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The price point for first tier German/ Austrian uprights seems to start at around 40k. Whoa.

I like portrait photography or informal pictures of people most of all. Pictures of the natural world and pictures of wild animals would be in second place. I have "an eye" for photography/ taking pictures (me and a million other people). I take pretty original pictures with good subject matter with results that are harmoniously framed. I do this with my cheap Moto Edge and its lousy camera set up. The pictures aren't very clear. Actually, they are kind of hazy. I'm looking forward to having a phone with a good camera. I could get into buying a digital camera but I wouldn't let myself spend the money. I apologize in advance if this doesn't sound modest. I'm not delusional. I'm no Ansel Adams or Francesco Scavullo and never will be. As to Paris, as I said in another post, I get that it's renowned, and its history fascinates me, but I don't, haven't, and certainly never will understand its culture. This fits in with my theory that the brain can hold only so much interest, knowledge, information, and skill. I've never understood the attraction of Paris. Parisian culture, in general, is wasted on me. The same thing is true of Berlin. My best friend in college was passionate about both cities (including French philosophy, literature, and art), spoke German, and won a Fulbright scholarship to study in Berlin. Some of that would have rubbed off on me if it was something that was going to happen.

Ok I watched the video. that was super interesting. But now I need to watch it when I’m in front of my piano I wish she had talked more about releasing tension during octave playing. Does she have large hands? Probably? I need to go to the keyboard bride so think more about it…

That's great! The local police take into account (in a biased way) when they respond to a 911 call and arrive at a residence with two gay men especially if they're elderly. Ask me how I know. The police have been called a few times. They came to investigate the reason for one of my calls (we've both called them)- glass being thrown from the living room to shatter at my feet when I was standing in my bedroom doorway). They also cane that time to do welfare check on my roommate. I was told that it wasn't a crime to throw glass in your own house (in those exact words) and that if a piece of glass had hit me- "it might be a crime." So, this time they did a welfare check. He was high as a kite in on meth, and they knew it, was acting violently, and they knew it, and was on the verge of having a heart attack (which I knew perfectly well but they did not because they had no intention of calling an ambulance). They decided he was good to go. My roommate pulled a knife on me last night and told me to get out of his room. It's only one piece of straw that breaks the camel's back. My roommate is abusive on a daily basis. I was wondering what the last straw would be. Now I know. I like the idea of people doing welfare checks and truly caring about the the person's welfare.

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We had a thunder storm pass through last night... it's only April! But it did, indeed, smell so calming and reassuring.

It works well

@DougG said: yeah, I pretty much download books to my iPad and that’s it. But that’s just me, I can’t speak for the older set… Yeah, and I remember you telling us about when all the tablets you read were made of clay.

I read Dan Brown's "Secrets of Secrets" recently. This story reminded me of some of the tech used...

That’s great!

️ the video. He refuses to kiss the princess because or ostensibly because he doesn't have consent. That's great! This reminds me that for the human species, it's the females, not the males, who standout for rare beauty and for extraordinary presentation, generally. The WWI era, for instance, had "great beauties." There are still "great beauties" even though this term is anachronistic. Elizabeth Taylor was a great beauty. Diana, Princess of Wales was one. I've always said that handsome men and pretty boys (a term of art meant to describe only males over the age of consent, to be clear) are a dime a dozen.

Trump's gestapo again.

I recently bought an Oneida setting for four, of a minimalist style, not overly-heavy, of their best alloy. I try to limit myself to having one place setting out of the box. It's paired with one Corelle soup/ salad bowl (bigger than a cereal bowl) and two full size plates. I have a set of eight clear regular sized glasses, ridges for your fingers to fit, too thin glass, just heavy enough bottom. I'm bring all of it with me when I move and use it until I can replace it. The Oneida isn't the quality it used to be. The Corelle is a bright white color I don't like to look at for more than a few minutes. I like the fact it's light but not the fact it's thin. I'll find a set of flatware, probably vintage Oneida. I want porcelain plates. I don't want Fiesta-type tableware because of the weight. I don't want Corelle. The glass is perfect but needs to be better quality. People of all ages have been collecting vintage flatware, dishes, etc. for as long as I can remember. It's not a hobby of mine, but it's fun looking if you need something.

"Trickle down economics" was proved to be a hoax a very, very long time ago now. Yet it happened when the term was coined, ans has been happening ever since. Even the sometimes vaunted (although less so now) Obama administration engaged in it. As to cuts-- they can't be "sold." They don't sell. It has to be something like bait and switch, distract, or outright lie. This why it is said that austerity is "imposed." Yes, exactly. Social Security, Medicare, etc. are overwhelmingly popular. It seems the politicians have chosen a death by a thousand cuts (sic) approach to attempting to kill them.

I don't know there was a French part of Missouri.