WHAT THE DEVIL?

Times up?
I admit I'm rather overwhelmed. Throughout

life I've always been a rather adept juggler.

Somehow able to handle almost everything

and anything that came my way. Hence reality

never hit. Nor did I slow down. Even if mired

in the muck of an ever evolving life. That is

intil now. Suddenly I find that I can't keep my

head above water. Staying afloat is to be kind

challenging at best. Which makes me wonder.

Have I finally lost it? Or have I simply reached

a point of no return. One where my only option

is to raise my hands in surrender. And therefore

accept that I'm not up to the challenge?

What's old is new
Whoever said that youth is wasted on the young

was right. In my younger and more vulnerable

years I didn't know how to say no. Thus I simply

embraced whatever thrown upon my proverbial

plate. Between building a career, raising kids,

and paying the bills there was little time to fret.

Yet somehow I survived. Even if I wasn't always

at my best. While age brings wisdom one tends

to get tired much more easily. While I benefit

from prior experience, I'm somehow less apt to

'willingly embrace a challenge. Instead I find

myself muttering "why me?!" Or... why now?

Have I lost track of time or fallen off the track?

Better late than never?
Take today. Suddenly it was four o'clock in the

afternoon. And I'd yet to sit down and write my

blog. If pressed I could provide a myriad of 

weak excuses. However in reality I just lost it.

Control that is. And in the process forgot about

this task at hand. Beyond a bruised ego I am a

bit shaken the late arrival of this daily missive.

In part because I honestly have no excuse for

said delay Except to admit that I'm not the man

I used to be. Which might not be a bad thing.

In the past I was often in a rush to get things

done. And you know what they say about fools

rushing in... the devil's in the details!

Summertime when the livin' is easy

All clear?
After over a year of isolation we're all coming

out of our shells. Thus post Covid vaccination

America seems to be having a national reunion

of sorts. As of now we have NO new Covid 19

cases here in Fergus County. One active case.

However Montana's vaccination rate is low at

only 40% fully protected. Thus while it seems

we're out of the viral woods - part of me still

worries whether we're vulnerable. Naysayers

aside, five hundred and ninety eight thousand

Americans have died due to Covid 19 so far.

And I'd like to avoid adding to that number.

So can we safely resume life as we knew it?

Face time
Most if not all of us are throwing caution to the

wind. Along with discarding our masks. Today

the Times posted a series of images including

the one above.  Chronicling America's return

to normalcy. That's all any of us want. To live

without fear. Enjoy each other's company. And

go on with life as we've known it. Ultimately

the last year's precautions will be but a blip in

our stream of consciousness. A distant memory

of a crisis avoided. Therefore unless you've lost

someone you know and love, it seems like it all

really wasn't that a big deal. Even if it was. And

so we move on to enjoy our newfound freedom.

 

Back to the future
Yet it was a global crisis. The virus killed

millions and is still rampant in parts of

the world. Political arguments aside our

combined precautions enabled most of us

to avoid what seemed inevitable. Allowing

us to return to normal behavior as versus

stilted survival tactics. Hence given I'm fully

vaccinated I'm hoping for the best. Even as

I still worry about my grandchildren who as

of yet are ineligible for said shot in the arm.

In the meantime doing what comes naturally.

Hosting dinners. Dining out. And grateful to

do just that. Normal is absolutely pure bliss!

TEMPUS FUGIT

Frequent fliers
Some fool was the first to say "time flies when

you're having fun". A delusional fantasy at best

given the older one gets - the less time there is

left.  Which is anything but a happy thought.

As we age we're reminded that life's clock is

ticking. Hence we should make the most of

the time left. Often a bitch slap of reality will

drive one to do just that. Like escaping a near

death malady or losing one near and dear. In

theory reason enough to indulge every whim

in a quest to recapture youth. For example - 

I offer up two words? "Harley Davidson". So

why speed towards the inevitable dead end?

Time travelers
In theory we should be old enough to know

better. Yet that doesn't stop some men from

growing mutton chops, sporting a pony tail,

or donning leather chaps. Causing even the

straightest of men to be confused for some

gay rogue on his way to a leather bar. I find

no thrill in dentists masquerading as juvenile

delinquents. Especially when they're in their

late sixties. However assuming that time is

of the essence - who am I to judge? After all

in the end we all have to find our own glide

path to next. However somehow I'd rather

grow old and die in the Provence or Umbria.

Old enough to know better
Located across the street from the local gym -

I'm an innocent bystander to life's parade via

our store windows. Every day I watch locals

in search of youth. Including gentleman who

have gone to the dark side. As in hair color

a la Giuliani. A pathetic attempt to avoid the

inevitable. Which is in my opinion worse

than a comb over. Hence I question whether

fighting fate is worth the time and effort. 

After all the older one gets - the wiser. So

why not act like it. Celebrate all that you've

achieved. And please - stop pretending that

you're something you're not! GROW UP!

