Sometimes, the song just flows easy peasy. I was having a rough day (well, maybe week) and I was feeling super overwhelmed. Not like, panic attack overwhelmed, more like on the surface “fine” but under the hood “quiet dread”. Not sure how to explain it other than to say that it was keeping me up and night and making me feel anxious during the day.
I’d already wrapped four albums and was planning to take a break, but I just thought, “Melissa, you dope. Right about it. It’ll make you feel better!” And what better way to write than to put it in a song? I felt like it was time. Now as you may or may not know, I have done an 80s-inspired album, a game dev-inspired album, a personal album (it’s coming next!) and then a 70s-inspired album. So wayyyyy after that I was going to do a Christian album.
And then I wrote this. And I am not kidding, it came out in 5 minutes. It was just a conversation with God. I’m like, “Heyyyy you promised rest and I’m stressin’ sooooooo….let’s do this.” And BAM! Song. And in another – what – 10 minutes I had a song. And one that I instantly knew I liked. I mean really liked.
So then I started to think timeline and if I went along my timeline I’ve already established, we’d be looking at somewhere in 2027. (No kidding!) And the funny thing is, I’d written another song I was going to release on Easter, but then decided to do the album and then suddenly it, too, was pushed out.
So, I threw all my plans to the winds and decided to release Got a Minute? as a single. I can always add it to the album later or I can just write my faith-based songs whenever the mood strikes and release. This one, I felt like I needed to release it, so just a good week and a half or so before Easter and I have my song after all.
I feel like Jesus was laughing as he made this all happen. Got me! AGAIN!
Anyway, doesn’t matter if you’re a Christian or not, I think this song still speaks. Sometimes, you just need to let go of the weight and let someone else help. Just gotta ask.
Man! Where did the time go? This is the last song on the Across the Frequency album (well, mostly, I have one more but it’s a dance mix version of Masquerade, not a new song, so it doesn’t really count does it?) and this wraps up my SECOND album.
I feel like I’ve been drinking from the firehose on this whole songwriting / AI / YouTube / Social Media journey, but it’s been sooooo informative and super fun. I’m going to miss this 80s’inspired style for a bit. Don’t worry, the 80s will never die! As I move into my next three albums (yes, I’m actually working on my 5th album right now!) the tone will change between them. Why? I like cohesive album wrappers. Is it a decade? Is it a style? Is it a personal journey? Stay tuned to find out!
Now onto the song:
This song is two-fold fun. It’s an anthem rock song in the – oh so surprising – style of the 1980s so high energy and lots of guitars and drums. The other part is the attitude behind it.
As a Gen Xer (or “forgotten generation” – that’s just mean!), I wanted to capture this feeling: I’m not 25 or 30 anymore, but I’m still here, showing up and giving it my all every day. This particular Gen Xer doesn’t obsess (tooo much, let’s be real, we all think about it a bit) over others’ opinions over aging.
Sure, I want to look good, but I don’t fixate on getting older. This came to mind when my mom told me she sometimes felt invisible as she aged. That struck me. I wanted this final rock song on the album to be a rock anthem to say: we refuse to be invisible. We’ll do our thing and make our presence known. If society expects us to fade away, we’re saying loud and clear: that’s not happening.
So basically the song is about doing your own thing and refusing to go quietly. (Maybe it resonates with other generations, but the only one I’m in is this one.)
From the Album, Across the Frequency, an 80s-inspired album, this song is a simple one: don’t live in the past. I, as much as anyone, have a tendency towards nostalgia, even when it’s not warranted.
To help give you an idea of nostalgic I can be, I was less than ten years old and I’d save gravel from the alley behind the house so I wouldn’t forget where I lived. I wrote my diaries in block letter so I’d be able to read them when I was “old”. Yep, that’s the brain you’re dealing with. 🙂
Anyway, I was also a bit of a pack rat. I may or may not (fine, I still have them) every letter and card I received during the 80s. Like, every one. I’m sure they’re falling apart by now. I kept notes and letters and drawings my old boyfriends gave to me. Finally, after many years, I went through most of them and said goodbye. In some cases, it was an easy decision because I’d stored them in the garage and, ah, rats got to them. (Sorry!)
