MEDIA MISOGYNY GASLIGHTS MEGHAN

If you thought misogyny was a thing of the past, think again. All you have to do is go on social media to see pages of derogatory posts about Meghan Markle. Although she graduated from a prestigious university, became a successful actress and wrote a wildly popular blog, it seems she really can’t do anything right. It’s bad enough that she married a handsome prince. She’s also beautiful and smart—a lethal combination in the minds of the Meghan haters. It’s okay to be beautiful if you know your place in the patriarchy and don’t try to compete with men. It’s also fine to be bright if you’re overweight, plain, or unattractive. But beautiful and smart is just too much. Male misogynists see her as a threat to their masculine superiority, and the females are green with envy. All the media misogynists delight in gaslighting Megan.

MEDIA MISOGYNISTS GASLIGHT MEGHAN beause she's beautiful and smart. — MEDIA MISOGYNISTS GASLIGHT MEGHAN because she’s way too beautiful and smart.

Let’s start at the beginning. A bi racial woman who lived in a garage apartment with a single mom is not supposed to rise to the top of anything. One of their favorite insults is that she was a B actress. Hey, what’s wrong with that? According to reports, she made about half million a year while acting in “Suits.” Not bad for a boot strapper. Most of the A actors got there because of their connections with Hollywood insiders: Dakota Johnson, Kate Hudson, Nicholas Cage, Sissy Spacek, to name a few. The list goes on and on. But that’s okay—they somehow deserve their place on the A train.

The haters invalidate any of her words or actions by saying she’s nothing but an actress. I suspect Megan became an actress for the same reason Harry became a prince. Her parents worked in the movie business. Harry’s parents were in the royalty business. But if she says she was depressed or felt objectified by a part in a tv show, they refuse to validate her feelings. She can’t express any emotion because to them, it’s all just “acting.”

And then, she had the nerve to marry an English prince. Of course, she’s just a gold digger. I’ve heard that said a thousand times. What? You marry a charming, drop dead handsome hunk for his money? I’d think you might fall madly in love with Harry even if he were nothing but a commoner.. In some ways, she’s the one who married “down.” Harry never had to compete for a real job, and he didn’t even go to college. Megan struggled on her own to graduate college and make it as an actress. Obviously, she’s the more accomplished of the two. And I’ll give Harry credit for appreciating that. He behaves as a gentlemen and treats her with the respect she deserves.

It’s glaringly apparent that the media misogynists want to to bring Megan down to their level, or worse. They’d love it if she ended up living in a trailer park and waiting tables at Hooters. If that were to happen, they would finally get the schadenfreude they’re so desperately seeking. But I’m afraid they’re going to be disappointed, because Meghan is way too smart for that

April 22, 2020April 22, 2020

COVID-19 HAS CHANGED SOME LUCK

Have you ever been on a cruise? If not, why? For most people, the reasons are financial. Even though cruises are a “good deal,” they’re still beyond reach for the average middle class person struggling to support a family. Other reasons are because of motion sickness, poor health, whatever. But you still have to hear someone you know raving about the cruise they just took or are going to take. That’s all changed now. No one envies the “lucky people” who got stuck on cruise ships this year. Covid-19 has changed some luck.

If you’re retired, you probably know of people who can afford to live in luxury, senior living facilities. Those posh places with gourmet food, swimming pools, fitness centers and the like. Sometimes you’ve envied their life style– the congregate meals and activities they enjoy, while you’re stuck in your own home. Still worrying about trash removal, lawn care, shopping, cooking, and cleaning. That’s all changed now. Those folks are stuck in their apartments with meals being delivered to them on trays. In your own place, taking care of the yard and cleaning your house provides much needed exercise. You’re able to go outside and take a walk.–to come and go as you please.

Some luck has changed. Be thankful for what you got. — Some luck has changed.

If you’ve ever worked in a middle income job you may have wished you were a doctor or nurse. Those people not only enjoy high salaries, they seldom lose their jobs. That’s still the case, but the trouble is, many of them are getting sick and dying during the coronavirus outbreak. Health care workers are risking their lives every single day that they go to work. They really aren’t very lucky, right now.

Do you live in flyover country? Big city dwellers on both coasts have looked down on you forever. Who would want to live in a dull place like Nebraska or South Dakota? You may have envied people who have glamorous jobs and enjoy the excitement of big cities. Trouble is, they’re all crammed together in a very small space. It’s called population density, and if you live in a western state or a dull little town, you’re chances of getting sick with Covid-19 are much, much less. Because you aren’t living on top of each other and breathing in infected air every time you step out your door.

Covid-19 has changed some luck. This isn’t a time for schadenfreude. No one should enjoy the misery of others. But if you’re one of the lucky ones who hasn’t come down with the virus, count your blessings. Stop comparing yourself to lucky people. Be thankful for what you’ve got.

January 17, 2020January 17, 2020

WINTER SCHADENFREUDE AT ITS PEAK

There’s some psychological competition between Northerners and Southerners each winter. If you live in Florida or Arizona, or have spent mega bucks renting a condo, you tend to enjoy hearing about snowstorms up north. Conversely, Northerners who stay at home laugh when their snow bird friends complain about a run of cold weather Down South. Right now, winter schadenfreude is at its peak.

