Say His Name... Alex Jeffrey Pretti

One Headline... Two Different Days

 I don't have a witty quotes for today. I am tired, brokenhearted and really sad. And I admit I found it surreal that the New York Times had the same headline for, Saturday, and Sunday. Forgive me if this is a less than perfect post. History will remember this time, and will not look kindly on these assholes. Say his name, Alex Jeffrey Pretti. He was an ICU nurse at the V.A. hospital, in Minnesota. He was a son. And he was so much more, including a hero, for trying to save a woman who had been shoved to the ground by ICE agents.

 He was the same age as Renee, Nicole Good... 37.

Renee Nicole Good

Murdered by ICE

 January 7th, 2025

Alex Jeffrey Pretti

Murdered By ICE

January 24th, 2026

How many more will have to die, at the hands of the Trump Administration?

The stupidity speaks for itself. Don't let yourself be Gaslighted.

RIP

 Alex Jeffrey Pretti

Woodbridge Road In The Fog

 "Lots of people go mad in January. Not as many as in May, of Course. Or June. But January is your third most common month for madness."

~Karen Joy Fowler

Sarah Canary

Yesterday, in a fit of I can't take Trump's stupidity anymore, I asked hubby if he wanted to take a ride in the fog, to look for birds. We thought it over a bit, and decided to head to Staten Island, but as we went farther and farther down the freeway, the thicker the fog got, so we changed our minds, and settled for Woodbridge road. It was a good plan.

The fog was beautiful.

Spooky Possibilities

 

"The ghost didn't want to scare her, it wanted to sit, to remember. To listen."

~Arabella Sveinsdottir

The Roof Was Never Empty: A Haunting Metaphysical Horror About Family Secrets,

 Doppelgangers And The Roof That Watches

It's January. It's Winter. And it if those two things are true, then wherever you are, it might just be a little gloomy. For me it's been a dense fog alert, from the National Weather Service, every day since the month began. Thick, pea soup fog, that doesn't burn off until past noon, making impossible to take one of our long birding trips to Bodega Bay, or even Monterey. San Francisco is also a no go, I hate driving to the city in the fog. So, to pull myself out of the gloominess, I am watching a movie about a ghost that I haven't seen before. From 1970, The House That Wouldn't Die. I guess I am lonely for October, Autumn, and all the deliciously scary stuff that makes me feel all warm and cozy. This movie looks like it has real spooky possibilities!

The Testimony Of Special Counsel Jack Smith

 

"Almost any sect, cult or religion will legislate it's creed into law, if it acquires the power to do so."

~Robert A. Heinlein

Will you be there? I plan to set the time of this post at 1:00 am PT, or close to that time, which means his testimony is a mere hours away. It's a crazy ride the last several days and I expect today will be no different. I don't know if I want to stay up, 7:00 am will come soon, or if I want to get at least a little sleep and face it refreshed and ready to deal with the FRESH HELL that today will probably end up being. Shrug... don't know, I will get back to you on it. 

But for right now...

Again, I ask...

Will you be there?

Good, bad or otherwise, it's history.

Personally, as you might guess, I can't look away.

Blarfenglarb

 "My mother always used to say, the older you get, the better you get.

 Unless you're a banana."

~Betty White

I'm feeling a little less than interesting, enthusiastic, or particularly witty. I am not feeling especially creative or energetic. I am feeling... ugh... just don't wanna. But since I am trying my best to not give up, and hide in the corner under some heavy piece of furniture, which I don't own anyway, I mostly open IKEA stuff, which is sturdy, but not heavy, I thought some humor would be really good. So, here is one of my favorite SNL sketches, which featured, Betty White. I sure do miss her, she was absolutely amazing.

 A true lady.

Ellipsis Movie Of The Week... Bugonia

 

"I don't get my news from the news."

~Teddy (Jesse Plemons)

Bugonia

I have decided to ease back on all the movies I tend to watch over and over because the ease me into a state of anticipated bliss, in other words, my happy place. I am committing, like a New Year's resolution, to watch at least one movie a week that I have never seen. I decided to begin with, Bugonia. It's from 2025, and that's a good thing, because I usually immerse myself in movies from past eras, where I feel safe. Climbing into this movie, did not make me feel safe, and ooh boy, that was a good thing. 

There is so much to unpack in this film. Conspiracy theories, corporate greed, isolationism, environmental issues, and yes, whether or not there are alien overlords watching over us, but not necessarily in our best interests. Many different sides, opinions and perspectives will converge, so hold onto your hats, as it's quite a ride. If you are like me, you will change your mind about the issues and psychological mind bending as you take it all in. Critical thinking. In the end, you will feel... well... better about the lessons learned, because it's makes you consider where you stand. After yesterday, or the day before, will you see things differently?

