Reflection On the Absurdity

 The insanity that is the world we are currently being subjected to in the United States is not only sad, but was fought against by our elders. The ones we have been losing for years now. The ones that are curreenly rolling in their graves. The ones who saw this all happen already, and had the receipts and photos to prove that the world doesn't need that kind of cruelty.

Yet here we are. In an absurd reality. Nothing is going the way they would have expected. Hell it has been a long time since the 40's. But it hasn't been so long that the reality of what happened has disappeared. The scars of World War II are deep around the world, yet here we are in the United States with limited reminders, and no respect for history.

I mean seriously, what scar does our country actually carry from any of the world wars? Pearl Harbor, and the graves around the world filled with brothers, husbands, sons, family. But at this point all of that is merely a ghost. There's a lack of immediacy making the things that already happened seem irrelevant to people with a lack of empathy for their fellow man.

At one point, being an American from the United States was a badge that, while sometimes flawed, let us see the world as equals. But that time has now passed. We have lost what little faith the world had in our people due to the choice of one orange fool in a half demolished white house.

I am honestly dissapointed in the people who voted for this bullshit. I am dissapointed in the people who couldn't listen to reason and common sense. The people who thought there was a quick buck to be made on the back of someone else's misery. Guess what? That misery has now come for us all, and you still defend the lunacy?

I seriously have lost hope in seeing any good come in the rest of my lifetime. At this point the damage that has been done is not goign to be repairable for decades. And it only took an idiot less than a full year to ruin everything.

I don't care if I offend you with my frustration. But right now, I have no idea what to say. We're seeing a repeat of World War II's policies and behaviors, and not stopping them? 

The hardest part in this, is that the generation that put this stupidity into action should have known better. Their parents fought against it. The amount of shame I feel knowing they couldn't even stand against it long enough to vote for someone better, is sickening.

The reminders of what this will cost, are so far away around the world, but at this rate we're going to be living through it. I just hope that some of the common sense survives and makes it through into the silver lining of the future, if there is one.

I don't see one right now. And I pray for common sense, kindness, and empathy to take the wheel. 

May there be a reckoning for the fools and mercy for the ones who had no choice.

Company Mergers? Netflix & WB

 To be fair it feels like the number of big movie houses is narrowing. Disney is absorbign a ton of them, and now Netflix. It was a strange email to wake up to, even though I am sure it has been in the news somewhere. But to be honest, the last thing I really remember reading about changes to Netflix was that they were aquiring Sesame Street. I am attaching a copy of the email, more as a way to keep a documentation of the change. Similar to wanting to keep a note about some of the changes Disney did after pushing Disney plus vs physical sales.

I still purchase hard copy media, both music and film. So I find it frustrating to know it is goign to become even more difficult to get things that way.

Art Collaboration : Michelle Bond

It's always a good feeling when another artist has confidence in you and wants to work on pieces together.An example of this I'm going to share is a good friend that I consider Family at this point, Michelle Bond.

Michelle goes by @the.real.qe on instagram. She illustrates a ghost comic strip titled High Spirits, and also does a variety of other types of art. Not only does she draw, she also paints and does mixed media art pieces. I wish she lived closer to me q.q

I really enjoy when she drops a piece in my messages to work on, because Michelle often gives me free range to color pieces anyway that feels natural. ^_^

You should really check into her work, she's been doing a lot of art based on the music of BIlly Strings lately. 

Eulogy for Mom

I’d like to thank you all for being here today, it really meant a lot to my mother how much you all cared about her. I’m sure most of you know who I am, but in case you don’t I’m Katie. And while my brothers may have been teasing about offering this task to me, after having time to think about it, I think our mother Betty would be ok with me trying to express even a portion of what made her so special to all of us.

She was born in 1960, and while to some of us it seems a short time to be here, She did a lot in her time. She played music, she went on adventures, she laughed, she cried, she beat cancer, and she made the world a better place. And in honesty, I only know portions of what she got to do while she was here. Her life was so full it could have burst at the seams.

To sum up Betty’s life in a tidy bite size piece, is an impossible task. Any of you here understand that. She lived life to the fullest. She taught us to not only share what we have, but to use our talents to improve the world around us. But most importantly Betty taught us how to Love.

