The Giant Gifts

 Growing up, I thought of Aunt Dorothy as a movie star because she lived in California. As a little girl, while mommy wrote her letters, I would draw her pictures. The year after mommy died, Dad drove us to California and I met her for the first time, at nine years old. The first words out my mouth were, 'You look just like mommy.' And she did!

Over the years, Grandma always made sure I knew where Aunt Dorothy was because she and her husband moved a lot. After Grandma died, I learned that Aunt Dorothy had moved back to the area and was living in an assisted living facility not far from home. Seeing her for the first time in so many years, she asked, "Who do I look like now?" 'You look just like Grandma!' And she did!

We had a few precious years filled with memories. She told stories and filled in family history. She told of an early Christmas memory going to her Grandma's big house in Pittsburgh. She described a giant tree, 2 stories tall, around which the children sat waiting for their special gift. They each got one present and she was delighted with a mickey mouse watch - all the rage that year.

Growing up, Aunt Dorothy always sent us a box of dates for Christmas so I began making a little treat package for her including dates. But her favorite part was a bag of fortune cookies that she would save for New Years eve. She would gather her friends and they would open them then.

And so, every year I have dates at Christmas and find fortune cookies if I can. I'll hear her infectious laugh, see her and mommy and Grandma too. I'll thank them for all the gifts they gave me that are far bigger than even that giant Christmas tree.

Pandemic of ill will

There seems to be a pandemic of ill will in this country. It's an illness attacking our values.

Historically, America has been a country that led the world in attacking disease. Our approach to tackling tuberculoses, polio, chicken pox, measles and many other community spread diseases have been generally accepted and successful. We have historically shown value for human life. 

Herd immunity as a goal for the end of this pandemic is a shared goal; left, right and in the middle. How we get there is the huge divide. These opposing views are making it impossible to get a handle on this virus.

On one end, herd immunity and survival of the fittest are the same thing. These people tend to see themselves as fit enough to survive, of course. With this approach there should be no mitigation efforts. Everyone is on their own to handle the virus and there seems to be a certainty that the vast majority of people can survive it. Those who don't were going to die of something anyway.

Survival of the fittest discounts or dismisses the impact on the health care system. They are blind to the number of hospitals across the country that are overwhelmed, EMT workers overstressed, morgues overflowing in some regions. Or perhaps they feel this is an acceptable cost. Perhaps they feel mitigation efforts are too costly and are willing to let the cost be paid on this end of our society.

On the other end, herd immunity means a vaccine. A vaccine provides immunity in a controlled way, mitigating the level of illness and death. The problem here is that the vaccine is slow in coming and in actually creating herd immunity on a mass scale. AND many of the survival of the fittest folks will have nothing to do with it.

In between, mitigation efforts are painful and costly. Business shutdowns with no relief are devastating, especially for small businesses. School shut downs spiral families into chaos and financial hardship. Wearing a mask everywhere is a pain in the ass. Fighting one another over all of it is exhausting. 

What has been missing is leadership that is focused on an approach that brings us closer together in an approach to dealing with this pandemic. We all want to get back to some semblance of normal. We all want to survive this thing physically, emotionally and financially.

Number ONE - We cannot overwhelm our health care systems. PERIOD! We use contact tracing to accurately identify the greatest risk of spread and we shut it down. 

Number TWO - We accurately identify the financial impact of number one and provide funding to those who need it to survive. Screw the deficit. If we can go to war with blind cost and cut taxes willy nilly, we can spend money on mitigating a pandemic.

Number THREE - STOP fighting each other. Fight the virus. Act like we care about each other. Be a community.

This is not an unsolvable problem. We can do this. Let's do it!

My Flag in honor of Veteran's Day

 It's Veteran's Day. The country salutes the service of millions of men and women who chose to serve this great country we call home.

It's Veteran's Day. Our presidential election was over a week ago. If you chose to vote, your vote was cast more than a week ago. It's time for the signs to come down. We no longer need to see a show of who you voted for or who you wanted to win. It's done. Election Day was more than a week ago. Your sign is irrelevant now. It doesn't matter who you voted for. Take the signs down. Take the flags down. Take your candidate's name off the side of your buildings and off the billboards. 

If you are a true patriot, your allegiance is not to a NAME, it is to this country. Replace that campaign sign, that campaign flag and that name on your building with the flag of the United States of American. Pledge allegiance to that value of "indivisible with liberty and justice for all." 

If you are a true patriot, fly the flag that represents that country to which you are aligned. Is that the flag of the confederacy? Is that what you believe in? Is that where you want to go? A nation divided and focused on rights of subjugation of certain people.

It's time to take a good hard look at our values. It's time to take down signs and replace them with a flag that represents the aspiration of a much higher purpose. We have much work to do. We have failed to reach those higher aspirations but we really should be united in our desire to keep working toward that end. Take down the signs, the flags, the names on buildings and billboards that spark feelings of division. Get behind a united flag.

My new flag and spotlight go up now! I'm a veteran and approve this message. 

 

Broaden Your News Sources

Admittedly, I'm a bit of a news junky. Seeking a variety of news sources is very important. While they all have bias, I focus on ones that are most reliable and specific journalists with the best reputations. It takes a bit of effort. Just google media bias and you can see where your news sources fall. 

How do I fit it in? First, in the morning I scan the local paper and the Washington Post. Then, while I get ready for work, I listen to NPR morning edition. During the day, I don't pay much attention to news but at the end of the day, I'll watch a variety of news stations. It rotates between PBS news and BBC, CBS and ABC. Then I rarely miss Rachel Maddow as she dives deep into stories with statistics, summaries of local reporting on topics and in depth interviews. Finally, I usually turn on Sky News from the UK to get a world view.

Over the weekend, I try to catch Washington Week on PBS, CBS Sunday Morning and at least one of the weekly news interview programs.

Many sources tend to follow the same story for a few days, so rotating provides a broader view of what is happening. They cannot report on everything. And sometimes one source hits on a story that others are not talking about. My inclination when I hear, "noone else is reporting this" is to ask if they just haven't caught it yet, the story cannot be corroborated, or it isn't fully true. If it interests me, I'll dig into it as best I can. If it seems big, I wait to see if other sources validate it. If not, I just view it with skepticism.

It's a lot of news to take in and I've been criticized for it. And recently when I told someone about the variety of sources I take in, he didn't believe me. So, above, I am explaining how it is possible. I'm not an expert. I can't read every story, every day. Sometimes I don't understand what I am reading or hearing. I'm simply trying to be broadly informed with reliable information. And sometimes, I'll take an hour or two to dig deeper - look for statistics to verify a story or look for local sources that may be better and understand more.

I also listen to real people and their experiences with things that are being reported. This is where real news starts. Ask questions and listen. Think about it - process the information and fact check.

It frustrates me to see people spread misinformation often just repeating someone's talking points or re-posting a conspiracy theory. I wish people would take time to think and do a little home work. Get a broader perspective. Be better informed and when you are making an argument, use reliable statistics, facts and sources.

Yes, all media is somewhat biased. We all are and journalists are human like us. But many among us try very hard to be honest and truthful. We try to be factual. Journalists have been an important part of our democracy for centuries. It's our responsibility to seek information that is reliable. Dismissing them all and relying on a single source is irresponsible citizenship in a democracy. Not everyone will be a news junky as I am hoping people will be a lot more careful about what and whom they believe. 

There are bad actors who are motivated to derail our democracy. Their first step is to have us not believe one another and question facts. We cannot solve problems, our leaders cannot govern, if we cannot even identify facts. It's going to crush us. Please turn off the shock jocks and learn to do some fact checking.

 

 There are some interesting benefits of wearing a mask. A parent recently told me that her youngster typically comes home during the first few weeks of school with a cold or flu. This year she hasn't. 

Another friend who has a family member who is a pediatrician at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh says admissions are way down there. Children are not suffering complications related to colds, flu or other respiratory issues that are typical this time of year.

Another friend was asked by her boss why she was wearing her mask when she was alone in her office.  She's finding that her allergies are less troublesome and it seems it's due to wearing the mask.

Those personal stories are pretty convincing evidence that wearing a mask is effective. We really can slow the spread of Covid by simply wearing a mask.  

Leadership

 As I was driving recently, over the radio came words that have resonated with me ever since. A preacher was talking about leadership as taught by Peter and Jesus. It was focused on being a good shepherd; mindful of the entire flock and ready to lift those in need. He talked about humility and being a service focused leader, ready to help others succeed and thrive.

