Previously posted on my Facebook Page.
Before the pandemic, it was already hard to meet new friends in person. We are bombastically “connected” via the internet--but we are also wallowing in utter disconnect. The more “transparent” we could be, the more we ignite mistrust, doubt, and awkward distance from others. Hateful divides aided by politics worsen reaching-out. Then comes Covid-19. When these blow over, add fear of catching the virus to our paranoia. But I still wanna see you in person, uh huh. 👈👽👉
Children now, adults later. Children’s world, adult world. Children should frolic with life the way an evolving mind naturally does, with adult guidance—not control or imposition. This is their world, not ours. Our reality—pains, joys, failures, victories—isn’t necessarily theirs. Our politics as well as our religion aren’t theirs. I had many childhood “frolic” that I outgrew. Examples: Cowboys & Indians, John Wayne, and “Combat!” Yet I evolved into an anti-war activist. 👶👧👴
I know, I know. LOL! I am not good at (romantic) relationships. But I was raised by women. Goodness guidance, martial discipline, financial fundamentals. Women rule the household roost. For example, in these pandemic times when 10 from my immediate family got hit, and recovered, from Covid—women took charge. A niece is currently ill of lupus and now at the ICU. Women or the eldest sister lead ways to work things out. Men basically follow. No problem. We heed.
Sure, there are delinquencies and misbehaviors but Women as focal power in the household is a cultural fact in the Philippines. In fact, this isn’t even a subject for discussion. We just live that way. I live that way. Until I got enmeshed in the surreal complexities of love. LOL! That discussion requires elaboration. 👩🦰👩🦱👩🦳
In my most virulent years as a Leftist activist, I was also a huge fan of rock musicians, writers, artists, and Hollywood personalities whose (party) politics didn't necessarily share mine. Charlton Heston, John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Lynyrd Skynyrd etcetera. I enjoy their art per se but I am not interested in their other selves beyond their work. Hence, I find it weird and whacked that each time a known person reveals what he/she had for dinner, things “change.”☮️☯️☮️
Racism is not discussed as frequently by those who are victimized or ridiculed by it. Racism could be juvenile light or monstrously evil. When others view me as less literate, dumb or clueless of what’s going in outside of the islands, that is subtle racism. Tolerable. Racism that is pure evil is physical violence, and trade “subjugation” by rich nations over poor nations on bilateral talks table. Those, we should fix. But the ignorant snide? I just shrugged it off. ☮️☯️☮️
Finished the Spanish series “Money Heist.” The story is fantastic; hard to happen. But somehow it makes many viewers feel good. Fast-paced riff and operatic melodrama. And the finale nailed it! GDP growth rate is good. But economic “goodness” mostly serves the 1 Percent, not the majority. The Spanish title of the series is: “La Casa de Papel” or the house of paper, or gold. But it's all paper, all brass. A complex web of economic trickery that benefits the elite. 📺💰📺
Huge fan of Neil Young. I am. But two songs are outta my playlist: [1] “Rockin' in the Free World.” Freedom to say whatever? I now credit that song to Rick Astley. [2] “The Needle and the Damage Done.” We gotta think first before we give in to whatever just because it is pitched as feel-good stuff? Nikki Sixx is more credible. Meantime, I am playing “Looking Forward,” much better. “I'm going to live / Like a free-roamin' soul / On the highway of our love.” 🎸🎼🎸
Neil Young, Joni Mitchell. Eric Clapton, Van Morrison. On two opposing sides of the vaccination caterwaul. Meantime, most rock legends—who sold their back catalogue to Big Profit for $millions$--should lessen the rants that only divide the people. Instead, why not do another Band Aid initiative? With or without vaccines, 6 million people die in Africa annually from various deadly diseases. I mean, Mr Young sold his songs to investment firm Hipgnosis for $150 million. He got moolah.
As I type this, only 4 percent of Sub Saharan Africa are Covid-vaccinated. It’s not because they don’t want to. You know why. They are Planet Earth’s poorest. So while the world’s superpowers are busy with the Ukraine Drama, why don’t Neil, Joni, Eric, Van and others do the pro-active gig and help those who really NEED help? 🎼🐈🎼
My professional writing years were uncomplicated: Wrote, filed, got printed, went home. Day after day. Weird to engage readers after submission of story. Like how it is on Social Media where eerie, rude comments are the thingy. Mental energy, valuable time wasted. There is a feature on Facebook that limits comments to your Page, only those who are grown up enough to talk can comment. Click it and have peace of mind. Meantime, keep on writing/posting.
Writing per se calms me down. Responding to people as old as I am (or older) with 3-year old brain cells isn’t something that I am excited to do, ever. I am not raising kids anymore. Read me or you don’t, stay or leave. But I still write. ✍️🖐✍️
Errands with Marta The Nicer. My regular programming will be adjusted a bit because I am mobile. Huge thing that gets my brain cells hot and active: Ukraine Drama Redux played up as “Defend Ukraine” though it is pretty much “Defend Big Energy interest or sell the natural gas” issue. This is how brilliant superpowers negotiate profit, they do the macho chess game and push some (trade) pressure points. And humanity outside of Ukraine, watching via our gadgets, buys into it. ?⛽️🚙