Let's Talk

 

So, let's chat. There is so much being thrown at us every minute of every day, it can be difficult to keep up. This doesn't even include the regular ups and downs in personal lives. It's true insanity most days, and the disregard of logic...WOW! The "experts" are just as clueless as the current political powers.So, let's dive into the stories I've read, the news I've read, and the conversations I heard/been part of. 

This week the employment numbers were released, claiming huge gains in job creation. That's great and fine, but NO ONE IS WORKING! What's the point in creating jobs, when they are too lazy to work?! Why didn't they report the fact that first time unemployment claims were the highest they have been for 2 years? How about factoring in how many people have quit seeking employment after their unemployment ran out. How about factoring in that these supposed job creations, many of them are businesses/job openings that were shut down due to the illness and NOT new jobs at all?! From a logical point of view, why is it that you can drive down about any street; from small towns to large towns and see help wanted signs in windows?! So, where did the work force go? That brings about yet another thought, have you noticed how many 45+ year old's are being hired over the younger generations? My personal belief is that it's due to work ethic. Most of the 45+ year olds, still believe in an "honest days work for an honest days pay." They don't need safe rooms, mental health days, or want to draw a paycheck without having to actually work. This "older" group isn't playing into the B.S. games of discrimination, they aren't wanting to be just a "warm body to fill a position," and they are willing to actually work when they show up. It's truly a sight when fast food and the likes, were forced into paying the higher minimum wage; while their workers either didn't show up or if they did...they refused to work. When you drive by a fast food place, they are hiring for $16-$24 per hour, yet the business is closed because they can't get employees. Unbelievable!!!

Before I get too far from the previous paragraph, I want to touch on a few other observations. Let's start with the housing market. I'm not a financial guru, not would I want to be. I'm just a wife, mom, and researcher. I've learned a lot over the past decade, some by choice and the rest by necessity. Looking at the housing market numbers is staggering. While I know locally, folks would argue that there isn't an issue. I beg to differ, in a big way. Anyway, nationally, home sales have stalled out. 30% reduction in home sales is substantial. The decrease in homes being built is massive. It's a tell tale sign of what is coming. While locally, land/home sales are still stupid high, I'm pretty certain that a massive cliff is just over the horizon. While some local land is selling for $5,000-$9,000 acre....when the crash gets here, which I believe will be before November, those numbers are going to drive a lot of people into bankruptcy. They will be upside down in their loans, and the values will be less than a quarter of what they paid. Time will tell if my thoughts are accurate, but looking back at the 2008 crash, we are currently in worse shape. Let's move on to inflation. "Experts," are claiming we are at 9.1%, but are predicting it to skyrocket to 18% or more - THIS YEAR!! Guys, we are already paying an average of $150-$250 PER WEEK more than we paid 1 year ago. Can you imagine what your budget will look like spending $300-$500 PER WEEK, just for bare necessities?! Can your budget handle that? Can you imagine a grocery bill that 1 year ago was $100 per week, now being $200+ per week? How about your fuel bill? Or your natural gas/propane/electricity? All these increases yet, not a single increase on your income. How will you afford to get to and from work, feed your babies, feed your animals, buy necessary medications???  When will you reach your precipice? 

Moving on. I've had 2 subjects weighing heavily on my heart recently. I've struggled as to how to address them. To say I have felt "judgey" lately is an understatement. I know I am from a different mold than many. That's ok, it takes all types to make this world go round. However, when I see and hear so many complaints about pricing, paying bills, and not making enough money...they I see or hear about some things others are still doing...I truly question these subjects. They are:  Moderation and Priorities. Before I dive into this landmine, I want you to think about how these subjects rate in your life. What are your priorities? Do you do anything in moderation or do you follow the "sink or swim" model? From my own eyes, I have spent a lot of time in that "sink or swim" mode, but do my best to use moderation as much as possible. As for Priorities, that is a lot easier....God, Family, Budget, Extended Family, Friends, Community. Obviously, it's difficult to have a hard/fast set of guidelines that don't bend when needed. I have spent nearly 24 years, focusing on MY family. 

