It's a Show Up or Shut Up Thing

Dear America,

happy state of the union day.  yea.

so I keep Yahoo! as my home page...
no, it doesn't really scream G, but it seems a suitable place to start my day and get a layout of what is up or down with the world.


it's the little things that sometime speak to me the loudest -- things like waking up to the holiday icon, always featured up in the top left corner of the Yahoo! page, playfully showing a Chinese dragon chasing the bunny (year of the rabbit) away.  kinda funny, huh.  I have no other reason for bringing this up other than the matter of providing pure fluff; just hanging on the dragon's tail for one more day.

we've been talking about what I missed chatting it up with all of you while on the unexpected twenty-eight day hiatus.  And yes, it is; it is long enough to change a really bad habit, break an addiction, and even jump start a life all over again.  (Not that I have any...bad habits...addictions...)

It was quite the cog in the blog, wasn't it?

One of the things I thought about during the break(down) was simply this:  just showing up is everything.

Whether good, bad or indifferent, nothing happens when we don't participate and become the active, essential element of our success.  absolutely nothing.

AND when we join the power of showing up along with doing the right thing when we do -- we have the potential of making magic happen.

The Yahoo! page was also highlighting two stories this morning  -- and giving you just the headlines -- one reads "White House delays release of [Obama's] 2013 Budget"; the other one, "Expect [tonight, @SOTU address] 'very specific' economic blueprint from Obama: Advisor"


So the president plans on giving us 'very specific' economic projections and insight and reality based solutions WITHOUT a budget?

And, by the way, congress has been operating without a budget for 1000 days now -- something that is unlawful and out of integrity with one of the primary duties as members of congress.  what a mess.

Now, talk about not showing up  -- talk about not showing up AND not doing the right thing.

What has our president been doing?  campaigning

What has our congress been doing?  pointing fingers

The funny thing is, our lives usually -- and sometimes immediately -- reflect the demonstration of right action, good intention, and sound purpose every time.  Of course, the opposite effect is also true when deprived of such clear thought, whether a fault of our own un-doing or through who we associate and surround ourselves.

This country has been talking about controlling the debt/spending since I was born.  You would think -- over a span of nearly fifty years now -- we might have been able to get a handle on it.  just sayin'

Now, as we are all well aware, we will have an opportunity to welcome in the same president for another term or tap into our venture capitalist skills and bring in a replacement.  So running on the re-birthing theme of the last twenty four hours, the only thing we really know right now -- unless the skies open up and the earth shatters into a billion pieces -- all we really know now is that 'it's a boy'. 

"Now, more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature…If the next centennial does not find us a great nation…it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces."

works with presidents, too...

...the thing is, these words came from just a boy by the name of James Garfield. It was during his centennial address in 1876 -- with thanks to George Stephenson, of Grassroots America We the People, for his blogpost capturing the moment and timely sentiment for the ages.

So just in case you missed it -- that was then, this is now; we didn't get any better in 'the next centennial' ending in 1976 now did we...
And given that we are now merrily barreling down to the half way mark of 'the centennial' after that -- we, the people, STILL haven't learned how to show up...doing the right thing when we do.

Ignorance, recklessness and corruption is defining us.  Intelligence, bravery and purity is nowhere to be seen.


wonder what kind of American president will show up tonight?

Make it a Good Day, G

last word:  show up or shut up

It;s All About an End of an Error Thing

Dear America,

"Markets will rise and fall, 

but this is the United States of America...

No matter what some agency may say, 

we've always been 

and always will be 

a triple-A country." 

President Obama

interesting.

Civilizations will rise and fall, but this is the United States of America...No matter what I have said in the past, we've always been and always will be a AAA country and exceptional in every way...now give me back my credit rating.

According to Ben Feller, an AP White House Correspondent, "S&P officials said that five countries including Canada and Australia have lost their AAA ratings from S&P and then regained them. The shortest time that it took a country to regain an AAA rating was nine years and the longest time was 18 years."

Can you just imagine it? going another nine years operating under a veil of rocky credibility, questionable fiscal accountability, wanton corruption, and the continuation of political divide reaching polarities of extremities so far and wide we quite possibly simply fall down and go boom?

Can you just imagine it? going another eighteen years before, with certainty now, falling down and go boom?

This snippet in time exemplifies every sound principle, every minute detail of the separation of powers, every fine glimmer of reason which decidedly mounted our foundation upon austerity, humility, and conservative ideals in the first place; the founders purposely rested the general welfare upon the individual to hold to the universal values and principles broadly accepted as Natural Law in order to protect us.

And with good reason too, right?  The great responsibility and duty to stand guard and stand up to the fall of man fell to each and every one of us to uphold. 


Human error alert, human error alert...

It wasn't long ago that I was being, for lack of better word, schooled by someone in my family circle. In a nutshell, this was the approach:

“liberals tend to evolve their beliefs and their ideas based more on “lived experiences” than established family/religious/ideological traditions.” [that would be a direct attack against my position as a conservative, just to clue you in]

And by the way, this is one of the 'lighter' lessons, having arrived at this left brain common sense through their personal experiences of course.

The thing is, whether we are knee deep simply into our own little microcosm of humanity, or attempt to be in relationship in the macro, the same dynamic seems to be upon us -- overwhelming us with animosity and a life long separation driven by differences, rather than our commonalities of humanity,  namely, the good things which have the power to carry us in the bad times and keep us tied together united celebrating our good.

The common good was the driving force of our foundation in the past, while it is the fundamental solution to a happy future.

At the risk of repeating thoughts of blogs past -- just how can we expect our government to be able to solve monumental issues that have been building up for years, uncomfortably amplified during the holidays, while undermining the opportunity we have before us to really learn, grow, prosper, and move on into the future with sweetness and light, when just across our own kitchen table sits the same destructive forces?

I mean, my God, just keeping aligned with embracing a simple law of civility seems beyond reach; believing we live and breathe and dynamically function as part of one big American family, respective of our inherent motto 'e pluribus unum', if the times tell us anything at all, we can fuggetaboutit.

The lines have been drawn, or decided for us.  This is good.  This is evil.  Done. [if only in our own minds]

We can't operate and progress happily, merrily, jovially under the weight of this family code.

