tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87746255928302614792024-03-17T20:03:04.119-07:00The Glass Charactera high and dizzy life Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.comBlogger5607125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-27040358924143640552024-03-15T17:44:00.000-07:002024-03-15T17:48:43.796-07:00Hey, hey, hey. . . KATE's OKAY!<p> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSdEHhL5hsjJpYbrU4xSs_cEDRYP-m2-ZK8i7MjzA83ViREcHMHMgP_0Cvh3QHu_GPyicBxpWahdlbCAh6agUg3coS73XpzRZkn2fK0okhchU1xVe9HiHOML3cBYmahSmxS4FXztsPJqIn0F7Fgb5JxUiZhVUiziIAiJnjCPwHDYXpJoTJGqhkkBpH0E/s1350/zzzzkate1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSdEHhL5hsjJpYbrU4xSs_cEDRYP-m2-ZK8i7MjzA83ViREcHMHMgP_0Cvh3QHu_GPyicBxpWahdlbCAh6agUg3coS73XpzRZkn2fK0okhchU1xVe9HiHOML3cBYmahSmxS4FXztsPJqIn0F7Fgb5JxUiZhVUiziIAiJnjCPwHDYXpJoTJGqhkkBpH0E/w512-h640/zzzzkate1.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I wasn't going to deal with this at all, except. . . it's been a slow week, I've been sick with the double-whammy of a nasty headcold and fierce spring allergies, and what the hell. I needed a distraction from "it", which is what I now call the so-called-Sussexes, those supremely boring ex-royals in which I've completely lost interest. But then<i> this</i> popped up!<br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">After not being seen in public since Christmas, amid the usual swirling rumors about what the hell has happened to her, THIS photo of Kate Middleton with the kids was released, and right away everyone thought it was fishy.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Which it is.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yP1Ptu1FZXTzuDWWHZme901XHPc3bThiVxuTqVchFE8FN-OMQ_8a0Lxn8nnebMam_8f0_05HBZzzgizRjMjRznWFMunMfSPACWFf5NfmEVxKMw6Yyp8Mrw-ZggHnnUS9vfrIMGPiMdm0b5HhyYcUXnUm_3vrv_6wN0__RzCFOa_n1xmpBW5sNdR6q4U/s974/zzzzkate2%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yP1Ptu1FZXTzuDWWHZme901XHPc3bThiVxuTqVchFE8FN-OMQ_8a0Lxn8nnebMam_8f0_05HBZzzgizRjMjRznWFMunMfSPACWFf5NfmEVxKMw6Yyp8Mrw-ZggHnnUS9vfrIMGPiMdm0b5HhyYcUXnUm_3vrv_6wN0__RzCFOa_n1xmpBW5sNdR6q4U/w354-h640/zzzzkate2%20(2).jpg" width="354" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>A few teeny-tiny mistakes were made in the photoshopping - and yes, indeed, the image was photoshopped TWICE according to the "metadata", the digital information every public photo now yields. With </span><i>Adobe, </i><span>which is the one I use, for God's sake - the equivalent of manipulating a photo using your thumbs.</span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Worse than that, the news agencies looked at it and immediately became alarmed, then "killed" it (pulled it from all the papers, wire services, etc.) - something that generally only happens with suspicious images from North Korea or the Oval Office. So what was actually going on? All too soon, a very lame-sounding "apology" was issued implying Kate herself had botched it up. Which is, to quote the Brits, "not bloody likely".</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1xydgkzsRxZzQNEHHS3ujj8qe4rN9iOo-Th__4QhAwJYo98cBP_sbCziRVp-Iry67SufiNYk4ur6sPlYtqUBLh3Gbbe-RGkTZE2Hzg1pnfaqtf7JBVhK6zagqqYtpE0XxZvBTLa4_D0O7JIwPQkmFHPz9mC3Dl8GotRg2XKqyPptoBExaDM_8kve42oc/s900/zzzzkate3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1xydgkzsRxZzQNEHHS3ujj8qe4rN9iOo-Th__4QhAwJYo98cBP_sbCziRVp-Iry67SufiNYk4ur6sPlYtqUBLh3Gbbe-RGkTZE2Hzg1pnfaqtf7JBVhK6zagqqYtpE0XxZvBTLa4_D0O7JIwPQkmFHPz9mC3Dl8GotRg2XKqyPptoBExaDM_8kve42oc/w426-h640/zzzzkate3.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />This has led to some alarming theories, not to mention some highly-entertaining memes on social media, along with newly-fired-up speculation about where and how Kate actually is (IF she is - some say the worst has happened already). Now rumors are surging to the forefront about Prince William's affair with his old flame, Rose Whateverhername is, and the fact she is now pregnant with their SECOND love child.<br /><br />I told you it was weird.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-8Ptfl9ruQInuIIt7M0Yw_1JV10a-0Qw_bVrfLYWIt9a2qi_TVVSa-QR3W25wKsnpvrbyc0MIG_d_SqdbqXjLIZDyzQRCe943Y8XHE4fS4NbWpTS3wR7oGeUOGeK5yhUlXwWhsy3Km4CdZ5Qz0Uf2sBdQtMlpRq9j5xBWR8mxcnlaG88YfES1m_GQuc/s1250/zzzzkate4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1250" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-8Ptfl9ruQInuIIt7M0Yw_1JV10a-0Qw_bVrfLYWIt9a2qi_TVVSa-QR3W25wKsnpvrbyc0MIG_d_SqdbqXjLIZDyzQRCe943Y8XHE4fS4NbWpTS3wR7oGeUOGeK5yhUlXwWhsy3Km4CdZ5Qz0Uf2sBdQtMlpRq9j5xBWR8mxcnlaG88YfES1m_GQuc/w516-h342/zzzzkate4.jpg" width="516" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;">I must say that Kate makes a rather handsome man, which is more than I can say about most "trans" men who still look like women. That beard is rather striking. But not "manipulated", surely?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQD3iPPiyJfkDabieRCwkSny1c4ZHvuDhXhIRd3q5fNLMjvIfjSL1qhauQ5SKMFqnab9jM3UVy6qKggjh0o-1H2xEYfuflKeX-kFHyXeeyXGXS8uxO8gYfUIfXuVQIC_VOWQsEvT5Spgq1NDM4ZqBXPRuNa8IYCUC0cWJB6p6kNCRHS5Fmzp3eUiHJ4BE/s680/zzzzkate5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="680" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQD3iPPiyJfkDabieRCwkSny1c4ZHvuDhXhIRd3q5fNLMjvIfjSL1qhauQ5SKMFqnab9jM3UVy6qKggjh0o-1H2xEYfuflKeX-kFHyXeeyXGXS8uxO8gYfUIfXuVQIC_VOWQsEvT5Spgq1NDM4ZqBXPRuNa8IYCUC0cWJB6p6kNCRHS5Fmzp3eUiHJ4BE/w448-h277/zzzzkate5.jpg" width="448" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />But this is my personal favorite. No doubt naughty Kate cut-and-pasted this one, late at night, with her thumbs, just in time for Mother's Day, which in Britain is on March 10 for some reason (and the brilliant green leaves and grass in the background added yet another element of unreality to the thing).</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">But never fear, I've found a number of charming photos which prove that there's <i>nothing to see here at all</i>. I've titled my gif presentation: Hey, Hey, Hey. . . KATE'S OKAY!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And if she really DID photoshop these, she has obviously learned from her mistakes.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFNKXy2LSPJFPCbtWgZLsadUL_PyKjquxyFJfIYIPIHRcWyZxIATbV4rKE1sXFTG3yRU1kP89XXfmeDqc2e5ypaytJnPJ0LZlMMgLGS_tGSTgZpV9WnPywTGorSY-CmZxpEZxT0a_R9LMvhyphenhyphenssFRxbHzzpVKYsaPpOMuNcTjaGpKQYudTL7yJuHRqYa8/s605/zzzzzzzzfinalkategiflllll.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="600" height="455" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFNKXy2LSPJFPCbtWgZLsadUL_PyKjquxyFJfIYIPIHRcWyZxIATbV4rKE1sXFTG3yRU1kP89XXfmeDqc2e5ypaytJnPJ0LZlMMgLGS_tGSTgZpV9WnPywTGorSY-CmZxpEZxT0a_R9LMvhyphenhyphenssFRxbHzzpVKYsaPpOMuNcTjaGpKQYudTL7yJuHRqYa8/w451-h455/zzzzzzzzfinalkategiflllll.gif" width="451" /></a></div><p></p></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-43937679086091826742024-03-15T17:17:00.000-07:002024-03-15T17:17:27.228-07:00I'm in a Pogo state of mind. . . <p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8H39FWd_5YDVYl3EhvtdsoprBvHrVgTv5srIhyphenhyphen1yKRT3A9_YlQR1DjEx119mMK7AeYP58epgpKhnoqdJekHHqbjO8iTL7kIOypRluAqdTHOnCaMMfbQDsGERdg4-m0tceKRxGU7qwhq2gO7eUxwAsXED4zBEiKdc5HM6cC3a_JxbDL9vdTpMcx1oEXaw/s400/zzzzzzzzpolo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="340" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8H39FWd_5YDVYl3EhvtdsoprBvHrVgTv5srIhyphenhyphen1yKRT3A9_YlQR1DjEx119mMK7AeYP58epgpKhnoqdJekHHqbjO8iTL7kIOypRluAqdTHOnCaMMfbQDsGERdg4-m0tceKRxGU7qwhq2gO7eUxwAsXED4zBEiKdc5HM6cC3a_JxbDL9vdTpMcx1oEXaw/w420-h494/zzzzzzzzpolo.jpg" width="420" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Today I'm just in a Pogo state of mind. Hardly anyone remembers Pogo now, as even in his heyday in the 1950s, it was a sort of niche market. Though Walt Kelly's artwork was brilliant and sometimes breathtaking, people complained about all that darned TEXT. The things those characters SAID, the way they talked with each other and expressed things about life that were so neatly nutshelled, no one really appreciated how brilliantly succinct they were. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">He made it look easy.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This one is a personal favorite because it makes us laugh, and then it makes us - oh. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Oh, so true.</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDDAYtA4DobuCEQnh19nWj5n1PNobqnJTlPZLK0Yi0AzuxNwyeunP8mNdEiKcq7LCFJCy4uvNL8dNzTKsGvNO8ZfZGuwDUnEYJAYw42d8AcamBdmv6Wsh61HstSFx_f5O2NeL34hmwhyAwZvmx4IlIRwJBK-x4ReSSJdRb4RDB53HyXBJFc3Cg-MqdCg/s350/zzzzzzzpolo2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="281" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDDAYtA4DobuCEQnh19nWj5n1PNobqnJTlPZLK0Yi0AzuxNwyeunP8mNdEiKcq7LCFJCy4uvNL8dNzTKsGvNO8ZfZGuwDUnEYJAYw42d8AcamBdmv6Wsh61HstSFx_f5O2NeL34hmwhyAwZvmx4IlIRwJBK-x4ReSSJdRb4RDB53HyXBJFc3Cg-MqdCg/w442-h550/zzzzzzzpolo2.jpg" width="442" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />Right now, the Church of Pogo is about the only religion I have, and the only one that hasn't totally disillusioned or even damaged me. How to say it in a handful of words? Human beings have taken something which MIGHT have been a wonderful concept, and utterly poisoned it. We just do not know how to access a state of grace, which to me is what "God" represents. <br /><br /><br />But even then, Pogo knew.<br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-i2uxnL-8qpC4Z_5Eyr697Nbmtj8fkPWovk8cyH2BG45W1cuyH7pDKv7-_2NVSTXRLpT3O3PGRjhSGZgqQuzSYehKcQ6Cd0hxvrwJEVaMcsBh7s4vOMkb-y0f5Rkp7hNrMnSHjrhuA2k8DhgtZvAhT5EIHrM5lcH1K6HNgqnxsVqFqwDu7ePA1VKktEg/s637/zzzzzzzzzx0000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="637" height="437" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-i2uxnL-8qpC4Z_5Eyr697Nbmtj8fkPWovk8cyH2BG45W1cuyH7pDKv7-_2NVSTXRLpT3O3PGRjhSGZgqQuzSYehKcQ6Cd0hxvrwJEVaMcsBh7s4vOMkb-y0f5Rkp7hNrMnSHjrhuA2k8DhgtZvAhT5EIHrM5lcH1K6HNgqnxsVqFqwDu7ePA1VKktEg/w437-h437/zzzzzzzzzx0000.jpg" width="437" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">This one, perhaps the most famous Pogo-ism of all, has kind of a strange backstory. Kelly was invited to speak at some sort of event, and to conclude it he said, "We will soon discover that we have met the enemy - and not only may he be ours, he may be us." Or words to that effect. Only then did people latch on to it, and only then did he incorporate it into one of his most famous cartoons.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiteLV9YtPUahEuYrguXdQJ6_NuzHMTJUqhIKxzjI5XcnYs0CgtbmwMRVckht8XjQG3yvcoMaEjj3cGmwOkYd9o5bKuOy7nLqPV1qTd0NikxEvqJGQkJxR-m9DM1AvUqzCC_BiY3P7dMQdF_9dRZKqVCShuIYeql8TIQswrfmtJW9LgI9WnaLEWp3VMNFs/s362/zzzzzzzzzzx22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="362" data-original-width="241" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiteLV9YtPUahEuYrguXdQJ6_NuzHMTJUqhIKxzjI5XcnYs0CgtbmwMRVckht8XjQG3yvcoMaEjj3cGmwOkYd9o5bKuOy7nLqPV1qTd0NikxEvqJGQkJxR-m9DM1AvUqzCC_BiY3P7dMQdF_9dRZKqVCShuIYeql8TIQswrfmtJW9LgI9WnaLEWp3VMNFs/w342-h514/zzzzzzzzzzx22.jpg" width="342" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">This one just spoke to me the other day when I was so royally pissed-off at a family member I have never liked, but who phones me several times a year (I have never once phoned her in 30+ years, because I never want to talk to her). I finally did what I should have done decades ago and cut her off. Now she's furious and feels I owe her an apology and insists she was only trying to HELP me, for God's sake, be an advocate for all my experiential fuckups. ., . never mind. She is gone out of my life forever, as far as I am concerned, and high time, too.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: large;">YOU GO, POGO!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkOOk3mkaAn8Yps8A2v80QZlbFbBLrZY3-JdRuF5umviyZ6cE8YNwEcBF5g9MJQNgAXI7PuYaCgJK4Wy6la2JvTrefZHsMvES78DElPvoB-66x_cv37WSawIwLKtaIJ4jG_5vPcDFjDO9PGVJ8gJY4tYZxy4-M_Ovp0gJAb92YOW4T9n4zmVPmG1JL5IE/s400/zzzzzzzzpolo9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="400" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkOOk3mkaAn8Yps8A2v80QZlbFbBLrZY3-JdRuF5umviyZ6cE8YNwEcBF5g9MJQNgAXI7PuYaCgJK4Wy6la2JvTrefZHsMvES78DElPvoB-66x_cv37WSawIwLKtaIJ4jG_5vPcDFjDO9PGVJ8gJY4tYZxy4-M_Ovp0gJAb92YOW4T9n4zmVPmG1JL5IE/w458-h438/zzzzzzzzpolo9.jpg" width="458" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-59234297132120087962024-03-13T13:56:00.000-07:002024-03-13T17:03:08.559-07:00All, Some, None (or "this but not that") - words to live by, especially now<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i> </i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJIPCqM3FMXgw7WWZOs-ItscY0MeIpj9goKu9IlGvYE-zdP06c850pVJd08RHgtgRLiky-YAko7YcvLSSeC9yWq6eZ4FqZkMDfsoCHntm3o2NXMfoX5v44bSGWXY2Kv8abLvysCqTdQiTo2MBcX3CfKrfjnEGCZev51YLqPkutE2uLijaYIGMl1hoIZgQ/s557/zzzzzzzzzzxxxxxxx.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="557" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJIPCqM3FMXgw7WWZOs-ItscY0MeIpj9goKu9IlGvYE-zdP06c850pVJd08RHgtgRLiky-YAko7YcvLSSeC9yWq6eZ4FqZkMDfsoCHntm3o2NXMfoX5v44bSGWXY2Kv8abLvysCqTdQiTo2MBcX3CfKrfjnEGCZev51YLqPkutE2uLijaYIGMl1hoIZgQ/w432-h397/zzzzzzzzzzxxxxxxx.jpg" width="432" /></a></i></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span><p></p><p><i style="font-size: large;">After a particularly hair-raising and horrendous phone call from a relative I secretly can't stand (and whom I have never once phoned myself, though she calls me at least several times a year and begins to bombard me with highly-personal questions), I wrote this Facebook post and ran it with the photo above. I won't break up the text with images this time, as I like to do, because I really don't have the energy right now. It comes at a time when I already feel vulnerable due to another family member's sensitive crisis, and </i><i style="font-size: large;">information that has been entrusted to me which I now realize I cannot and will not violate</i><span style="font-size: large;">.</span></p><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Maybe I should title this "things you shouldn't share on social media". It's a timely subject, particularly in light of the fact that we're now realizing that "delete" doesn't really mean "delete", that people can screenshot and save anything you post and use it for whatever purpose they choose, even years and years later - and in whatever distorted form they want to.</span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">I have no complaint with sharing stuff that's sensitive, and I've done quite a bit of it myself over the years. This has led some people to believe that because I brought up certain subjects, I am quite willing to share EVERYTHING that has EVER happened to me in that area, including things that I went through literally decades ago. </span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Am I still the shy, smiling young girl you see in this picture? Well, no - and bringing up some of the worst things that ever happened to her is - what shall I say? - not productive. This is particularly true if the person unearthing these archival incidents is not sharing ANY of their own personal struggles, but is hiding behind a sort of social worker position. When that happens, I feel "studied", and it's not sharing on any meaningful level. It is not identification, and it is the farthest thing from empathy that I can imagine.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">I learned some valuable things about boundaries many years ago, little gemstones I carry around in my pocket, which have never been more useful than they are right now.