That's (the bold statement) is very primitive & naive, and can create undesired & dangerous situations.
Animals that live in groups behave that way.
We aren't animals.

What sets us apart as humans is the ability to think for ourselves, even if this is different from what others around you think.

That's what allows us to be on our path to individuation, which we are meant to do.
It is not the idea to take 100 or more steps back in human evolution and become like animals.

We have a highly developed frontal lobe, esp the prefrontal cortex.
You gotta use it.

I set up a new painting a couple of days ago.
Lots more work to be done, but I like this stage with that depth in it!

One example of how this is going to affect both people in and outside of the US:

I know a man who owns a own business in selling crystal skulls. He has these carved by Brazilian master carvers from top quality Brazilian quartzes.

80% of his customers are Americans.
But from August onwards Americans will have to cough up 50% import tariff on BOTH the skull they want AND the shipping.
That means Americans either will have to pay a freaking fortune to buy what they love or... no longer able to get it at all.
Thank you Trump!

The business owner will likely get in trouble as he will see most of his sales drop.

The carvers might be out of a job and means to live and feed their families.
Thank you Trump!

It could even result in the business owner being forced to move back to The Netherlands after having lived in Brazil for decades. Then he won't be able to do the work he loves doing.

Trump's idea is that things will be made in the US itself.
There are no Brazilian master carvers in the US.
Nor is there top quality Brazilian Quartz in the US.

So a totally effed up situation.
And this is just one small business.
Hundreds of thousands are going to suffer, small companies & big ones.

Millions outside the US may lose their jobs, their homes, and so on.
Americans may not give a toss about that, but if that happens it will come back and bite you in the a$$ when the stock-market crashes.

The only ones who won't suffer are the rich & famous in the US and Trump himself will sure as heck make sure he isn't going to suffer.

And this whole "the US has been ripped off for years" is part of an elaborate plan to gain more power.
As it is, the US has way too much power.
That could be remedied, but then it will be the people who will suffer, not the ones who are behind this scheme.

It's absolutely scary that one man can do this by declaring some illusive state of emergency that grants him the sole power to do so.

I don't mean to offend you, but you really have tunnel vision.
I won't hold it against you as I know many Americans live as if they're the only country in the world or, if they're aware there are other countries, that these are inferior & the US' servants.
But then you forget that we are all connected, we don't live on separate islands anymore.
Many glorify the US and don't even know that many other western countries are way more advanced in areas than the US is.
In many of these areas the US is more like a 3rd world country.
I don't mean that as a dig. Just to give a different perspective.

Other countries should most certainly be concerned about this as it will affect them too.

It's not for nothing that some fear another global stock market crash by what Trump has done.
If that happens it'll affect the US as well. After all GLOBAL means the entire world.
The same goes for Trumps decision. It will also have a global effect.

If a man asks a woman to marry him and still doesn't trust her or still doesn't really know her then he's an idiot.
You don't ask someone to marry you unless you really love them, care about them, have established a solid relationship with them and know that you want to spend the rest of your life with them.

I wouldn't even say 'yes' to a man if he was still basically a stranger. Nor would I marry him if he didn't trust me and felt that he suddenly had reason, or the right, to interrogate me.

Aside from that, normally when you're in touch & dating for a while these kind of things come up by themselves. In a natural way, not by someone demanding answers.

Maybe it's a generational difference, can also be a cultural difference.
To me how you portray things and what you seem to find normal feels very rigid and very mental, totally not from the heart.
I'm not into a calculated mental relationship. I want a love relationship with bonding on all levels.
Some of these levels (I believe there are 4 or 5) are emotional, spiritual, mental.

Whether or not I will react well to the question why I divorced depends on context.
Who is asking, why and when he is asking.
Generally speaking it's none of a new man's business. It's a matter of trust. And oftentimes a divorce happened yonks ago, like in my case 22 years now.
It doesn't play a role in my life and sure as heck shouldn't be a reason for a man not wanting to date me.

In general it's a very B & W question that I don't consider applicable at all.

Very clear. Thank you for that feedback.
Are there many with this view that you know of or is that more from a minority?

I too hope that it can be overturned and the damage restored.
Should be possible, he overturned much of what Obama had implemented as well.
Unfortunately he will be in office for another 3 years...

