Blog Posts

"Flying the Fish"

11/14/2020

Val's Take in OKC -- Nov. 12, 2020

I went to my brother-in-law's funeral yesterday in Oklahoma officiated by his Baptist pastor cousin. It was fun and celebratory and consoling --- and felt familiar even for a religious outsider like myself.

Of course, I grew up here so I wasn't that much of an outsider --- even if I'm not a "true believer" or "literalist."

BUT I know where people are coming from and I am a "believer" in my own way.

Religion is such an important part of COMMUNITY and deals with LIFE and DEATH in profound ways.

It's beyond IRONIC that Religion really addresses the challenges and burdens of the STATE of NATURE that Science slowly discovers.

There have been a lot of religions and attempts at "scientific" understanding --- some scarier than others.

Some Religions got SCARED by SCIENCE. They needn't have been so frightened.

In a WORLD where --- "The more you know, the more realize you don't know" -- that GOD OF THE GAPS keeps getting BIGGER.

Support groups and Philosophy for that matter are helpful--- but they are not quite the RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY --- of course, they don't have some of the negatives of the RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY either.

I think for some us our loneliness is in a part a result of the fact that we sometimes don't easily fit into RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES and we don't know what we're looking for.

I don't think that work ends during our lifetimes --- and it's a LOT MORE ABOUT INCLUSION than EXCLUSION.

Don Garrett: "If they start flying the fish -- grab your wallet."

aabeyondbelief.org

"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," Peter Hollens, featuring Home Free (U2 Cover)

Coping with Awareness & Overload

VETERAN'S DAY --- ENDING VETERAN HOMELESSNESS

11/13/2020

Getting Homeless Veterans HOUSED and back on their feet -- could give us a GREAT WORK FORCE to get NON-VETERAN Homeless HOUSED.

Tiny Home Tours: Nov. 27, 2019

Back to the Humanities

11/11/2020

The HUMANITIES are really DAY PROGRAMMING for people with Emotional & Intellectual Overexcitabilities.

They do play an important role in teaching us about our CULTURE and much of that teaching involves INTENSE COMMUNICATION from people who feel outside that culture or on its fringes or have an urgent insight that needs communicating.

It is very much the CULTURE, the SOCIETY and INDIVIDUALS coming to know different parts of themselves -- that they may have been pretty sure THEY DIDN'T WANT TO KNOW.

Further, it's often a search for and a finding of COMMON GROUND.

Wednesday we'll update our Arts & Humanities Table.

"THE CLOUDS"

11/10/2020

IDEAS" SEEM SO IMPRACTICAL -- UNTIL YOU REALIZE INCONSISTENT "IDEAS" AMONG DEMOCRATS & REPUBLICANS ARE MAKING AMERICAN POLITICAL LIFE A "LIVING HELL"

THAT IMPACTS CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM, PEOPLE WITH COGNITIVE DISABILITIES -- ALL OF US

Val's Take

It is fairly common for people to "misunderstand" the person arguing for the "Underdog":
- the person is a "Contrarian"
- the person just likes to argue
All of those attempts at understanding can be true -- it is also true that the "Underdog" Status is often in FLUX.
"Arguing" for the "Underdog" is often an attempt to get some "EQUILIBRIUM."
Tolstoy recognized this FLUCTUATING Status of the "Underdog" and Tolstoy thought that God was on the side of the "Underdog."
Further, he thought we should be on the side of the "Underdog," too -- and that switched as soon as someone got the upper hand.

What it means to be a Republican or a Democrat in this Country FLUCTUATES from State to State --- BUT they BOTH want POWER -- and PEOPLE want power, too and they want different things and a lot of those things are EXPENSIVE and require the BUY-IN of millions and millions of people.

The TWO PARTY SYSTEM and even Multiple Party Systems in other Countries have not been sufficient to address the COMPLEXITY of the Problems facing us.

ADVERSARY SYSTEMS are better than ARMED CONFLICT at SOLVING PROBLEMS. Our Political Process is very much an ADVERSARY SYSTEM similar to our LEGAL SYSTEM.

The INCENTIVES are not very pretty.

By and large we need people focused on the PROBLEM not on a PARTY as a SURROGATE for the PROBLEM.

Further, the brain science is starting to explain the PROBLEM of OUT of CONTROL PARTISANS --- and the DARK SIDE of "TEAM ACTIVITIES" --- and that can get extremely problematic in both CRIMINAL JUSTICE and POLITICAL LIFE.

LIFE & DEATH IN ELECTION SEASON: DON GARRETT --- "AN AMERICAN ORIGINAL"

11/10/2020

As the US was awaiting election results, we were holding our own VIGIL for my brother-in-law --- Don Garrett.
My family of origin was very much a family of introverts, except for my Sister who was the most "Social" even as my brother was the most "ADVENTUROUS."
Don was the MOST FUN PERSON -- I think I've ever known. As my sister Brenda said, "He loved being the center of attention and making people laugh."

