we're watching a little fawn out our back window. S/he's not very old, still a bit wobbly in the knees but getting around enough to forage a bit. Then plopped down near our fence in the tall grass, in the shade of the big tree. Mamma so far hasn't been seen. But we know she knows where her baby is.
Our compound posts a wildlife note from TX wildlife - encompassing everything those in our compound should have known, but many ignore.
Such as don’t feed them. And I could provide details about why’s, but many ignore. And many of this they don’t read cause they know soooooo much! why the deer census needs to be done every few years and why. Then they want to sue without reading anything from the past because they’re from California or someplace like that & well, ya know, don’t blah blah blah
And they feed the wild turkeys &sream & call the poooolice because these WILD beasts are attacking my car/golf cart- chasing me down the street - help!!!!
Last week, following the memorial for my cousin, we were all back at the house unwinding and interacting, with some of us getting reacquainted with others we hadn't seen much of in recent years, or meeting kids and spouses.. And at some point there were three generations at the table playing Legos and talking.
sounds good. I've found that jigsaw puzzles act as magnets, drawing people in, leaning over each other's shoulders, or over the table, to see if they can place just 1 piece, then they hang around to place 1 more... & conversations happen.
Good morning. Happy Pentecost! 66 when I got up, 71 now, staying in the 70s and rain in the afternoon. Not a classic memorial day weekend, although Memorial Day tomorrow should be a little warmer and no rain.
I have a problem with the Dispatch Faith article. Reflecting on the San Diego mosque shooting as we as on the wave of anti-Semetism (that is, anti-Jewishness), it conflates the two (because Jews and Arabs are "Semetic"). Killing innocent people of any religion is wrong. The mosque shoting was outrageous. But attacks on Muslims for being Muslims are dwarfed by multiple orders of magnitude, by attacks on jews for being Jews. And not infrequently, attackers of Jews are themselves Muslims or Muslim sympathizers ("From the River to the Sea!").
In the homily today, the priest reflected on the gospel, in part this:
"On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” "
The priest explained "you know, they were afraid the Jews would kill them, like they killed Jesus.." I cringed a little, wishing he would frame that with more grace.
In a bit of fairness, his English is a bit of a struggle. In his native Spanish he might have said it differently.
I rarely hear from anyone of any Christian faith that Jews killed Jesus; it was the Romans.
What I hear, that's not being discussed much, is that many Protestants — especially Evangelicals — read the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) with a strong focus on God’s covenant with Israel. They often interpret these covenants as still active today, leading to beliefs such as: Jews remain God’s chosen people; modern Israel has a prophetic role & Christians should support the Jewish people.
ETA: maybe I should take out the word "many" from Protestants? Perhaps there aren't many Evangelicals?
A very good friend of mine in TN was a firm believer, & she was very active in her Presbyterian church. I talked about religion w/ her more than anyone else, before my now hubs. My hubs now was brought up Catholic & knows very little about the Old Testament.
Ouch. The Gospels make it clear that Jesus was killed by the Romans, not that this makes modern Italians responsible.
The disciples could have been afraid of being turned over to the Roman authorities as a revolutionary band, or they could have worried about mob violence rather than authorized, official killing.
Well, there are some in the church, especially toward the more traditionalist side, that treat Nostra Aetate as non-binding or even heretical. That's one of the sources of what looks like is going to be a final, clean schism for the SSPX. In order to keep them in the tent, they want the Pope to say, oops, we got it wrong about not hating Jews or blaming them for the death of Jesus.
It's also possible that this was simply left out of the priest's formation and he never read the Gospels for detail.
I'm not very deep in that schism, but yeah. Is it the loss of the Latin Mass and the other softening of traditional practices - supposedly to make the church more approachable.. or does the Jew question weigh heavily in that too. Even if unstated. MBD leaning, but not yet in, that tent.
There's a strong strain of Jew-hatred in the milieu. Everyone? Probably not, but once a person is drawn in by the aesthetic, is he going to say, "Wait a minute, the Church has a new attitude toward Jewish people now!" or is he going to think the clergy whose authority he has chosen over the authority of the Catholic Church is right?
There's also a strong strain of misogyny coming in with the traditional aesthetic's new appeal to men. Orthodox Christians are noticing it, too.
there was one in our area I used once, & it was necessary, & it was expensive. It wasn't very nearby, but close enough. I've heard of people using such places for non-emergency purposes. There's also pet insurance available, which I never used.
Now, in our neighborhood, I post pics of neighbors' pets for our neighborhood website. I ask them how they want their pet 'labeled'. One widowed neighbor sent pics of her dog, as "(her name)'s fur-baby (name) & her daughter's dog that she dog-sits as (her name)'s grand-furbaby (name).
Weird. I remember the first time I saw a post on NextDoor in the vein of "Baby running in the street right now!" I was concerned, but then I looked at the details and realized it was a dog. It's ubiquitous now. "This baby came into my yard," "Is this your baby running down Oak Street?" and so on.
Where I live, there is typically one 24-7 vet clinic, specifically for emergencies. A vet friend of mine, she and four others vets each "cover a weekend", handling emergencies. They understand that just as humans don't schedule falls and accidents to 9-5 M-F, neither do pets.
I wish I could ban "fur baby" from the lexicon. nearly all the childless academics I know say their pets are their babies. I had an argument once, asking if they would lay down their life for their pet. If not, it's isn't their baby.
I have two dogs, we love them, we care for them, we spend hundreds on vet care. But they will always be several rungs down from our children.
It's common for people to show a picture of a dog or cat and say "my child."
We could have a discussion as a society (through our elected representatives, if they weren't a bunch of nincompoops and gerbils) about whether everyone in the country has an obligation to pay to provide medical goods and services and daycare and diapers and whatever else you want for your actual human child, so that you never have to change your priorities.
Nobody has an obligation to have that conversation about your dog or cat.
On the other hand, the county has low-cost spay and neuter clinics and rabies vaccination clinics, because the residents of the county have an interest in not having a bunch of rabid dogs and cats running around.
This article in The Free Press talks about the seemingly spiritual dimensions of working in AI. The mostly materialistic Silicon Valley tech community facing "moral" questions about where AI is headed. The author arguing that, so many feel the weight of that, and in ways it is not unlike sussing out the moral structure of God - to them anyway. But the author argues that not many understand that faith provides a human connection to something greater, that technology could never offer, and a framework that guards against self-delusion. This leads to way too much hubris, pride, that can lead to catastrophic errors. The author is at Anthropic.
The funny thing is, of course, this is just another example of another young person thinking they are so intelligent and have had some original insight. Still, I'm not displeased she's thinking these things. :-)
George Will opinion haha, again, an agreement from me
Dumb and dumber, Republican-style
Purging Sens. John Cornyn and Bill Cassidy sacrifices intelligence in scarce supply in the GOP.
May 21, 2026
This week, the Republican Party has accomplished something difficult: It made itself stupider. It subtracted from its already shallow reservoir of intelligence by moving to purge two fine senators. And its embodiment authored a novel grift.
