Aching for Sun

Finally. The sun appeared early Sunday morning. After seemingly weeks of dreary, rainy weather, light fills the sky. In recent days our lamps were lit through the day. It was dark for over a week. This cool damp spell followed dry weather. Lawns were brown, soil cracked. But now? Green has returned. I have not inspected the soil cracks but assume they are closing.

There is a hint of yellow in treetops. The dark green of summer leaves are lightening ever so little. Fall is on its way. Cooler weather with gentle rains creating color pathways toward winter.

COVID robbed us of a living spring. Summer was taken from us, too. Fall will be different this year, one observed from the safety of indoors. Still, fall is a season when we don heavier clothing and prepare for winter's cold. A winter with COVID in Illinois is be like most winters, only without the joy of restaurants.

I’m in this lifestyle until spring 2021. I’m assuming COVID vaccines will be available then and with broad distribution. Slowly we will emerge from the cocoon of quarantine and resume a modest sense of normal.

Normal, however, is a term of relativity. Normal what? Work? Commuting? Socializing? Attending church? What about meetings and client face to face sessions? And family gatherings?

I think we have learned the productivity of less driving around, fewer in-person meet-ups and the joy of Zoom. I think sales calls and consulting will be permanently virtual. I think working from home will expand exponentially. Paperless routines will be a reality finally. Just think, no or fewer filing cabinets!

Commuting patterns will be fewer and less. Office buildings will be converted to apartments and other functions. Commercial real estate will drastically redesign itself. So will mass transit.

The entire reality of socialization will be rethought. We want to be with others. We ache for togetherness. But will we actually do this? I think not. I think we will continue to be more private but more thoughtful and communicative digitally. Thinking and creating will become a feature of our days. 

That’s a good thing. Take the time to think things out. Focus on desired outcomes. Think how those can come about. Create answers to the many questions. Share at will and become a more considered participant in the human community.

Like the sun that reappeared Sunday, possibility comes from pauses. And reflecting. Thinking.

From the horrors of COVID may come blessings. Like aching for sun. We can hope.

September 14, 2020 

One Day at a Time

Approaching national election. Nasty but important that one candidate be removed from office and a more stable one elected. Natural disasters plentiful: wildfires in the west; hurricanes and tropical depression storms in the south and Gulf states; COVID-19 pandemic spreading its trauma nationwide; COVID induced economic disaster nationally. Incivility everywhere among the people. 

Dealing with all of this is a challenge.

Depression. Suicide. Failing health. Limited horizons. Diminished hope. Failed businesses. Failed careers or careers on hold. Bankruptcy of families. Loss of homes and housing. Bankrupt businesses. Government units in financial distress. The signs of brokenness everywhere.

These thoughts are downers. Reality does not allow turning a blind eye to the troubles. They must be lived. We must push through them to survive.

To do that we gather our strengths and little pleasures. A sip of coffee. A deep breath inhaled then slowly released. Loving gazes on dear ones near and far. Memories of better times. Enjoying the now of who and what we have in our lives. It is not all bad.

We pull together our hopes and dreams. We lean on values and beliefs. Our faith in whatever foundation we have or have had. From all of this we build hope. Hope for what will come after. Hope for what will be. On the other side of now.

Coping skills come with effort. They are a must. They need support. And time. Time to think. Time to implement. Time to heal.

It is what we do to survive. And we will.

Thrive is tomorrow. It is what hope builds.

September 13, 2020

Remembering 9/11

I know, I’m a day off. But I really didn’t want to hit the memory trail yesterday, on the 19^th anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001. I needed another day to think about it. Peace out a bit.

The day was crisp, clear and the bluest sky I remember. Leaves were hinting at changing color. I was on the computer in my office. Client work focused my mind acutely. The phone rang and Rocky called from work to say a plane hit the World Trade Center in New York. "Turn on the TV," he said. I walked into the bedroom across the hall from the office, turned on the TV and watched the horror unfold. In slow motion.

