Beware the Ides of March!

As my post title notes, beware the Ides of March.  I know that alludes to classical literature, but really, I don't know what that actually means . . . classically.  I do know what it means in terms of 2016, America.  It means election horror.

This is Super Tuesday.  Our sort of kind of crazy system for political party primaries has arranged a game where once a candidate sweeps the states voting today, they are in.  This seems screwed up. And because of this years apparent Republican winner (Trumpnado), the screwiness is HUGE.

Trump (that guy, the candidate of all those guys) versus Clinton is predicted.  Fine on my side (hashtag "I'm With Her), but on the Red side?   Oh hell no.

Recent news . . . the KKK is supporting Trump.  And The Trump is quoting an Italian fascist dictator on Twitter.  And he applauds his "poorly educated" supporters. (What does that mean?  Were they educated but educated badly, like by light-weight fake professors in the Gulf Coast State College Languages and Literature Division, or did they drop out of high school and buy degrees from Trump University?)

It is all one big blur.

Truly, I am concerned.  I would like to have a Republican option.  Someone who does not quote fascist dictators or enjoy support from mental defectives.

On a night like this, we should simply watch it happen.  Prepare our best horrified expression and log on to Twitter.

We will live through this, as we have lived through other Ides-of-March-like events.

Be good.  Be terrific.  Be NOT afraid.

Cheers!
Time to pour those cocktails and follow the news :)

XO

La Joyce

NFL playoffs + blizzard!

Hi you!



If you don't follow pro-football, yesterday's Patriot's loss to the stinky old Denver Broncos was . . . ikky.

I am using dumb diction on purpose.  Stinky and ikky apply to a sport's drama. I  cannot weep and wail and drop "tragic" and "heartbreaking" word bombs considering this weekend's stormy effects.

Even north Florida felt a chill.

However, storms, playoff losses and other stinky ikky things remind me to (as Einstein advises) KEEP MOVING!

Spring will come, literally and metaphorically.

That is all I have to say today :)
XO

Status - Flex!

2016 speeding on; I type from a now cold Panama City Beach locale and wonder why the flexible -- never static -- nature of life disrupts us (or at least me)?

After another phone call to my ISP (internet service provider, darling) to revive my connection, I felt irritated.  But why?  Broken connections, broken perfection, broken relationships, broken hearts, broken treaties, broken everything are the stuff of life.  Reality.  Just like yesterday's news.  David Bowie died, our Ziggy Stardust:



He didn't slow down, wondering about disconnections, broken things. Bowie created change and disruption artistically.  Creation, the upside of status flex, the impermanence of "life".  I want that, to not be bothered by the downside of status flex, the disconnections, broken thing-y-ness of existence.   To achieve this state, I could seek training from a Zen master.  Or I could listen to my inner Ziggy Stardust and create.  In my case, creation is just living in the oddest of circumstances, dancing with status flex.

So, my current 2016 encounters with disruptive broken thing-y-ness follows:

1.  As noted above, David Bowie died.  I hate losing these people; unknown but known, their songs/images/creations stuck in my head.
2.  Gato (my fabulous outdoor cat) is injured.  Limping on three legs, he carries on.  That takes guts.
3.  Also noted above, continually snapping internet connections.
4.  Cold weather.  I know, I am not in the tropics anymore.  I cannot magically manifest a winter-free Panama City Beach.  Weather happens.
5.  My perfect body-health is marred by a perplexing sinus infection.  What the hell is that? Nose blowing is the most unattractive action ever.