Everyone enjoys a winter vacation in the South, except when the weather turns bad — Winter schadenfreude peaks out in January, when Southerners laugh about snowstorms up North.

While living in Florida year round, I remember the joy of basking in the sunshine while the media blasted horror stories about ice, snow, and power outs up north. That felt good for a few months. But along came early summer, and when it got hotter and more humid, and the greenery turned yellow, I missed cool spring rains, deep green leaves, mysterious gray skies and daffodils in bloom. I grew tired of the torrential rainfalls, and the searing heat of summer in Florida.

The thing I remember most clearly: you seldom saw children playing outside in residential neighborhoods. Kids stayed inside in the air conditioning all summer. Hard to believe, but the sameness of perpetual sunshine gets boring after a while. Then, i yearned for the crisp cool air and brilliant foliage of an Indiana autumn.

Let’s say you’re spending $3,000 a week for a condo on the beach in January. Your enjoyment of each expensive day is inversely proportional to how bad the weather is back home. On the other hand, a week of cloudy, cool, days in your rental seems like a wasted $3,000. Added to that regret is the hassle of packing your car for days ahead of time and staying in motels along the way, which may have bedbugs and lumpy mattresses.

Of course, some very lucky people own homes or condos in resort areas, and can afford to fly back and forth at will. I’m not talking about those fortunate folks. I’m thinking of the millions of people who pack up the car and endure the discomforts of a very long journey for a relatively short winter vacation. Driving hundreds of miles back and forth can be hazardous. Unexpected misery along the highways may include big city traffic hassles; blinding rains; snowstorms in March; Spring tornadoes, hour long traffic stalls due to deadly accidents; and food poisoning in strange restaurants.

There's a psychological competition between northerners and southerners during the winter months. Winter schadenfreude is at its peak. — Northerners feel winter schadenfreude when a cold spell hits the South.

Finally, one day, you decide that after a certain age, going South for the winter isn’t really worth the effort. You get in a load of wood or install an electric fireplace. You invest in warm flannel sheets. And then, one night in January, you find yourself comparing temperatures between here and there. When you see a bad weather forecast in your old resort city, you smile to yourself, thinking of all those folks shivering in cold damp condos and yes, you feel a bit of schadenfreude*.

*schadenfreude: pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune

September 27, 2019September 27, 2019

EACH IMPEACHMENT IS DIFFERENT

Tolstoy began his great novel, Anna Karenina with this famous line: “Happy families are all alike; unhappy families are all unhappy in their own way”. My grandchildren don’t know or can’t remember what it was like to live through impeachment proceedings. But this will be my third rodeo, and I can tell you that each impeachment hearing is different–and unhappy– in it’s own way.

The Nixon resignation in 1974 was the first impeachment proceeding I had seen in my lifetime — NIXON WAS ON THE VERGE OF IMPEACHMENT WHEN HE RESIGNED

The Nixon debacle came at a time when my personal life was in turmoil. My then husband lost his job in the recession. I returned to school to get my dietitian’s license, while raising three children under 7. I was so tied up with financial worries, exhaustion, and stress, that Nixon’s impeachment was the farthest thing from my mind. As a university grad assistant, I heard college professors discussing Watergate. . I didn’t see impeachment as a major concern, or anything that would change my life for the better or worse. . Nixon’s resignation speech was painful to watch, but life went on pretty much the same. I know I voted for Jimmy Carter in the next election.

Comic photo of Bill Clinton wearing Monica Lewinski's blue dress — EPSTEIN HAD THIS STRANGE PICTURE OF BILL CLINTON IN A BLUE DRESS

The Clinton impeachment hearings came at a time when my children were raised, and I was nearing retirement. That winter, I came down with the flu, and spent hours on my computer with the Drudge report. It was like reading an enactment of the National Inquirer; sex, lies, and the famous blue dress. It was great entertainment and got me through a rough bout with the flu. For Republicans, is was schadenfreude at it’s best. Even liberals found the cigar wielding president a salacious distraction. When the impeachment didn’t pass the Senate, I don’t remember being upset. My life would go on pretty much the same, although I would miss the presidential soap opera.

Now we have the Trump impeachment inquiries. I’m probably not going to watch the hearings during the day. They won’t have near the entertainment value that we had with Bill Clinton’s time on the hot seat. And of course, it will be all over the news, night and day, until the final vote is taken. But from my standpoint, this impeachment would have much more impact on our nation.

If Trump goes down, a liberal president is a foregone conclusion. And most everyone’s life will change. Like it or not, we will have Medicare for all. Since I’m already on Medicare, it won’t make much difference to me. But as we seniors know, Medicare A doesn’t cover everything. I’m wondering what will happen to the cost of supplemental insurance and Medicare part B? My husband and I currently pay over $10,000 a year for this coverage. . Will the premiums go up even more than they have the past few years? For sure, taxes will increase to pay for all the freebies. Since my time on this earth is limited, it won’t change my life so very much. . But the direction of my grandchildren’s future will take a sharp left turn.