My internet and telephone service have been off and on for a week . . . and it may continue until the network server is back in service.
I don’t mind the telephone service being off as much as I mind the internet being out. But the ideal situation is to have both services available.
You may have noticed I didn’t mention television. I’m one of those rare individuals who has been without television service for 10 years. I think television is wonderful for those who have it and love it. I have just found it isn’t for me. I do know I do miss out on many things, but it is a personal choice I’ve made to concentrate on my websites and interact with my affiliate marketing friends.
I do listen to the radio and I also get news from the internet.
I do seem to be blending the old with the new in a strange way. The radio may not be something many of you have, other than in your car, but I’ve found I don’t listen to it as much as I used to before learning I had WiFi in my house and getting my laptop.
Obviously, I’m no techie, but I’m pleased I’ve learned what I have to keep my websites up-to-date.
In many ways I’m still quite old-fashioned. I enjoy the modern conveniences of today, but there is something comfortable and endearing about the old traditions of holidays. I have my memories which seem to be even more special as the years go by with the loss of family. But, I’ve found I have created some new traditions and memories that are essentially mine.
Have you changed your traditions for the holiday season?
It’s always nice to make your celebrations unique to you and your family. Some of the old traditions may still be enjoyable, but I believe we grow into our own unique comfort zone when it comes to how we celebrate holidays. It may have begun with a change of menu or some subtle decorating. It is always nice to find what works for you.
My neighborhood is quite traditional, generally. The Halloween decorating is done primarily by two families who get the ball rolling for the rest of us. Some follow suit and other ignore it. I began mine with the scarecrows way back during the spring when I was planting my vegetable garden. I even expanded into the front yard to shake up the neighbors a bit to wonder what I was doing and why.
It’s my way of proving I’m a bit of a recluse and perhaps a free spirit who does what appeals to me without regard to the season. I don’t expect others to conform in any way. Plus, I may not be on the same schedule with them to decorate for Christmas in particular. I don’t work on a schedule. I work as the mood strikes me.
What I do is what I enjoy doing. It’s not that I want or need to keep up with the neighbors.
It’s not like in the movies when the neighbors are in competition with each other and where they shame a person into decorating. I’m sure there are other variations on the theme. Books have also used this concept in their stories. I enjoy the concept in the movies and in books, I don’t need it in real life.
I guess I’ve done enough rambling. I just wanted you to know that my internet and phone services are in a transition mode until the network is repaired. I’ve been given no timeline. Right now they’re ringing my telephone every five minutes or so.
So, if there are large gaps between my posts, it’s not by choice but due to internet access.
Thank you for being a valued visitor. Leave me a comment with your thoughts about holidays.
In my little corner of the universe it may get 110°F today. Fortunately, I have no plans other than working on my websites and taking care of my precious Diva. We’ll be out from time to time in the backyard . . . but other than that we’ll be indoors with the air conditioning and a fan circulating the air.
I may have mentioned a time or two that I’m doing a Boot Camp with the Affiliate Marketing group I’ve joined and been a member of for the past year . . . Since February, 2014. I now have 5 websites . . . my newest one is http://indefinitevacation.com is about Affiliate and Internet Marketing as a broad topic. I review products of the work at home on-line variety. There are still scams out there, so beware. It’s a shame how too many people are out to get money from people who don’t have money to waste on tomfoolery.
I’m learning quite a lot about keywords and found a program for screen capture. I’m working on making Power Point Videos . . . I found a lesson on that from changing a slide show to a video. I need to check into that.
It’s truly amazing what is available to learn on-line and getting free software or apps that will do some amazing things. But, Power Point is a paid program . . . I got it with Word . . . I love having a word processing software. Office Word is still quite popular which seems surprising to me, but there are students who still use it and I’m definitely old school when it comes to the computer. I’m not up on the newest, greatest and latest.
I enjoy my blogs and learning something new each and every day.
Now, back to the weather, we’re into August, the hottest month of the year, but we do get some warm days up until Fall, my favorite time of year — how many times have you heard me say that? And, of course, I’m going to mention that false fall that gets my hopes up . . . only to be dashed with another hot spell we call Indian Summer.
I do wonder where the term Indian Summer came from and if I’m using it right. So a little research was in order.
I have found I’m in error. It usually occurs between November 11 through November 20. But that’s on the east coast . . . here in Southern California we get a bit of a cold spell and then warm weather kicks in during late September and through October . . . but the evenings do cool down quite a bit . . . which has been happening this summer as well. We’ve had a few warm nights though.
The term goes back to the early settler in New England. In late October they would welcome the arrival of cold winter-like weather allowing them to leave their stockades unarmed. Then it would suddenly turn warm again. The Native Americans would take advantage of this change in the weather and have another go at the settlers. So, the settlers named this last go around “Indian Summer.”
Isn’t is great to learn something new?
Thanks for stopping by!
Be sure to leave me a comment with your thoughts about Indian Summer.
