Where Is Our Common Humanity?

I recently watched a three-part program on National Geographic television about the 1995 terrorist attack on the federal building in Oklahoma City. 

Toward the end of the program, former President Bill Clinton talked about what happens when we lose our common humanity. It has become abundantly clear to me that the United States has in fact lost its common humanity. I think we have been losing our common humanity for a while, but the current regime has made it more obvious that our common humanity has become very, very endangered.

This country is incredibly divided along political lines. There appears to be no effort to, as the saying goes, work across the aisle. I blame one party, and one party in particular for this. Followers of this party think it's okay for them to assassinate or attempt to assassinate representatives of the other party?  I clearly remember when both Democratic and Republican members of the US Congress set aside their differences, came together and worked for the good of the American people.  Where is the common humanity now?

We are now controlled by a regime -- executive, judicial and legislative -- that thinks it's okay to terrorize immigrants in this country simply because they happen to have brown skin. They are tased. They are kidnapped off the streets. They are shipped off to what some have described as concentration camps before being deported to countries with which they have absolutely no affiliation. Where is our common humanity? 

We have one political party that is doing everything in its power, whether legal or illegal, to protect the leader of the regime from serious charges that he was involved in a child sex abuse operation. The ongoing attempts to deflect the American public’s attention from this issue are so far being met with failure. Where is our common humanity for the girls who were induced or tricked into this ring of sex abusers and perverts?

The current regime in power has, apparently with no concern for those impacted,  canceled life-saving programs that have provided food and medicine to the poorest of the poor overseas. This same regime will eliminate health care for some 10 million to 12 million Americans. Where is our common humanity?

The fact that this regime is cutting food support to hungry people, including children, the fact it is costing women's lives with its draconian rulings that prohibit pregnanet women from getting live-saving care simply because they are unmarried or because their fetus died in utero, is unconscionable. Where is our common humanity?

Thousands of people in Gaza are being starved while the world stands by and watches. Tons of food supplies are waiting, undelivered, as people starve. A 4-year-old-girl died this week of malnutrition and starvation. Where is our common humanity?

Russia continues to target apartment buildings and other non-military buildings in Ukraine. Where is our common humanity?

Maybe some day we humans, allegedly a superior species, will wake up and find our common humanity.

Some Thoughts About Words

There are certain words and phrases I simply dislike.

Here are the first to come to mind: 

Sales event 

Moderate to severe 

Terms and conditions 

Cookies (the computer kind, not the edible kind)

Travel consideration

Snacks

Why is every car sale advertised as a 'sales event'? First of all, I don't believe that cars ever go on sale. And what makes it an event?

The term moderate to severe is heard numerous times every day in every commercial for every prescription medication. Is every disease moderate to severe?

Terms and conditions is another phrase used everywhere, from Web sites to online. "You must read the terms and conditions." "Terms and conditions apply." The terms and conditions always include multiple pages of small type, or they are repeated verbally by someone who must be an auctioneer.

Cookies. Why are these things called cookies? Real cookies are good. These electronic cookies, small bits of text placed on any website I visit, store information about my Web browsing activities. How does this benefit me? I'm not sure that it does. I routinely reject cookies on various sites, and I have seen no change in my browsing experience. 

What does travel consideration even mean?

And snacks is a word I have always disliked. There is simply something irritating about the sound of the word. 

This is true for several words that end in -y-or -ies. For example, the word patty, as in sausage patty. And what's wrong with using the word underwear rather than panties. I understand that panties is a diminuative of pants, but it is such an annoying word, especially when used to refer to women's, not children's, underwear. To me, it infantilizes women. 

As you probably can tell, the proper use of the English language is important to me. And it's more than spelling and grammar. It's also the sound of the words we use.

How Much Is Enough?

How much money does one person need?

Really, how much wealth is enough? 

When you have enough money to buy absolutely everything you want, be it houses or airplanes or yachts or private islands, or even a presidential election, how much money do you need? 

Based on America's richest people, I guess that number has no limit. A million dollars? $10 million? $100 million? A billion dollars? 100 billion dollars? There seems to be no upper limit to what these people want.

Just look at how excited they are about getting their 2017 income tax cuts permanently extended. Other people, including the lower and middle classes, pay their fair share of taxes. And they will pay even more under the recently enacted tax legislation. Meanwhile, the uberwealthy pay nothing or next to nothing in taxes.

Some billionaires, including Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, leave most of the money to charities. Others, such as the current resident of the White House, are so greedy they even steal money from a children's cancer charity.

Singer/songwriter Taylor Swift is a multibillionaire, but she does a lot of good with her wealth. She makes a substantial donation to the food bank of every city where she performs. She gives large bonuses to her stage crew. She has contributed to disaster relief, education, cancer research, women's rights and LBGTQ rights.

Dolly Parton is another person who does a lot of good with her millions. Her charitable works focus on childhood literacy (the Imagination Library, for example), disaster relief, college scholarships, medical research and other causes. 

There are millionaires and billionaires who do good things with their immense wealth. Sadly, many do nothing but hoard money and do everything possible to get more, regardless of who gets hurt in the process.

I am not wealthy, but I believe that those who can afford to help are morally obligated to help.

Not Celebrating This Year

 

America's Independence Day is just one day away.

But this is not a day to celebrate our traditional freedoms, which are rapidly being stolen by a Republican regime hellbent on remaking our democratic republic into a theocratic cult of personality where anyone who isn't white straight and male doesn't matter.

Women continue to lose the freedom to choose when or whether to bear a child. A woman who suffers a miscarriage can face criminal charges. Women will die when unable to get the medical treatment they urgently need because physicians fear being criminally charged. The far right zealots want women to know their place, stay home and have multiple children.

I saw something online recently that said that the 4th of July has been canceled due to a shortage of independence for women.

Deark-skinned people -- whether US citizens, legal immigrants or immigrants here illegally -- risk being rounded up and shippted off to other countries where the unforunate people have no history, no knowledge of the culture and don't speak the language. This is not deportation.

Now the regime is considering revoking visas and the citizenship of naturalized citizens. Cruelty, it seems, is the point.

Trans people are being forced out of the military, and those who recently completed training at a US military academy will never be allowed to serve. How is this making America great again?

Voting rights are at risk, as are the rights of asylum seekers and immigrants.

The right to peaceful assembly and protest, as guaranteed in the US Constitution, is at risk. Congress and the legislatures of 19 states have introduced 52 bills that would limit the right to protest.

Freedom of speech is at risk, with the regime demanding the firing of those who speak against the regime.

The right to due process is being violated daily when immigrants are snatched off the street, shoved into a vehicle by unidentified masked men, and deported to a prison somewhere in the world without an arrest warrant, criminal charges or appearance before a judge.

Freedom of religion, as well as freedom from religion, is a joke as the regime and its allies push to make this country a Christian nation. Actually, make that a christo-fascist nation. Courts have consistently shot down state requirements to require that the Ten Commandments be posted prominantly in school classrooms and in courtrooms.

The regime has caused the firing of tens of thousands of federal employees for no real reason.

The regime is slashing international, life-saving food and medicine. The regime is throwing millions of Americans, many of them children and the elderly, off Medicaid. The regime is sladhing food progams millions rely on for their survival.

The president continues to be an embarrassment to this country (those who aren't cult members). He continues to grift and to lie about everything.

