I’m fascinated (and terrified) to see how society deals with Artificial Intelligence, robotics, more automation, etc. (Basic Income now!).
I hold out hope that someday, probably not in my lifetime, common sense will prevail, even if it’s forced upon us by AI.
This is what ChatGPT once said about my blog…Hmmm, quick disclaimer: I’m not a current, former, or future mental health worker.
Be careful what you read and believe.
Yadadarcyyada, also known as Donna Parker, is a blogger who writes about a variety of topics, including entertainment, life, and mental health. She has been blogging for several years and has developed a loyal following of readers who enjoy her humorous and insightful commentary on various subjects.
In her blog, Yadadarcyyada shares personal stories and observations on everything from pop culture to politics. She also offers advice and support for those struggling with mental health issues, drawing on her own experiences and knowledge as a former mental health worker.
Yadadarcyyada’s writing style is known for being witty, irreverent, and often self-deprecating. She has a talent for finding humor in even the most difficult situations, and her posts are often peppered with pop culture references and puns.
Overall, Yadadarcyyada’s blog is a reflection of her unique perspective on the world, and her willingness to share her thoughts and experiences with others.
Other than one glaring error, what do you think, dear readers?
I admit it, I have no shelf control. For me books are the same as: a potato chip, a piece of chocolate, a cup of tea – there’s no way I can have just one. I wake each day (If I’ve actually managed to sleep) and I think, the world is mine for the reading!
“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough tosuit me.” ~ C.S. Lewis
I have no particular genre or author, my motto is simply, having fun isn’t hard if you’ve got a library card (if you watched Arthur as a child or with a child, you’ll sing that line). I read to fill my brain, my heart, my soul..
“The library is inhabited by spirits that come out of the pages at night.” ~ Isabel Allende
Books get inside your head and heart; scents, sounds, feelings, all inside a bottle which, once read, you can uncork and consume whenever you want, or need.
Lately I’ve been drawn back to the “classics”, including but not limited to: Dickens, Lewis Carroll,L. Frank Baum, C.S. Lewis, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mary Shelley, various Brontes, Mark Twain, Frederick Douglass, George Orwell, Virgil, Edgar Allan Poe, Oscar Wilde, T.S. Eliot, Jane Austen, William Shakespeare, Dr. Seuss, Margaret Atwood…I wish I could sleep.
“It is what you read when you don’t have to that determines what you will be when you can’t help it.” ~ Oscar Wilde
Recently hosted Chronic Page Turners Book Chat, presented by Chronic Not Hopeless.
It was lively, respectful, interesting, informative, a wonderful way to connect. BYOB – Bring your own books…and refreshments (no judgment). We’d love to hear from/about indie authors too! https://yadadarcyyada.com/2021/05/21/how-i-met-your-author/.
“Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.” ~ Groucho Marx
Books have been my magic carpet, my best friends, my worst enemies, my Mona Lisa, my Tower of Pisa, my guiding star, my hopes, my dreams, fears, my amazing and expanding universe! I’ve never felt alone with a book, it’s as though I have the world with me, as I’m infused by the words on the pages.
“Books are a uniquely portable magic.” ~Stephen King
Oh what a tangled web we weave. When trying to pay rent, coins doth spiders leave…
There are more things in heaven and Earth, dear Charlotte, than are dreamt of in your spider philosophy.
With respect to: William “Spiderman” Shakespeare, Sir Walter “Spidey” Scott, all the spiders of Earth as well as David Bowie/Ziggy Stardust (we miss you) and The Spiders from Mars…
Nobody can tell you There’s only one Christmas song worth singing They may try to sell you cause it hangs them up to see someone like you living your own kind of holiday life
But you gotta make your own kind of season Live your own special song Make your own kind of Christmas music even if nobody else sings along!
You might be nowhere this season The loneliest kind of lonely It may be rough going Just to do your thing is the hardest thing to do
So you gotta make your own kind of Christmas music Sing your own special song Make your own kinda season even if nobody else follows along…
Thanks to the holidays, Cass Eliot and all of my readers for the inspiration to be here!!!
The holiday season can be the most wonderful time of the year, but for those without close family or friends (or if they’re far away), for those living in poverty, for people with chronic conditions, and other reasons Christmas can be: discouraging, dismaying, disheartening, and in some cases, dismal. https://yadadarcyyada.com/2015/11/22/how-to-get-away-with-christmas/. Life for too many has become an exercise in survival, with little in the way of comfort and joy. This season and every season I’m focusing on the simple things, the little things, I triple dog dare you to do the same.
So far my “simple” Christmas activities have been: Attending a relaxing and informative Zoom workshop about holiday card-making presented by: Paint It Out (http://paintitout.ca/) featuring artist, Salima Andany (salima@paintitout.ca) and Chronic Not Hopeless (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1875955569247115) – we gladly accept donations chronicnothopeless@gmail.com. When I began painting, thanks to an inspiring class taught by Salima, I only liked acrylics, they just seemed to speak to me, but during this program I heard the voice of watercolours and my art heart grew three sizes that day! For those wishing to spend some time with others with chronic conditions, our Chronic Not Hopeless workshops are accessible, positive, and everyone seems to have fun, what else could you ask for? Oh yeah, they’re free! For those who are interested there will be two more workshops this season, Wednesday December 6th, 2023 at 11am ET: Wreath Making and Wednesday December 13th at 11am ET: Ornament Making. Contact:chronicnothopeless@gmail.comfor free and safe Zoom links, more info, supply list, etc. Hope to see you there and BYOB – Bring Your Own Beverages (no judgment) and most of all, your imagination!
To say the King Edward Choir Christmas concert, “Winter Lights” https://www.kingedwardchoir.ca/ at the Collier Street United Church in Barrie, Ontario (that’s in Canada eh) was a delight would be the maximization of minimizing. It was soaring, never boring! There was singing, our hearts were ringing! Who out there Believes Hot Chocolate Season is the literally most wonderful time of the year? The King Edward Choir must believe because when we boarded the “Polar Express” we heard: “Hot! Hot! Oh, we got it! Hot! Hot! Yo, we got it! Hot chocolate! Here, we’ve only got one rule: Never ever let it cool!”. People who understand my passion for chocolate, including but definitely not limited to hot chocolate understand why this song is near and dear to my heart and stomach…all the year through.
KEC invited us to sing along to wonderful Christmas carols then we listened to many lovely tunes by: Irving Berlin– We may have our love to keep us warm but heading into my first Barriewinter, I’ll also need warm clothes and hot chocolate after digging out of the “Snow, snow, snow, snow!” with my electric shovel as we head toward a hopefully white but not too White Christmas.
There was so more: Tchaikovsky; John Rutter;and they added a very contemporary tune, “I Want To Stare at my Phone Screen With You”, awww, how sweet, I really hope they can keep their 5G holiday romance charged all year long.
In 90 minutes (with intermission) we had ourselves an early Merry Little Christmas(https://yadadarcyyada.com/2021/11/27/have-yourself-a-merry-little-christmas/), with triumph voices rising. My toes were still tapping long after my hands had stopped clapping. Kudos to Leanne Edwards, Artistic Director/Conductor and Katie Pergau, Accompanistand of course the richly melodic women and men of the choir, including my amazing sister-in-law who added her honeyed tones, smiling face, and I saw some dancing/swaying too. If you get a chance to see the King Edward Choir, or other choirs where you live, please do, there’s really something about voices together, raised in song that brings peace and comfort in any season.
You can also join a choir because as we know, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” (Elf).
As luck would have it I entered their raffle (proceeds to the Barrie Food Bank) and I was one of the lucky winners of a very generous (and heavy) basket of goodies: wine; cheese; cookies; coffee; tea; a lovely and warm scarf; a wooden puzzle that’s driving me mad but I’ll get it, I will; many chocolates – I’ll have you know I still have some left, ok, I don’t have any left, but they were divine; etc.
I understand they raised over $1000 for the Food Bank! I certainly left believing in the Spirit of the Season. I’m looking forward to “The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace“ by Welsh composer, Karl Jenkins, which the King Edward Choir will be performing May 4th, 2024 (mark the date and/or look around you, there are activities, in person or online which you can do together or by yourself – I attend all kinds of concerts, plays, travel the world, etc. all from the comfort of my bed!).
Chronic Not Hopeless hosted a virtual Christmas book club, Chronic Page Turners – can you guess what the book selection was for December? “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. Still a classic. Who’s your favourite character from the book? What’s your favourite film/TV adaptation of this timeless tale of trauma and redemption? https://yadadarcyyada.com/2015/12/11/the-christmas-carol-awakens/
I had to watch “White Christmas”, of course. I don’t wanna wash my hands, my face, or hair in snow and I definitely don’t wanna shovel it, hmm, but snow angels and snowmen are fun. With this much snow you gotta learn to make some snow lemonade from those snow lemons…
“Miracle on 34th Street”(black and white version, so no blue teeth); “Elf”;
I always watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas”with my son on Christmas Day (traditions of any kind can be fun and comforting)…
Bake some cookies, then eat said cookies, alright, alright, eat and share said cookies or swap those cookies (hey you at the cookie swap, don’t be that person)! Play some games: board, card, word, video, computer, whatever, just have fun! Make some candles or apple cider (not in the same pot)! Enjoy the crisp air with a moonlit walk (be safe, be aware of your surroundings, there are some naughty elves out there)!
Snap on those snowshoes (check your local library, you’d be shocked at what their Library of Things has, including snowshoes)! Swish, swish, go cross country skiing! Make some of your decorations and cards – homemade comes from the heart (also dollar, thrift, and craft stores and probably with some cursing involved)! Volunteer, give what you can, including your time! Watch holiday movies/TV shows, including but not limited to: “Die Hard”; “Happy Days”; “Gremlins”; “Gilmore Girls”; “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”; “Bridget Jones’s Diary”; “Downton Abbey”; “Scrooged”; “Seinfeld”; “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas”; “The Golden Girls”; “A Christmas Story”; “Community”; “Lethal Weapon”; “Call The Midwife”; “Batman Returns”; “Murdoch Mysteries”; “It’s a Wonderful Life”;
“ELF”; “M*A*S*H”; “The Holiday”; “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”; “The Santa Clause”; “Meet Me in St. Louis”; “South Park”; “Cast Away”; “Will and Grace”; “The Shop Around The Corner”; “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”; “The West Wing”; “Rocky IV”; “Black Mirror”; “The Twilight Zone”; “Going My Way”; “March of the Wooden Soldiers”; “Ted Lasso”; “Home Alone” (When are we going to admit Kevin just had bad parents? And thank goodness they were incompetent robbers.);
“Trading Places”; “The Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas Special”;if you can find it, the 1978“Star Wars Holiday Special“; “White Christmas”; “Friends”; any version of “The Nutcracker”(but the Elle Fanning version, well, it’s ‘unique’); “Glee”; “Holiday Inn”; “The Office”; “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”; “Eight Crazy Nights”; “While You Were Sleeping”; “30 Rock”; “Meet John Doe”; “Mad Men”; “Bell, Book and Candle”;
“We’re No Angels”; “Remember the Night”; “Holiday Affair”; “Lost”; “Krampus”; “Black Christmas”; “Pocketful of Miracles”; “The Lion in Winter”; “Anna and the Apocalypse“(nothing says Christmas like a musical romantic comedy with zombies); “I’ll Be Seeing You”; “The X-Files”; “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”; “The Bells of St. Mary’s”; “New Girl”; “Edward Scissorhands”;
Doctor Who Christmas specials; “Reindeer Games”; “Family Guy”; “Mean Girls”; “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians”; “Babes in Toyland”; “My So-Called Life”; “Little Women”; “The Simpsons”; “The Man Who Came to Dinner”;“How i Met Your Mother”;“A Christmas Carol”, so so so many Grinches, Santas, Rudolphs, Peanuts gang, and Scrooges; “Love Actually”; “The Ref”; “Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever”;
“The Family Man”; “Bad Santa”; “Christmas in Connecticut”; “Holiday in Handcuffs”(this happened and we let it happen); “Bundle of Joy”; “The Bishop’s Wife”;“Parks and Recreation”; “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”; “Prancer”;“Bright Eyes”; “Love Finds Andy Hardy “;of course,“Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life”and soooo many more!
Visit someone who may be lonely at this time of year, or anytime! Go caroling! Make a gingerbread house (use royal icing not just icing, I speak from experience, the horror, the horror!)! Go ice skating or watch ice skating! Go out and have a Happy Festivus!
Make your own Advent calendar! Have a potluck dinner with family and/or friends! Have a Christmas pajama day or party! Remember to save money on gifts, food, etc. Knit or at least wear a ‘spirit sweater’ aka ugly sweater or a Ho Ho Ho hat!
Cause it can’t really still be all about the gifts after decades of watching “How The Grinch Stole Christmas”, can it? Can it?
Don’t hurry, don’t scurry, don’t worry. Rest is best in a harried holiday season. What gets done gets done, everything else should be fun. So here, we’ve only got one rule: Never ever let it cool! Hot, hot, hot hot chocolate; find your inner marshmallow and melt into the season.
There’s a lot of division these days, mountains of snowy drama that seem to grow during holidays. Make your kindness like snow, let it float down and around, each little wonder covering hardships, drama, and woe. When you’re worried and you can’t sleep, count your blessings instead of being sheep, and you’ll fall asleep counting your drama-free blessings.
So my body is being distinctly uncooperative, oh you know, the usual Chronic Suckage, including but not limited to: Fibromyalgia and all its joys (heavy sarcasm), Migraines (several types, quite exciting, note more sarcasm), Titeze’s Syndrome, muscle spasms in my back, and of course, the falling and almost falling (I do my own stunts, I think I could do Tiktok videos of me trying not to fall, it sort of resembles dancing, er, maybe Elaine from “Seinfeld” dancing, but still). And yes, I’ve moved again, the joys of renting versus owning. Though this time, love moves us. We’ve moved to be closer to family. And now I’m working on finding my way around a new city…with varying degrees of success.
So in between and sometimes at the same time as packing, unpacking, repacking, calling hydro, gas (got a $797 bill, it was wrong, but with the direction Canada is taking, not completely out of the question; so a couple of small heart attacks and many communications later, more like $57. Best part? The customer service agent asked if I wanted to do auto pay…ummm, no with a definite emphasis on never no), also various other thingies as well as filling out forms online, I’ve been doing a lot of reading and watching TV.
