ASAP Isn't A Commitment-----It's Confusion

     Ever made a request for something to be done only to hear, "I'll get it done ASAP', or "I'll get back to ASAP'? Typically we leave these conversations with nothing but uncertainty and confusion about what is real and when things will happen. Truth be told. ASAP is a phrase that doesn't come from anyone who is serious about getting things done. It is a strategy for postponement of work, poor performance, or breaking commitments, and is a chief cause of breakdowns in teams who count on each other to get things completed in a timely manner. ASAP is the vernacular for the semi-committed. It's for those who seem more comfortable living with unspecified promises than they are about giving the gift of clear communication. The phrase ASAP has no specifics or timelines attached to it and shows a lack of concern for others' commitments and responsibilities. It's a form of ambiguity that, in the end, will require more work than being clear in the first place....much more work...and anxiety...and relational conflicts. How much more effective could we be if every commitment and conversation were specific?
     People appreciate it when tell them what's real. They are able to stay accountable, share details of the commitment with others, and track progress along with the way.  Case in point: If you were in need of a critical medicine for deadly infection, would you rather hear, "I'll get it to you ASAP', or "You'll have it today by 2:00 P.M'? The remedy for life productivity and stress reduction rests largely on what we can count on, and counting on ASAP just isn't possible.
      Questions to yourself:

• In what areas of life do I avoid responsibility by being vague?
• What price do I and others pay for my unclear or incomplete commitments? 

People Have Many Brands They Can Choose From. You Are One Of Them!

     If you were a brand, would you buy yourself or keep shopping?
     You may not give it much thought, but you are a 'brand' to everyone who knows you. Your personal brand is always speaking, and like all brands, it is subject to constant scrutiny and potential breakdown. Comprising your integrity, way of being, and, of course, your track record in day-to-day life, the way your personal brand resonates with others will profoundly impact your relationships, career opportunities, and life momentum. At the same time, your brand can stop you in your tracks if you're not clear about what you stand for and how you will make yourself relevant, and beneficial to those around you. Keeping commitments, showing up on time, excellence in work ethic, response times, how you handle the details, and the overall value you create for others are a few of the many ways your brand is measured. And in today's world of constant evaluation, keeping your personal brand intact is vital to sustaining your influence, position, and ability to move into new situations with a positive presence and credibility. With as little as a single experience or a quick search online, your brand is, or will soon be, in full view for the world to see. Will viewers be attracted or repelled? Will they buy in or move on? It all depends on the 'brand of you' they experience, online or off. Maintaining your personal brand standards and reputation does require work, but the alternative is sometimes a tainted personal brand that is beyond repair. An occasional close look in the mirror, plus honest feedback from others, will help you uncover ways to make your brand more compelling for all concerned.
      Questions to your Brand:

• How is my brand affecting others personally, professionally, and socially?
• Are there traits or behaviors I need to build into or remove from my personal brand to have better results in life?

Strawberry Short Cake

• 2 cups flour
• 4 tsps. baking powder
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 4-6 tbsps. shortening
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 quart berries
• 1 cup whipping cream

1. Sift together dry ingredients, and cut in shortening as for pie crust. 
2. Beat egg and milk until blended and stir in. pat out dough into a square on floured board to the thickness 1-4 inch. Brush half the top with melted butter.
3. Fold over other half or cut dough into rounds for individual servings if preferred.
4. Bake cake on a greased sheet in a moderately hot 425-degree oven for about 10-20 minutes. Split cake.
5. Serve with sweetened strawberries between layers and over top. Garnish with whipped cream.

Banana Cake

• 1/2 cup butter
  
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 1/4 sifted cake flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup mashed or riced bananas
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup sour milk

1. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Resift flour with baking powder, soda, and salt.
2. Add vanilla to milk. Stir sifted ingredients into butter mixture alternately with milk and bananas. Beat batter until smooth after each addition.
3. Bake the cake in two greased 9-inch cake pans in moderate 350-degree oven 15 to 30 minutes. 
4. Place sliced bananas between layers. Ice top of the cake with uncooked lemon icing. 

