Thingy

   I consider Wisconsin my home, even though I was born on the other side of the border. (Illinois) My most precious memories are here. As a child, I spent the summers in Montello with my grandparents. I crossed the border many times with my girlfriends to go to bars, legally. I met my husband here. My daughter is here.  Wisconsin is red. My county is red. Illinois is blue. I like their governor very much. He's light within the darkness. We have a liberal governor, but he's a quiet, make no waves, nerd. He's a good guy, but he's no Pritzker. I have been debating for a very long time whether I should go back to Illinois, a blue state. I just feel so out of place here.  As much as I love the cows, the cheese curds, the smell of the lake in the morning, I don't like the red hatters. Tomorrow is a big day in Wisconsin . People will decide whether to vote for Brad Schimel or Susan Crawford for State Supreme Court Judge. For me it's a no brainer. Vote Schimel and go b...

 It is now clear what the agenda has been all along. *"Useless eaters" a term coined by Hitler's Nazi regime. This is exactly what Musk and Trump have in mind for the disabled, elderly, LGBT community, people of color and anyone else they deem a nuisance.

  Oh boy. Saturday night and I'm perusing Bluesky. Today was weird. After my previous blog about liking cat posts, I'm getting hit with cat posts. I'm not complaining, but it's doodoodoodoodoodoo... I'm also getting feeds from people who hate AI generated images. I won't call it art because it's not. For me, it's a fun pastime. But, man, these people are angry. I have no intention of leaving any comment defending AI generated images because I'm pretty sure they'll attack me. I did see one poster note she would block anyone who has anything good to say about it. WTF. Seriously, you complainers sound like narrow minded red hatters. There's room for more beauty in this world, even when created by a machine. (think Dairy Queen ice cream) If you have never used an AI art app, let me give you a summary. You enter a prompt like, "A beautiful redheaded woman carries a great dane." Then you can use various styles or effects to achieve your ...

  Having been on Bluesky for almost a month I feel I can impart sage advice. But first, I have to say, being on Bluesky makes me feel as if I'm in the French resistance. I am connecting with people who are just as passionate and outraged by the American regime taking place as I am. It feels good to not have to look at posts made by magas, trolls, bots, Russian spies, incels, jokers and jesters. Ah, but don't be fooled. They slither amongst us.  I have gotten friend requests from people who haven't posted anything in months. Sorry, I won't follow you. I won't follow people who have twelve followers yet have followed ten thousand blueskyers. I have seen trolls who post misinformation, clearly working for the other side. I haven't been friend requested by any man who needs funds to get home, pleading , "If only you would cash this $15,000 check, I guarantee ten fold, my darling. " There are a lot of people who are very popular on Bluesky. They can say, ...

  Welp. He's still alive as of 10:02, Friday evening. You all know who I mean. I haven't heard anyone come right out and say what most of us hope, but that's ok. It's there in our minds every single day.  That's sad isn't it? I wish for the demise of a, well I was going to write, human, but he isn't that. He's a shell, a hollow man.  I should look for happy news. I see there are sources out there that just deal with the good news of the day.  I have never gone there. I don't like to be controlled regarding how I should feel. That's why I hate certain movies that use music to tell you what you should be doing. Cowering, shivering, quivering, laughing, crying.  However, I was feeling rather down (que the music!)  'Hello darkness my old friend...' So, I asked Mr. Google. Any good news today? Here's something Mr. G. mentioned. Writing by hand is a good thing. It keeps our brains functioning so we can read some more shit news, if you like....

 I've been going online, looking at MRE's, meals ready to eat, just in case... I don't own a gun. In fact, I have never touched a gun. Yet, I've been looking at weapons which can lay low an enemy, without actually unaliving them.  I think of ways to fortify my home. Should I get twenty rolls of duct tape and plastic sheeting? I make the mental list... Bottled water  MRE's  Toilet paper  A weapon  I go through the list, adding and revising depending on the news of the day. I could run next door to the church which has a fallout shelter, although I might be turned away since I am not a member. Christians, they're a tight bunch. There are people out there who have prepped for this moment for a long time, building underground rooms loaded with canned goods and water. I'm sure they are well stocked with rifles, guns, knives, ropes and zip ties. My belief B.T. T. (Before Trump takeover) " Come on, people are good. Why would they choose chaos and destruction?...

