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FB Name Changes to End F*** Biden Chant
Facebook talks name change in an attempt for “FB” to not remind the public to chant F*** Biden.
Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, announced yesterday that Facebook is changing certain divisions of its company name to Meta. Some speculate that this change is due to legal issues against the organization. Others theorize it is to keep up with current cultural trends.
The exposed truth, however, is that the tech giant aka government must change its name because FB too closely resembles a popular chant sweeping the United States and beyond: Fuck (Joe) Biden.
In a secret undercover interview, an unknown and not verified whistleblower is imagined to have said, “We cannot allow FB to be seen by millions of people daily. The chanting has gotten out of control. We are changing the name of the company and we are confident that the chanting will now end.”
Some have said that this is a weak attempt to “re-Brandon” the company.
Only time will tell the success of such a change.
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Colorado Mining Ghost Town
Graffiti-tagged houses obscurely hang on the side of a mountain off of a scenic Colorado highway. The abandoned homes, full of broken windows, crumbling walls, and rusting vehicles are locked behind metal fences and barb wire gates. Signs warn to KEEP OUT and RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH, but judging by the vandalization not everyone has kept out.
It is Gilman, Colorado, an abandoned mining camp located on the side of Battle Mountain off highway 24 in Colorado’s Eagle County. Gilman, once a chief location for lead and zinc mining, was established in the late 1800s and then ordered to close in 1984 when the EPA deemed the area to be too toxic and not profitable enough to continue operation.
Much of the town’s postal, business and community moved to nearby Minturn, which during my visit in September 2021, seemed to be an eclectic, artsy, and up-and-coming destination.
We stole a distant peek and a couple of pictures of Gilman from the one pull-off spot available. I wanted binoculars and a tour. This eerie place beckons to listen to its stories.
For more information on Gilman, Colorado:
Cover photo by Jeffrey Beall – Own work, CC BY 4.0.
Thank you for visiting The Jar! For another Colorado adventure visit Natural Hot Springs in Glenwood, Colorado. Happy travels!
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Waltz Across Texas Dance Competition
An American Country Dance Association (ACDA) Event
I competed at Waltz Across Texas in Houston in October, 2021. This was my 4th country western dance competition and my 2nd time at Waltz Across Texas. This is a dance event on the American Country Dance Association – ACDA – circuit.
Dancers have the opportunity at this event to compete in many dances. These dances include partner and solo dances. The partner dances are:
- Triple Two Step
- Polka
- Night Club
- Cha Cha
- Waltz
- Two-Step
- East Coast Swing
- West Coast Swing
A dancer may perform all these dances or a combination. They may perform with their dance coach in a pro-am division, or with a partner. Dancers may also perform solo line dances of varying genres. They compete against others in their age range and skill level in all competitions.
Dance competitions are so much fun. But, why try dance?
Benefits of Dance
Dancing keeps us young
It is a great exercise that keeps the body strong and supple. It sharpens the mind and helps with memory retention. And it provides a social outlet that is active, fun, challenging, and goal-oriented.
Dancing provides a community
Attending classes and social dances provides a consistent group of people who love doing the same activity. This builds friendships and community! Dancers tend to be in a small circle and it makes it easy to get to know others. They work hard and play harder and it is amazing being a part of the dance community.
Dancing is therapeutic
There is a reason that dance has been a part of every culture throughout history. It is expressive, emotional, and healing. For me, dance has been a light during times of dark circumstances, and I know many people personally who have found themselves and been healed through dance.
For more information about Country Western dancing, visit the American Country Dance Association or the United Country Western Dance Council.
For more information about dance coach Bryce Greene, visit: Brycegreene.dance or Bryce Green Dance IG
Thanks for stopping by The Jar! Have a dance question? Please ask!
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Natural Hot Springs in Glenwood Springs, Colorado
I normally wake up at 6:00 am, sans alarm, tweet-tweet. This particular morning it was 5:00 am because I was about to cross an item off of my bucket list.
