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!!!

************************

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.

Everybody Can Do Something

Several massive wildfires are tearing across the Los Angeles area, killing people and destroying thousands and thousands of homes and other buildings. 

I am proud that my small state of New Mexico, with a population smaller than that of Los Angeles, is sending 25 firefighters and fire engines to help battle the blaze. Canada has sent aircraft to drop water on the flames. Oregon and Washington State have sent firefighters and equipment. Mexico also has sent firefighters.

While the incoming president can do nothing more than criticize California's governor, the leaders of other states, Mexico and Canada are actually doing something to help. Imagine that. States are sending personnel to help their fellow citizens who are being devastated by these uncontrolled fires. 

This is what it means to be an American. This is what it means to be human. 

It means that we set aside our political differences and reach out to help our fellow citizens in need. It doesn't mean attacking other politicians just because they happen to be from another political party. It means reaching out to help. That is the American way. That is what we expect. If parts of the southeast are badly damaged by hurricanes or tornadoes, Americans gather to help. They prepare food for the victims. They help clear debris. They provide housing for people until they can get back on their feet. They step up to help animals, both domestic and wild, to treat animals surffering from smoke inhalation and burns. They give terrified animals a safe place to stay until they can be reunted with their families. They don't say, oh you're from a Republican state. I'm not going to help you.

Has the richest man on the planet pledged a few billion of his massive wealth to help? Of course not. All he has done is to blame California Democrats for decriminalizing looking, which he claims has encouraged looting. The governor shot back that looting is still a criminal activity. 

Seven years ago, he asked how his companies could help with the fires in southern California. This year, he cosignied wild accusations about various Democratic politicians and conspiracy theories about California’s water reserves. He even Particularly suggested that the L.A. fire department’s “racial equity plan” contributed to the devastation. Firefighters working hard to put out wind-fed blazes were faced with racial hostility from some o his more than 200 million followers on X.

Obviously Musk missed this part of his training to become a US citizen. He needs to check his misogyny and racism, which he clearly brought with him from his native South Africa, at the border. 

This is a natural disaster of the greatest magnitude. If he isn't willing to offer help and spare a few coins from his immense wealth, he needs to shut the hell up.

I have donated to both the World Central Kitchen, which is on the ground feeding victims and emergency responders, and to the Pasadena Humane Society, which is helping animals lost or injured by the fires.

I may not be a multi-billionaire or even a billionaire, but I at least know enough to do the right thing and help where I can.

A Sad Four-Year Anniversary

January 6, 2021, was an absolutely terrifying day. 

It wás a day I could never have foreseen, and it's a day I will never forget. 

I know what I saw on January 6, 2021. I watched in horror. I will not forget. I will not forgive.

I know who was responsible. I know whose words and actions resulted in the deaths of several law enforcement officers. I know whose words results in more than a million dollars in damages to the US Capitol. I know whose words threatened the lives of members of Congress.

I was one of millions of Americans who watched in horror and disbelief as the outgoing president of the United States incited his followers gathered in Washington, DC -- at his invitation to attack the US Capitol building, smash windows, destroy property and hunt down members of Congress. Among those targeted by the mob were then-Speaker of House Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Mike Pence. And now, after 4 years of a normal presidency led by a compassionate man who genuinely cares about this nation, we are facing four more years of lies, chaos, divisions, graft, corruption and attacks. 

I remember watching the crowds of protesters on television, smashing windows, macing police officers and forcing their way into the US Capitol building, where they did $1.5 million in damage. Members of the US Senate and the House were hustled off to safe places to protect their very lives. Protesters were calling out 'Where is Nancy?' as they searched for then-Speaker Pelosi. 

They constructed a gallows on Capitol grounds, ostensibly for the hanging of Vice President hi I'mPence, who refused to delay or prevent certification of the votes. More than Year 140 police officers were injured in the riot. Some committed suicide in the days following the attack. Attacking America's leadership and congressional building is not making America great again. One would have to be stupid, brain dead or brainwashed to believe this is the way to make a nation great.

All of this was done at the behest of the outgoing president of the United States, in an effort to stop the certification of the Electoral College vote confirming that he had lost the election. 

Despite frenzied calls from members of his staff and administration to call in the National Guard to restore order, the outgoing president refused to lift a finger to stop the protest. Eventually the vice-president called in the Guard after several hours. The outgoing president reportedly watched the riots and the protest on television with great glee. He also refused to call off his goons that were attacking the US capital.

And now, here we are again, with the traitorous former president set to take office again on Jan. 20. He has promised to pardon those traitors who were active participants in the insurrection, setting them loose on our government and citizens once more. 

I am a 23-year employee of the federal government, now retired. I spent the majority of my working life as a federal employee. Watching these goons attack our government buildings and elected officials, with the complicity of the outgoing president and some members of Congress, infuriates me to this day. I love my country and I am proud of my government service.

The former president, who has never been held accountable for his actions that day, is in my opinion guilty of inciting an insurrection. Protesters reported that they showed up because the president told them to. The protests were well organized in advance. This was not a spur-of-the-moment gathering. And they most certainly were not, as one congressional apologist stated, simply a group of tourists vising the nation's capitol. Certain members of Congress were, to one degree or another, complicit in the insurrection, having taken some of the insurrectionists on tours of the Capitol building the day before the insurrection.

