Parallels to the 45th

Of course there was "other" news -- but for sure one news event dominated this week's TV and newspaper coverage.

Already there are parallels being suggested and DJT has hit the ground running. Today is his first full day in office and his schedule would have completely exhausted some of us for sure. I had the feeling that while watching the Inaugural Prayer Service, attended  by Trump/Pence and their families this morning, that at least for Trump, he was anxious to get on with other appointments.

Inauguration day was filled with interesting events, people and commentary. It was and is always interesting to me to observe how the interaction took place between folks from the different parties and holding different views.

And watching the expressions of the families involved was fascinating to say the least. This new president as all new presidents, needs to be given the chance to succeed and to hopefully impact our country in positive ways.

Of particular interest to me was observing the presidents as they changed places and trying to imagine what they were really thinking as they started on their new paths.

We of course will hear in detail of Trump's day today -- I have not heard what Obama is doing today -- but I think he is in Palm Springs.

I can't imagine how I would face either's new day.


What did I spend most of my time on this week -- well besides watching and listening to the pre-inauguration day events I tried to knuckle down and do my homework for the class I'm taking.

Of course I'm talking about "Genealogy Intensive", "The Write Stuff". This is a virtual class in that we all meet on the net mostly through Facebook.

I struggle with some of the things I need to do to get assignments, post assignments and to communicate with other class mates via Facebook.

It is a "Private Group" on Facebook so at least the things I say or write about supposedly are not seen by the general public -- at least I think that.

Complicating this week for me anyway is that I am also attempting to learn the software "Scrivener" shown above.

I'm finding a very steep learning curve with that program and have done very little so far within the program.

What makes it more difficult for me is that I have not used word processing or software like it very much. But, one of the things that I wanted to do this year was to "get outside of the box that I have been in" for a while.

It is so nice that I can take this course without worrying about grades as in my old school days. This class is for my own benefit and my grade will be whether I accomplish what I set out to do.

Scrivener is a top rated writer's software and I am determined to learn about and use the features that it offers. The interesting thing is that when I turn to the provided tutorials, they are often presented by "English" speakers -- all well and good except I have a real problem understanding what they say most of the time. It is not like on TV where I can turn on or off the subtitles to assist.

I have to say that Scrivener was not and is not a requirement for the class -- it was just offered as a possibility -- but I liked what I saw about it, even though I am still resorting to pen & paper and other ways of accomplishing assignments at times.

I don't think that there is a "timing" coincidence here, but this week McDonald's announced the introduction of two additional iterations of one of my favorites at McDonald's and that has to do with the "Big Mac".

I have enjoyed eating at McDonald's since the 1950s, when they first appeared in the Chicago suburbs.

It was not until some time in the 60s that the Big Mac was introduced and for me it was love at first taste.

In the 50s, my mother had just learned to drive and to supplement meal choice and diversity she would drive us the 3 or 4 miles to the nearest McD's and for under a dollar, each one of us kids could have a burger, fries and beverage. We did this about every two weeks or so.

Now, every once in a while, Gail and I stop and take a Big Mac home for lunch -- this new introduction will give us a choice as our (her's) eating needs have lessened somewhat.

I say, just like the new administration, this introduction needs to be given a chance to succeed.
As a matter of fact, I could eat one of those right now -- maybe I will . . .

So, what to do tomorrow. Well starting early in the afternoon here on the West Coast we'll be watching the NFL Championship games. Maybe that would be a good time for a "Big Mac" . . .

But it looks like a good break from political events. I think it might be the "Packers" and the "Pats" who will end up in the Super Bowl on 5 February in Houston, but anything could happen and it has before.

President George H W Bush, who is currently in the hospital, has a goal of attending the Super Bowl game which is only a few miles from where he is right now. I wish him the best and I hope that he can attend along with Barbara.

And, so that is a bit of our week. See you all "in a few"!