BLOGAVERSARY!!!!!!

Can you believe it … Aug. 2, 2014  … 11 years ago …. we posted our “test post” which frankly didn’t have much on it but it was a start. It was the push that propelled everything else that followed. It was the “first post” and yeah we could have stopped there but we didn’t we just kept pushing through. On August 3^rd we did an introduction post about what the blog was going to be and more importantly what it wasn’t going to be and then we did some introductions to each of us … myself .. and my partner in crime Golden.

 This blog started out as a way to take two people being crushed by the world and help them remember that they have it in them to be creative. Golden did this for me and I know that but having her along the way gave me … I don’t know a sense that if I didn’t see it through I’d be letting her down as much as letting myself down. So I’m grateful she came on this ride with me. Truth is she’s better at this than I ever wanted to be. The way she uses words like a paint brush to tell a story fills me with an envy that I can’t fully express.

 That August was a good month for us with 27 posts but then again it was new, exciting and we went to Dragon Con which always helps with content. Here I sit … again looking our 10 year anniversary of Dragon Con (it really feels like we’ve been going longer but my calculations say 10 years so 10 it is – math is hard yall) and I can’t wait for that 4 day break with my bestie. I need it and more important she needs it. We might just veg the entire time playing video games but we’ll at least be doing it in the same room.

 A lot has changed for Golden and I over these 11 years. She’s changed jobs for one. Sometimes I think it’s for the better but other times I’m not so sure. I’ve gotten a few promotions at work and am now leading a team of people which is very daunting and I’m not sure I like it at all. She’s been through a few fur babies, which were really tough to watch her go through cause as you know dear reader I’m too far away to just go over and make sure she’s ok.  We have both lost family members along the way, and we have both also gained family members, which has been more fun than the losing. We’ve gone on a few more trips, most recently to Atlanta to see the StayKids which I admit was far more fun than I anticipated.  Sickness we have both dealt with our fair shar of sickness over the years mine mostly watching others be sick and Golden being my Medical Marvel. Neither of us really use Twitter (I refuse to call it anything else) as much as we used too but have migrated to other platforms. Social Media has always been a cesspool and now it’s somehow worse.

 I admit finding content to post here without a lot of feedback wasn’t always easy so I started little challenges for myself. The thankfulness challenge in 2014 was particular a highlight for me as it was a post a day for the month of November and I succeeded. Is every post worth a read … not really but there are 30 posts in the month of November and for that I am proud. I tried it again in 2019 and it was equally successful. Maybe I bring it back this year?

When we started this blog we said we’d not “teach you anything” but like the former journalist that I wanted to be I added but we might … which helped open the door for my Blog with a Purpose posts that focused on a few charities that Golden and I have supported over the years. I hope those were interesting cause I really enjoyed writing them.

Oh and the greatest challenge of all is that this blog got me writing again. Here of late I’ve been doing my Writing prompt challenge, which has been interesting. However, over the years I used this to share some of my original  fiction which was both fun and scary at the same time.

Several reoccurring themes have popped up too including music, books, tv, the aforementioned drama with fur babies, etc., which has also helped in keeping this thing going. Oh and I’ve wasted a post or two a year on my silly TV movie calendars for Halloween and Christmas and while that is slowing down I don’t see it stopping soon. Tho Microsoft doing away with publisher I might have to come up with another plan for those in the very near future. My gripes at Microsoft have also  made a few appearances too over the years. Year end posts or new year blogs helped kick off the year or end it and made for some good content as well. Random Thoughts/Grind my Gears were also fun ways to get topics bouncing around in my head out of my head and onto the screen so I could move on.

So the point is if you have been with us this long than you, if you are new here enjoy going through the archives to the right, and if you are a casual reader it’s been fun seeing you around too. This blog isn’t dead yet and while I know sometimes it looks and feels that way that’s just what we do. We don’t post for the sake of posting we post when there is something worth saying and in my opinion that is more fun. It’s about quality not quantity but know there will be typos.

So thanks again Golden for the push and let’s keep it going a few more years at least!

