That is the question that everyone should ask themselves. We should be seeking the answer constantly, recognizing that it can change over time. There is no one answer out there to be found. The meaning of life is different for everyone.
I believe the meaning of life is simply to practice justice, and courage, and avoid those things that might bring harm to others.
Father forgive me for I have sinned. I have looked at people that profess to be righteous and I have called them out in my mind as sinners. This shows a lack of compassion on my part. To be more specific…
I think Donald Trump is a sinner. I think Mike Johnson is a sinner. I think Pete Hegseth is a sinner. I think all those people that have given money to Donald Trump are potentially sinners. I have no compassion for any of them. Yes I realize all of us are sinners, but let’s face it, it comes down to a matter of degrees does it not?
For the record I’m not particularly religious, but that really has no bearing on my feelings and certainly no bearing on how I treat my fellow citizens. Treatment which hopefully is of a kind and generous manner, even if they are “sinners.”
We need a Constitutional Amendment to prevent the Speaker of the House from keeping the House in Recess for more than two weeks in any given year.
Article I, Section 4, Clause 2 of the Constitution reads:
The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day.
Let’s wait and see what happens, but it seems to me that Speaker Johnson could convene for one day and then dismiss. If that happens it is the end of Democracy in America and also a gaping flaw in our Constitution. I suspect the authors never expected anyone to use the power to dismiss as a means to give the Executive the ability to rule like a dictator.
Sadly, we are now in an era where Constitutional Amendments are functionally impossible.
If you are accustomed to coming to my blog and seeing stories about what is going on in my life and now you have noticed a different slant, you’re not imagining it. I am distressed about what is going on in our country and I’m using my site more-and-more as my way of speaking out against what I see happening. I still publish entries on other topics, stoic aphorisms, adventure stories, and simple musings, which I will continue to do more or less daily. But there is no escaping the fact that my writing has also become more political, I believe for good reason. All I ask is that you read what I have to say with an open mind. I will do my best to keep the invective to a minimum, after all, that is one of the things that has caused me distress, even though there will be days when avoiding invective will be difficult to do.
Professor Jack Lynch, Associate Professor of English at Rutgers University has written that it’s okay to start a sentence with the word “but,” as long as it enhances the flow of your writing. In fact there is no rule against starting sentences with a conjunction. Probably the only reason you were taught not to do that in school was because teachers didn’t want children to write the way the talk.
This summer Chicago recorded the fewest number of killings in 60 years. So why is President Trump sending the Texas National Guard to Chicago? There is no reason, other than his grand scheme to turn “red” against “blue” in the hope of starting a civil war in America. You probably think I’m being melodramatic, but I’m not. Trump is mentally ill, this is a manifestation of that disease.
“I hate my opponents.” The President of The United States spoke those words. You couldn’t ask for words that would do more to discredit a leader than those. I wish more people understood that. Hate is corrosive. It not only destroys your health, it will destroy the health of your country.
Another indication of this President’s lack of health is his continuous bragging about himself. To hear him talk you would think he’s a combination of NFL Quarterback and Nuclear Physicist. That’s ridiculous of course, and so is his incessant bragging. Not the sign of a healthy mind.
Everyone around him needs to ask themselves, what am I doing to limit the damage this man’s declining mental health is reeking on America.
If you find yourself disillusioned with America, the answer is, get on your bike and ride. Ride across America. Your experience and the insight you gain will be inspirational. Along the way you will meet real people and have the opportunity to share with them. You can share your experiences and they can share theirs. That’s how you make a difference, one person at a time. If all goes according to my plan, that’s what I I’ll be doing next year.
It is better to be a tiny voice in the wilderness than to have no voice at all. Speak your mind. We are now living in a time when it is more important than ever to encourage people to participate in their governance. Without participation, all will be lost.
“In the ancient empires of Babylonia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, only those whom rulers regarded as their peers had value, or what the Romans called dignitas.” —Elaine Pagels
Rights were bestowed at the discretion of the ruler. So here we are 2,000 years later, and an exclusive group of bigots, ostensibly holding power in Washington D.C., wants to take us back to that era so long ago. It would be disgusting if it weren’t so repulsive.
This closes out the month of October. It’s been a terrific month. I’ve been able to spend time with my daughters, including celebrating the birthday of one that lives out of town. I’ve also had the pleasure of attending the baby shower of a close friend’s daughter. I spent time camping on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon with good friends. I was also able to get back on the bike this month. Of course, not the least of my pleasures this month has been spending time with my wonderful companion. I cherish each and every day that is given to me with her. Who could ask for more? Showing gratitude makes these experiences even more memorable. I’m a very lucky person.
I saw this book and was immediately intrigued. It is a history of Pickleball. I have no reason to doubt the author, but I am curious to know if the author got the story right. The reason I say that is because a good friend and companion, dare I say love-of-my-life, is intimately familiar with the origins of the game. She is closely related to one of the founders. I think it will be fun to surprise her with a copy of this book and see what she has to say about its accuracy. I don’t have to worry about spoiling the surprise by mentioning my intention here — she doesn’t read what I write… and who can blame her!
This is a sunset photo taken off the back deck at my daughter’s home in Salt Lake City. They don’t get any better than this.
