Dysfunctional families come in all shapes, sizes, and all manner of chaos. But they all have one thing in common: When some truthteller finally gets fed up enough to name the core problem (whether it be Daddy’s drinking or Mom’s kleptomania or Auntie’s chronic lying or all of the above) — the entire clan will turn on the hapless truthteller, en masse, and blame that person for causing the problem. A long-ago neighbor woman once came to my house raging because her husband had been caught committing incest with their daughter and her teenage son had been accused of molesting…
Category: Mind and Spirit
Spirituality, moods, feelings, and thinking free to live free.
Random musings … You might remember (and possibly even care!) that I’ve been sanding cabinets in hopes of returning my kitchen to its 1950s splendor. You guys have been more than helpful with advice. It was so good I even took most of it! Today’s been dry and sunny, so I spent the afternoon outside with cabinet doors, paint stripper, and an orbital sander. Pleasant work in pleasant conditions. But I got depressingly little done, and when I look at the acres of cabinets left to do, I quail (and perhaps even mallard and condor). So I had a bloody…
I know. Bread isn’t exactly the No. 1 item on a primal diet. In fact, its not anywhere on a primal diet. But once in a while even a caveperson needs a ham & swiss on rye. That’s a simple fact of life. So there I was in this town’s mini-supermart — which is a neat little store, but definitely little — scanning the bread rack. The first (and for a while only) rye bread my eyes lighted on cost six bucks. Ack! It was an interesting, even funky, unknown brand. All organic and containing nothing but Actual Ingredients. Still…
From C^2, here’s a perfect example of how we always, always have choices. No matter what anyone does to us. (Two minute video clip; apologies to those on dial-up.)
Wow. The census snoops are still snooping around? I thought that was over for now. But no, Ted Dunlap just had to draw his line in the sand. Good going, Ted. Hope you’ll keep us posted about what happens — and I hope nothing does. For the record, I never saw a census taker this year. While I was still living in the desert fifth-wheel, one showed up early in the spring, weeks before city folks got their forms in the mail, and left a form in a bag on the door. Made a nice litter bag, while the form…
Interesting idea. The Sabbath Manifesto is ten simple steps to fulfill one simple, ancient idea: on the seventh day, rest. The specific steps are behind the above link. And here’s more on the whys and whos behind the movement. The Sabbath Manifesto is by and for Jews, but there’s nothing in it that would preclude us non-Jews from adopting or adapting it. I think it’s a great idea. A year or two ago, I even set about to “do” a broader concept of Sabbath — rest and renew every seventh day, every seventh week, and every seventh month. I knew…
Paul Bonneau tells philosophical libertarians they should “Become Dangerous.” Jim Bovard sez it’s time to get rid of the phony-baloney federal privacy board. I don’t have any advice for anybody, but I do have a question. I’ve found that, when it’s the right time for me to do something (make a decision, write an article, or whatever), suddenly that thing will come easy. In fact, a decision I’ve struggled with or an article I’ve been banging my head on or avoiding will abruptly just fling itself into my face, ready-made. But — even in small things — if the time…
Last week in the comments section, CS posted a good bit on community and the need for it in our uncertain future. He asked me for a response & I’ve been thinking on it. In fact, I think the subject is going to become the topic of a future article or articles. Meantime, I’ve touched on it in past blog posts and articles, including this one, which first appeared in the print edition of BHM. Just one additional observation at the moment. Obviously, community-building is hard for individualists (herding cats and all that). Well, really it’s hard for anybody. The…
A week without blogging! I’m sorry, guys. Between unpacking, scrubbing, trash hauling, and exhaustion (not to mention the library’s limited hours, which limit my wifi), I haven’t had it in me. I thought about blogging several times. But I figured you really wouldn’t be interested in my observations on greasy kitchen lamps or the incredibly strange mechanisms that open (or actually don’t open) old-fashioned garage doors. That’s about all that’s been on my mind the last week. I’m starting to see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel now. But this week is all about article deadlines, so…
You guys are making me nervous. No, not you guys who’ve wished me well on my upcoming move to the Northwest. Not you guys who’ve given much-appreciated advice on pellet stoves and wood stoves. Not you guys (this means you, Jake MacGregor) who’ve even offered unloading assistance, hammer swinging, or spare furniture. Not you who’ve commiserated about fatal rattlesnakes, near-fatal winds, and death-defying doggies. Not you who’ve offered tips on cool NW bookstores and other places to go. You … I thank you all. But you guys (and wimmins) — you know who you are — you who’ve warned me…