Category: Uncategorized

A Conversation with Mom

Mom called.

It was almost five PM. My wife and I were sitting there, my phone on the desk beside me. We never heard my phone ring. I picked it up to check something else only to see that Mom called four times in a span of ten minutes. Left a voice mail just two minutes before.

Complaining about my phone while I wondered WTH was wrong with it – or was it my service? – I called VM but couldn’t decipher what Mom was trying to say. As I was listening to it, she called again.

After answering, I listened as she complained about my sister, Gina, and begged me to call Gina and ask her to take Mom shopping tomorrow. I agreed to text Gina with the message.

Mom then said, “I told Gina that I would give her $4,000 a month if she let me live with her.”

I replied, “I know. Gina said she will if you apologize to Pat about the things you said about him.” Pat is Gina’s husband.

“I never said anything about Pat.”

“Then apologize.”

“I’m willing to pay for a lie detector test for both of us.”

“Who?”

“Pat and me.”

“Why would you need a lie detector test? You said you never said anything about him.”

“I didn’t. After I moved into Gina’s house, Pat would come in and spy on me. But I never said anything about Pat.”

“You used to tell me that Pat was coming in and stealing your remote control.”

“Well, yes, that. He used to come in and take my remote control and hide it.”

“You told me that he used to come in and hurt your head.”

“Yes, Pat used to come in and use an invisible machine on my head. He had a control that he could use to make the device squeeze my head and make it hurt so much.”

“Mom, you just told me that you never said anything about Pat. Then you told me several things that you think he did. He never did any of those things, Mom. There’s no evidence of it. If you apologize to Gina for saying that he did, you can live with her.”

“Well, then I can’t live with her. I’d rather die before I lie. And I can’t live here like this any more, so I’ll just die.”

“Okay, Mom. I’ll pass the message on. I love you.”

We said our goodbyes. I passed the message on.

3

Wednesday’s Theme Music – Wrap it up

Ashland, southern Oregon — Wednesday, October 28, 2026.

Awoke to 30 degrees at my house and very clear skies. Gorgeous moon last night lit up the valley. Peaceful, but cold. We’re creeping past 48 F, leaning toward something in the mid 50s as a high. The sun shines but our planet’s journey mitigates its effects. Angles, distance, all that.

Mom is scuffling with Gina again. Mom ends up texting and calling Gina’s daughter, complaining about Gina and begging the daughter to pick her up and take her shopping. Mom won’t ask the assisted living facility staff for help because Mom thinks they’re too dumb to help her. So it goes.

Got my diet requirements for the week of my colonoscopy and polypectomy. The diet is to be started three days before surgery. No caffeine. Like, gasp! The horrors!

White bread and no fiber. Nothing with seeds. No nuts. But I can eat all the meat I want. Geez. But don’t drink or eat anything red! That’s repeated multiple times. Then, only clear fluids the day before.

My wife seized on it. She loves a good eating challenge. She quickly started mapping out meals for me.

Meanwhile, though, we’ve joined a soup organization. SoupDivas make a soup every week, then send out an email announcing the choice. After that, it’s first come, first served, $17 a quart. Once you’re on the list, pick up is Wednesday. I duly picked up this week’s quart, Quixote Lemon Lentil. Looking forward to a nice hot soup on a chilly autumn day.

I was reading about the increasing odds of a ‘blue tsunami’ in the 2026 midterms. I remain anxious, hopeful, and leery, which sounds like some new variation on the seven dwarfs.

Part of me though, thinks, wrap it up, I’ll take it! Which triggered The Neurons. They put “Wrap it Up” in my morning mental music stream. I had the cover done by the Fabulous Thunderbirds in mind. But when I drifted through the net in search of a video offering, I came across Bonnie Raitt and friends performing it on “Austin City Limits”. The friends include Brittany Howard, Gary Clark Jr., and Jimmie Vaughan playing and singing, a good group of friends for this Sam and Dave classic.

Yes, I’ll take a blue tsunami. Wrap it up!

