When I was a kid, I wanted to be a pilot. My stepdad would talk about flying into Germany during World War II. I'd spend my weekends with my aunt at Centennial Airport, but my eyes and math are too bad to indulge. I'm sure I'm going to meet my maker in a plane crash; this premonition is only heightened with the current Boeing scandal .
The sad truth is, I don't fly into the danger zone.
I live in the danger zone.
Today I am thankful that I have a place for documentation.
Last night, I indulged in a marathon of Fallout on Amazon. Somewhere around episode 5 (which I shamelessly watched around midnight), I was rudely interrupted by an unexpected visitor at my front door. This mysterious individual had the audacity to open the screen door and jiggled the handle to my front door.
To my dismay, they managed to unlock the door but thankfully did not venture inside.
Does someone have a bump key?
I've got all of my extra keys back when people have left my home.
Maybe it is time to change the locks again.
It's a good thing that I use door braces for each of my doors.
Of course, my loyal canine companion was not pleased with this intrusion and proceeded to freak out.
The nerve of some people, right?
To add insult to injury, the same bizarre scenario repeated itself this morning around 9:45, but this time at the back door. My little doggo went absolutely bizerko, as one would expect.
I contemplated calling the authorities, but alas, I am well aware that Aurora's finest have more pressing matters to attend to than my personal stalking situation.
In fact, they shot someone by my auntie's home this morning. I'd let her move here but I don't think she's any safer with me.
Oh, the joys of suburban living!
I don't know if this is my ex's family or some random jackarse.
Sigh....
It looks like I'll be visiting Cabella's today.
I'll put this here in case I turn up blue.
Hugs,
S.
Edit:
Well, I'm lucky that I didn't immediately go outside to see who was outside. It appears that someone tried to break in to the garage.
There is a garage door keypad that I keep shut affixed to the brick outside the garage door. Someone had opened it. It is too heavy to have been the wind.
Someone had also moved my door so that it is slightly ajar....crooked...but ajar. Thankfully, no one can use the garage because the last person who tried breaking into it bent the spring and the mechanism that moves the door up and down.
I don't think it was a thief. I say that because I left the windows on my car down and nothing was taken out of my car.
I know my ex left a lot of expensive football cards dating back to 1967 in the garage. They were donated to a homeless charity.
The tools were given to a mechanic who was down on his luck.
There is nothing in the garage for anyone.
I think I'l take my sweet time fixing that door. I'm lucky it was broken.
I'll chalk up the damage to the fence to the wind.
I had to buy a book on Ebay. It was a hard-to-find, out-of-print book on family therapy interventions.
To be honest, I should be grateful that I found a copy at a Goodwill Ebay store for $5.38.
Ebay is breaking some serious laws - at least they would be if they were a brick-and-mortar store.
THEY CHARGED ME 13.1% SALES TAX!!!
Today I am irritated by Ebay.
They charged the anti-tax curmudgeon 5.1% more than the local sales tax (which is 8% in Aurora).
Weird....
Local stores absolutely have to break down the tax you pay and where the money goes. They cannot promise to rebate your tax and any fees added to the tax have to be disclosed. An example of this is PIF taxes (which are a bastardization of tax that goes to landowners for the cost of upkeep).
As per Colorado law, my understanding is that Ebay is only supposed to be charging state sales tax (which is 2.9%.). They are also supposed to determine if sales are tax-exempt. I have purchased services on Ebay and always had to pay tax. I just never bothered to calculate if they were overcharging me.
Apparently, they cannot exceed a 4% fee nor can they collect more than $1,000 from Coloradoans in fees during a reporting period.
I'm pretty sure Ebay is skirting the law here. I'd report it to the Secretary of State but they don't investigate anything. I'll have to wait until the Republicans take over.
My tax to Colorado should have been $0.16. EBay's fee should not have exceeded $0.22.
Where is the rest of the money going?
I know...I know...Ebays pockets.
*****
.
