You cannot govern the world, only your response to it. Others will act, events will unfold, often without your consent. The #Stoic task is inward: steady the mind, discipline judgment, and choose your conduct well. In that small domain, you are sovereign.

Orange fragments from my photo library: sun on water, a whimsical van, painted warmth, trees at dusk, citrus in chorus, and a bright little dog. Different scenes, one thread—light caught in amber tones, quietly insisting that even scattered moments can glow together.

James Comey has been keeping busy waiting for his upcoming trial.

@mwplovesmusic.bsky.social #Emoetry prompt for 5/2 is #Flattered your kind praise leaves me unreasonably flattered— I check twice to see if you’ve mistaken me for someone far more competent #writingcommunity #poetry #blueskypoets #tanka

KitKat considered rising, then examined the matter fully— and chose the wiser course: to accept the present position without complaint.

In Trump's first term he inherited $19.9T in debt & left with $27.8T. The $7.9T+ increase accounts for 28% of total U.S. debt as of Jan 2021. Though his term was <2% of U.S. history, the debt grew by over a quarter during that time. The debt is currently growing at approx $1 trillion every 150 days.

May Day— we celebrate work as it disappears. the rich ascend— clean, frictionless— while hands go idle from AI automation. no strike, no noise— just quiet subtraction. we toast the worker and erase him in the same breath. #MayDay #AI #Labor #Inequality #WealthGap

"There’s no pause button in the Constitution, or the War Powers Act. We’re at war," said one Senate Democrat. "We’ve been at war for 60 days. The blockade alone is a continuing act of war. Failing to seek congressional approval, Trump is breaking the law & betraying Americans."

Tankas are simple— or so the poets insist. Sense slips through the lines; I open the fridge again— illumination… or not.

#OnThisDay 1 May 1840, the UK issued the "Penny Black," the first adhesive stamp. Designed by Rowland Hill, it featured Queen Victoria & replaced distance-based fees with prepaid, flat-rate postage. Today, British stamps remain unique for showing only the monarch’s head without a country of origin.

@chronicillness.bsky.social Amusing, but the lesson is clear: sleep, like much of life, rarely meets our preference. Some nights are poor, some worse, some only imagined. The Stoic task is unchanged—accept what was, rise anyway, and make proper use of the day that follows. Buy @ shorturl.at/ZY0YU

#OnThisDay 30 April 1789: George Washington is inaugurated as the first U.S. President at Federal Hall in New York City. The oath, taken on the second-floor balcony before large crowds, marked the start of the executive branch under the 1787 Constitution.

#OnThisDay 29 April 1852: The first edition of Roget’s Thesaurus was published in Britain. Compiled by physician and polymath Peter Mark Roget, it became a “treasure store” of language for writers and has never been out of print since.

I’ve been enjoying Secular World Magazine—thoughtful, well-written, and grounded in reason, ethics, science, and human experience rather than dogma. The May/June issue is worth a read for curious minds. Free online: www.secularworldmagazine.org #Secular

#OnThisDay 28 April 1770: British Captain James Cook, aboard HMS Endeavour, first lands in Australia at Botany Bay. The voyage was primarily to observe the 1769 transit of Venus in Tahiti, with secret instructions to search for the "undiscovered southern land".

#OnThisDay 27 April 1840: Foundation stone for new Palace of Westminster, London, laid by Sarah Barry wife of its architect Charles Barry. This ceremony followed the 1834 fire that destroyed the old Palace, marking the start of a 30-year construction project.

The names change, but the temptations remain: power without restraint, wealth without conscience, and public life as personal theater. Rome had emperors; we have our own versions. Seneca still asks the timeless question: will you join the corruption, or keep your character? #Stoicism #DejaVu

Truly admirable!

Well, there goes the last peach—claimed by the neighborhood’s smallest, fluffiest visitor. He takes what’s available, eats what he can, and worries about nothing else. Not a bad philosophy—though I’d have liked a bite of that peach. 🍑🐿️

@mwplovesmusic.bsky.social #Emoetry prompt for 4/25 is #Undecided undecided— burial or cremation, oak box or tidy ash, worms with ambition or one last dramatic exit. it seems unwise to overplan a party I won’t be attending.

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” Arthur Ashe Stoicism teaches that the good life is built from ordinary moments well met. Begin where your feet are, use the tools already in your hands, and do the duty before you. Peace often arrives disguised as simple, steady effort.

#OnThisDay 25 April 1719: Daniel Defoe publishes Robinson Crusoe, marking a milestone in literature often regarded as the first English novel due to its realistic style, adventure narrative, and profound influence. The novel was an immediate success.

This evening, the waxing gibbous moon hung above our pine tree—more than half full and quietly growing brighter each night on its way to full moon. It’s the phase of steady progress, a gentle reminder that good things often grow a little at a time. A lovely sight to end the day.

