Walmart's Scan & Go Is... Mostly Awesome

 Finally, I have tried Walmart's Scan & Go app. How was it? Not too bad, but I do have suggestions...

The Good:

• It was fast. My family didn't have to wait as long for me to shop and check out.
• It was easy. The app is user-friendly and easy to learn.
• It was better than "regular" shopping. For the most part!
• You are seeing your shopping totals as you add things to your cart. That was awesome. There were no surprises at checkout like "What did I spend so much on?!?!?!"
• It's super convenient, especially when the store is crowded.
• I didn't have to pull out my wallet at all.

The Not-So-Good:

• The scanner in the app wouldn't read one of my items. I put it back.
• You do have to hit a self-checkout register to, um, check out.
• There is no checkout register designated for Scan & Go customers.
• Not all the staff seem to know about it. Maybe.

Overall, I am impressed. I will probably always use Scan & Go when I have to be in the physical store.  For parents or other caregivers, it should be so much better to Scan & Go. Get in, shop, and get out. I would have loved Scan & Go when I shopped with my young nephew or my wheelchair-bound sister. 

I was a bit lost at first when I opened the app. I didn't realize that I had to wait to be in the store (connected to their Wi-Fi) to use it. The app walks you through the process from scanning and adding items to your cart to removing anything you decide you don't want after all.  Here are some parts of the process I really liked:

• After the first 3 or 4 items, the app prompted me to verify the amount of items in my cart. 
• When aiming the camera at a product, the scanner sort of searches for the code. As long as the code was somewhere in the photo square range, the scanner thing would "find" it. So I didn't have to worry about perfect aim.
• The scanner is not picking up and adding random items because you have to press "Scan" for each item. It's easy to do one-handed. 
• The running total is awesome. Every time I added an item to the cart, I got a total. It's a great way when you know you only have x amount of money. Like I said, no surprises at the end or having to put something back while people are watching.
• You can check your receipt when you have checked out. There is a photo of an actual store receipt right there on your phone. (You don't get that kind of receipt when using delivery or pickup.)
• You could change your mind and take things out of your cart if you wanted. The app will let you subtract that item.

My other slip-up was that it was only after I'd checked out that I remembered to go grab some bags for my items. This is another reason I think there should be a designated checkout station for the app users. Maybe I will remember to bring my own bags next time.

I think Walmart employees should be better educated on Scan & Go. The lady monitoring self-checkout was a bit confused when she didn't see me actually ringing up my items. She followed me to ask if she could "help me". Poor woman. She probably thought I was just a brazen shoplifter! I held up my phone to show her the "Exit Pass" on the app. 

The young dude manning the exit, was also a bit confused when I held up my phone to show him the Exit Pass. He let me go but still looked concerned. I walked out and that's when I remembered I needed a couple of bags. That poor guy at the door was really thrown when I came back for a quick moment, then left again with my items bagged. 

In spite of a couple of hiccups, that was probably the best-ever trip to Walmart. I wasn't all stressed out when I left, nor was I checking my purse to make sure I had my wallet. It was so easy, that it felt like cheating.

In contrast, my SIL took way longer to finish shopping for 3 things than I did for 6 things. The checkout line is where you save time.

Like I said, there is a little bit of room for improvement but I really was pleased. The main thing that bugged me was not having a designated checkout scanner. All I needed to do was get to a checkout register and scan the barcode on the screen. That basically completed my checkout and triggered the Exit Pass on my phone.  NOTE: This could be a real pain if the self-checkouts are all crowded... Designated registers will be a huge improvement...

Overall, Walmart is killing it with the Scan & Go app. It wasn't buggy or irritating to use. Next time I will try to remember to take screenshots at different stages of the process.

Peace

--Free

Making Green Tea Taste Good

 I've been making some changes in my diet for the last couple of years. I've cut back on salt and sugar; I try to do IF every so often (haha); and I have cut back on my coffee intake.

Coffee is supposed to be good for you, but I drink mine with sweetened creamer. That's not good. I have only managed to drink particular brands of coffee black-no-sugar - Luzianne (red bag, dark roasted is one - but I have trouble finding the brands I like. So I have just cut back to one 10-11oz cup first thing in the morning. Sometimes I don't even finish it off.

Tea is my replacement beverage. I found one I love so much that I splurge with a regular subscription via Walmart. I have backup teas because it's too pricey for me to drink too often - I need to use far less per cup! I like anything peach- or mango-flavored.

$9/5.5oz
40-50 cups
(I drink too much of it!)

Green tea is supposed to be good for the body. Okay, but it's not the tastiest tea I've had - at least without some help. I have tried all kinds of brands and types of green tea and just cannot deal with the flat and bitter flavor. I absolutely cannot tolerate Matcha unless it's whipped into some too-sweet Starbucks-like concoction. So I have found a way to drink at least 3 to 4 cups of green tea a day. 

(By the way, I am going to be asking my nephrologist about green tea at my coming appointment. There is a lot of conflicting info online regarding the effects of green tea on patients with CKD. On the one hand, I've heard that it's great because of the antioxidants and, on the other hand, I've heard that it has compounds that could be harmful to compromised kidneys. This is with I don't use Google for my medical issues! I am hoping that my doc will say the tea is okay. I do expect that there might be some limitations or other suggestions from him.)

Here is how I get my green tea fix... I get the affordable Bigelow green tea from Walmart, along with some Bigelow Chamomile Vanilla, and  Twinings' Peach & Orange. Anytime I drink green tea, I add a bag of the Peach & Orange or a tiny bit of the pricey Tiesta Maui Mango. I use a some of the raw mountain honey as a sweetener. The difference is incredible.

Least fave: the Chamo-Vanilla Honey

The Peach & Orange tea is not one I normally would have chosen but I was in a hurry and using Walmart's Scan & Go app (yes, I will be doing a little review on that!  I did a review of that) for the first time. I haven't even had it without the green tea yet. Turns out, I kind of dig the Peach & Orange.

I definitely use too much of the Tiesta! 
🤣

I already have some Hibiscus tea, but I blogged about why I need to limit my intake...

So I have been drinking 2 cups of green tea (sometimes 3) almost every day. What I have noticed is that it's an appetite suppressant. Interesting. I should have (and may have) known that before now but it surprised me.

I might try drinking one of my green tea concoctions with no honey. I think I might be able to if there is some Hibiscus or strongly-flavored fruit tea in the mix. Even so, the honey has to be better than all the sugar in those yummy creamers I love. 

