LALALALALALALA

  Nope, not a typo, nor a sign of waning sanity. What it is, is a visual representation of the physical act of placing hands over ears and making noises to block out the words of another, the descriptions of things we would rather ignore than acknowledge and deal with, in a reality-based manner. This is truly not such a mature manner in which to confront troubling issues, is it? Even so this has been the ongoing theory of crisis management over the past decade, more so with Trump on the loose. Sense and nonsense have become terribly interchangeable, unrecognize a such and the damage is ongoing and multiplying. With no end in sight.

America has lost its collective mind. The statements that issue forth from supposed leaders, so obviously not, grow more and more absurd, theater of the absurd in reality. In reality, not a very good reality. From worries about the Queen across the pond, to discussions of the might be power of a former president, to games of deadly chicken, and representatives of the nation most definitely not, well, lalalalala.

I believe my point of relief this morning was reading of the return of cargo pants to the fashionably accepted world. Oh, yes, pockets! Most designers think women do not need, nor deserve, pockets, forcing them to take along a travelling purse in the form of a man and his pockets or shlep a heavy bag causing numerous issues with backs and shoulders and spines, never mind the inconvenience of it all. I intend to hunt down a pair, comfortable, moderate, plain old comfortable.

But while we are celebrating the return of some sense to fashion, what do we do with the existential issues, far weightier than what we will wear for the next few seasons - as if I gave a damn as to that answer! What do we do, what plan do we have in place to deal with issues become so egregious in manner and presentation that they pose a true existential risk to our future, to the future of the nation and the world as we know it, or perhaps as we wish it to be. Ahhh, the benefits of wishful thinking.

I wonder if we recognize the truth any longer. Hogan makes the so underwhelming acknowledgement that there is "no question" that there are "some signs" of authoritarianism in the GOP. Well, hallelujah and amen to that. Many a day late and many dollars short, but there it is, perhaps the first open acknowledgement of a truth that has been visible for quite some time to those who recognize the bare state of the self-proclaimed emperor and his sycophantic retinue. What we will do with this acknowledgement, where it will take us - somewhere or nowhere - only time will tell.

However, the elephant in the room, that big old trumpeting pink and gray elephant, bears down on us, even as we ignore it. It refuses to be consigned to an enforced silence, waving his trunk around and tossing his ears and head, until we do pay attention to the truth. Moreover, that we do something positive, constructive, reformative, rejuvenating with that truth. Will we get the message? Will we understand the necessity for the proper response, for urgent reality checks? Only the good Lord knows for sure. Not even sure of that.

Senses have gone numb, rusty with disuse. GOP members refuse to back away from the toxic traitor to the nation, even as the truth is revealed in all its ugliness and betrayal of trust, violations of sacred oaths. They question redaction of information that would place people in jeopardy for their lives or damage the balance of the world as the powers that be hold each other in check, unbalanced as that might be, via actual, unpublicized knowledge of nefarious plans afoot and the thwarting of the worst and most dangerous of them. At least there are some remaining grains of intelligence among the guardians of our nation. We must pin our diminishing hopes on them.

So, you ask, why do we care about a queen across the sea? Because of what she represents, the hopes of a nation under siege, a gallant, brave, leader, of the sort we rarely even get a glimpse of any longer. It will mean a huge sea-change for England and the world, for a country that will retain its balance, never retuning fully after two disastrous wars which drained its population and finances, or go to the extremes and once again, a pitched battle between constitutional monarchists and Cromwellites. Further destabilizing an already way off balance world - and that includes us, on this side of that ever-smaller pond.

Are we ever going to hitch up our collective pants, cargo or not, and reformat this massively ill formatted world or are we going to continue on this destructive, declasse one we have apparently chosen right now? Why do we accept, even some cheer on, the crude behavior of self-appointed, self-serving 'leaders'? In reaction to the revelations of the sins of his father, in resentment re the redactions, Junior posts a picture of his grossly overweight, sloppy father, a black redaction symbol over Senior's genital areas, along with a comment of "Redact this!" Yuck! How do I get that image out of mind?! Is this the sad level of future America?

Think I will return to a few more lalalallas and then head out on a search for the new cargo pants. But first, perhaps a bit more sleep, "perchance to dream" of a country, a world, once more in a steadier balance, where public service attracts the best of us, not the least of us. A world where hope reigns, where life is better for all, where progress is valued over regression and suppression.

Folks, down with the hands, lower the voices, and let us get back to work on a path of sanity, of positivity, where the songs that ring through the air are replete with words of sense, of goodness, of idealism, of rose-colored glasses and glasses half full, not half empty. Can we, please? For the sake of us all?