A few highlights (some books, some shows, some movies – or a combination thereof): “Where The Crawdads Sing”: “The Cook of Castamar” (obsessed by this); “Marcella”; “Bonfire of Destiny”; “Foyle’s War”;“The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart” (hmmm, I’ll rename it The Lost Hours of Donna Parker”, where does the time go?)”…
“La Revolution” (what if the French Revolution, but with zombies, hey, history has been rewritten so many times, who knows what really happened? After all, Daryl Dixon is now in Paris, hmmm); “Wednesday”; “Women at War”; “The Barrier”; “1899” (my brain is still trying to recover from that one); “Vikings: Valhalla” (I think all Vikings series should simply be titled, “Pretty People Pillaging”); “Des” (can’t get enough of David Tennant; can’t wait for his return in “Doctor Who”);
“Top Gun: Maverick”; “What We Do In the Shadows”; “Ten Percent”; “The Handmaid’s Tale”; “The Whale” (get your tissues ready, Brendan Fraser is amazing and for me, the message, damaged people damage others whether they mean to or not resonates); “Castlevania”; “Good Omens 2” (hey, adding Jon Hamm and Peter Davison, you can never go wrong); “Rick and Morty” and a bunch more (I do wish I could sleep more, I’d give up all I watch for more sleep). I’ve been watching so much international TV I think I’m learning some other languages…
I tried out the new Netflix “Lite” plan (in Canada slightly cheaper still paying a lot of tons of ads/restrictions). Pros: The price difference obvs. Cons: Ads. Enough to be annoyed that I’d still be shelling out $$$ to see ads; when I watch ads on TUBI, XUMOPlay, Filmrise, PLUTO, GEM,YOUTUBE, etc. well, they’re free so ads who cares, free. I like free. https://yadadarcyyada.com/2022/01/21/cant-buy-me-love/
I wait for sales on Netflix gift cards (and other gift cards), buy them and use them to pay, so I usually get anywhere from 10%-25% off. Another con? Lower resolution: 720p, not 1080p, but most “modern” TVs upscale and I grew up in Northern Ontario, with TVs with rabbit ears; needless to say sometimes there was more snow on our TV than on the ground!
Here’s the kicker: locked content. You’ll notice a little lock on the thumbnails for certain shows, licensing issues or some such nonsense. Some stuff locked, “Vikings”; “Murdoch Mysteries”, “The Walking Dead”; etc.
Most can be found on other streaming services for free, at your local library, and/or on a free trial, etc. but I found a deal breaker, “Waterworld” is locked, I’m sorry, there are some obstacles you can’t overcome.
So I jumped up a tier. Everything is tiered now, here a tier, there a tier, everywhere a tier, tier, streaming services need to calm down, e i e i o blah blah blah. Jeez, even Netflix is a class struggle. One price for all! Cut the crap about people sharing passwords, yes, it’s probably wrong, but your prices are way too high. Want people to subscribe without sharing, it’s not rocket science, make your prices reasonable.
I got Crave/HBO free for a month with a deal from Pizza Pizza (I crave pizza and then my chronic suckage tortures me, but then its siren song calls again, so evil). I’ve cancelled now, so I saw about 6 episodes of “The Last of Us” which I really enjoyed, so far. Pedro Pascal once again proves he can play anyone, anywhere, anyhow and supposedly he’s a fun guy (fungi?). Can’t wait until the MCU is smart enough to scoop him up. Also great in “The Mandalorian“ where he’s also escorting a “child” to safety. Hmmm. Bella Ramsey (“Game of Thrones“, hmm, who else was in GoT, oh yeah, Pascal). Maybe I’ll catch up with more later if there’s another deal or if the apocalypse is delayed…I never trusted mushrooms.
Enjoyed some of Bryan Cranston in everything and in this case, “Your Honor” (make good choices!!!). “Yellowjackets” was delicious (nudge nudge know what I mean?) but looks like I’ll miss the second serving, er season, for now.
I had Sundance Now for a free one month trial and really got my money’s worth (ba dum tss, I’ll be here all week, wow, tough crowd, are you an audience or an oil painting?). Highlight was “River” (Stellan Skarsgård, Nicola Walker,Adeel Akhtar,Lesley Manville and more make this so watchable). Ear worm alert: “I Love To Love (But My Baby Just Love to Dance)” by Tina Charles in my head, begone ear worm, forget it, I guess I’ll just have to dance, I’ll have to dance, I’ll have to dance…
Cancelled Disney+ (it came free for a year with my internet deal). Yet another streaming service whose prices keep on creeping, creeping, creeping. Again, if they want people to subscribe and subscribe without sharing, easy peasy lemon squeezy, lower your prices; it’s not that magical…
My brain and I aren’t getting along. Brain is all like, here’s some brain fog, ha ha, fight your way through that with the added stress of moving, etc. So I hung out with: Margaret Atwood.Agatha Christie, Gena Showalter,Holly Ringland, Colleen Wachob, Julia Quinn, Nicola Cornick, Anne O’Brien, Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, and a few others…kinda helped.
Many days I’m just too tired to focus, or even hold my head up, so e-audiobooks and TV are ever so helpful. So the 90-day AppleTV+ subscription I got from PC Optimum is fun. Watched “Invasion”, honestly, with the state of Canada/the world I’m not sure these alien shows and movies are as scary as they used to be. Could aliens be worse than the leaders (and use the term loosely) than we have? We should give them a chance. Change we need. I’ve always wanted to believe.
Heck, the zombie apocalypse is starting to look good right about now, at least there would be a better supply of housing and it would be affordable, well, you know, once you clean the place up, board it up, and defend it. I was thinking treadmills all around the place, then the zombies could supply me with power. They are The Walking Dead…
“Silo” was ok if a bit predictable, spoilers, it takes place in a silo (shocker). “Foundation” is a little disappointing, too loosely based on the “Foundation” series of stories by Isaac Asimov; why do people think they can improve on Asimov? It’s like rewriting Roald Dahl to make it more politically correct, knock it off, grrrr.
I had to use up a movie theater gift card I was given before the pandemic (this theater chain isn’t in the city we’ve moved to) so I saw “Cocaine Bear” which was just as fantastic as the title implies. Can’t wait for some sequels, maybe “Cocaine Snakes on a Plane”, “Purple Cocaine Rain”, “Meth Giraffe”, “Cocaine Care Bears”, “Weed Woofer”, “Ecstasy Elephant”…I think the options are endless.
Then here at Galaxy Cinemas we saw “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (a-maz-zing!!!!) and “Across The Spiderverse” (soooooo good!). I couldn’t be bothered to see “Barbie” in theaters, I don’t own any pink clothes.
We’re renting in a new build so there’s construction which surprisingly is not as loud as the people who feel they should share their playlist from their cars, hint hint, I can do my own playlist, you can keep yours. And if you need to have a convo with someone at 2am, go inside the house. Oh and exciting but in a bad way, our “neighbour” got arrested about 90 days after we moved in, er, um, don’t wanna know.
But I love being closer to family. I’ve been to the beaches many times, haven’t spotted Kempenfelt Kelly yet, but I know he’s out there, I think we’ll be friends, for sure; a baseball game with my brother (go Baycats!); found some thrift stores; made myself known at the local library; fell in hearty like with our local weatherman, K.C. Colby, who makes me smile https://twitter.com/KCColbyCTV;
grown my hair into a proper bob; made perogies with the fam; tried to knit again, what can I say, knit happens; bought Taylor Swift tickets (just wanted to see if you were paying attention); ate no chocolate *bahaha, clearly untrue;
Amazon jumped the price on Amazon Prime again, so I cancelled. I keep trying to get away but they keep pulling me back in, with my arch nemesis, a deal.
Sigh. Being broke and obscure kinda sucks. Maybe I’ll win a lottery, or a long-long-long-long lost relative will leave me a juicy inheritance…or something even more unbelievable, the Liberal government will actually, after 1100+ days (with another 2 years to go), pass the Canada Disability Benefit. To paraphrase Queen, All we hear is government ga ga, government goo goo, disabled Canadians are just background noise to you Justin Trudeau. Hmmm, the lottery seems like better odds.
Sorry I’ve been away so long, I know I keep saying that and I do sincerely mean it each time. But I’m settled now, who knows for how long, the life of a renter is so unstable, especially these days thanks to decades and decades of poor housing policies and many other poor choices, you know, give me the country (the world?) for a few years, I’ll straighten it out.
I’m an Autumn person and being further up North so many of the leaves have already gifted us with their colourful joy…sigh, delightful. Time for hot chocolate, sweaters, “Hocus Pocus”, “Halloweentown”, Thanksgiving (Happy Thansgiving to all in Canada), apple cider, the new “Haunted Mansion” and more. I was born for the Fall, except for pumpkin spice, that I don’t get, but respect for those who do. https://yadadarcyyada.com/2015/10/09/you-may-say-im-a-dreamer/
I’m ready, Great Pumpkin, I’ve found the most sincere pumpkin patch.
The last few months have been chaotic and I think it’s made me into a Cotton-Headed Ninny Muggins! I’ve been inattentive to my blogging family, that’s on me, not you; I’m sorry I ruined your blogging lives and crammed 11 cookies 🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪 into your blogging VCR.
Life has been having a tantrum: throwing snowballs, gum drops, lemons and even some chocolate covered curve balls at me – I’m working hard to catch them all without injuries.
Watched a lot of TV shows and Movies (more on that in next post), read and re-read some books, organized, played cards with friends (learned Quiddler which sounds vaguely dirty but is actually just a fun word game). I traveled through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest (London is called “The Forest City”, but I think a more apt title would be: “The Concrete, Cannabis, Callous and Construction City”, past the sea of twirly-swirly gum drops (eww, I don’t think those are gum drops), and then I walked through the London streets (and alive to tell the tale, more or less)…
A delightful friend treated me, as a birthday (yeah. had another one of those) treat to Elf: The Musical here at The Grand Theatre in London, Ontario. It was a delight. The cast wasn’t just talented, they were effervescent. They sparkled. They shone. They danced and sang their way into our hearts. From young to old (er), they were brave and bold (er), giving us the gifts of their song, laughter, movement, and magic. It’s just nice to know another human who shares my affinity for elf culture.
My health has been most disagreeable. My body isn’t a winter wonderland. And on top of that I’ve made a life decision or maybe life made it for me, I’m moving away from the city where I’ve lived for over 35 years, to be closer to family.
Feeling like I’m in a perpetual state of sticker shock every time I go into a grocery store or any other store, including online. Inflation is fun. So like many, I’ve had to make some lifestyle adjustments though we vague meanderings of the broke and obscure bloggers try to stick to the four main food groups: chocolate bars/candy bars 🍫, chocolate chips (and even in pancakes https://yadadarcyyada.com/2015/02/17/well-always-have-pancakes/ 🥞🥞🥞), chocolate cake, chocolate brownies, chocolate fudge, chocolate donuts/doughnuts 🍩, chocolate ice cream, hot chocolate (tip: if you have extra or leftover chocolate, wait, is that even a thing, use it to make yummy hot chocolate or add it to hot tea or coffee, it’s addictive).
And chocolate lovers, don’t be chocolate killers, don’t throw out your chocolate because it looks grey or white – that’s just bloom! Yes, fat and sugar bloom make chocolate look weird, but it still tastes great and has the same shelf life. Fat bloom is when there are changes in the fat crystals in the chocolate. Sugar bloom is when crystals form by adding some form moisture on the sugar (you’ve probably seen this when you try to store chocolate in your fridge or freezer, but a moist cupboard can do the trick too). 🍫 Also, there’s a trick to fixing it. If you melt down your bloomed chocolate, stir it, pour into a mold and let it cool, boom no more bloom! Honestly chocolate goes so fast for me it never has time to bloom! 🍫🍫🍫
I’m glad I’m finally back here with you. I’ve planned out our blogging days. First we make blog snow angels for two hours (I’d really last about a minute and someone would have to help me up), then we’ll go blog ice skating (which will consist of me falling down a lot), then we’ll eat a whole roll of blog cookie dough (doh!) as fast as we can (sounds like an average day), and then to finish, we’ll blog snuggle. Hmm, we’re gonna need a bigger blog…
I made mistakes, including but not limited to going into stores (especially in December, it was just like Santa’s Workshop except it smelled like mushrooms and everyone looked like they wanted to hurt me, or spray me with smelly stuff or offer me samples of, um, food, sure let’s call it that)…the only thing scarier than stores is getting to them. People keep saying self-driving cars worry them, I say, bring them on, they really can’t be worse than many drivers out there. Talk to me, Goose.
I’ve tried to keep my spirits up, so I keep singing! I was in a store and I was singing! If they don’t want you to sing in stores why do they play music? Fair question.
The best way to spread cheer all year round is singing loud for all to hear. Again, if they don’t want you singing loud for all to hear, why do they play music in public places like: stores, malls, restaurants, etc.? Seriously.
Until next time, I hope you can find some peace in this turbulent, topsy-turvy world.
I am indeed feeling all shook up these days… Mm mm mm, mm, yay, yay, yay Mm mm mm, mm, yay, yay, yay
I’m all shook up!
I went to the latest Elvis movie with my Mom, both my parents were huge Elvis fans and we were introduced to The King at a very young age. Baz Luhrmann isn’t always my cup of tea, but with this movie he outdid himself or maybe Austin Butler’s performance just overwhelms any “issues”.
I felt Tom Hanks (whom I generally adore) gave a choppy performance. Maybe the subject of his attempt was just too repulsive to convey. The film was lovely, but chilling with it’s overwhelming theme of exploitation.
I loved Austin Butler in The Shannara Chronicles so I knew he’d be brilliant, but this was absolutely stunning, Warning: Bring tissues. A grand movie about a talent beyond measure and exploitation beyond reason. I hope fame doesn’t chew and spit out Austin Butler the way it did Elvis.
My memories of Elvis begin with Saturday morning chores. My parents were young and hip, and my Dad would do a “playlist” of 45s which he’d stack on our old giant stereo cabinet. The music designed to keep us all moving so we’d get our chores done quickly to get on with the weekend. This playlist always included some solid Elvis classics.
I remember where I was when I heard Elvis passed. We were in Kingston visiting family, my brother and I were watching TV when the Breaking News of Elvis dying was announced. I went into the other room where my parents, aunts, grandparents were and said Elvis was dead. My Mom told me that wasn’t a funny joke. I said I wasn’t joking. My brother then confirmed it. We all went into the living room and there was a lot of crying.
I don’t know how many times I’ve watched Elvis movies, ironically and unironically.
