Some Things This Week

Another month over. It still can be hard to tell what month or season it is right now, though today is the last day of July. And the weather in my area has made it feel like summer.

Some things I have spotted this week on the web:

Totally agree on this. I am also glad this did happen when I was in school in the 1980s, when there was no Internet. Some people didn't even have a computer then as they still cost thousands of dollars. I cannot imagine how things would have been handled then. Kids then worried about not getting to have the same lunch period as their friends and thus not seeing them at school. Now kids most can't see each other at all, except on Zoom, something we did not have in the 1980s. No cell phones then either. 

As far as late fees went for me, I always made sure to return my vidoes to Blockbuster on time. I gave up on that store when I got Netflix in 2007, from which I still get DVDs. Our local Blockbuster closed in 2011.

I never did either of these, but I just had to share this. I  only wonder how kids are handling not getting to see their friends or if they are really overjoyed at not having to be at school without getting in trouble 🙂 Someone who saw this on Facebook pointed out that weed is still illegal for those under 21 as well as the fact that kids can't be with their friends, so are they really "living the dream"?

Who wishes this could happen? As I said, in the '80s there was no Internet and no cell phones. Would anyone want to go back to such a time? 


I'm still hanging on in these uncertain times. Trying to find things to do each day, but am mostly reading and going on the computer. I'm trying ot come up with some art to do and some writing. At the cener each week, we have been doing a writing group on the one day that we are meeting. I pick a topic and those wishing to participate will do so, and reading what they write is optional.

All my sunflowers have opened. Here are new pictures. 

And one last thing today--Today would have been the 53rd birthday of Prozac Nation author Elizabeth Wurtzel. The writer passed away earlier this year. RIP. In April, I reread one of her other books, More, Now, Again.

Closing on Thanksgiving

Another thing I don't want to be thinking about just yet has been popping up on the Internet. Stores will be closing on Thanksgiving this year. I think this is a good idea, even though going shopping on this date has never been a thing for me. And it's only rare I'd ever do so the following day. Last year, I attempted a run at Kmart on the Friday after Thanksgiving, but did so later in the day, when the crowds seemed to have died down. Now Kmart is gone, but Target still exists in my town. 

Even though I don't want to think about this now, I am already certain I won't be out fighting for a new TV (no need for one) on the day after Thanksgiving. I have never done that. I'll be glad if I don't run out of milk that day. Just going to the grocery store the day before is hard enough as the stores tend to be crowded on the eve of any holiday.

I was always glad to not work on Thanksgiving at Home Goods, and for most of the years I was there, to be off the following day. Though they did not open at 4AM then.

Quiz: The Swimming Pool Test

Agree with the results on this one. (Quiz here).

You Are a Somewhat Lucky Person

You are cautious and slow to act. It takes you a long time to get used to ideas.

You are happiest when you are able to be alone for a while. You find strength within yourself.

You work at a pace that is comfortable to you. You can get more done if you don't burn yourself out.

You are a focused and dedicated person. You are willing to stay on task, even when it's hard.

Don't Know About Celebrating This Year

Yesterday at the Dollar Tree I spotted this display:

Yes, Halloween items already. It always seems to occur in late July or early August. Normally, I wouldn't be thinking about Halloween right now, but because of the pandemic, it has been lately occuring to me that there won't be any big bar celebrations this year, which would have worked out great with the holiday on Saturday this year. And those who have children may have been looking forward to taking them out for trick-or-treating on a Saturday night. Indeed some have been wondering about this already. No potluck/party at work this year. The last one we had was for Valentine's Day in February. By now we probably would have had a themed party like we did the last two years. 

Even though I may not be too heavily thinking about the holiday in the middle of summer, a costume idea may occur to me at anytime as the stuff appears in the stores. One of my friends at work said she wanted to be the Starbucks Mermaid this year. Don't know if she's still going to go forward with it. And no ideas have come to me just yet. It's getting harder to even think of this now. Just decorating the porch seems like it will be out this year. And this would be the second year I put out my homemade scarecrow. 

I recently saw this going around on Facebook:

Would this work, do you think? Car parades were popular at the beginning of the pandemic, particularly when someone had a big birthday or for graduations. Two residents in my town had birthdays the same day in April, one turning 50 and the other 100. Both had car parades with people shouting birthday greetings. My cousin's daughter turned 13 in April as well and she too had a car parade, including my mom and me in my mom's van. And a graduation parade was held for a high school graduate who lives down the road from me. But now they have been banned in some areas. Unlike the protests, though, no one has seemed eager to have a car parade lately.  So would driving by to toss out candy be a viable option?

