Tariff Relief

It’s not new for chaos to be a part of my world, but 47 seems to have mastered it. While I feel relief that the tariffs have been put on hold for ninety days, there’s an unsettling twist: the Chinese tariffs are set to increase to 125%, all because 47 feels disrespected—perhaps because they haven’t bent to his will.

Even as I breathe a sigh of relief, I can’t help but grow more cynical. Did 47 instigate this whole mess just to manipulate the stock market? Or is the on-again, off-again nature of these tariffs a deliberate attempt to distract us from something more insidious happening in the background?

A growing number of business leaders are speaking out against this regime. When a conservative group files a lawsuit, claiming 47’s tariffs are an “unconstitutional exercise of legislative power,” and reports surface that wealthy businesspeople are turning on him due to the massive impacts of imports, it’s clear: 47 is losing the support of his former allies.

The strategy of 47’s regime seems to be built on chaos, cruelty, and collusion with foreign autocrats—an approach that comes at a tremendous cost to both Americans and the global community. As troubling as this is, we will continue to resist.

Even if my voice feels small, I stand firm in the belief that we must push back.

Our Differences Can Make Us Stronger

 

I am taking the day off from writing. Here is a saying I think is important. 

Handbasket Thoughts

 

Back in the late 1970s, early in my business career, the owner of the company I worked for would often say, "We are going to hell in a handbasket." He was in his mid- to late-60s at the time, and I, in my early twenties, usually just chalked it up to him being a bit of a grumpy old man. He'd often say it about the world in general or something his sons—who ran the business—had done that got under his skin. To me, it was just part of his quirky personality, and I found him funny. But now, looking back, I wonder what he would say if he could see the world today. It’s hard not to think that even he might find today's chaos even more staggering than the days he grumbled about.

It seems like everything is on fast-forward, and the world's problems are stacking up like never before. There's constant conflict in the news, polarizing opinions on every topic, and a sense that, no matter where I look, something important is unraveling. Politicians seem more out of touch than ever and there's this overwhelming feeling that things are happening faster than I can process. I try to take a news or social media break at least one day a week even though I am afraid I will miss some important news that day. It feels as though we're all speeding down a hill in that proverbial handbasket—except the hill is getting steeper, and the handbasket is shaking more than ever. Whether it's the economy, climate change, or technology running wild, it feels like we're careening toward a point of no return.

Perhaps my old boss would chuckle a bit and say, "I told you so," but then he'd maybe agree that the ride is much bumpier now. The world feels more unstable, unpredictable, and, dare I say, downright scary in ways that were hard to imagine back then. And what's wild is that all this craziness doesn't seem to faze the powers that be. It’s as if they’re too busy bickering or chasing their own agendas to notice we're all in the same handbasket, heading in the same direction. What would he say now? Would he still think we could turn things around, or has the handbasket finally reached its tipping point?

 

Neighborhood Dinner and Hands Off Protest Update

Our neighborhood progressive dinner was absolutely fantastic! It was well attended, with just three out of fourteen homes unable to make it. The food was delicious, and we had a wonderful time connecting with our neighbors. The positive energy was contagious! At our final stop for dessert, we were treated to an impromptu piano recital that sent shivers down my spine in the best way — it was just that beautiful.

Today has been a well-deserved day of rest for Joe and me after a busy week. I spent much of my day reading chat posts on Substack. People from all across the country were sharing their experiences from the Hands Off protests they participated in yesterday. Getting the information firsthand really lifted my spirits. I loved reading about how towns that initially expected 50 attendees saw 500 people sign up last minute, and then 2,000 showed up! It was so inspiring to hear how the turnout exceeded everyone's expectations.

                                       Screenshot of comment from someone else at Plymouth, MN on 4/5/2025

Another screenshot of a comment I found compelling.

Wow! Since papers like the New York Times buried the Hands Off Protest , I thought I would share that 5.2 million protestors showed up at the 1300+ planned protests throughout the United States. Only two arrests have been reported - both were MAGA supporters.

Another nationwide protest is scheduled for April 19th. Stay tuned for more information. 

Hands Off Protest

                                                                            (Photo from AP News Report)

Quick note before we begin our Neighborhood Progressive dinner that starts at 5:00 PM.

I drove Joe to Plymouth, about 35 minutes from us toward Minneapolis, so he could attend the Hands Off Protest. After dropping him off at the protest site—where there were already a lot of people, even though it was about 15 minutes before the official start time—I managed to find a parking spot just half a block away. I spent some time just watching the crowd build, reading posters, and soaking in the atmosphere.

