Welcome to the Power of "Common Sense"

"The people have read Mr. Paine's "Common Sense". I doubt very much the Congress has."

- Dr. Benjamin Franklin (1776, Howard Da Silva)

The above quote isn't actually from the real Dr. Benjamin Franklin. It's a line from the play 1776 which is about the creation and signing of the Declaration of Independence. In the play, John Adams declares that "the people want independence!" and the above quote is Dr. Franklin's reply. 

My family watches the movie (based on the play) at least once a year around the 4th of July, we've even seen the play on stage. I grew up in Virginia with all it's colonial and revolutionary history at my finger tips. I've read the "Bill of Rights" and "The Declaration of Independence".

But it wasn't until this year that I got around to reading "Common Sense".

I've been on a "classic" literature kick. Classic being a relative term as what is considered a classic by some people may not actually mean it's any good. Last year I read Machiavelli's The Prince. It was a tough read and I honestly couldn't tell haft the time whether Machiavelli was being serious or sarcastic half the time. Likely, it was a bit of both. It probably would have been easier to get through if I had had a better understanding of Italian history before the 1500s.

"Common Sense" was, thankfully, a lot easier to understand.

What finally got me to actively look for a copy of the pamphlet (which is less than a hundred pages long even with an introduction) was a different play about the history of America: Hamilton. The short work is prominently featured in one of the songs ("The Schuyler Sisters") and it got me curious as to what was actually written.

That and I found a copy of the book for $1.00 at a used bookstore. Score!

After reading the 94 pages (which included a few updates for after "The Declaration of Independence" was written and a scathing letter to a Quaker minster), I could see how it became a best seller of the 1770s. The arguments were compelling and had a basis in historical events and religious teachings (necessary for the time). 

There was also some noticeable racism and clear omission of certain groups of people (i.e. the African slaves, women) from his arguments. There were also a lot of references to slavery without actually addressing the institution of slavery within America. 

From my modern perspective, Mr. Paine's arguments were sound and understandable as long as you overlooked the things I mentioned in the previous paragraph. However, I could see where his ideas would be considered radical and extreme. The monarchy had ruled Europe with the help of the church for centuries and defying the monarchy was virtually unheard of...

Except, that Great Britain had already gone through radical changes of it's own. One piece of British history, that is occasionally taught in American public schools, is the English civil war which occurred in the middle of the 1600s. The rebels decided that they didn't like Charles I politics, so they got rid of him and his son. It was then that Oliver Cromwell rose to power for about 5 years before dying of natural causes and the British monarchy was eventually restored. 

This brief blip of British history is referenced a few times in "Common Sense" as is the Norman invasion in 1066, the history of the Jewish people from the Old Testament, and a bunch of other historical reasons as to why monarchies aren't actually ordained by God. Having some knowledge of these historical and biblical events is helpful while reading the pamphlet and would have been known at the time of it's original publication. These arguments further backed up Mr. Paine's final conclusion: That America should be Independent from Great Britain. 

The language in "Common Sense" is also quite inflammatory. It's written in a way that shows that Mr. Paine is completely convinced of his argument and that he has no room for doubt. If there had been even a hint of doubt, it would have derailed the entire piece. I would argue that that's the part of what made it such a hit. Reading the pamphlet, you get the impression that Mr. Paine isn't just trying to convince you he's right, he knows he's right and won't let you leave until you've been convinced he's right too. 

The publication of "Common Sense" was incredibly influential for the time and it shows in it's many references to the Independence movement.

Which is what brings me back to the opening quote. The people who read "Common Sense" were often the forefront of the Revolution movement and some of the most vocal in their call for change. (Quick side note: some estimates suggest that only about a third of Americans in the colonies - read white men who owned property - were actually in favor of Independence, the other two thirds were split between the Loyalists and people who were indifferent to the situation at large). 

So, should the "Common Sense" be read in schools? 

Maybe in a college history or persuasive essay class, but not any sooner than that. Though it's influences can't be denied, the obvious racism and other outdated ideas (especially the ones that aren't as easy to pick out) don't need a platform in our modern society. I think teaching it's influence on the Independence movement is important, but it doesn't have to be read. Or if it is read in schools, to place an emphasis on historical context 

Have any of you guys read "Common Sense" or other influential historical document? I'd recommend The Prince, but I've already mentioned that it's a bit difficult without knowing all the historical events it references. I do feel comfortable recommending The Art of War, though. I find that it can be applied to a lot more situations than just the battle field.

