The Case of the Missing Socks

I posted a meme recently about how we sweat the small things in life sometimes. In response to the post, this is not for those of your who’ve conquered this malady, because it is almost an illness. 

The meme contained a picture of mixed matched socks. I made mention in my post that I would always get on my girls about their socks rarely matching. This small thing used to drive me absolutely nuts, in all honesty. Made my teeth itch. My oldest granddaughter would tell me, well they’re the same color” as if mattered. 

Lately, my very own socks have been missing in action. Sometimes I carefully pin them together when washing, but as of late, I have not. So now they’re disappearing. I looked in the lint trap in my dryer, no dice. I retraced my steps for the escapee from the basket. Nope. Just pouf! Gone. Displaced to the place they go, wherever the heck that is!

Then I thought about it. Missing socks for me personally is a metaphor. As I mentioned a while back, I would pin mine together. To keep them together. So that this would not disturb my peace. I’m far from a neat freak, but I do like a certain order. Missing socks breaks that order. I no longer have control of my socks. Therefore, socks have joined the ranks of things I can no longer control. And that irritates me.

We all like some semblance of control. We control what we eat, drink, wear, view on tv, just about everything. But in actuality we control very little. We operate under the delusion we’re running things. WE ARE NOT! 

I understand, before the religious get at me that we control a very minute portion of our world, and I thank God He’s in control and not me. But the case of the missing socks really brought it home for me. We can’t even control our freaking socks y’all! Control! It comes down to control. Janet Jackson’s jam was a big ol lie! She wasn’t running anything! She had all the young women when they left the nest thinking they were running stuff. Hah! 

My socks were my last stand of control, and they miraculously take flight. So even though I’ve always known God was running things, for us who lean towards being worry warts, and I know I’m not the only one, forget about it. 

Wrapping this up in a neat little bow, in my humble, control is synonymous with worry. We worry about that which we cannot control. Many of us don't care we can't control it, we'll worry despite that.

When issues arise, and we can't do anything about it, we have a tendency to worry, if only for a brief moment. If it’s out of our control, many of us pray and pick it right back up, when we’re supposed to leave it and let it go. Control-worry. Worry-control! STOP IT! 

Just go buy some more socks,

The Happiest of New Years to you, one and all.

Ninakupenda 

Kupendana

Christmas Time Is Here

It’s that peace on Earth, good will towards men time of year. What’s the song…? People making lists, buying special gifts. That time of year.

But I would venture to say for everyone that looks forward to the biggest holiday of the year, there are an equal number of those who dread it.  Loneliness for some creeps in and brings its best friend depression. Anxiety, in many cases goes through the roof. Anyone who’s lost a loved one recently can attest to that. Or had a medical issue. Or financial setbacks know this is not the most wonderful time of the year, contrary to what the song says. 

• Now, we love Jesus, most of us. However, sometimes it’s hard to conjure up that childlike wonder for the holiday. And why, for the reasons I’ve stated above. Plus, while some truly do feel they holiday down to their toes, other are fake. No smiles, though it’s hard to tell underneath the mask. This is the second Christmas out of our norm. COVID’s antivaxxers have really put a damper on the holiday this year. Last year we were feeling our way through. This year they know. They don’t care. Ok then, kill yourself, but why take someone with you? So again, families will be separated. The ones exercising great wisdom will, hopefully, especially from those unvaccinated. So, oldsters are alone. Can somebody buy their grandparents a smartphone so they can at least Google duo/FaceTime dear ones? But the elderly suffers most. 

The only thing that gets me through Christmas is remembering the true reason for the season. Christ Jesus. So, I’ll throw Christmas music in while I’m cooking. Or cleaning. Songs that focus on the gift and the giver of said gift. Combat depression by having your own party with the Babe in the manger. Celebrate Him!

I find it’s not only uplifting, but therapeutic. And stop buying a bunch of meaningless gifts for people who probably don’t appreciate them anyway. Uh Huh I Said It!

Rediscover the magic of the season. It’ll do you good! Merry Christmas everyone. 

Ninakupenda 

Kupendana

What Are You Thankful For?

1 Thessalonian 5:18 In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 

We are fastly approaching the thankfulness season. I don’t think it should be limited to one day. We have numerous things to be thankful for each and every day. From what we consider the minute to the spectacular we have reasons to be thankful.

The world is in turmoil, that is a fact. Food, gas and everything else with a price is on the rise. EVERYTHING IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN A YEAR AGO. And please, do NOT think I’m laying this at the feet of our current POTUS. Events of the last year, a former President who didn’t treat the novel coronavirus as seriously as he should have and the subsequent lockdowns due to that brought us to where we are. Personally, I don’t know how some are making it through, unemployed, with the current state of affairs in the US. But God..!

In addition to astronomical prices for goods and services, we’re watching America break down, a shell of her former self. For some of us, this land, as that great writer, Langston Hughes so aptly put, has never been crystal stairs. We are watching people get off, scot free, killing protesters with no weapons basically just because he felt like it, saw an opportunity and went for it. Crossing state lines, a mere kid, brandishing a weapon, treated like royalty, shedding a few fake, dry eye tears and being able to walk. A judge who seemed to head up the defense team and didn’t care who noticed it. I’ve read countless comments on line on why white people cannot comprehend why minorities are so distraught with the verdict. They can’t wrap their heads around the fact that had he been a 17 year old Black boy, the cops would have mowed him down immediately with no need for trial.

Now another trial with a different circumstance that did involve a young Black man  is under way. He was running away, they chased him down to kill him, but once again claimed self defense. Self defense? SELF DEFENSE?

So with all this, the virus is still raging. Now we’ll be couped up in enclosed spaces, so fully expect an uptick. We are also having a battle between the anti-vaxers and the vaccinated. That has really got people losing their minds. But why did it become so politically charged? The man who started it all and

his family are vaccinated, but he implies it’s for the weak. He also discouraged people from masking up. It’s insane. If you don’t want the vaccine, MASK UP! Go on and play Russian Roulette with your life, that’s cool. Be leave me out of it. 