Reflection Ghost

      This ghost story starts with my sister one night who thought she saw someone standing by the washing machine which was just right by her bedroom door. She gave the figure no reaction and turned over and went back to sleep.
     Something, later on, I can't remember when, but I woke up in the middle of the night and saw a man, very clearly through the reflection of my TV standing at the headboard of my bed. He had dark hair, no facial hair, wore no glasses, thin, and had on a like a stripped suit.
     Oh, man, I was literally out of the bed in like a couple seconds. It really started me. My bird went to squawking as I threw on the lights which woke my sister up. She was a little startled at the racket. I told her I saw a man standing by my bed through the reflection of my TV. And that's when she told me of the above. I figure it was possibly the same figure. My sister gave ignored him, while I didn't. I went by to my room, turned off the light and he was gone. I went back to sleep.
      And this is where he turns into a like creepy stalker ghost. I can't remember if it was the next time or later, but I awoke again in the middle of the night and there he was again. I just turned on the TV and turned down the volume and went back to sleep. Every night, he was there, and every night, I turned the TV on and the volume down so I couldn't see him. One night I turned it off in the middle of the night just see if he was still there. Still freaking there, this time leaning over the bed. I got up that time and turned on the light. Not really sure how that would have helped, but... then I turned off the lights and looked at the TV and he was gone. I turned on the TV again and went back to sleep.
       This went on every night until I moved from there.

Halle Bailey as Ariel

     So folks are in an uproar about a young singer and actress; Halle Bailey who got the role of Ariel in the upcoming live action. I wanna remind y'all that Zendaya was rumored to play Ariel in the live action, but no one had a problem with her, so why is it a problem with Halle?
      Ariel originally is by Hans Christan Anderson, a Danish fairy tale from 1837. In that fairy tale, Ariel is described as a being "the prettiest of her sisters. Her skin was clear and delicate as a rose-leaf, and her eyes as blue as the deepest sea." That means her skin was transparent like the diphylleia grayi flower.

     Walt Disney created Ariel that we know in 1989. And that's how most see that Ariel should be.
      Came across this image on Instagram and it does make a point.
   

The Silence Review (Spoilers)

     The Silence is 2019 horror film released on Netflix. The movie stars Kiernan Shipka; Sabrina Spellman as most of y'all might know her from. I would describe the movie as 'The Birds' meets "A Quiet Place'.
     A cave research team unearths prehistoric creatures called Pterosaurs called 'vesps'. They attach the research team and head out into the open sky.
     Ally is walking near school looking at her tablet. She is deaf and her classmates are behind her making fun of her. Her dad and best friend are apparently construction workers from what I can tell from the movie. Her brother may be a soccer player based on the soccer balls rolling out of the car. The grandmother has terminal cancer.
     The mom wakes Ally up in the middle of the night to watch the news of what's going on. They are to stay indoors and silent, but that ain't what the family does. Ally suggests they head to the countryside.
     A woman with an infant kid gets kicked off an underground subway.
     They stop at a gas station to fuel and let the dog pee. A man tries to highjack Hugh's car, but Glen shoots him.
     The gang hits a traffic jam. No surprise there.
     Some bucks run out in front of Glenn on an old dirt forested road. Yeah, um, should have known to be careful. Jeep rolls down an embankment. Hugh tries but just can't free Glenn.
     The dog goes to barking. Not a good time to own a barky dog. Glenn fires his gun to attract the vesps to him. I thought Hugh was gonna strangle the dog but lets him out instead. He just a well should have strangled him. He's as good as dead anyway. A barky dog like him won't last too long.
      Hugh gets out after a period of time has passed and probably a bad time for grandma to go into coughing fits. Hugh throws a tire iron and finds out they can't see, only hear.
     Hugh sets Glenn car on fire and the family heads out on foot to find shelter. The family comes across a house in the woods with a very high fence who is unaware of the vesps. They enter the house through a storm drain which is occupied with a rattlesnake which must have slithered in after Hugh went through and into the house.
      Ally contacts her friend and tells her his parents are dead.
      By morning grandma's leg has gotten worse from the vesp bite from the storm drain. Hugh and Ally leave to find antibiotics.
      Hugh tries to get the TV to work, but Ally comes in the living room from her tablet to tell him vesps can't survive the cold.
     A reverend and some of his followers are standing outside the house just smiling. I'd be creeped just by that.
     A little girl appears on the porch in the middle of the night. That ain't weird at all. The girl was a trap set by the reverend and his followers who strapped phones to the girl and the house. They go off attracting the vesps and that's when the followers abduct Ally. Grandma runs outside to save her granddaughter. The vesps attack grandma and followers, but the perverted reverend still gets Ally, but he don't get very far.
     The family trecks north to a refugee camp. Ally and Rob are hunting vesps with bows and arrows. 
     

Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer

     

     Rudolph makes the headline because of the bullying from the other reindeers. Yes, I said 'deers', get the hell over it. Anyway, the movie was made in 1964 by Romeo Muller and the song was written by Johnny Marks in 1939. And has been a Christmas TV favorite for many years. I mean it says in the song that he used to be bullied and they're just now realizing that? 

      I mean I do understand where they're coming from, but like I said above, it's in the song. I mean I reckon they're coming from the fact that what if it wasn't a foggy night, would they still be teasing Rudolph to this day? Would Santa intervene? But then how come he didn't intervene before and let it continue? According to the song, even Santa doesn't acknowledge Rudolph until he needs him. Who knows, but what I do know, he saves Christmas and the bullies finally respect him. 

Baby, It's Cold Outside

     This Christmas song is featured in a movie called 'Neptune's Daughter in 1949. It was written by Frank Lesser in 1944.
     I'll be honest, I"'ve never heard this song, but what I found out is the song is about a woman hung out with her boyfriend at his house and she wants to leave, but he doesn't want her to go. She eventually gives in and stays. I mean looking at the lyrics I can understand at a certain point how he manipulates her into staying, but also you gotta understand this was written in the early '40s; a whole nother time.
      A radio station banned the song because of this damn #metoo crap. More and more stations are banning the song every day. Radio Station Article
     Frank's daughter Susan spoke up and said he wrote that song for her parents to sing at parties. And that people back then would say 'what's in my drink' as a joke. Never even considered that you could be drugged. Susan Lesser
     Like I say, don't judge a book by its cover without reading it first.
     

Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Racists

     What the sam hill is wrong with people? Everyone today is soo sensitive. From cartoons of the past are too violent, but those same people grew up on those very cartoons and those very people are letting their kids play Grand Theft Auto.  I geez  Louise, Donald Duck or was it Winnie the Pooh that made headlines because they didn't wear pants. To people calling 'racists' over every little freaking thing.
     And that's where Charlie Brown comes in. Yep, you read right. Franklin Armstrong, a Charlie Brown character of Africa American descent was created by Charles Schulz in the late 1960s.
     During the late 1960s Martin Luther King, Jr was shot and a white California teacher; Harriet Glickman and mother of three felt helpless. So she reached out to the cartoon writer, but unfortunately, he thought it might be looked down upon adding a black character. Against his editor's wishes, Franklin was added to the comics.
     Ok, if you watched the cartoon then, you'd know that Snoopy; a dog which is color blinde was the one who set the chairs at the table and not Charlie.  And if you also noticed NON OF THE FREAKING CHAIRS MATCH. And also Franklin CHOSE TO SIT IN THAT RICKETY CHAIR WHEN THERE WAS THE BLUE OR BROWN CHAIR BESIDE BESIDE IT. And also, HE CHOSE TO SIT ON THAT SIDE BY BY HIMSELF WHEN THERE WAS AN EMPTY CHAIR GREEN CHAIR BESIDE PEPPERMINT PATTY. That would mean Snoopy would be sitting on the opposite side by himself. And you'd also noticed if you watched that the blue and brown chair disappears beside Franklin. And that just means even if he would have chosen one or the other, the rickety chair and the other would have disappeared as well.
       Everyone notices Franklin sitting by himself, but did y'all actually watch it to know any of this? Did you notice that there are missing characters? A holiday special, you'd think everyone would be there, but only certain people were invited. And did you notice how unappreciative Peppermint Patty was with the food she received? Who makes Marcy go and apologizes to Charlie instead.
     Y'all can watch the Thanksgiving episode free no download, no sign-up. Just click the link and let it load. Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

   

Top 13 Hottest Male Power Rangers

     Power Rangers has been on the air in America since the early 90's. Every girl wanted to be Kimberly or every girl wanted to be with Tommy. 

     Agree or disagree with my list. The choice is yours. 

Kardashian on Family Feud

    The episode we all been dying to see is finally here and it did not disappoint. 

    We finally know the secret to getting Kanye to smile; put him on Family Feud. Ain't never seen that boy smile so much. 

     So here's the breakdown; Mary Jane; Kris' mother is a big time fan of the show and because of that Steve put her on the show. 

      The family smacked talked to each other, but it was all in good fun. 

      Apparently Jalil's idea of slipping into something sexy to eat brunch. WTF, dude?

      Kendall don't want Donald Trump at her nude party. 

      Kim don't like locking their bedroom door. 

      The Kardashian's won the game, but Khloe and Kendall opted out of fast feud because of Kanye and Kim are bigger fans. 

