Coffee With A View: What is it good for?

By Carol Harper

Not generated by AI!

As we brought in the New Year, it seems there was a lot of focus on President Trump's recent action in Venezuela. Happening at the same time is the Buddhist monks' Walk for Peace, which started back in October. As I occasionally (and hesitantly) glance at the 'news' these days, the words of the police officer I met in the park in Washington D.C. echo through my mind: "Same shit, different day."

The War on Drugs?

As those on the right and left tussle and argue their points about past administrations taking actions without Congressional approval, I have my own views on the subject. Yes...in history, past administrations have had to make decisions without such approvals, especially in situations where a president receives intel and the window of opportunity doesn't allow a lot of time to act.

The War on Drugs was (officially) declared on June 17th, 1971, by President Nixon. The DEA was formed in 1973. President Reagan added the 1986 Anti-Drug Abuse Act. President Clinton passed the 1994 Crime Bill. (He also sends $1.3 billion in US aid to 'Plan Columbia'.) With these and other presidential and legislative actions, where are we presently when it comes to the actual war on drugs? Are we any more ahead now than we were then? There's been plenty of time to act.

It's been 50 years...how effective can this action towards Venezuela actually be? To me, sending troops into other countries and removing/assuming power is a very expensive and temporary 'fix', and lame justification for spending taxpayer money. It's like cutting one single snake head off a Medusa's head, where it will only grow another in its place.

And as I do concur with Trump's recent designation of fentanyl as a 'weapon of mass destruction', it is just one of many drugs that are in the arsenals of the enemy, whether in Big Pharma labs or on the streets. When I was in Washington, D.C., I could not believe the number of pharmaceutical drug commercials that were constantly being aired (I don't watch network TV, so I wasn't used to all those annoying commercials). Sheez, many of the side effect disclaimers include death! But how many laws protect Big Pharma, right here in the U.S.?

It seems we have the workings of a corporate government now, so I find it an idiocracy when so much money is being wasted on illogical whack-a-mole strategies, yet funding is cut from programs that could help addicts (including our veterans!) get clean and sober. Cuts to Medicare have resulted in millions of people losing their health insurance coverage...how many have and will become casualties of those decisions? American workers are struggling paycheck to paycheck just to survive; how is that a healthy mental or economic state? Then you have ICE that deports workers (documented or not) who paid into the sales and income tax systems...so now billions in tax revenue, gone. Families torn up. People who sought refuge in the U.S. are forced to return to the cartel-ridden countries they fled in fear from in the first place! Don't get me started on Social Security.

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

We the People of the United States are a sick, addicted, and dying people...not in Venezuela, not in Mexico; here. You want to make America great again? End what is bringing out the worst in America! The real front lines of the war on drugs and crime are anywhere our local first responders are; therefore, doesn't it make sense to support and fund our first responders and target the actual enemies that plague our communities? Law enforcement, fire, EMS...these are the real troops on the front lines.

All of them know and have seen the first and second-hand effects of addiction and overdose, vehicle accidents caused by DUIs, drug and alcohol related abuse/assault scenes. Unhealthy, impoverished habitats with malnourished children and elderly; very little or no food in the cupboards, no water/sewer/electricity...but plenty of empty beer cans, liquor bottles, and paraphernalia. Sugar is a very dangerous drug for diabetics! Many doctors just prescribe instead of actual healing. There are sex/human traffickers who use drugs as bait...recruiting from detox and rehab centers. Families are torn apart by alcohol and drugs; bickering, bullying, fighting, and killing (including accidentally). Leaders hide their vices and addictions at the cost of sober, rational decision-making. And the media and entertainment industry romanticizes it all!

This has all been going on for a very, very long time and has never brought out the best in people! So how does anyone expect America to ever be great "again" if it never was? The root problems never go away simply because a leader is overthrown or is no longer in power. It's just another delay of the "same shit, different day". So why use strategic denial or villainization to mask the actual intent of gaining control in other countries? Just call it for what it really is; don't make it into a red herring.

This administration needs to do a reality check and get oriented as to where the actual front lines of the war on drugs are, then invest in and equip those who know those battlefields the best. Stop the whack-a-mole war strategies; they aren't working. They're just costly, and what are they good for?

Now that's how you do it!

Following the Walk for Peace has been quite interesting. A 2,300-mile journey of Buddhist Monks that will end in Washington D.C.