Some of the signs that stood out included:

• "Dump Trump"

• "8647"

• "Deport Musk"

• "Hands Off Social Security"

• "I want a future for my children"

I had the chance to chat with a few people as they made their way back from the protest site. Their estimate was that a couple thousand people had shown up. Joe mentioned that most of the crowd seemed to be around our age or had brought their kids with them—families, really. He didn’t see many teens or people in their twenties, so we figured the college crowd probably flocked to the protest in Saint Paul instead.

Joe also shared some powerful stories from the event. One man, a Vietnam War veteran, expressed his anger at how 47 treats veterans. People voiced concerns about social security, ICE roundups, and violations of due process laws. A few even mentioned that this wasn’t their first protest—some of them had been active during the Vietnam War protests.

As the protest carried on, there were many cars that beeped their horns in support as they drove by. The whole event was peaceful—no one bothered the protesters at all.

From about a block away, I could see people arriving with American flags and more posters, all smiles and full of energy. There were even a few people using walkers, and I couldn’t help but admire their dedication.

By 4:00 pm Central Time today, reports showed that 3.1 million people had attended protests, and that was even before some of the larger ones had begun.

Great job, Americans! It’s a powerful reminder of the strength of collective action.

A Triple Whammy?

Musk is planning to overhaul the computer system code at the Social Security Administration, replacing COBOL with a more modern language like JAVA. While such a massive change typically takes a year or more, Musk aims to complete the transition in just "months." Ever the optimist, I’m hoping it takes closer to 12 months. The biggest concern among those who understand computer languages far better than I do is that glitches—far from uncommon in such transitions—could disrupt social security and disability checks for the 65 million people who rely on them.

This feels like an assault on multiple fronts, especially for those of us with retirement plans outside of Social Security. The tariffs rolled out this week have already impacted our retirement accounts. Not only are we facing higher prices at the grocery store and for other goods, but our investments are also taking a hit as the stock market continues to drop. While forecasts suggest the market will eventually recover, let’s just hope that recovery happens within our lifetimes.

Now, we may also be facing delays in receiving our social security checks—will it be one month? Two? No one seems willing to discuss how long it will take to "fix" a system that isn’t broken in the first place. So why the rush to change something that’s working?

Just recently, I read that DOGE is now at the Peace Corps Headquarters. When does the madness stop?

In the meantime, if you're looking for a way to take action from the comfort of your own living room, consider writing postcards to your government representatives. The Card Campaign has shared a recommendation, and sources are provided for those who want to learn more.

Facts for Postcards to Congress

• The Constitution of the United States
  https://www.senate.gov/about/origins-foundations/senate-and-constitution/constitution.htm

•  Members of Congress, Oath of Office
  https://bensguide.gpo.gov/j-oath-office

• Find your representatives
  https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative/addr/

Favorite (Recent) Cartoons & Memes

I am thankful for Joe Coehlo!

Brrr ...

 

Today's cartoon is for my introverted friends who often tell me they don’t like people. As an introvert myself, I get it—but I find that I enjoy and appreciate people most of the time.

We’ve got snow again today. It’s been a mix of snow and rain all day, and yesterday wasn’t much different. This morning, in the midst of the rain, we made a Costco run to grab ingredients for our upcoming progressive neighborhood dinner. I also managed to knock out some housework and get our weekly laundry done. A few more chores are left to finish, and then I plan to unwind this evening with a good book.

On Saturday, from noon to 1:30pm, Joe will be attending the Hands Off National Day of Action rally in Plymouth. I won’t be able to join the march itself due to the distance, but I’ll try to park close enough to snap some photos and share the experience on Facebook. There are a few other protests happening around the same time, but we had already committed to the progressive dinner when the rally announcement came out. I’m grateful we can make both work in our schedule.

Are you planning to attend a Hands Off rally on April 5th?

Cory Booker Speaks On Behalf of All Americans

Senator Cory Booker’s speech, which has now lasted 23 hours and 40 minutes (and I’m cheering him on for as long as he can go), has been a powerful moment, putting on the record the deep concerns many Americans feel about what has transpired since 47 and Musk took office. I truly don’t understand how any American who loves this country could support the way these two men have handled the job of downsizing the government.

