Here is the best description of Trump ever and it was penned by Nate White, an articulate and witty writer from England.
“Trump lacks certain qualities which the British traditionally esteem. He has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace.”
He goes on to add:
“And in Britain we traditionally side with David not Goliath. All our heroes are plucky underdogs; Robin Hood, Dick Whittington, Oliver Twist. Trump is neither plucky, nor an underdog. He is the exact opposite of that. He’s not even a spoiled rich-boy, or a greedy fat-cat. He’s more of a fat white slug. A Jabba the Hutt of privilege.”
There’s more to this epic takedown and it goes like this:
“his faults seem pretty bloody hard to miss. After all, it’s impossible to read a single tweet, or hear him speak a sentence or two, without staring deep into the abyss. He turns being artless into an art form; he is a Picasso of pettiness; a Shakespeare of shit…..He makes Nixon look trustworthy and George W. look smart….if Frankenstein decided to make a monster assembled entirely from human flaws…..he would make a Trump….If being a twat was a TV show, Trump would be a boxed set.”
Hands up if you disagree. Perfectly put together and it was an epic takedown if there ever was one!
It is Sunday, time to relax, review the past week, take the good and leave the past behind after learning from the lessons it taught of course. Mine for the week was, LET IT BE.
As I looked through my messages, a picture popped onto the screen. It caught my attention because it was absolutely gorgeous. I stared at it for a few minutes and decided to go on my fact finding mission.
The picture was of the Atacama Desert sent to me by a Chilean friend. Little did he know that I would be awe-struck by it. I found out that it is located in the north of Chile. It is nothing much to look at during the arid period because it is considered hostile territory and touted as one of the driest non-polar desert on Earth. Detecting life there would be like detecting life on Mars because only the hardiest microbes survive there. Oh but what a transformation when the rains come. The Atacama desert flowering takes place from September to November which is the Southern Hemisphere’s spring. It is considered a miracle and it occurs when heavy rainfall saturates the ground causing the seeds and bulbs deep within the surface to germinate and flower. During this time, over 200 flower species can be seen waving their beautiful heads and covering the once arid landscape with color and stunning beauty. Unbelievable? It is.
What if life was like this phenomenon? Just like this desert, there are times when we go through dry patches and at times arid ones. It is a time when nothing seems to flourish no matter how hard you try. Then there are times when the rains come and with the watering we see life as it was meant to be. Full of beauty, joy and at times breath-taking. It does not last for long but then again nothing ever stands still in life right? Like the seasons, there is a time for everything so it is with the desert and with us. Keep moving is the message, work on the hard stuff and who knows just when you think it is impossible, the rains will come and reward you with a desert blooming of your own! Never say never and anything is possible.
“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” Robert Frost
I am biased on this one. I love cats! Perhaps not all cats but the two I’ve had. The first one I rescued on a stormy night. He was barely a few weeks old but I found him and his two siblings abandoned and could only keep one. I took Twitty because the orange ball of fur with the huge dark eyes just captivated me right from the start. I learned at that time that cats are emotional creatures. Somehow even at that young age, Twitty had formed a bond with his siblings. The day I took them away was a sad one. When I came home, Little Twitty gave me hell. He rattled the cage he was in and meowed constantly. He missed his siblings terribly. However, within a short period of time he adjusted to his new life. Cats are low maintenance so they make great pets. Give them food and water and they take care of the rest. They are loving creatures and they show love without being coerced into it. Twitty was my constant companion but he is gone now but the memories remain of a wonderful and beautiful soul.
Chachi, the cat, was a gift from a friend who passed away. I didn’t want another cat at the time because losing them brought too much sorrow. The friend didn’t listen and showed up with the little guy. I kept my distance and didn’t want to open my heart to him. He walked up, put one paw on my leg, looked up at me and I fell. We have a mutual love for each other, one that borders on the ridiculous at times! He follows me around and I talk to him whenever I get the urge and he listens like a pro. The best part is no talking back!
