Day by Day

 As I have aged, retired, and continue to learn wife speak I have become a person of habit in the mornings, I normally get out of bed between 8 and 8:30, after having gone to the bathroom at least three times during the night. Fortunately after these excursions I am able to get back to sleep easily. My fit bit says I normally get two hours of deep sleep, four to five hours of light sleep, and about fifteen minutes of awake(pee) time. After getting up I go about my morning ritual of washing up, brushing my teeth, and shaving (head and beard). I then take my morning medications put on aftershave and get dressed. As a creature of habit I always make up the bed (by now my wife is also up and out of bed). This seems to set up the organization of my day. Down the stairs I go to turn on the coffee maker, plug up my phone to it's charger, and open the blinds at the windows to get that morning sunlight and see what's going on outside. 

I make my morning cup of coffee (got to have it) get my laptop and set down at the kitchen island to read the morning newspaper. Yes I still read the paper. I used to get a printed copy, but they were so sporadic with delivery that I now just go digital. Yeah for me. I could fix breakfast, but I have learned that it is best that I stay out of my wife's domain here. Since my life resembles the "Pickles" comic strip, by Brian Crane in the newspaper (I highly recommend it. I get my morning smile everyday from it) I know that I have to have instruction from my wife on egg cooking, elimination of crumbs from the counter, pan usage, and a variety of other issues. While she may not want to do all the cooking (she really does) she feels it is necessary. I think her OCD and germaphobia may have something to do with it. 

I turn on our Sonos music, which is relaxing to me, and listen to whatever Pandora station I'm into this particular day. No TV till after 4:00 in the afternoon. Mostly news then, which is always pretty depressing. After these morning rituals the rest of each day is up for grabs. Do we need to go to the grocery, a doctors appointment, retail therapy for my wife, book reading, walks in the park, workout at the gym, trip to the beach or new restaurant. There's always housework and planning for travel trips.

The evening activities start with the evening news and then identifying what we are going to watch on TV. We have a list of programs for each day including reality tv like Survivor, Big Brother, etc. Then there are the dramas, comedy, and of course sorts shows for me. Basically when people ask me "How's it going?" I normally think " the same sh--, just a different day." But that's life, an accumulation of events and experiences. and I am blessed to have them day after day.

Is the context important?

 With the terrible attack by Hamas on Israel, I felt it necessary to think about what this war is all about and how it started. While I know that there is a biblical context to this whole story as it relates to Christianity, Judaism, and the Muslem religions. Many of the spiritual locations should as Jerusalem are key parts of these religions. Wars and have occurred for centuries in this part of the world between ethnic groups. As a baby boomer the back story to this current war occurred as I was just a child and as I grew up I only heard about the conflicts themselves.

Before World War I this area of the world was part of the Ottoman Empire and was called Palestine. It was populated primarily by Arab Muslims, some Arab Christians and Jews. Most Jewish people lived in Europe or outside of Palestine in the Middle East and the Americas. Over time populist movements developed where Jews wanted to return to Zion, hence the term Zionism, and the Arab Nationalism. In the late 1800's there was a movement in Europe by Jews to return to motherland and an antisemitism movement began in Russia and Europe. In 1917 after defeating the Turks, this area was under British military rule. After WWI an agreement was struck that established this area as a Palestinian state and established it as a national homeland for Jewish people. 

After this there were many conflicts between Jews, Palestinians, and the British occupation forces leading up to WWII. Hitler gained support for the Middle East by committing to eliminate this homeland for Jews in Palestine and the British control in the region. He went further with the Holocaust. After WWII Palestine was divided up by the United Nations and ongoing accords. An independent Israeli state was created in Palestine with various portions isolated for the Palestinians within it. A war ensued between Israel and surrounding Arab states in 1948. This resulted in a victory for Israel and they annexed more territory. 700-750 thousand Palestinian Arabs fled or were expelled and became refugees and were not allowed to travel into what was now considered Israel while 850,00 Jews fled or were expelled for Arab countries. Violence was ongoing during this period with several short wars thorough the late sixties.