I tried to get back to business, but couldn’t. I shut off the TV, closed down the computer and went downstairs to the living room. Turned on the big TV. Got another cup of coffee and sat in my recliner mesmerized by the TV coverage.

I remember wondering what this meant. What was happening. Why now? I also compared the similarity of New York’s weather with Chicago. Same day 1000 miles apart, but carbon copy weather. Simply too beautiful to be a bad day.

But it was. A very bad day.

Soon reports indicated other planes were involved and then the second plane hit the other tower. Tempo of events accelerated in a blur from that point on. Air traffic was shut down. A flight was tracked to a crash site in Pennsylvania, heightened defenses were raised surrounding the White House, the President was whisked away and finally, another plane was reported crashing into the Pentagon building.

Chaos. News reports flew high and wide as in a blizzard. Lots of questions. No answers. Three buildings hit. People presumed dead. Then the towers began to disintegrate and collapse.

Minds, hearts and people ran in panic. Devastation was evident. Billions of dollars in damage were obvious. But human life? What would be the toll?

The weight of events was heavy, suffocating. What did this mean? What would happen now? And who were the actors responsible for all of this?

Humans react to big disasters slowly. Reactions occur but without focus. Days and weeks later meaning forms but even then, no one is certain of the meaning of anything.

Deep down I felt our nation challenged to the core. Who are we? What will we become as a result of this awful day? Will we be stronger? More purposeful? Or will public outcomes be more nuanced?

Part of me thinks we have become stronger. We have survived. We have taken a strong place on the world stage. But part of me still feels lost. We went to Afghanistan seeking revenge against Osama bin Lama. Retribution was not swift. It took years but we finally tracked him down and murdered him in his lair in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, we poked around the Middle East and waged war in Iraq to unseat Saddam Hussein. We were successful in that but an utter failure at settling anything. On the contrary, we created a horrible mess in the Middle East that may never heal, never return to any kind of manageable normal.

As an extension of that outcome, domestic politics devolved into a back alley slugfest between conservatives and everyone else. Civility went out the window. Suspicion of government grew. Foreign affairs deteriorated and remain so nearly 20 years later.

Stronger? Smarter? More knowledgeable? No; I don’t think so. I think we are very confused about our identify as a nation and our values as a people.

We want to feel good about ourselves. We don’t. Instead we feel vulnerable and weak. Oh, we know we are a formidable military power in the world. And we know we do good deeds throughout the globe. But we wonder why we don’t feel better?

Deep down we sense the brokenness. The question is, how do we fix it?

How much does this have to do with 9/11/01?

A telling question. I wonder who has the answer?

September 12, 2020

Here We Are Again

Another election cycle, this one for president, all House of Representatives at the federal level, and one third of all Senators. The campaigns are in full swing. Those running for office are doing little governing. They are campaigning.

Not that they ever stopped campaigning; no, they are in a continual campaign for their seat at the table.

And that’s what’s wrong with our system. To get our votes candidates promise the moon. They ask for your donations throughout the year as well. Hands out, promises galore. What can we expect from this but the same old garbage we already have.

It is time for a change.

The first step is campaign finance reform. No private money from any source ought to be used to campaign for office. Only funds from the public’s purse based on the office level and population of the district to be represented. So, for Senator, you get $1 per registered voter in your state. That’s it. For House seats, the budgeted amount would be something like $300,000. President would be $330 million. I haven’t worked out primary campaigns, but something much less than the final candidates.

With the focus on issues (not personalities) rather than money, I think campaigns would be more intelligent and less chaotic than those of today. And it removes large contributors, political action committees (PAC’s), and corporate donations. Corporate sponsors ought never have been allowed. Not in the past, certainly not now, and not in the future. The principle is obvious; evidently the Supreme Court doesn’t understand that principle.

The Electoral College should be abolished. It is an anachronism of the 1780’s and not applicable to 2020. The Electoral College was a political compromise in favor of landowners and the wealthy. And it protected small states with lower populations from larger states. The workings of the EC are also constantly toyed with making outcomes of elections questionable. Time to do away with it. Keep the election machinery simpler.