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">"This but not that." Does that sound simple? It is, but not easy to actually do. In other words, I may be comfortable sharing THIS feeling, incident, situation, etc., but not THAT one. The topic is not wide open for discussion simply because I have brought it up. Most especially, it's not helpful if the incidents the person is bringing up are things I would obviously rather forget.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">This is a related issue, but very important. If someone asks you to do something (and especially, if you ask YOURSELF to do something), you can do ALL, SOME, or NONE of it. These are all good choices, and each one of them serves you in the moment. But it is entirely your own choice, and if you get pushback from people (especially wanting ALL when your choice is SOME or NONE), that is their concern and not yours. This has nothing at all to do with them. And "no" is a complete sentence.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">We talk about boundaries, but in the Wild West of social media, it seems like boundaries are beginning to dissolve. I have shared some things on my blog that I honestly thought were OK to repost here (it's easy and can be done with the click of a button) - but my blog is personal, my following small, and generally speaking the content won't be held up for scrutiny in the same way.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Another issue that comes up a lot is the value of going public. It used to be seen as really admirable, but it's a whole new ballgame now. Back when I wrote columns for community newspapers, one or two people might appreciate what I wrote or how much of myself I shared. Now it's simply "out there", or up there, where people can either misinterpret it, or just assume I am willing to reveal more (and more and more!) about myself. </span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">This but not that. All, some, none. It's time for me to pull those valuable gemstones out of my pocket once again. </span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">On social media you can be anyone you want to be. You don't even have to use your real name. The person asking you all those uncomfortable questions or digging up incidents from forty years ago can easily take on the safely-defended role of a "mental health professional" (even though they're usually not), safely removed from the actual messy reality of your own experience. But something worse might happen next, and often does. That person then uses your moment of vulnerability to benefit themselves. </span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Several years ago I dumped Facebook because it had become a drag that wasn't adding anything to my life. Now I honestly wonder how much it might be taking away. I know a lot of people who have stopped posting, perhaps wisely. If I do partake of this, I won't assume things I wrote five or ten years ago will have the same impact. Things have changed radically, and we must watch out for people who are, in a subtle way. predators. </span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Maybe cat videos and the odd family photo might be safer for me here, as I realizes now I don't want to be public property, even in the most minor way. I'll also make an effort to pay more attention to my own discomfort, and not allow even the most subtle form of exploitation to take place. </span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">For that is what it is.</span></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-26643775649173456762024-03-07T22:35:00.000-08:002024-03-07T22:35:54.355-08:00Why I hate "mental health"<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfHzZeh4t-LE-6nUQ3VLLPoD5kLplHyCH-H-MrHfVOKEwbzP5qs2cz_Q4Pkza2xu9CPegPcwUcgOl3c0y0B7nqwVtaBeuNEr4hysEHjV0fObA2LRqbU3etPBJOIMiOMJzdXaF_hFFnFKsqB7D2YRw6-YUxzj_onHQ-jfJugL4GVyK2eG7AP9yuxShyphenhyphenzk/s843/zzzzzzzzzzp099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="843" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfHzZeh4t-LE-6nUQ3VLLPoD5kLplHyCH-H-MrHfVOKEwbzP5qs2cz_Q4Pkza2xu9CPegPcwUcgOl3c0y0B7nqwVtaBeuNEr4hysEHjV0fObA2LRqbU3etPBJOIMiOMJzdXaF_hFFnFKsqB7D2YRw6-YUxzj_onHQ-jfJugL4GVyK2eG7AP9yuxShyphenhyphenzk/w408-h408/zzzzzzzzzzp099.jpg" width="408" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I hate buzzwords and fads, and they exist in every single area of human endeavour. The one I hear repeatedly now is "mental health". But what does it mean? Scratch a little deeper, and it usually refers to a celebrity or public figure "admitting" he or she experienced depression, but always in the deep past, at a safe distance.</span></div></div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Anxiety is big these days - it always has been - but it's just what folks get when things are this bad, hard-wired into our brain evolution. But what about schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and - the big, bad boogeyman of "mental health" - PSYCHOSIS?</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">One day I tried to count the number of times I heard or read terms meaning "crazy", and I stopped after fifteen. It includes nut case, whack job, cracked, batshit crazy, psycho, and on and on (I don't even need to tell you, do I?), with facilities to house these undesirables called the nut house, the booby hatch, the funny farm, the whatever. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQBCOBtb3GzNHlbqg3ry58hX8ZHZanI-CSLAgQDaWOwQnCoD-95X142KjIorejbl9L_WddT99dUyLcxnoLUJzsPaINSCcQlOR7oBJvU26x5uHa6m7Kjg_3wGbQfYkBjrTldauM83VrQ09BNvajmv7GB7LvgZPPRnSKWcg_JB6sJtD30sM9oFOwv0EFXU/s279/zzzzzzzzzx222.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="180" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQBCOBtb3GzNHlbqg3ry58hX8ZHZanI-CSLAgQDaWOwQnCoD-95X142KjIorejbl9L_WddT99dUyLcxnoLUJzsPaINSCcQlOR7oBJvU26x5uHa6m7Kjg_3wGbQfYkBjrTldauM83VrQ09BNvajmv7GB7LvgZPPRnSKWcg_JB6sJtD30sM9oFOwv0EFXU/w283-h438/zzzzzzzzzx222.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Want to know what Merriam-Webster's dictionary has to say? I've copied and pasted all the synonyms, verbatim. Buckle in.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Insane</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="sn"></span></span><div class="sense-content w-100"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><div class="as-in-word">as in <em>psychotic</em></div><span class="dt">having or showing a very abnormal or sick state of mind </span></span></span></div><div class="sense-content w-100"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span class="dt"><span class="sub-content-thread ex-sent first-child t no-aq sents"><span class="thread-anchor"></span><span class="d-block thread-anchor-content pb-1">"only an <em class="mw_t_it">insane</em> person would intentionally jump off a skyscraper"</span></span></span></span><span class="thes-list sim-list-scored"><span><div class="thes-list-header"><div class="thes-list-header-row d-flex"><p class="function-label">Synonyms & Similar Words</p><div class="thes-relevance-meter text-right d-flex flex-grow-1 align-items-end flex-column"><div class="meter"><div data-bs-custom-class="relevance-meter-tooltip" data-bs-original-title="Brighter orange indicates the best word choice for most uses, based on machine learning and editorial review." data-bs-placement="top" data-bs-toggle="tooltip" title=""><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/psychotic">psychotic</a> </div></div></div></div></div></span><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lunatic">lunatic</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mad">mad</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nuts">nuts</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crazy">crazy</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maniacal">maniacal</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maniac">maniac</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mental">mental</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaga">gaga</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paranoid">paranoid</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crazed">crazed</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/psycho">psycho</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paranoidal">paranoidal</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deranged">deranged</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/looney">looney</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whacky">whacky</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disturbed">disturbed</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demented">demented</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strange">strange</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irrational">irrational</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhinged">unhinged</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loony">loony</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whacko">whacko</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nutty">nutty</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unbalanced">unbalanced</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cuckoo">cuckoo</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wacko">wacko</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwy">screwy</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eccentric">eccentric</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/certifiable">certifiable</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wacky">wacky</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ballistic">ballistic</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/batty">batty</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bonkers">bonkers</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracked">cracked</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bedlam">bedlam</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/daft">daft</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unreasonable">unreasonable</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/around%20the%20bend">around the bend</a></span></span></div><div class="sense-content w-100"><span class="thes-list sim-list-scored"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/haywire">haywire</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kooky">kooky</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foolish">foolish</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/odd">odd</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barmy">barmy</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depressed">depressed</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/daffy">daffy</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loony%20tunes">loony tunes</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obsessed">obsessed</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crackbrained">crackbrained</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bughouse">bughouse</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/meshuga">meshuga</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/out%20to%20lunch">out to lunch</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moonstruck">moonstruck</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loco">loco</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crackpot">crackpot</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsound">unsound</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scatty">scatty</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/non%20compos%20mentis">non compos mentis</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brainsick">brainsick</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kookie">kookie</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hysteric">hysteric</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bats">bats</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/meshuggah">meshuggah</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frantic">frantic</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/looney%20tunes">looney tunes</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distraught">distraught</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/meshugah">meshugah</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hysterical">hysterical</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distracted">distracted</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/schizophrenic">schizophrenic</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balmy">balmy</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/meshugge">meshugge</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delusional">delusional</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fruity">fruity</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off">off</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wud">wud</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paranoic">paranoic</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/neurotic">neurotic</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delirious">delirious</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cranky">cranky</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loopy">loopy</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fey">fey</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sociopathic">sociopathic</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/schizoid">schizoid</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/out%20of%20one" mind="" s="">out of one's mind</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off%20one" rocker="" s="">off one's rocker</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obsessive-compulsive">obsessive-compulsive</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paranoiac">paranoiac</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delusionary">delusionary</a><br /><a gourd="" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off%20one" s="">off one's gourd</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crackers">crackers</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/queer">queer</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disordered">disordered</a><br /><a head="" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off%20one" s="">off one's head</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oddball">oddball</a></span></span></div><div class="sense-content w-100"><span class="thes-list sim-list-scored"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aberrant">aberrant</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tetched">tetched</a><br /><a head="" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/out%20of%20one" s="">out of one's head</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nuclear">nuclear</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touched">touched</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dotty">dotty</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/berserk">berserk</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/witless">witless</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pixillated">pixillated</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pixilated">pixilated</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amuck">amuck</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raving">raving</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/senseless">senseless</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monomaniacal">monomaniacal</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frenzied">frenzied</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/potty">potty</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teched">teched</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ape">ape</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amok">amok</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wigged-out">wigged-out</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monomaniac">monomaniac</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fixated">fixated</a><br /><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bananas">bananas</a></span></span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">These nasty epithets have INCREASED in the past couple of years, and I sense that public contempt for "crazies" has grown exponentially. At the same time, every day and in every way, we hear the term bandied about: <i>mental health, mental health, mental health.