How About Just More Respect And Less Trying To Change

If you have some respect for people as they are, you can be more effective in helping them to become better than they are.
—    John W. Gardner
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On This Day In:
2023	Toll Roads
2022	I’m Just Sad (1,000,000 In U.S. Dead From COVID)
2021	I’ve Still Not Found #45’s One Thing
	Chewin’ On A Piece Of Grass (Ventura Highway)
2020	Listening To A #IncompetentDonald COVID-19 Press Briefing
2019	I Am Doubtful
	Future Justice Looks Corporate
2018	True Measures
2017	Hoping For Tapes
	In It Now
2016	On Viewing This Mudball
2015	It Takes A Village
2014	In God’s Eyes
2013	We Root For Ourselves
2012	Like A Shark
2011	Discernible Virtue

What Is And What Is Not

Life is the fire that burns and the sun that gives light.  Life is the wind and the rain and the thunder in the sky.  Life is matter and is earth, what is and what is not, and what beyond is in Eternity.
—     Lucius Annaeus Seneca
[This quote was found at a blog I follow:  “A Pondering Mind“
The site is located at:  https://aponderingmind.org/
The specific post can be found at:  https://aponderingmind.org/2020/05/09/life-is-the-fire/
Please visit the original site if you have some free time…    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2023	A Balancing Act
2022	Truly And Simply
2021	Lessons
	We Used To Sing (Brown Eyed Girl)
2020	And #45 Is Flat On His Face
2019	I’m Still Hungry
2018	What Matters
2017	By Far
2016	Until…
2015	Or Infinitesimal
2014	I’ve Looked At Clouds
2013	Undiscovered Ocean
2012	Feeling Old? (Part 2)
2011	What About Freedom?

Why I Fear The MAGA Movement

It is astonishing how foolish humans can be in groups, especially when they follow their leader without question.
—    Brian Herbert
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On This Day In:
2023	Necessities
	On CNN Interviewing #45DonaldTheLiar
2022	Threat Calculus
	7 (And 6) – 40
2021	Questioned By Life
	If There’ll Come A Time (Never My Love)
2020	Trying To Grow Pearls?
2019	Instantly Turned
2018	Sitting
2017	No Right Way
2016	Still Ticklish
2015	Maybe Sooner Than You Think
2014	The Path Of Mastery
2013	Love’s Ignorance
2012	Here’s To Enjoyment
2011	Not Just The Facts, Ma’am

I Support Overturning The “Citizens United” Decision

The concept of the public welfare is broad and inclusive … the values it represents are spiritual as well as physical, aesthetic as well as monetary.  It is within the power of the legislature to determine that the community should be beautiful as well as healthy, spacious as well as clean, well balanced as well as carefully patroled.
—     Justice William O. Douglas
Power that controls the economy should be in the hands of elected representatives of the people, not in the hands of an industrial oligarchy.
—     Justice William O. Douglas
“United States v. Columbia Steel Co., 334 U.S. 495”.
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On This Day In:
2023	Still Dreaming
2022	Not Exactly Preventing Or Realizing
2021	Maybe He Agreed With His Mum
	Come To Me, You’ll See (Who Loves You – Pretty Baby)
2020	Imagine Existence
	Posing As Action
2019	Voices Of The Past
2018	Sunrises, Rainbows And Newborn Babies
2017	Untold Agony
2016	Just Borrowed
2015	Warning
2014	Always More Productive
2013	Is Not
2012	Loosely Translated
2011	Your Opinions Are Not My Facts

But Sometimes Blindness IS Willful

The challenge to our liberties comes frequently not from those who consciously seek to destroy our system of government, but from men of goodwill – good men who allow their proper concerns to blind them to the fact that what they propose to accomplish involves an impairment of liberty.
—     William O. Douglas
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On This Day In:
2023	Too Small
2022	But Don’t Forget It Either
2021	Appreciating Intricacy
	I Read It In A Fairy Tale (One Of A Kind)
2020	Insensitive To Silence
	Weaker, Sicker And Poorer
2019	Don’t Be Small
2018	Persistence
2017	Are You A Loser?
2016	Constitution And Conscience
2015	Separate, Fearful And Imprisoned
2014	Something Worth Making
2013	Absolutely
2012	Can Do
2011	Wise Criticism

Four Changes

Security can only be achieved through constant change, through discarding old ideas that have outlived their usefulness and adapting others to current facts.
―     William O. Douglas
Awareness is the greatest agent for change.
―     Eckhart Tolle
The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.
―    Albert Einstein
Things do not change;  we change.
―     Henry David Thoreau
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On This Day In:
2023	Two More From Eleanor
2022	Get Outdoors More
2021	Re-institute The Wall Between Church And State
	Once In My Life (For Once In My Life)
2020	Early Knowledge
	Seen Any Messages Lately?
2019	I Don’t Think We’ll Be Serving Them Cake
2018	New And Old
2017	Ever
2016	At The Center
2015	True Value In Life
2014	A Potential To Be Concerned
2013	Fine No More
2012	Have You Checked Your Height Lately?
2011	Are You Convinced?

