I Want to Live My Life Again

After nearly a year of lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, I need to start living my life again.

I know that tens of millions of others in this country are in the same, or worse, position as am I. I am not going hungry because I cannot afford to buy food. I am not at risk of losing my home or my car because I an unable to make the payments. I did not lose my job. I am happily grateful and aware that I am doing fine.

But I feel the missed opportunities more than others, perhaps, because I am old. I do not have decades left to do the things I enjoy. Every place I don't get to visit is a place I may never get to visit. My life is not just ticking away; it is racing away. I long to live life, not simply to sit on the sidelines and watch life pass me by. So ......

I want to travel again.

I want to take photos of interesting animals and beautiful landscapes again.

 I want to enjoy life once more.

I want to stop spending my days, weeks and months shut away in my house.

I want to adopt a dog, which isn't easy as the pandemic has seen many animal shelters nearly devoid of animals because so many were adopted by people who began working from home. This is good for the adopted animals, but difficult for me.

I want to meet a friend for lunch.

I want to visit friends and family in other states. 

I want to do something other than read and watch television. 

I want to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, but due to Trump's lack of planning and his ineptitude, there aren't enough vaccines to meet the huge demand.

 

I recently bought two of The Great Courses that I watch online. They are educational, but they are online. That means even more time sitting in front of a computer. What I really want to do is to get out and do something, to learn by doing. I want to once again be actively engaged in life, not watch from the sidelines.

 I know there is no easy cure for this situation. But people are fed up. People are frustrated and depressed and frightened and tired. And now, with at least three new, more contagious variants of the virus, we are being told to wear two masks at a time, and to no longer go grocery shopping in person. An occasional trip to the grocery store is the highlight of my life during this pandemic.

Doctors are calling this 'pandemic fatigue.' According to the American Medical Association's web site, "With COVID-19 fatigue, “you’re tired in your soul—emotionally, psychologically, socially, spiritually, you are just tired and not motivated,” said Dr. [Carl] Lambert. “To get out of that fatigue, maintain hope that things will get better.” After a year of hoping that things will get better while watching things get worse, this isn't a realistic solution for me.

Pandemic fatigue is real, and it can cause people to stop taking the steps necessary to keep themselves and others safe. The vaccination program is a fiasco. People are clamoring to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, but there simply aren't enough vaccines to meet the demand. And then we see wealthy people and members of Congress jump the line to get vaccinated. I am in a high-risk group, yet the anticipated time for my group to be vaccinated has moved from late January to spring. Sorry, but that is simply not good enough.

I know that the new president inherited a total mess, and that there was no plan to distribute the vaccine quickly and equitably. I also know that there has been no guidance to the states -- and little financial support -- as well as no standardized distribution plan. People younger than I in other states are getting vaccinated. I have registered with my state's department of health, but after that -- silence.

This is a public health emergency. We cannot wait for pharmaceutical companies to get around to producing more vaccines. At this point I am both angered and frightened.

We -- the governments at all levels -- must do better.

 

This Morning

Last night I went to bed without fear of what I would find when I wake up the next morning. 

Last night I could sleep, secure in the knowledge that the president would not pick a fight with another country. I could sleep, knowing that the president would not encourage a crowd to attempt to overturn the government of the United States.

Last night I slept with the knowledge that the federal government is once more in the hands of compassionate, ethical, educated adults who have the best interests of this country at heart. I slept knowing that this president will not use the power of the office for his and his family’s personal gain.

This morning I awoke to a government staffed by experienced, knowledgeable people rather than with those who have pledged their fealty to the president or bought their positions with large campaign contributions.

This morning, as a new administration spends its first full day at the helm, I believe this president is eager to try to right the ship of state that has come so close to sinking. Just a few hours after taking office, he signed 17 executive orders to undo some of the damage done by the previous president. More will come. Once again America will engage with the rest of the world, working with, rather than insulting, our allies. We will no longer need to fear backroom meetings with the leaders of nations that would do us harm. 

This morning I awoke to a nation led by a president eager to lead on behalf of the American people, not only those who support him. Will he do things and take actions with which I don't agree? I'm sure he will. Will he make mistakes? Of course he will. He is human, after all.

But this morning, for the first time in four years, I woke up without dread of what the president will do or say.  I woke up to a new day and with hope for a better future for a damaged, hurting nation.

