I will do good.
We are in a pandemic that shows no signs of abating any time soon. I am unable to travel. More than half a dozen of my planned trips have been canceled. I feel helpless and powerless. I am not in control of my life. We are all in the same situation, except for those too ignorant to realize that the virus is in control
So what can I do?
I can, and will, do good. Right now that means that I will continue to spread information about our world's endangered wildlife. I will continue to donate profits from the sale of my photo wall calendars and prints. I will provide more financial support to those on the front lines of protecting our dwindling wildlife populations. I will donate to those in Africa raising funds for food for those from whom the pandemic has taken their livelihood. I will donate more to my local food bank and to Meals on Wheels to make sure that people do not go hungry. I will continue to encourage those who are struggling. It certainly doesn't feel like enough. But this is what I can do.
I have always liked this quote attributed to early 18th century theologian John Wesley (although some argue that there is no proof he actually is the author).
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”
Regardless of who wrote this, I find it to be a wonderful message and a great source of inspiration, especially during these difficult times. Whatever small things I do will help others a bit, and it will make me feel less helpless.
Please do whatever you can to help.
Friday, July 31, 2020
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
And the Answer Is ...
... a resounding NO!
No, I am not going to 'chip in' money to a political campaign or after signing a petition.
No, I do not want to sign up to receive ads with special offers.
No, I do not want to create an account.
No, I do not want to join your e-mail advertising list. (But you will send me spam e-mails anyway).
No, I do not want to sign up for a subscription to your magazine.
No, I do not want a free trial to anything.
No, I do not want to hear about an extended warranty for my car.
No, I do not want help repairing my credit score (which is excellent, by the way).
No, I am not going to send any organization yet another donation for some 'urgent' crisis.
No, I do not want your ads popping up and covering the article I am trying to read.
No, I do not want to sign up for your free daily newsletter.
The bottom line is this: Stop bugging me to donate or to sign up for anything! If I wish to donate or sign up for something, I will do it on my own. I know that times are tough for individuals and for non-profits. But bombarding me with e-mails (five in a few days from the local PBS station) is not going to persuade me to send more money. The same goes for the local Holocaust museum with its incessant requests for donations because the end of the fiscal year is approaching, it's getting ready to reopen, etc. I donate a lot of money every year to several charities. Nagging me for more money may well cause me to stop donating to a particular group completely.
Just because I sign a petition or buy something online does NOT mean I want to be flooded with e-mails, particularly after I indicate that I do NOT want to be added to the mailing list.
So yes, the answer is NO.
No, I am not going to 'chip in' money to a political campaign or after signing a petition.
No, I do not want to sign up to receive ads with special offers.
No, I do not want to create an account.
No, I do not want to join your e-mail advertising list. (But you will send me spam e-mails anyway).
No, I do not want to sign up for a subscription to your magazine.
No, I do not want a free trial to anything.
No, I do not want to hear about an extended warranty for my car.
No, I do not want help repairing my credit score (which is excellent, by the way).
No, I am not going to send any organization yet another donation for some 'urgent' crisis.
No, I do not want your ads popping up and covering the article I am trying to read.
No, I do not want to sign up for your free daily newsletter.
The bottom line is this: Stop bugging me to donate or to sign up for anything! If I wish to donate or sign up for something, I will do it on my own. I know that times are tough for individuals and for non-profits. But bombarding me with e-mails (five in a few days from the local PBS station) is not going to persuade me to send more money. The same goes for the local Holocaust museum with its incessant requests for donations because the end of the fiscal year is approaching, it's getting ready to reopen, etc. I donate a lot of money every year to several charities. Nagging me for more money may well cause me to stop donating to a particular group completely.
Just because I sign a petition or buy something online does NOT mean I want to be flooded with e-mails, particularly after I indicate that I do NOT want to be added to the mailing list.
So yes, the answer is NO.
Sunday, July 26, 2020
Every Morning
Every morning I wake up with a sense of dread.
Every morning I wonder what new step toward fascism the president* has taken or will take this day.
Every morning I wonder what lies he will tell, which people he will insult, which laws he will flout.