There is talk about eliminating political parties but I have not thought that through so leave it unaddressed at this time. It is clear, however, that party politics continually warp voting district boundaries and the mechanics of voting. It is time to address the issue of one person, one vote, and ensure its safety. Parties may not be needed. Technology has reduced the need for parties, think social media.

When campaigns are filled with more denigration of personalities than discussion of the issues, and more lies than facts, it is time to re-engineer how Americans select their representatives in government.

Transparency should be ever-present. Today it is nothing but smoke and mirrors.

September 11, 2020

Liberal vs Liberal

One word with two meanings depending on context. No wonder there’s confusion.

Americans normally think of liberal as a political point of view or ideology that favors programs funded by the public through taxes. Those programs are sponsored by government units – municipality, county, state or federal. The programs target problems and services needed by many that are very difficult to address by private means. In other words, people pool their resources and trust government agencies to serve the greater need in the name of the people. Such programs and government action are authorized by the people by way of voting for candidates and referenda that support such programs.

In this context the opposite term is conservative. Conservatives generally believe that government ought to be as small as possible. They believe this produces lower taxes and less government interference in personal lives.

Arguments can be found that confuse both terms – liberal and conservative – that belie the simple definitions provided above. Politics tend to confuse a lot of issues and conflate them with ideologies that don’t fit comfortably. Be that as it may, the basic divide is accurately presented above.

Internationally, the context creates a different definition for the term liberal. In this context liberal means democratically elected governments representing the will of the people, and control by the people. Its opposite is illiberal or authoritarian. Nationalism is a part of this illiberal mindset.

Globally political ideologies have grown more illiberal. Nationalism has been a companion movement focusing on ‘America First,’ or ‘England over the European Union.’ It is too simple to conflate white supremacy with nationalism, but it is part of the scene. Authoritarianism, however, is very much a part of illiberalism.

Hungary is all about Hungary these days, and purity of their homeland genetics. Native Hungarians are urged to have babies and are paid for it. Do not apply for this benefit, however, if you are not a full blooded Hungarian. Does this remind you of Germany’s focus on the Aryan Race? It should. It is made from the same cloth.

Massive immigration from global hotspots like the Middle East have caused an influx of asylum seekers in Hungary, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece and Scandinavia. These people are tired, sick, injured and broke. They are homeless and unemployed. They represent a large cost of public money to administer programs designed to manage public issues caused by their immigration. Residents of those countries are alarmed by the costs and chaos of rapid immigration flows. The move to limit immigration arises naturally. Political movements are born to preserve homeland lifestyles. Soon the ugly face of nationalism and companions of discrimination and racism are on full view.

World War II was the cause of a massive shift toward liberal governments in the global community. Democracy was the watchword. Tired of world war and its bloody chaos, the world community was hungry for order and governments in full view of the people. Democratic societies expanded quickly.

Today, chaos from masses of people escaping their homelands to live free and safer lives upsets receiving nations. Reaction to that circumstance builds stronger central government authority. With that development democracy fades from view. It is a natural course of action.

Yet this course divides the global village into isolated nations focused on themselves. Global issues receive much less attention. Collaboration among nations fades, too.

The world is in a dangerous place today. Nations selfishly thinking only of themselves and not working toward common goals. Into this stew of infighting and suspicion comes the opportunity for evil to exert its control.

Is this a picture we want of our future? Think carefully before answering. Russia, Turkey, and China are listening to your voices and actions.

September 10, 2020

  

Green Party Shenanigans

I have friends who are part of the Green Party. I always thought they stood for the environment and protection of planet Earth. Lately, however, they are badgering people into voting against Democrats. They find fault with the Democratic Party for defeating Bernie Sanders’ presidential bid.

In 2016 the Green Party pressed their grievances onto Hillary Clinton’s presidential candidacy for the same reason. They did the damage that, at least in part, led to donald t trump residing in the White House. Others not associated with the Green Party did the same and the deed was done.