 I don't know if this will help anyone else who has been struggling to like green tea but it works for me. I actually have come to really enjoy the drinks. I'm not sure if I will ever completely be off the coffee but I am certainly drinking a lot less of it these days.

Peace

--Free

DISCLAIMER: I am not a healthcare professional. This is just a personal blog, not a healthcare source. Talk with your healthcare team before you start consuming regular amounts of anything. I do know that, for me, hibiscus tea lowers my BP so I have to be careful!

Hot News, Not News, Hot Mess, You Lose

It's official. I am now at an age where too many things irritate me. I wake up in a decent mood and, after 2 minutes of scanning the news, I'm grouchy. News is no longer informative as it is irritating, rabble-rousing, divisive, and stupidly out together. 

I have assigned personalities to certain news sources and their followers. I can truly almost see them as actual persons.

Right Wing Ricky & Ruthie - the schoolyard instigators that stand on the sidelines yelling "Fight, fight". Sometimes they taunt the scariest bullies with "You're going to let him talk about you like that?" They scurry around the school, spreading salacious rumors to get everyone more riled up. They have a side hustle selling snacks and trinkets during the dustups so the bigger the crowds...

Left Wing Luke & Lucy - the irritating kids who want to invite every underdog and weirdo to their birthday parties. The underdogs and weirdos are always the folks who are picked on by Fox. Instead of taking the high road, they will pick on their bullies, just using a better dictionary so they can claim to be morally and intellectually superior.

Pete & Patti Progressive - the stoner kids. Sometimes, they are really laid back and mellow and just want us all to get along but they can swing right or left, depending on who is where in the schoolyard fight. Stoner that they are, they do have a mean streak. It's hidden but there and can be lethal when unleashed.

Spectator Sam & Sally - the ones who copy and paste everyone else's personalities as needed. They play whichever side they can. They just want to be popular and noticed. They are the kids hoping to parlay whatever they can into a high Instagram following so they can make the big bucks without working too hard.

Then there is most of the rest of the crowd - call them Dave & Daisy Dullard - the kids on the sidelines. We usually pick one kid to idolize and support, no matter what. Even if they ignore us or hate us, we will be there, supporting them to the end. Or until another kid comes along who "gets us" better than the old kid. We get really loud and start flexing when someone comes along who says out loud all the curse words we have only been whispering.

Meanwhile, over in the library, there are a few of us - Critical Kate & Kwami -  who are hitting the books hard. We mostly ignore the playground madness because we are busy studying the history of the school system. We are busy trying to understand where everything went so wrong. Of course, we don't matter much during our school days but we are hoping to someday make a difference in the "real world". We are going to need a bigger bullhorn though.

Finally, there's Ivan & Ilsa InstaInfluencer. They gave up on the schoolyard and are taking an indefinite break from reality by focusing on brawns, beauty, and booze. They hang near the outer perimeter, fangirling and bromancing each other. This crowd's pretty exclusive. You need money, looks, makeup magic, or Photoshop skills to break in. They don't really care too much about the real world because they have created their own "imageverse" where relevance is based on Likes, following, dollars, and other trickery.

The biggest problem I have with most news sources is that they are in it for the money, ratings, and personal popularity. I have a niece who is straight and married but I do think she'd switch to be with Rachel Maddow. She calls Maddow a "rock star" and that's just about how she treats the newswoman...

I find it weird and scary that there are so many reports of news "personalities" becoming more important to our society than they should be. They are news presenters, not heroes.

On that same track, it annoys me about the news is that the presenters are getting to be more important than the news itself. I should not know or care about the presenters' sexual, political, or religious leanings. I should not know or care about who they are dating, divorcing, or cheating on and with.

When I watch the news, I don't want to have to question whether it's biased because of the personal feelings of the news reader. 

And why is it that some news sites spend so much time letting readers/watchers know about news media ratings? Do they want to be presenting us with news and information or do they want our Facebook likes and popularity vote?

See? This is why I have to drink hibiscus tea and take pills to keep my blood pressure under control.

When we talk about the U.S. being in a collective state of road rage, we blame each other. No one is looking at the media. They started this smoking dumpster fire that is spreading toxic fumes throughout the nation.

The crazy politicians - Right, Left, Loony, etc. - wouldn't have so much power to play us for fools if the media wasn't playing them for ratings.  Most of the nuts that are sitting in Washington - wielding power of varying degrees - would not be there if the Media hadn't turned all of us into InstaNews junkies.

I want to get back to the days of reading (mostly) impartial news reports and having to think about what it all means. When my nieces were in school and claimed to have no homework, I would assign them to watch the news and write a summary. I couldn't do that now - not unless I wanted them having to edit out all the madness.

While I am on this rant, I want to throw some shade at some of the supposed "trusted" news sources. The other day, I was perusing the AP site. One of the hot-button stories had to do with Taylor Swift. No offense meant toward Miss Swift, but I don't think that a pop singer should be in "serious" news for being a pop singer. I didn't screenshot the site that day but here is a recent screenshot:

If this is in order of importance...SMH

Google News also sucks in its own way. On the one hand, there is a browser extension that allows readers to edit out mentions of anything they don't want to see. The problem is, by the time I block out the nonsense, there's apparently no news left to read.

Just 1 week of blocking...

I gave up. Now, I rarely bother to look at Google News - unless I'm looking for the latest Amazon deals. These days, I'm checking several sites and realize that almost all news has a bias.

Here are my daily stops for news (in no particular order):

• C-SPAN
• Reuters
• Mediaite
• BBC (for US and Canada mainly)
• AP News
• Bloomberg
• The Hill
• Christian Post
• The Jerusalem Post 
• News Nation
• Politico
• I watch NBC News online occasionally.
• Futurism

My challenge is to not think about news as anything other than information. It's not meant to shape my personal beliefs or my character. It's just information. Period. After reading the news I have an idea of what is currently being reported on. I have to take into account that there are a lot of things not being reported on. This is why I sometimes steel myself and go take a peek at The Artist Site Formerly Known as Prince Twitter. And, I have no shame in admitting that I also check Cracked as a palate cleanser.

Whichever news sources you look to for information, don't forget to use your critical thinking skills. If one is not careful, the news can be dangerous propaganda. 

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** I Did NOT Expect To Love This Bath Sponge

 Let me say this first: I hate TikTok. I hate any platform that is focused on "influencing" - especially product influencing. Weird, right, since I blog so many product reviews. I like reading reviews from people who really believe in or like a product and aren't just hyping every latest thing for the purpose of jacking up their "Likes".