So, while I love my country, I do not love what it has become. America has been, and should be, so much better. 

What Kind of Person Are You?

I ran across this question in a book I read recently, a biography, of notorious Nazi concentration camp guard Maria Mandl.

The question was asked of the author of the book by a survivor of the notorious Nazi concentration camps. She was not interested in the author's credentials, but rather in knowing what kind of person she was. At the heart of the question is whether someone would be the kind of person to hide a Jewish person from the Nazis, at the risk of losing their own life.

I think this is a wonderful question, something each of us should ask ourselves every so often. Not the part about hiding a Jew from Nazis, but more widely. What kind of person am I?

I'd guess that most of us consider ourselves to be good, caring people. But are we really? From my point of view, far too many Americans are anything but good and kind.

I once was Facebook friends with a woman who commented that she had health insurance, so why should she care about those who don't? I ended our 'friendship' at that point. Should I state that I have access to plenty of food, so why should I care that some people in the US, and even more around the world, don't have enough to eat? That's not the kind of person I am. And that is why I support organizations such as Meals on Wheels, World Central Kitchen and Roadrunner Food Bank, which provide food to those who cannot afford food. 

We're not talking about luxuries; I don't care if someone can't afford a luxury car or a mansion. I'm talking about health care, housing, food and other necessities. How can I not care?

Would I, had I lived during World War II, risked my life to hide a Jewish person? I have asked myself that question. And honestly, I don't know the answer. I like to think I would have, but I don't know whether I would have been brave enough to take that risk. Fortunately, I am not likely to ever find myself in that position.

But I do think I am a good, kind person. I have adopted 16 dogs. I adopted my daughter from an orphanage in Siberia. I donate to a variety of charities throughout the year. I care about the environment. I pick up trash in my neighborhood, I drive a hybrid vehicle, I recycle everything that is recyclable where I live. I donate to a variety of non-profit organizations in the US and internationally. 

I think this world would be a much better place if more of us took a close look at ourselves and asked, "What kind of person am I?"

Whatever Happened?

Is this how we make America great?

Do we make America great -- and that's assuming America isn't already great -- by attacking our closest allies, cozying up to tyrants, upending the world's economic system by imposing tariffs on imported goods, and by sending troops to attack Americans protesting the removal of immigrants with no due process? Is America made greater by removing freedom of choice from women, and by trying to impose Christian nationalism on the populace? 

Is America made great by cutting taxes on billionaires while at the same time removing several million low-income Americans from health insurance? Are we made great by refusing to allow one of the world's best universities to admit international students, thereby depriving our country of some of the best and brightest minds?

Are we made great by raining insults and retribution on anyone who dares to disagree with the wanna-be dictator in the White House? Are we greater after transfender members of our military are summarily kicked out of the service they have willingly agreed to join?  Does threatening to arrest the governor of the state of California -- the world's fifth largest economy -- make America great?

That isn't my idea of greatness. Whatever happened to due process that is supposed to be applied to everyone in the US, regardless of immigration status? Whatever happened to the rule of law? to defending the US Constitution? to respecting the rulings of courts of all levels?

I Just Don’t Care Anymore

I am quickly reaching, or perhaps I have already reached, the point where I just don't care.

Everything is overwhelming, especially things that are most important to me. I care about the environment, which is at grave risk of being destroyed by the current regime in Washington, DC. I care deeply about animals, both wild and domestic. Species protected by the Endangered Species Act are about to lose protection. I care about children, and I am saddened to learn that the Head Start program is about to be canceled. I am furious that the current regime has seen fit to deport several young children suffering from cancer. What kind of society are we living in?

I care about peace, and I just learned that the so-called leader of the free world is about to commit American troops to fight in Yemen. That’s not our war. And of course, the young men and women who will be sent to fight are not the children of the super wealthy. The Republicans love war as long as they can stand on the sidelines and watch. Oh, and as long as they can make big bucks from the war. 

The dictator-in-waiting is threatening to "walk away" from efforts to end Russia's war on Ukraine unless an agreement is reached soon. The only way Putin will agree to end the war is if Ukraine capitulates to Moscow's demands.

I am constantly bombarded with appeals for money, online and in snail mail. My charitable donations dropped by probably 75 percent last year. No matter how much I donate, it's never enough. I donated $500 to one non-profit, and was quickly asked to donate $1500. I made an annual donation to another group, and was then asked to donate for three consecutive months. I am always asked to "cover the cost of my donation," something that really annoys me. What's next -- covering the cost of the computers that process my donation, or the cost of electricity? I refuse to pay for the privilege of making a donation.

So I just don't care any more. Not when the super wealthy in this country don't pay their fair share of taxes. Not when they spend ridiculous amounts of money on superfluous, wasteful spending. Not when the president of the United States spends hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on his never-ending golf trips. Not when multimillionaires have millions of dollars to spare for a 10 minute ride into space.

I refuse to give up. I will remain hopeful that things will get better, as difficult as that may be. I will continue to do things that bring me pleasure. But it sure isn't easy.

It’s Just Too Much

I don't know about you, but the constant chaos, lies and pandemonium that we Americans, at least those of us who aren't members of the cult, are forced to live through are taking a toll on my mind and body.

It's exhausting. Reading day after day after day after day about the incessant babbling of the president of this once great country. Watching him travel at taxpayer expense to Middle Eastern countries where he is treated like the king he wants to be as he sets up deals that benefit not our country, but himself. It's all about him being feted by very wealthy people. Watching how his government prosecutes people who dare to speak out against him after he has insulted them repeatedly is extremely distressing. Watching the courts refuse to do anything to try to reign him in is very discouraging.

They're taking my enthusiasm away. They're taking my will to do anything except sit home and read or watch television. They're taking my energy away. All I want to do after the sun goes down is to crawl into bed. Fortunately, my dogs keep me up and moving. Each gets a 1-mile walk every early morning.

I have lost many hours of sleep, worrying about this country and what is being done to dismantle it. One recent night found me awake for 4 hours as I stared at the ceiling in the darkness. I thought about getting up, but if I got up, my dogs would get up. And their routine indicates that after they get up and go outside for a potty break, they have breakfast. That wasn't going to happen at 1:00 a.m.

I am looking forward to some travel this year that should provide not only a respite from the terrible news, but also offer opportunities for some great photography. I have reduced the amount of time I spend on social media, and the only news I watch is a 30-minute local news program followed by a 30-minute national news broadcast. 

I read a lot, but sometimes I get tired of reading. I exercise every day. And most of the television I watch is historical or archaeological or science-based. I cannot deal with the inanity of sitcoms with their canned laughter. 

A break from the insanity of American politics will be a welcome respite, especially when I am overseas. Of course, for the first time in my life, I have to worry about whether I will be thrown in jail as I return to the US because of something I may have posted somewhere online. So much for freedom of speech. So much for the Fourth Amendment. So much for our democracy.

What Takes Your Breath Away?

I follow a number of photography pages online. 

Recently I got a friend request from a retired physician who is also an amazing wildlife photographer. He has been posting photos of leopards and other wildlife from his recent travels. To mark World Leopard Day recently, he posted a breathtaking photo of a male leopard walking directly down the road toward him. 

That is the kind of image that takes my breath away. It's also the kind of image I dream of capturing. Sadly, that leopard was killed by lions, a fate that happened to my most favorite Kenyan leopard named Fig. Fig is pictured to the right, the first time I saw her in Kenya. She had a daughter named Figlet who is still thriving in Kenya. Figlet has raised several beautiful cubs.