Just look at London. Here's just one voice explaining it:

"This is the uprising of the working class. We're redistributing the wealth," said Bryn Phillips, a 28-year-old self-described anarchist, as young people emerged from the store with chocolate bars and ice cream cones.

Phillips claimed rioters were motivated by distrust of the police, and drew a link between the rage on London's street and insurgent right-wing politics in the United States. "In America you have the tea party, in England you've got this," he said.

That, a direct quote out of an AP/London article describing 'on a 3rd day'.

This is London circa 2011 [yes, just like Greece, the fall back method of choice to solve societal corruptions large and small] and it is coming to America.

If you think we are immune just remember Wisconsin just a few months back; remember Arizona a year ago; and then recollect Cairo and just remember the power to the people celebrating the so-called, peaceful 'Arab Spring' -- the same one responsible for the violent attack, I mean rape, of an American reporter within their midst who simply was there to record a slice of history.

Chaos is the new civility.

And by the way Bryn, anarchist-in-chief of the hour, you, sir, are no Tea Party equivalent.  DO you see ANYONE from the Tea Party using violence as a means for change?  DO you see ANYONE from the Tea Party leaving so much as a paper cup behind, let alone a trail of riotous devastation against innocent people and commercial enterprises?

I wrote down a comment made on a story a couple of days ago -- my apologies for neither remembering the story or the tag name of it's origin.  I do, however, remember I was surfing stories on The Daily Caller, if that helps at all, probably not, whatever.  But this is what I scratched out and placed in a prominent place for future pickings:

"Socialists 

don't learn, they "feel."  

And since it always feels better 

to want an earthly paradise, 

they never let rationality or experience 

get in their way."

The means to an end seems of little concern, trivial, even if it may be highly uncivil, harmful, destructive, violent, and divisive in every way; and goes the same if whether or not it comes via covert ops [by example through the upper echelon operatives of this administration] or straight up [as in the riots of London].

Our founding fathers got it right for just so many reasons!

The building of our America upon universal truths centering upon the power of the INDIVIDUAL, of self-reliance, resting in a limited government in every way, and relying upon the RULE of LAW to decide in absolutes and above all protecting us from ourselves explains everything -- in this moment reflective of the life we have made for ourselves.

The founders saw this coming and gave it their best shot to align all future generations with proven statutes of civility, of lawfulness, of honor, of credibility, of accountability, of integrity, of faith, of hope, of charity.

IT IS NOT THE LAWS FAULT that we are in this mess; it is the people's fault.  [and by all appearances, it would seem to be true that only the Tea Party recognizes this profound grasp of the oncoming great fall of human nature, of man, of civilization as we know it in America going on right now... maybe even right down a street near you]

"I predict future happiness 

for Americans 

if they can prevent the government 

from wasting the labors of the people 

under the pretense 

of taking care of them."  

Thomas Jefferson

oops.

and also said, circa 1802:

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property - until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."  j...ah this girl just loves you Tommy boy...

but oops we did it again.

Austerity measures are coming to America -- whether we choose to see it or not, whether we agree with it or not.  For richer or for poorer.  In sickness and in health.

While here we are, deep into the aftermath of the S & P downgrade fiddling with our daily experience in both the micro and the macro -- with the anti-austerity revolutions raging far and wide -- THIS is our new reality.  We may not be seeing it yet just down the street, but it is coming.

The S & P cited the brutal, and sometimes juvenile, divide between the parties as part and parcel of their decision.  The way I look at it, it was kind of like a father sounding off from the head of the table saying, 'knock it off.'  The arguing about nothing and everything -- and anything but the truth -- was getting to him.

You know it's not like we didn't see this S & P thing coming...I mean, c'mon, they have been sounding off about this -- in the company of other credit rating agencies to boot -- for months now; it was as if months ago, the S & P told the president and this administration, 'don't call my bluff.'

well oopsy-daisy and london bridges falling down.


Make it a Good Day, G


On my Bumper Sticker bucket list:

01.20.13 

The End of an Error

It's an Allegiance to Simple Obedience Thing

"The great man knew not that he was great.  

It took a century or two 

for the fact to appear. 

What he did, he did because he must:  

he used no election : 

it was the most natural thing in the world, 

and grew out of the circumstances of the moment."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

  
Dear America,

happy thursday.

it is the Day After Opening Day at the races, marking my two year anniversary and, in total, celebrating 382 thoughtful blog posts on the state of the nation... as according to a day in the life of this American girl.

My morning ritual, usually begins with just making coffee; outside of the lazy hazy days of summer, the day demands a more stringent attention to time...making breakfast for my girl and whisking her off to school.  Aside from the natural conformity to domestic bliss, the next hour is usually catching up on emails, reading the news, spanning the headlines, and reaching into my library for inspiration; and oh, lest we forget, reading the horoscope for kicks and giggles gets squeezed in somewhere between news and headlines...

It is merely a regiment, a routine, a method of submission to what is yet to come; it allows me to take simple steps forward in hopes of BEGINNING SOMETHING that is yet to appear, even within my own mind.

It takes time to build up the momentum of my thoughts on the day; while sometimes, even after I diligently followed up on the details of the morning, I can still find myself going hmmmm, wondering just where should we go today?

But the thing is, for this day, feeling rather high on the notion that I am still showing up, two years hence and with the creation of 382 somethings out of nothings -- my heart is overfloweth. The obedience to the work makes me smile; it gives me a sense of accomplishment; it wraps the arms of the universe around me and tells me, good job girl. [besides, it's my blog and I can toot my own horn if I want to]

But it is in the spirit of this obedience that demands my humble attention in this brand new day.

I suspect that all of us awake each morning doing whatever it is we do -- whether it is with great thought or very little thought at all; whether we are fully conscious, or completely dazed and confused, or somewhere in between, we respond to the world and the world responds right back to us.  It is perfect in and of itself, because it simply is.

"Every man sees that he is that middle point whereof every thing may be affirmed and denied with equal reason.  He is old, he is young, he is very wise, he is altogether ignorant....There is no permanent wise man except in the figment of stoics."  Emerson

We constantly evolve; while life, itself, is never static. And with the ever abundant material of life in which we are surrounded, we make choices -- with the truth and consequences immediately to follow, assuredly as the moon follows the sun (or vice versa).

