The Plot

Donald Trump, ugly man,
Signs a heartless Muslim ban
Turns the country upside down
Grabs his clubs, skips out of town,
And in the Kremlin, across the miles,
Putin smiles. Putin smiles.

Catch-up Time

Fiorella has tres (three) goals hoy (today): to work on el espanol (the Spanish), el novela (the novel), y el estacionamiento (and the driveway). She'd sorta let it all drop over the holidays and the Trump ascendancy, but last night she started papering the house with etiquetas (labels) to get her espanol going again . And after rereading a Shiloh Walker favorite of hers, she's revved up in regard to her work-in-progress. And, having finally finished the south side of her stacked-rock mura del estacionamiento (wall of the driveway), she's ready to start work on the north side.

And, of course, she'll be on Facebook, following everything that's happening and cheering everyone on. FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT.

Call to Arms

Fiorella slept late today because she stayed up late last night--worrying, of course. Between Trump and the resistance, the country is in chaos, with the promise of more to come. Fio would like the chaos to resolve itself--the very existence of it weakens the strength of America--but she refuses to hide her head under a bushel (no!) and pretend all is well, that what is happening now is a phase that will soon pass, so she contributes to the chaos by being part of the resistance. Trump must be countered at every turn. Tweet, post, editorialize. March, march, march.  File lawsuit after lawsuit, after lawsuit. And we should all be involved. Fight the good fight!

Capsules of Trumpdom

This crap about having cops enforce immigration laws--as if they don't have enough to do. Please, Donald, let them concentrate on keeping the peace and solving crimes.
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Fiorella is disturbed by Trump's isolationist agenda.The more the United States stands alone in the world, the less influence it has on the world. And the more the United States is at odds with Mexico and Canada, its immediate neighbors, the less attention it will pay to shenanigans across the sea. Hello, Vladimir.
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Donald is trying to divert attention from his low inauguration turn-out and Conway's laughable invention of the term "alternate fact" by projecting again, talking about the election being rigged against him when it was actually rigged in his favor, just like he was the one guilty of all the accusations he hurled at Hillary. MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL/ WHO'S THE UGLIEST ONE OF ALL? 
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Trump supporters are aping their glorious leader's blood thirst. Vituperation and vengeance are the name of the game, and Fiorella has been one of its targets. It's hard to remain on the high road when the low road is so very low.    
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According to news leaking out of DC, the troops are not that happy. Maybe a palace coup is in the offing. We can only hope. 
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And When Will Hollywood Call?

Thank you, God--in this horrible aftermath of the election, Fiorella needed something upbeat to happen, and it did. Serena called back and asked Fio to meet her next Wednesday at the American-Statesman office so she could make her TV advertising debut for Roger Beasley Mazda. Fio, of course, is thrilled to do so, and not just because she is a natural-born ham. Through the years, she has had a wonderful relationship with the guys at the Georgetown location. They have been not only kept her baby car in good shape, but been unfailingly polite, helpful, cheerful, reliable, and kind, and Fio wants to tell the whole world about how great they are.

Telenovela Update

Fiorella slept well last night. nothing like an hour of El Color de la Pasion to distract her from the worries of the day. To bring you up to date, Daniela has regained consciousness and  ratted on her former lover, Ricardo, who, frighteningly, appeared in her hospital room and tried to talk to her. Also, Nora, who's in a neck cast, is up to her dirty tricks again, this time trying to separate Letty and Sergio, And the noose is closing around Rebeca at last---Magdelena knows she killed Adriana.

Got all that?

No Fair!

Fiorella needed an operation to help her see better and stop her lashes from irritating her eyes, and her Austin ophthalmologist, Dawn Buckingham, had set the surgery up for February 9. When the surgery information came in the mail, Fio read it through and jumped through all the required hoops--getting checked out by her PCP, then seeing her INR nurse, who filled out a full page of instructions for her because Fio, who has an artificial heart valve, uses warfarin.  The final stop was Fio's cardiologist, who smiled at her and gently delivered the death blow--she couldn't have the surgery because it was too risky for her to go off anti-coagulants for eight days, like the ophthalmologist required.

Fio went into shock. Why had Dr. Buckingham, who had access to all Fio's medical records, led her down the garden path?  Why hadn't Fio's primary care doctor or said something? Why did her INR nurse make up a full-page chart, the let the cardiologist drop the blow?

