As a quasi-amateur sailor I can not begin to describe how appropriate this image is and the comfort Dr. Richardson’s and Mr. Ralstons description is and the comfort it brings me. The comfort of natural chaos as opposed to man-made chaos. The sea is a profound place and time spent admiring her natural chaos is indeed time well spent. As always, my grateful thanks to Dr. Richardson, Mr. Ralston, Buddy and everyone here who join for the common good. Each and every day my mind is eased by the enlightened discourse here.
Having made it (almost) around the world, I know what a big part good maintenance has in safe voyaging. There may be challenges and occasionally disasters, but the boat will float ~ until it's on the rocks.
The strength of the chain is in its weakest link. We always had a "snubber" between the boat and the anchor chain in rough weather. Rope has more give.
Thank you Heather. Wonderful photo from Mr Ralston.
My take from the photo is the fact that we have done all that we could. What ultimately happens, will. Lets hope the safeguards are in place. We are all standing on shore watching a force stronger by nature than we are. Several years ago, I watched a relentless winter storm pound the shores of Lake Ontario. There was an old boathouse that was being broken down by the winds and high waves. I watched that boathouse disintegrate into the Lake. It saddened me to helplessly watch this happen thinking of all of the generations that had used that boathouse. In the Spring, a new boathouse was built. Taller, wider and stronger to take on the next storm that would eventually come. Because there always will be another storm.
Linda, excellent reminder that nothing lasts forever and we must be alert to the shifts, and willing to roll with them. The old proverb of the oak tree and the reed comes to mind. If we refuse to bend in the face of a greater force, we will be broken.
This seems to me a perfect description of Mitch McConnell and his merry band of obstructionists.
We still have a Senate run-off in Georgia, and Postcards to Voters is still looking for volunteers to send get-out-the-vote postcards. If you can send even 10 a day, that would help. www. PostcardsToVoters.org
There's also an hope-inspiring article in The Lily this morning about a woman named Stacy Efrat, who leads a group that focuses on knocking on doors at apartment complexes in Cobb County.
Yes I read that article. So inspiring and hopeful! What a woman.. the manager of a bank who takes time off during lunch breaks to scope out neighborhoods to later canvass in person! I tried to find an organization that she is affiliated with to donate to but couldn’t. If you find that info, please let me know.
And thank you for the link to write postcards. I will check it. I just did my first partial phone bank session for Fair Fight. Glad I got past my introvert nervousness, finally!
Thank you, Ruth, for posting the postcards to voters link! I'm in the middle of signing up and designing one for approval to send out when I get my list of addresses. What a creative way to help get out the vote. Personally, I strongly dislike getting phone calls and being flooded with campaign emails. Postcards designed by the senders is a wonderful way to participate. I would have enjoyed receiving such encouragement (had I needed any) to vote!
Ruth, I jumped in on this already. I hope as many people who can, will. It's very easy to do, they assign you names and addresses to send the post cards to.
I love that image – thank you, Professor. The water off the coast of Maine – so alive, so cold it takes the breath.
I wrote a poem about that water after spending time on the Maine coast and I was looking for it this morning when I stumbled across a poem from 2016 that I’d forgotten.
I also read something this earlier morning that got my goat, Ross Douthat’s opinion piece in the New York Times (The Texas Lawsuit and the Age of Dreampolitik). I’m not going to summarize it – you can subject yourselves to it if you feel the need – but one of his assertions is that we (Democrats and Liberals generally) imagined all nature or horrors that would result from a Trump presidency and continue to do so. I confess to imagining some pretty grim outcomes – some of which have not (yet) come to fruition.
So, here is the poem I wrote following the Republican convention in 2016. I hope you will indulge me for including a poem in this forum, and I wish you a healthy and restful Sunday.
"Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it." Donald Trump July 21, 2016
Amazingly accurate description that could’ve been written today. I think you’re a fortune teller! I also believe the press covered trump wayyyy too much and because of that constant coverage, played a role in getting him elected. I also believe our nation is definitely in need of governmental laws instead of relying on norms. It’s only through strict safeguards that America can prevent the next wannabe autocratic leader from trying to destroy our democracy. It’s just so disheartening.
