Grandpa Funder!

 

One of the most popular events at our local libraries is the storytimes and crafts for children. Waycross/Ware County Public Library has Story Time for older children on Tuesdays at 4 PM and Toddler Time for the pre-K set on Wednesdays at 10 AM.

Pierce County also has a Story/Craft time on Mondays at 4 PM. This one is special to me because I have occasionally read a story. I hope to be there today to read The Silly Book by Stu Hemple. As a semi-retired community theatre hamwich, there is nothing I like better.

Recently, the parents who attend Story Time and/or Toddler Time with their children were horrified to find out that the library has not yet been properly funded and may have to close down at the end of June.

So, be prepared. These parents vote. They've got buttons, and they're prepared to make their voices heard. Local politicians and Christian Nationalist churches don't know what they have awoken.

They've got buttons that say Moms for Funding Libraries. And there are buttons for other family members. As you can see at the start of this post, I am proud to have a Grandpas for Funding Libraries button.  

And, yes, I am now officially a Grandpa more than ever! I have one Grandchild, a granddaughter, Retta, who is 25 months old today. She is way up in the Catskills Mountains of New York. We make video calls to her at least once a week. This Grandpa has been able to read her some stories, but mostly we just hobnob and watch her play.

Yesterday, however, was extra special. She called me Grandpa for the first time!

So, now it's super official! I am GRANDPA! Woohoo!

Special note: Grandpa Funder, along with many others, is ready to take on the so-called Daddy Defunder, the Ware County Commission Chairman.

The superheroes are ready to take on the supervillains.

Huzzah!

Libby Lets You Listen Too!

 

There's more to Libby than just ebooks and magazines!

Some, like me, prefer physical books, while others prefer to read books on a Kindle or other device.

Another group of people prefers audiobooks.  

Everyone has a different way of learning and absorbing information. Whether it's reading for pleasure or learning something you didn't know in history, how to build something, or positive affirmations, your learning style may be to use your auditory skills.

About the only time I can listen to audio is when I'm driving (preferably a routine route) or walking/mowing. Even then, I prefer podcasts or nonfiction.

Others prefer audiobooks. They are easier for them to concentrate on and read than the written word.

And as we know, LIBRARIES ARE FOR EVERYONE, and waalaa, oops there it is!

Get the latest audio fiction! Libby tells you how long it is and describes the book. This particular one offers seven hours of audio enjoyment.

Like nonfiction? There's this three-hour gem!

And, yes, libraries are for Christians too, including this 5 hour devotional. Seriously, it's better to find the stuff you want to read/listen to than trying to tell everyone else what they CAN'T read/listen to,

Although I don't spend much time with audiobooks, I would like to become a voice artist and record them. I have the voice and acting skills; I just don't have the technical skills. If anyone could ever help with that, I would be very grateful.

Anyhoo, this is another excellent service of your local library.

Now is the time to let the defunders know how much you love and appreciate your library!

When It Says Libby, Libby, Libby at Your Library, Library, Library!

 

I love to read physical books. I love the feel and the smell. I love to know how far I've got to go, to flip back with ease, and to experience the joy of a fun and clever bookmark.

But not everybody is exactly like me.

  Some prefer e-readers. They find it easier to hold, and the size of the print can be adjusted to whatever you want.

And your public library knows this.  

Which is why they offer the wonderful service of Libby...free of charge! It gives you access to hundreds of books and magazines, all available to lend.  

Like Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens?

You can read the ebook on your favorite online device!

Like magazines like National Geographic?

It's available! Along with many other magazines!

How about books and stuff for Young Adults and children?

Oh, yowza! Libby has got them!

How about Graphic Novels?

Oh, yaz! You better believe Libby's has them.

I could go on and on, for whatever interest or taste you have!

And it's all courtesy of your PUBLIC LIBRARY!

Don't let them defund the local libraries. Support them. Make sure civic leaders and others know you have the library's back.

LIBRARIES ARE FOR EVERYONE!

The Joy of Reading

 

I can't imagine life without reading.

And as much as I love reading the written word, that joy can extend itself to braille and audio for those who are blind or have limited eyesight. Even for those with perfect vision, their learning skills and preferred medium may be audio.

I started early. My mother taught me to read before I entered Kindergarten. I was reading information the teacher was writing that she didn't even intend for us - that caused some embarrassment.

By third grade, I was reading out loud to students during the reading time. The teacher learned that the class preferred me to her and that I could hold their attention better. So I read a book about Pocahontas and John Smith, and yes, it was the sanitized fictional version.

I skipped most children's books. The closest I came was the Doctor Dolittle series by Hugh Lofting and the Bobbsey Twins (a girl I liked was reading them, and it gave us a point in common).

By 4, I was reading and collecting comic books. By 8, I was reading science fiction magazines, including serialized novels like Robert Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.

By late elementary I was reading all kinds of things, including books that were being weeded out at the Junior High Library  One of those books was Mein Kempf by Adolph Hitler  And that's how I became a Nazi...NOT  I thought Hitler was insane and a dangerous jackass. You see, sometimes you have to trust the moral and ethical basis you give a young adult is strong enough to guide them through a free society.

By early high school, I had discovered dystopian novels like 1984 and Brave New World, and those influenced me. Like Hitler, I realized how off-course we could get when authoritarian forces took hold.

As I grew up, a cornucopia of books opened up to me, from Lord of the Rings to The Game of Thrones, from Stephen King to Sara Pinbrough, from John Steinbeck to Colson Whitehead,  from Joseph Heller to Margaret Atwood, from Philip K Dick to Harry Turtledove.