It’s always good to know what’s new and what’s hot!
Why is it that we’re always competing for the newest and the best? Do we really want it? Is it to impress our friends and family? Do we really need it?
Well, I think it’s best for you to bookmark the link above so you’ll always be in the know of what is new and what is hot so you can be on top of what is available and make a decision, not based on emotion, but on the value and you just may be the first in your circle of friends and family to snag it at the best possible price before they’ll be on store shelves.
You see, you and only you know what your friends and family want for gifts. You know what is best for you and usually the best gifts are those that you try out yourself and use . . . and see the envy in the eye of others . . . That way, you know they really, really, truly want it. That’s the secret to giving the best gifts for all your friends and family.
You know, there is always one picky relative that you just can’t seem to get a handle on . . . well, sure you can sit down and have a nice little chat over a nice cup of coffee or tea . . . but you can ask for his/her advice on some of the greatest and newest products . . . this may be a valuable wish list you never knew this picky relative really, truly wanted. This is how I come up with winners every single time. And my gifts are usually the most anticipated.
This is my secret . . . I’m sure you have some of your own . . .
The link above is invaluable. The products change regularly . . . so there will always be something new and hot to consider for either yourself or your friends and family.
I enjoy taking a moment from time to time to stop and think. It’s always good to count your blessings daily and not wait until Thanksgiving Day . . .
Yes, I know the date . . . it is summer . . . I want to enjoy this season and I’m willing to wait for now until fall . . . Yes, you read that right.
I know I’ve been known to rush through summer and get going with fall and the excitement of Halloween!! Yes, that does seem to be my most looked forward to holiday . . . but I digress . . .
It seems that we have always wanted summer to be special since we were kids and that “What I Did Over Summer Vacation” essay you had to write. Isn’t it amazing how this assignment was universal throughout the United States and maybe the world or the whole universe. I honestly don’t know if that assignment is still given today . . . I suppose it is a nice ice-breaker for the beginning of the school year, but if you didn’t do anything special like a great vacation, that assignment was absolutely torture. Sure there was playing with the neighborhood kids, riding bikes, roller skating, playing baseball . . . visiting with cousins and grandparents and other relatives . . . even enjoying a delicious root beer float with Grandma on her front porch . . . going to the beach, mountains . . . an amusement park . . . but to have to write about it in class . . . nothing exciting seemed to come to mind . . . and what is exciting to any given age group?
Early this morning, my little Diva and I were out in the backyard . . . it was still dark out. I could hear something . . . a wild something or a neighborhood cat . . . Diva heard it, too. She smelled the grass and started tracking the scent left by something, then heard the noise . . . in the dark it is difficult to know if the intruder was coming towards us or away from us. Diva barked . . . was ready to chase the intruder out of her yard, but came back when I called her. We went inside . . . part of me wanting to get a flashlight to see what was in the yard and part of me didn’t want to know. So, I guess I don’t have a good story to tell you about the intruder in my backyard during the wee morning hours . . . except I was too chicken to explore further . . . I didn’t want to tangle with a skunk, squirrel, raccoon. snake or possum . . . or something of the two legged category . . . or even a ghost . . . I wanted Diva safe in the house with me.
But . . . is it safe in the house? Did someone or something slip inside while we were outside? Wouldn’t we have heard it? You see, random thoughts can go in any direction . . . unexpectedly . . . Now, to be honest with you, I haven’t heard anything going bump in the night (early morning). I know I’m being ridiculous . . . so I’ll end here with this cute video I found . . .
I don’t know about you, but I’ve experienced days, weeks and months flying by. It may be because I’m getting older . . .
This may not be something we want to admit, but I’ve been experiencing this for quite some time. It may be a thing about “retirement” or it may be something I’ve noticed because of getting new posts up on my websites or it’s time to buy groceries . . . again. I just don’t seem to get as much accomplished as I once did.
You know how it is when you’re working on a project and are in “the zone” of concentration how time flies. But I don’t seem to be in “the zone” of concentration. It seems that time goes by . . . another day . . . another week . . . month . . . even season. That may be a good thing for me . . . I love fall . . . but it does seem to be a long time coming.
I heard that with the lack of sun spots on the sun, we’re heading for a mini ice age. It doesn’t seem to be a global thing, but in certain regions. I’m not going to try to persuade anyone that I know what I’m talking about or get into the controversy of “global warming.” We watch the news and the weather reports. We can make our own decisions and draw our own conclusions. We experience weather every single day . . . it is either seasonal appropriate or not. We do remember from season to season, year to year. We may ask ourselves, “Is it getting warmer or colder?” “Are we getting as much rain as last year?” “Is this summer warmer than last summer?” “Are we having a mild winter?” We draw our own conclusions about our recollections . . . our own experiences. Then we do need to ask ourselves if we are being influenced by what we hear on the news? Is this altering our perceptions? Are we thinking and remembering correctly . . . are we being given accurate information? Or do we blindly accept it, because we’re too lazy or busy to look it up for ourselves?
