Life On A B-I7

Political Language

In George Orwell’s essay Politics and the English Language, he warns us:

“Political language — and with variations this is true of all political parties, from Conservative to anarchist — is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.”

This is as true today as it was in 1946. All people need to be aware of this propensity of politics, but there is even more to be aware of. With the increasing use of AI in all forms of human communication, this problem is only going to get worse. The species needs to be careful when it comes to speech in all forms, else we become little more than slaves to communication, rather than masters of it.

Premeditatio Malorum

Latin for Premeditation of Evils.

It’s good to ask in advance what can go right about this plan? It’s also good to ask in advance what can possible go wrong about this plan? Unless you are able to see both sides of the coin, and in particular the latter, you aren’t allowing yourself a “Plan B.”

TDOV

Happy International Transgender Day of Visibility. Today is internationally recognized as a day to celebrate transgender people, their accomplishments and the barriers they confront in many societies. Sadly, it seems to me, those barriers are greater in the United States than they should be. Perhaps our political climate (Trump, MAGA and their entourage of toadies) makes the discrimination more visible to us. Perhaps that discrimination has always been there, just not used as a political weapon like it is today. I hope that someday we will, all of us, even those mentioned above, wake up and look at one another through open and caring eyes.

To celebrate this day I’ve ordered a copy of “The Lilac People,” by Milo Todd. I will begin reading it as soon as it arrives. This is a novel about a trans man in WWII Germany and his struggle to survive first the Nazis then the Allies, all the while protecting the ones he loves.

Prevarications

No President of the United States has ever lied to the American people more than has Donald Trump. If you wear a red hat you don’t have to believe me. It really doesn’t matter if you believe me or not. History will be the final arbiter and it is highly unlikely that history will not confirm that conclusion.

I find it ironic that the term “fake news” is shouted from the rooftops to deny something that has actually happened, while often explanations with no substance in reality are handed to excuse some decision or event. What is even more astonishing than this irony, is the fact that there is a large segment of the population that eats these statements up (both of them).

For those of you who may be curious: “Prevarication is the act of intentionally deviating from the truth, lying, or avoiding giving a direct answer in order to mislead.” That is the trifecta of deception.

Journaling

I’ve been journaling now for 5 years. A fair amount of that effort has not been published here — most actually. What you see here is not the only journaling that I do. I also have a paper journal that I enjoy writing in. Those pages are open only to me. I don’t think they would be of any real interest to anyone else, that is the real purpose. What you see here are thought that I think are of marginal value when it comes to sharing with the world. (YMMV.) When it comes to writing in my personal journal, I can honestly say it gives me great pleasure. Many great people have been journals. From Ancient Romans to some of our Founding Fathers, to great writers and scientists. That certainly makes me proud to say I journal, but that’s not the reason I do. I do it for peace of mind. I think it makes me a better person, calmer, more willing to listen. I marvel at that really. I think the reason is because journaling allows me to get rid of thoughts I might otherwise be carrying around inside my head. That fact makes it easier for me to listen to others, and more tolerant as well. This effect has been verified by scientific study, along with lots of other benefits. When you break it down, the simple reality is I enjoy the practice. It is fulfilling.

Balance

It seems we have lost our sense of balance. The ability as a nation of individuals to find a common ground, to compromise. The art of compromise was one of the things our Found Fathers cherished most.

As Benjamin Franklin said: “Compromisers may not make great heroes, but they do make great democracies.”

Pickleball Notes #1

• Hit to the person that made the last mistake.
• The return of serve is the most important shot. Keep it deep to keep your opponents back and allow yourself and your partner to get up to the kitchen.
• Hit to the deepest opponent.
• Dink low and towards the middle of the court, drawing your opponents in toward the center of the court. Speed-up if given a shot, otherwise hitting low and slow will ultimately give you the best chance to attack.
• When in doubt, hit it where they ain’t.

Lazy, Stupid or Unknown

I’m reading “The Correspondent” by Virginia Evans. It is our neighborhood bookclub selection for April. I don’t like book clubs but I said I would participate in April and May anyway. I love this book! Here’s the problem. Either I’m too lazy, too stupid or I have an undiagnosed cognitive impairment of some sort because I’m having trouble keeping track of all the characters. The book is an epistolary work. Lots of letters to and from different people. I’m picking up the gist of all the interactions but there is a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I should be keeping some kind of “cheat sheet” of all the characters and their relationship to the protagonist of the novel. I’ll push on and see how it goes. The cat just jumped up on my writing desk and is demanding my attention. Fortunately I remember his name.

Consumption

I picked up the phone this morning and started scrolling Amazon for shit to buy. I’m not going to tell you what I was looking at, that’s not the point. The point is that 20 minutes into my black hole of consumption I realized I didn’t need what I was looking for. Marcus Aurelius, the great Roman Emperor knew what I am only beginning to realize, we all live with too much stuff. When referring to our tendency to over consume, Marcus said that over consumption “leaves their owner with no place to shit.”

I could not have said it better. That is so true. So true in fact that I’ve realized I don’t even have room to shit in my off-site storage unit.