I usually have 25 to 60 books on cue to read. I have a random number program to determine what I read next. And even if it takes a while, they all get read.

I have a lot of books, but only a fraction of what I've ever had. Over the years, I've given away enough books to fill a library the size of Pierce County's.

As my intense desire to own books has diminished, I have tried to slowly read more books from the public library. I'm up to two or three a month, including the Murder They Read Book Club that I am in (at the public library, naturally).

Books are only one of the important public services the library provides, But it's important to me, and it means so much to those who find $30 to purchase a book out of reach. It provides that great joy of reading to so many, and it helps fulfill one of the main missions of our public schools and libraries - to help provide an educated populace capable of critical thinking and contributing to the foundational strength of our democracy.*

Today, your public library needs your love and support. Make sure everyone you meet knows that you support the local library and that they need to urge local government boards to STOP holding up support and fund the library TODAY.

The situation in the Okefenokee Library Region is dire. If local support is not secured, they could be shutting their doors on June 30th. No more library for avid readers like myself or for those who are using the library for so many other important, special things.**

Reading is a joy. Reading is fundamental. Reading keeps us free.

Support freedom. Support the need for open public spaces. Support your local library.

And ensure that it exists tomorrow.

*constitutional republic, representative democracy, yada yada. God, I hate having to keep repeating this.

**to be addressed in future blog articles. The Strait Line is now wholly devoted to supporting the public library until the current funding crisis is over.

Public Spaces Under Siege

 

It is hard to marshall my thoughts in this dark and scary time.

I took so much for granted about the greatness and stability of American Democracy.*

I thought the great civil rights battles of sixty to fifty years ago were a sign that the moral arc of the universe was finally bending the right way.

I was wrong.

The battle is never over. The forces that would pull us back are constantly with us. If we don't fight back, they will overwhelm us and drag us back to a time when DEI doesn't stand for diversity, equity, and inclusion but instead discrimination, exclusion, and intolerance.

What a beautiful, inclusive, and loving statement the above mural is. And how sick and twisted are the challenges to it.

The concept of open public libraries is essential to the preservation of democracy. As our founding fathers advocated, a functioning democracy is dependent on an educated and informed populace. We must develop critical thinkers, not automatons ready to follow whatever authoritarian bully comes around.

Democracy is stronger when knowledge is available. A community is stronger whenever everyone is served, regardless of income or station.  

Marginalized communities and individuals need to know they have a welcoming, safe space to go to. There are so many places where they are made to feel uncomfortable and unwanted. Public spaces, including the library and our schools, should not be one of them.

If your ideas are strong enough, they should be able to survive and thrive in an open marketplace of ideas. As a devout Christian, I do not fear this marketplace. I thrive in it. Because I know how strong and loving my faith is.

But if you really can't stand openness, then stop attacking public spaces and create your own private spaces that only allow your own indoctrination to shine through. Start your own private schools. Put a private library in your church or your beer-putsch-style political halls. Just don't come running to the state for your funding. Because they are obligated to serve EVERYONE, not just YOU.

This is not my last message on this subject. I will come back to it again and again. I would love for my blog to be about the eclipse, funny family experiences, pets, theatre, my Granddaughter, or even railing about Trump.

But that's not the time we live in. We must come to the defense of public spaces.

I'm open to suggestions. Anything. Let me know. Yes, I'm an introvert who has a hard time putting myself out. But this is too important.

Let's figure out what to do. If you love the library, now is the time to defend it.

*constitutional republic, representative democracy...whatever, it's all the same thing.  If you're snarling about my using the word democracy, you're part of the problem, not the solution.

Georgia Shoots for a Partial Eclipse

 

It's an omen!

Well, not really. It's an astrological event. symbolic of ... science.

It's not the Rapture, a theological construct less than 200 years old.

It's not a sign of the end times. It's something that has been set to happen at this time because, based on the movement of the sun and the moon and the earth, this is a scientific inevitability.

If it was truly supernatural in origin, you would hear the scientists say, "Oh, no! This wasn't supposed to happen right now! It defies the known orbits and movements of these celestial bodies!"

And...no one is saying that.

So, sorry. It briefly darkens the Ark Museum. It might pass over a couple of towns named Nineveh. No one is being raptured off the planet.

It is no more God-led than the recent earthquake centered near Trump's New Jersey golf course.

Will I be looking up at the eclipse when it passes this afternoon? No, mostly because I don't have the right equipment to do it. I have seen eclipses before and have not been particularly overwhelmed by them.  

From what I read, the eclipse in South Georgia will be about 70%. That may be enough to confuse some animals, but I'm not sure what we'll see without the right equipment. The best time estimate for peak coverage is around 3 PM.

I'll be home. I'll look to see if the yard gets any darker. Mostly if I see something, it will be via television.

I definitely will not look directly at it. I'm not stupid. I'm not Donald Trump.

Mystery Numbers

 

I'm not sure where they're coming from.

Last month was more typical. I received 1,046 views on my blog, The Strait Line.  

This month, so far, I have 8,688 views. I don't know why this month is substantially higher than last month. To date, I have 6 new posts in Mach, which is the same as in February. 

I know what it is not. It's not FaceBook because I get little to no response there. Facebook shows my Strait Line posts to few. Maybe because the blog is from rival Google. Maybe because it wants me to pay advertising money to show it to more people. I can't do that. My blog doesn't make money. I was lifetime banished from advertising more than a decade ago. 

