|
5/11/2021 0 Comments #107) 4 Years Killing It~ Celebrating Four Whopping Years Out Of Rehab ~  Wow. Today I’m celebrating four years of life. I may be 40 years old, but these last four years are what today is all about. May 11th is the anniversary of my discharge from Mayo Clinic’s Pain Rehabilitation Center - located in Jacksonville, Florida. Today... marking four years out. Four times three hundred and sixty five whopping days. Each and every single day being counted and tallied. All adding up to - four years strong - and four years of absolutely killing it at life.  You don’t get to that numerical tally by simply blinking and repeating. Or taking a breath in, and a breath out, over and over again. But then again… you actually, and really, do. I would not be the happy, content, at-peace-with-the-world, and God loving person that I am right now and today, if it wasn’t for Mayo, and my time spent there. Because while God saved my life, Mayo Clinic helped give me the momentum to keep going after that. And I’ve rambled on about Mayo in the past quite a few times, so you can go ahead and check all of that out below, if you’re interested in learning more about my experiences at the Clinic: Christine’s Floridian Dreams: ABOUT Bean’s Library #34) Merry Christmas ~ And How To Buy For That Person On Your List Who Saved Your Life ~ #65) The Sea Life ~ Happy Easter The above articles delve a little bit deeper on how I came to be a patient at Mayo Clinic, my experiences traveling from Chicago, Illinois up to Rochester, Minnesota for treatment, and all the way to my new and fabulous life in Jacksonville, Florida. Plus, why my long and challenging month at Pain Rehab changed my life, and continues to change me - to this day. So today, I wanted to pull your attention to what I view and believe, very strongly, are the tools and virtues necessary for living a fruitful and rewarding life with chronic pain. Because, four years later, it’s not just a snap of the fingers and life is amazing - it requires work - constant work - every single day. And one needs tools in order to do this work. So - here are the most vital tools I deem imperative toward continued success and maintenance after leaving rehab:  [ Plan ] I plan. And I plan for everything. I plan my day. I plan my week. I plan my next two weeks out, and I strategically and creatively title that plan - “My Two Week Plan.” I plan the month. I plan the year. And, most importantly, I also plan for all these things to NOT go according to this plan. But, at the same time I do all of this plotting and planning and scheming and theorizing... I simply live for today. (And, if that sentence makes any sense to you, please let me know.)  [ Purpose ] I live. And I live now. I don’t wait to live. And I don’t count on tomorrow (even though I plan for it). I wear my favorite clothes today (and I don’t save them for a better outing). I burn my favorite candles (and I don’t save them for only when guests come over). I sign up for the class I’ve been aching to take. I paint on all my canvases. I purchase tickets to my favorite play. I buy my coffee on the outside (as Jerry Seinfeld once said). I go to museums. I try all the newest restaurants. I create every single day - and not merely when I have time. I read all the books - of all kinds. I travel. I explore. I look up at the sky - and not down at my phone. I drive with the windows down. And I say hello to strangers, all the time. I know exactly why I am here and exactly what I am supposed to do. And I do it. Now. And I don’t save any of it for the unknown future. Ahhhh, the unknown future. The future on a distant horizon we cannot possibly yet imagine. That brings me straight on up to my next tool.  [ Perseverance ] There’s a reason the Mars Rover of 2020 was named Perseverance. My goodness! Can you even imagine the amazing journey that darn little robotic thing went on to get where it is right now? Mars!... Freaking Mars! Do you really even realize how far away Mars really is from us here on Earth? Enough ‘really’s’ already. Without perseverance, there would literally, and really, be zero evidence of humanity on Mars. Or should I say - evidence of Earthlings on Mars. And that’s because the road to Mars is not paved and narrow. There is no defined route to arriving on the Red Planet. We’re making this all up as we go. It’s all foreign territory. And it’s scary. But thrilling. This - this feat - never accomplished before - landing humans on Mars. Who on God's green Earth knows when this will happen? It could take a number of years - a tally of days - a number and amount of time beyond our comprehension right now. And - It will take determination. It will take struggle, and challenges we possibly cannot yet even imagine.. It will take sacrifice. It will take discipline. And it most certainly will take - perseverance. To persevere, means to struggle. To persevere, means to keep going. To persevere, means to face adversity, challenge, pain, hardship, and loss... and to keep going away. To persevere means you know how far away the future is, and to continue onward anway. To persevere, means it’s ok to fail. To persevere, simply means to get back up and try again. So, while I plan for the future... And I live life for today… And if at first I don’t succeed, I try, try, again. This fact brings me to my final bullet point of today’s discussion - Patience. Yes, I live in the moment, while at the same time... I have to have the patience of a freaking saint.  [ Patience ] The single most important factor to making it through one thousand four hundred and sixty days of life outside of rehab. Without patience, I wouldn’t be writing this today. Without patience, I would not be celebrating four years strong. Without patience, I would have zero creativity. Without patience, I would be suffering. I’d be pacing, and agonizing, and wondering when in the freaking heck is all of this pain ever really going to go away?... Really. Without patience, I would not be alive. There’s a real and solid reason why there is a saying on this Earth that goes a little something like this: Patience Is A Virtue. That’s because it really and truly is. Patience is NOT the most popular kid in school. People tend to not like Patience. And actually, people tend to despise Patience. Patience is continuously, and unrelentlessly, teased and taunted and bullied. And sadly, Patience gets tortured every single gosh darn day, somewhere on this planet. Yes, Patience is really hard to live with. But Patience is Required for Success. So if you really want to succeed at whatever your goal is, I’d say to simply suck it up, buttercup... And to welcome some good, old-fashioned Patience into your new and modern life. Become friends with Patience. Actually, I'd even go so far as to say to make Patience your very best friend in life... Yeah, Patience is really that important. So while everyone else is beating up Patience in the back alley around the corner from the school yard… YOU - you there, you go ahead and save Patience from that beating. Drag Patience out of the alleyway. And usher Patience straight on into the nurse's office for a solid checkup and mending and a bag of ice to go home with. Then, take Patience home with you. Serve Patience a plate of cookies and milk - almond milk - not cows milk. And ask your mother if Patience can sleep over. Watch your favorite movie with Patience. And then, go ahead and watch a film that Patience likes, that you happen to utterly and totally despise. But suck it up and have some darn patience already. Humor Patience, and watch the movie anyway. You’ll be best friends in no time. Gosh, and at that exact point - Patience will really and truly love you back, too. If you can learn the value of patience, you can learn the secret to life. If you can learn the virtue of patience, you will be exactly where you are meant to be. If you can simply have patience, there is nothing that you cannot do in this world. But gosh, golly, oh jeaz - there is most definitely a secret to being patient - and that is this. if you can accept patience, you can accept your pain. Your struggles, your misfortunes. Your annoyances. Your anger, temper, and all your irritations. Your mind - arguing with itself. Your heading - spinning. Your every breath you take. You can then handle the deck of cards you’ve been dealt. You will learn from this adversity. And that experience will build momentum, and carry you forward, through time. Yes, if you can accept and welcome patience into your life, you’ll be killing it at life too. Because, without patience, you’ll really never know or even possibly imagine where you will be... four years from now.~  *Editorial Note & Disclaimer: All views, opinions, and statements herein are my own. I am not a doctor. I am not trying to save you, and I cannot make your pain go away. I am merely detailing to you my own personal opinions and experiences with the Mayo Clinic as a patient. Each person is unique, and what works for one, will not work for all. I share my story in hopes it will reach someone who may need to hear or see just these exact words at this exact time to push them to get the help they need… right freaking now. Because - sometimes saving yourself, is allowing others to help you save you. If you are in chronic pain, struggling, or severely depressed, I would highly recommend calling the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida to explore treatment options. Their phone number is 904.953.2000. 