Fio is angry. Why her? She is a nice person, a giving person, someone who works hard, who takes care of everyone, who puts up with a lot of crap, who wishes everyone well, even Donald Trump. She deserves better.

Falling Apart, and More to Come

Fiorella, who has always endorsed the idea of alternate universes, was less thrilled by the idea of alternate facts. In fact, she's horrified.  Conway walked herself off the plank with that one.

Trump's reign has not started well. Not only did Kellyanne botch a big one, but the Donald threw a hissy fit about the low attendance at his inauguration, his press secretary berated the news corps for accurately reporting the numbers, and women across the world marched in protest against him. It must have been a lot easier when all the Trumpster was doing was grabbing pussies and handing out rhinestone tiaras.

Meanwhile, Saturday Night Live is having a field day, and  Vladimer Putin sits back in his office chair with a smile on his face and the video tapes in his desk drawer.

In the Trenches

Fiorella connected with an old friend yesterday. Ellen lives in Ohio now, ironically the state Fio was born in and always wanted to return to, but although ended up staying in Texas, she and Fio have stayed in communication. They talked about their children, their own health, and the political scene, on which they've both been active. Neither of them were able to join a march, but Ellen has been campaigning in person while Fio has been engaged through Facebook. God grant their efforts and the efforts of all good people with prevail.

FORWARD!

Fiorella spent the afternoon on Facebook, watching live feeds of the Washington march and catching up with the other marches through post after ecstatic post, many of them from women who were friends of Fio's. Then, in the evening, a close friend of almost forty years called on the phone, still high as a kite from the march. And Fio is too, but there is more that must come, The marches galvanized the country to action, but we cannot let the fire die.

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT!

Fiorella's Telenovela

Fiorella is so excited! Her faithful watching of El Color de la Pasion is beginning to pay off--she's actually understanding some of what is being said. Almost enough, in fact to follow the twisted and tangled plotlines.

There's a difference between being able to read and speak a language and being able to understand a language. With a five-year background in Latin, Fio has always approached new languages analytically, concentrating on how to read them, but with Spanish, she is concentrating on understanding the spoken word, leaving formal training till later.

Fiorella would love to tell you more about her language acquisition program, but you'll have to excuse her because El Color de la Pasion is about to come on. To bring you up to date, Marcelo has finally been sprung from jail, Lucia has discovered her stepmother caused the death of her padre and Marcelo's hermano, Daniela appears to be recovering from her near-fatal accidente automovilistico, and everyone is weeping or kissing or plotting or screaming. Adios for now!

Chocolate, Kleenex, Trump

Fio read that one square of dark chocolate per day can stave off diabetes which, she figures, translates into eight squares of milk chocolate. Right?
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How did people survive without Kleenex, toilet paper, and paper towels?
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Today is a sad day for Fio, but she will survive, prosper, and continue to fight the good fight.

Great Day!

Fio had a wonderful day yesterday. She rushed around after she got up, took care of the house, then spent a good hour outside laying in the last of the rocks on the south side of the south driveway. which gave her an enormous sense of accomplishment. Then she drove off to Dan's South in Austin for a late lunch with friend Joan, whom she met in a short story class, lo these many moons ago. They laughed a lot, updated each other on their lives, and shared their concerns about the new political scene. Fio drove home in a good mood and helped Husband split logs for the fireplace, than checked out Facebook. Two supporting messages, no attacks. Apparently GH has moved on--or maybe flown off to DC for the inauguration.

Plans for the Future

Fiorella will take one more swipe at Gwen Hodges on Facebook later this week, then bow out of the conversation. She had hoped to persuade Gwen to come up to the high road, or at least become acquainted with civil discourse, but such was not to be. It makes Fio sad, but she has other things to do, things that have a better chance of bearing fruit. Yes, Fio's going to concentrate on her writing--novels, short stories, poetry. They will carry her message further and wider than jousting with Gwen ever would.

Fio Loves Being in Control

Fiorella is queen of Facebook. All she has to do is say something and Gwen Hodges attacks long and loud. Now, Gwen is nothing if not predictable, so predictable that Fio decided to test her by posting information about Melania's atheist Marxist-Leninist roots, followed by "Hmm..."

Yup, Gwen's response was apoplectic. Nothing meaningful, just shouting and lies, which a foot-long parade of counter-responses are mowing to the ground. It was sort of fun, though, setting her up to look ridiculous. And so appropriate following MLK Day, which Gwen opened up with an ugly picture of John Lewis and an equally ugly condemnation of him.

