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 |   Nothing official here; just come chill! |
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Welcome! ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Welcome to my little Den! Here you'll find all sorts of things- mostly blog challenges, but mixed in, you'll notice:  I'm a bit of a fangirl  My life is very busy I enjoy using emoticons  I don't tend to swear, but stuff happens. |
| Talk Tuesday! Argue amongst yourselves about the best flavor of ice cream...unless you can convince us there's a better frozen treat. Oooh, yes, frozen treats! Yum.  Why ice cream, though? Why not Frozen Yogurt, or milkshakes, or smoothies?  Or sorbet, for that matter.  I could talk about all of them all day, regardless. Do milkshakes and smoothies count, I wonder? They’re both semi-frozen. I’m one of those people who like to imbibe their calories through a straw. You know, those “empty calories” people always talk about. Milkshakes, smoothies, juice, I’m all for it.  especially milk tea.  or milkshakes. I think, if Milkshakes counted, that would be the best frozen treat…. CG loves them too. He technically still owes me one, though I don’t think he remembers. Ah well.  Anyways, I do like milkshakes. We had two, today, since we got burgers for lunch and shared with aunt and the piano prodigy kid. A Ferrero Rocher one and a Cookies N Cream one. Honestly, both tasted about the same since I had requested a “Death Sauce” on the side and was slowly dying from the spiciness level of it when I tried both. And the piano kid also said they tasted the same, but he’s not very picky about his food, so his opinion doesn’t count too heavily- sorry kid. Mom described it as, the Cookies and Cream was a bit more chocolatey than the Ferrero Rocher one, but I honestly couldn’t tell either.  I just kinda went along with it to seem somewhat knowledgeable and to make it seem like I did have an opinion. CG mentioned a peanut butter and vanilla milkshake, that I would very much like to try. In Melbourne I made a chocolate and honeycomb/caramel one, which was pretty good as well. I also tried a Mint Aero shake  from a place called Royal Stacks- THAT was a good shake. The burger wasn’t as good, but I would definitely go back there just for the shake. If smoothies counted, I’d also say I make a mean Mango Matcha (Green tea) smoothie. In Cali, I used almond milk as my liquid, though honestly, any type of milk works- just don’t put in ice, because when it gets hot, and the smoothie starts melting, it gets all runny, and nobody likes a runny smoothie. I also like the Mango Matcha smoothie that Boost Juices has, though that’s much more unhealthy than the one I like to make. I don’t have an actual favorite frozen yogurt flavor, though. Maybe some fruity stuff, but honestly, I’m not that picky with frozen yogurt. There’s a place about 5-10 minutes from our house that does nice frozen yogurt, and I still remember thinking, in elementary school, that “frozen yogurt”= yogurt that’s frozen. So sometimes I’d put my Go-gurt in the freezer the night before, and then get it out the next morning…. Somehow the texture wasn’t quite right, but I figured, that must be the cost of making it at home- you don’t get smooth, creamy frozen yogurt like you do in the shop. Mom did tell me before that “that’s not how it works!” buuuut I figured that it was one of those “Mom things” where they lie to you just because they don’t want you doing something. So I ignored her and did it anyways. Now I know that frozen yogurt =/= yogurt that’s been frozen in the freezer, even if the name suggests it. I’m honestly not a huge fan of sorbet, but Weis does a really nice mango one. Yes, in case you haven’t noticed yet, I do like mango. QANTAS (the Aussie airline with the red tail and kangaroo on their planes) serves them on their international flights, though I can never get right if those are going into the country or going out. I’m guessing it’s going out, since Weis is an Aussie brand (I think, well I’ve only seen it here in Aus ) and whoever does the catering for the flights should be able to order it from Australia, to put on the flights originating in Australia.  Just logically speaking, of course. Doesn’t necessarily mean it is. Another frozen treat I remember fondly is the tastee freez. Back when sis and I were really young- okay, not really, really young, but young enough that we’d still spend our summers in California- so before 5th grade for me- we’d occasionally get a Wienerschnitzel tastee freez. Those were SO GOOD. Like, THE ultimate fast food ice cream/soft serve yumminess. I loved them- I think they were just those “you can get some if you’re good” type of treats that came once in a while, so that made it extra special. Come to think of it, though, I haven’t had one in FOR-EVER. Like, I can’t actually remember the last time I had one, forever.  