Cats are beautiful creatures. They are soft and gentle and there is so much wisdom behind those eyes. It’s hard to know what they are really thinking but who cares! He comes running when I call, stares adoringly even if I’m not looking my best and is ready for a kiss and a cuddle. The problem is I spoil them too much and they think they run the roost! Little Chachi thinks he wears the pants and taking the whip away from him is next to impossible! He doesn’t know it but I’m still the BOSS! I do think cats make the best pets.
Nothing much has changed there. He has tanked the economy, the stock markets are crashing, he has picked fights with the allies and now has started the dumbest trade war ever! Nothing much is going on up there under that toupee except stupidity of the worst kind!
Trump’s modus operandi is always the same. Open mouth and insert foot! The man doesn’t care if it’s the truth, lies or made-up exaggerations. It’s all fair game to him as long as it gives him the upper hand but that is only in his mind. We know better and the fact-checkers know better too. His racist-tinged lies, inaccuracies and hoopla are affecting his campaign but he doesn’t care. Trump knows best because he is the ‘man’ as far as he is concerned.
On Thursday, he stepped up to the podium again and inserted more than his foot in his mouth this time around. He degraded veterans and gold-star families by saying that mega-donor, Miriam Adelson is a national hero. Not realizing what he had just said, he went on his merry way. According to the self-proclaimed ‘stable genius’ they are one and the same. “The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest award you can get as a civilian, it’s the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor, but civilian version. It’s actually much better, because everyone gets the Congressional Medal of Honor – that’s soldiers. They’re either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets, or they’re dead.”
Hmm…..what else would you expect from someone who received five military draft deferments during the Vietnam War and is absolutely clueless about what it means to put your life on the line for your country.
“Ignorance is the absence of knowledge, stupidity is the refusal to acquire or accept it.” Unknown
Kevin D. Williamson says in his article, “Lazy, Stupid, Childish,” that “Trump’s three big problems as a candidate are precisely the same qualities that mitigated the worst of what might have been a much worse Trump presidency the last time around. He is lazy, he is stupid, and he is childish.”
Perfectly said but let’s add ‘crazy’ to that as well. He further adds, “Trump’s stupidity is wrapped up in his laziness. Anyone who has heard Trump speak or read his unedited writing knows that he is not an especially intelligent man. But his stupidity is compounded by his ignorance – the fact that he is too lazy to do his homework and acquire the kind of grasp of the issues that would make him a more effective candidate.”
No chance of that ever happening because Mr. Trump marches to his own drumbeat and his stupidity arises from that one simple fact. Mr. Williamson knows exactly why Trump’s stupidity is front and center. He says, “there is a reason he wanders all over the place in his speeches – it isn’t only arrogance and self-centeredness. He’s dumber than nine chickens.”
“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” Martin Luther King
Michael Moore, “Fahrenheit 9/11” director is hopeful that Donald Trump will do more of the same as he faces off with Kamala Harris on the debate stage in September. His prediction is that, “Trump could struggle when facing the Democratic VP onstage. I think I’m going to see what I was hoping for eight years. Once anybody gets under that thin skin anything could happen. On live TV? Trump could explode, start talking like a 12-year-old, or get up and leave.”
Or, he could resort to name-calling, race-baiting and jump up and down like the spoiled little brat he is. Regardless of what he does, he will be facing off against a much better candidate who knows where to strike while the iron is hot. And that folks is the absolute truth and it will be something to watch.
“We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.” Unknown
If you are strong-willed as I am, this is a hard one to stomach or swallow. I think I’m as stiff as a rod when it comes to being flexible. I can bend and sway with the best of them but changing what I am accustomed to is a hard ask and it doesn’t happen easily for me. It takes a very long time. You can drag me to the water but making me drink is another thing altogether!
“True flexibility can only be achieved through constant adaptation to new circumstances.” Janna Cachola
And that right there is my problem. I am set in my ways and instead of adapting to changes, I usually want to control the situation hoping it will stay the same because adaptation in all its forms means accepting the inevitable and moving on and that is a hard thing to do. It doesn’t matter if “change” would bring about something better. I see it as this unknown monster that needs slaying in order to start anew and that is frightening to say the least.
