1/14/2024

My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            Stories about you today are focused on your statement, “‘We do not support independence’ for Taiwan.’ It’s a surprising remark, taken out of context, so I have no idea what you meant.

The relationship between Taiwan & China raises questions for me.  What is the role of a “country”? What group of people should constitute a “country”?  “When would the people of a “country” be better off if it split up? I have similar questions about “family.”

            On a personal note, I used my BP cuff several times yesterday & got tremendously different readings over the day! They ranged from 98/52 to 153/76. I learned that if I breath & smile I can lower it by 10 points. I continue to be curious about it, but am no longer afraid that I have hypertension. Our bodies are fascinating, aren’t they?

            I need to tidy up around here & assemble Hoppin’ John so we are ready for a visit from our college friend. She gets us. She grew up in a town in NJ near the one my husband grew up in. Her uncle knew my uncle. She’s the most educated person I know. I’m taking her to a Renee Fleming (RF) concert tonight. You will recall that RF won a Kennedy Center award for her lifetime achievement as an opera singer. Should be great!

            Since I need to get going, I will give you a brief report on the latest from Burma. My source is a French man who lives in Yangon & occasionally joins our Zoom worhsip. He says word is that Gen. Min Aung Hlaing’s days as dictator will be over soon. Generals are defecting & the military’s biggest social media cheerleaders have turned on MAH. As reported in Irrawaddy, regime boosters are saying things like, “The military has lost dignity & its soldiers on the ground are desperate,” & “We are ashamed we have to use the word ‘surrender…We are inconsolable by the surrender of more than 2,000 troops & over 1,000 of their family members.”

            Times they are a-changing – let’s hope things get better.

            BYBS,