RIGHT UP THE ALLEY!

     Attention GOP members. If you wish to see an administration with participation at a bare minimum, just c'mon down. If you wish to see what happens when hypocrisy rules the day, well, again, c'mon down. If you want to see non open government, a farce of an administration, well, again, c'mon down.

Last March the world changed and we all had to adjust. It took time and we are still making changes, some of which make sense while others do not. We need to remain flexible and watchful, as sly people are always at the ready to take advantage of new and challenging conditions. It is most cutting when that trickery and cheating, that denial of rights, takes place at one's home administration and for us, it would be the association and the Village.

Due to neglect upon the part of UCO, many associations have no functioning board, no one at the helm. Too old, too many renters, apathy and vacationers who disregard the work that goes into maintaining a safe 'vacation resort" for them. No one reaches out to these associations. No one chases down the possibilities. No one works with a newbie willing, but inexperienced. So the building deteriorates and the only sign of life is a final frantic call for help as it is going under. Or, we have the miraculous one hour revival, a delegate found to come and vote for David and his slate. And our deadly circle of life continues, much to our detriment.

At the very time when there should be vigorous debate over candidates, over a new agreement, we have a deadly silence. Deadly is indeed the word, for our wonderful place will continue to deteriorate. What will we be charged for recreational facilities ? What further outrages will be foisted upon us? Will we continue to buy cars for the Levy family? Will our rights be further limited? Who is our attorney and what is the experience brought to the table? Why are the Villagers not kept abreast of discussions and proposed agreements?

The answers are really one fits all sizes. Until nature takes its course we will have a sick and manifestly limited helmsman. We will have the handpicked few to enable this situation to continue. We will continue to have our own version of twisted elections and results, for who is watching and who cares, as for an entire year there have been no meetings worth a damn. All we hear and see is CANCELED. True enough, for Village participation is extremely limited, our own version of squeezing voter rights and concentrating the reins of government in the hands of the few.

This election on Friday is a joke. But we can make or take a first step. Vote for Olga Wolkenstein for VP. She will make noise and demand answers. She will open negotiations to the light of day. Then, next year, no more David nor a substitute. Fresh thinking. Better procedures. A stronger advocacy for the people. It can be done - but only if we overcome our own inertia.

REASON? LOGIC? HUMANITY? BAH, HUMBUG!

     Each and every day tops the one before. It seems that we have underestimated the lunacy of die hard Trumpian fanatics, those who openly show and demand loyalty to Trump rather than to the country. If you are shockproof at this point in time, then perhaps a full in depth analysis of yourself is well overdue. I know that the preponderance of Trump flags overwhelmed the American flags whose role in this insurrection was as clear as glass. Break windows and doors. Run wild through the hallways of democracy, and threaten, openly, with a hangman's stand erected and operational, and modern day forms of battle lances.

Senator Thune, whose behavior and statements answer the rhetorical one - are you a moron? The answer is as clear as day. Those who have glued themselves to Trump and his politics of dissonance, of illegality, of callous indifference, well, those are the ones who need to remember that the version of yourself seen in the mirror is an illusion. We do not see the ugliness of Dorian Grey.  We forget the trite but true warning of the consequences of getting in bed with flea bearing critters.

As usual, the publicly repressed GOP rant and rave, foam at the mouth, go bananas at mention of transgender. They bring in their old ally, G-d, who actually has not been heard of late. Who are they to decide that a proper G-d is a hate filled one? Who are they to speak of and for G-d, usurping my equal time! You know that old device of transferring bodies is quite funny in the movies, but how funny is it in reality? It is far more tragic, not sinful, not chosen.

There is no sensible or logical reasoning behind continued support of Trump. There is no way to ignore all the proof of financial chicanery, of political behavior crossing the line into the realm of treason. Or of their hypocritical private and public statements and behavior. Time for them to resign, time for the GOP to disavow the hate filled bag of dangerous and explosive hot air such as Marjorie Taylor Greene.

The Brady Bunch spoke loudly and clearly about the need to change, the time to rearrange. Not bad advice. Perhaps we should take it. 

TORRENTS AND TORRENTS

       The world is awash. It is ripe with bad news and misconduct. It is a world in which we take the bad news for granted. The backwash is heavy with bad news and we shake our heads and go tsk, tsk. We appear to be lost, unable to find our way out of a paper bag. 

    The question remains whether we are able to concentrate or find ourselves mixed in with those who cannot strike the right news. The question is how did we ever get into such a bollixed state of mind. Why have we allowed nasty comments to roll off and out of the mouths of confused haters, who allow hatred and venom to spew forth.

    I like SVU. But I don't like when Ice T is cut slack as he mouths off with prejudice. So what now? Do we make excuses or do we make believe we did not hear it. Do we adjust the hatred or do we fight it with every ounce of power we can gather. Do we excuse prejudice so blatantly found in the words of Ice T and others or do we try to understand.

    Do we accept sentences and phrases of prejudice because it comes out of the mouths of those who face words of hatred, words of long haul nastiness or do we try to teach them that prejudice, hatred, nastiness, do not excuse one's own mouth of destruction. 

    Is it not about time that we grow new wonders in the world, that we come from behind and sort out the confusions of the day. Enough. Enough. Enough. 

GROWING WISER?

      Somewhere along the day yesterday, for some unknown reason, I began to reminisce, to ponder and muse. Why? Not a clue, but there it was. Staring me in the face and then, suddenly, Alexa, who has a will of her own at times, began to play the oldie, "Those Were the Days, My Friend". Listening to the words, I asked for a replay, after which I asked for several others, same category, and sang and thought along.

This song maintains that we never grow wiser, remaining the same foolish idealists of our days of youth. Apparently, we never lose those dreams, merely sublimate and bury them under life's demands. So I thought. What were the dreams of my yesteryears and compared them to those of today. Okay, putting aside wishes for a painless back and for recall as to where I left the phone this time, what were they and what are they today.

Digging deeper into the moment and the mood, I played some protest songs, some noisy and defiant, with demanding voices, and others plaintive, wishful, hopeful - yet, underneath that hope, not so much. Songs rife with outrage and bitterness. Songs reminding the older generation as to exactly who put us in this mess. And songs of wistfulness. "Where Have all the Flowers Gone" sang of the futility of a circle of life far and away so not the Disney version of circles of life. In the version of Peter, Paul and Mary there is simply no break. The errors repeat themselves ad infinitum.

