Published Nationwide

Believe it or not, Quiet Rage has been published nationwide via a credible, well-known news outlet.  I do more than sit here at the computer spewing random rants about nothing.  To tell you the truth, I had forgotten that I submitted the piece until I saw it in print as I had written it about 1.5 years ago.  Of course, I had to use a pen name as being somewhat faceless is part of my technique.  I did not write the piece for ego gratification nor recognition. I guess some editors somewhere are thinking I have something to say that's worth publishing.  And no, it's not about any stupid riots. 

On another note, more and more synchronicity keeps happening in my life.  It's even freaking ME out and I'm somewhat used to it.  I wish I could explain or control it, but I can't.  Non-believers will be non-believers and there is nothing I can say to convince them otherwise.  It's more than mere coincidences as that's how the non-believers explain it away.  They have never felt the thrust of energy that bolts through the body when a "truth" hits you.  They have never felt the "sinking gut" when intuition decides to pay an unannounced visit. 

...and no, I can't control it.  It does not perform on demand like a circus monkey.  It appears and disappears and is sometimes inconclusive.  I can't wrap it up and put it in a box; therefore, it does not exist to most people. 

Solar Eclipse

Tomorrow is the solar eclipse here in North America.  I know of people who are flocking to areas where the total eclipse will be visible.  We have not had a solar eclipse here for a long time.  I do remember the one that was in 1978-79 or so.  This was before the internet age and I remember watching the event through a pin hole projector.  The world paused to take it all in. 

For freaks like myself, while not going through extremes in the celebration of this rare event and then oversharing it on social media, will pause with like-minded people with quiet contemplation, appreciation, and awe of nature with our own rituals that have personal meaning.  The people who truly have respect for this phenomenon will think it sacrilege to cheapen it with social media postings.   

Tomorrow the sun, moon, and earth will align.  The planets are *really* aligning, my friends.  This will create a laser beam of psychic energy to charge us up.  From my observations of humans, we really need it.  Let's appreciate it and open yourself up to it. 

Travel Boredom - Why Bother?

Traveling has now pretty much lost all appeal.  The entire point of traveling was to experience life of another country, or culture.  Go to any city anymore and they are all the same and have the same Italian restaurants (albeit with a different name) coffee shops, art galleries, bars, etc.  They all have the same "ethnic" neighborhoods:  Chinatown, Italian, Indian, German, Thai, Polish, Mars.

All this diversity has created boredom.

Bird on a Wire: Energy Conservation

Here's a tidbit of information that you'll find interesting.  Are you aware that there is a LOT of electricity that is wasted because of the aging transmission system of old power lines and cables?  Take a look up at the power lines that distribute electricity.  The vast majority are at least 40 years old and have lost efficiency due to corrosion, age, etc.  It's been said by those in authority on the matter if we invested in new transmission lines we would save an enormous amount of electricity and the polluting environmental impacts involved in creating electricity.  Yes, we would lessen our carbon footprint substantially.

Wow.  Replacing all those power lines seems like a big job.  It is, but it seems like the most obvious thing we could do to conserve energy and reduce environmental impact.  It's something so attainable and doable and not some futuristic pie in the sky far fetched fantasy that some engineering geek wrote for a graduate thesis.  It's not glamours nor attention grabbing.  Maybe that's why the obvious is being ignored. 

How about this for simplicity on replacing aged distribution systems:  Start by simply observing the power lines in the winter time and look for the power lines that have the most birds on it.  Why?  Because inefficient power lines exude escaping heat that the birds love to sit on. 

I bet you'll never look at a power line in the wintertime the same way again.  Each time you look up and see a bunch of birds on a wire you'll know that an aging, inefficient line needs to be replaced and that it's losing about 50% capacity. 

Jack Johnson

Tonight I went to a concert at Berkeley's Greek Theater to see Jack Johnson.  Here in the heart of liberalism I decided to test "diversity" by going into the men's bathroom as the line for the women's was REALLy long and I REALLY had to pee.

You know the stupidity of the bathroom wars (transgender, whatever) and everybody all parading around these days shouting, "You can Pee Next to Me" and other little sayings and slogans to all get us to a gender neutral bathroom.

So, that's what we did -- three of us gals just marched into the men's bathroom to the empty stalls.  Guess what.  The earth did not stop spinning on its axis.

