How's by you?

Cruise Prep April 2013

"Those were the days my friend, I thought they would never end."  But they did, apparently with my last cruise in 2016, which began in Vancouver, Canada, headed north to Alaska and then turned south and followed the western coast of the United States south and through the Panama Canal, finally making port in Fort Lauderdale.

I had booked a cruise for the next year of the Baltic Sea region that would end up crossing the Northern Atlantic Ocean and home to the United States. But some unforeseen health issues made me feel it might be better to stay closer to home. Couple that with a growing dislike of solo travel and there you have it, me stuck on land for the past three years.

Herein lies my travel problems. While I would like to travel with a friend, I don't want to bunk with a friend. I have inordinate need for private space.

I think that is growing up like an 'only child' ~ the baby of the family, siblings separated by years and years. Twenty years for one and thirteen years for the other. Yeah, definitely 'only child' material.

Most travel partners want to share. Understandable due to the extra cost of single space bookings. Very few cruise lines offer up single space bookings, and those are in limited supply. So a single cruiser ends up most of the time paying at least one and a half times the per person rate to close to twice the price.

I once had three dinner companions that were sharing the same cabin space. Three unrelated human beings! I would often think about this during slow dinner conversations.

I know I am being silly. Cruise ships are huge spaces, sometimes easily holding 6,000 plus human beings. Small cities. Why do I cling so fervently to that 300 square feet of privacy????

Santa Anita Racetrack Today

This story   caught my eye. I was just a little kid when I first went to Santa Anita. At that time it was to visit our Japanese neighbors that had been detained there during World War II. But that's another story.

After the war years I went on to teethe here. When my dad asked me if I wanted to go to the park, Santa Anita Racetrack was the park he had in mind. During racing season Dad was always easy to find and Santa Anita was less than ten miles from my home.

On one occasion I hailed a cab and managed to get a General Admission ticket and then sent an usher to my dad with a message that his little girl was there and in need of a seat in the Club House. Those were the days.

Sad to read that so many horses had to be put down due to injuries from a too wet track. As the song goes, "It never rains in California, it only pours."

Spring Is Coming...

March 20 ~ First Day of Spring

Wait for it..... it's coming!

Purple Pain, Purple Pain

Ohhhh, Spike.

"I'm snake-bit. Every time someone's driving somebody, I lose," Lee said. He was drawing a parallel between "Green Book," about the real-life Southern journey of a white man driving African-American pianist Don Shirley, and the 1989 best-picture Oscar winner "Driving Miss Daisy," about a wealthy white woman and her black chauffeur. ~ Lynn Elber, Ap Television Writer

You test us, Spike. You really do. Can't you just be happy that another Black History story was told. And maybe just some of us (yes, us white folk) learned something we didn't know before.

I thought Green Book was a touching story. A story about a man, Don Shirley, that I had never heard about before. And he was a talent wasn't he? And a story of how many blacks survived the South in those awful days via aids such as the Green Book.

Ok, I am white, sorry, it wasn't a choice, just my life story. But I didn't see the movie as being about a black man being saved by a white man.

So relax, man. Let people tell their stories and you continue to tell yours. There is room here for all of them.

Maybe this is why Americans are loving the Great British Bake-Off so much. We like stories of support. We don't always have to be hating on each other.

Yeah, do the right thing.

Kraft Singles

American As Apple Pie

There has been a recent dust up following the Super Bowl, you might even call it a 'krafty' maneuver. It seems some elderly men got caught at an Asian Spa getting a special type of massage. Eighty bucks for a one-hour hand/mouth job. Sweet!

Now I have to say up-front I am not against prostitution. It is the oldest profession known to man and many formers have risen to high level positions. What could be more American than working your way to the top?

BUT, I am against human trafficking and the abduction of young girls for purposes of sex. These crimes should receive the harshest of penalties.

It is pretty well know that there is a spike in activity before major events like the Super Bowl. What I don't know is if there is a correlation between that and arrests. I think it is easier to turn a blind eye and let the games begin.

Nothing in recent reports indicates this incident involved young underage girls or girls brought into the business against their will. This I am sure will get sorted out.

I would be nice when you see the Super Bowl Trophy hoisted on high, that the hands holding it were those of honorable men and not sticky-fingered creeps.

You may now return to your regularly scheduled programming.

House Hunting California Style

A Former Nicolas Cage Home

In San Francisco

One thing that Nicolas Cage loves to do is to buy houses. No matter how many times he has been burnt he just can't stop himself. Maybe one day he will write a book about the various homes he has owned, I know I would find it interesting.

