People Need to Be Looking Back

Plans for the spring include working on my videos, starting my podcast I keep talking about, and try to ride my back again. I would like to be more active since I received my Fitbit Tracker, and live healthier after all we’ve been through.

I’ve been enjoying a lot more anime, and going back to some of my favorites lately, which has also sparked by interest in the Japanese culture again. I’ve also been looking at other cultures as well, French, and Italian, and I’ve been really interested in a lot of the different foods. The cultures of the other countries like Japan have fascinated be over many years, and I would like to apply some of that into my life.

Lately, a lot more shows have been back in the swing, and even some awesome new movies like Disney’s Raya. It’s made for some awesome watch time. I’ve even found some new anime, like the continuation of Inuyasha, which is all about his and his brother’s, Sesshōmaru, daughters, Yashahime. On some of the social media, there’s been a bit of negative feedback, though, about Charmed and GH too. Everyone is continually criticizing about something, when they need to stop, and wait for the good stuff. Particularly on soaps, and drama series, they like to wait until the middle, or right around the seasons middle, or end for things to get really good.

In about a year since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, things have changed, and nothing feels quite normal, or how it used to be, but maybe that’s a good thing. It gives a chance for all of us to do better. We’ll see what happens during and after the summer.

Investigating Coffee Presentations

I saw this amazing coffee drink on one of my favorite coffeehouse’s Instagram account. It was presented in a mason like jar, and it got me thinking, how could you use a jar like that? Does it have to be brand new, or can you recycle and reuse them? So, I got to make a special trip and got some of these questions answered.

The drinks in the mason jar are only available for staying inside. There’s a lot of prep that goes into getting them ready to serve. They’re bought in pristine condition, probably online, and they washed with specific cleaning solutions because of the pandemic.

In the end, I took the drink to go, rather than sitting down. It was a tasty treat, sweet but not overwhelming. I think this was a good experiment, and I enjoyed it a lot.

Through the Early 1810's: Starting with Bridgerton

On the streaming series, Bridgerton, starting in 1813, Great Britain was under the reign of Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and King George III (also known as Mad King George). In the series, Queen Charlotte was the face of the crown, she was the one who debutantes presented to, and Her Majesty was presented at various events for the royal family.

They King and Queen had 15 children in total, 13 of whom survived to adulthood, two of whom were future British monarchs, George IV, and William IV; as well as Charlotte, Princess Royal, who became Queen of Württemberg; Prince Edward, the father of Queen Victoria; and Prince Ernest Augustus, who became King of Hanover. Early in King George's reign, Great Britain defeated France in the Seven Years' War, becoming the dominant European power in North America and India. Further wars against revolutionary and Napoleonic France from 1793 concluded in the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

Fashions of the Period

The fashion style between 1813 and 1815 was inspired by the classical antiquity, modeled into the high-waisted neoclassical silhouette, increasingly broken by trim, colors, and a new angularity as the tubular skirts were gradually replaced by triangular versions. I focus on the women, because I am a woman, and their clothes always fascinate me.

First was the shifts, or chemises, that were meant to protect the rest of the undergarments from the body’s perspiration. Corsets were necessary, yet unbelievably uncomfortable, made with whale bone, and tightened to give women a more feminine figure. And then a petticoat, which was a layer between the women’s clothing and underwear.

Clothes worn inside the home was called the morning dress, and lacked a whole lot of decoration, and was modest, simple, and hopefully comfortable. While, evening gowns were meant to be seen at parties, and were styled with more colors, accessories, and embellishments.

The classical influence extended to hairstyles. Often masses of curls were worn over the forehead and ears, with the longer back hair drawn up into loose buns or Psyche knots influenced by Greek and Roman styles. Here are some videos of modern versions of the styles I’ve been inspired by. This is just a small sample of the period, and culture in the early 1810’s.

First Month of the New Year 2021

This January, there has been so much going on, I’m just now getting caught up, and posting. A lot of new seasons, and even some new series on streaming channels, have begun, and I’ve even got caught up in plenty of older series, so now I would like to share so much.

