Author: Connie Wilson Page 2 of 165

Biographical Information

Connie (Corcoran) Wilson graduated from the University of Iowa and earned a Master’s degree from Western Illinois University, with additional study at Northern Illinois, the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Chicago. She taught writing at six Iowa/Illinois colleges and wrote for five newspapers and 7 blogs. Her stories and interviews have appeared online and in print and her work has won prizes from “Whim’s Place Flash Fiction," “Writer’s Digest” (Screenplay), E-Lit award for 3 works, Illinois Women's Press Association Silver Feather awards, Pinnacle award (NABE) and recommendations for the Bram Stoker award. She is the author of 4 nonfiction published books, 4 short story collections, 1 novel and there are 2 novels ready for publication (the trilogy beginning with "The Color of Evil.") She reviewed film and books for the Quad City Times (Davenport, Iowa) for 12 years and wrote humor columns and conducted interviews for the (Moline, Illinois) Daily Dispatch.

Justin Trudeau Addresses Tariffs on Canada on March 4, 2025

By Connie Wilson

On March 4, 2025

In Editorial, Essays on Politics: Best Political Essays & Ideology, Local, News, Of Local (Quad Cities') Interest, Politics, Pop Culture, Television

Canadian Primer Minister Justin Trudeau.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unleashed a historic speech scorching Donald Trump’s idiocy over his disastrous new tariffs: “This is a very dumb thing to do.”

“The United States launched a trade war against Canada, their closest partner and ally, their closest friend. At the same time, they’re talking about working positively with Russia, appeasing Vladimir Putin, a lying murderous dictator,” began Trudeau.

“Make that make sense.”

Trump’s 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico took effect today and the markets are in free fall. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has already plummeted 662 points after plunging 650 points on Monday. The S&P 500 lost 1.3% and the Nasdaq Composite lost 0.9%

The gullible fools who thought that Trump would be “good for the economy” have had the rug pulled out from under them in record time.

“Canadians are reasonable and we are polite,” Trudeau continued. “But we will not back down from a fight, not when our country and the well-being of everyone in it is at stake. At the moment, the U.S. tariffs came into effect in the early hours of this morning and so did the Canadian response.”

“Canada will be implementing 25% tariffs against $155 billion worth of American goods starting with tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods immediately and tariffs on the remaining $125 billion of American products in twenty-one days time,” said Trudeau. “Our tariffs will remain in place until the U.S. tariffs are withdrawn and not a moment sooner.”

“And should these tariffs not cease, we are in active and ongoing discussions with provinces and territories to pursue several non-tariff measures, measures which will demonstrate that there are no winners in a trade war,” he threatened.

“Now just like I did a month ago, I want to speak first directly to the American people. We don’t want this,” said Trudeau. “We want to work with you as a friend and ally and we don’t want to see you hurt either.”

BEE GONE

“But your government has chosen to do this to you,” he stated bluntly. “As of this morning, markets are down and inflation is set to rise dramatically all across your country.”

“Your government has chosen to put American jobs at risk at the thousands of workplaces that succeed because of materials from Canada or because of consumers in Canada or both,” he went on.

“They’ve chosen to raise costs for American consumers on everyday essential items like groceries and gas, on major purchases like cars and homes, and everything in between,” he continued.

“They’ve chosen to harm American national security, impeding access to the abundant critical minerals, energy, building materials, and fertilizers that we have and that the United States needs to grow and prosper,” he explained.

“They’ve chosen to launch a trade war that will first and foremost harm American families. They’ve chosen to sabotage their own agenda that was supposed to usher in a new ‘Golden Age’ for the United States,” said Trudeau, taking a direct shot at MAGA’s latest inane rhetoric.

“And they’ve chosen to undermine the incredible work that we’ve done together to tackle the scourge that is fentanyl, a drug that must be wiped from the face of the Earth,” he added. “So on that point, let me be crystal clear. There is absolutely no justification or need whatsoever for these tariffs today.”

Trudeau then shifted gears to go after Donald Trump directly, the clueless mastermind behind this entire disaster—

“Now I want to speak directly to one specific American: Donald. In the over eight years you and I have worked together, we’ve done big things,” said Trudeau, appealing to Trump’s ego.

“We signed a historic deal that has created record jobs and growth in both of our countries. We’ve done big things together on the world stage as Canada and the U.S. have done together for decades, for generations,” he continued. “And now we should be working together to ensure even greater prosperity for North Americans in a very uncertain and challenging world.”

“Now, it’s not in my habit to agree with The Wall Street Journal but Donald, they point out that even though you’re a very smart guy this is a very dumb thing to do. We two friends fighting is exactly what our opponents around the world want to see,” said Trudeau.

“And now to my fellow Canadians: I won’t sugarcoat it. This is going to be tough even though we’re all going to pull together because that’s what we do,” he added. “We will use every tool at our disposal so Canadian workers and businesses can weather this storm.”

(*A last-minute exchange on Trump’s Truth Social Network suggests that Trump might now use this 25% tariff, scheduled to go into effect on March 5th, as a bullying tactic against Canada, much as he used the threat of discontinuing Ukrainian military aid to extract a promise from that war-torn country to hand over precious minerals to the U.S.

CNN called Trump’s threats “a game of economic chicken.”

Trump sees everything in terms of money and power and will use any means to seize and hold both, even if it means abandoning moral principles our country has espoused for many

generations, such as USAID. To put it in simpler terms, DJT finds the far-right groups easier to manipulate, since they will blindly follow a figurehead without thinking through that Talking Head’s positions to determine if they are really advantageous to them, personally. DJT and Elon Musk are overthrowing the traditional values of free speech (and, soon, free elections) because a “free” election might throw them out of power. And, as mentioned, DJT is all about seizing and maintaining their power and wealth. There is no morality to thinking this way, but, then, we’re talking about a man not known for his morality or his compassion or his concern for anyone but Donald J. Trump.

We are talking about a man who is squandering our (former) position as the Leader of the Free World. The message to the world is that the U.S. cannot be counted on. This is not about DJT. This is about the American people and DJT is not keeping the American people (and America) safe on any level.)

How’s the Insurrection Coming Along, Then?

By Connie Wilson

On March 3, 2025

In Editorial, Interviews, News, Of Local (Quad Cities') Interest, Politics

by Mark Gimein, Managing Editor of “The Week”

BEE GONE

“Am I the sucker? For as long as I can remember I thought that the United States stood for democratic values and individual liberty. These were supposed to be the guiding lights of American foreign policy, even if the principles might not always be absolute or the path to them always direct. Critics of the U.S., both external and internal, insisted that this was a delusion at best, and more likely simply a lie. Yet for most of the post-World War II era these ideas served the U.S. very well. To put it bluntly, Thanks to them, we won the Cold War.

OR SO I THOUGHT.

But obviously President Trump and those who have Trump’s ear think differently. He never had much interest in the “suckers and losers” (his words about the American soldiers who died in France) who bought all that stuff about defending democracy. Trump, like Vice-President J.D. Vance and others in his orbit, prefers a hard-nosed realpolitik. If Ukraine shares its wealth, we might help in its defense. Or we might not.