Yet in another song, one which became an anthem of the Civil Rights Movement, "We Shall Overcome", one hears the wistfulness pleading and for what? Nothing revolutionary, or was it? To believe that hatred, unfairness, the evil points of mankind could be overcome. To believe. To have the right to believe that society can improve, that the dogs and batons and hoses of Selma and elsewhere can be made to disappear. To feel, hope, wish, that one day, soon, we could all live in peace.

Those of us who remember, those of us who never grew wiser in this area, those of us who remember history, the genocides, the massacres, the signs rejecting one group after another, we cry enough! We wonder why not only have we not yet overcome this baseless hatred, but have watched, stunned or apathetic or a combination of both, as new waves of hatred, imbued with violence grow apace in a world and country gone rogue.

And over it all, the haunting tones of Marion Anderson, singing of her love of America. The echoes through time of the cries of Jews as they were gassed, shot, buried alive. The voices through time of the Irish, the Italian, the Chinese, the Japanese, the Armenians, the Tutsi, the Rohingya, the Uighurs - so many voices of pain, here and around the world.

I thought. Do I still believe? Yes and no. I believe that humanity can shake itself, reform, but I also believe, at this point, that it will be a long time coming, if it ever does. Too many of us seem to revel in the miasma of hatred and violence. Too many of us are so quick to follow false prophets. And too slow to accept the truth.

Or maybe I retain at least some remnants of those dreams and hopes for humanity. Maybe, deep in my heart and soul, I do believe. So I continue the struggle in my own way and pray that somewhere, somehow, sometime, we will overcome.

THAT MEMORIAL

      It is overwhelming in a most positive manner. It is a link between all three times - past, present and future. It reminds us so powerfully of our potential for greatness along with our awful tendency to grasp at the baser elements within us. It is the memorial with a great, yet humble man, who watches, ever brooding, ever worried, a man who loved his country. The Lincoln Memorial and its steps are a shrine to both our greatness and our lowest moments.

So why now? Because last night I finally had the time to watch a most magnificent PBS documentary on Marion Anderson. That voice. It could reach the highest notes, still strong and rich and could overwhelm one and all with that rare contralto depth, whose tones carried within it the deep miseries of life that had gone on far too long. It pierced the soul, cracked any shell around the hardest heart. And yet here we are, three quarters o a century latter, and listening closely, eyes closed, one can see the tears rolling down the anguished face of Lincoln, and hear the heart rending, G-d given voice of Marion Anderson.

"My country 'tis of thee" - so she sang as she opened her voice, her soul, her storage of centuries of pain, taking a powerful step into a hopeful future as she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and the world heard. Slavery. Red Summer with so much blood in the name and service of the Devil and hatred. The "strange fruit" on the trees.. Hopeful faces of the young growing visibly less so as they aged.

The overwhelming irony as thousands protested the growing fascism in Germany and its ever grasping tentacles. The very visible, yet somehow too invisible to too many, persecution of the Jews. Middle Ages redux with a vengeance. Yet at one and the same time, here in America, the supposed symbolic organization of American achievement, the DAR, refused to allow Anderson to sing at Constitution Hall. It makes no sense. Not then and not now. But then again, since when does the vitriol of hatred ever make any sense?

History continued to present itself on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The man continued to wonder, grief evident in his eyes, as hatred persisted in his beloved country. He and Marion, so desperately wanting to sing full throated, a paean to "my country" and yet, the time was not yet ripe. The Rev. King spoke, laying bare his soul, his dreams. Now roll forward in time and hear the anguished cry. "I can't breathe".

The marches continue even as does the hate. The hatred spread, swastikas, vandalism, threats, violence and death. And as that man watched in anguished horror, there on the other side of the National Mall, he saw the attempt to divide the nation again. He watched, along with a horrified and terrified nation, as hate, prejudice, the most base elements of mankind, all rose to the top, overwhelming us. Drowning us. Even as the powerful echoes of the voice of Marion Anderson faded just a bit more, even as the notes of sorrow deepened within that rich voice.

"My country, tis of thee, sweet land of liberty."

When?            

PAPER TOWELS AND BOTTLES OF WATER

     The new combo! Hot off the press. More everlasting than the proverbial bottle of wine and a hunk of cheese. All credit for its invention goes to the diamond cut hardness of the hearts of conservative GOP adherents. Actually, more precise would be the Trumpian version adherent.

When Puerto Rico was hit so hard by hurricanes, taking it down to her knees, Trump basically ignored them, the mostly brown people of no accord who were not fans of Trump. When pushed to the wall, he ever so kindly distributed paper towels, tossing them to a crowd, his contempt for them dripping from his every pore. Not water. Not food. Not funds. Not homes or construction crews. Not a restoration of power. Nope. Paper towels. Great for sopping up the floodwaters! So clever.

Y:et through that disaster and so many others, Trump managed to convince his deluded disciples that he was their benefactor, their Lancelot. Even today, after the horrific attempted coup, the fierce battling between Americans, the deaths and the wounding, the shock to the nation, even today we get those who maintain he fights for them. Even as he cut taxes for the wealthy and corporations, so much more important than feeding hungry children, cut services, healthcare, safety net features, and corrupted the federal branch of government into a moral wasteland.

Then he lost. But did he? Not according to too many. Not according to the dangerously deluded who continue to try to overturn the government. Not to supposed mainstream GOP representatives, like Scalise, or Gaetz, who still, to this day, cannot get the statement out of their mouths that the election was not rigged and Biden is the legitimate president. Like pulling teeth! They continue to wage war on the country and its responsible citizens.

So that was the new wine in the form of paper towels. The cheese? For that we move to Texas where the Mephistopheles lookalike, Cruz, could not be bothered to bother about his fellow Texans freezing, thirsty, dying, in their beleaguered state. Nope, claiming he was just being a 'good dad', hefting a huge suitcase, was off to Cancun. Anyone hear the crunch of the daughters under the wheels of the plane? Anyone smell a rat taco? Anyone smell the stink of the moldy and eminently spoiled, inedible cheese?  

But wait, for taking example from his ever so caring and generous leader, he of the paper towels, Cruz atoned. How, you ask? Why by handing out bottles, little bottles, of water. So.....wash face and hands? Freeze and play ice hockey? Take the small bottle and drink? But wait! Do not forget the makeshift latrine which needs flushing water. Oh, the choices! Maybe even enough thinking material to cause one to shiver less under the three coats and four blankets and don't forget the dogs.