Marcy

2024 YEAR END RECAP : Best Laid Plans

So when I originally wrote this post, on Christmas Eve I was talking about how my nephew and his wife couldn’t join us for Christmas so we’d be going to see them on the weekend after Christmas which was going to eat into my downtime after the holiday. HOWEVER best laid plans be damned cause that Little Girl decided she wanted to join us for the celebration. My nephew and his lovely bride had a beautiful Baby Girl on Christmas Day almost 5 weeks prior to her due date. She was born around 3:30 and was 5lbs 14 oz and 18” long. She’s gonna be dumb tall like her dad. Her name is Olia Noelle and I love it, tho many of my fellow family members are struggling with the name. I myself can say it just fine until someone asks :D I say it like Ollie without the E but ad a AH to it. Oli-ah 😊 time will tell if I’m saying it right or not. My nephew and his wife aren't shy they will let us know if we aren't. Someday it will roll right off our tongue without us even thinking about it and we will giggle at the struggle bus that was her name. With this event I was upgraded from Aunt to Great Aunt and I mean I’ve always been great! As of this writing she is still in the hospital but her mom has been discharged and we are hopeful Olia will be coming home very soon as well. It's going to be exciting getting to celebrate this little thing every year on Christmas. I can’t wait to meet her and tickle her little feet!

However, this is about 2024 …. So digress. I admit that this wasn’t our best year on this blog…but wasn’t our worst ever … looking at you 2023 when we only managed 8 post for the entire year. That’s called minimum effort for sure. Ironically that was the year I started my “blog with a purpose” posts … and thus a post about a charitable foundation followed by me ranting about say Auburn Football …. Sadly, a constant on this blog (ranting about AU sports I mean). I also had only 8 posts in 2018 but it at least had more variety than 2023. Hey not every year can be a winner!

In 2024 I managed to knock out 10 posts, well 11 once this one goes up, on a variety of topics including another Blog with a Purpose post this time focusing on Anthony Nolan. That one was fun cause I was also helping sell a book at the same time. Don’t know if any books were sold cause of me but I’m sure I didn’t hurt the cause, well I hope I didn’t anyway. This was also the year my father turned 80 and he and I spent most of the year working on his memoirs which I found fascinating. Giving us his book was his gift to all of us this year. He also included a card with all his videos, pictures, etc, taken through August (AKA his birthday). That was a nice and very welcoming surprise that I wasn’t expecting. He’s good people my dad. This was also an Olympic year which is always exciting for me and of course Dragon Con for the 10^th time. I really believe we have been going far longer than that but 10 is a nice round number so that’s what we will go with.  

We have a new "most viewed" post which is "Baby Talk" a short story I wrote about a new mom and dad figuring out their new roles. I have no idea where it came from but it's been viewed 335 times so maybe others are enjoying it. I am proud that my Bryan White Tribute is in the top 5 of all time views. I was really proud of that one. Golden's "Drunksgiving" Post from 2014 rounds out the top views list and again I say she's way better at this than I am. 

This year the big absence was Golden. I keep telling her she is way better at this than I am … go back and read any posts tagged with GOLDEN and you’ll see what I mean. She uses words like a paintbrush in a way that I only wish I could do. 2024 is the year I was diagnosed with Covid shortly after coming home from Dragon Con. It really wasn’t that “bad” for me but I’ve had every shot the have been willing to give me. Right before I left I begged for one but the nice lady at CVS said that a new one was coming out soon and I should wait. I should have pushed it but I didn’t. Who knows maybe I would have gotten sick anyway. Maybe not. As it was I was confined to my room for 5 days then took two test both of which came back negative before coming back to the real world. I wasn’t really sick as much as I had a MASSIVE headache that just wouldn’t quit and was exhausted all the time, symptoms that lingered long after the negative tests results arrived. I still don’t think my energy level is back up to full but I guess I’m where I’m going to be. The best part of my COVID diagnosis is that neither Golden or my parents got it which was my biggest fear. 

As I am writing this news organizations are dusting off their Jimmy Carter memorial videos to bid farewell to a man that did as much good out of office as he did in office. Maybe it is because he is from nearby Plains, Georgia, or maybe it’s cause he was President when I was born (1977 – 1981) but he’s the first president I recall. From his humanitarian efforts especially with Habitat for Humanity is what I really remember. I also can’t get over the fact he was 100 … like can you imagine all he’s seen and lived through and all the changes he’s been through over his lifetime? I don’t know if I want to live to 100 … heck there are some days I’m not sure I want to make it to 45 but I guess that’s up to someone who isn’t me.

