The US is about to pass into uncharted territory. It is like a launch without calibrations. More doubts, questions, legal challenges, character faults, inconsistencies, lies and division hang over this transition of power than any in modern history.
Old time wags used to speak of the "ship of state." A Matrix hovercraft like the Nebuchadnezzar or Blue Dreamer is a more apt analogy, given the pace of cyber warfare, omni present surveillance, social media battles and the complexity of real diplomatic intrigues. This old democratic republic has never seen the likes of the incoming gang nor a more divided electorate. A surrealistic carnival is about to open in the land of post-truth. In another borrow from the Matrix, which pill will most people take-the blue or the red?
As for me, I'd prefer to sail off in a wooden shoe on a river of crystal light with the "never afraid three," Wynken, Blynken and Nod. A grand daughter may indeed be my antidote.
strange juxtapositions
Do you ever feel like a tennis shoe at a tuxedo and gown ball, or bib overalls on a rack of swim suits, or like you got on the wrong bus? I've just returned from that place.
Look at these happy and engaged people.
The more complicated or the more pieces-like 1000 !-the happier and the more engaged they become. Bill, Marcos, Bob and Lana love, really really love to spend hour after hour pouring over sadistically jig sawed pieces, straining eyes to master another Wentworth or some other exotic puzzle.
I'm cut from other stuff. I'll wander in from time to time and even spend a while searching for a fit. It is a short while I spend and rarely do I connect a match. Many attempts perhaps, dashed in frustration and aborning a silent loathing.
Morning, noon and night these people actually seem to enjoy the labor. I read, maybe nap, take a walk as on and on they work. Bob and I snuck in some football watching.
The finished puzzles are something to behold and our fine and patient puzzlers do seem to take a moment of pride. But I think it is more about the journey than the destination. When it comes to puzzles of this sort, I guess I'm a destination guy.
How about you? A puzzle worker? The journey or the destination?
Although I am very interested in the Washington puzzle.
Will Republicans find unity or will the extreme wing chew on their own? Will some semblance of a Republican party dance with the Donald or will they regard him as rude, crude and crazy? Will the Donald understand the Presidency requires real work and exists beyond the Twitter stream? Will the Democrats find their way? Will the two parties find a way to cooperate? Will the Republicans kill the Affordable Care Act BEFORE they have a workable alternative? How long before the conflict of interest whistle blows? When will we hear the first rumblings of impeachment? How long before those angry and desperate Trump supporters realize he's created a government full of Billionaires who care less about their needs? How long before the sexual assault charges resurface? And on and on. Actually I think I'd rather join the fishermen three in their wooden shoe on the ruffled waves of dew.
See you down the trail.
I used to work jigsaw puzzles but haven't done one in many, many years. I have my daily crosswords that I solve on the computer each morning though.
ReplyDeleteThe more I hear of Trump the more laughable he becomes. He has no idea what he's about to get into.
There is nothing in his life that has prepared him for the seriousness, complexity and difficulty of this job. Chasing skirts, bull shitting, being a terrible businessman and a TV phony is all he's got. That ain't enough.
DeleteAnd how long before it is determined that he actually is seriously mentally ill and must be removed from office before disaster strikes?
ReplyDeleteTis a good question, counselor. I'd love to see the Republicans commence the impeachment proceedings.
DeleteHi Tom
ReplyDeleteThe granddaughter IS the answer-- and the hope. Indulge her with your love, smarts, humor and history. You will all be better people because of it. And with that legacy, I know she will be a bright light for the future of our country.
When my brother was dying, we had several puzzles going. It can be a true ESCAPE from all things mental/physical/emotional. One must take themselves OUT of reality and submerge into the land of lines, colors, shapes. It's also a fleeting but satisfying moment when that "seek and find" results in the 'click" of a piece that fits.
I'm heading to CA next week to judge the SFC Wine Competition in Cloverdale. Looking forward to reconnecting with my wine colleagues and that rugged, beautiful northern California terrain. peace and love to you, Lana and the girls
Jill-
DeleteThe piece that probably doesn't fit in the puzzle world is me. If I ever have a successful click, I do feel satisfied, however. Guess my inner rhythm runs more to sitting and staring at waves or listening to a rushing stream.
