Life On A B-I7

Love

It might be possible to say that pets love us. If that is the case, then it is certainly true that pets likely love us more than most other humans do…

Choices

I think I have come to the conclusion I would rather be a writer than an artist or musician… but why should we have to make that choice? Why can’t we be more than just one thing?

If you watch baseball carefully, you will realize you are actually watching a ballet.

Redactions are Cool… So are Dementia and Senility¹

I am taking a neurological psychology exam later this month. I’m not certain why. I think it’s so my neurologist can use the form to help establish a baseline going forward for determining my level of Dementia. Of course, I don’t think I’m suffering from Dementia because if I were, I probably wouldn’t be talking about it. Nevertheless, I suppose establishing a baseline is a good idea, at least that’s what I’m telling myself. Anyway, as I was filling out the several page evaluation form prior to the appointment, I realized that perhaps I was getting a little too flip with some of my answers. Reading through the form, I noticed that my approach to answering the DEI questions as well as the questions regarding my previous marital associations might be considered a bit too flip (by current societal standards). So, to prevent myself from a tragic misdiagnosis, I redacted those particular sections with a black sharpie.

I realize that action by itself may present some issues with regard to my, let’s just call it mental state. I think that’s the lesser of two evils. Besides, it looks pretty cool to have a couple sections of the form completely blacked out. It makes me feel… contemporary…

Now that I have confessed to all of this, I have to add the final chapter to the story. Last night I left my wallet, journal, calendar and exam intake form in a shopping cart in the parking lot of my local grocery store. It was dark and I was in a hurry (I’m certain there was no dementia involved). When I went back this morning to see if I could recover my items, they were all waiting for me in the store lost-and-found. I suppose that’s one advantage of living in a small town with mostly honest people. Sadly, the multi-page intake form for my neurology exam had gotten a bit wet from some overnight rain. Naturally, I decided to use that as an excuse to cancel the appointment. I can’t be showing up with a rain damaged questionnaire can I? I didn’t like the doctor anyway. I doubt seriously that senility is in any way related to dementia…

“It takes a whole lot of money for me to stay broke.” No truer words ever spoken.

Uh?

Having coffee at my favorite coffee shop in Central Oregon, I overheard two farmers chatting. They were complaining about the usual DEI issues I hear frequently expressed in this part of the world.¹ After bemoaning that issue for awhile, I heard one of the gentlemen, the one with the Stetson, say that he was tired of the fact that “there are no rules any more.”

Well, I could not help picturing him as a Trump supporter.² The irony of course, is that it is his party that has systematically worked over the course of the last eight years to dispense with all rules.

The Perfect Day

What does the perfect day look like? Pursuing those things that bring me meaning, like the following…

• Reading
• Writing
• Playing the guitar
• Drawing
• Playing Pickleball
• Cycling
• Tai chi
• Overlanding

Naturally, the above list is subject to change without notice. That goes without saying. It feels good to look at this list and think about all the benefits that would come from these pursuits. Along the way, I hope I bring some small amount of joy to someone else…

Constraints

Life without death would be like playing pickleball by yourself. It is constraints that make our actions meaningful, that make life meaningful. The end of life limits what we can reasonably accomplish. That reality forces us to make decisions and pursue those things that ultimately bring us meaning and also (with luck) fulfillment to others.

I Want my Cat to Live Longer

When you hear a song that speaks to you, there is no shame in sharing the lyrics. I find this song touching, romantic and it also express a sincere desire…

Wish I could, read the minds of women.
I wish I had, gills for swim’n.
I wish I had movie star looks.
I wish I knew every trick in the book.
I’d like to feel first love again,
Be 20 years younger.
But the greatest wish I want to come true,
I want my cat to live longer.

Wish I was the King of Rock’n Roll.
I wish I was, cool and in the know.
I wish I’d wrote “Blow’n in the Wind.”
I’d like to see my late mother again.
I’d like to stop poverty,
Save this world from hunger.
But the greatest wish oh I wanna come true,
I want my cat to live longer.

