Remembering Lyn and wishing we could speak once more

I really miss my friend, mentor, and first HPS*, Lyn Benoit Goodnight.

What I'd really love to do is sit down with her – or, failing that, have an online conversation with her – and get her reaction to what is happening now with the Trump presidency and the daily disruption on so many levels that is occurring.

Pretty sure I'd already know what she would say about all of it. But I'd give anything to spend time with her talking, laughing, and getting her opinion on many events.

Miss you, Lyn. Still cannot believe you're gone :(. She would've graduated this month with her Ph.D. So tragic.

* High Priestess

I will NEVER support a fascist or a demagogue

I get bothered by the whole, "Wanting Trump to fail as president is like wanting a plane all of us are on to crash." Oh, hold up. A lot of people who opposed Obama weren't repeating that mantra when he was in office.

If, in fact, Trump can be compared to Mussolini or Hitler in some of the actions he is taking or plans to take, imagine how ridiculous it would be to tell people that they need to get on the bandwagon and hope he succeeds. That makes NO sense. You don't just blindly fall behind or support ANY leader who is a threat to the nation and, possibly, the world.

Just like if it was Hitler or Mussolini, I would NEVER just 'get on board and support them' to keep the plane from crashing. In fact, as my husband pointed out, I'd WANT the plane to crash – even if I was on it – because I would want to be a decent human being and NOT support policies that cause irreparable harm or destroy our country. Alternatively, I would want to wrest control of the plane from the pilot. The latter, of course, is preferable.

Nope, I will NEVER be on board with Trump and his despicable administration, just as I would never be a team player under Hitler and Mussolini. And yes, I DO believe Trump could be THAT dangerous. I hope I will be wrong when all is said and done.

I also find it interesting how, for eight years, all we heard were people saying, "Hell no, Obummer isn't my president, never will be, and I hope he fails," and how the #1 directive of Republicans was to obstruct anything Obama did, regardless of how it might've helped average Americans.

NOW, all of a sudden, WE are supposed to be in lockstep with Trump and 'come together' for the sake of our country. I will NOT support a fascist or a demagogue.

[Survey] Ten albums that influenced me when I was a teenager

Ten albums that had a profound effect on me as a teenager. One album only, per artist.

KISS - Alive II
Queen - News of the World
Prince and the Revolution - Purple Rain
DEVO - Freedom of Choice
Kansas - Point of No Return
The Fixx - Reach the Beach
The Police - Synchronicity
Yaz - Upstairs at Eric's
Pink Floyd - The Wall
David Bowie - Let's Dance

[Vlog 1.12.17] Happy New Year! Here's a general update.

The Proust Questionnaire - Version 2017

From Vanity Fair:

"The Proust Questionnaire has its origins in a parlor game popularized (though not devised) by Marcel Proust, the French essayist and novelist, who believed that, in answering these questions, an individual reveals his or her true nature. Here is the basic Proust Questionnaire.

http://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/2000/01/proust-questionnaire

Here are my answers to the Proust Questionnaire:

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Living in a cozy cabin at the edge of a lake, far away from most of humanity. Think about the book or movie 'Secret Window' and you'll get the picture.

What is your most marked characteristic?
My eclectic, yet sometimes unpredictable, nature

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Continuing to survive despite an array of effed-up events, starting at about age 10. My psychiatrist expressed surprise that I wasn't a raging alcoholic or drug addict after all the events I've lived through (which most people DO NOT know about).

What is your greatest fear?
Knowing I'm going to die before it happens. I'd rather go to sleep and not wake up. I don't want to be on an airplane, for instance, and KNOW it's gonna crash and I'm gonna die. I'd rather NOT know when I'm getting ready to bite the big one.

What historical figure do you most identify with?
Mary Shelley.

Which living person do you most admire?
Stephen King.

Who are your heroes in real life?
Creative people – writers, artists, musicians, etc. People who continue to pursue their artistic passions past the point of childhood when society and authoritarians urge you to abandon your 'dreams.'

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Indecisiveness.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Cruelty.

What is your favorite journey?
The one where serendipity shows up regularly.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Detachment. I want to be hands-on in life and to feel what it's like to live in an all-encompassing way.

Which word or phrases do you most overuse?
F*ck. The more people dislike the word, the more I use it.

What is your greatest regret?
Getting married too early, at age 20.

What is your current state of mind?
Curmudgeonly.

If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?
That some members would accept me as I am and not how they want me to be to suit their egos and wishes.

What is your most treasured possession?
My mind.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Being prevented from living a life where one can follow his or her passions and earn a livable wage by doing so.

Where would you like to live?
The highlands of Scotland.

What is your favorite occupation?
Writing, especially when I can spend time working on my OWN books and creative projects.

What is the quality you most like in a man?
Sensitivity.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Lack of two-faced cattiness. Things that seem to afflict 90% of the females I've ever known.

What are your favorite names?
Peter & Alexandra.

What is your motto?
Smile and nod at your naysayers, then do whatever the hell you planned to do anyway.