January 30, 2017
12:24 a.m.

Good morning!

(Hey, it's a.m. So, yeah.)

You know, I have had a most unpleasant evening, and it isn't totally my fault, but I suppose I could have ignored things. I have ignored things for years; turned away, let it slide, pretended it wasn't happening or wasn't said.

Once in awhile I just lose it. This past year I have lost it a lot. I don't know what's changed in me, except that I never feel well anymore. Maybe being ill has made me ultra-grumpy or something. Whatever it is, I seem to be less reluctant to call people out on their crap.

And I hate it.

I would love nothing more than to continue with my previous Pollyanna outlook on life. It's so much more pleasant. Everything is coming up roses, and the fertilizer doesn't stink. Lalalalala!

Oy, the fertilizer being spread lately, and all that's growing is weeds!!

I'm bummed.

Dissent, discontent, nothing but fights. I hate it, I tell you. I hate that I have recently taken part in it--not in an "I hate you and everything about you" way, thank goodness; but at least in a "What the hell are you doing and why?" kind of way.

I don't even want to be that involved in life and the world around me. I just want to stay in my own little world, reading and writing and coding and drawing and making jewelry and enjoying my own little family and friends.

That should be enough for anybody. Right?

It has always been enough, but now I am old and grumpy and I don't feel good and things hurt.

Honestly, I feel about as confused as I have ever been about the way things are going. This past week has by turns made me tearful, fearful and angry.

I don't know how else to put it besides Can't We All Just Get Along?

I don't know if there's a target on my back or not--I am a complete mish-mash of enthnicities. Do I cut off a leg and send it to Mexico? Shall I deliver an arm to Standing Rock? How about sending my left foot to the LDS church and my right one to the Catholic church? Which part of me goes to the Synagogue? If deported, do I get sent to Spain? Ireland? England? Scotland? Germany? France? Portugal? South America? Can I stay because I'm Native American?

I am made up of all of these; what is the real me? I feel connected to every single thing about me. Yet there are those who would divide me. And then what happens? I fall apart.

Do you suppose my blue eyes will cause the labelers to look away from me and move on to the next guy? Will I be left intact because of the way I look?

Will you?

My kids have a Mexican father; he is a US citizen, but my children look Mexican, and they have relatives in Mexico and relatives here in the USA--and who gets to climb the wall when we all want to see each other? Oh, wait, no, don't do that--someone will probably shoot you! Because walls.

They were all born in Wyoming, and have their birth certificates and American IDs, but there is every expectation at this point that my beloved children will be in the cross hairs because of their heritage. Assumptions can and likely will be made. Families could literally be divided by skin tone.

Don't even try to tell me there's no reason to be concerned about this. Look what happened yesterday: American citizens of color were delayed in airports and not allowed to travel back to their homes in the United States, detained for hours in airports all over the world. A ban was put in place; it was pushed through quickly and forcefully with no real thought to the consequences. Yes, it targeted Muslims, but I can almost guarantee that by day's end many other darker-skinned people of many ethnicities were stopped and questioned.

In the broader scheme of things, white people are not the majority. Not in this country nor in many others. It can't have been a pretty picture, traveling today.

Add to that the vast crowds of protesters, and I can imagine that airport employees the world over are cursing the USA right now for all the increased work loads. They must be exhausted.

You can posit that we will be safer with bans and walls, but I find that ridiculous. Disparity has never been part of PEACE.

I'm going to quote the Bible. Yes, I am. Here goes:

Mark 3: 24-25 "If a kingdom is divided against itself, it cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, it cannot stand."

The US has divided itself against itself. If we do not work together to heal this division, we will crumble. Whether or not you believe in biblical teachings, this holds true. Cut out any part of the whole, and it all comes crashing down.

So, yeah. I have to ask it: What the hell are we doing, and why are we doing it?

I have to involve myself in it, because it's my house, too. The roof is caving in. The walls are leaning at crazy angles. The rain and snow and wind of dissent are eroding the foundations.

If you are truly a Christian, it's time to call the Carpenter.

Even if you're not--if you're Muslim or Jewish, Agnostic or Athiest and any or everyone else I may have left out due to my ignorance and lack of sleep--you are still a member of the household, and therefore we all need your hammers and nails, your two-by-fours and your concrete blocks, your adobe and your thatch.

We cannot be divided, or this house of ours falls down. FALLS RIGHT DOWN.

So get it together.

Now, I am tired.

So, morning or not--Good night.