We’d also get their kids’ meals, which came with some pretty fun toys- I remember having a curly/twirly straw that had a Mrs. French Fry (I think that’s the character’s name?!) on it. It was pink, no surprise there. Another good place with yummy soft serve/ice cream is McDonald’s. before you get all “ewww, fast food, McDonald’s so unhealthy!” on this, hear me out. It’s Macca’s! It’s supposed to be unhealthy. And I remember that fudge sauce, just OMG. I used to have it as a really, really young kid. Like, before moving to Cali, young. So when I was younger than 6. And I still remember the taste of that fudge sauce. I don’t know why, or what’s so special about it, but there’s just something about that aftertaste, I think, and something about the sauce that makes it onto the top of my “yes please!” list for frozen treats. I had one the other day, in honor of National Ice Cream day. Mom was going to get ice cream with Aunt as well, but Aunt deemed it “too cold” that day for ice cream. I kinda have to disagree there…. It’s never too cold for ice cream. Unless, of course, it’s, like, 10 degrees below 0 and everywhere around you might as well be a freezer… then it might be too cold? As for actual ice cream flavors, I think I’d have to pick two- one from Rite Aid and one from Baskin Robbins. I love the Rite Aid Chocolate Malted Crunch flavor, and the Baskin Robbing Chocolate Cookies N Cream flavor.  I remember after Sis and I both had our licenses, Mom would send us out on little errands here and there, and sometimes it’d involve the mall, which had a Baskin Robbins, so a few times during the summer, we’d make a pit stop at Baskin Robbins and get a kids’ cone each. I mean, they’re $2, so it’s really not that bad. Plus we picked up some $1 off coupons somewhere (I don’t remember where now) so that made it really cheap. Good memories. and then we’d just make sure we finished the ice cream and stuff before going back home. What Mom doesn’t know, won’t hurt her, right?Anyways, so I found the Chocolate Cookies and Cream flavor during one of those secret Ice cream rendezvouses, and I definitely think it beats the regular cookies and cream- by miles! Chocolate Malted Crunch also has its own little family history story- back in kindergarten and first grade, if sis and I were “good” for the whole week (a long time for us back then!) every Friday, Mom would take us out for ice cream. Mom always got the same thing- Chocolate Malted Crunch in a cup. We didn’t really think much of it at the time, honestly, and then as we got older, those visits slowly decreased, and eventually stopped all together. Then when we did get to go to Rite Aid, for whatever stuffs we needed, we might get a scoop of ice cream if Mom felt like splurging. so we tried it, and then there was no going back. Yeah, so frozen treats: I don’t think there really is one "best" treat. It’s definitely dependent on one’s mood…. A liquid treat, or solid treat? Something crunchy? Something not? For me, right now, I think it’s gonna be a milkshake. Because CG. And we just had some today. Aaand, like I said, I prefer getting my calories through a straw. |
| Singer Mavis Staples , born on this day in 1939, once said "If you don't get out among the people, how are you going to know what they need to hear about?" How has reviewing other people's work on WDC helped you become better? Have you received a very helpful review lately that made any difference in your writing? Hmmm I tried taking the New Horizons review class this past semester but ended up being too busy at the end and had to drop it.  It was helpful, but I felt the class was more about what to include in a review, than actually improving your reviewing style or finding your review style. I’m definitely not trying to bash it, or deterring others from taking it, that’s just how I felt about it.Anyways, that's besides the point. I do think reviewing other people's work on WdC makes me more aware of what I'm looking for when I'm reading- so when I'm writing, I get more cautious about what I'm including, or what I'm saying. I don't want to be making the same mistakes that I might have pointed out to someone else in a review to them... like a “do as I say, not as I do,” type of thing. I also think I subconsciously hold myself to a standard of sorts- just because most of my family doesn't know this side of me, so if they ever were to find out, I want to be able to say "yes, this is what I do, and I'm proud of it," and aside from "I didn't know she wrote," maybe get a "that's not too bad" out of them. In a sense, then, I suppose there's an image of sorts to upkeep, for if they ever found out- probably why only some of my stuff is public. As for receiving helpful reviews, the last review I received that could be considered "helpful" was last month. Everyone else seems keen on giving those really short, 250-300 character reviews that don't say much besides "I really liked your story/poem. I could find nothing wrong with it. *insert a compliment and a bit more filler stuff here* Good job!" I also don’t get reviewed often, actually. I don’t reply to most people’s reviews, either, though, which might also be part of it. Sometimes, if there’s a newbie who sends a couple comments I’ll do my best and make an effort to reach out and say thanks, but that’s about it. So that probably doesn’t help, either. I probably have 200-300 reviews that need replying now, that I haven’t looked at in a while. Maybe I should dedicate a day to clearing those out- replying to the more recent ones, and such.  Also, I don't do much reviewing anymore, but when I do, I try to make it all count- like, giving actual suggestions as opposed to those fluffy "that was awesome"s. I mean, there's nothing really wrong with them, unless you're trying to get real feedback. I think those are more meant as confidence boosters- like when you're trying to encourage a little kid to try again after they may not have succeeded at something. Though, GoT is coming up, so maybe my review count will go way up again. I can be competitive, if the mood strikes. Extremely competitive, actually. |
