Category Archives: Serious Stuff

Repeating History | Where We Are

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This is exactly where we are. It’s happening all over again, but this time, HERE, in the United States. Who will have the necessary courage to stop this nightmare?

January 13, 1943
“Terrible things are happening outside. Poor helpless people are being dragged out of their homes. Families are torn apart. Men, women, and children are separated. Children come home from school to find that their parents have disappeared.”
Diary of Anne Frank – Anne Frank

From media sources:

+ Did you all see the video of the ICE agent breaking a car window near the border? He wasn’t an ICE agent. He’s the founder of Veterans on Patrol, a FAR-RIGHT MILITIA patrolling the border for migrants. They’re basically deputizing militias to act as federal agents. This is dangerously out of control.

+ A U.S. born citizen was arrested in Florida for entering the state as an “unauthorized alien.” His mother and a community advocate showed his birth certificate during a hearing in Leon County. The judge said she had no authority to release him. Update: He has now been released.

+ This happened in Boston. Trump’s ICE Gestapo took away a little girl in a Winnie the Pooh shirt who was on her way to school.

+ A 19 year-old living in New York — Family has an asylum case pending with no criminal record or tattoos, ICE grabbed him and two other boys right at the entrance to his building. One said: ‘No, he’s not the one,’ like they were looking for someone else. But the other said: ‘Take him anyway,’” he recalled. He is in CECOT (El Salvador)

Even more disgusting and tone deaf to the destruction of democracy and while all of this is going on around us, was the spectacle of half a dozen entitled women taking a very expensive ten minute joyride to cosplay being an astronaut.

The Blue Origin “flight” took the women more than sixty-two miles above Earth, crossing the internationally recognized boundary of space and giving them a few moments of weightlessness. It’s an insult to every real astronaut who spent years training for space exploration. I. CAN’T. EVEN.

Earthquakes and Wind Chimes, OH MY!

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I had another post planned for today but then this happened!

I was in a store looking at a wall of wind chimes (I love them so much). They were on sale which always gives me an added thrill.

Suddenly, ALL THE WIND CHIMES STARTED SWAYING BACK AND FORTH!

I had a split second realization that we were going to have an earthquake, and at that precise moment, there was a very loud bang, like the ceiling and the lights were going to crash down around us — definite sky is falling vibes.

The entire store was rocking and rolling. People started to rush out the front doors as we’ve been taught. I thought about it for a couple seconds and decided not to follow the crowd because I had a few things in my cart for the Angels and didn’t want to have a wasted shopping trip. In the face of potential danger, my shopping obsession prevailed lol.

Phone alarms were going off like crazy with initial reports of a 6.2 earthquake which is pretty big. Later on it was downgraded to a 5.2, but it felt more powerful than that. It was reported as having a Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) of VI, which is classified as “strong”. There were several aftershocks all afternoon; not as scary.

A woman near me was shaking, visibly upset. I asked her if she needed a hug, she said yes, so I gave her one, hoping it would calm her down a bit. I agree it was definitely upsetting.

Should I stay or go? I decided the planets and the universe had given me an unmistakable SIGN that I needed to buy that chime I had been looking at, so I did.

The last BIG earthquake here was the 2010 Baja California quake that occurred on April 4 (Easter Sunday) with a magnitude of 7.2 and a maximum Mercalli Intensity of VII (very strong). Including today and our 4.2 earthquake in 2023, these all took place in April. I think that might be a significant fact, but I’m not sure exactly what it means…

I’ll never forget that Sunday in 2010. My darling kitty, Bandit, was keeping me company while I painted the downstairs living room. I had created a color that replicated the inside of a conch shell, sort of light pink/tan; exactly what I wanted. I was on a ladder when Bandit jumped on the sofa next to where I was and stared up at me. I looked at her and said, “What’s up, my love?” At that moment, the entire house felt and sounded like a train ran through it. The ladder was shaking and I had a hard time coming down. It was quite disorienting. Bandit gave me the dirtiest look like I had personally upset her tranquil morning. I ran upstairs and out onto the deck in time to watch my neighbor’s pool water slosh back and forth and pour over the sides. That earthquake went on for quite a while. All the neighbors ended up going out in the street to make sure we were all OK, and except for a few askew picture frames, none of my (way too many) seashells and other little things I collect fell off the shelves. I finished painting the room but Bandit spent the day hiding under the bed. She had enough excitement for one day.

