The Forgotten Era: TRIASIC PERIODS

HAPPY New Year 2018! Goodbye, 2017...

Another New Year is suddenly upon us - so much has happened this past one... 

CAUSALITY:  Everything that happens here has its origins in the past.  Therefore, also, what we do today sets the path for the future. ~unknown author

*** NEW YEAR BLOG 2018

So many famous people that I ‘grew up with’ died in 2017:  Mary Tyler Moore, Bill Paxton, Robert Guillaume, Sam Shepard, John Heard, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Don Rickles, Dick Gregory, Jerry Lewis, Monty Hall, Chuck Barris, Glen Cambell, Greg Allman, Chris Cornell, Hugh Hefner, ‘Sir’ Roger Moore, John Hillerman, Della Reese, Jim Nabors, Martin Landau, Erin Morgan, David Cassidy, and Tom Petty all died within this past year; and Actress Rose Marie (from the Dick Van Dyke Show) just died this past Thursday at the age of 94.

Just this month...

12-4-17: Record HIGH temperature in Texas today… 84 degrees!  Previous record, 83; turning cold (50-35) for the next two or three days, and then warming up again.

Stock markets hit an ALL TIME HIGH today as well; credit given to Trump.

12-5-17:  45,000 acres now burning in Southern California (Ventura); sparked just last night, it exploded and has burned approximately one football-field-sized portion of land every SECOND throughout the night!  Thousands of fire fighters, now battling this blaze.  At this point, it is still “0% contained.”  (Last I heard, the fire was only nearly 80% contained; it had burned over 500,000 acres and isn't expected to be under control until sometime after the new year.) "God bless All Those left homeless" Middle-ground Ministries YouTube Channel - best wishes for 2018.

UNBELIEVABLE!  12-5-2017:  Today on “The Today Show” they announced Time Magazines ‘Person of the Year’ – ‘The Silence Breakers’ they are calling them… it is a tribute to the women, known and unknown, who stepped forward to complain about sexual harassment in their workplace (and they were many of them), which opened the door for the masses of women AND men now coming forward to admit that they too had been sexually harassed or even assaulted in the past; this phenomenon has spread across genres from Hollywood producers to media moguls and large corporate executives to the political ring.  Megyn Kelly just asked her audience, since we don’t have to be afraid anymore, if any of them had ever been sexually harassed or assaulted, to stand up; THE ENTIRE ROOM STOOD UP.  Unbelievable.  It’s time for this to STOP. #MeToo

(Personal Journal entry)

12-11-2017:  I just got back from my second residency... five days in Dallas, on the campus, going to classes 8am to 6 pm - exhausting, but, with my Velvet's assistance, I did alright. Actually pretty good, really. The Associate Dean actually pulled me out of a class to talk to me and said she has noticed such a difference in my level of confidence and the way I was able to speak (for our table) in front of the whole room for a little 'excercise' we did, and just the way I was interacting with other people COMPARED TO the first Residency (a year and a half ago). She said I hold a special place in her heart because I've spoken about my social phobia and other mental illnesses and I'm willing to admit that it is a part of WHO I AM. She even said she "loved" me! And I said, "I love you too," short of sobbing.

Tears were slowly rolling down each cheek... it was strangely awesome; she said, when I graduate, if she can arrange it, SHE wants to be on that stage and wants to be the one who "hoods" me? I'm not even sure what "hooding" is, but she said it is something special for the Doctoral level graduates; a big honor, apparently. I was kind of awe struck. Then she assured me I would still get credit for the class, and I wasn't missing anything because I was ahead of most of the group in my courses having already finished all of my 'research' courses - and this was a class on Methodology. It was truly a neat experience, both frightening and exhilarating at the same time. I don't know how else to explain it. I really can't believe, myself, that in just under two years now I will actually BE a "Doctor of Counseling, Psychology & Social Sciences" (Lol). My Degree is an "EdD" however; because it is in the educational field. Qualified to treat patients, of course; but my specialty is in Pastoral Counseling, however, just a different type of degree than a PhD... same level, if that makes sense. Anyway, things are getting better and better for us all the time (I sense I am 'on track' with whatever this mission it is that I am on) and I KNOW things are going to be good - every thing will work out, as it should.