But really.  Why should the downsides of status flex bother me?  The upsides are too delicious.  My current 2016 encounters with disruptive good stuff follows:

1.  The wild, wintry Gulf of Mexico is as gorgeous as its summer self.
2.  Time off from cervezas, I switch to rum cocktails! These delights make cold evening news-viewing interesting.
3.  RETAIL is fun!  The anonymous famous department store is a pure-work scene; no bullshit follows me home; no tedious, tragic, uptight co-workers wreck my day.  I just sell, stock, organize, clean, and interact freely with the public.  This is unexpectedly, disruptively neato.
4.  Electric room heaters now replace my old cash-burning central heat! (Total truth? I am not always bubbly  happy about my pioneer lifestyle.  Watch me whine today as I wash my hair while NOT being wrapped in 360 degree hot air.  Spoiled, spoiled, spoiled.)
5.  Weekend working hours interfere with my NFL playoff viewing time, but this pushes me a bit closer to purchasing a phone/device that will keep me connected everywhere.  Check me out in those 21st century Google glasses!

Have a disruptively lovely day and night.

Embrace with me this life of status flex.

XO

Unchained Me

2016!

Dear You:

A simple number, illuminated on a black background.

That is everything I want.  The illuminated everything shining through.

Tonight -  CNN (Anderson Cooper and his best friend), random college football, beach fireworks and no internet action.  So, as I exit this last 2015 day, here is the question:

What illuminated action do you want to take this new year?

XO
Salud!

J

Christmas Eve Eve. The Christmas list edition!

See photo and Google away!  Ms. Woodhull ran for president (quite progressive this woman) more than a century ago.  Smart, cunning, and she scared people to death.  I wonder why this fast (supposedly) and ambitious nation has yet to vote a femme into the Oval Office?  We will change that in the coming year.  This is my vision-quested listicle for 2016!

BIG PICTURE:

1.  My USA will elect its first female president.
2.  The Patriots will win another Super Bowl.
3.   Many deadhead authoritarian structures will fall and new ones (independent energy, independent labor) will take their places.
4.  "Brick and Mortar" businesses will be revived; new ones will be created.
5.  The economy will shift . . . in interesting ways.  (Buy stock, darling.)

JOYCE PICTURE:

1.  I will NOT (or just say NEVER) grade another essay or associate with regressive, uptight faculty divisions.  I will, instead, remain in the open world of trade.  I will be bizarre in the bazaar!
2.  I will continue my status as wild cat savior here in the beach zone.
3.  I will learn to speak and read Spanish (seriously, how many year has that been on my list).
4.  I will gain muscle mass :)
5.  I will continue to be thrilled by the song/video "Live Your Life":
     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koVHN6eO4Xg

'Tis the season to be jolly.

Love, kisses, and everything you want . . , I wish!
Your Joyce

Retail!

Dear you:

Since I am walking away from the goofy repression of low-pay-high-stress college adjunct professorship life (and yes, walking away from the less than lively colleagues who creep me out), I am working as a seasonal retail hire at a legendary old store.  It is really fun.  But I am all over the place.

Have you ever viewed the wonderful old film Auntie Mame (is that the title?) starring Roz Russell? Her free-spirited character faced financial disaster so she gamely entered the work force.  She too was all over the place.  I identify.  Just making it up as I go along:



Crazy!

But, considering the drama on planet earth now (yes, another shooting, more sorrow), you and I are lucky people.

Belated kisses,
Merry etc.
Auntie Joyce

Fragile but strong enough . . . go fly your kites and defy the joy killers.

Dear you, dear world . . .


Friday the 13th, 2015, another day of fragile life on planet earth.  Paris.  Us.

I read this argument a few years ago; I recall a discussion of religious fascism and how it would be the 21st century disease.  How do we spin our dogmas into "justifiable" horror?

During the Taliban reign in Afghanistan (90's and probably resurfacing now), kite flying was against the law.  Kite flying.  Something airborne and lovely, prompted by a running body, a fragile human body loving its brief time on planet Earth.  What is the essential motivation behind banning that?  And relating to Friday, why target people eating, watching sports or listening to music?

Joy killing.  If that is the "religious" motivation, it simply sucks in its stupidity and vanity.

We are all fragile, but strong enough.

Go fly your kites and defy the joy killers.

Love and kisses, really!
Joyce