Facebook.com/walkforpeaceusa

It's not a march, it's not a protest...not a divided, angry mob. It's a walk for peace, forgiveness, love, kindness, and compassion. When I read about how these monks are inspiring and affecting the communities they walk through, I think: "There you go, that's what I'm talkin' about! Show us all how to do it!" I think of how Jesus, with the story of the Good Samaritan, said, "Go and do likewise." (Luke 10:37). Help the hurting. Feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty. Heal the sick; don't harm or damage. Make peace, not war. Are tax dollars being used for the things that bring peace and healing to the nation...that reduce stress instead of causing it? I don't know; it sure doesn't feel that way. However, I do think that, through good (legit) charitable organizations and good people with goodness in their hearts...maybe we could finally do what Presidents and administrations, leaders and governments can't seem to accomplish.

"Our ancestors, all those people who sacrificed their lives for freedom and peace, died so all of us here could live free of hatred and free of all kinds of suffering, to have a peaceful life. They have done their part, and we are still struggling with our lives. We carry that hatred and anger from generation to generation...Even though there are many people who hate us, shout at us, and curse at us, we respond with 'May you be well, happy, and peaceful.'"  - Venerable Bhikkhu Paññākār

Be good, be nice, be strong!

Carol

Coffee With A View: The Truth is Out There

By Carol Harper

Not AI-generated!

"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,

And we have seen his glory,

Glory as of the only Son from the Father

Full of grace and truth."

John 1:14

Happy New Year, everyone! You know what is really cool? Last year, around this time, I prayed and believed that 2025 - despite all the challenges I was facing - was going to be a good year, a better year. And you know what? It was!

Looking back on that little chunk of time in the grand scheme of things, I've tried to focus most on the continued blessings and gifts that have spurred me onward. I have hot coffee in my mug, delicious food to taste, and music to listen to. I have shelter and warmth. I have a job. I have a car to drive...and I can drive because I can see! I can walk! I have fingers to type this blog. I have friends who love and encourage me. I am so very blessed.

I don't list these things pridefully, but very humbly, as I have learned that anything can be taken away at a moment's notice. So I never take these things for granted.

History and the Truth

'The only clue to what man can do is what man has done."

- R.G. Collingwood

Reflecting on just one year of my life, my thoughts drift to the timeline of human history marked by numerous significant and undeniable events. So many wars, battles, and conflicts; events that brought out the worst in the human race...the Mongol Invasions, the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, the Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide, Holodomor, the Rwandan Genocide, the Salem Witch Trials, the Trail of Tears, and the genocide of Native Americans, 9/11. Massacres and shootings in public places such as schools, department stores, hotels, theaters, and social clubs. (Okay, I'm not trying to be a downer, but I do try to keep the feet on both my good and bad legs grounded in reality.)

Some truths are only revealed over the passage of time, and many times it can be too late to do anything about them. Truths about what is happening to our atmosphere, our earth and landscapes, our oceans, our communities. The effects of war and greed. The effects of the ages of industry and technology...the garbage, the toxins and poisons we ingest. The effects of what is and has been taught and passed down to our children...the lack of a moral compass or polarized beliefs. I often wonder when and if all these things can ever be corrected for a more hopeful future.

One can attempt to twist truths and rewrite history, and many have tried. But no one can deny what has already occurred and has been revealed over the passage of Time.

"I was educated once.

It took me years to get over it."

- Mark Twain

'The Soup': Discovering the Truth

Attempting to find the truth can be very difficult because you first have to swim through what isn't true to find out what is. It's a daunting pool of muck because there are mounds of cover-ups, narratives, and cleverly crafted content and releases that can be very, very persuasive.

Back in the day, the only institutions we had were schools and libraries (Remember the Dewey Decimal System?) Then came the rise of the internet and social media (Google, Facebook). Now it is AI (OpenAI, ChatGBP, Grok). I believe that any tool can be used for good or evil. When I was a stringer for County 10, we would hold frequent huddles about the stories we were covering. The thing I admire about County 10 is that they are careful about being factual. When I wrote for the Ledger Dispatch, the editor drilled into my head: "Quotes and photos." I had some leeway when I was the copy editor/writer for the Gold Country Times, because it was easy to focus on the good, wholesome things that happened in the communities of California's gold country!

However, the problem with most media is that they need to fiscally survive; thus enters the world of marketing and advertising. If you want the content to be amplified beyond certain fences and demographics, you have to pay for it. Facts can be manipulated and twisted to fit any agenda, personal or political. So whether the ad content is true or not...if you've got the money, you've got your bullhorn. But who really pays attention to the man behind the curtain?

