My recent book has been on the market since August 11, 2026, and I’ve done a couple of FUN presentations about it locally, but I’m still hoping for reviews. Unfortunately, at the time I readied How Could These Lovely People Let It Happen? A Psychologist’s Intimate Journal for publication my back collapsed into pain and the loss of two more inches of height, my heart needed a new aortic valve, and worst of all, my web master retired and moved me on to a new provider.
I like what’s happening on that front, and it should soon be up and running with an option to leave a review there. It will even include a photo taken within the past week, so it’s what I really look like now. And I’m making great progress energy-and comfort-wise. But in the meantime I got permission to post this email I received from a Connecticut connection.
Hi Mona. I hope this note finds you doing great. I don’t know if you have read/seen my comment about your book, but if you have I hope you liked it. Only in retrospect did I realize that I was a bit off when I said that my favorite part was about Jung, which I responded to as I did because (even though psych was my minor in college) I wasn’t familiar with or didn’t recall in any detail. And I really loved the premise of our energy being reabsorbed in the collective upon our deaths, which is what I meant by “I hope she gets her wish.” I was absolutely fascinated by that. But my actual favorite part was reading about your cutting edge work with the psychology of women studies (and I still have my bumper sticker, “A Healthy Woman is a Crazy Person.” Anyway, I really enjoyed the book and reading about your journey. Do let me know how you are doing when you have a moment. Pam
I thank Pam for the kind note and the permission to share it, and I look forward to being able to send you all soon to my upgraded web site
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO ___I have fun as a member of a poetry/writers group that meets every Friday – just for fun, growth, and communication. We have one major rule – no politics! Also some implied rules, like no critiquing, and no limitation on style. Ross M is really good at rhyming so we’d be surprised if he ever brought free verse to us. We are equally surprised when one of us [15 or so] participants brings meter and rhyme to the table. But what we write does get us into enthusiastic discussions of shared history and hopes.
Each week we choose a theme for the following week. For Friday, October 2, 2026 we selected “Whatever happened to ___.” When Ross presented his poem he made it clear that he had worked to balance the presentation in respect to the intent behind the “no politics” rule, while at the same time expressing what probably all of us were thinking. With his permission I offer it to you here.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO ___
POLITICIANS WHO ARE POSITIVE? LATELY, I AM SO CONFUSED.
DO THEY REALLY SERVE US OR ARE WE JUST TOOLS TO BE USED?
I AM FINDING, MORE AND MORE, THEIR INTELLIGENCE IS IN DOUBT
PLEASE DON’T TELL ME WHO NOT TO VOTE FOR; MAKES ME WANT TO SHOUT.
I WANT MY LEADERS TO BE COMPETENT; AND HAVE A MORAL COMPASS TOO.
GENDER, COLOR, HERITAGE DOESN’T MATTER; JUST BE A CAPABLE YOU.
STAY LOYAL TO THE JOB AND TO US, NOT THE PARTY OR THE CAUCUS.
REMAIN OPEN AND HUMBLE, REMEMBER THAT YOU’RE ONE OF US.
WHY DON’T THEY USE VERBS THAT INCLUDE: LISTEN, COOPERATE
CONSIDER, COLLABORATE AND EVEN COMMUNICATE? THEN LEGISLATE.
NO, RATHER THEY RESIST THE OTHER SIDE. SEEM EAGER TO PICK A FIGHT.
CIVILITY SEEMS DEAD, THEY BEHAVE LIKE THEY’RE NOT VERY BRIGHT.
WE REMEMBER THE “GOOD OLD DAYS” WHEN THEY ACTED LIKE STATESMEN;
THEIR WORK MADE THEM PROUD, RESPECT WAS HIGH, THE PRESS WAS FAIR.
DIFFICULT ISSUES WERE DEBATED, PUT INTO A BILL, VOTED ON BACK THEN.
TODAY ITS EXECUTIVE ACTION, NO BUDGETS ARE PASSED, AGAIN AND AGAIN.
REGARDLESS OF PARTY, THE ELECTED BECOME WEALTHY; HOW CAN THAT BE?
NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE. WHAT HAPPENED TO OLD-FASHIONED MORALITY?
IS IT INSIDER TRADING, CRONYISM, BRIBERY, FRAUD OR OUTRIGHT THEFT?
WHAT IS TRUTH ANYMORE? I CAN’T BELIEVE EITHER THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT.
I BELIEVE WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE BLESSED, AND WE WILL SUCCEED;
OUR CREATOR ALWAYS GIVES US EXACTLY WHATEVER WE NEED.
WE WILL THRIVE AND FIND REASONS TO LIVE, NEW WAYS TO COPE.
COMPETENT FOLKS WILL LEAD US, WE WILL STILL HAVE REASON TO HOPE.
ROSS M…
I hope you’ve enjoyed this and even have an urge to comment. Has Ross said what many of us want to say? I’ll tune him in to this blog entry and happily make him aware of any reactions. In fact, I hope I may even get him to “follow” me here.
