Fear

 That song comes to mind, the one that starts,  "I can't stand to fly...".

"It's not easy to be me", croons a band I don't remember the name of.

Not that being YOU is a simple matter. I'm sure it is just as complicated. The only real difference in all of us is that we have unique stories. Our issues and circumstances may differ, but we have very similar reactions and feelings about them. 

 The primitive brain sort of fascinates me. This is where the "fight or flight" instinct kicks in,  when we perceive a possible threat and react. It may not be Saber Tooth tigers we fight but our brains see the mortgage the same way,  maybe with less panic but with intense anxiety, at the very least.

Professor Robert Sapolsky, of Stanford University, has a lecture on YouTube called, "Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers" that I highly recommend! Dr. Sapolsky explains how the amygdala, (the primitive part of our brains) serves us well when outrunning a tiger. It was great for primitive humans, trying to outrun threats and fight mastedons. But in 2023, it gives you an ulcer over your house payment. Your primitive brain sees threats, but maybe not categories of threats!

However, we humans have a highly developed frontal cortex which we use to reason, explain,  and  guide us to decisions. 

Since we are all unique individuals, what I experience as "change", you may interpret as "threat". The cultures we grew up in, the generational differences and so on are sure to affect one's perceptions, as well. 

This makes me wonder about the U.S., our people, and our politics. 

When Donald Trump was running  for President, I thought there was no way people would actually vote for him in large numbers. I felt comfortable voting for a third  party candidate, feeling certain Hillary would win handily, anyway. 

Wow! That November day in 2016 was a real shocker! As I sipped coffee and stared at my computer screen, I wondered how this bigot and misogynist pulled it off!

Now that we have had two years of the Biden administration and the same two  years in both chambers, controlled by Democrats, we have seen things get done to help the American people. The infrastructure package worked out, clean energy, worker protection, and lowering drug costs will help many to have better lives. 

But, to the fearful, this doesn't look the same as it does  to me. To me, this is progress and it's good!

But, to Trump's loyalists, this help appears to be a political move. MTG was complaining in a video about high gas prices, wanting  Joe  Biden to use the power of the Presidency to lower fuel costs. After President Biden did this, by using our strategic oil reserve, MTG spoke angrily on the House floor about this, saying Biden's motives were  purely political, ahead of the midterm elections.

It's not that people like MTG are that upset about YOUR price at the pump. No, it is rather your decision at the ballot box that she wants to turn in her favor,.

Also,, if she says Biden is playing 

politics and abusing his power,  rest assured, it is that very power she craves, and does NOT have, which angers her so! Obviously, she feels threatened by power, unless it is HER OWN!

Well, folks, I could go on analyzing this but the bottom line is that if you see a thing to be  feared, let that primitive brain do its thing. However, it is important to remember that what you see as danger, I may see as simply an adventure to try, an interesting person I might talk with, or a new idea we haven't explored yet. Using the help of my frontal lobe, I have determined very few things actually threaten me. Drag queens, people of color, immigrants, gay married people (or gay single or widowed or divorced, as well)-none of these are a big deal, in my opinion. I also don't care what religious faith, if any, a person adheres to, as long as it does no harm.

It's called "live and let live", and it's excellent advice! 

Be not afraid, my fellow Americans, especially of one  another! We really ARE all in this together!

Believing the Unbelievable

 When I was in nursing school, I was assigned to a pediatric clinical rotation at one of our local hospitals. It was a pediatric floor, with an intensive care unit all its own, connected to the main inpatient area. It was a busy place, where I learned a great deal. 

One of the best lessons I learned was to not believe your own thoughts, at all times. If you have any doubt, double-check or consult someone else, to have it viewed with fresh eyes. What you believe may not, if fact, be reality!

HOW I learned that was through the mistake of a fellow student nurse. 

At the end of each clinical day, the nursing instructors met with their respective student groups, which consisted of approximately 6-8 students on each clinical floor. We would discuss our patients' cases, ask questions, and so on, per routine.  

But, on this particular day, we were discussing drug dosages and how to calculate them for pediatric patients, both by age and by weight. We had done this in class, calculating for adult examples, and figuring out IV drip rates. 

We listened, as our instructor gave us a hypothetical, where a three month old infant was to be given codeine. The number of milligrams per milliliter was given. The instructor told us the infant's weight and said to give "X" number of milligrams per kilogram of body weight. (By the way, this is where algebra class finally paid off!)

When we were done, most of us answered with the correct dosage on the first try. However, by one student's calculation, the infant would have been given one hundred times the correct dose. This would have been a fatal mistake! When she gave her answer with a straight face, the instructor tried to appear unfazed, yet what she said was deadly serious.

She looked directly at the student nurse and said, "What is frightening is not just that you got the dosage so wrong. It is MORE disturbing that you did not see your mistake. The number you came up with should have jumped out as a red flag as soon as you saw it."

