Dear President Trump, I’ve come up with some more things for the list I started at the end of yesterday’s letter in response to Elizabeth Warren’s “Dream Big / Fight Hard” campaign slogan. I’m calling it my “I wish they weren’t big dreams” list: having a woman POTUS having at least half of all decision … Continue reading The “I wish they weren’t big dreams” list
The Common Good
Fighting for big dreams
Dear President Trump, Last night Laura and I were stopped at the light right by our house, waiting to turn left and we noticed a modest sized poster in the window of a house that reads “Dream Big / Fight Hard.” Neither of us knew who or what it was referencing, but we both liked … Continue reading Fighting for big dreams
A toxic stew of anger, sadness, and helplessness
Dear President Trump, Sometimes when I’m contending with the combination of anger, sadness, and helplessness I resort to being snide and I’m afraid that’s what happened in yesterday’s letter. I’m certainly not going to apologize to you, but it’s not a posture or way of being that I’m proud of or want to indulge in … Continue reading A toxic stew of anger, sadness, and helplessness
The climate change reality show for select world leaders
Dear President Trump, This is another one of my absurd “if only” thoughts, but here goes: how about all the world leaders who have either refused to sign the Paris Climate Agreement or who have pulled their countries out of the Agreement spent at least two days in Dorian’s path? I think it’s a terrific … Continue reading The climate change reality show for select world leaders
“Thoughts and prayers” = morally corrupt shields
Dear President Trump, Last night I finally got to see the Big Dipper. I managed to block the incredibly bright streetlight in front of our house with my right hand and after letting my eyes adjust for a few seconds, the Big Dipper appeared in the Northwestern sky in all its sparkly glory. And this … Continue reading “Thoughts and prayers” = morally corrupt shields
Beginner’s mind revisited and scary things in the woods
Dear President Trump, So I realized this morning that it’s rather a paradox or a conundrum or something (not even sure what it is) to say anything the least bit authoritative about the concept of beginner’s mind, like I did yesterday. I certainly don’t, and didn’t, pretend to be an expert on it (which would … Continue reading Beginner’s mind revisited and scary things in the woods
Sometimes less really is more
Dear President Trump, So here’s another huge topic that I don’t really want to tackle but won’t leave me alone – how the hell do we not consign millions more people to poverty when we finally come around to the reality that we can’t keep generating stuff at a break-neck pace if we are going … Continue reading Sometimes less really is more
Piling more suffering on suffering people is bad karma
Dear President Trump, Sometimes I know the night before what I want to write to you about in the morning, but last night was not one of those nights. I’ve been topically untethered for some 10 hours and I don’t like it. What’s worse is that this morning all I’ve been able to think about … Continue reading Piling more suffering on suffering people is bad karma
We need a down to earth star
Dear President Trump, At about 8:45 last night when I let our old dog out to pee for what I hoped would be the last time until morning (it was) I saw a single star in the sky to the West and realized it had been months and months since I thought to look for … Continue reading We need a down to earth star
Birds, trees, babies, and screeds
Dear President Trump, Last night Laura and a dear friend of ours were talking with me about my letters to you and they let me know (again) that the letters have been feeling long and didactic-y for a while now. They stopped short of calling them pedantic, which was nice of them, but that word … Continue reading Birds, trees, babies, and screeds