Mouth of the West

Tuesday, July 5, 2022

#My_Daily_Kindness_Shared

Small kindnesses CAN make a difference. I offer these brief stories, not to suggest that I'm somehow "holier than thou," but solely to suggest you search for your own ways to love thy neighbor. Find your own way, then share your stories somewhere that's comfortable for you.

On my way to the Presbyterian Hospital NICU, early Monday morning (3:00 a.m., 7/4/2022), I saw four apparently homeless people at the nearby bus stop. I always ask if they're "living on the streets" and, if so, would they like some food & water. I handed out two food bags & one covid home test.
Before heading to bed Sunday evening (7/3/2022) for some much needed rest, I took a few minutes to donate to Save the Children, CARE, Feed the Hungry, Mercy Ships, and UNICEF USA charities. The amounts were modest, but every little bit helps so many others around the world who are facing dire circumstances that make our own seem like a blessing.
I noticed some traffic 'cones' in a busy street. There was no apparent reason for them to be there, and they created more than a few safety hazards for drivers on a busy Fourth of July holiday. I stopped, then looked carefully for any street construction or hazards ahead: there were none. So I pulled them back onto the sidewalk. They were quite heavy, so it wasn't a strong wind that placed them in the traffic. Probably some angry "ne'er-do-well" had done it.

The Week That Was! (#27 of 2022)

The week of July 3 - 9

Posts During the Week:

Profound & Prolonged Sadness (July 4, 2022)
A Work in Progress? (July 4, 2022)

Incidental Stuff:

Archive of stories from #My_Daily_Kindness_Shared

As I'd mentioned elsewhere, this blog is my personal journal, so I don't allow comments here. But I will consider your questions, comments, and suggestions if you email them to motw.blogspot.20220710@xemaps.com.

Monday, July 4, 2022

A Work in Progress?

As once promised, I'm listing the working titles of drafts in progress. Do any of them pique your interest? If so, let me know, and I'll try to devote more time & energy for earlier publication.

Brother Boehner, Where Art Thou? (April 29, 2017)
I'm Not Angry About 'Losing' (April 29, 2017)
Chakras: Mystical or Not? (September 3, 2018)
The Paradox of Gratitude (March 2, 2020)
Spheres of Influence (August 15, 2020)
Lemmings, Anyone? (August 16, 2020)
Tea Party: Violence & Destruction? (August 16, 2020)
Brainstorming for a Better Tomorrow (August 16, 2020)
"They" Who? (August 18, 2020)
Anti-vaxxers' Conflation (August 19, 2020)
Memes by Mike (August 19, 2020)
Pepé Le Pew and #Ugly_Mike Talk About Lust! (March 15, 2021)

So, there you have it: FOUR YEARS of Mike's brain farts, as of today, July 4, 2022. And as I've said elsewhere, I've been too busy DOING STUFF to spend much time WRITING about it all. I can't promise I'll remember quite what was on my mind when I first started those drafts. So, I guess I'll have to make something up, if you ask me to actually finish & post them, huh?

I'll add new 'works in progress' (draft post ideas) here:

Profound & Prolonged Sadness

This is a glimpse into my twenty-months-long saga of sadness. Mind you, it’s not depression; I know the difference.

It began rather inauspiciously with the discovery (in late October 2020) of a child – and grandchildren – I’d never known about for 40 years. Children I’d never held and comforted. Children I hope to meet some day, even if I’m not yet free to reveal our relationship, if ever.

On other matters, my sadness arose from deep disappointment about others’ actions, or even from my own anger as I struggled to find the good in others.

There was, of course, the 2020 election and the ensuing conspiracies, widespread hatred, outright treason, and eventual threats to kill one’s neighbors. Soon, I began witnessing one “patriot’s” escalating threats to kill me, my wife, my granddaughter, and numerous neighbors, all because of the so-called “stolen” election. My neighbors have tried to work toward a thoughtful, peaceful, & compassionate resolution, but the threats & insults continue to this day.

And there were the frequent “hints” that those who had guns – that is, the Second Amendment “patriots” among us – were ready to start shooting in an outright “civil war” to save America. (As if those of us who chose NOT to vote for #theOrangeHairedOne don’t have guns ourselves?) So I’ve spent a bit of time talking with our local FBI agents.