January 27, 2017
7:33 p.m.

There is a cute little dog back home in Colorado who is not feeling very well. I'm very, very fond of little Trixie, so will everyone shoot out a little prayer for her? Thank you!

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Today has been a writing day. Hurrah!

Before you get too excited--ha ha--I didn't work on the book! Something got into my head in the wee hours of the morning and would not let me go, so that is what I worked on today.

Now I have two projects going.

This shouldn't get confusing or anything. Right?
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http://wgntv.com/2017/01/27/john-hurt-dies-legendary-harry-potter-actor-was-77/

So we've lost another Wizard, the wand maker Garrick Ollivander from the Harry Potter films. Of course, John Hurt's career encompassed so much more than the Wizarding World, but many of my readers are fans of the franchise. Fly high, Sir Hurt. You were amazing. You will be missed.
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http://deadline.com/2017/01/barbara-hale-dead-perry-mason-della-street-movie-star-1201896042/

Perry Mason's Della Street, the lovely Barbara Hale, moving on at 94. Good flight, dear lady.
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http://deadline.com/2017/01/mike-connors-dead-mannix-star-1201895325/

Mike Connors of Mannix, another show I watched as a kid, leaving us at 91. Fly high, sir.
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I never intended for this to be and obituary column,but it has been a busy week for the Reaper, it seems.

That said, it would be remiss of me not to mention that last week we lost the wonderful Miguel Ferrer. May he, too, fly high.

http://deadline.com/2017/01/miguel-ferrer-dead-ncis-los-angeles-crossing-jordan-1201890002/
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I love visiting Wyoming; spending time with my parents and siblings; seeing old friends. It's wonderful.

I do NOT love the weather. Brr! I mean it, I can't get used to this. It is freaking cold!

It's amazing to me that I used to live here and didn't think much of the wind or anything. but after nearly two decades away, I am a wimp. Total truth, folks. Wimpy, wimpy, wimpy.

I am sitting here in a fleece top with a blanket wrapped around me. True, I do that at home, too, but this is a well-insulated house, not a drafty old old mobile home.

It's just that cold. 10 degrees.

Phooey!

And the SNOW! Holy wow, can you believe this?

It won't go away. Brr!
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8:57 p.m.

Going up to say good-night to the folks, and I'll say the same to you now.

Good-night!

January 25, 2017
7:37 p.m.

This woman; this beautiful woman. Mary Tyler Moore, 80, passed away today. The world has lost a bright and shining star.

I am sad.



To women of my generation, Mary Tyler Moore symbolized hope for our futures. She portrayed a single woman with a great career, a woman with friendships and working relationships that did not circumnavigate around a husband and children. The character Mary Richards assured us that we could choose to be single and not suffer for it; that we could work beside men and shine; that we could have friendships with men that did not center around sexual tension. She embraced her status as a single working woman and remained happy, rather than lamenting the absence of a husband.

She made it okay to be who we were in whatever circumstance we found ourselves.

That was a role model we needed in the 70s, and one we still need today. Because Mary Tyler Moore was there to breathe life into her character, generations of women have followed their hearts and believed in themselves enough to carry on that early legacy: "You're going to make it after all."

Also, not to be forgotten is her incredible work with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Awareness of the condition faced by millions would not be as high without her. Working toward a cure was a goal she took very seriously. Her own diagnosis came rather late in life, which could have proven deadly, so she had good reason to urge us all to learn about early diagnosis, treatment options and research developments.

I can't imagine where so many of us would be without the positive influence of women like Mary Tyler Moore. She was a true pioneer and a great talent.

Dick Van Dyke shared this link. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/J2yqE6xOh38

Rest in Peace, Mary Tyler Moore. You turned the world on with your smile.

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I'm going to close for now. I think remembering Mary will do for tonight.

Good-night!

January 23, 2017
10:27 p.m.

Ah, man, what a week.

In the interest of cheerful and upbeat posts, I have kept silent for a few days. It hasn't been easy. I really want to believe the best of everyone, but things lately seem to have brought out the worst in a lot of people.

Case in point: Peaceful protests do NOT include fighting, destroying property, throwing rocks at the police, or leaving garbage in the streets.

No particular party is the target of my statement. Demonstrations took place Friday for the inauguration and Saturday for the Women's March. Those who marched peaceably and without leaving an ugly mark on the landscape: I applaud you. Those who literally cast stones, littered, looted and defaced or destroyed: I condemn you.

You all know who you are. So take my commendations or condemnations as they are intended.