Lions and leopards hate each other. So I'm not surprised when I hear about lions killing a leopard. But it still always saddens me.

Another thing that has taken my breath away is viewing (and photographing) some of Mother Nature's handiwork -- landscapes. I confess, however, that as beautiful as some landscapes are, nothing can compare with the amazing wildlife I have been fortunate enough to photograph.

My preference for landscape photography is mountains, the bigger the better. Pictured here is Shiprock, the remains of an ancient volcano on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico. This monadnock is a mountain that rises abruptly from a flat or gently sloping plain.

Finally, certain singers and music take my breath away. Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand come to mind immediately. I recently saw a video of three sopranos singing with Andre Rieu's orchestra. The song, Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, is such a moving song. And one of the sopranos, whose name I don't know, has an incredibly beautiful voice. 

When I was in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, at the conclusion of walking the Camino de Compostela pilgrimage route, a soprano known as the 'soprano of the arches' was singing outdoors. I bought her CD so I could enjoy her incredible voice at home. That was the first time I had heard Cohen's masterpiece, and I was hooked.

I hope you find, and enjoy, things that take your breath away.

Never Too Old

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. -- CS Lewis

This quote seems very timely and appropriate right now. A couple of days ago, I signed up for a photography trip to Sri Lanka in 2027. The thing that caught my attention in a major way was the opportunity to photograph leopards, which are my favorite predator, Asian elephants and sloth bears. The opportunity was just too good to pass by. So I put down a deposit.

The trip is a full two years away, and I suddenly started wondering whether I still will be in physical shape to go. Sri Lanka is a really long way from where I live in America’s desert Southwest. A quick check of an airline website shows that it’s likely to take between 35 and 40 hours to get there. And as the saying goes, I’m not getting any younger. I’m in good health for someone my age. But I’m not as strong or flexible or resilient as I used to be in my younger days. 

The trip itself is listed as a level one, which means there isn’t a lot of strenuous activity or walking while carrying photography gear. Of course, just getting there will take a long, long time on an airplane. That definitely will take a toll. But, travel helps keep me young and engaged. So I will pack up my cameras, tripod and my lenses, and hope to have a very successful expedition to Sri Lanka.

There are still so many places I want to visit. Among them are Rome, the Scandinavian countries, the Baltics, the Balkans, and other places in Italy. 

I just hope I can maintain, or improve, my current level of fitness, and that my health remains good.

Service and Humility

The world has lost two great but humble men in the past 4 months. 

Former US President Jimmy Carter died in late December at the age of 100. Pope Francis died on the day after Easter at the age of 88. 

Jimmy Carter was a southern Baptist. Pope Francis was, of course, a Roman Catholic. But these two men had many things in common despite their different religions. 

Carter served one term as president. He then devoted his life to traveling the world to monitor elections and guarantee their fairness. He and his wife devoted countless years to building homes as part of Habitat for Humanity. He taught Sunday school at the Baptist Church in his hometown of Plains, Georgia for many, many years. He and his wife lived in the same modest home in which they had lived for decades. 

Pope Francis, the world's first pope from Latin America, was born in Argentina to Italian immigrants. As he rose through the ranks of the church, he remained a humble man, taking the bus to work every day. After his election as Pope, he refused to live in the richly appointed 10-room quarters reserved for popes, instead living in a Vatican guest house. He had a warm, outgoing personality, caring in particular for the poor, the ill and young children. Francis was also working to modernize and liberalize the church, despite opposition from other members of the clergy. 

Both of these men devoted themselves to making the world a better place. Both were models of humility and simplicity. Both never forgot where they came from, their ordinary roots. We need more men like Jimmy Carter and like Pope Francis.  Service and humility were the hallmarks of both.

We need people who don't focus on accumulating great wealth, but in serving the world and the forgotten and overlooked of the world..

Did You Ever Wonder?

Did you ever wonder what this country would be like had JFK not been assassinated and had he gone on to serve one or probably two terms? 

Did you ever wonder what this country would be like had Kamala Harris won the presidency in 2024? She was incredibly qualified to be president. She served 4 years as vice president. She had 4 years' experience as a US senator. She was the attorney general for the state of California for six years. She was the district attorney for the city of San Francisco for seven years. She is strong, but she is dedicated. She is honest. She loves people. She cares about this country. She brought such a sense of excitement to the political arena. Sadly, her gender and her ethnicity caused the country's racists and misogynists to vote against her. 

I know that if we had a sane and experienced president, we would not be in a massive trade war with the world. We would not have a president suspected of insider trading. We wouldn't be rounding up people and shipping them to a horrible prison in El Salvador without providing them with due process as required by law. We wouldn't have the most inept, unqualified cabinet in recent history. We wouldn't have a president using the White House Lawn to sell cars for a multibillionaire.

The stock market wouldn't be on a roller coaster ride caused directly by the insane whims of the occupant of the White House.

We wouldn't have removed all mentions of women and minorities from government Web sites. We wouldn't be dismantling federal agencies and their programs that provide life-saving care to millions around the world. We wouldn't need to bail out America's farmers because a trade war and the cancellation of programs that buy American food have left the farmers with fewer global markets for their produce. 

We wouldn't be wasting tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on endless golf trips.

We would be tackling our problems in a sane, intelligent manner.

Now I Understand

That's right. Now I better understand how a dictator can take over a previously democratic country. 

I've often wondered how the Germans in the early 20th century could stand by and watch Hitler and his fanatical followers take over their country. How could they have allowed this to happen? 

Sadly, I now understand exactly how this happened. It's not that the German people of the early 20th century were necessarily bad. They were simply responding to a leader who promised them things they were lacking. 

Germany and its allies had been defeated in World War I, and the Treaty of Versailles placed some really onerous obligations on postwar Germany. A worldwide economic depression and the rising power of labor unions and communists caused an increasing number of Germans to turn to the Nazi party. Bank failures and unemployment further bolstered Hitler's claim that democracy was not working for the people. 

Then along came Hitler, who promised to rebuild and strengthen the German state. The Weimar Republic had lasted 12 years. Hitler promised a thousand-year Reich. He promised to restore Germany to greatness and to expand its territory.

He also gave voice to Europe's simmering anti-Semitism. All of Germany's problems, according to Hitler, were the fault of the Jews.

Hitler, by all accounts, was an amazing speaker He was animated. He shouted. He got his audience riled up. He had his personal photographer take pictures of him as he rehearsed various dramatic poses. I don't speak German, and I haven't read translations of his speeches, so I don't know exactly what he told the massive crowds who went to hear him. But I do know that he was a mesmerizing speaker. 

No one could ever call the current occupant of the White House a mesmerizing speaker. He rambles. He is incoherent. His speeches are full of lies. He speaks in a monotone. He drones. He jumps from topic to topic. But he tells his rabid, often poorly educated, followers what they want to hear. They want someone other than themselves to blame for their lack of education and skilled jobs. It's the fault of the 'libtards.' It's the fault of immigrants. But of course it's never their fault. Why should it be, when the leader of the cult never accepts responsibility for anything?

