Mistaken Identity

 

More 'interesting' texts and notes from neighbors...thanks, Bored Panda, for the collection.

Frugal Hits & Misses: January Report

    Another interesting month, getting used to a totally different lifestyle. 

     We're not that far from Civilization -- a 10-minute drive gets us down to the highway, and another five minutes puts us in Fort Garland. Another ten minutes gets us to Blanca, and Alamosa is about 20 miles after that. Technically it's not much different from when we lived in Sedalia. 

      But we don't tend to go. Partly it's because there's very little to DO in Fort Garland, other than the post office, a gas station, tiny grocery store, dollar store and a few restaurants. Good, but not great. Blanca has a diner, and our church. But not much else. (Also a gas station and RV park. We don't use either.)

     And Alamosa? Plenty of fast food, a terrific Mexican restaurant (Calvillo's), grocery stores and Wally's. Two thrift shops, both mostly full of  raggedy, faded, Really Used items. (I did not realize how spoiled I'd gotten from the Castle Rock shop, Treasures in the Park.) Sure, they have Safeway and City Market (their version of King Soopers) -- but the prices have been consistently higher, and sale items largely nonexistent. (No rainchecks anymore, either.) No Sam's Club. The local library is 'okay' -- beautiful, but again, recent titles are sparse. (Again, spoiled from the wonderful Castle Rock library.) 

     Sigh. 

     I feel certain this is ennui is due in part to being the newbie in town.  Time will endear this more. (And we'll find some better restaurants.) Certainly the people we've met are kind and friendly. There's a ton of history here, which we both love. And due to the holidays -- and the weather -- we haven't had a chance to explore much, even on our ten acres. Thanks to two weeks of flu, it's been a blessing to hunker down and rest, too. 

     But it's been very, very quiet. 

     On the plus side, we've been making good friends at our church. Planning ahead, when we do make the 3-hour trip north, means we're using our time and money a lot more wisely. Amazon delivers. And we've been spending less money, too. 

     Dentist appointments meant we needed to go to Denver this past week; we added stops at King Soopers (oops, some sale items nonexistent there, too), the thrift shop -- and Sam's Club. Plus a Vietnamese restaurant for lunch with Daughter #1, which we loved. But traffic was horrible. We just crawled along most of the time -- and we didn't go that far into Denver. This drove us both NUTS. In comparison, the drive south...and home... was nearly deserted, and quite peaceful. (After Colorado Springs, that is.)

     I'm not sure I ever saw it that way before. And the following is definitely true this month:

FRUGAL HITS

(some of these are from late December)

*Cleared out a lot of misc. Christmas presents stashed away in the fifth-wheel. Both sets of kids got 'goody boxes' that included plenty of candy, sauces and other items... including bags of candy 'coal.' (Because they haven't always behaved themselves this past year! Snort...)

    This is actually a sort of homage to The Mama -- she loved to send boxes of sausage, cheese, crackers and sweet things to us at Christmastime. It cost a ton to ship, but I could not get her to stop doing it. Guess I'm continuing the tradition. 

*A $5 Michael's coupon popped up in my in-box, and was splurged on half-price iridescent crystals. I completed a $2 survey, and earned another gift card for volunteering. (I exercised, too, which will eventually earn yet another gift card.) Still using Swagbucks; another month should be enough for a $25 gift card. Bit by bit, these add up.

*A romantic hot dog supper at Sam's Club -- an all-beef hotdog and large drink are one of today's best buys, at $1.50 total. AMAZING....and the hot dogs are great, too. (Sam's believes in sauerkraut, as well -- an extra bonus.) Something odd happened this time -- while I was standing in line, a guy came up and said, "I ordered too many hot dogs -- would you like it?" 

    Ruby loved her extra hot dog. (Yes, Dad gets her one, as well...though he is not so far gone that we buy her a root beer, too. We keep her unused cup for future visits.)

*Cleaned out the refrigerator and freezer in the fifth-wheel. Long overdue. Carried more bags of Stuff in, and put them away. Ruby ate a lot of the freezer-burned items, but the cake we'd gotten at one of the investment dinners (and stashed away) was still tasty! Go figure.

    The best part of this: now we could turn off electricity to the fifth-wheel. And yes, we'll keep cleaning until the fifth wheel is completely done. 

*The Brick changed the oil and the filters on the truck, saving us a bunch of money. He also fixed the fridge, which had been making odd "breathing" noises. He is amazing.

