Confession Tuesday -

It's been one week, one May Day, one birth-certificate reveal and one well-known terrorist's death since my last confession. My thoughts are all over the place, there is still a buzz, but I'm here and ready to confess.


I confess it takes me a while to digest "big news" when it happens.  I am not someone who understands my thoughts when I am having them, but only some time later.

Because of this, this is why I make all of my biggest decisions instinctually, through how I *feel* and not what I think or believe I know.   I try to take my head out of it completely.

But I can tell you this--

I confess I wish our news media (as well as all the people of our country & the world) lived more in the now and didn't speculate.

I like it when something takes place and we don't sit around to discuss what this means for the future.  I can tell you right now, we have no idea about the future.  We can guess, use our best judgments, look at history, but we are speculating and creating scenarios not based on fact.

(FEAR = Future Events Appearing Real)

I confess I make sure that when I read the news, I'm aware of what is "fact" and what is "speculation."  I'm amazed how much of our news coverage is based on speculating.  We are creatures who want to know the end of the story (I know I can be this way), but the news media is also based on ratings.  If we are not living in fear, then we aren't tuning in.

~

I confess if you want to have a fun car ride home, try explaining to a 10 year old why the death of OBL was a big deal (note sarcastic tone in the word fun in this confession).

Question:  So we're in a war because the Twin Towers were knocked down.
A: We're in 2 wars - Afghanistan & Iraq (not including messing around with Libya)

Q: So the wars are over now?
A: Well, not yet, but hopefully.

Q:  Why did they keep repeating "OBL is dead and we have his body"?
A: This is what the news does when they don't have the full story, they repeat the couple facts they have.  Their goal is to not let you turn off your television.

Statement:  I wish they wouldn't have postponed Amazing Race.
Response:  Me too.

Now toss in husband's answers of 343 firefighters died on 9/11 & talk about how their families might be feeling and well, let's just say, I was quite happy to get out of the car.

~

I confess that one of my favorite parts about the news on Sunday night was that Obama's speech and the NBC special news bulletin interrupted Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice.

I confess The Donald is getting The Kelli's nerves. If a person can jump the shark, he has. Or maybe he's jumped The Sheen. I'm not sure, but apparently when you see crazy coming, you're not supposed to cross the street but run at him with a microphone.

~

I confess I'm fascinated how fakes can appear in our world and how we create new quotes, new ways to articulate what we are feeling in our language.

This was a quote going around Facebook & Twitter yesterday:


"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that"
~ Martin Luther King, Jr




But the quote is not from Martin Luther King, Jr. but has been traced back to Penn Jillette.  I've linked the article here (I first saw it was an incorrect quote in the Atlantic Monthly).


Here's what fascinates me--  People couldn't determine what they were feeling yesterday, but it wasn't jubilation.  Many people did not want to stand in the streets and shout "USA!  USA!" but they couldn't articulate it.  Then the quote appeared attributed to MLK Jr & it began to be cut & pasted again and again.


And a new quote was born.  Bizarre.  But also kind of cool.  I'm not sure how I feel about it.  Maybe I should invite a quote to show tell you--


Sometimes the words of others work better than our own, even when they are not their words either.
                   -- From the Inaccurate Plagiarist's Handbook



~


I confess I was looking for an eyeglass cleaner this morning and opened up the third drawer in our bathroom and found a giant cutout print of Emily Dickinson's head staring back at me.  Welcome to a poet's house.


Now back to our regularly scheduled writing lives already in progress.

Amen.