GOD BLESS SONNY

Good morning.

*Please forgive the grammatical errors. As per usual blogs sometimes take a few days to type as I get older and tire more easily. Unfortunately, it's things like what I'm about to tell you next that aid in my exhaustion.

It finally happened. 

Someone I used to work with back in 2017-2019 was recently detained by ICE in Georgia. His American name is Sonny. His sister posted his arrest detainment on FB. From what I understand Sonny and his family were visiting South Carolina and for whatever reason he was singled out and detained by ICE agents in a Georgia airport, which is shocking to me since I thought, from the brief conversations Sonny and I had at work, he was born and raised in CA. He's Filipino and his whole family has names like Kahn Souphanousinphone (the neighbor on KING OF THE HILL) yet it was only Sonny that was detained at the airport. I'm not wise on how ICE collects data on who they're going to detain but it's shocking to me that not only was Sonny detained but that he was the only one in his family detained, not that I want his whole family detained by ICE but you get what I mean. Do I know Sonny well, no, not really, we never hung out socially, but in the two+ years we worked together he was just a shy hard working Filipino kid, to me anyway. In playing devil's advocate, our employer at the time, Mine and Sonny's, hiring manager was known to hire illegal aliens, particularly Mexicans and Filipinos, to work for the company. When the hiring manager moved on to another company she made me an offer to come work for her at the new company which I accepted. I left our old company with her for this new one, and just like at the old company this hiring manager once again hired a bunch of illegal Mexicans to work for her. This hiring manager is white but she speaks fluent Spanish. I left her employment all together in 2022'ish after which she received a visit from ICE at the work place - to no one's surprise but her apparently and they detained some of her employees. In response to the raid this hiring manager taped up an FU sign against ICE explaining why the restaurant had temporarily closed.  We, her legal employees, all told her in 2022 she has to stop hiring undocumented people. We all knew the potential shift forthcoming in the White House. We all predicted it. And now we all see the current racism coming out of the White House. We predicted it! Back then, we, her legal employees, all told this hiring manager to stop hiring illegal Mexicans because of what we predicted would happen, or at the very least help the undocumented become documented while in her employ, but no, she ignored all of us and hired not only undocumented people, homeless people too. That was the end for me, the homeless people. I'm not going to work for an employer who would rather risk her entire staff in order to break the law rather than do the right thing and protect her hard working (legal) employees. What happened to Sonny at the Georgia airport was predictable. It was predictable back in 2022. Be that as it may, I don't understand how ICE agents nabbed Sonny. Only him? I guess he flew with his passport. Thinking out loud, if Sonny had a REAL ID that would mean he's legal, right? I mean, that's why we all got real ID's to prove our citizenship, right? And again, I don't know Sonny outside of working together for two+ years but he just never struck me as a troublemaker. If the only offense Sonny committed was just being illegal, not having committing any crimes or anything violent, then I feel for him and his family. I just don't understand how ICE are nabbing people. And while I would love to help Sonny any way I can, I simply don't have enough information about his detainment adding to the fact we haven't spoken to one another since 2019 - we're now only FB friends, barely at that.

(sigh) This White House administration is exhausting. 

I know people who insist, "Oh no, it could never happen to someone I know. It's all a big show. Trump will nab a few hundred people for the cameras and stop. ICE detainment isn't something that will ever happen to anyone I know." 

Wrong. 

It happened to someone I know, someone I worked with, only not to the person/people I thought it would happen to. 

shoving your head in the sand doesn't make ICE detainment any less real.   

Release the Epstein files unredacted! 

Back to my original blog opening:

Summer finally arrived in the desert and with it human bugs. Because of the observed epic downfall of men in recent years, stealing from women has become an all too common "job" among our male counterparts particularly among males 18-49. I rent a room in a house and for the past three months I used to be able to get up and go pee in the middle of the night as we old people do without having to lock my bedroom door, but for the last few weeks I've had to lock my bedroom door just to pee ever since the last two males checked in to the rooms across the hall from me. Since they checked in, whenever I returned from the bathroom which is right next door to my bedroom, someone clearly tried logging onto my cell phone and laptop. One time they even left my bedroom door wide open. Now I have to annoyingly lock my bedroom door and remember to put the door key in my pocket before going to the bathroom at 1am. One of the guys even took his bedroom door key with him when he checked out for the weekend only to return the following Monday. I imagine he copied the door key. So much for security for the next person renting the room. And don't even get me started on their horrible lack of bathroom hygiene. Wash your hands, fellas!  

So many men don't even try any more. They rather steal personal identities, steal cash, credit cards, whatever they can steal rather than get a job. My brother who's five years older than me found work no problem, but me, a 56 year old woman, I have to go back to school and learn a new trade just to have a sliver of a chance finding work. Right or wrong, work places favor men. They always have and they always will. There's no excuse for a healthy man between 18-70 to be unemployed in America. My 61 year old brother got a job at a company that turned me down for employment and he hasn't had a 9-5 job since he was 17 years old. 

There can be no traditional conservative values when men won't even try getting an education and a meaningful job to be able to support a wife and kids. The conservative party really needs to step up and hammer some sense into the male species. 

2025 men have chosen to no longer be a value in society and they wonder why they're all so depressed and lonely. They want mommies to cook and clean for them, not partners. I wish male community leaders would step up and SHAME the lack of effort put forth by men 18-70 in both society and domestic roles. Where are you, fellas? What are you men bringing to the table? 

Anyway. 

I stopped at the post office to get a few Betty White stamps but the post office said they don't sell them anymore. What?? Then again English was not the first language of the lady working the post office counter. I had to show her a picture of a Betty White stamp on my cell phone. I'm sure I can pick up Betty stamps some place else. I just happened to walk past a post office. How often do I do that? Maybe once a year? Big maybe. Who uses snail mail anymore other than the DMV? Still, my two unwanted cents, if you're going to be an American, you better know who Betty White is. Just saying. She's an icon. A legend.  

In past blogs I've talked about stoicism: STOIC SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

I was raised in a Minnesota German community. My grandmother was a huge part of my life. She was the only female role model I had in my family. She was a stoic/Lutheran. My grandmother played the organ in her church and taught Sunday school that's how active in her church she was. I adored my grandmother so. I simply adored her. I spent as much time with her as I could which meant spending a lot of time at her/our Lutheran church. Through my grandmother I became a Lutheran even though my biological mother had me baptized Catholic before I went to live with my dad and his then wife. Dad's then wife's mother was my grandmother. We weren't blood related but I loved my grandmother and she loved me. I learned so much from her just by her fine example. My grandmother's daughter, my dad's then wife, was an unstable hysterical screaming nightmare. Back in the 70's and 80's small town people suffering from mental illness were unfortunately swept under the rug like inconvenient dust rather than receive help, and unfortunate family members were doomed to suffer under the same roof with them. 