Thanks for reading. Maybe I've convinced you to check out "Common Sense" or for you to discard it as another relic of time. I thought it was interesting and helped me take a peak back in time to better understand the great experiment that is The United States of America.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off), please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome to Losing a Beloved Pet

My dog, Gertrude, died on Tuesday. On some level I'm still processing that she's gone. I just saw her while vising my mom in Michigan for the holidays. On another level, I knew that it was very likely to be the last time I saw her.

Gertrude was nearly 14 years old. We had had her since she was a tiny puppy who could barely jump onto the couch. She grew until she was nearly 3 times the size that we had thought she would be (75 lbs versus 35 lbs). I especially loved her awkward puppy phase where she was nothing but legs and ears.

She was my first Facebook profile picture and the first time someone tried to make fun of my blog, they specifically referenced how they "didn't want to hear about my dog" (I blocked them). She was a constant companion during high school and always happy to see me when I came home for a visit after I moved away. She was a Boarder Collie German Shepard mix and could fit in my dad's hand when she was a puppy. She was sort of friends with our cat, Karma. In the last years of her life, she got to play with her adopted sister Millie.

I'm glad she had a good long life.

She wasn't my first dog or even my first pet. My sister and I raised hermit crabs for a long time before we finally got our first dog. He was an equally wonderful dog who would never have allowed anything bad to happen to the family. It was tough when he died and we waited a while before adopting Gertrude.

Pets are wonderful family members, and yes they are family. It's nearly impossible not to love a dog or cat or hamster or any of the other furry critters that come into our lives. I'll even give people who raise reptiles as pets credit. The amount of pictures of cute pet snakes on Pinterest alone can have me falling into a black hole of saying "aww" for an hour or two.

There are many days I wish I had a pet with me. I'd love to come home to an excited pooch happy to see me. But it's just not possible right now. Pets are a huge responsibility and I couldn't commit to having one with my current lifestyle. Plus I'm super allergic to most pets that aren't dogs.

Instead I raise plants.

Plants aren't animals, though, and they are hard to cuddle with (especially my temperamental cactus). Also, when a plant dies, I don't feel quite as bad. Don't get me wrong, I'm still sad when I accidentally kill one of my plants, but I've taken steps to only look after really hardy plants that are really hard to kill.

My emotional attachment to a pet is a lot higher than to a plant. I am still adverse to watching any emotionally driven movie or horror movie with a dog in it. It's an almost automatic hard stop if a dog, cat, or horse dies. I've heard a number of authors state that they avoid killing a pet (especially a dog) because it will generate enough hate mail to fill their entire house.

A pet's passing is something that hits us right in our basic emotions. I cried for a few hours while I tried to process that Gertrude was gone. Other people also understood how I felt. Everyone who has heard of Gert's passing has been very nice and sending me their condolences.

I wasn't the only person in my sphere of friends to have lost a furry family member. From what I was able to gather, these beloved pets were also older and had lived good long lives. They were loved and cherished until the end.

I'm going to miss Gertrude. She was awesome.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really hit you in the feels) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to a New Year New You

I don't buy it.

I am absolutely certain that a new year will NOT automatically turn me into a new person. There's no magic spell or fantastical event that will change me from the person that I was at 11:59 PM on the 31st of December to a brand new person on 12:00 AM on the 1st of January.

The new year is not only a metaphorical change, but a social marker signifying that a change has happened. Gym and dieting ads are constantly popping about keeping up with your New Year's Resolution.

Instant change doesn't happen - no matter how much I sometimes wish it would.

Though I do think I've changed since the 1st of January 2018. The amount of things that can happen in 365 days is astounding and each event impacts my life in different ways. Whether that change has been for the better or worse is yet to be known (though typically upon reflection I'm more inclined to be annoyed with my younger self).

Change requires commitment and a plan of action. Resolutions are one way people try to establish that things will be different in the upcoming year. I've tried making New Year Resolutions in the past and I've stuck to them or remembered them by the time February rolls around.

Instead of making a resolution, I've desiccated that I'm doing trying a different tactic, one I am less likely to forget. I'm setting goals. Why am I setting goals rather than making resolution?

To put it bluntly, there isn't as much as a perceived pressure on me with setting goals as there is with making a resolution. A resolution bares a connotation that it is going to happen, a goal is more like an idealized destination that requires some sort of journey to get there. I don't necessarily have to meet these goals, but I'm going to have fun trying to meet them.

I have three main, somewhat easy, goals:

1. Read as much as I can - I've always been an avid reader, but lately I've been wanting to branch out into new genres and authors. 
2. Explore New York - I live near one of the greatest cities in the world. I haven't even scratched the surface of all the cool and unusual things I can do. My first adventure - seeing Wicked 
3. Live in the present - this one is going to be a lot harder than it sounds. I have this compulsion to plan things out. I'm always planning on what's going to happen in the future and it can cause me to miss things in the present. That's why I want to focus on mindfulness and being present in my day-to-day activities

Some of the books I plan on reading this year. One I've already finished.