This insurrection was not about protecting our freedoms or defending America, as the traitors claim. It was about trying to overturn a free and fair election so the outdoing president could remain in power. He simply could not accept that he was defeated at the polls. And he ran for the highest office in the land in 2024 solely to stay out of prison, He doesn't love this country. He doesn't want -- and never has -- done the work a president should do. He loves the attention, the publicity, the perks. He most certainly does not love America or her people.

The riot of January 6 wasn't about making America great again. It wasn't about patriotism. It was, and still is, about a childish, spoiled narcissist -- now showing obvious signs of dementia -- who has never been held responsible for anything in his life throwing a temper tantrum that resulted in the deaths and injuries of many people.

January 6, 2021, was a very sad and very frightening day in American history. More than 1,200 protesters have been charged with crimes related to the events of January 6. Nearly 900 have pleaded guilty or have been convicted of crimes. Some have been sentenced to several years in prison.

I fear for our country once the instigator and ringleader of the insurrection takes the throne once more. His entire platform is about nothing but revenge and retribution. He has chosen members of his cabinet who are unqualified and whose appeal to him is that they will do whatever he tells them to do.

How far this once great country has fallen.

Stay In Your Own Lane

 I have an idea for this new year, and for always.

How about if we all stay in our own lane and mind our own business?

If I choose not to eat pork, that's my business and nobody else's. Don't tell me that i's OK to ear pork just once. No, it isn't.

If I choose to buy an American car rather than an import, that is my business. If I choose to have my dogs sleep in my bedroom but not on my bed, that is not anybody else's business. If I choose not to drink alcohol -- you got it -- that is my business alone. If I follow a particular religion that isn't yours, accept my decision and move on. I shouldn't have to, and I won't, justify or explain my decision. If I support a woman's right to choose and you think abortion should be illegal, we should agree to disagree. YIf yu love shrimp and I think shrimp are disgusting, great. Your choice is no more correct than is mine. 

See how easy that is? You live your life and let me live mine. If we all did that, the world would be a much nicer, happier, more stress-free place. 

And truth be told, we are not likely to convince others to not eat pork or to buy only American cars or to convert to a particular religion. The only way to force others to follow the same things we follow is by force. And most of us don't want to be forced to do anything. And we certainly don't want to have our choices removed or even limited.

So if I choose to adopt a dog rather than buy one from a breeder, that is my choice. If you choose to purchase a purebred dog from a reputable breeder, that is your choice as well.

We are fortunate to live in a nation where, for the most part, we are free to make our own choices. But sadly, ultra right-wing forces are hard at work trying to take many choices away from us. They are trying to dictate how teachers can teach certain subjects, or which books can be offered in libraries, or when or if women give birth. 

This is wrong on myan many levels. Freedom of choice is one of things that has made this nation great. I don't want to be told how to vote, or which books I can read, or which kind of dog I can have, or where my dogs should sleep.

I want to have my freedoms to choose. And I suspect most people do, too.

I Want To Do More

I started writing this post on January 1, the start of a new month and a new year.

This is the time of year when people make resolutions, pledge to lose weight, be nicer, travel more, whatever. I don't make resolutions. But this year, I want to do more. 

More what? You may ask. I'm not sure at this point. But I want to do more to make this world a better place for people and for non-human animals. Perhaps this week's passing of former President Jimmy Carter, who devoted his life to doing more, has inspired me.

I can do more photography. I can do more writing. I can do more travel. I can donate more money to my favorite charities. I cut way back on my donations in 2024 due to the outrageous cost of everything, particularly food. Both the quantity and the amount of my donations dropped significantly from 2023. For 2025, I want to donate more money. I also want to save more money, to replenish my savings.

I know that 'doing more' is a very vague goal, not the kind of goal recommended by people who know about how to achieve goals.They recommend setting small, achievable, measurable goals. But 'doing more' is the best I can do at the moment.

A lot will depend on what happens in our country under a new, greed-and-chaos-driven administration. Will grocery prices skyrocket from the impact of tariffs imposed on goods imported from Mexico, our number one trading partner? Mexico is the second largest supplier of agricultural products to the US. Canada is the largest.

While no one can predict in detail what will happen, it seems certain that the US is in for a rough, chaotic four years. I will try to do more wherever I can.

Watching with Great Trepidation

New year. New month. New day. New calendar. 

The question, of course, is what will this new year bring? Will it bring success or great joy or prosperity? Or will it bring us failure and sadness and struggle? 

No one knows what this year will bring. The pundits may offer their predictions, but who really knows? 

I think the only thing for certain is that this will be a year of chaos, divisiveness, greed and all the other things the incoming president has promised. And frankly, these are not things to which I am looking forward. 

Mass deportations? Rollback of environmental protections? Tax cuts for the super wealthy? More struggles for the middle and lower classes? Endless insults? Tariffs? I think all of these things are a given. 

I am enjoying watching the various magat factions attacking each other. I can only hope they all self-destruct.

Once again the sane among us will be forced to watch our once-great nation become the laughing stock of the world, thanks solely to the orange skinned buffoon and his sycophants.

This year could be particularly bad with the supreme Court, the White House and both houses of Congress controlled by the same ultraconservative, radical right-wing zealots. 

There really is no way to prepare for what the next 4 years will bring. All we can do is watch with great trepidation and fear for our country.