To: The Supreme Gaslighter About a third of the way into my walk this morning I realized I’d forgotten my phone at home (I got out of practice with my morning routine over the holidays). I’m chagrined to admit that I only realized this when I wondered whether the weather arbiter that lives inside my … Continue reading Over-reliance on oracles
Psychological Constructs
2021 ~ a new year with old problems
To: The One Who’s Being Shown The Door In 19 Short Days Hey, so I was right – I barely hesitated at all just now when I was writing out today’s date: January 1, 2021. Very cool. And very not all that meaningful, really. There’s so much hype about how we’re closing the door on … Continue reading 2021 ~ a new year with old problems
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)
Resentments or gratitude ~ choose wisely
To: The Resentful Angry (would-be) Tyrant (aka The RAT) After reading that you’re being evasive about whether you’ll attend the virtual G20 this weekend I really wanted to use the word “slacker” in the salutation today but decided to go with something that can be shortened to a punchy acronym instead. I figure that the … Continue reading Resentments or gratitude ~ choose wisely
Out of the mouths of babes
To: The US Commander in Thief Today is our daughter’s 21st birthday. She flew home yesterday evening and somehow arranged for and got a COVID test at 9pm last night – she’s a force! In honor of this big milestone birthday where our daughter’s official adult age has finally caught up with her, I’m going … Continue reading Out of the mouths of babes
COVID, cognitive dissonance, and cults
Mr. Can’t Be Out of Here Soon Enough, Last night I noticed a not very big or bold WP headline tucked two-thirds of the way down about how an ICU nurse in South Dakota has been caring for patients dying of COVID who insist they can’t be dying of COVID because there is no such … Continue reading COVID, cognitive dissonance, and cults
Beyond redemption
To: Mr. Bone spurs Happy Veterans’ Day! Looks like you devoted all of 20 minutes to going through the motions of honoring veterans today – from 11am to 11:20am EST. Maybe your published public calendar is missing all the heartfelt phone calls you made to veterans and their families today, thanking them for their sacrifice … Continue reading Beyond redemption
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 old sleepless in Seattle was way better
President* Trump, You know how some nights are just miserable? Can’t sleep, can’t get comfortable, don’t want to move too much and wake others up, don’t want morning to come too soon because it’ll mean no sleep will be had, want morning to come so the ordeal will at least change. Last night wasn’t one … Continue reading The old sleepless in Seattle was way better
Recency bias
President* Trump, It used to be pretty frequently that I’d chew on something I felt the need to write to you about for several days, trying to figure out how to approach it or how to articulate it effectively. Lately, though, I’m finding I just don’t have the mental capacity or the stomach to think … Continue reading Recency bias