Weekly NRU ... mishy and mashy

I really hardly know what to say about Bruce Jenner and his sort of public, sort of public transition news.  I yearn for the time when we don't need to obsessively gawk at people, and when people doing what feels natural for them to be their own damn business.  Even as we become a more tolerant society, thanks mostly to our youth, we are also becoming more reactionary in our voyeuristic tendencies.  The internet has brought much good to the world, but continues to bring out the evil in those who would hide behind their computers to shoot invectives.  I fear the time when they no longer need their computers and will fire at will to whomever without one thought to what it might mean to others.  Of course, with the Jenner/Kardashian crew, it is difficult to know when one should be compassionate and when one should be appalled.  But, I guess that what being a *reality* celebrity is all about.

With all the talk of vaccines and superbowl ads, it is not strange to see an article that speaks to what it calls the "real threats" to children.  Interesting, to be sure, and most poignant in talking about priorities.  Using another country as an example, I think, is meant to lessen the blow a bit.  It's hard not to see echos of this piece in Eric Holder's lament about gun control. 

Updates on Adnan from Serial fame ... does this make him a *reality* star, too?? If so, where are his bucks?  I wish him the best with his appeal ... and I hope that they come to a reasonable agreement on calling his debt paid.

Harper Lee's lawyer strikes back ... the other side of the story?

I have nearly fully transitioned into the role of coach for my primary job -- and it is tricky and hard and yet more fulfilling than just providing a "score" or "edits" to a paper.  As much as I am learning on that front from a business perspective, it remains difficult to bring it to my personal life -- enough. Ugh...I am not afraid to have the difficult conversations, but how much more peace might I have if I could manage to be above button pushing ...or if some others in my family were willing to broach the difficult subjects instead of leaving me to do all the dirty work.

My mom keeps telling me that she "is not ready" to talk about her "affairs" -- and I try to stave off the panic as I watch them decline ... I try to get them to eat right and exercise -- and they sometimes do, and sometimes they just want to eat horribly and sit on the couch and watch movies. I could get behind that kind of behavior if they were also willing to be realistic about helping me prepare for their deaths.  I know it is a lot to ask ... but after watching us all flail after losing my brother and sister, you would think that they wouldn't want to put us through that extra pain ... alas.

This little piece on how we write about love might be as romantic as I can get near to Valentine's Day...