JUSTIFICATIONS

Trump justifies this by calling Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, a dictator and saying Ukraine started it all anyway—making mincemeat of the truth and decades of U.S. foreign policy goals in a single tweet. The idea that Russia is not to blame for the Ukraine war is not original to Trump. University of Chicago political scientist John J. Mearsheimer has been saying that for over a decade, starting with the paper titled “Why the Ukraine Crisis is the West’s Fault.” The “realists” like Mearsheimer urge us to drop talk of freedom and principles and see the world as just the sum of the great powers’ spheres of influence.

THE GREAT POWERS

This is how Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping see the world. They would like nothing more than to sit down with Trump and carve up the globe—taking a nibble of Latvia, tightening the noose around Taiwan. (*If you were paying attention during the Oscars last night, the Latvian team that collected their Oscar for “Flow” referenced the fighting already going on on one of their borders, which the world does not hear about.)

Jan. 6 siege of the Capitol

Each bargain might make sense to a deal-maker like Trump. But eventually losing our principles will mean losing our influence. And, in the end, it will be the U.S. that looks like the sucker at the table.”

POST SCRIPT

Later, within the magazine he manages, we learn from Charles P. Pierce (“Esquire”) that Trump specifically fired the lawyers charged with resisting illegal presidential orders. Nor was it reassuring when Hegseth explained that the JAGs had been fired to stop them from being “roadblocks to anything that happens.” Paul McLeary in “Politico” said that the former Fox News host promotes a swaggering “warrior ethos” that rejects the Geneva Convention(s).

Trump’s purge, said Tom Nichols in “The Atlantic” is “the next step in his pursuit of total power. After capturing the intelligence services, the Justice Department, and the FBI, the Pentagon is the last piece he needs to establish the foundations for authoritarian control of the U.S. government. With his generals in charge, Trump can start building a military that is loyal to him and not to the Constitution. And the Black general that Trump recently fired, Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr., was replaced by a man he met while on a trip to Iraq, three-star general Dan “Razin” Caine. a white retired three-star general (retired and has to be brought back from retirement) who met Trump while wearing a red MAGA hat and said, “I think you’re great, Sir. I’ll kill for you, Sir.”

And if he wouldn’t, there are always the recently-released-from-prison Proud Boys.

2025 Oscars Are In the Books

By Connie Wilson

On March 3, 2025

In Movies, Music, Pop Culture, Television

The Oscars

The 97th Academy Awards are in the books.

“Anora” came on strong at the finish to snag a Best Actress award for new-comer Mikey Madison.The shift towards “Anora” prompted the best line of the evening, when Conan O’Brien (the host) said, “Apparently Americans like seeing someone stand up to a powerful Russian.” Anora won five awards, total: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay and Editing. It cost about $6 million to make (an independent film).

The way the night went reminded me of other “sweep” years, like the Oscars in 1978 for the 1977 film “The Turning Point” when that film was nominated for 11 awards and came up about as empty as this year’s nominees “Emilia Perez” (nominated for 13; won two) or “A Complete Unknown” (nominated for 8; won none).

If you go with the wrong movie to sweep, you are in for a world of hurt. I was so impressed with “The Brutalist” that I went with it most of the time. Also an independent film, it was amazing that it could be made for $10 million, but it did get some kick-back for using A.I. technology to “tweak” the Hungarian dialogue and help create some settings.

The daughter got 18 correct when she correctly supported “Anora” in our annual predicting extravaganza, which had six participants this year. While I was struggling to break into double digits, she nailed most of the major categories (one notable exception being Best Actress). At the time of the Awards celebration, she was flying to Wichita, but her ballot spoke loudly!

This has been my most recent experience with the Oscars. They don’t seem similar to the Oscars I was “in tune” with in years of yore, but, still, I finished with a respectable score, as I did not look up any “predicting” gurus, relying instead on having seen 9 of the nominated films. That refusal to consult will have to be rethought for future Academy Awards celebrations, which now number almost 70 for me. I was amused to hear June Squibb admit that the year she was born, 1929, was the first year the Oscars were awarded. Ms. Squibb was Oscar-nominated for “Nebraska” in 2013. She got laughs for saying that Alexander Saarsgard was portraying her whenever you saw her out and about. She looked very festive for a 95-year-old woman. (Birthdate: Nov. 6, 1929). Her dress was very sparkly.

THE HOST

How did the host do?

I thought Conan O’Brien’s hosting was fine, but I would say that his promise not to “waste time” led into the song-and-dance number he participated in, which was a waste of time. His wit was, as usual, sharp, and he seemed to be genuinely happy to be there.

He shared some random facts, such as the factoid that there were 479 “F” words in “Anora.”

His wit, as with the “stand up to a strong Russian” was evident and the bit with Adam Sandler dressed casually made me think that he could have gotten a quick bit about the outfit’s resemblance to that of a Senator (John Fetterman). Maybe next time.

MUSIC

I went to the trouble of finding every single nominated song and listening to each one. I would have been happy with Diane Warren or Elton John winning. Instead, it was the song from “Emilia Perez.” Maybe it was throwing that film a bone, since it was shut out except for Best Supporting Actress Zoe Saldana? Then, again, the music expert in our household is the daughter who triumphed tonight.

ACCEPTANCES

Adrian Brody wins his second Oscar as Best Actor for “The Brutalist.”

My favorite acceptance speech event was the sinister-looking composer of the score for “The Brutalist,” Daniel Blumberg. He resembles DJT’s henchman, Steve Miller, shaved head and all. When they began playing him off he abruptly quit, mid-sentence and retreated like a small creature scurrying for cover. It made me smile. (You had to be there to appreciate the expression on his face as he bolted backstage.)

Adrian Brody, however, basically told those trying to play him off to stop, saying he had “done this before” and it was “not my first rodeo.” He then promised to be brief with his additional remarks. He was not that brief, but you had to admire his chutzpah. (Anybody but me notice his girlfriend in the audience trying to remind him to thank his Mother?)

UPSETS

I thought that Mikey Madison—who was cast in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon A Time in Hollywood” and, I think, was the Manson family member set afire by a flame thrower wielded by Leonardo DeCaprio poolside in that film—was an upset winner. She was very good in the film and, as I mentioned in an earlier post, the Academy does not like to award Oscars to horror films, which “The Substance” was. Too bad for Demi Moore, but I would guess that she still will enjoy a resurgence of role offers. Imagine how Mikey Madison’s star will rise!

Given how well “Conclave” did at the BAFTAs, I was surprised it didn’t do better this night. Aside from Adapted Screenplay, it won no other Oscars and nominee Ralph Fiennes may be being called “Ralph” rather than “Rafe” if he lost again this time, his third nomination. (A small joke that Conan made, which caused Fiennes to laugh aloud in the audience.) Fiennes was nominated in 1994 for “Schindler’s List,” and in 1997 for “The English Patient.”

FIRSTS

Anora” director Sean Baker became the first person to win four Oscars in the same year for the same film. In that respect, he tied with Walt Disney, although, in Disney’s case, it was for four different films in 1953—not 4 Oscars for the same film in the same year. Other Disney nominations in 1953 were for “Ben and Me” and “Rugged Bear.”

