Lovely and I went shopping today, and were surprised with the traffic. Most of it was in the shopping center parking lot. She was returning a blouse to Ross and I was looking for brass tubing for a project. I thought Michael’s would have it. After grabbing a couple of bottles of paint in colors I don’t have I roamed the aisles of the story searching for brass tubing. Lovely found some really cool accent pieces to help brighten our home for the holidays. I finally broke with the man-thing tradition of not asking for directions and asked. The answer didn’t surprise me, “they don’t carry it.”
I darted for the check out only to be stopped by a line about fifty yards long, and not socially distanced. We crept along as five checkout people worked their asses off to move us along. The fifteen minute wait felt like eternity, but we finally made it out. Along the way we were entertained by a cute little three year old who was helping mommy shop. Ahead of the twin pigtailed blondie was a dark haired five year old boy who was helping his grammy shop. Both kids were exceptionally well behaved and socially engaging. Thank God for them helping us pass the time of day to get through this line.
On the way home I wound up lecturing Lovely about the sanity of shopping on a weekend when all the workers of the world are home. Old people like us should shop on week day mornings or early afternoons. She didn’t argue with me only nodded her head positively, and listened dutifully.
At home, I wound up spending another hour on the computer shopping Amazon for the needed tubing. It took long because of two things: 1. too may choices, and 2. everything is made in metric. I spent quite a bit of my time converting mm into inches so I could understand what to buy. I thought I was pretty good at the inch to mm conversions, but my knowledge has been on the shelf for thirty years. The cob webs got in the way of my mental conversions. I finally made a crib sheet which was a table of mm vs inches. The tubing is now on it’s way, and I will be able to finalize my wing flapping bird with metal bushings and axles. In the meantime watch my prototype bird flap below.
Back when I was a kid I heard a story about a band of robbers who lived in a place called Sherwood Forest. The uniqueness of this band is that they didn’t rob to enrich themselves, and they didn’t rob from their fellow man. By now you know I am speaking of Robin Hood who became famous for robbing the rich to give to the poor.
There are many variations of this story developed by imaginative authors, and Hollywood movie makers but the origins were as I described. The story emanated from folk ballads sung in the 1300-1400-‘s. No one is left to explain what the real story is, but it doesn’t matter. Robbing the rich to feed the poor has been a mythical storyline that resonates with most folks. Robbing the rich to feed the poor is also the platform for early democrat, liberal, progressive peoples who need a way to make a living.
Fast forward to 2023. In today’s world I can relate Robin Hood to the Democrat party, and the Rich to the Republicans. Aside from the fact that in the year 1400 there were no defined political parties and the king owned everything. In today’s scenario the whole Rob the Rich to Feed the Poor philosophy has shifted. Currently the theme is to “rob the poor and enrich the rich.”
I experienced the phenomenon first hand again this afternoon as Lovely and I went shopping for sustenance. We came home with a small basketful of groceries and a bill for $204.67. Thank you Joe Biden from Sherwood Forest and your band of progressive bandits. I am waiting to see the account of how you have helped the poor with this massive spending. Instead I can see the effect on the rich who seem to be bubbling to the surface with government money intended to assist COVID strapped businesses. We also see how so many poor businesses, i.e the small guys who couldn’t make it have closed, gone forever.
I have consciously kept from speaking out against our current administration, but now I have experienced his Green New Deal reaching deep into my pockets. I will be vindicated someday, and my stance on the man-made global warming bullshit is just that, an excuse to steal from the poor to enrich the rich.
Truth be known, if every country in the world reduced it’s carbon emissions to below what they were a hundred years ago global warming might still take place. How will you bastards explain the hardship you put billions of people through to reach your taxing goal? The problem is that the poor people whom you so anxiously liberate from any riches will have evolved into the brow beaten zombies that you wish to rule. I predict a new generation of Robin Hoods will appear on the scene to start the cycle all over again. Instead of Kings there will be fat cats known as progressives who will crack the whip over your poor backs in the name of equality, and “you will love it.” Robin Hood will quickly gain steam from his exploits of robbing the fats cats to give back to the poor.
Do you ever wonder how a writer gets to be famous? I do. When I read a so called best seller I wonder why it became popular? Most times it is obvious even to me that it is popular because it was a damned good, and well told story. Today, I completed a reading of James Patterson’s first book The Thomas Berryman Number. The library has several shelves of Patterson stories, and most I agree are good. The Thomas Berryman Number is not one of them, it is average at best.
