Donald, I toyed with starting this letter with just “XXXX” and dispensing with your name or any clever, mocking labels but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I actually wrote it out and started to say something about the choice, but I decided it would be too similar to what you’ve done to so … Continue reading The unity panacea won’t cut it this time
empathy
Listen to the sparrow (or the sorrow)
To: The POTUS with the Most-us to Lose This morning we did our usual Saturday dog-walk outing a couple of miles north of our house in an area we call Swale Land. On the way there we were at a stoplight and got to see a painted-up car driving east. It was super colorful and … Continue reading Listen to the sparrow (or the sorrow)
Bitter and sweet, sweet and bitter
President* for only 73 more days (and counting) Trump, My word of the day today is “bittersweet”, which is defined as either “bitterness and sweetness combined,” which I think is rather too literal and pretty lame, or as “pleasure mixed with overtones of sadness,” which I like quite a bit better (https://www.yourdictionary.com/bittersweet). In this morning’s … Continue reading Bitter and sweet, sweet and bitter
Rotten apples fall especially close to their trees
President* Trump, Was your hand too gross and sweaty for Melania to deign to hold it for the walk off the debate stage or is she really, terribly not into you these days? It’s been a while since I’ve seen a clip of her pulling away from you like that and last night’s retaliatory little … Continue reading Rotten apples fall especially close to their trees
The POTUS bok-bok
President* Trump, Hey, so it sounds like you aren’t down with participating in the debate next week since the Commission made the switch to virtual. I don’t know about you, but I’m hearing the insistent ‘bok, bok, bok’ sound chickens make. Before I dig into your anxiety bits, though, I want to sketch out what … Continue reading The POTUS bok-bok
POTUS meets COVID
President* Trump, I know it doesn’t matter exactly which US COVID cases you and Melania represent, but perhaps you’re #7,499,990 and she’s #7,499,991, the latter being the current (as of this minute at 7:04am PST) figure on the Worldometer site. Or maybe she’s #7,499,990 and you’re #7,499,991 since perhaps this is the one time in … Continue reading POTUS meets COVID
We have to see each other
President* Trump, I’m at the gallery today and because September is my show month I’m getting to sit here with my work on the walls and it’s pretty cool. Mostly people are walking by outside and not stopping, but my sense is there’s a bit more curiosity than usual and a bit more eye contact … Continue reading We have to see each other
Some of us need to cultivate the strength to yield
President* Trump, This morning we took the dogs to Magnuson Park for the first time in probably five months, basically since COVID-19 really hit and it was clear that navigating the narrow trails with others wasn’t safe. Today we hiked a trail that’s at the far Southwest corner of the park, one that’s far less … Continue reading Some of us need to cultivate the strength to yield
Not pretending things are ok
President* Trump, I’ve noticed it for about the last week, most prominently since the DNC convention ended and the RNC circus started, but it’s likely that the deep malaise that comes over me when I’m not occupied with something has been going on much longer and just wasn’t as noticeable. Just to be sure, I … Continue reading Not pretending things are ok
Benefits of doubts
President* Trump, Laura and I just spent the last hour working out how to respond to a neighborhood email chain about something that happened two nights ago at the corner house across the street from us. Actually, we aren’t finished yet. Here’s a sketch of what happened the other night and of the email chain…. … Continue reading Benefits of doubts