Today's entry was written on New Years Day. Neither RQS nor I felt like getting dressed today, so we took care of little things that we could do around the apartment. Yet, most of the day, we were sitting around and watching YouTube videos. RQS decided to bake some rye bread, and she took care of that during breaks in videos.
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So, why am I posting today's entry, instead of writing a "thought piece"? The answer is simple. I don't want to dwell on current events, as the prospects of what will happen on January 20th gets me upset. With that being said, I am glad that the late President Carter's death will result in flags flying at half mast throughout most of January.
Over the past few hours, several people from my present and past sent me New Years' wishes, including a woman I once dated. However, the one communication I didn't expect was from DCD's ex-girlfriend, N. Even though DCD is no longer N's boyfriend, she still tries to throw him some work to help him get by. Unfortunately, DCD has gone incommunicado since the day after Christmas, and she hasn't been able to reach him for a shift scheduled for the end of the week. I feel sorry for DCD, as both his age and health will get in the way of a "normal" job.
Several years ago, DCD had a benign brain tumor. If I had heard him explain why he hasn't been working for a while, I wouldn't hire him due to the health insurance risk my firm might be taking on. (Another reason for single payer healthcare. For the time I've known him, DCD has never been able to own up to his failures and learn from them. Last year, while driving him home from work (after a dinner at a diner), he talkws about his family holding an intervention for him. Knowing him, he probably retreated into himself and walled himself off from honest criticisms of his behavior.
When I sold DCD my Honda, I expected that he would be able to pay me $100/month until 24 payments were made. Although I received 3 payments, he has avoided me since the 3rd payment. I wouldn't push him into paying me, given that he still wants to try paying child support for his 2 kids. It is unfortunate that he either refuses to get his support adjusted to reflect his lack of salary, or that he is unable to get the support amount changed due to other actions on his part. So, I will consider it a miracle if he ever finishes paying for the car, as I expect that he will pass away as an indigent without anyone being notified of it.
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On other matters....
RQS would like to get off of the ship at each port of our upcoming cruise. I feel that it might be risky to travel as Marian and get off at some ports. Since one of our stops will be in a port I have never visited before, I decided to write to the island's tourist bureau to find out whether I could travel as Marian, and still carry Mario's ID. Depending on the answer to this question (and others I may have of other authorities), I will either travel as Marian (my preference) or as Mario (my default).
Given all of the positive feelings that have been expressed about Luigi Mangione and the healthcare CEO assassination, I wonder if he can get a fair trial. A truly impartial jury will be totally ignorant of the world around them, something I wouldn't want for a jury evaluating evidence presented against me. A biased jury will react to many things, including their opinions about the accused and their victim. Given that our incoming president is being paid off by the highest bidder, I would love to see our current president pardon Luigi at the end of his term. This will not affect the New York State case against this man. But it can send a powerful message to the healthcare industry that the public is sick and tired of the abuses of that industry and will not take it any longer.
RQS noted that my brother tends to tune me out when I talk, possibly because I present facts with details before my conclusions. Sadly, he doesn't realize that he does something similar. But then, if we weren't related, we wouldn't bother being friends. I find it amazing that we came from the same family. But even more so, he is not a person who is introspective in any way. I guess that my path in life made it possible for me to improve myself by learning from experiences - something I don't think my brother has done.
Well, enough for now.....
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