Hope is a way of life

Norway's King Harald holds a New Year's Eve speech each year. This year he started by sending his sympathies to those affected by the quick clay landslide in Ask in Gjerdrum county, a short distance from Oslo. The landslide is a catastrophe (‘Catastrophe’ ends already awful year (newsinenglish.no); 11 people missing after landslide strikes southern Norway, leaving large crater - CNN                    

He then spoke about 2020 and the pandemic, and how the country has managed to deal with the worst trial it has faced since WWII. He said: 

"Vi kom oss gjennom fordi vi aldri ga opp håpet. Fordi det å håpe er en måte å leve på. Håp er vilje, håp er handling. Håp er å feste blikket på noe som gir oss mening og følge det. Håpet skal bære oss alle inn i 2021." 

Translated to English, it reads:

"We got through because we never gave up hope. Because hope is a way of life. Hope is will, hope is action. Hope is fixing our gaze on something that gives us meaning and following it. Hope will carry us all into 2021."

HIs message is a good way to end 2020 and to start 2021. 

Reflections on the old year, and hopes for the new

It's hard to know where to start in terms of summing up the year 2020. It's been a tough year for many people due to the pandemic, which shows no sign of abating any time soon. So we place our collective hope in the vaccines that have been developed to tackle the corona virus. We cross our fingers, pray, and hope for the best. A lot of lives have been lost to covid-19, lives that might have been saved had a vaccine existed at the start of the year. Lives that might have been saved if some countries had taken the pandemic seriously from the start, encouraged their citizens to wear masks and to socially distance, and to think of the common good. The latter is anathema to many people, who equate the common good with socialism, and God knows they don't want any part of that. Their individual rights and freedoms come first, before all else. If everyone thought like they do, there would be no vaccines, no hospitals, no healthcare system. Why should there be? After all, individualists should be able to treat and take care of themselves without any interference or help from medical professionals or the government. But trying to get them to see reason is tantamount to hitting your head against a brick wall continually. 

I am hoping that 2021 brings an end to the stupidity I've seen around me, read about, and watched on tv in 2020--stupid behavior and stupid statements on the part of selfish people and politicians. I'm hoping for a return to intelligence and rational thinking. But you never know. Those things are not valued in society as they once were. Intelligence is suspect, and rational thinking is reserved for nerds and academics. It's how you feel about things that counts. 'I don't feel like doing this or that'. So people don't do this or that, but sometimes doing those things would be beneficial for society as a whole. Maybe doing those things would bring a quicker end to the pandemic. 

I've learned that there are people I thought I knew, that I absolutely do not know, and at this point in time, I don't think I want to get to know who they are now. Diehard Trump supporters who believe he was sent by God, anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theorists. Some people I know are one or more of these types of people. I would never have thought that they would go down those paths. But they have, and it's worrisome, especially the anti-vaccine path. I wonder if any of them have googled smallpox and taken a long hard look at the images of people with smallpox. Smallpox was eradicated due to a vaccine. But I'm guessing that the anti-vaxxers have another explanation for why it was eradicated, and of course their explanation is the correct one. Anti-vaxxers are anti-science, and I don't trust those types of people. Science cannot save every situation, but without it, we would have been doomed a long time ago.

We live in a strange world now, one where it is possible to re-write history and ignore facts/actual data on a whim. It is dangerous to wipe out history, to pretend that the bad things in history never happened. Bad things did happen, and history is there to record them so that we can learn from them and prevent them from happening again. That is the point of history. We cannot just focus on the good things, because we do not, never have, and never will, live in a utopia. No society on earth is perfect, and never will be, despite what some politicians say and believe. America is not the greatest country on earth; it's a fortunate country, yes, but many other countries are also. If you live in one of these countries, your life will likely be comfortable and rewarding because you will not lack for most material things. But people should remember that some of life is sheer luck; we did not choose to be born in these countries, any more than others chose to be born in less fortunate countries. Ergo, the fortunate countries must share their bounty with the less fortunate countries; that is only fair. But that is my opinion. Thankfully, many enlightened people think the same way. They are not interested in hoarding wealth or denying others the chance for a better life. 

My hope for 2021 is that life returns to normal, to our definition of it--to be able to travel, get together, hug each other, eat out, go to the movies, go to the theater--in short, enjoy life again without thinking of the risks and dangers of doing so. Life will return to normal at some point, but we will have learned how to deal with life when it is not normal. And perhaps that is a good thing, since I feel certain that the world is not done with pandemics. Many health professionals think the same thing. So if we have learned something from this pandemic, it is the necessity of being prepared for as many eventualities as we can. We cannot afford to be taken by surprise again. The next pandemic could be more lethal than this one. I hope not, but there is no way to know for sure. Best to be prepared. 

What a difference a day makes

We woke up to snow yesterday morning. It was a heavy snow and it seemed as though it might stick. Pretty--it actually looked a bit like a winter wonderland. But no, the rain started during the afternoon and by today, the snow was gone. It has rained steadily for the entire month of December and been quite mild, and more rain is predicted for this week, as well as continued mild temperatures. Climate change is here to stay. 

Another view of the fast-moving Akerselva river--December 2020

The fast-moving Akerselva river in Oslo--December 2020

This past Friday, we were out walking along the Akerselva river in the vicinity of where we live. The river is a swollen and fast-moving river these days due to almost daily rainfall during December and to attempts by the city of Oslo to regulate the river flow and level. This video of the Vøyen falls was taken near Hønse Lovisa. The walking paths along both sides of the river as well as the bridge you see in the video were wet and slippery due to the spray of water from the falls and the churning river. Oslo has warned dwellers not to go too near the river's edge; there has been erosion along the banks and flooding here and there, which can increase the risk of slipping and falling in. The speed of the river is so fast that it would be difficult to rescue a person and for that person to survive.

Wishes for a peaceful Christmas

I love being in the room where we have sat up the Christmas tree. It's always so peaceful to sit and just look at the tree and the lights. I used to love doing that as a child, and I still love it. The Christmas tree brings peace to any room it's in. Wishing all my readers a peaceful Christmas. I hope that the new year brings an end to the pandemic--that is my wish--I have no others. 

 

Raised by Wolves - Main Theme (OPENING TITLES) by Ben Frost and sung by Mariam Wallentin

You'll find the sci-fi series Raised By Wolves on HBO (Max in the USA, Nordic in Norway). I recommend it highly. It is creative, intriguing, exciting, and gripping. I'm glad to hear that it was renewed for a second season. I will write another post about the actual series soon. The theme song for the series is also haunting and emotionally-gripping and is sung by Mariam Wallentin, a Swedish musician (vocals, percussion, composer) who has done a lot of work in experimental jazz.

The lyrics, which are poetic and beautiful, are as follows: 

[Verse 1]

The door that finally opens

With light flooding in

Spilling out on the floor

The core that never was

Now it will be

The bones of what was there before

Every step, every beat

Every thought, every breath

Everything is longing

Every wind, every wave

Every sky, every cloud

Every grave is longing (2X)

Pulling you from the sky

Just like love will do

[Verse 2]

The door that finally opens

With light flooding in

Spilling out on the floor

The core that nevеr was

Now it will be

The bones of what was thеre before

Every step, every beat

Every thought, every breath

Everything is longing

Every wind, every wave

Every sky, every cloud

Every grave is longing (2X)

Pulling you from the sky

Just like love will do

Pulling you from the ground

Just like love will do

A needed message at Christmas, especially this year

I am sharing a recent article in The Atlantic that I found quite good. I'm including the link to the article here: 

Trump Is Losing His Mind - The Atlantic

This is a paragraph from the article that resonated with me:

There are still things worthy of our love. Honor, decency, courage, beauty, and truth. Tenderness, human empathy, and a sense of duty. A good society. And a commitment to human dignity. We need to teach others—in our individual relationships, in our classrooms and communities, in our book clubs and Bible studies, and in innumerable other settings—why those things are worthy of their attention, their loyalty, their love. One person doing it won’t make much of a difference; a lot of people doing it will create a culture.

