There was a lot of political posturing over the past week, wasn’t there?
With a few exceptions, most of my Facebook friends (I don’t do Twitter or Instagram) have started to distance themselves from political comments. We are all tired of it. And I think we’ve all realized no one will change their political stance because of a post or meme on Facebook.
What does amaze me, however, is the number of people who take what they read on Facebook as the absolute truth. The number of conspiracy theories or blatant false information that gets spread as gospel truth is disheartening. I suppose it hits me harder than it should as I spent most of my adult life as a reporter. A true news report has been fact-checked relentlessly before it is published or aired. So taking a few minutes to check out the truth in a Facebook post is second nature to me. And it’s fairly easy to do. Lately when I find something that does not pass the truth test, where I used to argue, I now just shake my head and move on.
The fact is the anonymity of making a post emboldens people to treat others awfully. I’m tired of seeing the words libtard, sheep, repug, snowflake (both political sides are equally guilty)… Disagreeing with someone is one thing, telling them they are an atheist because of their political party is something else.
Ahhh, but life goes on.
This weekend, in addition to being Valentine’s Day, is President’s Day weekend. For those California schools that are back in session, it means it’s a four-day weekend. The campground is packed. I think there are four empty sites.
We’ve been wintering in California for four or five years now (I’ve lost track). It’s taken me that long to realize that while camping in February in Michigan is basically only for the truly die-hard camping enthusiast; it is an excellent time to camp in California. (Summers in southern California are beastly hot). What I have also noticed is that while I find 50 degrees comfortable, Californians do not share my assessment.
Yesterday while DK and I were on our morning walk, I noticed most of the campers were huddled around their campfires wearing winter coats and gripping mugs of hot coffee. I was wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt and was quite comfortable.
Apparently weather tolerance, like politics, is all a matter of perspective or what one can tolerate.
It’s hard to believe it’s the middle of February. It’s time to make our tentative summer plans.
Right now our plans are to stay at the Kal Haven Outpost campground in South Haven for the summer. They open April 15. I have an appointment with the Michigan Secretary of State set for April 26, so we will have to arrive in Michigan sometime between the 15th and 26th.
That’s as much pre-planning as King and I care to do as anything more than that would require a commitment – and we can’t have that.