This quake felt similarly powerful to me, but didn’t last quite as long. At least I can count on my new earthquake warning system, right?

I bet my old geology professor will appear on all the TV stations as he usually does to talk about tectonic plates and shifts and faults and all that stuff. I’m still angry at him for giving me a “D” in Geology. Considering how much I love rocks, that shouldn’t have happened, but to be honest, it was a great year for skiing and Mammoth was calling to me, so I guess I missed a few too many classes…

San Diego #HANDSOFF Protest: More Good Trouble

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Where were you on April 5? Did you participate in the #Handsoff event in your area?

We took the Coaster down to San Diego which was a much better idea than driving and trying to find a place to park. The train was so packed, we had to sit on the floor. Our ride down the coast was filled with positive energy, singing, and chants about DEMOCRACY in action.

This growing movement is a call to protect democracy, civil rights, and social justice. Organizers say the protests aim to send a clear message: “Enough is enough.” These protests are grassroots-led, with no single group in charge. However, coalitions of youth activists, civil rights organizations, and climate groups have joined forces.

Hands off Social Security.
Hands off Medicaid.
Hands off veteran care.
Hands off our kids’ education.
Hands off our rights.

robert_ciani_photography

I don’t believe mainstream media is honestly representing accurate numbers but I think we might have had nearly 50,000 participants in San Diego.

I have never before seen so many people or felt as much energy, even more than the Women’s March in 2017.

The “Hands Off!” protests today were nothing short of monumental, marking a powerful and unified stand against what organizers have called the most audacious power grab in modern history. With over 1,400 events spanning all 50 states and hundreds of thousands of participants, this movement brought together a diverse coalition of workers, activists, and everyday citizens to demand an end to billionaire influence, cuts to essential programs like Social Security and Medicaid, and attacks on marginalized communities. From bustling rallies in Washington, D.C., to smaller gatherings in conservative towns, the message was clear: Americans are fed up with policies that prioritize the wealthy at the expense of democracy and basic rights. The energy on the ground was electric, with chants of “Hands off our jobs, our healthcare, our democracy!” echoing across city halls, federal buildings, and even international cities like London and Berlin. Today’s turnout was not just a protest—it was a resounding declaration that grassroots power is alive and ready to fight for justice and equity (From The Other 98%.)

robert_ciani_photography

For some of us, fashion is important. What do you wear to a protest rally?

In addition to good walking shoes, I wore all black, but I couldn’t resist my Leon Russell hat.

On the train ride back home after the march, which was peaceful and without incident, energy was high at the success of the event, but we were tired and a bit subdued.

Someone noticed my Leon Russell hat and told me how much she LOVED him, and the next thing I knew, my phone was at top volume playing everyone’s favorite Leon Russell songs, singing along and chatting about the awesomeness of the one and only Master of Space and Time.

An amazing end to this beautiful day. We all participated in GOOD TROUBLE.

From AltParks: Yesterday was incredible. The official count is in — 5.2 million people joined the #HandsOff protest nationwide. So many are asking: what’s next? Mark your calendars: 4/19 is the next nationwide day of protest. Let’s go even bigger — our goal is to get 3.5% of America in the streets. Some media outlets are reporting only “tens of thousands” participated, but that’s no accident. Downplaying the turnout is a tactic to suppress momentum. But you were there. You saw the crowds. Even small red-district towns showed up in force. Don’t let them rewrite the story. It was a historic day — and we’re just getting started. We are proud of all of you — for many, this was your first protest, and you showed up with strength and purpose. Thank you to all the local authorities who helped keep everyone safe, and to the many military members and off-duty officers who attended and monitored the situation. Keep your signs, make new ones, and start preparing now. Let’s make history again on 4/19.

Doomscrolling vs Good Trouble

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“Speak up, speak out, get in the way. Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.” — John Lewis

Doomscrolling refers to the compulsive and often anxiety-inducing practice of obsessively scrolling through social media or news feeds, particularly for negative or distressing content, with the expectation that the news will be bad.

I stopped watching mainstream news the morning that the fake election results were announced. I’ll never believe that muckrat and the orange POS along with a foreign entity did NOT alter the results. I’m convinced that Kamala Harris should be president.

Instead of watching the news, I’ve participated in a few protests. While the Hands Off rally on Saturday in downtown San Diego is predicted to be HUGE, the Tesla Takedown Day in my little city wasn’t as big as some others around the country, but we were passionate and devoted to showing up to make a difference.