My Mom thought my Dad looked like Elvis…my Dad was ok with that.
I know the lyrics to many but not all 710 songs Elvis recorded.
I like many but definitely not all covers of Elvis songs (though many of his songs were also covers…whoa, sounds like a cover-up to me).
Elvis died at 42. That sucks.
But we can learn, can’t we? I hope we can. Stop falling for the snowmen, the con men, the ones who want to take our rights, scam us, snow us, trick us, diddle us, swindle, boondoggle, flimflam, all the grifters, including the ones in fancy suits with fancy cars in fancy offices and fancy bars. Stop arguing with each other on the internet. It’s not us versus them. It’s us being pummeled and saying yes sir, may I have another.
I was crying during the Elvis movie, partly because what was done to Elvis was awful but also, because it’s being done to me, to many of us every single day. We’re being chewed up and spit out, and all we do is blame other citizens, many of who are also suffering. We need affordable, secure, hopeful housing; we need affordable, secure food; we need affordable, accessible, consistent healthcare; we need transparency; we need politicians to keep their promises; we need a basic income, and above all, to be treated with basic human dignity, all this, for all. Times change. If something isn’t working, we need to change it. If we don’t change with them, adapt, well, survival of the fittest actually means survival of the most adaptable.
And I’m all shook up and I’m screaming at the top of my lungs (in my head) Pretending the echoes of today, tomorrow, and yesterday belong to someone (they belong to all of us).
It doesn’t hurt me. Do you want to feel how it feels? Do you want to know that it doesn’t hurt me? Do you want to hear about the deal that I’m making?
C’mon, baby, c’mon darling, Let us steal these blog moments from us now. C’mon, angel, c’mon, c’mon, darling, Let’s exchange this blog experience, oh
And if I only could, I’d make a deal with the blog Gods, And I’d get them to swap our places, Be running up that blog road, Be running up that blog hill, With no blog problems.
If I only could, Be running up that blog hill If I only could, Be running up that blog hill If I only could, Be running up that blog hill
I hope Kate Bush meant running, like, symbolically, cause I could maybe manage a brisk walk for a few minutes, and not on an incline…unless there was cake involved.
As for running up this blog hill, well, I could break into “The Climb” (Miley Cyrus) cause it’s always gonna be an uphill battle…so I keep remembering, stranger things have happened, but it’s about the climb not getting to the top.
So why do we keep running up this blog hill? Fame? Fortune? Fantasy? Fun? Frustration? Food? Faith? Fear? FOMO? Whatever our reasons, we blog on.
My poor little blog has stalled, no, I can’t blame the blog, it’s me, I’m stalled, again, still, eternally.
My brain races, running up that road, running up that hill, running around and around and around.
I’ve come up with a million ideas, written poems, books, posts, thought about starting a YouTube channel, well, just a a million things…then my body laughs at me, no, not a laugh so much as an evil cackle, mocking me for even trying to try.
I wanted to take this time to thank you, my dear readers for staying with me through all the ups and downs, the roller coaster of the past almost 9 years, yes, soon to be 9 years!!!
I’m glad to be part of this blogging family, so Ohana, dear blogging family, no one gets left behind. Even when we’re far apart, haven’t visited for awhile, are struggling, or get caught up in in the world and it’s wild rumpus. Join me in celebrating blogging, yours and mine, please, leave a link in the comments below to: your blog(s), vlog(s), podcasts, YouTube channel(s), books, etc.
Cheers, Santé, Gānbēi, Prost, Salute, Budmo, L’chaim, Ciyarsa, Na zdrowie, Skål, Kenadz, Biba, Cin-cin, Kāma, Salud, Stinygiasou, Manuia, Kia ora, Cirs, Lechyd da, Ci’arasa, Mabuhay, Kanpai, Gesondheid, Kippis, Cheerio, HipaHipa, Gon bui…Kepp running up with blog hill with me. Ohana. Here’s to you, to your health, to your happiness, to your future. Live long and prosper.
Guess what? I won! I entered a contest, on a whim, to win tickets to the Seniors (High School) London Performing Arts Academy (London, Ontario, Canada Not-for-Profit School of The Arts) interpretation of The Addams Family musical.
Funny jokes, snap snap, cotton candy, snap snap, audience laughter, snap snap, and musical notes surrounded us, offering the most elusive thing as society struggles…joy. For a couple of hours I was in the Addams mansion, laughing, tapping my feet, and snapping my fingers.
Some highlights: George Crosby as the dashing Gomez Addams brought smiles, laughter, and applause (cara mia).
Uncle Fester, played to distraction by Juan Ambrosio-Ungson stole every scene he was in.
Maddie Carrick brought her vision of the enigmatic Morticia Addams to life death with soaring vocals, dance, tight black dress, and humour.
Lauren Atkinson was a love-struck version of Wednesday Addams, whose impressive vocals pulled us in many directions.
Dylan Lale was comedically candid as Grandma Addams.
Leland Chafee was a treat as the tortured teen, Pugsley.
Mackenna Van Massenhoven was a sheer delight as the ever-changing Alice Beineke, wow, what a voice.
Also, kudos to Will Deman as Lucas Beineke, Xavier Kitching as Mal Beineke, Max Loblaw as Lurch and The Addams Ancestors were entertaining and diverting, in the best way possible.
I don’t know what I was expecting, but this ain’t your Mom’s high school musical; I was impressed by the talent, enthusiasm, and effort all the players brought to the stage. The singing was superb, the choreography swell, and the sets subtle (but effective).
London Performing Arts Academy The Addams Family
Only time and love can brew such a darkly delicious stew. They were, as promised, creepy and kooky, mysterious and ooky…Thank you all for the magical night.
Yup, they’re out there, the indies (independents, not the big bucks), waiting.Indie authors (https://yadadarcyyada.com/2021/05/21/how-i-met-your-author/), artists and performing artistsgalore. Your community and other communities have so much to offer, locally. Art classes and exhibitions, bird watching, cooking/food, nature walks, theater, concerts, plays, gardening, trivia nights, history, craft shows, haunted walks, plants, pottery, paintings, poetry, films, fashion, festivals, fantasy…fun. I visited Museum London for an art show/tour (free).
Meryl McMaster (Canadian, b. 1988), Edge of a Moment, 2017, archival inkjet photograph on paper, Collection of Museum London; Purchase, John H. and Elizabeth Moore Acquisition Fund, 2017
Know what else is indie and free?The support group I founded to help those with chronic conditions, Chronic Not Hopeless (chronicnothopeless@gmail.com), yup, free Zoom activities for anyone, anywhere. Sadly, lots of stuff isn’t free, like chocolate, candy, ice cream, and tea, but with inflation, shopping the sales makes you patient.https://yadadarcyyada.com/2022/01/21/cant-buy-me-love/
So it’s good to step outside your comfort zone, literally and figuratively.For those with chronic conditions, anytime leaving home is can be a big adventure. You have to have a plan within a plan within a plan, so basically, planception. You need your gargoyles in a row, or at least know where your gargoyles are, in the relative scheme of things. So I had a plan and everything went as planned…no, better than planned.
Sometimes, creepy and kooky is a good thing. Does anyone remember The Addams Family motto?“Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc” or “We Gladly Feast on Those Who Would Subdue Us”.Maybe we should update it to,“Veritas numquam perit” or “Truth never perishes”…but the truth can be bought, sold, stolen, hidden, maimed, incapacitated, disfigured, kidnapped, horribly mangled, lost. We need to protect it before it does perish.
“Reality leaves a lot to the imagination.” ~ John Lennon
“I’ll have what she’s having.” We’ve all heard this famous and famously funny line from When Harry Met Sally. Obviously the woman in Katz’s Delicatessen says the quip, one allegedly improvised by Estelle Reiner (Carl Reiner’s wife and director, Rob Reiner’s Mom), if is was actually an improv, then, wow, that family has more than their share of the funny. She says, “I’ll have what she’s having”, not because she hoping for a delicious pastrami on rye or turkey sandwich, which would be pleasurable, to be sure. No, she wants whatever made Ryan’s character, Sally give a very public, very convincing, and very expressive portrayal of La petite mort, real or not. Yup, that sums up the world, real or not, we want what we want when we want it.
“Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else.” ~ George Orwell
What is real anyway? Really, even if it’s real, how do we know? Do we even care what’s really real?
“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” ~ Albert Einstein
Sally fakes it and Harry can’t tell (well, not right away), but can any of us tell what’s real and what’s not anymore? We’re surrounded by fakeness. Deep fake images shared via social media are more and more common. Too many believe anything as long as someone says the word, “freedom” in front of it which is ironic because they’re slaves to a word. Fake smiles, fake body parts, fake resumes, fake diseases, fake credentials, fake “facts”, fake fun, shallow to deep fakes abound. How can we trust? Who can we trust?
“Life is infinitely stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent.” ~Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Scams. Scams abound. Scams exist because people fall for them. Why do people fall for scams? Because we believe things are real. Whether we understand, or know the whole truth, for whatever reasons, we believe.
“The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.” ~Robertson Davies
We jump from cause to cause, never pausing to look below. We think it’s impossible that someone would lie about having cancer, or raise money for those suffering in places like the Ukraine, Yemen, Syria, etc. and keep all or most of it for themselves, or using children to further their agenda…But they do all that and more.
“There is no point in using the word ‘impossible’ to describe something that has clearly happened.” ~Douglas Adams
It makes us feel good to think we “helped”, so we don’t look too deeply at the darkness of this world. To see what’s real or not real.After all, first and foremost, we’re social animals, we want, no, need to connect. We want to be a part of things. We want to believe.
“Humankind cannot bear very much reality.” ~T. S. Eliot
Speaking of T.S. Eliot (were we?), I made the mistake of watching 2019’s adaptation of, Cats. I like Cats, the purring felines and the play. I’ve seen it live and owned the VHS tape (remember when those were a thing?). But adaptation was appalling. Dame Judi Dench is a woman of many talents, singing is not one of them. Jennifer Hudson (usually soooo amazing) sounded like she needed an inhaler to get through, “Memory”. I give Taylor Swift kudos, she gave 110%. And I feel like Idris Elba knew what was happening and decided to have fun with it (Me-OOOOW!). I don’t know what was in T.S. Eliot’s mind when he wrote, Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (1939), but I doubt anyone could have imagined this classic becoming a litter box filled with badly done songs, weird costumes, and bizarre casting choices. Cats is a tad confusing to begin with, cause, let’s see, a Jellicle Cat is magical, musical cat. Ok, got it. They all want to go to the Jellicle Ball, ok, makes sense. So they can be chosen to go to Heaviside Layer. Wait, their lives are so awful that they want to be chosen to die? This movie was very bad indeed, but I don’t want to be chosen myself.
“You don’t get explanations in real life. You just get moments that are absolutely, utterly, inexplicably odd.” ~ Neil Gaiman
I sincerely enjoyed the delightful onion of the AppleTV+ movie, CODA; so many layers. Makes you uncomfortable and joyful and wondering and well, so much more. Oh and Ifinally watched Foundation, please tell me there’s more seasons on the way. I love anything by Isaac Asimov and I got 13 weeks of AppleTV+ for free, so, guess I’m playing catch-up, including the mind-hurting, The Morning Show with Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Billy Crudup, Steve Carrell, Mark Duplass, etc.
“To really be a nerd, she’d decided, you had to prefer fictional worlds to the real one.” ~ Rainbow Rowell
Always wanted to know about Emily Dickinson’s life?I doubt this 3 season series of Dickinson will help, but it will give you some laughs and some amazing poetry too (“I’m Nobody! Who are you? Are you – Nobody – too?“). I looooove anachronistic stuff (speaking of, new season of Bridgerton, Netflix, today, March 25th) and this is filled with laughter, undertones, and deeper meanings. “Because I could not stop for Death –He kindly stopped for me – The Carriage held but just Ourselves – And Immortality.” Oh yeah, Ms. Dickinson sure knew how to roll.https://yadadarcyyada.com/2015/07/11/tomorrow-tomorrow-i-love-ya-tomorrow/
“Reality can be beaten with enough imagination.” ~ Mark Twain
I don’t understand the fuss about Netflix’s The Power of the Dog. Usually I love Benedict Cumberbatch, but his accent in this movie is more Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber as he’s pretending to be an American hostage to fool John McClane in Die Hard. https://yadadarcyyada.com/2015/03/30/old-habits-die-harder/ I see where the movie was trying to go, but lackluster performances, muddled plot points, bad pacing, and odd directing/editing choices take it from best picture to disappointing picture, for me. Oh, I’ve no doubt it will sweep The Oscars, they’ve been pay-for-play for a long time and I’m sure all that extra money Netflix gets from increasing already-high subscription rates went a long way to helping this film along on the road to getting the golden guy.I say take the millions and millions spent on award shows like The Oscars, The Golden Globes, The Emmys, etc. and donate it to people in need. I bet some Ukrainians and many many others in the world could use some help right now. I say dump the red carpet and buy some blankets. Dump the designer gowns and tuxes and buy some clothes for those in need. Dump the fancy foods and buy some food for the starving. Buy vaccines for countries who want them. Buy medicine for those who are suffering. Awards are dumb. You either like a movie, or TV show, or book or you don’t. You don’t need someone to validate or nullify your likes or dislikes.
“Reality is one of the possibilities I cannot afford to ignore” ~ Leonard Cohen
If you love silly, silly, absurdly silly pirate shows based loosely on a bizarre tale of a British aristocrat who leaves his comfy life to become a Captain on a pirate ship, well, you might like, Our Flag Means Death. Stede Bonnet is masterfully portrayed by the delightful Rhys Darby (Flight of the Conchords, What We Do in the Shadows, Yes Man, A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Simpsons, The X-Files, etc.), Taika Waititi (What We Do in the Shadows, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Endgame, Jojo Rabbit, The Suicide Squad, etc.) as Blackbeard, as well as Rory Kinnear, Kristen Schaal and more…In between laughing, I kept thinking, more please, more.