And The Last Shall Be First

Look for three things in a person.  Intelligence, energy, and integrity.  If they don’t have the last one, don’t even bother with the first two.
—     Warren Buffett
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On This Day In:
2023	Playing Golf?
2022	Do Good Works
2021	We Like To Believe So, Anyway
	More SoCal Sounds (I Get Around)
2020	I’m Older Now
2019	Why #45 (#LazyDonald) Was Destined To Be A Failed Presidency
2018	Easter In Liverpool
	Star Guides To Destiny
	Growl
2017	Decisions
2016	Along The Path
2015	Make Mine Rare, Please
2014	Passion Flooding
2013	On Purpose
2012	Sans Gall Bladder, Day 4
	How Did You Spend Your Day?
2011	It’s Hammerin’ Time!!
	Convenient Auxiliaries

Everything Has Its Cost

The Universe operates on a basic principle of economics:  everything has its cost.  We pay to create our future, we pay for the mistakes of the past.  We pay for every change we make . . . and we pay just as dearly if we refuse to change.
—    Brian Herbert
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On This Day In:
2023	Reveal And Conceal
	Heart Update (+30 Days)
2022	The Edge Of Today
2021	Why I’m Wrinkled With Age
	Is There A Generic Available? (Love Potion #9)
2020	I Feel Noblesse Oblige
2019	Live For Something
2018	My Dogs Beat ‘Em Up
	Is Your Sky Falling?
2017	Unseen Here, Too
2016	Criticized Anyway
2015	Sometimes The Truth Hurts
2014	All Agreed, Say “Aye”
2013	Two Books, Two Movies
	Just Because
2012	God’s Requirements
2011	Greater Purity

On Initiating The Creative Process

1.	Attempt what is not certain.  Certainty may or may not come later.  It may then be a valuable delusion.
2.	The pretty, initial position which falls short of completeness is not to be valued – except as a stimulus for further moves.
3.	DO search.
4.	Use and respond to the initial fresh qualities but consider them absolutely expendable.
5.	Don’t “discover” a subject – of any kind.
6.	Somehow don’t be bored but if you must, use it in action.  Use its destructive potential.
7.	Mistakes can’t be erased but they move you from your present position.
8.	Keep thinking about Pollyanna.
9.	Tolerate chaos.
10.	Be careful only in a perverse way.
—     Richard Diebenkorn
From:  “Notes to myself on beginning a painting“
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On This Day In:
2023	I Didn’t Finish It Yesterday
2022	Starting Over (Again)
	Another LONG Post (Guitar Review)
2021	Allowing For Compromise
	Whoa-whoa (It’s Not Unusual)
2020	Why #LyingDonald Hurts The US
2019	Blow Between Your Ears (Didn’t I Blow Your Mind This Time)
2018	Thinking Ahead
2017	I’d Like To Try
2016	Or Blog (And Bound)
2015	Welcome The Virtuous
2014	Closing The Gap?
2013	On Parenting
2012	What Knowledge Is
2011	The Indefinite Accumulation Of Property

Find Your Infinitesimal Part

To be whole and harmonious, man must also know the music of the beaches and the woods.  He must find the thing of which he is only an infinitesimal part and nurture it and love it, if he is to live.
—     William O. Douglas
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On This Day In:
2023	What The World Needs Now…
2022	Relegated To Study Hall
	5 – 40hrs
2021	And Initiative Gets You Started
	Here’s My Story (Runaround Sue)
2020	#IncometentDonald Says The Economy Will Rebound Quickly
	A Family Horror Story
2019	A State With No Business
2018	Reflections
2017	Opposites Attract
2016	Completely Unreasonable
	Starting To Be A Reacher
2015	Avengers Assemble II
	But If I Had To Perish Twice…
2014	Turning Pages
2013	We Are All Accountable
2012	American Sign Language
2011	Happy Disproof
2010	Book Review – Managing Your Government Career

