Fuck Elon Musk

 "Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too.

 They live inside us, and sometimes they win.

~Stephen King

 

I have complained about the childish ghoul, Elon Musk, before and now I will complain yet again, because every single time I think he has hit rock bottom with his abusive nonsense, he slips deeper into the abyss of evil. Just in the last few days, since Thanksgiving anyway, he has taken a trip to Israel, to clean up his reputation for having propagated antisemitism. Because to an anti-Semite all one needs to do, after insulting all Jews everywhere, is to utter the words, "how could you come to think I am an anti-Semite, some of my best friends are Jews." And his most recent, as of Tuesday anyway, was bring back Pizzagate from the dead. A conspiracy that was buried deep into the damp cold earth almost a decade ago. 

I had set last December 31st as my exit from Twitter, now X, but laziness or complacency has kept me in place. Starting all over is a daunting thought. Sigh. There are so many folks still supporting my photography, and who have been very kind to me, so leaving is difficult. But, I have to admit, Threads is extremely similar, and Facebook is a lot nicer too, so maybe it really is time to just go this time. Oh brother. Or should I say, OH BOTHER. It had only taken Trump a little over a year to evenly divide America over Twitter, and Elon Musk a little over a year to destroy Twitter completely. Demonic entities are fast workers.

I will see my, Autumn Leaf Of The Day, project to the end. It only has a little less than a month to go, so why not complete it? I should leave the day after I post my last leaf, but December 31st seems like the right time go. Time for whoever wants to see the leaves be able to drop by for a last look, and time for me to let folks know where to find me if they want to. I will rebuild. I will jump in with the photography community. I will do what I did with Twitter... not look for the number of followers, and let each day play out the way it will. When Treat was alive, he encouraged we of like minds to stay and fight back against Musk's nonsense. Treat was worth doing that for, but now that he is gone there isn't a lot to hold onto. Xander is has moved on. Margo has moved on. Susan has moved on. Karen has moved on.

 

 It's time for me to move on as well. 

 

Why the HELL isn't there a support group for this kind of shit?

Note: The graphic isn't mine, it was the graphic Keith Olbermann added to his profile when he announced yesterday that he too would be leaving X. He suggested that we all add it to our profiles, but I am not sure it's my style. I am mulling it over.

But Why Does Daddy Have To Go To Work?

"A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not."

~Ernest Hemingway

Work? That's Dumb!

Dylan loves his daddy. He loves him deeply, and to the point that he sometimes cries a deep sorrowful cry when Alan leaves for work in the morning. Dylan's cry reminds me, at times, of an old but terribly loyal bloodhound, one that is beside itself with the thought that he could be of absolute help to his person, but for some strange reason that same person had forgot to bring him along. And clearly that decision was going to be a mistake!

Other times I am concerned that Dylan's cries are because he still remembers his Tabby mommy, and how she left him and didn't come back. You see, Dylan was the last kitten in the nest. His mommy had worked most of one morning moving all her babies to a new location so they could begin their lives as cats about town, but Dylan was special. I believe she knew he had some struggles the other kittens didn't. His poor eyesight for one thing. So, I think there is every possible chance that she would have continued to keep him close to her for at least a while longer, but on that fateful day, she owed it to his siblings to get them off in life the right way and across that busy street she went, unfortunately, never to make it to the other side of the street.

Dylan didn't leave his place under that abandoned house. He remained there all weekend. And when the nice man who saved him, pulled Dylan out, he was slightly muddy from the weekend rains, very hungry, and completely frightened. He didn't stop shaking... not until he and I met... when he asked me without speaking a word, to be his mommy. His relationship with me began in a heartbeat, with Alan it took a little longer, but now he adores his daddy to the point that he cries when Alan leaves in the morning. Cats are complicated creatures. I love everything about them. I love dogs to, but they are rather simple creatures compared to cats. Cats. I understand completely why the ancient Egyptians were so fond of them.

But Alan and I have discussed not naming another one after a singer! LOL. Of course, one doesn't always control these things. Years from now, when a new kitty who is lost and alone adopts me, what can I do if he already has the given name of Michael Jackson, or Steven Tyler? If that's the case, so be it, but I will say this now, I draw the line at Justin Bieber! Given a choice, I would name our next cats after a nice journalist such as Keith Olbermann or Anderson Cooper, but I will leave it up to God, or whoever decides these things! So far, they haven't let me down yet!

:) Meoooowww OooMewwwooooow

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Sunsets, Cell Phones And Food Poisoning Oh My

"You know, a cell phone's like a guy; if you don't plug him in every night, charge him good, you got nothing at all."

