Tag Archives: United States

October 17, 2025 · 7:00 am

Why Didn’t the U.S. Adopt the Metric System? – Part 3 of a 3 Part Series

In Part 1 of this series, I explained how I became curious about the planned conversions from the Imperial to the Metric systems of measurement in Canada and the United States. In Part II, I provided a history of Canada’s laws that enforced the conversion and where the country stands now in utilizing the Imperial versus Metric measuring systems. Now, let’s examine the United States’ history regarding the metric system, followed by my opinion on why it failed to implement the planned conversion.

The United States is a muddled mess when it comes to its measuring system. This inconsistency and lack of follow-through dates back to our founding fathers and continues through our failure to complete the transition to the metric system in the 1970s.

History:

 When the American Colonies were being formed, the Founding Fathers decided to use an antiquated measurement system they inherited from the British Empire. Article 1, Section 8, of the Constitution of the United States provided that Congress should have the power “to coin Money… and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures.” Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State in 1790, endorsed the use of a decimal system of measurement. The only fear was that the United States would be unable to verify the metric units without sending a delegation to France, which would be costly.

The metric system originated in France. The goal was to establish a uniform standard for all measurements and weights. The unit of length was a portion of the Earth’s circumference, and volume and mass were derived from the length unit. This was achieved by multiplying or dividing by 10 and its powers. Ten is much easier to work with than dividing by 16 (to convert ounces to pounds) or 12 (to convert inches to feet). The metric system is a decimal system with a base of 10, allowing for calculations by shifting the decimal point.

The French government officially adopted the metric system on April 7, 1795. A scientific conference was held from 1798 to 1799 to validate the system and design prototype standards, with representatives from Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland in attendance. The adopted standards became official in France on December 10, 1799.

The United States was snubbed by France when it invited the other dignitaries to travel to Paris to learn the metric system in 1978. This snubbing was due to the U.S. entering into the Jay Treaty of 1796 with Great Britain, a French rival. France viewed this as a violation of its own treaty with the United States. It retaliated by seizing American merchant ships and refusing to invite them to the conference on the metric system.

The United States, having not taken part in this gathering, adopted the U.S. Customary System as our official form of measurement under Secretary of State John Quincy Adams in 1821. Part of the reason for this decision was fear that the metric system might fail following Napoleon Bonaparte’s reign during the early 19th century. Napoleon imposed the metric system on the countries he conquered, making it a symbol of French control. When European countries revolted against French control, they returned to their original means of measurement. Even with this revolt against France, the metric system continued to grow in popularity. By the end of the American Civil War in 1865, most of Europe had adopted the decimal-based measuring system.

The metric system was gaining popularity worldwide, and although we had not been invited to the 1798 gathering in France to learn about the system, President Andrew Johnson recognized its importance. In 1866, President Johnson signed the  Kasson Act, making it “lawful throughout the United States of America to employ the weights and measures of the metric system in all contracts, dealings, or court proceedings.”

France held another meeting of the world’s leading nations to discuss a new international version of the metric system, and the United States received an invitation and sent delegates. During the 1875 meeting, the United States and 16 other countries signed the Treaty of Metre, establishing the International Bureau of Weights and Measures. The treaty also created the International Committee for Weights and Measures to oversee the Bureau and the General Conference on Weights and Measures to consider and adopt changes. A lab in Sevres, near Paris, was selected to house the international metric standards. The U.S. received its copies of these documents in 1890.

The Mendenhall Order of 1893 stipulated that the fundamental standards for length and mass in the U.S. would be based on metric units. This means the U.S. officially and legally recognized the metric system 159 years ago when Tomas Jefferson, in 1790, endorsed the decimal system of measurement. That standard was confirmed 132 years ago with the signing of the Mendenhall Order.

Current U.S. Standards

If you are like me, you probably read those last two dates and went “what!!!” If this has been our standard for over 132-159 years, why are we still not using the metric system? In my opinion, it is a combination of laziness, unwillingness to invest financially in the change, and, most importantly, lawmakers who were weak in committing to the change and developing a law that would mandate the conversion. Here is what happened that led me to that thought process:

Fast forward 78 years from the entry of the Mendenhall Order to 1971. The United States is still operating under the Customary Imperial system. The U.S. National Bureau of Standards recommended in 1971 that the U.S. transition to the metric system over the course of 10 years. This would mean that by 1981, the country would be fully converted to the metric system. The first problem was the weak law that enacted this process.

