It's a snowglobe today as I gaze outside here on Northridge Drive. A very gentle snowfall, at least so far. Yesterday the forecast indicated we're outside the big colored blotch on the map that indicated severity. Serene atmosphere right now. Sunshine would be so much more preferable. All my life I have heard of seasonal affective disorder but never felt I had it. This year maybe I became a candidate.
There was a pervasive atmosphere of gloom leading up to our recent blizzard, like the storm needed to work up a head of steam. That's unusual, isn't it? But be prepared for unique phenomena with Minnesota weather. When you think you've seen it all. . .
I never got in the mood to put out Christmas lights. They stayed in the basement, actually in our fallout shelter. My neighbor to the west also has a fallout shelter. Our houses were both built in 1962. You might recall that the Cold War grew to its most dangerous in 1962. Homes with fallout shelters were put up in a narrow window of time, I gather.
Did you see the episode of the "Happy Days" TV show that reflected on that? The show illustrated beautifully how America came to turn thumbs-down on the shelters. The gist of that: If a worldwide nuclear conflagration were to actually happen, life wouldn't be worth living anyway.
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| The Space Needle, Seattle |
Not only did our UMM singers perform, at the top of their game, they opened the "Minnesota Day" program. Quite a distinction. Nothing better for putting UMM on the map. And how our local advocates of the school were delighted to see it!
Full disclosure: my father was the group's director. He sent me a postcard while he was out there. He signed it "Poppa."
Today there is some restlessness in connection to our UMM. Perhaps "storm clouds" is overstatement. But the well-known Regent Steve Sviggum, a household name in state Republican politics, got his dander up. UMM is rather down in the dumps with enrollment. I mean, approximately 1000 after having a student body of 1700 in 2013. I'm remembering these numbers from my media consumption.
Perhaps the numbers could even be revised and not in an encouraging way - good friends of mine who are in the UMM milieu wax rather skeptical about if we're even holding at 1000. I have learned who to talk to after all these years. Some of my critics would say my discretion is questionable.
Hey, just looked out the window to the north and snow is coming down harder! Who knows how it'll be by the time I proofread and click on "publish." In the old days I wrote 365 days for the Morris newspaper. I'd be sitting at the office Sunday mornings when I should have said to myself "knock it off" and gone to church. Not only go to church but sit with my parents.
But you see, our society had a different set of attitudes in an earlier time. In fact, the digital age has caused a sea change on so many levels. Regarding family life, the society of today really doesn't care at all if adults are living with parents.
A related point: no one need feel defensive or embarrassed to say "I'm not working." Economics commentator George Gammon gave some perspective in a recent posting. He was so precise as he described with emphasis how when he was young, you were literally expected to move out of your parents' home on the day after high school graduation. There would be ridicule if you did not.
Ridicule, too, if you reached a stage in your life where you could not say you were employed. All things being equal, it's best to have a job. It's not so simple for a lot of people nowadays. The dizzying digital-fueled efficiencies have swept away the tedium that used to characterize so many jobs. So what's left are jobs that require a high level of training/education and analysis. The new ballgame isn't for everybody.
So how will we all get by? I'll quote the spouse of a high school classmate friend: "Eventually the Federal government is just going to take care of everyone." I had to ponder that. Seems outlandish when you first weigh it. But I don't know.
My high school class was of 1973 and Morris High School. We were not "Area" yet. We could sing the school song the way it was intended with "MHS" shouted at the start. Bob Schaefer wrote the song. Of course the lyrics had to be altered when changes came along.
Can we assume that Schaefer would have some concern as an artist? He would not have written the song the way it is performed/sung now. Actually they'd have to sing "MACA" now, not "MAHS." I don't go to games so I have to surmise certain things. Might be fun to attend a few, but I'd feel a little conspicuous being alone. That's especially as an older male with white hair.
I told Todd Hottovy I wouldn't in a million years consider going to a girls game. However, if I were to simply "be with" someone, ideally a player's parent, that would be fine and dandy, no problem. Society is nervous today. I attend band concerts by myself. Since I'm not known to have children - actually the focus would be grandchildren now - some people might wonder why I'm there.
Society is nervous and I know that from firsthand observation. If you don't live alone you might not understand.
I attended the Barb Wilts retirement concert of the MAHS choirs and was stunned to see the auditorium almost full. If I remember correctly the concert covered the whole grades 5-12. I was frustrated trying to get a place to sit: on 3-4 occasions people told me "these seats are saved." Really? I don't believe it. Finally Jason Kirwin from further up came to the rescue - he waved for me to come up to his section where a seat was available. Ahem, it was an obstructed-view seat. But bless you Jason.
I might have tried to leave the place and get my two bucks refunded from Lenora Waddell.
I wonder how much longer the school will accept cash for admission to school events. A couple years ago Willmar football changed to disallow cash for admission. We know this is coming. I feel sorry for Lenora and others when they have to make change for large bills. Legend has it, these people sometimes have a $100 bill pass before them. Hard to believe, but as stated earlier I have credible sources.
I wonder if the murders out in Idaho in a subtle way cast a pall over the holiday season. So now someone is arrested. I had thought that when the walls closed in around that person, he'd take his own life. That would spare society the cost of ponying up for the protracted legal process. Wait 'til the state tries to apply the death penalty - the appeals go on ad nauseam - the public picks up the tab.
I suggested in an online place that this is a case where I suspect many people are fantasizing about vigilante justice. I know we don't do things like that in America. Probably politically incorrect to suggest it. Any lawyer would probably pounce on me. People in the legal profession have their nice little gigs going with these systems.
How about a flash mob of several thousand people surrounding the place where the killer is detained. Yes I could say "alleged killer."
The mob would say "we're coming inside to get him and you'll have to shoot us to stop us."
Just imagine. But it won't happen.
So the media will be fed a big fat story indefinitely as the legal system does its thing. Lawyers put in their "billable hours." And get paid handsomely. Applies to the judges too. The system churns onward.
Congress? That's certainly in the news today as Republicans are pissing all over each other. Let me quote from "Bullwinkle": "Kevin McCarthy is a dope."
I have only one question for Matt Gaetz: "Why did you request a pardon for having sex with a 17-year-old girl?"
And the ex-president's lawyer was an abuser of alcohol and also with cognitive issues. Stop this carousel, I want to get off. We need the soothing effect of the gently falling snow.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwillh73@yahoo.com
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