Karen L. Anderson

Morgan said, “Harper was fired because Harper was trying to help me.” That is an example of misaligned guilt.
Harper chose to help Morgan, got caught, and the boss fired Harper. Morgan has no responsibility in the scenario—unless Morgan lied to Harper to cause a false understanding. Check guilt!

Consider: If Dana invests in Chris & believes in Chris, there is nothing Lee can share about insights & experiences that Dana will accept. Only Dana’s own experiences of betrayal or disappointment will change Dana’s mind about Chris. (Accepting being wrong about someone you trusted is difficult.)

Anger can energize or paralyze. To release negative energy, some people throw things. But when something breaks or someone gets hurt, doesn’t that make the situation worse? When angry, find a way to release positive energy to improve the situation. Get creative and transformative. Be intentional.

The issue with sarcasm in writing is some people will translate it without your context, intent, or personality. They will take your words literally—just the opposite of what you meant to convey. To release frustration: go to your car, windows up, doors locked—scream loudly, then breathe deeply.

Another way you might be “paying” for a “free” app: the propaganda you absorb through the creators’ influence and your experience with the app content. Beware!

Caution! Should you download a free app? The creators do not give their skill and effort for free. They want to be paid—perhaps by selling advertisement or by selling your data. You will “pay” somehow for that “free” app!

As the child of a USNavy career officer, I am relieved to read that the Grand Jury refused to indict our government officials for videotaping a legal statement reminding soldiers and sailors of all ranks to refuse illegal orders. Critical thinking can support morals, ethics, and laws.

Two tips for becoming a better person: listen without interruption and minimize the argumentative attitude. Act in curiosity rather than competition and conflict. I am working at it, daily!

My grandfather and great-grandfather were born on opposite shores of the North Sea. Each immigrated to the USA. The requirements for citizenship at the time included being white, able to work, speak English, and live here for 2 years. Later the racist requirement expanded to other races. No ICE!

If your routine does not bring you satisfaction today, create a “bree,” Scottish meaning disruption—like a breeze. Let your adventure begin!

Sometimes people will go beyond satiation and satisfaction in eating, drinking, drugging, fighting, shooting, or arguing. Overindulgence and overkill will come back to bite you when habit turns into addiction and destruction.
Control your needs before they control you.

What do you say when your employee or your young adult child wants to leave for advancement? “I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want you to hold you back. Follow your heart, and I will have your back.”

How can you tell by looking at someone if they are a US citizen? I have taught secondary school in 3 states, college students in 3 states, and adult education seminars in 48 states. Never have I had a checklist for observing citizenship! Also, how old does a child need to be to carry identification?

ICE, DHS, and CBP seem to attract gangs of bullies without discipline or common sense. To arm them with chemicals, bullets, and promises of immunity for senseless acts and deaths shows irresponsible leadership. Send in mediators instead! At least people will live through mediation interactions!

Some medical professionals carry protection for outside their facility. Working in ER, ICU, VA, psych units put them in especially taxing positions for life and death. Some patients or their family are irrational, delusional, threatening, substance-abusers, criminals, or otherwise unpredictable.

Let’s think about why a Veterans Administration nurse might have a license to carry a handgun. Nurses are in vulnerable positions, coming to work & leaving work. The work they do with some patients makes the medical staff vulnerable as well. Nurses drive caring, comfort, healing, & protection.

Please listen to all perspectives of the latest shooting in Minneapolis. Did Nurse Pretti show his legal handgun before or after being accosted by ICE?

The scaffold under trust—to establish it, build it , and maintain it—must be accountability. I observed this in corporate coaching, public teaching and training, parenting…accountability first! Even in politics and public safety.

If you want calm protest, remove the word “fight” from “fight for your rights.” That word drives a mixed message! Think about the war-like and violence-positive words we use when supporting resistance.
(I am seeing what reminds me of little boy gangs playing war with lethal weapons on TV today.)

The kitchen holds fruits, cheese, crackers, relishes, & nuts—yet, the kids say, “There is nothing to eat!” I love challenges: a “concoction” (a one-of-a-kind recipe, never to be duplicated) is coming. Sometimes the concoction become the base of a “snack party,” wherein all from fridge goes to table.

An observation:
Frequently, when asked a question in a movie or television script, the actor will answer either, “No, yes…” or “Yes, no….” Why? Is it confusion, faulty memorization, rethinking, both agreement and disagreement? I find this to be curious—like Epstein files, oil, ice, Greenland, Trump.

Knowingly using offensive and insensitive language choices is like stringing up barbed wire in a conversation. Words can cause relived trauma, grief, betrayal, anger or rage, exclusion, rejection, and bewilderment. Choose words carefully and caringly!

“By playfully rebelling against accepted social norms,…he soon finds himself wielding ever-increasing levels of national fame and influence, even as his newfound power reveals a deeper darkness in him.” From “wowbobwow’s” review of “A Face in the Crowd” (1957) a year ago, referring to “Lonesome.”

I tend to believe DJT did not know much about Project 2025 while he ran for office, and he is lazy enough in his plans to grab onto it when he was elected the second time on a platform he designed simply to get votes. What say you?

Not all broadcasters are journalists. Not all journalists are historians. Some journalists do record moments of history. Historians take the long view. Some sieve history to edit reality. Some historians record reality from multiple perspectives. Seek the fullest history for the truest reality.

Every couple of years I reorganize my clothes & drawers to remind myself of the exquisite & durable clothes I already possess. Buying more makes no sense when so many non-profits need discretionary donations in used clothes & money. A necessary reminder for all who can even afford to consider.

Those 8th-grade kids went on to Ivy League schools, low-wage jobs, early parenthood, military service, medical personnel, some untimely deaths in vehicle accidents, local politics, teaching…. They deserve better than what they have now. These are “my” kids in my heart and soul. Do better for them!

To recognize our vulnerability and to stand with dignity in the face of potential threat, to listen to dissent, to record history, to reject passive silence—these are acts of courage and character. In my first year of teaching, I witnessed 8th graders with courage and character. They could teach DJT

A day of reflection: I remember the moment a wave of insight overwhelmed me. I was facing 26 13- to 14-year-old 8th graders and realized they could rush me. In a second of honesty, I told them I recognized their numbers and that I was the shortest among them. My students said, “We would never!”

This is one reason to celebrate participation of 5-y-o’s so they will not need the participation recognition as a 79-y-o!