Hugs...

It is an idle day dream, but I hope our hugs carry enough love, enough fortitude, enough strength and endurance to change the world. I suspect though, it will be up to us. Sent February 1, 2017

Credibility...

Credibility is one of those things over which we have total control. Well, I suppose that is not entirely true. Hillary's credibility went down in flames as people were told about crates of fake ballots filled in for her that were found before the election. It turns out the story was one of the fake news stories, "alternative or altered facts", that turned voters away from voting at all. Using a photo of Barak Obama's inauguration to show "huge" numbers of people showing up on a sunny day was an "alternative fact" to Donald Trump's low turnout on a rainy January 20, 2017. A creepy fact is ordering the identical inaugural cake as Obama's and from someone other than the original designer. These are facts that will follow Donald Trump through his presidency. Unless, of course, his denials become the new "alternative facts" that people believe. Sent January 31, 2017

The Wall...

Even if this was a good idea, Mexico will not pay for this wall. Sure, you can raise the tariffs by 20% and Mexico will pay it. But, if I understand how tariffs work, Mexican growers and manufacturers will raise the price of those goods and the sellers in the U.S. will pay it. The actual mathematics continue on down the line until I go to my local market and discover that the price on the butternut squash for tonight's soup has gone up 20%. So, Mr. President, who will pay for this wall? Sent January 31, 2017

National Parks...

We may be the most fortunate country in the world. We have national parks, state parks, county parks, city parks, national and state forests, and public beaches, all being maintained and protected for us and for the generations to come. In the 60's, I remember visiting the Glory Hole in Colorado. It is a mining hole so large that the massive trucks working in the bottom of the pit looked like our children's miniature toys. The area around the hole is piled with debris from the mining, but surrounding the mining area are magnificent views of the Rocky Mountains. Check out the Henderson Mine Glory Hole Take a close look at the mine and the surrounding vista. An exploited Earth is not what we want to leave for our children and our children's children. We have a beautiful home and it has taken hard work to create our natural spaces for everyone. It will take equally hard work to protect them from those that would exploit our legacy for their own benefit. We have to decide today what we want our world to look like. Tomorrow will be too late. Sent on January 30, 2017

Feminism...

A young man, who thought it would be fun to date an older woman, told me how refreshing it was to hang out with a woman who was not a raging feminist. Yes, my jaw fell open. I think I started with, "Are you joking?" I told him that men had been in charge for the last 200+ years and I thought women should be given the next 200 years to see if we could do a better job. His mouth fell open and I believe he took a step backwards. I had to chuckle. "Oh," I said, is that too long? How about just 100 years?" He was still speechless. "Still too long? How about 25 years, could you live with that?" He gulped, gathered himself together, and said, "I could live with 25 years." What is so @#$% hard about seeing women as equals? Sent on January 30, 2017

Sanctuary....

As I remember it, one of the southern states passed legislation outlawing the hiring of illegal aliens in the state. As the date approached, the tension grew. After dark on the eve of enactment of the law, all the illegal laborers left the state under cover of darkness. The state probably heaved a sigh of relief... until they discovered there was no one to harvest the crops. One farm owner described hiring legal, white laborers to work in the fields. They did not show up on the second day. They didn't want to do that kind of work and I am sure they were offered higher wages than had been paid to the illegals. Sent January 28, 2017

Healthcare...

Not many years ago a granddaughter was born with a heart defect. Because it was not detected before leaving the hospital, she nearly died. Her parents had good health coverage that made it possible for her be kept alive until she could have the life saving surgery she needed. They were lucky. They had good health coverage and only had to pay $7000 of the $150,000 bill to keep their infant girl alive and did not loose their home. For too long, health care in the United States has been a luxury for those who can afford it. The question is, why does the "greatest" country in the world not have universal health coverage? The answer is, profits. Until the Affordable Care Act, more than 30% of health care dollars spent in the United States went to administration, billing, and profits. The ACA, when enacted, included the 80/20 provision. This requirement applies a penalty to the insurer if less than 80% of health premiums are spent on health care. While I have issues with the ACA not being a true, single payer system, I now understand why insurers and the Republican Party have lobbied so strongly against it. The 80% requirement eats into profits that were going into pockets. Universal health care would not cost more than what we now have. The dollars currently spent on billing and profits would cover everyone in the U.S. with no additional dollars. People would not loose their homes because of health care costs and people would not have to choose their health care over providing for their families. Sent January 28, 2017

Elderhood....

What more can I say? Our children and our grandchildren are our legacy. What they learn from us will shape who they will become. Growing up in this electronic world is not easy. When my children were little, in the 80's, they decorated a box like a computer. I remember watching them play and hearing, "Let's talk to the computer." I remember thinking that was something I would never think of saying. Today, that is exactly what we all do, we talk to our computers. The computer age has changed everything It is not a bad thing, but kids have lost so much of their childhood interaction with each other and exploration of the natural world that I see kids themselves changing. Mr. President, you and I are the ones who are going to have to show kids how to grow up with the skills they need to learn, to work, to care for each other, to help those who need help, to invent, to repair, to be happy and grateful and kind. I would hope your goals for our children are the same as mine. It is up to us. Sent January 27, 2017

Conversations...