Maybe someday I'll share about my overpaying Quest Diagnostics by 800%. I even have a telephone recording of them admitting to sending my labs to an out-of-state vendor so they could get it kicked into out-of-network and force me to pay out of pocket.
Don't mess with musicians. I record lots of stuff. I guess I could make a song out of it.
Despite paying it, they still send collection agents after me. I send copies of the canceled cashed checks via registered mail with the obligatory letter challenging the debt. Quest just tries to collect again and again. It's stupid.
Anyway, the Secretary of State won't investigate.
I thought healthcare was one of the Democrat's passions.
They don't care.
The liberals played games with the man who became mayor and he seems to have developed a complex now about allowing people to speak about issues in the community!
Darn them....
In short, our current mayor was our Congressman about a decade ago. He WAS awesome and he would have his staff call people back and offer to help. If I remember correctly, the Democrats staged sit-ins in his office and got a bunch of idiots to go into his speeches to disrupt him claiming that he wanted to steal people's insurance and kill disabled people when all he wanted to do was gather ideas into ways to fix the ACA (O'bummer Care).
I wasn't allowed into one of these speeches because a staffer saw that I worked in Arvada. I was just a few years after I ran for office in Aurora. I've lived in CD6 for over twenty years! If he Googled me, he would have seen that.
The sad thing is that I'm a hypnotist. I could have helped calm the asshats down with just a look and maybe even a flick of the wrist
but....the staffers mistook me for a Demoncrat and found an excuse to keep me away.
I believe this is behind the skittishness I notice now about allowing people to communicate with the Mayor and City Council.
My biggest personal value is communication. I actually like it when people of all persuasions speak (it helps me dig into their arguments so I can thwart them).
If our mayor is too afraid to allow people to communicate, it's awfully hard to respect him. I've written about the Aurora City Council debates about forbidding people from blogging, or saying offensive things, and even curtailing the amount of speakers allowed during city council meetings.
It's ridiculous. These things are borne out of fear.
I understand the Democrats engage in intimidation tactics. Part of me wants to say....that is what many of them do.
They've threatened to murder me. I actually had a guy who was a teacher at a local high school use the science lab phone to call and threaten my children because he didn't like that I wrote that the United States is a Constitutional Republic. They still, from time to time, call me a dude despite my make-up and push-up brassieres.
I'm about to wear a HUGE pin with my pronouns (she/her/hers). Maybe they'll respect that.
Such is life.
It's possible, I need to get a makeover, too. I'm starting to get a complex about my appearance.
I think it's time to delete the Nextdoor Dumpster Fire app**.
Today, I am grateful for the eye-opening truth about Nextdoor.
It seems that Nextdoor not only allows people to engage in cyberbullying but also removes posts from people in recovery and comments from licensed addiction counselors that aim to celebrate individuals' sobriety. The admin deleted my comments and told me that he's doing so because he intends to launch his own addiction recovery page. The guy's name is Rick. Well, Rick. It's a small world; if you work in the field and behave like this, you won't be in business very long. I can either send people to you or tell them to avoid you.....it's up to you. Right now, I'm not really trusting that you care for the community.
If this is Nextdoor's policy to push all sobriety posts into a netherworld page and hide them from the public, I'd be really disgusted to learn that they perpetuate the stigma. Seriously? They let people post about birthdays and anniversaries. Why not sober anniversaries? It's akin to a birthday.
Little does this admin know, I am bombarded with requests to promote my counseling services on that platform. I'm losing trust in the platform. Yeah...if addiction is a banned topic, my money is too good for the platform.
In the past, I used to advertise on YouTube until they permitted content trolls to issue copyright strikes against my voice or even the sounds of birds chirping in the background. I abandoned them and went to Vimeo. Facebook even banned me for sending congratulatory messages to friends back in 2021.
It is possible that the government is still monitoring who can and cannot share content online. Part of me wonders if it is because I downloaded the research studies about gain of function tests from academic websites and it caught the attention of control freaks who want to keep everyone quiet.
I never posted the studies. Geesh!
Maybe Nextdoor is a government stooge? Who knows?!
