June is busting out allover!!!

It’s June

Yes, 

June is bustin' out all over

All over the meadow and the hill

June, June, June

Just because it's June, June, June!

(From Carousel by Rodgers and Hammerstein)

Today is the First Day of June!!!  Yeehaw!!!

June - national dairy month.  (I’m not sure they make such a big deal of this anymore - but I remember a lot of ads for Dairy Month.  

June also is the month with the most sunshine - the Summer Solstice (in the Northern Hemisphere) is on June 20th - the “longest day of the year”!!!   Aside, and, I thought we had some pretty long days of quarantine and isolation!!!  The days have been getting longer (that is, with more daylight hours) since the Winter Solstice on December 20th.  Officially June 20th starts Summer - until September 22nd at 8:30.  (And, if you are interested - it is at 4:43 Central Time -if you want to be outside to see the sun at its farthest north point!!!).  Generally, meteorologists consider June, July, and August as Summer months and then September, October, and November as Fall months.

Some other June features - in the United States, June 14th is flag day.  Betsy Ross supposedly made the first American Flag in 1775.

Jule 14th was my grandparents, my parents, and my wife and I’s anniversary.  (I thought it was a good tradition, but when we were having an anniversary their anniversaries were more significant!!!)

Sunday, June 21st is Father’s Day.  It is probably not quite the same celebration as Mother’s Day.  Generally fathers grill meat in their backyards for father’s day (while families take Mom to restaurants for Mother’s Day).

It is Pride Month - generally part of celebrating diversity.  Aside, for some reason, Austin Texas celebrates Pride in August - which is generally the hottest month in this hot region!!!  I, of course,  find myself in an interesting position with Pride Month - as I’m kind of late to the celebration!!!

D-Day was June 6, 1944.  The massive invasion of the French beaches from England - and the deaths of many and the turning of the tide in World War II.

June is frequently a month of Weddings.  Maybe from older days as you wouldn’t want a wedding in July or August when it is so hot, but you wanted a wedding when school was out and families could travel easier.  

Swimming pools open in June, summer camps begin in June - both are subject to COVID-19 interference this year!!  

It might be a good month for a vacation (although it seems like August has become vacation month - as summer camps are over by then).

And, today, June 1st is my sister’s birthday!!!  Happy Birthday, Beth!!!!  I love you!!!

So, what is special about June to you?

Hugs!!

Karen

Violence again - GRRRRRR

-----  GRRR - NOT AGAIN - “When will we ever learn?” 

So, here we are the last Sunday in May.  And, unfortunately, here we are again - with racial tensions and riots around our country and world.

I’ve been writing and thinking about love - and yet we don’t seem to learn.

First - policing.  I understand being a policeman can be difficult.  A split second distinction can make a difference between life and death.  

A policeman sees somebody fleeing from a crime and has to decide - was that the perpetrator - was the crime significant to attempt to stop the person and what ramifications stopping the person might bring.  

We all have some bad days - and there are days we are tired - not enough sleep; upset by the COVID-19 virus; missing our previous lives - and policemen are called to make a judgment call.  But, can we make such judgment calls rationally?  Can we listen to both sides?  

OR - can we let that “WHITE HOT” fire of hate that burns within us - take over?  I don’t know the story - I have seen videos - I have read reports - and I do know that somethings can be taken out of context.  Even as I read (and spout) scriptures, they can be taken out of context.  

(In the past I sometimes said something I thought was funny, which in retrospect wasn’t.  I’ll admit I like humor - but when I say something of humor that is not in good taste or is not true, that I am wrong.)

Second - people.  This nation is very divided - politically, financially, socially, and even religiously.  I can try to calm and put out the fire - or I can pour gas on the fire.  

I accept the concept of “Non-Violent” protesting as I saw in Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi.  There are battles we need to be in - even if we lose, and there are battles we need to stay away from.  But, we must stay away from violence - violence creates more violence (I wanted to say “violence begets violence!!”.  

Thrid - time.  

Q:  What do we want?

A:   Peace

Q:  When do we want it

A:   Now

Four - what can I do

Violence and hatred have existed almost forever, but not quite infinite. If you will violence entered the world with sin - and with Cain killing Abel.  (or, if that creation story isn’t part of your belief system, just trust me that violence has been around for a long time.). 