5/2/2021 0 Comments #106) So Proudly We Hail~Women In World War II - Film Review~  I had no idea what to expect when I popped this DVD into my little, black, spinning machine. But, I was delightfully surprised by what I had discovered within. I’m a huge fan of old, classic films - especially from the 1940’s and into the 1950’s. Those years are, without a doubt, my favorite era of filmography. And having knowledge of, and already having viewed, countless movies from that time period, I was shocked that I had never run across this one. I believe this film was recommended to me by Big Tech. You know - the guys who know more about you than you do about yourself. One of the big sites told me I should check this out. And, either they really do know me better than I do, or a little birdie told them how completely and utterly patriotic I really am. A quick glimpse of the movie poster, imagery, and really, the title alone, and I immediately clicked. A simple skim of the plot, and I went straight over to the Jacksonville Public Library mobile app and requested to rent. What a joy! And what sorrow… For anyone who is even a remote fan of World War II films, this one is a must-see. The title says it all, and the title does do it justice. Based upon a true story, So Proudly We Hail tackles a plot involving a ‘small’ and somewhat forgotten and overlooked bullet point of WWII subject matter - WOMEN. The Women of War… The Women of World Wars... The Women who also risked it all - for freedom. While, of course, men did most of the fighting, and dying in WWII, women were also heavily involved, at home, and abroad. And contrary to popular belief, women were allowed on the front lines. It just wasn’t discussed, acknowledged, and brought to our attention as it should have been. Yes - It should have been - so that we could honor the might and bravery and history of American women - in the world's biggest and mightiest war. No - it wasn’t just Rosie the Riveter back on the homefront, representing the women of American wartime, in bomber plants and machine shops across the U.S. for the Defense industry. While we remember and know Rosie pretty well - we cannot overlook Nancy the Nurse. She was nursing on the warfront, and she tackled the death and destruction straight in evil’s path. So, while Rosie riveted away on airplanes and war ships and other munitions, Nancy was also seaming and mending pieces together, with stitches and staples of a different sort, and working on a different sort of product. Rosie handled the steel - and Nancy handled the blood and guts. But they all gave it their all... and that’s all that really mattered at the time. Starring Claudette Colbert and Paulette Goddard, two of the silver screen’s most extraordinary stars at the time, So Proudly We Hail, accurately, and with great detail, captures the role females in the Army had during some of the war's most challenging times. And before going any further with this review, I want to highlight an aspect of the film which I deem one of the most important - its context - Time. So Proudly We Hail was released in 1943 - during the height and depth of WWII. The context is imperative. This film was produced during the war - and not AFTER the war. This context is of extreme importance, and is what makes this film quite different from WWII films released AFTER WWII was complete. When the war was literally over, extinguished, not of this Earth any longer. Context is something that - we - society today - have all but forgotten. And context is essential to our understanding of the time period. And why context is so crucial should be so very obvious, but increasingly isn’t. The war was RAGING while this film was viewed in theaters all over the United States. The war was being fought, the people were sacrificing, people were dying, and the people were afraid of their unknown futures. American’s had no idea who was going to win the war while watching this film upon its release. Yet, American’s still sacrificed, and they still gave up so very much. All for a belief... a simple, true and noble belief - in hope. Hope. For a better future. For a free world. For an end to slavery and tyranny, concentration camps, hate, imperialism - and against the destruction of faith - and for value of personal freedom. So, while I do love watching these old classic films in the context of the world of today - seemingly and literally a million miles away from the values and context of a world that was alive less than a hundred years ago. I also equally enjoyed viewing So Proudly We Hail with the remembrance of the fact that all of this was made and written and said and sweated over while we were still fighting against the Third Reich and the Imperial Japanese. No one at the time knew how this horrific world war would end, especially in 1942 and 1943. Only really in 1944 could some see a light at the end of the tunnel. Again, calling all of context into play here. It all could have gone either way at that point in 1943. The world could have gone the way of the thousand year reign of a fascist dictator, or it could, and did, go in the direction of freedom. And that fact of their lack of knowledge of the future is what I enjoy the very most when I view these films of that time period. Additionally, and of quite importance regarding the axis power of Japan during the time, no one knew we would someday become allies, and what I have always viewed as a special kinship and friendship between the United States and Japan - after the war. I believe with all my heart that our relationship with Japan is of solid hope for the world to see - that enemies can become friends. That horrific atrocities on both sides can truly be forgiven. And pave the way toward a better future - for both nations, and others. And this is worth noting due to the scenes in the film where hatred toward the Japanese is discussed from the American point of view at the time. A time - after - Pearl Harbor had been bombed. A time - before - Hiroshima and Nagasaki had been bombed. Of particular note is a scene where Veronica Lake’s character says she is going to ‘kill some Japs.’ She then has a realization - what good would that do? That is not her role. She is sent to the front lines as a nurse - to heal any and all - at a hospital, in the jungle. She does fulfill her role and duty, and does not kill her enemy instead at the time. Ultimately, however, it is her character that ends up ironically sacrificing herself to save her fellow female soldiers from their enemy at the time - the Japanese. And in her final act, she ends up killing herself - to kill the enemy - to save her American comrades. This scene, showing that no matter how her personal beliefs evolved over the course of their wartime struggles, people still made the ultimate sacrifice. And some still were forced to kill, even if they truly did not want to, in the course of war and evil. Throughout the entirety of this wonderful piece of film, we are treated to the display of American Army Nurses on patrol, on shift, and their struggles off shift as well. Love, duty, honor, and sacrifice abound the entire film. This movie sheds light on the role of nurses in war, and what tools they had - or did not have - to work with while caring for their patients. Seemingly forgotten in the jungles, these brave nurses triaged patients under a canopy of palm trees. Their operating rooms were made of tin roofs and cloth sheets for walls. They ran out of what we call today - PPE - personal protective equipment. And they performed surgery without masks. Simply because they just didn’t have any around to use. Gloves were in extremely short supply. And where today’s hospitals have entire sterile processing programs for surgical instruments, this film portrays how nurses had to wash and sanitize tools in basic garbage bins and barrels - in a futile struggle to remain germ-free for each and every, and endless, patient. Medicine running out, and at times completely out of supply, patients had to be treated without pain killers, and no anesthesia. A basic - grit your teeth and bear it - sort of agony, for stitching and mending. And post op - forget any special flower bouquets and treats and books and magazines to keep occupied. Patients by the hundreds and thousands, lay on makeshift stretchers, to suffer through their terrible recoveries in the hot, humid, and wet open air weather of the so-called hospital. All these patients - laying in that shared, open air, watching as our heroic nurses continued treatment on countless other patients seemingly all around them. And in case one was starting to forget - the film does a solid job of not ever letting us forget that all their hospital work was under constant threat of destruction and actually bombing. Army staff and patients were constantly fleeing enemy soldiers, snipers, airplane attacks from the sky above, and there were constant forced evacuations onto safer land - that was, conspicuously, never found. As the situation seemed to get worse, for allies in the vicinity, sadly, the war did eventually take a very bad turn for the allies. Bataan, and the Battle of the Philippines, being what many consider one of the American militaries worst failures in our history. In that, the United States, amidst the U.S. and Filipono forces’ inability to hold the line, they ultimately fell - to the Japanese. As the overwhelming and brutal forces of their imperial enemy in this area were too much for both nations to endure. And sadly, after the fall, there was further atrocity - when the Bataan Death March was played out on enemy territory. Roughly 80,000 American and Filipino troops were contained as prisoners of war, and horrific treatment of these prisoners led to countless further wartime deaths. Post War, Japanese commanders were tried and convicted of war crimes for their knowledge and failure of oversight of subordinates and for allowing these war crimes to take place on their watch. So, knowing all this, many tears were shed while watching this film. As pain, and suffering, and sacrifice, and hate, and love, were all on full display. And yes, there was Love. There was Love - that surrounded the entire film. Love, that gave many hope, I might think, at the time. Love was still happening. Love of all kinds. And this film - in the greatest of great horrors of war time - showed that people were not afraid to actually live while they were alive. Something - as I have said many times - many today have now conclusively forgotten. We are an afraid people right now. And we are scared to live while we are alive. These people were not. And I am not afraid to live either. The love and life portrayed in this film is indeed something we all can take lessons from today. During struggle and and sacrifice and the horrors of war, one still must live. After all, when else is there to live, than when you are alive? Amidst bombs exploding, one must still live as they watch the bombs fall. In the middle of a raging fire, one must search for water and various types of flame retardants. Surrounded by hate, one must spread good will. And with smoke attempting suffocation, one must still breathe. Life. If we are not living - we are dying. If we are not moving - we are receding. If we are not learning - we are submitting. If we are not struggling - we are not human. If we are not risking it all - we are doomed to never know what could truly become. If we do not know sacrifice - we do not know God’s ultimate glory for us. If we are not loving - we are doubting God’s creation. And, If we do not have Faith - what is our future? Faith - this brings me to my favorite scene of the entire film. Walter Abel, playing the role of Army Chaplain, gives a superb performance, and is my favorite actor in the film. He remains, to this day, one of my favorite character actors of the time. His on-screen presence is a joy to me, and a light to my heart. If I had been alive during his lifetime, I would have strived to have met him in real life. And I know I would have written letters to him, thanking him for the joy his characters brought to my heart. The scene - was of course - Christmas. My favorite holiday. My favorite time of year. Our beloved characters were all onboard ship, and the Chaplain said a prayer. The script is poetic. And many ears today could benefit from hearing his special words. It’s as if God spoke onboard the mighty vessel. And God was there - glowing amidst the light of their special little makeshift Christmas tree. And this remains my favorite scene - because… What is war - without Christmas? “You must forgive me for being sentimental...” Abel states, as personnel gathered around the silly, impromptu Christmas tree. And he continues: “We’re a sentimental people…” “Our enemies deride us for it…” But - “It’s what makes us stronger.” He asks the people standing around him to have Faith. To continue forward. Even as that very night the ship steered straight into the hellfire of the coming battle. And even as he knows - and they know - what is waiting for them when they reach shore. But still - they prayed. And they still - had Faith.~ 
