Birthdays and Wisdom

I had a birthday last week. Not sure if it’s true or not that wisdom comes with age, but maybe I’m a little wiser than I was when I was younger. Either way, I did get a year older, and given the alternative, I guess I’ll keep having birthdays as long as I can and hope that I’m not too old to still gain a little wisdom along the way.

I guess I should give Facebook credit for one of the things it does well, which is remind people of birthdays. (On the negative side, of course, we get spying, targeted ads, and obvious political bias.) But on the good side, we do get the chance to easily share the important birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and relatives, many of which we would otherwise miss. Last week, I even discovered that two friends share my birthday! Or birthdate, to be more accurate.

Anyway, for the wisdom part of my sermon of the day, I’ll share a great story from the Bible. In the first chapter of 2 Chronicles , Solomon gets the most fantastic offer you could ever imagine. God appears to him and tells him to ask for anything he wants. Wow! What an amazing opportunity.

Taking a step back to provide a little context, his father David has died and Solomon has been anointed King of Israel. So, yes, he did already have some power and authority and probably considerable wealth, but still – when the God of the universe says “anything” you want? I think in all honesty, many of us would immediately start asking for all those material things that we dream about in our spare time.

Instead,  Solomon tells God he wishes to have wisdom and knowledge so that he can be an effective leader to his people. (He must have possessed some wisdom already as well, for his answer shows a keen insight.) I think even God is impressed. He mentions all those things Solomon could have asked for such as wealth, possessions, honor, the death of his enemies, or even long life. And because he didn’t ask for these things, God tells him he will give him the wisdom and knowledge he requested, and also the things he didn’t ask for - wealth, possessions, and honor greater than any king before or after him. Pretty nice reward!

And what exactly is wisdom? The Cambridge English Dictionary defines it as “the ability to use your knowledge and experience to make good decisions and judgments.”

So, even though I got some nice birthday gifts this year (and in years past), my prayer is always  one of thanks for family, friends, health, and happiness, and a request for maybe a small helping of wisdom and knowledge. Couldn’t we all use a little more of that?

Let’s Stop Playing Follow the Leader

The Democrats are still debating and the primaries have begun, so let’s talk politics!

My biggest problem these days is the vast number of people who are so willing (and eager) to vote for candidates who espouse policies in direct contrast to their own personal beliefs. I made some people angry with a previous post questioning the stupidity or ignorance of certain voters. (https://rdperryauthor.blogspot.com/2018/10/are-todays-voters-stupid-or-just.html) I’ll try and avoid that this time with a more practical approach. How about we all just stop following leaders who offer nothing beyond personality and charm and charisma. And let’s stop voting for leaders who have very clear and obvious policies and beliefs that contradict our own.

I’ll start with the elephant in the room (or White House). For those who absolutely detest our current President, I will freely admit that the man has flaws. There are plenty of videos to illustrate that he can be insensitive and offensive and misogynistic and so on, and so on … I would never encourage anyone to vote for him because he’s a swell guy. If I were to judge him based on his personality alone, I would certainly not be a fan, so anything I say beyond this point applies to him as well, but let’s get to the real issue here.

Again, I will try to avoid using the words stupid or ignorant. How about we just use some basic common sense? Whether you are a gun owner of not, if you believe in the 2^nd Amendment and the right of citizens to bear arms, then you should not vote for someone who proudly proclaims that he will come and take away your guns. (No matter how cool you think he is on his skateboard! Okay, I know, Beto’s gone, but Bloomberg and others are just as serious about this issue.) It really is that simple.

If you think that the average American is already paying more than his or her fair share in taxes (or if you believe that even rich people have a right to keep some of their money), then you would be foolish to vote for someone who openly promises to raise your taxes. Especially if they will then use that money to fund other causes you do not support. Keep reading for more examples.

If you believe that our immigration policies have created a crisis at the border allowing drugs and criminals to pour into our country with little or no resistance, then you should never vote for a candidate who believes in open borders. Believe it or not, there is an actual legal process for becoming an American citizen. And saying that you will uphold the actual laws involved doesn’t make you a racist. Again, pretty simple, right?

