Dusty's thoughts of the day...Nov. 23rd

Good morning! It is hard to believe that it is Sunday already, but alas, it is. Oh well, not going to let the idea of Monday get us down today. I have a quick update to share and a fun topic to talk about this morning.

For the update, I weighed in this morning at 263lbs, which means I have lost ten pounds in the last week and a half. My training sessions have been getting better and better as my strength and conditioning improve. But the best part is that I am starting to feel good. The early morning soreness is starting to fade a little and the old pep in my step is starting to come back. I still have a big mountain to climb, but I am making progress which is awesome.

Now, for the fun subject matter, at least I think it is fun. I have been listening to an audiobook while training about United States Cryptids. For those of you who don't know, a cryptid is a creature that has not been classified by science, like Bigfoot and the snallygaster.

I have had a fascination with cryptids since I was a little kid. I got bitten by the "monster" bug when I sat with my dad while he watched an old documentary about sasquatch. I was enthralled. I started reading books and magazines. I was watching movies and tv shows about these elusive monsters and the more I absorbed, the brighter the flame of inquisitiveness burned.

I am happy to say that after about forty-years, that passion is still alive. Now, I do not know if any of the mythic creatures of cryptid exist or even ever existed, and to be honest I don't care. When it was proven that the loch ness monster phot was a hoax, didn't bother me, I still love that picture. I still watch and read everything I can about the loch ness monster.

Whether fantasy or fact, the appeal for me is the legends themselves. Where were they seen, what did they do, what did they look like, and why was the story told? Maybe that is the historian in me, but I am all about the story. I love to hear and read about these creatures because there is always a possibility. It is human vanity and ignorance to think we know and have seen everything. The giant squid was a myth told be sailors, disbelieved by science until one was actually discovered and video footage has confirmed their existence. There are still many places on this planet and even in the United States itself, that have had little to no human contact.

Some of you may say, it's all a hoax to make money. Okay, what is wrong with that! People make "fake" movies and have become billionaires because of it. What is wrong with a small town making a "fake" story about a monster to bring in tourist dollars. We pay an obscene amount of money to be entertained by stories and images throughout our life. How many times you been to the movies? How many blu-rays and DVD's do you own? How many streaming services do you have? Get the point? We pay to be entertained. Cryptids, in most cases, are just stories to entertain and keep that little spot in your mind that says, "what if?"

So, on this glorious Sunday a week before Thanksgiving, let's keep the Bigfoots, the sea serpents, the mermaids, and even the goblins and trolls in our hearts and minds and be thankful that there are still folks out there that want to share their stories with us. Real or imagined.

Have a great day everyone, LOL, love you all and keep searching for that champion of hide-and-seek, Bigfoot!!!