I have lived through many natural disaster emergencies and experienced:

Small and very large earthquakes

Three tropical storms

Three close encounters with tornadoes

Lots of severe weather

A strong dust storm/haboob

Numerous dust devils

Major windstorms

Flash floods

Brushfires

My 28 years experience working and information technology I have written numerous business continuity plans (DRP/Disaster Recovery Plans) as I have lived most of my life in California, Texas, and Arizona, where many different natural hazards can happen.

In the interest of not putting you to sleep, I’m not going to include them here.

As always, thank you for reading…

-aaa

There are several words that many people use incorrectly or dishonestly. Not by ignorance but rather omission/manipulation.

Some people will say just about anything to make themselves appear more desirable to other people.

People need to say what they mean, mean what they say, too much hypocrisy in the world I think, and a lot of self-service.

Love

Many people say the word many people express the word, but they don’t mean it. Many are just going through the motions. This word means something important, but it’s just just an auto pilot thing for many. Bottom line don’t say it unless you mean it I always do. 

Empath

Many men and women claim to be empaths. I think this word has become quite fashionable. I don’t think people realize how difficult it is to be an empath and that most empaths if not all of them wish they weren’t. From my dating experience, I think others use it as a means to make themselves appear more attractive to potential mates.

Narcissist

This is another word that is become overly used on people. A narcissist when labeled as such by me, is someone who suffers from narcissistic personality disorder. They gaslight people they manipulate and they absolutely loathe themselves so much that they make others feel worse so that they might feel better. This is more than just a selfish person. This is the person that will happily destroy your life to make themselves feel better.

I don’t wanna get on a ranting rave here, I could list a whole bunch more, but I think a few are enough to make my point.

As always, thank you for reading…

-aaa 

Many things bring me peace but are not limited to:

Listening to music

Playing music

Reading

Writing prose

A thunderstorm

Intimacy

Nature

The ocean

Rivers

Lakes

The mountains

An amazing lady

Good friends and many other things. 😊

As always thank you for reading…

-aaa

If I were to open the store, I’d be very akin, to the store that John Cusack owned in the movie High Fidelity. Which is consequently one of my favorite movies ever too by the way.

It would be a record store, and me and my friends would be there all day long being music snobs about all we know, and determining whether some of the customers are qualified to buy the music or not.

As always, thank you for reading…

-aaa

Easily and by far my two iPhones are the most important thing I carry with me.

The larger iPhone serves as my iPod with all my music on it.

My smaller phone serves many functions:

I do my writing on it.

I do my blogging on it.

I use to communicate (calls,video chat,texts,social media).

I play games on it .

I look up information on it.

It serves as my GPS.

It’s my organizer and planner as well.

I get news, weather, earthquakes and other information on it as well.

As always thank you for reading…

-aaa

I want my blog to do many positive things:

Provide hope for the hopeless.

Love (self) for the loveless.

A voice for the unspoken.

Helping many relate that felt they were alone.

Especially to provide advice and optimism to those that have survived horrendous relationships with narcissists or other abusive people.

The world‘s smaller place than it seems and we all need to remember all in the same town. We are all in this together. It’s called the human race.

As always, thank you for reading… 😊

-aaa

In an alternate universe I get it right far earlier in my life. I sort of see this is what if I did everything the way I was supposed to in my life instead of so late.

I’d take the chances I didn’t take earlier and make things happen and be brave from day one rather than far beyond that.

I meet and fall for my soulmate at age 20 rather than after age 52+. We’d marry, have kids, nice house, the white picket fence, etc.

I’d’ve gotten my degree in English as a bachelor’s and start writing/ blogging in my 20s rather than my 50s.

I’d achieve financial stability in my 20s or 30s rather than living paycheck to paycheck into my 50s.

I’d value myself and know my worth far far earlier in life than past middle age.

As always, thank you for reading. 😊

-aaa

This isn’t the easiest question to answer because it requires a long story which I’m not interested in writing just now.

I will go so far to say the most expensive meal I ever paid for, was my ex stepson’s wedding dinner in Las Vegas. My ex-wife had the brilliant idea that we would have it at Ruth’s Chris steakhouse at Harrah’s Las Vegas. Not the cheapest place to eat by far.

