We Had a Wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner

But the dessert was a surprise!

This would have come in handy! Photo by Amy Reed on Unsplash

Yesterday, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner celebrating with our neighbors. My family lives about five hours away, in the snowbelt area of Central and Northern New York, and quite frequently, driving is hazardous during the holidays. So we don’t like to take a chance of being snowed in. My husband’s family lives in Malaysia, and naturally, they don’t celebrate the holiday.

We are fortunate to have fantastic friends who are our next-door neighbors. Since we moved here, they have invited us to spend Thanksgiving with their family. This year was no exception. Our neighbor usually orders the largest fresh turkey available from our local turkey farm, as at least 16 people are usually in attendance.

We had finished our sumptuous meal and were enjoying a variety of tasty desserts, my favorite part of the meal. I had utterly stuffed myself and was looking forward to a bit of rest. Suddenly, a neighbor who lives across the street was at the door saying the sewer had backed up, causing sewage to leak into the basements of several homes on the street.

My husband rushed home to find we had minimal leakage, but the house wreaked of the smell of sewage. Two houses across the street had raw sewage pouring into their basements from basement utility sinks and toilets. The only thing I could think about was that I had IBS, and I couldn’t go too long after eating without needing to go to the bathroom.

Of all days for this to happen, when large families were gathering to indulge in a heavy meal. There were no public bathrooms nearby, and most stores were closed. There was only one gas station about three miles away.

No one knew who to call in such an emergency, and no emergency numbers were listed for our town. Finally, one neighbor called his friend, a town supervisor who sent the town highway department to assess the situation.

Luckily, they found the blockage and opened the sewer within an hour. Three hours after finishing a hearty Thanksgiving meal, our holiday nightmare was over. I was relieved, in more ways than one.

I hope you all had a happy, uneventful Thanksgiving. If not, please share with us.

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed reading this article and wish to subscribe to my Newsletter, click on my photo below.

A Wish for a Happy Thanksgiving to All My Medium Friends

And thank you for your support

Photo by SJ 📸 on Unsplash

I’d like to wish a very warm and happy holiday to my fellow American friends who are celebrating Thanksgiving. May all your hopes and dreams come true, as you give thanks for friends and family.

As you sit down to either a traditional Thanksgiving meal of turkey and all the fixings, or you celebrate with a meal in keeping with your family’s ethnic traditions, remember that we are all one big family-the human family.

Even though many Medium members living all over the world don’t celebrate American Thanksgiving on this particular day, rest assured you are included in our Thanksgiving thoughts as we gather together in the spirit of love, hope, and gratitude.

Photo by Larm Rmah on Unsplash

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed reading this article and wish to subscribe to my Newsletter, click on my photo below.

Do We Have to Live With the Aches and Pains of Old Age?

They’re no fun, but they’re a part of life

Photo by Philippe Leone on Unsplash

It seems as though I awaken to another part of my body hurting every morning. Sometimes, I lay in bed and count how many aches and pains I have. This morning, instead of getting out of bed immediately, I contemplated my aging process.

When I was much younger, the only pains I could remember were growing pains as my arms and legs lengthened in adolescence. Now, the bones are doing the opposite as I lose height.

I am 76 years old now. My pains started about ten years ago. I began to realize I couldn’t engage in the same activities I did when I was younger, like running or walking, without hurting my knees. I don’t think I could run now if I tried. Tennis was out, as was any sport aside from bowling.

I began developing COPD, and the asthma I suffered from as a youth returned. So, if I did anything strenuous, my breathing would create more problems than my decreased physical stamina. But I am not talking about being unable to perform athletically, like when I was in my twenties.

I have arthritis, sciatica, a pinched nerve in my lower back, and bursitis in my left shoulder. I know why I have those pains and what I can do to help relieve them. I know the pain worsens when the weather gets bad. I can’t take NSAIDs, so I suck it up.

The aches and pains I want to talk about are those that come out of nowhere for no apparent reason. For example, this morning, I counted slight pains in my right shoulder, my left knee, my right elbow, and my left ankle. I could also feel small, weird pains in my stomach. I have undiagnosed stomach problems, so I have these most days, and it’s probably gas-I hope. Why am I having these annoying little pains?

When I managed to crawl out of bed, I could hardly raise my arm to turn the bathroom light on. I hobbled into the bathroom to begin my morning routine. My hot shower did wonders in relieving most of my pains. When I got out of the shower, I stretched, improving my bursitis-affected shoulder's range of movement.

I ate my breakfast and drank my tea; I have IBS, so I can’t drink coffee. I unenthusiastically took off for the gym to engage in my workout routine. I felt happy when it was over but glad I had completed my exercises. With a slight spring in my step, I walked to the car, knowing that this euphoria would not last.

Only a couple of hours after lunch, I developed a pain in my ankle when I walked. “Where did that come from?” I asked myself. It was just another mysterious pain, reminding me I was getting old. I sat down on the couch for a while to catch up on the news and rest from my workout. A half-hour later, every muscle and bone in my body felt like I got hit by a truck. My joints were as stiff as a corpse.