Allow me one last example (although I could go on for days). If you are against abortion, where do you go to hide your conscience while voting for someone who thinks it is perfectly okay to abort (murder) a baby even after birth? Recently I read an article that said over 75% of Americans believe there should be some restrictions on abortion, yet the Left seems intent on abolishing any limits or restrictions of any kind. (https://www.npr.org/2019/06/07/730183531/poll-majority-want-to-keep-abortion-legal-but-they-also-want-restrictions) And yet, people keep voting for politicians who insist on “abortion on demand” and they keep passing laws to make it easier and easier to get an abortion. And sending tons of taxpayer money to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest single provider of abortions.

The reality is that if you support a candidate, or vote for that candidate, or help elect that person, then you have endorsed the actions taken by that candidate. Deny it all you want, but you are accountable.

Apparently (based on the Democratic debates), the Left no longer even attempts to disguise their extreme beliefs. Instead they are relying on their supporters to ignore their positions and policies and vote for them anyway, I suppose for no other reason than they are more likeable than the other guy. And sadly, that might work. I hope not, but there are an awful lot of voters who have drunk the Liberal Koolaid. And if you’re not familiar with that particular expression, maybe you should look it up, preferably before you jump on the bandwagon of your favorite charismatic leader who promises you paradise.

Are Trigger Warnings Necessary for Writers?

I follow a lot of writers on Twitter and I recently came across a long series of tweets regarding trigger warnings in books and stories. I laughed initially, until I realized that these people were actually serious. And angry. And might I add, delusional. But mostly just angry, and demanding.

So, since we’re living in an age of outlandish political correctness, let’s talk about this somewhat controversial concept. According to Dictionary.com a trigger warning is “a stated warning that the content of a text, video, etc. may upset or offend some people, especially those who have previously experienced a related trauma.” Originally, the idea was suggested to help PTSD sufferers avoid situations that would “trigger” flashbacks to the traumatic event itself.

Now, of course, we are living in a society that encourages victimhood and praises anyone who is woke enough to be offended by pretty much everything in the world around them. (Incidentally, many psychologists are now coming to believe that trigger warnings are ineffective and that avoidance doesn’t help in the treatment of such disorders as PTSD. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/03/21/new-study-says-trigger-warnings-are-useless-does-mean-they-should-be-abandoned) It may actually be more helpful, you know, to learn to deal with things instead of always running away.

So, should authors preface all their works to warn readers about hatred, and prejudice, and violence, and rape, and the ever increasing list of taboo subjects that might offend someone? Most of the long list of commenters on Twitter would answer with a definite yes. For me, I would have to go with a solid no.

I’m not denying that there really are some people with serious enough conditions to actually be triggered by certain media. But for the average person out there, if reading about certain subjects is going to traumatize you, then be more selective about your choices or just stick to children’s books. Although, reading a kindergarten book about Steve and his two dads would probably upset me! But then, I’m an ADULT! I’m not likely to get all butthurt and cry and beg for a safe space if I get offended by reading an opposing viewpoint. Seriously.

Here’s the only warning you will ever get for my books – read the book description and if it sounds interesting, read it. If not, then don’t. Admittedly, my books are pretty tame, but let’s get real. If you pick up a book of erotica, don’t be shocked to find graphic sex scenes. If it’s a book about a serial killer, or the Mafia, or a true crime, do you really need a trigger warning that the book just might have some descriptions of violence? Have some common sense!

Another hot topic for writers these days (that really bothers some readers) is the whole idea of cultural appropriation. Some people have decided to be offended because the author doesn’t share the same gender, or race, or ethnicity of the characters. So, I guess I’m only allowed to write about old white guys? BS!

I may not understand every aspect of another person’s life experience, but still, I write characters based on real people I know and have known. My books include a gay character. Also, some people of color. And some women and children. If it bothers you that a straight white male has actually dared to write such diverse characters, again, don’t read my books then. (I’ve heard American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins is very good, but if the author’s race bothers you, then read something else. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/01/american-dirt-controversy/605725/ )

I love to read. I’ve read lots of books by lots of authors and I will continue to do so. Sometimes I come across disturbing scenes, but I manage. If they’re too bad, I mark that particular author off my list and move on to someone else. But I keep reading. Let me encourage you to do the same.

Adam, the Pencil-necked Boy

(This is a PARODY! Apparently, Adam Schiff is a big fan of parodies, so he should be cool with this one!)

Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Adam who dreamed of being famous. As a child, he loved fairy tales and often made up stories of his own. His favorite literary character was always Pinocchio. To this day, Adam still strives to be like his hero!

Born in Massachusetts, he later moved to California hoping to become a movie star. Blessed with a beautiful slim neck, shaped like a number two pencil, and huge bulging eyeballs, Adam knew he would soon be the nation’s next great heartthrob!

While waiting for his big break, he became an attorney and gained notoriety for prosecuting an FBI agent for spying for the Soviet Union. Even though it took him three trials to get a conviction on a poor helpless slob who had an affair with a Russian (maybe) agent, it soon became his favorite legal strategy – When in doubt, accuse them of being a Russian Spy! https://apnews.com/59774f086411dbd2a5adcd1eaa91ce54

Tiring of legal work, he began pursuing a career in politics. Putting aside his goal of fame and glory, he promptly lost two elections, before finally getting into the California Senate in 1996. Four years later, he was elected into the U.S. House of Representatives where he served in obscurity until the election of Donald Trump as President. (His only claim to fame before that was his appointment, by Nancy Pelosi, to the House Select Committee on Benghazi where they decided, “Nevermind, there’s nothing to see here.”)

Following the election of the bad orange man, Adam embarked on his new career as a political liar extraordinaire. Despite the lack of findings by the investigation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, he proudly proclaimed that he alone possessed real factual evidence of Russian collusion. When questioned about this evidence, he commented, “No, you can’t see it! It’s a secret.” But of course, he kept talking about it, because he loved being on TV!

Begging his good friend Nancy Pug-uglysi to appoint him to yet another committee, he soon found himself gaining fame as the man who would be king, I mean, the man who would topple the king, I mean, the President. Soon, his big beautiful bug eyes could be seen daily leading the HUGE impeachment investigation. (Except, not that many people were watching because it was boring and General Hospital was on.)

Finally, his time had come! Live on TV, before millions, who weren’t watching their soaps, Adam read the official transcript of the President’s terrible, awful, no good telephone call with Ukraine. He giggled, thinking of all the extra lines of dialogue he had added. This is great, he thought, stretching his neck out proudly and rolling his huge bug eyes. Now, they’ll love me. Hollywood, here I come.

Gracing the cover of newspapers and magazines across the globe, Adam basked in the glory of his triumph! Soon, he would appear before the Senate and once more appear live on television. And this time, he would have hours and hours and hours in which to spread his outrageous lies. He could even go back to his favorite strategy – accuse them all of working with the Russians!

Despite the media proclaiming this the greatest speech since the Sermon on the Mount, Adam continues to be humble. Rumor has it that he will soon be earning millions modeling a new line of turtleneck sweaters. Meanwhile, recordings of his speeches can be purchased at endyourinsomnianow.com.

Martin Luther King Day

I’m old enough to remember when Civil Rights Leaders actually worked to fix the problems of society, unite the citizens of our country, and heal the wounds from previous generations. Today, way too many so-called leaders are doing the opposite. It’s painful to watch and listen to the Liberals who spend all their time and energy looking for different groups they can turn against one another with their divisive identity politics. And it’s sad to see how far we’ve strayed from the ideas presented by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

As for me, I’m still dreaming of that time when all of our children “will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

Here’s my previous post in honor of the holiday.

As a teacher, I tried whenever possible to expose my students to things I felt important, things I felt everyone should know, things I feared that many of them had missed somehow along the way. The “I Have a Dream” speech of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of those things. For many years I would play at least a portion for my students as we neared the holiday. There are lines that are familiar to almost everyone, but even those are better heard than read. Surprisingly, a large number of people have never heard it in its entirety.

I don’t have a class or students anymore, so this is for my loyal readers. Whatever you may think about the man personally or in the unfortunate case of many young people today, if you are completely ignorant of the man and his place in our history, let me encourage you to listen to a fantastic speech/sermon/lecture, whatever you want to call it and spend some time thinking about the words which are as relevant today as they were in 1963.

Finding a copy should not be too difficult and it is well worth the time it takes to listen to the entire speech. Here’s a link to a pretty good version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smEqnnklfYs

Thoughts on an Average Day

I was getting ready for work the other day, rolling up the sleeves of my dress shirt, when it occurred to me that I had done this countless times over the years, always the same, and always exactly the same way my mother had done it when I was a child and she was dressing me for school.