  When did this happen? When did women start wanting to look like Kabuki performers? I don't want to solely condemn the women in the Reich because this look is prevalent on both sides. It's definitely a high maintenance, hours long process. You won't find too many ladies who live in double wides spending hours trying to achieve the living mannequin/Billy the puppet vision, mainly because it's expensive. I'm not saying they don't try. But you don't see a lot of neck tattoos whilst wearing Michael Kors.  Is this a look humans find irresistible? Why else would (mostly) women agree to look like softer versions of Steven Tyler? Why!? Like Dolly Parton says, "It takes a lot of money to  look this cheap." Yes, the beauty industry is worth around 624 billion dollars. Each American spends an average of $900 per year to look "marvelous." Lol. No. Someone is using my share. When did duck lips, four inch nails, six inch eyelashes, saline bags, Brazil...

   Although I was never tested, I'm sure I contracted COVID-19 in the early stages of the pandemic. With flu like symptoms and overall pain, I was a lump of misery for several days. I recovered eventually with the help of a few left over pain killers from a previous surgery. I know self medicating is frowned upon, but I was desperate and hurting. Those few pills helped me through the worst of the virus. This was before the vaccines were approved by the way. It wasn't like I was drinking bleach as our orange leader suggested, while his sycophants nodded in agreement. I still suffer from a weird effect with my olfactory senses. I cannot stand the smell of vanilla yogurt or instant mashed potatoes. It's a small price to pay. There has been a growing movement in this country for parents to forgo vaccinations for their children.   Now we see a once eradicated disease, measles, spread among the most vulnerable. A six year old girl died from the disease because her parents ...

  I remember the day my mom called me and asked me if I could take her to the bank to cash her very first social security check. When I arrived I could see she was excited to finally have some independence with money she earned by paying into the system since she started working at the age of fifteen. Money was always a struggle in our household, with two adults, five girls and a cast of feral cats who knew mom was an easy mark and came and went as they pleased.  Dad was a postal carrier and Mom waited tables in restaurants, never staying long with any of them. When she needed money she would take third shift at the 24 hour diner. I only learned later, after I was married and gone how much my dad made every two weeks. It was shocking to realize two adults and five children lived on such a paltry amount. On top of the low wage, Dad just assumed Mom could create miracles with the budget he gave her to pay bills and buy groceries. We always knew when funds were drying up when we ...

   SIC: "Ms. Gabbard, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God?" Gabbard: "No classified information was shared." SIC: "I haven't asked you anything, yet, ma'am." Gabbard: "Mr. Goldberg is a liar." SIC: "A liar about what? Please, be more specific." Gabbard: "I can't get into specifics." SIC: "Were you part of the group chat, Mr. Goldberg is claiming contained classified information?" Gabbard: "I don't recall." SIC: "So, you would have no objections to Mr. Goldberg releasing the full text messages then?" Gabbard: ...... SIC: "Ms. Gabbard? Will you ans... Oh, crumbs, did she just stick her fingers down her throat? Look out!" (Dramatic interpretation) Gabbard: "🤢🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮." SIC: "🫢🫢🫣🫣😱😱😱😳😳😳😖😖😣😣😩😫." Gabbard: "🤮🤮🤮🤮🤧🫨🫨🫨🤯🤯🥵🤥🤥🤥🤥🤥😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😮‍💨😵...

  " Gather round, children. I've a tale to tell which will turn your hair whiter than Musk's belly. It's about a monster, disguised as part human, part pumpkin. Oh, don't laugh, kiddies, for this monster is scarier than any before him. He calls his minions to create chaos in our world as he himself licks the feet of the beast who whispers in his ear, "Lay waste. Destroy them all." We are living the nightmare, friends. As adults we try to process the information using knowledge we have gained throughout our lives. We can usually assess what is trash to be tossed and what is a real threat to our existence. What about children ? How much do we tell them, if anything? I was reading a post by a well known news media host who mentions he was sharing the signal scandal with his thirteen year old. Call me Karen if you wish because I just don't think children need to share what is currently regarded as the mother of all shit shows. These children have already ...

