I awoke and performed my normal routine of getting ready for work. This consists of showering, coffee, and making sure I have my work polo on for virtual meetings. We are living in 2023. The world is becoming virtual, unfortunately, as it needs to.

My dog and I take to the outside world for fresh air and for him to relieve himself and roll in the morning dew-soaked grass. Grabbing a cup of joe on the way to the outside world, I ease back into my patio chair after several stretches. The normal thoughts race through my mind.

My mind takes me to the fact we populate this planet at a rate that it cannot handle. We do this without thought or care to the further strain on resource or lack of evolvement of our species.

Thinking to the fact I would like a modest home in a more rural area, yet median housing prices are, and have been, nearly seven times the average household income. Think about that one.

Inflation is real, although, it is not one produced by a government. It is one produced by people and the companies who can profit off of it. Simple. The housing inflation is caused by companies allowing families that make $125K a year to purchase million-dollar homes with little to no equity. The home they buy allows the seller an obscene amount of profit and they turn around and relocate to another market and pay cash, well above market value, and in turn, drive up that market’s price within a very short time. Rinse and repeat. What are we destined for with this behavior?

Ordering a pizza last night, it curled my toes. Something that merely a few years ago was $10 is now $25. I am sorry, there is absolutely no validation towards that increase of price. There are, however, excuses. At the end of the day, it is greed. It is unregulated capitalism.

My German Shepherd is staring at me. He is such a happy soul. I make sure of that. My mind draws to all the people who abuse and neglect animals. To the families who get the family pet and realize it is another soul to take care of. They surrender them or worse, dump them on some abandoned road or street and drive away. Happens every day. Why? No creature deserves this. None. Yet our human race is so narcissistic to make a creature of our planet as something irrelevant. They possess emotion, thought, intelligence, and most of all…love. Yes, majority of creatures do. Just not how you think they should.

Now thoughts go to the roommate we took on to help with finances. The one who happened to be very mentally ill and cannot hold down a job, refusing to take her meds, and obviously getting to a crossroad of having to tell her a shelter is her only option. I took on a roommate to help with finances, now it has gotten to the point of costing me resources and money.

Then there is one of my ex-employees who is staying with me. Said he needed to crash for a month while starting a new job in my area and getting things lined up to relocate his family back to this area. We are on month number two. I told him not to worry about rent, as the faster he can get his affairs in line, the faster he can get a place and get his family moved. This is going on month number three now. Plus, the fact he eats from our groceries and my wife does not want me stating anything about it.

So, one more day until Friday. Then I can lose myself in books all day and not have to see the news of all the dumb shit Trump says or does, the radical sides of either viewpoint, and can unplug and relax. Change only happens when you initiate it. I think it is time.

dK