I can grasp the philosophy of wanting a smaller government, even though I don’t share that view. But there are legal processes and procedures they could have followed to take action in a lawful way. Instead, they’ve shown a complete disregard for the law. But honestly, is anyone surprised? Neither 47 nor Musk seem to respect anything except money.

Many people supported 47 for President because they believed he could improve the economy. But that has not been the case. Retail prices are higher than when he took office, gas prices in our area remain the same (thankfully), the stock market is on a downward trend, unemployment is up, and job creation has stalled. Forty-seven has told us to expect things to get worse, claiming that it’s necessary for all of us to suffer while he “fixes” the economy.

Here’s the thing: 47 inherited a strong economy, and in just two months, he hasn’t “fixed” anything. Historically, tariffs have never worked to the advantage of the American people. Let’s talk about wood – we import it from Canada. With tariffs, it will cost more to build homes. And homes are already out of reach for so many people. Similarly, Canada and Mexico supply automobile parts for American car manufacturers. Tariffs will make American cars and repairs more expensive. In fact, people are already talking about putting off purchasing a new car.

And let’s not overlook Senator Booker’s incredible achievement—he just broke Strom Thurmond’s filibuster record! What an extraordinary job!

Day of Rest

Today is a day of rest for me. We’re part of a progressive dinner party this Saturday evening, so I should probably be cleaning the house. But all I can muster the energy for is reading! So, I’m giving myself permission to leave the cleaning for later this week. Thankfully, there’s not a lot to do, though you'd never know it from my overactive brain!

For the past thirty minutes, I've been watching the neighbor’s backyard. The house is just behind us, one lot over. A woman—her age hard to pinpoint—and a six-year-old child are playing with a large breed dog. I just watched the woman scoop up dog poop and toss it into another neighbor's yard. That neighbor has a dog too, so I guess they won’t even notice it’s not theirs.

Come summer, the trees will be in full bloom, blocking our view of the house. In twenty days, we’ll celebrate our first year in this home. Today, for the first time, I saw the neighbors out in their backyard. The best part of having a sunroom with big windows on three sides is that I can people-watch while comfortably settled at my desk. It’s quite a perk for a nosy person like me.

And now, this nosy person is going to read.

The Power of Persistence

Charlotte at Tractor Supply 3.30.2025 - MET HER GOAL!

Charlotte was able to secure two booth slots today at the Rockford Tractor Supply. As Megan reviewed her sales, she realized Charlotte still needed fifty-one boxes to reach her goal. Joe helped Charlotte and me set up the booth around noon, then he wandered through the supply store until he and I had to head out for another engagement at 1:30 pm. Shanna, Charlotte’s mom, arrived at 1:15 pm to get the hang of the credit card system and man the booth until 3:30 pm.

Around 3:45 pm, Megan texted me to let me know Charlotte had sold forty boxes. Then, a man walked up and donated $100, which translates into sixteen boxes, bringing Charlotte’s total to fifty-six boxes. Later that day, one of Shanna’s family members also placed an online order. We’re all beyond excited!

This morning, Charlotte mentioned that she’d done booths for four days straight—twelve hours of standing, asking for orders, and hearing “No thank you” over and over. We’d agreed early on that each “no” meant a “yes” was coming soon, so the “no’s” became part of the process to get to the “yes.” I’m incredibly proud of her for maintaining a cheerful attitude, sticking with it, and putting in the effort. Several times, when things were slow, we talked about how important it is to show up and keep going, regardless of how tough it gets.

I don’t know who the man was who donated the $100 or what inspired him, but his gesture was a gift to our family. It’s moments like that that make this journey so meaningful.

By the end of the day, we were all ready to wrap up the weekend. Even though the Girl Scout Council decided to extend the selling period by a week, the sales could only continue door to door—no more booth sales. Charlotte had already sold in her neighborhood and to neighbors on our street. We’re also thankful to the Girl Scout in her troop who reached her goal and was generous enough to let Charlotte take over the Tractor Supply booth, while she took a booth in a town farther away.

The morning didn’t start out easy for Megan. While prepping the cookie inventory, she pinched a nerve in her back while lifting a box. With the baby asleep upstairs, she wasn’t sure how she’d manage to safely bring him downstairs. Worried she might be stuck, she tried stretching to ease the pain. Jeremy works on Sundays, so Megan didn’t want to worry Charlotte. Eventually, she made it upstairs, took a pain pill, and was soon able to safely bring Oliver down and finish preparing the cookies for the booth.

