Month: May 2020

Pantry

Posted on by backuphill

silver display shelf on brown sectional table

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Working from home has created some issues…

The pantry is taunting me.

Like, seriously, it yells my name EVERY DAY and it wants me to constantly visit with it. Like I mean, it wants to snuggle and stuff. It’s weird, I know, but I can’t explain it any other way.

I try not to listen. I turn the music up. I have meetings. I blindfold myself.

But it is persistent.

It has scrumptious treats. They are salty. They are crunchy. They are sweet. They are spicy…

Resistance is nearly futile. I can’t escape it.

It calls me when I am working. It calls me when I am sleeping. It calls me when I am on the couch. It calls me even when I am out in the yard (it just yells louder…)

I have tried disconnecting my number but it still manages a way to get in touch.

It’s irritating really. But, oh so enticing too…

Wait, what?

Did you hear that? It’s calling again. I’ll go see what it wants now. If I am not back in 10 minutes, leave me alone. We’re snuggling again.

New normal

Posted on by backuphill

unrecognizable person in protective clothes walking little dog during coronavirus

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Anyone else tired of hearing this?

Sorry, but I am getting the idea that the “new normal” is going to stick in one way or another. Some of what we are seeing isn’t going to go away, and I don’t like the trends I am seeing.

Face Masks

So, it was first recommended that we not wear them in public. Then it was recommended and even “required.” Now, we are seeing businesses implementing policies, and even counties strongly suggesting that face masks be worn in public.

Are we going to do this all the time now? Flu season? Wear a mask. Allergies? Wear a mask. Cold? Wear a mask.

Who’s to say that cough is any different than the other cough? When or how are we going to know? Who makes the determination for when we should or should? Why not just wear them all the time so we make sure we’re safe under all circumstances?

Perhaps we should just make hazmat suits more fashionable and then we wouldn’t have to worry about anything when we leave home.

The future doesn’t look bright, folks…

You have choices

Posted on by backuphill

photo of pathway surrounded by fir trees

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Anyone else wanna just throw up your hands, shrug, and say “Screw it!”?

Can’t keep up with the ever changing guidelines and requirements related to your lockdown? Frustrated that you can’t get a straight answer on what you can and can’t do? Irritated by contradictions and uneven applications? Just frustrated by the whole state of affairs?

“Wave your hands in the air like you don’t care…” (thanks Cameo…) and go about life like you normally would, well, at least as much as you can.

I know that some businesses have put their own limitations on customers (you know, to appear they are doing something effective), but you have the freedom to choose where and where you won’t shop too. Consumer choice still rules when it comes to who wins and who looses in the marketplace.

Take precautions, as necessary, because you are a reasonable and rational adult (assumptions…) but don’t let the government and hysterical people dictate to you their fear.

You get to control that too. Something I think a lot of people have forgotten. You can, and should, control your fear. We all assume risk every day of our lives. If we live in fear, which so many people are doing these days, then you won’t get to live. Plain and simple.

Go, live and be free.

 

Fraud

Posted on by backuphill

grayscale photography of stop signage under sky

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Confirmation.

Only it isn’t the kind our state needed or wanted. Yet, we now know without a doubt that the governor and the health department had an alternative agenda. Revelations like this have a pretty serious implication on the state’s economy, but literally on lives of people who never had the virus, won’t ever have the virus, but are struggling with the isolation or unemployment.

Not only is our state the victim of a massive fraud in unemployment claims, but the governor seems unwilling or unable to deal with it. Instead, he cancels his usual briefing and sends an underling to take the heat. Leadership, eh?

Now, we have confirmation on how the governor’s agenda has played out. Many people, in states all over the US, have suspected for a long time that deaths in their states were being reported as “covid deaths” even though the person died of other causes. Pad the numbers. Make it look worse than it is. Justify lockdowns and killing jobs/the economy by making a totally survivable illness more dangerous than it is. Inflate the numbers for an agenda.

Are you people paying attention to what is going on in your state? Your country? Are you taking the government at its word or are you just hunkered down in fear, waiting for when they tell you “it is safe to come out”?

Conspiracy? No. But there are definitely some who are taking advantage of you while you are living in fear and being distracted by infectious chaos. Do you still believe that all who are in government are looking out for your best interest? If you do, no matter what side of the aisle you are one, then you’re naive at best…but I fear that maybe, if you are one of those who takes everything the government and media tells you without skepticism and cynicism, that you are something worse than naive.

