Ouch.

Anyway: banking is banking is banking, and perhaps some of what has, over the past several years, passed for banking should not be called banking at all, but rather: government scamming, or simply: fraud. And an apple is an apple and should have never become a genetically altered, chemically sprayed, prematurely picked, gassed and waxed piece of "produce". 

Putting "green" or "smart" or "organic" in front of something to reassure that the thing is in fact the uncorrupted thing, rather than passing off the chemically altered, subpar, and potentially criminal as legitimate competition - well, it's just WASTEFUL.

Additionally, un-"green" employers should admit upfront that they don't recycle, that they order styrofoam (and overpay for it at office supply stores!), that they are not green. We do not need "green employees" dispersed from new "green industry" (lordhelpus) running tattle-tale-ing tabs on everyone's ungreen activities. Why create unnecessary new [non - or, rather, anti-] industries when we can destroy old corrupt ones? Here's a new "green" idea: instead of hiring a bunch of people to "be green" - the FDA and the EPA could actually stop politicking and do their jobs:  protect us from all the chemicals and hormones and garbage that is making everyone sick - by declaring them ILLEGAL. Oh, and our wonderful government could also help by not continuing to pour millions into development of new chemicals (pharmaceuticals, industrial/ agricultural chemicals, etc) - in addition to subsidizing industrialized farms - which happen to be some of the nation's biggest polluters and users of harmful chemicals. Of course, if you ever accidentally ingest any of these, before you induce vomiting, you may just spend a few moments researching federal grant offerings - this is likely to produce the same reaction. 

We all want to live in a "green" world - a world that is free of harmful chemicals and corruption. No person should ever think that he or she cannot afford "organic" - that they must purchase the chemcially-laden subpar version for his or her family. All food should be organic - and not because it is certified by some special organic certification or the FDA, but because it is what it is: an apple, a cut of meat, a box of cereal, a carton of milk.

I remember a particular children's message at our church in Tulsa: the children's teacher put a drop of green food coloring in a clear pitcher of water and asked the children if they would still be willing to drink it. And, of course they didn't want to drink it. (I've heard a similar example with dog doo and chocolate chip cookies). 

Anyway, it is ridiculous to think we can make a better, cleaner, healthier world just with a smattering of "green" prefixes - especially when the artificial green food coloring and doggie doo is already mixed in (and has been for years). 

Declaring war on doggie doo,

Since my last note, N and I packed and moved everything to storage and drove both cars 16 plus hours (avec le chat) to our native land - with only a brief stop in Newark, OH (because there was no room in the inn - ANYWHERE ELSE.) Poor Kee-kah had to sleep in the gramoidial car with windows cracked. She has been - miraculously - a contented traveler. Was it prayers or At Ease or both? We will never know, but she only meowed the madcat meow a few times before we drove off from Pomfret Street, and then it was easy riding the rest of the way.

I've been recovering from the move (up for 24 hours+) and  travel-lag all week and as of now am not completely my whole self. I am quiet and my eyes aren't quite the right shape - rather sleepy-piggish. (My eyelash curler is working overtime.)

Thus far, we have done not much else in Springfield other than futilly searching local grocery stores for things we usually eat. I have optimistically shopped at least thirty times in the last few days. (I had forgotten about those charming people who sit on the benches next to the carts and flex their toothless jaws...as, I suppose, they are waiting for some bus or relative or police to pick them up.)

Springfield seems to be under construction. Roads are all orange-coned and detoured from north to south, and somehow twice as many people are [attempting to] drive on them.

N's interview in DC went well last Monday. Pray that we hear something promising SOON.

Tomorrow includes church (somewhere?) and RibCrib. Oh yes. Giant plates of slow-roasted meat! Yes, it is good to be back in barbecue land - even if only for a little while...

Happy Friday. And Happy Birthday Tara! (I don't think I'll ever forget.)