“Reality is a lovely place, but I wouldn’t want to live there.” ~ Adam Young
I’ve been seriously rethinking my year of chronic change project. I keep asking myself, how can I change my life for the better when the whole world seems to be floating away from any reality I understood – unreal and surreal? I guess I just somehow have to deal. Instead of running through the streets screaming, I guess I’ll just sit in a deli saying, “I’ll have what she’s having”.And I hope what she’s having is kindness. A double serving of kindness…
“If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform a million realities.”~ Maya Angelou
“Hope” is the thing with feathers – That perches in the soul – And sings the tune without the words – And never stops – at all – And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard – And sore must be the storm – That could abash the little Bird That kept so many warm – I’ve heard it in the chillest land – And on the strangest Sea – Yet – never – in Extremity, It asked a crumb – of me. ~ Emily Dickinson
And I would do anything for love, I’d walk briskly right into hell and back I would do anything for bloglove, I’ll never lie to you and that’s a fact
And some days, it ain’t easy And some days, it ain’t hard Some days it ain’t happening at all
I’ll do anything for bloglove (but I won’t do that)…
Goodbye Meatloaf (gone like a bat out of hell)
I don’t know about you, but to me January 2022 felt more like Groundhog Day than a new start, but now it’s February so everything will be different, right? Right?
February started with the Lunar New Year aka Chinese New Year – it’s the year of the tiger, ok, I’m singing it as “Eye of the Tiger” and thinking of Monty Python, how about you?
What else is February (allegedly), for such a short month, it’s crammed full of expectations including but not limited to:
Black History Month (to remember, to learn, to grow, and to look to a better future)
Valentine’s Day (and National Impotence Day is the same day, hmmm, interesting)
LGBT+ History Month
National Library Lovers Month (having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card!)
World Cancer Day (to state the obvious, cancer sucks)
Random Acts of Kindness Day (again, you shouldn’t need a day for this, just be kind for pity’s sake)
Love Your Pet Day (shouldn’t that be everyday?)
Family Day (wow, how many times can I say this, should be every day)
Spunky Old Broads Day (bet a lot of Maxine cards are sold for this day)
National Pizza Day ( ummmm, pizza)
World Whale Day ,as opposed to Worldly Whale Day (trèsmagnifiquewhales, hmm, wonder if worldly whales would play Wordle?)
Tinnitus Awareness Day (oh, I’m “aware” of it every day!)
2022 is not a Leap Year, so February 2022 has only 28 days, oh no, but hopefully not 28 Days Later, fast zombies are scary, speaking of, guess who’s coming back and with fast zombies, “The Walking Dead”. February has more, but I don’t want to be a bore!
February will come and go in the blink of an eye, pushing into March. My year of chronic change marches on, topsy turvy with all the moving; organizing; growing “Chronic Not Hopeless” (chronicnothopeless@gmail.comhttps://yadadarcyyada.com/2021/01/30/chronic-not-hopeless/); getting addicted to “Among Us”; reading, reading, reading, so much reading; writing; snow, so much snow, eh…
Watching: “The Gilded Age”, “Midsomer Murders”, “1883”, “Snowpiercer”, “Stay Close”,“What We Do in the Shadows”, “Shetland”, “The Expanse”, “Vera”, “The Great”, “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure”, “The Eternals” (we’ve waited 7000 years for this movie, ha, Marvel/Disney, more like it felt like 7000 years watching this movie, wow); waiting for the return of “The Walking Dead”, waiting for the return of “The Orville”, waiting for common sense/#kindness to poke it’s head out and return us to a better reality.
Here’s what’s happened so far…
In August, it was a difficult decision, but I had to break up with myself
In January I shared ways I’ve learned to save money, of course, if there was affordable housing and even slightly less corporate greed scraping pennies wouldn’t be as necessary. People’s health would be better, physical as well as mental health.I also did a presentation about how to save money for “Chronic Not Hopeless”, a grassroots support group for people with chronic conditions, here for each other because when one of us shines, we all shine.
Contact/get links to Zoom events/volunteer/suggestions/questions/resources/donate:
Money, money changes everything. 💰A penny saved is a penny earned (except in Canada, we don’t have pennies). Money can’t buy happiness (but it sure would be fun to try). Money Talks. 🤑Not enough month at the end of my money. Money is the root of all evil. 💲Money’s Too Tight (To Mention). Can’t Buy Me Love. 💰A light purse is a heavy curse.
Here’s some ways to save…
1. Money Talks
Stay connected. Stay safe. Zoom meetings help you stay connected and a Zoom account is free (40 min time limit/unlimited on holidays). If you do need a paid account, don’t be afraid to ask for a discount. For example, I received a 20% discount off Zoom for the group I founded, “Chronic Not Hopeless”. We’re a free (donations gratefully accepted but not expected, etransfer: chronicnothopeless@gmail.com) supporting each other group. There’s also, Skype, Facebook Messenger, Discord, etc.
“It’s easy to meet expenses, everywhere we go, there they are.” ~Anonymous
2. Money Money Money
Do you love streaming, but not the cost of streaming? There are some “free” alternatives, when it comes to streaming (but don’t be fooled and keep an eye out, some become decidedly less free and others more free!). Though we don’t have as many options here in Canada as larger population countries, but times are achangin’, so stay tuned. Here are few, including but not limited to:
Tubi (free and fantastic).
Food Network
Pluto TV
YTV
Slice
Vice
TVO/TVO Kids
CBC/GEM
OMNI
APTN lumi
BET
The Weather Network
CPAC
HGTV
Food Network
Classic Cinema Online
Knowledge: Kids (even has “Paw Patrol”)
Roku channel (if you stream on Roku)
Kanopy
Hoopla
PopcornFlix
Crackle
Filmrisevarious channels
CTV/Global (limited)
Also, you can buy an indoor digital TV antenna or an outdoor antenna…there are so many ways to save and see!
Plus, look for Free Trials (many streaming services are, sadly, removing their “free” trials, for example, Netflix and Disney Plus) of streaming/music/reading services. Here’s a few available now, including but not limited to:
Acorn TV
Britbox
Crave/HBO/HBO Max/TMN
Spotify
Amazon Prime Video/Kindle Unlimited/Audible
Apple TV/Apple Music
Amazon Music
YouTube/YouTube Premium
Sirius Canada
PBS
Sundance Now
Crunchyroll
Shudder
Smithsonian
Funimation
Discovery Channel
and more!
Watch and see if they’re right for you. Note the start date of your free trial and cancel if you don’t like them. Cancel a few days before, you’ll still have the preview to the end of the trial. Easy-“stay home”-“stay safe”-“stay connected”-free-peasy-lemon-squeezy.
“The safest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it in your pocket.” – Kin Hubbard💲
3. Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)
Like cash? Make some, legally, with coupons, contests, samples, and surveys! Clip, click, print, check your mail, check your email, and scan. I save a lot of money with coupons, sometimes even getting items free (what a lovely word, I never get tired of hearing or seeing it).If you’re into it, there’s also lots of free samples, promo codes, discounts, coupons, contests, and surveys out there: Savealoonie, Lifepoints, Save.ca, Samplesource, Websaver, Lifepoints,Smartcanucks, Pinecone Research, Swagbucks, Asking Canadians, and so, so many more.Sometimes, I get freebies, coupons, samples for items I don’t want or use, but get them anyway. so I give them to others. Find more ways to save and places to find savings online through frugality blogs and other websites. If you have suggestions for ways to save, please leave them in the comment box below. I love to learn.I love to save.💲
“Money often costs too much.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
4. Cheap Thoughts/Money For Nothing
Now look at them yo-yos, that’s the way you do it You blog and vlog and record, loading on the inter-net They say, blogging, that ain’t workin’, that’s the way you do it Money for nothin’ and your clicks for free Money for nothin’, clicks for free…
Truth is, blogging, vlogging, YouTubing, social media, etc., these are work, not money for nothing, not clicks for free and I’ve heard rumours some people make quite a living from it, er, not me, but I live in hope…
Whatever your reasons for wanting to blog: fame, fortune, emptying your brain (clearly, that’s mine), etc., you’ll need to dive into the challenging and sometimes murky depths of blogging, vlogging, social media, YouTubing, etc. You don’t have to be in Dire Straits to want to save or make money and there are many free or cheap blogging/vlogging platforms and editors, WordPress, Wix, Blogger, Weebly, Tumblr, Ghost, Medium, LinkedIn, Quik, Splice, Anchor, Filmora, VidLab, InShot, iMovie, Adobe, Vizmato, and well, tons more…and of course, YouTube. Will you be a viral sensation? Who knows, you’ll never know until you try.
“When people say they want to be rich and famous, just try rich and see if that doesn’t get most of it for you.” ~Bill Murray
5. Money Changes Everything
Groupon. Make sure you read the fine print (always good advice, for every single thing in life). I’ve found some great deals there, including but not limited to: Costco memberships with Shop cards/products that negate the amount of your membership (really!); pizza (anyone who says money can’t buy happiness, has never paid for a pizza or the makings of a pizza, yes, you can make pizza at home!). Oh, and I paid $4 for a movie w/ popcorn and a drink – I went and saw that movie in a theater, remember those? Back in the good old days when we went to a place, went inside the building, with other people, sat in seats, beside other people, and watched a movie.
“Money is numbers and numbers never end. If it takes money to be happy, your search for happiness will never end.” ~Bob Marley
6. Money Honey
Get paid to shop! Music to our ears and our wallets (virtual or otherwise). That’s exactly what some apps do, like: Rakuten Canada (formerly Ebates), Caddle, Checkout 51, Airmiles, PC Optimum, Petro-Points, Shopper Army, Swagbucks, Plum Rewards (the free version), The Mission Store, David’s Tea, The Body Shop, and so, so many more – look them up! And don’t forget to add the Honey, an app that checks for online coupons and can save you even more!💲
“I been shaking two nickels together for a month, trying to get them to mate.” ~Raymond Chandler
7. Love Don’t Cost a Thing
Libraries aren’t just buildings with books (but seriously, books are awesome!!!). #booklove don’t cost a thing when you use your library, especially now many libraries are fine free (you should still return your items in a timely manner). Also, many library resources are now digital: ebooks, e-audio books, streaming – and they’re returned automatically. Did you know many libraries offer free language programs, free programs like “The Great Courses”, free newspapers, free magazines, craft videos, etc. And so much more!!!Also, most cities allow you to get a non-resident card for a small fee. Go online, check it out, what do you have to lose?
Look around your neighbourhood for “Little Free Libraries” – take a book, leave a book. Truly a community spirit exercise. Sharing is caring, in so many ways.
“Money isn’t the most important thing in life, but it’s reasonably close to oxygen on the “gotta have it” scale.” ~Zig Ziglar
8. Money’s Too Tight (To Mention)
Price/Ad Matching – you can bring a flyer (not so much now, but “BC” – “Before Covid”, or show an app on a smartphone (ie. Flipp, Reebee, etc.) from one store to another, just show it to clerk and get items cheaper.Of course, an easy, amazing way to save is sales. These can also be combined with sale/reward/points items.
“A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart.” ~Jonathan Swift
9. Easy Money
It doesn’t have to be complicated, look close to home. Look around your place. If you have the time and energy, cooking, canning, preserving, and baking are shockingly easy ways to save money.As well, decluttering, repurposes, sewing, mending, knitting, DIY, gardening, and so much more. I love the Depression Era saying, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without”.
“I put a dollar in one of those change machines. Nothing changed.” ~George Carlin
10. If I Had a Million Dollars
Sort through your “treasures”: those hidden and not-so-hidden gems collecting dust, or being used to hang clothes on; those just-in-case; might-fit-me-someday; what-if-I-need-it? stuff;maybe stored — sell them, donate them, give them away, swap them, etc. Wave a magic wand and like Harry Potter, “Evanesco!”, poof, it will all go away and you’ll be left with money, or a sense of giving, or both. Note: remove animate objects like family, friends or pets from the room before using this spell.
“The four most expensive words in the English language are, ‘This time it’s different.’” ~Sir John Templeton
11. Price Tag
Why pay more for “new”? Buy gently loved, previously loved, new to you. In this wildly consumer-driven culture, we too often “Dumpit to Crumpit”. Though luckily, many people also generously donate. Treasures to be found at: thrift stores, secondhand stores, mission stores, Salvation Army, Goodwill, yard sales/garage sale, Buy Nothing groups, swap groups, eBay, marketplace, Etsy (some new stuff, handmade) many of these places now are online as well! Don’t let perfectly lovely things go to the trash heap when you can give them new life.
“The best things in life are free. But you can give them to the birds and bees, I need money (That’s what I want).” ~The Beatles + The Flying Lizards + The Kingsmen + Jennell Hawkins (etc.)
12. Take The Money and Run
There are endless free things to see and do in your community. Explore your neighbourhood. Go for lovely walks in your parks. Parks are an amazing resource, ready for anything: Walks. Cycling. Picnics. Tai Chi. Yoga. Boating. Ice skating. Jogging. Fishing. Photography. Martial arts. Bird watching. People watching. Playing. Pausing. I love walking through our Ponds – though I live in a large, very busy city, when I step in here, I’m in the woods…
Get out there and discover!
“I’m having an out-of-money experience.” ~Author Unknown
13. Taxman
The Taxman (or taxperson) cometh, but no need to run out a pay big bucks for tax programs, a person, or company, the government gives you all that, online to do your taxes, free and well, I can’t say easy, taxes are so needlessly complicated, the least they can do is not make you pay even more for tax programs.💲
“The best way to teach your kids about taxes is by eating 30% of their ice cream.”~Bill Murray 🍦🍦🍦
14. Too Much Month at the End of the Money
Happy Birthday! Lots of places give birthday “treats” – free stuff or discounts, etc. Don’t feel comfortable giving your “real” date of birth, make yourself a few years younger. But remember, sometimes age does matters! Specifically with Student Discounts, Veterans Discounts, Healthcare Workers, Senior Discounts (some start as low as 55 – the new 45?), etc. Don’t be afraid to ask for discounts at: stores, restaurants, education,pharmacies, thrift stores, travel, car rentals, banking, hotels, entertainment, museums, galleries, and so many more! Get free ice cream, discounts, books, cookies, and so much more.
If money doesn’t grow on trees, why do banks have branches?
15. Keep Your Eye on the Money
Online is filled with reasonably priced or even free programs, courses, resources, webinars, etc. For example, how about Mindful Art (please feel free to join “Chronic Not Hopeless Mindful Art” and other programs (free!) on Zoom, contact: chronicnnothopeless@gmail.com for more info, links, questions, to volunteer, etc.) There’s also Art Therapy and keep in mind, you don’t have to be an artist to benefit from art therapy; it’s a fun activity to do while reminding yourself of your value. For example, check out “Paint It Out! Theurapetic Art” with Salima Andany, BSW, Cert. ExAT & Sandtray Therapist paintitouttherapeuticart@gmail.com
These are just a small sampling. Before you throw large amounts of money at courses, programs, webinars, there are many for reasonable prices, or even for free!