Tonight, I know I will go to bed to rest my achy bones and sleep like a baby -until morning, when it all begins again, with new pains in new locations and old pains reminding me of my age.

I don’t like the aches and pains, but I accept them, knowing I can lessen their intensity with stretching and exercise. I don’t always feel like going to the gym, but I know if I sit on my ass at home, I will soon be crippled by the aging process. I also know the alternative to the aches and pains is unacceptable. They are all part of life.

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed reading this article and wish to subscribe to my Newsletter, click on my photo below.

The Cleansing of America

When will mass deportation begin?

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

During his campaign, Donald Trump said that immigrants poisoned the blood of our country. He has also called Mexicans criminals and rapists, you know, exactly as he is. He has accused Haitian immigrants of eating our pets. He has called immigrants animals, monsters, and killers. He has accused some countries in South America of emptying their insane asylums and sending the patients to the U.S. He had absolutely no proof of anything, yet you believed him.

He had promised if he is elected, he will deport illegal immigrants on day one. You must have agreed with everything he said, and harbored the same hatred and racist views as him because you voted for him.

On January 20, 2025, Trump will do exactly what you wanted him to do. He is planning on deporting millions of illegal immigrants on his first day in office. The cleansing of America will begin.

You can be assured that the vast majority of the deportees will be Black and Brown people, with the exception of some Ukrainians, as a gesture to Trump’s idol, Vladimir Putin.

Trump’s plan initially targets illegal immigrants who have criminal records. Then, the undocumented aliens will be the next to be deported. It will be virtually impossible for documented family members and American citizens not to be caught up in the mass deportations. But that is the price Trump and his fascist administration are willing to pay.

You won’t see any white Europeans deported at first. Their turn, and yours, will come when it’s time to eliminate those who are “different,” such as non-Christians, LGBTQ+, and anyone opposing Trump and his fascist regime.

Once the deportations have succeeded in bleaching the American population, Trump will have succeeded where Hitler failed. Our country will be white and Christian, ruled by millionaire white men, where slave labor is once again the foundation of our agricultural system.

All of you rabid MAGA followers will be relegated to leading relatively meaningless lives dedicated to serving the rich and privileged. You will receive meager wages with which you can hope to support yourselves and your families, according to what Trump’s government will allow.

Speaking of families, women will most likely provide for future workforces, as the government will say when and who will become pregnant and by whom. Once again, only heterosexual couples will be allowed to marry once they have been approved by the government.

This may not be what you wanted, but hey, you got rid of those damn immigrants and made America white again. I’m sure your immigrant ancestors must be proud of you.

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed reading this article and wish to subscribe to my Newsletter, click on my photo below.

This Too Shall Pass

It might be like a kidney stone, but it will pass!

Photo by Ronin on Unsplash

I am not a religious person, even though I was raised a Catholic. I haven’t been to church in years, as being gay, I was sick of sitting in church hearing the priest calling me an abomination and saying I was going to hell. Usually, it was one of the same priests who was actively molesting altar boys while the bishop was covering up his deeds.

I live in a small village in Western New York State, which, despite having a college, is quite a Conservative community. We have one of each of the following churches, Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, All Souls Universalist, and Baptist. We also have quite a few storefront evangelical churches. But the Baptist church in town stands out from the rest.

The pastor and his wife have been called “Hippies” by many of their good Christian neighbors, mainly because they don’t dress or act like traditional members of the clergy and have progressive views. I guess you could say they are “liberal,” you know, like Jesus Christ.

The church also does weird things, such as ministering to homeless teens, giving them free warm meals and clothing, and providing free holiday meals to the poor, regardless of who or what they are, minus the preaching. I’m not saying the other churches don’t serve the community, but they tend to serve only the members of their own churches.

There is a digital sign board in front of the church emphasizing that “ALL” are welcome. The sign also delivers timely and supportive messages to the entire community. However, the messages are not always well received by all.

To the dismay of the other good Christians in the community, the church proudly displays its support for the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month every June. Did I mention the church is the only church that performs same-sex marriages?

The day after the election, I passed the church and noticed a new message on the signboard. It read, “This too shall pass. It may be like a kidney stone, but it will pass.” Feeling depressed, this message cheered me up and gave me hope for the future. I am sure the members of the neighboring churches were clutching their collective pearls!

I very rarely give kudos to churches or religious organizations, but I felt this one deserved a shoutout. If I ever decided to return to church, this one would be my church of choice. I would be welcomed as a worthwhile human being in the same manner as Christ would do.

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed reading this article and wish to subscribe to my Newsletter, click on my photo below.

How I Became Obsessed With Google AdSense

Something I am not proud of

Photo by Greg Bulla on Unsplash

Sixteen years ago, while living in Malaysia, I started writing a blog using Google Blogger. I monetized my site using Google AdSense and began earning a little money—not much, but I was happy. Then, suddenly, Google notified me that my account was canceled because of policy violations. They did not explain what the violations were.

