Author: tallthinman72

In The Moment

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Daily writing prompt
What’s a moment that made you realize you were stronger than you thought?
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There are different types of strength. I might be physically stronger than what some might think, just from looking at me, but average at best.

I guess it might be some of the moments in parish ministry when I was called upon to keep my wits about me, my emotions in check– the occasional heated Council meeting, certain hospital visits, a death in a family, offering words and support at a graveside service or funeral.

I remember attending a special town meeting to voice my opinion on some project that was going to ruin a piece of perfectly good open space. I had never done anything like that, never envisioned myself having the courage to stand up in front of the board and community members and offer an opinion. I was this close to chickening out, but made my way to the mic and offered up my pie-in-the-sky idealism. It was ultimately to no avail, but at least I followed through.

Unforgiveable. Again.

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Hantavirus and now… Ebola.

Human life is constantly under assault, for one reason or another. But what turns the knife, what should get way under our collective skin—since we now know that the latest Ebola outbreak went undetected for a while—is the knowledge that our very own President and the rotten crew of misfits whispering in his ear have defunded, compromised, and in some ways eviscerated the CDC and the WHO—two organizations which, prior to this nightmare of an administration, were watchdogs on the forefront of vigilance and research and vaccine development.

How on earth could anyone think that hobbling these essential players was a good idea? It is beyond mind-boggling. It is hateful, extremely short-sighted and ill-advised.

And intentional? Please tell me that’s not true. We’re flying blind intentionally?!

See you at The Hague, Donald.

I wish.

Morning Joe

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Daily writing prompt
What’s a simple pleasure in life that brings you joy?
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There are a few simple pleasures that bring me joy, but I have to say morning coffee sits at the top of the list. Cold brew, to be specific. It’s still a treat, after all these years, though packing less of a jolt– had to switch to half-caff. Actually, I feel like caffeine doesn’t have the same effect on me that it once did. Even when I occasionally drink the high-octane stuff, it doesn’t give me the same euphoric few minutes I once enjoyed.

Oh well, it’s still something I look forward to.

I Triple-down Dare Ya

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Politically speaking, one of the reasons for things appearing so intractable is due to truth becoming a moving target. Trump and the rest of the hangers-on have only to forcefully and repeatedly offer an opinion based on alternate facts or pure conjecture and falsehoods, and enough people seem OK with that.

It’s what allows Trump to say, among many other things, that the angry mob scene at the capitol on January 6 was actually a love fest. This mindset allows Republicans to counter just about any claim or statement. When everything is relative, there is little to hang one’s hat on, little to hold onto, no pillars, no universal beacons of truth. Advantage: Heritage Foundation, etc.

You are what you eat, so to speak, and many a diet is full of empty calories anymore.

Simply Incredible

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Words. Language. Tonal, audible, recognizable utterances. The interaction of visible, audible stimuli and the brain, of memory and cognition. A means by which we get to convey information and emotion, or the lack thereof.

Language development and acquisition has fascinated me since the grandchildren came along. I’m sure I paid attention to this with our own children, but maybe I just have more time to sit and listen and absorb now.

Our youngest grandchild is providing a storehouse of great moments, since she has progressed from the primal utterances of infancy—crying and cooing and such—to learning words and having these humorous and revealing streams of consciousness where one can tell she’s making an attempt at reporting and trying to get answers and make sense of things, while still having some blanks to fill in.

It’s a marvel to watch—this journey from a certain isolation to being able to express oneself, to interact and be more fully heard. And seen.

Fuel For The Fire

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Daily writing prompt
How do you stay motivated when learning something new?
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Having good teachers helps, as well as encouragement along the way. In addition, I assume there’s a willingness or a certain drive to see it through– maybe not to master it, but at least to increase proficiency and understanding.

The assumption being made is that whatever the task or activity, it is something a person was interested in trying in the first place, something seen as worth doing. If there is true desire to gain knowledge and get better at something, the desire itself will be enough motivation to weather the moments of discouragement and sustain the effort.

And I Can’t Forget Boo

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Daily writing prompt
What’s a book that completely surprised you?
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It would have to be back in high school, when the only books I read were ones I was required to read. No book surprises me anymore, since most any one I read comes reviewed and recommended and I seek it out. Though I suppose I could be surprised the other way– it could be a disappointment, get me to wondering what all the fuss was about.

I think it would be either one of the titles I’ve recently mentioned as being memorable reads– To Kill a Mockingbird or A Separate Peace. I didn’t know what to expect with either one, but was rewarded in each case by actually finishing them and being moved by the character development, the twists and turns, and the sad and somewhat shocking development in A Separate Peace.

Confusion and Bitterness

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I apologize for lingering over this, but it is ever-present in my field of view, and it’s growing increasingly infuriating and unacceptable. I feel like I need to write until I stumble onto the exact proper turns of phrase, somehow capturing the essence of my anger and dis-ease.

In simple words, It’s Donald Trump. In addition, it’s the apparent willingness of most Republican members of Congress to back him up, to go along with his insidious emptiness and have the temerity to double down on embracing the mob boss chic.

It has been difficult to shake the feeling that Mike Johnson and the rest are morphing into biblically illiterate zombies, on some sort of mission to remake America into a place where no sane person would want to live: an isolated dystopia, an ecological disaster, a bleak, miserable landscape characterized by poverty and prejudice and negligence, ruled by a handful of owned, misguided fish out of water and an angry, judgmental God.

How hateful and un-American are they willing to get? We appear to be on the road to find out.

Who the hell can be excited about celebrating our 250th birthday? What is there to get excited about, right now? What are we celebrating? Will we be told what we should be celebrating?

Who, and what, are we?!

Discipline and Habit

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Daily writing prompt
How can you build a regular fitness routine?
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With intentionality, and somehow sticking with it long enough for it to become an un-missable part of my week. I’m not a fitness junkie, but I do recognize the importance of movement and flexibility.

It’s probably time I tried to get back into going to the Y. I had stopped doing that when we had a ridiculously long stretch of snowy, cold weather this past winter, and it became easy to generate excuses for not venturing outside. How sad is that?