Or maybe the lack of an opportunity to build a POSITIVE connection with your neighbors will spell the doom of this company.
I just know I don't have time to waste with them. There are other ways to honor my neighbors.
Edit:
I eventually located the advertising team at Nextdoor and informed them that I cannot advertise on their platform if acknowledging people's sobriety is prohibited in the Pheasant Run neighborhood due to an overbearing administrator***.
Let's be honest, social media can be a real downer when it comes to spreading love and positivity. You pour your heart into a birthday wish or a genuine congratulatory message, only for these power-hungry administrators to swoop in and remove your well-meaning post in the blink of an eye. It's as if they have a personal vendetta against good vibes. Is there really anything wrong with expressing joy and celebrating someone's special day? It makes you wonder if Mark Zuckerberg and Sarah Friar have grudges against happiness. Nevertheless, we will continue to fight the good fight and share our digital hugs and high-fives, despite these social media gatekeepers trying to dampen our spirits. I just don't have to do it on Facebook or Nextdoor (even Twitter is pretty creepy).
Here's to never giving up on spreading a little internet cheer!
Addiction is like a shady ex-partner who promises to fill a void, but ultimately leaves you feeling more disconnected than ever. Positive Vibes can help save the day! By surrounding yourself with uplifting content and supportive communities in the virtual realm, individuals in recovery can find solace and connection in a world that often feels isolating and overwhelming. Positive comments and vibes can feel like a warm hug for your soul without any of the calories! Addiction is the opposite of connection and positivity is the ultimate antidote to those lonely blues.
You just may not get that experience on Nextdoor or Facebook.
Maybe I need to start my own platform.
I don't know.....
Maybe tonight I'll set up my Truth Social page.
Should I or shouldn't I?
**The day I was kicked off of Facebook for posting positive vibes, I engaged in modern-day sorcery and Facebook went down for several glorious hours. I felt like David triumphing over Goliath on a worldwide scale. It could have just been a coincidence or maybe it is a cautionary tale to those who underestimate the spell-casting abilities of today's wizards. So next time you cross paths with a social media wizard, be sure to watch your behavior because you never know when they might cast another spell and send your online world spinning into chaos once more!
Truth be told, the power of the purse is stronger than any pepper smeared candle and chant. That said, lighting peppery candles is super therapeutic.
It felt better just deleting the damned Nextdoor app. They won't be around in five years. Mark my words.
Love ya,
S.
P.S.
The only positive experience I've ever had on social media was when someone actually listened to my impassioned rant about breed bans. As I embarked on my usual tirade about the injustice of discriminating against certain dog breeds, expecting the customary eye rolls and dismissive comments, a lone soul emerged from the city, found me online and thanked me for my impassioned plea. It was like finding a diamond in a sea of negativity and trolling. Who knew that all it took was a good old-fashioned vent session to find a kindred spirit in the vast wasteland of shitty politics? Thank you, random stranger, for restoring my faith in humanity, one dog-related soapbox rant at a time.
Next day edit:
***24 hours AFTER I deleted my Nextdoor profile, I received a strike for posting about where to find me (after I deleted everything). Apparently, this was in response to the email I sent to the advertising team (because the subject line read the same). Apparently, it is "disrespectful to my neighbors" to let them know how to contact me. There was one new Aurora rehab center needing supplies for their clients. I hope they copied down my contact information before I closed out the account.
You can't sell ANYTHING without people feeling connected to you. You build connections by the little positive things we say to people and do for people. Sometimes shared locations and hobbies begin the connection process, but empathy, positivity, and understanding build it.
I might write an article and post it on LinkedIn and my three serious psychology websites about the waste of time that is Nextdoor (and social media in general) and how the company stigmatizes addiction. It would be interesting given that I have over 1,500 contacts on LinkedIN, most of whom are addiction counselors.
Then again, Nextdoor is on the outs.... I'm too busy for that crap. If I get bored, I'll post an article.
Ha-ha....
