Thoughts, Rants, and Musings

[reinventmyself]

at what point and what age did you reconnect with Arnold?

[Jibralta]

We got together in July 2012, after a couple months of hanging out and dating. We were both 35. We reconnected once before that, when we were both in our early 20s. But we were both dating other people at that time, so our relationship didn't move past friendship and we drifted apart.

[reinventmyself]

kinda sweet that the spark was always there despite the years 🤗

[Jibralta]

Somehow, I ended up watching a show called Couples Therapy on Amazon. The first episode was free. I didn't realize that it was just the first episode that was free. So, when the first episode ended and I saw that all of the subsequent episodes were locked behind a paywall I was confused.

And desperate.

And ultimately ended up signing up for a trial subscription to Showtime.

I may keep it for a month. I doubt I'll get through all three seasons in the trial period.

It's a really good show.

[Batya33]

Have you listened to Esther Perel's podcast?

[Jibralta]

Nope. I see she has a similar type of practice, though. Looks like something I'd be interested in listening to (if I could remember to listen to podcasts!!!).

I'm really impressed by Orna Guralnik's almost 'visual' understanding of relationship dynamics, and her ability to communicate them to her patients. I also love getting to know the patients, learning about their personalities, and seeing them interact with each other. Despite the problems that the couples face, you can almost always see how much they love each other, and why they got together in the first place.

[Jibralta]

2 minutes ago, Jibralta said:

I'm really impressed by Orna Guralnik's almost 'visual' understanding of relationship dynamics, and her ability to communicate them to her patients.

I'm also really impressed by the patients' understanding of their own relationship dynamics and their ability to communicate it to each other, and to the doctor. Many times, the descriptions are metaphorical and symbolic. Yet they are so accurate. It's really cool.

[Batya33]

1 hour ago, Jibralta said:

Nope. I see she has a similar type of practice, though. Looks like something I'd be interested in listening to (if I could remember to listen to podcasts!!!).

I'm really impressed by Orna Guralnik's almost 'visual' understanding of relationship dynamics, and her ability to communicate them to her patients. I also love getting to know the patients, learning about their personalities, and seeing them interact with each other. Despite the problems that the couples face, you can almost always see how much they love each other, and why they got together in the first place.

I listen while I clean and or go shopping.

[Jibralta]

 

[Jibralta]

We watched Grease 2 last night. Not exactly the best movie in the world... it's almost like two different directors had their own idea of what the movie should be, and then smashed their two ideas together in the editing room. There's this West Side Story -esque song and dance element--which is actually very good.* And then there's this weird biker gang subplot that just won't go away and stop annoying people.

I really don't know what happened to make this movie so weird, but I thought Michelle Pfeiffer stole the show. She was really good. Her character was great--she had no problem pulling off the tough-guy wiseass role. And she could really sing and dance!

I could see why my boyfriend has a crush on her. He didn't realize he had a crush. But I noticed it a couple of months ago when we watched Batman 2 (the Tim Burton one). He just lit right up when Michelle Pfeiffer entered a scene, and I thought Hmmmmm..... maybe this is why he likes Grease 2 so much....

Last night, I don't know what we were talking about, but I teased him about his crush and he was like, "What do you mean?" I told him about my evidence and he sort of smiled in a confused way and said, "Maybe I do have a crush on her...." And then somehow we ended up watching Grease 2 lol. It's not exactly the kind of movie he usually goes for, but apparently it was on whenever he was home sick from school. For that reason (and (let's be honest) because of his affection for Michelle Pfeiffer) he grew very fond of it.

Anyway, it's not the best movie, but I'm glad I watched it with him and he was glad, too.

________________

*and I don't even like song-and-dance movies

[Jibralta]

Man, I loved this song when I was a kid and I still love it today.

 

[Jibralta]

Good when listened to together.

 

[mylolita]

On 6/5/2022 at 10:33 PM, Jibralta said:

 

AWESOME!

 

If you ain’t drinkin’, then you ain’t playin’!

 

😍

[Jibralta]

13 hours ago, mylolita said:

AWESOME!

 

If you ain’t drinkin’, then you ain’t playin’!

I just love the whole vibe of that song and the video.

[Jibralta]

The female swan contracted botulism. Animal rescue workers removed her to a facility where they treated her for several weeks. When she recovered, they returned her to her mate. 💖

[mylolita]

On 6/14/2022 at 12:13 PM, Jibralta said:

I just love the whole vibe of that song and the video.

Lana Del Rey is awesome! 
 

I LOVE ‘Shades Of Cool’!!!!!!!

 

x

[reinventmyself]

On 6/3/2022 at 4:52 PM, Jibralta said:

Somehow, I ended up watching a show called Couples Therapy on Amazon. The first episode was free. I didn't realize that it was just the first episode that was free. So, when the first episode ended and I saw that all of the subsequent episodes were locked behind a paywall I was confused.

 

I saw a promo for that and wanted to watch it as well.  I'll be patient. So frustrating that streaming channels are now charging for better shows.  We'll end up being where we were when cable was the only option. 

[Jibralta]

I just watched Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey, a documentary about fundamentalist Mormons and their leader, Warren Jeffs.

