Despair Is Not a Long-Term Solution, Part II

I wrote this statement in a post-election essay back in November 2016:

"In Trump, I saw an erratic, ineloquent businessman with no experience in politics. His actions and words showed clear racism and misogyny, and he used fear to gather and excite his voting base. Subjectively, he gave me the impression that I would be wiser to interview the advisors he surrounds himself with to prepare for the day (somewhere in Year Two) when he got bored of governing."

Between his mediocre first term and his subsequent actions in 2021, it was clear to me that Trump did not deserve a second chance in office. I saw a volatile, divisive man with no concrete plans, one who consistently put himself above country and used his dangerous power and reach to erode public trust with falsehoods.

I'm disappointed that so many Americans lived through the same events I did and came away with such a different summation of the man. This dissonance is something we need to fix to be a functioning, united country again. We focus too much on being surprised by other people's beliefs, opinions, and priorities without raising alarms at the mechanisms that are shaping their viewpoints. Internet echo chambers and shortened attention spans (shaped by the modern "infinite scroll" web pattern) have pushed people to accept questionable information too blithely. As a result, two Americans learn about the same events and people with vastly different interpretations that cannot be reconciled.

We need to restore the nuance to every oversimplified "us versus them" story and reaffirm that the US is a united collection of citizens, not divided tribes of paragons and enemies. I don't have a solution for this (let's end racism while we're at it!), but identifying a problem is the first step.

I look forward to the day that the Republican Party puts forth another candidate I can take seriously -- a morally-upright, conservative candidate with real policies and respect for all Americans. In the meantime, I will continue get involved in my local community and exemplify the values I want to spread. I will continue being an ally to anyone that needs an ally. And I will continue voting in good faith for candidates who offer compassionate choices that lift the most Americans up instead of "punching down".

Easy Photos Day

Eating pizza from Rappahanock Pizza Kitchen in room #151 of the Appledore building at Skyland Lodge.

Visible stars from our area.

Breakfast unicorn. (Maia ate the pancakes faster than any food she's ever been given).

At the top of the 1.3-mile Stony Man hike.

Sunset from one of the Skyline Drive overlooks. Maia is accompanied by her new friend, Snikky Snake (not "Sneaky").

Ian runs amok during our lunch stop at Rady Park on the way home.

Review Day

There are no major spoilers in these reviews.

Barry, Season Four:
The final season of Barry is a misfire. While it works as a conclusion to the story, it leans too far into pathos and loses the careful balance of laughs that buoyed the previous seasons. A multi-year time jump in the middle of season kills most of the momentum.

Final Grade: C-

Jury Duty:
This is Rebecca's favourite show of the year -- a limited series reality show where a juror doesn't realize that all the other jurors are actors. Funny without being over the top, and ultimately pretty positive-spirited as well. On Prime Video.

Final Grade: B+

Quiz Lady (R):
This is a pleasant, throwaway comedy about a woman who goes on a game show to pay off her dog's ransom. The leads work well together and a guest spot by Will Ferrell is surprisingly reined in. On Hulu.

Final Grade: B

ZEF: The Story of Die Antwoord:
Part art show experiment and part interview, this is probably the weirdest documentary I've ever watched. The line between art and fact is wavy and matches the vibe of this South African rap group's shock music. It runs out of steam in the last 3rd, but is very cinematic throughout. On Prime Video.

Final Grade: C+

End-of-the-Month Highlights Day

New photos have been added to the Life, 2024 album.

• Events
  • Down with one of the kids' viruses on T 10/1.
  
  
  • 15th Anniversary on H 10/3. Fall Break trip to Lusby, MD, H 10/3 - S 10/6. Visited Calvert Cliffs and the Marine Museum.
  
  
  • The kids went to the grandparents', F 10/11 - S 10/13.
  
  
  • Date night at Local Provisions on S 10/12 followed by a Bacon Brothers concert at Reston Town Center.
  
  
  • Went to the HOA meeting on W 10/16.
  
  
  • Helped out with my parents after a broken hip, F 10/18 - S 10/20.
  
  
  • Went to a work dinner celebrating a $1.6B contract on T 10/22.
  
  
  • Rebecca and Maia went to an all-day Girl Scout camping event at Lake Fairfax on S 10/26. Ian and Brian visited the grandparents and had dinner at Miller's.
  
  
  • Carved our pumpkins on S 10/27.
  
  
  • More hip shenanigans on M 10/28.
  
  
  • Extracted a dead mouse from a wall crevice on T 10/29. Family hike in Claude Moore, followed by dinner at Bungalow Lakehouse.
  
  
  • Trick or Treating in the neighbourhood on H 10/31.


• Projects
  • Replaced the walking belt on my 12-year-old treadmill on S 10/12.
  
  
  • Donated laptops to the Girls Who Code program in Sterling.


• Consumerism
  • Played Satisfactory way too much.
  
  
  • No amazing new movies, books, music, or shows this month. Really enjoyed rewatching Fallout though.

October's Final Grade: C+, peaks and valleys cancel each other out

Easy Photos Day

Maia receives a free soccer ball and a medal at the end of her 6-week free soccer program at Forest Grove.

Maia and Ian play their first VS Mario Kart race (Maia got the gold trophy and Ian came in 12th).

Trunk or Treat at Forest Grove. Ian was a spooky ghost but the costume was too big for walking around in.

Maia and Rebecca at an all-day Girl Scout event at Lake Fairfax.

Ian eating a burger at Miller's with me during the Girl Scout event.

Maia puts her new fire-starting skills to work so we can carve our pumpkins on the chilly patio ("This kindle tower is called 'the hashtag'.")