What have your experiences been under leadership of bosses, coaches, pastors, organizations? As I reflect on the best and worst leaders I've encountered and take measure of their degrees of humility and service mindfulness, I find that the worst were lacking these qualities and the best were examples of great humility and were service minded.

In the worst, the leaders were self serving and gave little credit to those who worked under them. They focused on their "star players" and had little time for the ones they felt didn't meet their grade. They seldom sought input from the group but rather acted as though they alone had all the answers.  They belittled others and would step on whomever they needed in order to get more for themselves.

The best leaders were working right beside you and created a highly collaborative environment. They gave credit openly and they mentored. They were laser focused on the mission and asked for much from the team while working to ensure the team had what they needed to get the job done. They knew what was needed because they asked.  

The best advice I got from leaders still carry me. 

"You don't need to have all the answers but you need to know where to find them." This came from my First Sergeant when I got my sergeant stripes.

"Failure is not an option." This from my favorite boss and mentor and then he would lead or get out of the way.

A service focused leader is humble enough to seek better answers from those he or she leads and do what they can to ensure success. They lift everyone around them. We need this kind of leadership at all levels of our country.

Hate has no place in something better - click here!

Blogging reminds me that a headline may be misleading. It goes back to an old communication theory question. Is meaning assigned by the sender or the receiver? Fact is, the sender has their meaning and the receiver attaches theirs.

If you get an odd reaction to something you said, something you texted or something you posted, it may be a case of mixed up meaning. Is it what we said, how we said it or a word that sparked something we did not expect? Most problematic is that text messages, emails or posted messages have little fluidity. They offer no contextual information - facial expressions, tone of voice or ability to quickly understand a person's response to what we have said.

Another problem is that people don't read beyond headlines and often the headline is not representative of the entire message of the story being offered. Once in a while, someone responds to my facebook link of a blog but I can tell they didn't actually read the blog, just read the headline and thought they knew what I was writing about. 

Context is everything. Context provides us with a broader vision. We cannot get so lazy that we no longer seek context from one another. We cannot stop at a buzz word. We cannot cow to character assassination. We need to talk! We need to talk solutions and why we believe our solution may be best. Then we need to listen. Our solution may overlook something. Their solution may overlook something. If we can talk - really talk - we may come up with a better solution. Isn't that what we all want?

If we separate ourselves to the point that we don't actually talk with the fluidity of context, we are sunk. Headlines are misleading. Text messages across a void are misleading. We need to get together and talk! Teaching our sides to hate is not going to serve anyone well. Hate has no place in something better.

Ask me why I hate....

 If you ask me, "Why do you hate...", let me stop you right there. Spiritually, hatred is something I work very hard to avoid. I am vehemently opposed to some things and very repulsed by some things but I work very hard not to let the hardness of hatred take root in my spirit. Hatred blinds the opportunities of love. Love conquers all. I claim love as the source of my power.

It's very hard. It takes work and discipline. It means disengaging from the flash points - those comments, memes, situations - that could fuel those undercurrents that I suspect everyone has within. It means turning and embracing those things that I wish to be associated with spiritually. Honor, compassion, encouraging one another to reach for better, understanding, kindness, nurturing, truth, consistency, and most of all LOVE.

It is loving to help someone see how they can be better. It is loving to insist that someone be truthful and honorable. We don't do that by name calling or character assassination. We do that by inspiration and honoring them. And sometimes we have to do that by standing back and letting them fall while being ready to reach out our hand to lift them up.

Ask me why I don't hate and I will talk all day. I'll talk about how I see another way. If you ask me why I hate, I may have a question for you. Why do you?

The Potholes will come.

Soon the beauty of fall leaves will shift to winter in PA. Already we are watching the wooly bear caterpillar seeking predictions about the winter to come. Will it be a mild winter? When will the worst be?  Then OH those terrible roads. We NEED SOMEONE to get out there NOW and clear them!!

Then with cabin fever, we will be seeking signs of spring. Who sees the first robin?

Potholes! The Pennsylvania tradition will happen. SOMEONE needs to FIX those potholes! It's a PA tradition to complain about the potholes and often demand the worst be fixed fast. Magically, they slowly disappear and we shift into summer pleasures.

We travel to the state parks. We travel to the national parks and forests. We LOVE summers here in PA! We camp. We fish. We boat the waterways. 

Who cleared those roads for us? How did that happen? Who fixed those potholes? Who maintained those state and national parks? 

These are just a small example of things our taxes - state and federal - contribute to maintain. It's sometimes painful to pay taxes but taxes are our collective way of maintaining a better place for us to live. We can and should be involved in how our taxes are spent but NOT paying taxes is not a way to make us a better country. 

We all need to do our fair share. We all need to have a voice in how our share is used. Give a voice to your dollars. Make your dollars and your voice count! We need someone to clear our roads. We need our potholes fixed. We need public entities funded. We need to voice what we want funded! NOT funding these things is ludicrous. That is our social responsibility and in our individual self interest. It's simple common sense. 

 

What have we become as a nation?

 Are we the nation we once were? Or were we never that nation?

A revered gift from France, the statue of Liberty, reflected how that nation saw us. It symbolizes compassion; "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" Obviously, we are not the symbol of light reflected in those words. We are not that nation within our own shores for our own citizens. Perhaps we never were but it seemed we once aspired to be.

We were once champions of democracy. We built strong alliances with other democratic nations and those working to be more democratic. NATO was viewed as a sacred bond that was created by common pain and spilled blood from WWI and WWII. We treated these nations as friends and shared a seat at the table where common interests were central. Our leadership has pulled away from initiatives like the Paris Climate accord, and insulted our friends in NATO. Instead, the focus has been to develop friendships with totalitarian leaders around the world. Perhaps under the surface we have lusted power and our love of democracy was too fragile. 

Once we were champions of humanitarian causes throughout the world. This, even while we struggled within our borders to be more humane to those in need. We respected leaders who called for us to keep working to better ourselves and our nation as well as reaching beyond our shores to voice a call for equality and justice. Perhaps we are more tribal and selfish and no longer aspire to be a humane force.

Once we were united in tackling diseases and helping lead infectious disease control. When Jonus Salk developed the polio vaccine, he didn't seek personal financial gain. It was an altruistic effort. There were no calls for "herd immunity". The disease affected about 35,000 people a year in the late 40's. That was enough to cause the science community to actively work on a remedy and the nation was unified behind it. Now with more than 200,000 dead from contracting COVID-19 in less than 6 months, we have a divided nation. We hear questions about the reported numbers, "pre-existing conditions", refusal to wear masks, and let there be "herd immunity". Is this who we are now? 

There is a cruel and crass undertone across the nation. It's dramatically reflected in our leadership with outrageous rhetoric and the policies supported by those who follow it. Every one of our institutions is under attack - the postal service, CIA, FBI, Justice system, journalists, public school system, Center for Infectious Disease, NIH, and even the National Weather Service. It's about unbridled control of information to silence calls for addressing and solving problems. It's fanning a lust for greed and violent impulses. 

Truth is no longer truth and facts are no longer facts. We have learned to distrust each other, question motives and fight one another. It seems we are not united in a solution to anything. There is no effort that we champion as a nation. We are a nation adrift and pulling ourselves apart at the seams. 

My heart aches as the destruction seems to be growing beyond repair. The only thing I know to do is NOT become part of the cruelty and crass behavior. AND VOTE!!!!

 

RNC made it very clear indeed....

Lawlessness! Violence and looting! Shootings! Police killing! 

Casinos opened and churches cannot! 

Small businesses devastated! Mass unemployment!

Civil Liberties violated! Pandemic out of control!

We cannot have 4 more years of Biden - Trump - Biden - Trump? Who's president again?

The Impact of Service

 Sitting around the campfire on many summer nights, I stare into the sky and often ask why I feel different.

Why do I see this thing or that thing differently than someone next to me?

Of course, it is our experiences and how they have impacted us. I know this intuitively. But why? Why? Why?

Many years ago, I made a choice - a decision - that seemed so unlike me that most family thought was crazy. They were right. It was crazy and unlike me. And it was transformative. I joined the Air Force. I signed up and left as quickly as I could. It meant I had not formative plan for a career. I signed up under general mechanics because that is where I fit best in the ASFAB test.

An odd impulse from the universe told me I could be an AFRTS broadcaster, but the recruiter said that would take 6 months, and I could not wait so - sign me up for whatever so I can leave in 2 weeks. I could sign up under mechanic and he could send me in 2 weeks. Off I went to be a mechanic. I was on my way. It is the most stupid decision and the best investment I ever made in my life! The universe had plans.

