The Results Are In

Results Report

Results Report 

 

By D.S. Mitchell

I’m not sure when I decided to do it; I think it was about 6 weeks ago; maybe more like a month ago. Anyway, none of that is really important, what is important was the response I got.

I sat down and made a list of 25 old friends that I never wanted to lose contact with; some I hadn’t reached out to in several years. Shame on me, but like with most things I can give you a page long list of reasons why I let that happen. So, rather than bore you with all that nonsense, I’ll tell you what I did.

First of all, I have an entire filing cabinet drawer filled with beautiful greeting cards; Sympathy, Get Well Soon, Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary, Merry Christmas, Thinking of You, and Blank, of course. When you donate, frequently you will be given socks, scarfs, back packs, flashlights, address labels and every form of greeting card ever needed or designed. All-in-all, pretty awesome.

So, I think you can put two and two together and see what’s coming. I took that list of ’25 friends I never wanted to lose contact with’ and grabbed a handful of Thinking of You cards and wrote all of these amazing people a short note telling them each how much I appreciated knowing them and expressed my intent to do a better job of keeping in contact, updating my contact information and asking the same of them. Next, I went to the post office and for less than $20.00 I sent all those precious people a loving and caring handwritten note.

I’m not sure what response I expected; or if I even thought about potential responses, I just did it, comfortable with what ever happened. The phone didn’t ring and there was no written response to my cards…for at least two weeks, then as if the celestial dam broke my mail box was filled with a deluge of responses, each with its unique and beautiful sentiment followed with directions to websites, new phone numbers, updated emails and physical addresses as well.

I counted 18 hand written responses,  and 1 returned ‘d/t no forwarding address on file,’ and five phone calls! Amazing, 100% if you discount the 1 returned d/t no forwarding address. Four of the calls were happy with multiple promises to keep in contact. The 5th caller, the older sister of one of ‘my never want to lose contact with friends,’ a person well-known and loved by me, called to tell me that she was taking care of her sister’s mail and social contacts since her younger sister was no longer able to self care due to advanced Alzheimer’s disease. Heart breaking news, made doubly painful because her husband is also a victim of the disease. Connie, said she would keep me in the loop as to Alice’s health, which gave me some comfort.

From what started as one of those things I just had to do; became a thing I was so thankful I did.  Hearing those warm, familiar voices on the phone, touching the paper their fingers had touched, in those handwritten notes and cards, OMG… thank you dear friends for sharing your love, kindness and mercy. I can’t ever imagine what I did to deserve such kindness and love.

Thank you all, and keep in touch with your friends. You’ll be glad you did.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

 

 

50 Trump, Not So Nice, Adjectives

50 Trump, Not So Nice, Adjectives

50 Trump, No So Nice, Adjectives

By D. S. Mitchell

Calamity Politics is happy to announce that I, Editor-in-Chief, the only Editor, in fact, am going to devote the entire first political blog post of the day to a really nasty game.

The ‘game’ will not distract from my usual in-depth political coverage; that will come later. LOL. My regular readers know that the ‘in-depth’ description is probably a bit misleading.

I’m decently polite and tend to shyness. Rarely do I attack. But today, as I was driving back home from I-Hop this morning, I started thinking about Donald J. Trump, 47th President of the United States, con-man, self-promoter and started tossing negative adjectives around in my head as I made the drive from Medford to Grants Pass.

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Life in 1900 America

Life in 1900 America

Life in 1900 America

By D. S. Mitchell

Yesterday, I stumbled across some statistics from 1900. Mind you, just over a 100 years ago things were very different from today. It was a simpler time; no emails to answer, no breaking news, no radio or TV to watch. I thought the information was both amusing, and eye-opening. Check it out. My furthest memories are from the 1950’s and I thought that was a very different time…and it was, but 1900, I was shocked and surprised as to how things have changed in the last 125 years. I don’t know if I could have waited a month to wash my hair, yikes!

Statistics from 1900:

1) Average life expectancy in the USA was 46 years. Compare that to the 79.6 life expectancy for 2025. 2) 14% per cent of American homes had a bathtub and a mere 8% had a telephone. 3) Mississippi, Iowa, Tennessee, and Alabama all had larger populations than California. 4) There were 8,000 cars and only a 144 miles of paved roads. Sounds like a bumpy ride for the few who could afford an automobile. 5) The average hourly wage in USA was 22 cents and the average worker made between $200-$400 a year. 6) The population of Las Vegas was either 25, or 30, depending on your resource. 7) 90% of doctors in the USA never attended college and about the same for lawyers. 8) The Eiffel Tower was the tallest structure in the world   9) Sugar cost 4 cents a pound, coffee was 15 cents a pound, and eggs were 14 cents a dozen. 10) There was a total of 230 reported murders in the USA. 11) Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Hawaii, and Alaska were not yet states.  12) Only 6% of American adults were high school graduates. 10% of adults were illiterate. 13) Most women washed their hair once a month and used egg yolks or borax for shampoo. 14) 95% of all births took place at home.  15) Leading causes of death in the USA were pneumonia, influenza, tuberculosis, heart disease, diarrhea, and stroke. 16) 18% of American homes had a full-time servant. 17) Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn’t been invented yet.

*Hope you got a laugh or two. Calamity Politics is a progressive on-line news magazine.  This list of what was going on in 1900 came from “Uncle John’s Fast-Acting, Long-Lasting Bathroom Reader by the Bathroom Reader’s Institute, 18th Edition.”

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I Wrote the Spider Series, Now What?

I Wrote the Spider Series, Now What?

I Wrote the Spider Series, Now What?

