Tag: common sense

Monday’s Theme Music – A New Day

Ashland, southern Oregon — Monday, June 29, 2026.

Our summer continues with its cool style. 56 degrees now with heavy cloud cover, 76 F is the forecast high.

Removed my Foley catheter this morning. ‘Bout the third thing done after emptying the bag and drinking some water. Well, fourth, as I checked the post-op notes to see review instructions and ensure I wasn’t overlooking anything. Then turned on the shower, stepped in, and made the cut to the balloon port of the tubing.

I could feel a subtle but dramatic change inside. Two gentle tugs and the catheter slipped from of my body. I unclipped the drain tube from its perch on my thigh and got busy getting clean. After unclipping and washing, I then removed the sticky cath-lock that had held the tube to me. Emptied the bag in the toilet and put it in a trash bag.

Sitting is so much more comfortable. As I reflect on my latest medical journal, I’m reminded that my issues have been temporary and mild compared to what so many others endure, and I have the means and access to have my problems addressed. This is how it should be for everyone. So often we make it more difficult than it needs to be.

It’s a new day but it’s another day of Trump. Trump is claiming great attendance for the Great American State Fair. But evidence is stacking against him, things like facts, truths, videos, and photographs. Trump staked a lot on this, as he always does as part of Operation Epic LOOK — SQUIRREL! But like his other efforts, he’s faceplanted again.

The Supreme Court issued some shocking decisions last week which ignored basic tenets established and followed through our 250 years of history, like, if Congress writes a law and that law is legal, the Executive Branch can’t just ignore it. Among these were Mullin vs. Doe regarding Trump’s impulse to remove Temporary Protection Status from Haitians.

Trump is hugely against mail-in or absentee ballots, even though he used them. That’s part of TDS: Trump Double Standards. What’s good for him is not good for you. Trump claims mail-in ballots are used to steal elections because of historic trends against him seen in mail-in ballots. It can’t be that people are legally voting against him. No! Trump’s ego won’t accept that. Therefore, they must be fraud.

Fortunately, the Roberts Court for once agreed with established law and dismissed Trump’s hysterical claims, though it was but 5-4.

Your Trump Quote of the Day:

Trump claimed that he wants to be remembered as a peacemaker and unifier in his inauguration day remarks of 2025. But as his remarks of 2026 show, he does not do anything to be a peacemaker or unifier. Any parent will tell their children, if you want peace, you don’t begin by starting fights and calling other people names. Yet, that’s what Trump does. He has, in essence, failed to learn a lesson taught to children.

Trump keeps complaining that mail-in ballots are unsafe or that they’ve been used to steal elections. That’s been investigated and dismissed. But again, Trump refuses to learn. Trump refuses to acknowledge the truth or facts.

It’s a new day but it’s the same Trump, and will forever be so, a person concerned only about himself.

For this new day, a little reminder from ACO:

I would modify this to clarify, Trump must go. But the rest of her comments hold true: the dark money and radicalization enabled by social media, the bizarre conspiracy theories, general anti-knowledge trend, and the rampant racism need to be addressed.

Today’s theme music is “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone. Many others have covered this song but I prefer this cover that she released in the 1960s.

The song came into my morning mental music stream after I stepped out of the shower after removing the catheter. Feels like a new day, if you know what I’m saying.

Hope your day is a new day in hopeful, peaceful ways.

Having my first coffee in four days. Here we go. Cheers

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Life in Trump’s Alternative World

My wife and I climbed into the car. I started the engine. After over revving it, I began driving in reverse. My wife asked, “Why are we in reverse?”

“Everyone says that you get better mileage in reverse.” I swung the transmission into drive. “Now I think I’ll go this way.” I turned on the windshield wipers.

My wife peered into the sunlit blue sky. “Why are the windshield wipers on?”

“We need gas,” I declared. “We don’t have enough money for a full tank.”

“I’m starving,” my wife replied. “I thought we were going out for dinner. Where can we get something to eat?”

“We don’t have money for food. Just hold on.” I pulled into a miniature golf course. “I think I’ll play a game.”

My wife objected, “I didn’t think we have the money.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll get more money.”

I went in and paid for the game. Before teeing off, I went back to the car. Jumping in, we drove off.

My wife looked around in puzzlement. “Where are we going?”

“Straight ahead.”

“This is the opposite direction of where we were going.”

“Don’t worry, I’m taking a short cut.”

“What happened to your miniature golf game?”

“I played it. Set a new record. I was stripes.”

“But you weren’t gone five minutes.”

“I know. It was the fastest golf game ever. I scored more points than anyone in the game’s history.” I steered the car into the path of oncoming traffic. “They were amazed. Said they’d never seen anyone play like that. They’re giving me a special golfing medal.”

A truck almost hit us. My wife screamed. “Get on the right side of the road. What is wrong with you?”

“Don’t worry,” I replied, “they’ll get out of our way.”

The car’s engine coughed and sputtered.

“What’s wrong with the car?” my wife asked.

“I think it’s the wind,” I answered, throwing open the door.

My wife gasped. “What are you doing? The car’s still moving. You’re going to get yourself killed.” Leaning across, she grabbed the wheel and began steering.

After turning on the radio, I leaped out of the car and rolled across a lane. A car screeched to a halt, almost hitting me. Leaving their car and coming toward me, the driver said, “Oh my God, I almost hit you. What’s going on? Are you alright?”

Beaming, I took off my shirt. “Aren’t I ripped?” I nodded toward my car as my wife managed to steer and stop it. “It’s my wife. She made me do it. She’s crazy. Doesn’t know a thing about flying. She shouldn’t be allowed near a boat.”

Stepping in front of a car, I waved my arms. “Help, help. Call the police. This guy’s trying to kill me.”

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Saturday’s Wandering Thoughts

Bike lanes and sidewalks abound in Ashlandia, but today, as in many days, cyclists were riding down the sidewalks — on the wrong side of the street — forcing pedestrians to stand aside, while a guy in a wheelchair on the other side of the street was in the bike lane, ignoring the sidewalks with all the smooth new wheelchair ramps as cars — and bicyclists — pass him.

Sometimes I wonder what’s going on in people’s heads.

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