Yeah, I know. America is in trouble. But how much mental anguish can we absorb? I'm hiding in my past right now and had to share more of a life-changing trip.
Thank you! My feet hit the floor in the morning and it's game on. I'm fucking cleaning all the goddamn time. 😅 I wish I wasn't a neurotic house cleaner. Oh, well! My family likes to stack things. 😖 I'm sending you a picture of the haircut he picked out. Sooo adorable! Love you too, sister.
Susan Niemann: You are a real artist with the camera.
My God, what a harmony of color.
What stark contrasts to cheer the eye.
I, too, skim through so many of the substacks, and concentrate my attention on German literature, philosophy and history.
But your Stacks are full of love. It is plain you and I share the core values, but you do so in sharing music, in sharing memories of Tim, and in your wondrous photography -- whether in color or B/W.
YOURS is one of my favorites!
God bless you, dear friend.
Return to Spain often enough that you feel in part as if you live there.
In feeding your own Spirit, who are whole, the better to share with us, your friends.
You know what? I'm going to do just that, Armand. I booked a flight this week for a solo trip back to Spain...mid November through December. SO MUCH ART & ARCHITECTURE. It's a balm for my nervous soul. I'm working on my Spanish every day so I can at least try to fit in. If only Tim could experience it with me... I carry him in my heart.
So many opportunities for photos, culture, education. And the FOOD! 😂 There is no question of my 'el agradecimiento'-gratitude - for life, for friends I've never met, and the ability to just breathe! I appreciate you! Thanks for being here.
The more you strengthen your INNER SELF, the better a life, and the more to share.
Now, as one who is bilingual (German) -- your internet can lead you to Spanish-speaking TV worldwide.
I pay a modest sum for a two-year subscription to "proton" vpn -- where I can log in, for example, from Germany, Sweden . . . anywhere.
The plus: Some programs, say, in Germany, cannot be watched from an American ip address, but through a German vpn you can watch them on ZDF or ARDMediathek.
Now think of Spain.
Through the same "Proton" VPN, you can log in as from Spain.
You can watch unlimited Hispanic programs with Spanish subtitles.
And subscribe to a Spanish-language online newspaper.
You will learn quite well.
Any amount you use and pronounce reasonably well is useful. You do not have to speak like a native. It is all helpful and leads to friendships.
God bless you, Susan, I am excited for you!
Keep indulging yourself, and you thereby have the strength to share with us.
You deserve it, and we love you for it.
Believe me: You are a deeply Spiritual and loving person, and we love our friendship.
OMG, I couldn't agree with you more on the deluge of armchair quarterbacks on Substack. I can only handle a couple of them. If feels like a toxic overload. I don't understand how a malignant narcissistic psychopath is hard to comprehend. Shitpants is doing his thing. Not a surprise. What's a bit fucking wacky is all the dysfunctional dumb fucks that support him. Fucking greedy, misogynistic, bigoted bastards. Well, I'm too damn busy to read anything.
Your pictures are gorgeous 😍. I love color. I don't have one white wall in my house. I love seeing the world through your pictures. ❤️❤️❤️🤗 Amazing!! 🫶
The VPN is GREAT to know about. I love British and Australian TV, so this will be perfect as well as learning Spanish. (I have a friend who uses proton so I will investigate that further!!
I'm also using Babel and Pimsleur to learn the language. There is a feeling of accomplishment when I finally get it right.
Appreciate and love you, too! Many thanks! More to come! :)
Great photo’s, Susan :) I also LOVE Spain. Have you ever been to Mallorca? We went in 2023 and it was simply gorgeous. Marvellous people and sights - and the food was to die for! Their Tapas are so creative and a great way to try new tastes! You must go!
Ohhhhh lucky you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so jealous!!!!! I really hope I might get back there in 2026 - all depends on my health and if my cancer is spreading or not.....
I am disturbed by the number of people who used to write -- and write well -- but have decided to switch to videos that I have no time for. Keep writing.
I can read so much faster than I can watch... when I see "video" or "Watch now", I just delete and move on. I cant keep up! 😂 And I'm going to stop trying! Thanks Don!
Thank you for sharing! I’ve never traveled internationally and Spain in my ultimate bucket list visit. At this point I’m doubtful it will happen (I’m running very short of time and even more restricted financially), and am grateful for your photos. A virtual visit is the next best thing.
It’s surprising how you can make it affordable-air b&bs really help stretch my budget! I’m glad you like the photos and especially happy you’re here! Thanks!
It’s a balancing act staying aware and informing other people (most of whom are surprisingly uninformed) and also maintaining space for joy. The overwhelm is happening to all of us and the chaos that produces it is performing as intended. And yes, much of what is offered here by political writers (including what I share in my offbeat mélange) is opinion and conjecture based on patterns in history.
I feel pretty lucky to have the ability to turn the noise on or off as needed. Sometimes a switch to a different feed topic helps.
Hang in there! Do what you need to do to take care of you.
I also agree about those who continue to post links of their own articles day after day. I think it gets old, it’s not like we don’t know they write. I’m going to cut more from my paid subscriptions today that I no longer have time to read. You’re safe because I love your work.