Simultaneously, if a blue tsunami takes over, I expect Trump’s rage to break the rage meter. He’ll dial up the chaos and hate, screaming and crying about fraud and stolen elections. I also expect him to turn on the Republicans who lose, blasting them for not being as good as him, which is how Trump sees it. Donald Trump works hard to pretend he’s great and all powerful, and not a miserable cheating creep. Taking a loss that repudiates him will spin him like tornado. Expect an F5.

I hope the best kind of day for you today. May it feel your needs and help with your wishes.

Cheers

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Monday’s Theme Music — Another day

Ashland, southern Oregon — Monday, October 26, 2026.

It was a chilly wet day in our valley. Layers of clouds thwarted the sun. Sunshine sporadically broke through but had little staying power. The asphalt roads were black and shiny wet, reflecting golden leaves. It was impressively spectacular on the large oak tree that resides across the street.

Today’s high was in the mid 50s. Now it’s in the low 40s F. That’s where it’s supposed to stop for the night.

Rolling out of bed and into another day’s light, I basically thought, “Here we go. Go check the phone calls and text messages and see what’s happening with Mom. Read the news, see what Trump and the GOP are up to. See if another war has been started. Get ready for another appointment, dress for another day, and so on.”

Yeah, still feeling a little weary, I’m afraid. I blame it on the rain.

The Neurons collected all this and set up “Day by Day” from “Godspell” in my morning mental music stream. I’m not religious but I understand the song’s sentiment. But for me, the song’s bottom line is the refrain, “Day by day.”

Hope your day was satisfying and rich with peace, joy, good news, and good health.

Cheers

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Friday’s Theme Music — Take a look ahead

Ashland, southern Oregon — Friday, October 23, 2026.

Rain was yesterday’s major weather theme. Today was a day of sunshine but windy, with a cold wind rushing in from the north, making the trees shiver. We might have turned past 52 F, but it was a short-lived stroll. Now we’re back down to 46 F and dropping.

Many phone calls and texts from Mom. Complaints about Gina in the texts. Gina is my sister, Mom’s medical POA. Phone calls just said, “Michael, you need to call me.” Ten calls.

Gina sent out a lengthy text. Laid out her own schedule next week. Elections, babysitting her grandchildren, work requirements. Then Mom’s appointments. Finally, the big question: “Should I take Mom to her appointments? Will they change her quality of life? Why doesn’t she want to take Access?”

Back and forth from various sisters. Opinions expressed that Mom is toxic. “If she wants to go to the doctor or really needs to, she can take Access,” is mentioned. I refrain from putting in my two cents that not all brains work like that. Especially when you’re 92, tired, and sick. Especially when you’re a mother who feels alone and unloved.

I’ve said these things before. They swoosh by the rest. Maybe I’m wrong and they’re right.

I wonder the same thing about Trump’s MAGA supporters sometimes. Maybe they’re right, and I’m missing some critical element. I spent some time trying to peer into the shadows to see what I’m missing. Mostly I see that they’re angry. Want to tear everything down. Start anew. At the same time, they don’t want the same structure, but they want America, the America they see in the mind’s rearview.

That’s what I think Mom sees, the family that she thought she was raising. It went wildly wrong sometimes.

I had Boston in my morning mental music stream this, um, morning. Yes, that’s redundant. Like IPA ale or ATM machine. Or thinking in my head.

Boston released a song, “Peace of Mind”, back before the Internet caught on, in 1977. Why, we barely had stereo then. Had to use 8 tracks, cassette tapes, vinyl, all forms which are much less in use in 2026. But back in 1977, they were part of the answer when we wanted music. Radio and television helped, too.

Part of the song has lyrics which urge, “Take a look ahead.” I keep trying to look ahead. I feel that Trump — and the GOP — will lose many midterm elections. And if they do, Donald Trump will amp up his crazy weave and become even more of a dictator. “Off with their heads,” he might shout. Minions, not sure if Trump is being serious, will rush out. Heads will roll.