Anyway my granddaughter decided to try out California Living. She lives on the Berkeley side of the bay but works in the city. I saw this house and thought, "Hmmmmm, maybe it is time to revive the boarding house".

Take a look at this 6 bedroom 6.5 bath Russian Hill manse. It would make a wonderful boarding house and look at the views. 

With the right financial backer I think my granddaughter could be transformed into a 2019 version of Anna Madrigal.

California Dreaming...

A Mother's Role - Encourage and be Critical

Karl Lagerfeld

“When I was 14 I wanted to smoke because my mother smoked like mad,” he was quoted as saying. “But my mother said: ‘You shouldn’t smoke. Your hands are not that beautiful, and that shows when you smoke.’ ” ~ Karl Lagerfeld

Throwback Monday

George Washington

Father of Our Country

I'm going to pretend I am still a kid again when we celebrated George's birthday with cherry pie and tales about how the Father of Our Country could not tell a lie when confronted, axe in hand, by his father,  "George, did you chop down this cherry tree?"

He could have been America's first king, but instead he chose to step down after serving two terms as President. He also escaped an assassination attempt and that would have been a whole other story.

We had two holidays in February. February 12 was Lincoln's Birthday, giving Republicans a day to hold fund raising dinners and talk politics. 

February 22 we got cherry pies and mattress sales. Then it was decided it would be nice to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and his birthday is in January. So a February day got swapped out since banks can only be closed ten days a year.

So here we are. February is Black History Month but without any holidays, just history when they get around to talking about it. Washington and Lincoln get smooshed with all the other's for President's Day. And you are not allowed an axe in the White House.

She's back...

When I checked my watch I couldn't believe that my last post was in August 2018.  A lot has happened since then while at the same time nothing much has changed. It just depends which window you look out from.

I am just trying to find the best possible way to cope and I know I am not alone. Millions of us are trying to cope. Breathing in and Breathing out is a pretty good place to start. Sharing how you feel and knowing you are not alone is important.

We have to replace the noise in our world with music. It's not an impossible thing to do but you have to be persistent.

For me writing is my music. About anything really. Just being able to share how I feel about things, from movies to recipes to how roads are paved.

I have passions. If you read my old posts it's pretty clear what they are. So I am excited to be back with what I hope will be a daily post on something. And I hope you will take time out of your day to read my blog.

Thanks.

Happy Birthday, Sgt. Guess

John Guess, Jr.

Born August 23, 1891

Savannah Ranch

El Monte, California

Read his story:

A Hundred Years Of Tears

One Soldier's Story From the Savannah To The Somme

By: Anna Guess Pick

Savannah Ranch

Richard Guess, father, Emma Guess, mother

John Jr., Frank Guess, brother

Thelma Guess, sister, Charlie Guess, brother

Sgt. John Guess, Jr.

Company H, 364th Inf.

Distinguished Service Cross 

See more recipients of this award

Awarded for actions during the World War I

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Sergeant John Guess, Jr. (ASN: 2367259), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company H, 364th Infantry Regiment, 91st Division, A.E.F., near Eclisfontaine, France, 28 September 1918. Assisted by another sergeant, and leading a combat group across an open valley under constant hostile fire, Sergeant Guess completed the capture of four machine-gun nests and three prisoners. He was seriously wounded in the encounter and died soon afterwards.

Service: Army

Rank: Sergeant

War Department, General Orders No. 21 (1919)

En route to East Coast - June 1918

Last Visit Home - Summer of 1917

The trip from Camp Lewis to just outside Camp Merritt took about six days. Along the way, we were able to stop and enjoy a school-boy swim in a local lake. A bunch of guys about to be in the thick of war taking one last chance to be boys once again.

At Camp Merritt, we would receive our final medical exams before being outfitted one last time for the work that was ahead of us.

⬇

Read more of John's story - A Hundred Years Of Tears, One Soldier's Story From The Savannah To The Somme - available at Amazon.com 

One Hundred Years Ago Today

100 years ago today, Sgt. John Guess, Jr. was preparing for deployment to France. In just a few days he would board the troop train leaving Camp Lewis in Washington state, heading east to Camp Merritt.

On June 24, 1918, the anxious and fresh recruits boarded the troop train which was headed East. In total there would be eight trains taking three separate routes to Camp Merritt in New Jersey.

When the train reached Omaha, Nebraska on June 29, 1918, John found time to get a quick postcard off to his father.

You can read more from John letters in: A Hundred Years of Tears, One Soldier's Story From The Savannah To The Somme. Available from your bookseller, Amazon.com and, Barnes and Noble.