The wedding party was pretty small and not a lot of people attended so she figured it wouldn’t be too much money. However, everyone ordered pretty much everything they wanted, (appetizers, drinks, seafood, steaks, and dessert) except for me, my ex-wife, and my ex mother-in-law (we all shared dinner).

We had thought that people would be picking up their own meals aside from the bride and groom, but in the end, I got stuck with the entire bill. When the bill finally came to me, it was $2200 for the dinner. Truly, the most expensive meal I’ve ever paid for in my life.

Was it worth it? Well I know they (the bride and groom) are now divorced as am I. There’s a whole stressful story that goes along with this meal that I am again, am not gonna go into right now. So, I say no, it was definitely not worth it.

Having to ask the mother of the bride for a loan to cover this meal is and was the most embarrassed I have ever been, but that’s another story for another time.

As always thank you for reading…

-aaa

There are a number of subjects of which I am most passionate.

Music

I’ve been passionate about music at least since age 4 maybe longer. I’m decently knowledgeable in the genres I like most.

Percussion

I played drums and various percussion instruments from age 8 until age 24. Playing in but not limited to: drum-line, marching band, percussion ensemble, Latin Band, Big Band, Jazz Band, Symphony, Concert Band and Wind Ensemble.

Reading

I love classic fiction, modern fiction, fantasy, science fiction, poetry, philosophy, horror, mystery, and noire.

Writing

I love to write poetry (many forms), essays, autobiographical short stories, and interesting anecdotes.

Technology

I have worked in Information Technology for over 28 years working in: data conversions, help desk, systems analysis, programming, QA, technical writing, training, systems implementations, technical support, and Sarbanes Oxley risk assessments and audits.

Diagraming and Prototyping

In my current job I work so much in Visio that my teammates call me the “Vizio Wizio” 😂

Video Games

I am pretty decent at most classic video games and consoles.

Trivia

My extensive music knowledge, entertainment, science, and history make me a threat at any bar trivia contests.

People

I am good at reading people which has greatly aided me in my career and writing.

Computers

I can fix/diagnose many or most issues, as I have worked on thousands of computers with issues.

As always thank you for reading…

-aaa

I’ve been on the fence on whether I would answer this question or not as I feel again it is a data mining, marketing poll type of question, but I’m gonna do it anyway what the hell?🤣

Thirty Things That Make Me Happy:

1) The smell of rain when it first starts to fall.

2) the sound of the ocean

3) the sound of rainfall all night while I sleep

4) making passionate love

5) writing

6) music

7) playing the piano by ear

8) live music

9) musicals

10) streaming my favorite shows without commercials or interruptions

11) gazing at the stars

12) experiencing a meteor shower in the mountains

13) playing tennis

14) old-school video games

15) old-school console video games

16) reading

17) long deep conversations

18) technical writing

19) helping people

20) finding commonality with others

21) encouraging others that need it

22) learning something new

23) spending time with friends and loved ones

24) fishing

25) walking

26) hiking

27) swimming

28) bodyboarding

29) my apartment

30) blogging!!!!

As always, thank you for reading… 😊

-aaa

I don’t even need to pull/scour a story. I can tell you right now, pretty much all political posts news, articles, stories, video, etc. is completely uninteresting to me. From all sides, Democrat, Republican, independent, etc.

Loads of vitriol and anger and hate and I’m done. We need to relate to each other. We need to stop trying to find everything wrong with each other and try and find what’s right. Find common ground embrace our differences and find strength.

I think in media, social media and other circles we lost our way and we need to find our way back before too late. Just my $.25.

As always, thank you for reading…

-aaa

Not answering repetitive data mining prompts like this one. 🤔🤣🤣

-aaa

Everything…

-aaa

I used to volunteer every third Sunday of the month at a food bank.

I always give $ to buskers playing musical instruments or singing as I am a musician and always support them.

I sometimes pickup the bill of people in the drive through line right behind me as well.

As always, thank you for reading…

-aaa

In the words of the great Popeye, the sailor “ I am what I am and that’s all that I am”

Sort of a simplified version of Descartes’s “ I think therefore I am”  how we look isn’t nearly and as important as what is inside of us, and this is true for me as well.

As always, thank you for reading… 

-aaa