| This week, Tesla announced they're building the world's biggest lithium ion battery in Australia. This is to enhance the security of their electric grid, and can provide a more efficient and cost-effective way of maintaining service. Should more countries be doing things like this to lessen their dependence on fossil fuels and create less of a negative environmental impact? Hmmmm, funny that it's in Australia, actually, because I saw an ad on TV in Melbourne for an electric/power company that was saying something similar. Definitely wasn't Tesla, but they said they were slowly lessening their dependence on fossil fuels and going towards cleaner, reusable energy sources like wind power and solar power to provide service to their customers, saying something like, they're doing it gradually, because if they did it all at once, nothing would work the next day. And that's fair enough- I don't think you can do too much, too soon- firstly, the engineers have to keep up with the changes, and secondly, with so many customers, how can you do it all at once for everyone?Fun (maybe not?) Fact, though, according to my physics prof from Cali last year- the amount of energy and resources it takes to create solar panels will always outweigh the amount of energy and resources it saves from being used as electrical power, so solar panels are actually not eco-friendly. With that said, and with that knowledge, I would still say yes, just not with solar panels? I do think countries need to lessen their negative environmental impact, but I'm not sure if solar is the way to go. Lithium-ion, I have no clue, though, because I'm really NOT a science-y person, at all, and I nearly failed chemistry in high school, and physics in both high school and uni. South Australia seems like a good place to build the battery- it's big and dry and sounds like a pretty ideal environment for battery storage. I'm just skimming the article now, though, and with the rechargeable aspect of it, it sounds pretty good- kinda like a rollover phone plan.  See how un-sciencey I am? From what I understand that I read, the battery charges up, and what you use, you use, and what you don't use, stays in the battery until you do use it, so it balances out the costs for the customer who is using it.... Like a battery pack you would use for your phone! I use mine all the time. So I guess it's like envisioning the battery pack thingy some people have, to bring along with them to their work or whatever, to recharge their phone when it's almost dying, except on a giant scale, to charge up people's homes with electricity.I'm curious about the results of the battery farm, actually- though I suppose if it didn't work, they wouldn't have decided to go ahead on this giant battery in South Australia? I dunno. Just my logic. My logic isn't always how others logic. |
| Creation Saturday! You've discovered a new (animal, plant, alien, or other) species, and... Hmmmm, see, I do have no shortage of new animal species with me- plushies, mostly. There's Sparkles the Fairycorn, and Mr. Plum the Kittencorn, and all sorts of other new species. Though, if I discovered a new species, I doubt I'd hear any end of it from Show (my doll). She went through the portal the other day after Nellie discovered Groot at Kit's place, and the two of them were very much in for a Show-style telling-off because she didn't believe Groot's name should be Groot. How Groot became Groot Nellie dashed through the portal, catching wind of a new plushie friend on the other end. She was greeted by a cross-eyed, tree-looking creature with his tongue out. "Hiii! I'm Nellie. What or who are you? "The newbie looked at Nellie and waved. "Hi! Ummm.... I don't know what or who I am.... I can't even see myself very well!" "Ooh, yeah! Your eyes look all crossed and confused!" The new plushie nodded. "It makes the world look reeeeallly weeeird...." Nellie attempted to mimic the newcomer's eyes. "You're right! It does make the world look really, really weird. And I don't think my eyes were even as crossed and confused as yours!" She gave the brown newbie a hug. He hugged her back. "I suppose we can't help how we're born. But still, whenever I try to look for my tail, I get surprised every time I succeed and do it!" Nellie gasped. "You have a tail?!" She ran around her new friend to check it out. "oooh! I see!" "Either way, nobody really wanted me, so Kit adopted me from the plushie pile on the shelf in the store. Though now I guess we'll finally find out what or who I am!" Nellie stepped back, examining her friend once more. "You