This Lutheran minister talks about the philosophy of stoicism. I wish he would have tightened it up little better but I appreciate the endeavor. Stoicism can't be dead-lift explained in 40 minutes. I've lived a lifetime as a stoic and I couldn't summarize it in 40 minutes.     

Stoicism isn't practiced anymore in society as I wish it was. We live in a world now where every uncontrolled emotion and thought are recorded and posted online for "likes". 

Stoicism is heavily misunderstood as being cold and uncaring when actually it's the exact opposite of cold and uncaring. At the core of a stoic personality is the concrete belief that we humans should be the solution, not the problem. Minnesotans, myself included, back in the 70's and 80's when I was a kid were all stoics - meaning everyone practiced being the solution, not the problem. Don't cry over spilled milk. Don't whine. Que sera sera, whatever will be will be. Live in the moment. What can you accomplish here and now. You do what you can to help others with what you have. That's the stoic way. Use reason and sensibility rather than hysteria and raw emotion, sense and sensibility, which by the way is also my favorite movie. Make it make sense. People think Minnesotans are "Minnesota nice" which is just another way of saying be the solution. Feed children breakfast and lunch in schools. If prisoners in jail get three meals a day, children in school should get at least two meals a day. Make sense? Be the solution. This White House administration thinks it's ridiculous to house the homeless, shoe the shoeless, feed the hungry, and aid the sick, BUT THEN they get mad when there's homeless on their streets and diseases circulate through their community - never mind the fact that this White House administration wants America to believe they're all Christians when they are so clearly NOT.

Question: Someone claiming to be a Christian when they are not, as a knee-jerk fake it 'till you make it generic response to the spotlight question, "What is your favorite passage in the Bible" what do you think they're auto memorized response should be? 

Answer: John 3:16  

But they never say even that. Instead they hum and haw like a deer caught in the headlights and reply, "Oh there's just so many." No, boys and girls, there isn't. Christians, at least protestants anyway, have their own favorite passages that have deep meaning for them, but the generic fake it 'til you make response is always:  

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

-- John 3:16 

Know the difference between a catholic and a protestant just by looking at them? Catholics make a show about crossing themselves after they pray, protestants don't. Also, look at their crosses. Catholics wear gold crucifixes, protestants (Lutherans) wear silver crosses. I've seen other protestants wear gold crosses but then are they really protestants? Martin Luther, the first protestant, protested a grand show of wealth in both faith and symbolism. You cannot buy your way into Heaven with gold crucifixes... but I digress. money and religion is a debate that has no end. I have a silver cross. I don't wear it. I don't wear any jewelry. I'm a cheap date. I wear makeup. I'm vain that way. That's my vice, makeup and Chapstick. Not in a Tammy Faye Bakker kind of way. Not anymore. Maybe back in the 80's and 90's. Be that as it may, protestant churches are humble whereas Catholic churches are showy and garish. 

Welp...

Baby blanket #3 is almost done (actually now it is done). Just throwing in some blue. I cannot tell you how much I enjoy making these baby blankets. Things currently going in my world have a hurry up and wait vibe going on right now but I'm making myself as useful as I can. I would absolutely love about five hours a day sitting with an adorable squishy little baby but I'm happy making the blankets. We do what we can with what we've got. My hope is that Lutheran social services in my home state of Minnesota will accept these donations for any moms and moms-to-be this winter. I'm currently working on baby blanket #4. I'm using heavy yarn. These blankets are warm trust me. They'll keep your adorable little squishy babies warm all winter.

It's funny that knitting is the thing I'm addicted to. Anyone who knits knows how frustrating it can be. My blankets aren't perfect. I call them my "impossible blankets". I just enjoy making them. I garter stitched them all because it's quicker. I can get more made. I can zone out on the train when I travel and just knit on autopilot with my headsets on. A few weeks ago I looked up from knitting on the train and happened to see a black woman recording me. Maybe I'll see it on TikTok one day. 

So, preachers, talk to the men. Talk to the men and make them see that every time they look at a woman and immediately want to know what she "brings to the table" he's the reason he's lonely. He's the drama women want nothing to do with in 2025. Women deserve better. Christ deserves better. God bless us all.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

-- John 3:16 

Amen.

NAZI SALUTE ON U.S. SOIL IS TREASON

Good morning.

*Please forgive the grammatical errors. This blog took a few days to write as they usually do. I do jump around. If you followed my last blog then you're used to it by now I'm sure. 

Dear America, how is any American (especially photographed) doing the Nazi salute not arrested for treason? This isn't some first amendment freedom of speech thing. This arm gesture literally meant war against America during WWII. How is it not treason when Americans are doing it on U.S. soil? Arrest this woman and that Kasey Lynae woman for treason. Arrest them all for treason.

(sigh) Is the doctor in? Fantastic. Which is worse, doc, stupid and hateful or smart and hateful? Take your time. I'll wait.

I woke up this morning around 3:30am to the smell of something horrible. Something burning. I legit thought the house was on fire, or maybe Satan had come to visit, I mean, we all saw THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE right, 3am is the hour of Satan, but no, it seems someone in the house burned something. I'm guessing pizza and you know awful that smell lingers.

I woke up this morning on a mission to check on the kitties. There's a "cat sanctuary" just outside of a gas station not far from me. I happened to see a momma cat and her kittens the other day and when I went to investigate I saw they had lots of food and water. The brush gives them shade and shelter from the 103⁰ heat. I stopped by again this morning just to make sure they were okay and they had a lot of food and water stations set up. The momma cat I saw took her kittens and moved them it seems, as I expected her to do once she saw all the foot traffic, but there were other cats. Here are a few that allowed me to photograph them.

God bless this man who takes care of these kitties. An attendant who was sweeping the parking lot (note: sweeping, not using one of those stupid leaf blower things) said an old man comes by and takes care of the kitties. He gives them pans of fresh food and water jugs of water every morning. God bless this man. God bless all who love and care for those in need. The world needs all the kindness it can get. God bless him.

I've been investigating small towns to relocate to. I grew up in a small town and in my declining years I want to go back to simple small town living without shoveling snow and (minus) -15⁰ winters with (minus) - 15⁰ wind chill. Since 1989 I bleed west coast blood thinner than marinara sauce from a can. My temperature comfort zone is around 10⁰ to 80⁰ fahrenheit. Above and below that I get twitchy. "But it's a dry heat." Shut up. It's still hot. I grew up in humidity. I like sweating. It's good for you. Know what isn't good for you, drying up like a ten year old corpse in the middle of July.

I wouldn't mind a small town parish.  

