Neighbors

 

I think this bird is a cormorant.  I have seen it all week outside my window.  Most of the time, I just see its head like a little snake around the lake, fishing and swimming, I guess.  And, when it's not doing that, the bird sits here, on the water's edge, drying it's wings?  I don't know what it's doing, but that's what it looks like to me, taking a break between dips and feedings, drying off in the sun.  She/he is so beautiful to look at, and I feel so lucky.

A couple weeks ago, there was a giant, and I mean giant, blue heron, on the same shore.  Standing erect for over and hour, just contemplating?  I have no idea, but so peaceful, standing as tall as my chin.  I have never seen such a giant winged creature before.  I didn't take a picture, because it was so breathtaking and unusual, I couldn't dare spoil the moment.

Where I live is so beautiful, but there is so much trash everywhere.  It is so heartbreaking and mind boggling at the same time.  I do not understand the kind of person who drops their crap on the ground and keeps walking or driving or looking away or whatever they are doing.  And then there is everybody else, who just walks on by, with the trash already on the ground.

There are supposedly groundskeepers where I live.  I live in a condo, and I presume its their job to keep the grounds clean.  But they don't.  There is trash everywhere.  And that's not unusual to this community.  There is trash all over the Charleston area.  It kills me.

Anyhow, I've made it my personal duty, even against the snubs I get from others who are put out I guess by my community service (?), who knows what bothers these idiots, to keep the lake clean.  I remove disgusting trash all the time.  Boxes, clothes, plastic, you name it, I've grabbed a stick, hung on to a tree limb, balanced on one leg, to get the trash out of the lake.

I do it because trash is my personal number one pet peeve.  I also do it because I love animals.  And we have turtles and fish, and ducks who live here all year round.  I also love the earth and myself, and of all the problems we face on this planet today, trash seems one we can truly control, and one that is completely unnecessary.  So I do what I can.

Now, in recent weeks, we've had that amazing heron, that spent over a week here, resting on our shores.  And, now, in this past week, this beautiful cormorant.

I feel like it's my prize for the effort I make.  Because they could be anywhere on the lake, and yet they are resting peacefully outside my window.  To me they are saying, "thank you."  To them, I say, "thank you right back."  You are so beautiful.

Here's a smaller heron that arrived a couple days after I initially made this post.  This one is not so unusual in appearance or size, but still a stunning bird, I think.

going forward

"Wo, oh, what I want to know, is are you kind?"



(grateful dead)

White Famous - Another Television Review

Just finished watching the entire season of White Famous (Showtime).

There have been moments where it has kind of spun me on my head, and I’ve thought, is this ok?  Is this fucked up?  Is this biased, bigoted, prejudiced, wrong?

But an answer has never come to me.  All I know is, it is really, really funny.  And, honestly, so cute.

And, in the end, with the first season now complete, of this story of a rising black comic trying to make it big in Hollywood, it is the friendship between Floyd (the comic) and Balls (his best friend), the relationship between Sadie (Floyd's baby mama) and Floyd, their dedication to their son, the insanity and warmth of Teddy (a supposed genius, but deranged white director), the loyalty, perversion and sweetness of Malcom (Floyd's Indian agent), Jamie Foxx as himself making huge fun of himself, and the continued bashing of the white privileged of Hollywood (whether it’s spot on, or a wildly grotesque comic strip – I have no idea) that makes this show so amazing.

It is hysterical.  If this is your kind of thing, you’ll love it.  If it’s not…I don’t know what to say…I’m sorry.

Dylan Farrow

I believe you

I’m not famous, or a part of Hollywood, but, in my mind, it does not take a rocket scientist to see that what you are saying about your (previously) adoptive step-father is completely true.

It also breaks my heart when I see actors I really admire work for Woody Allen.

Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, and more recently Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart, both who I think are so outspoken and bright and who were so brilliant in American Ultra.  There are too many to name, but those are the ones who immediately come to my mind.

When I was really young and in college in the 80’s, I was in a dorm with a lot of native New Yorkers.  Being pretty stupid myself, I was easily persuaded and intimidated by these young people who were, quite honestly, just being themselves also.

I remember when we all set out to see Annie Hall, which had come out years before but seeing it was still like earning an intellectual badge of honor, and an absolute must see according to this crowd.

I hated it.  And I hated every movie I saw of his after that until I became self-aware enough (many years ago) to realize no matter what anybody said I did not think this man was a genius nor did I think he had anything of value to say.

Godless, was and is the word that comes to mind, when I re-think those movies of his I did see.  Absolutely Godless.  Just ugly worlds with people doing ugly things, and with no greater meaning behind them. 

He doesn’t believe in God, which when I was young, I was too embarrassed to admit I saw and cared about.  I remember even some of those New Yorkers in my dorm saying “really smart people don’t believe in God.”  Which did in fact stop me in my tracks and cause me to doubt myself.

But now I realize that statement couldn’t be farther from the truth.

