I spent a week in Paris earlier this month.....

[brooklynite]

Last edited Mon Mar 25, 2024, 07:29 PM - Edit history (1)

Where I was is unimportant; what IS important is that I spent time walking around unexplored neighborhoods, visiting historic structures and celebrating my 45th anniversary with my wife.

What I didn't do was spend every waking minute fixated on what would be happening with Trump, or the immediate state of the election, or what someone on cable news said that I disagreed with.

Especially given the reaction to the NYS Democratic Court of Appeals decision today, I think a good number of people here would benefit from taking some time away from the TV and the laptop and live the important parts of their lives.

[emulatorloo]

1. Logging off and Touching grass is highly underrated.

[FakeNoose]

2. It sounds wonderful! ... and happy anniversary to you and Mrs. Brooklynite!

[FakeNoose]

3. It sounds wonderful! ... and happy anniversary to you and Mrs. Brooklynite!

[dalton99a]

4. Yes, everyone should book a flight to Paris and see the Louvre and get away from this bullshit

[beaglelover]

6. Sounds pretty wonderful to me! Glad I already have the trip booked for early September!!!

[W_HAMILTON]

9. Everyone should aspire to spend less time being angry at Trump...

...and more time vacationing overseas, tut-tutting DUers, and making some of the most horrible political predictions you'll ever see!

[betsuni]

13. HA!

[brooklynite]

22. If ranting at me helps you to de-stress, you're welcome...

[W_HAMILTON]

26. Is that it? Well, then maybe that's why lots are ranting at Trump -- it's a stress reliever!

Ranting about Trump, ranting about those ranting about Trump, ranting about those ranting about those ranting about Trump -- lots of stress being relieved around here!

[brooklynite]

28. I'm more concerned about the days and hours leading up to the ranting...

[SocialDemocrat61]

34. But the tut-tutting is the point

Why does someone come to a political discussion forum to lecture people about discussing politics?

[sheshe2]

56. +1

[emulatorloo]

16. Or you could log off and go to your local park. There are lots of places to touch grass just a few

minutes away.

[LeftInTX]

29. Or cancel cable. We did in 2019 when Spectrum dumped Turner Classic Movies

[beaglelover]

5. Agreed. Take a breather people.

Even if Trump is elected again, life will go on and we will survive.

[Biophilic]

12. Actually a good number of people might not survive.

Pregnant women, women with specific health care needs, doctors and other health care workers willing to risk their lives to help others, trans people, gay and transsexuals, migrants, people who no longer have access to healthcare without the ACA. Trump and Project 2025 could mean a lot of people won’t survive. Mere survival is not a goal I think many of us are working for. This will not be like prior elections.

[StarryNite]

19. Exactly.

[BlueKota]

36. Well said.

[W_HAMILTON]

38. Yep. I wonder how many of the million+ of Americans that died from COVID thought the same thing?

It sure would have been nice to have the pandemic response resources specifically put in place during the Obama administration to prevent/limit a COVID-type pandemic from ever occurring to begin with...

And in case anyone wants to play contrarian, here's my prebuttal to that bullshit:

Trump and his Republicans:

Ignored the pandemic playbook left by the Obama administration (https://abcnews.go.com/Health/run-plays-officials-trump-administration-pandemic-playbooks/story?id=71999769)

Disbanded the NSC's pandemic response team (https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/nsc-pandemic-office-trump-closed/2020/03/13/a70de09c-6491-11ea-acca-80c22bbee96f_story.html)

Severely cut CDC staff in China specifically directed to detect and stop outbreaks of contagious diseases (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-china-cdc-exclusiv/exclusive-u-s-slashed-cdc-staff-inside-china-prior-to-coronavirus-outbreak-idUSKBN21C3N5)

Defunded and subsequently discontinued the American embed at the Chinese CDC that served as a liaison between the two countries and would have been the one to pass on information about the emerging novel virus to U.S. officials rather than have China conceal such information for weeks (https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/3/23/21190713/coronavirus-trump-china-cdc-embed-quick)

[Sky Jewels]

41. Life will go on for those who can book trips to Europe without giving it a second thought

and brag about it while scolding the poor schlubs who can't afford to go overseas to calm down and take a breather.

[beaglelover]

52. You can also just take a walk around the block and take a breather that way. Don't need to travel to Paris.

[W_HAMILTON]

7. I'm so happy for you.

[StarryNite]

21. Thank you for making me laugh.

I really needed it today.