Moderation to me, is doing things but doing them in a way that does not break the bank. Eating what I enjoy, but not focusing on food - eating to live instead living to eat. A quick note here...it only takes a quart of food, per person, per day to live. This is not to say, that we won't still be hungry, or want more...but that is all it takes to feed us. We have become a country of obesity because we don't use moderation. We think when we sit down to a meal, we have to stuff our faces full of food until we are so beyond miserable...they wonder why we pack on pounds and can't lose weight. On another side, it's the same with budgeting. There is a time and place for taking a break, but too many have forgotten this. Everyone rushes from this to that, and we have forced our children into this same destructive habit. God forbid our children be bored, and have to learn to entertain themselves WITHOUT technology! Instead, they are taught that being in every activity, every club, or every sport is the way of the world. So, while we, as parents, are rushing from jobs to home, to running our children to every circus under the sun....the parents become stressed out, the financial strain of the cost of these activities increases the budget, the kids think they have to have the latest and greatest gear/technology, and they become little shits when they are bored. Instead of sending them outside to find something to do or giving them household chores to teach them some responsibility, many parents allow technology to take over their minds. I saw this first hand. We homeschool. 2 years ago, we decided to try a program that was online. I was working outside home, and needed something that could help teach in areas that I wasn't able to give the time to. During that time, my child spent several hours a day on those course, a side note...they didn't teach anything valuable, and my child decided that it was ok to spend several more hours online...as long as there was some form of education involved. Well, that lead to a year of that nonsense, while I worked. As soon as I was back to being full-time mom....wow, did I have a lot of back tracking to manage. After a year, I have my child off social media, off online searches that brought up ads that were NOT child friendly, and am still fighting to lessen the amount of time spent online. These online classes may have been intended for "good," but the research from them led to having to truly watch closely as the ads that popped up were X-rated at best. So, when I talk about technology taking over their mind....this is a first hand experience. 

Before I move on to priorities, I need to add in some responsibility. It is every single person's responsibility to educate themselves, not just through their schooling, but every day of their lives. Our world is changing so rapidly, and common sense has long since flown out the window. When you have people discussing abortion as an option for babies clear up to their 18th birthday....you have lost my support of pro-choice. You just shoved me into the pro-life catagory, and using murder charges for those that choose to kill a living being...no matter their age. These extreme idiots, you can thank for pushing many of us that were in the middle zone, into the far opposite direction. For many of us, it's the extremes that push us in opposite directions. I can tell you, from my own stand point: I have never cared if you are gay/bi/lesbian/trans...until it was forced down my throat. If this is truly a religious issue, which I doubt, then it's those folks that have to face judgement...not me. I have never been racist against skin color, but I am very much so against trash of any color or creed. I have never been against religion, so to speak, until those that are supposedly, "religious" showed me how hypocritical they were...spewing Bible verses one minute and clearly "sinning" the next, but it's ok because they came "clean" the next time they attended church. I had never considered myself a "feminist," because to me, that opened a door to more B.S. and clearly, my thoughts have been right. In my 47 years, I have NEVER been oppressed. I have NEVER been hired to do a job that I did not receive equal pay for a male counterpart. I have NEVER felt degraded by being out of the work force. However, I have been degraded by people that claim I am "just a stay-at-home-mom," or that I needed to go out and get a "real job." Let me tell you this, you want a REAL job....become a stay-at-home-parent. Become a parent that educates their child, themselves. Become a spouse of a hard working person, that has always provided. Become a truly parent, that doesn't ship their kid off every time they decide to go out and party, drink, or drag your child through every Tom/Dick/Harry you decide to have a romp in the hay with. Become the parent that has to lose their ego, so they can co-parent that child without playing mental games and forcing that kid to constantly have to be a pawn in the parents games. You want to know what oppression is, look back to 2020. Think about how willingly so many complied to the un Constitutional crap; masks, lockdowns, business closures, forced vaccinations of a non-approved emergency use only trial drug. That's oppression. 

