Joy to the World

It's that time of year when everyone seems to get a little part of the Christmas spirit.....whether they're true believers or cynics, Jews or Buddhists, Muslims or Scientologists.  Even the most atheist among us have a soft spot in their heart for Christmas music, ice skates, snow, mittens, cocoa, cookies, and peace on Earth.

One day of the year, one can almost physically feel the peace on Earth.  It doesn't matter if it's just a  perception and that we go back to being just awful to each other the next day.  The Christmas spirit exists in all of us for a brief 24 hour period every year.

I guess that's better than nothing - one single day of the year where we shut down the negativity and we all pretend that there is hope for a more joyous new year.  In fact, a lot of us aren't pretending - we're really hopeful that this peace on Earth feeling actually does last longer than dinner at Grandma's house. 

Alas.

I'm far away from my family, and Christmas will be a small affair.  There won't be a ton of presents to unwrap (darn), or little toddlers tearing into their gifts and being more delighted with the boxes they came in.  There won't be a flurry of anxious activity while dinner for sixteen gets served up, or a mountain of dishes to scrape and clean.  There won't be anyone a few martinis over the line, or any petty squabbles between siblings.  There will just be people who honestly care about each other spending a quiet evening at home.  Like most of our evenings.  I guess everyday in my house is like Christmas (without the presents). 

I'd like to give a gift to everyone --- an idea that every day can feel like Christmas if every day we pretend its Christmas.  We try to be more charitable, we care more about our fellow beings, we are more generous with our money and our time.  We actually help someone who needs our help, not because they've asked for our help, but because we are actually seeing them and the situations they are in.  That is Christmas and that is what I wish we would always feel.  It should not be limited to 24 hours once a year.  It loses all sincerity if that is all it is.

Steve Scalise Syndrome Invades GOP

As I watched the GOP hand picked whiner society complain about process and policy ---- never once defending or denying the treasonous misdeeds of the horse's ass known as Donald J. Trump, it occurred to me that they must certainly have a more heinous agenda than even Trump was able to incorporate.

The New Order they seem to be proposing will leave most Americans seriously hurt and the democracy mostly dead.

These are evil men.

We don't know exactly what evil they are building to, but we do understand the magnificent obsession they have with tearing down our democracy.

They are hopelessly cheer leading a douche bag who will be impeached (at least) if not actually removed. 

These cowards are all suffering the same fate Steve Scalise suffered with his love affair of the NRA --- no balls syndrome.  That, in a (empty) nutshell, is the gist of it.