So now, some of you may be wondering after all this, what the hell is there to be thankful for? For one thing, if you’re reading this, you’re yet in the land of the living. Over 700K didn’t make it due to this bug. The simple things, even in the throws of madness here in America must not be forgotten. Food on the table, shoes on your feet, clothes on your back, shelter, transportation and all the tangibles. More importantly or equally maybe for some, your family. Your parents, children, siblings, extended family and friends. Beautiful days when we’re just flowing effortlessly through life. And times when we don’t know what to do, we really do know what to do.  Even more importantly, above all that, is the One who lets us run on, no matter how badly we act. How unfeeling and hard we may be, He still loves us dearly and moves heaven and earth for us, when we find our tails in a crack. Those three, God, His Son, our Savior, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, who prompts leads and  directs if we just give up some control. 

So let’s really celebrate the blessings bestowed upon us with a heart chock full of thankfulness. And let’s run with it throughout the season of Advent, and all the seasons that follow. Let gratitude break through like a good sweat when your working out. Or like that time you were speeding and the cop you passed didn’t even notice. Like when you thought it was over, and it wasn’t. Live like that. Let others know how thankful you are for them. And most of all, our Heavenly Father. 

Happy Thanksgiving All

Ninakupenda 

Kupendana

Did We Miss The Memo? It's My Uterus-Not Yours

Texas, Texas, Tex-ass.... what can I say??? PLENTY!

Y'all sitting still for that??? I don't even know where to begin. At all! But being me, I will take a stab at it.

First, and foremost, I am pro-choice. However, I'm not a huge fan of abortion. Women have various and sundry reasons for resorting to such a measure. NUMEROUS! I'll touch on a few, to get them out the way. The young girl molested by grandpa, daddy, uncle, cousin or family friend. The women dragged into the alley or some place not easily seen by passerby. Slipped a drug. Or the women who are informed at some point in their pregnancy that it is ill advised to go to term. Or the ones who already care for more children than they can afford, and sperm donor is no where to be found, and know they can't possibly feed another child. And these are just a few that bounce off the top of my

head. Sure there are some, who use abortion as a  means to birth control, that's undeniable. But they are in the minority. For most women, this is a hard, traumatic decision. And for many having a baby, then relinquishing rights is a bridge too far after carrying it for nine months. So adoption is a non-starter. And so many struggle through the aftermath of abortion. The guilt. The pain. The self recrimination, because who is harder on us than us?

Whatever the circumstance, why does it fall under the purview of men, and if I'm honest, old white men to make this decision for women. Who are they to make a decision for the opposite sex, when there is no way they could comprehend the action? Who made these men judge and jury? Why do they feel it's their "God given right" to decide the plight of women?   

Before I really begin, let me say, again, I'm not an advocate of abortion, but at the same time I'M PRO LIFE! Pro life is cradle to the grave. Prolife is caring for people who cannot care for themselves, be they 8-80. It just seems to hypocritical to care so much for fetuses, and not care for those that are breathing. Make it make sense, somebody PLEASE! Because Ilia does not understand. 

So this leads me to believe they don't care about the unborn, not at all. These so called Christians have shown their hands on so many occasions. But here's the tea. They don't care one whit about abortions, they care about the population! It has been widely publicized that in the next 13-15 years, white people will be the minority in America. White people, like their Black counterparts are not reproducing in great numbers. Meanwhile, Hispanics and Asians are. In huge numbers. These two ethnicities are making babies y'all. However, unlike white people, this fact does not throw Black people into a tailspin, or panic like it does some white people. While our share is slow moving, it is not declining, it remains constant. Furthermore, we remain the most vocal group in America, and we get stuff done. For example, voter's rights, open housing not two mention, two new federal holidays in the last 30 years that everyone can partake of. Some white people cannot stand the thought of being in the minority! They have bought into the myth that they created this country. That they discovered it. They did NOT! Native Americans, the Indigenous were already here. How do you discover an inhabited land. But again, they feel they built all this. NEWS FLASH, AFRICAN AMERICANS BUILT THIS COUNTRY. The Chinese built the railroads. They seem to have selective memory and with that revisionist, flawed memory, they chose to believe a lie.     

Now they're losing control. Hispanics are cranking the next generation out fast and furious, and this is why they, old white men, are SO ANTI-ABORTION, in my humble. They want to increase their birth rate. Doesn't matter the fetus was conceived through incest or rape. Doesn't matter that the fetus probably won't live beyond a few hours, days or months. Or that the child will suffer mind blowing issues if it goes beyond the afore mentioned time frame. Or that the act of delivering the child may be an act of self sacrifice for the mom. They are willing to get that birth rate up by hook or crook. A bunch of old men think by virtue of testosterone and a penis they get to decide for women.

But it's hypocrisy. Because once the child comes, then what? Are you going to provide for the child? Are you going to give it the foundation it needs to become a contributing, thriving member of the community? NO! They will make it harder and harder for the mom to care for the child. They just want to be able to count it, but once it takes it's first breath, the concern is over. It's obvious the way they love to cut child care, early learning programs, food stamps and aid. Minorities get caught up in the madness. They don't want more of us, but are willing to deal with it, on some level, if it ensures their number bouncing back. 

Six weeks is now the cutoff period, and most women don't even realize they're pregnant that early. Now, they want vigilantes to monitor women's clinics to turn in doctors, nurses, aides, and abortion seekers

to receive a ten thousand reward. I cannot make this stuff up! So, if you're broke, hang out at your local women's clinic and make some quick cash. And the crazies? Some people think they are God's personal vigilantes and will probably just start cutting down on doctors and other medical personnel, because Texans walk around toting their weapons like it's a limb.