So sometimes weather pushes along the need to move forward and not live in the past. As we’ve moved over the years, it’s been a great opportunity to “out with the old in with the new” and I’ve taken a last look, smiled and remembered what these things meant to me at the time, and said goodbye.
That’s it. No real moral of the story. Just an example of how sometimes if you’re so busy lived in a past (that seems to somehow get “better” with age), you’re not living in the present and appreciating all the amazingness that it has to offer.
kthxbye!
P.S. If you enjoy the song, please do me a favor and (yeah, I’m going to be that broken record — apparently it matters to YouTube), LIKE my song and – if it pleases you – SUBSCRIBE to my channel. I’m trying to build it up. (But not my ego! Don’t worry!) Seriously, it’s abysmal. Maybe I’ll hit 100 subscribers (I have small social ambitions.)
As always, you can find me all over the dang place:
Some songs come easy, like last week’s song. Some songs are hard-earned.
This song was easy yet difficult to write because it forced me to go back in time and re-evaluate in living color some uncomfortable truths about myself back then.
There’s always that one person you could have done better by. In this case, how I’d handled myself as a girlfriend when I was a teenager. I suspect that most of us are dopes back in our teens, but it still can be touchy to go back evaluate these things, even as an adult.
Wow, vague much, Melissa? (I’m not trying to Carly Simon anyone here, I’m just respecting the past.) Only one getting hit by a bus is THIS girl!
Oh self-reflection, you are a cruel mistress!
Anyway, not a lot of details on this one other than to say that obviously I’m not the person I was back then. I’ve grown up. I’ve matured. I know how to be in a relationship and all those great things. But when you decide you’re gonna write a ballad about yourself, better be prepared to open up an emotional vein. Even if it’s describing a time from decades ago.
Just in time for Valentines Day! (Which neither my husband or I are particular fans of so we usually celebrate date night on a different day.) I mean it just make sense, doesn’t it?
Anyway, on the dawn of Valentines Day, this is the second of two male vocals for this album. Let’s see if I can explain this. I wrote this song for my husband as if he wrote it for me. (It really makes more sense when you hear the song. Truly.)
Anyway, a few easter eggs in the song:
The first day we met he saw my smile and well obviously it was over for him (I swear, he likes my chubby cheeks)
North Star is a reference to my coming from Canada
The line, “I’ll slay your dragons, one by one” is a reference to a story he wrote me when he proposed to me
Some songs fall out of my brain straight onto the page. This was one of them. I’m not going to say how long it took, it’s a pretty simple song, but it came quickly.
By the way, he liked the song. I know I did it right if I see some tears in his eyes. (I got me some tears.)
I normally design my own covers, but since this one was for him, I let him contribute to the cover.
The ASL (American Sign Language) sign for “I Love You” is front and center. (It’s a bit tongue-in-cheek since it’s a hair band 80s ballad so that’s why you see the long hair. And normally guys are all, “Yeah, man! The horns, baby! The horns!” Since Ron and I are Christian, that was out, so we added our take instead. Actually, I thought it was pretty clever. Again, that was his idea.
The shining star does double duty — one is a reference to the North (it’s north on the album cover), but also since Jesus is our guidepost, it’s a nod to his guidance as well. (That’s why you see “I swear to Heaven above” — we married and made a commitment to each other.)
We’ve been together for over 25 years and, man, time flies! Needless to say, this one is dedicated to my husband, Ron Bianco.
Happy (almost) Valentines Day, everyone!
If you’re all, “Bah humbug. People are horrible.” Uh….then Happy Friday the 13th?
This one was a fun one to write. If you remember anything about the 80s it’s the phrase, “Be Kind, Rewind” at the video store on the videotapes. Having worked at a Video Store back in the 90s, I definitely appreciated when people took the time to rewind their videos; otherwise, we’d have to do it. (Otherwise, customers would complain.)
So needless to say, I couldn’t resist using it for not one but THREE reasons:
Very 80s phrase
The THINK acronym (more on that in a bit)
Gee, it sure would be nice if people were nicer (i.e. Kind) AND thought about things before they post on the internets (i.e. Rewind)
Okay, so it’s not super deep, but I really did like the focus of the song, which was: “Hey, before you post that post — do you reeeeeeeally need to?” (Reeeeallly?) I’ve many-a-time been mid-mad-fingertype when I just stopped myself and said, “Will this change anything? You may feel better for the moment, but is there any nutritional value to what you just said? Like….at all?)