The last four years have been a nightmare for most Americans. The trump administration has done much damage to the American form of government, democracy itself, and left the US Constitution in shambles. The court system is in disarray. Schools are under supported. The economy is in the dumpster. Civility itself has been severely damaged.

This leads to the goal of removing trump from office. Period. End of story.

So why would anyone who agrees with this goal, do anything that would imperil its achievement?

Why indeed! That is the question I have for the Green Party. They are pushing their message to Democrats to forsake Biden and Harris. They find fault with the Democrats in general, angry that their favored candidates did not win primaries and inclusion within the hierarchy of the party. And now, when the votes count to remove a madman from office, they play their Bernie card.

Sorry. I do not support the Green Party in this endeavor. I do support green initiatives to save the planet’s ecology. But one wonders at this point if the Green Party has totally lost its way and are now trump supporters?

Am I the only one thinking about this? Please say not!

September 9, 2020

Day After Labor Day 2020

Paying homage to the labor movement yesterday was a worthy act. We can and should honor the movement every day. We all have benefitted from unions.

Having said that we must recognize that 2020 is not a year to celebrate. This is a year of job loss and fundamental reinvention of work. Jobs held in the past will look different going forward.

Some people have managed to continue working through this pandemic. They are very fortunate to have employment. Their jobs may be focused on standing objectives, but what they do and how they do it is much different than what they did before the pandemic. Nothing has been left unchanged.

Working from home is the most obvious change from the old norm. Employers have learned their employees are productive and creative working from home. In many instances employees have actually performed better than before. Invention and creativity have been proven.

Teamwork answered the call for collaboration, too. Building on strengths of others makes team achievements astonishing. Melding personalities is not easy, but it is a must. Pulling together for common goals is fundamental to the process. Subjugating the personal takes getting outside of the self and into the group’s aspirations. It requires transformation.

But what about manufacturing, assembly and so many other job functions? If workstations can be separated and safely navigated by workers, then healthy functioning can move forward. This requires altered floor plans and layouts. Re-engineering the workplace has been done at many sites but more is needed. Robots are unaffected by the pandemic as long as the supply chain keeps the parts arriving on site. It is the assembly of those smaller parts that is the problem. Again, changing assembly operations to healthy workstations is part of the answer.

Refashioning manufacturing on the largest scale imaginable is an enormous job. In the early days of the pandemic most of us thought this was a temporary condition soon over. We were wrong. The pandemic has stretched to many months and threatens to strangle our economy for a year or more. Meanwhile damage has been done and we recover from that as best we can in the short term.

Fresh investment in new methods of working and creating within our economy is required. That is now the job needing to be done. How many of us are doing just that?

Are we inventing the new tools, the new products, the new methodology and operations to support a totally refashioned economy? Some people are; some are not.

I worry about pure human activities that have been shut down completely. Restaurants and bars come to mind. Barber shops and salons are another. But retail shops of all kinds are yet another. The personal point of service is the keystone of our economy. Scale of operations expand from there.

Online retail transactions have filled in beautifully. But think of the support jobs that make that happen. Product still has to be made to be sold and shipped. People have to perform the inventory, the stacking on shelves, the retrieval of goods to satisfy the order, the shipping and packing of orders for delivery. All take people. Automation helps greatly, but people are still need. Think Post Office. The mail still needs to be collected, sorted, re-sorted and sorted yet again. Then routes are manned and mail is delivered.

Computerization will continue to address many changes. People, however, are still needed in most phases of every business. The work will be different. The challenge of change will always be present. We are called upon to adapt. And to invent.

How do we teach? How do students learn? What makes us smile? What motivates our yearning for anything? What lifestyles do we aspire to? What of entertainment and the arts? How are these done, experienced and delivered?

All these things require different modes to produce desired outcomes. Are we up to the challenge of inventing those modes?

Welcome to 2020 and the work we have yet to do!

September 8, 2020