Abbott et.al are on one. Question is what can be done? Stand up Texans! Find out what you can do, although in actuality it's gone through the courts. Remember him at the ballot box. The few you still have left. The bad news is, of course, Florida is trying to emulate Texas. Even politicians in central Indiana have stated they're looking into a similar tact. White people are running scared. Could it be, they are afraid that they'll be treated as they've treated? That must be scary as all get out. To have to endure what you've put millions of others through. That's enough to make you want to end a woman's right to choose. Gotta get those numbers up, by any means necessary.

Last, but not least, if you noticed, I didn’t do a deep dive into interpretation of scripture, what God thinks or any of that. All I can say is this. We all must one day stand in front of our Creator, and give an account for every action we took. No one can answer for another, on judgement day. So how about we allow women and men the free will God grants us. We must understand we cannot send anyone to hell or heaven, it’s way beyond our pay grade. So don’t be so quick to judge. You really shouldn’t judge a person’s actions, without knowing their choices.

That's all I got!

Ninakupenda

Kupendana

Keep Going

August was hard. An indisputable fact.

People I love lost people they love. People I cared for immensely, went on, as Rev Arrington is known to say, to give account of their stewardship. One was unexpected. Now for most of us, that is the preferred way of departure. Just going to bed one night and awaking in the arms of Jesus. But it is absolutely devastating for those they leave behind. Crushing. Soul wrenching. Spirit killing. The other, it was low key expected, at least by me. I prayed fervently for a miracle and he fought for a long time. I prayed for him so long that praying for him crept into my prayers and I had to remember that he was no longer among us. His wife and some some of us are devastated even though it hadn’t looked good for quite some time.

Then a big church event had to be overseen. The stress of doing something you’ve never done before, with the entire congregation, community and your pastor watching was extremely daunting. Especially due to the city of Gary and the nonstop headaches they provided. Gary concerns  itself with ants when it

should be concerned with dragons.

Add to all this, life, and personal issues that we deal with, that we don’t speak to others about, because in our minds, they can’t do anything, so why trouble them with your problems? Then depression sets in. A least for me. It’d been going on for me since the beginning of July, but August was at fever pitch. I was diagnosed clinically depressed twice, once after my divorce many years ago and once a couple of years ago. Fortunately during both episodes, I had some of the finest insurance money can by, so a prescription of Paxil taken

once a day for six months did the trick. But now, my insurance is what my income will bear, so I can no longer see that doctor. So I was just, I don’t know, just spinning. Watching hours of mindless television, rarely prying myself out my recliner, no focus whatsoever, and I’d stopped working out. Hardly went the entirety of August, well maybe twice. Blogging and my podcast took a backseat. It’s been so hard putting on a happy face, doing life, crying inside, trying to move on, not anesthetizing myself with alcohol, and I love wine, SO MUCH, but it only makes matters worse. Now, if I’d been able to see my old doctor, by end of August, I would’ve been me again. The same Ilia inside and out. But I didn’t have that luxury. 

Some of y’all may be asking, so what did you do? Well, I’m still doing it, however, I felt a shift about a week ago. But I’m talking it out. Don’t laugh, but to myself. I’m fighting. It’s true, Donald Lawrence and the Tri-City singers have it absolutely right. “Sometimes you have to encourage yourself.”So I stand in front of a mirror and preach myself to a better place. I turn off the tv and play worship music.
John P Kee soothes my soul, kind of like David’s playing did for Saul. And only him, for some reason,

only JPK. Then I prayed for a week to be able to get back to my other place of peace, the health club. That wasn’t going well. Then one of my Facebook friends showed her before and after pictures and how she’d lost over 140 pounds. A whole person she’d lost. And something went off and told me, you have 28 pounds to go to reach your goal. Keep going. That figured into my depression, because in my mind I hadn’t made much progress. But now I know I have. I’m 3 pounds away from half my goal. Keep going.

I must keep going. You must keep going.

So everyone, just know, the meme that’s always circulating telling us to be kind, because we don’t know what people are going through is a fact. I’m pretty certain no one who looked at me or talked to me knew all the tears I’ve shed in the last 30 days. All the times I slept most of the day away, if I wasn’t glued to the boob tube. The times I wanted to spend with my grands, but I just didn’t have the mental fortitude. Life is hard. It’s rough. A roller coaster. The ebb and flow. But sometimes we just have to go through to get to. Gotta climb that mountain all by yourself. Gotta sit in the valley alone. In all honesty, I don’t recommend the way I handle it. Reach out to someone you trust for support. Somebody who won’t make your issues front page news. As I said, avoid 

alcohol/unprescribed drugs. Pray and move your body. Pray some more. It gets better. Day by day. I really miss my mom at times like this. Our most trusted confidant, moms after Jesus.

So I just want to tell you to keep going. If you can do one thing a day, while you’re going through issues the mouth can’t speak of, that helps. Keep going. And realize God has not forgotten about you. Keep going. Look up. Keep going. Put that fork down, lol. Keep going. Keep going. Keep going. Don’t quit on yourself. Be your biggest cheerleader. Keep going. Pain/hurt take time to heal. Keep going. Issues eventually get resolved. Keep going.

So again, be kind, because you have no idea what others are dealing with. Be light, so someone in a dark place can better see. 

Please know that there are organizations that stand ever at the ready to help those who TRULY need help, therapy and medications at little or no cost in some communities. PLEASE AVAIL YOURSELF OF THESE PROGRAMS IF NECESSARY. You’ve probably already paid for them through your tax dollars or contributions you’ve made to organizations that support programs such as these. Be encouraged.

Keep going

Ninakupenda 

Kupendana

A Wonderful Consolation Prize

What is the whitest thing Amerikkka can do at this juncture in time?