That odd impulse came from someone who had been an AFRTS broadcaster and taught me to read news in the way he had learned. So, while in basic training, I learned that there was a shortage of broadcasters. I auditioned. The audition was to read news. I passed.

Through the years I have felt that I gained far more than many others because it launched a career for me. I suffered so very little compared to brothers and sisters who served in combat situations. And I heard the stories first hand. They stuck with me.

But I have recently been impacted by an understanding that many of my brothers and sisters HERE in the US have NEVER really felt the impact of life or death decisions. I will humbly submit that it changes you.

I have experienced knowing you may quickly need to choose life for duty. I have huddled in a space knowing that discovery could mean facing death - actually.

I do not wish that on you. But I do wish that you would listen and hear. I wish that you could see through another's eyes. I wish that it would drive you to humility in a way that allows broader understanding.

I have shied away from waving my flag of service. Maybe I need to wave it more. The best investment you can make is service. I know that and understand it more clearly as the years pass. Service brings a greater sense of humility for may of us. 

Serve others. Serve something bigger. It will be transformative. It will be the best investment you ever make.

We need to be talking Health Care, Education and Judicial Systems

 There are certain functions of society that should not be privately owned and operated. They are too important to risk being driven by a profit motive or a political motive, over the public good. These functions of society are integral to the health and well being of the nation as a whole. These should be free of a profit incentive and political incentive while strictly operated by specific mission. There should be strong oversight to ensure that corruption and waste are minimized. There should also be open policies for the contributions of those within the function to create continued improvement in meeting the mission. Their budgets, policies, and practices should be transparent and open to public scrutiny. These functions should be governed and managed ONLY by elected officials with NO political appointee anywhere in the system. Governing boards should be 4 year appointments and the top governing official (elected) would serve for 10 years, reporting to the governing board.

1) Education - Pre-school through 4 year College. We need a public education program that provides the opportunity for all of our citizens to obtain a solid education that includes a 4 year degree. Private schools of any kind, should not receive tax dollars. All tax dollars, local, state and federal, should be dedicated to public education institutions only. There should be an elected local board of education for each school district. Then a state board of education. To be eligible to serve on the state board, you must have served on a local board. Then a national board requiring local or state board experience. The Secretary of Education is then ELECTED to a 10 year appointment and reports to the national board. 

Private schools are free to operate outside the governance of the local, state or national boards of education. They are privately funded and privately operated. Pure and simple.

2) Judicial System - Our judicial system needs a huge overhaul. There's a mix of how judges get on the bench. Some are elected. Some are appointed by Governors. Some are appointed by Congress. https://ballotpedia.org/State_judicial_elections,_2018 These positions of great power, clear up to the Supreme Court, have become highly politicized and very centrally controlled. The position of Attorney General, the heads of the CIA and FBI, are increasingly politicized and centrally controlled. If the Judicial Branch of government is intended to be a separate and equal balance of power, we have a problem. And it's trickling down. The policies, rulings, and practices enacted are creating greater mistrust and unrest. As one of the pillars of a strong democracy, the judicial system cannot be allowed to crumble or fold into one of the other two branches of government - Executive OR Congressional. 

Privatizing any part of the Judicial system is equally alarming. We have the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world including China and Russia! Something is wrong. It's certainly not all caused by privatizing prisons but profit incentive for imprisoning our citizens cannot be a good thing. 

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/uk/06/prisons/html/nn2page1.stm

3) Health Care - We spend more per capita on healthcare than any developed nation. We spend a significantly greater percentage of our GDP on healthcare than any other developed nation AND most of them have a universal health care system. 

https://www.commonwealthfund.org/sites/default/files/documents/___media_files_publications_fund_report_2016_jan_1857_mossialos_intl_profiles_2015_v7.pdf

There was great resistance to the Affordable Care Act provision that penalized those without health care. Many felt they still could not afford or that they didn't need or want health insurance. Reality is that whether it's an accident or a sudden unexpected illness, nearly everyone is going to need health care at some point in their life. When someone without health care lands in the hospital and cannot pay, it increases health care costs for everyone else and can leave them financially devastated. 

We need to quit talking about it and do it. Look at the other developed nations and adopt the best solution. Just do it. The idea that we can't is ridiculous. This really is a matter of life or death.

Those are the three things that I believe are the most important issues in this election. The health of our nation and the health of our democracy are at stake. We cannot have a strong economy or a more united nation until we address these three things. And they are just the place to start. We need to get involved and get educated on the issues we believe are most important. We need to talk about those issues and our ideas for solutions. 

Weird and weirder

Things are getting really weird. Remember the pizza scandal associated with Hilary Clinton in the last election. Supposedly she was involved in some child sex ring and a pizza shop. 

Now it's back. But it's bigger. Walmart is in on it. The whole democratic party is in on it. There's a satanic fright added in the mix. When you see a meme on facebook, go to the associated source. I saw one recently and went to the "source". http://crime.awm.com/ The website looks like a digital version of the National Enquirer. Here are some of the headlines - "Chelsea Clinton Just Admitted Something That Everyone was Suspecting", "Inspiring Celebrity Weight Loss Transformations - Find Out How They Did it", "Farmer Spots Large Python Spitting Up His Meal, Devastated When He Realizes Who is Missing" and there is a video with that one!

A group called QAnon is saying Trump is saving the world from a satanic ring involving child sex trafficking and cannibalism. AND Trump is saying "Is that a bad thing?"

Watch for all this to get weirder. There are otherwise reasonable people that are believing these things. I'm not sure what we can do about it except encourage those we know to be careful about what you are taking in. Slow down and do some rational thinking. If it feels crazy, it probably is crazy. 

Get ready for it!

 This might be a handy link for those who want to start attacking Kamala Harris - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kamala-Harris Hopefully Encyclopedia Britannica isn't too liberal a source to be credible. 

A political ad quickly began running as soon as the announcement was made that she would be VP pick to run with Biden. "Phony" and "Radical"? In actuality she is very authentic and tough. There's nothing "phony" about this woman! She's been known for years to be a centrist, able to balance a strong record on law and order with fighting for progressive policies to ensure that justice is balanced. 

A meme was floating around already claiming she wasn't born in the US. Sigh! How long before there are demands for copies of her birth certificate? And how long before her religion is questioned? And soon it will be "not really black" - resurrected from the primaries.

Already the president has called her "nasty", a term he loves to use for any tough woman. This from the nastiest president in our country's history. 

We could quickly make a checklist of every attack that will rise up. Anything that was used against Obama will be on the list - the one's above and more. Anything that has been used again women will be on the list. 

We will hear and see snarky comments about her hair and how she dresses. Someone will surface who says she was a mean boss. There will be accusations that she got certain things because she was a person of color.

But this woman is tough enough, smart enough and quick enough to handle it all. And as I see all these emerge, I will just shake my head. I'll say to myself 'I expected you to be one who would jump on this one". You'll look foolish to all but those who are fools too.

Let's talk actual policy. Let's talk about approaches to problems and who has the best plan. Do some homework before you jump on a bandwagon. 

Update: As I see new ones, I'd add them. If you see any, comment below. It will be interesting to see the list. I won't add ones that seem to actually address a policy or position question.

8/13 "Why does Kamala Harris identify as African American when she's Jamaican?

8/14 Fox news running story with BLM person saying Kamala is "not black enough."

Bless those who believe in something bigger!

Recently I learned that there is a free privately owned camp site along the bike trail near here. One man has been camping there every summer for 7 years with one mission and one benefit. He welcomes campers and make sure the sites are clean of trash so it can stay free and open to the public for camping. There is no other motive. There is no financial benefit to the land owner. This one man ensures that it remains an open and welcoming space. He doesn't do it for financial benefit to himself so why does he do it?

Sometimes we believe in something bigger than ourselves. We all need to believe in something bigger than ourselves!

Our system of doing things for monetary gain is a human created system. It is wrong. To survive in this world we must adapt but it is spiritually wrong.  Spiritually, we need to learn our gift and our passion and follow it. Nothing is spiritually small when it is our gift and our passion. Together we can! It may not put wealth in our coffers this day. But we are planting seeds of inspiration. I know - spiritually - that the work of this one man - for seven years - is valuable in ways I cannot measure by dollars. Bless him! And Bless the land owner who shares his insight! May this space - this place - provide more inspiration and blessing to all who learn of this story or find their way to this special place.

