One of the great things about disconnecting myself from Twitter is that there were quite a few prominent twitter accounts that I strongly disagreed with politically that I used to click on anyway.

I did this hoping that they would tweet something I could agree with but it rarely happened. I'd then end up reading the comments of their fans, tweeting back my response, and before you know it my blood pressure was climbing. I don't miss it.

We must show our support for Ukraine but I am bothered by Merrick Garland's trip there today. It's the second trip he has made. But where has he been these past two years in holding Trump, John Eastman, Rudy Guliani, Mark Meadows etc etc accountable? I am hoping Jack Smith will do something but alot of time has been lost because Garland for whatever reason was and is hesitant to act decisively

What Scott Adams said was very wrong Basically he took the results of a poll asking a ridiculous question and made wide generalizations because of it. He won't apologize and I have a theory that too much success and wealth in life can breed arrogance and narcissism if one is not careful. You begin to think you can never be wrong and if you have your own podcast it's a bad combo.

Nikki Haley is running for President. There was a time when I thought she would have made a good VP or President. Haley was a popular governor of South Carolina. She took down the Confederate Flag in SC. She spoke out against Trump when he first ran. But then Trump got the nomination and she jumped on board and I never understood it. So I am not a Haley fan and yet I hope she can win the GOP nomimation in 2024 so that Trump is out of the running

I love it here!

If you love to read, as I do, why not committ to the Ray Bradbury Challenge. Here is Ray Bradbury himself explaining it:

"I'll give you a program to follow every night, a very simple program…one poem a night, one short story a night, one essay a night, for the next 1,000 nights"

I am taking the challenge till the end of this year and it's amazing how much I am learning. And poems, short stories and essays of one's choosing are easily available on line at no cost. #CoSoBooks

I wanted to check in today because I hear that Trump is thinking of ditching Truth Social and coming back to Twitter. Not happy about that but not as upset as I would be if I were still on twitter.

And it's amazing how when you deactivate your twitter account you don't miss it like you thought you would. I have no clue what Musk is tweeting these days and that's a relief. But leaving twitter doesn't solve everything. Still very worried about Trump 2024. But glad to be at Counter Social.

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." - Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau was a remarkable man, a writer, philosopher, abolitionist and a lover of nature. And so for 2023 having Thoreau as our mentor, not a bad idea. A Happy and Healthy New Year to everyone at Counter Social!

Testing because I just changed my profile and wanted to see how it appears.

Many years ago the TV show ER which I was really attached to made a plot decision that betrayed my trust, killing off a main character I cared about in an insulting and cruel way.

I stopped watching ER and the withdrawal was hard but eventually I found other TV shows and I feel the same way now regarding twitter and though I am still signed on there I am drastically limiting my time on twitter and am glad to have found counter social

It's so nice hear at Counter Social. People are thoughtful, talking meaninfully on all kinds of subjects and this site is restoring my faith in humanity.

Its a good idea to make a list of the books you want to read in 2023. Will you stick exactly to the list? Probably not but it's nice to set goals. One goal for me is rereading Wuthering Heights next year. I first read it 20 years ago and I knew at the time it was a masterpiece but on another level I never really understood it.. And so a second and deeper reading along with checking out what the critics say is needed. #CoSoBooks

A Christmas Carol starring Alistair Sim as Scrooge or Its A Wonderful Life starring Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey? Both are wonderful Holiday Movies and similar in that in both films an angel comes down to ask a man to look back on his life.

Of the two films I prefer A Christmas Carol because very few people lead lives as perfect as George Bailey. But Scrooge is a story of redemption and how it's never too late. It's an optimistic movie and Alistair Sim is magnificent as Scrooge.

Lisa Murkowski has won reelection to the US Senate. This matters not only because Trump will be furious 😃 But also along with Susan Collins and John McCain, Lisa Murkowski voted no to repealing the ACA back in 2017. Had any of these three Senators voted yes to repealing the ACA millions of Americans would have lost their health insurance. I will always be grateful and congratulations to Lisa Murkowski on her win!

#cosobooks A few weeks ago I read Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge and I finished the novel awed by Hardy's talent. He is a brilliant writer. But I also can't recall when I last read a novel where the main character, Michael H, suffered so many misfortunes, humiliations and just bad luck. It can be an uncomfortable experience reading a novel where so much is taken away from a character in terms of second chances. Oh well but all of that said Hardy is a genius

I am liking it here at Counter Social. I like the people who are posting. They are interesting and polite. And sure I am tempted to check out the other twitter alternatives but I am not going to do that. I am sticking with Counter Social and what a relief to know that I have Counter Social as an alternative to twitter which I enjoyed in the past but the decisions being made over there are worrying.

@CoSoBookClub. I love to read. It's my passion and so I wanted to share with the CoSoBookClub what I am currently reading: Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson. It's the first ovel in her Gaslight Mystery series set in early 20th century NYC and wow is it good!

Second Day on Counter Social. Reading a very good novel: Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson. It's the first book in her Gaslight mystery series set at the turn of the 20th century. It truly is worth your while..