Category: Writing and blogging

7 May 2020 What to do with yourself

by saymber, posted in Art and Poetry, drawing, Exploring numeric value of words in English language, Health, history, Home, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Nature, Spirituality and Religion, trust, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you.  How are you doing today?  Link and I have started to get in the patterns of the sun.  When it’s dark you go so sleep.  So here I am at the keyboard, artificial sunshine of coffee and computer screen on!  This is a process that will only last a short period of time and then I’ll have to figure out what to do next lol.  It’s better than laying in bed like I was doing, fretting about a bunch of stuff I can’t control!

Such is life these days right?  What to do with myself to keep busy but stay at home.  I’m sure if I were to peruse the internet right now I’d find all kinds of advice on what I could be doing.  I can turn on the news on any station and if it’s not covoid19 hysteria it’s other bored people, famous and not,  showing us what they are doing to not be bored at home.  Finding stuff do and being alone didn’t use to be a problem for me.  What happened is choice of whether to immerse or not immerse myself in the world has been pretty much removed.  If I go out into the world to do something, it’s getting groceries, an appointment or something pretty important I need to do.

Yesterday I shared some of my art supplies with our neighbor children.  We have a couple of Mom’s in the neighborhood with young children and it’s so challenging right now for them to keep the young one’s entertained.

The old standbys have always been drawing, writing and right now working on another corner to corner afghan.  I’ve even considered working on an edited version of a book I’ve already e-published, The Gospel According to Sam  (https://www.amazon.com/Gospel-According-Sam-Jackie-Wygant-ebook/dp/B00533VOTU) all proceeds going to charity.   The only part of me that seems to really be working right now is the writing.  I sit down to draw and  unlike years past, it’s just a blank page or trying to record what is in front of me.

6 May 2020 drawing I did last night of Link out in the backyard.

There are only so many words, so many drawings, paintings and creative ways to put together the same meals before you start to repeat yourself or others.   The other thing is I’m trying to downsize and reduce the amount of that stuff I want around the house.  Thank goodness for digital writing but even that isn’t without pitfalls…..you need a reliable way to store the media if you care to retrieve it later.  I had a hard drive I was using.  It got dropped one too many times and now the data is  is locked in there unless I can get someone with some skills to break them out!  I am having to learn to be a more transitory person and it’s hard.

So I have found myself asking, what does the God of my understanding want me doing right now?!  I want to be useful and help somehow so is my even sharing this today doing that?  Do my words here help alleviate boredom and the same things for someone other than myself?

It’s kind of like life in the extremes of weather be it extreme cold or extreme heat.  In either one, I have learned to hunker down and keep busy but sometimes my lesser natures take over and I gain weight.  Eating becoming an activity.  Thankfully here the weather has been nice so when I get really restless I put on my walking shoes and take Link out or go just by myself.  Walking does help!

Today I decided to look at the phrase staying busy.  I’m going to put all the values I’ve come up on my “travels” with gematria.  Sometimes to see the order in which I have found different number values is like a weird sentence lol:

“staying busy” in the English Ordinal system equals 162 – a taking, train, insane, riches, torah, shift, poop, behaves, noise, hearing germs, right, under, humane, doubt, Queen, disease, favor, plasma, choices, under, right, audience, a miracle, polar.

“one six two” in the English Ordinal system equals 144 – a mask, brain, clock, handle, hope, faith, cut, space, bored, talk.

“one four four” in the English Ordinal system equals 154 – a love, sun, play, French, voice, eyes, chemical, health, acting, spar, breath, Bavaria, butch, pods, bodies, Gabriel, Mama bear, foodie, gnome, eyes

“one five four” in the English Ordinal system equals 136 – a halo, child, hair, bite, heard, hug, have, asp, agree, chips

“one three six” in the English Ordinal system equals 142 – a self, new, gift, balanced, rain, run, war, raw, rare, bitch, female, rebel, Odin, sub, tail

“one four two” in the English Ordinal system equals 152 – a blonde, earth, seeds, caring, speak, what, thaw, hobby, disable, heart, Pope, kept, raise, create, spice, birds, devil, dog, pee, crop, ship, going, hobby, ashes, a glaze, thaw

“one five two” in the English Ordinal system equals 134 – a cold, chance, free, hate, breed, heat

Now all of this said, I am not trying to invite drama into my life.   What I wish to invite into my life is a positive, loving way I can be of service to God as I understand them.   

