I woke up at three o’clock Tuesday morning. (If three o’clock even qualifies as morning.)
Not sure why I woke up at three. Could have been the snoring. (The dog, not the hubby.)
I do, however, know why I was still awake at three-thirty.
Elephants.
And the fact I couldn’t think of what the other animal was.
Ran through the alphabet several times (armadillo, bear, cat…you get the idea), but nothing clicked.
Thankfully, the hubby began stirring by my third go through, so I asked him. Pretty sure he thought I was losing my mind, but at least he was wise enough to keep any and all comments to himself.
Instead, he reached over to the nightstand, picked up his phone, tapped the screen a few times, (apparently I’m not the only one with early morning mental lapses) and a few seconds later announced,
“Donkey.”
Dang it. I knew that.
But my three o’clock in the morning brain was thinking there was absolutely no way that could be right.
I mean really. Donkey?
Surely I’m not the only one thinking ‘stubborn jackass’.
Hardly a compliment.
Geez. That’s as bad as, if not worse than, elephant.
When I think elephant, I think of old, gray and wrinkly. (Not unlike, nah…never mind. I’ll keep that to myself.)
I was curious enough to do a little donkey/elephant research, but not at three-thirty. After going for a run and mainlining a cup of caffeine, I discovered political cartoonist Thomas Nast could be thanked for the political animal symbols. (I didn’t find his cartoons all that entertaining. Apparently mid-19th century humor/sarcasm escapes me.)
At any rate, I’m thinking maybe we should have a do over on the whole donkey/elephant thing.
It reminds me of when the two middle schools in my hometown merged into one and the kids voted on a new mascot and school colors.
Go Sharks! (Not bad.)
But ‘Go Big Purple!’ and ‘Go Big Teal!’ do not roll off the tongue. And I don’t even want to talk about the track uniforms. Kinda felt like a throwback to the 1980’s. (Not that there was anything wrong with the 1980’s.)
Fortunately, it didn’t take too many years to adopt the high school’s mascot and school colors, so a rocket replaced the shark and purple/teal were traded in for red/white.
Lesson learned.
So, I’m thinking a dove for the Republicans would be lovely and a dolphin for the Democrats would be wonderful. Or vice versa. I’m not picky. I just love the associations of peace and compassion.
Or wait! How about a golden retriever?
I’d be a card carrying member of that party.
Ah…if only politics were that simple.
Here’s the deal (sorry, I couldn’t resist), I don’t completely agree with the platforms of either party. Inconsistencies make it incredibly challenging for me to wrap my little brain around what either party truly represents.
Is it just me, or is there an awful lot of defending what was previously condemned or condemning what was previously defended based on party affiliation, rather than what is true and what is just? Funny (in a not so funny way) how opinions of what is right and what is wrong change when it’s the ‘other party’ being talked about.
And shouldn’t the sanctity of human life principle include ALL lives? Can you be pro life while supporting capital punishment?
Then there is the whole individual freedom issue. If it’s your individual freedom to not wear a mask, is it someone else’s individual freedom to have an abortion?
This (along with donkeys and elephants) is what keeps me awake at three o’clock in the morning.
Something to Eat
Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing
by Spend With Pennies
I made this salad dozens of times this past summer (skipping the cheese and adding cooked wheat berries). It’s fresh. It’s crunchy. It’s flavorful. It’s hearty. The kale and wheat berries absorb the dressing without becoming soggy or slimy, so the salad, like a fine wine, improves with age. (Just repeating what I’ve heard about the wine. I don’t pay much attention to how old my wine is.) This was the perfect salad to take along on the boat this summer, and now that I have an abundant supply of kale from my garden, it’s turning out to be a great salad for the fall as well.
Something to Read
Walking with the Wind
by John Lewis
I was so deeply moved by John Lewis’s funeral service this past July, I was inspired to learn more about his life and his role in the Civil Rights Movement. I was a bit embarrassed by what I didn’t know. (My apologies to Mr. Jensen, my HS US History teacher. Apparently ‘other things’ must have been of greater importance during Junior year.) Admittedly, it was a difficult book to read due to the content, but I learned so much and gained a deeper appreciation for those who stick to their values despite the cost of doing so.
Something to Ponder
People don’t like to admit they’re wrong. It’s a defense mechanism. It’s threatening to acknowledge that we believed something that is actually false. So we resolve that problem by clinging to our beliefs and ignoring the facts. We go out of our way to avoid facts that might put us in that uncomfortable situation. We read and watch information that supports our beliefs.
Trish Hall in Writing to Persuade
That’s all for this week! I hope you find time for rest and rejuvenation this weekend! Take care!
Karen Hovie Writes 
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