Watch it! Considering the mind bending times we are living in, where are we, how did we get here, and is there a way out, or are we too confused to really pay attention to all the signs that say... watch and listen and take a stand!

 Tinfoil hats not required!

Visit IMBD for the trailer's.

My Smooth Jazz Black Cat With Pink Ears

 

"It's difficult to catch a black cat in a dark room especially, if it isn't there."

~Chinese Proverb

Black cats are sometimes considered bad luck. Sometimes they are thought to be witches in disguise. And incantations of evil. No. That's just wrong on so many levels, but humans being humans, just have to have something blame their failures on. Superstitions like that, endanger these amazing animals, every year around Halloween. Cosplay dipshits like to capture black cats, and harm them as a sacrifice to appease whoever or whatever "god" they worship. I know it to be true, because my veterinarian's nurse described what has been seen. One day, last summer, she found a litter of kittens in her yard, so she brought them to the doctor's office, to hopefully find them good homes. She loved my Tyler in particular, and gave him as much attention as possible. She worried he wouldn't find a loving home, before Halloween, but I took one look at this funny, gorgeous, very loving little cat, and it was all over, I loved him. He had me at hello. So, we took 24 hours to consider it, and by the time we got home, we knew we had a new son.

He has pink ears. How funny is that? PINK EARS! In certain lighting they appear almost opalescent! Tyler has a lot of the same qualities of my last black cat, Hendrix. Tyler loves music, especially smooth jazz. He loves deeply, and when he wants a hug, he pushes his whole body into mine with all the weight in his body! He grooms my hubby, he checks on his brothers if anything is wrong. He loves stuffed animals and he can make a toy out of anything. Now what can be wrong with that! He has white ears in the front, and two bald spots over his eyes. He's also wily. He is quite the magpie. He steals things. LOL. But he also finds things that I thought I had lost forever! He is unique, and I am so lucky that he chose to love me. Cat's don't have to love you, and they will remind you of that from time to time! I think of my sweet Hendrix a lot, but Tyler was never meant to take his place, which is good, because I love getting to know Tyler for who he is, while remember the love I had with Hendrix.

So that's my Tyler. We have owned him since late August of 2025,

 and the future with him seems like the brightest of light, in all the worldly darkness.

The Undecorating Of A Christmas Tree

 

"As anyone who has ever been around a cat

 for any length of time well knows,

 cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the human kind."

~Cleveland Emory

The Cat Who Came For Christmas

There he was, our little helper, Simon, taking as many ornaments off the tree as he could. The soft ones mainly. The elves and the Santa Claus. And oddly enough, he wasn't playing with them or damaging them, he simply wanted everything off the tree, so off to the floor they went! Apparently he believes that trees should come down no later than January 15th, January 18th at the latest, and I I suppose he's right! It's time, but I had so much fun this Christmas, it was their very first, and it's a memory I will keep in my heart, but I wasn't ready until now. I still missed my other boys, Dylan and Hendrix, but Simon and Tyler brought their own magic, and it continues to grow every day!

American Gestapo

 

Trump is a dangerous person, he always has been. Is he an authoritarian? Is he a dictator? I don't think so, I think he is something new. Something no one has seen before. While some of his tactics can be held up to what we have seen in history, Trump is a bit simple from past evils. He is a corned dog. He is protecting podophiles, and eventually, maybe soon, we will find out the depth of his part in that. All this evil, like trying to conquer Greenland is a distraction, and a deeply misunderstood calculation. His hand in Minnesota is all about starting the civil war that some in the Magaverse have been aching for. Will WWIII happen first? I don't know. It may all begin simultaneously. It may not start at all. Waking up in the morning is hard, because who knows what we will be waking up to, but I know one thing, I never expect that we will be waking up to anything good. And I no longer think of ICE as a federal agency of the United States, no, they are the American Gestapo. Watch what they do.

And The Nobel Putz Prize Goes To...

 

"Since we cannot see Christ, we cannot express our love to him. But we do see our neighbor, and we can do for him, what we could do for Christ if He were visible."