Our Stay at Hotel Colorado
A web search revealed a non-commercialized hot springs a short fifteen minute drive from our hotel: the old, grand and allegedly haunted Hotel Colorado located in Glenwood Springs.
This vintage hotel opened in 1893 and through it’s years has served as a Naval hospital, a jail, and luxurious accomodations for gangsters to United States Presidents.
Our Drive to Hot Springs
We ordered a coffee and headed toward the springs at sunrise. It was difficult to find but we finally noticed the faint beginnings of a dirt path and a sign nailed to a tree warning: “Smile, you’re on camera.” Highly doubtful.
I grabbed my blanket for a towel, because why pack essentials, and we meandered down the path, soon spotting steam colliding with the cool September air.
Full disclosure, I was a tad hesitant about health and sanitation as I poked my toes in the water, buuut a little risk makes it more fun, am I right? Right?? The water felt to be about 100F and grew hotter closer to the source. A few places along the sandy bottom burnt my skin if I let my foot linger.
About a twenty minute soak did the trick. I jumped out, wrapped myself in my blanket and tramped back to the car, now cold.
As I was changing behind my car door an old retro-fitted ambulance pulled up in front of us; kayaks strapped to the top and bikes strapped to the back. Now I am cold, half naked and jealous.
A long haired man with a beard to match hopped out of the ambulance dressed in cut off jeans, flip flops, a towel thrown over his shoulder and a smile as big as the sunrise that had just taken place. Here for his morning soak…or bath…
I wanted a conversation with this guy.
Travel Recommendations
While this adventure made me smile, I would not add it to my recommendation list unless you are in the area, which we were not, or unless you’re odd like me and visiting a natural hot springs is on your bucket list. If that’s the case be sure to catch the sunrise, and, to keep your eye out for an old retro-fitted ambulance.
Thanks for visiting The Jar! For more Colorado adventures visit Old Fall River Road and Home On The Range, Laporte, Colorado.
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Home on the Range: Laporte, Colorado
I once lived on a ranch at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Cowgirl Erin, teen addition.
A beautiful, rural homestead in Laporte, Colorado, a town settled in 1828 on the Northern Front Range and on the banks of the Cache La Poudre River.
I met the ranch owners when I was ten years old and moved in with them five years later. A genuine cowboy and cowgirl, one of the hardest working couples I have ever met, worked the property consisting of cattle, horses, sheep, chickens, two nosy llamas, a solid amount of cats and dogs, barns full of equipment, and even a Model A Ford.
My room was in a cozy, dark bunkhouse located up a steep set of stairs, furnished with an antique sleigh bed, an old box T.V. and an original Atari (link for those who don’t know.) Outside my window stood a large chicken coop where my archenemy perched; a confused rooster, who liked to cock-a-doodle-doo at 4:00am.
Here, I learned a few ranch chores, I bottle-fed a lamb, I checked on chickens, I fell off of a horse – he stomped on my calf – it is not to be forgotten, and I spent hours soaking in a gazebo-covered hot tub admiring the distant city lights.
It’s been twenty-five years since I moved away from the ranch. I visited again, September, 2021.
The wife, now 72 and widowed, is still one of the strongest people I know. She took me on a tour of the homestead which had sadly suffered fire damage and a remodel was in progress. The transformation was surprising and thankfully I was able to see what remained of the old bunkhouse.
Memories flooded my heart of what I liked about my time on the ranch: the fresh smell from the green house at the bottom of my stairs, the warmth from the wood burning stove, the unpolluted starlit sky, the dim lamp next to my bed that I read by at night, and, the love that I felt there.
That evening, we went to dinner at Vern’s Place, a diner that we had often visited, and I ordered the same cinnamon roll that I ate as a child; some things seem to never change. Then I spent the night in a log cabin on the property that her husband had built before he passed away.
Her and I sat at her kitchen table and chatted about the last thirty years, of family and friends, of lovers and ex-lovers; some things seem to always change.
