"It was as though some huge force were pressing down upon you -- something that penetrated inside your skull, battering against your brain, frightening you out of your beliefs, persuading you, almost, to deny the evidence of your senses. In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it. It was inevitable that they should make that claim sooner or later: the logic of their position demanded it....The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command..." "Freedom is the freedom to say … [Read more...]
It’s Like Talking to that Teenage Daughter
It's like talking to that teenager daughter, the daughter who who believes she's "madly in love" with the most narcissistic asshole of a teenage boy, the boy who, while he loves having her adoration, loves to brag about how much she "adores him," in reality cares not one whit for her affection or her needs. He manipulates her, uses her, gaslights her, and is generally dismissive of her. But she doesn't recognize his abuse. No, in fact, if you try to point it out, she becomes angry or tearful; she goes on the defensive, comes up with a myriad of excuses for why he does what he does. Or she deflects: "So, what? What about you and Dad? Dad's not perfect either, you know." She avoids answering … [Read more...]
Thanks for All Your Hard Work!
Happy, Happy
Whatever you celebrate, celebrate with love. Thank you for reading, Patricia … [Read more...]
Us and “The Stupid-Maker”
In our society there is a new class warfare emerging. It's no longer only "rich versus poor." It is already a "thinking class" versus a "scrolling class", a "reading class" versus a "streaming class", a "writing class" versus an "ai-prompting class." ~ Cheyenne L. Hunt, executive director of Gen Z for Change The photo is of Will Teague, and his cat. He a professor teaching at a university in the United States. (Teague that is, not the cat.) In his essay, which I have linked below, he emphasizes, "Students are not just undermining their ability to learn, but to someday lead." To that I'll add my own addendum: Students are not just undermining their ability … [Read more...]
Current Situation
November 20, 2025 I have been out of the United States since October 1, on a "quest," if you will. It's part business, part personal, and high on the reflective scale. Watching what's happening in the USA from afar is absolutely gut-wrenching. Everything I value - a free media, education, libraries, intellectual property rights, civil liberties, COMPASSION, and so much more - is all being devoured. And of the close to 350 million people who are citizens there, 70 plus million are terrified, 70 plus million are elated, and the the other 210 plus million don't know, or don't care. The Thing Is By Ellen Bass to love life, to love it … [Read more...]
Nero
I have been trying for months, even years now, to carry on as though the United States is not going the way of Ancient Rome. It's saddest because of my age group. We were the group that clawed our way to so many civil rights. And then some of us forgot about that, once we got a little security and money of our own. And now.... We are all Nero while Rome burns. … [Read more...]
Every Wednesday
It's a true challenge to go against the grain of societal norms. Yet, I have been doing so all my life. This year, I had my author website rebuilt (long overdue), and moved my posts from Facebook, which is the bastion of purposeful and poisonous misinformation, vicious corporate greed, and planet-decimating AI. I came back here, to my roots of online writing: a blog, on one of the oldest platforms, WordPress. It's a tough transition. I'm still getting my bearings, still trying to decide if I truly want to continue sharing my soul with a humanity that has little real compassion for...well...humanity. I promised myself I'd write here every Wednesday. I've kept that discipline, but … [Read more...]
I wonder if anyone else has noticed…
With the Legislative Branch of USA government essentially gone, and the Supreme Court firmly and consistently overruling any pushback on the overreach and lawlessness of Donald Trump's administration, the United States officially has only the Executive Branch in operation. Only the Executive Branch. And no one, it seems, has figured out what that means. … [Read more...]
The Secret Spice Cafe Aboard the RMS Queen Mary
The magnificent, historic Royal Mail Steamer, the Queen Mary, inspired my trilogy of novels, The Secret Spice Cafe. Once a luxurious ocean liner frequented for Atlantic crossing by A-list celebrities and royalty, she, the fastest ship of her time, was utilized to transport Allied troops during World War II. Her illustrious career did not end there, however, as she eventually "retired", but only from the sea, and is now permanently docked in Long Beach, California as a hotel and museum, where her storied history, (with a mysterious, unique element to it) is on display, alive and lively, for the education and enjoyment of her thousands of yearly visitors. I'm thrilled to announce … [Read more...]
A Reminder About You
Hacking and Extortion
Does the twenty-year-old pictured above deserve to go to prison? . (Read the story here) Maybe he does. But then, if he goes to jail for stealing identities and money, why do the folks at Anthropic, who are behind this act of thievery and identity theft get to settle out of court? Could it be because Antghropic is backed by some of the richest men in the world? What do you think? … [Read more...]
Harvest Moon
"The Harvest Supermoon rises in all its golden glory, marking the closest and brightest full moon of the season. The term “Harvest Moon” comes from ancient farming traditions — it’s the full moon closest to the autumn equinox, when its extended evening light helped farmers gather their last crops before winter. This year’s Harvest Moon is also a Supermoon, appearing about fifteen percent larger and thirty percent brighter than usual as it comes closer to Earth in its orbit. Look east shortly after sunset, and you’ll see the golden disk lifting above the horizon — a breathtaking symbol of change, reflection, and gratitude for nature’s cycles." … [Read more...]