4/28/2021 0 Comments #105) 30 Days Later 'Binary Sunset' 16x20x0.75 acrylic on canvas [SOLD] ~ Living In An Alternative Universe - Without Facebook ~ Well, It’s officially been over 30 days now since I deleted my Facebook account. And, I can see clearly now, the rain has gone. All kidding aside, it’s been the best thirty days! So - If you’ve been thinking of leaving Facebook, this one’s for you, my dear:  I’ve rambled on and on about the positive and negative aspects of social media many times in the past, and you can check some of it out right here: #71] My 69 Week Break from Social Media ~ Why I Left & Why I Came Back So I won’t really delve into any of that just right now. But - I will tell you here about these past thirty days, and why I’m never going back on social, ever freaking again. Basically, I have really, and quite passionately, come to believe and understand, that there are two very different worlds taking place right now. There is the Universe, and there is the Alternative Universe. And, confusingly, I’m not very sure which one is which, or which one we all live in, but I do think there are two different worlds happening right before our eyes. I’m a huge Elon Musk fan, and I love how he, and many others, speak of the Simulation Theory. It basically goes like this - that we, humans, on Earth, are living in a Simulation, controlled by a host(s) in an outside, and completely out of reach, universe. I’m not going to get too sciency and technical here, and it’s all just a theory, because if we are part of a simulation, and we don’t even know it, and there’s no science to back it up, then what is there to even elaborate on for the purposes of today’s post. But, if we are living in a simulation, then it means our entire world is fabricated. And we are game pieces, or avatars, and we don’t really have free will. And that the creators of this simulation, kinda, sorta, throw things in - like a pandemic - to throw us off our game. Because they get bored easily and wanna mix things up, and see how humans react. And, it also means the simulation is so real-like, that we would never even believe we are “fake” - kinda mind blowing, right? And - if the universe is infinite - meaning it never, ever ends, then there is an infinite amount of possibilities of this theory being true? So, basically, what I’m trying to tell you right here is that, if the world never ends, there are lots and lots of “alternative” copies of Earth out there. All floating in an infinite universe, with infinite copies of us floating around as well. I mean, what happens at the end of the universe, anyways? - If the universe has an end, what is beyond the boundary?  So, maybe, somewhere in the infinite universe, there is an Earth out there, with two suns? Maybe, there is a copy of us out there, on a copy Earth, looking up at the sunset, and seeing a binary sunset.  What if The Big Bang was simply us, popping out the opposite end of a Black Hole? Exploding our current life into being? And all of our universe, had once lived on the polar opposite end of this Black Hole? After all, haven’t we been told that nothing, absolutely nothing, can escape from a Black Hole? And no one knows what’s on the other side, right? So, what if we were sucked in, and came out, on the other side? We wouldn’t even know it. The death, and destruction, of the force of the black hole, killed and born, our universe into being, in the smallest fraction of time possible of all impossibilities. Maybe, there is an Earth out there, where world wars never raged, and the U.S. Civil War never happened? Maybe Walt Disney never died of cancer, and instead grew the Disney Company into something completely different than it is today? Maybe the current Disney Company never purchased LucasFilm and thus, Star Wars, for four billion dollars? Maybe Rome never burned? Maybe we never landed on the moon? But instead, we went straight to Mars? And the classic, alternative universe theory, maybe a young Adolf Hitler was accepted into art school in Austria, and never brainwashed racial, ethnic, and religious hatred en masse? And was, therefore, never able to convince other human beings to commit a genocide of six million Jewish people? And maybe, all of these people, who were never gassed and cremated, and never fought in wars that never happened, went ahead to live into old age? Maybe Rome - stayed Rome. Maybe World War I and II never occurred. And maybe all these people who lived invented great things? That we currently do not have? And maybe because of these inventions, social media, including Facebook, were never invented, because that idea, at that exact time, was not sparked into being?  Maybe I never had to go 30 days without Facebook to officially close my account? Maybe the entire world is at peace right now? Instead of China militarizing in the open seas? And potential terrorist threats to our homeland were never needed to worry over? Maybe communism was never invented? And liberty and freedom are all that we all know? Maybe I dreamed all this up over the past thirty days? And the world is really just as it truly is? And Facebook still exists, just as it really does. And thus, the online world, and the real world, is just as it all appears to be. And maybe we only have one sun. And maybe we will never, ever, ever witness a binary sunset, even though we know in our hearts, such an idea is possible? Thirty days ago, my heart guided me toward the Delete button. I went from a bright and colorful and cheery avatar, smiling and holding a piece of my art on canvas, straight into what I call the gray zone. I opted for the permanent DELETE button - instead of DEACTIVATE. DEACTIVATING your account merely does exactly what it is called - your account becomes inoperable, non-viewable, no activity is possible.. But it is still there, in case you ever want to REACTIVATE it once again. While, DELETING your account, on the other hand, does exactly what it says. It DELETES your Facebook account. So, 30 days ago, that’s exactly what I did. And with that decision of deleting accomplished, my account was subjected to thirty days of gray. I imagine this gray stage can be viewed in one of two ways. One being a form of punishment, or human torture, and tormentation. Facebook has decided that because you want to leave its platform, you first must be submitted to thirty days of teasing. Daring you to come back. Your decision to leave - not permanent - until the passage of one months time. And one month, in this crazy age, is eternity. So, if you can make it through the tortuous month, you’re free. But instead of punishment, I like to view this gray stage as a badge of honor. I’ve beat the system. I’ve declared my beliefs. And I stand on my own. Proudly. No longer allowing social media, and Facebook, to rule my life. And even if it didn’t rule my life, social media likes to think it does, and that’s just as bad. And dangerous. Because that’s how it gains all its power. I had done ALL OF THIS DARN STUFF before. I had lived thirty days in the gray in the past. And now, I did it all over again. For the final time. I lived 35 years of life - WITHOUT a Facebook account. I actually stubbornly refused to join Facebook, for many, many years. Valuing my privacy, over anything else. But then, I got very sick. And, for about ten years, I suffered. And when God helped me save my own life, I found my voice, and I knowingly gave up a certain small amount of my privacy… All so that I could help you. By sharing my stories and experiences with you - my hope is that you can see that you too can save your own life, if it needs saving, and that saving yourself is indeed possible. And that God truly is there for you too - of course. But I don’t need to be on Facebook, or social media - to share with you. I was moving away from home, and everything I knew, when I joined Facebook. I was still very sick when I joined. But then, I stayed on Facebook, and shared more and more, after God saved me. It all became too much. And something had to give. I needed a break. I wanted to break free. From everything social media. It had rubbed me the wrong way. And my gut told me to get outta there. And I deleted all my accounts. Deleted - not Deactivated. And I lived social media free for 69 weeks. Well, scratch that, I lived social media free for 35 years plus 69 weeks. And then, sighhhhh - I went back once again. The FORCE pulling me back in. The connectivity of the sites, too strong, to stay away. I was, ultimately, sucked unreluctantly back into the black hole. So, during all this, I definitely saw life from many perspectives throughout this entire time period. I’ve lived with social, and without. I’ve seen the good. I’ve seen the bad. I’ve seen life with Facebook, and I’ve lived, and dreamed many dreams, during life without Facebook. I’ve seen Earth with one sun, and Earth with two suns. I’ve lived on both sides of the moon. I have seen the flip side. And I LOVE it! So, after more than 40 years of life, and 30 days of living in the gray… It’s time to celebrate. I’m done! I’ve graduated. Magna Cum Laude. Wahoo! I am now living Facebook FREE! Goodbye Zuck. Nice knowing ya - Well, actually, it wasn’t really nice knowing him. But, no need to hurt his feelings and tell him that right here. And I do NOT miss it - at all. So, if that’s what you were wondering, and if that’s why you're here with me right now, that previous sentence I can guarantee you is two hundred and fifty three percent TRUE! I do NOT miss Facebook. Oh yeah, by the way, I did the same exact thing with all my other social media accounts. Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc….. They’re all gone. They were all deleted on different days and at different times. But, they’re all gone. And they’re all not missed. I’ve firmly decided upon a life without social media. And once again, I say, right here, as my declaration of fact, and to hold myself accountable. I am NOT going back this time. I am going full speed ahead. Light speed ahead, in fact. Into my life without social media. Goodnight Like Button. Goodnight Love Button. Goodnight Hug Button. And Goodnight Angry Button. Sleep well, my very dear, very fake, friends. And that point, right there, is where I bring you back around, to the other side. That word - Fake. Fake. Fake. And FAKE. Social media is not real life. Did I blow your mind with that one? I hope not. I hope you already know that the online world is not the real world. I hope you know that what’s trending on Twitter is really only trending there, and not on Earth. I hope you know that it doesn’t really matter how many likes you get. And I dearly hope you know that when someone sends you a precious little Mr. Angry Face, not to take that button personally. Because, if everyone did believe all that, the world would be in some pretty big trouble. I mean, it seems that Facebook alone, minus all other social media, can pop out more angry faces in a day, than most people have breaths in their lungs for a lifetime of breathing. Just click on a live stream of something, and watch all the buttons fly by… smile, hate, smile, angry, smile, angry, angry, angry. Angry. That’s a lot of angry faces to go around, JEEEE JUS! There’s a lot of hatred online. There’s so much hatred online, that it's come to the point in which many humans actually believe what is happening on the internet, and what’s happening on social media, is actually constructive of what is happening in the real world. And, guess what? I’m here to tell you that’s simply not true. Twitter - wrap your head around this one please - is not representative of real life on Earth. And let’s not forget about Zuck - Poor Mark Z. - he really and truly is not your friend. And that Pinterest board you made - you don’t actually have that bulletin board hanging on the wall in your home office above your desk. And that cloud of yours - it’s not actually floating in the sky - either. And, maybe - you’ve heard this one - what is being portrayed on Instagram is not real life? See, I told ya you’ve heard that one before. I’m not the only one around saying these things, and these are not new ideas. I’m simply putting it out there in my own little way for your grasp and understanding of how much these social media sites have played with our Earthly timeline and trajectory. I believe, firmly, that social media has altered the trajectory of humanity. I believe that, because of social