But, LOVE is INFINITE - eventually, LOVE WILL WIN!!  But, not in my lifetime.  

It took a long time to abolish slavery - and it still exists in some forms.  It took a long time to recognize women can vote and make decisions.  It took a long time to recognize that “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” (from the Declaration of Independence - July 4, 1776).

It does get tiring to turn the other cheek again and again; to not hit back when struck; to give a quiet answer - and to work on loving one another.  

But, in my humble opinion, that must be my life-work until I die - to promote love, healing, forgiveness, understanding, and peace!!!

And, not to promote violence!!!

Hugs!!!

Karen 

Sirens

Sirens!!!

I live about 1/8th of a mile off Interstate 35 in Central Texas.  About a mile north is a large regional hospital.  I’m in a community of about 50,000 people - on the north end of the Austin Texas metropolitan area.  

So, I hear sirens frequently.  I wish I was able to distinguish the call better.  I think I know the emergency sirens, the fire sirens, and the State Troopers stopping speeders siren,

As I understand it, the word “siren” goes back to the Greek - where Sirens were three mermaid-like creatures with lovely songs that sat on rocks just out from islands in the Meditteranean Sea.  They lured sailors passing on ships with their lovely voices and music.  Seemingly their voices (and looks) were enchanting to the sailors.  The sailors, entranced by their songs would sail onto the rocks and drown.

“The Sirens were encountered by the Argonauts who passed by unharmed with the help of the poet Orpheus who drowned out their music with song. Odysseus later sailed by, bound tightly to the mast, while his men blocked their ears with wax.”  (https://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Seirenes.html)

But, modern sirens are almost the opposite - in most cases, the sirens are used to scare people away from the “rocks” - or to scare them away from the emergency vehicles.  “Pull over - get out of the way - we are on our way to a fire - or to an accident - or to the hospital.”

The one almost exception is when a squad car is behind you with the siren flaring and the lights flashing - and that means you are to pull over - and may mean you are getting a ticket for speeding - or for some other offense.

There have been evenings where there are multiple sirens - which I think might be a more major accident on the Interstate highway.  There are fire trucks and ambulances rushing for the accident, plus squad cars directing traffic.

*****

So what sirens might we have in our lives?  

Let’s start with safety.  Sirens in our cars as we start to switch lanes in an unsafe manner (or we are falling asleep at the wheel).  We have fire alarms in many buildings and schools.  We do have individual fire alarms and smoke detectors in our houses.

How about the other alarms - alarms that wake us up.  Kitchen timers telling us to remove something from the stove.  How about smart stoves that can detect that some item is done (yes, I left a pan on the stove while I was checking my email the other morning - and burned up my morning oatmeals.

How about mental sirens.  More a moral siren in our brains when we are going to do something stupid or immoral (like having a sexual affair).  A siren when we are cheating somebody.  A siren when somebody is cheating us.  How about a siren (that might be like a ‘still small voice’ just before we open our mouth and say something inappropriate.  Another siren could be for our ears as a person is starting to swear or tell a story that is not suitable.  A siren for our eyes?  Another for our lips?

Maybe we do have such sirens in our heads - some moral compass that is fixed in our brains.  

We can say mean things - but our siren says - that is not true and it is not nice to say that.  Or, I am going to make a cutting remark - our siren says - “show love - not judgment or hate”.

Maybe even a ‘stomach siren’ - coupled with our eyes - as that last slice of pie is calling out to us - to say ‘no’.

Do you have mental sirens (or moral compasses)? Can we fine-tune them to keep us loving and forgiving?

Hugs!!!

Karen

Don't pay off this debt!!!

What to pay off - and what NOT to pay off

We all have debts.  Some of us have little debts.  To be honest, our house is paid for (although I don’t live there), I own my car; I don’t have any furniture payments.

But, in most cases, we still have debts.  The property tax bill needs to get paid in the next few months, the credit card bill will come due on the first of the month, etc.  

For many of my former students, they still have college debt.  Others are paying on mortgages, or car payments, or other things they have bought.  

But, there is one debt that we SHOULD NOT PAY OFF!!!

From Romans 13:8-10

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other commands there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

I like how that is phrased - “the continuing debt to love one another”.  Do I write a check to pay that debt?  How do I pay a debt to love one another?