No Fear, Rise Now

Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world.
—     Ralph Waldo Emerson
The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
—     Ralph Waldo Emerson
With the past, I have nothing to do;  nor with the future.  I live now.
—     Ralph Waldo Emerson
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On This Day In:
2023	Feathers
2022	Aim High
	In Bloom
2021	Thrive
	Are You Still Here? (Monday, Monday)
2020	Perceived Wisdom
	Lessons Are Extra And Blondell
2019	Live It
2018	Mostly Unconsciously For Most People
	Desperately Ginger Lass
2017	Explaining My Equally Meager Results
2016	Every Tool And Every Chance
2015	Something That You Love
2014	Not Really At All
2013	Listening And Deserving
2012	I’m Still Not Certain
2011	True, False And Useful

Shine Now

Meditate.  Live purely.  Be quiet.  Do your work with mastery.  Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds!  Shine.
—     Buddha
The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.
—     Buddha
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On This Day In:
2023	You Can Start With These Three
2022	Refreshing My Look Ahead (Back)
	I’m Still Mediocre With Easy
2021	I’m An Optimist
	Talent Is A Ticket To Ride (Midnight Highway)
2020	Works For Me
	Rivers Versus Waterfalls
2019	Better To Do
	News: Drunken Party Girl Saves Seoul
2018	Keep Moving
2017	Fighting Good
2016	Size Matters
2015	Maybe The Best Thing
2014	Ready To Be Fried?
2013	A Real Lover
2012	Winning Wars
2011	A Different Lesson

True Value Gives Meaning

So let us reflect on what is truly of value in life, what gives meaning to our lives, and set our priorities on the basis of that.  The purpose of our life needs to be positive.  We weren’t born with the purpose of causing trouble, harming others.  For our life to be of value, I think we must develop basic good human qualities – warmth, kindness, compassion.  Then our life becomes meaningful and more peaceful – happier.
—     Dalai Lama
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On This Day In:
2023	Preparation Meets Opportunity
2022	Until One Day…
2021	Thinking About Faux News
	Am I Ever Going To Listen? (I Would Tell Myself)
2020	First Place
	Perseverance
2019	Insha’Allaha Bukra
	No More Tears (Or Fog)
	Too Busy Thinking About My Baby (Too Busy Thinking About My Baby)
2018	Lost Time
2017	Are You Talking To Me?
2016	Here, Desire Is Purified
2015	Hopefully Just Visiting
2014	Fond Memory?
2013	Distress, Hope, Trust
2012	Creating Interlocking Fragility
2011	Four Stories And A Gospel
	What Have You Burned Lately?

Cornerstones

School libraries are the foundations of our culture – not luxuries.
—    Laurie Halse Anderson
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On This Day In:
2023	Faith Is A Challenge For All
2022	Looking For Solutions To Climate Change
	4 – 40hrs
2021	Our Identity Crisis Continues
	There’s No Hiding Place (Don’t Look Back)
2020	In Need Of Concerted Action
2019	Anything / Everything
2018	Touching A Nerve
	Good Fences Make Good Neighbors
	I Have Realities In My Past
2017	Did I See You In Chapter 13?
2016	As I Recall (I Got It Honest)
2015	Less And More Irritation
2014	That Marvelous Feeling
2013	Exceptional
2012	A Wild And Crazy Believer
2011	A Lack Of Scarcity
	The Joy Of Prevention

A Gale Force Of Love

And if I say, even so, that it has been only the rare human who has given me an animal’s worth of love back, it’s not because I underestimate the power of human love.  It’s because I have been lucky enough to live in the unconditional, unwavering, uncommon, gale force of love directed at me from my animals.
—     Pam Houston
[This quote was found on a blog I follow:  Live & Learn
Which is located at:  https://davidkanigan.com/
The specific post is at:  https://davidkanigan.com/2019/09/05/lightly-child-lightly-not/
The post was a “memorial” to his pet dog which had recently passed.
Please visit the original site if you have some spare time.    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2023	Starting Today, Be You
2022	Removing Self-negotiation
2021	Republican Congressional Leadership Continues The Big Lie
	You Just Can’t Hide (Dance To The Music)
2020	Cut To The Chase
	Fun Fog
2019	True Piety
2018	I Would, Too (A music-video for all) (I Would Tell Myself)
2017	100th Day (of the Trump Presidency)
	Both Unlucky
2016	Or Blog
2015	Stretched Today?
2014	Outta Here
2013	Getting Words Right
2012	There’s A New Dog In Town
	Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is
2011	A Conservative Is…