Newsletter chitchat - February 18, 2025

[Ann Seeber]

  On 3/1/2025 at 9:03 AM, Michele said:

Too many people don't know how to have a conversation with people who have different views. We used to have civil talks and learned from each other. I still try. Oh, and it's really cold here. lol 

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Unfortunately, now even the weather is controversial. The NOAA, the federal weather and climate agency, has been hit with job cuts from DOGE. They oversee warnings about hurricanes and tornados and that season is just now starting up for 2025. They also report on global warming, and I guess that's now a no, no. Bad news there might impact big bottom lines... 😁

[Rene Marker]

  On 3/1/2025 at 9:03 AM, Michele said:

Too many people don't know how to have a conversation with people who have different views. We used to have civil talks and learned from each other. I still try. Oh, and it's really cold here. lol 

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So true. That's why there are certain subjects that I don't talk to others about, even people I've known my whole life. In the last 6 months, I reconnected with a high school classmate and I know that her views on certain subjects are much different than mine. We just don't talk about them, instead we talk about our lives in the 50 years since graduation (that's a lot to cover!) We also talk about the trip we went on together (that's where we reconnected, she was the bus lead on the bus I was on) and the bus trips we'll be on together this year. At least one where she will be in charge and possibly another one if there are 2 buses for the trip.

[Corrie Kinkel]

  On 3/1/2025 at 1:13 PM, Rene Marker said:

So true. That's why there are certain subjects that I don't talk to others about, even people I've known my whole life. In the last 6 months, I reconnected with a high school classmate and I know that her views on certain subjects are much different than mine. We just don't talk about them, instead we talk about our lives in the 50 years since graduation (that's a lot to cover!) We also talk about the trip we went on together (that's where we reconnected, she was the bus lead on the bus I was on) and the bus trips we'll be on together this year. At least one where she will be in charge and possibly another one if there are 2 buses for the trip.

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For me it will be extremely difficult to talk to people when I'm visiting my family in California in April. The times I was visiting them in the last coupe of years I was always asked what we in Europe are thinking of what is happening, or what we are thinking about Trump/Biden. I firstly have to explain that Europe is the continent and that it has many different countries who don't think the same or agree on the same things on many subjects. But this time I probably won't go into details and try to avoid such conversations as much as possible.

[Susan Ewart]

  On 3/1/2025 at 6:27 PM, Corrie Kinkel said:

For me it will be extremely difficult to talk to people when I'm visiting my family in California in April. The times I was visiting them in the last coupe of years I was always asked what we in Europe are thinking of what is happening, or what we are thinking about Trump/Biden. I firstly have to explain that Europe is the continent and that it has many different countries who don't think the same or agree on the same things on many subjects. But this time I probably won't go into details and try to avoid such conversations as much as possible.

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That's sad, and interesting that you mention this (your family wondering about what Europeans think).  I have friends who moved to Scotland 10 months ago.  They've told me what the that part of the Europe thinks of North America, even before I asked.  Corrie, don't worry about offending people here and in the US.  Most in N.A would agree, the actions of a few these days horrible.  Even the average North American will think the same thing.  Initially my friends were talking about the extreme measures we went through to appease the Woke culture (to the detriment of productivity in companies and expenditures to accommodate the culture), now I can only imagine what Europe and the rest of the world must be thinking.  I also find some people are overly passionate(extremist) about what they believe.  There is no talking to people like that, and they don't even want your opinion, they just want to blather on about how much they think they know and how right their opinions are.  I usually just make my grocery or to-do list in my head and insert a few uh huhs when necessary.  

[Corrie Kinkel]

  On 3/2/2025 at 3:37 PM, Susan Ewart said:

That's sad, and interesting that you mention this (your family wondering about what Europeans think).  I have friends who moved to Scotland 10 months ago.  They've told me what the that part of the Europe thinks of North America, even before I asked.  Corrie, don't worry about offending people here and in the US.  Most in N.A would agree, the actions of a few these days horrible.  Even the average North American will think the same thing.  Initially my friends were talking about the extreme measures we went through to appease the Woke culture (to the detriment of productivity in companies and expenditures to accommodate the culture), now I can only imagine what Europe and the rest of the world must be thinking.  I also find some people are overly passionate(extremist) about what they believe.  There is no talking to people like that, and they don't even want your opinion, they just want to blather on about how much they think they know and how right their opinions are.  I usually just make my grocery or to-do list in my head and insert a few uh huhs when necessary.  

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I keep that trick with huhs in mind. By the way my family isn't wondering what we in Europe think, they know! It are the contacts with the Amies that can be tricky now and I suppose it will be a lot of huhs, nodding and smiling.