Here we are, on the tail-end of a long weekend, and what have we learned?
That hot dogs are best when grilled. That lemonade tastes better when purchased from a stand staffed by neighborhood kids with a few missing teeth and a dog named “BooBoo.” That it’s best to leave political discussions at home during social gatherings and to start any new conversation with: “Do you remember when…?” instead of “So, what do you think of the state of the nation?”
While many of you were able to leave your work lives behind it’s harder for us. We’re connected, for better or for worse, and even though many of you were celebrating our collective Independence you still wanted to know what was going on.
So we kept a skeleton crew on over the weekend. They realized that people are under a lot of pressure and react to it in all sorts of ways. That the opioid epidemic is real and shockingly pervasive. That the characterization of our homeless population – are we really calling them “residentially challenged” now? – should not always depict them as innocent victims but, rather, often as aggressors.
These realizations do not thud home with the impact they may have on others unaware of the general state of things within the borders of the 24/680. We’ve had our eye on them for a while and we’re wondering if they will ever be adequately addressed – or if we’ve passed their respective tipping points years ago.
Currently, we have some smoke plumes rising (Pittsburg – 2-alarm grass fire); a few folks falling (Pleasant Hill – woman into a storm drain); and lots of metal grinding (Everywhere – but Lamorinda has been especially banging for some reason).
We’ve learned that adherence to political correctness is to be avoided and to continue telling things as they are, despite pressure from those peddling the PC Doctrine. We’ve learned that The Right is also easily affronted, quick to anger and just as quick to discount logic and reason in favor of their own thinking.
We’re not here to argue you out of your beliefs, but most who arrive here and stick around do so with open minds – and we’ve found that to be a good thing. As for the people who ignore warnings against certain practices, e.g. lighting “dud” fireworks, leaving $4,000 computers in their cars and $10,000 sports bicycles in their driveways – or who hand over their social security numbers and other personal info to long-distance callers with a family member in a fabricated foreign jail – good luck with that. Just don’t say we never gave you a heads up.
Another thing we’ve learned? That there are lots of you out there and more joining us every day. We’ve learned that you’re all very different (and good looking, of course, and very, very interesting) and that you all have something to say. We’re gratified you’ve taken some time out of your lives to read what we have to say and add a few words or thoughts of your own.
It’s kind of – American. And we happen to like that concept very much.
Heroin?
Afraid so.
And the gateway drug is not marijuana so much as pharmaceuticals.
Most American are moderates (including myself) and until we all move closer to the center, this country will never get anywhere. The far right and the far left are extremists, and I can’t imagine going through life strongly disliking the “other side” and fighting like the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s. Moderates can be members of any party, see both sides of any issue, and remain “politically invisible” and that’s the way we like it.