Clearly, critical thinking is not among the attributes of his followers. And the current occupant of the White House also plays to the fears, insecurities and prejudices of his cult followers. Rather than blaming the Jews, he blames liberals for the economic problems his followers face. He blames minorities for the struggles of his followers. When a commercial airliner collided with a military helicopter not far from the White House, he suggested the crash, which took the lives of nearly 70 people, was probably caused by DEI hires. And those "very fine people" he praised after riots in Virginia marched through the streets chanting "Jews will not replace us."

He also gives voice to the fears and insecurities of his followers. Women don't belong in the military; they should stay home and be mothers while serving their men. Women also don't belong in positions of power. Gays should be kept in the closet. In his view, and the view of his followers, only manly white men should be in power. The rest of the world has been taking advantage of America, according to the occupant of the White House. He claims that the tariffs he has imposed on goods imported from other countries -- that will be paid by consumers -- not by the exporting countries will make America wealthy beyond measure. Of course, his followers can't or won't recognize that these tariffs will cost average Americans thousands of dollars every year.

Like Hitler, the current occupant takes advantage of the state of unrest in the United States. And he doesn't just take advantage. He foments violence among his followers. Demographics are changing, with white people becoming a minority, something his followers fear. Already hundreds of migrants in the country illegally have been rounded up and deported without due process, something to which everyone who lives in this country is entitled.

Now that I better understand, I am even more fearful of what will happen to my country.

What Is Wrong with People?

Seriously, I ask myself this question frequently.

I was walking my dog early one morning shortly after sunrise. We were at the edge of the only paved road in my area, where there are no sidewalks and often nowhere to step off the road. Suddenly I spotted a small car approaching us very quickly, far above the posted  25 mph speed limit. The driver was driving into the sun, and there was no shoulder onto which we could step. Did the driver see us? We moved as far to the edge of the road as we could, but I was worried that we might be hit. Fortunately, we weren't, but it made me wonder why the driver didn't slow down until he passed us.

A few days later, a white pickup truck passed us so closely I thought we would be hit. Again, we stepped as far to the edge of the road as possible, but the driver didn't slow down or move into the other lane.

Too many people these days are just plain rude, selfish and self-centered. If I am driving and see someone walking along the road, I slow down and move a bit to the left to give him/her some space. But all too often, I don't get the same courtesy. I am left in a cloud of dust by drivers speeding along the dirt roads in my neighborhood.

A couple of years ago somebody broke into the offices of the local Make-A-Wish organization, which grants wishes to children with serious medical diagnoses. The thief or thieves stole gift cards and other things of value. Thieves have broken into a storage area holding Christmas gifts for children, collected by the US Marine Corp. How low will some people go? Apparently there is no bottom.

Online nastiness is everywhere. And this nastiness has nothing to do with the common politics-based anger and hatred so prevalent in our country.  

Lack of compassion isn't limited to the United States, of course. I remember falling on an ice-covered sidewalk in Moscow, Russia, years ago. Sidewalks in Moscow, unlike in the US, don't get shoveled. Several people walked past me or stepped over me as I lay sprawled on the ground. A nice elderly woman then approached me, offered me her hand, and helped me to my feet. 

When and why did so many people lose their sense of compassion? It takes so little effort to help others. Most of us aren't neurosurgeons rushing to perform brain surgery on a critically injured person in the hospital. We can take the time to perform a small act of kindness, but too many choose not to.

I recently came across an obese man whose electric scooter had become stuck in the loose dirt on one of the dirt roads in my area. I had my dog with me, but I asked if he needed a hand. He was able to step off the scooter and extricate it from the dirt, but he appreciated my offer to help. What did that act of kindness cost me? Nothing. It cost me nothing. 

Maybe it's the way I was raised, but I have no problem holding a door for someone, or letting a shopper with only a few items go ahead of me in the checkout line. It's common courtesy, and it costs me nothing aside from a couple of minutes of my time.

Again, I have to wonder why we are so self-centered and rude? All of us can, and should, do better.

Freedom of Speech?

You know, never in my more than 70 years of living in the United States have I ever been worried or fearful about what I wrote or posted online.

After all, the very first amendment to the US constitution provides for freedom of speech. Sadly, we can no longer count on the protections is of constitution. I am an American citizen. I have always been an American citizen. I worked for the federal government for some 23 years. I have never been arrested. I have had zero, zero arrests or other engagements with law enforcement.

But after reading multiple stories about US citizens and others legally in the United States being grabbed by border patrol and other unidentified, masked people, locked up and held for sometimes weeks with no charges brought against them, no explanations, and no ability to contact an attorney or family members, I am no longer confident that what I write may not come back to bite me. This is proof positive that we are now living in a dictatorship.

So now I wonder whether I will be allowed back into the United States when I return from my overseas travel this year. Or will I be thrown into a jail cell and held without explanation or the ability to contact anybody?

The other thing I wonder, given how unpopular the US regime is internationally, except for a few dictators, is what kind of reception will I get from people in the countries I’m planning to visit? I certainly hope that people in other countries will understand and except that not all Americans agree with what the current US regime is doing. There are tens of millions of us who strongly disagree.

Despite the guarantee of freedom of speech in the US Constitution, it now seems very evident that freedom of speech applies only to those whose opinions and writings are acceptable to the current regime. Those with dissenting opinions don’t enjoy freedom of speech any longer. We must all take a knee and worship the dictator currently occupying the White House.

I am incredibly saddened by what has become of the United States in just a couple of months. And I am incredulous that after 250 years of nationhood, we have sunk so low, where we collude with dictators and attack and abandon our allies.

The Saga of Singles

Do you know which group of people gets discriminated against, legally, all the time? 

Single people get discriminated against all the time. Want to take a trip? Prepare to pay hundreds if not thousands of dollars extra for a single supplement. Want to go out to eat? Just wait for the host or hostess to say "just one?"

Single people, in my experience, are likely to be given a tiny hotel room with barely enough room to turn around, usually located near the elevator or the ice machine, which means the room will be noisy. Going out to eat often entails the single person being seated at a table near the back of the dining area close to the kitchen. Again, a busy and noisy area. 

On a British Airways flight from London to Chicago a few years ago, as I handed my boarding pass to the gate agent, I was informed that my seat had been moved so a family could sit together. Rather than the aisle seat I had reserved months before, I found myself in a middle bulkhead seat adjacent to the onboard toilet. As you might imagine, after several hours of constant use, the toilet really smelled. 

When I got home I emailed British Airways about my terrible experience and wondered why my aisle seat that had been reserved for months was given to somebody else who didn't bother to plan ahead so the family could sit together. 

My first email was ignored. So I emailed again. I finally got a rather snarky response thanking me for all my emails and offering me a paltry voucher to use on another British Airways flight. It was useless, because I had no plans to fly on British Airways within the designated 12 months period. I now do my best to avoid British Airways and Heathrow Airport in London.

I have been single for many years. I also travel a lot. So I have experienced all forms of travel -related discrimination. I realize that the discrimination I have experienced is far less than the discrimination faced by ethnic and religious minorities in this country. But it is discrimination nonetheless, and it is perfectly legal. My property tax dollars help support local schools despite the fact I have no children in school. The argument is that having an educated population benefits all of society. That's great, but sometimes I feel that we singles are taken for granted.

Let's face it: the world is designed around couples. I think many people feel that there must be something wrong with single people. The expectation is that people should be married and have kids. I am happy being single and living by myself (except for my two dogs). 

I am not aware of any national organizations fighting discrimination directed at single people. So I guess we singles will have to put up with it if we plan to eat out or travel.

