The Good Old Days and Writing About Them

 It is always gratifying to me, as a writer, to see readers from other countries post pictures of my books  on social media showing where they have been discovered.

As much as I want success for my Saint Bernard hero, his pals and his human counterparts, I find myself wondering if at some point we might be "canceled". Probably not, since I am an unknown except to the owners of Saint Bernards I've been cultivating, but still...

The reason I wonder is because the basics of my stories, geared to the seven to twelve crowd, is a reflection of the values with which I grew up.  Girls were girls, boys were boys.  There were Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and they didn't intermingle.

Kids were allowed to play freely because their parents trusted them.  Parents also couldn't imagine being turned in to social services for having allowed their kids to do so. Heck, I don't even think there was anything known as "social services" in those days!

I'll keep this post short and to the point.  Otherwise I could write a book about the differences between the ages.  I just remember when my Mom was getting up in years she'd so often say, "I lived in the good old days." It wasn't meant to be a cliche.  It was a statement of fact. Now I find myself saying the same thing.

 Time flies when you're having fun.  I received a notice from Google about a problem with this site so I came over to have a look. I had no idea better than two years had passed since I last wrote a post.

Wow.  Back in 2018 the country was already being torn apart with political strife.  Trump was raging uncontrolled and uncontrollable through his presidency acting every bit the self-indulgent man-child he is.

Charles Krauthammer had recently passed away. A man of intellect and courage.  I miss him still, today. And what have I been doing?  Well, I gave up blogging because it was becoming more and more difficult to remain civil in an uncivil society. I took to writing adventure/mystery stories for kids, hoping somehow that by inserting the values I was taught in my formative years might subtly resonate with those who read the books - be they youngsters or adults.

My hero is a Saint Bernard named Slobbers. That should come as no surprise to anyone who reads this who might also remember the early days of this blog.  It began as a recitation of things I thought about while walking my dog - yes, a Saint Bernard.

All that being said, I just thought I'd pop in and say hello.  I'm finding losing myself in my stories a bearable diversion from what has happened to us and our country over these years. Forget COVID.  I have no doubt the country would be just as divided if the pandemic hadn't hit.  We were well on our way back then.  It has, however, made the human condition worse.  People losing their jobs, businesses and even their lives due to government over-reach and hunger for power.

I find it hard to believe and harder to swallow how once respected people in government have devolved to the level they have.  Let me include the media in that. 

I'm way past young and optimistic now.  My hope is that I can live what I have left of life in as productive a way as possible. I may appear and opine now and then now that I've rediscovered a past self.  If anyone is really interested, leave a comment. Not that not leaving one will really matter.  You'll do what you're going to do as will I. Hope to see someone though, just for the fun of it!

We Will Always Have An America

I can't believe the last time I was over here on my blog was in August.  I just could not handle the decline of civility within the ranks of our media and politicians any more.  I had to walk away from it.  Uttering opinion, any opinion, became so dangerous it didn't seem worth it.  I believe that is still the case.

No matter how tattered and torn our country has become though I do see glimmers of hope.  Unfortunately it comes under the worst of conditions.  Natural disasters.  There is a lesson to be learned.

The southeast has been inundated with storm damage be it winds or floods. The west has been devastated by wild fires.  All seem to have become an annual occurrence.  So where is the hope?

It's certainly not with the fiasco in Congress over the Kavanaugh nomination nor the Russian collusion investigation which dominates the news.  That bit of nastiness seems never to stop.  While Kavanaugh is finished, at least for the time being, and Russia rolls on, the Democrats are salivating over winning the House and already boasting about the havoc they are just waiting to unleash.

Meanwhile out in the America, where I live, the people are showing that ultra politics have no bearing on the lives they live.  No politics are involved what-so-ever in the selfless acts of people helping people.  The latest example of course are the fires in California.  Where thank you signs are posted everywhere in a heartfelt hat tip to the firemen who have been on the lines for what seems like forever.  Thank you.  Imagine that!

Then yesterday, perhaps the crowning moment, was seeing the fire crews coming in from the line, cleaning up then going on to serve the fire victims Thanksgiving dinner. This, you political and media types in your bubble, is America.  It's what we're all about.  Not what you want us to be for sure, but what we are.  People.  Doing the best we can and helping those in need as best we can.  No thanks to you.

