Preparing for Natural Distasters

Would you stay in your home when you know, like everyone else in the nation knows, that a hurricane that is a category 5 heading towards state (city)? If you decided to leave, where you would go and important items would you take with you?  

I am bring these questions up because what has happen with the weather situation over in the Carolines with Hurricane Florence. But not just in the Carolines, how about what has happened in the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Louisiana, and the southern part of Texas in Houston.  These areas has and will continue to experience more hurricanes in the months and years to come.

Some of these hurricanes like Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Harvey came with such devastations that cost which is more millions than the current Lottery, that is needed to be collective in order for those communities to rebuild again.  When you see those who are impacted by these devastations your heart either goes out to them or you are thinking “What fool would stay in the damn storm?” Though everybody has their own reason as to why they are willing to ride out storm, both literally and figuratively.

So the question that I bring to you is would you stay in your home when you know that a hurricane is coming towards your city?  Let me be sarcastic, I will not be living along the East Coast or the southern parts of any state that is connected to the Gulf of Mexico.  (Hell to the NO!!) I will go visit for 3 to 6 days but that is it. I am going to consider Garland (Dallas) safe from all major nature catastrophes for now.  And only for now.

But to further answer the question, I would leave and I would take with me all important documents such as birth certificates, divorce certificate, degrees, and other documents.  I would take some dresses, some shoes, and some jewelry. I would leave all bills and ex boyfriends there. I would also leave my ungrateful child and my shrew-ass mother or mother-in-law.  

Now where would I go is the next question that I would be ponding as I am packing.  I guess that would depend on what is in the bank account at that time, which would apply to many people. (Sidebar: as I am sitting here writing this piece, I better also make a mental note to talk to the back about an additional saving account for that reason.) I have been saying that if I move again, I would put all my things in storage and get a ticket to somewhere in Europe.  So that third question would would be that ideal place in mind at the time of the hurricane? And I will be like this would be a good time as ever to go. Maybe. If I do go, where, the exact location would be the next decision to think about. For the time being, I am going to consider Ireland, Luxembourg, Spain, and especially South Korea because of my two new boyfriends: kimchi and Soju.   

But here in the states, where would you go if you could not make it to oversea or would not consider it. (For some people getting on a plane for that length of time would be too much! I believe a new alcoholic is born with every overseas flight.)   Would you go live in the snow storms of the North like Wisconsin, Michigan and the other states up there with Canada. How about going along the West coast like California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington states. They get a lot of fog and rain there from what I have heard. You could go to Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama, however do note that they too also get hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico. This would affect the southern part of Texas. Then again you can go to Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah where they are hotter then hot. Nevada would be my bet because you can truly become rich and go broke in one night there.  Now I know that I have not named some states and that is because I don’t know them too well. However the case, one of these states has got to be that alternative state for you to retrieve to live in when them storms come riding through.

Lastly, there is that question that can only be answer by when the huge storms and everything that come with it has passed and settled.  When you can return home to view the damage from the hurricane, 1) do you want to return home to see what is left or 2) do you care to see left is standing of your home?  If I am in Europe I would not give a rat’s ass as to what is left to be rebuilt. Because what took me years to built with my hard earn love would be destroyed in a matter of hours. My heart and mental state would be destroyed, so I could not imagine what those people are either thinking or let alone feeling when they return to home to see the destruction of their home. And to rebuilt again after again because of the storms that come thru yearly, I guest and can only guest because I have never been in those shoes, would be utmost devastating.

Now I am not really trying to make light of this tragic event but really we should think about the “what if” scenario if it should ever happen to your city or state. Are you really prepare to deal with any natural disasters that come your way?  Regardless if it is a hurricane, an earthquake, a snow storm, El Nino or a fire. Are you prepared for that and is there any way that we prepare for something like those as I described?

So, again I am bring these questions to you as to what would you do.

My Scary Moment with My Mother

What I am about to telling you would be one of the most scariest moment in my life.  It frightening me so hard that I even cried at work and I am very good about holding my expressions in. . . .sometimes.  But this was something that I was not ready to deal with nor did I ever thought that something like this could ever happen.

