Eulogy for an Electronic Device

I’ve said a eulogy for an electronic device. Circa 2002 I bough the first iteration of an iPod that had something like only 500 or 1,000 songs you could play on it. Then with a Christmas gift card I was given I bought what I think was an iPod Nano that I used for 15 years.

The electronic device that is now sitting in a landfill or was recycled somehow for the metal (doubtful I think!) was an HD radio receiver with an iPod dock. I bought it 15 years ago.

The alarm clock on the device could be set to wake me up to an iPod song or even a Playlist of iPod songs plural. For the longest time I set the clock to wake me to “Get the Party Started” by P!nk. Because why couldn’t I be the center of my attention with adoring fans waiting for me to arrive?

Like P!nk sings in the song about everyone who’s already arrived getting the party started for her. We should all listen to this song to get a burst of confidence.

The electronic device broke for good 5 months ago. I couldn’t set the clock ahead for Daylight Savings Time or Eastern Time or whatever the calendar date required the time to be.

Then instead of hearing a song in the morning the device started beeping. Out! Out! went the device for electronic recycling.

And though I’m no fan of how Amazon treats its warehouse employees I admit I buy things from Amazon. Things I can’t get locally or elsewhere.

So I ordered an Echo Show 5 device to keep on my night table. I shout too loudly “Alexa, shut down!” when I should use a quieter voice. As it is I have a loud voice. I’ve been castigated in a restaurant by a nearby diner for talking too loudly.

Only it makes sense that I have a loud voice. My aunt told me that she knew it was me screaming when she heard the loudest baby in the maternity ward. Imagine. I haven’t stopped speaking out loud.

It’s because I lost my voice when I was 22 and had to fight to get things normal people take for granted they can have–it’s because I lost my voice early in life–that I don’t think I should stop speaking out and writing about the truth.

So, I tell Alexa to shut down a little too loudly.

And since I always wake up early without needing an alarm clock to get me up there’s a benefit to the Echo Show 5 device. I can wake up and tell Alexa to play my new favorite song to get me going in the morning.

Though I’ve been a fan of alternative music I cannot resist the allure of Lady Gaga telling me to put my paws up. And so when I wake up I shout: “Alexa, play ‘Born This Way’ by Lady Gaga.”

“Born This Way” is my new favorite anthem. It has replaced “Get the Party Started” to get me going in the morning.

With the advent of new technology and streaming music services (I ordered Sirius XM) Apple no longer manufactures and sells iPods. Which I found out going on the Best Buy website to try to order a replacement HD radio receiver iPod dock. That device I used for the last 15 years is no longer sold either.

Really I should not be shouting at a device. So there you have it. I’m now living in the 21st Century when it comes to how to play and listen to music.

Harper’s Bazaar Freedom Issue 2026

In the summer issue of Harper’s Bazaar with the theme of Freedom editor-in-chief Samira Nasr quotes former president Barack Obama:

“Progress is bumpy. But because of dreamers and innovators and strivers and activists, progress has been this nation’s hallmark.”

Freedom from fear. Freedom from scarcity. Freedom from poverty. Freedom from having a broken brain.

We do not have these freedoms in America today. The one freedom we have courtesy of our founding “fathers” is the right to “the pursuit of happiness.”

Everyone living in America can be happy regardless of our circumstances. You and I don’t have to like the hardship we face. Yet we can be happy even in the throes of pain.

This is not to excuse injustice. However it really was revolutionary that happiness was written into the original American contract for our new country.

Today each of us can and should declare our independence from the hate, fear, judgment, resentment, jealousy, and anger that dot our landscape and how Americans have interacted with each other for too long.

For the 250th birthday of America it’s time to write out a new contract that is a bolder, more equitable Declaration of Independence to abide by.

I hold this truth to be self-evident: That everyone living on earth is equal to each other. I don’t think I’m better than others, and no one’s better than me.

I also believe that Patti Smith got it right decades ago with her song title “People Have the Power.” Like Smith sang we have the force within us to dream.

And I have the dream that the coming 250 years in America–if our civilization on earth is here that long–will be better. That America will really be “America the Beautiful” for everyone living in the U.S.

We cannot forget the past. To guarantee a future where we don’t repeat the past each of us is beholden to create via our own just efforts the change we seek today.

Flying under the radar is the way to effect positive change before anyone can stop us.Because really putting our faith in elected leaders is over. I’m done with political reporting.

Think of flying to the moon for the first time. Then think of your own brave acts that changed your life for the better for the first time.