By D.S. Mitchell

 

So I have spent the last three years of my life writing the three book Spider Series. Now that I have accomplished that major feat, I find out according to the experts, I will need to spend another three years marketing my little project. So, folks please suffer through the ads for the next couple months as I try to market my erotic thriller series. Available on Amazon. If you’re interested, what follows is a bit of the back story on the writing book one of the Spider Series.

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Gratitude and Thanksgiving

Gratitude and Thanksgiving

Gratitude and Thanksgiving

A Thanksgiving Reminder

By D. S. Mitchell

 

We rush about our daily lives, captives of our cell phones and our computers, isolated from each other by a technology that most of us have no understanding of.  Most of us are angry and aggrieved, often unsure why. We argue with our families over unimportant issues, again not sure why. There is an underlying tension in the country. We have a president that thinks he can “do anything” he wants whether its constitutional or not. People are angry and frightened about what new chaos and cruelty Trump will dream up from day to day. With such social turmoil confronting us it is often easy to overlook everyday ‘miracles’; the beauty of a child’s laugh, the comforting chirp of a robin’s song, or the magnificence of a sunrise.

Don’t let the uncertainty of our social disorder blind you to the everyday miracles around us. Sometimes, being grateful is difficult, I often fail in the endeavor, but as a reminder to my friends and readers if you can’t feel that sense of fulfillment that gratitude provides, you will never find “happiness” no matter how far and wide you search. Take a few minutes each day and celebrate the wonders of existence, the touch of a hand, love, laughter. With the sheer wonder of the universe our gratitude should be overwhelming. Allow yourself be overwhelmed.

 

Change Course


 Change Course, You’ll Feel Better

Change Course, You’ll Feel Better

 

By D.S. Mitchell

 

Lyin’ Eyes and Mouth

I could feel my blood boiling as I watched Donald Trump’s ugly orange face come into focus as Chris Hayes switches to Trump and a meeting of his billionaire cabinet. Holy Christmas! What a disgusting display of the ultra wealthy making disastrous decisions that effect the remaining 98% of us. Before he could even open his ‘lyin mouth, I sensed my blood pressure going stratospheric. Our tariff king say he’s tired of hearing about affordability and he doesn’t want to hear any more about such nonsense. “All fake news. Best economy in history.”  I could only tolerate about 2 minutes of his crap and con before I switched the channel to Cold Case Files where at least in the end the family always  gets an answer.

Ranting and Raging

After about 10 minutes of ranting and raging instead of calming down I was actually ramping myself up about something that I had little power to change. I remembered my psychology classes and implemented long proven ways to relax; deep breathing, meditation, or stepping away from the drama. I guess in the case of Trump I need a better distraction than a 2 decade old TV show. The only message here is don’t let the current political situation cause you physical or emotional distress. Deep breathe.

Outraged and Angry

Between the wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, Nigeria, the rollbacks of human rights, mass shootings, cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, ACA subsidies, the extreme weather events, it is easy to feel outraged, overwhelmed, and in many ways helpless and hopeless. As I’ve grown older I have learned that even in the darkest places, the human spirt can find light and hope when we come together.  Do what you can in your neighborhood. Feed a hungry person, volunteer at a shelter or the local hospital, speak up for human rights, voting rights, start  a pod cast or a website, and be sure to protest.  You might not be able to effect events in Gaza or Ukraine but you can help someone in your community, and that local action makes a big difference to you as the giver, and to those who benefit from your contribution of time, energy, or money.

Powerful Positive Emotions

Giving and volunteering triggers powerful positive emotions known as “helpers high.”  When we help others dopamine and oxytocin flood our brain, reducing stress, boosting happiness, and creating feelings of purpose, self worth, and connection while also enhancing empathy and energy. As we become more connected to our community, we shift focus from our personal struggles and worries to helping others.  Like Hillary said, “We’re Stronger Together.”

Time To Break For A Smile

Time To Break For A Smile

Time To Break For A Smile

By D.S. Mitchell

Things have been dark around here the last few posts, so I think its time to give ourselves permission to smile. First, the shellacking of Trump in last night’s multi-state elections gives me hope. At least 60% of the American voters disapprove of Trump and his activities. People are paying attention and they don’t like Trump’s lawless, blatant, corruption, DOGE, soldiers on our streets, masked ICE thugs disappearing people, tariffs, inflation, foreign policy, and they are sending a powerful message to Trump’s White House. Open the damn government. Continue SNAP; and on and on, and on.

So, folks, let’s lighten the mood and here are 25 things that always make me smile. How about you? Make your own list. Smiling with a grateful heart is an important part of happiness.

25 Things That Make Me Smile

1.) Winning.

2.) Putting pennies in a jar, and watching it grow.

3.) Being smart.

4.) Acting stupid.

5.) Living in a vacation town, in the off-season.

6.) Blackened hot dogs. Yum. Yum.

7.) Slow dancing.

8.) Pyramids of tea sandwiches.

9.)  Knowing when its time to work; and when its time to play.

10.) Extra Crunchy Peanut Butter.

11.) Edibles.

12.) Raindrops hitting a pond.

13.)  Cookbooks with food stains on favored recipes.

14.) Front row seats.

15.) Rational thinking; easier said, than done.

16.) Following the Estate Sale signs.

17.) Giving.

18.) Sharing.

19.) Sharing childhood remembrances with a childhood friend.

20.) Order over chaos.

21.) Wild strawberries peeking up in the flowerbeds.

22.) Prime Days.

23.) Self-debates.

24.) Mail-in voting.

25.) Legalized cannabis.