I can see views made to individual blog posts, but I don't see anything explaining this month's numbers. Sometimes, my stories get reposted to more popular sites, but I don't know where.

It's probably some bot thing. I don't know. I'm trying not to get too depressed.

---------------------------

Speaking of not trying to get depressed, I bought Mega Million lottery tickets. The jackpot was $1.1 billion, and I figured if I was going to lose, I might as well lose big.

Which, of course, I did. The odds are such that wasting a lot of money on the lottery is really stupid.

Oh, well. Never said I was a genius.

--------------------------

There seems to be some joy in Biden's improvement in poll numbers in swing states.

But it's nothing more than a statistical tie for many of those.

Given what a lousy candidate and horrible person the Orange Conman is, I don't understand why anyone is supporting him anywhere.

But they are,  And now he's hawking "patriotic" bibles. I'm surprised they're not combusting at his touch.

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On a happier note, we are counting down the days (roughly 60) until we can see our Granddaughter again! We could see my oldest son in roughly two weeks, and my youngest son is coming home for Easter!

So, that's all good!

-------------------------

Have a good week!

T. M. Strait

Toto Leads the Way!

 

Lost in the mists of time was the original intent behind L Frank Baum's purpose as a political allegory. He meant it to be a commentary on American politics at the turn of the century. There is a lot about agrarian versus urbanism in it. For example, the Scarecrow represents the farmer, and the Tin Man the industrial worker. The stuff about gold and silver (the slippers were originally silver, not red) related to the disputes about what should back the monetary system.

L Frank Baum's harshest criticism was reserved for politicians. They were blustery and full of falsehoods, serving, in the end, their own self-interest. They were frauds, snake oil salesmen, and grifters, promising everything and delivering nothing.

The chief fraudster is, of course, the Wizard of Oz. He has somehow managed to elevate himself to almost deity status. He hides behind smoke and mirrors, people believing he can do anything.

This illusion is shattered when Toto pulls back the curtain, revealing the wizard as a charlatan. He is nothing, a nobody, an empty suit.

Now is the time for a new Toto.

And that new Toto is...

Letitia James, New York Attorney General.

I don't know what will happen today. Will Trump engineer another delay? Will he continue to evade accountability?

I don't know. I hope not.

But whatever happens after this, the curtain has been pulled back. We've seen enough that even his most ardent supporters have to admit he is a raging fraud. He does not have what he's been telling people he has. Everything is smoke and mirrors.

His lawyers plead that he does not have it and no one will bond him for it. Trump contradicts them by saying he does have $500 million in cash.

Somebody's lying. Guess who's my nominee?

He does not own what he says he owns. Much of his property is mortgaged for more than it's worth.

He's not rich. He's just playing a mammoth shell game, moving from one overinflated loan to another, spinning so fast that he hopes no one will notice how little is there. 

Not anymore. Thanks to our modern-day Toto, even the most resistant can finally see him for what he is.

Oh, he'll continue to blow smoke. He'll try to get away with fakery like the Wizard of Oz did—fake medals, diplomas, and ticking clocks. He'll use tennis shoes painted as if they were gold, NFT cards with AI images, and beg limited-income supporters to send him the money they need to live on.

But we all know now. The curtain has been pulled back.

We now must pay attention to the man behind the curtain. Not the myth, but the man.

The misogynist, racist, adjudicated sexual abuser, narcissist, grifting conman, the Wizard of Nothing - Donald J Trump.

Sleepy Time Monday Musings

 Pixie Dust has the right idea. Just crash after the sheer exhaustion of having gotten up and eaten breakfast.

How many of us haven't dreamed of doing that?

Habits are hard to break, though. Even now that I'm retired, my routine is too set to vary much. Once I'm up, I'm up until 11:30 to midnight.

Naps don't pay off for me. It will make it all that harder to sleep that night.

Saturday night was rough for me. I was awake quite a bit, stressed about a meeting I was going to have the next day. I don't have a lot of insomnia. But I have a night every once in a while that's a struggle.

It turns out that the meeting was nowhere near as bad as I feared. I lost sleep for no rational reason.

Some people seem to like to sleep a lot. There are tons of memes on social media about people who like to go to bed at 9 PM.  

I'm not built that way. I want to be awake and take in as much as possible.  

I am in bed by midnight at the latest and up by 6:15 to 6:30 most mornings. I usually get up once or twice a night for reasons that older men tend to get up. 90% of the time, I go back to sleep relatively quickly.

The bottom line is that I need about 5 1/2 to 6 hours of sleep a night. If I get more than that, it is harder to sleep the next night.

I like being awake. I can read more while I'm awake. I can enjoy life more.

I don't feel like I'm living with a sleep deficit.

Everyone is different. I hope you can appreciate that.

A Letter From a Re-education Camp

 Dear Maggie,

I can't seem to forget you.

They say that time makes you forget the details. Faces and voices of the past begin to fade. Everything becomes a hazy blur.

But that's not happening. I remember your hazel eyes, the aquiline sweep of your nose, the redness of your full lips, the auburn curls, the tiny earlobes, and even the location of the mole on your cheek.

I have no picture of you; it is just what I have preserved in my mind. But that is enough to see me through this nightmare. I refuse to accept that I will never see you again.

I'm not supposed to be able to write you. But I have managed to have smuggled to me this one piece of paper, and a small pencil nub. On one side is my note to you, and on the other is the menu for the week. Yes, they got it from the kitchen. The pencil nub was from the guard's station, pilfered by the prisoner assigned to janitorial duties.