*Didn't buy much Christmas candy on sale -- we still had plenty from Halloween. I did get a half-priced box of chocolates, and a few presents for the birthday box.

*Enjoyed a church potluck and supper at a friend's house...then asked a few friends here for Sunday dinner. And Daughter #2 and Son #1 stopped for a quick visit! 

*Watched the championship game at Kneeknockers in Alamosa. (Go, Blue!) This is the country club at Alamosa's golf course, by the way -- and one of the few places in town to watch sports. Yes, it cost us $$ for supper -- but this game was important, and we don't (still won't) have cable. 

Do we care about the Superbowl? Not really.

*Played on Worship Team for church. 

*Waited to put away Christmas decorations until Three Kings Day (Jan. 6), per the Brick's request. (That man...) I did put away Christmas gifts earlier, and we burned the torn wrapping paper, boxes, etc. in the woodstove.  Two rolls of wrapping paper went in the closet for next time. (Storage is wonderful!)

*Stayed away from sales. And boy, that was hard. But next month's credit card bills show it was worth it. Dealing with flu helped; I just didn't feel like going out much. 

*Bought stamps before the price went up. Only 6 books worth, and only a two-cent raise...but it helps.

*Found money:  29 cents and (I think) a Russian rouble in the coin cashing machine!. I tallied up the money found for 2023:  $1.54.  (In 2022, it was $2.32.) This doesn't count $45 in bills I found in a drawer while cleaning out the fifth-wheel. Or should it?

    I'm not the only one who 'picks up pennies,' but the Brick thinks it's hilarious. Let him. As Katy at The Non-Consumer Advocate says, "watch the pennies, and the dollars will take care of themselves." Donna Freedman's also a big fan of picking change up. I follow in the steps of giants.

*Made another double payment on the house loan.  (See how that 'found money' helps, Brick??)

*A small raise in our monthly Social Security payments. (I took mine early last year, and haven't regretted it one bit.) 

*Cashed in my Colorado PERA account, started long ago when I was substitute teaching. Haven't subbed for decades, but the money was welcome. 

*Saw the Rose Bowl at a friend's house. (Thank you, Bob!) I should be embarrassed by our screaming and jumping around -- but he was yelling just as loud. (After the championship game, he confessed that he'd been backing The Other Team all year.) Ruby, on the other hand, was NOT impressed. Must have hurt her ears.

Sigh...

*Kept the wood rack filled -- and use of propane low (for heat). Keeping the southern exposure windows open during the day -- and closed at night -- has helped. 

*Used sale-priced baby carrots as a snack for Ruby. They're cheaper than dog biscuits.

*Green chile, made from homemade chicken broth and cans of chilies in our stash. The stacks have steadily been decreasing . I was able to restock two loads of canned soup and vegetables from 'storage' to our kitchen pantry -- whoo hoo!

*Two trips into Denver: one for the Seven Fish Dishes and 'Christmas' celebrating, and one for dentist appointments.  -- a big savings on gas, compared to other months. Turned away from buying food on road trips -- though I knew the Brick would stop, if I asked.  (KFC, you are sooooo tempting!) 

*Delayed some income into January -- including payments made for earlier jobs.

*A beautiful hutch -- hauled from Arvada. My birthday present from Daughter #1 and Adopted Son #2. It makes the guestroom look nice, and houses my fabric stash. 

Thrift shop buys:  a half-off coupon let us get several needed items -- especially a lamp and cloth napkins. I also snagged some DVD series, a handful of free Christmas cards, plus a few holiday CDs. (The latter were 25 cents each.) Plus Valentine's cards, a Deluxe Boggle set ($4) and a birthday present for the Brick -- plus 20% off overall. The biggest buy, though, was at King Soopers -- a 90%-OFF birthday present! 

*Baked our $2.99 pumpkin! It was starting to spoil...but I'm not a big pumpkin-lover, anyways. The pulp will make a few pies, and I saved some seeds to plant in the spring.

Grocery buys:  Red Baron pizza ($2.97), half-gallon milk (97 cents), and chicken breast at $1.27/lb (Safeway). KIND bars for 86 cents each, chocolate kisses for $4.25/lb, cans of Dinty Moore stew for $1.93, and Pad Thai noodle kits, 40% discount (Amazon Warehouse Deals). Half-gallons of milk, $1.19 each, green peppers, 79 cents, large dented boxes of Rice Krispies and Special K, $2.06 and $2.41 (King Soopers). Buying cheese at Sam's Club was $2.75 a pound, versus Safeway's and King Soopers' 'sale'-priced $4-plus; I also got an 8-pound bag of crinkle fries for $1.08/lb. (And we gassed up the truck for at least 15-20 cents a gallon cheaper.)