look kinda like...." She stopped to think. "A mix between a tree and a beanbag with a tail." She giggled. "Ooh, so am I an Ent?" Nellie frowned. "I'm not sure. I don't know what an Ent is." She dashed back through the portal to borrow her human's phone to Google "Ent" pictures. Dashing back through the portal as the pictures loaded, she gasped. "No! You're nothing like an Ent! Ents look kinda scary, see?" She pointed to the picture loading on Wikipedia. The not-Ent looked. "I suppose you're right, though I can't really tell, myself." Nellie pondered more. "Hmmm, if you're not an Ent... What other tree-y names are there? Trunky? Tree? I remember Kit didn't like 'Trunky' for the Ellie the Elephant pillow because it sounded too much like 'Trumpy'" She giggled. "What about Groot, though? He's cute!" Nellie Googled "Groot" for Not-Ent to see. Not-Ent thought for a minute. "I like Groot." His mouth curved up, beaming. "I can be Groot!" "Yay! You're Groot!" Nellie hugged the newly-named plushie. "You're really nice, Nellie!" Groot hugged the bear back. "So are you!" Nellie beamed. "Now I don't have to be all lonely on a shelf anymore. And there are nice people here! I think I'm going to like it here!" Nellie peeked through the portal, then lowered her voice. "Just be careful of a littler girl named Show. She loooooves to lecture anyone and everyone who will and will not listen! She can be trouble sometimes!" Groot peeked through as well. "Do you think she'll like me?" he whispered. "Or will she get us into trouble?" Nellie shook her head. "She just lectures anyone and everyone she can find, about anything and everything she can think of. Really, she doesn't get others into trouble. Usually she gets in trouble with my human, Dragon." Nellie giggled softly. "So if she lectures everyone, why doesn't everyone just sit her down and ask why she does that?" Nellie's eyes widened. "Noooo, you don't do that to Show! Plus, it's not like she'd listen. You'll see when you meet her! " She continued. "She can boss around a whole room full of plushies to do as she says!" "And they just listen to her?" Groot stood there, dumbfounded. "Does she need a hug or something?" He philosophized. "Maybe then she won't be so mean and bossy!" "oooh, no. You don't hug Show, either. Nobody's really allowed to, unless they want another telling off. She thinks we're trying to sass her when we hug her! Even her bestie, Charlie Brown, gets told off on a more than regular occasion!" "Her bestie? She tells off her bestie? I suppose I should be really, REALLY careful around this Show." Nellie nodded. "Yeah! I mean, he looooves to lick, which is mostly why she tells him off, but I think it's really cute. I mean, he's a puppy, and that's what puppies do! They lick, to show their love. So if you don't like being licked, either, I guess he's another one you need to stay away from. But I think it's cute." Nellie beamed again. Groot smiled. "I don't mind being licked. I mean, I've never been licked before, so I wouldn't know, but it doesn't sound as bad as being told-off, that's for sure." Nellie giggled. "He's also a very snuggly puppy. He's currently snuggled with Milky Baby the hippo, and Sparkles the Fairycorn." She peeked through the portal again, to double check. "A Fairycorn?" Groot gasped. Nellie nodded and called down the portal for the trio. "Miiiilky Baaaaabyyyy! Spaaaarkleeeess! Chaaaarlie Browwwn! Come meet a new friend!"" Grott giggled. "We could have a party!" "A party?!" Nellie's eyes lit up even more. "Kit does have loads more chocolates and treats...." Groot reasoned. Nellie leaned through the portal again, taking a deep breath before calling out "PLUUUUSHIEEEE PAAAARTYYYYYY!" Her Australian, American, and Texan plushie friends dashed through the portal, and tumbled into England. Groot blinked at the sudden onslaught of plushies suddenly surrounding him. "You have ALOT of friends!" Nellie nodded. "And soon they'll be your friends, too!" She spotted Big Pooh nearby and dragged Groot towards the other bear. "And meet Big Pooh! He's also really snuggly, and the only one who Show will allow to cuddle her. Except for Charlie Brown, on occasion." She nodded. "The more friends we have, the better!" She declared. "It'll be great to have loads of friends!" Groot agreed, looking around. "Though, ummm, which one is Show? You know, just in case?" Nellie scanned the room. "Doesn't look like she's here yet!" She poked her head into the portal, only to see Show sulking in a corner by herself. "Show! C'mon! Party! At Kit's! And a new friend!" Nellie called to the doll. She turned back to Groot. "She usually has purple and gray striped overalls on, and an onion-shaped head, so it's really hard to miss her! Except," she lowered her voice to a whisper, "she's kinda small. But don't ever let her hear you say that! You'll definitely get in trouble with her for that!" Show huffed her way through the portal. "Who are you?" She eyed the tree-shaped newbie hiding behind Nellie. "And why are you hiding behind Nellie? I hope you're not hiding from me," she scoffed. Groot blinked and shuffled out. "Hello! I am Groot!" "Groot? Like Groot from the superhero movies?" Show laughed. "That's