A foundation of ignorance.

It’s not a good thing. That’s my judgmental opinion. The ever-widening gap between the rich and poor in the United States of America. Almost as bad as when the American economy was based largely on slave labor.  The top 10 percent receive almost half of all the income and own 75 percent of the nation’s wealth. And another interesting statistic. Today's chief executives earn about 300 times as much as the ordinary worker.  I gleaned this information from economist Paul Krugman’s recent column in the New York Times. Krugman concluded that today’s political balance rests on a foundation of ignorance, in which the public has no idea what our society is really like. –Jim Broede

Dancing endlessly.

It’s a very windy day. Downright blustery. The fir tree branches are performing. Before my eyes. A frolicsome dance. I don’t dance. In the traditional sense. Lacking the physical aptitude.  But I make up for it. With an unleashed imagination. Feeling the rhythm of the dance. In my soul.  I’ve embraced the fir trees. I’m whirling. Whirling. Dancing. Dancing endlessly.  –Jim Broede

Where I am sovereign ruler.

I like to set the rules. My rules. Of course, I can’t always get away with it. But when I live alone and away from people, it’s easier. I have more control. Doing pretty much as I please. Because I’m not harming anyone. With my rules. I’m able to sit down at my computer. And write. To my heart’s content.  I pen a love letter, too. And I go for a walk. And get lost. In the primeval forest. Then I return home. And savor the solitude. In my own world. My cocoon. Where I am sovereign ruler. –Jim Broede

Far beyond the horizon.

Some people drag me into their worlds. Such as my Alzheimer-riddled friend Ron. And when that happens, I’m grateful. I willingly enter fanciful worlds. My own. And others, too. I like that. Of course, not everyone wants me to enter their world. They prefer being reclusive. That forces me to make difficult decisions. I have the annoying habit of entering their world. Regardless of their desires.  Because I’m curious. And naturally annoying, too.  Makes me an amateur psychoanalyst. And maybe that’s a pursuit best left to the professionals. But still, I proceed. There’s no stopping me. Because I’m an amateur at the meaningful stuff of life. Don’t pursue life for the primary sake of making money. I’d rather make an acquaintance.  Or a friend.  Satisfying my curiosity. I’m an amateur explorer, too.  With a specialty. The exploration of worlds far beyond the horizon. –Jim Broede

Another reason to learn Italian.

Several years ago. I was in an olive grove. With my Italian true love. Sitting beneath a 600-year-old olive tree. Relaxing. Taking in the wonders of nature. On a sunny day. And an old hunch-backed woman. Dressed in peasant-style apparel.  Was collecting olives from the ground. I imagined. She’d take the olives home. And put them to good use. Maybe even have me over as a guest. To sample the olives. With a glass of wine. And bread. The woman approached us. And talked to my true love. In Italian. I didn’t understand. So I asked my true love to translate. Apparently, the woman was inquisitive. She wanted to know if we were married. My true love thought that wasn’t any of her business. And cut off the conversation. I objected. Wanting to know more about the woman. I had in mind that she might invite us to her place. And that soon I’d know more about the woman than she would know about us. The woman wandered away. While I tried to persuade my true love to allow me to pursue the conversation. With her as translator.  But my true love refused. Thinking it was best to protect everyone's privacy. That saddened me. A little bit. Because I’m a curious fellow.  Capable of saying to hell with privacy. Wanting to cultivate strangers. Including that curious woman in the olive grove. Yes, I still lament that lost opportunity. Anyway, it's another reason for me to learn Italian. –Jim Broede

Shared thoughts.

Some friends don’t like it. When I write about them. In my blog. Oh, I don’t mention them by name. But they recognize themselves. Mostly, I refer to them in complimentary ways. Not always, of course. Other times. They may have raised a subject. And I expound on it. Recently, a friend told me she still believes in suicide as a viable alternative. But that she also was instrumental in convincing someone who attempted suicide to seek help. By pointing out that their situation was transient and would improve. I like to share thoughts that come from friends. Especially the provocative ones. I annoy some friends. By sharing their thoughts with others. I like the idea of shared thoughts. That’s far better than unshared thoughts. –Jim Broede

The way things should be.

So far, so good. With Alzheimer-riddled Ron. In his new environs. He feels at home. Literally. He’s relaxed. And no longer agitated. Ron is immersed in good vibes. Gets plenty of fresh air. Lots of mental and physical stimulation. And very minimal medication. Exactly what I have long theorized. That this is the way to treat people with Alzheimer’s and other dementia. I’m amazed. But not all that surprised. Nursing homes should operate this way. Even the big nursing homes. They should divide their residents into manageable modules. Maybe five to a module. And assign 3 to 5 well-trained care-givers to each module. So that there can be lots of one-on-one interaction. Stimulation. That’s the key. Human contact. In a positive and loving and easy-going manner. Where everyone is at ease. The residents. The staff. That’s what I see happening at the five-bed care center called Arthur’s Residence. Where Ron has been living for a week. In an idyllic residential neighborhood in a Twin Cities suburb. Anyway, it’s expensive. Running close to $10,000 a month. But still, that’s less than what it cost at swank and big nursing home chains run by big profit-minded corporations. Where Ron’s care was lousy. What a contrast. Now he’s getting superb care. Maybe even stellar. I’ll keep close watch. So will Ron’s daughter and son-in-law. We are operating as a team. With enthusiastic and dedicated professionals. Mostly young people. That’s the way things should be.  Everywhere. Stay tuned. More reports to come. –Jim Broede