I've been trying to stick to 'My Tireless Retirement's' $50/month grocery challenge.  It's difficult, even if you factor in $100 for two people. The noodle kits were a splurge, at roughly $2.50 each -- but one kit, with veggies and meat, feeds both of us at WAY less than a restaurant meal. (Besides, it's difficult to get good Thai food here.) 

    I haven't gone a lot over, if you don't count the Sam's Club run -- $118.50, and what I bought was on sale. I guess that counts for something. Kinda.

*Safeway didn't cheat me this month! Instead, one of my coupons (shrimp for the Fish Dishes) double-rang up; "It's our mistake, you keep it," said the clerk... after I managed to pick up my jaw off the floor.  (I did have to write two letters, to the Safeway in Boulder and the Wal-Mart in Alamosa, about overcharges. Still waiting to hear back from them.)

*Ate a lot of leftovers. Leftovers from a big pot of Hoppin' John actually went out to three people as 'good luck' New Year's presents. Salvaged as much as we could from the fifth-wheel, too. 

The girlies, with Grams. This is our 'missing' month -- The Mama died Jan. 22, two years ago, and our beloved dog Charley died just a few weeks later.

FRUGAL MISSES

*Sales tax for our company, Brickworks. This time, we needed two forms: one for Sedalia, one for Fort Garland. I hate doing paperwork for sales tax. And of course, federal/state taxes are looming on the horizon.

*The 'w' key on my keyboard is still troublesome. sticking occasionally... but doing better. Unfortunately, I can't get the capitalized version to work much. Did you realize how often you start a sentence with 'w' capitalized??

*The Brick changed the oil on the truck. Don't even ask how much filters and oil cost for these vehicles, let alone installation.

*Let a few leftovers spoil, including an orange and some things in the fifth-wheel freezer and fridge. Shame on me. 

*Got the bill for our monthly internet -- and it's more than we used to pay. ($63, vs $50.) At least we have access to it now. 

*Lunch at New Saigon -- nearly $100 for three people. At least we all had Vietnamese-style coffee with our entrees...but still. The food was not as good as I'd remembered, either.

*More sweatpants for the Brick, since he liked his Christmas ones so much -- but I had to pay more for these. (sigh) I also paid full price for a birthday present -- but I knew he'd like it, too.  (Yes, I am a Hollander. Yes, this bothers me.)

Last month's report is here, and last year's January report is here. (2021's version, as well.) Upward and onward...

Another Great One is Gone: Bobbie Aug

 Bobbie Aug died on Jan. 20 of this year. 

She was a powerhouse in the AQS appraisers program for many years, and had a huge impact on quilting in Colorado, as well. 

She wrote several books on quilting, often in tandem with Sharon Newman, a fellow appraiser -- and a warm, knowledgeable lady I loved dearly. (And still miss.) 

My relationship with Bobbie was complicated. She was the first person to encourage me to become an appraiser, when I was working in editorial for Quilter's Newsletter...and I will not forget that. But she was not always kind. We did not agree on many personal decisions, though I thought she was a crackerjack appraiser. And she was. However, she did have a strong influence on Colorado quilting, especially the Colorado Quilting Council (CQC), and the AQS program. And that needs to be acknowledged. 

So here it is. Rest peacefully, Bobbie.

Bobbie Ann Aug, 77, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, passed away on Saturday morning, January 20, 2024 in the comfort of her home with her husband and two children by her side.

Born September 19, 1946 in Peoria, Illinois, she was the daughter of Ann L. Hurst Bennett and George F. Bennet. They moved to the Chicago area where Bobbie attended school in Oswego, Illinois. She later attended the University of Northern Illinois.

Norman and Bobbie were married in Aurora, Illinois in 1968 and moved to Colorado Springs in 1971. They had two children, Tony and Carrie.

Bobbie was a textile historian and author of several books on quilting. She presented at every major quilt show in the US as well as Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France. She was also a featured lecturer on two quilting cruises to the Caribbean.