On this particular Tuesday was the day after I had brought my mother home from the hospital.  She had 2 slip disc in her spine repaired and aligned with screws so she was still under some influence from the medicine that she was taken.  Between my auntie Do and I we were trying to be very careful with her because of the surgery. We were seeing that everything that she would need be in her reach including her cigarettes. (Lord knows that we are trying to get rid of those things.)

I had just got home and went straight to my mother’s room where at that time she was talking to Aunt Do about bar-be-queing.   Okay, if that is what she wants to do. No point in robbing her what remaining life pleasures that she can still enjoy. She looks up at me to greet me and asking me to help her getting to the bath.  As her child, yes, I protested but I still putting my things down and went into her bathroom to start her water. Once I had her water ready, I helpped her get ready and into the tub.

My mother was conscious and alert when I said to her that I was going to run my things upstairs to my room and come back down.  She said okay, so I did exactly what I said. I ran upstairs with my bag and shoes. Threw my shoes in my closet and bag on the side of my bed.  Grab my cell phone and Kindle, and headed back down to my mother’s room.

So I was sitting my mother’s room while she was taking a bath. And I hear her having a conversation with herself.  I asked her was she okay and she respond with yes. I hear the water moving as she is washing herself.

So I am starting to play my game on the my Kindle when I noticed that she was talking any more.  I yelled out to mother “Are you I yelled again “Mom, are you okay in there?” and again I got nothing.  So I put the Kindle and go into the bathroom to see my mother passed out in the tub. I catches her head before it goes underwater and she drowns herself.

I did not have time to get emotional. The first thing that came to mind was to let the water out in the tub. That was a stretch for me since I had her head in my right and used my left hand to remove the stopper to let the water out in a long tub.  I was able to pull my mother up and get her in a sitting position in the tub where she could not fall over into the water. The water had cleared enough to where I could run to the stairs that lead to the upper floors of the townhouse and scream “Auntie Doreen”!”.  I heard auntie saying “Coming, coming!!” as I am running back to my mother in her bathroom. Along the long back I grab a few towels to help pick her up because she is covered in baby oil-like substance that made it hard to grab and lift her out of the tub.

I grab the upper part of my mom’s body while Auntie step into the tub to grab her legs.  What pissed me and my Auntie off was that fact that my mother had some much stuff in her bathroom leaving no room to room about in it. But between Auntie and I, we managed to get her out ot the bathroom and into her bed. We then tried to dried her off and put some pjs on her.  The interesting part was trying to put her diaper on. Because she was dead weight, it was really difficult to get her to stand up and put on the diaper, let alone pull it up on her. However, the case, Auntie and I got my mother dressed, ready for bed and in bed in a comfortable position.

After making sure that my mother situated, we checked to see if she was still breathing. But let me make this clear that during that time when she was passed she was able to respond to me that is how I understood that she was somewhat still with us.

My Auntie and I had to take a few minutes to collect ourselves after this.  About 10 or 15 minutes later I was overwhelmed with emotions as I was telling my girlfriend Sonia what happened.  She was shaking that I was. When I went into work and started to tell my lead admin what had happen the previous night before, I broke down in shock and the only thing I could for the rest was finished crying here and there.  Again, I was overwhelmed with emotions.

During the rest of that week and into following week I was scared to let my mother take a bath.  And she hates taking showers, she feels that she does not get clean in a shower nor can she relaxes in a shower.  “Mother! I do not want to you relaxes in a shower! I want you clean.” But eventually I give in and let her have her bath. Why? Because it is her choice in how she wishes to take care of herself.

Weeks after this event, she has twice passed out in the tube where my Auntie and I had to pick her up out of the tube and onto her bed. Recently we learned that she has been having these seizures and because she has been having them for so long that her seizure meds sometimes works.

It has now been a  few months since this has happen I can not escape the image of seeing my mother like that. Many things has come to light in regards to my mother's health, and we that she does need 24 hours care because I am now fully aware as to how often she has these seizes and it is frightened to know that there is pretty much nothing you can do because they happening way beyond her control.

Can you commit a Crime?

So when I came across this question: What is the most serious law you’ve broken doing something you thought was morally right, wouldn’t hurt anyone, or was no one’s business but yours?  How bad would the punishment have been if you’d been caught and given the maximum sentence?

