From last night…

Composition of lighted hallway door and light on ceiling, all at a right shifted angle. Makes interesting angular abstract.

From this morning…

Concrete walk step with dashed caution markings on the leading edge.

Closeup of side of granite boulder.

Tiled terrace surface with imbedded boards over raceway leading to thick cables protruding above the surface. Rounded rocks strewn around.

There is a deep connexion between excessively rationalistic thinking and delusion. (Iain McGilchrist, The Matter With Things)

yesterday i was grateful for time spent with our friends Steve and Diane

today i am looking forward to sharing the island with Steve and Diane

November 18, 2024 - by Heather Cox Richardson

Ramaswamy today posted on social media, “A reasonable formula to fix the U.S. government: Milei-style cuts, on steroids.” He has suggested that cuts are easier than people think. The Washington Post’s Philip Bump noted that on a podcast in September, Ramaswamy said as an example: “If your Social Security number ends in an odd number, you’re out. If it ends in an even number, you’re in. There’s a 50 percent cut right there. Of those who remain, if your Social Security number starts in an even number, you’re in, and if it starts with an odd number, you’re out. Boom. That’s a 75 percent reduction done.”

Yesterday I was grateful for time spent with my wife, mother in law and dogs on beautiful Block Island.

Today I am looking forward to the arrival of our friends, Steve and Diane.

From this morning…

American flag and detritus processed with a gruge filter.

Ocean, clouds and landscape early AM.

Lobster trap Christmas tree.

15 Observations On The New Phase Of Cultural Conflict

i found this really interesting…

Back in 2014, I sketched out a widely-read outline of an alternative interpretation of cultural conflict. Curiously enough, the conceptual tools I used came from a 1929 book from philosopher José Ortega y Gasset entitled The Revolt of the Masses—a work that offers surprisingly timely insights into our current situation.

In a similar vein, Jacob Needleman wrote: ‘Stay with the contradiction. If you stay, you will see that there is always something more than two opposing truths. The whole truth always includes a third part, which is the reconciliation’. (Iain McGilchrist, The Matter With Things)

From this morning…

Parking lot illuminated with security lights, houses and mountain beyond, mostly in silhouette.

Colorful glass bead chandelier.

Closeup of frost on a black hair wig.

Streetscape with three story brick buildings on right, curb and road markings in the foreground.

Folding chair with floral seat cushion in early morning sun.

From this morning…

Plants and flowers shop illuminated by two paper globe lanterns.

Spaghetti strap dress hanging in shop window.

Wedding dress on display in bridal shop window. Christmas decorations hang from above on either side.

Crumpled sheet of aluminum foil on sidewalk.

Giant inflatable Christmas snowman stuffed against inside of shop window.

From this morning…

Building entry, illuminated by lights from within, green and orange dust tarps to the right.

One story building in final stages of renovation. Scene illuminated by building security lights. Linear shadow from horizontal board above draped over the scene.

Black and white detail image of dust control tarps hung from scaffolding.

Slightly creepy baby doll in window of antique store.

overreacting? | In Opposition

i find myself with a pervasive undercurrent of sadness and fear since the election… i am not a sad or fearful person in general… even in the midst of what may turn out to be one of the worst things to happen in my lifetime, i can manage happiness here and there…

…renewing our passports… not sure where we would go but flexibility is the game here…

from this morning…

Colorful leaves sprinkled on asphalt pavement like confetti.

Concrete block wall closeup, security light in the upper right corner creates a parabolic curve separating lighted from shadow. the end of a ladder juts in from the bottom left side of the frame towards the middle bottom of the frame.

Concrete block wall with square window through which is visible a red lit exit sign.

Street scene with cars and utility poles receding into the center of the frame. The scene is framed by the walls of two buildings on either side.

Streetscape with road curving from lower left corner to right edge of frame and back towards the center. A row of three story buildings follows the curve of the road on the left side.

Metal zombies lunch box in a shop window.

Inflatable Christmas snowmen jammed into a shop display window.

… apparently, the difference between f’d and completely f’d is going to be the backbone of, or lack there of, of the Senate…

yesterday, two strangers chatted me up in my local coffee shop… i found myself being very guarded… this is new to me since the election…

From this morning…

Condensation on a window that has been smudged and dribbles as if a chaotic creature with long dangling tendrils.

Empty white cardboard food carton in a pile of leaves.

Yellow building wall running from left edge into middle of photograph, concrete pad and foundation under construction.

… the price of gas keeps going down… too late, too late…

Sunoco station gas price sign. Cash price for regular gas is $2.89 and credit price is $2.98.

From yesterday…

Empty Ello Market popcorn bag on the sidewalk. Bag is white from top to midpoint, and blue from midpoint to bottom.

A streak of cornmeal on the sidewalk.

Sunoco gas station canopy with white car pulled up to the forward gas pump. Modelo beer delivery truck and silhouetted building in the background.

Building with dust tarps dropped over it. Illuminated entry to the building in the lower left corner.

Shop window with disco mirror ball hanging and reflection of mirror ball in an adjacent window pain to the left.

The Matter With Things :: Essays On Attention Paid

i have, just now, finished the closing chapter of The Matter With Things… an argument about left and right brain hemisphere roles… the author, Iain McGilchrist, tells us the world has settled too much in the left-hemisphere, and ignores a right-hemisphere way of seeing and understanding, which he says is more complete and approaches nearer to truth… he argues that science in tandem with materialist society have driven us this way…

From this morning…

side of a brick building with a roof access ladder, u shaped bike hitching bar. A forward corner of the building casts a shadow on the stepped back wall that fills most of the frame.

American and New York State flags flutter in the breeze against a cloudy sky backdrop.

Illuminated pendant globe lights in a shop space. Lights are dimmed and objects in the store are increasingly visible the closer they are to the lights.

Female mannequin in a shop window with light colored sweater top and dark colored pants on bottom. A mountain, trees, utility pole and building are visible as a reflection in the window of the shop.

the new world order…

A male bust mannequin in a bridal shop window. Mannequin is wearing a formal suit and tie. Two female mannequins with wedding dresses are visible in a mirror behind the left shoulder of the mannequin.

my informal survey of supporters of Donald Trump indicates that none of them believe what i believe about him... they all say he won't do the worst things he has said he will do... i deeply desire to be proven wrong...

From this morning’s walk… Gallery display window with photographic art hanging on the wall.

Wood shipping pallet closeup. Paletboard is broken at the top. Woodpiece lies against the pallet and points to the broken board.

Single story M&T bank building in the early morning.
Three story commercial brick building with street crossing in front of it.

more from the theater of the absurd…

November 8, 2024 - by Heather Cox Richardson

There are also stories that voters who chose Trump to lower household expenses are unhappy to discover that their undocumented relatives are in danger of deportation.

i feel i am living in an absurdist play…

November 8, 2024 - by Heather Cox Richardson

Social media has been flooded today with stories of Trump voters who are shocked to learn that tariffs will raise consumer prices as reporters are covering that information.

i am starting to review my internet footprint for being secure from prying big tech eyes and ultimately government eyes… i have a Proton email account and have now signed up for their cloud drive and vpn service… i don’t use FB and Instagram very much… other ways to secure privacy?