Two years later and I'm still waiting on my brothers mom's estate to wrap up so I can afford to enroll back to school. I received an email at the end of April saying the estate was finally wrapping up alas it's now August. No idea what's going on now with the estate and I have to learn a new trade at 56 years of age so I can go back to work - I've chosen language studies and teaching. Seems age appropriate. I don't have to stand for 10 hours a day and I don't have to dead lift 50 pounds all day long. Being a 56 year old woman is not a good look in the work force I've been repeatedly told even though I'm aging decently, if I may say so myself, be that as it may, I have to learn a new age appropriate trade. Until the estate stuff finally closes, which my brother, the executer of the estate, has assured me there's money to go back to school, I've been keeping busy in part with knitting. I have had strong grandma vibes all this year and I long to babysit an adorable squishy little baby on the regular but since I have no children there's no grandchildren to babysit (sigh). Still, to get it out of my system I'm knitting baby blankets to donate this year instead of my usual big winter blankets.  

I'm in the practice of getting up early, 3am-4am, so I can catch the early train to (wherever) and arrive before 9am. June-August is miserable in the desert where I am and Uber has lost it's mind with charges. I try taking the bus to the train station whenever I can. 

$5.35 trip fare

$8.67 Booking fee

79 cents driver's benefits. 

Wow.

Why is the booking fee more than the trip fare?

                        

I just learned of a small town in California I've been spending time in. So far I really like it there. Until the estate stuff closes I have nothing but time. I had the best eggs Florentine in this one particular small town and the best acai smoothie ever. I won't say where the town is because they value their privacy as small towns do. It's like Southern Nevada in the same way that they don't want any outsiders coming in and stinking up the joint. I grew up in a small town like that. Of course, that was the 70's and 80's. Minnesota has changed a little since then. 

Mmm.

    

AND ANOTHER THING... See this movie if you haven't already. It's so good. Jaoquin Phoenix is amazing in it. Perfect energy for a film like this. This is the second film I've seen in the theater this year which is a record as of late.  I prefer seeing films in the theater but writers make big budget action packed movies or jump-scare movies these days instead of telling a story. I guess instant gratification has taken hold everywhere. 

Great film. 

This being the other film I really liked. Yes, it's slow going in but you have to pay attention to the story, plus it's just visually beautiful.

Nothing is "adorable" at 25 years of age, Samantha.

If you say stupid things at 25 years of age and older, I'm calling you out for saying stupid things. God wills it. People are shook that someone from Minnesota would be so upfront and "mean" but the fact of the matter is old school Minnesotans born in the 60's and 70's, AKA generation X, believe in being the solution not the problem. If a child is hungry you feed the child, if someone is cold you find them shelter, if you can afford $50 a week for groceries then you can afford a can of soup and a can opener for the nearest food bank. Be the solution. It's easy. God bless those who are the solution.

Look who came to visit me the other morning. How wonderful.

 

 

These little winged creatures are a blessing from God. Trust in only God not in man as the Bible instructs. God gives you blessings, not man. God provides, not man. Work smarter not harder. All you have to do is believe. Christ God our Heavenly Father, puts those in your path to make life easier for you. He takes care of His flock. There are no such thing as coincidences. It's all purely God's will. Praise Him and only Him. Amen.

And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well as the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the the Lord, shall be put to death.

--Leviticus 24:16 

STOIC SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

Good evening.

*Please forgive the grammatical errors.

Unpopular opinion: How come no one bats an eye about little 5 and 6 year old girls given baby dolls and strollers to play with. I find it disturbing that grooming girls to make babies start as early as 5 and 6 years old. Give girls athletic/creative tools - art, music, dance, sports, etc. Stop giving 5 and 6 year old girls toy babies to take care of. Gross.

I cut my hair. This is a bad windswept picture of it. When you let your natural hair color grow out, at 56, looking like a mad scientist one way or another is inevitable.

I've been writing my book - as ever. I'm not liking the process this time around but you know what they say, trust the process. Usually I write in thick blocks of script as in big fat chapters at a time. Sometimes I can write for days on end. This time around however I've got notes all over the freaking place - on my laptop, on my phone, and on paper. Trust the process, I guess.

I want to talk to you about values. No, not religious or puritan values, I'm talking about what values you opt to prioritize your life with, and in talking about values seeing how misguided values might be the reason for all the "Karens" & "Chads" of the world. Still with me? Good. EXAMPLE: A neighbor parks in your designated parking spot. You respond by telling the neighbor to stop doing this. 1) The neighbor says fine and stops parking in your spot. Or 2) The neighbor blows you off and keeps parking in your spot anyway. If 1, can you leave it alone now and mark this problem solved or do you still need to be mad about it because he didn't apologize for parking in your spot. And if 2, do you do something that will result in a positive affect OR do you keep the hostility alive with negative behavior back at the neighbor. Ask yourself, what is the value of your life choices in these scenarios. I think people need to take a moment to evaluate the value of their lives. What is your life worth? 

I actually told someone recently to CALM DOWN. Because, you know, that always works. Ha.   

Being perpetually mad and hurt are never valuable life choices. Never. You choose to be mad and hurt. You choose what emotions are valuable to you. If the common denominator to one failed relationship after another failed relationship is you - it's 💯 your choice to value your failures OR find a healthier more productive way to live.

American Midwesterners raised in the 70's and 80's like I was, AKA the Gen X generation, were raised to be "chill" in other words stoic. The seven principles of stoicism for those of you too lazy to Google it, are:

1. Patience 

2. Reason

3. Justice

4. Courage

5. Resourcefulness 

6. Creativity

7. Humility

Unacceptable behavior in stoicism are:

1. Anger/yelling

2. Poor choices/repeated 

3. Complaining (this is especially annoying to me)

4. Ignorance

5. Laziness

(Etc.)

Complainers & whiners are THE WORST.

EXAMPLE: "Excuse me (store employee) do you by chance happen to know where the essential oils are?" If the store employee responds with, "No, sorry." Then the answer was no. You asked a question. They answered. Move on. Getting pissed off and angry (for two years!) about an employee not knowing where the essential oil is, is unproductive. The goal is finding essential oil. That's why I walked into the store. Getting mad at someone doesn't get the essential oil any quicker, dig. That's stoicism - using reason and rational instead of raw emotions. How important is the oil. Do you need it right now. Can you go someplace else. Can you order it through Amazon. Finding solutions instead of creating more problems, is stoicism. 

The reason why there are so many "Karens" and "Chads" in the world is because these people choose to be angry, lazy, and ignorant. Laziness being the number one reason for anger. The misogynists of the world blame women for their own failures in society. Their mentality is, "My failures are your fault. I wouldn't fail if you made me better" And to that I say, SUCK IT. For stoics it's just poor logic to blame someone else for your failures. Misogynists proudly displaying their ignorance is something I will never understand. When all the women men complain about are content without them, those men are the problem, not the women. The women are fine. It's the men who are angry. Misogyny = laziness and failure.