Surviving are her husband, Norman J. Aug, of 55 years; son, Anthony Aug (Tifani) of Denver, CO; daughter, Carrie Chanos (Todd) of Centennial, CO; and three grandchildren Clinton and Anderson Chanos and Luna Aug.

Bobbie will be buried at the Pikes Peak National Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Monday Stuff On the way to Other Stuff: LNCQ Speaking Gig Coming Up

    Forty-five degrees.

    How is our snow going to keep on, when it's this warm? Fortunately, the low temps are coming back later in the week...I guess.

    I'll be part of an 'appraisal panel' next Monday, speaking at the League of Northern Colorado Quilters (LNCQ) in Fort Collins, CO. More info on this later in the week... plan to stop by and say hi!

Meanwhile:

Pumpkin soup thrown on the Mona Lisa -- fortunately, there was glass in between. Idiots.

"Meanwhile, in Canada..."  Some of these are very funny!

Did these people find a death mask under the floor of their Victorian house?  See what you think.

The Norwegian minister in charge of cracking down on plagiarism has to resign. Why?  Because she plagiarized in her thesis. A lot. (sigh) Apparently she thought no one would notice...

Updates on the parrots who swear.  Why am I laughing...

'Trash' found abandoned -- that turned out to be anything but.

Some interesting foods that Gold Rush miners ate -- both out of preference and necessity.

A stop in Siem Reap.  Travel with Kevin and Ruth takes you to Cambodia and Laos on this new trip.

Trudeau's actions in shutting down the trucker protest -- wrong, wrong, wrong, according to the Supreme Court. (I agree with them, too.)

Twenty studio layouts, many of them tiny, that are just amazing. Lots of storage, too.

How Kurt Russell just happened to be in the right place at the oddest times...

How to deal with a possible layoff or severance in the near future.  (From Financial Samurai)

How a small boy survived two years BY HIMSELF. (Mom took off to live with a new girlfriend.)

Behind-the-scene stories of television theme songs.  (The group singing the 'Brady Bunch' theme thought it was corny -- and the show would never fly.)

Everyday people share their best financial tips.

Baby names, once popular, that are going bye-bye... well, sort of. They'll be back!

Our current president apparently thinks that Mr. Trump is the "sitting president." Sure, buddy...

'Gut feelings' -- that turned out to be right.

More mistakes or problems -- at least 38 of them -- this time in papers from researchers at Harvard's teaching hospital. (Including the CEO.)

Some really unusual, simple and effective holiday hacks. Worth reading now, so you can use them later in the year...

A Roman triumphal arch -- found in Serbia. Besides the remains of the arch (so far, at least):

The remains of a Roman triumphal arch discovered in Serbia. And there's more to find!

Excavations of Viminacium have been going on since 1882, but archaeologists estimate they have only scoured 5% of the site, which they say is 450 hectares — bigger than New York’s Central Park — and unusual in not being buried under a modern city.

Discoveries so far include two Roman ships, golden tiles, coins, jade sculptures, religious items, mosaics, frescos, weapons and remains of three mammoths.

Have great week. Get some sun.

Honoring Your Heritage Through Your Textiles

      A recent visit led me to Cynthia Griffin of Denver, a quilter who is especially proud of her Cherokee bloodline. She should be -- the Cherokee, part of the "Five Civilized Tribes," have a long and distinguished heritage that continues today. (Thanks to the Brick's North Carolina roots, I've read about the Cherokee commitment to farming and education. They lived peaceably alongside their colonist neighbors for generations, and were greatly respected.)

It's not a simple matter to claim Cherokee heritage. To be considered part of the tribe, you must have documented family lines back at least to the Trail of Tears period. 

Tah-Chee, a Cherokee chief from this time period

      Wikipedia dates the Trail of Tears, beginning with the Indian Removal Act of 1830, with the “Five Civilized Tribes” affected through 1850. (The Cherokee were removed in 1838.) Native Americans were forced off the land they had occupied for centuries, pack up and travel long distances to their new 'homes,' often in unfamiliar and desolate territory. The ensuing 'relocation' killed many through cold, starvation and sickness.

     Let's put it this way -- it was not a proud moment in American history. 

One of the ways to celebrate Cherokee history is through the dance, performed in your finest array. 

The women's dance is also called the "jingle," for obvious reasons.

Color, embellishments that complement movements, and motifs that celebrate your tribe's history. 