 

I hope you all had a good holiday surrounded by love and that 2025 is good for you and to 2025 I say please go easier on my friend Golden she really does not deserve the crap that the last few years have put her through. Use someone else as a punching back for a change PLEASE and thank you.

 

Marcy

Happy...whatever....

I had grand plans to do this end of year wrap up post then I just didn’t which is kind of a fitting way to end 2021 actually. I am currently sitting at my kitchen table writing this and watching mom juice about 75 Limequats which are apparently what you get when you plant a lemon tree and a cumquat tree to close together …or some BS like that. So that she will have juice for pies but she can throw out the Limequats. PS they are very very tart so the Lemon is strong in that quat.

I am also setting up my dad’s new Samsung phone (I’m a multi-tasker afterall). A few months ago my father destroyed the back of his phone. Like destroyed it. Little pieces of glass everywhere. We took it apart and tried to put a new back on but it wouldn’t hold as the glue or tape on the back had lost its sticky. So me and the engineer decided to take the back off and put superglue on it and well it held but it wasn’t pretty. It was only a matter of time before that failed so for Christmas I got him a new phone. I also got my mom a new one so they now have the exact same phone.

Mom’s phone was different. She had the old Microsoft phone, maybe one of the last phones still working. AT&T sent her a text saying yeah we aren’t supporting that phone anymore so we are going to send you a free one. I was like yeah right delete it mom it’s a scam. DON’T CLICK ON ANYTHING!!!!! … amazing how many times I have to tell them that. Then a few weeks later we got a letter … saying the same thing. No phone. A month or so later I called them and after being on the phone for over an hour and the dude trying to sell me everything under the sun we determined that in fact they were sending my mom a phone and we should get an e-mail when it is shipped. Damned if we didn’t. They sent it and it was the slowest piece of shit I’ve ever held in my hands. I knew eventually that would get on her nerves. The box was in my bedroom but I hadn’t wrapped it yet. One night as we watched yet another Cheesy Crimas movie it happened. She announced to the room that she wasn’t going to have a phone, didn’t need a phone and didn’t want a fucking phone for Christmas! I sat there through her rant and the next day spent the morning setting up her phone (hence why I’m setting up dads (you just did it after all)) then I went to give it to her and while she was mad a hell and didn’t want to take it, she felt like it was too expensive, she eventually did and I think is very happy that I did give her one. It still frustrates her sometimes but I do think she likes it. I hope so anyway. As an adult it’s rare I can give them Christmas presents they aren’t expecting and neither saw that coming. It was a nice feeling.

 It’s currently 84 degrees outside on this New Year’s Eve which is just stupid. The air outside is heavy with moisture and there’s a feeling of bad weather in the air. I hope it holds off cause well I’m not sure why. I’m not planning to go anywhere and I really feel like I’ll be asleep long before the ball drops but it just seems strange going into the new year with tornados in the air. Then again maybe that’s how 2021 should go out the door.

 I’ve been sick the last week or so. Not Rona, I don’t think. I’m 98% sure it was a sinus infection. I was all snotty and gross and congested. I never did the RONA test, I just stayed home, worked from the house and am now feeling much better. Tho my left nostril has some explaining to do. For some reason it refuses to work but jokes on him I’ll just breathe through my mouth! I never had a fever, never had a headache, lost sense of taste or smell, and never really felt “bad” thus why I don’t think I had the RONA. Then again I’ve had both my shots, I’ve had the booster, I wear the mask when in public and so if I did get the RONA I was going to be mad as hell. However I also understand I’m very likely to have had it, never really know it and spread it, hence my staying home this past week. Several of my coworkers didn’t come back from Crimmus cause they had tested positive or were in contact with others who tested positive so next week at work should be … interesting. My partner in crime Golden has also been battling sickness this past week, however as a medical marvel that’s more the norm for her than the surprise.

