To: The Scrooge on Steroids You know, this holiday season is about as grim as it’s ever been in my lifetime as we shuffle inexorably to over 350,000 Covid deaths by year’s end. Have you seen the CDC’s projections for mid-January – once the fall out from all the Christmas travel starts hitting? They’re telling … Continue reading A Christmas Eve missive
Resilience
A toxic, evil swirl
To: The Evil Baton Passer Yes, I’m borrowing the idea that evil is a relay race from Fiona Apple again; it’s too brilliant an observation to highlight in just one letter. I definitely think that good can also be passed from one to the next in relay race fashion – think “pay it forward” – … Continue reading A toxic, evil swirl
.csv files are not my favs
President* Trump, I’m in sort of a mood this evening. I spent quite a lot of the day working on a project that involved sorting survey responses into categories in excel only to discover that when I saved the file, the file type only saves the last worksheet that was open. I was getting ready … Continue reading .csv files are not my favs
Bring on the cold and the rain ~ and November 3rd!
President* Trump, I know it’s silly to worry about time and shifting seasons since they’re impossible to control, but as we march through August and the days get shorter and shorter, I’m increasingly worried about how we (me, my little family, all of us) are going to do as our options for safe social distancing … Continue reading Bring on the cold and the rain ~ and November 3rd!
The antidote of favorite things
President* Trump, Today I’m feeling even more sad, more tired, more pissed off, and my skin is starting to tell me I’m anxious too. At least anxiety is usually the culprit when my hands start getting eczema spots. I have a good one starting on my right thumb (right where it hits the space bar … Continue reading The antidote of favorite things
The Queer Eye lottery and reparations
President* Trump, I seriously doubt it, but it’s possible you’re a closet Queer Eye fan. If you are, then you’ve probably seen Season 5, Episode 2 featuring Rahanna Gray, a dear 27-year old African American Philadelphian who owns a dog grooming business. Just so you know, I’m pretty much going to explain how the show … Continue reading The Queer Eye lottery and reparations
Serial displacements
President* Trump, So Old Lizzie seems to be feeling some better. She was able to come upstairs to go to bed last night under her own steam and in between crashed out naps, she’s been super hungry today, which we are taking to be a good sign. It’s hard, though, seeing her so creaky and … Continue reading Serial displacements
Raising up the gnat
“President” Trump, I want to come back to Sister Dang Nghiem and what I’ve learned from her so far. I finished her dharma talk on how to grieve last night and over and over I was astounded by her incredible equanimity and restraint. You see, throughout the entire hour and 23 minutes of her lesson, … Continue reading Raising up the gnat
“Fixing” curves and bringing history into focus
Dear President Trump, This morning I had nada for you. All I could muster was the date and the salutation – I was so blank I thought I’d probably end up just writing a haiku. Well, you’re in luck because that was the then but now I have not one thing to tell you about, … Continue reading “Fixing” curves and bringing history into focus
Let’s stop playing follow the leader
Dear President Trump, Yesterday I told you about Brother Phap Luu’s encouragement to let go of blaming others for their roles in perpetuating injustice and climate degradation. What I forgot to include is that he also said we need to stop looking to or waiting for charismatic leaders to solve our problems. My sense is … Continue reading Let’s stop playing follow the leader
Daily Trump Letters 