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If what is probably predictable does happen, the two senators will be replaced on this autumn’s ballots by persons who, if elected (the one in Louisiana almost certainly will be), can be counted on to be exactly what no senator should be: another of the president’s congressional sock puppets, promising, as a high principle, not to think independently.
Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana lost in a primary the rules of which were changed — it was closed to all but Republicans — for the purpose of defeating him. His scarlet sin was to have believed that Donald Trump’s urging a mob to stop Congress from certifying the results of a presidential election constituted an impeachable offense. Cassidy’s departure will subtract most of the Senate membership interested in responding to the approaching crisis of Social Security funding. Cassidy’s genuine sin — casting the decisive vote that put an amateur quack (Robert F. Kennedy Jr.) at the pinnacle of the public health system — probably pleased the yahoos who wanted Cassidy gone.
He will be replaced by a Republican whose identity does not matter: He or she will win because voters are pleased to assume he or she will be a cipher, vigorously subservient to Trump. Certainly Ken Paxton will be such if he is elected senator from Texas.
Boosted by Trump’s endorsement this week, Paxton, the state’s lowlife attorney general, probably will win his May 26 primary runoff challenge to John Cornyn, the incumbent. Cornyn, a former state Supreme Court justice, has consistently supported Trump’s agenda. But Trump surely, and correctly, sees in Paxton a kindred spirit.
Eleven months ago, this column imprecisely said Paxton has “a checkered past.” Actually, his past is as unrelievedly dark as pitch.
He is a pinup of religious “conservatives” who disregard his lurid personal life. And they are perhaps reminded of Jesus’ miraculous multiplication of loaves and fishes when they contemplate Paxton’s amazing ability to enlarge his multimillion-dollar portfolio of properties across the country while drawing a public official’s salary.
Paxton’s next miracle might be to enable Texas Democrats to elect their first U.S. senator since 1988. If, however, Paxton wins, he will find Trump’s Washington a congenial habitat. This week, when Trump affirmed his kinship with Paxton by endorsing him, Trump provided redundant evidence of their similarity.
There is a sort of artistry, akin to the shenanigans used to cook Enron’s books, in Trump’s attempt to fleece taxpayers for a $1.776 billion (get it? this is patriotic) slush fund to be doled out by his friends to his accomplices. The doling will be done by a board appointed by the attorney general, who serves at the president’s pleasure. Trump can fire the board members for any reason. And the fund will disappear immediately after the 2028 election. Here is how this came about:
In 2017-18, a progressive working inside the IRS (he subsequently went inside a prison), was eager to dramatize “inequality.” He committed the crime of releasing the tax returns of some wealthy people, including Trump. In January, Trump sued the IRS (the head of which serves at the pleasure of the president) for $10 billion. This was a prelude to this week’s “compromise.”
Trump — essentially negotiating with himself, sitting on both sides of the table — agreed to drop this suit. In exchange, the Justice Department (its head serves at Trump’s pleasure) agreed to create the $1.776 billion fund to compensate government “lawfare” victims.
The money will presumably come from the Judgment Fund controlled by the Justice Department. It is for settling lawsuits against the United States. Who exactly is going to be suing whom about what, exactly? The Republican-controlled Congress might have questions concerning … oh, never mind.
Purging senators while complaining about “lawfare” but punishing law firms he dislikes (canceling their federal contracts, and their lawyers’ security clearances, and barring them from federal buildings): Sophists devoted to obfuscating the obvious will insist that Trump, not the Republican Party, is doing all this. But sentient people know it is a distinction without a difference.
The party was founded in 1854. For a decade now, it has been a passive emanation of the current president. The obedience to him by almost the entirety of the party’s elected officials is either canine devotion, or toadyism in the service of careerism. It hardly matters which.
as y'all know, I'm in TX & my vote is for Cornyn. I hope it's not a wasted vote.
What sickens me, well, everything about Paxton sickens me, is if he loses, he remains Texas Attorney General. The race does not affect his current office. I think if someone decides to run for another office, they should resign from a current elected position.
As George Will says, I think, if Paxton wins, there's a good chance he would lose against Democrat James Talarico in November. Talarico, imo, is way too far left, & has been trying to back-pedal a lot of his history.
I suppose I would prefer that if Paxton wins, he'll lose to the too-far-left Dem in the general. Not that I really want a too-far-left Dem in office, but if the obvious take-away is "it is possible for corrupt Trump toadies to lose to a far-left Dem, so if you have so much antipathy to far-left Dems, think about whose fault it is when putting up a Trump toady gets the Dem elected" then some people might wake up and start thinking again.
Cornyn has been a Trump ally. But Trump doesn’t want allies, but toadies. And if a toady loses to a Democrat (as Paxton would) that doesn’t bother Trump. A non-toady GOP in office bothers Trump.
I agree, however, Cornyn has not been a 100% Trump ally, even though he has voted with Trump at extremely high rates and often supported his agenda. Trump himself has repeatedly criticized Cornyn as “disloyal,” and Cornyn has publicly disagreed with Trump on several issues.
Friends do not practice a "physical baptism", either by "sprinkling" or "immersion". So naturally, to the dismay of many Friends, I was physically baptized via immersion. Worse, I did it for the money! 😳 Here's the story.
In college I did campus ministry with a non-Friends group. I was recruited by the campus minister to consider pastoral ministry, and did an unpaid internship with a local congregation. They let me live in the 100+ yo old parsonage that had no a/c, plus they provided me many meals. The campus minister told me they had a sweetheart deal on student loans: interest free for two years after I finished college, plus loan forgiveness for every year I ministered in a rural congregation. The catch was I had to join a local congregation, who required baptism.
I was indifferent to baptism, but fond of free money. My grandmother on my mom's side was not a Friend, who believed baptism was only immersion. There is a scripture in Corinthians about "meat sacrificed to idols", and I realized it applied to baptism for me: get immersed so my Grandmother would feel good about it. The campus minister was a Yale Divinity School alum, so you can guess how he responded to it. He called me the F word; Fundamentalist, and he regretted recruiting me. I tried to explain the passage, but he refused to listen.
Another campus ministry had a baptismal, and agreed to baptize me, and felt the reasoning was acceptable. A close friend decided to join me in the tank; she had finished an abusive relationship and wanted a fresh start; he approved of that too. When the campus minister heard that he forbade us to talk about it, which created a Striesand affect, and we had over 40 students come to the baptism. A friend played his guitar, and 3-4 students ended up transferring thre.
A good friend student pastored a little country church and had planned to turn it over to me when he was graduated. The campus minister blocked it, telling me he wouldn't support my becoming a pastor, so I never did. The local congregation heard what happened and asked me back for another summer, but they were then blocked from having me back as well.
It's like communion. We believe every meal we eat is communion, there is not a need for a special communion meal. We believe that baptism doesn't require a physical act to occur. A person who believes they have taken baptism, have.
I'm a bit of a squish on this. I think sometimes physical acts can help us with spiritual ones. I mentioned my close friend who joined me: she had been "sprinkled" as a child, she was in a bad relationship and wanted a fresh start. The minister who baptized us supported her, because he knew she was struggling with forgiveness, and this would help. And I'm fine with that.
