Doom and gloom. DOOOOOOM AND GLOOOOOOM …

By SJWNY, a Trail Mix Contributor

Go to Hell, 2016, and don’t let the door hit you.

This year has been tough for Trail Mixers. Incredible highs, devastating lows, gains, losses, disbelief. Yet the Sun still rises in the East; the Earth still rotates on its axis. We are tough bastards and no person, no event will get us down. We can’t change the past, but we can influence the future.

No resolutions, no regrets. Instead: Celebrate the good & the goodness in everyday life.

What makes you happy? What is the spark that keeps your fire lit?

I adore the actor Brian Blessed. He played Augustus in I, Claudius; appeared in the Blackadder series. He also embodies joie de vivre better than anyone I’ve seen. This man loves his craft! He’s bigger than life!! It’s not an act!!! It’s who he is and I love it.

I like sunflowers, daisies, buttercups. These are happy flowers that attract bees and …..

I like bees.

You get the drift.

The title of this post is a quote from the musical Finian’s Rainbow. I’ll be the first to admit the political incorrectness it oozes forth nowadays but it contains a few good tunes that stay with you. As such, I end with the following:

You’ll never grow old and you’ll never grow poor, if you look to the rainbow, beyond the next moor.

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52 thoughts on “Doom and gloom. DOOOOOOM AND GLOOOOOOM …”

  2. sjwny, that movie is one of my favorites. the lessons in finian’s rainbow stand along with those of showboat and south pacific… they in their lovely musical way taught many about tolerance.  too bad so many forgot them.

  3. sjwny, as to your question of the day for us: What makes you happy? What is the spark that keeps your fire lit?

    in the meantime while I ponder that, this trail family keeps the embers alive and warms the heart.

  5. patd,

    The Keillor article is spot on. I was shopping yesterday & the majority of people I saw were either texting, wearing earbuds or yapping on the cell phone. The new reality: to you I don’t exist so why care? Social media is the most anti-social invention. Safe in their own cocoons they can let you in or keep you out, create an echo chamber of same thought. Meanwhile society becomes more vulnerable daily by an increasingly hot house lifestyle. We field grown luddites may be the most valuable oddities when everything goes thud.

  6. sjwny, in the doom and gloom mood today worthy of a read is kathleen parker‘s Trump has released a malevolent spirit upon the land. Happy new year!  here’s a sample:

    “We won, you lost — get over it” is what now passes for a serious dialogue about matters of immense importance.

    The notion that people who still express concerns — including three professors of psychiatry who’ve signed a letter suggesting the man isn’t well — are just sore losers is nonsense. When the president-elect of the United States so cavalierly threatens to unravel the fragile threads that hold civilization together, there are no winners. He or she who is not worried is not paying attention.

  7. Good food, good company and good wine for starters. Good books, great music,and days off round out the deal.

  8. My brother from a different mother (jace) provided my answer.  Honest  to god, I don’t have an original thought in my head.

    Oh, and a wonderful wife and kid and a good dog. (And god help me, politics).

  9. The obvious forms the base of what makes me happy:  Children, grandchildren, and now great grands.  From there I’ll just echo Jace for the social interaction company, food, and wine.  By myself, the one thing that seems to really keep me going:  Curiosity.  I’ve been known to spend hours happily chasing down ideas and events in a “need to know” frenzy including just now looking for a Dorothy Parker quote:  “The cure for boredom is curiosity.  There is no cure for curiosity.” only to find out that it probably wasn’t her quote but possibly by a lady named Ellen Parr.

     

  11. Jamie, from that parr link:

    ….the second phrase: “There is no cure for curiosity” has been in circulation for more than one hundred years. In 1915 an instance was printed in the “Boston Sunday Post” of Massachusetts: 2

    There is no cure for curiosity. It must be outgrown or endured. A child is born with its mouth in position to utter the word “Why?” and when, at some later date, it is punished for asking too many questions, it thinks up enough additional questions during its punishment to make the Encyclopedia Britannica look sick.

  12. from mic:

    It’s no secret that President-elect Donald Trump has an ego.

    But things got ridiculous Tuesday night when Trump thanked himself for an increase in self-reported consumer confidence in December. 