I have to learn that, “Being flexible means not reacting but actively adjusting to life’s twists and turns. Face the unexpected with resilience, and every challenge becomes an opportunity.” Unknown
It’s not that I am a novice at adjusting to life’s twists and turns. I’ve had more than my share of it but each time something unforeseen happens and I’m left to stare change in the face, I pull back, run to the corner yelling, “Go Away! Leave Me Alone! Not You Again!”
Unfortunately, moving on and accepting changes is what life is all about isn’t it? Nothing remains the same forever, well maybe death but even then there are grey areas. So my next goal is to work with “flexibility” and embrace it as much as I can but not become best friends with it. I don’t want it showing up at my front door too often but when it does I will be gracious and in so doing, I hope it will leave me in peace!
“How strange that the grass is all that remains standing after the storm,” said the Boy.
“Sometimes being soft is strong,” said the Rabbit.
Flexibility is needed to go up against life’s challenges and change is often the result. Acceptance is the next step and moving on is inevitable. That said, flexibility is needed not to direct the wind, that is an impossible task, but to tweak it to where it is manageable and that folks takes many many lessons to learn. I know I’ll never be perfect at it, nothing in life ever is but I’m learning to stand my ground and to bend with resilience and to bounce back when necessary.
“Bamboo is flexible, bending with the wind but never breaking, capable of adapting to any circumstance. It suggests resilience, meaning that we have the ability to bounce back even from the most difficult times.” Ping Fu
Here’s to flexibility, you’re not my best friend but I hope you’ll be gentle with me the next time you come around.
I like volunteering my time and energy for a worthy cause. Working in a hospital for a couple of hours a week would be great but hospitals are sad places and it brings back some bad memories so that would be out of the question for now.
Serving in a soup kitchen would be something I can really get into and it would be rewarding as well. It wouldn’t bring material benefits but that is not what volunteering is about. It is about giving your time freely and helping the needy. I think it would be a perfect fit and I would do that job for free gladly.
I usually don’t go walking this early in the morning but my cat alarm clock, Chachi, the cat, and my other alarm clock set to wake me at 5:30 rang at the same time! Why so early? It is Chachi’s normal wake up time and my son who has his first job wanted to make sure he wouldn’t oversleep and since he is a responsible human, showing up for work is now his new normal even if he feels like he has “zero” life right now!
Coming back to the topic at hand. The sun is shining and it looks like a perfect morning for a walk. The air is crisp and fresh and the sun had found its nook in certain places while others remain steeped in shadow. It’s only a matter of time before the whole place is bathed in sunshine and the rabbits and the deer will come out to play.
My usual path feels rocky today or it just seems that way. On both sides, the rapeseed plants are knee-high and soon they will put forth their beauty and the whole landscape will be a striking yellow and simply beautiful to behold. Just another aspect of spring but a breathtaking one nonetheless. In the distance, the pear trees are in bloom their pink and white blossoms adding color to the scene before me.
Suddenly I realize “beautiful” doesn’t even begin to cover it. It is gorgeous, breathtaking, mesmerizing and solace can be found in its midst. As I stand here, one lone human being against the majesty of nature, I feel the power that nature has to soothe a ruffled soul, to calm a frazzled nerve, to whisper sweet nothings with a promise of more to come and to surround you with unadulterated peace.
I am grateful for all that I see and feel. It is going to be a wonderful day.
In Sanskrit, karma literally means “action.” In Hinduism, karma is defined as, “the relationship between a person’s mental or physical action and the consequences following that action.” Basically, it is the cause and effect of what a person has done in their current and previous lives. Simply put, what you sow, you reap.
I’ve always had a deep fascination with the concept of karma. I want to believe that if you do wrong or hurt someone knowingly, you will get payback from karma. I wouldn’t have to lift a finger and Karma, my friend, would take care of it lock, stock and barrel and maybe even with two smoking barrels! Nice thought but it rarely happens that way. Sometimes payback takes a long time coming and in our world of instant gratification where we expect everything to happen at the drop of a coin, karma takes its time and does it the old-fashioned way. Which means it could take many years even ten to 20 years or more before payback happens but rest assured when it does come around, you will know.
