Marta's Musings

  While working on assembling a photo carousel to advertise my latest harem pants project, I needed to search the internet for an app or software to create mp4s. Also, recently, in order to update my old bellydancermarta.com site, I needed to take a course in HTML5 because the last time I worked on the site was in HTML3 and a LOT of things have changed. In the 8 years I worked for the State of California, I did not keep up my skills in web development. I thought I could just go back and pick up where I left off when I retired. LOL What an optimist. I have realized that I am becoming a dinosaur. I started reflecting on where my work is now. My book (Anmutig und fit durch Bauchtanz) is now sold second-hand on eBay and referred to as 'vintage.' And it is available on vintage book sites. Several of my costumes are also being sold second-hand on eBay and elsewhere and referred to as 'vintage.' My original website is definitely vintage, though I refer to it as historical. :)

Shady "contractors" - beware of Raynaldo Munoz  Please advise any suggestions you have about how to handle a supposed contractor who abandoned the job. We had a roof leak back in January which I requested recommendations on Nextdoor, Pocket, Sacramento, California.  Raynaldo Munoz answered and assured me he was a licensed contractor. The roof got sort of repaired. The main leak into the outer doorframe was repaired, the rest of the patio overhang still leaks. That is not my main concern as we were focused on water leaking into the house. The top door molding was removed in order to repair. And for over a month now Raynaldo said he would replace the molding and has not done it. He sets appointments and doesn't show up and doesn't let me know. I'm fed up. Unfortunately, I paid him the full quoted repair of $900.  I will contact the Contractor's Licensing Board. Anything else I can do? I will find another contractor to repair the molding, but I imagine if I wan

We’ve all had them. One of  ‘those ‘ days. One of those days of just an average individual. The day starts off great, I’m getting things done, I’m planning, I’m doing. Then it starts. Things go wrong. Plan A I was going through my new book on HTML 5 and CSS and starting a timeline for the new site. Ray knocks on the door and we decide to go for a walk. It’s a beautiful, sunny day. I need my cane anyway as the numbness in my feet throws me off-balance occasionally. Halfway through the walk, Ray starts getting double vision and loses his balance. We stop and sit a bit to see if it will pass. It doesn’t. Taking his arm, we hobble together the rest of the way home. Not Planned 1 Ray makes an appointment for the eye-doctor for tomorrow. He is walking sideways every time he gets up to go anywhere. He made a eye-patch. When one eye is covered, the dizziness is slightly better. Not Planned 2 Workers show up to check why there is a rain leak on the back sliding doors. Two years ago we ins

As I was setting up this blog, the profile was asking me for my profession. Then I thought about all the different types of jobs I have held and thought it would be fun to make a list of them. These are jobs I was paid for, so don't include any of my volunteer work. Here goes (and I'm trying to get them in chronological order): Legal Secretary Belly dancer Belly Dance teacher and choreographer Costume designer Disco dancer and teacher Author Photo model Singer Exhibition hostess Office administrator Magician's assistant Bartender Web designer Payroll secretary Translator Boutique owner Sales associate Cashier Line Manager Office Technician Executive Assistant Staff Services Analyst Associat e Personnel Analyst Retiree I didn't necessarily stop one profession to move into another. Some of these overlapped. It's a long story. ;) I'm not sure, but I think this photo is from Heilbronn. Most likely in the kitchen behind the nightclub. I danced there at a place run by

Yesterday I saw the film American Fiction. Great film, great actors, and a message we need to hear, repeatedly. When we got home, I looked up the song Stagger Lee from Lloyd Price from 1959, which in turn made me look up the story behind the song. First the song. Here is a link to the original version that I remember as a kid: But while searching, I discovered that Dick Clark thought the lyrics were too violent for his American Bandstand show and had Price rewrite them to tone it down for performance on the show, with a happy ending.  History of Stagger Lee 1950 – 1960 . Here are the original lyrics: The night was clear And the moon was yellow And the leaves came tumbling down I was standing on the corner When I heard my bulldog bark He was barking at the two men Who were gambling in the dark It was Stagger Lee and Billy Two men who gambled late Stagger Lee threw seven Billy swore that he threw eight Stagger Lee told Billy “I can’t let you go with that You have won all my money And my