1. I've been told that sometimes things I write about on this blog under the title of Three Beautiful Things don't seem beautiful.
I agree. They don't seem beautiful. Sometimes the beauty lies in learning more about difficulties, whether by reading or watching films or through discussions with others.
Case in point: today, in the May 4, 2020 issue of The New Yorker, I read Siddhartha Mukherjee's article "What the Coronavirus Reveals About American Medicine". If you are interested in reading it, it's here. You might hit a paywall if you don't subscribe to the magazine.
To put it briefly and to possibly over simplify it, Mukerjee examines how our medical system, because it operates as a business, is ill suited to respond to crisis. I'll leave it at that. I found his analysis disheartening and, after reading it, I spent the rest of the day occupying my time and mind, mostly, with things not having to do with the pandemic. I needed to give that subject a rest.
2. For example, Debbie and I watched an episode from Ken Burns' series, America, that explored the life and political career of Huey "Kingfish" Long. It was first broadcast in 1985 and is entitled, simply, Huey Long. It's a compelling study of the ways Huey Long accrued power and crushed opponents in Louisiana, first as governor and then as a U. S. senator. Long mastered the art of populism, gaining popularity among poor and working people by improving their lives to a degree and through his divisive, name-calling and nickname creating, pie in the sky rhetoric. He started Share the Wealth societies and underscored his promises with a song he composed, "Every Man a King".
The documentary interviews supporters of Huey Long who overlooked the corrupt means by which he got things done and generously lined his pockets and were grateful for his accomplishments. We also hear from people who opposed and distrusted him, admitting that, indeed, he did get roads and bridges built and free books into the hands of school children, but found his means of doing so corrupt. Long was a meteor whose political career whizzed in a short time to dizzying heights of power, influence, intimidation, and (unshared) wealth until he was gunned down at forty-two years old in the Louisiana State Capitol building on September 10, 1935.
3. Debbie, with a glass of red wine, and I, with a rum and Coke, joined Christy and Everett in their back yard for a visit. We had a fun time talking about spring projects, our yards and gardens, cleaning and sorting out possessions, and how we are getting on these days. Everett has been inside a lot over the winter and early spring and it was good to see him enjoying the sun and being in good spirits. Christy has had a lot on her plate recently and seemed very happy to enjoy some red beer and take a break from all she's been working on and dealing with.
Back home, Debbie turned the eggplant, tomato, bean, onion, and garlic sauce she made the other night into a spaghetti sauce and, I swear, I enjoyed this sauce over the pasta more than I've enjoyed any pasta dish. We ate our dinner outside and then moved the party indoors and relaxed with episodes of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends, The Andy Griffith Show, and Peter Gunn.
It was a late afternoon and evening of easy livin'.
Here's a limerick by Stu:
Look in the mirror at your hair.
If not bald, there's a lot more up there.
For the Seventies it's great.
But it's now out of date.
Just an unruly mop I declare.
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