Damnation will follow. Trump will plead, “I never said that.” “That’s not what I meant.” “I was exaggerating for effect.” Or, as likely, he’ll snarl and snap, “You’re an awful person. Why are you saying those things. You’re nasty. Get out of here.”

Could be all of those things. That’s how Trump weaves, like a spider on LSD.

I try looking ahead with Mom, too. Mom’s ID expires on her birthday. “Does she really need an ID?” is asked by a sibling. “She doesn’t go anywhere.”

Yes, hard to argue that. Those are the basic facts. The other fact is that a trip to get a new ID for mom will be challenging for the person taking her. That’s how we see it.

So, I’m only looking forward to tomorrow. Ironically, I’m going to a large birthday bash to celebrate a friend’s 90th birthday. She’s sharp as a tack, as Mom used to say. The birthday will last three hours. I don’t know her well, having only met her three times, but my wife needs me to act as chauffeur.

Sunday, my wife is eager to go to the movies to watch “Wicker”. She’s been looking forward to it for months.

The contractor is arriving at 8 AM tomorrow to paint our fence. He’s made various repairs already, and it looks great.

It’s supposed to be nice tomorrow.

Looking foward to it.

Hope you have day worth looking forward to. Halloween is upon us. Time to get out your holiday decorations and light up the house.

Cheers

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Monday’s Theme Music – Fool & Me

Ashland, southern Oregon — Monday, October 12, 2026.

Autumn continues its golden, chilly reign. 53 F now, we’ve risen from the overnight low of 32 and we’re getting close to the 62 F expected high. It’s a boldly blue sky and marvelously sharp sunshine. A small herd of clouds — momma and four or five kits — hard to say because they keep moving — feed on the blue to one side.

No more on Mom and her situation today. Patience is needed as I await news and developments. That’s a life stage many of us know very well.

Time is extremely tight today. Food & Friends deliveries began the morning, writing in the late morning to early afternoon, BCG wash in the mid-afternoon, and then back to help a friend move some items. I made the plans, so I accept them. Tomorrow will be as busy but in other areas of needs.

Today’s music is a throwback tune, “The Fool and Me”. The Neurons placed the Robin Trower offering in my morning mental music stream early today after I went through a cursory review of news stories followed by a fast reflection on dreams, time, and appointments. Make sense, I guess.

Sample Lyrics:

Traveling that wind and laugh at the crowd, mmm the fool and me
Howl at the moon baby yell out loud, the fool and me
And ohh oh, where ever we go
We keep the spirit free
Ohh nobody knows
No one but the fool and me

Stretching on out and feeling fine, the fool and me
Two fools dancing on the hands of time, yeah
The fool and me
And ohh oh, where ever we go
We keep the spirit free
Ohh nobody knows
No one but the fool and me

Yes, and there is a connection to Donald Trump in this: his impact on my life, and his impact on my nation, my friends, and family. Trump is politically divisive. That’s just the starting point. Consumed with thoughts about only himself, he’s consuming our world and tearing it apart. Some MAGAzens applaud this: “Tear it all down and start over.” Yet, when Trump’s destruction hits their lives, many call, “Wait a minute. What’s going? This isn’t what I want.”

Well, I can tell you for sure, what Trump has done and is doing is sure as hell not what I want.

I hope we can vote Democrats into office and take over Congress and offset the madness that is Trump.

May your day end with you feeling fine and looking back on what you did with smiles.

Cheers

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Trump: More Signs of Fear & Desperation

Riddle me this.

Donald Trump made a deal with Russia for diesel fuel. Russia supplies and backs Iran. Iran and the US are at war. The amount of diesel is small in comparison to the world’s needs and will take time to ship and deliver, but Trump did the deal in a desperate hail Mary to garner some political capital before next month’s midterms.

How does this make sense?

The answer is that it doesn’t. Donald Trump is so desperate, it has him spinning.

Just last month — less than thirty days ago — Trump signed a sweeping bipartisan sanctions bill intended to clamp down on Russian energy revenues. Those sanctions would choke off funding for Russia’s war in Ukraine. Easing these less than a month later undermines everything he said those sanctions would do and the reasons for imposing them.