The last thing I want to be is a waste of space.  So I am going to trust that gradually, as I can handle it, God will show me great ways to be of service in this uncertain time.   May be in some way, I’m already doing it just blogging here?  May be somebody, that’s not me, will see my message here and get some relief from their personal struggles and be able to pass that light on to someone near or far in their own life?   That’s my hope!

The Beatitudes from the Bible. I am not a religious person, but very spiritual. Parts of the Bible like this are comforting I think.

 

 

6 May 2020 Making good choices and could basic income be an option for the US?

by saymber, posted in Exploring numeric value of words in English language, Health, history, Home, human rights, In the News, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Money, Politics and Government, trust, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you.  How are you as you visit me here?  I hope this finds you well.  Aside from allergies and being awake way too darn early things are pretty decent here.  When is too early to be awake?  In dog time, from what Link tells me, it’s being awake before the sun is.  As I write, he’s still in bed!

What comes to me this morning is something I’m having to do – learning to accept my part.  What I mean by that is each of us seems to have a part we play on this stage of God’s and mine seems to be the one that I’m trying to accept.  When I’m doing what I’m supposed to do, things seem to go well.  When I’m not, well God lets me know about it.  They were pretty firm about it most recently – tough love is the phrase we are using.

To quote Albus Dumbledore: “It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

So it’s  important to make good choices.

I’ll be honest, sometimes it’s hard to know what a good choice is!   In my life so far, it feels like there is a lot of hindsight on the making good choices scenario.  It feels like all too often I am  asked to make a good choice when I’m faced with a set of circumstances and limited data to go on.  As is the case recently, if it’s not me making the choice, it’s me having to trust someone else about it.

My personal barometer, “if it ain’t light, it ain’t right” works most of the time.  If my heart moves in my chest anywhere but center when making a choice, my choice my need evaluating.  Lately though, and I hadn’t planned on this part,  I am acknowledging that when I feel my heart sink into my stomach it might be because I’m being asked to get out of my comfort zone.  How do you tell the difference?!

This is a question facing so many in our world today isn’t it?

“making good choices” in the English Ordinal system equals 158 – a feeling, being yourself, quality of life, spirit alchemy

With this Covoid19 crisis there seems to be a lot of darned if you do, darned if you don’t!  The right answer, as I’ve been seeing a lot, might not be the popular answer or what other people want to hear.   For example, the debate in our state of Texas has been whether or not to open up businesses again.  Is it too soon?  Are these businesses prepared for the changes they need to make to be open safely?   I am noticing a lot of small businesses being forced to choose between their lives and their livelihoods.  I think if they knew they had some sort of income no matter what, they wouldn’t feel pressure to reopen so quickly.  For many, if they don’t open back up, they face losing their business which affects their lives and the communities they serve.  If they do open back up, they are putting their lives at risk being exposed to a potentially infected public.  They tried to give some of the businesses stimulus checks but it’s not enough to sustain a business for a long period like we are potentially talking about with this virus.

A model that exists and I don’t know if this would work here is Basic income.   May be something like this could help the many unemployed and or those losing their businesses from the restaurant, service, retail and agricultural sectors.   They already have people applying for aide so they know who the folks are that need help already:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_income

Basic income, also called universal basic income (UBI), citizen’s income, citizen’s basic income, basic income guarantee, basic living stipend, guaranteed annual income, or universal demogrant, is a governmental public program for a periodic payment delivered to all on an individual basis without means test or work requirement.[2] The incomes would be:

  • Unconditional: A basic income would vary with age, but with no other conditions. Everyone of the same age would receive the same basic income, whatever their gender, employment status, family structure, contribution to society, housing costs, or anything else.
  • Automatic: Someone’s basic income would be automatically paid weekly or monthly into a bank account or similar.
  • Non-withdrawable: Basic incomes would not be means-tested. Whether someone’s earnings increase, decrease, or stay the same, their basic income will not change.
  • Individual: Basic incomes would be paid on an individual basis and not on the basis of a couple or household.
  • As a right: Every legal resident would receive a basic income, subject to a minimum period of legal residency and continuing residency for most of the year.[3]