Khosro Isfahani is the research director at the National Union for Democracy in Iran.
A common question immigrants face after living in the United States for a little while is about culture shock — what has surprised you the most about America? For some, the answer is about the hectic pace of life. For others, it’s the food, the language or the customs. But for someone like me, who came here from Iran, the greatest shock has been something else entirely: the sense that many Americans seem uneasy, even conflicted, about their own country.
When I arrived in New York in August 2023, heading to Maine to teach at Colby College as a visiting human-rights fellow, I carried with me a lifetime shaped by the Islamic Republic’s oppression and propaganda. In Iran, “Death to America” is not just a slogan. It is a constant refrain, broadcast on television, painted on walls, chanted in schools.
But inside my childhood home in Tehran, my family built something different. My father ran an underground film club. Movies such as “And Justice for All” and “The Matrix” and even Disney classics were smuggled into Iran, sometimes inside washing machines, first on VHS tapes, later on DVDs. Though illegal, the films my father showed exposed me to ideas that felt unimaginable under the Islamic Republic: justice, individual freedom and a world where ordinary people could challenge oppressive systems. To us, America was not a villain. It was a guiding light.
That belief came at a cost. My father spent years in prison for political dissent. He lost friends to executions and mass graves. He was beaten by police during the 2009 Green Movement and ultimately died after years under the weight of a regime that crushes opposition. My mother lost sight in one eye from repeated exposure to pepper spray and tear gas. I lost my country, and as long as this regime still stands, I may never see it again.
And yet, through all of it, America remained a symbol of something better. That is why what I found after I arrived here felt so jarring.
As America approaches the 250th anniversary of its independence, national pride is at a historic low. This loss of confidence in the American project takes different forms. On the left, it can appear as a tendency to focus so heavily on the country’s perceived sins that its promise is obscured. On the right, it often shows up as deep distrust in the institutions that sustain the republic. Flags are waved, but faith in the system beneath them is chipped away.
The consequences extend beyond domestic politics. China, Russia and Iran are not just geopolitical rivals. They are ideological ones. Each benefits from a U.S. that is divided, uncertain and increasingly cynical about itself. They do not need to defeat America militarily if Americans no longer believe in their own system.
Of those adversaries, Iran stands apart. It is ruled by a regime that glorifies martyrdom over life, has spent decades exporting violence and openly calls for America’s destruction. It also exploits division through influence networks that pose as Western voices and artificial-intelligence-driven disinformation designed to deepen doubt.
When the Iranian regime is weakened — as it was last June with the combined U.S. and Israeli strikes on its nuclear program and again with the larger operation beginning in February — the world becomes safer. When the regime regains confidence, the danger grows. Yet, even as Americans recognize the danger posed by Iran, public opinion reflects a disconnect. Majorities oppose military action and doubt that any agreement will stop its nuclear ambitions. The skepticism reflects an understandable temptation to minimize and rationalize a threat until it’s too late.
That instinct matters more in a democracy than in an authoritarian state. The Islamic Republic does not depend on the consent of its people. It can pursue its ambitions regardless of public opinion, even as ordinary Iranians suffer. The U.S. cannot. Its strength depends, in part, on a shared belief that the democratic system is worth defending. When that belief weakens, so does the nation’s ability to act. That is precisely the mindset Iran’s long-running strategy of attacking and undermining the West, particularly the “Great Satan,” is designed to exploit.
Having lived under a government that demands loyalty while offering none in return, I know what it costs to speak freely. That is why the casual dismissal of American freedoms is so perilous.
For millions of people around the world, America is more than a place. It is the idea that freedom and dignity can exist. Where I grew up, that idea was mocked in public and quietly cherished in private. It sustained my family as the costs grew heavier and carried me through exile. Now, in my adopted homeland, this precious idea is too often taken for granted.
If Americans lose their appreciation for the founding principles that have sustained the country for 250 years, the consequences would not be confined to their own politics. A signal that shines far beyond America’s borders would be dimmed, for those in other lands who still regard the U.S. as proof that a different, better life is possible.
For me, the red, white and blue is not an abstraction. It is the idea my father never let go of, and the standard by which freedom is measured. America does not need perfection to endure. But it needs belief.
As long as "unite" is taken to mean not "everybody who doesn't agree with me will shut up" but "let's have some honest conversations and figure out stuff most of us can agree on."
Happy Pentecost, everyone! Today, Christians celebrate the day the Holy Spirit "descended" upon the first Christians, including the 12 apostles (one being Matthias, the replacement) and the Virgin Mary. On this day, the 50th day from Easter/Passover, following 7x7, "a week of weeks," the Earth was "filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."
Graceland. We can all be covered and filled with Spirit. "The love of God is poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us," the Spirit who is, "Himself" (because our language has gendered pronouns) the Love between the Father and the Son and the Connection between/in/among all beings.
To the extent that we are permeable, that we are open, that our pore space isn't gunked up with ego and self-serving and tribalism and other yuck, Spirit can pour into us and through us back into the world. Every space you enter can become Graceland when you bring in and exude Spirit.
As the poet said, "Poor boys and pilgrims with families ...," "There's reason to believe we all will be received in Graceland."
Also today, we celebrate the Baptism of our friend Wilhelm. "Baptism signifies and actually brings about death to sin and entry into the life of the Most Holy Trinity through configuration to the Paschal Mystery of Christ," says the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Para. 1239), which is generally consonant with the majority of non-Catholic Christian communities on these foundational matters.
"The anointing with sacred chrism signifies the gift of the Holy Spirit to the newly baptized, who has become a Christian, that is, one 'anointed' by the Holy Spirit, incorporated [in-corp-porated, brought into the body] into Christ who is anointed priest, prophet, and king." (CCC 1241)
Congratulations, Wilhelm, and may your walk in Graceland be full of joy and dance parties.
1844: Samuel Morse taps out "What hath God wrought" in the world's first telegraph message using Morse code. The message traveled along a newly constructed experimental line from the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., to a railroad depot in Baltimore,
1833: The Brooklyn Bridge is opened to traffic after 14 years of construction. The iconic Brooklyn Bridge officially opened, spanning the East River to connect the then-separate cities of Manhattan and Brooklyn. It was considered an an engineering marvel and the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time
1894: Lowell Observatory (Arizona) begins observing Mars. with an eighteen-inch telescope and concludes there are canals on Mars. Exploration of mars laid the groundwork for future planetary discoveries, including Clyde Tombaugh’s 1930 discovery of Pluto
I noticed that, too. They used the word 'marvel', perhaps going back to yesterday's theme of Kidult-ing
1939. Marvel began as Timely Comics, evolved into Atlas Comics in the 1950s, and finally became Marvel Comics in 1961, launching the modern superhero era with titles like Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, and X‑Men
May 24 is a recently created nat'l day; National Family Fun Day, created in 2023 to encourage families to spend time together. Today's National Day reminds people to take a step back and do something fun together. Large get-togethers or small, everyone enjoy the little things in life; family fun is a small way to relax, laugh, and unwind. Doesn't have to be elaborate or expensive: Planning a picnic at the local park or lake. Taking a nature walk and identify bugs, critters, and leaves. Hosting a cookout and playing yard games. Baking and then enjoying the yummy goodness together. Planning, preparing, and eating dinner with your family. Making s'mores around a campfire and stargaze afterwards. Starting a small garden for you and your family to work on together all summer long. Visiting a local museum. Researching your family history and documenting everything for future family.
