Small town, rural, country to the core. From Massachusetts, am proud to say I'm a New Englander. The Berkshires will always be home to me.

 

Here because of circumstances. Live as far out of the city as I can get. Not a city or people person. Have limited vision, so have to be some place with city transit/public transportation.

 

Basic, plain, simple. Independent. Not a game player. Am an earth keeper, a seeker. A prime concern of mine is disappearing and vanished Native American women and girls in both the US, and in Canada along the infamous Highway of Tears.

 

Am related to Claude A. Debussy, French composer and pianist; and Ossip Giskin, cellist.

 

Have old-fashioned beliefs, values, and morals. I grieve the loss of common sense and ethics and integrity in America. Also the proliferation of guns and rifles and stealing and violence in this country. America is too bogged down in what is confused as 'rights' to achieve what much smaller, less educated countries have. It used to be that rules and laws were based on the welfare and safety of the majority of citizens. ("Of, by, and for the people.") No more. These days a few thousand people (like the NRA) are allowed to put their wants above the NEEDS and safety and existence of the rest of the American citizens. Archaic legislation written by the founding fathers needs to be updated. Times have changed, we need to be flexible and able to change. It's that simple. The United States needs to unite, and focus on the welfare of its peoples, including getting rid of plastics we all ingest, and food dyes, and chemicals and preservatives in food and cleaners and cosmetics and fresheners that cause cancer.

 

Defense of, belief in, and acceptance of misinformation and lies from Washington has me completely mystified. Americans used to have values and ethics and were stronger in the past. Recently, however, women, elders, children, food prices, medical care, and minorities are being targeted. The key to succeeding currently is being totally blind, and having unquestioning loyalty. And more rights and money and less taxes for the rich. (As if the rich paid their fair share of taxes to begin with!) They don't. Sure sounds like a dictatorship to me!

 

I despise what is happening in Ukraine; and the genocide Israel is committing - and that the US is contributing bombs and our tax dollars to the annihilation of thousands of women and children. War is just another word for ego, control, power, domination, and a complete lack of conscience. The Palestinians didn't bomb Israel. And those Palestinians who survive will be scarred from that war physically and psychologically for the rest of their lives. I believe that is part of the reason behind the continued massacre. Less people and the inability for them to procreate means greater and easier control and domination by Israel. Too bad others can't figure that out! To those of us who care it's blatantly obvious. Destroy the upcoming generations and women (the breeders, to put it bluntly), and there won't be any future generations.

 

I further can't understand the refusal to act NOW in decisive ways to combat global warming, so that our children and their children, and the animals, the plants, the waterways, the air, and our planet survives. There is still time to turn it around and save our planet if everyone draws together and demands change. But so-called leaders purport that climate change is 'fake news.' They refuse to believe science, what is right in front of them, and what the rest of the world knows to be true. How is that astute, informed, or in anyone's best interest? It isn't. And it's not dealing with reality, or climate change that is adversely affecting a large portion of the world.

 

Finally, I can't accept that we as a nation are going backwards where women are concerned reference abortions to the point of being denied medical care and lifesaving procedures. It isn't about the states making the decision rather than the Federal Government. It comes down to men controlling women and their bodies and limiting their choices. Power. Ego. Ignorance. The states that passed more limiting legislation prove that. Men think they are in control. It's a by-gone pipedream. This society doesn't care about female senior citizens when it comes to health care. Older women are basically ignored or used by the medical profession to make money off of. They and their contributions are left out of history, and history textbooks. The clear message is that women in America are worth far less than men are. total BS. HIStory is not just "HIS" story.

 

On a much smaller scale commercials are escalating about women smelling, thus the need for all-body deodorants. NEWSFLASH: All people smell. It's a normal human condition. It has more to do with bacteria than gender. I know the commercials are about selling product, but I resent the continued maligning of women in this society. And the 'need' to pop more pills and apply more lotions and consume more chemicals and get more medical procedures done regardless of the side effects, or costs. It isn't all about looks and appearance. But Kaiser Permanente, for example, considers a size 2 (two) woman obese! There is nothing wrong with being your best, but living up to the expectations of others and the greed of corporate giants and the marketing industry? Open your eyes, Americans - not your wallets! Use the God given common sense you hopefully were born with!

 

But life proves that Americans have lost common sense and the values and priorities that once made our nation strong. A weak nation can't unite and fight to save itself from division, or protect planet earth - the only planet we have. The too-prevalent short sightedness is dooming our children's futures. Every one of us can help turn things around. But the timeframe left to save this planet is short. Stop the divisiveness. Stop the wars. Come together. Act NOW. Unite to stop climate change. You don't have to like the other people at the table. Focus instead on working together for the greater good of humankind. Give your children's children a chance at life. Get back to the principals that made us strong and respected, America. Lead by example.

 

In addition, Ukraine and Georgia and countries threatened by Russia should be allowed to join NATO and the United Nations. But the application procedure goes on for years. It's insane. Membership could mean salivation, and an end to war and devastation. Waiting in order to meet goals of the deciding committees is meaningless when an entire country is dying and has so little left to work with. Words are just words, and often they are totally meaningless. And promises can be broken, as they routinely were with Native Americans. But nobody is willing to stand up to Putin.

