Small Things Count

Obviously, a lot of people think I’m a VIP. Every day, my Inbox contains at least one email starting with “You have been selected.” Why would they select me if they didn’t think I was special enough to give them my personal information or sign up for a product, service, or cause? They wouldn’t…would they?

One more day of frustration! Then I won’t have to sprain my “delete” finger on 50+ emails, texts, and voice mails. I voted a couple of weeks ago, and I’m still getting them. It’s a waste of their time, money, and volunteers, because I don’t read or listen to them. For the same reason I don’t listen to campaign speeches and interviews: they usually devolve into skirting questions asked and spending the bulk of their time not explaining in detail what they want to do for us and how they intend to do it, but instead cutting down their opponent and opposing political party. They don’t get that I really want to vote FOR someone, because I believe in them, not AGAINST someone because I’m being told how bad or dangerous that candidate is. I want to be assured that whom I vote for will honestly put party politics aside and work to unite my country in efforts to do away with the senseless violence, discrimination, hatred, greed, and self-interest running amok in my country and get us on track as true world leaders — democratically and in terms of equal justice and peace-promoters on all levels.

You bought your Halloween pumpkin at a sustainable pumpkin patch, baked a pie out of the slimy innards, and toasted the seeds for healthy munching, but saved some for planting next year.  How to dispose of him? Put poor old Jack (O’Lantern) out of his misery–give him a proper burial in your compost pile.

[For more easy, money-saving, Eco-friendly tips, download a FREE copy of Green Riches: Help the Earth & Your Budget. Go to https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/7000, choose a format, and download to your computer or e-book device. For a description of the book go to My Free Books).

In many places in our country, books are being banned because they’re considered too “woke.” What does that mean? That they offend some people who, because of their fears about the books’ content or ideas, want them taken away (possibly burned, as in past history?). When I saw this, I thought–this makes good sense. I pass it on to you as today’s Thursday Thought.

I’m tired of politics and in the mood for a little phrase-history today.  One that the older generation still uses is to “read the riot act,” often to their children, and always in a gruff, threatening voice.  It means, of course,  to warn sternly about misconduct.  So, where does this odd phrase come from?

Actually, it goes back to 18^th century England.  If a group of at least twelve people were misbehaving, a magistrate could read them a proclamation stating that they had an hour to disperse and anyone failing to do so would be arrested.  Punishment was harsh for those die-hards who stuck around.

[For my new readers, as an ex-teacher, I get a periodic urge to instruct.]

Ever since the release of a movie years ago, people have been touting the virtues of “pay it forward.”  I’ve decided that I just can’t do that.

Truth is, although I’ve had my fair share of problems in my life, it’s been a good life.  I owe that to a whole lot of kind, caring people who have been present for me in so many ways.  They’ve done it out of friendship, the kindness of their hearts, or just because they saw a fellow human suffering.

You’d think, then, that I’d be eager to pay it forward.  Actually, I’d love to.  Trouble is, it will take the rest of my life, if I can do it, to simply to pay back for all that others have given to me.