ellenspictures

Category: life stories

  • #GuysLikeHim

    #GuysLikeHim

    It’s the culture. It’s the demanding demeanor. It’s the “above the law attitude” – the “hurry up” and don’t find anything – be hasty – be less than thorough. Oh and make sure the hired gun takes away her credibility in the court of public opinion. There won’t be a trial. Not if Ms. Mitchell has her influence. Not in the world view of planet of the white guys.

    The decoys. Divert the attention in whatever way possible. Make it quick. Make it impossible.

    A black man goes to prison for sexual assault committed over three decades ago.

    It’s different for a white guy who went to an Ivy League school – and a pricey prep school before that. Hey – that doesn’t count – he was just a kid. Right…

    ?

    Not an issue that the American Bar Association casts doubt on his reputation. He pushed limits once before with them.

    Why all this forgiveness or dismissal ahead of understanding the facts, and without apologies? What’s up with that?

    An honorable man? It’s not so much about the events, it’s the reaction and handling of the situation years later. Denial. Cover-up.

    No rise above. No higher ground. Just – “I still like beer…”

    Why not just move on to another pick?

    Haven’t we seen enough to say, “sorry fella – you’re just not “Supreme Court Justice material”. Thanks for coming in for the interview. Next!”

  • earth to God. we have a big problem here. save our children. save us. save our planet.

    earth to God. we have a big problem here. save our children. save us. save our planet.

    I think of the children separated from their parents – how horrifying for all of them – and do these people who invoke these rules and actions read history or is it that they think that this is all okay – the cruelty of it all.  Why?

    It is hard to not speak out about what is going on and about current events of the recent past.

    As I sit here, trying to work, my mind also wanders to Santa Fe, Texas.  Weeks later.  Now into the summer months…  Those parents of lost children and the students affected – how do those people cope?  This event was a life changer.  Never again the same…  Everyone, affected or not directly – most feel something.  If they don’t, there is something terribly wrong.  Obviously there is – something terribly wrong.

    Then, I think of the recent events in New Jersey. I shudder and fear the next headline.  I fear it could be here – or anywhere…  It is no longer terrorists from abroad – it’s now becoming the symptom of a very sick nation – boys with guns – angry boys – delusional boys – grown up babies parents who have lost control of their kids’ upbringing somehow – enabling them to become estranged and mentally ill.

    This is the stuff of science fiction, but it is real.  It is a nightmare, but we are all awake.

    I know that “who is in charge” doesn’t care about our children, let alone most of our adult inhabitants.  ?

    I wonder.  Is it that there is a wiring issue in their brains?  How can they possibly think that this is right?  Not today.  Not now.  Not ever.

    It seems that there is no one to help.  The “leadership” are themselves delusional, and misdirected.  They are acting without a moral compass.  The “leadership” is killing off any goodwill that was held in the past.  It is like that word is not in their vocabulary.  The words “hell bent” come to mind – or perhaps, “hell bound”.

    I pray every day for this situation to correct itself – or for some intervention from the great beyond – from the Hand of God…  If and when that happens, as usual, it is not what we expect – in form or fashion. 9-11 united us, but it also split us apart in many ways.  Corruption is a terrible thing.  Seven sins.

    We as individuals can speak out and we can vote, if we are allowed – but even that is questionable in some states these days – But when those in charge don’t want to listen, we are powerless to exercise our rights – our rights are disappearing into some sort of void.

    My forefathers are rolling over in their graves (or urns).  This is not America anymore – not the one of which they dreamed….

  • compelled to write…

    compelled to write…

    Putting up the holiday decorations…

    Each year, this is frankly my least favorite activity.  But, I am compelled to get this done before my birthday, before I find myself well into January, looking at this chore.  It will make me feel better to get all of this completed!

    A mixmaster of memories – good, bad, traumatic, joyful, sad, happy, bittersweet – each ornament seemingly drives something from my inventory of emotions – something that might be perilous but also might bring lots of thoughts about funny and happy times – by this time, however, it’s decades over decades of these, overlain onto one another –

    Some of these ornaments are very old – depression era – even older than that – and I worry about being the guardian of these – for future generations – does anyone care these days?

    My older relatives, not that there are that many left, have not exactly held that feeling of importance, about keeping the antiquities – they have downsized efficiently over the last few years – thinking that ten years ago, they were just a little older than I am now, and they were downsizing then – and yes, I know it is time to downsize – clean up – pare down – sort, slice, dice, and whatever it takes to keep people from having to do the work that we are doing to “get rid of shit” that we really do not care that much about, or we do, but one or the other of us finds that the accumulation is annoying and it causes issues beyond just having the stuff occupy space.

    In consideration of all that, I likely need to think about this when I am “accumulating” – i.e., stop – and begin the progression of paring down activities – not unlike recycling, it is conscious effort to take up the habit of doing so.

    Here We Are In The Years.  Neil Young said in his song, years ago – “Now that the holidays have come – They can relax and watch the sun – Rise above all of the beautiful things they’ve done… Time itself is bought and sold – The spreading fear of growing old – Contains a thousand foolish games that we play – While people planning trips to stars – Allow another boulevard to claim a quiet country lane – It’s insane”  From October 2, 1968.

    Yes, it is.  Each year, it seems that these words ring true even more than the year before.  Holidays or no, soon I will be marking another trip around the sun, one more time.

    My quest?  Find more joy in the world – how can we do that?  It’s an edgy place.  Thinking of taking down my Facebook account.  Saving all the data.  Starting all over.  It’s an idea.  Not thinking that the experiment has worked out so well…