A New Beginning

Today America is reborn.

Today a new, compassionate administration begins. Joe Biden was not my first choice as the Democratic candidate for the highest office in the land. I wanted someone other than another old, white man. I preferred Kamala Harris (our new vice-president), a woman and a person of color and the daughter of immigrants. Or Pete Buttigieg, a gay man and a veteran. Or Andrew Yang, an Asian man. Or Julian Castro, a Hispanic. But we got Joe Biden, and I am OK with that. At least we have the first female vice-president. And Biden is a good man whose faith is an important part of who he is.

Biden has a long history in politics, but he has not lost sight of his humanity, his humility, his compassion. He understands personal loss and grief, having lost his first wife and baby daughter in a terrible car accident many years ago, and his adult son to a brain tumor more recently. As a US senator, he commuted by train from Washington, DC, to his home in Delaware every day so he could tuck his sons into bed each night. Unlike his predecessor, who never once expressed condolences or sympathy to those who lost loved ones to the coronavirus, Biden and Harris held a brief, moving ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial to honor all those lost to the virus. This was their very first stop upon arriving in the nation's capital.

The new administration has inherited a mess from the previous corrupt, self-serving, lying administration. Some of this mess is the result of gross incompetence, while the rest was deliberately created by a vile, vindictive man. The damage done over the past four years will not be undone easily, but at least we now have a president who listens to science, who cares about America and her citizens, and who has plans to confront the pandemic and other issues that face our nation.

For the first time in four years, I didn't get up this morning wondering what evil things are going to happen at the hand of the president. For the first time in four years, I have hope that America can once again become the leader of the free world. I know I won't have to listen to this president insulting others. No longer will I feel a need to mute the television when the president speaks, nor will my middle finger reflexively point to the screen. I know that this president won't taunt and insult the leaders of other countries and bring us to the verge of nuclear war

This country is in for a long, uphill battle to undo and repair the damage done during the past four years. The country is more deeply divided than it has been since the Civil War which ended more than 150 years ago and whose scars still remain. I know the new president will do things with which I will disagree.

But I am, for the first time in four years, optimistic that we now have leadership that wants to move America forward, that cares about doing what is right for the people of America, that wants to help the nation heal. How refreshing it is to see leadership that can smile and laugh and enjoy life. Gone is the dour, scowling ex-president and former first lady, both of whom always looked as if they had just consumed something sour. And I find it encouraging that the new president is bringing his two rescue dogs to live in the White House. That speaks volumes about the heart of the first family.

Our nation faces many challenges, both domestic, from those who have already tried to overturn the results of a lawful election, and international, from enemies that may try to take advantage of this country's disarray and weakness.

But once again there is hope.

 

Lessons From A Virus

Like most Americans, I have spent several months under stay-at-home orders.

This been challenging, but not as much as for many people. I have been retired for 10 years, so staying home isn't a huge change from my pre-pandemic life. I now look forward to my in-person trips to the grocery store. The biggest challenges have been, and still are, the inability to travel (all but one trip scheduled for last year were canceled) and the lack of opportunities to take pictures. I have wandered my neighborhood with my camera, but there really isn't a lot of interest nearby.

One lesson of which I am reminded is how lucky I am to live in a sparsely populated state.

I am lucky to live where I do, on a 1/2-acre lot with views of the mountains. 

I learned how totally clueless many big companies are. I now am looking at television commercials and online ads in a different light. Most have always seemed ridiculous (lease a new car for "only" $599/month), but they seem so much more ridiculous now. People are struggling; they can't afford to buy food. And they should rush out and lease a new luxury car for more than $600/month after taxes and fees are added on? Or how about ordering a new car online, sight unseen and with no test drive?

Companies struggling to stay afloat are now offering online ordering of food supplies, but the shipping costs are often as much as the average order. How will that help businesses when people refuse to order because of excessive shipping costs? I wanted to reorder a particular spice blend, until my $16 order came with an $8 shipping fee. No thanks.

Perhaps the biggest lesson is that the federal government under the current corrupt administration is not here to help protect its citizens. Nor are the Republican administrations of numerous states. It's all about rewarding supporters and punishing states that don't bow low enough in homage to the occupant of the White House. Mercifully, this administration will be just a horrible memory in just two days.