Every morning I, a self-confessed news junkie, dread looking at the headlines online.
Every morning I pray that our country will do the right thing and vote America's most corrupt president* and administration out of office come November 3.
Every day I dread hearing what illegal acts his stormtroopers (they are not federal police or military; they are hired mercenaries) have committed in Portland and Seattle.
Every day I wonder which of our civil liberties and freedoms he and his fellow miscreants will assault.
Every day I wonder what violent acts the 35 goons he is sending to Albuquerque, the nearest big city to where I live, will carry out against New Mexico citizens.
Every day I watch as the numbers of people dead or ill from the coronavirus skyrocket across the country, due in large part to the inept, uncaring response of this president* who is supposed to act for the benefit of the American people.
Every day I wonder what has been done to harm the earth, the environment and the animals trying to survive.
Every night I go to bed exhausted from being isolated at home and from worry about the survival of my country.
Every night I know I will sleep restlessly for 5 or 6 hours, if I am lucky.
And every morning, I get up and do all of this yet again.
Every morning I wonder what new step toward fascism the president* has taken or will take this day.
Every morning I wonder what lies he will tell, which people he will insult, which laws he will flout.
Every morning I, a self-confessed news junkie, dread looking at the headlines online.
Every morning I pray that our country will do the right thing and vote America's most corrupt president* and administration out of office come November 3.
Every day I dread hearing what illegal acts his stormtroopers (they are not federal police or military; they are hired mercenaries) have committed in Portland and Seattle.
Every day I wonder which of our civil liberties and freedoms he and his fellow miscreants will assault.
Every day I wonder what violent acts the 35 goons he is sending to Albuquerque, the nearest big city to where I live, will carry out against New Mexico citizens.
Every day I watch as the numbers of people dead or ill from the coronavirus skyrocket across the country, due in large part to the inept, uncaring response of this president* who is supposed to act for the benefit of the American people.
Every day I wonder what has been done to harm the earth, the environment and the animals trying to survive.
Every night I go to bed exhausted from being isolated at home and from worry about the survival of my country.
Every night I know I will sleep restlessly for 5 or 6 hours, if I am lucky.
And every morning, I get up and do all of this yet again.
Saturday, July 18, 2020
Doing the Right Thing in Difficult Times
These are tough times.
Even for people like me who haven't lost a job, who have plenty to eat and who are not at risk of losing a home, these are challenging times. Nobody on planet earth has lived through a pandemic. Even the best minds in epidemiology don't know when the pandemic might end. We humans, who think we are all powerful and control the planet, have no control over this virus. We are at the mercy of an entity so small that even a regular microscope cannot detect it. It continues to show us that it is in charge. It continues to confuse and confound us by evolving. It keeps showing its power by creating new symptoms in those it afflicts. We may think we understand it, but clearly we do not.
Aside from several canceled trips, two things that have been difficult for me are the uncertainty and boredom. When will it be safe to travel again? I can handle wearing a mask when I venture to the grocery store or the veterinary clinic. But not knowing when this will end, or at least allow us to return to some degree of normalcy, is the worst.
And I am so bored. I don't bore easily, but I am tired of studying a new photo editing program. I am tired of reading. I am tired of television. And because it's so hot during the day, I am spending too much time indoors.
I am booking trips for US-based travel in 2021, but who knows whether it will be safe to travel even then. I have postponed a routine dental appointment because I don't want someone hovering just inches from my unmasked face as he/she cleans my teeth. I am not living in fear, as some claim, but I am being prudent and cautious.
I know that my idea of "tough times" is pretty insignificant when compared with what so many others are facing. Business closures and high unemployment rates are major threats to this country and its economy. I know that not being able to find my favorite flavor of soup in the grocery store is nothing compared with those who are unable to afford food and must rely on handouts from food banks. I am very fortunate that I have no young children who need to be homeschooled.