As we talked, I peered out the window and I smiled at the hummingbirds circling the cabin’s porch and at the chicken pecking at the glass. I grinned at my old spunky friend who still runs the ranch, now alone, and I smiled remembering that a long time ago she cared enough to care for me.
Thank you for visiting The Jar! For more Colorado adventures check out Old Fall River Road and follow my IG: @erinmelissagal. This woman was One of Those People in my life. Read about another one here.
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Old Fall River Road
“The bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you fail to make the turn.”
Helen Keller
Labor Day Weekend 2021: The mountains called my name and I merrily answered.
I spent half of my childhood living at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. And still, I see and experience new things every time I return. Old Fall River Road was no exception and it was one highlight on our four-day Colorado adventure.
Rocky Mountain National Park
This narrow, one-way, gravel and dirt road takes off inside the east entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park and ends at the Alpine Visitor Center, elevation 11,796 feet above sea level.
“The Old Road” as the locals call it, opened in 1920 as the first route for automobiles within RMNP. It is about 9 miles of curves, switchbacks, no guard rails, waterfalls, off-the-beaten-path trails, and awe-inspiring beauty.
If driving the posted 15 mph speed limit it would take roughly 45 minutes to complete the route. However, we drove about 5 mph and I recommend giving yourself half of the day; it takes time, as you can see from my photos.
Alpine Visitor Center
The Alpine Visitor Center was an impressive stop and a much-needed break after the exploring. It is made up of two buildings. One filled with maps, museum-like displays, and rangers on duty to answer any questions. The other, a large souvenir shop and cafe that was packed with people, handcrafted cultural keepsakes, and incredible views.
I sipped on a cup of hot coffee, purchased my usual souvenir patch, and used a clean restroom, before heading out towards Grand Lake and more mountain majesty.
My Travel Recommendations
I highly recommend adding Rocky Mountain National Park and Old Fall River Road to your list of must-see adventures… if you also hear the mountains calling your name.
Photos by Kiefer Waight of Appealing Studios. For more: https://www.instagram.com/kieferwaight/
If you enjoyed this post follow my IG: @erinmelissagal
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Birds Aren’t Real
I have been fond of birds since I was a child. I have special memories of bird-watching in the backyard with my grandpa. Two parakeets lived in a cage in my bedroom in 5th grade. My daughter’s name means: beautiful bird.
You can imagine, then, my utter shock and awe when I recently learned that, in fact, birds aren’t real.
I stumbled across this truth when I noticed a friend following the Facebook group: Birds Aren’t Real. My friend holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry with a minor in Biology. If she was a believer then I knew this movement could be trusted.
The Birds Aren’t Real FB page explains,
“Birds used to be real, until the U.S. Government replaced them with identical drone replicas designed to spy on the American public.”
Furthermore, there is historical evidence tracing back to 1959, on the Birds Aren’t Real website, to support their claims; including the C.I.A., former Presidents, Area 51 and the Vietnam War. The movement’s leaders affirm, “history speaks for itself” as they quote President Richard Nixon (1978):
“We needed a way to keep an eye on the American citizens without them knowing. It was imperative, for their own safety of course. We hired only the best. It took years. We designed, built, tested, failed. We persisted. Eventually, over decades, we had it. A fleet of covert technological surveillance devices unlike anything the world had ever seen. We called them, ‘Birds.'”
– Quote from birdsarentreal.com
Still, I wanted to do a bit more research of my own so I delved deeper into the always truthful and reliable Facebook. I became more strongly convinced after reading testimonies like these from actual believers:
"WHEN DID YOU FIRST SEE FOR YOURSELF THAT BIRDS AREN'T REAL?"
“When I touched the powerline it almost zapped me to death, but the birds casually perched there. It seems to me that those are their charging stations.“
"WHEN I DIDN'T SEE ANY BIRDS DURING THE GOVT SHUTDOWN."
“For me it was when 3 Little Birds told me not to worry about a thing, because every little thing was gonna be alright. How could they have known? Surveillance.“
"YOU EVER SEE A BABY PIGEON? EXACTLY."