    “The U.S. Consumer Confidence Index for December surged nearly four points to 113.7, THE HIGHEST LEVEL IN MORE THAN 15 YEARS!” Trump tweeted. “Thanks Donald!”

     

    Keith Olbermann ‏@KeithOlbermann 9h9 hours ago

    Earlier this evening Trump thanked himself. In the third person. ICYMI from 11/29: Stop Pretending He’s Not Insane
    Keith Olbermann ‏@KeithOlbermann 11h11 hours ago

    This guy is out of his mind. “Thanks Donald!”? Seriously? Not “Thanks – Donald” or “My thanks” – HE’S THANKING HIMSELF

  14. from usatoday:

    President Obama has retained his status as the most admired man in America for the ninth year in a row, edging out successor Donald Trump, according to Gallup’s annual survey.

    Among women, Hillary Clinton remains the most admired woman in the country.

    [….]

    Following Obama and Trump on the top 10 list were Pope Francis (4%), Sen. Bernie Sanders (2%) Rev. Billy Graham (1%), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (1%), The Dalai Lama (1%) President Bill Clinton, (1%) Microsoft founder Bill Gates (1%) and Vice President-elect Mike Pence (1%).

    After Cllinton, the most admired women were first lady Michelle Obama (8%), German Chancellor Angela Merkel (3%), television mogul Oprah Winfrey (3%), television host Ellen DeGeneres (2%), Queen Elizabeth (2%), women’s rights activist Malala Yousafzai (2%), former secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (2%), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (2%) and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin (1%).

    Clinton was the most admired woman for the 15th consecutive year, and the 21st year overall — the most years at the top of the list of any woman in the poll’s history. Former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt was most admired for 13 years.

  16. It’d be interesting if these Most Admired Polls threw in stuff like Parents, First Responders, Teachers … personally I admire the guys who plow the roads so I can get to work & haul my garbage away, thus helping control the rat population.

  18. Origin and Etymology of hap

    Middle English, from Old Norsehappgood luck; akin to Old Englishgehæpsuitable, Old Church Slavickobĭlot, fate
    First Known Use: 13th century

    Chance, fortune

  19. Filed under Doom and Gloom: Chicago. Each year the equivalent of a town gets shot in this city & a good number of people die. Innocent people live in a state of fear. This type of terrorism against our countrymen by fellow countrymen should be the first to take on. But it won’t.

  22. Let me echo Jace…   and include…  I love being alive!   This year…  yes 2016…. was my first year of semi-retirement.  And over all, Rick and I had a pretty good year.  Yeah, some people I admire lost their lives….   but they weren’t people I knew personally or interacted with.  The election…  it sucked…  but I’m still here.

    Yes….  I’m looking forward to Jan. 1st.  But then it’s Sunday and football day…  I’ll take it.

  24. sjwny, yep, they should do it by categories: most admired entertainment celeb, most admired statesman/govt official, most admired ordinary citizen, etc.  mixing it up like they do is beyond apples and oranges. more toward the chaos of a rumtopf  or maybe a burgoo (specially the kind that includes squirrel brains).

  25. wapo:

    “The vote in the UN was about preserving the two state solution,” said Kerry, speaking from the State Department’s Dean Acheson Auditorium. “That’s what we were standing up for: Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state, living side by side in peace and security with its neighbors. That’s what we are trying to preserve, for our sake and for theirs.”

    Kerry’s speech aimed to address some of the issues that have contributed to a toxic atmosphere between the Israeli government and the Obama administration — even though Obama approved military aid for Israel worth $38 billion over 10 years, the largest of its kind in U.S. history.

  27. Kerry’s speech was worth the cost of admission. I hope that the trumpists have the patience and wisdom to listen and understand it.

  28. A little slow today.  Just twigged on the Doooom & Gloooom being Tommy Steele as Og the Leprechaun in Finnians Rainbow.  Couldn’t find the exact clip.  Love just about every musical he was in.  My favorite song of his from Finnian was “When I’m Not Near The Girl I love”.  He’s 80 years old now, but here he is at 60 tapping up a storm with Fascinating Rhythm

    And still moving and singing just 12 years ago

     

     

  29. My only connection to Carrie Fisher was seeing her play a 2 dimensional character in a 3rd rate movie. In other words little to no connection. And as for the others I can’t think of a single song they did or performance they may have been in. So the Horrible Year stuff seems a bit over the top to me anyway.

