We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
You can't go to Europe. You can't rent an RV - or even buy one right now due to demand. Very tough to find a runabout boat this year. Many hiking areas are closed. National parks are open, but state parks are iffy.
I am hearing ideas from people. Skill-building is good. New things are good.
- Take an adult driving course. I mean on a track, not on the road. Learn to really drive safely like a pro.
- Learn to camp. REI or Outward Bound. If you want to try roughing it, best to learn how first, or it will not be much fun.
- Make a fitness and nutrition program and get in perfect shape.
- Get your physical exam - doctors have time right now. Dermatology check too. This summer, doctors in most places have nothing to do, believe it or not.
- Take day hiking trips. Nothing wrong with Motel 6. Better than a tent. Around here, the White Mountains.
- Plan a pizza party for friends once/week. Reconnect with cheap pizza and Corona (with lime). Lime prevents corona.
- Find a shooting range or shooting school. Handguns, rifles, and shotguns are great fun and basic life skills. So are fly-fishing lessons, but it's late in the season for actually catching fresh water fish.
- Take some riding lessons. Is handling horses a basic life skill? Maybe. Any new skill is worthwhile.
- Take a boating course or sailing course. Water is wonderful.
Please add your Summer 2020 life-enhancing ideas in the comments
11:16 "But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,
11:17 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.'
11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon';
11:19 the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."
11:25 At that time Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants;
11:26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
11:27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
11:28 "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
It's a good day to think about all of the wonderful things about the USA. One day without grousing and bitching would be pleasant.
Here's something to try: Have a chat with a recent legal immigrant. I did yesterday, and with another one early this morning for a blood-drawing. Immigrants are grateful for freedom and opportunity, while many of us multi-generational Americans just take it all for granted, or even demand more. Shame on me, if I do that.
President Trump has an excellent record to run on. His tax cuts, trade deals and deregulation generated the strongest economy, probably, in American history. Overseas, we are at peace while still strongly advancing American interests.
The USMCA, the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico that replaced NAFTA, goes into effect today
Public schools are a peerless example of the progressives’ conception of society as one big factory that can be scientifically managed with a kind of political (and moral) Taylorism. (Frederick Winslow Taylor’s Principles of Scientific Management was enormously influential among American progressives.) Whether the problem is education or health care or pharmaceutical regulation, the factory mindset of progressives favors unified systems characterized by standardization and homogeneity. The idea of lots of different kinds of schools offering lots of different kinds of education — with many of them operating outside of the direct oversight of the central bureaucracy — gives them the willies.
Not just anti-Catholic - anti-Jewish, anti-charter, anti-Moslem, anti-anything with free choice. My view is educational vouchers through grade 12 for all.
Webinars can be hit or miss. The New York Adventure Club, due to the obvious difficulties of getting out these days, have some on offer. I took in one on Five Points that was excellent, and there is one on July 21 about the Brooklyn Bridge that I have signed up for. $10 isn't too much, I guess, though I'd rather do tours on foot (boy I miss the Urban Hike and I hope we can pull one off in the Fall...I was thinking of focusing on movie locations this time).
If you're interested in spending an hour and learning about NYC's history, here's a great way to do it. Just click the link and see what they have to offer.
Social media has messed with our minds. The madness of crowds used to be limited by geography, time, and transaction cost–all of which have been lessened by social media. As a result, the crowds are now bigger and madder. And our brains, which are finely tuned to listen to the crowd (meaning the tribe or village ala Dunbar’s number), are overwhelmed when the crowd is in the thousands or millions. We should discount signals which come at the cost of a tweet but we can’t and so the pressures to conform are intense. If your job isn’t protected, stay off social media or at least use a pseudonym. Even if you do nothing today, the crowd may come after you years later so you can never feel safe.
Roger K is a smart guy, but I think he's wrong about this. This sort of power stuff has gone on, on and off, since the 1800s. Race just happens to be the hook right now.
A richly illustrated full-color guide to the unique plants, wildlife, and environments of Cape Cod and the other nearby “Outer Lands” that face the Atlantic Ocean
OK, we are Cape Codders, and thus biased. But if you know of any getaway place so good for salt air and piney smell, sailing, fishing, hunting (deer, duck and pheasant), gardening (long growing season on the ocean), biking, hiking, dining on day-fresh seafood and Wellfleet Oysters, tell me about it.
Besides that, there is no rich people flavor like Palm Beach, the Islands, Spring Lake, Watch Hill, and the Hamptons. Them folks we have on the outer Cape are very low-profile. It's a Maserati and Porsche-free zone, but you have to deal with "F-Trump" bumper stickers. Whatever. It's a free country, thank God.
I never get invited to Hamptons parties anyway.
Just no skiing on the Cape, but not too far from it. Beautifully desolate and wet in winter, of course, without any real snow but them's the breaks. You can get out and shoot a duck for supper.
It's a good day to think about all of the wonderful things about the USA. 
Beavers
Actually, Cape Cod and The Islands.