Fox news' impact on retirees

"My  mother lived out the end of her fortunate life in a state of bitterness and panic, never having had the slightest brush with any experience that would confirm in these emotions, except, of course, Fpox News."

--Marilynne Robinson, "Slander," in What Are We Doing Here?, 2018, quoted in a review in NY Times

Cubs' new era

"This is where we had our hearts set the whole time," [Tyler] Chatwood said. "They didn't have to sell much. They are the Chicago Cubs." And they have one of baseball's deepest rotations, thanks to a fifth starter people likely won't overlook for long.

Chicago Tribune, February 23, 2018

Take a breath

You are the only judge of what it is that shuts off the internal dialogue that's always urging you to do more, do faster, and do better. But shut off the internal dialogue we must, if the system of the body and mind is to restore itself. Spend one hour each day to relax in whatever way you enjoy.

Peace is like a sun that's always shining in your heart. It's just hidden behind the clouds of fear, doubt, worry, and desire that continually orient you toward the past or future. When you feel crazy busy, take a deep breath and let go. Think, Here I am.

When you're feeling stressed, take 5 or 10 belly breaths.

Exercise. Eat well. Converse meaningfully, Hug and touch. This calms the linbic system, the seat of survival functions.

from Inner Peace for Busy People by Joan Borysenko, 2001

Trump's mandate, based on his campaign

I'll fix it, was Trump's message. In Democracy, it is the people who work together to fix it. So his victory does not indicate he tapped a new group who's willing to work to improve their community. ON the contrary, he tapped a group who's now waiting fo a magical stroke, wave the wand. And when that doesn't happen, what then?

(no source written in the note)

Hell, defined

To me the definition of hell is simple. It is a place where there is no understanding and no compassion.

(no source written down in the note)

Gwen Ifill's advice on life

"You can't spend a lot of time assuming the worst about why people do things. It almost always has nothing to do with you. It has everything to do with them. My job is to force them to see me in a different role."

Her parents taught her to avoid bitterness or a chip on your shoulder. Keep your eyes on the prize. She had relentless optimism. She was aware of tripwires.

She died November 2016

Acceptance

"I thought I had accepted Rich's accident, even though I kept putting myself in a place where it hadn't happened yet...I thought that not accepting meant turning my face to the wall, unable to function. So now today I look up the word acceptance and the definition is 'to receive gladly' and that doesn't sound right. I flip to the back, and look up its earliest root, 'to grasp,' and discover this comes from the old English for 'a thread used in weaving,' and bingo, that's it.  You can't keep pulling out the thread. You have to weave it in and then you have to go on weaving."

--Abigail Thomas, Three Dog Life, a memoir of building a new life after her husband goes out to walk the dog, is hit by a car, and is left without short term memory