The View Up Here

2016 has rocked our GenX world as one pop icon after another has died and left a huge vacancy. For me, the moment of ENOUGH ALREADY didn't come until the death of Debbie Reynolds, a day after Carrie Fisher's passing. I truly thought it was some kind of bad joke when I woke up and read the headline, and my brain struggled with the seeming unlikelihood of it all - especially in light of the "fake news" that's been outed after the election. A small corner of my brain hoped it was another tabloid-esque false report even as I knew that if it's splashed all over BBC, CNN, Washington Post and FoxNews, it must be true. This morning I caught an article on the fake news of 2016 , and it got me thinking about how vulnerable we all are. The internet keeps us connected 24/7 with each other and the world, which has its light and dark side, as most things do. The light side:  knowing of injustice that we can then act upon, sharing pictures of family far away, sending em...

I don't do a lot with politics on this blog, but there are a few things I feel moved to say in this post-election, pre-Advent, almost-Thanksgiving season. Protesters are out in the streets with signs that declare "Not my president," while headlines blare "Trump's America." Here's a thought:  he is the president whether you like it or not. Be the light, be the love, don't leave it up to the president or anyone else. Will he do some damage to the country? Sure will. Just like every other president has done, some more overtly, some covertly. Will he do some good? Probably, just like even our worst presidents have done.  Do you have to like him? Of course not. But you do have to use your conscience and live your life according to the Law of Love -- well you don't HAVE to, but it really is the only way to a) keep your sanity, b) not alienate others, and instead c) educate with your life, love, and willingness to dialogue with others. Anot...

1. 29-year old tubby co-workers who live at home with mom & dad, kind of want to go to grad school for something but don't want to deal with taking the GRE, evoke every D&D-playing, Star Trek-watching negative stereotype you've ever seen, and who hit on the (married albeit in the process of separating from her husband) temp receptionist (after divulging all these winning qualities). And who are temps, themselves. That's it, actually. I just wanted to point out that if you're 100 lbs overweight and fit the above description, you really need to rethink your life plan. Get some help. Join a cult, maybe? Yes, this is what happened to me this week at the awesome temp job I was raving about earlier. To be fair, the job is still great, the REST of the people at the office are cool, especially the one with the major candy craving, but I also have to deal with the afore-mentioned loser who is now giving me the brush off whenever I happen to be in the same room (like I ca...