“Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the most wonderful things that will ever happen to us” ~ Nicole Reed, Ruining You

I have always treated both good and bad anniversaries with solemnness. Well this one official sucks! I had been in the dumps as I became a widower a year ago yesterday. I took this week off work and have been sleeping pretty random since Saturday. Today I wake up at 2 AM, did a bunch of meal prep for the next week and then head to the living room and turn on the tv. I got bombarded with a blast of emotion due to a favorite thing we shared together. It made me cry, smile, laugh and evoked a bunch of thoughts and emotions.

"Life is amazing. Love it when out of nowhere a perfect moment happens which makes you appreciate the journey" ~ Me

I have quite a few amazing friends who have provided amazing support this last year and continue to do so. I don't know where my road leads but look forward to the journey.

There are very few things left in this world that remind me of my childhood .. but this remains:) I remember my Nana making us egg salad sandwiches all summer long and always on hotdog buns.. We didn’t have much … quite frankly , by most accounts we were poor!! But I didn’t know that!! I didn’t know that hotdog buns were for hot dogs only and that garlic bread was frozen in a box;) Today I had a loaf of Fresh , white bread along side that were these cheap dollar general hot dog buns I had bought last week … I chose the buns because that’s how I was raised!!! And as I sat down to eat my nostalgic egg salad sandwich, I thought about my kids … This world and a lot of people around them are offering white bread .. the norm, the traditional way, the things the world finds acceptable … but I pray as they go thru life , and they get the choice to choose .. they choose hot dog buns every time:) Btw .. this post is not about buns nor bread …

well here we go again. Biden just signed an order to pardon his piece of crap son Hunter. it was just a month or two ago on national news interview with David Muir when asked if believed in the justice system prosecuting Trump, he said yes , he believes in the system. then Muir asked him if he would pardon his son of the crimes he was convicted of, Biden looked the camera straight in the eye and said EMPHATICALLY, NO! so now he is a PROVEN LIAR!!! this just goes to show you that ANY politician, from EITHER party will tell you WHAT you want to hear, then do as they please. so much for the democrats being honest and above board. there is a song done by a vocal group named the O.J'S that should be ALL POLITICIANS theme song, the song is called, the back stabbers. everyone who is blindly tied to a political party better start to wake up to the facts! we have NO SAY on how our government is being run!!!!!

Can someone please tell me if there is chat in Golden Reel Slots and if so how do I activate it?

Thank you in advance,
CK

I hope all within the sight of these words have many reasons to be thankful this year. In fact, I hope your list is so long that you forget your place halfway through. Joy to all.

lately i've noticed that the english language blog here on GD is heavily stuffed with US-politics, even though GD is first at all an international(!) gaming site...therefore i want to share something with you…
for example:
if my last name was "De Snuts", I would give my son the first name "Isaac" and to my daughter "Fannie"…and then…i would teach them that you don't pronounce the h in "i hate happiness".

(and even though my name is not Mike Litoris, i stay tuned on and probably i'll delete this out-of-politics-post sooner rather than later \o/)

https://youtu.be/QDj3gNMqzaE?si=lesDhXiM0TaAqFVt

In case you haven't heard yet..The Trump administration is about to declare a national State of Emergency soon..and use our military to implement a mass deportation .People are running scared for fear of being deported, crying in the streets they say, but I could care less, cries or no cries..I just don't care because again this is one of the reasons I voted this year,my first time voting in my entire life, never been political but what has went on the last 4 years could no go another 4 years..The US is smack dab in the middle of a humanitarian crisis, so you that voted for Harris wanna talk about women's rights?? Alright let's talk about them.All of them like the rights that All American women have the right to feel safe in their own communities, to not have their future stolen from them by anyone who shouldn't have been here in the first place, do you know Laken Riley fought for her life for over 17 minutes? 17 Long minutes..so tell me again how I didn't vote for women's rights..oh but wait I did just not the supposed rights most think I did. Enforcing and securing our nations sovereignty is pro woman .Every single woman in this country deserves the right to walk down the street without having to worry that someone here illegally is lurking around the corner to murder or rape them, we already have enough criminals to deal with on our own without adding millions of illegals to it. We don't need other countries sending us theirs too. If the left actually cared about women's rights, then they would join forces with us to ensure that no Illegal immigrant with a violent history steps foot onto US soil..but they don't we have laws, we have a supposed system doesn't mean it's perfect and it could always be improved, but we lock our doors at night to protect the people inside, and the same should go for our country . I f people wanna com here to live they should have to do it the right way, and if they can't or won't , Deport them all. ! Wake up people..
If this post offends you then scroll on...

Sometimes when people come back saying that they miss you, they're confessing that they've discovered that no one can love them the way you did. 
They once took you for granted and treated your love like a common thing. Then they tried replacing you, and they were shocked at how impossible it was.
Now they're crawling back, hoping you're still stuck where they left you and you're desperate enough to allow them back.
Whenever people return, always remember how they left.
The way someone treats you when they no longer need you is a true reflection of how much they respect you.
When you feel like you miss that connection, just remember the disrespect. 
You may not have moved on to another person, but you have moved onto something more important. That’s self-respect!!
Just because you're not with someone doesn't mean you're still vacant. 
You're a complete person by yourself, and you have the right to take your time to heal and regroup.
If someone else has been flipping one relationship after another, it just shows how uncomfortable they are by themselves. 
If they need so much support just to face existence, they have a deeper problem. 
Never become the plug-in when someone has failed at replacing you.
They will never value you, and their resentment towards you will multiply because, in a sense, you'll have beaten them. 
They will continue looking while still with you. You’re basically a placeholder. Eventually, they'll leave you for people who don't challenge them to change or grow.
In short, it's also self care when you shut your doors to inconsistent people. You may have a history with them, but when they prove themselves unworthy of where you're going, it's a wrap.
Sometimes your feelings can't think and you have to think for them
People treat you exactly how they feel about you, a reflection of their heart,Don't be blind to the truth, though love and hope may play a stubborn part.
Their actions reveal their priorities, and the value they place on you,A harsh reality check, cutting through denial, and all that's untrue.
If they dismiss, disregard, or disrespect, it's time to open your eyes,Their behavior speaks louder than words, a resounding, painful surprise.
Don't rationalize or make excuses; their treatment is a telling sign,Of how they view your worth, and the space you occupy in their mind.
Pay attention to the patterns, the consistency of their ways,For people show you who they are, every day, in every phase.
Don't settle for less than respect, or tolerate abusive display,Your worth demands better; listen to their actions, and walk away.
Their treatment is a mirror, reflecting their true intentions and heart,Believe it, and protect yourself; your well-being is a brand new start.
The truth may sting, but facing it frees you from toxic, harmful ties,Embracing reality, you rise stronger, and open doors to healthier skies. Until someone treats you right, you will keep on believing that it’s normal for busy people to fail to show you how much they value you. You will keep on buying the excuses. You will keep on compromising. You will keep on putting your mental health aside. You will keep on believing that there are a lot of things that are more important than you.
Until someone shows up and makes you feel weird for how right you’re being treated, until someone does things for you without asking,  until someone makes a way to see or hear you against the circumstances, until someone proves to you that it’s possible to hustle and still have time to check on you, remember you, and reassure you that you matter everyday,
Until someone treats you right, you’ll never learn that people make time for things that matter to them. People find ways for the people they love. And if you’re loved, you’ll learn this even without trying. 
If you’re loved, you won’t even wonder if you’re loved.