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Daily writing prompt
What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time?

Being retired, I suppose I have nothing but leisure time. If I had to pick one thing, and conditions allowed, I’d probably give a nod to being out on a golf course somewhere.

In reality, there are several things that vie for top spot– taking a day trip, even if it’s just doing errands and having a meal out; working on a project of some sort, whether woodworking or cleaning and rearranging; visiting with family, near and far; playing the piano; working in our small yard, mowing grass, keeping things looking cared for; reading; putting a puzzle together; cooking; as much as I swear off such a thing at times, checking the newsfeed on my iPad; and sitting still, taking in the sights and sounds of an average day.

Wintry Fun

Daily writing prompt
Name an attraction or town close to home that you still haven’t got around to visiting.

The Eagles Mere toboggan slide. It’s weather-dependent, of course, because hundreds of 12-inch thick slabs of ice are needed for the run itself, and it ends on a lake that has to be thick enough to support the weight of many riders.

This winter, folks are actually talking as if it might happen. Fifty seconds of exhiliration, a quarter-mile long. A tradition since the early 1900s.

Hints of Normalcy

Commanders-Eagles; Bills-Chiefs. My vote is for Eagles-Bills. But if Mahomes is healthy enough, KC will most likely get the chance to win 3 Super Bowls in a row. And Jayden Daniels is already performing like a seasoned veteran, so… who knows?

And who really cares? I guess, right now, we could use the diversion—take our minds off of Trump for a few hours.

There’s always the chance he finds a way to ruin the vibe by demanding some face time, though… saying or doing the next wtf thing, like commandeering the halftime show so he can sign a few more executive orders and hold ’em up like trophies.

Scrutiny

On the one hand, a nave full of parishioners waiting to hear the sermon might be confused or disappointed when they recognize that the pastor is speaking to an audience of one—some guy in the front row who, for some reason, she mentions by title.

On the other hand, it’s a sign of the times that Bishop Budde singled out Trump in her remarks at a recent service at the Washington National Cathedral.

Yes, it is unusual, even unorthodox and uncouth, for a preacher to speak directly to one person in the congregation. But, once again, how many opportunities are we gonna get to put Trump on the spot, call him on his craziness, remind him of the dark paths he’s always choosing?

Oh, Trump has already demanded an apology, because of course he has. But he has to expect the occasional rebuff of his recklessness, his coldness, his ignorance and complicity in following someone else’s marching orders. He deserves everything he gets, in the way of pushback.

He should expect the opposite of carte blanche at just about every turn.

Another Mug Shot

Trump’s official photo says it all. “Fear me,” it says. Menacing and ridiculous at the same time.

It’s the face of a spurned bully, a person with a chip on his shoulder, returning to exact revenge. Someone on a mission to wreak havoc, to intimidate, to burn everything down, to wield a pen and sign executive orders, as if it’s that simple.

We knew it would come to this. Many of us knew.

Foot Wounds Galore

How can Trump sit at a desk and sign a piece of paper and unilaterally nullify our membership in the World Health Organization? Has he given any thought to the ramifications? Is there any allowance for follow-up responses from people who might think this is a bad idea? Is it always only transactional, only about the money? Is this one of the ways we trim $2 trillion from the budget? Seems, at the very least, short-sighted and ill-advised.

But this is what he does, and he’s just getting started.  

No Mooching

Daily writing prompt
If you could make your pet understand one thing, what would it be?

If I had a pet, most likely a dog, I would try to impress upon it that I don’t want it hanging around the dinner or breakfast or lunch table waiting for a handout. Nor would a countertop heist or nosing through the trash can be acceptable.

I realize dogs and cats and others would eat all day if we let them, but there’s always been something about this that truly annoys me. Maybe it’s that I feel like the animal really only has a one-track mind, only cares about us as providers of food, and any emotional attachment is one-sided, mere projection on our part. It’d be nice if that wasn’t true.

Makings of a Path

Daily writing prompt
Write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc.

According to ChatGPT, the name Jeffrey originates from the Old Germanic name Gautfrid or Godfrid. The exact etymology is somewhat debated due to its multiple regional origins, but most settle on elements meaning “divine” or “god,” and “peace.” Some associate it with Old Germanic roots meaning “territory of peace.”

Over time, it evolved into variations in Old French as Geoffroi or Geoffrey and entered English after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name became popular in medieval England with various spellings, including Jeffrey, Geoffrey, and Jeffry. It continues to be a common name today, and is oftened shortened to Jeff.

I already knew some of these details, but to actually write them down is providing a certain affirmation, or at least serving as a reminder, regarding assignment or gifting of names. Maybe names carry weight, mean something, even serve as indicators or guides or some sort of spiritual influence. Maybe they offer hints as to why a person is the way he or she is.

This might be assigning too much credit or power to a mere name, but I have had a penchant for peace my entire life, apart from any conscious effort to live into my name. It is often an undercurrent or outright central topic in my writing. I spent 26 years in the ministry wrestling with a sense of call to do “God’s work,” even though I currently find myself wandering in a desert of doubt.

Maybe name-giving is no trite matter.

Different Results…? Doubtful.

So it begins in a few hours. In the very space where, a little over four years ago, there was nothing but “love” in the air…

Many, myself included, will be intentionally swearing off media today, or tuning in to QVC or TCM or HGTV so as to give pollsters something to tally and try to make sense of.

Personally speaking, the irony and wrongness of what’s soon unfolding is too much to endure anymore. It’s a shitty place to be— realizing that truth is relative, that character counts for next to nothing, and blustery, empty rhetoric and the threat of a big stick are what really get peoples’ attention in this world.

Trouble is, these things will carry us only so far. Then all we’re left with is a real-life unfolding of the timeworn definition of insanity.