I want to be proud of this country again. I really do.

I wish that pride was my overwhelming feeling at this time, but right now what I feel is fear, distrust and a general uneasiness.

Yuck.
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Here's some good stuff to think about. There are now 55 days, 5 hours and 45 minutes until Spring!

Holy cow, that seems like a long time, doesn't it? It's really not. We'll make it.

In the meantime, in good old GR, Wyoming, it is snowing. Grr. BUT--it's a dessert out there. We need the water. So...blessings...? (I believe what I'm saying. I believe what I'm saying. If I say this lie enough times, it will become the truth. [Oops! No political--or presidential--references in this post! Hee, hee!])

In other good news, my 81 year old father is still fit enough to go out tomorrow morning and shovel his walks. God is good. My gratitude knows no bounds.

Also, my brother most often comes by to help. Truly a blessing.

And a much loved family member has been diagnosed as now cancer-free. See? Blessings!
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I haven't written much new in the past few days. I seem to have reached an "OMG, what if I screw this all up?" block. It's so close to finished. Maybe I just don't want to be done. As if...there will be edits. And more edits. Oh...okay, yeah. I don't love editing. Dragging my feet.

Buck up, Paula!
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Speaking of editing--have you ever noticed that there seems to be in increasing lack of editing in posts that might be interesting and relevant online if you could just get past the fact that the writer does not know his "there" from his "their" and his "they're"? Or his "to" from his "two" and his "too"? "Are" and "our" and "hour" "Here" and "hear". "So" and "sew".

I can't take people seriously when they don't take the time to make sure their sentences make sense. I'll be completely engaged in reading, when suddenly--dang! "Their were to bugs right they're in there food, and now their two afraid too eat."

I'm out.

What makes it worse, for me at least, is that many of these people are being paid to write. Gosh!

I compare it to times I've watched a really good show up to the point when the woman gives birth to triplets--and they come out six months old.

Nope!

Okay, I know I'm nit-picking, but I really want to be engaged and stay engaged, whatever it is I'm doing.

Plus, anyone posting their opinions and arguments should take care to keep my attention; if I end up thinking you're sloppy and careless, or possibly just a dummy, you're certainly not going to convince me to come around to your way of thinking.

Just sayin'.
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55 days, 4 hours, 50 minutes and 18 seconds til Spring.

Good night!

January 15, 2017
11:27 p.m.


Recently I saw a meme:



I shared this on my page, but do I take my own advice?

I tried. A friend posted this after I shared an article about the recent attempts by Republicans to repeal Obamacare:

"You do realize the dems have lost over 1K seats. And the Rs control the house and senate. Complete control. Curious, what was BO care like? What did it cover? Cause it was cheaper for my nephew to pay the fine. 15K last year."

Oh boy. After my post yesterday, you'd think I'd be over it. I researched for that post, fact checked for that post. Of course, he would never have read it, any more than he'd read what I first typed up:

They are voting to eliminate protection for people with pre-existing conditions--aka me. I PAY for my insurance coverage, I'm not getting a free ride, but if I lose it, I won't be able to get any other coverage, because I have chronic PRE-EXISITNG conditions. It would cost me thousands of dollars to pay full out-of-pocket prices for my medications and if I had to pay full price on medical visits and treatments on my disability pay, I would be living in the streets in three months. (Yes, my insurance pays for things!) I don't give a flip about Dems vs Reps--the whole conflict between parties strikes me as petty and vengeful and childish. But I CAN'T afford to be uncovered. And I'm not saying Obamacare is perfect--far from it. Things need to be fixed. FIXED, not abandoned completely with NOTHING to replace it. They say they have a plan, but--where is it? Has anyone I trust seen it? Bottom line--thousands of people will lose coverage, many of whom will DIE without medical care. Thousands more will lose the jobs this plan created. Then they, too will be uninsured. I notice that not ONE of your wonderful Republicans is going to lose their insurance--which they don't pay a cent for, by the way. I pay for it. So do you. And I guess you're okay with that. (And please don't bother to remind me that the Democrats have the same coverage--I'm not stupid, and that's not the point. They're not the ones trying to keep me from being able to seek the medical care I need.) By the way, you're very concerned with murder (abortion). They are also voting to make birth control an uncovered service under insurance plans. That's a GREAT way to reduce the number of abortions, huh? Abortion rates went WAY DOWN under Obamacare. Repeal that, and watch them go back up. Destroy Family Planning, and watch them go back up. (Just an FYI, only 3% of services at Family Planning have anything to do with abortion, and federal funds pay ZERO dollars for that service.) I'm curious how you justify your stance. What they are planning to do will KILL more people--not just the unborn, but men, women and children--than anything Obamacare ever set out to do. How is THAT not murder? And you support that? Just curious.