When I was a kid, my brothers' mom was the mentally ill person of the neighborhood. All she knew how to do was yell, scream, cry, and blame everyone else but herself for her misery. Only, why was she so miserable? She had a roof over her head she didn't have to pay for, she had clothes on her back she didn't have to pay for, she had the run of a house she didn't have to pay for anything, she didn't have to work, my brothers and I raised ourselves, she literally had every day to do whatever the heck she wanted to do - and of all the things she could have done, she chose to wallow in misery and anger every single day of her life until the day she died. Crazy. I don't get it. 

Here is a stoic lesson to all young people, in 2025 sex is the last item on your to-do list. My generation (Gen X) spent millions of dollars to perfect self gratification. You're welcome! Boomers who chose not to advance into the modern world, F them. F them to the hill and back. Too bad, buddy. Snooze you lose! Learning electronics is not hard. They even have FREE adult enrichment classes to teach you how to use a computer FOR FREE. If you still choose not to learn, then F you to the hill and back. Your problem.

Remember the principles of Stoicism, number 5, be resourceful. Get what you need when you need it. Failure to do so is wanting to fail. Why would you ever want to fail? If your only goal in life is sex, you're going to be a miserable monster to be around. Loneliness of your own self making.

When someone says they're "chill" what they're really saying is - they're stoic. They value reason and sensibility over emotional hysteria. 

I grew up in a German community. Once upon a time my home state (Minnesota) was dominantly German. Germans value intellect,  philosophy, and creativity, or at least these Germans did. I wish I could be silly and laugh all day about everything and absolutely nothing, be blind to the world and all it's BS and cruelty but, and I make no apologies for it, I have always been too studious to be a silly girl or woman.

Like the Good book says,

For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

-- Ecclesiastes 1:18

I'm going back to school. Taking language courses. Brushing up on my German, and learning sign language ASL. I know the alphabet and some words and sentences in ASL. When I was a kid a babysat a little boy named Ryan whose parents are deaf but Ryan was hearing. Every time he signed to his parents he would speak out loud at the same time. I don't know if this was a reflex or what, but what little experience I do have with ASL it seems most people who are hearing, talk out loud while they sign. I pick up on some things pretty quickly and learned the ASL alphabet and some sentences within days and it just stuck with me all through the years. I also want to learn conversational Japanese because I do plan on going there regardless for work or pleasure. While most immersive English is taught online, I'm hoping to go overseas to teach it. 

All I know is, as an older working adult, my options are slim. All the work boards say people over 50 should work for themselves. Well, dang. Teaching seems reasonable. I'll give it a go! 

God bless us all, and good night. 

SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Good afternoon.

Please forgive the grammatical errors. I started this blog last month. I've been busy looking at classes, exploring work options, working on my physical strength, enjoying summer... and as always being tested by God.  

Summertime in the desert means baby ants and other critters are on the hunt for food and water. There's ants in our bathroom and since my bedroom is directly next door a few wander in. I got an essential oil diffuser with peppermint oil, hoping it will encourage the ants to go elsewhere without having to kill them. Supposedly ants don't like the smell of peppermint, luckily I do. We'll see if it works. 

I've been sick for the past 7 to 8 days. It started with a sore throat. Then it went into my head with congestion, sore throat and sneezing. 7 days later I still have a ton of sneezing, light coughing, and a ton of congestion. Just took a Benadryl. I should be in bye-bye sleepy land aaany minute now.

The ants have disappeared but then waterbugs (big ones!) have recently been showing up. I rent a room in a house. Across the hall is another renter, a male in his late 20's or early 30's - he's black and could be in his 40's or 50's for all I know. I share a bathroom with him and he is the dirtiest person next my ex-husband I've ever had to share a bathroom with. FILTHY toilet and sink hygiene and lately the bathroom reeks of (well, it smells like) a combination of vinegar, rotting meat, and thirty years of B.O. I learned from the homeowner this guy's brother pays his rent. What little interaction I've had with this guy, the renter, the few times we crossed paths in the hallway he seems like a regular guy yet it's his brother that pays his rent. Curious. No idea what the back story is there. Although the other morning (in French) the brother came over and had a very loud fight with the renter at like 7:30 or 8am. What little the brother did say in English I got the impression he didn't want to pay the renter's rent anymore. It's around $1,100 a month and he didn't want to pay the renter's mailbox anymore most likely at a UPS store. If memory serves correctly a UPS mailbox is around $120 every three months. Whenever I'm home for the day the renter across the hall has the same routine: He wakes up around 4am when I wake up if I have to be somewhere, and if I'm home I hear him banging around in his room and bathroom until 3pm, I smell pot smoke during that time, and then by 4pm he seems to go back to sleep until 4am the next morning. When I have things to do, I leave the house around 7am. I get home between 7pm and 10pm and the renter is always here. Maybe he works remotely but if he works then why is his brother paying his rent. Maybe he doesn't have a credit card or bank account, but then how does he get paid? Paypal? But then why is his brother paying his rent. He's a young abled guy. Finding work should be easy for him. 

Back to the horrible bathroom hygiene, my ex-husband who's Swedish had god-awful bathroom hygiene also. Then again, he was a messy person all the way around. Same with this renter. I can't imagine what his bedroom looks and smells like if the bathroom is any indication. I imagine this is why his brother pays his rent for him to live elsewhere instead of with him. The homeowner has been away on holiday for the past 12 days and during this time is when the rotting meat smell in the bathroom showed up (and a rotting meat smell in laundry room) and it's when the bugs started showing up. The whole upstairs smells like B.O. and rotting meat. He leaves piles of little curly hair in the drain, on the floor, on the counter, and just yesterday there were smears of clear white/clear thick liquid across the 2 sink mirror and all over the portable shower head. Grossssss!! I told the homeowner I think he's doing it because she's gone but maybe he'll stop when she comes home. The homeowner said she won't renew his rent when his brother tries to extend the room. I mean, I feel bad for the guy. He could be mentally ill although he didn't appear to be mentally ill when we bumped into each other in the hallway. Then again, most people don't know I had a stroke when they meet me. They don't know how hard I struggle to maintain my motor skills especially while out in public. They don't know how hard it is for me to walk straight and move without looking like a marionette puppet. Maybe this guy suffers the same problems but psychologically instead of physically. Who knows. Still, I don't know how much more I can suffer sharing a bathroom with this guy. Cleaning up after him reminds me of being married. Not a good flashback, my friends. I had to Amazon a large box of rubber gloves & 3 large canisters of clorox bleach wipes. His brother keeps renewing this guy's rent literally hours before he's suppose to move out, like he's doing it reluctantly. For me, this renter is a test from God. Testing my patience. 

My dearly departed friend Sheldon was also a messy man but he had the good sense of a Billy-goat to hire a cleaning lady. Additionally when we lived together Sheldon and I had separate bathrooms thank goodness.  

