7th Day Surprise - Devil may care

HOT ENOUGH FOR YOU?

This political season has reminded us that evil can assault us
anywhere... anytime.

So be careful what you wish for.
you might get it!

PURPLE CRUSH

Lavender hill gang
I must admit that over the last few days
the political mania has literally put me
over the edge. The wrangling, yelling,
finger pointing, scandal, revelations,
and denials were beyond distracting.
To the point where I could barely sleep
through the night. How does one combat
such obvious insanity? It has become so
ludicrous that at times one feels as if we
are all players in a horrific reality show.
Or if one wants to be chi chi, characters
in a Fellini movie. Beyond surreal one
can only ask when is this going to end?!

Purple people eater
Fortunately it seems that everybody feels
the same way. Who can't wait for Election
Day to come and go? Thus whatever side
one falls on, we're at least aligned on one
thing - ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Then all
of a sudden I had an epiphany. Could we
be more aligned than any of us realize?!
Whatever one chooses to believe morally,
politically, or ethically - the majority of
Americans have come to the conclusion
that something is VERY wrong with our
political process. And that it's time that
we put an end to ALL of this foolishness.

UV raise
Which brings me to this conclusion.
Rather than limiting our existence to
red or blue states, many are migrating
to somewhere in between. From far
right or uber left... we're morphing
into ULTRA VIOLETS. Few of us
fall into one distinct category or the
other. In truth the majority of us are
an amalgam of individual opinions,
experiences, and perspectives. Thus
rather than being a ruby red or a true
blue we color our worlds in a range
of tones from lavender to aubergine.

Complimentary colors 
What drove my change in perspective?
For several days I watched the political
debacle unfold on-line, Facebook, and
the TV. Seeing such foolishness made
me wonder who could possibly support
such insanity? Could my friends on the
rouge side vote for said rogue?! Knowing
what they stand for, personally, morally,
and spiritually it seemed impossible that
they would cross over to the dark side.
And while even now I don't know how
they'll vote, I know in my heart of hearts
that deep within they have purple souls.

Passion fruit
Growing up in the most Republican of
homes, my father definitely bled red.
As a WASP I followed in my father's
footsteps which included voting for
Ronald Reagan. However the more that
I saw of this world, the further I veered
from the right to the middle and finally to
somewhere on the left. The fact is we're
all a moving target and the more we see,
the more we learn. And said journey of
illumination has taken me down the purple
brick road to a better place. Thus most of
us are virtually impossible to color code.

Purple reign
Said realization has left me in a purple
haze. Theoretically if one throws off a
violet aura they're in a very good place.
Hence my hope is that if nothing else
this torturous turmoil has brought us
through hell, fire, and brimstone to a
happy ending. One where we all can
now embrace our diversity rather than
rigidly align with one versus the other
colored viewpoint. America by it's very
construct is a melting pot. Thus when
you mix red, white, and blue you end
up with some shade of the color purple.

CLOWNING AROUND

Send in the clowns
I'm terrified of clowns. Where said angst
stems from I've no idea. Beyond annually
attending the circus at Madison Square
Garden, I can't recall engaging with many
pancaked  pantomimes. However there is
one thing that I know. I've yet to encounter
a clown I didn't loathe. Now it seems that
a plethora of sinister clowns are attacking
innocent Americans. So much so that even
our local paper recently featured said evil
threat on it's from page. Causing one to
wonder if we haven't all lost our minds.
Or at least our sense of humor??!

Dumb or dumber?
The obvious transition is to the election.
Depending on your perspective, one or
the other candidate can be considered
a clown. In addition, the recent exodus
of Republicans dumping their choice is
proof that some clowns travel in PACs.
Rather than funny, their actions are more
scary than any speckled specter roaming
the streets in floppy shoes. That's because
our collective future lies in the hands of
those many consider to be jokes. Yet in
my opinion the pratfalls of said juncture
of jesters is the least of our worries.

Freak show
If anything has disappointed it's not that
bunch of clowns. Rather it's our virulent
case of ignorance. Whatever one thinks
of Washington, one thing is certain. And
that is the unprecedented nastiness that
has overtaken America. Fueled by rumor,
innuendo, fiction, or fraud it's transformed
historically smart people into babbling
bozos spouting anything except the truth.
And while I reject most of their conspiracy
theories, one can't help but wonder if some
sinister puppet master isn't yanking all of
our strings in their favor.

