I do love people who calls dem as they sees them. What does this mean: A statement meaning that one is not recalcitrant about speaking his/her/its mind. Admittedly, I, Alexis McBride am not recalcitrant about speaking her mind (in case if you have not noticed.), the meaning is having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline. Its synonyms are
intractable, obstreperous, truculent, insubordinate, defiant, rebellious, willful, wayward, headstrong, self-willed, contrary, perverse, difficult; formal refractory; archaic froward, contumacious. ANTONYMS amenable.
I so love to see such recalcitrance in others and did today when reading an article in the New Yorker, about all of things, politics. It was written by John Cassidy and is stridently titled: The G.O.P can no longer be relied upon to Protect Democracy. Hordes of people have been mincing their words about the ridiculous and cowardly behavior of those Republicans, but not John Cassidy who began by criticizing Kevin McCarthy, a Californian. Listen to this language: “The gall of McCarthy and his fellow Trump toadies in the Republican Party is only surpassed by their irresponsibility and fecklessness. In taking their oaths of office as members of Congress, they swore that they would “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” And, yet, here they were, supporting a Trump venture that the attorney general of Pennsylvania, in a brief opposing the Texas lawsuit, described as a “seditious abuse of the judicial process.” The gambit amounted to a flagrant effort to overturn the most basic liberty enshrined in the Constitution: the right of the people to choose their leaders. In the unlikely event that the lawsuit had succeeded, the country would have been plunged into chaos, and Trump would have succeeded in his reckless effort to defy the rules of democracy.” Cassidy speaks of a possible defense of the wrong-doers but fails to accept their cop-out saying that “the defense is a “pitiful one at best, and not one that would stand up in any court of law or any court of history. One lesson of failed democracies is that when officials or institutions genuflect before would-be authoritarians, in the hope that somebody else will head them off, or control them, the results can be disastrous.”
Goodness knows what the result of this outspoken article will be, but at least John Cassidy tried, made an effort. G.O.P. guys and girls are more interested in the precious seats than they are in their country, not sure if I mean their Senate or Congressional seats or their rear ends, both I guess. That is how I feel about my being outspoken in this blog – have not seen any effect or indication that I am being taken seriously on any of the informed stances I take. But, at least, I try and have a sense of pride that I do. In some ways it is easy for me as it is impossible to reach me through my blog – this was done purposefully at the very inception of the it. I speak my mind with no repercussions – I cannot be fired from retirement and there are no family members in my midst to criticize and ridicule me.
But there is more than one side to me. Comments, suggestions, hints and insights are welcome from certain individuals, from those who care about me and know me well are welcome This is an example , met with Wise Man last week and coveted the comments made by PCP about my becoming a Muslim. This is what he said:
He: It is the best move you have made in the past year. And this year has been crowded with many fruitful and worthwhile moves.
Me: It does mean so much to me to hear your words, as you have been with me for hours on end in this past year and have the insight scoop on my entire personality!
I do not seek approval from others for decisions made after much contemplation and consideration, but goodness gracious me, do I love it when I get it! The approval is practically unanimous amongst those who care about me. Incidentally, I care back – not incidentally, it is critical. Months and months ago, while being instructed in water aerobics at the YMCA in San Francisco I asked an older woman.
Me: What do you do when a man says he loves you?
She: Love him back!
At the time it seemed great advice, but it was not. Perhaps he did not really love me, looking back now it is evident that he did not. It was not meant to be and would have been immensely difficult for everyone – his family, his friends, his fans, and even his country. So one should only swallow sage advice made by loving people with a knowledge of your quirks. What is a quirk? It is a a peculiar behavioral habit. Used in a sentence: Her distaste for travel is an endearing quirk. The synonyms are idiosyncrasy, peculiarity, oddity, eccentricity, foible, whim, vagary, caprice, fancy, crotchet, habit, characteristic, trait, fad; informal hang-up. So admittedly I am full of idiosyncrasies, eccentricities. crochets and the occasional hang-up. But that is what makes me rather interesting and does win the love of those who care about me. It brings the jealousy, the criticism and disdain of others, but that is their problem. They are full of criticism and disdain for others, including themselves.
But other words from Wise Man. I brought to out get-together a treasure, a ‘find’ rescued from the hordes of stuff that had languished in storage for six and a half years. It was a scrapbook page. Upon retiring from County Counsel’s Office at the age of sixty-one the staff so kindly and tenderly made a scrapbook for me. Scrapbooks were quite the rage in those days – elaborate concoctions full of decorations, actually a most expensive hobby in both time and money. One page was separated from the rest and will be pictured. It is entitled: Byron’a Alexis Memory: “What I will always remember about you is your warmth. It was doubtless the reason why people would just drop in and lounge in your office. You were like a warm fire that made us all feel good and cozy, From dawn until dusk you radiated friendship and concern. Best of all, there were no messy cinders to clean up afterwards.” I wept when reading this to Wise Man, not tears of sorrow, but tears of joy. I had forgotten about this – Byron was an attorney in the office, he shall retain his anonymity as do all who appear in this blog. So moving back ‘home’ is proving to be a most worthwhile experience.
Wise Man: This is beautiful and so heart rending, you must frame it!
Me: I shall and fasten it in a place of honor in my apartment.
Photograph follows. When one pulls the tab up pops: You’re great. WOW, WOW and more WOW!