I think part of the reason I hated him so much, as a supposed artist, is because other people liked him so much.  And, in my mind, that gave those who liked him an excuse to act really badly.

I’m sorry the man left his long partner for her unbelievably young adoptive daughter.  Enough said.  Gross.  Mean.  Awful.

He’s no artist in my mind.  He’s a shame.  No matter how you put it.

I believe you Dylan.

Everything I have

is from my Blood, my Sweat, but Mostly my tears.

Mostly, my tears.

Southern Charm

South.  North.  Hell, no.

This is America.  American soil.

Of, By, For Americans.  All people.  Black, brown, red, white.

Enough with the shame and the lies.

You lost a "war" because others (?), Abraham Lincoln (?), who knows (?)...cared about Black people, Weak people, Rich people, Poor people.

We still do.

We care about ALL people.  We care about Ourselves.

the truth hurts

it always has

That Said

The worst misogynists are the women.

The desperate deeply insecure gals (you know who you are) who will screw you over for a man or a job.

'nuff said.

Finally

THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION

as promised (circa 1965)


#HarveyWeinstein

#RoseArmy

#lupitanyong'0

#Allyoubeautifulbravewomen

1975

Feelin' it from go

If ifs and buts were candy and nuts...

It’s become this thing with my family (I have two nephews and two nieces) now that their children are getting older this underlying mild hysteria We don’t want our children turning out like Gretchen.

My family doesn’t see me as an interesting, good person, a talented person.  They see me as the broke fuck-up.  The one that didn’t happen.

And now that the kids are teenagers, their grandparents, my parents, are in full-swing angst trying to recall about the days I went to college and what went wrong there.  And their parents, my siblings and their mates, equally are in the mode, if Gretchen went right, we must send our kids left.

I sound like a complete narcissist.  Like really could my life really have that much effect on your kids, who I may see, if I’m lucky, once a year?

I’m sure the answer is no when the kids succeed, but catch ‘em questioning life, dabbling here or there, and its sure to be my fault or worse yet "just like Gretchen."  It already is.

That said, as you might imagine, sadly I am not investing too much time in getting to know my younger relatives.   

I’d rather be around people who think I am OK at the very least, and who actually think I am quite wonderful and worth knowing, on most days.

But that brings me to my point…

Do you ever just think about revenge?  I do.

Certainly not hurting somebody or somebody else being hurt.  But just my own sweet sublime success and a special wink to everyone who called me crazy. 

Sexism in the Workplace

There are women who have profited from it and then there are those who haven’t.  The ones who haven’t have been making noise the whole time.  “Dykes.”  “Spinsters.”  “Nazis.” 

And the ones who have profited from it, the popular girls, the famous girls, the fun girls, the ones with Oscars and great titles by their names, who somehow could navigate the sleazy world of male power to their advantage (who has the power now?)  I’m not angry at them. 

I would have, had I could have.  (I think?)

Misogyny is no picnic no matter how you are equipped (or not equipped) to deal with it. 

Twitter best used by tweedle dee and tweedle dum

So Twitter suspends Rose McGowans account because she used the platform to tell her story of being sexually assaulted by Harvey Weinstein, (which obviously is true because he paid her out in a cash settlement, and if that is not enough proof for you, listen to all the scores of women coming forward saying he did the same to them).  Anyhow, so Twitter (even the word makes me want to vomit) suspends her account but meanwhile…

The biggest bully of them all tweets 24/7 any kind of hogwash he wants.

Looks like Twitter has somehow found room in the ever-crowded back pocket of his royal insanity, DT.

Twitter…you losers.  I don’t care if everyone in the world Tweets, like Facebook, like it all, you have added nothing to this world…and when you are given the opportunity to do so, your little boys club (I’m sure) whimpers out..,

This will never be forgotten.

ps.  Rose evidently got suspended because she called Ben Affleck a liar on the platform (truly, is that a reach for anybody?)  This on the same day Donald Trump tweeted that NBC is a bunch of liars and that he might consider revoking their licenses.  Of course, his highness wasn't suspended.  But Rose was.  Look who is running our country, people.  Look how they are doing it.

#womenboycotttwitter

ah the hypocrisy

Although I felt a lot better when Obama was president (I felt like I could close my eyes and miss a second of world news without fearing world war III or some other Trump-driven catastrophe), I admittedly perhaps trusted Barack too much.

I was poor as dirt during his presidency.  Maybe a lot of people were.  Thus the rage, the backlash, and inevitably Trump.  But I trusted Obama as a person, his social values, his family and, again, maybe I shouldn’t have.

It pisses me off that people like the Walton’s (who own Walmart) and Harvey Weinstein (founder of Miramax) are such huge supporters of Obama and other Democrats.

I don’t like people who make Bad Money and lots of it, then who toss it liberally to the less well-endowed as if that somehow makes it better.

Let me tell you.  It doesn’t.

Making trillions off of poisonous cheap crap (The Waltons) will never be justified by the pennies (even billions of them) you throw at the Democrats. 

