April 23, 2021

  • Let them go!!

    Yesterday's fun - The frog eggs that dotter pulled out of a local pond developed in to tadpoles. We have been feeding them pond algae and they seemed fine with that up until yesterday morning when they were not too peppy. It seems that at a certain stage in their development, the make a switch from herbivore to carnivore, so I decided that it was time to liberate them by returning them to the pond from whence they came. I put them in a little jar and set off on my mission.
    When I arrived at the pond, who else should be there but Haru's day care class!! Of course everyone has to run over so see what I am doing. Haru thinks that I have come to take her home and climbs up on the bike. Sheesh! Day care teacher is so interested in the tadpoles that I am unable to refuse her when she requests that I fork them over so they can continue raising them at day care. They are starting to sprout little legs, and I hope that they make it to full frogdom.

April 17, 2021

  • Reality Check

    From the post of a liberal FB friend.
    Reality check.
    From new friend David
    "I need to drive my two-year-old to daycare tomorrow morning. To ensure we arrive alive, we won't take public transit (Oscar Grant). I removed all air fresheners from the vehicle and double-checked my registration status (Daunte Wright), and ensured my license plates were visible (Lt. Caron Nazario). I will be careful to follow all traffic rules (Philando Castille), signal every turn (Sandra Bland), keep the radio volume low (Jordan Davis), and won't stop at a fast food chain for a meal (Rayshard Brooks). I'm too afraid to pray (Rev. Clementa C. Pickney) so I just hope the car won't break down (Corey Jones).
    When my wife picks him up at the end of the day, I'll remind her not to dance (Elijah McClain), stop to play in a park (Tamir Rice), patronize the local convenience store for snacks (Trayvon Martin), or walk around the neighborhood (Mike Brown). Once they are home, we won't stand in our backyard (Stephon Clark), eat ice cream on the couch (Botham Jean), or play any video games (Atatiana Jefferson).
    After my wife and I tuck him into bed around 7:30pm, neither of us will leave the house to go to Walmart (John Crawford) or to the gym (Tshyrand Oates) or on a jog (Ahmaud Arbery). We won't even walk to see the birds (Christian Cooper). We'll just sit and try not to breathe (George Floyd) and not to sleep (Breonna Taylor)."
    These are things white people simply do not have to think about."
    -David
    My response:
    I don't have time to look into all of these cases, but I will say something about the most recent one.
    The loss of any life is a tragedy, but this is very simplistic and perhaps misleading. Can I just look at the example of Daunte Wright? He was not shot for having an air freshener. From which part of the narrative did that information arise? I read that the air freshener story was something that Daunte told his mother in a phone call. Anyone please correct me if I am wrong.
    He should never have been shot and the policewoman made an incredibly horrible mistake. Women unfortunately do not have the physical strength of men, and are more likely to compensate by using weapons. A person who does not know a gun from a taser has no business doing the job of a policewoman.
    That being said, Wright was under an arrest warrant on illegal gun charges and robbing a woman at gunpoint. He was to appear in court and did not comply, which is why he was being arrested after the traffic stop. Rather than cooperate, he chose to get back in his car and attempt to drive off. There was no good outcome to his choice. At best, it would only have gotten him more prison time. It is a tragedy that the events played out as they did, but to say that he was shot for having an air freshener is just untrue. This kind of simplistic statement seems to give people who don't bother to check out the entire story tacit permission to riot and loot, causing further death and destruction of property and businesses, both black and white.
    That being said, may I share an experience of my own? My parents taught me that God loves everyone the same. I am married to a person of another race.
    We lived in New Haven, Conn. for a couple of years in student housing near Winchester Ave., which divided the town into its two halves. It was Halloween, and I prepared treats for the local tricksters. What made me decide to shut down shortly after was when one of the boys (taller than me) that came to my door akst me where ma husbin' was. What kind of a thing was that to be asking? I consider that a threat and decided that it was not safe for white me to be handing out candy to young black potential rapists. I was afraid to participate in Halloween for the duration of our stay in that city. When cars were stolen in our neighborhood, guess on which side of town they were always found.... I could cite other examples. They are the ones who taught me that it pays to be cautious. Does that make me racist?

