What if we stopped electing politicians and voted for public servants instead?

I find it interesting that the current president has sent national guard into two cities, both run by black women, both Democratic. Muriel Bowser of DC won office with 74% of the vote. Karen Bass of LA won office with 54.8% of the vote.

Big heatwave on the East Coast on the US where I live. If you are also in an area of crazy-making heat, take extra care to be kind to fellow humans. We are all hot, uncomfortable, short on sleep. Be extra kind. Thank you. Love you.

I cannot trust anyone who organizes their bookshelves by color. I just can't.

T wants to invoke martial law. Newsom notes the goal of the National Guard call up is: "they want a spectacle" and people should be peaceful in response. That's one hell of a burden to lay on a beleaguered community that is being ripped apart by a racist, xenophobic administration.

To bring back manufacturing to the US (dubious goal, due to robotics): pay a livable wage, support unions, give OSHA real teeth, anti-discrimination in the workplace, provide worker comfort, treat disability as a serious problem. Do not benefit the owner class on the backs of the workers.

Heavy weather coming in. I've got my battery lanterns at the ready. That should keep the lights on. Now what to do to keep the creek safely in its bed?

Dear Canada, please extradite Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Thank you.

The tariff exercise was the T administration "stress testing" the world. He just proved to everyone that his whims control trillions of dollars. He essentially now controls the world stock exchanges. For him, this is information even more exciting than that he could get a mob to attack the Capitol.

With the stock market tanking, the billionaires are getting restless. They elected him with their donations. But I bet they aren't as worried about paying bills as are farmers, small businesses, retirees, the newly doged unemployed...

I miss the content woman who wrote quirky little observations about retired life. Now it's all worry about the future and being pissed off because the calm is shattered by that egotistical flaming arsehole. Back to the barricades! Maybe tear gas will dissolve my cataracts? Surgery is expensive.

Monday March 31, the DJIA closed at 42,001.76. Tuesday, April 1 closing: 41,989.96 Wednesday, April 2 closing: 42,225.32 Thursday, April 3 closing: 40,545.93 Friday, April 4 closing: 38,314.86. That's a 3,686.90 drop in a week. That 2,231.07 drop in one day is extra impressive. Helluva job, Donnie.

Introducing a new slang word: doged. As in "my retirement savings were doged." Or "My job as a cancer researcher was doged." Or "Trump has doged the planet." It's basically a synonym for fubar, or at least the first letter thereof.

Be braver than your fears.

For every day we resist, survive and stand tall, an angel punches a nazi.

Snowed again last night, the snow now lingers in the shadow of the house and of the barn. Yet in the sun, crocus!

“We were at war with a dictator,” said French center-right politician Claude Malhuret of Europe’s stand against Putin. “[N]ow we are at war with a dictator backed by a traitor.” Heather Cox Richardson from Letters from an American, March 5, 2025

Surely, the intent was to bully. Yet Zelenskyy held his own in a language not his own, in an obnoxiously hostile room, called out the parroting of Putin, and emerged as a man who is fighting for his country instead of selling it out.

Today 2/28 is no buy day. So what do I find in my email? Amazon offering 50% off on thousands of products, doing all they can to avoid any drop in numbers for the day. I guess Bezos knows he fucked up kinda sorta. Yeah, Jeffo, you did.

To be absolutely fair, he never said for whom America would be great. All too many voters foolishly took the omission personally.

Six (6!) boxes of Girl Scout thin mint cookies may not be the best purchase when in the mood for a stressed out carb fress.

Paperwork has the highest bodycount of weapons that murder and maim. How did we ever conceive of such an evil system? How do we get rid of it? How do we build justice and equality, equity and respect in a land of rotting plenty? I am tired of feeding the Moloch of billionaires. (collective noun)

Yeah. Staying put. Not a good day to drive due to slippery stuff falling from the sky. LOTS of slippery. Much ow!

A fresh 6 or so inches of snow last night, rather more than predicted. Been a snowy winter. Breakfasted on toast with a generous glob of raspberry jam. It tasted like early July, wandering in the hedgerows, eating raspberries right off the canes. A promise that spring and then summer will come.

At noon today 2/5, a terribly cold day, over 1,000 people at the capitol in Montpelier, VT. The array of signs: Gaza, Musk, the loss of democracy and the rule of law, that a convicted felon is president, defunding so many programs including USAID. Still defrosting my toes but proud and hopeful.

Stick together. Have each other's backs. Do NOT back down.

Just did my first block. The language of people who require blocking almost always includes the brag that the blockee is a brilliant, academically gifted, white, alpha male. Oh honey, if you have to tell me you are, you aren't.

My little town has just called into question funding the local library. Apparently, it isn't considered a necessary expense. You can bet your ass I will be at the next town meeting on Monday.

What's up? More like down. It is ridiculously cold out there. Was -12F last night and all of 7F at noon. Polar Vortex is just kicking it!

I'm fucking blasted and hanging out in the weirdest scene because history happened at a deeply inconvenient hour. so it goes.

It is snowing outside, quiet, my dog sleeps at my feet, between me and the stove. I have spoken with a dear friend who mourns her partner. I have followed the deer tracks into the woods. Those things feel very similar, witness to unknown places.

No matter what election, what administration, what crisis, the work is always the same. Justice, equality, civil rights for all people. Or, as Ram Das put it: My work is the same. Open my heart and relieve suffering wherever I find it. Carry on.