The Metric Conversion Act was signed into law by President Gerald Ford on December 23, 1975. It states that the metric system is “the preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerce.” Still, it permits the U.S. customary units in all activities. It states that all conversions to metric are “completely voluntary” rather than establishing the 10-year deadline recommended by the U.S. National Bureau of Standards. Schools began teaching children the metric system, and some businesses made the change; however, the majority of conversions never took place.

Due to the U.S. failing to complete the conversion to the metric system, conducting business with foreign countries became more difficult. In 1988, the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act amended the 1975 Metric Conversion Act. Federal agencies were now required to use the metric system in business activities, including procurement grants, by the end of the 1992 fiscal year. It designated the metric system as the preferred standard for trade and commerce and assigned the Federal Government the task of helping industry make a voluntary conversion to the metric system. The problem is that the conversion remains voluntary, and the private sector has no obligation to implement the change.

The result of these non-mandatory laws is that they left the United States out of sync with the rest of the world. It also means that some industries made partial or complete changes, while made no change at all. The United States is a hub of various measuring standards that are not mutually compatible.

Today, the U.S. uses the SI (International System of Units) on a daily basis. About 30% of products manufactured in the U.S. use metric units. Pharmaceuticals are all metric, and beverages show both U.S. customary and metric units. Film, tools, and bicycles are metric. U.S. coins & currency are produced using metric specifications. Wine and distilled spirits have been using only metric measurements since the early 1980s. Packaging uses metric units to provide net quantity, nutrition, and health-related information for prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamin supplements, and other products. The U.S. lighting sector uses metrics for light output (lumens), peak beam intensity (candela), beam distance (in meters), and impact resistance (in meters).

Understanding Imperial Standards

This article begins with Part 1, which explains my curiosity about how our current measures were established. I’ve taken a wide-ranging approach to the subject, due in part to my curiosity and love of history, and partly because I believe that to understand where we are, we must know where we came from.

While all this history is fascinating, it still didn’t answer my question of how the Imperial System of measurements was established. These measurements appear to date back to around 450 CE (Common Era; a secular version of AD). It was then that the Germanic tribes invaded England and established a system of measurement that remains in use today:

  • An inch (ynce) was the length of three (3) barleycorns.
  • A foot was initially based on the length of a human foot. This led to inconsistencies in measurement, so the 12-inch foot was officially codified by King Edward II, likely because 12 has more factors, making it easier to subdivide for carpentry and construction.
  • A yard was established as a 3-foot construction standard.
  • An acre means a field and was considered the size of a field that a farmer could plow in one day.
  • A gallon represents the volume equivalent to eight pounds of wheat.
  • A mile was established by the British Parliament as eight (8) furlongs, or 5,280 feet. A furlong was a length based on a single furrow in a plowed field and was standardized by England’s government around 1300.

The United States is the only industrialized nation that hasn’t made the metric system compulsory. While cost is one factor, the main reason is the failure of Congress to make the metric system mandatory in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories. The U.S. made the conversion voluntary in laws enacted in both 1866 and 1975. The country has failed to adopt a unified system of metric measurement for transactions that affect the lives of ordinary citizens.

This has led to a hubbub of mixed measuring standards:

  • A football field is measured in yards, but footraces are measured using meters.
  • Mechanics use horsepower to measure an automobile engine’s power, but the same engine’s displacement is in liters.
  • Air pressure is expressed in pounds per square inch, which is equivalent to millibars for air pressure aloft, and inches of mercury for surface atmospheric pressure.

In the U.S. Customary System, there are over 300 different units used to measure various physical quantities. The failure of Congress to make conversion to the metric system mandatory has resulted in the U.S. being a hodgepodge of imperial and metric systems.

Basic Measurement Conversions:

1 mile = 1.6 kilometers.
1 foot (12 inches) = 30 centimeters
1 inch is about 25 millimeters or 2.54 centimeters
1 yard (3 feet) is almost 1 meter
1 kilogram is just over 2 pounds
1 pound is about 454 grams
In the U.K., 14 pounds = 1 stone

Converting Fahrenheit to Celsius is easy:
0 degrees Celsius (°C) is equal to 32 degrees Fahrenheit (°F)
24 degrees Celsius is equal to 75 degrees Fahrenheit
To convert Celsius to Fahrenheit, use the formula of (c x 1.8) + 32

If you want to know more, you can use the World Wide Metric Conversion Calculator for converting pressure, temperature, length, weight, and volume. Just enter the measurement you have, and it will fill in all other boxes within that area.