I suspect that the reason my friend's strategy worked so well with his father is because it started with my friend listening. He paid attention and then checked with his father to see if he had heard him correctly. This allowed his father to acknowledge that he had been heard or to respond with a corrected statement of what he thought was the problem. That simple negotiation set the stage for discussion that expanded to the many possible solutions. I always thought this was an elegant way to have conversation with people of different persuasions. It is the conversation that is important, not the agreement on details. Sent January 27, 2017

Marching....

Up at 5:30am this cold, January morning. Checklist: long johns, gloves, hat, pussy ears, breakfast, lunch (leftover GF pizza I had last night, best pizza I ever had), phone, sketchbook, money for gas and metro, courage, trust, commitment. We met at a Park-n-Ride in north Colorado Springs, seven strangers. We piled into the van and had introductions on the road. We drove to the first metro stop along I-25, in south Colorado Springs. The empty train made its first stop at 6:30am and we, the crowd of marchers filled it. There was a crowd at each of the stops along the way to downtown Denver, but no more room in our train after the first or second stop. We were shoulder to shoulder with a smile on every face. We were women, men, and children; old and young; walkers and riders in wheelchairs; black and brown and white and every other color of the rainbow; gay and straight and trans and every other variety possible. And, we were all smiling, reveling in our unity. We arrived at Denver Civic Center moments before the march began and, with a gigantic cheer, we were off. The protest signs were inspiring, not negative or derogatory... well, there might have been a couple of insulting portrayals, but mostly the marchers carried signs describing the world they want to live in. The country they described was one of kindness, respect, diversity, health care for everyone, justice for all, dignity, inclusion, care for our Earth, respect, peace, love, and yes... rock-n-roll. A fit-bit at the end of the day recorded four and a half miles and all we saw were smiles, determination, and love. This is the world I want to live in. Sent January 26, 2017

Scared....

While clearly not the most intelligent person on the block, I pride myself on being a good observer and a proficient problem solver. Back in the '60, my friend and I were working in Santa Monica for the summer. Both of us were naive Colorado girls and we wanted to see what a protest actually looked like. We hiked over to the Century City Hotel where President Lyndon Johnson was staying. As we walked in the crowd toward the protest, we could hear a band playing and the cheering. It was very exciting. We were on a bit of a rise and could see it all. The band was on a flat bed truck was parked under the overpass. The concrete overpass amplified the music, the singing and dancing was thrilling, and when we found a couple of discarded signs, we joined in. It was a party! We sang, we danced, we yelled, and we shook our signs. True, we were well groomed, looking quite out of place amoung the hippies and war resisters. I suppose we just stood out. A police officer came over and severely ordered us to, "Get out of here!" We dropped our signs and ran. I had followed my parents into the Democratic Party and was a Johnson supporter. What had happened to make me protest someone I was not against? Looking back, I do think the protest was a good thing. The Viet Nam war needed to be ended and the people were speaking. But I wasn't old enough, worldly enough, or wise enough to be a participant. The scary part to this day is how easily I got caught up. The pounding music, the dancing, the yelling, and I joined right in. Going to the Million Women March on Saturday will take great courage. I have told friends and family that I am afraid, but I am going to Denver with six women I have never met. I hope I am old enough, worldly enough, and wise enough to be there. Sent January 26, 2017

Introductions.....

I am not just a name on a postcard. I exist, have lived a life that has been both generous and tragic. I have raised children, weathered illness, had adventures, and connected with genuinely wonderful people. It is those people who have shaped me and given me the courage to step out of comfort and show up. All that said, I am just a person among many, no different than any who would say, "What can I do?" Sent January 25, 2017

Congratulations...

Inspiration comes easily, the hard work takes fortitude from each of us. Find your place in the challenge we face. It can be as little as a facebook post or as magnificent as running for office. I wish you well. Sent January 25, 2017

Address.....

This is how I will address all my postcards to President Trump. I assume many of them will be simply thrown away in the glut, hence I am keeping a record of them on my blog.

This blog's intention...

January 19, 2017 - I am starting this blog with the idea of communicating with our new President. Today there is a huge disconnect between the White House and many of our citizens. I was so excited to have Hillary Clinton running for president. I thought that I would witness the first woman president and I was thrilled. More than just having a woman, I was moved by her giving her life to community service. I knew she would be my kind of president. My disappointment has been huge. I have been on the losing end many times in my voting years, and learned to live with the loss. This time, it is not the loss that I am mourning, but the change in how vicious and hurtful and divisive this campaign has been. The divide feels insurmountable. It feels hurtful and dangerous. It feels like there are lives at risk and that we have lost the feeling of a united nation. That is the drive behind this blog. I want there to be a civil conversation across this land. I want him to know what drives me through my days, what I want for this country, and what I want our country to stand for. For that reason, I am planing on sending a postcard to President Trump on every day of his presidency. I will post a picture of the postcard each day. You are free to comment. I would hope you would comment with generosity and civility. I will remove comments that do not encourage conversations across the isles. Please respect the intention of this effort. Dianne