Stopping wars??
The US usually starts them, directly or indirectly.
The one in Ukraine is one of them.
That war is having a devastating effect on EU countries as we all have to offer refuge to hundreds of thousands Ukraine refugees. Now these are all good people, but it still costs money, space, healthcare etc. etc.
Plus the huge risk of it escalating, which will cost all EU countries dearly. Thank you US.

That's just one war.

As for the alleged benefit to your country right now... wait how it's going to pan out. I wouldn't be hopeful.
Chances are that the US will become an island.
That's basically what he wants. Produce your own stuff, and considering his policy I doubt other countries are going to be open to allowing the overflow in. So where are you going to go with your produce?
Dump it in Africa like was done with American GM grain in a country where people were starving and had no choice but to accept the disastrous grain?

Wanna produce your own chit? Knock yourself out. But flog it on US soil as well.
Like I said, my idea is: FU!

It's going to create havoc, in and outside the US. Who is better off remains to be seen.
Fact remains that it is an incredibly daft move.
If big companies find other outlets and countries to work with, what will you be left with? Nothing. Poverty.

How do you Americans feel about Trump's import tariffs?
Just curious whether or not this move has the overall support of the American people.

Personally I find it a very dangerous move. I don't necessarily mean economically.
But because it divides people and countries, and raises animosity and hostility.
With that it can very easily create a breeding ground for war as it will set up countries against one another, and against the US.
What will Trump do then? Send his overwhelming military force? Nuke countries?
This could very easily escalate into very nasty scenarios as he demands the entire world to bow down to the US.
Which is not going to happen.
Even I feel like FU!!
And I'm a loving person who doesn't busy herself with politics or economics at all.

I also feel this is a move to obtaining world power. If that happens it'll drag us back into the dark ages at the speed of light.

I've felt for decades that it could very well be that in the end Russia is the only one that can save us. From the US.
Problem being that the few others who will then join in aren't friends of the western world (I mean EU, AUS, UK with that, not US).

Let's hope it's not going to come to any of that.
Just when we're on the brink of moving into a new world based on love and oneness.
Unbelievable that one single man can take so much power and get away with it.

Nick Nolte.
I always liked him when I was a young girl.
But now in his 80s he still did an excellent job in "Angel has Fallen" as Gerard Butler's father.
He is hilarious and really good in that movie.

Sean Connery.
Need I explain? Just a brilliant actor. The Rock was one of my fave's with him.

Samuel L. Jackson.
He is really good although he often plays a I-don't-give-a-toss characters.
But he does it with so much verve which tells me he truly is a great actor.

Morgan Freeman.
Doesn't need explanation either. Brilliant actor. One of a kind.
The way he can look at another character, so intense and strong! You cannot fake that. I think he's a force to be reckoned with in real life too.

Gerard Butler
The entire Fallen sequel, Reign of Fire, 300, Greenland, and more.
Great actor. Especially if he is allowed to speak in his Scottish accent.

I want to tell a little bit about hormone replacement therapy, HRT, for menopause symptoms that I started end of May.

At some point during my menopausal journey I began to get symptoms. Nothing too serious. No severe hot flashes, nightsweats or moodswings.
But I did notice clear changes.
Almost overnight my skin got dry. I was shocked that could happen so fast!
I had trouble falling asleep, no matter how tired I'd been.
And I had the occasional heart flutter. Innocent in most cases but still unpleasant.

The GP allowed me to get on the pill, which helped. But then after 2 years they told me I had to get off it as it would become a danger due to my age -then 54.
Back to not falling asleep, heart flutters.
I must say I did feel better when not on the pill anymore! As if a thin veil got lifted.

The last couple of months I did notice my memory was getting worse and I had difficulty finding words when in conversation. Not too bad, but not my normal and certainly something was decreasing/not going well in my brain.
Scary as hell! I had planned to see my GP for early onset dementia, truly really scary.

Then I happened upon a YouTube clip with an interview of Dr Marie Claire Haver, gynaecologist, on menopause.
Holy cow! Major eye-opener!
She told of many horrific changes and health risk due to lacking hormones.
The list was a mile long and many I recognised but had not thought of as menopausal issues.
Like sudden dental & gums problems. Tinnitus, dizziness, brain-fog, joint & muscle aches and so on.

But as a woman you also have a very high risk of dementia, cardio vascular disease, osteoporosis and so on.