"Herd Immunity"

I hate that I have to figure out if we share the same level of concern about the Covid-19 or not. I'm doing the extra immune system boosting and have been since early this year. I'm doing the best I can to protect my employees and family. I limit my potential exposure. I don't do crowds. I'm not trying to be one of the herd.

“Herd immunity” speaks something different to me. It says, let the strong survive. I'm doing the extra immune system boosting. I'm avoiding exposing others to risk. I'm part of the herd that is “at risk”. I'm not a herd person. I'm a “least of these” person.

There has never been a “cure” for the common cold. Herd immunity has not solved it. But the common cold has not killed people in numbers that warranted counting. Other corona virus's have. Flu has.

If “all” corona virus's are measured now in the new testing, does that mean that past testing has included all corona virus's too? Should we look at those as suspect numbers too? If so, do the new numbers show a spike (actually)? Or did those corona virus tests target better? If they did, why?

I need to know what the data tells us. How many deaths are listed as covid-19 that have not been confirmed? I need to know. And if they are reported falsely, I want to know to know why and we should all want to correct that.

Demand better! I don't care what your political perspective is! If you believe we don't have the information right, we cannot get things right until we get on the same page. Truth is true. Period. We need to do whatever it takes to overcome the barriers to getting things right.

Do you want a herd of 1000 or a herd of 10,000? This part of the herd would like to be around a while longer. But I'm beginning to think I'm not so keen on being part of the herd that sees things the other way. I hate that I have to figure out if we share the same level of concern for our brothers and sisters. My immune boost may be something much more spiritually based.

Data

How do you make good decisions?
In business, you look at data. I love our software dashboard at the music store. I see sales by category, day of the week, comparison to last year, and much more. Tracking information is extremely useful.
As we are looking at this pandemic, it's hard to sort through the disinformation to get to good data. I don't care about the politics, I want data. I want something I can use to make a good decision. Here's what I can't use.
*This is all a democrat hoax to derail Trump's re-election. This would mean that US Democrats have infiltrated every country on earth and created a virus spread to spoil Trump's chances for re-election.
*This will all be over when the election is over. Wow! Then every country in the world should be demanding that we do the election NOW. US election done - Virus over. Done. That sounds like a great plan.
*The tests are not accurate. Well, yes, that is likely true. So, are we to believe there are NO positives and EVERY negative is correct? That doesn't sound right. How many people have it and spread it but have no symptoms? Don't we need to know that?
*There is a difference between dying from corona and dying with corona? OK If I smoke and develop lung cancer, is it the lung cancer that killed me or the smoking?
Mostly, I see people twisting themselves in knots trying to minimize what is actually a very serious problem.
So, how am I making decisions?
First, I look at the big picture. What's happening in other countries? How are they handling this? What is working? Who's doing better and why might that be?
I follow regional reporting. And I depend on my personal contacts. I have a personal connection to someone who tested positive and got pretty sick while a spouse tested positive and showed no symptoms. Who had it first? We don't know.
I personally know a handful of people who have direct experience with death FROM covid. (And I cannot think of anyone IN MY LIFETIME that I know who have direct experience with death FROM flu.)
I personally know someone who does the contact tracing and says there is much to be concerned about and much we do not know publicly.
I am personally connected to someone who has been working in a Covid hotspot hospital for months on end and is outraged that anyone is calling it a HOAX.
Those are the basis of my decisions. Personal data collection. Careful data collection. And sorting the stupid bullshit out. You talk politics. I don't care about it. I have a business to run and I'm not playing footloose and fancy free.

Russian Roulette

Some months ago, a friend called to tell me her family was on quarantine because one of them had tested positive for Covid-19. It was during the shut down so we hadn't seen each other in weeks. I wasn't scared for me but I was scared for them. As it turned out, none of them ever showed symptoms. Was it a false positive? Maybe. But there was good reason to believe the test was correct. They all did the right thing and ensured that they were not asymptomatic carriers. I'm sure it wasn't easy and I was happy when I checked in and she reported that they were all well.
Then a local friend shared a tragic story. One of her friends died within one week of testing positive for Covid-19. Her uncharacteristic reaction was, "the shit just got real".
Meanwhile, friends and family are divided about the seriousness of the disease spread. And there lies the saddest part.
Yesterday I talked for over an hour with someone who just tested positive for Covid-19 and they are suffering on multiple levels. Scared, isolated, experiencing symptoms - they shared that calling family for support didn't feel like a good decision. I heard stories about family posting rude comments on social media and open hostility to those expressing serious concerns about this pandemic. "I don't want them to know because I don't think they would be understanding or supportive."
While this is someone I believe is healthy and will get past this, I have cried often since our talk. I get it.
I'm as respectful as possible with those who don't share my level of concern. But understand that I see NOT being concerned as playing Russian Roulette. And I am NOT playing. I'm not about to pick up the gun. Keep your gun away from me. If I am wrong, you will not be harmed. If you are around to be angry with me, I'm happy - even if you keep saying I was wrong.
If YOU are wrong, I'm dead.

A book to inspire...

The Little Locksmith by Katherine Butler Hathaway is the most interesting and thought provoking books I have ever read. In this memoir, she weaves her story around the decision to buy a house. As she works to bring the old house back to it's former self, she discovers herself. While this is not a religious book, she takes us on a spiritual journey as she helps us understand her life and how the house unlocked the woman trapped inside her.
We learn that she spent 10 years of her childhood strapped to a board in an attempt to cure her from spinal tuberculous. (She was born in the late 1800's) In a situation that would seem unimaginable, she finds joy. As she weaves the story of her house into the story of her relationships with family and friends, she touches on spiritual understanding that reaches deep. Her style of writing is wonderfully descriptive and filled with quotable lines that jump from the pages as deep truth to hold.
The Little Locksmith is a story about connectedness. It reminds me to stop and see. It reminds me that connection to all things lies within. Joy lies in our ability to see the amazing in even the smallest things. Joy is creation or as Katherine says "God within".
This book touch my spirit as it has caused me to reflect on my own life and those transformative relationships that have influenced me. Her wit and insights are as relevant today as they were 100 years ago. If you are looking for a great summer read that is inspiring, this is one I highly recommend.

Who do you know?

At my annual physical in early February, my doctor said, "That virus in China will come here. We don't know when and we don't know how serious it will be, but it will come." And he cautioned me to boost my immune system. We talked strategy. I started doing what he told me to do.
When the media started getting excited about it in March, someone else I respect told me not to get too concerned. "The flu takes thousand of lives every year," she said. And I googled to find she was right. By then, the US was just in the hundreds. But I watched Italy. And I kept doing what my doctor told me to do. I boosted my immune system.
Months have followed with the president calling it a hoax, followers insisting the numbers are inflated, the media is "lying" and people refusing to wear masks. I'm still boosting my immune system.
The "hoax", the inflated numbers, the "media lying"??? Maybe you don't know people affected by this very virus or refuse to believe they are telling the truth. When friends tell you their family has been affected, their family members have died from this, they have had to quarantine due to exposure, their friend has died - they are working non-stop at an overwhelmed hospital. It's not a hoax or inflated or a "media lie". It's real. It's your friend. It's on your doorstep. And yes - I have friends who have lost love ones. I have friends who have had to quarantine due to exposure. I know someone who has been working in a Southwest hospital non-stop for months and has said since April "THIS IS NOT A HOAX!" It hits home for me.
I hate wearing a mask. I don't like breathing my CO2 and won't do it in the cold of winter to keep me warm under the blanket. I have to constantly remind myself that I love you enough not to kill you. Even if I don't love you, I love you enough not to kill you. And I am not stupid enough to believe I cannot carry or contract this virus. I trust my doctor over you. Sorry if that upsets you. I'm still boosting my immune system.
This is a new virus and much needs to be learned. Most flu virus' do subside in April and warmer months. This one is not.
It hurt a lot to have our business closed for 6 weeks. I'm growing increasingly frustrated that there has not been a consolidated plan to deal with this pandemic. The "pretend it's not a big deal" approach isn't working. Rational people know better. Germany and Denmark knew better. Iceland knew better.
If we want our economy to come back, we need a unified approach.
It is a "big deal". It is not a HOAX. The media is not "lying" unless they are telling you this is a hoax and not a big deal.

What if I'm wrong?

What if I'm wrong?
What if I wear the mask when out in public, enforce mask wearing in my business, disinfect, wash my hands - all of it - and I'm wrong? What if I believe the statistics and the reporting and I'm wrong?
What if I actually pose no risk to anyone and they pose no risk to me?

