Inauguration Day 2021

Trump is the reason I am still holding my breath until 12 PM ET. But once it reaches that time, the world can FINALLY breathe a sigh of relief.

But just for the afternoon and evening of Jan. 20th. Washington then needs to get to work.

You are an optimist.

This s*** that he has created has only just begun.

I know plenty of otherwise intelligent people that aren't ready to let go... the USA is turning into the USSR... "we" will soon be dependent on OPEC oil with prices going up drastically... we're loosing our 1st and 2nd amendment rights... etc... etc....

I know, you think I need new friends... but I know that I need to stay in touch with them and have a realistic understanding of America and roughly 45% have lost their minds... and are flocking to the crazy every day... they literally think that an Authoritarian bulls*** artist draft dodging coward in not just the answer, but the pinnacle of American values & patriotism and Christian values.

The game isn't even close to being over.

Hopefully all will pass peacefully

Well the relief is that we will no longer have a vindictive 14 year old brat who impulsively acts according to his massive ego instead of what little resembles a brain, or anyone else’s, running the free world.

But yes, like I also said, Washington needs to get busy. A lot of work needs to be done.

Part of the reason people have gone crazy is because things have become hopeless for many since the Great Recession and Washington has largely stood by for a decade. Add in the 2020 pandemic and recession and it only understandably has gotten that much worse. I too have known such people. They have nothing else to turn to. But once Biden and his Democratic Congress start helping people, it should get better for some of them.

So, yes, I guess I am an optimist.

But remember this too: We’ve pulled out from much much worse.

I echo Dookies comment. I hope it all passes off peacefully and things settle down quickly. The crazies will always be around, but they'll become less and less prominent now they can no longer claim they're following their President.

He's just plain old Mr Trump now.

Ha!
trump had more people at his inauguration than "Sleepy Joe"!
That PROVES trump won the election :P

And President Biden stumbled over the word "urban" in his inauguration speech. He's not fit for the job!!

So maybe that's why reading poetry doesn't do much for me - beyond some simple story telling with rhymes (Quoth the raven "Nevermore" )

It needs to be performed by the (an) artist to give it the nuance and emotion that was put into it.

To make it more than just words and phrases on a page.

Same idea with lyrics to a song. Though usually I hear the song first.

Words on a line can be bland if all you do is read them in a mechanical way. I think it's rather difficult for anybody to put themselves into Poe's mindset just by reading The Raven. A bit of effort is required to, say, conjure up in your mind a "midnight dreary" when you're sitting in your lounge on a warm summer's afternoon.


Try reading slowly..... let your imagination go to work..... think about what you're reading, then try to understand what the poet / songwriter is saying, and then put your own emotion and nuance into it.

Ask yourself what YOU feel about what you've just read.

It works for me.

Everything or anything can become bland when apprehended in a mechanical way. The mechanical way is the default mode for many.

Speaking of any work of art, Jane Hirshfield says, "it is NOT a piece of fruit lifted from a tree branch; it is a ripening collaboration of artist, receiver, and world."

It involves recognising the world as one of becoming, in constant flux, of living in it as such. If we are "over here" and the art/world is "over there", static, and our judgements are borne of our prejudices and our conditioning, rather than borne of compassion, mercy and grace, then we will eventually shrivel and die.

If no one minds me hijacking this thread (maybe Discord Tiger will move this?) the Jane Hirstfield quote was in my mind as I had just written a new blog.

Google Blogs seems up the creek at the moment, going haywire after quite a few years of sedate usage. Nothing lasts for ever

But my latest effort is here.....

Peach Blossom Spring

No, it was me that was up the creek! I somehow managed to switch to "HTML VIEW" from "Compose View"......