Evening, all. Still raining, which is good. The Spanish Pentecost retreat was a success. We went through literally gallons of coffee - I think I made 15 pots, and we had to go to the grocery store, once for more coffee, and then for more even coffee and more creamer - since the temperature never got above 68 today, and it's a good thing a hot lunch was planned. We gave out a few foam containers of leftover rice and Mexican sweet bread, no more than a dozen, so the food amounts were just about right. We have a, "Come all," policy and trust the Spirit to make sure there's food for all.
The church kitchenette has mice again: I found droppings.
Gonzalo saw me bend over to the floor while I was using a broom and dustpan and was amazed that I can do that. Later, Oscar and Luis asked me, "Show us how how you can touch the floor!" I did not realize this was such an astonishing feat.
The guest musician wasn't as good as us, but he had an electric piano, which makes atmospheric sounds, and it was nice to not be performing, only making lots of coffee and doing the sound system and cleaning the bathroom and counting the collection and going to the grocery store. The collection was over $600, which is far more than our budgeted amount for the event, but the church's accounting system doesn't net. You can't say, "We spent $450 and took in $680," net $230 revenue. It's $450 expense, and the $680 is a fluke donation to the building fund, not an offset.
Gotta love the accountants. I am blessed, when we raise donations they are "offsets" to costs, and the balance is donated on behalf of it. When my youngest did his eagle scout project there (renovating the playground), we raised $3k, spent $1800, the balance is in a fund for future repair/renovations.
I don't remember the $, but basically the same w/ my middle son's eagle scout project, building the handicap ramp for a man in a wheelchair. Son designed the ramp, then the $ & materials collected... the design/blueprints, remaining $ & materials left to the troop for others to use.
I'm get'n ready to go pool'n w/ hubby. I'll first have a half shot, on the rocks (I used to drink scotch on the rocks) but not let it get watered down, of Angels Envy. 'Cause if y'all remember you suggested that a while ago & I bought him some for his bday in March. He really liked it. A lot. The local liquor store has specials every week, & ta-da, Memorial Day special, Angels Envy, the big bottle. I think he got 2. So he opened one today & I'll have a taste, before my wine.
This sorta connects to something I came across yesterday. It had to do with the recognizing the difference between goals and values. Or, "What do I want to accomplish?" and "What kind of person do I want to be?"
Sometimes one has control only over the latter.
Also, between Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Harry Potter, the Star Wars franchise, some manga and anime, and intense RPGs (roll playing games, not rocket propelled grenades), I think a greater number of young people have a broader understanding of the forces that drive human actions. Because of this, I think affinities for toys connected to these worlds are not necessarily childish.
I own many stuffed animals from childhood, I have 3-4 peanuts t-shirts. They sit in my office at home and at work. Students comments on the giant stuffed shark on a shelf. I did do a rescue--our youngest was given a giant panda (probably 4' tall), Katie wanted to toss it out when he became a teen, so I hid it in my office at school. I renamed the Panda "Monium", because, of course I did.
Many of the stuffed animals belonged to my kids; someday when they have kids they may want them.
My rule of thumb is not to act too childish, not to invade children's places, to leave those for children.
I have a really hard time seeing stuffed animals as just objects. They have faces and are soft and cuddly and keep you company when you need them. But they also get dirty and deteriorate over time. I can give them away but not throw them away (I have a hard time throwing damaged but beautifully handmade clothes away, too). So, I just don't do stuffed animals.
There is a lot of childishness that has nothing to do with children or toys, thinking about it.
all my kids had stuffed animals, the 2 oldest ended w/ one favorite each. The oldest had a stuffed pig & when it became worn, I found matching material & patched it. I think he still has it. Middle son had a bear he called Bobby. One time Bobby was missing but son didn't seem to mind - he said Bobby was playing hide 'n seek. Youngest son had sooooo many & collected Curious George. Son would go to bed & have all the animals piled up w/ him, all carrying on conversations. Our dog at the time also loved his stuffed Curious Georges, not the others, & I'd come home to find a Curious George picked out from the pile from the bedroom & placed in the dog's favorite spot in the den. One Curios George ended up w/ a chewed off ear.
One granddaughter has a frog called Frog. She still takes it everywhere. Her youngest brother has a unicorn & when he was just beginning to talk called it mamma. When he went to daycare they weren't supposed to bring stuffies so when he was dropped off the first day he was crying but said he wanted his mamma. They kept telling him she'd pick him up at the end of the day. When the real mamma came to pick him up, carrying the unicorn, he grinned big, called out "mamma!" & grabbed the unicorn.
I have stuffed animals. New Dog and Dad's Kitty, Teddy the shark, Nathan the leopard, Napoleon the albino alligator, Edna the puffin, Angel the little brown bat. Some of them are currently in the custody of various children.
Hubs has stuffed scorpion I gave him after he was stung by a granddaddy scorpion when he reached into a supposedly empty computer bag & gave a huge yelp! Then had a lot of trouble killing that living scorpion.
we're watching a little fawn out our back window. S/he's not very old, still a bit wobbly in the knees but getting around enough to forage a bit. Then plopped down near our fence in the tall grass, in the shade of the big tree. Mamma so far hasn't been seen. But we know she knows where her baby is.
The state Wildlife Department reminds people every year that fawns are usually in a spot known to their mothers, so please don't bother them.
Our compound posts a wildlife note from TX wildlife - encompassing everything those in our compound should have known, but many ignore.
Such as don’t feed them. And I could provide details about why’s, but many ignore. And many of this they don’t read cause they know soooooo much! why the deer census needs to be done every few years and why. Then they want to sue without reading anything from the past because they’re from California or someplace like that & well, ya know, don’t blah blah blah
And they feed the wild turkeys &sream & call the poooolice because these WILD beasts are attacking my car/golf cart- chasing me down the street - help!!!!
You can't fix stupid.
Last week, following the memorial for my cousin, we were all back at the house unwinding and interacting, with some of us getting reacquainted with others we hadn't seen much of in recent years, or meeting kids and spouses.. And at some point there were three generations at the table playing Legos and talking.
sounds good. I've found that jigsaw puzzles act as magnets, drawing people in, leaning over each other's shoulders, or over the table, to see if they can place just 1 piece, then they hang around to place 1 more... & conversations happen.
Good morning. Happy Pentecost! 66 when I got up, 71 now, staying in the 70s and rain in the afternoon. Not a classic memorial day weekend, although Memorial Day tomorrow should be a little warmer and no rain.