I'm moving, I have too much to do, to keep going but you get the point...I hope. Now, for priorities. This goes hand-in-hand with everything. It was once a priority to put God, family, country; in that order. I do believe in God, and I do still put him first. However, people have become beyond selfish. It's become a "me," society. It's the "I'm offend, I'm special, I'm worth more," time. Well, I'm all for having confidence in yourself, but there is a line that is crossed when it becomes all about ego. Now, as anyone over the age of 16 should understand...you have to work to earn money, to earn the things you want. Too many, have lost that lesson. At this point in time, everyone thinks they "deserve" free everything. From college loan payoffs, to "free" money, to "free" food, etc. As an adult, you should know, that you have to pay your bills, don't get into debt that you can't pay off in 5 years or less if need be, you have to take care of kids if you have them, you have to buy food. The thing is, I'm seeing so many people complain about the price of food, gas, utility bills...yet they are running off to vacation, off to some entertainment venue, yet they can't be bothered to fill their pantry or do any kind of stock up. Sorry, you loose my sympathies when you aren't being an integral part of your own self-help. You see, if you go stock up on food, it's going to cost you a minimum of 42% MORE than it did 6 months ago. Having foods in your pantry that have a shelf life 2-3 years out, can save your budget. I am all for growing and preserving your own foods, but I'm also realistic. There are people that just don't want to do that. Having canned soups, stews, vegetables, meats, etc. in your pantry is a back up plan. Whether that be because you lose a job, the world stops - again, the shelves run bare because of shortages or whatever, or even the lesser degree of natural disasters. As you use those pantry items, you need to replace and rotate them. Imagine if you went to a grocery, and there wasn't bread, meat or canned goods. Could you survive or feed your child/spouse? You? I'm going to go out on this limb. If you don't have a fully stocked pantry, enough for at least 3 months, you better reevaluate your priorities. I don't care if you have to buy 5 canned goods a week, you better step up to the plate. I promise you, if you think you are just going to go to a food bank, or to another person's home if you run out of food...you are delusional!

 

I'm going to finish today with a few more facts. Amazon has laid off around 100,000 workers, now Wal-Mart/Robinhood/Oracle is laying off. Amazon has closed or stopped construction on over 16,000 distribution centers due to lack of goods, mortgage rates are set to soar in coming months, The fudged numbers that came out in the July employment numbers will self correct as the bottom continues to fall out of the economy. You better buckle up, this is going to be one hell of a bumpy ride. Especially, for those choosing to keep their heads in the sand.

S. 

Coffee Chat - August 1 - National Coffee Month

 

Hello August, you sure got here quickly! I've read this morning that August is National Coffee Month. Huh, no wonder people are talking about the craziness of a day or month for everything under the sun. We get an entire month for coffee? It's 365 for me! My blood type is coffee. I don't function well without it's caffeine pick-me-up. 

I have so much to talk about all the time, but very few that actually want to hear it. That's ok. I am not capable of thinking in a box. I have always been a "why?" type of person. Telling me to do something, because "I said so," was a catalyst for me doing it my way. I don't do well  being told I can't do something. I've found myself realizing each day new thoughts that make more sense to me as I have gotten older. I no longer need to argue to get my point across. I will state my opinion, and if/when others choose not to listen or hear what I have to say, I walk away. I am only one person, not everyone's beating post to use and throw away. I may not be a genius, but I hold a lot knowledge and do my best to be a good person. I help those I can help. Once I no longer feel appreciated, respected or feel as I have been used...I'm done. I walk away. I don't hate anyone, but sometimes it's best to walk away before I do.

For the first time this year, I decided to spend 5 minutes last night grounding. Walking or sitting with your bare feet in the grass is such a unique feeling. Where I sat, the grass felt like carpet under my feet. When you force your mind to slow down, and just breath...you can actually feel the stress leaving your body. My 5 minutes turned in to about 20. I truly loved the feeling of not living in fight or flight mode, even if just for a few minutes. You see, the past decade has been one of extreme chaos for me. So many ups and downs, that I lost focus. I lost sight of my own goals and direction. I began "feeling" differently. I have learned that when my intuition starts nudging me, I need to pay attention. I learned that my own beliefs, while different from most others, is not right or wrong...it's just different. I have had to learn to accept myself, flaws and all, all over again. I began the next cycle of my life, child rearing years to maturity. I've had to accept that actions speak way louder than words. I've learned that when I need to really pay attention to my thoughts, I pull into myself. I've learned that no matter how hard you try, you can't save the everyone...they have to make an effort too. I've learned who I want to be, and who I definitely do NOT want to be. I've learned that I love learning, love gardening, love experimenting, and being free to express my own truths even if others disagree or don't believe them. I've learned that being a mom, is not only the hardest job I've ever done, but also the most rewarding and the most precious gift ever. I've also learned that when my children are disrespected or hurt....I will come unhinged. I'm still learning how to blend a family, when they aren't all biological. I've learned that family isn't blood, that just makes you related. Family is those you love and who love you, unconditionally. I've learned that my love of learning, can take on a life of its own, if I let it. However, I have learned so much in just the last 3 years. You truly can only grasp the depth of realization of a decade of so much insight, if you've experienced it. It's been 10 years of what I can only describe as ascension. I have truly grown, as a person, so much.