And, equally, if you are a rapist (Weinstein) you are a rapist, no matter how many multi-million dollar fundraisers you throw for politically correct social programs.

President Obama, maybe the loyalties of such scum is what it took to win the office.  But looking back, what did you win anyway?  Look at us now.

ps.  on Harvey Weinstein,  sending all the positive vibes in the world to Ashley Judd (and the others who spoke up before it was popular to do so), true heros.   And to everyone else, ie Obama, Clooney, Affleck, Streep, Paltrow coming out of the woodwork now.  You all knew what this man was like the entire time but you chose to ignore it because he was "profitting" you (which is the underlying premise I am beginning to see of entitled liberal politics).


pps gotta love that Ronan Farrow was so instrumental in exposing Weinstein.  Sending love his way also.  Also love to his mom.  Anybody who doesn't know who Ronan is, he is Mia Farrow and Woody Allen's son.  Ronan Farrow exposing Weinstein is almost mythological in proportions.  I hope Mr. Farrow has a beautiful life - I am assuming, sir, you were avenging your mother (and maybe your sister?), if not directly, in some indirect and profound way.  I am happy for that.   

Not a fan

Yesterday, about Cam Newton, the football player who laughed when a female reporter asked him something. And he said something to the effect its always funny to hear women talk about football.

During the fallout yesterday, I couldn’t help but here that interview on the radio.  My immediate reaction was positivity towards Cam and negativity towards the female reporter and the people making a big deal out of this.

He didn’t sound like a misogynist.  He sounded like a man, talking about his job, that involved playing a sport with other men, on a field. 

Intentions are everything.  We are never going to be all the same.  We have limited experience in some areas, and generally only experience will open our minds and/or change us.

But hate is palpable.  So is demeaning cruel arrogance.

ie what is exhibited by say Donald Trump or that Republican yesterday who had to resign over his arrogance and obvious disregard of women (Tim Murphy, R-PA).

Do we want a world where every single person spouts some politically correct version of reality every time they open their mouth?

The hate yesterday I felt was from the reporter and all the female reporters who had their bristles up.  I felt no hate from Cam, although today, despite his apology, I bet he feels a little less comfortable around women he doesn’t know than he did yesterday.

Is this what we are going for?

PS Cam is a football player.  He plays football.  He wasn’t elected.  He doesn’t represent the American people.  He doesn't own the team.  He doesn't pay anybody's salary.  He just plays.  To the female reporter and her gang: wouldn't there have been a better way (say without trying to completely ruin the man) to get your point across?

On mental illness

I think people want to think that Donald Trump is a genius.

I think they like that he speaks his mind, and they think that because he does, he perhaps is on the verge of a more truthful truth.

I’ve seen this phenomenon many times.

Those close to mentally ill people really want to believe that what the person is saying, especially as they spiral out of control, is tapped, is a greater truth.  It’s confusing.  Especially when the mentally ill person is dynamic and charismatic, ie like Donald Trump.

I have looked down the barrel of that gun both ways.  The mentally ill aren’t genius.  They are out-of-it and they are ill.

Donald Trump is not some rogue savior.

He just desperately wants to be liked, and with even more desperation, he needs to be in control.  This is all about his ego, and somewhere along the line, his mind has pushed past sanity into dark terrain.

I say any leader who is not willing to lose their leadership by making tough fair calls, is not suited to be a leader.  Any person not willing to call out hate because he/she is worried about their constituent base, has no basis being a leader.

I guess there are people in this country who really think that some other person, some “black” person, or some “jewish” person, or some “white” person, or some “immigrant” is the cause of their pain.  I feel for them.

But that is just a stupid, uneducated, lazy and irresponsible notion.

And people who do not wish us well around the world will and are taking advantage of our stupidity and our laziness.

A real leader would stand above the fray.

I don’t think necessarily a very rich person could not be a good leader.  But perhaps somebody who has had the ability to buy themselves out of any situation has never learned anything about life, and/or people, and/or themselves.

Come on America, we are better than this.

the jerk store called

You let Americans spew hate at other Americans.  You say no one is to blame.  There are good people on both sides.

And then you have a problem with people kneeling during the anthem?

You are a creep.

No one has to stand for our anthem ever. 

That’s what makes us great.

We stand because we want to stand.




postnote:  Evidently, the president called Dallas Cowboy owner, Jerry Jones, multiple times before the Cowboys played the Arizona Cardinals last Monday to (I paraphrase) talk about the anthem protests.  That said, the Cowboys knelt together, with arms locked, before the anthem, then stood as an entire team during the anthem.  To which Trump later tweeted, "Spoke to Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys yesterday. Jerry is a winner who knows how to get things done. Players will stand for Country!"

Interestingly, the Rapper 50 cent claimed yesterday that the Trump campaign offerred him $500,000 to make an appearance in support of Trump during the campaign - which 50 cent supposedly turned down, claiming, that's not good money.