And that’s where the song idea came from. Modern problem with an 80’s reference and musical vibe. I was definitely channeling “across the frequency” on this one! Old and new! I thought I was being super clever.
Ok, back to THINK — and I’ve had to use this a few times on myself because I will cop to the fact that I have gotten into ridiculous arguments with strangers that bore zero fruit and just got me so frustrated, I decided social media was just not worth it. Too much vitriol. And, thus, I left for several years. Now I just don’t feed the trolls. And, really, does anyone sleep better knowing how I personally feel about things?
I want to entertain, not debate. So the acronym goes like this: (there are variations I’ve noticed, but this is the one I remember):
Before you speak (post) is it:
T – True H – Helpful I – Inspiring N – Necessary K – Kind
Actually, that was something I learned when I was working in hospice and in that environment especially, those are words to live by. People have enough on their plate, they don’t need us/me/you adding to it.
So that’s it. The whole kit and caboodle. I went with the 80s catchy pop tune vibe , a nice amuse bouche from Marathon Girl which was pretty hard rock / hard hitting. So this is a nice palate cleanser. But, again, in the vibe of The Go-Go’s — strong message in the lyrics packaged in a fun, catchy pop tune. (See what they did there? That’s using the noggin’!)
Fun Fact:
I have not one but TWO videos going out today for this release. The first is the Official Lyric Video (I do that with all my releases), but the second is the Official Music Video (see below) Through trial and error, and many head bangs on my desk, I conceptualized and executed my own storytelling cinematic video. I think it turned out pretty well for my first stab at it.
Let’s just say, SkyNet? Not today. Still, I discovered many many tools at my disposal and only used one (reversing footage) in the music video. It was soooo fun – until I ran out of free credits. It took a good while to make it happen and I WISH I’d saved some of the AI “imagining” bloopers – some were pretty hysterical.
Until recently, I’d posted a total of 3 videos in my entire life on YouTube, but I thought it would be fun to capture my adorable Russian Blue cat, Remi (short for Remington Steele – points if you get the reference), and his life in video. And, frankly, whatever else strikes my fancy. I likely don’t have nearly enough motivation to make money at it, but I’m enjoying myself and figuring it out as I go.
So if you want to check out my YouTube Shorts, you can find my channel (that has been in existence for years) here:
We began looking for our new house in Idaho back in March with some specific ideas in mind of what we were looking for (with the caveat that the house had to be near our daughter) and shoulder either be super funky with character or super perfect.
Pro Tip: Perfect doesn’t exist.
We couldn’t find anything. Either the prices were out of our budget or it didn’t hit all the boxes for us.
Enter the idea of having our home built. It hadn’t occurred to us, but suddenly it was a logical move. So we talked to our realtor, Dan Cantrell, and the next thing we knew, we were touring a few Hubble model homes in some Hubble HOA communities nearby.
Then we found it: the Opal with Bonus. (A half room up top for just a bit of extra space.)
Art Render: The Opal with Bonus (Heritage Elevation)
We found a lot right away, but it was pretty unique in that it was weirdly pie-shaped. We could make it work. Narrow in the front, party in the back.
It really IS a pie-shape. Mmmm pie….First FloorSecond Floor
A few weeks later, we had an appointment at the Showroom. In the 3-hour appointment (yes, three!) we walked around the showroom to decide on carpet, cabinets, paint colors, doors, fixtures, counter surfaces, tile, floors, etc. We had a budget, but we also wanted to make some smart choices on upgrades without breaking the bank. In the end, we stayed under budget by a mere $5,000.
Hubble Homes ShowroomHubble Homes ShowroomHubble Homes ShowroomOur Choices
I think we chose well. A few compromises, last-minute changes, last-last minute changes, sad realizations (no, a 3-car garage would not fit, no it didn’t make sense to look for another lot elsewhere, no we couldn’t get the wider door frames in any rooms but the master). And then in June right around my birthday, we finalized the plans and they were submitted for permit approval. Permit approval typically takes 30 – 45 days.