It was good. Instead of obsessing over the sordid details of polygamy and child rape, it took a more dignified approach. It's still a tough story, though.

Arnold sat in to watch it here and there. It made him angry. When I was about halfway through the documentary, he asked me, "So what ever happened to Warren Jeffs?"

I said, "I think he's in jail."

Arnold replied, "I hope he has a lot of husbands."

🤣

[Jibralta]

I'm watching a Netflix documentary called The Pharmacist. It's a story about a man from St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, who recognized the danger of Oxycontin before most other people. It's quite an interesting story. 

The pill-mill villain of St. Bernard, Dr. Jaqueline Clegget, agreed to be interviewed for the documentary. What a vile, disgusting individual. Her license was suspended and she was eventually indicted. But instead of reflecting upon the criminality of her own actions, she feels sorry for herself!! She says she worked "too hard" to have it all ripped away. Like, what? I almost want to laugh, it's so ridiculous. But I can't laugh, because it's disgusting.

That's a true narcissist right there.

Later in the documentary, they played parts of the deposition of Richard Sackler. He couldn't look more disdainful and disinterested in what was happening. He reminded me exactly of Jeffrey Epstein when he was interviewed by detectives in Palm Beach. Everything is beneath him. Makes my skin crawl.

[Jibralta]

I've been binge-watching every documentary there is on Netflix about R. Kelly. I saw the headline about his sentencing on Google the other day, and was surprised he was still around! I thought he got busted for pedophilia 20+ years ago. 

I always hated the song "I Believe I Can Fly." After they (finally) stopped playing the sht out of that song on the radio, I figured his career was over. Apparently not. He was actually a MAJOR celebrity with millions of loyal fans, and loyal employees protecting him.

Yikes.

[Jibralta]

I'm flying out to Texas in a few weeks to meet my biological mother. She was diagnosed with lung cancer. The trip is going to be four days and five nights.

I'm flying into Texas early on a Thursday morning. The plan is to drive out to my Aunt Darlene's house and spend the night. This will be the first time I meet her in person. She is my bio-dad's sister. She reached out to me back in November. We'd communicated with each other briefly before that, but this time she was reaching out to establish more of a relationship.

On Friday morning, I'll drive out to where my biological mother lives. That's about two hours west of Darlene. I have a hotel room booked there for two nights. There are a couple of reasons I'm not staying with her, but mainly it's because she's hard to read and I don't fully trust her. I don't trust any of these people 100%, to be honest. 

On Sunday morning, I'll drive back to Darlene's. Hopefully, Darlene's daughter Sally, and my half-sister Samantha, will join us there for a small get-together. I haven't met Sally in person, but we've texted. I met Samantha last year, when she was in Pennsylvania visiting her in-laws.

I'll drive back to the airport on Monday and stay in a hotel there. Then, I'll fly back home early Tuesday morning.

That's the plan, anyway.

I hope it is a productive, pleasant visit and that I don't cross paths with any of the disdainful gawkers that have lurked in the periphery during the last five years. It would find that inconvenient. But of course, if I have to entertain them, I will.

I find it interesting to reflect on how life has changed me and made me more mellow. When I was younger, I would have been curious to meet the gawkers despite their limitations. But age and experience has taught me it's best to let sleeping dogs lie, even if they die in their sleep. I find that I am happy to let them die in their sleep. And that is a very peaceful feeling.

[maritalbliss86]

9 hours ago, Jibralta said:

There are a couple of reasons I'm not staying with her, but mainly it's because she's hard to read and I don't fully trust her. I don't trust any of these people 100%, to be honest. 

That makes sense, I wouldn't either unless it had been years and years of knowing them and understanding them and their motives, temperaments, etc.  I think you're being wise to protect yourself (emotionally/mentally since I'm sure you don't mean physically 😉).  

 

[Jibralta]

6 hours ago, maritalbliss86 said:

That makes sense, I wouldn't either unless it had been years and years of knowing them and understanding them and their motives, temperaments, etc.  I think you're being wise to protect yourself (emotionally/mentally since I'm sure you don't mean physically 😉).  

Interestingly, I'm usually a lot more open. I have healthy boundaries, street smarts, and I generally feel confident that I can defend myself physically. But I find the closed-off nature of these people to be taxing, and my patience for it has come to an end.

It is what it is!

[Batya33]

37 minutes ago, Jibralta said:

Interestingly, I'm usually a lot more open. I have healthy boundaries, street smarts, and I generally feel confident that I can defend myself physically. But I find the closed-off nature of these people to be taxing, and my patience for it has come to an end.

It is what it is!

Yes. I wish you a safe trip and that it goes smoothly!

[Jibralta]

On 6/30/2022 at 9:55 AM, reinventmyself said:

I saw a promo for that and wanted to watch it as well.  I'll be patient. So frustrating that streaming channels are now charging for better shows.  We'll end up being where we were when cable was the only option. 

I thought it was a great series. It was so refreshing to watch people listen to each other and learn how to understand each other. And it's nice to see a skilled therapist at work. Sometimes when I browse through this site I literally wince at the thoughtless, careless judgments that people make about other people. Such a difference when people make an effort to use their brains and try to understand each other instead of shut each other down!