My father LOVED IT when people DEFIED his own STEREOTYPES --- he would say "ANOTHER AMERICAN ORIGINAL."

During Election Season when we're talking in terms of over 140 million voters split up pretty evenly among the DEMOCRATS and REPULICANS --- there's A LOT TO MISS.

Don was very much a product of Good Ole Boy small town Oklahoma and the Oil Patch even as he was a Democrat and Patriarch to his own little United Nations.

During most of his working life he sold Oil Field Equipment --- ultimately for Haliburton.

This was HILARIOUS because a lot of this was happening during the BUSH ADMINISTRATION and a lot of NEGATIVE PRESS for HALIBURTON.

Don nonetheless was proudly wearing his HALIBURTON paraphernalia and politely trying to challenge even strangers in their negative perceptions of HALIBURTON.

"You don't want the SMALL OPERATORS because they will leave a mess -- and somebody's got to clean that up. You want the BIG OPERATORS like HALIBURTON who know what they are doing and won't just disappear when it's time to CLEAN UP."

My husband has a HALIBURTON T-Shirt that Don gave him.

In retirement, Don started his own Race Timing Company in Oklahoma and grew that operation to include not only most large foot races in Oklahoma, but many regional races, and assisted with the New York City Marathon and large races around the country.

Don Garrett

Earlier in life, Don struggled with and beat Alcoholism and was a big proponent of AA. I mention this very cautiously for several reasons:

AA doesn't work for everybody
Saying somebody has an "alcohol problem" is NOT saying very much because like so many categories it is very BROAD, AND
The PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING: if it works, it worked -- if it didn't work, it didn't work
In Don's case, it worked.

The last several years of his life, Don struggled with cancer even as he:

learned to FLY AIRPLANES
TRAVELED, and
Checked Various Boxes off his BUCKET LIST

We've heard a lot about "The Talk" that Black Parents have to have with their children. Some white grandchildren or white adult children with elderly parents --- have to have the "RACE TALK" with Elderly Relatives.

Don had that "TALK" with his 90-something Mom who was still saying the "N word" ----- "but didn't mean anything by it."

It was pretty important to have this talk since:

his son-in-law and her grand-son-in-law was an African American IT guy and
his daughter-in-law and her grand-daughter-in-law was a Korean dentist, and
and the Grandchildren & Great-Grandchildren had started to ARRIVE.

Don was all we could have hoped for in a Husband to Brenda and a Step-Father to Monica and Nick.

FUN & HUMOR can't solve everything -- BUT Don proved they could solve a lot.

We're going to be telling Don Stories for the rest of our days -- and know how BLESSED we are to do so.

Earlier in life, Don struggled with and beat Alcoholism and was a big proponent of AA. I mention this very cautiously for several reasons:

AA doesn't work for everybody
Saying somebody has an "alcohol problem" is NOT saying very much because like so many categories it is very BROAD, AND
The PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING: if it works, it worked -- if it didn't work, it didn't work
In Don's case, it worked.

The last several years of his life, Don struggled with cancer even as he:

learned to FLY AIRPLANES
TRAVELED, and
Checked Various Boxes off his BUCKET LIST

his son-in-law and her grand-son-in-law was an African American IT guy and
his daughter-in-law and her grand-daughter-in-law was a Korean dentist, and
and the Grandchildren & Great-Grandchildren had started to ARRIVE.

GAMBLING, ECONOMICS & BAD BEHAVIOR -----CRIMINAL JUSTICE & POLITICS

11/7/2020

We really JUDGE THINGS by what seem POSSIBLE at the TIME.
THAT is CONSTANTLY IN FLUX based on New Information.
The Jury Trial or Divided Government & the Party System are BIG STEPS UP at the TIME.
In 2020, Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice without a PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH seem ARCHAIC & DANGEROUS.
Unleashing 330 Million people onto one another through a tribal 2 party system WITHOUT A COMMITMENT NOT TO LEAVE ANYONE BEHIND --- seems SELF-DESTRUCTIVE at the least, and perhaps SUICIDAL.

Deep Problems with the "ADVERSIARAL" Political Party System are leading to EXPERMENTATION with Citizen Assemblies in Europe.

When we think about the GREAT HUMAN RIGHTS ATROCITIES in our own country and in HUMAN HISTORY generally --- they are often tied to ECONOMIC INSECURITY combined with a SELF-SERVING HUMAN HIERARCHY.

indigenous genocide in the Americas
Slavery
Nazi Germany and Fascism of the early 20th Century
21st Century Nationalism

If all people know about Nazi Germany is that Hitler was a BAD MAN ---- they don't know enough. Our Leaders after World War II UNDERSTOOD the ECONOMIC DRIVERS that led to one of the greatest horrors in human history --- NAZI GERMANY and that led to the MARSHALL PLAN.