That brings us to your Trump Quote of the Day:

When Trump made that statement, he accused China and India of funding the war between Russia and Ukraine by continuing to purchase Russian oil and called out NATO allies for failing to cut ties with Moscow’s energy sector.

Now, invoking classic Trump Double Standards (TDS), Trump made a deal with Russia for fuel, which will be used to fund the war.

Ukraine responded to Donald Trump’s duplicity by bombing and setting fire to Russia’s export terminals. That’s good strategy. As Trump pointed out, exporting oil and fuel funds Russia’s war with Ukraine. Cutting off that venue reduces Russia’s war fighting abilities.

Not to Donald Trump. Oh, no. Trump responded by threatening Ukraine’s president:

“I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president.”

That’s up to the Ukrainian voters, Donald Trump. That’s how a democracy works. Like many other things, you don’t get that yet.

Why should Ukrainian voters replace President Zelensky? Zelensky didn’t start a war with another country and has been holding the aggressor off.

In fact, looking at how the war with Iran is going for Trump, President Zelensky is doing a much. Better. Job.

Maybe Trump wants Zelensky replaced because Zelensky is so much better at being a war president than Donald Trump, and Donald Trump knows how he pales in comparison.

Comparisons in which Trump comes off looking the worse — and there are many — always anger Trump.

Just as with so many other Trump endeavors and promises, Trump proved again how ignorant and incompetent he is. Donald Trump proved again that his words and actions mean nothing.

Donald Trump proved again that he cares nothing about anything or anyone except himself — his wealth, his image, his power and position.

And Trump proved again, as he has done innumerable times before, he is not a leader and has no principles.

I’m tired of this narrative. I’m tired of Donald Trump’s lies, betrayals, hypocrisy, and duplicity, and I’m sick of his corruption, bullying, and hate mongering.

And I’m thoroughly disgusted with the GOP’s complicity in all that Trump does.

It’s time for a change.

Trump knows it.

That’s why he’s so desperate — desperate and afraid. It’s TACO all over again.

3

Trump Accelerates Distractions & Whining

What’s Trump doing today?

We ask that question every day at my house. We ask even though we know he’ll be lying, whining, distracting, and doing things that test the limits of law, ethics, and taste. We ask knowing that with polls showing the GOP and Trump as losers in the upcoming elections, Trump will be triggered and will increase the scale of distractions under Operation Epic LOOK — SQUIRREL! to new heights.

Today, Trump is whining again about not winning the Nobel Peace Prize. It went instead to Navi Pillay. Congratulations to her!

I’m not surprised that Donald Trump didn’t win. In his worldview, killing people and destroying things mean peace. That’s not how the rest of the world tends to view peace. At 80 years old, you would think Trump would have learned by now that he has not. Trump demonstrated long ago that he lacks learning abilities — unless it’s about ways to gain and keep more money for himself.

Donald Trump has also proven to be vindictive. It wasn’t surprising that his administration immediately ordered more sanctions against the ICC after one of those former judges won the Peace Prize.

Trump thinks he’s done ‘far more blah blah Trump weave blah’ than the human rights activist, Navi Pillay, who won. Of course, Donald Trump has also rated himself as the greatest president ever earlier this year, another sign of Trump’s detachment from reality. Over in reality, historians and voters disagree with his assessment.

Polls since Trump released his assessment said that almost half Americans rank Trump as a failure. 65% disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy.

In other “we-don’t-really-need-this” Trump news, Donald Trump has announced that he wants to make one of his Florida golf resorts into a presidential retreat.

The letter announcing this latest move made my wife and I laugh and laugh. Summaries of the letter’s contents published in newspapers said that Trump International will pay for the improvements.

Sure.

I believe that, dont’ you? I’ll bank that right beside Trump’s promise to not golf if he won the election because he’s too busy.

That promise for Trump International to pay for the improvement carries the same weight of promise for Trump’s gold cell phones. I believe that Trump International will pay for it as much as I believe Trump’s previous claims that he would probably release the Epstein files, that private donors would pay for the new ballroom, and that that Americans would get a DOGE dividend because we’re making so much money as a nation.