It is like every morning, there is $1,000,000 on your bank account that you owe to love.  During the day when you smile, say ‘hello’, really care, really listen, really try to help, really try to understand - you are chipping away at that debt.  ALWAYS pay on that debt.  Maybe by the end of the day, you have it down to (say) $100,000 (hey you paid off $900,000 in a day - that’s pretty good).  But, the next morning it is back at 1 million.  

Is there interest on that account?  (Sure is).  But, never more than the day before.  

Can you overpay it?  Never!!  Even if you go out of your way and be nice and love 100% of the people you come into contact with, you’ll never pay it off.  Why?  Well, you could have called friends who haven’t seen and supported and encouraged them - you could have visited the elderly in a nursing home or retirement center.

So, what if you just stop trying?  (Hey, after all, I can never pay it off)

Well, I’m not sure what the consequences will be - but my guess is that you will become a crabby old man or crabby old woman.  You will have a ‘hardened heart’.  You’ll be like Scrooge in A Christmas Carol - “Bah Humbug”.  Don’t smile, don’t give out love - be stingy with your love,  There is an old prayer “God Bless Mom and Dad, me and my sister.  Us Four - and no more”.  You don’t want God to bless those that are sick with the virus?  Or those being evicted from the house or apartment because they have been fired or laid off with a job?  

Pay the debt of love - always love!!!

Matthew 25 adds this

““Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, "I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you as a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and we gave you clothes? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” 

There are ALWAYS more to love - you can never love enough.

And, if you stop, you really are hurting yourself - because love does come back - not necessarily the “eros” or erotic love; or the “phila” or brotherly love, but the ‘agape’ or deep, heartfelt loved!!!

So - today work on loving others - (and I will do the same)!!!

Hugs (and Love)!!

Karen

Books - General

Books - General

I was thinking of books the other day.  Actually, I think of books many days - in the abstract, and in the real and in my hand.  I’ve read a LOT of books in my life.

I’ve read academic books - as a student and then as a professor.  I’ve read books of encouragement and self-help books.  I’ve read children’s books and silly books.  I’ve read fiction and non-fiction.  And, my guess is that you have read similarly in your lives.

Sometimes on social media somebody will ask “What was the most significant book you have read?”  I’m not sure I can answer.  Yes, I’ve read the Bible a lot - including doing it again this year.  I can quote many verses from the Bible - and if not exactly, I have a good idea where to find them.  

A friend’s mother died recently and I sent her a note on Facebook - I was pretty sure it was from Ecclesiastes 3 (and it was): “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die,”  (And, for my friends who grew up in the 60s - I can’t think of those verses without thinking of the Byrds version - “There is a season, Turn, Turn, Turn”)

I’ve read things that I do not want to read again, and things that I do want to read again.  I’ve read things that have stuck with me and things where I can say “Yes, I read that, but I don’t remember much about that”.

As a child, I read most of the “Freddy the Pig” series by Walter Brooks.  Freddy was a great detective and solved problems.  While I can’t quote anything from these words, I have a fond memory of these books.  (I wanted to be like Freddy the pig).  Aside, from doing a quick look at Walter Brooks, he also wrote a book about a talking horse - that became the “Mr. Ed” TV show.

As I’m writing this, I checked out a list of the “100 Best Book Everybody Should Read” (https://www.businessinsider.com/100-books-everyone-should-read-amazon-goodreads-2015-3) and I found that I had read less of that list than I thought I would have.  The top of that list was “To kill a Mockingbird” - which I never have read (I guess I need to check it out).  In the past two years, I have tried to ‘read’ (by audiobook) “The Great Gatsby” three times - only to put it down (that is, deleted it from my audiobook player).  I finally read a good synopsis and just decided that I had little interest in that book.  

In college, a group of friends was at a little shopping mall and I got a book on the “100 Greatest Philosophers” and I enjoyed that.  (Okay, I was becoming a snobby intellectual and I thought I needed to know about philosophy).  If I remember that evening, I also bought a cheap print of John Constable’s painting “The Hay Wain” which I put in my dorm room.  