I'm of the opinion that this would have been scanned and slammed. I'm certain the same could be said of yesterdays blog. So I backspaced until the whole thing was deleted, but somehow, I just couldn't let it go. I just could not move on! Dang it! Moving on is great advice, but no! Once again, my goat had been gotten. So I posted this:


You know, Mike, I am curious how you justify your stance. I don't actually care about the petty, childish Dems vs Reps conflict. The bottom line is that they are voting to end birth control as a covered service under insurance plans. Guess what? That will effectively INCREASE abortion rates. How is THAT not murder? Do you have pre-existing conditions? Great! You've lost your coverage, and no one HAS to cover you now, so go home and die. They don't care, as long as they can line their pockets. I don't make 15K in a year on disability, and I still pay for my coverage, my co-pays and my deductibles. If ACA is repealed and I lose coverage, that minus 15K a year could be gone in medical costs in the first quarter of the year, and I would be a bag lady and die on the streets. I'm not okay with that. Last year's medical costs would have completely wiped me out. Insurance covered a LOT. I need it. Thousands of people do, and many will die if they lose it. Repealing the ACA will effectively kill thousands. THAT is murder my friend. You're okay with that? Just curious.


Yeah, I posted it, and I imagine there will be a response that will reflect that it was not actually read. Mind's made up, nothing I can say will change it, and I don't know why I bother.

But it blows my mind that anyone could actually be okay with people losing coverage that saves their lives on a daily basis. Sure, I know that the Affordable Care Act needs a lot of tweaking. It is far from perfect. Lack of competition between healthcare plan providers makes the price of coverage astronomical in some states. And I don't believe that anyone should be fined for not buying coverage; if they end up paying out-of-pocket for their healthcare, that's on them, and certainly enough of a punishment in itself.

I wasn't kidding that last year's medical costs would have completely wiped me out. I get statements from my insurance carrier that shows me exactly what I would have had to pay if I didn't have coverage, and it was not a pretty picture. I would have had to sell my house and everything in it. I don't have a car, so I would have literally be left on the street.

How can anyone be okay with that picture? What will I do if I lose the coverage I have? I have medications I need to take. I have periodic checkups to make sure things are in control.

Do I think I would die without coverage? I don't know. I DO know that I wouldn't go to the doctor, not unless I was so sick I didn't have a choice, and then it would be to the emergency room, I guess.
And it could happen, especially if I quit taking my medications because I could no longer pay for them.

What I know for sure is this: there are thousands of people in this country in ill health who really will die if they lose their insurance and cannot pay for their medications. There is nothing okay about that, and anyone trying to deny them their basic human right to life is therefore effectively a killer.

What has this country come to?

(You know, some of my ancesters came here on a ship from Liverpool, England. What do you think my odds are of being granted permission to go back to my ancestral homeland? The government there won't let me die due to lack of healthcare coverage.)

Ah, crap. Maybe I should just go back and delete that post. I don't want to fight with anyone.

Except now I am curious what will be said next.

Oh, gosh. Aren't you?

*Sigh*
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January 16, 2017
12:29 a.m.

I swore my next post would be a positive, Pollyanna post, but that ship has sailed. Bummer.

But as of 12:01, this is a new day!

So...

I am enjoying the time with my parents, and am ever grateful to be able to have this time.

I am planning to catch up on some shows I haven't watched since I got to Wyoming. I think I am behind on "The Walking Dead". I'm not sure. I know I'm behind on "Jane the Virgin".

Beyond that, my most pressing plan for this morning is to go to bed and hopefully fall asleep and stay that way for a few hours.

Goodnight!

January 14, 2017

4:23 p.m.




Whoa, whoa, whoa!

I have never before in my life been a person interested in discussing politics or religion. In my experience, sucn discussions lead nowhere. You cannot sway a person from their beliefs no matter how wrong they are. (Hahaha. I am right, dang it!)

That said, this past year has been a time of great change for me, I actually have spoken up against certain things that have me concerned, and I have to say--I still can't change the beliefs of all those people who are wrong.

But some things need to be made more visible in this country, because there are a lot of dishonest, sneaky people in high places in our government, and we need to be aware of that. It's vital that we be aware!