For starters, I’ve been discovering a lot of interesting period dramas, going back to Bridgerton, and finding other series connecting to that time frame. Belgravia takes place in 1815 which is two years after, right around the Battle of Waterloo. Queen Charlotte and King George’s reign was during the Napoleon wars, and their descendants including Queen Victoria, who along side Prince Alfred were mentioned in Belgravia, twenty years after the first scenes.

The CW, along with a few other channels, have released new seasons of their series. Starting with a brand new Batwoman. Kate Kane has been presumed dead after a plane crash, she was on. Now, Ryan Wilder has found the suit, and wants to take up the mantle to give justice to those in Gotham. On Netflix, the rebirth of interesting story, Fate: Winx Saga; Bloom and her friends reimagined in an interesting tale.

All of these and more, there is so much starting with this new year, I hope to keep writing and sharing, without fall behind.

Trivia Junkie: New WordPress Blog + Possible Podcast

I was working on my blogs theme when I just decided to try and work with WordPress and use this as another blog. It’s a little harder than on Google Blogger, but I’m hoping it will be worth it.

I though it would be cool to set it up as my site for my tidbits and trivia, maybe my podcast. I am still working on figuring out how many pictures I can use because there is a limit, unlike Blogger.

Autumn Apples + Everything Going On

Earlier this season, we started baking some apples that we had in the house. From the second we cut the apples, the smell was incredible, natural, and sweet, but not overwhelming. As they were baking, the scent changed, but it was still amazing, and afterwards, they tasted delicious. Maybe it was some kind of sign of how things would end because everything after that calmed down a little.

Snow already on the ground, it has been getting colder, there has just been so much that happened. Between dealing with going court, surgery for someone close, and holding down the fort at home, it was pretty overwhelming to talk or write about. In the end though, we can always get through them.

Halloween came and went bye, while mom and I enjoyed the holiday quietly, watching movies, some just scary enough. Later, we drove around looking at the cool decorations at some houses. It was interesting see the different ways people can celebrate with the social distancing, I practically like Disney Channel’s star, Chandler Kinney new song, Halloween House park.

Apples are still in as the season goes on, and will change, through autumn till winter. I’m already wondering, how long before the cold turns the rain to snow. I’ve already busted out my long sweatshirts. Here’s to getting better for the rest of this year and dealing with 2021.

Handling Our Situations Head On

It can be a challenge, facing everything that comes at us. We can stand firm, and let it roll over and around us, or even roll with it. Depends on what's going on.

Dealing with health crises is scary, especially for those of us who rely, sometimes a little too much, on people in our lives, those who we depend on for a lot more than others think.  Thinking about the worse outcomes, can drive any of us crazy, and that does not help anyone. Think on this, how do we help each stay focused, and not dwell on what will happen?

On another matter, when we get caught in hard place, and we end up in a bit of legal trouble, that might go to court, or some type of judgement, that can be just as overwhelming, and you have to be prepared to face that, it can make you feel like your waiting for the worst case, just like before.

So, here’s what we can do, rather the think of the worst, just take one thing at time. Don’t dwell on anything than what you can do in the moment. Focus on handling the first steps, and get your feelings out of the way, praying and giving them to God, and/or by writing them down so they are not inside of you so much. Make it a little less hard for those around you, and yourself. Remember also, life is hard, we'll get through it, we always do!

Getting in the Swing of Fall

Moving into autumn, there has been a lot going on. Between everything going on with the elections, and voting, and working on our home upkeep, and going back into time, watching old episode videos on Youtube, there has been a lot going on in my head.

Working on the hope that it is becoming more routine, I have done some added exploring on different subjects, based on living life, inspired by a lot of what has been going on around us. Now that we are about to hit October, and Halloween at its end, there’s some more interesting events coming, mysteries and drama included.