Do not worry about me. I am doing fine. I don't like being incarcerated, and I miss you tremendously, but I can and will survive.

I am so happy that you were able to escape the Kingdom. I pray that you are safe. I won't say where I think you are for fear that this letter will be confiscated. Just know that I picture you there, secure and happy.

They have not tortured me. I have no information they desire. Let me repeat that. I know nothing that could help them in any way.

I do spend long hours in counseling sessions designed to convert me to their religion and cause, I listen carefully, but I remain the same. It does not help that I am a Christian because I do not hold to what they are calling Christianity.

That said, I will do what I can to secure my release. Whatever it takes.

And rest assured, I will see you again.

Love,

Gregory

This is flash fiction from a series of stories based on the Kingdom, a near future in which America has broken up into several territories/nations. Much of the South has become The Kingdom, where Christian Nationalists have achieved dominance.

The stories may not always follow from one to the other, as they are adjusted to meet a reasonable extrapolation of current events. Think of them like DC's Elseworld stories or Marvel's What If.

Maybe someday I will edit them into a whole.

How much I write of any one thing may depend on the number of views it gets. So far, following that logic, I should refrain from writing about anything.

Cage Match Re-Match

 

It's official! We have a re-match!

Whether you like it or not.

If you don't like it and did not vote in your primary for somebody else, you have no one to blame but yourself.

I'm not thrilled with the lack of real contest in our primaries and conventions. If we really like democracy, then we should consider competition essential.

That said, no matter how many choices we had, I would still vote for the same person - Joe Biden. Yes, he's old. Yes, he's not perfect. But the reality is that he has exceeded my expectations for what he has achieved.

The most comprehensive infrastructure and climate bills ever passed. Growth in the stock market, low unemployment, growing GDP and stock market, a return of manufacturing jobs, and recovering from post-COVID inflation as quickly as any nation on Earth. He has helped rally the free world to support Ukraine. I'm not happy with how he has failed to do everything to protect Gaza, but without a shadow of a doubt, he is doing more than what Trump would (who has just urged Netanyahu to "finish the job"). 

I won't go on and on about Trump. Anyone who reads my blog knows how I feel about him.

Every day for the past nine years has been an utter embarrassment to me that anyone would support this racist, misogynistic, narcissistic, adjudicated rapist adjudicated fraudster four times indicted with a total of 91 counts, twice impeached incoherent orange conman. Shame on you if you're still with him.

But...speaking of still being with him, Pierce County continues to outshine in its extremism.

I keep waiting for the big turnaround, but the Democratic Party's share of the vote keeps dwindling.

Here is the county vote in yesterday's primary, as reported by The Blackshear Times:

In the last two general Presidential elections, Trump has garnered about 87% of the total vote.

How about this time?

*

It just keeps getting more depressing. Unless they're people we know that are not Trumpers, we have to keep our mouths shut or risk dehumanizing vilification.

Only Republicans go to heaven, you know. At least per our very active and loud Christian Nationalist churches that dominate Pierce County.

It's hard. But I hope people across the nation recognize the danger Trump poses.

* This vote total represents only 17.53% of the county's registered voters. I'm sure this was somewhat reflective of the real lack of competition. Nevertheless, I don't know for any reason why the vote percentages would have been higher if more people had voted.

I'll Meet You at the Oscars!

 

Actually, no. I won't meet you at the Oscars. I wasn't there. I didn't even watch the Oscars. It's my further devolvement in my interest in movies.

Well, not really. But it does represent my decline in watching award shows. This year, I got the idea that Oppenheimer would clean up, and no mystery was involved. 

And that's what happened, with Oppenheimer winning 7 awards, including Best Picture.

The only real surprises came before the awards when actress Margot Robie and director Greta Gerwig were not even nominated for their work on Barbie. In the awards, it was a bit of a surprise that Lilly Gladstone did not win for Killers of the Flower Moon.

One of the great changes in my life is that, over time, I have seen fewer and fewer films at the movie theatre. The reasons for this are many. My boys are grown, so we don't see that many together (Benjamin has indicated interest in seeing Dune 2 with me, but we have yet to be in the same location to do that). Alison did not grow up going to the movies like I did, which was about one each week. My 68-year-old bladder makes me take more breaks during a film, missing more minutes.

The primary reason, though, is that I am a steamaholic. I spend money on these streaming services, and they get movies so quickly that it makes more sense to see them at home. It's nice seeing them at home with our homemade snacks, our pets, and the coupe de grace—being able to pause during bathroom breaks.

Oppenheimer, for example, can be watched on Peacock. We have yet to do it, partly because it's three hours long. We may have to treat it like a miniseries and watch it over a few days. Oppenheimer is the story of the man who led the invention of the atomic bomb that may someday end us all. Briefly, it is a feel-good story.

I'm going to rate all movies that I haven't seen and my interest in seeing them on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being low and 10 being high.

Oppenheimer is a 9.

From IMDb: A cranky history teacher at a prep school is forced to remain on campus over the holidays with a grieving cook and a troubled student.

It can be seen on Peacock. Pair it with Oppenheimer and make a night of it—or a day—or two days.

My interest? 6.

From IMDb: Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Hoss and his wife strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden beside the camp.

It won best sound because despite how idyllic they try to make it, you can hear sounds from the camp that destroy the illusion.

To date, it's only available to rent/buy on services like Prime. Stay tuned.

