Anti-MAGA Fears

My level of anxiety is shrink-worthy. But I didn't share my fears with the doctor yesterday.

• What if Trump sics his MAGA militias on everyone?

• What if the rest of the world bombs the USA? Trump has been goading everyone with his insanity. HE would deserve it, not the whole country.

Yes, I know I sound like a conspiracy theorist. I sent in an essay for the 250th Year celebration, but the judge asked me to tone it down. I did not. Sometime in the near future, I can compare my fears stated in that essay with the awful future reality*. We'll see how close my catastrophizing came to reality.

         Trump may be waiting for Memorial Day or Independence Day to unleash his demons. 

People who know me well are aware that I have a border personality disorder. While it's usually subtle . . . need I say more?

My opening statement is in black and white.

My fears are expressed in blue.

Red: more not unreasonable fears.

Justification in gray.

*Everything has been awful so far. Trump is sure to do much worse.

#Trumpianaxiety

#whentheothershoedrops

Tulip's Shenanigans

Tulip remains curious about the world about her.

In the office, she regularly separates the AT&T telephone from its base. Lately, I've wondered if I should keep the home phone. Cell service has gotten so much better than when I first moved to rural North Carolina. I'll come back to that issue in a month or two.

I should have taken an earlier photo of Tulip when she was sleeping on and in my HP printer. Her back feet were inside the paper tray. I worried that she would find herself stuck when she awoke. I worried for nothing.

The office is where I've accumulated piles of The Stuff I want to sell in the Endless Yard Sale in June. I won't be ready. I've sold the toaster oven and the cedar chest. What else would be safe to get rid of?

I'm worried about two things: 

• What if I don't find alternate housing in the near future? 
• Am I selling The Stuff too soon that I'll regret it?

#Tuplip+telephone

#Tulipphonehome

My plate is full...

And Tulip's is full as well. 

I've been spending more time at the Benson Center for Active Aging (BCAA) these past few weeks. It's left me with less time for writing.

Two or three classes follow the writing classes I lead. On Tuesdays, there is Cardio Drumming. I've been going on Wednesdays to learn about stained glass making. After that class, there are games to play, so that's another two hours... Repeat on the third Friday of the month.

😺

Tulip is up to her old tricks. Yesterday she pawed my plastic bin of medicines off the counter. She is a PRO at grabbing my attention. At least none of the pill bottles fell out.

Her latest thing is dumping full bowls of food onto the floor, almost simultaneously with my bestowing her food onto her table. She immediately demands more food.

When I talk on the telephone, Tulip sprints to the kitchen to paw at the clean dishes; then she inspects the dirty ones. In between, she'll overturn whatever is neglected on tabletops.

#fullplates

#toddlercat

#alexanderpopadinphoto

AAUUGGH!!!

I thought I was fiscally wise to switch my home phone and Internet service from Spectrum to Brightspeed.

Have had nothing but aggravation for the past month. Brightspeed sent three two-man crews to dig and bury their cables. Three rows of disturbed grass resulted. The last installer said he could not close the work ticket because there was an issue with the IP address.

Many phone calls later - after I called Spectrum to cancel the phone and Internet - I learned that Brightspeed couldn't port my home phone because the phone number was still under Spectrum's purview. They said I needed to call Spectrum to reactivate the home phone so that Brightspeed could port the number. 

Today - after nearly a month without my home phone - I saw an online bill from BS;  they charged me for the voice service. Also, that service costs $30, which is $10 more than a discussion I had with their rep a few weeks ago said.

I'm seriously considering getting rid of the home phone altogether. So, as of today, I'll be saving $31.43 a month. Big whoop. Brightspeed's pricing will last 24 months. When I add it all up, the overall savings is significant. 

Spectrum			Brightspeed + Spectrum
TV	$103.00		TV	Not available	$103.00
Internet	$35.00		Internet	$29.99
Voice	$30.00		Phone	$30.00
Taxes	$7.17		Taxes	$2.10
Total	$175.17		Total	$40.74	$103.00
New combined total	$143.74			/	/
	$31.43		Combined:	$40.74
31.43 X 24 =	754.32			$103.00
				$143.74

But, if I remove home phone service entirely, that would save me $720 over the coming two years. The last rep I talked to disagreed with me about the price reduction. "It's $30; it's always been $30; you're (meaning me) not entitled to a rate cut." 

To say the least, my experience with Brightspeed reps has been underwhelming.

Decisions, decisions. I'll give it a few months and reconsider.

#internetproviderpain

#notsobrightspeed

#internet_switch

Feral Cats

My neighborhood has had a feral cat problem for years. Ages ago, I was asked by my landlord if I would contact Animal Control. So I did. I captured a possum and about eight kitties, as I recall.

This year I lost a landscaper company's business because his men kept walking in kitty poo on my lot. Well, imagine me weeding through tons of monkey grass and coming across several piles of poo in them. Yuck! I had had enough.

Over the past week, I trapped six cats and the Benson Police took them away. I don't know if they were set free down Hwy 301 in Dunn or if they were brought to the shelter in Smithfield. 

Now if only I could get the dog owners to control their animals from running free.

Maybe THIS chapter should be entitled Vilify Me.

#feralcats

#catchingcats