I have a problem with the Dispatch Faith article. Reflecting on the San Diego mosque shooting as we as on the wave of anti-Semetism (that is, anti-Jewishness), it conflates the two (because Jews and Arabs are "Semetic"). Killing innocent people of any religion is wrong. The mosque shoting was outrageous. But attacks on Muslims for being Muslims are dwarfed by multiple orders of magnitude, by attacks on jews for being Jews. And not infrequently, attackers of Jews are themselves Muslims or Muslim sympathizers ("From the River to the Sea!").
In the homily today, the priest reflected on the gospel, in part this:
"On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” "
The priest explained "you know, they were afraid the Jews would kill them, like they killed Jesus.." I cringed a little, wishing he would frame that with more grace.
In a bit of fairness, his English is a bit of a struggle. In his native Spanish he might have said it differently.
I rarely hear from anyone of any Christian faith that Jews killed Jesus; it was the Romans.
What I hear, that's not being discussed much, is that many Protestants — especially Evangelicals — read the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) with a strong focus on God’s covenant with Israel. They often interpret these covenants as still active today, leading to beliefs such as: Jews remain God’s chosen people; modern Israel has a prophetic role & Christians should support the Jewish people.
ETA: maybe I should take out the word "many" from Protestants? Perhaps there aren't many Evangelicals?
A very good friend of mine in TN was a firm believer, & she was very active in her Presbyterian church. I talked about religion w/ her more than anyone else, before my now hubs. My hubs now was brought up Catholic & knows very little about the Old Testament.
Ouch. The Gospels make it clear that Jesus was killed by the Romans, not that this makes modern Italians responsible.
The disciples could have been afraid of being turned over to the Roman authorities as a revolutionary band, or they could have worried about mob violence rather than authorized, official killing.
Yeah (I get to repeat what I said below) I wonder where people get the idea that the Jews are always to blame?
Pope Paul VI and the 2nd Vatican council with Nostra Aetate was supposed to repudiate all that yet it lives on.
Well, there are some in the church, especially toward the more traditionalist side, that treat Nostra Aetate as non-binding or even heretical. That's one of the sources of what looks like is going to be a final, clean schism for the SSPX. In order to keep them in the tent, they want the Pope to say, oops, we got it wrong about not hating Jews or blaming them for the death of Jesus.
It's also possible that this was simply left out of the priest's formation and he never read the Gospels for detail.
I'm not very deep in that schism, but yeah. Is it the loss of the Latin Mass and the other softening of traditional practices - supposedly to make the church more approachable.. or does the Jew question weigh heavily in that too. Even if unstated. MBD leaning, but not yet in, that tent.
There's a strong strain of Jew-hatred in the milieu. Everyone? Probably not, but once a person is drawn in by the aesthetic, is he going to say, "Wait a minute, the Church has a new attitude toward Jewish people now!" or is he going to think the clergy whose authority he has chosen over the authority of the Catholic Church is right?
There's also a strong strain of misogyny coming in with the traditional aesthetic's new appeal to men. Orthodox Christians are noticing it, too.
It sounded as though the murderers attacked Muslims for being pawns of the Jews in their "great replacement" program.
I wondered if they were just too stupid to know the difference between a mosque and a synagogue? They didn't seem to be terribly smart.
Yeah, that's some crazy ideas. Wonder where he got that idea.
A post on my NextDoor feed asks, "Does anyone know of a low-cost emergency veterinary clinic that's open 24/7?"
Entitled-maxxing.
there was one in our area I used once, & it was necessary, & it was expensive. It wasn't very nearby, but close enough. I've heard of people using such places for non-emergency purposes. There's also pet insurance available, which I never used.
Now, in our neighborhood, I post pics of neighbors' pets for our neighborhood website. I ask them how they want their pet 'labeled'. One widowed neighbor sent pics of her dog, as "(her name)'s fur-baby (name) & her daughter's dog that she dog-sits as (her name)'s grand-furbaby (name).
Weird. I remember the first time I saw a post on NextDoor in the vein of "Baby running in the street right now!" I was concerned, but then I looked at the details and realized it was a dog. It's ubiquitous now. "This baby came into my yard," "Is this your baby running down Oak Street?" and so on.
Now that you say that, I've seen the same thing in NextDoor here - "Who's baby is in my yard?" - w/ a pic posted & it's a dog!
Where I live, there is typically one 24-7 vet clinic, specifically for emergencies. A vet friend of mine, she and four others vets each "cover a weekend", handling emergencies. They understand that just as humans don't schedule falls and accidents to 9-5 M-F, neither do pets.
Low cost? That is entitled-maxxing.
Yes, the "low cost" part was what stood out. There are emergency vet clinics, and they are expensive.
The weekend coverage vets charge a modest weekend premium, but it isn't bad. The true 24-7 are staffing it such that their costs are higher.
Our regular vet has some Saturday hours.
Dogs and cats are not people.
I wish I could ban "fur baby" from the lexicon. nearly all the childless academics I know say their pets are their babies. I had an argument once, asking if they would lay down their life for their pet. If not, it's isn't their baby.
I have two dogs, we love them, we care for them, we spend hundreds on vet care. But they will always be several rungs down from our children.
Thank you.
It's common for people to show a picture of a dog or cat and say "my child."
We could have a discussion as a society (through our elected representatives, if they weren't a bunch of nincompoops and gerbils) about whether everyone in the country has an obligation to pay to provide medical goods and services and daycare and diapers and whatever else you want for your actual human child, so that you never have to change your priorities.
Nobody has an obligation to have that conversation about your dog or cat.
On the other hand, the county has low-cost spay and neuter clinics and rabies vaccination clinics, because the residents of the county have an interest in not having a bunch of rabid dogs and cats running around.
I would hope having children would change people's priorities, but it for too many it does not. Mine changed my priorities.
This article in The Free Press talks about the seemingly spiritual dimensions of working in AI. The mostly materialistic Silicon Valley tech community facing "moral" questions about where AI is headed. The author arguing that, so many feel the weight of that, and in ways it is not unlike sussing out the moral structure of God - to them anyway. But the author argues that not many understand that faith provides a human connection to something greater, that technology could never offer, and a framework that guards against self-delusion. This leads to way too much hubris, pride, that can lead to catastrophic errors. The author is at Anthropic.
https://www.thefp.com/p/silicon-valley-faith-finding-god?r=colht&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
The funny thing is, of course, this is just another example of another young person thinking they are so intelligent and have had some original insight. Still, I'm not displeased she's thinking these things. :-)
George Will opinion haha, again, an agreement from me
Dumb and dumber, Republican-style
Purging Sens. John Cornyn and Bill Cassidy sacrifices intelligence in scarce supply in the GOP.
May 21, 2026
This week, the Republican Party has accomplished something difficult: It made itself stupider. It subtracted from its already shallow reservoir of intelligence by moving to purge two fine senators. And its embodiment authored a novel grift.