Fiorella's Confession

Fiorella strives to be nice at all times to all beings and even things like plants, rocks and furniture, which she anthropomorphizes, so it's hard on her when people are mean to her. When they criticize her, ridicule her, betray her. Fio knows she must brace herself because it's the way of the world, but it's hard. That's why she writes this blog, to get her own word in.

UPDATE: Fio wrote the depressive post above last night, then became involved in a family crisis late in the evening. You would think it would drive her deeper into depression, but she immediately devised a plan to deal with the situation., slept well, and awoke this morning rarin' to go. As she's told you, she's a woman of action. ALWAYS FACE PROBLEMS HEAD ON!

Gwen Hodges Follow-Up

Wondering how the rest of the world would react, Fiorella posted Gwen's Hodges' quotation on Facebook--the one about how hilarious it would be to see old ladies break their hips while marching on Inauguration Day. FB was just as horrified as Fio was, and friend after friend piled on Gwen, explaining to her how how inappropriate her post was, but, true to her idol, instead of apologizing, she went on a full-fledged diversion attack, accusing "libs" of having thin skins, saying Fio was being judgmental, and finding it funny that people were concerned about the ultimate outcome of Trump's election. But at the end of the evening, Fio hopes what everyone said will sink in with Gwen--may God enlighten her mind and heart.

Revelation

Fiorella lives in a rather innocent world, as she discovers again and again. This time she was made aware of it by a Facebook post. Now, Fio has been quite active on FB lately because it's her major venue for fighting the good fight. Being somewhat naive, she took the high road instead of putting up hateful picture posters or attacking anyone with a different opinion than hers, but two women she attended school with took the low road, viciously attacking not only Fio's candidate, but Fio herself. Fio played along for several months, trying for civil discourse. After all, the lead woman used religious references and posted videos of charming animals.

But it was all fake, a disguise, as Fio realized when she caught a posting the woman had put on another timeline.  "I am laughing at all the old women out marching on Inauguration Day" the woman said. "How many will fall and break their hipsLOL! Can u imagine what they would be doing if Ted Cruz had won??? You just can't make this stuff up."

Fio went into shock. This woman was no Christian or anything else. She was anticipating--hoping for--women, especially elderly women, to fall and break their bones, and, like Nero watching saints being killed by lions in his  blood-soaked arena, she was planning to laugh at them writhing in pain.

Gwen Hodges, GOP bigwig, Georgetown, TX, Fio prays you will one day find the love of Christ in your heart.

Sudden Thought

Could Melania be a KGB operative?

Industrious

Fiorella has often told you how important activity is to her--talking with friends, decorating, landscaping, artwork, playing the piano, harvesting rocks, learning languages, and writing, writing, writing. But none of her friends or relatives share this same drive. What they all seem to want to do is look at things, often traveling halfway around the globe to do so. Fio doesn't fault them, but she doesn't understand them either. What's the use of going to a foreign country unless you at least make an effort to learn the language? Why go into an art museum here or abroad unless you are studying technique for your own paintings? Why accumulate of bucket list of places you have visited unless you write travelogues?  Why watch TV or go to movies when you could be doing something more pro-active? Life is short, and Fio wants to make every moment count.

Fiorella Figures Out Putin's Plot

Putin is playing us. First he maneuvered to get rid of Hillary, a hawkish and knowledgeable candidate he couldn't control. Then he waited until just before Trump's inauguration to let it leak out that he has videos of Trump's sexual escapades in Russia during that infamous beauty pageant. Now, because we are all so involved with the mess he's put us in, he can do anything he wants without a word of restraint--retake the former USSR states, fiddle with the Middle East, and, his ultimate goal, replace the President of the United States as world leader.

History Repeats Itself

Fiorella is distressed

Fiorella is depressed--
Is there nowhere we can turn?

Nothing we can do
But watch our country burn?
Nothing we can do
But blister in the heat
And watch Donald fiddle tweet?

Overwhelmed

Tired and sad
Angry, so mad,
Too little time
Too much to do
Out of her mind
Fiorella is blue

Adieu to Fio's Sudden Popularity

Fiorella's stats, which had risen to 700+ pageviews per day for about a month there, have gone down to about 150 and will probably dip lower, back into the reality level for a blog that doesn't even advertise. The increase was caused by a sudden intense readership in France, which threw Fio for a loop. Was her blog being used as a school assignment to help students with colloquial English?  Was the French government looking at it to gauge American political opinion? Was it being used to encrypt secret messages, maybe from Russia to Trump? Qui sait?