Speaking of, take a look at some of the special series, and videos on Netflix. High Seas has a third season, with rumors of four, but that remains to be seen after that ending. Another really good one is Enola Holmes, based on the book series of the same name, it tells the tale of the sister of Sherlock Holmes, starring Henry Cavill, and Sam Claflin as Mycroft Holmes, their eldest sibling. Wonderful, incredible stories, full of promise, and a possible option for Halloween watch party. Here’s to more series and mysteries to come.

What’s Going on GH

Since General Hospital continued in the start of August, there has been a lot going on. Starting from when Nina was giving her testimony, which ended with Michael, and Willow Corinthos winning custody of Wiley. Then, During the Nurses ball, which became a tele-a-thon, for first line workers, Nelle used Julian to kidnap Wiley.

In the race to get Wiley back and safe, Nelle and Carly had a confrontation, which ended with Nelle falling off a cliff. Wiley got home safe, and Michael and Willow connected, which has not been easy for Chase and Sasha.

After all that we had to say goodbye to a beloved character. Mike Corbin has finally come to an end, due to pneumonia caused by his Alzheimer's. It has been a prolonged farewell, and sad, but in a bittersweet twist, his daughter Courtney came to get him. RIP Mike, we’ll miss you.

Spinal Cord Injury Month This September

This month is about Spinal Cord Injury Awareness, by the US Senate in an effort to raise awareness about SCI, the need for better treatments and education on prevention, which can be really important in more ways than one. We need to work together, and all of us see, and reject the stereotype that confines people to those wheelchairs.

For myself, I have always felt sympathy for those stuck in the wheelchairs, because I thought they just needed them. It wasn’t until I did a little more digging, and tried to see those eyes, what it really means, and I’m still having to work on that. The people with those injuries may not walk like a lot of us, and they have a lot of other things to consider and deal with, but they are able to have a lot more independence then any one can think of if they have the right tools.

Wheelchairs can help them move freely, and even stop them from being in pain. Exercise can help them stay strong, and they can move in and out of the chair and do a lot of other activities. Those with types of spinal cord injuries, a lot of the time, learn how to be quite self-sufficient, even with others there to help them. There are also a number of activities that one can do, with or without the chair.

People can adapt when they have the knowledge, and are able to learn through their own, or other’s experiences. Organizations like Triumph Foundation are working getting others to be aware that everything that goes with SCI. I believe it’s very important to place yourself in those positions in order to understand.

Working Progress So Far

Lately, I've been work on how to make by blog better and trying to figure out what to write has been a lot harder. These last couple of months, some stuff has happened some good, some bad. Working through what life throws at you can be a challenge, especially when it's something you never thought would be tossed at you.

Among the main staples that have keeping me sane these last few months is Instagram. I like seeing the stories, and videos, and reading the post. Seeing the different perspectives has been interesting, and I like to see new things, and learn. Sometimes we see and hear things that make us uncomfortable, but we need to be able to face them because they are happening, and to people just like us.

One of the other things that has been part of my routine is General Hospital. This serial drama has been pushing me forward and has been giving some time frame throughout the days and weeks in the month. A lot of the time, I can get so caught up in the storyline, that everything else flies by, so that is something I need to work on.

With all that has been going on, I’m trying to keep a steady routine, not easy, but necessary. I’m going to continue writing, and hopefully post more frequently to my blog on what’s been going on the last couple of weeks.

Going Forward this Summer

This month has been crazy, at the same time it's been streaming along. With everything that keeps happening, I've just been working on staying busy, looking forward to a lot of new series, and planning for the future.

Between keeping the home from becoming less of a disaster, and getting loss in old series on the computer, I've been hoping for something new to hope, and look forward to. Starting with some interesting Netflix series, and the resuming production of General Hospital, which should be the beginning of August. I'm eager to work on some new videos, to go with what I've been writing.

These last couple of days some interesting new, and promo videos have been popping up. I'm especially excited about the new season of High Seas, a Spanish whodunnit. It takes place on an old steamer, with a woman helping a spy.

