Tag: random

Something I liked

There’s an account I follow on Instagram and every week in her Instagram stories, she publishes “Things I liked this week.” I’ve commented to her before that more of us should follow her example.

I just saw this reel on Instagram (not the same account as the one above, but a similar concept), and I don’t know if this link will work, but I want to try. (Click the little x on the bottom right if you want to hear the music.) Someone wonders in comments, “At what point do people lose the instinct to give unselfishly?”

I don’t know.

Late but sweet

Yes, it’s been two weeks since Valentine’s Day. Yes, I understand the perspective that it’s a manufactured holiday meant to make people spend money on flowers and candy and jewelry and dining out and trips, etc. And it makes some people feel lonely and alone, or resentful for being expected to feel lonely and alone, when they are actually quite content with their lives. So here’s a message from the bottom of my heart–or the bottom of my Hershey’s Kisses.

Love is love. Celebrate it any day or every day with friends, family members, family pets, and romantic partners. Or just celebrate because Snoopy was created, and he’s amazing.

I can’t write

Credit: CSA Images/CSA Images
Copyright: ©CSA Images/CSA Images

ETA: Before I woke up Sunday morning after I posted this, I dreamed. In the dream, I saw this typewriter and what was on the paper, then I saw that I had 30 comments. I was so shocked! It was like the days of yore either on LiveJournal or when I linked to my blog from Facebook and Twitter.

When I read the first comment, it said, “I know exactly what you’re talking about. It happens to me, too.” It was signed with one of my character’s names, but in my dream, I knew it wasn’t my character. Just a coincidence. I woke myself up and thought, Not your character and not a coincidence. You know who it was.

I do. ❤️

Button Sunday

An acquaintance was messaging me recently about being ghosted by a friend. I usually think of that happening more in dating/potential dating scenarios, though I did once have a friend ghost me. In fact, the ghosting was so thorough, and we had such a complete lack of mutual friends or acquaintances (by that time, and we lived in different cities), that I still have no idea what happened more than thirty years* later.

Have you ever been ghosted? Did you ever get an explanation or apology? If not, do you still wonder?

*Since this was in 1988, it pre-dates social media, the proliferation of cell phones, etc. Much easier to ghost people then.

Mood: Monday

For today’s art, please click here to see Kathie McCurdy’s Pennies in the Fountain from 2012.

Today is National Lost Penny Day, and I started my online search for art with pennies. I was mostly scrutinizing paintings of fountains, and in my brief quest, I noted that artists who paint fountains seem not to include coins in the water. In a later search, I found McCurdy’s art, linked above.

This observation led me to the realization that in life, I don’t trust fountains that don’t have at least a few pennies thrown in. Do all the humans who look into that fountain lack the urge to make a wish, express a hope, dream the impossible? That fountain must have an off-putting vibe.

If you find a penny, do you pick it up? I do. I have great affection for the simple penny and oh, my, the places it may have been and the hands that might have held it. A penny is full of endless stories and connections.

I say a penny is never lost, merely on a journey we don’t know about… And just like that, a character is tapping on my brain.

Photo Friday, No. 895

Current Photo Friday theme: Insomnia


Essential oil blends: Inhale, Exhale. Breathe Blend. Anxiety Release. Relax. Panic Button. Peaceful Blend. Sleepy Time. Chill Pill. Mellow Mix. Sleep. Along with Rescue Remedy, incense, worry stones, stone facial roller, eye mask… I’ve put a lot of thought into insomnia. At 1:45 AM and 3:30 AM and 4:50 AM and…

I do not use all these at once!

Wonders of the world


Another little journal I found last year sometime and plucked off the shelf today, having forgotten it. This one I’ll call “Hey Thanks” is a guided gratitude journal. There are some exercises provided to help the journal keeper record what s/he’s grateful for, and sometimes topics are given.

I flipped the book open at random and did this one. I mean, there are a ton of wonders in the world, and most of them I haven’t seen. So I tried to come up with a geologic feature that stirs me emotionally, and animals in general and one specific, and then something purely selfish that might not seem like a “wonder” to others, but would open new worlds to me and help me write.

Hope this is readable. Any wonders you’ve dreamed of experiencing?

A chilled out hump day

Had another bout of insomnia last night but still woke up early. I took a nap later, and this always interferes with any plans I might have made for the day that require focus. Did a little more toward Christmas un-decorating, spent time outside with the dogs and cleaning their “gifts” out of the backyard (tomorrow being trash day), and then I decided to try to identify the other three new-to-me dolls that came via Lynne.

