One of the beautiful things about life is the phrases you slot into your vernacular - they may not mean anything to anyone but you and a select few others, but they live on.
The one I'm thinking of at the moment I picked up in the early 2000s. Like, let's say 2002-2003. I worked as a patient educator at a LASIK center, and there was one patient who came in a lot, and everyone knew her. She was kind of contentious, and one of my colleagues was forever trying to sweet talk her. He would mention how nice she looked, or how good it was to see her, whatever.
One day, we're in the lobby, he sees her and starts in on her just as she's getting on the elevator to leave.
As the elevator door closes, she scowls at him and says, "Aw, don't bullshit me, Tony!"
This is a phrase that has lived on in my brain for years - as it turns out, I've blogged about it here before, multiple times - so apparently, it's pretty important.
Mostly, because there's a lot of bullshit out there.
I think it goes without saying that I'm pretty liberal. If that bothers you, and you hadn't already picked up on that here, I'm sorry it took you so long.
But, you can guess that means that I'm terrified by our current leadership in this country, and I think a lot of it is worse than the nonsense Tony was dishing out to our patient. His BS was harmless and fun.
The stuff we're hearing now transcends into a place of, "Am I reading The Onion, or is this for real-real?" It's hard not to freak out. Like, our president said we should take over Gaza, fix it up and turn it into a vacation destination. The Middle Eastern Riviera. Doesn't that sound like an abandoned plot from Dr. Strangelove? Except, Merkin Muffley was hilarious because he wasn't real. This is not hilarious.
So, yeah, it's well established that I am not a fan of our current administration, nor was I a fan on his first attempt at world destruction and domination. I take some solace that 30 years from now, school kids will be as incredulous of this period in history as I was when learning about the holocaust and segregation.
But for now, I have to figure out something to do.
I will also say that there are lots of other pockets of BS out there in the world. Corporations, organizations, clubs, cults, churches and schools. Anywhere that many can gather in collective groupthink there is always the potential to cultivate some Grade A nonsense.
But, on the other hand - sometimes, instead of garbage, we get gold. You never know.
I'm not going to bullshit you - we have to work together if it's going to get better. Lead with love. When someone offers you bullshit, politely refuse. Then impolitely refuse if you must.
You've got this, Tony.
ae
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