I pondered my newfound revelation, knowing that the only place to turn for absolute proof would be the Holy Word of God. There, I was left dumbfounded.
“Do not revile the king in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.”
– Ecclesiastes 10:20; Holy Word of God
The United States government covertly stole this scheme directly from God Himself. Predictable, since they are one and the same.
– Once Woke… there is no return.
I now know why that bird hopped under my bent legs on a porch when I was 16: Data collection.
And Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 horror film The Birds? Hitchcock was privy to government intel and he was secretly warning the American public what could happen if bird programming went awry. Eerily, Hitchcock died of “natural causes” 17 years after the film’s release.
As a country, our only saving grace in this hour is that the government may not have replaced every bird with a drone look-alike; but be warned; they are all here to share our secrets.
Click here to join the movement.
Cover Photo by Shay on Unsplash
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Share Your Torch
“I felt like I could be an Olympic champ, so I kept going. I did it! … In my wildest of dreams I knew!”
Tamyra Menshah-Stock Interview after winning the 2021 Olympic Gold in Women’s Wrestling
I love watching people do what makes them come ALIVE. It hits differently, and this interview with Tamyra Mensah-Stock after her Olympic win is no exception. Their eyes twinkle. Their hearts are determined and on fire. They emphatically proclaim, “I’m made for this!”
We can’t ignore these people or the gifts within them. Their passions are there for a reason; fire spreads.
I believe that by God’s grace we are given desires, curiosities, bends, gifts, and callings that light us up. When we are ALIVE, we give others the freedom to come ALIVE. When we light our torch, others’ torches light.
I am grateful for friends who are ALIVE. They dance freely, sing the house down, play a wicked violin, and have wild intuition. They work, love, build, parent, create, decorate, bike, cook, mentor, lead, write, program, lift, garden, coach, and teach. When I am around them, I feel the warmth from their flame.
We get into trouble when we forsake and forget our passions. I wrote about the importance of being authentic in I’d Tap That.
The Bible states in Romans 11:29, “The gifts and callings of God are irrevocable.” They are not going anywhere. No matter how often we stuff them, get too busy for them, or think we don’t deserve them, they’re irrevocable because they are there for a reason.
It’s time. The world needs what you have. Please, light your fire and share your torch.
If you have found value in this post please like, share, subscribe and comment and follow me on IG
This post’s theme song: Champion, Carrie Underwood & Ludacris. Sang by Tamyra in her interview.
Cover Photo by M.T ElGassier on Unsplash
Friend’s Torches credit of: Jeannine Lee, Kiefer Waight, Ashton McCary, Sherry Sparks, Pam Kneer, Thomas Bont, Texas Tom Cutting and Brisket Boards, Bryce Green Dance
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Day 36 of #75HARD
I recently completed 36 days of #75HARD. I am not a fan of “all or nothing” challenges. I think perfectionism keeps many from achieving their goals. However, I needed a focus amid physical pain and a resulting lifestyle change, and I knew that this was the program for that goal. These are the rules:
Additionally, I was informed that the vascular malformation that makes its home inside my left humerus has grown immensely. The blood tumor has eroded my bone almost completely from shoulder to elbow, and the rod placed five years ago has become a live-in enemy. I had a second biopsy to ensure the tumor was not cancer. Thankfully, I am cancer-free.
As an active single mom, a social and competitive dancer, a weight lifter, and a yogi; this has forced me to make life-altering changes.
I wrote in my Parental Alienation Series how important it is to put your mind and body to intense work when dealing with grief. This tip was for handling the loss of a child, however, loss takes many forms, and this practice is highly beneficial no matter what we face.
So after a short setback and sorry for myself session, I plunged into #75HARD. I worked out twice a day. The first: a walk to breathe fresh air and put my bare feet in the grass. The second: lifting and stretching without using my left arm. I was in pain and weary from the biopsy most of these days. I did it anyway.
I read, I focused, I time managed, I drank a ton of water and I ate clean. My body and mind are thankful.
So, I know Andy Frisella, the founder of the program says I “failed,”… and just like last time, it feels amazing.
