Life On A B-I7

Charlie Kirk

Three days ago the outspoken right-wing organizer Charlie Kirk was brutally murdered. There are those calling for repression against those viewed as his left wing opponents. Repression is not the answer. Repression is an authoritarian response. America has, at least up until now, prided itself on avoiding authoritarianism as retribution for heinous acts. In the words of George Packer, “words are not violence, violence is violence.” Let’s keep these two concepts distinct from one another. Violence (in all its forms) is not a solution for political positions that we find disagreeable.

Nothing New Under the Sun

From the early 1800’s to the late 1800’s there was a concerted effort by the French government to suppress political thought using censorship. It didn’t work. The eagerness with which our current administration is attempting to limit political expression through the withdrawal of funding for public media and the far to frequent use of the phrases “fake news”, “enemy of the people” and “witch hunt,” is equally repulsive. History has demonstrated that censorship of thought cannot successfully be achieved. It’s time the administration grew up and started acting like adults. If not acting like adults, at least realizing that they are not any smarter than their historical antecedents.

9/11

Today is the day to honor those who perished on 9/11 when the twin towers in lower Manhattan were destroyed. Not only did innocent people die that day but many brave first responders also perished. The best way to honor all the fallen is with an act of kindness. It will not only honor their memory but it will also make the world a better place. The event that occurred yesterday (unspeakable) is a perfect example of actions that degrade and lower us. We must rise above our worst impulses, not only in our actions but also in our thoughts, if we are ever to become a truly humane society.

Watershed Moment

Just to be clear, the Supreme Court of the United States has thrown 250 years of democracy in the toilet and turned the country into an authoritarian dictatorship with their ruling in July of 2024 that a sitting president can not be prosecuted for any criminal act.

Just to be clear, starting a sentence with the word “just” is bad grammar and makes no sense… Those of you who understand such things are probably abhored with me.

I’m Having a Bit of Trouble

It’s September 9th already. Where in the hell does time go? I’m almost a third of the way through the month and I haven’t accomplished a damn thing, at least that’s how it feels.

I’ve certainly thought about doing a lot of things… That’s the problem. I spend too much time thinking and not enough time doing. I suppose thinking is good. Thinking and not accomplishing is better than not thinking and not accomplishing. It would probably be better however if I got in the habit of doing both.

I know this will sound like a bit of a stretch, but part of my problem is I chose to study Political Science in college. Let me explain. It made me too sensitive to how our country is run. The current reality in that area is down right depressing. It’s affecting my emotional outlook. I’m embarrassed to be an American. If I hadn’t studied Political Science during my formative years, I might be a more focused and a happier person. (Or that could just be an excuse.)

That raises the natural question, why did I choose to study Political Science? The answer is simple, I fell in love with a woman that was a Political Science major. There’s no better reason than that, right? It so happens her father was the Dean of the department, so naturally I declared Political Science my major and selected him as my advisor — to increase my chances of winning the favor of his daughter. A brilliant strategy. I did manage to wrangle one Sunday dinner out of the gambit. I suppose it would have been a brilliant strategy, if I had wanted to spend my life in academia. My love interest followed in her father’s footsteps but I didn’t quite have the inclination to do the same, so my plan never quite came to fruition.

What followed the failure of that plan is not all bad, in fact I have to admit, things have worked out pretty damn well over all. (Oddly enough, the person that became the love of my life is pretty damn politically astute, as it turns out.) The only side effect of all this is I probably take political issues a bit more seriously than most voters, and that can have a negative influence on my outlook at times.

Beer

What does the beer you drink say about you?

I stopped in at my neighborhood tap room for a glass. The bartender asked me for my choice, I told him I wanted a beer that was “exactly like me.” That drew a strange look and silence. He was waiting patiently for me to elaborate so I told him I’d have the “Irrelevant IPA.” To his credit he burst out laughing. (It would have been another matter if he hadn’t batted an eye.)

I finished the draft and as I was walking out my bartender friend asked me how my beer was. I looked at him and smiled and told him I was “feeling much more relevant now.” We both got a good chuckle out of that.

Gustave Flaubert

Gustave Flaubert wrote five words per hour. Madame Bovary was written at that pace. I suppose you might say that is why it is such a good work. Although I can’t say that for sure since I haven’t read it yet (it’s on my lifetime reading list.) It’s really no wonder I’m not a good writer, My best calculation is that I write at a rate of roughly 111,600 words per hour…

Injury

I’ve injured my leg. It hurts. I’m playing Pickleball anyway but I am being careful. I have no idea how I did it. This is about day six. I’m going to give it a rest next week (after playing two more times…) hopefully that will put me on a fast track to healing. I’m not used to being injured and I’m not enjoying the experience all that much.

Hello

Today is Labor Day. Traditionally the day when America pauses to celebrate what makes America great, the wage earning working man.