DOCTOR VISIT
I educated the hell out of myself and then went to my GP.
She did help women with menopausal issues, but she described things according to GP regulations, meaning synthetic hormones.
These don't work well and pose a risk for cancer.
Bio-identical hormones don't, they can even help prevent cancer.

I told her about the oestrogen and progesterone I wanted. She didn't know these, had to look them up, but then prescribed them.
I began with the start doses. You have to do that for 6 weeks, then see how it's going and if need be up the doses.

Five days ago doctor gave me permission to go up 1 dose of estrogen gel.
Progesterone will remain the same for now. It'll take an ultrasound of uterus lining to know whether that needs to be higher dose or not.

THE EFFECT:
Memory was back to normal within 1-2 days

Being able to come up with words in conversation --> back to normal within 1-2 days!!
just goes to show how much you need your hormones!! Also how fast things can reverse back to normal

I fall asleep as I did all my life: as soon as I see my pillow, haha

No more heart flutters

I feel better, have more energy

I didn't really have hot flashes, more like the occasional warm wave. I haven't had that since I began.

No more brain-fog


A couple of other things as well, but to personal to tell here.


THE FUTURE & HOPE
I hope my tinnitus will eventually heal or get less.
Also hope my sensitive joints & ligaments will cause me less or no grief.
I even hope my TBI will begin to heal!
I mean, some doctors found it strange it had't healed. I accepted it as a given, but why wouldn't it heal? If I cut my finger it heals as well.
If my brain gets the appropriate dose of hormones again, who knows what it possible!

RISKS
Of course another big reason for doing this is preventing ending up with a ton of ailments, diseases, limited mobility, heart disease and so on.
Looking at my mum, who's only 82, and all the things she suffers from which keep getting worse...
I do not want to get old like that.
And I now know you don't have to get old like that. As long as you have your hormones.

Think of risks as:
Cardio-vascular diseases
dementia
osteoporosis
diabetics
joint issues and losing mobility
high cholesterol
incontinence
thyroid issues
Some get vaginal atrophy (!!!)
Insensitive/shrinking clitoris
And so on (list is much longer)

WHY
Like a diabetic needs insulin for the rest of their life, a woman need hormones for the rest of her life.
Whether it's the pancreas that stops working or ovaries, it doesn't matter. You need to replace what's lacking so the body can function without breaking down.

Lastly... every woman needs progesterone incl. the ones without uterus.
Progesterone is incredibly important for the nervous system, which includes your brain.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor or expert. By all means educate yourself and consult a professional!

America indeed does that.
Didn't you know? How did you not know?
I've known for over 30 years.
And it's not something to be proud of.
No one should support another people or country that terrorises other people. In this case the ones who have the right to live in the country as it's their's!

As a comparison it is the exact same situation as what colonists did to the original and rightful owners and inhabitants of the Americas.
And the same as what was done to the Aboriginals in Australia.

You preach "seek god", I strongly advise you to do that!
Let go of your hate and extremist beliefs.
God isn't hate nor extremist. God is love.
What you preach is the complete opposite of love.
You're on the same spectrum as the extremists who attacked the US on 9/11 and the 7/7 attacks on London.

Just like you, those extremists also were convinced they were doing the right thing.

Do you feel 9/11 was divine and love, god's decision?
Or were you shocked and abhorred by the act?

I invite you to think about that as you are exactly the same as those people.

Extremists are creepy as they cause the downfall of civilised life and they sow fear instead of love.
You're one of them.

Me's thinking it's about time to go to bed again. Beginning to get really sleepy... zzzzzzz

Re-watching a couple of Expedition Bigfoot seasons.
Season 7 is going to be released in August and reading that got me in the mood :)

Thank you so much, Merry!
It was quite the experience to do. So different from how I normally paint.

Thank you, Julie!

Beginning of July I made another painting that I haven't posted yet.
It's a little bit of Vincent and the rest me.
So far calling it Swirling Clouds.
I really like this one!

Hopefully you do notice the owl in the tree :)
I had finished the painting then suddenly got the intuitive sense that I needed to paint an owl in it.
I'd already signed the painting, but followed my intuition regardless.
The owl somehow seems to belong there!

Thank you, Julie.

I finished it 2 days ago :)

More work done!

It's almost finished :D

Thank you, Julie!