Make a Move

Tuesday February 13th

Two weeks left.  Have another small batch ready to move to Lore's or Kris'.  A few of my boxes are packed but still open as I use things in them.  Down to my 'last-minute-box' and clothes.  Trying to coordinate help getting some stuff to my other sister's place where my two-week hiatus will be.  Everyone's got small cars and are busy, and I've got three larger pieces to move - plus me.  I need my niece Kat's help more than she can be here for, as she is in the middle of moving as well.  Lore has her own obstacles.  I have to hope I can get Scott to give me a few afternoons as he gets off work.  We're heading out tomorrow, anyway, to see if a few shops will have any interest in some of my stuff.  I could use the money. 

BTW, if you, reader, have not seen Three Billboards I highly recommend it.  It's sharp wit and keenly felt humanity leaven a dark observance of anger.  Movie's got a humanist streak a mile wide. 
Dreamt this morning that while I was fighting to breach the wall between Dana and me, one of her exes made a move and she chose him instead.

* ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ *

Jesus.  The latest mass shooting, the high school in Florida.  I don't have the words.  18th mass shooting this year?  : (   Seeing those students in shock and grief is heartbreaking. 

* ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ *

Saw the footage of the United fight where the engine fell apart midflight.  I'll be on a United.  At least it won't be over the ocean.

* ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ *

Oh - I'm being stupid about the masonite.  It's too cold in here for the enamel paints to cure, so I can't start the painting I want now anyway.  Still working to finish the small biker skull for John and I practically have to bake it in the oven with each coat of paint on the helmet.  And I would rather not take the paints to Kathy's, so that's that:  wait for NY before 'Mina'.  That will prevent me rushing the thing, so I guess that's good.  I can sketch out what I want, do the prep work, play with the flow. 

Last night I dreamt - and it was just a dream, no question - that I was preparing to send a package to Dana.  Next to the shipping address I drew a triangle and then wondered why that was what I drew...inside it I began to draw a simple image of her but as I went along it was neither as simple nor as small as I'd intended.  I think the triangle was a suggestion that I was either casting a spell or warding one off by doing her portrait.

With Lore coming over Sunday, I'll try to use her phone again to get online unless I get to the library sooner.   Need to see if Kris left a message through FB, haven't heard from him in a week and I've around a week and a half left.  If I'm there long enough I want to see if I find a pose for 'Mina' I like and the right clothes even if I don't follow anything too distinctly. 

* ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ *

"It's a mental health issue, not a gun issue."  These are NOT mutually exclusive.  Hello??  Wake the fuck up.  It is NOT a slippery fucking slope.  You're not going to lose the right to own guns.  There IS such a thing as reasonable gun restrictions, and yes they WILL hinder these tragedies even if they won't stop all of them.  Mental health issues are only part of the problem.  You don't solve it by relying on only part of the solution.  Do something.  You're not a dog, stop letting the NRA be your Pavlov.

* ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ *

Friday, Feb. 16th.

Something I saw last night, something from half a century ago I think (I can't remember what program it was) had someone opining that the media should make a conscious effort to report the heroes and the comforters, the people who bring help.  There's too much focus on the negative, he thought.  The world needs to be given hope, he argued.  The reason I think this was an older program was because I thought that I always hear the same thing today, have heard it all my life.  Thing is, I don't think the media needs to make an effort at this because it's already there if you open your eyes to it.  I've been seeing it for years, and telling people to look for it every time there's a catastrophe or an atrocity or act of inhumanity, every time you see the worst in humanity you also see humanity respond with its best - open arms, open hearts, comforting, rescuing, standing or marching defiant against allowing fellow human beings to be abandoned or abused.  It's no different anywhere in he world.  The response is not an equal one, either, empathy and love overwhelm the cause of loss or offense.  The news media cover it as a matter of course without having to manufacture it, and its there beneath whatever spin the more political of them try to give it.  It's simply there.  It's our nature.   You saw it in Florida among the community, the kids, the parents and teachers...battered as their hearts were, they didn't curl up individually closed off but reached out to and for each other.  You saw it in every golden flame of their vigil.  That is who we are.