  One of my favorite movies is, 'War Games ,' starring Matthew Broderick as a nerd hacker who winds up entering a military supercomputer which likes to play games. Unbeknownst to "David" he's playing real war games. Eventually, he has to outsmart a computer to save the planet. This movie came out in 1983 when computers were the size of mini Coopers and only highly intelligent minds were using them. As we have witnessed hackers are still breaching supposedly secure sites. My information was stolen from a medical company who notified customers months after the data was stolen. " Greetings. Oh, by t he way, your data was stolen ten months ago. Oops." In the letter they apologized then told us to be careful. Uh, you mofo's weren't too careful with our information, yet you have the gall to tell us to be vigilant! Oh, sorry, I went off the rails for a moment. Oommmmm... Back to War Games in 2025, where the head of our defense department shares war str...

  Raise your hand, ladies, if you have ever been touched by a male boss or coworker. 🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚🤚 Yeah.  During a roundtable discussion Angela Rye was speaking when O'leary touched her and started to interrupt her. Rye told him not to touch her. Instead, of apologizing, O'Leary became defensive. "Well, I did that nicely." Rye again told him to not touch her. He became defensive and said he'll never touch her again in his smarmy, five year old little boy response. I have had male coworkers put their hands on my shoulder, my back, my arm, my knee, one even touched my hair. Some would hold my hand longer than necessary during a handshake. In the Huff Post article , Jodi Smith, an etiquette consultant, claims it's a power play. I'm sure there's more to it than that. Men just think they can touch. They think women are attracted by the attention. Women should ...

  I'm going to go out on a limb and say those black servants who Daddy Musk said were Elon's friends would probably disagree. Elon claims he grew up in a not so fancy upbringing, better than some, but not the money bags he is today. Yet, they had servants. Oh, I apologize, I meant his friends, who cleaned his toilet, washed his skid marked undies, then went home to their shanties in the bantustans. Remember Paula Deen , who wanted to throw a plantation wedding? The servants would be black men (only she didn't say, "black") dressed as slaves. It wasn't until Deen was sued by a former employee the truth of Deen's use of the N-word was exposed.**   Deen said she was deeply sorry. She didn't think anything wrong when using the derogatory word. Why they said it all the time down South, y'all. What's the fuss? I remember Deen hitting the morning shows to blubber her apologies. She held the hand of one of her male, black employees as she said they wer...

 Are you sick of them yet? I'm asking about, we the people, being inundated with videos of MAGAS sobbing, weeping, wailing and just absolutely flabbergasted Trump was who he said he was. Even after they were warned and we begged them to please, just get your head out of Fox (not calling it news) and read other media sources.  No. They refused to read a "libtard" source. No. Trump had nothing to do with Project 2025.  Yes. We all suffered from TDS.  I see them everywhere. Farmers, veterans, former government employees, moms who rely on food stamps, seniors who feel they've been tricked. I've enjoyed the schedenfreude. I have typed, FAFO along with fellow commenters many times as the regretful looked into the camera with haunted eyes and disbelief. But, my heart hurts. I don't want to be this ugly Karen who takes joy in their suffering, even when I  think of the babies, children, the elderly, immigrants and the disabled who will suffer because of their hate. I c...

   I love trains. I prefer train travel to any other transportation. I have traveled to Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and lovely Carbondale on a train. My love for trains began early, when during Summer nights when the house was stifling, my sisters and I would spread out our blankets on the back porch to sleep. I'd listen to the far off mournful cry of a freight train. It seemed mystical to me.  Taking a train into Chicago and sitting in the great room was a wonder. I have had quite a few experiences in Union Station, waiting for trains. But, that's for another time. Now, Trump has aimed his bloodshot eyes towards AMTRAK . The CEO has just resigned, which is quite ominous.  I can't say AMTRAK doesn't have issues. No, I sure cannot say that. Anyone who has ridden the rails will attest to the fact, AMTRAK has to do better. My last trip was several years ago... Actually, it was the last time the orange man was in office. I was visiting D.C. during a...