Now, Facebook and thousands of social media apps are "free". What does that mean in the journey towards finding the truth? Unfortunately, it sets us back at a great rate, adding layers upon layers of even more misinformation, gray areas, lies of omission, and "plausible deniability" that appeals to and polarizes us towards agendas, products, and services that we may think make sense or feel good. But if one is being programmed to believe lies, what good is the truth? (Matthew 7)

"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion

without the discomfort of thought."

John F. Kennedy.

In a world of fallible and infallible data, yes...even AI can compromise the search for truth. Even AI has a "man behind the curtain". But as I said before, Time has a way of revealing infallible truths. I suppose that's why so many read law enforcement arrest pages and obituary pages. Unfortunately, suffering and death are facts for us all.

But fortunately, so are Light, Life, and Love!

Approaching the Truth

The Truth can put you into shock and shatter your whole world. For some, it might be about hitting rock bottom. For others, there can be a period of defensive reactions, denial, and grief. And sometimes, the Truth isn't revealed until the deathbed, when one finally realizes the great costs of living a lie, and the ripple effects and division it caused in the lives of their family, friends, loved ones, their community, and the world they are leaving.

There were many times in my life when I feared the truths about what I was doing to my mind, body, and soul. About what I was inadvertently teaching my children about unhealthy relationships and depression. Coming to grips with the truth wasn't easy, especially when my consistent response was pretense: "I'm fine, everything's fine."  How many times did I say that when things weren't fine? 

There were some Nouns that I've ultimately had to "let go and let God". When I see folks naively believing lies on so many levels, when I see the sufferings and injustices that happen as a result of lies, it is very, very difficult for me to just sit back and watch them continue. Even though I myself have also been a target of gossip and lies, it gives me a strange comfort knowing there are both seen and unseen powers at play which are way beyond anyone's limited vision and ability to control...but not beyond the power of Who is in control of the Timeline.

The foolish like to drink and promote their own brands of Kool-Aid, but the wise sniff it out. For me nowadays, the sooner I can see the truth, the sooner I can deal with the effects and damage that the lies have made, and somehow attempt to stop the ripple effects. That is why I always say: "If you want to know the truth about your community, ask a first responder." They know the causes and effects of crime, violence, alcohol, drugs and substances, depression, abuse, and assault. They see the social, religious, or political divisions that lead to homicide and suicide. They see the results of accidents, suffering, and neglect. I think that is what our leaders struggle with the most. Because of the threads of Truth in history's timeline, there are just some absolutes that you simply cannot avoid, cover up, or plausibly deny.

"For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction,

and may enter through it.

But small is the gate

and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

Matthew 7:13

The Truth Is Out There

I've been binge-watching "The X-Files" lately. It's been a loooong time since I've watched that series, and it was one of my favorites (besides all the Star Treks, lol). There are episodes that I don't remember, so it's been fun to watch over again. I've always loved the boldness of the character Agent Fox Mulder; many think he's crazy, but I love that he doesn't care. Despite those who mock him and try to silence him, he forges onward in his search for truth.

I jokingly tell folks that I'm probably the most extroverted introvert they'll ever know! This year I'll be 60 years old (in September), and I've gained a bit of knowledge, experience, and wisdom throughout my blip-of-a-timeline thus far. I think of those I had put my trust in and were burned in the end. I think about the wolves in sheep's clothing whose message I bought hook, line, and sinker. The foods and substances that altered my mind from thinking clearly. The cleverly marketed items and unproductive activities I wasted my time and money on.

But were they wasted? No. Not if I learned the lessons. I could live in an entire world of regret, but the truth is...I don't live in that world anymore.

"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers

will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth,

for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in Spirit and in Truth."

(John 4:23-24)

Back to history's timeline...the Bible is one of the most amazing books that made it through so many atrocities of this world, and the Word lives on to breathe the Truth right in our faces. The effects of conflict and war,  disobedience, political division...examples of lies, and lies disguised as truth. The Bible gives us prophetic warnings against appearances of truth (hypocrisy). And ultimately, there are so many who have twisted the Word to fit their own views, justify their own actions and agendas, for their own followers and gain.

Whew! How can something called "The Good Book" be so chock-full of trauma and drama? Because the Truth is the truth, whether you believe it or not, whether you like it or not. And the Truth can hurt! It cuts to the heart and soul (Matthew 10:34). There's no escaping it; you can run, but you cannot hide.