EQUAL BUT DIFFERENT

Chain reaction
I'm on Facebook everyday. In that I post the

daily blog on there. Yet I rarely scroll down

and catch up on the news. So this morning

I did just that. Finding a few surprises along

the way. Pictures of happy children who are

growing up so quickly. Trophy shots of lush

gardens. Birthday celebrations. Best friends

having the best times. Proclamations of love.

Weddings. Anniversaries. And then suddenly

a political slam against the Obamas. Which

sadly "canceled" all the feel good feelings

experienced thus far. Not only was said post

offensive, it was beyond disappointing. 

Social insecurity
Why are so many filled with anger, hostility,

and resentment? More important - why do

we feel it's necessary to punish our friends

and family by publicly spewing such vitriol?

In the old days everybody just avoided the

inevitable. Walking another way rather than

facing their enemies. Quietly working things

out in private. Or even better yet - keeping

things in context. Now everything is a crisis.

An affront to our rights. Courtesy has been

labeled political correctness. Kindness is

deemed proof that one is weak. And being

polite is considered "snooty". 

Golden opportunity
At some point we all have to back off. And

show some consideration for others. This

deep state of hyper aggression is not only

exhausting... its disrespectful. A violation

of the golden rule. Said disruption's have

one purpose. Which is to make everyone

miserable. It's time to be kinder and gentler.

Not bitter and ballistic. To offer up a sunny

smile versus a snarky smirk. And to treat

each other as we want to be treated. That's

the ultimate manifestation of equality. A

place where we can live happily ever after.

Whether we like each other or... not.

FRUIT LOOPS

Fresh picked

I just read a fascinating article in the Times this

morning. Which chronicled the tale of two farm

stands in Michigan's fruit belt. A unique strip of

land adjacent to Lake Michigan stretching along

much of the state's western border. Just 12 miles

apart, one stand sued the state of Michigan over

Covid mask limitations. As the other enforced

a "no mask no service" policy. The result being

the loss of former customers for both along with

an influx of new shoppers sympathetic to one

or the other. In the end - neither seemed to lose

in the process. Beyond their dignity. So why do

some purposefully pick sides when shopping?!

Orange crush
Over my many years in retail I've learned that

people choose where they shop for a variety of

reasons. Normally the key trigger points being

price, assortment, quality, and service (in that

order). Thus politics have historically not been

a consideration within the retail mix. However

there have been times when folks purposefully

panned brands for violations of cultural mores.

Especially once political activists realized that

one of the best ways to get their message across

was via cash flow. Who knew buying orange

juice or pasta was a political statement? Or that

where you shop might indicate how one votes.

The fruit of our labor
We are all entitled to our opinions and beliefs.

However it's questionable whether punishing

others for such stances makes a difference.

Damaging any retailer's revenue has impact.

But mostly on the people who work there and

surrounding communities. Creating a ripple

effect that ultimately does nobody any good.

When it comes to local goods and services how

one votes isn't the issue. Rather a firm's success

should be measured by benefits they offer on a

consistent basis. Therefore if you're going to

judge them on anything - it should be based on

the fruit of their labor. And NOT sour grapes.

BACK AT YOU

Back at you
Everything the one reads on social media isn't

necessarily true. Everybody has their opinion.

All of us see things from our own perspective.

Plus memory itself is if nothing else rather

a selective process. Hence hindsight is rarely

20/20. The fact is it's dramatically skewed

depending on one's recollection of who, what,

when, why, and where. Just one of the reasons

why it's important to not jump to conclusions.

But rather to step back and do your homework

prior to drawing a line in the sand. Part of said

discovery process is putting together the pieces.

Including all of the missing ones.

Now and then
Long ago I fell ill whenever my parents visited.

Somehow said encounters conjured up all sorts

of bad mojo which tainted any reunion. Slowly

I realized that said poison stemmed from things

long past. So I went to talk to a therapist who if

nothing else helped me connect the dots. Only

then did I realize that my perspective on many

events was historical. That of a child who often

was purposefully or emotionally shielded from

reality. So I decided to act like an adult. And sat

down with my parents to talk about all that was

bothering me. The end result of said fact finding

mission was redemptive release. PHEW!

Fact or friction?
You see, I didn't know the whole story. Hence

any anger I harbored was mostly the result of

limited visibility. Within hours they explained

everything that I didn't know. Their reasons,

motivations, and actions. Along with all others

involved.  Apologizing for any hurt they may

have unintentionally caused. And suddenly all

made sense. Everything that bothered me for

decades was in truth no big deal.  A lesson that

should also be applied to social and political

posts that taint our perception of reality. Some

research will lead you to the truth. A journey

guaranteed to take you to a much better place.

BOOM BOOM ROOM

Lost and found
While named the treasure state - Montana is

a land of extremes. Where the weather rarely

is predictable. Hence one of the more popular

topic of conversation. As you may recall just

over a week ago we had a lot of snow. Along

with temperatures below thirty. Whereas now

we're in the mid eighties. Providing perfect

fodder for those ready to complain at will. 

Hence post grousing about the cold weather

they now claim heat stroke. Causing one to

consider reminding them that it could in fact

be worse. As in hail. Or a random blizzard.

Who knows? It's happened before!