The roadside sculptures are magnificent. I love how the figures are surrounded by the natural rock, and in the center of the one with people. I could study it for hours. Thanks for sharing them!
Susan, you definitely need to curate what you’re taking in. I think I’m down to 4/5 Substack people and I don’t even always look at them. It depends what their headline is :-)
I do understand your wanderlust, but it makes me sad that you want to clear out of the states altogether… I just haven’t reached that point yet. I want to continue fighting. I think if I was an African-American woman with a child or two I would clear out or Latino woman with a child or two, but I’m not ….I’m a privileged white overeducated person.
Well thank you for looking at Susan Speaks! 😂. I’m reading the same messages packed in different words… I’m not ready to be an expat yet but I am considering a visa. I call, write, donate… but my mental health is a priority!! Plus I’ve never really been anywhere until this trip. So much to see before it all blows up! 😬
I love the color scheme of Tenarife. Those roadside sculptures are awesome! I wasn't aware that each banana tree has one bunch. (You learn something new every day.😀) Hang in there, my friend.😀❤️😘
Oh to have been you Susan! I love your photos of doors,windows,balconies and the church atop the hill! Spain is on my bucket list for sooner than later! I visited the Canary Islands back in the 70s. Can you imagine how struck by the volcanic lava colored earth I was in my early 20s. I felt as though I’d stepped onto a new planet. Thanks for sharing your photos!
My travel guru took me on the cable car to Mt. Teide. Now I know what altitude sickness feels like! HOLY CRAP! 11, 500 feet...I was just a tad light headed! 😂 What an experience. I can only image what the Canary Islands might have been like in the 70's.
I'm spending two weeks on Gran Canaria in December... I'm already hunting the days! Thanks, Laurel! Appreciate you being here! ✌️
First of all…agree with everything you wrote before the pics! lol. Second…holy shit-I want to paint my house a different color! I can feel the mood change from here just looking at the photos! Thanks! Enjoy your day!
I would DEFINITELY check to see if #49 is available to rent! Adorable! Love all the pics🩷💗🩷
There is no doubt I have fallen madly in love with Spain, Karen! Going back in November for a 6 week sabbatical!
Thank you! My feet hit the floor in the morning and it's game on. I'm fucking cleaning all the goddamn time. 😅 I wish I wasn't a neurotic house cleaner. Oh, well! My family likes to stack things. 😖 I'm sending you a picture of the haircut he picked out. Sooo adorable! Love you too, sister.
When we finally get together, we'll compare cleaning notes! 😂😂 Very therapeutic! ❤️❤️
I can’t wait to visit Spain!!!
Oh, it was magical. I loved the vibe in Madrid...and look forward to Barcelona and Gran Canaria in November. ❤️❤️
Susan Niemann: You are a real artist with the camera.
My God, what a harmony of color.
What stark contrasts to cheer the eye.
I, too, skim through so many of the substacks, and concentrate my attention on German literature, philosophy and history.
But your Stacks are full of love. It is plain you and I share the core values, but you do so in sharing music, in sharing memories of Tim, and in your wondrous photography -- whether in color or B/W.
YOURS is one of my favorites!
God bless you, dear friend.
Return to Spain often enough that you feel in part as if you live there.
In feeding your own Spirit, who are whole, the better to share with us, your friends.
You know what? I'm going to do just that, Armand. I booked a flight this week for a solo trip back to Spain...mid November through December. SO MUCH ART & ARCHITECTURE. It's a balm for my nervous soul. I'm working on my Spanish every day so I can at least try to fit in. If only Tim could experience it with me... I carry him in my heart.
So many opportunities for photos, culture, education. And the FOOD! 😂 There is no question of my 'el agradecimiento'-gratitude - for life, for friends I've never met, and the ability to just breathe! I appreciate you! Thanks for being here.
Susan Niemann: CONGRATULATIONS!
The more you strengthen your INNER SELF, the better a life, and the more to share.
Now, as one who is bilingual (German) -- your internet can lead you to Spanish-speaking TV worldwide.
I pay a modest sum for a two-year subscription to "proton" vpn -- where I can log in, for example, from Germany, Sweden . . . anywhere.
The plus: Some programs, say, in Germany, cannot be watched from an American ip address, but through a German vpn you can watch them on ZDF or ARDMediathek.
Now think of Spain.
Through the same "Proton" VPN, you can log in as from Spain.
You can watch unlimited Hispanic programs with Spanish subtitles.
And subscribe to a Spanish-language online newspaper.
You will learn quite well.
Any amount you use and pronounce reasonably well is useful. You do not have to speak like a native. It is all helpful and leads to friendships.
God bless you, Susan, I am excited for you!
Keep indulging yourself, and you thereby have the strength to share with us.
You deserve it, and we love you for it.
Believe me: You are a deeply Spiritual and loving person, and we love our friendship.
OMG, I couldn't agree with you more on the deluge of armchair quarterbacks on Substack. I can only handle a couple of them. If feels like a toxic overload. I don't understand how a malignant narcissistic psychopath is hard to comprehend. Shitpants is doing his thing. Not a surprise. What's a bit fucking wacky is all the dysfunctional dumb fucks that support him. Fucking greedy, misogynistic, bigoted bastards. Well, I'm too damn busy to read anything.