At the time, I was becoming increasingly concerned that ratings were driving coverage of candidate Trump.
To be clear, I did not think he would be elected and was, like many, surprised when he was. The poem was something of a fever dream expressing my fear that should he be elected, bad things would follow. It was also a reaction to what appeared to me to be an almost giddy reaction by some in the media to his candidacy and this annoyed me.
Hearing Joe Biden introduce his latest cabinet choices the other day and then listening to them speak has confirmed for me that we will be okay! Smart, experienced, compassionate (non criminal!) people are stepping up to the plate with enthusiasm and a genuine desire to serve. There is a tremendous amount of work to be done, but we will get there. We almost lost it, but the anchor is still there!
I’m so grateful for the educational letters and videos that you put forth that provide perspective to some really crazy and stress inducing events. That so many people are paying attention to you also gives me hope!
I know that many people want more of this, or that, whether political philosophy or ethnic mix, but what I see is a transitional cabinet for a transitional presidency. Experience and confidence to rebuild damaged institutions. I grieve for more we have time lost in building a better future. I'm old enough that I truly, naively believed we were on that arc towards justice. Guess we'll just have to keep applying supports.
Very good podcast. Shared it with my hubby and sons. Thank you for all you do.
I really keyed into you comment about change. We don't always get what we want immediately. That women and people of color have an uphill battle (especially in TEXAS). As I was told a few years....it is about the long game and developing relationships with those in office...we shall see.
She’s a beloved , generous person. She has been so generous to us here in the place she grew up. She was a godsend to many after the Gatlinburg fires, helping to keep people afloat financially.
The metaphor for the days we are in is perfect. I just sent it to a large crew of people. I treasure these letters and your days-off messages are always equally welcome. At my lowest -- these days it seems daily -- I look forward to hearing from you to better understand the historical context, to draw comfort from the fact that other people are out there who will be trying to help keep this country together. I have so little hope these dark days, but you have put a visual and words that I will lean into. I do hopes that all of the attention paid to our ground tackle these last 250 ish years, despite the fact that we let it accumulate a lot of rust below the water without paying enough attention to it . . will reward us in the end . . .
I sailed and raced off New England shores for many years growing up in New England, and many times experienced the power of the sea and also the helplessness at times it evoked in me. Today, I am powerless over the destructive whims of men and women who have openly defied our country’s Constitution. But, I am NOT powerless over my own opinions, my own actions, and my own faith in a power greater than myself. That power, whom I choose to call God, will somehow find the appropriate “punishment” for these treasonous human beings.
I’m 90 years old and have, in all my years, never had to be a bystander as these seditious human beings openly defied our Democracy and our country’s history. Remembering all the terrible acts committed by people through the centuries as our young country sought a path towards a true democracy, I am horrified by the callousness and the sheer audacity of these people. They should be accused and tried for sedition. I truly hope that at least some form of censure will be forthcoming.
I agree wholeheartedly with you. They definitely should be tried for sedition. They have spit in the face of the oath they swore, hand on the Bible, to uphold. They need to be held accountable or this will be repeated.
I totally agree with you. My father would be 102 right now and he nearly lost his life as did my mother during World War II. They both thought against fascism and for democracy. Many of his friends died on Omaha beach. My son spent a year in Iraq and lost a lot there. I don’t know how you manage to stand by and watch this but I am 63 and it is making me sick. What are we going to do?
This has to be particularly hard to watch for someone whose parents and child have suffered on behalf of fighting for their country. I also don’t know what we are going to do except to keep writing, calling, making our voices heard.
Holding steady in rough waters. The waves will wash over but never sink us. Thank you, Heather. Thank you, Peter Ralston. And thanks to everyone here who help keep me grounded in these rough waters.