May your weekend bloom with gentle peace, As every worry finds its sweet release. May happiness and love be ever near, With moments bright and memories to cheer. #bluesky #love

A significant diplomatic breakthrough that underscores the European Union's resilience and commitment to collective action. The approval of the $106 billion loan package is a crucial victory for Ukraine's economic and military stability, especially after months of political deadlock.

On my desk today: three gloriously colorful fountain pens—proof that writing need not be dull. With color-matched inks, these instruments provide inspiration, endless joy, and a touch of extravagance. Even a curmudgeon can’t resist a little color. #fountainpens #writing #journaling

A lovely afternoon at Aliso Creek Beach—sunshine, salt air, a gentle breeze, and the kind of blue sky that makes you forget every indoor chore waiting at home. A few gulls supervising, the waves keeping steady time, and for a little while, the world felt exactly as it should.

I don’t usually bother with social media quizzes, but this one amused me enough to make an exception. Perhaps it’s nostalgia, perhaps it’s advancing age, or perhaps just the natural duty of every old curmudgeon to comment on the past. In any case, here are my responses. What say you? #Quiz

The future depends on what you do today.” Mahatma Gandhi A #Stoic would nod: the future is not promised, only shaped. We do not control outcomes, only our choices in this moment. Tomorrow is built quietly—by today’s discipline, today’s courage, and today’s refusal to postpone what virtue requires.

#OnThisDay 23 April 1789: President-elect George Washington moved into Franklin House at 3 Cherry Street, New York City—the first official U.S. presidential residence. Congress rented the elegant 1770 home from Samuel Osgood for $845 a year, preparing it for the Washingtons.

Basking in the last warm rays of Earth Day’s setting sun, this small philosopher seems to understand what we often forget: the world asks very little of us—only that we notice it, protect it, and occasionally pause long enough to share the light. #earthday

My poem, #EarthDay 2026, looks past the green slogans to the 'ghosts of intention' left behind by cancelled progress. It’s a critique of a world where drilling is treated like prayer & war remains the greatest consumer of all—yet, somehow, the earth keeps offering us another morning to get it right.

“You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” Zig Ziglar A Stoic might amend it: greatness is not the goal—right action is. Begin not for applause, but because virtue lives in the doing. We are measured less by perfection than by the courage to take the first honest step.

#OnThisDay 22 April 1876: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky completes his ballet Swan Lake. It was premiered by the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow the following year. Despite its initial failure, it is now one of the most popular ballets of all time.

@mwplovesmusic.bsky.social #Emoetry prompt for 4/21 is #Perplexed War begins in language long before it reaches the street; by the time the bombs fall, conscience has already been asked to stand aside. #writingcommunity #poetry #blueskypoets

The canopy above—old branches twisting like remembered stories, leaves filtering the light into something softer. A good place to stand still, look up, and remember that not everything in life needs improving. Some things simply need noticing.

From this Old Geezer’s kitchen: lamb stew with potatoes, carrots, peas, mushrooms, and enough steamed spinach to convince myself I’m making responsible life choices. Comfort food with a side of virtue—or at least the appearance of it. #homecooking

“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

4:20 Reflections once, 4:20 sounded rebellious— mystery, smoke, questionable philosophy. now it means it's gone 4 a.m. I'm staring at the ceiling, negotiating with a lower back that strongly objects to the way I slept. age is its own altered state. #420Reflections #AgingWithHumor

A squirrel on patrol, a heron on meditation retreat—Dana Point keeps its own quiet schedule. One gathers gossip from the grass, the other judges the tide in silence. Between them, the afternoon seems to understand exactly how long a pause should last. #DanaPoint

#emoetry #prompt 04-20 nostalgic nostalgic, as if memory keeps better time than clocks— my mother, born 111 years ago today, still arriving in fragments: a phrase, a look, the particular gravity of her opinions. time does not keep the dead; it teaches us how often they remain.

Evening walk lesson from the rabbits: sit still, stay alert, and let the world rush around you looking ridiculous. They seem to have mastered retirement—and Stoicism—better than most of us.

Effective 2025 federal tax rates paid by these corporations: Alphabet: 8.01% AT&T: 4.6% Meta: 3.57% General Motors: 3.09% Amazon: 1.37% Exxon Mobil: 1.31% Disney: -1.57% CVS Health: -3.88% Income tax rate paid by the typical American: 14.5% This is what a rigged system looks like.

OMG! Tried this for the first time today! So rich, even the small portion was too much! "Handel's Mud Pie ice cream is a rich, double coffee ice cream, chocolate fudge ripple, and crunchy Oreo® cookie pieces. This indulgent, caffeinated treat is a perfect coffee lover's dessert."

A program to teach farming to Texans in the Rio Grande Valley had operated for more than a decade with help from a USDA grant. This year the Trump administration terminated the grant, claiming the program was “rife with DEI” (diversity/equity/inclusion). www.rawstory.com/trump-farmer...

Iranian official said "Trump’s erratic behavior and maximalist demands—including that Iran surrender all its enriched uranium—are causing Iranian officials to sour on the idea that he could ever be a trustworthy negotiating partner." www.commondreams.org/news/iran-no...

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