Tag Archives: Stream of Consciousness Saturday

Pause

This is an important word in the introvert vocabulary. I have recently been on a break to have some much needed down time from my blog/writing and to recharge. You might think I have been sitting by a lake staring off toward the horizon, but I have been busy with some life things. Actually sitting by a lake and staring off at the horizon sounds pretty good to me but it has been chilly here. Chilly for Southern California and sitting outdoors might not be so relaxing. Although, we still have sunshine. Pause and reflection are good for everyone but essential to the introverted temperament. I spotted a really cute post on the Huffington post about the topic which included this chart by Gemma Correll.

I have been sort of in the “Region of Hibernation” with the colder weather. I definitely enjoyed some time with my kids over the holidays. I did do some online ordering of a few gifts. I had some new adventures. I made the 7+ hour drive on the 101 up to the Bay Area ( San Francisco Bay area) alone in a rental car and later realized that I did not know that the headlights did not turn on automatically. I had dinner in Alameda, at a Burmese restaurant, which was delicious. I hiked along a trail near the ocean in Half Moon Bay. I drove all the way back to Southern California with my daughter’s great company this time, now knowing how to operate the headlights, and saw some “Russian space debris” heading on a 45 degree angle toward the earth with a big fiery tail behind it. At least we are told it was Russian space debris. I even saw the new Star Wars movie in 3D.

Now I think I am ready for a bit of “Solitude Mountains” with a “Sea of Books” nearby.

Happy New Year!

Stream of Consciousness Saturday is hosted by LindaGHill.

Chloe Wore a Cloche

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Chloe wore a cloche hat, opera length pearls, a short skirt, and rolled stockings. She said Jim was jake, and the bee’s knees. She smoked, drank, drove a car, and sometimes a motorcycle. On weekends she went wing walking on a biplane. She scandalized the whole neighborhood, young children, dogs, cats, and the Women’s Temperance Union. She went out each night to Jazz clubs and slept in late each day. She loved life and lived it to the full. Then she retired and joined a cloister.

Wing Walker Image by David Dixon

Stream of Consciousness Saturday is hosted by LindaGHill. December 12 prompt “clo.”

Disconnections

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I wrote this post last year and decided it was a good one for today’s Stream of Consciousness on the word “miss.” When you don’t check into WordPress or Facebook each day, do you feel like you are missing something? There is a popular phrase for that called “the Fear of Missing Out” or FOMO. This whole week, I feel like I have been recovering from the Thanksgiving weekend activities or maybe it is because the weather is getting colder here in Southern California. At least colder at night and in the mornings. Puts me into a sleepy, hibernating kind of mood. The leaves are falling off the trees, except for the palm trees. I feel like bundling up with a good book or movie. And I think my old post, with a bit of editing, from last winter will be new to many people so here it goes:

I know this is true but I had forgotten. When you are wrestling with an issue information will start popping up about it all around you.

Today I opened my email from Idealist Careers and here was a post about something I had been thinking and writing about myself. The post was called Embrace JOMO: The Joy of Missing Out by Allison Jones. In it she linked to another blogger Anil Dash who had written on this topic as well. JOMO is a response to FOMO or Fear of Missing Out.

I get a little crazy with all the acronyms. Believe me, it is not that I have never seen an acronym before because in my work life there were plenty of them. It just seems like, with all the frenzied communication, we are all talking in acronyms. When I first saw FLOTUS it reminded me of flatus and I thought of gas. POTUS, a potted plant. Well maybe these acronyms are a lot of hot air after all. But I digress.

The gist of the blogs about JOMO and mine is that we can be selective about all the social activities and interactions that are asking for our participation these days. We need to be in touch with ourselves and what our needs and priorities are. There is great JOY in taking time for our private lives and quiet pastimes alone or with our friends and families.

Other bloggers commented on my post with similar sentiments. The need to find a balance and find the JOMO.