Yes, just yes. This is what I have been saying for the past four years in many of my posts about Trump. There is nothing admirable about Trump's in-your-face behavior, about his narcissism, his aggression, his anger, his rawness. He does not emanate empathy or kindness. We don't need more of his kind in society, we need less. We need to tone down the aggression, the chaos, the destruction. We need to change the channel in favor of peace. We need to find stillness so that we can reflect on what went wrong and why a huge number of people voted for a man that under other circumstances they would have kicked to the curb. 

I found, and continue to find it, absolutely appalling that people who call themselves Christians have supported this man, and still do. They are certain that there was voter fraud that allowed Biden to win. It's as though they and the Republican Party are part of a cult, and that scares the hell out of me. Many others have written about this, so I won't belabor the point. Unfortunately, there are young people who have bought into his message, and into the hypocrisy preached by evangelicals who compare Trump to Christ, that he was sent by God to save the USA. What crap. But if you listen long enough to this crap, it starts to seep in like most crap does. And it hynotizes and brainwashes the weak-minded. 

It starts with us. We must promote honor, decency, courage, beauty, and truth. We must show empathy to others, we must be kind. We must 'be' the message of Christmas not only at Christmas, but throughout the year. 

One of my favorite Hallmark Christmas movies--A Shoe Addict's Christmas

Last December I wrote a post about romantic Christmas movies, the ones (many of them Hallmark films) that have shown up on three different television channels here in Oslo this year. I think we need these films more than ever this Christmas season, after a year that no one in his or her wildest imagination could have predicted. They are relaxing to watch, you pretty much know the outcomes, they tug at your heartstrings, and they are enjoyable overall. The word is nice; they are nice films. 

Here is a link to the post I wrote last year: A New Yorker in Oslo: Romantic Christmas movies (paulamdeangelis.blogspot.com)

Tonight, I re-watched A Shoe Addict's Christmas; it's one of my favorite romantic Hallmark Christmas movies. The movie is based on the book of the same name by Beth Harbison. It's the story of a young woman, Noelle, played by Candace Cameron Bure, who has pretty much given up on her dreams for her life, both personal and professional, and settled for a comfortable life without many risks. She works in Fulton's department store in the HR department, having given up on her dreams to open her own photography studio after her boyfriend dumped her on Christmas Eve three years ago. Three years pass, and she ends up locked by accident in her department store during a snowstorm. While waiting to be rescued by the fire department, along comes her slightly ditzy but totally lovable guardian angel Charlie, played by Jean Smart, who is perfect in the role. Every time Noelle puts on a pair of shoes or boots, they take her back or forward in time, courtesy of her guardian angel, to show her what her life could have been like had she made different decisions and choices. It's essentially a modernized and romanticized version of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Noelle is not Scrooge, however, just a disillusioned young woman who has lost her faith in the fun and adventure that life can hold. She meets Jake, played by Luke Mcfarlane, who is also perfect in his role as the fireman who rescues her and who just happens to be her upstairs neighbor as well. Watching these two get together, and how the guardian angel facilitates their doing just that, is so worth watching. It's a heartfelt movie with a believable message, and at Christmastime, it's a nice message to hear--have faith, trust in the process, and don't give up on your dreams for your life. 

Reflections, silhouettes, shadows, light and darkness

I thought this photo was interesting in so many ways--reflections, windows, shadows, silhouettes, light, darkness, and merges of different buildings and passageways. I took it on my cell phone tonight in the vestibule of the building where I work. Always interesting to see how things look in light and darkness. 

A life of lies and deception--John le Carré's A Perfect Spy

I continue to be fascinated by books that deal with deception and lying, and with characters who use deceit as a means to an end, a means to get through life. I supposed that explains some of the fascination (my own and others) with a man like Trump. He is a pathological liar, and the media cannot get enough of him. Each of his lies is more outrageous than the last one. People eat them up. We wonder if he has any limits whatsoever. The answer appears to be no. His niece Mary Trump wrote a book about him, and even though she is a clinical psychologist, she still couldn't explain him satisfactorily. But she gave it a good try. I think these types of people defy description. And I wonder, are we so jaded and in need of stimulation, that we look forward to listening to a man like Trump spout his nonsense out into the universe? Is this what will awaken us to the world around us? But how many times can we put our hands into the flames before we no longer feel anything, before they are burned beyond recognition? Isn't that the risk we run if we don't deal with the impact of such behavior on ourselves and on society at large?

I wonder what it must be like to be the child or children of such an amoral man. It certainly cannot be easy. One absorbs a plethora of warped messages. "Make up your life. Don't tell the truth about yourself or about anything. Lie if necessary. Win at all costs and lie if you need to win. Winning is everything. Success and money are everything. Poverty is for losers. The ends justify the means. Using others to further your ambitions is acceptable. Lying will get you everywhere. Cheating is no big deal. Facts are not facts, but merely constructs to be adjusted at whim. There are no absolute truths". And so on. 

One of my favorite authors, John le Carré, who wrote 'A Perfect Spy', passed away a few days ago. 'A Perfect Spy' is a brilliant book by an incredible author, one of those books that will haunt you for a lifetime. I read it in my twenties and have never forgotten it. It is on my top-ten list of favorite books. I also watched the BBC series of the same name, with Peter Egan playing the role of Magnus Pym, that appeared on television in 1987. As I've grown older, I wonder--why was I and why am I still--so fascinated by the tale of Magnus Pym, a spy/double agent whose father, Rick Pym, was an amoral con man? Charming yes, but a criminal just the same, Rick Pym teaches Magnus that it's ok to live a life of deception in order to get what you want. Magnus Pym struggles his entire life to deal with his father's toxic influence but never really manages to escape it. He is psychologically damaged by his father, and that impacts on all aspects of his life--he betrays his country and those people in his life with whom he has close relationships. It is no surprise that he chooses to be a spy/double agent, but he struggles with that choice and with his inability to reconcile all of the 'different persons' he houses inside himself. The book is written in such a way that it is nearly impossible to not feel sorry for Magnus Pym. And that is because he pays such a high price for being the perfect spy. I won't reveal the ending for those of you who might want to read the book. I highly recommend it. Much of the book is autobiographical; le Carré's father was a con man, and he probably wrote 'A Perfect Spy' in order to deal with the negative impact on his psyche that having such a father had on him. It is the psychological exploration of one man's psyche and soul that creates empathy for the character of Magnus Pym. 

And that brings me back to Trump and his niece's book about him. Trump had a father who 'conned' him into believing that he had to lie and manipulate others in order to be successful and to be well liked. But Trump has no qualms of conscience about who he is. He has embraced the amorality of his life. He doesn't seem to suffer because of it. My empathy is in short supply when I look at his behavior and his life. Perhaps there will come a day when he begins to examine his life. As the saying goes--'the unexamined life is not worth living'. Perhaps Trump will realize that one day, adjust his life accordingly, and make amends to the people he has conned and manipulated. But I'm not holding my breath. 