How Did We Get Here?

 How did we get here?

That's the question that kept me awake far into the night as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling for 4 hours rather than sleeping.

How did the greatest democracy on the planet so quickly become a fascist-leaning, exclusionary nation run by a small group of oligarchs?

Just look at a few of the things that have happened this month:

• A 10-year-old American girl battling brain cancer was snatched, along with her parents (in the country illegally) as they headed to a doctor appointment. The family was deported.
• The Voice of America, which for the past 83 years has spread independent democratic journalism around the world, has been silenced by the current administration. Who gains from this silencing? Russia and China.
• Tens of thousands of federal employees have been fired without notice and without justification, all in the name of alleged 'fraud and waste.'
• Thousands of employees at the Veterans Administration, which provides healthcare to America's veterans, have been fired.
• Long-term department heads at the FBI, FAA and other agencies critical to America's safety have been forced out.
• The Department of Education is being shuttered, a step that supposedly requires congressional approval.
• All references to women, Blacks, Hispanics and Asians have been removed from numerous government web sites.
• References to the critical role played by Native American code talkers, whose use of their native languages played a crucial role in the fight against Japan in World War II, have been removed.
• Millions will lose or see drastic reductions in the Medicare coverage and food stamp benefits.
• Potentially life-saving research has been halted after funding was pulled.
• Information about the World War II Code Talkers -- Native American men who used their native languages to create a code unbreakable by the Japanese -- was removed from the Web by the Department of Defense "by accident". After a public outcry, it is being restored.

Apparently this administration believes that only white men are capable of making contributions in their chosen fields of expertise, rather science, the military or the law.

The hypocrisy, racism and misogyny of this administration are astounding. Evert day I wake up and wonder what new disaster awaits us.

Now the dictator-in-waiting and his cult members are claiming that judges have no authority and no right to challenge il duce's pronouncements and actions.

The question now is two-fold: What do we do next? And now do we get out of this mess?

Witness to Kindness

I was at the grocery store yesterday. Ahead of me was a woman with a cart loaded with food items.

I noticed a Hispanic man in line behind her, with only a carton of eggs. She told him he could go ahead of her, which he did. He thanked her, paid for his eggs, and as he left, he turned and thanked her again.

I commented to the cashier that it takes so little effort to do something nice for someone. She agreed that we need more acts of kindness in today's chaotic, anger-filled world.

I tell this story as a reminder that we all have the capacity to do something nice for others. 

What did her act of kindness cost her? Maybe a couple of minutes of her time. That's it. I believe letting that man go ahead of her in line brightened his day, as well as that of the cashier. And I was glad that I was able to  witness an act of kindness. 

So the question is, when doing acts of kindness is so simple, why are they so rare? Why don't more people do something nice for others with no expectation of reciprocity? Have Americans in the 21st century lost their ability to care about others? And why are some people so nasty?

For what possible reason could a member of Congress, calling on another representative in the House of Representatives, refer to her as Mr? The representative he insulted is a transgender woman. She's made no secret of that fact. So why did her colleague - - and I use that term loosely - - feel it necessary to call her Mr? When another member of the House asked the offender what he had just said, the first person repeated what he had said, calling the transgender woman Mr. The only reason I can see for this insulting behavior is to cause pain to the transgender person. Apparently the guy doesn't agree that transgender people are human and should receive the same respect as everyone else. 

That brings me to my second question. When and why did Republicans become so damn nasty? I do not understand the whole transgender thing, but I have no animus against transgender people. 

I used to work on occasion with a transgender woman. She used to be known as Steve, and she's now known as Stephanie. The fact that she is transgender is none of my business. I worked well with her, she was pleasant, she knew her job, end of discussion.

Why do so many Republicans, many of them self-professed evangelical Christians, feel it necessary or their right to be nasty to other people? 

For me, I will continue to look for opportunities to practice small random acts of kindness. 

In a world full of cruelty, be kind.

A Reminder to Be Grateful

Savor what you have. Savor what you have been given.

These inspiring words are courtesy of Linda Stager, a Pennsylvania blogger and photographer. I wanted a precise definition of savor, so I turned to an online source, which described it as "in psychology, savoring the moment refers to intentionally focusing your attention on the positive aspects of an experience." Bingo! That's precisely what I was looking for, 

Soon after reading Linda's words, I ran across this message from a couple of years ago by Lisa Karwoski.

Instead of complaining about the cost of things & knowing it’ll get worse, here’s a different mindset.

I crawled into a warm bed last night & I know where I’m sleeping tonight. There is a roof over my head & the house is warm. The fridge & cupboards have food. My pups are safe , fed, & happy. I turn on the tap & have clean water.

I am blessed. If I have to take less trips, walk a bit further, so be it. We are luckier than most people that we share this world with.

I think it's good to be reminded of how fortunate we Americans are, especially during these times of chaos and high prices. Yes, egg prices are soaring. But for most of us who don't own a bakery or a restaurant, that is a manageable inconvenience.

Think about the farmers whose entire flocks of chickens and ducks have died of bird flu. Think about the bakers struggling with the high price of eggs needed for their baked goods. Imagine the challenges they are facing. Some local restaurants have added a $1 surcharge to egg dishes. That is a small price to pay for those who can afford to eat out.

As I was spending a few extra minutes in bed this morning, enjoying my wonderful mattress and the bedding that keeps me warm, I appreciated the comfort and warmth available to me whenever I need it. I listened to the quiet breathing of my dogs as they slept nearby.

Then I got up and took my dogs outside for their first potty break of the day. I immediately complained about how tired I was of being cold (I detest cold weather). But I have closets full of coats, jackets and other warm clothes. The homeless who must spend cold nights outside aren't so lucky.

Breakfast is, and always has been, my least favorite meal. Which boring food should I eat this morning, I wondered. But unlike those struggling to buy food, I have a pantry filled with food. There are yogurt and eggs in the refrigerator. I have extra boxes of cereal (I buy it when it's on sale) in the garage. So while I don't like breakfast, it isn't because I have no food choices.

I need a reminder from time to time about how fortunate I am. So many in my country are struggling. So many have lost their jobs due to the actions of a deranged South African billionaire who thinks he is the answer to making America's government more efficient. He is not remorseful and he seems to have absolutely zero compassion for the people whose lives he has destroyed.

So thank you to Linda and to Lisa, neither of whom I have ever met, for the timely reminder to really savor all that I have been given.

Russian Reflections

While in high school, I studied Russian language for two years and Latin for fours years. 

My undergraduate degree is in Russian language, with a minor in Russian studies. Russian studies includes the history, geography, political system and other aspects of Russian society. 

I worked as a linguist for a very secretive American agency after graduation from college. 

I adopted my daughter from a Russian orphanage. 

I have been to Russia six or seven  times. 

I lived in Moscow for 3- 1/2 months while working in the Russian mission control center with NASA. 

I took my daughter back to visit her native country when she was 18 years old. We visited where her orphanage used to be; it is now used as a primary school. But we met with the former orphanage director, and some of the women who worked in the orphanage put together a very nice lunch for us.

I explored the beautiful city of St Petersburg one weekend. During my stay in Moscow, I spent every weekend exploring various parts of that very old city. I shopped at local markets. I bought fresh bread from a kiosk near my apartment building. I ate dinner at Russian restaurants and ordered from the menu. 