Call me crazy, but believing in a Higher Power that loved the world so much to produce an infallible Word in an extra fallible world through extra fallible men is what I call an extraordinary and extra-terrestrial miracle like none other. I recommend that you not skip episodes, because you'll get it all...love, hate, war, peace, rise and fall of empires, politics, gossip rings, slavery, famine, abundance, life, death, miracles, angels, demons, etc. You don't even have to take my word for it...read it for yourself!

And get this...it's all FREE! No subscription required.

Light, Life, Love, and Truth to all this brand New Year!

Carol

---

Worth the read:

Matthew, chapters 5, 6 & 7

Ephesians 6. (Actually, whatever...read the whole book, lol)

Revelation 2

---

Random Points to Ponder...

• "When writing the story of your life, don't let anyone else hold the pen."
• "Stop using gossip as a form of bonding. Y'all not friends...y'all messy adults!"
• "If you didn't see it with your own eyes, or hear it with your own ears, don't invent it with your small mind and share it with your big mouth."
• "I know you are lying, but please...continue."
• "I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that I can't believe you anymore."
• "A liar gets defensive and angry when you question the lies they are telling you."
• "One thing I hate more than a liar is a liar who thinks I'm stupid."
• "Be careful who you pretend to be. You might forget who you are."
• "For every good reason there is to lie, there's a better reason to tell the truth."
• Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter." (Isaiah 5:20 )

Christmas Coffee With A View: Peace on Earth..."as it is in Heaven..."

The Gifts That Keep on Giving

It's hard to believe that it was over two years ago that I slipped on the ice and fell, shattering my wrist and messing up my hip and knee. A few weeks later, as I was healing from wrist surgery, my home office flooded due to a leaking water heater. I had just moved into my new place and still had things in boxes, including important papers and documents that got wet and were destroyed. A few days later, I slipped again on the stairs outside my back door, compounding the pain in my left leg. Additionally, I was slowly going blind in both eyes due to double and complex cataracts, and couldn't work. Some of whom I thought were my friends and fellow teammates abandoned me. I often wept, drew the curtains closed, and slipped into a depression and despair.

These struggles were enough to want to "curse God and die" (Job 2:9). What use is a blind, crippled woman? What use am I in this world, if I am disabled and cannot work or sustain a living, or volunteer my time to the causes I believe in?

I Will Send My Angels

It was then that God spoke, and His angels showed up.  My aunt and uncle drove me to and sat with me during my doctor's appointments. My neighbors shoveled my driveway. My Tribe came through and provided the referrals, transportation, and accommodations to have the surgeries on both of my eyes; they also provided wonderful physical therapists who set me on the road to healing my hip and knee. My daughter and many friends called, texted, or came to visit and check up on me. One of them even came several times to braid my hair, since I couldn't use my right arm. Both my Tribe and the Riverton Help Center helped me with rent money, food, and household items. Eventually, I was healed and strong enough to search for a job, and one day, my former job at Frontier Ambulance just happened to pop up on my laptop screen.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

The past two years have been a lesson in pure Faith, Hope, and Love, and no one can tell me that God was not directing my paths through all of it. When I think that, through my sufferings, I could've chosen a path of unbelief instead of Faith, darkness and despair instead of Hope, or pride instead of receiving the Love and concern of so many...I would have rejected the Love of God that was revealed and gifted through those who cared!

Because of the gift of Love, Light came into my world. Faith and Hope drove me to patience in healing and strength. Encouragement and support came through the actions of those who cared and/or had the resources, no matter how little or great, to lift me up and help me get on my feet again. Talented and meticulous surgeons and physical therapists who understood that my hands, legs, and eyes were my livelihood performed nothing less than a miracle. Messages from so many that showed thoughtfulness and compassion cheered me up and onward. I am able to forgive those who abandoned or trespassed against me. I am grateful for my daily bread, for the blessings of God through the Nouns...the people, places, and things...that have appeared to me as angels on my Journey.

Light of the World

The world is filled with darkness and despair. There are so many who are lonely, abandoned, weak, sick, dying, lame, blind, hurt, frustrated, and angry...who want to "curse God and die." Many are unhoused, poor, can't find a job, have very little food, warmth, or enough money to sustain themselves. Many have lost homes, friends, or family; lost their health and wellness...lost their Faith, or all Hope.

