Social Media vs. Spring

February 29, 2016

Social Media vs. Spring

I think I need a break from social media. From all media, actually. The webosphere is awash with politics and Bernie, which I don't mind, and the television is awash with politics and almost no Bernie, which I do mind. And stupid sh*t on the national news that's so not news it's almost on the same level as our wee local news where stories about cats up trees being rescued by brawny firemen isn't an uncommon thing. The local news is forgiven; the national news, not so much. The social media stuff is depressing the hell out of me right now. I'm don't know 100% why, but I guess the bombardment of politics, the state of our environment, how the guvmint is hell bent on making peasants of us all, and all the racism and hatefulness that's being bandied about these days isn't helping. I'm not a pacifist per se, I will stand up for myself and my people, and if someone deserves a swift kick to the shins, and all other avenues of a peaceful resolution have been exhausted, then they're going to get one. I do not advocate violence as a first response, though my natural human instinct might be to take a bite, I will bite my lip instead and try to resolve the issue with kindness. What exhausts me is the hate and greed and ignorance and -- and hate! It's a disease of violence, and if not treated with kindness and love and understanding and a whole lot of compassionate explaining, it goes completely unchecked. And there are those who are immune to the cure. They hate because it makes them feel important. Because to have a cause, even if their 'cause' is to hurt others, is better than not having one at all.The haters are a sect (or a whole?) of the bully-victim tribe, the person who pushes and pushes and pushes, then cries foul when pushed back. They're the blamers. Everyone on the planet is responsible for their misfortune in life, because heaven forbid should they take a bit of responsibility, even if it's to say they won't let those things bother them. If you give it your best shot and someone still sh*ts all over you, then that's how it was going to be anyway. Nothing to be done about it, except to begin again. It's about attitude. And some acceptance. And standing up for what's right when it's right to do so. And learning when to take your toys and go home. And then charging back into the fray with a newer, intelligent, non-aggressive strategy. But never, ever is it about brandishing the sword of hate. The social media is like a perpetual ticker tape of the good, the bad, and the obscenely politically ugly, and I'm done for a while. I have some harvesting and enfleuraging to set up. Some stuff to evaluate. Some life to live.

The hyacinths are blooming big time! When I bought the bulbs, I thought I had a bag of all blues, but I'm getting blues, pinks, whites, and a weird fuchsia. So today me and the wee one are going to go a-plucking, and then I'm going to let her help me set the blossoms into the fat. On Saturday I found branches of just blooming lilacs from a grower, and I rushed them home, dipped them in root starter and then planted them in containers. They all have flowers and leaves and whatnot, so I'm hoping that at least one takes hold. My lilac from my mum's disappeared. It may have gotten frostbitten a ways back, but I honestly can't remember what happened to it. That lilac was a cutting from a 90-year-old lilac bush. I miss the history, and my mother's touch. I still have a lot of plants left that she started for me -- a magnolia from seed, a holly bush, some succulents, a pretty little scentless, fat-leafed geranium, two big, bushy asparagus ferns.