I have never forgotten that. There have been plenty of times that I've asked a second nurse to double check my math, especially before drawing up an injectable medication, as they tend to be more potent and work more quickly, offering less chance to mitigate the impact of an error on the patient.

Today, as I watch members of Congress, like Marjorie Taylor Greene, say ludicrous things, I am reminded of my instructor's words. 

"It is MORE disturbing that you did not see your mistake."

When Greene said in a committee hearing that one elementary school received five BILLION dollars in Covid funds, that was LUDICROUS! 

But, Marjorie did not see her mistake; she didn't see that it's completely unrealistic that any one school would get that amount of money. 

When this Congresswoman was spreading QAnon conspiracies and talking about Jewish space lasers and Hugo Chavez, she didn't see her mistake. Instead, she has pulled back since then, but with the explanation that she was "taken in, like so many others". 

The most disturbing part in my mind is that Congresswoman Greene is NOT "like so many others". She is in a very powerful position in the House of Representatives and its so called "Freedom Caucus". She is in a position to create laws we all must abide by. She sits on important and powerful committees, including Homeland Security!

We must not elect leaders who can't see when their own ridiculous thinking needs a double check, a fresh set of eyes on the problem. 

Just as we couldn't ignore the danger of being cared for by doctors or nurses who can't consider that they may be making an error, we also can't be led by Congress men and women who don't have the wisdom to realize when they, too, are mistaken in their thinking. 

In healthcare, an error in thought or judgment could wreak havoc in one or a few people's lives.

A mistaken notion in Congress can affect over THREE-HUNDRED MILLION lives, and THAT is something we cannot afford to have go unchecked!

Naughty Republicans

 Republicans seem to be obsessed with all things sexual, homosexual, and transexual, while mixing in a disturbing fixation on children. I am scratching my head at all that, but who knows? Maybe in Florida, it is standard operating procedure in school to have a discussion about Mickey blowing Pluto in the cafeteria, right after naps. It is Florida, after all!

Today, after watching a few reports about Governor DeSantis’ “Don’t Say Gay” law, I was thinking of the allegations against Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz, namely that he paid to have a seventeen year old girl transported across state lines for the purpose of sexual activity. I am pretty darn sure that falls under “interstate trafficking”, “sex trafficking”,  and “human trafficking”, all three! Then, we have Madison Cawthorn, who feigns outrage over men "not being men". Yet, I was just looking at newly revealed photos of him, wearing black women's underpants and matching bra (very stylish). He was surrounded by several women. This is on the high heels of Cawthorn saying he has been invited to orgies at lawmakers' homes, earning him the wrath of his party's unhappy members.

     My brain screamed, "What the hell is going on?!"

    Looking back, I think most of the high profile sex scandals over the last several decades have involved Republicans, many of whom were self-proclaimed Christians. They have also been very much against equal rights for those in the LBGTQ community. Many have equated homosexuals with sex predators, especially pedophiles, or they have declared they are mentally sick in some way. Men who are transgender are seen as everything from “confused” to “perverted”, but never just “human”. 

Because we all tend to have short memories, I thought I would help out by remembering these stories for you. What follows are links to some of the more memorable Republican/Christian sex scandals. Feel free to share!

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/roy-moore-who-lost-alabama-senate-race-after-allegations-sexual-n1019681

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/18/us/dennis-hastert-released.html

https://toilet-guru.com/larry-craig.php

https://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/29/lkl.ted.haggard/

https://baptistnews.com/article/southern-baptist-morality-activist-confesses-to-soliciting-prostitute/#.YmXANOjMIdU

That’s a start.

And, yes-I know about Bill Clinton. The girl, the cigar, the dress…I know.

Funny thing, though-she was nineteen.

As for the Clinton-Epstein connection, I lost a lot of respect for Bill on that one. I was not shocked, but disappointed, all the same.

Stay tuned, folks. We are mere months away from the mid-terms and it is bound to get even crazier. Buckle up!

 

Your Kid Can Pray

 

The 2021 "War on Christmas" is over. We are eleven blessed months away from the next one. I sigh with relief!

I like Christmas well enough. I was raised in the Presbyterian church, then was an active member of the United Church of Christ for over thirty years.

Thus, I can truthfully tell you that Christmas, when I was young, was a special holiday in our family. Once I had my own children, I enjoyed the Christmas lights, songs and activities we shared, now finding it even more fun.

But, I can honestly also say that I never thought those who do not celebrate that holiday were wrong. What on earth is a "war on Christmas" or a "war on Christianity"? As an American, I find it stunning that some of my fellow citizens would have school children be required to participate in public prayer. The talking point is that they want their child to be able to pray in school. 

