I’m taking a break from blogging. I just don’t much have it in me right now. Maybe I will resume next month. But now is not the time. Although I may post some pics. I’m trying to get back into photography. So we’ll see.
Have a good Thanksgiving. Try to stay safe.
Talk amongst yourselves until I get back. But wear a mask while doing it.
Still not quite up to posting just yet. Even though it would be like shooting fish in a barrel when you consider the current political scene.
It’s been a tough two weeks.
Y’all stay safe. Really.
I have nothing today. Too much family business last week and today. And none of it’s good.
Y’all take care. Life is crazy.
It’s official. Thanksgiving is cancelled. Not by the government. By my cousin Jananne. Our family has been getting together at her house for Thanksgiving since my mind runneth not to the contrary. But not this year. Too dangerous.
I’ve heard this from other folks as well. Been family gatherings are just not prudent in the age of COVID. I ran into a friend at a graveside service. We usually meet up over at this brother’s house both Thanksgiving night and/or Christmas night. Again, not this tear.
Meanwhile Donald Trump is running around this great land of ours warning anybody that will listen that if Joe Biden is elected he will “cancel all holidays.” At the risk of belaboring what should be the obvious, Joe Biden has never said any such thing. All this is is the weaponized version of the old “the liberals want to outlaw the uttering of ‘Merry Christmas’” con that worked so well for him 4 years ago. Now, according to Trump, they (the liberals) want to outlaw ALL holidays. Presumably even MLK Day. Which, in retrospect, would probably be OK with Trump’s base. As well as the great man himself.
This is apropos of nothing. But I always wish folks a “Merry Christmas.” As does noted atheist Richard Dawkins who points out that due to the commercialization of the holiday the phrase is practically devoid of religious significance. There’s something to that.
Anyway, guess what. They country is already shut down. And it happened on Trump’s watch. Schools are holding virtual classes. College athletics are being performed in front of minimal crowds and professional sports, particularly tennis, baseball and basketball basically existed, or exist, in a bubble.
Conferences are being conducted by Zoom and other internet vendors. Dining out is largely a thing of the past having been replaced with takeout in most homes. Offices are empty. Brick and mortar shops are hurting from reduced foot traffic. New car sales are stagnant as people are hanging on to their vehicles longer. I know I did. I just couldn’t justify putting the money down on a new vehicle when the car I was leasing had only 43,000 miles after 3 and a half years. So I bought it out of the lease.
People are saving more money. I don’t know if I’m saving so much as I am not touching what I have saved. But if people save money instead of spending it this has an effect on the economy. This perverse result is known by economists as the “Paradox of Thrift.”
All on faux businessman Donald Trump’s watch. His administration’s inept “handling” of the epidemic combined with the mere pain his tariffs have caused have locked this country up more solidly than he or Joe Biden could actually do if either of them set out to do it. And just wait and see what happens if the Affordable Care Act is declared unconstitutional. Upon the Motion of the Trump Administration and Republic state Attorneys General including our own. You don’t think millions of Americans losing health insurance won’t have an adverse impact on the economy? Particularly at the state level?
But Trump doesn’t want to talk about any of that. He wants to talk about Hunter Biden’s laptop. He wants to talk about Joe Biden’s alleged lack of mental acuity. He wants to talk about liberals outlawing the holidays that we will still celebrate no matter who wins. We will just celebrate them amongst our immediate family. Because sensible people like my Cousin Jananne all over the country know it’s too risky to get together.
And Donald Trump doesn’t want to talk about that.
As I was leaving the service I turned to my friend.
“It occurs to me that I don’t know when I will ever see you again,” I said.
“I know,” he replied. “That’s one hell of a thing isn’t it?”
It is one hell of a thing.
As are paybacks. If you haven’t done your duty by now, do so Tuesday.
Pay those bastards back.
