Fully Present Post 50

There is a tidal wave of political and ethnic division rooted in tribal ambitions and tribal fears threatening the very fabric of our nation.  And we can’t afford to ignore it.  On C-Span Book TV yesterday, I watched the live Miami Dade Book Festival as one of the authors of “One Nation After Trump” presented.  During the question and answer period, a 20 something clean cut and very articulate white male stood up in front of a packed audience and respectfully asked if people like the author were not the racist because they seem to celebrate the fact that whites will soon be a minority in their own nation? Continue reading “Innocent Evil”

With the continuing pains in my chest and the loss this week of one of our Ventura County community heroes, Mr. John R. Hatcher, III, I feel compelled to write about the great mystery facing us all, death. People close to me will tell you that I am a bit morbid because I talk freely and openly about death. Maybe that’s because I’ve had several very interesting experiences with it over the years. Continue reading “Mortality Thoughts”

I woke up Thursday morning and experienced a sharp, fleeting pain in my chest, deep beneath my right breast to be precise.  I ignored it and went ahead with my routine, including 35 minutes on the treadmill despite the continuation of the fleeting pain in the same place.  Then I went to work and by noon I was in the emergency room. Continue reading “Me and My Chest Pains”

A relatively new colleague commented to me after a meeting that she found me to be upbeat and positive all the time.  She said that I always seem so happy.  I responded by saying that I was happy.  What I should have said was that I am resilient. Continue reading “Being a Bit Resilient”

I wake up at about 4am each morning and the first thing I do is turn on  MSNBC, CNN, or CSPAN Washington Journal.  The moment I arrive home from work each evening, the first thing I do is turn on MSNBC or CNN.  I can’t seem to help myself.  I think I’m addicted to the daily drama and trauma caused by this president. Continue reading “This Addictive Chaos”

The Civil War was largely fought among White people who wanted to preserve their way of life that included slavery and White people who viewed slavery as wrong and wanted to end it.  I posit that today White people are heating up and taking sides for another battle for the soul of this nation.  Continue reading “Whites Are Fighting Again”

I’m a gun owner because California is a community property state.  I’ve never held a gun in my hand and I have no desire to feel the supposed rush of shooting one.  But it is our 2nd Amendment right to own guns and according to CNN, 3% of Americans own 95% of them.  I wonder if the rest of the world thinks we’re a bit crazy, given all the mass shootings by Americans exercising their right to purchase firearms and our unwillingness to do anything about it beyond offering thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families.  I have a few solutions, but I’m doubtful this Congress will do anything to address the root of the problem. Continue reading “America’s Gun Obsession”

I’m beginning to doubt that we Americans are as divided as many would have us believe.  It took the comment of a student the other day to get me thinking about our shared values.  We were talking about the NFL and the national anthem when the student said that he is in love with our Constitution.  I thought, don’t we all value our Constitution?  And isn’t it that Constitution that guarantees us the right to protest?  We grew up saluting the flag with our hand across our hearts as we utter the final words, “with liberty and justice for all”.  But I think too many of us have forgotten the actual values expressed in our defining documents.   Continue reading “Finding Unity in the U.S.”

I work with college students.  Over the course of these 21 years, I’ve noticed a  remarkable difference in their expectations for how they should be treated and what they believe is owed to them.  Gone are the days when a catered event was a simple thing.  In ancient times (15 years ago) students with dietary restrictions simply brought their own food or navigated the food line skipping the foods that didn’t suit them.  Today, a catered event had better provide a vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, and peanut free option or there will be hell to pay.  If only the new sense of entitlement with this generation ended with food options. Continue reading “Entitlements Pending”

People say and do some pretty horrible things.   I understand that under the right circumstances even decent people are capable of the occasional despicable act.  But some people behave horribly so much of the time that they could be characterized as “toxic” and have earned avoidance.  There were times in my life when that had to be my response for my own protection.  Frankly, the idea of forgiving those individuals never enters my mind, but survival does.  It’s sad that the specific people I’m referring to at this particular moment have have chosen a profession that is supposed to protect and serve: police.   Continue reading “When forgiveness isn’t enough”