To quote the fictional Dr. Ian Malcolm's Famous "Jurassic Park" understatement: "I'm fairly alarmed here."

Good morning, friends.  I have to get to work in a few minutes but just am popping on my little Chromebook here to say:  have we all become so numb and/or glazed over re anything 45 does or has done that we just now learn of, that we are incapable of complete, or even a modicum of, outrage at the man, and are too exhausted to even fathom taking to the streets to demand he be removed from the ballots of every single state in this precious union on account of his utter criminal lawlessness and constitution violating?  What am I on about specifically?  Well, I'll tell you:

So CNN is reporting this fine a.m. that 45 called Wayne County, MI election canvassing board members (oh, and, by the way, THERE ARE TAPES) and pressured them not to certify the 2020 election results.  One of the people he called said that he told her he was "concerned for her safety" if she certified the election results.  Folks, have you ever heard of a little something called THE MAFIA?  That is a straight-up mob tactic of the most classic variety!!!!!!!!!  That's the quintessential:  "It would be a shame if anything happened to your family..." threat!!!!!!!!!

Let this all sink in because the POTUS was personally calling and threatening the Wayne County officials NOT to certify the results of a free and fair presidential election in this country.

Now, I know what you all are thinking:  "And?  How is this different from any of the zillions of other calls and actions and tweets in a typical day of the 45 presidency?"  And you are right:  it's not different.  It's the same, and we SHOULD get riled up about it, not just finish our breakfast and off to work, normal day.  THIS MAN CAN NEVER BE PRESIDENT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You know how he always projects his terrible traits onto others when he attacks?  Well another way he projects is that he always says that if "they" (othering at its finest) win, "we won't have a country anymore".  Wrong, 45:  if YOU win, America will only be the same in name only.

Get alarmed, people.  Get active.  VOTE in 2024.  We can't afford numbness and exhaustion.

Nes Gadol Haya Po

I'm starting Chanukah before Chanukah this year, musing-about-it-wise. It takes on such an intense poignancy this year. So here is my musing for/about Chanukah 5784:

The miracle is that we are still here.
We are the light that won't go out.
Despite everything.
Despite that this year people are trying to rewrite history.
And rewrite the present.
We refused to let our light go out thousands of years ago.
We refused be extinguished.
We refuse to let our light go out now.
We refuse to be extinguished.
The candles stay lit.
Nes gadol haya po.

Cue music!

(The song linked below, Bohemian Chanukah, by Six13, has many lighthearted and even utterly hilarious moments, yet also moments that convey the deeper meaning of Chanukah which, like I said at the top of this musing, is feeling very intense this year to me.)

Bohemian Chanukah, by Six13