Hollywood sign

When Baker accepted the award for Best Director, he thanked the Academy for recognizing an independent film like “Anora.” “We’re all here tonight and watching this broadcast because we love movies. Where did we fall in love with the movies? At the movie theater,” Baker said. He made an impassioned plea for people to return to theaters, noting that over 1,000 independent screens were lost last year as movie theaters struggle to stay alive.

This concerns me. First, my country is led by someone who wants us to abandon our roots as fighters for democracy and freedom and follow a Soviet strongman who invaded a peaceful neighboring country without cause. Then my favorite past-time (going to the movies) is threatened.

True fact: the only movie theater in Moline, Illinois was shut for over a year after the pandemic. It used to be a Regal 8. It is now open again, but it was a long dry spell for someone like me. I literally had to drive to another state (Iowa) to see a movie. (*This by way of excuse if I am asked why I didn’t see that 10th nominated film.) Also, when I’m in Chicago, the Icon Theaters near me closed, but, thankfully, not for an entire year. (They are open again off Roosevelt Road downtown.)

Another first was the first Black man to win an award for his costuming expertise, Paul Taswell, whom Bowen Yang referred to as a legend. Other interesting costuming tid-bits that were dropped during the evening’s program were that Timothee Chalamet had 67 different costume changes for “A Complete Unknown” and there were 103 Cardinals to be costumed by Missy Crystal for “Conclave.”

The Latvian couple who accepted their Oscar for “Flow” were charming as they shared the fact that they had had difficulties getting Visas to get in the country to potentially accept their award and had then apparently come straight from the airport, landing just a few hours earlier.

All-in-all, an enjoyable—if overlong–viewing experience. At the post-Oscars “Vanity Fair” party, it was possible to see that there was a 3.9 earthquake happening in Hollywood.

One last reminder: this time next week there will be reviews of films premiering at SXSW here in Austin, so check back as the Red Carpet here in Austin (where I’ll be) will feature stars like Nicole Kidman, Matthew McConaughey, and Seth Rogen.

Last-Minute Musing(s) on the 2025 Oscars

By Connie Wilson

On March 2, 2025

In Movies, Music, News, Pop Culture, Reviews, Television

It’s only a few hours from the Oscars. The ballots are out (you know who you are) and the Prognosticator trophy is at stake.

Since this is Oscar Sunday, I am going to (stream-of-consciousness) run through the nominees, in the hopes that some of you are doing the same thing right about now. The Red Carpet is about to start, and who is going to win? (The tension mounts.)

Our ballots are distributed to the Usual Suspects and the traveling trophy of Most Accurate Prognosticator sits proudly on the mantel—errr, glass table—near our TV set. In other years, I’d be giving out freebie movie tickets to students at my Sylvan Learning Center (only the winners, of course) but, this year, it’s just old Oscar (the trophy) and bragging rights. Pay no attention to my last post about the nominated films I, personally, liked the most because I have not “liked” the Best Picture winner in the past few years. So, you’re warned.

I’m going beyond the 5 main categories to discuss those that almost nobody sees, live-action shorts. I actually reviewed many of the “live action” shorts, and a Mindy Kahling produced film about India called “Anuja,” which I liked. However, I liked a different one better from China about fishing for corpses in the river, so… But how many of you have seen “A Lien,” “I’m Not A Robot,” “The Last Ranger,” or “The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent?” Yeah. That’s what I thought.

Original Screenplay nominees are “Anora,”, “The Brutalist,” “A Real Pain,” “September 5,” “The Substance.” I have actually seen all of these. “A Real Pain” is the front-runner, supposedly, but I like nearly any other script better. I’m thinking that, if a sweep starts with either “Anora” or “The Brutalist,” it might garner a vote in this category, too. (Lots of talk about how “Anora,” the film about a U.S. strip tease dancer marrying the son of a Russian oligarch and the fall-out that represents is gaining on the previous front-runners.) We liked Mikey Madison’s performance in “Anora” but—after her Russian husband takes a powder—the film becomes a repetitive search film where they attempt to locate him. Mikey Madison was great in her part, and the somewhat open-ended interpretation we are left with at the end was a plus. I could see new-comers to the voting ranks giving Madison the BEST ACTRESS trophy, if they don’t decide to honor Demi Moore for her long career.

BEST DIRECTORS

Nominated directors for the Oscars, 2025

Nominated directors for the 2025 Oscars

Jacques Audliard (“Emilia Perez”); Sean Baker (“Anora”); Brady Corbet (“The Brutalist”); Coralie Fargeat (“The Substance”); James Mangold “A Complete Unknown”. The two in the lead are Sean Baker and Brady Corbet. I also would like to heartily endorse James Mangold, primarily because I loved “Ford vs. Ferrari.” I am sticking with “The Brutalist” because it was such an achievement on just a $10 million budget.

DEMI MOORE/ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY AWARDS

Why would Demi Moore NOT win? (1) “The Substance” was a horror movie and, historically, the Academy has not wanted to honor them with the top prize. (2) The ending may have turned some viewers off (3) The voter has to be willing to honor age and experience over the youthful new-on-the-scene Mikey Madison. It’s a close call with so many members of the Academy now voting being newcomers. Both women have been doing well at the other awards ceremonies that lead up to the Oscars. I can’t see the trans-gender lead (Karla Sofia Gascon) pulling this one out of the fire and Fernanda Torres’ “I’m Still Here” is probably the film least viewed of the 10 nominees (It’s the only one I missed).

So, take your pick between the old-timer and the new-comer or give your vote to Cynthia Erivo for “Wicked.” For me, I’ll go with the old-timer for the Best Actress award, and I’ll go with “The Brutalist” over “A Real Pain” for original screenplay. Jesse Eisenberg will continue writing scripts and I hope they continue to receive accolades. For me, the best script this year was for “Heretic” from (Scott) Beck and (Bryan) Woods, which didn’t make the cut at all.

James Mangold (“A Complete Unknown.”).

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Nominees are “Conclave,” “A Complete Unknown,” “Emilia Perez,” “Nickel Boys,” “Sing Sing.” Given its BAFTA showings, “Conclave” must move up on the list of potential winners. For me, it’s “A Complete Unknown,” but the experts are leaning towards “Conclave.”

ANIMATED FEATURE

Nominees are “Flow,” “Inside Out 2,” “Memoir of a Snail,” “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl,” “The Wild Robot”

There was a big push to have all the critics see “Memoir of a Snail.” I did. It was weird, but well-done, so I’ll go with that. I think that “Flow” is the favorite.

PRODUCTION DESIGN

“The Brutalist,” “Conclave,” “Dune: Part Two,” “Nosferatu,” “Wicked.”

For me, “The Brutalist” really delivered on the architect immigrant in America theme. “Wicked” and “Dune” are possible winners, but I was so impressed by the architecture in “The Brutalist” that I’ll stick with my favorite picture of those nominated this year.

COSTUME DESIGN

“Wicked”

“Wicked” co-stars.

CINEMATOGRAPHY

“The Brutalist.” A close second, for me, would be “Dune: Part Two,” but the almost picture-perfect moon over the water and the shots taking us down the railroad tracks and the unique look at the Statue of Liberty at the beginning all point me to “The Brutalist.”

EDITING

“Conclave,” in deference to the BAFTA nods.

MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING

“Wicked,” although “The Substance” has a shot.