Why are men so filthy especially in the bathroom? It's not "masculine" to have poor hygiene. It's bad health. It's also really terrible of anyone to assume other people will clean up after you when you're a fully functioning adult. Keep your domiciles clean, fellas. Use that toilet scrub brush with toilet cleaner! It's not aesthetics, it's about having good health. If you work long hours HIRE SOMEONE to clean your house! Ridiculous that grown men have to be told to keep their bathrooms clean. I'm so exhausted by men. Exhausted! This is why women choose the bear. Bears are smart enough to not bring their filthy bathroom habits back to the den. I'm not a fan of cleaning a cat box but at least a cat's poo is in one designated box. Cats are cleaner than men.

Moving on.

I've been trying to up my leg strength this summer. After my stroke my legs were rendered useless for a lengthy time. The doctors told me after a stroke you have three months to get as much mobility back as possible, after that what you have for motor skills is what you'll have for the rest of your life with no improvement. Even after all the hard work I put in during those three months, I still lost around 35% of my leg use. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful to be able to walk again but that 35% loss still puts me out of commission for so much of my life, especially work life. A friend my age just survived a heart attack. He survived thank God, but it's scary when things like this happen. We're considered too young still to be surviving these kinds of medical emergencies. Only those who survive the same medical emergencies truly understand what you're going through. Thankfully he has a loving supportive wife who will care for him but not all of us are so lucky. I literally had no one helping me get back on my feet after my stroke. And the men I did know lacked the maturity to help me. I used to think I picked the wrong men to have in my life when really... is there such a thing as having the "right men" in your life? Not to sound all 'Sex in the City' but I'm exhausted cleaning up after men. I'm exhausted trying to communicate with men on an adult level. I just let men ramble now. We're all going to be dead within twenty years. Why fuss now. Pick your battles. Perhaps that's why my grandma vibes are kicking in strong. I'm knitting blankets and hats with cute little patches for the kids for this winter donation. It's all about the kids this winter. 

And speaking of grandmas,  maybe that's why grandmas Louise never remarried when geandpa died, she was tired, exhausted, once was enough. I like to think grandma only ever wanted my grandpa or no one, but after being married for almost ten years myself I'm a cynic. 

Writing has been very difficult for me lately. After my stroke I have these spells where I have to work really hard to get my motor skills working even at 20%. On the days I feel good I push my physical limits with walking and just being a physically "normal" person in society. I'm dead to the world the next day or two but because it's now summer (100+ degrees every day) I can't go for my daily walks unless I tale the train to cooler weather. I push myself to make up for the days I can't get out. And before you say, "Move to where it's more livable" I live where it's more financially livable. I can go into the city where it's at least 10-15 degrees cooler to run my errands and get exercise but no way can I afford to live there anymore. $1,100 a month to live in the desert is $3,000 a month in the city.

The homeowner where I lived came home from her holiday in Canada and told the brother she would not extend his brother's stay. The brother didn't even ask why. He simply said he understood and tried to explain that his brother behaves the way he does because their mom spoiled him hand and foot until the day she kicked him out of the house at 30 years of age. Problem is, she did nothing to prepare him for the world. He never had to clean up after himself, or do his own laundry, or have a job, or pay bills, or even have a bank account. He has a beat up car he paid cash for but doesn't have a driver's license. His brother pays his rent, phone, and groceries, etc. He's going to be their dependent for the rest of his life. Why didn't his mother teach him to do anything? It's a mystery. The homeowner loudly swore in her native Tagalog the entire time cleaning his room. 

Anyway...

As for school, my dad went back to school when he retired from his office in his late 50's. And while he had his pensions and plenty of money saved to live off of, plus his wife was still working, he also went back to school to learn a new trade, a few new trades actually. He went to culinary school, took wine courses, and took computer courses. He knew more about computers than I did. I've been looking into computer coding/programming, or getting teaching credits to teach English. Goodness knows we're an electronic society like it or not. And at my age with this broken body, being (something like) a plumber and housekeeper is out of the question. The only thing that works on this broken body is my brain - most days.

I feel bad for the kids today. I really do. Sure, the 70's and 80's had their fair share of junk but nothing, and I mean nothing like kids have today. School shootings, military militias, ICE, and a president who wants them to starve and have no medical insurance whatsoever. Whatever we can do for the kids, that's what we need to do right now - food pantries, toys, winter knits, blankets, seasonal clothing, athletic gear, computers, whatever we had as children that we took for granted because it just came to us without asking, these kids NEED and its our duty to provide.

I absolutely love this clip: Share your talents. Share your gifts from God. Don't take your knowledge and skills to the grave without sharing them. 

It's all about the kids now. Trump's administration could not care less about children. They just could not care less. I don't know why this administration hates America and Americans so much but they do. And who are the fools who voted for him?! Those hateful voters surrendered their medical insurance and social security just so they could be openly racist. Was it worth it? Fools.

Whatever you can donate for America's children please do so. 

America 2025, scares off our nation's bird the bald eagle with nonsense fireworks to celebrate... what exactly? No health insurance, starving children, and Nazi military militias yanking innocent people off the streets. Wow. Happy 4th of July. (I guess.)

I cannot wait for all the nightmares of this administration to end. 

I'm being tested. We're all being tested. Just keeping fighting the good fights. Praise God. Amen. 

RIGHTEOUS

Good evening.

*Please forgive the grammatical errors.

On this day the Governor of California has earned his bones. When Newsom told the boarder czar, "Come and get me" after being threatened to be put in jail for defending his state, Newsom earned his presidential bones (chef's kiss) in pure GENX fashion. 

On this day I declare President Newsom. I wasn't certain before, I am now.

I am but a messenger. The voice of one. The voice of many. 

It's time for God to put the fear of Himself into this entire White House administration. It's time. We already know each and every one of them will have to answer to God for all the wounds they have inflicted upon Him. A strike upon any of God's children is a strike upon Him. An eternity is a long time to answer for your evil doings. An eternity in hell is where many of these MAGA people are going. An eternity suffering for their sins. And while I don't want anyone to suffer, there are consequences for your (repeated) actions. An eternity is a long time to atone for your sins but that's exactly what this administration is going to be doing. Atoning for all eternity. Trump and all the minions who bow before him will spend an eternity in hell atoning for their actions. They will be shackled by their throats in the flames of hell begging and pleading for their suffering to end... but it never will. Atonement. Do not feel bad for them. Their suffering for all eternity is the only way to restore peace for the kids coming into the world. These are the consequences of their actions.  

California, my beautiful home. How I love this state. It's my adult home. I love growing up in Minnesota. It's my childhood home. The house I grew up in was broken, but my friends, the beautiful state of Minnesota, and God healed so many of those wounds. I have lived and loved in God's mysterious light in Minnesota and California. I love both states for they are the blood in my veins.

The original start to this blog...

