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Because I'm not sure about the time if it was before midnight or not....
but on this this night 3rd December 2021 I went up upstairs like any other night, to sleep, but like no other night, I died

Since then I've not been baffled as to HOW I'm still alive....
" their mysterious ways and all that"
but since then I've been really baffled and confused as to WHY
which I don't mean in a gratifying way rather than it being more like I fit more for purpose/reason being alive to someone/something, than dead.. but what or whom, two years later I'm still waiting for that reason.

Maybe I shouldn't be in a rush to find out because once I've achieved it, that will be the end of me again... but this time for good deep down I think I know what I've been given this borrowed time for and for now all I'll say, that's a wager I've got going just between me & God..

For a change, may the best man loose

Anyways, if you are someone like me feeling either lucky, blessed or feel like a pawn even...
how's thing been with or for you since your escape from death???

In the meanwhile happy 2nd anniversary to me
" hope I've just not gone and jinked myself with that line"

I'm on both sides of the fence when it comes to shoes on or off in the house. It wasn't an issue growing up in the 50's and 60's, I remember tile floors and shoes were optional. In the 70's most of the house had carpet. Vacuumed weekly and shampooed a few times a year. I was known to wear flip-flops or running shoes.

In the 80's I developed toenail fungus and a few treatments of Lamisil (at $200 each) reduced the severity, but never eradicated the fungus. Hint: The podiatrist said it was contacted from the many years I went without shoes.
Somewhere in the 90's I started wearing (light-weight) construction boots as I was a project manager and often I had to be on jobsites. I'd wear them all day, in or out.

One day while in the waiting room to see my doctor, an advertisement for Jublia came on the TV. It's a prescription strength anti-fungal liquid. I told my doctor, got the prescription and it actually worked. So 20+ years of chasing a cure for fungus was gone! I'm more careful about going without shoes, especially in areas of wet grass.

A girlfriend asked why I wore shoes in the house and my answer was simple. "FIRE... everybody out... FIRE!

Most of the people I know leave their shoes at the front door and walk around barefoot.

As a worker in clients houses, many insist my people remove their shoes. I have to remind them it's against OSHA safety regulations. If they were to get injured without safety shoes on, insurance would not cover the claim. I've asked if they want to sign a waiver to accept the cost of medical in the event someone would get hurt and not be wearing proper shoes.
Disposable booties/shoe covers were provided by the company.

Prior to booties becoming readily available, I've gone into clients houses and removed my shoes because they insisted. One family who professed their cleanliness had a dog. When I was done with the minimal visit of measuring and discussing the design, my socks were dirty AND collected dog hairs. Foolishly, I put my shoes on and right after, the bacteria contaminated my shoes that required me to dispose of them.

Fast forward... I come up the stairs, into my apartment, wipe my shoes on the mat, head to my studio and put my bag with job folders on the side table. If I plan to be in for a while, I'll remove my shoes and get into leather slippers.

There's a shoe storage box on the wall by the door that doesn't get used. When I go to my daughter's house they have a pile of shoes at the door and usually family/friends go barefoot or change to slippers as the upstairs rooms are carpeted. I keep my shoes on. If it's an issue, I'll wear booties.



Yahoo ran a story about shoes in the house and the opinions/experiences varied wildly.
The fear factor of lead based paint, bacteria and E. coli was over hyped.





Link:

Most people, even certain intelligent ones, seem to think CO2 is a harmless transparent gas that is not a pollutant.

Well, that is sort of true, it is a colourless transparent gas and not an air pollutant, without CO2 all life on earth would die.

HOWEVER, It has a major effect on keeping the Earth's surface temperature at an even level, no CO2 would create a planet of ice.
Too much CO2 creates the opposite, warming the Earth's surface and that is what is called Global Climate Change.

Excessive CO2 heats up the air which in turn affects the sea temp, weather formations and the overall climate across the entire world.

Do not be deceived by those who say CO2 is harmless, it is not, it will affect every single living being on Earth.

Global warming is a real fact, as can be seen, and felt by the weather pattern changes we have all experienced over the last 2-3 decades.

Say: Cheese!
I remember that. It started off in childhood. I think they still do it...
When someone had a camera everyone would gather together for a picture.
The photographer would yell: "say cheese!" and the English word "cheese" is perfect for a smile. Yes, a smile makes for a great picture. Or does it? That is what's socially accepted.

For the benefit of those who don't speak English as a first language, your face makes a natural smile when you say cheese. Funny thing, in Spanish they say 'queso' that sounds like K-SO (clears throat) queso is the Spanish word for cheese and your mouth doesn't have the same appearance using queso instead of cheese.

Am I different? I'm smiling... really I am. I'm smiling on the inside.
Trust me, I'm smiling. Because you cannot see my lips pulled back and my teeth exposed? This doesn't mean I'm unhappy. I'm truly smiling on the inside.
Do I really have to distort my face and show teeth to prove it?

If I smile, will it make someone else happy?

You know, In the animal world, showing your teeth is an act of aggression.... I don't want to bite you... Do you wanna bite me?

Some people have a natural smile. Some people don't
Some people are missing teeth... but they smile anyway!
Some people practice their smiles. I think they stand in front of a mirror... for hours.
They practice their smiles.
Is this good? It must be... so many do it and everyone likes the results.
Sometimes it's the same smile. Perfected.

My old girlfriend had the EXACT same smile. every picture. She took 200 photos of the same smile. For the most part, it was a nice smile... after a while It reminded me of a smiling politician... fake smile.
I asked her to try using different levels of smile sometimes, but she refused.

I still have nightmares.