And that's exactly what Cynthia Griffin's 'dancing shawl' accomplishes

She says:  "The body of the dance shawl is polyester gabardine, with hand knotted nylon ribbons and cotton appliqués applied by sewing machine, using a quilting stitch."  Many hours went into its making, including the hand-knotted ribbons, carefully arranged by color. They flow around the dancer's legs as they move.

Notice the eagle? It's especially well done.

Thank you, Cynthia... for sharing your family with us.

Sadly True --

 

Yes, I'm Irish. And English, too. And sadly, the history is still there, for the Brits to try explaining away.

Is This Your Cat?

 

One of our family cats actually moved to the next block over. I suspect she'd gotten tired of her (adult) sons hitting on her. If we walked by, she would come out to greet us, then stroll back to her new home.

    It was very embarrassing - being jilted by a cat.

More very funny 'lost and found' signs -- enjoy. 

Remembering The Mama

 Bonnie DeVries

1934-2022

Love you -- see you soon.

She's the one on the end...

...and contributing to the family tree.

Monday Stuff On the way to Other Stuff: The Mama

 (My capitalized 'w' is not working...at least the 'w' key is now!)

    Monday is the two-year anniversary of The Mama's death. And what did we sing, but "no more dying there...we're going to see the King" in church. It was a kind reminder from God that life does go on, even after life. 

     Love you, Mom (and Pa, too.) See you soon.

  

 Still not feeling great -- this flu is really hanging on. The bare household jobs get done, including food on the table (easy recipes). Our one 'exciting' trip this week will be to Denver for our annual dentist visit. Oh, and meeting Daughter #1 for lunch -- whoo hoo! 

Meanwhile:

Governor DeSantis withdrew from the presidential race -- and endorsed Trump!  I would have voted for you, Governor...

How would you like to live in an old abandoned mining town?  P.S. He's trying to make it into a luxury resort.

Unusual facts about ancient monuments -- some you've probably never heard of!

'Hateful and ungrateful' entitled people.

Strange anecdotes... that could very well be true!

A rather quirky thank you speech from Robert Downey Jr., to all the entertainment critics that have savaged him over the years. And now they've given him an award, which makes it extra funny. Good for him!

“The Critics Choice Association, they’ve given me such beautiful feedback, really just so many great moments,” Downey Jr. said at the start of his acceptance speech. “And some of it’s so poetic, I just want to share some of their thoughts with you over the years.”

He went on to quote several unflattering critiques he’s received throughout his career, starting with one review Downey Jr. described as haiku: “sloppy, messy and lazy.”

The many uses of duct tape while you're traveling... Red Green would be proud.

Blessing others -- a good point, brought up by My Tireless Retirement.

'The oldest dog ever' -- was he, actually?  (The article mentions another documented 'oldest,' who was an Australian cattle dog. (Ruby's breed, incidentally.)

'I'm not that old, Mommmm!'

The incredibly educated, successful, wealthy businessman... who wasn't. And apparently couldn't bear for his wife and daughter to find out. 

Is Suzanne Somers still hanging around the house she lived in for so long?

And, I guess... that's it. I'll have a larger collection of Stuff next week.

Have a good one.

The Brick Agrees...

 

More silly dad jokes on Bored Panda here -- the Brick laughed and/or groaned at most of them.

'After All, Everybody Does It...'

 

Here's the full scoop, in case you're wondering.

Nope, Never Did This ...

 Ahem...

Another gem from Bored Panda.

Ahem...

 After I wrote a previous post on former Harvard president Claudine Gay, I wandered past J.P. Sears' defense of Ms. Gay.

Take a gander. Yes, he's rude -- but he's also bringing up some points that need to be considered.

A red-faced P.S.: I accidentally misspelled Ms. Gay's name several times in the earlier post. Fixed now -- with apologies .

Unfinished Business

 

You silly Bored Panda...

Why I Hate Plagiarism

I know.  I've brought this up before. 

Harvard President Claudine Gay is now the former president of Harvard...and yes, she brought it on herself. Along with two other Ivy League presidents (one who also resigned), Gay refused to do what she should have during testimony in Congress -- be impartial. 

Gay said she simply “neglected to clearly articulate that calls for the genocide of Jewish people are abhorrent and unacceptable, and that I would use every tool at my disposal to protect students from that kind of hate” during her congressional testimony last month.

    "Neglected??" After she resigned, Gay wrote:

“I believe in the people of Harvard because I see in you the possibility and the promise of a better future...These last have helped make clear the work we need to do to build that future — to combat bias and hate in all its forms, to create a learning environment in which we respect each other’s dignity and treat one another with compassion, and to affirm our enduring commitment to open inquiry and free expression in the pursuit of truth.”