The consciousness of chaos within the Debt Ceiling/Deficit/Balanced Budget debate, happening right now in Washington, gives us an idea as to how far we have fallen from mastering our obedience.  From one day to the next, every time we veer from keeping up with our daily tasks -- through the reprehensible actions of those in charge of America's fundamental regiment --  we chip away at the things that bind us together.  Whatever we thought was whole and sufficiently supplied day after day, simply is not.

"A man's genius, the quality that differences him from every other, the susceptibility to one class of influences, the selection of what is fit for  him, the rejection of what is unfit, determines for him the character of the universe.  As a man thinketh so is he, and as a man chooseth so is he and so is nature.  A man is a method, a progressive arrangement; a selecting principle, gathering his like to him wherever he goes. He takes only his own out of the multiplicity that sweeps and circles round him...

...Human character does evermore publish itself.  It will not be concealed.  It hates darkness -- it rushes into light.  The most fugitive deed and word, the mere air of doing a thing, the intimated purpose, expresses character.  If you act you show character; if you sit still you show it; if you sleep you show it. You think because you have spoken nothing when others spoke, and have given no opinion on the times, on the church, on slavery, on the college, on parties and persons, that your verdict is still expected with curiosity as a reserved wisdom.  Far otherwise; your silence answers very loud." 

just a whole lot more of Emerson (isn't he simply the coolest!)

Silence speaks volumes, just as, in equal portion, those who choose the courage to speak.  The daily method of congress -- as according to the daily method of each man or woman in congress, as according to the daily method of nature -- both human nature and mother nature combined -- "out of the multiplicity that sweeps and circles round" -- prevails, one way or another.

The obedience, and humble attention, to this nation's debt has been long gone -- lost over decades, in various effects.  Following the "susceptibility of one class of influences" after another,  we find ourselves exhibiting the character of a nation.

It does not fit, does it?

We are at odds within ourselves, and against each other, over the natural tendencies and fundamentals this nation was made.  The routine has gone awry.  We have no idea which way is right or wrong, up or down -- we only see the chaos in between persons, while the order underneath it all is trampled upon, discredited, ridiculed, and left for dead.

My life, and your life, is left in the hands of people who continue to test character on whims of servitude, wings of desperation, flights of fancy, and feats of political posturing -- when in fact, all they really have to do, is the right thing.  And keep doing it -- one foot after the other -- as if the very universe relied.

The left makes fun of the right all the live long day, most commonly against the simplicity of our original pact (made altogether, by the way) resting upon the ideals built upon one's Common Sense; carrying with it, in equal portion, our duty and responsibility and allegiance to it, resting upon the ideals built upon one's Self-Reliance and Independence.

Seems to me, on this day, the trouble with free choice -- free will -- is that sometimes people do not choose to do the right thing; be it in the macro or the micro; be it in the individual or the collective.

We have a choice right now, as a nation, to do the right thing -- and for some odd reason, a great many in Washington either do not recognize it, or they would rather fall back to sleep.  It would seem, by the evidence left for us upon the light of day, they would rather face the truth another time; for the character required is simply not in them.

This lack of obedience is nothing new to Washington, it is just that We, the People, have only just now caught up to it.

"Our eyes are holden 

that we cannot see things 

that stare us in the face, 

until the hour arrives when the mind is ripened, 

-- then we behold them, 

and the time when we saw them not is like a dream."

and, once again... thank you, Emerson

America's success relies upon each of us to do our due diligence, to be obedient to the day and to the tasks at hand, in ways large and small, whether we wish to go there freely, easily, without dragging our feet out of bed, or not.

until right now, "when the hour arrives when the mind is ripened," this blog was nowhere to be seen or heard.


...of course, it only came after obedient, deliberate action....after the coffee, after the news, after the headlines, after the inspiration hit me upside the face and back down again...and, lest we forget, after the horoscope -- which, I kid you not -- began with this:

"It will be up to you to take action today..."(Aries, yahoo! horoscopes)

Make it a Good Day, G

It's a Disconnect Thing

Dear America,

reading the news this morning, glancing over some of my favorite freedom and liberty vibes, it came to me -- a certain disconnect is making it's way through the air.

Now, my senses have long felt this sway when captured by the headlines on the daily market watch;  it never fails, the quick remark of why the market is up, or why the market is down, seems to fly by someone's seat of the pants.  Just last week the market may be down for austerity woes of Greece -- while this week, it's up for the fourth straight day for the very same reason -- only different; yesterday was Monday and just before the Sun entered Cancer, while today is Tuesday, marked by a Vesta of 20 degrees of Aquarius.  go ahead, look it up.

And all this when our headlines vacillate from Doctors in Chicago, at the AMA convention, saying they have no problem with the latest health insurance requirement, as if the trillion dollar entitlement is as good as paid for and no worries exist on the co-payment horizon; while congress sits on their hands and closes their eyes in discussions on the Debt Ceiling -- never mind the venomous barbs back and forth, practically speaking in tongues, over Medicare; and all while, the hottest news stories revolve around a guy who wouldn't pull his pants up when choosing to fly the friendly skies recently, a mother that "allegedly" killed her own daughter and partied for a month before telling anyone, and riots in Vancouver -- with a college fling spotlighted for two days over just a kiss in the middle of the road -- and all over a pathetic loss in a hockey game (yeah, not my country, but still...)  These are the things that consume our free time.

News keeps going on around us even when the world is on fire -- even when the sky is falling -- even when we are about to lose it all.  Which is strange, given we are steeped in the age of reality TV, our first inclination is not to say a word.  Perhaps if we deny the prevailing winds long enough they will go away.

But seriously, if we took our emotional cues from the headlines, I have no doubt, every one of us would be flying high in the funny farm.

There is nothing grounding us.

We have lost our ability to think clearly and use good reason in order to navigate the road ahead, so that we might be able to fairly evaluate our current situation and move forward with confidence; our own denial and disconnect from reality is sending us into just another dimension of coping, while, at the same time, putting us on the trajectory of deep regret, total loss, and a downright miserable future.

And this, all because we -- as a whole -- are way too busy flitting and fluttering on meaningless things.