12-11: Still so tired …. I may have missed a few things outside today, though I did spend time out there.  It was so pretty again; like 74 degrees today – the wind was blowing steadily but softly.  The boxes are starting to fill up the living room; we’re going to have to make a trip to Kasey’s soon to take the gifts.  The kids are going to freak out when they see the size of them!  

12-25: Had a lovely Christmas Eve and Christmas morning; the kids LOVED the beanbag chairs... Kasey posted all over Facebook that they were the biggest hit 'n a great idea, including pictures of the kids lounging/ sleeping all over them.  Nice.  COLD TODAY - omg!  I think it actually hit freezing last night (apologies to those in the North/ Northeast... I know that seems mild to you).

We arent supposed to get above 40 degrees until January 2nd, according to my phone weather app; that sucks!  The kritters are so cold, and when I go out to feed, I can't stand to stay out there and spend time with them so then I feel bad... but I come back in and stand in front of my heater.

Kuddley Kritters

12-30:  COLD all week; COLD all over - they say there are at least 19 states affected by this deep freeze - weathermen are calling it an "Arctic Invasion."  I hope it passes quickly!

12-31-2017:  NEW YEAR'S EVE... !!!  Be Safe Everybody! ~Dennel

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2017 - November ...SO MUCH Going On!

11-06 (early a.m.):  The Emperor of Japan is speaking right now; Trump is visiting Asia this week.  He says he doesn’t believe Japan and the United States have ever had such a strong bond… he calls him Donald.  He says they support us 100%, even if we have to take military action against North Korea; he says we need to put maximum pressure on North Korea right now to relinquish their nuclear and missile development.  He talked about their dinner together being so enjoyable that the “almost forgot how time flew.”  That’s cute.  President Trump is speaking now; he says it’s been great to be there, thanking the Japanese Emperor for his hospitality. 

(Excerpt: A Letter to Heaven, Part 4, 'The Journey'):  "Yesterday; a 26-year old Air Force veteran… discharged dishonorably in 2014, who lived close to the area, shot and killed 26 people and injured 20 others in a church service today in Sutherland, Texas.  Ten of the injured are in critical condition, and one child has died.  My God, what is wrong with this world?  They say he has no apparent links to “terrorism” but what else do you call this??  Dressed in black, a black mask with a skullface, wearing armor and armed with assault weapons, he shot a couple people outside and then went into the church shooting.  They say he walked almost all the way up to the front, shooting all the way up and all the way back out… an average of 50 or so people attend that church every week; he shot 46 of them ages 18 months to 77 years.  It’s all the news is talking about today.  It’s said to be the worst church massacre in United States history; definitely in Texas history.  Almost twenty-four hours ago, as I sit and write; the thought of it is overwhelming.  The people being interviewed, talking about the horror of it all, it brings me to tears; and we may never know why for sure.  He is reported to have had some type of mental illness, and had been charged with domestic violence before; his wife’s parents attended that church, although they don’t appear to have been there yesterday.  There is some talk of “atheism” but whether it’s because he was atheist and just taking his anger out on random believers, or what, is not yet known.  Officials say there is no religious motive so far as they know, though; they are blaming “bad blood.”  The sheriff reports that there were some domestic issues going on between him and the in-laws.  Apparently he had been sending the mother-in-law threatening texts, so you have to wonder if it was somehow related, but then why.  Why yesterday?  Why their church, but not them?  The Pastor spoke, vowing to keep worshiping God no matter what danger comes; he ended with a prayer.

I spent the day with Eric today – picked him up from the halfway house on a 12-hour pass; it was good to see him, and he looks really good.  He’s put some muscle on those scrawny arms and built up his back and chest quite a bit; he looks happy, he looks clean.  He says he thinks he has it knocked this time.  He claims he has no desire to go back to using.  This makes me hopeful, but then hearing him talk with Kristofer about the ‘trips’ they had on acid before he went to prison make me wonder if he will ever be over it.