There are plans afoot--and progressing nicely, behind our backs--to destroy Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Healthcare Act (AKA Obamacare) As a disabled American, I have a Medicare healthplan. I pay premiums which come out of my Social Security Disability pay, and I have co-pays whenever I seek care for anything. Now, My SSDI is less than a minimum wage 40-hour-a-week job. So I have barely enough to pay my bills, much less out-of pocket expenses after insurance. Take that insurance away from me, and I'm on the street. I can't NOT go to the doctor; I have health issues that require maintenance whether I want it or not.

Oh, yeah! I do have the option to just--you know--drop dead.

I'm not alone; thousands of Americans have been on the same boat for decades. Obamacare gave them options they had never had. No, it's not perfect. There are problems, certainly, but they could be ironed out. Of course it would take some work...

Something about that seems to make to GOP nervous. Work? Who, me? (How many days did they refuse to work in the past four years, never completing the things they're paid quite handsomely to get done?)

Nope. Instead, they plan to decimate the first affordable health care program available in years and replace it with--NOTHING. Great idea.

In effect, they are passing a death sentence on the people who need help the most. Low and middle income families have trouble just providing the basics. Roof over your head, dinner on the table, lights, gas and heat--it all costs a pretty penny, and leaves little left in the coffers for medical care. Thousands of people would have no access to affordable healthcare; no basic health screenings, no early cancer-detection screenings. No vaccines for the children. People won't go to a doctor or hospital until they are so sick they have no choice--which is too late. Can't pay out of pocket? Oh well; die, then.

Now, last I heard, the Great Orange One had promised NOT to do anything to jepardize these programs. But his own party is already moving forward with plans to eliminate them and make healthcare a luxury item. Much like the Pharmacutical companies have already done with medicines; the United States has some of the most expensive medications in the developed countries of the world:

http://usuncut.com/news/us-drug-prices-in-the-us-are-literally-insane-when-compared-to-other-nations/

We are so screwed.

They are also moving forward to destroy Planned Parenthood because--gasp!--they provide legal abortions. Please note the word "legal". Abortion is legal. You might not like it, but there it is. "Legal abortions."

Let's get something straight, though, before all the Pro-Lifers out there start calling for my head. I DON'T CARE what your stance is on abortion; I have no intention of debating it; I have no intention of explaining my own views. All I DO care about in this instance is the fact that abortion is only ONE of the services Planned Parenthood offers.

Planned Parenthood provides a means for women to have health screenings, breast exams, mammograms. They educate the public regarding birth control and STD prevention. They even advocate for--I know you don't believe it--abstinence. Oh yes, they do. They don't want 12-year-olds to be sexually active! They are not encouraging your children to have sex by providing them with education and birth control. They are encouraging safety. Because of Planned Parenthood, abortion rates have actually gone down. Not up--DOWN.

Some people will tell you that abortion is murder. Period. End of subject.

Without arguing the point one way or the other, let me just ask you this: Is allowing a child to be uneducated about sexuality which leads to ignorance regarding safe sexual practices which leads to contracting AIDS not also, in effect, murder? The kid is going to die--because he/she also has no insurance, thanks to this upcoming administration's black/white and no grey policy-making desires.

Oh, yeah, how about that 13-year-old rape victim who is now forced to give birth to an unwanted child even though she is physically too immature to have a safe, healthy pregnancy, especially now that--yep!--she has no insurance? So, no prenatal care--they're probably dead. How is that not murder?

What about all the children who will no longer have access to free or reduced-price vaccinations? The women who can no longer be screened for female-related cancers? The men who can't get a prostate exam?

What about the lactation classes for nursing mothers, and the classes for young parents who need to know how to keep their children safe?

Planned Parenthood is about SO MUCH MORE than just abortions-on-demand. And let's clarify that, too. They provide classes and alternative options to abortions with referrals to adoption agencies. They don't consider abortion the ONLY choice a woman has, they just consider it to be a choice, and that a woman has a right to make that choice, or any other option she might choose.

Again, I'm not arguing with you about that, I'm just telling you it is what it is. Less than 10% of the services Planned Parenthood provides is abortions, and federal money does not pay for those services, so it's not money out of your pockets and no skin off your noses. Their report, last updated 2014:

https://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/4013/9611/7243/Planned_Parenthood_Services.pdf

And this will tell you about funding:

http://www.factcheck.org/2011/04/planned-parenthood/

I'm getting pretty tired of being told that things are going to be okay, and then seeing the sneaking and lying and greed that goes on in our government. I'm tired of worrying that my children and grandchildren are destined to live in a country that does not have their best interests in mind. I have nothing against anyone making a buck--a legitimate, well-earned buck--but if they are lining their pockets at the expense of childrens' lives and well-being, then I'd rather see every one of those politicians in the poorhouse eating mush.