SOUND

The 2 musically inclined films are “A Complete Unknown” and “Wicked.” Take your pick. Mine is “Wicked.”

VISUAL EFFECTS

“Dune: Part Two”with “Wicked as a close second.

ORIGINAL SCORE

“The Brutalist”

Oscar predicting trophy

ORIGINAL SONG

Have you heard all 5 of the nominated songs? Well, I have. It took some sleuthing, but, after listening to all of them, I would say the battle is between honoring Elton John for “Never Too Late,” which has a typical Elton John sound and is possibly the finale entry from this talented songsmith. But I’ll vote for Dianne Warren’s 16th nomination for “The Journey” from “The Six Triple Eight.” When you hear the lyrics, you’ll see why. It’s become a hymn for the fire-ravaged Los Angeles community, and isn’t it about time that Diane Warren got the little gold guy?

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

I’m going with “Porcelain War,” even though it echoes last year’s Ukraine-themed winner. I realize that DJT doesn’t want us supporting Ukraine any more, since he’s all in for Russia, but I’m voting for it based on having seen it.

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE

“Emilia Perez” from France—which was supposed to win it all until recent tweets resurfaced.

ANIMATED SHORT

“Yuck”

Oscar Prognosticator Trophy

DOCUMENTARY SHORT

“The Only Girl in the Orchestra”

LIVE-ACTION SHORT

Since I saw “Anuja,” I’m voting for it, even though I’ve not read that it is favored. (“A Lien” got that honor from one predictor.)

There’s a tie-breaker on our competition. You have to make a pick in all categories and tell which film will win the most Oscars, and how many. For me, based on this stream-of-consciousness

A.I. Analyzes the 2/28/2025 Meeting Between Trump & Zelenskyy

By Connie Wilson

On March 2, 2025

In Editorial, Essays on Politics: Best Political Essays & Ideology, News, Of Local (Quad Cities') Interest, Politics

An intriguing analysis has been circulating online regarding the psychological aspects of Zelensky’s meeting with Trump and Vance, conducted using ChatGPT.

From this analysis, it becomes evident that we have witnessed a true masterclass in gaslighting, manipulation, and coercion on the part of Trump and his entourage.

Let’s break down the key points:

1. Blaming the victim for their own situation

Trump explicitly tells Zelensky: “You have allowed yourself to be in a very bad position.” This is classic abuser rhetoric—blaming the victim for their suffering. The implication is that Ukraine itself is responsible for being occupied by Russia and for the deaths of its people.

2. Pressure and coercion into ‘gratitude’

Vance demands that Zelensky say “thank you.” This is an extremely toxic tactic—forcing the victim to express gratitude for the help they desperately need, only to later accuse them of ingratitude if they attempt to assert their rights. (Zelenskyy had actually expressed gratitude to the U.S. at least 33 times.)

3. Manipulating the concept of ‘peace’

Trump claims that Zelensky is “not ready for peace.” However, what he actually means is Ukraine’s capitulation. This is a classic manipulation technique—substituting the idea of a just peace with the notion of surrender.

4. Refusing to acknowledge the reality of war

Trump repeatedly insists that Zelensky has “no cards to play” and that “without us, you have nothing.” This is yet another abusive tactic—undermining the victim’s efforts by asserting that they are powerless without the mercy of their ‘saviour.’

5. Devaluing the victims of war

“If you get a ceasefire, you must accept it so that bullets stop flying and your people stop dying,” Trump says. Yet, he ignores the fact that a ceasefire without guarantees is merely an opportunity for Russia to regroup and strike again.

6. Dominance tactics

Trump constantly interrupts Zelensky, cutting him off: “No, no, you’ve already said enough,” and “You’re not in a position to dictate to us.” This is deliberate psychological pressure designed to establish a hierarchy in which Zelenskyy is the subordinate.

7. Forcing capitulation under the guise of ‘diplomacy’

Vance asserts that “the path to peace lies through diplomacy.” This is a classic strategy where the aggressor is given the opportunity to continue their aggression unchallenged.

8. Projection and distortion of reality

Trump declares: “You are playing with the lives of millions of people.” Yet, in reality, it is he who is doing exactly that—shifting responsibility onto Zelenskyy.

9. Creating the illusion that Ukraine ‘owes’ the US

Yes, the US is assisting Ukraine, but presenting this aid as “you must obey, or you will receive nothing” is not a partnership—it is financial and military coercion. It was similar coercion during a phone call between the two men (DJT asking Zelenskyy to investigate the Bidens) that led to Trump’s first impeachment. A notoriously thin-skinned man, he has not forgotten this snub and the set-up on 2/28 reflected that.

10. Undermining Ukraine’s resistance

Trump states that “if it weren’t for our weapons, this war would have ended in two weeks.” This is an attempt to erase Ukraine’s achievements and portray its efforts as entirely dependent on US support.

Conclusion

Trump and his team employed the full spectrum of abusive tactics: gaslighting, victim-blaming, coercion into gratitude, and manipulation of the concepts of peace and diplomacy. This was not a negotiation—it was an attempt to force Zelenskyy into accepting terms beneficial to Russia but potentially fatal for Ukraine. (Who negotiates peace without inviting both warring parties to the table?) No less a GOP voice than former Security Advisor and Ambassador Susan Rice immediately called out the embarrassing display for what it was: a set-up intended to “get even” with Zelenskyy for not submitting to DJT’s wishes at every turn and a backing of his favorite strongman, Putin.

All of what has been happening makes perfect sense if we remember that Russia has been “stroking” Trump in an attempt to convert him to a Russian asset for years. It seems to have worked better than Vladimir Putin could have imagined. Now the oligarchs will divide up the wealth and go about their business, completely ignoring the average citizen, for whom Trump seems to have absolute contempt, since he lied to all of us repeatedly. (How do you feel about your grocery bills now that eggs and beef are more valuable than some precious gems?)

I have some small hope that all of the destruction we have seen being inflicted on all institutions can be reversed, but it will take years. This is one of the few times that I honestly am grateful that I am not going to be around for decades to see all the hard work that it is going to take to UNdo the damage Trump is doing. I came in on JFK, campaigning for him as a high school girl (not old enough to vote). Now I will probably go out on Trump and his band of corrupt cronies. I’ll be bringing out my hopeful feelings of 2008 (expressed in my 2 volumes “Obama’s Odyssey: The 2008 Race for the White House”) when we elected a decent, intelligent, compassionate man President. And now we have Trump. From the sublime to the ridiculous.

Best of the 2025 Nominated Films

By Connie Wilson

On March 1, 2025

In Movies, News, Politics, Pop Culture, Reviews

BEST PICTURE

Here are my thoughts on this year’s Oscar nominees:

Full disclosure: I’ve only seen 9 of the 10 nominated films. I did not see “I’m Still Here.” But, still 90% is higher than the average viewer.

My personal favorite of the nominated films is “The Brutalist.” I was amazed at the fact that a film this polished could be made on a $10 million dollar budget. The sets, featuring the futuristic architecture of Laszlo Toth (Adrian Brody) were fantastic. The Vista-Vision resembled 35 mm film and was gorgeous on the big screen. The shots of a sun over water or a hill where the construction is happening are truly beautiful, not to mention the marble quarry in Italy.