Another lesson is how selfish many Americans are. Rather than doing everything they can to help slow the spread of the disease, too many grabbed their assault rifles, marched in the streets, and threatened medical personnel and legislators. Others continue to ignore orders to social distance and to wear a face covering when in public. Far too many pastors have ignored the threat of crowds and insisted on the supposed constitutional rights to cram hundreds of people into a church. There is no 'constitutional right' to not wear a face covering to protect others from a deadly disease.

On the other side of the issue, I have seen more friendliness from random strangers. I have made a point of complementing others, of urging grocery store clerks and pharmacists to "stay safe."

Since the lockdown began, I have seen many more people walking in my neighborhood, some with dogs, some alone, some with a spouse or friend. People almost always wave or say hello, all while maintaining a safe distance. I wonder how many people will continue walking once the lockdown ends. I have gone for daily walks for more than 10 years, since I gave up running. I will continue to walk long after the lockdown ends. It's good for my mental and physical health.

Perhaps the greatest lesson is that we mighty humans, who consider ourselves the greatest of all creations on planet Earth, can be devastates by a thing as tiny as a virus. This virus appeared out of nowhere (or was it created in a laboratory?) and to date has killed 398,000 Americans so far, and more than 2 million worldwide. And experts predict the worst is still ahead.

Sadly, we humans are still learning this lesson the hard way.

Just Plain Tired

You know, I am just plain tired.

I'm not so physically tired despite sleeping at most 6 hours a night. But mentally and emotionally, I am exhausted. 

I am tired of this pandemic. I am tired of people refusing to wear masks and take other simple steps to stop the spread of the virus. I am tired of the chaotic and inept response to rolling out coronavirus vaccinations. I am tired of being told the time when I can get vaccinated is being pushed back yet again.

I am tired of people who leave their dogs' poop all over the road and on walking trails. I am tired of seeing trash everywhere in my nice neighborhood.

I am tired of Trump, of Republicans and conservatives trying to rewrite history and overturn an election. I am tired of politics in general and of a political campaign and political controversy that have gone on forever. I turned off the news early yesterday because I just couldn't watch yet another story about the pandemic or about last week's insurrection.

I am tired of doctors' offices that don't return patients' phone calls. I am tired of not being able to travel. I am tired of winter and cold weather. I am tired of watching television. I am tired of reading. I am tired of being bored. I am tired of 'social media' and its platforms for hate, lies and misinformation. I am tired of technology such as the Internet and e-mail and cell phones, which despite their usefulness, have become little more than sources of incessant spam e-mails and phone calls.

I am tired of spending my 'golden years,' when I should be enjoying life, traveling and taking beautiful photographs, sitting at home, alone and isolated, watching my country being attacked by a bunch of seditionists.

I am beginning to think we never will have normal lives again, because we seem, as a nation, incapable of doing what is necessary to get this pandemic under control. Too many people, after refusing to wear masks and stay home, now are saying they won't get the vaccine to protect them, and the rest of us, from this deadly virus. Already the virus has mutated several times. The most recent mutation is up to 70 percent more contagious than the previous version. 

So yes, I am tired. So very tired. Congratulations, people. You and your political 'leaders' have turned America into a Third World country.

An Ugly Sickness Has Emerged

 My heart hurts.

I was watching a news channel a day or so ago, and one of the guests on the program noted that many Americans are stunned, shocked and appalled after watching the attack on America's Capitol.

Someone on Facebook called movement that attacked the Capitol and the legislators working inside "an ugly sickness." That is a fair description. This sickness has infected tens of millions of Americans. In some ways it is more deadly than the coronavirus. This infection has been festering for years, but it has become so much worse during the past four years. And now it is a full blown epidemic. We now have vaccines against the coronavirus, but how do we stop this epidemic of fascism and hate?

My reaction to the insurrection doesn't rise to the level of PTSD, but the shock, anger and disbelief certainly are real. These feelings have worsened as I learn more about the events of Jan. 6. Laptops and tablets were stolen from various offices of members of Congress. A police officer died after being hit in the head (some say beaten) with a fire extinguisher. Rioters searched for Vice President Mike Pence with the alleged goal of hanging him for his failure to override the vote of the Electoral College, something he didn't have the authority to do. Other insurrectionists were seen with plastic zip-ties, suggesting they intended to take prisoners. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is reported to have been a target of particular interest. Feces were spread in the building. The US flag atop the Capitol was taken down and replaced with a Trump flag.