Let me reiterate that: I hate TikTok and Instagram and all the other platforms riddled with fake reviews. 

I want you to understand this because I found a product on my own that is, apparently, "hot on TikTok". I didn't know that until after I bought the product. Once I heard that it was a TikTok-hyped item, I almost returned it without opening the package.

However, I am in love with this item:

That is a "Net Bath Sponge". I found it while looking for another of the scrubbers that I've always gotten from Walmart. You know what I'm talking about? The balls of exfoliating puff scrubbers that are so popular for the shower. Something like these:

I mainly like those because they lather up so well. The downside is that they don't clean the skin very well. Mostly, I think I like them because they look cute hanging in my shower. 

Anyway, I was looking for a better type of the poof scrubber. I wanted something that would do a better job of cleaning. I thought maybe the Walmart ones were just cheaply made. So I went looking for an alternative and ran across a slew of the "net sponges".

When I chose a net sponge to try out, I ordered one and started looking more closely at the reviews. That's when I realized I'd been TikTok-ked. 

I guess these sponges are hyped on TikTok as "African bath sponges". 

🙄

It was too late to cancel the order so I decided I would probably just return it later. 

But then...

I got the sponge and it was so unusual-looking in the package that I just had to unwrap it and get a closer look. 

That's a cute presentation

When I unrolled the sponge (which is not really a sponge but a long sheet of netting), my first thought was that it was just a really long piece of the stuff that my onion bags are made of.  What a ripoff! 

The instructions for use are to first rinse the netting in warm and soapy water. I couldn't resist doing so. And that was when I first realized that this was not the same stuff onion bags are made of. Also, this netting was nothing like the material that the traditional poofs are made of.

When dry, the netting feels much too rough and abrasive to put anywhere near my skin. When wet and soapy, it's the perfect texture for gentle cleansing.

I went ahead and gave this a try in the shower and was blown away. For one thing, the smallest dab of my liquid soap foamed up like something out of a cartoon. For another thing, the sponge was easier to use than a washcloth or a poof.

Normally, I got through my liquid shower soap like I own the factory where it's made. With a washcloth, the soap doesn't last because I have to soap myself down, then rinse and repeat. If I don't I feel as if my skin is not getting clean enough. I certainly am not sloughing off any dead skin and product buildup without a lot of scrubbing.

Although the exfoliation was good, the netting was much more gentle than I expected. I spent far less time in the shower and came out feeling much cleaner with less work. 

What I really liked was that the netting was easy to clean. When I use washcloths, I need 3 for the shower - one for my face, one for my torso, and one for my lady parts. I have a separate scrubber for my feet. I was able to use the sponge for everything and just use 1 washcloth for my "delicate" areas. That's really going to cut down on laundry.

The first couple of times I used it, I just rinsed and hung it in the shower to dry. The next time I used it, I realized that a dot of clarifying shampoo would clean up any residue of dirt and oils without damaging the netting. That's my new routine for cleaning the "sponge" now.

It stretched almost
as long as my shower
curtain after use. (it's dry)

Honestly, I was kind of mad that I fell in love with the netting/sponge. On the other hand, I wasn't "influenced" by TikTok to make the purchase. So it all works out.

I think the only thing I will be using my washcloths for in the future is to clean my face and "delicates".

When I was reading reviews, I did see that some people complained that the sponge felt "cheap" or - in the case of repeat purchases - didn't work as well as previous ones. Maybe I lucked out and got a good one the first time around. Who knows?

It's not a big deal to most people but I'm glad that the country of origin of this one is Ghana and not China. Just on principle. Not that bet sponges are solely an African thing. I understand that other countries have been using this type of sponge for a while. TikTok has just popularized it for a lot of folks.

Anyway, I do love the "sponge" I got and I think it will last a while but order one in orange as a backup. I will update this post if the quality is any different.

Peace

--Free

DISCLAIMER: I was not compensated in any way or asked to write a review for the products mentioned in this post.

**SAVINGS ALERT** Walmart + Membership Discount

 Walmart is really keeping pace with Amazon. Amazon has Prime, Walmart has Plus; Amazon has Prime Video; Walmart has Paramount Plus (and... more on that later); and while Amazon offers discounted memberships, so does Walmart Plus.

Walmart Plus Assist is for people who are on government assistance. How great is that for people with children to feed? And the elderly or disabled.

The Plus Assist membership provides the same benefits as the original Plus membership. 

If you know anyone who could use the help, please share this information with them. They can sign up here and, if they already have a Plus membership they paid for, they will be refunded for the current payment made.

Be good to yourself and be good to other people.

Peace

--Free

My Hibiscus Tea Scare

(DISCLAIMER: I'm not qualified to give medical advice but I will be warning my family and friends about Hibiscus tea. You should always get your advice from your medical team.)

The first time I went to a doctor as an adult (because I cracked a rib while sneezing), I was told I had high blood pressure. I'm sure the ER doctor thought the high reading was because 1) I have white coat syndrome, and 2) I'd cracked a rib while sneezing and was in pain. I was weighing in at about 110 then so weight wasn't a factor.

Fast forward to when I was seeing a doctor for a physical and (still weighing in at around 110 or so), I was diagnosed with high blood pressure (HBP). It runs on my mother's side of the family.

For a long time, doctors tried different meds and combos of meds to get the HBP under control. Finally, a combo worked - at least it worked better than the others - and my controlled BP ran somewhere around 150 for the systolic (top number). Then I got sarcoidosis (and was already weighing in at 140-145 pounds). My blood pressure went nuclear. There were times when the top number went as high as 210.

My BP was still high when I moved to Iowa but sort of under control. Then I started taking a supplement and the numbers were reading as "normal". It was so weird to see a systolic reading in the 110s, 120s, and, at the highest, 130-something. Then this morning's reading scared me.

Last night before bed, I drank half a cup of hibiscus tea. I love tea and always fit some form of it into my day. I start my morning with coffee, have water all day, then have a cup of tea before bed. Chamomile, a fruit-flavored green tea, or a cup of Sleepytime. Last night was the first time in about 5 or 6 years that I've drank hibiscus tea.

I drank the tea (maybe half of the 6 ounces that I brewed) at around 7:30 - 8 o'clock. I had a really good night's sleep but woke up this morning feeling slightly tired. I took my meds for the day, including the BP meds, and then I checked my BP.

My reading was 105/57. This is no more than 5 minutes after taking my meds so the BP meds could not have had time to start working.