Folks, this group of Trumpian acolytes has joined a cult, one dangerous to the body and soul of this country, its very existence. It is a dangerous, coldly calculating cult, rife with hatred and homicidal intent. They come loaded for bear and care not who gets in their way. This ugly crack in our country runs from the very dregs all the way to the highest ranks of government. Do not underestimate its size, power and intentions - and their determination, come what may, to attain victory.

Leave this poisonous gift. Better bread and water and a clean and clear path, a recognition of a future good for all, than what this cult promises by its very existence, by its mission, by its twisted ethos. They bode ill for all.  

  

NO CROWN, NO JEWEL, NOT HERE

      That phrase always sends a chill down my spine. Why? Simple. It reminds me of favorite things, like Julie Andrews sings of. Not brown paper packaging, but rather a book or show or movie about a favorite period of history and the high caliber historical fiction that comes along with it.

Then, unfortunately, reality bursts the bubble. As much as one tries to ignore it, tries to find a moment of peace in troubled times, it is just impossible - at least for me. I envy those who can. But when the stink and the smoke, the filth and the rancor fill the pages of print media, clog the bookshelves and cram the airwaves, then how does one turn a blind eye to it all? In any case, I cannot. Wish I could.

The stink and filth of betrayal cling to the GOP members who continue to tether themselves to the traitor, Trump. They insist on calling the attempted overthrow of the government a 'riot' - which it manifestly was and is not. Why is? Because it continues, much to our detriment and danger. Because it continues to pour out its rancid odor on us all. It taints and stains our country, ravages and tears at its fabric, undercuts its very foundations - and threatens to crush people beneath its wheels of spiked hatred if allowed to continue.

The derelict, deranged, deluded would be tyrant is scheduled to speak at CPAC next week, and what will spew forth? That he continues to retain a hold on fear and power is puzzling and frightening. McConnell licked those nasty boots for years, but was forced to acknowledge the truth, even as he let him off scot free! But the stink clings to him. When one sells one's soul to the devil, well the outcome is never lovely.

And Graham is worse. This man evidently has kept much of his Old South culture hidden in his depths, corrupting and rotting his soul until it burst into the open. "Count me out" he said at the insurrection, breaking, supposedly, with the Devil on earth. Now, oh, he just meant no more attempts to overthrow the 2020 election results. And down he will come to Mar a Lago, to cringe and crawl, to desert his friends of rectitude and true patriotism, and weld his life even tighter with that of Trump. Well, good riddance to them both and to all who continue to buy the swill that group is pushing. Who continue to breathe in his poison.

But the filth continues and one wonders when all will come to their senses. More confessions of adherents that they doubted his sanity. More financial fraud and I hope that roof falls in quickly for all our sakes. And now we find there is more truth exposed in his relationship with the Russians, the KGB, and Putin. 

Stink and smoke, rancid and rotting, eating away at America. Folks, there must be boundaries. There must be a return to honesty, to public service, to at least some sense of altruism. Moral education, values that advance society rather than increase its inequities - and that goes for all - for no group deserves top dog status over all and for all time.

I hope that I, and others who think like me, believe in the same values, have that undying spark of faith in humankind, who detest the smoke and the dirt, who wish for the air to clear, will prevail. And we will not live in a country or state where the awful governor honors an awful man, Limbaugh, in his death, by lowering the flag. Yet more degradation and abasement of values. It must stop. 

AND THE BEAT GOES ON

     Among all that has changed over the past year, there is one I am truly loving, strange as it might be at times. I love music. I remember a gift of a then cutting edge transistor radio and wow! Music on the go. I discovered all kinds of music - as well as the unfortunately often atonal sounds of the world at large.

Eventually life interfered with the music as demands on time increased; no time to tune in, no time to fiddle with channels, and soon I found that my drive time was my music time. Sad, but something needed to change and that was the music.

Years later, in retirement, a miracle! Some chick living in a device was able to converse with me and heed my requests for music. Even as I raced around, relatively speaking, music was once again firmly implanted in my personal firmament. And I loved it. 

My world expanded into new music. No, not noise, but African rhythms, Native American tones, Hebrew music, including the vibrant Israeli branch. And opera, music that I had loved but had never found the time to delve deeply into its substance. Now I could even ask for suggestions from the new resident in my home. And hence, the frustration.

Folks, that Alexa is the most annoying creature ever. Particularly when she insists on playing the incorrect song or worse, when you find yourself actually yelling at a non existent whatever! Our own version of  Hal, the computer of 2001.

Then we remember that along with the new, the gifts of advancement, there will always be glitches, frustrations and the ever heavier burdens of caring for a world that we had abused and continue to do so. There is no quixotic Alexa to call upon. There is no magical lady to delve into the past for better solutions for the future. No. There is only us, a paradoxically shrinking world even as its problems expand exponentially. As for the beat, well, its rhythm is off, often grating on the ear, intrusive and jarring, rather than calming, and we have too often forgotten the beauty in the music of harmony.

There are those in the world who believe that the music is meant only for them. That the wondrous sounds of Bach or Copeland, of the Boss or Pavarotti, of Broadway and of the street, are to be limited, restricted. But when there is no music, when there is no harmony, when there is never a mindful jarring note, or the remembrance of the past or a look into the future, well, there is no longer a beat that will continue on.

At that point life and the world turn grey. Not the calming tones but rather the depressives hues of grey. We then have caricature leaders who are out of beat with the people but who insist on their bizarre music. They run off on vacation even as their constituents are suffering greatly. They consistently look out for themselves alone. They push the poisons of hate and negativity and continue on their journey, determined to undermine our very foundations. The harsh, ear splitting tones of theirs attempt to overpower the more harmonious ones and unfortunately often, too often, manage to break through. Much to our detriment.

We must try to better synchronize our music. It can make demands. It can inspire and remind. It can send us soaring to the heights even as other notes remind us of needs unmet.

The beat must go on, even with the somewhat irritative tics of Alexa. The efforts must continue and new music must be written, challenging and meshing with the old. Music is a necessity and a gift. And now, off to argue with that stubborn woman who has now unilaterally insisted on segueing to a different category of music. 

Ahhh. The music of life. Ain't it great.

 

WHAT THE ........!!!!

