This year I had a whopping 16 trick-or-treaters. 2024 was 56, 2023 was 60, 2022 was 45. It was sprinkling rain off-and-on, so maybe that's why. Oh well. More candy for me. Not that I should be eating bags and bags of candy at my age, but maybe if I just eat one piece two pieces six pieces a day it will all be fine.

And now, this... something I posted on Facebook a few hours agao

As we yede into All Hallow's Eve, a blessing from me to thee...
   
Maye thy trick-or-treaters be sparse so the candy bounty left for thee be heavy.
   
Maye thy pets be not alarmed by the many intrusions unto thine house.
   
If the weather be not pleasant, maye it not intrude upon thy home when thou openest the door.
   
Maye wicches and devels and the foul forces of the orange satan passe thee by, and blessyngs be upon thee and thyn this night.
   
Amen.

It's tough to have Halloween without thinking back to nine years ago when I very foolishly scheduled a colonoscopy for November 1st ("We're wide open, so you can have whatever time you like!"). Which meant I had my clean-out on Halloween. When I was trying to pass out candy to trick-or-treaters. And having to sit on the toilet every five minutes. What I remember most is not wanting to get anybody sick with pink eye or whatever, so I was washing my hands as usual, but in scalding hot water before grabbing the bowl of candy. My hands were raw for days. Which was worse than the colonoscopy. But not worse than the clean-out, of course.

Today was payday! After turning out the lights at 9:00pm as the rain picked up, it was time to place a grocery order for tomorrow morning.

I am single.

I don't eat a lot.

I am vegetarian so I don't buy expensive meats.

I grocery shop frugally. Very frugally... only buying things that are on sale, and I purchase a lot of in-store brands instead of name brands.

Doesn't matter.

I just bought groceries for the next two weeks... the total was $206 ($12 over what I should have spent because I splurged and bought two packages of "fresh" pasta and a box of donuts, all at discount). My savings from shopping sales and special offers was $83. Meaning that the retail price for feeding one person with a low food intake for half a month is $289.

For half a month!

How can a family of four afford to eat any more? What happened to "lower grocery prices on Day One?" This is fucking abhorrent. People are having to use credit cards to finance food to eat while grocery store chains rake in billions of dollars in profit. People are going hungry while the government is financing multiple private jets, ugly million dollar marble bathroom renovations, and an even uglier golden ball room to entertain the millionaires and billionaires that own them.

How the fuck are people okay with all this? We've been completely sold out while the people who represent us rake in billions of OUR MONEY. It's all grift and scams from here on out.

Happy Halloween. For the USA it's 100% trick and 0% treat.

The Japanese Prime Minister having to corral an obviously confused and forgetful President Trump reminds me of having to corral my mom when taking her to appointments as the dementia was taking hold.

I'm going to say the same thing to Republicans propping up President Trump that I said to Democrats propping up President Biden... "He clearly doesn't have the mental capacity left to run the country, so stop being cruel." Intentionally putting them into situations which confuse and embarrass them is just plain mean. And dangerous.

Obviously the protocol for this meeting would have been explained to the president before they entered the hall. He clearly forgot about all of it and wandered around. Just like he shook the hand of Emperor Naruhito instead of bowing. A heinous breach of protocol. And if you know even the tiniest bit about Japanese culture, you'd understand how seriously embarrassing this is for everybody involved.

Republicans are trying to spin this as "America not bowing to any nation." But that's not what this is. When you visit a country you acknowledge their customs. It's just being respectful. And Trump obviously didn't have a problem bowing to the King of Saudi Arabia to receive a medal... but here we are.

Can you even fathom what the Right Wing media would be saying about President Biden if he wandered off confused like this? Oh, wait... no need to speculate... we already saw what they said about Biden over every little thing that even hinted at diminished mental capacity. Telling us over and over he was unfit to lead. So where is that concern now? It's obviously warranted.

And much needed.

He's testing nuclear weapons without any understanding of what the fuck he's doing, for Christ's sake.