If she had only expressed this during her testimony, she would have been fine. 

But what happened next wasn't anything to be proud about, either. For years, accusations that Gay was plagiarizing have apparently been hushed up. Turns out there are more than FIFTY examples. Gay admitted she had done this a few times, at least...but she didn't mean to do it. She had good intentions. And she'd asked for corrections. (A check showed corrections were requested twice -- AFTER Gay's 'flubs' were mentioned publicly these last few weeks.) 

She finally stepped down, conveniently remaining on staff. (And at her original salary, too.) The school paper, the Harvard Crimson, tried to defend her by saying:

A sober-minded assessment of the plagiarism charges indicates that Gay’s behavior constitutes plagiarism, but since the errors do not appear intentional, they do not warrant her resignation.” 

But it also admitted, "To be clear, sloppiness of this kind is unbefitting of a Harvard president." 

Unbefitting, indeed. But it was just carelessness, right? Misappropriating others' words and phrases has gotten plenty of people in trouble, including Stephen Ambrose and Doris Kearns Goodwin. (The latter resigned from the Pulitzer board because of this. She was also on the board of directors at -- you guessed it -- Harvard. Although she admitted to some errors, Kearns Goodwin blamed her staff's sloppiness for most of her problems.) Martin Luther King's work included several examples of plagiarism. Sadly, I've admired the writing of all of these people. 

The Associated Press had the chutzpah to initially charge that accusing people of plagiarism (even if they actually did it, implied the AP) was "a new conservative weapon." In other words... who cares if they did?

Well, I do. 

If you're swiping someone else's words and work, then presenting them as your own, you're saying something very clearly:

Stealing? That's not so bad, right? After all, everyone does it. 

And it's easy to come to that conclusion. As Financial Samurai, one of my favorite bloggers, points out, his columns are often grabbed, then presented on 'scraping websites' as someone else's. No attributions, though sometimes the people have the balls to add a link to the original post. (Yes, it pisses him off, too, but he figures if he can't do anything to stop them -- and he usually can't -- then just grin and bear it.)

Here's the problem: IT'S STILL STEALING. And it's still wrong. 

I've written a number of books. Hundreds of articles. Literally thousands of posts on this blog. I've also had my work stolen. 

Because I often write about historical topics, I use quotes, references and items I've gleaned from research. Things that should be attributed, when I use them. Just like others, I mess up a few times --it's easy to do. And if former president Gay only did it a few times, I could accept her excuses more easily. (Although I don't agree that it was 'racism' that made people pick on her, and eventually show her the exit. Nice try, though.)

 BUT --  If you start out determined not to plagiarize in the first place, it makes things easier. And if you promptly fix your mistakes, even better. But that means that you must admit others may write better than you. Their words may be more memorable than yours, and their conclusions more compelling. It means that when you write, you are actually benefitting from generations of writers, teachers and thinkers before you. 

And possibly you may not be the brilliant genius you thought you were, after all.

There's another issue at play here. It's a matter of CHARACTER. 

It's not the house, the car, the wallet -- or even the (gasp!) political party. It's the person.

If you don't see a problem with stealing, not only does that say something about you -- it suggests you wouldn't have a problem if others did it, either. Even your own children. Why not? After all, 'everybody does it.' 

So why not lie and cheat about other things, as well? Like your education, or your work experience, or your birthright? If it makes you look better, why not announce that you attended college on a full-ride educational scholarship (instead of half-time, and based on need), graduated in the top of your class (umm, it was in the bottom) -- and (wink wink) won an international prize for your work? (oops, nowhere to be found.)

I'm referring to, of course, none other than our esteemed current President. And that's just his educational credentials. (I remember mine -- why can't he remember his?) Don't even ask about the family references.

Are you running for office? Then definitely you'll need to lie and exaggerate. Two shining examples:

Was Biden arrested in South Africa, supporting Nelson Mandela?  Nope.

Did he 'borrow' quotes in his speeches from several well-known politicians, including Kinnock (whom he sometimes credited -- and often didn't) and Robert F. Kennedy?  Yup.

Even Snopes examined the accusations about Biden's truthfulness (or lack of it)-- and marked them as 'TRUE.'

"I exaggerate when I'm angry...' Biden has said.