If “The Brutalist” doesn’t win, I hope that “A Complete Unknown,” the Bob Dylan movie prevails. It was my second favorite of the other nominated films, which are: “Anora,” “Conclave,” “Dune: Part Two,” “Emilia Perez,” “Nickel Boys,” “The Substance” and “Wicked.”

BEST DIRECTOR

Put me down for Brady Corbet for “The Brutalist,” despite the fact that the BAFTA crowd likes “Conclave.” (Well, at least the story about the death of a Pope is timely, but so is the “Brutalist’s story of anti-Semitism. Again, if Corbet does not win, I’m cool with James Mangold for “A Complete Unknown.” Not really a prediction, but my own hopes.

BEST ACTOR

I’m torn here, again, between Adrian Brody and/or Timothee Chalamet. I’d be cool with either one carting off the trophy, and I think one of them will—probably Adrian Brody. But it was quite the achievement for Chalamet to both play the dramatic role and sing all the songs himself. Kudos!

BEST ACTRESS

I’m thinking Demi Moore, because the Emilia Perez lead (Karla Sofia Gascon) shot herself in the foot with her unwise Tweets. Demi has been coming on strong and she and Kieran Culkin promise to be interesting recipients of any award. For my money, the best two performances this year didn’t get nominated at all, and those would be Amy Adams in “Nightbitch” and Nicole Kidman in “Babygirl.”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Kieran Culkin in “A Real Pain” is supposed to have this sewed up. (I actually saw that one.) I would not mind seeing it go to either Edward Norton for “A Complete Unknown” or Guy Pearce in “The Brutalist.” This one could go a different way, since the others in the category are so worthy, also.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Zoe Saldana in “Emilia Perez” seems to have this one in the bag. No idea why anyone thought that Isabella Rossilini’s very small role in “Conclave” deserved a nod.

Feb. 28, 2025: Democracy in Peril

By Connie Wilson

On February 28, 2025

In Editorial, Essays on Politics: Best Political Essays & Ideology, News, Politics

There are moments in history where you can feel the tectonic plates of power shifting under your feet, the precise seconds when empires declare themselves rotten and ready to collapse. February 28, 2025, was one of those moments—a grotesque display of unchecked narcissism, geopolitical idiocy, and the full-throttle transformation of American foreign policy into a Mafia shakedown.

Donald Trump, the world’s loudest and dumbest charlatan, decided to hold a public execution of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, not with bullets, but with bullying. This was not diplomacy. This was not strategy. This was the kind of goonish humiliation typically reserved for reality television, except now the stakes were measured in millions of lives and the looming specter of World War III.

“YOU’RE GAMBLING WITH WORLD WAR III”

Trump—flanked by his yes-man JD Vance and an eerily silent Marco Rubio—welcomed Zelenskyy to the Oval Office only to berate, belittle, and ultimately dismiss him like a waiter who forgot to refill his Diet Coke. The Ukrainian president had made the grave mistake of advocating for his people, for his country, for his soldiers dying daily on the front lines against Russian invaders. But in Trump’s world, there is no room for dignity or resistance—only total submission to the Don.

“You’re gambling with World War III,” Trump barked at Zelenskyy, acting like a discount Tony Soprano shaking down a local shopkeeper. “You either make a deal, or we are out.” The message was crystal clear: Surrender to Putin, or America lets you rot.

When Zelenskyy pushed back—trying to explain, like a rational human being, that diplomacy requires more than rolling over and exposing your belly to a psychotic autocrat like Vladimir Putin—Vance chimed in, whining that it was “disrespectful” to discuss such things in front of the American media. Disrespectful! As if the real problem here was the optics, not the grotesque moral betrayal unfolding in real time. One might ask if J.D. was, indeed, brought in on purpose to “poke the bear.” Susan Rice, “W’s” Ambassador and advisor, certainly felt that Zelinskyy was set up.

TRUMP’S FIXATION WITH GRATITUDE: A MOB BOSS DEMANDING TRIBUTE

“Have you ever said thank you once?” Vance sneered at Zelenskyy, echoing his master’s worldview that all human interactions are transactional (By actual count, Zelenskyy has thanked the United States publicly at least 33 times.)

“You have to be thankful,” Trump added, “you don’t have the cards. You’re buried there.” (Zelenskyy responded, sotto voce, “I’m not playing cards.”)

This is what American diplomacy has become: an extortion racket.

Forget alliances, forget history, forget standing up to despots—Trump views everything through the lens of a cheap con artist running a rigged casino. Ukraine, in his mind, is a desperate gambler, and Trump is the pit boss deciding whether to extend another round of credit.

If Zelenskyy had gotten on his knees and kissed Trump’s golden slippers, maybe he’d have left with something. But instead, he left with nothing, because he had the audacity to act like the elected leader of a sovereign nation, rather than a groveling servant.

THE CANCELED PRESS CONFERENCE: WHEN THE HUMILIATION IS TOO MUCH TO SPIN

After the carnage, Trump did what he always does: He took to Truth Social to declare victory.

“I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace,” he wrote, as if the real issue is Ukraine’s unwillingness to surrender, rather than Russia’s ongoing campaign of war crimes and territorial theft.

The joint press conference was canceled—which in diplomatic terms is the equivalent of overturning the table and storming out of the restaurant. Zelenskyy was seen leaving the White House, no deal signed, no support secured. Just the bitter taste of betrayal in his mouth.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian ambassador literally face-palmed in the middle of the meeting. She couldn’t even hide her disgust. This was the international equivalent of watching your boss drunkenly scream at a client in a meeting while you rub your temples and quietly plan your resignation.

TRUMP’S ‘PEACE’ PLAN IS A SURRENDER PLAN

This is all part of a deliberate pivot in American foreign policy. Trump has always sided with Russia, whether it’s calling Putin “a very smart guy,” ignoring his war crimes, or pretending Ukraine started the war. Now, his administration is pushing a so-called “peace plan” that amounts to a glorified land grab for Moscow.

The Wall Street Journal has already reported that Trump’s advisers are split on how exactly to force Ukraine to submit. Some want a “frozen conflict”—which translates to “Russia keeps what it stole”—while others are pushing for a formal deal that outright cedes Ukrainian land and resources to Putin. Either way, the outcome is the same: Ukraine loses, Russia wins, and Trump gets to preen about his ‘deal-making.’

THE DEATH OF AMERICA’S WORD

The entire world saw this Oval Office debacle. If you’re an ally of the United States, you just learned a very clear lesson: You cannot trust America under Donald Trump. Your security, your sovereignty, and your survival are all secondary to whether Trump personally feels flattered. If you are not groveling at his feet, you’re expendable. And this very small man will always seek to “get even” with those he believes, rightly or wrongly, have not sided with him. Trump is still mad at Zelenskyy for failing to investigate Joe and Hunter Biden when asked during the 2020 election. Just as he is still honked off over his loss of a Trump hotel to a Marriott in the Panama Canal Zone.

Meanwhile, Putin is watching. And he’s grinning. Because now he knows that Trump will do his dirty work for him. All that stroking of DJT and the money spent on his elections has provided a Russian asset who would sell his soul for money. Now, it is U.S. citizenships for wealthy Russian oligarchs that he is planning on peddling next.