As I have said a million times before, my mind moves at mach speed 95% of the time. You never know which thoughts will stick out, or when. I have channeled that energy into gardening, learning, and my family. I've struggled through many bumps in the road. I'm only human. I have made some rash decisions that have turned out ok, while others, not-so-much. I've made decisions that seem rash to some, but have weighed on me for more years than I can count. I actually reached out to a counselor friend for some guidance in several areas. Thankfully, she was gracious enough to explain a few things to me, and help me to find a means to release my own negative energy. I just have to remember them when I get really angry. 😏 I have spent a lot of my adult years writing in journals. That had helped me to keep some of the negative at bay. When that quit working, I needed another outlet. I had gotten so bogged down, that I had quit doing so many things that I enjoyed. I'm slowly, trying to refind those things. There are so many areas that can become toxic, and you don't even realize it until you are forced to see it, from the outside looking in. It's pretty incredible what you see when you back up, take away the expectations and negativity, and see an issue with a different set of eyes. Learning to be insightful and think logically is truly a blessing, and sometimes a curse.

Today is the start of a new month. A new time to be grateful for what we have. The world is in full chaos. The cluster of a shit show at the hands of many corrupt world "leaders." We've seen many prime ministers, presidents, and other government officials resign. We've seen the economies of many countries fall into shambles. We've seen an antique financial system start to crumble. If you've done any research, you know that the history as told to us all growing up, is nothing more than propaganda. We have seen the corruption in our own country stretch through all 3 branches of government, and into state and local levels too. We've found out that our elections, for at least the past 5 decades, have not mattered. Yet, we are all supposed to just get out and vote anyway. If you question the vote, you are considered a "conspiracy theorist." Which, by the way, was a term invented by the CIA to discourage anyone from questioning the Warren Report on the assassination of JFK. 

I plan to spend a lot of time in my garden, with my critters, in my yard, and with my family. The heat has returned for a bit, and the pool is no longer usable, so...outdoor work will be in the early morning or late evening hours for awhile. There is lots of canning coming up. I recently shared several pictures of my canning of vegetable soup. It will be very good when the weather changes to cold! I still have beef stew, stew meat, sausage, potatoes, pasta sauce, pizza sauce, salsa, chicken, jalapenos, and banana peppers - to can. Zucchini, peppers and maybe some green beans to freeze. I have so many extra eggs, I will be making up several batches of noodles and freezing a few more for baking later. My chickens tend to stop laying about November, and pick back up around March. So, having eggs saved will get through the busiest egg using season - baking! We spend May through November planning for December through April. That's life on our farm. You have basically 26 weeks to hunt, gather, and build; to cover your butt for the other 26 weeks. A lot of our farm life revolves around the weather/weather predictions. When the forecasts start appearing for winter, we pay attention. Our area for this winter, is predicted to have above normal snowfall. So, from experience, that usually means not as bitter cold, but lots of precipitation - generally because, it doesn't usually snow when the temps drop into the negative numbers. However, other forecasts have stated that it could be another La Nina year for weather. This means the colder than normal water around the equator, brings in strong winds and colder than normal temps. So, we are doing a lot of preparing for the worst and praying for the best. It's getting extra hay if needed, making sure we have plenty of animal food on hand in the event of major snow/ice storms, having plenty of food on hand for our family, making sure there's plenty of straw for bedding to keep animals warm, it's working to get the house ready, wood cut, vehicles prepared, tractors and equipment ready, making repairs to sheds/coops/houses for the animals. In other words, it's a lot of preparation for who knows what is going to happen! 

With our country in such a mess, I have become a broken record of plan, prepare, and stock up. I know everyone is sick of hearing it, and I'm sick of saying it! There is a phrase I have had to go to, "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink." We can't save the world, single handedly. People have to get off their duff and do something to help themselves. We can preach till the cows come home, and there are some that just won't hear it, no matter how much you preach. When you do your best to take care of yourself, and those you love...that's all you can do. There will some that listen, and that will be grateful for your words...but they are few and far between. Too many people allow their ego to get in their way. No matter how many facts or how much evidence you give them, they know it all, about everything. That's when you have to just bless and release them. 

I believe I will end this chat for today and get busy. Folks, everyone is struggling with something in their lives. Be the type of person you want to see in the world. Share a smile, be kind to everyone you meet - the most difficult people, need your kindness the most, and be blessing to someone. 

S.