 

Meanwhile people are dying, and lands continue to be confiscated. Putin is a bully and a dictator. All he understands is force and control, by whatever means. The point is, there is strength in numbers and in protective groups like NATO. The need for Ukraine is join is genuine, and the need is immediate, and the time to act is NOW. There is always time for negotiating the fine points later. Ukraine doesn't have anything to fall back on or bargain with. They don't have time to wait. And the more destruction, the more that will have to be rebuilt. It will take more time than any of us have left. The sooner action is taken, the more of what little is left can be saved. Including the lives of future generations.

 

As to myself, I do my best to block the shortsightedness and insanity out and to recharge through photography, gardening, and music. And through birds, butterflies, and bees - our pollinators - without which there wouldn't be many crops or plants. Our existence depends on them in large part. But they, too, are rapidly disappearing.

 

I long for open spaces, the preservation of species and coral reefs, and to see wild horses. Pipe dreams, I know. But where there is a will there is a way. And without hope there is little worth to life. So though greatly discouraged, I have not yet accepted defeat.

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FAVORITE ISMS, QUOTES, SAYINGS:

  

"There is but one planet - we have no spare."

 

"Don't walk ahead of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend."

 

"You won't know unless you try."

 

"Appearances are deceiving."

 

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

 

"When the going gets tough, the tough get going."

 

"Teamwork makes the dream work."

 

"Take everything with a grain of salt."

 

"Experience is the best teacher."

 

"Character is defined by actions."

 

"Agree to disagree."

 

"Extinction is forever."

 

"Give credit where credit is due."

 

"Know the difference between need and want."

 

"Don't judge a book by its cover."

 

"Things are seldom what they seem."

 

"Live and let live."

 

"Be the change you want to see."

 

"Walk a mile in my shoes."

 

"Actions speak louder than words. "

 

"You can't change what you don't acknowledge."

 

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."

 

"Better safe than sorry."

 

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace"

 

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MIKE ISMS:

 

- Do the best you can with what you've got to work with.

 

- History is not just 'his' story.

 

- Make like a duck in water and let crap roll off your back.

 

- Know the right questions to ask, and ask them.

 

- The only constant is change.

 

- Plan ahead so you don't fall behind.

 

- Learn from your mistakes, and move on.

 

_ Use the common sense you were born with.

 

- Depression is the dream killer.

 

- Communication and patience open doors. Assumption and prejudice close them.

 

- Take nothing at face value.

 

- Actions define people, not words.

 

- Things can be replaced. People can't.

 

- A lie is a lie - no matter how deeply hidden under shades of grey.

 

- One day at a time, one step at a time.

 

- Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes.

 

- Lead by example.

 

- Factor in motivation.

 

- Take care of yourself so you'll be around to take care of others.

 

- Sharing is caring.

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Other:

 

"A bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly,

its body is too heavy for its light wings.

The bumblebee doesn't know its limitations

and flies in spite of what it's been

told it cannot do.

 

BE A BUMBLEBEE"

 

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Most admired:

 

Dayton Hyde

www.wildmustangs.com/dayton-o-hyde

 

Wild Horse Anne

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velma_Bronn_Johnston

 

Apache 8 Female Fire Fighters

americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-508-125q815826?fbcl...

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Other favorites: Hummingbirds. Bluebirds. Oriole. Monarch butterflies. Pollinators. Coral reefs. Whales. Manatees. Giraffes. Elephants.

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Excuses I find laughable:

 

People who defuse blame by making it appear to be the other person's fault.

 

Example: 'It was a miscommunication.' Or 'it was a misunderstanding.'

 

People who use others to do their dirty work for them, like deliberately destroying property, leaving water running, breaking locks, calling city officials when they are themselves are months behind in rent, etc. In other words, controlling others.

 

.

  

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My legacy:

 

I did what I could, when I could to try to help others and our planet. I was both a seeker, and an earth-keeper.

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Born: New Ashford, Massachusetts. Schools: New Ashford and Williamstown, Mass. Joined military for photography, didn't get it. Basic: Ft. McClellan, Alabama and AIT at Fort Lewis, Washington State. Cleveland, Georgia. San Francisco, CA

 

Illnesses: Diabetes 2. MGus - low tide. Pancreatic cancer.

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Genealogy:

 

EUROPE:

 

French - 24.1%

Germanic - 20.2%

Ashkenazi Jewish (Eastern Europe) - 14.6%

English - 9.4%

Ashkenazi Jewish (Central Europe) - 6.5%

North Italian - 5.4%

Breton - 4.6%

East European - 3.7%

South Italian - 3.4%

Balkan - 1.8%

Scottish and Welsh - 1.4%

Spanish, Catalan and Basque - 1.4%

Sardinian - 1.3%

Danish 1.2%

Dutch - 1.0%

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Do not download or copy or link to or in any way use my photos without permission. Thank you. Michelle DeBussy.