Glad you asked. Give up a holiday! She thinks she's so slick, federalizing Juneteenth. a holiday that the masses(African Americans) can enjoy. Granted by the same people that begrudge us voting rights, and the right not to be cut down in the streets by racists cops. While everyone, Black that is, can appreciate the sentiment, it kind of rings hollow. The very men (and women) who voted to bring this holiday to fruition, are the same scoundrels that would deny POC their ability to vote. Ironic, isn't it. These are the very same souls who are blocking the "For The People Act", also known as H.R.1. This is the bill in the United States Congress intended to expand voting rights, change campaign finance laws to reduce the influence of money in politics, limit partisan gerrymandering, and create new ethics rules for federal officeholders. Needless to say, this is going over like a lead balloon. They don't really care that Black people in Texas waited an additional 2 1/2 years to learn of the freedom slaves in other states were enjoying. NO! It's a bone, thrown out to appease us as they strip us of our voting rights. Point. Blank. Period. Do you honestly think they care? C'mon. They don't want to expand voting rights. They're paranoid because they KNOW in about 20 years they'll be the minority. They want to keep the status quo. Plain and simple. They want to keep their big donors contributing and will do anything to that end. 

Which brings us to the other reason for the holiday, in my humble, the “George Floyd  Justice in Policing Act.” This prohibits federal, state and local law enforcement from racial, religious and discriminatory profiling. Mandates training on racial, religious and discriminatory profiling for all law enforcement. Requires law enforcement to collect date on all investigatory activities. This bill is formally known as H.R. 7120. You can see why this bill is up against it, can you not? The GOP has the backing of the police unions in this country. They absolutely loved Mr. Don't be so nice when you're putting them in the squad car Trump. Remember that? They feel he is the law and order president, the most corrupt president in modern times carries the banner for law and order. If it wasn't so ridiculous, it'd be hilarious.

While I have no deep rooted problem with celebrating the final days of chattel slavery in these yet to be united states, and I deeply appreciate the trauma, abuse and mental anguish my ancestors had to deal with, I think this holiday could have waited until such time as the afore mentioned bills were law. At this juncture, it appears we are given the holiday as a consolation prize. This holiday appears to be an olive branch.  "Look, we ain't passing all that, so take this and be glad." Deep down, I personally feel that this is an election tool of the far right. Passing this holiday met with VERY LITTLE OPPOSITION! Think about that. Come mid terms they'll be able to say, " We're not racists! We passed that holiday. We don't hate minorities in general and Black Americans in particular. Look what we did!" The very people that would deny some the right to vote were all gun-ho for this. Why? These are the same people who want to white wash history. They want to portray Black people during slavery as something akin to indentured servants. Right. They don't even want it uttered in schools. Just forget about that point in American history, same way they've done the indigenous people who Columbus discovered. Laughable. 

I thank my ancestors, my great grandmother who was born right after and my great grandfather who was born at the tail end of the ugliest part of American history for their resilience, strength and faith. I thank my great great grandparents who endured things this chick doesn't even want to imagine. AT ALL! I thank my God that they made it through so I could be here. In that vein, although torn, I find myself happy for the miracle that is Juneteenth. Because, it is a bonafide miracle. In spite of MTG, Matt Goetz, Turtle McConnell and even Joe Manchin, we were able to get this day. For us. Everyone can celebrate MLK when the holiday rolls around. He represented where America should be, even though we have not arrived. This day is different. It's not appealing to our better natures as he did. This is dealing with the past, reflecting, and paying homage to those who survived the middle passage and rolled up on these shores, so far from home, to be treated horrifically- and most survived. And here we are. The great grands and great great grands of a strong people. I'm so proud. Incredibly proud. 

So I'm gonna take my mixed emotions having butt on. But please, look at the big picture. Politicians are cunning and deceitful--both parties. Pray for wisdom to discern what is really going on. With all this said.... Thank you great grandma Hattie Richardson-Hilson, and thank you too great grandad Jacob Hilson.

HAPPY JUNETEENTH!!!    

Ninakupenda

Kupendana  

The Most Lethal Street Gang In Amerikkka

It is so amazing that one group of people can so fervently despise another group to the point of forgetting they took an oath to serve and protect. It seems they are on a constant quest to systematically reduce an entire populace based solely on the color of their skin. It boggles the mind and defies explanation how they, "peace officers" seem to get away with it with very few exceptions. George Floyd and Botham Jean seem to be the only victims of police violence whereas the perpetrators have met with justice. If there's more, please bring them back to my remembrance in the comments below. IMPUNITY, PLAIN AND SIMPLE. During deliberations for Mr. Floyd, another young Black man was cut down in Murderapolis. Duante Wright. Since young Mr. Wright, there have been NUMEROUS OTHERS. It seems the boys in blue suffer from something that renders them more deadly than COVID-19. The disease is in the ranks and is spreading rapidly, and apparently, like the Coronavirus, there is no cure. Officers with personnel files chock full of misbehavior are returned to the streets, and evidently assigned rookies to train in the field. 

Black people are not safe in their beds, sofas, driving, shopping, dining out, in short, ANYWHERE. We are killed just living our lives by the biggest gang in Amerikkka. Patrolmen. Police Officers. And blue is their color, murder is their mindset, and extermination is their goal. Cops are a gang, albeit a legal one. They stick together as fiercely as the boys in the hood. They will lie, corrupt evidence, and try to have us disbelieve what our very eyes have witnessed. Gaslighting at its finest. In my opinion they are all corrupt today. If they weren't, tragedies that Black and Brown people experience would be cut down exponentially, if they had the wherewithal to pursue the miscreant brethren they have, weed them out, and decide that this is not policework, but annihilation of specific groups of people simply judged by how they walk, talk or dress. Sadly, the "good cops" have no spine. They are gutless individuals with extremely low morals and no heart. Everyday, in Amerikkka it would appear we are living an episode of The Shield. Here a dirty cop, there a dirty cop, everywhere a dirty cop.

