Power to the People

"How's the war going?" my cat Toby asked while he climbed onto my lap as I sat on the farm's back porch after my walk around the fields and pastures. An unusually warm March breeze wafted over us. 

"It's looking horrible for the Ukrainians," I was sad to answer. "The Russian army is shooting them and blowing them up. The Ukrainians are fighting back with everything they've got, but it doesn't look like they'll be able to drive the Russians out. The whole world is against the war Vladimir Putin started with his Russian army. Well, except maybe China and India, but you never know. Who in this day and age actually thinks you can just roll war machinery into a country, bomb and kill everybody, and take over. There is something seriously gone wrong in Vladimir Putin's brain."

"Yikes!" Toby said, now alert. "Maybe that is why that strange cat prowling out there in the woods at the edges of the pastures calls himself Vladputin. I better step up my patrols so he doesn't get any ideas about taking over here!"

"Ouch! Your claws are flexing on my leg."

"I'm sorry," he apologized, then rubbed his head on my leg.

Then, I said, "Maybe it's a plus that you felines are not very social. Vladputin won't amass a swarm of cats, tell them a bunch of lies about you so they want to come fight you and take over your territory and the barn."

"Good point."

I could see he was thinking this over.

"Say," he said, "you social beings could do a big gun collection and a go-fund-me for ammo. There are more guns here than there are Americans. Pack up all that weaponry and airlift it over there for the Ukrainians. We sure don't need it here. People are just senselessly killing each other and themselves. Couldn't you all get together on that?"

"I doubt it. Americans just aren't getting along with each other very well. Still, I really do like your idea."

"Yeah!" he said. "Kill two birds with one stone."

I tried not to visualize that.

"Here's what I did," I told Toby. "I upped my monthly giving to Doctors without Borders. They help people in Ukraine, and all over the world."

"Also, I emailed my elected officials. I told them to please help stop the use of Russian oil and gas, and, this is important! I told them I don't mind paying more at the gas pump. I'll just cut back a little on other stuff or curb miles of car use."

"Yeah, you could skip my trip to the veterinarian this year."

"Hmmm. I think we'll still budget that in. But you have the right idea. Spending less and eliminating some everyday travels is well worth it for the Ukrainians and doing the next right thing, just like you said a while back. Maybe, just maybe, it'll be the push we need to make a really fast switch to renewable energies so nobody anywhere needs oil and gas."

"I think I hear another two-for!" he said and squirmed around on my lap so I'd pet his favorite spot on his head.

*

For the letters I wrote, I found an A-Z on how to contact federal, state, and local elected government officials. USA,GOV- Elected Officials with plenty more in the site's menus that actually show what our government is made of and how its parts do the work, so you can see our government is not a football kicked all over a political field. 

And, I remembered like in 2020, how to get good, trustworthy, voting information at the League of Women Voters and their really robust ballot site Vote411.org that has every bit of voting information all over the country, in every precinct, in every state, and Wash, DC. All the Republican, all the Democratic, all the Independent, all the Green, whatever others, all, all, all--size doesn't matter--their info is there wherever in America they exist. It's a relief to have up-to-date, reliable information, easy-to-use websites for these many years! It helps a lot to make well-informed decisions about who gets my ballot vote to represent and lead us.

  POWER TO  

 THE PEOPLE 

*

From the Sports Desk:

Our Utah family, Sonja, Jeff, and Elijah volunteered to coach one of Utah's youngest Jazz teams.

Ogden Jazz Man Kingston is ready to play!

Coach Sonja at work.

Mentoring a Jazz team member is Roy High School Royals' Elijah.

Thanks, to Jeff in there helping too and providing the photo-illustrated texts. He also provided the game-streaming links of Elijah's games that took the Royals through playoffs for an exciting overtime game when Elijah's final basket won them a place to play for the championship. They didn't win the championship game, but they're all in it to try next season, for sure.

From Cincinnati, ever more buff Cello Man shared his 365 lb lift moment...

Go, Aidan!!!!

*

From the Make Art, Not War Desk: 

In her words, Paula gives us a "Slice of Tucson" from a freeze a few days ago. She shows us how a local park-art gallery-eatery took care of their freeze-tender cacti...

...also recently, Paula has captured so well what it feels like living through our days fraught with much too much...

tangled in our weed patch

of much too much going on

we make art

we make music

we play games and sports

we gather medicine 

among the weeds

to make ready for sunshine

in our weed patch

in our minds

in our hearts

strong once again to resume

our quest for love

and joy 

to give kindness

and seek peace

Waging Peace...Bert and Toby...

...from Wendy.

If dogs and cats can Wage Peace...so can humans.