Ten Thursday Thoughts

My oh my... these "Thoughts" days know they be rolling around quickly!

I actually have about 46183 thoughts, but I will just write out the 10 straight off the top of my head.

1. So the state of Georgia is open now. I didn't' see my Governor's news conference on it, but someone sent me their thoughts. Basically the shelter-in-place is lifted, but he suggested we stay inside. Also, keep six feet distance from folks unless you can't help it. No social gatherings unless you just have to...

What kind of tomfoolery is this?

2. Alas, I will do what my city of Atlanta mayor Keisha say do: stay my a$$ in the house unless I got some essential ish to do.

3.  My journal entries every night more often than not start out with: "Today was a slow day..."

4. Tomorrow is Pay Day. Woo-hooo!!!

5. I am more than thankful for it, but this doesn't mean much. Ain't like I can go out and go shopping or anything. I have gotten to the point where I just schedule all my online bills a week in advance.

But I need some clothes. But OH WELL.  Hence, just pay bills.

6. My oven element broke. I ordered a new one, and watched a video on how to replace it. I'm not pressed about it, as I rarely use my oven (just for cookies these days, and I haven't made any since mid-March). Hence, the element is in a box in the corner of the dining room. I wear my toaster oven OUT, though.

7. I have a real expensive downdraft stove. So if I needed to get it replaced, it will cost me about $3400. No ma'am. No sir. I think I would just go buy a hot plate, and stick with my trusty toaster oven.

8. All this time at home, I would've really appreciated having a microwave oven. I haven't had one in about 5 or 6 years. But Lord have mercy... it would've been nice to have one these past 6 or 7 weeks I've been cooped up in the house. I am doing more cooking, and I always have leftovers. Would've been nice to just pop items in the microwave... instead of having to bust out a skillet or a boiler to heat up food. Ugh.

9. Last time I went to the grocery store, all the bacon was gone... except for the Smithfield bacon. With all the problems they are having at those plants, people were steering clear of it. I managed to score a pack of Oscar-Mayer bacon.

I rarely buy bacon. I tend to buy it from the butcher section of a place like Whole Foods, where I can, for example, just buy four or five slices. (Those four or five slices will last me a couple of months if I wrap them right. But before we got stuck in the house, I decided to buy a whole pack of prepackaged bacon.

Now the last time I remember buying bacon on the regular many years ago, a high price was about $4.99 a pack. But now it's around $7.99. When the world did that happen?

10. I plan on going to the grocery store in the morning. I wanted to go this morning, but I need to run up in there around 8 am, when there's not a whole herd of people up in there. Let's just say I didn't roll out of bed until 9:30 am. Sigh.

I have to get there early, because you know with the lockdown, folks had already lost their minds. Now with it really over,  they gonna be REALLY out in the streets...
Damn all the social distancing,
Damn the masks and gloves.
Damn all of that.

So I will don my mask and gloves, get my baggie of wipes together, and stuff two small bottles of hand sanitizer strategically in my Corona shopping pants (a pair of multi-pocket cargo pants), quietly run up in the Publix and get my items...

... And hightail it lickety-split back to the house.

Really, tho...

That was a fast Thoughts! 

Wanted to add more, but I would be writing all night long.

You have a good evening! On purpose!

Milk and Cookies Picture Show, circa 1991

I was going through a few boxes of my mother's photo albums, and I came across some old pictures of my brother Kari ("Milk and Cookies") from, for what I can guess, the year 1991. (He's 32 years old now).

That boy has ALWAYS loved horses. I did not realize he had taken any pictures with a pony so many years ago, but I'm so happy I found these little heirlooms.

Ten Tuesday Thoughts

Ten Thoughts... on a Tuesday

1. It is day 41 of me being mostly confined to the house. I think I am beginning to hallucinate.

2. I had an routine medical appointment on Monday morning, but I chickened out and canceled it, moving to early June. I need to see how this all plays out, and I was NOT interested in sitting up in a crowded waiting room. NO.

3. I sort of regret it, though. I wanted some blood levels tested. OH WELL. In the house I stay.

4. Is it just me... but why is that everyone who stands up at the podium at the daily presidential press conference must kiss the president's ass and tell him how great he is? WOW.