In closing, should the United States have enacted firmer laws mandating the change to metric? Do you think it would be better if we were on the same measuring system as the rest of the world, or do you like being a stand-alone country using the U.S. Customary System adaptation of the British Imperial System? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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October 11, 2025 · 7:00 am

Why Didn’t the U.S. Adopt the Metric System? – Part 2 of a 3 Part Series

In Part 1, I explained how I became curious about the reasons the U.S. did not convert to the metric system at the same time Canada was making the change, leaving us as one of only three countries in the world that do not use the metric system of measurement. This section explains what Canada did to ensure it completed its commitment to switching from the Imperial to the Metric system during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

In January 1970, the “White Paper on Metric Conversion in Canada” established the Canadian government’s policy regarding its conversion to the metric system. The document specified that Canada would utilize a single, coherent measurement system based on metric units for all purposes. They then developed the “Weights and Measures Act” in 1971 to recognize the International System of Units (SI) for use in Canada. The “Consumer Packaging and Labeling Act” in 1971 required the use of the metric system on most consumer packaging labels.

The change from Imperial to Metric took time in Canada and began in the mid-1970s. I was a high school student in the United States and didn’t concern myself with what was going on in Canada. I do remember them telling us that we needed to learn the metric system because the country was changing to that form of measurement. I also recall that there were many objections to making the switch. We did incorporate some changes rather quickly, the main one being the switch to one- and two-liter bottles of soda. I don’t remember many other changes being made.

A look at how Canadians Measure

In Canada, things were rolling along at a gradual but steady pace:

  • Temperatures in Celsius beginning April 1, 1975
  • Rain and snowfall in millimeters and centimeters starting September 1975
  • Road signs showing speed limits in kilometers in September 1977
  • Speedometers and odometers in cars are manufactured in metric units beginning January 1979
  • Gas stations were pricing and dispensing gasoline and fuel in liters in 1979
  • Fabrics and home furnishings were required to be advertised and sold in meters and centimeters beginning in December 1980
  • Conversion of food weight measurements for advertising and pricing in metric units, starting December 1983.

We tend to assume Canada is solely metric, rather than the melting pot of systems that actually exist there. Canadians still use imperial units rather than metric in some areas. In 1985, Canada exempted some small businesses from the requirement of metric sales. Other requirements were also revoked, including the use of metric alone for measuring gasoline, diesel fuel, and home furnishings.

Even given these leniencies to a complete change, if you travel to Canada, be prepared for your speed limits and mileage signs to your next stop to be in kilometers, gasoline is sold in liters, and if grocery shopping, have a calculator/cell phone handy to make conversions from metric sizing to imperial sizing. This information is especially helpful when determining the size of ingredients for a recipe.

Being a lifelong resident of the United States, I didn’t delve as deeply into Canada’s history of its measuring system conversion as I did into my own country’s. Watch for Part III, where I’ll give the United States’ history and why it failed to complete the conversion.

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October 5, 2025 · 7:23 pm

Why Didn’t the U.S. Adopt the Metric System? – Part 1 of a 3 Part Series

Listening to a weather forecast on a Canadian TV station, the temperatures are given in Celsius. Paul, who grew up in Canada, makes the mental conversion easily. Paul grew up using the Imperial system of measurement, which is used in the United States. After he was an adult and had immigrated to the U.S., Canada converted to the metric system. Paul is an electrician, a profession that uses the metric system of measurement. That, combined with his frequent travel to Canada, means he is familiar with both systems and believes the metric is a more accurate means of measurement.

Paul frequently comments that the U.S. was supposed to make the conversion to the metric system when Canada did, but failed to fulfill their promise. I recall being in grade school when we were told that the United States would adopt the metric system. I wondered how valid Paul’s repeated comment was, so I delved into researching the topic.

 Canada was making the transition at the same time and completed their conversion between 1970 and 1985. The United States never finished the conversion, despite agreeing to do so, and continues to use the Imperial System today. That made me wonder, why did Canada succeed, and we didn’t?

In my opinion, the U.S. failed to complete the conversion due to a lack of effort and unwillingness to invest in implementing the change. Businesses opposed the cost of having to retool and adjust standardized measurement systems, including bolts, pipes, and nuts, to metric measurements. The Metric Conversion Act of 1975 [ https://usma.org/laws-and-bills/metric-conversion-act-of-1975 ] made the metric system preferred, but not mandatory. This, combined with public resistance and the government’s inability to enforce the change, led to the failure to implement the change.

As of today, the United States is only one of three countries (the United States, Liberia, and Myanmar (Burma)) worldwide using the Imperial measurement system. The Imperial system [ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Imperial-unit ] (also known as the British Imperial system) originated from the British Empire, which ruled many areas of the world between the 16th and 19th centuries. Although the U.S. Founding Fathers made numerous changes in governing style when obtaining independence from Britain, they decided to maintain the Imperial system of measurement, despite the metric system growing in popularity.

