Rep. Adam Kinzinger: "The Republican Party has lost its way"

12 from 2020

One of the reason why I continue blogging is to read and respond to the great content other bloggers provide.  I have decided to highlight 12 posts from other blogs from 2020 that really moved me.  

Blogs these day are somewhat of an endangered species.  I feature 9 different blogs in this article.  2 of them only posted one time in 2020.I feature posts from two other blogs that have been dark for at least 4 months now.  So, unless those 4 blogs begin to produce content again none of their fine writing will be here on display if I choose to make this an annual thing.  

As you might imagine, the majority of these posts are about Covid, race, and the election. Each bloggers puts their own unique take on these and other subjects,  Some of these bloggers are fairly well know people like Rhett McLaughlin of Rhett and Link fame and Pastor and Author John Piper.  Others are regular everyday people like my Sister-in-law.  . In any case, I think they all deserve more mention than my mostly unread blog can provide.  However, we all should do what we can, and I can cut and paste links.

Blog: Out Walking

The Kinship of Things March 4, 2020

It may be difficult to imagine a hopeful piece about house arrest. Steve West talks about his life in an early covid lockdown and by using his and other's memories talks about doing far more with far less.  

Favorite line: I keep my neighbors at a distance, and yet hold them close.

Blog: Home Spun Juggling

Sudden Homeschooling: A Beginners Guide

Cristina Ramos Payne brought her blog out of mothballs :) to bring encouragement to Covid induced new homeschooling parents.  She must have saved the moth balls because unfortunately for the blogosphere she has not posted since. :(

Favorite line: The idea of having the kids home 24-7 can be overwhelming, but it is also an opportunity to deepen your relationship.

Blog: Peace Love, and Yoga Pants

How are the Kids Feeling? April 3, 2020

 

My Sister in Law captured Covid anxiety as seen  through the eyes of her children in a palpable and powerful way. 

Favorite line: I finally said to him, "I don't know what it's like to be you!"

 

Blog:  Out Walking

Allies  April 29, 2020

One of the many things I like about Steve West's fine blog is that to misquote When Harry met Sally is I want to have he's having over the more than a decade I've been following his blog his descriptions of film, literature and music have informed what I have consumed. I need to read his posts with my library card next to me so I can look for the materials he's mentioning right away.

Allies continues the house arrest theme he started in The Kinship of Things but focusses as our homes  being the hero of the story. A concept he is quick to point out comes from author D.J. Waldie.

It's hard to make 1 line my favorite out of such a profound and poetic piece.  One line that sums up the piece well is ...

My ally stands. “Here’s a place—a fragile, earthen vessel, admittedly, yet one that will hold you, for now,” it says

And yes, I just did order Diane Keaton's book House which D.J. Waldie wrote the text for from my home librray. 

Blog: Stories by Rhett Mclaughlin

Letter to a White Man May 31,2020

Rhett McLaughlin gives advice to himself and all other white men about how to process  the racial discord  of the Spring of 2020. I found it a helpful reminder.

Favorite passage: Before you begin building your case as to why you’re not contributing to the problem — or why there really isn’t a problem in the first place — just be quiet.  Black Americans are speaking loudly and clearly. If you take a moment to stop defending yourself or finding fault with those fighting for justice, you might be able to listen.

Blog: Lindy Scott

Idolatry and Politics August 5, 2020

In 1982 I started attending Des Plaines Evangelical Free Church. Shortly after that their former youth minister took the job as their pastor.  He influenced much of my early Christian thinking and thanks to his blog continues to do so almost 40 years later.  

In Idolatry and Politics he makes a convincing argument that poliitcal extremism on any side of the political spectrum is just another name for idolatry.  Lindy's posts make up 1/4 of this years review, so expect to see a couple more of his writings later on in the list.  

Favorite Line: If people are totally "pro-Trump" or "anti-Ttump" they have abandoned their use of logic and reason. 

Blog: Lindy Scott

What kind of Republicans (and Democrats) does our Country Need? October 17, 2020

Author's Note: Erstwhile (former) and penultimate (2nd to last) are 2 of my favorite words and I use them as often as I can.

My erstwhile pastor appears on this list for his penultimate time with a profile of Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse.  At the time of this post's mid October publication, Sasse was one of the few  GOP lawmakers who would stand up against President Trump.

My favorite passage was a quote from Sasse:

 “If young people become permanent Democrats because they’ve just been repulsed by the obsessive nature of our politics, or if women who were willing to still vote with the Republican Party in 2016 decide that they need to turn away from this party permanently in the future, the debate is not going to be, you know, ‘Ben Sasse, why were you so mean to Donald Trump?’ It’s going to be ‘What the heck were any of us thinking that selling a TV-obsessed narcissistic individual to the American people was a good idea?’ It is not a good idea.”

Blog: Thirst

The Good Place October 21, 2020

Full disclosure: I discovered this blog earlier this year while researching my previous post about Comedian a song by Steve Taylor and the Perfect Foil. While I did not originally read this post in 2020,   it does meet the 2 the criteria I set for this list: 1) it is a post from 2020 and 2) The blog it comes from is on my blogroll.  

