Daylight Savings Time

Lindbergh baby

John Paul Getty III

Patty Hearst.

Munich

Entebbe 

Iran 

Lebanon

Gaza.

Black September

Idi Amin

Ayatollah Khomeni

Hezbollah

Hamas.

Gilad Shalit

Daniel Pearl.

What could be darker

than kidnapping

and holding

hostages?

This fall 2023,

Hamas’ kidnapping 

of 250 

people

of all 

ages,

has the world

reeling.

Somehow,

the conversation 

quickly shifted

from unspeakable

atrocities

on October 7th,

and the hostage

taking

for nearly a month

now,

to the deliberately

triggered,

hideous

war,

conceived

to decimate

innocents—

the ones 

just trying

to live

above

the tunnels—

the innocents 

who are

supposed

to be liberated

and recognized

to live in

a self-determined

nation state—

intentionally 

doomed 

to suffer 

and die

at the hands

of the

enemy

(Israel),

subjected

to the brutality

of war

just

as Hamas

calculated

along with

massacring 

a kibbutz,

a peaceful

community

across 

the border.

As the world

watches

the horror

in horror,

and diplomats

quietly

seek

negotiations,

profound 

destruction

and devastation

persists

in retaliation.

Hostage taking

works

to call attention

and change

the narrative,

to gain

status,

power,

money.

How quickly 

the conversation

has become

about 

Israeli brutality

against innocent

Palestinian

people

living 

now suffering

and dying

in Gaza. 

Even nonviolent

hostage taking

works:

Tommy Tuberville

Matt Gaetz

Donald Trump.

Who wouldn’t

do anything

to save

lives

and restore

families

and normalcy

and peace?

Hostage takers.

So much 

of politics

is hostage 

taking.

The gun lobby.

As profoundly 

broken

and helpless

as 

we feel

right now,

real

hostages

kidnapped 

from their homes

are still 

in captivity

as bombs

drop

around them.

To those

who struggle

with 

the politics

of everything,

channel

the struggle

to release

and support

those

kidnapped

and held

in captivity

and the families

of the massacred

and hostaged.

Insist on

and contribute to

humanitarian

aid

to innocent

civilians.

We need 

to fall back

to daylight

not add

to the darkness

with political

slogans

and hostile

rhetoric.

I get it.

Our world

feels

out of control

and spiraling

further

away

from all 

that we 

cherish.

Indeed,

too much

is too 

awful.

But we 

have to

begin

to figure out

less damaging

resistance

and build

greater

resilience

because there

will always

be turbulence.

It’s Daylight

Savings Time.

It always 

starts

in the middle

of the night. 

The Scary Stuff

I promise

not to dwell

on why I hate

Halloween.

I will not 

comment

on the 

overconsumption,

glorified

sluttiness

(the only

memorable

costumes),

the adult

takeover

of kid 

time,

excessive waste—

especially plastic—

oh don’t get me 

started!

It’s supposed

to be fun!

Silly!

Autumnal festivity!

A treat 

when everything

feels like 

a trick.

A celebration

of night

and owning

it.

We see 

monsters

everyday

wearing masks

of normalcy.

The literary 

monsters

who

for decades

symbolized

Halloween

were tortured

by their liminal

lives,

possessed 

by cruelty,

but part

human,

wrestling

with destructive

impulses.

Iconic

images

made immortal

by Lon Chaney, Jr.,

Boris Karloff,

Bella Lugosi,

Elsa Lanchester

have become

shorthand

for Halloween

despite 

iterations

over 

generations.

There is a 

secular

sacredness

to this night—

a hallow eve.

The crazy

looking

characters

of Halloween

and all the

accompanying 

excess

is nothing

next 

to the

scary stuff—

the vile 

distortions

and evil

happening

each day.

Welcome Home

I’ve been away

from

home

for

just a week,

not yet

unpacked

after arriving

so late.

Returning

home

is a constant,

wherever

we go

whenever

we go.

We travel

and seek

home

somewhere

else.

Eighty degrees

on the east coast

in October

does not feel

like home.

Election

denier as 

Speaker

of the

House

does not feel

like home.

My pillows

and bed

are insufficient 

to comfort

my anxiety

about losing  

home

as I know

it.

I don’t know

how

to be

at home

in a burning

world

that seems

to be

a matter

of arson.

I was 

always

fearful

of fire—

of getting

burned.

Arsonists

are everywhere.

And yet,

some flames

are diminishing.

The criminal

confessions

mount, 

and I still

have

the idea

that we 

can return

home

and renovate

it;

upgrading

and updating

for better

protection

against

destructive

forces

that prove

to surface

and multiply

without 

intentional

safeguarding.