  A few years ago I decided to go back to school and get my art degree. I knew a degree in art would be just as useless as it was way back then, probably more so since I didn't have any inclination to use it. I just really wanted that piece of paper to prove I am a winner. I am somebody.  This was during Biden's term, who at that time was fighting and mostly winning to eliminate tuition debt for thousands of past and present students. He understood the struggle.  With a scholarship and a small loan procured, I was looking forward to the challenge. One concern, however, was the physical undertaking of how to get across campus. It isn't a big college, but I'm not 20. Walking to and from classes was tough. I needed to plan my route according to shortest distance and highest number of Adirondack chairs. Art class was twice a week with three hour long sessions. Piece of cake. Not. Our instructor would gather us in a circle as he explained our next assignment. As the minutes ...

  I wasn't interested in the trial of Karen Read  until my daughter texted me and said she was hooked. She had found a lawyer on YouTube who gave lawyerly advice and walked watchers through the trial as everyone watched along.   Karen Read is accused of killing her boyfriend one winter night after she and John's friends had been out drinking.   John O'Keefe, her boyfriend and police officer with the Boston police department was allegedly hit by Read and left for dead. Her defense attorneys claim O'Keefe's buddies in the department tampered with evidence to 'prove' Read was responsible. The first trial ended in a hung jury. The second trial begins on April 1st.   I tuned in last year and was hooked. It was a soap opera with dirty cops, a biased judge, horrible cop wives, inept "professionals," and a laughable prosecutor.  It was clear after hearing the testimony of Michael Proctor , a misogynistic, garbage spewing pig, things haven't changed ...

This will be a short post, but I had to let it out. I started watching the movie, 'Twisters.' WTF!!? If they yelled one more, "Whoohoo," I was going to throw a shoe at the telly. Every actor sucked. Absolutely sucked. When the good ol' boy sauntered over to the little lady then gave his best Jack Nicholson grin, I nearly choked on my latte. He was a big, big ick. I lost interest about 30 minutes in.  Let me guess .. she eventually realized the cowering nerd was the one she loved.  Everyone else was sucked up by a tornado while the cowboy yelled "Whoo hoo," as his last words.  This piece of garbage made over $370 million.  I hope human extinction comes sooner than later. *Free app image from Pixabay 

  There he is. The new poster boy for the Reich wing red hatters. Justin Eichorn . Husband, father of four, and a pervert (allegedly) who thought he was meeting up with a sixteen year old girl. Instead, he gets a mugshot in the hall of Republican party shame.   Look at him up there. So pitiful. Not the guy who was accusing liberals of becoming unglued Trump obsessed maniacs. He wanted us to be put away.  Is it even shocking anymore?   So now the professional damage controllers will swoop in and tell him what to say to the public.  " I've been under a great deal of stress, lately. I am not that person they accuse me of being. I'm a husband, dad, a good neighbor. My family and I would like some privacy during this time. Please, respect our wishes. The truth will come out. I can say nothing more. God bless you. "  Then something will be said about forgiveness and that his loving wife will stand by him. Blah, blah, blah.  It's the party of perver...

   I am lying on my back just dozing off when I hear someone trying to get into my apartment. I try to sit up but I cannot move. I feel my heart racing and my brain is screaming, "Get up! Move!" I hear the door slowly opening and someone walking towards my bedroom. My eyes are open because I can see the moon shining through my window and yet I am unable to use my limbs, until finally I break loose. I listen and wait. I soon begin to understand I was in a state of sleep paralysis.  If you have never suffered from this symptom, you are truly fortunate. I've had a few nightmares in my life but this is different. You can react during a nightmare. With sleep paralysis there is nothing you can do until your brain releases you from it's hold.  There are a few factors for sleep paralysis, one being stress. Since this incident occurred recently, after the orange man entered our lives, I would assume he's to blame.   Other factors are caffeine, illness, or a disrupte...

