Try Sweating

Think about love, or hate, or joy, or pain – whatever makes you feel something, makes your palms sweat, or your toes curl.  Focus on that feeling.  When people don’t express themselves, they die one piece at a time.  You’d be shocked at how many adults are really dead inside — walking through their days with no idea who they are, just waiting for a heart attack or cancer or a Mack truck to come along and finish the job.  It’s the saddest thing I know.
—    Laurie Halse Anderson
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On This Day In:
2023	Life’s Great Illusion
2022	3rd (40)
	Might Still Flicker Or Shine
2021	Keep Growing
	I Keep Looking (I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For)
2020	I Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Plans
	One Earth
2019	Beautiful Rules
2018	Skepticism
2017	WWGD?
2016	Growing Greatness
2015	When It Is Darkest
2014	Knowledge And Doubt
2013	Three Thoughts
2012	Gentle Reader
2011	Leave The Light On For Me Anyway

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Deal With It

I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain.
—     James A. Baldwin
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On This Day In:
2023	Set Asides
2022	I Love Flowers
	Hope And Fear: Global Warming / Climate Change
2021	I Should Have Started Earlier
	To Soothe Your Soul (All Day Music)
2020	Let’s Make It So
2019	Today’s Question
2018	A Moment Of Union
2016	Symptoms
2016	Tossers
2015	Hunger
2014	Outside Dependence
2013	Doing Right
2012	A Short Course In Human Relations
	If Death Be My Future
	Strive
	Such A Fool
2011	I’m Working For A Living

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Two Cautions

It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love.  This is how the whole scheme of things works.  All good things are difficult to achieve, and bad things are very easy to get.
—     Confucius
Fear of something is at the root of hate for others, and hate within will eventually destroy the hater.
—     George Washington Carver
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On This Day In:
2023	Who Do You See?
2022	Spring Colors
	Decisions, Decisions
2021	In Pursuit
	The Music Of Her Laughter (Lemon Tree)
2020	Close, Sustained And Careful
2019	#45: Spread The Fear
	Fear The Beards
2018	Slice, Nick, Cut, Bled
2017	Like Most Blogs
2016	The Window Left Open
	Free Experience
2015	Reality == Perception / (Times Reported * 10)
2014	Tear Da Roof Off Da Sucka
2013	Exposed Spirits
2012	Ow-ow
2011	Focused Relatives

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Stuck In The Middle…

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.
—     Albert Camus
In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love.
In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile.
In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm.
I realized, through it all, that…
In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.
And that makes me happy.  For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.
—     Albert Camus
[The fuller version is attributed to Camus, but are “probably” not his words.  At least nobody has been able to locate the quote in his writings.  The shorter version is widely attributed to Camus, but I’m advised (I haven’t personally read Camus’ works – which are in French) that this is also not an accurate translation, but does capture the meaning.  (ex.:  “Midst” is sometimes translated as “middle”.)  In any case, the longer version is something it feels like he could have written.    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022	Sit, Observe, Create
2021	Every Today
	Millions Disappear (I Only Have Eyes For You)
2020	Walking
	Another Night’s Dread (Hello Walls)
2019	Nowadays It Is Called Trumpism
2018	A Reluctant Joiner
	#IncompetentDonald: On The Road To Ruin
2017	He Says, It Says
2016	Marriage Advice
2015	To James (and ‘Tasha)
2014	Ssshhush, You Are Not Alone
2013	So I Chose Living…
2012	For However Short A Time…
2011	Take A Deep Breath And Continue (Or Not)
2010	Tootsie-Roll Day

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Happiness In Heart And Mind

The way to happiness is:  keep your heart free from hate, your mind from worry.  Live simply, give much.  Fill your life with love.  Do as you would be done by.
—    Buddha
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On This Day In:
2022	Tiny Matters
	A Life Well Lived, A Story Well Told
2021	MAGA Choice: Reality Or Lies
	You Seem To Be (The Great Pretender)
2020	A Good Reason To Blog
	Finally Enjoying The View (I Can See Clearly Now)
2019	Living Free
2018	Relative Imagination
2017	Thank You, Senator McCain (So Far Anyway)
2016	What About Friends?
2015	It Tastes Good To Me
2014	Others’ Footsteps
	The Not-So-Modern Samurai
2013	Doin’
2012	A Lover
2011	What Have We Found Here
	Words