These times are made even tougher by the rampant ignorance of too many of our political 'leaders,' all of them Rethuglicans, who refuse to acknowledge the severity of this pandemic. Even now, when a few hold-out governors are finally issuing mask orders, the governor of Georgia is making it illegal for cities and counties to issue orders mandating wearing of masks while in public. And there are those who claim, falsely and cluelessly, that being forced to wear a mask violates some imagined constitutional rights or the Americans with Disabilities Act (it doesn't. The ADA doesn't address mask wearing). Of course, we mustn't forget the so-called pastors who insist on holding church services during the pandemic after being ordered to not hold them.
All I can say is that ignorance, and a bit of stupidity for good measure, are as prevalent as the virus. And they are just as dangerous to individuals and the common good. I don't care whether you believe the virus and more than 142,000 Americans dead of Covid-19 are a "hoax." We all, as part of the greater community, need to do whatever we can to protect ourselves, our society, our economy.
I will paraphrase a letter to the editor I saw online recently. Telling people who inform you that you must wear a mask to enter a store "You can't make me" is something a three-year-old having a temper tantrum would say. But guess what? You are not three years old, and you shouldn't be having a temper tantrum over a mask.
The government requires that you wear a seat belt when in a vehicle. It requires that you obey traffic signs. You have to wear clothes when you are in public. The government sets speed limits on our roads and highways. The government tells you that you cannot smoke inside a restaurant, a bar or on an airplane. So yes, the government does have the right to pass laws and issue mandates for the public good.
We don't get the benefits of a free society without the responsibilities. You can't have it both ways. Do you want to live in a society where anything goes, where anybody can do whatever he or she wants to do? That certainly is not a society in which I want to live.
Believe what you will. If you don't want to wear a mask, fine. Go live by yourself in a log cabin in the woods. Become totally self-sufficient. That is your choice. But your refusal to take a small action to protect those with whom you come into does not give you the right to risk my health or the health of others.
So don't be a selfish fool about getting this virus under control. Our businesses and schools cannot reopen, our economy cannot recover, until we do.
It's your choice. It should be an easy thing. Do the right thing.
Even for people like me who haven't lost a job, who have plenty to eat and who are not at risk of losing a home, these are challenging times. Nobody on planet earth has lived through a pandemic. Even the best minds in epidemiology don't know when the pandemic might end. We humans, who think we are all powerful and control the planet, have no control over this virus. We are at the mercy of an entity so small that even a regular microscope cannot detect it. It continues to show us that it is in charge. It continues to confuse and confound us by evolving. It keeps showing its power by creating new symptoms in those it afflicts. We may think we understand it, but clearly we do not.
Aside from several canceled trips, two things that have been difficult for me are the uncertainty and boredom. When will it be safe to travel again? I can handle wearing a mask when I venture to the grocery store or the veterinary clinic. But not knowing when this will end, or at least allow us to return to some degree of normalcy, is the worst.
And I am so bored. I don't bore easily, but I am tired of studying a new photo editing program. I am tired of reading. I am tired of television. And because it's so hot during the day, I am spending too much time indoors.
I am booking trips for US-based travel in 2021, but who knows whether it will be safe to travel even then. I have postponed a routine dental appointment because I don't want someone hovering just inches from my unmasked face as he/she cleans my teeth. I am not living in fear, as some claim, but I am being prudent and cautious.
I know that my idea of "tough times" is pretty insignificant when compared with what so many others are facing. Business closures and high unemployment rates are major threats to this country and its economy. I know that not being able to find my favorite flavor of soup in the grocery store is nothing compared with those who are unable to afford food and must rely on handouts from food banks. I am very fortunate that I have no young children who need to be homeschooled.
These times are made even tougher by the rampant ignorance of too many of our political 'leaders,' all of them Rethuglicans, who refuse to acknowledge the severity of this pandemic. Even now, when a few hold-out governors are finally issuing mask orders, the governor of Georgia is making it illegal for cities and counties to issue orders mandating wearing of masks while in public. And there are those who claim, falsely and cluelessly, that being forced to wear a mask violates some imagined constitutional rights or the Americans with Disabilities Act (it doesn't. The ADA doesn't address mask wearing). Of course, we mustn't forget the so-called pastors who insist on holding church services during the pandemic after being ordered to not hold them.