Don’t know if it’s my tired brain, but I can’t say I’m confident about who the dolls are. I have some queries out to other doll collectors on Flickr, but in the meantime, here’s a fun photo I shot of them.


Ken has what’s often called the “Alan face mold,” it having been used first for friend doll Alan, maybe in 1990, and later used for around twenty-six Ken dolls (several of which I own). Then a modified version was used for another nineteen dolls (and yep, I own some of them, too).

The doll’s head doesn’t fit comfortably on the articulated body, and if this hadn’t come from a child’s collection, I’d think it was a collector-modified doll. However, there was in fact a doll that both had this head mold and posable arms and legs, and that’s the 1994 Hot Skatin’ Ken. The year fits, so I’ll accept Hot Skatin’ Ken for him. I kind of wish I had his original outfit. I’ve dressed him in some nice jeans, a pair of white sneakers, and a shirt I made. Looks like he and his friends are going to a block party where he’ll be forced to play guitar. I wonder if he plays as well as he skates.


Right now, my best guesses on these two are (white earrings) 1996 Valentine Fun Barbie or 1997 Shopping Time Walmart Special Barbie, and (red earrings) 1996 Valentine Romance Barbie. I cleaned up their hair disasters with a shampoo and conditioner, took the hair shears to some of the frizz and messy ends, and, as shown in the top photo, found clothes for them from the Doll Closet. Those are Mattel 1962 Fashion Pak gathered skirts. I guess the Barbies wanted to go a little retro. Then they sassed up their looks with a couple of midriff-baring tops and cute heels. They’re taking little dog Chicago with them so he can sing along with Skatin’ Ken.

What a party!

Mood: Monday

Photo of art previously posted here was of Peace and Love,, acrylic, chalk, Posca ink, mixed media, 2021 by artist Art Sand, diminutive of the name Sandrine.

Happy New Year! January 1 is the World Day of Peace. It seems that every day, I think of, long for, wonder about peace.

It’s commonly said that we’ve never had peace on this planet and never will have. To be informed is to be confronted with constant reminders of violence, unspeakable horrors, and unimaginable cruelty. Though we can find other stories about or personally know people who make positive differences, those often seem insignificant in the face of suffering on what seems like a limitless scale. It can all be overwhelming and numbing.

What do we do? How do we make peace? Keep peace? Encourage peace? Quick, easy answers frequently come from sources whose own lives and time are anything but peaceful. Often their motives are far afield of peace, maybe summarized in words like greed and power; control and manipulation; “winning,” whatever the cost.

I wish I had the infinite answers tailored to all of our unique challenges. I don’t even have the answers for all of my own. I would posit that keeping and making peace in our lives requires mindfulness. Attention. Awareness. Honesty with ourselves. Mental, emotional, and physical effort. To identify where things go off the rails and examine how our habits, personalities, and ego may contribute to robbing our days, homes, families, friends, jobs, and hobbies of peace. What things can we control, modify, or change? What things should we walk away from?

A few things I think about in my own life: When do I need to say no? To not think I must provide an answer to every question? To make more room for stillness and less room for busy-ness and distractions? To mind my own business more and other people’s less? To watch for a subtle shift from coping mechanisms like humor and storytelling to more harmful actions (e.g., belittling, criticizing, judging, mocking)? To recognize when people are directing those things at me (or even to the world at large) and to find the healthiest reactions and choices for my inner and outer peace.

Such a simple yet complex word: Peace.

Last full moon of the year


Was able to catch a shot of this month’s Cold Full Moon in Cancer, the last full moon of the year. Here’s some of a “Today Show” article by Lisa Stardust on what that might mean to your sign.

The last moon of 2023 presents an opportunity for emotional release as we enter the new year. Here’s what to know.

Within the astrological practice of moon mapping, full moons are known as being times of rest and release. But they also take on the flavor of other cosmic happenings.

With Jupiter retrograde in Taurus and Saturn in Pisces present, we can confront and resolve any lingering resentments and embrace resolutions to such matters.

The day before, Venus in Scorpio will aspect Neptune in Pisces, allowing us to embrace our innermost desires. The same day, Mars in Sagittarius will aspect the nodes of destiny, leading us to make choices that will improve our lives.

While Mercury’s square to Neptune in Pisces, combined with its connection to Mars, on Dec. 27 may cause confusion, the alliance between the sun in Capricorn and Jupiter retrograde gives us the strength and determination to move forward towards what brings us joy.

Behind the cut you can read how this full moon might affect your sign.

Continue reading “Last full moon of the year”