The Culture that has been here all the time

Hello Friends,

Little by little, I fill up my garage with stuff; little by little, I pack my attic with things I no longer need; little by little, I fill my yard with trees and shrubs; little by little, my basement can no longer keep what I want to store there.

I try to befriend someone little by little, I get better at my job little by little, and I have learned to play musical instruments little by little.

And now I am having a hard time making ends meet little by little.

Can you add things that are done or happen little by little?

Hello Friends,

"If you don't like the weather, wait. It will change." "This too shall pass." (adage about the impermanence of Persian origin)

Suddenly, you are out in the world, either set free, graduated, or immigrated to a new land: what is the most important thing to remember? You need to learn many things and adapt, which takes time, and there are usually no shortcuts. Step by step, moment by moment, you will achieve the necessary things to adjust to your new place. Sorry, but cliches pop into my mind all the time (they are efficient forms of thought). "haste makes waste." (first recorded in 1575, was in John Ray's 1678 proverb collection,  )

Me? I had to learn the hard way because I am naturally impatient; rushing into things often leads to disappointment and unnecessary costs. Worse still? Ruining a relationship. "Bite your tongue". ()

Hello Friends,

Fulfilling a desire is rewarding if it meets your expectations and, more importantly, if you are appropriately prepared.

Foreplay and arousal tailored to the two lovers make all the difference in the world as to the level of satisfaction they experience.  How to begin? I, like most people, start with a trial and maybe experimenting, but it must be followed with honest communication between the lovers. It probably is rare for two lovers to have perfect results instantly. Ideal results may be impossible if neither expresses themself honestly.

Drop hangups and preconceptions and agree only on the limits of discomfort or each lover's genuine dislikes. Still, experimentation can add spice to your love-making experience.

Hello Friends,

I have met some people here in The Cage who have interacted with friendship, which is good. My caregiving, even with help, is still a challenge, and I still do not have an everyday social life and probably will not for the foreseeable future. I do not frequent taverns or clubs, so getting out is limited to rides and visiting a market, maybe a small museum. My connections with very few relatives and friends are essential, and I will do my best. Reinvigorating caring for my house and yard is also important: It is a touch of normalcy and a change from feeling housebound. I think about people in the world severely impacted by conflict and natural disasters and count my blessings.

In other words, caring for my wife, even with help, remains a challenge and impacts what many people consider to be everyday life. Don't take life for granted and become restless because you feel it is too ordinary. Enjoy the ordinary. It is a blessing.

Hello Friends,

Most people regard truth as necessary. Yet untruth is prevalent in this world and comes in many forms. Lies, fabrication, omission, deception, manipulation, denial, and masquerade are among the most common. My father told me there were lies and white lies, but my mother chimed in and said, "Lies are lies." 

Today, many people distrust and completely trust some social media sites. The consequences can be minor or significant, depending upon the impact of the untruth. To complicate things, some people offer examples of truth having negative impacts and use that to defend disingenuous messages.

Somehow, despite all the dangers and negative consequences, humanity seems to advance in a positive direction, though much slower and weaker than may be widely believed.

Significant segments of our civilization may be controlled or manipulated by people with power and a personal agenda that favors their success. No upheaval occurs if most people feel okay economically and have some semblance of freedom. Often, where upheaval or unrest does occur, those in power use Macovalian tactics to control their citizens.

I am grateful that I live in a stable country, and as a people, we have established this even with challenges.

Hello Friends,

I watched a television series about ancient people in Britain, including the Druids and Romans. It was as entertaining as it was a depiction of brutality and violent incidents. That was the story's thrust, but one memorable incident stuck in my mind.

A prince with little ambition and more empathy had married a woman, his complete opposite in character. She relished her position and anticipated a rise to power. In a dispute between her and the prince, he turned to her and said, "You are beautiful on the outside but ugly on the inside."

As a male of the human race, I have often been fooled by a woman's outward appearance and assumed she was beautiful on the inside as she presented herself to me physically. It was only a matter of time for her to reveal her true character, and several times, she was like the princess in the story: beautiful on the outside but ugly on the inside. However, I discovered more than that.