</i> I suspect there is considerable <i>schadenfreude</i> involved, in that people love to watch other people's crises. It's a great spectator sport. And it's almost (but not quite) a badge of honour now for a celebrity to take a little break from their multi-billion-dollar career to "work on their mental health".</span></div><div><i style="font-size: large;"><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>But they don't know what they are talking about. </i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnpenqKNlb3my1Mn2HVA60u6XIHyQzzQbJk3kYYOpaB_LOyVkVoTRKedM4QXL4DRC-aoob43MXiL7fYe1xDpiF57BtW4evQadLLxz5d3VFN9u9HQEhSBGxmjd6518JfUMhyphenhyphen9vmQxb4cBLrSyVI1vl6J0QD4XOo88JjVvdq5qJZTapbq0h9icAQxd2WuK0/s1280/zzzzzzzzzzxww.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1280" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnpenqKNlb3my1Mn2HVA60u6XIHyQzzQbJk3kYYOpaB_LOyVkVoTRKedM4QXL4DRC-aoob43MXiL7fYe1xDpiF57BtW4evQadLLxz5d3VFN9u9HQEhSBGxmjd6518JfUMhyphenhyphen9vmQxb4cBLrSyVI1vl6J0QD4XOo88JjVvdq5qJZTapbq0h9icAQxd2WuK0/w451-h226/zzzzzzzzzzxww.jpg" width="451" /></a></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>These people who so delicately refer to "mental health" know nothing at all of the real deal, how it can be life-threatening, and how it can take every fibre of your being to put your life back together after an "episode</span><span>". The confusion and the lurching moods, the baffled and frightened loved ones, the endless trials on medications that seem to make matters worse - but this is only part of the story.</span></span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I don't know how many times I've been in psychiatric wards, because I don't remember those horrendous passages in my life very well, nor do I wish to. But there were no cards, no flowers, and most definitely, <i>no visitors.</i> Who would want to go<i> there?</i> Or did they just assume someone in that "state" did not want or require visitors? The people around me just pretended it hadn't happened, or told people I was "away".</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">No doubt if I'd had my tonsils out, it would have been a different story. But it's obvious that something as horrendous as a tonsillectomy would <i>require </i>sweet gifts and cards and visits, whereas that other thing - well - </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7Eud4jS4PRwrl4uO9kJpg-iRDBvif4Teyqi1ccseeRtCdtW3MXNgd-Coh_L18eX2_BS4g8yHORX9femBXuE5mIBGCIXnbhe8phD5GFsCkQB0o-9Pm3wN7cZcPX5b68sNBSZSAxJMi2m57TpRZ4Gs9RYu2Co_UCImgTquVx3_eVWGB3_kf_mej7VEr5k/s274/zzzzzzzzzx8888.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="184" data-original-width="274" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7Eud4jS4PRwrl4uO9kJpg-iRDBvif4Teyqi1ccseeRtCdtW3MXNgd-Coh_L18eX2_BS4g8yHORX9femBXuE5mIBGCIXnbhe8phD5GFsCkQB0o-9Pm3wN7cZcPX5b68sNBSZSAxJMi2m57TpRZ4Gs9RYu2Co_UCImgTquVx3_eVWGB3_kf_mej7VEr5k/w401-h269/zzzzzzzzzx8888.jpg" width="401" /></a></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I remember sitting in a women's group in which we were encouraged to "share" some particularly vulnerable experiences in our lives. I made the huge mistake of saying I had recently been in the hospital, and as I talked, I noticed the woman sitting next to me was acting as if she had suddenly developed an all-over body rash. Then she said, "I'm sorry", got up from the chair and moved away from me. She apologized profusely, saying "I'm sorry, I just can't hear stories about the psycho ward." No one objected, and the group went on talking, though the temperature of the room had dipped slightly.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicSV2cvkD4MPpo4d1P3vc9s7YRUY77EkcaPTeaQpQjKvCRdOcAuTbpO7VHEtY261wTt__tm8rMC6SwsRbnTs_8ylaVsJUUFUNxXNMCRWAzoiJn4LkDDPUvvN_okG0H5CdJKwdutcH8YZSx90QXjOb4eoFQiol4Ez4MFVROfLFCPa8m4Jv9NbKyaYAjbLE/s456/zzzzzzzzzx888.jpg" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="456" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicSV2cvkD4MPpo4d1P3vc9s7YRUY77EkcaPTeaQpQjKvCRdOcAuTbpO7VHEtY261wTt__tm8rMC6SwsRbnTs_8ylaVsJUUFUNxXNMCRWAzoiJn4LkDDPUvvN_okG0H5CdJKwdutcH8YZSx90QXjOb4eoFQiol4Ez4MFVROfLFCPa8m4Jv9NbKyaYAjbLE/w396-h261/zzzzzzzzzx888.jpg" width="396" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I've heard people blow off "psychos" with such utter contempt that I have been tempted to grab them by the collar and say, "Look into my eyes. You are talking about ME." Not only that, it might be YOUR closest, dearest loved one, or even YOURSELF who may be next to bear that label of utter disgrace and contempt. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ohlA_GXPxPSZJb4RnedidV9WLO71Xd_iS3jIuctDsYJHwW5KskiBLUU6z2FAYB_VqgMe1ivBqdSB7VSyTK_MrmBTT532_Sq9y9m44IPAlRvHG8zoT7mC8UXobkgZFhPuWlbonNKQQbLMR3xhU__kX5LNcAnpixLvp_MLdFe4xQOCAnwAqodIhaLtSXY/s644/zzzzzzzzzx2222222.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="569" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ohlA_GXPxPSZJb4RnedidV9WLO71Xd_iS3jIuctDsYJHwW5KskiBLUU6z2FAYB_VqgMe1ivBqdSB7VSyTK_MrmBTT532_Sq9y9m44IPAlRvHG8zoT7mC8UXobkgZFhPuWlbonNKQQbLMR3xhU__kX5LNcAnpixLvp_MLdFe4xQOCAnwAqodIhaLtSXY/s320/zzzzzzzzzx2222222.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">There is no disgrace in a condition which has been part of humanity forever, and which is poorly-understood at best, even by professionals. Why people are now pretending so hard to understand it, or at least pretend to be more compassionate about it, is beyond me. I guess it's better than nothing - but not much. Maybe it's just an updated version of "thoughts and prayers", </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1RvVcYoP3OyTtMYCJltoDi3sM3YjFPkLJRWM2TK2nTzsWhSyXIsCrnP8cslGPbh29FaAz5Z5M5SdjlENBomRvK4yN4MB_yp93Vo24JPMq_JB4I7yP2Gm22nCQFiWF-HSVGcUSc-m4m6vxgQnHtKf5fcA0d5F2kNnWD60Et-x329euLg6SpJiprT4YPs/s300/zzzzzzzzzzx3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1RvVcYoP3OyTtMYCJltoDi3sM3YjFPkLJRWM2TK2nTzsWhSyXIsCrnP8cslGPbh29FaAz5Z5M5SdjlENBomRvK4yN4MB_yp93Vo24JPMq_JB4I7yP2Gm22nCQFiWF-HSVGcUSc-m4m6vxgQnHtKf5fcA0d5F2kNnWD60Et-x329euLg6SpJiprT4YPs/w282-h282/zzzzzzzzzzx3.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I say <i>fuck </i>the genteel, sanitized label of "mental health", particularly to display how compassionate and enlightened you are, and instead STOP referring to whack jobs and nut bars and try to see human beings as human beings. Is that such a tall order?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>AAAAAND</i>, just for reference, here are the ANTONYMS of "insane" from the Merriam-Webster dictionary:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><a class="text-decoration-none" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sane" style="font-size: large;"><span class="lozenge color-4">sane</span></a></div><div><a class="text-decoration-none" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reasonable" style="font-size: large;"><span class="lozenge color-4">reasonable</span></a></div><div><a class="text-decoration-none" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sound" style="font-size: large;"><span class="lozenge color-4">sound</span></a></div><div><a class="text-decoration-none" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/balanced" style="font-size: large;"><span class="lozenge color-4">balanced</span></a></div><div><a class="text-decoration-none" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rational" style="font-size: large;"><span class="lozenge color-4">rational</span></a></div><div><a class="text-decoration-none" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clear" style="font-size: large;"><span class="lozenge color-4">clear</span></a></div><div><a class="text-decoration-none" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/normal" style="font-size: large;"><span class="lozenge color-4">normal</span></a></div><div><a class="text-decoration-none" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wise" style="font-size: large;"><span class="lozenge color-3">wise</span></a></div><div><a class="text-decoration-none" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sensible" style="font-size: large;"><span class="lozenge color-3">sensible</span></a></div><div><a class="text-decoration-none" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lucid" style="font-size: large;"><span class="lozenge color-3">lucid</span></a></div><div><a class="text-decoration-none" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncrazy" style="font-size: large;"><span class="lozenge color-3">uncrazy</span></a></div><div><a class="text-decoration-none" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/judicious" style="font-size: large;"><span class="lozenge color-3">judicious</span></a></div><div><a class="text-decoration-none" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compos%20mentis" style="font-size: large;"><span class="lozenge color-3">compos mentis</span></a></div><div><a class="text-decoration-none" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/healthy" style="font-size: large;"><span class="lozenge color-3">healthy</span></a></div><div><a class="text-decoration-none" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/well-adjusted" style="font-size: large;"><span class="lozenge color-2">well<span class="sylbreak">-</span>adjusted</span></a></div><div><a class="text-decoration-none" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unneurotic" style="font-size: large;"><span class="lozenge color-1">unneurotic</span></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Doesn't quite match up. Does it?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">POST-BLOG THOUGHTS. I wrote this post several years ago, and if anything, it's even more true now. I believe you can still order "mental patient costumes" online for Halloween, and in my very own neighborhood, I've seen lawn decorations that said things like "DANGER! ESCAPED MENTAL PATIENT" (or looney or whack job or whatever the epithet of the day is). "The Mentally Ill" (a separate species, apparently) are still the stuff of horror, violence, and dread. The more extreme depictions in pop culture are virtually indistinguishable from that other celebrated cultural icon, the zombie.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">That means I'd better join the club, or <i>grab </i>a club or something, and start stalking the neighborhood. But I will ONLY pursue people who spew the meaningless term "mental health" left, right and centre - because everyone else is saying it now. It's just the thing to say.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVP7K7h0rInfnGJqXhoFSioLVW1eiBeWd4yLDCfZRHy1eQhYzjHtqeeDFI-K6imYf21c2ZDRRtmLPwoJaSYYWsco3AJGdMJnp30oW4lcPt6ERb9oOGlEsAk6r9u-VHH2e6t3uWSPi7zRd-Aq-WJEA9JHkUhjLsScCHQwHEzs00NFoGUWkvF61vAjh1O9Q/s1140/zzzzzzzzzx22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="1140" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVP7K7h0rInfnGJqXhoFSioLVW1eiBeWd4yLDCfZRHy1eQhYzjHtqeeDFI-K6imYf21c2ZDRRtmLPwoJaSYYWsco3AJGdMJnp30oW4lcPt6ERb9oOGlEsAk6r9u-VHH2e6t3uWSPi7zRd-Aq-WJEA9JHkUhjLsScCHQwHEzs00NFoGUWkvF61vAjh1O9Q/w443-h371/zzzzzzzzzx22.jpg" width="443" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-23193014707821224972024-03-07T16:51:00.000-08:002024-03-07T16:51:58.945-08:00This Cat is DRIVING a CAR!<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/DCwuQOb_M1I?si=hynDpJD5aAIJ-0qV" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DCwuQOb_M1I/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Maybe it's the mental space I'm in, but lately I am obsessed with cat memes. These are ludicrously primitive animations which have been cropped out of cat videos (and primitive animation is right up my alley!), with cats usually having conversations with each other, or, in this case, confidently and casually driving a car. I think most of them appear on TikTok, which means they make their way to YouTube as well. Who knows how long my obsession will last, but I'm enjoying this one, and it's so much better for me than cults or bad religion (two more of my obsessions). </span></div><div><br /></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-5703851203413335132024-02-29T20:25:00.000-08:002024-02-29T20:25:37.663-08:00"Yayayayayayayoo!" Green Screen Cat Memes<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/E--Oq3m4VNQ?si=zTd75pbj78-GSHZw" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Given that I have decided to DUMP anything remotely royal on YouTube (at long and bitter last), I had to fill the void with something. Then - somehow, some way - I discovered CAT MEMES, featuring the same two cats having a "conversation" which never varies:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"Yayayayayayayoo"</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"Aiw"</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"Yayayooyayaaaayyayo"</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"Aiw</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> R-aiw"</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>There are a number of variations on this, but for the most part, the only thing that varies is the background and subtitles. </span><span>Since then, I can't stop watching these, even though most of them are ten seconds of non-sequiturs. But that's the whole point, that they aren't very good, that they don't ask anything of me - and already, I'm making some of my own.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">These are silent films, of course. . . I don't yet have the technical know-how (do you love that "yet" part, as if I ever will?) to add a soundtrack to a gif. The green screen is supposed to allow you to add your own background, subtitles, other cat memes, etc., but I doubt if I'll bother. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But making the gifs is such fun! And some of these are being converted into YouTube videos, with the usual abysmal results. My views are in the toilet now, whereas that ONE video, a really stupid one, is now at nearly THIRTEEN MILLION views, with tens of thousands of comments. But the ones I spend hours on just crash and burn. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I will undoubtedly reach 20,000 subscribers in the next few weeks, because the stupid 13M one has pushed the count up by 650+ in four weeks. I still don't know why, but even more than that, I don't know why my lovingly-created videos are getting 15 views. If that. But I swore I wouldn't get into this! YouTube is a hobby, and it should be an enjoyable one. It's not the same game at all however, and the changes in the past year or so are alarming. It's just a mad scramble for views, likes, subs, etc. etc. And there are so many things you can't say, or show, or do. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhesSuH9Ynj6I5DinC6deE3f53Juuot17-4lQBzwEU79-iiDsYihCwaDt1MU7-V2gJ0pZAFJMGsDdC7sNLQ8OHUhjS_JyUVP-nmgLfRgxUfmcesBrNrad7R1PvQo11IZGtPfjZ9mGET6VvP7hFB-mZ2ngVjdQm_G-zbcNhv-GktrrIeRWFu3l1OTIwJY/s480/zzzzzzzzztalkingcatsmemegif%20-%20Copy%20(2).gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhesSuH9Ynj6I5DinC6deE3f53Juuot17-4lQBzwEU79-iiDsYihCwaDt1MU7-V2gJ0pZAFJMGsDdC7sNLQ8OHUhjS_JyUVP-nmgLfRgxUfmcesBrNrad7R1PvQo11IZGtPfjZ9mGET6VvP7hFB-mZ2ngVjdQm_G-zbcNhv-GktrrIeRWFu3l1OTIwJY/w400-h225/zzzzzzzzztalkingcatsmemegif%20-%20Copy%20(2).gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWP3SV-nVw_eMTQs8b4fx4prkiWItDD2cvHv4GkVa_tdCbkG1PA2ZGX9puG8I78KsJiciooKQUmAAHBiTQXgDVtt0TPN7f_EMMp5dRdv2U6yX5M1LA6zLSNklr0eyhyNQpqGkG_c9ulm-Ad9CKwaDqrYVWG38m39hfMtifxvwIlNh-5vCY6otgSCwiBhg/s480/zzzzzzzzkeyboardcat1.