11 Comments
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Deborah Hart Yemm's avatar

"Residing in warm dirty places" made me smile for the gentle application of language to the reality.

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Mark VanLaeys's avatar

And you made me smile as well - riding with that eloquence - thanks and Happy Holidays to you and yours

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Steve Harvester's avatar

Here’s a tidbit younger folks won’t recall: it wasn’t Ronald Reagan who first used the phrase in his 1980 debate with Jimmy Carter “are you better off now than you were four years ago?” It was Jimmy Carter, in his 1976 debate with Gerald Ford.

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Mark VanLaeys's avatar

Very interesting indeed. So, Jimmy sure got knocked off his pedestal BUT he was young and just a politician then. Thanks Steve.

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

Pulling out all the stops here, Mark! Now... let's hope people are listening - I mean, besides the people who are already in the choir.

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Mark VanLaeys's avatar

You are so right there Sharon. I talk to my wife about that on a regular basis but as I've learned, it's very soothing to be IN the choir even if you're singing the same song. The trick is to stay tuned for the dissonance. And, Thanks for your two cents and more.

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Kim Van Bruggen's avatar

Amen.

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Switter’s World's avatar

Living in a rural area of the global South has a way of tuning up perspectives.

Thanks for the reminder, Mark.

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Mark VanLaeys's avatar

I was thinking you lived in Idaho ? ? ?

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Switter’s World's avatar

Now. But not most of my adult life. And the places I lived weren’t the happy or comfortable places.

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Mark VanLaeys's avatar

That I also gathered - a storied life indeed

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