Category: all posts Page 11 of 14

texting

On January 19, 2020

The other day I received a text.

“what the hay?“ to which I replied:

“hay is for horses“ the reply I got was:

“and bunnies.”

What was accomplished with the above text conversation? Nothing? Anything? I think the first text was meant to establish a connection after not speaking for quite some time. While the above may work for some people, it doesn’t work for me. If you’re planning on re-establishing some dialog with me, than something better than “what the hay” is something worth considering.

The above text makes me the person – that is now given the task of a meaningful interaction. I become the one to reestablish communication. The person sending the somewhat innocent text “what the hay?”, has transferred the bulk of the work over to the person receiving the text. Doesn’t quite seem like a genuine way to get the ball rolling again.

Perhaps something more along the lines of “What is going on with you? I know it’s been awhile but I was thinking about you and the last time we talked we were left hanging like a dangling participle.”

That I can respond to. Heck, sometimes dangling participles can be a hoot! Example:

Driving like a maniac, the fish was hit and killed.

This makes it seem like the fish was driving. Fixed it would read thus:

Driving like a maniac, Edgar hit and killed a fish.

While no animals were harmed during the above theoretical examples, there is a very real possibility that both parties could be misunderstood. Communication becomes less than satisfactory, and ideas, along with thoughts can become mangled, sometimes beyond recognition. And for the record, Edgar and I are no longer friends since hitting the fish. Heck, I brake for fish and crustaceans!

The many ways in which a conversation can be misinterpreted are endless. Taking time to reach out, with a willingness to explain what you are saying, texting or even emailing someone, can be the difference between a connecting relationship or one that flounders, killed dead, like the fish above.

Moral of the story? It’s tough being a fish on a highway.

history repeats itself…again

By carl jasper

On January 18, 2020

In all posts, ramblings

I know where socks go. When you’re missing one from a pair. Yep. I used to think that either my washing machine had a builtin teleportation device or another theory I had, was a sock eater. Invisible creatures sharing the planet with us that lived off socks and only socks.

Today, I walked outside to find some of my socks scattered and buried in the backyard. I was overjoyed that they had been returned from planet x. Or the 4th dimension called “Quirbyth”.

Somehow, I wasn’t buying this sudden return since they looked and seemed fresh, almost new in appearance. Right at that moment, faster than I could focus, lighting like in speed, a sock went dashing by. Not by itself of course, as socks have no feet until you put them on.

My sock was being held by my new monster and her baby teeth. My puppy. My Belgium Malinois. The sock stealer. Yep. She’s going to jail soon. Although this reminded me of another pup I had years ago. Here’s a post and picture from the evil sock stealer taken from andif.com circa 12.30.2004:

A dark object, just lying in the middle of the floor. A dark object that once use to be bright white. Yes, another sock has been recovered. My girl pup has developed an affinity for my socks. She steals them when I’m not looking then buries them – why? Only her tortured mind knows for sure. What does a pup think? Dream? I can only imagine the thoughts and images as she silently plunders my socks, buries them outside in the mud.

The one above is blowing a raspberry at me with a devil may care attitude about her criminal behavior. The other below is using an angelic expression of innocence “who me?” Notice the similarity? Yep. Evil. Sinister, calculating. Sock stealers.

Love Like There’s No Tomorrow

By carl jasper

On January 18, 2020

In all posts, loves, music

So, this is a repost kinda. From the old site. I really like this song. Hope you do as well…

Right now gonna take you in my arms
Hold you closer and tighter than I ever have
I’m gonna say all the things that I thought could wait
Now I realize that later could be a little too late

Baby let’s love like there’s no tomorrow
(Love)
Live for every moment, laugh at least a little everyday
If we see the sun rise in the morning, is impossible to say
So let’s love
(Let’s love)
Like there’s no tomorrow
(No tomorrow)
Today

From now on every time we kiss
It’s gonna mean so much more when I touch your lips
When I give myself to you baby I won’t hold nothin’ back
‘Cause there’s nothin’ I wouldn’t give to make every minute last

Baby let’s love like there’s no tomorrow
(Love)
Live for every moment, laugh at least a little everyday
If we see the sun rise in the morning, is impossible to say
So let’s love
(Lets tomorrow)
Like there’s no tomorrow
(No tomorrow)
Today

Baby let’s love like there’s no tomorrow
Live for every moment laugh at least a little everyday
(Every moment)
If we see the sun rise in the morning, is impossible to say
So let’s love
(Baby let’s love)
Like there’s no tomorrow
(No tomorrow)
Today

Oh baby let’s love
(Lets love)
Like there’s no tomorrow
(No tomorrow)
Today

the evening forecast

By carl jasper

On January 17, 2020

In all posts, events, ramblings

We all know about weather forecasts. We’ve read astrological ones. Stock market predications and crop forecasts. Betting predictions on just about everything! The list continues and never seems to stop. But I have a brand new forecast. One that has been attempted before, no doubt, just never before with the precision and dedication it deserves.