It has been really difficult to get through my work day when I'm checking the news every 15 minutes to see how Jamaica is faring.

Last night I looked through my photos of Ocho Rios and Dunn's Falls Park from when my mom and I visited. There's no photo of my mom where she's not smiling. Jamaica kinda has that vibe. Such welcoming, kind people you can't help but be happy.

Really worried about how the people and animals are faring in the face of such destruction. They say the storm is losing intensity, but is still rated Category 5.

I've been holding this post for a couple days because I was debating whether to say something or not.

I finally decided to say something.

Do not be these people. By heading to Jamaica where you'll be using up valuable resources needed to help people who will have lost everything, you're just being a terrible person. You can get a refund on your ticket during emergency situations like this, so why?

I really hope this is fake.

In which case it's probably worse because you are making fun of people who will have lost everything.

Why are people like this? Empathy and decency are becoming a thing of the past.

As I write this at 5:30am, I'm taking a break from working on spreadsheets all morning. It's a lot of cutting and pasting in really confusing ways, and my brain is having a tough time dealing.

So I wander through the internet for a few minutes to decompress.

And really wish I hadn't done that.

The first thing I check on is Hurricane Melissa. And the news is not good at all...

I’ve only been to Jamaica once. Some of the nicest, most welcoming people I’ve encountered. Worried for them and all the animals on the island. I cannot even fathom how catastrophic this could be for the island. All I can do is hope that everybody tries the best they can to stay safe and save their pets.

Then I run across the news that Dear Leader's Administration has no plan whatsoever to continue SNAP (food stamps) benefits on November 1st.

I will never in a million years understand the willingness of politicians to play games with people's lives. Have your differences. Debate your positions. Do whatever you do when you're not sucking on lobbyist teats. But to take away food from people? In what universe is this some kind of bargaining chip?

People will fight for a fetus with the passion of a million burning suns. But once those fetuses to grow up to become hungry kids? "Fuck 'em!"

For the millionth time... children are victims of circumstance. They have no control over whatever situation they might be trapped in. Including hunger and poverty. Of all the things I am perfectly okay with my tax dollars going towards, feeding hungry kids in the wealthiest nation on earth is somewhere at the top of the list. I know way too many Americans don't seem to give a shit about helping starving kids abroad, but here in our own house? Where is the "America first!" crowd NOW? And exactly who the fuck are these assholes in government serving that this is even on the table? This is not a Republican or Democrat issue. This is a humanitarian crisis.

Alas, we seem to be fresh out of humanity in these United States of America.

What a way to start the week.

I'm sitting here wondering what the heck happened to my weekend and all the things I was supposed to get done that I never did, but I'm still getting Blogography done... because an all new Bullet Sunday starts... now...

   
• Melissa. Hurricanes are a way of life in the Caribbean. But there are hurricanes, and there are hurricanes. And it's looking very bad indeed for Jamaica. Right now it's looking like Hurricane Melissa is going to hit at a minimum Category 4... maybe even Category 5.

At the 3:29 and 5:40 there's a cat in the frame, and chickens at 5:51, and it fills me with despair for the animals that have no idea what's coming... and no way to prepare and stay safe.

   
• Papal Security! When you're raised Catholic, the Pope becomes a rather large figure in your life. But when I was young, I didn't know much about him other than he was the leader of The Church whom I should keep in my prayers. Then I left... or rather I was kicked out when I was asking too many questions during Sunday School... and that was the end of it. Except my grandmother remained Catholic, and so on my first trip to Rome in 2000, I decided to visit the Vatican museum and buy her a rosary souvenir because I was told they all got blessed by the Pope. It was there that I was first introduced to The Swiss Guard, which is a fascinating topic...

The thing that makes them so iconic is their hallmark colorful uniforms, which I think have got to be one of the most beautiful uniforms there's ever been. Despite being so bright, they don't cross the line into garish. Probably because of the way they're constructed. With the exception of the cuffs, the red accents are hidden in-between the panels of gold and blue, so they are only visible when a guard bends or moves. It' a very cool effect. It's commonly thought that Michelangelo designed the uniforms, but it's not true. They were designed hundreds of years later, long after he died, by Commandant Jules Repond in 1914. It's a fun urban legend though.

