mermaidcamp
Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water
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War On Drugs
August 9, 2017
— 1 Comment
Getty Image The Trump administration will not declare a public health emergency related to the opioid epidemic, dismissing the top recommendation his own blue-ribbon commission called for a week ago. The commission argued such a declaration was critical to unlock emergency funding and expand treatment. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price said at a…
Masters Of War
August 9, 2017
— 1 Comment
arms
The masters of war have gathered armies before.
The youth have been sacrificed in other generations to satisfy the desires of rulers greedy for more power, control, wealth.
As times change value comes and goes, while control is more elusive.
The digital reality of our big data and big vulnerability sets us up for conflict and invasion by enemies.
The new definition of war and the lowered probability of peace has altered the course of history.
Ancient weapons of ignorance and separation are still in use. Placing blame is still the most common excuse for leadership.
It is futile for us to worry or vex ourselves about our fate. Sadly, it is in the hands of some dangerous hombres.
#WeekendCoffeeShare Editing Possessions
August 7, 2017
— 1 Comment
stone
If we were having coffee this weekend I would invite you to sit back and overlook the chaos going on in the house. I am in the middle of moving my furniture for a more practical and useful arrangement. I am also still editing all kinds of items for give away. I have a small haul to take to Goodwill tomorrow. I have been lucky in that some of my friends have desired some of the things I no longer cared to keep. This happy situation was enhanced by our city brush and bulky pick-up of larger items curbside. I made good use of it. We could already achieve the goal of parking both of our cars in the garage now if we had to do it. Since there is still much shifting, moving and arranging to do, it is easier with just one car in there.
Some shelves and storage units that had fallen into uses that did not really suit their original design are being moved to places in the house that make much more sense. When I complete the overhaul and elimination I think our space will be much more enjoyable. I know I will be able to find things more easily when I need them. I already can. My office is one of the spots in need of a tidy and clearing. I always feel good and am more productive when my office is clean and free of clutter. I am hoping the muse will move in and inspire like crazy once the office is spic and span. She has been okay lately, but nothing to write home about..I have done a little fiction and some poetry. I did not post every day last week, but such is life. I am leaning more toward poetry this year, and I like the trend. I used to be so factual all the time.
Every week has a different feeling and rhythm. I am settling into my job and my new car. It is still perfect weather for my friend and I to work out in my condo pool 3 times a week from 5-7 am. Soon the water will cool down and in September we will have to move to the jacuzzi. This is my favorite time of year. The summer is fading, but it is still raining a little. The plants are green, and some of the washes are still running. All in all, this has been a healthy rainy season. We had no big destructive storms, but received a good amount of rain in a steady manner.
I am listening to a course on Audible on the history of human gastronomic evolution. It is fascinating. I am learning so many new ways to look at cultures by understanding how food defines civilizations and times in history. We are still constantly evolving, although some might say our food is devolving in America today. I am also listening to Penny Marshall’s autobiography read in her own voice. It is a great story, but the voice of LaVerne telling about youth in the Bronx is also a real treat. It is called My Mother Was Nuts. I highly recommend it even though I have not finished it.
It looks like our hostess Diana has taken a weekend break. She has a new full time teaching job and must need to organize herself. I am sending this on Monday morning, so all the rules have been set aside for the week. Thanks for sharing coffee and your news. Please catch up with the rest of the gang on twitter under #weekendcoffeeshare.
Wonder
August 6, 2017
— 1 Comment
space
Inside the circular passage the whispers bounced
Off the reflections of the insinuations left by the past
Inner balance outer strength come with hard choices
When clouds obscure the top of the peak it is unclear
If there is a reason to climb today to the higher ground
Did pioneers or invaders carve this path on which we travel?
#WritePhoto Who’s Watching?
August 3, 2017
— 10 Comments
watchers
The soldiers scrambled down the rocky terrain and spread out to hide in ambush. They had a secret mission to intercept a currier who was carrying supplies to the enemy general in the field. It was uncertain when the delivery would be made, but they had reliable intelligence about the location. A spy had infiltrated the opposing camp to listen in on planning and strategy conversations. Espionage was rather crude in that era, and extremely dangerous. The young man who had been sent to gather information had to remember it and relay it in person to a contact. This required regular escapes from the camp, as well as returning in secrecy to his tent after the clandestine meetings. He was chosen for his speed and his ability to make his way in the dark in silence.
He was never raised to be a spy. His family was famous for long distance running and athleticism. His brothers all joined sports teams and became stars. He planned to follow in their footsteps, but had been drafted into the army when the war broke out up north. He did not want to go, but since his family felt strongly that he should, he agreed to join the military effort. His politics had not yet developed, but he suspected that the war and strife was absorbed by the poor while seeming to benefit the rich. He did not really believe in defending this state of affairs, but was caught in a trap. He hoped that the war would somehow liberate him. He longed to leave the island and never return.
As the afternoon died he made his way through the woods to meet his contact at the prearranged time. He only had a short window of time because he would be missed if he was not back for dinner. He felt scared this time. Something just felt wrong that day. As he snuck around the bend to the appointed meeting place he was shot in the back by his own brothers in arms. The arrow that pierced his heart was shot from the bow of a counter-spy who had infiltrated his platoon while he was busy in the opposing camp. He died instantly.
