thedivinemsem

[thedivinemsem]

Not sure why a cat that hates travel is napping on a car booster seat.

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This morning, I found underwear in the parking lot and a child's toy on the opposite riverbank. Possible alien abductions?

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I came sooooo close to turning on the faucet.

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Someone got their paw stuck messing with my mail.

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96 degrees out and my furkids have chosen to relax in the unair-conditioned sunroom.

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Summertime seems to bring the aliens out....#shirtwithouttorso

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A ball without a player? Possible alien abduction at High Ridge Park?

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Things are different on the west coast. Here apparently the aliens take the clothes and leave the bodies. #torsoswithoutshirts

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Coffee at sea always seems to taste better. It's a bit chilly and windy, so I don't think I will try the walking track. The only people I have seen in the pools and hot tubs are kids. But the sun is shining and I am ready to explore more of this ship.

[thedivinemsem]

The biggest TV I have ever had in a cabin.. and a mini bar set up included with Elite status. That said...I have the drink package so I will likely share with anyone I meet who doesn't have one.

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I just boarded the Emerald Princess in LA for a Panama Canal cruise that will include viewing the total eclipse on Monday. I have an inside cabin which is small but well thought out...and the parts of the ship I have seen so far are lovely.

[thedivinemsem]

Here we have shoes and a jacket with no one around. Another possible alien abduction?

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I decided to become an election judge for the upcoming 2024 primary and general election in my county. It isn't about the money, rather it's because being retired, I have the time available to serve. I also know that they have a difficult time filling these slots because it involves one or more very long days with a lot of standing, and although I live in a pretty diverse and accepting community, I suspect some folks have concerns based on what has happened in other states in past elections.

My training involved some reading and a test online, and then about two and a half hours of in person combination lecture/show and tell at a local election office. It was particularly interesting to me because I've been voting by mail for a number of years, so really didn't know what was involved in the process of going to a polling center and casting a vote.

Obviously I can't speak to every single state out there, but what I can say is that anyone in any state who voices any concerns about voter fraud should be required to take election judge training before they DARE to cast any aspersions about election integrity.

The number of safeguards in terms of checks and rechecks to ensure only legal votes are counted, that no one has the ability to vote more than once, and that no one is intimidated or unduly influenced either by workers or other voters is so thorough that frankly I considered it excessive.

If someone has requested a mail-in ballot and shows up to vote, they are handled as a provisional voter in the same way as anyone who is not listed or has an error in their information in the voter list. They vote on a different form and their ballot is held until it is established that they are permitted to vote and that this is their first and only submitted ballot.

When someone needs help and they didn't bring a friend or family member with them, two judges from different parties must work together to help the voter mark their ballot.

To my surprise, as someone who learned to vote by pulling levers on voting machines - in this day and age, all ballots are paper with marks on them, whether you use a provided pen or you use a computer touch screen to make the marks for you. Those paper ballots are scanned and then held in case there is a need for a recount.

I am frustrated to live in a country where so many people just blindly regurgitate whatever they read on the internet or see on cable news or hear from a friend or relative without taking the time to research for themselves. And the idea that "if I didn't get what I wanted, it must have been rigged" is dangerous.....not just with elections, but with government decisions in general. Yes, potential unethical behavior and conflicts of interest should be pointed out. I support the "trust but verify" view of government - heck, view of pretty much everything in this world. Too many people are missing the "verify" part.

[thedivinemsem]

It's been a while since I reported any #shoeswithoutfeet and although I thought that the aliens must have left the area, it seems that they have simply changed their "collecting". Over the past two weeks, I found several dog toys without dogs, a scrunchie without a head and just this morning I came across socks without feet.

So continue to beware of possible #alienabductions in Riverfront Park.

[thedivinemsem]

Still have a bit of caulking and trim work to do, but overall, I'm really happy with the tub surround "refacing" project. Particularly because it only cost a few hundred rather than a few thousand dollars.

[thedivinemsem]

Why do I bother buying cat beds?

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This made me laugh.....Catzilla......