One More Road Trip Turned Upside Down

My last road trip was a crazy road trip/adventure. We packed up and headed to Columbia, Missouri, and the car drive was pretty nice, with fresh hot Starbucks, and open roads, filled with beautiful scenery.

We got started around seven in the morning by getting the essentials first: gas, breakfast burritos, and did I mention Starbucks coffee; and then we started driving till we go to US-24 Hannibal, Missouri. After that it was smooth sailing for a good long while, here was a lot of hill valley, lots of little farms, some goats, and lot of black cows, probably of the Angus variety.

We stopped at this gas station in the town, and I spotted on of my favorite ice cream bars, along with some awesome Pepsi and Coca Cola soda options. After refueling, we hit the road again. We drove further south through Stoutsville, MO. While going through Paris, Missouri, we saw the public library, which was a beautiful building. We finally got to Columbia, but there was a little mix up with were we need to go, but did find other places we needed to be, and wanted to go. The area was a little confusing, being an industrial area, but it was still pretty nice. 

I got go by Best Buy, and as I was looking for a charging cord for my mom, I was able to look around a little, and I got a question I've had for a while answered. I've been thinking about getting a camera for my blog, and other projects in the future, and I'd believe it will be a Sony Alpha, probably the Sony A6400, or better.

Before we started on the way back home, we were able to get another Starbucks coffee, and gas for the car. It was a little easier going home, and we still saw some pretty scenery. When we got closer to home, it was such a relief to recognize the landmarks, and places. So, now that it's over, it'll be interesting to see where we can drive too next.

Making Memory Journals and Prayers

Lately, I've been working on some projects that I've been putting off because of budget restraints, but I'm hoping to save up to get some projects done. Starting with some my junk journals and going into some other mixed media.

I was able to finally get the cover for my memory book cut and trimmed, and ready for the next step. This is something I've been meaning to to do for some time, in honor of a dear friend, who passed away recently, and it's still sad to think about. I wanted to do this in her memory, to gather some pictures, and things that remind me of her.

I aslo made some "prayer bottles", and travel altars. I found this Altoids box, that I converted into a travel alter, and Idea I got from The Witch of Wonderlust. I also found these bottles that I'm using to put in, and maker prayers with. I picked up some beautiful, and healing, stones that I'm using to help me open my mind and heart.

I've found, with the renewal of my faith, so is my creativity abound. Basically, I've been feeling inspired, both creatively, and in life. Now, I've also been able to reconnect, and find the will and motivation to keep going. Stay tuned for more writing, photo, projects, and videos. And, check out my other blogs, for my trivia, and storyline favorites.

1960s: Jet Age and Cold War

A part of aviation history, the Jet Age was the beginning of the turbine propelled airplanes, that were able to make transcontinental and intercontinental flights faster. By the 1960’s, there some pretty amazing things happening in the world.

The period drama, Pan Am, named after the originally founded as Pan American Airways, the series gives us a sense of what that era was like, through the eyes of the main characters, a group of young stewardesses, and two pilots. We see them jet around the world, and experience some pretty incredible events, such as Kennedy’s speech in Berlin, all the way to the aftermath of his unfortunate assassination.

Through their traveling, one of the stewardesses, is working for an agent of the CIA, as a courier. During this time, the Cold War was making life even more difficult for several people. The Kremlin in Moscow were very suspicious of the Americans who stayed there, due to the tension of the geopolitical issues, of The United States and the Soviet Union, in Russia.

Now switching gears, we start tracking the backstory of Katarina Rostova, a character from The Blacklist, a thriller of gotten pretty into. Katarina’s father was a member of the KGB, and he had trained his daughter from a very young age, as an intelligence officer, meaning she gathered all kinds of knowledge from different sources, until she turned into a double agent for another group in the story.

What’s Been Going on This Summer in Our Backyard

These last couple of months have gone by, and we’ve done some fun things, starting with barbecuing in the back, going to the farmers market downtown, and going on short road trips. Just shaking things up this summer and having fun.

Between June and July, mom and I started going to our local farmers market, downtown, and it was awesome! We enjoyed walking down the streets, and smelling all the local produce, not to mention the other stall with crafts and projects, and the other sights and sounds, like the horse drawn trolley cart, or the saxophone player. I especially enjoyed the fresh herbs we’ve been finding, and I tagged some of the businesses in my Instagram. So, we’re trying to keep making a habit of going the first of every month when we get our money, and enjoying fresh herbs and produce with our cooking and meal prep.

We’ve also gone back to barbecuing in our backyard again. I’ve enjoyed that singular taste, of charred meats and veggies, not burned, but intense. It’s been nice, not to heat up the kitchen, and to season the food, and cook over an open flame. I like to think it’s helped a lot, and that I’ve been better with everything going on.

