Dear President Biden, I’m not sure I can muster even a decent haiku under the current circumstances, but here goes: Inside my cocoonI feel safe. And powerless.But out is scary. Indeed. The sky is blue, the wind is calm, the traffic is quiet this morning but we are a world of mounting, creeping, lurching, hurtling …
Worth doing
Dear President Biden, It had been coming on for a bit, but I finally hit a pretty low point yesterday evening as I considered the enormity of what we’re facing and how, even at the micro-relational level, people can’t seem to get along. All day I’d been hearing stories about people yelling at those they’re …
May we not run out of AMOC
Dear President Biden, Had you heard of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) system before last week? Or, to be fair to the rest of us mere mortals who aren’t oceanographers or presidents – how about before you elected to be elected to serve as America’s Safeguarder-In-Chief? Well, before I made myself read the WP …
Rounding error, walking intersections, and new fires
Dear President Biden, For several days I’ve been saving two ideas from two very different sources that on their faces don’t seem to marry up especially well. I’ve kept them perched up here at the top of the Word document where I write my letters to you and I’ve been scrolling past them the last …
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Voting rights ~ a round we can’t afford to lose
Dear President Biden, Happy August, a day late. I hope you had a good weekend and that you’re feeling refreshed and ready to defend democracy. It sounds like a few of the tears in your cape maybe got some attention on Friday when you met with Pelosi and Schumer about the need for an all …
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Today’s find ~ a US Virgin Islands quarter
Dear President Biden, I am happy to inform you that Laura’s COVID test came back “virus not detected,” which while not as satisfying as a straightforward “negative” is overall a very, very good thing. I wish way more people were as fortunate. To celebrate her certificate of current good health, Laura went with a friend …
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How about we avoid hitting bottom when it comes to global warming?
Dear President Biden, My walking goal yesterday was to swing by and see the 12th Ave Buddha. I hadn’t seen him in a couple of weeks and I don’t like to go too long between visits to the various Buddha, donkey, and bunny statuary in the neighborhood. I know – it sounds kind of pathetic …
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Whole new (scary) ranges
Dear President Biden, In the spirit of sticking with my pact with myself to stay “eyes wide open” about global warming, this morning I made myself read the WP article Amid Summer of Fire and Floods, A Moment of Truth for Climate Action by Sarah Kaplan and Brady Dennis. It’s long. And it’s depressing. Apparently …
The air we breathe
Dear President Biden, Diesel fuel fumes are wafting through the front windows from the huge dump truck that’s dumping a ginormous pile of gravel, dirt, or asphalt (not sure which this morning) in front of our house. It’s also incredibly loud when the trucks are getting in gear and drivers have to floor it to …
We need a plan
Dear President Biden, Rousing, righteous speeches can be terrific catalysts, and lines like “I’m not saying this to alarm you. I’m saying this because you should be alarmed.” are clever and catchy. Such lines might just give some people the poke they need to move out of the “I’m not sure how bad these GOP …