I want my cat to live longer.
When he goes I’ll be blue.
If I had the power,
Oh I’d have him live as long as, me and you.

He cheers me up, oh when I’m sad.
He’s the best friend, I’ve ever had.
I don’t care where his nose has been,
I let him lick my face again and again.

His love is unconditional,
And that just makes me stronger.
So the greatest wish, I wanna come true,
I want my cat to live longer!

Apologies to Curtis Salgado and Alan Hager.

Postcards

I’m filling out Postcards for Swing States. Strangely, it’s fun and relaxing. I’m doing something to help the outcome of the election rather than worry about it. A nice benefit of this activity is that it makes me feel connected to other people. I don’t know what their affiliation is, or how they will be voting. Obviously I will never know the outcome of my efforts. Still, I’m satisfied that I am making a connection, even if it is something as simple as a postcard. The message I’m sending is going out to voters in Wisconsin. It reads:

Dear [first name]
Please Vote in the Nov 5
Election to save Wisconsin’s
favorite programs from
Republican attack!
Best, Brad

Those are the words chosen by the campaign organizers. I think they are good and deliver a good message. If it were up to me, I think the word “attack” could use a bit of clarification. What Republicans are doing is worse than attack, they are trying to restructure America by perverting its values. What makes it even worse is that they are doing that through the use of lies.

Done

Donald Trump presents the greatest threat to this country since its founding and independence from Britain. The current situation is worse than any war in our history because the attach he has launched is coming from within. I hope I never see anything worse than this in what remains of my lifetime, and I hope what we are going through ends (at least the worst part of it) on November 5th. I hope this for the sake of my children.

Cats and People

Do I love my cat more than I love people? That’s a fair question. Given the current world that we live in, I would have to give that a qualified yes.

I am aware of the fact that cats and people are not the same. I would even admit (if pressed) that cats should not be given the same lofty status that we give to our fellow human beings. Status aside, I can’t think of an instance when my cat has disappointed me. People disappointment me now more than at any point in my life.

I’m tired of being disappointed by people. I’m tired of division, strife and argument. I’m tired of the challenges that people present, most of them unnecessary. I want people to think more like cats. I want people to love each other the way my cat loves me… without question.

My Cat (continuare)

My cat loves me.
I pet him and I can tell he appreciates my stokes.
He reciprocates by reaching his paw out.
He places his head on my hand.
I kiss him on the forehead
And he reaches out to me with both forepaws.
I would give my world to talk to him.
Stroking his head will have to do.

He lays down on top of the book I am reading.
He knows how to get my attention.
Somehow, he knows what I am afraid to do,
show affection and demand the same in return.
He is content to be here.
I am content to be with him.
I know I will miss him when he is gone.
I think he will miss me too.

I hope there is a place where we can walk together
And share our deepest thoughts, one with another.
As much as I hope for that
I don’t know if it works that way.

I will find out someday, or not.

Rome is burning and the New York Times is playing a fiddle.

Tragedy

“To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to them and fitted to their talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that which could have been their finest hour.”

—Winston Churchill

Determining what is fitted to your talents is up to you. I believe it can be something as simple as a smile. The important part of this message is to be on the lookout for that moment. If you allow that moment to pass you by, that is a tragedy.

A perfect example of someone’s finest hour is Liz Cheney speaking out against the threat to democracy posed by the Republican Party in the upcoming election.

Self-Conceit

“What is the first business of one who practices philosophy? To get rid of self-conceit. For it is impossible for anyone to begin to learn that which he thinks he already knows.”

—Epictetus

Well, that should also be the first business of anyone that practices politics. That is obviously contrary to the current view of what is the business of the Republican Party in America.

Leadership

George Washington’s leadership style was “listen, learn, and help, then lead.”