My interest? 7

Barbie is a great movie, as Barbie becomes more real and aware as the film progresses. I have seen this movie, and it is fantastic, 

It is available on MAX (more commonly referred to as HBO).

From imdb: The incredible tale about the fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter. 

So...like the Bride of Frankenstein?

It's listed, in part, as a sci-fi epic. Hmmm. I may need to find out more about this.

It's available on Hulu.

My interest? Originally a 4, but now that I've read more about it, I'll bump it to a 6.

Childhood friends are torn apart when one moves from South Korea. Twenty years later, they meet each other again.

It is available on Paramount+, and the fantastically free library service Kanopy.

My interest? 5. On the surface, it's not my kind of movie, but I've heard many good things about it.

From IMDb: A woman is suspected of murder after her husband's death; their half-blind son faces a moral dilemma as the main witness.

A legal drama? I'm in!

It is only available as rent/buy on services like Prime, but I'm sure it will eventually come to something if I'm patient.

My interest? 8.

This is a movie about the musical conductor Leonard Bernstein. I don't know what else to say about it.

It's available on Netflix.

My interest? 1.

I seen this one! It took us two nights, but we did it! It's almost four hours long.

I had recently read the book that it's based on, and it was a pretty good rendition of this horrible incident in American history. Another thing that didn't teach you in high school history class.

The ending was a little strange and not what I would have wanted, but overall, this is a great movie demonstrating the horrors and greed that a dominant culture inflicts on an oppressed culture.

It's available on Apple+.

------

I'm bad and forgot to get a picture of American Fiction, a movie about a writer who writes a book that's meant to challenge the media's profiting from Black entertainment. 

It's listed as a dark, high-concept comedy and satire.

It is currently available on MGM+.

My interest? 5.

Dialing Up Tuesday Tidbits

 Here are a few tidbits this early March morning. I reserve the right to develop any or all of these into full blog posts at a later date—or not. We'll see.

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We were delighted to have my sister, Carol, and my brother-in-law, Mike, visit with us this weekend. It had been about a decade since the last time they were here. We've seen them in Michigan and Florida, but it's rare for them to visit here.

There was a lot of conversation and laughter. We consumed mass quantities, watched some movies, and visited Brunswick and Jekyll Island.

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My record of job success has been much less than that of most of my family. Others have achieved greater standing and better pay. Sometimes, this makes me feel inferior. But then I feel proud that so many I have helped raise and support have done well. I have some really good boys, and I am super proud of everything they have achieved.

I could have done more in my career, but it would have cost time to be with family, participate in theatre, and enjoy life. The bottom line is that with careful money management, we have done very well. It's true we don't have second homes and lavish vacations, but we have done most of what we wanted to do.  

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I dreaded my Thursday appointment with my physician's assistant. I'm at the age where you're not really sure what you're going to find out, But it went better than I expected, and I have no new crises to deal with. The best part? A medical intern looked at me first, and I commented on my blood pressure that it wasn't bad for someone 68. He left, and when he returned with the PA, the PA said, "Man, you look good. You don't look like you're anywhere near 68!" 

That was the first time I had ever heard anything like that. I about wept for joy.

I'm used to Alison being complicated because of how young she looks (and justifiably so), but me? Never.  

I will take it and put it in my Compliment Treasure Box.

--------------------------------

The "When will they ever wake up?" news about Trump continues to be mixed. Per the Supreme Court, states must keep an insurrectionist on the ballot. Also, the Supreme Court is slow-walking the absolute immunity case, which may delay the federal trials until next year.

What all this means is that we can't expect the courts and justice to bail us out.  We the people are going to have to end this madness by voting against Trump in the Novembe election  Only a thundering beat down at the polls will eliminate this threat.

Are we up to the task?

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Benjamin is back from Sweden and may see us this weekend. He is happy but tired. If I get any pictures, I'll be sure to share them.

Sincerely,

T. M. Strait

This is the Gay Church

 Someone was upset by the fact that some people were saying that this is the gay church. 

I'm not quite sure what the point was. I don't think they liked the church being identified that way. I was less sure what they wanted to do about it. I believe there was concern that maybe gay people were having too large a voice or influence in the church? We didn't need to stand out so much, but we needed to blend in with the general culture more.

I can only guess.

Statistically speaking, we are well represented by the LGBTQ+ community. They may be about 20% or so of our parish. I'm guessing. I don't know because I don't keep track of things that way. In the general population, they're about 10%. That means our parish is above average but not stratospheric. 

The fact is that we are virtually the only church that fully includes the LGBTQ+ community. In this intolerant area, if you want to be a loving and loved Christian, our church is virtually the only place available.

Well, you know what?

This is the LGBTQ+ church. Love and acceptance are complete and unconditional. They attend. They serve. They can be bishops, priests, and deacons. They can be Senior Warden, vestry members, lay episcopal members, readers, choir members, chief cook and bottle washer. I can't begin to imagine what our parish would be like without them. The intense shine of their devotion to Christ and the fruits of their gifts and talents are truly a wonder to behold.

But it doesn't stop there.  

This is the women's church. We've had a female rector, vestry members, including the Senior Warden, and leaders of many wonderful church projects. They are fully equal to their male counterparts. And our church is so much richer for it.

This is the church of the homeless and poor. We extend the hands and feet of Christ through our food ministries and other aid. We extend our support without preconditions or proselytizing. We don't do it to create new church members. We do it because that is what Christ commissioned us to do - to extend love and support to our neighbor, to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth.