The intro music for Atlantic Crossing

This is the intro song (the first two stanzas) for the Norwegian series Atlantic Crossing, currently being shown on NRK. It is a beautiful song called When, written and sung by Norwegian singer and songwriter Susanne Sundfør. She has an amazing voice, crystal clear, that is absolutely riveting. Listening to her voice transports you out into the universe, at least that's the effect on me. She also wrote (together with Anthony Gonzalez) and sang the song Oblivion (music by the French band M83) for the Tom Cruise sci-fi film Oblivion, a favorite film of mine; the music is also excellent. 

The series Atlantic Crossing is well-worth watching; it is the story of how Crown Princess Martha of Norway and her children left for the safety of America during World War II, and of her friendship with Franklin D and Eleanor Roosevelt. Supposedly her friendship with Franklin influenced him to sign the Lend-Lease Act, which allowed the USA to supply military aid to its foreign allies during World War II while still remaining officially neutral. 

Atlantic Crossing is supposed to be shown on PBS Masterpiece during the spring of 2021, from what I've read. Here is the song and the lyrics:

When    by Susanne Sundfør 

https://youtu.be/5Pw1KasvFQE

When can I see you again?

I've been waiting out here for so long and I

Don't seem to find a reason

To keep building these castles out of snow

They only melt away

When spring is arriving and you won't be here

Waiting to drag me down into your pond

You bury me slowly, you bury me slowly

Take what you can

Give what you don't need

Still I'll let it be known in every parish

You are loved, you are loved

When can I see you again?

I've been waiting out here for so long and I

Don't seem to find a reason

To keep building these castles out of snow

They only melt away

When spring is arriving and you won't be here

Waiting to drag me down into your pond

You bury me slowly, you bury me slowly

Take what you can

Give what you don't need

Still I'll let it be known in every parish

You are loved, you are loved

You are loved, you are loved

You are loved, you are loved

The importance of good leadership

I’ve written about good and bad leadership many times over the past ten years, mostly as relates to a workplace setting. It’s clear to me that bad leadership has a major impact on how employees view their jobs and their career prospects. Bad leadership is narcissistic leadership; leaders who are most concerned about what their employees can do for them, rather than the other way around. Narcissistic leaders are not interested in serving their company or their employees; they are interested in serving themselves. That can define a lot of modern workplaces; one need only take a look at the hefty bonuses given to crappy leaders at the expense of loyal hard-working employees who will never in their lifetime see a fraction of the amount of money that some of the bad leaders rake in. Many of the bad leaders make a mess of one workplace, only to then move on to the next one that is waiting to welcome them with open arms. They are not or cannot be held accountable for the chaos they leave behind, which I think is wrong, especially in public sector workplaces but also in private ones. Your reputation as a destroyer should follow you and hinder you from getting a new leadership position.

Most employees who have been treated poorly do not want to stay in their jobs; unfortunately many do, either because they cannot afford to quit without another job waiting for them (not always the case) or because they have lost the necessary confidence to seek other positions. The latter is not talked about very often, but it is important and an absolutely decisive factor in whether or not an employee actually gets a new position. Nowadays you have to market yourself to the nth degree, and if you don’t have the confidence to do that due to constant harassment or badmouthing by bad leaders, you’ve lost the battle before you even started fighting.

Bad leaders should be fired, pushed aside, frozen out, or ignored. However it happens, they should have their power stripped from them. Unfortunately this rarely happens. But if you work in a workplace long enough, you can be witness to the karma effect, as in, karma is a bitch. Time heals all wounds, as is often said, and it does. What doesn’t kill you does make you stronger. But time often wounds all heels, and that is a good thing for the heels and for those who have been mistreated by them to see, even though it involves the downhill slide of once-deemed-important leaders into a deserved oblivion. No one will miss them or care about them, and in fact, workplaces can begin to really thrive again once they are gone.

And that brings me to the presidential transition in the USA. A transition from a bad leader to a (hopefully) better one. Biden is at least a decent human being, something that cannot honestly be said about Trump. Decency is a good start in my book. If Trump is at all decent, I haven’t seen evidence of it, and I would need to see the evidence before I can change my opinion of him. But he is absolutely not a good leader. I have said it many times before; he squandered the wonderful opportunity he had as a non-politician to really lead the country into a different future, to implement policies and ways of doing things that could have had good effects and lasting change. Instead he chose to dabble with the alt-right, with white supremacists, with haters and bigots, with conspiracy theorists, with the fringe elements that were enabled by him to slither out from under their rocks into prime time. America got a good look at what lives in its underbelly, and it is none too pretty. If you think it’s cool that the underbelly exists, then you must be prepared to live with the consequences. I for one do not think it’s cool that an American president sanctions racism and white supremacy, yells at reporters, makes fun of the disabled, or acts like a spoiled brat on the world stage. I am praying that the era of narcissistic leaders is coming to an end; it has reigned in politics and modern workplaces for far too long. We need a long era of leaders who are willing to serve their constituents (the whole USA when it comes to politics) and their employees when it comes to workplaces. I cannot see how the world will move in a better direction without such leaders to guide us. We must demand good behaviour of our leaders, and they must listen and act accordingly. And if they don’t, we must get rid of them until we find leaders who fit that bill. Anything else is to choose destruction of the values that most of us cherish.  

Is our brain a quantum field?

I found this article very interesting: Your Brain Isn't a Computer — It's a Quantum Field. It's from 2015, but quite relevant today as well. 

Your Brain Isn't a Computer — It's a Quantum Field - Big Think

The by-line under the title states: 

"By examining our minds at a quantum level, we change them, and by changing them, we change the reality that shapes them".

Think about how extraordinary that is. It is intellectual evolution in action. Very fluid. We continually create our reality because the brain is behaves like a quantum universe. One of the paragraphs toward the end of the article explains this very well:

"The mind then, according to quantum cognition, "gambles" with our "uncertain" reason, feelings, and biases to produce competing thoughts, ideas, and opinions. Then we synthesize those competing options to relate to our relatively "certain" realities. By examining our minds at a quantum level, we change them, and by changing them, we change the reality that shapes them".

It is said that the brain is the last unexplored frontier, and that the 21st century will focus on exploring the brain. I can't wait to read more about how our brains create our reality and how that fits in with the idea of a quantum universe.  

A free Kindle book preview of Survivable Losses

I'm posting a free Kindle book preview of Survivable Losses, the collection of short stories by Francesca Stokes. If you like it, please consider purchasing it on Amazon. Thank you. 

Purpose in Life

I'm not sure who wrote this, so I cannot credit the author of the quote. I googled the text and another photo of the same came back with a website: notetoselfphilosophy.com  

Regardless of its origins, it struck a chord in me and I wanted to share it with you. 

The International Review of Books' review of Survivable Losses

Survivable Losses is a newly-published collection of short stories on Amazon, that is well-worth checking out:   https://www.amazon.com/Survivable-Losses-Selected-Short-Stories-ebook/dp/B08MCRMYSR/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&qid=1605035612&refinements=p_27%3AStokes&s=digital-text&sr=1-12

The International Review of Books has written a timely and positive review of Survivable Losses that I wanted to share with you, and has awarded the book a Gold badge of achievement. 

Stokes left me with the uncanny feeling of looking deep into the character’s soul only to see my own reflection. The experience was like looking into a mirror, a mirror that, if I stood before it long enough, threatened to reveal things I hadn’t known were there. 

One is left with the sense of watching a mind travelling between planes of existence................