Every Christmas Eve, I watch two movies: Scrooge (the 1970's musical), and It's A Wonderful Life (1946). Each portrays stories of characters who lived in or experienced a world of darkness and despair. (Okay, truth be told, I may also watch Hans fall out of the Nakatomi Plaza building, lol). I watch each of these movies to the very end, even though I already know the endings: Love wins, every time!

Light has come into the world. We celebrate that Light every Christmas season, and our own lights are renewed with Hope in the angelic hosts' message of "peace on earth, goodwill towards men." (Luke 2:14) The greatest gifts given to this world are gifts that money cannot buy, because God is a God of Love (1 John 4:7-12). Living a life of Faith, Hope, and Love is so worth the living because, hey...we already know the ending!

"A new command I give you:

Love one another:

As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

John 13:34

And now, these three remain: Faith, Hope, and Love.

But the greatest of these is Love.

1 Corinthians 13: 13

*You can rent Scrooge and It's a Wonderful Life on YouTube.

Coffee With a View of Washington D.C.

By Carol Harper

(Not generated by AI) 😉

This weekend I made a big ol' pot of chili. It's my Mom's recipe, one that I know by heart because I've probably made it hundreds of times when she was alive and every single winter since moving back to Wyoming. Her birthday was on Friday, so it was fitting that I made a large pot in her honor.

I haven't always made perfect dishes while on my crazy cooking sprees. Oh, I've made plenty of mistakes! I once put cumin instead of cinnamon in some pumpkin spice muffins. I once put Italian parsley in my salsa instead of cilantro. I've looked up where I could use substitutes for ingredients in a recipe, and it just wasn't the same or what I expected. I don't know about you, but I've fixed entire meals where I'd be so excited to put that first bite in my mouth, then ended up spitting it out in the sink. That's how we learn, isn't it? Trial and error. Looking back, I could have saved a lot of time and money, simply by taking the time to read. Cumin, not cinnamon. Italian parsley, not cilantro. One of the big lessons? Real butter, not margarine or butter-flavored shortening!

An honor and a privilege...

My days on the Hill were fascinating. Priority Ambulance, the American Ambulance Association, and many EMS sponsors truly went out of their way to make the Stars of Life an experience to never forget. Even though the government was shut down, we were able to go on a group tour with a wonderful tour guide (a D.C. native) who took us to the monuments and memorials that were open. We were even able to venture out on our own if our schedules allowed. Mine allowed me to tour the Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Military Women's Memorial.

It was difficult to get photos of everything I wanted to, because what I really wanted to do was to take it all in...the sights, the sounds, the people, the food (expensive, but fantastic), the culture. In many ways, Washington D.C. is like any other U.S. city. There are a lot of businesses and street markets bustling, there are good and bad parts of town, lights and sirens (can't escape it, lol), there's homelessness, there are protesters with bullhorns...lots of noise. And yes, there was a heightened police presence; however, I spoke with one of the cops in Lafayette Square and asked him about it all, and he calmly said what most cops (and first responders) would say: "Same shit, different day." 

Even with the shutdown, things were buzzing on the Hill. Speaking of noise, corporate media is plastered everywhere in the city; you can't escape it (CNN, MSN, Fox News, C-CSPAN, etc.) As I walked the halls of the House offices and Senate buildings with my hosts, I was surrounded by history (lots of wood, marble, and granite, lol). My first day, I had meetings with Senator Cynthia Lummis and Congresswoman Harriet Hageman; the next morning was my visit with Senator John Barrasso.

My main message to all three was a message I repeat quite often: "If you want to know the truth about your communities, ask a first responder."  If there was one takeaway I wanted them to have from my visit, that would be it. We have sick and hurting communities. Mental health issues. Substance abuse. Domestic violence. Assaults, stabbings, shootings. It takes very special people to be EMS providers and first responders, and there is a very concerning shortage of them. Imagine life without first response, without 911.

My other objective was to observe each of their reactions to my statement. Were they truly listening? Were they interested in what I had to say? I observed that each of them had their own style of business, different personalities, and it was a privilege to sit down in the same room with them and have an allotted amount of time to speak to them, as I know they all were very busy. They did take the time for me, and this was my time, too.

My takeaway from the visits? Our senators and representatives are people, like all of us. They get up in the morning (if they even slept at all, lol), and do their jobs the best they can. I felt that I could both agree and disagree with their politics and agendas, but when it really came down to it, I could see that, like anyone, all they're trying to do is the job their constituents want them to do. And I didn't realize until I witnessed it firsthand - not through the media and social media filters - just how terribly difficult their jobs are. I could see it in their eyes, in their faces, how they walked, how they moved, even how they thumbed through the papers my host gave them about the bills that were on the table.