11-07 (4:40 AM) Just woke up - Anderson Cooper is on, talking about what is now being referred to the biggest mass church shooting in U.S. history, which came only weeks after the biggest mass shooting in U.S. history, the Las Vegas shooting… he is interviewing the mother and sister of a sixteen year old girl that was shot at the church.  They described what a wonderful person this girl was; she wanted to be a neo-natal nurse because she loved caring for babies.  Her mom said she was so excited to graduate and get on with her career; the sister described her as “kind of annoying” but “sweet” and “generous.”  Anderson asked them, “how do you go on after losing someone like this?  They replied, “we don’t know… we are trying to figure that out.”  They added, “things will never be the same.”  I found myself blurting out, “no they won’t.”  Tears began to flow.  It hurts no less today than it did years ago; I still miss you every day.  You are the driving force behind almost everything I do now; my life was forever changed the day you died.  My prayers go out to these people now suffering the same challenge."

11-10-2017: So many things going on in the world right now… Russia, Trump, all of Asia loves him it seems, shootings, riots, confusion over the confederate flag/ civil war, statues and monuments being taken down and removed from public parks (as if we can erase our past by not acknowledging it), and now, I hear there is a petition to get rid of the national anthem because “it’s racist”?  What is going on people?

11-14… 80 degrees today; average 68.(15^th) slight cool down (16^th) warm again, 78

11-17: Another influential man in Hollywood has been accused of sexual harassment… of another man. Terry Crews tells a story of being grabbed by the genitals when he attempted to shake his molester’s hand after a party _ years ago….Two more woman have made accusations against Roy Moore (candidate for senate); he still denies it all and refuses to drop out of the race, even though other politicians have called for him to do so.  I believe people will support these women and vote accordingly anyway.  This opens the door for ANYONE to safely tell if they have been violated by anyone else, regardless of status.  Louis CK, Harvey Weinstein… Kevin Spacey; crazy. Contracts being cancelled, movie release scrapped, sponsors pulled out, indefinite banishment industry wide pretty much for all of them – and more accusations still being made every day.  What a time we are living in… it’s about damn time all that crap stops.  People need to be held accountable for their actions, everywhere, at all times and that’s all there is to it.

11-20-2017:  On Late Night with Seth Meyers tonight, the first guest stated something I found to be quite poignant at this particular point in time: “The reckoning now, the tsunami... the crashing of all these pent up secrets and rage and righteous indignations that women have had to bear – and not just women, now men too, as we are learning in the case of Kevin Spacey and others… is connected to what happened a year and a half ago… [*speaking of when our current president admitted to doing the same thing, and sixteen women made accusations against him, and now, the fact that Trump won’t even comment on the accusations against Roy Moore] …he [Trump] doesn’t actually care about what happens in the world; he just wants the attention on him.” ~Chris Hayes

(Excerpt: A Letter to Heaven, Part 4, 'The Journey'):  Working on my book again tonight (Part 2); I’ve tried to put in time now and then this year, and quite a bit more lately… aiming for January 5, 2018 to have it published.  You would have been 55 on that day, once again, seemingly two years older than me (even though I would catch up to only ‘a year’ apart eight months later (for those next four months).  I turned 53 this year and it just doesn’t seem much different than twenty years ago, when I realized I was finally older than you would ever be.  Seems almost ironic now that you would die just one week before your 33^rd birthday; symbolic somehow (on Kasey’s father’s birthday, the day before hers and with Eric’s the day after); what a week you left us to deal with every year.  I mean, we can’t just ignore it, because we can’t forget it; those days are constant reminders of the week you spent in the hospital before you finally let go and they removed the machines.  I STILL remember it as if it were yesterday – and the fact that we are getting close to ‘those dates’ again, and I’m trying to get this Part 2 edited, makes this year even a little rougher.  Dredging up all these old journal notes; entries I’d overlooked before when I through my eBook together so quickly in 2009.  This will be quite a revision from that one.  Much information I had forgotten; hmmm, you know, I wasn’t in the best frame of mind at that time.  So notebooks are scattered, and journals are sparsely written for about three years there; 2005-2008 or so.  I was in kind of a fog during that time and it’s been a little emotional going back through it all; my writings by hand, my many randomly named and arbitrarily stored documents, both in Microsoft Word and Corel WordPerfect (which many probably have never even heard of now).  I sure hope Kris got everything off of my three old computers and onto my external hard…and that I haven’t wiped any of it out accidentally.)  God, I worry so much about losing my writings, or how I’m ever going to find them again once stored.  I should really have a log where I enter every document I store and the file and folder it is stored in; I think I pick the right place every time, and yet it never fails that I can’t the one document I am looking for.  I’ve got to figure out a better method of organization.

