Let's Continue to Ramble!!!

Well, the mail in ballots are still being counted, but it looks as if we may have a new president. It's never a good time when this happens, but this year in particular. You have a president that has never believed in a Democracy. Of course certain words to make you believe this comes out of his mouth, but people lie. Most people have told some sort of lie to get what they want. Politics, and the law are the worst, but we have to deal with it.

When Trump first took office I was dissappointed. I did think there might be some things the US could benefit from with him in office since he was a businessman. It turns out he wasn't really that good at that, but he played the system. I had to ask myself, how do I benefit from this person in office? Those who didn't vote for Biden have to ask themselves the same question.

It was such a good thing to see people in line to casts their vote no matter who they were selecting. We all had something in common at that moment. We needed to see a change. I had spoken to two women who were behind me in line, but who we were voting for never came up.

Growing up, politics, religion, and money were subjects I was told to stay clear of. In school we would discuss politics, relgion and money, but never in regards to us as individuals. These were topics of discussion in different classes.

Most of us learned about politics in school when we ran for some sort of office. People make promises even though they know they can't keep them all. In one of my classes we had to survey a neighborhood to see who they were going to vote for. It was the late 70's and New Orleans had a black man running for mayor. My high school was located in the uptown area of the city near St. Charles Avenue. I remember knocking on doors asking whomever answered the door who they would be voting for in that election.

I had gotten pretty good at picking winners so when I was old enough to vote I never registered. I'm not exactly sure why, but I didn't. I had registered for the selective service, but I was never asked about voting. Perhaps because I wasn't driving...

Still, I would be able to pick who the winner would be, but one year, David Duke was running for the governor of Lousiana and I saw how he played dirty politics and managed to get black people to vote for him. That was a very scary thought. Luckily he lost, but that was my wake up call and I had been voting in ever election whether big or small ever since.

When I arrived in Austin, I started doing research and eventually found myself working the voting polls and after a few years I was counting mail in ballots. I've been more hands on with politics here in Austin than I ever was in New Orleans.

As I approach 60 years of age, I am starting to feel uncomfortable I guess. I don't want to say depressed, but I am not completely happy because I have gained weight. I have yet to get on the scale, but I can see the mid section is larger than it has ever been. I want to start with my diet and then get back into a steady routine of exercise. I do realize not having anywhere to go is one factor. I have to push myself to start exercising, but if I don't do it first thing in the morning I just let it go. I can still motivate myself to stay busy, but I need to do more.

I had been reading The Room Where it Happened by John Bolton. It's an okay read, I just wanted to see what types of games foreign leaders were playing with Trump and Putin and Kim Jong Un were certainly pulling some strings, but Trump had an agenda as well. It seems most Republicans were totally against many things that Obama had implemented. They felt a lot of trade deals were not in the best interest of the US.

The people working for Trump were terrified of what he might say in a tweet, but there was no way to reel him in. He would agree to something and then change his mind several times. Even when he would tweet sometimes he would say he didn't. If you are interested in politics and how Trump ran the whitehouse it might be of interest. It is kind of hard to follow as it isn't totally in chronological order. It goes back and forth to events that had happened and there are jabs at many former presidents. I have to note that Obama is under more attacks than any other president.

Trump didn't like him before he became president and once he took office he has been on a mission to get rid of any signs of Obama. You can't rewrite history just because you don't like something. It can only be buried under the rug for so long.

Well Jo Biden is now going to be President number 46, but we still have to wait and see what type of chaos number 45 does within the time frame that he has left to be in office. Some people aren't good at being defeated. He has been trashing the system for over a year and yet he still wants to be president? Isn't there something wrong with that picture?

Sunday evenings I have a routine which includes watching 60 minutes while I have my dinner. I don't like all of the reporters that conduct the interviews, but the topics are of interest.  I also rely on them to give me accurate information to the best of their ability. So, I watch the show and just deal with the editing around questions that seem forced or a comment that shouldn't be made by the reporter. It seems there is a vaccine that is ready and has been set aside to be shipped out. So, that must mean it is waiting to be approved. Not sure who the vaccine was tested on, but they are planning to give it to the people on the front lines. The issue is that not everyone will want to get the vaccine. I know as I get older, my body and my immune system will probably change and I will have to do the best I can to take care of myself.

