I’m not kidding. This was what I saw when I looked out my window, minutes before leaving for the theater. Pretty gosh-darned spectacular.
There was a little rain just about to roll in, but only a little. A few drops hit me as I walked to the theater. Then it was over.
I’m sleep deprived as I’m not adjusting to this new nighttime schedule very well. I come back from the theater and I have to wind down for a while. Then I take a bath. Then I try to get to sleep.
And then I wake up at the same time I always do.
Sigh.
The show looks great. We had our first audience last night and a good time was had by all. I’ll post a photo of the set when the theater officially posts their photos. I always wait until the ‘all clear.’
An interesting phenomenon: I keep getting new followers on Instagram who are male, middle-aged and are either private accounts or suspiciously without many photos or followers. What the ??? I block them, of course. Are they bots? (Bots on Twitter are often without many followers.) Are they fake? Are they insane? Am I on some sort of list?
I imagine this same thing must be happening to lots of women. File that under ‘bizarre.’ Fortunately, the Block Option is at my fingertips. Bye, guys!
The coffee table. I always bring far too many books with me. I’ve accepted that about myself. I panic at the thought of not having anything to read, whether it’s in an apartment on the road, in the car, or in a waiting line. Have to have backup! I’m behind on the NY Times. I’m behind on my crossword puzzles. I’m in the middle of at least three books.
Yikes.
Okay. I have to type up notes and email them to the actors. See you later.
Happy Friday.
Good morning, Claudia. I just saw this discussion on a FB blogging page about the middle-aged males trying to follow us women bloggers. They all said they had the same problem. I had been wondering about this, too because I get 1-2 follow requests every day from these weirdos. It’s one reason I have my account on private. Anyway, we came to the conclusion that these aren’t real people – just bots. Very annoying, whatever “they” are.
Happy Friday!
Well, it’s comforting to know that I’m not the only one, Melanie! (Not that I ever really thought that!)
All I can say is thank goodness for ‘block.’ And they are indeed very annoying!
What are bots? The two authors whose books I have been reading has come to an end. I read all that the library had by them. I feel a bit “lost” now not knowing what to read next.
Short for ‘web robots.’
Get out there and find a good book to read, Trina!
Yes…I don’t understand bots either. Of course…I don’t have enough of a social media presence to talk about…that’s probably why. I’m trying to hurry through my current read…because Louise Penny is waiting for me on my night stand. She got bumped up to the head of the list! I’m sure you’ll adjust to your new hours just about the time you’ll be coming home! Enjoy your day! ;)
Just google it: Web robots. So they’re not real – just like the Russian bots that passed on false info about Hillary during the election.
Enjoy your Louise Penny, Donnamae!
I don’t know anything about i/gram but I’m annoyed/sometimes alarmed at the amount of junk mail I get; it’s easily 80 junk messages a day on electronic mail and my virus protection stuff gets most of it, but I feel like they’re just waiting for me to click and attack. Waiting for me to trip up. It ‘s much more than I ever had to deal with when it came to paper junk mail from the USPS or ads which come with the paper newspaper. What’s also disturbing about it is that the messages on e-mail are largely salacious in the ‘tag’ lines alone and I get really weary from having to look at that kind of thing every single day.
Frankly, I find I’m on the computer less and less, in general. I know a couple of people who have/are taking long breaks from Facebook now. It just begins to be…too much. And not friendly. Keeps you stirred up all the time. But we’re all addicted now; unplugging seems to only last for so long. After all, there are good sides to connectedness and communication so, like in everything, it’s all in the balance.
Beautiful sunset; thanks for sharing it. Instantly calming. Which I need. There’s so much in the news to bring us down these days. Often so much in our personal lives to do the same. I’m troubled of late because, as noble as it sounds, my husband wants to donate one of his kidneys to someone I’ve never met and know nothing about, connected with his work. And it’s something that can jeopardize my husband’s own health, not to mention he has a brother who is diabetic and could possibly need that kidney himself down the road (siblings could likely be a good match). So, I find I do turn to old scrapbooks, lights out with ‘quiet’ music, walking in the remnants of my garden as the sun comes up; prayer & gratitude; journaling; confiding in/commiserating with someone I trust…but reading isn’t working for me right now…as I try to figure out the whys and whats of my life although another part of me just wishes I had a way to turn off my brain, or how nice it would be to have a life with fewer surprises. I could do with less drama.
