Too Much Television Leads to Turtle Overdose

I have definitely been watching too much television while house sitting. The contrast to most of the people who I know and call friends living on Culebra could be more dramatic, maybe if I lived in an undiscovered tribe in a rain forest somewhere and I don't mean El Yunque.I'll just skip right over the commercials for putting goo in my face to erase aging, pills to cure what I had no idea was a problem with side effects that might kill me but I'll feel good...for a while... and more things to buy/own/rent that requires...well, see below.

Young people looking to buy homes whinge on with pointed disdain about outdated kitchens (no granite counters? pish!), blast the idea of having to share a sink in a bathroom, cringe at a master suite that won't encompass their king size bed along with a tennis court of space, because they have so much stuff - stuff in boxes, stuff in containers, stuff never used but stuff that must be kept and added to - they are turned away by unacceptable paint colors, or a yard that needs landscaping. Few want to do any work to move into a home most of their parents will never be able to afford. The term 'starter home' seems to have come to mean one someone else builds for them. They tire me out and I want to send them all to their rooms - in a really old neighborhood. Something is wrong here, way beyond the 'I want's'.

There is one show I do like called Property Brothers. One a realtor, the other who designs and builds, they take a couple to a house with everything on their wish list. Then they show the price, wildly too high. Then they go to a home within the price range but in need of remodeling to get what is wanted and needed, also within the price range. The buyers join in the demolition and reconstruction and get what they dreamed about at a price they can afford. Because these guys show them with some hard work, Less can be More. Much more.

While I see the point of those coffee machines that you pop a little container of various flavored coffees in for offices, libraries (!), teachers' lounges, etc. I can't help but contrast that to my son buying his coffee beans from Sweet Maria's, roasting them, grinding them and serving me amazing coffee every morning while I was out West. He even managed it while we were at a music festival, camping, from roast to cup taking about 20 minutes and if it was already roasted, from grind to to cup taking less than 10 minutes.

As most readers' of this blog know, I'm a big fan of tiny houses and simplified life styles. I'm not saying this is right or do-able for everyone, but I do believe that Less is More is for everyone and I think the planet and economy worldwide give me more than a few supporting reasons for such a belief.

Yesterday, at Occupy Oakland, a young Iraq war veteran was critically injured by a projectile from the police, his skull fractured. As people went to help him, the police once again attacked the crowd. I know there are great police; that's not my issue - the issue is that someone, somewhere, with a lot of influence, does not want those protesting around the country concerning the wide gap of the have's and used to have and don't have anymore's to have any credence. Yes, it all ties together and to focus on any one aspect is to miss the bigger picture. A picture of many facets that I've been exposing myself to way too much!! Yesyes, I know there is more than HGTV and news, yes, there is some good television that doesn't make me feel like a stranger in a strange land.  Share water? Yes, that's better. Apologies to Mr. Heinlein.

It was time to change the channel

So, when the opportunity came up to go see some freshwater turtles, I was more than ready. This is what makes me happy, this is why I live here, even while laughing about that being an exciting outing...and it was, swimming included.

The turtles started coming toward us immediately

First a few, then an invasion

It was almost scary, a turtle army

Beautiful

A herd of turtles, a gorgeous day, a perfect beach

Bye turtles, Thanks for the weirdness!

Have a tv free Thursday! Do something un-timidly.