I was first like “Let me get a parking ticket first before I start thinking about doing something more serious that would retain to the law.”  That’s right yours truly here has never had any tickets from the police or even broken any law. I am a chicken shit when it comes to the law.

Hell, let me get a speeding ticket while I am at it! There are some of you who are so much more advanced in this law breaking thing. That I am just going to find a corner and sit there.

But let’s think about the jury and if you were on the jury, would you be willing to convict a person for something you didn’t think should be consideration a crime?  If you are like me, then you hate it when you when that notice telling you to come down to city hall to be selected for that wonderful honor, right?

In our society today, there are so many things that can be considered as crime. Without knowing. Most people think that even shitting is a crime that should be convicted. (I guess that depends on where you are at when one is taking shit and the time of day in which one is taking that same shit!) However, in our news we see that some crimes are being overlooked for one reason or another.

To be a jury, I guess one would have to have little or some kind of understanding of morals and what they are.  I found two definitions of “morals”: 1) a lesson, especially one concerning what is right or prudent, that can be derived from a story, a piece of information, or an experience.  I think this where we as people are always sharing our own experiences or someone else’s story hoping that someone else will learn from it. (And we all know that sometimes people hear what we are saying and other times our message goes through one ear and ot the other, right?)  And 2) a person’s standards of behavior or beliefs concerning what is and is not acceptable for them to do. (I can believe that this second definition can be the national anthem for many hypocrites.)

We see on the news that our society cries out for justice whether is was moral or not, but for the pain of how they lost that love one.

Which would bring me to the criminals who either don’t have morals or do not understand what morals are, or have said fuck morals all together.  Some of them kill for any reasons, steal for the fun of it, and do what they want as a hobby. Now these three things is something that I don’t have the nerves to do and some of y’all are with me on that note. And depending on which country you live in will determine the severity of which the punishment is given.

In some of our states they have abolished the Death Sentences all together however in some situation that Death Sentence would be the appropriate punishment for that person who commited that hinderous crime.  I am just saying! That the punishment should fit the crime.

So to answer those two questions at the beginning of this piece; I have never committed a crime, do won’t to however I do have a family that is pushing me there.  Then again who doesn’t have family members that would cause you to lost your insanity.

Question 5 - Who Wrote What?

In this world of technology and as many homes become or start to become a computer savvy with the gadgets, I am wondering how that is working out for some of you. (Haha haha)  If you have not master that smartphone then there is no way that you can conquer that new smart refrigerator or stove. GE might bring good things to light but simple instructions is not one of them. (Haha haha)

My mother wants the new iPhone.  She just master how to use a FireStick, there is no way in hell that she will be able to use a new iPhone to it fullest potential! She only does three things on her current phone: talk, text, and disable apps that she does not understand how they work for her.  But she the new phone to put Uber and UberEats on it. That is all she care about besides being able to receive pictures on her phone. I don’t know how she manage to mess up the setting to receive pictures. But we will see how it goes when she receive her new Android phone. (Haha haha!)

Okay I got a question for everyone and it is a question that has thrown some of us geeks off track slightly.  How would you react, knowing all that you know about computers, if you learned that a sad and beautiful poem that touched you deeply had been written by a computer?

Think about this question first before you answer that.  Most people would be like “what the hell else can the computer things do?”  Some of you would be like “I would not put it pass it because computer are taking over everything in our daily lives.”  Some of you might be like “if that is the case then I can use the computer to write my love letters or apologize letters to my girlfriend/wife.” (Haha haha, that is funny! Your ass is still in the dog’s house.)

What is wrong with buying a card from Hallmark? They still make cards for all occasions including the “I am thinking of you!” card which some of you should use before getting in trouble.  Better yet, what is wrong with you just simply saying “Honey I was wrong and I am sorry.” Don’t you dare ask if you can be forgiven! Really!?!?

Better yet, why can’t you write your own love letter with your true feelings? A woman (or girl) would appreciate knowing how you truly feel if and when you write your own letter. Some of you might get a real good outcome from it and some probably would not, however it would be better than you having the computer writing your love letter. The outcome from would be greatly different.