I just personally feel that trying to ‘simplify’ one’s life is not always an easy thing, because life is complicated, especially if you have people in it. But then never so complicated as suffering a hurricane with time for nothing but a search for food, shelter, water and trying to survive, so how can I complain or ponder, about anything. In the case of donating one’s kidney, though? It’s a lot different than, for instance, donating time or respite care or blood; it’s a vital organ which requires major surgery and the risk of serious health complications for the donor.
But I ran into the police officer a couple of days ago, who was assigned to my hit & run accident over Memorial Day, and he affirmed that the criminal he and I both know is the driver who hit me and got away with it, is still behind bars now on something else. So, there’s that. Karma.
You have a lot on your plate, Vicki.
I think all the ‘simplifying’ stuff is a fad. Started by the Marie Kondo book, etc. Life is complicated and only gets more so the longer you live. You can try to simplify your response to what life throws at you – that’s a good thing. That’s what I try to do. But let’s face it, there are shades of gray. Right now, I’m worried about my sister and her family who are staying put even with a hurricane heading toward them. And, of course, everyone in Florida and Houston and the islands that have been already hit.
Yeah, you know the VERY reason I just got back on your blog was to ask you about your sister’s safety, since reading now about all the most up-to-date hurricane info. But it sounds like your sister and brother-in-law are very intelligent people who can figure this out. I know you must be so worried, though. In my thoughts and with prayer. Hugs. Isn’t it awful to be far away from someone you love and feel helpless to know how to jump in and do anything. I went through this with my parents in the 1994 earthquake in SoCalif, which I’ve spoken of before here, with me and my husband stuck thousands of miles away in southeast Texas. It was only by one of God’s great miracles that I got my elderly folks on the phone JUST after it happened ONLY because I’d happened to tune into the Today show when they were on some kind of break and had switched to a local TV affiliate in L.A. where the anchors were at the news desk under auxiliary lighting. My husband and I were both getting ready for work and I screamed, “Something has happened back home!” I’ll never forget my dad’s shaking voice on the phone. The earthquake hit early morning in the dark, and it was cold (January?), so he’d been walking around the house, outside and inside, with a flashlight, looking for gas leaks and cracks/breaks in the house/foundation/cement/roof, seeing if water was still on, no electricity of course. Didn’t want to open the frig, so were going to figure out what to try to eat, and assess their food/water storage. I knew he was scared, my strong papa, and I could do nothing; nothing. Then we lost phone contact, for awhile, so I was just frantic. And it turned out that the one huge aftershock got to most people more than the initial quake; of course, everyone was on edge because Californians fully realize those aftershocks WILL follow. We were lucky; their damage was something that could be repaired, minimal compared to others, and my parents weren’t injured…although, at their age, and they weren’t in the best of health, the stress could have prompted a cardiac event, especially in my father who already had a heart problem. I pray the same for you and yours, Claudia; that they’ll feel the force of the wind but that it will pass over them and no big storm surge; no big damage either in their city. My goodness, my cousin came THIS close to very recently buying a condo in Miami, then Fort Lauderdale, as his retirement destination; he instead chose Santa Fe. Fortuitous. He closes on his Santa Fe house next week.
Try to have a good weekend; I’m sure your sister and her husband have assessed this very carefully. But it’s a nail-biter.
I can’t believe I was once living on a sailboat in September and October of a year in the British Virgin Islands. Somebody else, who was an idiot trying to save money (what can I say; we were young), booked that trip at the WRONG time of year…in hurricane season! And I wouldn’t have had a clue to know what to do or where to go in a hurricane. Most of the time, I didn’t even have a life vest on…and I can’t swim. Angel on my shoulder. I guess we would have motored back to the ‘hurricane hole’ (somewhat inland) from where we picked up the boat at the beginning of the trip…but that’s not a guarantee of safety, not when you look at the images coming back right now from the Caribbean after Irma.
Thank you, Vicki.
Three books at one time?? Wow, you’re good, Claudia. I can only read one at a time – usually – but I do take it everywhere I go. I hate waiting ANYWHERE with nothing interesting to read. One exception to this though, was when I read Herman Wouk’s “War and Remembrance” in my car. It’s a very long book [over 900 pages in paperback] and I read it ENTIRELY in my car. Of course it took 8 years to do it, but it was always there when I needed it. Waiting for windshields to melt, waiting at railroad tracks, waiting in traffic jams, waiting in car wash lines, waiting in Starbucks lines, waiting to pick up relatives or friends for various activities, waiting at the bridge near my university which was clogged EVERY day during both morning and evening rush hours. Now I have a USB port in my car which means I can listen to ANY CD from my collection [via my iPod] or an audiobook etc. Which is good because I don’t think I want to wait on any book as long as I did for “War & Remembrance.” I should’ve chosen a shorter book for the car – hey, lesson learned. Have a great weekend & peace.