Make so mistake. This was not a peaceful protest. This was not a riot. This was an insurgency. It was an attempted coup encouraged by the president of the United States and his minions. The military, under its recently appointed civilian leaders, refused to send the National Guard to help the beleaguered US Capitol Police. This was a well orchestrated, well planned attack on the very foundation of American democracy. It was not a surprise. There is no excuse for the lack of preparation and for the failed response.

These were not the actions of 'patriots' as the rioters -- and their president -- claim. These were the actions of seditionists, those whose sole intent was the destruction of our system of government. The intent was to give the election -- an election lost by their leader by more than 7 million votes -- to their cult leader and install him as dictator. The intent was to make the country, once again, a bastion of white supremacy and to put everyone else (gays, women, Blacks, Muslims, Hispanics and every other non-white group) in their subservient places. The intent was to give all power to an elite group of extremely wealthy white men.

Does this sound like a patriotic movement to you?

It's OK not to be OK. Some days are just harder than others. I read this online as well, so I can't claim it as an original thought. But again, it's true. I am not OK. I am not OK with a group of armed ruffians trying to overthrow a duly elected government. I am not OK with elected members of Congress aiding and abetting an attempted coup of the American government. I am not OK with these same people then claiming that Democrats should take no action to remove the president -- the same president who incited and encouraged the riot at the Capitol -- because we need to heal the country and work together. Yes, we do need to heal the country. But we also need to hold accountable those responsible for this insurrection, at every level, whether they physically assaulted the Capitol or created the atmosphere of violence that led to the insurrection.

Exactly what is it these anti-patriots are trying to 'take back'? Precisely what has been taken from them? It seems clear that their objective is to make White supremacy the law of the land. Is disenfranchisement of everyone who isn't White part of the plan? Power to a few oligarchs? And exactly what will it take to, in their minds, make America 'great' again? 

America is great when every citizen has equal rights. America is great when every person feels safe and respected. America is great when we once again become a nation of laws.

This Morning

This morning ... 

I stayed in bed until 5:30 a.m.

I watched the sun climb above the mountain top.

I heard and saw a group of eight or nine sand hill cranes fly overhead.

I enjoyed walking my dog on roads devoid of vehicles and pedestrians.

I appreciated the sunshine and the lack of wind on a cold morning.

I did some writing.

I took my dog for a longer walk than usual.

I grabbed my camera and went in search of cranes to photograph. I didn't find any, but it was fun to look. 

After I got home, I ordered a new silver ring by a local Navajo silversmith for myself.

These are mundane, everyday activities. Many would consider them boring and literally, nothing to write about. But after the trauma and chaos of this week, I value these mundane activities more than usual. Being outside, in nature, on a clear, cloudless, windless early morning with my dog, is a special treat amidst the chaos of daily life.

As I spend my senior years at home during a pandemic without end, I treasure these simple pleasures more and more. No longer do I sit and wait for good things to appear. I must go in search of the good, the beautiful.

If I don't search for beauty, I'm not likely to find it. These mundane activities are how I take care of myself until life improves and I can once again travel.

It Isn't About Politics

It isn't their politics. It's their lack of morality.

A couple of friends have made this comment recently, and I think they are correct. People are free to believe what they will. They are free to support whichever political party best aligns with their beliefs. The world is a better place with a diversity of beliefs and opinions. We may learn something by learning about others' beliefs. But there is a limit to which beliefs I can and will accept. That limit has been reached.

I was raised in a Republican family. I moved away from those political beliefs in early adulthood. My beliefs are not necessarily better or worse than those held by others, but they are decidedly different. There was a time when those who supported different political parties could coexist. They could discuss their differing opinions and points of view. They would seek common ground and compromise. Those days are long gone.

I am generally a live-and-let-live person. But I draw the line at the unwavering, unquestioning, absolute fealty to the cult leader shown by too many members of the Republican party. As a student of Russian and Soviet history, I am well aware of the cult of personality, which is a hallmark of totalitarian and authoritarian countries. Nazi Germany had a cult of personality, as did Mussolini's Italy, Stalin's Soviet Union, and North Korea to this day. The United States has had its own cult of personality since the rise of the current president. He can do no wrong, in the eyes of his slavish followers. Anyone who disagrees with him faces dismissal and even threats.

