I wanted to write something important for my 50,000 DU post and zoomed right by the milestone
So this will have to suffice. Except....
On this rainy Thursday morning, I have nothing profound to say. This groundhog day of life - let's call it a double groundhog day, because the bizarre daily machinations of the past 3 1/2 years was bad enough; to overlay the mess of COVID on top of it creates its own particular effects. I do hope all of you are staying safe, and are well.
I suspect I've become a bit of a pain in the ass to some here. As I've posted repeatedly, we don't watch TV - we haven't in 10 years. Part of it is just seeing it as a medium for advertising, part of it is seeing the media as a big part of the problem we are in (the vast majority of them are just not that smart, and the trump misadministration is running rings around them - using them - to spread the lies). And a big part of it is an unwillingness to play any part in the trump circus - tuning in and "rewarding" the stations that carry them. So - I've not watched a trump speech. I can't - I won't. We all need to understand the insidious nature of propaganda - words utterly repeatedly end up embedding themselves as truth in many. trump and his are using propaganda like a fiddle - and "rome" is burning as his lies spin and spin and spin. Which all means that my fervent impossible wish would be that everyone just shut off their damn TVs - and use it for streaming movies and series and documentaries!
The COVID mess has created so many schisms - racial, economic, geographic - ironic that in this time with such a great need for empathy a party is in charge that has none. Not a shred. Are we seeing laid bare the nature of our diverse country - "good" people vs "bad" people? And that good and bad itself is complex - lots of nature/nurture going on, false pride, impact of education or lack thereof, impact of the flavor of religion or lack thereof, and certainly expressions of each of our inner being - whether we bend to authoritarianism - crave it - or not.
Me, I'm a rebel - was raised by my parents to question authority and I always have. We raised our girls to do so, and they do us proud. I hate this "man" in office. I hate his republican enablers. I hate willful ignorance. There is nothing much we can do about varying intellect, but there is certainly a reason to loathe willful ignorance.
So, that's it - that's all I've got. It's hard to feel particularly profound when one finds themselves entwined endlessly in some bizarre sequel of 1984 - but that's where we are. For 3 1/2 years I've been wondering where the true heroes are - what is going to turn this shit show around. I guess although a few have appeared, they've been drowned out by the McConnell obstruction machine, the right wing hate noise machine or the stacked Supremes.
Hang in there, friends - my feelings on this virus is that we are in this for a much longer haul than may wish for. A pandemic is not a good fit for a time when humanity is accustomed to doing split second attention, when we expect medical science to flow at the same rate as the 24 hour news cycle. Be patient - be well - and be kind.
= new reply since forum marked as read
There’s no “bit” to it. 
Love your posts.
No TV? How do you find out who the masked singers are?
Didn't notice your post before mine, but I won't delete. His words are worth repeating. 
This was a good one! I did the same thing - blew right past my 50,000th post without posting anything of note. I don't post many OP's to begin with though.
Thanks and hang in there!
Love your posts 
It is worth celebrating, even moreso during these chaotic, strange days.
Your posts are always great, informative and full of hope and love.
since this week I canceled my reservation this summer for the mountains.
Last night Turner Classic Movies (TCM) ran the documentary about Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth. I've seen it several times since it came out in 2006 and it just made me so sad to think about the decision points where this country has totally fu*ked up.
I agree with you about commercial television. Although my cable plan has hundreds of channels, I find myself most often watching the ones for which I pay a premium that have no commercials. I rarely watch any news but Chris Hayes, Rachel, and maybe Lawrence O'Donnell on MSNBC.
I, too, think we are in for a long haul with this virus and I've initiated plans to make some changes because of it.
Time will tell.
Hang in there yourself, and be well.
some time in the late 90's. 