just silly. What's your real name?" She raised an eyebrow. Groot shrugged in response. "I don't think I have a real name? Groot is the name Nellie gave me. I don't think I have a real name, at least." Show sighed. "Of all people to listen to, you choose Nellie? Seriously?" She grimaced. Groot smiled. "Well, she was the first one who wanted to get to know me. And it is a little difficult when someone wants to address you, but you don't even know what they should use to do so, either," he reasoned. Show shook her head. "Newbie mistake. Definitely a newbie mistake. You should never, EVER listen to Nellie. Ever. She's just a silly, floppy-armed bear. What does she know? Nothing! I'm a doll, and I've been to uni, and kindergarten. I know LOTS. You should be listening to ME, not her," the doll ranted. Groot shuffled back towards Nellie. "She was only being nice, in giving me a name....." "Pffft. Nice isn't always good." Show rolled her eyes. "But then again, you're a newbie. You wouldn't know that." Groot peered out at Show. "So what do you think I should be called?" Show harrumphed. "I don't know. Not Groot, that's for sure! That's just silly and not original, at all!" Nellie sighed at Show. "You really need to lighten up! Groot's Groot, and that's that!" Groot nodded. "I am Groot!" Nellie giggled. "Seee?" "Ugh, whatever." Show rolled her eyes again. "You want to be friends with Nellie, go ahead. That's not my problem. But don't come running to me when others start making fun of your name because you look nothing like the original Groot," she stuck out her tongue and stormed off. Groot looked at Nellie. "Is that true? Will others make fun of me because I don't look like a Groot?" Nellie hugged her new friend. "Well, I think you look like a Groot!" She declared. "Plus, once a plushie is named, it's really hard to rename them something else, because names are important! They stick! Lots of times, forever." "Awww, thank you!" Groot hugged Nellie back, "I do think you're much nicer than Show, and I hope the others will be more like you, and less like her." "Oh, don't worry, I think you'll make friends juuuust fine, here, Groot. Everyone's been told off by Show at least once, so don't feel too badly about it!" |
| Fun Fact Friday! On this day in 1994, Amazon.com was founded in Seattle, Washington under the name "Cadabra." Will shopping online ever fully replace buying stuff from stores? Wellll.... if we're going with the "everything happens eventually" theory, then yes. Otherwise, I'm not too sure. Yes, I do love online shopping, but sometimes there's stuff you just need to get in person. Like, for me, pants and shoes. And groceries. I will not trust an online service to deliver my groceries- firstly because I want to pick the products myself, and secondly, I guess sanitary reasons? Who knows what else my food has contacted since leaving the supermarket? So, thanks but no thanks, Amazon Fresh, and all those other grocery stores who have delivery services. Next, clothes- yes, it's definitely fun to shop for clothes online, but there's always the risk of the clothes not fitting well once they arrive, or not being as comfortable as you imagined it'd be. I've had that happen too many times. Went to a formal thingy last year for the honors program, and I bought a dress online, which ended up chafing at the insides of my arm because the sequins/sparkles there were kind of rough. Shoes and pants, though, are a whole other story. Different companies have different sizing charts, so one label's "small" might be some other's "extra small", and "medium" on yet another label. With online shopping, you can't just take all three sizes and try them on in the dressing room to see which fits best- it's a guessing game of sorts, to see if you know your body and the company's sizes well enough to successfully get something without seeing it first. Also, shoes are weird for me because I'm quite particular with shoes..... And lastly, shipping fees are a pain and make you want to just go to the store and get the stuff in person. |
| Go to a book you're currently reading, and turn to page 56. On that page, go to the fourth complete sentence. That's your prompt...at the end of your entry please list the title, author, and sentence. Welllll I haven't really finished reading the book, and I'm hesitating to finish it because it *is* a good book and I love the author. Anyways, my sentence is: The Milky Way would be blasted apart. from Matthew Reilly's The Four Legendary Kingdoms They determined it. The Milky Way would be blasted apart. Would it be dangerous? Who would survive? What remains after? Nobody knows. They only knew because of Facebook. They saw the event on Facebook. One thousand people. First come, first served. One luggage and protective suit. One participant per family. The countdown begins from ten. Murmurs start at nine. Some people back down at eight. Others psych themselves at seven. Six, they look at their neighbor. Five, a realization- everyone's competition. Four, excitement. Three, people yell. Two, it all falls silent, before one, when it all explodes. Chocolate, chocolate everywhere. The participants return, with a suitcase of nougat. Enough for everyone? Just for the survivors. The lucky ones who weren't hit and killed by nougat. |
