A funny thing happened on the way to the bird rescue

Even though I don't need to curb-shop for household items any more, I tend to still do it, especially if someone else can use something that's being needlessly discarded. Last week I spotted a large, like-new cage being tossed out by a departing tenant, and I couldn't resist snagging it.

It was too short to be a dog or cat cage, so I photographed the cage and Googled it, and it turned out to be for pet guinea pigs, rats and other small critters.

I called a few local shelters and the local bird rescuers said they could use it, so I packed it up and delivered it earlier today. The volunteers were very polite, and offered to show me around the premises. 

When we went into the back yard, things were fine until the resident crow came walking out from behind a shed. The crow was introduced as Bonnie and I was assured she was a "real sweetheart".  But Bonnie disagreed.

After giving me the stinkeye for about three seconds, Bonnie wasted no time attacking my ankles, and even though I kept moving away from her, she kept it up. Since she wasn't drawing blood I thought the situation was pretty funny, and was laughing too hard to move quickly. The horrified volunteers gave me some peanuts to offer Bonnie, but she wasn't interested. 

So now I can tell people that I spent my lunch hour supporting local charities and being assaulted by a crow.  I guess they don't call them a "murder of crows" for nothing.

I dream about a cult. Carl Jung explains why.

Last night and this morning, I had a lengthy and complex dream. At first, I am in a large office complex similar to those that employed me some years ago. There is a major storm that is turning into a tornado; I plead with others to get away from the windows, but not everyone does.

Later on, the scenario changes. I am in a large warehouse and realize that I have been kidnapped and incorporated into a cult. I don't know what the cult's beliefs are, but all members are dressed identically in solid-color jumpsuits, although there are different colors for groups of 10 to 20 members and there are well over 200 of us. 

The warehouse seems to be either a production or storage facility for retail items. Many items are oriental decorative figures that don't appeal to me.

Since I am new, I don't know how to respond to senior cult members. I expect punishment but it doesn't happen. We line up for food but little is available. Another cult member puts food on my plate. 

The situation becomes stranger when a senior cult member approaches me and measure my facial features. He declares me beautiful and says that he loves me. I am puzzled but don't respond. But soon I find myself being dressed as a bride, and presented to the same senior cult member. I realize that the marriage will be consummated soon, but thankfullly, this is when I woke up.

I decided to ask an AI chatbot what Carl Jung would make of such a dream. (I like Jung and feel that some of his beliefs are valid.) Here is the response.

Carl Jung would view your nightmare not as a literal warning about a cult, but as a symbolic mirror of your internal psyche and personal growth.

1. The Warehouse and Uniforms

• Loss of Individuality: The warehouse and identical jumpsuits represent a fear of losing your unique identity [1].
• Mass Conformity: Jung called this "collective consciousness," where societal pressures or routine swallow your personal uniqueness [1].
• Starvation: The lack of food symbolizes a starvation of your soul or creative energy in waking life.

2. Manufacturing Low-Quality Goods

• Cheapened Energy: Making cheap products for disreputable sites suggests you might feel your daily energy, time, or talents are being exploited or wasted on low-value tasks.
• Lack of Authenticity: You may feel forced to produce "cheap" results instead of doing deeply meaningful, high-quality work.

3. The Senior Member and the Marriage

• The Animus: The senior male figure represents your "Animus"—the unconscious masculine archetype in a woman's psyche, dealing with authority, logic, and inner power.
• Measuring Your Face: This symbolizes an evaluation of your true identity and persona, seeking validation.
• The Sacred Marriage: Jung called the wedding the Mysterium Coniunctionis (Sacred Marriage).
• Integration: Being presented as a white-clothed bride means your subconscious is trying to unite your conscious self with your unconscious inner strength.

Summary of Jung's View

Jung would ultimately see this dream as a positive call to action. Your psyche is rebelling against a situation where you feel trapped, unvalued, or conforming too much, urging you to reclaim your personal power and integrate your inner strengths.

I don't feel unvalued at my job, but sometimes I wish I were in more of a relationship than I am now. But readers familiar with Twilight Express will realize that who I want will be almost impossible to find. 

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Kindle sale in progress

I decided to join a Kindle promotion for the fun of it.  Until the 11th of May, you can download and enjoy Twilight Express for just $1.99.

Meet Chris

Over the years, I've been hit on by romance scammers of varying degrees of talent, usually through Facebook or Instagram. While I usually didn't have the time to scambait them (pretend I was taken in), the times I've done so have provided amusement to both myself and friends I shared the conversations with.

Something I recently learned is that some have the budget to sign up for dating apps, like the faker I'm currently pretending to be extremely attracted to. 

I suspect I am dealing with a team of scammers, as the emails that this guy - let's call him Chris - sends are lengthy, not badly written, and with no mistakes in English to to give him away. But one search of his photo gave the game away. Most are too lazy to find photos that won't show up in an image search.

So...Chris first did what we call "love bombing", as he pretended to be crazy about me from the first one or two message exchanges.  I am thinking that someone initially put some work into these, although they're prolly doing the rinse and repeat when they send them out. 

I decided to encourage poor Chris by mentioning my various income sources - all fake, of course. As I thought, this has encouraged his deep feelings for me. 

I began to get bored with Chris last week and suggested that we video chat this week. After asking me to name a date and time, he just told me that customs has lost his work laptop...like who checks their laptop, especially a seasoned engineer (and widower, of course)?  I promptly suggested we chat using our cell phones, since he can't deny having one. 

I'll be posting here with his response. I am thinking he (or they) will try to create a few seconds of video using the stolen photo, then claim that they've lost the connection. Oughta be fun.

How Japan keeps fireflies glowing

One site I visit on a regular basis is called Atlas Obscura. I like choosing places I'd like to visit, especially those that aren't more than a one or two hour drive away.

This is too long a drive, but still interesting:

How a "Firefly Course" is Saving Japan's Favorite Insect