Stokes' work contains interesting and deep manifestations of the elements of the craft of writing: dimensional characters, a pleasing arc of tension, evocative language and thematic purpose.  

Cannot look at some people the same way again

I posted a quote last week about forgiving, understanding, but not being a fool. I've been thinking a lot about that lately in relation to people I know in the States who voted for Trump and who were aggressive about it. In your face, as I wrote about in my last post. I cannot forgive their blindness (deliberate or otherwise) and I cannot understand them. To do the latter would be to go against everything in my nature that screams for justice, goodness, ethical behavior, non-bullying behavior, and our Christian upbringing. Perhaps one day I will be able to pray for them, and for myself (for being unforgiving). I cannot now. 

None of these people are bullies by nature. Most are fairly nice and meek individuals who do not like conflict. Many have been through personal hells in their lives and survived them. Some call themselves good Christians. Nevertheless, they supported a man who gave them permission via his own behavior to be vile human beings if they so chose. Most did not, which makes it all the more perplexing that they supported Trump. Perhaps that is because they feel disempowered, such that when the bully comes along, they side with him because he makes them feel powerful; he speaks for them. If it's not that, then the reason is beyond my comprehension. The people Trump surrounds himself with (and has surrounded himself with) are vile human beings (think Steve Bannon). There has not been ONE peep out of the Trump supporters I know about what Steve Bannon said about beheading Anthony Fauci and Christopher Wray. Not one peep. Not one comment about how vile that is, how horrible it is that they talk like ISIS supporters. Not one person among them on my social media feed who stood up for decency, values, ethics, morality, Christianity. FoxNews.com did not even have it as a news story (I checked); they ignored it. Why? Did Christ talk this way? He did not. Does Biden talk this way? He does not. And by the way, I do not, did not, and never will support (liberal) Kathy Griffin's photo of Trump's decapitated head; her career tanked after that, as well it should have. Just so it's clear to the Trump cultists that I am NOT partisan. None of this is funny; it is vile and horrifying that we have descended so far into hell. It horrifies me and it has stressed me this past week in ways I cannot describe. This is what the USA has become--that roughly half the voting population supports a man like him.

How would the Trump supporters I am talking about, like it if I suddenly behaved like Trump with all of them? Told them where to go in no uncertain terms. Told them that they're fired from my life. Told them that they're idiots, losers, assholes, dumbasses, rednecks. Would they like it? No. Why? Because I don't behave that way, have never behaved that way, and will never behave that way toward people regardless of how close I am to them. They know me and would not expect me to behave that way. Do I get angry? You bet. Get into arguments with my husband and a few other people? At times, yes. But I do not set out to destroy the other person, no matter how angry I get at them. That is not my goal. Mostly I find that arguments stem from frustration--not being able to say what we need to say or not being given the platform to do so (being bullied/harangued/talked-over into submission). We argue with others because we are not listened to, because there is no dialog, no two-way street in conversation. 

One thing is clear to me--I will never look at some people the same way again. I cannot. I cannot unsee what they have posted, written, or stood for. I cannot press the 'reset' button, not right now. At present, some of them are posting memes talking about how there should be peace and no division in the country. About how we should all get along and be good to one another. That we should let bygones be bygones. That doesn't work for me. I'm sorry for being hard-hearted, but that's where I am at present. Mostly what I am is incredibly sad, for myself and for my country, that we let such a vile man rule our world 24/7 for nearly four years. To say it will be a relief to have him gone is understating what I feel. 

 

No longer 'in my face'

So I've begun the process of unfriending aggressive Trump supporters on my social media accounts, mostly those on Facebook at this point. I had already begun to do this a few weeks ago when one of my 'friends' began to stalk me via the supportive comments I left on posts by the New York Times or other newspapers on Facebook criticizing Trump's behavior or policies. He would post a pro-Trump comment under my anti-Trump comment. He was the first to go. There were four more today. I'm not waiting to find out who wins the election. I'm eliminating those whose viewpoints are morally opposed to my own. I call it 'pulling a Trump'. He gets rid of people for no good reason; I at least have a good reason. 

It feels good to be rid of some of the cultists. They were 'in your face' when it came to Trump. They would post some pro-Trump meme that was downright nasty or mean one day, and then the next day a post about how there is no peace in the world anymore or how divided the country is. Uh, duh? Do you think your behavior and speech have contributed to that? Or they would post something about 'prayer being the answer'. I love when people do that. These are people who wouldn't know what real spirituality was if it came up and bit them on the ass. A gunman can mow down thirty students at a grammar school, and their frequent response is 'to pray'. That's fine, but God helps those who help themselves. How about instituting strict gun control and taking AR15 rifles away from people? But God forbid you bring that up. Don't tell me you're a Christian when you support guns for all. You're not. 

None of my Democrat friends have been as 'in your face' as the Republican ones. I have to wonder why. Why are the former more respectful of others than the latter? There's some food for thought. My own theory is that the rabid cultists have very low self-esteem and that they feel built up by Trump. In other words, he gives them the self-confidence they lack, and that translates to aggressive and bullying behavior. It's tiring, they're tiring, 45 is tiring. I'm done with them all. You may agree or disagree with this post. It's fine. I'm doing it for myself, not for anyone else. I'm doing it to stand up for what I believe in. 

Survivable Losses--a collection of short stories

Check out this collection of short stories. You won't be disappointed. 

Survivable Losses  by Francesca Stokes 

Wise words

 

The second wave

The second wave of the virus is upon us, and the world around me officially feels surreal at this point. I have NO idea where the year went. Really. I know I worked, first at home from mid-March until the end of June when I had some vacation, and then I went back to work in early August. I've worked mostly at home but go into the office a couple of days a week. But now the second wave is upon us and we're being told to work from home, not to meet in groups of more than five people, and to wear masks in public. The health officials are very worried about the coming winter. Me, I try not to read the news about the pandemic. It only ends up scaring me. But I end up reading it anyway just to stay informed. But I don't dwell on it. 

Every now and then my thoughts become apocalyptic, as in, is this the beginning of some kind of end for mankind? All around us, businesses that we took for granted--restaurants, hotels, airlines, theaters, other venues--have altered their way of doing things or have closed, and thus altered our way of living. It scares me to think that many of them may not survive. I wish I was a multi-millionaire so that I could support them all. I feel so sorry for so many people who are out of work, who don't know what to do next. It's not like they can snap their fingers and get a new job, pronto. Life never works like that. 

I told my husband the other day that I'm glad I've learned how to preserve seeds. I have seeds saved for next year's plantings--pumpkin, butternut squash, zucchini--and I have seed potatoes that will be ready for planting come next March. We also have different berry bushes in the garden. If worse came to worse, we could live on potatoes, pumpkin, squash, and berries. It's possible to pickle pumpkin and squash, and make jams, jellies and juice from the different berries. As long as there's flour, we can make bread. We wouldn't starve, but our diets would be much different than they are now--mostly meat-based. 

In the midst of all this surrealness, there is a surreal presidential election going on in my home country. It is an election that has divided people into two camps--those who will vote for the preservation of decency and ethics in America, and those who will vote for boorishness and an utter disregard for ethical behavior. So strange that it has come down to that. Those in the latter camp will say that they don't want a typical politician, so they're voting for Trump. I remind them that what you see is what you will get. He cares for no one but himself. All others are expendable. 