Basic income can be implemented nationally, regionally or locally. An unconditional income that is sufficient to meet a person’s basic needs (at or above the poverty line) is sometimes called a full basic income while if it is less than that amount, it is sometimes called partial. A welfare system with some characteristics similar to those of a basic income is a negative income tax in which the government stipend is gradually reduced with higher labor income. Some welfare systems are sometimes regarded as steps on the way to a basic income, but because they have conditions attached they are not basic incomes. If they raise household incomes to specified minima they are called guaranteed minimum income systems. For example, Bolsa Família in Brazil is restricted to poor families and the children are obligated to attend school.[4]

 

“Basic income” in the English Ordinal system equals 93 – management, growing, therapy, internal, trying, parents

“nine three” in the English Ordinal system equals 98 – together, stocking, trust, “to try”

“nine eight’” in the English Ordinal system equals 91 – spirit, upgrades, savings, content, emotion, future, growth

“nine one” in the English Ordinal system equals 76 – sharing, tracker, humans, species, example, mixing concept

seven six” in the English Ordinal system equals 117 – humility, upbringing, occupation, statement, expansion

“one one seven” in the English Ordinal system equals 133 – a the, innovation, challenge, invitation, grownups, system life

“one three three” in the English Ordinal system equals 146 – a body, people matter, brain function, peace for the brain, field of study

——————-

https://washingtonmonthly.com/2020/03/18/americans-need-a-basic-income-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/

While one-time “stimulus checks” are an option— as they were in the immediate aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis—many Americans are going to need longer-term support to weather the coming financial storm. Rather than a single shot of cash, struggling Americans will need an “emergency basic income” (EBI)—i.e. no-strings-attached, continuing cash support, similar to what former presidential candidate Andrew Yang proposed on the campaign trail.

At the time of his campaign, Yang was pushing for a “universal basic income”– a $1,000 per month entitlement for every American. The idea was expensive, impractical. and rife with the potential for unintended consequences. But now, Yang’s original conception, with some important variations, could save millions of Americans from financial catastrophe. That helps explain why its finding new life from proponents l New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (as well as Yang himself). Yet UBI need not be adopted in its original form to do a lot of good; it need not be as generous as an indefinite entitlement of $1,000 a month, nor does it need to be universal. At least not yet.

———————

I currently live on a fixed income so I understand what this is like.  My income doesn’t fluctuate that much so I have to live within my means.  I wonder if this model would work for some of the folks that had small businesses and they had to close them.  Could our country afford this system on a short term basis until be get more stabilized and beyond the crisis?

Anyhew – I’m out of my depth.  People a lot wiser out there on this but that’s just how my mind goes – from small scale to the world.   How do you make a good choice in such uncertain times.  I guess if we are honest with ourselves, now isn’t much different than it ever really was.  There is always risk in decision making.  All we can do is make the best choices we can and hope for the best.   I do hope anyone reading this, if you are in the demographic of folks I’m talking about,  that you have or can get everything you need to take care of yourselves and your families.

P.S.  The Blue Angels are supposed to be flying today – hope I get to see them!

 

 

 

5 May 2020 Uncomfortable Silence

by saymber, posted in Art and Poetry, drawing, Exploring numeric value of words in English language, Health, history, Home, human rights, In the News, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Movies, Music, Television, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you.  How are you doing today?  Hopefully you are doing well.

Something that comes to mind this morning is the phrase uncomfortable silence.  As I write, I’ve got an alternative station I found that I like, 103.7 fm on as background noise.  I’m getting to be one of those kind of people that has to have the sound on in my world.   That thing called comfortable silence is uncomfortable for me and it never used to be.

 

This radio used to belong to my brother-in-law Todd – still useful!

My mother-in-law used to follow ratings for television shows.  I seem to remember her talking about CSI was one that always had high ratings.  What was behind that a certain demographic, usually older Americans, put the show on as background noise even if they weren’t watching it.  I though that was funny at the time until this situation of having to stay home alone more!  I’m becoming one of those people!