I used to, and really, I still do, feel sorry for the majority of the Russian people. The Russian people have been oppressed by a succession of leaders, from the tsars to the communists to Putin. There were a few years after the downfall of the Soviet Union when people were relatively free. But they were still very much influenced by life under the Soviets.

So I know a bit about Russia. I am still in contact with a couple of the interpreters I met while working in Moscow. One of them has been absent from Facebook since the war in Ukraine started. I know that she has a good friend in Ukraine. I still communicate from time to time with the woman who was the director of the orphanage where my daughter lived before I adopted her.

All of this is to say that I have no prejudice against the Russian people. I do, however, have a major problem with the Russian government. I have an even bigger problem with my own government, that of the United States, falling in line and taking orders from the Russian president, a long time dictator.

I also have a Facebook friend in Ukraine. While she doesn't live in Kyiv, she nevertheless is horribly impacted by Russia's unjustified was on her country.

I have no power over international relations, but I know more about Russia than most Americans ever will. And I know that the Russian people have risked persecution for even holding peaceful anti-war protests.

Russia is not a country whose government the United States should be emulating. Sadly, it appears we already are.

Don't Put Your Ignorance on Display

Some things require an immediate response.

This is one of those things. 

The level of stupidity among American adults is astounding. I realize that not everyone can get a college education. But I'm not talking about being able to discuss the theory of relativity. I'm talking about basic knowledge.

A Facebook friend this morning shared a short video that showed a large map of the world with the names of the countries omitted. A woman asked random people to identify one country -- any country. She also asked each person prior to the 'quiz' if he or she is a Republican. Each person said yes. Each person was unable to identify even one country. Even the United States, Canada and Mexico were a mystery to each person. I can't identify each and every country, but at least I know that Australia isn't Russia, as one person guessed. What happened to the study of geography? Is it not taught any more?

The other sign of rampant ignorance was on a post by the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, a wonderful organization headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. The photo showed a young elephant that had been rescued after its mother was killed. Young elephants, like young children, cannot survive on their own. The elephant was peering over the front door of the stockage where it spends the night, along with a keeper who feeds it every few hours, to keep it safe from hyenas, lions and other predators. 

"Let it out! was the comment by several people. Let it out where? In the center of downtown Nairobi? Let it out into the wild so it can be town apart while still alive by predators? My comment suggested that people might want to educate themselves before making stupid comments. 

If people are visiting the page of an elephant rescue group, and they see a photo of a young elephant inside a building, would it  not occur to them to guess there is a reason for the baby elephant to be there? Or these people could always ask why the little elephant is behind a door.

I don't know the nationality or residence of these people, but the ignorance and stupidity continues to astound me. It also explains why the world is in the shape it's in. As the saying goes, "I don't suffer fools gladly."

Random Acts of Kindness

Random Acts of Kindness Week runs from Feb. 14-20 this year.

Random Acts of Kindness Day falls during this week, on Feb. 17. 

This annual celebration reminds us to be a positive influence in each other’s lives. Maybe you don't know what you can do, but even one small act of kindness can mean a great deal to somebody. The world often is selfish and cruel. It seems to get more cruel all the time. And not everybody receives the kind and amount of support they need. 

So it is important for us to always be kind to one another and to give others hope whenever we can. A small, random gesture of kindness can go a long way.

I remember how, many years ago, a stranger paid for my groceries. I had just a few items costing roughly $15, and I could have paid for them with no problem. But it was such a nice feeling when he paid for them. I thanked him, and told him I would pay his kindness forward. 

And I did. I later paid for the groceries for a Native American woman in a wheelchair, and for the roses purchased by a young man. Another time I paid for the doughnuts of a man who protested repeatedly before he finally acquiesced and let me buy the doughnuts. Some people aren't comfortable accepting kindness from others.

Some people pay for the coffee of the person in line behind them at the coffee shop. Others let a driver go ahead of them, or pay a complement to a stranger. Still others pay for someone's grocery purchases or visit a nursing home. It can be whatever your heart tells you to do. I try to complement the dog/s of someone I see walking their dog. It might be something as simple as "What a beautiful coat your dog has." I don't know anybody who doesn't appreciate hearing a complement.

There is a cashier at the grocery store where I usually shop, and she has at times seemed grumpy. So the last time I was at the store, I told her I liked her jacket, which I did. It was a colorful Native American style. She thanked me, and then replied with a laugh, "You can't have it."  I told her I might take it when she wasn't looking, but that it was too small for me. We shared a laugh, and I hope our brief conversation brightened her day. Something as simple as making somebody laugh can be a great act of kindness.

I recently told a good friend that I am proud of her for deciding to relocate to Europe for a few months, possibly longer. This is something she has wanted to do for a while, she isn't happy in her current location and circumstances, and she is making the leap. She has purchased her plane tickets, another friend has offered to accompany her and take one of her two dogs on the flight (each passenger can take only one animal in the cabin), she has given her landlady notice, and she is packing her things for storage until she makes final plans.

You might make a donation to charity, or say hello to someone you pass on the street or in a shop. Volunteer to do something to help a person or charity, or spend extra time playing with your pet. Let your heart guide you.

The opportunities are endless, limited only by our imagination. The bottom line is to do something for others. Not only will the recipient of your kindness benefit, but you will as well.

My Heart Hurts

My heart hurts.

It hurts more than it should. It hurts because so much of the world is hurting. It hurts because so much of the United States is hurting, and because so much of the hurt is being deliberately inflicted by politicians and their cult followers.

My heart hurts for the 67 people who died in a tragic collision of an airplane and a military helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Several of those on the airplane were young -- as young as 12 years old -- and promising figure skaters. Others were parents and coaches, as well as two champion skaters from Russia. Three lives were lost on the helicopter.

To add to the nation's pain, the president blamed his predecessors (Biden and Obama) and the now-canceled government diversity programs, implying that the pilots or air traffic controllers or somebody caused the tragedy because they weren't white and therefore were not smart enough for the job. 

My heart also hurts for the seven people who died when a medical evacuation jet crashed in Pennsylvania. Among the dead was a young girl from Mexico and her mother on their way home after the girl's medical treatment.

And my heart hurts for the millions of chickens and ducks that were killed when bird flu appeared in their flocks. My heart hurts for the farmers who have suffered huge financial losses when their flocks were killed. My heart hurts for the two baby eagles in Florida who died of bird flu. 

My heart hurts for those workers rounded up and deported. Yes, they were in the country illegally, but they had no criminal records and performed vital work. If you enjoy eating fruits and vegetables, chances are good that they were picked by these same people. With no workers -- and Americans are not willing to spend long days toiling in the hot sun -- food will rot. 

As a retired federal employee who served this country for 23 years, my heart hurts for the employees whose jobs are at risk because the world's richest man has decided he wants to eliminate various government agencies.

My heart hurts when I see so-called Christians calling for the deportation of an American citizen, an Episcopal bishop, for daring to encourage the president to treat others mercifully. My heart hurts when I read that Native Americans, whose ancestors have lived in this country for thousands of years, do not have birthright citizenship according to the white Christian nationalists. My heart hurts for the millions of people around the world who have been denied life-saving food and medication because the current administration has decided to dismantle the US Agency for International Development.

The bottom line is, the United States under the current administration has become a heartless, money-driven nation, all under the guise of "Christian nationalism."