You check your gear and check it again, then a huge "sleeper wave" comes out of the Southwest and rushes into the cove. Anchor line snapped while you are down on the bottom "popping" abalone and when your come to the surface, lungs screaming for oxygen, only to watch helplessly while the back side of a monstrous wave travels toward the rocks carrying your tiny inflatable boat and your dive partner with it. As if that wasn't enough you look out to sea and ride to the top of another "freight train of water" and witness the white water streaming over the top of the wave indicating that it has "broke" between you and the boat. You look at your watch in anticipation of the accident report of when you last saw your partner, when you see a head bob up. You swim to him and try to assure him that you are in the best of condition and can push him ahead of you back to where you launched the boat. The sea is chaos with waves breaking in a "potato" patch, but you both survive to dive another November in the "Pacific" ocean because you were prepared!
We're all praying our country's anchor to democracy holds, indeed!
As a quasi-amateur sailor I can not begin to describe how appropriate this image is and the comfort Dr. Richardson’s and Mr. Ralstons description is and the comfort it brings me. The comfort of natural chaos as opposed to man-made chaos. The sea is a profound place and time spent admiring her natural chaos is indeed time well spent. As always, my grateful thanks to Dr. Richardson, Mr. Ralston, Buddy and everyone here who join for the common good. Each and every day my mind is eased by the enlightened discourse here.
Having made it (almost) around the world, I know what a big part good maintenance has in safe voyaging. There may be challenges and occasionally disasters, but the boat will float ~ until it's on the rocks.
The strength of the chain is in its weakest link. We always had a "snubber" between the boat and the anchor chain in rough weather. Rope has more give.
Wonderful metaphor.
Thanks to the Supreme Court decision I have a little more faith that the boat will be there in the morning.
Thank you Heather. Wonderful photo from Mr Ralston.
My take from the photo is the fact that we have done all that we could. What ultimately happens, will. Lets hope the safeguards are in place. We are all standing on shore watching a force stronger by nature than we are. Several years ago, I watched a relentless winter storm pound the shores of Lake Ontario. There was an old boathouse that was being broken down by the winds and high waves. I watched that boathouse disintegrate into the Lake. It saddened me to helplessly watch this happen thinking of all of the generations that had used that boathouse. In the Spring, a new boathouse was built. Taller, wider and stronger to take on the next storm that would eventually come. Because there always will be another storm.
Be safe, be well.
Linda, excellent reminder that nothing lasts forever and we must be alert to the shifts, and willing to roll with them. The old proverb of the oak tree and the reed comes to mind. If we refuse to bend in the face of a greater force, we will be broken.
This seems to me a perfect description of Mitch McConnell and his merry band of obstructionists.
I would call him a seditionist
We still have a Senate run-off in Georgia, and Postcards to Voters is still looking for volunteers to send get-out-the-vote postcards. If you can send even 10 a day, that would help. www. PostcardsToVoters.org
There's also an hope-inspiring article in The Lily this morning about a woman named Stacy Efrat, who leads a group that focuses on knocking on doors at apartment complexes in Cobb County.
https://www.thelily.com/this-woman-discovered-a-democratic-gold-mine-in-georgia-it-could-help-win-the-high-stakes-runoff/
Yes I read that article. So inspiring and hopeful! What a woman.. the manager of a bank who takes time off during lunch breaks to scope out neighborhoods to later canvass in person! I tried to find an organization that she is affiliated with to donate to but couldn’t. If you find that info, please let me know.
I get the impression that she is the organization. When I did a search, this came up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a054babae2faa8-cobb
Ruth, thank you! I just sent her an email and from that site and I will use the link she gives to donate via paypal.
And thank you for the link to write postcards. I will check it. I just did my first partial phone bank session for Fair Fight. Glad I got past my introvert nervousness, finally!
Thank you, Ruth, for posting the postcards to voters link! I'm in the middle of signing up and designing one for approval to send out when I get my list of addresses. What a creative way to help get out the vote. Personally, I strongly dislike getting phone calls and being flooded with campaign emails. Postcards designed by the senders is a wonderful way to participate. I would have enjoyed receiving such encouragement (had I needed any) to vote!