What if I'm wrong?
What if I don't wear the mask when out in public, don't enforce mask wearing in my business, don't disinfect, don't wash my hands - exercise my freedom - and I'm wrong? What if I don't believe the statistics and reporting and I'm wrong?
What if I actually pose a risk to everyone I contact and they pose a risk to me?

If I'm going to be wrong, which direction do I want to go? Do I want to wear the mask and actually there is no danger OR do I want to be free and put myself and everyone I encounter in danger?

Wow! That's a tough one.

A Hard way to Live

We don't easily recognize our own irrational bias. We all have them. I recall times I was embarrassed to realize mine. It was shocking. It wasn't anything anyone said but rather my experiencing something that shattered a pre-conceived notion.
One of those experiences happened at Allegheny Collage when I happened upon an art exhibit featuring photos of black neighborhoods in the 1930's. It was long ago and I don't recall if it featured a particular city or variety of cities but the black and white images were stunning and totally confronted my pre-conceived notions about "black life".
All of the homes were fancier than the homes of my family. Beautiful cars were parked in the driveways and the people dressed like movie stars. I circled the gallery several times staring at the images and feeling increasingly stupid. Assumptions are strange things. This was over 40 years ago and it still resonates with me.
I treasure that day because it reminds me to be cautious about assumptions. If someone says something that conflicts with what I believe to be true, I'm more open to exploring it. It makes my life much richer and causes me to be more open to new experiences. I wouldn't want to live another way.
It's shocking to encounter others who vehemently defend what now seems to me to be extreme views. They grow angrier and angrier if confronted with a different perspective. That's a hard way to live. The thing that stands out is fear. And it's fear that is irrational. That's a hard way to live.

A Joke?

Many of this president's "jokes" go over my head. I simply don't get the joke. It's kind of like your uncle telling an off color joke he thinks is very funny. It sounds more like something a bit frightening that he really believes. It's not funny.
Obviously, testing more for Covid-19 will result in more positive numbers. If he wanted to tell that "joke", he could have followed up with something representing leadership in solving a nation wide problem. His attempts at treating this virus like it isn't really a big deal are not working. It didn't just go away in April.
The number of deaths from this virus are still rising. In just three and a half months, those numbers have far surpassed any recent flu epidemic. At this rate, we will be close to 500,000 in one year. And, yes, the media is reporting about it. This is the story of the century. Pretending it's not big is irresponsible.
The virus is not this president's fault. This would have come to our doorsteps with any president. The mixed messages about this virus, and the administration's response to it, are his fault. The human cost in terms of lives and economic impact are not a joking matter. The lack of a nationwide strategy and consistent messaging are making this situation worse.
He could have sounded less irrational if he would have said "All joking aside, this didn't go away in April like I and others believed it would..." Then he should have followed with some indication of a leadership role in coordinating an effort to get things under control. He should have offered some form of leadership in a call to action for all of us.
Instead, his staff have been scrambling to try to explain his "joke" while he's not indicating that he actually meant it as a joke. Most of us see it as more pathetic than funny.
It's impossible now to sell the notion that the media is over reporting this. Many of us know people who have tested positive. We know people who have family members who have died from this. We know people who are serving on the front line and have been overwhelmed for months as they care for sick and dying people.
Meanwhile, many of us are experiencing the economic impact. People are concerned and not spending money because they don't have money to spend or because they fear un-necessary exposure. Consumer confidence is what drives an economy. Consumers are not confident right now. The economy won't recover until they are.
Less testing doesn't sound like a joke. It sounds like a dangerous way to approach a problem. Washington, we have a problem.

Door number 1, Number 2, Number 3 or FAITH?

For many years, I have known that people in my orbit fall into three categories:
1) Those who would quickly turn in my name name if there was a reward.
2) Those who would quickly turn their heads and pretend they did not see.
3) Those who would stand and defend me.
It has been a deep part of my understanding of life for more years than I wish to admit. That reality of understanding includes family and those who sometimes call me "friend". Many of them have helped me along the way. Many have shared in successes. Some have been uncommonly kind. But I know in my soul who falls in 1, 2 or 3. A few waiver between them. A few are conditional.
What is more important to me is where do I stand? As I look at those in 1 or 2, what would I do? What is my spiritual path? I will answer for myself. I will be judged by my choices. How can my actions now best serve spirit?
Understanding my needs and my understanding of the universe is one thing. Trusting the universal truth is quite another.

How liberal is your Second Amendment Perspective?

The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
The most liberal interpretation of this amendment totally ignores the "well regulated Militia" clause. The vast majority of gun owners in this country are not part of anything that is well regulated and not are part of any form of militia. We have allowed anyone who wants one to buy a military grade weapon and parade around with it openly. The liberal interpretation is focused on "shall not be infringed".
Oddly, conservatives have embraced this liberal perspective. 
My conservative perspective is that we need to look very carefully at the "well regulated Militia" part of this amendment. The right of the people needs to be balanced in a more conservative interpretation. It's a matter of logic and common sense.
We cannot have everyone carrying guns and feel assured that everyone is capable of handling the responsibility. We need some common sense measures. That's the reason for the "well regulated Militia" clause. Certainly, there was expectation of some form of common sense regulation. 
Do you really want EVERY US citizen to have the right? Imagine situations where those "others" could have shown up with AR-15's. Would you argue that their rights should "not be infinged"? Really?
What if "they" take over your state capital with AR-15's? What if "they" march with AR-15's in front of the White House? Would you argue that "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed"? Would you?
We need some common sense measures. That's the reason for the "well regulated Militia" clause. Certainly, there was expectation of some form of common sense regulation. 
How liberal is your perspective on the Second Amendment?
Mine is on the conservative side.

The AR-15 Guys

Saturday at Franklin's BLM march, there were a handful of dudes with AR15's who were "guarding the monuments". They followed the crowd as they marched down Liberty Street in another show of "guarding" or something.
Beyond showing off their big guns and looking intimidating, what was their plan if some perceived trouble broke out? Why would you parade machine guns unless you actually thought there was some danger, right? Were they really prepared to kill people? How do you control an automatic weapon so it just hits the intended target? What if they had to shoot toward the very monuments they were supposedly guarding? What if they started shooting "looters" in front of storefronts? Those stores were open with people inside. Did they actually have any plan besides looking intimidating?
What does this say about their respect and confidence in our Police Department? They didn't think our police could protect the safety of people and property? It seems to me they posed another risk for and to the police. At the end of the day, the AR-15 guys just looked foolish.
Afterward they likely gathered somewhere to crack a brew and pat themselves on the back for saving the city. Maybe they shared stories about some exciting confrontation. They may be emboldened to plan some other event in which they can parade around again and show off their big guns.
Guns and emotions don't mix well. Their presence creates tension. Their intensions are questionable and they are unlikely to have training to handle the situations they may create or believe they need to address.
Certainly someone reading this will say "they have a right"... To me, they pose a danger. I question the mental and emotional stability of civilians needing to parade around in a crowd with an AR-15. They either suffer from great anxiety and fear OR they have some sense of bravado and hero desire. They are carrying a dangerous weapon in a situation they are not equipped to handle.
Arguing that someone has a right to openly carry a weapon makes as much sense to me as saying someone has the right to openly carry around a bomb. We're going to see more of these AR-15 guys around the county and it's not going to end well.

March in Joyful Unity

Today - right here in Franklin - there was a Black Lives Matter mark that was well attending. It was PEACEFUL and a call to stop the violence and intrusion that has been directed at blacks and many others of color.
On the fringes were men with AR15's. To me, weapons are not a call for peace. I recognize that they have a right in this country to display such things. They believed they were protecting something. It seems they are afraid and feel a need to walk around with weapons to feel less afraid.
I also have great respect and confidence in our Police force here. That's why I no longer have a weapon in my home as I did when I lived in the country. Why the fear?
Those who march for BLM here believe in peace, justice for all and a nation of unity behind the the aspiration of Equality for All. I have no fear in joining them. I am overjoyed that this community is demonstrating that belief!
Those who are fearful enough to carry automatic weapons, cannot steal the Joy I feel. We need to march right past them in peace. We need to march right past them to create a better world. We need to focus on what we are marching FOR. March past resistance and keep marching. March in JOYFUL unity.

We Need a National Service Program!