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWP3SV-nVw_eMTQs8b4fx4prkiWItDD2cvHv4GkVa_tdCbkG1PA2ZGX9puG8I78KsJiciooKQUmAAHBiTQXgDVtt0TPN7f_EMMp5dRdv2U6yX5M1LA6zLSNklr0eyhyNQpqGkG_c9ulm-Ad9CKwaDqrYVWG38m39hfMtifxvwIlNh-5vCY6otgSCwiBhg/w400-h225/zzzzzzzzkeyboardcat1.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrT7Tj8U-uPfi-WbDlP7mnAud1kwTeQgKVaxODC8XKxmjC0Gzg5HOmoi-0pVsTaAVodF3nKA87eqgcTHQxTyN5cKNZ7mdCt8OBW51KPtHKu4hX3bTuKzifPfPK93jdEAl79MyM-0evewvrTbt6hyphenhyphen5e82GNAGFf8Sc4w9GoDN-OcZf4eGR3Ks4fSOvhc8/s480/zzzzzzzzzx33.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrT7Tj8U-uPfi-WbDlP7mnAud1kwTeQgKVaxODC8XKxmjC0Gzg5HOmoi-0pVsTaAVodF3nKA87eqgcTHQxTyN5cKNZ7mdCt8OBW51KPtHKu4hX3bTuKzifPfPK93jdEAl79MyM-0evewvrTbt6hyphenhyphen5e82GNAGFf8Sc4w9GoDN-OcZf4eGR3Ks4fSOvhc8/w400-h225/zzzzzzzzzx33.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0sYx7ZEdESkKV4sUSQlSj0MSFUbcs-bc9ZdWksp-ZQEQWmb7tL6ps_0sHyDo5xKZctbnvoCRAGTolvu6C-3hY7AWjUcvoTM-lDpQ6dMlVkFT7c9CAHtZ2syMQKTD6n4jvT3QB0BE5doxM5fNS7949_z6QY3DVF2gnkwMOqpApAmFTs1CEhPzmA1ZC03k/s600/zzzzzzzzz544.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0sYx7ZEdESkKV4sUSQlSj0MSFUbcs-bc9ZdWksp-ZQEQWmb7tL6ps_0sHyDo5xKZctbnvoCRAGTolvu6C-3hY7AWjUcvoTM-lDpQ6dMlVkFT7c9CAHtZ2syMQKTD6n4jvT3QB0BE5doxM5fNS7949_z6QY3DVF2gnkwMOqpApAmFTs1CEhPzmA1ZC03k/w400-h266/zzzzzzzzz544.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;">But these were still fun to make. And fiddling around with cat meme gifs is easier on my soul than the terminal boredom and endless irritation of "it", the issue I just had to dump after realizing it was basically the same story endlessly repeated for five years. If anything actually HAPPENS, I may start watching again.<br /><br />Or not.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-16558090585809714912024-02-26T16:15:00.000-08:002024-02-26T16:15:22.538-08:00KING of the WIND: The Glorious Horse Art of Wesley Dennis<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/yNH4KjDXVQA?si=ex8solu1WsTzTfWF" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yNH4KjDXVQA/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The horse stories of my childhood were brilliantly illustrated by Wesley Dennis, who captured movement and even facial expressions in a way that was almost uncanny. Marguerite Henry's horse stories, which now seem terribly sentimentalized, were brought to life by Dennis's whimsy and fierceness. Misty of Chincoteague and King of the Wind would not have been the same without these works of art. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-50297519123474038232024-02-26T16:12:00.000-08:002024-02-26T16:12:58.380-08:00🌞RETURN of the KEYBOARD CAT!🌞<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/vV0lh0Kf4AQ?si=zVtIc9Di8vNANtpS" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vV0lh0Kf4AQ/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the very first videos I saw on YouTube, back in about 2008 when the whole thing was new, was this Keyboard Cat. I found it in green screen and was able to add my own soundtrack (Darktown Strutter's Ball), which syncs up surprisingly well!</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-59221756786456391232024-02-23T15:06:00.000-08:002024-02-23T18:04:05.032-08:00😀CLASSIC Maxwell House Commercial: A Cup-and-a-Half of Flavor!☕<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/YvpcP5Jp32U?si=A-pSHtU70vK8uclD" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YvpcP5Jp32U/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">As a child, I thought this ad was pretty magical and didn't know how they achieved the effect. Now that I'm an adult - I still don't! In the era before special effects, it was some accomplishment. Maybe I should research how they did it. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72MM4nObhL5Dk8FG1DQzSVVdwdYt5j4SHkrYxSDXSCifNWtEhEviEFJ7_8XFLGR3h4SyzViE5IYykk2u8azVsBtGhmtXgGB_iv_QSpefXwNDeOhlR6U2KgFauPv8HRwQLR6ENOu54jQMQPcKZcf6TrMtqx5Hl8sTsfEGE1ds2keCLtFQWee-BEIivXjw/s400/zzzzzzzzzmh.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72MM4nObhL5Dk8FG1DQzSVVdwdYt5j4SHkrYxSDXSCifNWtEhEviEFJ7_8XFLGR3h4SyzViE5IYykk2u8azVsBtGhmtXgGB_iv_QSpefXwNDeOhlR6U2KgFauPv8HRwQLR6ENOu54jQMQPcKZcf6TrMtqx5Hl8sTsfEGE1ds2keCLtFQWee-BEIivXjw/w419-h314/zzzzzzzzzmh.gif" width="419" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">OK THEN!!! I'm back. I did a bit of googling around, and different people had different ideas (no one has kept a record of how they actually did it), but I like this long, impossibly convoluted explanation (from an obscure 2007 message board) the best:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">My first reaction was that they had used a slightly buoyant black plastic cylinder with a small hole in the bottom. If the coffee was poured in at roughly the same rate as it exited the hole (trial and error), it would have floated on top of the coffee pooling under it. Of course, this would work in a mug, but not the kind of cup shown, and we seem to be able to see well into the cup before the coffee is poured.</span></div><div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I was about to dismiss this theory when I noticed the large vortex that actually continued to grow after the coffee was no longer being poured – as if there were a hole in the bottom of the cup. It’s visible through the coffee, too, once it rises above the rim.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYwx2TMazZ6bVGu1kAeCSkaBKDuGmJufvjj9Izxm4r9VHzWp3vHbb-V9QJb980B3RiGzGmS81Mc_QBayGmWkFoxMlSyf_N2YEPjofvl79Jy5njWLOdRgWUosNLaWGpzUSJoiq8J4PIyTGVrvO8mQE6BtNNGuVImICdKtXMu1kH5XX7X6XLquj1LWON-E/s600/zzzzzzzzzmaxgifoptimized.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYwx2TMazZ6bVGu1kAeCSkaBKDuGmJufvjj9Izxm4r9VHzWp3vHbb-V9QJb980B3RiGzGmS81Mc_QBayGmWkFoxMlSyf_N2YEPjofvl79Jy5njWLOdRgWUosNLaWGpzUSJoiq8J4PIyTGVrvO8mQE6BtNNGuVImICdKtXMu1kH5XX7X6XLquj1LWON-E/w383-h287/zzzzzzzzzmaxgifoptimized.gif" width="383" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So here’s the sketch of a possible method:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>two white cups, say a coffee cup (which we will now ignore) and a cylindrical mug, filmed separately in almost the same spot, so the lips of the two coincide against the background.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>The cylindrical mug contains a black plastic buoyant cylindrical cup in it. (Think: an inverted cap from an aerosol can.) There is a hole in the center of the bottom of the black “cup”, blocked by a spring-loaded flap valve, adjusted to open under a pressure equal to the pressure of coffee filling the cup almost to the rim.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">3.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>The black cup has a high, but adjustable, buoyancy due to a styrofoam disk (with a hole for the valve) affixed under it. The total mug.valve/cup assembly can have any height: we will only see the very lip of the white mug, and the black cup as it rises out of the while mug<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">4.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Coffee is poured into the assembly at a rate that matches the outflow through the hole. The black cup, perpetually almost full of coffee, rises out of the white mug, floating on the coffee that flowed out through the flap valve. Outflow stops when no more coffee is added, but the “bathtub whirlpool” remains, and actually consolidates and grows a little without the interfering flow of poured coffee.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">5.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>A static (still) matte is created of the white “coffee cup”, up to the rim, and composited against each frame of the film of the (lip of the) white mug/black cup/poured coffee.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtIS44BjZZKP2NPVcx5V1r_GBITeYFedEwCUJry3Yxk8VQIBJ_C66MqvVs1eJR0Jx0GchF3suFx_0KqP_zW9UMB_UCHjgoKR1ogBrRLwFpdXDAKto3URquDYrEfRYuBLm92Jjkiea909FfN__sqkNgjZwogfOxdOaA8NevPrx1ruh7Vbmx-bGSnimQCUQ/s407/zzzzzzzzzcvg.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="407" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtIS44BjZZKP2NPVcx5V1r_GBITeYFedEwCUJry3Yxk8VQIBJ_C66MqvVs1eJR0Jx0GchF3suFx_0KqP_zW9UMB_UCHjgoKR1ogBrRLwFpdXDAKto3URquDYrEfRYuBLm92Jjkiea909FfN__sqkNgjZwogfOxdOaA8NevPrx1ruh7Vbmx-bGSnimQCUQ/w415-h307/zzzzzzzzzcvg.gif" width="415" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">If the mechanical effect seems finicky, please recall that this was an analog/mechanical era. Every man wore a mechanical watch, and most woke to mechanical alarm clocks. All car ignition and control systems were mechanical, and adjusted by he man of the house every few months. Now that I think about it, the cup system I just described would have seemed familiar to the average carburetor-float-adjusting, toilet-fixing 1960s man<br /><br />The still vs motion composite I suggest would have been far cheaper and less complicated than a masked motion vs. “phaser beam” composite ing 1966 Star Trek or even the motion vs. Motion compositing of the “identical cousins” on the 1963 sitcom <a href="http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0056778/" rel="noopener nofollow ugc">The Patty Duke Show</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In the mechanical/analog film age, masking and compositing wasn’t just for Sci-fi effects. Cathy and <st1:street>Patty Lane</st1:street> (both played by Patty Duke) appeared together several times in every episode, on a sitcom budget. It was pretty much the whole gimmick of the show. Also Cathy’s and Patty’s fathers were identical twin brothers, both played by William Schallert – so the producers clearly weren’t worried that it’d break the budget.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Heck, it’s much easier, faster and cheaper than 1920s-80s rotoscoped or hand-drawn animation or claymation, all widely used in 1960s commercials.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLr3k4W9D1-6Xxf9qUG-Vs6zBnghyWbG5ew37RbZ_K9RusWZ6jzDafenmpMfE92119q8DA4-E8VXxHN5CfncsNx314SUXdnIUXCrHoZyzG1LGoLkyk65LPlJe5u6ngjRpGleqrz8PNEGwff8CzxRYmjFe05WtB9SGKhrzsfYsb27h0ouRmTjF9AqGckQ/s480/zzzzzzzzzgumby5.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="480" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLr3k4W9D1-6Xxf9qUG-Vs6zBnghyWbG5ew37RbZ_K9RusWZ6jzDafenmpMfE92119q8DA4-E8VXxHN5CfncsNx314SUXdnIUXCrHoZyzG1LGoLkyk65LPlJe5u6ngjRpGleqrz8PNEGwff8CzxRYmjFe05WtB9SGKhrzsfYsb27h0ouRmTjF9AqGckQ/w403-h306/zzzzzzzzzgumby5.gif" width="403" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-450123069080106062024-02-16T17:12:00.000-08:002024-02-16T17:12:40.990-08:00The Troll Doll Channel: Birthday Unboxing of SWEET Grandma and Baby!<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/xpmBruQV2Gs?si=ywD-Yw7u37keQaIv" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Another birthday. . . another family unboxing, though this time we couldn't get the crawling baby to crawl. My first birthday dinner was on the actual day (February 9 - I was 70 on that day, a nice round number which I actually like, so I may stay that age for a few years), and Bill and I went to Red Robin where I had my free birthday burger. But that was just the beginning! When our long-awaited dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory didn't materialize last weekend (Shannon and crew were all sick with the flu), we invited Erica, Lauren and Jeff over, and had a jolly unboxing along with the cake and flowers. If all goes well this weekend, I will have my THIRD birthday dinner, which I guess will make me 210 years old. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-50655755638083713552024-02-14T16:53:00.000-08:002024-02-14T16:53:22.371-08:00"The Tacky is Scrumptious and Easy to Chomp": Worst Product Translation in Human History!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbnkaBDWeuHR98McZXl1WCPsC3GF0bWwpYTsuslWcmOz4oErJ_lamawe1raGG_cRHn-qTk0FoIZML3gH7PLRklFppCi2o8SPUxhN1ss92uAn87xgwl6HqxdTo0oC9-5XEjWkeorsiqRqonZlYOzgRGL8DeK7pN3Wil-Q4ezD1v4CgbHdxdvWTTpiNUvo/s225/zzzzzhemkp2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="415" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbnkaBDWeuHR98McZXl1WCPsC3GF0bWwpYTsuslWcmOz4oErJ_lamawe1raGG_cRHn-qTk0FoIZML3gH7PLRklFppCi2o8SPUxhN1ss92uAn87xgwl6HqxdTo0oC9-5XEjWkeorsiqRqonZlYOzgRGL8DeK7pN3Wil-Q4ezD1v4CgbHdxdvWTTpiNUvo/w415-h415/zzzzzhemkp2.jpg" width="415" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>(Blogger's note. In my endless quest to find some sort of non-pharmacological pain relief, I've tried hemp gummies (made with hemp seed oil, which apparently has some medicinal properties without the THC). Whenever I find a brand I like, Amazon stops stocking it. This sublime advertisement for the latest iteration was so glorious that I couldn't bring myself to edit it very much, except to put a few spaces between words. It is certainly the best and the worst translation I've ever encountered, likely from Chinese to English. Buckle in, it's quite a ride!) </i></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Stimuli RX HEMP Gummies help you with conveying distress, stress, and apprehension, which can provoke coronary sickness control. These are valuable for your prosperity and resolve many issues that create in view of pressure, like issues in one's body and cerebrum.<br /><br />Why Choose Us?<br />Stimuli RX HEMP Gummies Revealed Stunt or Veritable DoesStimuli Rx Work?<br /><br />Numerous people experience the evil impacts of anxiety,stress, and unhappiness in light of their everyday schedule errands and a couple of events/setbacks. Besides, encountering disquiet has transformed into a certain issue nowadays. From lower age to the more seasoned, every individual encounters anxiety and debilitation as a result of their everyday schedule undertakings.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpj1d4kcuEILqYXfYxBdYSt-BqLUdalXzKkmRlc21rWkKxKVvcSh0oh5NEiP90RlsCsChudI7QUaYJdT-n1zOX-StxYu1c4B91DTJoYjTjjZsytuPGr88dgkAmXk0WeZI1iBbpfYJLlC9zpD8li6XMZggOqsik4ZheUgpc9UhYb-YopmeaVhYaRAEdZ7Q/s1000/zzzzzhemp11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="997" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpj1d4kcuEILqYXfYxBdYSt-BqLUdalXzKkmRlc21rWkKxKVvcSh0oh5NEiP90RlsCsChudI7QUaYJdT-n1zOX-StxYu1c4B91DTJoYjTjjZsytuPGr88dgkAmXk0WeZI1iBbpfYJLlC9zpD8li6XMZggOqsik4ZheUgpc9UhYb-YopmeaVhYaRAEdZ7Q/w382-h383/zzzzzhemp11.jpg" width="382" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">It has become standard for all ages, and people also become troublesome, face disillusionment, and persevere through coronary sickness. To keep control of a couple of coronary disease and conveyance apprehension, we ought to familiarize you with another situation named Stimulirx CBD Gummies.<br /><br />It behaves like an otherworldly upgrade for those encountering body wellbeing, heart, and cholesterol issues. The components of these gummies are regularly blended in with CBD isolates, lemon concentrate, and hemp oil. Exactly when these substances get worked up in your body, they work on the general body.<br /><br />Supplements and enhancements: The diminishing of desolation and the changing of synthetic compounds need power and energy. The body needs supplements and minerals with various enhancements to gain reasonableness. Hence, a couple of kinds of supplements and enhancements have been added to this tacky to give energy to the body.<br /><br />Sugarcane and normal tones: The concentrate of sugarcane is added to give a marvelous taste to these gummies. In like manner, normal tones are added to make it look really engaging. These regular tones don't hurt the body anyway add a couple of flavors.