Day: 11/14/2018

A week later dust and ashes from the Midterms are still smoldering – REBLOG

/ Marilyn Armstrong / Leave a comment

We won. Not everything, but I think we can put a “thumbs up” next to our 2018 election.

 

THE SHINBONE STAR

Rep.-Elect Deb Haaland was elected to (N.M. 1st Dist.) as one of the nation’s first two indigenous congresswomen in history.

The dust and ashes of the midterm elections aren’t settling — they’re smoldering.

Democrats won control of the House of Representatives and have vowed to open Donald Trump’s locked drawers.

With results still coming in, more than 100 women have won their House races, up from the current 84. Additionally, at least 13 women won Senate seats. Ten female senators were not up for re-election this year.

The reality of a change in the House has fueled talk of a female revolution in Congress in this the #MeToo era, but also that of potential investigations into the administration’s dealings. From the possible subpoenaing of the pussy grabber-in-chief’s elusive  tax returns to a probe of a possible attempt to block AT&T’s acquisition of Time Warner.

For his part, Delusional Donald has…

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BEFORE VIDEO THERE WAS FILM – Marilyn Armstrong

/ Marilyn Armstrong / 22 Comments
FOWC with Fandango — Video  and Ragtag Tuesday: Past

Garry should be telling this story because it’s his story, not mine. But since he’s busy elsewhere, I’ll tell the story — as I’ve heard it — and maybe he can write a better version later.

Garry started working in the business — television — before the switch from film to videotape was made — and he left the business just before everything went to DVDs, flash and SD cards, and hard drives. He was working at the end of the movie era through the early years of video when it was the “new kid in town. ”

He remembers the horrors of forgetting to load the camera and shooting only to come back with nothing. Not unlike me forgetting to paste down the full-page color advertisement from Sony that belonged in the middle of the magazine I was editing. Ah, the good old days of being young and stupid.

Or misfeeding the film into the camera and being unable to get it to run. Garry remembers racing back to the office so they could develop the film, edit it, and get it up in time for the news. Ah, more of the good old days!

Movie set

Film was touchier than videotape. If the light was wrong, it ran too hot or green. When it rolled, you wanted to hide under a table somewhere. Even though you didn’t do the shooting, it was still your work and when it was blazing orange or glaringly green, it was painful to see.

On screen, video looks different than film. Sometimes you see shows where parts are filmed and the rest is on video. You can always see the change from one scene to the other.

Film looks different than video. It’s both the texture and luster and crispness.  It’s hard to describe the difference, but you know it when you see it.

Film is also a sturdier product and lasts longer, which is why movies are shot on film, not video. Video tends to self-destruct over time and not a lot of time, either. We didn’t get our wedding video transferred to DVD soon enough. We lost a lot of the graphic portions. We were able to save the soundtrack, but a lot of pictures couldn’t be salvaged.

Thus, here is the message for all of you old enough to have videotaped important past events in your lives: Get the video transferred to DVD or you’ll lose it. If you haven’t already lost it.

WORLD SHARING … IS IT ALMOST THANKSGIVING? – Marilyn Armstrong

/ Marilyn Armstrong / 38 Comments

Share Your World 11-15-18

What’s the most ironic thing you’ve ever witnessed?

I’m not sure that “ironic” is the right word here. Twice I’ve been in dangerous places and the dangerous people carefully got me to a safe place, but that’s not ironic. Just … surprising.

Let’s talk turkey.  Pro or con?   If pro, which part do you enjoy most?  Is it for Thanksgiving (American Style anyway) only?

I think I’ve had more turkey than I ever wanted. Part of it is that I like dark meat and there’s almost no dark meat on turkeys these days. It’s all white meat. Too dry. I spent a lot of years of eating over-cooked turkey. The bigger the turkey, the dryer it was.

Lots of joints on this former turkey!

Some could have been ground up and used for beach sand. Even fresh, unfrozen turkey became food I was required to eat. I always liked the side dishes better than the turkey, especially cranberry sauce. And the pies! Actually, just give me the cranberry sauce and a side of three or four pieces of pie.

If you’d like, share one thing you wish you’d said to someone else, but now you’ll never have the chance.

Call it failing memory. I don’t remember anything. I don’t have a single thing I wish I’d said because either I don’t remember if I said it — and if I do, I don’t know what would have happened had I said something else. The future is a mystery.

What odd smell do you really enjoy?

I have almost no sense of smell, but if I stick my nose into a rose, that’s nice. I guess that isn’t odd unless you find a bee in there.

Thankful November … share a story or time when someone did something really great for you.  Alternatively,  share your gratitude moments during this past week.

Leaves are everywhere!

My son hired a cleanup crew to get the leaves out of the yard. I feel downright blessed!

WATER LILIES ON RIVERS, PONDS, AND CANALS – Marilyn Armstrong

/ Marilyn Armstrong / 12 Comments

Water Lilies On the Rivers, Ponds, and Canal

We have water lilies growing on almost every water surface, from the tiniest canals to the widest ponds, and along the edges of all the river. Some summers, they nearly choke the rivers.

The ducks, herons, geese, and swans don’t mind because they eat them, but when water levels are low, the fish and turtles have trouble swimming through the roots.

Not a problem this year. We’ve had so much rain that there’s plenty for room for anything that loves the water!

To see the pictures individually, just click on the gallery and use to arrows to go from picture to picture.