thinking

Questions for Concerned and Thoughtful Americans

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When you end your workout at your fitness center and go to the showers where there are three empty stalls, do you select the weird stall with the handrails, folding seat, water controls below waist level, and hand-held shower head?

Do you know the difference between an indictment and a conviction?

Do you now the “distance” between an indictment and a conviction?

Does the term “respect law and order” come up only when you’re talking about someone else’s actions?

Is the driver in front of you doing 10 miles per hour over the speed limit getting in your way and holding you back?

Do you believe in and repost things from your favorite websites to your on-line accounts and state “How True!”, or ask “How True?”

Is everything your political opponent says wrong and everything you say, correct?

Do you get mad when people use “facts” to make their point?

Do you think America is a place only for natural born Americans and there is no room for minority people or religions?

Is it okay to think anyone who doesn’t think like you has a screw loose?

Can you own a gun and still be Anti-NRA?

Is it possible President Trump is doing some thing(s) right?

Is it possible Joe Biden did ANYTHING right?

Do you feel better about yourself when someone agrees with you or disagrees with you?

Is a “tribal validation” of your opinions necessary or are you an independent thinker?

Is it really an insult to be called “sheep” by your political rival?

Should “leaders” of institutions be held to a higher moral standard than the bots and trolls who criticize or praise those leaders?

If you own an AR-15 what do you do with it?

Can we, the people, solve our own problems, or do we need a centralized form of government to make things work?

Do you know anyone who has no place to sleep tonight?

Do you have an idea where you will be sleeping at age 80?

Any relative already in Long Term Care?

Think you won’t need Long Term Care?

Think anyone has the answers to most, all or none of these questions? Life is “a tapestry of rich and royal hue”, said Carole King in 1970. But The Buffalo Springfield said it best in 1968: “We better stop, children, what’s that sound? Everybody look what’s going down.”

That was 57 years ago.

Resolutions? Ah, maybe…

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Time for New Years Resolutions. Look away. Do not read. At least, don’t remind me of this post next year.

  1. No more mention of Trump after January 1st. He’ll keep doing things but noone needs me to point it out. And if I need to talk about something Trumpy, I won’t use the T–word. Yes, I already have other names selected and ready to go.
  2. Watch what I eat/lose weight. First, who doesn’t? And second, no resolution list of mine for over 40 years has not included the word “weight”. It’s a ritual, now, and can’t be stopped. Knock on wood.
  3. No more shouting at other drivers. Might turn those moments into periods of quite contemplation and reflection. PS your laughter is not appreciated. Wait, what if I shouted encouragement?
  4. Less Pizza in the New Year. Which means I have to eat a lot these next few days. Yes!
  5. No more whining about getting old. Set the bar high on that one, but we’ll see.
  6. Will not replace left hip. This is medical humor since it already happened three weeks ago. Finally, a resolution I can keep!
  7. Will be better prepared for the winter of 2025. Local upstate NY winter snuck up on me after 20 years in the south. It won’t get me next year, dammit.
  8. I hereby vow to stop thinking 30 per cent of the US population is stupid, ignorant, or both. If you think about it, this is another guaranteed successful resolution. Unless you are…Hm. Am I part of that 30 percent? Nah…
  9. I resolve to no longer NOT believe in Santa. Grandkid’s questions getting harder and harder each year, so…damn internet.
  10. Will not disparage the Yankees. Or the Mets. Or the Giants. Or the Jets. Or Dr. Seuss. All hail the Bills!
  11. Lastly, I will give the medical establishment the benefit of the doubt. I promise to understand their “one size fits all” approach to medical issues works for a majority of the people and is not meant to punish those of us on either end of the Bell Curve. It will take time and research and conversation, but what else does an old, dying man have but time? Crap, scratch Number 5.

Resolutions can be fun, but at least should be introspective. If you don’t sit down and think about them, especially at this time of year…make a resolution to do it. Now.

As pointed out many times, life will go on whether you do or don’t and thinking about it helps much more than not thinking about it. Try it.