media, the humans who live upon our dear Mother Earth, are headed out into the dark and desolate abyss of an unknowing and quite scary future. When, instead, we could have taken a different path. But it’s all too late now. And we can only watch the horizon line, and steady our path to a more clear and lighted runway, somewhere lightspeed far into our future, and hope we land in safe territory, and not upon a fiery red Hell, flaming widely atop a different Earth, in an alternative universe. Because ultimately, the real danger of all these social media sites is that all the infinite fakeness of - or shall we say - simulation - of real life online, and how life is portrayed online, has become so real. The line between reality and online reality so blurred. That what is taking place in the simulated world of social media is our real life, and human beings are becoming increasingly unable to distinguish what is real and true and what really happening, and what is being simulated before us for our binary eyes to see and believe in and never know how simulated or fake it all really and truly is. So - in my desperate plea to you right here, right now, I’m here to tell you to follow your gut in regards to social media. If it doesn’t feel “right” for you, it probably isn’t. Hit that DELETE button. Even if it means taking a different, foreign, dark and mysterious path. Go ahead and take the path that’s deathly scary. Take the path of mystery and risk. Take the path that is so long, you have no idea where it will end. Or even, if it ever will end. Lightspeed to Endor. Just do it. Because while you may be headed into a dark and scary future, living without the social and without the media, you can’t make it somewhere grand and beautiful and amazing and wonderful, without risking it all, and trying something that hasn’t been done before. Your stomach may make you sick. You may feel nauseous, and question your own sanity. You may lose many friends - friends that you were only connected to via glitz and glamour of the Hollywood lights. But, if you want to find a place with two suns, you have to sever all communication with those beings anyway. Because AT&T and Verizon don’t have cell service that far away. And there’s no land line reaching into the abyss either.  In fact, you may be risking your very life, to travel that road. And live that life. And be who you are supposed to be. Disclaimer here: By deleting your Facebook account, you will most likely sever some relationships. And that’s ok. You see, sometimes people’s only connection to another, in this day and age, is via social media. Some people don't know your real digits anymore - only your fake digits. So, you will lose friends. You will suffer loss. And you will lose memorable imagery as well. Sigh. Ya know, speaking of loss, just the other day, my hero, Elon Musk, was once again “trending” on all the mediums of our Mother Earth. It seemed, my dear souls, the Twitterverse was quite mad at him - once again. Because he said something so horrible, so terrible, so horrific, and it landed on our precious and delicate little ears. These ears could not comprehend such a thing. And in this world, he received many Angry Face buttons for his beliefs. He - brace yourselves for this one my friends - said something shocking. Elon said that in order for humans to arrive on Mars, a bunch of people are going to die. And the Twitterverse had an absolute freaking cow. Because of course, in this age where everyone lives inside their safe little bubbles, no one remembers what life is like outside that bubble. No one really remembers that living means risk. And exploring means sacrifice. And that these people who volunteer for such a mission, may not come back alive. But, Elon continued, it will be a glorious adventure. This arduous and dangerous journey, into the darkness, will bring about death and destruction, but it will also bring about new worlds. And how can so many people love Star Wars, and Tatooine, and dream of a land with two suns, without comprehending the sacrifice that will be needed in order to find such a land outside our own dreams and in our real lives? Of course people will die getting to Mars. Of course, because with great risk comes great sacrifice. And, I argue to you now, of course with great risk also comes great reward. Comes the beauty to see the land with two suns in real life. To travel lightspeed to other worlds. Worlds, not even visualized by humanity just yet. And with that - alternative worlds, where tulips bring about happiness. And Hitler graduated from Art School and became a worldly philosopher and astronomist, and not a genocidal maniac. He and Walt Disney teamed up, and Walt Disney’s World’s fifth theme park became an Art Park. Where anything you can dream up, you can create in this new reality. One canvas free with admission entry daily. This glorious adventure, that Elon envisions, and speaks of, that stirred the pot, and made many angry faces bubble up into hot steam, is exactly why this man is a hero of mine. He is one rare soul on this planet. Who believes in an alternative world. Who chooses the road less traveled. Is not afraid to step off the path, and go deep into the dark and lonely space of life, and say the things that are now too delicate for humanities ears to comprehend. And do the things that humans are now too afraid to do. And risk the things that have to be risked, to find out where the land of two suns really is at. So that we can witness a binary sunset, with our very own binary eyeballs. If you Google the term Binary Sunset, and read about the Star Wars soundtrack, you may discover for yourself something quite spectacular. You may read in the comments - ironically written on social media sites - about the infamous song that stirs this adventure. A dream that is about to be dreamed. People, in the comments, say, that the sound of this song gives them goosebumps. Why would such a sound give someone goosebumps? They are saying these words online. But they are not living these words offline. They are hiding behind their computers. And not living the stuff dreams are made of - the stuff of goosebumps - the stuff that sends shivers up their spines, in real life. My challenge to you here, is to search for that feeling which gives YOU goosebumps. What sends a shiver up your spine? What scares you to near death? And what brings you more joy than all the heavens set upon binary sunsets? Find that feeling. And go with it. Let go of the fake life on social media. And live a real life once again. And, let us not forget, I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. I’m saying right here and now that it is going to be hard. It will be painful. And yes, it may make you throw up and vomit your cheeseburger. G forces and the speed of light tends to do that to a human stomach. And, soak in all the fine print right here: you WILL, most definitely, one hundred percent positively, lose many friends and family members in the process. Because in the process of living a life made of dreams and Star Wars and Revolutions and Forces outside of Earth’s atmosphere, with it all comes a great deal of emotion and loss and isolation and darkness. But you could never see the light of lightspeeds, without seeing the darkest of dark black hole event horizon lines. And there will be times when time passes more slowly, because you won’t really know what’s going on outside your own little spaceship. And there will be times where time seemingly passes as fast as light travels, because you will be having so much fun, and living the life of adventure, that glorious adventure that many search their whole lives for and never find. So with all that being said, my thirty days are up. Thirty days of gray and my thirty shades of gray living. I’m outta here and ready for my Mission to Mars. I suggest you buckle up and launch your own mission as well. Goodnight, Goodbye, and Godspeed. Bring it on.~ 
4/13/2021 0 Comments #104) Cookies Not Required~ Reconciling Our Irreconcilable Differences ~  I remember watching Lucy walk over to Ethel’s apartment to borrow a cup of sugar. And visa versa. I remember when DJ Tanner talked on the phone with Kimmy Gibbler. I remember playing baseball in the street. I remember when neighbors actually spoke to one another. I remember when a new family moved into the neighborhood, the locals would trek across their lawns, ring the doorbell, introduce themselves, welcome the newest residents, and drop off some baked goodies - whether it be a loaf of bread, or a plate of cookies. And it actually didn’t matter what form of food the calories were melded into, what mattered was the act of the offering. And that was it. They were now neighbors. And - They were friends. It didn’t matter who was a republican and who was a democrat. And, all the politics in the world... wouldn’t stop a neighbor from helping a neighbor in need. Someone would always be there to shovel the snow for the people nearby them. Someone would always have time, or desire, to organize that infamous summer block party. And at Christmas time, there’d always be that neighbor who wanted to host a cookie exchange - or even - set up matching light-up plastic soldiers lining the entire block. But does any of that matter anymore? Does anybody still do any of these things? Do you even talk with your neighbors? I do. But I do know it's becoming increasingly rare. With our phones in our hands, and our heads bent down, we can’t even see our neighbors, let alone talk with them, through that black and desolate screen. So, over time, with less one-on-one communication, we have now ended up in the situation we currently find ourselves: Anger. Hate. Violence. Incivility. And worse. And, no I’m not blaming the smart phone for all our worldly problems. I’m blaming us. WE - are bigger than a phone. WE - are bigger than the internet. WE - are bigger than social media. But - WE - have forgotten all this. In this crazy covid world, we have forgotten that humanity is more important than how many likes we get. That communication isn’t just one directional. And that the world isn’t one size fits all. We have even forgotten how to speak simply with one another. And how to speak civilly with one another. And without communication with another - we are no longer unified. Why does a couple, or a union, divorce? Separate, or break up? Why does a relationship end? Is it because they no longer love one another? They can no longer agree? They’re not on the same page? They have different aspirations and life goals? They feel anger and hostility toward each other? They cannot even communicate with each other any longer? They are disgusted with one another and cannot stand the sight of the other? Maybe, maybe all of the above… but maybe it’s the simple fact that they no longer want to share a life together. After all, love cannot be forced. So, what happens when we, as a nation, no longer agree with another? What happens when we no longer love our neighbors? When we cannot agree on the definition of words? We are basically speaking different languages at that point, right? Speaking different languages is not always a problem. There are people who speak different languages all over the world, and they all don’t disagree with and hate one another. It’s the actions one takes that lead to agreement or disagreement. Civility or incivility. A smile and a handshake go a long way, especially if two people standing before each other do not understand the words coming out of their mouths. But what happens when two people who do speak the same langage stand before each other, attempting communication, and one word means something to one of them, and the same word then means something else - something completely different - to the other? The meaning being contradictory, the opposite of intention… leading to anger, or violence over perceived meaning? Are we in the denial phase of breaking up our relationship in this country right now? I don’t know… maybe we are well past denial at this point. Maybe we’re well engulfed in the anger phase by now? Yes, that must be it. Because all I see is anger and hostility - on the news anyway. In real life, it’s a completely different story. In real life, I see the sun rise. I see people walking on the beach… passing each other and smiling. I see myself shopping in the grocery store. And real people being real nice to one another. I even still see neighbors helping neighbors. Could it be that the news and media paints a different picture of real life? Are we in denial of what’s really happening, or is what’s really happening just happening differently in different locales? Is one person’s perception of the same matter differently perceived by the other? Can we even wrap our heads around that