Who do I think should be Person of the Year?

The American protestors. 

Or specifically even the women from the Women’s March. I think that was a catalyst for America raising their collective voices, which was heard time & again, over the “sweet whispers” of lobbyists!

There was a bomb threat at the Jewish Community Center in Ann Arbor today. And in Asheville. And in Harrisburg. And Indianapolis. And Tarrytown & Staten Island, NY. And Cherry Hill. Birmingham. Wilmington, Delaware (3rd time for that JCC). Rockville, Maryland. Fairfax, Virginia. And Davie, outside Miami. The day is not yet over. I’ve heard of 21 Jewish community centers and schools attached today. 

That Ann Arbor one hurt me. When I lived in MI, I lived in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood. Like, the mall had a giant dreidel in Dec instead of a nativity scene. I’m shaken for that community. It’s so close to home. It’s not happening in 40s Germany. It’s here & now.

I saw this fb live video, shot in Philly. I hope it embodies how we all feel. We will not let this divide is. 

Meanwhile, my friend’s father is trying to fix his grandfather’s tombstone. 

I saw this meme today and laughed. Because, of course, I can relate to it. But then I was thinking of how it makes a funny about a generational gap. The person who posted it is about my age (+5 yrs). But then I was thinking of MY childhood.

And how in my same time frame, my family did have a camera. We were one of the few families in our area to have a camera. So, I do have pictures from my childhood. Where others that grew up in my vicinity do not.

And we had a telephone. We were also one of the few families in our area to have a telephone. So, neighbors would give their family members our phone number. We would get calls in the middle of the night, from the US. We answered the phone at 2am, then ran over to whichever neighbor’s house that the call was for. They would come over, and the person from the US would call back, having given some buffer of time for us to fetch their relative.

I know sometimes we see these memes on fb that are like “do you remember this from your childhood?”, I smile at those because it is relatable to me. But I wonder sometimes how many others can relate to my childhood memories? I think of that fondly.

Ironic that they didn’t want to pay the higher tax on imported tea. And our new POTUS is considering imposing a higher tax on imported avacados, tomatoes, and other fruit. And car parts, and so much more…    
Time for a tea party, Boston-style?

In the National Felon League, you can carry out all sorts of morally corrupt behavior (murder, beat your wife, fighting, swearing, etc), and no one bats an eye.

But in American Women’s Soccer…. IT’S TOUGH.

This summer, US Soccer suspended (& then *terminated*) the contract of someone because she called the opposing team ‘cowards’. US women’s soccer said they won’t stand for bad sportsmanship. Bam, she’s gone. In the NFL, of you say something against the rules, you get a small, negligible fine.

But man, when Megan did it, she did it better than the NFL guys. No doubt. Kaepernick was in the 2nd or 3rd row? Megan went in front of everyone, out on field. Front & center. Say it loud, say it proud. With strength. Love the unity with Colin Kaepernick, and her execution!

That’s why I think it’s a STRONGER statement that Megan Rapinoe knelt during the National Anthem. It’s important that white athletes join those that are oppressed. It makes it people supporting people. Because when one is oppressed, we all are oppressed. But her being on a zero tolerance sport team? It makes that statement even stronger.

This is why I didn’t watch last night’s debate. This list is SO LONG! And the fact-checking never makes news.

You know when a newspaper would publish those “corrections” on the inside front page every day? Or a news show would publicly announce a correction?

Well, shouldn’t the network that airs the debate announce all the corrections? Or the candidates should have to go back on TV and say all the lies they stated the night before? Or would that just take up too much time?

I’ll be honest right up front. I’m not in Cleveland right now. Heck, I’m not even in the US. I have limited internet time, so I haven’t read the judge’s 35-page verdict. I’m sure he explained why he found Brelo not guilty. But I just don’t get it.

I don’t know how, standing on the good of a car and firing 40-some rounds is justified. Or even how it’s appropriate police procedure. If the couple in the car was armed, which they weren’t, wouldn’t that not be safe for the officer?

Now, I wasn’t there, but I don’t know that such police brutality was justified. I don’t know that they felt their lives were in danger.

Some people may argue that why did they run if they were innocent? To that, I say:
1. Whether or not were they innocent does not mean you shoot 137 shots at them. If anything, that is the definition of overreach.
2. After a bunch of officers have already shot dozens of rounds at a couple, why do you singlehandedly need to shoot 42 rounds by yourself? And at such close range?

But most of all, if you use that argument, then why was the city of Cleveland so quick to pay out $3 MILLION dollars to the family if they didn’t think they did anything wrong???

I wish I was in Cleveland to sit with these guys.

I was doing laundry today. Pixie, the cockapoo, has some weird need to grab socks. It’s like I’m in some duck and weave game with her while folding laundry. I keep her from the laundry basket, and she keeps going for it. As I lay out the folded laundry in piles by owner, I also make a pile with the rolled up pairs of socks. All while keeping her away from these too.

It’s bound to happen. Every now and then, she is victorious in her quest to nab the socks! And off she goes! She races to the other room, and enjoys playing with her sock conquest. I go ever-so-quietly to try to get it back. Her ears perk up and she is ready to bolt. I inch closer to her. Too close…. SHE BOLTS!

This continues between the two opposite rooms on the main floor. Sometimes for far too long. I’ve come up with distractions to be able to grab her & get the socks from her, but it’s always frustrating.

But here’s the thing…. SHE KNOWS IT’S WRONG.

She knows. Or else why would she make a run for it as soon as she nabs them? And then why run each time I go near her? Because she knows I’m going to take them away. Because she knows it’s wrong. But she doesn’t care. Why? Because she just loves socks, and she wants socks, and she just wants what she wants.

This is the same with men. Sometimes.

Sometimes, they will just do whatever stupid thing they want to do. Even though they know it’s wrong. Just like a dog. Which reminded me of a Babyface song about men being dogs. Haha.

Also, I think when I get a dog in the future, I will name her Maria if she’s a girl. Because then, when she does something to drive me crazy and make me mad, I can sing “How do you solve a problem like Maria?”. And it will make me not be mad anymore!

Don’t tell me there’s a war on Christmas when everywhere I look, people are counting down to it. Every store has a sign saying “Christmas is December 25th”. As if anyone here would forget that?

This was on the side of my email today. –>

If there’s any war on Christmas, it’s society pushing products instead of “the reason for the season”.

And actually, the real reason for the season is that the church wanted to overshadow a pagan holiday, so they made up that Jesus was born now instead of in spring (or fall as some believe).

And I present to you this. I took this picture the first week of September this year.