(And yep, an earlier version of this blog was posted before it was supposed to be. Fio screws up from time to time.)

Trump, Trump, Trump

The United States is being invaded by Russia at the highest level, and all that Donald Trump talks about is the Mexicans who are sneaking across the border to clean our houses, mow our lawns, and produce children who make straight A's in school.
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According to recent outbursts from Trump Tower, the infamous wall will not be paid for by Mexico after all, at least not for a while. In the meantime, Trump proposes that our tax dollars fund it--because, of course, we're all running around with a couple of million rattling around in our pockets that we don't have any other use for.
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Hasn't anyone caught onto Trump's delaying tactic? He's wiggled out of several lawsuits by wearing litigants out by delays; he kept saying he'd release his tax forms, then put it off till everyone forgot about it; and now he's put off telling us what his "secret" information about the Russian hacking is. How long will he keep getting away with this?

Computers in Command

In this electronic era, when the computer commands everyone's life, Fiorella feels the need to connect with tangible reality, to pick up rocks in her hands, to construct her own holiday decorations with scissors and ribbons, to start a fire in the fireplace with rotten wood.

And she wonders. Are we getting too far ahead of ourselves? Do we have too many apps on our phones? Are we are too dependent on our gadgets? Are the electronics are controlling us rather than us controlling them?

Think about it.

After the Holiday

Fiorella is running around with a pen (boligrafo) behind an ear (ojo) and glasses (lentes) on her nose (nariz). All she needs to complete the picture (imagen) is a sharp dirk clutched between her teeth (dientes).

The point is that she needs to rev up and throw herself into her projects again. No more Christmas jigsaw puzzles. Today she ran off all her blogs for the past year. Now she needs to be putting finishing touches on her novel and learning Spanish. At the same time, she needs to be harvesting rocks and placing them along the driveway, working her way through various family problems, trying to figure out how to use BlueTooth and FitBit, and saving the world from Donald Trump.

No time to waste in FiorellaLand. See you tomorrow

A STAR IS BORN!

Fio is ecstatic!  In second heaven! She received a cast call yesterday afternoon, and she's going to be a S-T-A-R!

Well, maybe--Serena, who represents an advertising agency, asked Fio if she would be willing to participate in an ad for Roger Beasley Mazda, which has serviced Fio's car for the past ten years, and what could Fio say but YES, YES, YES!  The Mazda people have taken good care of her as well as her baby car, and she wants to tell everyone how wonderful they are, but she also looks forward to being in the spotlight again.

Not that it's set, of course--the ad may fall through or Fio may not give a good performance. But for the time being, she can dream.  First Mazda, then Hollywood, then People Magazine, then the Oscar.

And to think. An hour before Serena called, Fio didn't have anything to tell you about today.

Respect UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

Black people, do not sneer at Uncle Tom or his creator, Harriet Beecher Stowe.

The 1800s were an era of intense abolitionist fervor in the United States. Half the nation had read about the horrors of slavery, but it took one final spark to light the tinder of the Civil War, and that spark was a book called Uncle Tom's Cabin, published in 1851.  Uncle Tom, as portrayed by Stowe, was not a rebel, but a saint, a Christ figure, an obedient, God-fearing, forgiving man who tried to serve all of his masters well, no matter how cruel they were. Fiorella, who read Uncle Tom's Cabin in her youth, cried when he died at the end of the book and vowed to speak up against racism whenever she encountered it, and so did many readers in the 1800s. As Abraham Lincoln said when he finally met Stowe. "So you are the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war!"

So Fio repeats--black people of today, do not sneer at Uncle Tom or his creator. They provided the impetus that set you free.

Left at the Station

Fiorella, who is electronically challenged, has accidentally done something to her blog that has made her message squeeze up into top of the screen on her draft, which means she'll have to make a quick trip to Click Computer Repair this morning. Maybe after that, she can find someone who can help her get her new Blue Tooth and FitBit up and running. Yes, faithful readers, Fiorella is an artist, a writer, a linguist, and a lover of rocks, but she is not an electronicist.

Fiorella vs. Contact Sports

Fio is opposed to all professional--and college--contact sports. She thinks all games should be amateur, played for the sake of fellowship and running off energy rather than winning. When winning becomes the goal, emotions of players and fans run too high, opening  the door to enmities, grudges, and riots, not to mention betting, bribery, and cheating.

That's where Fiorella stands, and she's standing firm.