So today I give thanks for local programming and the radio stations that keep the world interesting for me.  Right now I don’t have access to streaming services without paying for it.  I’m trying Amazon Prime video and took a look at Patrick Melrose yesterday.  I couldn’t get through the first episode.  It was hard to see Benedict Cumberbatch being such a convincing addict.  I much prefer seeing him as Sherlock Holmes (minus the addict part) and Dr. Strange!  There are some other interesting shows to check out whilst I work on my afghan.

I find myself going a bit stir crazy staying in the house so I’ll meander out for a walk.  This isn’t such a bad thing as I gained some weight during my hospital stay.  I’m starting to remember why one can lose your mind a bit being trapped in the house.  In the past, it was just because of extremes of weather.  I can remember being in a shelter in Mississippi  during a hurricane and how tough that was.  I was in a shelter with a bunch of other people and it was dark and even smelly at times.  We ate peanut butter and crackers in the dark.  As tough as that was,  there was an end in sight.  With this virus and containment,  there doesn’t seem to be a definitive end.  I understand better why there are protesters in different placing demanding things get opened back up.  We are social creatures and are made to do stuff besides staying at home.

I wonder if this is the plants way of healing itself?  For all the bad things that have happened and tragedy, good things have been happening for the planet.   The biggest thing is a reduction in air pollution!  I wonder how can we keep that going once life starts to resume it’s course?

https://nypost.com/2020/04/07/3-ways-the-coronavirus-is-a-boon-to-the-environment/

ITOE6561 4 May 2020 Breaking through marker picture Jackie Wygant Alvarado TX

First drawing with markers – thinking of breaking through barriers in my life.

“a uncomfortable silence” in the English Ordinal system equals 213 – (ironically month and day I was born!)

 

 

4 May 2020 Downsizing (gradually)

by saymber, posted in history, Home, Leading Life by Example, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you.   I am writing again today as a way to cope with the cabin fever I’m experiencing lately.  Link and I keep each other company but I sure miss talking to people on a regular basis!   Writing a blog like this is kind of like talking to yourself I guess and hoping something about your self talk will resonate with someone else!

My life is extremely well documented with journals all the way back to high school.  I have a big black trunk full of journals!  Problem is, I’ve got nobody to pass them on to!  It’s sad but I don’t exactly have access to professional archivists busting down my door to help me out.   So like so many little people in history, much of my story is about to be inherited by the recycle bin!

Talking to my Mom helped me today to work through it though.  There is just a lot of things that other than you, nobody cares about that we hold on to.  Most people have enough cares of their own much less taking on more stuff from someone else.  We talked not just about journals but also about knick knacks and other things we typically hold on to.  She helped me get over my phobia of giving away stuff someone gave to me.   In most cases they aren’t going to know or even remember giving the stuff to me anyways.

At my phase of life and hers, it’s getting to the point unless it’s useful and or practical, there is no point in having it.   I don’t want to have to keep track of stuff if we end up moving from here.  There is a part of me that would like to do what they did and move to a townhome or smaller place with an Home owners association (HOA) to keep up the property.

Her and Dad did a huge downsizing to move into the place they are living now.  A lot of my Dad’s collections ended up getting sold at a garage sale.  I told her I was both sad yet relieved about that.  Part of me would have loved to inherit his Mickey Mouse snow globes but part of me is relieved I didn’t!

I guess in light of recent events and turning 52 this year, I am kind of taking stock of things and  wanting to lighten the load a bit.   I have attempted archiving before and just couldn’t stick with it.  I just get overwhelmed by it!

The world I live in now is very digital.  When I think of even the video game world my husband and I have spent a lot of time in, you have server space to “hoard” up miscellaneous items.  You have a certain amount of space and any additional space above what they give you costs you money to increase.  There is a very temporary feeling to a digital world existence.  Pixilated items can be deleted and the space reconfigured to accomodate something else – if only the real world was more like that right?  My journals will be destroyed and become something else but unlike digital media, cannot be recovered once they are gone.

Someone said it a nice way, by recycling my journals, I will be returning the words back to Source.

Thank you for reading.  Writing this has helped me work through this.   Has anyone else been through a similar journey?