Going forward, it will be interesting to note who can and who will be bought.

Jerry Jones...ü

Allan Jones, CEO of Check into Cash and suit maker Hardwick Clothes (he pulled his ads scheduled for NFL broadcasts because he thinks the protests are "unpatriotic"?????)  I question whether he understands the basic premise/ideology of our country...yet I am quite sure he knows Trump's back pocket very well...ü

FB 💗

I think it’s beautiful that Facebook evidently played a large part in the Russian meddling of our election.  It’s the perfect cherry on top of the sundae of this whole ** pie.

We are so vulnerable.  Facebook is so ridiculous.  I must ask myself what positive has come to my life as a result of Facebook?

Yesterday, I would have said nothing.

Today, I would say nothing is too neutral a statement.  Clearly Facebook plays a large roll in everybody’s life.

Facebook, the….the what?...

Isn’t Mark Zuckerberg less than 30 years old?  Are we so afraid of aging that we relinquish all responsibility and social leadership to children?

This may or may not be correct...  (I get my info from the movies.  This time particularly The Social Network.)

But, according to that masterpiece, Mark Zuckerberg started Facebook because some woman rejected him.  She broke his heart (or at least his ego) so Zuckerberg fought back and created what would become Facebook to re-affirm his manhood and simultaneously objectify and belittle his female classmates.  Yeah!

But who cares about that now?  Right?  He's got a female COO and Facebook is just so fun…..????@@@!!!!  (and I'm sure Mark Zuckerberg has outgrown his misogyny?  right? or who knows?)  

Either way, FB 💗.   I know the Russians love it.

  

hanging out

Charleston Water System

Such a joke to me.  This company is wrangling for a fairly high national award.  The National Malcolm Baldridge Award, for companies who "demonstrate quality and performance excellence."

Charleston Water System:  A place where nepotism, bullying and mediocrity run rampant.

Yes, there are several good souls who work there.  But they aren't the people running the water plant, trust me on that.  I've been there.

long strange trip

Last night we listened to the Jerry Garcia band and drew a lovely mommy and her six week old baby.  Although there would have been a time I would have hesitated to say this, there is really nothing in this world that a little Jerry Garcia doesn't make just a whole lot sweeter.

(excuse the hands on this drawing - pu! - I'm working on it)

More drawings

these are all really fast drawings done with a model (I say that partially as an excuse!! :) but truthfully I love sketching people live.  I like the energy and challenge and the truth that you capture in these quick little exercises.

SPEAK

Everybody needs to say something. 

I remember when Trump won.  I was driving for Uber.  And everybody was talking all the time.

At one point, I drove this memorable foursome, two couples, I think from Atlanta who were vacationing at the beach.

They were fun and funny and friendly.  They were also black.  And, as they told me, they had voted for Trump.

Hmmmm.  I thought, OK.  Well, I guess we will see.

And remember, Kanye infamously came out as a Trump supporter.

To me, that didn’t make any sense.  But I thought maybe they know something I don’t.

Today, I wonder what Kanye thinks.  I wonder what those couples think.

Again, everybody needs to say something.

When I wake and I somehow unfortunately see that Trump is tweeting about some fellow American, some nastiness, or some sophomoric “tweet” about eclipsing Obama, my heart breaks.  Not because I’m worried or sad for Obama.  I’m worried that there is a child with no parent running the White House and the country (or trying to).

And this sad child has a lot of support from the millions (I guess) of grown uneducated immature adult children whining around the country.

I mean that’s what a racist is.  Just a spoiled insecure child.  And that actually is an insult to children, so excuse me.

People you never hear about

Ballers (HBO) is a guilty pleasure of mine.  The Rock can do no wrong in my mind.  And of course, Ricky Jarret (one of the main characters).  Yum!!

I am very late to the party, but I cannot believe the actor who plays Ricky Jarret in Ballers is Denzel Washington’s son.  Well, obviously, I can believe it, now that I know.  There’s really no other explanation for that degree of wonderfulness on every level.

So this is who Denzel Washington is.  Oh my.  He is such a great actor, and in all my years of internet surfing, I have never heard anything ridiculous about him.

He’s too busy.  Being a good husband and a good dad, evidently.  His kids are gorgeous.  And his son, John David Washington is such a foxy, screwed up, sweetheart in Ballers.  Check him out.

"Courage is Grace Under Pressure"

I have to add my applause to Taylor Swift’s victory yesterday in court.

What an amazing young woman. 

If you look at the picture which is the basis of the court entanglement btwn she and the dj she’s embroiled with, and you are like me, you will want to cry.

Yes, Taylor stood up for all women and, as she admitted, she has the unique ability and vantage point to do so, but really, in the crux of it all, she is just a young woman, she is just working her job, living her life, and if you look at the picture of this dj who so obviously has latched on to her “bare ass cheek” and you look into Taylor’s eyes, you really really will just want to cry.