What you see in the media isn't anything like reality on the Hill. I appreciated the pomp and decorum, but you have to understand that these are not beautiful swans gliding across the water with a tree and flower-lined pond surrounding them. No, these are tired ducks with feet going 100 miles an hour under the surface. These are folks who have to endure tons of pressure, be on constant alert about who comes through their doors, sort through piles of papers set on their desks, untangle mountains of red tape...all the while, people are screaming at them for not doing their jobs.

And they do make mistakes, just like anyone. They've probably put cumin in pumpkin muffins and Italian parsley in salsa. They might not have read the labels and just assumed that what is in the bottle is the needed ingredient for the "big beautiful recipe", and wouldn't know unless and until they've had a chance to taste it. What I could see is that the struggle is real, both from the top down and the ground up.

On one of my walks around the White House, there was a large group of Moroccans celebrating Trump's reaffirmed support of Morocco's sovereignty. Sure, there was a police presence there, and some media were there; not a whole lot, but I did take photos. Flags were being waved, the people were adorned in their country's colors, kids were running around, and I swear I could smell Moroccan food wafting through the air. Not exactly front-page news, but the celebratory atmosphere was so much nicer than the noise of an angry mob.

Afterwards, as I sat in the back of my Lyft ride back to the hotel, the experience caused me to think: "That was very interesting. I sure hope that Trump will recognize and respect the sovereignty of the Native American people, right here in the United States." I suppose that might be a story for the future. Time can only tell.

The Takeaway: Bringing it Home

My experience in D.C. brought out some new and different perspectives about the health of our communities of Wyoming, Fremont County, and our tribes. There are so many things we don't see as we go about our daily lives. Regardless of your political persuasions or beliefs, we are all people just getting up in the morning, going to work, running our businesses, going about our days. We scroll through social media or read/watch the news, but that doesn't even put a finger on the pulse of the truth and realities that happen every day, 24/7, 365. But our first responders know.

I recently attended the Northern Arapaho General Council. I actually like and respect the format of these meetings, because it's the one meeting where our tribal leaders hear and know the voices of the people. Anyone can get up and speak. All have a vote. Whether you agree or disagree with any of the agenda items or resolutions presented, the voice of the People holds (or should hold) weight and power. Then it is the responsibility of the tribal leaders to do their jobs. Respecting the process (again, whether you agree or disagree) and respecting those you voted in to do their jobs in executing the voice of the people is paramount.

That said...you can choose who and what you vote for, but you cannot choose the consequences of that vote. I cringe as I see our nation moving further away from a Constitutional government to a corporate one. I was conflicted as I saw my tribe's General Council vote for the legalization of both medical and recreational marijuana. But in the end, the voice of the people had spoken.

As my instincts and gifts of discernment and empathy have developed over my 59 years of life, they have guided me to understand the implications of the results of right and wrong choices made in history. Politics and corporate interests have made a mess of our nation's moral conscience, and as a result, we're all experiencing the effects and swimming through the muck. We've let social and corporate media, and AI influence and decide what information we process. How many voters don't know the ingredients or haven't read the labels? How many leaders would actually know the recipe for a great nation of the People, by the People, and for the People...by heart? Failure of a recipe, targeting and blame aside? A government shutdown is everyone's fault!

A More Perfect Union...of Respect

We know how the Creator achieves balance and control: it's called cause and effect. Regardless of what you believe (or don't believe) about God, you don't get a vote. You might think you have a choice about what you do with your life, mind, and body, but you don't have a choice in the consequences of those choices, and our first responders see the results of those choices every single day. How much do alcohol, drugs, sugar, chemicals, and preservatives impact the human body? How much more can the brain and internal organs take before they shut down? How much food can be withheld before malnutrition or emaciation sets in? How long does it take before someone freezes to death? How many people, elders, and children suffer from assault and abuse, go missing or murdered, die by criminal intent or suicide?

If you want to know the truth about your People...ask a first responder. Same shit, different day.

We are a sick, crippled, and dying country, and there is no big beautiful bandage that can stop the bleed until our leaders have the heart to try a good recipe that will heal the People who voted them in. But it is so much more than what floats across the desks of Congress and the White House. It's more than speeches from the pulpits, protests and marches, or the constant noise and rhetoric of the media, and nighttime talk shows. It's about basic respect for each other. It's about caring about what happens in our communities, and not turning a blind eye to the realities of human life because you're a Republican or Democrat.