#writephoto
Please join writers from around the world each Thursday at Sue Vincent’s Echo for an inspirational photo. Find these stories and poems on twitter using the hashtag #writephoto. This diverse group interprets the photo with great creativity and insight. Read, write, or comment to join the party.
#WeedWednesday Shatter
August 1, 2017
— 1 Comment
One of the concentrates available on the market for medical marijuana patients is called shatter. It is a butane extraction of dried plant material. The solvent butane dissolves and extracts the active ingredients from the plant. After the solvent is evaporated through a distillation process, the product is aged in a vacuum oven to further remove any residual solvent that remains in the product. The highly concentrated shatter can then be used in various ways, including smoking it. It is ready to be absorbed easily by the body in this form, and therefore delivers a fast acting onset. For those who want to smoke very little for maximum benefits, shatter is one way to achieve that goal. A little bit goes a long way.
At our dispensary, Desert Bloom Re-Leaf Center, shatter is available in many strains. The flavor as well as the effects are preserved by this method. The essence of the plant’s active ingredients are harnessed for concentrated use. Start with a single low dose to find out for yourself how best to use shatter for your condition. Your bud tender will assist you in selecting a strain that matches your needs, and show you how to use shatter.
Sails Under Stars
August 1, 2017
— 1 Comment
nature
nature
nature
How does the navigator read the map of the stars at night?
Do the winds and tides hold secrets used to predict a fight?
We have little knowledge of our history, and even less of our fate
This ship on which we are sailing is loaded down with pieces of eight
Stolen from pirates in the last century down on the Outer Banks
Our treasure has become our curse as we labor without thanks
Our masters run a cruel ship, violently whipping the crew
We would have never joined their side if we had known what’s true
Hacked
August 1, 2017
— 1 Comment
spamalina
As soon as we opened the office door the phone rang
The voice on the end of the line spoke Chinese
Asked us for a currency exchange rate off the bat
We had nothing to sell and felt creepy about buying
Anything sold over the phone in a foreign language
We passed on the offer then turned up the tunes
Proceeded to finish the task at hand in high spirits
Nobody knew what the communication had meant
We wondered how those people knew our number
After the work slipped away and we lost our livelihoods
We found out they had hacked our system with that call
Our data was used to design a cheap knock off product
That ran our establishment completely out of business
#WeekendCoffeeShare Lazy Muse Edition
July 30, 2017
— 6 Comments
reflection in my pool
If we were having coffee this weekend I would invite you to sip a long glass of iced tea or coffee. The weather is muggy and the ground is muddy. My ambition is active in starts and fits. Last weekend was extremely successful in the possession purge department. I unloaded a big car, loads of fabric, twofold funky floor cleaning machines, and about 300 pounds of glassware. We went to the used book store with our DVD’s, but only a small portion were accepted for trade. The initial phase was exciting because as items left the house, more was revealed that needs to go. I did uncover space in the garage and in some cabinets in the house, but I am not even 10% into the work that I need to do. It is exhilarating to see the empty space appear. It will be even more exciting to clear out the barn and sell the lot across the street. The financial reward will be more than worth the effort. I will perceiver.
With all the extra emphasis on physical things, my muse decided to be lazy and fickle. I wrote very little this week while I settle into my work and commute schedule. I made some excuses about all the “work” I have to do. I admit that this is pure malarkey. My commute is an easy 20 minute straight shot, and my work is fun. Plenty of people go to school full-time and work full-time and get graduate degrees. Surely I can work a tiny part-time job while purging my possessions and still find time to write. I am putting this muse’s nose to the grindstone in the coming weeks. It is better to write something, even if it is not my best work, than to skip too many days. How do you handle your productivity issues? Does your muse just lounge around and refuse to work? Today I am working a shift on Sunday so I can take a full day off for my facial tomorrow. Ms Muse should realize she is living in a very privileged and pampered being, and be more grateful. If I discipline her she just leaves. I can usually squeeze a poem out of her as she exits, but there is no telling when she plans to return. She is a lot like me.
While I fill your iced tea glass, tell me how your life and writing are going. I hope you are feeling more productive than I am now. Are you looking forward to the next season (back to school for some) or treading water? I love summer because I spend so much time in the pool. I don’t really mind the heat because I have a pool at my condo village I can use 24 hours a day. I am very fond of moonlight dips. The water cools off in the middle of September, ending the nighttime enjoyment. Until then I can be found in the deep end, thinking deep thoughts, teaching the muse to swim.
#WeekendCoffeeShare
Please join us each week for #WeekendCoffeeShare, hosted by Diana at Parttimemonsterblog.com. Share your news and catch up with the gang on the weekends here. The feast is moveable and the drinks are all digital and calorie free.
#WritePhoto Last Windmill
July 27, 2017
— 9 Comments
the last windmill
The pump beneath the windmill brings water to the fields
Narrow streams flow gently between the grain and weeds
Sustaining this small patch of land was easier in the past
Today we watch industry sprawl then collapse just as fast
In our youth we did not imagine this could happen here
That the last windmill in service would be held so dear
Ceremonies and pageantry now commemorate the times
When Mother Nature spoke to us in stories and in rhymes
#writephoto
Join writers from around the world each Thursday to respond to the photo prompt generously provided by Sue Vincent on her Echo blog. Read, write, and comment here on last week’e entries.
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