Photo by Enchanted Seashells

As the wonderful John Lewis also said,
“Nothing can stop the power of a committed and determined people to make a difference in our society”. 

This showroom is in an obscure business park with not too much traffic, but we were united in our passion to DO SOMETHING to save democracy and this country. Unlike other events in the area, this was peaceful. No one shot us with BB guns, none of the people at Tesla came out to intimidate us, and there were no shouting matches on either side.

However, if you count the cars that honked in solidarity as they drove by, it was a resounding success.

I’m not so sure next week’s event will be as tranquil or serene, but it’s definitely going to be exciting.

We don’t want Greenland or Canada; we want our Social Security (NOT an entitlement), health care, education, our data private, muckrat deported, the other one in prison, and PEACE.

Oh, and make sure to tell muckrat and his cronies that no one PAID us to attend; we’re participating to SAVE DEMOCRACY from people like HIM.

Not For The Faint of Heart

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Have you ever fainted? I don’t mean like those fainting goats (also referred to as stiffy goats) who don’t really faint — they suffer from a genetic condition called myotonia congenita, which causes their muscles to stiffen and often fall over when startled or excited — but they don’t lose consciousness, which is the hallmark of true syncope.

And by the way, it’s kind of abusive to startle those poor goats and laugh when they fall over…it’s really not funny, even though Honey Badger was…

Back to MY story. I can’t even recall the last time I fainted, but it happened a couple days ago.

Here’s the scenario…

I was on the sofa watching an older British medical drama called Peak Practice and fell asleep for a few minutes. When I awakened, I jumped up and ran downstairs to draw the curtains and make sure the house was locked up and secure for the night.

As I pulled the drapes closed, I started to feel hot, kind of nauseous and lightheaded, all very clear signals that one should heed, but as I usually do, I ignored every single sign and continued until I became so dizzy that I felt I should go to the sofa on the other side of the room and sit down.

But I didn’t get there in time.

I must have lost consciousness momentarily because the next thing I recall is being down on the floor near the fireplace. A lamp had been knocked over as well as a table with one of my favorite plants, Rattlesnake (Goeppertia insignis). The pot was smashed and there was dirt all over the rug.

I lay there for a few seconds as it was actually quite peaceful in a weird way, and began to triage myself for any major injuries.

Luckily for me, there was no damage except for some gnarly bruising where I hit the fireplace.

This would have been a different story if it had been my head on the bricks, that’s for sure.

I was upset with myself for not paying attention to the warning signs and even more so for the mess on the carpet.

Fainting spells/syncope — are a sudden and brief loss of consciousness caused by a temporary decrease in blood flow to the brain. 

When I felt sufficiently recovered to sit and stand without a recurrence of any dizziness, I ran upstairs to check my pupils which were normal; round, reactive, and equal. My heart rate was strong and steady, not tachy or weak.

Here’s the best part…

Crazy person that I am, the next thing I did was drag the vacuum downstairs to clean up the dirt because I knew that the longer it stayed on the light gray carpet, the more likely it would stain, which would really stress me out. I picked up the fallen lamp and the broken pot, and sucked up the dirt. I ran back upstairs for a rag, bowl of water, and carpet cleaner, and started scrubbing.

When I figured I had done enough (damage AND cleaning), I went to bed.

The next morning I felt fine and I can only assume I experienced an isolated syncope episode and it’s nothing to worry about. Maybe I was dehydrated, maybe my potassium levels were off, maybe I stood up too quickly, maybe I had fallen asleep in a weird position, maybe someone was playing around with a voodoo doll and some dark arts– I have no idea.

Today my body is pretty sore and the bruises are blooming. I’m drinking a lot of water because dehydration was the most likely culprit. Also, I realize that it might be prudent for me to slow down just a bit and cease running up and down stairs, because that never seems to end well for me, like last year’s split leg catastrophe…https://enchantedseashells.com/2024/01/21/tales-of-the-er/

You’d think I’d have learned my lesson, right?

From emergencyphysicians.org, here’s what to do:

If you feel faint, either lie down or sit down immediately. If you sit down, bend forward with your head between your knees to help get the blood flowing to your brain. Wait until you feel better before trying to stand up. If someone else faints, position the person on his or her back and elevate the legs above the heart, if possible. Check for signs of breathing. Loosen belts or restrictive clothing. If the person doesn’t regain consciousness within a minute, call 911.