I've always been about effective teamwork. You have to have the right people in the right positions, doing the right things for the right reasons. You have to hold your leaders accountable for their actions (or even non-actions), and not drop the ball. Our leaders need to make themselves accessible to listen and act for their constituents. I love that I had the opportunity to speak with my Senators and Representative. I love that our mayor sets aside time on Mondays for anyone to come in and visit with him. I love that I was included in a Joint Committee of people who took the time out of their busy lives, coming together as a team, and addressing three critical issues in our county. I respect any person - whether they sit in positions of leadership or simply out of love and compassion for their community - who sets aside the time and energy (and funding!) for the things that can help build "a more perfect Union."

I know that there are so many people out there who are angry with their government(s). But I also know that The People do come together in times of trouble. I was amazed (but not surprised) by how so many just in our own county came together for food resources during the government shutdown. Huge things like affordable health care should be of paramount concern. But the government and taxes don't have to fund everything. There are programs and non-profit organizations that struggle and continually welcome donors, sponsors, and funding, and there are so many to choose from! 501c3s are another way that the government helps! Giving Tuesday is coming up soon; give a gift of support to a local charity or cause! That said, again...you need the right people in the right positions, doing the right things for the right reasons as administrators of those programs and organizations, and they also need to be held accountable for any hypocrisy, corruption, and mismanagement.

Thinking about my Mom this weekend, she instilled several things in me that may have inadvertently prepped me for my trip to D.C. She would say things like: "It takes work for something to work." ... "Actions speak louder than words." ..."Quit sitting around talking about doing something and actually do it."  Was she the perfect mom? Am I? No. I've made plenty of mistakes, and not just in cooking! But my Mom had the perfect words to echo through my mind today and guide me on my life's Journey.

My last takeaway from my trip is...if you want to be respected, be respectful and respectable! None of us is perfect, and we don't have to always agree on every issue under the sun. But we should be mindful in our approach to each other, listen and be considerate of people's time, and not be ugly, bullying, and combative. And it goes both ways; our leaders also need to be respectful to We the People. We should not say terrible things about each other or approach with ulterior motives, hidden agendas, and malintent, but come together for the peace and the common good of the People.

Because at the end of a long work week, all this small-town Wyoming girl wants to do is make a nice big pot of her Mom's chili!

Coffee With A View: Winter is Coming

Most of my friends know how much I love to cook. I’m an experimental kitchen witch! I love to create…I love the action of chopping, mincing, mixing, and blending. I loved having a little garden this year, with a harvest that yielded a plethora of tomatoes. I made a delicious chicken-vegetable-bean soup with a tomato base that I froze a couple of weeks ago—still tastes as amazing as the day I made it. I made a gingerbread spice blend for my homemade coffee creamer today.

Winter is coming, and that means breaking out the Ninja pot and creating soups, stews, and all kinds of yummy holiday dishes. Most of the time I just throw things together and taste, taste, taste. If I’m making something specific, I look up a recipe online and use it as a guide while adding my own twists with the ingredients and spices I have on hand (and I have quite a lot, lol). I study restaurant menus. I watch “Hell’s Kitchen”. Gordon Ramsey for President! (Haha.)

Some dishes turn out great; others are not so great. But hey, like I said, I’m experimental! I’m not confident enough (nor will I ever be) to be someone’s personal chef, or work/open my own coffee shop/bistro. But one can always dream!

A recipe…for disaster? 

I’ve thought a lot this week about this government shutdown. This gridlock is, well…in one word, incredible, and I don’t mean that in a good way. When the Founding Fathers constructed the U.S. Constitution, it wasn’t perfect (and I think in their hearts, minds and egos, they all knew it), but it was inspired, based upon those revolutionary events that led up to its existence. Not perfect, but meant to be followed. More than just a suggestive guide, it is the law of this land and meant to be adhered to.

Not an experiment. It’s a recipe that needs to be strictly followed by the book.

This whole present situation is why I didn’t vote for either presidential candidate in the first place; rather, I followed my gut instead of the noise, narratives, and propaganda. When Trump was elected, I accepted that the voters had spoken, and I truly wanted to give him a chance to see what he would do...wanted to really understand the reasoning behind his decisions. But I also knew that this nation was already off-balance because of extreme politics and a tanking economy, sooo...