      Kim thinks she's sexier than the people she works with and so does Kanye. 

      Kim knocks things over with her butt. 

     You can watch the episode on Hulu. Just click the link. Kardashian Feud

     

   

   

A Purple Summer

     Since Polyvore is no more, next best thing is I could actually find is Paint, which is on every computer. 

      My outfit is inspired by Dionne from Episodes. 

•  Floral Handbag
•  Choker Necklace
• Purple Top
• White Headband
• Purple Earrings
• White Shorts
• White Sandals

Pripyat, Ukraine

     Pripyat is a ghost town in northern Ukraine. It was named after the nearby Pripyat River. It was founded in 1970, to serve the nearby Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. By the late 1970's the town had nearly 50,000 people. In April 1986, the town was evacuated after the Chernobyl Disaster.
   
                                    Schoolhouse

 School library. 

 Bumper cars.

.

Making Choices

     These are wise words from Cecily Herondale from Clockwork Princess or well technically Cassandra Clare since she did create the character.
     "I think," she said, choosing her words with care, "that any good impulse can be twisted into something evil. Look at the Magister. He does what he does because he hates the Shadowhunters, out of loyalty to his parents, who cared for him, and who was killed. It is not beyond the realm of understanding. And yet nothing excuses the result. I think when we make choices--for each choice is individual of the choices we have made before--we must examine not only our reasons for making them, but what result they will have, and whether good people will be hurt by our decisions."
     She then goes on to say, "Do not regret too much choices you have made in the past, Gabriel," she said, aware that she was using his Christian name, but not able to help it. "Only make the right ones in the future. We are ever capable of change and ever capable of being our better selves."
     FYI the girl in the photo is Alexandra Daddario, Matthew Daddario's sister who plays Alec Lightwood. Weird how I think she would be perfect for Cecily Herondale.

 

Carrie Underwood and Jessica Simpson Chorus Similarities

   

Ok, before I write anything else, let me clarify that I am a huge fan of Carrie Underwood and I also grew up listening to Jessica Simpson. I'm a fan of both, more so of Carrie than Jessica.
     So I just heard Carrie's new song and immediately Jessica Simpson's "Irresistible" song popped into my mind. A song I ain't heard in a long time. While they are two very different and awesome songs, it's the chorus music that sounds the same to me.
    While I don't think she meant to copy the music of Jessica's chorus, it just happens sometimes when you're trying to find music to fit the lyrics to your song. It's just like humans. There's so many of us throughout the years that facial features repeat itself.
     Listen for yourself. The videos are below.

Halloween Floral Arrangement

   I love doing these and I'll post the rest when I can, but this one has to be by far my favorite.

    I made a Christmas one awhile back. My mother has that one. I have a fall one, an Independence Day one, and an Easter one as well. 

    You will need: 

• A pot preferably black, but if not you can get cheap black paint and paint brushes at Walmart. 
• You will need filler, something like floral foam to hold your flowers in place.
• Black toppings. I used black dirt that I had left over from summer, but you can get black sand or rocks at a craft store. Dollar Tree carries sand in their craft section. 
• Black spiders or whatever creepy crawlies you prefer. Can't remember where I got the spiders. 
• Black bats which I got at the Dollar Tree.
• Black Raven which I got at the Dollar Tree.
• Black & purple flowers which I got at the Dollar Tree. 

     

Makeup organization Idea

     I got this idea from YouTube, but instead of sheet metal in a picture frame, I used a cookie sheet and placed it backwards and nailed it to the wall.

      Unique and different and yes I reckon I'm an LA Colors girl, lol. 

       Anyway, you will need:

• Cookie Sheet which you can find at your local Dollar Tree. 
• Magnets.
• Glue Gun.
• Nails.

Nail a hole in the top corners of the cookie sheet before nailing it to the wall and then glue magnets to the back of your makeup. 

Holland Island, Maryland.

     Holland Island is located in the Chesapeake Bay in Dorchester County, Maryland.
     Holland Island is a marshy rapidly eroding island that was once inhabited by watermen and farmers, but since been abandoned.
      Holland Island was originally settled in the 1600's, taking its name from early colonist Daniel Holland. By the 1850's, the first community of fishing and farming families developed on the island. By 1910, the island had about 360 residents.
      The island had 70 homes, stores, post office, school, church, community center, and a doctor.
      The Islanders supported themselves by dredging for oysters and fishing.
      The wind and tide began to erode the west side of the island, where most of the houses were located in 1914. This forced the Islanders to move inland. The last family left in 1918 when a tropical storm damaged the church. In October 2010, the last remaining house collapsed which was built in 1888.