So yesterday we had a little respite from the “outrageous and humiliating” lack of intelligence that is evidently encouraged and supported by some portion of the American masses.  Ugh!

Good job, Taylor!💓

And sorry you had to go through it.

(title quote by Ernest Hemmingway)

ps.  I think the Waltons who own the mega-chain Walmart could take a few lessons from Taylor Swift on how to share the wealth...and truly, why not?  

Shop 'til you drop, literally

Every product I pick up at Walmart is made in China.

Walmart, the family-controlled (by American family aptly named the Waltons) mega-chain.

The Waltons are one of, if not the richest family in America.  Among them, they have a fortune equal to the wealth of the bottom 42 percent of Americans combined. 

They do have a foundation “the Walton Family Foundation” that invests hundreds of millions of dollars each year in education reform, the environment and the family’s home region of northwest Arkansas.

Philanthropists.

And yet, pick up a product in their store and most likely you will see the label “Made in China.”

So, on one hand, they co-opt the soul and foundation of this country to China in a way that I have the sense that none of us at this point truly understands and, on the other hand, they are giving the poorest people in this country (millions of them) cancer, with their plastics and low-grade toxic materials and harmful ingredients all of which dear China doesn’t give a crap about.  And I’m not talking making everything organic.  Walmart is a toxic land mine.

I was there this morning, because where I live that’s where you shop and I was infuriated by this.

And don’t tell me Walmart shoppers should boycott Walmart because if you do (and I’m sure there is a word for it and I wish I knew it because I see the scenario all the time) you are asking the impossible of the population.

But you know who should boycott somebody or something, the Waltons.  All this money, and then all this ostensible giving to charity...their store, it’s products…are a crime, a crime against our country, and a crime against humanity.

Honestly, it is subtle terrorism on every level and hurts everyone.  We have words for other forms of obscure terrorism, like cyber terrorism.  I think what the Waltons are doing is economic terrorism, it is so unpatriotic, it is so uncool, and it is also homicide.  Sure, be a capitalist, but honestly, do you care about no one?

Rolling out of Walmart, I angrily mused, I bet Trump has a hand in this.

But, nope, the Walton’s supported both Obama and Hillary.

They have a lot of guilt, evidently, but no balls.

recent figures

truth feels good

I saw this article, supposedly from The Hill, this morning (via MSN).  So true... (I've added the bold myself, on the points that resonate most for me)

Michelle Obama opened up about racism she faced as first lady in a public appearance in Denver on Tuesday.

Obama spoke about being called an ape and people talking about her body, saying she wouldn't pretend the attacks didn't hurt, The Denver Post reported.

Women's Foundation of Colorado President and CEO Lauren Casteel said Obama broke a glass ceiling by becoming the first black first lady, and asked which of the falling glass shards from that glass ceiling cut the deepest.

"The shards that cut me the deepest were the ones that intended to cut," she said, noting comments comparing her to animals and criticizing her body. "Knowing that after eight years of working really hard for this country, there are still people who won't see me for what I am because of my skin color."

She said women endure those cuts in so many ways that "we don't even notice we're cut," adding that women "are living with small tiny cuts, and we are bleeding every single day. And we're still getting up."

Obama stayed away from politics during the talk, but she did warn against the belief that the country is falling apart.

"The people in this country are universally good and kind and honest and decent," she said. "Don't be afraid of the country you live in. The folks here are good."

love this lady

and here's another brood I met later on...

on love and alcohol

I love how celebrities get married, have a liter of kids, get divorced, remain “extremely amicable,” go to rehab, and two months later have a wonderful relationship with a woman who happened to be married and have a young child herself (supposedly 4! years old) before she divorced her own husband “extremely amicably” for said celeb and all things are just peachy.

Eyeroll.  Has anyone ever dated an alcoholic? 

The chaos.  The manipulation.  The charm. 

Ughh.  Barf.  Call a spade a spade.

Ben Affleck.  Ten thumbs down, for ruining your kids lives with your own greed and immaturity and, quite frankly, sickness.

Go Jennifer, wishing you the best.

morning sun

I think I like turtles so much because they breathe air, but they are always swimming.  They're so peaceful and quiet.  At least these turtles are.

peeking out from underneath the covers

At the moment its just easier to post innocent, loving pictures of animals than to pay attention to or comment on the state of affairs of our country.

I’m scared to know anyone who backs the president.  I am scared to know anyone who excuses (or worse relates to) his tweeting, his name calling, his nepotism, his idiot children (honestly, can’t they get a real job), (most presidents bring their kids to the white house because they are children, not because they are the only people on the planet who have something nice to say about them).

So, as of late, I don’t read the news, and maybe naively, I am hoping somebody in Washington is doing something.  I’m glad I don’t have kids.  I’m glad I believe in eternity.

Because right now I would call Washington “a category 5 sh*tstorm.”  It’s not normal.