Now to curl up with that good book and I have a nice cup of coffee right here.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday is hosted by LindaGHill

The Stuffing Recipe

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Thanksgiving Day is past and many of us are resting on our laurels for another delicious Thanksgiving dinner. My family prefers the traditional roast turkey with stuffing inside the bird, and the extra that does not fit in the bird in a casserole. I have cooked Thanksgiving dinner almost every year of my marriage and I even made it a few times before I was married. I remember, when I was in Nursing school, I made Thanksgiving for my family at the house I shared with fellow students in San Francisco. I stayed up practically all night trying to make the pie crust for the Pumpkin pie from scratch like my mother did. I threw out so much flour and shortening because I couldn’t get it to the right consistency. If you handle it too much the dough becomes stiff and will not be flakey when baked. My mother came over that day and I told her I was having problems with the pie crust. She whipped it together in a flash. She said you have to get a feel for it. My mother’s pie crust was wonderful. I have never been a pie maker and usually buy the pies from a good bakery.

The stuffing was another skill my mother had mastered and my recipe comes from my memory of how she made it. I have made it so many times and sometimes the ingredients have changed very slightly over the years. Thankfully I get the turkey and stuffing right according to my family. In earlier years, I prepared the entire meal by myself. Anyone who has made a big family dinner like this knows how much work it is.

In recent years, it has become a group effort with my daughter and husband pitching in with some of the preparation and cooking. My daughter is a very good cook and will come up with delicious dishes to add to the feast. She is usually in charge of the fresh mashed potatoes. This year she made roasted garlic mashed potatoes and a delicious mixed green salad with persimmons, pomegranate, and toasted walnuts. My husband makes the cranberry sauce and does some of the prep work by chopping vegetables for the stuffing.

We were away from home this time, at the in-laws house in Palm Desert, with one of our brother in laws. It is always a bit strange working in someone else’s kitchen but we managed to pull it off just fine. And according to my family the stuffing was great.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday hosted by LindaGHill

To, Too, and Two as well

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Why can’t we just stick with one word for too? When I looked up its definition I found that also and as well are considered to mean the same thing. I have noticed that “as well” has taken over for too at the end of sentences where too used to be. I feel this is great injustice to too. I do not know how as well won out over too. What’s so great about as well? To me is sounds so stuffy and cold. The word too is almost musical. It is friendly and inclusive, like when we say me too or I love you too. Doesn’t it sound a bit stiff to say I love you as well? And too can be very enthusiastic and over the top if it wants to, like too much, too big, too funny, too cool and anything else you want to indicate is above average. And it takes up less space than as well to boot.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday

Indescribable Beauty

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There are many indescribably beautiful natural sights in my home state of California. I am not a flowery writer who can speak poetically in my description. Even if I were, I think the beauty is so great that words can not do it justice. One of the natural wonders that come to mind are the coastal redwood groves off the Avenue of the Giants in Northern California. The trees are so big they give you the impression of being in a prehistoric landscape. Some of the trees there are thousands of years old. They are resistant to insects and fire but are threatened by the wind effect that has been created by the new freeway that was put in near there. Some of the trees are getting blown over. Another indescribably beautiful sight is the view from the coastal Highway 1 on a sunny day. The section between Monterey/Carmel and Cambria are particularly magnificent but I like the view between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay as well. If you get a chance to visit San Simeon take a look toward the ocean from atop the hills there. The Hurst Family has kept a large swath of land from the castle down to the ocean free from development by giving the land to a nature conservancy. Thank you Hurst family. That is the Hurst family of William Randolph Hurst, who was a wealthy newspaper owner. The classic film Citizen Kane was supposed to be based in part on his life. And the castle I am talking about is Hurst Castle in San Simeon. Highway 101 from Ventura and up the state to Salinas allows a view of soft rolling hills dotted with oak trees and nowadays acres and acres of vineyards have popped up along the highway. The Salinas area is called “the Salad Bowl of the World.” This is where so much produce is grown. Near Santa Cruz you will find fields of artichokes. The original wine country in Northern California is another favorite, with Sonoma and Napa counties. Sonoma has The Valley of the Moon. Jack London lived there. Who wouldn’t love a place called The Valley of the Moon. I had a chance to visit the city of Healdsburg in Sonoma county not too long ago. Wine is a major product in California all up and down the state. I did not think Sonoma could hold any more vineyards and then I saw the vineyards around Healdsburg, as far as the eye can see. San Francisco is where I was born. It holds a special place in my heart , a jewel of a city. There are some pretty nice views there as well looking down from Nob Hill to the bay. A well known San Francisco Newspaper columnist from the past said of San Francisco:

“One day if I do go to heaven…. I’ll look around and say, It ain’t bad but it ain’t San Francisco.” —Herb Caen

I’ve only scratched a very small surface with my descriptions, I have left out many places like Yosemite ,(a famous national park), Sequoia National Park, Mendocino, Santa Barbara, San Diego, La Jolla, and oh well you get the idea. There is just too much to cover in my stream of consciousness and in one small post. I hope you will get a chance to visit my beautiful state of California someday.

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Here’s a drones eye view of San Francisco by danesdrone that I have posted previously:

There is another beautiful city that we are all thinking about and hoping they soon heal from the terrible recent events. I have not had the privilege of seeing beautiful Paris but hope I will someday.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday hosted by Linda G Hill

Cat is Sometimes Spelled with a K

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I’m all cattywampus

or should I say catawampus?

I’ve been looking and looking for words

that will fit the category

of those containing the word spelled c-a-t

Here is the rule

Proclaimed by Linda our leader

And she is no fool:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “-cat-” Use the letters at the start, middle, or end of a word and make it the subject of your post – or just use the word “cat.” Enjoy!

To catalogue cat words I felt assured

Would be so easy it was almost absurd

But I came to find to my great chagrin

There are many cat sounding words

But in the cat category they do not fit in

How frustrating this can be

Many are spelled with a “k” instead of a “c”

Like Saskatchewan

and Saskatoon

Krakatoa

and Kathmandu

What is a cat word cataloger supposed to do?

This is a catastrophe! I caterwauled

I now understand and know it is true

It is catch as catch can

So I think I’ll sail off

in my catamaran 🙂

For Stream of Consciousness Saturday hosted by Linda G Hill

Transport for Zonar 3

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Sensors detecting transmission 3 solstar rotations ago, Tribune.

Orb 3 of it solstar you saying.

Yes, Tribune. We monitoring from small dwarf orb at edge of it solstar system. It signaling to our solstar structure at Zonar 3.

Transmission image by Ryan Somma

So indicating action you proposing, Centurion?

Yes, Tribune. Transmission meaning techno evolving. It understanding basic techno. We have needing, slave labor for completing Zonar 3 project. The Empress be pleased for completing.

The Empress

Will causing insurrection, our native workers?

If causing we know how we eliminating.

Let us going forward. Transport the new slaves in from what calling…What do it calling orb?

Earta, Sir.

Such strange naming and such strange species. You say it walking on two legs?

Yes, Sir.

Will it adjusting to appearing are we?

If it not we having way to exterminating.

Desire we finishing Zonar 3 before we must the exterminating.

Our first transporting to occur this night. Our vessel approaching Earta now.

It not detecting the transport and be warning?

No, transport disguising and it naming The Halloween Asteroid.

Strange, so very strange!, the Tribune’s mandible made a clicking sound.

The Centurion bowed and performed the ritual antennae touching with the Tribune.

Ancient Cave Painting

Stream of Consciousness Saturday hosting by Linda G Hill

Drums Along the Mohawk

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I love movies and have a special love for classic films. Even though they do not have the special effects of modern films they often make up for it with the writing, acting, and cinematography. The film makers of those days had to work harder to create the effects with set decoration, lighting, music, and the acting itself. There are times when I watch a modern film with all the bells and whistles of computer generated effects and feel that that is all that is carrying the picture. Like “where’s the beef? ”

Via Jack T You Tube:

A classic film I just watched again is Drums Along the Mohawk, (in color), based on the novel by Walter D. Edmonds, starring Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert about the first pioneer American settlers of the Mohawk Valley in New York State. William Faulkner was an uncredited contributor to the screen play. It takes place during American Revolutionary War times. I was reminded about this film by the blog Cinematically Insane. The restored film was chosen to be among those shown at the 53rd Annual New York Film Festival this year. The settlers have a beef with the British (The Revolutionary War) and some of the Native Americans the British have convinced to fight with them. John Ford is the director. I am a big fan of John Ford movies and the cast is made up of some of his regulars like Ward Bond, Chief John Big Tree, Francis Ford, and Arthur Shields. Edna May Oliver is very funny as the widow Mrs. Mc Klennar. There is a scene where two Seneca braves raid her house and she orders them to carry her bed downstairs before burning down her house. The film is not historically correct in that the Seneca did not raid with the British in the Mohawk Valley. But the British did send in a small force. There is a battle that the local militia men are involved in in the movie which is based on the Battle of Oriskany (1777) which was one of the bloodiest battles of the Revolutionary War. I love the performances of many of these great character actors. I have wanted a copy of the film for a while. After seeing the post about the film’s screening at the festival I decided to order it, and I did.

This is the original trailer for the film and I do not know why it is in black and white via retrotrailer on You Tube:

Stream of Consciousness Saturday hosted by Linda G Hill.

Still Looking for Intelligent Life in the Universe

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Has anyone else been following this story? A star has been spotted between the constellations of Cygnus and Lyra during a joint survey of 150,000 stars by the Kepler Space Telescope and amateur astronomers. They have been looking for signs of planets circling these stars. What is unusual about this star according to an article in the Atlantic, The Most Mysterious Star in Our Galaxy, is that there was a strange light blocking pattern seen that may indicate not a planet but a very large alien made structure or structures that are blocking the light of the star as it orbits around it. The SETI Research Center at UC Berkeley is planning on pointing a very large radio dish toward the star in January to see if they can pick up any electronic transmissions. This is scary to me because what if it is an alien structure and they get wind of us pointing our listening devices toward them. And then decide to see who is listening. Dr. Michio Kaku says that if this is an alien structure, it may be as big as our planet Jupiter, and they are far advanced to our civilization. I think I am going to start wearing an aluminum foil hat.

I was still hoping to see another form of intelligent life here on earth close up last weekend, whales. I was a bit disappointed in my whale watching expedition. I went out on a whale watching boat this past Sunday with my daughter. It was a beautiful sunny day off Monterey for the most part. We did hit some fog out at sea on the way back to Monterey Bay harbor. I had high expectations and I think that was the problem. I expected to see huge whales breaching right near the boat. I wanted to get fantastically exciting photos. I realize now that you do not get to see breaching whales close up every day and that taking a photo, from a boat that is moving up and down, of whales and other sea life who are also moving up and down and various other directions requires luck and probably the talent of a professional photographer and at least a camera with a telescopic lens. Our whale watching was originally planned for Saturday but was canceled by the tour company due to rough weather at sea. So on Saturday I attempted to find the Monarch butterflies and found some at the Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary. There were not many near ground level and I had to look through a telescope, assisted by a sanctuary worker, at the top of a eucalyptus tree. She helped me get a nice photo through the telescope as well.

One of the things I learned on the whale watching boat is when the guide sights a whale or other interesting sea life and calls it out, all the people go to that side of the boat and, unless you are fast, it is hard to get a good view. Like when he sighted a pod of orcas and a dolphin stampede. That’s right, I said a dolphin stampede. The dolphins were in the hundreds and were stampeding because they knew the orcas were around. The stampede caused a large patch of turbulence and some of the dolphins were leaping out of the water. Unfortunately some of them swam straight to the orca pod. Next the orca pod is chasing a dolphin and it did not end well for the dolphin. I am glad I did not see it all close up. Then we went out quite a distance in the ocean to off of Moss Landing. We saw some Humpback Whales, dolphins and sea lions there. We saw a whale in the distance do a partial breach, saw others spouting and some flukes. A dolphin popped up doing a partial breach, called spy-hopping, as well. Later we went to a different location and saw the orca pod again. The guide called the large male orca “Fat Fin.” This orca had already been identified by scientists. The whole trip was about 4 hours. This is a video from the Monterey Bay Whale Watch website. We did not have the owner or her dogs on our tour. Their research vessel was near us at the different viewing locations.