This morning's Uber driver said he was 72 years old. He simply offered up that piece of rando information. Yes, he was indeed an old man. An old man who kept looking in his review mirror at me instead of keeping his eyes on the road. He almost got us into a car accident several times because he was too busy lurking at me in the rearview mirror. Eyes on the road please! Furthermore, he kept missing turn after turn, and he would not stop talking. Ugh. God was testing my patience this morning. Not the worst Uber ride ever, but drivers who talk and talk and talk need to get work in customer service, they would drive the complainers away. He said, "I live near you. I see you walking down the street sometimes." Which is the most creepiest thing a man could say to a woman. Ugh. Why, God, why. He said he was married for 40 years. I replied, "That's awesome!" To which he replied, "No, I need a break from my marriage!" And then cackle laughed like he just told the best joke ever. (Dear Lord, it's even horrifying to write it.) Look buddy, you're 72 years old. Stay with your wife. If she put up with you for 40 years you should be grateful, planting flowers in the yard for her and kissing her feet. Men who think they're hot studs after 60 years of age are delusional thinking that's what women want from a 60+ year old man. Just as a woman over 40 years of age should not compete with 20-year-old gals, men over 40 years of age should not compete with 20-year-olds guys. It's embarrassing. Young, pretty and hopeful. Old, restrained and wise. Men who lurk women anywhere are gross. Women don't look beautiful for strange men, women want to look their best to boost their confidence, to feel good, and if they're a GEN X'er like me, we were raised to put on a little makeup before leaving the house regardless of what we're doing. Going to the dry cleaners, hide those sleepy eyes with some powder and mascara first. That's just how we were raised. None of it is for you fellas. Absolutely none of it.

The Uber driver taking me back to my rental was also chatty with me but at least he was my age. His accent was a little hard to understand sometimes but when he spoke to me I wasn't creeped out like I was with the first Uber driver, and the conversation we were having was relatable to our age. Men who are five years older, and five years younger are who I'm comfy around. Seriously bros, eyes on the road! 

Got the same Uber driver a second time. The old fella asked me if I usually take Uber in the morning. Look pops, I'm not interested. Took metro this morning. I wish Waymo was in the desert but it's not. 

I grew up in a time and place where once people got to my age they had long ago grown up. By the time they get to my age they long ago left all that youth fueled BDE angst for more sophisticated and mature loving relationships with A SPOUSE, with friends, and with a family. That's why divorce is so hard even if you're the one who wanted it. No one gets married hoping to get divorced. I got married because I fell madly in love. I was so in love I would have married my husband 100 times over. Love was instant. I fell in love with him an hour into our first date - which was to Disneyland. Madly in love. I never had interest going to Disneyland until my husband took me. My husband I went on our first date and were inseparable from that day on. I never wanted him to leave my side. Aside from work and running errands my husband and I were inseparable. He was my best friend. We did everything together. I never wanted to be apart from him. That's why divorce is so horrible. Aside from losing your mate, you lose your best friend. I've been legally divorced now since 2014 and I haven't come close to feeling the love I had for my husband with any other man, but I know if I'm meant to love again like that, God will put that man in my path and I will know him instantly as I had before. I think that's why God put my first husband in my path, the starter husband, so I would know that kind of love if/when my second husband comes along, and if my "second" husband asks me to, God, though I am not Catholic I will annul my first marriage and acknowledge my current husband as my only marriage. I would get the annulment too. My husband cheated on me and got another woman pregnant with twins while we were still married. I would be granted the annulment no problem.

I've been writing a story. It's written in the form of a play but there's a part of me who thinks I could turn this story into a series and in now learning how to AI animate, maybe a comic series. Goodness knows we need a new comic series.

Learning AI is so controversial among my creative circle. We're all hands on artists, pencil and paint mostly, even photography is shunned as art in my circle, but ever since computers and the internet pencil and paint are obsolete. I lament over the loss of demand for hands on art but what can we artists do other than keep up with the modern world or get left behind. I'm a one-woman show, folks. Why shouldn't I use all the tools at my fingertips to tell my story in the most cost effective way. No one is hiring me. Not at my age. Why shouldn't I use all the tools at my fingertips to better my creative/work life. "Because it takes away work from actual artists." Bro, I can't pay those artists. No one can anymore. 

As always when I need a break from humans there's Big Bear California's beloved eagles. When Sunny fledged from the nest, it was smooth like BTS Butter. When Gizmo fledged, it looked like it was completely on accident like she lost her footing. Her foot slipped off the branch and I legit heard Gizmo say on her way down, "OH SHI... OH DAM... HAIL MARY FULL OF GRACE!... I'M COMING ELIZABETH!... OH MY LOR... HEEELP!... AAHH!..." Then Gizmo safely descended to a shorter tree, thank goodness. As the hours passed by momma eagle brought her baby Gizmo a fish to make sure she ate and in hopes of getting her eaglet to follow her back to the nest. Gizmo was freaked out that she "fledged" and it showed. She was traumatized. Eagle parents are awesome. I love them. They make certain their babies can be on their own before letting them go to be on their own. I'm rather certain mama Jackie saw Gizmo's flop fledge. When I woke up this morning both babies Sunny & Gizmo were back in the nest. Yay! Then later this morning Sunny & Gizmo took flight once more. Will they come back to the nest, maybe, maybe not. It's all so bitter sweet isn't it. But then winter comes and maybe they'll be more eggs from parents Jackie and Shadow. These eagles are more American than what's going on in America right now. 💯 

What Trump and his administration is doing is all so horrifying. The hypocrisy is out of control. I don't know what this WH administration has against immigrants. It's like they're all new to being alive in America or something. America is built on immigrants. We welcome immigrants. That's our thing. These MAGA people suffer from cult derangement disorders. Why are they so hostile against Hispanics or any dark skinned people. What's going on here? They'll all have to square the hate and violence they create, with God one day. They may never know where or when but they will have to answer to God for their treacherous behavior against Him. Look at all the children of God they've harmed. You better believe they will have to answer for it and God will come to collect. The strong foes will yield to Christ. They think they are safe under Satan's wings but he's always returned to hell and you better believe he's taking this administration with him. Look, I'm just a messenger. I've seen the best of people turn into the worst of people and their souls could not be saved. If you've ever thought you heard screams but no one's around you, you heard screams alright, just not among the living. 

For which things sake the wrath of God commeth on the children of disobedience.

--Colossians 3:6

God bless you. May you make the right decisions.

KIDS TODAY

Good morning!

*Please forgive the grammatical errors. 

How exciting, Sunny, the older Big Bear (CA) eaglet fledged on June 2, and then the next day she came back to the nest. Hunting your own food is hard, girl! I'm taking lessons from mom & dad eagles Jackie and Shadow. If grocery prices go up any more I'm buying a fishing rod to catch my own fish right along with these eagles. So yes, as bitter-sweet as it was seeing Sunny fly off, it was nice seeing her return. Sometimes eagles return to the nest after fledging, sometimes they don't. I've never been this invested in eagles before but you know, with all the unnecessary madness and chaos in the world brought on by men who won't fight their own battles especially in America, as an American I'm now emotionally invested in our country's bird. They give me hope. (No pressure!) 

