Welcome to Chaos !!

I got this tea today at The Spice & Tea Exchange. I feel grateful for the tea.
Before I forget (again) I have been wanting to write about Nobel Peace Price winner (2018) Denis Mukwege. He shares the 2018 Nobel Peace Price with Nadia Murad. So Denis is that kind of a human being that makes you think, well it makes me think at least about my shortcomings as a human. He is amazing, he does so much good, he is brave, intelligent, educated, he helps others and makes an enormous difference. If you want to learn more about him you can do so easily online.
I have read his Nobel Lecture and if you want you can as well. I recommend reading it.
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2018/mukwege/55721-denis-mukwege-nobel-lecture-2/
Here is just a part of it,

"My name is Denis Mukwege. I come from one of the richest countries on the planet. Yet the people of my country are among the poorest of the world.

The troubling reality is that the abundance of our natural resources – gold, coltan, cobalt and other strategic minerals – is the root cause of war, extreme violence and abject poverty.

We love nice cars, jewellery and gadgets. I have a smartphone myself. These items contain minerals found in our country. Often mined in inhuman conditions by young children, victims of intimidation and sexual violence.

When you drive your electric car; when you use your smart phone or admire your jewellery, take a minute to reflect on the human cost of manufacturing these objects.

As consumers, let us at least insist that these products are manufactured with respect for human dignity.

Turning a blind eye to this tragedy is being complicit.

It’s not just perpetrators of violence who are responsible for their crimes, it is also those who choose to look the other way.

My country is being systematically looted with the complicity of people claiming to be our leaders. Looted for their power, their wealth and their glory. Looted at the expense of millions of innocent men, women and children abandoned in extreme poverty. While the profits from our minerals end up in the pockets of a predatory oligarchy.

For twenty years now, day after day, at Panzi hospital, I have seen the harrowing consequences of the country’s gross mismanagement.

Babies, girls, young women, mothers, grandmothers, and also men and boys, cruelly raped, often publicly and collectively, by inserting burning plastic or sharp objects in their genitals.

I’ll spare you the details.

The Congolese people have been humiliated, abused and massacred for more than two decades in plain sight of the international community.

Today, with access to the most powerful communication technology ever, no one can say: “I didn’t know”."

It makes me think about my own role on this planet and what I do or don't do to make things better or worse. I have more means to contribute and make better choices than the people who live in difficult conditions. I understand that their main focus is survival. But I am safe, I sleep in a warm bed and I eat every day. I can go and buy myself tea to enjoy later while laying on my couch. I can do more for others and for the world. Can you?
I know that Denis Mukwege won't read this but I am deeply grateful that people like him exist. Thank You for all that you do. You deserve every price and recognition there is.

Well.....Happy New Year everybody - 2019 is here. I started the morning of New Year's Eve with a vanilla latte, the last latte of 2018.



New Year's Eve was celebrated inside with food and friends, furry and human. It was fun and nice, I stayed up until 2 am and the first thing I ate after midnight was peppermint candy ice cream.
I got served breakfast in bed when I finally woke up because I am a real pillow princess, a cup of coffee and a bowl of blueberries and strawberries.



After lounging around the house and reading a bit....I am currently enjoying these three books by Jacqueline Frances, it was time for a walk on the beach. Hello 2019!



First sunset of the year.



Three pics of me from last year. Didn't the year go by fast, like always?







What can be said about 2018? I feel that it is becoming increasingly dangerous for women out there, where can one be safe? So many cases of absolutely senseless violence against women....all over the world. I used to want to explore the world and thought nothing of doing everything by myself. I don't know about that anymore. I rather be safe than sorry I guess.
As far as politics go....I agree with Noam Chomsky (what an interesting human he is!), "he characterizes the U.S. as a de facto one-party state, viewing both the Republican Party and Democratic Party as manifestations of a single "Business Party" controlled by corporate and financial interests." I think many feel the same way.
The last thing I ate today by the way was peppermint candy ice cream - ice cream what a yummy way to start and end the year.....



Here are a few more pics before the first day of the year is over.





I am hoping for a good year with positive personal growth and doing small things of niceness for others - animals, nature and humans. You know, in between just doing the regular everyday mostly mundane things that most of us have to do.

Another Christmas and another birthday came and went. I was actually due on December 25 but decided to wait until the 27 my Mom told me. This year I spent my Christmas and birthday on the beautiful Oregon coast. On Christmas Eve I walked the beach with the dogs.... Tomten was waiting. We had glögg. Hello Kitty sparkling rose, I just had to have it. The sun setting on my birthday. My beautiful love Chhaya, with me always and forever. ❤️ Then we left the beach only to return today, ringing in the New Year here.

It is getting late on Christmas Day.....everybody is sleeping except me and Tomten maybe?
Here is about half of the poem "Tomten" by Victor Rydberg and the English translation.
Enjoy and goodnight.
I hope everybody had a merry, nice and cozy Christmas. God Jul.

I put up some new collages on the boring walls in the club. Some fun and empowering ones....I like the empowering ones because I have heard so many negative opinions about dancers. Mostly from people that have no business opening up their mouths to say anything bad about anyone in the first place. Two great examples are some people that I used to know (but no longer and am I ever so grateful for that). The dude with the serious anger and drinking problem.....that ended up with the drunk slut (words by his own Mother). Nothing like pairing up with somebody that fits you well, congratulations! And that loud alcoholic who has so much positivity to spread.....she spread her legs all over her hometown in Illinois so much so that everybody had a try.
Those two certainly should keep their tobacco stained gaps shut.
I have met so many girls that dance who have their affairs well in order.





And some serious stuff about the state of today's society. It is not depressing....it is REAL.



I really like this palette by Urban Decay. These are on sale now.



Milk! We have milk for sale.....$50 an ounce and it sells like it is going out of style. 8 ounces equals $400. The baby can eat formula.



And before some self appointed moral police decides to call the health department, all the milk goes to the baby - we do not sell breast milk at the club, I am only joking. All we are selling and shelling out is some good old fashioned abuse.

I started my day with some tea and cookies and Townshend's Tea Company - so yummy and relaxing. It is my time to just slowly start my day, I read, think, plan my day, plot evil stuff (lol), write sometimes and relax.



My plan was to go and pay for some layaway Christmas gifts at Walmart today....Tyler Perry did that and I thought it was such a great idea and wanted to do it as well. Tyler spent about what POTUS gets in his yearly presidential salary. I can't match that amount but thought I would shell out about $150. Well.....guess my surprise when the lady working behind the customer service counter told me that the layaways had to be paid for and picked up by December 10. What? I think that is weird. What if you would want to get your kids some Christmas gifts and wait until about the second week in December, put the stuff on layaway with the intention to pay for and pick it up right in time for Christmas Eve? No, I guess that is not a possibility at Walmart, you have to do it before December 10. Whatever! I was annoyed. Now I am thinking I will give away some food and maybe some well needed items to a couple of homeless people in Portland instead. There are a LOT of homeless in Portland.



Winter Solstice today! And Capricorn season has begun. I am a Capricorn. Best sign in the zodiac.....