We could solve a lot of problems with a National Service program. Every 18 year old who is not severely disabled would be required to serve the country for a minimum of 4 years. It could be Americore, Peace Corps or Military but they must serve.
All the benefits of Military Service would apply to Americore or Peace Corps. Eduction benefits, health care benefits, loan programs, and a lifetime a gratitude for National Service. It would take young people to places they could not imagine and help them understand cultural differences. They would receive job training and work experience while learning to work beside people from across the country - many who don't look like them. They could choose to serve for 20 years and earn a retirement as they work up the "ranks", serving as supervisors and managers.
The benefits to the nation would be dynamic, depending on the objectives of the National Service Program. Anyone who has served in the military can attest to how service opened their eyes and had a dramatic impact on their entire lives. Even those who bare scars (physical and emotional) from war time service, can recount the impact of working side by side with people who grew up differently than we did. For me, it helped to grow an appreciation for diversity. I remember being introduced to okra and black eyed peas by true southerners and the impact of being the only white person in the house. I remember how it felt to be the only person in the room that couldn't speak the language. I was in kind and welcoming situations but I was the "different" one. That was new to me.
Beyond my own experiences, I met people who shared their experiences. I heard the first hand account of a former POW who suffered 8 years in Vietnam. I spent many hours with a co-worker who shared stories about what it was like to be an American woman serving in Turkey. I served with Mexican/Americans from the West Coast. I rode horses with friends from the mid-west. I heard about growing up in Queens, NY. I heard about life in the Philippines.
Americore programs could have a huge impact on our country. These people would serve within the United States. I would urge that these young people be dispersed to areas far from home. Insure that rural youth are assigned for at least a year in an urban setting and visa versa. Send them to work on infrastructure projects, at National or State Parks, in non-profit agencies and in municipal roles. It would provide much needed resources.
Peace Corps service would take young people around the world. They would serve in international roles helping with projects in countries where help is needed. These are not political projects. They are real world, working with community, and helping with needs in impoverished areas. It would do much to boost the image of the United States around the world and those young people would return with international understanding.
National Service would bridge many societal gaps. I left the military and finished my degree without taking on debt to do it. While serving, I took advantage of the Montgomery Bill and contributed to my education fund with a dollar for dollar match. I never needed any of the other benefits until recently using the VA medical. I am thankful for all that those few services gave me - far more benefit than I put in. We need a generation or two of people who share that same sense of gratitude. I believe a National Service Program would do that!

Be Embarrassed but be Patient

Reading and watching a wide variety of news sources is very important. Trusting just one is foolish. Including international news sources provides even greater insight. NEVER trust one that says they are the ONLY one reporting truth. I won't watch Fox News for that reason. They truly represent fake news. It's embarrassing.
But I have found a way to follow what's reported on Fox News. Just watch the Facebook pages of people who do. It's easy to figure out who those people are. They deny the reporting of every other major news source; national and international. They constantly post things like, "if you're upset about apples, why aren't you talking about oranges." And they will rabidly attack when questioned or if their misinformation is pointed out. It's embarrassing.
The effect on this nation has been disturbing. It's about relationships. Fox News has served as the voice of this president, echoing whatever lie or conspiracy theory he wants to spread and creating division in its wake. The only way lies work is if the recipient is convinced to listen to only one source for information. Ironically, many of these viewers will say "You can't believe any of them." But they are believing someone who is telling them that, over and over again. It's embarrassing.
Fortunately, our country is better than this. We have aspired to higher principles and voices are raising up from all corners of society to say "Enough is Enough!" We can love apples AND love oranges. We can include all voices and listen to a variety of voices. We can see with our own eyes and hear with our own ears. When what we see and what we hear do not match with a narrative, we can say so. Voices are rising up, all over the world.
It's important to know what the Fox News narrative is but truth will always prevail. Be embarrassed but be patient. Seek truth and walk softly. Truth has a long reach.

I take a Knee!

Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem in peaceful protest of the injustices and systemic problems he saw. He, and those who joined him, suffered repercussions and were accused of disrespecting the flag and insulting veterans. Their message was shouted down. They were ignored and overwhelmed. They needed to be controlled.
Black Lives Matters protested peacefully across the nation. They were shouted down with "All Lives Matter", and their message was ignored. They needed to be controlled.
Now focus of some is centered on the wrongdoing of looters and those who are violent. There is a slight hint of recognition that the police responsible for killing George Floyd were wrong, but again, the message of protesters is being ignored. They need to be controlled.
Tracy Chapman once said, "There’s only so far you can push people before they start to push back,..." Those resorting to looting and violence are shoving back.
I abhor violence and cannot condone looting and stealing. But what is it going to take to get this nation to listen and actually work on systemic changes? What is it going to take? When are we going to stop shouting down those who try to peacefully protest?
This president had peaceful protesters violently remove from where he wanted to walk for a photo op. This president called for liberation of a state where heavily armed white men took over a capital building. There was no call to control those people.
How would he react if heavily armed black men took over a state capital building? Would there be a call for liberation? Would there be an outcry for 2nd amendment rights? Likely NOT!
What is most frustrating to me is that we have so failed as a nation to solve systemic problem and now those on the front line are overwhelmed in addressing the fallout. We have failed our good police officers. They are confronting the fallout of the failure of our mental health system. They are confronting the fallout of the failure of our economic system. They are confronting the fallout from the failure of our education system. They are overwhelmed.
Now the military is being called out to deal with the fallout. "They" need to be controlled. The problem is that actual change will come slowly. And if there are not fast results, the anger that is now a rage will grow. Military resistance will not work. If we want peace, we must be peace.
Peace begins with each of us. I am taking a knee!

Not "of" this world

Be in this world but not "of" this world. That thought is central to my joke about certainty that I am from another planet. Thinking about the origins of that certainty is a determination to not allow what was happening around me to shake me to the core. What was happening in my life then, and much of what I see happening now, are things I did not/do not want to allow to change my spirit.
They are around me but I do not want to let them inside. It is a great challenge. I'm convinced that central to creating a safety shield is the level of fear that rises inside. The opposite of love is not hate. It is fear.
Fear can drive us to do and say things we would not do in love. Fear makes us weak in the knees. And fear drives anger.
Of course, some fear is a very real survival response. If a semi is heading straight toward you, hopefully your natural fear response helps you react quickly enough to get out of the way. Hopefully fear keeps you from jumping off a cliff.
But if you mitigate the risk of "splat" at the bottom of the cliff, fear can be overcome and actually end in an exhilarating experience. Parasails and kite gliders help to transcend fear.
If we don't want fear to drive us, our power lies in properly assessing risk and doing what we can to mitigate the risk. When I can do this, fear does not grow into hate and anger. It's when I believe I am powerless that fear drives me in a negative way.
We cannot control what others do. Rarely will anger help us or them. What can we do to shield ourselves from an actually risk others pose (well assessed) and to protect our spirit? If we can slow our response, careful not to stoke emotional fire within, we can better consider the risk and our ability to mitigate it.
Often, I first write. What just happened? That's my first step in processing. Within this blogger, there remain many drafts that were never shared. And perhaps there are some shared that should have remained drafts. In any case, I find writing to be a great way to begin grounding. My next step is to adjust what I can control. With age, it's become more important for me to ask myself if my thoughts and actions are spiritually true for me. I can control my thoughts and actions. I can prepare for possible dangers.
My faith lies in spiritual truth. That truth will rise above my own frailties and overcome those dangers that may arise. Truth will rise above everything and it will prevail. Resting in that assurance calms me and it is the source of my inner power - universal power.

Even if I don't say a word

I had a most interesting experience in recent days. A customer needed a few specific things and we had a very nice exchange. I learned a little about his personal story and got to hear an amazing voice. As he prepared to leave, he paused and offered encouraging words.
"Things will get better soon," he said.
And then, like the flip of a switch, he grew quite animated.
"Just don't believe a thing you hear on mainstream media," he said with arms motioning, "it's all lies."
We were wearing masks so he could only see my eyes which must have widened.
"Trump is the savior of this country!" His voice grew in intensity, "I don't care what anyone says about him."
My eyes must have grown wider but I didn't say a word.
And he grew more animated, pointing at me.
"You're a SOCIALIST!" He accused. Then he pushed the door open and pointed again. "You're a SOCIALIST!"
I turned to my sister whom I was happy was nearby. "What did I say?"
Her eyes were wide too. "Nothing."
And so it is with today's world. Pleasant situations can turn on a dime. And I guess there's a new savior. And I'm an anti-savior. Even if I don't say a word.

It's Ground Hog Day.....Again

Wash, rinse, shake it off. Wash, rinse, shake it off. Repeat.

When this president says something he should not say or something crazy, there is a cycle of defense. It goes like this:

He didn't say that.
Then there's a transcript or video where he clearly did say that.

It was taken out of context.
When the full context shows it's definitely not different in full context....