Zelenskyy was just the first ally to be fed to the wolves. He won’t be the last.

Welcome to America, 2025. This is what losing everything looks like.

“You Don’t Know What You’ve Got Till It’s Gone”

By Connie Wilson

On February 26, 2025

In Editorial, Education, News, Of Local (Quad Cities') Interest, Politics

By Susan Caskle

“Bee Gone: A Political Parable”

Big, if true.

Elon Musk claims DOGE is uncovering all kinds of waste and fraud, outrageous scams perpetrated on the American people. These scams are so blatant and obvious that even youngsters untrained in forensic accounting can find them in moments. The implication is that federal workers, who are experts in their fields are either too stupid to have seen them or irredeemably corrupt. Look at the Social Security Administration, for example. Musk posted that his minions had found more than 20 million entries in the database with ages over 100 years old, including millions of people listed as over 150. It’s “the biggest fraud in history,” Musk said.

Except, of course, it’s nothing of the sort.

Because of a coding quirk in the vintage computer program the agency uses, an unknown birth date defaults to 1875, 150 years ago. These people are listed in the system, but they aren’t receiving Social Security checks—as a 2023 inspector general’s report had already concluded. In reality, only some 44,000 centenarians are alive and receiving checks, a figure that jibes with census data. And while there are certainly some fake numbers, even the conservative Cato Institute says those are mostly illegal immigrants who use them to get jobs, which means they pay into the system but get nothing out of it.

What else has DOGE turned up?

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was eager to tell us, saying last week, “I love to bring the receipts!”

But the only examples she offered were a few programs related to equity and inclusion, such as a $3 million Patent and Trademark Office program offering internships to minority inventors, and a $57,000 award for climate mitigation in Sri Lanka. Those may go against current administration protocols but they certainly don’t amount to fraud, since the money for them was duly appropriated by Congress. And cutting them will hardly engender significant savings in a $7 trillion budget.

You know who does know how to find waste and fraud?

The Inspectors Generals in our government agencies.

But Trump fired them all.

*****

Elon Musk.

Elon Musk’s claim to have cut $55 billion is already a fantasy—this week DOGE claimed an $8 billion savings for cutting a contract actually worth only $8 million.

Catherine Rampell (“The Washington Post”): “Trump voters want a shake-up and many cheer the wrecking ball. There are legitimate problems with the status quo, but the fix isn’t to indiscriminately fire air traffic controllers, gut public health agencies, or cut funding for cancer research. Trump is not fixing the problems MAGA voters care about. He’s creating new, much scarier ones.”

Said Martin Wolf in “Financial Times: “It’s a coup that will pave the way for autocracy, plutocracy and dysfunction. You can’t boost efficiency by hacking away at a complex bureaucracy, but you can chase out conscientious workers and replace them with loyalists who’ll do your every bidding. And once Trump and Musk achieve their goal of dismantling the civil service, it won’t be easily rebuilt. “This is destruction, not reform and whatever they have been told, ordinary Americans will not benefit.”

But we know who will.

(The lyrics to Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” that contain the phrase “they paved paradise and put up a parking lot” are: “They paved Paradise and put up a parking lot. Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you got till it’s gone.”)

“BEE GONE,” warning about all the above, can be purchased on Amazon. Read about it here: https://conniecwilson.com/product/bee-gone-a-political-parable/

Trump Data: The Past Is Predictive of the Future

By Connie Wilson

On February 23, 2025

In Books, Editorial, Essays on Politics: Best Political Essays & Ideology, News, Of Local (Quad Cities') Interest, Politics

A real question from a Trump supporter: ‘Why do many say Trump supporters are stupid?’

(from Adam Troy Castro)

THE SERIOUS ANSWER: Here’s what the majority of anti-Trump voters honestly seem to feel about Trump supporters:

That when you saw a man who had owned a fraudulent University, intent on scamming poor people, you thought “Fine.” (https://www.usatoday.com/…/trump-university…/502387002/)

That when you saw a man who had made it his business practice to stiff his creditors, you said, “Okay.” (https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-hotel-paid-millions…)

That when you heard him proudly brag about his own history of sexual abuse, you said, “No problem.” (https://abcnews.go.com/…/list-trumps-accusers…/story…)

January 6th: Trump-inspired invasion of the Capitol. All pardoned, with no cogent plan to separate those who had attacked police officers and headed militia organizations.

That when he made up stories about seeing Muslim-Americans in the thousands cheering the destruction of the World Trade Center, you said, “Not an issue.” (https://www.washingtonpost.com/…/donald-trumps…/)

That when you saw him brag that he could shoot a man on Fifth Avenue and you wouldn’t care, you exclaimed, “He sure knows me.”

(https://www.usatoday.com/…/president-donald…/4073405002/)

That when you heard him relating a story of an elderly guest of his country club, an 80-year old man, who fell off a stage and hit his head, to Trump replied: “‘Oh my God, that’s disgusting,’ and I turned away. I couldn’t—you know, he was right in front of me, and I turned away. I didn’t want to touch him. He was bleeding all over the place. And I felt terrible, because it was a beautiful white marble floor, and now it had changed color. Became very red.” You said, “That’s cool!” (https://www.gq.com/story/donald-trump-howard-stern-story)

That when you saw him mock the disabled, you thought it was the funniest thing you ever saw. (https://www.nbcnews.com/…/donald-trump-criticized-after…)

That when you heard him brag that he doesn’t read books, you said, “Well, who has time?” (https://www.theatlantic.com/…/americas-first…/549794/)

That when the Central Park Five were compensated as innocent men convicted of a crime they didn’t commit, and he angrily said that they should still be in prison, you said, “That makes sense.” (https://www.usatoday.com/…/what-trump-has…/1501321001/)

That when you heard him tell his supporters to beat up protesters and that he would hire attorneys, you thought, “Yes!” (https://www.latimes.com/…/la-na-trump-campaign-protests…)

That when you heard him tell one rally to confiscate a man’s coat before throwing him out into the freezing cold, you said, “What a great guy!” (https://www.independent.co.uk/…/donald-trump-orders…)

Liz Cheney amidst backlash over her anti-Trump stance.

That you have watched the parade of neo-Nazis and white supremacists with whom he curries favor, while refusing to condemn outright Nazis, and you have said, “Thumbs up!” (https://www.theatlantic.com/…/why-cant-trump…/567320/)

That you hear him unable to talk to foreign dignitaries without insulting their countries and demanding that they praise his electoral win, you said, “That’s the way I want my President to be.” (https://www.huffpost.com/…/trump-insult-foreign…)

That you have watched him remove expertise from all layers of government in favor of people who make money off of eliminating protections in the industries they’re supposed to be regulating and you have said, “What a genius!” (https://www.politico.com/…/138-trump-policy-changes…)

That you have heard him continue to profit from his businesses, in part by leveraging his position as President, to the point of overcharging the Secret Service for space in the properties he owns, and you have said, “That’s smart!” (https://www.usnews.com/…/how-is-donald-trump-profiting…)

That you have heard him say that it was difficult to help Puerto Rico because it was in the middle of water and you have said, “That makes sense.” (https://www.washingtonpost.com/…/the-very-big-ocean…/)

That you have seen him start fights with every country from Canada to New Zealand while praising Russia and quote, “falling in love” with the dictator of North Korea, and you have said, “That’s statesmanship!” (https://www.cnn.com/…/donald-trump-dictators…/index.html)

That Trump separated children from their families and put them in cages, managed to lose track of 1500 kids, has opened a tent city incarceration camp in the desert in Texas – he explains that they’re just “animals” – and you say, “Well, OK then.” (https://www.nbcnews.com/…/more-5-400-children-split…)

That you have witnessed all the thousand and one other manifestations of corruption and low moral character and outright animalistic rudeness and contempt for you, the working American voter, and you still show up grinning and wearing your MAGA hats and threatening to beat up anybody who says otherwise. (https://www.americanprogress.org/…/confronting-cost…/)

What you don’t get, Trump supporters, is that our succumbing to frustration and shaking our heads, thinking of you as stupid, may very well be wrong and unhelpful, but it’s also… hear me… charitable.