But let us not be surprise as to what computers can do these days.

Where would you live? Question 4

While reading the Book of Questions I came across this question that had me thinking for a few days. Come to think of it, quite a few questions in the Book of Questions has cause me to really think about them.  But this question I really have to answer in many points of views.

Ignoring all financial considerations, would you rather spend the next 5 years confined to an urban mecca like New York City, or a beautiful, isolated town on the California coast?

First let me speak on my own personal view on this question: neither.  They are both expensive to live at because where do I want to spend my money at or on . . .FOOD!  Eating at various restaurants is what I love to do and I would have a fit if one, I could not find a good restaurant living in an isolated town in California and two, having to wait months to get into a good restaurant while living in a city like New York City.  Yes, for me food would be the key.

But let me say what a lot of us would be thinking about both California and New York City.  A few or many are waiting for that one earthquake that would cause California to fall into the Pacific Ocean. It is not funny but it is the joke! The coast line along California is very beautiful but that damn joke in annoying to have in the back on one’s mind. With New York City one of two things can happen. One being that one year a really bad snow storm comes along and hide the city for a year or two. Or two, if the icebergs in both North and South Poles should melt away completely causing a huge water surge that could completely take the city underwater.  Another thought to have in the back of one’s mind. (Haha haha!)

(Just think about it!)

If I did not have to consider having those adequate finances then I would be doing some research on which state would be the best to live in would be advised. Of course, that almighty JOB would be very sequential to one survival regardless of where you live.

If I was rich, I don’t think that I would want to live in neither location, however I would find a city that I find comfortable to live in.  Though most people would want to live in a big city like New York or Miami or Chicago. If we go out the United Stated, I think most women would prefer Paris or London. I am going for London myself if I was rich. But now that I think about I think I would have a house in somewhere in the states and one in London, and just travel to everywhere staying a week here and a week there.

Though I am sure that many of you do have somewhere in mind as to where you would live at if you were rich or even if you could ignore all financial considerations, you have an ideal as to where you want to be living at.

Take a moment to think about that question that I asking in this piece. What would you do if put in that position?  I’m curious.

Until next time . . . .

Obsessions!!

So I was talking to some friends about things that we are obsessed with. Everyone one of us have something that we obsessed about, take a moment to think about what your true obsessions.  Mines is watching tv shows from Korea. Occasionally I might catch a good one from China or Japan. Many of us have obsessions that is beyond the normal land what I mean by normal is afford; like collecting art, stamps, tattoos, diamonds to name a few. However let me narrow it down to a few obsessive things to be obsess about. If you had to be obsessed with one  of these things like money, sex, sports, religion or food, what would it be?

In my mind here is what I am thinking: Money kills!! You have people who are so obsessed with money that they are willing to killing a family member or their best friend. A stranger killing another man for his millions is very common. We see it all the time in the television shows. That is why if I ever win the lottery I am not telling my family or friends. Why? Because some of us know that the more money you have, the more problems you get. You got family members who think that they are entitled to get a piece of your good fortune. So they find a way to take that money away from you even through the courts. Though money is necessity to pay those damn bills, pay that car note or fix it, and to purchase our favorite foods with because we got to eat.  While most people spend more money on gas, I spend mines on Uber or Uber Eats. Overall most of us think that money is the root of all problems, and yes it is! That is why most of us have 401Ks.

When I was younger I was obsessed with sex. Now, I am at the age where I am ready to cut his off if he gets too happy it. If I become pregnant at my age, I am cutting his off. If he touch that Hennessey, I am cutting it off. And I love the person who invented batteries.

Now I have traveled around the world and have meet some serious sports funatics. Over in Europa a lot of killings be going on over some serious football (soccer) games. Here in the states, we just get injury with a flying baseball or a leaping quarterback. If you lucky you might get run over by a basketball player.  It amazes me that real sports fans will travel for the favorite team. The amount of money they spend on items for their favorite team like jerseys, hats, scarfs and jogging outfits, etc. The amount of money they spend tickets to the games as well as tickets for the flight to go to the game in a different cities or countries. They even know all the statics involving previous games.  I have a hard time understanding the statistics surrounding my neighborhood.