~Catherine Coulter, Tail Spin

 

Above you see the last of the early February sunset photos that I photographed from Grizzly Peak Boulevard. I think it's appropriate to post now, in that we have just seen the sun set on yet another football season. Oh my, and what a game Super Bowl XLVII was! There was winners (Ravens 34)  and losers (49ERS 31) Beyonce didn't lip sync, and no one would have noticed if she had. There was a blackout in one half of the stadium, courtesy of bad infrastructure, the hotness of Beyonce or perhaps it was... maybe... Al Gore producing the show? Nah. You know Al Gore wasn't producing the show, that was something I said off the cuff to Keith Olbermann that made him laugh. Yep, Keith Olbermann saw my tiny joke and laughed. My work on earth is done! LOL.

 

Life is funny that way sometimes.

As fun as it was to know that the awesome Keith Olbermann saw my who-ville Tweet, I actually also made contact with another awesome person, and hopefully brought a smile to her face. One of my favorite actresses from the now defunct, but about to rise like a Phoenix back to life, One Life To Live, Farah Fath, who played GiGi Morasco. It seems that she is experiencing a bout of food poisoning, and asked how long it could last. I responded that in my case it was 6 hours. Then I offered the advice of... Never eat Thanksgiving in June, or date a guy who has a serial poisoner for a mother. Honestly, a life experienced based on a true story. Well, she favorited that Tweet, and it made me feel good to think I may have brought her a grin. LOL. I like to make people smile. But just think, if I hadn't been poisoned by my boyfriend's mom, I couldn't have brought her that little grin!

 

Life is funny that way sometimes.

I have a big package coming to me later today. It's a brand new cell phone. My former cell phone is on it's last legs, after having served me well for 3 years. I loved my HTC Aria, but it was time. But I am not crying too much, as the Aria and I will remain close, as it will live on as a back-up camera and video device. I can't let go. I never could. I have found a new use for all my old cell phones. I just can't let go. Each phone has a memory attached to it. The last conversation with someone I loved dearly. A great email with a friend that I have stored in the memory. I am way too sentimental I suppose, but I come by it honestly! My birthday is June 29th, and that makes me a hopelessly romantic Cancer the Crab! What can I do, it's written in the stars!

Life is funny that way sometimes.

All Most The Cells Of My Life...
(Not including my slide phone and my basic 1998 model Nokia Archaic :)




Life is funny that way sometimes.

I like being one small tweet in the Universe. I don't need the whole world, just a camera, a really good sunset, and my sense of humor and my thumbs. That last part will make sense to anyone who was a fan of the Dick Van Dyke show. Humor... know it... use it!

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

RRC: Goodbyes

"Goodbye isn't painful, unless you're never going to say hello again."

-Unknown

Never say NEVER. :)

Structure vs GOODBYE

If you are like me, you will avoid change at ALL COST. You will stay in relationships that drive you crazy. Stay in homes that fall down around you. Refuse to give up cassette tapes for those newfangled CDs. Order the same damn thing at all your favorite restaurants. Refuse to throw away a ragged old moth chewed on sweater because it just seems to "get you." LOL. You will eat your meals at the same time each day. You will do your laundry on one specific day each week, for me that day would be Thursday. But you get the picture... change BAD!

I realize that I lead an overly structured life. And I realize that the paragraph above refers to structure more then it does GOODBYES, but to me, GOODBYES cause my structured world to become discombobulated. Not the end of the world, but it makes me feel like an alien until I readjust myself to accept my new circumstances. I suppose I am obsessive/compulsive, but it's in a good way I think. For example, if you invite me for dinner, I will never be late! LOL.

Hello/Goodbye...

Whatever the reason, to me, the worst of all blows to my equilibrium is GOODBYES. YEARS ago, as Mr. November was running, screaming from my life we had a conversation about GOODBYES. I told him that once I find something I put in roots. He laughed. I guess it was the mental picture of me, at 4 ft 11 having grown roots! Which would make me seem taller... right? LOL. I have to admit, I laughed too, but on the inside. I wasn't going to give up in the moment and admit that sometimes GOODBYES are really necessary. When it came to that GOODBYE, I pulled the emotion off like a band-aid. Quick and painful, but then it healed in time and now there is no scar... just the memory of someone I really loved and the time as it was.

This Next Part Will Make You Laugh...

