It doesn't affect me much so why do I care?

My children are grown so I have none in school.

I'm past childbearing age.  No worries there.

My husband and I are both professionals.  We each have/had great jobs throughout our working lives.

We've always had a nice home to live in, enough food and clothing.

We've always had what passes for health insurance in this country (I have other words for this) so, thank goodness we've enjoyed good health for the most part.

I've never had a personal need to go to a women's shelter, a food kitchen or a charity for help.

With the exception of one incident decades ago, I've never been the object of religious hate.

I've never been the object of hate because of the color of my skin or my sexual orientation.

I've never been denied to right to vote.

I'm able to live my life with never having to worry about the myriad of hateful things that millions of people all over the world are subjected to.... and especially the millions who reside in the United States, that bastion of democracy that is supposed to be the land of the free and home of the brave where freedom and equality are supposed to apply to every citizen.

So, the Ferguson, Missouri horror; the denial of the right to vote for so many that just occurred; the laws passed regulating women's health issues by men who shouldn't be sticking their noses in where they don't belong; the gerrymandering; the decimating of social services; the defunding of all the things that help the poor, the disabled, women, veterans, education, and children; the privatization of prisons and schools; the dumbing down of education in America and replacing facts with religious fiction; and the drive to make this country a right-wing Christian nation should really have no affect on me but yet, IT DOES!

It does because I have a heart, a brain and I understand what a democracy is supposed to be.  What we have now is an oligarchy, a form of government with power vested in a few, not a government of, by and for the people. The Republican/Tea Party faction in this country doesn't want a government to benefit the populace.  They want control of our lives, the country's assets and a population of uninformed puppets doing their bidding. Our Congress is populated by a plethora of absolutely the most stupid and crass individuals, filled with hate for those unlike them

How can I stand by and watch this country sink into a quagmire of never-ending greed, hostility, intense hatred, racism, bigotry, misogyny, corporate greed and disregard of civil rights?  I can't.  I'm choking on my rage. So I write to my Washington Congressional representatives and senators, to my local politicians; I sign petitions and add my own comments; I email to these same people; I make my opinions and positions known; I support organizations who believe in equality and civil rights for everyone; and I BLOG because I have to have a place to vent my frustration with what passes for a society in this country.  It's not civilized.  It's simply crazy.

If this country doesn't change into a humane, caring country that welcomes diversity and offers equality and civil rights to all and offers ways everyone can live without fear (of so many things and people), this country will go down in flames and we'll have the vicious Republicans and Tea Party to thank for the demise of the United States.  They will cause the death of this country. And no one wants to see the younger generation put up with that.

So, yes I care and I do what I can do.  And anyone who reads this should be doing something, anything to combat the viciousness and stupidity so prevalent in this country now.  Perhaps it will take another couple of decades when these nuts will have died off for progress to be made.  But rage against the Republican machine needs to begin now before there is nothing to save and nothing to care about.

A bit of this and a bit of that

1.  It seems to me that every utterance that comes out of a Republican mouth is simply mean or astoundingly stupid or vindictive or condescending or misinformed or racist, or misogynist.

2.  I haven't heard one kind word about anything from the Right.

3.  It appears that it is a requirement, when applying for a job at Fox news, that one must leave their brains outside.

4.  Christmas is not my holiday, consequently I save a LOT of money not going crazy buying STUFF.  It's really become a huge mercantile event.

5.  How much money do rich people need before they get a conscience?  Is someone whispering INFINITE?

6.  I can't stand being waited on in a restaurant by someone with a tongue piercing.  It makes me want to vomit.  I almost have the same feeling when I see those huge black things making big holes in earlobes.

7.  I dislike people who declare their religion publicly every chance they get.  It's usually Christians because I don't see, read about or hear Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Baha'is, Sikhs, Wiccans, atheists, etc., yelling about the war on WHATEVER, or yelling that this is a WHATEVER nation and trying to legislate their point of view for the rest of us.  I prefer religion to be a private affair.

8.  So, I'm not a six year old kid anymore.  I grunt when I have to bend down to pick something up off the floor!

9.

     Yes, I was.  It is good to be a New England sports fan!  And that includes UCONN Women's basketball, too!

10.  I wish someone would tell the crazy gun nuts that the correct way to hold a gun is with the barrel pointed at their stomachs. I was going to write hearts but they don't have any!

11.  Why does my passion for chocolate never subside????

12.  We are such a war-mongering nation.  And it all comes down to GREED.  War is a money-maker.  They fact that it snuffs out so many young lives is of no consequence to those who supply the war machine.

13.  Women are still second class citizens in the United States.  Just ask any fr***** white, male Republican member of Congress or any white, male, Republican a**h*** elected to state office.

14.   The ads asking for everyone to give money, food, gifts for kids at this time of year are legion.  So what happens during the rest of the year?  Do people think the poor disappear until the next holiday season?  And my point is why do we have so many really poor people needing life-sustaining help in what is supposed to be a very prosperous country?  It's crazy, it's a shame and it's unconscionable.  We have to do better by RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE to a decent living wage.  

15.  I have never seen The Nutcracker ballet and frankly, don't have any great desire to see it.

16.  Years ago I decried the lack of intelligence in public life.  Alas, it has gotten so much worse.  And I don't want to be represented by people with such low IQs!  Have you read the crazy, meshaguss coming out of the mouths of members of Congress?  Did they all snort themselves throughout their formative years?  Most of them are Republicans.  Do they have a diseased gene in their pool?  Sigh............  They are meshugeh ahf toit (crazy as loons).  It sounds better in Yiddish. 

17.  Best job I ever had: radio talk show host in Connecticut.  Had different guests on every day: authors, politicians-state and Congressional, entertainers, people involved in every social service agency in the area, an inventor, musicians, a Native American sculptress.  I had so much fun interviewing the myriad guests who came on the show.   It was lively, funny, entertaining and informative and a joy to do.  Interviewing, asking the right questions and getting interesting information is something I do really well.  Wish I could do it again.

18.  I wish I could just twitch my nose and make everything right with the world.

19.  It remains to be seen.  Will the bad guys ever really get their comeuppance?

20.  Does anyone want the ice scrapers I still have?  I don't need them here in Arizona's Valley of the Sun!!!!

Hey, if you're reading this, please leave a comment at the bottom where it says: post a comment. I'd really appreciate that.  Thanks.

Black Friday? Not Me!

To me, Black Friday (or Black Thursday night) is an abomination.  This year, many stores opened up early Thanksgiving evening.  I don't understand the greed of stores who just can't give their employees a day off to celebrate a day that should be spent with family and friends and remembering all the things that you enjoy and are so grateful for.

Those of us who don't shop for Christmas just sit back and watch the mayhem gleefully presented by all the news programs.  At first it's a little funny to watch the frenzy.  But when you hear of people being trampled, hurt, spat upon and cursed, it's not funny at all.

It's one thing to try to purchase stuff at remarkable bargains.  It's another to push, shove and elbow through crowds to get something for less money.

When people trample others for cheap goods mere hours after being thankful for what they already have, it's just terrible.  I can't imagine this whole gift-buying frenzied process is something people enjoy.  Hey, I could be wrong but I'm glad I'm not a part of it.