We met with our builder’s Project Manager, Dylan, last week for a pre-construction meeting so he could review the blueprints (yes we did, in fact, have a few changes, but they were minor placement issues).
We were next on the list. Woo! Waiting, let me tell you, is hard, especially for someone like me. I feel like a gypsy living out of boxes with an entire garage of our stuff in it just waiting to be moved to our final abode.
And this is where we start:
Our little slice of dirt! Never had my own dirt (without a house on it) before.
September 1, 2021
Imagine my surprise, when I pop by mid-week and see some actual digging! It has begun! How exciting! Looks like they’re putting in forms to pour the foundation concrete.
Digging has begun!
September 4, 2021
They’ve poured some concrete! They haven’t poured the foundations yet, but I guess that’s coming soon. I don’t know anything about construction terms, but it’s nice to see concrete around the sides. Dare I say, “foundation”?
The front door must face east since I was pretty much taking pictures right into the sun from the back of the lot onto the street. I’m thinking that will make a nice end of day sunset in the kitchen one day.
Fun Fact: There are 28 steps from the back foundation to the fence.
I’m seeing cooooncreeeeteAnother view from the side (my Office / Guest Room / Living Room)View from the back of the house (Living Room / Kitchen / Master Bedroom)
Survey of the Foundation
September 11, 2021
No major changes this week.
My guess is that the concrete still needs about 10 – 14 days to “cure”. I did notice that they’ve started digging on the house beside ours so it gives a better perspective on how close we’ll all be together. (I will say, living on Danielle and Jared’s lot has been a bit cushy since they’re on a half acre lot and we’ll be niiiiice and tight with our neighbors. So that will be an adjustment.
FoundationFoundation Part 2
September 18, 2021
Well we are still in full swing Foundation this week. But it looks like we now have a driveway! They’ve apparently leveled all the landscaping, poured said driveway, laid the back deck, and we have the makings of a garage foundation, and sidewalk. Not sure when they lay the rest of the foundation for the floors in the house.
Soon, I hope!
Driveway! (And a street lamp right next to the driveway)Back DeckMan Door from Garage
September 25, 2021
Well, kind of a bummer, but no changes this week. Stay tuned for next week, maybe there will be a piece of lumber on the horizon. I don’t know how long these things take. 😛
October 2, 2021
Um….where is my house? There’s all this wood in the way. You know what that means! Framing is starting soon! I got a closer look and I think those are the trusses. And then all the wood for the walls and such. I’m not a contractor so I’m not entirely sure, but it makes sense. Progress! Nice to see after last week’s non-starter of no progress.
TrussesVycor Plus (looks like plastic bags to me)Moar lumber!Even moar lumberAnd a framing start around the base of the house
October 9, 2021
I was cautiously hopeful for this week’s visit to the ol’ Idahomestead and I WAS NOT disappointed! We have framing walls! It feels like a real home!
Is that my house??? Yes it is!!The garage Front Entrance (nice and covered porch)Back Deck / Living RoomView to the fence line
October 16, 2021
Gang, it looks like we have a home! I was kind of hopeful that maybe they’d have more wood in place. Trusses up. I think that’s elevation. And so I was VERY excited to see that, yes, those were up and we have a version of a second floor, too! The workers were in there (on a Saturday?) so I didn’t get a chance to poke around at my leisure inside, but if they’re not there next week, you can bet I will. (Or start coming on Sundays.)
How exciting!!! Luckily, there hasn’t been much in the way of rain so having a roof is a great thing. Very excited about that. And now I’m getting a better sense of how big the house is, at least from the outside. Whee! This is feeling really real now!
From the front!From the back!Back deck is now covered!From the side!
October 17, 2021
Okay, I went back today (Sunday) when no one was there and I got inside to do a walkthrough! Sorry for the wind, the mic picks that up whether I like it or not. But now you can see inside!
I tried to upload the video directly to this blog, but it kept failing. It’s 12 minutes long so maybe there’s a file size limit. Anyway, I had to upload to YouTube instead. It’s unlisted, but as long as you have the link, you can watch it.
We have windows and ceiling paper and siding paper! I don’t know what the term is, but I’m glad it’s done because we had a rainstorm this week. Phewww!