Running on empty?
Some of us are never happy no matter what the

circumstances. However in a place like this it's

hard to predict what happens next. Especially

if you're a rancher. One day you're facing too

much rain - then next drought. Therefore most

locals are skeptical at best. Preferring to hedge

their bets conservatively rather than risk losing

it all. Currently Lewistown is in the midst of

a bit of a boom. With little real estate available

we are now seeing bidding wars. A phenomena

nobody would have predicted a year ago. Yet

many worry and warn that this soon shall pass.

Better safe than sorry. Half empty not full.

What's old is new again
Now that we're on Main Street I meet all sorts

of folks. Amongst them recent transplants or

those considering moving to this amazing burg.

Filled with optimism they have yet to become

jaded. However ignorance an't bliss. Thus even

if it takes a few years they'll learn to not plant

their tomatoes until after Memorial Day. In the

meantime Let's hope that such naive optimism

is infectious. At least enough so as to convince

our community that the best just might be here.

And that naysayers aside - it's real. Of course

it could all fade away. But boom or bust this is

going to be one hell of a ride. YEE HAW!

DO I STAY OR GO?

Exit strategy
We all reach our point of no return. When

depends on the individual. The reasons why

being personal in nature. Yet finally if one

is confronted by inexplicable defeat they

surrender. Which is why some of us simply

disappear. Leaving a life as we know it for

something - anything different. And it's the

finality of such an emotional and physical

departure that sets one reeling. If job related -

all one has to do is quit. However when love

is involved - cutting the ties that bind us to

another is much harder. Thus many people

make do rather than suffer the consequences.

Common sense
Today a total stranger shared her secret with

me. Which is that she's had enough. Having

reached that conclusion post looking across

the table one evening. And realizing that she

and her husband of thirty five years had nada

in common. Along with the fact that over the

past decade they'd basically led separate lives.

Therefore what did she have to lose by literally

leaving town? So that is exactly what she was

doing.  Taking nothing with her except pride

in knowing that she'd finally put an end to their

exercise in futility. Hence while terrified and

sad - she finally has hope. It's almost over.

Hear and now
If we're all honest we've all been there - done

that. Fortunately in most cases we moved on

to find a better place. However, wherever, and

whenever was best for us. While nirvana is a

dream, finding one's sweet spot can be a reality.

There was a time when I thought I'd never be

happy. Then a handsome stranger changed my

life for the better. So whatever you do - never

lose hope. The only thing holding you back is

you - yourself. So rather than accept less - grab

more while you still have a chance. In the end

if you don't - then you've no one to blame but

yourself. So do something about it. NOW.

YOU CAN'T DENY IT

Tulsa, June 1, 1921
Today marks the 100th anniversary of the 

Tulsa Race Riot. Where a century ago a

white mob attacked the black community

of Greenwood. Murdering more than one

hundred. Burning down a thirty five block

prosperous black neighborhood known as

"The Negro Wall Street."  Post said acts

local African Americans got no retribution.

No white perpetrators were ever convicted.

No financial payback issued for property

or lives lost. Instead victims were forced to

act as if nothing had happened. Hence for

this event was Tulsa's hidden dirty secret.

Here today - gone tomorrow
It's hard enough to wrap your mind around

such devastation. Let alone the cruelty of

the acts themselves. Post two days of attacks

the neighborhood lay in ashes. Nothing left

of the unbelievable accomplishments black

citizens had achieved. Proof that society and

all of it's related systems cared nothing for

said minority. And to this day reject any idea

of compensation to victims and descendants.

However what is even worse is that selective

memory erased the legacy of this event. Until

finally, it's now on the record for perpetuity.

However what are we going to do about it?

Crimes against humanity
Many claim the Holocaust was nothing more

than a publicity stunt. Not only is such denial

repulsive, it is horrifically disrespectful to the

victims and their families. Thus while some

deny facts and claim bias - we can't escape our

truth. Prejudice, hate, and avarice is the root of

our evil. From 1882 and 1968 four thousand

seven hundred and forty three black Americans

were lynched by white citizens. Such evil was

rarely prosecuted. Hence murderers lived long

lives in communities where everybody acted

as if nothing happened. Is ignorance bliss?

When do we ALL finally atone for our sins?

It's time we faced reality
America has a long heritage of racism. From

our start African Americans were dragged to

these shores against their will. Enslaved for

generations. Deemed possessions - not people.

Post the Civil War - all efforts to succeed were

stymied by hash economic, social, and cultural

limitations. Thus black Ameicans who strove

forequality were abused, murdered, or shamed.

Even today - George Floyd's murder is proof

that prejudice kills. Yet some still question the

need to say "Black Lives Matter." As if all of

our sins against humanity didn't exist. When

will we accept our guilt and eradicate racism?

IN MEMORIUM

Lilac time...

Once again this Memorial Day

we continue one of Frank's family traditions.

Placing fresh Lilacs on the graves

of those we've loved and lost.

Paying homage to our dearly departed.

Even as they live in our hearts 24/7/12/365.

Therefore while gone
they are most definitely

NOT FORGOTTEN!