| Is it better to be happy or simply content? Is there a difference? Well.... I'm waiting for SVU to come on so may as well do this prompt. According to Google Dictionary, happy means "feeling or showing pleasure or contentment. having a sense of confidence in or satisfaction with (a person, arrangement, or situation)." Content means "in a state of peaceful happiness. satisfied with a certain level of achievement, good fortune, etc., and not wishing for more." Super helpful, Google. So I don't think they're the same thing, if the words are in each other's definitions. I suppose content would be better- in the definition, they mention "peaceful", and not to get all religious like the other post, but in Buddhism, inner peace is part of what you want to achieve. And I'd think you can't be content without being happy first. Like, inner peace is more or less contentment, isn't it?Happy is more like a temporary type of feeling, I think. Like, you can be happy just seeing your pet, or happy with good news, but contentment lasts longers. Merriam-Webster does say contentment is being satisfied, and happy seems more short-lived. Merriam-Webster says glad, or pleased. Contentment can be sustained, even if it's not quite as high a feeling as happiness (thank you for that insight Storm Machine!). It's enough, without being too much. Sounds like Buddhism, honestly. Inner peace, and satisfaction with what you've got, not needing more. Happiness can be excitement, like the 0-100 in a matter of seconds, but like the laws of physics, every action has an equal and opposite reaction, so the overall happiness probably lasts the amount of time that it took to become happy. Contentment might be more a fulfilled feeling? Like, feeling as though you're where you should be in life, or what you have is what you need. Reminds me of a song from Nashville- "A Life That's Good" - It's about having what you need, and recognizing and respecting that, and not feeling like you need more. [Embed For Use By Upgraded+] With that worked out, I'm going to say content is better, definitely. You're not left wanting more, the feeling lasts longer, and it seems like you've got a fulfilled feeling.  |
| Talk Tuesday! Tell us what your ideal picnic or barbecue would consist of. Setting, food, friends (if applicable), activities, etc. OOoh. picnics and barbecues! Haven't had a picnic in a looong time, but I remember in elementary school when Mom would organize picnics with our friends and we'd all go to the park and romp around while the parents sat around and gossiped. and then middle school happened, and there was drama in sis's friend group, and I found completely new friends, and all that stopped. Oh well. People change, I guess.Anyways, going back to the picnic, we would bring all sorts of outdoors toys to play with- skip-its (remember those?) jump ropes, scooter, bikes, kite, balls, I think at one point, the pogo stick. One of sis's friends's dads had made a scooter out of a skateboard. It didn't work very well, unfortunately, in terms of steering, but it was pretty fun to ride when all the other scooters were taken. Oh! We had the Chinese jump rope too. The long elastic string in a loop, that two people hold around their ankles, and the person in the middle jumps in patterns and tries to land on the string? Good memories. Sis's friends had younger brothers, too, so they'd all play together, and one of them in particular (brother of that friend with the skateboard scooter) was particularly temperamental. I still remember there was one time where I think the boys were playing with water guns, and he got sprayed, and he was all "I wasn't on the battle field yet!" He must've been in first or second grade at that time....So I guess that's setting and activities all sorted- the park we went to also had a shed place that was occasionally open for the public to venture into- there were games in there, too. I remember there was a table tennis table, and we'd try to play that. Didn't work very well. So yeah, I'm with Kit  on this one- good weather is a must for a nice picnic or barbecue. Also, that park had a huuuuge hill! and a concrete path that went around the park, for people to scooter, bike, or whatever wheel thingy they had. I never actually made it all the way down the hill, ever. Mom actually forbid it- for good reason. It was pretty steep, and I think even 1/4 of the way down was quite dangerous. Every time we went to the park and I attempted the hill, I'd return with at least one fresh injury. Whether it be a skinned knee, scraped elbow, cut ankle from the scooter, you name it, I probably got it. I really don't remember *alot* about picnics with my friends, actually. I had two good friends in elementary school, but they were friends before I was, through Girl Scouts, so that didn't help too much, though we still hung out together sometimes outside of school. I do remember we did other stuff with my friends, like bowling and then eating out, though I guess that's besides the point here. Food- usually we kept it simple. Mom looooves her fried chicken, so we'd always go