I discovered that some women I encountered who were not beauty queens, models, or movie stars with impressive photogenic qualities yet were indeed beautiful on the inside. When seeking a companion or mate, the challenge for men is to remember this and not rush to judge.

The women we meet must not be expected to be the quintessential depiction of commercial mass media and entertainment. We must take the time to learn who they are and let them know who we are because men can be handsome on the outside and ugly on the inside, too.

Hello Friends,

I remember when compressed air was free at most gas stations, water was free, candy and cigarettes were cheap, and doctors made house calls. Now, it is hard to find tobacco products at a reasonable price and good quality; water is bottled and can cost more than $2 for a plastic container, 

There are many healthcare options, from walk-in clinics, urgent care, special testing, and hospital emergency rooms, to run to when something isn't right, but at a high cost.

Energy supplies vary from place to place, and all sources seem to cost more annually. In most countries, it is difficult, illegal, or impossible to heat and cook with fuel such as the wood we used to collect for free.

Some of these changes are intended to create a healthier environment. But it seems the task is a losing battle because of greed and selfishness.

Hello Friends,

There comes a time in each of our lives when we become unhappy. If the source of our unhappiness is something we do not like about ourselves, we must seek a reason to change. Not for mom or dad, not for a sibling, not for a spouse, and not for a friend. We must be convinced we must change for our good. Of course, all the above and professional helpers can make a transition smoother. When I gave up smoking and when I gave up alcohol abuse, I became convinced both were harming my health. 

Even with strong motivation, achieving the goals took repeated tries and renewed commitments. I kept trying for myself and my betterment. Having children helped, too, but it was primarily only after I was convinced that abandoning the waste of money and risk to my health had finally given me the result I was after.

I quit smoking in 1990 and completed sobriety in 2014. I never want to go back to either. At 76, with detailed health issues emerging, has become an added motivation to stay sober and never smoke again.

Hello Friends,

Often, Science Fiction literature and films focus on violence and conquest. If ExtraTerrestrial Intelligent life forms came to study Earth and the humans that are the dominant intelligent beings here, they would find war and conflicts very common. 

The harshest blows of conflict in 2024 will likely fall on the world’s countries that are already the worst hit by violence. In 2023, 97% of all political violence occurred in 50 countries, as ranked by the ACLED² Conflict Index. ¹

Where is all the evidence that humanity is on a civilized, peaceful track? Wherever and however, humans learn lessons to strive to eliminate war and conflict, progress is slow, at best. In my 3/4 of a century of life, violence waxes, and wanes, but it is never eliminated. Will we ever truly become an entirely peaceful planet?

I don't know but I have my doubts

¹

^{2 The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) is a disaggregated data collection, analysis, and crisis mapping project. ACLED collects information on the dates, actors, locations, fatalities, and types of all reported political violence and protest events around the world. The ACLED team conducts analysis to describe, explore, and test conflict scenarios, and makes both data and analysis open for free use by the public.}

Hello Friends,

What is forbidden during eclipse?
Do NOT look at the Sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses or using a handheld solar viewer — the concentrated solar rays will burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury.

Eclipse Viewing Safety - NASA Science
nasa.gov

What not to do during lunar eclipse?
They may choose to avoid cooking or eating altogether, or they may only eat pre-cooked foods. Use sharp objects: Sharp objects are seen as symbolic of negativity. Some people believe that using sharp objects during a lunar eclipse can create negativity in your life.Mar 24, 2024

Can we do sex before eclipse?
Avoid intercourse.

“In the Hindu shastras, this event is considered to be an extremely inauspicious one, and consequently, the eclipses or grahans are believed to be a sign of bad omen,” she told DNA. However, science says that if you're having an off night in bed, it had nothing to do with the Moon.Nov 7, 2022

Myths around the do's and don'ts of Lunar Eclipse, Chandra Grahan
businessinsider.in