Keith Shields post which waxes philosophical about the NBC comedy The Good Place is one of the few post from this list that is not about covid, politics or race relations.  It is an old school blog post that takes a culturally relevant topic to explore the human condition. 

I liked how Shields did enough explaining about the show so someone not familiar with the show could still relate to the point he was making but did not over explain it in a way that would take meaning away from the point he made.

Favorite Line: It becomes obvious that we must give up on seeking to be good or we will turn ourselves into neurotic do-gooders who question every move. 

Blog: Desiring God 

Policies, Persons and Paths to Ruin: Pondering the Implications of the 2020 Election October 22, 2020

Author and Pastor John Piper  is not the only contributor to the blog on the Desiring God but his posts are generally the ones I most appreciate.  This post I found especially gratifying as I had decided on the same course of action for the election as he did.  Well approximately the same, he chose a write in candidadte, I just moved on to the next race. Piper makes a very good defense of not voting for Trump or Biden without mentioning either by name.

Favorite Line: In fact, I think it is a drastic mistake to think that the deadly influences of a leader come only through his policies and not also through his person.

Blog: Lindy Scott

"Heads I Win, Tails You Lose" and the Election October 25, 2020

In the aftermath of the horriffic events of January 6th, 2021 many people wrote that they were not surprised by the events.  Lindy Scott was one of them but I think that's because he said this 2 weeks prior to the election: (Italics mine*) 

Something similar is happening now in the presidential election. Trump has predicted that he will win when the votes are counted OR if the tally shows him losing, it will be because of vote fraud. He has also affirmed  that he would take the election to the Supreme Court if he loses. This is dangerous for our country. If there is a fair election AND Trump actually loses, many of his more devoted followers might protest the counting of mail in votes and declare fraud. Some of these followers might turn to violence.

I am certain this is not something Lindy wanted to be right about. At least we can't say He didn't warn us.  

* I've always wanted to say italics mine.  As long as we are doling out punctuation marks, I'll take the ampersand.

Blog: The Aaugh Blog 

Colorblind Eye Patch Dec 9, 2020

The Aaugh Blog is an independent Peanuts website that I quite enjoy.  I really liked this post that talks about some of my favorite strips from when I was a kid when Sally had lazy eye.  No favorite line just favorite memories.

Blog: Thinking Person's Guide To Autism

Losing Hard Won Freedoms: The Pandemics Toll on People with I/DD  December 10, 2020

I hate to end on a sour note but Covid has been especially hard on people with disabilites. as I'm typing this on My daughter who has high functioning autism is playing monopoly with her Mom and sister.  (More on this epic game here and here.  That reminds me  that she has been unable to attend her monthly game night for young adults with HFA for almost a year.  As Ivanova Smith  states it ican be much more difficult for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities than just missing a game night.  

Favorite Line:  (Smith describing the effects of the isolation that pandemic restrictions has caused her). I feel like I am stuck in a car that keeps going backwards and backwards and I can’t make it stop.

.

Saturday Afternoon Monopoly

 My girls are passing this Saturday afternoon with a game of Monopoly.  

I figured this might be a good time to catch you, readers, up with my family

Emma FKA Bunny Girl is 21 now.  

She says Monopily is going good. She has two light blues an orange 2 railroads and a Brown. She is functioning as the banker,

Amy is still working as a School Bob Newhart/Psychologist.  She is doing real estate in the game and 1 monopoly 1 blue, 2 railroads,2 greens and a red.  She is currently in negotiations with L.J./Lucy FKA Wolfina/Puppy which have come to a standstill over the red and blue properties.

The previously mentioned LJ is a Freshman and has finally started live (hybrid) learning as a public school high school Freshman after being homeschooled for all of her middle school career and most of elementary school.  She has 2 reds, both utilities Boardwalk, and New York.

They are taking a break right now. All in all, it's a nice way to spend a Saturday as more snow heads our way.

Dave Out Loud Monopoly in Progress

2021 Hall of fame: If I Could Vote ...

 Each year members of the Base Ball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) are given a hall of fame ballot with the names of the players eligible for consideration of enshrinement in Cooperstown. They are instructed to vote for as many as 10 of the players on the ballot.  This years ballot contains 25 players so the writers can vote for up to 40 % of players on the ballot.  If a player receives 75% of the writers votes they are admitted into the Hall of Fame.  If they receive less than 75% but more than 5% they are retained on the ballot for the next year.  The players have up to 10 years on the ballot to earn the 75% needed for enshrinement.

I am not a member of the BBWAA and I do not have a vote but to paraphrase Rob Lowe as the Grinder "What if I were? and What if I did?"

I ask myself that question about this time each year. Here is what I've come up with for 2021.

If I had 13 votes ...

13 would go to Aramis Ramirez.

As I said in the new to the ballot post, Ramirez is a lock for NL Central Hall of Fame havingplayed at a high level for the Pirates, Cubs and Brewers during his career.  As I say every year, I am a Chicago guy and I feel a need to give votes to Chicago players at least to get the conversation going.