I believe the assertion that Trump International will pay for it as much as I believe that Trump has lowered prices on everything since taking office, and that he lowered the price of prescription drugs by hundreds, even thousands of percent.

I believe this declaration as much as I believe that Donald Trump has fixed the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, one — two — three times — no, wait, they’re still working on it.

I believe it as much as I believe that Trump’s tariffs will not raise prices. (Note: they HAVE.)

Assurances that Trump International will pay for it all carries as much water as a pail without a bottom. I believe it as much as Trump’s declaration that as part of his ‘bold agenda’, there would be no new wars.

In short, I don’t believe any of Trump’s promises, or any promises made by any organization or project with Trump’s name attached to it.

The evidence that Trump and his organization will not do what they say they will is overwhelming. Only people in cults or those who have an agenda which Trump serves will believe it.

I’m not part of either of those camps.

5

Quick Hits on Donald Trump & the 2026 Midterm Elections

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Sunday’s Theme Song — Promises

Ashland, southern Oregon. Sunday, October 4, 2026.

Supposed to be bright, sunny, and hot today, but clouds swamped three fourths of the sky, and sunshine struggled to be seen and felt. Never reached close to the 90 which was forecast, but it’s now 83 F.

Dreamed last night that I was in basic training. When I awoke and saw the date, I realized it was the anniversary of my first enlistment. October 4, 1974, I took my first oath. Twenty years later, I declared done.

I remember that first day. Rainy and overcast. Went in oh dark thirty. Was given a meal voucher for breakfast at a nearby local diner. Then had lunch at the same place with another voucher. We didn’t take off until late that afternoon.

That was my first time in an airplane, too. Flew from West Virginia, where I then lived, to San Antonio, Texas, via some other city.

It was a Friday, too. When we arrived at Lackland AFB, Texas, to begin basic training, we were informed there weren’t enough to make a full flight. We wouldn’t begin training until the following Tuesday, and spent the extended weekend in silence in our civies, waiting to begin.

Yes, welcome to the military. That’s how it was during my entire career: hurry up, then wait, then GO!

I spoke with Mom today. She called so I ended up chatting with her for an hour, just talking about life in the assisted living facility, Heritage Grove, Penn Hills. While I was speaking with her, my wife took a call on the home line and we learned that our friend, Larry, passed away at 3 AM this morning.

Larry was 96, and a military veteran. Obtaining a degree from Purdue via the GI Bill, he ended up as an engineer and an executive in the aerospace industry. After college, he lived and worked most of his life in the Los Angeles, California, area, moving up here to Ashland after retiring. He was married and adopted and raised two children and had two grandchildren. Although staunchly conservative and Republican, he was intelligent, trustworthy, and fun. I’ll miss him.

I read the NYT’s coverage of a 2026 Trump rally. They’re heavy with promise and rituals: attack the Democrats, maybe throw in a commie scare. Lie about multiple things. Donald Trump will use profanity — his fans love it when he uses profanity, because he’s telling it like it is, isn’t he? Trump sometimes claims prices are way down, which probably surprises anyone who regularly shops.

At many stops this year, Trump is begging people to support AI and data center construction. It’s the primary commercial construction now underway. He might claim the US already won against Iran, or he might threaten Iran with more bombing.

What is so sad is that after the many lies Donald Trump has made, and after all the promises that Donald Trump has broken, his brand of chaos, hatred, and bigotry still serve a portion of the Republican party.

Today’s music is by Incubus. The 2011 song, “Promises, Promises” did not come from reading the news. It came instead while listening to my mother talk about the inherent promises made — work hard, save your money, buy a house, raise a familiar — all that American dream debris, will bring you happy closure when you pass away. Mom relates that she and her gang of assisted living friends refer to their new home as jail — three hots and a cot.

I hope you live up to the promises you make, and that others fulfill the promises they make to you.

I also hope that promise and swear to Vote Blue in November, 2026.

Cheers

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