2016 Lessons Learned-Tuesday Coffee Chat

Tuesday, January 10th, 2017

I'm not one for resolutions, but I do hope I never stop learning.   What was your biggest lesson learned in 2016?

Several lessons learned in 2016. Early in the year I learned to help Mr BC with his dialysis.  I know his medicine by heart, we do numbers: Blood pressures,
Temperature, Blood glucose etc, and clean....everything to do with dialysis needs to be clean. My biggest worry was not to give him peritonitis, we have been doing these procedures for a year now and so far, so good. Organization and cleanliness...good lessons learned. I plan to keep him around for as long as possible.

 
One big lesson learned is:  that my neighbors and friends, here in the Red State, are a mystery to me. I would say I am a moderate, independent, voter. I have voted GOP in my lifetime as well as Democratic. I don't have a college degree, but I do have some college, I think I am knowledgeable and rational. I voted for Obama for a lot of reasons, but, to be perfectly honest, I had hoped he would do a better job. He had the challenges of opposition (The Tea Party, congress, etc.) and he could/would not find compromise. I believe he is a good man. Born in the United States. I also believe all the hate and vitriol, he has had to endure, is racism, by folks who claim, they are not racist. 

According to stories posted by people, who I became friends with on Facebook when Mr BC got sick, Obama and his family are not to be trusted. Headlines like President Obama "shocked the country" announcing he'd be running for office again. Which of course presidents can't do. The the other day a relative posted a story reporting.... that Marian Robinson, First Lady Michelle Obama's mother, will receive a $160,000 annual government pension, for taking care of the Obama girls.....it's all lies, fake news. Then...."it's now clear that so-called fake news can have real-world consequences," Clinton said reacting to:  Pizzagate. So another big lesson is......The lesson here: We really need to beware of the fake news that is swirling around social media.

I did expect that Hillary would get a lot of negative things said about her, during the primaries.....especially in red states, she had problems and baggage. All the ugly electioneering was to be expected. Trump's nomination, left my support to Hillary, (who was not my first choice of democrat candidates) I voted for her rather than a third party, believing that, third party candidate would insure a Trump win. Hah!  Her loss turned out to be similar to Dewey's loss to Truman.   My Red State friends and neighbors and relatives and the rest of the country had elected Trump. Something I still find hard to believe!

So with that, a final lesson is learned....about the Electoral College.....For the second time in my memory....a president has been elected without receiving the majority of popular votes....now what is that all about? 

Let Me Eat Cake-Saturday 9

Saturday 9: A New Day Has Come (2002)
 
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

Welcome to the first Saturday 9 of 2017!

1) This song is about a new day. Here we are celebrating a new year. What do you hope for in 2017? That Mr BC faces no new health challenges. We were not able to use the RV very often in 2016.
2) Ms. Dion has said this song was influenced by the events of 9/11, and how a new day dawned after tragedy. Looking back on 2016, did something happen that you're glad to leave behind and move away from? I don't think we will be able to move away from the big disappointment of 2016. He will be tweeting away to our horror.

3) In the video, Celine serenades us from billowy white clouds. Describe the sky where you are as you answer these 9 questions. The sun is actually shining today and the snow is disappearing, but it is cold.

4) This video was shot in West Palm Beach, FL. When settlers arrived in the late 1870s, the town was called Lake Worth County. OK, your turn. Tell us something about your hometown. San Gabriel is outside of LA and is most noted for  Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, founded by Junípero Serra. in 1771. I consider it my hometown

A view of Mission San Gabriel Arcángel in April 2005. The open stairway at the far right leads to the choir loft, and to the left is the six-bell campanario ("bell wall") that was built after the original bell structure, located at the far end of the church, toppled during the 1812 Wrightwood earthquake. Wikipedia

5) Celine Dion's native tongue is French. Dites-nous quelque chose en Français. J'ai pris le français pendant deux ans et je peux le lire un peu, en France ils parlaient trop vite pour que je comprenne. Two years of French and I used it very little, when we were in France last year.

6) Celine's mother, Therese, is known in her Quebec neighborhood as a terrific cook. Think about your own domestic talents. Where do you excel? (Food prep, house cleaning, laundry, scheduling, etc.) I managed to raise two beautiful, smart and talented girls.  I do not excel in the domestic skills, I try! I would be embarrassed to have someone drop in today!

Tip of the Day!

7) Growing up, Celine and her siblings often performed in her family's piano bar. Where did you most recently enjoy an adult beverage? I had a couple of glasses of wine Christmas Day with DD2. The rest of the bottle will end up in a sauce soon.

 
8) In 2002, when this song was popular, Kmart was in the news because the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. What department store to you shop at most often? I am one of those folks who shop online.  I do go to Macy's upon occasion. When I needed a dress for my niece's wedding, I got it at Macy's. That was almost 2 years ago.

 
9) Random question: It's time for a midnight snack and you have your choice of one of these three -- a slice of sausage pizza, a bagel with lox and cream cheese, or a piece of carrot cake. Which will you have? And what shall we bring you to drink? A piece of carrot cake and a glass of milk, please. Though I would have had a hard time passing up the pizza.