View From Here

The ideal model of something, that is the definition of paradigm. I start with the definition because many may not be familiar with the word. Our days follow a routine that often becomes a paradigm to organize our normal days. Exceptions, of course, happen such as holidays. Over time, however, we tend to treat our holidays similarly, which suggests another paradigm. Reactions to life’s happenings take on patterns as well. Do this often enough and a paradigm emerges. I think paradigms become so ingrained in our life’s experience, we tend to not notice them. Another example: clap your hands and then hold them in place. Now, consciously place the hands in the opposite position. Feels strange, doesn’t it? Well, that is because the first position of hand clasping is your normal. You tend to always assume this position. The opposite feels very odd, unless your habit switches over time to that position. Then that is the paradigm you will adopt. Viewing the world and its many meanings ...

In the wee early years, I wondered what defined a good year as opposed to a bad one. As the years ticked by the same question arose and left my awakening without answer. Interesting. We could base our answer on financial stability or success – a major advancement in financial wealth or earning power, for example – or on family developments of note like new babies, weddings, and so forth. Even a happy trip while on vacation makes a so-so year perk up a lot. So those are the positives. Many more come to mind, too, like access to highly enjoyable experiences like concerts, meals, parties and so much more. Turn now, however, to the negatives. What might they be? Well, health problems come to mind readily. So too financial reversals – loss of job, major debt creation that sinks the financial ship, or a declining career that dwindles one’s future down to a powdery dry shell. Health is a biggie on this array: well-being, mobility, enjoyment of life, and such. Of course, ill health lea...

Memories abound. The earliest years of course, do not pop to mind. I don’t recall my first 3 Christmases. Later ones, yes. There were the Altadena, CA days, the Mojave Desert days, back to Altadena days, then Glendora, CA. Pittsfield, MA was next for 6 years. A few more in Syracuse, NY. Then it has been Illinois for all the rest. Eighty years of holidays. The first kitten. The first TV. The first bike, wagon, trike. Model cars were big, too. But I remember aching for a bike speedometer. Christmases as a kid are remembered more than when an adult. I wonder why that is. Oh, I remember the Wheaton, IL holidays. Those were the first house, kids and fireplace. All the pets, as well. So many memories of those days, but afterward? No, I recall after the divorce how I made the new townhome Christmassy. It was a new phase of life that had its own trauma, so I offset it with fresh beginnings. Rocky and I never made Christmas a big deal between the two of us. We were older adults by the tim...

Here’s the thing. Democrats are running an elderly candidate for President, the sitting President. At the time decisions were made to do this I complained this was not good. A younger person should have been groomed for the primary. Biden has been a good President and would, I think, continue to be so. However, the possibility of incapacity or death of a person Biden’s age, simply is not worth the risk. On the other side, Republicans are still allowing Trump to run for a second term against Biden. Trump is nearly as old as Biden, so age ought not be the issue. But it is. Because Republicans make it so. Gazing back on their own candidate, Trump, age has not been made an issue, but it should. The Republicans, however, have several candidates fighting for the party nomination. The sentiments are so strong for Trump; however, it is very unlikely that anyone will be the party’s nominee other than Trump. Analyzing the issues, Democrats have the Republicans beat by a mile. The MAGA cree...

Friends picked me up on Sunday and we drove to Long Grove, Illinois. Quaint small town given over to village shopping rites. Christmas season so we expected a lot of people. We were surprised to see scant crowds. We asked a shopkeeper why the small crowd and over half the shops were closed? He told us most shops open at noon on Sundays. We got there at 11. We continued to shop and enjoy ourselves. then before noon, hungry, we went to the local tavern, the oldest continually operated pub in Illinois. It dates from 1847. We enjoyed a good meal there and exited at 12:45. We were greeted by massive crowds of shoppers and all stores open. What a difference! Long Grove is one of those treasures of a region. Old. Comfortable in its role. And true to its classical traditions. It is a fun and happy place. This was a good start to re-enter the world following Rocky’s death. It is the first Holiday season without him. I think I’m prepared for this, but perhaps not. Time will tell, and the...