[MorbidButterflyTat]

8. Very good advice

I'm sure the MAGAs are enjoying the all day meltdowns and deliberate misunderstandings suffocating social media.

I've been "earthing," getting in touch with nature through my senses, it may sound simple but it's soothing to me.

Sincere congrats to you and your wife.

[BluesRunTheGame]

10. Paris, Texas?

I hope you remembered to dine at Olive Garden.

Happy Anniversary!

[DFW]

11. Good idea, but I'd pick somewhere else

I'm in Paris once a week for work. My French is pretty much fluent, and it's a routine trip for me.

My daughter told us Edinburgh was kinda cool, though from what my daughter told me, I'd understand French better than what they speak in Edinburgh.

[brooklynite]

17. My wife was there for Government work...

Actually, the first day I went to Charleroi Belgium, described as…the ugliest city in the world”

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[DFW]

23. Charleroi has never attempted to compete seriously with Carmel, California, or Prague, it's true........

That métro pretty much says it all.

[LeftInTX]

32. Looks nicer than Gary, Indiana

[bdamomma]

14. Sounds wonderful

Happy Anniversary to the both of you.

Enjoy yourselves!

[PJMcK]

15. Great advice

My wife and I just spent ten days in France. Nobody talked about Trump. It was glorious!

Congratulations on your anniversary!

[Prairie Gates]

18. ...

[bluestarone]

20. Happy 45th to you BOTH!!

[SocialDemocrat61]

25. Not everyone can afford to go to Paris

or take any vacation. They are too busy working to feed their children and pay their bills. They have real concerns about what will happen if Trump gets back into power because it will have real consequences for their lives.

[brooklynite]

27. The person who's as busy as you describe...

…probably isn’t spending their remaining free time hanging out here.

[SocialDemocrat61]

33. You don't know that

Unless you have some proof that you can provide.

[Mariana]

44. A very large proportion of DUers are retirees.

So yes, it is probably true that any given person posting here isn't "too busy working to feed their children and pay their bills."

[SocialDemocrat61]

49. That's an assumption

If you have verified proof of that please post it. And even if it is a large proportion, it’s still not everyone. Plus many retirees don’t have the income to travel to Paris or take a vacation, so Trump being re-elected will have serious repercussions for them. Who are we to lecture people on how they spend their time and tell them not to discuss politics on a political discussion forum?

[Scrivener7]

30. That's nice.

[sheshe2]

57. +1

[betsuni]

31. M.F.K. Fisher; Orwell's "Down and Out in Paris and London"; Hemingway's "A Moveable Feast";

Stein's "The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas"; A.J. Liebling's "Between Meals"; Henry Miller's "Tropic of Cancer" -- wonderful way to travel!

[Docreed2003]

35. Agree completely brooklynite

There's a line between being politically involved and politically obsessed. The vast majority of what is going on with Trump is outside our control. We do well to focus on what matters around us in our daily lives and not lose sight of the things that are truly important.

[Raine]

37. I totally agree with you, thanks for saying it. 👍 nt

[AllaN01Bear]

39. on and off sleeping. work out soon.

[AllaN01Bear]

40. good for you. my travel days are done.e

[brooklynite]

45. I have a long list of destinations, if my wife ever decides to retire...

[Emile]

42. I traveled for a living. Retired now, so home is

what I prefer.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

43. ..

[Evolve Dammit]

46. Happy 45th!

[Martin Eden]

47. I just spent last week hiking to waterfalls in the SE United States.

Healthy exercise, beautiful scenery, and camping were an elixer for body and soul.

[msfiddlestix]

48. I didn't book a flight anywhere, but I spent the past few weeks making some great music with some great musicians

which is rather like being elsewhere, because it was.

This morning I replied for the first time in quite a while one of those "no or low content" posts in response to the Appeals Court decision OP.
Then I shut down my computer, and picked up my instruments and engaged again with making music with others.
Once in a while this narcissistic jerk tries to crash our jam but we ultimately send him packing.

He never seems to get it either.






.



.

[CTyankee]

50. We're flying to Nice next month and then on a voyage touching ports in North Africa, a new continent for me!

I'm really excited to see Morocco and Tangier.

[Prairie_Seagull]

53. RT to Paris for two, economy (many conditions)

1166.00. Of course goes up from there.

[brooklynite]

54. As I said, Paris isn't essential. Just do SOMETHING.....

[Prairie_Seagull]

55. That was intended to be supportive of your idea.

Sorry if I did not make that clear enough. No snark intended.

We are retired, if someone organizes a trip, count us in.