“Why is there so much month left at the end of the money?” ~John Barrymore
16. Cheap Thrills
Of course, YouTube – the vast universe of stuff at your fingertips!!! Travel the world and beyond. Meditation. Mindfulness. Cooking. CPR. Chess. “Graham Norton”. Health videos (beware). Card games. Board games,. Video games. “Honest Trailers”. Baking. Gaming. Knitting. Life hacks. Magic tricks. Sewing. Quilting. Coding. Household repairs. Shoe repairs. Car repairs. Want to know how to cut an onion without crying?
Decluttering. Organizing. Tips and tricks. Sourdough tricks. Exercise videos. Modern and classic TV and movies.Learn languages including: “Dothraki”, “Klingon”, “Elvish”, “Parseltongue”, “Huttese” and even some “real” languages.How to budget (oh no, the “b” word!). Live performance and concerts. Music videos and events.Lip Sync Battles. Cat videos, so many cat videos. How to make masks. How to sell on eBay. How to fight a shark…
How to do just about anything. Find most any (and I mean any) fix. Find “news”…from anywhere in the world (galaxy?). Find reviews. Find stuff that make you snooze…Thank you: Dolly Parton (for sharing your love of books with so many children with “Dolly’s Imagination Library”), and so many others for reading us bedtime and other wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff, you know, stories, poems, sonnets thus keeping our spirits up and our hearts and minds soothed, all for good causes. Get online and explore.
“I’m so poor I can’t even pay attention.” ~Ron Kittle
17. Mo Money, No Problems
Want to make memes, posters, social media posts, presentations, brochure, marketing, cards, flyers, infographic, resumes, logos, postcards, photo collage, invitations, banners, business cards, desktop wallpaper, thumbnails, and more? There are many free options (with options to pay for “more”), such as, but not limited to: Canva, vistacreate (formerly Crello), imgflip, Filmora, Memegenerator, Digifloat, Makeameme, Wondershare Pixstudio, Snappa, Quickmeme, etc.
“It frees you from doing things you dislike. Since I dislike doing nearly everything, money is handy.” ~Groucho Marx
18. Can’t Buy Me Love
Can’t buy me love! And…
Walking – free.
Loyalty – free.
Quiet – free.
Integrity – free.
Common sense – free.
Snuggling (the snuggle is real) – free.
Do you wanna build a snowman? – free.
Gratitude – free.
Courage – free.
Dancing – free.
Generosity – free.
Comfort – free.
Joy – free.
Forgiveness – free.
Compassion – free.
Hope – free.
Imagination – free.
Smiling – free.
Friendship – free.
Sincerity – free.
Perseverance – free.
Respect – free.
Empathy – free.
Moonlight – free.
Laughing – free.
Truth (not just your truth, the truth) – free.
Singing – free.
Love – free.
Understanding – free.
Ambition – free.
Fairness – free.
Cheer – free.
Art – free.
Literature (see library information above)– free.
Music (your brain is full of it, let it flow) – free.
Cookies – sadly, rarely free (we need a weather machine that makes it rain cookies, who’s with me?), but you can buy the ingredients on sale or with price matching, etc., frugal.
Know what else is completely, utterly free? Kindness is free! So spread it around. Sprinkle that kindness anywhere and everywhere. Fill the world with it…Kindness is the key, and lucky for us, the free key.
All things considered I’m pleased with my year of chronic change challenge. Life has continuously and unrelentingly thrown very large, weaponized lemons at me, so I’m drinking a lot…of lemonade.
Since life now seems a never-ending soap opera I wondered what would it be like this Christmas,Like sands through the Christmas hourglass, so are the 24 Days of our Christmas lives. On the 24th day of our Christmas lives, adulting gave to me, 24 bills a comin’, endless housework that needs donin’, and not nearly enough funin’.
On the 23rd day of our Christmas lives, fear of scarcity gave to me, 23 Supply Chains a Squeezing. I hope everyone gets their medications, food, medical supplies and equipment, and other important items, but I’m kinda bored hearing about the supply chain issues “ruining” Christmas. If you don’t get all your extras, your wants (not needs, wants) by Christmas and that feels “ruined”, you’re doing Christmas wrong. Also, setting a poor example for children of what Christmas and life should be. It shouldn’t matter if Christmas can or can’t come from a store, the holidays and life in general should mean a whole lot more.
Hmmm, quick math question, how many shipping containers of “Spiderman”; The Mandalorian’s ‘Baby Yoda’/Grogu/The Child (ok, turns out he’s not a baby, he’s like 50, ok, not as cute, but still…); Marvel’; Lego; “Squid Game” merch can they unload per hour? What if you don’t get that new Apple watch? Or a PS5? XBox? Christmas is one day, there are another 364 of them all year. Find a way to help others all the year through…This is the way.
On the 22nd day of our Christmas lives, all-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder gave to me, 22 Ugly Christmas Sweaters – the official charity for this is “Save The Children” so you can do good and look good all at once!
On the 21th day of our Christmas lives, still more things to recharge gave to me, 21 Rechargeable hand warmers, or as we used to call it, rubbing your cold hands together and your breath blowing on your own hands. Also, gloves and mittens, those are good too, I was born in Northern Ontario, “Frozen” meant something different then.Let it snow, let it snow…
On the 20th day of our Christmas lives, the neverending gift of IBS gave to me, 20 Alternative Milk Makers – should I go with the cow joke, or the dirty joke, or combine them? I’m udderly at a loss.Don’t unfollow me. 😉
On the 19th day of our Christmas lives, hunger gave to me, 19 Protein bowls, umm, are we eating the bowls and how is that protein?
On the 18th day of our Christmas lives, the Sandman gave to me, 18 Shredded memory foam pillows – wait, are the pillows shredded? Or are my memories shredded? Does this involve exercising your abs? I’m so in the weeds here.
On the 17th day of our Christmas lives, #booklove gave to me, 17 Books to read while cuddled up with a cup of tea. Just read what you wanna read, forget lists, awards, how many copies it’s sold, and marketing, just read what you want to read.https://yadadarcyyada.com/2021/05/21/how-i-met-your-author/
On the 16th day of our Christmas lives, eye-rolling gave to me, 16 Cashmere beanies (cause some folks need to look like a pretentious poser, unironically).
On the 15th day of our Christmas lives, products of Christmas Past gave to me, 15 Gucci Belt Bags, aka, a fanny pack. Call it what it is. Raid your parents or grandparents’ closet, the Goodwill, or the bargain bin at Walmart, but call it what it is. Wear it with pride, be your inner “Stranger Things” character roll, come on, wear your ’80s nerd flag proudly – it’s a fanny pack no matter how much you pay for it.
On the 14th day of our Christmas lives, Hallmark gave to me, 14 “New” Hallmark Christmas movies. They say like 40 “new movies”, but I’m being generous by even saying 14 “new” – I do not think that word means what you think it means. Hallmark, did you really start the “Countdown to Christmas” on October 22nd? Son of a nutcracker, what the actual fudge!
Let me see if I can make completely random predictions having never watched dozens of Hallmark movies, so again, totally random predictions of some things that could possibly be in some Hallmark movies in 2021.
Spontaneous snowball fights with totally real snow.
Finding the right Christmas tree.
Decorating “homemade” cookies that are clearly store-bought.
A misunderstanding and/or a “crisis”; insurmountable odds that become suddenly surmountable.
Love at first sight, well, unless it’s hate at first sight that turns to love after hate at first sight.None of that sounds right.
A sudden proposal, cause why not marry someone you just met and barely know?
Really new, expensive cars often driven by folks who are allegedly poor (I do not think that word means what they think it means). Same goes for their wardrobes (you need 4 expensive winter coats for a 3-day weekend?) and houses worth a cool 1.5 million and in a small town.
A mysterious guy who may or may not be Santa.
Actors and actresses that are refugees from 80s, 90s and 2000s TV shows, look vaguely like other people, or were almost famous at some point in time. They’re smart Christmas cookies though, as they know Christmas movies are played way more often than other movies…except maybe “Independence Day”, but hey, Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum do,uh, uh, uh, save the world from aliens in that classic documentary.
Canada Post mail boxes in American towns, which may explain why our mail is so slow, hmmm.
Possibly a Prince, or Princess, secret millionaire, incognito actor, singer, writer and/or or long-lost relative who could be royalty or rich, or all of the above.
Christmas events that are planned, funded, and executed about a week before Christmas. Cause that’s totally how event planning works, right?
Mistletoe versus holly debates – whoever wins, we lose.
Gazebos, so many gazebos, tiny ice rinks, and Christmas markets/fairs.
The only theme for any party or festival is “Winter Wonderland” apparently and there’san unhealthy obsession with candy canes; eggnog; gingerbread cookies and gingerbread houses; Christmas lights; tiny trains; big trains; wreaths; S’mores; caroling; bows; ornaments (especially, surprise surprise Hallmark ornaments, wow, who saw that coming?), Christmas cards (guess who again?), nutcrackers and hot stuff – hot apple cider, hot cocoa, hot chocolate…
A Christmas ghost, or Christmas angel, or Christmas angel ghost, or Christmas ghost angel (beware the weeping Christmas angels? You know I had to slide a “Doctor Who” reference in there, but not “Doctor Who Flux”, wait, is that cause The Doctor is female now, whoa…).
The almost kiss and then finally, “The Kiss”, usually out in totally real snow.
On the 13th day of our Christmas lives, olfactory sensitivities gave to me, 13 Eau de parfum or is it perfume, fragrances, eau de toilet (perfect name, it smells like a toilet to me), cologne, or whatever the heck people are smelling themselves up with these days. Suggestion: Shower for you, mask (not just for COVID) for me.
On the 12th day of our Christmas lives, a constant need to get stuff sent mailed to me, 12 Monthly subscriptions…cake, tea, streaming, fruit, coffee, jam, cookies, popcorn, pasta, cheese, meat, spices, candy, cupcakes, wine, beer, cocktails, toys, games, puzzles, beauty products, socks, books, eBooks, audiobooks, weed, seeds, music, clothes, meals, crafts, jewelry, tech, candles, art, survival gear/prepper stuff (not looking so crazy now, huh?), plants, stamps, flowers – if you can dream it, it can be sent, streamed or downloaded to you!
A Christmas Stuff Story.
On the 11th day of our Christmas lives, portability gave to me, 11 portable campfires to make 11 portable S’mores and drinking tea from 11 portable smart mugs. Wow, that’s a lot!
On the 10th day of our Christmas lives, Marvel Cinematic Universe gave to me, 10 Rings of Shang-Chi (seriously awesome Marvel movie, let’s pretend “The Eternals” never happened).
On the 9th day of our Christmas lives, the need to connect gave to me, 9 Friendship lamps! You can glow together no matter how far apart you are…I can’t even, why not call, text, email, write a letter. What’s for Christmas 2022, Aldis lamps? Morse code?
On the 8th day of our Christmas lives, toxic advertising-induced anxiety over body image gave to me, 8 (00000) Chemicals that illuminate, exfoliate, and eventually exterminate? At least we’ll be all aglow for the holidays.
On the 7th day of our Christmas lives, marketing madness gave to me, 7 Santoku Knives – can I just write Santoku on a piece of masking tape over my Ginsu knife and feel justified?
On the 6th day of our Christmas lives, pandemic rules (and common sense) gave to me, 6 Feet A-part!!!Seriously, do people even know how far 6 feet apart is and also, follow the arrows, they’re arrows you can’t possibly pretend you don’t know what they mean…really.
On the 5th day of our Christmas lives, hype gave to me, 5 PS5 consoles (1st it was hard to find them, still hard to afford them).Remember board games, card games, Pacman…indulge me as I wander down nostalgia lane.
On the 4th day of our Christmas lives, the horror of migraines gave to me, 4 of a nifty little creation called The Wand, a handheld filter designed to remove the histamines and Sulfites in alcohol that may trigger headaches and hangovers.The Wand picks the wizard?
On the 3rd day of our Christmas lives, brandwashing annoyed me with 3 Disney Princess Ultimate Celebration Castles – 3 floors, 6 rooms and you have to turn the swing into your couch, what, are your jewels, furs, gowns, and shoes taking up too much room you need to covert things? And why a Princess? “Dolls don’t stand on their own”, sadly, neither do most Princesses. You may need to be royalty to afford the hefty price tag on this plastic palace.
On the 2nd day of our Christmas lives, temptation approved for me, 2 Credit cards (don’t let the cha-ching fool you, Christmas isn’t about who can spend the most).
And Fairtrade Christmas chocolates in a reforestration tree!!!
Christmas is an ideal time to slow down, not speed up.
and where we are (or aren’t), and where we’re going.
All things considered I’m pleased with my year of chronic change challenge. Life has thrown very large lemons at me, so I’m drinking a lot…of lemonade.
Is Christmas really the most wonderful time of the year? Can’t we make the most wonderful time of the year any old time of the year? Does it have to be scheduled? Does it have to be a certain day? Why not wish each other well and treat each other well every single day in each and every single way?
The message is drummed into us in every seasonal day, in every seasonal way, that if you’re not involved in a holiday social barrage then you’ll be unhappy, that you’ll be sad, that you’ll be lonely, you’ll miss out on the perfect Christmas. It’s CFOMO – Christmas Fear of Missing Out.
Catastrophe will strike if your days and nights aren’t stuffed with: family dinners, parties, drinks with friends, hugging, skating in pairs, Secret Santa/gift exchanges, and of course, people running into the arms of loved ones at airports, etc. Shiny, sparkly images of happy people enjoying the holidays together, shimmering like a holiday mirage.
It can be overwhelming, yet it’s one day, sure it’s been stretched into like, months because of the hype, the marketing as we’re viciously bombarded with images of physical and social wealth that are unattainable for many. Blink. Relax. Enjoy it your way.