I think back to my earliest memories (around three years old I guess) to when I was 20 years old (because after that I was a drug and alcohol fueled mess for about ten years) but during my former years I remember how life was easy enough where I grew up, small town Minnesota, that my friends and I would stay out from sunrise to sundown and hours beyond, on our own, zero supervision outside of school and church, fending for ourselves most of the time. If your finger falls off it's staying off. I used to hitchhike, climb trees, jump fences, hop on trains, and sleep in the woods with just a sleeping bag without a second thought, no never mind. I could be miles and miles from home with nothing to eat and no water, not giving it a second thought. If I wanted something I would simply get it, was my mentality. Nothing had hurt me or my friends at this time to give us a second thought about anything any adult today would deem a hazard. I wish kids today knew that kind of freedom. The only hazard in my childhood was my brothers' mom who suffered several undiagnosed mental illnesses and everyone just left her to be crazy, like the portrayal of (child) Helen Keller in 1962 film The Miracle Worker before Anne Sullivan arrived. Only, no help arrived for my brothers' mom. She actually died, alone, mentally ill in a hospital in 2023. Sad as that sounds, if you knew her for one minute you would understand how only a court order could help her. Still, the 70's and 80's, maybe parts of the 90's, were probably the last decades of childhood innocence. I wouldn't let any child of mine out of my sight for a second in 2025. 

Women like Senator Joni Ernst remind me of my brothers' mentally ill mother. These poor women live in their own la-la immature fairytale make-believe worlds. I suspect women who share her make-believe mentality are all still psychologically eight years old, not a thread of real world understanding in 2025. No grasp of reality with these types of women. It's a form of mental illness. Could be schizophrenia or any derealization disorder no matter how mild or severe. How else do you explain someone being so out of touch with reality. Add to that, to not have any empathy for other human beings is also a danger to society. She could have borderline personality disorder. I hope there aren't any clocktowers in her neighborhood. I 100% could see her climbing up there some day with an automatic and just take out people as they pass by. You know, I'm willing to bet, because Senator Joni Ernst says these crazy things in front of the camera so often, her husband and/or children could probably have her committed for a very long time if they wanted. In fact, EXAMPLE: My brothers and I spoke on our dad's behalf to get our dad's 20-something year marriage to his crazy first wife annulled when he converted to Catholicism. Even though that makes my brothers technically illegitimate now in the eyes of the church, we all nonetheless testified to the Catholic tribunal against my brothers' mom on our dad's behalf when he converted. It's not that hard to get the Catholic church to annul a marriage these days, especially when all three kids testified against the wife. Dad got his annulment. He wanted to remarry in the Catholic church to his second wife and in order to do that, his first marriage had to be annulled. And these politicians, God bless them, seemingly have no idea what cameras do, because they continue to represent themselves in such a horrible way in front of cameras, how could their sanity not come into question? I mean, how long has Joni Ernst said nutty things in front of the camera? Does anyone know what the heck Ernst was talking about when she rando filmed herself saying something totally weird about the tooth fairy? If she was some scatterbrained actress I wouldn't give Ernst a second thought but she's a politician. Oh dear. Children, don't be shy to 5150 your own mom. It could save her life someday, or yours. Seriously. 

Anyway,

 

Yesterday I went to visit Sheldon's grave finally. He's been gone two years now, not one (has it really been two years already) I miswrote that my brothers mom and Sheldon died last year, wow no, they died two years ago. He was buried on a beautiful hill. Gorgeous view. It was weird sitting on his gravesite. He was below me presumably twelve feet below me, a rotting corpse. Weird. I don't get the whole returning to the earth thing in full body form, in a casket. I'm pro-cremation, and then returned to the earth. But I got a chance to say goodbye to him. I should have gone sooner but the cemetery is high on a steep hill and not easy for a pedestrian to walk to, which I am, especially with my foot still healing. Luckily a nice security guard offered to drive me up the hill to Sheldon's grave. Walking down the hill was easy. My foot is still giving me a little grief although I was able to not use the boot yesterday. If I was going anywhere today I would use the boot. What I miss most about Sheldon is all the giggly fun we had together. We were besties from like 1992 or '93 until 2020. Over 25 years. Aside, from my husband he was my best friend. But then around 2017, after I moved to Las Vegas, he just got angry - again. The first time being when I met my husband and got married. My ex-husband and Sheldon did not get along, but I cannot not go on with my life because my friends don't want me to have a life outside of them, know what I'm saying. Still, Sheldon was super fun for an old man. We went to rock concerts, went out to eat everywhere, traveled together, we just had a lot of fun. If only he was my age we would have had more time together. This is why being with someone, especially a potential mate, your age is so important. You want someone who is going through the same things as you are when you are. Being 56 and changing careers is miserable enough starting from scratch, learning a new industry and all the technology that goes with it, imagine being with someone older than you by more than ten years and then they die before you even retire. Good grief. Going back out in the dating world at 60+ years of age is not something a woman looks forward to. Plus, I want to be with someone during my retirement time, not mourning someone in my final years. I miss when things were easier. I miss squandering my beautiful irresponsible youth. Alas, times were different then.

You know...

In the 70's and 80's women powdered the shine off their nose. In 2025 women add shine to the tip of their noses. I don't get it. Whatever. More concerning, in the 70's and 80's women wore date/prom/wedding dresses that coined the term "blushing bride". In 2025 women call these dresses "vintage" and "full coverage" and "modest" as dresses have become brazenly sexier showing a ton of flesh over time. In the 70's and 80's young men and women knew sowing their wild oats had an expiration date as marriage with someone their own age was the goal by the time they turned 29. In 2025 relationships are seemingly a free-for-all with no goals in sight resulting in less marriages and children. And look, it's not my generation's world anymore. It's their world now, the younger generations, and they have to survive in it with the consequences of their actions just like my generation had to do. Younger generations, like every generation since the dawn of man, must pave their own way good or bad. Old men and women screaming at the kids about how good we had it once does nothing but teach the kids to likewise scream about irrelevant things thus contributing nothing to their society. No one liked screamo's then, no one likes a screamo now. So to all the grumpy old men and women out there just please Sshhhh. Let them figure it out. We're only going to be alive for another 30 to 35 years at best and half of those years are going to be spent golfing or looking for our glasses and house keys. We contribute practically nothing to their world beyond what we already contribute in silence. How many millionaires did our generations make? Answer: NONE. Just those who were going to inherit anyway. The rest of us, NONE. And look how many millionaires the 20-somethings have. I mean, it's amazing. Computers and the internet are the best things to happen for these younger generations.   