A Hundred Years Of Tears, One Soldier's Story From The Savannah To The Somme

Time Flies

I can't believe that it has been a year since I have posted a blog. I have been spending too much time ranting and raving, well, more ranting, on social media. I am in the weaning process now and terribly needy so read and handle with care.

The exciting news is that I did publish my book, A Hundred Years Of Tears, One Soldier's Story From The Savannah To The Somme. It made it to the booksellers the past February.

The book is about my uncle, Sgt. John Guess, Jr. and based upon letters he wrote home to his mother during the summer and fall of 1918. John was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, posthumously, for his bravery in capturing a German machine gun nest.

John died in France in a military hospital on November 7, 1918, just a few days before the end of World War I.

In the upcoming months, I will be sharing some of John's writings as they dovetail into actual historical events. Along with some family history that is not covered in the book.

I hope you will buy a copy of my book, it was indeed a labor of love to honor my uncle along with all the many other fallen soldiers one hundred years ago.

The book can be purchased online through Amazon, Barnes and Nobel and other traditional booksellers throughout the world. Here is a link to preview book on Amazon.com.

Today's Intelligence Briefing for POTUS

POTUS Trump seems to be lacking some basic knowledge of the female anatomy. With several wives and daughters I don't know how he missed out when these topics were discussed. Even being surrounded in female loving and aliveness didn't seem to rub off on the guy.

Yes, there are females that possess great beauty, both natural and manufactured. Some female beauty has enabled the over-taking of countries and kingdoms for centuries. But then there is your regular female, the vast majority, that can be found in kitchens, boardrooms, office buildings, busses, classrooms, Congress and on the SCOTUS. The list is long in number.

On another day we can talk a little about the female brain and female heart, but for now let's just focus on the UTERUS. This seems to be one of the areas that gives POTUS cause to stumble.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

From the Kara Maria Ananda website:

It's important to raise awareness today about the power, purpose and potential of the amazing uterus, so we can focus more energy on the health, vitality and preservation of this amazing female organ. 

#1: The Uterus is Super Strong

The uterus is the strongest muscle in the body by weight. The uterus has multiple layers of muscle tissue that run in every direction, spiral together, and are ultra-strong. A laboring uterus exerts incredible pressure to push a baby out into the world, and is the strongest force exerted by any muscle in the body.

#2: The Uterus is Incredibly Flexible

During pregnancy a women's uterus goes from being the size of a pear and tucked behind the pubic bone, to being as large as a balloon and reaching all the way to the ribcage and stretching the abdomen outwards visibly. Then it shrinks back down after birth. That's totally amazing!

#3: The Uterus Heals

Menstrual blood is rich in stem cells which are found to be adaptive within the body to heal a wide variety of diseases. Each month during her fertile years, a woman's body creates a rich endometrial layer in preparation to grow and nourish a whole new human being. When a baby is not conceived the body releases this extremely valuable and nutritive substance during the menstrual cycle.

The abundance of stem cells in the menstrual blood are being researched to treat a wide variety of conditions from stroke, heart disease, Parkinson's, Lou Gehrig's, diabetes, wounds, neurodegenerative diseases and more. Women create the most abundant free source of stem cells during monthly menstrual flows, which is much more ethical to harvest than from cord blood of newborns or from aborted embryos, yet it is slow to catch on because of cultural taboos still surrounding menstruation. 

#4: The Uterus is Orgasmic

When a women orgasms, she experiences not just pleasurable and euphoric sensations, but waves of contracting muscles throughout the uterus, as well as the vagina and pelvic floor. The whole uterus has waves of muscular contractions which helps to facilitate the movement of sperm from the vagina into the uterus.

#5: The Uterus is Connected to the Universe

A women's menstrual cycles and stages of life are intrinsically linked to the cycles of the Earth, Moon and Sun. The moon cycle is 29.5 days, and the average woman's menstrual cycle is 29.5 days. Women who's cycles are closest to the 29.5 day cycle have higher rates of fertility.

In addition, there are 13 moon cycles in a calendar year, and the average age of menarche (a girl's first menstruation) is age 13. The average age of menopause is 52, which is also the number of weeks in a year. There are an average of 4 weeks to a women's menstrual cycle and 4 seasons in a year.

Women's ancient menstrual calendars consisting of notches carved into bone or stone are said to be some of the earliest forms of calendars known. Women's wombs hold a powerful connection to the astronomical cycles of the Earth, Sun and Moon. 

#6: The Uterus Can Grow a Placenta

The uterus is the only organ that can grow a whole new organ within it. The placenta is absolutely amazing, and is an organ that is grown within the uterus when a woman is pregnant that nourishes and feeds the fetus with exactly what it needs every moment for the entire pregnancy. The placenta connects the mother and baby, through it's attachment to the uterine wall of the mother and to the baby through the umbilical cord. It's a physical manifestation of the nurturing of the mother for the child and is released after the birth of the child.