We wandered in today to see how badly the rain affected the interior. The paper held up really well and there was only a small spot on the floor in the entire house. No doors have been installed yet so it was also lucky the rain wasn’t pushing too hard into the house through the garage or front / rear doors. (We’re really thankful that they got all of the papering done in time! I’m guessing they ramped up progress because they knew the rain was coming.)
The house next to ours has started to lay down foundation, so now we’re starting to get a sense how big the lot will be. Pretty exciting!
Oh, and they installed some insulation at the fireplace and where the tubs and showers will have the inserts placed.
Look! Windows and papering!Sunset from the back deck this week.It looks longer than it is, but the backyard view.Instructions on windows. How cool!Insulation and one-day fireplace!
October 30, 2021
We have… HVAC and plumbing and electrical! And apparently the house next to ours has their foundation poured so we have a better sense of how big the space will be between us. Not sure yet the dividing line between the houses, but hoping it’s in our favor obviously. So we even have some bath tubs and showers installed since last week.
We have a meeting with the builder on the 8th for a Pre-Drywall walkthrough. (Little do they know I’ve been there every week since they started digging, but that’s cool.). And then I guess we start putting up insulation and sheet rock. Kind of neat! Definitely coming along!
Hasn’t changed much. Not sure when we’ll get siding.Water Heater and PlumbingGuest BathroomMaster Bath / ShowerWe have a fireplace! (Ish)
November 6, 2021
Starting to see it all come together! We have siding (unpainted — kind of interested to see what colors we picked because neither of us can remember)! And we have electrical! Woo!
We have our Pre-Drywall meeting tomorrow with the builder and that’ll be super exciting. And then I guess we move on to – er – drywall. Wheeee! (Why am I so excited about plaster and wall-type-stuff?)
It was a little weird walking on in, easy-as-you-please, with the guys working on the siding, but they didn’t mind.
Siding without paint – frontAnd….from the backAnd…the side. (Me standing in the neighbor’s driveway)To prove we have electric stuff
November 13, 2021
Insulationpalooza! They’ve done a great amount of work on getting all the insulation in and beginning on putting up drywall. So far, the bonus room and parts of the hall stairs and some of our bedroom has drywall. You’ll see the pictures, but it’s coming along! AND they got the tiles on the roof done, too. So it’s very exciting to see.
Our expected completion date is now end of January, so we are very excited about that. Lots of changes in just a month. Amazing.
We have roofing done!Our garage has walls!Insulation and soundproofing!Our bedroom. See the tray ceiling?Bonus room upstairs. Window seat.Bathroom with special bathroom-specific drywall
November 20, 2021
Some great progress this week! (Every week is like Christmas!)
Hubble has been kicking butt and taking names! They finished up the Sheetrock and it looks like they’ve already done the taping and spackling. So I guess we wait while all of this dries. And then I think they do the texturing and painting! We didn’t pick any crazy colors for the interior, just plain white. It’s a good “blank” canvas. I’m going to probably pick some fun colors for my den, office, and the bonus room upstairs. Light subtle colors, I promise. Nothing too bold! I’ve never picked a paint color before!
This time around, I did another video. We still have some pictures, but the video gets through most of the house interior to show progress before I somehow stopped recording. That’s fine, it stopped in the bonus room, which was my last stop anyway.
I thought, for sure, they wouldn’t get to painting the exterior because I heard that if it’s too cold, they have to wait until it warms up to paint, so imagine my surprise when they had done a mad dash of painting and we finally got to see the colors we’d picked!
We have paint! (Front)Paint! (Don’t think they’re done yet though.)From the side!Kitchen (from the living room!)Living Room (tray ceiling!)Just got a tot tub for the backyard (Ron = very happy)
November 27, 2021
No major changes this week as it’s Thanksgiving and looks like they are still waiting for the sheet rock tape and spackle stuff to dry. The only big change I noticed was the “rounded corners” they have put in on any wall that does not have a door.
Most of today’s visit was taking measurements of our rooms for things like, oh, furniture. It’ll be real helpful for when we buy the wall-bed for the bonus room and I finally buy a “real” desk for my office.