I'm hoping to be able share a lot more of my favorite moments from these cool series, on my blog and social media. I know some google accounts have had trouble lately, but I hope to work on keeping up with my blog and keep everything in sync.

Misadventure Turns to Perspective

Some of us had to visit the University of Iowa Hospital, and is was a unique experience to say the least. I thought businesses in Burlington were cautious, even a little strict at times, but over there, it was insane the screening and protocol. 

First, the place in so complex, it is exceedingly difficult to find the right parking lot, and then, to make it to any appointment is even more challenging. Entering the building, you must get screened to see if you might have the virus, and if don’t have an appointment, they will not let you wait inside. We were lucky that outside, there was a soda machine that took debit cards, and that there was Wi-Fi accessible to us.

Later, our friend was able to get something for us to eat at the cafeteria, but we could not go through the building, so we had to the LONG way around. It had stopped raining, so that was good, but it seemed a lot harder at the time. When we finally made to the entrance, we were able to outside, and they even let us go in to use the bathroom, and go into the cafeteria, where they had two machines that made Starbuck’s coffee. I was surprised, and so happy! Walking back to the parking lot wasn’t so bad after, it gave me time to think of everything that has happened, and how we all have had to adjust with the COVID-19 sticking around.

After all that, we took a short drive to this awesome store, even better than Goodwill, and we found some amazing clothes, and houseware. Downstairs, there were incredible clearance items, I am definitely saving so I can go back. The drive home was peaceful, and I got to think about how the university and the hospital, were working within the new laws, and protocol.

Even though I understand why, it is still challenging when you must adjust to the way things are set up, when you cannot go through buildings to make things easier for example. We all need to examine how things are going to work, and everyone included. That goes for those of us you need to be more patient with healthcare as well.

Keep Talking About Change

Now, we need to get a handle all the other stuff that is handed to us. People have not always dealt with our differences the best way. All of this has come to a boiling point, which has been building over the years. People have been getting hurt, people we may not know, but who are still human beings, fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, and children. Whether their black, or Latino, or some other race entirely, everyone needs to be accountable for how we treat each other. We all live on this planet.

With all this going on, we need to stay connected, even from home, and keep talking about how to stay safe, that means keeping healthy, and working to fight injustice and racism. These are my thoughts, on what I have heard, read, and learned. This is my way to speak up, and I hope others do as well.

Spring Turns to Summer 2020

Getting into this time of year, most of us were hoping that the virus would die out, and we could find out way back to normal, or what could pass for it. The weather is warmer, some places are opening again, but we have other things going on we need to take care of. Our health, not just our looks and fashion styles for one.

We need to remember to take care and watch out for ourselves and others. That does not mean we cannot have fun though. Many of us have designed or bought cloth masks for when we need to go out. Speaking of places that are reopening, the YMCA in Burlington, Iowa has opened its swimming pool, as well as other areas for small groups. We go to the pool, and we need to be mindful of large groups, no one crowding. Time to work out and enjoying fitness again. To be able to go exploring when it is this warm out is great, and we get to see nature, and watch the scenery change.

So now, we can keep up with these regulations we have been doing, maybe this pandemic will not hold our lives in death grip, and that will be our new normal.

Dealing with Anxiety While Waiting

We all have been self-isolating for a couple months now, and right about now, the stress maybe starting to get to some of us. Now is the time to get creative and get started on something for yourself. Work on a project, clean out your house of the clutter, or get out of the house, and explore something new. 

It has been a slow time coming, for life to return to a new normal, if that is the right word. Right now, there has been a gentle reopening of stores, and salons in the area, while other large businesses around the world have keep their doors closed. Our church has started to resume worship, with some groups gathering inside, as well as its live streaming.

For as long as it takes, we still need be vigilante, work together to stay as healthy as possible. Working together is the only way we are going to the other side, and hopefully beat this pandemic, once and for all.