5. I have been eating too much crap. Some days, I feel super bloated. Ugh.

6. For the month of May, I am going to pay better attention to my fruit and vegetable intake. I would think it is about 50-60%. That needs to be bumped up to 75-80%.

7. On a good note, I haven't had any candy since October of last year. That is a GOOD thing indeed. I think I will keep that going for the rest of the year. If I can do that, then I will just stay off candy for good!

8. I love to journal. The Great Tayari Jones does, too. I was at her house in her office/library one day, and she showed me the type of journal she uses. The paper was not lined, but is splattered with dots.

You know, the first thing I said was "You always got to be different."  Who (except her) would've ever thought to write on dot matrix paper? But at the same time, you know I be trying my best to be like her. I don't know if I bought the above journal or she gave it to me. But I got my hands on one.

Let's just say all those dots are driving me NUTS, as I have to REALLY concentrate to write. But I swear I get twice as many words on the page, even though the letters are small and cramped.  So far I've logged some 20 pages since March 29, 2020. That's not bad.

9. I noticed through my journaling that I have been musing about not getting as much as I like done during the workday. But I have been celebrating the one or two baby steps that allow me to move in the direction I want to move. The little things matter, as they all add up to big things. I am proud of myself for not complaining about it.

10. Words and thoughts matter. This shelter-in-place order may have me feeling overwhelmed, but I am remembering to allow my thoughts to weigh heavy with the positive rather than all things negative. The following quote describes it best.

It's always been my goal to work on changing my attitude. For me, it is definitely a lifelong chore and challenge. Sigh.

Really, tho.

Indeed.

That is it for this edition of Ten Tuesday Thoughts!

Friday Night Freestyles After Dark... The Disinfectant Edition

Happy Friday!

Whatever that means. Once again, my days are melding together. Friday is Friday, and nothing much I am looking forward to for the weekend.

Ya'll... they out in the streets trying to do some Jim Jones-Guyana mess to us.

I just wish someone in the press corps jump up during these silly press conferences and holler "KNOCK IT OFF! WE TRYNA LIVE, AND YOU STANDING UP HERE TALKING ABOUT INJECTING OURSELVES WITH DISINFECTANT!"

What the hell, man.

Everybody sitting up here all stressed out, couped up in the house, yearning for answers, and here he comes DAILY with a bunch of bull....

Ain't nobody got time for that!!!

And I try to give him the benefit of the doubt. This is someone who is uber-wealthy, and probably hasn't had to push a cart down the aisle of a K-mart or Wal-mart, trying to get some bleach because he gotta clean his house. He may not know that you can't inject yourself with disinfectant.

And I heard today that he was talking about he was being sarcastic.

No you weren't, Sir. Ain't nobody got time for no danggone sarcasm. CUT IT OUT and be a leader!

I stopped watching the press conferences. After a couple of weeks, I figured out that they were bootleg political rallies. I cannot. I cannot deal with that. I cannot. I like hearing from the scientists. I just look up the highlights later on YouTube.

And on the other hand... what would happen if Obama stood up during a pandemic and said some dumb crap like that?

These YTpipo's heads would pop off. Hell, the black folk would've dragged him.

It would never happen, because Obama would listen to the professionals... and would not get up and embarrass his country like that.

Listen... the only Lysol I wanna see is the one in the store that I can buy (if it is available) to disinfect the air and surfaces. And that is real hard to find right now.

I wouldn't mind seeing this too:

Really, tho. That's it right there. That'll take all this Covid out the air. ALL of it.

I am a scientist. I know what happens if you inject yourself with disinfectant. Someone needs to give my president a high school level biochemistry primer. And a news conference should not be a brainstorming session. You're supposed to brainstorm before the meetings and not run out saying dumb stuff.

Rant over.

I hope this has been a great week for you. It has been okay for me. This teleworking thing is O_o.  I really need a laboratory. It would be perfect if I could set up a lab in my garage. Really.  But for now, I must figure out the telework thing.

It didn't help that our supervisor (who I have seen NO emails from in over a week), sent some long email today talking about how he's been having a good time playing basketball and soccer and spending time with his family. And he also said basically about how nobody better be coming up into the lab and contaminating the lab, cuz we don't know if you sick or not, and how folks got pre-existing conditions and they got families and you don't want to be infecting them...

blah blah blah blah...blah blah blah blah BLAH!!!

*blink*blink*

Man... I just closed my computer and went and sat down and watched the View.