When will MAGA voters wake up from their angry dream and realize that the richest people in America don’t pay any taxes. Since it is MAGA voters and the middle class that are shouldering the burden for the social and economic stability of the country, when will those supporting the policies that are enriching the few, vote for representatives that want to ensure stability for everyone, not just the non-contributors?

Genius

What is genius? I think that can be examined a couple different ways. My answer to that is anyone that generates a new idea. Those can be hard to come by — but no doubt a sign of genius. What about other types of genius? Genius can be combinatorial. That is, a unique ability to synthesize newness from existing reality — facts, experience.

When someone says (for example) Gustave Flaubert was a literary genius, I think it’s fair to say that is correct. Definitely a genius of the second form and if you look at his work through a broad lens, probably a genius of the first form as well.

Where does that leave the rest of us? Most of us probably aren’t geniuses. So what is it we should be striving for? I believe knowledge is what we should be striving for. Enough knowledge to be able to appreciate, and with luck, understand what is and isn’t genius. Not easy. To do that we need to be committed to continuous learning.

It is important to be committed to continuous learning. Sadly, my impression is that only a minority of the population is thus dedicated. I think that explains a lot of why we are socially and politically as divided today as we have ever been as a nation. I’m not saying everyone needs to be a genius, but everyone needs to be able to think, ask questions, and struggle intellectually with solutions And of course, be able to discuss what they have learned with others with an open mind.

When you listen to someone, can you tell if they are a thinking person, or simply someone with randomly acquired opinions with no real expression of where they came from or what makes them correct… I think you can. A key part of being able to do that is spending time yourself in the task of gaining knowledge.

My First

I had my first Mushroom Coffee this morning. I liked it. Even better, it does affect your mood positively. I was pleasantly surprised. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s cup. I will have to remember not to chase it two hours later with a beer…

Research Librarian

I sent the following request to our Research Librarian…

“I would like to read an assortment of literary classics. I’ve been a non-fiction guy most of my life but it’s time to diversify. I realize that is kind of like saying I want to swim the Pacific Ocean. So as preparation for selecting a few that would be most interesting to me, I would like to do some reading about the titles considered by those knowledgeable to be the major classics of literature. What makes them classics? Why should they be read? What one might expect to gain from reading them? That sort of thing…”

The next day I got this response…

“You will be receiving a great list of recommendations from one of our librarians soon, but in the meantime I had to jump in to offer this article that I just read this week and it was so timely with your question:”

 Italo Calvino’s 14 Criteria for What Makes a Classic 

Note…

I picked up a copy of Calvino’s book “Why Read the Classics.” The introduction covers the 14 criteria mentioned above. There are many reasons to read the classics (which classics is another matter) but the answer to why read the classics may boil down to the fact that reading them is better than not reading them — whatever they are.

Youthful Mind

You’re only as young as the last time you changed your mind. And if you can change your mind, you can change anything.

I wish I had said those words. Unfortunately I didn’t, I found them on the label of a can of coffee substitute. An unlikely find perhaps, but if the coffee substitute is as good for me as that thought, I’ll keep drinking it.

Reading Goal

I would like to read 100 pages a day. I’m retired now. All I have that can possible interfere with that is Pickleball, Cycling, Skiing, Camping… I digress…

What the Universe has Given Me

• A wonderful partner
• A cat that adores me
• Independent caring children
• Health beyond my years
• Curiosity
• Joy in building things
• Desire for knowledge
• A belief in being kind to everyone
• A caring about others

I’m not trying to flatter myself. This is as much a reminder as it is an observation. I consider myself lucky to be able to posses these attributes and I want to continue to grow in them. I think that is my true purpose.

Book a Librarian

I submitted this to my local library. I am anxious to see what this turns up. This might be the start of fun reading project.

I would like to read an assortment of literary classics. I’ve been a non-fiction guy most of my life but it’s time to diversify. I realize that is kind of like saying I want to swim the Pacific Ocean. So as preparation for selecting a few that would be most interesting to me, I would like to do some reading about​ the titles considered by those knowledgable to be “major” classics. What makes them classics? Why they should be read? What one might expect to gain from reading them?

Here is the response I received…

AI

No AI was used in the creation of this website. That would be lazy and untruthful. No AI will ever be used here. I don’t even use it for “research.” I realize that makes me a luddite. I suppose if the shoe fits. The problem is that too many people are using AI and not owning it. Truth is becoming harder and harder to decipher. AI will not ultimately improve that situation until we learn to be honest about its usage and our personal role in that usage.

Announcements, Announcements, Announcements

We used to sing that ditty in Boy Scouts before, you guessed it, announcements…

Some days I’m so happy I could cry.

I know I shouldn’t tell you that. You’ll think there’s something wrong with me. No one does that. Occasionally I do.