Maybe I should practice my smile. I'll get off the internet and practice my smile.
This could be good. One day, I'll be famous. I'll be in public and know the importance of a smile and how universally it's accepted (well, except in the animal world)

I will perfect my smile so when I retract my lips and show my teeth, you will know it's a gesture of friendship and not an indication that you're my next dinner.

List your favorite and if you want

Least favorite

And the reason why



Also if you can be bothered their best blog or comment

There's a narrow 2-lane road leading to the county park where I'm often seen with friends on weekends. Typically, I arrive between 9 or 10am and find it amazing to see the same guy walking along the way to the park. From the main road into the park and back is no less than four miles... doable for someone at a slow pace. The guy wears a floppy-style safari hat, t-shirt and shorts... typical to many of the people who go to the park. The thing most distinguishable about him is his hunchback-like posture. You can spot him from 100 yards as his head and neck are forward and he's usually looking downward. Only once in all the times I've seen him did he look up and acknowledge me as I drove by.

I admire someone so ritual in his exercise plan that I've nicknamed him 'Walker' as he's probably in his 70's and doesn't appear to have any body fat. Bravo!

As kids, do you remember an elder correcting you if you leaned over in a slouched position that could cause bad posture that would affect you as an adult? I do. Yeah, there are times where people have congenital problems that cannot be avoided. Other issues come from machine operators where one side of the body gets stress causing the body to be twisted. I knew a guitarist who played classical guitar for hours upon hours and his posture from so many years holding the instrument had his body twisted that required chiropractic treatments to help straighten his shoulders.

When I see someone with a hunchback, I'm always reminded to SIT STRAIGHT!

I'm into my 4th year living in a condo and every year the HOA monthly rates go up. It was $450 the first year and now over $625. Much of the increase was due to rising insurance. I attended an association meeting last month and the president (of the association) stated some of the expenses the residents have to pay was mostly for the roof and structure insurance.
She stated, they keep a surplus because coming up will be the expense of re-roofing which is done should it fail inspection. Historically they try to avoid special assessments when something in the building fails.
I noted the vent fans in the elevator have rusted and ceased working, it appears it's not covered in the maintenance agreement with the elevator company and will have to wait for some other event to be considered.

Today in Yahoo Finance they ran a story about condo owners in Florida hit with a 563% increase. Not to get political about this, I think the governor should be working on a plan to help lower insurance rate hikes.


Before this move, I lived in a 70 year old house without a mortgage so no one monitored that I didn't have insurance coverage. Old style construction so I took my chances and was very lucky nothing happened, like a hurricane taking my roof off or the original wiring going up in smoke. It became an issue for the new buyer to obtain insurance for a structure that hadn't been insured prior to the sale.

My current neighbor does building maintenance and his wife is a realtor so they have connections about the development. Many of the residents are in their 80's and retired for many years, unexpected increases have them strapped for funds where some of them were forced to sell and move to assisted living facilities... what a horrible thought.




Link:

In 1955, American musician Richard Berry wrote a song called Louie Louie about a Jamaican sailor returning home to see his lover. It was the B-side of the 45 record and didn't get much play until the Kingsmen released it in 1957, making it a rock and roll hit!

If you were a musician during that time, Louie Louie may have been the most requested song on your list. Sometimes, it was sometimes pronounced Louie Lou-eye and always there was a misinterpretation to the lyrics as the vocals weren't clear and nearly everyone said the lyrics were suggestive in nature... enough to have the song banned in a few parts of America. I remember rumors that the FBI were investigating the Kingsmen trying to decipher the supposed s*xual nature of the lyrics. True? I cannot say.

*** published LYRICS ***
{intro}
Louie Louie, oh no, you take me where ya gotta go
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, baby
Louie Louie, oh baby, take me where ya gotta go

A fine little girl, she waits for me
Me catch the ship across the sea
Me sailed that ship all alone
Me never think I'll make it home

Louie Louie, oh no no no, we gotta go
Oh no
Said Louie Louie, oh baby, me gotta go

Three nights and days I sailed the sea
Me think of girl constantly
On that ship, I dream she there
I smell the rose in her hair

Louie Louie, oh no, me gotta go
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, baby
Louie Louie, oh baby, said we gotta go
Okay, let's give it to 'em right now

{guitar solo}

Me see
Me see Jamaica, the moon above
It won't be long me see me love
Me take her in my arms and then
I tell her I'll never leave again

Louie Louie, oh no, we gotta go
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, baby
Louie Louie, oh baby, said we gotta go
I said we gotta go now
Let's hustle on out of here
Let's go


Sure, I played it and recall the Miami version...
My little girl is waiting for me, she gets her thrills on top of me...

When I was at school we had an exchange student from Spain whos name was Joaquin

He pronounced it as whakeem


He had a habit of helping himself to everyone's lunchbox

He became known as
"He came in my lunchbox "

Former New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie made a bad showing when he tried for the Republican party nomination in the 2020 presidential election. He learned a lot and is trying again for 2024. I watched his town hall meeting a month ago and saw the group there enjoyed listening to his logic about the complexity of not only running the country, but how we interface with the rest of the world. He apologized for his short comings in previous situations that cast him in a less favorable light.

Christie knows he's got a tough hill to climb and was booed at a conservative conference on Sunday, later saying it was predominantly a Trump crowd.
Going hard after Trump, Christie is calling him a 'three-time loser,' mentioning his losses that included the classified document indictment and the hush money case.

Can he win the support of Republicans without making false campaign promises?

Hmmm... my opinion is it's doubtful because voters are swayed by BS and not honesty.
Step up your game Chris, you're going against a seasoned professional.