 

I couldn't find a lot of photos. Most of 'em were of the last remaining house. The Island is disappearing into the ocean. The picture above of the graveyard is one of three. Two have disappeared into the ocean.  

Kolmanskop, Namibia Africa

   

 Pronounced "Cold-mans-shop".
     Is an abandoned ghost town which was built to keep up with the demands of diamonds and other rare resources. This town was built to house miners of valuable gemstones originally.
     After WW1, the town began to diminish and also hit by a windstorm.  

 Mining Manager's house.

Butugychag, Russia

     Pronounced "Boot-chuggy-chug"

     In Russia, there is an abandoned work camp in Gulag. It was basically like a death sentence if you were sent there.
     Local legends say it is cursed because they would find skulls and bones of humans and of animals. The animal would be furless.
      The whole valley is radioactive from the uranium and because of that, the average life span was only a few months.
      People say it is the final resting place of 380,000 people who worked there.

Ballarat, California 1890's

 

      One of most barren and ghost towns in the United States, located right next to Death Valley. It was built as a supply point for minter moving to Nevada to California. In 1897 it housed around 500 residents with several saloons and hotels. Ballarat was named after an Austrailian immigrant who proposed that it should be after the Australian gold town of Ballarat in Victoria. When the mines began to close, the town began to shut down.

     In 1960's, Charles Manison and his family moved into a ranch nearby.

     It is only access by a dirt road through the dry Mojave Desert. 

     There is only one resident in Ballarat.

 An old graveyard.

I got all my information from American Eye; A Youtube Channel.

6-Year Old Boys Dies From A Gunshot Wound

     A young Pennsylvania kid was killed by his older brother (10 Years Old) Wednesday morning. Apparently the boys were home alone. Really? OK, the mother was at work, but according to articles, she did have a live-in boyfriend. So where the hell was he? And second and most important question; the gun was registered in the mother's name, so why didn't see teach her kids about gun safety?  If she refused to do so, then the gun needed to be put in a locked safe. That's irresponsible.
     Also 10 year's old. He really should have known right from wrong, not to touch the gun.
     I remember my father's guns were mounted on the wall in the backroom. Though they wan't no 9MM's. Two were shotguns and the other was a BB Gun. I don't remember, but my mother told me that our father let me and my sister shoot them when we were younger. I mean he was standing right there beside us. We were fine. The guns were in the same room were we hung out in sometimes. We never once touched 'em. But unlike most kids, we knew what guns could do. Our father taught us that.
     He even trusted my sister enough. There was a snake on one our swing-sets and he told my sister to go get the gun, but apparently she must have ran into our mother on the way to the backroom, 'cause she came out with the instead.
     Teach your kids. Unfortunately the brother had to learn the devastating way the dangers of guns. Don't make that mistake. Take them to an gun expert to at least hear them out if you're unsure how to start. I'm sure they can help you with that conversation.
   

Shadowhunters-Of Men And Angels

Episode starts where it ended, Clary and Jace taking Luke to Magnus'.
Jace drives Luke's police car into a poll, lol.
Jace and Simon go find the stuff for Magnus to help Luke. And Jace gets annoyed at Simon and tells him basically he's hung-over Clary and a friend is all he's ever gonna be. Simon didn't like that, but Jace is so right. Simon pulls a knife on Jace and that really pisses off Jace.
So instead of Luke telling Clary about her father and everything, it is Magnus instead.
Alec arrives to help and by then Jace and Simon get there.
Simon walks in on Clary and Jace while they had a little moment, looking a bit jealous.
Isabelle is doing rune cards with her little brother Max, and then Maryse walks in to talk to Isabelle.
When Luke is able to, he finishes the story about Valentine and the backstory.
Alec stays with Magnus to help clean up and have drinks.
Clary shows Luke the box and tells her that it stands for Jonathan Christopher, her brother.
Where Hodge tells Clary about her unusual angelic powers its Luke instead when she puts the box down on a paper and it well...seeps through?
Clary thinks she knows where her mother hid the cup.

Letting Yourself Go

     It's one thing to let yourself go, physically. It's another thing to 'let go' of your fears, your inhibitions, and your jealousies.
     Today would be a terrific day to 'let yourself go' when it comes to the things you shouldn't be hanging on to.

Fabulosity: 365 Fabulous Thoughts For Women