Writing Reality

Yes, many of US people voted. Yet too many got their news from perhaps communist platforms like TikTok; which is made by a communist government and believed by what has been presented without further fact-checking of the information presented on those platforms. As well, American adults do not read enough non-fiction material in books, various articles, and from various sources. Laziness has now become prevalent and the deciding factor of greed. Americans used to say, “How can I do better? How can I be kinder? What can I do for democracy?”  Now, instead, the worm has turned, and it is, “Only I deserve wealth. Only I deserve to have enjoyment. Only I know better. I want things that benefit me.” Isolationism is rife with ignorance. We’ve become more provincial. Already having preconceived notions of what someone is capable of or not capable of. Many have made up their minds to propagate their ignorance then to spread their diseased ideologies and vote ill-informed. I had this debate ...

"What happened to your hand, Private?" I asked a young Marine.  "I punched my screen door." He answered. It was early summer 1982. "And why did you?" "My wife spoke to a man."  "So, what'd yah think?" "I thought she was cheating on me." "How do you know." "I got jealous." "Well, that's not smart. Let's talk." At this point I was an E3 and he was an E1 in the Marines. I liked the kid. He was a good Marine. Yet, he was not all that bright, I knew so.  Our youngest daughter still asks me how I know if someone is not so bright. I've told her, "Sometimes it's experience, sometimes its a feeling and other times; as Dad would put it, 'it's in their eyes.'" She shook her head trying to wrap her mind around my assessment. "That makes no sense." She'd stated. "It just is." I'd remarked. That day back in 1982, decades before becoming a pa...

Many years ago, my mother-in-law who knew how to make a good roast, a delicious salmon loaf, a spinach loaf, and a few other traditional 1950’s Better Homes and Gardens type recipes. I think she swore by it. One of the gifts I’d received from her was a new,1957 Better Homes and Gardens complete cookbook. You know, the three ring binder so you could possibly add your own notebook paper recipes? I have to say I’ve used this cookbook quite a bit over the past nearly forty years. It’s been a priceless asset to me in our home. My mother-in-law seemed to always feel that she could never accomplish the type of cooking and baking I had. I felt she could, and I’d told her so more than thirty years ago. I told her that it was just application and some creativity. She was a creative person, she just couldn’t see it in herself. There was a time when I’d asked her permission to throw my husband a thirtieth birthday party just for the family at her house.  Maybe her sister and brother-in-law who...