I'm not the QAnon type, by no stretch of the imagination. But there is an agenda, and if you cannot see this, I don't know what to say to you. The influx of drugs in our communities,  couples with its unfair sentencing laws, decimated many communities. Steel production, where most young people could get very good paying jobs with minimal education shuttered and went out of the country. Which left what in its wake...? Nothing. Crime is, to too many, an easier way of taking care of their families. Minimum wage won't cut it when you have mouths to feed. This became a tool in the removal of many Black men, and women from the communities. But I think arresting them and sending them off for long sentences was not eradicating the problem of having Black and Brown people in the community. Eventually, most will return to their hometowns. So I believe the thought became, "just get rid of them." You can't come back if you're dead. Someone, somewhere put out a hit on Black people. Increasingly more Brown ones as well. Even the FBI have stated that white supremacists groups have infiltrated the police ranks. But what I cannot understand is why Black cops and Brown ones don't stand up? Maybe the blue supersedes the Black which cannot be washed off?

I invited two police officers I know well to participate in a podcast. I requested questions from my Facebook friends as to what they'd like to ask a cop. One cop, a former policeman, retired, told me he'd do it in the spring, and lo and behold, he didn't even have the balls to respond once I submitted your questions. The other would never commit to a date, and when pressed constantly changed the subject. Keep in mind, I gave both the questions ahead of time. I'm not the one to blindside you. But they both punked out. I have zero respect for either now. They should have just had the balls to inform me that this was a bridge too far, and had a change of heart. Of course, I would have brow beat them. I wouldn't be Ilia and not. But I might've been able to keep a modicum of respect for them. Now, sadly, that's irretrievably gone. 

Like I said, that gang is like none other. Crips, Bloods, Gangster Disciples, Latin Kings HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ON THE BOYS IN BLUE! Even the afore mentioned gangs never have their dirty work recorded because they know the outcome. Boys in blue don't care. They're filmed all day and still resort to heinous activities. A cell phone does not deter these loose cannons.

Summer is bearing down on us. Be careful out there. Not just of drive-bys perpetrated by warring factions in the hood, but those flashing blue lights as the storm up behind you. Both are deadly, but only one goes to jail. UH HUH I SAID IT!

Ninakupenda

Kupendana    

   

Rev Jeremiah Wright Was Right- but now what do we do?

Why are the Republicans calling for Liz Cheney to be removed, while Marjorie Taylor Green is calling for the death of Democrats she does not agree with. At this writing, I’m told she’s scrubbing both her Twitter and Facebook feeds. I wonder why? 

Increased security is the rule of the day. Jeffries, AOC, et. al are having to be assigned security details due to the constant harassment from the far right loons.  Speaker Pelosi, I’ve read has a small army. These people are probably guarded as much as the POTUS. And poor Pence. I’ve read from various publications that he and his wife are couch hopping. He’s stated his wish to move back to Indiana, and is here presently, but he’s moving around. This is his new reality, because he didn’t pull a stunt he wasn’t able pull off anyway. 

The level of hate is rampant. The lies that have been ingested and then regurgitated in the form of violence and promises of more on the horizon. But it’s what Amerikkka knows best. She majored in it,

has matriculated from Viet Nam to present day Middle East. VIOLENCE. America has perpetrated violence all over the world, in ways we witnessed, low key ways, and I’m sure things we know nothing about. We have low key installed who we wanted to lead numerous countries. Behind coup after coup after coup. And NOW, as the Rev. Dr.  Jeremiah A Wright Jr has been lambasted for saying, the chickens have come home to roost. What goes around does indeed come back around. Some call it Karma and others of us call it reaping what’s been sowed. So here we are. He so, so prophetic in his messages.  Clairvoyant like. But because his congregation was Black, in a Black community he had to be just some racist old clergyman. Didn’t help that his most prominent parishioners, the  Obama’s threw him under the bus in their quest to get the oval. Another story for another day. But he tried to tell us America could not act like she does and expect no retribution. The only difference I can see is unlike the maneuvers America pulled, our enemies are from within. And it’s not the republicans. True republicans don’t act in this manner. It’s the cult of Trumplicans that are causing all this havoc. And here we are. I don’t think America was this divided in the 50-60s. 

There are crazies in high public offices advocating for the hanging of Pence and a bullet to the head of

Pelosi, and their fellow republicans refuse to weed out these shameful people. Apparently not even pulling them aside for a chat. And instead of calling for the discharge from government for these nutcases, they’d rather call for Cheney to be removed from her chair of a committee, and if that’s not enough, demanding that she resign her seat altogether. Somebody better tell me something. 

But it all boils down to not offending “their” wounded leader. No cojones at all! It’s not like they can get a nasty tweet, a disgusting post on Facebook or a calling out through mainstream media. They so badly want that base of deplorables that he commands to line up behind them. But they cannot if he runs again. Rubio, Hawley and Cruz all have delusions of ascension to the highest office in the land. Holler at me if I’m wrong, but how do they expect to get in if he’s free to run again? Is there another reason for this sickening fealty? I guess it truly is a cult. They cannot break free. My God. In the word of the late great Marvin Gaye, it makes me wanna holler.

I subscribe to a vlog called “Beau of the Fifth Column” on YouTube. I highly recommend his YouTube

page. He’s a good old boy, but highly intelligent and well read. On his vlog today, he said and I quote "an attempt like that which happened on the 6th, if no one is held accountable, it is not a failure, it’s  training, it’s practice.” I said pretty much the same thing on a Facebook post a few days ago. I called it a dress rehearsal.

So what do we do when you have a group that accepts no responsibility or culpability for their actions? How do we handle a large swath of government perfectly fine with taking no action against the one who riled his gang of terrorists into a frenzy, unleashed them on the capitol and watched from closed circuit cameras and lifted not a finger? Unless a miracle happens, he won’t suffer any consequences of his actions and will be free to run again in four years. He has already mentioned Grover Cleveland, the only POTUS to serve twice, but not consecutively.  Meanwhile we’re swimming through a sewer. Also, at this writing states are fast and furiously changing voting laws, to further disenfranchise millions of voters. What do we do? 