Finally, I have set a reach goal for myself. It's not anything special, nor do I feel any pressure to attain it.

• Reach Goal - Have an adventure worth reading about

What do I mean by that?

I don't know yet, but I hope it's fun.

For many years I have lived under the assumption that I am the author of my life. However, I'm beginning to rethink this idea. 

An author/writer has complete control of the narrative. They are the gods of their creations. They can decide anything and everything from how a character reacts to bad news to the weather on a particular day. The only things I can control are how I react to the situation I am currently in. Ergo, I am not the author of my life at all, just another character on a fantastical journey who doesn't know how, when, or where the story will end.

Which is why if I'm going to have adventures, they might as well be worth reading about.

I hope all of you have had a wonderful holiday season and are ready for 2019.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to Tis the Quiet Season

Tis the season for people and parties galore, that by the end of it all it might feel like a chore. I'm not one for many major social events. I prefer to sit by the tree with a hot drink, wrapping presents.

I'll visit with friends on a few weekends. I love to see everyone and never want for fun. It's just sometimes it gets overwhelming and I need to find a quiet dwelling. Thankfully my family likes to spend our holiday together, curled up inside because of the cold weather.

On Christmas mourning we wake up slowly. Enjoy breakfast, then presents, and finally a nap - nice and cozy. The dogs are happy for a few good pets. Even the cat is as pleased as she gets.

Later, as the sun goes down, the whole family likes to gather round. We might watch a movie or read a few books while waiting for Christmas dinner to cook. It's perfect and quiet and just right for us (plus it's great no one is around to raise a huge fuss). Though we do fight the dogs for a space next to the roaring fire in the fireplace.

It's beautiful at night with all the holiday lights. They twinkle and glow, standing out against the ever growing snow. We might drive around to the many displays, to see the whole world look ablaze.

After dinner we clean up and get ready for bed - happy to think of the New Year ahead.

Christmas is a grand occasion. One that everyone has a different celebration. Going to parties is tons of fun and holiday events are second to none. But I'm happiest to be with those I love most, even when we aren't physically close.

And as I watch the snow gently fall, I feel as though there's peace on Earth and good will for all.

Merry Christmas to my may many readers. I hope you enjoyed this post's rhyming features. And let's all give a great big cheer for a Happy New Year!

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a message. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

I'll probably post again before New Years, but next week I'm off. Safe travels everyone!

Welcome to the Fluidity of the English Language

For those of you who don't frequent the same sides of the Internet that I do, you might have missed this holiday treat from PETA. This year, PETA wants us to stop using phrases that are cruel to animals and instead use non-violent language in our idioms (I've included the list below).

I'm half tempted to write this off entirely, but it's possible that 30-40 years down the line someone might find my comments and turn it into a "you're for animal cruelty" argument. The thing is, a cultural shift in how we discuss violence towards animals could happen. My generation might become completely confused as to why the younguns don't like real meat and instead want premium meat substitute (it tastes just like real meat, but without the actual meat).

All joking aside, I highly doubt that PETA's above suggestions will take hold in main stream American culture anytime soon. For one thing, some of the new suggestions don't hold the same meaning as the original idioms (bagels aren't as highly prized as bacon). Yet, that doesn't mean that some people won't adopt these phrases.

I have purposefully created some of my own words and phrases to help me better communicate. For example, I use the term Sig Fig (or significant figure) to mean a person's significant other (i.e. boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, etc.). I've also started using the pronoun they/them for anyone whose gender I am unfamiliar with. This one sprang out of my annoyance at constantly being mis-gendered in emails, even when my gender is specified in earlier communications (though it can be amusing to watch someone profusely apologize for this).

I'm not opposed to changes in the English language. Far from it. English has changed a lot in the last three centuries, let alone the time of early English and the first written accounts of Beowulf. I even struggle to read Shakespeare and that's considered to be written in Early Modern English.

Oh English, you really are the garbage disposal of European languages.

I mean this with as much love in my heart as possible (given the season and all). You're a language with over 500,000 unique words, more irregular verbs than regular, and enough flexibility for a guy called Shakespeare to invent 1,700 new words without everyone freaking out. There are dozens of regional dialects and more accents than I can distinguish.

Why couldn't my native language be easier to learn - let alone read and write?