After Joe and I left Charlotte, we drove to Edina to join friends at Missing Pieces Escape Games. We did the Ruin Raiders Room, and it was incredible! Only Juli and I had done an escape room before, and the other three (including Joe) were first-timers. Though we didn’t escape, we all agreed it was an absolute blast. Afterwards, we met at Red Lobster for dinner and spent almost three hours chatting and enjoying each other’s company.

By the way it snowed off and on (mostly on) the entire day; however, coming home the roads were clear and there was no snow in our driveway. We saw more snow in the Edina area (about forty minutes southeast of Saint Michael). When we got back into town, we still had quite a bit of snow accumulation on our car, so we drove by the carwash and took advantage of our unlimited monthly carwash pass.

All in all, a lovely day!

Saturday Fixes - Or the Cub Credit Has Been Resolved

This is exactly how I felt today after a busy week!

Perhaps the highlight of the day was resolving the twice-paid-for corned beef from Cub. Earlier this week, I called the bookkeeper at Cub. She quickly accessed our receipts, reviewed them, and confirmed, "We owe you a credit." So today, we went into the store to get the credit applied to our card. The customer service representative (CSR) on duty was the same one who had originally made the charge and had assured Joe that everything was correct when he had questioned him about it.

Joe was a bit apprehensive about dealing with the same CSR again, but when we approached the register to explain the situation, the CSR surprised us. "Yes, I remember this," he said, "I'm so glad you came in while I’m here so I can apologize. I’m really sorry for the mistake." He quickly processed the credit and added, “Next time, I’ll make sure to separate the return from the recharge to avoid any confusion.” We reassured him, "No worries—we’re not perfect either, and we’re just happy it’s all been resolved."

Later, one of our neighbors stopped by with a question about a Facebook Messenger notification she had received that made her feel uncomfortable. After seeing the message, I completely understood why—it was from someone impersonating my account (though Facebook insists there’s no duplicate account in my name). The message claimed she was eligible for financial assistance to cover food needs and asked for personal information to "complete her application."

Although the message used my name, it lacked a photo of me and led to a link with someone else’s name. I’m so relieved she came to me first and didn’t fall for the scam. We ended up having a nice visit, drinking tea, eating Girl Scout cookies, and sharing photos of our newest grandson with her. As the mom of four (her youngest being about 20 months old), she totally understands the excitement of a new baby!

Charlotte is Within Reach of Her Goal!

A photo of my favorite Brownie

It’s been a busy (but blessed) day for me. Joe’s stuck at home with a cold, but at least he had the chance to rest while I was out and about.

Charlotte and I spent three hours at a cookie booth at Cub in Buffalo tonight. It was a little slow, but every box sold brings her closer to her goal, and we agreed that’s what makes it all worthwhile.

She’s just 112 boxes away from hitting her 1,000-box Girl Scout cookie goal! The family reward for reaching that milestone is that she gets to pick a color for her dad (Jeremy) to dye his hair. As of now, she’s set her sights on a half-blue, half-purple look. I’m pretty sure he wears a hat all day at work, so he may be able to dodge the embarrassment! Honestly, I suspect that Jeremy will rock whatever color she chooses and he will wear it with pride. He's a cool dad!

Booth Adventures: A Day of Cookies, Community, and Conversations

Charlotte - Our 9-year old cookie guru

Charlotte and I spent the day working a Girl Scout cookie booth at our local Walmart. We were there for four hours, interacting with a steady stream of customers. While our sales weren’t through the roof—we sold 48 boxes during that time—we did manage to receive $30.00 in donations from people who wanted to support her troop. It’s worth noting that cookie sales, in general, are down across the nation.

In fact, recent reports show that snack sales in America have dropped by 4.3% as of February 23, 2025. The main reason? Financial pressures. People are sticking to the essentials while navigating an uncertain economy. Health concerns also play a role in the decline of snack purchases.

Still, I love doing these booths with Charlotte because (1) she’s just so adorable that people can’t help but smile and wish her good luck, even if they’re not buying cookies, and (2) we always end up learning something new about the people we meet. Today, we even talked about gathering those little snippets of conversation and turning them into a story someday.

While at Walmart, we took note of what people were buying. The most popular items? Bottled water, toilet paper, and paper towels—bulky, visible products that aren’t concealed in plastic bags. There was one man in his late 20s, though, who had a giant flat-screen TV, bigger than our bathrooms at home! It’s clear he’s confident about his financial situation and the economy in general.

