11 Days to the Election

  “A man does what he must - in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures - and that is the basis of all human morality.” 

    ― Winston Churchill

I got into a bit of an argument on Facebook today. It started with the Sun-Sentinel endorsing Romney. In the course of 'arguing my case' with hard-headed Republicans, it occurred to me that regardless of who gets elected, the economy will recover. It's all the other stuff I'm worried about. 

As much as I want my brother to find a job after three years of unemployment and his impending eviction from his apartment ... after watching my granddaughter struggle to work full time and go to school ... seeing my daughter, college degree in hand, struggle with the student loan debt she acquired ... these things make me realize that it really doesn't matter who gets elected anymore. The economy will recover. The rich will get richer. And, unless one of us invents something akin to sliced bread, my family will forever be middle class. Which is okay with me. I'm only going to be around another thirty or forty years. But my kids? I'm not so optimistic for their futures.

I'm bummed out today. This whole election thing has me going around in circles. We've had stormy weather and now this. So, here's a cute kitten picture to make me and you feel better.

There's always tomorrow, right?

Bohemian ~ what is it exactly?

Bo·he·mi·an 

[boh-hee-mee-uhn]  

noun

1.

a native or inhabitant of Bohemia.

2.

(usually lowercase) a person, as an artist or writer, who lives and acts free of regard for conventional rules and practices.

3.

the Czech language, especially as spoken in Bohemia.

4.

a Gypsy.

Bohemian artist Beatrice Wood who died at age 105.

I was looking through my pin boards on Pinterest and discovered some underlying themes. I like old stuff, vintage stuff, stuff that isn't matchy-matchy, stuff and people with character, clothes that look like you've owned them for a long time and homes that appear to have been occupied for a lot of years.

That's what I think of when I hear the word "bohemian." So, I decided to look it up and find out what it REALLY means.

Bohemia is an historical region in central Europe now identified as the Czech Republic. The word itself comes from the French, Bohême, and, in our society, one thinks of artists as being bohemian. 

I remember as a girl my parents had friends who were often referred to as bohemian. She was a painter and he was a writer for the local newspaper. They always looked different from everyone else in those days (1957-1963), so I guess the word was used correctly.

I think a lot of it has to do with money. Artists and writers often don't have well paying jobs, so they must make do with what they have. Their homes reflect their creativity in the absence of funding and their style is evolved from shopping second hand.

What's funny (to me) is how bohemian style has been embraced by the younger generation of today. Some say it's the 1970s influence, but I see it as a mirror of these tough economic times.

Whatever it is, I like it.

So, my Pinterest boards reflect a little bohemian spirit. 

For that reason, I've captured a few of my favorite images for your perusal today. 

I hope you enjoy seeing them! 

Politics

I spent a lot of time on the phone today. Holding. Holding. Holding. So, while "holding" I made this. I didn't set out to make this. It just evolved ...

I like politics. So, does that mean I'm demented?

What's worse, I'm a republican. A "moderate" republican. But, I am often embarrassed by my fellow republicans. Especially the ones in Congress. They don't seem to have "the will of the people" on their agenda. It seems to be all about beating Obama. Why can't it be about doing what's best for the American people?

I'm worried about the economy. My dollars don't go as far as they once did. I'm worried about jobs. My brother was unemployed for more than two years and only recently found temporary construction work for minimum wage of $7.67 an hour. Good thing he gets food stamps or he wouldn't be able to afford to eat.
And, the "national debt." I'm worried about that, too. Not for me so much, but for my daughter and granddaughter, since they will be the ones burdened with paying that debt. What's wrong with doing what's right? Does doing the right thing mean you're a democrat or a republican? Or, could it be ...

Wait! Wait! Doing the right thing! It's the American Way! That's what it is! So, let's get rid of all the UN-American people in Congress. Let's NOT elect republicans or democrats! Let's vote for the Americans who are interested in doing the will of the people! Maybe then we could get it right.

 

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest."

                                                                                           ~ Mark Twain

One afternoon last week I was stopped in the east bound lane of Broward Boulevard at Andrews Avenue and this gentleman was sitting on the sidewalk looking beleaguered and so alone. NPR was on the car radio discussing the economic crisis and how it was affecting people. Unemployment. Foresclosure. Crime is up. Consumer confidence is down.

So, there I was, in my car at the red light, watching this man and wondering what his story is. And, almost without realizing it, I was reaching for my camera on the seat beside me. I got a half dozen shots off before the light turned green and another week passed before I uploaded my photos to the computer. This shot was the last in that set and I think it speaks volumes for today's economy. God bless this man, whoever he is. (And, I've seen him around since this was taken.) And, God bless America and give us the wisdom and patience to do the right things until things change again ...