question? Yes, maybe that’s it. What’s happening online really is happening, but some people can’t see it? And maybe some people see the same thing but completely differently. Who knows? But, either way, I still see us falling. My perception is I see the country falling apart. As some are still baking cookies for one another, others are beating people in the streets. Bloody and bruised. Chocolate chips and cinnamon rolls. Hatred and anger. Lemonade stands and block parties. Fires and bear spray. And, due to all this disagreement we have with each other - Is it time we broke up with one another? No. I argue, No. It’s not time. We have a long road ahead. With each other. Side by side. Agree and disagree. We should not divorce. We have reconcilable differences. We have differences - yes. But they are NOT irreconcilable. In any good, healthy, solid, and long term relationship - continuous work is required. We have work to do, indeed. But, that work must be together. Not apart. Not separate. Not under disunion. Not under false pretence. And not under a guise of fake mediation. We MUST work hard at living as good neighbors to one another. We MUST be civil. We MUST be noble. And true. And kind. And do it all for nothing in return. When did everything become about what you will get out of it? When did actions become simply about the reaction? And nothing more? After all, every time Lucy borrowed a cup of sugar, did she ever repay it? When did we start not dropping off a plate of cookies when a new neighbor moved in next door? Expecting nothing in return, except maybe a smile. A handshake. An introduction. A civil conversation? A long, long time ago, I guess. I’ll let you in on a little secret. These cookies... they don't have to be homemade. They don’t have to be the fancy recipe straight from your Grandma’s kitchen. They don’t have to be gourmet. These cookies could be a plastic box of store-bought chocolate chip cookies, sealed with a bar code and priced at $3.99 for a box of twelve from the Publix down the road. But, here’s an even bigger secret. You don’t even need to bring cookies with you. You just need to say hello. No, you see - It’s not the cookies we have forgotten, and it’s not that we cannot afford $3.99 with endless bills to pay, with worries over rent and healthcare. It’s the act of walking next door that we have truly and utterly and sadly forgotten and completely eliminated from our lives. The act of crossing the lawn, getting shoes wet from the morning dew on the blades of cut grass. Walking up the front lawn, climbing the porch, and ringing that gosh darn effing door bell - with good intention in our heart. Cookies not included. Cookies not needed. Just a Hello. Just a Welcome to the neighborhood. Just simplicity. We have definitely forgotten this simple act. And who am I to even write about it? I have forgotten it too. Well, I haven’t forgotten. I do THINK of it when someone new moves in. But that’s about it. I THINK. I don’t ACT on it. After all, who has time for all that, right? I’m the busiest I’ve ever been in my entire life. I am living my very best life. But I am NOT partaking in dropping cookies at people’s doorsteps. And maybe that’s where this whole thing has gone wrong. Right freaking there. I am truly happy. Extremely happy. Immensely happy. I am busy. I work hard. I love my family and friends. But when’s the last time I welcomed a new neighbor? I have no freaking idea. I must give myself some credit though where credit is due. This Christmas, my husband and I made hundreds of cookies - piles and piles of cookies. The proof is on my Youtube Channel if you don’t believe me. And I did deliver cookies to neighbors and strangers alike. But this is simply one small act. And today, I made a double batch of cookies for work tomorrow. A coworker's last day. For a ‘party’ and for my best wishes to send this person onto their next adventure in life. One other small act. These little acts. They do add up. They become our life. And our lives. If we are not interacting with one another regularly, in real life, then how can we have a civil relationship with each other in real life? We need to say hello. We need to get to know one another. We need to have a relationship, other than by our avatars and screen names. Outside of the computers and not reflected through our phone screens. Let’s toss aside our usernames, and use our real freaking names. So, is it time we broke up? Should we be getting a divorce? I still say NO. Now is not the time to call it quits. We have still but a fleeting moment. Not even now, as cities burn once again. Not even now, as the world seemingly readies itself for another war. Not even now, as more death engulfs the world. Not even now, as Evil reigns. And Evil thinks it’s winning. The flames having the upper hand. With fireworks in the night sky, and the Devil staring straight at us front and center. World War III on the horizon. We can still work this out. And we can stave off a civil war. But, we must heed the warning signs. We can find the reconcilable parts of our hearts. And join together once again. As one nation, undivided. And then we can have a simple block party. Hot dogs and beers all around. Slip, sliding away. Party in the USA. Everyone’s invited - Kimmy Gibbler included. And cookies are not required.~ 
3/22/2021 0 Comments #103) Accountability~ Saying Goodbye, Once Again - and Forever - to More Social Media Sites ~  _______ Ahhh Choo! God Bless You. Excuse Me. _______ In the beginning… And in the very, very end… You - and only you - are accountable to yourself. No one else can truly hold you accountable - to your actions, your beliefs, and to your own integrity. So, how does one maintain accountability in this wild and crazy technological era, this day of non-stop scrolling, in this data-driven age? An era where seemingly anything, and everything, goes. Laughter and madness reign equally supreme. Until they don’t... Whom holds who accountable? The answer - always - begins, and ends, with yourself. Believe it or not, your actions, do matter in this world. You are your own measurement of success. And failure. And mistakes. And misgivings. You know your own heart - and no one else needs to know it like you do. And thus, you own your knowledge, education, and accomplishments too. You are your own person. You are who you believe yourself to be. And ultimately, you are a product of your own actions. And you, and only you, can take the action to decide to be on social media, or not. To be a part of all the laughter and the madness... The boredom and addiction of the scroll... the insanity of the comment section… You decide whether you want to be associated with these companies. This is a very personal decision that only you can make. And here’s my personal decision: Today, I left social media. Yes, I’ve now said even more Goodbye’s. Adios. I suppose I’ve said a lot of goodbye’s lately - piles and piles of goodbye. Earlier this month I informed y’all that I had deleted my two Twitter accounts. And by the way - I don’t miss them ONE FREAKING BIT! Also earlier this month, in anticipation of today’s actions of closing the accounts altogether, I had deleted the apps of all the social media sites I was on as well. So today, I went ahead and I did a whole heck of a lot more deleting. And I’m writing it all down right here. To maintain accountability - with myself. To boldly hold myself in check. To document date and time stamp. This post is my record and documentation of fact. My accountability to my own soul. Dear Diary, Today, Monday, March 22, 2021, I deleted social media and internet accounts and apps from my phone, my browser, my Macbook, and from my life. These sites include some of the big, main social media sites, plus some many more random apps and sites and bookmarks and memberships. Why? You ask? Because of everything, and anything. Because if I don’t hold myself accountable, I cannot hold companies that I conduct business with accountable. And if you are on social media, you ARE conducting business with those media empires. And, most of them, they ARE empires. I believe social media is becoming an increasingly dangerous place to hang out. In a way, it’s kinda like the wild, wild west of our time. Everything and anything goes. Amidst all the drama and divisiveness and anger and hate and censorship and blocking and cancelations and deletions. All that wildness all still happens - before it goes ahead and gets itself canceled. After all, something has to actually happen, before they can unhappen it, right? I am seeing these vast media empires setting extremely dangerous precedents, one after another. Including the old originals and largest and most popular social media sites. And I won’t even get into the newer platforms that are continually growing beyond their elders and taking over in terms of membership numbers. Plus, social media sites seem to be joining up with the actions of many other very large corporations of our time. Partnerships. Mergers. And they are all seemingly going in one direction. They’re all targeting one thing: Our information... Reaching for more and more data: Our brains... Each time we click, scroll, accept, and check, we are giving away a piece of ourselves: Our hearts... And they continue to invade more and more of our privacy: Our very souls... What’s next? Will they be coming for our intestines? Track our bowel movements?... I shouldn’t speak too soon, should I? But the scarier part of these precedents, is that they don’t seem to care about the precedents they themselves are setting. And I cannot, in good conscience, support - any - of these companies any longer. The only thing left, and it’s hanging on by a thread - and I mean a very thin thread - is my personal, and private, Facebook account. And that’s as of this writing. And believe me when I say, it’s weighing on that good conscience. I do believe Facebook has been in long decline for quite some time now. It’s all the negativity, all the data breaches, all the arguments. And I’m hanging on, just barely, without the app, logging on for extremely brief periods of time, through browser only, without bookmark, for right now. But sadly, I’ve seen too many relationships destroyed because of Facebook. And I don’t see the good of it outweighing the bad much longer for me. Let me tell you - None of this is easy to do. I LOVED that infamous grid style imagery platform. It was my absolute favorite social media. And I’m proud of every single photo I had once displayed on the site. I love photography, and it was a swell venue to showcase my adventures snapped via camera. My grid consisted mostly of flowers, doggies, and donuts - silly, yes - popular, no - but mine. Or was it? But, in the end, I had to make a choice. A choice I knew I was edging toward with each passing day. Deleting and canceling my membership was as difficult a decision as was my act of deleting my entire Etsy shop last year. But if I can’t stand with my integrity intact, I will not stand, because my integrity means as much to me as the action of standing up. I, therefore, cannot support the companies I disagree with in any way, any longer. And I’m not perfect, I’ve made plenty of mistakes. I’ve made as many mistakes as have these companies. But, I know my own integrity. And I don’t really know theirs. And like I already stated, I’m still on Facebook. So - there is that. Make of it what you will. But basically, I have reached a point that I’m not going to humor these places anymore. I’m not going to join along. I’m done playing their games. And I’m not going to be another number. One more person, contributing to the degradation of civil society. I am doing my part. By getting off their platforms. Before they can banish me into the dark and desolate forest, simply because I sneezed in the wrong direction. And if you think I’m exaggerating, then bless your delicate little heart. Because that’s exactly what will happen. Someone will literally sneeze in the wrong direction, and then… may God save their soul from the wrath of social media bots and bunnies and banishers. And It’s all THEIRS. Not mine. I don’t own anything I do while visiting their institutions. That question of personal data sharing should concern every human being on this planet. If the data they take from us is not concerning to you, I am then and now concerned for your own safety, privacy, and well being. I’m done selling myself - body and soul - and I’m done giving away my data to them. After all, these companies have reached a point where how much more data can they possibly want and attempt to extract from us all? Next, someone will come along and say we need rectal swabs to get on airplanes… oh wait, that is actually happening in 2021. Like I said - our intestines. So now, with my own accountability in check - I am really one less. One less bunny bot contributing to the complete and utter destruction and annihilation of civil society. By deleting the apps. By deleting the accounts of my choosing. All and each stemmed from specific reasons that shall remain private. But each one was picked and chosen for very specific reasoning. So, because of Everything, and just maybe because of how you treat literally Everyone - Goodbye - And Good Riddance to social media. And God Bless you, too. ~ 