A chart showing the Imperial vs Metric measurement and weight differences.

Rather than adopting it in its original state, the United States devised its own version of the Imperial system, known as the U.S. Customary System. It uses measurements of feet, pounds, and miles, but differs slightly from the British Imperial system. The most substantial difference is in volume:

  • The U.S. Customary fluid ounce is 29.573 ml; the British Imperial fluid ounce is 28.413 milliliters.
  • The U.S. Customary pint is 473.176 ml (16 fl. oz); the British Imperial pint is 568.261 ml (20 fl. oz).
  • The U.S. Customary quart is 0.94 L (32 fl. oz); the British Imperial quart is 1.13 L (40 fl. oz).
  • The U.S. Customary gallon is 3.78 L (128 fl. oz); the British Imperial gallon is 4.54 L (160 fl. oz).

The reason for creating the Customary version of the Imperial system was that the metric system was not yet fully developed. The Founding Fathers had a desire to establish a unique national identity and infrastructure, and tweaking the system to make it unique to the U.S. was their way of achieving this goal.

Myanmar (Burma) and Liberia use the Imperial system but are transitioning to the metric system; neither has a predicted completion date. Once their conversions are final, the U.S. will be the sole user of the Imperial system. In 2021, the British government announced plans to return to the Imperial system during its exit from the European Union. The changeover began but was abandoned in 2024 after consulting with the public and discovering overwhelming support for using metric units. They do still use the imperial system for things such as beer sales, road speed, and distance signs, and body measurements.

Although I found the metric system difficult to learn as a child, our government failed its citizens by not enforcing a complete change in the 1970s. A full conversion would have served business owners better in international trade negotiations and put us on equal terms with all foreign lands in understanding measurements when traveling.  

All countries worldwide, including the U.S., Myanmar, and Liberia, have adopted or legally sanctioned the International System of Units (SI), the modern form of the metric system. Canada and the United States are both melting pots of the Imperial and Metric measurement styles.

Watch for Part II and Part III in upcoming blogs, which will deal with the law and the Canadian conversion, the laws and the United States conversion, and where the United States stands today.

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June 1, 2020 · 11:50 pm

A Country at War With Itself

It is sad what the United States has become in just a short period of time. As we look at the destruction created by the looting and vandalism in the past few days, it is disturbing to see how much anger and hurt is harbored by so many of our citizens.

In truth, this is not a hurt or anger created by only George Floyd’s death, when a white officer pushed a knee into his neck for 8+ minutes, resulting in his death. This came only a few months after the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, who was attacked and gunned down by two white men while out for a jog. It took months for those men to be charged with a crime, and only after a video of the incident went viral on social media.

The protests being waged following Mr. Floyd’s death are the result of pent-up anger that has continued to grow as black people are disproportionately killed by white law enforcement officers.  Blacks make up 13% of the U.S. population, but are 2-1/2 times more likely to be killed by police.

What is further infuriating is that in many cases the officers are not charged for having committed a crime. If charged many are found not guilty.

A huge problem in this country is the blue wall of silence, also referred to as the blue code of honor. This is a silent code under which police officers stay silent, refusing to report other officers who exercise misconduct, criminal behavior, discrimination, police brutality, or any other unethical action. Body cameras and bystanders recording on their cell phone cameras are finally bringing some of this to light.

I was very pleased to see the Minneapolis Police Chief remove his hat and kneel at the spot where George Floyd’s life was taken, and also remove his hat when he answered their questions on the news. This shows him to be a person of moral and ethical character.

When questioned the police chief stated that he fired of all four officers because the other three officers, by not intervening, were complicit with Derek Chauvan having his knee in the neck of George Floyd for 8+ minutes, resulting in death. Derek Chauvin, who has been charged with 3rd degree murder and manslaughter.  The other officers have not been charged.

I have seen many cities where police officers are walking with demonstrators or kneeling with them in prayer. This shows that not all law enforcement condone the behavior of the bad, but it is not enough to heal the pain that has been going on for too long.

Obama Administration

It was only a short 12 years ago that this country reached a milestone when it elected Barack Obama as President of the United States. This country, with its horrible history of slavery, racial oppression and discrimination, had elected a black man into its highest-ranking position.  That said a lot for how far our country had come.

