"OH, YOU CAN'T HELP THAT," SAID THE CAT, "WE'RE ALL MAD HERE."
--Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Friday, July 4, 2025

I Stand Against Tyranny

It is time. Today, I declare openly with love for my country, I will help with the best of my abilities to reverse and erase the damages to our Constitution; all of our vast, complex array of citizens; our country itself; our whole world, land, air, and sea that is wrought by our governing people, leading us and our beloved nation to Hell on Earth. This is a mistake ("Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34). The destruction wrought by cruelty, greed, deceit, recklessness, chaos, and lack of truth ultimately destroys those governing and their supporters as well as those whom they pick out to ostracize, to hurt with impunity.

It is time to stop the destruction.

To people I know who do not agree with me, I offer my love. I call on you to step away from further harm to all we hold dear. Take my hand and join me in solidarity with so many others. Together with courage, let us right our foundering ship, heal our wounds, grow anew, and once again fulfill the promise of our 249th year of Independence.

It is time. I will stand tall for our United States of America, our Independence, our Constitution, and our Common Good. Join me. 



By Joe Rosenthal - https://www.apnews.com/f00e1181d57a414a848ac96b772839fddirect linkThis file was derived from: Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, larger.jpeg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77823832

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Thursday, June 19, 2025

What is Juneteenth and Why Does it Matter: A Short History | Journey to ...

 From Heather Cox Richardson's Substack today... 

 LET FREEDOM RING!!! 
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Wednesday, June 11, 2025

The Church of What's Happening Now

Up, down, one side, then the other, back, front,
Air, water, flora, fauna, oceans, continents, Earth.
Us.
Spirit.
All.
Chaos.

Shhh. Be still...and know...

What happened?
Where did it start?
When will it change?
How does it end?
Who will stop it?
We do not know.

Shhh. Be still...and know...

Turn down the volume
Find truth
Share with kindness
Love with no conditions
Look! that eyes may see
Listen! that ears may hear.
Rise! with each other...
Part the curtains of chaos...

Soar with Eagles.



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Waging Aging: Are the orange peels in my kitchen trash can attracting gnats, or am I seeing eye-floaters?

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Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Of Dreams and Daymares




Everything is upside down and backsliding
Come out from under your bed and quit hiding
Stop the destruction
Of our Constitution
Throw the bums out, then bring in good tidings


I need a good song right now...   Bread and Roses

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Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Music and Art Matters

Why I hate vacuuming: It drowns out Capprecio Italien coming from the app on my smart TV. Why I don't hate dusting quite as much as vacuuming: I can listen to all of Bolero while I dust this small apartment. That's how long it takes... one rendition. But only if Keoni isn't playing in the orchestra, since I sit down and watch for the camera to focus on the violists for a moment or two. Ah well, I can tune in The Pines of Rome to help me finish. (I can also iron two men's shirts in one rendition of Pines, but I don't iron anymore.)

Then there's grocery shopping. It's fun to pick out what I need and look at stuff I don't need. But then there's the haul home. I'm tired, and driving home is ahead. That's when Siri keeps me alert and tunes my car radio to Boogie Wonderland, followed by Funky Town. I feel kinda cool 😎 thumping into a parking space at my senior apartments. But if traffic moves slowly or I have to wait for the SEPTA commuter train to get out of the way, I can sing along to Down to the River to Pray

Lately, and I mean late, I do laundry down the hall and bring my sketch book with me instead of asking Siri to time the load, then going back to my apartment. Time flew as I sat there with pencil and pad. 


Sometimes, if I'm feeling a bit down, it's great to hear Waylon and Willie appreciating a Good Hearted Woman. If I still need a lift, Hallelujah Chorus can step in. 

Tuesday, I sat in on a drumming group up on the third floor of a part of this senior establishment. I had high hopes for it, but it was disappointing except for the view of trees out the window, so I went to my group of Tuesday artists. I was late, but managed to make an image for today. Say, hello to Rose...


Ry Cooder gathered together The Buena Vista Social Club (full album) players, who, by then, were of advanced years. When I'm getting ready to go out to a concert or something special, I like to hear Pueblo Nuevo's ancient player rendering this piece of Cuban jazz. He reminds me that age doesn't matter when the strings of our hearts are strummed.

All around us, strumming happens. Each day, we get to find out where or when or how or who or what, and that's the adventure.

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Wednesday, April 30, 2025

100 Days Later


January 20th, 2025
In Silicon Valley
there was a shout,
“Move Fast. Break stuff!”
so something else
might (might!) be built.
Drunk on that ethos brew,
breaking our government
of,
by,
and for
The People
commenced.
What!? There are other people!?
People!?—There are too many kinds!
Government!?—Too many laws!
Civil Servants!?--Too many. Fire them!
Spirit!?—That's for suckers!
Compassion!?—What's that?
Forget common sense
generosity
friendship
neighbors
helping
justice
free expression
safety
health
art
our good Earth.
Forget all that!
But hang onto...
greed
ego
power...

April 1, 2025
The auditorium fills with people
eager to learn...
yearning, angry, hoping,
questioning, and listening.
They want
and I want
to know how
to stop the breakage
of our country's foundation,
the harm to Earth
its people
our people
to everything.
How to stop the cruelty
the corruption
the arrogance
the lying.

April 5, 2025
We are The People!
We remember!
One hand
joins another hand
and another...
still another.
The crowd in the meeting hall
spills over into the street
until there are streets
filled with people
and signs
and spirit
and caring
even love!
Courage leads.
Truth is told.
Many hands
of many kinds
reach for each other,
their selves seen
in each other's eyes.
A song breaks out,
a spark flares...

Illuminates!

The way forward
becomes clear.
            --JM

 

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