This World We Now Live In

It has been a while now since the coronavirus has spread around the globe, and it has changed just about everything, including the many ways we manage our health in our daily lives, at least for me it has. While being isolated from people, it is also given us a different perspective as well.

For me, it has made me take a harder look at both my general health, but also how it affects other as well as myself, in public. I've been working on a better routine for myself, starting with having a regular exercise workout, and healthy eating habits. I work on keeping clean, including taking care of personal hygiene, as well washing my hands on a regular basis.
Now that physical distance is strictly required, there are different ways to communicate with others, enter social media. We’ve been able to use live streaming, and other mediums in ways we hadn’t before. Churches have been able steam through using Facebook, and YouTube. And friends, and family have been able to video chat, seeing each other.

If one does have to out in public, many have been finding ways to limit the spreading of germs. Quite a few stores have public sterile wipes, and different sanitizers. And many people have been using face masks, some custom and/or homemade ones.

All of this is to help fight the virus that has a firm grip all over the world. However, we as people, have managed to keep going, and have been able to adapt. Hopefully soon, a cure will be found, or the virus will fade into the background. All we can do is keep living our lives.

Dealing with What’s Happening

It’s been difficult for many of us around the world. The coronavirus has changed a lot of our lives, at least for me it has. While being isolated from most people, it's also given us a different perspective. It’s made me take a harder look at both my general health, but also how it affects me outside, in public.

I’m working on discovering what I can do right now, from home, for my physical, and mental wellbeing. There are projects we can do, along with getting the house cleaned and sorted they way that you like. You can go over all your personal papers, and ephemera, try to figure out what you what you want, and what you really need. On the other hand, you can go over all your digital files, and try and make room for everything.

We can even work on improving our regular routines like I’ve been doing. Balancing everything, figuring out what we need to accomplish, and what really want to do. For example, finding time and ways to exercise in the day. Managing any stress and anxiety that can creep in on you, and dealing with it through meditation, and/or prayer.

For example, this individual does her best to get up each day, get tea/coffee and breakfast going, does housework on and off throughout the day, then takes a break and stretches, and works on her computer. Then she takes moments to pray for her loved ones, and all the others in the world, and their loved ones. We all need to deal with what’s happening and manage our lives the best way we can.

Going into Spring 2020

Starting now, the weather has been warming up, the snow is no more, and the birds are singing. From March, and going into April, there’ll be some new changes, including some interesting new looks and fashion styles to explore.

Different series will be having some season finales, and before long new seasons will start up. There are also some good Hallmark movies coming out to for the season, so it’ll be interesting to see and watch what happens. I’m hoping to work on editing some videos to start posting, but I’m not going to get any hopes up.

I will be sharing more about traveling via bicycling, and all the interesting sites where I’ve called home for a long while, and so many other interests hopefully.

Different Types of Communities

There are all kinds of different communities, groups of people who share some commonality, something that connects them. Here are some examples I’ve been thinking about, out of great many all over.

Since people have seen all kinds of benefits from down-sizing, tiny homes have been gaining popularity. With time, communities have been coming together, where groups of people who’ve come to change their lifestyles, out of circumstance, and/or choice.

Communal workplaces are another unique example. Places where groups of people: artists, entrepreneurs, and/or freelancers, can come work alongside one another is fascinating to someone like me. One can even be inspired by those around them.

These are just are some of the ways people have built inspiring communities in the present and future, both to work and co-exist. Who knows what will happen if we all find different, creative ways to live.

Working with Junk Journals

We’re getting started on mixed media projects now, going with junk journals in the beginning. My public library is working with me, setting up classes so all those interested, can work together to learn.

The first class was on the covers of our journals, and there were two kinds of them for those in the class to work on. We could use cardboard or cereal boxes to cut out, or use old books, and cut out the pages. This last session will be on working on the pages, and putting the book together. We also have a lot of interesting things to put into, and on the pages.

It was an interesting experience, setting up the classes, and working on the projects with everyone, and I believe that there are always ways to make things different, maybe better too. It's nice to see our groups come together.