Our disconnect is beginning to show.

Yesterday was all about our pledge -- to God, to country, and each other -- as written according to our Declaration of Independence..."And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the Protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."  And I thought to myself 'this defines assimilation...this is one nation under God...this is the missing link between division and citizens united.'

We hasten to rush to criticize the lack of assimilation from those who come here searching for a new life, the shelter of a land which honors freedom and liberty for all, a land which welcomes equal opportunity in the pursuit of happiness -- and yet, it has been that very thing that has created a great divide within our own, those born and raised with every opportunity in the world.  How can we expect other people to come, assimilate, become one nation under God, when we, ourselves, no longer live by example?

So what, do as I say but not as I do is the new American way?

So in between the headlines -- with the Wal-Mart class action lawsuit, with Wisconsin Court of Appeals, with the NLRB suing Boeing, with the DOJ suing Arizona, with everyday citizens suing Obamacare's Individual Mandate....oh right, with Casey Anthony sitting there looking dumbfounded for the tenth day in a row -- my latest realization points in one direction:   attorneys.  all of them.  left, right and center. for good. for evil. we are a no longer the honor society but a vile, loathsome, litigious society placing all responsibility and attorney's fees on somebody else.  Just look at me carrying on like so...

Don't look at me...it is not my fault, it's his fault.

I have rights (and my rights are more important than yours).

If it doesn't work the old fashioned way, sue.  File a motion.  Cease and Desist.  Place a Moratorium.  Take it to court.  Blame somebody else.  Claim no fault of my own.

Anyone see where I am going with this?  Or are the lights on and nobody is home?  Did we get disconnected somehow... ah oh, think I am losing you...can you hear me now?

As a country, we proceeded to work quite well as long as we remembered two things: yes, we are fully loaded with plenty of GOD given, endowed, rights [that is the good news]  but the bad news is, they come action packed with DUTIES (both public and private).    ....awkward.

SO, somehow, over the years of having too much fun, we have forgotten  that step one comes only when we have faithfully followed through with step two (which that would mean, step two really comes before step one, if we were to take just a moment to work things out in our head....right, but who has got time for that when the Casey Anthony trial is on).

ASSIMILATION.   All of us are required to not only recognize, but demonstrate, that our rights and duties are equally aligned.

We have totally lost touch with the stark reality of life as a responsible, upright, citizen in the United States of America -- as, and here's the real kicker, as our most important "rights" and "duties" are not even enumerated within our founding documents!  wow.  way to go, guys... way to assume a righteous belief in the human spirit, oh great founding fathers of mine.  talk about blame...look at what they done der did  (and the awkward courtesy laugh fits in nicely here).

Which means what?   We have to learn them; these ideas need to be taught; the desired outcome does not happen purely by accident.

Natural rights -- you know, the kind that we were endowed with, not by man, but by that awesome Creator of ours -- the one's declared as "with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"  go something like this:

• The right to self-government
• The right to bear arms for self-defense
• The right to own, develop, and dispose of property
• The right to make personal choices
• The right of free conscience
• The right to choose a profession
• The right to petition
• The right to assemble
• The right to free speech
• The right to enjoy the fruits of one's labors
• The right to explore the natural resources of the earth...

and there are, of course, plenty more...this portion came right out of The 5000 Year Leap.  Get it, if you have not done so already.  Our shift in society to: 'what about me' and 'what about my rights' while clearly dissing our natural duties that come with --  has destroyed us.

And on that note then, let's flash gordon over to the DUTIES supply side:

• The duty to honor the supremacy of the Creator and his laws...Nature's Law, Divine Law, Universal Law...
• The duty not to take the life of another except in self-defense
• The duty not to steal or destroy the property of another
• The duty to be honest in all transactions with others
• The duty of children to honor and obey their parents and elders
• The duty of parents and elders to protect, teach, feed, clothe, and provide shelter for children
• The duty to support law and order and keep the peace
• The duty not to contrive through a covetous heart to despoil another
• The duty to be temperate
• The duty to become economically self-sufficient
• The duty to maintain the integrity of the family structure
• The duty to support personal and public standards of common decency
• The duty to follow rules of moral rectitude...

 again, there is plenty more where I got that...just read The Leap.

We are witnessing a huge disconnect in and around our world;  this world, the one we are living in right now --totally sucks; and it is MY fault, your fault, and every body's fault.  But I know, if I stop and change my evil ways, while you stop long enough to change yours, sometime down the road we may be finding good old America sitting right side up again.

We've got this American way thing all backwards and upside down; and the real thing is (besides Coca-Cola), is that our so called rights should be the least of our concern.

The way I figure it is, all we really have to do is go back to doing our duty again --  to God and to country  -- and for EACH OTHER, especially our children.  I believe, before you know it, nearly every single one of our societal woes would be gone.  poof.  taken care of.  swiped clean. while perhaps the very last thing we would be needing is an attorney.

IF only...if only we kept right on assimilating with the process of self-reliance -- keeping up with our end of the bargain and honoring the way of sound self-government living in community with one another. If only.

And can you just imagine it...just what would the headlines be saying about us then?

Makes me giddy just thinking about it.

Make it a Good Day, G

Dear America, an open letter to The Donald:

"For where two or more are gathered in my name, 

there am I with them." 

Matthew 18:20

There is something very deja vu going on; it's like, whoa dude, have we been down this road before?  The flashback of a presidential campaign a couple years removed; bearing witness to a stage of Romanesque proportions, columns of Grecian dominance, setting in motion the pulpit from which just a man would woo us into believing something so incredibly out of this world, that as it turned out, it actually was. 

A recent horoscope I read noted a twist of one of my favorite verses in the Bible, and basically, brazenly usurped the power of the Almighty and claimed, 'anywhere two or more are gathered, there is politics.'  and that's where my open letter to The Donald begins...

I would very much like to believe -- now that we have seen the light -- America is no longer a congregation of blind worshipers and gullible followers of anything remotely inauthentic; we seek the real thing in all matters, whether it be our religion, a soul mate, a doctor, a voice, or a president.

Please, let not our current condition fool you, Mr. Trump -- America is not a pawn, and her exploitation is hardly up for discussion; contrary to popular opinion and the growing cultural tide, the bid, for the office of the presidency of the United States of America, is made in America to attract one thing, and one thing only: civil servants of virtue.