Wish we could connect while you are out west. Sometime we must share the Paso region with you. Have a wonderful time, enjoy your colleagues and your judging work. Peace and love to you. All the best in 2017.
I LOVE puzzles! I think it is a Hoosier thing....those long winter evenings and house bound snow days......
ReplyDeleteThere were those indeed. A bit like this rainy season-wonderful though it is.
DeleteGuess while you and Lana and sensible sorts were doing puzzles, my brother and I were romping, wrestling, and playing sock basketball on the back of the bed room door.
I was never into jigsaw puzzles, preferring to create pictures the old fashioned way.
ReplyDeletePerhaps some of your painting work could lend itself to a challenging puzzle.
DeleteI realize most of the folks who read your blog are of the same mind as you. I enjoy some of your stuff and I love your photography. As far as Trump being a terrible businessman, how then did he become a multi billionaire? As far as not having the experience, Obama had no experience. Oh wait, he did not do a very good job...........What Trump does have is Pence who is a pretty savvy politician who knows how the cow at the cabbage. The affordable care act will be history in a few months. The folks who are worried about their pre existing conditions and 26 year old kids at home will be taken care of. The new plan will be something much better for the 20 million who are being ripped off at the current time. And I am confident Trump will do as Sanders demands and not cut Medicare or Social Security. I also hope he figures a way to cut fraud out of both these systems.
ReplyDeleteProtesting, trying to have any influence on anyone these days, is like pissing into the wind. What I will do is sit back and watch the boat be driven to the rocks. Then I will have the energy to scramble to shore and (presumably) a measure, at least, of safety. And if we are so lucky as to have an opportunity to start anew, I will have the energy for that.
ReplyDeleteWhat we have done, here and around the world, we have done to ourselves. Hopefully, The Great Spirit will give us a second chance.
Tom, feel free to delete this comment mostly aimed at the post above.
ReplyDeleteBrian....how did the trump get his money? From his dad. Were it not for Trump Sr. our upcoming 'president' would be a used car salesman.
What Trump has in Pence is the most conservative, radically right, anti-gay, women, anything but white the most radical 'president' we've seen.
With Trump, we don't know what we're going to get on these issues. The guy is unpredictable, irrational, and just plain nuts as anyone who's taken his mantle. Pence is another matter, a crazy who represents maybe 3% of the values of this country.
As to puzzles, they've puzzled me for decades. How can people do them? I've stared at them for hours as people worked it out. I'd rather sex fruit flies.
Man, your fellow Cambrian says it all above. How do we reach these folks? How do we let them know how wrong they are? What do you do when it appears that 40 some of your voting population would have been in the Nazi party in 1933?
It's a puzzlement to me.
Mike
I'll take a moment to respond to the three previous responses-Brian, Steve and Should Fish more.
ReplyDeleteBrian-Trump essentially went broke running a casino. Bankers put him on a salary and took the running of business away from him. The money he has amassed, and we don't know how much-he still has not released tax returns-is essentially from licensing his name, not building anything. He's in major debt to Russian and Chinese interests. He's been or is being sued by many, including little folks-workers-tradesmen-merchants for his screwing of them. He is not a successful businessman-he just played one on TV and a lot of folks fell for it. His ethics are deplorable, he's used bankruptcy laws to his advantage, he is proven liar, his air lines failed, his university failed-and he settled a fraud case on it-his clothing line failed-his food line failed. He's a hustler, a promoter.
I hope they develop an alternative to the ACA, or there could be whole scale suffering. As it stands now if the ACA is repealed the "donut" that allows seniors to save on prescriptions will disappear and medicines could increase by 50%. Lot of people don't realize that.
Steve I hope you are not right about the power of protest. I suspect this administration will give that idea a challenge. I suspect a lot of people will refuse to forget what Trump said about and did to women, to people who worked for him, his serial lies and his hate mongering.
SFM-Mike-Trump did unleash an awful vitriol. One term of Pence in Indiana and he was on his way out, expected to loose his reelection campaign, even his own party gave thoughts to throwing him out. You are not the first to find frightening similarities in some Trump supporters with those who part of the rise in Germany in the '30s. Review tape and photos of Trump rallies and you will see and hear white supremacists, anti semites, nationalists. Trump enabled them to gain a kind of open acceptance.
Brian I deleted your response to Mike as it contained a personal attack and we avoid that among our readers and correspondents.