It still seems like there will be no celebration this year 😥

Sunflower Progress

It's been more than two months since I planted the sunflower seeds and here is how they are looking now. The one in the top photo is the tallest one.

Coronabingo

 This is something that has been going around lately. I won't go into everything listed, but some of these things do not apply to me, such as homeschooling kids, essential worker, and working from home. Reading, of course, is high on my list. I've had a lot of midday naps lately. And I have forgotten what day it is on some days. As much as I would like to bake bread, cakes, or cookies, we sadly do not have a working oven in our house. And I'm not going to bother with Tik Tok. I did download Zoom for the writers lab, but I have only been to one meeting so far. I'm not really into the idea of binge watching or listening to podcasts. I barely watch any TV as it is and don't always immediately watch my Netflix DVDs once I receive them. Going to the store is anxiety-producing for me. 

Although I didn't plant a garden, I did plant the sunflower seeds I got from my boss in May. They still have yet to open. One seed grew a lot taller than the others. I hope to post pictures when the flowers open.

One thing I'm glad to have done over the last month or so was complete a writing. I thought early on (at the beginning of the lockdown) that I'd get a lot of stuff written, but I haven't been doing at this much. Though I did get a story written. No one has been able to read it, though. Not sure what else I am going to do with it. I also began looking at stuff I have in my notebooks and am thinking of reworking some of this stuff. This sounds like a good thing to do when I can't think of anything else to write. Right now I am glad to have accomplished one writing.

World Emoji Day

Some images for World Emoji Day today. Read here for the origin of the day. I will admit I only use some emojis  in my posts. And I do not know what some of them mean. But it's still fun to look at them.

Still More Blurred Days and Months

Ok, so what is the month called now? 😀 It says July, but still feels like several months and days blurred into one. Maprilayjunely, maybe? And what about the next months? Did last week feel like the 4th at all? The fact that it was on a Saturday just added to the confusion. Usually such holidays feel like an extra Sunday, but now everyday has felt like Sunday. And we still have Labor Day in September, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving in November, and Christmas and New Years Day. 

But the weather at least has been hot in my area, making it feel like it's summer. Thugh there was some hot weather in April, weeks after the lockdown began. Everything's just a bit confusing these days....😕

Quiz: What Carnival Ride Are You?

Now this I agree with. I always loved riding a carousel. 
(quiz here).

You Are a Carousel

You are young at heart and a truly playful person. No one would ever accuse you of taking life too seriously.
You are definitely in things for the fun. You find joy easily, and you are often building up anticipation for your next adventure.
In relationships, you tend to want to be babied and taken care of.
And while you may be a bit high maintenance, you are incredibly loyal.

Your life is simple and satisfying. Each day you treat yourself to something you enjoy.
You have a lot of emotional attachments, and experiences are extra vivid to you.
You tend to be nostalgic and sentimental. The past is important to you.
Comfortable around all living things, you have a special connection to animals and children.

At your best, you are whimsical, free spirited, and creative.
Even if your schemes seem a bit strange, they usually work out wonderfully.
At your worst, you are spoiled, demanding, and impossible to satisfy.
You've been known to act like a brat if you aren't getting your way!

Chapter Break Bingo – July 2020

The annual emoji-themed bingo for July is now up.

July Bookish Bingo

My books:

1. Rani Patel in Full Effect--Sonia Patel (7 squares): Library Book, Physical Book, Multi-Word Title, Diversity, Beach, Feast
2. Boy Meets Boy--David Levithan (6 squares): Ebook, Not in a Series, Blue on the Cover, Free Space, Made You Cry, Free Book
3. The Garden of Small Beginnings--Abbi Waxman (3 squares): Shelf Love, Book Club Read, Made You Laugh
4. Beep and Bob: Party Crashers--Jonathan Roth (3 squares): Children's Book, Gift, Cake
5. Murder, She Barked--Krista Davis (2 squares): In a Series, Animal/Pet
6. Tigress--Jennifer Blake (1 square): Set in a Foreign Country
7. I'm Still Here--Austin Channing Brown (3 squares): Nonfiction, Audiobook, Current/Trending Topic

25 squares completed on July 13