{"id":6257,"date":"2017-06-25T02:14:57","date_gmt":"2017-06-25T02:14:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/?p=6257"},"modified":"2017-07-05T00:13:45","modified_gmt":"2017-07-05T00:13:45","slug":"last-year-at-this-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/?p=6257","title":{"rendered":"Last year at this time…"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Washington<\/p>\n

\u201cWashington and Lafayette at\u00a0Valley Forge<\/a>,\u201d during the winter of 1777-78, and as noted last June 23\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

* \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n

<\/h1>\n

\"StephenLast year at this time I was training for a four-day “hike” on the\u00a0Chilkoot Trail<\/a>.* \u00a0(Well- and deservedly known as the “meanest 33 miles in history,” and as ilustrated at right.)<\/em><\/p>\n

I was also getting ready – last year at this time – to canoe 440 miles down<\/em> the\u00a0Yukon River<\/a>, in Canada.* \u00a0That canoe-trip started three or four days after the hike, and took 13 days.<\/p>\n

This year at this time I’m in training to hike 450 miles in 30 days on the\u00a0Camino de Santiago<\/a>, in Spain, in September.<\/p>\n

Between last June and this June we’ve had a contentious presidential election, and an even more contentious beginning-of-the-Trump Administration. \u00a0So I’ve decided to focus on some things I can actually have an impact on. \u00a0(And that won’t drive me crazy trying to keep up with all the lies and counter-lies.)<\/em> \u00a0Things like my upcoming pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago.<\/p>\n

Which means that in the near future I’ll be starting a series of posts, detailing what I expect<\/em> <\/strong>the hiking trip to be like. \u00a0I’ll refer to those posts during the hike itself. \u00a0Then, once the hiking trip is over, I’ll do a\u00a0post-mortem<\/a>, to see how close my fantasy matched with reality.<\/p>\n

But first, here’s a look back at last year at this time. \u00a0(Vis-\u00e0-vis<\/a>\u00a0“fantasy matching reality.”)<\/em><\/p>\n

In\u00a0\u201cThe Sweetest Place on Earth<\/a>\u201d – posted last<\/em> <\/strong>June 23 – I noted “the difference in those who can work with others to come up with viable solutions to our problems, as opposed to those who just ‘curse the darkness.'” \u00a0Which seems strangely\u00a0prescient<\/a>, as was this cartoon:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In that post I also noted the now-apparently-obsolete idea that “great politicians sell hope.” \u00a0(An idea which now seems far more honored in the breach<\/a><\/em>.) \u00a0But a reminder: \u00a0In this post I am trying to “focus on things I can actually have an impact on.” \u00a0Which brought up the idea of “65 being the new 30,” and on my then-just-turning 65, and so being eligible for Medicare:<\/p>\n

\u00a0There\u2019s a lot of living left to do after age 60…<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"ChristieOr age 65 for that matter. \u00a0And a BTW: \u00a0The post included a photo of Christie Brinkley, with the comment, “Now\u00a0that\u2019s<\/strong>\u00a0turning 60!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

And speaking of reasons why it’s great to live in this country: \u00a0I followed-up that June 23 post with\u00a0On the Independent Voter<\/a>.\u00a0 (Posted July 5, 2016.)<\/em> \u00a0Which made that a great time to bring up\u00a0Independence Day<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Independence Day is a day of family celebrations [of] the American tradition of political freedom\u2026 \u00a0Independence Day is a patriotic holiday for celebrating the\u00a0positive aspects<\/strong>of the United States<\/strong>\u2026 \u00a0Above all, people in the United States express and give thanks for the freedom and liberties fought [for] by the first generation of many of today\u2019s Americans. (E.A.)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Those Independent Voters –\u00a0\u00a0“who don\u2019t align with either major political party” – could well have taken their cue from\u00a0Ralph Waldo Emerson<\/a>, who said: \u00a0\u201cWhoso would be a man, must be a\u00a0nonconformist<\/a><\/strong><\/em>.\u201d \u00a0Which presents the\u00a0biggest problem facing such “Independents:”<\/p>\n

\u201cOne must always choose the lesser of two weevils!\u201d<\/em><\/h3>\n

Of course it remains to be seen whether Americans chose the “lesser of two weevils” in last November’s election. \u00a0But who knows? \u00a0It may turn out that – like America under the Articles of Confederation<\/a>\u00a0– things had to get much worse before they could get much better…<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

* \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

* \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n

The upper image is courtesy of\u00a0Valley Forge \u2013 Wikipedia<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNote\u201d also that an asterisk in the main text indicates a statement supported by a reference detailed further in this \u201cnotes\u201d section. \u00a0Thus as to the “hike’ on the Chilkoot Trail,” and \u00a0“canoeing 440 miles ‘down’ the Yukon River, in Canada:” \u00a0The image of the Chilkoot Trail is courtesy of\u00a0Explore the Chilkoot Trail<\/a>, and\/or the National Park Service. \u00a0\u00a0<\/em>The caption: \u00a0“Looking South From False Summit, Chilkoot Trail.” \u00a0As to my experience, see\u00a0<\/em>On the Chilkoot &^%$# Trail! \u2013 Part 1<\/a>, and\u00a0<\/em>On the Chilkoot &^%$# Trail! \u2013 Part 2<\/a>, both of which have photo-image mishaps which need to be addressed. \u00a0<\/em>As to the 13-day Yukon River trip, see\u00a0\u201cNaked lady on the Yukon\u2026<\/a>“<\/em><\/p>\n

Another note: \u00a0The Yukon canoe trip went from Whitehorse \u00a0to Dawson City<\/a>. \u00a0As to the emphasized “up:” \u00a0The Yukon is like the Nile in that it flows north, unlike many other rivers. \u00a0Thus when paddling down the river – with the current – one is actually paddling north, and thus “up.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The quote “things had to get worse before they could get better” is one I remembered from reading\u00a0The Quartet: \u00a0Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789<\/a>, by Joseph Eilis. (Or\u00a0“Words to that Effect<\/a>.”) \u00a0Ellis wrote about the four men who “shaped the contours of American history by diagnosing the systemic dysfunctions<\/strong> created by the Articles of Confederation.” \u00a0(Note the emphasized phrase “systemic dysfunction.”) \u00a0Another note: \u00a0<\/em>Ellis’ book is not to be confused with\u00a0The Second American Revolution<\/a>, by John W. Whitehead. \u00a0That book ostensibly seeks to be a Christian “fundamentalist manifesto,” and\/or to lay “the foundation and framework for fighting the tyrannical, secularist, humanistic power, which has separated our country from its Judeo-Christian base and now dominates this nation and its courts.”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The lower image is courtesy of\u00a0pinterest.com<\/a>. \u00a0See also\u00a0Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World \u2013 YouTube<\/a>,\u00a0Lesser of Two Evils \u2013 TV Tropes<\/a><\/em>,\u00a0Reader Opinion: Clinton v Trump and \u201cthe lesser of two\u00a0weevils<\/a>,<\/em>\u00a0Master and Commander: A Movie Review \u2013 Maccabee Society<\/a><\/em>, and\/or\u00a0Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World \u2013 Wikipedia<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

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\u201cWashington and Lafayette at\u00a0Valley Forge,\u201d during the winter of 1777-78, and as noted last June 23\u2026 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * Last year at this time I was training for a four-day “hike” on the\u00a0Chilkoot Trail.* \u00a0(Well- and deservedly known as the “meanest 33 miles in history,” and as ilustrated at right.) I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6257"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6257"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6257\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6314,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6257\/revisions\/6314"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6257"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6257"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6257"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}