Day: June 1, 2020

He is a Deplorable Human Being

Fandango43 Comments

This is what my iPhone’s newsfeed looked like this morning.22C47E72-7CEB-4503-B644-0F85E94D6501We have a man in the Oval Office who doesn’t have an iota of empathy, cares only about how things affect him, and who only knows how to use force and intimidation to get his way.

Last night, from within a secure bunker deep inside the White House, Donald Trump threatened demonstrators outside the White House with “vicious dogs” and “ominous weapons.” And he warned that the Secret Service was prepared to use them against the demonstrators.

Attorney General Bill Barr said he is sending federal “riot” teams to Washington, D.C. and Miami in an attempt to quell violent clashes between protesters and police. Federal riot teams? Really?

And, of course most Republican lawmakers are either standing squarely behind Trump, are echoing his calls to “dominate” the protesters, or are silently fiddling away while our country burns.

Is this what has become of my country? It breaks my heart.

Share Your World — Crime, Change, Birds, and Clothing

Fandango6 Comments

Share Your WorldIt’s Monday and that means that Melanie has posted another edition of Share Your World. Today’s SYW questions are a rather eclectic bunch.

Is it ever okay to commit a crime? Please explain.

Okay, according to Wikipedia, “The term ‘crime’ does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition.” There are crimes that are “unlawful acts punishable by a state or other authority,” and there are those that are shameful, such as, “It’s a crime that the United States has an inept buffoon and an outright moron who thinks only of himself and lacks any degree of empathy as its president.”

Generally speaking, it’s not okay to commit a crime. That said, from a personal perspective, I am guilty of criminal behavior. Before marijuana for recreational use was legalized in my state, I used it.  I often drive above the posted speed limits on highways. I sometimes tell little white lies, either to protect myself or to spare another’s feelings (“No, sweetie, those jeans don’t make you look fat.”). But I’ve never committed a felonious crime. At least not that I know of.

Do you deal with change well? (Not money, because I know some wit out there is thinking how bulky coins are. Well I did any how. O_o )

Generally, yes, I deal well with change. But I have to say that as I’ve gotten older, I don’t embrace change solely for the sake of change. If it ain’t broke, I say, don’t fix it. I wish the folks at WordPress would spend more time fixing the things that are broke instead of rolling out “new and improved” and often totally unnecessary changes.

Do you like birds? The sound of bird song in the morning, taking pictures of them, as food?

Sure. What’s not to like about birds? They’re delicious.

What’s the least used item of clothing you own?

Now that I’m retired, it’s my suits, ties, and dress shoes.

If you care to share, what are you grateful for?

I’m grateful for waking up this morning, the day WordPress was to have retired its Classic editor in favor of the “new and improved” Block editor, and finding that the Classic editor is still there and that I could use it to create this post.

Blogging Insights and the Pandemic

Fandango11 Comments

Blogging insightsFor this week’s Blogging Insights episode, Dr. Tanya points out that the coronavirus pandemic has changed the world as we know it. “It has deeply touched the lives of us all, even those who have not been infected.” She’s asking us to share with her how it has affected our blogs and blogging.

1. How frequently do you post about the pandemic? Please share links to a couple of your “pandemic posts” that you particularly like. If you have not written anything about Coronavirus/COVID-19 (seems unbelievable) what are your reasons for this?

Between those non-fiction posts specifically about the pandemic and our president’s mishandling of it, and those flash fiction posts that incorporate the coronavirus/COVID-19 into the tale, at least a few dozen. As to links, well, here’s one about the devastation that the coronavirus has personally caused me: Damn You, Coronavirus!

2. What kind of “posts about the pandemic” do you like to read? (If you don’t, then please tell us why?)

Interesting, engaging, informative, entertaining, and well written posts. I’ll skip the rest, thank you.

3. How have you and your blog adapted to “the new normal”?

I now hold my iPhone at full arm’s length when I use it for blogging in order to maintain proper social distancing.

4. Have you seen any change in your blog stats during the pandemic? Also, are you posting more or less than you used to?

Not really. My stats are about the same.4B5F4DFC-A6C7-4DB6-A597-3A7838E3A4F4I’m posting fewer posts per day so far this year than I did in 2019, but that has nothing to do with the pandemic.

Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge #68

Fandango11 Comments

FFFCWelcome to “Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge.” Each week I will be posting a photo I grab off the internet and challenge bloggers to write a flash fiction piece or a poem inspired by the photo. There are no style or word limits.

The image below is from darksouls1 at Pixabay.com.7A5E5820-E078-4C37-98B9-8094A3BD4E64For the visually challenged writer, the image is of a creepy-looking stone cottage immediately adjacent to waterfalls from rocky cliffs.

If this week’s image inspires you and you wish to participate, please write your post, use the tag #FFFC, and link back to this post. I hope it will generate some great posts.

Thanks to all of you who have participated in these challenges. Your posts have been very creative. Please take a few minutes to read the other responses to this photo challenge.

Please create a pingback to this post or manually add your link in the comments.

FOWC with Fandango — Lovebirds

Fandango27 Comments

FOWCWelcome to June 1, 2020 and to Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (aka, FOWC). It’s designed to fill the void after WordPress bailed on its daily one-word prompt.

I will be posting each day’s word just after midnight Pacific Time (US).

Today’s word is “lovebirds.”

Write a post using that word. It can be prose, poetry, fiction, non-fiction. It can be any length. It can be just a picture or a drawing if you want. No holds barred, so to speak.

Once you are done, tag your post with #FOWC and create a pingback to this post if you are on WordPress. Or you can simply include a link to your post in the comments.

The issue with pingbacks not showing up seems to have been resolved, but you might check to confirm that your pingback is there. If not, please manually add your link in the comments.

And be sure to read the posts of other bloggers who respond to this prompt. You will marvel at their creativity.