Taking Flight

And I personally would round up some sackcloth to wear and start in with self-flagellation this very afternoon if I thought that was all there was to the story. But wait … how many Millennials, Gen Z, Gen X, or Gen whatevers do you know whose lifestyles and choices are more environmentally sound than those made by the “boomers?” I see little difference between the consumer habits of different generations.

It’s one big boat and we’re all in it, friends. If people want to argue about seat assignments I won’t interfere, as long as they pull on their oars.

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From The New Yorker

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HOPEFUL SIGNS THAT THE APOCALYPSE MAY NOT BE UPON US AFTER ALL

• The noxious censorship battalions traveling under the name of Moms For Liberty may at last be losing ground and influence. School boards and librarians aren’t caving like they used to do. BTW, the name of this group is right-wing newspeak pure and simple.
• E. Jean Carroll’s day in court was a huge win and she gets 83 million dollars from her rapist. Yay for the lady!
• Lauren Boebert’s campaign is having many difficulties which surprisingly don’t involve the fondling of her male companions in public places. The other wolves in the Republican primary pack have tasted blood and are eager for more. Howls of “carpetbagger” fill the air on each full moon.
• The National Rifle Association’s Wayne LaPierre is being tried for corruption involving his misuse of millions of dollars of association funds. Other good news on that front is that the NRA itself is losing membership and revenues are dropping. For way too long the NRA has vigorously opposed sane discussion on how to work together to deal with the issue of firearms.

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From The New Yorker

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We’re halfway through winter and I’ve been barely blooded by it. Still have all my fingers and toes, no visits to emergency rooms have been necessary, and my mood is not nearly as sullen as usual by this time of year (I do not have independent confirmation of this last point). It certainly doesn’t hurt that each day has a few minutes more of sunshine in it than the one before.

We’re planning a trip to the Midwest this summer to connect with family, and I’m looking forward to that. Most of our trips are by car, which is my preferred travel mode.

I like air travel less each year. Even before doors started flying off airplanes in mid-flight the problem is that what used to be a pleasant adventure had become a slog involving being bullied by TSA tyrants, bamboozled by airlines, and shoehorned into seating spaces more suited to something the size of a gerbil.

Not to mention that those sleek but self-destructing aircraft are responsible for 3% of carbon emissions worldwide. Not a good thing, that.

Much of the romance of flight has definitely been lost. A favorite genre of old films is those involving the early days of flying. Movies like Wings, for instance, with intrepid men and women all over the place, fluttering about in cloth-covered aircraft .

Never mind that Wings (1927) was made even before my time, and was a silent film as well. It was all about the planes, man, the planes … and the freedom of the skies.

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We’ve not talked much here about mindfulness, but I wanted to alert you all to an opportunity. Sharon Salzberg is offering what she calls a 28 day challenge. Basically an online meditation course, free of charge (although there are instructions as to how to donate if you are so moved).

She’s an excellent teacher, and one of the premier American lecturers in mindfulness meditation and Buddhism.

The link to the series is here: https://www.sharonsalzberg.com/real-happiness-challenge

The course starts on February first, and January 31 is the last day to sign up.

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