Raise your hand if you miss the HELL out of Keith Olbermann! LOL. I watched that man faithfully each night while I fixed dinner. Oh MY GOD... how that man could seduce my ears with all that beautiful PROGRESSIVE talk and values. LOL. NOTHING TURNS ME ON LIKE TALKING POLITICAL PROGRESSIVENESS! LOL. I am teasing... somewhat... but not completely. I appreciated K.O. for the truths he shined a light on, but for one of the best elements of his show... "Fridays With Thurber." After a long week, when stuff in the world would go wrong, or something stupid would happen to me, like the time Alan fell on me, no matter what had happened, my Fridays would come to a gentle close as Keith read Thurber, and suddenly everything made sense again!

A week ago Keith made one of those band-aid GOODBYES like the one I had with Mr. November. The only difference was there was NO animosity with Mr. November, just a wish from both of us that we would find the roads we both needed to be on. Keith's was more of a F&$K Y^%$. We, the viewers, suddenly had the rug pulled out from under us. One of my friends lamented "what do I do now? I laughed to myself and replied... "I know I am lost too." LOL. "Who is going to help me fix dinner now?" Not really thinking about how much better Keith's life probably is now, just who is going to help me fix dinner. LOL. There is a selfishness in GOODBYES that can happen on both sides.

Goodbye To The Music...

In just a little over a month, I will be saying goodbye to my beloved cottage in the Berkeley hills, for a lovely little cottage 19 miles away in Hayward. I am going to miss this place. I have been here 10 years. We moved in with Elvis... the biggest GOODBYE I have ever said ... and we will be leaving with Dylan and Hendrix... my BIGGEST HELLO ever! One morning, not too long after we first moved in, I was sleeping like a baby in this cottage, when the phone rang. It was 9/11/01 at 9:08 AM. The voice on the phone was Alan telling me what had happened. I will never forget opening the back door, just off the kitchen, and hearing complete silence. No planes taking off from the Oakland airport. No dogs barking. No birds singing. Just quiet. It was surreal. Everybody in the area was glued to the TV, watching the news, and waiting to see what came next.

It was so quiet.

Late in the afternoon, of Tuesday September 11th, 2001, the silence was broken when the Ethereal Musician began playing "America" on his saxophone. It was the only sound outside.It meant a lot to us to hear him playing that song, at that particular moment. Of all the elements of living in this cottage, I will miss the Ethereal Musician the most. I have never met him, I don't even quite know from which direction the music comes from, all I know is that it did, and many times it brought me such comfort. Sometimes it made me smile, sometimes it made me cry a little, but in a good way. It's hard to say GOODBYE to that presence. Actually, it's almost impossible. I don't know what I will do. I guess I will be ok... but I will always smile when I think of him.

At least I think it's a him... could be a her... but somehow... I think it's a him.

Goodbye Little Birdies...

Saying GOODBYE to the Round Robins isn't easy either. I will miss choosing a subject for you, and getting together with Karen to see how we can make it better project for all of you. It is a project I am proud of. I am not sure if you know this, but the RRC was Karen's idea. It all came about because she was being a good friend to me. I was a little down in dumps, and she suggested a photography challenge between she and I. I took the challenge, and then she did one I suggested, and pretty soon some friends asked to join us, and the Round Robin Challenges was born! I don't remember what I said GOODBYE to in order to say HELLO to the challenges every 2 weeks, but whatever it was, it didn't matter. Something special had begun.

Sometimes HELLOS upset my equilibrium in really good ways. :)

Great... now I have Hello/Goodbye by the Beatles in my head! Sheesh I'm simple. LOL.

It's not really GOODBYE. I will still be around. I will be playing along with the challenges once in a while, and I still have the Monday Photo Shoot. If you want to play along, you are more then welcome to join in. Check out this blog each Monday morning... at exactly 12 midnight ET... for our next Monday Photo Shoot assignment. Whoops... there goes that structure stuff again!

:) Thanks for all the fun everyone... GO BE PHOTOGRAPHERS! Love ya!

Now that you have read my entry, go check out what my fellow Robins are up to! Just click on the links below!

**Welcome to our NEW PARTICIPANTS!

Carly...Ellipsis
Posted!

Karen... Outpost Mavarin
Posted!

Monica... Shutterly Happy - The Photo Blog
Posted!

Freda... Day One
Posted!

**Kelley... Silent Serenade


**Analee... Sugar & Spice And Everything Gneiss
Posted!

Jama... Sweet Memories
Posted!

Flashbulb 100w


Peg... Who Can Discover It?
Posted!

Vicki... Maraca
Posted!

Julie... Another Chance Ranch
Posted!

Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
Posted!

-Carly

Things I Think About While Watching The Evening News...

From For Ellipsis

"Nothing travels faster then light, with the possible exception of bad news, which follows it's own rules."

-Douglas Adams

This entry is rated PG-13

A lot has happened in the last few weeks. I haven't written much about how I feel about things, because just as one thing took place, something else came along before I could reflect on the previous event. Sigh. Like I said, a lot has happened. So, to get it off my chest, is an ALL NEWS version of my series "Things I Think About While..." Feel free to share what you think as well.

Things I Think About While Watching The Evening News...

1. Farrah Fawcett. I am very sad about the passing of Farrah Fawcett. What woman my age didn't have Farrah hair back in the late 70's? I remember when I finally styled my hair that way, and how feminine and sexy it made me feel. I wore my hair that way for a few years, finally moving on to a Stevie Nicks mermaid perm in the 80's. As sad as I am that she has passed, I am relieved for her that Cancer will no longer be tormenting her. I HATE CANCER"S GUTS!

2. Michael Jackson. Sigh. While still feeling so sad about Farrah, the shocking news about the death of Michael Jackson came as an exclusive from TMZ. What strikes me is that it really didn't surprise me. So sad that. The first thing I thought of was that people of my generation took a jarring hit that day. Two amazing icons of my time, gone on the same day, for two different reasons. I began to hear some of Jackson's early music in my head, and remember a discussion I had with a friend when I was about 7 or 8. Who was better? The Jackson 5, The Partridge Family, or Donny Osmond? Clearly it was the Jackson 5! Yeah, I may not have realized it, but I was a fan. I am sorry about the torment MJ had in his life, like Farrah, I hope he is at peace.

3. Anderson Cooper or Keith Olbermann? Keith Olbermann. :)

4. North Korea. Shit. So, in an act of defiance, they decided to launch more missiles. I am so DAMN tired of little shit countries kicking America in the shins. For the most part I am a pacifist, but there are times when I wish AMERICA would stand up and just bomb the shit out of North Korea and really send a message. Then I reel myself back in, and think about the innocent people in that country who are being held in unspeakable oppression, and I comeback to my senses and ideals. I don't think I will ever forgive George Bush for taking North Korea, and the threat they pose, for granted. Thanks a lot George.

5. Al Franken. It's about time he take his senate seat. Norm Coleman dragged this thing out because he was worried about his political career more then he cared about the people of his state. Shame on him!

6. S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford. Sheesh. Ok, so another cheesy politician has cheated on his wife. Does this really shock you? Really? Now, what did shock me was his going to Argentina and not leaving someone in charge? It's like he wanted to draw attention to himself. Oh well, I guess I just think that the affair alone shouldn't be grounds for removal from office, especially in that he apparently has been cleared of using state funds to pay for his trysts. However, one thing Mark Sanford may want to know... Never... EVER tell your wife that you are going to "try to fall back in love with her!" Can't you almost picture him standing there making an "errr errr" sound like he has constipation and just can't make go!?

7. Bernie Madoff. 150 years in prison. Nothing more to say. See ya.

8. Ruth Madoff. If she didn't know about her husband's misdeeds, then I feel very sorry for her. She will now have to endure life as an outcast. It will be a very different kind of prison for her. There are news reports that say that some apartment houses in Manhattan refuse to rent to her because of the whole mess. Sigh. Understandable in some respects, and sad in others. If she made a deal with federal prosecutors, or they felt there wasn't enough evidence to bring her to trial, shouldn't she be able to exist at least on a basic level? In some ways, Ruth Madoff will have it much worse then her husband will. Maybe I am a hopeless chump, but I have a small amount of sympathy for her situation, but no sympathy for what brought her to it.

9. Sarah Palin. Nothing this lady does makes sense. I can understand how the pressure can get to a person, but she has embraced the national stage since her run for the vice presidency. Sigh. I think she will seek the presidency in 2012, but will the party embrace her after proving herself a quitter?

10. A Baby Gorilla Named Hasani. I thought I would end things on a happier note. There is a baby gorilla at the San Francisco Zoo, Hasani, that had been rejected by his mother. Well, they were able to find him a surrogate mama, and he is now doing just wonderfully. He makes me smile. If you feel like you need a smile, there are pictures and videos of him. Just click the link below. :) Say hello to Hasani.

Hasani at the San Francisco Zoo

"The only gossip I am interested in is things from the Weekly World News - "Woman's bra bursts, 11 injured." That kind of thing.

-Johnny Depp

-Carly