The joke is on us
Unfortunately it's easy to join this three
ring circus. Yesterday I poked a stick in
a bear's cage when I challenged a friend's
rabid ramblings about Hillary Clinton.
Subsequently we jumped through hoops
as each of us attempted to alter the other's
perceptions of reality. Quickly a rather
adept lady also joined in our acrobatic
arguments. Following a plethora of links
and postings fantasy continued to usurp
reality. While not surprising, any rational
human being can't find such an exercise
in futility even slightly funny. It's SAD.

Spin cycle
Somehow we've lost our ability to separate
fact from fiction. While not yet overrun by
terrorists garbed a la Bozo, quite a few are
clowning around with our future. Stealth
jesters poison the minds of Americans by
spreading what is in truth a bunch of lies.
Leaving many paralyzed in horror as we
view the crazed spectacle unfolding before
us. Experience shows one can't possibly
combat delusional deception with any sort
of rational reaction. Thus while others whip
themselves into a frenzy, it's best to watch
them spin from afar. And hope for the best.

LADIES FIRST REDUX

In light of all of the "locker room" conversations,
I can't  help but repeat myself. 
First published on July 5th of this year,
I find this blog worthy of reconsideration...

Ten to one
All of a sudden, when you least expect
it, reality hits you in the face. Did you
know that the film entitled "The Devil
Wears Prada" just celebrated it's tenth
birthday? I found that quite shocking
as I just watched it a few weeks ago.
At the time it seemed just as fresh and
relevant as it had the first time I'd seen
it. However given I was viewing said
flick while ironing, I've obviously been
out of the fashion business for a couple
of years. Yet during my tenure there
I had my share of pressing situations.

Drop dead gorgeous
For much of my career I've reported to very
strong women. Savvy, smart, confident, and
yet quirky ladies. We've all got our schtick
however some carried their daily drama to
Shakespearean levels. While not always as
entertaining, each and every day under their
leadership was illuminating. And much like
Meryl Streep's homage to Anna Wintour,
each had their ways. One boss arrived late
daily with a voluminous Louis Vuitton tote
full of surprises a la Felix The Cat. Shortly
after she doled out said goodies, we were
all sent scrambling! My God was that fun!

Women's world
Bravado aside, each and every superior of
a feminine nature was better than almost
all the men put together. In hindsight they
had to be given the odds were against them.
As a male I can't imagine what it was like
to build a career in the days that required
a girl wear a suit and bow tie. Under their
leadership I learned many things however
the most important fact was that men and
women are different. And nothing could
be better than that. Simply because females
have a depth of wisdom and compassion
that far surpasses that of the male species.

Boys will be boys
Let's be honest. The battle of the sexes
has been going on since time began. Yet
many can easily set that dynamic aside
in the office. In my experience, when
someone slips off the slope of propriety
it's invariably a boy. Remember that pig
of a boss in Nine To Five? Well in just
about every company theres at least one
of those gentleman prowling the office.
Always looking for more than a cup of
coffee. Hence I've found it's better to
suffer the slings of menopausal mood
swings than swing with the boys club.

Out of the mouths of babes
It's been advised that it's best to not
defecate where one eats. Yet some
people can't resist flinging crap in
the office. Recently a top executive
at a fashion brand suggested that it
would have been better if another
key leader had been present at the
prior days terrorist attack. Post said
session the audience of serfs treated
their post traumatic stress syndrome
by marching down to H.R. Quickly
thereafter said guilty party exited
the building. Well shut my mouth...

Mother nature
Life starts with some woman calling
the shots. By their very nature most
Mothers feel the need to guide our
way. Maternal instincts aside, it's a
proven scientific fact than men are
from Mars, women from Venus. Yet
any adult knows that every human is
different. Hence making judgements
based on sex alone is foolish at best.
Some of us never learn. Meaning that
certain chauvinists are still learning
what equality really means. Fair is
fair. When will the foolishness end?

Pride and prejudice
However one's chromosomes fall,
human decency is a key element of
leadership. It's been my privilege
to work for great women and men.
In addition I've suffered fools who
didn't deserve to sit at the head of
the table. And... they knew it. My
father advised me to be careful of
"stupid" people in roles of power.
That's because ignorance always
breeds fear and contempt. Sadly
said evil manifests itself in the
office, home, and world at large.