A Forgotten Tragedy

The Holocaust in all its nakedness was presented on the screen ... I shed no tears. I understood everything, but the pain was too great for tears.

These were the words of an 11 or 12 year old child who innocently turned on the television as she waited for her parents to return from their errands. The day: Holocaust Remembrance Day. The place: somewhere in Israel. The child: daughter of Holocaust survivors. Her parents had not spoken to their daughter about the horrors they had survived.

Last year, 2024, I saw nothing, absolutely nothing, on the US news about Holocaust Remembrance Day. There was nothing about the Soviet liberation of Auschwitz on this day in 1945. Not a single word.

Train tracks that took Jews from Berlin to various concentration camps

Why is this? Is it because the Holocaust and World War II ended 80 years ago and there are few still alive who lived through the horror? Is it because so much of the world's population doesn't even know about the Holocaust other than as a distant event perhaps taught in schools, much as people of my generation studied the American civil war? 

Section of Berlin track that gave date of deportation and number of Jews deported

Is it due to the increase in acts of anti-Semitism here and abroad? Is it because, quite simply, no one cares?

I am not Jewish, but I have read dozens of books, both historical fiction and autobiographical, about the Holocaust. I did a 10-day trip to Berlin and to Poland to study the origins of the Holocaust, to spend multiple days at Auschwitz and Auschwitz-Birkenau, and to spend time viewing exhibits not available to the general public and to visit with those working to conserve the artifacts left behind when the camp was evacuated. I have a friend who lost much of her family in the Holocaust.

This atrocity, which took the lives of some 6,000,000 people, 1.1 million of them in the Auschwitz camps, must not be forgotten. It should be taught in high school history classes. It should be discussed in ethics classes. 

It should never be forgotten.

I Am Not An American

I was born in the United States, but I no longer feel that I belong in this country.

I have always had American citizenship. My parents and both sets of grandparents were Americans. I have always loved my country. I spent 23 years working for the federal government. Until 2016, I was proud of my country despite its faults. I was proud of Barack Obama and Joe Biden and their dedication to making this a better country for all of us -- poor, middle class, wealthy, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, transgender -- all of us.

My pride in America evaporated on November 6 with the re-election of a greedy, rude, crude, egocentric, compassionless, mentally ill, 34-time convicted felon, misogynist, rapist and chronic liar. He has no redeeming qualities. He instigated sedition against the US government, and he is guilty of several crimes for which he was never prosecuted. He will sell out this country to any of his beloved dictators who offer enough money.

Already he has taken us out of the World Health Organization and the Paris climate accords. His uber-wealthy 'bro' gave not one, but two, Nazi salutes to a crowded arena after the coronation, sorry, inauguration. He pardoned more than 1,500 people convicted and sentenced following the January  insurrection he instigated and that resulted in the deaths of several people, among them police officers. These people are now free, and threatening more bloodshed. He has fired at least 15 independent inspectors general in violation of federal law. He has directed the US Air Force to stop teaching new recruits about the Tuskegee Airmen and the WASPS, two groups whose service during World War II helped the US win the war. 

My father and all three of my uncles fought against fascists and Nazis during World War II. My father, a US Navy veteran, took part in the D-Day landings until his destroyer was sunk by Nazi guns. He spent hours in the cold waters of the North Atlantic until he was rescued by a British warship. He later served in the Pacific. 

Now here we are with a bunch of greedy, self-centered millionaires/ billionaires embracing the same beliefs that brought the world to war 80+ years ago. 

He has removed the commandant of the US Coast Guard (a woman). He has removed the head of the Transportation Security Administration, the agency responsible for screening air passengers, among other things. He has ordered the agencies charged with protecting the health of Americans --the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control -- to stop issuing public health warnings and to cease publishing reports and other external communications. He has canceled the DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) projects at all federal agencies, a move that was quickly embraced by several major American corporations, including, Ford, McDonalds, Target and Lowes. .

i would not be shocked to see 'whites only' signs in public bathrooms and other public spaces as were common until 1964, when segregation became illegal. 

I keep reading that we should fight back. That's a great idea, but how? The fascists have captured and now control both houses of Congress, the White House (now that's an appropriate name) and the US Supreme Court. I don't see much that we average citizens can do. We can support organizations that have the money and the staffing to challenge fascist edicts in court, but I don't see a lot of things we can do.

I now get my online news from a neutral source rather than the right-leaning CNN. I try to do my shopping at businesses that haven't fallen in line with the fascist government, something that is proving remarkably difficult given how many businesses have jumped on the bandwagon in an attempt to curry favor with the fascist-in-chief.

I am stockpiling extra food should shortages materialize. I'm certain there will be shortages of fruits and vegetables once all the field workers have been deported.

What a sad mockery of what we once were our nation has become.

Preparing for Trouble

 I have been trying to figure out what I can do to fight the insanity that is being forced upon us by the orange turd and his fellow fascists.

In reality, there isn't much that I as a lowly private citizen can do. But I have thought of a couple of little things:

I am going to let my Sam's Club membership expire this year and get a membership to Costco, whose board just rejected a shareholder recommendation to scrap its DEI program.

I have changed my online news source from CNN, which is selling out to the fascists, to NPR.

I will try to support businesses not supportive of the fascist take-over of this country. That means, for example, limiting purchases from Amazon.

I am stocking up on non-perishable foods, as I don't know what the future will bring. Will their be shortages? Will prices increase? (of course they will, once the 25 percent tariffs take effect). And there will be shortages, of fresh fruits and vegetables in particular. Already 75 percent of California's agriculture workers are staying away from work over concerns about immigration raids. Of course, I can't stockpile extra fresh fruits and vegetables.

I hope to add a few more items to this list.

If you have suggestions, I would love to hear them.

Death of a Nation

So here we are, America.

I feel like a person standing on a high-dive platform, toes just touching the end of the board, staring down into a very deep pool of water nearly 33 feet (10 meters) below, knowing I can't swim.

This is the position millions of Americans, and much of the free world, find ourselves facing today, just hours before a fascist-leaning, lying, mentally unstable, greedy, racist, misogynist takes the oath of office. That he can place a tiny hand on a Bible, a book he doesn't follow and has never read, and sweat to uphold the US Constitution, a document he wants to destroy, is reprehensible.

Already we are hearing about the myriad of executive orders he plans to sign after being sworn into office: raids on immigrants in Chicago, leading to mass deportations, end birthright citizenship, end Biden-era border policies, pardon January 6 defendants (he has started to walk this back), end the war in Ukraine (and it won't be good for Ukraine), slap 25 percent tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico, roll back environmental protections, limit participation in women's sports by transgender females, and other repressive and dangerous measures. Expect further attacks on our LGBTQ citizens, lessening of women's rights to bodily autonomy.

Will January 20, 2025, be the day the United States of America dies? It doesn't seem out of the realm of possibility that today could well mark the end of our great experiment. in representative democracy. 

We now live in a world where traditional alliances mean nothing, where only the super wealthy will benefit, where the government and its so-called Christian nationalists will dictate what teachers must (and must not) teach, what books librarians can put in libraries, which medical procedures are allowed, and where the government no longer actively works to remove the safety nets that have historically helped the poor. 

Environmental measures that have historically protected our clean air and water, safeguarded our food supply, and protected our wildlands and wildlife from destruction.