To test an author’s credibility I will read his first work. Years ago, I was hooked on author James Michener. The first of his works I read was Poland. It was a great history of the country dating back to the time God created planet Earth. I learned, by reading thirteen of his works, that all of his novels began the same way, the first three chapters deal with creation, and evolution. The history and detail in his historical tomes take an average of a thousand pages of regular print. They are not books you can read in a weekend. I still remember reading Poland. It was a Memorial Day weekend, and once I got into the story I couldn’t put it down. After three days of non-stop reading I was half way finished at 500 pages. I put the book down down on an end table, and there is stayed for twelve months. After a year had passed without touching the book, I decided it was time to return it to the owner, but I had to finish it first. After another marathon reading session I finally finished
Then one day, I looked at Michener’s book list to see what I was missing. I never read his first stories. I ordered his very first one from the library and immediately immersed myself into Tales of the South Pacific published in 1947. Surprise, surprise, I knew the story from beginning to end. Rogers and Hammerstein used this book to produce the musical play titled South Pacific. The play followed the original exactly, and played on Broadway for 1,954 performances, and then was followed up with a movie.. The only exception was the book went into far more detail about the war in the South Pacific. I still rate this book at five stars, and it was a lot shorter than a thousand pages.
I used this same principal to decide if Patterson’s first work would turn me on as much as Michener’s did. Patterson’s first work disappointed me, yet he has written dozens of mystery stories which are all hits. I guess I’ll have to revise my system.
One of the most amazing thing I have witnessed in my lifetime is the evolution of the automobile. I have memories galore about the difficulty my father went through to provide our family with transportation. I loved to listen to his stories about early adventures as a single man in a new country. One thing he did very early on was to buy automobiles the names of which have long disappeared, namely one he called a Hupmobile. His stories always entailed fixing problems on the side of the road with minimal tools and parts. Summer Sunday afternoons was the best time to hear him describe the many adventures he had. Usually with a buddy who was also involved. Dad loosened up quite a bit when alcohol flowed freely through his system. Oh how he laughed when he told the story, especially when telling us how the Hupmobile threw a rod half way to the farm in Michigan and they wound up overhauling the engine on the sandy shoulder of the highway.
1929 Buick1982 Chevy1968 Ford1959 Ford 1939 Buick1954 Plymouth1938 Plymouth1928 Hupmobile
The car I remember from my early childhood was his 1929 Buick Century. Oh what a splendid tank it was. He owned that car from 1942 – 1952. One of his daunting tasks was to find tires and gasoline. World-War-Two put a damper on auto ownership, but Dad used his car as an part-time insurance salesman. I specifically remember him taking Mom shopping one evening, and she took the three os us with her. He dropped us off at a store, and continued on to his client meeting. When he returned we had a surprise waiting for us. The running board on the side of the car was gone, and the back door was dented. He had to hoist us up one at a time to get us in. He told us he was broadsided by a car that blew a red light. The other car had to be towed away, we drove home.
Dad’s string of cars after the ’29 were a 1939 Buick Special, followed by a 1938 Dodge, a 1954 Plymouth, a 1959 Ford, 1968 Ford, and last a1982 Chevy. all were used cars except for the last three. Each one had it’s share of problems which he continued to fix. His favorite phrase was “Ford, Fix Or Repair Daily.” Just about all of his cars were sold or traded when they reached fifty thousand miles.
My experience with cars is much the same, with one exception. I kept my rides for eighty thousand miles, except for the one I own now. The odometer has 181,000 miles on it and (knock on wood0 everything still works and the only major expenses have been for tires, brakes and batteries.
There is a gremlin in my head that keeps poking me in the ribs to buy a new car because this one is 16 years old and everything still works, the interior is still in fine condition, and there is no sign of rust any where. One day, I will walk home from the roadside, having abandoned a car that died. Or, I will be involved in a minor fender bender that will total the car and force me to send it to the junk yard. I lose sleep over having to spend a fortune on a new car, most likely my last one. Then, this morning while scrolling my phone I found an article that made my day, “These Cars Have the Longest Lifespans Some cars last longer than others – a lot longer.”
Inside the article is a list of ten long life vehicles:
1. Toyota Sequoia 296,509
2. Toyota Land Cruiser 280,236
3. Chevy Suburban 265,732
4. Toyota Tundra 256,022
5. GMC Yukon XL 252,630
6. Toyota Prius 250,601
7. Chevy Tahoe 250,338
8. Honda Ridgeline 248,669
9. Toyota Avalon 245,710
10. Toyota Highlander Hybrid 244,994
there, at number nine is my car.
Wow! My car might last for another sixty thousand miles. At the current rate of driving that could be six more years. By then, the State of Illinois will most likely tell me I’m too old to be driving. On the other hand, my brother is ninety-one and he still drives back and forth a hundred miles to his summer home in Michigan.
The prospect of buying an electric vehicle at a time when gasoline powered cars are enjoying the best reliability in history is scary, I think I’ll just buy a slightly newer model from the same company that made the one I drive now.
I received this essay from my grand daughter. I know she is smart, but her essay convinces me that she is a lot smarter than I thought.
You Are Not Alone
This world needs you. Mental health is one of the most important things in my life. There are very few topics that ignite such a flame in me as this one does. I am actively spreading awareness of the importance of prioritizing your own mental health. It seems so simple, but it is single-handedly, one of the hardest things to do. Your mind will make you feel “selfish” or “conceited” just for taking care of yourself; however, it is so far from that. I know what it feels like, I was there and I still am there, but it is possible to get better. You are not alone in it.