And on top of that, we got a free hour off today for administrators day.  Mind you, I'm not an administrator person. I am a scientist. However, since he said that in his email...

I REALLY turned the computer off and went and sat down somewhere. 

And besides, it is Friday. I tend to do a little work on the weekends (which needs to stop). I just sat down somewhere.

Quote of the Week. I was listening to something on Facebook watch, and you know how it rolls over to the next video. Well some lady was preaching down. And she said something interesting.

Fear is the belief in negative possibilities.

Oh my. Such a short statement, but chocked full of truth. I won't discuss it, because this post will be 100 pages long . No ma'am. I think I we should just let it marinate. I have been journalling during these corona times. I think I will use it as a journalling topic. So I may revisit it later in a blog post.

Song of the Week. When I post a song of the week, it is usually something I have been listening to all week. Nothing much has struck my fancy this week. Earlier this week, I was highly interested in "That Girl" by Stevie Wonder.



It is part of the soundtrack to a story I am writing. So it helps me in my writing process. And that's a good thing!

That's it for my freestyle ramblings. Ya'll have a good weekend. Georgia is wide open for black folk activities this weekend.

I will NOT be participating. Nope!! I even had a medical appointment on Monday. It is something routine. I pushed my appointment to June. I gotta see all this play out, you see.

So ya'll be safe out there. Wear your masks, and wash your hands, stay MANY feet apart...

And remember... use your chlorox products ONLY as directed on the label. Don't be fooled by silly ish.

Be aware!! Do not drink your disinfectant! Do not pop disinfectant pills! Do not inhale disinfectant from an inhaler. Be aware!

On purpose. 

Ten Thursday Night Thoughts

Ten Thoughts... On a Thursday, no less!


1. This day has gone by super fast for some reason. I do not know why.

2. So last night, the brothers down the street were firing gunshots. I don't know what happened and I don't really care, because I do not call the police on people. But I did want to stick my head out the front door and yell... "Hey... KNOCK IT OFF! I'm trying to journal right now."

3. It is very rare to hear gunshots. But when I do, my girl cat Callie Jo hears them too. And she runs back and forth frantically. Not because she is scared, though. It's the type of movement that suggests she's looking for her pistol so she can run down the street and set it off.  LOL

4. This has been a slow day, but I have a goal of talking or texting with at least 3 people per day. Right now, it is usually 4 or 5 people. So even though it is a slow day, I allow my consistent communications to stamp as a GOOD DAY.

5. One of my Asian co-workers called me on the workplace IM. I rarely do this, so it always startles me when my workplace phone rings. I needed some scientific data from her, and I guess she was just like, Forget this typing, I'll just call LadyLee.  So it was cool to talk science with her, and then to catch up on how she is doing, how the fam doing over in China, etc.

Folks always say... "Ling is quiet."
My response:  Man, she got ya'll fooled. Ling is off the chain."

6. But she was like...

"Hey, I got an ancient Chinese proverb for you, LadyLee."
"What's that?" I asked.
"Ancient Chinese proverb for 2020: "Stay home and live."
"Woo-hoooo!" I hollered and slap my knee. "I KNOW THAT'S RIGHT, HOMEGIRL!"

That was the FUNNIEST thing. But she is right.

7. So tomorrow, the state of Georgia is opening up barber shops, massage parlors, beauty salons, bowling alleys, and tattoo parlors. 

8. My governor is looking crazy. You know you are a stooge when the President come out and say he didn't agree with the decision. WOW. That floored me right there.

9. I wander why the governor isn't opening up the golf courses, the country clubs and the tanning salons? I wonder why???? Hmm.

10. I like our new director. She sends out emails about how smart we all are and how great it is to work with us, each and every one of us. Since we have been off, we have had virtual birthday parties for people in the group, and we virtual happy hours.

It's nice to have a woman in charge. She is very motherly.

Maybe someday we will have a female president to CLEAN UP all this mess we going through now.

That is all. That's my thoughts... on a Thursday night.

Ya'll be good and be careful.

As my Asian coworker says... "Stay home and live."

On purpose.


           

Wordless Wednesday: Justin in His Easter Outfit

Ten Thoughts... On a Tuesday

1. I've been taking this supplement for a couple of months.

It must be working because I can cut a brick with my fingernails.

