Dark Horses

"A frightening possibility occured to him: maybe sometimes things didn't just go wrong and then stop; maybe sometimes they just kept going wronger and wronger until everything was totally fucked."

~Stephen King

"IT"

Last week, while we were in Quincy, enjoying the incredible beauty of the leaves, and sheer quaintness of the small town in Plumas County, in the middle of the stunning beauty, suddenly more than one thing stuck out to me as being quite ominous. The dark horse on their street lights, and the movie playing at what seemed to be their only movie theater, Stephen King's "IT." 

In past years, I found the street lights, of Quincy, kind of charming, but this year there was a certain feeling down in my bones, something feeding my fears and dread so deep, that I was thankful for the darkness, and loss of light to photograph the leaves we drove three hours to see. Last week, Quincy had a different feel. It was less quaint, and definitely more Derry, Maine, the town that Pennywise terrorized every 30 years.

Please don't get me wrong, the people of Quincy are quite lovely! They depend a great deal on leaf peepers and avid shutterbugs, such as myself, for a good deal of their tourist income. No, it was something in me, not them or really even the town. I don't know what to call it. Fear. Dread. Maybe even my good old friend depression, but something inside of me felt a cold chill when I looked at that horse, and then noticed through it, that IT would be playing all weekend.

I have been feeling those very feelings since before last year's election, with brief moments of respite, but I felt the same feelings again on Friday when I read about Donna Brazile's book regarding Hillary Clinton having rigged the primary against Bernie Sanders. And then when it was given validity by Elizabeth Warren, someone who I had considered a hero, but now I no longer feel I can trust. A Brazile's book has been widely debunked over this weekend, but I fear that some damage has been to the chances of two upcoming gubernatorial elections taking place next Tuesday in Virginia and New Jersey. 

How much darker will this country grow? Who are the good guys? Who are the bad guys? And how much longer until we find out who and what Pennywise actually is? Most of the time, I think of Donald Trump as Pennywise, because of his strong penchant for fear mongering. I know I now live in constant fear that the west coast will be wiped off the map, in the middle of the night by a nuclear missile from North Korea, but maybe Donald Trump isn't Putin's end game. Maybe it' something so unspeakable, I don't want to even speculate here, be carry around in my own conscienceness, and that I try to put out of my head whenever it yells... BEEP BEEP CARLY!

I don't know. 

God, how I wish I did.

One thing I do know, Donald Trump blocked Stephen King on Twitter some months back, so for now I know he is who I will listen to about defeating the fear, so that it's possible to defeat the clown. Alan and I are going next week to see the reboot of IT and maybe I will pick up some new tips, or maybe it's still the 1990 version, which was a pure masterpiece, that still holds the key of standing up to what scares us the most. I guess I will find out!

Quincy Scrapbook

October 28th, 2017

 #5 Leaf Of The Day

November 5th, 2017

Quincy, California

Mood:Weary

~Me

Terry McAuliffe And Chris Christie: A Tale Of Two Statesmen

From For Ellipsis Album #3

Politics, noun. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage."

~Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

Chris Christie...

So, today voters in New Jersey, and Virginia, will go to the polls to choose a governor. As I have been hearing, all day, from different political reports, from CNN to MSNBC, and beyond, it's pretty much a forgone conclusion that both of these men will be voted for overwhelmingly. With Chris Christie, it's not all that hard to understand why the people of New Jersey will be happy to have him serve once again as their governor! In a word he is... REASONABLE. Do I agree with his political beliefs, um, no, but what I do admire Governor Christie for is his ability to ignore the rantings and ravings of the far right of the republican party. The man thinks for himself. He has a sense of humor. He served his state not just one side of it. Above all else... when the storm had come and gone, he had the backs of all the citizens of New Jersey. Bottom line, in that he is ready and able to not just reach across the aisle, but indeed to give the other side credit when it is due, I see him as the biggest threat to Hillary Clinton, if she does indeed run for president. If the republican party is smart, they will embrace Chris Christie, and follow his lead. Otherwise, I don't see much of a future for the party, due to their inability to learn from their mistakes.

Terry McAuliffe...

The state of Virginia has been through a lot. The current governor, Governor Bob McDonnell, otherwise known as Governor Ultrasound, because of his push for an invasive ultrasound test on women before they can have an abortion. That idea has proven to be not to popular with Virginia voters, and then add to it, all the controversy surrounding Governor McDonnell's accepting of political gifts, and his questionable spending and personal expenses while in the governor's mansion. McDonnell's political life has taken a beating this year, mostly of his own doing, and has done' nothing for the republican party's reputation in general. The people of Virginia are all to ready to go with Terry McAuliffe as their man. At least it seems so, we will see come later today.

2016...

What both parties can take away from the two situations is this... people all over the country, not just in New Jersey and Virginia, are tired of the bullshit. Just like our parents and grandparents were. We, the voters, will go to the polls for another national election in 2016, and we will, one way or another, begin a new day. Will it be a Clinton administration? God I hope so. Will it be a Christie administration? Could be. Either way, like generations before us, we have the opportunity to learn from past mistakes, and start over again, smarter, and wiser.

But will we do it? Will we let ourselves learn the lessons? Will we stand up to the gun lobby? The greedy 1%? Will we care enough to demand the change?

But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.

Time will tell.

Mood: Contemplative

~Me :)