Since I've had a lingering bug of some kind for the past couple of weeks, I wondered if that affected my BP. However, my BP reading earlier this week was in the normal 120-something range.

One of my former doctors told me once that, when I am experiencing a new symptom, I should consider anything new about my diet, exercise, or other behaviors. So, when I was thinking about this, I realized the tea was the only new thing I was eating or drinking.

I had already checked if hibiscus tea was okay for CKD patients. But I did a lazy check and, as soon as I saw that it was low potassium, my research was done. If I'd checked further, I would have known that the tea works almost as well as prescription meds for lowering BP.

I have questions:

1. Why isn't the tea prescribed for HBP patients? It can at least be mentioned.
2. How did I know nothing about this tea and its effect on blood pressure?

I  am certainly going to be asking my doc about this at the next appointment. I know that there may be reasons that I am prescribed the meds instead of being told to drink the tea but... C'mon! 

If as little as 3 or 4 ounces of tea can do what a pill can, I'd much rather drink the tea. But I guess the tea is much more affordable than the pills... 

Now, at least, I know. Also, I know that I cannot just keep drinking this tea with a willy-nilly attitude. I can't afford an ambulance if I happen to pass out with low blood pressure. On the other hand, when my BP skyrockets, I think I might have a sip of hibiscus tea...

Peace

--Free

**1st 7 Days REVIEW** Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8

 This is an update to **1st 24 Hours REVIEW** Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8. I am writing this post on my 7th day using the machine and I have more to say now.

Things I really like:

• The FN (Function) keys are more useful than on any other laptop I've had. I actually use them because of this. The main ones I like are for opening the settings, pulling up the calculator, raising/lowering the volume, and opening the Print Screen/Snip feature. There is even one for use with a portable monitor. 
• The keyboard is a dream - now that I'm used to the size after coming from the larger one on my Dell. 
• I'm more in love than ever with the stylus. It truly does write more like an actual pen than the Dell stylus. I also use this one a lot more.
• The good build quality counts more than I realized at first. I have moved this machine back and forth from my carry bag at least 6 times. It's so solid & "non-flimsy". A lot of that might be due to the smaller size but I still think it's so much better built than my Dell - or my Toshiba or Asus.
• The display is great. My eyes get less tired and I just enjoy the screen more. When I was paying bills and spent over 2 hours straight looking at the screen, I noticed how crisp and sharp everything looked, and, again, my eyes weren't as tired. Maybe that's just me?
• The sound. I am amazed every day at the wonderful sound quality. There is zero need for the sound-boosting apps I've used in the past. 
• The auto-power-up feature is more useful than I expected. I don't think I have touched my Power button since I first set up the machine. It's the little things!
• I was worried about fan noise - well, I wasn't until I read so many super-techy reviews! When I finally heard the fan kick it, it was a bit startling only because I didn't know what the sound was. It's actually not that loud, thank goodness, and it has only kicked in twice so far. On the other hand, I never heard the fan on my Dell. I don't know if that is good or bad.
• Now that I have found the Vantage setting for the battery, I no longer have to worry much about charging over 80%. I do think the battery life (which could be better) is not as bad as I worried about. The real test will be when I take the machine away from home for a full day.
• I don't mind the lack of ports as much as before. I realize that I didn't use all the Dell ports as much as I thought. I'm now in no hurry to spend money I don't have on a docking item.
• I do like the carrying sleeve a lot. I was worried that the pen slot might not be secure but it is. 

Things I don't like (or not so much):

• I wish that the Delete key could swap places with the Print Screen/Snip key. I keep hitting the wrong key to delete. I think that the Delete key is used more by almost anyone so why is the other key in that place?
• The built-in camera shutter button (which I love having) is a bit difficult to find. I'm always sliding my finger across the lid to locate it. Because I never just leave my camera un-shuttered, this is annoying. I remember this shutter being easier to locate on the Flex 7 I tried out. I will probably get better at finding the shutter but...
• Something that freaked me out is how the screen goes black momentarily when I plug or unplug the charger. It scared me until I found an explanation: "... if set to Optimize battery use it disables HDR on battery, which makes the screen go black like when you change the refresh rate."
• The "brick" (?) for the charger is pretty big. It's not a problem at home but for days out, it's going to be taking up some room. The Dell battery was actually smaller.
• While I like the sleeve (because it secures the pen for me), the front kangaroo pouch is almost useless. Once I put the laptop in the sleeve, the only thing that fits in that pouch is a thin sheath of paper. I'm not even sure why it's there.

Overall, I am still really happy with this machine. I think I have started to annoy my family with the "thank yous"! 

I do have to say that this machine - without all the discounts and coupons - is not something I would suggest. There are other machines with a lot of functions that cost less. However, with the discounts and coupons, this was a steal and I have no regrets on behalf of my family!

Peace

--Free

The Struggle Meal Checklist (**Updated** 10/20/24)

**Updated** I added a sort of recipe at the bottom of this post.

I am pretty sure I have posted here before about "struggle meals" or maybe "cheap eats". I distinctly remember sharing one idea on Reddit once. At any rate, after telling a young person about shopping and eating when funds are low. This person isn't broke but they are trying to save money for something. What I told them works for whatever reason you are trying to eat cheaply. A lot of college-age people or small families are trying to stretch dollars. Aren't we all?

Keep in mind, that I learned most of this from my elders. Wisdom bears repeating.

The shopping list is the most important thing. You don't want to wait until funds are super low to stock up on things. Plan ahead. If you are like most of us, you will have one of those too-broke-to-pay-attention times. These are some of the things to try to put away for when times are a bit rough:

• Dry beans. My personal favorites are pinto and navy. Beans are very filling and they can be eaten solo or paired up with vegetables and cornbread. Dry beans keep for a long time so that's another plus.
• Rice. Rice is also filling and easy to pair up with other things. 
• Flour and cornmeal. Try to keep at least some flour and cornmeal bagged up and stored in the freezer to keep the weevils out.
• Cornstarch. Trust me. 
• Blackstrap molasses. 
• Powdered milk and powdered eggs. If you have kids, this is great to have around. (There is also shelf-stable dairy and the milk doesn't taste bad at all.)
• Dry cereal. Mueselix is good because it can taste pretty good as a dry snack.
• Powdered potatoes mixes. They are pretty filling solo and make a decent side dish otherwise.
• Ground beef or turkey - buy on sale and keep in the freezer as long as you can.
• Real bacon bits. Toss them in the freezer.
• Tofu - it's really versatile and not as bad as some people think.
• Oil -EVOO is best but even any decently healthy oil can be really useful. It's often cheaper than butter.
• Crackers. I keep basic store brand "saltines" around if I can.

