Three Beautiful Things 05-18-2022: Kellogg's Sparkling Laundromat, Learning About Totalitarianism, Decision Time at The Depot

1. Our dryer hasn't been functioning well and now it is undeniably on the blink. It might be a while until it can be repaired. We'll see.

I'm all right with that?

What? 

What do you mean you're all right with that?

Well, I gathered up the four loads of laundry that needed drying and took them over to Kellogg's Laundry X Press. 

I nearly needed sunglasses when I walked in.

I've gone to laundromats in Coeur d'Alene, Spokane, Eugene, London, New York City and who knows where else and without question, Kellogg's Laundry X Press at 95 E. Riverside is the cleanest laundromat I've ever been in. 

Not only that, I put the clothes to be dried in two driers and they were dry in about 30 minutes. It took me a little while to fold them and load them back into the Sube, but I was very happy with how quickly I was in, out, and did I mention the place was sparkling clean -- including the bathroom! 

2. While the clothes dried, I listened to a podcast episode on the Ezra Klein show. Klein interviewed Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Anne Applebaum. The episode's title is "What Liberal Misunderstand About Authoritarianism." 

The appeal of authoritarian leaders baffles me so I wanted to hear what Applebaum had to say.

In addition, Applebaum wrote the forward for a newly released edition of Hannah Arendt's 1951 classic, The Origins of Totalitarianism. I'm not at all conversant with Arendt's books, but I did see the movie, Hannah Arendt one afternoon back in 2013 and found the story about her reporting on the Adolf Eichmann trial for The New Yorker arresting and provocative. 

Likewise, I found the conversation between Klein and Applebaum eye opening. I learned a lot about what could be called blind spots in the politically liberal worldview. I understand better both the appeal and the strategies of authoritarian leaders better and why I found their appeal difficult to comprehend. 

Do you want to listen to this episode? You can! Just click here. 

It's hard for me to imagine that I'll read The Origins of Totalitarianism --so many books, so much music, so many movies, so little time! I will, however, keep an eye and an ear out for more discussions like the one I listened to this afternoon while the clothes dried.

3. Debbie and I have some things to figure out about travel -- who is going where and when -- and about care for Gibbs, Luna, and Copper. While we discussed these matters at The Depot, I enjoyed a pint and a half of Odell Brewing's tasty American Pale Ale. Debbie and I arrived at some conclusions. Things will go better in our household if I return from my trip to Seattle next week on Saturday instead of Sunday (or even later in the week). Debbie is going to pick up some more work in Eugene and I volunteered to take care of Gibbs, Luna, and Copper all at the same time. I offered to think of ways to make it workable for all three of them to be in the house at the same time with Debbie gone. I think I can do it.