If only

Dreaming

No, I’m not talking about not commenting or being on Facebook. But the level of accusation, anger, and animus there and other places these days makes me more fearful for the world than the issues being “discussed.” If we can’t talk nicely, even if we have to eventually agree to disagree, then these are very dangerous times indeed. So I was imagining if all those “a” words I just referenced went away, because we were all doing what our moms tried to teach us.

Serious Sunday

Only a few days until the elections in the US and I’m ready for it to be over. I don’t know if this is really one of the nastiest elections in history or if it just seems like it.  But I’m done.

Here’s all you need to know about this or any other election.

If you’re eligible to vote, vote.  There are plenty places in the world where you wouldn’t have that privilege, where you might be killed for voting, tortured, your family threatened, etc.  And don’t pretend we’re living in one of those countries.

If you’re eligible to vote, try to learn about the candidates’ stances on the issues.  The issues are what matter.  Get past all the people and media who try to pull you into other things.  What does the candidate believe?  How has s/he voted in the past?  What are the beliefs of the people with whom they associate and work?

If you’re eligible to vote and don’t, don’t bitch.  You opted out. Tough luck.

If you’re alive, voting or not, pretend your children read or hear everything you say, wherever you say it.  Pretend you believe “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”

If you think you’ll change anyone’s mind by posting mean, nasty garbage on Facebook or elsewhere or that if you tell your friends who believe differently that “But I didn’t mean you” and that will make it OK, you’re living somewhere called LaLa Land where you shouldn’t be voting at all.

Most of all, if you’re a person, realize that you’re going to have to live with all the people around you once the election is over.  Those people who disagree with you, for the most part, love the country just as you do (or as you should).  They believe what their candidates want to do will be best for that country.  They may be wrong.  You may be wrong.  You may both be wrong.  But you’re going to have to live together, to try to move forward once this election is over.  Don’t make it impossible to do that.

Here’s what I said a few days ago on Facebook:

As difficult as it may be, remember that the people on the other side of the political aisle, although they may have a very different vision for our country, are not evil because of that. Disagree with their positions, but stop all the nastiness, name-calling, etc.! We all have to live with each other when this is finally over.

If you can’t do that, God help you and our country as well!

A silly for Saturday

Pulled from the headlines:

Mitch McConnell: Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Accuses Majority Leader of Lying on Senate Floor Friday

Why lie on the Senate (or any other) floor?  Doesn’t he have a home to go to where he can lie down?  Floors in public places tend to be rather dirty, so I refuse to lie on any of them.

Sometimes that’s just how my mind works.  May you see many sillys this Saturday and enjoy every one of them.

(And please, no serious political comments!)

Anger and energy

The end of this round of elections makes this quote from William Arthur Ward most apt.  But the advice goes much farther than politics.  It’s a basic tenet for a happy, productive life.

Still catching up

I’ve been writing an unblog for a short while, so I’m still catching up….

I love the idea and feel of fleece but it has one attribute so overwhelmingly annoying that I have a few pieces I’m considering throwing out or donating.  That attribute is the consummate ability to pick up hair (whatever I have left after washing and brushing mine) and fuzz from any and every source and then be unwilling to yield possession of it back to me, even when I’m coaxing (or attempting wrench, depending on my mood) all of it back off via my lint brush.  Said brush works wonderfully on most things but fleece fights back with all its might and, too often, wins.

Folks, this ain’t normal (referenced the previous post), made me furious in too many ways even to document in a short while but mainly in the plethora of stupid rules, regulations and laws that are not only ridiculous but harmful and counterproductive.  Guess from whence they emanate?  The (mostly federal but not always) government…the entity that thinks they have to, and have the right to, run our lives, micromanage everything we do and make us pay for the privilege.  We should be able to run the entire country on the energy of the Founding Fathers whirling full time and so fast as to be unseeable in their graves!  Common sense has long since disappeared and along with absolute power corrupting absolutely, it absolutely destroys whatever cells are tasked with common sense so that when some opportunity for intelligent thought comes along, those cells are short-circuited.  But wait.  Intelligent thought, so-called, is probably at the basis of the problem.  Those believing they have the corner on it think that we, the rest of the world, need them to tell us how to do everything and that we, left to ourselves, will self-destruct, taking them with us.  Oh, how the opposite is true!!