I just don’t get it

Last week I saw a Levi’s commercial urging Americans to vote. It’s a great spot and bravo to them for doing it, but that they should have to, makes me crazy. Theirs is the only commercial I’ve seen — at least so far. But apparently, they’re just one of many companies doing it.

The Skimm has also been pounding away at trying to get people to vote. For those of you unfamiliar with it, The Skimm is a quick and easy-to-read daily digest of news stories.

They’re so concerned about low voter turnout among female Millennials, for months leading up to voter registration for the upcoming US midterm election, they launched a “no-excuses” campaign, with daily tips, apps, info and even a link to register.

For the life of me, I will never understand why people are so ambivalent about voting, how they have no compunction

It’s been two years since I wrote Santa and the world’s still in a sorry state …

This past weekend, as I ruminated over what I’d write today, I remembered a post I wrote exactly two years ago. It was a time of hostage-takings and beheadings, hatred and brutality, lost lives and shattered hopes and dreams.

Despite it not being “my” holiday, I’ve always enjoyed Christmas, or at least the “spirit” of it. The sound of children laughing and the joyful feeling in the air. The sight of houses draped in twinkling lights; and bejeweled and bedecked Christmas trees placed prominently in front of living room windows, so even passers-by can admire and enjoy them … the scent of freshly-baked cookies and pine cones … toasty fires and hot chocolate.

But in December of 2014, I was having a really hard time getting into it. When so many people, the world over, were struggling and suffering and in so much