The Evening Forecast

Yep. Such a seemingly simple idea and so amazingly brilliant, I can hear the rush to jump on this band wagon. Forget all the forecasts above, even the ones not mentioned. THIS forecast is the only one you will ever need.

Why? How can The Evening Forecast be so powerful and mysterious, emotional and foretelling, satisfying and nurturing? How can this one forecast be so wonderful as to replace all others? What gives power to this forecast to replace some that have been going for years if not centuries?

Today I have read the money markets, the horoscopes for capricorns, the weather predictions for the US and the world. And yet they all pale in comparison to the evening forecast. The only one you’ll ever need. And how does the Evening Forecast work? What’s so darn special about it? I’ll tell you…but first send $29.95 to the address listed in this post…(nah, just had to throw that one in…smile)

Instead of continuing into the ethereal network of the universe, I’ll give you today’s evening forecast, something for you to chew on.

Eat homemade sauerkraut.

The beauty of that is you can also eat some tomorrow evening and the next. You can look back and see that you’ve eaten some in the past. You now have the past, present and future pretty much covered! Tomorrows forecast? The same! Yes. I know, brilliant of course. Simplicity in it’s finest. Just one of the many hats I wear. Doing my job.

Tonights forecast is?

the invention of lying

By carl jasper

On January 15, 2020

In all posts, movie reviews

Another movie review??? YAY! And you thought this year was going to be boring. In fact, I bet you’ve already forgotten that this is the year of opportunity. Shall we begin, hmmm?

I stumbled across this while clicking through the endless shows offered up by netflix. I get overwhelmed with the choices there are so many. And then my arrow stopped on “The Invention of Lying” accidentally. You’re thinking “how does one accidentally stop on a selection in netflix?”

Quite easily actually. For some reason, my remote skips categories and selections just about every time I use it. When I hit the scroll down I end up two categories down instead of one. When I scroll choices it can skip 2-3 ahead. And wouldn’t you know it, this time it landed on the above.

Wanting to be a little more adventurous in the year of opportunity, I clicked on it thinking, why not? I was hooked once I saw it starred Jennifer Garner and Ricky Gervais. And the guest star and supporting actor list, amazing: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Rob Lowe, Jeffrey Tambor, Louis C.K., Edward Norton are among some of the notables.

Basic Premise: A world in which there is absolutely no word for “Lying”. No one lies. Everyone tells the truth no matter how harsh or sweet. In short there is no room for anything but the truth. While it does get over the top in some aspects such as: do they really need to have someone tell another person they’re ugly? Or fat? Or a loser? Not really. And yet they do. I believe it’s more to get the point across that no one ever lies. The concept just doesn’t exist in this hypothetical world.

The movie starts with the lead character “Mark” (Ricky) going on a date with Anna (Jennifer). When she answers the door looking flustered she tells him he’s early and she was masturbating. He responds by saying it makes him think of her vagina. She tells him he’s has a stub nose and is short and fat. And the dialog continues. Sometimes very clever and others it has that space filling effect.

There’s a wonderfully comic scene with Philip Seymour Hoffman as a bartender and Louis C.K. as his friend when “Mark” has first discovered his superpower. Just fun to watch!

I almost didn’t continue watching which would have been a shame as the ending was extremely meaningful and heartwarming. When Mark finally realizes he can do something no one else in the world can do (lie), he starts using this superpower for good and to get rich as well. The one person he never uses it on? Anna. Who he’s been in love with for a very long time from afar. Fast becoming friends, she snubs him because he’s short and fat and not good genetic material for offspring. And yet, Mark can’t get enough of her. He still has integrity though and wants her to love him for who he is, not his DNA, so he abstains from using his newfound power of Lying on her.

I loved this movie, especially the ending. Warmed my little heart through and through.

it’s picture time…yay!

By carl jasper

On January 13, 2020

In all posts, photos, ramblings

On a hike the other day, there was an interesting bush that had these strawberry like fruits dangling. Of course I had to know what it was called.

“Arbutus Unedo” (< – click for more info)

Unedo meaning “I ate one time”. apparently it’s not that tasty and unlike strawberries where you can eat a pound in 5 minutes, these would take a day or so. They are a very hardy bush and I’m thinking of planting some here. Other things to do first though…

“What begins with ‘F’ and ends with ‘UCK’ …?

By carl jasper

On January 12, 2020

In all posts, ramblings

Fire Truck.

You have two parts of brain, ‘left’ and ‘right’. In the left side, there’s nothing right. In the right side, there’s nothing left.

I hate people who use big words just to make themselves look perspicacious.

Don’t spell part backwards. It’s a trap.

I changed my password to “incorrect”. So whenever I forget what it is the computer will say “Your password is incorrect”.

Not a very big post this time. Just a few random jokes to lighten the day.

xanthohumol vs resveratrol

By carl jasper

On January 11, 2020

In all posts, health, ramblings

OK, so this post should be on the health page. BUT, I thought eh, why not here? Why there? Why anywhere for that matter. And just what is xanthohumol and where does it come from? Most of you have heard about resveratrol and the benefits it bestows on health. Xanthohumol? Sounds like something from a science fiction movie or Discovery Magazine.