All I can say is that ignorance, and a bit of stupidity for good measure, are as prevalent as the virus. And they are just as dangerous to individuals and the common good. I don't care whether you believe the virus and more than 142,000 Americans dead of Covid-19 are a "hoax." We all, as part of the greater community, need to do whatever we can to protect ourselves, our society, our economy.
I will paraphrase a letter to the editor I saw online recently. Telling people who inform you that you must wear a mask to enter a store "You can't make me" is something a three-year-old having a temper tantrum would say. But guess what? You are not three years old, and you shouldn't be having a temper tantrum over a mask.
The government requires that you wear a seat belt when in a vehicle. It requires that you obey traffic signs. You have to wear clothes when you are in public. The government sets speed limits on our roads and highways. The government tells you that you cannot smoke inside a restaurant, a bar or on an airplane. So yes, the government does have the right to pass laws and issue mandates for the public good.
We don't get the benefits of a free society without the responsibilities. You can't have it both ways. Do you want to live in a society where anything goes, where anybody can do whatever he or she wants to do? That certainly is not a society in which I want to live.
Believe what you will. If you don't want to wear a mask, fine. Go live by yourself in a log cabin in the woods. Become totally self-sufficient. That is your choice. But your refusal to take a small action to protect those with whom you come into does not give you the right to risk my health or the health of others.
So don't be a selfish fool about getting this virus under control. Our businesses and schools cannot reopen, our economy cannot recover, until we do.
It's your choice. It should be an easy thing. Do the right thing.
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
Modest Goals
During these ongoing times of home confinement, it can sometimes be a struggle to find things to do.
When the pandemic started, I, like others I know, set about an ambitious program of decluttering, emptying closets and drawers of things no longer wanted or needed, cleaning out the garage, etc. That ambition lasted a while, but then it became more difficult to find things that needed to be done, or that I was willing to tackle.
Now, four months into the shutdown, my daily goals are much more modest. I might, for example, decide that today I will dust and vacuum my bedroom. Nothing more. Or perhaps I will clean the kitchen or steam mop the floors in the kitchen and dining room. And rather than trying to force myself to declutter my office, I now have a daily goal of removing one thing. That's it. Just one thing. I might throw something away, recycle it, file it away, or put it on a book shelf. Handling just one thing every day is definitely manageable, if not a major accomplishment. And if I am so motivated, I will remove more than one thing.
My daily exercise goals have remained consistent: walking a minimum of 9,000 steps each day, but preferably 10,000 steps. Yesterday I walked 5.25 miles, or 13,000 steps. And I try to keep my dogs, who are creatures of habit, on their normal daily schedule.
I also try to put in at least a few minutes each day editing some of my photos, and learning new photo editing software. Since I can't travel due to the pandemic, reviewing and improving my photos from previous trips bring back great memories and bring a bit of joy to an otherwise boring existence. I continue to look for interesting things to photograph locally. Today, for example, I drove to Los Poblanos, an old dairy farm that now grows fields of lavender, sells a variety of lavender products, and has a boutique hotel and farm-to-fork restaurant. I had three reasons for this trip: to buy a birthday gift for a dear friend who loves lavender; to get out of the house for a few minutes; and to take some photographs.
I think all we can do during this ongoing confinement is find something enjoyable to do, or something productive, or something that helps us pass the time in some meaningful way. We are all under a great deal of stress, so let's not add to that stress by setting unreasonable goals for ourselves.
I have finally started to seriously work on learning a new photo editing program. After several false starts over the past year, I'm finally doing it. I work on the program a little bit every day, doing a half dozen or so lessons. This is a productive use of my time, and I feel good about finally getting to work on this.
Until we can resume our lives, please stay safe!
When the pandemic started, I, like others I know, set about an ambitious program of decluttering, emptying closets and drawers of things no longer wanted or needed, cleaning out the garage, etc. That ambition lasted a while, but then it became more difficult to find things that needed to be done, or that I was willing to tackle.
