Black cats definitely seem to be different.
Little Meggie, now 10 months, sure is strong willed and never has been one to sleep in my lap.

Trying to type the above took me some 5 minutes as I had to get up 5x to make clear to Meggie that what she was doing was not on.
I think she finally understood. For now. Hihi.

Depends on my mood (as in, what I feel like doing), the weather and how my neck & back are holding up.

Today my back wasn't happy as I've done just a bit too much in the garden the last couple of days.
I nevertheless managed to do a bit more in the garden.
Weather was really good and then I find it hard to not do something while there's so much to do!

Normally I never do much in the garden this time a year, but I have an extra 27m2 that's bare ground to fill in. There used to be a hedge there and that was taken out, fencing put up instead.

Normally it's more lightweight stuff like painting :) (on canvas)

I'd prolly have a blank look on my face if someone said that as I wouldn't have a clue how to take it or what was meant by it.
Kinda like when someone would start to talk to you in Russian or Chinese or a local dialect you do not understand. I have had the latter in the area I live in.

Makes me think "WTF are you going on about?" hihi
On a good day it'd be "WTH are you going on about?"

I LOVE Expedition Bigfoot!
Currently desperately waiting for episode 5 of the 6th season to be available to watch. It aired last night, usually it doesn't take too long, but as it is I cannot find it yet :(

I have to take into account that the US is behind in time, so even though it's already early evening here it's only just past noon at the east coast.

Patience is a virtue, so they say, hihi.

I found the docu series "Expedition Unknown" the other day and began watching.

Yesterday two episodes on the stolen treasure from Cambodian temples.
Now I've seen a docu on ancient temples and the ancient culture & peoples a while back. A very high standing culture, very advanced as you often see with such people.
Intricate waterworks and irrigation systems, the carved stone buildings are exquisite as well.

But I didn't know that many of these ancient cities and temples were robbed of their artwork?!
Millions of dollars gone, disappeared into the black market and part in museums all over the world.

A lot was also completely trashed by the Red Khmer in the 70s?!!!
And after their regime fell many poor Cambodians and/or former Red Khmer child soldiers knicked what remained to sell it.
They didn't give a rip about the works as they often just broke them off their stands, leaving carved feet and hands etc. behind.

I was almost in tears when I saw that, the destruction and disrespect of it all.

There was a huge statue of Shiva, 4,5m tall (15feet) and that was blown up?!?!
Reason: Legend told that inside it was gold and precious gems.
Of course there were none, but the delicate statue is forever gone.

Currently people are trying to get those treasures back to Cambodia.
Much has already been returned, some with help of former robbers!

Much of what you see from these statues and carvings is gorgeous! So incredibly delicate and smooth that it leaves you awestruck at the skill of these people way back when!
It all looks smooth as silk.
We arrogant Caucasians tend(ed) to think of such cultures as primitive but this is no way primitive!

But such a shame.
Breaks my heart to see, think, know that people are so barbaric.
This was Cambodia but such practises have occurred worldwide.
Greed & money & ego...

And it makes me appreciate the painting I did of the Cambodian Ta Prohm temple even more!




Such a rich culture and yet you hardly ever hear of it?

5 Days, no smoking for 5 days now!!
So far it's been the hardest quitting attempt I've ever had.

Yesterday was the first time that it felt easier. But those first days were really difficult.

That may seem like nothing to an outsider, a few days, but each of these days seemed to last about a week for me, haha.
So it felt like almost a month of struggle and wanting to light a smoke then somehow succeed at not doing that.

Hopefully it will remain a little easier from here on out.
This afternoon I'm visiting my mum and she smokes. That usually doesn't bother me too much as long as it's not someone smoking in my house.

We'll see. Last week it didn't bother me so fingers crossed!
If I fall from grace this time I don't think I'll have the courage & willpower to attempt again. It's been too hard this time round.

Thank you so much, Julie!

How It Ends

Movie on an apocalyptic event, never becomes clear what event that is.
The movie is captivating as you expect to eventually find out but then... the movie suddenly ends when the main character makes a lucky escape with his fiancee when an other disaster occurs.
You see them driving off, making it out, and that's the end of the movie?
Leaves you wondering what the hell it was all about, what's going to happen to them now, and what the heck the cause was.

I say, lazy writers. Easy to come up with some terrible disastrous stuff and not bothering to explain the why and what of it.
Any dickhead can write such a story.

