A different kind of house-cleaning, one we all must do...

The night-time temps are on a yo-yo string. This morning's temperature was almost 20 degrees warmer. Weird. I really should go browse the garden and see what needs picking. If anything. The tomatoes are waning down, but there may be green beans. And I am still nonplused about the silly squash plants. They are beautiful plants, had gorgeous blossoms... but nada production. I'll figure that out today, perhaps. There may be one or two tiny ones hiding under all those leaves. 

I am tired this morning, too--entirely my fault--I've gotten really hooked on the show on Britbox I wrote about the other day, Monarch of the Glen. It's delightfully silly and sweet. I have never watched so much television as I have this last year or so-- I think it's the fact that it provides me with a real antidote to the sturm und drang cesspool that is our daily lives as seen in the news. 

It's hard to compartmentalize, isn't it? I look outside at the sky (overcast today, so far), see birds, hear cars just trolling along to where-ever they are headed, kids walking to school, and I wonder, how is it possible that our government is causing so much destruction, pain, and suffering? With more to come? What can possibly be the end game except to hurt people like me, like those innocent kids, like the drivers of the cars who are hurrying off to do what they must, as must we all. 

A new possible cut to funds for education is being promoted: cut the money that helps schools and libraries provide internet. Yeah, there we go. Push everything online, including our damned phones at school, then make it super costly to do what we do. Tout the importance and efficacy of online education (which, for the record, I disagree with the Sec. of Ed. entirely on everything), and then make it even harder. Raise gas and diesel prices so getting to school and work is going to be a costly venture, and make sure online is not a viable option economically. What the hell is this game?

Give me books, pens, and paper. Big windows to let in the sunlight. I can do what I need to do. But mostly, schools can't anymore. We got sucked into the online vortex, and now we can't function without it, as an "industry." I am not happy to say that I knew that this was a problem...eggs and baskets and all that. 

Ah well. We'll manage as best we can. 

And don't even get me started on the brain-twisting BS that the FBI director was touting, that people who have engaged in bestiality are victims. What the ever loving hell is that? Watch out for those rogue and randy sheep, I guess. If one is ravaged by a toad, one can apply for a position? Seems on track.

What a world we are in. On the other hand, the Pope has declared that damaging the earth is an actual sin. I have to agree entirely. We have been tasked with stewardship of the planet, and we, as a species, have done a pretty poor job of it, mainly since the 1800s. The Industrial Revolution, and now the post-Industrial state we are in, are purely based in exploitation and desecration. Yes, I drive a car, etc. And I know that I cannot fully drop out of the cycle. But I can limit the damage I do. Remember when we were all asked to reduce our "carbon footprint" --not all that long ago? Yeah. Elect toxic industrialists and here we are. 

This is all to say, of course, let's do better. I'm confident my friends are like-minded, and I'm probably preaching to the choir. But we have to try, we have to push others to do more (or less, depending on the issues). And we have to work at it every single day, which is exhausting. But this is our home. We must clean house. 

C