1. Marathon your way through the season, which apparently now begins in January with brief visits from other holidays before bouncing back to Christmas again. Don’t limit yourself to Christmassy viewing, though if you’re in the mood…
“Get Back” to Let It be and Let it snow and Let it go, yeah yeah yeah, The Beatles won’t let you down as they wanna hold your hand down this long and winding road; spend some time back in time at “Downton Abbey”; go anywhere or anywhen with The Doctor in classic or modern “Doctor Who” (not “Doctor Who Flux”, flux, wait, is that because The Doctor is female now, hmmm, weird…);
don’t be sheepish, pop over to “Shetland”; immerse yourself in the Marvel Universe, or the Star Wars galaxy, or anywhere else you can imagine; revisit some “Friends”; fear the future of “The Handmaid’s Tale”; hope “Vera” only calls you “love” or “pet”, not “sunshine”(Dear Santa and Vera, I can explain…); see what is the deal with “Seinfeld” (It’s Festivus for the rest of us); be glad you’re not invited to a“Game of Thrones”Christmas party (you know nothing, Jon Let It Snow);
put on your Walkman, pull on your neon spandex and fanny packs to take a tour of the Upside Down in “Stranger Things”; watch cooking shows, Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay (are you blaming the fish?!?), “Baking It” with Andy Samberg (can Lonely Island all host?), or “Breaking Bad“; or drop by “Yellowstone”; find out “What We Do in the Shadows” or in the “Shadow and Bone”; and/or see who survived on “The Walking Dead“. Or read your way through the snow, ho, ho, ho…
2. Use this as a time to catch up with family, friends, or new friends (just haven’t met you yet) who also are looking to hide away from the holidays, enjoy the holidays in a less commercial way…
3. Be bold, be brave, go on a holiday dating/companionship spree, even if it’s on Zoom. Eggnog your way through stories about his/her ex, mom, ex’s mom, work, football, baseball, hockey, fashion, cars…Who knows, maybe you’ll find a Christmas miracle, or become comfortably numb.
4. Adjust your expectations. Social media is not reality. Say that to yourself every time you go online. This is not life, it’s one long high school reunion. Everyone is wearing their best outfit, just lost weight, and sharing the highlights of their life.
5. Fill your time, don’t just kill that time. Do something you wanted or needed to do but hadn’t quite gotten around to it yet. Read, write, craft, draw, paint, bake, blog, sing, play games, cook, knit, go to a museum or art gallery, walk, work, declutter (unclutter?), exercise, sleep, stream, meme, clean, dream…It’s all good.
6. Have a Single Christmas Party (not for singles, just you, be your own party). If you can’t enjoy your own company how do you expect others to enjoy it? This year, like last, we have some restrictions, but enjoy your time anyway.
7. It’s never too late (or early) to start a new tradition with yourself or others, hopefully one that doesn’t involve eating your feelings, spending future rent/mortgage payments, insulting others, and/or anything illegal.
8. Help others this season – the best way to keep your mind off your problems is to help others with their problems. It can also give you perspective if you’re in a woe-is-me-kinda-place.
9. Under no circumstances drink too heavily, that could lead to calling, texting, or emailing an ex, or blogging under the influence, or doing something else you may otherwise regret.
Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas, but generally, on all the days of the year, make a life for yourself that isn’t an escape room. A life where you’re not trying to get away, not trying to immerse yourself in the latest holiday…where each and every single day holds some tidings of simple comfort and joys, and some jolly.
This season is simple. It’s days, weeks, months like any other. It’s filled with what you want it to be filled with, well, mostly. Winston Churchill famously said, “When you’re going through hell, keep going”. Churchill means, when you’re struggling, push through, or you’ll get stuck in the struggle. I triple dog dare you, keep going, you never know what’s on the other side, isn’t that exciting?
And have yourself a Merry Little Christmas…and be kind, to yourself and others. Please. Thank you kindly.
“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” ~Charles Dickens
Sweet screams (are made of this) Who am I to disagree?
I’ve been dying to have you here, near, dear… (Mwahahahaha!) When the moon climbs high o’r the dead oak tree, spooks awake for the midnight (online shopping?) spree. Creepy creeps (creepin’ it real) with eerie eyes, start to shriek and order creep potato fries (terrorfrying!). Grim Grinning Ghosts, come out to socialize (6 feet under distanced). Why close your eyes and try to hide? Let a silly spook become your guide. Welcome, foolish mortals! (Mwhahahahahaha!)
Welcome, foolish muppets! I visited “Muppets Haunted Mansion”, mmm, sorry, Disney, adore The Muppets but this was a less of a treat, more of a trick, especially Kermit and Fozzie’s voice work; nope. Then there’s “Squid Game” on Netflix. Smart, brutal, and stylistically stunning, sorta “The Hunger Games” meets “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, with giant robots, bad catering, lackluster wardrobe, children’s games with dire consequences, organ harvesting, and lots of geometrical shapes…and a lack of chocolate. A staggering allegory (with focus on the ‘gory’) about the disgusting divide between rich and poor in society, all fixable with: affordable housing, food security, and honestly, some human decency. Watch it in Korean with subtitles, no dubs. Now I really want a Spongebob Squarepants spin-off, “Squidward Game” and The Front Man has to be, David Hasselhoff (The Hoff).
Hallostreamed some classics and maybe-someday-classics including but never limited to: “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”, https://yadadarcyyada.com/2013/10/29/stuff-i-learned-from-its-the-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown/“Clue”; “The Turn of the Screw” (Michelle Dockery, Dan Stevens, Sue Johnston, yup, all from “Downton Abbey”, etc. , though I recommend other versions as well, including Netflix’s, “The Haunting of Bly Manor”, hmm, ever get the feeling Henry James didn’t like his governess?); “You”; “Halloween”; https://yadadarcyyada.com/2016/10/14/the-glorious-chaos/; “Casper”; “The Secret of Crickley Hall” (Douglas Hensall, Tom Ellis, Maisie Williams, Suranne Jones, Olivia Cooke, David Warner, Iain De Caestecker, etc.); “The Addams Family” (original series)https://yadadarcyyada.com/2014/10/20/hide-and-shriek-with-the-addams-family/;“Lonesome Ghosts”; “The Munsters”;“Harry Prince Ghost Hunter”;“Halloweentown” (from experience I knew to avoid haunting the sequels) – mmm, cheesy goodness.
Dug up“Hocus Pocus” which originally put a spell on you (and me) in theaters in ’93, believe it or not, in July, no lie, why, to capture the kidlets home from school…sigh.
The worst horror ever imagined, yet it can be imagined, all too easily cringing through “The Handmaid’s Tale” S4. Oh June!Least scary part? Watched it on a free trial.
I see dead people… mostly when I watch: “The Walking Dead” (so far, S11 is a disappointment, especially after the brilliance of S10, but I’ll keep a wait and see attitude), the nuclear wasteland of the dead that is now “Fear The Walking Dead” and yonder, “The Walking Dead: World Beyond”.
Inflation, hyperinflation, stagflation – gas pumps, grocery store and terror galore! Forget knife-wielding serial killers, vampires, witches and ghouls – look at the price of food, gas, electronics… companies/bankers/politicians making us all fools.
October has flown by on a wonky broom, packing so soon could spell my doom. Life is a fevered Halloween scream dream, feeling less like reality and more like a bad meme. I turn off my brain (ha, good luck), with the lights to thankfully welcome the darkness of Autumn nights.Hoping November offers some reprieve and help me make it to moving eve… and the morning after, less of a disaster!?! Eat, drink and be scary this Halloween and you know, kill ’em with kindness…and laughter!
Ever heard ’em say you gotta live like you’re dyin’? I better get on, cause time’s a-flyin’, yeah Lyin’ in my bed at night I’m thinkin’ What if? What if…? Guess it’s not too late This heart is still a-beatin’
Hate livin’ a “woulda shoulda coulda” life. Can’t go back in time, no DeLorean, no TARDIS. Gotta move forward, even through the endless strife. What if, what if, what if is too big a miss.
Maybe I gotta dream a bit bigger Burn a bit brighter Dig a bit deeper Reach a bit further Love a bit harder
Wanna go ahead with no what ifs. Wanna move ahead with no what ifs.
What if…? Those two little words carry soooo much baggage…
Suitcases full of regret.
Carry-ons stuffed with yesterday’s woes.
Trunk of troubles.
Duffel bags filled with heads full of sorrow.
Portmanteau of problems.
Valise of grief.
Chest of contrition.
Gladstone bag of self-reproach.
Attache of shame.
Briefcase of emotional bruises.
Luggage of loss… What if, what if, fillin’ ’em up or toss them out?
Marvel asks the question, “What if…?” each week in their Disney+ series, “What if…?”, reminding us that one choice, one moment can change things forever…
Yet in this “golden” age of social media, instant gratification, and rushing, rushing, rushing (did I mention rushing?), we think less and less about how one moment, one choice can affect us and so many others. We get caught up in being heard, seen, being right, being busy, we forget to stop and think about others. It’s terrifying how little we think of how our choices affect others. Truly terrifying.
We forget the most important rule, do unto others…what you’re saying, what you’re doing affects not only you, but many others.
They say you gotta be brave, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser. But what if your bravery is hiding in the closet? What if your boldness is taking an extended vacation? What if your wisdom has been elected Mayor of Dumbtown?
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger. What if you’re ooey and gooey? What if you’re as flimsy as a politician’s promise? What if you’re as weak as an adorable fluffy kitten without the adorable or fluffy parts?
You gotta be cool, but what if your brain feels like it’s on fire? You gotta be calm, what if your life is an F5 Tornado? You gotta stay together, but what if you’re shattering into a million little pieces?
This month I’m trippin’ down the yellow brick road, tryin’ to find myself a brain, a heart, some courage, and a home. That “home” part may confuse those who know I just moved a couple of months ago. Yes, but sadly some aspects of my new home that would have helped me make an informed decision about moving into this torture chamber apartment, were, er, withheld. One of the biggest withholds, the icing on the crap cake…As of September 1st, new “neighbours”/post-secondary students (though I’ve called the entitled little blanks a whole lot of other names in the past few weeks). I’ve witnessed streaking and public urination…ugh. What else?Fights, extremely loud music (and not the good stuff), lack of social distancing, sharing red plastic cups, cigarettes, bottles…no masks, no brains, no hope. I weep for the future.
I’ve sadly had to cut back the activities of my support group, “Chronic Not Hopeless”, we’re suffering from terrible migraines, lack of sleep, anxiety, and so much more. This isn’t just a nuisance, it’s hurting our health. But what to do? Say F it and live in a shoe?Nope, instead, we’re moving…again.
Instead of finding peace of mind, I’m backed into a corner, talkin’ to myself, cryin’ to myself at night. Filled with regret. Back and forth through my mind. Feelin’ like I lost a cosmic bet. And the feeling coming from my bones says, “Find a home”…
I’ve sadly learned/relearned important lessons.
1) People don’t always tell you everything you need to make an informed decision and that can cost, physically, emotionally and fiscally.
2) This pandemic was never about saving the elderly, flattening the curve, stopping the spread. It was never about masks or vaccines. Lost lives, lost jobs, lost homes, lost health, so much loss. All the sacrifice. All the heartache. All the trauma. All so people could party.
When the world smashes down on you…When people lie to you, how do you believe again? What if we all just treated each other with decency? What if we thought about others? What if instead of arguing about masks, vaccines, race, religion, medications, elections (broken systems), celebrities, and so much more, why not agree to disagree and try to make life better instead of so much worse?
This blog post inspired by some of my usual things, aka: chocolate; family; friends; music – my mind is simply a never-ending playlist; tea, hot chocolate, tea and more tea; romance novels, mystery novels, any kind of novels and non-fiction, ok, let’s be honest, I’d read the side of a cereal box – me likey words!);“The Walking Dead”, “Fear The Walking Dead”, “The Walking Dead: World Beyond”(I sense a pattern here but what oh what could it be?); sooo many documentaries;“Murder She Baked”, er and Wrote;“Mystery 101”; “McDonald and Dodds”; computers…anyone looking forward to the new“Downton Abbey”movie? And added to my unusual brainwaves:
Marvel’s “What If…?”, of course; “Only Murders in the Building” (Star/Disney+)- if you enjoy a good mystery, this one is full of “what ifs” and “whodunits” – enjoyable performances by Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez with guest appearances by Sting and Tina Fey; entitled brats; kindness (we need more, more, more); hidden traps; rain (what if we blame it on the rain?); pumpkins;
And yet more, um, stimulus? Matthew West; Des’ree; Queen, White Stripes;“Cruella” (Emma Stone and Emma Thompson are awesome but the movie itself, sigh, way too long, probably like this post);
What else inspired this post besides emptying my brain, er, I mean, “ER”…Generally really good, lots of great starsand would-be stars.
And I might be wrong but I think maybe I could do some mediciney-type stuff now, it seems to mostly involve saying things like: “Get me a crash cart!”,“Crits are down!”, “Are you my appendix? Because I feel like I should take you out.”, “Pulse ox is stable!”, “Coding” (so much coding), “I should take your temperature because you’re looking really hot!”, “I’d specialize in you anyday…”, “She’s getting tachy!” (or was that Real Housewives?), “You look a little down, maybe you need a a shot of Vitamin ME!”, “I can’t wait to sleep cause ICU in my dreams every night”, ok, wait, most of those are just me thinking of George Clooney, Noah Wyle and Goran Višnjić, umm, gulp, nevermind;
And still more… “Roswell: New Mexico”; “Secrets of Skinwalker Ranch”; and wow, “The Suicide Squad” – 2021, with the help of James Gunn, DC finally got it right. “The Suicide Squad” is an R-rated cousin of The Guardians of the Galaxy, um, on crack? Margot Robbie rules as Harley Quinn aka Daddy’s Little Monster with fun/surreal bits from: Nathan Fillion, Peter Capaldi, John Cena, Sylvester Stallone (“Nom nom?”), Pete Davidson, Idris Elba, Daniela Melchior, Michael Rooker, David Dastmalchian, Taika Waititi, Sean Gunn, and the weasel (also Sean Gunn).
And of course, what always inspires, ice cream, way too much ice cream (is that a thing, way too much ice cream?);
Some other things that wandered into my life… “Midnight Mass” (Netflix) –Mike Flanagan nods to Stephen King – in a “what if” wonderful mind mess, with a great soundtrack. “Midnight Mass”, “Haunting of Hill House”, “Haunting of Bly Manor”, “Hush“, etc., hmmm, I wonder if being born in Salem, Massachusetts influenced Flanagan to create and direct his horrors...
I took another bite out of the “Santa Clarita Diet”; thankful Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant make the undead so delightfully delicious.
And cookies, they never fail to motivate me, how about you?
I like to think people, books, TV shows, movies, etc. come upon you not when you need them, but when you can find something in them you need. For me, “The Starling” contained this message: some things are out of our control. I knew this, of course I knew this, yet sometimes I need to be reminded of certain things. Melissa McCarthy, Chris O’Dowd, Kevin Kline, Timothy Olyphant, Daveed Diggs, Skylar Gisondo, Loretta Devine don’t disappoint in this intense, with moments of levity, but to be sure, intense, dramedy. The subject matter, grief, is a very personal and should be treated with care. Why not treat everyone with care?