Books are part of my everyday life.  These days I like audiobooks as I walk and listen.  I find I can laugh at some of the sections - and I get a big smile as I walk - and I really don’t care if somebody looks at me and wonders -what is she laughing at?’.  (My current audiobook is by Debbie Macomber - “Country Bride” - and it is light reading.  I laugh at the situations the protagonist gets into.  )

I remember my senior English instructor in high school who said “Don’t read Ayn Rand” - so, of course, I read Ayn Rand.  I liked Fountainhead - and in college, I launched into “Atlas Shrugged” with my girlfriend at that time.  I’ve thought back, why did my instructor say “don’t read Ayn Rand” - but I found it fascinating and challenging.  You could become your best - but you had to believe in yourself.  Yes, Ayn Rand doesn’t come off as a Christian writer - but that is okay.  

And, yes, as a college male, the sex in the story was interesting - but it seemed to be sex with a purpose - sex of communication.  (And, if you haven’t read it, there isn’t that much sex!!)

I’ve read Kafka - especially Metamorphosis, and Camus and Hermann Hesse.  I’ve read C.S. Lewis and John Grisham; James Patterson and Nancy Drew.  I’ve even written four books (maybe more if you count daily blogs for seven-plus years).  

I do remember an advertisement from Georgia Pacific company in the 1960s - that promoted reading “Send me a man who reads”.  (but I also remember that some people added punctuation ‘Send me a man.  Who reads?”

What have you read?  What have you read lately?  Have you looked at the list of the “!00 Books you should read”?  

Keep reading - keep learning!!!

Hugs!!

Karen (the reader) 

Robots are coming to food processing!!

Robots are coming to our food processing!!

https://www.ozy.com/the-new-and-the-next/the-robots-rescuing-our-food-supply-chain/329790/

How about a change of pace today?

I thought this was interesting.

With the lockdown (yes), and with unemployment so high (I don’t understand why that is important here) - robots are moving faster into the food supply chain.

Robots cleaning the floor:

“At supermarkets including Walmart and Kroger, autonomous floor-scrubbing machines are zooming up and down the aisles every night, ensuring the premises are spick-and-span.”

“Every day, we give back 8,000 hours to essential workers to do other stuff, for example … to precision clean, [disinfect] handles, restocking or just taking a break they need, So the robots aren’t doing all the cleaning, they are doing the most monotonous work.”

*****

One of the robotics features is to do monotonous work!!!  Is this article is right, it might be taking work away from people - but not work that requires much thinking!!!

*****

How about pulling the weeds?

“FarmWise’s “agribot” Titan is a giant orange robot equipped with artificial intelligence that enables it to identify weeds for removal, helping growers increase their efficiency and extract more yield from their land.”

With the borders shut down, a lot of day farm laborers that used to come in from Mexico are barred from entry with COVID-19.

Depending on how this machine works, it could be a good environment tool.  If it pulls the weeds (instead of spraying them with a herbicide) that could be a good move!!!  (I have pulled enough weeks in my years - how soon and affordable for home gardens?)

*****

How about robots that can climb stairs to drop packages off.  Deliveries during the virus isolation have been worrisome for people.  Do I open the door and get confronted with a delivery person spreading the virus?  Or visa-versa - do I share my virus germs with a delivery person?  

These can also work for curbside deliveries.  Pull up, pop the trunk latch and the robot will put your groceries, food, products into the trunk for you - no human interactions!!

*****

A company called “Fetch” has warehouse robots that move things around huge warehouses.  

Aside - like many grocery stores, my local HEB has gone crazy with filling orders.  There are carts in the aisles with human order fillers that are following a check sheet and stacking things on the cart for consumers.  So, eventually a robot can do the fetch part of the order filling process.  (Yes, taking away jobs from people, but not necessarily really important jobs).

Order filling has been a challenge for grocers.  Let’s say that 50% of a community are using the online order filling program.  That means a lot of people are running around the store, pulling items from the shelves.  Unlike robots (who don’t get paid and don’t need sleep or lunch breaks), these humans are getting paid.  So, if I have an order that takes an hour to fill, and the order filler gets $20 an hour, that costs the store an extra $20 that they may not be able to pass on to the consumer.  As a typical grocery shopper, I walk down the aisles, checking the prices, looking at the nutritional information before I pop it into my cart.  But, I’m using my own time.  

