It’s been too long, and my trepidations have turned to danger…

My last post was way too long ago. This site has laid quiescent and dusty. But I feel a need to speak now again.

There is danger among us. The rhetoric coming from the former president is getting harsher, scarier and more apocalyptic. I don’t know what America he sees, but it’s not the America I live in. The America I live in is not a grim place. I know and like my neighbors, I have a wonderful church family and social supports all around me. I love where I live. My community is strong. It is diverse in all ways.

Yes, there are problems. Gun violence is an issue, just as it is everywhere. Occasionally in the regions to the west of us, prejudice rears its ugly head. Christian Nationalism is rife in counties to our west in their local government.

But it’s hardly a steaming mess. It’s more of a swirling polyglot that America has always been.

So don’t believe the “bloodbath“ comments. Don’t buy into the apocalyptic nightmare that the former president likes to paint.Don’t listen to the raving of a old man who comes across like your crazy great uncle at Thanksgiving. Just be who you are. Live with integrity. And when it’s time to vote, dammit, do it.

There’s this thing

And another thing. There’s the Inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States. Takes place tomorrow at noon on the dot. I’ve got that one covered. Not watching. Will be sitting quietly in the nave at St. Martin of Tours Episcopal Church in Kalamazoo, praying for the nation.

The other thing is the Women’s March on Washington. Oh, how I wish I could go. I went on the March for Women’s Lives in 1986 and it was an amazing experience. This one, given the time and temperament of the times, will be even more amazing, and more crucial. My Beta Daughter is going from Ohio, and taking my 17 month old granddaughter with her. I’m nervous and proud, which I believe to be appropriate responses.

But since 2007, I’ve suffered from severe social anxiety disorder. I can’t handle a crowd of 200, let alone 200,000. But a friend told me about The Disability March, and it’s pretty amazing. Here’s the link:  https://disabilitymarch.com/ . It enables those of us who for one reason or another cannot go to still participate. I’m very grateful.

So when I’m done praying, I’ll be back on the phone, nagging my Representatives and Senators to nail these appointees to the wall. THAT is something I can do. And do it I shall.

No Babies, Thank God!

Google Voice Fail

I started using Google Voice a couple of months ago, and some of the features are great for me. I really like getting the actual text of the message (by email or text message on my phone) — sometimes it is quicker to read than to drag through the prompts and whatnot to listen to a voice mail. And it gives me documentation of the message.

But, oh crikey, how they get mangled sometimes…it’s like English in Engrish.

As you can see, we’d discussed this little quirk and the need to speak slowly and articulate well. Um, yeah.

So imagine my surprise when I received this transcript of a voice mail left by the Beta Daughter regarding an upcoming visit around the holidays. Correct transcript continues below. Click on the image to share in the wholeness of the Googlized joy.

Here’s what was really said:
“Hey, Mom. I’m going to talk very clearly so Google Voice will pick it up. I think you’re sleeping. I wanted to call because we got your package, and it’s a wonderful, thank you. (laughs) I kinda fell apart there because it’s not easy to talk this way. But that was an awesome collection of very thoughtful things. My ornament wasn’t hand-made but it was very thoughtful and cute. We loved the card, and the magnet, and I realized they are from Coffee Creations, which is very cool. And yeah, just wanted to let you know that we love it. And I love you and we are really excited to see you soon. So have a good weekend. Give me a call if you get the chance. Bye.”

I am still laughing over this one.

I suppose I am the “same model”, although at my age I’ve suffered significant depreciation and I’m no longer listed in the Blue Book. Glad to know she was not headed to Indonesia. I was very puzzled at the “go early word document.”, like she was trapped in some sort of Microsoft hell. I was deeply relieved that she doesn’t “have this IS A baby” — hearing I was to be a grandmother via voice mail would be like breaking off an engagement using Twitter. But I did have a good weekend, once I used the “play message” to allay my concerns about all this.

And how could the thing itself parse “Google Voice” into “a group of us”?

“Transcript useful?” Not so much.

I’ll be posting some more of the interesting results as they come in.

Yes, I live in central Indiana, and No, I don’t care about the Colts.

Really.  I don’t.  Even a little.

Oh, I think Peyton Manning is a great person, love his charity work.  He is a great example of giving back to his communities (Yes, he has more than one.)   And he beats hell out of the other freaks of nature in spandex short-pants who just rounded out their Hummer collection to a baker’s dozen or have kept Cadillac from going the way of other US automakers by purchasing a new Escalade every three months.

I never got the football bug.  In fact I prefer the sport that EVERYONE ELSE in the whole world calls football.  Some folks say watching soccer is akin to watching paint dry.  But I like it.

And I can’t see the whole “I don’t really follow the NFL, but hey, it’s all about the TEAM!!!  I purchased an insanely overpriced officially sanctioned Colts jersey because I knew that I could wear it to work at least eleven Fridays all year.  Go, Blue Crew!” thing.

I think it would be more fun to have pep rallies for THIS sport:

Something to do with all those plastic party cups.