Why Can’t People See What’s Happening in Our Neighborhood?

Any first year Psychology student could quickly figure out what’s going on with parts of our neighborhood. People are so full of anger and frustration right now. They’re angry about Covid-19, punitive and illogical lockdowns, Assembly Bill 5, loss of the family business, loss of freelancer work, loss of income, … Read more…

We Train Other People How to Treat Us Badly

It took me a long time to grasp the fact that for years on end I’d been teaching other people exactly how to treat me. Their rotten and abusive treatment literally continued for decades because I’d taught them that I wouldn’t fight back! So they kept right on kicking dirt … Read more…

Can You Really Rely on Karma?

It took a few years for my younger self to grasp the concept of karma, where a person’s own actions determine their future, in this life or the next. (The original definition applied to reincarnation.) For most of my life I’ve been what most people would consider powerless, with no … Read more…

STOP THE WORLD…Please!

Some days I wake up thinking we’re all living in a comic strip where nothing’s the least bit amusing. I hear heavy military planes flying overhead during early morning hours. Not too surprising considering we have multiple bases in Southern California but it’s been a very long time since there … Read more…

Don’t Blame Obamacare!

I’ve seen social media posts screaming that, under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (colloquially known as Obamacare), Medicare will triage sick people based on their age. They will let old people die, presumably because they’ve outlived their usefulness in society. Since when is that anything new?!?  A handful … Read more…

Abuse Is Never Justified or Deserved

Most religious communities teach husbands, wives, and children to love, honor, respect, and nurture each other. In the most enlightened, “obedience” is somewhat downplayed because when it comes right down to it, we only owe obedience to God (and to those civil authorities who can otherwise make life unpleasant for … Read more…

Why Do We Cry, Really?

Surely physical pain can and does cause great suffering and tears because of its intensity. Women especially know agonizing pain because of childbirth or disabling, long-term problems with their reproductive system. Migraines or cancer or severe injuries can drop either gender to the floor. And the list goes on. Yet … Read more…

To Those Who Snoop and Spy on the Innocent

This open letter may sound a little contentious and most of us know contention comes from the father of all lies, that is, Satan. But I’m not a doormat and won’t act like one. In this case, I will not keep quiet and just practice patience. I have something to … Read more…

Feeling Disrespected? Join the Club!

The current excuse used most often by those who attack others seems to be a variation of “I was disrespected,” or “He disrespected me.” Or occasionally, after some drunk staggers into a family group, it’s still “He disrespected my mother.” Really? Of course, you should defend your mother but think … Read more…

Sometimes We Need to Get Angry

As polite people who have learned the meaning of self-control, we do tend to choose our battles carefully. We try to control emotional outbursts of anger or any other negative feeling, but if we never become angry about anything, then we aren’t truly living. We’re just doormats for bullies and … Read more…