      Anybody out there as confused as I am about life today? Everything seems to have shifted one way or another and old standards and guidelines are being discarded with a venom. People are forced to shift for themselves in life threatening situations.

Here are two examples related to the virus. Normally, or typically, when seeking a vaccine, one goes to the doctor or a health facility and wham! Not anymore. Today we are in the midst of a hide and seek game, trying to discover the correct path to a vaccine. Woe upon one who cannot navigate easily on a computer and the web or who feels out of sorts at the thought of waiting on a virtual line for hours - simply to apply and never mind the drive and the wait for the actual shot. 

Second headscratcher? When one feels ill, one goes to a doctor. Today, with symptoms that can fit most diseases known to man, other than an ingrown toenail, one is banned, a new class of lepers in a new society. So just stay home alone, ill, until finally the ICU is the only thing left, not a great option.

The first question people now ask another is 'did you get the shot?' Second, any side effects? To say goodbye we now bless all with a 'be well and stay safe' closing. Forget ciao! Strange new world.

Here is a new one that I love. I have been told by one of those gene companies that I have more remnant Neanderthal genes than the average person. What does that mean? Who the hell knows; just another interesting little factoid to drop into a conversation. Aha! But today the news is better. Apparently these same genes provide better protection from these newfangled RNA diseases. I knew I was special!

Then we turn to the weather, weird indeed. Dangerous. Texas is freezing. People are dying. The east coast is under the same threat today. Meanwhile, here in south Florida we broil under unseasonably hot and humid weather. What the....!!

More? Civility is dead. Patriotism surely that refuge for fascists once again. Hatred has become fashionable and the idea of untermenschen quite acceptable. A new trend on TV and other media is for Black complaints to take the fore, with well situated characters whinging and whining the most.

 Dang, but of course there are many issues to be addressed, especially in areas of life and death.  Would it not be a better use of energy to keep tabs, alert and educate, and always work for the better. Surely all groups in this world have come under attack, so why not join together in common history and hopes rather than all of us trying to outdo the victimhood scale of comparison. Remember, educate, punish offenders, and let us all make progress together. Sensible, I think, but perhaps it is those Neanderthal remnants speaking! Stranger things have happened.

Trump gives a eulogy on Limbaugh - no great loss there - and, as usual, makes it all about himself. Aha, some things remain the same. So reassuring. Nor does he cease in his efforts to disrupt this entire country, still insisting he won the election. Pathetic indeed. The rump of the GOP should be left alone to snarl over the scraps as the sensible ones with any decency and moral courage should form a new party.

So what the .... is going on? Beats me and beats a whole lot of others as well. Should I join the preppers? Should I prepare for another society? Should I seek a home or a cave? Oh, the questions we ask. The answers we need. The few places to find them. Now, wonder what the trend is in clubs and where to shop for them. What the hey!

OF FRINGES AND CHINS

      Such is the level we have reached. I begin to wonder if we will ever consider we have finally plumbed the depths of disgrace and stupidity, or will we forever continue our freefall. 

On the one hand we have a psycho, full fledged, who turns on his former allies with the oh so deeply cunning remark that he has too many chins. Actually, both literally and figuratively, the man is chinless. His chin is nearly not there, and for sure, there is no chin of courage. Be that as it may, I gather we are still  in the Battle of the Kindergarteners with unfortunate consequences.

On the other hand we have a thoroughly nice man who prefers to see the rosiness of all situations. Certainly a positive change from the psycho who preceded him, but not necessarily realistic. He states that, contrary to all that has taken place, "The  nation is not divided. You have fringes on both ends." A lovely, heartwarming thought, but really! That is like buying a rug that is 75% fringe and focusing on the pathetic strip of carpet, ignoring the reality of it all. You know, if wishes were horses.... Still and all, he is certainly the better option.

Unfortunately, though, the fringe has become front and center. The Senator who can carp the most gains points. The more slavishly a GOP member follows the psycho, the more powerful he feels, even as he drains the lifeblood of America, of democracy, and the weaker he actually becomes.

It is truly a frightening world when it is considered to be brave to admit truths, even if these truths are misplaced and mistimed. The man of apparently too chins, according to the psycho, actually displayed too little chin when after voting to acquit, promptly accused the psycho of all the very same misdeeds! And, not to forget, continues his perfect streak of denying any and all complicity and enabling of the psycho and the "fringe" elements in their attempted coup. Chin indeed!

Graham, Johnson, Cruz, Rubio, Hawley et al have all quaffed heartily of the Kool-Aid of the psycho. They have, of their own desires and twisted needs, decided to throw in with the psycho, turn their backs on the American people, becoming our own Quislings. Shame on them and on us and beware the consequences unless we shut them down. Now! We must collectively turn our backs on what they are pushing and relegate them to the discarded dregs of history. Right where they all have earned a place. 

I welcome a true and open investigation. Let it all hang out. Let us do a thorough cleaning, a cleansing of our arteries. Let the truth emerge, for there, in all their true ugliness, will stand  Trump et al, his true believers, the hanger-ons, the power seekers, all those who turned on us, who openly put on the garb of a Benedict Arnold.

The road will be long, rocky, replete with blind curves, icy roads, rockfalls and more, but still and all, eminently doable with the proper determination. We need to heed and follow the words of one very brave young man.

“I always thought, ‘How do I get through this? What do I have to do to overcome this?’ 

That is what we need to do, under good leadership.

YET

      Such a little word. A baby word, three letters only, running around with big guys. But certainly a word which more than carries its own weight. In fact, rather than using 'but' in the previous sentence I might just as well have inserted 'yet' in its place.

Yet means until. It mean opposition. It also means hope. Yet indicates surprise and in both good and bad formulations. It can indicate a change in plans or, rather, a determination to continue despite all else indicating otherwise.

Having a great deal of disbelief, or perhaps wondering if I went off the tracks sometime this morning? Please. Do not. There is rhyme and reason to it all!

McConnell, that mealy mouthed hypocrite of the hypocritical GOP, made sure to point out and play up his righteousness. Trump has not gotten away with anything - yet. Yet is not that statement a lie from the getgo? Is it not yet so, the very opposite in truths? Yet on we forge, a nation united in confusion and disarray, yet so mistakenly and tragically determined to stay the distance.

Yet we all seem to have become selectively blind and deaf, struck mute. Yet despite McConnell's statement, despite all sense of fair play, of justice, of proper law and order, the man and his ilk have indeed gotten away with it all.

