Dream Start Ups

I have a storyline in my head that ran for a few years. Yes, really, years! I used it at bedtime to try to control my dreams, to stop the bad ones, the nightmares. I’ve gone through a lot and some of the bad dreams were a darker continuation of some of those bad times. Others were just horror movies I’ve seen gone wild. (Think zombie apocalypse.) It’s something I taught my kids when they complained of having bad dreams or being unable to sleep. With them, I told them to pick a favorite time in their life and expand on it, or about some place they’ve wanted to go. I simplified it for them.

Kind of dark, but I can get real creative with it. The Left Behind Series, (end of times) when they take up residence in a building in downtown Chicago. It started with a very small group of believers and in my story it grew into 2 communities, in 2 buildings with an underground bridge. 

Then it was all about sourcing food, prescriptions, supplies, building materials, furniture, setting up hydroponic fruit and vegetable gardens. Everyone has a job they rotate off so everyone does their fair share. No need for currency. 

It got really elaborate. It took into account everything a community has, all divided up on all the floors of the 2 buildings. Clubs, movie theater, coffee house, theatre that did small productions, even a small militia of sorts that went out at night seeking supplies. That same militia kept order in the 2 communities. Of course I was the head of it all. (After all, it’s my story.) I didn’t really have an official title, like mayor, or governor.) For long stretches I would have others handle the minutiae of running the 2 communities. During those times I would do storylines about the different parts of the communities. I’d spend time doing jobs in most of the areas. 

Every community member filled out a resume and everyone’s expertise was utilized. Carpenters, computer people who set up a secure internal network. Carpenters and painters secured the outer windows, painting them black and soundproofing. There was a cafeteria set up, people with cooking skills prepared menus and different cuisines. Security professionals set up infrared cameras outside the buildings and surrounding blocks so the area could be monitored to keep any trucks going on supply missions safe from the followers of the Antichrist and their police/military that hunt down the believers. There were even medical professionals.

It wasn’t just the logistics of setting up a community, I also set up relationship storylines within all of that. 

I need to get back to it because I know there is more that can be done with the story. Because I riffed off one small part in one of the books, I can continue with endless storylines. 

The storylines I created are very detailed and basically for my amusement, NOT for publication. What I’ve written above is just kind of an outline of the things I went into minute detail in my dream start up  Some of the characters were riffs on people I’ve met over the years. None of the characters in my dream start ups were from any of the books. The only one would really be the Antichrist, and even that was just the concept of what an Antichrist would be.

Take a book or series you really enjoyed. Or maybe a television show or movie. Change the characters to make it personal to you, then riff away.

Do you do dream start ups? What’s yours? Are you going to give it a try? What will you start with?

Lola’s Diner cc. 2008-2020 

This and that

For whatever reason my back and shoulder pain has gotten much worse. There has been no change in what I do, no increase in activity level. Maybe it’s the weather? I’ve just felt awful. 

I was at the doctor today. I thought for sure I’d gained at least 10 pounds and that my A1c had increased. Surprise! I lost 5 pounds and my A1c went down 0.2. I need to get back on the low carb wagon. Doctor also gave me a list of fruits and veggies that increase inflammation. ☹️ So many really good veggies that I need to remove from my diet. He did increase my carb allowance per day. Yay! He also increased my pain meds. So that means I have to play the game the state requires pharmacies to play. I couldn’t get them today and they will probably be rationed out. That means more pharmacy runs. My spouse typically doesn’t go out much, therefore I’m the one that has to do the pharmacy runs. This rationing is really frustrating.

I’m completely exhausted. I’m sure poor sleep caused by my shoulder pain is the cause. I’ve been wearing oversized shirts and hoodies to help me dress myself, but it’s getting more painful and difficult.

The crime has increased in mine and surrounding burbs. Thursday some youths stole an Infinity QX56 in OP and went on a crime spree that left 2 people dead. They did catch them after a chase from Dolton to Thornton. That’s a long ride. My father-in-law lives in Thornton. Thank goodness they were caught. If that were my car I don’t think I’d want it back. Would you? In separate incident over the weekend, a senior man was hit over the head while attempting to use his garage keypad to close the garage. He was knocked unconscious and robbed. Did they really need to hurt him? I’m sure he would have given up his wallet had they only threatened him.