Barack Obama served for 8 years as president.  During his presidency there were several high-profile deaths of black Americans engaged in encounters with the police and protests led to rioting:

  • Oscar Grant, a black transit passenger, was shot by a white police officer. Riots broke out in Oakland, California. The officer, Johannes Mehserle was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
  • George Zimmerman was acquitted of murdering Trayvon Martin, a black teenager, and riots broke out in Los Angeles.
  • Manuel Diaz, a 25-year old black man, was shot to death when he ran from police. Destructive demonstrations broke out in Orange County, California.
  • Kimini Gray, a 16-year old, was killed by police after allegedly pointing a handgun at them. Riots broke out in Brooklyn, New York.

The Black Lives Matter movement began in 2013. It was created to give black people a voice in civil rights. Issues included a broken criminal justice system and a higher unemployment level among black Americans. Those problems still exist today.

Black Lives Matter believes in peaceful demonstrations. They do not participate nor do they encourage looting and violent acts like those taking place today.

George Floyd’s Two Autopsies

After the autopsy of George Floyd’s death indicated he died from underlying health conditions, not from the loss of breath created by a knee on his neck for 8+ minutes, people were angry and upset. His family ordered an independent autopsy.

That independent autopsy determined George Floyd’s death was caused by “asphyxiation from sustained pressure”. The difference in the two determinations makes one question whether the first medical examiner works frequently with the police and is part of the “code of blue.” Both medical examiners ruled the death a homicide.

Where We Stand on Race

In 2016 a survey showed 56% of white Americans said the race of a subject made no difference in the use of police force, but only 18% of black Americans believed that to be true.  More than 2/5 of black people said that police in their community made them feel more anxious than safe.

U.S. citizens, looking for change, elected Donald Trump in 2016. A non-politician, non-military, public figure who promised to Make America Great Again.  The question now comes to mind, Is America at War With Itself?

There continues to be racial divide in this country on how people are viewed based on the color of their skin. There is inequity that results in black people being disproportionately injured or killed by white police officers.   

The fact that we have protestors trying to storm the White House and destroying Secret Service vehicles says a lot about what a lot of Americans feel toward President Trump.

Where else in American history can you recall riots where Washington DC monuments were defaced?

Where the Treasury Department was attacked?

Where the White House was at risk of being breached by protestors? 

When Chopper One lands at the White House lawn and is greeted by protestors with their middle fingers raised? 

Why is former Vice President Joe Biden was out speaking with protestors while President Donald Trump is hiding in a bunker under the White House? 

Trump Administration and Racism

It is likely that a culmination of numerous factors has led to the anger displayed toward President Trump.  We are all familiar with his tweets that repeatedly insult people, make racial slurs, and instigate violent acts.  

American people have come to realize what a strong racist their President is. Mayors of cities undergoing riots have asked President Trump to be quiet. To stop posting comments on Twitter that instill violence. To stop posting racial comments from the 1968 racial riots.

It isn’t all about tweets and verbal comments. His tendency toward discrimination against those of non-white ethnicity screams out from his campaign and administration: 

  1. In 2016 there was a strong correlation between Trump campaign events and acts of violence. Data from the Anti-Defamation League showed that counties hosting Trump campaign rallies had more than double the hate crimes than similar counties that did not host a rally.
  2. Counties that voted for Donald Trump by the widest margins experienced the largest increase of reported hate crimes.
  3. Surrounding the election of Donald Trump, hate crimes peaked from October to December 2016 and continued through 2017. This was the second largest increase in hate crimes in 25 years. The highest increase in hate crimes followed September 11, 2011.
  4. Quinnipiac University released a poll that states 80% of African-American voters feel Donald Trump is a racist. 55% of Hispanics feel Trump is a racist, and 51% of all Americans feel he has racist views.
  5. In August 2019 President Donald Trump spoke at the 400th anniversary of the year slaves first arrived on American soil. His behavior prior to his arrival resulted in the Black Caucus of the Virginia legislature boycotting his appearance. In doing so they stated “It is impossible to ignore the emblem of hate and disdain that the President represents” and referred to his “repeated attacks on black legislators and comments about black communities” and they felt he was an “ill-suited” choice to commence that monumental period in American history.
  6. The Trump Administration is working to roll back President Barack Obama’s efforts to combat racial segregation. This roll-back would make it easier for banks to deny loans to black and Hispanic people. It would also make it easier for cities to confine families to minority neighborhoods.
  7. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has in 2020 proposed cutting back data collection that helps track discrimination in the mortgage market. In 2015 the Obama administration began tracking patterns of poverty and segregation with a checklist of 92 questions that had to be completed to access federal housing funds. The Trump administration is trying to eliminate that tracking system.  Of concern is that the Trump financial regulator could encourage banks to invest in inner city projects such as sporting arenas instead of loans that benefit local residents. 
  8. Black home ownership is at its lowest rate since segregation was legal. White rate is about 73% and black rate under 43%. 
  9. Housing discrimination complaints rose 8% in 2018, as reported by the National Fair Housing Alliance. This is the highest level since tracking started in 1995.