This is the church of ALL ethnic and racial groups. We are lit up by love, understanding, and empathy, not by hatred, fear, and othering.

This is NOT the MAGA church, worshipping at the feet of the false idol, the orange conman. This is not the Democratic Socialist church, waiting hopefully for AOC or someone very much like her to become President. Nor is it the church of libertarians, conservatives, and liberals. We have a wide variety of political opinions. The only thing that needs to be in common is that the love of neighbor and bettering the life of all must be paramount - and that goal may have different political positions, but all work toward the same end.

First and foremost, this is a church of LOVE. Love for God, love for each other. We are the hands and feet of Christ, bettering the world for all.

Dolly Takes a Bath

 Dolly* was huge. Almost as tall as Carol and me. Here we are, all dressed up in our Easter best. I'd hate to think that doll came to church with us. Surely, I would have remembered that if it had happened. But the only way to be sure might require extensive therapy.

Carol also had a Barbie doll. It was very early on, one of the originals, or close to it. Unfortunately, Carol does not still have that doll. If she did, she might have been able to pay for one of her kid's college education.  

Alas, I am the reason she doesn't have it. One fine day, her brother decided to find out at what temperature Baribe would melt in the oven. Weren't I special?

Dolly is long ago, too. I'm not sure what happened. It could have something to do with drowning,

You see, one fine day, my sister decided that Dolly needed a bath. So, she drew water in the bathtub and placed Dolly in the tub, naked, facedown.

And then, as children are wont to do, she went to play someplace else and forgot about how she had left Dolly.

Mom was looking for Carol. She couldn't find her. And then she opened the bathroom door.

The wailing and screaming could be heard throughout the neighborhood. "CAROL!" she screamed. She grabbed her, fearing it was too late, pulling her precious daughter out of the tub, ready to do whatever it took to revive her.

"Mama," Carol said as she entered the bathroom. "Is Dolly all clean now?"

Mom looked at Carol and then the Dolly. She threw the doll down and started screaming all over again. "Carol! Don't you ever scare me like that again!"

Yes, with all the noise, I had also come around to observe some of this. I was relieved that even though I was to blame for melting Barbie, I was not at fault for trying to drown Dolly.

After that, I have no more memories of Dolly.

My poor sister just had so much trouble keeping dolls.

*I am trying to remember if Dolly had an actual name. Maybe when my sister sees this, she'll remember the name, and I'll fix it. And if she wonders how I remembered the dialogue from that long ago - well, everything I wrote is true, except for the parts I made up.

A Joyful Weekend of Friendship, Love, and Grace

A joyful weekend at Grace Episcopal Church! The name of our Valentine's Dinner was changed to the Friendship Day Feast. And since we are all each other's friends, everyone was welcome!

Alison prepared her special lasagna, Edie Teal prepared a delicious vegetarian lasagna, Audrey Jernigan made a beautiful and extensive salad bar, Ken Taft brought tasty garlic bread, and Jimmy and Selina Pinckney brought scrumptious chocolate cakes.

All the money raised by the meal went to funds to enable our youth to go to summer camp at Honey Creek. The youth also served as wait staff and did an excellent, professional job.

Hannah is here waiting to help ensure you have the best meal experience ever.

The illustrious and talented Mike Taylor, our church choir director and organist, provided entertainment.

 And on Sunday, we had a baptism! Father Donald Holland baptizes the young Samuel Jones, son of Alex and Jessica Jones.

What a beautiful weekend!

What a wonderful church family!

Burning Fields

 Tenderly, he reached out to her.

She bit off his hand.

Blood gushed from the open wound.

Who knew a harpy's beak and teeth could be that strong? She popped it off like a bottle top.

He felt faint. He was losing too much of life's sustaining fluid.  

She was no help. She just cackled incessantly at him, like a crow magnified. 

He yanked off his shirt with one hand and clumsily tried to wrap his bleeding wrist. It was to no avail. He could not abate the red torrent.  

"Why?" he cried out.

"Because it is in my nature,  you fool of a man! What did you think would happen?"

Everything was dimming. "I cared for you. I just wanted to ..." He hesitated. Focus was becoming harder. "...to help you."

He had defended her. Other neighbors were ready to clip her wings and burn her at the stake. But he saw something in her that made him believe she was worth saving. He knew that she could be tamed and cared for and be used to aid the community instead of threatening it.

He had come into the cave where she hid. He heard her weeping. "There, there now. I've come to help you, not hurt you."

She looked at him, sad eyes brimming with tears. "No one wants to help me. You all just want to see me dead."

"That's not true! I know you are good deep down. When my field burned, I saw you swoop down, pick up my niece, and move her from the all-consuming flames."

She looked at him, her eyes seeming to reach out and appreciate his understanding.

This was a fatal misunderstanding on his part.

Now, he was bleeding out. His shirt failed to staunch the wound. She did not move to help him.

"Of course, I moved the girl. I did not want the fire to take her. I prefer to cook my own food. She slipped from my grip. Before I could grasp her again, your entire village came out after me."

She spread her wings. "But now it is time for me to try again, see what strays I can find."

At that, she flew off, leaving him there to die.

Which he did.

Wandering Dunes

 Are those dunes? Eh, maybe.

It's the world-famous Jekyll Island, semi-exclusive off the coast of Southeast Georgia. Well, semi-exclusive in that it requires an $8 day pass to get on the island. We go there once every few years, nowhere as often as we go to St. Simon's Island.