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhniJ5bhLGhnXctd9VgIpUE8mPr6Tb3AEJsbRFFuWlte9oTBuArtp4ekLSoocmGZitqOfGr3A1_eouNeIrtqIaH2ckhi4VVWbfK2Gws_GpsEu6kWxj8ADoZz2xJcAzTEdP593UEE899QyMr04k5NArHYecFF2jLPpXljho27b4glfrla1os5hvEDuQ3_4Y/s1000/zzzzzhemp4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="585" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhniJ5bhLGhnXctd9VgIpUE8mPr6Tb3AEJsbRFFuWlte9oTBuArtp4ekLSoocmGZitqOfGr3A1_eouNeIrtqIaH2ckhi4VVWbfK2Gws_GpsEu6kWxj8ADoZz2xJcAzTEdP593UEE899QyMr04k5NArHYecFF2jLPpXljho27b4glfrla1os5hvEDuQ3_4Y/w249-h426/zzzzzhemp4.jpg" width="249" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">How do Stimuli RX CDB Gummies help you?<br /><br />As we have analyzed, the Stimulirx CBD contain lemon andginger concentrate, which keeps on liberating fat from the body. Cannabinoids help with aiding the general body system and overhaul the strength of the body's endocannabinoid structure.<br /><br />Lavender oil lessens sensations of tension and disquiet in the cerebrum, showing a rising in focus and obsession at work. The tacky is a nought to endeavor as a result of the heart capacity's controlling power and cuts down cholesterol levels. Overall, these gummies give your body and day today schedule a shape that works on your encountering.<br /><br />Benefits<br /><br />· The tacky helps with cutting down the cholesterol with night out of the body.<br />· It in like manner manages the components of the heart.<br />· CBD overhauls the general state of the body and besides gives the body an optimal shape.<br />· The Oils present in these gummies give assistance to joint distress.<br />· Pressure creates Mental issues which can becompelled by this tacky at an extraordinary level.<br />· It moreover helps in additional creating fixation and concentration in the working environment.<br />· It similarly conveys you a predominant rest methodology for your prosperity.<br />· The tacky isn't embedded with horrendous manufactured substances that cause skin break out or skin issues. It in like manner makes the skin looks so shimmering and supporting.<br />· A locally developed treatment for relaxing the mind of the body.<br />· It gives the body a shape by which a singular looks more perfect and cunning than the rest of the world.<br />· It moreover conveys you an ideal mature mind which overhauls your abilities.<br />· Critical Centers you ought to remember while taking Stimulirx CBD<br />· The ones under 18 years of age shouldn't swallow the tacky.<br />· New mothers don't take this tacky, which can impact the youth while breastfeeding.<br />In like manner, pregnant women ought to acknowledge it and direction an expert if they are feeling stressed and fretful.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwd68XvJmD9VapQZ13OeuXksi1coLU-a5YbhiB6NC4ystL7oQ_3k2cr26PIn1icOCQLGk73XvqaINoEe6zZ_2r8o_M1mymvGicRqVE4i78g6nSDmic57SOsSZBxLsj656L30nVA4Cv7cSVhlJUN4bUDIRUexeJnsuSqu1SoUEXlCyRAbE8x__so0sYubc/s1178/zzzzzhemp6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="1178" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwd68XvJmD9VapQZ13OeuXksi1coLU-a5YbhiB6NC4ystL7oQ_3k2cr26PIn1icOCQLGk73XvqaINoEe6zZ_2r8o_M1mymvGicRqVE4i78g6nSDmic57SOsSZBxLsj656L30nVA4Cv7cSVhlJUN4bUDIRUexeJnsuSqu1SoUEXlCyRAbE8x__so0sYubc/w444-h229/zzzzzhemp6.jpg" width="444" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />If you have diabetes and face inward body issues, you ought to guide an expert before picking it.</span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">The ones who used to smoke and drink ought to avoid it. Since there are insignificant conceivable outcomes showing delayed consequences of Stimuli RX HEMP Gummies due to the CBD fixing.<br /><br />Do these gummies influence the body?<br />As we have inspected over the protections, you ought to get an idea for whom it might be shown to answer. In case the individual has stayed away from expected risk and has rules and rules, you can use the Stimuli RX CBDgummies. Regardless, this tacky influences a strong person.<br /><br />Moreover, expecting you are getting some sickness or seeing some reaction in your body, you ought to guide your PCP. Anyway, compound substances or trimmings are pervaded into it; all are normal and shown to help the entire body system.<br /><br />What are the Prodigies of the Stimuli Rx CBD?<br />· The tacky is scrumptious and easy to chomp.<br />· No compound substances are accessible in it.<br />· Maintains the entire body system.<br />· The blended CBD is in like manner THC free.<br />What are the cons of the Stimuli Rx CBD Gummies?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHB3IZR1uY0N812rbBcAgxJjY5s-dMsDYjB2UPtYmSMiArX106qJx7VeLjnlUXalLJYuZA_D6lp7IFBlwwzyIfOdeD1_fHIKCeUo4piGIx9ZGREhYOc5cF6RyfSHVchZ7w8S9gNrLkw9zSxhDmcqwulC5x-pxfvvBFTD96tOlNScqhyBiIrbMfTZisBM/s1000/zzzzzhemp3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHB3IZR1uY0N812rbBcAgxJjY5s-dMsDYjB2UPtYmSMiArX106qJx7VeLjnlUXalLJYuZA_D6lp7IFBlwwzyIfOdeD1_fHIKCeUo4piGIx9ZGREhYOc5cF6RyfSHVchZ7w8S9gNrLkw9zSxhDmcqwulC5x-pxfvvBFTD96tOlNScqhyBiIrbMfTZisBM/w367-h367/zzzzzhemp3.jpg" width="367" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Stimuli RX HEMP Gummies are so splendid, like common treats, so you ought to keep a check if you have a youngster.<br />The outcomes of this tacky can vary as shown by a singular's body type.<br />Pick up the pace Purchase Presently Restricted Supplies Accessible At this point!!!<br /><br />From all the discussion about the Stimulirx CDB Gummies, by and by we ought to assume that this tacky isn't infused with engineered trimmings and is also THC free. You can get the best and needed results for your body shape and inside working. You ought to gave a fundamental to this tacky.<br /><br />Disclaimer:<br /><br />The viewpoints and appraisals imparted in the above article are free capable judgment of the trained professionals and The Tribune expects no obligation, in any capacity whatsoever, for the accuracy of their viewpoints. This should not be considered a substitute for clinical direction. Benevolently counsel your PCP for extra nuances.<br /><br />Stimuli RX HEMP Gummies is solely committed for the rightness, trustworthiness of the substance as well as consistence of material guidelines. The above is non-distribution content and The Tribune doesn't vouch, backing, or confirmation any of the above fulfilled, nor is it at risk for them in any capacity whatsoever. Assuming no one really cares either way, take all steps essential to find that any information and content gave is correct, invigorated, and affirmed.</span><div class="tile tile-info"><div class="whyus" data-block="whyus"><div>
</div>
</div></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-88761454321266621302024-02-13T20:07:00.000-08:002024-02-13T20:07:23.425-08:00One year in 40 seconds<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/lmIFXIXQQ_E?si=7vWiBaui35Tq6P6W" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Stunning.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-12449865540927617262024-02-13T20:03:00.000-08:002024-02-13T20:08:25.037-08:00The Teddy Bears' Picnic<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/_ZdgpMtJIQ8?si=Bbd0DOWeUT5_w1-k" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkacJHERzv2xktPhL4SIsR2ZFLKh6EscJADkCcCSaISFZLqNsfgqjlFbNpYN74M2E1M1E4WO6GuV_APREYf2hiBx9Ov1VUYfjt5Ep1FRtL4ryCGC8zqsUVhEXJYm49TGJf1syZU1yI2GuPBp3XOGD2FEB7GovZuG-rzN2cdO9dLDBnnZERNz3Q8G2JxTw/s1009/zzzzzzzzx333.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1009" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkacJHERzv2xktPhL4SIsR2ZFLKh6EscJADkCcCSaISFZLqNsfgqjlFbNpYN74M2E1M1E4WO6GuV_APREYf2hiBx9Ov1VUYfjt5Ep1FRtL4ryCGC8zqsUVhEXJYm49TGJf1syZU1yI2GuPBp3XOGD2FEB7GovZuG-rzN2cdO9dLDBnnZERNz3Q8G2JxTw/w470-h359/zzzzzzzzx333.jpg" width="470" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;">If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise </div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you go down in the woods today, you'd better go in disguise </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrsxH8qOMHPw7-kw0gWXZD_4j70nnmk5x2MES1K3YBU-kQ-RhKhKb7B4BBDrNaEohLWotxGoWzBYd3HoKq7BiZxjHzlD1aluWhyIDbTi6uMIT2N7LXQ2DjAa2KehvjCDk5rBjr-AKCWGtPIfa-haIzsgTHVnSACnED-e18o5zM6KqaGzktLTbVqJL8R_U/s800/zzzzzzzzzzx33%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrsxH8qOMHPw7-kw0gWXZD_4j70nnmk5x2MES1K3YBU-kQ-RhKhKb7B4BBDrNaEohLWotxGoWzBYd3HoKq7BiZxjHzlD1aluWhyIDbTi6uMIT2N7LXQ2DjAa2KehvjCDk5rBjr-AKCWGtPIfa-haIzsgTHVnSACnED-e18o5zM6KqaGzktLTbVqJL8R_U/w470-h352/zzzzzzzzzzx33%20(2).jpg" width="470" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">For every bear that ever there was </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Will gather there for certain because </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtP-8ntZHXgsx21MfgFuZlzTG02p1Fuh7qtGwFXAdx5DnJC1mkZ-S6QSmstWXfKmy4OWfpcEIpmKH88XdMEKlIqrCQ-R6WpPyWSGwXOOaZELUSlUYpNviG7yht8OsXvPFtuUDDX2icBEaiv35cCPM1_9sS9DcmLEhxpRDW8SWrThj9GwBFYBdeDVq920/s768/zzzzzzzzzx22xxxx.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="768" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtP-8ntZHXgsx21MfgFuZlzTG02p1Fuh7qtGwFXAdx5DnJC1mkZ-S6QSmstWXfKmy4OWfpcEIpmKH88XdMEKlIqrCQ-R6WpPyWSGwXOOaZELUSlUYpNviG7yht8OsXvPFtuUDDX2icBEaiv35cCPM1_9sS9DcmLEhxpRDW8SWrThj9GwBFYBdeDVq920/w475-h316/zzzzzzzzzx22xxxx.jpg" width="475" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Every teddy bear who's been good is sure of a treat today </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">There's lots of marvelous things to eat and wonderful games to play </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHbFQcqwLbCIsIoXPSYkuUxYyAXHRxcb3uillYnUM3kCaDi5RqOxXilcdoohKvpKo3j_gp7nkgWSlEp3-8NTrIp9H0fxBZ_Bx9UxZch01NXxY87xmBE0XTTmcBYF2XUcGaGP1y27b3YoDoNVsmX4d5VhumKdswdU_esZ20pJ6ury9iuEJTn_wifNPGcE/s600/zzzzzzze45.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHbFQcqwLbCIsIoXPSYkuUxYyAXHRxcb3uillYnUM3kCaDi5RqOxXilcdoohKvpKo3j_gp7nkgWSlEp3-8NTrIp9H0fxBZ_Bx9UxZch01NXxY87xmBE0XTTmcBYF2XUcGaGP1y27b3YoDoNVsmX4d5VhumKdswdU_esZ20pJ6ury9iuEJTn_wifNPGcE/w478-h239/zzzzzzze45.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Beneath the trees where nobody sees </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">They'll hide and seek as long as they please </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">That's the way the teddy bears have their picnic </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAOsWT7jfLyRMxnWvsaJtUxUGm0izMOr8x9C9Lshyw2tn-ISCwB2Trzdg05xmAxhypv__DkztOq55ShdlgUsT6zV-zntFUmNL6fTxJHvJ3AolUM3b5DNYVRONFXS0Z8J8_fFUSEuSqAYEqmQ9408pYsEa5wbk2DNwZGQoYy4jDIx6IAS_7VtzZjyTrBxw/s900/zzzzzzzzzx444.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAOsWT7jfLyRMxnWvsaJtUxUGm0izMOr8x9C9Lshyw2tn-ISCwB2Trzdg05xmAxhypv__DkztOq55ShdlgUsT6zV-zntFUmNL6fTxJHvJ3AolUM3b5DNYVRONFXS0Z8J8_fFUSEuSqAYEqmQ9408pYsEa5wbk2DNwZGQoYy4jDIx6IAS_7VtzZjyTrBxw/w499-h332/zzzzzzzzzx444.jpg" width="499" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Picnic time for teddy bears </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Watch them, catch them unawares </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And see them picnic on their holiday </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbYQ3PgE5EvsiCAp3RZyd6NpBxzorPMh5ylGQ6aGbTOVQt33C9G5gI4l6BCgFMEHYNmD9lgMXky9fbJ-Y9-QC1aqPaITUgsXdI6fpi2NbLdVjLVBd-6TC4UqfZDDgCuIM2o9sNBkb0MYmlQLN52xdnX0ZvUiM8tLGBG3KhGUweWqGUN7Ej8Gy8sM_xEg/s948/zzzzzzzzxxxxxx.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="768" height="495" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbYQ3PgE5EvsiCAp3RZyd6NpBxzorPMh5ylGQ6aGbTOVQt33C9G5gI4l6BCgFMEHYNmD9lgMXky9fbJ-Y9-QC1aqPaITUgsXdI6fpi2NbLdVjLVBd-6TC4UqfZDDgCuIM2o9sNBkb0MYmlQLN52xdnX0ZvUiM8tLGBG3KhGUweWqGUN7Ej8Gy8sM_xEg/w401-h495/zzzzzzzzxxxxxx.jpg" width="401" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">See them gaily gad about </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">They love to play and shout </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">They never have any cares </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QRa_T7Y3KGy10v8Cm95_0ceIhzw6e8Oa0xdRy1h_M0HYaJUpvFEBQWYW_a2rJH_ySipUESJFWAmCuIrt5k94EvMKrQ5S4O_M0Xo_YgkpZERJumRI2UIm_Et8_k-2YQ_9WhBYtEoFn3LhudK1ziLw6oqGifyY4Y2meUK1t8-Gp5_3k-2Ed7HAZlX2Jc8/s500/zzzzzzzzzx33.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="500" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QRa_T7Y3KGy10v8Cm95_0ceIhzw6e8Oa0xdRy1h_M0HYaJUpvFEBQWYW_a2rJH_ySipUESJFWAmCuIrt5k94EvMKrQ5S4O_M0Xo_YgkpZERJumRI2UIm_Et8_k-2YQ_9WhBYtEoFn3LhudK1ziLw6oqGifyY4Y2meUK1t8-Gp5_3k-2Ed7HAZlX2Jc8/w485-h325/zzzzzzzzzx33.jpg" width="485" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">At six o'clock their mummies and daddies </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Will take them back home to bed </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">'Cause they're tired little teddy bears</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9aZDukmyHYEgaEWuWb7WDlxjK6x1B-W0qqCJdGfMxfbdxOlrBSHTPKbrAjxtffmVZOfy1NZBmjnF0-U3o7n9wQjkywWdndnKqwMOsvH3Wajkhui7bIl4-iYHGKWZ1w8_FMFLd7rr_P4hI-GV9DTsrzipDTKv3V7j9nMlopzLFZe_xupXIAMH3pEKDjOQ/s780/zzzzzzzzzx23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="780" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9aZDukmyHYEgaEWuWb7WDlxjK6x1B-W0qqCJdGfMxfbdxOlrBSHTPKbrAjxtffmVZOfy1NZBmjnF0-U3o7n9wQjkywWdndnKqwMOsvH3Wajkhui7bIl4-iYHGKWZ1w8_FMFLd7rr_P4hI-GV9DTsrzipDTKv3V7j9nMlopzLFZe_xupXIAMH3pEKDjOQ/w433-h349/zzzzzzzzzx23.jpg" width="433" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you go down in the woods today, you'd better not go alone</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">It's lovely down in the woods today, but safer to stay at home </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDqypqoIFehA34TNSrGohjvCgwfslJaxpI-79M_7X0dNMYLXEhWCi6XLDl76VGh39fofNhW-CAPILCMdc1R43U4UeJNpyg89aj1w3ugzOT6vxaOgP729OMtc3Dr93T2zQHR3vCrJ7VoTmqJjwTRb1tvZXYto2oVF4wSLfoxBKSTVnUP8wWVQCNDEABk8/s1200/zzzzzzzzzx7777%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDqypqoIFehA34TNSrGohjvCgwfslJaxpI-79M_7X0dNMYLXEhWCi6XLDl76VGh39fofNhW-CAPILCMdc1R43U4UeJNpyg89aj1w3ugzOT6vxaOgP729OMtc3Dr93T2zQHR3vCrJ7VoTmqJjwTRb1tvZXYto2oVF4wSLfoxBKSTVnUP8wWVQCNDEABk8/w419-h419/zzzzzzzzzx7777%20(2).jpg" width="419" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">For every bear that ever there was </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Will gather there for certain because </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW97HV8BVAxdmuyATX_-SzyvFMHniUlNYDCV3pnXmJxdiBG3KQNeI3_KK-7D3O7IJhar92ltlQO_Ww_qI3rCuEtlUU0mAYwjFBnf4bKRJXgIBlsbVMJEc9IVMJcXH6r-QlZpgDcDO5ghzC_deBt6IJ89IdbKig0NjJw2L5HWxL5M2Besrzhvp3ZQ2kQCE/s1200/zzzzzzzzzx22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1200" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW97HV8BVAxdmuyATX_-SzyvFMHniUlNYDCV3pnXmJxdiBG3KQNeI3_KK-7D3O7IJhar92ltlQO_Ww_qI3rCuEtlUU0mAYwjFBnf4bKRJXgIBlsbVMJEc9IVMJcXH6r-QlZpgDcDO5ghzC_deBt6IJ89IdbKig0NjJw2L5HWxL5M2Besrzhvp3ZQ2kQCE/w443-h267/zzzzzzzzzx22.jpg" width="443" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-9084892128718301152024-02-08T18:24:00.000-08:002024-02-08T18:24:52.762-08:00✨GANDALF the Great Blue Heron!✨<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/7h2ucvmqhWQ?si=y_-fWWAgpwA8mtkm" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7h2ucvmqhWQ/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was mesmerized by this guy! This was a senior Great Blue Heron, with a shaggy beard and wings which he preened while I filmed. There is something mystical about this bird, which is why I called him Gandalf. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-24929047292260069472024-02-07T17:57:00.000-08:002024-02-07T17:57:30.043-08:00ASMR: Cat Crunchies (late at night!)