In the beginning, the government, by design, constructed the rule of law and the rules of engagement for the highest job in the land, not according to a ruler or a king, nor propping up one church over another, but through a process of meticulous selection from the bottom up; the primary consideration over all, to find the true statesmen -- giving back to country, selflessly, authentically, looking after her as if his life, and each life thereafter, depended upon it.  And this is where we have the first issue...

As you well know, given you created it and all, your ego enters the room long before we take a look into your eyes; and sir, if I may be so bold, we're not all that impressed with that side of you who likes to impress, if not expressly for the press.  We have seen a Presidency-by-I-am and are not smitten.  Initially, as you have presented yourself -- simply toying around with the idea of taking on the leader of the free world -- so far, your reputation keeps preceding you (and that, isn't a good thing).

We are just not that sure about you.  The trust factor is one of your greatest liabilities.  Are you just in it to win it?  Or, is this just the making of another reality show in our midst, and in six months time, we'll be catching all the behind the scenes footage (with ad-lib's and off mic remarks included)?  Or, are we simply locked into some kind of twisted derivation of the Trump Bucket List, soon to be presented on YouTube, with the culmination of your swearing in to be filmed while you are jumping out of a plane?

Well, in a word that you might understand -- fuggetaboutit.   We got no stinkin' interest in that, yo?  You dig me?  (I'm trying to channel my newyarkar) What we want, we the people, is a little respect; and that goes from you, too, now that you think you have all the right stuff. 

Newsflash:  It is now open season; welcome to the show; buckle up and enjoy the ride.

What we want, is a return to the way we were; a country with checks and balances and politics revolving around the rule of law and our constitution.  What we hunger for, are the conditions to restore our faith in all the right things again; a vision once held in high esteem, carrying with it our duty and responsibility bestowed upon us by our founders, dating back 5000 years of time, virtue, history and truth.  Not such an easy task, no doubt.

What we want, is a true free market Thinker (and by all evidence, your resume should tell us that you know a thing or two about this) -- but even then, your history shows a few missteps... perhaps it's just a misguided appreciation to a policy running counter-intuitive to the forces of the real free market... maybe simply a case of not knowing then, what you know now...an ideological evolution, if you will...but all benefit of the doubt easily gets tossed under the microscope when we see where your donations have gone over the years, when we see you haven't taken the time to vote in a primary for 21 years; and this evidence is just beginning to shine through.

We don't need another prophet promising to fix everything, piping through loud speakers and twittering he would be different, while boldly claiming world peace and cake for everyone would finally rule the day; we don't need that.  To be perfectly clear, what we need is a whole lot of humility.

What we need, is someone with the courage to stand up and admit we are doing this all wrong and backwards -- which to date, I'm gathering after some sincere consideration, you have come to the not-so-humble-conclusion, a realization that who better to recognize and understand than YOU;  there is no doubt in my mind, you have no doubt.  But do you recognize the underlying foundation from which all desire for reformation comes?  Do you really, really know what the fire in the belly of America really represents?  hint, hint: this is another essential element to the making of our next president.

Sure, in all honesty, we are amateurs, all of us, there is that (some of us just seem to be better at it than others).  Whether born in the USA or Kenya, we wear our self-reliance on our back.  To meet success in our daily lives, we must do the work, yielding to the law of compensation, recognizing the values of supply and demand, striving to educate, prepare, and make something of ourselves.  If you will allow a return on a theme, America IS the quintessential Amazing Race -- be it in our skills, conditions, paths, diversity of color, creed, and character; we are one big pot melting into one big race over and over and over again.

What we need is really a president who not only understands who we are, where we have been, and the foundation from which all bounty comes, but one who respects it through and through.  In order to move forward with any sense of brilliance, we must go backwards, retracing our steps, in order to arrive at a place where we went wrong and start over.

Are you prepared to cut the budget drastically, and return to living within our means?

Are you prepared to defund the latest entitlement program, Obamacare, and allow the business of health care to return to the free market -- and put in new regulations to operated even better than it did before?

Are you prepared to close our border until order is restored and sustained?

Are you prepared to cut entire departments of government who have long overstayed their welcome?

Are you prepared to secure the debt limit at the current ceiling, with a real plan to reduce the national debt?

Are you prepared to cease the Global Warming fanaticism reinventing CO2 as a harmful pollutant?

Are you prepared to command respect of America again, without acting like an arrogant S.O.B.?

Are you prepared to return our children to an education teaching lessons of good character, the joys of living in a free market, the lessons of reaping what we sow, the bounty that all good things come to those who wait, if not, work really, really hard...Are you prepared to gather enough nerve to battle the neanderthals who have taken away designated time for prayer and personal reflection, fair debate and conclusion, of all facets of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, left - right - and center? Promoting all things  INDEPENDENT, not dependent.

Are you prepared to return the power back to regional locals, in order to serve communities large and small equally and in proportion to their individual needs?

Are you prepared to grow a nation's independence -- drilling for oil here at home; tapping into our own natural gas, safely and securely; allowing the open market, supply and demand, private risk and investment and benefits, to grow the green market, expand the hybrid industry, increase the solar power, and capture the magnificence in the wind?  Are you prepared to continue the investment of our nuclear energy infrastructure even in the face of the Japanese natural disaster?

Are you prepared to wake up the apathetic?  Are you prepared to enliven the authenticity of America's heritage and divine providence, for you do recognize that She has been corrupted, abused, and left for dead?

Are you prepared to be a statesman looking out for our best interests?  Modeling our best behavior?  Acting selflessly, reverently, respectfully in the highest office of the land?

You're a businessman -- could your business survive running deficits in the trillions of dollars for any length of time? (right.  we do know the answer to that, huh...my bad)  But honestly, is there any chance you could live to see just one day beyond ninety days passed due?  seriously?

That is just how absurd this whole debt debate has been; in the real world, this corporate model does not work.  ever.   Are you prepared to return legitimacy (that is, if they ever had it) to the Federal Reserve? Are you prepared with any kind of a plan to run against a world wide mission to destroy the dollar? bring down America? and basically end the greatest republic that ever lived?  Because, as someone who runs in a pretty elite crowd, you should realize that we are on the chopping block; the entire world wants to tell America, 'you're fired'  -- and just how do you plan to combat that? seriously.  how?