Think Mackinaw Island, but with cars. And bars. Men from Mars? Probably not, but I can't rule it out.

You really want dunes? Try Sleeping Bear Dunes in Northern Michigan, by Lake Michigan.

We'd go there when I was a kid. Boy, it was exhausting getting up and down them! They are also well known for dune buggy rides. After going up and down a couple, I was certainly in favor of that mode of transportation.

Ok, this is if you really REALLY want dunes! Try the Sahara. They went for miles, and they got camels and bedouins.  

I had trouble getting up the Sleeping Bear Dunes, so I will give these a hard pass. I'll see them in the movies or National Geographic specials.

Oh, my goodness. Just looking at that makes me thirsty.

Pardon me while I go to the oasis.

Wanderingly yours,

T. M. Strait

NOT Phone a Freind

 As all ye former landlubbers are aware, the nature of phones in our culture has changed considerably in recent decades.

It's changed from dialing an operator to connect with anyone, to party lines where you might be inadvertently sharing a conversation with half the town, to the Princess phone, to cordless phones, to all kinds of cellular devices.

My Mom was on the phone a lot. She had many long conversations with many people. My Dad was less enamored with it. His conversations were much shorter, even when conducting school business. Me? I was terrified of the phone. I had difficulty talking to people when I couldn't see their faces or gauge how they reacted to what I said. Even the rare times I might have a girlfriend, I talked very little on the phone with them.

The phone, now adapted to our all-purpose cellular devices, has changed in a more comfortable way for introverts. We get information about most callers and can decide whether to answer.  

Not only that, most of our communication now is in the form of texts. It is much easier to respond in writing than in a call. And my understanding is I'm not alone. Among the younger generations, texting is much preferred to calling.

Indeed, some are worried that, for the first time, we are moving towards an introvert-friendly culture. This is due to our social media culture, spurred on by the isolation of the recent pandemic.

I don't know. America is still a culture dominated by the socially aggressive, the gladhanders, and the snake oil salesman. Too many of us are attracted to the Trumpian, 

The whole introvert/extrovert thing is kinda weird. Many of us are not entirely one or the other. It's more like human sexuality - there aren't simply two points on the axis. There is a great variety of mixes on the scale between the two. Few are 100% introvert or 100% extrovert.

Society best functions when there are roles for all kinds of people. It fails when it is structured so only one or the other thrives.

So, some are worried that we are tipping too much to introverts. I don't know. That may only seem that way because this country had tilted too far to the extrovert side.

But only time will tell.

Meanwhile, I'm pretty happy with the way phones are right now. Text me, but be patient for how long it may take me to return the text.

January or February

 Test post to see what month it is.

Ok. This posted in January. Cool.

I had 17 posts in January, compared to 1 in December, but I had almost a thousand more views in December.

Thanks, FaceBook.

I Wander on a Wednesday

 The blog title is a lie.

At least in a physical sense. I don't intend to go anywhere today. Except for short walks.

Monday, I went to the local library and read a children's story. Tuesday I did my Treasurer thing at the church. Today, I have no outings scheduled.

Not going out does not equate to not doing nothing. I'm writing this now, for example. I have other exercises as the day goes on, including sciatica exercises and the treadmill.

I was out for a walk before the sun rose. It was only about 45 degrees, but I wore sweatpants and my Michigan sweater. I had my earphones on, listening to a podcast.

I'll read today. I will read some online comic books from my Marvel and DC apps. I'll read one physical comic book (today's is Action Comics #1061, and one short story from the current issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. I also may read more of The Matlock Paper by Robert Ludlum. He is most known for creating the Bourne character (like The Bourne Identity).

At lunch, I will watch an episode of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.  I've been tracking my food this month, recording it on a spreadsheet. This is to help me stay in balance more than anything else. The major goal is to help control my blood pressure and blood sugar. I have lost a small amount of weight, and my blood pressure has improved this month. I hope to keep it up. I have a long way to go.

Then there's always Fibber McGee's Closet. Currently, there is a large number of trading cards I am trying to organize enough to offer in trade to a comic or card shop. I'm really not concerned with making money off them. I don't want to keep them, but I would rather give them away than throw them away.

Was I disappointed by the Lions loss to the 49ers? Yes, but I'm not angry about it. Was it wise for the Lions to keep going on fourth downs? Probably not, but that is what the coach is known for and what brought them this far. I'm not in any way knowledgeable enough to question a coach's decision. I barely understand most of what's going on on the field.

Anyways, that wasn't what the NFL scripted. They wrote it for the 49ers to play against the Kansas City Chiefs and for the Chiefs to win so that Taylor 'n' Travis can endorse Biden and sweep him to a second term. Or some insanity like that. I find right-wingers ten times more confusing than I even find football.

Tonight, we'll continue with the fourth season of For All Mankind, the brilliant alternate history show that my son, Greg, helped edit. We're at about 2003, where we have a working base on Mars, and the President is Al Gore. Those are two things I devotedly wished for that didn't happen.

I know that nothing I'm doing today sounds that useful or interesting. But it's retirement, and I love it.  

Soon, I may need to do something to earn a bit of money. But that's not today.

Maybe tomorrow. We'll see.

Wanderingly yours.

T. M. Strait

P.S.  Grammarly was not functioning this morning. That happens sometimes. Would love to see what it said about my sentence with the triple negative!

P.P.S Grammarly worked this afternoon.  Only had to make a couple dozen changes.  I did overrule it on the triple negative.  Sometimes ya just gotta break the rules.