#Resist
Mere has to drive so many hours a week that she listens to books on tape. She reads print as well, but she sure reads a lot of books in those hours in the car.
Thanks for writing about bots and how you block them, I looked up ‘how’ and did remove the collection of faces that I found somewhat scary weird and had wondered why and how.
Joy
Oh good, Joy! Glad to help!
Oh, strange men. Lots of them. Everywhere. Hope M and family are on their way to your place. Tell them to make themselves at home, but don’t touch the stove. They are in my prayers whether they stay or bug out.
They don’t want to leave anyway as their dog is so frail he would not be able to make the trip. She thinks they’ll be ok.
Hope your sleep cycle straightens out.
Me too! It will.
I do get too many e-mails including lots of spam. It takes me so long to delete most of them.
Marilyn
I do, too, Marilyn. It’s such a pain!
Claudia, I would like to follow you on instagram..but every time I click on it says content unavailable. I am a senior lady who reads your blog and lives vicariously through your interesting life. We have the same political opinions also. I hope you can help me. Thanks!
Where are you clicking, Maria? Either click on the camera icon at the top of the sidebar or down further on the sidebar where the Instagram feed is, you click on the blue rectangle at the bottom of the widget (under the pictures). It works for me, so I can’t figure out why it wouldn’t work for you. What browser do you use?
Your other option is to go to Instagram online or on your phone and search for claudiahillsparks. You should be able to follow me there.
Let me know what happens, Maria.
May all of our thoughts and prayers reach Meredith and her family…
Keep them coming. The hurricane is headed up the west coast – right where they live.
Hello from your friend you’ve never met. Need a laugh? Did you see where Rump, Jr., said he met with the Russians to get the dirt they had on HRC to determine her “fitness” to serve. LOL hahahaahaha Hey . . . saw Don on an old Law & Order the other night!
I did laugh when I first heard that! Oh, the irony.
Hi Claudia, I’m reading a lot of your older posts, so I feel we’re friends now. I’m following your instagram too. You really have some fabulous photos, but I like your real looks at life the best. Thanks for sharing this beautiful sunset.
I’m signing off as Susan L since last time another Susan had commented right before me. I think there are a lot of Susans in our age group. I am a little jealous of your unique name of Claudia.
Thanks for that goes to my mom who gave us all interesting names and names that weren’t common at the time! Thanks for reading, Susan L!
Hope your sister and family are safe! My parents are in Tampa…for the last week the storm was going east, now of course looks like it’s turning toward them. Their house was built to the latest hurricane standards, though, and everyone on their street has stayed, so we are thinking good thoughts. So, so hard when you are far away.
Loved Glass Houses. Bought it to add to my L.P. collection.
It’s so so hard. I’m worried for my family and for everyone in the path of this monster.
I’ve started Glass Houses, but I haven’t read much because my attention is a bit scattered. Hope to read more this weekend.
I am beginning to get FB friend requests from males pictured with lots of U.S. flags but with no friends or posts, too. I figured that although I try to restrain my politically oriented posts to closed groups, some of those are getting infiltrated and my political persuasions are known. I thought I might be getting set up for harassment, so those requests are always deleted. Maybe it’s not that specifically targeted, but I’m taking as few chances as possible. I already made a mistake by commenting on a group that I thought was a closed group and wasn’t. I would like to quit FB but I stay for the same reason you do. Beyond finding out what’s happened with friends and relatives in Harvey’s way, finding out about volunteer efforts, and now keeping track of relatives in Florida, my sister is traveling the world right now, on two months of cruises stacked back to back and then to her condo in Mexico for six months. I know what she’s doing on a day-to-day basis, so there’s that.
I’ve had some of those FB requests, too. Highly suspicious. I make my political beliefs very clear on FB, so that might be targeted. Since I never approve a request from anyone I don’t know, they have no power.
I finished the new Karin Slaughter book and my name came up on the wait list for The Late Show which I will start today. This hurricane is so scary. We are getting ready for some high winds but so scared for Florida. Praying that Meredith and family are safe!! Just too much going on right now. Take care.
Yes, and the hurricane is headed right up the west coast which is where they live. Worried.