After a long respite, I'm compelled to post to this essentially invisible blog.

Today I read a comment to a political Facebook discussion in which someone stated that "liberals are not open to new ideas."  I think this was from a conservative perspective, but only because of the echoes of other conservative commentators who assert similar beliefs.

I've decided that the basic construction of similar statements, from ANY political point of view, is fundamentally a lie.

Whether it's from ditto heads or dismayed Bernie supporters, the real statement should be "I'm not going to change my mind no matter what you say or what facts you present."

It reminds me of a story my father used to tell about a mid-afternoon drunk at a tavern barn in the woods of Pennsylvania.  My dad went in to get a six-pack and the gentleman at the bar was holding forth on what would now be called "the disgusting media."  He was holding the local newspaper in this hand (a poor excuse for a newspaper for sure) and complaining about a story.

"These writers," he said, "if they don't want you to know something, they don't put it in there!"

"I'll show 'em," he muttered into his beer.  "I just won't read nothin'!"

Obviously a liberal, so he was.

Too poor to give anonymously?

I can't see how I am required to enter my personal information, including my employer, to make a $50 donation to Bernie Sanders while Rove and the Koch boys and their "donors" are protected from such an intrusion.

http://thehill.com/policy/finance/278031-house-panel-passes-bills-to-protect-taxpayers-and-children

Addison Steele

Retirement, vanity, and a warm up

Some of my colleagues, upon their retirement, have remarked that they were so busy that fitting work into their day would not be possible anymore.  Many of them have a stronger commitment to ongoing professional contributions, community service, active adventure, or any one of a number of avocations than I.  Some of these include smoking meat, photographing flowers, writing for Facebook, writing shockingly good poetry and prose, seeing high school friends, and many other passions.

The fact that I haven't posted to my blog in almost 18 months, in spite of having little trouble imagining finding time to go to work should say something about me.  Note that I said "imagining" time to work.  I imagine for 4 or 5 seconds and then lie down until it goes away. Until recently, I have been working on home improvement projects and very gradually getting them done.  That has been fun.

I suppose I should have expected my 66 year-old body to give me some trouble.  Hell, I have a titanium hip that has been a miracle, but having my right ankle get so sore that walking to the mailbox feels adventurous has been depressing.  I'm a full blown consumer of medical services, all of it excellent, touch wood.  I need to learn, yet again, that I heal more slowly and, ironically, more impatiently.  My glorious free time is slipping away.  Never mind that I haven't been making good use of it anyway.

Today, my sports medicine guy suggested a cortisone shot in my ankle.  I told him I was inclined to  jump at the idea. Blame me for the bad pun, but I don't think he got it.

I'm instructed to rest the ankle for 4 to 5 days.  It's a tough job, but my beloved spouse is up for it.

Anyway, I think that I should take the hint and pay attention to the lazy part of my narcissism and write some for this blog.  The only view I've had in the past 3 months was from the Ukraine and they may be ready for more.

More of what, you may ask?   Well, it won't be about politics.......for the moment.  If I succumb to that urge, crack cocaine could be next.

Addison Steele