Happy Hour Observations and Like

Lead-off image was a print offered for sale at thrift (not bought by me). 

And on to the story, this is the fourth time this has happened to me. I will be out and about either at happy hour or thrift shopping, and a gentleman near my age will begin talking to me about his assets. Not his physical assets, his houses or boats, or the like. This must be a thing. 

An example, I like to shop for thrift shop CDs. I was doing my usual thing at hospice thrift when a man mentioned he was looking for CDs for his long drive to Cabo where he was building a house, and where he kept his sailboat. Another gentleman at happy hour said he kept busy in retirement with a cabin in Lake Tahoe, so he was maintaining two residences. My response, "That is a lot of work." 

I don't know quite how to react. I guess I am being hit on? IDK. I haven't flirted back yet with something like, "You need company at that cabin?" or a witty and charming response. I am simply flummoxed. Like a deer in the headlights. 

I can report an amazing couple near my age treated me to happy hour wine and tasty bites. I was so touched. The lady even gave me a hug when they left. I live for those types of interactions. Happy hour visits result in wonderful conversations with others about half of the time. The other half of the time is spent watching the activities at the bar and being alone. 

Finally, a tidbit when opening fortune cookies - add "in bed" at the end of the fortune. I had a fortune read along the lines "good things will happen next year" ..... IN BED! Arrrrggghhh. I have to wait until next year??😒

Aging Oddities

Prepping for the next reel @TamitheTerror on IG meant washing and brushing out the newest thrift shop wig. I have had a hay day with finding wigs and costumes at thrift this past month.

On the college front, there is only one class that works with my schedule - Painting 1. Fingers crossed I will be able to get into that one with registration this month. It would be my first in-person class after living rural and taking classes online for so many years. 

For years, I was with a go nowhere, do nothing partner. The only allowed activity was Fishing. Now, I hope to make up for lost time. 

I may have to give up playing Final Fantasy. My little hands can't take the repetitive use. My son said I am the only one he knows who injured herself playing an online game. I am going to try and reconfigure the xBox controller to shift heavy use to my left thumb. 

The same with craft projects. I may be able to sew from time to time. But quilting? Out. Needlework projects. Out. Another limitation of aging. 

A reason why I focus on my legs in exercise. My mother lost the ability to walk at age 88. I hope my theory of intense exercise will push my ability to walk well into my later years. 

It is the only time in your life where you can wake up injured and not have done anything strenuous the day before. 

Another oddity of aging, you seek out things that are familiar. In my previous life, I shopped at the Safeway in Martel, California. Now, I shop in a neighboring city's Safeway with the same layout as the one in Martel. Familiar places are comforting in a chaotic world. 

A shout-out to new and existing readers. Not sure where you are finding me, but lots of 👀on my little blogosphere! 

Applause Addict

Living for the sound of applause. It has been YEARS since I have heard the sound of applause for one of my performances. I recently sang a couple of karoake songs, and there is was - that sound of Applause. 

I don't want to anyone to steal my energy ever again. I spent too many years conforming to someone else's idea of what I should be. 

One downside to posting reels on Instagram. You never hear the audience reaction, only whether it is liked or not. 

I crave a live audience. I need to follow that path ...

Segueing to another topic: Proof that my mom was an AVON lady. Here is a rarity, the AVON Fragrance Demonstrator, a collection of all of the old fragrances. 

Brocade
Regence
To A Wild Rose
Here's My Heart
Somewhere
Unforgettable
Occur!
Pretty Peach
Topaze

Ending the post with a theater-based comedian. Gianmarco Soresi. Love Him!

Throwing in the Towel

This abstract was the first I completed with the art collective here in Folsom, California. I was going to give it away to thrift when my daughter noticed it and said she liked it. It was a warm-up to the other paintings queuing up for completion. 

I have two more canvases that reside in my bedroom closet. Both will be done in acrylic because oil takes so darned long to dry, especially in the wet winter. 

Acting and dancing activities are trending down for the holiday break into the New Year. 