Despite a strong loss at the polls, Trump and evil progeny continue to boast of victory. 'Trumpism', the 'glorious America First' movement will yet soldier on. It appears that there is no natural enemy of this plan - yet. So yet on trudge the masses, those so buoyed up by the planned insurrection, a failure - yet was it? Despite the failure of this most definitely planned rebellion, they continue to believe that there is yet hope, and perhaps they are right. There is, as of yet, no proof of sure success for either. Yet on they go.

Yet  is a prime example of the subtleties of the English language. We try not to get into 'yet' situations, yet it happens. And despite attempts to define its parameters, there is yet often a confusing and unsure interpretation of intent. Yet on we forge. There is, as of yet, no alternative - yet there must be and it must be found promptly. Yet that will not be the case.

As for me, despite all necessity to get going, there is yet within me a need for five more minutes! Which choice will be victorious? Yet to be determined.

DOES IT EVEN MATTER?

     A deep, empty space within our minds.  How do we fill that void? What replaces all that has filled our every waking moment - and dreams too - for the past five years? But then again, take an inventory of that mind and see if there really is that void. Lo and behold, much to our dismay and utter exhaustion, there it is again. 

That awful real live monster. That dangerous lunatic. That existential threat to our survival, that throwback to Hitler and all the people monsters of history, from Caligula to Stalin and Putin and all the wannabees. This monster will go down as the treasonous president, as the only president of America who went to war against it. And got off scot free - or did he?

Does the heartrending video footage of the hearing have value, any long term value, for he was acquitted. That is the whole sad, dangerous and depressing question, the one that now fills that space within our minds that should have been able to move on.

Obviously guilty. Declared so by GOP representative, one after the other, AFTER they voted to acquit - does it all really matter? There is no removal from office. No ban on future office, though we might be lucky and he will die before that happens. But does it really matter, for there are his slimy progeny, planning runs for office, all to carry on his "magnificent" plan for this country - and G-d help us should that happen. 

So does it really matter. Well, a majority voted guilty. Many others admitted the crime but hid behind a false flag of constitutionality. Even as they voted that it was! And does it really matter that the true fascist tendencies of those such as Graham, Green, Cruz, Rubio and their like are revealed, their true ugliness oozing through their hideous selves. Does it really matter?

Does it really matter that there is no penalty, no consequences? Perhaps the ongoing criminal and civil crime investigations will follow through and groups of twelve honest, true patriots will see the truth.  They will watch the replays of that awful hand to hand combat, like a resurgence of the shield walls of the Vikings and Saxons. They will understand the truth of hunts for victims, the fear in the crowds of legislators, the same ones who acquitted. 

And it will matter. The truth will matter. The penalties will matter. The well deserved tarring of those same GOP members who enabled, encouraged, and cheered on that human monster, who think no one noticed, well - it will matter. It must matter. Else we are lost.

As for me, I am so tired of that man and his great unwashed masses. Still stained are they by the filth they willingly wallowed in. Stained by their complicity in the deaths and wounds. Stinking of views and deeds of hatred and inhumanity. Reeking of treason and support of corruption in government.

Oh, it does matter. It just seems that the wheel of justice is slow to turn. In the meanwhile, we wait, we watch, we demand and we persist. As for that place in the brain needing other occupying concerns, well the Good Lord has been kind enough to fill it. Falls aplenty. Concussion. Compression fracture. Fractured hip. Broken humorous bone in the arm. Unpleasant and extended second shot reaction. And in case I needed more, my fridge broke quite inconveniently and we are now sitting in a HOT apartment as the A/C decided to blow some esoteric motor that will take days to get in.

And, yes, it all matters. Gotta' believe.

 

"A MATTER OF TIME"

      So remarked one Hollywood figure when questioned re the acquittal vote. A matter of time. Till what? For what? Any which way one looks at it, there is an ominous aura about it. Simply explained, though definitely not simple in consequence, is this: a matter of time till the due date, the payment, is reached. A matter of time. Indeed.

Is this to be the guaranteed future of America? Based on the delirious, frightening words of Trump, well, judge for yourself. "Our historic, patriotic and beautiful movement to Make America Great Again has only just begun," he said. "In the months ahead I have much to share with you, and I look forward to continuing our incredible journey together to achieve American greatness for all of our people." If your whole being did not just shudder, well, perhaps you are the lucky one in that you will be able to avoid knowing that we, in our own way, are emulating the Beer Hall Putsch of Hitler, ending with his takeover, along an increasingly violent way of daily life and the disaster of yet another world war. Another disaster, needless, never to have occurred if only, if only, people would have manned and womanned up, spoken up in a timely manner and headed it all off.

But for the most part, then and now, not enough did so. Or they waited till it was useless, or hid behind pathetic excuses, legal nonsense, and even then, when finally admitting something, anything, they refused to admit their complicity, their share of the blame. Too little, too late. Even as a majority voted guilty, most were the cowardly GOP regulars, spineless, ball - less, morally vacuous beings who either agreed with the horrendous philosophy and behavior of Trump, his vision of a dark and painful existence, and/or refused to take on the battle for truth, for educating the "base", those who bashed the Capitol Police, set up a noose, hunted people like prey, rebelled against America, thus maintaining their seats in Congress.

Thus, his plans, his dastardly vision of and for his America. Thus, the most useless words of McConnell - "There is no question, none, that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day," McConnell said. "The people who stormed this building believed they were acting on the wishes and instruction of their president."

"We knew." So stated a police member. We knew their plans, their armed entries, their numbers, their intents - but did nothing, nowhere near enough. Ominous. Indeed. And now? What do we know now and what are we going to do about this plethora of knowledge? What? Or are we going to stand around, be cowards, refuse to follow all investigations and roads leading to his conviction and jailing? The answer is up to us.

We know. We certainly know the true path. But will we take it? If we do not, well ..... The choice is ours. If we do not make it clear to the GOP, well, take them down and save our country. I am gagging and choking, stunned that we actually admitted his guilt,, yet violated every rule of jury impartiality and let this man go. All Americans need to hang our heads low and cry out in pain and despair at what we have allowed, at what will be the dark future for our kids.

"A distant shore" - another pithy statement. That is where our choices lay. Either shore requires hard swims and efforts to breathe and expend and conserve energies where they to be. We need to fend off all foes, above and below the waters and finally swim ashore - to which one? You tell me.