April 4, 2021

April 2, 2021

  • Good Friday Sermon from Old Hat

    I am thinking
    I am thinking about how much Jesus suffered. Especially there at the end of his life. Even more so at the spiritual separation from his Father.
    I am thinking that his suffering was not in vain though. None of his suffering was wasted or useless. God knew that a savior who could not understand our suffering would not be very comforting to those of us who have been so wounded in this life. We needed a Jesus who could understand how rejected and despised we have been and yet would love us anyway.
    I am thinking about that long next day of mourning. The disciples, in hiding, fearing for their own lives from the same mobs who called for the death of Jesus. Doubting everything they had believed in so deeply. A good friend had betrayed their trust and caused the death of their leader. Maybe that’s why they didn’t believe the women when they told them they had seen Jesus. The government was watching them because they thought the disciples might try to steal the body. To what end? The Pharisees even openly accused them of it. How could people think that of them?
    I am thinking that the long day of their testing was not in vain though. Jesus did come to them and prove himself to them. He chastised them for their lack of faith, yes, but he forgave them. Then he trusted them to be his messengers of hope to the world. That makes me think he will forgive my doubts, too. That makes me think he might trust me to share this hope that he has given me.
    I am thinking of Barabbas. How terrifying it must have been to hear an angry crowd screaming for him by name. To think you were going to be crucified that Friday. Finding out that Jesus had taken your place. That must have felt good. And unreal. I wonder what he did with that unexpected second chance?
    I am thinking of the thief on the cross. The one that asked Jesus to remember him. The one who never went to church or communion or the river to be baptized, and yet went to paradise with Christ that day. I am thinking there is hope for those who come to Jesus outside of orthodox religion.
    I am thinking of all that is wrong in the world today. The same God Almighty who was aware of all that we would say was wrong on that first Good Friday, good for us because Jesus paid our debt, is aware of all that is wrong today. He is not caught off guard. God is not surprised. He is working out his plans right now.
    I am thinking that our job, like the disciples on that hard Saturday, is to keep the faith. To cling to our hope. To trust the Savior who is familiar with our troubles and suffering. To wait for him. To be ready. To have the courage to share the hope that we have because of what we know about Jesus even though there is so much we do not know.
    I am thinking of you. I am thinking how much you have suffered. How you have been betrayed by those you trusted. How people have falsely accused you of things for their own ends. Of how lonely and abandoned you have been made to feel. I am thinking that the balance to all of that is that the one and only begotten son of the Holy God laid down his life for you. You must be important. You must matter. You must be worth more than you can begin to imagine. Jesus loved you so much that he went to the cross, went into the tomb. For you. That you might have hope. That you might have a savior who could understand how hard this life has been for you.
    I am thinking of you and praying for Jesus to keep his promise to send his Comforter to you. To soothe your soul and to remind you of all that Jesus said.
    I am thinking that you are waiting and waiting and waiting. I am thinking that you are not alone. No matter how you feel. We are waiting together through this hard day of mourning.
    I am thinking that you are loved with an eternal love.

March 20, 2021

  • Taketori no Yu 竹取の湯

    Girls' spa day today! We went to a public bath hot springs at the next station and had a good long soak in different indoor and outdoor tubs. Take your pick of water temperature, a carbonated bath, a jet bath, a bubbly bath and an electric massage bath. Everyone "wears" the same "uniform," so it was kind of funny when Haru grabbed some lady's hand and attempted to drag her off, jabbering all the way. Mommy and I pointed out that she was kidnapping the wrong person. After the baths, Haru got to try out "doctor fish" that eat dead skin off your feet. I hope the shrieks of delight did not bother anyone. LOL

March 17, 2021

  • Had a challenging series of events to deal with this morning to get somebunny to day care on time... She had to do a puzzle three times before breakfast and was not happy that her toasted croissant did not have the upper and lower halves properly attached but ate it all anyway plus apple and ham and then wanted her hair done like Frozen's Elsa and then had to take a poop (all the while reciting that five comes after six after six is seven and so on and I wanna say it myself so Gramma don't say it) and then get the teeth brushed and select two flags to take along and finally get shoes and coat on and ride down the elevator. We are just a bit behind schedule, but then meet the very nice cleaning lady who is on her last day at this job and who has been very nice to somebunny. Just a minute, she says, I want to give you something, and she takes the enameled cross off of her phone and gives it to Haru. There are some things that you just have to take time for. Sniff.