I still don’t think he could have possibly won by legitimate means.  But if he did, whoever you are who back this man, whoa, I’m sad for you.

friendly critters

family

2017

thx to tara trees for pic!!

1976

Deja Vu

Remember the day after the election (11/16), when you woke up and you were like, “wtf?”

Yeah, it’s because he didn’t win.  There was something messed up going on.

Your intuition was spot on.

And now every day it’s like a turtle crawling.  Get the man out of there.  Isn’t this why we have elected officials.  ACT.  Or is everybody as corrupt and as self-interested as Trump. 

Does this have to get really messy?  Where have all the good people gone….?????

Nikki Haley, surely you are sick about this.  But what can you do?  Our country has never seemed so misogynistic

Safety first

Caught this little feller out back.  Not a fan.

Birds

Gotta love 'em.

Impeach

I vote yes.

or, let's have another election, this time without the Russians.

Certainly we have enough brain power in this country to keep the election clean.  Let's do it.

"There should be no fuzz on this.  The Russians interfered," Comey stated firmly.  "That happened.  It's about as unfake as you can possibly get."

plbplbplb

If people from my background, my country or my community were committing obvious and heinous acts of terrorism against people, I would feel it was my duty to say something.  I also would expect people who did not know me to treat me with suspicion, and I would be ashamed and willing to, as much as I could, show my desire for peace, and my unequivocal rejection of anyone who committed violence in my supposed name,  for my supposed God, or for my supposed country.  That is a burden I would have to bear, and I would. 

And, quite frankly, I have, to a small degree.  Americans have been unpopular my whole life in Europe.  Does that mean I travel freely abroad, displaying my American rights and my American enthusiasm.  Of course not.  I understand how other people might see me, see my country, and when I travel, I do so accordingly.  Does that mean I am perfect?  No.

But….If I were Muslim, I would expect it to be my burden to stop those who were committing treasonous violent acts in my name.  I would expect the suspicion from others when they saw me coming.  This is human nature.  I would be infuriated, alarmed, saddened and angry.  But not at people who weren’t Muslim, but those who are, and who think they are so much more attuned to God’s great plan, that they are willing to mow down innocent children at a pop concert, for their supposed God.

Where are you?  Why aren’t you saying something?  Why is your major concern how I am treating you?  It’s not about your rights.  It’s about your obligation.  This is your cultural heritage.  Sorry.  We all have it.  Stand up.  Say something.  And if you are for peace, get it to stop.

Get Out, a movie review

When I saw Keanu, I really couldn’t believe how funny that movie was.  I had never seen Key and Peele before so I had no idea what I was in for.  I find most cat-centered humor hilarious, but that movie took the cake.  (As an aside, it got way too violent in the middle, but the memory of Keanu will always be a good one.)

That said, I have very much been looking forward to seeing Get Out, Jordan Peele’s first directorial role, and his latest film endeavor.  I’ve been reading about it and listening to people talk about it, and I knew going in it was a horror film about race.  I am not an aficionado of the horror genre, but it sounded smart and interesting and, of course, since Mr. Peele made it, I knew I wanted to see it.

Well, you know maybe I should be a fan of the horror genre.  ‘Cause it was fun.  I like the music, the well-timed, little snippets here and there.  And, I thought I’d be too scared to watch some of it, but it wasn’t horror in that kind of way.  I never had to cower and hide my eyes in fear.  It was amazingly well-crafted, the shots, the actors, the timing.  I feel like it was almost perfectly done.  And it was short, which I liked.

But now that I am at the end of it, I am wondering, was that about race?  Or was that more specifically a horror story told from a black person’s perspective?  Like Get Out is a black person’s idea of terror?  And maybe that’s what makes it about race??  We (me) are so used to hearing everything from a white person’s perspective, ie television news, history. (does most of what is massly consumed in our country have a white bias? Even if it is made by and marketed to people who aren’t white?) 

So confusing.   Either way, whatever this movie is supposed to be, it’s good.  I thought to myself, a couple times watching it, I am glad he made this movie.  I’m glad he’s able to make this movie.  We’re lucky.

addendum:  I've had a night to sleep on it, and have decided we can move the conversation beyond race.  This movie, in a nutshell, is "it's scary how f%cked up people are."  And this move is one example (fictionalized) of just that.

Pool's Open

daydream

Billions.  Do you watch it?

When I get into my I’m going to make a fortune now frame of mind, I think “What would Bobby Axelrod do?”

The other day I was kind of dreaming, thinking what if I could wake up in a tv show, and it was kind of like a nightmare, where the characters were themselves but kind of wicked, and I couldn’t escape.  My backdrop was Billions.  I imagined myself waking up in that world.

Fun.

On the benefits of aging

There are a lot of questions that don’t have answers.  And a lot of stories, situations that don’t need to be explained.  It was the first time I considered myself “grown up,” when I realized this.  There is so much that goes on and goes by, and to just say “who cares,” and turn my mind off, or turn it the other way.   It was a miracle when I realized how amazing this is to do.