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Try Being Unreasonable

Hate has a reason for everything, but love is unreasonable.
—     V. Raiuhes Ahaefuthe
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On This Day In:
2023	Try Being Unreasonable
2022	Why Do Republicans Still Follow A Con-Artist / Loser?
2021	Guns Or Butter
	Caught Up In The Magic (I Can Dream About You)
2020	Haunting Illusions
	True Color
	Crackin’ The Flags
2019	Maybe A Slight Advantage
	We Should Never Give Up On Our Dreams
2018	As I Recall
2017	Truly Generous
2016	Choose Your Destiny
2015	Fast And Firm
2014	Neither Head Nor Heart
2013	Lonely, Foolish, Love Songs
	Batting 1.000
	Coward, n.
2012	At Least A Little More Difficult
2011	Speaking Of Fear

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Dreading The Slide Towards War

Be soft.  Do not let the world make you hard.  Do not let the pain make you hate.  Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness.  Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.
—     Iain Thomas
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On This Day In:
2023	Approaching Full Bloom
	For All
2022	Dreading The Slide Towards War
2021	Joyous Incompatibility
	My Heart Will Be Waiting (Moondance)
2020	My Gift To You
2019	Two Guarantee Freedom
2018	Less Mouth And More Back
2017	I Ought To Be A Little Careful
2016	Rising From The Ashes
2015	Honor
2014	Disappointment
2013	Seeing Heart
2012	On Success
2011	What This Place Needs Is Another Theory

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A Simple Choice, Really

If you’re an advocate of gentleness, you’re simplistic and naive.  If you’re an advocate of despair and hate, you’re sophisticated.
—    Dr. Leo F. Buscaglia
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On This Day In:
2022	Make It So
	Hot Messiah (Part 1)
2021	A Simple Choice, Really
	Waaaay Before The Movie (Iron Man)
2020	I Just Want To Stay Happy
	Fading… (Photographs And Memories)
2019	Show Righteousness, Not Fear
2018	Sounds Like Politics, Too
2017	Resist More
	Conservatives Are Not The Enemy
2016	Two Weeks To Go…
2015	Remembering
2014	The Creeping Death Of Civilization
	Orange October (X) – A Blue Morning Turns Into An Orange Evening
2013	License Problem
2012	Giants Win Game 2 Of The 2012 World Series 2 To 0!!!
	Adage, n.
	Questions Women Should Ask Before Voting…
2011	What Are You Looking At?

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Too Heavy A Burden

We are one people with one family.  We all live in the same house… and through books, through information, we must find a way to say to people that we must lay down the burden of hate.  For hate is too heavy a burden to bear.
—    Rep. John Lewis
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On This Day In:
2022	Nourish Others
2021	Too Heavy A Burden
	I Don’t Mind At All (Your Song)
2020	Compare, Contrast And Learn
	Some Dreams Do Come True (Just My Imagination)
	Just In Case
2019	Can I Get A Witness?
2018	I’d Still Like To Try It Out
2017	In Every Thing
2016	Future Halo
2015	The Hard Way Every Time (The Hard Way Every Time)
2014	Indispensable Wits
2013	I’d Like To
2012	2012 National League Champions – San Francisco Giants!!
	2nd Viewing – No Change
	Light Shining Out of Darkness
2011	Just Kickin It
	Are These The “Real” Protectors Of America’s Constitution?
2010	Giants Advance To 2010 World Series!!!

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Even The Tiniest Hole

Just as all the water drains out of a bucket with even the tiniest hole, all the joy of life drains from our soul when we hate even one person.
—   Leo Tolstoy
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On This Day In:
2023	Searching For Meaning As Well As The Path
2022	Think Global, Act Local
2021	Even The Tiniest Hole
	Turn Your Back To The Wind (Life Is A Highway)
2020	I’m Tired Of “Winning”
	If You Could… (If You Could Read My Mind)
	The Economy Or Your Life?
2019	Impeach #45 – (#TraitorInTheWhiteHouse)
	Time For Loving
2018	No Pride There
	London To The Hague
2017	At Least Twenty To Go
2016	A Sweet Smelling Blog Post
	Pre-Reacher
2015	Getting The Story Right
2014	Like Shells On The Shore
2013	More And Why
2012	How To Gain Effective Fire
2011	Patriot Act

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Why #DonTheCon Hates, Belittles And Fires Honest Government Employees

Hatred is the coward’s revenge for being intimidated.
―    George Bernard Shaw
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On This Day In:
2023	Inviting Dispute
2022	Beautiful Curves
2021	Life Is…
	Thank You Guardians (OTG)* (Come And Get Your Love)
2020	Why #DonTheCon Hates, Belittles And Fires Honest Government Employees
2019	What Do You Want?
2018	Wakanda Forever
	I’d Be Happy With Another Score (Or So)
2017	In Defense Of A Free Press
2016	Lost Opportunity
2015	Are You Listening Ladies?
2014	Practice, Practice, Practice
2013	A Fist Full Of Confusion
2012	Teaching Faith
2011	The Heart Of Terror
	The Proportion Of Gravity And Probability