 The reason for the year end post is that I realized not too long ago that our little Blog turned 7 this past August … one day I’m going to actually remember the birthday of this blog but alas this was not the year. I thought well that’s not really a milestone age .. I mean it’s not like 5 or 10 it’s just a 7 .. but to me that is a pretty big deal. For 7 years I’ve wasted your time with drivel that fell out of my head and some of you read them all, some of you didn’t and that’s ok ..the point is that despite my best efforts .. this blog isn’t dead yet. That’s 250 blog posts (once this one goes live), some that were substantial, some that were by Golden, and some that were just to say I posted something. Not surprisingly that first year (2014) I had over 83 posts but that was also the year that I did a post a day in November and with this thing being new and all it was fun and interesting still. The second biggest year was 2019 which came after a year with the lowest number of posts, also the year that really tried to take us down but didn't succeed. 2019 was my re-launch of this blog so to speak and we haven’t looked back since. Sure, there are some months with one or no posts but hey I did keep it going. This year we have had 10 posts, well 11 once this one goes live.

I’ve been thinking about how different life was 7 years ago. 7 years ago … I had a boss that was literally sucking the professional life out of me, to the point where I had started looking for a new job. I knew the grass always seemed greener on the other side. I loved the company I worked for and most of the people, but I was just done with her. HEAR THAT AMERICA IT’S NOT ALWAYS WE DON’T WANNA WORK IT IS SOMETIMES WE DON’T WANT TO WORK FOR SPECIFIC PEOPLE!!!! Nothing I did was good enough, and if I ever tried to step up and do more than expected I was suddenly “out for her job.” I had gotten to the point where I took everything that was personal out of my office. No pictures on the walls, no sitting around fun stuff to show it was my office, even my candy dish (which always bothered her cause A. she couldn’t stay out of it (somehow that was my fault) and B. cause my coworkers would stop by and chat as they got a piece and never stopped to chat with her). I wanted to be able to literally go down to HR say I’ve had enough and quit. I didn’t expect her to let me work a 2 week notice and so instead of her standing there watching me pack a box of my stuff I could grab my purse and get the *uck out. My coworkers noticed I didn’t put anything up for the holidays, they noticed the lack of personal stuff in my office and started trying to build me up, which frankly made her even madder. They were dark days for sure work wise. Now it's 7 years later, I just celebrated my 18th anniversary at the same job, I've got an amazing boss, I have been promoted twice and just celebrated my first year of being the manager of my department with my own staff. I have taken on more responsibility than I have ever had, and I love my job more today than I did back then, tho it often stresses me past the breaking point but that's on me not them. So, she can suck it! :D 

However, I guess she can be credited with not only hiring the boss I currently have but also with this blog as the stress of the office was making me not want to do anything outside of work either. I was spending so much energy in the week not cussing her out that by Friday I was mentally drained, and Golden came up with a fantastic idea of starting this blog to refocus that energy. I will always love her for that. I would give anything if could find something similar for her. She’s made guest appearances on this blog from time to time and frankly she is much better at this than I am. The way she tells a story, the humor, the details, the drama. She uses worked like a pen in the way that I only wish I could. She paints a story in someone’s head and damn I wish I could do that. I’ve begged her to try her hand at writing a book, I think it would be a best seller. I’m going to keep at her and keep striving to be more like her in every aspect that I can.

 7 years ago, Golden was also in a place with her job where it was taking the very soul out of her body. However, unlike me she was released and found a new path and now she is in another job that she really likes but that has taken everything she has to survive it during this pandemic. The crazy thing is she is really good at this job, it’s just …. too much sometimes. Staff shortages and overtime hours is starting to take a toll, but she’s survived it and hasn’t murdered anyone and for that I’m both grateful and a little shocked. See Golden is a 100% essential worker who works at a facility that runs 24 hours 7 days a week. As I mentioned previously Golden is a medical marvel and needs the downtime that her current situation is just not supplying, I pray that in 2022 she gets some rest, some peace and finds a balance between work and not work. Heck even when off they call her more than she tweets which is a problem. Even in her downtime she’s never too far away.

SHUT up … as I was finishing this I got an alert that Betty White has left us … damn you 2021 … but well played 2022 … don’t let that be on your shoulders …….. damn ….. rest well Mrs. White we’ll take it from here.

 So, I’m ending this on that note …. See you guys on the other side…. I hope.

Marcy

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!

