bullying

A Rough One – ND #117

Posted on by Lisa Weikel 2 Comments
Is That a Bat Signal in the Sky? – Photo: L. Weikel

A Rough One

Last week seems to have been a rough one for a lot of people. I’m just tossing this observation out there in case anyone felt it or perhaps noticed it being endured by others. Perhaps it’s just a buildup of all the awfulness we’re witnessing all over the place, and especially in Ukraine. Or maybe it’s a result of the past two years of Covid and strife. Maybe – just maybe – it’s exhaustion.

I know many people who are doing their best to just hang on, hang in there, or otherwise maintain a façade of chill. And for whatever reason, maintaining that fragile balance is especially challenging at the moment.

Spring

It feels to me as if this new season of spring is speeding everything up. It’s as if our rollercoaster ride has, over the past couple of months, been tick-tick-ticking its way up that first really steep hill that’s usually at the very beginning of the ride. The one that, when you breach the top and gravity zooms you down and creates a momentum that takes your breath away over the next several zigs, zags, and centrifugal-force loops, you sometimes find yourself asking yourself why in the world you paid good money to experience this.

If any of us are feeling that subtle sense that things are really going to start heating up via unexpected revelations and other exposures of truth and intentions, it’s possible we’re also just a teensy bit on edge over what the reaction to those revelations will be. Yes, many crave accountability. But there’s also the faction that may or may not accept that reckoning peaceably.

From Micro to Macro

What I find fascinating is how we are seeing the very same themes playing out in our own neighborhoods and school districts, in the way our states treat their citizens, to the entertainment industry, and all the way up and out to how entire countries are behaving around the world. Abuses of power. Over-reactions. Blatant lies and gaslighting. People beseeching authorities for accountability or, at the very least, an acknowledgment and attempt to address and rectify the abuses – and terror at what those who may be held to account for their behavior may do to the rest of us. We are in fear of their spoiled tendencies to lash out when they are caught hurting the rest of us (or the world at large).

It just seems like we’re getting tired of allowing the bullies and tyrants to get their way. What kind of a life is it to look the other way when abuses are taking place all around us? What kind of a life is it to keep pretending everything is normal, when right before our eyes it appears as though the ones that break the rules rule the day?

I’m not sure why I’m writing this except to say we need to stick together. Last week was a rough one. This week may be worse. No matter what, though, we need to stand up for what we fundamentally believe is right and true. And we need to be especially kind to ourselves and one another in the days to come.

Because from the smallest encounters to the greatest, it will be the kindness we display that will be the ‘bat signal,’ if you will, that we’re both sending to and answering for each other.

A Break in the Gloom on the Horizon – Photo: L. Weikel

(T+117)

Tigger’s Protest – Day 1077

Posted on by Lisa Weikel 2 Comments
Chill Til – Photo: L. Weikel

 Tigger’s Protest

One unexpected consequence of the arrival of Pacha and Brutus has been Tigger’s protest and the manner in which it manifests. While Cletus has been brutally frank in his intolerance of these interlopers, there’s actually been a form of détente reached. It’s rather astonishing to see Cletus greet the pups with a playful, “Mrrrrow” when he sees them on the porch – and even deign to a dance of mutual nose-and-butt sniffing.

Of course, the sniffing is always fraught with the potential for escalation. The seemingly innocuous (and almost deceptively friendly) greeting can devolve into a fracas at the slightest whiff of the lack of proper deference being offered on the part of the puppies. Cletus demands deference.

The weird thing is, Cletus slashed at both of them the first couple of days, especially when they played or even just existed anywhere near his food. And when I say slashed, I mean it. He drew a few fine scratches on both of them. This makes his acceptance of them now all the more puzzling.

Dreaming Brutie – Photo: L. Weikel

Back to Tigger

Tigger, on the other hand, has been the epitome of patience. They tackle him and act all fierce, wriggling their butts in the air and barking little yips at their erstwhile big brother. They practice ferocity on Tigger. And as they grow bigger and bigger, and obviously feel more and more comfortable in their new home, their bullying only grows worse.

But beyond the bullying is the distraction they provide. Tigger has recently taken to slyly slipping out the kitchen door when we’re herding the puppies in or out. While he has always been permitted to come outside and sit around with us, especially taking up a watchful position beside me on the glider, he also knows he is not supposed to go off the porch.