My daughter’s boyfriend is in the hospital with pneumonia. Please pray for him.

Lola’s Diner  cc.  2008-2020

Sunday Stealing-Another Food Meme

Another Food Meme

There are things I want to rant about – I’m sure you can guess what they are. However, I am trying to be more positive this year and as such I will not be ranting. Instead I will answer a few questions from Sunday Stealing about a subject close to my heart – food.

Let’s dive in shall we?

1. How do you like your eggs?

Depends on my mood. Could be scrambled, omelette with spinach and feta cheese, or Denver omelette with hot sauce, Eggs Benedict, fried eggs with toast, or a homemade breakfast sandwich. We have a double sandwich maker, make a bunch ahead to freeze and microwave as needed. 

2. How do you take your coffee/tea:

Depends on my mood and what’s in the house. I drink black coffee, or with a teaspoon of flavored creamer, or half and half.

3. Favourite breakfast foods:

Omelette, hash browns, and bacon. Breakfast sandwich with ham or bacon (not really a fan of sausage). Eggs Benedict. Grits with butter and hot sauce. Fruit and cream flavored oatmeal packets, or plain oatmeal with a tablespoon of jam or marmalade. Healthy smoothie with kale, hemp protein powder, and chia seeds hidden in with frozen berries and a little plain yogurt. Any kid’s cereal with marshmallows and milk, if I really want to be bad! If I get up late and have to run to an appointment, I will eat a Nature Valley Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Protein Bar, and grab an orange sparkling water, if the coffee pot is empty.

4. Peanut butter: smooth or crunchy?

I like both. Depends on my mood.

5. What kind of dressing on your salad?

Blue cheese, Greek, Italian, French, 1000 Island, Good Season’s Italian (I just found the crusts at my grocery store about 6 months ago), Cucumber Ranch, Ranch. We eat a lot of salad, so our fridge is stocked with a variety.

6. Coke or Pepsi?

Neither. I drink sparkling water only, and I have a huge variety of flavors to keep myself away from Coke and Pepsi. Spindrift-any flavor, Bubly Orange, Bubly Blackberry, Bubly Cranberry, Bubly Raspberry, Bubly Lime, Kroger’s Fizz Cola and Root Beer and Dr P. (When you haven’t had a real cola, rootbeer, or Dr Pepper in close to a year, these will taste exactly like a real soda.) I love Dasani, especially the grape, but it’s impossible to find. Actually any flavor Dasani is hard to find, shelves are always bare.

7. You feel like cooking. What do you make?

Anything I can cook in my Instant Pot, like Italian Beef, Pulled Pork, Italian Sausage. I love cooking, but due to my back problems I can’t stand over a pan to cook and I need help if something has to go in the oven. My son helps a lot. I make all types of cuisine. Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Indian, just about any cuisine.

8. You’re feeling lazy. What do you make?

If I’m just a little lazy, a sandwich. If I’m super lazy, cold cereal and milk.

9. You’re feeling really lazy. What kind of pizza do you order?

I prefer veggie over meat, but the billion pizza joints near me (really, we don’t need anymore, but they keep popping up) don’t have many veggies on their menu. I used to love Eduardo’s Pizza when I lived in Chicago. They had a great spinach pizza. Since I’m limited to what the pizza joints in my area have...Chicken Taco Pizza, or a combo black olive, mushroom, green pepper, onion. 

10. Is there a food you refuse to eat?

Pickled herring. My Dad had my Mom always buy it for the holidays. 🤢 I think I ate a small jar when I was pregnant, but that was purely the baby’s craving and not mine!

11. Favourite fruit & vegetable:

Favorite fruits would be watermelon with a little salt, or blackberries. Favorite vegetable...it’s hard to pick, I like nearly all of them. One that is just too expensive, but is really tasty in salads...radicchio. Arugula is good in salads too.  Otherwise roasted corn on the cob.

12. Favourite junk food:

Donkey brand tortilla chips (with salt), pico de gallo from the Mexican grocery, and homemade guacamole (or from the Mexican restaurant nearby).