3/14/2021 0 Comments #101) Contagion ~ Ten Years Later ~ A Film Just Before Its Time ~ If there ever was a film I was terrified of upon its release - it was this one. Just the other day, I recently re-watched “Contagion” - the now infamous film from 2011 - starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Matt Damon, amongst many other notable actors and actresses. I had seen Contagion ten years ago, upon its release. And I remember thinking at the time how scary of a film it truly was. To me - Contagion was a horror film. An apocalyptic film. A sci-fi film. A nightmare scenario. Eerie. Very eerie. A film that scared the living daylights out of me. It shook me - to the core. But, why? I could never really understand that. Why? Why did this film so severely affect me at the time of initial viewing? Was it a sense of foreboding? A sense of truth in terror? A feeling that fiction is reality? Or can someday be? Can all fiction someday come true? And what about historical films? Can history repeat itself? Was there ever a film made about the 1918 influenza outbreak? If so, did anybody learn anything from it? Or were we just doomed to have it all happen all over again, no matter what film was made, or not? No matter what happened in the past, does history always repeat itself? I also remember thinking at the time that I could NEVER, EVER rewatch this film. It was too horrific for my brain to process this storyline more than once. A note to self - once and done. If this film happened to reair on cable tv years later, I would NOT be viewing it. Remember - CONTAGION. Well, little did I know that I’d actually watch it two more times in the next ten years. Was I crazy or something? Why would I purposely subject myself to a film that so obviously had shaken me? At the very beginning of the Covid 19 outbreak, just a bit before it was formally declared a global pandemic, so a little over a year ago now… I went ahead and rented Contagion from the Jacksonville Public Library. Something told me it was time to rewatch this scary film. There were things happening in the news that sounded awfully similar to what I had watched all those years before, on screen. What the heck was I doing? I hesitated. I brought home the DVD, carried it in the house, and I let the disc just sit there on my console table. I was thinking - contemplating… Should I rewatch this horror? But I was curious. Very curious. And - By this time, nine years had gone by since I watched the film. It was the year 2020. I had turned 39. Nothing scared me anymore. Nothing. I had changed A LOT in those nine years since first viewing the film. Now, I actually LIKE watching horror films. Apocalyptic films, sci-fi films, suspense films, thriller films, you name it, if it keeps my brain utterly and totally occupied, I’ll watch it. And I enjoy them all. So, as the world was getting closer and closer to a nasty and evil and very real pandemic raging outside our walls, I had Contagion sitting there - waiting for me to view it once again. So as the real life nightly news began preaching more and more about washing hands, using sanitizer, and cases of this novel coronavirus spreading widely, my curiosity peaked. I ended up putting the DVD into the player, and I hit play. On a lovely evening, after a very busy day at work, and with a tv dinner in hand, my husband and I rewatched Contagion - for the second time. This time, I watched it from start to finish - with the backdrop of a real life, strange, and mysterious virus standing just outside my door. This time, I watched with an open mind. This time, I watched to see how the world handled itself in this fictional crisis and war-like situation. Well - of course - the world went crazy. Completely and utterly crazy. On this fictional Earth - There were protests and riots, destruction and houses broken into. There were gunshots. There were bare store shelves, military on the streets, quarantines, and gloves, and hand sanitizer, and blockades, masks, and treatments, studies and vaccine research. And there was isolation, and school closures, contact tracing, and even discussion on how to allocate and distribute those precious vials of potential immunity. This list does go on. It was all there. It was scary, yes. But it was still so fictional. The film was still so out of touch with reality. It was still sooo sci-fi. We finished off the film. And went to bed. And went back to normal and not so crazy life. But, I guess, little did we know at the time that normal life wouldn’t be so normal anymore. Just a matter of days and weeks later. All that crazy - was coming our way. As I slipped the DVD in its case and then slid it through the return slot at the library… the world outside went ahead and changed on us all. So then the pandemic came. Once upon a time in a not so distant world. A virus plagued us all - IN. REAL. LIFE. The fictional world of Contagion came true. With shocking and detailed accuracy. Even down to conspiracy theorists influencing millions of people in various ways, and people wearing bubbles around their heads. So as the one year anniversary of the plague came around, I found myself the other day, in contemplation, yet again. Over the film - Contagion. Something told me I had to rewatch this horrific film, yet one more time. How would I view Contagion, after experiencing a real life one? So, for now the third time, I rented the film from the local library. And I did my now usual hesitation - but this time just for a split second. I laughed. And I popped the film into the DVD player. What on Earth is there to hesitate about at this point? Have we not seen it all in this past year? This now silly and comedic film couldn’t possibly scare me now! Ha! As I laugh at our messed up little globe. The problems humanity has to deal with couldn’t scare me out of my mind. Nothing could shake me - to the core - after enduring what we’ve endured. So, last night, at the age of 40, and ten years after its release, with a dinner consisting of frozen pizza and club soda, we rewatched Contagion, yet again. Gosh, Matt Damon looks a lot younger there! - I thought as the film began. I laughed as they tried to identify the virus - it’s ‘novel’ said the CDC. And I remembered how a year ago I kept asking myself, why are they calling this virus a NOVEL virus? I gasped as panic set in, similar to the real life panic. My jaw dropped at the bare store shelves. And the fight for food and survival. And I flat out had to press pause as all of societal order - began to break down. It’s easy to look back and think all this was coming, and coming fast, and that we simply weren’t prepared. It’s easy to think of the should haves and could haves - now. But how could we really have been prepared for the apocalypse? How does one prepare for a meteor to hit the planet? Not everyone has MRE’s sitting in a climate controlled basement bunker, patiently sitting there and waiting for their time in the limelight. I hit play again and continued watching. They spoke of people leaving their clothes at their front door upon return home from work. So as not to contaminate their house. Matt Damon’s character repeatedly hands his daughter hand sanitizer after they touch objects outside their home. His daughter spends basically a year at home, sitting in her room, and texting her friends. Growing increasingly sad, anxious, and desperate for the end to this worldwide ordeal. When would she go back to school? Well, as in all good end-of-the world films, the saga did come to an end. They found a vaccine - not necessarily a treatment - from what I understood of the ending, anyway. The world moved on. People started to venture on with their lives, slowly, and hesitatingly. And the story closes following a bird and a bat and a pig and raw meat and a chef and bare hands, and then - a handshake. I think the very end of the film is always what scared me the very, very most about it. While Contagion was completely fictional. Seeing it for the third time shook me again - this time to the core - again. Yes, the entire film was a work of fiction. But what was nerve-wracking and shocking to me, now, with this third viewing, was how true to life the entire storyline was. How did this film predict all that was to come? How did this story come true - down to a T? To the finest detail? It was as if real life over this past year was scripted to match this film. Or was it that the film had been scripted to match the future real life? It all was just so eerie to watch. It was truly scary. Can fiction really become reality? And you know what? It was probably more difficult to watch the film for this third and final time. That’s right, I finally don’t need another viewing. Three and I’m done. I’ve lived through the film and I’ve lived it in real life. Next in line for viewing, please. What was it about it for this third viewing that was so shocking to me? Why did the film originally shake me to the core ten years ago? Why was I so scared watching a piece of pure and utter fiction? Why did the bat and the pig and the raw meat imagery stay in my mind for all those years? Maybe, just maybe, it was because I knew, ten years ago, deep in the back of my mind, how real and possible and true this piece of fiction could become, if we just gave it enough time. ~ 
 ~ Happiness in the Midst of All Adversity ~ I was driving down 1st Street yesterday - March 10, 2021 - and a sign above a local bar captured my eye: ‘A YEAR AGO THIS WAS OUR LAST NORMAL DAY AND NOBODY KNEW IT’ What a sign, right? Our last normal day... Yes, Goodbye to normalcy. One year ago. That’s because, today - one year ago - a global pandemic was formally declared. And with that formal declaration, the world as everyone knew it… changed forever. Whether or not that nasty and sticky little coronavirus touched us personally, every single human being on this planet has been affected in some way or another. And we all continue to be. The ripple effects - monstrous. The waves - continue. But there’s just something strange about marking one year. One year of anything life changing, really. It reminds me - in a very somber way - of the sad and solemn anniversaries that come round each year on September 11th. But while, every year, on September 11th, I am extremely sad - today, I am not. Today - I am happy. Truly happy. Religiously - happy. Rejoicing. Happy. Happy to be alive. Happy to have survived this past year intact. Happy for everything I have learned. Happy with how my life has changed over the course of the pandemic year. Grateful for everything. Grateful for everyone. Thankful for everything and everyone I said hello to. And met this past year. Thankful for everything and everyone I had to say goodbye to over this past year. So, today, just for kicks, and since I deleted Twitter just the other day, I went ahead and removed some apps from my phone that I was - well - pretty sour with, let’s just say. While I deleted Twitter entirely, I deleted the following apps today and still have accounts as of today - Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Facebook Business, and Facebook Messenger. Goodbye. I decided the benefits of having the apps themselves did not outweigh the risk. I decided I will need to reach all these sites with a browser, and not an app any longer. But these are very easy decisions for me. Because I’ve said Goodbye lots of things these past years… Farewell smiles. Hello masks and face shields and gloves. Goodbye toilet paper. Hello hand sanitizer. Goodbye in-person meetings. Hello Zoom. Goodbye Kirk Douglas, Kobe Bryant, Kenny Rogers. Hello Dr. Fauci. Goodbye job. Goodbye Etsy shop. Hello new job. Goodbye neighbors. Hello new neighbors. Goodbye friends. Hello new friends. Goodbye routine. Hello new routine. Goodbye entertainment. Hello new entertainment. And - Goodbye 2020. Hello 2021. And now that we’re well on our way into 2021, and seeing this beautiful new year unfold before us, I wonder… What will we see Goodbye to this year? What miracles await us? What excitement awaits? What dreams will fall from the Heavenly clouds and into our minds and hearts? So, while September 11th will always and forever be sad to me, and the tears always roll down my cheeks, no matter how hard I fight them. Today, March 11th, every year, I will always remind myself to be happy. Because happiness reigns in my heart as I mark this one year anniversary. And happiness is what I have made of this past year. Because, if there’s anything great, noble, big, and phenomenal, that this pandemic has taught me... it’s that nobody can take my happiness away. No matter how bad the world gets. I am in control. I know the course I’m headed. With Mercy and Comfort in my heart. Faith - intact. And my beliefs - unwavered. I am the one who makes ME happy. I am the one who steers my own ship. And I am the one who lives my life. Nobody else can do it for me. Nobody else is going the same way. And nobody can take any of it away from me ~ unless I let them. So, as they say - COME AND TAKE IT. ~  (Photo Dated: 3.10.2021)