Taped up the garage nowOur unfinished yard. Neighbor’s finished yard. Fence coming soon.Bonus RoomRounded corners
December 4, 2021
This’ll be a quick update. We’ve got progress, but it’s not super exciting. Looks like they did the wall texturing this week! And we have some doors and trim sitting in the garage waiting once the painting is done to put up. So definite progress, just not the sexy kind. More “wait to dry” patience exercises.
Someone “created” a door in the garage to get all that trim and doors in. 🙂Trim and doors!Not sure how well it “reads” but that’s texturing in the master bedroom.
December 11, 2021
So the big word for this week is: TRIM. They haven’t painted yet, but they have been doing a lot of trim around the house. And closet organizers so that is fun, too. And we have a door from the garage to the house installed now. Also fun. And much warmer, which was nice because it’s getting pretty chilly in Idaho right now. (Oh, and a fence. Fun-ish.)
Trim and Linen ClosetWe have a neighbor’s fence. (That back corner is reserved for the hot tub.)Moar trimPantry! (Can’t wait to fill you!)
December 18, 2021
Some nice additions since the last time we were at the ol’ homestead! I had hoped they would get the painting done and I was not disappointed! But in addition to that, they also got most of the electrical plates in on all the plugs and such, as well as not only the lights, but also a ceiling fan in the living room. This is very much starting to feel like our house is nearing the finish line!
Also, they added the lights outside and got the stonework done on the front of the house. Very exciting!
Getting closer! See the stonework?Love the rockLights and fans and outlets and stuffOh the fireplace…. Can’t waitTrim, paint, and stuff – closer!One day an island will be there
December 31, 2021
Nearly two weeks since we visited last and lots of progress. Unfortunately, the place was locked up tight, so we couldn’t get inside this week. But we got a few from the outside. Third party inspection coming up on the 21st and then New Home Orientation on the 31st. Keys probably around first week of February. So we now have floors, cabinets and some stone work on the fireplace, but you can’t see it.
Garage door! No front door yet.Cabinets! (And a smidge of floor.)
January 9, 2022
Alas, locked out again so we had to get pics from outside. BUT…some new gutters (not sexy, but kind of important) – I also like the chain that the rain will drip down, that is pretty cool. And we now have our kitchen counters in and the backsplash. I also noticed, but it’s hard to see, there is tile in the bathroom if you look real hard at last week’s update. I didn’t notice it until after-the-fact. Ron and I even went to Lowe’s to pick up a ceiling fan and a washer and dryer. (More unsexy house stuff.). So this is really happening, people!
Counter Tops! Island! Backsplash!Gutters! Drip chain! (Ok not exciting)
January 15, 2022
It’s a good thing we’re nearing the end of this adventure. This poor blog page is struggling with the file size like you wouldn’t believe. Chug. Chug. Chug. BUT ANYWAY. We have some interiors, courtesy of my husband who was at the house the other day. Finally some kitchen closeups. We now have a front door and a man door. So yay! The house is secure! Next week is 3rd party inspection!!
Living room from the kitchen. Fireplace!Kitchen counters, appliances, backsplash
January 22, 2022
Home stretch, people! I attended the 3rd Party Inspection yesterday and while I was there, took a few pictures because both Ron and I forgot what kind of tile and counters we picked in the bathroom. A little busy, but not bad. Ron has more experience in this area and would have probably said busy counter, keep the tile simple. It’s hard to tell when you can’t see it “in action”. But I’m happy with our choices. I may have gotten a little verklempt walking into the great room for the first time and seeing it all finished. Honestly, except for a few minor things, the house is DONE. It kind of blows my mind a little after so many months.
Master BathroomKitchenThe Den (from inside)
No point in taking pictures until we have the landscaping complete and the backyard complete so stay tuned for that. 🙂 We’ll need to wait until it’s warmer.
October 31, 2022
Wow, talk about not ending the chapter! Well, house is finished. Even the backyard is finished. We moved in in February and, let’s face it, still have unpacking to do and stuff. Baby steps, amirite? We decided we didn’t need a formal Dining Room so we converted it into a library. Pretty much my favorite room of the house. You can’t see to the left of the backyard picture, but there’s a hot tube. And around the right-hand side of the house is a small orchard. Hey, technically, if you have five trees, you have an orchard. We picked two apple trees (so they’d polinate each other – Granny Smith and Honeycrisp), apricot tree, peach tree, and nectarine tree. I have two planters I need to figure out what I’ll do with in sprint (berries, likely, huckleberry and maybe raspberry). And an entire greenhouse I have no idea how to fill or use. What could possibly go wrong?