 After reading Neil Steinberg's blog (yes, he has a blog) about the Battle of Lake Erie which occurred around Put-in-Bay , an island just north of Ohio, I decided to share my own experiences there.  I was there for my baby sister's birthday. My sisters and extended family rented an Airbnb near the lake, where we could sit on the balcony and watch the sun rise as cormorants flew above us. We had arrived at the tail end of the tourist season, so quite a few businesses had closed up before winter. If you weren't a native your time on the island was running short. The ferry would be soon shutting down. The only other way onto the island was by helicopter or a small plane. One day while I walked around town I stopped for a coffee. The young woman working was quite chatty. She mentioned cats were starting to go missing because last winter coyotes had crossed the frozen lake and were now snacking on Molly's and Tiger's.   The only right way to get around is to rent a golf...

 Wait for the end . These are the people who are making decisions. This absolutely foul piece of garbage who finds humor in the suffering of others.  She is a sociopathic fucking bitch. Everyone in that room should have stood up and walked out. They should never step inside the White House again. We know who they are. They are the enemy.  She is the spoke piece for Trump and haters who find joy in the destruction of this country.  Do we allow that to happen? Time for Wagner's Valkyrie.

  " Why back in my day, we didn't go around carrying our own jug of Borg . Back in my day we rolled doobies the size of small cars and most of us lived to...uh, what was I saying? Oh yeah, what the fuck, kids!? You're walking around with a gallon jug of high octane booze!? I should be studying some Nihongo, instead I'm surfing the WWW and find this." Naturally it all started in a college setting, a darty, (((eye roll))) where you mix water, a fifth of vodka and Kool aid. Then you carry your own personal container with you. " Apparently you kids were walking about town during St. Pat's on Michigan Avenue in Chicago with the borg. Tell me why you're any different than the unhoused gentleman standing next to you with his bottle of Jack, disguised (not so much) in a paper bag?  You know, kids, I realize this country has gone to shit, so is this your solution, to just stay hammered for the next four yea... " (((pause))) "Uh, let me see that recip...

 I joined Bluesky less than a week ago and already have 70 posts. 😬 So far, I like it. For me, it's a good way to connect with like minded people. I have not run into one maga commenting thug. That's good! For two months, when X was Twitter I joined the fray. I joined because I had written a book so I joined other writers who wanted to be the next best selling author. Okay, bad idea. So, so bad. No one cared about anyone else. So, Twitter was not for me. And now that it's owned by a crazy billionaire, Nazi sympathizer, I call out people who continue to use his forum. People like Rachel Maddow, who defends herself using it to get the word out. Bullshit, Rachel.  People will find you and follow you elsewhere. You don't need X. Same with anyone with morals, ethics, a brain... You should not be using X.  Stop! Join Mother Abigail.* * The Stand

  Well, this is interesting. I learned something new about how my Walmart groceries are delivered. People who want to work for Walmart use the app, Spark. They fill out the application, verify they have insurance, yada, yada, yada. The usual steps but without ever being seen by a human. It's called progress, I guess. Apparently, many drivers have been lying to Walmart (((gasp))) by using fake I.D.'s and bogus transportation information to work for the company. Really!? You mean Walmart had no idea that for the past two plus years people who don't speak a word of English were delivering groceries!? Honestly, and this is where I slap myself because I thought Walmart had grown a heart and was hiring immigrants because they needed good workers. And yet that little voice in my head asked, " Thingy, are you sure Walmart is hiring these people because they care? That sure doesn't sound like what a Trump funding business would do." I came across the article (link ab...

   A few years ago I bought one of those ancestry kits. Weeks later I received the results which were somewhat surprising because there was zero Irish DNA.   Dad is all Scandinavian. Mom is German, Eastern European and I assumed, Irish, but facts are scarce because her father's side of the family is MIA.   Mom never talked about her father. My grandmother "married" young, had mom, divorced "James" shortly after. He was not a part of my mother's life. She kept one photo of him which was frayed and yellow when I found it as a child. He was tall, with blonde hair, with a sad expression on his handsome face. Mom looks just like him.   I asked her about him. She only said he had died of a heart attack. He must have been in his late twenties or early thirties, I thought. Hmm. And, were they even married? But, I didn't push it. I knew the drill. Secrets. We are a family of secrets.  My sister tried to find information about him and only came up with...