Fusion Art

I've got a painting in this on-line exhibition.  I'm kind of honored; the work is really nice.  It's paintings and photography: Waterscapes Exhibit

Oakland

About 15 years ago when I was living in Oakland, CA, I shared a house with about five people.  One was a young Mexican man; he was about 19.

Like many young people in the Oakland/Berkeley area, he was very vocal about his views as well as being pretty radical.   He worked at Whole Foods in Berkeley under an assumed identity because he had come to this country illegally.  His assumed identity included several (four or five) fake dependents.  Even at the time, I was baffled that he was able to do this.  I have no idea who provided him with this identity or what if any legal repercussions followed him or ever caught up to him.  But he pretty much made his paycheck tax-free, lived a great life, and very soon married a cute Berkeley American-born undergraduate woman to become a legal resident.

Many young people (myself included) have ridiculous ideas about authority.  This young man never restrained himself while taking almost any opportunity to bash the USA.  He clearly felt victimized, “anti-American” and very much deserving of ripping us off.  He was a classic “punk.”  Whether he has outgrown this or not, I have no idea.  But it always bothered me for reasons that are probably too obvious to bear explanation.

Now, this is broad, and maybe stupid…but generally I really like Mexico and its people.  I love color.  I love art.  I love music and I love what I know of their culture. I have known many Mexican/American people, but none that well.  (I knew this young man better than I have known others).  And I am by no means in favor of aggressive, alienating Nationalism.

And I am no Trump fan.  Basically, to me, he is clearly mentally ill.  You might say it takes one to know one.  And I accept that.  It may.  As far as I can tell and based on my experience, he is not right in the head, clearly unstable and not fit to run the country.

That said, I see a lot of noise coming from California and others about Trump’s immigration policies.  But I keep thinking about that kid I knew.  It’s not that he just stole from “us," and I mean all of us, but most especially those of us who work hard for a paycheck we need.  He was such a punk.  Stealing from us with one hand and exercising his (his?) right to free speech out of the other side of his mouth all the while.  

Yes, just one example.  But also the only example I personally know of firsthand.

I don’t know what the answer is.  I think it is certainly not war, or anything like it.  But I feel like the truth has sometimes been understated, on both sides.

"Obamacare" not repealed March 24 2017

President Trump:  Here’s some advice.  Take “Obamacare” and fix it.  Leave everything in place and make it better. 

History will give President Obama the credit he’s due.  If you grow up, take the baton, and make something good/better for the people and country (notice, not insurance companies) you represent, maybe you will get some credit too.  

TV- two reviews in one

I’ve been watching The Feud / Betty and Joan for the last couple of weeks on tv.  It’s a mini-series depicting the making of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane with Betty Davis and Joan Crawford.  Jessica Lange plays Betty Davis and Susan Sarandon plays Joan Crawford.

(TV was different when I was growing up.  Every year we’d watch the same Big movies when they came on.  And it was usually a pretty fun ordeal.

• ·         Wizard of Oz
• ·         Oklahoma
• ·         Helter Skelter

And yes, I remember clearly watching Whatever Happened to Baby Jane several times.  Betty Davis is so terrifying.  And, who knows, maybe it was just on tv a lot.)

So, that said, I am enjoying watching the Making of this movie with these two great actresses – Sarandon and Lange playing Crawford and Davis.  It’s high caliber television, good acting, mixed with whatever cultural disease I too possess that makes me very interested in the private lives of celebrities.

The main premise of the series is that “the feud” was spurred on by the studio execs who thought the public would be more interested in these old washed up female movie stars if there were cat-fights and on-going caddy-ness involved.  So they leaked stories, etc to the media to really bolster and spread this idea, eventually causing the women to hate each other and really go after each other.

Anyhow, the series isn’t over, so I don’t know exactly what happens, but I am proud and moved by Jessica Lange, Susan Sarandon, Kathy Bates (she’s in it too), Catherine Zeta Jones (she’s in it too) – for making such an amazing statement of what its like to be a female, to want to work, to want to succeed, to want to be independent in a man’s world.  And, as far as I can tell, it’s not that much different today, (at least not in my life) which is the real point, I believe behind the reason these actresses are telling this story.  

Quantum Leap.  That said, so I was slightly amused and, even, snagged like a fish, when I read somewhere this week that Reese Witherspoon is very angry at Nicole Kidman for not promoting their HBO series (Big Little Lies) as much as Reese believes Nicole should be.  The quote (which was probably BS) had Reese complaining that Nicole was only promoting her movie Lion and selfishly, she was letting Big Little Lies fall to the waste side.  Said Reese (something to the effect), I never would have cast Nicole, if I didn’t think she’d do her part.

Sounds like the studios are taking a play out of the old play book.  Let’s hype the personal drama between these ladies so people might start tuning in.  Call it serenditpity, a sign?  I decided right then and there I would watch it.