The bottom line, Mr. Trump, America doesn't seem to trust you any farther than we can throw you -- into the Hudson, without a paddle, swimming upstream, on a Tuesday (that would be tomorrow). And I'm someone who kinda likes you.... But this little presidential run you seem to be banking on isn't a game of Monopoly or Apprentice or Let's Make a Deal.  you get me, playa?  And, speaking on behalf of only myself and my dog, think you have potential, at best; but you, sir, have a lot to prove. The Trump Tower has no power over us.

And, just so you know, there isn't a whole lot you can say to change our minds; consider yourself under the latest Palin Doctrine, following the Laws of Attraction --  people either love you or they don't.  And yet, if you are in this for real, if you wish to gain our trust, the race ...starts ....now.

the gun has been fired....

why aren't you moving....

You may think your intermittent fifteen minutes of fame, coming at us on a seasonal basis, is enough to carry the burden; and then you better think again.

we, the little people, have done our homework over the last several years...  we are not the same people who swooned to a young, hip, up and comer, politico dynamo -- who masterminded the most skillful campaign, quarantined every skeleton in the closet, and otherwise, manipulated, cajoled and disguised the real truth from the whole truth from not a shred of honesty  -- who swallowed it up anyway. been there, done that.

oooh which reminds me, that corny interview you did with Meghan McCain for The Daily Beast, of the read this, skip that generation, forces me to enlighten you of another political faux pas becoming all too often conveniently commingled with reality -- progressives are not good for America (whether left or right).  And if you don't get that, you might as well hang your boots up right now.  Stealing a portion of a sales pitch from Stanley Steamer, know the stain, my friend.  Know the stain.


All in all, your heart may be in the right place, time will tell.

I want to like you -- I mean, my gosh, I have had you standing loud and clear in my margin, along side Chris Christie as the other half of your dynamic duo, for months now; at first glance, what America needs is the business of taking care of business all the way around.  We need to get back to work.  We need to get back to basics, the original intent.  We need to stop worrying about the rest of the world's issues and focus on our own -- our own fiscal mess, our own dysfunctional families, our own kids, our own schools, our own in-law's, our own neighborhoods, and on and on and on. Our preoccupation with the goings on everywhere else but here has been a welcome distraction, a cause to take away from our responsibility at home.

At the same time, we certainly don't want the business aspect to dominate over us, to take away our soul.

Perception is everything -- especially at the start of a campaign; I am just hoping that you have not only done your homework, but that you are prepared for the test about to be sprung on you from every corner of the world, every back road and alley way, every mom and pop and corner store from sea to shining sea.  This is real for all of us little people; some might say, this election is a turning point; if we are to put all of our eggs into one basket, we better make darn sure we know who is suspending us into thin air for another four years and counting. capeesh?

A local neuro-scientist, V.S. Ramachandran, of UCSD, was recently designated to be one of TIME's top 100 most influential people -- yes, right there with Obama, Mark Zuckerberg, Nicolas Sarkozy -- even Natalie Portman (?) as noted in an article from our San Diego Union Tribune on Saturday.  He was added to the list because of his natural, God-given ability to Think!  Isn't that wonderful.  He has made a career, by the sound of it anyway, of thinking outside the neuro-scientist box and has been quite successful at it.

As the UT explains, he is "best known for developing a therapy for phantom-limb pain in which a mirror is used to reflect the intact limb, creating the illusion that the missing one is still there. That persuades the brain that all is well, and the pain subsides."  Our imagination can do funny things with reality, no? (and boy, does this sound like America's issues, or what?)

The thing is, we could probably do a bang up job imagining someone like you, Mr. Trump,  to be just what the doctor ordered for curing the symptoms of an ailing economy, the bleak road ahead, along with a host of unintended consequences along the way...and then go back asleep.

But the truth is, only when we realize that the disease has been long in the making, will we have a snowball's chance in H-E-double toothpicks to know the real cure...

...that once we come to realize the proven path, the one centuries old in the making, the path we thought we could travel with our eyes closed, and yet, over time, not accounting for a lick of duty, not contributing to a hill of beans worth of hard work, common sense and responsibility -- that the same path would take a turn -- that one day, in one fell swoop, we could be totally overrun and overtaken of our own demise, false gods, greed, corruption, and the making of total, fiscal insanity -- because we each imagined multiple realities going on around us for so long, nobody was really paying attention to where we were headed --

...that even, if a certain someone does run, for all the right reasons of course -- the real question remains, are WE PREPARED to fully, actively, selflessly, honestly, virtuously, courageously back you up?  Or do we look in the mirror and think everything is fine, without realizing we have lost life and limb to atrocities that might very well could have been avoided, settling back into complacency and total disconnect?  We may no longer feel the pain, but somehow we must still figure out how to walk.

we could get along just fine if a little self-reliance kicks in right about here.


getting a second wind comes in handy, too.


sometimes, just getting back up on the horse does the trick; funny thing, works the same way when we get bucked off.


sunrise, sunset, sunrise, sunset.

even with all the right stuff, the real truth is, a trump can only do so much -- the rest is still up to us; and on that note, hard to tell where our personal commitment starts and stops sometimes.

in the meantime, you sir, the trumpster, the trumpinator, the trump van-dango-a-go-go, the master of your own enterprise, the creator of the next really big thing (maybe) -- you, sir, have your work cut out for you.  I'll close the door and give you some time to think.

Make it a Good Day, G

Dear America,

happy tuesday

there is always a peculiar sensation that takes over, when in the midst of the week between Christmas and New Year's Day -- or is it just me? 

Granted, this feeling is compounded that much more, given the absence of nearly a week due to the annoyances that come with the common cold;but it's funny how the mind works, it is so easy to get squirrel-ly over the things we wished to have happen in the last year, coupled with the things that actually do, and then combined with that which I have no recollection whatsoever as I was buried in the sheets in a NyQuil slumber.

As the fog lifts, and the business as usual takes hold, all the thoughts of the year almost past, meets up with a glorious southern California day outside, while the future rests in the hands of the destiny yet to be illuminated.