If you have found motivation from this post please like, comment, share and subscribe. Thank you for your support 🙂
#75HARD photos the property of andyfrisella.com.
Theme song:
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One of Those People
Ratty curls flopped on top of my hundred pound body. Dressed in oversized boy’s clothing, a coffee cup in my hand that may have been be filled with Jack Daniels, and smoke on my breath; I jumped on a friend’s handlebars and somehow made it to 8th grade.
I took my seat in the classroom, and there, I met one of those people. You know, the ones who seldom cross our paths? But when they do, their imprint is too deep to forget. He was a joyful, smart, and confident public school teacher who emanated a light that I didn’t have but wanted.
We began Mr. C’s class by reciting a few of the 18 Words to Know for Life found plastered around the top of the room. Love, he called out. In unison, we responded, Love, conquers all. Laughter, he continued. Laughter refreshes your insides. Truth – If you know the truth, the truth will set you free. We knew that #1 on the list was blank because these words alone are not THE answer. And #18 was blank because there are more words to know.
It’s as if someone arranged my schedule, when I became Mr. C’s aide for two semesters, despite school policy. My first assignment was to type the inspirational poster that hung on our classroom door. Then, the calendar of quotes, or Bible verses…?, from his desk. Looking back, I know what he was doing. I was a fourteen-year-old girl, alone and failing school. My mom had moved far away and left me hundreds of miles from any family; by most accounts homeless. If he thought I needed intervention, he was right.
Over time Mr. C., and his wife, became instruments of life and love. He fed me breakfast in the teacher’s lounge. She visited and brought hygiene essentials and wise words. This couple remarkably impacted my life at the exact time I needed it.
I remember one specific conversation. Mr. C asked what I believed to be his #1. “God,” I replied without hesitation. I knew God was his answer; although never mentioned, his conduct spoke. He voiced, “I wish I could take everything inside of my heart and mind and place it into yours.” I secretly longed for the same.
After that year, Mr. C. retired from teaching to become a youth pastor. As he drove me to youth group weekly, car conversations replaced our classroom chats. I started not recognizing the teenager that stared back at me in the passenger mirror.
It’s been a few decades since I met Mr. C. If you visited my house, you would find a folder overflowing with quotes and Bible verses that I typed long ago. You would see a woman with a changed life due to the love of a public school teacher. You would catch her writing a blog about the encounters that left an imprint too deep to forget. And, if you were to ask her, “What is your #1?” “God,” she would reply, without hesitation.
I believe it happened Mr. C. All because you chose to be One of Those People.
Mr. C’s Words to Know for Life
- 1. Number One: #1 is blank because these words alone are not THE answer.
- 2. Truth: If you know the truth, the truth will set you free.
- 3. Speak Wisely: Always know what you’re talking about, don’t always talk about what you know.
- 4. Wisdom: Wisdom is knowledge, understanding and experience put into practice.
- 5. Laughter: Laughter refreshes your insides.
- 6. Character: Doing good and not requiring notice, suffering pain and not giving up.
- 7. Honor: Sow seeds of honor reap the fruit of trust.
- 8. Attitude: A person’s attitude can overcome even the tallest obstacles.
- 9. Integrity: If you choose to do what’s right you’ll never have to worry about what you did.
- 10. Dream: Without a vision of where you’re going you liable to get lost.
- 11. Responsibility: With freedom comes responsibility, responsibility begins with me.
- 12. Sow & Reap: In all things you reap what you sow.
- 13. Forgive: In order to avoid emotional constipation – forgive is how you spell relief.
- 14. Listen: Be quick to listen and slow to speak. That’s why you have two ears and one mouth.
- 15. Commitment: Let your yes be yes & your no be no.
- 16. Persevere: Perseverance builds character which gives hope.
- 17. Love–Love conquers all.
- 18. Number Eighteen: #18 is blank because there are more words to know.
If you have found value in this post or if a Mr. C has crossed your path, please like, share, subscribe and comment. I would love to hear your story.
The Jar 