That said, I congratulate Reese and Nicole.  It’s another amazing series.  Again, it’s a feminist series.  More so then I can put into words.  I just feel like there’s been a lot of glossing over real issues and reality in my lifetime when it comes to feminism and life.  Yeah, maybe there has been progress.  But maybe, in a lot of ways, there has not.

Sometimes when I really like a show, I google it to read what other people are saying.  So this morning I googled Big Little Lies and the first thing I saw was a review in the NY Times.

Well, the guy, Mike Hale, panned it.  Basically, he said it was cliché, upper middle class angst.  But, honestly, I don’t think he actually watched it.  He was probably turned off by the location (Monterey, CA), the mostly white people, the drama of the story, etc., etc.  And, why did the NY Times have a guy review it anyway?

To me it’s not a story about rich people (which I’m not), or white people (which I am), but a story about women and how powerless even in this modern society we sometimes feel, and all the different means and through the different canals that powerlessness can seep into and out of our lives.  I know I have strongly felt that way.  And I can tell Reese, Nicole, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, and even Alexander Skarsgard have felt that way (or have empathy for those who have).  It’s awesome.  It’s a powerhouse.

And that Mike Hale, the NY Times critic, so easily and casually dismissed the whole thing is like the joke inside the joke.  Really guy?

I hope Reese and Nicole (et al) know their show means something.  I saw it.  I got it.  And I appreciate it, from the bottom of my heart. 

Spice

For a long time, my cooking spices have gnawed at me.  They were a motley bunch of grocery store, international store, and some organic bottled spices.  I even had a spice rack that I filled with small glass jarred spices from World Market.

But, I always wondered, how old are these spices and where do they come from.  Honestly, most of them, even when first bought, felt old, or possibly so, and then, what, it would take me a year or more to wind through the whole bottle, only to purchase another questionable jar.  In the back of my mind, it was more than a gnawing, I was grossed out.  But it was one of those things I let simmer a long time, before actually doing anything about it.

Then one day I googled it and sure enough, like a lot of things that gnaw at me, those spices weren't anything I wanted to be consuming.  Evidently, spices aren't even FDA regulated.  They could be grown anywhere, with anything.  And then even when they are fresh they only have a short shelf life, like 3 or 4 months, after which they become rancid and basically you are eating stale bad food.

Something I should have done years ago:

One thing I will say, the bottles from World Market are cute.  So, I dumped out what was left of their original contents, ran them through the dishwasher, and headed to the local healthy food market to purchase just enough to refill my World Market bottles about 1/3 of the way up with fresh organic spice.

It's one of those little things you do in life (finally!) that can bring you (me!) such inexplicable pleasure.  Why it took me so long, I don't know.  But....it's done!

I'm no math whiz

But I think the shape of my face is a dodecagon or {12}, if you will.

Detroit Pride

I remember when I was little growing up in a suburb of Detroit.  I must have been around 10 when we first started getting pizza on Friday nights.  It was a big thing, as I believe take out pizza was a new idea.  We loved it.

Little Caesers Pizza Pizza.  Two pizzas in one package.  We’d get pepperoni and cheese.

Anyway, in the years since then, I’ve seen Little Caesers around the country, every now and then.  In fact, here in Charleston, there is a Little Caesers not half a mile from where I live.

Of course, my memory is foggy and honestly I don’t eat Little Caesers now, but I’m sure I’ve said to more than one person, I think Little Caesers started in Detroit.  I am pretty sure it was the Red Wings Owner who started it.

Anyhow, it is and it was.  Mitch Ilitch, Red Wings Owner, founder of Little Caesers Pizza.

Well, sadly, he died recently and I read his obit just by a matter of happenstance, which brings me to why I am posting this today.

Evidently, Rosa Parks moved to Detroit after she famously refused to get up out of her seat on a bus in Alabama in 1955.  Well, so I read, in 1994 she was assaulted and robbed in her Detroit home.

Mr. Ilitch (Little Caeser's founder) read an account of the attack in the newspaper.  Then he got together with some of his friends and moved Ms. Parks to a safer home, in a safer neighborhood.  Ms.  Parks was 81 at the time.

Mr. Ilitch then paid her rent until she died in 2005. 😊

What a nice thing to do!!   I hope he has a nice seat in heaven; I am pretty sure he does.

The Accountant - A Movie Review

I can’t help but indulge in half time snacks, even if I have no intention of watching the Super Bowl.  It’s irresistible finger food.

So, yesterday, I made loaded sweet potato skins and at six o’clock, right when I heard kick off was, I rented The Accountant, that new movie with Ben Affleck and Anna Kendrick.

This movie left me with a very good impression.  I think the purpose of art is to open our hearts and uplift our own idea of who we are or why we are or how we are or even what is.

And this movie, although in tiny pieces I could never imagine that it would add up to an experience that uplifted me, made me feel really good.  I liked Ben Affleck too, and that made me feel good. 

All I can say is that in the end, I said, “wow, they pulled that movie off.”  I think I was surprised.