Do You See What I See?

Nope.

My eyes see. Your eyes see. They are different visions and different perceptions of what we each see (google Rashomon).

When I look into a mirror or any other reflective surface, I see the opposite of what you see looking at me. We may see colors or light (which determines color) differently.

What I hear is based on my own ears, my own brain, the sound resounding within my ear. I hear my own voice in a different manner than you do because it's in my head. Record it and it's different that what I heard. Many say they hate their recorded voice because deep within, they know they don't sound like that. Others hear a voice that is different from what I 'know' I sound like. That voice I know as mine is different than the unspoken voice in my mind, even. Music will never be heard the same by any two individuals and you'll never really know what you sound like. Pop! Mind blown.

My sense of smell is different than yours. You may like how raw eggs smell. It makes me gag. But I like mayonnaise (google it). Brussel sprouts are another. Meat cooking makes some mouths water and others run for a toilet to unswallow their lunch. No matter how expensive or wonderful my perfume is, Hubs says smells like bug spray.

I taste a beet or banana and think, Yum. You may say Yuck because of your "taste buds" or because you hate the texture. I avoided watermelon for years because the texture was 'wrong'.

Feeling hair or fur comforts many but there will always be those who self-describe 'freak-outs' at the thought of touching a brick wall or a piece of coral.

How then, do we communicate anything ever?? It's a miracle we are able to exist together at all, when you consider the basics of what we consider living, daily. It's a miracle we can accomplish anything together. It's not as if we locate and are only within the group that has the exact same sensory reactions as we do.

Human sensory actions are as varied as every hair on a head. We can call them all hairs but they may react in unique ways. Group mentality is a phenomenon that speaks to a basic emotion in many, seek pleasure and avoid pain. If it's broken in any manner, everyone walks away to live their lives as they are made to.

We force ourselves to forge ahead in uncomfortable, irritating, or fearful situations to 'fit' in, overcome an internal or external resistance, or for survival.

If, for instance, Bird Box were real, and you had to blind yourself or die, your decision would largely be based on what the others around you were doing to survive. Unless you are one of the critical thinking creative analyzers who looks for other answers, you would gladly blind yourself, leaving your other senses which aren't foolproof, to take over. Never mind senses, you'd have to trust others around you to help keep you from harm. There is no 'sense' for that, there is only faith.

How important is it in our daily lives to trust in that way? I may have said before in a post, we trust everyone will stay in their lane on the freeway. We trust we'll wake up every day. We trust the surgeons, dentists, policemen, judges, politicians and the pizza guy to do the right things. We have more childlike innocence than we like to admit. If we didn't, what would life be like? Would be able to rent or buy a home? Would you be able to feed yourself without others to taste your food first like a King? Would you trust the clothes you wear won't irritate your skin or give you cancer? Would you leave your house knowing a big fiery ball is in the sky beaming down on you? Will it fall? Do you trust the scientists? Were the steps or elevator leading to your home built safely?

One can drive themselves insane without trust, without faith.

Trust your own eyes, ears, and opinions, then. Trust the research you do to discover the truth and come to your own conclusions. Be able to discuss or debate, if necessary, for your own well-being and advocacy. Ask questions of everyone, not only to show interest or start fights (especially if you have no desire to hear the answer), but to gain knowledge. The knowledge you gain is compared and weighed against other information you find to land on what is known as Common Sense. Following others is wise at times and at others, foolish.

Just because someone says it enough times repeatedly doesn't make it true. Just because you are around a majority that say so doesn't make it true. Just because that person is the loudest or most persistent doesn't either. Think.

That's the only message I ever really want to get out here is to encourage thinking for oneself. I think out loud here. Take it or leave it. That's the Free Will we have and should use.

Sucarichi Reboot Challenge? Trust like you trust every day occurrences. Listen to the 'other' side and see what, if anything, makes sense. Look for the reasons behind the messages, the hidden or not-so-hidden agenda that everyone has. It has nothing to do with paranoia but with info-gathering from reliable sources. Is what you find a benefit or a detriment to you and yours and All? Educate yourself on topics currently foreign to you to see the wider impacts. Revisit History to see mistakes are being repeated.

As the kids say, "Stay woke". It's more important than you think. See?

Breathing in 2019

Hello. I'm a news junkie. I think if anything ever happened to our way of life, the only survivors may be really strict Amish people.

So....there's that.

The goal for 2019 and forward is to remain aware of the happenings of our Country but include the rest of the World even more than I do now. I merely have to do it in a less obsessive way.