The placenta and umbilical cord have a pattern visible in the arteries that looks like the tree of life and is an ancient symbol of life and vitality. Placentas have been highly honored by cultures around the world since the beginning of humanity. The word "placenta" comes from Old English and actually means "a round flat cake", and the tradition of honoring our placenta continues today as we celebrate around a birthday cake each year on the anniversary of our birth. 

#7: The Uterus Can Grow a HUMAN!

It's totally mind-boggling but true. Within the womb of a woman it is possible to conceive and gestate a whole new human being! WOW! Every single one of us is here alive on the planet today because we we started life growing within the womb of our mother, and we come from a long-line of ancestors born from the wombs of their mothers

Continued information on Women’s Healing Arts can be found at: http://karamariaananda.com/

America's Energy Resources

The President gave a speech today at the Department of Energy in Washington D.C. This was a part of his celebration of America's energy industry. I have a slight problem when Trump speaks, he doesn't capture all of my attention. It might be his use of simple words and ideas. I find my mind wandering and entering doors that perhaps I would be better off leaving unopened.

When he spoke these words below, this was the image that came into my mind. I don't think that was the point he was trying to get across.

Excerpted remarks: 

"The golden era of America is now underway.  Believe me. 
And you're all going to be a part of it in creating this exciting new future.  We will bring new opportunity to the heartland, new prosperity to our inner cities, and new infrastructure all across our nation.  When it comes to the future of America’s energy needs, we will find it, we will dream it, and we will build it.
American energy will power our ships, our planes and our cities.  American hands will bend the steel and pour the concrete that brings this energy into our homes and that exports this incredible, newfound energy all around the world.  And American grit will ensure that what we dream, and what we build, will truly be second to none.  We will be number one again all the way.  We're going to make America great again."

To be fair here is the link to his full speech.

King Donald - As America Abdicates Its Role As World Leader

Perhaps the solution to this Trump-Dilemma we seem to be in would be to make Donald king. I think the change would suit him better. This way Congress can get back to the work of nation leaving King Donald to scoot about in his golf cart and make proclamations that carry no weight whatsoever.

As each day passes other countries in this world grow weary but seem content to carry on without the leadership of the United States. I like that our history of leadership has not left them without a will of their own. As TR would have exclaimed, “BULLY!”.

When you give it some thought Donald carries himself with more of an air of a monarch. The casual swagger, that tilt of the head that allows a downward glance of his eyes when he looks your way. Oh, and the pout. So many monarchs seem to pout more than smile, and belly laughs certainly are out of the question.

So when we have King Donald seated comfortably upon his throne surveying all that is his, but not really his, we can shift our focus back to our leaders.

Yes, back to the work at hand. Let our Representatives and Senators work on real stuff like the budget and healthcare and infrastructure and climate change. The list goes on and on. And when they have come up with a workable and agreed upon plan they can march the paperwork, incased in an appropriate leather bound, gold lettered cover to King Donald for his signature and photo-op. 

With appropriate pomp and circumstance King Donald can award the bill-signing quill to the deserving member of parliament. And as the ink is drying King Donald can scoot off to a golf course of his choice to the eager sounds of the barking hounds.

“God save our gracious king! Long live our noble king! God save the King!”

"Yawn, not another congressional hearing?"

I have consumed a lot of popcorn and soda pop watching Congressional hearings in my lifetime. My first ones were the House Un-American Committee hearings. Whoosh, those didn't turn out well. I would run home after school to watch these on our little black and white television. I guess the saving grace was this wasn't a time of 24-hour news cycles. But mind you, it was a big deal to see this all going on live on that little television screen of ours. I really had no idea or understood that impact of what was going on in those days.

Then the next biggie, and x-rated version of hearings, hit the small screen. It was the impeachment hearing of President Bill Clinton. Thank goodness I wasn't of an age where I was still running home from school to see this live performance. Now we had color televisions, just in time to get a really good look at that 'blue dress'. I'm not sure if I had still been a child my mother could have fully explained to me what this kerfuffle was all about.

And now as I prepare yet another bowl of popcorn and pull up a chair closer to my computer screen, where these days I stream my news from CNN, I will take it all in once again. I guess I really shouldn't be shocked at recent events, after all it would appear my entire life has been lived going from one televised congressional hearing to another.

All That Twitters Is Not Gold

The man called Donald J. Trump, former leader of the free world, has been a very, very busy man of late. Often things he does on a daily basis goes unseen because of the cloud of Twitter dust that seems to fill the air surrounding him.

