Of Politics, Sports and Stuff

I'm not sure a thought like this is what George Fox was looking for when he founded Quakerism 3-400 years ago, but this is what came to me in Meeting this morning regardless: I wonder...were murder legal, if we would all be nicer to each other.

  My most recent conclusion about how and why people vote: Republicans vote with their pocketbooks. Democrats vote their values. In other words, if you vote based on the values attributed to Jesus in the Bible, you'll vote Democrat. And when, not if, the Dems lose the House tonight, and likely the Senate as well, the navel-gazing will begin, analyzing how and why Dems didn't and aren't connecting with moderate (non-MAGA) voters.  Here's my (overly simplistic) take. It comes down to two words: Free Stuff If you support the idea of the government giving people Free Stuff - stimulus checks, welfare, food stamps, section 8 housing, even including affirmative action and minority set asides, things you didn't earn or work for - you are going to vote Democrat. If you hate that the government gives people Free Stuff, especially if it isn't coming to you, you vote Republican. And that second category includes most of the people who decide elections.

  Life is complicated, confusing, and challenging  and yet  quite simple if one approaches every challenge with calm, courage, conviction, compassion  and...love.

  I came across this little square of a piece of paper recently: ...and it reminded me of a time in my life (age 23) that I remember as busy, but didn't remember just how busy. I think I used to do this monthly, or maybe I just did it for this one month of October, 1980, because it was just a crazy month in my life. The dates on that list are all events I attended or participated in, and some are of some historical interest, and just a little more relevant now because the Phillies are now, and were then in the World Series. Here is the list a little bigger and with explanations: October, 1980: 1 - I took an exam in my accounting class, probably at Ursinus College. This was the start of my career change from social work to accounting. 4 - The second ever Friends Fall Festival at Downingtown Friends Meeting (and the date Martha Bryans asked Mike Rellahan and me, who were doing face- and HAND-painting at the Festival to give her young daughter a "hand job", referring to her

  After being harangued for months by avid reader Becca (and by “harangued”, I mean she casually mentioned it once in a comment a few months ago, but hey - I'm a too sensitive guy - that surely constitutes a harangue in Jamie World), I am finally willing to share the story of how David Brooks, the NY Times columnist, tried to have me thrown out of the 2012 Democratic National Convention (DNC). (Spoiler – there is nothing in the story that follows that will match the scenario playing in your head that likely looks like  this . I'm sorry - I have no idea how to link to GIFs properly. Or even how to pronounce GIF.) So, here’s the back story. Cheryl got a call in early 2012 asking her if, based on her level of participation and hard work on behalf of the Obama campaign, she would like to be a delegate to the DNC coming up in Charlotte (NC, not VT). Being a delegate to the DNC had been a goal of mine since I was in 10th or so grade and had seen a young hippie-like individual inter