Where is God, people ask? Wrong question. The question is more, why did people turn away from God? Why have we? It's not about going to church or following the rules of Catholicism or any other religion slavishly. It's about 'actions speak louder than words'. It's about loving our neighbors as ourselves, about caring about what happens to others. It's about good behavior, about not being a boor or a brute, about not being careless or irresponsible or unkind. It's about being Christian toward others. Yes, charity begins at home, so we need to get our homes in order first, but that does not preclude our being nice to others, showing empathy, loving others in a charitable way, ridding our hearts of anger and discord. When we turn away from trying to behave better, we turn away from God. And we can only blame ourselves when the proverbial s**t hits the fan, as it always does. We have no idea how many people will die in this second wave. For all those who poopoo the pandemic, who think it is a hoax to prevent Trump from being re-elected, who think that liberals are on a crusade to destroy America, I say, wake up before it is too late. Just wake up. You are living with blinders on. Even Pope Francis, for whom I have great respect, has said that people who behave like Trump are not Christian. He said, and I quote 

"A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not of building bridges, is not Christian." 

Trump's response was "If and when the Vatican is attacked by ISIS, which as everyone knows is ISIS’s ultimate trophy, I can promise you that the Pope would have only wished and prayed that Donald Trump would have been President because this would not have happened. ISIS would have been eradicated unlike what is happening now with our all talk, no action politicians"..........

Kudos to Pope Francis for taking on 45 and the GOP. I admire him for taking a stand, for having an opinion. You can agree or not, but no one will ever convince me that the behavior I've seen in 45 and the GOP is Christian behavior. You can talk until you are blue in the face. You will never convince me. 

Support the Tarrytown Music Hall

I've written about the Tarrytown Music Hall in earlier posts. I have fond memories of going to many a movie there when I was a teenager in Tarrytown. Now the Music Hall hosts live events--concerts, shows and the like. They've had to cancel their bookings in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and have been closed for seven months. Here's a good way to support them during this tough time. I donated and hope you will too. 

https://tarrytownmusichall.org/save-our-stage/?fbclid=IwAR0QDa7aiPrSYIRXvTBl5wvfuHQcPT2qGN8Dm_js4B8pi4c9e7j6qwQiOvc

Quotes about survival

Survival can be summed up in three words - never give up. That's the heart of it really. Just keep trying.  ― Bear Grylls

No one can tell what goes on in between the person you were and the person you become. No one can chart that blue and lonely section of hell. There are no maps of the change. You just come out the other side. Or you don't.  ― Stephen King

To survive it is often necessary to fight and to fight you have to dirty yourself.   ― George Orwell

What does not kill us makes us stronger.    ― Friedrich Nietzsche

There is a land of the living and a land of the dead and the bridge is love, the only survival, the only meaning.  ― Thornton Wilder

Survival was my only hope, success my only revenge.  ― Patricia Cornwell

Keeping an active mind has been vital to my survival, as has been maintaining a sense of humor.  ― Stephen Hawking

The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival.  ― Aristotle

Fear is always there; it's a survival instinct. You just need to know how to manage it.  ― Jimmy Chin

Humor can be one of our best survival tools.  ― Allen Klein

Nations, like stars, are entitled to eclipse. All is well, provided the light returns and the eclipse does not become endless night. Dawn and resurrection are synonymous. The reappearance of the light is the same as the survival of the soul.  ― Victor Hugo

Sustainability is the key to our survival on this planet and will also determine success on all levels.  ― Shari Arison

To a certain degree, I think both self-narrativizing and selective memory are essential survival skills.  ― Laura van den Berg

My artwork website on Fine Art America

I just thought I'd share my artwork website with you, courtesy of Fine Art America. I've uploaded flower and nature photos that can be used to make different products such as canvas prints, framed prints, posters, coffee cups, and more. You can check out the website to see the possibilities. 

This is the link to my 'store' on Fine Art America: https://paulamary-deangelis.pixels.com/   Thank you for checking it out!

Acting like an adult

I've watched the two presidential debates and the vice-presidential debate. The first presidential debate was cringeworthy; I was embarrassed to be an American with a president who behaved the way 45 behaved. He was rude, crude, arrogant--interrupting Biden at every turn and trying hard to get him to stumble over his words. He behaved like a spoiled child, and in my day, when we were growing up, we would have been spanked for behaving that way. The vice-presidential debate was at least a debate between two adults (Mike Pence and Kamala Harris) who knew how to behave themselves. They differed on most things, but they kept the entire debate on a civil footing. The second presidential debate was quite a departure from the first one; 45's advisers must have gotten to him and made him realize that it was important that he behave like an adult at this one. He managed to do so for the most part, so that the American people finally got a real debate about the issues, which they deserve. 

It struck me while I was watching yesterday's debate how many years Trump has wasted being a spoiled child when he could have behaved like an adult. How much more effective he could have been as president if he had only behaved like an adult all these years. He could have accomplished so much and garnered so much more support, instead of inspiring contempt and hatred. My mother used to say that 'you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar'. Trump may say he doesn't care that people like him, but that's all he talks about when he gets the chance. So he is totally preoccupied with being liked. Too bad he didn't use a bit more honey to get more people on his side. He does have his supporters, but it's not always clear what kind of demographic statistics describe them. 

It occurred to me after the last debate that he has wasted a huge and golden opportunity as president. He could have been a decent human being for the past several years. He might even have been a good president if he had approached the job professionally, if he been more humble and less arrogant, more willing to learn rather than acting like an irritating know-it-all and a buffoon. He is an envious man, that's clear. He envies Obama because Obama is a civilized man and a motivating speaker and writer, a man whose empathy comes across in his talks to the American public. Trump just comes across as a fool, spouting conspiracy theories, hate rhetoric, and hyperboles (he is the best ever at everything). He makes fun of science, scientists, scientific data, statistics. He defines everything that he doesn't understand or doesn't want to understand as 'fake news' or a 'hoax'. I've known people like him through the years who have asked me about what I do as a scientist; in several cases, I began to explain my job and my research projects and was told that my job sounds 'boring', and in another case, the person I was talking to began a rant about how the HIV virus was a plot by the American government to kill its own people. We hadn't been talking about HIV, we had been talking about DNA in general. A lot of people don't even know what DNA and RNA are. Very few people are at all curious about my job, what it is scientists do, how immensely interesting it is, how relevant it is for future cancer treatments and policies. These are Trump types, who make fun of anything they don't understand or dismiss it as irrelevant or boring because they don't understand it. They don't want to understand it. That is their problem, but when policy (or lack of one) for an entire nation is determined by such a person, then that nation has a huge problem, as the USA has now. In 2020, anti-science is NOT the way to go. Not at all. 

Being an adult means being willing and able to admit your mistakes. We've all made mistakes. During the debate, Biden could admit his mistakes, Trump could not. People will tolerate mistakes if you own up to them. Trump has a long way to go before he reaches adulthood. Sad to say, but it's the truth. You simply cannot take people like him seriously when he rants and raves and spouts nonsense. What a waste, really. It's nothing to be proud of. 

The new normal

We will see what the winter brings in terms of the severity of a second wave of Covid-19 virus. Europe is currently dealing with the second wave, as is the USA. Here in Norway, the health authorities do their best to control the situation, but of course no one can predict what the winter will bring. 

I envision permanent changes in how we live. For starters, the disinfecting and sanitizing that go on will likely continue, both at home and in public places. And that's fine with me. Better too much of it than too little. I think we had gotten a bit lax with keeping public places clean. It's good to have the reminder that public bathrooms in workplaces, restaurants, malls and other places need to be cleaned regularly. Ditto for elevators, stairwells, escalators--any of the places where people are constantly touching buttons, railings, etc. My workplace had cut back on office cleaning each day to save money; the cleaning lady was coming in a few times a week. Now I see her there each day if I have gone into work a few days in a row, as has happened during the past few weeks. She cleans the hallway floors each day as well. 

