I'd really love to know. Do the places we went or the things we did ever trigger a memory of me? It happens to me all the time. I can't shake you. I know we parted on not the best of terms, at least on your side. And the way we broke is still confusing to me. I don't know if I'll ever understand that.

This is some crazy weather! There's been more snow here this year then in the past 10 years. We got somewhere around 6 to 8 inches here in N.N. Some places got more. And we're still having light, intermittent snow showers. I love it but its very strange. I went for a walk last night as it was snowing hard and it was wonderful.

It would appear that my writing efforts have stumbled as of late. It's not for a lack of desire. I've truly enjoyed doing this. But I struggle with finding subject matter that isn't a rehash of today's events or a depressing reminder of the state of the Union. So, lets see what I can do. Pretty pictures of cats and raccoons?

I was viewing YouTube the other night and was watching a series of kitchen disaster videos. I thought they were hilarious! But it made me think about how people don't have any way to learn life skills now. Back in the old days (not that I'm ancient or anything), young people took shop or home economics in high school and learned how to cook, sew, use hand tools and they acquired a general knowledge of how to manage in the world without killing themselves or burning down the house.

One of America's greatest deficiencies is a desire to learn. Not education but learning. The acquisition of knowledge through reading and thoughtful analysis of that which you've read. Looking at a topic with a critical eye and suspending your personal biases to find a truth in what you see. We have spent a great amount of time and money to teach our children how to test, how to answer questions by rote and memorization but not how to question and think.

What a concept! You meet someone, your heart skips a beat, and WHAM...love. I wish it were that simple. Love is an extraordinary process, incorporating hormones and senses in a whirlwind of activity. It's never like a Hallmark movie. Boy meets girl, conflict arises, resolution occurs, and love blooms. Love takes time. It takes communication, physical contact, understanding of both partners ( or multiple partners) needs.

In 1781, General Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, Va effectively ending the Revolutionary War. Rumor has it, the British played the tune "The World Turned Upside Down". That's kinda how I feel about our weather! LOL Over Christmas we traveled to Massachusetts to visit family. We packed our snow boots and heavy coats, fully expecting their use. But, while very cold temps were there, no snow! Then, we come back to Virginia and, DAMN, three snowfalls since our return. WTH! Yep! The world has turned upside down!

Today is a strange day. We celebrate the memory of a great humanitarian on the same day we inaugurate a misogynistic, self centered, egoist to the greatest office in America. I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around these facts. But, as I often say, it is what it is. All I can do is support my friends and the causes I believe in and hope for the best. I hope you'll do the same.

In the past couple of years, I've tried to introduce some changes in my life to promote better mental health and positivity. I've become an avid follower of the Stoic philosophy. I've incorporated a daily journal where I tell my desires, wishes, and plans. And I've tried to meditate everyday (though that has been a challenge. Sometimes life gets in the way).

I LOVE music! Pretty much all kinds. From classical to metal to country and rap. Something from everywhere. It's truly a gift from the gods. It's that friend when you're alone and sad. It can bring joy to any occasion. It unites people from all around the world; a universal language. It's provided me comfort when I felt my world damaged.

Why do I blog? Well, that's a tough one. I have a journal. I've been writing in that for over a year now. It's my safe space to tell my woes, my joys, my plans. No one reads it but me so I'm free to tell my truths. Or, what I perceive as truth! LOL I guess the reality of it, is that it's a journal/diary.

There are lots of posts on social media and in the news about the "doom and gloom" that's coming during the next 4 years. And some of it is totally justified. We've all heard the ideas and plans of the lunatic minds in the upcoming administration. But, try and remember this.... the ultimate goal of all this is controlling you by fear.

I was watching YouTube last night and perusing some historical photo pages when I came upon an intriguing picture. I'm not sure where or when the photo was taken, but it showed a student, with a rifle, learning about firearm safety. He appeared to be a elementary student and I thought, what a great idea! So many children die each year by accidentally finding a gun and shooting themselves or someone else.

Lazy day. Well, not completely lazy. Just laid back. I still do my morning routines; prep coffee for tomorrow, scoop kitty litter, unload and load the dishwasher. Then, my personal routines; medications ( I have R.A.), vitamins ( to counter all the ill affects of the R.A. meds), write in my personal journal. Sounds kinda boring, doesn't it. But completing these tasks gives me a sense of accomplishment and comfort.

I'm an old school kind of guy. I like real books, not electronic readers. When I'm working on something, I like a manual that I can hold in my hands. In my previous incarnation as an aircraft mechanic, we use tech manuals written on paper. And when I worked on a car, I learned using a Chilton book. So, imagine my surprise that when I ordered a manual for my Volvo XC90 from EBay motors, it arrived on a thumb drive.

I'm starting to feel the the U.S. is caught in a perpetual rerun of "The Year without a Santa Claus" We've got Heat Miser on the west coast and Snow Miser on the east! We've been having some crazy weather issues all throughout the country. We're about to have our second snowfall in Virginia this year after not having ANY snow over the past 3 years.

We're getting snow! Now, for some folks that may not be exciting news. Especially for those that live in the places where snow is a part of their winter life. But, I live in Virginia. A place not known for snowy winters. So, it's a treat. Especially since the predictions call for the precipitation to begin Friday night and into Saturday morning.

I'm not sure what's going on in our world. There seems to be a shift in attitudes and ideas toward fascism and government control. Not just here in America but throughout the world. Our newly elected president wants to take over other countries, either by economic blackmail or by force. In Europe, governments are losing the liberal representatives in their governing bodies, replaced by people anti immigrant and anti peoples rights.