In his memoir, Promises to Keep, he wrote:

When I stopped trying to explain to everybody and thought it through, the blame fell totally on me. I had been immature and skipped class and blown the Legal Methods paper. I was the one who thought it was good enough to just get by in law school. I lost my temper in New Hampshire. What I'd said about my academic achievements was just faulty memory or lack of knowledge. I hadn't remembered where I finished in my law school class. I hadn't cared. But to say "Wanna compare IQs?" was so stupid. All of it was my fault, and I didn't want to compound the mistakes.

In other words: 'I was sloppy and lazy -- and messed up. "Faulty memory -- or lack of knowledge." Others would call it stupidity or carelessness. (Or arrogance.) You don't have to earn your achievements -- that's not necessary. Just say that you have them.... it's just as good. 

"I was wrong, but I was not malevolent in any way,'' he said. ''I did not intentionally move to mislead anybody. And I didn't. To this day I didn't."

'Sure, I may have been wrong. And I did it. but I didn't do it on purpose, or trying to be mean. It wasn't intentional. No harm done...right?'

For someone who values his reputation for honesty and accuracy so little -- that doesn't give me much comfort. And so easily losing his temper? (What's he acting like during critical situations?) Bear in mind -- this is coming from someone whose decisions and actions have directly affected our country for years -- even decades. 

    My dad used to say, "Your good name is your most-valued possession." If I'm dishonest in my writing -- and speaking -- and everyday actions and decisions -- odds are good that my honesty and integrity aren't that good, either. I'm not perfect. I've messed up, too. But I need to take responsibility for my actions -- not just shove them off on others, or glibly excuse them. 

*Acknowledge it.

*Fix it...as much as possible.

*In the future, don't do it.

     For my dad's sake, who I loved. And for my God's sake, who I also love -- and want to honor.

      

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: More of Same

 Brrr, it's cold -- but sunny! We got just a few inches, while the mountains we see from the deck got a lot. The flu is still hanging on. But so are we.

Meanwhile:

'Who was someone who helped you out financially?'  Another gem from Donna Freedman. She's been quiet in recent months, but is active again. Thankfully.

Denver  area thrift and consignment stores. (Sorry, non-Coloradoans, you'll have to skip this one.)

Turns out ESPN has been scamming for Emmys -- for more than ten years! They admitted it and apologized. Whoa, that's consequences for ya...

The guy who lived for 6 months -- in a shopping mall.  Secret confession: I fantasized about doing this, a la From The Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.

Plus:  a squatter bishop!

A 'you are there' video, as a trooper saves a drowning 8-year-old. Amazing. (Thank God.)

How to be the best victim in 2024!

Chocolate chip cookies -- from the microwave in less than 5 min. And they're good, too.  A classic from yours truly.

Tudor-time wall paintings, rediscovered at a college in Cambridge.

A pre-Revolutionary War fort, and many artifacts -- hidden behind the walls of a West Virginia home. WOW.

Captain Ahab, where are you?? The 'world's rarest whale' (yes, it's white) is filmed -- for only the second time. Actually, there were a pair.

How to make your own pattern, from clothes you already have.  An oldie-but-goodie from Sweet Verbena.

Dr. Fauci's interview behind closed doors in Congress -- maybe some mistakes were made, he admitted. (Really?!?)

"Dr. Fauci’s transcribed interview revealed systemic failures in our public health system and shed light on serious procedural concerns with our public health authority," wrote Wenstrup, a physician of over 30 years.

"It is clear that dissenting opinions were often not considered or suppressed completely. Should a future pandemic arise, America’s response must be guided by scientific facts and conclusive data."

Five interesting thrift store 'flips' in the art market.

Strange facts about celebrities...while they were alive, and after they were dead.

Overly frugal may get you less mileage, than otherwise.  (From the Financial Samurai)

Another look at plagiarism, from a blogger who's experienced it -- over and over and OVER.  (Thanks, Financial Samurai, for sharing your viewpoint.)

Homemade Cheez-Its.  Really!  (From Little House Living)

They're all fakes! The sad discovery of JEH MacDonald's 'Tangled Garden' series by a Vancouver art gallery. 

Some very well-known economists got their predictions wrong for 2023 -- big-time. (Although they're being pretty quiet about it now.)

The family fight for control of Tom Clancy's characters -- and royalties.

Have a good week. Stay healthy.

Dogs Will Do This, Too...

 

Our Charley was a master at this. Except he didn't get so insulted when positions changed.