  February 12, 2009, was the last time I read a print newspaper. It was a Thursday, payday, and my last day, after ten years, although I didn't know that at the time. Due to the bubble burst, (and I suspect my political affiliation) I was "laid off." It's strange what I associate with that day. Along with never buying another print newspaper because I no longer had to get up at 5 am, or drive an hour each way to work, or to stop for gas, coffee and the paper. A ten year daily routine was terminated in a two minute meeting. It was also the day I nearly got plowed by a Mac truck.  But before the truck, and after I had read my newspaper, I was called into my manager's office. He said he was sorry, but... His face was red as he looked down at his desk. He said he'd call me as soon as things got better. I liked my boss. He was the owner's stepson, and younger than everyone in the company, but he pitched in and got his hands dirty when a Davenport broke down or ...

  I just finished watching a YouTube video of a small business making soy sauce . This sauce is so expensive four tablespoons cost around $125. It's a long and involved process. I wanna know... how did this begin? Who decided one day to grind some soybeans, add a little bit of this, a little bit of that, let it sit for ten years, then press out the sauce from giant stacks of cloth and wood? The same with silk. Some person decided to make a beautiful robe of various colors using the cocoon of the silkworm. Someone had to touch that cocoon, pick it, boil it, pull and twist it, dye it, thread it, sew it...  How about a stinky, smelly sheep. "  I think I will   make a sweater using that stuff. " Did that same person invent knitting? And Baumkuchen  (A German cake) Or Those hard candies bought at Christmas time that sit in a can for five months until you're feeling snackish and the only thing around is that big sweet lump stored behind the Early Times whiskey you kee...

   I admit I'm not the brightest bulb. I'm a 30 watt. I am confused about the stock market. I don't own any stock. Zero.  So, that 5 trillion plunge... how does that affect me? Asking for a friend. She's a 20 watt. Please tell me why I should be worried about the plight of people who have money to buy stocks. Tesla is faltering. Yay!  Right? Now Buffy can't buy her hairless cat a diamond necklace. I thought the stock market was a gamble. Nothing is guaranteed. You could lose all your investment, or win and buy a bigger boat. I never, not once heard a blue collar worker talk about his stock. I'm sure there are loads of non millionaire, billionaire people who invest because they want more money. Money. Money. Money. Yeah, I like money. Never really had much, so don't care about the risk takers who want more. I have a nice apartment, clothes to wear, food in the fridge.  I don't think these people gambling in the market are worried about an empty refrigerat...

   Do you have a comfort food? I associate food with survival. Survival of the fittest to see which one of us five girls could grab the biggest potato, or the least burnt fish stick.  There are certain foods I associate with each family member. When I walk into a bakery I immediately think of my grandmother.  My grandmother lived across the street, so running away from home was always something I tried to get away with. Occasionally, I was allowed to spend the night, although being 'allowed' defeated the purpose of the walkout.  Grandma liked to bake Swedish delights. Ja. Her kitchen smelled like flour. Spritz cookies, raspberry tarts, strawberry crepes...  Yeah. I didn't get any of that. She baked those for her co-workers.    I got cream of wheat, with a pat of butter plopped in the middle and sprinkled with sugar.   When I became an adult and was feeling homesick one day, I bought a box of cream of wheat and tried to bring back that fe...

  Shaming is still a powerful tool. It's usually meant to hurt or bully someone, so it's not a weapon nice people like to use.  Start getting mean, my lefty liberal friends. I have yet to confront a maga because I don't travel in their circus. Before the massacree of November 5th I recall sitting in a restaurant next to two women who were discussing the upcoming election. They were loud so I couldn't not listen as 'Karen' opined there was no other choice than Trump. 'Camel-ah' would ruin the country. She'd let all those illegals in. No one would be safe. Naturally, I was disgusted with what she was saying. But, I sat there. She continued to ramble on showing her ignorance and hate. I sat there. I'm not sure what I would do differently today. I am not a verbally articulate person. I choke when it comes to choosing words to make my point, to sting a bit, to shame, although, it's hard to pierce a maga. If you have ever watched the movie, 'A ...