Story Starter Saturday- 1/28/23 Sweet Dreams


Your sentence starter this week is:

  • Am I asleep, or am I dreaming? This question whirled through her mind.



    Sweet Dreams

    “Am I asleep, or am I dreaming? ” This question whirled through her mind as she listened to the TV.

    Barb sat straight up in bed having almost fallen asleep.

    “Did that idiot just say that private property causes Global Warming?!”

    Barb glanced at her husband, Dennis, to see he had dosed off with the TV on again. Now she was wide awake and angry ‘to boot’. Bill Gates was framed on the screen, sickly grinning, and proposed once more that no one should own property or cars.

    Barbara was so agitated she hit Dennis square in the face with her pillow. He flailed and sat up beside her.

    “What the heck, Barbara?! You nearly gave me a heart attack! What’s wrong?”

    “You fell asleep again with that Communist News Network on. Why in the HELL do you watch that garbage!”

    “It’s funny and boringly predictable at the same time. You know I can’t just fall asleep like you do.”

    “If you insist on watching that station, then you better make darn sure I’m asleep from now on before you tune in. It’s disturbing and alarming to me. And if you don’t understand how disturbing it is, I’ll be happy to hit you with my pillow when it’s left on in the future!”

    Dennis, now awake, changed the channel to Investigation Discovery. The show playing was about a woman gradually poisoning her husband to death.

    “That’s more like it! Goodnight Dennis. Sweet dreams.”




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“Experts” are Overrated.

Image result for Expert Icon Black

There are certain titles either given, or self-appointed, that assault my sensibilities.
For the record, no human being knows everything. Even the ones who have access to expansive amounts of information, have varying degrees of ‘good character’ and intelligence. We know for a fact that doctors can know their science, but many have lousy bedside manners. You want a skilled surgeon on your case but you can still think they don’t ‘measure up’ as doctors because great doctors have great medical skills and excellent “people skills”. Teachers are the same. They can have a large resume’ of all the child psychology courses, the teacher conferences, many degrees, and the newest technology tools, but if they can’t relate to kids, their credentials don’t mean much.
‘The proof is in the pudding’ is an appropriate axiom. Those receiving the products, or services, are the actual judges, so why is so much emphasis put on listening [ in a religious manner] to so called “experts”? There are a number of irritating (ignorant) people these days who won’t allow you to question any ‘expert’ unless your credentials are greater.
Really?
Do I need to own a restaurant to recognize one I wouldn’t eat at, Karen?
Do I have to be an elephant in Africa before I voice an intelligent opinion on poaching?
As a woman, do I absolutely have to embrace anything Hillary Clinton says is ‘womanly’ because she ‘speaks for me’? Heck NO.

The term “expert” has no universal meaning. It’s just a title arbitrarily assigned to people, primarily those who have degrees. Yep… impressed I’m not, by credentials, and there are many topics that no one can legitimately claim expertise on.
CNN throws the ‘expert’ label around a lot. I guess they believe most people snap to attention when they hear it. Their panels are always called political ‘experts’. Most have never held office, run a successful campaign, or even guessed correct former political outcomes. What is their expertise? Must be that they like to talk about politics.
Heck… I talk about politics often. I must be an EXPERT. 😀

I think many women of my grandmothers’ generation were experts at throwing together hearty meals on sparse groceries. Their expertise was gained by doing. In fact, most people who are ‘experts’ are older than 40 because, it’s not the ‘study of’ but the ‘doing of’ that creates expertise. So show me what you can do and convince me that you know what you’re talking about, not your paperwork, please. Your title isn’t enough.


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