Happy New Year to all my readers, or those that accidently clicked on this link when it was posted on Twitter. Welcome to the random thoughts that fall our of my mind, through my arms and fingers and into this blog. I’ve decided I’m not making any New Year’s resolutions, every year I do and every year it just becomes a list of things I didn’t do, or accomplish. So I’m not falling for it again. Nope not me. 

It’s been a very interesting year. From the struggles with my mom’s health (she’s doing amazing by the way), to work stress, it just felt like one long Groundhog type day. You know one of those days where no matter what I did during the day I get up and we do it all over again. That’s not to say there weren’t fun or good moments sprinkled in throughout the year cause there was.

I got a little more involved at the Church, helping the finance office, serving on the “Imagine Team” and once again helping with VBS and dressed as Marvin the Martian at our annual Trunk or Treat in October.  

In January I got to see Vanessa Peters at the Listening Room, for the 2^nd time. She’s as lovely today as she was a year ago when I met her. I would make my way back to the Listening Room – now known as the People’s Room of Mobile - in a few months to see my musical hero. I really should spend more time at the Listening Room (AKA People’s Room). I should spend more time doing a lot of things but especially that. I keep saying I’m going to go down there one day and just see whose playing. Maybe this year.

Auburn of course was another highlight of my life, as it has been for the last 40 something years. I got to see a Baseball game, a basketball game, a few football games, softball and volleyball games as well as a couple gymnastic meets all in person or TV. I really want to see more in person. I mean what is science doing if not building me a portal that allows me to teleport to these venues so I can have these fun experiences then get back in time for work the next day. I mean comeon! Get on that.

In March I got to go to a work conference and visit my cousin to meet her new daughter, who has recently started walking, the daughter not my cousin. Int was that trip that I also got to spend a few days with a dear friend of mine. I think that would have been a TON of fun if I weren’t also on my social media break for lent. I might have to not do that again this year. ha!

In April I attended my first (and likely only) Kiss concert with a friend which I have to admit I enjoyed more than I thought I would. They are her all time favorite band and since this was their farewell tour it was now or never. I also saw KC and the Sunshine band with this same friend back in June.

In May I took a work trip to Tampa to help with a project. I think they are expecting me to do that again this year. It was nice to get out of the office that’s for sure. Later that same month I got to fart around with Golden for her birthday where we watched movies, ate good good, laughed and reconnected.

In August I got to sit in a room and listen to my musical idol play music, I could listen to Bryan White read a phone book and be happy as a clam.

Golden and I made another trip to Dragon Con and while it wasn’t exactly as we had hoped or planned that it would be I think we made the best of it and had a really good time.

As far as this blog is concerned I brought it back to life some what with 50 posts with only 3 months without a post. I am kind of proud of that. Of course my 30 posts in November as part of a challenge I gave to myself helped in that effort but I’m trying to keep this thing going. I still can’t believe that I’ve been using this thing since 2014 that’s over 200 posts that you guys have sat through and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you guys indulging me when I need to give my brain a break from the world.

Marcy
@beaslma

Happy 1 Month Blogaversary!!!!!!!

While technically our first post was on Aug. 2nd all it said was “Coming soon .... the thoughts, rants, and observations of Marcy and Golden. Join us … you’ll be glad you did”  so I count Aug. 3rd as our OFFICIAL first post if you don’t like it get your own blog …. No wait don’t leave!!!!

WE are thrilled that people are visiting, we are at 788 page views at this very moment. So keep coming back and bring your friends!

So I say to our readers HAPPY 1 MONTH BLOGAVERSARY and thank you so very much for joining us!

We have had a busy month. In 28 posts we have discussed of course the Con, the anxiety of the lead up to the Con, the guilt of leaving a furbaby behind, a post about music and what it does for us, an invite to join the ScarySocial, Lupus struggles, growing up or not, packing, and original fiction.

I hope the coming month will include more original fiction. I have written a few stories but all seem to long to post here, and aren’t 100% ready to put “out there yet.” We’d love to know what brought you to the blog, if there’s anything you’d like for us to talk about so let us know. So hit us up, either in the comments below or via Twitter.

In the meantime check out the previous moths posts while we continue to come out of our DragonCon stuper and I get over the Con Crud, if that is what I have. All I know is that at the moment I can’t hear and only half of my nose works at a time.