   
• WE PWNED! If you're not scared shitless for the future of this country as it's being taken over by corporations owned by the wealthy elite, you're not paying attention...

It's all by design. All of it. Our government is owned by these incredibly wealthy people who get regulations and laws changed to benefit them instead of the American people. You can see it everywhere if you just look around. We are beyond fucked.

   
• Classic! You can have my old-school 1990's Speed Queen Washer & Dryer that came with the condo I bought when you pry them from my cold, dead hands. I am forever indebted to my friend who told me I was crazy to get rid of them. Since I've already had to replace an oven that only lasted 5 years, I'm betting my microwave, refrigerator, and new freezer are not long for this world. And here's why...

There's a huge, huge opportunity for a company to start releasing old-school appliances that will actually last. I would happily go back to an oven with knobs and dials if it means I don't have to replace them so quick. Though it sounds like that might not even be possible given what's presented in that video.

   
• Package PingPong! A couple days ago I wrote about a package which was supposed to have been delivered this past Monday. It made it to Spokane, 3 hours away, but then kept going back and forth. Last I checked, it had made it to Spokane twice but then was headed back to Ohio. Again...

But then Friday night I checked again. Sure enough, it was back in Ohio. But when I checked this morning, all the previous back-and-forth had been erased. As if it never happened...

Apparently UPS has finally realized there's a problem, corrected it (I hope), and then made it look like nothing was amiss. And it gets worse... if the package is in Spokane, then it should be delivered to me on Monday. And that's what UPS says is going to happen. But they've said that previously. Before the mysterious "YOU DIDN'T SEE THAT!" correction, it was projected to arrive on Wednesday. Now it's two days earlier. I will be very interested to see what the package looks like when it (eventually) gets delivered. It's been through a lot.

   
• iBusted! I finally did a Google Search to try and find out why I'm having so many problems with the Apple iPhone keyboard lately. It seems as if it's constantly coming up with words that I'm not typing. And since I use the "swipe" method of typing, it's very, very noticeable. And the answer is nope! Not just me...

It's absolutely pathetic how fucking bad that Apple products are becoming. Between Apple Home, CarPlay, and Siri all being a pile of shit, the Apple "experience" is so far behind what others are doing as to be embarrassing. Forget about all the broken promises that were supposed to make Apple reign supreme by having "Apple Intelligence" make their products the best in existence... Apple can't even be assed to through money at the problems they can actually fix!

   
• ERROR! ERROR! I watch a lot of YouTube videos. It's pretty much the only thing I do watch any more since streaming companies have lost their damn mind with their pricing. Last night a video came up about a horrible software error in a radiation treatment machine which killed people. Twice the city where tragedy happened was Yakima, Washington... a city not too far from me. It was a fascinating watch, but grated on me because they kept mispronouncing "Yakima"...

In the video, he says "yaw-KEEmah" but it's actually "YAKihmah." Now, when it comes to Native American words, nobody is going to get it perfect if they've never heard it before (and even then it's not guaranteed). And then there's the added complexity of non-Natives changing the pronunciation so that it's more comfortable for them to say. But in any event, there's a way that locals say it and, given how this is most certainly available somewhere on the internet with an easy Google search, it's strange that the narrator for a video wouldn't take a minute to make sure their pronunciation is accurate. Or at least in the ballpark. Oh well. Just another case of my being picky, I suppose.

   
And now I guess I'll load my dishwasher so I can feel like I accomplished something before Monday rolls around.

It's gotten to the point where I seriously wonder if modern science deniers think that things like satellite television and mobile phones are powered by magic. At the rate they want to completely dismiss all scientific evidence when it comes to keeping humanity in good health, why wouldn't they think that Jesus allows them to make calls and access the internet from the smart phone in their pocket?

Thankfully, there's still pro-science advocates out there doing The Lord's work...