    Yes, your side lost the election but nothing bad has happened yet. There is plenty of time to panic later.

    Flatus, hearing about your nephew touched me because I have great nephews too and the thought of something similar happening to them is beyond my ability think.   You are in my thoughts today.

    The good stuff that made this year special.

    First , the miracles, (not the God/ supernatural type, just the amazing things humans can do type)

    I have a new great nephew, he weighed at birth just a little over 2& half lbs. I didn’t know they could save them that small but they did. He is now a robust 6 month old and doing fine. He joins 2 older brothers who are already holy terrors of the neighborhood

    My niece who was born with half of a brain, (really we have the xrays to prove it) graduated from College this month and is going on to grad school. She was born with hydrocephalus   Much of the credit for her success goes to my sister who kept saying “she is every bit as smart as my other children except she is blind”  to teachers, school administrators, psychologist, etc.

    Now to normal stuff

    My niece, who can be a bit airheaded is now approaching 40 and has managed to raise 2 remarkably level headed young men.

    After 6 grandsons my sister got her first granddaughter to spoil. Now that most of her grand children are on the east coast she may have to learn how to ride the train.

    And one other thing We got swings in our park!!!!!

    All in all a good year.

    Jack

  30. Flatus – football is well underway.  Tonight LP’s team (th’ Mountaineers) go head to head with the ‘Canes in the Whateverthehellit’scallednow Bowl in Orlando.  and there are what, 3 or four other bowl games today/tonight?  But really, Saturday is the penultimate big kahuna day in NCAAF when Bama trounces Washington and either Ohio State or Clemson beats the other to play Bama.  My butt will be planted from 3 o’clock until the dust settles Saturday in those 2 games.

    Jack, my nephew was born premie at 2 pounds 13 ounces – about 40 years ago.  He was small in elementary and middle school, but he’s a scosh over 6 feet and about 180 now.  Was “Big Al” at Bama for 2 years of his college career. Oh, and enjoy the swings. 🙂

     

  31. At my core, I’m  trying to be one of those folks who aren’t just waiting for the other shoe to drop.  It’s exhausting.

    Fortunately, I’m easily distracted by flowers, cookies, dragonflies, stars…

  33. And now for a moment of gratitude; I heard this somewhere, years ago:

    If the world didn’t suck, we’d all fall off.

     

     

  34. I live in the US.  That’s pretty great, too, even though I’d like universal healthcare.  Being healthy works, too, I hear.

  35. I have a good life and happiness comes easily.  I live in a beautiful place.  I enjoy my work and community.  And of course Mr.Cracker, family, and friends.  And this place of course.

  36. “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” ― Leo Tolstoy

    Actually I think it is the opposite

  37. I think the good year/bad year applies for how the year was for everyone as individuals. For instance, a Cubs fan may say, “2016 was the greatest year in my entire life!” A Twins fan might say, “My team was 59-103 this season. 2016 was a terrible year!” Granted, most of us do not personally know any of the celebrities that passed away this year. So, that’s not really a personal loss for most of us. But, it still sucks at times. As for my 2016, my mom’s health continued to decline. There was a lot of stress surrounding my life with her. As well as a lot of sadness. Mom did not have a good quality of life with her dementia and her back problems etc…When she passed away last month, we learned that she had many tumors inside of her, including one on the side of her neck. So, her quality of life would have only gotten worse had she lived longer. On the good side of life, I was able to make a few new friends this year. I’ve learned that any time spent with the people you love and the people you care about is not wasted time. I have a few people who get me through every day in this life. Those people are the ones who I take every opportunity I have to say hello to whenever I see them. It’s amazing how a few minutes of conversation with people I truly care about can get me through an entire day. Kind of that whole thought of “Do more of what makes you happy.” Thank you, Blue. I’m ready to watch my Wolverines play in the Orange Bowl. BTW, a local football player recently committed to Nebraska.

  38. Corey, it’s still called The Orange Bowl?  Good luck to Big Blue. Please kick the crap out of the ‘noles if you don’t mind.