This post is getting woefully hard to upload photographs on (huge!) but I’ll pick a few:
There is a wonderful thing that Santa Clara County does that encourages people get out and walk / hike / stroll / prance. It’s called #PixInParks. They give you a list of a number of trails to hike and on each trail is a location where you take your photo to document that you participated in the hike. You send it in, complete all the hikes of the set, and – supplies available – you get a t-shirt at the end of the year for completing the challenge. What a great way to get people out and moving? SWAG!
Today’s pictures (there are so many more than what I’m showing you here are from Rancho San Antonio County Park nestled in the hills of Los Altos. The trails are nice and wide for the most part, there’s a wonderful farm in the park called Deep Hollow (with sheep, cows, goats, etc.) and they’ve even designated certain areas “one-way” to keep people socially distanced and safe in these Covid 19 times.
The weather forecasted rain by noon so we needed to get an early start. We did. Princess Buttercup (my granddaughter – not her real name) is barely old enough to have to wear a mask and each time we do a hike she opts to walk it rather than stay in the backpack. The first time we hiked and she walked, maybe a third of a mile. Today? It must have been three miles! What a trooper!
My daughter, granddaughter, and I have already completed 5 of the 7 hikes listed for the Magnificent 7 challenge for 2021!
#PixinParks #RanchoSanAntonioBig barnThat is a great view!Mountains!Those silver eyebrows tho
Long time no write! Ever had a thought like, “Hey…that stupid toaster toasts unevenly, I should get a new one,” and then you log into Facebook and suddenly – like it READ YOUR MIND – you see posts about toasters?
I’ve had a love/hate relationship with Social Media ever since it was invented. Don’t get me wrong, the only way I was able to get through to all of my high school grad friends for the reunion was to sign up for Facebook and then start doing massive invites. (Does anyone still use Classmates.com anymore? Guess I’ll have to go back!)
In the beginning, it was great. No ads. It was clean and simple (unlike MySpace which was a psychedelic banner / bright colors headache-inducing hot mess) and I could see my friends and family. Now that I was in the U.S., it was the perfect way to keep them up to date.
And then, years later, I’m getting “notifications” about fact-checking, lawsuits over the fact-checkers, divisions of friendships over politics and religion, the loss of all civilized discussion, and the propensity to no longer hear what those not in our “tribe” were saying. And over the last few years, it’s become less about being social and more about “I need to educate…” so I put the brakes on and stopped posting anything really important to me. I didn’t want to offend anyone. I didn’t want to get into a fight about my stance on subject A, B, or C. And I realized, this is supposed to be “fun”, why is it causing me stress? (Don’t get me wrong, cat videos always make me smile.)
And then I watched The Social Dilemma and I was downright saddened and horrified.
A few weeks ago my Mom had forgotten her password on Facebook and was switching back to email. She, too, felt like it was taking its toll. She doesn’t own a cell phone so texts are out. So it’s back to 2002. One part of me was like, “Oh, good luck with that.” The other part of me was like, “I’m kind of jealous.”
So for months now, it’s been nagging at me, all of my time scrolling down refreshing my feed and I haven’t been writing. Buying stuff I didn’t know I needed and when I got it was disappointed. I have puzzles that are growing gray hairs. I just got a new paint-by-numbers and haven’t gotten past color #1. I really need to finish that Lego project that’s been languishing since last year…
So I deleted it all. Twitter (I wasn’t on much anyway). Instagram (Never really got started.). But Facebook was the one that kept me up at night. That disconnect. Will I lose all that access to friends and family it was originally intended for? I deleted it last night. Not deactivated. Deleted. Let’s see how the “30 days until it’s real goes” (and then the 3 months of them APPARENTLY removing my data.)
The last bastion is YouTube. I’m not yet ready to give that up. (Cat videos!) I don’t find myself compulsively buying anything. But we’ll see. It’s part of “big tech” so…
Stay tuned. I kind of envy those people who never got on it in the first place.
MelissaBianco.com 
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