Voting and The Fruit of Our Labors

From the Gospel of Matthew:

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Biblical yes, but intelligible to believers and non believers alike. And brought here, I humbly suggest, as a useful lense in this election season, for the believers and non believers. Continue reading

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An Open Letter to My Friends

Those who know me well, know there are few things that will unhinge me and overwhelm my civility editor more than double standards.  Neither left nor right is doing themselves credit in this regard in this election cycle. That said, Mr. Trump stands apart for holding different standards for himself than for anyone else.  The latest incident around Ms Machado (Max BMI 25.06) and Mr. Trump (BMI 29.5) has tripped and perhaps broken my double standard trigger.

Fair warning…

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The View from the Outhouse

21072771Being that it is the political season, I thought it would be interesting to combine two trends in politics, one old, and one new. So here goes. Polling and and “Telling it like it is.”

First the Polling Part. So quick now. Don’t think about it, just answer as your heart directs.

Does your shit stink? ___ Just Roses Here ___ Um, Well, Yes

The on-line tabulators are working… Our data scientists and statisticians are pondering… Lights flashing on the faces of computer banks… Continue reading

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Status Quo or Real Change

A common thread that joins the supporters of Mr. Trump, Ms. Stein, and Mr. Johnson is a burning desire to up end the status quo. That is also a key motivator of a common disparagement of Ms. Clinton.

So riddle me this… Taking a 10 year view, which candidate is most likely to bring real change? Continue reading

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Pray For Me. I’m Going Political

Punishment_sisyphConsider this fair warning my digital  peeps.  I’m going political.

I know that the interwebs may not be the most effective forum to attempt political persuasion.  Without a doubt it is more prone to rabid shouting than thoughtful debate. All true.

But we are at an unusual moment in United States history and because the United States is part of the broader human family, at a unique moment in time for humanity in general. The consequences of our choices in the next 100 days will be amplified and echo down through coming generations, and any action that might help in those decisions must be taken. Continue reading

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An Open Letter to the Candidates

I’ve voted in every local, state, and national election since I was first eligible.  I take my voting responsibilities seriously, a joyful obligation in return for the benefits and pleasures of being an American citizen.  I believe in America’s greatness, both historically and presently. I love my country, and with a little work, love most of my fellow citizens. The patchwork quilt that is American civil society is a delight and inspiration, at least most of the time.

But this year, I’m an undecided voter.

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Damn Hallmark and Their Too Tidy Visions Of Love

(A note to a friend who lost her husband in the past year)

I am suspicious you will have a different kind of Valentines day tomorrow given the events of the past year and all the loves that have moved to different spaces in your life.

Last night I went to a symphony concert.  Beethoven. Concerto in D Major, Op. 61.  Dead words to label one lilting phrase of music, composed in 1806, that we all recognize in the first few notes. It got me thinking about phrases that reach beyond time and place.

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Back Legs Matter or The Little Seat Co-op: An Allegory for our Times

Once upon a time, in a place much like this one, in a time not so unlike ours, there was a little company.  It wasn’t a big concern, just a few people pursuing their passion for well made seating, primarily sturdy stools that could be easily moved from place to place and comfortably applied to stable seating on a variety of surfaces.

Their three legged stools, simple, but well made and precisely crafted, were, at first, not much noticed by their owners, but well used and long lived.  Over time, these qualities raised the humble stools to visibility and even acclaim.

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Core Values and Vital Symmetries

A number of years ago as part of my professional development I went off to a Covey seminar on Core Values.  I found the class interesting, but in the end, felt that it left something important unsaid about how I navigated through my life.  Being explicit about one’s values is helpful, even necessary, but values are not sufficient except for the most fundamentalist approach to living.

My Life, as I’ve experienced it, only infrequently runs aground for a lack of values awareness and implementation.  Generally when my values are under duress, the choices are very clear even if implementation comes at a significant cost. My deepest, thorniest challenges come in situations that involve tradeoffs where there isn’t a clear either/or value to fall back on for direction.

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Musings on Heritage from a Part-Time Southerner

I wasn’t born there, but I did live in the South for 12 years, deep in the Mississippi Pine Forests. From my first days of High School until just after Grad School, I luxuriated in all the best the South has to offer. Those years helped define the well lived life for me and serve as a useful counterpoint to the fizzy, ephemeral, interneted age in which I find myself.

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