What will happen in the 2026 midterms? Sign up for Margin of Victory
If what is probably predictable does happen, the two senators will be replaced on this autumn’s ballots by persons who, if elected (the one in Louisiana almost certainly will be), can be counted on to be exactly what no senator should be: another of the president’s congressional sock puppets, promising, as a high principle, not to think independently.
Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana lost in a primary the rules of which were changed — it was closed to all but Republicans — for the purpose of defeating him. His scarlet sin was to have believed that Donald Trump’s urging a mob to stop Congress from certifying the results of a presidential election constituted an impeachable offense. Cassidy’s departure will subtract most of the Senate membership interested in responding to the approaching crisis of Social Security funding. Cassidy’s genuine sin — casting the decisive vote that put an amateur quack (Robert F. Kennedy Jr.) at the pinnacle of the public health system — probably pleased the yahoos who wanted Cassidy gone.
He will be replaced by a Republican whose identity does not matter: He or she will win because voters are pleased to assume he or she will be a cipher, vigorously subservient to Trump. Certainly Ken Paxton will be such if he is elected senator from Texas.
Boosted by Trump’s endorsement this week, Paxton, the state’s lowlife attorney general, probably will win his May 26 primary runoff challenge to John Cornyn, the incumbent. Cornyn, a former state Supreme Court justice, has consistently supported Trump’s agenda. But Trump surely, and correctly, sees in Paxton a kindred spirit.
Eleven months ago, this column imprecisely said Paxton has “a checkered past.” Actually, his past is as unrelievedly dark as pitch.
He is a pinup of religious “conservatives” who disregard his lurid personal life. And they are perhaps reminded of Jesus’ miraculous multiplication of loaves and fishes when they contemplate Paxton’s amazing ability to enlarge his multimillion-dollar portfolio of properties across the country while drawing a public official’s salary.
Paxton’s next miracle might be to enable Texas Democrats to elect their first U.S. senator since 1988. If, however, Paxton wins, he will find Trump’s Washington a congenial habitat. This week, when Trump affirmed his kinship with Paxton by endorsing him, Trump provided redundant evidence of their similarity.
There is a sort of artistry, akin to the shenanigans used to cook Enron’s books, in Trump’s attempt to fleece taxpayers for a $1.776 billion (get it? this is patriotic) slush fund to be doled out by his friends to his accomplices. The doling will be done by a board appointed by the attorney general, who serves at the president’s pleasure. Trump can fire the board members for any reason. And the fund will disappear immediately after the 2028 election. Here is how this came about:
In 2017-18, a progressive working inside the IRS (he subsequently went inside a prison), was eager to dramatize “inequality.” He committed the crime of releasing the tax returns of some wealthy people, including Trump. In January, Trump sued the IRS (the head of which serves at the pleasure of the president) for $10 billion. This was a prelude to this week’s “compromise.”
Trump — essentially negotiating with himself, sitting on both sides of the table — agreed to drop this suit. In exchange, the Justice Department (its head serves at Trump’s pleasure) agreed to create the $1.776 billion fund to compensate government “lawfare” victims.
The money will presumably come from the Judgment Fund controlled by the Justice Department. It is for settling lawsuits against the United States. Who exactly is going to be suing whom about what, exactly? The Republican-controlled Congress might have questions concerning … oh, never mind.
Purging senators while complaining about “lawfare” but punishing law firms he dislikes (canceling their federal contracts, and their lawyers’ security clearances, and barring them from federal buildings): Sophists devoted to obfuscating the obvious will insist that Trump, not the Republican Party, is doing all this. But sentient people know it is a distinction without a difference.
The party was founded in 1854. For a decade now, it has been a passive emanation of the current president. The obedience to him by almost the entirety of the party’s elected officials is either canine devotion, or toadyism in the service of careerism. It hardly matters which.
Donald Trump doesn't care about the Republican Party. He only cares about himself.
as y'all know, I'm in TX & my vote is for Cornyn. I hope it's not a wasted vote.
What sickens me, well, everything about Paxton sickens me, is if he loses, he remains Texas Attorney General. The race does not affect his current office. I think if someone decides to run for another office, they should resign from a current elected position.
As George Will says, I think, if Paxton wins, there's a good chance he would lose against Democrat James Talarico in November. Talarico, imo, is way too far left, & has been trying to back-pedal a lot of his history.
I suppose I would prefer that if Paxton wins, he'll lose to the too-far-left Dem in the general. Not that I really want a too-far-left Dem in office, but if the obvious take-away is "it is possible for corrupt Trump toadies to lose to a far-left Dem, so if you have so much antipathy to far-left Dems, think about whose fault it is when putting up a Trump toady gets the Dem elected" then some people might wake up and start thinking again.
A vote in a two-way race is never wasted.
Cornyn has been a Trump ally. But Trump doesn’t want allies, but toadies. And if a toady loses to a Democrat (as Paxton would) that doesn’t bother Trump. A non-toady GOP in office bothers Trump.
I agree, however, Cornyn has not been a 100% Trump ally, even though he has voted with Trump at extremely high rates and often supported his agenda. Trump himself has repeatedly criticized Cornyn as “disloyal,” and Cornyn has publicly disagreed with Trump on several issues.
Friends do not practice a "physical baptism", either by "sprinkling" or "immersion". So naturally, to the dismay of many Friends, I was physically baptized via immersion. Worse, I did it for the money! 😳 Here's the story.
In college I did campus ministry with a non-Friends group. I was recruited by the campus minister to consider pastoral ministry, and did an unpaid internship with a local congregation. They let me live in the 100+ yo old parsonage that had no a/c, plus they provided me many meals. The campus minister told me they had a sweetheart deal on student loans: interest free for two years after I finished college, plus loan forgiveness for every year I ministered in a rural congregation. The catch was I had to join a local congregation, who required baptism.
I was indifferent to baptism, but fond of free money. My grandmother on my mom's side was not a Friend, who believed baptism was only immersion. There is a scripture in Corinthians about "meat sacrificed to idols", and I realized it applied to baptism for me: get immersed so my Grandmother would feel good about it. The campus minister was a Yale Divinity School alum, so you can guess how he responded to it. He called me the F word; Fundamentalist, and he regretted recruiting me. I tried to explain the passage, but he refused to listen.
Another campus ministry had a baptismal, and agreed to baptize me, and felt the reasoning was acceptable. A close friend decided to join me in the tank; she had finished an abusive relationship and wanted a fresh start; he approved of that too. When the campus minister heard that he forbade us to talk about it, which created a Striesand affect, and we had over 40 students come to the baptism. A friend played his guitar, and 3-4 students ended up transferring thre.
A good friend student pastored a little country church and had planned to turn it over to me when he was graduated. The campus minister blocked it, telling me he wouldn't support my becoming a pastor, so I never did. The local congregation heard what happened and asked me back for another summer, but they were then blocked from having me back as well.
Do the Friends believe in baptism at all?
It's like communion. We believe every meal we eat is communion, there is not a need for a special communion meal. We believe that baptism doesn't require a physical act to occur. A person who believes they have taken baptism, have.
