Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

Friday, July 8, 2016

This Is Not Good

Last evening I was listening to an audio book when I received a text from Susan saying there was an active shooter at the peaceful protest march in Dallas, TX. It's amazing how your ears perk up when the location is somewhere you're familiar with. Having lived in that area of Texas most of my life I was keenly interested in what was going on. We texted back and forth into the night and picked up texting again this morning.

Susan was born in 1969 so she has no memory of the turbulent 60s and 70s. She asked me if guns were the weapons used then. Funny but I don't think of guns when I think about the turbulence then. Beatings; high pressure hoses; attack dogs; car bombs; lynchings; fire bombing homes and churches; KKK; cross burnings; come to mind but not guns. No doubt guns were used but not like they're used today. We didn't have the deadly high powered guns so available today.

It also seems to me the lines were clear then, it was all about race and war. The lines aren't as clear now because we've added drugs; dysfunctional homes; hostile politics; abortion; same sex marriage, and who knows what else, to the mix these days. People seem to be looking for a fight.

I have no desire to relive the 60s and 70s but looks like we're headed for more of those times. Perhaps every generation has to learn for themselves. It doesn't appear we've learned much from history.
_____________________________________


I'm no longer fighting it, I've joined the world of sneakers. I don't think of athletic shoes as sneakers but when I looked up the definition all sorts of shoes now come under the sneakers label.

I have always tried to match my shoes to my outfit but that's just not going to happen with sneakers. I've never seen so many wild color combinations.  The ones in the picture are actually indigo blue with the hot pink and some white.  I'm throwing caution to the wind, who said matching was a good idea anyway?

I'm a firm believer it's healthier not to wear the same pair of shoes everyday. This is pair two and I'd really like a pair three to rotate but sneakers aren't cheap so I'll stick with the two for now.

To make matters worse I'm a sock knitter and like to knit bold colors in stripes so I'm a show stopper in my loud socks and sneakers.
_____________________________________

I need to figure out a source for news that's not all politics. I'm thinking about radio or podcasts I think. I've seen Donald Trumps face about as many times as I can stand it. I'm thinking I need to stay away from visual images.  Do you listen to radio or podcasts?

20 comments:

  1. Love the sneakers! You are definitely in style with the hot pink :-) Try Costco for a good price on sneakers. This past week they had some Skechers at our local store. And I know how much you love Costco ;-)

    Good luck finding a news source that won't drive you crazy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd love to wear Skechers but they only come to size 12 and I wear a size 13. I have to order all my shoes online. Very hard to find size 13 narrow. New Balance offers a narrow but now narrow enough for me. I'm stuck with only one or two brands but I'm always looking and hoping.

      Delete
  2. Now that I think about, I don't recall guns being a big issue in 60s and 70s but all the other stuff you listed sure rings true. It's very hard to see what is happening around our nation lately but I have to believe that it will eventually lead us to a better place. I don't think people are "looking for a fight" so much as they are looking for true equality and aren't willing to accept a slow march in that direction anymore. We've become SO polarized but people are getting fed up and are starting to step up to the plate to try to figure out how to come together...which would be so much easier without Trump fanning the flames.

    I wish someone made a tennis shoe/sneaker that wasn't filled with so many colors! I'm sure that helps them sell more.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I enjoy reading Matthew Dowd. He has hope that on the other end the country is going to be in a good place but he sees some turbulent times in between while the two political parties are regenerating either into improved parties or even indeed a new party in the case of Republicans. Democrats should be careful about enjoying the show going on now among Republicans. By 2020 the Democrats are likely to also see troubled times. Hopefully not as traumatic as the Republican situation but you never know. Both parties need to make major changes.

      Delete
    2. You got that right about both parties needing to make changes.

      Delete
  3. You are SO right: People are looking for a fight. But WHY? Is social media causing this trend?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No doubt social media is a big part of it but Americans no longer seem to have what it takes to stick anything out to a better outcome. I'm so amazed how many small businesses we have run by immigrants who work enormously long hours to make their businesses work. I think credit was in many cases not a good thing. It gave people the option to have what they want instantly, no disciple of saving involved. They want everything now. Low wages and poor health care for many is a real problem. I don't mean to make Texas the bad guy, it's just I have family there, red neck family, and some of the stuff I hear come out of their mouths and their views on the world scare me to death.

      Delete
    2. I think social media is a big contributor to this issue of race because now there is documentation of a lot of stuff people of color have been complaining about for decades. And whites can no longer look the other way ro deny it is happening.

      Delete
  4. I listen to very little news. If I see or hear a headline I should know about, I look it up on a reliable, not sensational, site. I sometimes listen to BBC News about international happenings because they present the information in a more stoic format I think. You might want to give that a try. You should think of your bright tennis shoes as a safety vest of sorts. Bright socks and shoes will catch the eye of bikes and cars and hopefully keep you a little safer on your walks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, BBC is very good for international news. I've actually decided to order me some white socks to see if I can tone these shoes down some.

      Delete
  5. I like alternative news feeds that you can find on twitter. My son was born in 1969 too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I actually like twitter a lot for the very reason you mention. There's often links there to articles that are very good. In 1969 we were living in Wichita, Kansas stationed at McConnell AFB.

      Delete
    2. In 1969 I was living in Red Deer Alberta and had just moved here.

      Delete
  6. I listen to KIRO radio in Seattle, usually in the mornings. It is news and talk radio, and the morning show is an interesting mix of a libertarian and a liberal. They talk about local and national stories nd human interest stuff too. Before that it is pretty much strait news and interviews and feature stories, a lot of the same stuff that is in that day's newspaper. I listen to a little bit of the jerk who does the afternoon show just so I know what that side is thinking. then I turn him off.
    I wear sneakers all of the time now. I have a size 11 wide because of my bunions so it is harder to find them too. I wear orthotics in them to prevent a return of plantar fasciitis.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I shall give KIRO a try. At this stage in life I'm all about keeping my feet happy. I'm amazed you can walk like you do given your arthritis and other foot problems, especially plantar fasciitis. You are such an encouragement to me to keep moving.

      Delete
  7. As soon as I saw the sneakers my mind's eye went straight to your knitted socks. Some bright color streaks in your hair and you are rockin', girl!

    I listen to NPR for news. I watch network TV news once in a while, but it really wears on me once in a while. The news lately hurts my soul.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I hope I can remember your sentence "The news lately hurts my soul." That's the best description I've heard.

    Bob doesn't notice much about clothes but he did mention he thought my bright socks were a bit much for these sneakers. He doesn't ask for much. I'll try toning it down to white socks.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Aren't sneakers the only shoe made? For my happy feet they are. Need to find me some high heeled ones though for dress up:)
    Today's news keeps me weighed down so much that I sometimes want to just stick my head in the sand completely but I have to hang in so I can vote and bug my congressman intelligently. These are such hurtful times with so much anger.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. High heeled sneakers, I like that. I'm just about ready to toss all my shoes except the sneakers. They are wonderful and I feel so much more secure walking in them.

      I feel so fortunate to live in a state with all my elected officials Democrats. I'm pleased with their actions but I have to be faithful in voting or I might lose them.

      Delete
    2. I would get high heeled sneakers if they were cheaper. I am short, I shrunk to 5 feet from 5'2".

      Delete