Vernal Equinox – Happy First Day of Spring!

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“Spring has returned. The earth is like a child that knows poems.” – Rainer Maria Rilke 

I woke up at dawn to watch the arrival of the sun and the sky was spectacular! The birds are singing and my resident hawks are nest building. All around me, I see evidence of rebirth.

You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep spring from coming.” – Pablo Neruda 

This year’s Spring Equinox on March 20 corresponds with Venus retrograde, Mercury retrograde, eclipse season, and Neptune’s entry into Aries for the first time in nearly 165 years.

“Oh, what a catastrophe for man when he cut himself off from the rhythm of the year, from his unison with the sun and the earth. Oh, what a catastrophe, what a maiming of love when it was a personal, merely personal feeling, taken away from the rising and the setting of the sun, and cut off from the magic connection of the solstice and the equinox!” — D. H. Lawrence

The vernal equinox marks the astronomical start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, when the sun crosses the celestial equator, resulting in equal day and night hours. 

This event symbolizes rejuvenation, new beginnings, and spiritual awakening — the perfect opportunity to embrace change and harmony between light and dark.

“There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature; the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” — Rachel Carson

Many pagans today celebrate the spring equinox as ‘Ostara’, which is a Latin variation of the Anglo-Saxon goddess of dawn, spring, fertility, and rebirth — Oestra (or Eostre) with roots in Germanic cultures.

New ideas are calling out to us. The animal world is buzzing with new life. This month is about trying new things out: What excites you right now? What are you interested in? What are you drawn toward?

Just like we plant seeds in the ground to watch them grow and eventually harvest fruit, flowers, or vegetables, which seeds will we plant in our minds and hearts? What will we manifest? What will WE grow?

Image curated from Pinterest. Credit to the artist.

Poetic Truth : Pity The Nation

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We are living in sad and scary times. Lawrence Ferlinghetti wrote the poem “Pity the Nation” in 2007, drawing inspiration from Khalil Gibran’s original work of the same title, published in 1933. Their words are a reminder about the cycles of history.  

We’ve been warned.

PITY THE NATION

Pity the nation whose people are sheep
   And whose shepherds mislead them
 Pity the nation whose leaders are liars
            Whose sages are silenced
  And whose bigots haunt the airwaves
 Pity the nation that raises not its voice
          Except to praise conquerers
       And acclaim the bully as hero
          And aims to rule the world
              By force and by torture
          Pity the nation that knows
        No other language but its own
      And no other culture but its own
 Pity the nation whose breath is money
 And sleeps the sleep of the too well fed
      Pity the nation oh pity the people
        who allow their rights to erode
   and their freedoms to be washed away
               My country, tears of thee
                   Sweet land of liberty!
 Lawrence Ferlinghetti, 2007

                         

PITY THE NATION
By Khalil Gibran, 1933

Pity the nation that is full of beliefs and empty of religion.

Pity the nation that wears a cloth it does not weave, eats a bread it does not harvest, and drinks a wine that flows not from its own wine-press.

Pity the nation that acclaims the bully as hero, and that deems the glittering conqueror bountiful.

Pity the nation that despises a passion in its dream, yet submits in its awakening.

Pity the nation that raises not its voice save when it walks in a funeral, boasts not except among its ruins, and will rebel not save when its neck is laid between the sword and the block.

Pity the nation whose statesman is a fox, whose philosopher is a juggler, and whose art is the art of patching and mimicking.

Pity the nation that welcomes its new ruler with trumpetings, and farewells him with hootings, only to welcome another with trumpetings again.

Pity the nation whose sages are dumb with years and whose strong men are yet in the cradle.

Pity the nation divided into fragments, each fragment deeming itself a nation.

Slava Ukraine! #SupportUkraine

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Everyone I know is deeply ashamed of this country and very sorry because however it occurred, the orange POS and his puppet master Muckrat are in charge of destroying democracy and our relationships with our allies.

I learned that my greatgrandmother emigrated to the United States though Ellis Island from Kviv, Ukraine, so I feel like Ukranians are my people, too.

Did you see this horribly hostile attack of President Zelenskyy by the sofa-lover Vance, the orange POS, and Hegseth, (who’s supposed to be the Secretary of Defense but I don’t acknowledge him, either)?