Don’t you wanna holler too? 

I’ve called my senators. I’m sure to no avail, since this is a red state and they’re both republicans. I’m at a loss.

So let’s pray like we did leading up to the election. 

That’s all I got. 

Ninakupenda 

Kupendana 

That "Socialistic" Phrase Most Hated Most Needed

 It is my fervent hope with the current administration, we can get something that will help the masses.

How many of us know people who are totally uninsured? No type of insurance in the least. Personally, I've known one person who went without insurance for ten years. They finally obtained insurance under the Affordable Care Act about seven years ago. I was always in prayer that no illness nor harm befell this individual. I also know someone, right now, whom by her own admittance hasn't been able to see a doctor in fifteen years. And she has Asthma and Diverticulosis. She eats next to nothing in order to not have flare ups. The Asthma meds she manages to keep at the ready and pays for through her meager income, which now has been reduced to unemployment insurance, due to the pandemic. Know of anyone who shares these situations? There's millions of uninsured Americans. In the midst of a pandemic, no less.

I, too, have availed myself of the Affordable Care Act, nicknamed Obama care, and let me tell you, nothing about it is affordable, if you've no income, a small one, self employed, or in my case, cannot afford to keep the insurance you had on your job. Once I retired,  I'd have to pay the full amount of insurance through my former job. So while I was working and had top shelf insurance, and only paid one tenth of the premium, it would have increased to over six hundred dollars per month! That's a lot. There is nothing affordable about it. Oh you can do what I did at first and take some janky insurance, and wind up getting nothing in return, no doctors in your area, and a gigantic deductible.

And why? Greed. Insurance Companies have lobbyist who shell out huge amounts to our elected officials to keep it off the table. President Obama had the right idea, but even though at the time, he, too, have all three branches, it was scaled back, watered down, because our elected officials couldn't stand the thought of losing those campaign dollars... ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE. Google it. More than a couple Democrats didn't want it. At All.

Advocates for Medicare for All have won the policy debate, a recent study from the Congressional Budget Office, shows again, that single payer saves money, controls costs, and covers everyone, including long term care. But again, it lacks the support and backing from those who would need to do so, including the 46th president. But this, right now, is prime time.    

Then also, the lies they spin in order to justify not enacting are on a plane with Trump lies. One is, you'll wait months to see a doctor. Not true, and I had two Canadians I met at a union conference tell me that is a lie. Another lie is that the doctors and facilities are second rate. Our neighbors to the north have universities in the country, and many doctors are trained abroad as well, and many were trained right here in the U.S.. But like what we just experienced in this country and still are, if you tell a lie long enough, you can gaslight a bunch of gullible people into believing it. 

But what galls me most is the compensation the CEO's receive. In 2017 Aetna's CEO earned $225,744 PER DAY! Anthem's $101,605 P
ER DAY! Cigna's $168,677 PER DAY, Humana's $131,493 PER DAY! AbbVie's $131,588 PER DAY! WHY???? WHY????

In Canada, and most countries, doctors bill to provincial health authorities, who set prices from the doctor costs down through the procedures. Canadians and other countries patients are left with NO BILLS ZERO COSTS. In Canada, for instance a hip replacement is around $650.00. In America, the average cost is $1634.00. According to my research,

by Kristen Campbell, for the publication, DR. BILL Canadian general practitioners earn pretty much what their American counterparts do. Specialists on the other hand, depending on the specialty, in honesty, can earn far more in America. However, she states that there is a lot of misrepresentation is salaries on this side of the border.

In conclusion, when is American going to do right by its citizenry. Health care should be an absolute right here, as it is in every developed country on the planet. Germany, France, UK, Italy all have it. We just can't seem to stop sucking from the teets of the insurance industry. During a pandemic, there is no better time than to allow all Americans the security of guaranteed healthcare. Families go bankrupt due to medical bills. Lose homes. It's outrageous. America has always been a trailblazer, except in this one area. People are forced to use the emergency room as their primary care physician, which pushes up the costs for everyone, because we all share in that.

Contact your Senators and Congresspersons and tell them to get on Medicare for All. Think of your fellow Americans. Tell them to do likewise.

Ninakupenda

Kupendana

      

The Real America On Full Display. Or We Ain’t Surprised.

After a failed attempted coup, I’m more than a little concerned about what lies ahead. While it’s true that he’s the only POTUS to be impeached not once, but twice, what does it really mean? His team is still firmly behind  him, which causes me more than a little angst. If the impeachment is not successful,

because the last really was not, he’ll be free to run again for the highest office in the land. He may not win  depending who he runs against , but there’s always that possibility. Which makes me, if I’m honest, again, more than a little concerned. Even after his Vice President was in mortal danger because of his boss, his veep met with him and will still NOT begin 25th amendment proceedings. How punk is that? Your boss did not even phone to see if you were safe. Because he did not care! We already know he didn’t give a whit about Pelosi. But his own veep? All because he wouldn’t go outside of his jobs parameters to keep his boss in office. Senators and Congressmen refused to vote to oust this seditionist. All they wanted to do was compare this insurrection  to last summer’s protests for Black Lives Matter. These two things could more different . You had people protesting for equal treatment under the law. To not arrest, judge and execute a sentence that many times included the death penalty. The other, more recent, were just to assuage a man baby who cannot accept the fact that he lost to someone he thought he was so much better than. It’s a bad look for America on the national stage and here at home has divided the nation not unlike the civil war. It’s so disgusting and disturbing the sycophants that keep going along to get along. I cannot understand why? He no longer can send out a snarky tweet. He’s lost his bullhorn. All he has left is Fox News and a few second rate sites(which should tread carefully lest the fate of Parler befall them). 