After numerous emails with Google, I learned that many suspicious clicks on my ads originated from the same ISP. A short time later, I discovered that a friend was trying to help me earn more money by frequently clicking on my ads whenever he got bored.

I contacted Google to explain this finding and requested that my account be reinstated. Almost immediately, I received a reply from Google informing me I had been banned from AdSense for life. I got a life sentence from Google!

Ten years later, I have moved from Malaysia and am now living in New York State. I thought maybe after ten years, I could contact Google to have them reconsider my account. Within minutes of contacting them, once again, I was told I was banned for life.

I gave up the idea of monetizing my blog with AdSense and subsequently moved it to Medium, where I have earned more money than using AdSense.

Like an idiot, I created another blog with Blogger where I share my stories after they have been published on Medium. And, not learning my lesson, I applied for a new AdSense account. But this time, I used a different Gmail address, with my home address in the US, not Malaysia. It worked.

I added AdSense to my blog, carefully following Google’s directions. Not surprisingly, it didn’t work. I got a message saying my “Site needs attention.” They didn’t say what attention it needed, though. After several more attempts, I was notified that my site was verified, but they couldn’t find my AdSense code. They told me to “Please fix the issue.” I have been trying to fix the issue for over two months!

If anyone who has dealt with Google knows, it is impossible to contact their Customer Support. The only option is to use the Google Community, where other Google users can help. I have not been able to get any answers from this option.

The question is, “Why am I doing this?” I have spent hours and days trying to solve my problems with AdSense and add it to my blog. I don’t understand why. Even if I succeed in adding AdSense ads to my blog, I don’t have enough followers to earn any more than a few cents a month. I can earn more money on Medium in a day than I could with AdSense in a year.

I know Google is a huge and powerful conglomerate. They could care less for a nobody like me, so why should I care? Sometimes, I feel like Don Quixote fighting the Google windmill. I don’t like to be told I am banned for life. I don’t like to be treated as though I am nobody and my concerns are unimportant. That’s why I haven’t given up—yet.

I know anyone reading this must think I am crazy. Maybe I am. I realize I am obsessed with this problem and should be embarrassed, but I’m not giving up until the last minuscule thread of hope is gone.

I feel the same way writing here on Medium. My reads and earnings are down, and they continue to decline. But I am not going to let Medium defeat me. Like with AdSense, I won’t give up without a fight.

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed reading this article and wish to subscribe to my Newsletter, click on my photo below.

Steve Sovie''s World Newsletter for November 17 to November 23, 2024

Stephen Sovie stephensovie@stevesoviesworld.com via sendgrid.info	12:08 PM (9 minutes ago)
to me

Welcome to Steve's World. ​ Letchworths State Park, New York Happy Thanksgiving Photo by SJ  on Unsplash​ I'd like to take this time to wish everyone who reads my newsletter a very Happy and Safe Thanksgiving. Whether or not you celebrate this American holiday, I hope you take the time to be with friends and family to celebrate each other. I would also like to thank those of you who opened and read my newsletters. To be honest, I am a bit disappointed with my efforts' results, but I hope to see a better future ahead. Please help me by sharing the links to my newsletter with anyone you may think would be interested. Also, feel free to make any suggestions that you think would be helpful. This past week, I have written articles ranging from my views on this year's celebration of Thanksgiving to what my favorite foods are to writing. ​ Check out my recently published Medium stories. ​ Would You Like to Know What My Favorite Dishes Are? | by Stephen Sovie | Never Stop Writing | Nov, 2024 | Medium This Year the Holidays Will Be Different | by Stephen Sovie | Write A Catalyst | Nov, 2024 | Medium Why Would Anyone Follow and Subscribe to You | by Stephen Sovie | Never Stop Writing | Nov, 2024 | Medium Self-Promotion is Like Self Abuse, | by Stephen Sovie | Read or Die! | Nov, 2024 | Medium There’s No Fool Like an Old Fool, | by Stephen Sovie | Steveso Thinks | Nov, 2024 | Medium Why I Choose to Publish Where I Do | by Stephen Sovie | Never Stop Writing | Nov, 2024 | Medium Yes, Anyone Can Write on the Internet | by Stephen Sovie | Never Stop Writing | Nov, 2024 | Medium I’ve Thought About Writing on Substack or Patreon | by Stephen Sovie | Write A Catalyst | Nov, 2024 | Medium ​ ​ Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter. If you are not a Member of Medium or cannot open the above links to my articles, you can click on the link to my blog, Steve Sovie’s World, where you can read them for free. ​ ​ $5.00 Please Help Support My Writing If you like reading my articles and would like to support my writing, I would appreciate it if you could donate a little... Read more Send a tip ​ 113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205 ​Unsubscribe · Preferences​ ​

ReplyForward You can't react with an emoji to a group