Because if you’re NOT stupid, we must turn to other explanations, and most of them are less flattering.

– Adam-Troy Castro

And, if I may add a personal note from a recent discussion, an intelligent friend with whom I was speaking wrote a defense of his Trump vote, when I made the comment that, historically, Dems were often “too nice” (as we were in Florida when Gore stepped aside for the good of the country and let “W” be handed the presidency by his brother, Jeb.)

His response? (And, yes, this person is well-educated and intelligent, so the statement that Adam (above) ends his data with does rear its ugly head.) Everything that was mentioned in “BEE GONE” is coming to pass now under Trump 2.0 and our democracy is at stake if we don’t defend it and if the (stacked) courts don’t stand up to this wannabe dictator. The price of eggs and beef has shot through the roof (so much for lowering the price of groceries). Inflation is increasing. Economists warn of a coming recession. We’ve pissed off our two closest allies, who are probably going to be boycotting American goods for a very long time. The bird flu, nuclear weapons arsenal, and people that might protect us from ebola, tuberculosis and measles epidemics are in free fall as the CDC is under attack. The 100,000 or more federal employees who have been summarily fired, without due process and possibly axed by an A.I. robot, are justifiably angry and demoralized. The positions like FBI and FAA that require extensive training, as well as places like the IRS that were already understaffed, are struggling. The United States insulted the leader of Ukraine and voted “No” along with North Korea and Russia to a U.N, resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine without cause. Our President is barely even conducting meetings, preferring to let Elon Musk and a toddler do the honors. Veteran analysts, seeing all of what is happening, have declared that it is their professional opinion that DJT was being groomed as a Russian asset from many years back and that the Manchurian Candidate may have moved from fiction to fact.

Most experts predict a Constitutional crisis, when these many questions of illegality reach the Supreme Court and we find out whether Chief Justice Roberts will stand up to the malignant narcissist who has completely ruined the United States’ reputation on the international front. European (and other) allies no longer believe in the United States as a steady-in-the-traces ally, and NATO—which Trump had attacked verbally as related in John Bolton’s book—-is now not the bulwark against Soviet aggression that it had been since WWII. (Trump, while in Air Force One on his way to a NATO meeting with Bolton, complained about the organization and revealed an almost complete lack of knowledge of its importance.)

Not everything can be judged or weighed in terms of money to be made. Perhaps that is what our current President thinks, but there was real value in being “the shining beacon on the hill” that Reagan eulogized. The dismantling of the USAID, the Department of Education, and too many other organization to mention by name has left us vulnerable to aggression from abroad as well as to plummeting faith in our institutions and the organizations, like FEMA, that serve Americans in crisis. The entire change of personnel is going so poorly that it is a wonder that we are maintaining whatever position we had as a world power, since all of this chaos and these poorly chosen federal employees, have plunged us into becoming a kakistocracy. Yes, it gives late-night comedians material, but at what price glory?

The book (above), BEE GONE, is a classic parable for our times, as it predicted what might happen if a drone in the hive tried to take over from the Queen Bee (*this was 2016’s election). As the book makes clear, “So the hive lost its honey, its Queen and its money. It was really a mess, and that isn’t funny.” The book really nailed some important facets of the fight today in 2025, following the election of 2024. It is available on Amazon. DJT killed it the first time (he was in office).

TRUMP VOTER, to me:, in defense of DJT: (I had said that Al Gore and the Dems were “too nice” in stepping aside for the good of the country in Florida (the “hanging chads”) back in 2000, therefore dooming us to 8 years of “W” when his brother, Jeb, handed him the presidency. This person felt that it was awful that Democrats were saying that Trump’s supporters were Nazis, but what else can be inferred from Elon Musk giving the Nazi salute at Trump’s inauguration?

His defense:

“Too nice?”

I see one side calling the other side Nazis and fascists. The other side just wants what we had under 45. The lowest poverty rate in the history of the stat in America and the associated childhood poverty rate. It’s as if childhood poverty doesn’t matter to some people. Also the most impressive increase in household income that we’ve seen in our lifetimes. That’s food on our most at-risk peoples’ tables. I guess I don’t understand the name-calling when it’s clear that empowering people is far better than entitling them.”

First, let me say that the “calling of the other side Nazis” may well have come from the Nazi salute Elon Musk gave at Trump’s inauguration. And were it only true that just ONE side has resorted to name-calling. You must have some pretty selective hearing if you only hear the comments aimed at Trump and his supporters. I not only heard worse things aimed at me (Trump Rally, Davenport Iowa Fairgrounds, 2016) but was physically threatened simply because I was wearing a Press badge. That was the last of my following of the candidates across the country, which I had done in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and part of 2016. You are a very tough MAGA follower if you feel it is appropriate to physically threaten a 5’2″ retired 70-something retired English teacher simply for trying to report on a rally. But it was consistent with what happened in Butler, Pennsylvania, when the MAGA crowd seemed to blame the crowd for the youthful would-be assassin’s shots at DJT. Hostility was aimed at the enclosure that held the Press. Trump is actively banning the AP from press conferences now, because they did not rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

Second:

It’s really reaching to pretend that the incumbent really cares about childhood poverty, when Trump has just dismantled the USAID, which is responsible for less than 1% of the U.S. budget.

And we liberals/independents/anti-Trumpites are the bad guys because WE are the ones who don’t care about childhood poverty?

Absolutely incomprehensible that anyone would try to mount a defense using THAT

“Retirement Plan:” The 7-Minute Short That Tells the Truth

By Connie Wilson

On February 20, 2025

In Editorial, Humor and Weird Wilson-isms, Movies, Music, Politics, Pop Culture, Reviews

“Retirement Plan Plan:” A 7-minute short from Screen Ireland featuring Domhnall Gleeson.

I recently had the pleasure of viewing a 7-minute short that is to screen at SXSW in March entitled “Retirement Plan.” From Fis Eireann/Screen Ireland. It was written by John Kelly and Tara Lawall and was an absolute delight. If you have the opportunity, don’t miss it. It is narrated by Domhnall Gleason (Bill Weasley in the “Harry Potter” franchise) and shows a man of retirement age musing about all the great things he is going to do in retirement. Meanwhile, in the background, John Carroll Kirby’s simple piano tunes tinkle pleasantly, with the song “Walking Through A House Where A Family Has Lived” giving you another idea about the light-hearted tone of the short piece.

