That Little Shit

I had a brother named John, who sadly, passed away quite a few years ago. Anyway, he used a term rather frequently; which is often enough that it has remained in my lexicon all these many years. John would call various creatures and even humans “that little shit” with varying degrees of disdain, amusement, and even affection.  This included everyone and anyone, anyone younger than he, family pets, it could be a long list.

my 6 pound tiny dog

The point of this is that I think of John every time I call my tiny dog “little shit” – usually with a combination of affection, amusement and frustration.  

I always think, too, of those who would find this repugnant, and laugh at them, because they are not aware that I even had a brother John.  And I think that John would laugh at them too. Lighten up!, and have a little sense of amusement.

It has to do with how we were raised, or rather who had a hand in raising us.  Even though we were from totally different generations, and what parts of that person became ingrained in our unique personalities.

Anyway, I think of my brother John, frequently with a certain fondness, for he was always kind to me.  I wish I could have a conversation with him.  There was never time.  Thankfully I did have some wonderfully honest conversations with his wife, another person who was always kind to me.

a song about a dog

She is a little shit! She's mischevious, and trouble. She's little, and she knows she's adorable, and she will look you right in the eye and let you know that she knows exactly how adorable she is.  That little shit!💗

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Say their name. Speak their story.

 

Edward

Valera

Betty

Marge

Elsie

Lillian

Mamie

Emma

Fritz

Sandy

Traci

Cliff

Carmen

Emily

Doris

Lisa

Sybil

Bobby

David

Verna

Valerie

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…some I held close,

…. some I conversed with…

…some I knew well,…

…..some I wish…..

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Carnivore for health

From a social media post of mine:

I know you all are probably tired of all posts I share about Carnivore and health.  This is more of the same....

This is my story:

I was diagnosed with Celiac disease in 2011. I struggled with that for a long time for several reasons...but ultimately, even being 99% gluten free, I was not getting better.  Yes, after all this time. Partly because doctors either do not listen, or do not care because they don't benefit from people being healthy.

Fast forward to 2023.  I finally managed to get in with a functional medicine clinic. It still took a few months, partly because they started treating me for conditions other than digestive issues.  Finally in 2024 I had an appointment with their Health Coach, and she recognized some of my symptoms.  They had me tested for SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) and the result was positive for methane SIBO.  SIBO is a nasty illness, tough to fight, possibly incurable.

After months of fighting SIBO by the recommendations of both the functional medicine clinic and a regular gastroenterologist clinic; I finally came across something different from their recommendations.

It's like you have to be 100% realistic, skeptical of Western medicine, and ready to try something radical in its simplistic return to the ways of our ancestors.  If you are not sick the doctors and hospitals don't make money - they are businesses, and they need to keep you sick so they can profit from it.

All artificial sweeteners are bad, they cause cravings, and medical issues.  But we are lied to that they are "safe" because if we're not sick doctors and hospitals don't make money.  I cannot stress this enough.

Carnivore.  That means no vegetables, no sugars or sugar substitutes, no grains, no fruit .. limiting certain dairy items.  And most of all locally sourced meat, eggs, and fats from a real butcher shop.  (Avoiding the grocery store can be an important step to achieving healthier eating.) note that I cut out all sugar substitutes and nearly all sugar about 6 months ago.

I am sharing this now because of what I have experienced in the last 36 hours.

Scheduled for a colonoscopy, I followed the gastro clinic instructions for the prep: 2 -10 ounce bottles of magnesium citrate, and a minimum of 28 ounces of Gatorade.  Both magnesium citrate and Gatorade contain sucralose.  Sucralose is a sugar substitute and, despite any information you may find: Sucralose is NOT safe.

All artificial sweeteners are bad, they cause cravings, and medical issues.  But we are lied to that they are "safe" because if we're not sick doctors and hospitals don't make money.  Medicine is big business and they don't care who gets hurt.

I was massively ill the night before the procedure, after consuming about 36 ounces of the 48 ounces required....  I was still ill from that this morning.  This evening, 8+ hours after the procedure, I feel like hell.  I had a meal after the procedure of a meaty skillet and bacon at a diner. I slept all afternoon and I am going to be going full on carnivore from here on.  After this experience with the sucralose I am ready.

Research carnivore.  It's a healthier way.

Here are links to a couple of Facebook people who are knowledgeable about Carnivore:

The Carnivore Gal

Carnivore Dad

note: As I prepare to share this blog post it has been 6 days since I drank the sucralose containing liquids, and I am still experiencing vertigo at times, sometimes severe enough that I nearly vomit. I have experienced this before, several years ago I had the same reaction to aspartame.  More than likely it will take a few weeks for this to pass.  I have learned my lesson – NO artificial sweetener is safe.

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added 6/7/25:

I didn't worry about the budget because I stopped buying the stuff that wasn't Carnivore....also I eased into Carnivore.  Rather than trying to make a drastic sudden change, I started by quitting almost all sweeteners except real sugar and then I worked on cutting down on the amount of sugar in a day, then I started eating beef, eggs, or bacon as my main meal of the day, I started fasting more hours a day.  My pain and inflammation have gone down drastically, and after many weeks of tinkering with my diet I have lost a few pounds.  Everyone is different...I am okay with slow weight loss - as long as the excess weight comes off.

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you can't have everything

I have reached a place where I feel like I am experiencing a reawakening of sorts. I feel more alert, alive, and aware.

Now that could be caused by some of the vitamins or supplements I take, as I change them up from time to time.  And I may have added something my body was lacking.

It's new energy.  It follows changes at work that lay a bit more responsibility on my shoulders.  Being super busy, and challenged at the job can be energizing too.