Drawing A Blank

 

Ummmm....

 

Gooooo, Blue! (And Flu, Too)

 Yes, Michigan is now the champ in college football! 

(Pardon me while I jump around and hum "Hail to the Victors...few people, me included, actually know all the words!)

We watched the game in a restaurant in Alamosa, along with a dozen or so rowdy Michigan and Washington fans. The Brick wore his Michigan sweatshirt, and one drunk kept high-fiving and hugging him after every touchdown and 'squeaker' moment. (Son #1 asked, 'Did the guy ask Dad for his phone number?' Apparently he's experienced overly-friendly people doing this. 'But they never call,' Son said.)

In between yelling, I just tried hard not to throw up. 

Mr. Flu decided to join me at the table -- by game's end, I was seriously ill. Made it home ok, but had strange dreams all night, in between the fever and chills.

I'm feeling better, particularly fever-wise. But now the Brick is experiencing some of the symptoms I had. Yuck. 

The woodbox is almost full, we've got plenty of canned soup...and a snowstorm is moving in. I think we'll take it easy until the clouds -- and the flu -- lift a bit. 

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Brrrr...

     Sitting in church today was interesting -- considering the wind was moaning outside the whole time. We've got a blizzard moving in...or so the weather people say. All I know -- it's C-O-L-D.

     Thankfully, we've got a woodstove and a full woodpile, lots of movies and Work to Do. We'll brave whatever happens to go watch Michigan beat Washington in tomorrow night's championship game. GO BLUE!!!

Meanwhile:

An animal rights activist 'suggests' that a Thai restaurant is serving dog meat -- closing it down. They weren't. And now she denies she said it -- she only 'insinuated' it. She deleted everything -- but the damage is done.Frankly, if I were the restaurant owner, I'd go after her...  note that it wasn't just one post -- it was a SERIES. (Next question -- why that restaurant? Was there an ulterior motive?)

     The restaurant is reopening in a new location -- hopefully this time, the activist will leave them alone.

Now plagiarism is apparently the 'new conservative weapon.'  Or so the headline read, until the Associated Press realized how ridiculous that sounded -- and was. (The amended version says, 

"American higher education has long viewed plagiarism as among the most serious of offenses. Accusations of plagiarism have ruined the careers of academics and undergraduates alike." 

That's more like it. Obviously we're talking about former Harvard president Claudine Gay.

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., wondered what the AP would have published if Gay was "a male, Asian, white, outspoken Christian, or Republican."

One should wonder, indeed.

A wistful 'visiting my childhood home' story -- with a twist. 

Have you ever thought about owning an ATM?  It's certainly intriguing...

Regifting -- should you do it? We have, but it was generally during our penniless years.  Giving 'new' stuff from the thrift shop works, too, with care.   (From Donna Freedman)

Retire at 35?  Perhaps...if you start figuring things now. (Yes, of course you can do this later, too. We did. Some good ideas here, nonetheless. You don't want to end up like the following...

Famous people who died nearly penniless.   (And here's the billionaires version of same.)

Actors who were permanently damaged by the movies they were in. And not by reputation, either. Yow. 

Vegan chocolate fudge?  Hmmm...sounds a lot like regular fudge to me. (From Happy Kitchen Rocks)

Seven prominent companies that went bankrupt in 2023.

Who were the famous 'kissers by city hall' in Paris? Actually, the female half of the duo just died, aged 93. (A BUNCH of other people thought they were the ones...)

The Babylon Bee's predictions for 2024 -- silly, with an edge. 

The Golden Globes' best and worst moments. For those of you who like that sort of thing. 

Impressionist-style paintings -- using markers and a squirt bottle!  (From One Hundred Dollars A Month)

'Stuck in a German prison -- because Brazilian airport workers stuffed our bags with cocaine.' And it seems to be true!

A $4000 'meal' -- thanks to a Goldendoodle eating an envelope of his owners' cash! 

Spike Lee's custom Nikes (gold-painted) sold for more than $50,000. 

Nearly $200,000 paid for an 1851 photo of the Sphinx -- when it was almost covered by sand. (Okay, other photos were included in the collection.)

Very funny test answers. I'd give credit for these!

Romero's in Pueblo, CO -- some of the best green chile in the state. (And endorsed by President Obama.) I'm a huge fan of homemade green chile -- in fact, will be making some in the next day or two.

Have a good week. Stay warm.