Meanwhile,

we can 

return home

to ourselves and

to each other

creating

home

in the face

of arson

and a world

on fire.

Returning 

home

is a constant—

even in

your house.

Being

home

is intentional. 

You

are

home.

Welcome

home.

History Lessens

History lessens

the exclusivity

of now.

What seems

unique

is really 

a tweak

of actions

of factions, 

reactions,

and distractions

that humans

do 

to

each

other.

This October

surprise

attack

by Hamas

upon Israelis

shocked

and horrified

in scope

and scale;

each

detail

grotesque.

Historical

comparisons

to 9/11,

’73,

and even

The Holocaust;

to Nazis

and Isis—

the ultimate

barbarism—

casts Hamas

among

other

embodiments

of pure

evil. 

From eternity

to here,

history

does not

lessen

the reality

of evil

of humans.

We like

to think

we progress,

and we do.

We like

to think

we are more

sophisticated

than our

ancestors,

yet

history

proves

to be

more complex,

with effects

that traumatize

and catalyze.

History

must 

humanize.

It is

the story

of humans,

sometimes

beyond

comprehension.

But that

is the

task

that history

asks.

We like

to think

we are

different

and less

naive

than our

predecessors.

But even

our successors

will have

or 

will be

aggressors

or oppressors,

and certainly

transgressors,

because

humans

have such

capacities.

Forgetting

the lessons

of history—

human

actions 

and 

reactions—

lessens

the ability

to strengthen

stability.

Fundamentally,

fundamentalism

lessens—

a lesson

learned

from history.

The progress

and ideas

of accessibility,

diversity, 

and inclusivity

that make

the present

feel

like sustainability,

become

thwarted,

distorted,

supported,

and exported

by extremists

who are

zombies

of history,

trying

to lessen

the inevitability

of time

and evolution.

I still

hope

for all

humanity

that sanity

will prevail

and we 

can exhale

while learning

the lessons

now.

Heart Attack

Teens

at a rave

sprayed

with bullets

in a wave

of gunfire

before

hostage 

taking

of babies

to old

ladies,

making

this 

the most

brazen

invasion

on the

occasion

of 50 years

plus 

a day

since 

another

surprise

attack.

The malevolence

and violence

which is now

inheritance

justifies

nothing.

Failures 

of intelligence

or negligence

without

precedence

is as shocking

as this 

perversion

of nationalism

or whatever 

it’s supposed

to be. 

My heart

hurts.

I ache 

for

humanity.

Gutted

It’s so very

exhausting.

Thoughts

abound

suggesting how

to live 

better.

More this.

Less that.

Kale?

Pro

Democracy.

Anti

Autocracy.

Greener.

Cleaner.

Healthier planet,

gut,

you name it.

Safety.

Growth.

Resilience.

Endless

issues

demanding

urgent,

immediate

attention.

Everything

feels like

crisis

self imposed.

Backlash to

institutional

disparities,

injustices,

bigotries—

hate

with deep roots

like oaks trees

and hickories

live for 

centuries.

It’s overwhelming

and painful

to reckon

how we are

living now.

I can not 

tolerate

the intolerable,

or accept

the unacceptable,

which is inundating 

us 

daily. 

I am enervated

but not 

yet

defeated.

The culture 

that I embraced

is being 

gutted

without conditions

suitable

for growth. 

We may

or may not

need kale,

but the gut

needs

to be rid

of toxins

and create

homeostasis

to foster 

health. 

Fire Power

With 

the former

guy

who branded

himself

on tv

saying,

“You’re fired,”

the wannabe

important,

desperate 

for attention

and power,

led

the charge

to fire

the Speaker

of 

the House.

An assault

on The House

of Representatives

again,

this time

we witnessed

from within,

it is clear

that 

fire

and power,

assaulting

institutions

and traditions

while

calling themselves

conservative,

is the Republican

brand

in the 21st century.

Cruelty

sparks drama

while pretending

it’s some sort 

of political

philosophy.

This century

began for us

with a disputed

election

followed

by a terrorist

attack

from

abroad.

The answer

to difficulty

and complexity

it seems,

is assault 

weapons. 

Now in human

form,

some openly 

carry

banners 

and weapons

of hate

to intimidate

to feel

important.

AH, 

to be

seen

in scene

after scene,

matters more

than governance.

It’s the anti

social

media power

that

fires up 

the pyromaniac

group.

I thought

of calling

this

“Burning Down

The House”.

But fire power

is really 

the only

discernable

stance 

beyond 

no taxes

that is consistently

attempted

at all costs.

Excusing

hostage 

taking 

with a government 

shutdown.

Excusing

mass shootings.

Excusing

insurrection,

and then twisting

and distorting

truth

while nuclear

secrets

were being

shared.