Mom made sure that Love wasn’t a word that meant only one thing. While we may not have understood the various types in their divided levels she gave us wonderful examples through the way she lived.

Philia. Betty made many friends in her life. Through the loyalty and camaraderie she displayed in them, she emphasised how important affection and love for our friends is. I don’t think I can remember a time when my Godmother Laura wasn’t in our lives. The two of them were always able to find something to laugh about, whether it was nonsense that the kids were getting up to, or just reminiscing about things. But you could always feel the love in the space when they were together. But this is only ONE of many examples Betty gave us for how friendships can look. No matter what they look like, all friendships are important and help build the community we exist in. Mom made sure everyone knew how important our friends are. Many of her friends were more than just friends, they became family.

Storge. We have so many family connections. Family we are born into, family we marry into, family we turn into.  The stories and adventures she’d tell us about our family made it easy to know how deep those bonds went for her. She also made sure we knew how important it is to know where you come from. Growing up we spent many holidays, birthdays, and just random days with our family members. We’d learn family history and jokes through those interactions. Giving us insight into how  important loving our family members can be. They’re often the rocks you can cling to when the world seems to collapse around you. They may not always understand what you’re going through, but she taught us that family is there. And never to forget the ones we’ve lost because they’ve helped to get us to where we are.

Ludus. The joy she gave when sharing her musical talents and other skills. She would tease people good naturedly, and it wasn’t to be mean. She taught us it wasn’t a bad thing to share things that you think may bring joy to others. Buckskin and Calico was a huge part of her life, in fact I’ve NEVER known a part of my life when it wasn’t part of hers. Last year they celebrated 50 years of her being at the Little Valley riders club with the band. For most of us it’s hard to imagine going anywhere that long. But the friends she made there became family over the years. And I KNOW they have plenty of stories to tell about things she did out there over the years. And she really loved being out there.

Pragma and Eros, Enduring Love, patient love, romantic Love. Mom and Dad are amazing examples of this. Even when things may have been difficult, they were always together. Even while she was in the hospital she was looking at guitars and picked one out for Joe’s birthday present. They delivered it to her right at the hospital. Betty showed us how important it can be to think of things that can bring someone you love joy for a long time, enduring well beyond the present. Their Love isn’t just fleeting, it endures.

Bringing me to the last type of love that I am going to mention, Agape. Unconditional love to her fellow man. Betty was always willing to help her fellow man if there was a way to. I remember going on some of the shut-in visits with her and Uncle Herbie. The two of them would engage in conversation and you could literally feel the happiness in the room. The shut-ins may not have all been people we knew well, but they enjoyed the company. It was a blessing to get to experience that with them.

All those different words, Philia, Storge, Ludus, Pragma, Eros, Agape, all mean love. Betty loved. If there’s anything she did while she was here it was that. She loved life. And made sure we all had a good example of love to learn from.

When we were kids, we would come to Windom for xmas eve service. We’d be here with so many of our family members and friends, and I remember there was a song we’d all sing after they’d turn off the lights. We’d pass a spark of light through the congregation while singing One Little Candle. Betty was a candle, sharing her love light with each of us. She’s left the world a brighter place than when she came. If we each continue to share these lights with even a few other people, we’ll be able to keep the memories of Love alive for everyone.

New Family Member : Pudge

 Everybody has trouble sometimes. I've been having a lot of trouble with my anxiety and my depression. Work has been stressful, not to mention the things going on in the rest of the world. So there has been a lot of uncertainty.

But We have a new family member. He is small and slimy and wet. With pretty color flecks. It's taken a few days but we've decided to name him Pudge. Because when he looks at me he reminds me of the weather controlling fish in Lilo and Stitch.

He is kinda a splotchy color, with shiny coppery spots. His gills have like brown tendrils on them. I also learned some new things at the reptile show on sunday when we picked him up.

I didn't know that axolotls have 4 toes on their front feet and 5 toes on their back feet. It's really weird because it is a common trait.

I enjoy the fact that he is little right now, and now he is all floppy and seems to be exploring his tank. We put in a different type of filter because the other one might have been dangerous to his little arms and legs. And even though he could potentially grow them back if they did get injured. I don't want to see him get hurt if he doesn't have to be.

But yeah. This is our pet. I haven't had one in a long time, but it is helping my... anxiety already so I that is a good thing.