While we’re obviously paying more attention to the little ones, Tigger is leaping off the back of the porch and stalking prey in the bamboo between us and the neighbor. Worse, however, is that just today I discovered two completely swollen ticks stuck to his neck. Ugh. I loathe them.

So for his trouble (or lack thereof), he’s getting eaten alive by blood sucking parasites and bullied by a pair of 12 week old puppies.

Hmm. That stinks.

Still Pretty Small – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-34)

Full Moon Dreaming – Day 631

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Full moon in Aquarius – August 2020 – Photo: L. Weikel

Full Moon Dreaming

I’m glad I managed to get some sweet shots of the very nearly almost full moon last night, because there’s not a chance it’s visible this evening. No, we’re relegated to full moon dreaming this evening – and hoping it doesn’t turn into a flash flood nightmare.

Indeed, we’re lucky we even got a two mile walk in. Only minutes after returning home tonight, my phone pinged to alert me to a meteorological prospect I’d already sussed out: we were on the verge of being hit by a severe thunderstorm. While we did receive a reasonable storm (it was nothing like what hit us last Thursday evening), the amount of rain that fell was a mere drop in the bucket to what we’re likely to experience in the early morning hours tomorrow.

It seems a bit weird that here in eastern Pennsylvania we’re getting hit with a tropical storm calling not only for up to 6” of rain falling ‘in a short period of time’ (causing flash flooding), but also winds potentially ranging between 58-73 mph and even the possibility of tornadoes.

I think I can pretty confidently say that Pennsylvanians, on the whole, did not sign up for this. Or tornadoes. Tropical storms are generally southern and mid-western state issues. What the heck is happening here? Mid-Atlantic states say, “No thank you!”

Timing

I’m sure the effects on the coastline of Tropical Storm Isaias (which I believe has regained hurricane strength as it makes landfall in the Carolinas this evening) will be exacerbated by the full moon, undoubtedly creating higher than normal storm surges and even greater erosion than usual. But beyond that, I hate to think of the suffering and risk people will endure as a direct result of the confluence of these battering storms and the unavoidable reality of the pandemic.

It seems like every day we’re bombarded with more and more stories of the precariousness of life here in the United States. Meanwhile, Congress dithers.

Something’s gotta give. And that’s usually when a full moon comes in and gives us a well-timed push.

Choices

Since the inception of 2020, all of us are facing choices day in and day out that we never imagined we would have to make. I think it may have been in this podcast that I heard that this full moon is in the fixed air sign of Aquarius, which is completing a cycle begun at the end of January, at which time we experienced a new moon in the fixed air sign of Aquarius.

I can’t help but wonder at the choices that have been made in how we viewed and dealt with Covid-19 from the earliest days of its arrival here in the U.S. (our first awareness being at the end of January) to how we’re viewing and dealing with it now (at this ‘fullness’ of the same moon as when it all began). I’d like to think that this full moon could represent the climax of the virus’s impact on our society – and had we made other, significantly different choices on how to respond to the virus’s arrival, surely wresting it under control would have been a possibility we’d be enjoying.

But sadly, this full moon could actually signify the virus just starting to hit its stride in taking us out.

Taking a Stand

This full moon could very well be challenging us to stand up to the bullying we’re enduring to have our children and teachers return to school as if the virus is contained. We must acknowledge the truth: it isn’t contained. Not even close.

And a point is going to come – soon, I sense, urged on by the pressure and illumination of this full moon – when parents are going to rise up and demand accountability. Demand testing. Demand a national strategy that will protect all of us, but especially those our government is insanely threatening us to sacrifice: our children, our teachers, those who feed, transport, and clean up after them. Our future.

The present disastrous predicament we find ourselves in did not need to happen. And as unpopular as it might be, there still exists an opportunity for us to dream another future into being. But it would entail short-term but rather draconian sacrifice. Short-term pain for long-term gain. (Something we’ve already squandered once, but hey – maybe we can still turn it around?)

In the meantime, I think Spartacus has the right idea: he’s dreaming, and possibly projecting, himself into a future featuring American humans making wiser, more compassionate choices.

