Be Who You Are

Cheers to being who you are! The title of this post comes from a Sunday sermon, but I’m not here to impose Jesus upon you – although, what I’m about to say not only comes from who I am, but also from my spiritual heart. Many of you know who I am to some degree – Biker chick (both Harley and bicycle); cat lover; animal lover; beer and chocolate taste-tester; lover of outdoors and all things Star Trek and NCIS;Read more

Are you Annoyed?

“We need to give serious consideration to the fragility of democracy and less to our annoyances (like gas prices and masks).” ~Pam, on Facebook~ I don’t know who Pam is, but she put into words what I have been feeling long before Russia invaded Ukraine. As citizens who live in democracies with many freedoms and opportunities, we sure do whine a lot about our inconveniences. About masks and vaccines; rising gas prices; the cost of living; the lack of customerRead more

Cancel Culture vs. Consequence: An Opinion

There is a TV ad running by a certain individual who uses this platform to refer to cancel culture. His product is no longer in at least four major store chains due to his political support of a former President’s claim that the 2020 U.S. election was stolen. I’m guessing most readers in North America know of this ad. I literally want to scream when it comes on, so I’ve taken to switching the channel or hitting the mute button.Read more

A Change in Leadership

“Let us then, fellow citizens, unite with one heart and one mind. Let us restore to social intercourse that harmony and affection without which liberty and even life itself are but dreary things.” ~Thomas Jefferson~ Today is Inauguration Day in the United States. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will take an oath of office as our next President and Vice-President in Washington D.C. This day will look historically different as there will be no crowds on the National Mall, andRead more

#SoCS: Reaching Past the Sky

Some days, some weeks, I simply want to stand in the middle of a forest and scream a primal scream. The kind that lets out all of my frustration and disappointment about what’s going on in America. These past few days have been no exception. Linda G. Hill asked bloggers to write about “sky’s the limit,” and I make note that democracy and freedom allow us to follow our dreams and aspire to higher ground. However, there are those whoRead more

With Freedom’s Light and Voice

My country, ‘ tis of thee,Sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;Land where my fathers died,Land of the pilgrims’ pride,From every mountainside let freedom ring! It is election day in a democratic country. Of all days in the United States, it is one to reflect on our liberty and freedom. Given to us by our forefathers after a hard-fought battle, liberty and freedom of voice, choice, faith and the ability to live our lives in equality is a constitutionalRead more

All of Us…

“None of us are free until all of us are free.” -Emma Lazarus (1800’s) (variation) -Fannie Lou Hamer and Martin Luther King Jr. (1960’s) -Janelle Monae (2017) -Kamala Harris (2020) This would be the preferred motto of democracy. That all people are free, not held in chains, not held back by law or public opinion. Acceptance and love of all. No judgments, no grudges, no feuds, no wars. Acceptance and love. Honoring. Respectful. Viewing humanity in color, but treating everyoneRead more

A Plea for Redress and Respect

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” ~First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution~ Much has been debated this year regarding freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom to peaceably assemble. From Civil War statues, to the media, to football players,Read more

One-Liner Wednesday: Descended

“Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.” ~Franklin D. Roosevelt~ My maternal grandparents were immigrants from Germany. My father was also a descendant from that country. I am of German ancestry. I have never been to the country and do not speak the language other than being able to count one to ten and say a few miscellaneous words, such as arsch. It would have been extremely interesting to haveRead more

Equality

“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” ~Thomas Jefferson~ You may be saying to yourself, “Okay, I know this, but didn’t Thomas Jefferson own slaves?” Yes he did. Mr. Jefferson grew up on a plantation with enslaved workers and as an adult, owned nearly 200.  From Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest: “As aRead more

Freedom, Independence

“Some say freedom is a gift placed in our hands by our forefathers. Some say freedom is a human right that none should be denied. Some say freedom is a privilege that can and will be seized if taken for granted. Some say freedom is the key that opens doors otherwise meant to imprison. Some say freedom is power to do, to be, to say, and to accomplish what the oppressed cannot. Some say freedom is a responsibility—a weight toRead more