Political disagreements cost energy. Effort. If we stopped playing games with posturing and public relations gambits, the American people would see solutions to those problems. For example, illegal immigration is a perennial hot topic. Whichever political party is not in the White House, makes a point about unresolved border crossings by undocumented immigrants. How much of this issue is actually a problem? If we handled it as a normal influx of immigrants, what cost for that administration compared with treating the issue as an illegal immigrant influx? The border defense is one cost. Tracking down and capturing illegal immigrants is another cost. Processing them through the court system is yet another cost. Tracking each case in this complicated system is another high-cost process. Returning the immigrants to the border and removing them from our country is a major cost factor. Now, add to all of that reuniting families caught up in this mess and the expense just jumped beyond enor...

Getting more information. Sharing situation with my adult children. Taking deep breaths and still gather fresh information. Facebook and internet searches are helpful. Also, very local. Places I am familiar with and still near the kids and grandchildren. Oh, I am aware that I am not financially prepared for this change, but moving into a senior living community makes sense. It does not frighten me. What scares me is the cost. So many require an upfront payment of major size. I don’t have any of that. Most of these places seek monthly payments of $3500 to $5500 for one person. Yikes. My income is 2400 a month, and that includes the Medicare premium which they deduct from the check. You see the problem. Many ads grab your attention with “as low as $250 per month rent.” Yeah, sure. Visit their website and a host of places appear, none for that low amount. Look. I am independent mostly. I have mobility problems and need help with laundry, cleaning and meals. I get by with Meals on wh...

I was speaking with a group of SCORE clients the other day and was pleased how they opened new questions to discuss. Little things at first, then larger questions that opened complex issues for examination. In my ten years with SCORE, questions have been basic and task oriented. Concept driven issues were rarely a focus unless I raised them. Our gathering the other day came to center on relationships and how to manage them, and ultimately to strategic planning as a guide for board and staff in tackling the future of an organization. That last thought is often a sleeper. Most people do not grasp the importance of the issue. In my mind, this is the core point: How do you get a diverse group of people focused on the purpose of the organization, so much so that they dream together of a larger, more distant future for the organization? In subsequent work with that group, the topic of scale arises. How big does the organization have to be to tackle the really important issues we know nee...

Visiting a long-ago place is enticing. Was enticing. Still is, but I gave in to the urge and visited the long-ago place. That was the trip we recently took to western Massachusetts, the Berkshire Hills and Pittsfield. A niggling feeling has been with me about this trip for some time. This morning I got a peek at what part of that feeling is/was. I remember how I felt during those Pittsfield days. Unsure of myself. Growing up and becoming more of an adult. Not quite there but getting closer every day. Not certain what my life would become, but I wondered about it. Before high school graduation and before college years, I hoped for a strong academic experience and a great job thereafter. I tried to imagine the work I would do, the industry I would commit to, and a whole lot of other things that would come with those experiences. Many scenarios flashed through my brain. Of course, I knew this was all guess work and what-if, but I toiled at it over and over again. You too? Is this pa...

Most of my life I have recognized antisemitic language bouncing around America’s cultural venues. Seemingly harmless, it isn’t. It is vile. Ugly. Hurtful. And yes, dangerous when paralleled with the Nazi’s extermination campaign. Hatred for Jewish people is real. It is widely scattered. Often found in surprising places. Today’s news headlines regarding antisemitism, however, is tied to the current Israeli/Hamas/Palestinian conflict. That conflict is broadly discussed by many who dislike the past actions of Hamas and those, too, of Israel. Any discussion appears to be attenuated toward the antisemitic discussion. I, for one, do not think of myself as antisemitic. Far from it. If anything, I have long favored Israeli independence and their own nation state in the Middle East. That doesn’t mean I have to give up my intellectual capabilities of arguing specific points, however. I think Israel should have been working tirelessly and continuously toward a peaceful solution to their pro...

Political drama continues to happen worldwide. China and Russia push their power whenever they can. Lately they appear to be working together on mutual projects to thwart US interests. The USA works to offset those pressures. As usual, arguments multiply as to who is being the good guy or the bad one. Truth is all three world powers hold a larger power: collaboration. Finding commonalities and working on those to improve the global community would provide gains for all three. Easing causes of global warming is just one of those commonalities. Building stronger trading networks would benefit everyone. Sharing efforts on such projects builds working relationships that reduce political tensions, or at least, that is the hope. Citizenship of the individual is something we can see and feel up close. National citizenship by superpowers is more difficult to grasp. Allies, however, understand the issues quickly. Why not competing ideologies? If any one of the superpowers were to ‘win’ ...