Archive: Opinions

A most unusual and perhaps unsettling position at this moment. I am writing this three days before what is being touted as the most (fill in the blank) election in our nation's history. But you are going to be reading this three days after the election and God only knows whether we will have a certified winner in the election year free-for-all.

So here I am wondering how to fill the gap between my reality of the moment and your reality of post-election exhaustion. The only prediction that makes sense is that some will be deliriously happy and some will be gnashing their teeth and rending their cloaks. But gratefully we will probably have set historic records for voter turnout.

While the two Americas have battled for their vision of right, rights, and righteousness, as you read this I hope democracy is still standing. Battered, bleeding, bandaged and perhaps on crutches, but proud and the survivor of 2020.

That said, I think I'll keep this week's thoughts to a few light-hearted head-in- the-sand distractions, while I worry you have hopefully been exercising what might be the most important franchise in human history.

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The Philadelphia Eagles played the Los Angeles Rams a few weeks ago in Philadelphia. The home team got stomped, so to speak. It was an embarrassing effort even for the Eagles, and the home of the Philly boo-birds let loose with a stadium full of cat calls, hisses, and boos as the hapless Eagles left the field. Only thing was, there were no fans in the stands due to Covid-19 restrictions. The torrent of boos were the result of a sound engineer in the television studio inserting sound effects into the television feed to entertain the fans at home. Call it an authentic experience for those of us who grew up with lousy Philadelphia teams, even in the empty stadium.

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In the same vein but a more esoteric experience, a string quartet performed in Barcelona recently. But in a pandemic world there was no audience in the Gran Teatre del Liceu. Pardon me, I take that back—the audience was 2,292 live potted plants in the auditorium.
The quartet entertained the verdant audience with Puccini's Chrisantemi which means chrysanthemums, flowers that Italians use to denote loss and mourning.
Large fans were utilized to make the plants sway and rustle. The musicians said it sounded "like nature's applause." After the performance the plants were given to Barcelona health care workers.

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Gucci has recently debuted faded denim overalls with fake grass stains on the legs. How about $1400 a pair? A dairy farmer, hearing of this fashion charade, told the New York Post that the grass stains should be more "knee-centric," and that Gucci should add a few manure stains for authenticity. I'd love to meet that dairy farmer and maybe introduce him to that designer at Gucci. That would be a conversation to eavesdrop on, wouldn't it?

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And finally, three quotes to give you pause, and reflection; "Never was there, perhaps, more hollowness at heart than at present, and here in the United States genuine belief seems to have left us. The underlying principles of the States are not honestly believed in."—Walt Whitman.

"To be led by a coward is to be controlled by all that the coward fears. To be led by a fool is to be led by the opportunists that control the fool."—Octavia Butler
"It's so hard to forget pain but it's even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness."—Chuck Palahniuk.

Take care of each other. Thanks for listening.