Are you completely brainless??

First off,
                                 

In all it's forms, in all it's meaning, in all it's so-called greater good, FUCK WAR and fuck all of you who support it.

Forty-Five has just entered his W phase: as soon as those planes hit the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, I said "Here is Bush's chance to go to war; this will be his legacy moment to prove he was the same kind of president as his father."  Sure enough, we trooped off to war where we didn't belong, and we're still there today.  Now, our hate-baiter inept leader has expensively opened the gates for us to enter another one.  Aside from the millions of dollars wasted on sending so many of these missiles at one target when we can't fund Meals on Wheels, Planned Parenthood, and the NEA, this feels like another far-too-convenient strategy to once again distract from the Russia investigation, and all I can see is this lovely piece of hypocrisy:
                                 
                                   

There is an interesting CNN video clip making its way around the interwebs, of course from 45's supporters.  In it, a survivor of a previous chemical attack praises 45 and his strike, calls American liberals hypocrites for not speaking out against anything before or after the travel bans, and begging for more help so they can stay in their country rather than become refugees in the first place.  I get it: your home is your home.  You shouldn't be made to feel like you have to leave it.  But should a situation get so bad that you cannot live with it or you can no longer fight against it, there is no shame in removing yourself.  Being a refugee does not equate become an ex-patriot or instantly becoming a citizen of the land to which you are escaping.  When the cloud lifts, you can go home again.  Our decrying of the travel bans is our version, however small in the grand scheme of it all, of giving you another option.  The attacks against your people, be they from your own government or Russia or whomever, are an attack against your humanity.  Our trying to keep our borders open to you is a part of ours.  And as a side note, any of you right-wingers who are flaunting this video around as support for how great the Decrepit Cheeto is, don't you dare ever say again that CNN is a biased, lefty, lying, fake news station; they just heard and shared your voice.

A friend posted this early today in response to our actions (and yes, "our" because what our president does reflects on us all); I couldn't have said it better:

Why is that some people only applaud war or military action? Why are humanitarian efforts demonized and seen as weak? I think hiding behind the thin veil of bigotry towards Muslims is a much more weak stance than stepping up and doing what is right to help a fellow human being.

The US was doing something right in accepting refugees fleeing from the war between Assad & ISIS. It was Trump's choice to exploit his follower's bigotry towards Muslims and BAN them within the past couple of months.

Think about what you support. If the US hadn't done this ridiculous travel ban, then maybe I would be fooled by this 'coordinated' military action. We showed who we are, and what we think of the Syrian people. The rest of world is not so easily fooled. Why are so many Americans fooled just because of one military strike?

To quote someone else:

"Tonight America bombed Syria because it says its leader was brutally gassing and slaughtering his own innocent people; the very same people we won't let into our country because America thinks they are too dangerous. #uspolicy"

If your supported or applauded the Muslim ban, then why do you care about these chemical attacks? People have said to me, "but there were children who were gassed!" Yes. And the Muslim ban denied women and children from seeking refuge in the US because they "might" be dangerous. If they might be so 'dangerous', then why do you care if they were gassed to death? If you supported the ban, then fully own why you were supporting it. If you were not outraged at the the Muslim ban, or the denial of refuge of Syrian refugees, you do not get to now be shocked at what is happening in Syria. The rest of us could see the potential of this happening. But we were the "ridiculous" ones protesting the Muslim ban.

Until he proves otherwise, don't be fooled that he gives a damn about Syria.  Right now, this was a half-cocked, unconstitutional action made without Congressional support by someone more concerned with protecting his own image and (already tarnished) legacy than any of the lives he claims to be protecting.  Step up to the truth, Donnie, whatever it is.

Somebody remind me not to put the horse before the cart.