I salute all the volunteers who came out to help.  Guy Fieri and the other celebrity chefs who and lent their talents, to the celebrities in Malibu who came out to help others.  Didn't it feel good to leave politics behind?  Didn't it feel good to see the gratitude shown by the people being helped.  Not because of your celebrity status, but because you helped.

I hate to think we've sunk to the point we need these disasters to remind us what America and Americans are really all about but at least it is something good that has risen from the dregs of disaster.

Remember those signs.  Thank you. No one had to ask for the help.  It was there.   It was their job, yes.  But no one had to put a gun to the heads of those who have those jobs.  They took them because that's the type of person they are.  Just plain ole Americans who are what they are and do what they do.

Thank you!

When Did Not Growing Up Become Acceptable?

Never in my ever shortening life have I seen so many supposed adults acting like self-indulgent children.  It isn't just Donald Trump though he certainly seems to be leading the parade.

It's truly frightening to see how many people close to my own age are indulging themselves in this new pattern of behavior.  Look at some that surround Trump.  Rudy Giuliani for instance.  He just cannot bring himself to keep his mouth shut.  Of course I guess it's difficult when one's foot is usually in it.

It amazes me that these people don't see themselves in those they excoriate. The Democratic leadership for example.  The word positive is no longer in their vocabulary.  From Schumer to Pelosi, every word uttered spells doom and gloom. It gets worse with members of the Black Caucus.  How can people be so filled with hate?
Let's not forget Hillary who has yet to admit that she might be at least minutely responsible for her own loss.

Then the media.  The histrionics displayed daily on MSNBC and CNN in particular make me wonder why these people aren't given downers before being allowed on air.  The FOX personalities are no better.  Dobbs gets apoplectic on a nightly basis as do Hannity and Ingraham.  Man, it's exhausting trying to watch them - never mind that its the same stories ad nauseum day in and day out.

Let's not forget the FBI and Mueller and the invisible Department of Justice.  They are so intent in getting a free ride to the tune of millions of tax payer money they've forgotten what justice is supposed to be about.

All of them, every last one of them is acting like an over indulged child who knows there will be no consequences.  That is because we have no recourse since they have exempted themselves from consequences that would put the rest of us in jail.

At one time I thought I'd see my generation coming to the fore and bringing back a standard of honesty and decency but my generation's front men are among the most egregious offenders!

I don't blog so much any more because it's painful. I barely read or watch the news for the same reason. I have never seen our nation in such a precarious state.  The athletes kneeling during the national anthem don't get it's the wrong protest for what should be a legitimate cause.  Our politicians can no longer bring themselves to be pragmatic.  The media either no longer knows how or just doesn't care to be objective any more.

So I wait and hope the pendulum on the old clock isn't totally beyond repair and will soon begin to swing back toward the center. Perhaps the mid-terms will be an indication but I fear this ship of state is going to take some time to right itself.  I'd like to be here to see it.  I probably won't.

And you know what?  The child within needs to stay there.  Within.

I'll Miss You Charles

Actually I've been missing him ever since he took leave of his place on FOX's Special Report panel.

My heart was broken when he told his followers he'd not be back.  The end was near and inevitable. To me his absence created a huge hole in my sources for critical thinking on all things political.

I didn't always agree with him but I could never fault his manner.  I noticed a lot of moist eyes among his colleagues who reminisced about him yesterday after news of his death emerged.

How fitting, in a way, that it was on the first day of summer for one of his passions was baseball and the boys of summer.

There is nothing to be said about him that hasn't already been said.  He was a good man, a kind man and a fair man.  Who can possibly take his place?  At this moment the Right, the so called Conservatives have no one.

What about the Left?  Who have they ever had, really?  They do have someone who is trying to have his voice heard. A Democrat who like Charles finds his party leaving him.  I cannot imagine him embracing the Conservative cause; he's an academic after all.  He is also an attorney of some renown and an avid Constitutionalist. I listen to him whenever he is on air - or try to.  Again, I don't always agree with him but he's also honest and forthright.  Just like Charles.

Who might this be?  Alan Dershowitz. The Left and the Right would do well to listen to what he has to say.

Who knows, maybe FOX will add him to Special Report's panel as a contributor on a regular basis.  They could do far worse.