The article adds, “Grocers have been slow to adapt to e-groceries because the prospect places them in a Catch-22: Offer online orders and lose money on each sale, or refuse to offer the service and see a chunk of your business fall away to online rivals.”

With millions out of work, it may seem strange to be buying robots at this time - but seemingly the robots are doing more manual and monotonous jobs that even unemployed people don’t want to do!!

*****

Hmm - just a change of pace for a day!!!

Hugs!!!  (And, I suppose if the robots are sprayed with disinfectant you can hug your favorite robot as well!!!)

Karen

Privacy and Security - part II

Privacy and Security - part II

https://www.justsecurity.org/70029/emergency-powers-in-the-time-of-coronaand-beyond/

Today, I am going to quote more of the linked article than I normally do.  Let’s see how it all fits

The article has a title of: “Emergency Powers in the Time of Coronavirus and Beyond”

“There is much we still do not know about COVID-19, but there is also much that we do know. We know we are dealing with a highly transmissible virus that can spread easily from person to person through respiratory droplets. And we know that if you do not want to be 6 feet under (or put someone else there), you’d better be 6 feet away.”

“In the past few months, we have witnessed numerous extraordinary measures adopted by various governments in response to COVID-19.”

*****

Yes, numerous extraordinary measures have been adopted - from the Federal Government down.  We have heard about “flatting the curve” - keep the virus from spreading so quickly by isolating and following the extraordinary precautions.  We have heard so many stories of groups (like the Washington State chorus group - that still had a rehearsal and spread the COVID-19 germs all around.

*****

But, the article continues in an interesting vein,

“A common rhetorical tool used, perhaps overused, by politicians, business leaders and consultants, motivational speakers, and others is “never let a good crisis go to waste.” Those who want to impress their listeners even further hasten to add that “the Chinese word for ‘crisis’ is ‘danger plus opportunity.’” Whether correct or, as some have argued, a widespread public misperception, this idea has been taken up and repeated, over and over again.”

*****

What?  ‘Never let a good crisis go to waste?’

The gist of the article comes next:

“The danger presented in such tumultuous times is not confined merely to the obvious risks—terrorism attack, hurricanes, an economic meltdown, or a pandemic. It also inheres in the fact that crises present governments, both democratic and authoritarian, with an opportunity to increase and concentrate their powers often at the expense of individual rights, freedoms, and liberties.

*****

WHAT - that governments love crises so that they can increase and concentrate their powers?  What - does the United States Government want to be more authoritarian?  Does the state of Texas want to have more powers?

*****

And …. The next big point:

“Whatever the case may be, experience teaches us several important lessons that we ignore at our peril. First, when faced with emergencies, governments tend to over-, rather than under-, react. Second, crises and emergencies almost invariably lead to the strengthening of the executive branch at the expense of the other two branches. Parliamentary acquiescence and judicial deference leave great room for executive action. Finally, and most significantly, counter-crisis measures adopted in response to a particular exigency, regardless of the nature of that exigency, are rarely fully scaled back and terminated once the crisis abates and is over.

*****

The authors suggest that (a) governments tend to overreact.  

Then, this leads to (b) executive branches (aka ‘the presidency’) to strength.  Kind of a “we have to take a strong stance on this”. 

And, finally, (c) once the emergency is over, the actions tend to be kept in place.  

*****

Not that this is all bad.  From the September 11, 2001 attacks, the Department of Homeland Security was developed - and still exists.  Some measures at that time led us (United States) to allow for more surveillance and more wire-tapping and more international espionage. 

Yes, that security was good and needed - and took a big step for security to keep such attacks from never happening yet.  

The article goes on to suggest that “War Rhetoric” is common in such crises.  “We are in a battle for this nation’s health”.  Fear, hysteria, and panic have worked on the American people.  (Did you see panic at the grocery store over toilet paper or anti-bacterial wipes?) 

While I may not totally agree with the article, it does raise some interesting points.  

Be safe my friends - but keep good sense and watch the eroding of our freedom as the Executive Branch attempts to crack down on such freedoms.

Hugs!!

