News, Notes, & Notions: Winter Weather Edition
Media Apperances, A Passing Notion, and Various and Sundry Things
Last Monday, as I was careening off the mountains through snow and blow in a not-enthusiastic-about Honda Civic, the thought occurred to me that no matter how many times I drive that road, or for whatever reason, or however tired I am, or however bad the road conditions are, it still is relaxing for me. I have no idea why, but long drivers always have been good mentally for me, even as physically they get to be harder and harder.
With the extra travel involved in helping my parents out with my father still doing in-patient rehab, our friend Dennis Sanders had reached out about doing a podcast on caregiving, death and dying based on this piece I wrote a while back on the Carters. These conversations are important, far more important than the political and cultural caterwauling that dominates our feeds and news cycle. I let Dennis know that I would be home for a few days and wanted to squeeze it in, and I’ve included that very important conversation below.
Frankly, these are the things I want to write and do in the media about. I’ve openly mused with friends recently that this 2024 presidential election might very well be the last I formally “cover” as a writer and media person because I’m just so bored and over it all. There’s a fine line about not getting too cynical, but frankly if one strives to be truthful and objective about things, watching folks lose their everloving minds over a Trump-Biden rematch is not encouraging.
I’d rather write about death. Not because death is great, but at least death is an abject reality that affects everyone, and politics and cultural discourse has completely lost any common mooring point for anyone to talk about anything. So, back to basics, and “everyone dies” can join “everyone eats” as the basis for my writing and commentary and go from there. More good things in life that matter, less pretending so-and-so from what's-its-place is going to make a lick of difference if just enough folks vote for them and they do the such-and-such they claim to be able to do but probably won’t.
That’s no way to live. That’s not even worth the clicks.
So, therefore, I’m going to try my best to not just pump out snarky political takes, but keep my powder dry and write when I have something worthy to add. It is hard, cause frankly I loathe all these political people, but I am going to try. I’m just not going to argue with fools, debate unworthy schemers, or give bandwidth to grifters just to kid myself and those of you who read/support me into thinking activity and content equal quality and meaningful production.
You deserve better, I deserve better, and it's time we all demanded better and voted for the same with our attention, clicks, and bandwidth.
Tomorrow, I go up the mountains again once the current winter storm clears a bit, to care for my mother and father as dad is scheduled to be released to home healthcare in a few days. Caregiving isn’t just what I’m talking on my friends podcast, it is the reality of life for the foreseeable future. And I am blessed to be able to do so.
Be careful out there in the snow and cold, folks.
Latest, Belated, Heard Tell Episode
Listen on iTunes
Listen on Spotify
Listen on iHeartRadio
Use the RSS Feed
Your Heard Tell Show for January 18th, 2024 is turning down the noise of the news cycle and getting to the information we need to discern our times by talking about the GOP primary not being over, because it was never a primary in anything but name in the first place as Donald Trump crushes in Iowa and is cruising to the Republican presidential nomination. We update folks on why there hasn't been a Heard Tell in a while, what it means, and how things might be a bit different for a while as we try to continue with the program. Then we talk about the DOJ's released Uvalde report and how the lessons that need to be learned had better be, and that only happens with public pressure and accountability. We go overseas where Iran is making all sorts of enemies and now has picked a fight with Pakistan on top of everything else. Finally, we talk elevator conversations, and the stupid things we say in public places to avoid actual conversations.
All that and more on this episode of Heard Tell.
Recent Media Appearances:
From Dennis Sanders:
Episode 169: Death, Dying and Caregiving with Andrew Donaldson
frequent guest Andrew Donaldson joins the show as he and Dennis talk about death and dying as well as being caregivers to their parents.
From Indisputable on Young Turks Network:
Andrew Donaldson returns to the Bullpen to discuss Trump not signing Illinois’ loyalty oath that says he won’t advocate for overthrowing the government. Dr. Rashad Richey discusses on Indisputable. Tell us what you think in the comments below.