<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/deAEZ7yzwSA?si=Nl_UcBVgc4cNmtUb" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/deAEZ7yzwSA/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I spend some quality time with Bentley, late at night. This is an unvarying ritual in which he paws at me, yawns, paws at me some more, then finally gets his treats. I love the crunchy sounds in this video - very soothing!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-1389015063799746162024-02-05T18:16:00.000-08:002024-02-05T18:16:02.765-08:00💥HIP HOP SPECTACULAR: Lauren Owns the Stage!💥<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/q7QJCZXhrl0?si=YH_j_OnZca3BFk2O" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/q7QJCZXhrl0/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">More incredible dancing from Lauren and crew!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-67894160408672948152024-02-03T19:36:00.000-08:002024-02-04T15:04:24.063-08:00The Hampter Tango (a mystery solved!)<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/SkjxiDLl-sE?si=2oM1JIBXqaejJ8Un" width="480"></iframe></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;">OKAAAAAY, you may ask, and rightly so, what am I doing posting all these YouTube videos today? What I'm doing is finally connecting the dots on something that has been driving me crazy.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For some inane reason, very late at night, maybe just to ease the wear and the tear on my mind, I began to watch hamster videos - no, HAMPTER videos, which are a completely separate genre and generally last no more than a few seconds. Hampters falling down, hampters spinning in wheels, hampters stuffing their cheeks. I was confused at first, but soon saw the light. Either the creators can't spell worth a damn, or - more likely - this is the new, cool, internet/social media way to spell "hamster".</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But the hampter I'm talking about - it wasn't even the hampter itself, but the<i> music that came with it.</i> It was just a few bars of a very familiar melody, but played on what sounded like mariachi trumpets, with a loud sort of synthesized percussion and somebody yelling hip-hop-ish things in the background.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>BUT THE SONG!</b><i> What was the name of that song?</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_qmAVzZUmGOhVTPxXX-YYbqwaWNbgi_dLLnjOY3aucpy18k0uDRK10Ymritet2UK7WaOKkZ2YZ6JxpU15qXns4g0_QgkCJ_vmj4hISGL-YfWhu-4ZMLJ7XnogEZ0UBNPVtb9183QZjnPXZncham9avEXjhjEbo4xEbXwVqN8p7mXC8rkkPgZz4efrAA/s400/zzzzzzzzzasdd.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="306" data-original-width="400" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_qmAVzZUmGOhVTPxXX-YYbqwaWNbgi_dLLnjOY3aucpy18k0uDRK10Ymritet2UK7WaOKkZ2YZ6JxpU15qXns4g0_QgkCJ_vmj4hISGL-YfWhu-4ZMLJ7XnogEZ0UBNPVtb9183QZjnPXZncham9avEXjhjEbo4xEbXwVqN8p7mXC8rkkPgZz4efrAA/w400-h306/zzzzzzzzzasdd.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I became transfixed by the melody, mainly because it was both so familiar and so impossible to pin down. Surely it was one of the most familiar tangos of all? For it HAD to be a tango, in spite of the mariachi-style inflections added by whatever group was playing it.</span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So what did I have to go on? I HAD to find out what this was called so I could track down a decent version of it. But did you think I could? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So I listened to the goddamned "angry hampter" one over and over again, while I scrolled and played and searched, and kept finding those other two classics, <i>La Cumparsita </i>and <i>Jalousy</i> (which is the only tango I ever attempted to play on the violin). But nothing would match up. It was so frustrating I finally had to just give up.<br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But just now, in the last half-hour or so, I decided to give it another shot. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;">AND THEN.</span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/24m4Bbrq_nI" width="320" youtube-src-id="24m4Bbrq_nI"></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">To my astonishment, BINGO, here it was, sounding nearly identical to my beloved Hampter Tango. Not only that, I easily found three different versions of it by three brass ensembles, but thought this had that extra little sassy edge. It sounded more Mexican, though the original piece is Argentinian.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But the weird thing is, now I realize I DID listen to the HampterTango <i>(El Choclo</i>, which makes me wonder if it means "chocolate tango") and just could not make the match. Tangos have an irritating habit of long, ornate introductions, I suppose to get the dancers out on the dance floor. Maybe I never got past that?</span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f1c0mvsmJKY" width="320" youtube-src-id="f1c0mvsmJKY"></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But, oh, then! THEN I had the actual title of the piece and could go wild. There were hundreds, if not thousands of arrangements for this piece, but when I hit on this one I went into raptures. I'm not a big accordion fan - I always thought of them as cooling devices - but in this case, as a purveyor of tango passion, it sounded just right. So I was about to hang it up, satisfied I'd made my match with the hampter video. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But of course, there was more. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zcZeaUZve88" width="320" youtube-src-id="zcZeaUZve88"></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This string ensemble version is simply exquisite, and the music video that goes along with it is charming - though are those women really that gorgeous, that sexy? How many serious musicians actually look like that? Never mind. The three versions - brass, accordion and strings - rounded out the tastiness of the piece very nicely.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1qN72LEQnaU" width="320" youtube-src-id="1qN72LEQnaU"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But then this one came to mind. . . one of the very first YouTube videos EVER, and one that I listened to endlessly when the grandkids came over in about 2008. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This is the root, the original, the ur-video, the Hamster Dance (sorry, "Hampter") which took YouTube by storm in the early '00s and never quite left. Who knows, it may even have inspired the Angry Hampter video that started this whole mad chase. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">THE KICKER! I simply had to look up <i>El Choclo</i>, to see what it actually meant - just assuming it had something to do with chocolate - rich, dark, flowing chocolate with a bittersweet edge, sensuous, luscious, just like the tango itself! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Here's what it means.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">"El Choclo" (Spanish: meaning "The Corn Cob") is a popular song written by Ángel Villoldo, an Argentine musician. Allegedly written in honour of and taking its title from the nickname of the proprietor of a nightclub, who was known as "El Choclo". It is one of the most popular tangos in Argentina.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">(I'm going to bed now.)</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-47618332834721685622024-02-03T15:56:00.000-08:002024-02-03T15:58:32.445-08:00Harry and Meghan: "Florid, banal psycho-babble reeking of opportunism"<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQ2t1Q1LKA9zVLG183jPXG37sL_PDje7n62RSai4e7RByR8ebqMNa-89eU5JvkUaTdOtc2UKj5MOFCIrVZYEEtWCY6L06yTzHWOcauYXWIcgpMAC6-x-at0QbBDhezCwd-jkNxwlecMqeMLt-BBpgD3V_affdOdw6ejpFndIrdTapqU1gYwTsw9LR9vY/s4308/zzzzzzzzzc566.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2872" data-original-width="4308" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQ2t1Q1LKA9zVLG183jPXG37sL_PDje7n62RSai4e7RByR8ebqMNa-89eU5JvkUaTdOtc2UKj5MOFCIrVZYEEtWCY6L06yTzHWOcauYXWIcgpMAC6-x-at0QbBDhezCwd-jkNxwlecMqeMLt-BBpgD3V_affdOdw6ejpFndIrdTapqU1gYwTsw9LR9vY/w517-h344/zzzzzzzzzc566.jpg" width="517" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9_v5IQYbIOJhMjDIsuOGjv3hdqUnNK_TV5tZLcfQZhuofvwl-qSm_N3mv2S3SCyxNIx16IOsW9ZRzN8aJycfY-ptf_5B8yLkpI-9qHpmd8qPp9W5gh_rmZRfokjd6h5lVN1e1aQDd_eqnep0lQtpKi3QC4th00S08rPyIdO9yIca5U_q3i1nZ905JvM/s2400/0mov5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="2400" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9_v5IQYbIOJhMjDIsuOGjv3hdqUnNK_TV5tZLcfQZhuofvwl-qSm_N3mv2S3SCyxNIx16IOsW9ZRzN8aJycfY-ptf_5B8yLkpI-9qHpmd8qPp9W5gh_rmZRfokjd6h5lVN1e1aQDd_eqnep0lQtpKi3QC4th00S08rPyIdO9yIca5U_q3i1nZ905JvM/w438-h104/0mov5.png" width="438" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Florid, banal psycho-babble
reeking of opportunism - Harry and Meghan are riding other people's grief like
trams</span></span></div><p></p><p>
</p><p class="author-sectionbyline-plain"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">By <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/columnists/columnist-228/Quentin-Letts-for-the-Daily-Mail.html">Quentin
Letts for the Daily Mail</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="byline-section"><span class="article-timestamp-label"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Published:</span></span><span class="article-timestamparticle-timestamp-published"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">
</span></span><st1:time hour="21" minute="24"><span class="article-timestamparticle-timestamp-published"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">21:24 EST</span></span></st1:time><span class="article-timestamparticle-timestamp-published"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">,
</span></span><st1:date day="1" month="2" year="2024"><span class="article-timestamparticle-timestamp-published"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">1 February 2024</span></span></st1:date><span class="article-timestamparticle-timestamp-published"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">| <span class="article-timestamp-label">Updated:</span><span class="article-timestamparticle-timestamp-updated"> </span></span><st1:time hour="16" minute="9"><span class="article-timestamparticle-timestamp-updated"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">04:09 EST</span></span></st1:time><span class="article-timestamparticle-timestamp-updated"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">,
</span></span><st1:date day="2" month="2" year="2024"><span class="article-timestamparticle-timestamp-updated"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">2
February 2024</span></span></st1:date><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Veteran </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Sussex</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> watchers were yesterday in their power-showers,
trying to scrub clean after the latest hosing of treacle from Meghan and Harry.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The couple had
issued another of their press statements, this time about child safety on the
internet.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Such announcements
have become a regular part of the </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Sussexes</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-size: 14pt;">’ modus operandi, linking them to a topical issue on
which they can parade their empathy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Their statement, not for the
first time, was peppered with American emotionalism, tear-stained platitude
mixed with a certain self-serving preachiness. Florid, banal, breathy, reeking
of opportunism, it is an art form the exiled royals are fast making their own. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Commenting on a US
Senate hearing into dreadful instances of internet child abuse, the duo
applauded the ‘bravery and determination’ (one noun alone will never do) of
parents whose children had suffered.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="mol-para-with-font"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdxEcoHic0ay-3TKbapR7FuPyh01HLOO7ofi4gSxNya3LOouYagkCaKN19pfaL-ql-hSAuR6E2sDnaq0WBZtfgxl3JNyhqZkmIIL6XuPkr8JjNuTdFZTQfw_61FlU3AxBAyUDTyk-bnzCnalYfcosRZnZZEfRpRTeTcRIEINZb1EuMexb1KM-Vo5My7c/s444/zzzzzzzzzquu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="444" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdxEcoHic0ay-3TKbapR7FuPyh01HLOO7ofi4gSxNya3LOouYagkCaKN19pfaL-ql-hSAuR6E2sDnaq0WBZtfgxl3JNyhqZkmIIL6XuPkr8JjNuTdFZTQfw_61FlU3AxBAyUDTyk-bnzCnalYfcosRZnZZEfRpRTeTcRIEINZb1EuMexb1KM-Vo5My7c/w513-h289/zzzzzzzzzquu.jpg" width="513" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">As they clawed their
way into the circle of virtue – outta the way, people, this is about us –the
Sussexes boasted that ‘over the past few years we have spent time with many of
these families, listening to their heartache and their hopes for the urgent
change that is needed’.</span><p></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This was ‘an issue
that transcends division and party lines’. They also disclosed that one father
had told them ‘if love could have saved them, all of our children would still
be here’.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Journalistic
scepticism may seem harsh given the sensitivity of the issue at hand; yet when
an issue is this delicate, would it not be seemly for minor royals to keep
their self-promotional psycho-babble to themselves?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This is not the
first time that Prince Harry and his actress wife have contributed their
unremarkable thoughts on a raw area of public debate.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">If they did so
spontaneously after, for example, having a microphone thrust into their faces
at some public event, it might feel all right.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="mol-para-with-font" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJxO7LGoF8Ln2zlv6MaVBsnaLTRDtZlCy-qK4hzt0HwAy87K4Jk3VW2hgvG_0Lzegazo4p68f_tGFt1-J8ZF7PQyJ_ThId53SbsIvZ6Y_DsC3-hf7dVLAd-q0wtk3NmBdNLYaOjPmuiC7tDfRwm-UbbJ52GAqu_MJBRJsRaoJ5w8ETw8rFcLIg9rmJh7g/s409/zzzzzzzzs22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="323" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJxO7LGoF8Ln2zlv6MaVBsnaLTRDtZlCy-qK4hzt0HwAy87K4Jk3VW2hgvG_0Lzegazo4p68f_tGFt1-J8ZF7PQyJ_ThId53SbsIvZ6Y_DsC3-hf7dVLAd-q0wtk3NmBdNLYaOjPmuiC7tDfRwm-UbbJ52GAqu_MJBRJsRaoJ5w8ETw8rFcLIg9rmJh7g/w403-h510/zzzzzzzzs22.jpg" width="403" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">But the </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Sussexes</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> come out with sentimental saws on the level of
low-grade greetings cards, and they do so by placing them under the ‘news’
section of their personal website. Sorry, but this is pure PR puffery. ‘Turn
pain into purpose,’ said Harry at a World Mental Health Day event in </span><st1:state><st1:place><span style="font-size: 14pt;">New York</span></st1:place></st1:state><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> in October. As it happens, he was talking about how
those who suffer misfortune can sometimes become stronger as a result.</span></div><p></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">‘Days are long but
years are short,’ added his consort at the same event.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Eh? It’s the sort of
inscrutable gibberish guru Master Po used to say to Grasshopper in the 1970s TV
show Kung Fu.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Or take this corker.