Pickleball

I haven’t written yet about Pickleball. America’s fastest growing sport. I play and I enjoy it. Now you know everything you need to know about me vis-a-vis Pickleball. It’s actually a bit more complicated than that…

I am a competative person but I prefer to compete with myself not with other people, especially people 40 years younger than I am. So I occasionally find myself overmatched on the court. I try and get by as best I can, but I have to admit it is frustrating. Someone recently asked me if I have a desire to play at the next higher level of competition, I said definitely not. My goal is to be playing at the same level and not lower 10 years from now. I think that’s a smart goal. There you go! That is definitely Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. (I might have to take the “A” out of that list, we’ll see.)

My real goal when I step onto the court is to be a good competitor and to leave the court with my partner and opponents saying to themselves, there goes a gracious man. I think I accomplish that most days. I have to admit, I think that’s more important than winning. However, I do like winning, who doesn’t?

What Are Ya Gonna Do?

Sometimes, after my sweetheart has been away for a few days and she comes home, I make sure the bed is made and there are no dirty dishes in the kitchen sink. Sometimes I even fix her dinner to welcome her home. Let’s be very clear about this, that does not mean the dishwasher is empty…

Here’s a little something I picked up at the Senior Center. It’s a self-care checklist. Not a bad thing. I’ve modified it a bit to suit my lifestyle, but other than that, here it is.

• Meditate
• Exercise
• Drink Water (6 glasses)
• Journal (or write, depending on how you look at it)
• Perform a Service
• Each Healthy
• Read
• Connect With Others

Not a bad list. Doing these things every day goes a long way toward a happy and healthy life. You will notice that one of these is not “self-care” strictly speaking. Performing a Service is very important to leading a fulfilling life. I will admit, I’m a bit shy in this department. To correct that, I sent an email to my local Elementary School asking if I could be a Classroom Assistant. I’m waiting to hear back.

Patience

The cat was sitting on the foot of the bed when he noticed movement on the wall across from him. What he was looking at intently was a reflection of the tree in the back yard fluttering in the wind. It looked like a living sepia toned portrait that was alive.

Suddenly a bird flew into the tree outside and the shadow perfectly reflected the movement of the bird. The cat immediately sat up staring at the wall. The next thing I knew he had jumped down from the bed and was crouched at the base of the wall, staring up at the reflection of the bird. After about a minute, a cloud cast a shadow over the sun that obscured the reflection on the wall. The cat continued to stare at the wall, waiting for the reflection to return. For almost two minutes the cat focused all his attention on the location where the reflection had been. I was impressed by his patience and his ability to focus, just to catch a moving shadow.

The strings that appear in the reflection are the Christmas lights. Yes, I keep them up year round, but only in the back of the house. It is fun to turn them on occasionally to provide a party-like atmosphere.

Living With a Cat

Part of living with a cat means that when you get out of bed in the morning, you have to do it in a manner that doesn’t disturb his royal highness at the foot of the bed. When he leads you to his food dish, you better be prepared to feed him. When he is sitting patiently by the back door, staring at you, that’s usually a sign that he wants to go outside. If you hear a scratching noise at 3 AM you know you have to get out of bed, and you better, or the duvet is going to be ripped to shreds.

Even though it sounds like he may be a bit demanding, I ask a lot of him too. I ask that when I pick him up, he let me hold him for 15 seconds (I’m lucky to get 5). When I’m writing in my journal and he jumps up on the desk and lays down on top of it, I ask him to please move. Does he? Of course not. When I’m brushing him, I ask that he doesn’t insist I do it for 90 minutes. When he’s sitting in my favorite chair on the patio, I ask he vacate it for me, which he usually does, after 60 minutes or so. Have I ever thought about living without him? Never.

Click here to view my Reading Log Update

Dr. Fauci

We are all in this together.

Much maligned, rarely congratulated. Dr. Fauci represents the best in (the many) career civil servants that made a truly significant contribution to the fight against COVID. Many people have chosen to weave conspiracy theories around his name. That’s a sad outcome to endure simply as a result of doing your best to help your fellow man. The good doctor was not without mistakes, none of us are. The few that were made were acknowledged and corrected. That’s all we can ask of ourselves or anyone. As Einstein said, and as it applies to all those that engaged in the fight against COVID, “Failure is success in progress.” Dr. Fauci never gave his country less than his best. And his best helped to save us.

Special thanks to the artist and friend Adam Hansen.

Ruth is Truth

Fight for the things you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you.

Her career on the High Bench was driven by what is best for the American people, not what is best for special interests or a particular political party. Today’s Bench would do well to follow her example instead of bring shame to it.

Special thanks to the artist and friend Adam Hansen.

Bernie

Democratic socialism means that we must reform a political system that is corrupt, that we must create an economy that works for all, not just the very wealthy.

Yes, we become stronger when men and women, young and old, gay and straight, native-born and immigrant fight together to create the kind of country we all know we can become.

If you were to try and convince me these words are untrue… you would have your work cut out for you…

Special thanks to the artist and friend Adam Hansen.