After the defeat of Arab countries during the Six Day War with Israel political and military factions of the Palestinians began to surface. Extreme military groups began establishing strongholds with Hamas become the most established. It mantra is the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people for the pain and suffering which they have subjected the Palestinians too. There is no more room for discussions on a split of the into two states. One for Palestine and one for Israel. Because of ideology it is not possible for these two sets of people to share the land when both claim it for themselves. Context is an important part of understanding both sides of an argument, and history has brought us to the point where we are now. The Palestinians want a free land of their own, just as the Jews have wanted for centuries and now have. 

I don't have any idea about what the outcome of this latest war will be, but I am sure that it will not be a positive result for our world and its future. Hamas does not represent "all Palestinian people. It is an extremist group that has a stated mission of the annihilation of Israel. Talks of peace or even a two state compromise in the area is a threat to them. In my opinion this is why they attacked and not due to anything that Israel had recently done.  Win, lose, or draw thousands of lives will be lost and this area of the world will be devasted. As both sides should say, "God help us".

 

 

Aging Pains

 As I get older the little aches and pains become more prevalent. While I am in fairly good physical health the need to do more stretching and have a better diet is not lost on me. I have learned that my wife on the other hand takes her health and aging as catastrophic. Keep in mind that she is what the younger people say is "extra" about everything. The fact that she has legitimate pain and issues is very real. One thing that affects me though is that she is a terrible patient. If I try to help or give suggestions, they are readily dismissed. At least until she can review are read something on the internet which suggest just the same thing I said. 

Also most pain or issues are "extreme" to her. Because of this it is hard for me to determine what is serious and what is not. If we are walking, or she has a hot flash the typical response is that she is "sweating like a dog" or "she is hot as he--". This also causes a variety of temperature adjustments to room and car temperature. 

The other thing I have noticed, and I don't know if this is a thing with older African American women, but she will identify a pain or a problem but doesn't want help from a doctor or a specialist on what to do. It's like they are afraid to go to them because they believe they will get bad news, find out other things are wrong, or are afraid of "possible side effects". Now all of these are reasonable but for a person like me it amounts to living your life in fear of the unknown. My wife has a more holistic approach to her ailments and pain and believes in finding natural ways to deal with them. This does also allow her to continue to have them ongoing to some degree.

While I hate to see her in pain and do whatever I can to help through it, she is the boss around here. Like the old show "Father Knows Best" , my "Wife Knows Best" and one of my jobs as a good man is to support her when and wherever I can. On the flip side as the boss she "always" is looking out for me and my health. This is one of the ways I know she loves me. And I love her.

A Crossroad

 When I retired to Florida I had several good reasons in mind, and after four years still believe they were and still are valid. The weather, cost of living, taxes, and attractions all make it a great place to live. When I first arrived, we had to endure the last year of the Trump "dynasty" and the beginning of the covid pandemic. The transition to Joe Biden and the democratic government has been rough, particularly with Trumps allegations of a rigged election and the riot at the capital, caused by it. But now my concern turned to what comes next. 

Our governor, Ron DeSantis has an agenda that I am more fearful of than Trump's. Trump was basically a narcissist, racist, and individual with no real knowledge of government. A bully who had power, leading those who had been undercover in their fear of losing it. DeSantis, on the other hand is intelligent, with knowledge of how politics work, while still having the desire for power and control. His "culture war" against what he calls as the "woke" establishment is horrifying, particularly for those who look back over history with a purpose of learning from our mistakes and successes.

While Florida has a critical need for property tax reform, an insurance network which is in catastrophic trouble, a teacher shortage and a public school system which continues to get worst, environmental issues, along with a health department that rails against prevailing science, our governor is off on a cultural based on "us versus them". Since he has obtained a Republican/conservative majority in the legislature, he has gone about his work with surgical precision, taking control of local and state boards. Overriding the vote of the people in many cases to put those in charge who will do his bidding. He has used the pretense of giving parents more control in schools and over their children, with his anti LGBQ policies, banning books, and any efforts to teach anything that does not show white America in a positive light. He incited people at the teaching of "critical race theory" (which by the way was not taught in elementary classes) when he didn't even know what it is and has never even taken an African American Studies program his career.