11-19: Della Reese died today (Touched by an Angel co-star)

11-20:  Temperatures dropping in the northwest and mid-east; Charles Manson dead

*A 14-year old girl, Harper Edigar (?), has been given a job as a columnist by the New York Times!  That’s awesome.

David Cassidy (Keith from the Partridge Family) passed away at the age of 67 today; he struggled with addiction to alcohol throughout his life – diagnosed with dementia in his 50’s, he retired.

11-21: Now Charlie Rose, respected veteran author and journalist and morning show host, has EIGHT women accusing him of sexual assault!  As far back as the 90’s they say, he would grab women’s legs, groping, presenting himself to several women naked at least a dozen times, and making unwanted advances, ‘lewd’ phone calls and comments.  “That’s just Charlie,” some would say – but the behavior was allowed to continue.  He admits behaving insensitively and tells the women, “I hear them…”; but claims he thought he was “pursuing shared feelings.”  CBS has suspended him, effective immediately and more women are expected to come forward against him in coming weeks.  They say there was a lot of ‘talk’ and some people (on the inside) actually knew, allowing the behavior to continue.  Harvey Weinstein?  I’ve lost track of how many women have come out with accusations against him.  A second woman has come forward against Al Franken too, grabbing her rear end when they posed for a photo her husband was taking of them, while he was a sitting Senator; he says he “feels badly [she] came away from [their] interaction feeling disrespected.”  The other woman, whom he was shown pretending to grab boobs of in a photo, now viral, has also accused him of forcibly kissing her backstage after a USO tour.  Governor of Alabama, Roy Moore, a current candidate (for Senate, I believe) has more than a dozen women who say he either tried, or did actually, sexually assault them AS TEENAGERS, when he was a 32 year old District Attorney..  He says he “never dated any girl without the permission of her mother.”  Oh my god, are you kidding me???~!  Louis CK has been basically blacklisted by everybody; a movie he just finished making, ready for release, has been pulled from release, all contracts cancelled, sponsors pulled out… his career is over.  Numerous accusations against executive producer, Roger Ales and reporter, Bill O’Reily, at the FOX network came out last year; they say the cost to Fox was about Fifty Million dollars; this includes sponsor withdrawals and advertisement withdrawals, as well as settlements paid out to accusers; now, the paper that exposed the allegations against O’Reily {The New York Times} has a journalist, John Thrush, with four female coworkers making allegations of sexual harassment against him!

*This IS happening.  Men and women are realizing that this kind of treatment does not have to be tolerated BY ANY BODY; victims are noticing more and more that it is okay to tell!  It’s the only way this type of behavior is ever going to stop; and it’s about time.  Dan Abrams explains that even “unwanted touching” can be a criminal act and people, both male and female, need to be more careful with their behavior.

11-24 (the day after thanksgiving) New accusations against Al Frankin; and a third women accuses a congressman “Conyers” who called her into his office where he was wearing only his shirt and underwear!  Oh my god!  This is crazy…but like, awesome crazy.  I am so glad shit like this is coming out; showing how prevalent this problem is ALL OVER THE PLACE, in every industry, in every country around the world.  It’s definitely time it stops. ;-)

Also a veteran police officer, killed with his own service weapon one day before he was scheduled to testify against eight Baltimore officers, for “shaking down citizens, stealing drugs and then selling them” the news says.  Sounds suspicious... Shawn Suitor, I believe, was his name; people are out of their minds.

Now a mail bomb plot exposed; planned for Obama during his Presidency and some governor, who actually opened it, but the bomb failed… this was a little old lady!  And what got her caught was a single CAT hair, which they matched up to her cat!  That’s crazy all the way around!