to the supermarket hot food section and buy a couple pounds (in weight, not money ) of those, and then some other family would bring pizza, and I think some others would bring popsicles. Hey, we were in elementary school- simple is good! I doubt we'd appreciate freshly grilled chicken or sausages at that time. And for the healtheir people (namely, the parents, because who cares about weight or health in 3rd or 4th grade?!) there was always the salad option. And I think Mom would always make us have a little bit of that before we went off to play. Friends- I'd love to go on a picnic with my current-day friends. Naturally, there's my WdC friends, and then maybe some family members? And some of the people in the org, I guess. And school friends- both from here in Aus, and there in Cali. How we're going to make this worldwide picnic happen, I have no clue, but Australia has some nice spots, like Mount Nelson in Tasmania, which has a park and playground and oval/footy field for anyone who wants to run about. Or, could go back to that park in Cali, just for old times' sake. That'd be cool. I do think I'd invite some of the "family" we have here in Australia- definitely my aunt (the one who's actually related to me), the baby, Mom's bro, CG and the rest of the lion dancers, the lion tamers and their mom, the babies of CG's middle brother... I guess I won't list them all, but yeah, having the Aussie family meet some of my friends would be nice. Mom actually knows of some of my online friends now- at least, the ones I talk to every day. I don't mention they're online, naturally, I just say "they're friends" If I were to plan my perfect picnic, though, for now, I'd definitely invite my online and real life friends, plus family. It'd be a huge gathering, but hey, everyone can meet each other, and wouldn't that be cool? And maybe Mom would decide not everyone on the internet is evil and out to get you. Besides that, though, pizza would be present, maybe someone who knows how to grill meat on the barbecue- I guess that'd be uncle, so I suppose I'd have to invite him, even if sis doesn't like him, and I'm meh on him. But if he can cook, why not? Grilled meat, hooray! and maybe some grilled veggies too, like corn and zucchini? Would probably do it at that park in Cali- it's got a playground in a sandpit too, for the kids, and the field is quite large for running about, plus that path I mentioned- I think it's pretty ideal for any picnic!I imagine the lion dancers would challenge anyone and everyone to a game of soccer, as usually happens when we have a large, informal get-together in the org, and it'd be fun to watch some of my more sporty friends attempt to take them on. I'll probably be cheering from the sidelines, unless a certain someone pulls me in, but still, I stink at any and all sports, so nobody would want me on their team, anyways! Then, if there's other people at the park, too, they'd probably get pulled in to the game. ********** As for a barbecue, though, I think out of everyone who I usually consider my "family", uncle is the only one who will BBQ anything for us. Mom is too lazy to do it, and she definitely wouldn't trust me or sis to use a grill. It's actually been a loooong while since we've grilled anything outside, though I remember once actually having hot dogs that uncle had grilled. He's probably done more than just hot dogs, but that's what I remember. I think we got it in my senior year- not long after the huge Buddhist conference where we hosted a lunch at our place. And then uncle used it a couple times, and then I guess the excitement wore out, and now it's sitting somewhere behind our house, collecting dust and dirt and who knows what else inside the bowl/cauldron thingy and waiting for its next use. Which probably won't be any time soon, since we're all in Australia. |
| This week, there was another mass shooting...this time at a concert in a night club in Arkansas . Coincidentally, earlier this past year the governor of Arkansas signed legislation allowing concealed handguns to be carried in certain venues (including colleges, bars and night clubs, and government buildings). What can be done to prevent these incidents of violence? Well, guns are the third leading cause of death amongst kids, in the United States. I think that's something to think about in general. Also, the second amendment. The text of it states, "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." I feel like most people only know the second part- "the right of the people to keep and bear arms," but there's so much more to it- that first part changes everything. "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state"- "free state" = free country. So, a country needs a well-regulated militia to keep it safe. I won't argue with that. But the context in which this was drafted- right after the colonies' freedom from English oppression- should also be considered. The people in the Constitutional Convention were trying to make sure the US didn't turn into a mini-England. Also, everybody was considered to be part of the militia back then, which is why they could bear arms- it wasn't to go hunting or shoot things for fun, it was to protect