Saturday, February 25, 2023

Walking Forward, Looking Down

While waiting for the microwave to heat my lunch today, I was standing near one of the doors to the deck, looking out at the snow and ice that covered it. But I wasn’t looking *out* so much as I was looking *down*, at a corner of the deck just barely in front of me.

There was nothing in particular that grabbed my attention there; I was simply looking out the sliding door while waiting for my lunch to cook, as I often do. But when my mother walked into the room to fill a water bottle to water her plants, some subconscious instinct kicked in, making me move my gaze upward and outward.

I normally don’t put much thought to such things, but for some reason, I found myself wondering why I’d suddenly changed the angle at which I was looking. A few seconds later, the microwave beeped, signaling that much food was ready, so I grabbed the plate and started heading back towards the basement (my “office” is in the basement, and I often eat lunch at my desk, provided it’s nothing messy).

As I walked towards the basement stairs, I found myself again looking mostly downwards, instead of forwards, and it suddenly dawned on me that I do this almost *constantly* when I walk, and even when I’m just gazing into space. And, in the second that I realized how often I do this, I also realized exactly *why* I do this.

Saturday, January 9, 2021

Trump Must Be Impeached

 On January 6, 2021, while Congress was counting the electoral votes for president and vice president, an angry mob of supporters of Donald Trump descended on the Capitol building. They forced their way past Capitol police (some of whom appear to have simply let them go by) and into the building.

They kicked in doors and broke windows.

They defaced busts and artwork.

They stole documents, furniture, and even a podium.

They waved guns around and threatened to kill people.

They instigated an armed standoff just feet from the door to the House chamber *while members of the House were still in the chamber*.