We started to drive to Macomb, Illinois, to check out these winning tickets from a car dealership. Usually, it’s not about the prizes, but getting out of the house, and taking a long, awesome trip along the beautiful farmlands, and nature. We usually try to pack something to eat or have some money to grab coffees and something to eat, or much on. It’s always nice to be able to go and enjoy the ride.

Our next trip is to Davenport, Iowa, to check out the Best Buy. I’m going to pack up some sandwiches, and we’re going to drive up, and then we’re going to this diner, Steak n Shake, and enjoy a meal as a late birthday celebration. Hopefully, we can enjoy some more small adventures along the way.

The Blacklist: Another Thriller I’m Obsessed With

Like some of my other series, I got started on this one by finding a video on YouTube. I was just surfing, looking for something interesting, and possible romantic, when I found this one video. The characters looked interesting, so I looked up the trailer for The Blacklist, and it seemed a little promising.

I saw the premiere promos before, and I thought it might be twisted, so I didn't start watching at first. Now, I started watching on Netflix, just to test the waters, and I became hooked. The beginning was awesome, and the longer I watched, the further down the rabbit hole I went.

Starting with the pilot episode, Raymonde Reddington heads to the FBI, to “surrender” to them, when in truth he offers an incomparable deal, starting with the name of a notorious criminal, who was believed dead. The one caveat, Reddington will only speak to Elizabeth Keen. A new agent, and profiler, Keen gets yanked out of her world, and into one manipulated by this man, and his Blacklist.

Standing Up to Harassment Today

There are so many different types of harassment today. From physical, to social, for all kinds of reasons, but none of it is ok. We all need to take a stand against harassment.

Some time back, I saw a promotion, sponsored by Hollaback and L’Oréal Paris, on helping prevent street harassment. The video was uncomfortable to watch, but I knew it was important. Later, I took the time to go through the steps on being harassed and helping others who I believed were. A long while ago, I remember, I was back to my car, and these guys whistled loudly as they drove by, and I remember it made me want to cringe.

Around the time I took the steps to learn more on how to deal with it, I just followed this guy who had started following me, and he just kept messaging me, and for some reason it made me really uncomfortable. I was finally able to tell him to stop, and he did, but I was the second time it happened. Social harassment isn’t like physically, but it can make you feel awful, and it’s wrong.

All of this needs to stop, we need to take a stand, and keep talking with each other. It’s not right how other people can make us feel about ourselves, with attention, with hounding that person, even if they believe it’s flattery, it doesn’t feel good.

Issues Today and What it Takes to Be Heroic

There are so many issues these days, it’s hard to separate the heroes and the villains, because it’s not all black and white. There is so much hate in the world right now, we need to keep talking, keep fighting, and break down those walls we try to put up.

One unique kind of vigilante, portrayed by our very own Queen Latifah, is from the series, The Equalizer. An exceptionally strong African American woman, who has retired from the CIA, now works to help those who have nowhere to turn to. She uses her guts, and skill set, alongside her friends from the old days, including an awesome Asian American lady, played by Liza Lapira, and her hacker husband, Adam Goldberg.

More recently is the story of an Asian American female warrior, who grew up in Chinatown, San Francisco. Let me pause right now, and tell you I grew up in California, and we went on day trips there, so this setting is somewhat familiar to me, but it also gives us a look into the culture of this area, and community, which makes it even more special to me. This series in a culmination of my favorite things, including Chinese food, martial arts, and romance. This young woman is fighting for her home, family, friends, community, not to mention, saving the world.

When we come across the people in reality who want to hate on people because of differences, or circumstances, it’s important to remember what heroes look like and how we can stand up to them. So, you tell me, what makes a hero today?

Inspiration for Moving Forward this Summer

If any of what we’re seeing and hearing is true, then the vaccine for COVID is a serious game changer. Recently, I saw a Google ad video on YouTube, using search terms, business listings and events to illustrate the country's transition to life after COVID-19 closings lift. Hopefully, we’re going to able to do so much more, as long as we try and stay healthy.

Time to do some serious Spring and Summer cleaning. Everything that doesn’t fit or have serious meaning must go! I’m also thinking of getting a new look and being more active. Recently, after the 3^rd Stimulus installment, we took care of a lot of bills, and then, I was able to replace my phone, and do some other stuff. I’ve been going outside, and walking, along with getting back to stretching and exercises in the morning with my mom. It has been invigorating, and I’ve been able to be inspired by a lot around me, I’ve been taking so many pictures.

Going forward, we all must be better, not just with our health. We need be inspired by the future and remember to count our blessings every day. For example, I’m working on getting up early so I can help my mom for work, and get the housework done. Time to do what I want for a while, and lastly, get a meal, or even just tea ready for when she gets home. It’s important for us to work together and take care of each other, as well as the world we live in right now.