This is what we need more of. Though the odds of it getting through to people who have been brainwashed seems unlikely. But if the bullshit is not confronted early and often, it just makes it spread even further.

Like trying to use Ivermectin to cure COVID.

It seems as though my weekend is ending just as it began, which makes me want to crawl under the covers and cry for a bit. But I won't abandon you in your hour of need... because here's an all new Bullet Sunday starting... now...

   
• Cozy! It's pouring rain outside tonight. YouTube knows this somehow, so it recommended this lovely video. It's wonderful and charming from start to finish. They're Turkish, but there's English subtitles. Not that it matters... this is the very definition of "cozy" and the only way I'd want to do camping...

And this one is amazing. They decorate their campsite for Christmas. And I don't mean decorate a little bit...

Welp. Guess I know what I'll be doing obsessively for the next week. Watching RambleSoul.

   
• Polissya! That video lead me to a Ukranian guy building natural shelters and foraging for food in the forests of Polissya. His builds are very impressive. Like this one, where he creates an underground bunker...

Unlike so many videos that use primitive construction, you see nearly the entire process (albeit sped up) so you know that he built everything himself.

   
• Must-See TV! HOLY CRAP! THE ENGLISH TEACHER GOT A SECOND SEASON?!??

I haven't seen this advertised anywhere. Ran across it by dumb luck on my news feed because somebody mentioned it.

   
• Tig! Need a laugh? I'm a huge fan of Tig Notaro and have been finding her early specials available on YouTube...

It's amazing how her comedy was so fully formed from those early days. Her latest special from last year, Hello Again, was just as hilarious as ever, and can be seen on Amazon Prime Video.

   
• Logic! Here's my latest thrilling adventure with insurance...

PHARMACIST: Your insurance will only pay for 1/2 a tablet per day. We'll need to have your doctor re-write the prescription or you'll have to pay the cost or you can take it up with your insurance.
   
ME: Okay, I guess I'll pay for it.
   
MEDICATION INSTRUCTIONS: DO NOT BREAK THE TABLETS. THEY MUST BE TAKEN WHOLE.

I wrote to my insurance and asked exactly how I was supposed to take a half-pill for a pill that can't be broken. They wrote back and essentially said "Oops!" and decided they would pay 50%. Which is better than nothing, for which I'm grateful. But it's just beyond bizarre how insurance works. Or doesn't.

   
• Mitch! I'm not even going to pretend to give a shit about a man who spent his entire political career not giving a crap about the people he represents. As recently as JUNE he said that "Americans will get over Medicaid cuts." And it's like, gee, Mitch... not everybody has spent their entire adult life fucking over the country for cash, so they're going to need to rely on the Medicaid that their taxes paid for after retirement...

Good Lord is McConnell a gaping asshole.

   
And on that note, it's time for me to try and get some sleep.

The stupid. It burns.

"Don't take THAT acetaminophen, take THIS acetaminophen!"

This is what happens when you have morons in charge of everything and morons following them blindly in the most idiotic way possible...

And let's remember how this all started...

Lord. I feel like the entire world is going fucking insane. When did we start listening to people who have no fucking clue what in the hell they're talking about?

Diane Keaton, D'Angelo, and Drew Struzan have passed. All of them a punch to the gut.

But the one that hits the hardest is Struzan. His movie posters are iconic, and I have bought some of them over the years to hang up (including Back to the Future II and Blade Runner: The Final Cut)...

I've also got a couple of his books somewhere that I need to dig out.

Struzan's style is unmistakable, and it's no wonder that so many artists have tried to imitate it over the years. Some of the most famous films ever made were advertised with posters he created, And trying to cash in on that only makes sense.

You will be missed, sir.

I could say that I'd really like for the Mariners to take the Series. They're not the Red Sox, but they are my local team.

Except all I really care about is that the Yankee's are eliminated.

Sad? Petty? Pathetic? Yes, yes, and yes. But I do loathe me the Yankees, so I'll cling to that...

Thanks, Jays.