Crying shame as the movie had a lot of potential!

Must admit I don't know as I never had that happen.
It would depend on the reason of them not showing up. I would like to know why they didn't.

Also depends on how the meet & greet went how I'd feel AND on their behaviour when they contact me after the no-show.
If that is matter of fact and "I don't really care" or more like "OMG I hope I didn't ruin it!!"

Hihi, I had initially added the tip to do lower abdomen exercises so the rounded lower belly disappears. Not very attractive.
Then decided to delete that from my post, grin.

I'm done with the top part now.
It got quite dark, I was in two minds about it at first when I finished last night. But now I do think it actually has a certain charm.
It is not as dark as in the photo but cannot get it right. If I make it lighter the lower parts wash out :/

Now I can get on with the landscape itself. Do the last fixes and tweaks of that :)

You're profile isn't good, hasn't got much to do with a dating site profile. There's nothing there, just a few rather dark photos of an unhappy man.
The profile photo is off-putting as it hasn't got a great angle to it, doesn't do much for you.
Isn't a great profile photo either as that should show your face.

It is certainly one of the best decisions I've made in life!
I was so unhappy with glasses, and it was awesome to open my eyes in the morning and see the world properly!


Yes and it seems the ones that have money ruin their bodies and faces with plastic surgery.
I recently saw photos of Catherine Zeta Jones and my jaw dropped, not in admiration this time.
Dunno what the hell she's done to herself, but it isn't good.
I never understand why people do that to themselves.

Another example is Jennifer Grey from Dirty Dancing. Her daughter didn't even recognise her mum when she watched the movie!
She's like a completely different woman. Crying shame as she used to be lovely.

Makes you wonder what such women think when they see themselves in the mirror in the morning...

I've had my eyes lasered when I was 35. Dunno if you'd consider that cosmetic, but it did make me feel much better!
I've never liked glasses and I certainly don't feel "me" with 'em. Had contacts for 18 years but my eyes got too dry so I had to go back to glasses.

Surgery... I would consider a few things if I had the money for it.
Or one that I could think of right now: my eyes, have my eyelids done.
It's not too bad, but having them done gives you an instant fresher look.

Whatever I'd consider, it would have to look natural.
Meaning I'd never have much done, if I'd have anything done at all.

Thank you, Julie! :)

In the meantime I got a lot more work done. Still not finished though.

The castles and landscape are much lighter, but if I get that photographed the way it is the arch washes out.
The weirdest thing.

But since I want to show the arch, I tried to get that as close to how it is in real life. Also not easy. When it looks great on my phone it is bland on my monitor.

In any case, this is what I've done so far:

Great link, thanks!
I couldn't find it through regular channels either, also found some to me unknown site with the episodes on it, but this one is easier :)

And yes, it was certainly good! Lots of stuff that I had never heard nor seen before.

At least we now know you don't have the makings to be a coach.

Name calling is totally pointless if you'd know how habits work, and how to change them.

You're basically going up against the subconscious which is like a locomotive that goes 100km per hour without a driver.
So you cannot reason, bargain, convince etc. the subconscious as there's no one there to reason with. Just a locomotive (= learnt program, habit) that does what it's done for decades: drive 100km per hour, whether it leads to something or not.

That's what you're up against when you try to quit smoking.
So EVERYONE who even tries to quit is a hotdanged hero!!
You try and step in front of that locomotive.
It takes serious baws!
People deserve a medal for going there, even if they don't succeed (in one go).

Please refrain from name-calling. It's rude, unpleasant, and not helpful at all.

This helps!
I too got an adhesive rash from the patches they normally give, these are cheaper.
Then I got a different brand which doesn't cause me trouble. These are more expensive.
And because the adhesive is less intrusive you cannot put them back on if you want to remove it.

In any case, I didn't smoke for most of 2023, then began again in Feb 2024.

Now going for it again.
Today was my first day. Had a real tough time with it though.

Fingers crossed!

An afternoon of painting, got this now.
NOT finished!

When this part is done and dry I will make minor corrections on the city/castle as the horizon line wasn't correct. That always annoyed me.
I'm going get that sorted as well before I call it a finished painting.

Would've been easier & more logical to begin with that, but yeah... I couldn't wait to get going with this part, hihi.

The arch part itself is also NOT finished!!