When you meet someone that has all the answers, doesn’t listen, is not curious or show any desire or ability to learn and never lends a helping hand but only blames others, you have met a person that is the antithesis of a leader.

Humility

You can tell when someone is humble, and when they think they are special. Unfortunately that is a skill that a lot of voters appear not to possess. It leaves me wondering why this is such a difficult skill to acquire. The only reason I can come up with is because people that don’t possess this attribute also lack the ability to look at themselves critically and ask, what can I do to make myself better. If that is indeed the case, it appears this is a problem impacting society in general in this day and age.

Free Exercise of Religion

In so far as abortion is a religious conviction, either pro or con, the government has no role in either prohibiting or establishing a right to the same. This is guaranteed to all citizens under the First Amendment. This means that the government can neither condone nor forbid the practice. Whether or not to engage in the practice falls upon the individual, not the state. Since all States are bound to uphold the Constitution, neither the States nor the Federal Government have jurisdiction to dictate to citizens their freedom of choice in regard to this matter.

The 25th Amendment to the Constitution

Section 4.

Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Let us pray that J.D. Vance is up to the task. My only reservation is that he would make a less than ideal replacement for his predecessor.

Knowledge Forgotten

States are doomed when
they are unable to distinguish
the good men from the evil.

—Antisthenes

I love her.
She completes me.
That’s not to say I fulfill her.
I don’t know the answer to that.

Perhaps I should wait until she writes a poem that answers that question.

No.
That’s a waste of time.
I will love her as long as she lets me love her.
That is enough.

Concerned

Even though this is an online journal, it doesn’t matter what I say because no one reads it. Even the person closest to me doesn’t read this, and that’s okay, I don’t take it personally. In fact, it’s probably a lot healthier for everyone that way. Journals should only be read posthumously anyway.

I’m very concerned. I’ve been bothered for the last month. I should have started being bothered seven years ago, I’m always the last to the party. Now that we are approaching the most critical election in the history of our country, I’m scared shitless.

The Republican candidate is a deranged idiot. I marvel at how few (at least as far as I can see) people seem to agree with that. For goodness sake, he’s selling limited edition watches to make money for himself, and he’s pitching them in his own voice. If you listen to his adverts, the syntax and grammar is that of a sixth grader. It’s hard to imagine why the Republican Party would stand behind a candidate like this. (That’s another topic entirely.)

I don’t have an answer to that. I’m not smart enough to answer that question. I am smart enough to realize that our country is in grave danger should he be elected to the highest office. There has been a presumption throughout our history that the leader of our country would be a man of conscience. We may not always agree as a people with our approach to problem solving, but the presumption has always been that the leader would be reasonable, intelligent, and responsible. That is not the case with the Republican Candidate.

I cannot bring myself to say his name. For me, that is akin to swearing.

It is poetic and apropos that his opponent is a woman. I’m not surprised that when the outcome is truly hanging in the balance, it is a woman that should rise to the occasion to save our souls. I just hope that is what happens.

A Political Genera

Doves
Surround themselves with doves.

Hawks
Surround themselves with hawks.

Idiots
Surround themselves with sycophants.

Day #365

The project “A Year of Living Thoughtfully” is over. That does not mean living thoughtfully has ended (with any luck).

The effort put into this project over the last 365 days has reaffirmed that every day should be a day for thoughtfulness. It does not have to be remarkable, most of what I have taken the time to share on these pages has been unremarkable. My ambition for these pages was for them to be instructive to me. If you take away anything from this effort, That makes me happy.

My next project should probably be “A Year of Living Grammatically.” Goodness knows I could benefit from a project like that. I don’t know if there will even be another project. I have enjoyed this writing and I intend to keep on writing for as long as I can. Nothing long-form, that’s not my bag. If the urge ever magically struck me, I would certainly listen, just don’t hold your breath.

My wish for you is that you too can find a project or an activity that brings you peace, satisfaction, and progress toward a personal goal, no matter how small the progress nor how small the goal.