25 Comments
May 11Liked by Jan Stoneburner

Great laughs! It’s exhausting I think because we are “ hard wired” into our phones, constant checking in on social media, having to discern if what we are seeing and hearing is a “ bot”, a deep fake, a scam or just information ! It’s the downside of today’s internet connections.

But reviewing the more innocent of times can refocus and it calms me.

I still watch “ the news” but thinking that will stop soon. I want to decide for myself what information to use and how I process it! Trying for Good Vibes Only! ❤️

Expand full comment

I'm actually watching Columbo on Amazon Prime and LOVING it. Cigars smoked inside, old cars, everyone is well dressed, a two martini lunch. And all the murders so far occur in the houses of rich people, rich people killed BY rich people. Surprisingly tack interiors make it even more fun. I remember my grandparents loved this show. Talk about full circle.

Expand full comment
author

Loved that show. Wasn’t he a germ-o-phobic? (Is that a word?) Ha!

Expand full comment

No, I think that was Monk. Columbo is played by Peter Falk, and he pretends to be a bumbling fool while sizing up the situation. He gets them to crack by annoying them with stupid questions until they give something away. It's been a lot of fun! Monk is also wonderful, but not as much nostalgia - the seventies are a blast from the past.

Expand full comment
author

Right!

Expand full comment
author

It is exhausting, Joan! I started watching YouTube, but now each one starts with a political ad asking for money. 💰 😡 where can I go next. 😂

Expand full comment

This is excellent! We are fed reasons to be fearful on all the media sites now. I grew up with no seatbelts or bike helmets, riding in the back of pickup trucks and my mom having no idea where I was at times. And I've made it this far! Great story, Jan.

Expand full comment
author

Cathey — we had fun childhoods, didn’t we? Safety is such a big issue now-a-days! I’m noticing kids are a bit more reticent than we were. 😊

Expand full comment

Love it Jan. I often think about when I used to carry my baby daughter in a bassinet on the back seat, before seat belts were invented. Then seat belts came and Australia as the champion of marketing messages came up with 'Click Clack, Front and Back' - never to be forgotten.

Expand full comment
author

Oh, Robyn, here in America I think it’s “Click it or ticket.” My kids used to stand up beside me when I was driving. Yikes! How did we all survive??? 😂

Expand full comment

I know Jan. Kids in front seat unbelted and you put your arm out as you braked to make sure they didn’t go through windscreen. We can laugh now but I am so grateful we survived unscathed.

Expand full comment

Ahaha LOVE it! So true being conditioned to fear more. Well we know the source of fear and he is a slimey defeated foe!!!

My funny story is one day ( a couple of decades ago) the school I was teaching in received a bomb threat. We all evacuated then the police sent us teachers inside, by ourselves to inspect our classrooms, by ourselves too, because we would know if anything was amiss. 😂

Expand full comment
author

Kaboom! 💥 OMG!!! One time when we were evacuated for a bomb threat, they had everyone stand about 10 ft from the building. I thought that was bad. Another time the school secretary recognize the kid’s voice and told him to quit being stupid & get back to school. He did! 😂 Those were the days! ❤️

Expand full comment

Oh, so true! I've been thinking a lot about fear and that most of it is self created and self imposed. With my husband gone for three weeks, I've been watching my cats. They briefly startle at an unexpected noise, then calm down quickly. Even thunderstorms that go for an hour - the hide under the bed for the duration, but they also SLEEP under the bed or curl up together, knowing they've done all they can. (I realize my cats can't think, I'm not a CRAZY person, but I do think they can sense. ) Humans have brains that can contemplate and plan for the future - which is great as long as fear doesn't paralyze us. The little boy climbing around on the roof wasn't afraid - and definitely wasn't paralyzed! ;) Love it. Thanks for this!

Expand full comment
author

Wonderful observations with your cats. There are healthy fears —when we’re in imminent danger — but most of the ones we face daily are illusions. We are trained as children to think they are real like “stranger danger” and are difficult to overcome when we’re old enough to tell the difference. Sometimes fear is really excitement. They are actually the same sensation. So when I’m doing a public speaking event I retell myself over & over how Excited I am to be speaking. I never verbalize fear. Make sense?

Expand full comment

Wow, I love your positive energy! Finding you on Substack has been a real blessing.

Expand full comment
author

Thank you! I feel the same about finding you. Xoxo

Expand full comment

As I was reading your blog, I remember those things especially the duck and cover drills, which were still practiced for earthquake drills in Southern California. So many things we did as kids, like ride our bikes all over country roads I grew up on a farm. Building tunnels in heavy snow, sending our younger sister through first..she’s still here. It is a scary world out there today, I worry about my grandkids. Another great blog!

Expand full comment
author

Oh, Linda — you brought back a wonderful memory — digging snow tunnels all around our yard. {{Hugs}}

Expand full comment
May 11Liked by Jan Stoneburner

LOL thanks for the laugh Jan! Those were the good old days. Meditation and love and self care help me with fear.

Expand full comment
author

I get you, Cheryl. Meditation has really calmed me in my older age. Xoxo

Expand full comment

Jim and Rachael just yesterday had their checking account , Amazon account , Discover card hacked and funds transferred . It’s a real mess with endless phone calls etc. The Internet as useful as it is has its problems to be scared of too. Be careful of information required on home loans and other things .

Expand full comment
author

Oh yes, there are threats and things to be fearful of in today’s world. I feel terrible for Rachael. But we can not live in constant fear. It paralyzes us. Take care! ❤️

Expand full comment

I don't watch news and weather very close anymore and seems to work in my favor . So, I plan to continue to keep ir that way!

Expand full comment

Thanks for the laughs Jan. I don’t like all online banking so far my debit card been hacked twice since the first of this year ugh thankful our local bank have a very good fraud department. It was very frustrating especially we were out of town.

Expand full comment