To get the full story you should read Under Trump, Worker Protections Are View With New Skepticism.  I believe Trump promised jobs but not necessarily safe and healthy jobs. It is a bit sad really, because in many cases it literally has taken decades to get some of the workplace safety measures in place.

"Nearly four decades in the making, a new rule under the Obama administration was set to lower workplace exposure to beryllium, an industrial mineral linked to a lung disease that is to estimated to kill 100 people annually. And the nation’s largest beryllium producer had agreed to back the new restrictions."

~ ~ ~ 

"OSHA has also put off enforcement of an Obama-era standard for another respiratory hazard — silica, a mineral linked to a disabling lung disease as well as cancer — and it has delayed action on a rule that would require employers to electronically report workplace injuries so that they can be posted for the public."

~ ~ ~ 

"During the early months of the Trump administration, a former lobbyist for an industry group that has opposed the beryllium, silica and record-keeping rules served on the transition team at the Department of Labor, which oversees OSHA. That official, Geoffrey Burr, who has since moved to the Department of Transportation as chief of staff, had been a lobbyist for the Associated Builders and Contractors, which represents nonunion construction companies." 

~ ~ ~

"Asked about the Trump administration’s approach to occupational safety, a spokesman for the White House said, “The President and his administration care very much about worker safety, but believe the Obama administration’s approach was counterproductive, and we think we can do better.” 

Well we certainly wouldn't want to ties the hands of big corporation when it comes to enforcing workplace and worker's safety. Oh and when it come to health related diseases from the workplace environment, I guess we better read the small print in the new Trump-care bill that will be forthcoming. I kind of get the feeling that there might be an exemption for the likes of beryllium and silica.

I will just end with a couple of tips. Be careful what you ask for AND always keep a close eye on the clown with the fast little hands who is doing the switching of the cups and the balls, while the calliope music pays in the background.

“Vive la France”

Putting one's best foot forward.

Franco - American is not only canned spaghetti. America’s relationship with France goes back to the beginning of time. Our Founding Fathers literally found themselves entangle in affaires de cœur and they seemed to return to American shores the better for it.

The relationship between our two countries was many times exactly like a big loving family, fighting and bickering at times and prepared to lay down ones life for the other when a third party was poised to interfere or bully.

The first overture to the United States by president-elect Emmanuel Macron after his own election, was to welcome climate change scientists to his country. He extended a hand in friendship for all of “us guys” - the researchers, scientists, innovators to come to France and work with them. He went as far as to say “France is your country”.

So the love affair continues and that thought gives me the warm fuzzies.

I like the French stand on Global Warming and I even will go as far as to blame them for some of this heating up. I mean really, have you read the love-bird story of Brigitte and Emmanuel .  Hot, hot, hot.

Sigh, what older woman doesn’t derive at least some small pleasure of this little love story.

"L’amour est l’emblème de l’éternité, il confond toute la notion de temps, efface toute la mémoire d’un commencement, toute la crainte d’une extrémité."

~Madame de Staël

501(c)(3) Tax Code or You Can't Have Your Cake and Eat It Too

When an organization sets itself up as a 501(c)(3) it is accepting some constraints as a tax exempt organization. 

The Restriction of Political Campaign Intervention by Section 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Organizations

Under the Internal Revenue Code, all section 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. Contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position (verbal or written) made on behalf of the organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition against political campaign activity.  Violating this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of certain excise taxes. 

Certain activities or expenditures may not be prohibited depending on the facts and circumstances.  For example, certain voter education activities (including presenting public forums and publishing voter education guides) conducted in a non-partisan manner do not constitute prohibited political campaign activity. In addition, other activities intended to encourage people to participate in the electoral process, such as voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives, would not be prohibited political campaign activity if conducted in a non-partisan manner.

On the other hand, voter education or registration activities with evidence of bias that (a) would favor one candidate over another; (b) oppose a candidate in some manner; or (c) have the effect of favoring a candidate or group of candidates, will constitute prohibited participation or intervention.

Trump apparently didn't like that this restriction to endorse a candidate prevented some churches to endorse his presidential bid. So he wants to amend this restriction.

I don't think this is a good move. An organization can give up it tax-exempt status if it would prefer to use its time and effort supporting political candidates.  This law isn't forbidding free speech, it merely is saying that if you want to organize as a tax-exempt institution there are rules that must be followed.

Be careful, changing this rule just because Trump didn't like that churches couldn't endorse him, should not be the basis for change. If the church felt endorsements were more important they could give up their tax-exempt status.