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Showing posts from 2016

There's no Place like Blog for the Holidays....

So, here's the thing about holidays; they're awesome, and they suck rocks.   (Oh boy. How much coffee have you had already?)   You be quiet. I'm trying to be serious here. This time of year is often described as the "happiest time of the year" by many, but for many others, it's nothing of the sort. The holidays can be a time of great sorrow and depression as folks are forced to witness revelry while experiencing great loss or pain, with such revelry only exacerbating the melancholy they feel inside.   On this, I can speak from experience. For me, Christmas has been difficult for decades as my grandfather, the patriarch of my family who literally built his home brick by brick, and laid the groundwork for the closely-knit, emotional bonds those in family share, passed away on Christmas Eve. While now we celebrate our family and remember him fondly, the pain of that loss will forever linger each twenty-fourth day of December. Add to that

An Open Letter to the President-Elect

Dear President-Elect Trump:   As you know there is a great divide in this country, spurred in large part due to your election, and the words you spoke and actions you took during the election process. People in this country are fearful. They are concerned. They are skeptical.   I did not vote for you, nor do I agree with many of the positions you espoused during your candidacy. Initially, I was outraged by your election. I was disappointed, and frankly ashamed, that this nation would elect someone who ran on a platform such as you did. I was chastised for my reaction to your election. Perhaps, I thought, I overreacted. Perhaps I should heed the advice and pleading of those that supported you, to give you a chance; see what you can do for me, for the American people.   Sadly, Mr. President-Elect, you have already proven that my fears, skepticism and disappoint are well-founded.   It's now just shy of two weeks following the election, and here's w

An Unapologetically Visceral Reaction

What. The. Actual Fuck. America.   Here we are, November 9 th , 2016, in the twenty-first century, and you have elected an unashamedly racist, misogynistic, bigoted, hateful, arrogant, narcissistic, reality television star to lead our nation.   *slow clap*   Well done.   (Tell us how you really feel….)   Oh I will. And I have. And I've already drawn ire for pointing out the fact that I am disappointed and ashamed of what this nation has done. I've already been accused of "spewing hate" because I've pointed out that this nation appears to be far more bigoted, racist, and dumber than I could have possibly imagined.   To that I say… Are you kidding me?   Seriously.   Are. You. Kidding me?   Trump's entire campaign was based on disparaging minorities. Threatening to curtail civil liberties, those both long-standing or finally granted, including revisiting the rights of all Americans to marry. Threatening to obliterate a health care

Formula One and the Ugly American... Or Lack Thereof

Today's lesson is entitled "Formula One: How Not to be an Ugly American."   (Hey! I thought you said you weren't going to make any more political posts!)   This isn't about politics, but I find it telling that you immediately associated "Ugly American" with politics.   (Well, dammit.)   I know, I do it too. But no, this has nothing to do with politics. This has to do with stereotyping. As in how, shamefully, many abroad view Americans as loud, obnoxious, overweight, self-centered, gun-toting morons, and how, by and large so many Americans live up to that stereotype. This is a lesson in how to not do that. This is a lesson learned from the good city of Austin, Texas, its people, and its visitors. This is a lesson learned from Formula One motorsport.   (I… what???)   This past weekend I attended the United States Formula One Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. For those that don't know, and I'm venturing a

We're Smarter Than This, Right? Right??

Okay, this is the part of the program where I piss a lot of people off.   (Oh dear cripes… let me get my coffee.) You might want to put another pot on. When I post about politics here, I usually try to stay pretty balanced, but jeezum crumb. I can't bite my tongue on this page anymore. It's time I come right out and say it in this blog, and this is the last political post I'll write before the upcoming election: Donald Trump cannot be President of the Unites States. (Grabs popcorn and waits….) When I hear people say they support Trump, their reasoning generally falls into one of two categories: 1) They're tired of the status quo in our government; or 2) they will not vote for Hillary Clinton because of what she's "done" in the past. *blink blink* Here's where I proffer my opinion that neither reason is a sufficient reason to cast a vote for the Donald. And yes, these are my opinions. This is my blog, and if y