I wrote a lot of postcards for the guy in North Carolina who ended up Sexting his girlfriend..🤮
At least YOU did your part.
Kathleen, as the adage goes, no good deed goes unpunished...... sorry to hear that. 😔
I’ll say
Ruth, I jumped in on this already. I hope as many people who can, will. It's very easy to do, they assign you names and addresses to send the post cards to.
I love that image – thank you, Professor. The water off the coast of Maine – so alive, so cold it takes the breath.
I wrote a poem about that water after spending time on the Maine coast and I was looking for it this morning when I stumbled across a poem from 2016 that I’d forgotten.
I also read something this earlier morning that got my goat, Ross Douthat’s opinion piece in the New York Times (The Texas Lawsuit and the Age of Dreampolitik). I’m not going to summarize it – you can subject yourselves to it if you feel the need – but one of his assertions is that we (Democrats and Liberals generally) imagined all nature or horrors that would result from a Trump presidency and continue to do so. I confess to imagining some pretty grim outcomes – some of which have not (yet) come to fruition.
So, here is the poem I wrote following the Republican convention in 2016. I hope you will indulge me for including a poem in this forum, and I wish you a healthy and restful Sunday.
"Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it." Donald Trump July 21, 2016
This is the Donald the Press built
This is the lie
That spewed from the Donald the Press built
This is the nation
That swallowed the lie
That spewed from the Donald the press built
This is the election
That ruined the nation
That swallowed the lie
That spewed from the Donald the Press built
This is the chaos
That followed the election
That ruined the nation
That swallowed the lie
That spewed from the Donald the Press built
This is the war
That mirrored the chaos
That followed the election
That ruined the nation
That swallowed the lie
That spewed from the Donald the Press built
This is the world
That was torn by the war
That mirrored the chaos
That followed the election
That ruined the nation
That swallowed the lie
That spewed from the Donald the Press built
September 1, 2016
Wow. Just Wow.
The war "went viral."
Amazingly accurate description that could’ve been written today. I think you’re a fortune teller! I also believe the press covered trump wayyyy too much and because of that constant coverage, played a role in getting him elected. I also believe our nation is definitely in need of governmental laws instead of relying on norms. It’s only through strict safeguards that America can prevent the next wannabe autocratic leader from trying to destroy our democracy. It’s just so disheartening.
Thank you for your comment.
At the time, I was becoming increasingly concerned that ratings were driving coverage of candidate Trump.
To be clear, I did not think he would be elected and was, like many, surprised when he was. The poem was something of a fever dream expressing my fear that should he be elected, bad things would follow. It was also a reaction to what appeared to me to be an almost giddy reaction by some in the media to his candidacy and this annoyed me.
This is incredible. So prescient and so horrific
Hearing Joe Biden introduce his latest cabinet choices the other day and then listening to them speak has confirmed for me that we will be okay! Smart, experienced, compassionate (non criminal!) people are stepping up to the plate with enthusiasm and a genuine desire to serve. There is a tremendous amount of work to be done, but we will get there. We almost lost it, but the anchor is still there!
I’m so grateful for the educational letters and videos that you put forth that provide perspective to some really crazy and stress inducing events. That so many people are paying attention to you also gives me hope!
I know that many people want more of this, or that, whether political philosophy or ethnic mix, but what I see is a transitional cabinet for a transitional presidency. Experience and confidence to rebuild damaged institutions. I grieve for more we have time lost in building a better future. I'm old enough that I truly, naively believed we were on that arc towards justice. Guess we'll just have to keep applying supports.
A perfect photo and caption.
You were outstanding, along with Steven Harper, on Bill Moyers' podcast. Brava.
Very good podcast. Shared it with my hubby and sons. Thank you for all you do.
I really keyed into you comment about change. We don't always get what we want immediately. That women and people of color have an uphill battle (especially in TEXAS). As I was told a few years....it is about the long game and developing relationships with those in office...we shall see.
She was!
Thank you for mentioning this - listening now.
