Not true. Insulting the reporter does not make him transparent, open or frank. It just means he's a rude bully. The press secretary should do some soul-searching and figure out why she is so morally bankrupt.

 The incompetence and absurdity of the current federal administrations renders me almost mute. Truly, I have so much to write but little time to share it.

Only three weeks left of the semester! Unreal. Grades are due 12/18. I've had pretty good classes and happily -- there was no reason for the summer apprehension I felt about teaching toleration after a hiatus of seven years.

 I love this.

 The news gets worse on a daily basis. A lot of the commenters on news sites are so ignorant. Happy Halloween.

Historic preservation is close to my heart; along with fighting animal abuse, it is an issues I consider most important. I take comfort, when outrageous things like this happen, (the destruction of the East Wing) by thinking of Penn Station's legacy. The demolition's impact is widely regarded as the most significant milestone in the preservation movement. People's attitudes changed afterwards. They realized it was a terrible mistake. Unfortunately, Donald Trump has managed to seduce, overpower and destroy "the better angels of our nature" (Lincoln, 1861) for over 40 years, but I look forward to a future time when he is a distant memory and historic preservation once again is a shared value. (Some of this language is recycled from earlier posts on this blog.)

 

I'm happy to report that advocacy worked!

 What nerve Nextstar has coming here with their shameful, ignorant fascist ways.

 

So yesterday was my birthday. I am 64 now! How can this be?

It is quite remarkable to be teaching a class after a seven-year hiatus and have nearly daily examples appear in the news! Earlier this week I was struggling with class material, and the question: At what point does tolerance become complicity? How do I convey such difficult philosophical content to the impressionable, anxious young people in my class? Hard as it is, I do feel honored to have been entrusted with leading this important class right now.

Those cartoons are coming once I catch up. 

It seems people who identify as transgender, people who are homeless and undocumented migrants in the US under this idiotic oppressive regime = people with mental disabilities, gypsies and Jewish people in Nazi Germany. 😭

 

 I want to write here so much! I have drawn two cartoons that I want to post as well, but *no time*. I will share this, though: I am fantasizing adding this as an email tagline - Indoctrinate them? Can you show me how? I can't even get them to follow assignment guidelines.

 I again had a dream with my father in it last night. It was brief. This time the setting was unfamiliar. I don't believe he was using a wheelchair, but he looked as he did five or ten years ago. He was talking about real estate. I know the reason for these dreams or perhaps they are ADCs, and it is something that makes me quite sad.

The semester started yesterday and I had my first class today. Harry barked for about the first 15 minutes. Otherwise, it was OK.

I have a slogan idea, inspired by this: IF I AM FAR LEFT, YOU MUST BE A FASCIST. 

I dreamed about my father a little over a week ago. It was very realistic and impactful. He was as he was five years ago, during the Summer of 2020, using a manual wheelchair, speaking well, very sharp. He was in the hallway of his house, talking to someone on the phone. He said he and my mother were moving.

I have my classes ready on Brightspace and the syllabi are in good shape. I am teaching Toleration after seven years of hiatus, so there is much to do in terms of reading and assignments updates. I got a new smartphone. After a decade (at least) I will miss my cute little mini, but it could not do so many things. I drew one panel of a cartoon. Not sure whether to share now or wait until the whole series is done.

 A couple nights ago, I had an anxiety dream. I have not had one in several years! My classes started and I was totally unprepared. No syllabi at all. I guess it is time to get busy!

 LOL. If you get a bruise from shaking hands, you are not in excellent health. What liars, and most media is complicit. Stay tuned! Nileston News is brewing.

 Amazing what a difference a day makes! Slight drop in humidity and I feel much better.

The weather has been making me feel shi**y. I've had allergies for a while, and they seem to be increasing with age. I always thought allergies caused symptoms like clogged sinuses, runny nose, itchy eyes, and that's what I've had in the past. But this year, all that is accompanied by clogged ears, dizziness, foggy head. A sensation sort of like swimming under water. My father had bad allergies, and I think I didn't "get it" until this year.

A few nights ago I had a dream about Sophie. It was so good to see her again!😍 

 As summer clicks by, I am beginning to think about getting ready to teach this Fall...