not to mention every second surviving birth winding up on the autism spectrum.
With such a sophisticated audience here, just naming a few related concepts will stimulate thought and understanding of what's really up. The concept of universal suffering and self love, from our Buddhist friends. Being grateful, grounded and helpful, as in the halls of AA. Good old fashioned independence/individuation struggles, held over from adolescence, where they really belong, from the child psychiatrists. Useless as these wannabe docs usually are. Confusion over success versus happiness, stoked by expectations of perfect lives, from the stoic philosophers. And probably a few more---help us out.
These kids mostly grew up where every one was a winner, where every member of even a loosing team got trophies, and so on. Thanks, muchly, liberal teachers. Who is really surprised? How about, Millennial Snowflake "they didn't make me bank president after a week of work", condition? Can't make any of these rants up, my devoted followers. Even those threatening physical violence, after misunderstanding what's right under their noses. Thank the Goddess we didn't have to face Tojo, the Hun or a Blitz, with these folks in uniform.
So, now we have so called quarter life crises, which some, but certainly not all, may quetsch about, between the ages of 20 and mid 30's. Variously described, poorly, by some effete alt left juniorversity faculty, on the road to nowhere publications, and cheap academic promotion. But at the Vierk Institute, we'll gladly chirp in. Especially when not at all asked to do so. Always at your servicing, folks.
First of all, it seems to present in a restricted group of younger folks. Don't look for it in the offspring of more working class parents. Or in youngsters choosing the trades, or military, over the glory of costly, debt inducing, beer soaked university years. Seems to sprout up more in liberal parenting situations. It is reported to be a deep sense of ennui, often whined about as, "I used to feel locked out (jobs, boy friend, kids), but now I feel locked in (jobs, wifey, kids)." Clearly essentially intracultural, and, social media scrutiny, and the economies, might contribute, in their minds, at least. It can often follow a disappointment at work, or in love, evolving to life in a basement room, or couch, at Mommy's. Worse, when substances are involved, these moves can be from Park Avenue, to park bench. Blinded, are these sad cases, by parents', and other herd expectations. No religion, but all will swear to being deeply spiritual sentient beings.
Well, our behavioral health team, yes, the same folks who gave you the Trump Derangement, and other liberal syndromes, have come up with our own understanding of things. For starters, it doesn't deserve the status of "Syndrome", not to mention "disease/illness". Such nosologic titles only serve to increase, allegedly, the incidence/prevalence of the beast (hey, Epid terms, these). We recall, with Mona Lisa knowing smiles, entities like "multiple personality, p*nis envy and schizophrenogenic mum "disorders. Not to mention every second surviving birth winding up on the autism spectrum.
With such a sophisticated audience here, just naming a few related concepts will stimulate thought and understanding of what's really up. The concept of universal suffering and self love, from our Buddhist friends. Being grateful, grounded and helpful, as in the halls of AA. Good old fashioned independence/individuation struggles, held over from adolescence, where they really belong, from the child psychiatrists. Useless as these wannabe docs usually are. Confusion over success versus happiness, stoked by expectations of perfect lives, from the stoic philosophers. And probably a few more---help us out.
These kids mostly grew up where every one was a winner, where every member of even a loosing team got trophies, and so on. Thanks, muchly, liberal teachers. Who is really surprised? How about, Millennial Snowflake "they didn't make me bank president after a week of work", condition? Can't make any of these rants up, my devoted followers. Even those threatening physical violence, after misunderstanding what's right under their noses. Thank the Goddess we didn't have to face Tojo, the Hun or a Blitz, with these folks in uniform.
Fitting in (edited)
8 pm in Spain - so I went to my doorway to join in the clapping. I don't always (busy, or forget) but when I do my neighbour on the left beams at me like her face will split. If she was allowed to hug me she probably would.
Same neighbour has up to now stared at me as if she can't believe el Dios bueno punished her - ¿¿¿por qué??? - by letting an Inglesa move in next door.
The neighbours opposite speak English and have always been friendly and the neighbours on the right don't but we smile and chat until my abominable social Spanish has been plumbed to its depths. Clapping is a small price to pay to complete the magic circle.
I suppose I'm a basic hypocrite, I've often done things not from conviction but because they are polite and grease the wheels of social acceptability. Some examples from around the world, following Jig's lead -
1. Would you burp to compliment the chef, if it was expected
2. Stand back to let the man (or, if you are a man, your host) enter the restaurant before you
3. Put used loo paper in the bin, not into the toilet
Bonus question, what's the oddest polite custom you know
Same neighbour has up to now stared at me as if she can't believe el Dios bueno punished her - ¿¿¿por qué??? - by letting an Inglesa move in next door.