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Don’t Mess With The Lady

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced yesterday (5 Dec 2019), that the House is moving forward to draft articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.  “Our democracy is what is at stake.  The president leaves us no choice but to act.“
As she was leaving the press briefing platform she was asked if she hated President Donald Trump.   Pelosi turned and pointed at the reporter asking the question and said:  “I don’t hate anybody.  We don’t hate anybody.  Not anybody in the world.  Don’t accuse me.“
She returned to the podium to continue:  “I think the president is a coward when it comes to helping our kids who are afraid of gun violence.  I think he is cruel when he doesn’t deal with helping our dreamers.  I think he’s in denial about the climate crisis.“
Impeachment, she emphasized, was about protecting the “Constitution of the United States,” rather than about policy disagreements or dislike of the president which could wait for the election.
“As a Catholic, I resent your using the word hate in a sentence that addresses me.  I don’t hate anyone.“
Speaker Pelosi continued, saying she prayed for the president, and, in fact did so every day.
As she turned to leave the stage she concluded:  “So don’t mess with me when it comes to words like that.“
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On This Day In:
2022	Even If It’s To The Precipice
2021	And Ever
	Love Wouldn’t Lie (Look What You’ve Done To Me)
2020	Why I Used To Jog At Dawn
	Seeing You In His Arms (I Want You Back)
2019	The Most Pressing Task
	Don’t Mess With The Lady
2018	Seek A Clear View
2017	Living With Myself
2016	Still Looking In Mirrors?
2015	Fear No Evil
2014	And Nothing Can Be As Tragic As…
2013	Your Tax Dollars At Work
2012	Historically Unacceptable
2011	Niners Are NFC West Division Champions!!
	The Essence Of Leadership

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Don’t Be Small

Hate, among all our base instincts, is the most distinctly human.  In animals, violence and venom are tools of survival;  in humans, of supremacy.  Small, scared people hate, self-hating people hate, bullied and betrayed people hate, as though hate will make them large and safe and strong.
—    Nancy Gibbs
From her article:  “The Only Way Forward“
Appearing in:  Time Magazine;  (dtd: 12 November 2018)
The online version of this article is titled:  “The Only Way to Fight Hate“
The article can be found online at:  http://time.com/magazine/us/5441415/november-12th-2018-vol-192-no-20-u-s/
I choose to love people, not to judge them.  I want to experience them as they are, not as I would want them to be.  I want to grow with them, allowing each new moment to tell its own story, rather than perceive it as a product of our past.  I want us to search together for fresh alternatives to our incompleteness, to our negativity, to our deception, to our fear and to our despair.  I don’t want us to spend our lives thinking about life and change and celebration.  Rather, I want us to spend our lives celebrating and living and changing.  And I never want to forget what the wonderful author William Saroyan reminded me of many years ago:  People is all everything is – all it has ever been, and all it can ever be.  People.  You and me.  Together in love.
—    Leo Buscaglia’s Credo for Relationships
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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

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I Choose Love

Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first;  nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first.
—    Charles de Gaulle
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On This Day In:
2022	No Regrets For Chances Not Taken
2021	And Speak To Me
	Coming My Way (Everyday)
2020	If You Haven’t Done It Yet: VOTE!!
	I Agree (Affirmation)
2019	I’m Still Looking
2018	I Choose Love
	Courage Can Be Contagious
2017	Scary And Wonderful
2016	#AmnestyDon Hears The Polls
2015	Dare The Improbable
2014	All Together Now!
2013	This Road
2012	Profit
2011	God Is Personal
2010	Playoff Fever Gets the Best of Me…

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Which Did You Learn?

No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion.  People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.
—   Nelson Mandela
From his autobiography:  “Long Walk to Freedom“
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On This Day In:
2022	True For All Arts
2021	Driving To Your Destiny
	Angels (Angel Of The Morning)
2020	It Almost Certainly Will If #45 Is Re-elected
	Sssshhhh (The Sound Of Silence)
2019	Deciding, Doing, Done
	Day 5: Getting Easier
2018	Thought Experiments
	Day 38: Going Crazy
2017	Which Did You Learn?
2016	Shape And Limit
2015	Me Either
2014	Just Business
2013	Beautiful Adventure
2012	Precedence
2011	Ya Think?

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