It is exciting, almost invigorating -- yet, the angst and worries of this last year still remain -- so the dichotomy of emotions toy with me; surely pushing and pulling me into crazy town, if I were to let all my inhibitions go at the same time.

The absence of my girl this week is startling and noticeable, as it is just way too quiet; so what does a girl do, when no one to cook for is in the room, let alone in view, a few steps away, or calling out for something to eat in regular intervals -- she watches the Travel Channel, the Food Network -- anything that can take me world's away in a flash.

And may I extend a heartfelt gratitude to you, Anthony Bourdain, who turned out to be everything I ever wanted in a stolen afternoon with no real responsibility to be seen, or heard from, in a day.  As it just so happened, it was a day set aside for a Bourdain marathon! 

One after the other, in some obscure neighborhood across the globe, dining on the sublime to the not so fine, the rock star of being super cool, while eating the innards and out-turds of just about anything that moves, conversing with the locals over shots of whiskey and beer, pontificating about life, liberty and the pursuit of world peace over a plate of good food, made his way into my living room and into my heart.  Totally love struck for the duration, from Vietnam to Columbia, Panama to Tokyo, I couldn't take my eyes off his scene.

Having watched him many times before, something about yesterday was different; I felt a certain self interest as to what he was telling me, personally, and tried to take it all in as if he were speaking just to me, to see where that would lead me...kind of like the old Buddhist saying, "when the student is ready, the teacher appears.."

And there it was, in the middle of an itty bitty Yakitori Bar and Grill, as Bourdain and his Tokyo tour-guide were laughing it up over the nearly raw chicken they were about to put in their mouth, it hit me: the Japanese don't seem to have an FDA, of sorts, they have no regulations on how long a meat must cook, and they pretty much survive, trusting that the restaurateur and the restauran-tee are completely happy and satisfied with one another within the dynamics of a shared experience and commercial transaction.  That's funny, isn't it?

And listening to the Japanese native, describing the daily workings of this one restaurateur was in a word, amazing.  For this little shop in Tokyo, which specializes in simply making yakitori, really, truly, turns the makings of yakitori into an art form (as in most things they do as a culture-- as a people, they inherently lean to finding and creating the natural beauty, no matter what they are doing).

So with great consideration, this yakitori-shogun-chef begins the day, looking over his farm raised chickens, and with his own hands, takes the life from the very chicken he will serve later in the day; with full honor and integrity, following customs passed down for generations, grateful for the bread of life that the bird freely gives, the process comes full circle with life, death, bringing new life, with none of it, as it would appear, being taken for granted.

He carefully trims the meat -- using the bones, the organs, the entire body of the bird for other things -- and makes every meal to order from a place of reverence, for not only the chicken who gave his life, but for the life of the customer who sits at the bar about to partake in it's bounty.  Everything is sacred; nothing is spared attention to detail; while every bite seems protected as if held under some kind of culinary godliness and holiness. 

The yakitori restaurateur serves not only the skewered teriyaki chicken fresh off the grill, but even takes choice pieces to add to a simple bowl of broth and herbs and spices, hardly cooking the chicken at all -- what, as we gasp at the sight of pale pink meat floating at the top of the colorful ceramic vessel -- stop, how can you even think about eating such a thing?!

No worries; as in the natural phenomenon that occurs in the midst of any game of truth and consequences, if the chicken is healthy, if the chef takes good care, if the integrity of the action is safely held from start to finish -- what's to worry about it?  The chef works with honor -- rest assured, if the chef did not, people might die, or at the very least, get really sick, and his business would surely falter.  The consequences of serving up anything less than a delightful meal is far too great, and most of all, beneath the standard set for himself. 

No government regulation is needed, if, in fact, you set out to do the right thing for all concerned (including the big fat chicken).

This land we call America was designed to work like this; funny how far off the mark we have grown.  The A-ratings that our restaurateurs live by don't seem to save us, protect us from harm, or keep us from experiencing the ills of food borne discomfort and complications, sometimes even death.

The only thing that really protects us at this level, is the integrity of every food handler along the way -- and oh the number of hands our food comes in contact...how we would lose count in our complicated world from farm to family.  How we must trust each and every one of us to do the right thing all along the way -- as mind boggling as it may be -- is paramount to the root cause of all that we do, how we do it, and if we will be successful at it from here on out.

Of course, don't even get me started on the lack of regulation against serving an endangered sea turtle at a local cabana bar and grill, on the beaches of Columbia -- hello?  You think Greenpeace, or the like, would venture down in 'dem dare parts to see what's up, just sayin'. 

Or how about the city buses, all individually owned and operated and PAINTED, colorfully and flamboyantly to distinguish one neighborhood bus from the next, who just a few years back were confronted by the Columbian government to ban together, become uniform, streamlined, and "organized" for the betterment of the whole -- and they said NO. no way, Jose, nada, never in my life time. comprende? 

but I digress.

What is spinning in the back of my mind is how so much of the rest of the world has no regulations -- they live and let live, and try as they might to act with honor, respective of their cultural norms and ritual, in keeping with their inherent need to preserve the integrity of their people as a whole all the while! Fantastic. 

America seems to be doing just the opposite these days...

America is the endangered species.

America is the individually owned and operated, multi-colored bus line.

America must return to the A-rating just because...it's the right thing to do; and we don't need government to do it for us, or tell us how, or control who gets what, when and for how much.  The right thing to do never changes; and to that end, having the integrity of finding the natural beauty and honor in all things would serve us well in our days to come.

thank you, Bourdain! 

Hourly packaged in your irreverent, yet compassionate, style, the foreign world you present to us may not be that unfamiliar; for it rekindles the spirit at the heart of things past, present and future, centering from the virtues of family and food and the everlasting faith in who we are, where we came, and where we go from here.

Starting locally, maybe as close as our own cupboards, what we choose to pass on to our children, by design or by consequence, and especially by the love and example we share over a warm meal, is the only thing that matters.  IF we all choose to do it well, with honor -- perhaps even with no reservations -- half the battle would be won already.

make it a good day, G 

and play your song today, click on dear america

Dear America,

Are you Pepsi or Coke?