Mental health is normal. Every individual has a mind that can become overloaded with thoughts that can be hard to handle. Some people can manage it well, while others cannot. This does not make an individual “weaker” than the other, rather it shows how human they are. Humans are far form perfect, thus why needing help should be routine; however, society has stigmatized asking for help. I will admit, I struggle to ask for help, I am very stubborn. Even when my health is struggling, I do not like relying on someone, but there comes a time where it becomes unhealthy. As Lindsey Spencer explained, “The pandemic has shown many of us that asking for help is vital.” (Spencer). In the desperate times of need, we have grown to see that needed help is okay. “In a study by the American Psychological Association, it was found that referrals received by psychologists doubled (from 37% to 62%) from 2020 to 2021, and that 68% of psychologists reported an increase in the number of individuals on their waitlists.” (Spencer). In this period depression and anxiety were at new highs, and people realized help was the only option. The stigma behind anything comes from two kinds: self and public stigma. Although these related closely to each other, they vary. Public stigma is stereotypes about mental health and therapy. Spencer explains, “We find ourselves avoiding counseling because of the negative markers being applied to us.” (Spencer). Self stigma is the self doubt and labeling ourselves as “worthless” or “unwanted”. These stigmas are the reason people don’t receive the help they need. I think the most important thing that can be done is changing the narrative about mental health and therapy into something positive. Although mental illness can be horrible and hard to handle, knowing that there is a possibility to manage it better should be the way it is looked at. Making the conversation about mental health more common will make this “uncomfortable” topic normal.
The world is forever changing and adapting. Society today has made progress in regard to mental health, especially in recent years, but COVID-19 took a heavy toll on many individuals experiencing loss, anxieties of health, and depression from isolation. Accepting that mental illness is real became more and more common because according to Mental Health America, “20.78% of adults were experiencing a mental illness in 2019-2020.” (MHA). The cases of mental illnesses grew exceptionally, however, with this growth in numbers there are not enough accessible care options for all. Although the knowledge of mental illness is prevalent in many families, it is very stigmatized in other households. This, therefore, inhibits these individuals to receive the help and care needed. Mental Health America also states, “Almost a third (28.2%) of all adults with a mental illness reported that they were not able to receive the treatment they needed. 42% of adults with AMI reported they were unable to receive necessary care because they could not afford it” (MHA). Making it nearly impossible to receive mental healthcare for everyone proves the conversation about mental health is even more important. Providing more accessible mental healthcare is possible by improving the training and collaborations between primary care doctors and mental health professionals. The majority of individuals visit the doctor a few times a year, so providing that direct connection to mental health help makes the process so much easier. In addition, telehealth or teletherapy creates a more accessible option, especially in the media-driven society we live in today. This was especially useful during the pandemic. The last way to improve is through schools. Schools like Columbia, provide on-campus therapy sessions with a licensed therapist. This aspect of the school is amazing, however, it lacks in numbers and diversity. Providing a resource that is supposed to make all individuals feel safe when it is lacking in diversity is harmful. Columbia is a large school, therefore should accommodate the number of students needing mental health help. These are a few ways to improve mental health care for everyone.
No one should feel alone. My goal with this writing is to reach those around me that struggle with mental health. With so much change around us, it is valid to feel overwhelmed with how to manage it all. Mindfulness is used in a lot of school “workshops” and activities and may seem redundant, but it truly is so important. Small outside factors can majorly affect your mental health. For example, making your bed in the morning can jump-start a productive day. Similarly, having a clean room or living space will allow your mind to focus on important things rather than the mess around you. These are a few of the many simple ways to improve mental health, but sometimes mental illness takes more than that. Something I am passionate about regarding mental health is de-stigmatizing taking medication. Medication does not and will not make you weak. Coming to terms that you cannot handle it on your own shows more strength than fighting alone. I have been taking medication for my mental illness since I was in sixth grade. At first, I was embarrassed, I did not want anyone to know, however as I got older I realized how okay it is. It is okay to need extra help, especially when it improves your mental health. In addition to this, seeking help through therapy needs to be de-stigmatized. Although therapy does not work for everyone, it is so beneficial even to those not struggling with mental illness. I believe everyone should try therapy at least once. It is comforting to have a set time to have someone listen to you and help you through whatever it may be. There is so much to mental health that not many people talk about and, with this writing, I hope the reader learned something new. I hope the reader will take what they learned and apply it to their day-to-day life. Being more mindful and empathetic to those around them in order to make those around them feel less alone.
This needs to be written about because winter is upon us. As stated in the text Key Concept, “We have to time it by thinking about all the other circumstances.” (KC 82). Speaking from my personal experience, winter is a hard season mentally because of the sun going down sooner and the cold weather making me rather stay inside. I know for a fact that I am not alone in this. My own family struggles a little more and so do my friends. According to the Nami Howard County, due to reduced sunlight, serotonin drops and results in depression. Even from a chemical standpoint, mental health is being affected. I think that in this season is it especially crucial to have accessible and timely therapy care for all.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine: 1-800-950-NAMI, or text “HELPLINE” to 62640. Both services availablebetween 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. ET, Monday–Friday
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