Trump Admnistration Civil and Human Rights Rollbacks

Between 2017 to 2020 there have been at least 79 Trump Administration Civil and Human Rights Rollbacks. Many of those rollbacks have a direct impact on low-income and racial minorities, which include:

*          In February 2017 President Trump signed three executive orders to fight crime, gangs, and drugs, and restore law and order, supporting the men and women of law enforcement. Civil rights organizations viewed these orders as vague and suspicious.

*          In August 2017 the Obama administration ban was lifted regarding the transfer of some military surplus items to domestic law enforcement, rescinding guidelines that had been created to protect the public from law enforcement’s misuse of military-grade weapons.

*          In August 2017 the Trump administration halted the EEOC rule that required large companies to reveal what they pay employees by sex, race, and ethnicity. The rule was intended to remedy unequal pay in American companies.

*          In September 2017 the Department of Justice ended the Community Oriented Policing Services Collaborative Reform Initiative. This program was created to build trust between police officers and the communities where they serve.

*          In February 2018 the Trump administration’s 2019 budget proposal denied critical health care to those in need. The funding was being diverted to funding the border wall.

*          In February 2018 the Trump Administration’s 2019 budget proposal eliminated the Community Relations Service which was established by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Its purpose was to address discrimination, conflicts and tensions in communities around the country.

*          In 2018 The Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education released a new Case Processing Manual that created a larger hurdle for people filing complaints. It allows for the dismissal of civil rights complaints based on the number of times an individual has filed.

*          In January 2019 the Trump administration was considering a roll-back of regulations that provide anti-discrimination protections to people of color, women and others.

*          In January 2019 it was reported that the Trump administration had stopped cooperating with and responding to UN investigators over potential human rights violations in the United States.

*          In April 2019 it was reported that the Trump administration would not nominate nor re-nominate anyone to the 18-member U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

*          In January 2020 the Department of Housing and Urban Development issued a proposal that would gut the agency’s 2015 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule. HUD’s proposal would leave people of color, women, and protected communities already harmed by unfair and unequal housing policies at further risk.

Heal the Country

There is a very strong divide in this country. Racial discrimination and violence are at the heart of it. We are a country divided, and it needs to be healed. There is a Michael Jackson song that says in part: 

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make a better place for you and for me

When Will it Stop?

We are now in our 7th day of protests, vandalism and looting. When will it stop? It is hard to say. We have had a President hiding in a bunker tweeting words that incite violence.  We have more than 37 cities in 22 states plus Washington DC destroyed.

It is time federal and state legislatures took action to make sure that the rights of every person in the United States are protected. Treatment and protection need to be equal regardless of whether a person is White, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Muslim, Jewish, Black, or any other nationality.

This country was built by being accepting of all, a melting pot of immigrants that created a wonderfully diverse country. It is time laws were in place that guaranteed equal treatment for all. Until that is done and people are satisfied that their lives matter, history will continue to repeat itself.

Update:  As this writing was being finalized President Trump spoke in the Rose Garden.  Lafayette Park across from the White House was filled with peaceful protesters. Suddenly right before the speech law enforcement moved in, using tear gas and rubber bullets to force the peaceful protestors out of the park. Why?

It soon came to light. President Trump’s announced that he is deploying the 1807 law to deploy military then commented he was going to a special place.

Those peaceful protestors had been gassed and shot at by law enforcement because President Trump was walking through the park to St. John’s Church for a photo op.

Almost immediately the DC Episcopal Bishop denounced President Trump’s use of St. John’s Church as a prop. The Bishop stated that after having military police fire munitions against peaceful protestors President Trumps actions were an abuse of a sacred space.

And So We Continue

The anger continues. People want the remaining three officers involved in George Floyd’s murder charged. They want equal treatment by law enforcement. They want a justice system that is just.

It is up to the United States citizens to regain control of their country. It is time this country becomes what it was created to be, a melting pot. Many cultures living together, all on equal ground. Equal and just treatment for all races.

You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope some day you’ll join us, and the world will be as one….from Imagine by John Lennon. 

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August 14, 2019 · 9:20 pm

Finally at Peace

When you live with constant turmoil you become accustomed to living as if on a constant roller coaster ride.  The twists and turns of upheaval in your life create emotional stress, and yet you constantly adjust, cope, and keep on moving forward.  This becomes so normal you do not even realize how much stress you are constantly under.