2.  I am teleworking from home all these weeks, and it consists of meetings and reading. I must say that my eyes are glazing over.

3. Last week I was dealing with a scratched eye. No, the cats didn't scratch me. I think I just got something in it. Anyway, it felt like having an eyelash in your eye. I was like that for a whole week. Today is the first day that my eye feels normal. 

4. I would've like to have made an eye appointment, but with the shelter-in-place order, what can you do?

5. So my Governor is opening up the state for business on this Friday. Barber shops, hair salons, nail salons, massage parlors (you know, all the places black folks like to go) will be the first to open.

*LadyLee raises eyebrow and sips tea from teacup*

Oh! I see what you're doing, governor. I see.

6. I have a standing appointment with my barber every 4 weeks. The last appointment was to be this past Saturday. I sent him a nice offering on cash app and told him to be blessed... because this Oldgirl ain't coming to her appointment. I told him that I will be back in 4 weeks... tentatively, based on what the world is going on.

7. I didn't fall asleep until 2:00 am last night. I had some coffee around 10 in the morning, but that can't be the reason.

8. I had a good green smoothie for breakfast - baby spring greens, a whole lemon, and pears.  So good. Gave me more energy than coffee!

9.  This show right here is ALL that. "Little Fires Everywhere" on Hulu.

This is one the few series that I will be watching again.  The book was one of our bookclub selections a year ago, but I just couldn't get into it. I may even go back and read the book. Hmmm.

The series finale is tomorrow. Looking forward to it!

10. Leaving you with my song of the moment. It is an interpolation of Beyoncé's "Deja Vu", by the flautist I wrote about yesterday, Althea Rene. Enjoy!



That's it for my random thoughts on a Tuesday!

Have a great day!

Monday Afternoon Ramblings

Covid-19 still got us all looking crazy for another week.

Sitting here at home... STILL in shelter-in-place mode, Day 34 no less, in my beloved ATL. And although it has been raining off and on, it has been beautiful out, with temperatures in the 60s and 70s. Go figure... when we were out and about a month ago, it was raining on what felt like a daily basis. Now, the sun shines bright through my windows while I peer out from within.

This picture describes how I've been feeling, and how I feel right now (minus the curse word, lol).

Meal of the Week: I made some bootleg shrimp linguini.

It was good, but needed twice as many vegetables. I cut up about 2 cups, but that wasn't enough. I don't have a real recipe, but I will put up more pics this week. I got two meals out of it.

I don't have a microwave, but I am considering buying one from Amazon or something. That way, I can heat up food a little faster instead of having to bust out a skillet and

Song of the Week.  So one of my coworkers, Lady Niq, likes jazz. I can't say that I care for jazz. Personally, I like songs with words, preferably with a storyline with a cuss word or two kicked in. Throw in a heartbreak theme, and I'm all in. Sprinkle in a fight and some gunshots, and that there is my song!

BUT, I get word prompts all the time, and Lady Niq provided one that intrigued me immensely. The character is very loosely based on Lady Niq. (It is actually my lazy way out: I can use details she provides and add to them).

So I was working on the prompt, and it has stretched out to a 25 page story. And I know I really like a story, or I'm almost finished with it when it starts developing a soundtrack. That is how I know I really like a story. A member of my reading team is beginning to read it, and she is drawn in. She's my favorite critiquer, and if she says it is crap, I may as well just take it outside and light a match to it. So it's a good multilayered story. My goal is to finish it by May 1st. That should not be a problem, since I working on the third draft.

Back to the song.  Lady Niq likes jazz, and she's particularly fond of  flautist Althea Rene. So I've had to listen to some of Lady Niq's music to get a feel for the story character's personality. Now, no way would I even THINK to be interested in anyone playing a dayum flute, but it has grown on me. And it chills my emotions out. Must be something to what they say, how music and words affect your mentality, in a good or bad way.

And the song I really like is "We are One" by Jeanette Harris and Althea Rene. And the icing on the cake is this is a duet with a female saxophone player. How cool is that?



This here is my corona quarantine song. In other words, when I feel blue, I put it on.

And dance around the house as I clean up.

And I feel better!

Man, I got a good mind to order a trumpet and a wig off of Amazon, and play right along with them. LOL.

But on the real, I am getting older... time to listen to more mature music.

Last but not least... Shout out to all the health care workers.