  40. Corey, I’d take that – I can abide a sponsor wanting their name associated with the event.  But hell, the Russell Athletic Bowl is what we used to call the Florida Citrus Bowl.  I recognize Citrus Bowl – I didn’t know what the hell the Russell Athletic Bowl was until I looked it up in Wiki.

  41. I’m busily binge watching West Wing.  Except for clips I haven’t seen it since it went off the air.  Certainly makes me happier than the current state of about to be inaugurated mad man.

     

  42. go ‘noles, pogo, a day later is LSU tigers/Louisville cards in  the 2016 Citrus Bowl on december 31, 2016 in Orlando. it’s now known as the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl.  go figure.    could care less who wins that one.

  43. jack, Jennifer rubin agrees with you: 2016 wasn’t the worst year ever

    [1st she mentions several worst years starting with the black death in 1347…]

    So, do you feel better about 2016? In all seriousness, some cultural icons did pass away, but there is no world war or untreatable epidemic threatening one-third of the planet. We held a peaceful election in which there was virtually no inkling of fraud. A peaceful transition is underway to a president of a different party. Unemployment is at 4.6 percent, wages are slowly rising and we are growing, albeit sluggishly.

    Part of the collective shudder we are experiencing is the fear of the unknown — 2017:

    Will Donald Trump be a madman, setting off wars and eviscerating American institutions, making bargains with the Russian devil at the expense of allies? (Maybe he will be not as horrible as we anticipate and/or Congress will be more resolute than it now appears in checking him.)
    Will the Islamic State be eradicated, or will the war drag on? (A final push to free major cities in Iraq does seem within grasp.) Will the Syrian bloodbath, President Obama’s moral stain, ever end?
    Will right-wing governments take hold in Europe, tearing at the fabric of Western democracy and Europe’s alliance with the United States? (Perhaps Europeans will take a deep breath, realize the consequences of descent into nationalistic, nativist politics and correct course.

    You are thinking, “So things could get a lot worse?!” That’s about right. But those stunned and dismayed by Trump’s election, Russia’s mendacity, Republicans’ spinelessness, Trumpkins’ (some, certainly not all) overt racism and anti-Semitism, and Democrats’ disarray should remember that we remain in control of our own destiny. We have agency. Americans can protest, organize, vote, petition their government, contribute in the private sector, educate our fellow citizens and work for causes and candidates at the local and state level.

    To be sure, 2016 was pretty rotten, but by no means the worst year in history, not even recent U.S. history. Surely we can individually and collectively strive to make 2017 as painless as possible, no?

  46. Patd,  now I’m really confused. A bit of FSU trivia. Bobby Bowden is the uncle of one of my good friends from high school.

  47. Flatus, by the way, if you’re going to the Birmingham bowl to support SC (tickets should be easy to get) let me know and I’ll give you recommendations for great places to eat, etc.

  48. I am working on my predictions for 2017.  Some of these might have financial rewards in several industries, primarily distilleries, breweries, wineries, mortuaries/funeral homes.  Drinking will become a past time even for teetotalers.  OD’s will increase as more people are without health care or jobs and turn to cheap injectables.

    Talking to a co-worker this afternoon brought out how much I have accomplished since he left over two years ago.  Doing a GS14 as a GS12, feds understand what that is.

    Dog has this thing about taking one of my pillows, stripping off the pillow case and adding it to her own pillow.  Gave her a second pillow to see if that stops.

    There is much sadness about Carrie Fisher’s death in the Blue household.

    Sorry about few posts here.  Much going on during these holly days.  Writing is not gone though, just here.  Decided to do a rewrite of my two, actually four, novels.  Periwinkle Jones, PJ to all who meet her, is out to bust the G**D*mn commies and KGB-FSB-SVR in the chops.  They have PO’d me, and I write what she does.  I just hope the FBI-CIA-and the other agencies with no names, keeps up with her.

  49. When people closer to your age start to go, that’s when it feels a little personal, even though it isn’t.  Prince really got me.

    I prefer to call bowl games and sports arenas by their non-corporate names.  The Ballpark at Arlington sounds so much better than Globe Life Park.

    I wasn’t  sure what the Music City Bowl was hawking, but now I see Nissan has branded the stadium.

    The only one I didn’t mind was the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, for some reason.

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