What's Next?

Having called for the removal of all powers from the sitting president of the United States – at least temporarily – I’m not sure what my next step is. I have written this blog for nearly 6 years; it has given me release of anxiety and frustration. The blog is my vent. I am well and happy with it. But now I’m stumped awaiting the next thought that is constructive and solution oriented.

I’m retired and living on a fixed income – social security only. That’s another way of saying I’m broke. I have little freedom to do anything but eat, sleep, volunteer and write. Oh I read as well; that’s the source of my knowledge of what’s going on in the world. But I want to do more. One thing is to travel by car throughout America and feel the tempo of the nation. I would like to write about that. But there is no money in doing this. No one is willing to pay for this task to be done, let alone cover the expense of doing it. But it remains on my bucket list.

One of the things I loved doing was driving in the country and out of state. My mind was always thinking of how this place is different from home. I wondered what the people felt living here and how they felt about places other than home. Did they feel the separation? Were they concerned about acceptance elsewhere?

Such feelings were heavy in southern states. We northerners know ill will exists among southerners; I just never knew from person to person what to expect about this. I don’t think I ever encountered racism or incivility in the south. I know there is plenty of it in the newspapers but not face to face. Of course, I didn’t talk about it unless someone brought it up in general conversation. Even then manners on both sides of the conversation were keeping us pleasant and on point. One can learn a lot under such circumstances. Fights do not need to be provoked to learn a different point of view!

I had a SCORE mentoring session the other day with a seasoned woman in social services. She is black and also a formidable volunteer in helping ex-offenders in her area find jobs and rebuild careers. Our conversation included talk of current unsettled conditions in America – anti immigrants, America First, white supremacy, and outright racism. I shared with her my early activism for civil rights, through the 60’s and 70’s.  Even during the anti-war days of the Viet Nam era, I was involved in civil rights.

She knew I was serious. She knew I was still committed. But at my age I don’t have the stamina or money to participate in physical activism. I can write and read. I can talk. I can share opinions among people on the internet. And I do that all the time. I just don’t march anymore or appear at rallies. That’s for younger folks.

But what more can I do? What more needs to be done?

If I had more income I would take that trip and write about it. I even went so far as to explore part time jobs for retired people. My career was in strategic planning, and I am still a strategic thinker and writer. I analyze client businesses in my volunteer work, but I know this work is worth something to some who would be, or should be, willing to pay for it. So I answered some internet ads on jobs available.

Guess what? They wanted to pay $11/hour for me to move papers or sit in a chair and say howdy to people walking in the door. What a waste!  For them and for me. I’d probably fall asleep in the first 30 minutes of such a job and it would have nothing to do with my age!

Who knows if my registering with this outfit will develop any meaningful leads. All I know is many businesses today need to rethink their mission and vision and then screw up the energy to do something that will support them. I can help them do this. And they don’t have to pay me much. Just something so I can drive out west to canyon country and talk to people and smell the plant life struggling to live in the sand and the heat. This is where determination and purpose work all the time. Not to, means death, slow or fast.

Something about the southwest draws me to it. I think the future of our nation is there somehow. Maybe I’ll have the chance yet to explore what this means yet.

Keep your fingers crossed.

August 17, 2017