P.S. Congrats to my neighbor Scott for 24 years of sobriety. You're an inspiration. I'm sorry Nextdoor deleted your post before I could finish congratulating you. I was saddened to read your post about being censored and, upon checking in to it, I found you are not the only one. I'm saddened that they treat sobriety as something to be hidden. Don't stay in the shadows. LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE!
In my daily life, I have the pleasure of working with children who are experiencing the same kind of childhood I once had. The one thing that stands out to me is that they all seem to be filled with anger.
I can't say that I was an angry kid myself, unless you happened to run a foster home that pimped out my sister, or if you were Denver cops named James and Miller in squad car 06 who decided to rough up a Mormon girl. Those cops were on a mission to find weed and got even nastier when they discovered she was only carrying a book. The chief refused to take a complaint (seriously, what a joke - sorry, I'm channeling my '86 self).
Or maybe you were the nurse who shamefully kicked a 17-year-old rape victim out of Denver Hospital on 6th Avenue simply for asking what to do if she became pregnant. That nurse cited Ronald Reagan and expressed fear of losing a government grant.
Throughout the years, the people who really get under my skin are always either on the government dole, paid by the government, or trying to protect government funds. This is why I've become a libertarian with a keen interest in politics. My anger manifests itself in an INFJ rage against the cogs in the machine.
I'm actually a nice person, but the universe seems to be sending me a wake-up call.
I often wonder about the children whose dogs were murdered by the City due to the BSL laws. They are old enough to vote now. I wonder how they vote on tax hike measures or if they even trust the government?
Today, I'm grateful for my colleagues who have been encouraging me to run for Mayor again.
The answer is a resounding NO, but we definitely need real leadership - not people who are afraid to engage with the community and shut citizens out of meetings.
While I have no desire to be mayor, the idea of starting a campaign is intriguing. I'm contemplating dusting off my name badge and t-shirts, heading to dog parks, and conducting little surveys. Who knows what could happen?
I adore my job and have no plans to leave unless the Gods have other tasks in store for me.
Today I'm thankful for smart people.
It seems my city councilwoman is giving me the cold shoulder. No worries, though. I'm considering launching a website. I have a knack for dominating search results, after all.
I'll be sending out a few more letters today and hopefully snag tomorrow night off to address the city council in person. If that doesn't pan out, I'll kick off my website and Truth Social channel.
Our city's train has been veering off track for some time now, and I'm determined to steer clear of disaster.
Yesterday, I crossed paths with a dog groomer who used to run a dog rescue. She had quite a lot to say. She shared a wealth of factual information and cautioned me to "play nice" (whatever that means). She recounted threats from local politicians and even break-ins at her home after speaking out at another city council meeting.
I brought up the incident of Aurora cops barging into my home at 2:00 a.m., rummaging through my garage, and loitering in my backyard. That's when she recounted her own battle against a proposal to spay and neuter dogs before they were fully developed, despite scientific evidence. It seems some folks just know what they want to do, no matter the facts.
Starting with dogs and now meddling with human reproductive systems, politicians are treading dangerous waters.
At that moment, it dawned on me that the dogs are the testing grounds. If we allow this, we may go back full circle, back to the eugenics movement that destroyed so many beautiful people and families. The thought of allowing genocide, again, based on DNA and physical characteristics is downright chilling.
Let's vow to never let that happen again. My biggest gripe? Brilliant minds falling for absurd myths and propaganda. Let's keep our wits about us, shall we?
Come on...I want to believe our leaders are smart. I pray they prove it.
Damn it, today I'm thankful that I know how to set up political action committees.
I don't want to do that...but...I'm not seeing another choice.
Well....this bitch is probably back.
I consider my spirit animal to be a chihuahua.
Maybe I should channel a pit bull.
woof woof
Some idiot wanted his name in the paper so he sued the City of Aurora** for not following the City Charter even though the actions taken by the City Council put them in line with Colorado State Law.
Damn....
One thing I hate is people wasting my tax dollars.
Another thing I hate is people disrespecting life.