Now, four months into the shutdown, my daily goals are much more modest. I might, for example, decide that today I will dust and vacuum my bedroom. Nothing more. Or perhaps I will clean the kitchen or steam mop the floors in the kitchen and dining room. And rather than trying to force myself to declutter my office, I now have a daily goal of removing one thing. That's it. Just one thing. I might throw something away, recycle it, file it away, or put it on a book shelf. Handling just one thing every day is definitely manageable, if not a major accomplishment. And if I am so motivated, I will remove more than one thing.
My daily exercise goals have remained consistent: walking a minimum of 9,000 steps each day, but preferably 10,000 steps. Yesterday I walked 5.25 miles, or 13,000 steps. And I try to keep my dogs, who are creatures of habit, on their normal daily schedule.
I also try to put in at least a few minutes each day editing some of my photos, and learning new photo editing software. Since I can't travel due to the pandemic, reviewing and improving my photos from previous trips bring back great memories and bring a bit of joy to an otherwise boring existence. I continue to look for interesting things to photograph locally. Today, for example, I drove to Los Poblanos, an old dairy farm that now grows fields of lavender, sells a variety of lavender products, and has a boutique hotel and farm-to-fork restaurant. I had three reasons for this trip: to buy a birthday gift for a dear friend who loves lavender; to get out of the house for a few minutes; and to take some photographs.
I think all we can do during this ongoing confinement is find something enjoyable to do, or something productive, or something that helps us pass the time in some meaningful way. We are all under a great deal of stress, so let's not add to that stress by setting unreasonable goals for ourselves.
I have finally started to seriously work on learning a new photo editing program. After several false starts over the past year, I'm finally doing it. I work on the program a little bit every day, doing a half dozen or so lessons. This is a productive use of my time, and I feel good about finally getting to work on this.
Until we can resume our lives, please stay safe!
Saturday, July 11, 2020
From Happy to Angry in Just a Few Minutes
Like most people in America in 2020, I spend nearly all my time at home.
I don't work from home because I am retired. So I have many hours to fill each day. I usually travel several times a year, but that isn't happening because of the pandemic. As a matter of fact, I'm supposed to be in Glacier National Park on a photography trip this week. Maybe next year.
So I am always looking for things to do that I enjoy. At the top of the list is photography. Early yesterday morning, as I was walking my dogs, I spotted a couple of things I wanted to photograph. The early morning light was soft and warm. But I didn't have a camera with me. So I took a photo with my cell phone and determined to return this morning with a camera.
And that is what I did. I made the dogs wait for their walk and headed off to walk the the 1/2 mile to the location that had caught my eye. I had to wait just a couple of minutes for the sun to rise above the mountains. I took several photos of both things, then walked home, feeling happy and content that I had been able to do even a bit of photography.
I got the dogs and we headed out on our walk, hoping to beat the heat (it's supposed to be 103 F today). All was going well, until we turned the corner onto the main road through the area. Some asshole had thrown fast food trash all over the road. There was a paper cup, a plastic lid with plastic straw, a plastic bottle, a container of fries and other assorted food trash and wrappings. I was livid.
It's bad enough that I am constantly finding empty discarded plastic bottles of whisky, wine and other cheap alcoholic drinks, not to mention water bottles and beer cans. But the food trash was particularly disgusting. Why not leave it in the car until it can be disposed of properly? Who do these cretins believe will clean up after them?
I live in an upscale neighborhood of nice, well-maintained homes, each on a 1/2-acre lot. I will pick up cans and bottles and take them home to be recycled. But I wasn't going to pick up food trash, especially during this pandemic and with my hands full of leashes and a bag of dog poop. And that's another thing: People need to pick up after their dogs! I am tired of seeing multiple piles of dog poop on the roads, the trails and beside the roads.
People are slobs.They are turning a nice area into a garbage dump. It takes no effort at all do do the right thing and dispose of trash and recyclables the right way. And picking up after one's dogs, while not terribly pleasant, takes so little effort. I don't see stray dogs in the area, so I know the poop that is everywhere is from dogs being walked on leash by people who simply can't be bothered.
Whatever happened to personal responsibility? To cleaning up after oneself? America is in serious decline on a number of fronts. These issues are just some of the indicators.
