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Wearing purple, "Lunatic Fringe" and other rants from the stroke front!

When you have a stroke, I realize that priorities are different. People who survive strokes cut to the chase more often. Often, “filters” are gone.

I remember my mom quoting a famous poem called “When I Am Old” written by Jenny Joseph. Here is an excerpt:   

"When I am an old woman I shall wear purple

 With a red hat that doesn't go, and doesn't suit me,

I shall sit down on the pavement when I am tired,

And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells,

 And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

 You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat,

So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised,

 When suddenly I am old and start to wear purple!"

When I read that poem now, my perspective is different. My parents said I was “always the ambassador.” I just wanted people to get along. My career as a lobbyist was well suited for me.  

But now, I simply do not care what people think normally. I am not politically correct often now. It takes too much energy. I do not like purple. I am more candid since my strokes. Some would call these “rants.” 

However, it is my new “reality.”  Here are some random -- very random -- rants:
  • I hate country and western music. Squalling cats and steel guitars. Folk music? Folks! It's worse than country music.
  • I do not like western films. 
  • I am a “Rockefeller Republican.” I am an economic conservative but a social liberal. Keep your politics out of the boardroom and the bedroom. But I am not in vogue now. 
  • I voted Libertarian in the past. But now, the Libertarian and most of the Tea Party folks are simply too extreme for me.    
  • I do not like bigots, and I fear that the GOP is blinded with hatred for gays and narrow mindedness. I consider myself to be a Republican but the "Republican right wing fringe" is not "fringe" anymore. "Lunatic Fringe" is not a bad song from the 80's anymore: It is the current Idaho Republican platform....
  • On the other hand, Democrats think they are smarter than everyone else. They certainly are not. For Democrats, if you disagree with them, they think you are not smart. Pretentious bigotry.    
  • I support the 2nd amendment within reason. I think the NRA has lost a lot of credibility. The President of the NRA, Wayne LaPierre, is an insidious force of evil. 
  • I like disco. Plus, I really like 70’s and 80’s pop music. 
  • Rachel Maddow,  Al Sharpton, Ed Schultz, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, and Mike Levin are just the biggest blowhards. Snarky egotistical talking heads with no substance. 
  • NASCAR is not entertainment. I would rather watch paint dry. Rodeo is one step above NASCAR.
  • In general, I do not like fish. Sushi is disgusting. Stop telling me that “just try it.” I tried it many times. Do not ask me again.
  • I eat wheat bread for health reasons. I do not like it. 7 grain or whole grain bread is like eating cardboard and sandpaper.
  • I love Velveeta and Vienna Sausages. Sorry.
  • Wine, iceberg lettuce, peanut butter and celery are not food. 
  • I do not really like organized religions. Keep your views to yourself and to not be so self-righteous. Leave me alone. 
  • I did not really like George W. Bush. His positions like Terri Schiavo issue and the Iraq and Afghanistan wars were simply wrong. I voted for him nevertheless. Better than the alternative. I guess.
  • Barack Obama was so under-prepared to be a president. His résumé was slight. His “time” was right, but he had no practical experience at all. I thought that Jimmy Carter was the worst president until I experienced Obama. His Nobel Peace Prize was not warranted and cheapened that honor.
  • I like TV. I am very well read; however, people who hate TV in general and popular TV shows are pretentious. On the other hand, I really like PBS.
  • People who think that Facebook users are morons are also pretentious. Do not berate me for my views.
  • People think that life is "black or white" sometimes have no compassion and are ignorant. Sometimes people's lives suck. Do not throw stones and judge. It might bite you on your own ass someday.
  • I really do not like to camp, hunt or fish. However, I would love to live in a cabin in the Idaho wilderness. 
  • I have never really liked to golf. One blessing about my strokes, I cannot play golf ever again. I am fine with that. 
  • People who get all of their news from “The Daily Kos” and “Fox News” are not informed. Read A LOT and get many viewpoints. If you have only one news source, do not talk to me. 
  • Reactionary liberals and conservatives will ruin our country.
  • I do not like tattoos. Many friends have them. That is fine for them. However, if you have a barbed wire tattoo, you are desperate. Get a grip.
Wow! I feel so much better. But, it might be the stroke writing....
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