THE ANGER! THE ANGER! AND THE MOURNING, TOO.

  "But He that sits and rules above the clouds

Doth hear and see the prayers of the just,

And will revenge the blood of the innocents

That Guise hath slain by treason of his heart, 

And brought by murder to their timeless ends."

Christopher Marlowe The Massacre at Paris (1595)

     Written long ago, commemorating yet another brutal and bloody massacre in France, between Catholics and Huguenots (Protestants), we can easily ascribe these words to the rebellion of Jan. 6, 2021 and insurrection it was indeed, not a 'riot'. It was brutal. It was bloody. And neither had anything to truly do with it at all. Both had far more to do with politics and power than religion or supposed freedom and rights. Both resulted in deaths and injuries and in shocks to the 'system' of long term duration. And both left us with the uncomfortable feeling that only the One Above can redress the wrongs, right the structures of the world again.

But why? When His creations, mankind, have blown all the provided gifts, turned to savagery,  embarked on seemingly determined efforts to destroy the world and its inhabitants, why do we think we have the expectation or the hope of divine interference? We most definitely do not. Hence, the anger and hence the mourning.

Simply watching those videos, feeling the fear, the blood hungry rages, the mob psychology and the direct line between Trump and the rioters, the obvious and trained leaders who directed that mob, coolly and calmly, knowing what they were doing - well, anger, fierce anger and deep mourning.

Yet the anger is even stronger when seeing, hearing, reading of the cynical and cold comments and oh, Lord, they know exactly what they do! They claim victimhood, embrace the term, even as they refuse to admit the truth, admit Trump's - and their - participation and complicity in the rebellion. A blatant attempt to disregard the laws, the election, the savage and the deluded, and the guilty GOP collided -and they now hide oh so righteously behind a 'constitutional" issue. Bah! HUMBUG!

The anger is all pervasive. It is acidic and its causes continue. The creep will claim vindication. The cowards will wring their hands and weep alligator tears even as they celebrate a 'victory,' an endorsement and encouragement of violence and revolution. And we, well, we are left with our cups overflowing with anger, with wonder as to why that man survived a bad case of the virus as so many others. good people, died.

We died. We cried. We watch, burning with anger as the patently biased and partisan 'jurors' come to 'court' with their decision intact. We grieve deeply the deathwatch of our country as GOP Senators Cruz, Graham, and Lee met with Trump's lawyers. What the hell!!!

To emulate Yoda, angry, I am. Sad, I am. Mourning, we all are - or should be.  

"The mind is its own place, and in itself

Can make  Heav'n of Hell, a Hell of Heav'n.

John Milton Paradise Lost. Book I (1667)

Which do we choose?

  

 

UNENDING SHUDDERS

       Will they ever end? Should they end? How do we remember this day, this mind shattering attempt to overthrow the legitimate government of the country? How will we ever be able to explain to history how and why we found ourselves in this situation? Can we ever even begin to understand the whole disaster ourselves? Why did we allow greed and the hunger for power to overwhelm morality and responsibility, true patriotism?

Oh, we can have all the talking heads and pundits of the world yak on about it for days, months and years to follow, but what will that amount to in the long run? The fact is, we have seriously lost our way. We began to admire twisted people with no morals, with thoughts only of and for themselves and worse, began to emulate them. We turned our collective backs, minds and hearts, our very souls, on the humanitarian progress we had made  and the future progress we should be making.

Then we capped it all with a return to false religions. We began to worship hate again, justifying it with misquotes and twisting of words. We allowed, no, even welcomed, the advantages of ignorance and finally we arrived. The obscene point wherein the very President of America colluded in the planning, instigation, incitement and activation of open rebellion and, of course, his plans for escaping consequences of failure.

"If Senate Republicans fail to convict Donald Trump, it won't be because the facts were with him or his lawyers mounted a competent defense. It will be because the jury includes his co-conspirators,"

Never truer words have been spoken. Never before were we witness to physical invasion since the War of 1812 - but this time by our own people. Between the pre ordained result of the first impeachment and the second, what a tragic historic farce we have caused. And endorsed, openly, with utter lack of respect for history, for the people of America and the world. Its expression that says it all? The image of Hawley, that oh so very involved up to his neck alleged conspirator, sitting there while horrific videos of the day were played, how close we were to losing it all - with utter disinterest and legs on the desk.

Unending shudders, unending fear, unending.

HORROR FEAR ANGER BEWILDERMENT

      Thought I had seen it all. The clips of ranting automatons. The appearance and reappearances of 'guides' of the insurrection. But I had not seen it all, had I? I now saw the noose and the care for its ever so proper public debut. I saw the organization, the coordination, the preparation.

And I saw the mob mentality, the malleable clay of a mob. And I feared for my country. I saw the hatred in the chants, in the eyes, in the determination to get inside, to hunt down and kill - yes, kill - their chosen targets. I saw death.

Worst of all, is what was so obviously the lit match of Trump's paean to hatred, his ode to the Big Lie, the depth of madness within, and his obvious kindred with Hitler and indeed, all despots of history. I saw the impending death throes of my country. And I saw courage as the Police attempted to do their job against overwhelming odds.

What I saw was the fear of the legislators as they were removed from danger, and nary a one stood there, all pumped up to argue constitutionality or First Amendment as the GOP shoved their way out.

Now, once again, the cowardice, the confusion and incompetence, the hypocrisy of the GOP surged to the fore. Never mind the horror, the stink of poisonous rage, of mindless- or was it- mob behavior. Nope, now safe in the guarded halls of democracy, they revert to the cynical and callous behavior of before. Only the retention of power in their bloodstained and complicit hands was of any import.

Thus treason, strangulation of democracy, incitement to riot and rebel, and the ghastly behavior of Trump were swept aside and our country and its people were abandoned by the wayside.

No, do not use fallacious arguments, or use more incompetent attorneys, for we all know that the pathetic mind of the GOP could give a hoot, for power is the be all and end all. These are not Americans nor do they even care for America. The GOP has made its mind up and Trump will slip through on the slimy trails of cowardice and immorality laid down thick and heavy all around us. 

I hate that Trump is still with us but unless and until he is totally repudiated he will remain.

Yes, HORROR  FEAR  ANGER BEWILDERMENT

 

 

BIRDS AND BEES, IGUANAS AND FROGS

   Bet you didn't know that we live in a paradise of nature. Every day we step outside our doors, rushing hither or thither, yon and beyond, and it is a wonder if we even notice the trees and grass. As for the live members of this paradise, well, we just wish them away.