Given the slower sales, cookie sales have been extended for an extra week in our area. Charlotte is just 150 boxes shy of reaching her 1,000-box goal, so we’re hopeful that her continued hard work and the extra time will help her hit that mark. A huge thank you to everyone who has supported her along the way!

Baby Steps

Leaving you with this thought today! Taking a break from writing and social media this evening.

Ten Days Down

Ten days ago, I made a commitment to myself to exercise for one hour each day. So far, I’ve kept that promise for eight out of the ten days. I’ve decided to take weekends off, which means my goal is five hours of exercise per week.

Right now, most of my workouts are a mix of stretches, chair yoga, and chair exercises. I did manage to squeeze in a 10-minute session of floor exercises—though, honestly, one of the perks of that is how much effort it takes to get back up off the floor! Still, I’m breaking a sweat without pushing myself to the point of injury. Some days I feel incredibly motivated, while other days, not so much.

Tonight, my daughter asked me to hunt down some specific family photos. These were tucked away in the back of a closet, buried under a stack of boxes. By the time I had the box uncovered and sorted through the photos, I’d racked up another thirty minutes of exertion for the day. At one point, I was so wiped out that I had to lie down on one of the guest beds nearby—hey, that has to count as exercise too, right?

I know there’s a lot of work ahead of me if I want to get in better shape, but I’m focusing on one day at a time and trying to keep a positive mindset. Some days are easier than others, but I’m staying committed.

Meme Favorites for Past Week

 

Citizenship for Sale

Today, I came across an article in The Atlantic titled “Americans Are Buying an Escape Plan,” written by Atossa Araxia Abrahamian. It dives into the growing trend of purchasing citizenship, not only in the United States but around the globe. Recently, the leader of the current U.S. administration floated the idea of offering a ‘gold card’ for foreign nationals, a citizenship package priced at a staggering five million dollars. Abrahamian points out that selling citizenship isn’t exactly a novel idea, noting that “About half of the world’s nations already offer visas, permanent residence, or even full citizenship for sums ranging from the low five to low seven figures.” She adds that the U.S. itself offers up to 10,000 residency permits annually through its EB-5 investor visa program, which Congress has extended until 2027—at a cost of roughly $1 million per applicant.

However, the bigger revelation Abrahamian highlights isn’t about foreigners buying into the U.S.; it’s the increasing exodus of Americans seeking alternative citizenships. While few foreigners are rushing for U.S. citizenship these days, Americans have been scrambling to secure foreign passports since November. For many, it’s not about relocating—they’re acquiring these citizenships as an emergency backup plan.

And yet, tourism to the U.S. is in freefall. Joyce Vance writes about how several foreign nations have issued travel warnings to their citizens regarding trips to the U.S. It’s a stark contrast to our time in Egypt between July 2002 and 2003, when I’d regularly check travel advisories for neighboring countries. Back then, if you’d told me the U.S. was on any warning list, I’d have thought you were out of your mind. 

Alison Luterman Poem

Sharing this poem as a reminder to continue to look for joy. 

At Albany Bulb with Elaine

By Alison Luterman

Side by side on a log by the bay.

Sunlight. Unleashed dogs,

prancing through surf, almost exploding

out of their skins with perfect happiness.

Dogs who don't know about fired park rangers,

or canceled health research, or tariff wars,

or the suicide hotline for veterans getting defunded,

or or or. We've listed horror upon horror

to each other for weeks now, and it does no good,

so instead I tell her how I held a two-day old baby

in my arms, inhaling him like a fresh-baked loaf of bread,

then watched as a sneeze erupted through his body

like a tiny volcano. It was the look of pure

astonishment on his face, as if he were Adam

in the garden of Eden making his debut achoo,

as if it were the first sneeze that ever blew,

that got me. She tells me how her dog

once farted so loudly he startled himself

and fell off the bed where he'd been lolling,

and then the two of us start to laugh so hard

we almost fall off our own log. And this

is our resistance for today; remembering

original innocence. And they can't

take it away from us, though they ban

our very existence, though they slash

our rights to ribbons, we will have

our mirth and our birthright gladness.

Long after every unsold Tesla

has vaporized, and earth has closed over

even the names of these temporary tyrants,

somewhere some women like us

will be sitting side by side, facing the water,

telling human stories and laughing still.

Source: https://robertreich.substack.com/p/the-trump-day-mare?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share (3/22/2025)