That has been my life for the past few years.  The loss of my grandchildren to foster care and then a battle with CPS when we tried to adopt which resulted in them being lost to adoption by strangers.  My son serving six years in prison for home invasion, dealing with the constant dangers that environments holds.  My mother, father, father-in-law, and then my husband battling cancer and passing away, all within a three year period.  My son being released from prison and paroled to my home; something I had originally looked forward to but which became a very stressful situation.  Peace of Mind

Following my husband’s death I made a determination that I needed to downsize out of my home and into something smaller.  In the midst of planning for that made a decision to  instead downsize into an RV and travel full-time.  During this process I informed both of my adult children that I was no longer going to be able to subsidize them financially, something my husband had always done while he was alive.  This resulted in more stress, but over time success was achieved.  They are both now living financially on their own.

I am finally at a point where success is on the horizon.  My new lifestyle begins on Monday.  I closed on my house today.    Friday is my last day of work.  My daughter moved her family north and is now residing near her fiance’s parents, a situation that is serving well.  Both Caroline and Rob are working at new jobs and my three grandchildren are enjoying life in a more country setting close to their other grandparents.

My son, now out of prison for 1-1/2 years, has obtained his CDL and is working in a position driving semi.  He and his ex-wife have reconciled and are residing in a home they rent near his workplace.   I am at peace that I do not have to worry about him being cold, undernourished, injured or killed in prison.  I wish him success.

For the first time in years my mind is at peace.  My children are both living on their own without my financial assistance, and I am going into semi-retirement.  I will be residing full-time in a motor home, traveling the United States and Canada and doing part-time remote or seasonal work.

For the first time in years I can sleep without my mind churning over the problems, worries, and stress that plagued me for so long.  I hope nothing happens to upset the apple cart.  A mind at peace is a wonderful thing.

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Filed under Adoption, assumptions, cancer, Coping, CPS, death, decisions, employment, events, exploration, Family, Foster Care, grandchildren, home, kids, Life Changing, Life is a Melting Pot, memoir, parents, reality, time, travel, work

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August 6, 2019 · 9:51 pm

Life is not meant to be lived in one place

I have reached the point of excitement.  My new lifestyle will soon be moving from life in an RV in my local area to actual life on the road.    I am now on my last two weeks of work, with the 16th of August being my final day.  I am training someone to take my place at work, will soon have the closing date on my house, and once that is completed we will set off on our new lifestyle.

This past weekend Paul and I opened up the “basement” storage in the motor home and got the last boxes out of my car and into the RV.  Not everything is sorted and organized the way we want, but I am at least officially in the motor home totally and completely.  The next two weeks will be a whirlwind of finishing up things at work and training my replacement, a doctor’s appointment, turning in my lease vehicle, finishing up paperwork, listing the second home I own for sale, and closing on the home I was residing in.   In someways the day when I can “hit the road” seems so far away, and yet so close.  Time passes quickly when trying to get everything finished in the final moments.  Trave as far and as long as you can

We are now starting to plan the first leg of our travels, and it is exciting and a bit nerve wracking at the same time.  I am semi-retiring prior to retirement age, so will need to do remote or seasonal work while on the road to supplement  the spousal pension I receive.  Until I have a steady income from remote or seasonal work  I will be concerned about finances.  That is just me.

At the same time, if I didn’t jump at this opportunity now to travel full-time I know I would regret it for years to come.  You only live once, so might as well make the most of it.  What are that chances that I will ever again run across the opportunity to live full time in a motor home traveling Canada and the United States with a person with whom I am compatible who is also a fellow photographer?

I hope this is a life style we can enjoy for several years.  The opportunity to experience a variety of cultures and the diversity of nature as we travel cross country is something I am looking forward to.  As I travel I plan to keep a journal about my travels.  I enjoy freelance writing and hopefully you will see my writing and/or photographs not only in this blog, but also in published magazines and journals.

If you have any “must see” locations in Canada or the United States, please share.

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March 30, 2019 · 9:50 pm

Writing to Relax

I have been, and continue to be, in the whirl-wind of trying to sort through 36+ years of belongings accumulated in my house and reduce the “keep” items down to what I can take with me in a 35-foot motor home, in which I will live and travel the United States and Canada.  Needless to say, this is a monumental task.  I am on the downside now, with only a few things left to complete, and the estate sale is scheduled May 2-6, 2019.

