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I’m not back. But …

As soon as I post this, I’m going to make Thursday’s “bad” post public again. If clever people and hobby-horse riders want to make the comment section All About Them, that’s on their heads, not mine.

Your encouragement, good cheer, and wisdom delivered via email and via comments on yesterday’s apology post helped me get over myself.

(The irony was not lost on me that I squealed like a little girl over comments on a post titled “Live Boldly.” It was amazingly nice of y’all not to mention that. 🙂 )

I’m still going to take a week off. I need it. Whether I’ll resume with “Live Boldly, Part II” or not, I can’t say. Slidemansailor was astute when he noted that sometimes the moment for something just passes. However, I’d like to take up that topic again if I can find the proper footing to begin.

Meanwhile, here are some links for you, along with my thanks:

  • Roscoe Bartlett. He’s much more interesting as an off-grid hermit than he ever was as a congressthing.
  • We’re finally reaching the long-dreaded day when the fedgov plays a dominant role in who “wins” and who loses in U.S. economic life. The trend’s been going on since the (not-so) Great Society. When it reaches fruition … there will be only losers outside the political nomenklatura.
  • It didn’t require aliens. Just (it appears) a mind as brilliant as Archimedes’ to give us the mystery of the Antikythera mechanism. And more billiant minds, aided by computers, to solve that mystery. Awesome story.
  • Another amazing (though terribly sad) story made possible by brilliant minds, computers, and caring people. (And one worthless thug; may he never have another moment’s peace.) (H/T PT)
  • Can hardly believe this came from a big-city police chief. Those guys are usually mega-control freaks. And from Detroit, yet!
  • The 40 most awkward dogs of 2013. (H/T MLS)

Now that I’ve cleared those tabs, cleared my head, and given you my inadequate thanks … some time off.

15 Comments

  1. Pat
    Pat January 5, 2014 11:00 am

    Glad to hear a more positive note in your voice… welcome back!

    ~~~
    OT: Have been simmering some pot pourri on the stove today and just took it off. Decided to try it as a tea ― it’s delicious! ― and will be good for what ails you during the next week. Enjoy…

    1 orange, cut in several slices
    1 lemon, cut in several slices
    4 cinnamon sticks
    6 whole cloves
    1 large bay leaf
    Add citrus and spices to 2-3 cups of water. Bring to boil, then allow to simmer. Refresh by adding more water. (Strain as needed. I simmered it for 5 hrs as pot pourri before deciding to taste it. It’s somewhat tart from the lemon, but sugar could be added.)

  2. John Kindley
    John Kindley January 5, 2014 11:37 am

    Overcoming – not necessarily abolishing – the fear in our own heart is the necessary and sufficient prerequisite to freedom. If we do that, we can better see what else we should do. On that note, here is a link to one of my favorite things ever, by Ernst Jünger, a man who should know: http://anteckningar.wordpress.com/2007/06/05/der-waldgang-excerpter/

    “Be ye wise as serpents.” “Don’t tread on me.” Two complementary maxims to live by.

  3. Jim B.
    Jim B. January 5, 2014 12:30 pm

    Good to know that what comes around also goes around.

    http://gizmodo.com/at-least-were-not-alone-nsa-spies-on-members-of-congr-1494694757

    Of course, the fact that government agencies have been spying on politicians is not new. Hoover of FBI fame, the cross-dressing freak one, was know to keep “dossiers” on everybody important so he could control them. Just look what he did to Charlie Chaplin.

  4. John Kindley
    John Kindley January 5, 2014 1:05 pm

    Did my last comment perchance get lost in the spam filter because it had a link in it? Would have emailed Claire but I don’t see an email address.

  5. MamaLiberty
    MamaLiberty January 5, 2014 1:05 pm

    Good deal. 🙂 See ya soon! 🙂

  6. LarryA
    LarryA January 5, 2014 3:04 pm

    [Would have emailed Claire but I don’t see an email address.]
    Bottom of the page: “Please address questions and comments regarding this blog to blogs@backwoodshome.com.”

  7. Shel
    Shel January 5, 2014 6:18 pm

    I approached your site today with some trepidation. Nice recovery, Claire.

  8. Dr Jimmy T (Gunny) LaBaume
    Dr Jimmy T (Gunny) LaBaume January 6, 2014 3:46 am

    Ou rah! Welcome “not back.” Don’t take no for an answer. And the world is full of “clever people and hobby-horse riders (who) want to make the comment section (of any medium) All About Them.

    There are all kinds of ways to deal with them. Cut them off at the knees. Ignore them. Or make fun and laugh at them (they really hate that) lol

  9. Kevin Wilmeth
    Kevin Wilmeth January 6, 2014 11:17 am

    Here’s hoping you find what’s healthy for you, Claire. I’m still thoroughly in the middle of my own attempt to deal with outrage fatigue, and am still not sure yet what it is I most need to do, for me.

    In the meantime, there’s “drink water, carry on” and “stay healthy”…and just enough steering to make sure those two ideas support each other, rather than compete against each other.

    That’s what is helping me right now, at any rate. 🙂

  10. jed
    jed January 6, 2014 3:45 pm

    @John Kindley: There is comment moderation in effect here. IIRC, if you haven’t had a comment approved previously, then if you submit a comment with a link, it goes to moderation. If you’ve had a moderated comment approved, then it takes two links to put your comment in moderation. There’s also a length limit, though it’s pretty large.

    Or something like that.

  11. Rainhaven
    Rainhaven January 7, 2014 7:05 am

    Definitely do “Living Boldly, Part II”. I would venture to guess that many of us are eagerly awaiting it.

  12. Shel
    Shel January 7, 2014 8:44 am

    After reading your article’s title for the hundredth time, Thoreau’s famous quote that most men (sic) live lives of quiet desperation finally comes to mind. That was never your style, Claire. The silence can’t possibly last. You will wisely opt for sanity and resume doing exactly what you were doing, to the great benefit of the rest of us.

    Regarding moderation of postings, I don’t know how it works, but if a posting that underwent moderation ultimately is posted in order of original receipt instead of when it passed moderation, JK’s second posting noted above may actually refer to his first posting that hadn’t been put online until after he submitted the second one. Heck, half of my comments still undergo moderation. I must not have an honest face.

  13. naturegirl
    naturegirl January 7, 2014 1:16 pm

    Wasn’t to long ago I ended up in Mod-detention simply because I screwed up typing my email addy. Helps to have a recognized email address, LOL.

  14. Karen
    Karen January 7, 2014 2:16 pm

    Loved the 40 most awkward dogs link. Here’s another funny dog link while we’re just spinning around waiting for Claire’s return. Scottie pinwheel

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDa0z0gEvI4

  15. Alex
    Alex January 10, 2014 2:50 pm

    Claire, I’m late to this misunderstanding and will say this. I don’t why so many are taking this personally. I agree with you in that we are allowing things to happen with barely a whimper and as such it is cowardly. You see, many people especially patriots don’t want to admit that they are not doing enough, not marching or demonstrating, recalling their senators, etc. What is lacking is leadership and none appears on the horizon, leading to frustration, anger, etc. Another thing: I don’t want to hear anymore tsun tzu or whatever his name is. We need Ceasar, Sulla, Hadrian. Why quote Chinese generals instead of Romans? Because Chinese is politically correct! You most patriots are politically correct and I suspect that is why they are so upset with your article. Romans were never politically correct because they celebrated their victories with the heads of their enemies on pikes or on belts of the gauls. Just to be clear I am a USMC vietnam veteran, 1968, and find most patriot, gun, survival websites as pc and tend to form circular ambushes when embarassed with facts.

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