I don't work from home because I am retired. So I have many hours to fill each day. I usually travel several times a year, but that isn't happening because of the pandemic. As a matter of fact, I'm supposed to be in Glacier National Park on a photography trip this week. Maybe next year.
So I am always looking for things to do that I enjoy. At the top of the list is photography. Early yesterday morning, as I was walking my dogs, I spotted a couple of things I wanted to photograph. The early morning light was soft and warm. But I didn't have a camera with me. So I took a photo with my cell phone and determined to return this morning with a camera.
And that is what I did. I made the dogs wait for their walk and headed off to walk the the 1/2 mile to the location that had caught my eye. I had to wait just a couple of minutes for the sun to rise above the mountains. I took several photos of both things, then walked home, feeling happy and content that I had been able to do even a bit of photography.
I got the dogs and we headed out on our walk, hoping to beat the heat (it's supposed to be 103 F today). All was going well, until we turned the corner onto the main road through the area. Some asshole had thrown fast food trash all over the road. There was a paper cup, a plastic lid with plastic straw, a plastic bottle, a container of fries and other assorted food trash and wrappings. I was livid.
It's bad enough that I am constantly finding empty discarded plastic bottles of whisky, wine and other cheap alcoholic drinks, not to mention water bottles and beer cans. But the food trash was particularly disgusting. Why not leave it in the car until it can be disposed of properly? Who do these cretins believe will clean up after them?
I live in an upscale neighborhood of nice, well-maintained homes, each on a 1/2-acre lot. I will pick up cans and bottles and take them home to be recycled. But I wasn't going to pick up food trash, especially during this pandemic and with my hands full of leashes and a bag of dog poop. And that's another thing: People need to pick up after their dogs! I am tired of seeing multiple piles of dog poop on the roads, the trails and beside the roads.
People are slobs.They are turning a nice area into a garbage dump. It takes no effort at all do do the right thing and dispose of trash and recyclables the right way. And picking up after one's dogs, while not terribly pleasant, takes so little effort. I don't see stray dogs in the area, so I know the poop that is everywhere is from dogs being walked on leash by people who simply can't be bothered.
Whatever happened to personal responsibility? To cleaning up after oneself? America is in serious decline on a number of fronts. These issues are just some of the indicators.
Friday, July 10, 2020
One of the Worst Years of My Life
This year, 2020, is one of the worst years of my lifetime.
So far -- and we're just halfway through -- we have seen uncontrollable wildfires in Australia that destroyed more than 47 million acres. But that was just the beginning.
Here are a few more notable events of 2020.
So far -- and we're just halfway through -- we have seen uncontrollable wildfires in Australia that destroyed more than 47 million acres. But that was just the beginning.
Here are a few more notable events of 2020.
- A worldwide pandemic has killed more than half a million people, including more than 136,000 in the United States.
- Plagues of locusts have destroyed crops in southeastern Africa.
- A giant dust storm originating in the Sahara Desert has traveled halfway around the planet.
- Police killings of unarmed black citizens sparked ongoing protests amid calls for a serious reform of American policing.
- Republican states such as Texas, Florida and Georgia decided that reopening the economy was far more important than protecting citizens from the coronovirus. Now they are backpedaling as quickly as they can to try to stem the tide of new cases.
- The president* continues to praise white nationalists and demand the protection of statues honoring Confederate war heroes who fought against their own country.
- The president* and his minions are insisting that schools reopen on a normal schedule, despite the growing threat of coronavirus to teachers, staff and students in the majority of states.
- The southwestern states are dealing with record high temperatures, hitting 100 degrees F in southern New Mexico, where I live.
- The president* has failed to address in any way reports that Russia paid a bounty to Afghan militants for each US service person they kill.
- Americans are banned from numerous countries, including many in Europe, due to our government's failure to handle the pandemic.
- The president* announced that he is withdrawing the US from the World Health Organization. Thankfully the withdrawal won't happen for another year, by which time we hope to have a new, sane president in place who can cancel this idiotic action.
- A new flu virus with "pandemic potential" has been found in China.
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