What we have seen during the past 4+ years is the rise of a cult leader who has no concern for others, whose only goal is self-aggrandizement and endless amounts of praise. If he isn't sufficiently praised by others, he praises himself. His first (and thankfully, last) term is the best in American history, according to him. He alone is responsible for the rapid development of coronavirus vaccines. His inauguration was attended by the most people ever (it wasn't, by a long shot). He is the smartest and greatest president of all time. He knows more about the military than do any of the generals and admirals. He knows more about the economy than do the best economists. Such are his delusional beliefs.

This pompous arrogance leaves no room for compassion. Not once has this president expressed condolences to the families of the more than 365,000 Americans who have -- so far -- died of Covid-19. Not once has he addressed the police killings of several unarmed Black citizens. Not once did he honor the members of our military who died in the line of duty.

And his followers eat up all these lies. They don't question the veracity of his claims. They continue to insist that he has made America great again, but when asked to provide examples of what he has done, they are silent. They are totally lacking in critical thinking skills. They are totally unaware or they refuse to accept that he is using them, that he disdains them. He appeals to their racist and misogynistic beliefs, and because he shares and voices those beliefs, they feel free to be more open about their hateful attitudes. They are emboldened to physically threaten legislators, governors and public health officials whose policies don't agree with their.

To be fair, some Republicans have spoken out against the cult leader. These Republicans, such as Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, still hold to the party's old beliefs, when political differences were about policies and fiscal issues rather than about getting even or firing someone who disagrees or about bragging about oneself endlessly.

What happened on January 6 was an attempted act of sedition encouraged by Trump and his attorney Giuliani. It was as much an attempted coup as anything that has occurred in a number of Latin American countries. He watched the riots and looting on television in the White House, hosting what was essentially a watch party with his family and other sycophants as one of them danced as she watched the destruction. He reportedly enjoyed the chaos, pandemonium and destruction they unfolded. Given the chance, he most certainly would overthrow the government and install himself as dictator. He has already attempted to do this. He and his sycophants in Congress were willing to overthrow the will of the people.

  

What has happened in this country isn't simply expressions of differences of opinion about political issues. It isn't a difference of opinion about government spending or the scope and role of government. It isn't about foreign policy decisions or how to deal with rogue nations. 

 

It isn't really about the morality of these people. Rather, it is their utter and complete lack of morality that is the issue. 

 

I and millions of other Americans have nothing in common with these insurgents. We clearly don’t have shared values. One group believes in the rule of law. It believes in science and fact and equality and equal opportunity. The other believes in blindly following a cult leader that appeals to their insecurities, their racism and misogyny and their misguided hatred of "socialism," although they lack any real understanding of what socialism really is.

 

The perpetrators of this insurrection and attempted coup -- from the president and his attorneys on down -- must face the consequences of their efforts. Those who participated in the takeover of the Capitol building, as well as the destruction of government property, the theft of mail and other items, and the harm inflicted on police officers -- must pay the price for their acts of sedition.

Anything less is unacceptable.

Insurrection, Sedition Or Treason?

 Was it an insurrection, sedition or treason?

I am neither an attorney nor a constitutional scholar, but the violence incited yesterday by the outgoing president of the United States was one, two or all of the above. He has tried for the past two months to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. He called the election a fraud. He attacked election officials who refused to bow to his demands to throw out millions of legal ballots. He tried to strong-arm, and he threatened, Georgia's secretary of state for refusing to miraculously "find" nearly 12,000 ballots that would give him a win in that state. His attorneys filed more than 60 lawsuits that were thrown out by judges at all levels, including the US Supreme Court. He incited violence that resulted in the first attack on the US Capitol since the British attacked it in 1814. And after he incited violence, he did nothing to stop it despite pleas even from members of his own party.

Whatever these unprecedented actions are deemed to be, there must be consequences both for this president and for the members of Congress who supported them. And those who attacked the Capitol, ransacked offices and stole the mail of, at least, the Speaker of the House, also must be held accountable.

This is not the time to talk about forgiveness and reconciliation. I admire Joe Biden's desire to bring the country together, to try and heal the deep wounds the outgoing president has created during the past 4 years. But we also must let the American terrorists and their supporters know that actions have consequences. Attacking the seat of the American legislative branch of government must not go unpunished. If there are no consequences, we will see more of this homegrown terrorism in the days, months and years ahead.