I agree that our immigration system needs a total overhaul, but rounding up some 12 million people in the country illegally, putting them in camps and then deporting them, is not the way to go about it. Most of the people who harvest our fruits and vegetables, as well as working as housekeepers, construction workers and in other low-paying jobs, are immigrants, many of them here illegally. Already the harvest in California's Central Velley is being impacted because the people who harvest the crops are not showing up to work, out of fear of deportation. 

If you enjoy a glass of orange juice with breakfast, or fresh produce with your lunch or dinner, be prepared for massive shortages and much higher prices. California is the world's fifth largest economy. The state supplies 1/3 of the country's vegetables, and 3/4 of its fruits and nuts. Taxes from blue states such as California also provide the funding on which red states such as Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and others rely.

I lived in northern California for 28 years, and I am still a Californian at heart. I think it's time for the states, and individuals, who are not part of the cult that is set on destroying this country, to fight back.

America is worth fighting for. So show up. Stand up. Speak up.

Hanging On By A Thread

So many of us are hanging on by a thread as this new year begins. 

We're dealing with massive wildfires. Even if we aren't directly impacted, many of us are heartbroken as we see the devastation. Many of us are very fearful about what the incoming regime is going to do to our country. We fear for our democracy, for our freedoms, for our rights. We fear for this country we love.

And many of us are dealing with terrible weather. The hours of darkness are long and seem never-ending. The frigid weather and prolonged darkness make coping even more difficult.

I cannot begin to imagine what it must be like to lose absolutely everything: home, cars, clothing, furniture, photographs, family heirlooms, everything. I was thinking recently about what I would do if I were suddenly faced with having 5 minutes to grab the essentials and vacate my house. My first priority, of course, would be loading my dogs into my small SUV. Then I would grab their beds and a large bag of dog food, plus food bowls and a water bowl. And I can't forget their collars and leashes. 

After my dogs, I would grab my laptop, two external hard drives, and my camera bag with cameras and lenses. If time remained, I would grab armloads of clothing and shoes and throw those into the car, plus my prescription and over-the-counter medications. And since it's winter time, I would grab some cold weather gear, such as a coat, winter hat and gloves. 

With the coronation of the new supreme being to the throne in Washington, DC, happening next Monday, millions of us are understandably concerned, scared and stressed. 

There's nothing I can do to change history, but I recently bought a package of sage that I will use, following the native American instructions, to purify my house. I will not watch the inauguration / coronation, but I will do as recommended and have my television on during that time to any other channel. That way the bloviator will not get credit for having the highest television ratings ever in the history of the universe. I know many others who plan to do the same thing.

With these things in mind, I want to share something from a Facebook page known as Juno's Place. 

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We’re heading into the darkest days of winter - it’s important to self care, even if that’s just getting one thing done in a day.

DEPRESSION TIPS:

Shower. Not a bath, a shower.

Use water as hot or cold as you like. You don’t even need to wash. Just get in under the water and let it run over you for a while. Sit on the floor if you gotta.

Moisturize everything.

Use whatever lotion you like.

Unscented? Dollar store lotion? Fancy 48 hour lotion that makes you smell like a field of wildflowers? Use whatever you want, and use it all over your entire dermis.

Put on clean, comfortable clothes.

Put on your favorite underwear.

Those ridiculous boxers you bought last christmas with candy cane hearts on the butt? Put them on.

Drink cold water.

Use ice. If you want, add some mint or lemon for an extra boost.

Clean something.

Doesn’t have to be anything big. Organize one drawer of a desk. Wash five dirty dishes. Do a load of laundry. Scrub the bathroom sink.

Blast music.

Listen to something upbeat and dancey and loud, something that’s got lots of energy. Sing to it, dance to it, even if you suck at both.

Make food.

Don’t just grab a granola bar to munch. Take the time and make food. Even if it’s ramen. Add something special to it, like a soft boiled egg or some veggies. Prepare food, it tastes way better, and you’ll feel like you accomplished something.

Make something.

Write a short story or a poem, draw a picture, color a picture, fold origami, crochet or knit, sculpt something out of clay, anything artistic. Even if you don’t think you’re good at it. Create.

Go outside.

Take a walk. Bundle up if you have too. Listen to whatever birds winter where you are, watch the squirrels, admire whatever lights are in the trees. Go to the mailbox, send a letter, a bill, a card.

Call someone.

Call a loved one, a friend, a family member, call a chat service if you have no one else to call. Talk to a stranger on the street. Have a conversation and listen to someone’s voice. If you can’t bring yourself to call, text or email or whatever, just have some social interaction with another person. Even if you don’t say much, listen to them. It helps.

Cuddle your pets if you have them/can cuddle them.

Take pictures of them. Talk to them. Tell them how you feel, about your favorite movie, a new game coming out, anything.

May seem small or silly to some, but this list keeps people alive.

*** At your absolute best you won’t be good enough for the wrong people. But at your worst, you’ll still be worth it to the right ones. Remember that. Keep holding on.

*** In case nobody has told you today I love you and you are worth your weight and then some in gold, so be kind to yourself and most of all keep pushing on!!!

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So let's try to be nice to ourselves and to each other, ok?

Fluent in Silence

I saw a quote the other day that said, and I'm paraphrasing here, if you're too tired to speak, sit beside me. I am fluent in silence. 

I love this quote, because I, too, am fluent in silence. I love silence. And I detest noise. If there is any noise ongoing in my house most of the time, it's a smooth jazz or classical radio station. I do sometimes have the television on, but I watch very little live television. I much prefer to record programs so I can later fast forward through the endless barrage of screaming commercials. 

Many Americans, it seems, are uncomfortable in silence. I prefer to read or to go for a walk, either alone or with one of my dogs. They are great silent companions.

Winter is the perfect silent time of year. Nobody is mowing the lawn or doing other noisy outside work. Windows are tightly closed against the cold. Snow helps to muffle outside sounds.

Remember the popular 1960s song, The Sound of Silence?

That song came to mind early one morning as I sat in my office, reading a book of historical fiction on my Kindle. My dogs were snoozing on the floor near my chair. The only sound was the whirring of a space heater nearby, doing its best to warm up the room.

I was reminded recently that I like silence. Unlike so many people, who can't stand silence and who want to fill the void with noise, I much prefer silence to noise. Sometimes I will listen to background music, but most of the time I live in silence. I don't need the television on to provide background noise. 

I love the sound of nothing. Sometimes I can hear my dogs gently snoring or dreaming. But otherwise I surround myself with silence. I absolutely hate the sound of the furnace running. There has always been something about that sound -- the frequency, perhaps? -- that has really irritated me.

There is nothing wrong with silence. The silence of the wilderness, broken only by the chirping of birds, the crunching of leaves beneath my boots, or the sound of rushing water -- those are noises I love. 

Some people, my daughter among them, dislike silence because she is very social and spent most of her formative years in an orphanage (I adopted her when she was n11n years old). Even today at 31 years old she hates being alone. 

Some dislike silence because it causes them to think about our insecurities or things we prefer not to face. I think this fear of introspection is a major reason so many dislike silence. Social anxiety is another reason

I have always been a quiet person. It's just the way I am. Even as a child, I preferred reading to playing with other kids. The Scholastic book fair was a highlight of my school year. I don't make noise. And I don't like noise.

I wish the world had a greater appreciation of us quiet ones, the thoughtful ones, the contemplative ones.