I don't know how on earth I would handle working with infectious patients. But I am learning, from all the stories told by these professionals, that one has to have a love, passion, and calling to the medical field. Not many of us have that. I don't know if I could ever be that brave. So salute to them. They are soldiers on the front lines of this fight, and I know that it is a fight that will be won.

That's it for my Monday ramblings.

Ya'll have a great week... on purpose.

Easter Cards Galore!

I received a couple of extra special cards during the Easter season.

And each time I get them, I always say to myself "I'm going to start sending Easter cards!"

And I never do.

I choose to enjoy the one I get every year.

One person who is always consistent with cards is one of my favorite people. She is also my favorite writer, Tayari Jones. Over the years, she's always sent cards, whether it be for birthdays, holidays, or sympathy. She always sends the nicest cards.

This year was no different.

She sends the Papyus cards. I like those. I like to send those to people when I am sending cards for birthdays. Those are nice!

I got another card from my gal Val, aka, Serenity23. It is not quite an Easter card, but it came around Easter. I always enjoy seeing her cards too. I remember retrieving it from the mailbox and getting a little teary-eyed because it was such a suprise.

I sometimes get a little teary-eyed at the mailbox, because her cards always contain a kind note of inspiration.

It seems like she knows just what to say exactly when I need to hear (or read) it.

In that card, she is referring to my attitude when I was caught up in the government furlough of 2013. We were furloughed for three weeks. I remember she and I talking about it, and the discussion of my financial plan. (She is one of the few people that I will share financial goals with. And she will share hers with me). My goal was to keep a positive attitude, and work my plan. And I will always remember that time as the best three weeks ever. I didn't miss a beat on bills and mortgage, because I do a good job of saving money, and I'd decided to just cut myself a living expense check every two weeks from savings on pay day. There were lots of personal goals set also, and so much got done. Every day, I would make a list of 20 or more things to do each day, and work that list. SO much got done. And it went from being a time of stress to a time of peace.

I did not get caught up in the great furlough of 2018, and my government position is fully funded. But I remember being a bit stressed about going to work, and being only one of approximately fifteen people at work. I am not very fond of most of the people in my work group, so that within itself was a hard challenge mentally. And I missed my coworkers who were furloughed for those five weeks.

I am happy that Serenity could look back over our friendship and remember moments of encouragement like I do.  Her card was a reminder to me to keep a positive attitude also in these corona virus times, the most uncertain of times. And that I will do.

There was also a reminder of Psalms 91. Do yourself a favor and read that. It does give peace during these trying times.

Both cards have a prominent place on my mantle piece this Easter season.

So maybe next year I will send out cards.

I think if I keep saying that I will do it, I eventually will!

Happy Easter 2020

Happy Easter Boys and Girls.

Whether we are quarantined or not don't change a thing. He is risen.

So we are still stuck in the house, even on Easter Sunday. If you did go to church today, you better have your Easter outfit, your Sunday's best together. And it better not be your usual...

Because right now? The usual won't do.

That's the only way to show up.

Better to have faith at home. For now, anyway.

I attended my church virtually, like I've been doing for the past couple of years anyway. So that worked out for me. I even have my communion elements ready and waiting.

A shot glass of grape juice and an oyster cracker.

And I had a most lovely salad for my Easter Brunch.

For Easter dinner, I'm culling together an lovely array of last week's leftovers: baked chicken, fried corn, collard greens, green beans and hoecakes. I'm big on having hoecakes, fried cornbread on a hot cast iron griddle.

Oh yes. So good. And a reminder of the preferences of my older relatives... Hurls me back to happy memories of my childhood.

As usual, Sister Callie and Mitch are asleep.

 Being stuck in the house with them for the past month has taught me that they are at rest during this whole situation, careful to get their whole entire life and sleep on, without a worry in the world.

That speaks volumes to me.

Stop worrying and rest.

For what's going on right now is but a slice of life. It's not the whole pie. Just a slice. And it may be the slice that no one wants, the slice with the crust burnt at the edges, the piece no one else wants.
But it is what it is.

And it's my goal right now to view it that way. I will drive myself crazy if I did otherwise.

Next Easter, I hope we're able to look back and talk about this past Easter and how we overcame. How we rose from the ashes of it.

Have a Happy Easter... on purpose.