As for recipes, here are a few basic ones that you can modify as you want:

• Pinto beans taste great. You can cook them with extra water then thicken the "bean gravy" with cornstarch. Crackers, tortillas, bread, etc. taste great with that gravy. I love to eat hot water cornbread with beans.
• You can add bacon bits, beef, or turkey (or tofu) to pinto beans. 
• Navy beans are good with some diced onions or potatoes.
• Tofu is pretty versatile. I'm not as crazy about preparing it, but... It tastes like whatever you season or cook it with. No kidding. I had an aunt who thought that, scrambled in a tiny bit of oil, it tasted like eggs. I have made tofu burgers and I have even chopped it up to bulk up the ground beef in pinto beans.
• As I said, some cereals - especially Muesilix - can take the place of snacks. I've eaten Mueslix in place of trail mix when trying to avoid salty and fatty snacks.
• Blackstrap molasses is something my mother used to add to beans to boost my iron. Some people like drinking it in their coffee or tea. It's too strong a taste for me but it is iron-boosting.
• If you have flour, oil, and water, you can make a cheap pan bread. You just lightly fry each side in a small amount of oil. You can boost the recipe by adding cornmeal.
• Cornmeal, oil, and salt will give you hot-water cornbread. It has to be eaten hot to taste the best but it's great with beans, soups, and stews.

Those are just some ways to eat when you are broke. The EVOO is for adding to the beans or frying your breads. It's good for you (I guess) and I eat it on almost everything, no matter what.

I don't use a lot of milk so I tend to keep powdered milk around. If you like whole milk you can add a bit of white vinegar to it and have quick buttermilk. Adding buttermilk to bread is something my mom liked to do.

When we were kids, my dad wasn't getting rich being a G.I. Often he was gone for long stretches. Mama kept us all well-fed. Dinners were often liver and smothered potatoes and onions with pan bread on the side. For breakfast, we'd have pan bread with some syrup and butter. 

By the way, I have people ask how to make hot water cornbread. It's so dang cheap and easy. I tend not to measure, so here's my "recipe":

• Get a small skillet ready with enough oil to cover the bottle of the pan to about 1/2 inch.
• Boil some water - and it does have to be boiling. Let your pan start heating but don't let it smoke.
• Put some corneal (not cornmeal mix) in a bowl that can withstand boiling water. I usually use about 1.5 cups of meal. You can add salt and pepper and tiny dice of onion if you like.
• Add about half a tablespoon of oil to the meal, then you are going to slowly add the hot water to the meal and stir with a fork. Keep adding water until the meal is saturated and can be made into a patty. I like to add a lot of water and get a thinner mix but you can have a thicker mix. The thicker the mix, the thicker the patty.
• The hot water is cooking the meal in the bowl. Now make your patties and carefully place each patty in the skillet to cook. 
• Drain the patties on paper and eat.

It will take some practice but just remember that you can always add more water to the meal but you can't subtract it. I like to use a really small skillet so I don't need much oil. I personally don't like hot water cornbread unless it's fresh and hot but... I will heat it up or add cold patties to hot beans.

To this day, whether I am broke or not, I love making a big pot of pinto beans with ground beef - hopefully, to eat with some hot water cornbread! But if not, I'll eat the beans folded into a tortilla or with some saltine crackers crumbled into it. Whenever I am doing intermittent fasting, pinto beans are a favorite.

Peace

--Free

Recipe for Rice 'Ghetti:

• 1 cup of rice (white or Spanish or brown) + ground beef or ground sausage (I use beef) + a pasta or pizza sauce + salt/pepper and any seasonings. I add garlic & onion powder at the very least.
• Cook the rice. Brown the meat. If the meat is oily, drain it well. 
• Add the pasta/pizza sauce and seasonings to the meat. Let it simmer to meld the flavors in.
• Top the rice with the meat sauce.

This is a fairly cheap meal because you don't actually have to have a certain type of meat. You can use beef, chicken, turkey, or sausage. You can embellish it with cheeses and have with some toasted bread.

Rich Men North of Richmond & the Rest of Us

 Kirby Anthony wrote a song highlighting the woes of the "everyman" and politicians tried to turn it into either their divisive fight song or a divisive touchstone. Anthony was, in fact, singing about how all of them - on the left or on the right - treat all of us. 

Anthony, a white man, wasn't singing against any of us who are downtrodden. He wasn't singing against anyone - except those in power and not using it to help anyone but themselves. He was singing for the unrepresented common people - black, white, or whatever.

The rich Democrats and Leftists are no less an enemy of us common folk as are the rich Republicans on the right.

I'm not sure if Kirby Anthony meant this or not but I will say it:

• If you are MAGA and are "common folk", you are not a friend of those "Rich Men North of Richmond" (let's call them RMNRs).
• If you are "BLM" and are common, you are not a friend of the RMNRS. 
• The labels - MAGA, BLM, etc.,- very helpfully divide us so that we are more easily controlled and manipulated - by the RMNRs.
• BLM leaders are getting rich, and MAGA leaders are getting rich. 
• We common people are still common. We aren't getting rich and we aren't being represented.

What I would like to see is common white, black, brown, red, and yellow people working together to protect themselves from the people of any party and race not helping us common folk. 

Just because we are not rich doesn't mean we don't deserve safe, clean, and healthy communities. We need to come together to protect each other and our neighborhoods and communities against those who create a lack of safety. None of us want the worst people in our communities holding the rest of us back.

Instead of battling each other - down here where the rich don't have to be - we should be working together. The RMNRs don't care because they don't live where we live. They visit to smile at us, rile us up, and get our votes. Then they go back to being Rich Men North of Richmond.

If the RMNR aren't going to have our best interests at heart; if they work harder to divide us and keep us down- why are we supporting them? Why are we helping them to stay rich and in power?

Let's start expecting our government and politicians to be here for us since we are, in fact, the people.

Peace 

--Free

**1st 24 Hours REVIEW** Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8

NOTE: I wanted this review to be for "regular" people. Not all of us are tech-savvy enough to understand the intricate details of every component on our computers. We just want to know how it works on a day-to-day basis for the average Joe or Jill. I will be your Jill for this review of the Lenovo 9i gen 8 2-in-1 laptop. Mine is the 14-inch model with 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD storage, and the 3840 x 2400 display. And that right there is about as techie as it gets!

