Well here it is, now what?

The clock ticked over to 12:01 AM and nothing changed. Well, nothing changed anymore than expected, the same as years before at midnight when the year ticked over.

The new year, 2021, has arrived. Considering the events of 2020 I suppose we can choose to be optimistic. Every day Franca seems stronger, sleeps better, her monitored heart rhythm is on target and she seems to have more energy. Cool! I’ve also learned that we will more than likely have the COVID vaccine this month.

I’m hearing that the South Street Photography Group will go on with many of the same crew. That’s encouraging.

But I see the same crap from ”us.” The values that I grew up with after the “war” are gone, completely. People are self-centered and mean. Of course there are those who don’t fit that description at all. We have the best friends of our lives and we’re so thankful for that. But the country at large has been fooling itself for so long… we keep saying , “We’re better than this.” No, we’re not. We started by displacing or outright killing the people who lived here, a whole big bunch of people, then we brought people here as slaves and have kept them in some sort of slavery ever since. We have allowed politicians to establish a society that rewards only the rich and, from 2016 on has allowed an uneducated, know nothing to establish a cult of personality that has taken advantage of half the country. It’s a group of people scared to death because they opted out of participation in the civic organization of the country and when they realized they didn’t understand how anything in government worked and maybe needed to, they went with the loudest talker, the man who waves his arms and lies through his teeth, but the guy who reached the dramatic threshold they had to have to believe in something.

Now he’s gone or at least on his way out. But evaluating the application of reason and ethical behavior in making laws and policy by the party of T reveals those principles are not understood anymore and yet they’ve “ruled” the country for a while. Half the country cannot apply reason to any situation. They rely entirely on a practiced charlatan whether someone in the government or in the “media” to tell them what to do. The fact is revealed that a really good job of duping people is hard to overcome and harder as time goes by… becomes a way of life. Can’t go back, won’t go back even if you suspect that you’ve been had. Gotta save face. The rest of us have that weight to avoid and tolerate, waiting for the reason option that may never be chosen.

We can hope. This is the 2nd of January and the election in 3 days here in Georgia may be the most important in the history of the country. If the democrats cannot take control of the senate we’re in for another 4 years of not much; legislation to enhance the bank accounts of the rich, nothing on health care and probably nothing to help small business and the average guy get over this epidemic. Grim reaper my ass… the behavior of Mitch McConnell is not treason by definition but the equivalent in terms of our civilian government.

Fortunately I still see photographs appear and come to fruition at least on the electronic display. I don’t print much to paper, no real reason. The earliest I could have anything on the wall will probably be late in the year. That’s OK.

We’re pretty healthy. I’ll complete my 80th year in April. Franca is now on a much healthier track. We eat well and smart I think, lots of vegetables, less and less red meat. We’re learning to cook with recipes from various ethnic groups; Chinese, Mexican, Vietnamese, Middle eastern and more Italian.

Looking out the window here… the birds don’t seem to care about the election. Orchids are blooming upstairs in the bathroom, beautifully. Franca’s new Calamondin Orange trees have recovered from their travels, straightened up and they’re ready for spring. We’ll be alright, won’t we?