May 13

 Sunny day so far and predicted to warm (temps around 80F.) Tomorrow is supposed to be wet but we have an appointment so that won't matter.

Stray thought #1--Seinfeld gave the commencement at Harvard (I think they said). He was met with some boos and a few walk-outs which he met with humor telling the remaining audience that they were probably wondering why the University invited him. But what resonated with me which the part of his speech (featured on the Morning Joe segment) in which he told the graduates: if you are graduating after four years here with no idea what you want to do, you are the lucky ones. You can do anything. If you think you know what you are going to do, you are wrong. Almost all of the commentators spoke about how true that was for them as all had jumped around on multiple career paths. Even the two who knew what they wanted to do said the question really what how they would do it. I have four higher level degrees (Bachelor and Master) and one lower level (associate). I have worked in biology labs, as a teaching assistant or an adjunct at universities and colleges, as a paralegal, a photographer, a data processor. Who know where the road will lead when you are at the very beginning of it and you can't see beyond the first curve.

Stray thought #2--we have raised a couple of generations of snowflakes. I remember when the right wing commentariat pulled out that appellation for left wing critics of those who objected to the use of pejoratives targeting women, racial/ethnic minorities, and LBGTQ people. Somehow those targeted should simply brush it off and get with the program (what ever that was). It has morphed into opposed camps who refuse to listen to anyone not in their camp and so self-righteous that they think their attitudes the only right and holy ones. As I typed this I remembered similar times (and not just in the 1960s). The snowflake gene is buried in our national DNA.

Bill Astore has a good post on the malleability of language. This ties into my stray thought #2. I try to keep an open mind (not always successfully) when thinking about people, countries, values with which I don't necessarily agree. I remember too many times when the information I got was wrong. And I try to avoid trigger words or pejorative words. Take a look at this graphic from Astore's (reposted from someone else) and think about how you respond to each pair.

Similar pairs of words can be constructed for any controversy.