This particular substance comes from hops. Yep. An extract from beer hops. And no, you won’t get drunk or high from it. There are quite a few interesting health issues that xanthohumol excels at. (the below is copy and pasted from a health post)

1 – Xanthohumol tends to protect the liver and Xanthohumol protected the liver from fibrosis when it was exposed to very harmful toxins, including cleaning fluid. That’s one of the most harmful liver toxins there is. When used, fibrosis was slowed down or reversed, so it’s
an important protectant of liver function

2 – Xanthohumol has also been found important in wound healing because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. .

3 – Works to slow down and cause apoptosis in some cancers.

4 – Helps with male and female hormonal issues.

5 – Probably a number five somewhere but I’ll stop here.

What about resveratrol? It’s still one of the top antioxidants, anti-aging substances found in nature. Even though xanthohumol has been said to be up to 200x stronger than resveratrol, my take is why not use both?

As we age, our bodies change. Nutrients become harder to incorporate into our bodies as we digest the food we eat. Keeping your gut healthy with fermented foods such as kefir and sauerkraut help to feed the bacteria that lives in your gut.

“Probiotic bacteria, mostly belonging to the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, confer a number of health benefits, including vitamin production [5]. Probiotic bacteria, members of the gut microbiota, are able to synthesize vitamin K and most of the water‐soluble B vitamins, such as biotin, cobalamin, folates, nicotinic acid, panthotenic acid, pyridoxine, riboflavin, and thiamine”

Since I am already ingesting copious amounts of sauerkraut for my gut, adding xanthohumol and resveratrol seems like a no brainer. At least until researchers find out it causes a third hand to grow out of your belly button. That would give me pause to continue taking it…(smile)

Since it’s in the 40’s outside, I thought I would make some sourdough bread topped with miyoko butter, xanthohumol, parsley, almond butter and heaping forkfuls of sauerkraut. Add a steaming cup of mushroom coffee and the nights magic begins…

conflict – are we in? Part II

By carl jasper

On January 9, 2020

In all posts, loves, ramblings

Conflict Types	Examples
Person vs Person	Luke Skywalker fighting Darth Vader and Imperial forces
Person vs Self	“A Separate Peace” Gene struggles inside with guilt over Phineas’ accident
Person vs Machine	Just getting the printer to work with your computer
Person vs Supernatural	ghosts, monsters, unexplained forces etc

The above shows a few examples of different types of conflict. Indeed, it can be sometimes overwhelming navigating through the emotions and memories that conflict can bring up. Becoming catatonic, seemingly unproductive during the event, leaves you more mentally aware once exiting that state. Huh? Yes. You’re body and mind shut down to a point where your subconscious takes steps to understand what has transpired. I am not speaking for everyone, only myself.

Some person vs self issues with me can be so intense, I literally shutdown. Exactly what are these issues? Well, that’s just it in a nutshell. I don’t always know. I guess a lot. Occasionally, I get it right. Like, I’m at a crossroads about whether to sell or rent out my house here and move to Arizona. That’s a biggie. On the other hand, I wonder what color to paint my kitchen during the remodeling I’m starting. Not a biggie. But both can render me motionless.

Relationship issues do the same to me. They are also powerful examples of various types of conflict. Person vs Person. Person vs Self. And sometimes even Person vs Supernatural. AND SOON, Person vs Machine as the life like robotic sex doll industry gathers steam. Me? I’m mostly the Person vs Self in a relationship. I am learning to forgive myself and understand the internal struggles I have acquired throughout the years. And to be sure, there are times when I curl up into a ball wondering if everything I am going through in life, is worth the trouble. By that I mean worth even contemplating. Some conflicts have no immediate answers or solutions so spending the time on fruitless outcomes – just becomes a black hole.

One thing for sure, at least for me, is the time I spend in the fetal position does a world of good. Getting up afterwards, making a breakfast of sourdough toast with various toppings like avocado, sauerkraut and miyoko butter, lifts my spirits once again. I know that wherever my path takes me, I’ll be there – in mind, body and spirit. Loving each day. Why? Always the same answer this one has. (spoken like Yoda from Star Wars)

Because I have faith.

conflict – are we in?

By carl jasper

On January 9, 2020

In all posts, loves, ramblings

I was recently told I avoid conflict. My reply? Yes. Perhaps it’s just easier than hashing things out or maybe the conflict monster will get you by saying “conflict” 3 times while turning counterclockwise in front of a mirror. Not being superstitious rules out one of the thoughts above. But which one?

Is there any doubt that given a choice most would walk away or run in the other direction? Me myself and I argue all the time. Like now fer instance. But how can you really argue with yourself? You already know what the other persona is going to say and do.

Living a conflict free life is pretty tough almost anywhere in the world. In Krazyfornia, just about impossible. What kinds of conflict are there? Well, let’s play “name that conflict” for a moment here.

Person vs Person

Person vs Supernatual

Person vs Self

Person vs Machine

My favorite is person vs self. More on that in PART II of conlict…