I'm a bit of a squish on this. I think sometimes physical acts can help us with spiritual ones. I mentioned my close friend who joined me: she had been "sprinkled" as a child, she was in a bad relationship and wanted a fresh start. The minister who baptized us supported her, because he knew she was struggling with forgiveness, and this would help. And I'm fine with that.
c/p WaPo opinion piece written by man from Iran
Khosro Isfahani is the research director at the National Union for Democracy in Iran.
A common question immigrants face after living in the United States for a little while is about culture shock — what has surprised you the most about America? For some, the answer is about the hectic pace of life. For others, it’s the food, the language or the customs. But for someone like me, who came here from Iran, the greatest shock has been something else entirely: the sense that many Americans seem uneasy, even conflicted, about their own country.
When I arrived in New York in August 2023, heading to Maine to teach at Colby College as a visiting human-rights fellow, I carried with me a lifetime shaped by the Islamic Republic’s oppression and propaganda. In Iran, “Death to America” is not just a slogan. It is a constant refrain, broadcast on television, painted on walls, chanted in schools.
But inside my childhood home in Tehran, my family built something different. My father ran an underground film club. Movies such as “And Justice for All” and “The Matrix” and even Disney classics were smuggled into Iran, sometimes inside washing machines, first on VHS tapes, later on DVDs. Though illegal, the films my father showed exposed me to ideas that felt unimaginable under the Islamic Republic: justice, individual freedom and a world where ordinary people could challenge oppressive systems. To us, America was not a villain. It was a guiding light.
That belief came at a cost. My father spent years in prison for political dissent. He lost friends to executions and mass graves. He was beaten by police during the 2009 Green Movement and ultimately died after years under the weight of a regime that crushes opposition. My mother lost sight in one eye from repeated exposure to pepper spray and tear gas. I lost my country, and as long as this regime still stands, I may never see it again.
And yet, through all of it, America remained a symbol of something better. That is why what I found after I arrived here felt so jarring.
As America approaches the 250th anniversary of its independence, national pride is at a historic low. This loss of confidence in the American project takes different forms. On the left, it can appear as a tendency to focus so heavily on the country’s perceived sins that its promise is obscured. On the right, it often shows up as deep distrust in the institutions that sustain the republic. Flags are waved, but faith in the system beneath them is chipped away.
The consequences extend beyond domestic politics. China, Russia and Iran are not just geopolitical rivals. They are ideological ones. Each benefits from a U.S. that is divided, uncertain and increasingly cynical about itself. They do not need to defeat America militarily if Americans no longer believe in their own system.
Of those adversaries, Iran stands apart. It is ruled by a regime that glorifies martyrdom over life, has spent decades exporting violence and openly calls for America’s destruction. It also exploits division through influence networks that pose as Western voices and artificial-intelligence-driven disinformation designed to deepen doubt.
When the Iranian regime is weakened — as it was last June with the combined U.S. and Israeli strikes on its nuclear program and again with the larger operation beginning in February — the world becomes safer. When the regime regains confidence, the danger grows. Yet, even as Americans recognize the danger posed by Iran, public opinion reflects a disconnect. Majorities oppose military action and doubt that any agreement will stop its nuclear ambitions. The skepticism reflects an understandable temptation to minimize and rationalize a threat until it’s too late.
That instinct matters more in a democracy than in an authoritarian state. The Islamic Republic does not depend on the consent of its people. It can pursue its ambitions regardless of public opinion, even as ordinary Iranians suffer. The U.S. cannot. Its strength depends, in part, on a shared belief that the democratic system is worth defending. When that belief weakens, so does the nation’s ability to act. That is precisely the mindset Iran’s long-running strategy of attacking and undermining the West, particularly the “Great Satan,” is designed to exploit.
Having lived under a government that demands loyalty while offering none in return, I know what it costs to speak freely. That is why the casual dismissal of American freedoms is so perilous.
For millions of people around the world, America is more than a place. It is the idea that freedom and dignity can exist. Where I grew up, that idea was mocked in public and quietly cherished in private. It sustained my family as the costs grew heavier and carried me through exile. Now, in my adopted homeland, this precious idea is too often taken for granted.
If Americans lose their appreciation for the founding principles that have sustained the country for 250 years, the consequences would not be confined to their own politics. A signal that shines far beyond America’s borders would be dimmed, for those in other lands who still regard the U.S. as proof that a different, better life is possible.
For me, the red, white and blue is not an abstraction. It is the idea my father never let go of, and the standard by which freedom is measured. America does not need perfection to endure. But it needs belief.
So keep looking for a candidate who will run to unite us, rather than keep the pendulum swinging.
As long as "unite" is taken to mean not "everybody who doesn't agree with me will shut up" but "let's have some honest conversations and figure out stuff most of us can agree on."
Happy Pentecost, everyone! Today, Christians celebrate the day the Holy Spirit "descended" upon the first Christians, including the 12 apostles (one being Matthias, the replacement) and the Virgin Mary. On this day, the 50th day from Easter/Passover, following 7x7, "a week of weeks," the Earth was "filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."
Graceland. We can all be covered and filled with Spirit. "The love of God is poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us," the Spirit who is, "Himself" (because our language has gendered pronouns) the Love between the Father and the Son and the Connection between/in/among all beings.
To the extent that we are permeable, that we are open, that our pore space isn't gunked up with ego and self-serving and tribalism and other yuck, Spirit can pour into us and through us back into the world. Every space you enter can become Graceland when you bring in and exude Spirit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VTcBO4q5kY&list=RD0VTcBO4q5kY&start_radio=1
As the poet said, "Poor boys and pilgrims with families ...," "There's reason to believe we all will be received in Graceland."
Also today, we celebrate the Baptism of our friend Wilhelm. "Baptism signifies and actually brings about death to sin and entry into the life of the Most Holy Trinity through configuration to the Paschal Mystery of Christ," says the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Para. 1239), which is generally consonant with the majority of non-Catholic Christian communities on these foundational matters.
"The anointing with sacred chrism signifies the gift of the Holy Spirit to the newly baptized, who has become a Christian, that is, one 'anointed' by the Holy Spirit, incorporated [in-corp-porated, brought into the body] into Christ who is anointed priest, prophet, and king." (CCC 1241)
Congratulations, Wilhelm, and may your walk in Graceland be full of joy and dance parties.
that was a joy to read
Congratulations, Wilhelm
In history:
1844: Samuel Morse taps out "What hath God wrought" in the world's first telegraph message using Morse code. The message traveled along a newly constructed experimental line from the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., to a railroad depot in Baltimore,
1833: The Brooklyn Bridge is opened to traffic after 14 years of construction. The iconic Brooklyn Bridge officially opened, spanning the East River to connect the then-separate cities of Manhattan and Brooklyn. It was considered an an engineering marvel and the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time
1894: Lowell Observatory (Arizona) begins observing Mars. with an eighteen-inch telescope and concludes there are canals on Mars. Exploration of mars laid the groundwork for future planetary discoveries, including Clyde Tombaugh’s 1930 discovery of Pluto
Did you know the bridge in Cincinnati named after Pete Rose is also a Suspension Bridge? It seems appropriate.