And that is something to fear.

 

 

 

 

Pause and reflect

Posted on by backuphill

flag of u s a standing near tomb

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Can’t Piss and Moan today.

I mean, I could, but I won’t.

Today we pause and reflect on those that gave their lives so that we might be free, and hopefully continue to be free. That’s why they died. And for that we honor them today.

Thanks, to then men and women who have given their lives in the name of freedom.

Agenda?

Posted on by backuphill

my secret plan to rule the world book

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Something you might wanna check in your state, especially if your state is being slow on opening up the state because of the pandemic.

As you know, the governor here has an alternative agenda rather than just the health and safety of the citizens of the state.

Unfortunately, what we as the citizens have learned is that the governor and the Secretary of Health have almost unlimited power when it comes to a public health crisis. There is no review by the state legislature on the governor’s powers and there is no way to slow down an abuse of power, if one were to occur (which many believe may be currently occurring).

I also just learned that the Secretary of Health is not an elected official. The secretary is appointed by the governor. Looking at the credentials of the current secretary, it appears he has all the qualifications to make him acceptable for the job. But as an appointee, that also means that undo pressure could be applied.

I am not saying the Secretary of Health has an agenda, but the governor does have one. With literally very few checks and balances of power on the governor in these types of situations, it certainly bears additional scrutiny.

Could the secretary have an agenda? It’s possible. Or maybe not. But, having someone with so much power, along with the governor and not be an elected official, that bears a closer look too.

Do you know how your government is set up?

Free?

Posted on by backuphill

adult background beach blue

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“…O’re the land of the free and home of the brave.”

That’s the last line of the national anthem. You know, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The one that apparently some find offensive, but that’s a topic for another day.

Anyway, I think we have seen rather clearly that “home of the brave” is not really the country we live in any longer. That is likely a subjective statement. I mean, there are lots of brave people out there still, but there seems to be far more people who would rather not rise to a challenge and would rather make things easy and comfortable.

With that ease, comes the previous line.

“Land of the free.”

That line refers to the rights and freedoms we have as citizens of the United States. Freedom from government control and abuse. That is something to be celebrated and protected.

BUT, the land of the free apparently has taken on a different meaning to an astoundingly large group of people (yes, Dems, I am looking at you…).

Now, it seems, land of the free means giving stuff away to those who don’t deserve it. Moreover, giving it away to people who aren’t even citizens of the country. We have already seen in California that the governor & legislature wants to give away $75 million in stimulus money to illegal immigrants in the state, not to mention health services and education and other benefits they already have been giving away. Lawsuits over this giveaway are in the process, but in the meantime those who don’t deserve taxpayer money are getting it for free.

Washington now wants to follow the same path, only Seattle wants $100 million. Not only does the state turn a blind eye to those who are here illegally, but now it wants to reward them too.

It makes no sense.

There are lots of things that I am willing to pay taxes for, even with the fact that there is a huge amount of waste and inefficiency in government. But what I am not willing to do is to pay taxes to give to people who aren’t supposed to be here in the first place. I wouldn’t go to another country and expect that I get a handout, regardless of whether I am working or not. I’ll earn my money, thanks. I certainly wouldn’t expect to get money after breaking the law to get there and stay there. How does that make sense?

Government should be small and responsive. When it isn’t, there is a problem. There’s been a problem here for a long time and the prospects for it getting worse are frightening.

 

The city

Posted on by backuphill

canal nature outdoors park

The ditch doesn’t look like this…Photo by Inge Wallumrød on Pexels.com

Just had a guy from the city stop by.

I called a month ago to see if I could get someone to come out and take a look at the ditch that runs in front of the house. Of course, the lockdown thing was keeping them from being able to come out and take a look so I figured I would disappear to someone’s “Yeah, we may or may not get to it” file.

The ditch out front of the house is a pain in the rear. Ultimately, since it is in the city’s right of way, I would like to have them put a pipe in it and then make it disappear so the front of the yard doesn’t have that stupid thing. The last guy that lived here tried to fill it himself and the city made him dig it back up because he didn’t do it correctly. As such, it has needed maintenance ever since.