Dissent is fine. Peaceful protests are protected by the US Constitution. Riots and acts of terrorism are not fine. If the rioters had been Black or Muslim, the grounds of the Capitol would be littered with bodies. Overwhelming police and military force would have been brought against the rioters. We saw this as fact numerous times last year. But because the protesters were white, only a limited number of law enforcement officers was present at the start of the riot. Eventually -- hours later -- the National Guard and state police were brought in to remove the rioters. This was after the rioters had occupied both the House and Senate chambers. This was after they had ransacked Congressional office. This was after legislators had been hustled to secure locations by police and Secret Service officers.

What happened yesterday was not protected by the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech and assembly. What happened yesterday was nothing less than an attack on American democracy, incited and encouraged by the president of the United States. That cannot and must not go without consequences.

A National Nightmare, a National Embarrassment

Today the world watched in horror as a group of radical right wing zealots, egged on and riled up by the outgoing president of the United States, carry out an act of insurrection.

Make no mistake. This was an act of insurrection against the government of the United States, specifically, the US Congress that was meeting to finalize the results of the presidential election. In normal times, under a normal president, this act is merely a formality. But this year, after the outgoing president's refusal to concede and after repeated claims that the election was fraudulent, some 10,000 rioters stormed the US Capitol. Despite the fact that Joe Biden received more than 7 million more votes than the outgoing president, and after courts at all levels, up to the Supreme Court, threw out more than 60 bogus, groundless lawsuits seeking to overturn the election, the outgoing president continued to whine that the election was stolen, that he had won in a "sacred landslide" (whatever that means). He continued to whip up his supporters and encouraged them to march on the capitol building as both houses of Congress were in session.

They quickly outnumbered and overwhelmed the sparse police presence, breaking windows, climbing on statues, breaking into and occupying congressional offices, even stealing the mail of the speaker of the House. Elected officials and their staffs were taken to safety. Finally, state police from Maryland and Virginia, along with DC police and National Guard units from as far away as New Jersey arrived to restore order. Why was the police presence so inadequate? Violent protests had been predicted for weeks.

Watching rioters (and these were not peaceful protesters) walk around as they carried Confederate and Nazi flags was disgusting. Although details are unknown at this point, a female protester inside the Capitol was shot in the abdomen by a law enforcement officer. She was transported to a hospital, where she died. 

Today's activity was an insurrection incited by a sitting president. I know there is reluctance to take legal action against any president, particularly one in office, but what he did was at the minimal inciting of violence. He and his administration have refused to participate in the usual transfer of power by making sure incoming officials are up to speed in their respective areas. Biden's camp was denied critical national security briefings for several weeks, and the Pentagon still refuses to brief incoming officials. 

And don't even start with the "what about" BLM or any other nonsense. What-aboutism doesn't work with me. Much of the violence and property damaged that occurred during BLM protests was created by extreme right wing zealots who came from other states to create havoc that would be blamed on the BLM. And let's think for a moment about why BLM was protesting -- they were protesting the continuing police killing of usually unarmed Black citizens. The rioters in DC today were trying to overthrow a duly elected government. So don't even dare to tell me I am "deluded" as one British resident did.

I am certain that the leaders of Russia, China, Iraq and North Korea are watching the chaos at the highest levels of the US government with glee. Already Russia carried out a massive hacking attack against several federal agencies and contractors. Who knows what other attacks have occurred or are planned?

Let's start by charging the outgoing president with inciting violence, with crimes against humanity for his apparently deliberate bungling of the response to the pandemic (a bungling that continues to this day with the chaos surrounding the distribution of vaccines to prevent the virus), and insurrection, as a minimum. The attorney general of the state of New York has close to 70 charges she plans to file once the outgoing president leaves office at noon on Jan. 20.

I worked for the federal government for 23 years, both for the National Security Agency and for NASA. I took an oath of office to protect and defend the constitution of the United States. I, and my fellow government employees, took that oath seriously. What I witnessed today was insurrection at a minimum, incited by the president of the United States. Investigation may well also turn up acts of treason. These actions must not go unpunished.

Some cabinet officials and members of Congress reportedly are meeting to discuss using the 25th Amendment to the Constitution to remove the outgoing president from office. He clearly is mentally unfit to occupy the most powerful position in the country, and the damage he can do as he continues to obsess about his election loss is too great to risk.

He cannot remain in office for another 2 weeks. He needs to be removed NOW.