The problem is ALMOST ALWAYS MORE COMPLICATED than the 1 Bad Behaving STRONG MAN.

Journal of Youth & Adolescence (2013) --- Demolishing the Competition: The Longitudinal Link Between Competitive Video Games, Competitive Gambling & Aggression

"Greater competitive video game play and competitive gambling predicted higher levels of aggression over time, after controlling for previous levels of aggression, supporting the socialization hypothesis."

What's the Point? --- You're going to live in an INCREASINGLY AGGRESSIVE SOCIETY the more individuals have to GAMBLE for their ECONOMIC SECURITY.

We can avoid most if not all of those MORAL HAZARD Concerns -- if we'll go with the FLOW and DEVELOP STRENGTHS and COMPENSATE for WEAKNESSES.

What's the Point? ---- A couple of things:

Innumerable Associations with the "Gambler"
Including --- Death. We don't talk a lot about DEATH in US SOCIETY -- and that's not all bad -- BUT it can give us an UNREALISTIC and SKEWED Perspective on our own lives and the lives of others.

PBS NewsHour: Neuroscientist David Eagleman on Empathy

We don't feel the pain of our "out-groups" -- and that determination is made on a "pre-conscious" level

Orchid: This seems to us one of the most important Discoveries in HUMAN HISTORY.

Prince Ea: When you argue say this . . . OUCH.

"Ouch" is not going to end all arguments --- on the other hand, we are living in a society in which it seems a lot safer to be ANGRY than to express HURT.

That's NOT UNUSUAL --- but it is certainly worth asking some questions regarding the SOURCES of the ANGER that people are using to feel "EMPOWERED" to cope with the HURT endemic to a HIGHLY STRATEFIED SOCIETY.

DENVER'S MEASURE 2B ---- FOCUSING ON "SCALING UP" SOLUTIONS TO HOMELESSNESS

11/6/2020

We need State Officials to Coordinate with Municipalities to bring Housing, Services & Placements to Scale for people with Cognitive Disabilities experiencing:

Homelessness, and/or
Criminal Justice Involvement

Housing is a big part of that as is Supported Employment.

Supported Employment must be Individually Tailored to take advantage of Individual Asynchronous Skill Sets that are often common among people with Cognitive Disabilities.

Fortunately or Unfortunately, it is NOT as easy as just giving someone a "job."

Some people are finding themselves HOMELESS or JUSTICE-INVOLVED because they do NOT easily fit into the DOMINANT PATTERN of STRENGTHS and WEAKNESSES.

When that UNEXPECTED WEAKNESS comes up (often in Executive Functioning) -- it is sometimes taken as a moral failing.

On the other hand, the UNEXPECTED STRENGTHS are so UNEXPECTED --- they never get identified and it can lead to real Debilitating Depression in the individual.

Denver Measure 2B -- Sales Tax Increase to Help People Experiencing Homelessness

Nov. 3, 2020

Measure 2B, which would increase the sales tax to help people experiencing homelessness, passed with 64.8% support in early returns.

Each measure would add a 0.25% tax to Denver’s current 4.31% sales tax rate, which is higher than most other Colorado cities.

The measures — which would charge shoppers an extra 2.5 cents for every $10 purchase — come as city finances languish due to the coronavirus and economic recession. City Council members are increasingly turning to tax increases to find the millions needed to launch or expand city programs.

While sales taxes are regressive, meaning lower-income families pay disproportionately, and the requests come during an economic recession, these two measures are sorely needed, council members Jolon Clark and Robin Kniech have said.

. . .

Kniech introduced Measure 2B with the support of Mayor Michael Hancock. Money raised from the tax could only be spent on things like housing, shelters, catalytic projects and programs and services for the unsheltered.

The idea is to invest in “proven solutions” and “scale them up,” Kniech has said. That includes expanding access and capacity to 24-hour shelters, individualized support for the homeless and case management.

INTEGRATING KNOWLEDGE IN "MENTAL HEALTH" PRACTICE

11/5/2020

In college, I realized that various areas of knowledge were just different planes of reality -- describing actually a very small slice of reality.
If you're interested in "solving problems" --- you're pulling in from whatever plane or planes you have access to.
For at least hundreds of years now we've been SYSTEMATICALLY "SEGREGATING" areas of Knowledge so we could "FOCUS" and "DEEPEN" our Knowledge.
We are very much coming to the LIMITS of that and we have certainly come to the LIMITS of that in MENTAL HEALTH.