The relentless

spray,

like an 

AK

47,

requires

more 

than duck

and cover

and remaining

silent.

Dumb and Dumber

“Every time

I hear

you,

I feel

a little bit

dumber”,

hailed

candidate Haley.

Honestly,

I feel this

all the time

every time

I hear,

read,

see

news.

Some want

candidates

to say 

what the

voter

feels,

like:

Make

America

Great

Again.

or 

Yes 

We 

Can.

Defund

(you name 

it)

or

My pronouns

are…

or 

Build

Back

Better

or even

The Climate

Crisis—

no matter 

how valid,

the issues

have been

poorly

constructed

taglines.

These have

caused

backlash,

mockery,

spin,

failed explanation,

but little

social connectivity

beyond 

the already

connected. 

Even

pro-lifers

understand

the misnomer,

and seek

to advance

a more 

effective

rebranding

to keep

abortion

a crime.

Knowing

the fraud

perpetrated

in front

of us,

while

pretending

it’s just

business

as usual,

keeps us

fighting

a rather

uncivil

war

of culture.

Languaging

the culture

becomes

most

important. 

‘Alternative

facts’

is now

an alternate

reality.

‘Alternate’

electors

were

real news,

despite

the 

declaration

that

‘lame-stream’

(Palin’s Seussian

coined term

for mainstream)

news

is Fake 

News.

As 21st

century-

speak 

defines

a new era,

now 

the sides

have different

languages

further

balkanizing

the states

we are in.

I feel dumber

every time

I hear

the attempts

to project

fraud

on the

electorate

when the

evidence

is abundant.

As the 

dumbing

down

gets dumber,

it seems

to get

dirtier.

Disregard

for any 

correlation

between

verbiage

and 

reality

means

anything

can be uttered

or typed

with no

accountability.

Fraud-

shmaud,

as there

is no debate

about 

who they applaud

on his own

stage

staging

a get- out-

of- jail-

run -for -his-

life-

candidacy

for President.

Our feeling

defeated

and depleted

is the goal.

I’ll take

feeling dumb,

but we can’t

be numb

to the inanity

and insanity

being perpetrated

upon us.

Don’t withdraw.

Don’t stay silent.

Don’t be mute.

Don’t be dumb.

The Blazer

She wore a white 

blazer

as she testified,

while her bosses

lied

and she felt

threatened.

Now iconic,

and a bit ironic,

that the then 25

year old young

woman

would be the 

strongest

voice

of truth

and bravery.

She was

inspired 

by a historical

parallel

figure

from 50 years

ago,

speaking truth

to power.

The image

of The Blazer,

the young woman

in white,

is a sartorial

suggestion

of connection

to suffragettes

and election

equality

and integrity.

The symbol of hope

and purity

that white clothes

denote

suited

the Chief of Staff

of the Chief of Staff. 

With recent

interviews

as her book

previews,

the ordinary 

insults 

women

constantly 

endure

come to the

fore,

alongside

the rest

of the sickening

behaviors,

those most

entrusted

thrusted

upon her.

Saddled

with debt

and fearing

for

her safety,

The Blazer

is now

showing up

on shows

discussing 

Enough.

She is careful

and truthful

and I imagine

a likely

witness

for the 

prosecutions.

Her contributions

are blazing

a trail,

despite 

what happens

over the months

ahead

(which I

already

 dread).

I am grateful

for her 

strength

and so admire

the length

to which

she is willing

to be

a Blazer. 

Retirement Age

Rupert Murdoch

retired yesterday

at 92.

Michael Cain

confirmed

that he is

“sort of”

retired.

He is

“Bloody 90

now”.

Nancy Pelosi

was named

“Speaker Emerita”

nearly 10 months

ago.

Now 83,

she is running

for reelection

to Congress

in 2024.

A couple

weeks shy

of the big

Six O,

“Is there

ever a 

letting

go?”,

I wonder.

I can’t

imagine

feeling

so important

and indispensable

that I 

could not

retire,

as long as 

there was

sufficient

money.

Then again,

in retirement

we get 

to do

what we

want.

Clearly

that describes

the age

in which

we are 

living now.

In our 

Retirement Age,

we have

retired

the norms

and bonds

that used

to sustain us.

We have

retired

the decency

and potency

of democracy,

letting the

memories

remain

as the insults

to our body

politic

and social

fabric

damage-

even ravage-

us.

The age-old

hatreds,

bigotries,

grievances,

and even

ideas

of populism

have been

repackaged.

We are in

a Retirement

Age,

stagnating

creatively,

as everything

new

feels old

again.

I thought 

so much

had been

retired,

only to

see the

resurfacing

and 

enduring

old,

lingering

or

rerunning.

In our 

current

Retirement

Age,

nothing

is retired;

just tired.