These are terrifying times in American history. It’s bad enough we’re still struggling with COVID-19, but now we have to contend with half the nation buying into the tales spun by the liar-in-chief. Q-Anon, 8chan and other sites are fueling this even as 45 has been silenced. Living in an alternative reality, their following is hell  bent on destroying the nation because their boy lost. 

Fear is insidious. Many times it comes from nowhere and suck the air out of the atmosphere. It’s crippling. Tiring. And extremely hard to shake. Especially when the airwaves are bombarding us 24/7. And the other side has their own fears, being indoctrinated by you know who. Personally I’m concerned unless they make this impeachment really take, in four years he’ll be back again, if he’s still breathing and we’ll have to go through this once again. I’m also concerned that his following will grow and outnumber sane people. He will not relent. Pence has accepted his loss. A few other Congressmen and Senators same. But until America is rid of him I fear there will never be any peace. 

I don’t wish him ill, believe it or not. The same God that made and loves me loves this degenerate as well. And his misguided minions. But where you at Paula, Franklin, et.al? But I want him out of the White House NEVER TO RETURN.  He is a sick man. And his followers who deny his sickness, to me, are even more ill. We all know his mental state. Narcissism.. Racism. On and on and on. But what is up with them except their desire to remain in charge, these white supremacists who cannot bear the thought of one day soon becoming the minority. They have more than a 400 head start on everyone, but they’re worried? 

The roughest cut of all is that members of Congress may have aided and abetted the insurgents. There’s two names that are constantly being floated as having given tours the day prior! Or disconnecting the panic buttons of some Representatives? Can you imagine? Setting up your fellow lawmakers? You hate them so much, and the constitution but love trump so much that you give aid to

enemies of the state. Doesn’t that make the Congressmen enemies of the state as well?  Somebody better tell me something! One more thing about messing with the members of Congress. One bears the name Cheney. Her dad is gangster from way back. He was a terror as veep under Bush 2, and is not someone to trifle with. Dude shot someone, IN THE FACE, and had absolutely no consequences or repercussions. It was said it was an accident, but the guy allegedly had on loud hunting gear. Remember that y’all? Gangster! Better leave his baby girl alone. 

Let me say this about all that. I and neither should you lose one minute of sleep because of this madness. God still sits high and looks low, and ultimately is still in control. Pray about it and leave it. You cannot do anything about it. I don’t even know what Joe and Kamala can do. It’s beyond us now. My advice? Take God with you everywhere. If you have a pistol and you live in areas that have these crazies, proud boys, militias, etc, like the cops say, better to be judge by 12 than carried by 6. And yes, it’s come to that.

And now all we hear if calls for unity. Arguments something like, 1)we have to put this behind us. (Can the families of the two dead policemen just put this behind them?)  2)This will only stoke his base further, and risk more insurgents attacking the inauguration and state capitals in all 50 states.  3) Joe Biden wants to bring unity to our country, here’s the place to start. Why does the onus for unity fall on the opposite side that had nothing to do with this? The are really trying to push this whole episode off on the Democrats. Even stating emphatically that is was not 45 supporters, but the ever elusive Antifa. Forget about unity. How about consequences for the mobs actions? How about some trials and sentencing? How about some, dare I say it accountability? Remember elections have consequences. 

During  in his inaugural, he spoke of American carnage.  Little did we know he’d be the one leading the charge. And now four years later  we’ve seen carnage we’ve not seen since 9/11. But this is home grown and all the more more chilling. It’s one thing to have foreign enemies that hate you and your very existence, when it’s your country men, it’s gut wrenching and infuriating. That a lie from a small man could have such enormous consequences. And we still have several days until 46 is sworn in. And although I am certain none or his followers are my readers or listeners, it still begs the question. Was your getting super conservatives on the court, lower taxes for businesses and the 1%, padding that 401K, ignoring the pandemic(the worst this country has seen in a hundred years), truly worth suffering all this turmoil, because he’s more concerned with an election and staying out of jail, and dividing the nation further really worth all this? Apparently, since his numbers remain high in his party. Trumplicans. Because they’re not true republicans. Guess we have that three party  system after all. Democrats, Republicans and Trumplicans. 

I never prayed about elections until this last one. I always felt whatever, just vote and hope for the best. Sometimes my guy won and sometimes he lost. But now I cannot stop praying. You cannot stop either. Because it’s going to take God on high to fix this mess.

May God bless the America we long for, both 45 and COVID-19 free and bring it to fruition soon. Before it’s destroyed beyond all recognition.

And the world is watching.

Ninakupenda

Kupendana 

Sedition, insurrection and a coup d’etat

It’s been wild ride the previous week. I had to gather my thoughts before I could deal with the reality that is Amerikkka today.

The soon to be former president whipped his loyal devotees in a hot frothy mess that spilled all over the capitol. The underlying seething hatred burst like a pinprick to a balloon. Hatred for norms and the establishment, his cult gulped down their recent dosage of his evil Kool-aid and took to the capitol and unleashed something the nation has not seen in two hundred years. It’s widely reported he watched the entire demonic episode remotely. And not just he, but family and supporters. Something akin to Nero. Fiddling while the capitol was under siege. According to reports, one law enforcement officer died from his injuries and four others succumbed as well. 

The numerous lies he told, the constant rallies re-enforcing his mendacious fantasies, the playing to his base, with government officials constantly kissing his ass has brought us to the juncture in history.

But the biggest lie he uttered was that he told them after giving them their marching orders, that he, himself would be walking to the capitol with his cult following. HE DID NOT!

I believe this was a coordinated attack. Very few law enforcement officers were on the premises. Surely

the officials there heard the call to arms from that lousy sack of shit known as Trump. He gave them ample time to prepare. They chose not to. And here we are. The decorated Lieutenant General Russel Honore holds this view as well. 