This is a cartoon by Robert Reich. He is writer/commentator that I like. I’m impressed by his artistic talent as well as his writing skill. I’d love to have his talent at both. Sadly…
I’ve got some advice
If your ready to listen
These are a few of life’s lessons…
Lesson number one
Be true to yourself
Lesson number two
Be kind to everyone else
Always choose love
In the face of transgressions
These are a few
Of life’s lessons.
This world can be so cruel
It’ll drive any man insane
But you will never see the sun shine
Till you make it through the rain
When your feeling weak
What seems like a curse
Might just turn out to be a blessing
These are a few
Of life’s lessons.
Lyrics courtesy of D.K. Harrell.
This is how Switzerland is responding to Donald Trump. This from one of my favorite Swiss businesses:
“Due to disruptions caused by US tariffs imposed on the EU, shipping to the US is currently unavailable. We apologies for the inconvenience.”
If I were them, I wouldn’t apologize. My favorite coffee is no longer shipping to the U.S. due to Trumps (likely) illegal tariffs.
It’s not too hard to figure this one out, except this is not the norm — in far too many cases.
Why?
If you take a close look at political leaders on the right what you see is a manifesto that leverages sexism, racism, and homophobia in order to garner votes. This is a great way to appeal to the baser instincts in people, but is this really the way Christians should be looking at their fellow humans. After all, who can possible argue against the statement that Christ is likely the greatest liberal in all of human history? (At least that I know of in the Western World.) There shouldn’t bet a difference between religion and politics when it comes to ethics or morals. That is where I think things tend to get confusing for a lot of religious people. My notion of the two is tightly woven. If your theology is not a guiding light for your politics, then you are missing the religious points that Christianity wants you to incorporate into your life. To put it simply, you can’t go to Church on Sunday and be a bigot Monday through Saturday, nor can you be the sort of religious person that ignores the plight of your fellow human.
Donald Trump is losing his mind. It would be a wonderful day indeed if his enablers woke up and banded together to have him impeached. Better yet, impeached and committed.
Why do I waste my time writing fantasy?
Because it makes me feel better.
The announcement of this year’s winner of the Nobel Peace Prize having been awarded to someone other than Donald Trump is a genuine relief. He has campaigned aggressively for the award but despite his almost constant argument, the committee awarded the prize to Maria Corina Machado of Venezuela. What makes the committee’s decision even more satisfying to those of us that think Mr. Trump is the last person on earth to have earned the award, is the fact that Machado has worked tirelessly for democracy in Venezuela against it’s authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro. No small hint of irony there, since Donald has worked tirelessly himself to move the United States in that same direction. The United Sates today resembles Venezuela more than it resembles it’s former self before the uniquely under-qualified and overblown king of bragging and whining. took office. (That name, a good one, was taken from a New York Times article.)
These are the choices Austin Kleon makes when determining what to publish in his newsletter.
I take a slightly different approach.
Is it useful or interesting?
Yes: Share It,
No: Share It,
I Don’t Know: Share It.
I get anxious when I see a teenager on an electric bike. Anxious might be too strong a word, bewildered might be better. I realize there are two types of electric bikes, pedal assist and full electric, I’m talking about both, but particularly the full electric. Electric bikes are for old people with arthritis. When I see a teenager ride by without having to exert energy to move, and move rapidly it should be noted, it gives me pause. By giving kids electric bikes we aren’t giving, we are taking away. I know this makes me sound old. I realize the cat is out of the bag and there is no going back when it comes to electric bikes, but there is still a part of me that thinks kids on electric bikes are missing out on something very important. A sense of self-reliance. A sense of putting effort into “getting somewhere.” I can’t help but think this will have an impact on other aspects of their lives once they become adults. We shall see.
Shhhhhhh…
I have a new goal. I want to be the oldest person to ride a bicycle across the United States. It looks like the current record is 85 years old. It will be a couple of years before I can challenge that record. (About 12 to be exact.) But why not have a goal? I’ll keep you posted here on my progress from time-to-time. Right now I’m recovering from a torn meniscus. Playing Pickleball is something I’m going to have to monitor closely if I want to have the legs 12 years from now to accomplish this goal.
He leads me wherever he needs me to be. That is primarily two places, the back door or his food dish. I keep the back door closed and his food dish picked up because I find the game amusing. He will get my attention with a concentrated stare, or if he is close enough he will nuzzle me or gently paw me. He started out using his claws to paw me but I have since taught him to paw gently without using his claws, another sign of his intelligence. Anyway, I’ll stop what I’m doing and he will lead me in the direction he wants me to go. I will hold his tail while we walk to his dish or the back door. He doesn’t mind. He knows I’m following him without his having to look back. Just to make things a bit more interesting, occasionally I will let go of his tail and head off into another room. I’m sure he finds this a bit annoying but he doesn’t let on, he’ll just come find me and start the entire process over again. He probably knows I’m messing with him and simply takes it in stride. Another sign of his intelligence.
Graciously provided by Ellie. (No doubt with help from someone that is tired of watching me fumble around.)
Note: AluBoxes should be dedicated to specific uses.
Congratulations on your baby soon-to-be. You are going to be a wonderful mother. I remember when you were a baby yourself. Watching you grow up has been a privilege for me and I could not be more proud of you. I am looking forward to seeing your little one grow up to be just like mom!
Keep away from bad people. That is a complicated statement. You’ll know bad when you see it if you are consciously trying to be good. In every case, judge your own behavior first. That will show you the right path. If you find yourself being nice to someone’s face then speaking ill of them later when they are not in your presence, you have work to do.