As an aside, I saw a woman on a Sunday morning around 11:00 am with her male partner at In and Out Burger. She was dressed to the hilt. Not Sunday-morning-going-to-church clothes, I was trying to figure out where she was headed or where she had been. Picture this - black tight midlength dress and black open back stilletos. I was wearing my usual guerl uniform of yoga pants, t-shirt, tennis shoes, baseball cap, and backpack. If I had to wear her getup on a Sunday morning to attract a man - I'm Out. 

In fact, I am all done when it comes to man hunting. Yep, throwing in the towel. I am not in a position to allow anyone else in to my life. From damage done from the last one, to fear of further abuse from a new one. Best to let the chips fall where they have come to rest. 

I knew my Happy Hour activities would trend down. Now, I feel comfortable enough to have my beer at home and watch a movie or two. 

Another aside, the 55+ community where I live posted a Singles Meet and Greet. This from a facility where it is 90% women. Not surprising, the meet and greet was canceled for lack of interest. No one wants to get together with any of the male species here. 

Dating was a wonderful concept when I was younger. Now, a distant memory. 

Rebranded and Reworked

Rebranded with a new Instagram account @TamitheTerror. Removed the drunken story-telling posts. The former IG account was cluttered with random sewing/quilting, thrift shop item images.

Focusing on dance reels with me in character costume. Reworked a couple of reels. One showed up with the original song. I am getting it now. How to tape snippets and combine them in an Edits app. 

Since I am still working on comedy routine material, I don't think I can call myself a comedian. I removed that reference. While I may try out as a character in a play, I don't know if I will ever perform at an Open Mike. 

Swiveling to my Day of the Dead altar. These Dia de Los Muertos decorations have been up since the end of September. Pink skull is filled with See's Candies. 

Monster High doll Skelita Calaveras. My mother and father. Two of the five kitty cats.

My mom at the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee Festival and the hat she wore there. Her favorite candy honeycomb chocolate from Snooks in Folsom, California. 

All the items came from Home Goods in the image below with the exception of the $2 thrift store picture. 

Back side of the pub table shows off the flower arrangement and the Home Goods tablecloth.

This decor will be up for a couple more weeks, then Christmas takes over! 

Major Pullback

Deactivated my Instagram account. I know anything posted on the internet is open to ridicule. Not that any had come my way. Some still may, since there are reels of me doing silly stuff. I may re-brand with another name or do nothing at all. 

Continuing with the acting classes through the theater. Still debating whether I should continue with studio art or theater in college. It will be one or the other come spring. Grandbaby sitting takes up one day in the week. 

The image is one of my Little Kiddle dolls from childhood, K-Pop Demon Hunter socks, and a Dia de Los Muertos kitty figurine. 

See that little doll's expression, guerl limiting your happy hours. Sticking to Fridays only when there is an Uber ride home.👺   

Not a Single Life Advocate

There seems to be a lot of men bashing online. Women posting how delightful and wonderful it is to be single. Here are 5 reasons for married life (since I have experienced both):

1.    You don't have to face the world alone. There are tricksters, fraudsters, truly bad people to avoid at all costs. Having a partner deters some of that awful. 

2.    There are memories you share together. As a single person, it is your memory alone. 

3.    You have extended family. From someone whose family is very small, both my parents have passed, and I have one brother in another state who doesn't travel. 

4.    You can build wealth together faster than you can as a single person. Costs are shared, cutting down on expenses. 

5.    You know you are loved and you can safely love in return. 

Not a lot of reasons but there doesn't have to be because those listed above are BIG ones. 

If women keep ending up with the wrong type of man, maybe their man-picker is broken. Time to turn inward and question the attraction to substandard men. That gorgeous preener at the end of the bar has had a lifetime of having his way. 

I miss the mornings with a partner. Having coffee, just the small noises a person makes moving about the house. Having meals together, being able to cook for someone. Laughing together about something humorous that happened. 

No. I am not a single life advocate. I don't think people are meant to live alone. But I have fallen in to that percentage of people of women over 60 - over 50% of us are single. The odds of even being asked out on a date are just not in our favor. 

I will keep you posted. I haven't been on a date in over 20 years. I don't want to become someone's Grandma side piece. You know the one you ride in private, and hide in public.