Standing on the Outside

I'd like to officially announce that my bid to be on the local library board was a bust. They chose instead a teacher, so I'm hoping that is a good sign for the local library. Not all teachers are enthusiastic about the library. Most believe that banning books and excluding serving all patrons is wrong, but it's not universal. 

 The Pierce County School Board has withheld its share of public library funding. Hopefully, that is temporary, but I fear that it is not. Meanwhile, the public library has had to reduce hours and staffing to stay within its reduced budget. 

It breaks my heart. Some dedicated workers need to see promotions and pay raises, not reductions.

There is absolutely nothing specific that the library has done. For better or worse, they've never had displays welcoming the LGBTQ+ community, nor is there anything offensive in their book collection. The people who oppose the library use the LGBTQ+, particularly the transgender community, as smoke screens for their real desires - to eliminate public spaces and to take control of them as mouthpieces for Christian Nationalism.

The LGBTQ+ community is not trying to indoctrinate anyone, but they sure as heck are.

Rest assured, I will not stop advocating for the public library. I will continue to support them every day I can. I will continue to use the library, participate in activities, including book clubs, their Eating Well program, Friens of the Library, reading at Storytime, donating books, volunteering for events, helping donate prizes. I will speak out whenever I can. I will continue to welcome everyone, even those intent on destroying the library.

Libraries are for Everyone.

I don't want that to just be a slogan.

I want it to be the accepted reality.

Join me in supporting the library. Become a user and enjoy the many benefits of participation. Speak out about your love for the library. Join me in opposing those who would destroy it.

The Original Goth Girl

Continuing my plundering of Fibber McGee's closet*, I've opened up a Pandora's box of early family photos. And when I say early, I mean...EARLY.  

There are photos dating back to the beginnings of photography. Some are labeled, and some are not.

All of it was pretty interesting, and along with other research my Dad did, I may be able to piece a lot of it together. It will, however, take some time.

And then, I came across this photograph - 

 

Oh, my lord! What is this?

I've found the original Goth Girl! It's not just the dress; it's the picture as a whole. The eerie, dark background, what she is holding, the spidery top to her umbrella, her Wednesday-style expression - the whole effect is...very gothic.

Who is she? As best I can tell, she is a daughter of Reuben Strait. Reuben is, if I got this right, my great-great-grandfather. On the other side of the picture is a portrait of Reuben and his entire family. She also appears to be in that picture, although she is less "gothed-up."

When was the picture taken? It is not dated, but I found a picture of Reuben, showing the Strait family men who were part of a Masonic Lodge. The image is dated as 1898. Reuben is identified as being 64 years old at that time. He is visibly older than the family picture on the Goth Girl's reverse side.

My preliminary analysis concludes that the family picture is likely from the 1880s, perhaps in the middle of that decade. The Goth Girl appears slightly younger than in the family photo, but that is a supposition.

My best guess at this time is between 1880 and 1886. Hopefully, further research will provide a clearer answer.

So many questions?

Why is she holding a tilted cup?

What is she holding in her other hand?

Part of the backdrop looks real; part looks like it could be a scenery backdrop.

Is that a steamboat in the water behind her?

There are so many stories swirling in my head! My creative juices flow, but I need time to let them fumilate**. 

I like to write fiction on Friday, but my mind is overwhelmed with the possibilities here.

Please give me a week, and I hope to begin something...special.

Gothically yours,

T. M. Strait

* please see earlier posts.

**yes, Grammarly, I know that's not a real word.  I don't care.

Tom Strait AKA The Dancing Machine

Still going through old boxes of stuff.

I found one centered on my amateur acting career while going through the boxes in Fibber McGee's closet*.

And how could I not treasure this award for achievement in dance the most?

Until the memories came back that it was a good-natured joke.

I played Lazar Wolf, the older butcher who wants to marry one of Teyve's daughters. He leads a dance to the song L'Chaim (To Life!), a lot of fancy Russian dancing (well, fancy to me). I struggled. It was not pretty. We had to rehearse a lot just to get to something passable. And I was the chief culprit who was not getting it.

Dance has always been an interesting challenge to me. There is some kind of wiring delay in my head that causes all my movements to come out about two seconds later than they should. That is if I get the movement right at all.

The first school dances that I went to, in Junior High, proved to be a major attraction, and not in a good way. Other students would stop and watch my gyrations. I found myself surrounded by a rapt audience as if I were John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. But not in a good way. More like a jaw-dropping stare at the geek way. I had a few girls want to dance with me, girls who otherwise would not want to go near me, just to see how lunatic I would dance.

Throughout my acting experience, I always had difficulty with the dance element. I've been sidelined in several dances, which probably limited my usefulness in musicals. I could sing pretty good, but most of the good singing parts also required dancing. Most of the parts open to me were comic relief, and the singing I had to do was more bass/baritone, when I am a first tenor.

I plan to do community theater again, but I am picking my spots carefully. With my periodic arthritis (centered in my knees and feet), it makes it difficult to do if there is a flareup. So, this dancing machine may be retired from that element of theatre.

I've said this before, but I'll repeat here my theatre motto - 

I can act with the best of them. I can sing with the rest of them. I can dance if everyone closes their eyes and pretends.

I can still dance at home alone. Well, with the pets. But they're ok. They don't judge me.

*Fibber McGee's closet was from a well-known radio program, Fibber McGee and Molly.  Every time the closet was opened you would hear sounds of a deluge of things falling out of it.