Reaching out.

...and touch somebody's hand-i-work...

I've been staying with my daughter for the last ten months and have felt disconnected from the rest of the world, especially after the quarantine began.  In fact, depression is my constant companion, leading to more flare-ups of PTSD than I've had since it first blindsided me in 2013.  I haven't reached out to my blogging friends in so long, it seems I don't even know how anymore.

Yesterday, friend Francesca surprised and amazed me by sending a mask she made for me.  I was at work, the one day that I may go in to the office, since the historical society is closed down for the duration of the COVID-19 siege.  Before going in, I dropped by my house to see if I had any mail.  Didn't look through it until I got to the office.  That I had any personal mail at all was a nice surprise, but that it was from a blogging friend was even better.

Then I opened the package and burst into tears.  Fresca's gift spoke volumes of her friendship and concern for friends during this terrible time.

While I can't "reach out and touch..." her hand, I can touch what her hands made...and what her heart felt in the making.

Thank you, dear friend. 

Here we go again!

Hands up!  I surrender!

Aww, Bernie...again?  What the hell?!?

This is the political version of the boy who cried wolf, only the candidate cried, "I'll save us!  Vote for me!  Believe in me.  My plans will work for everyone.  No one will be marginalized or left behind!"

I doubt I'll be around to vote for a candidate I can believe again.  I feel like it's the Hillary choice (no choice) farce again. 

What If?

I'm not surprised Jeffrey Epstein died while in custody.  I didn't think he would make it this far.  But I have to ask: what if Epstein's death wasn't suicide?  What if it was assassination made to look like a poorly executed suicide?

Was there any way someone on Putin's payroll could have taken him out?  Putin worked too hard to plant his mole, his WH puppet, in our government to risk losing him over what Epstein knows -knew-about Donald's salacious activities.

I'm certain there are a great many in DC who are giving thanks right now, and breathing deep sighs of relief, that Epstein is out of the picture.

Standing Under the Sun, Only Darkness Do I See

I have mentioned here before the blog of an artist, Gary Myers, whose work I admire.  (Corrected link under Gary's name.)  Gary is self-taught, his work is collected throughout the world and has hung in US embassies.  His iconic Red Tree stands (to my thinking) for the lone man/woman, an idea I am drawn to over and over again.  No doubt because that is how I see myself.  But there is more to my following his blog than that.

Gary writes about more than just his art that sometimes sounds like the thoughts which rattle around in my brain.  He speaks my thoughts, only in a more considered, coherent manner than I usually can (especially in the last five years).  The link on his name above leads to an example of what I mean, what I would say had my spirit not died five years ago when service-related PTSD took up residence in my head.

I learned about the El Paso massacre while out for dinner with my grandson last night.  I didn't know about Dayton until this morning when I read Gary's post.  I thought I was beyond being stunned by anything that happens in the country anymore, especially under the reign of the Enfant Terrible, but I am wrong.  After enduring so many last-straw events since the White House was invaded and continues being held hostage, the progress I make dealing with PTSD slips backwards, sliding toward the darkness that ruled most of the first 14 months in therapy.

This morning, I am stunned.  I am shocked and dismayed.  I am sickened and numb; and feel helpless and confused.  I know from past experience with this sort of response that I will move beyond these initial feelings and get back on the right track, will move forward again.   

But what about the families and friends in these two communities who lost loved ones?  How long will they have to live in the darkness that follows this tragedy (Christ, what an inadequate word!), this insanity?  How long will the Great Instigator go unscathed in the aftermath of what he has wrought?

I feel a great wave of sobs coming on, probably the only reasonable response right now.  The tears are not for me, because this travesty isn't about me.  The tears and sadness are for the communities of El Paso and Dayton this morning.

There likely will more to come, for other communities before the madness is stopped.

The Man Sings!

 

Wasting time, waiting for the weather to change to something less hot, I went tripping on UToob and found some funny stuff on Maestro Ziikos' channel.

Had no idea Trump could sing, but he does...in a manner of speaking.  Thriller, Billie Jean. Wrecking Ball, Senorita accompanied by Putin on the piano.
 
And more!

Ah, here comes the rain, at last.

Short one.

Nothing special; posting because I still can't believe that I've made it to 72.  I never expected to, yet here I am.

Of course, tomorrow might be another story, but - by god and the universe - I still have today.

Hope all of you are having a great day today, as well.  I know one blogging friend who is: he's having a beautiful huckleberry pie!

Best Thirteen Minutes of My Life Today

Gerrymandered America of the Future?

 
Part of my withdrawal from life, in large measure, has been due to the chaos in our political system.  I never expected to live through the destruction of America from within.  Then again, I never expected someone like our current president and congressional houses would be puppets to a foreign power as we are seeing now.  I found something this morning which has given me a glimmer of hope that this "crisis of corruption" can come to an end and democracy can be restored, something that will help us become the nation our founders hoped we would be - for the people, of the people and by the people.

In cruising the internet for videos on how to repair my washing machine, I found one that had nothing to do with repairing household appliances, but everything about how we could repair our country.  Watching it gave me hope, made me feel this might be the answer we need.

I quit looking for washing machine repair videos.  I (we) have a bigger job to do.

Please take a few minutes to watch "Unbreaking America".  I think you might be glad you did.  Hope so, at the very least.  "Find out how you can get involved at http://represent.us"