Working from home a few days a week will be the new normal for many people who are able to do their work from home (like me). I go into work when I need to, either for a small meeting or to update files on my workplace server. I will alternate between home and office for the time being. As I've written many times, I enjoy working from home, as long as I have access to necessary email accounts and files. It hasn't been a problem thus far. The only thing I really dislike are zoom/skype meetings; mostly because there are technical problems, without fail. Someone's microphone or video or both doesn't/don't work, or the video is squiggly, or the sound breaks up. An optimal way to communicate? No. I'd rather have a socially-distanced meeting in a large room, and have said as much to those who arrange meetings. 

Wearing masks will probably also be something that most people will incorporate into their daily lives. I took one of Oslo's trams yesterday for the first time in ages. Masks are required on board all buses, trams, and trains. Most people comply with the guidelines; some few don't, as always. I carry a cloth mask and disposable masks in my backpack with me at all times, as well as hand disinfectant. I find the cloth mask more comfortable to wear and easier to breathe with, so that's my go-to mask. The disposable ones are ok but a bit more stifling. The nice thing with cloth masks is that they are not disposable, they can be washed with soap and dried and used over and over. That appeals to the environmentally-conscious part of me. This pandemic has been terrible for the environment; just take a look around the next time you are at a bus or tram stop, at all of the garbage cans overflowing with disposable masks. Ditto for the single-use wipes at home. I try to limit their use, but it's difficult at times because they're so accessible. Not a good excuse, I know. 

Stores and restaurants in Oslo have been good about social distancing; chairs and tables are placed at a good distance from neighboring tables. Plexiglass shields have become commonplace to separate shoppers from cashiers. Supermarkets had already gone over to checkout scanners a few years ago, so the stores have placed plexiglass shields between each of the scanners to protect shoppers. Screens are wiped down regularly. Hand disinfectant bottles are placed strategically at each checkout scanner. and at the entrances and exits of most supermarkets and stores. It all works, and it is interesting to observe what we can actually get used to without too much moaning and groaning. 

Visits to doctors and dentists have not been a problem. Both doctors and dentists have their procedures for how they receive patients, and following them is not a big deal. If such procedures continue even after the pandemic is over, it will be fine with me. We are all more attentive now to good hygiene in our homes and public places; as I mentioned above, many places had become lax when it came to good hygiene, in order to save money. 

I have not gone to the movies since before the pandemic started. I miss doing that. The theaters are open again and are advertising films and encouraging us to go to the movies. So I will. I'll have my mask with me and I'll sit where we're told to sit. Fine with me. The same with churchgoing; churches reopened at the end of the summer after having been closed since mid-March. Their procedure for attendance is to dispense tickets for the masses. I haven't been back yet, but I'm planning on it. I don't know what traveling will be like by next summer; I'm hoping to be able to get to the States for a wedding, among other things, next July. We'll see. I'm crossing my fingers that it all works out. 

So little by little, life returns to some semblance of normalcy. Albeit a different normalcy--the new normal, which if followed for the next few years, will become just normal. Humans can adapt; we do so in order to carry on with the business of living. 

The prayer of St. Francis

Finding some peace in the midst of all the noise around us--that's hard these days. Finding joy in the midst of all the chaos in the world--that's hard these days. Finding true purpose in the midst of all the confusion and fake news in the world--that's hard these days. But there is truth and right and wrong. We know that intuitively. We know what's right and wrong, what's ethical and unethical. We know because our consciences tell us that there are differences between what's right and wrong, ethical and unethical. It matters what we say and do. It matters how we treat others. Civility and manners matter. Empathy matters. Kindness matters. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. Strength can be measured by the quality of a person's character. The more good qualities a person has, the stronger that person is. 

This is the prayer of St. Francis. He did not write it according to my online search, but it is beautiful nonetheless: 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me bring love.

Where there is offence, let me bring pardon.

Where there is discord, let me bring union.

Where there is error, let me bring truth.

Where there is doubt, let me bring faith.

Where there is despair, let me bring hope.

Where there is darkness, let me bring your light.

Where there is sadness, let me bring joy.

O Master, let me not seek as much

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved as to love,

for it is in giving that one receives,

it is in self-forgetting that one finds,

it is in pardoning that one is pardoned,

it is in dying that one is raised to eternal life.

The party of morality (NOT)

A friend of mine who is a Trump supporter posted this on Facebook yesterday, and I'm posting it here just to show you the cluelessness of some Republicans. They actually believe they are the party of morality and that they are immune to criticism, but they open themselves up for snappy retorts, which they will get here. 

And this was my response to him, plus a few others that I came up with: 

• My Faithful Husband (Or Sleeping with Porn Stars) by Melania Trump
• Things I Love About Donald by Ivana Trump
• Things I Love About Ivana by Donald Trump
• Corona Virus for Dummies by Donald Trump 
• The Greatest Reality Show (the Best Ever) by Donald Trump
• How to Treat Women Well by Steve Bannon
• White Female Privilege by Steve Bannon
• My Book on Morals by Newt Gingrich
• Pretty Fly for a White Guy by Mike Pence
• Blowhards We Know and Love by Sean Hannity
• Some Pretty Fine People co-authored by the Boogaloo Boys and the Proud Boys

I'll add more as I come up with them. This is fun! Gotta have that sense of humor. The Republican Party is NOT the party of morality, even though they like to paint themselves that way. Let's be honest, folks, the GOP started the whole circus by impeaching Bill Clinton in 1998. That was quite the witch hunt. Clinton may have lied under oath, but 45 has perfected lying. And what about his insistence that Barack Obama was not born in the USA and then harassing him about his birth certificate? Trump lies whenever he opens his mouth. I don't think he knows whether he is living inside of his lies or outside of them.   

If you, my readers, come up with some good ones, I'll post them here and give you credit. Let's keep adding to the list!

What it means to be complicit

If as a woman you have ever experienced bullying, mansplaining, being talked down to or talked-over, being lectured by people with less expertise than you have, being ignored or frozen out, being sexually harassed, or being abused psychologically and/or physically, you could not vote for Donald Trump. There is no way you could vote for him with your eyes open. So if you shut your eyes and vote for him, you are complicit in everything that will happen in the coming years. And I have no intentions of listening to your telling me how bad it has become, when it ends up that way. Because if you think Trump's abuse of power is bad now, it will be worse if he gets a second term. 

Many women will vote for Trump. And for the life of me, I cannot understand why. Some are married to Trump supporters, some are not. I don't know if that is the deciding factor--that they vote the way their husbands vote. I truly hope that's not the case in 2020. Pro-life women may vote for Trump because he is purportedly anti-abortion and they are purportedly strong Christians. But they ignore all of the un-Christian things he does and says. They explain them away and in the process defend him. They say that the media have gotten it wrong, that the media always present Trump in a bad light. They post memes on Facebook showing what a great family man Trump is. They ignore the fact that he is on his third marriage, that he cheated on his wives (on the current one with a porn star, no less, whom he paid off), and that he has behaved in sexually harassing ways to women around him (behavior of which he is proud). They ignore the fact that he is setting the USA back by more than half a century with his anti-science stance. Many men will vote for Trump solely on what they perceive he has done for the economy and stock market. These men ignore the fact that Trump inherited a well-functioning economy from the Obama administration. But other men are way out there when it comes to credibility. One man I know who is a Trump supporter told me that the Covid-19 pandemic is a hoax; he hasn't seen the bodies so he doesn't believe that over 210,000 people have died from this virus in the USA alone. He also said that the whole thing is a hoax to prevent Trump from being re-elected. Argue with these types of people? You can't. You can just state your opinion and move on. 