3/8/2021 0 Comments #99) Tweet Ya Later, Twitter ~Saying Goodbye to The Most Destructive Social Media Platform on the Planet~ Today I finally deleted my Twitter accounts. Accounts - plural - because I had two accounts… a public Twitter, and a private Twitter. But either way - they’re both gone as of today. So, goodbye - and good riddance - Twitter. I have had an on again/off again sorta relationship with Twitter for a few years now. But today, we formally broke up. Forever. Like - We are never, ever, ever getting back together babe. The main and exact reason for my breakup with Twitter will always be private and, thus, I am not going to share that with you here today. But I am very happy, indeed, to share that the relationship is over. OVER! And if anything I have ever written is deserving of an exclamation point in my writings, it is the previously typed one word sentence. We are divorced. Our union - dissolved. Irreconcilable differences - Checked. But - THIS - is not bad news. THIS is good news. Very good news, in fact. You see - I am now one less person on the vast, and seedy, and quite despicable platform. One less is a sea of millions. One less droplet of water in a vast ocean of destruction. And gosh, the waves were strong. Like hurricane force winds taking place. EVERY SINGLE MOMENT. OF EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Don’t get me wrong, here. There is a whole lotta good taking place on Twitter. Like - oh, let’s just say - local weather reports. Or, maybe even announcements of the special flavor of the day at the local ice cream shop. And, maybe even a Tweet from your favorite author sharing with you the title of their next and upcoming book. But the loudest voices in the room seem to be filled with hate in their hearts. And I just don’t have time for hate. My private Twitter account was the one I really enjoyed the very best, and is, sadly, the one I will miss the most. It was there, behind lock and key, that I followed all my favorite people in the world. I read their daily musings and followed along as civilized society fell apart around us all. I considered it a private diary of sorts. Where I was brave enough to declare to my private little world who I really ‘had a crush on’ at the moment, and who I ‘loved’ deeply. Who would I go to the ends of the Earth for? Only my diary knows that. And the few people whom I allowed to view that sacred, private diary. My public Twitter account, on the other hand, was very simple. And not very exciting. I had, oh, I would say, roughly about three followers, and I followed about seven public accounts - including a few bakeries. If I read an interesting piece of news, it was here that I would tweet out a link to said article. And it was here that I would find the donut of the day, and coffee of the moment. It was here that I would be informed of a 99 cent sale on medium iced coffees after 3pm at Dunkin. For goodness sake, if there isn’t anything more important in the world than to know about that sale, I don’t know what is. But, while the public realm of Twitter can be filled with innocent coffee and donuts, and surveys about which drink is your favorite - the caramel macchiato or the peppermint latte - Twitter can also be filled with a lot of destruction. At the exact same time. There may even be a hate-filled answer to an innocent survey question about what your favorite drink happens to be. if there is any place in the world that can turn a simple comment (Tweet) into the end of the world - it is on Twitter. The Hate was real people. Real. And I’m guessing that as long as you haven’t been living under a rock in recent history, then you know as much as well. Somebody always misinterprets someone else. Somebody always hates what someone else has to say. I’m not even referring to myself or my own Tweets here. I’m just referring to what I have witnessed across the entire platform. And it seems Hate breeds Hate. And the loudest voice in the room gets louder, and bigger, while the smallest voice, or the most quiet voice, gets quieter. My own footprint on Twitter was small. Very small. And I’m sure not one person on Twitter will miss me there. And guess the heck what? I certainly won’t miss that blue little bird either. Bless his little heart. I don’t think there is one single thing I will miss by not being on Twitter - except, maybe - the weather reports. It was Twitter that I have relied on during almost all previous hurricanes that have come through during the past few years. It was Twitter that stayed on strong, and kept going, if the internet service was bad to nearly non-existent. It was Twitter that I could pop on and see what the latest forecast was from a local or national meteorologist - up to the minute reports. What was the governor saying? What was the mayor’s latest press conference? Had the river flooded? Was 1st Street under water? Twitter would keep me updated. And help keep my mind at least a little bit at ease, as I watched a storm churn and whirl past us. So, I guess I’ll just have to get my hurricane weather updates elsewhere. Of course all of this is easy to say right now - in March - when the ten day forecast ahead of me is ten glorious days of sun. Easy for me to say now, when the upcoming hurricane season is still a few months away. Oh well. Many people have survived many hurricane seasons without Twitter. I’ve been one of them before. And I guess in 2021 - I’ll be one of them yet again. I said goodbye to Twitter for many reasons. Many, many reasons, in fact. And as I said already, I won’t name the reasons themselves here. And the reasons shall remain locked away in my very own private diary. But, I am overall ecstatic to share this news with you. The news of saying Goodbye. The news of hitting the DELETE button. And I’m happy to share this news with you right HERE. And NOT on social media. Alrighty then - I’m gonna go eat some Munchkins. And drink my large Iced Latte from Dunkin. And I’m really gonna enjoy another blustery and wintry day on my barrier island. And I don’t need that little Blue Bird to tell me the weather forecast today either. Because I just looked up at the beacon of sunlight staring right down at me. Beckoning me to get my daily dose of naturally derived Vitamin D, as I sit down to read a good book - by my favorite author. So, Goodbye Twitter. Tweet Ya Later. ~  If you enjoyed my ramblings and babblings, you may also like: 71] My 69 Week Break From Social Media ~ Why I Left & Why I Came Back
~Finding Peace Amidst A Simple Morning Walk~  Thought I’d post my usual (daily) Instagram image right here today - instead of actually on the social media platform I just mentioned.
Because Christine’s Floridian Dreams lives in - well… Christine’s Floridian Dreams. And while I do love Instagram, I also loathe all social media platforms. So as I watch the world seemingly crumble - and desperately attempt to continue onward - around me... That world cannot crumble me - and I continue onward as well. And I remain optimistic. As my focus goes inward. And I go for a walk. Sipping my steamy, hot, morning coffee. And I hug my furry baby. The world is at peace. Or so... it seems. While I enjoy a blustery, winter day on the coast. So today’s post - including the image, caption, and any relative hashtags - lives here, and here alone. On my website. And in MY dreams. I’ll see you again tomorrow Instagram. But for today - you don’t get even a slice of my time. ~ Cheers ~ #saturdayvibes #christinepieper #christinesfloridiandreams  2020 ~ A Year of Art, A Year in Imagery:    'Minnie's Birthday Wish'   'Love Is In The Air'  'The Shamrock'  'A Perfect Pair'  'Comfort'  'A Sunday Stroll'  'The Sea Life'       'The Awesome Road Ahead of You'   'Welcome To Florida'     'Little Cubbie'          'Blooms of Wartime'  'Main Street USA'    'Ooooh, Ohio'   'Vividly Adrift'      'Oh Say Can You See'  'Answered Prayers'  'Happy Birthday'  'De's Flowers'        'The Bombs Bursting In Air' The End. ~
1/10/2021 0 Comments #96) The Awesome Road Ahead of You 'The Awesome Road Ahead of You' 2020 [SOLD] There’s an old Irving Berlin holiday tune that has some of my favorite lyrics ever written into song. It’s quite a simple and basic little melody, and of all the old Christmas classics played on repeat each year, it is definitely not one near the top of the list, nor is it as well known as some of his more famous songs. But has a lot of sentiment, and, to me - it’s quite nostalgic. It goes a little something like this: ‘One minute to midnight One minute to go One minute to say good-bye Before we say hello.’ So - How do you say goodbye? How do you say Goodbye? To 2020. And how does one say Hello? To 2021. How do you welcome the new year in? Particularly, this one. After such a year that we all had. After such sadness and such joy. After challenge and triumph. And after thriving success and ultimate failure. After surviving a tumultuous year. Because if you’re reading this - you DID survive 2020. My favorite lyrics continue: ‘Let’s start the new year right Twelve o’clock tonight When they dim the light Let’s begin Kissing the old year out Kissing the new year in.’ So - How do we all move on? How do we all proceed forward? What are the next steps you wish to take? What will you kiss goodbye to? And what will you welcome in return? I’m not a fan of new year's resolutions - because I’m a definite fan of making changes in the moment - not waiting for a defined day. A date as far into the future as an unknown January 1st could be. Basically - while I do make goals each new year, I don’t really “resolve” to do anything - I actually act. I do believe actions speak louder than words. So, How did I act - last year? I worked instead of wishing. I took steps instead of standing still. I produced instead of wavering. I painted instead of crying. I wrote instead of longing. And I filmed instead of pacing. 2020 was the best year of my life. So, no, of course I didn’t want it to end. I didn’t want to say goodbye. But I knew I had to. And I knew I had to move on. My dearly beloved song then concludes: ‘Let’s watch the old year die With a fond good-bye And our hopes as high As a kite How can our love go wrong If we start the new year right?’ So, yeah, um… what can possibly go wrong, right? If we do all the right things… and make all the right decisions… and keep our chins up. And all carry on. Yes, what - my dears - can possibly go wrong? During this bright and breathtakingly beautiful new year? Ummm. If world news and national events are used as a predictor, then it’s already looking like 2021 will be the very best year of my life, once again. Because - With great sadness comes great opportunity. With terrible actions comes the possibility of reaction. With traumatic surroundings comes probability and junctures. For the option of turning a new path. To go ahead and take that fork in the road. To aim high - and aim for that awesome and completely unknown road stretched out ahead of you. And while you’re looking at the distant horizon, scared and standing - now - in strange and foreign territory. Go ahead and keep hoping… keep loving… and blow a kiss at everything which is now behind you. So, I blew a kiss. And I did say Goodbye. And then I said Hello. Cause basically, what else was I gonna do? I kinda had no other choice, right? Sigh… As I waved goodbye to the old year... Sigh… As I kissed the new year in. And as I kissed, I thought of it all. A year in review. A year in imagery. The goodbye to my Etsy Shop. The goodbye to jobs and income. The goodbye to that which does not need me nor want me anymore. The goodbye to dreams. The goodbye to assurance. The goodbye to friends and family. The funerals not attended and the sympathy cards sent instead. Goodbye to sickness, and politics, and news, and coffee shops. Goodbye to my Hamilton tickets. Hello to my Macbook Air. Goodbye to magic - Heck I even had the opportunity to stand in front of Cinderella’s Castle on the very day Walt Disney World shut its doors to us. The biggest goodbye The Mouse has ever seen in his entire life. I stood there, and I said goodbye, and knew I would miss it all so very terribly. The closure of nearly everything safe and comforting in this world. Goodbye to dependency, Hello to risk. And once risk enters the scene, then Hello to more risk. Hello to hesitance abound. Hello to skepticism. Hello to mystery. Hello to new conflict. Hello to checks directly from Uncle Sam. Hello to my Youtube Channel. Hello to paddleboards, gimbals, and beach cruisers. Hello to nights grieving for my country and for the state of our nation. Hello to some of my favorite and most meaningful paintings I’ve ever created. Hello to writing that came from 2020 - lived. Hello and rejoicement to the best doctor’s appointment and hospital visit I’ve had in ten years. Hello to sharing that news in silence. With no one. Goodbye to age 39, And Hello to age 40. A new decade of life. And as I said all those Goodbye’s. As the sun set on the final day of that tumultuous year we all called 2020. As dusk turned to dark - one last time that crazy year. And as I watched the horizon line blur, while the ups and downs faded away. The roller coaster of emotion… of journey… of countless peaks and valleys. And, gosh my gosh - There was death on that horizon. There were tears flooding that horizon, forming a ferocious mirage. There was fighting, and there were bombs, and there were arguments, and bullets and lasers and bricks and fire and sand bags and Hate. As all of that faded away - I noticed something strange. I noticed - that HATE didn’t fade. As everything came to a close, and as the sun sunk low under that line, Hate stayed. And Hate hovered. Hate lingered. And Hate was proud. Hate was going to survive through to the new year. Holy freaking crap! Hate was going to welcome in 2021 - standing right beside me. As I looked out at the road ahead, Hate stood right next to me - eyes gazed upon the same horizon line mine were currently looking at. What a scary realization, right? Hate stayed with us and Hate stayed with us strong. Heck - Hate had literally crashed my New Year’s Eve party and I couldn’t throw him out. An unwelcome guest for sure, but a guest that wasn’t leaving, any time soon. The sky grew darker. As the clock inched closer to midnight. The fire of Hate grew more intense - the closer to midnight - the brighter the fire and light. As the bells rang. And as the ball dropped. Amongst all the kissing - Hate was a cloud above us all. I could still see HATE - all fiery and bright - in the darkness of that all important midnight. Amongst all the fireworks - lighting up that midnight sky. No one else noticed - was I was looking directly at. No one else noticed - it wasn’t just sparkles lighting up the black darkness. No one else noticed - the fiery glows in the distance. No one else noticed - the Hate all around. The evil hovering - in the fog. The evil hiding - in plain sight. The evil - celebrating right alongside me. So, gosh, I thought. Is everyone cheering for Hate? As the pots and pans were being banged? It was just so obvious to me that Hate had crashed the party. How could anyone else not see this? Is Hate something we must live amongst, forever? Does Hate ever go away? How do we say goodbye to Hate? How do we push it all away from us? How do we push Hate out of our lives? And if you have the answer, the more power to you. Because I have no idea. Other than to keep living the good life you are living. To Love and be loved. Live and let live. Be and let be. Will Hate always be there? A cloud in the sky, that never dissipates? If history is to answer, then I guess the answer is - yes. Because the funny, or rather not so funny, thing about Hate is that it seems to hover... in the background… quite strategically and amazingly skilled. Camouflaged into any scenery it finds itself. Just waiting to pounce. I think maybe it can never be wiped off the face of the planet. It’s too sneaky, and destructive, and quite quick at breeding as well. And even if we separated from Hate here on Earth, Hate would still be somewhere else trying to catch up with us again. Like the forces of gravity spinning us round and round. I’m not sure if there is a way to ever unlink humanity from Hate. But if history and the cosmos is the answer, then I guess we know what we have to do - too. Yes - We MUST keep living that good life. We MUST keep trying. And we MUST keep loving. We even have to give love when it’s the very hardest thing to give. When it’s the last thing we want to do. We still need to give. And we need to forgive. And - We should most definitely still Love the one we Hate. Because if love triumphs over evil - just like in all the fairy tales we’ve ever read - then Love must be Lived to truly succeed. It cannot just be words. It cannot be just wishing. I cannot just be pacing. And it cannot just be longing. And it cannot be resolved and aimed for. It must be practiced in real time. Not waiting for a better day that never comes. It must be lived and lived now. Through chaos and destruction. Through foreboding and mourning. Through fire and screams. Through all the rain and clouds and snow and sleet. Through the wildfires out West. And through the snow storms out East. Through the hurricanes in the south. And through all the rough oceans and the highest of high seas. Through patience while waiting for that better day. It must be lived now. Love cannot wait for another day… sometime in the future. When you have more time. When you retire, or when you have the day off work. Love must be lived today. While you are at the grocery store. And before you even punch in to work. And it must be there well after you punch out as well. Love must truly be Lived in order to thrive. And breed. And renew, and grow. And strengthen. Maybe it’s just that Love takes longer to multiply and spread - because it is so very, very delicate. But Love, in abounds, can surround Hate, and make it less noticeable. I think that thought and realization is what I took away from 2020 - when I blew my kiss into the air. So, if you are questioning how to transition. If you are questioning how to proceed. And how to move forward. And how to say Goodbye. While at the same time saying Hello. The answer may be quite simple indeed. Simply kiss that new year in, and keep on keepin’ on... Yes - and do it before you even feel like doing it, So - start before you’re ready. Begin before the word Go. March before you feel like it. And Love before you want to give it. Live that beautiful life that you and only you have been called on to live. Live now. And live proud. Kiss the new year in with joy in your heart. Cheers to new beginnings. Live loud. And live gloriously. And, as my very own take on one of my favorite old songs so goes: Let’s let the old year die With a fond goodbye And our hopes as high As the sky... Kissing the old year out And wishing the new year in. What on Earth can possibly go wrong If we start the new year right? ~   Author: Christine Pieper is an Artist, Lifestyle Blogger and Vlogger - living, writing, painting, and filming in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, with her hubby and nine year old puppy. She made a major life change in 2017 by uprooting and moving from Illinois to the Sunshine State, and has been living her best life in Florida since - detailing all her many and varied adventures living and traveling the Deep South to share with you here. Her mission is to help you live YOUR best life - by getting out there, going for it, and making that big change you always dreamed of. Christine will inspire you to get over yourself, show up for yourself, and get out of your own way. The only one stopping you - is YOU. *To catch all of Christine’s Floridian Dreams, just bookmark this site, and check out her YouTube Channel while you’re at it - why don’t ya? Hey there friend - Go ahead and check out some of my other ramblings by clicking the links below:
36] The End Of A Decade & My New Year’s Wish To You ~ 49] A Picture Worth A Thousand Words ~ Happy Valentine’s Day, World |
Archives
May 2021
CategoriesAll 2020 9/11 A1A Acrylic On Canvas Adversity Alan Roberts Al Carius Amanda Moon Art Amelia Island America Angeletti Cookies Angies Grom Angies Subs Another Broken Egg Cafe Appetizer Art Atlantic Beach Atlantic Ocean Autumnal Equinox Autumn In Florida BabylissPro Hair Straightener Bacon Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts Beach Boulevard Beach Diner Beach Diner Ponte Vedra Beach Beaches Art Fest Beaches At Vilano Beaches For Australia Beaches Go Green Beaches Green Market Beaches Museum Beaches Oktoberfest Beaches Town Center Beans Baking Series Beans Basement Bash Beans Best Award Winner Beans Coffee Shop Challenge Beans Recipes Beef Stew Before And After Beignets BEPREADY Black Friday Blue Angels Blue Bloods Blue Orchid Thai Cuisine Breakfast Review Breezy Coffee Shop Brewery Review Bryan Pieper Cafe Du Monde Cantina Louie Cat Cafe Celebration Celebration Florida Cell Phone Chaunies Coffee Truck Chicago Food Chicago Pizza Chili Recipe Chocolate Chip Cookies Christmas Decor Christmas In The South Christmas Pop Up Bar Christmas Tree Cinottis Bakery Jax Beach City Of Jacksonville Florida Special Events Civil War 2.0 Clover Coffee Coffee Plantation Cafe College Columbia Restaurant Comfort Compass Contagion Cookies Corinne Crabtree Corona Coronavirus CoVid19 Crane Island Crock Pot Cross Country Cummer Cafe Review Cummer Museum Cummer Museum Of Art & Gardens Daily Activity Danny Reagan Daschund Daylight Savings Time Deck The Chairs Delicomb Dessert Dining In Atlantic Beach Dining In Jax Beach Dining In Ponte Vedra Beach Dining On The Water Dining Review Dining Review Vilano Beach Disney Springs Dog Days Of Summer Doggie Stroller Dog Life Donuts Driftwood Jax Beach Dunkin Donuts Easter Edens Leaf Naturals Eleven South Review Endless Summer Every Damn Day Fitness Facebook Faith Fall In Florida Family Traditions Film Review First Watch Floating Generation Florida Florida Cold Front Florida Cracker Kitchen Florida Winter Flowers Frank Reagan Grape & Grain Exchange Guy Fieri Hampton Inn Happy Holidays Happy New Year Hawkers Asian Street Fare Hemingway Holiday Holidays In Jax Beach Holidays In Neptune Beach Holly Berry Hotel Review Ice Cream Intracoastal Intuition Ale Works Review Ireland Isle Of Eight Flags Jacksonville Jacksonville Beach James Bond Jamie Reagan Jarboe Park Jarboe Park Christmas Tree Jax Beach Art Walk Jax Beach Coffee Shop Jax Beach Vintage Flea Market Jerusalem Jesus Jimmy Johns John Glaude Joy Key Largo Key West Key West Half Marathon Kilwins Krispy Kreme Life Before Facebook Lifestyle Lime Bubly Love Lumi Bean Candles Manatee Massive Action Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic Jacksonville Mayo Clinic Jacksonville Florida Mayo Clinic Pain Rehab Clinic Mayport Cats Metro Diner Mexican Food MFPMilestones Millennial Generation Minestrone Soup Mourning A Loss Muffins MyFitnessPal Nemo Park Neptune Beach Never Forget New Orleans New York City Nine Eleven NOLA Obese To Beast Oceanfront Dining Olivia Shore One Ocean Resort Orlando Overseas Highway Pain Rehab Clinic Palm Sunday Palm Valley Palm Valley Outdoors Bar And Grill Pasta Pasta Party Pastries Patience Peanut Butter Bubbles Perseverance Peterbrooke Chocolatier Petes Bar Petes Bar Thanksgiving Morning Gathering Pet Friendly Pet Loss Phit-n-Phat Phone Call Pink Lemonade Plan Pollyanna Ponte Vedra Beach PRC Pumpkin Spice Purpose Race Expo Recipes Red Sauce Restaurant Review Ritas Jax Beach Riverside Rockaway Garden Routine Sago Coffee Jax San Marco San Marco Bookstore San Marco Town Square San Pablo Island Sea La Vie Jax Beach Seaside Sculpture Park Sea & Sky Jax Seinfeld September 11 Shamrock Shell World Sheltie Social Media Sous Chef Southern Grounds Southern Living Idea House Southern Swells Starbucks Star Wars Statue Of Liberty St Augustine St. Augustine St. Augustine Nights Of Lights Staycation St. Johns Town Center St Patricks Day Sugar Cookies Super Bowl Sunday Supper Club Take Out Dining Teresa Echols Thai Food Thankful The Boathouse The Caffeinated Cat The Dis The Mini Bar The Reach Resort Key West The Reef Time Savings Tinis Martini Bar To Do Downtown Jacksonville To Do In Celebration Florida To Do Jax Beach Tonys Turkey Trot Review Train Ride Twistee Treat Twitter Uber Ugly Cupcake & Muffinry Ulta Products Universal Endless Summer University Of North Florida Valentines Day Vilano Beach Vlogmas Volunteer V Pizza V Pizza Jax Beach Walt Disney World Weight Loss Weight Loss Success Weight Maintenance White Christmas Whit's Frozen Custard Whits Jax Beach Wicked Lick Williams Sonoma Winter Meals World War 19 World War II Year In Review YouTube |
Search by typing & pressing enter
RSS Feed