March 13, 2021

March 12, 2021

  • Racist Cartoons?

    I have been trying to see any racism in Heckle and Jeckle, two cartoon Magpies. One speaks with a Brooklyn accent and the other with an English accent. I saw nothing racist, and found the plots of the cartoons rather boring, with the two just playing tricks on other characters on the screen. It is kind of like Tom and Jerry cartoons, which are basically Tom chasing Jerry and never catching him.

    Honestly, if anyone can help me out here, I would appreciate it. Exactly what is racist about Heckle and Jeckle? The content? The color of the birds? Come to think of it, what color is Mickey Mouse, or Mighty Mouse? Is Daffy Duck now in bad taste because his plumage is black? Will he be outlawed because of his lisp?

    I just watched "All this and Rabbit Stew." Rather than Elmer Fudd, Bug's pursuer is a black person. Bugs did not discriminate, and tormented the Black fellow just as much as he ever tormented Elmer. But wait... Should Elmer Fudd not also be banned as mockery of people with speech impediments? Or how about Porky Pig for his stuttering? There is really no end to the censorship, since everyone can find something to be offended by. If you don't like it, don't watch it. Bugs Bunny's "Hillbilly Hare" depicts a couple of white hicks, and no one has any trouble with that at all.

    And now they are after Pepe LePew as a promoter of rape culture? How many people have been inspired to commit this particular crime after watching Pepe?

March 8, 2021

  • Racist Dr. Seuss?

    Six Dr. Seuss books will no longer be published. I have three of the Dr. Seuss banned books - If I Ran the Zoo, On Beyond Zebra and To Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street. I always loved the Zebra book, and I got the other two off of eBay a couple of years ago when all this fuss started. The six "problematic" books can't be sold on eBay anymore and were not available on Amazon, either. I checked out the other three that I don't own on You Tube and am scratching my head about McEllicot's Pool, The Cat's Quizzer and Scrambled Eggs Super. McEllicot's Pool has a picture of an Eskimo (I suppose we are not allowed to say that anymore) and a Hispanic person, I think, but I do not consider them derogatory or racist. The Cat's Quizzer has a picture of a supposed Japanese person and another of the Cat eating with chopsticks, but that's about it. I don't know what the problem is with Scrambled Eggs Super, unless it is some people up north dressed in warm clothes. Or could it be objections to the collecting of eggs of non existent rare birds? I did not see anything that would be so repulsive or traumatic to a child as to force the books out of print.
    What am I to conclude from this "wokeness?" Do I have to toss the collection of Japanese girls' festival dolls into the trash and replace them with dolls that are move inclusive of other races? They have Asian features... Do I have to change the faces to more nonracial, generic ones? Things are out of hand, folks.
    I am also seeing a disturbing journalistic tendency. Stories are circulated with incomplete information. A crime has been committed, but we are not provided with any evidence as to the nature of the crime. The Seuss books are accused of being bad, but the accusers will not clearly state the nature of the accusations. If there are problem pictures, please state the case and point them out clearly. This is different from perpetuating racism. I recently saw another story on Yahoo "News" that stated a racial slur had been written on the car of a person of Asian descent, but in the picture of the damaged car, whatever was written there was blurred out. How are we even to know that a crime was committed at all? We just have to take the so-called journalist's word for it. We are also no longer allowed to know the race of the perpetrator of the crime, even though it is obvious from security films. Why all the fear of presenting the facts for what they are?
     The six Seuss books are supposedly guilty of racism, but the whoever is deciding that the books need to be withdrawn needs to clarify the charges being made. It is an incomplete story. I am still seriously looking for racism in these books. I found this in one article. "In The Cat's Quizzer the Japanese character is referred to as a 'Japanese'..." What else is he supposed to be referred to as?? Why is this a problem?? "In 'And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,' an Asian person is portrayed wearing a conical hat, holding chopsticks, and eating from a bowl." Chopsticks and bowls are now racist?? McElligot's contains the word Eskimo, so it's cancelled. I dragged out my copy of On Beyond Zebra, and cannot for the life of me figure out the problem, unless one objects to exotic fellows on camels. I don't.

March 2, 2021

  • Haru was kind enough to share her Lurgy with me. Got zero done today.

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