Ladies first
I'm not saying that women are better
but then again, yes I am. While that
may shock some I'm fairly confident
that I'm right. Not every member of
the feminine persuasion is perfect.
However most leverage a higher level
of compassion, foresight, and wisdom
that many men can only marvel at. This
November we've got a choice between
two classic power brokers. While each
of them has their share of sins we must
choose one. Based on my experience
I'm voting for my feminine side.

MY HAPPY PLACE

Round trip excursion
While this writer may espouse the concept
of escaping, in truth I'm a homebody. Hence
while it's good to stretch one's boundaries,
my natural inclination is to cocoon. I'm an
inveterate creature of habit thus I'll admit
it's good to be back where I belong. The
pleasantries of having one's bed linens and
towels changed daily aside, I'm happy to
be forced to make my own bed and lie in it.
Because it's ours alone I'm certain that after
hitting my own sheets tonight I'll sleep the
best I have in a week. Could absence truly
make the heart grow fonder?

Snow day
Some claim the grass is greener yet
we returned home to find our home
turf covered with snow and leaves.
While autumn is in full force here
in central Montana it appeared more
like winter. Yet the joy of returning
home can't be usurped by even the
worst of Mother Nature's onslaught.
It's tough to describe the pleasure of
being in one's own space. Everything
ready and waiting to welcome you
back to your daily grind. Talk about
the pleasures of home sweet home...

To do list
Then one realizes a week of laundry has
to be done. Or discover the forgotten bits
and pieces left in the fridge. All over our
abode elements literally screamed out for
attention. In our case it was an irate smoke
detector in one of our guest rooms. Every
few minutes it squealed loudly in protest
of some malfunction. As with all things
in our new old house, I had no idea if it
had a battery or not. Post climbing up a
letter and looking closer, I still couldn't
figure out exactly what was wrong. And
then in error I pushed the wrong button.

Return to sender
Suddenly the entire house was abuzz.
After some fumbling I re-pushed the
button and SILENCE! Soon thereafter
our electrician arrived with the answer.
And yes, all it needed was a battery!
Moving on to my next big challenge
I followed up on an errant package
lost between here and there. Finally
we confronted the gigantic mound of
mail waiting to be opened. All of the
above and more could quickly cause
one to wonder why they ever came
back. Yet home is where my heart is.

Repeat performance
While there may be merits to journeying
beyond one's comfort zone, the benefits
of staying put far outweigh exploratory
tendencies. Thus at least for this man, a
mundane existence of rote rituals seems
rather comforting. It enables one to zone
out the world by staying within the cozy
confines of their Pavlovian safety net.
Therefore sans any room or turn down
services this homebody is happiest right
where I belong. My only question is...
which of my favorite recipes should I
prepare for our welcome home dinner?!

MAY THE WORST MAN WIN?!

What a filthy mess
Post viewing the political equivalent of
mud wrestling, I've no desire to rehash
the second Presidential Debate. That's
because I'm morbidly ashamed of what
our political process has wrought. The
evening's debacle left many to wonder
if we can ever recoup post such a blow
below the belt of our collective dignity.
For the first time in our history hatred
cruelty, and derision ruled our national
arena. A sickening display of the worst
of humanity that many found disgusting.
Leaving me to think SHAME ON US.

Pussy to go
When will the mudslingers finally figure
out that the ones caught in their crossfire
are we the people?! If America truly is in
crisis, it's because we've lost any shred of
dignity we had. Facebook is no longer a
cyber conclave but rather a battleground
besieged by constant barrages of lies and
innuendo. Folks who we once considered
friends post political poison that quickly
annihilates whatever connection we had
with them. Hence a platform where one
formerly shared photos of cavorting cats
is now a forum where we discuss pussy.

War of the worlds
I have never been a political animal.
Yet this election has consumed me.
Not because I support one candidate
versus the other. But  rather due to
the turmoil wrought by our political
purgatory. Rather than bringing ALL
together - it's splintered us into an
array of isolated factions. Unable to
align on common goals congressional
and senate leaders are mired in what
can only be considered mass hysteria.
Which creates the state of inertia that
is crippling our ability to be the best.