I had hoped that women would be the moral compasses for the nation going forward. I didn't expect them to be complicit in the current insanity and chaos created by Trump and exacerbated by the media, by supporting Trump. It is disappointing to know that women who KNOW that other women have experienced bullying, mansplaining, being talked down to or talked-over, being lectured by people with less expertise, being ignored or frozen out, being sexually harassed, or being abused psychologically and/or physically, will still vote for Trump. This is perhaps the worst--they know how bad the behavior was and is, and they will still vote for a man who abuses his authority and others. They have experienced that behavior themselves, and they will still vote for Trump. Have their own degrading experiences at the hands of male bullies intimidated them? Do they not see the incongruity in what they say they stand for versus how they will vote? They have seen him mock a disabled man on live television, they have seen him show blatant disregard for his own administration by refusing to wear a mask and follow procedures for infection control. By casting their votes for Trump, they are complicit in the destruction of American democracy that is coming in the next four years. They are complicit in the continuation of the subjugation of women by a white male elite that has been free to behave badly for years (think Steve Bannon for starters). They will continue to wear their rose-colored glasses and post memes on Facebook telling the rest of us that all we need is love in the world and prayers to right the ills of the world. That may well be true, but our Christian upbringing also taught us to stand up in the name of what is right and good and true. And while I too am pro-life, I am pro-life from pre-cradle to grave. That means that I stand for taking care of all life, including human, wildlife, and the environment, which Trump does not stand for. And for as far back as I can remember, back to when I was nine or ten years old, I stood up to bullies and have tried to do so throughout my life. Love may solve many things, but it will not change a bully. What forces a bully to behave is to stand up to him or her and to effectuate specific consequences. You can forgive them (or not) when they have been stopped; some may change their ways. But in my book, once a bully, always a bully. And that is why I could never vote for a man like Trump. Ever. 

A blooming Hoya carnosa

I've had this plant, Hoya carnosa, also known as the porcelain flower or the wax plant, for about six years. It's never bloomed before, but this year, it finally bloomed, and the flowers are beautiful. They're also fragrant. The plant currently has about six blooms of the type you see in the photos. Nature never ceases to amaze me. 

Autumn has arrived in the garden

I know that autumn has arrived when the Pholiota squarrosoides mushrooms appear at the base of the dead cherry tree. They appear each year around this time. They have nestled themselves very nicely in the sedum that I planted this year behind the coral bells. I took this photo recently and thought it was very pretty. Enjoy!

 

Reflections on the great divide

This is not going to be a political post, even though the title may sound like one. Rather, it is a post about my reflections on the great divide between humanity and nature and how that came to be. I've been thinking about this since I watched My Octopus Teacher last night on Netflix. 

We learned from when we were very young that humanity has been given dominion over the animal kingdom. The Bible states (in Genesis 1:26) that God said, 'Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.' The question is of course what was originally meant by dominion, and what it means in our modern age.

I think that up through the centuries we have managed to twist the word dominion into domination, which has many more negative connotations. That is a reflection on how the word 'dominate' has been used. If mankind dominates, then what is dominated is subject to the whims and mercy of the dominator. Domination can imply cruelty in order to keep what is dominated in line. It most definitely implies the exercise of power over what is dominated, in this case, the creatures of the earth. It does not necessarily imply respect or kindness. I cannot think of one instance where I have heard the word domination and thought about the implications of domination as positive. I prefer the word dominion, because it implies a world where mankind reigns together with nature, in partnership. I think of the word realm, where mankind and animals can exist side by side. Humans can be the stewards of this realm; the role of a steward is to supervise or to take care of. I like that idea very much because the implications of stewardship are not negative, at least not at first glance. 

But how did we get to the great divide between humanity and the animal kingdom? Is that the result of mankind's fall from grace? If we accept the idea that humans were originally formed in the image and likeness of God, then they were free from sin. They lived happily and blissfully in paradise, which was a garden, the Garden of Eden. What did they need for survival? Probably very little. Did they know death? Probably not. But then something happened to change that. Their life in the Garden went from sinless to blemished. If there were animals and birds and sea life in that garden, and apparently there were according to Genesis, then the perfect relationship with them as companions and as possible providers of some types of food (milk, honey) was also changed, for the worse. Rather than existing side by side in a harmonious relationship, discord set in. I doubt that it was ever the divine intention that mankind should dominate the animal kingdom, should abuse animals, should exert power over them in a cruel way. That is not the way of God. And yet every day, that abuse of power happens somewhere in the world. We treat animals and birds better than we did a century ago, at least in terms of being less 'cruel' where meat production is concerned, but we still have a long way to go, and the question really becomes how to live our lives without being cruel to any other living creature. Of course we must then face the reality of meat consumption and how to tackle that. We overfish the oceans, we imprison fish in circular tanks in the name of fish farming and tell ourselves that they are thriving, we squeeze chickens into cramped quarters (likewise hens for their eggs) and tell ourselves that they don't know any better anyway, we pump livestock (and fish) full of antibiotics and tell ourselves that we're doing it to protect them and us. Someone came up with these ideas and introduced them into meat production and fish farming. The intentions might have originally been good, but at this point it's hard to know for sure. Additionally, we are destroying the habitats for many animals, birds, insects and sea life through deforestation, pollution, and other practices. 

I don't pretend to have any answers. We must simply try to do better each day, each week, each month, each year. But when I watch films like My Octopus Teacher, I realize that I have been given a glimpse of how conditions might have been before mankind's fall from grace, how it all might have been had mankind maintained its peaceful co-existence with animals and birds and sea life. The fact that the octopus trusted the human who visited her each day, and even showed him (unsolicited) affection, has no precedent in my world at least. We are talking about an aquatic creature that had probably never seen a human before. It made the decision to establish physical contact with the man. It trusted him and did so for the year that he visited her. That is probably what paradise would have been like; additionally there would have been no sickness or death. I like to think so at least. If there is a heaven, I can imagine that all of the animals, birds, insects, sea life--all the creatures that we have loved, crossed paths with or had some kind of relationship with (e.g. bees and birds in a garden) are there to greet us and to accompany us as companions in our new life. In fact, if I think about what heaven might actually be, it is a garden, always a garden, filled with flowers, fruit, vegetables, birds, bees, insects and animals of all kinds. But there would have to be a place for octopuses too, after having seen My Octopus Teacher. 

Beautiful and touching film--My Octopus Teacher | Official Trailer | Netflix

Any words I could use to describe this documentary film about a filmmaker's daily interactions with an octopus would not do it justice. He says so himself that he fell in love with this amazing creature. It is an amazing film on all levels--emotional, psychological, technical and topical. It is a beautiful film, and all I will do in this post is recommend that you watch it. I will probably watch it many times; I want to commit each part to memory and cherish all of them.

Problems, pain, and the mind-body connection

I've been thinking a lot about this lately and have recently discussed it with one of my younger friends who suffers from arthritis and other health issues. The mind-body connection is strong and not to be ignored. Of course sometimes we don't create our own problems; sometimes they are dumped on us by others, or sometimes we simply have no choice. For example, if a loved one becomes very sick and/or dies, there can be all sorts of problems that will impact us in a painful way. I know that's not what Tolle is referring to; he's referring more to our daily lives and how to keep unnecessary pain at bay by not creating mountains out of molehills. Or by not getting involved in others' dramas and idiocy. And he's right. It's just remembering that piece of advice that is the problem. Not always easy. 