“A boomerang returns back to the person who throws it.” Vera Nazarian
Is it considered revenge? I think it is more like a higher power keeping tabs on you. It watches, keeps track and when the time is right, the anchor falls and you get payback. Makes sense I think. Afterall, someone has to keep tabs, otherwise, wrongdoing would be the name of the game and everyone walks off scot-free with a smile plastered on their faces only to repeat the same mistakes over and over again. It’s a good thing that karma is there.
Karma Says
“Mouths can lie, eyes cannot. People may forget, karma will not.” Unknown
However, karma is not just about the bad stuff.
“Good or bad, what you put out comes back to you.” Unknown
I know of one situation where a man cheated on his wife. It was a terrible thing to do and instead of being sorry, he married the woman he had the affair with. It looked like all was well and life was going swell for the two of them. Twenty years down the road, the new wife found someone else and rode off into the sunset with her new love leaving her husband devastated. A karmic consequence?
Benjamin Bayani says, “Karma bides its time. You will always have to watch out. Karma is unforgiving and always gets payback.”
All just hocus pocus? I don’t know folks but I tend to be superstitious as well so it sounds perfectly legit to me. I like the idea of good vs. bad and payback in some form or fashion.
By the way, karma
“I have a list of people that you missed!” Unknown
I find it elegant and oh so graceful. It’s incredible how they (the skaters) can glide over ice and do what they do with so much ease. I can spend hours watching them and I did try it, ice-skating, but I found out that I am a major klutz when it comes to skating along with other things!
I recall I was in Alabama at the time. A group of us went to a huge skating rink there. I had never skated before and at first I wanted to get out there but after a few falls I realized this sport wasn’t for me. Even with two people holding me, one on each side, I kept falling! It was embarrassing to say the least and I couldn’t wait to get out of the rink AND I saw my dreams of being a ice dancer go up in flames!
Watching the beautiful and graceful skaters do their thing as they move around the ice so effortlessly is mesmerizing. It is one sport I can spend hours watching AND live vicariously through them!
Daily writing prompt
What Olympic sports do you enjoy watching the most?
A few weeks ago, I wrote about cleaning out my shoe closet, bagging up and getting rid of tons, yes tons of shoes that were taking up space. They were no longer needed because all they were doing was simply staring me in the face and living rent-free in my closet. It was time for them to go. Decision made but it was with a heavy heart that I gave them their freedom. They were free to go light up someone else’s eyes and perhaps more appropriately to go where they were truly needed.
“Fill your life with lots of experiences, not lots of things. Have incredible stories to tell, not incredible clutter in your closets.” Marc and Angel
I think life is simply an accumulation of holding on to things. It is a collection of things taking up space, emotions that surge and thrive on shaky ground and a constant struggle between the two. Clutter helps to shrink your physical space and minimize your mental capabilities. Letting go is hard and for someone like me who holds on for way longer than it is needed, decluttering is an almost impossible task to do.
“Clutter is not just the stuff on your floor – it’s anything that stands between you and the life you want to be living.” Peter Walsh
The problem is you can’t move on when you’re holding on to all that is not needed. There must be a conscious decision and effort to “clean house” meaning letting go of things that no longer serve you. Things and emotions that wear you down, make you lose track of where you need to go, which direction you will have to take to get there and most importantly a decision has to be made to let go, get rid off and open up space maybe for new clutter but the truth is, there is no moving forward if you’re standing still. You can’t do both.
“Simplifying your life isn’t just about decluttering your physical space, it’s also about clearing mental and emotional clutter.” Unknown
Understanding that, you’ve got to declutter. Most of us tend to have an iron grip on things that don’t matter and then we wonder why it is so hard to breath at times or to feel free. If it is not adding value to your life, let it go. If it is just taking up space, dump it. If it makes you feel like you’ve got to do something about it, that’s a clear signal that action is needed.
Focus, declutter, simplify, simplify, simplify. As for people and emotions:
“If your presence can’t add value to my LIFE, your absence will make no difference.” Unknown
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