So an interesting turn of events tonight; this one requires a little set-up:

It's no secret I have been playing showtunes for my kids since they were born.  My daughter has clearly shown interest, especially in the past few months.  My son has been a harder sell, despite a great video I got of him when he was two smiling and bobbing along to "Mamma Mia."  I've waxed enthusiastic about how much they enjoyed going to see the filming of Newsies and asked to have the cast recording put on their tablets, then his surprising me with asking to also get the recording for Big Fish after having only heard a couple of songs on the radio.  He has not shown any interest in performing,  He yawned and stared blankly through his school concert a few weeks ago, giving a pretty clear impression he has no interest in singing.  The music school where he is taking piano lessons also runs a musical theatre workshop and is having a musical theatre summer camp, which they are advertising with a big banner in the window of the shop.  I half-jokingly point it out to him each week, but he says "I don't want to sing and act.  I only want to play the piano."  Okay, so I'm not (really) pushing.  The fact that he is showing interest enough to enjoy and appreciate it is good enough for me.

Cut to today: his principal (who is also my wife's boss) is on the board of a community theatre in town.  She tells me he has told her their next production is going to be Oliver!  I say to her, "Too bad we can't convince our son to be a part of it," since the show needs a bunch of boys.  Putting my son to bed tonight, I take a stab anyway.  I tell him about the show, reminding him of some of the songs we have heard on the radio.  He gets that look that we probably all did as a child that is so difficult to explain - a mix of excitement and embarrassment that really defies description - and says to me, "I want to do it if I can."  I can't tell you how thrilled that makes me!  For him to suddenly come around and show any bit of interest in participating in a show fills me with such glee I can't even say.

So here is where the request to pull me back comes in.  First of all, I don't know when they are holding auditions; I'm guessing it's in the fall and he may lose interest by then.  Second, and I thought about this well-after bringing it up to him in the first place, he's only seven; he may still be too young. I hope I haven't sparked something only to have it dashed just because of his age.  So I need a little help to calm down and not get over-zealous about this.  And it is just community theatre; not to discredit them: I've had some great times with very talented people in community theatre, but it's not like this will suddenly set him off on his life's journey.  But if he can get bit by that proverbial bug the same way I did, I couldn't be happier.

I haven't felt much like writing lately.

I'm really not sure why.  Maybe I just don't think I have much to say right now.  There is not much new and exciting happening around me recently.

I'm tired of talking about the world's least favorite band, 45 and the Shambles.  Nothing they do surprises me anymore.  Infuriates, yes; surprises, no.  Russian ties, defunding life-changing and life-saving organizations, nepotism, denying science, spending my money on extra unnecessary security and multiple vacations - yeah, I'm livid with all of them.  But it's all same song, different dance with them.  It's Top 40 radio with a rotation of the same six songs every hour.  We need another Nirvana to disrupt the mainstream, and fast!  And I really don't want to hear any more impeachment speculation or opinions.  Unless proceedings are actually going to take place, just don't talk about it; it gets too many hopes up to just be crushed.  Let's just focus on the elections next year because I don't see anything getting accomplished in the next twelve months.  We're stuck for now; thanks a lot gun-toting, racist, fake Christian ignorants south of the Manson-Nixon line.

There may be a psychological component at work.  The beginning of April is not a good time of year for my family.  April 1 was my father's birthday; he passed going on fourteen years ago.  My maternal grandmother also passed away this day twenty years ago.  Today was my maternal grandfather's birthday, who has been gone over twenty-four years.  We also lost my father-in-law two years ago this week.  I may be in my quiet bit of solitary mourning this week as I miss them all very much.

Recent good things to write home about: I received a pseudo-promotion with the full support of my Directors and VP; my son still clamors for reading Harry Potter every night; and my daughter is absolutely loving this new Netflix show about the performing arts, Julie's Greenroom, from the Jim Henson shop and starring Julie Andrews - I really recommend this show for all parents or if you work with kids, especially if they have shown any interest in the arts at all; it is very cute and encompasses everything, featuring several celebrity guest performers such as Carol Burnett, Alec Baldwin, Bill Irwin, and Idina Menzel.

So that's all I got tonight.  Peace, love, and song.  Hold your family close.