Stillness and inner peace

This is what I wish for personally and for all the people I know and love. There is not enough inner peace, not enough stillness in these times. Without them, craziness reigns. 

To dare greatly in these times

You'll have to bear with me during these pre-election times. The USA is so polarized at present; I have not seen anything quite like it before in my lifetime. The Vietnam War is possibly the closest we've come to something like this, but it pales in comparison, because the poles now are just so extreme. Marriages and friendships are being severely tested and even destroyed by the prospect of a divisive man being given four more years to rule by the people. There is hatred on both sides for the other side--true hatred. There are threats of civil war, of DT not leaving the White House peacefully if he should lose. There are fears that his cult (as his followers are called) will rise up and become violent. What the hell happened to the USA I know and love? I am hoping that all of it is a lot of talk, but you can never be sure nowadays. But normal law-abiding people need to dare to take their country back, out of the hands of racists, white supremacists, and gun-toting militia men. They need to do that by using the intelligence and common sense they were given. That means righting the wrongs and re-establishing a balance that is sorely needed. It means plain hard talk--put away the guns, the rhetoric, the violence, the threat of violence, the aggression, and the stupidity. It means sitting down and working together to change society, because that is what our founding fathers would have wanted and had in mind when they drew up the Constitution. They did not want to be subject to a king any longer; and in 2020, we will not be served well as a country by ushering in an autocracy to solve the problems that exist. All countries have problems, but most are not choosing willingly to go down the path that the USA is taking.

Cicero's quote about Bread and Circuses

 

Reflections on what was and what can no longer be, and how important it is to remain awake

I was on Twitter the other day; I have an account from back in the days when I was working for the science library at the University of Oslo. Twitter is dominated these days by political tweets, most of them having to do with the upcoming presidential election. Both sides are at it, furiously attacking and condemning the other side. One of the tweeters is Rob Reiner, the actor who played Michael Stivic in the sitcom All in the Family that ran from 1971-79 on American television. Reiner is rabidly anti-Trump, and it struck me the other day how his character Michael and Archie Bunker (played by Carroll O'Connor) would probably have been at each other's throats over Trump's presidency had the sitcom appeared now. One thing always leads to another; I googled the show's theme song Those Were the Days to read the lyrics, and realized that the America presented in the lyrics is perhaps the America that Trump supporters want a return to. Unlikely? I don't think so the more I think about it. But there is no returning to what was, ever. Since 1979, the world has seen the rise of the digital age, cell phones, internet, and social media. The way we live our lives is completely different than how we did growing up in the 1960s and 70s. Television is not even what it once was. It is no longer a medium for social change; it merely reflects the vacuity of modern society with the majority of its programming. If we're busy watching mindless television like reality-TV programs, then we won't be paying attention to what goes on around us, or to the power-grabbers and would-be dictators. Google 'Bread and Circuses' to read about how easily people can be pacified (lulled into a stupor) with food and entertainment, whether it be from their government or from societal institutions/businesses whose sole goal is to create addicts who won't and don't think in the name of greed. And if not greed, you could wonder what the goal is. If we readily give up our free will and ability to think for ourselves, we will find that it will not be easy to get them back, especially if our country moves toward autocracy. 

The world waits for no one, and change is the only constant in life, whether or not you like it. You can be a reactionary; it won't matter because the world will not wait for you anyway. You can work to create the type of world you'd like, but I'm not sure we'd want an Archie Bunker world as our reality. Women and minorities would be most affected (subjugated) by it.

Here are the lyrics to Those Were the Days; you can judge for yourself whether this is the America that Trump supporters want a return to. As always--my opinion. Others are entitled to their opinions, because that is the basis for our democracy. Let's hope the USA remains one. 

Boy, the way Glenn Miller played

songs that made the hit parade
Guys like me we had it made
Those were the days

Didn't need no welfare state
ev'rybody pulled his weight
gee our old LaSalle ran great
Those were the days

And you knew who you were then
girls were girls and men were men
Mister we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again

People seemed to be content

fifty dollars paid the rent
freaks were in a circus tent
Those were the days

Take a little Sunday spin

go to watch the Dodgers win
Have yourself a dandy day
that cost you under a fin

Hair was short and skirts were long
Kate Smith really sold a song
I don't know just what went wrong
those were the days

Songwriters: Charles Strouse / Lee Adams

Can't wait for this year to be over

I cannot wait for the American election to be over. Cannot wait. Cannot wait until we can return to some semblance of sanity in our daily lives. Everywhere you turn, in every country on the globe (it seems), the election dominates the news. That tells you how important it is. But it also tells you how nuts it's become. I live abroad as you know, and will vote from here. By mail, because the United States Postal System works. It works, has worked, and will continue to work. But it will fall apart if the president wills it. If service has slowed up, it's because of the pandemic. The Norwegian postal system has slowed up as well since the pandemic began. 

I am just so tired of hearing about DT at every turn. Sick to death of him, sick to death of his sycophants. He's invaded daily life here, so I shudder to imagine how bad it's become over there. I just know that we cannot go on like this. His presidency pits and has pitted people against each other, affecting marriages and friendships. It makes people mistrust other people and mistrust federal institutions that the country relies on. If there are real problems in those institutions, then FIX them. Don't create a civil war because of them. There are people I know who fear that DT won't leave the White House peacefully if he loses. Have we really come to this as a country? Do you know how ridiculous it sounds from here, except that I know it's happened before in other autocratic countries and will happen again. I just didn't expect to consider that it would happen in America, my country. For heaven's sake, get a grip, people, before it is too late. I hope he wins the peace prize just so that WE can get some peace again. Then he can say that he got what Obama got, since that's all he does--compete with Obama--and then maybe we can be rid of him for good. He can enjoy the flattery for a few weeks and then we can move on with our lives. And hopefully never have to hear about him and his family ever again. 

I cannot wait for 2020 to be over. I cannot wait for all of the negative things to cease. The pandemic. Those who claim it is a hoax to destroy DT. Young people who ignore social distancing. Adults who do likewise. We need a vaccine against the virus, but then there are the anti-vaxxers to contend with. Workplaces that continue to plan for open-office landscapes when they know that viruses will spread like wildfire among those who sit there. A lot of unemployment. Greed. More greed. Never a mention of what Christ might want for the world. Sycophants who once worked for and were fired by DT, who cash in by writing tell-all books. Why didn't they have the balls to stand up to him publicly when they worked for him? Say straight to his face that he's wrong, uninformed, and ignorant about so many issues. Continue to say it. Why didn't they do that then? The books just confirm what anyone with any common sense already knows--he's unfit for the office of presidency. 

The saving grace has been my garden, but even there, there is stupidity--people complaining that there are too many honey bees flying around. I mean really. It's like complaining that there are too many birds, or earthworms, or soil that can get your hands dirty. We're in a garden for heaven sakes. Our beekeeper quit recently, and there are no plans to replace him. There are people who don't want hives or beekeepers because that will mean more bees in their gardens. I mean, really. The bees are there to help our gardens and us gardeners. They are not aggressive, they are rather wonderful little creatures with which one can peacefully co-exist, like bumblebees. Like Joni Mitchell wrote, "My heart is broken in the face of the stupidity of my species." Mine is not broken, not yet. We'll see what 2021 brings.