Zombie apocalypse
Via this blog I've tried to work through
my angst, fears, and confusion over the
state of our union. All of which has led
to a drop in readership. Either some of
you disagree or have opted to focus on
something more positive. I can't blame
you yet for the first time in my life I'm
worried our democracy is in danger of
becoming extinct. Not because of the
Presidential candidates. But due to the
realization that my fellow citizens have
given up. Rather than fight they've let
an army of zealot zombies take over.

Capital offense
Horror stories aside, this mess is not
going away. Whoever assumes the
Presidential mantle, they will inherit
a legislative killing field. Leaving me
to doubt whether either candidate can
fix this mess. Nor heal the wounds of
those who will vote them into office.
Only we can change our world. And
that starts by treating one and all with
the upmost of respect. Isn't it time to
join together and put an end to all of
this foolishness? If the end is near,
why not join forces to start anew?!

You made your bed... now lie in it.

What goes around comes around
This weekend's media buzz has once
again proved that karma is inevitable.
As I write this blog I've no idea what
will transpire on Sunday's Presidential
debates. However my forecast is that
it won't be pretty. This election cycle
has been the ugliest, dirtiest, and most
foulest I've ever seen in my lifetime.
However my gut is that until Election
Day we will continue to be collectively
dragged into the gutter by the recently
"busted" gentleman in question. How
low we can go is yet to be determined.

You can't teach an old dog...
Common sense suggests it's wise to not
corner a rabid beast. Fear mixed with
anger is a lethal cocktail. However in
the midst of such mania it's rather hard
to avoid confrontation. Thus whatever
the outcome of the latest staged repartee,
nastiness to be expected. History shows
time and time again that Donald Trump
comes out fighting. Therefore while some
have suggested that an exit strategy is in
order, the guy caught with his pants down
continues to be ready to publicly display
his shortcomings by barking the loudest.

Boys will be boys
The question is - why are we surprised?
Said revelations are simply confirmation
of what we already knew. However this
time the alpha male argument seems to
have fallen upon deaf ears. Human nature
aside, one hopes that we the people hold
our leaders to higher standards than the
rest of the pack. Some may deem such an
approach as archaic or naive. However
the only way to achieve great things is to
aspire to greatness. Given the two choices
we've got, we're left with one choice. And
she's smart enough to act like a leader.

All that glitters is not gold
Could this be the end of reality television?
For several decades Donald Trump has been
positioning himself as top dog. Manipulating
communications tools like the Machiavellian
media maven that he truly is. Like any form
of entertainment it's virtually impossible to
separate fact from fiction. Yet sadly many
Americans seem gullible enough to take him
at two-faced value. So let's be honest, The
Donald has played us all. In particular those
in the media who he leverages on a continual
basis. All while claiming it to be a biased,
unfair, and dishonest conspiracy against him.

A leopard never changes it's spots
Abject apologies aside, we are who we are.
Meaning that while one might regret the
error of their ways, theres little doubt that
history will repeat itself.  That's because
most powerful people can't help themselves.
Theres a reason they've gotten to this point.
And if nothing else all of these revelations
continue to show us who they really are.
So... the question is who would your prefer
to have sitting at the table across from our
enemies? An inconsistent con man who
just might attempt to play footsie or a tough
broad who is ready and willing to negotiate?

Better late than never
Timing is everything. Hence we must be
willing to embrace our reality when it's
staring us in the face. Hillary Clinton is
a politician. She's been part of the system
for a long time and knows the ropes. Mr.
Donald Trump is a performer. Everything
we continue to see and hear confirms that
when given the microphone, he's unable
to control himself. Whether you like the
lady or not, she knows what she's doing.
Whereas the gentleman in question has
proven he's the most unsuitable candidate
in the history of our democratic process.

It's how you play the game
Have we learned our lesson from another
refresher course in reality? Few can argue
that we've done this to ourselves. If we've
been left without any viable candidates it's
because most of us long ago checked out
of the political process. Isn't it time we
accepted that WE created the mess we're
in? Just sitting and waiting for something
good to happen is an exercise in futility.
Rather we must be vigilant, engaged, and
proactive. Otherwise we'll continue to be
stuck on the losing team. Together we can
prove that CHEATERS NEVER WIN!