 Cue the fanfare 🎺

The UPS guy was almost as excited as I was when he got here with my package. (Everyone knows I've been waiting!)

Unboxing:

I have to give it to Lenovo. They do an awesome job of presenting a new machine to a buyer. The wrapping was as elegant as that for a designer handbag. Not only is the overall packaging sturdy and protective but the box holding the laptop is kind of snazzy. (For what they charge...😏)

I was kind of impressed that after getting past the inner carton with the nice (and vivid) red YOGA logo, the computer was covered in elegant (it bears repeating) black paper. The whole setup is beautifully giftable.

Once I got to the computer (and the pen and the sleeve), I felt like a very spoiled kid at Christmas. I have to do yet another thankful shout-out to my amazing family for this.

The machine is heavier than I expected (this site and others put it at almost 4lbs). It's so small in size compared to my 15.6 Dell that the heft caught me off guard. It's not uncomfortably heavy, just surprisingly so. 

I will briefly touch on first impressions and bold point the topics.

First day of use:

I was happy to see that the lid opened easily. With my Dell, this is not a one-handed task - probably because of the wider sizing. Also, the Dell lid has more flex when opening, which is why I was always careful with it. The Lenovo lid is really sturdy. I guess the whole machine is. I read somewhere about the sturdiness of the aluminum build.

The lack of ports (which I knew about) is a bit distressing. I don't attach a lot of things to my laptops but I have a USB-connected mouse that I love and I also tend to charge my phone and watch with the computer's USB in addition to attaching my printer quite often. That's not going to be an option if I am also using one of the USB ports to charge the Yoga. Two of the slots on one side are "Thunderbolt" ports🤔. I kinda get what that means but kinda don't so here you go.

I'm having to adjust to the keyboard because of the smaller size but I love the feel of the keys as I type. They are bouncy and responsive enough and not too clicky-sounding.

It's going to take more use before I have a firm opinion about the battery. I am trying to stick to the 80/20 rule of thumb: charging no higher than 80% and not letting it dissipate below 20%. I don't know if that really helps in the long run but I keep hearing tech-savvy folks talk about it. (UPDATE: There is a setting in the Lenovo Vantage app that lets me keep the battery from charging over 70-80%)

As I've heard so much about, the display totally lives up to the hype, as do the speakers. The display is lush and vivid. James Spader and Denzel Washington never looked so dang good to me! The speakers are amazing. This is nice because I tend to listen to music when I am doing almost anything else on a computer or around the house.

The Face ID sign-in is nice but... I don't like keeping my camera open. Every time I get ready to sign in, I have to remember to open the camera. The nice thing though is that there is a built-in shutter so I can easily slide the notch to block or unblock the camera. On my Dell, I used blocking stickers so much that I had a Subscribe-and-Save order going. My Dell didn't have the face recognition feature so I got used to signing in with my fingerprint. The Yoga has the fingerprint option also. I am just trying to figure out how to make it the default. (By the way, when I tried the Flex, I noticed that the built-in shutter was nicer; there was a symbol to let you know whether it was open or not.)

The camera is better than on the Dell. I still look like James Brown's baby sister though! It's tough to be dark-skinned and trying to appear halfway normal with any camera... I have not played around with it too much but there is a "Smart Appearance" menu for making adjustments to your camera appearance. Gonna go work on that.

I get now what others have said about those "special" keys along the right side of the keyboard. They cannot be reprogrammed, but I probably would not have done that if I could. For now, I have only been using the Power toggle. There are also keys for intelligent cooling, blurring the camera background, changing the computer's performance mode, and the fingerprint key.

Not only is the keyboard backlit but the lighting is adjustable. There is "auto" (my favorite because the keyboard lights up when the room goes dark); "normal" (just moderately light); and bright. I can see using bright possibly while on an airplane. I keep it on Auto for now.

The pen/stylus is one of the main things for me personally. Because of my brain stumbles, I have used my Dell touchscreen & pen feature almost as much as I use the keyboard. The Yoga has a nicer pen, in my opinion. It's easier to hold because of the octagonal, pencil-like shape.  It also writes better because the tip is "rubbery" and grips the screen instead of sliding around the way the harder nib on the Dell did (if that makes sense). Another thing it has over the Dell stylus is that it's USB chargeable. I had to buy rechargeable batteries for my Dell pen because I ran them down so often.

The length & shape of Lenovo's 
is better for natural writing

The nib on the Dell is harder and slicker-feeling.
The Lenovo tip has "grip".

The "zero-touch" features are pretty cool. There is face recognition for signing in, of course, but the coolest one is the zero-touch video play. That makes the video pause when you turn away from the screen. My poor mother would have sprinkled holy water on this kind of voodoo!

It's skinny but has a kangaroo pocket in front

Yeah, so there is a lot going on here. I am surprised that Lenovo didn't mention these features more as a selling point. People (me!) love gadgets and this thing is full of them.

I will be back to update this review as I get more accustomed to the laptop. For now, I can say that I am very happy with it - but this is just part of the first day...

Update - next morning:

I am enjoying the speed of the machine. I am able to run more apps and programs without any glitches. It's really nice that, when I open the lid, the machine just powers up and recognizes me. There is almost no time spent waiting for it to boot up and get going so I'm done with reading the depressing news quickly.

The battery could be better. It does charge very quickly but I expected to get more life out of a charge. I haven't timed it but I just notice it runs down pretty quickly when I'm running a lot of stuff. Also, I need to find out if it's just my machine or a normal thing that, when unplugging/plugging the charging cable, the screen goes black for a brief moment. It's very jarring.

I am still adjusting to the smaller keyboard so that's a thing. However, I watched a video last night, and... The display is awesome. Colors just pop, pop, pop! The speakers still amaze me. I did not have to use any sound-blaster extensions. When I played music while doing some paperwork, it was as if I was listening to a really decent stereo. It's even nicer that one of those function keys on the side lets me cycle through sound modes (music, movie, gaming, etc.). 

The last thing I discovered is that I have not discovered everything about this laptop... There are apps and functions that I had no idea existed. I can tweak a lot of things using the Vantage dashboard. I set up some adjustments to the camera and fiddled with some audio and visual functions. 

One thing I need to figure out is using the phone connection app. With my Dell, I could connect my phone and send messages, calls, photos, etc. via the laptop. When I was done, I could easily disconnect the phone from the computer. On this Lenovo, I have the phone connection capability but... I cannot figure out how to disconnect it in between sessions. I ended up removing my phone from the list of devices for now. 