    Perhaps we all need what Gerry and I have had these past few days. My baby, my son, has always has a different perspective on life. With his binoculars he takes walks around the village and returns home aglow with the new birds he has spotted and the animal life that abounds here. 

    This my son, the athlete. A well regarded and sought after counselor, he has a deep and abiding faith in the Lord above. With his eyes and faith he is always open to the wonders around him, even as we see pests and annoyances. He and his baby, my youngest grandson, spend at least an hour a night reviewing the videos and sightings, the souvenirs and the excitement of discoveries. Proof of the pudding? I now have the mother of all snail shells sitting in my home. Yuck for me but light in the eyes of these two babies. 

    Perhaps that is the answer to our miserable situation these days. Instead of seeing all around us with a jaundiced eye, we need to refocus and replay our daily videos. We need to reframe our ladder of values. We need to stop admiring the "clever" people who are again 'getting away' with it. We need to unveil the truths of life rather than accept the Big Lie. We need to seek and find the glories and gifts of a world to which and of which we have become blind.

    In short, we all need to become "the babies" of this world. We need to look around and see the positive rather than the negative. We need to rejoice in the diversities of life rather than demanding a lockstep uniformity. Yet even as we enjoy the natural beauties of the world, we must also be aware of alligators and water moccasins. In other words, be open to gifts and beauty while at the same time be aware of the darker side that awaits the unaware.

    So step out of your door today with new eyes, hearts and minds, Let us for one day, if only that,  let down our shoulders, ease that stiff neck and perhaps, just maybe, we can take a step further along on the right path. Ribbit and all that. Enjoy the world.

SONIC HEDGEHOGS

     Well, and there it is. I have found a new classification slot - that of the human sonic hedgehog! I believe I am more wired up than any critter sent into space - and why? All to keep me in an upright position rather than one of being prone on the floor.

Now do not consider me ungrateful. Spending twenty minutes alone, incapable of moving, in real pain and fear, has definitely cured me of any prior refusal to wearing electronic get me help devices. For sure! But, gotta' admit that one pendant, one bracelet, one emergency phone gizmo, a base and a low wall button, plus my own phone and the tracking devices within these items ...well, I am now the human sonic hedgehog!

It for sure works. A test run had the kids calling back in seconds. So now why not use all this technology for other positive causes. Screaming, frightening faces in the Senate? Ping! Jazmine Sullivan's amazing rendition of our national anthem is triggered, reminding one and all that we are Americans, first, last, and always. 

Down in the dumps, totally discouraged by the situations of our lives? Well, sonics to the rescue. Simply have Miley Cyrus's version of that American iconic song, The Climb, played, and wow! For sure there will be several useful ideas coming out of that moment.

As with any inventions and ideas, there are positive and negative consequences and risks, but  surely, there is more to this whole idea. Surely there must be something, anything, and all our wiring must have more potential for the good, than only - though important - use of aid for some elderly or handicapped people. 

There must be something that will help us unravel the puzzles of the day. How is it that so many purported Americans wish to kill off fellow Americans? How is it possible that so many can desire, with frightening frenzy, to overthrow our national government? How is it that so many have gone way off track, creating a morass of existential proportions so large, so gooey, so dangerous that one can despair at the odds of salvation so strongly against hope?

Again, way above my pay grade, but there must be answers, for the alternative is simply not acceptable. Ever! Evidently we all need to rewire and find the saner pathway through this swamp of our own making, and soon. Most important is to show the nation and the world that law matters. That justice matters. That equality matters. That compassion matters. That no one and no body is above the law. That the law will not be allowed to pervert justice. So wire up, folks, for upright or prone, we all have a job to do. Plug in, turn on and tune in to the new America based on the improved version of what was, what was needed, what is so necessary. 

 

OF MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS

     Is it really that time? Already? Thought there were at least a few more years left. Oh, well, guess the circle of life cannot be denied.

For years we took care of everyone, large and small, older and younger. We fell into our roles as our nature allowed and mostly adapted well. Or so we thought. Just wait for the first time. You will stop for a bit, think and then go on, convinced it really was not. But oh, yes, it was exactly that.

That darned cycle, circle, whatever name you wish, has struck. Yes, one is still needed, still a source of advice, but - a great big but -  how much you have forgotten. Suddenly there are new rules and regulations. Suddenly you had better dust off that cane, or better yet, the walker. Suddenly there is a new regime for getting dressed. And suddenly when you are standing there with a grabber in your hand shaking on your feet while getting instructions on how to use it - the most frightening thing is how true it is.

    It is a world changing event, quite confusing, when one's physical state goes slipping and sliding towards the refuse pile even as the mind slues back to the future as every single one of your youthful ideals return. Now what to do? 

    I have discovered my way through this new minefield. Deal with each child as befits that child's nature. Cut off the flow of instructions by sending yours right back at them. All the things  you want them to do when you are gone. All that you hope for them to continue. Watch the faces turn red and the topic quickly change to what's for dinner.

    Seriously though, having become physical child to your own child is demoralizing, frightening, and beautiful. These kids think nothing of helping you get dressed even as you cringe. They laugh at your silliness, and you know that whatever has gone on before, whatever childish laundry remains, you have done a good job. Dangnabbit and all, these kids have grown into beautiful adults. And now they run to do the dishes. How sweet it is.

    By the way, this holds true for sons as well.

 

THE SCHIZOPHRENIC NATION

      This is us. No, not the TV show, but the title itself. An observer from outer space would be scratching head - or heads - in puzzlement. What exactly drove the gears of these people? Why, when just about figured out, did they turn right around and lie their ugly little selves into a wall? Why, and for that matter - how - did they find it possible to lie so blatantly? More head scratching. No answers.

Why is it that a person can lie, incite to riot, to invade in threatening manner - homicidal, actually - and be praised for it? How dare they, yet why not as there apparently is no befitting consequence in sight? How can there be any sense or order here, when the noise is so loud that nothing can be heard above it?

A crock of crap is presented and even as the olfactory sense is insulted, there are others waiting in line to further besmear themselves in this sewage. Why? So power can be retained. So crimes get denied even as people are tripping over their own noses and tongues. And hypocrisy is the virtue of the century in this schizophrenic nation.