It’s not just you. Tonight I took a mental break by watching the Netflix documentary about Dolly Parton.
May we get past this dark period in American history and emerge a better and stronger nation, recommitted to democracy.
She’s a beloved , generous person. She has been so generous to us here in the place she grew up. She was a godsend to many after the Gatlinburg fires, helping to keep people afloat financially.
Don't forget the literacy programs with children's books! Or her generous donations that was an early support for the research on the Moderna vaccine!
I think she’s amazing. So down to earth, yet tough as nails.
The metaphor for the days we are in is perfect. I just sent it to a large crew of people. I treasure these letters and your days-off messages are always equally welcome. At my lowest -- these days it seems daily -- I look forward to hearing from you to better understand the historical context, to draw comfort from the fact that other people are out there who will be trying to help keep this country together. I have so little hope these dark days, but you have put a visual and words that I will lean into. I do hopes that all of the attention paid to our ground tackle these last 250 ish years, despite the fact that we let it accumulate a lot of rust below the water without paying enough attention to it . . will reward us in the end . . .
A metaphor indeed. The anchor appears to be holding, but will the seas ever subside?
Merry Chrismukkah HCR and everyone.
I sailed and raced off New England shores for many years growing up in New England, and many times experienced the power of the sea and also the helplessness at times it evoked in me. Today, I am powerless over the destructive whims of men and women who have openly defied our country’s Constitution. But, I am NOT powerless over my own opinions, my own actions, and my own faith in a power greater than myself. That power, whom I choose to call God, will somehow find the appropriate “punishment” for these treasonous human beings.
I’m 90 years old and have, in all my years, never had to be a bystander as these seditious human beings openly defied our Democracy and our country’s history. Remembering all the terrible acts committed by people through the centuries as our young country sought a path towards a true democracy, I am horrified by the callousness and the sheer audacity of these people. They should be accused and tried for sedition. I truly hope that at least some form of censure will be forthcoming.
I agree wholeheartedly with you. They definitely should be tried for sedition. They have spit in the face of the oath they swore, hand on the Bible, to uphold. They need to be held accountable or this will be repeated.
I totally agree with you. My father would be 102 right now and he nearly lost his life as did my mother during World War II. They both thought against fascism and for democracy. Many of his friends died on Omaha beach. My son spent a year in Iraq and lost a lot there. I don’t know how you manage to stand by and watch this but I am 63 and it is making me sick. What are we going to do?
This has to be particularly hard to watch for someone whose parents and child have suffered on behalf of fighting for their country. I also don’t know what we are going to do except to keep writing, calling, making our voices heard.
I keep doing that. I sent a particularly appointed message to Ron Johnson from Wisconsin this week because he’s such a jerk
Holding steady in rough waters. The waves will wash over but never sink us. Thank you, Heather. Thank you, Peter Ralston. And thanks to everyone here who help keep me grounded in these rough waters.
Another great Ralston photo! It doesn't matter whether you are Democrat or Republican, we can all love Peter's artwork. No disagreement there.
You check your gear and check it again, then a huge "sleeper wave" comes out of the Southwest and rushes into the cove. Anchor line snapped while you are down on the bottom "popping" abalone and when your come to the surface, lungs screaming for oxygen, only to watch helplessly while the back side of a monstrous wave travels toward the rocks carrying your tiny inflatable boat and your dive partner with it. As if that wasn't enough you look out to sea and ride to the top of another "freight train of water" and witness the white water streaming over the top of the wave indicating that it has "broke" between you and the boat. You look at your watch in anticipation of the accident report of when you last saw your partner, when you see a head bob up. You swim to him and try to assure him that you are in the best of condition and can push him ahead of you back to where you launched the boat. The sea is chaos with waves breaking in a "potato" patch, but you both survive to dive another November in the "Pacific" ocean because you were prepared!
Great photo and sentiment for this time. Thanks for all that you do to steer us through the daily storm.
It does beg the question: if some of the crew are mutinous, can we refuse to seat them in the House?