In one week Americans celebrate Juneteenth, a holiday that was an achievement at long last. Now it’s time to get our hearts and minds centered on what we can do to be on the right side of history in how we act towards each other right now.

I’m hopeful. We have so much to celebrate even with the ongoing setbacks in America at the hands of those in power.

Happy Birthday to everyone living in America!

Less is Liberation

Buy this book!

It’s a short hardcover with specific actionable tactics to use to achieve and live in freedom from dropping dead from ill health. That said ill health which is the result of grinding our bodies and brains through a pepper mill of exhausting overwork performed to measure our success in society.

I bought the new book above that was just published this fall. Christine Platt gives readers a method to overcoming what she calls the “overwhelm.” The busywork we burden ourselves with by doing too much in a performance to prove our worth to others.

I bought this book because I was so impressed with her first book that I checked out of the library The Afrominimalist’s Guide to Living with Less. Though nearly each chapter contains a Love Note to Black Women I read the love notes even though I’m White.

While reading the first two chapters of the guide radical insight streamed into my head in my own words. Platt’s book was the springboard for wanting to share these ideas in a blog entry.

Nowhere in Less is Liberation does Platt acknowledge this exact truth: Wellness is Justice. Liberating yourself from grind culture is Justice. Less is Liberation because doing less is Justice.

The definition of justice is “right action.” For persons who have experienced illness, trauma, or injustice, engaging in a true wellness practice is yes a form of self-initiated “restorative justice.”

We as “Individuals who live with __________________ “(whatever our hardship is) can act to heal ourselves from overwhelm. Some of us will require pills to heal; others won’t

The definition of restorative justice is:

“A process in which all the stakeholders affected by an injustice have the opportunity to discuss the consequences of the injustice and what might be done to put them right.”

We cannot “outsource” our healing to a so-called expert peddling one-solution-fits-all schemes like the latest diet or techno gizmo.

As ever I trusted Christine Platt because her book was a memoir-with-manifesto based on her lived experience. An Integrative Health Coach told Platt that the author was unwell.

Becoming well by becoming the person we choose to be is the right action to take to liberate ourselves from any kind of “overwhelm.”

Becoming this original one-and-only self is a form of justice in a society where women and others who are not White men are told to do what we’re told. (I hear the lyrics to the Rage Against the Machine song coming into my head now about doing what they tell you.)

It’s imperative that we get ourselves to the point where we KO the fear and shame that others impose on us for not conforming to their expectations of who we should be.

Before each of us gets to where we become ill not just unwell is the ideal time to read Less is Liberation. By no means am I a people pleaser like Platt was. Nor do I think Normal is a town worth living in if we have to repress our individuality to get others to like and accept us.

However I bought this book as preemptive proactive guide to halting overwhelm before it actually comes roaring into my life full-on or even at all.

Twenty-five years ago I saw the writing on the wall when I was denied a promotion at an office job. Realizing I couldn’t get ahead when a supervisor controlled my fate I hit the road right then. Found a job where I could do what I wanted to do: help people by giving them information they could use to better themselves.

Sounds like what I’m writing in my blogs doesn’t it?

The fact is other people of all colors stripes dots and persuasions are judging you and me and trying to make us feel guilty for acting true to ourselves. They would be out of business if they had no one to blame for being a racist or had no one to dominate and submit to them from a pulpit of any kind.

These high horses haven’t even met you and me and gotten to know who we truly are before they shame us for our perceived sins.

I wouldn’t wait to read Less is Liberation. Sentences beg to be highlighted in yellow. I attached mini colored tabs to pages where key advice was given.

This book is worth its weight in gold–and it’s a yellow book to boot.

We owe it to ourselves to Be Well. Even living with illness we can fashion our own version of wellness.

Harper’s Bazaar Art Issue 2025

The image is a photo of Harper's Bazaar Art issue theme.

Today Art is censored. Literature is Art. Living our lives is an artistic expression of ourselves in motion. We can be alive and animated or gorgeous and grieving.

The whole kit of our emotions deserves to be expressed. Everyone is an Artist in our own way. Our mind is the medium for our thoughts. Our body is the medium for illustrating our physical nature out on the street.

Even an accountant who crunches numbers is creative when they come up with ways to save a client money or maximize their profits.

Ever since December 2019 I’ve identified as an Artist. Feel free I would tell everyone to follow your heart and make whatever kind of art rocks your world as a creator.

And this is the rub: We are all creators. Even though some of us through their negative words and beliefs are destroyers.

I want to be on the side of affirming the dignity of Life of everyone living on Earth.

In this season should you celebrate a holiday I hope you find cheer and comfort in whatever the theme of your holiday is.

