“Fourth of July 1916” by Childe Hassam

I thoroughly enjoyed the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, and I fully expect I will also enjoy the Democrat Convention in Philadelphia next week. For political junkies and public policy wonks (and I’ve been something of each over long stretches of time in my life) these quadrennial events are analogous to the Olympics or the World Cup. They show the American political process of selecting our principal Presidential candidates at its ultimate frenzy, in all of its glory, its hokey pageantry, and all of its travesty. It is a thing both beautiful and ugly to behold by the truly objective eye. Principles, promises, and puffery all choreographed to ostensibly inform and deliberately incite potential voters. Of course, for committed partisan viewers, only the convention of their affiliated party will likely be appreciated, the other being despised as so much deviltry.

But what…

American flag

My first political debate took place in the back of the school bus in First Grade. My friend and I had started arguing about the upcoming election. We were going at it pretty hard over Reagan v Carter. We were spitting out words and throwing around phrases we had heard but didn’t really understand. But we both sat firmly in our separate corners, glaring at each other and sizing each other up.

It got a little intense. Other kids joined in and took his side. I was alone. It became clear that I was the only person on team Carter. They were yelling at me about the Iran Hostage Crisis and the gas shortage. I felt myself shrinking into my seat. Mercifully the bus brakes squeaked and I was able to make my clumsy exit. I walked home with tears stinging my eyes.

The next day I got…

“Oh say can you see” does not mean

We turn a blind eye to injustice.

“By the dawn’s early light” does not mean

We can ignore our dark past.

“Proudly we hailed” does not allow us

To look down upon others with disdain.

“Twilight’s last gleaming” does not imply

Our best days are behind us.

“Broad stripes” are not labels

With which we paint our fellow man.

“Bright Stars” don’t refer to

Tinseltown tabloid headliners.

“The perilous fight” is not talking about

The two year long presidential election process.

“Over ramparts we watched” isn’t

A reference to the walls of our gated communities.

“Gallantly Steaming” is not about

Binge watching “Game of Thrones” on wifi.

“Rockets red glare” is not a commentary

On the lackluster performance of an NBA team.

“Bombs bursting in air” is absolutely not

About a demeaning sexual scenario!

“Our flag was still there” isn’t a call…

To awaken is a saddening thing

as and when the sandman’s coma flounders,

gifts the valueless gift of spontaneity,

that ordeal of wretched consciousness

in the ‘once upon a time’ land that compassion forgot

He never knew his telescope had a lens cap fitted

The man in the shop never mentioned that at all

Nevertheless, with one eye shut, the other on the lens

He could see clearly the magnified blackness of the future

“Can I have a go on your telescope mister?” the young boy asked

“Of course you can lad…here, you try…it reveals the future you wait and see”

Quizzically the young boy takes hold of the telescope

Holds it this way and that

Notes the lens cap

Removes it

“Wow, this really is something else mister. I can see right into the distance…and there, up there, the rainbow. Never seen the colours of a rainbow so clear…

I know the fear. I remember everything about it. Being afraid of doing something illegal. Being afraid of getting hurt. Being afraid of bleeding to death. Being afraid of being so damaged that I wouldn’t be able to have children when it was the right time.

Then wasn’t the right time. I was a freshman in college. I became pregnant. It was 1967. I had two options. Marry the father or find a way to have an abortion. The father said no to marriage. He was right. We were too young.

A person would look at me now and say, oh, you had options. You just didn’t explore all your options. You didn’t try hard enough. You could have had the baby and given it up for adoption. Maybe. It’s hard now to explain the world for women in 1967. First off, I would have had to leave college. Drop…

What’s going on with Brexit, you ask? It’s been strange over here, and it’s getting stranger.

First the prime minister set up a referendum on whether Britain should leave the European Union. Why? Because he wanted to shut up the anti-EU wing of his party, the Conservatives. Clever move, Dave.

Then the whole thing went wrong, the Conservative Party dissolved into an internal arm wrestling match, and the country voted to leave the EU. Clever Dave announced that he’ll resign as soon as someone in his party wins the arm-wrestling match, which is now about who gets to replace him.

Bye, Dave.

Moody and irrelevant photo: a man watching the fog roll in.

Then the MPs who belong to the Labour Party, who you’d think would be out celebrating the Conservative-on-Conservative war, called for a vote of no confidence in their own leader, Jeremy Corbyn, who they’ve hated from the time he…

Well who wouldn’t!!  Right.

Summer Closet Purge

&

Summer Clothing Swap

Do you feel like you need a bigger closet? You don’t have anything to wear? Want to add something new your closet without spending a dime? Have a party!

Want to make a fun girls night in? Tell your gals what you are doing, have them bring their donations and host a clothing swap party.

Photo by Abigail Keenan

So before you can have a party you and your gal’s have to purge your closets and determine what can and needs to go.

When did you last empty your closet? When you moved in? Well that’s too long.

First you need to get a trash bag and a box.

Everything will go in one of 3 places trash, keep or donate. The box is the donation box. Your “keep” goes in a pile on the bed.

Time to clear…