He didn't mean it.
When that falls flat, cue up the next response.

He was joking.
When that falls flat, cue up the next response.

You're stupid for believing what you heard.
OR It doesn't matter because someone else did something as bad or worse.

Wash, rinse, shake it off. Repeat.

Best to just sit back, get out the popcorn and believe it's Ground Hog day all over again.

Perspective and the Challenge of Balance

Some months ago, a Facebook acquaintance posted an anti-Trump meme attributing a quote to him that was derogatory. I'm not a Trump fan but, for some reason, I decided to fact check it and learned that he had not actually said it. I shared what I had learned. She thanked me and took the meme down.
Recently, again on Facebook, I saw a post that attributed the COVID-19 virus to a scheme created by some Harvard professor. Fact checking showed that he was in trouble for misuse of funds, but not the creation of this pandemic. I shared what I had learned. I was outright dismissed. And the fact finding site I linked to was dismissed as "liberal". My guess is ANY fact finding resources would be dismissed as "liberal". Perhaps fact finding is now a "liberal" endeavor.
I made the mistake of writing a blog about clues to use in sorting stories that may be misleading. I did not post it under their meme or name anyone. But WOW did I get blasted on my page.
Today, again on Facebook, a friend shared a version of that Harvard professor story. She seemed to post it as wondering about it's possibility. So, I took a deep breath and shared what I had learned. She thanked me. But she might be "liberal" leaning.
I'm a curious person. I like to look beyond the surface and try to understand things. I try to be respectful. I try to seek truth.
I'm a bit mystified with the often repeated "You can't believe any news" statements. I want to ask, what are you believing? You are getting information from somewhere. What is making that information more compelling?
The things I'm seeing, don't match with that reality.
As COVID-19 broke out in China, I had my annual doctor visit. It was early February. He encouraged me to boost my immune system. I love that he is very into a supplement routine. And he said, this virus was coming. "We don't know when, but it will come."
So, I boosted. And I watched international news - BBC and Sky News. People I knew across the political aisle, expressed disbelief about the reporting from China. I think they were right, but maybe not always from the perspective they expressed. I watched Italy.
As I heard our leadership dismiss this virus as "like the flu", I continued to watch Italy. But I did take note as those around me expressed that many people die of flu each year. And, at the time I was concerned, mid-February, less than 1000 people had died due to COVID 19.
I researched flu seasons to see if there were times our health systems were overwhelmed. Indeed, there were pockets of flu outbreak in 2016 that overwhelmed local hospitals. And last year about 35,000 people died in the US from flu related illness.
But Italy's problems grew. And then, we passed Italy. We followed their path. In just 8 weeks, we have lost nearly 44,000 people due to this virus. And this has happened while much of our country is shut down. This is not "like the flu". This is one of those virus' that come along every 100 years or so.
It's also not some nefarious plot to derail this president any more than the Spanish flu was an attempt to derail President Wilson's presidency. Now, in hindsight, it appears that flu didn't originate in Spain at all. Decades from now, it may be discovered that COVID-19 didn't originate in China. There's so much we don't know.
What we do know is that this is a deadly virus - most deadly for those who are elderly and/or have underlying health issues. What is healthy to debate is how to best address it. It's painful. The question is, how much death is acceptable to offset the economic impact of extreme measures? If you feel there is little risk to you or those close to you, you likely feel that personal freedom and economic conditions are most important. Open up. If you feel there is great risk, no amount of money is worth the risk. If you are hurting financially, you may be somewhere in the middle.
What's not healthy is getting caught up in fringe arguments that have nothing to do with the real problem. Health versus money is the real issue. What's the balance that is socially acceptable by the majority of citizens. The majority of our governing bodies have been focused on the health side.
Where do we go from here? I wish I knew that answer.

Get smart. Get focused. Be part of staying Well.

Recognizing that we all have a bias is, for me, very important. I work hard to keep myself open to varied perspectives. Weeks ago I was struck by an important fact someone important to me shared. Last year, more than 34,000 people died from the flu in the US. At the time, deaths by COVID-19 in the US were a fraction of that. And we were shutting down parts of our country. It caused me pause.
And I researched. I watched documentaries about the Spanish flu of early last century. I watched international reporting from Italy and Europe. I researched the impact on past years of flu in the US. Were there times our health systems were overwhelmed?
Indeed, in 2016, there were 3 cities in the US that were overwhelmed by flu outbreaks. So, I watched the news with this perspective. And I saw another, then another, and another area of our country growing overwhelmed with COVID-19. It appeared to be larger in a short amount of time, but fatalities were not yet nearing the 34,000 from last year's flu. Were we over reacting?
Today, as I write this, we are quickly nearing historic numbers. We are not yet 2 months into this pandemic. Today alone, the number of fatalities have grown more than 2500. Soon we will be past the fatalities from last years flu. This, in just a few months! We have shut down much of our economy with draconian efforts to keep people distant. We did not do this last year to avoid the flu nor did we react this way when cities were overwhelmed in 2016.
The perspective provided me, by awareness of flu numbers past, would tell me that this is different. And just as I feel that listening to perspective has helped in my understanding, I see that now we must question fatality reporting. Supposedly, NY has over reported by 4000 deaths.
As I watch reporting,  I see a story about someone who could not get tested and after death, his widow learned he had COVID-19. So, I if I subtract that, 3999 might be questionable. How many should I add that have not been properly attributed as deaths due to COVID-19?
Do I believe that somehow, for some nefarious reason, people are over reporting or under reporting? The reporting is coming from people - people on the front line. Do they all have some nefarious agenda?
We are in the middle of something we have not seen in a hundred years. Yes, it is important to have perspective. Vitally important! Yes, we need to carefully scrutinize the information presented. It's vitally important that we get smart and we get focused on what is important here. Our decisions on a daily basis are important. We need to get smart and we need to get focused on what keeps us all well.

Embrace Love

Generally, I avoid getting into situations that may cause conflict. It's just not who I am or want to be. I like being around people who are fun loving, kind, and generally have a positive outlook. They experience hardship and disappointment. They've been hurt at times. But rather than harden themselves, they become more tender and caring. Being around them is uplifting. It makes me want to be a better person.
Engaging with angry, bitter, and distrustful people does the opposite. It tempts me to return anger, to feel bitter, and to be less trustful - especially in relation to them. It's spiritually wrong. We are commanded to love one another.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth."
So how do we love through conflict and disagreement? We may need to step away. We may need to distance ourselves and become introspective. Put on a shield of love. Find safe space and pray not just for them but that you may be more loving in all the ways "Love is". Be patient. Be kind. Do not envy. Do not boast. Shed pride. Do not engage in rudeness. Don't flame anger. Keep no record of perceived  wrong-doing. Don't look for evil. Seek joy in truth.
At the moment, I am thankful that someone reminded me to look at my spiritual self in the face of anger.
I embrace love and loving memories.

Hooked on Media Crack

One of the things that saddens me is how disinformation has become so engrained in our digital mass media, some "news" media, and woven deeply into the political fabric of the country. These are the "alternate fact" sources that aim to weave distrust into the hearts and minds of those who are susceptible to their tactics. And we are all susceptible to one degree or another.
There are a few simple things a person can do to avoid getting too sucked in. First, identify the source of the information. If they have created a name or domain that ties in a major, more trusted, news source such as PBS, NBC, CBS, BBC, along with some extension, they are suspect. Just their name is intentionally misleading. Quite likely, the story they are telling is misleading as well.
Next, is how they present the story. If it includes "here's something the media won't tell you", there's probably a reason the media isn't telling you. It cannot be substantiated. Reliable news sources verify stories. Yes, they make mistakes and sometimes get taken in themselves, but their percentages are pretty good. Some better than others.
Finally, if the style of presentation is emotionally charged, be skeptical. Sometimes a set of facts can leave us feeling emotional but if the presentation is a constant call to be outraged or angry and distrustful of others, the goal is to try to get us to react with our emotions rather than our heads. If you find yourself constantly needing to dial into emotionally charged news sources, you're hooked on media crack.
The result is that no one can tell you that something you believe is not true. You will dismiss fact checking. You will tune out or become angry with reliable news sources because they are not hitting the emotional buttons required to satisfy the loop you have entered. You won't listen to differing views and you'll become unable to present yours without injecting emotion. You'll be fixated on the smallest misstep of reliable sources but totally overlook obvious and consistent mis-information from your favorite sources.
We all need to step back and do a gut check. I find myself getting a bit snarky from time to time. Those are times I think I should step back, take a deep breath and let the other person have the last word no matter how I might feel about it. Then scrutinize myself with the same level of attention I may be directing at others.