Robert Mueller

Trump posted on social media after the announcement of Mueller’s death:

“Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead.”

Robert Mueller’s contribution to American national security is undisputed. He led the FBI for 12 years after 9/11 and transformed the agency from one focused on domestic crime to one whose primary role was preventing foreign terrorism here at home. He worked for presidents of both parties and his loyalty to America was never questioned, until Trump.

Trump’s statement is not only not Presidential, a departure from all norms of Presidential decorum. It is insensitive, profane and irresponsible. It’s the sort of comment you would expect from a criminal.

Dealing With Change

One method for dealing with overwhelming change is feeling nostalgia for a time you have never known. One example is the way we glamorize Ancient Greece. Our society is changing too rapidly for our minds to grasp and adapt. This makes us long for the past. The feeling of being overwhelmed is one of the factors prompting this shift. The more anxiety we feel, the more we tend to retreat into the past.

Instagram

I sat down to write about something and was presented with a new Mac update that required me to reopen all my apps. Now that I’ve done that, I forgot what I was going to write about… Forgetting what I intended to do happens more often than I care to admit.

Oh ya, I’ve decided I’m not going to look at Instagram today. I’ve been looking at it more and more lately, and I’m not convinced that is healthy. I mean, I love the cat videos. I’d love to build a “Catio” so Mr. Tux would have a safe stimulating place to play outdoors but my partner would not approve (good for her) and someone in the HOA would complain and I’d have to dismantle it anyway.

That said, If I hadn’t watched Instagram yesterday, I would not have learned that there are serious protests in New York where it looks like hundreds (perhaps thousands) of people are chanting “F@@@ Trump.” I found that a pleasant distraction (I would have enjoyed being there). I also watched a video (cos-play) of the Founding Fathers reading what the current administration is doing and comparing it to the practices of the monarchies of Europe. It was a lesson in the reasoning behind the Constitution and why it was written, and what it was intended to prevent. Yes, they were showing surprise, regret, and disgust. (The costumes they were wearing were excellent.)

Outside of watching the Founding Fathers comment on our current political situation, watching protesters in New York, and contemplating turning our patio into a cat haven, I endured a lot of shit during my scrolling.

So today I’m not going to look at Instagram. If you want my attention, you’re going to have to walk up to me, tap me on the shoulder, and ask me how my day is going and what is going on.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 160

There is living in luxury and living well. Be content to live well. Living in luxury is a manifestation of greed and it robs the world and our fellow man of precious resources that should be preserved for future generations.

8 Japanese Secrets to Detox Your Mind

SHINRIN-YOKU

Take a 20 minute slow walk. Breathe through your nose. Take notice of the things around you.

• Lowers cortisol
• Reduces rumination
• Improves focus
• Calms sympathetic nervous system

MA

Sit and breathe with no distractions for 10 minutes.

• Reduces dopamine overload
• Improves emotional control
• Increases clarity
• Reduces anxiety

KAIZEN

Improve one small thing every day. Just one thing.

• Removes feelings of being overwhelmed
• Builds momentum when repeated
• Improves confidence
• Reduces procrastination

WABI-SABI

Stop second guessing yourself. Allow yourself to make mistakes. Post imperfect work. Accept where you are right now.

• Reduces comparison anxiety
• Stops perfection paralysis
• Improves mental peace
• Gives you the release to move forward

IKIGAI

Write. Write down answers to the following questions. What do I love. What am I good at. What do people value about me.

• Reduces confusion about who you are
• Improves direction
• Increases motivation
• Lowers existential stress

HARA HACHI BU

Stop eating at 80% full. Pause mid-meal to contemplate. Chew slowly.

• Improves impulse control
• Stabilizes blood sugar
• Reduces brain fog
• Trains discipline

OUBAITORI

Time your Social Media interaction. Do not exceed the limit you have set. Remove accounts, emails, interactions that are not positive. Focus on your progress not on what other people are doing.

• Reduces envy
• Increases self-worth
• Improves focus
• Increases well-being

SHOGANAI

If something is bothering you ask: “Can I control this?” If the answer is “No,” release it.

• Lowers stress reactivity
• Improves resilience
• Protects your mental energy
• Relaxes you

Tattoo

Some of you might know what I’m talking about… I think she needs a tattoo on her arm that says “Brad.” Better yet, “B-Rad.”

The Greatest Sentence Ever Written

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Marcus Aurelius

“In the year 170, the most powerful man in the world sat down to write. Not to an audience or for publications, but to himself, for himself. His name was Marcus Aurelius, the emperor of Rome. Miraculously, these writings survive –and contain within them a profound prescription for wisdom, justice, discipline and courage.”

Almost every day I sit down to write. My goal is not to impart wisdom to anyone other than myself. This blog is the result of that effort. There is much that doesn’t find its way into this blog, but what does is material that I hope will remind me of where I’ve been, and where I need to go.

No Kings Rally

My sign for the No Kings Rally on March 28.

Stop Wars Now

A Poem by Lal Ded

I didn’t believe in it for a moment
but I gulped down the wine of my own voice
And then I wrestled with the darkness inside me,
knocked it down, clawed at it, ripped it to shreds.