My biggest inspiraton? Autumn/Fall, my favourite season: Halloween, Thanksgiving, pumpkins (except pumpkin spice, I’m gonna say it, don’t like it, can we still be friends? I support your pumpkin spice love, if that helps); the crisp air and even crisper apples; the gorgeous ever-changing leaf show; soft sweaters; softer throw blankets; comfortable walks…
Try to let you go, but somethin’ always reminds me…
Seems breakin’ up was easier in the ’90s.
I’m tired of gettin’ tired, tired of bein’ me.
Tired of makin’ excuses about how I wanna be.
You’re everywhere, everywhere but behind me.
Seems breakin’ up was easier in the ’90s.
Back then, I could’ve convinced myself
it was you and not me,
though I said it the other way round;
love lost and found.
Could have made myself believe,
I loved you, just wasn’t in love with you 💌
(realistically, it’s you and me?).
Just the thought of it makes me blue…
Didn’t know then I couldn’t have
the bandwidth to deal with life
stresskeeps cuttin’ at me
with an jagged online knife 🔪
Tryin’ to let you go, but somethin’ always reminds me…
Seems breakin’ up was easier in the ’90s.
I’m tired of gettin’ tired, tired of bein’ me.
Tired of seein’ pictures in my brain, 🧠
I don’t wanna see.
You’re everywhere, everywhere but behind me…
Seems breakin’ up was easier in the ’90s.
Modern love leads to modern hearts breakin’ 💔
Leads to a whole lot of social media fakin‘.
You’re everywhere, everywhere but behind me…
Seems breakin’ up with myself with easier in the ’90s!
Thanks to Sam Hunt for the inspiration.
I’ve broken up with myself before, at least once or twice a decade, but it seems to get harder every decade. My most memorable break-ups were in the ’90s. It all seemed like a good idea then. 💡No awkward, “It’s not you, it’s you” conversations. I was young and thought being in love with myself was more important that just loving myself, taking care of myself.
Every time I try to make it work, but we’ve grown apart. The relationship just isn’t working for me…and me. This time I find myself feeling resentment. I resent myself for getting in my way.
Maybe it was age. My stage in my journey. Or maybe it’s those darn rosy nostalgia goggles 🥽and it just seems breakin’ up with easier in the ‘90s. Either way, I think it’s time to take our relationship to a previous level…
Sometimes you gotta stop reflecting (I’m turning into a mirror here 🪞) and take the BS by the horns; I’m doing a year of chronic change...
Step 1:Move. Done, but not terribly settled, though I’m cutting myself some slack on my (lack of) progress. I;ve been vividly reminded that Fibromyalgia is a thief. It steals your energy. -Pilfers your time. -Loots your stability. -Filches your confidence. -Snatches your pride. -Purloins your social life. -Robs you of your hopes and dreams. -Breaks and enters your life, tossing the place and adding chaos, fear, loss, and uncertainty to every moment of your day and night. Living with chronic conditions means you have to change your expectations, accommodate, modify, and most of all, adapt. I’m trying to be kind to myself.
Also, my happy places (on the page, in a screen, swimming in chocolate 🍫, chatting, laughing, in a cup of tea (or three). 🫖
Where else?
Happy on a gameboard or in the cards, among the trees 🌳, under the stars… ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
And of course, the hopes and dreams the chronic suckagehttps://yadadarcyyada.com/2019/12/06/chronic-suckage/hasn’t yet managed to rudely steal – writing a novel, learning to podcast, code, organizing (sorry, staying organized – oh I can organize, I can organize till the cows come home, it’s keeping the organization, that’s the kicker), getting better and so much more…
Step 2:Break up with myself.I’ll start slow with the simple but elegant, “I just need some space”. Then add the tried and true, “It’s for the best” and of course, “You and I should stay friends”. 🤝
Follow up with the classic, “We’re both looking for different things” and “I’ve figured out, we’ll cover more ground if we split up”.
If tears flow, I’ll pivot to the gentler, “We’re at different stages in our lives” and pop in, “I really need to work on myself right now”.
If I want to add some levity to the tense break-up situation, I can toss in a cheeky, “Our relationship is like my financial status: broke” 💸; or “I feel like I’m moving into a tunnel cause we’re breaking up” 📵; and/or “They say one person’s trash is another one’s treasure, I hope you find a pirate to love you”. 🏴☠️
Still not there yet?
Who can go wrong with a classic Star Wars break-up line? “I think I should change my name to Han cause I need to do this Solo”.
End strong with, “You are going to make someone really happy someday”. The important thing is, be honest with myself, don’t sugar-coat it or ghost myself. 👻
Step 3:Rocky Road, Vodka Sangria, box of tissues, fluffy slippers, and emo movies…with “Say Something” playing softly in the background. Check. ✔️
Step 4:Write a blog post about it during my blog anniversary month – yes, I started emptying my brain into this blog in 2013!!! Wow! Thank you for joining me in the saga of my life! 🤗🤗🤗
Step 5: Write monthly update blog posts for the next year about my chronic change trip and other stuff that jumps into my brain. 🧠
Let me tell you the story of how i met your author (maybe your most favourite ever author). Over 5 decades ago I learned to read. I realized then, I would never be alone again. With me always: friends, family, and unfailing boon companions.
I think in these “interesting” times we’re feeling a distinct lack of “freedom”. Some of that feeling is perspective, maybe a smidgen of self-pity. I’m not going to ramble on (shock!) about positivity, but from my observations, the people that have weathered this storm relatively well, at least stayed in the boat, have kept busy and kept away from negativity and whining.
Some of the ways I’ve kept busy: started a “group”, “Chronic Not Hopeless” (CNH) of people with common interests having get togethers – sharing, laughing, chatting, ; binge-watching/catching up (“Stumpton”, “Shadow and Bone”, “Perfect Harmony”, “The Irregulars”, “Nightflyers”, “Miss Scarlet and the Duke”, “Coroner”; “Guilt”; “State of Mind”, “Doc Martin”, and more); yoga/Tai Chi/Qigong, dancing; walking; reflecting; connecting; webinars; Zoom stuff; virtual appointments; organizing/decluttering (I’m moving and thought, this is a good chance to unclutter me too); playing board games/card games,/video games; writing though not yet published, despite having written a lot about publishing, i.e.
– oh and blogging (very, very slow blogging, let’s call it,um, turtle blogging) – I’ve started a ton of blogs but each time, the words just disappear into the ether, struggling to empty my brain (here goes); and yes, of course, reading, so much reading.
I think the best day for indie authors will be when they’re just called, “authors”, not indie, just what they are, authors. Many indie authors and authors of smaller publishing companies or self-publishing are just as good, if not better, than authors tethered to giant publishing houses.
“If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.” ~Haruki Murakami
In all transparency, I have connections, in one form or another, with most of the authors I’m going to tell you about. That’s not as unusual as it may seem. Some I know, or their family, or friends. Many are fellow bloggers. Also, these authors are accessible, they enjoy interacting with their readers all the time, not just during a book tour.
Looking for some summer reading? Any season is reading season…
Inspiration jumped out at me from the pages of local London (Ontario Canada) Author/Artist/Model, Kathleen Elizabeth Sumpton https://www.kathleensumpton.com/ Not only is her work authentic (I know, I used the “a” word, it’s over-used, yes, but some people are the genuine deal). Reading Sumpton’s 4 books a thought popped into my head that wouldn’t be ignored or banished, why did I stop writing poetry, it was my first love before prose, what stopped me? I don’t remember (or maybe I don’t want to remember), but this reading experience made me realize I’d been holding back, filtering. I know, a lot of you are thinking, you filter yourself? Yes, I do. I couldn’t tell you which book or poem I liked best, they all had their unique moments, they were all unrestrained, powerful, and a variety of emotions seeped through the pages. That’s what I love about reading, you never know how it’s going to make you feel, what you’ll learn, when you’ll be inspired, as with their books – books not only take you from this world, they also deliver you back, usually with gifts in tow.
Sally Cronin is not only a prolific and talented author and blogger https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/, she’s a tireless supporter and promoter of other authors and bloggers. What would we do without her, I don’t ever want to think about finding out.
Speaking of witches (were we?), do you yearn for safe passage to walk invisible, through Bronte country, then, now and in between? Then have I got an author for you. I must warn you, Karen Perkin’s books/ebooks/audio books, well, they’re simply addictive, aren’t they? So be warned, you need to have your tea steeped and ready (or other beverage of choice, what’s in your cup is your business), a comfy chair, and maybe a haunted chocolate biscuit or three. You will be enchanted. https://www.karenperkinsauthor.com/ https://www.karenperkinsauthor.com/blog https://www.facebook.com/groups/yorkshireghosts/Are you ready for intriguing glimpses of history/herstory through riveting supernatural journeys? Let the threads of the past tug at us, connect us, flinging us into the gloaming, where, strangely, we’ll wish to revisit.
I could go on and on, but you get the point, there’s endless stories waiting to be told, endless stories waiting for you to unfold. Read some of them. Tell your own.
Here I am again, back, I’m a rubber ball that keeps bouncing back to you… What’s happened since I’ve been here last? What hasn’t, but what else is new?
Too many snowstorms. Too much time filling out forms. In the real world and not real and perceived dramas. In and out of various Self-Isolation fashions and pajamas.
The latest thing? “Bridgerton” on Netflix. Anachronistic version of “The Ton” for your Lockdown kicks.
Elections. Insurrections. Vaccines. Still traveling fiends.
Reddit blows the top off greedy hedge funds, pop, with AMC, Blackberry, and Gamestop! Poor little Wall Street traders Sad little corporate raiders
Bernie lookin’ cozy wearing sweaters now mittens Joe’s cheeks were rosy with memes all aglow Amanda, Gaga and JLo, Kindness can stay, the rest has to go.
New phone. Who dis? What else did I miss?
“The Queen’s Gambit”. Always knew chess was “lit”. New season of “The Expanse” I think space needs more plants.Christmas was merry, despite (you know)… finally, 2020 was hindsight (hope 2021 isn’t a new foe).
“Chronic Not Hopeless” trying to have some fun, not make a mess, I guess?!?
I’m knackered, the world is going “all to pot”, and I’m gobsmacked anyway, clearly time off was way too Britbox-packed.
When the laundry dings When the doorbell rings When I’m feeling sad, I simply watch/read my favourite stuff, And I don’t feel so rough (let’s be honest, there’s usually tea and chocolate involved as well).
Oh and in case you missed it, there’s still a pandemic, yup, more than a bit. So Stay Home (preferably under a dome?) and join us on Zoom for free, we’d love to see you, and you and you… there’s always plenty of room.
DM me…double mask me? When’s it gonna get to three?
OK, my rhymin’s a little loose It’s true I ain’t no Dr. Seuss I’m a Canadian, what do I know? We adopted a Chilean penguin and my best friend’s a moose.
Remember when I just threw in, “Chronic Not Hopeless” (see above), CNH is a volunteer “powered” weekly get together for people with Chronic Conditions, all are welcome. From anywhere, cause it’s on Zoom, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc. Whether you’re from: Canada, America, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica, The North Pole, Spain, Japan, Sweden, Brazil, South Africa, Chile, Mexico – anywhere in the world! Anywhere in the Galaxy. Anywhere in the Universe. Free (though we accept donations, gratefully). Safe.
I know, I know, there are a billion “groups” out there, but this isn’t really a group.
Not a support group. Not an organization. Not a club. Not a hangout. So I’ve told you what it isn’t, so what is it?
It’s a bunch of friends and just-haven’t-met-you-yet-friends getting together to: chat, laugh, share, learn, connect, etc. Feel comfortable, stay in bed, on the couch, bad hair day, who cares? You want to do crafts, go for it. Want to drink and/or eat: coffee, iced coffee, hot cocoa, kombucha, pizza, pasta, beer, wine (be careful when drinking and Zooming – common sense and Stay-At-Home), sushi, soup, tea, water, juice, salads, cookies, cake, chocolate…well, whatever you want, or not.
We’re going to distract ourselves from our chronic conditions. We’re going to share resources, tips, tricks, life hacks about anything and everything. And we’re going to laugh. I can guarantee that. 😂
All that and more, in a drama-free zone. A place where you can get away from the everyday. You wanna go where everybody knows, or tries to remember, your name…where you’ll be glad you came.
Zoom version of pet therapy, maybe with your pets. 🐶🐱🐭🐰🐧🐦🦄🐍🐋🦧🐢🦎🐠🦖🦨🐹🐷 You’ll hear stories, maybe share yours (your choice if you do or don’t, whatever makes you feel comfortable). No pressure. No drama. No whining. We’re not hopeless. We’re not helpless. We’re still us. We’re not our chronic conditions, we’re you and me and more, who just happen to have one or more chronic conditions.
Stay tuned for announcements about FREE online activities, blog posts, Tweets, updates, resources, and so much more. Please follow this, our brand new “Chronic Not Hopeless” page https://chronicnothopeless.ca . Let’s make 2021 better together!🌠😀
Please join us. Mondays (usually). Monday February 1st, 2021 1pm ET. Monday February 8th, 2021 1pm ET. Tuesday February 16th, 2021 1pm ET (Monday is a holiday here in Canada, Family Day). Monday February 22nd, 2021 1pm ET. Just email:chronicnothopeless@yahoo.com to get a link or DM me on Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1875955569247115…
“Chronic Not Hopeless” Bylaws (Enforceable Only By You)
Be Kind. Be Respectful.
Have fun. Laughter is healing.
Be discreet with information shared by others.
Remember, “agree to disagree”.
Share or don’t share. Camera on or off. Leave when you wish without need of explanations – we understand. Be comfortable.
Be present. Be pleasant.
Be aware of “hot button” topics, including but not limited to: politics, race, religion, The Great Pumpkin, etc.
Keep in mind, “Chronic Not Hopeless” is “powered” by volunteers with Chronic Conditions,. We will make missteaks, er, mistakes. We’ll forget things. Our entire life is a Mount Everest-style learning curve. We hope that even at our worst we always try to give you our best.
Feel free to contribute to “Chronic Not Hopeless” in any way you feel comfortable doing so. That could mean: sharing Facebook posts, Pinning on Pinterest, website pages or blog posts, Retweeting on Twitter, etc.