Wow… a Brussels Griffin took first place at the National Dog Show yesterday!  That’s the little dog that looks like my Velvet – I had never heard of it until about a year ago when someone asked me if that’s what she was; I came home and Googled it and couldn’t believe the resemblence.  It was uncanny; this one was blonde, but the same little face, many said looks like Chubaka, but the reporter said he thought it looked more like an ewok!  So many people tell me Velvet looks like an ewok.  That is just strange.

11-28:  Only 4% of the nation is covered in snow right now, opposed to it’s normal (or average) 28% ~!  “Unseasonably warm,” they are calling it… yeah.  It sure is.

11-29:  Woke up to the following news this morning:  Eli Manning is benched?  Why?  Not known yet.  Prince Harry has gotten engaged to an American woman, who is half white and half black; in itself, a big deal.  Marriage, to take place at Windsor Castle.  And, it looks like we are going to war, fairly soon, with North Korea; they launched a missile overnight that has been verified by our people over there to have the capability of reaching the ENTIRE United States.  We aren’t going to wait for them to weaponize it and send it our way.  We can’t.  

The ME TOO Movement 2017 - Stopping Sexual Harrassment for Once and for All

11-21-2017:  Now Charlie Rose, respected veteran author and journalist and morning show host, has EIGHT women accusing him of sexual assault!  As far back as the 90’s they say, he would grab women’s legs, groping, presenting himself to several women naked at least a dozen times, and making unwanted advances, ‘lewd’ phone calls and comments.  “That’s just Charlie,” some would say – but the behavior was allowed to continue.  He admits behaving insensitively and tells the women, “I hear them…”; but claims he thought he was “pursuing shared feelings.”  CBS has suspended him, effective immediately and more women are expected to come forward against him in coming weeks.  They say there was a lot of ‘talk’ and some people (on the inside) actually knew, allowing the behavior to continue.  Harvey Weinstein?  I’ve lost track of how many women have come out with accusations against him.

A second woman has come forward against Al Franken too, grabbing her rear end when they posed for a photo her husband was taking of them, while he was a sitting Senator; he says he “feels badly [she] came away from [their] interaction feeling disrespected.”  The other woman, whom he was shown pretending to grab boobs of in a photo, now viral, has also accused him of forcibly kissing her backstage after a USO tour.  Governor of Alabama, Roy Moore, a current candidate (for Senate, I believe) has more than a dozen women who say he either tried, or did actually, sexually assault them AS TEENAGERS, when he was a 32 year old District Attorney..  He says he “never dated any girl without the permission of her mother.”  Oh my god, are you kidding me???~!  Louis CK has been basically blacklisted by everybody; a movie he just finished making, ready for release, has been pulled from release, all contracts cancelled, sponsors pulled out… his career is over.

Numerous accusations against executive producer, Roger Ales and reporter, Bill O’Reily, at the FOX network came out last year; they say the cost to Fox was about Fifty Million dollars; this includes sponsor withdrawals and advertisement withdrawals, as well as settlements paid out to accusers; now, the paper that exposed the allegations against O’Reily {The New York Times} has a journalist, John Thrush, with four female coworkers making allegations of sexual harassment against him!  This IS happening.  Men and women are realizing that this kind of treatment does not have to be tolerated BY ANY BODY; victims are noticing more and more that it is okay to tell!  It’s the only way this type of behavior is ever going to stop; and it’s about time.  Dan Abrams explains that even “unwanted touching” can be a criminal act and people, both male and female, need to be more careful with their behavior.

2017 - September/ October

2017 - September/ October

FORMER PRESIDENTS gather to talk about our CURRENT “PRESIDENT” – Obama says Trump is trying to get the base all riled up to provide a tactical advantage of some kind; Bush (Jr) says Trump is demonizing politics, cutting people down and dividing them.  I see this; saw it from the start.  The Whitehouse has become a Reality TV show.

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Fats Domino dies at the age of 89, Tuesday 10-24-2017 #respect RIP Fats!