Karen

Memorial Day 2020

Memorial Day 2020

Today is Memorial Day.  Yes, it is the unofficial start of summer (ending with Labor Day).  It was the traditional weekend for the Indianapolis 500.  It is the weekend for picnics and summer outings.  Now, if we could get away from isolation and quarantines long enough for a picnic and to practice social distancing.

Memorial Day - a day to “remember”.

When I grew up, it was called “Decoration Day”.  I was too young to know or remember any Civil War veterans but did know veterans from World War I and II (and even the Korean War) by the time I was old enough to know what the day was for.

My parents and grandparents took flowers (I remember peonies) to the cemetery to remember relatives and friends who were in the service.  

The remembrance came from the Civil War - the bloodiest war in our country.  Brother against brother; Northern Yankees against Southern separatists.  (The rhetoric was, of course, different - some in the South called the Civil War “The War of Northern Aggression”)  

For many years Decoration Day was on May 30th.  Then the congress made it the last Monday in May.  I remember a friend from South Dakota who thought it was terrible to make the day into a three day weekend.  He thought (and probably rightfully so), that Americans would forget about our war dead and our Veterans and go on picnics and other things.

And I remember Vietnam - and friends that didn’t come back; and heroes like my favorite-brother-in-law who came home with shrapnel in his body.  THANK YOU BILL!!!

And, some thoughts.  All countries (except maybe Switzerland) have had wars - and nationalism and patriotism.

We used to sing “This is my land” - with words (translated) by Sibelius from Finland.  There was also another version - “This is my song” to the same tune (Finlandia).  The implication is that all countries have blue skies, and all countries have people who want peace, who have dreams and hope.  

This is my song, O God of all the nations,

a song of peace for lands afar and mine;

this is my home, the country where my heart is;

here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine:

but other hearts in other lands are beating

with hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

Sometimes with all the voices of the world that can get strident, we need to think of the bigger picture.  I’ve had the opportunity to travel to Belarus and Kazakhstan - former Soviet Union states - and Germany, Austria, and Ireland.  And - parents there want their children to grow up and be successful; they want peace for their families  A former student from Syria has agonized over the divisions in her country.  

And … there are times that I also agonize over the divisions in our country.  “United we stand, divided we fall”.  May this Memorial Day be a day that promotes unity, that promotes (virtual) hugs and tones down the rhetoric.

Why can’t we learn to live in Peace!!!

Happy Memorial Day 2020 

Karen

Privacy and Security - Part I

The never-ending debate - Freedom versus Security

For years, the concept of freedom and the concept of security has been pitted against each other.  

In our current situation, the government has pushed the concept of security at the expense of personal freedom.  

I am to wear a mask if I go out in public, I am to stay at home and “shelter-in-place”.  I am to remain at least six feet away from others or I may get their germs (or they may get mine).  

To me, I envision someplace in the middle - but, I cannot control that world.  I can only control my own life.  I have the power to “choose” - but only for me.  I cannot force you to go to a packing plant (where COVID-19 has flourished), or to a senior/nursing home (where there are weak and vulnerable people and also where the virus has flourished.  But, I can ‘kind of’ choose for myself. Okay, I really can’t - as they would turn me back at the packing plant if I arrived and wanted to inspect it.  Even in days past, who wanted to tour a packing plant?  Likewise, these days, if I wanted to go to a nursing home, I would most likely have to press a button to be allowed in (or type in a security code).  Even in the past when I did visit a nursing home for my church, I had to get admitted.  

So, what does freedom mean to you?  To go where you want to go and do what you want to do?  

Maybe not.  I want to go to the busiest highway and just park my car in the middle of the center lane and wander around - that would be freedom wouldn’t it?  Or, I want to walk into a theater and yell “FIRE” - that would be freedom wouldn’t it?  There are things against most human norms and conventions.  Can I go into an XYZ church and yell “You are all going to hell”? 

Am I free to take a gun with me to a school and wave it around?  Okay, some people are - legitimate professionals in some states and some circumstances - but even then with some constraints - like it must be in a holster and with the safety lock engaged.

Can I go wandering on the streets around my home?  Can I go to a park and walk?  Can I go to a grocery store or other store (assuming they are open)?  Generally!!  Can I get drunk at home if I desire?  Sure (but why?).  Can I get drunk at a bar and then drive home while intoxicated?  No (maybe not so much for my security - but for other people’s safety).  