Wordless Wednesday: In Progress

Ten Tuesday Thoughts

10 Thoughts... on a Thoughtful Tuesday


1. I think this is the third week quarantine. I'm not sure, though. I have just stopped counting. I barely even know what day it is. (With that said, I hope this is Tuesday).

2. I use entirely too many paper towels. I seem to go through a roll a day. I only have 15 rolls left right now, so the goal is to slow my roll on using them. If I can stretch a roll out to lasting two days, I'm good.

3. NOW we have to wear masks.  I guess I can make one of the bootleg ones. Not all that interested in that, but oh well.

4. I was looking around the house and I found that I have ONE of the special N95 masks. ONE. I got it in a repair kit that The Cowgirl Cre gave me a few years ago. So I am going to save that one mask. And work on making the bootleg one.

5. I go to the grocery store one day per week. I may be able to skip this week. If I do, that means I will not have any salad greens. I may have to roll with that.

6.  I don't care to go to the big grocery stores. People DO NOT understand the social distancing concept. It is SO annoying. And then they look at ME crazy when I pivot hard. Knock it off.

7. Alas, I found a small local neighborhood grocer that I can patronize. Carver Neighborhood Market. It is 0.5 miles from my house. They have fresh fruits and veggies and salad. And their prices are comparable to the big stores. And it is quiet in there. Everybody respects everybody's space. Thank you.

8. Our beloved president has been pushing this plaquenil drug REAL hard.  I took it some 15 years ago for lupus. Didn't help me much so I was taken off of it.

9. But how about my doctor had me up in the ophthalmologist every six months getting my eyes checked, because it could mess up your eyesight? Why isn't that being talked about? And she was DAMN specific: go to an ophthalmologist, NOT an optometrist. Not to even mention the mess it can cause with your heart, kidneys, and liver? Hmmm. It is considered a little toxic. As all medicines have some tendency to be. Hell, even acetometoprin and ibuprofen can be toxic. But do yourself a favor and go read the fact sheet on it.

10. I know why it's being pushed extra hard.  Three words here:  FOLLOW THE MONEY.

Hmmm....

That's all the thoughts running rampart through my mind at the moment on a lovely Tuesday!

Good Fantastic Monday Evening

Good Monday Morning,

Haven't said that in awhile.

But it is a good morning, no matter what kind of mess we are caught up in.

Yes I call it a mess. I'm STILL tripping hard that we are lockdown, albeit not a national lockdown (which we actually need).  I am in the state of Georgia, so we in the house. But would you have guessed all this when we were hollering "Happy New Year!" on January 1, 2020?

No.

I keep saying it in past posts. But I am just amazed by it all. Amazed and saddened.

You know why we going through all this? Because we are captive to a leader with a fragile ego. Fragile as bible paper. Fragile as glass. Just fragile. We need some real leadership.

And for a minute there, it looked like we were about to be over in Jim Jones-Guyana moment.

Then Damian showed up on the scene.

(You have to be old school to understand those references).

Book of the Week. I haven't been reading that much. But I read a book over the weekend that was PHENOMENAL.

The Quiet Ones by Brandon Massey. 

He always does a FANTASTIC job. Just outstanding. If he wrote a book every week, I could get through this quarantine period faster.

This book is about two sisters who were separated when their single mother is murdered by a boyfriend. Both go into the foster care system, and twenty-five years later, one sister goes on a search for the other... and things go a bit crazy.

Yeah, that is vague as hell. Go read the description. It is available on kindle. GREAT READ, if you like black horror and black thriller books. Those types of books are hard to find.

I remember back in the day that I use to read a book a week, at least 50 books a year. THIS is the type of book that makes me want to go back to that habit. So good.

Song of the week. An Oldie but Goodie. I have put this one up a few times in the past. Putting it up again, as it is part of the "soundtrack" to a story I am writing.

If it does not come up, here is the link: "Why must we wait until tonight (remix)" by Tina Turner.



That is a FANTASTIC song.  The first few lines are incredible:
You gonna take a little time...
Gonna drank me like a... fine wine...
Write the book of love line by line.

WOW.

That's that good good.

That is it for me. My goal is to post everyday this week, as it is therapy during these trying times.

We ALL gonna have a good week and LIVE this week... on purpose.

Literally.

That has GOT to be the mindset during these dark days. Yes indeed.