This is a politician who has persuaded individuals that they live in the free state of Florida when at every turn they are having government interjected into their lives. How they can/cannot vote, what they can read, what they can say, what medicines they can use, and many other things. Many policies are pushed based on the governor's agenda and not from the majority of the population. It is easy to see how a move to charter schools a plan is to eliminate the public school system or at least change it to a second-class system for poor and minority studies who can't afford anything else. The "state" will be able to teach history it sees fit and "indoctrinate" our children, just the way they say they are being indoctrinated by liberals today. In the meantime, average people will suffer from devasting climate events with no coverage, raising taxes and interest rates forcing them from their homes, limited health care and assistance from their government, and forced to toe the line or else.

I fear for the future of my grandchildren, when this type of leadership is the alternative for America's future. And that is only if we don't succumb to World War 111. Remember history and how the last two World Wars began? The opponents to the Trump's and DeSantis's of America are not out there now, but they will need to be developed if we are to survive. At least in my mind. While both sides of our political arena talk about the "policies of the elite" on the other side, there aren't many average Joe's in positions of power. Racist policies and those like gun policies based on misrepresented constitutional amendments, will keep us from realizing the dream for this government experiment.

 

Is your house a home?

 When I retired a few years ago my wife and I decided to downsize and relocate to Tampa Florida. We enjoyed the city with its weather, beaches, attractions, restaurants and all-around livability. We moved into a two-bedroom condo in a gated community, made some renovations and I was pretty happy. I didn't take long for me to see that this would not be our retirement home for long. My wife became fascinated with the thought of selling or renting the condo to make money. My house was no longer a home but an investment. Now I like making money s much as anyone, but as I have told my wife on many occasions real estate has no attraction for me. While she scanned realtor apps and housing in Tampa I went along because I want to support her interests, as we are a team. 

After living in the condo for a and a half, and managing our funds to pay off the mortgage, her itch to move reached its peak. We had been walking in the neighborhood park during the pandemic year and had watched a group of townhouses being built. After they were completed, we had to see what they looked like inside. My wife loved them, even though they were three stores with steps and cost twice as much as the condo had cost. She convinced me it would be a great "investment" (which it was) and we could rent out the condo to help pay the higher mortgage. Now that we have furnished it, I really like my "home" and enjoying living in it.

However, once again it is not treated like a home, as talk revolves around what we can make when we sell it. Because of the housing market here in Tampa, both the condo and the townhouse have appreciated considerably. However, I cannot be comfortable with every decision and topic of discussion geared around selling. Every trip out is peppered with looking at houses and what might be for sell. Seating, flooring, painting, appliances are all highlighted by what it means to a seller versus what it means to me. Because of the size of the townhouse and the fact that my wife it pretty much a control freak who feels that she has to do everything, makes it hard to just relax. Everything in terms of cleaning is exaggerated. And everything must be in the place. For I guy I think I'm pretty neat and organized but usually I'm the somebody who has or hasn't done something.

Well, we'll probably be moving again in a few years. A process I dread but will be necessary. I don't have many years left, but I'm sure my final "home" will be great, as long as I my project motivated wife still tolerates me being me.  

The Roaring 20's

 In the twentieth century the 1920's were exciting as people maneuvered through a stylized decade of fashion, culture, and economic prosperity. There was prohibition, and people went to Speak Easys to get their groove on dancing and showing off their stylish dress. While there was a Harlem Renaissance you heard little about the Tulsa race massacre. In many major states women won the right to vote. The media hit us up on the new tv medium along with new sport stadiums and cinemas. The Wall Street Crash of 1929 ended the era as the Great Depression brought years of hardship worldwide.

Well, now I am in my roaring twenties, starting with 2020 and things aren't looking to good. First off, our President Donald Trump has been spreading the big lie that the presidential election was stolen from him and he refused to concede power to our new president Joe Biden. Him and his supported attempted to stop the peaceful transfer of power by storming the capital building on January 6th. People died including police officers as the rioters were eventually contained. However, this was a direct attack on our democracy by an individual would want to become an autocrat here America. 

During this time in 2020 the world and the United States was struck by a worldwide pandemic. Covid, as it was labeled ravaged to US and before it was contained over a million people would die from the disease. A vaccine was developed and by social distancing, wearing masks and taking the vaccines when available me and my wife have been able to avoid infection for now. However, the virus is still with us and because of the world supply chain has been severely disrupted along with worldwide economies. People have lost jobs, homes, and the inflation rate has soared.