It's a simple question; a question that no matter the answer, the belief system, the mindset, the taste-buds of your particular family are already firmly in place, lined up all in a row in the fridge right now. Too late to change your mind now (or is it?).  Whether it's to Refresh, or going for The Real Thing, the choice is a cold, clear illumination of a side -- and perhaps one that was chosen for us long ago.

Trivial as it may sound, my little mama inside me has been busy sweeping my mind this morning -- multitasking of course, while sipping on coffee, thinking about everything I have to do today, all while aimlessly gazing through the eucalyptus branches meeting me with a ray of sunshine. It's my daily coffee clutch, my morning mediation with the world, my minute or two of solitude that seems to some days come with ease, while upon others, it reluctantly goes along with me kicking and screaming all the way.

In G world today, my thoughts are tangled up with other people's children. 

Wondering, what on God's great earth are other people's babies being taught about America this morning? And suffice it to say, it is creating quite a stir.

Perhaps it is lumping in the highlights of an upcoming expose on Elin Nordegren, who will be glossing the front cover of People magazine coming up this Friday, fresh off the presses.  Word is leaking out about how she feels, "the embarrassment" of going "through hell" with absolutely no choice whatsoever...with all of us just watching...making snide commentary...jumping to conclusions...exaggerating truth, or worse, not speaking truth at all.  Gossip girl meets locker room boy, all through the links and beyond.

The town can talk, can't we  -- and no longer does it take a day's ride on a train or buggy (just ask  Bob Schieffer, for "ignorance travels fast on the Internet"--  and furious, you know, "with fear and rage", just ask Katie Couric).

So, the thing is, getting back to this morning -- other people's babies hear everything, and nothing, through the eyes of their mama or papa all the way home, along with what the rest of world is telling them -- all with no filter, no chance for edit, no opportunity for all sides to present themselves, just full on open mic... overflowing and non-stop. 

My fear is, just what are the children being told about America, in the homes that have -- with great assumption indeed -- a wildly different experience from my own; what about the children born into a side having been chosen for them -- Pepsi or Coke -- unlike mine; what about the babies who do not know or recognize the America that I know and love, and in turn teach my girl?

As you may remember from the last week or so, I refreshed myself with a long, lost book, Gift from the Sea, by Anne Morrow Lindbergh.  Initially daunted by the realization that her immediate experience dates back to the fifties, raising her children at a time when things were soooooooooo different, I am struck by her thoughts remaining true to this day...and so much like my own.

She says,

"For life today in America is based on the premise of ever-widening circles of contact and communication.  It involves not only family demands, but community demands, national demands, international demands on the good citizen, through social and cultural pressures, through newspapers, magazines, radio programs, political drives, charitable appeals, and so on.  My mind reels with it."  (oh my, you have no idea, Annie...)

Going on to say,

"This is not the life of simplicity but the life of multiplicity that the wise men warn us of.  It leads not to unification but to fragmentation.  It does not bring grace; it destroys the soul,  And this is not only true of my life, I am forced to conclude; it is the life of millions of women in America.  I stress America, because today, the American woman more than any other has the privilege of choosing such a life."

Nineteen Fifty Five, people.  Nineteen Fifty Five.

Wow. 

The uncanny resemblance to life's lessons, through hopes and dreams, experiential and emotional, unveiling the universal story of coming of age and coming into one's own, as a women -- to find our true center alone -- is exactly that which Elizabeth Gilbert, of Eat Pray Love, came to recognize in her life; and fortunately for us, managed to share it recently on film (so much faster that way, no?).

But just how many mamas are in the midst of simply overreacting right now, today; this is what seems to be one of my main concerns right now...

how many are listening just to Katie or Bob, or even, Daisy (a memory of yesterday's lament)?

how many are telling their children, America is a land of hatred, bigotry, prejudice and racism?

how many are saying to their babies, this land is not made for you and me?

how many are not taking a moment to still that quiet voice inside their heart, to get to the root of the broader experiences and the bevy of sweeping emotions that are causing such a stir, breaking our spirit, for one to another to our children?

The moment to breathe is right now; we don't have a second to wait.

Returning to the promise we made as individuals at the very birth of this country, this is what it is all about; what is being mercilessly trampled upon is not only the hearts and minds of our children, who will ultimately become the next generation in charge -- but the simple value of knowing thy self, healing thy self, making way for thy self and thy family, all by our self, alone.

What these days should look like then, is every family coming into one's own, for the good of the community and the whole -- through assimilation; not diversification and divide.  We must find a way to excavate the common ground and live in peace with one another, otherwise the good of America will be buried and lost forever.

But above all, what we teach our children right here, and right now, will be what they know for themselves; it will be what they believe -- of America; it will be what carries them into rebuilding America out of the legacy of ruin we have left them. 

Elin, by all appearances thus far, is a mama choosing to take the high road; she is consciously choosing not to drag Tiger and her children through what we would probably all like to see -- a pure, unadulterated lambasting of HIS truth and consequences, out in the open for all of us to watch, for he deserves it right  (no, really, I don't...just trying to capture -- and lower myself  for a second -- to the tabloid logic. for ratings, you know... didn't really work, huh?)

What is the real truth about America?

How can we expect to raise children to be able to find their true center when we, generally speaking, can't find our own?

As a country, we lean just right from center in most every issue under the sun; just wouldn't know it by listening to the mainstream media or the rhetoric played on the loudspeakers over and over again.

Turn down the noise and listen to that which lies deep inside you; I have every faith in the world, mamas and papas everywhere, of every creed, color and country, would be able to come up with at least a few life's lessons in common that are well worth sharing to our children, and ultimately with the rest of the world we wish to make.

Call it a moment to refresh yourself.

Call it a moment to get back to the real thing.

Whatever -- ring aling aling, America is calling; and it's for made for YOU, and only you, to answer the call the best way you know how.  Be polite, be courteous, listen heartily, and speak softly and remember -- the children are just in the other room; and you know what that means, they hear everything.

Do the right thing, teach your children to sing, forget all the bling, ring a ding ding, and

Make it a Good Day, G

For me:
It's Coca-Cola all the way baby.
Pure refreshment, a real treat, is a click and a sip away on Dear America.  Kid you not, one of the best little coca-cola videos out there.