A choice between "conservatism and madness". A very clear choice is more accurately laid out,   - The anger has always simply been about me not bending the knee to one guy, " even as the feet of the mob tread right over it. Once again, despite the glaring lights of the truth punching holes in the smothering stink and darkness of falsehood, on march the hypocrites. On come the moral cowards, the sleaze of society and on comes the living death of democracy, and the heaps and piles of denied hopes.

Folks, either we get all this ironed out - and soon - or we might just as well write ourselves off. Truths, consequential behavior, and guiding principles must be upheld or we just jump right in with all our schizophrenic traits overspilling the dam gates of a true, just and positive society. We are running out of time.

CONFUSION A LA KING

     There  long running large and ever growing gray areas wherein much is lost and in confusion. What are and where are the red lines any more? Too many have  faded into oblivion. Where is the legal and moral point of contact and who determines that? Do we obey laws if they are legal but immoral? Or is immorality to be the scissors of society? Yet again, whose scissors and who controls the handles?    

    So I am confused. These are questions that consume the air in college dorms and apparently all the usable breathable oxygen from the brains of politicians. Families and friends have been arguing these points at every gathering. More acerbic than ever. So I am confused. What then and how then can we fix these issues or are  we doomed to perpetual societal conflict?

    The answers to these questions are way above my pay grade. However, it seems so contradictory. There are so many good people who are quietly living their lives, doing good for others, raising decent families, and there are also the noise makers with a deadly combination of lethal stupidity, ignorance, and live ammunition. How  do we or can we  ever reconcile these polar opposites?

    Are words weapons? They appear to be so to me and to many others. I can say 'I hate you; but not if I follow it with 'so I will kill you or we will kill you'. You may not use words to incite violence and havoc. We must not be allowed to hide behind legal pettifoggery. When a supposed national leader engages in summoning, collecting, inciting and lighting  fuses of a hate filled mob then he must be indicted and convicted and punished via the laws of legality and morality, working in tandem for a just and moral society.

    Hence, I am confused. Far wiser and more cogent thinkers have written, argued, discussed these matters and yet we remain in the state of confusion ala king. G-d help us, for I see no more paths to clarity. No more paths for clear and pure morality and no clear path to a definition of moral and mitigating circumstances.

    Oof ! At this point we are all swimming our way through overwhelming clouds of dark and gray. I need some breakfast so I can think. Maybe we all need to go have some breakfast, But then again what if one has no food to eat breakfast? Oof  -more confusion.

    Come to me, my Rice Krispies.

FAMILIES - FREE CHOICE OR NOT?

     It has often been stated one way or another, that we can choose our friends, but not our families, as we are born into others. However, I beg to differ greatly with that. Yes, we are born into one family, but can, and do, choose many of the other families throughout the rest of our lives and how fortunate is that.

Moving to Florida all those many years ago, gave entry to so many new groups, some of which became new families, new stars in the firmaments of our new lives. Many have changed over the years as needs and realities changed, and many have deepened. I would like to briefly return to  one, the family of Florida Movement. This is the family into which I was accepted with open and loving arms, through one crisis after another.

Of late,  my life has found itself on some stormy seas. Wonderful friends have not just stood by, but have done what they felt necessary. They have pushed through, even as I pushed back.

Embarrassed by the downturn of life, of skills lost, of abilities, physical ones, gone, via injuries, one on the heels of another , and by pain, debilitating and constant pain, deep pain, I turned away, hiding. Conspiring with Gerry, I was shanghaied, returning to a family not born into, but surely as loving and caring a family as one could ever wish for - or deserve.

Yesterday, in an hour of tears and laughter, of pain and progress, of promises and laughter, of threats - and counterthreats, my watch was reset.

I do not wish upon anyone what we have been dealing with, but should  you ever do, my families, natural and acquired, have been right there. And Florida Movement,  without splashing your names around, know of whom I write, upon whom I lean, who make me curse and push through  and do this for all of us.

Thank you is not enough, but the unspoken carries within it far more,

So, thank you and......................

  

OF BALANCE AND BEAMS AND SUCH

      These are the minutiae of life yet at the same time are the crucial factors in retaining balance in one's life. A little too much that way, a bit less the other way and of such and on such seemingly minor league level decisions is life balanced. Think it not so? Just take a retrospective tour of the landscapes of faces of the American people, top to bottom and back again. Now rate these same faces on a scale of sanity and balance.

And there you have it. There was no balance. Period. Exclamation point! What have you. No balance, no recognition of that out of control whirling and twirling, of that debilitating sense of nausea, as our ship of state was battered, shredded by the winds of war. Worse - no one cared. 

That lack of balance in national and international life was reflected right back at us by the distortion of unbalanced private lives. No where to; no there to; no any place to try to rebalance and reset ballasts. The ever growing frantic pace of scrambling feet ate away at any remaining possibilities of solution or sanity. Balance shrinking, control lessening and hope diminishing.

And nothing changed. The irrational partisanship, the nation disappearing under the homicidal crushing feet of the unthinking herd. Nothing changed. Only the names under the pictures. The unbalancing factors and motivations? The same.

We need to reexamine our equipment, its place of production, in fact, the entire underpinnings, the entire ship, from prow to stern. Without that thorough reevaluation, without major change- no balance and no survival.

Time for change. Time for hope, time to reboot and rebalance. Time. And no more time.

IT WAS THE ELEPHANT!

     Do we all remember the poltergeists living within the walls of our homes? Amazing it truly was to see how determined they were, moving homes with us, and the growing sophistication of their deeds. As for their physical manifestations, well they ranged from raging elephants to galloping giraffes to annoying brothers. Just amazing.

Well, have I got news for you. Seems that when we were not paying attention, they all picked up, lock, stock and barrel, and moved into the homes of the nation's leaders and what fun they had indeed. As for consequences, what was that? None, you say. Oh. Who can actually find a poltergeist, let alone find the reeking trail of its misdeeds?

Thus the miracle happened and how much damage have we caused and accepted? What have we taught our children? That it  is okay if one is not caught? That personal gain trumps the needs of that nation? That it is just fine if the very president who swore an oath to protect and defend that same nation becomes its  greatest traitor?

Folks, our national crisis is not over. IN FACT, IT HAS WORSENED BEYOND ALL EXPECTATIONS. So much for getting away with it all. And more to follow. Much, much more. See, consequences matter, be they visible or not. Ours are coming due.