I lived with a linguist for about a year in college. She once explained to me that English is a living language, therefore its constantly changing. This is why we dropped our informal second person form (thy/thou) around the early 1800s and how the phases "may I" and "can I" have become interchangeable in modern English.

I think there was more to her explanation, but me and the English language only get alone so well. Ergo, I've only remember so much of the conversation.

That doesn't mean I haven't noticed shifts in how our language is used.

There have always been words that have been taboo or extremely hurtful (none that I will type out here). As a kid, it's easy to accept the reasoning from adults that some words just aren't nice enough to say...ever...and a lot of them have four letters.

The level of how horrible a word is tends to be in correlation to societal attitudes at any given point in time. An example might be the word "gay". "Gay" at the turn of the 20th century was synonymous with words like "happy" or "joyful", hence it's use in the Christmas carol "Deck the Halls" which was written in 1862. Eventually, the use of the word shifted to mean a man who is attracted to other men.

However, in the early 2000s, I didn't know what the meaning of the word "gay" actually was. Other than the few times I'd heard it in Christmas carols, the only other time I'd heard the word "gay" used was as an insult or to mean "that which I do not like".

Boy, did I get a lesson in why I was wrong from my cousin who heard me say it in a negative way.

Because even though we teach that "sticks and stones may break our bones, but words can never hurt us", it isn't true. Words can hurt, a lot.

Language in many ways shape our perception of reality. Associating a negative connotation to a word can shape how we describe objects, places, and people. By thinking that the word "gay" meant something negative, I was starting to shape my future understanding of when a person was described as "gay". It wouldn't have been good and could have lead me to have an internal bias against gay people.

I was recently reminded at one of my writer's groups that I am often the first to point out problematic or non-politically correct language in a person's writing. It's not that I want to police language or how a person thinks, it's more that I want them to realize how their use of language will effect their perspective and their reader's assumptions. They, as the writer, might use words and phrases that a reader hasn't come across. They might write about ideas or subject matter that a reader is completely unfamiliar with.

And even if the author doesn't intend to, they do help shape their readers' sense of reality.

Do I ever feel bad about challenging someone's word choice or phrasing? Sometimes.

Do I know everything there is to know about problematic language or cultural linguistic shifts? Nope, can't say that I do.

The whole idea of what is or isn't offensive is incredibly subjective (so much so that I'm not certain I can say "Happy Holidays" without someone getting mad and demand that I say "Merry Christmas" instead). However, that doesn't excuse the fact that the words we pick and the phrases we use can be hurtful with or without intention.

I'm not perfect. I'm not always right (though I'm really good at pretending to be).

Is PETA being ridiculous to ask the English speaking world to make changes to their idioms (and also deny certain cultural aspects of the language itself)? In 2018 I think they are. But if you ask me this question again in 25-35 years, I might have a different answer.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome to Holiday Overload

Thanksgiving is over and it's December, I now give the people of the United States of America permission to start celebrating Christmas.

Not that the people of the United States of America really care when I want them to start celebrating the holiday season, it just makes me feel better to pretend that they do. For the next 20 some odd days, I'm going to be pulverized by Christmas movies, Christmas lights, Christmas commercials, Christmas shopping, Christmas etc. It's not the worst thing in the world, until it is.

And Christmas isn't even the only holiday this month. It just gets top billing.

I happen to also celebrate Yule (i.e. the Winter Solstice) and many of my friends celebrate Hanukkah/Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and other holidays. I can only imagine how tiresome it is for people who don't celebrate Christmas to hear I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus over and over again in every store they go into.

Personally, I get sick of hearing all the pop Christmas songs about a week into the holiday season. There are only so many times I want to hear Santa Baby or My Grown Up Christmas List before I want to rip my ears off my head. I'm even known to scream if the dreaded Christmas Shoes song starts playing on the radio.

This isn't meant to be a blog post complaining about Christmas or put a damper on people who are obsessed with the holiday. It's just that this season feels a bit...much at times.

I don't know if it's all the parties, my incessant need to please everyone, or my introvert nature that makes me feel on edge at this time of year. I just know that by the time New Years Eve rolls around, I'm so over stimulated I can't figure out how to relax at all. It's like this season is designed to exacerbate my anxiety.

That's why this year, I'm going to try incorporating more self care into my routine. These are things that I know are doable for me to incorporate into my schedule. Some things I plan on including:

Do at least one random act of kindness per day - Though this item doesn't feel like part of a self care routine, I personally like doing an act of kindness for someone once a day this season. It can be as simple as giving a stranger a complement or helping a confused tourist with directions. I do this because I like helping people and seeing their thanks. The mindset of acting kind to another person puts me in a better mood and I like to think that that that person will pay the act forward.