And/or donating via Ko-fi, Paypal, e-transfer to chronicnothopeless@yahoo.com , cash, etc., to pay for expenses CNH incurs such as: Zoom Pro so we can have online activities, the cost of the website, admin costs, etc. This is purely not-for-profit, run by chronically ill volunteers, grassroots community get together – we’re an open book(s).
Also, you can write blog posts, help with social media, contribute in any way your skills, energy, and heart can do. It could mean telling family, friends, professionals, co-workers, – well, anyone and everyone about “Chronic Not Hopeless – any and all help is greatly appreciated.
“Chronic Not Hopeless” is here for fun, for connecting, for helping – a drama-free zone. We gratefully accept and appreciate any donations – big or small, we love them all! Ko-fi.com/chronicnothopeless chronicnothopeless@yahoo.com We’re not hopeless. We’re not helpless. We’re still us.
Disclaimer for “Chronic Not Hopeless”: Please consult your physician if you have medical questions, before you start any exercise regime, any new medication, supplement, etc. and if you are feeling concerned about your physical, emotional and/or mental health. “Chronic Not Hopeless” is a community get together, not a substitute or source for medical advice. Any medical information found here is opinion and not endorsed by “Chronic Not Hopeless”. If you are feeling uncomfortable, please let us know and/or feel free to leave. We are here to help, not harm.
So you’ve heard this before, “I’m back”, but my heart was always here with you, I just couldn’t get my body to co-operate.
All I can do is keep trying. Thank you kindly for being here when I bounce back in. So Merry Christmas, Season’s Greetings, Happy New Year, thank you for the birthday wishes, Happy Groundhog Day! https://yadadarcyyada.com/2014/02/02/groundhog-day/ —
As always, thank you for letting me empty my brain onto this blog and thank you for being gentle with that poor old thing. My brain thanks you for your support and your constant kindness.
When you rise
you should
bring others with you;
when you descend,
invite no one else along.
Sometimes you will hate.
Choose love.
Sometimes you will be indifferent.
Choose compassion.
Sometimes you will despair.
Choose hope.
Was there always so much anger in the world or does the internet just give it a longer reach?
I guess there were always bullies, meanies, thugs, just generally, nasties.
Maybe there were cave people who told other cave people they were terrible at cave drawings.
But the vitriol online? Treating others as you would want to be treated hasn’t changed because of the anonymity of the internet.
The internet can bring people together, to help, to spread information, but it also has a sinister side where people abuse, use, and destroy others, sometimes for sport.
There are too many Human Tornados – charming and convincing, they cut a path of destruction wherever they…
Wouldn’t you rather lift someone up than knock them down (it’s better exercise too).
It’s easy to find fault, place blame, easy to get cranky and rude with ludicrous or ignorant people, easy to argue, fuss, and fight, but where does it get you? (I keep learning this lesson).
Why break a heart when you can heal it?
Be Kind.
We love new things:
New clothes,
new cars,
new houses,
new furniture,
new phones,
new years,
new friends,
new babies (that seems redundant, they can’t be old babies).
“New” gives us illusions of hope,
a new beginning…there can’t be an old beginning, it’s all new.
I used to make New Year’s Resolutions about: losing weight, learning something different, appreciating others more, working harder, exercising more, etc., you know, the usual, but it rarely worked. Why?
1. Goals should be specific.
‘Lose weight’ is too vague, I’m probably losing weight while typing this, but I’ve made certain promises to chocolate and I always keep my word…small, specific, and significant steps (more later).
2. Write it down! Or make a visual representation of what you what to happen – pictures out of magazines or books (not the ones from the library), the internet, or if you have the ability, draw your goals…
To me, blogging is
a version of the
old-timey message
in a bottle.
The blogging world
is a vast ocean,
we throw our
message out there
and hope against hope
someone finds it.
Some of us are trying to
connect, share, find others,
teach, or maybe even
send out an SOS.
So how do you start
your own ‘message in a bottle’
and make it reach others?
1. Don’t think about if your readers will love what you write or you’re going to be discovered, just make sure you love it, then hopefully, they will. If not, there’s always chocolate.
2. Remember as you send these bottles out, those you’re trying to reach are never far from the madding crowd (hearing people mispronounce the title, Far From the Madding Crowd is actually more fun than the book/movies, is that wrong?). People are busy, so when they open their email…
Is this what’s wrong with us, FOMO – Christmas Fear of Missing Out? You’re not missing out, you’re saving someone. Christmas, the spirit of Christmas – kindness, compassion, empathy, joy, hope – those should always be in our heart.
Society is degenerating to a constant state of anxiety and fear, especially the fear of missing out. What if we missed an email, text, post, tweet, party, sale, invitation, night out, gossip, especially about celebrities, trips, trends…what if we just missed something? The only thing we don’t fear missing out on…voting.
While reading Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by the stunningly beautiful, talented, and hilarious Mindy Kaling(Three Rivers Press) I had an a-ha moment. The book itself was funny, charming, authentic, very much what you’d expect from the writer and star of The Mindy Project and The Office, she’s a hot mess and makes it work, but I started thinking about why more and more people are more depressed, stressed, anxious, suicidal, homicidal, etc. than ever, even children. I’m sure there are multiple reasons, but being in constant contact, rampant consumerism, extreme inequality, and…
Stressed. Stressed out. Every day we hear how people are stressed out, exhausted, scattered, distracted, besieged, anxious, under pressure, just generally overwhelmed. Times haven’t changed, just magnified, still going in circles; instead of Keeping Up With The Joneses, we’re trying to Keep Up With The Kardashians.
Our Amygdala’s primary job is the processing of memory, emotional reactions, and decision-making, that’s a lot to handle, so she can get a little overstimulated. Her nanny, the Prefrontal Cortex is all like, whoa, slow down, Amy, you need a time out. But what if chronic stress has hacked PreCor, making it too weak to calm Amy down, stop her from some unrestrained Brains Gone Wild moments? As my fav song by The Tragically Hip says, we Blow At High Dough, that’s us, going too fast, burning up, burning out.
My growing, life-changing magic of apathy toward crap, a sort of crapathy…
Oh the weather outside is frightful and COVID is not delightful,
but since we’ve no place to go (seriously, #stayhome #staysafe),
let it snow, let it snow, let it snow – now where’s my hot cocoa?!?
Looking out my window last night, into the dark, still night as I always do before bed, you know, as everyone does to make sure there are no zombies, aliens, purges, or other issues, I noticed a new menace!
This was a foe I’d met before.
Sneaky and untimely, it had arrived.
On the surface it was bright, sparkly and gave the street a contemporary Currier and Ives appearance, but I knew it for what it was!
Snowmg, this was too soon.
I thought, Oh Hell Snow! Snow way!
The only dashing I wanted to do was down to the park to play some tennis or to take a long walk, in shoes.
No jingling. No jangling. No turtledoves or French hens.
No lords leaping or otherwise.
No fat man with a hidden address going on my roof. What is with Christmas anyway? Having children sit…
If I worried about doing or saying something stupid I’d never open my mouth, write anything or probably leave the house, but as I get older I hope I’m slightly less stupid.
For me, the Christmas season seems to come with the gift of introspection. Maybe it’s because the season brings out the best and worst in people.
This year the news is filled with bizarre, almost surreal images that still seem vaguely familiar.
Terrorism. Shopping frenzies. Economic manipulations by the rich. Protests against the police for what can only be categorized as cataclysmically abysmal conduct. Since the police aren’t getting in trouble, their behaviour must be explicit or implicit policy, which makes it more disturbing.
Wrapped in a cloak of civility we shiver against the winds of change. As we become more and more comfortable, any discomfort sets off a fear response in us. We’ve been the white meat…
Welcome to your life there’s no turning back Even while we weep You will find us acting on our worst behaviour turning our backs on Mother Nature Everybody wants to rule the world
Stereotyping is the scourge of our time. All women are this, all men are that, good guys always win, life is fair, fat people are lazy…religion, race, wealth, poverty, sex,diets, politics, illness – everything is painted with the stereotype brush…wait, did I just stereotype stereotyping? Make no mistake, hate is the easy way. Different = Hate. Don’t agree with you = Hate. Blame everyone for your problems. Don’t change, just dig in. Lies, make them big, no…
Adding blogging to that and anxiety, well, it could be the proverbial straw.
When it’s quiet here on my blog, I have time to think.
Why am I really doing this?
Should I be doing this?
I have so much else to do, is this a distraction?
Or is blogging just another version of chocolate, sappy movies, wanting to cry, desperately wishing a time machine would materialize in my living room to whisk me back to a time when the biggest decisions I had to make were: what to wear to school, who to hang out with, what to listen to…Probably shouldn’t go back, I might scream at myself to quit wishing to grow up and just enjoy growing up.
Some days I feel like blogging is more Hotline Blog (I’m assured Drake will drop this as a follow-up to his famous
“This is Anna Bjorgman, reporting from The North Pole where it appears protesters from The Occupy Movement have set up camp to Occupy The North Pole.” Shivering in her Canada Goose parka, the young woman bravely placed the microphone in front of one of the Occupiers, “Excuse me, why has TheOccupy Movement decided to Occupy The North Pole this Christmas?”
A handsome young man flashed a smile that was whiter than the snow around him before answering, “Actually, the Occupy movement is so three years ago. We’re the Change The North Pole Movement, because we believe the climate up here needs to change!”
Pushing his iPhone6 into the pocket of his Moncler parka, Christian continued, “Santa is a fat rich old white man who has his own town, slave labour, and only works one day a year!”
I had too much to dream last night…again.
I feel like I’m suffering from a dream hangover.
I woke from my confusing, at times, exhilarating Dickens’A Christmas Carol -like dream (with Muppets), and again, filled with revelations. I was visited once again by Donald Trump who told me 3 others (the best 3 others) would visit that night. It was terrifying, he still wore the chains of greed, intolerance, and suffering he’d forged link by link…it seemed like there was more of the hairspray than grave about him.
When Colin Firth showed up as my Ghost of Christmas Pastin the white shirt from Pride and Prejudice(you know the one, ladies), I thought, bring it on, this dream just got X-tra special. He reminded me that all things past are actually always still with us…
My Ghost of Christmas Present (what a gift) turned out to be…
Unseasonably warm, it seemed a beautiful day to go for a long walk. Little did I know chaos had broken out at The North Pole. As I wandered off to do errands and go to the library, behind the scenes, disgruntled elves had declared war on Christmas! Tired of deplorable working conditions, the Elves went on strike.
Santa seemed bemused, telling the media, “I’ve spent more money on elves, especially Veteran elves than any other Santa in the history of Santas.”
The elves shot back with a list of demands.
“We’re tired of being pushed around!” Chief SpokesElf Snowball exclaimed. “We don’t have glamorous jobs like fighting to save Middle-earth, making cookies in trees, being a warrior in Hyrule, or saving Harry Potter, we just make toys!”
Other elves murmured their agreement.
“We love making toys, but day in and day out, it’s torture!” Snowball…
With the Christmas lights on, it’s less dangerous. Here we are now, entertain us. I feel dazed, not contagious. Here we are now, entertain us…I’m worse at what I do best And for this gift, I feel blessed… Our little blogging group has always been. And always will until the end. HoHo, HoHo, HoHo, HoHo, HoHo, HoHo. Ummm, Smells like Christmas spirit?
In a kind of Welcome-to-the-Christmas-Jungle-type way, it’s been a strange few weeks, so Dear Santa, I Can Explain….
1. I’ve fought a prolonged battle with a vicious cold, it almost won, until I released my dragons, ok, it was chicken soup, but it was epic.
2. I overindulged in great gently used ‘finds’, tea with seniors, and raffles – if loving Christmas Bazaars is wrong, I don’t wanna be right.
3. I fell out of bed (and not in a fun way), luckily no serious injuries, but it…
Twas the week before Christmas
(almost two till my birthday)…
When all through the blogosphere…
not a blogger was stirring…
ok, some are stirring, but mostly cocktails…
Yet posts were still flying out with hopes that readers might give them a shout!
Christmas isn’t the most wonderful time of the year for bloggers, readers and many bloggers are off prepping for the big day, partying, waiting in line for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and of course, searching for perfect gifts.
Here are some, er, helpful last-minute gift ideas for those hard to buy for folks:
1. O Christmas tree! As a cautionary note, unlike in the movies, apparently it’s ‘frowned upon’, some might even say illegal, to just randomly cut trees down. Who knew?
2. Draw happy faces on all their socks/nylons so they’ll feel happy as they start each day. Or sneak into their house or room…
Embark on a unique voyage through the uncharted waters of thought and discovery with Treasures of the Elysian Fields. Unveiling treasures of epiphanies, this blog is a tapestry of eclectic musings, transcending the ordinary to offer a memorable journey into the realms of introspection and revelation.
So here, we’ve only got one rule: Never ever let it cool! Hot, hot, hot hot chocolate; find your inner marshmallow and melt into the season.
Oh, I’ve no doubt it will sweep The Oscars, they’ve been pay-for-play for a long time and I’m sure all that extra money Netflix gets from increasing already-high subscription rates went a long way to helping this film along on the road to getting the golden guy. I say take the millions and millions spent on award shows like The Oscars, The Golden Globes, The Emmys, etc. and donate it to people in need. I bet some Ukrainians and many many others in the world could use some help right now. I say dump the red carpet and buy some blankets. Dump the designer gowns and tuxes and buy some clothes for those in need. Dump the fancy foods and buy some food for the starving. Buy vaccines for countries who want them. Buy medicine for those who are suffering. Awards are dumb. You either like a movie, or TV show, or book or you don’t. You don’t need someone to validate or nullify your likes or dislikes.
“Halloween”; 
Hoping November offers some reprieve
That “home” part may confuse those who know I just moved a couple of months ago. Yes, but sadly some aspects of my new home that would have helped me make an informed decision about moving into this 
What else? Fights, extremely loud music (and not the good stuff), lack of social distancing, sharing red plastic cups, cigarettes, bottles…no masks, no brains, no hope. I weep for the future.
Living with chronic conditions means you have to change your expectations, accommodate, modify, and most of all, adapt. I’m trying to be kind to myself. 
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Welcome
Make no mistake, hate is the easy way. Different = Hate. Don’t agree with you = Hate. Blame everyone for your problems. Don’t change, just dig in. Lies, make them big, no…
Life is full of good things and bad things.
I had too much to dream last night…again.
My 
yadadarcyyada 