I have been sorting through old items, boxes never unpacked from when we moved here in February 2004, and family heirlooms, mementos and photographs.  Those special items I have painstakingly gone through and divided between my two adult children.  In the midst of all this my son has been moving out.  Between working long hours and moving about 45 minutes away, he has taken a long time in the process with a couple trailer loads of items still left to move.  This has made for a very stressful situation.   We are now down to “crunch time” as the estate seller will need to come into the home and get things priced.  My son made a comment about me pushing my sale back, but I refuse to do that.  I need to get my house emptied, ready for sale, and sold quickly.

closet cleaningI have spent weekend after weekend at home, sorting through all my current items and those in boxes, preparing for my estate sale.  Today I took some “me” time and attended the #RochesterWriters Spring Conference.  I enjoyed a day of informative keynote speakers and instructors, plus socializing with other writers.  It was time well spent, combining instruction in self-publishing with networking.   There is something about spending a day with other writers that inspires one to write.  Even though you haven’t seen me here in quite a while due to everything going on in my personal life, I find myself here tonight writing a quick blog, just to say hi and let you know I am still alive and kicking.

Once the sorting and packing is complete and I have moved into the RV, which will happen on or about April 23, 2019, you will begin to hear from me more often.  As I move into fall and begin to travel the country I plan to post travel blogs of my adventures, and hopefully expand into writing some travel articles for magazines as well.  What the future holds for me one can not be certain, but it will definitely be an adventure and a change in lifestyle.

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November 11, 2015 · 9:45 am

Happy Veterans Day

Veterans Day - Happy Veterans DayThe only purpose of this post is to give recognition of those who provide service to our country, protecting our lands both here and abroad.  Those who have served in the past and continue to serve now.  THANKING ALL VETERANS FOR THEIR SERVICE.

Veteran - What is a Veteran

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March 12, 2015 · 1:56 am

Deeply Disturbed

What is going on in this country?  Why over the past 20 years has there been an increase in violence among young people?  Why does there seem to be an increase in racial profiling?  Why after fighting so long for equal rights are women now using sex to promote themselves and products?  I find it disturbing that we seem to have taken a giant step backwards in this country in many ways.Racism

If you look back 30-50 years youth were not gunning each other down.  While there may have been fights, young people were not going into schools armed with guns and killing fellow classmates and teachers.  We did not have the drive-by shootings and gang violence we have today.  You could walk into a McDonalds, shopping mall, and most importantly, a church or school and not have to be concerned about the possibility of a gunman coming in and opening fire.    Today no where is safe, even those locations designed for children.    Children are innocent, they do not see color, they are not violent, and yet they are growing up to be.  Their beliefs are shaped by the people around them, the adults they watch and learn from, and they are learning to be violent and racially discriminatory.Racism - no one is born hating another

What I find very disturbing is the number of incidents in which police officers act violently against citizens, especially those of a non-white race.  The officers seem unable to maintain control of a situation, there have been many shootings lately of unarmed persons, including teens.  Then Grand Juries refuse to indict those officers and this serves to fuel further anger and violent acts.  The fact that the majority of those incidents involve white officers and people of African American descent ads fuel to the fire.  There are other acts of violence based on race, the most recent being the fraternity in Oklahoma caught on video degrading those of black heritage.  Why all these years after Rosa Parks sat on a bus, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I have a Dream” speech, and numerous other acts to equalize the rights of blacks in this country are we experiencing so much racial violence?

Feminist - what it meansWe seem to have taken a turn backwards, we are no longer a country in which people are achieving equality.  In the 60’s and 70’s women battled for equal rights in the workforce, they changed the way they dressed to allow themselves to fit into a “mans world” and achieved great things.  Women can now obtain positions that were once considered exclusively for men — women now serve in congress, they work as attorneys, judges, doctors, police officers, airline pilots and serve in the military.    The accomplishments have allowed women to once again display their feminine side while maintaining power.  However it seems to have fallen overboard and we have gone from showing a feminine side to using sex to sell anything and everything on TV, in the radio, on the internet.    Why are women allowing themselves to be degraded in this way after so many fought against it?

Democracy by Abraham LincolnThe United States is a melting pot of cultures, beliefs, and religions.  It is a country developed on Christian beliefs, but willing to accept those of all different religions.  Its founding fathers were white, but established guidelines so people of all nationalities could immigrate legally and become citizens.   We have overcome sexual inequality.  We have taken great strides in overcoming racial inequality, but still have farther to go.  This country has accomplished great things, but is now on the decline.   What we have become is not a county that is accepting of other peoples and beliefs, but a county that is allowing itself to be destroyed by allowing those standards and beliefs to be eliminated under the guise of acceptance.   The morals, beliefs, and religion that this country was built on is what has held it together for centuries, but if those standards are not re-established this country will fail.

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