‘I’m confident,’ said Meghan, again on mental health, ‘that with more ears and
awareness and visibility of what is really happening, we can make some
significant change together.’ More ears? Are two not enough for anyone?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">As part of her
payback to Netflix, from which she and her husband received millions of
dollars, the Duchess disclosed that in her wedding speech she spoke of ‘the
everlasting knowing that, above all, love wins’.</span></p><p class="mol-para-with-font" style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">If you said that at
most English county weddings there would be a ripple of mirth and a teasing
forest of fingers down throats. Heaven knows what Harry’s old muckers made of
his bride’s claim.</span></div><p></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Guy Pelly must have
almost done the nose trick.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="mol-para-with-font"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9PxvB_ZOkVPExAV1wcsdwvnRmBeOqN4UxamI3hZO69_tyL8cfjNMUoNRxYFNyTfRCYYwPPSujjRw5xMQ3ioLZsixot56791uqBmHNjMo60qglFTXENbIRhQX-AA0iCItTAgwVP4fLH8ffYmRN14O_SKmuHeJNOxtKOqvC3Wv3DKv671e6AaXZ8OHplg/s480/zzzzzzzmmyoga.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9PxvB_ZOkVPExAV1wcsdwvnRmBeOqN4UxamI3hZO69_tyL8cfjNMUoNRxYFNyTfRCYYwPPSujjRw5xMQ3ioLZsixot56791uqBmHNjMo60qglFTXENbIRhQX-AA0iCItTAgwVP4fLH8ffYmRN14O_SKmuHeJNOxtKOqvC3Wv3DKv671e6AaXZ8OHplg/w501-h281/zzzzzzzmmyoga.gif" width="501" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">But Meghan appears
impervious to British taste. She is immune to the most diabetic-high levels of
rhetorical saccharine.</span><p></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Along with the
unfortunate, droopy-tailed Harry, the duchess is a devotee of </span><st1:state><st1:place><span style="font-size: 14pt;">California</span></st1:place></st1:state><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> psycho-babble and of anxieties being worn as social
and political badges.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Look at me, these
say, I’m sensitive, I’m not a viciously ambitious, multi-millionaire, West
Coast actress cynically adopting positions for career purposes. I’m a genuinely
humble, vulnerable, touchy-feely soul. And if you suggest otherwise my
attorneys will bust your ass.</span></p><p class="mol-para-with-font" style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">If British
politicians issued the sort of emetic press releases that Harry and Meghan do,
they would be swiftly denounced for gross misjudgement and for trying to surf
on other people’s misery. Again, you may think this a harsh comment.</span></div><p></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">You may say ‘but
Harry and Meghan are not politicians’.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I am afraid I would
disagree with you. They are behaving in an intensely political manner, beating
their breasts for public consumption. Note, too, the repeated calls for
‘change’. These smack of political campaigning.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="mol-para-with-font" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPd9jojarUUYy7_WCW_8kD27qwaa2ZR2KIDBSZIv431kf5kx_rHjhrPyWfh6lO0CKZKQ5Lg-g12UyyyDgaTxnd5BwUShjuK6IiLc8HLs1LCE-80ZeFgyjJG9Hhb_KvI2dl975t4Pixi8OjtRFIp25YPdf4Vm5dJ-Q513kgKYjNbqalitSVRfFZASliXgA/s500/zzzzzzzzzx377.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPd9jojarUUYy7_WCW_8kD27qwaa2ZR2KIDBSZIv431kf5kx_rHjhrPyWfh6lO0CKZKQ5Lg-g12UyyyDgaTxnd5BwUShjuK6IiLc8HLs1LCE-80ZeFgyjJG9Hhb_KvI2dl975t4Pixi8OjtRFIp25YPdf4Vm5dJ-Q513kgKYjNbqalitSVRfFZASliXgA/w509-h286/zzzzzzzzzx377.jpg" width="509" /></a></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Sussexes</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> may think that their press releases are powerful and
poetic. To British tastes they will, possibly, more likely look manipulative
and opportunistic.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Merely as literary
ventures, they are cloyingly mawkish, viscous in their sentimentality.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Whoever writes them
has the prose style of a schoolgirl diarist. It is sad that the prince has lost
sight of the British virtue of understatement. When it comes to expressions of sympathy,
less is always more.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Instead, we are
subjected to this mush and gush. On Planet </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Sussex</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-size: 14pt;">, ‘light’ is always being ‘shined’, be it on
empowerment or inequality. Trite stylistic doubles are deployed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Writing in Elle
magazine, Meghan said that women should ‘focus less on glass slippers and more
on pushing through glass ceilings’. And then there was ‘a ripple of hope can
turn into a wave of change’ – a phrase the couple pinched off the late Robert
Kennedy and used at some humanitarian awards in 2022.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">There is much
‘focusing on wellbeing’ and ‘relating to shared experiences and challenges’ and
‘discovering of opportunities for growth’.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">‘Mentoring’ is a
must-have, both for mentors and, dreadful word, ‘mentees’. And ‘hearts’ are
invariably ‘heavy’.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="mol-para-with-font"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Other people’s
disaster and grief are ridden like trams.</span></p><p></p>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-50106659168646552292024-01-31T18:44:00.000-08:002024-01-31T18:44:00.538-08:00💥COCKATOO JUMP SCARE! The Best Moment in CITIZEN KANE💥<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/g9udSA1pY40?si=wwp6_tQBqPgjpVg6" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/g9udSA1pY40/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;">The famous cockatoo jump scare from Citizen Kane. I watched this movie again recently, and it slapped me in the face just like before, but in all different places. It is truly astonishing and can't really be analyzed. But it's a cautionary tale. To peak at age 26 is a sad thing, particularly in light of Welles' later performances in commercials: frozen peas, fish sticks, beef burgers, California plonk, board games, cameras, photocopiers, Japanese whisky. . . and the list goes on and on. Most memorable were the Paul Masson drunken outtakes. I would feel sorry for Welles, except that I don't, because everything I have ever heard about him would indicate he was a big overgrown baby (later, a bearded baby) who treated everyone around him like shit. And never let anyone forget that he was a genius. Well, Citizen Kane WAS genius, but I am not so sure about Welles.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkT6dZVGWC9TlBZNnpwPMh6Eo2mFtwNwmVBcrCaoI-P3ihjI8p5951TIcAzZERkv39a7TJHQoq-tP-mJGNMh2h-uU-g1fsVZEdvkaCi0KRhOnuooDrnoHA6s1IKV6CZFhJKEM-Uosby75OoUBhjQ-PfhF_LPij8I5jzs58JQQpZNyIjSTwpvXzLVkZf6U/s450/zzzzzzzzz123.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="392" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkT6dZVGWC9TlBZNnpwPMh6Eo2mFtwNwmVBcrCaoI-P3ihjI8p5951TIcAzZERkv39a7TJHQoq-tP-mJGNMh2h-uU-g1fsVZEdvkaCi0KRhOnuooDrnoHA6s1IKV6CZFhJKEM-Uosby75OoUBhjQ-PfhF_LPij8I5jzs58JQQpZNyIjSTwpvXzLVkZf6U/w533-h612/zzzzzzzzz123.gif" width="533" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-88383135611289674282024-01-29T11:24:00.000-08:002024-01-29T11:24:30.653-08:00💗Erica Dances her Heart Out!💗<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/Zt_gMO63U3Y?si=Gx_1XIAJOKuC6xwJ" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Zt_gMO63U3Y/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> The amazing Erica Gunning.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-15238632341431219122024-01-28T15:59:00.000-08:002024-01-28T15:59:16.095-08:00🔥💗My Heart's on Fire! An Incredible Dance Performance💗🔥<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/kRYT1K0Z-5Q?si=HLzXA_8qLBYTrnkk" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I have no words! The amazing Lauren Gunning, who has trained as a dancer and choreographer from the age of three - an incredible thirteen years. I can't even cry when I watch this, I am too busy gasping. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-81939297034020180382024-01-26T18:26:00.000-08:002024-01-26T18:26:58.467-08:00Dance, dance, dance the night away!<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zjYkNXalAjJNJrEVL5BmG1LTTbyhQxN7j0XHfA7npi5lePhJXDAm74mtPYlthkd9Ag1ZU1orKD9EjhIkMjAITaQQTNhq4K877-_sHgECTqeRq6JdG6At_kAejPVg8i9O21zwKS_1lipimxSBK9PGUTzpSkZdgPGaGARVTYLtJUkeBxUdGAgw5LFcGBs/s1500/zzzzzzzzzx777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zjYkNXalAjJNJrEVL5BmG1LTTbyhQxN7j0XHfA7npi5lePhJXDAm74mtPYlthkd9Ag1ZU1orKD9EjhIkMjAITaQQTNhq4K877-_sHgECTqeRq6JdG6At_kAejPVg8i9O21zwKS_1lipimxSBK9PGUTzpSkZdgPGaGARVTYLtJUkeBxUdGAgw5LFcGBs/w512-h640/zzzzzzzzzx777.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpwhCUcSf5QnMEagL-lXI-tY9iRZzK3LAqSZdvTMaWTsJCeFfeZt-ts73xkHzu-HHuN2_HDyPumaOVjHXP36bx6NfWtARm7vNB9j0ZIjSi5ZFKwAgc4wfirghtx2GMfh2Ex19D7Wjn_YVm8cRpyZYM9DzUhwwzQyra7EQmHW3r0J08JZYiywQjqe1sLo/s1440/zzzzzzzzzbnm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1440" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpwhCUcSf5QnMEagL-lXI-tY9iRZzK3LAqSZdvTMaWTsJCeFfeZt-ts73xkHzu-HHuN2_HDyPumaOVjHXP36bx6NfWtARm7vNB9j0ZIjSi5ZFKwAgc4wfirghtx2GMfh2Ex19D7Wjn_YVm8cRpyZYM9DzUhwwzQyra7EQmHW3r0J08JZYiywQjqe1sLo/w530-h353/zzzzzzzzzbnm.jpg" width="530" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDKJvMsD9CBqT2hWYsgJHdH3nG7ho_0GLOB-3OGn9pbLkY530y1H7BDz528lggR48EEEAIlFMUL-dkc7s1jhoHRQo_bH3lbJFAbjjH3sjVWSt2lKILVehtODWiCurEfw_lyQyLSLTeWchS9ru6-TAtV-SeJ7oB5SMmoS0wBnO3aLiyorq1arq2VkUMOnE/s4624/zzzzzzzzz19777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDKJvMsD9CBqT2hWYsgJHdH3nG7ho_0GLOB-3OGn9pbLkY530y1H7BDz528lggR48EEEAIlFMUL-dkc7s1jhoHRQo_bH3lbJFAbjjH3sjVWSt2lKILVehtODWiCurEfw_lyQyLSLTeWchS9ru6-TAtV-SeJ7oB5SMmoS0wBnO3aLiyorq1arq2VkUMOnE/w480-h640/zzzzzzzzz19777.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPKmd3y2snELMv9i3fSU4e9CfqY7o-D8-L-vSRM2os3zExbfUMDtKovbB7zpMKTd4Cdz6JEqBPKEDkcjr3I01P8InsEDE6wDGOO2riLp39vrIA1liHyMOh5Auc0fb6DzAndx-fRKMU5T7Xf6rnjczk-fg5k90ixpjOKL9DoFaYlFOUJDYEHB6qc7Q8XU/s1000/zzzzz-lauren-nanny-2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPKmd3y2snELMv9i3fSU4e9CfqY7o-D8-L-vSRM2os3zExbfUMDtKovbB7zpMKTd4Cdz6JEqBPKEDkcjr3I01P8InsEDE6wDGOO2riLp39vrIA1liHyMOh5Auc0fb6DzAndx-fRKMU5T7Xf6rnjczk-fg5k90ixpjOKL9DoFaYlFOUJDYEHB6qc7Q8XU/w480-h640/zzzzz-lauren-nanny-2024.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6gcdCchPmakc7IjsNsT05kR_B_NeIgFb3UBscQe-YpEkECDgX3WhKUDWZi0J5FdCdGDREH096PL60_NMQS9mq08zKEXd0XX4KNVHCOrHoOAqB3ohCQytmVysLqfzvVtyDTJMIyPoPC1oWakrgNZJxMGmgiL4dsQRot67FAG1tzmue7xltS7s1ZMKkcEc/s611/zzzzz-erica-nanny-jan-2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="611" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6gcdCchPmakc7IjsNsT05kR_B_NeIgFb3UBscQe-YpEkECDgX3WhKUDWZi0J5FdCdGDREH096PL60_NMQS9mq08zKEXd0XX4KNVHCOrHoOAqB3ohCQytmVysLqfzvVtyDTJMIyPoPC1oWakrgNZJxMGmgiL4dsQRot67FAG1tzmue7xltS7s1ZMKkcEc/w549-h309/zzzzz-erica-nanny-jan-2024.jpg" width="549" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-31881485869449651822024-01-26T17:19:00.000-08:002024-01-26T17:19:44.426-08:00💗BACKSTAGE at the DANCE RECITAL!<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/yQZ3hHePP70?si=cWzaa5jVDAnnOofn" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yQZ3hHePP70/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I hope to post some actual dance footage, if I can get around the copyright restrictions on the music. A fun time was had by all!</span></div><div><br /></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-75233873936725501842024-01-24T14:52:00.000-08:002024-01-24T14:53:23.567-08:00FUDGE WARS! Follow Mr. Swanley's no-fail recipe for perfectly made fudge (or else)!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6UTR1kLxhg/WgifmjRvKRI/AAAAAAAA6dI/QEjuhU2y3FQ0oy_c7Jgb8K0ZqI-AfVWwgCLcBGAs/s1600/000fudge4.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="278" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6UTR1kLxhg/WgifmjRvKRI/AAAAAAAA6dI/QEjuhU2y3FQ0oy_c7Jgb8K0ZqI-AfVWwgCLcBGAs/w494-h278/000fudge4.gif" width="494" /></a></p><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">I was YouTubing around (late at night, like always) and began to look at fudge recipes, as my last two batches hadn't turned out very well. I found the following jaw-dropping exchange between what could only be called a fudge scientist, and a few other people who were obviously having him on: but what made it even more delicious (pardon the pun) is that he had NO IDEA they were having him on. </span></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">He took them entirely seriously in their earnest questions about the specific gravity of the fudge he was making - even asking him for a copy of his spreadsheet! - and just continued to pontificate, a self-involved, know-it-all, university-certified crashing bore, the type you never want to get caught with at a party. He ripped into the one person who had something intelligent (not to mention relevant) to say about the whole thing, accusing her of finding spiritual fulfillment in failure. Ain't YouTube grand?</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpu_lLW_ynplYw0vMlBHEViigqamIEGJPzjIgYiDI8KxLhHyuf310G5GOaE7tL3dD2RR_XEm99xlj-LpLvcaSO1_ZTZ_ugRY2qGWzGSf3kkzfNDg_fJ4QtTc9xXwaT56EOsQpBGa63N5u0htnEsQlLWbk2ZVK5UFtuWcXHfNtJcAUGW3mRfnMHM1hy9U/s1024/zzzzzzzzzxcvbn.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="488" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpu_lLW_ynplYw0vMlBHEViigqamIEGJPzjIgYiDI8KxLhHyuf310G5GOaE7tL3dD2RR_XEm99xlj-LpLvcaSO1_ZTZ_ugRY2qGWzGSf3kkzfNDg_fJ4QtTc9xXwaT56EOsQpBGa63N5u0htnEsQlLWbk2ZVK5UFtuWcXHfNtJcAUGW3mRfnMHM1hy9U/w306-h640/zzzzzzzzzxcvbn.png" width="306" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MrSwanley">MrSwanley</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4y4kE3VEFI&lc=UgjXd0GUrvciHXgCoAEC">2 years ago (edited)</a></span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">I have tried making fudge many times, and found it near impossible to get consistent results using this technique. Then, being an engineer, I realised that both temperature and soft ball tests are (unreliable) ways to estimate water content. If you knew the target water content you could just measure it directly by weighing the pot and contents, before and after - there is no need to estimate it. I now believe that perfect fudge has a water content of around 10.5%. Hence with this recipe your starting weight is 1094g (+pot) and I predict that if you cook it until you reduce to 931g (+pot), leave to cool for 8 mins, beat for 5 minutes and pour... you should end up with perfect fudge every time. I made myself a little spreadsheet to calculate moisture content of common ingredients, and so far I've hit the nail every time I've followed it. In fact this method is precise enough to go for a particular type of fudge, e.g. moist or slightly dry.