 

About Winter

Longtime readers of this blog will undoubtedly know how I feel about winter.

I hate it. I detest it. I find nothing to like about it.

Here are the things I hate about winter:

• Cold daytime temperatures, and even colder mornings.
• Snow (Luckily, we don't get a lot of snow where I live, but even a small amount is too much.)
• Darkness.
• I am always cold, except when I'm in bed between flannel sheets and under a warm blanket and a weighted blanket.
• Drab, colorless environment.
• Exorbitant heating bills. (I heat with propane, which is an expensive way to heat a house).
• Slick roads
• The sound of the furnace running incessantly 
• Static electricity everywhere in the house
• Heavy, constricting clothes: coats, hats, scarves, mittens, gloves
• Glasses that steam up when I enter a warm/er building.
• The length of winter
• Frozen pipes
• Runny nose

So there you have it. I never liked winter, even as a child. I grew up in the Chicago area, and back then, winters were worse than they are now. I did go sledding sometimes, but I have never enjoyed outdoor winter activities. I tried ice skating and never got the hang of it. I went on a 3-day ski trip to Lake Tahoe. I spent more time falling onto the snow than on my skis. The only outdoor winter activity I enjoyed was snowshoeing at Yellowstone National Park. It was a fairly warm (for February in Yellowstone) day, and I had a good time. But other than that single experience, I prefer to stay inside on a cold day.

There at least a couple months of cold weather where I live, but at least we are slowly getting more daylight each day. Soon enough winter will be in the rear view mirror and I can start to look forward to warmer temperatures, longer days and lighter clothing.

 

The Blog in Retrospect

I did a lot of blogging in 2020.   One reason is that I was home most of the time and had more time to devote to writing. I didn't get to travel aside from one hiking trip to Georgia in February, before the pandemic took control of our lives. The other reason, sadly, is that the incompetent, corrupt and impeached president* and his gang of corrupt cohorts provided so much about which to write. Writing is my favorite way to express my thoughts and feelings, and there was a lot about which to write in 2020. I wrote a lot about political shenanigans and the threats to our nation from our own government. I wrote about the loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and about the government's bumbling, some would say criminal, response to the pandemic. I wrote about the death of my dog and about the need to donate whatever we can to help feed those struggling to get enough food. And I wrote about the hope for a better four years ahead under a new administration. People from 34 countries visited the blog and read my thoughts and hopes and fears at least once during 2020. There were a few new countries added to the list, including Cambodia, Serbia and Turkmenistan.   To everyone who visited, from Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the UAE, thank you for stopping by.   Your thoughts and comments are always welcome. And regardless of where we are from, let us work together to make 2021 a much better year.

America's Epidemics

This country is suffering through a pandemic.

Yes, we all know about the coronavirus pandemic. But I believe we are in the midst of another, more insidious, pandemic: the pandemic of hatred. I guess it isn't fair to call this a pandemic, as its focus is the United States. So let's just call it an epidemic. 

Here are just a few examples.

• There is an epidemic of anti-Semitism in the US, with headstones in Jewish cemeteries being defaced and synagogues attacked.
• There is an anti-science, anti-vaccination, anti-mask epidemic.
• There is an epidemic of bullying and threatening by people who disagree with others, including government and public health officials.
• There is an epidemic of selfishness and a pervasive 'it's all about me' attitude.
• There is an epidemic of false patriotism among conservatives and evangelicals. Walking around wrapped in a flag with an assault weapon strapped to your chest does make you a patriot.
• There is a continuing epidemic of public distrust of the democratic process and institutions. 
• There is an epidemic of belief in conspiracy theories, no matter how ludicrous and far-fetched.
• There is an epidemic of desperate legal challenges to the outcome of the 2020 election, based on non-existent and unproven charges of massive voter fraud.
• There is a real potential for an epidemic of right-wing domestic terrorism.
• There is an epidemic of lies, exaggerations and incitement to violence by the far right.
• There is an epidemic of misogyny and racism.
• There is an epidemic of ignorance or stupidity among millions of Americans.

Sadly, there is no vaccine against this epidemic. There is no vaccine to increase intelligence, common sense, rational thinking and tolerance. The coronavirus vaccine should bring control of the pandemic fairly quickly. Resolving the issues of hatred, racism and the other aspects of the social epidemic we are facing won't be so easy.