As the night went on I was disappointed in the audience for Jack Johnson.  Nobody was a moovin and a groovin except for my group.  It's pretty sad when a bunch of middle aged white women from Sonoma County are the weirdo hippies at the concert and have to instigate action.  Everybody else just sat there like a stick in the mud. 

Since when did Berkeley become so uptight and white? 

Vancouver Homeless

I have been spending some time in the Canadian city of Vancouver, British Columbia.  Everybody wants to use Canada as an example of what we in the United States should be like.  We are constantly compared to Canada’s foreign relations, health care, social services, and their acceptance of cultural and social differences.

Really?

When was the last time any of you spent a little time with our neighbors to the north and dug beneath the surface?  

Here’s what I found Vancouver to be -- San Francisco’s twin sister.  Yup.  It’s shiny and glitzy and welcoming of all, on the surface that is.  Dig a little deeper and they have a problem with tweekers, homelessness, poverty, etc.  The streets outside of the immediate tourist areas are littered with feces and trash.  Panhandlers are just about everywhere as are barred-up windows and graffiti.  Canada has the same problems we do.  They are just better at hiding them and the world isn’t looking to criticize and shame Canada for anything.  

As for tolerance, that’s not really there either despite Canada’s 150^th birthday public service messages showing how happy they are with their diversity.   There is a strong undertow of prejudice and racism.  Yesterday, my man wore his Oakland Raiders shirt.  The shirt solicited instant friends at a bar we ended up at.  Our new friends were Canadian, but were of Indian and middle eastern descent and one in the group wore a turban.  It did not take long for them to start telling tales on how they are made to feel like second class citizens and were praising Americans, especially Californians, for being more accepting than the Canadians.  The guy who wore a turban, Sonny, went on to say how an American Navy Seal bought him drinks and befriended him.  Sonny was not expecting that.  He was expecting silent hostility.  Sonny had a strong sense of humor and said, “Think about that.  A f****** navy seal buying me, a f****** towel-headed, sheet-headed bastard who he’s trained to kill, and he’s buying ME drinks,” and went on to say how everybody should not take themselves so seriously and lighten up.  Political correctness has gone overboard.  Laugh more and remove the stick out of certain orifices.  

The others in the group told their tales as well and what was messed up in their country.  Their country has plenty of problems and they are not immune to issues, either.   It’s not the Utopia Michael Moore portrays.  So, world, before you throw your next rock at us saying how crappy we are and how we should be more like Canada, have a REALLY good look and then STFU.  

p.s. more Canadians immigrate to the United States than the other way around -- the ratio is approximately 2-1.  

p.p.s  I have no explanation for HeWhoShallNotBeNamed as occupying the Oval Office.  Sorry about that.  We're claiming temporary insanity as a defense. 

Freaking Out People I Work With

I don't mean to freak people out.  I just do.  I try to put on a normal face to the world, but I'm anything but.  I'm a freak.

It happened again the other night when I was having cocktails at the bar with my co-workers and spouses.  We were all more than 1/2 buzzed and I was chatting with Gag's wife.  I don't even remember how we got on the subject, but out of the sheer blue sky I randomly guessed and blurted out Gag's wife's birthday.  Her jaw dropped and wanted to know how I knew. 

I don't know how I knew.  I've been trying to figure out how it happens all my life.

She started yanking on Gag's arm and saying, "Honey, she guessed my birthday and there's no way she would know," and excitedly continued on how she has never experienced a psychic moment before. 

I could see Gag immediately slump in his chair, arms crossed, and he turned his baseball hat backwards. His energy was trying to run away, but he couldn't. He sat there in his chair. I guess Gag never told his wife on how I caught him lying on an affidavit for financing for a client who did not qualify.  How did I know?  I just did.  I had a gut feeling.  I never told Gag how I put the pieces together and busted him.  He thinks I have a legion of spies everywhere.  I don't. 

Men are scared shitless of me once they figure out they can't bullshit me.  At this point freaking people out is a quaint hobby of mine.  Back now to the bar where we were having drinks.  I put my elbow on the table, chin in my hand, and leaned forward looking deep into Gag's eyes with a smirk on my face.  It made him even more uncomfortable because I knew he was wondering what else I knew that he was trying to keep secret.  Gag visibly squirmed in his seat.  I find that women are intrigued when I have a psychic hit, and men are scared.  There's nothing to be scared of, guys.  Just don't lie to me and everything will be fine.