But, one thing I think we need to consider is “how much” security and for how long can it be enforced by governments.  Can my government fine me for not wearing a mask in public?  Can my government force me to stay inside in self-quarantine? 

Am I voluntarily consenting to isolation because it is a good practice in these challenging times?  Or am I consenting to isolation based on legal requirements?  I recognize that there are protestors who are flaunting the isolation principles 

The First Amendment to the Constitution states:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

If I peaceably assemble with others at a store (or a church or a gym or a bar or a park) but not following the self-distancing concepts - with hugs - touching and closeness - that should be the right to assemble coupled with the freedom of speech.  

Yes, my actions may lead to my death.  If I sign a consent form that my actions may cause death is that okay?  Can it be like smoking and the cigarette package says “Smoking can cause cancer, heart disease and more” but I choose to smoke - am I exercising my freedoms as compared to being required not to smoke?  

The dilemma is there - where do freedom stop and health restrictions begin?  From a recent news article from Dallas:

“Shelley Luther was booked in the Dallas County jail on Tuesday following a video hearing during which she refused to apologize for repeatedly flouting the order, leading the judge to find her in contempt of court and sentence her to a week behind bars.

“Luther was cited last month for keeping her salon open despite state and local directives that kept nonessential businesses closed, but she continued to defy the order and tore up a cease and desist letter in front of TV cameras.

She was defiling ‘state and local directives’.  Is this civil disobedience?  Is this stupidity?  

The other day I got my haircut at a salon academy (i.e. beauty-school).  I wore my mask as did my beautician as I had been told on the appointment phone call.  They had moved all of their stations to be a goodly distance apart.  I felt really safe - until I finished and left.  It must have been break time for the students as there were two picnic tables outside the building - maybe so you could have three people on one side (of twelve total), and there were probably twenty to twenty-five there - talking, sipping beverages.  It seemed to negate the strict mask and distancing that was inside the building.  But, these were generally younger people - maybe upper teens to low twenties - and probably very healthful students - and having fun and freedom.  

Some states have had rallies on the capitol building steps protesting the rules and regulations.  But, most have ‘buckled down’ in trying to be good citizens.  (And, I’ve even touched and hugged friends - please don’t report me - I’m pretty sure I am ‘clean of the virus’!!.

So, a tough call.

Tomorrow we’ll look at another (very interesting view)!!!

Hugs!!!

Karen

Ten weeks of isolation!!!

Good Morning Readers!!!

You know it has been ten weeks of quarantine/isolation. 

First some advice:

“Absences makes the heart grow fonder (so, get out of the house for a while”;

“Ignorance is bliss (that’s why I’m so happy!!;

“Some people cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.” (hmmm - does that apply to me?)

May you have a fun day - smile and the world smiles with you!!!  Laughter is the best medicine!!

How about some really lame jokes - because we need to smile and laugh!!

Q:  What do you do with a bad rainbow?

A:  Put it in Prism

Q: In winter, why do people stand in the corner?

A: Because it is 90 degrees in the corner

Q:  Why couldn’t the pony sing?

A:   She was a little horse (hoarse)

Q:  What do you call a boomerang that won’t come back?

A:   A stick!!

Q:  What does a cloud wear under his raincoat?

A:  Thunderwear

Q:  (too close to home)  What musical instrument do you find in the bathroom?

A:  A tuba toothpaste

Q:  (this might apply to some of us) How do you get squirrels to like you?

A:  Act like a nut!!!

Q:  How does the scientist freshen her breath?

A:  With “experi-mints”

Q:  What’s worse than finding a worm in your apple?

A:  Finding HALF a worm!!!

Q:  Why did the cookie go to the hospital?

A:  She felt crummy

Q:  Why did the student eat her homework?

A:  The teacher said it was “a piece of cake”

Q:  Does a red candle burn longer than a blue candle?

A:  No, they both burn shorter

Q:  Why is six scared of seven?

A:  Because seven eight (ate) nine

Q:  Why do sharks live in saltwater?

A:  Because pepper makes them sneeze

Q:  What song do barn cats like best?
A:  Three blind mice

I love you all - and miss you!!!  When it is safe for us to be together, we’ll see all your smiling faces again!!

Virtual Hugs!!!

Karen