I have a friend who is 72 years old and hearing him talk about women is like a time machine back to the misogynistic 70's. He says things like, "Women shouldn't shower for a week before seeing her gynecologist" and "Women should always go out in public by herself if she's looking to meet a man." Wow no. No on both. But he says these things in 2025 because he said he read a book published back in the 70's that advised women to do these things. My guy, that was back in the 70's! Literally everything published before 2025 regarding social construct between men and women are cover-to-cover books of nothing but nonsense words in today's world. Nothing written about social mingles between men and women published in the 70's 80's 90's or even last year for that matter, none of that applies now. His generation, especially his generation of men, understands 2025 even less than my GEN X generation of men, and many of those dudes are hopelessly lost. At least my generation bathes, and no woman should ever (not ever ever ever) go out socially by herself when looking to meet a man. It's not safe, ladies. There's too many predators and criminals out there for any woman to hang solo when out looking to meet a man. Bring a buddy, bring two, and tell people where you're going, always. If you came together, you leave together, just you guys, no one else, always. Safety first. 

I think America is on the brink of civil war. I really do. Taco's R'ICE agents are out of control. Why do they cover their faces if they think they're right every time destroying someone's life and the lives of their loved ones. If you think you're being righteous as a R'ICE agent, don't hide. Also, R'ICE agents need to start carrying warrants on them. Not everyone they push in the streets are "weak liberals." Crazy, is running the circus here, fellas. Crazy, is neither democrat or republican, and Crazy has the reigns. Crazy, walks around openly with fire bombs, neck bombs, and guns rando murdering people on the street on any given weekday. White Crazy, just murdered his three young daughters, but y'all after some dishwasher for being an undocumented brown Mexican? Is it worth it, R'ICE agents, just to deport someone? Y'all worried about immigration, when Crazy might be right behind you with an automatic assault weapon and some hand grenades. And I cannot help but wonder where all this Crazy came from. Do Russian soldiers really think the war with Ukraine is worth it. Is dying for Putin worth it. At some point in all our lives we have to ask ourselves are the actions and consequences of our actions worth me doing what I'm doin right now. How did we get to this. 

I pray Pope Leo XIV has it in him to reach the people. I pray he instills compassion into the hearts and minds of those who attend his mass and remind those people of the sacrifices others have died for in order for us to exist today. It's not just a holiday of remembrance, it's an every day remembrance. If People Leo can tap those Catholics, then hope of all hope the flock will spread the word of kindness, compassion, understanding, and reason.

There's something to be said for the wisdom of having a Pope who is young enough to get what's going on in the world yet old enough to sermon with wisdom. Pope Leo XIV is quite possibly the only older person people under 39 years of age will listen to. 

Sure, I can bicker with the younger social media priests who argue Catholics are Christians, but every protestant in will disagree. This is possibly the one subject all protestants of every denomination will agree on, that Catholics are Catholics and are no longer Christians. Catholics stopped being Christians when they stopped preaching the word of Christ centuries ago. Priests preach saints over Christ because it's in their best interest to do so. Only the Pope can confirm a saint, giving credence to the existence of priests, bishops, archbishops, deacons, and cardinals who go on to be Pope. Hmm, convenient. Protestants preach Christ, having a relationship with Christ, that's why we're Christians. Christ = Christians. You cannot be a Christian without Christ who lived as a man, the son of God, born from the purest of women. Christ started his church before he was crucified for it. Priests can put the crucified Christ on their crosses all they want while preaching the crucifixion and resurrection but if they're not preaching from the Bible, from the time God the Father created life, then what is the foundation of the Catholic church? I cannot stress enough the importance of a Bible based church. Look, be a Christian or not, but if you're going to be a Christian read the Bible and learn about Christ from day one before his birth. 

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved the face of the waters. 

--Genesis 1:1-2

    

As Martin Luther instructs, your relationship with the Father, son, and Christ/God should be a knowing one. It is up to you to educate yourself with the Bible from page one, Genesis 1. Make an educated decision. Read the Bible first. I was seven years old when I started reading the Bible. No priests. No ministers even. Just me and my Nana. My grandmother gave a small stack of children's Bibles to read after I made a religious inquiry to my parents, and then grandma asked what I thought about the books after I read them. From that point on I chose to be a Lutheran. I'm 56-years-old, back in the 70's protestants weren't even baptized until their 18th birthday because unlike the Catholic church, protestants believe Christ/God knows who we are (I mean, He made us), He knows where we are, loves us unconditionally, provides us with a path in life without wanting anything in return, that's what unconditional love is, but should you choose to follow His path you make that commitment with a baptismal. Makes sense, right. Unlike the Catholic church that baptizes you as an infant and then has expectations of you from that day after. An infant. Wow the pressure. Can we learn to walk first? 

Now... 

In 2025 things may have changed regarding baptismal. I'm old school protestant. I still read the Bible with the use of "thee" and "thy" because I grew up reading Shakespeare and those words make sense to me. And while I oppose any change of text in the Bible, your minister should be able to say "you", "I", and "we" without changing the structure of the passage (in a Bible based church).

Of course, protestant churches aren't immune to greed and scandal. In my soul I cannot, will not, condone any church (protestant or Catholic) that has million (billions?) of dollars invested in it. You know who I'm talking about. Church is a place for a community to gather and share faith. That's it. Nothing more. Nothing less. Church does not require millions of dollars. Christ's church was wherever he walked. He is the church. If you're sitting in a park reading the Bible, or praying, or talking to God, you're in church. Christ is the church. Church is wherever you want or need church to be. Catholics love to believe only clergy like priests can contact God but that's simply not true. God is everywhere believe it or not, like it or not. If you're gathered in someone's living room reading the Bible, you're in church. That's why protestant churches are very simple, no frills, no fluff. It's a simple community gathering place. When priests say, "all the expensive art in Catholic churches are so the church can relate to the community" 1. No, we relate with faith, not art. And 2. There are gathering places like that called museums and art galleries. I encourage you to show your appreciation for art there. I would never walk up to someone in a museum and be all, "Have you considered making Jesus Christ you lord and savior?" I would get shut down immediately - rightfully so!

You don't attend church to look at art. And while I really like the gospel some preachers preach, if there's obvious big time money being poured in to that particular church by the preacher's congregants, I have to question what the true intent for his church is. Living a simple chaste life as I've chosen to live is not a requirement of protestants or the church's leaders for that matter, but greed is still a sin, a harm against God, which is the very reason we're protestants to begin with, we oppose a wealthy Catholic church and bowing down to any man before God. No church should have 35M dollars readily on hand. Like seriously, what? No church should have to pay off 35M dollar lawsuits... Anywayyy, you get the point.

If Pope Leo's Chicago mass is being livestreamed June 14th I'll watch it. I'm always interested in what the head of the Catholic church is preaching to his congregants. 

I could go on but I'll stop here. 😊 

Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee.

--1 Chronicles 17:2

God bless you.