13. Favourite between meal snack:

Honeycrisp apple, or cheese, or carrots and hummus. I love hummus with tabbouleh and carrots and other veggies, but tabbouleh is hard to find outside of Chicago.  My son and I found a Middle Eastern fast food place near my daughter’s job, it was close, but the recipe wasn’t quite what we are used to. We used to eat at several authentic Middle Eastern restaurants in Chicago and the north suburbs. 

14. Do you have any weird food habits:

Yes – I tend to eat all of an item before eating something else, and I always save my favorite for last.

15. You’re on a diet. What food(s) do you fill up on?

Veggies, salad.

16. How spicy do you order Indian/Thai?

Depends on my mood. Usually somewhere in the middle, but I have eaten some spicier dishes. There is an Indian Buffet near the laundromat I have to frequent (because my washer and dryer were killed in a flood). They have a spicy fish dish, that is spicier than you’d think, but it’s delicious if you just have a few cubes.

17. The perfect nightcap?

I don’t have one often, but JD on the rocks or any other whiskey or bourbon.

Lola’s Diner cc.  2008-2020

Sunday Stealing-Winter Questions

 

    How do you get past the gray skies during winter? It’s definitely depressing. It’s been terribly dark and dreary here for several days.

    Do you like snow? Why or why not?  I love the way it coats the trees and makes my yard look like a winter wonderland. I love how it got me out of a trip to Wheaton Thursday. I do not love the childish fights between my 25 and 26 year old about shoveling and how my spouse or I have to keep sending them back out to shovel properly. I’ve got a new car. Pretty darn near new, and I don’t want chunks of snow left on the driveway that turn into ice chunks, which makes it hard to navigate in and out of the driveway. Also, I don’t need that situation on the porch and path to said car. The last thing I need is a fall. And really, why did I need to explain for 20 minutes why you MUST remove the snow from the porch handrails? Really? How do I steady myself with my cane and holding onto a handrail with 2+ inches of snow with my bare hands? How hard is it to clear it off? I mean, really?

    What are your favorite activities to do during the winter?  Bundle up and watch a movie, binge watch something on one of the streaming services. Tonight I’ll be finishing season 2 of “Shrill” with Aidy Bryant (SNL). Also, making a healthy, hearty soup.

    What does a perfect winter day look like to you?  Snow is coming down steady. No plows have come through yet, so we can’t even think about leaving the house. Snuggled up under some warm blankets, a nice warm cup of coffee, or homemade soup.

    What are your favorite meals/food you enjoy eating during the winter?  Chili, split pea soup, skinny soup.

    What is your favorite winter holiday and why?  Christmas.  

    What is your favorite pizza flavor and toppings.  I like chicken taco pizza, or a veggie pizza with spinach, broccoli, artichoke hearts, black olives, peppers, a little red onion. Just load it up with veggies. And if you really want to be decadent, add some spoonfuls of ricotta cheese here and there.

    What are some items in your daily bag/ backpack. I rarely carry a bag. I’m a pocket person, that’s why I practically live in cargo shorts...weather permitting. If I must carry a bag, it’s my Bellini Cross Body Messenger bag. I can fit my iPhone, iPad Mini, wallet, and a pack of CHoward’s Violet Mints. The mints because my Mom always had a pack of them in her purse and it smelled heavenly, and I have to have my bag smell like that. I ran out and went in search of them yesterday. Had to go to the other location of an old timey candy store because the store where I live was out. 

    Your favorite snacks. Popcorn, dark chocolate. Those Brookside Dark Chocolate covered fruits. Blueberries, cherries. 

    Some foreign countries that you would like to visit  Ireland, Italy, Australia. Shoot, I’d be happy with a trip to Vegas. I don’t need anything far away and expensive.

    What things that remind you of home  My family, my kitties, something delicious cooking in the kitchen.

    If you have one, some items from your Amazon Wishlist  I have a crap ton of stuff on my Amazon Wishlists. Craft stuff, DIY tools, stuff for projects, books, curtains, gift ideas for my family, pet food (darn, finicky spouse’s cat, really hard to find the ONE wet cat food flavor she will eat).

    What was your favorite Christmas gift?  When I was a kid, a Spirograph set. I’ve wanted the deluxe set for years. I’ve been dropping hints, I even said flat out I want one, but alas, I continue to wait for one. I loved it when I was a kid. Now that I’m an adult I think it would be good to use along with my CRICUT.

