On a personal note 😷🙀

 Yep, I'm back to old lady medical woes. I'll be brief. I've had my angiogram. The results were not too good. Per my vascular doctor, you have 3 main arteries between your torso and your knee. 2 and 1/2 of my left leg arteries are occluded, or blocked, which means blood flow to my lower leg is being cut off. I'm going to need bypass surgery in my left leg. The right leg also has an occlusion but it's not as bad. 

The root cause? Smoking. I'm a long term smoker. I haven't had any respiratory problems. I wasn't aware that it could cause vascular issues. I've been told that even people who don't smoke have developed vascular disease. In their cases it's likely genetic.

So surgery is coming up. I'm seriously considering quitting smoking. It's not only a health issue, it's damned expensive for someone on a limited budget. Rent is being raised again. They've raised it every year since I moved in. I wish that there was some way to have my rent frozen. Nothing much has been done to improve my apartment other than replacing parts that were too old and worn out, ie: my stove and air conditioner. The greed never ends in today's cost of living. Everything just keeps going up and never coming down.

Kel 

Who are the Oppressors now? ✊

 Before I start my blog post, let me first say that I am fully aware that there are 2 sides to every story. What I may say here might not be what you believe. I understand that, and you as a reader should too. My blog, my opinion.

I rarely discuss world politics or events, but like the rest of the world I've been following what's happening in Israel regarding the Gaza strip and it's inhabitants. I keep waiting for Israel to stop it's attacks, and it's still not happening.

85 years ago, or longer, the Jewish people were ostracized and then murdered by the Nazis in power. It was so horrendous that till this day it's hard to comprehend the scope of how many people were systemically killed, starved, had their families torn apart. As a global conscientiousness we were shocked and horrified. ( Any holocaust deniers can just shut up, if you deny history you weren't paying attention in school.) In essence the Israelites were provided with a land of their own because of how many suffered. I'm sure that there was more to it politically, but that's what I believe.The problem is is that land has been fought over since biblical times. Every nationality claimed it as their own, Muslims and the Jews. Peace summits have been attempted many times.

That brings us to today. I don't deny that Hamas terrorists attacked, killed and kidnapped Jewish people. What I can't wrap my head around is Israel's response. 1300 Jewish people were killed. Israel has since then killed 30,000 Palestinians, including journalists, and aid workers.  The latest were 7 people who were delivering much needed food. Gaza citizens are not only homeless but are reaching a terrible level of famine. Ask me, what does that resemble?

Israel's response has far exceeded an eye for an eye. They have become the Oppressors. Military might is one thing, but they are doing what was done to them. Enough. It has to end.