So, the guy comes out. Asks some questions. Wants to know what I would like to have happen. He becomes non-committal about the options they have and then suggests maybe I could clean it out. I politely informed him that I am not going to do the work of the city if it is in their right of way. He said he would talk to some people and get back to me.

So, now I suppose I am officially in the “Yeah, we may or may not get to it” file.

What’s irritating is that they suggested, the first time I called the city, that I do it myself and pay for the supplies and the engineering company, with permits, of course, to fill in the ditch with pipe. Yeah, not gonna happen. What might happen is that I do pay for the supplies and just do it myself in the middle of the night…but then, of course, someone would find out and then I probably would end up either having to dig it out or pay the fees (because governments are always quick to make sure they get their fees) for them to dig it out and do it correctly…not gonna happen.

So, it will just sit there and be useless and unsightly.

Man, I hate that ditch.

500+

Posted on by backuphill

five assorted balloons

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Milestone or millstone?

Seems last week I surpassed 500 posts on this here little blog.

Never thought I would enjoy Piss and Moan so much. Actually, enjoy might be the wrong word. Maybe it should be more of, I didn’t realize how much therapy it would be to just get stuff off my chest.

Vent. Complain. Express frustration and irritation. Whine. Grumble. Contemplate. Argue. Lament. Bitterness. Pessimism. Negative. Irrational. Insensitive. Etc., etc., etc.

I think I have done it all and, as it turns out, I had more to say than I thought I did. LOL

Milestone? Yes. 500 means that I have posted nearly every week day for about a year and a half.

Millstone? Yes. It means I feel responsible to post every week day for the foreseeable future.

Do I have more to say? Of course.

But do you have anything to say? I am willing to take guest posts, if you’re so inclined. I know I am not the only one who has something to Piss and Moan about. Weird thing is, no one has even approached me yet about sharing their grumbles. C’mon people! Take a dive off the deep end with me and let stuff go!

Anyway, thanks to those of you who are regular readers of my thoughts. Thanks to those of you who have shared your thoughts on my thoughts. I appreciate you checking in on me, even when we don’t agree. I wish I could say I have higher aspirations for the blog, but I don’t. It’ll continue to be my little corner of the internet where I can say whatever the hell I want. That’s all.

For all of those others out there who aren’t really readers but just spam followers hoping to get a “follow” back, you suck. Go ahead and just click the “unfollow” button anytime.

The mission of Pissing and Moaning continues. Feel enlightened, or at least feel like you got something ponder. Ether way, it’s all good.

 

A matter of trust

Posted on by backuphill

lighted matchstick on brown wooden surface

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Last week I said there was a red line that seemed to get farther and farther away because the government seemed to have ulterior motives. I wrote that in the morning on Friday. Friday evening, a report cam out that kinda confirms the suspicions of many who abided by the initial red line and then saw it move.

The governor of Washington, Jay Inslee, keeps moving the red line and the state’s residents are paying the price. Healthy residents are confined to their homes “Stay Home, Stay Healthy), businesses are struggling, cities are becoming insolvent, hospitals (the supposed “front lines”) are furloughing or laying people off. There has been clear evidence of a power grab and then we hear this…

In an interview with Bernie Sanders, Inslee said (starting @ 48:00), “this has always been an economic opportunity … we should not be intimidated by people who say you should not use this COVID crisis to peddle a solution to climate change … we can’t use COVID as an excuse for inaction on climate change … they’re both so similar … based on an understanding of science.” (here is the specific part in a shorter clip)

Um, did you catch that? So, this pandemic is a great opportunity to tear down the economy and start back with green solutions? Yeah, no. Not the time or the place. People are suffering and the pandering to socialist causes isn’t the time to push an agenda either.

Fraud is rampant in unemployment claims when the people could actually be working and providing for their families. There wouldn’t even be a need for unemployment claims if this jackwagon would let people make decisions for themselves instead of using the government to abuse the rights of its citizens.

It’s an issue of trust, and quite frankly no one trusts him. No one trusts that what has been done has been done for the right reasons.

How far are you willing to let them go? You have common sense (assumptions being made here) and you can see how this has gone. Can you take a guess about where it will continue to go? Do you blindly go “like sheep to the slaughter” because you gave “up essential liberty to purchase temporary safety”?