The new President has addressed these issues by providing stimulus packages and programs to help as many people as possible but that has helped to push inflation as people begin to spend more with less supply available. The housing market has soared as interest rates were at all-time low with limited inventory. I was able to refinance my home and pay off our condo while my equity in both properties increased by 13% in 2021. Things economically are a mess as the Feds try to curb inflation by raising interest rates at a historic pace which many say will eventually trust into a recession.

On top of that I have just went thru one of the strongest hurricanes to hit Florida in decades. My wife Donna was visiting her mother in Louisville, and I stayed home. Heard of the hurricane coming while she was gone, and I decided to stay in Tampa and shutter our place. We were supposed to get a direct hit but by the grace of God hurricane Ian made landfall south of us. It was disaster for the people Fort Meyers and my heart goes out to them and others more heavily impacted by the storm. This was a storm of the century type of events and will have ramifications on people's lives for decades. Hurricane season is only a third of the way over and there could be more storms to come.

The midterm elections of 2022 are coming and the fate of the country moving forward hangs in the balance. The far right and Trumpers of the Republican Party will try to gain control of the government, both country and statewide. They have already been able to stack the judiciary with conservative judges as demonstrated by the Supreme Court's decision the throw out Roe vs Wade and remove a woman's right to abortion. Donald Trump is still in control of the party, even as he is being investigated by the Justice Department and several states for criminal offenses. One being the taking of classified documents from the White House when he left office. 

Last but not least has been the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, has declared the Ukraine is Russian land and that the democratic government, who he called Nazis, should be ousted. Russia was already under sanctions for their invasion and annexation of the Crimean Peninsula which was part of Ukraine. The Ukrainians have received military aid from the US and the EU to resist the invasion. They have held off the Russians and vowed to fight for their country, even as they are outmanned. Their resolve has begun to make inroads in retaking territory previously secured by the Russians and exposed some of their weaknesses. Put, with his losses has begun desperate and implied the possible use of nuclear weapons to win the war. He has drafted 300K soldiers. People in Russia are starting to push back on the war at home because of this. This threat of world war is real and makes the world a dangerous place to live in, the roaring 20's.

 

 

Believe It Or Not

 I have discovered that in the world that I currently live in it is impossible to always tell the truth from lies. That is a sad state of affairs. The internet has provided us with an informational engine like no other. However, it has no filter, and, in our democracy, you can say almost anything you want, true or not. The ads for products can tell you they are great on one platform and a complete scram on another. People can observe things with their own eyes but is actually true or some sort of virtual stimulation. Recently, I viewed a segment on 60 Minutes that demonstrated how people are making videos of celebrities, to post on the internet, using artificial intelligence software. They can post video and make claims that the person is making statements of performing acts that they really didn't. How dangerous is this that it may not be possible to believe your own eyes because of possible deception? What impact long-term will this have on our justice system, when evidence can be refuted, and people can just say that wasn't me. It's a fake. And what about everyday relationships, when people can post fake information on social media. Many people are already facing that problem.

The traditional media is somewhat better, but it has its problems too. There is a bad news bias in this area where the bad news is always considered the best news to present. This includes anything the is divisive or controversial. This has a tendency to skew the data. For example, the idea of providing welfare entitlements like food stamps, social security, VA benefits and other services that the richest country in the world should be able to do, the media normal portrays people of color. The majority of these benefits go to white people in this country. Information with visuals of these people might have a better impact on improving these services and everyone would benefit. Immigrants are portrayed as a drain on the countries resources because illegal immigration is the only form of immigration shown. 

 Alot of this problem comes from our leaders at the top of the food chain in our society. It is a "win at all costs" in politics today. The us against them mentality leads to no compromises, and has been foster by the conservative right, basically the Republican party. Of course, they will say it comes from the progressive liberal left of the Democratic party. Donald Trump has led a wave of change where misinformation is the goal. If you say something enough times, to enough people, you can convince the majority of them (or enough) to believe it. Supporters can pass along conspiracy theories for sport and power with impunity. People's perceptions and assumptions are passed along as truth. This type of misinformation will eventually destroy us, as we lose faith in our policies, systems, and relationships. It is a sad state of affairs which I hope we can pull out of, but all the information I get says it will get worse before it gets better. (or is this misinformation)