My favorite exchanges were the narrator saying, “I will paraglide.”

In the next frame, he is shown with a walker and says, “I will NOT paraglide.”

The animated character that animators Marah Curran and Eamonn O’Neill present to us in the short muses on many things he will do in retirement: He will read 35 years of books that he has been putting off reading. He will clean his desktop. He will birdwatch. He will swim every morning. He will hike (“Camping is HORRIBLE!”) The camping line made me think of Woody Allen’s famous line about how his idea of “roughing it” was watching black-and-white TV. [Agreed.]

I’ve been retired for 22 years. I joined a gym with a pool in November. It is almost March. I have yet to swim even once. While I did swim (4 times) last year, the chlorine was so bad that I thought I was going to sink to the bottom of the pool, unnoticed, and drown. (Nobody else is swimming during a weekday afternoon; there is no lifeguard). I only learned on a Monday last year when they canceled the children’s swimming class that the chlorine ratio was totally screwed up. So much for, “No, Doc, I don’t know why I get dizzy and almost pass out while swimming. That never happened to me before I retired.” (It could be because L.A. Fitness didn’t bother to check their chlorine levels; some of the kiddies ALSO almost —or did?—pass out. THEN they fixed it!)

HOUSTON ART GALLERY

Lolita at the Houston Art Gallery.

I related to the cartoon character’s comment that he would go to an art gallery and “I will want to be there.”

I recently went on a 3-day trip to see Gauguin paintings at the Houston Art Museum. A really unpleasant woman within the Museum followed me for 4 rooms because I leaned against a wall in the first room. I was severely chastised for same. (There were no paintings nearby or on the wall). She finally cornered me in the fourth room, asking me if I “wanted to talk to her manager.”

My response was, “No. I don’t want to talk to your manager. And I don’t want to talk to you, either. I just want to get out of here. I have a bad knee and I felt dizzy. Which would you rather have had me do? Lean on the wall or pass out on the floor?”

Lolita and I were not destined to become buddies.

I enjoyed the trip, overall, but found myself (once again) trying out a retirement activity with a downside.

OTHER THINGS TO TRY IN RETIREMENT

What other relatable activities does our retired figure discuss?

“I will take better care of myself.” Right. I spend one day a week visiting doctors. (Today: bloodwork; tomorrow, the endocrinologist). This is my Most Normal Retirement Activity: visiting doctors’ offices. Oncologist. Endocrinologist. Heptologist. Dentist. Oral Surgeon. Podiatrist. Dermatologist. Primary Care Physician. I read an article recently that said that this is common in we “mature” individuals and doctors make no effort to help you consolidate the MANY appointments. Today, I was told that an A1C would cost me, personally, $84, because “you’ve had too many tests and your insurance won’t cover it.” [No kidding. I thought I was simply in training to become a human pin cushion.]

Elise Wilson in action. (This is how I envisioned my volleyball playing would appear. It did not.)

“I will finally find my sport.” That’s not gonna’ happen, either. While playing volleyball in a co-ed league, a demented stork-like 6′ 5″ person (male) on the other side of the net spiked it down, hard, on 5′ 2″ me. My left elbow dislocated as I turned a backwards somersault. A nice nurse in the gym ran over and said, “I think you just broke your arm.” We went to the emergency room where I was injected with intravenous valium and X-rayed to see if I HAD broken my arm. (No, but I still have bone chips in my left elbow and it aches when it rains.) I spent 6 months in a sling, invested many dollars in front-closing bras and capes, and had to go to physical therapy to address the torn ligaments and tendons. Not fun for me. The insertion of the elbow back into the socket was not fun for the 2 men attempting that task, nor for me. (The spouse waited in the hall). The little blonde diving in the clip above is my 16-year-old granddaughter, Elise. This is how I envision my volleyball playing looked. Sadly, it did not.

“I will completely nail my final words.”Probably not happening, either. I always liked the guy that wrote, on his tombstone, “I can’t be dead. I still have checks.” That retort has not aged well. There’s always W.C. Fields’ “All in all, I’d rather be in Philadelphia” for a final greeting from the grave.

BEST LINES

From the 7-minute short “Retirement Plan” from Screen Ireland.

In addition to the line “CAMPING IS HORRIBLE” and “I will not paraglide,” I laughed the hardest at the vow to “haunt the absolute shit” out of an enemy. As the author of “Ghostly Tales of Route 66” I hope this option is open to me in the after-life. I have a couple of “friends” (I use the term loosely) and relatives who, after 35 to 60 years of faithful friendship and loyalty on MY part, backstabbed me into wanting to come back as one of the ghosts of Route 66 and give them a little taste of the misery they’ve visited upon me since 2005 (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!)

CONCLUSION

I honestly have not laughed so hard at a 7-minute bit in a long time. I would like to thank Fis Eireann/Screen Ireland for this truly delightful (and accurate) presentation on retirement. As someone who loved her job and didn’t really want to retire in 2003, [but did], I salute you.

Retirement sucks, basically.

It means you have to actively seek out things to do and “travel more” and “birdwatching” and “gong to plays” (“I will find out if I like plays”) isn’t cutting it. (I have learned I prefer movies to plays. Hell, I prefer shorts like this one to most plays.)

Retirement was the worst idea I have had—if it was even MY idea. I seem to remember my spouse of 57 years suggesting we would travel more, blah, blah, blah, but that went out the window when he began playing golf locally in multiple golf leagues with his old high school, elementary school, and work colleagues. The last time we traveled anywhere was before the pandemic. (I’m not counting the time shares bought in the nineties, because we go to those every year as our “home away from home.”) Me? I did not grow up in his home town and, post-work, it’s been unfun and dull. I hear that the Governor of Iowa has just declared all of Iowa a disaster area because of the bird flu, and we’re very close to Iowa. I would really like to leave any disaster area before disaster strikes (and they closed the only theater on the Illinois side of the Mississippi for over a year!)

VACATIONS?

The previous owners of Royal Resorts properties in Cancun (we owned at the Sands and the Islander) dumped it into the Holiday Inn Vacation Club All Inclusive world recently. That is a special kind of backstabbing. They built a kiddies’ pool right outside of our first floor digs. Now I get to listen to screaming kiddies knocking themselves out on the water slide at the crack of dawn. I can hardly wait. Does that sound like fun in retirement? [Just shoot me now.]

From the short “Retirement Plan”(Fis Eireann/Screen Ireland).

If I were to be asked what I would recommend people do in retirement, I would recommend that they watch this 7-minute film, because it has summed up my own reaction(s) perfectly, including the line “I will find out what a pension is.” I have. It’s not great. Between the taking of half of my Social Security moneys because I had been a teacher and we had a state pension system (I spent more time in the private sector, but Social Security still took half) and the potential insolvency of the Illinois TRS (Teachers’ Retirement System), who knows? I may be back at work before long.

Don’t give up your day job, but do try to see this wonderfully honest and creative short 7-mnute film. After all, if you’re retired, that still means that for that retirement day, instead of having 1,440 minutes to fill with useless activities, many of which you won’t enjoy, you will only have 1,433 minutes to fill.