August 15, 2023 a thought for today, There is no love without jealousy. French Proverb

The first upload for yesterday was “heart shaped.” This is a pin my son gave me when he went into the military. 

I had an eye doctor appointment this morning that I have put off for one reason and another for a few months. I have worn glasses for most of my life so I am use to going regularly to get updated prescriptions for the lenses. Something was brought to the forefront of my thinking by the doctor today, I went for an appointment to keep track of what diabetes may be doing to my eyes as opposed to the normal changing of vision that took place earlier in my life. I don’t need a prescription change this time just some medication for dry eye which I have had for years. The diabetes part of it is there but not at a worrisome stage. 

The second upload for yesterday was another of “my choice.” This is from the archives, a photo I shot on one of my adventures in an alley at the back of peoples' homes. 

I was expecting the Southwestern City Schools to open today so that I would be running into school busses and slow downs but I didn’t see any on my way to the appointment this morning. 

I started another new book, I “recreationaly”(and eagerly) read every day, I just haven’t shared what I am reading for a while, so here is the newest one. I love this author’s works, I love the way he writes, the way he uses language. However, this book surprised the heck out of me. I didn’t know what I was getting into but I will read most anything he writes. This one is strange. The characters and happenings are “weird.” I can’t seem to give up on it and put it away. I am intrigued with the words and the way they are used, and what will the end be. I truly think in most and all kinds of writings (even fiction...it is born in someone’s mind so there is some basis in fact in it) we have to read “between the lines,” think and imagine, comprehend, learn and become wise. This one is “The Finisher” by David Baldacci.

The first upload for today is “makes me laugh.” I have a very dry sense of humor. About the only thing that actually makes me laugh are scenes from Big Bang Theory. But this one make me smile...broadly. 

I got the bulletin started yesterday but was “playing” with the new computer and got lost in what I was learning and forgot to keep track of time. So I have more to do on the bulletin at this point in the week than I usually do. I also need to put some “get ahead things” on the newsletter. Since there was a chunk of time out of the morning, I don’t have the time to spend on other things. I want to begin the transplanting of the few house plants I will keep in the soil method (there will be five of them to transplant). 

My second upload for today is “my choice.” This is Timmy one of the two cats that shared a home with this family. He has crossed the rainbow but is in our hearts and memories. 

The word for today is commit. Every truth has two sides; it is as well to look at both, before we commit ourselves to either. Aesop. Strive to attain to the greater virtues, but do not neglect the lesser ones. Do not make light of a fall even if it be the most venial of faults; rather, be quick to repair it by repentance, although many others may commit a large number of faults, slight and grievous, and remain unrepentant. Saint Basil.  When about to commit a base deed, respect thyself, though there is no witness. Ausonius.  A person with half volition goes backwards and forwards, but makes no progress on even the smoothest of roads. Thomas Carlyle.  What one has, one ought to use: and whatever he does he should do with all his might. Marcus Tullius Cicero.  How like herrings and onions our vices are in the morning after we have committed them, Samuel Taylor Coleridge.  We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honour, Thomas Jefferson.  All the passions make us commit faults; love makes us commit the most ridiculous ones. Francois de La Rochefoucauld. Those who commit injustice bear the greatest burden. Hosea Ballou. 

I picked this article today although it didn’t originate or pertain to our city in particular as I usually choose, however, the subject does concern us as animals on this planet. There were some “young environmental activists” (16 youth from age 5 to 22) who claimed that the state agencies were “violating their constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment by permitting fossil fuel development without considering its effect on the climate” and it made it to a trial. According to the article this is a “first-of-its-kind trial in the U.S.” This incident has been added to a small number of legal activity that is happening around the world concerning climate change. One of their District Court Judges found in this incidence in the young activists favor, “the policy the state uses in evaluating requests for fossil fuel permits .....is unconstitutional......causing climate change .... impacts to Montana’s environment and harm and injury.” The attorney for the youth mentioned another factor in the whole picture and that was a notation about the fires “raging” in the West “fueled by fossil fuel pollution.”  Of course there has been opposition. Some calling it a “taxpayerfunded publicity stunt.” Some of the attorneys mentioned the facts that“increasing carbon dioxide emissions are driving hotter temperatures, more drought and wildfires and decreased snowpack”. All of this are affecting mental and physical health, smoke in the air making it hard and unhealthy to breath, rivers drying up which ultimately affect agriculture and all other animal life. Even some Native Americans testified to the affects they are experiencing. The state of Montana claimed the if they stopped producing CO2 it would be little effect on the global outlook of this problem and that “Montana’s greenhouse gas emissions are insignificant.” Up to the time of this trial the “Our Children’s Trust has raised more than $20 million to press its lawsuits in state and federal court. No previous attempts reached trial.” The article pointed out that this spring “carbon dioxide levels in the air reached the highest levels they’ve been in over 4 million years......July was the hottest month on record globally and likely the warmest that human civilization has seen, according to scientists.”

I had a third upload for today its title is “Harris shutter effect” (The Harris Shutter effect was created by Robert Harris of Kodak. He made the effect by re-exposing the same piece of film three times. He did it through three different colored filters while keeping the camera steady. The three colors used were red, green and blue (the colors of the light spectrum). This is one I have no experience with but I gave it a try. 

I think we will have hamburger and fries for dinner. 

Joy