their country. Next, I hate to say it, but that Arkansas governor- what was he thinking? Concealed weapons in government buildings and school campuses? I mean, if you're security detail or something and it's part of your job to protect the place, then sure, yeah, by all means, because they're only supposed to use it when necessary. Or, supposedly that's the case, at least. But a regular student/person/visitor/tourist? Why do they even NEED a weapon in the first place? Honestly, you'd think people would find you a more violent person if you're regularly carrying around a concealed weapon, than if you were to walk around without one. Uncle owns a grill in Texas- I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this a few times, and the locals all love going there to eat. We get a few sheriffs who dine there on occasion too, and they do have their guns. BUT the sheriffs are in uniform, and the guns are in their holsters. I'm assuming at the end of the day, the weapons go back to the office and are locked up in some safe place. It goes back to the second amendment, in a sense- being part of the "militia" that "protects the state". In this case, I suppose the "state" is loosely interpreted as whatever area of land you're covering, and trying to protect. They're not the everyday Joe Schmoe who gets to go buy a gun at some random store. With that said, I do think this legislation may need some revising. Look at James Madison's version of the second amendment- I think that was the clearest. People who are in the militia have the right to bear arms, is essentially what he's getting at. And that makes sense. But everybody being allowed to bear arms? That's a little extreme. I don't blame the Founding Fathers for this- I mean, I doubt they ever thought the US would get so big, but at the same time, when the times change, I do think rules need to change, too. A 10-year old girl isn't going to have the same set of rules as her 20-year old sister, is she? I get that they were afraid having a centralized government meant that all the power would fall back to the federal government, and the federal government would try to use weapons to control its people again, but we *do* have the 10th amendment (I'm pretty sure it's the 10th that says "whatever powers not listed as belonging to a specific government belong to the state governments by default") to counteract that. I'm not saying we should get rid of guns all together, but it's been 225 years since the second amendment was introduced. I think it's about time somebody (or bodies) took a good look at that, and the country, and figured out why everyone is ignoring the part about "militia". Maybe, just maybe, it's time for new legislation! |
| ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** I've just left Tas and returning to the apartment left me feeling all meh. I came back and found that Frenchie left me some trash and a severed shoelace. She took the toilet paper with her, though.  Watched some Dance Academy tonight and it left me feeling even more meh, so I thought I'd have an early night, but the brain's not shutting off. Which leads me to this image..... The girl, she's on a swing, but the rope is severed. A swing- it should be a happy thing. Kids go to the playground to play on the swings, and they trust that the chains or the rope will hold them. The frayed end suggests either the rope broke of its own accord, or someone cut it. For me, it's like broken trust. You trust that the swing, the rope is going to hold you, but the next moment, you find yourself falling, because the support isn't there. Sound familiar, doesn't it? Bridging Anteaters, especially. I know I said I got over it, but there's just part of me that isn't, I suppose. And Tina's message all those months ago was making me reflect on what had happened. I still haven't replied her, though, and I doubt I will. Another thing that's bugging me- the severed shoelace. She CUT my shoelace. I use it to keep the door from swinging open too far- it's the end of a chain of rubber bands attached to the thingy you hook curtain hooks on, on the curtain track. She must've needed to close the balcony door when she left. I get that. But is she so inept that she cannot untie a basic knot? or undo some of the other rubber bands? She's tall. Taller than I am. She should be able to reach that curtain hook thingy with no problem. And yet, she decided to cut my shoelace. Firstly, it's not her shoelace to cut. Secondly, it's my property. Thirdly, putting the first two points together, she's destroying my property. And she's skipped town now, probably somewhere back in France or traveling Australia with her new "friends" or friends with benefits, so she can't be held accountable for her actions. I'm wondering if reception knows/approved of this, because, like I said, she shouldn't be destroying other people's stuff, even if it can be fixed. I might go down to complain tomorrow, and see what they say. Picture link here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/145610433@N05/shares/780fEs I put it on my Facebook story, which is why it looks like that, with the text on it. |
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