Connect with friends and family - One of the nicest things about the holidays is that everyone wants to get together. I love seeing friends and family, especially since this season can feel isolating. I might not be able to see everyone, but getting together with people (especially for tea or over lunch) is wonderful this time of year.

Scheduling quiet time - I naturally need a lot of down/quiet time already. However, the holiday season is full of parties and social events. I tend to overbook myself and forget to set aside time to recenter myself.

Remember that I can say "no" - Oh boy is this a tough one. I always feel the need to say "yes" to people's requests, but sometimes it's just too much. Like the first item in my list, it's important for me to not feel obliged to do everything this season. If I try to, I'm going to either get very sick or get really grumpy. That's why I need to remember to say "no" on occasion.

Have a quite place - When I know that I'm going to be surrounded by people for long periods of time - either because I'm going into the city or visiting family - I like to have a quiet place I know I can escape to if I feel overwhelmed. It can be hard to find one (especially when I'm visiting the city), but feeling that there is a place somewhere that I can retreat to makes me feel less stressed out.

This is my list of holiday self care. Yours might be different or you might not have created one. I think having a plan in place is better than getting grouchy because I haven't had time to recharge.

So say your "Happy Holidays", your "Merry Christmas", or any other seasonal greeting. Let the radio play Winter Wonderland twelve times a day. Plan a party or curl up with your sig fig. The holidays are supposed to be a time of magic and joy. If you start to feel like there's so much holiday cheer that you want to throw up candy canes, you're not alone.

Don't forget that you're mental and physical health is important. Take care of yourself this season.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to Early Holiday Cheer

Thanks, I hate it.

Yesterday marked the first instance of me hearing a Christmas song on the radio. Couple that with the unexpected snow storm on Thursday (or not so unexpected if anyone in the east coast had been paying attention to the forecast) and I am already done with this whole holly jolly season. People were putting up their Christmas lights while taking down their Halloween decorations for pete’s sake!

Am I salty about this?

Maybe.

Am I thoroughly annoyed?

Most definitely.

It’s the same every year, Halloween ends and Christmas takes over. Thanksgiving has turned into the holiday to get ready to shop for Christmas. Black Friday isn’t any fun anymore when store open on 4:00pm Thanksgiving Day.

Granted it’s still a lot of fun to watch people fighting over the latest trending toy when their four year old is probably more interested in the box anyway.

I'm just kind of done with the early holiday celebrations. I may love Halloween, but I don't want my pumpkin spice latte in August...it's too hot for a latte in August anyway. It's like we're trying to make up for the lack of major holidays in the last three months of the year.

Sure there's Valentine's Day, Easter, May Day (if your city celebrates it), St. Patrick's Day is fun, and there's always a ton of stuff going on for Independence Day, but do we as Americans really celebrate those holidays the same way we do Christmas?

No...though I'd make an argument for Halloween.

What draws us to the Christmas holiday season?

It's not like everyone in our country even celebrates Christmas. There's Hanukkah or Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Yule, and Festivus (for the rest of us) that are also celebrated in December. Some families even celebrate more than one holiday.

But we're not inundated with Festivus songs and movies. It's Christmas. We don't get Yule ads. It's Christmas.

Not to mention it's all so dang happy!

I don't mean to be a Scrooge or a Grinch, but can't we enjoy Thanksgiving without hearing the dreaded ballad that is The Christmas Shoes. I beg of the Universe - not the song A Christmas Shoes!

I actually do like Christmas songs...though I prefer the religious ones to the more secular pleas to Santa. I like seeing the holiday lights, especially if there's snow on the ground. I like buying gifts for my family and giving to the people who might not have as much as me. I like the flavors. I like the feasts.

I have a lot of fond memories of Christmas.

Which might be what everyone is trying to invoke.

As a child Christmas and the holiday season was exciting and magical. Anything was possible because of a baby being born and a jolly man dressed in red leaving us gifts under an evergreen tree. A mean nasty man could have his icy heart melted to become the best of us.

Christmas and the holiday season now isn't as magical. In fact, I'm more apt to fall into a depression than I am to feel cheerful or happy at this time of year. Instead of feeling strongly connected to my loved ones, I feel disconnected and set adrift. My emotional needs are no longer simple, but more complex than ever.

And I'm not alone in these feelings. Lots of people experience holiday or winter blues.

I sometimes think it would help me if the world outside my personal bubble was a little less holiday crazy. No Christmas music before December 1st. Keep the decorations down until Black Friday. Less focus on shopping and more time spent volunteering.

So to everyone who has their holiday cheer ready the day after Halloween.

Thanks...I hate it.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Until next week.