Spartacus – Dreaming of Humans Making Better Choices – Photo: L.Weikel

(T-480)

Heart Strike – Day 444

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Photo: L. Weikel

Heart Strike

I was unable to watch any specifics of the impeachment trial today. But based upon my somewhat cursory catching up on what I missed, I’m finding myself approaching despair.

The argument currently being put forth by the president’s counsel essentially posits that the president can do anything – ANYTHING – that he believes is in the ‘national interest,’ including doing whatever he can to get himself elected (because, of course, what president would not think their re-election would be in the national interest?), and it’s ok. “If the president does it, it’s ok.”

We were stunned at the hubris (and obvious disregard for the existence of the other two equal branches of government and the concept of separation of powers) when Nixon said it some 46 years ago, and we should be even more troubled by that concept now.

This argument strikes at the heart of our country, at the heart of what has made us unique in the world – and a beacon of hope and moral authority in the world.

Snatching at Hope

At this point it seems all we can do is watch in horror.

So I’m going to post a photo of the setting new moon that I took a few days ago. It’s lovely. And new moons give me hope.

And quite frankly, I need to snatch at hope. I need to allow myself the luxury of going to sleep this evening hoping that enough Senators will put common sense and the future of our country over their political expediency.

If they don’t, we will be ceding our sovereignty to a bully. This bully, and any other bully who wants to use gobs of money to buy the presidency. Because with no check on their power once they’re in? Who knows what they’ll change to retain that power. Term limits? Scratch. Not if it’s in the national interest. Polling intimidation? Gotta get the job done ‘for the country.’

No.

I have to look at the new moon. And hope our Senators come to their senses before it’s too late.

(T-667)

Stating the Obvious – Day 420

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
Photo: wired.com

Stating the Obvious

Sometimes I’m a master at this. And you know what? Sometimes it just has to be done.

The ‘obvious’ that I feel needs to be stated at the moment is that this is going to be one hell of an intense week.

Right out of the gate, we know this will be no ordinary week (and let’s face it, how many of them have we honestly experienced since January 20th, 2017?) because of the horrifying manner in which global tensions are being insanely and irresponsibly ratcheted up on a daily basis. By tweet, no less.

It’s stunning.

Another reason, a corollary to the first, naturally – since so much of our global, national, local, and personal stress is triggered in one way or another by the rash acts emanating from the White House – is that for every threat tweeted out against others, particularly toward those who were rashly and yet deliberately provoked by an assassination of one of their own, another cadre of self-proclaimed avengers is born.

And who will reap the fallout from that vengeance being sought? Almost certainly men, women, and children who do not see it coming. Oh, they may feel it vaguely raising the hackles on their skin when they read about another tweet or hear of yet another taunt or belligerent beating of a national chest. But quite honestly, save for the 9/11 attacks, there’s a profound belief, deep in the core of most Americans’ psyche, that we’re inviolable. That stuff won’t – can’t – happen here.

Photo: runnersworld.com

Our Bubble is Exposed

Given the taunts and threats of 52 sites of strategic or cultural importance being in the crosshairs of our military, I have to ask: Can anyone reading that not imagine how it would feel to have that same threat levied against us? Can anyone reading about anything that’s going on right now not use simple common sense and imagine the rage that we would feel if the bully slapped us like that?

How would we feel if we witnessed the bully slap someone else – perhaps a friend?

How would we feel if we witnessed that very same bully sucker punch a kid who wasn’t exactly our friend? Maybe even someone we whom we also feared – but not as much, since he’s smaller and perhaps a bit more wily (because he has to be clever to make up for his smaller build)?

We’d probably watch in horror and hope we wouldn’t get hit by a stray fist. Or worse.

Recap

To recap why I stated the obvious premise at the start of this post:

1. We have mad, provocative tweeting (and bombs); 2. We are creating new avengers daily, including people who may simply have been observers…before; and 3. We have a full moon and eclipse happening on Friday, plus a slew of planetary aspects that were daunting enough for us to face before the hasty and ill-advised events of the past couple of days.

More on the planetary aspects tomorrow, perhaps.

In the meantime, we must hold those centers. Keep peace in each of our own hearts and homes. It’s what we must do.

(T-691)