I don't have a memory of feeling more accepted by coworkers.  I mean a general cross section of fellow employees.  From the manufacturing guys to the president of the company; I feel accepted by these folks.  Despite the fact that I honestly do miss my former supervisor here, I am realizing that I may actually be happy here.

.... work's great ... home? not. so. much.  Oh well, you can't have everything.

I have more energy, and less aches and pains.  This is mostly due to diet and supplements.

I am doing modified carnivore again, which means that I eat mostly beef, which I am actually starting to crave.  I have been consuming far less sugar and almost no carbs these past few months.  I have not lost weight, but I feel better.  There is less inflammation, less pain; except that right knee... but I have not had a medical treatment for it in over 7 months. 

Anyway. that's the state of things in my life as we await a new administration in the United States of  America on January 18, 2025.

HERE IS A FUNNY:

THIS MADE ME LAUGH! -
IT'S EXACTLY HOW I WANT MY JOB TO BE

For years I have told anyone who asked 

that I want a job where there's ALWAYS something to do.  

I love to be busy at my job.

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The Turtle story

 It was a Friday morning when I came upon the turtle. 

I had left the house early, planning on arriving at work an hour early to make up for time taken off earlier in the week.

The drive was not terribly different from any other day, for the first mile or so. What I call a mile or so includes a major intersection followed by a winding road and a left turn to follow Bell School Road. 

The roads deserted I made the left turn and saw, on down the way, something dark in the roadway.  I wondered what is was as I noticed that it moved slightly.  Approaching slowly it finally became clear that the thing in the road was a fair-sized turtle.  Damn.  It’s crossing where the creek runs under the road through a culvert.  Why couldn’t it traverse the culvert!

I can’t simply drive around the thing,.. shortly the road will be swarming with morning commuters who think that they can drive as fast as they please.  I travel this way myself; twice every week day.  I do not want to see the turtle flattened and in view every day …

Since the roads are deserted here I stop the car, jump out, and approach the creature.

“Move!” I command it, knowing that won’t help at all, as the turtle stopped moving as soon as I stopped the car.

This turtle is not tiny – at least a foot across the shell – this would probably damage a car with low clearance. 

I reach down and start to grab and it jerks it’s head violently and snaps!  A snapping turtle, eh? Okay then, I will need to be quick.

I grab the thing on both sides, as far back from the head as possible, and rush to the other side of the road – the direction the turtle was heading when I arrived.  I toss it lightly into the deep grassy vegetation on the roadside and hurry back to my car.  A school bus has just turned onto this road and is approaching.

Quickly I get into the car, turn off the hazards, and then I realize that my hands stink from touching a damp creature,..holding onto it tightly, GROSS!!  I try some hand sanitizer as I drive slowly on toward the red light intersection.  No, that’s not good enough; I grab 2 tissues from the box on the passenger seat and use them to grip the steering wheel.  It’s a couple of miles to the nearest place where I can wash my hands.  Arriving at the new QuikTrip I rush inside and thankfully the ladies restroom is right by the side entrance – I wash my hands for several minutes, more than once.

Arriving at work several minutes later, I immediately go to the restroom and wash my hands again.  Oh what a stink that was!

And that is the story of the turtle.  June 7, 2024

Gloves ! haha! if only there had been time for that -- or time to think about taking a picture.

Alas, there are no shoulders on that road, no place to get out of the roadway.  

Sorry - no picture of the actual turtle I moved.  As for size, as best as I can remember my thumbs were not close to each other when I gripped the creature, there were at least 3 or 4 inches between my thumbs, and it was not terribly heavy.  I think that it was kind of shocked that I picked it up, it didn't do more than snap again as I was preparing to drop it.

It looked this this, but the one I moved was smaller than this.

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Smoking

 The girl, Margie, was only 14 years old.  She had started smoking at age 12, because her cousin Sheila, 3 weeks younger than her, smoked. 

“What brand do you smoke?” Sheila asked with a smirk, and a wink at her friend Shelly.

“Kools.” Margie replied too quickly.  She just said the first thing that popped into her mind.

The other two girls made a face at each other.

“Well, we can smoke Kools while you are visiting.” Sheila replied.

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So, now, at 14, and smoking Marlboro cigarettes, Margie had never actually inhaled while smoking.  This is about the day she decided to inhale.

Margie left the house early and walked behind the school located next door.  At the back of the building, out of sight of the street, she pulled the pack of Marlboros out of her jeans, drew one out of the pack, and lit it off a match.

Margie sat down on the low mound of earth and inhaled deeply.  Almost immediately it made her head spin.  The vertigo was extreme and frightened her badly.  She thought of Susan Hayward, the actress who had died from a brain tumor. Then Margie tried to stand up, but the vertigo got the better of her and she sat back down, afraid that she was going to vomit.  She looked at the cigarette in disgust, and broke the lit end off, stuffing the remainder of the cigarette back into the pack. 

She thought, “Oh my God, I’m dying!” and “what will I tell mother?”

She remained sitting on the low mound of earth for several minutes, and finally the vertigo passed.  After several minutes it dawned on her that inhaling the cigarette smoke had caused the vertigo. No one had ever told her that inhaling would have that effect. 

Feeling better with the vertigo passed, she got up and started heading for home.  

That was more than enough adventure for one day.

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www.quitassist.com/5-keys-for-quitting.

and I won't tell your name

Warmth.

Loving tender caresses each upon the other.

We were one once.

Holding hands was everything, my beautiful love.

In another life, long in the past.

I miss you.

In past lives.

I have loved you for a thousand years.

The dynamic is altered in different lives lived.

sometimes lovers, sometimes family

different each time.

Why were we separated.

I will search for you across all eternity.

Love never dies.

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I just want you to know who I am

"I don't want the world to see me

'Cause I don't think that they'd understand"

I won't tell your name

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"I have died every day waiting for you"

a thousand years

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sometimes sweet 

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