Lola’s Diner cc.  2008-2020

I’ve been bad

A little background...I grew up in Wisconsin. Green Bay Packer country. However, I have NEVER, will NEVER be a Packer fan. I have always been a Chicago Bears fan...ALWAYS. 

Everyone I am Facebook friends with from high school have been talking trash about da Bears forever. A few of them have been relentless. It got to the point that I couldn’t stand Kevin’s snarky posts and I started snoozing him every 30 days. Why not unfriend him and block him? No. This Sunday was precisely the reason why I haven’t done that.

Have I sunk to their level? No need. Because I have such a rep for being an 😇 I get my kicks in other, less obvious ways. After the game I posted this:

I knew exactly what the final score was and who didn’t win. I just wanted to see how they reacted.  

1st Comment:  37-20 (Gary)

2nd Comment: Who had 37? (Me)

3rd Comment:  Not Green Bay! (Dick)

4th Comment:  Really? (Me)

5th Comment:  Really, Packers lost. (Dick)

6th Comment:  Packers lost. (Gary)

They were so helpful letting me know who lost. 😂 And they both were nice enough to repeat it for me. My spouse and I were ROTFL our ashes off.

Then there were others posts at half time. 

One was removed that read: “0-27 Come on Packers.”

Then there were the great memes:

Then there were the posts by Kevin, who always talked smack about da Bears. He was never polite about it, he was always mean-spirited. He posted:

“Clearly there were a bunch of imposters!!

Come on Green Bay Packers play some damn football!!”

It just warmed my heart! I didn’t respond because I won’t stoop to his level.

Then there were these posts:

Bwah ha ha ha ha! Really? 

I didn’t watch the entire game, just the last 5 minutes. They were the best part!

Sorry. Not sorry! Bears and Packers fans take the rivalry seriously. Some can be really nasty. Was I nasty? No need. I still got my kicks. I still can’t believe how helpful Gary and Dick were. 😂😂😂😂😂

Lola’s Diner cc  2008-2020

Sunday Stealing: The High School Meme

The High School Meme

Questions, as always were sourced by Bev at Sunday Stealing.

Your high school graduation class of: 1979

1. Did you marry your high school sweetheart? 

Hell no. I never even dated in High School. I didn’t even have a clue at the time I was a lesbian. I knew something was up, put I couldn’t put my finger on it. Never dated in high school. Only was asked out once, by the gayest guy in high school. He carried a man bag! There was a rumor that the guy down the block was going to ask me as a prank, have me get the dress, shoes, etc and then he wasn’t going to show up to take me. Had he done that his parents would have killed him. They loved my family. I found out a few years ago he murdered his girlfriend and is doing 40 years in a prison in WI.

2. Type of car?

I drove a gold 1971 Pontiac Granville. It was HUGE! Real leather, loaded. My parents bought it for me for $400. I got 6 months out of it. It got about 1 mile per gallon. I was constantly getting gas. No hole in the tank, it just really sucked gas.


3. What kind of job?

I worked at a gas station kiosk. It was part of a Midas Muffler shop. Worked there while attending (and paying for) college.

4. Where did you live?

A southeast suburb of Milwaukee, WI.

5. Were you popular in school?

Absolutely not. I was invisible.

6. Were you in choir/band?

I was not in choir or band. I was in Spanish Club 1 quarter, and FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America’s) for most of high school.

7. Ever get suspended?

No. What for? I didn’t look the type to get in trouble so I got away with on lunch walking to my car in the school lot, grabbing my Newport Lights and smoking and walking to the library across the street. A guy pal would accompany me. He didn’t look like the rule breaker type either.

8. If you could would you go back? 

Hell, to the no!

9. Still talk to the person that you went to prom with?

I didn’t go to Prom. I wasn’t asked. I was asked to the Homecoming dance freshman year by the gayest guy in high school. Ironic, because I’m a lesbian. Neither of us knew at the time. I got confirmation he was gay when a friend saved and showed me a newspaper clipping of him clearing his car off on the east side of Milwaukee. The caption read ‘Kevin and his partner dig out their car on the east side after record storm.’

10. Did you skip School ?

No. I didn’t have a partner in crime. What’s the point if you don’t have a pal to skip with?