So even in 1833, without that much of a bureaucracy in Albany to cause delays, it took forever to build something big!
I noticed that, too. They used the word 'marvel', perhaps going back to yesterday's theme of Kidult-ing
1939. Marvel began as Timely Comics, evolved into Atlas Comics in the 1950s, and finally became Marvel Comics in 1961, launching the modern superhero era with titles like Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, and X‑Men
birthdays of unknowns & knowns:
1868: Charlie E. Taylor, Died: January 30, 1956.Engineer and mechanic who built the first aircraft engine for the Wright brothers.
1879: H. B. Reese, Died: May 16, 1956. 3 guesses - give up? Candy maker who created Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
1919: Sid Couchey, Died: March 11, 2012. Comic book artist who created Richie Rich.
1941: Bob Dylan
May 24 is a recently created nat'l day; National Family Fun Day, created in 2023 to encourage families to spend time together. Today's National Day reminds people to take a step back and do something fun together. Large get-togethers or small, everyone enjoy the little things in life; family fun is a small way to relax, laugh, and unwind. Doesn't have to be elaborate or expensive: Planning a picnic at the local park or lake. Taking a nature walk and identify bugs, critters, and leaves. Hosting a cookout and playing yard games. Baking and then enjoying the yummy goodness together. Planning, preparing, and eating dinner with your family. Making s'mores around a campfire and stargaze afterwards. Starting a small garden for you and your family to work on together all summer long. Visiting a local museum. Researching your family history and documenting everything for future family.
It would be better for us if it weren't on a Sunday. Maybe we could play Wingspan, though. I was too tired yesterday.
as someone said the other day, time for National Rain Check Day, again
Evening, all. Still raining, which is good. The Spanish Pentecost retreat was a success. We went through literally gallons of coffee - I think I made 15 pots, and we had to go to the grocery store, once for more coffee, and then for more even coffee and more creamer - since the temperature never got above 68 today, and it's a good thing a hot lunch was planned. We gave out a few foam containers of leftover rice and Mexican sweet bread, no more than a dozen, so the food amounts were just about right. We have a, "Come all," policy and trust the Spirit to make sure there's food for all.
The church kitchenette has mice again: I found droppings.
Gonzalo saw me bend over to the floor while I was using a broom and dustpan and was amazed that I can do that. Later, Oscar and Luis asked me, "Show us how how you can touch the floor!" I did not realize this was such an astonishing feat.
The guest musician wasn't as good as us, but he had an electric piano, which makes atmospheric sounds, and it was nice to not be performing, only making lots of coffee and doing the sound system and cleaning the bathroom and counting the collection and going to the grocery store. The collection was over $600, which is far more than our budgeted amount for the event, but the church's accounting system doesn't net. You can't say, "We spent $450 and took in $680," net $230 revenue. It's $450 expense, and the $680 is a fluke donation to the building fund, not an offset.
Sigh.
Gotta love the accountants. I am blessed, when we raise donations they are "offsets" to costs, and the balance is donated on behalf of it. When my youngest did his eagle scout project there (renovating the playground), we raised $3k, spent $1800, the balance is in a fund for future repair/renovations.
I don't remember the $, but basically the same w/ my middle son's eagle scout project, building the handicap ramp for a man in a wheelchair. Son designed the ramp, then the $ & materials collected... the design/blueprints, remaining $ & materials left to the troop for others to use.
I'm get'n ready to go pool'n w/ hubby. I'll first have a half shot, on the rocks (I used to drink scotch on the rocks) but not let it get watered down, of Angels Envy. 'Cause if y'all remember you suggested that a while ago & I bought him some for his bday in March. He really liked it. A lot. The local liquor store has specials every week, & ta-da, Memorial Day special, Angels Envy, the big bottle. I think he got 2. So he opened one today & I'll have a taste, before my wine.
See y'all tomorrow.
One can replace damaged feathers to restore flight:
https://www.abc4.com/animals/utah-wildlife/owl-new-wings-found-encased-concrete-2025/
This sorta connects to something I came across yesterday. It had to do with the recognizing the difference between goals and values. Or, "What do I want to accomplish?" and "What kind of person do I want to be?"
Sometimes one has control only over the latter.
Also, between Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Harry Potter, the Star Wars franchise, some manga and anime, and intense RPGs (roll playing games, not rocket propelled grenades), I think a greater number of young people have a broader understanding of the forces that drive human actions. Because of this, I think affinities for toys connected to these worlds are not necessarily childish.
I own many stuffed animals from childhood, I have 3-4 peanuts t-shirts. They sit in my office at home and at work. Students comments on the giant stuffed shark on a shelf. I did do a rescue--our youngest was given a giant panda (probably 4' tall), Katie wanted to toss it out when he became a teen, so I hid it in my office at school. I renamed the Panda "Monium", because, of course I did.
Many of the stuffed animals belonged to my kids; someday when they have kids they may want them.
My rule of thumb is not to act too childish, not to invade children's places, to leave those for children.
Panda "Monium" - great!
I have a really hard time seeing stuffed animals as just objects. They have faces and are soft and cuddly and keep you company when you need them. But they also get dirty and deteriorate over time. I can give them away but not throw them away (I have a hard time throwing damaged but beautifully handmade clothes away, too). So, I just don't do stuffed animals.
There is a lot of childishness that has nothing to do with children or toys, thinking about it.
all my kids had stuffed animals, the 2 oldest ended w/ one favorite each. The oldest had a stuffed pig & when it became worn, I found matching material & patched it. I think he still has it. Middle son had a bear he called Bobby. One time Bobby was missing but son didn't seem to mind - he said Bobby was playing hide 'n seek. Youngest son had sooooo many & collected Curious George. Son would go to bed & have all the animals piled up w/ him, all carrying on conversations. Our dog at the time also loved his stuffed Curious Georges, not the others, & I'd come home to find a Curious George picked out from the pile from the bedroom & placed in the dog's favorite spot in the den. One Curios George ended up w/ a chewed off ear.
One granddaughter has a frog called Frog. She still takes it everywhere. Her youngest brother has a unicorn & when he was just beginning to talk called it mamma. When he went to daycare they weren't supposed to bring stuffies so when he was dropped off the first day he was crying but said he wanted his mamma. They kept telling him she'd pick him up at the end of the day. When the real mamma came to pick him up, carrying the unicorn, he grinned big, called out "mamma!" & grabbed the unicorn.
I have stuffed animals. New Dog and Dad's Kitty, Teddy the shark, Nathan the leopard, Napoleon the albino alligator, Edna the puffin, Angel the little brown bat. Some of them are currently in the custody of various children.
Hubs has stuffed scorpion I gave him after he was stung by a granddaddy scorpion when he reached into a supposedly empty computer bag & gave a huge yelp! Then had a lot of trouble killing that living scorpion.
"I think affinities for toys connected to these worlds are not necessarily childish."
Certainly no more childish than items relating to sports teams, tv shows, or consumer brands.
Well, that's a good way to think about it.