11-9-20 - This morning I decided to step on the scale for the first time in years. I knew I had gained weight it's visible, but I was not sure how much. It turns out I am at 160 lbs. I have never been this weight before. Now I have to see what I can do to bring it down. I can't let it get inside of my head. I know that there is a lot contributing to this weight gain so I just have to take things one day at a time.

Poetry

Separated by State

(c) 2020

Welcome to the separated states of America.

Most of us are questioning what is going on;

How long?

What if?

The country is being run like a prison.

The Warden has taken the people off of lockdown.

There is rioting on the cell blocks;

Shanking is a free for all.

There is no air and the inmates

can't breathe.

It's up to the people to protect themselves.

Educate each other.

The gates are open, but

the window of opportunity

is closing.

Counting down the days to make a change.

Put on your mask to save you from the gas,

Put on your mask to save your life,

Put on your mask so they do not see you.

(Next up: More on Virtual Holidays and inside my bubble)

www.dlonzo-OpenYourMind.blogspot.com

www.artbyDlonzo.blogspot.com

www.filmlover4pg@blogspot.com

www.psychedmaster.org

Thanks for stopping by; keep and open mind and do stop by again.

Sharing the Knowledge part 18

I'm still around. I've been having internet issues. I trying to decide on switching or just sticking to using my phone as I am doing now.
I thought things were going well, but a small glitch, if you can call it that, has popped up.
I thought everything was cool with my taxes, but it seems both I and the IRS, messed up.
Then I was trying to see what the procedure would be regarding the house in NOLA. I thought if the taxes weren't paid the city would take the. house, but it doesn't happen that quick.
Now I have to come up with a new plan to not have to deal with the city as far as the house being listed as blighted property.
That means trying to find someone to cut down the weeds and see if I can either find a buyer or raise the funds myself.
Thanks for stopping by; do come come​ back to see where the journey leads.

I Am An Artist

(Playing around with back drops like in the old days.)

It starts with an idea... The a blank piece of paper or canvas. One of the first things we learn is how to be creative even without knowing. It's to keep us occupied, but learnign in the process. We are given colorful images to play with. Something to stimulate the brain, such as building blocks. We doodle before we can spell. What people call chicken scratch looks like masterpeices to the little brain. We are so proud of what we created and we want to show it to those that matter. It'a the idea of completing something and getting validation.

As a child, when I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, everything came to mind, but being an artist. I guess it just didn't register as a job. I guess I could say I've been dabbling in art all of my life. I didn't start getting paid until I was in high school. Part of that is because, outside of my family, very few people knew I could draw. I never took an art class until my senior year of high school and that was just to pick up extra credit. I also liked the teacher.

 Most of my family has always supported my endeavors. I was always coming up with ways to make money. I remember when I got my 8mm movie projector, I would charge the kids in the neighborhood twenty five cents to watch classic silent movies. As I got older I wanted to make movies, but other things would pop up that didn't require as much time to complete. I've always been a bit of a perfectionist; to make a good movie one has to have time.

In 2001 I declared myself an artist, when I found out my job as a buyer was co
ming to an end. I decided I would no longer be a part of corporate America. I would do my own thing and just enjoy life. I had put myself in a position where I could do just that.

(Creating effects without using a photo program)

There are always things we don't anticipate. We can deal with it or just throw in the towel. I've never been known as a quitter. If I start something I want to finish it. I had lots of time to work on my art. Photography, writing and poetry shared my creative side. My visual ability allowed me to write some personal poetry that is truly some of my best. The last time I had written poetry steadily was in 1999 when I was a part of the New Orleans Poetry Forum. I was asked to join the group and accepted so I could see if I was as good as people said I was. It put me on a path to begin performing again. I began reading poetry at various venues around town that catered to that scene. Dragon's Den, The Blue Nile and The Maple Leaf bar.

Being able to blog online has allowed me the opportunity to share my words, my art and photography with others. If I inspire one person then I'm doing what I set out to do. The creative process for each artist is different. I realize arrtists have a common thread and a responsibility to make people think. Some artist only focus on one specific area. They create music, design buildings, clothing, costumes or sets. Some write, sketch or paint. For those like myself who work in many art forms, you go back and forth. When I get tired of one or get blocked, I move on to something else until I can come back to a project.

There are times when you may get frustrated and just walk away from it, but a true artist always has those ideas circling around inside of their head. It doesn't matter how you create, or when you create. The important thing is that you do it and don't give up.

Thanks for stopping by; keep an open mind and do come back again.
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