Early into the following year (2021), I became embroiled in a controversy within Albuquerque's Community Policing Councils (CPCs). I’d advocated openness and transparency while considering one possible council member, whose political views I deeply disagreed with. I'd offered opportunities for cordial conversations to understand & resolve those issues through "back-door diplomacy," to no avail. I asked for help & guidance from high levels in the U.S. Department of Justice; I got none! In a moment of morose humor, I opined, "Blessed are the peace-makers -- for they shall be raked over the coals!"

The past year has presented one crisis after another, sometimes actual life-&-death emergencies. I will eventually share some of those stories here as comments.

Monday, March 15, 2021

This 'Bama-borne Boy

This 'Bama-borne Boy has lived in the Deep South, Upper Midwest, Northeast, Southwest, Aleutian Islands, and Intermountain West during his childhood, youth, military career, and retirement. Over the years, I've traveled 48 of the states in our great nation, including West Virginia twice (!) in the past 12 years.

On top of that, I've traveled to Southeast Asia, Europe, and South America -- and crossed both north and south of our national borders. Over the years, I've studied seven languages. It's amazing how friendly and welcoming people become when you show them your respect for their cultures by trying to learn their language.

As I say in my Daily Affirmation, "I humbly apologize to anyone whose feelings I've hurt or whom I've harmed. I will diligently seek the goodness in others, no matter how different we might seem, then build upon what I’ve discovered." In my opinion (from the very first moment), Hillary Clinton owes a great many Americans an apology for her "deplorables" insult. (DJT owes a great many more.)

I show my respect to people of all backgrounds, regardless of their (formal) education or the nature of their work (when they are fortunate enough for find employment). My youngest granddaughters and I make it a habit to greet and talk with manual laborers, sewage workers, police officers, doctors, teachers, and many others -- including the homeless we meet on streets.

Sunday, March 14, 2021

The Week That Was! (#47 of 2020)

The week of November 22-28

Death has touched our family twice. I won't reveal anything about the first instance, which was actually VERY distant, other than to say it was the death of a couple's first child -- and a friend's first grandchild. Let's just say, I'm very angry about the so-called "loving God" who inflicted this upon "His children." And the second news of death came just this afternoon. My second-cousin, Rick Studnisky, died from the coronavirus.

All week long, I've meant to share my gratitude for friends & neighbors who, despite our probable "profound differences" on political or religious or social perspectives, are a blessing to me. Why? Because I know them to care deeply & sincerely for their fellow human beings. I will be reaching out to them soon to ask them to share their thoughts & values.

I've been contemplating another offer to serve our country -- and my "fellow countrymen" -- somewhere in the incoming administration.

Saturday, August 15, 2020

The Plan (for Escape)

Phase 1 -- Week 1 (ending Sat., Aug. 22): I'll share a link to each new blog post on both (a) my personal Facebook profile and (b) the "Eye of Mike" group.

Phase 2 -- Week 2 (ending Sat., Aug. 29): I'll summarize those Phase 1 posts in "The Week That Was! (#34 of 2020)," share a link to it on both my personal profile and the group, but share links to any new blog posts only on the group.

Phase 3 -- Week 3 and beyond: I'll only share a link on the "Eye of Mike" group for "The Week That Was!" summary (table of contents) of the week's new blog posts. One exception: if I write a blog post in response to someone's "notable" post on Facebook (i.e., anything from "inspiring" to downright stupid), I might share a link as my comment on their post.

As for sharing photos on Facebook: not sure yet.

I'll still 'lurk' to see what you're doing, even if you're just telling me that you're eating somewhere with someone. (You're being 'used' by big & small business when you do that! Ya know that, right?)

I'll still maintain my personal profile so far-flung family & long-lost friends can search for me. And I'll continue to participate in, moderate, or administer some groups or pages.

And, of course, I'll occasionally share my goofiness & self-deprecating humor in my comments on your posts. After all, if you choose never to read my thoughts here, at least you can laugh at me on Facebook.

Friday, August 14, 2020

The Week That Was! (#33 of 2020)

My original plan for the "Eye of Mike" group on Facebook was to merely post the permalink to a weekly "table of contents" for my posts here on the "Mouth of the West" blog. That way, you'd get a once-a-week reminder that I'm still alive & kickin' (and writing). Just 52 times a year to decide whether to bother reading what I have to say. Or, of course, you could simply choose to leave the group forever.