I suppose that at a very young age, I had already determined (for my lifetime forward) that I didn’t really care for long sleeves. I honestly don’t remember why! Maybe they didn’t fit particularly well, they were likely hand-me-downs from my older brother. Maybe I just didn’t care for the restricted feeling of buttoned cuffs. Who knows?

Regardless, for the past fifty years or so, I’ve rarely worn a long-sleeved shirt without rolling up the cuffs, just right, of course, just like my mama did it. The cuff goes back once, then folded in half, then rolled up two more times. Perfect.

The result is a ¾ length that maintains the formality of a long-sleeved dress shirt, yet allows the practicality of a short-sleeved shirt. A good mix between formal and casual and definitely more comfortable.

But most of all, it is a reminder of my mother, and the love and care she put into those simple chores, rituals from a childhood long past. Memories that fade, but never go away.

1984 by George Orwell: Book Review

Every few years, I go back and read again George Orwell’s brilliant novel 1984. It is one of my all-time favorite books and usually holds the top spot on my list! Here are some thoughts after my most recent reading.

I believe there are books that we read and immediately forget. And there are books that we read that make such a profound impact on us that we remember them for the rest of our lives. (I’m not sure exactly why this one has always had such a strong grip on me, or what that says about me personally, but I do love this book!)

I first read 1984 as a high school student and for many decades to follow, I proclaimed it to be the best book I had ever read (followed closely by Brave New World). Despite having read it probably more times than any other novel, it never fails to capture my interest and amaze me with its timeliness. Even today, I want to go and find all the idiots out there touting Socialism and tell them if they really want to understand what they are promoting, they should immediately read this book. It is a truly frightening look at a political system that promises utopia and delivers oppression. And things portrayed in the book are already coming true today!

Written in 1949, the book predicts several things that are apparent in our world today. At the risk of revealing spoilers, here goes.

Socialism is popular. And dangerous. Unless you plan on somehow becoming one of those “Inner Party” members, you can expect to live in a dystopian world where everyone is equally poor and downtrodden. Look at Venezuela or any of the other socialist countries and see how the average citizen is faring. Bernie may proclaim himself to be a Socialist, but I haven’t seen him sharing any of his extra houses or vehicles with those less fortunate folks around him. (Rich socialists are definitely planning to be in the Inner Party. Count on it.) You may end up standing in line for bread and necessities, but don’t expect to see Bernie there!

Big Brother is watching. I won’t even go into the whole Obama administration spying scandal that the media is doing their best to not cover. Let’s just talk about the obvious. There are cameras everywhere. And cell phones. Maybe you still have a little bit of privacy in your home, but who knows? If the President of the United States can be targeted by the government of his own country, then all bets are off. If the FBI can lie to get warrants to spy on the President-Elect, what protections do you think the average citizen has? And how long before those home screens and devices we love become the telescreens of 1984? You know the tech giants are already tracking you all over social media and targeting ads based on your history. Again, Big Brother is watching, and it will only get worse.

The media (The Ministry of Truth) lies to you. On a daily basis. One of the most shocking aspects of the novel is the lengths to which the Party goes to constantly rewrite history. I used to think this was too unbelievable to ever be true, but not anymore. It’s already happening today. The mainstream media is almost totally one-sided in their coverage of current events and openly puts out Fake News. If you don’t believe that the mainstream media is the propaganda wing of the Democratic Party, then you are only fooling yourself! Sadly, as in the book, the majority of citizens today readily accept the facts and figures fed to them and ignore the obvious contradictions before their very eyes.

The Party (the Deep State, the swamp, or whatever you want to call it) will never willingly give up their power. Consider the men and women in Congress who have made a career (30+ years or more) of public service, yet somehow managed to become millionaires. Ever had a job where people lined up to offer you (or your children) money and benefits for your service? Wouldn’t you love to have a job where you could vote to increase your own salary? And of course, you would never have to settle for the universal health care or other benefits provided for the masses.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking 1984 is just an old book written a long time ago about Russia. Read it and think about the world around you today. You might find it current and relevant. And scary.