If I had 12 votes ...

12 would go to Paul Konerko.

Pauly Longball (my nickname for him. Sadly it never caught on.) is not on the ballot this year as having received only 1/2 the votes needed last year to stay on the ballot for a 2nd chance.  However he was who I would have voted for last year even If I only had one vote.  I feel that is a good enough reason to put him as a write-in i=on this years ballot as a curtain call of sorts.

If I had 11 votes ...

11 would  go to Gary Sheffield.

In 2018 & 2019 I would have voted for Sheffield if given as many as 12 votes.  I hypothesized after missing the vote last year that I would have placed Sheffield 7th.  This year I have reverted to  my original position that there are too many questions about his candidacy to consider him much lower than the double digits.  

If I had 10 Votes ...

10 would go to Bobby Abreu.

I did not consider voting for Abreu last year.  I don't think he's worthy of Cooperstown.  I think he had a distinguished enough career to be in the conversation for a year or more.

If I had 9 votes ...

9 would go to Torii Hunter

When I hear the name Torii Hunter. I think Hall of Fame. When I look at his stats they tell a bit of a different story.  He falls short of making My Official Unofficial Ballot (OUB) but it would certainly be nice if he could get enough votes to be on the ballot again next year. 

If I had 8 votes ...

8 would go to Andruw Jones.

If Jones retired in 2007 when he left Atlanta or if He had Atlantaesque numbers in his final 5 seasoons of baseball He'd have a better chance of making Cooperstown than he does now. Still his time in Atlanta was good enough for me to consider him as my 9th vote last year and this year he's gone up to 8

If I had 7 votes ...

7 would go to Scott Rolen

Not only would I pick Rolen 7th, 7 is also the number of his gold gloves and all star appearances for this former Rookie of the Year.  I have not picked him in the past but a closer look this year shows me he's right on the cusp of making my OUB.

If I had 6 votes ...

6 would go to Jeff Kent.

Last year I put Kent 6th two place higher than I had him in 2019.  He's like my poster child for outside looking in.  Even thinking about it here, I'm tempted to have Jones and Rolen leap frog him. For this year I'll let things stand as they are.

If I had 5 votes ...

With #5 I'd write in Dick Allen.

There's something about White Sox First basemen that makes e want to break my own Rules.  Allen who passed away late last year should already be a hall of famer. I think he will probably make it the next time the veterans comittee of his era re-convene.  Until then He may be revisiting this list in the years to come.  

 If I could vote for the number of players that I thought were worthy of inclusion to the Hall of fame, I would need four votes and that ballot would need like this ...

Barry Bonds                   Jeff Kent                        Gary Sheffield

Roger Clemens               Manny Ramirez             Andruw Jones

Curt Schilling                 Bobby Abreu                 Scott Rolen

 Sammy Sosa.                  A.J. Burnett                   Omar Vizquel

Billy Wagner                    Michael Cuddyer            Dan Heren                                                            

Todd Helton                        Mark Buehrle                  LaTroy Hawkins

Andy Pettitte                       Tim Hudson                  Torii Hunter                                                                      

Aramis Ramirez                  Shane Victorino            Barry Zito

 Nick Swisher

                                                                                 

(My votes are in bold)

If I could only vote for 4 players for the Hall of Fame my 4th vote would go to ...

Curt Schilling

I have not been advocating Schilling as a candidate for Cooperstown until very recently.  In 2020 I would have put Schilling 8th on my list and not in my OUB. He never got a mention from me in his first 7 years on the ballot.  This year as I did my research many of my earlier qualms about his candidacy seemed to disappear into the vapor.  He definitely has the resume for it and will probably make it this year.

If I could only vote for 3 players for the Hall of Fame my 3rd vote would go to ...

Todd Helton

In 2019 I placed Helton in 7th and he went up to 5th last year.  He moves up another 2 this year and just like I eventually didn't hold it against Edgar Martinez that he played most of his career as a designated hitter, I don't begrudge Helton for playing his entire career for the Rockies.  

If I could only vote for 2 players for the Hall of Fame my 2nd vote would go to ...

Omar Vizquel

Vizquel was my third choice in 2019 and 2020 and moved into 2nd when Jeter got elected and Konerko got rejected.  Vizquel is one of those players who advanced metrics can't tell the full story of.  He played the game at an extremely  high level for many years. Some say his defense is over rated, I disagree.  He is a Hall of fame caliber defender and worth of Cooperstown.

If I could only vote for one player to go to Cooperstown in 2021. That player would be Mark Buehrle.

The 5 time all star with 4 gold gloves was a reliable workhorse and a quick worker.  He no hit the Texas Rangers and after walking Sammy Sosa (who's in his 9th year of eligibility) he proceed to get him out with his signature pick off move.  He is a pitcher from another era, that's for sure bit those players of his caliber from that era are already in the hall of fame.  I'd like to at least see him hang around for another bite of the apple.  Otherwise you know who I'll be voting for 12th next year.