The sight we saw, men scaling the wall like dozens of Spidermen was indeed a troubling sight to witness. All in the name of stopping the electoral college from being officially counted by the federal government. Some cops retreating, and others still snapping selfies with the insurrectionists. One of the most ugly visions, and there are far too many to enumerate, was when the confederate flag was carried through the capitol, brazenly. One final frame that offended me tremendously was the capitol police flushing an insurgents eyes out after pepper spray.  You NEVER saw such images last summer when Black Lives Matter was protesting the deaths of Breonna, George and Ahmaud. Very few cops were  present during this mayhem although there was thousands of crazies there. But over the summer, the capitol police were out in great numbers for peaceful demonstrators. Even white talking heads noticed the stark difference between how the almost totally white insurrectionists received very little pushback but during the summer, they were cracking heads like ninety going west.  The stats for arrests for Wednesday’s debacle boggles the mind. Way less than 100, while BLM protesters were locked up by the hundreds. White privilege in Amerikkka never takes a day off. If  by virtue of your skin color, you’re Black, you did it and you’re guilty and if you’re unfortunate enough, you’ll meet your judge, jury and in many cases, your executioner right on the street. Or you’ll be left paralyzed with no recompense from the one who shot you. This is America, circa ‘20-‘21. But this latest turn. It’s shocking, appalling and disgusting beyond words. 

Really in retrospect, it’s only by grace of God that more people didn’t meet untimely demise, heeding the call to go”wild.” Men were spotted with zip ties, guns and Molotov cocktails. In this nations capitol no less.

The man is so enthralled by staying in power that he has cost of lives of several people. I watched an officers head being crushed in a door while a gang seemed to get off on it. Oh and Mike Pence better sleep with one eye open. There was a hangman’s noise right side the capitol! All this because he could not bear the thought of not winning an election against someone he derided so gleefully. And that someone having a woman of Black and Indian ancestry on the ticket to boot? But I truly believe the deepest cut of all was the fact that the nation’s first Black president secured a second term and he did not. His bruised ego  coupled with his narcissism could not handle it. So he’d rather Amerikkka be pitied by some and mocked by others, because his gravy train was coming close to the station. His whole attitude was burn baby burn. 

The only good to come of this is 45 being stripped of his preferred mode of communication, Twitter. Furthermore, the other big two, Facebook and Instagram have disconnected him until he is out of office, Twitter forever. That made me smile. 

Now what will he do to fill his days? You just know he’s not going to start working on behalf of you and the nation. Since he’s gone thumbs down on participating in the inaugural, perhaps he’ll head in back down to Florida with his carpetbagger heart. He’s not welcome in New York, and Leticia James has him firmly within her sights. 

I predict he’ll spend his last few days pardoning an excessive amount of criminals, not least of all his family and himself. At least I hope he is. Nancy and the left side want him gone or he’ll face yet another impeachment. But if that transpired, how will his cult handle this?. I’ve read that if he’s impeached again, he cannot run for office again.  The cult will again try another insurrection and if he enlists the military for martial law.....we’ll never be rid of him. The coup come to fruition.

All of this is worst case scenario. Maybe he’ll just tuck his tail and leave. Slink out in dark of night. Spare us the watching of  him boarding a plane, a final rant and be gone. It’s my prayer. Join me.

God bless America. The America that we long for, not the one we’ve got.

Ninakupenda 

Kupendana 

Seniors Finding Love In The Internet Age

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but right after Christmas there are tons of advertisements for dating sites. E-Harmony, Match and something called Hinge are really revving up to bring to singles something that many were lacking in the months prior. Companionship. Glossy ads with people of every ethnicity and lately sexual preference are bombarding the airwaves. All of this to aid in the quest to bring two lonely souls together. Sites are also shown for people who want a certain type, i.e., someone who shares their socio-economic standing, level of education, farm people, religious preference, age and specific ethnicities. All in the name of love. 

In many cases the journey to love comes with a price tag. Apparently, very few are free. If by chance you run across a free one, it’s said, they are, quite frankly strictly dedicated to “hook-ups.” Meeting for one specific end. And yes, that is what I am saying. 

Even Facebook has entered the fray. Its entry, “Dating,” is appealing to apparently a larger group as far as I can determine. First and foremost, it’s FREE. Secondly, it works just like the other ones, but allows you to incorporate your Facebook and Instagram page. And finally, this seems to be the preferred way of entering the dating scene digitally for the over 50 -60 crowd. 

Now there’s some people who feel that they shouldn’t take the bull  by the horn and allow nature to take its course, to meet someone more organically. For others still, their view is to wait on the Lord. I understand fully both rails of thought, however, when some are in  late 50s to mid 60s, waiting, to them becomes the enemy. And, might I add, it’s said “just because there’s snow on the roof, doesn’t mean there’s not fire in the furnace.” We are all human and relationship is natural. Who among singles doesn’t tire of the single life, at one time or another? A dinner/movie/ concert companion. A somebody’s shoulder to cry on companion. A let’s just kick it companion. Or let’s just do nothing together companion. Who doesn’t want that? It doesn’t matter the age. It’s the one thing we all have in common, whether you admit it or not. I might even venture to say that if you feel you don’t, you may be deluding yourself. People need people for roles that people of your crew cannot fulfill. Truthfully speaking, no one, absolutely NO ONE wants to grow old alone. Remember the old song, “ it takes two to make a thing go right, it takes two to make it outta sight?” That’s very true. Especially for single empty nesters. There’s conversation you want to have your grandchildren cannot be participant in. Even your boys. Or your girlfriends. Some one you wish to share a commonality with someone that you can't with your loved ones. Most of you know what I’m talking about.

Sadly, I have no answers. Who does? Every pot has a lid, one of my former coworkers used to say. The trouble is locating yours. I wish you great luck in your quest. Or better yet, may your lid be fast approaching. And mine as well, after chatting with Pearlie. Here's to lids!

To further explore this, on my podcast I will be discussing finding companionship &/or love via the internet. My guest is my old friend Pearlie Baker Sturdivant. Listen in. Jan 8th @Tonight at 6

Ninakupenda

Kupendana