With all due respect to everyone’s religion regardless of your ethnicity, this is one subject matter I will not touch. There are people who are far more serious about their religion than they are about their football. Nope not touching it. I wish everyone regardless of what religion they belong to, good luck and peace.

As for food, this is a love affair that everyone has including the babies. It is a subject that I would like to spend my life with being in love.  You know when you have a full understanding of how much you love food when you start sounding like Fred Flintstone, “Where is my dinner, Wilma?” With today’s food some of us are obsessed with various ethnic foods, certain dishes, variety of popcorn especially from Garrett’s, certain restaurants.  From that burger to the fried fish, to the barbecue, to which Mexican restaurant has the best tacos. C’mon now you know what particular food you have a fetish for. Mines is Pho with filet mignon, Turkish pizza, chips and salsa, oh my list just goes on and on. The problem is finding a man with the same stomach as me. (Many have tried and have failed!!)

When it comes to food, I am not single minded about that and is open to trying food items. I appreciate the chefs that create new food items for us to try.  I appreciate the various ethnicity in which food can be found in with its various spices to create all new taste buds for us.

So I think that I have made it clear as to what I would have a very strong obsession in/with, that being food. So I am going to pass the question to you: of the five choices that I named at the beginning of this piece, which one would you have an obsession with? Or do you have one that is not on the list? Either way what is your obsession?

Question 2: Child's Toys!

For those of you who have small children, because my child is old and with his own child now; what would you do if your child’s favorite toy, a talking doll on top of that, start trying to convince your child that she/he needed a new friend, and that new friend is the next doll in the company’s line of dolls?

I don’t have any small children but I do have a mother who keeps asking me to buy her a doll. Please understand that I am not referring to Barbie. I had to explain to her that the import fees would way beyond her disability check.

So we parents know that our kids have that one doll or toys that if it goes missing then all hell breaks loose, and we parents scramble to find that child’s toy. Some of us have lose sleep because o that damn toy. Some of us have either burned it or thrown it away for the sake of our own insanity.

We know as parents that our child(ren) will go through that imaginary friend phrase. Some children grow out of it and some children grow into adult and still have that imaginary friend plus am imaginary girlfriend or boyfriend. Along with other imaginary things that some of us can come up with 5 pages about. That is when that doll that my mother wants comes into play for your child.

Now when purchasing a doll for your child (and I am considering a doll for the boys because sometimes they go through a phrase so let’s not excluded them) that it is first from a well-known name like Mattel, Hasbro, Hot Wheels, and Playmates Toy, to name a few. Make sure that it is a real doll and nothing like Chucky and his bride Tiffany. (Sidebar here: did you know that you can purchase those damn dolls off of eBay and Amazon? First let me say that the makers of the dolls may need some psychiatric help and those of you who have purchase these dolls already need to some counseling.)

What I am saying here is double check the damn doll before purchasing!

Here is where a parent should really start being concern. If your child tells some information that you know that child is too young to know. First have that crazy ass look on your face follow by asking that child to give you more details about the topic in which the child is explaining. Once that child has finish explaining, go get yourself a drink as you come to a comprehensive understanding as to what was explained to you. Understand this parents, your child does not need help, I recommend that you get rid of the doll first, if there is one. If not, then understand that your child may have done some research on that topic with the help of today's technology. You should still have that drink.

In my mind, I would be going like,”What kind of voodoo shit is going on here?”, “Who can I call to perform an exoticism on a toy?” followed by several more glasses of serious hard stuff. (Well hell, I need something to help me collect my thoughts!) However if my mother can get her blowup doll to talk, then I will leave all liquor alone.

The Puppet Master for those you who are familiar with the movie, I am glad that it came and went, and is currently buried somewhere. I have my mother to thank for freightening me with one things in life. Only person in this world that I trust with his talking dolls is Jeff Dunham the Ventriloquist. From Achmed to Bubba, Jose, Melvin, Sweet Daddy, Peanut and Walter, I am so glad that they all live with him. I can trust those dumdies for real. Not like Chucky . . . .Hell nah y’all!!! Chucky can come visit you at any damn given time!!

Until next folks!