Currently, I can tell you every action, theory and prediction of politics, names of the players, and my thoughts and philosophies about it all. Breathe.

I run on all cylinders with the volunteer work I do with the Guardian ad Litem Program in my County. Breathe.

My home is undergoing a rehab of monumental proportion (overdrama, much?).

What is in the home is to be used up. What is not wanted will be sold or donated. What is in the kitchen pantries and fridge will be eaten. What takes up precious space in my small home is leaving. What is not recyclable or reusable or up-recyclable will not make it into my home. What is plastic will not be purchased for my home, nor will chemicals for cleaning it. Hello, DIY! I will no longer use paper towels, paper plates, plastic utensils or straws, and disposable cups. Looking closely at the packaging of items I buy and making some big changes!

Simultaneously, my body is undergoing a rehab.

What is not, technically, 'food' will not enter my body (Bye-bye, Coca Cola and fast food!). I'm cooking even more at home. In fact, I'm growing and re-growing some of our food.

AND...Breathe.

It sounds like a lot to take on all at once, doesn't it. Did that make you feel uncomfortable and squirmy? Did it make you annoyed with me? Good. Didn't want to feel all of that all by myself!

Here's the part where the annoyance may increase. I really don't have that far to go to be lower-waste at home and didn't realize I'd taken on the task many years ago! Being old-fashioned about a lot of areas of life, I follow my Grandmother's and Great-Grandmother's methods of living (except for paper towels. My Grandma went through a LOT of paper towels! Like, forests full.)

In considering all of the new year plans, I embraced the name of "Collector of All Things Glass" given to me by my husband. My glass jars have been in use for years for storage in pantry and fridge instead of plastic fake Tupperware. Now, I will fill them from the bulk area of the grocery stores.

I wash my dishes by hand, although I own a dishwasher (that has never been used except for storage!). I make my own hair and beauty products and cleaning supplies already, use cloth rags (old t-shirts) for cleaning/dusting, cloth napkins (but need to make more) and the car only when necessary. I use essential oils, a stainless steel straw, make my own toothpaste, use leftovers and veg scraps (for stock!), carry cloth grocery bags, shun Styrofoam, use a refillable water bottle and have a simplified life with less and little shopping because that's how I roll,  Finally, just before the year ended, (don't hit me!) I found the easiest recipe for making delicious bread, EVER! I'd never considered all of this is part of  how we travelled to Berlin, Prague, Amsterdam, and London in 2018! I never considered I was well on my way to zero-waste living. That's not my goal yet, of course. Not yet.

So what's left? Breathe.

Will purchase a reusable razor like men used in the olden days. Make those cloth napkins I mentioned earlier. Use up all products in the house before buying new or making new ones. Make the small repairs in my garments instead of tossing out and buying new clothes until absolutely necessary. Plant the seeds and grow nutrient-dense sprouts, more regularly. Shop the thrift stores. Bake the bread when this store-bought plastic-enclosed loaf is gone. And, Gloriosky!...SAVE the money I'm not spending on all of the above for a wonderful memory, like another vacation! That'll be another challenge to see how I can travel with this mentality. I know it can be done. I will take the last of the nonrecyclable items used up from the house, including makeup, and dump it with the promise of "nevermore". Then I will go forward with a lighter heart.

And.....Breathe.

Although, my husband's pleased that on the 5th day of 2019, I've only spent $8.93, including $4 for valet parking and tip, I'm already tap-dancing on his last nerve with these discoveries because I now talk about them instead of just doing it. Like me, he'd never noticed. He only appreciated having a wife that doesn't have the 'shopping gene' women are supposed to have. In confronting him with our lifestyle, it's been the equivalent of introducing myself to everyone as a Vegan before my name (You know who you are!). As with everything, it's better to live it without words than talk about it.

HOWEVER.....I helped deliver a beautiful little baby in December and pushing me to think of the kind of world she will live in. It's changing so fast and being ruined at a speed I fear we will never be able to backpedal and correct the damage. At least I can say, I did a little less damage in my later years.

Doing what I can with the information that's out there and encouraging everyone to do so, no matter how much. Our ancestors did fine with less. I laugh when I see how going backwards in methods of living has become cool but I'm cheering young people on vigorously! When I see ridiculous prices for reusable items, it's not so funny. Keep it simple. One step at a time. It's not necessary to start all at once with all new stuff. Find a single difference in your own life that can be made that isn't inconvenient, uncomfortable, or impossible for YOU but still effective.

That's the Sucarichi Reboot Challenge for 2019. Wishing us all good luck!