Where is the BANDWIDTH to do COMPREHENSIVE KNOWLEDGE INTEGRATION?

We're NOT saying --- PRIORITIES won't have to be set --
BUT we are CURRENTLY set up for CONTINUED FAILURE if MENTAL HEALTH can't access the VAST AMOUNT of KNOWLEDGE in the SOCIETY that is already there -- BUT on a different PLANE.

WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

It is INTEGRATING Physical & Mental Health generally--- BUT it is much more than that.
It is INTEGRATING the latest RESEARCH on the IMMUNE SYSTEM, the MICROBIOME, the ENDROCRINE SYSTEM and Mental Health
It is INTEGRATING Mental Health with Education --- Education seems much beyond MENTAL HEALTH in dealing with DISABILITY and ASYCHRONY -- even if there is a long way to go.
It has been a perennial problem how to integrate the HUMANITIES and the ARTS into the ECONOMY --- BUT we need to solve that problem BECAUSE:
- The HUMANTIES and ARTS are really the "PRO SOCIAL" outlet for people with intense emotions.
  - Due to a lot of complicated factors and INFLAMMATION (some acquired in utero) -- we have more people with "intense emotions."
- PHILOSOPHY has been a REFUGE for people with Intellectual Overexcitabilities from the beginning.
  - Mortimer Adler & Great Books: If there is nobody around to "TALK TO" --- join the GREAT CONVERSATION of IDEAS throughout history.

LISTENING WITH THE 3RD EAR ----- TO CHANGE INCENTIVES AND GET TO THE PROMISED LAND OF COMMON GROUND

11/4/2020

We're not saying we have to get rid of the 2 Party System --- yet.

But we want to see Citizen Assemblies that are REWARDED for LISTENING with the 3rd Ear and finding Common Ground on some of our most difficult challenges --- and give that to the elected representatives.

Further, if we subscribe to a Spiritual or Military notion that ---- We're NOT Going To Leave Anyone Behind --- this could be a lot easier than what it currently is.

Word Power with Jerry Williams, Ph.D

Charles C. Haynes is the founding director of the Religious Freedom Center and a senior scholar at the First Amendment Center. ---- Freedom Forum Institute

Charles Munger is an American investor, businessman, former real estate attorney, architectural designer, and philanthropist. -- Wikipedia

Junger argues it is the intense connections and loyalty veterans miss . . .

AND is sorely lacking in American Society

DENVER DA MCCANN'S FIRE-SETTING 68-YEAR-OLD HUSBAND

11/3/2020

BIG CAVEAT: We Don't Know All the Facts

We're not focusing on differences between the politically connected and the rest of us.

Rather we're looking at problematic behavior issues IN GENERAL between:

Younger People, and
Older People

and the unique challenges each bring.

---In approximately 1996 my father had a series of fender benders -- this for someone who never had a car accident.

When cognitive disability is paired with VISUAL CUES -- it is much more likely to be picked up by family members and others.
In my father's case he was 59 and moving like he was 80.
He was very willing to turn over the keys --- BUT he was AFRAID to go to the doctor. That was also very unlike the father I had grown up with.
He was ultimately diagnosed with Parkinson's and none us knew at that time that we were on the long road of dementia.
Late into the disease --- with movement greatly restricted and cognition greatly impaired --- my father confided in me that he thought he had "Alzheimer's" --- I assured him that was not the case -- it was the Parkinson's medication.
Ultimately, he would be diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia.

Behavioral Problems with Dementia don't generally include "intentional bad acts" but they can--- that's an additional reason why there is SUPERVISION on an Alzheimer's Unit.

When we don't have those visual cues for an older person or a younger person and the behavior is OFF and DANGEROUS
(we're not talking about somebody who is just eccentric) ---

we may be AFRAID to acknowledge the problems in an OLDER PERSON, especially if that person is a cornerstone of holding the family together;
on the other hand -- we may incorrectly think DISCIPLINE is the needed answer for the YOUNGER PERSON who doesn't have Dementia --- but is struggling with complex cognitive issues nonetheless.

Above--- irate neighbors of the Linsmayer/McCann family

Denver7 – The Denver Channel (Oct. 30, 2020)

Denver District Attorney Beth McCann's husband was referred to the 14th Judicial District Attorney's Office for allegedly violating a fire ban in Grand County close to where the East Troublesome Fire is burning.

ORCHID Note: It is very hard to know what happened here -- it doesn't "appear" that these fires were "maliciously" set -- and it does "appear" to be more an issue of "inattention" and perhaps "wandering off."

When people talk about "BLAME" and "ACCOUNTABILITY" -- often what they really want is to be "SAFE" and "PROVIDED REASONABLE ASSURANCES THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN"

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