The fear of Socialism

"Who would believe we'd ever have a socialist running for president?"
We'll hear this a lot over the coming months. For many, socialist is a bad word and they will point to socialist regimes that turned into dictatorships. I share that distain for dictatorships!
Fact is that we already had a president who was accused of being both a socialist and a communist.

When he introduced the New Deal in the middle of the Great Depression, Franklin Roosevelt was harshly criticized. 

"Roosevelt is a socialist, not a Democrat," declared Republican Rep. Robert Rich of Pennsylvania during a debate on the House floor on July 23, 1935. That remark came after Republicans hinted they were considering a move to impeach Roosevelt, according to the New York Times .

• "The New Deal is now undisguised state socialism, declared Senator Simeon D. Fess (R-Ohio) today as he pictured President Roosevelt as the New Deal's leading socialist," reported the Chicago Daily Tribune on Aug. 7, 1934. "The president's recent statements," Fess said, "remove any doubt of his policy of state socialism, which necessitates increased activities of the government in either ownership or operation of industry, or both."

FDR's New Deal was radical. He promised a "chicken in every pot." He created the WPA, a government paid worker program that created a wide array of jobs, including those for artists, photographers and writers. We have Social Security, medicare and unemployment compensation today because of that "socialist" president. 

Very few citizens today would eliminate Social Security, medicare or unemployment compensation. When congressmen refer to these as "entitlement" programs, most of us respond; "Yes we are entitled to them. We paid into them." Very few of us call them "socialist" programs as they were when they were first introduced.

It's prudent to look at any government spending and determine how it's going to be funded.  Our enormous deficit should not be ignored. (If you look closely at government spending, it's not social programs that have caused it but that's another topic.) Social programs fall into two categories: Investment and Insurance. The WPA was an investment. Social Security, medicare and unemployment compensation are insurance programs. As we consider social programs, and arguably any government spending, we should determine which category it falls under and what the return will be for society.

If we look at the WPA as an investment, what was the return? At the time, unemployment was about 23%. No one was untouched by the effects of such massive unemployment. As people returned to the workforce through the WPA, more jobs were created elsewhere. As more people had money to buy goods and services, the economy improved and more people were paying taxes. If you visit a national park or state park, you're likely to discover infrastructure that was built by WPA workers. This investment paid off in huge returns.

As insurance programs, Social Security, medicare and unemployment compensation are dependent upon enough people paying in to cover what's coming out. As long as the balance is right, these are not problematic social programs. As with other types of insurance, some will pay and never use the insurance while others will use more than they paid in. These programs need to be managed well and protected from fraud, waste and abuse. AND stop calling them entitlement programs! When we pay for insurance, we are entitled to use them when we need them!!

Well managed social programs build a stronger society. Don't get caught up in the buzzwords and miss the importance of considering how the ideas being presented may actually benefit our country. As FDR once said, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself". This country was built on new and bold ideas. Let's not stop at fear.

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What to do with the alarming...

It's disturbing to me that this president's attorney actually argued, in the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, that he could shoot someone on fifth avenue and not be stopped, investigated or prosecuted while in office. This argument was part of the effort to avoid release of a portion of the president's tax forms.
It's disturbing to me that this president has worked so hard to create a cloud of distrust of many of our institutions; the CIA, FBI, Justice System, media and even the National Weather Service.
It's disturbing to me that this president shows an affinity for totalitarian leaders; Putin, Kim Jong Un, Erdogan, Xi Jinping, Duterte, Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud and others like them.
While I could list dozens of things that this president has done and said that are disturbing, these are the most concerning. Like totalitarian leaders, this president constantly demonstrates that every institution should be a tool he can use to solidify and wield his personal power and control. Most important is the control of information. Public release of his financial ties is just the tip of the iceberg of hidden and/or massively distorted information.
It's disturbing that only a little over half the citizens of this country are concerned and aware. How can this be? Control of information! Those who love this president all have one thing in common. They consistently watch one source for their information and are convinced that mainstream news sources report "fake news". This causes them to dismiss any factual information that is contrary to what is reported by this one information source.
It seems best to avoid discussion with them. They quickly jump to "but Obama", "but Hillary", "but the economy", "you hate him because..." or the favorite "those democrats." It's baffling. Recently, one of these people told me we can no longer uses the term "coronavirus" because it's racial. I was confused and asked what was racial. "You know Corona, the Mexican beer." Then he launched into how messed up the world is now. I was silenced and mystified. So I did some quick checking later with a dozen news sources or so including The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, AP, and others. They are all still calling it coronavirus. I can only assume it was something Rush or Hannity said and he believed it. I shudder to think of what other things he and others are hearing that they blindly believe are true.
It's difficult not get discouraged. My personal focus is to broaden my sources of information. There's a great chart on media bias that is good to keep close at hand. It takes work to build awareness of your own bias and try to balance it out. I try to separate fact from hype. I avoid name calling and the inclination to bite back. I look for the humanity in the person standing before me no matter what they are saying. Seek truth for yourself. Be kind, loving and humble. I choose to believe that time has a way of revealing truth. Kindness, love and humility will enable its emergence.
Realize that those who love this president are very entrench and have often have limited their informational context. I now totally avoid direct engagement. Once in a while, it bleeps out in front of me. (like the coronavirus) I'll let them talk then may ask a question but avoid an argument. Then I work to change the subject. The real work then follows to not allow it to affect how I treat this person in the future.
When the experience sticks with me, I write. I may be writing a lot in the coming months.

Milestones and traditions build a great year.

Milestones and traditions are very important. Around Thanksgiving, I begin to reflect on all the things that have happened throughout the year and how this year is better. Yes, there are often losses as well, but I focus on what is better. It's fun to share with those around me. "Look how far we have come. Imagine what the next year will bring." Then, I begin to envision the next year.
Now in my autumn years, I so wish this had been my practice 40 years ago. Thinking about that makes me determined to plant the seed with those younger people around me. "Look how far you have come. Imagine what the next year will bring." It's ok to acknowledge the losses. Focus on what is better. Envision the place you want to be a year from now.
With that in mind, the place I want to be is less stressed. Not that now is bad but next year I see being better. How? And how does that happen? What stresses me? Perhaps more important is what gets me excited and gives me energy?
I'm most energized when a plan come together and exceeds expectations. When results are measurable, I love it more. When it's shared success, I love it even more. That tells me my focus for this year. Make a plan. Include measurable results. Share the plan with those around me who can share in the success.
As I share my plan with those around me, I am keen to hear their plans for the next year. That's where we find collaborative opportunity. Two, four, six, eight - Success multiplies and collaborators benefit in much greater sums than the individual components. The collaboration can be messy and challenging but stay focused on the opportunity and shared successes. Measure milestones and create traditions.
What is exciting me about 2020 is to know I am surrounded by inspired collaborators. I have a plan. It is measurable. I can share it with those trusted collaborators. Make your plan. If I can be part of it, share it with me. Let's celebrate a great year!!!

Twenty Years ago in the circle

Twenty years ago I went to a community meeting. Just months before, I had purchased a house in Franklin and was more than a little uncertain about deciding to move back to the town I had run from the moment I graduated from High School. I left believing this place was too small, too stuck in its ways, and had no room for me.
I don't remember what that meeting was about or why I decided to go. I only recall that there were many non-profit agencies represented and at some point, I let them know I was a videographer and want to help in some way. At the time, I was the corporate videographer for Joy. I wasn't looking for paid work.
The phone didn't ring right away but the calls came. At "River Romp", I captured Kurt Steiner breaking the stone skipping world record. Then came some fun guerilla video work (my favorite challenge) where I was asked to bring a camera with a blind suggestion to capture something talking about the value of a play spot on Allegheny. Another time, I was asked to capture a video about Oil City that might catch the attention of Ellen DeGenerous. You can find that one - "Hub of Oildom" - on Youtube. It didn't catch her attention but it was great fun doing.
With those videos, I met great people who are friends today. Those videos led to more videos and bigger video projects and more friends. The connections, the friends, the opportunities that grew before my eyes led to more than video projects and bigger dreams.
Today the community that I thought I needed to flee seems huge, full of opportunity and the perfect place for me to grow and thrive.
I'm still producing videos - most of which are for non-profits. I'm retired from Joy. And I'm running a music store in my home town - something I would never have imagined 20 years ago and certainly not when I grew up here so many years ago.
Life takes big circles. I'm liking this side of the circle.