</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Show less</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Reply 5</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cKomZKjnXis/Wgif-zm8ZKI/AAAAAAAA6dM/UQDfQxCQJcwyED9oSuNWzkpaxMaONqLBACLcBGAs/s1600/Grinch-Fudge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="700" height="312" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cKomZKjnXis/Wgif-zm8ZKI/AAAAAAAA6dM/UQDfQxCQJcwyED9oSuNWzkpaxMaONqLBACLcBGAs/s400/Grinch-Fudge.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Hide replies</span><br /><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/anyalake">AnyaLake</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4y4kE3VEFI&lc=UgjXd0GUrvciHXgCoAEC.86AN3EEgv2i8840zWLbzGf">1 year ago</a></span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">+MrSwanley well good for you, you just took the joy out of it!</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Reply 4</span><br /><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MrSwanley">MrSwanley</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4y4kE3VEFI&lc=UgjXd0GUrvciHXgCoAEC.86AN3EEgv2i885uHJr0aFr">1 year ago (edited)</a></span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">+anyalake The joy comes from eating and gifting perfectly made fudge, in fact I'm not aware of what other joy there is to be had. However, if you get some kind of spiritual fulfillment from failure then you can just keep on doing what you're doing. Nobody is forcing you.</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Reply 9</span><br /><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/josefomory">Joseph Mory</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4y4kE3VEFI&lc=UgjXd0GUrvciHXgCoAEC.86AN3EEgv2i89FF9wWiUjC">1 year ago</a></span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">+MrSwanley from one engineer to another, would you care sharing that spreadsheet?</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Reply 1</span><br /><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MrSwanley">MrSwanley</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4y4kE3VEFI&lc=UgjXd0GUrvciHXgCoAEC.86AN3EEgv2i89GnNu3uXNZ">1 year ago</a></span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">+Joseph Mory I'm willing, but I don't know how to get a file to you. I don't use any file sharing sites and I believe YT would block the URL anyway. I don't see a personal message system either. Besides which, the spreadsheet is nothing special. It's just a list of ingredients by weight (g), for each ingredient I input an estimated water % and use that to calculate the water grams. I sum the columns to calculate total weight and total water %, and a final section allows me to enter a target water% and predict what the total weight should be when that amount of water is removed. Basic assumption that all mass lost is water vapour. My water% estimates for important ingredients are milk(87%), sweetened condensed milk(33%), butter(15%). That's in the UK: different parts of the world have different standards for solids content of dairy products, so I would double check those.</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Show less</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Reply 1</span><br /><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/josefomory">Joseph Mory</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4y4kE3VEFI&lc=UgjXd0GUrvciHXgCoAEC.86AN3EEgv2i89GuhpZDMLo">1 year ago</a></span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">I'm sure I'll be able to figure it out, thanks for the input!</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Reply</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_BDCLiU9now/WgigHdLDFnI/AAAAAAAA6dU/NdTwlGt3A0gFH_ekts3xzKvKdOGWrR_DACLcBGAs/s1600/fedca0930a7a9fd65bd011de749a8b79--christmas-dinners-christmas-goodies.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="236" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_BDCLiU9now/WgigHdLDFnI/AAAAAAAA6dU/NdTwlGt3A0gFH_ekts3xzKvKdOGWrR_DACLcBGAs/s400/fedca0930a7a9fd65bd011de749a8b79--christmas-dinners-christmas-goodies.jpg" width="299" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/anyalake">AnyaLake</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4y4kE3VEFI&lc=UgjXd0GUrvciHXgCoAEC.86AN3EEgv2i89HKdWz9nkX">1 year ago</a></span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">a spiritually fulfilled person would have sent a PM, exchanged emails or even posted onto google docs given that everyone posting here by definition has a google account. Right back to failing in life I go ...</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Reply 1</span><br /><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MrSwanley">MrSwanley</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4y4kE3VEFI&lc=UgjXd0GUrvciHXgCoAEC.86AN3EEgv2i89J6OpJpkKI">1 year ago (edited)</a></span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">+anyalake I am here trying to share ideas with other people who are interested in making fudge. You seem to be intent on nothing except picking a fight - for no good reason that I can see. Thanks for reminding me about Google: I just used it to mute any further posts from you.</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Reply 3</span><br /><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV2xxqjQkAZFgfm8p-4RTiw">Fyfy zyzy</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4y4kE3VEFI&lc=UgjXd0GUrvciHXgCoAEC.86AN3EEgv2i8A5a17QjTQ2">1 year ago</a></span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">+MrSwanley I was wondering your calculations include the pot, how much does your pot weigh? Just so I could calculate and get exact results every time but with using my pot weight. Thank you for sharing what you have discovered.</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Reply</span><br /><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MrSwanley">MrSwanley</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4y4kE3VEFI&lc=UgjXd0GUrvciHXgCoAEC.86AN3EEgv2i8A6XxVPvHhi">1 year ago (edited)</a></span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">+Fyfy zyzy The weights I gave don't include the pot, that's why I say (+pot) beside them. They are just the sum of the weights of the recipe ingredients, before and after removing water. Add the weight of your own pot to both.</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Reply</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5UANNagVV6o/WgigO4Fq52I/AAAAAAAA6dY/CI1oc8Tt1lw24Qv7BQryA7dZsMNLFEBJACLcBGAs/s1600/hqdefault%2B%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="263" data-original-width="468" height="223" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5UANNagVV6o/WgigO4Fq52I/AAAAAAAA6dY/CI1oc8Tt1lw24Qv7BQryA7dZsMNLFEBJACLcBGAs/s400/hqdefault%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCPWnG-mY3syuAndvnDbCkA">Sam LSD</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4y4kE3VEFI&lc=UgjXd0GUrvciHXgCoAEC.86AN3EEgv2i8H8KMsKcNQS">1 year ago</a></span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">thanks for that scientific calculation about moisture content.</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Reply</span><br /><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcw7MVHtkOwShfrYUQ_qX9A">Zilliz 000</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4y4kE3VEFI&lc=UgjXd0GUrvciHXgCoAEC.86AN3EEgv2i8X1pqKNDPGn">2 months ago</a></span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">MrSwanley or....you could just use a candy thermometer! !</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Reply 1</span><br /><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/ferociousgumby">ferociousgumby</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4y4kE3VEFI&lc=UgjXd0GUrvciHXgCoAEC.86AN3EEgv2i8Zoph-isDuw">20 hours ago</a></span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Woah!</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Reply</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">FUDGE WARS, ROUND 2!: I just perused a few more fudge recipes on YouTube, and you wouldn't <i>believe </i>who popped up in the comments, giving everyone even more grief about the sacred science of fudge-making. Some poor lady, obviously just trying to be helpful, posted a conversion from British weight measurement to the standard North American dry measure system (cups instead of ounces/mls). And once again, the Fudge Grinch popped up.</span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/softballluver322">Abigail Skelton</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lXu1ySwxRs&lc=UgiC25nYrex063gCoAEC">2 years ago</a><br />FOR EVERYONE IN AMERICA, HERE ARE THE INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp butter 2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup milk about 1 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk what recipe should I convert next?<br />Show less<br />Reply 130<br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/softballluver322">Abigail Skelton</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lXu1ySwxRs&lc=UgiC25nYrex063gCoAEC.84eZSLV7llM7-JfVUxnsH2">2 years ago</a><br />+thecraftyzebra Your welcome! Any suggestions for another recipe to convert?<br />Reply 1 </span><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vFc_piwKRDs/WgigUwwYZTI/AAAAAAAA6dc/tud4fIpdTsgAC19NGWk5DFiYupoDXNGggCEwYBhgL/s1600/grinchguacamole.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="313" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vFc_piwKRDs/WgigUwwYZTI/AAAAAAAA6dc/tud4fIpdTsgAC19NGWk5DFiYupoDXNGggCEwYBhgL/s400/grinchguacamole.jpg" width="260" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vFc_piwKRDs/WgigUwwYZTI/AAAAAAAA6dc/wVo13kcl0tcbR1eAySc_xIqFhZNFSVewgCLcBGAs/s1600/grinchguacamole.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vFc_piwKRDs/WgigUwwYZTI/AAAAAAAA6dc/wVo13kcl0tcbR1eAySc_xIqFhZNFSVewgCLcBGAs/s1600/grinchguacamole.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vFc_piwKRDs/WgigUwwYZTI/AAAAAAAA6dc/wVo13kcl0tcbR1eAySc_xIqFhZNFSVewgCLcBGAs/s1600/grinchguacamole.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vFc_piwKRDs/WgigUwwYZTI/AAAAAAAA6dc/wVo13kcl0tcbR1eAySc_xIqFhZNFSVewgCLcBGAs/s1600/grinchguacamole.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vFc_piwKRDs/WgigUwwYZTI/AAAAAAAA6dc/wVo13kcl0tcbR1eAySc_xIqFhZNFSVewgCLcBGAs/s1600/grinchguacamole.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vFc_piwKRDs/WgigUwwYZTI/AAAAAAAA6dc/wVo13kcl0tcbR1eAySc_xIqFhZNFSVewgCLcBGAs/s1600/grinchguacamole.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vFc_piwKRDs/WgigUwwYZTI/AAAAAAAA6dc/wVo13kcl0tcbR1eAySc_xIqFhZNFSVewgCLcBGAs/s1600/grinchguacamole.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vFc_piwKRDs/WgigUwwYZTI/AAAAAAAA6dc/wVo13kcl0tcbR1eAySc_xIqFhZNFSVewgCLcBGAs/s1600/grinchguacamole.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vFc_piwKRDs/WgigUwwYZTI/AAAAAAAA6dc/wVo13kcl0tcbR1eAySc_xIqFhZNFSVewgCLcBGAs/s1600/grinchguacamole.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vFc_piwKRDs/WgigUwwYZTI/AAAAAAAA6dc/wVo13kcl0tcbR1eAySc_xIqFhZNFSVewgCLcBGAs/s1600/grinchguacamole.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vFc_piwKRDs/WgigUwwYZTI/AAAAAAAA6dc/wVo13kcl0tcbR1eAySc_xIqFhZNFSVewgCLcBGAs/s1600/grinchguacamole.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vFc_piwKRDs/WgigUwwYZTI/AAAAAAAA6dc/wVo13kcl0tcbR1eAySc_xIqFhZNFSVewgCLcBGAs/s1600/grinchguacamole.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MrSwanley">MrSwanley</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lXu1ySwxRs&lc=UgiC25nYrex063gCoAEC.84eZSLV7llM70VmdQ-I78D">2 years ago</a><br />+the wild one I hate it when people use liquid volumetric measures for solids such as butter, and things with variable density, such as sugar. Even in America I'd have thought people would want to use sensible, repeatable measures. So, no more conversions please.<br />Reply 5<br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHYXd7od4SJl3-AV-HXHRTA">Sheree Hyde</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lXu1ySwxRs&lc=UgiC25nYrex063gCoAEC.84eZSLV7llM8AvongScKMI">1 year ago</a><br />+the wild one Thank you for converting this for us in the US! Love these recipes! Please do caramel tarts!<br /><br />Reply 2<br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHYXd7od4SJl3-AV-HXHRTA">Sheree Hyde</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lXu1ySwxRs&lc=UgiC25nYrex063gCoAEC.84eZSLV7llM8Avoxp7SVE1">1 year ago</a><br />+MrSwanley Speak for yourself only. I appreciate the conversions!<br />Reply 6<br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtg9_K5LuMb2gJVP9otVzNw">Tabitha Crouse</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lXu1ySwxRs&lc=UgiC25nYrex063gCoAEC.84eZSLV7llM8B59pWUu2A_">1 year ago</a><br />Thank you so much! That is extremely helpful!<br />Reply 3<br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZPgGwJCaVpYXa2RdPj_Pfw">E Winter</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lXu1ySwxRs&lc=UgiC25nYrex063gCoAEC.84eZSLV7llM8HZN-CY4zDu">1 year ago</a></span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br />I know right. mrswanley has a lot of nerve speaking for everyone. Needs to mind his business if the conversations aren't useful for him.<br />Reply<br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/Melatina77">Melatina77</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lXu1ySwxRs&lc=UgiC25nYrex063gCoAEC.84eZSLV7llM8HZPYUGmgHG">1 year ago (edited)</a><br />Great tasting fudge and easy to make!<br />Reply<br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MrSwanley">MrSwanley</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lXu1ySwxRs&lc=UgiC25nYrex063gCoAEC.84eZSLV7llM8HaOc6T-ZQJ">1 year ago</a><br />+E Winter It would help if you learned to speak and interpret English before making a fool of yourself. I clearly said "_I_ hate it", not "_we_ hate it", i.e. at no time did I claim to speak for anyone except myself. And I stand by what I said, which most people with a brain will recognize as common sense.<br />Reply 2</span><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;">Woahhh!!</span></i></div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uIFEbJwIJ1I/WgiiA4Hf4aI/AAAAAAAA6ds/57HJh1q6gY4xWvUHCetITRiNf05P0QRggCLcBGAs/s1600/Grinch-Cookies-4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uIFEbJwIJ1I/WgiiA4Hf4aI/AAAAAAAA6ds/57HJh1q6gY4xWvUHCetITRiNf05P0QRggCLcBGAs/s400/Grinch-Cookies-4.jpg" width="381" /></a></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8774625592830261479.post-35627438017889894642024-01-24T12:08:00.000-08:002024-01-24T12:08:11.339-08:00🌺The Troll Doll Channel: Venus in the Garden🌺<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/2csNP76Pb9Y?si=0gZ1iAfQ3yDqFtJh" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2csNP76Pb9Y/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some of my loveliest trolls, with my favorite YouTube music by Sir Cubworth. Just wish the light was brighter, but my office is very dark. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Margaret Gunninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16281594044624096600noreply@blogger.com0