Matt Snider apparently wants a return to this....
and here is a close up so you can take it in
These dogs were loved.
No. I do not own a pit bull. I'm highly allergic.
I don't want my tax dollars used for an extermination project that will scar a generation of children whose household members are stripped from them by idiots with an irrational fear.
Get therapy....
leave the rest of your community alone.
So.....I am toying with the idea of leaving my much-loved job just to jump back in the fray. I work at night because that's when you can connect homeless people with loved ones.
'Eff you.....
I'd prefer to get fentanyl users off of the street but we need real people to fight the idiots who want to ruin the world for the rest of us.
Thanks Mr. Snider.
Maybe I'll record a song about you and paint your annoying grinning face, too.
I think I'd title it Political Sock Puppet***.
If you're lucky, I'll keep my black candles under wraps (just teasing, I have to play up the witchy gossip).
If I start a PAC and you're a Democrat, you're gonna hate me. Hell, some Republicans hate me (especially some city attorneys - lol). At first glance, Mr. Snider is a liberal as he ran as a Democrat for a state house.
It's best if I stay in the shadows helping homeless drug addicts.
Mr. Snider, you can threaten a lawsuit. My nickname is Sue Happy. I've sued Aurora. Did I mention, I'm a covert hypnotist? That deposition was a fun way to spend 8 hours! I owned them and got them to tell me all sorts of things they probably were hoping to keep under wraps.
I'd rather get people struggling with addiction and mental health issues off the street.
Here's a hint - To "do the right thing all the time" as Mr. Snider suggests, city leaders need to FOLLOW STATE LAW (CRS § 18-9-204.5)!
They need to stop running afoul of the community by claiming home rule.
To me, it's about life, freedom, and dogs.
My advice, Mr. Snider - pick your battles. People have threatened to kill me over fighting tax hikes. You're pushing limits that will go beyond emotional intelligence and will short-circuit reasoning in many people. My prediction is that you will hear from people crazier than I.
For many people, dogs are family members.
If you want something to fight about, go after the violations of federal and state wage and hour laws. Do you know that the City of Aurora will fine city employees for bullshit reasons, illegally, to get them to quit? Then they put the money in the employee's supervisor's travel funds. I used to have a blog where I posted all sorts of funky emails I had with the Tax Audit department and HR department about this issue. Wanna know something funny? If male employees fight the illegal fines, they are accused of being violent. If female employees fight the illegal fines, they are accused of not being team players.
Fight that. I have stacks and stacks of documents about that. They're yours for the taking.
I have lots of ideas if you're bored and you want to fight little wars with Aurora.
Just leave the dogs out of it.
I'll see you at City Hall.
I wonder if we can recall the judge. The judge is Elizabeth Beebe Volze. She'll be up for re-election in 2028.
I typically have 24 hours of crazy brainstorming before I pick 2-3 viable annoying things to do to statists.
It'll be fun. I'd just prefer to be serious about helping the community by cleaning up some of the tents and helping people remove the shroud of addiction and regain their self-worth.
Maybe a miracle will happen and city council will make a decision before I go overboard.
I don't hold out much hope for that.
***Update:
So it seems like this guy is actually Rev. Matt Snider an appointee to the Aurora Civil Service Commission. This means he has friends in high places and possibly someone who wants to reinstate the breed ban legislation. This hardly seems like something a mild-mannered man of the cloth would do.
I wonder who is really behind this. Maybe the city needs to drum up more business for the city attorneys. I wonder.....If this is about revenue, fines and fees.
There is a former city councilman turned city attorney who hates pit bulls (and me)....this probably goes up to the mayor or city manager.
You have to have the approval of the mayor and at least one city council person to be on the civil service commission. You know what, Mr. Snider, is in a position to actually fight that stupid wage and hour crap I posted about above. I tried getting on the commission but I was informed that Mayor Tauer, the younger, had a conniption and my application was recinded. People in power like yes-men, they don't like honesty and truth.
Let me do some more digging....
