The Blue Lady Decides She Needs to Tend Her Own Garden

So far it's ok, but look what's coming.

I can't fix it. I can only watch what unfolds as time passes. I'm willing to suspend judgment for the time being and wait. So far nothing bad has actually happened. President Obama is still in charge.

I plan to continue to be nice and polite to all individuals who cross my path as I always try to be. I am assuming I will receive politeness back. If I don't well....we'll just see what people actually do and figure it out then.



(I do have a real story about a real person that I really know, however. This woman friend wears a scarf around her face a lot when she is outside because of a health condition she has. A few days ago after the election  she was just walking outside when a white guy said to her "Go back to Iraq!" She took down here scarf and revealed herself as a while lady at which time he got all apologetic .... I didn't mean YOU! I'm really sorry. Apparently some of our neighbors really do believe that we now have license to enact our worst sides.)

But I'm not ready to make nice with the winning party as a party nor with many of their stated policies that they might just get enacted. I guess I had better have my representatives on speed email soon. Or maybe I'll send paper letters with envelopes and stamps and all. I know not many people do that any more. Maybe mine will stand out.

(May I suggest you read what my friend in cyberspace has to say? The Unbrave Girl strikes again.)

I did get e-subscriptions to both the Rapid City Journal and the Sioux Falls Argus-Leader. (You might be interested in reading a recent three part series from Rapid City exposing the mistreatment of horses on a so called wild horse sanctuary in the region. Or maybe you don't. The story is horrible. But it's real good reporting.)

But they are so darn cute!

I've been listening to NPR as usual. At first I thought I would quit, but I'm addicted and so it is. I can't give up learning things like Chick Corea is a Scientoligist (I suppose everyone else on the planet knew that already) and that red squirrels and armadillos can carry and spread leprosy to humans (as if things weren't bad enough already.)

This has generated a series of quick responses to things I have heard. I don't tweet so I might as well share things here.

I identify with the young woman, actually,
because I used to wear her clothes

I heard young people say that Mrs Clinton was not charming and "likable" enough.  HELLO. Double standard alert. I don't recall ever hearing that someone was voting for the winner because he was charming and likable and that what we need in a president.

(I hope you will believe me that I really do respect and like young people. I have spent my whole working life in service to adolescents and young adults as both a care provider and teacher. They have great ideas, and are so enthusiastic. One thing about retiring that is not so good is that I no longer will have such regular, sustained contact with young adults. I'll miss that and hope it does not turn me into an old crab.

But I also think it's time for young adults to begin stepping up and taking more active roles in civic life. Start some local committee or council where all you have to do is show up. Much as I don't agree with her policies, I think that Mia Love is a good role model here.)

I'm hearing all kinds of reasonably sounding people saying things like "He didn't really mean THAT. At least not literally." As in, he's not going to actually build an actual wall. He's not going to get actual busses and send ICE agents door to door to round real people up and immediately deport them. Etc. Etc. Etc. Well then why was he so consistent about saying things like that over and over again?

Is that our job to INTERPRET what he really means from whatever it is he actually says? How will we know whose interpretation is correct? I thought that a big part of his "charm" was that he tells it like it is, straightforward and real. Are we to take him at his word, as he says it? Or not? Does he expect that we will all figure out what he really means, no matter what he says?

(Now he actually does seem to be walking back some things. Latest was that maybe we don't need a big, huge wall. Maybe a fence will do in most places. HELLO again. There already is a fence in most places.)

I've been hearing the supporters of the winning candidate saying things like "they'll come around" in speaking about those who are out in the streets says "not my president." Sure, some people will. But don't forget that we have a great example already set by people who were always opposed to President Obama. Recall Mr. McConnell's vow to make the whole work of his party to do nothing but block the president? Observe that there are still plenty of people today who still hate the president with a passion and have never come away from the view of "not my president." Why should things be any different now? That playbook is pretty well written by the people who won this time around.

I'm also hearing over and over again that the WORK of reconciling needs to fall upon the losing side. I don't hear much that the winners are saying to themselves that they need to reach out and do what needs to be done to get us all back together.

Even the people who voted for the wining candidate are saying that he does not have their unconditional support. More than one has said that if he does not deliver big time within, say, 2 years, he'll be a one term wonder.

People want to see different things accomplished though.

Term limits enacted ( Hello, AGAIN. That requires a constitutional amendment which can take decades. And what was it that Mr. McConnell said about that one?)

Overturning Roe v Wade ( a scary possibility that might could happen, but I have not heard the winner say that is one of his biggest priorities right now.)

Having an actual wall actually built (See comments a few paragrphs above.)

Having big non-automated factories that employ thousands of uneducated people re-open (We can all dream, I guess.)

Getting rid of those other people whom we don't want here. (specifics vary. No words about how.)

Getting rid of lobbyists in government and kicking out all the establishment people. (Notice who is heading up the transition team right now. Watch for who gets appointed to the real positions.)

So, as I said before. We'll see how this all works out.

As for me, it's time to take a page from Candide. When the world is  going kind of wacky .... really wacky ... the best thing to do is to look to home, grow and share something that is good and useful for your little community. Like vegetables maybe. Or warm hats, scarves and mittens that I can knit. Now there's an idea.