Now we’re in a situation on the schoolgrounds, where there is a game of tug-of-war going on. The kids are all gathering around, wondering who will 'win'…the bullies or the nerds. Bullies are well, bullies. Nerds are smart, but not that popular. The student council has their jaws dropped in disbelief, the potheads are toking it up behind the bleachers, the yearbook committee is wondering how to report this for future generations, the class clowns are having a ball…and musicians are writing songs and singing about it all!

The political right very well knows that economic population control and taking away health care from millions of people is genocide. The political left knows very well that deficit spending is out of control. There are conflicts within conflicts…bottlenecks and road blocks…the steering is out, brakes have screeched, and the drivers don’t even have their licenses.

But there is no authority…no yard duty, principal or superintendent…coming out and breaking it up. Even they have been rendered useless. This is what happens when the wrong people are put into positions of power, and this is why, again, I didn’t vote for either candidate. Trump has fancied himself as the Emperor with new clothes, pokes at Biden, Obama, and past presidents…but C’MON! This is a whole new brand of crazy that just cannot be played down with gaslighting, excuses, and the blame game.

This is serious, folks. The world is laughing at America, and the Founding Fathers are rolling over in their graves.

Using my gut

I’ve been told by family members (on both sides, Native and Hispanic) that I have a gift. Back when I was told about it (20+ years ago), I didn’t really believe it, and I told them so. Didn’t really sound like me…or at least, the ‘me’ at that time.

I once wrote an article featuring a witch for a local newspaper, entitled “When There’s a Witch, There’s A Way”, and off the record, we were conversing about Wiccan and the practice of readings—what they were, and how she did it. In short, she said that she was basically a very underpaid therapist.

I laughed and said, “Well, what if you were to do a reading on me?” She replied, “You don’t need one.” I stopped laughing and asked why. She said: “Because you already know who you are.”

It wasn’t that day, but I eventually did get to a point where I finally knew who I was, and I didn’t do it on my own. I started listening to the winds of Wisdom instead of the noise of programmed propaganda. I started drinking from the waters of Knowledge instead of the tainted and poisoned streams of deception. I started walking a road of Faith, instead of being distracted by the paths of self-gratification and self-destruction.

I’ve stumbled and fallen (sometimes literally!) in trying to achieve balance in my life, but the thing I’ve learned most? You have to do the work. No one is going to do it for you.

And I think that there is the problem. People think that a government, a corporation, an economic system, a belief system, or social media will do all the thinking for them, and they can just get comfortable and watch the show. In fact, there was an LDS (Mormon) church leader, J. Reuben Clark, who once said, “When the leaders speak, the thinking has been done.” Scary, huh? Manipulation of the heart, mind, and soul aside, that is just a scary road in general to go down. It causes me to think: Who is really in control of my heart, mind, and soul? God? Or man? What about when God speaks?

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”  Exodus 20:3

What use are the Ten Commandments when they’ve been constantly ignored?

Scary, huh.

I’ve been using Grok quite a bit these days, and quite often find myself saying: “Wow, you learn something new every day.” Folks have their varying opinions about AI, but I have found that any tool can be used for good or evil…and that a tool can also be formed into a weapon as well. Scary, huh.

I generally have a healthy diet…try to eat right, do my exercises. Gotta do the work, right? No one’s going to do it for me. Since I love to cook, I choose meats and veggies that I love and know I’ll eat; I choose herbs and spices that I love. I admit that, every once in a while, I’ll give in to some sweets or fried foods…but invariably I’ll feel like utter and complete crap afterwards. My mind is cloudy, my skin breaks out, my hair gets dry, my stomach yells at me, I have a hard time sleeping. Input? Output. Scary, huh!

I've mentioned in several Facebook posts and comments and in previous blogs, about worshipping the god of money. It, too, can be used for good or evil, depending on who or what allocates it for either/or. But taking money away from that which serves the good, and just handing it over to evil? Scary, huh.

As the tug-of-war continues on the White House playground, we are at that time in history (again) where brandishing torches and pitchforks, dumping tea into the harbor, killing innocent people (and each other) isn’t going to be enough for what lies ahead. The leaders aren’t caring. The systems are breaking and failing. The band-aids aren’t holding. The head-on is inevitable. Scary, huh.

No, at this point it’s going to take a miracle…and those only come from God. Winter is coming.

“The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”
Revelation 1: 1-3