Perhaps I misunderstood the "rules" when I went to public school, where we did not have prayers in any organized fashion. Back then, as I'm sure it is today, kids prayed in school. Trust me-I prayed a lot!

Before every important test, I prayed to God to let me pass. Before every presentation in speech class, I prayed to God to allow me to be fluent and to not faint. In every P.E. class, I prayed to God to "just let the ball go to the softball star (or basketball or volleyball...) and not me! Dear Lord, have mercy! This outfield ain't big enough!"

From my own vast experience, I am here to testify that kids prayed then and they pray now.

It took me a while to have The School Prayer Epiphany. But, one day as I pondered yet another online news article about this controversy, it hit me like lightening!

Your kid can pray in school. Between classes, at lunch, on the way to and from the school building itself, study hall, are all chances each day for your child to pray, if he or she chooses to do that. So, where is the issue?

That was the flash and the thunder in my much clearer mind! 

The issue is that some people want my kid to pray in school. Let me repeat that-my kid!

I was stunned at how simple it was and how long the whole thing had me confused. It was shameful, really. I try to be quicker than that!

Here's the bottom line: My kid can pray, just as yours can, if he so chooses. But, in a public, tax payer funded school, organized and/or public prayer is prohibited under our Constitution. Period.

Your kid can wear a cross necklace, carry a Bible, hold a rosary in hand, or none of the above in a public school. But, my kid can wear a pentagram necklace and carry a book on wicca, as well. In both instances, what cannot happen is that their teacher gathers them together to pray to Vishnu. Or Allah. Or Jesus. Or Satan. Or The Flying Spaghetti Monster! NO!

To summarize, I say "Merry Christmas", if I want to. But I don't subject others to some "Karen"  or "Ken" tantrum if they say "Happy Holidays". I have taught my children that their belief, religious faith or lack of any tradition at all, is their private matter. Actually, even Jesus said, in Matthew Chapter 6, to keep your prayer life private. 

Oddly enough, the simplest explanation of faith I've heard so far came from a young Pakistani man. In describing Islam, he said "The definition of Islam is "peace". It means finding peace on your journey toward God-and that is a journey that is personal. Each one has their own path." Isn't that beautiful?

It is sensible, tolerant, confident, and Constitutional.

Very beautiful, indeed!

"Why are Americans choosing to quit their jobs in record numbers?"

American workers were hurt by the pandemic-and possibly helped by it, as well.

The number of workers in unions has sharply declined in my lifetime. As a kid, I remember "Look for the Union Label" as almost a national mantra. Efforts at union busting since then have put workers in unsafe environments and allowed them to be abused by management.

One woman told me her supervisor at a McDonald's slapped a cookie out of her hand on her break, telling her "You're too fat to be eating cookies." She would have liked to have walked out, but was raising her two grandchildren and needed the job.

There are, however, increasing numbers of workers unwilling to pay with their very sense of self worth. Not only that, but when childcare is unaffordable, people will look for remote work. When wages won't pay the bills, some go back to college or a trade school, to eventually earn more.

The shock for me has not been the numbers of people leaving their jobs. No-my surprise is that our leaders did not see this coming. I do believe they need to wake up and realize that an increase in the federal minimum wage, affordable daycare and the chance to unionize will all be required to get our people back to work.

Palestinian ambassador to UK disappointed with Labour response to Gaza bombing

Palestinian ambassador to UK disappointed with Labour response to Gaza bombing: Speaking to MEE, Zomlot defended the PA's controversial decision to postpone long-awaited elections

The latest offensive against the Gaza Strip and the final curtain in Israeli elections seemed recently to converge in a surreal way for me. So, this confirmed for me that, indeed, there is an increased awareness and outpouring of support for the Palestinians. Fantastic! But....

First, the fact that former President Donald Trump and then Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were both being investigated for the same or very similar crimes was weird enough. But, the fact that Bibi's successor is far right wing, and that the most recent conflict started with far right youth storming al Aqsa, well...what am I trying to say here? We have The Proud Boys and Oath Keepers in the U.S. According to this article, the "Khanists" are becoming an issue in Israel, following a right wing rabbi who advocates the complete removal of all Palestinians, by force if needed-wow! 

My key take away from this interview is that Netanyahu has driven international unity with the Palestinians. Ambassador Zomlot's unique perspective left me wanting to better understand this potential "perfect storm" I sense is coming. It may already be here. I am unsure how it will all look when the wind quits blowing, but it won't be the same. I only hope it will be better, more humane.

The global movements advocating protections for minorities, for the poor, for native peoples, for the very planet we call home, are being met with fierce resistance by the wealthiest, most powerful people in the world, and by those they are able to whip into a frenzy. Meanwhile, as the Poles melt and wildfire season starts early, stay tuned. It may be a very long, hot summer, in Palestine and here in  America.