Make Art I tell you all of my followers. Everything and anything can be a work of Art when we expand our notion of what is an artistic endeavor.

Walking down the street in winter holding a cardboard cup of hot chocolate. As you go home from a Starbucks you dipped into after you got out of the train.

Even in the movement down the street I say you are being artistic holding the cup. Like walking down a runway.

Let’s celebrate Art this month along with Harper’s Bazaar.

It’s time to valorize making Art instead of what appears to be going on: The destruction of dignity and compassion for those of us who DV8 by censoring Artists who champion these subjects in their work.

The definition of normal is “average or ordinary or of or conforming to a standard or type.”

It’s too late in history to keep things opaque about the value of every human being no matter their color creed or orientation.

We need to bring to light everywhere Art is created the soul of our humanity. Not allow our creativity to be crushed by the forces that be.

And hey I’ll end here with this: Why can’t an Artist portray ordinary people like the woman and man in the painting titled if I remember American Gothic?

What if it was seen as ordinary that a person could love who they want to love or have a body that they love despite others hating or fearing that body or expression of love?

Love wins. That’s the message I want to spread as I celebrate Christmas in a spiritual way not religious way.

Making Art is an expression of Love. We cannot be deterred from making Art today when everything matters.

And sometimes speaking out through our Art is as simple and effective as walking down that street and taking up space holding the cup of hot chocolate in our hands.

Simply More

I’ve posted in here about Cynthia Erivo before. She’s the face on the cover of this month’s Harper’s Bazaar Performance issue.

To wit the the actor and vocalist had this to say at a GLAAD Media Award speech: “What I wrote about was [that] those of us who are in the light, who are walking around with our lanterns shining bright, should just change the direction of the lanterns and shine it back on people who don’t know where their path is yet.”

I quote this in the hopes you’ll go out and buy a copy of the magazine.

I’m set to check out of the library Cynthia Erivo’s new forthcoming book Simply More. You could likely get the guide from the library too.

Asking ourselves: “Where is my path? What is the way forward?” can be a scary proposition. Often we don’t fear failure half as much as we fear getting what we want.

The expression is: “Be careful what you wish for it might come true.”

What has come true for me is that I achieved a goal I had long hoped for.

Having the courage to risk acting to Make It Happen–whatever the It is you want–should be a common occurrence. Too often we put off doing this because we’re scared of the outcome or what others will think or worse we think it’s not the right time to try.

Today is always the right time. I encourage followers to reach for the brass ring always. Life can be a carousel moving ever faster and faster. Too often going around and around in the same circle we’re stuck in.

Breaking out of the rut you’re in is called for. You haven’t truly lived until you’ve been terrified to do something and do it anyway. Your friends should be your cheerleaders.

Cynthia Erivo is like a role model for me. Her story can be empowering for countless other nameless faces going about our days not famous like her.

Erivo is right that those of us in the position to do so should shine a light on others. My goal while I’m here on earth is to share stories and teach others to be well.

On the cover of Harper’s Bazaar is this Cynthia Erivo quote: “I feel so fully myself right now.”

My hope is that I can give followers a shot of confidence to say: “This is who I am. I’m not going to hide in the shadows. I’m going to shine my light whether others like it or not.”

Be that lantern I would tell you. Be bold and brave on the path you’re on so that others can blaze their own trail coming up.

Tee-D Off

This is an old tee shirt I bought from Nike before reading about the scandal an Olympic runner on the elite Nike track team wrote about in her memoir The Longest Race.

The way I protest is by wearing message tee shirts in the summer–and in the spring and fall over long sleeve tee shirts. A kicky way to speak out walking down the street.

It helps to have a sense of humor when you’re down for the count.

Like I’m fond of saying every one of us is a winner. Regardless of whether you win or lose you’re a champion simply because you’ve gotten in the ring to fight.

Lizzo Interview

The 4-time Grammy winner singer Lizzo above was interviewed in the summer issue of Women’s Health. The photo is taken from this feature article.

Lizzo did what she calls “release weight”–choosing not to use the word lose weight–for health reasons. Her body radiated with back pain.

Ultimately she adopted the healthy lifestyle for mental health first of all. Admits that she is still in the “two-something to do something club.” And that weighing 250 pounds is OK. And if she gained the weight back that would be OK too.

Per Lizzo:

“Body positivity has nothing to do with staying the same. Body positivity is the radical act of daring to exist loudly and proudly in a society that told you you shouldn’t exist.”

It seems that when Lizzo lost weight fans booed her for betraying the singer’s ethic of loving yourself when you’re bigger–or as some people say–fat.