It’s absolutely abhorrent! We support Ukraine 1000%

VANCE: Have you said thank you once?
ZELENSKYY: You think if you speak very loudly—
TRUMP: He’s not speaking loudly. You’ve done a lot of talking. You’re not winning this. ZELENSKYY: Mr. Trump, you are increasing the volume of your voice, but not the logic of your argument. Ukraine is still standing. We are still fighting.
HEGSETH: Look, we have to be realistic. America can’t fund this war forever.
ZELENSKYY: Realistic? Like when your Defense Secretary Hasgeth refusing to even say Russia invaded Ukraine? You couldn’t admit the truth, and now you want to lecture me on reality? HEGSETH: This is about diplomacy. We need a negotiated settlement.
ZELENSKYY: Diplomacy? Putin broke every ceasefire, every treaty, every promise. What kind of deal do you think he wants? One where Ukraine still exists?
TRUMP: You don’t have the leverage. You don’t have the cards.
ZELENSKYY: Because you keep taking them away—blocking aid, repeating Putin’s lies, pretending this war is already lost. VANCE: You should be grateful. The U.S. has given you a lot. ZELENSKYY: Grateful? My people are dying while you sit here demanding I smile and shake hands with my enemy? Gratitude will come when Russia is defeated.
HEGSETH: But Ukraine needs to be realistic. There are limits to what America can provide. ZELENSKYY: And are there limits to what Russia can take? Or do you just let them redraw borders by force?
TRUMP: It’s going to be very hard to do business like this, Volodymyr.
ZELENSKYY: Ukraine is not a business deal. We do not trade away our sovereignty. We fight for it. VANCE: But for how long? What’s the endgame?
ZELENSKYY: For us, there is no exit. We win, or we cease to exist. The only question is whether America stands with us.

Supercharged Energy Portal TONIGHT!

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I really hope we all have clear skies tonight so we can witness this special celestial event of an extremely rare seven planet parade. Our next opportunity won’t be until 2040!

Today is a powerful and magical day. Let’s focus on being positive and visualize our most desired outcomes.

Sending love and light and don’t forget to look UP!

Graphic credit to Alex Myles

Amoral Architects of Destruction

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That orange POS and his puppet master, Muckrat, are doing their level best to destroy America.

Not only have they fired thousands of government employees, in 2020 his administration delisted the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Some Federal protections for gray wolves were restored across much of the United States a couple years later, but a new threat to decimate the entire wolf population is real.

Regarding the environment and according to Defenders of Wildlife, President Biden took sweeping, historic action to permanently protect more than 625 million acres of United States ocean waters — and the wildlife living there — from the threat of offshore drilling.

Now the target of a Trump administration executive order to reverse course, coastal protections will be fought out in the courts, Congress and through engagement with the American public. At stake are protections for the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean in Alaska. Wildlife is caught in the balance.

You might think that’s bad enough,
but this is chilling...
Have you heard of the SAVE Act?

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act has been reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation would require all Americans to prove their citizenship status by presenting documentation—in person—when registering to vote or updating their voter registration information. Specifically, the legislation would require the vast majority of Americans to rely on a passport or birth certificate to prove their citizenship. While this may sound easy for many Americans, the reality is that more than 140 million American citizens do not possess a passport and as many as 69 million women who have taken their spouse’s name do not have a birth certificate matching their legal name.

Because documentation would need to be presented in person, the legislation would, in practice, prevent Americans from being able to register to vote by mail; end voter registration drives nationwide; and eliminate online voter registration overnight—a service 42 states rely on. Americans would need to appear in person, with original documentation, to even simply update their voter registration information for a change of address or change in party affiliation. These impacts alone would set voter registration sophistication and technology back by decades and would be unworkable for millions of Americans, including more than 60 million people who live in rural areas.

Additionally, driver’s licenses—including REAL IDs—as well military or tribal IDs would not be sufficient forms of documentation to prove citizenship under the legislation.

In short, the SAVE Act is disastrous legislation. The flawed leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives has declared that passing the legislation is one of their top priorities for the 119th Congress.

These are the actions of the amoral architects of destruction. The people who have now seized power are determined to throw the United States into mayhem.

Are you scared yet?

P.S. By the way, it will always be the Gulf of Mexico and Mt. Denali. We all know that those stupid decisions were just smokescreens for the real damage to our constitution, right?