We need to examine the darkness inside ourselves. If we can’t do that honestly and describe to others what those failings are, we are not truly human. Don’t ask someone “what are your strengths?” Instead ask them, “what are your shortcomings?” The answer will reveal all you need to know about that person.

Illusory Truth Effect

Beware the “Illusory Truth Effect.” That is the tendency to believe something you have heard multiple times. This is a trick politicians use to suck us into following them. This is usually accompanied by the suggestion (again made multiple times) that they are the only one that has the answer.

Rogue State

The real failure of America is that the richest and most powerful nation in the world — the nation that has led the world since World War II and that established the postwar international order emphasizing multilateralism, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law — is now being led by a rogue president who rejects all these values.

If you voted for that man because you thought he would be good for your 401K, because he would lower the price of gasoline, because he would end all wars around the world, or for any number of other promises he made that have all been broken, you have been duped.

Now, let’s talk about immigration. America was founded as a pluralist nation. The strength of our economy and society has always been based on the diversity of our population. You cannot have a nation of golf-playing white people and expect that nation to thrive socially and culturally.

Now, let’s talk about war. America is engaged in a genocidal war and the American people don’t even know why we are fighting it, not to mention the fact that whatever the perceived threat, it can not be solved by bombing a nation. Many U.S. allies have declared the American and Israeli action a violation of international law and a breach of the UN Charter. In what world does it make sense to wage a war without the support of your closest allies…

Now let’s talk about democracy. Never in America’s history have we been led by a man with more authoritarian desire. Authoritarianism is something that is difficult to roll back once it becomes instantiated. We have a weakened Congress that is afraid to do its job — legislate. We have an administration that has filled its leadership rolls with people that have little to no experience in the duties that have been assigned to them. We have people in positions of leadership who outwardly confess that violence and chaos are valid leadership strategies. We are watching the dismissal of anyone in government whose job it is to provide legal guardrails. These deficiencies are hallmarks of authoritarianism, not democracy.

Let’s talk about government waste. At the same time that benefits and important programs supporting Americans are being cut, Government spending is at an all time high on things that are benefiting those in power instead of the people they are supposed to be representing.

We are in for a tough time ahead. Let’s consider the possibility of a change in leadership direction. Let’s encourage our legislators to start talking to each other. Let’s consider electing representatives that are more interested in America than they are in their own wealth or self-aggrandizement.

Let’s think critically about the future of our country when we go to the polls.

Why Am I Here?

The title might lead you to think I’m asking an existential question, I’m not. What I’m asking is “why am I here and not on Facebook?” The simple answer is I look much better in print than I do in a video feed or a photo. That’s not the only reason. I’m 72 years old. All I’ve done my whole like is write (and occasionally take photos to remind myself where I’ve been). To go after “followers” and “produce content” for consumption by strangers, all the while counting my likes and follows is not something I want to spend time doing. (You can, if you prefer, insert the word “curmudgeon” in place of any pronouns used to identify me.)

Naturally, you’re about to ask me so what is a blog if not simply an old school version of a Facebook presence. Fair question. The difference, for me at least, is I am reaping the reward that comes from writing without the pressure of having to “create.” So what good is writing without pressure? It fulfills me in a private and personal way that forcing myself to produce content can’t. Also, on occasion a friend drops in to see what I’m up to. But perhaps more important than that, I’m leaving behind a legacy. Even if it is one that is largely ignored. Some of the people closest to me don’t look at these pages, that’s okay. When I’m all done writing, or when I can’t write any longer, I’m going to have all of this printed and handed out at my memorial. (As punishment for the survivors I suppose.) I’m well over a thousand pages, so you shouldn’t feel bad if you skip reading a few here and there when you are handed all this and told your dad, partner, friend, wanted you to have this. If you’re not handed this, it’s because I decided to have it buried with me instead, or cremated with me, or composted with me, I’m not sure which path I’m going to take yet. Whether your receive this or not is largely dependent on whether or not I eventually master English grammar.

Ignore What?

President Ronald Reagan signed an executive order directing in part “no person employed by or acting on behalf of the United States Government shall engage in, or conspire to engage in, assassination.” Reagan was not the first President to sign such an order. The Reagan version narrowed the scope significantly, i.e., “no person employed by or acting on behalf of.” Reagan’s version of the assassination ban remains in effect, last amended by George W. Bush in 2008.

Unfortunately, sitting Presidents are not legally bound to obey the orders of previous administrations. Most often a new administration will rescind previous orders. President Trump hasn’t revoked it, but he has chosen to ignore it.

What? (Continued)

Besides the love of my life and my daughters, there are few people that care more for me than my camping buddy. Honestly, he can be hammered out of his mind but when it’s time to call it, he makes sure I get into my trailer instead of walking over a cliff. He even turns on the heat in the trailer for me because he knows the digital control panel is too complicated for me… Just so there is no confusion on this topic, that is a true friend.

This post may contain some slight exaggeration, but on balance, it is basically accurate.