I'll tell you one thing--I worked hard for many years, and I do not consider Social Security to be a handout--I paid into that system. That's money well-earned. I pay for my Medicare coverage. I don't think a bunch of well-heeled politicians have any right to jepardize what may be my only means of support for the rest of my life, or to take away my healthcare coverage.

You shouldn't think so, either.

So I'm being political--again, damn it! I'm asking you to fact-check and be aware, because they will stab you in the back. They will. It's already happening. Let's fight back. We have voices. We have voting rights. Lets use them and make sure our kids have a future in this country.

And...that's all for tonight.

Bye.

January 8, 2017
11:24 a.m.

Wow, we're eight days into the New Year! Incredible, right?

Snow, snow, the wind doth blow, and I am a shivering, quivering mass of sleeplessness. Ugh! Misery, thy name is Insomnia.

Actually, other than the aches and groans caused by arthritis and brought on by this onslaught of cold weather,  and the fact that I'm not sleeping, I feel pretty good. I have surpassed the eighty-thousand-word mark on my novel, and I'm beginning to believe that the end is in sight.

(Not the end of editing, of course...but that' s another story. A LONG other story.)
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Yes, it's winter in Wyoming, folks, and we have hit some lows here. Minus 25 degrees and lower, believe it or not. Brrr! School was cancelled, which is a big deal here--not like when they cancel in places like Texas when they get half an inch of precipitation. Digging out has been the order of the day. In fact, my brother got his truck stuck right in front of the house the other day! We got a good snowfall here, that's for sure.

Having lived away for so many years, I am now bothered much more by the cold than I used to be. But what really gets me is the wind. Jeepers! I have joked to my Colorado acquaintances that when the wind stops blowing here, everyone falls down, but it's no joke. Wind in Wyoming is a thing.

I am talking about the weather. Oh...my...God. I'm a cliché.

"Cold out today."

"Yep."

"Real cold."

"Yep."

"Windy, too."

"Real windy."

"Yep."

Hahahahaha! Ah, poor me, I've fallen on conversational dry rot. Sad.
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Storm aside, the New Year has started out well. I have been able to re-connect with a friend I haven't seen in about twenty years. Getting together with her, it's almost as if no time has passed. If you are lucky enough in life to have one of those friends, the ones who remain your friend regardless of the passage of time, regardless of distance, and who can still make you laugh, make you think and make you care no matter how much time has passed between visits, you are truly blessed.

I think a lot about friendships sometimes. I know I appear to be a socially active person, at least in my social media sites. I have a lot of friends on Facebook, and I'm grateful for the interactions with every one of them.

In person, I am not a social butterfly. I don't go out much, and when I do, I am usually alone. My kids sometimes have to drag me out kicking and screaming. I look for excuses not to leave the house. Go out and eat? Uh, delivery! Take out! My son, you wonderful daughter-in-law, will you just pick something up for me? Thank you! Grocery shopping? How about if I give you some money and you can go for me. Thank you!

I'm not afraid to go out; once I'm out, it's all a good time. I just...er...lack motivation. I mean, I have a computer. I have books. I have a Kindle. I have Netflix. What do I need to go out for?

In Colorado, I have my kids and grandkids and extended family, and they mostly come to me. Like I mentioned, sometimes they make me go out.

And sometimes, I actually make myself go out. To the doctor. To the dentist. To the library. To the casino. These things I do alone, mostly, because I'm not daunted by being in my own company. I don't have to have a companion. I take a book, a notebook and pen, some music, and I'm good.

That said, sometimes it is beyond great to have someone to go out with, and I have really enjoyed that this past week. A good friend is such a gift. I should really strive to make more of an effort to cultivate some  in-person friendships.

Maybe I'll make that a 2017 goal. Not a resolution, mind you, but a goal.

However, I will never be a butterfly. Not happening. I just need to escape my cocoon once in awhile.
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For some reason I have a whack-a-doodle song running through my head today, so I'll share! Enjoy!https://youtu.be/hnzHtm1jhL4

Don't ask me why. Blame the weather, I guess. Or Trump. Yeah, blame Trump.
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Have a great rest of your day!