by Paula | Jan 15, 2018 | Anorexia sucks, Paula Persists
My job is all about helping teams be successful, which In the ‘lingo’ of agile software development, includes “Managing your WIP” (Work in process); to ensure that teams and individuals identify and focus on the most important work that is needed right now.
Most of us have been overwhelmed at some point in our lives, and have had to make some deliberate choices about what is important NOW, and what to let go. I recall busily mopping the kitchen floor one summer day, when my then 10-year-old son came inside and asked me to play catch. I paused: I looked at the floor, I looked at my son. I dropped the mop and grabbed my mitt. My floor stayed grimy, and that was OK.
For the past three years I have coordinated a walk to raise funds in the fight against eating disorders. It was and is an important and personal cause, and it has been an amazing journey. I have met wonderful, committed individuals who continue to serve as personal inspirations. Oh, and we also raised a lot of money. Now–it is time to start organizing the 2018 walk. Yet, I pause.
2018 also brings an election – an election that provides a critical opportunity to stem the tide of division and hate that has dominated the national political scene. Nowhere is this more important than in my own backyard, where the Koch Brothers have taken well-funded aim at Senator Tammy Baldwin.
When I started the eating disorder walk, three years ago, I had zero advocacy experience. And, aside from ranting, blogging and donating, I do not have any political experience. Yet, I will learn; because…. it is the most important thing, right now.
by Paula | May 28, 2017 | Paula Persists, Uncategorized
I had coffee with a friend last weekend. We compared notes regarding our respective acts of rabble-rousing and resistance. My friend is a mostly-retired psychiatrist (in other words, she is WAY smarter than me); who had not been expecting to expend her early retirement energy in active political resistance; yet, here she is. Here we are.
She and I are aligned in philosophies and have a shared sense of dread, grief, and horror regarding the current administration. For us, this sensation is both a catalyst to action and a burden–a burden that often takes residence in our guts and minds, like an OCD virus that threatens our sense of inner peace and causes bouts of crankiness that are sometimes directed at innocent nearby targets, such as our husbands.
The past couple weeks have been a good opportunity to take a mental break. The D is doing an excellent job of exposing his own incompetence and blinding narcissism–without any help from myself, his many detractors or the ‘fake’ media. In my friend’s words: “he is doing our job for us”.
The D’s firing of FBI Director Comey is a clear obstruction of justice; the initial reason given was Comey’s revelation of newly discovered Hillary emails in the late days of the 2016 campaign; a laughable and ironic justification from The D regarding an act that he previously praised, and one that most likely tilted the balance of election in his direction. On the heels of that debacle, The D shared classified intelligence with his Russian BFFs during a cozy photo op (for Russian press only). That may be one traitorous act too many, even in the eyes of Republican cronies — time will tell.
There is a rumor that several Republican’s are considering withdrawing support from The D in a belated attempt to restore their integrity–or at least a facade of integrity. This may be a window of opportunity for them to actually hear what their constituents are saying during the current Congressional break.
Ultimately, The D’s cluelessness and blinding narcissism will be the primary reasons for his seemingly inevitable downfall. The House of Cards is starting to crumble; the cracks in the orange veneer are getting more obvious. As much as I’ve enjoyed a week or two ‘off’, watching events play out; I/we cannot return to the not-my-problem complacency that allowed the D to be elected in the first place.
I used to sing in a choir. For long-sustained notes, we used a technique called ‘circle-breathing’: each chorister sneaks a breath at a different time, so that the audience hears one seamless long-sustained note, without a perceptable break. Circle-breathing depends on teamwork, recognizing that each individual needs to occasionally catch their breath.
To my persistent friends–take a breath when you need to and protest loudly when you are able. Collectively, our voice is unbroken and undeterred.
by Paula | May 16, 2017 | Paula Persists, Uncategorized
Well, well. We may finally be getting an answer to the question I posed just a few days ago: Is there any act that is too outrageous, unlawful, unconstitutional, self-serving, embarrassing or cruel for Trump to be held accountable by the Republican’ts?
Given recent events, we are seeing the faintest glimmer of hope that a few Republican’s are being reintroduced to their spines: the edges of the dark cloak of loyalty are starting to fray. Mere obstruction of justice (firing of Comey) wasn’t compelling enough: But–the casual sharing of highly classified information, for purposes of self-aggrandizement, to his Russian buddies just may just have crossed a line that even the Republicans won’t (or can’t) defend.
This post is short – by the time I press publish, there will no doubt be new plot twists and revelations to consider. You just can’t make this stuff up.