After some digging, I learned that Bergan is a city council member who was publically against repealing the measure in 2021. I suspect she may be a player behind Rev. Snider's ploy. I don't think Snider is doing his own thinking here... You can reach her at:
Francoise Bergan fbergan@auroragov.org
I need to hunt the vote and see who voted against it on 12-7-21. I wonder if I have the minutes in my old political email....let me check. Hmmm....That was the week they accidentally sent the wrong Manager's Memo....I'll do some more research.
There is a big piece of information missing. Mr. Snider is NOT acting alone.
As a community, we can't afford to sit back and let crap continue to happen...it's time to stand up.
Ugh.....
Love ya,
S.
Sample Letter:
Dear *****:
I hope this letter finds you well. As a proud resident of our city, I am writing to you today to express my deep concern regarding the recent reinstatement of the pit bull ban in Aurora by district judge Elizabeth Beebe Volze. This decision not only infringes upon individual liberty but also undermines the integrity of our governmental bodies and judicial process.
The City Council's overturning of the pit bull ban in 2021 was a commendable step towards recognizing the rights of responsible pet owners and promoting a more inclusive community. However, the recent legal challenge and subsequent ruling have raised troubling questions about the role of government in regulating personal choices and freedoms.
From my libertarian perspective, it is crucial to emphasize the principles of individual liberty and limited government intervention. The right to own a specific breed of dog should not be subject to arbitrary restrictions imposed by the state. Instead, the focus should be on empowering individuals to make informed decisions regarding pet ownership, while holding them accountable for any harm caused by their actions.
Furthermore, the swift changes to the law and the judicial process not only erode public trust in governmental bodies but also create uncertainty and instability within our community. It is imperative that our elected officials uphold the rule of law and respect the principles of due process to ensure a fair and just society for all. Moreover, it is worth noting that Colorado state law prohibits breed-specific legislation (CRS § 18-9-204.5), and Aurora's previous defiance of this law on the grounds of home rule status underscores the importance of upholding the principles of local governance and autonomy. By challenging the judge's decision, we are not only defending our city's right to self-governance but also advocating for a more progressive and equitable approach to animal welfare.
In light of these concerns, I urge you and your fellow council members to take a principled stand in defense of individual liberty and judicial integrity. Let us work together to overturn the pit bull ban and challenge the judge's decision, thereby reaffirming our commitment to freedom, justice, and the rule of law. Feel free to reach out if I can offer assistance in any way.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I trust that you will uphold the values of liberty and advocate for the rights of all residents in our city.
Today I'm thankful that I'm still working on putting together a melody.
This is a little better.....I've just got to rework it more to make it more timeless.
My personal opinion is that our world is a circle of hell. Israel is not the first country to push itself into a war and go hog wild out of land-greed. Israel will not be the last.
What do you think?
I'm in love with the title. It stays.
I have half a mind to go shopping for a baritone guitar. I love my basses. I can't stand acoustic guitars. Maybe there is something a little more fitting for a person prone to hanging out in the lower registers.
I'll update as I'm able.
love,
S.
P.S, On second thought, I need an electric guitar. It's a shame the Covid shot killed my friend Gallen. My sister is trying to get me to date a well-known guitar player here but I don't...um...well...so I'm like avoiding his gigs.
Maybe it's time for new friends.
People claim that posting lyrics is dangerous. Not really, it's a time-stamp to prove who had them first.
Besides if 1000 artists posts songs bitching at Netanyahu, maybe one will hit the top 10. Maybe I should work on the cover art.
Where is my red paint?
P.S.S. I'm going to scrap this...I have a better idea.
P.S.S.S. Some may wonder why I'm only pissed at Israel and not Russia. Well....Russia is not an ally. The U.S. is not funding Russia. We've sent a heck of a lot of money to Israel. The US political elite appears to be turning a blind eye to Israel's sin.
Let me rework the entire project.
Genocide Symphony
Verse 1:
Marching through the battlefield of earthly hell
Where demons rise and angels fell
Holy wars fought by twisted dreams
In the wreckage of shattered be (crap....where did the word go?)