My favorite discovery is the Smart Note app. Because I am extremely forgetful and have trouble focusing, I tend to use a lot of sticky notes - digital or hard copy - to quickly jot down ideas and questions. This is especially important when I am listening to books or doing any kind of study. With my Dell, I used a desktop sticky note app that I really liked. Last night, I found the Smart Note app on the Yoga. 

Smart Note lets me use my laptop's handwriting feature in place of sticky notes. I'm sure that a lot of people use it to illustrate things to share with others. I'm not participating in work meetings or in a work environment. I use mine just as a note-taking app. Here is a screenshot of a test page to show you:

The only scare I had all evening was when, at one point, there was some streaking of images at the bottom of the screen:

I almost stroked out!

I looked up some info online and realized that I just had not finished updating all the drivers. Whew! 

So, yes, I do like love the laptop. It's everything that I expected and a little bit more. I feel like I got my family's money's worth. 

Peace

--Free

Lenovo (and UPS) Are… Making Me Nervous

 Lenovo is making me very nervous and so is UPS.

For all the research I did while trying to decide which laptop to choose (thanks again, fam!)...

... I did none on shipping and service. I should have. I really, really should have.

You all probably have read about how excited, grateful, and blessed I felt when my family offered to replace my dying laptop. I chose the Lenovo Yoga 9i (and we will discuss the name situation later...). As soon as I made the order and hit Enter, I had that familiar anxiety. Did I choose the right laptop? Is it really a good laptop? Should I go and read some more reviews? Is it too late to cancel?

I didn't cancel. Instead, I started watching UPS tracking like it was life. After a few days, I noticed that there barely was any tracking. The package went from Mainland China to Korea and... just sat there. 

At this point - because I like feeding my anxiety and not starving it - I started searching online for problems with Lenovo and UPS. I expected to see a few examples and gripes because that would be normal for anything, right? No, no, no. People, there are forums and communities full of this as a specific topic of discussion! What?

Now I am seriously worried and let my anxiety go on a binge. I am mainly worrying about what I have done with so much of my family's money. By the end of the day, I think I broke out in hives - or I'm allergic to the new fabric softener I'm using...

For the next 6 days, the package toured every part of Mainland China before it finally made it to Korea. Then it sat some more. I was originally told it would be delivered on the 23rd. That wasn't going to happen with it sitting in Korea on the 22nd. I called UPS first (a lady there promised to look into things and call me back - btw, she did not).  Then I called to complain to Lenovo and they promised to look into it. They did and UPS gave them some spiel involving an irritating but reasonable explanation. They assured Lenovo (if I can trust what Lenovo said) that it should be here by the 25th. 

On the 25th, the package was not being delivered. It wasn't even on its way out of Korea. I contacted Lenovo again - via chat. I was told that they would contact UPS. They did and then they assured me that I should have the package on or before the 30th. And that's where I am as I type this.

Okay. I had to make myself just breathe. A delivery on the 30th would be great - if I can rely on that. But I have treatments and other appointments coming up. Since I need to be here to sign for the package, that could be a problem. I'm not skipping stuff for my health just because UPS can't get it together.

- A bit of an update - I checked tracking as I was writing this post and, finally, the package has departed Korea for Anchorage.

I wanted to see if the Twitter UPS contact could make sense of that:

Huh?

a bot named Vanessa?

Keep in mind that I really like all the UPS drivers I deal with. They are all pretty awesome. Everyone in my building has some kind of driving limitation so we get a lot of visits from the guys in brown. But this is not about the drivers. This is all about getting the package to the drivers. 

scary truth!

~sigh~

So now I am sitting here, already having some kind of random virus, and worrying about whether I made a mistake in choosing a Lenovo. I had to make myself stop looking into their customer service because there are just too many horror stories out there.

Let me not forget to tell you how confusing I find all the Lenovo Yoga names. When I look up "Yoga 9i", I might get the 2-in-1 (that I'm getting), a slim model, a dual-screen model, or... I can't remember the other one. 

Also, the whole "brands within the brand" is super-weird to me. This is what you get to choose from among the laptops on the Lenovo site:

Shouldn't they all just be Lenovos? By the way, I don't see the Flex model on this list.  What's that about?

Just about every time I searched for "Yoga", I got hits on different types - Slim, Book, etc. And, I loved the idea of the dual-screened Yoga Book (but not the size, price, or reviews when compared to the Yoga 9i (gen 8). I learned to always check for reviews on the one I'm getting by using the "9i gen 8" to the search. (This site explains some of the differences to me.)

Anyway, that finishes my Lenovo-UPS rant. For now.  

I will be back to finish this saga when (if) it ends. In the meantime, be careful shopping Lenovo online. I am reading lots of comments that say it's better to order in a store or via Amazon.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: By the way, it seems that the best way to get in touch with UPS for help is via their Twitter (through messaging) - unless your shipment is coming from outside the U.S., then you have to make calls and pray.

**Dupe Patrol** MiracleLayer Scents

If, like me, you had never heard of this fragrance company before... you will now!

I first tried a MiracleLayer (ML) product when I saw their Molecule 02 dupe scent  (called Aromatic 02) on Amazon.  Oddly, I wasn't impressed right away. I had to pump a couple of sprays and let the bottle set for a week or two. Afterward... wow. 

You must understand how the Escentual Molecule 02 works before you ever try using it. The same goes for the ML 02 type. They are not worn by most as an actual fragrance; they are more "fragrance-enhancing" if that makes sense. 

I only had a Scent Split decant of the original Molecule 02 because I can't splurge on a full bottle. It did what many other users claimed: it supercharged many of my other perfumes when paired. The ML 02-type was identical (after the resting period).

I have a $10 bottle of Choco Musk from the Al Rehab brand that had no projection or lasting power. I mean, what could I expect for ten bucks! Layering Choco Musk with either of the 02 scents made me fall in love with that cheap perfume. All of the chocolate-vanilla-powder sweetness of the Musk went into beast mode. Honestly, maybe "beast mode" is a slight exaggeration! However, I definitely got the projection and longevity of a much pricier fragrance.

So, after that, I was kind of hooked. The seller told me (via their Amazon page) that the other ML scents I'd heard about weren't on Amazon yet. I went to their website and... it looked so freaking sketchy that I had to check around for its legitimacy. A couple of Redditors assured me that they had used the site. I gave it a shot, knowing that my credit card would protect me and itself!

Listen. Not only was the site legit for me, but there were also no shipping charges. I could pay for faster shipping but "regular" USPS is free. I jumped right on that.