Your pictures are gorgeous 😍. I love color. I don't have one white wall in my house. I love seeing the world through your pictures. ❤️❤️❤️🤗 Amazing!! 🫶
Love ya! I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels that way! 😂. Yes, spend your time on worthwhile things like that wildly handsome little boy!!!! 😍
The VPN is GREAT to know about. I love British and Australian TV, so this will be perfect as well as learning Spanish. (I have a friend who uses proton so I will investigate that further!!
I'm also using Babel and Pimsleur to learn the language. There is a feeling of accomplishment when I finally get it right.
Appreciate and love you, too! Many thanks! More to come! :)
Great photo’s, Susan :) I also LOVE Spain. Have you ever been to Mallorca? We went in 2023 and it was simply gorgeous. Marvellous people and sights - and the food was to die for! Their Tapas are so creative and a great way to try new tastes! You must go!
Not yet… but now I must! I love Spain too! I’m going back in November for 6 weeks! I can hardly wait! Thanks for this Deborah!! 🙏💙
Ohhhhh lucky you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so jealous!!!!! I really hope I might get back there in 2026 - all depends on my health and if my cancer is spreading or not.....
I am disturbed by the number of people who used to write -- and write well -- but have decided to switch to videos that I have no time for. Keep writing.
I can read so much faster than I can watch... when I see "video" or "Watch now", I just delete and move on. I cant keep up! 😂 And I'm going to stop trying! Thanks Don!
Thank you for sharing! I’ve never traveled internationally and Spain in my ultimate bucket list visit. At this point I’m doubtful it will happen (I’m running very short of time and even more restricted financially), and am grateful for your photos. A virtual visit is the next best thing.
It’s surprising how you can make it affordable-air b&bs really help stretch my budget! I’m glad you like the photos and especially happy you’re here! Thanks!
It’s a balancing act staying aware and informing other people (most of whom are surprisingly uninformed) and also maintaining space for joy. The overwhelm is happening to all of us and the chaos that produces it is performing as intended. And yes, much of what is offered here by political writers (including what I share in my offbeat mélange) is opinion and conjecture based on patterns in history.
I feel pretty lucky to have the ability to turn the noise on or off as needed. Sometimes a switch to a different feed topic helps.
Hang in there! Do what you need to do to take care of you.
Thank you Margot!! You’re so right!
Beautiful Susan love both the sculptures !
I was amazed at those! We need to encourage more art in America!! Thank you!!
I also agree about those who continue to post links of their own articles day after day. I think it gets old, it’s not like we don’t know they write. I’m going to cut more from my paid subscriptions today that I no longer have time to read. You’re safe because I love your work.
The roadside sculptures are magnificent. I love how the figures are surrounded by the natural rock, and in the center of the one with people. I could study it for hours. Thanks for sharing them!
Weren’t they something! My friend knows so much about the Canary Islands. I was very fortunate! 💙
Susan, you definitely need to curate what you’re taking in. I think I’m down to 4/5 Substack people and I don’t even always look at them. It depends what their headline is :-)
I do understand your wanderlust, but it makes me sad that you want to clear out of the states altogether… I just haven’t reached that point yet. I want to continue fighting. I think if I was an African-American woman with a child or two I would clear out or Latino woman with a child or two, but I’m not ….I’m a privileged white overeducated person.
Well thank you for looking at Susan Speaks! 😂. I’m reading the same messages packed in different words… I’m not ready to be an expat yet but I am considering a visa. I call, write, donate… but my mental health is a priority!! Plus I’ve never really been anywhere until this trip. So much to see before it all blows up! 😬
I love the color scheme of Tenarife. Those roadside sculptures are awesome! I wasn't aware that each banana tree has one bunch. (You learn something new every day.😀) Hang in there, my friend.😀❤️😘
More than ‘wannabe’ photographer.
You just made my day, Sandra. That's very kind! It's definitely a calming and fun hobby! Thanks for reading! :)
Angry shitheads 😂
Well, it's accurate. 🤣🤣
Oh to have been you Susan! I love your photos of doors,windows,balconies and the church atop the hill! Spain is on my bucket list for sooner than later! I visited the Canary Islands back in the 70s. Can you imagine how struck by the volcanic lava colored earth I was in my early 20s. I felt as though I’d stepped onto a new planet. Thanks for sharing your photos!
My travel guru took me on the cable car to Mt. Teide. Now I know what altitude sickness feels like! HOLY CRAP! 11, 500 feet...I was just a tad light headed! 😂 What an experience. I can only image what the Canary Islands might have been like in the 70's.
I'm spending two weeks on Gran Canaria in December... I'm already hunting the days! Thanks, Laurel! Appreciate you being here! ✌️
First of all…agree with everything you wrote before the pics! lol. Second…holy shit-I want to paint my house a different color! I can feel the mood change from here just looking at the photos! Thanks! Enjoy your day!
HA! I had to get that out of my system, Tess. You can only take so much, right? 😂 Thank you!