Anyway, as I've mentioned, things never quite went according to that plan. Witness my long silence after first drafting this -- https://mouthofthewest.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-week-that-was-9-of-2020.html -- which I never completed but only just now posted.

Tonight's post will be a bit different. It's really not about the past week, but rather a summary of the past month.

As of next Monday (August 17th), it will have been four weeks since I intervened to save a homeless woman's life, then worked with a variety of community members to help get her off the streets and under competent medical & psychological care. It will mark two weeks since a horrible hit-&-run accident seriously injured an extended-family member who still remains in the hospital intensive care unit in a medically-induced coma, awaiting surgery. And it will be about a week since another extended-family member went to the emergency room, not just once but twice. Jill and I are doing our best to be supportive and understanding. On top of all that, a string of "challenging" meetings with the U.S. Department of Justice (& others) about community policing councils and related issues.

While I don't consider myself emotionally fragile, I certainly am emotionally exhausted. It didn't help that I was labeled a "demon" by that very woman I helped save. But I took that in stride, understanding the emotional trauma she has experienced over 55 years.

So, here I am, doing my best NOT to randomly post disconnected 'snippets' on Facebook, which (IMHO) is a cesspool of anger, stupidity, hatred, conspiracies, and narcissism.

In the morning I make my usual, monthly donation to the blood bank. #My_Daily_Kindness_Shared. What is yours?

The Week That Was! (#9 of 2020)

My second week back home, after an all-too-brief visit with Ben, Lindsey, granddaughter Zoe, and grandson Quinn. The story about that trip another time.

Monday, Feb. 24th: Death on the NICU. Then the accusations of a power grab.

Wednesday: Friend of the Court.

Thursday: Bureaucracy for the Greater Good. Crafting guidance for community policing.

Saturday: Daffodil Days and Volunteer Contributions.

Sunday, March 1: Family Duty Never Ends, It Seems.

Thursday, August 13, 2020

A Mini-Essay: Bye, Bye Facebook -- Sorta!

About a decade ago, I thought I’d turned my back on the so-called ‘social’ media. I posted my last ‘tweet’ on Twitter, then archived my “Thousand and One Tweets” and deactivated my “Eye of Mike” profile. Then I archived my Facebook posts and actually closed my profile.

A while later -- can’t remember quite when or why -- I opened my current Facebook profile, and followed with a few new Twitter profiles in the years since.

Four years ago, I once again announced my intent to withdraw from Facebook, writing at that time:

“A Mini-Essay: Bye, Bye Facebook -- Sorta!"

“When asked what I do, I often tell people I'm ‘retired’ -- but not really, that I simply plan to work until I drop dead. I'm still a 24/7/366 (not merely 365!) kind of guy. Then I explain: until I die, I get to do more of what I like, and less of what I find tedious or bureaucratic.

“So, what exactly is it that I like? I quickly cite my four broad passions: writing, photography & videography, and travel -- all of which go together quite nicely -- and free agent product development.

“I've been trying for months to carve out enough free time to resume my writing. It seems that day has finally arrived.

“Henceforth, less verbiage on Facebook. I'll resurrect three of my long-dormant, publicly attributed blogs: Mouth of the West; Daddosaurus; and The Apostate Gun Owner. And I'll begin writing about photography on another blog: 'No Pretenses' Photography (the name of one of my Meetup groups). Lastly, I'll continue writing on my two anonymous blogs, published under pseudonyms.

“When I want to share my thoughts here (on Facebook), I'll post the link to one of those blogs. As topics come to mind, I'll post the working titles of drafts in progress below. Should one of those pique your interest, you can let me know with a ‘Like’ (or not) -- on the specific title -- and I might devote more time & energy to it for earlier publication. Or I might not.”

Well, that didn't quite go according to plan back then. So, on December 24, 2016, I created my “Eye of Mike” group on Facebook. I’ve described it as “a one-way portal (i.e., links only) to my writings elsewhere (blogs, Twitter, etc.).” But it’s been pretty much dormant ever since.

Well, the time has finally come to change that. Henceforth, less verbiage on Facebook.