I ordered 10ml each of the Ambergris Musk (A JHAG Not a Perfume dupe) and 13 Aromatics (a Le Labo Another 13 dupe). And I am not mad at all.

The Ambergris Musk is, IMO, a bit stronger than the original. Many users don't know that JHAG's Not a Perfume is made up of basically Cetalox. The dupe from ML also uses the cetalox scent as a base note.

By the way, because I tend to like scents like Not a Perfume and Glossier's You - which are similar IMO - I wanted to understand the notes and ingredients that give them their "personality. Chat GPT was helpful. This is how it explains the differences between cetalox, Ambroxan, and ambergris:

1. **Cetalox:** Cetalox is a synthetic molecule that has a clean, woody scent. It's often used as a base note in perfumes to add depth and warmth. It's known for its neutral fragrance profile and is a common ingredient in many modern fragrances.

2. **Ambroxan:** Ambroxan is another synthetic molecule used in perfumery. It has an ambery, musky, and slightly woody scent. It's often used to create rich, warm, and sensual fragrances. Ambroxan is known for its longevity and ability to enhance other scent notes in a perfume.

3. **Ambergris:** Ambergris is a natural substance that comes from the digestive system of whales. Over time, it develops a unique and complex scent that's often described as sweet, earthy, and marine-like. It's used as a precious ingredient in perfumery to add depth and complexity to fragrances. However, due to ethical and environmental concerns, synthetic alternatives like ambroxan and cetalox are often used instead of natural ambergris.

In short, cetalox and ambroxan are synthetic molecules used to create certain scent profiles, while ambergris is a natural substance with a distinctive scent that's often replicated synthetically due to sustainability reasons.

And, as far as my 2 personal faves:

Not a Perfume - Main Ingredient: "Not a Perfume" by Juliette Has a Gun is centered around the single molecule cetalox. This fragrance is known for its simple, clean, and almost transparent scent. It's designed to be minimalistic and non-traditional in its approach to perfumery.

Glossier You:- Main Notes: "You" by Glossier is formulated with a combination of notes, including ambroxan, musk, and iris root. While ambroxan contributes to the musky and warm undertones, the fragrance also includes other elements for a more complex scent profile.

If you check out the MiracleLayer links, you can see what I like about the scents I tried. 

Overall, I personally cannot see buying "You", "Not a Perfume", or Molecule 02 originals again. Remember from my page on perfumes how I explained why smells can't be patented? Well, I do not care what the name is on the bottle of perfume. As long as it presents the smell results, I'm happy. MiracleLayer is making me happy with at least 3 of the smells I love!

Finally, I want to say that this appears to be a small company. When I was buying one product from Amazon and had a question, the customer service was amazing. It's a USA company, people. Get over there and show some support!

Peace

--Free

DISCLAIMER: I was not sponsored or compensated in any way for writing this post. I bought all the items with my own money and at no discount.

Knowledge & Literacy & a Personal Challenge

Reading, thinking critically, knowing, understanding - this is all so important for all of us. Learning shouldn't stop at the end of our school days. Maturing shouldn't stop at a certain age. Keep growing and keep striving to be a better person - even if just for yourself.

Knowledge & Literacy

When I got sick, the one thing that bothered me the most was not being able to read and comprehend as well as before. I have always loved books. Reading allowed me to see more of the world without ever leaving my room. Reading was how I learned to feel connections with other people in this wide world of ours.

Now that my brain is somewhat healed, I can better read and comprehend the written word. However, there is something about seeing a lot of letters on a page that frustrates me. Sometimes, the letters and words seem distorted. For that reason, I have learned to appreciate audiobooks.

And, thank God for audiobooks. For the past 7 years or so, I have gotten back into the habit of reading or listening to all the writers and poets I love. Zora Neale Hurston is a favorite and I have come back around to others such as those by Oscar Wilde, Alexandre Dumas, Shirley Jackson, Countee Cullen, Sylvia Plath, Nella Larsen, Claude McKay, Lorraine Hansberry, and Harper Lee. 

Even though I started reading at an early age, I have only recently begun to think about all the books, authors, and poets I've avoided. I have never read most of Shakespeare or any of Virginia Woolf, and I just put Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" on my list because of a Bible Study I've been doing.

Yesterday, I started putting together a list. During the coming winter months, I'd like to touch on or get through:

• The Art of War (Sun Tzu). A nephew of mine suggested this one years ago. The Bible study reminded me.
• The Death of Common Sense (Philip K. Howard). Oddly, I saw the author mentioned in the obituary of a television voice actor.
• The History of Knowledge (Charles Van Doren)
• The Federalist Papers (A. Hamilton, J. Madison, and J. Jay)
• The Ninety-Five Theses (Martin Luther)
• The Antiquities of the Jews (Josephus - translated by William Whiston)

It's a short list but some of the works are very intensive and will take me the rest of my life. (I also plan to re-read and study the U.S. Constitution, something I haven't done since my last year of school.)

A Challenge

One book that I have read before and recently read (rather listened to) again is Cultural Literacy (E.D. Hirsch, Jr.). The first time I read this, I made it a goal to start honing my cultural literacy skills. Then I got sick. Last year, I found a copy at my local library and made a note to read it again. When I did, I was encouraged to pursue a very specific challenge: to study for the U.S. Citizenship Test.

I have always been amazed (and sometimes ashamed) by the hard work of many people who come to live in the U.S. and make it their permanent home. Like too many natural-born citizens, I take so much of my citizenship for granted.

When people come here and, starting with less than I have, and go on to do more than I have, that's beautiful. It's also a reminder that I - and many of you - could be doing so much more here. We could be more appreciative of our freedoms and opportunities. We do, many of us, squander so much of that.

The challenge I have given myself is not to prove anything. I just want to study for the test for my personal learning and growth. 

There are many resources online. I started with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Naturalization Interview and Test page. Looking at the test and study resources listed, I decided to just go with other (less official) sources. Right now, I'm looking at this site. There are offerings of "free" training resources I want to check out.

If you are interested in just taking a quiz (it might encourage you) there is one. If, like me, you want to practice for taking the entire test, this is one link. I had initially just thought about practicing for the Civics portion only.

What strikes me is that people only get 2 attempts at passing the actual exam! Think about that. Think about the work that someone - who may not even speak English - has to put in to become a citizen. Maybe we all should have to take this test at some point in our early school years.

I will post about my progress as often as I can. I have not set a start date yet.

Peace

--Free