~Mother Teresa

No Greater Love

Read The Article Here

Happiness, Sayeth the Raven

 

"Ravens taught me to pay attention. The desert taught me to see. Art and artists taught me to see more... and better... and to savor, appreciate and protect,"

~Linda Durham

Is it a good thing to see a raven? Is it a bad thing to see a raven? There are a lot of schools of thought on that. As far as I am concerned, most things outside of my own intuition is superstition. Black cats are not bad luck. I have never experienced bad luck after breaking a mirror, let along seven years. One of the best days of my life, was marrying my husband on October 13th, and nothing has ever happened to me after walking under a ladder. Although, now that I think about it, I don't walk under that many ladders. Hmmm. Anyway, I was so happy to be able to add this wonderful bird to my album of bird species I have seen this year. There it was, drinking from a small puddle, just outside the gates of the Yolo Bypass Wilderness Area, in Davis, Ca. A moment like that shouldn't be passed up. And I didn't.

Happiness

Bullet Holes

 

"Speaking personally, you can take my gun,

 but you'll take my book when you pry my cold dead fingers off of the binding."

~Stephen King

There is so much beauty at the Cosumnes River Preserve. Nature at it's most beautiful. From the amazing sunsets, to the birding I have done there. I spotted my first ever Bald Eagle soaring over the preserve, it was the most majestic thing I had ever saw. The wildflowers in the spring and the autumn leaves in the Fall, every bit of the best of nature is to be had. Even the Mexican-free tailed bat adds additional joy to just being there, in the moment. So why would anyone be so hollow inside as to shoot up a sign, asking those visiting to not bother the birds? It's sad, and a shame that folks behave in this manner. It's fucking heart breaking. Sometimes I just want to give up, stop stepping out of my condo, but the world is so scary that I need the respite of this amazing place, so I keep calm and carry on. Why does every area of life have to be so exhausting... and deeply depressing?

The Beauty Of The Cosumnes River Preserve

Perfidy

"Godlessness ends great nations.

 The one thing we can all do is get down on our knees and pray."

~Pete Hegseth

Did Pete Hegseth commit a war crime through the act of Perfidy?

I hope not, but it appears that he may have done just that! This is the year that the midterms decides our long term future, and I know that as we move closer to next November things will become more and more crazy, but honestly, America is so far into the dark right now, that I am not sure we will find our way home. This year marks America's 250th anniversary, now what?

Read the New York Times article here.

Ellipsis Movie Of The Week... Madhouse

 

See the trailer at IMBD

Jessie: (Mark is having a nightmare about zombies) What do they want?

Mark: They... want to say here.

Jessie: Oh Mark, why?

Mark: I don't know, maybe we are in some vacation guide for the damned!

As you probably know by know, when I was a kid I was an avid viewer of, The Movie of the Week, which aired on ABC. I couldn't wait to find out what genre of movie was next. I guess you could say I became quite the cinephile at a really young age. Like maybe 5 or so. Like with reading, when life was a little to much, I could climb into another story for a couple hours and it was comforting. Well, because of budgeting factors and ratings, all the networks pulled the plug on the movies, in favor of scripted television. Dallas, Falcon Crest, Three's Company, Charlie's Angels... which by the way... aired their pilot on the ABC Movie of the week. Ironic, right? Anyway, why do I have miss it? So, here's a new feature of my blog, The Ellipsis Movie of the Week!

I really need an escape, so lets begin with some comedy, shall we?

Lets begin with a funny little movie from 1990, Madhouse. Jessie and Mark have bought their first house, and are barely settled in, when out of the blue family, and their slightly grumpy cat, visits. What could go wrong? Everything to a hilarious degree. This movie received mixed reviews on IMBD, but personally, it always makes me laugh. I need that right now, and I am betting you do too. Let me know in the comments what you think, or not, but watch the movie and laugh or as the theme song, by Chris Rea, says...

 Lets Dance!

Monday, Monday

 

How much longer will the republican party allow this man to hurt folks, just for the pleasure of hurting people? Just for the sport of it. Trump is a daily embarrassment to this country, and the stress causes is making all of us sicker, aside from that, the provocations to the world may in fact lead to WWIII. Greenland? Seriously? Is it all, really, over the Epstein Files? I certainly think it could be. But whatever it is, I just want to know what's making every single day, just a little bit more depressing, as I get older and older waiting for the midterms. Jay Powell doesn't deserve this, none of us do! Monday, Monday.

Gourdgeous!

 

"When life gives you pumpkins, make pumpkin pies!"

~Unknown

Recently, while on Woodbridge road, in Lodi, I spotted these gourds, partially submerged under water. The colors caught my eye. Things are mostly gray right now, as one would expect in January, in the San Joaquin Valley, so colors catch my eye. This is a pretty easy time of year to spot a birds color, and shape from far away. but I knew instantly, from far down the road, that this wasn't a group of birds, it was the last of the farmland's harvest, giving back to the earth, and all the little creatures passing through. I never knew how damn beautiful autumn could be in winter. See how little it takes to make me truly happy? Squeeeeee!