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10-26:  So much devastation right now, this year, these past years… it’s scary, quite honestly.  California has sixteen separate wildfires burning all at once; more of the state appears to be on fire than not; surprisingluy, only 42 people have been reported killed by the fires, but thousands of homes and entire neighborhoods, even towns, have been destroyed.  Record breaking “highest/ latest” temperatures almost everywhere across the United States; this is only encouraging the wildfires in California.  Wind gusts fueling the fires and causing “fire tornados”.

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A stupid group of teenagers, five boys, were throwing stones off an overpass and killed a father of four (Kenneth White), striking several other cars as well, having tossed a total of 24 stones.  The question is whether this is to be considered just a consequence of a “game” or a deliberate malicious act; murder…maybe not, but wreckless manslaughter at the very least.  These kids are 16 and 17 years old; one turned himself in.  This brings up questions about why boys would choose to do something like that, without thought of what might happen… what did happen.  More studies on adolescent psychology are needed to determine what may be the cause for this lack of conscience at times.

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Senator John McCain has taken the lead in standing up against our current ‘President,’ Donald Trump.  I find it hard to even refer to him as the President of the United States; just seems like a big joke to me now, the Presidency.  Two more Republican senators have followed McCain in speaking out against the actions and behaviour of “the Donald.”  I don’t think he is going to even finish a full term; he may just get us into World War III in time to be impeached.  Frightening.

**

Robert Guillaume (“Benson”) and voice of “Rafiki” from the Lion King, died, also at the age of 89 years, of natural causes.  RIP ‘Benson.’

June, July & Augst 2017

JUNE:

JULY:

AUG. 26:  Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Southern Texas; the desctruction was almost total in some areas, and at least partial from the coast inland for half the state.  Harvey generated at least 9 tornadoes during its stay, and lingered for a solid week; rain is finally moving off to the East now.  At present, over sixty deaths were caused by Hurricane Harvey; the flooding that has come afterward has been catestrophic.  One entire family died when their van was overtaken by the sweeping water; mother, father and all four small children drowned.  They expect over 20,000 homes to remmain flooded for the next two weeks throughout the Houston area and its suburbs.  Most homes torn to pieces; a ten foot aligator found in the dining room of one home.  More than 42,000 people in over 2,000 shelters all over Texas.  This is expected to be the costliest natural disaster in American history.  Our prayers are with you ALL.

In Burbank,. California, 200 homes are being evacuated; wildfires have burned over 2,200 acres, spreading across the freeway.  High temperatures, in triple digits, are antagonizing the fire, making it more difficlt to get under control.  The current heat wave is blowing old records "out of the water" (according to Good Morning America).  Prayers to those who have lost their homes to the fires as well.  GOD BLESS.

September 2017 HURRICANE IRMA

09-08-2017

Hurricane Irma... was the largest and fastest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic, with winds gusting up to 210 mph; twice the size of 1992s Andrew, Irma is now the strongest, for the longest period of time, ON THE GLOBE.

She caused such devestation in the Carribeann and Virgin Islands; the island of St. Martin, and others in that region were 90% destroyed!  Sixty percent of the residents of St. Martin are now homeless.  Antigua and Barbuda dessimated.  Twenty-one now dead in the Carribeann; the island paradise, devestated.  Some say, it looks apocoliptic.

Right behinnd Irma, is Hurrican Jose; quickly building to a frightening size as well.  Irma is expected to hit Florida now.  Projected to head straight up the middle of the state, all the way to South Carolina.  100,000 people in evacuation shelters; my mom, in a motel in Pennsicola.  That may not be far enough away... We'll see.

9-11-2017

Well, 6.5 million customers are without power in Florida tonight; Irma hit Miama with winds of 135 mph (which would have been 165, if it hadn't hit Cuba first... God bless the people there).  She traveled up the West coast, with her eye over land, up to Tampa and then jumped slightly East, centering in the state, and went straight up to Jacksonville, dropping to a category 1, but still doing plenty of damage along the way.  Jacksonville has now had all-time record-breaking flooding city-wide!  They are saying it could have been much worse, so everyone seems to be grateful it is what it is.  Haven't heard anything about my mother yet.