The neighbours opposite speak English and have always been friendly and the neighbours on the right don't but we smile and chat until my abominable social Spanish has been plumbed to its depths. Clapping is a small price to pay to complete the magic circle.
I suppose I'm a basic hypocrite, I've often done things not from conviction but because they are polite and grease the wheels of social acceptability. Some examples from around the world, following Jig's lead -
1. Would you burp to compliment the chef, if it was expected
2. Stand back to let the man (or, if you are a man, your host) enter the restaurant before you
3. Put used loo paper in the bin, not into the toilet
Bonus question, what's the oddest polite custom you know
What I've been up to
I've been spending a lot of my free time -of which I have quite a large
amount at the moment- messing about with a 3D modelling computer
programme. It also does animation. It isn't simple to use, in fact, it is
quite complicated and would probably require a college course to gain
proficiency. After much persistence I am starting to get to grips with the
basics.
This is a sample of my achievements so far. Providing I can manage to
upload it to the blog.
amount at the moment- messing about with a 3D modelling computer
programme. It also does animation. It isn't simple to use, in fact, it is
quite complicated and would probably require a college course to gain
proficiency. After much persistence I am starting to get to grips with the
basics.
This is a sample of my achievements so far. Providing I can manage to
upload it to the blog.
online today!
The Insulation Blog...
I put an old house up for sale. Within a week, I had a buyer who was planning to put $50,000 in upgrades prior to moving in. He's in the restaurant business and a few weeks before the closing, due to COVID-19 is out of work. Ignoring the money he has in savings, the bank cannot verify his employment and refuses a mortgage. The deal is off.
The house goes back on the market and again within a week another buyer shows up. This buyer has a stable job and also plans to put a chunk of money into renovations. Just like the other buyer, they paid for a home inspection. Different from the other inspector, this guy comes with video equipment capable of sewer and drain pipe inspections. In most areas he does a more thorough job.
I was there the day of the inspection (intentionally, to my benefit) and met the buyer who came along with the agent. I already know the plan is to completely gut the kitchen and bathroom that share the plumbing wall, remove all the room air conditioner units, tear open a hall closet to install central air conditioning unit, remove all the windows and install insulated impact windows, change the front door to solid panel, close in the car port and make a family room, move the laundry station to the back of the house that requires 60 feet of plumbing. With all those changes, I'm sure the water heater will be replaced with a tankless system.
The inspection report came through this morning and I have to laugh as many of the items that were noted as missing, marginal or failed will be removed/replaced when the new owner does their renovation. One item the inspector tried to make an issue was the lack of attic insulation.
10 years ago, my neighbor had a central air conditioning system installed. After they cut the ceiling and attic space for pipes, they installed 'blow-in' insulation a few inches thick in the top. His electric bill in the summer is over $400 a month. I was running window units in every room and only had the bedroom a/c on at night. My electric bill peaked at $125. He's got insulation and insulated impact windows, I've got no insulation, old style windows, some don't close tightly, and a jalousie front door that on a windy day you can feel a breeze.
Sometimes I feel that having insulation is a non-issue. At least, that's the way it worked out for me.
The house goes back on the market and again within a week another buyer shows up. This buyer has a stable job and also plans to put a chunk of money into renovations. Just like the other buyer, they paid for a home inspection. Different from the other inspector, this guy comes with video equipment capable of sewer and drain pipe inspections. In most areas he does a more thorough job.
I was there the day of the inspection (intentionally, to my benefit) and met the buyer who came along with the agent. I already know the plan is to completely gut the kitchen and bathroom that share the plumbing wall, remove all the room air conditioner units, tear open a hall closet to install central air conditioning unit, remove all the windows and install insulated impact windows, change the front door to solid panel, close in the car port and make a family room, move the laundry station to the back of the house that requires 60 feet of plumbing. With all those changes, I'm sure the water heater will be replaced with a tankless system.
The inspection report came through this morning and I have to laugh as many of the items that were noted as missing, marginal or failed will be removed/replaced when the new owner does their renovation. One item the inspector tried to make an issue was the lack of attic insulation.
10 years ago, my neighbor had a central air conditioning system installed. After they cut the ceiling and attic space for pipes, they installed 'blow-in' insulation a few inches thick in the top. His electric bill in the summer is over $400 a month. I was running window units in every room and only had the bedroom a/c on at night. My electric bill peaked at $125. He's got insulation and insulated impact windows, I've got no insulation, old style windows, some don't close tightly, and a jalousie front door that on a windy day you can feel a breeze.
Sometimes I feel that having insulation is a non-issue. At least, that's the way it worked out for me.
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