Improving your health is a valid motivation for changing an aspect of your life that you feel is out of balance.

This month–August–is National Wellness Month. I’ll be writing about wellness in my health and fitness blog.

How fitting that Lizzo is on the cover of Women’s Health for National Wellness Month.

To be whole and well you don’t have to be rail-thin. Lizzo is living proof of this.

Let’s celebrate each other’s curves and verve. Today is the day to get loud and proud about our bodies and our selves.

We can’t afford not to. As the girls coming up after us are having their self-worth shredded viewing photo-perfect Influencer images on Instagram. We owe it to our nieces especially to model that loving yourself at any size is the way to go.

Title of Blog

I’m reflecting on where I want to go in this blog. I titled the URL Girl on the Left originally because I lean left more so in terms of culture with books, fashion, and music.

I have an idea that I want to express to followers now that I’ve turned 60. It’s not a new idea–however the colors are shifting in the kaleidoscope of what I think.

My hope is that everyone is free to act true to yourself. We should let go of the people who are not our supporters.

I recommend you buy and read the book The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins and Sawyer Robbins.

Today is the day to let go of the need to control what others do and say according to the guide.

“Let Them” be who they are. “Let Them” think negatively of you.

To expect that others accept you and me as we are we must let them be true to their nature too. There are always going to be people who hate judge fear or shame you and me.

“Let Them.” Focus on your life and livelihood instead.

It’s called having compassion in our throat in terms of what we say to people. Not lashing out at the ones who lacerate us.

Going Left is doing things differently. This lies in not being afraid to walk down the street strutting who you are.

As I think there is no one right way to think feel live act love and dress. There are unique personalities living on earth and each of us has the right to do our own thing.

June is Pride month. Everyone should be proud of ourselves.

Bath Bombs Not War Bombs

After this I won’t be talking about the hard stuff. I intend to transfer to other topics.

For at least 5 years I’ve known that gas-guzzling U.S. military machines are the real cause of global warming.

President Obama extended the Afghanistan war for decades. So–who’s kidding who about plastic straws being evil?

I was against the first Iraq war in 1991. The current president increased spending on the Pentagon and has bombed Yemen. Even though on the campaign trail he said he was against war.

Do we really need to be fighting wars? Funny how our government doesn’t like how Iran’s government is run and how its leaders treat their citizens.

Yet Americans are supposed to accept that our government spends billions on forever wars and cuts spending on welfare like Medicaid and SSA retirement benefits.

With the billions in arms that we sell to Israel why can’t we use that money to prop up the SSA retirement money Trust for Americans?

No one on either side of the aisle has stopped the wars. Women and children are killed in the wars so why claim abortion is a greater evil than war?

It’s OK for men to kill in a war and they’re valorized–yet women are deemed murderers for choosing to get an abortion.

I don’t think the Liberal political system is any better.

I’ve said all I care to about this for now. Coming up a return to talking about what can give everyone joy in the face of despair.

Like the cover of the spring issue of Magnolia Journal attests it’s the season for:

“Making Space for the Good & Lasting Moments.”

With all that’s going on that’s not right we can choose peace over combat compassion over judgment bath bombs over war bombs.

Buying Boycott

This was sent to me in an email yesterday:

People’s Union USA Calls For National Boycott In A ‘Feb 28 Economic Blackout’

Pamela N. Danziger

Senior Contributor Forbes

Pam Danziger reports on retail, focused on the luxury consumer market.

Feb 25, 2025,07:06am EST

Updated Feb 25, 2025, 10:47am EST

Topline

A consumer-activist group founded by John Schwarz has launched a grassroots campaign to halt spending online or instore and not use credit or debit cards for 24 hours on Friday, Feb. 28, in an attempt to disrupt the economic order and “take back control of our economy, government and future of our country,” reports CBSNews.

Key Facts

The People’s Union boycott calls for no spending on fast food, gas or at major retailers – “No Amazon, No Walmart, No Best Buy” – beginning at midnight on Feb. 27 through midnight Feb. 28.

Purchases deemed essential, i.e. food, medicine, emergency supplies, are permitted but only in cash and with small, local businesses.

After the single-day spending pause, People’s Union plans week-long protests against specific retailers, including Amazon Mar. 7-14, Nestlé Mar. 21-28 and Walmart Apr. 7-13.

In an unaffiliated protest, Black faith leaders are calling for a 40-day “fast” or boycott of Target to protest its dialing back DEI initiatives to run during Lent starting on Ash Wednesday, Mar. 5.