11. Go to all the football games?

Not all of them. I went to 2 or 3 homecoming games, bonfire included.

12. Favorite subjects?

Accounting (shocking, I know!), Biology (just because my smoking pal was in my class and we would cut it up during class). Social Studies (cuz my guy pal and I would cut it up all period. Turns out he was gay too.) So I hung out in school with the gay guys (didn’t know at the time), and they would all be flirty with me. Maybe they sensed I was gay and felt comfortable moving their desks closer and leering down my flannel shirts, maybe not knowing how to progress or not wanting to be embarrassed by a straight girl? Calm down, I use pseudonyms. Honestly, I did find out one was gay in the 80’s (newspaper clipping), and the other outed himself on our high school reunion website 5 or 10 years ago.

13. Do you still have your yearbook?

I did get one for all 4 years. For awhile 1 was missing, can’t remember if I found it.

14. Did you follow the "original" career path?

Yes I did! I got my Associate Degree in Accounting and since graduating have always worked in the accounting field.

15. Do you still have your class ring?

Yes! Thanks to my son. My ex husband stole it when we sold the house and repeatedly claimed it was his. NOT! It was class of ‘79 ladies ring and had MY signature on the inside. My son came across it on a visit and gave it back to me. Ex found out, accused my son of stealing. I told him to go ahead and call the police and explain how the ring with my signature on the inside, from a school in WI that he never attended was his. That shut him up.

16. Favorite teacher? 

My Art teacher was really cool. Can’t remember her name. She got one of my drawings entered in the WI State Fair and it was on the wall of art under the grandstand. And yes, I got a ribbon.

17. What was your style?

I wore a ladies flannel shirt from Lerner’s and jeans or cords from Wooden Nickel. 

18. Favorite Shoes?

My usual shoes were brown Earth Shoes. The original Earth Shoes. I loved them, so comfy! And sophomore year I gave into the clog trend. I wore them exactly ONE day! I had just been at my locker, locked it, started walking down the hall and promptly did a face plant. Yup! Feet slid out from under me, face hit the floor. And to prove to everyone how invisible I really was, it was a crowded hallway and NO ONE saw it, no one laughed (I’m sure it was hysterical), and no one offered to help me up and gather my books.

19. Favorite thing to eat for lunch?

I always brown bagged it. The year I started working part time I treated myself once a week to a sub sandwich or shake from the ala carte line.

20. Favorite band?

Journey, Head East, Bad Company.

21. High School Hair?

Eww. Part of high school I rocked a shag haircut. The other part I had a horrible tight curly perm. For realz. Check it out:  

 

22. How old when you graduated?

I was 17 years old and 11 months. Not quite drinking age in WI at the time.

Lola’s Diner cc.  2008-2020

Review: “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” on NBC and Hulu

“Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” Is a series on NBC and also showing on HULU.

A young woman is a coder, her father is going through some sort of degenerative brain disease. She decides to have a brain MRI to check herself out.

While she is in an MRI machine, there is an earthquake, during which the music played in the tube goes wonky and it’s like a psychedelic trip with music playing over a mash-up of colorful MRI brain scans and her face freaking out.

I have had a ton of MRI’s, so I probably found this a heck of a lot funnier than the average person. Zoey’s Mom says ‘her dad has had 7 brain MRIs, 3 more and we get a set of steak knives.’ I have had at least 3 times as many and joke about being close to filling my punchcard. I’m hoping for better than a set of steak knives. 😉

I can also say that you’re not allowed to talk while in the machine, unless the tech asks you a question. Also, you are not free to move your head...at all. In fact you’re head is locked in a cage to prevent movement.

As my son said, ‘it’s like a flash mob breaks out every time Zoey encounters someone’. I think that would be so cool! I think the thought of this really ups the appeal of people watching and brings it to a completely different level.

The songs that pop up are highly personal to the people who, to Zoey, appear to break out in song...only heard by her.

This is the first episode of the series. I’m looking forward to seeing the rest of the season. 

I have no idea how they are going to progress the story, I have a bad feeling this story line won’t go far, but I will look forward to finally a new show with a few laughs, about something I can definitely relate to.

Lola’s Diner cc.  2008-2020