You Might Be a Trumpster

Following the 2020 Presidential election, I began to think of comedian Jeff Foxworthy's famous bit, "You might be a redneck". I do love his humor! However, my own celebration of another free and fair U.S. election was soon urinated on by sore losers and psychopaths.

The now former president, Donald Trump, has claimed without any evidence that he, in reality, won the election, "by a landslide".

Apparently, sixty separate court appearances by his legal team did not sway a single judge. Mind you, some of these were conservative, Republican Trump appointees!

The state of Georgia counted their votes and then did TWO recounts. All showed there was no fraud. The count was correct and Georgia went blue for the first time in decades! Two Republican senators there also lost and Georgia sent its first African American Senator to Washington!

BUT, it didn't really end there.

We know what happened on January 6, 2021. Trump supporters were encouraged by their leader to come to Washington to "stop the steal". On that day, literally thousands showed up in our nation's capitol to hear the man claiming to have been cheated by a "rigged" election. No such evidence has yet been produced. However, with their Supreme leader egging them on, and with Don Jr. and Rudy "Bleeding Hair" (I think that must be his "Indian name"), calling for them to "fight like hell" and for "trial by combat", the mob marched to the Capitol building. Former President Trump assured them, "I'll be with you". Of course, that was another lie. Trump retired to the White House, to watch his mob with glee! Others in the room reported he seemed delighted with the violence playing out on live television! He was smiling and seemed confused that others were not equally thrilled to see the People's House attacked and lawmakers threatened with DEATH!

The insurrectionists' intent was to stop the election results from being certified. They failed. But, not before five people lay dead, dozens were injured and lawmakers were literally being hidden by the Secret Service to protect their lives! A gallows had been erected and the mob chanted "Hang Mike Pence" and "Bring us Pence". They had been told by Trump that Pence had the power to stop the electoral votes from being submitted officially, another lie that put his own Vice President's life in danger! It was the most sickening, completely misguided effort I have ever seen in my 56 years in this country! How any reasonably sane person could think this was acceptable is beyond me! Worse is to call this "patriotism". Some of the mob very plainly said to reporters, "This is the revolution!" AGAINST WHAT?! DEMOCRACY?!

Now, we have seen Republican controlled state legislatures passing voter suppression laws. Arizona's lawmakers approved doing a recount of millions of votes in the most populous county to go Biden. Rather than following normal procedures for recounts, Arizona hired the "Cyber Ninjas", a company with no experience in election recounts. Ballots have been "scanned" for bamboo fibers from China and watermarks on the "real" ballots, which bear Trump's very own, hand stamped watermark he personally put on them, they say. It has also been rumored that an Italian satellite or laser or Christ, maybe it was Ted Nugent, changed ballots from Trump to Biden votes, from SPACE!

Whew! Ok...deep, cleansing breath...sanity will surely prevail. This is what I tell myself and try to believe.

What started as an idea for a funny "Foxworthy"-style list became this serious post. I don't really like that, so let's at least spend a few minutes being more lighthearted.

After each item on the list, say "You might be a Trumpster." We will do my "so far" Top Ten. Ready? Go!

1) If you love the Second Amendment of our Constitution but haven't read the Second Article...(you might be...)

2) If you have to flush your toilet five times and blame the blockage on government regulations....

3) If you still think Mexico is going to pay for anything...

4) If you believe the sound of windmills causes cancer, or even if you can just make a fabulous whirring sound...

5) If you do not yet understand that people in Puerto Rico are American citizens...

6) If you think taking bleach internally, through any orifice at all, will cure a deadly viral illness...

7) If you have been referring to your phone calls as "perfect", even when it's that annoying person from work, wanting to know what you plan to bring to the company potluck picnic and you just want to scream but instead you say, "I can bring noodle salad-but first, I'd like a favor"...

8) If you think Coronavirus is a hoax, "Space Jews" are real, and stealth aircraft are invisible to the naked eye, even when you stand next to one... 

9) If you still think the former President would enjoy having a good ol' cold brew with you on your boat (or that he will pardon you for treason or even a traffic ticket)...

10) If you don't quite understand how the FBI uses facial recognition technology to look at  your selfies from the insurrection, many of which you plastered on social media...

Now, I could keep going and add a belief in Satanic, blood drinking politician cults and we could throw in Jeff Epstein's untimely demise or we could talk about Bin Salman and his "Bone Saw Band" or Putin and his famous tea parties, or Jewish space lasers and the ghost of Hugo Chavez, or a hundred other things from Black Lives Matter to black Sharpies-but I'd be exhausted! I can stand just so much before my reserves begin running low. Fighting fascism is not for sissies! But I need a nap.

So, I'm signing off again, from the lake. Stay safe and well, friends-and remember, if you haven't read the Constitution, how will you ever truly defend it?