Do we depend upon the observations of others?
Do they influence us? I’ve heard that we’re becoming more political . . . or everything is now political. Even a casual conversation becomes political. How is that possible when we’re talking about the price of groceries or buying a new pair of shoes or seeing the great new strides in technology? Have we become so numb to thinking for ourselves that we don’t think at all? Is that possible?
I do wonder if previous generations have experienced the same thing . . . and wondered about the same things I’m wondering about? We may always have had questions and observations, but has modern technology influenced us more than ever before? Are we better informed? We’re warned about spinning the truth . . . which happens with our friends and family to a degree . . . and then there’s downright lying . . . Has that become more acceptable? Is is all right for some and not for others?
That last question may seem foolish. It depends upon one’s value system . . . or have we lost that, too, in the process? And by process, I mean the passing of time . . . and the new ideas that have been brought to our attention in a variety of subjects that we may not have previously thought about . . . or is there a specific agenda . . . all of this may be very controversial . . . something I don’t usually address on this blog . . . but it is within our observations of the world we participate in.
It goes with the food we eat . . . the recipes we make for our families . . . is red meat bad? I remember once we were cautioned about eating too many eggs . . . then told to eat them . . . now its fats and sugars . . . then going vegetarian is more healthy . . . then there are the vaccines . . . good or bad for children . . . important or unimportant for the elderly . . . Much thought can even be hazardous for our health . . .
Are we given accurate information? That’s the question we should be asking. And who do we ask? Who can we trust? Does anyone really know the answers? Or is everything an opinion?
In internet marketing, we’re warned of scams, hackers, etc. All related to the internet, but can this be applied to our everyday life? Is the grocery store owner or manager trying to influence our choices by putting out certain displays or are these displays there to help us find what we’re actually looking to buy? Who is influencing whom in this situation? Are we being manipulated or are we doing the manipulation?
Or is there no manipulation going on at all? It may be a seasonal or holiday thing. Certain seasons we do want certain foods and clothing items. The stores are ordering what we’re prone to buy. We’ve all heard about the commercialization of the holidays . . . I can see the truth of that . . . I can also see that we’re either going to go along with it or not. We do have a choice to participate or not. It’s like with the Black Friday sales that have moved into Thursday’s Thanksgiving celebration. Would this be happening if the public wouldn’t be lined up outside stores early Thanksgiving morning?
Then there’s Cyber Monday . . . do we participate or not? Do we get our holiday shopping done? Or do we continue putting it off to the last minute? It’s all a matter of choice . . . some people have their shopping done well before fall while others enjoy the excitement of the last minute shopping. Everyone is different. We do get energized by the “vibrations” of others.
You may have experienced it yourself when you’re shopping for “back to school” or any given holiday . . . or even planning for a vacation. You may be influenced by the other shoppers who are buying camping equipment . . . and you’ve never entertained the thought of going camping in your life, but there you are looking at tents, sleeping bags, camping stoves and the like. Or patio furniture . . . and a hammock . . . a fire pit . . . ingredients for s’mores . . .
Interesting how I always get back to s’mores . . . it must be an obsession of mine . . . maybe like making the best hamburger . . . or hot dog . . . or all the creepy recipes for a Halloween party . . . to gross out your friends and family.
Well, my random thoughts have seemed to wander all over the place . . . without trying to influence others in any one direction or another, but to just think about it for yourself . . . you may draw your own conclusions or thought this blog post a complete waste of your time . . . That’s fine . . . I like your opinions . . . they’re yours . . . and I enjoy the freedom to express my thoughts and questions . . . I have no political agenda I’m expressing here . . . those thoughts are mine . . . I do have concerns about the weather and about the foods I eat . . . and about the expenses of living comfortably . . . and about the events on the global scene and at home . . . I’m not into controversy . . . I don’t wish ill upon anyone . . . I want everyone to be happy and not experience heartache or discomfort of any kind.
What I want for myself I want for others. It’s possible for everyone to succeed at whatever they choose. Of course it takes planning and hard work and a degree of luck thrown in . . . but we can accomplish much if we put our minds to it. I try to be as positive as possible. Being grateful for my many blessings and celebrating the successes of others, even when I may be struggling . . . maybe that’s when we put a “spin” on it telling ourselves that “we’re next” or knowing success is within our grasp. Yes, there are times our bubble is burst and we move on to other pursuits . . .
I’m reminded of a movie I watched about a wishing well . . . when asked, “Does it work?” The answer surprised me. There were two conditions:
you have to really truly believe
you have to make the right wish.
The obvious next question was, “How do you know if it’s the right wish?” And the answer was, “It comes true.”
It’s always nice to make your celebrations unique to you and your family. Some of the old traditions may still be enjoyable, but I believe we grow into our own unique comfort zone when it comes to how we celebrate holidays. It may have begun with a change of menu or some subtle decorating. It is always nice to find what works for you.
