I am gobsmacked by the flooding in New York City as Ida remnants pass over the region. This will end up being as destructive as Hurricane Sandy a few years ago, a huge setback to a city that has struggled with infrastructure since Sept. 11. There are some businesses that have been so hampered by all of the security requirements that they never recovered. A particular old friend there is like so many New Yorkers - many side gigs to try to pull together the rent every month.

But my mood isn't down just because of New York. The state of things in Texas has also suddenly turned grim, and there isn't a simple remedy of picking up and moving away. That would leave family members here still facing the political fallout of Trump and Abbott. So it's time to assess the volunteer activities for now and become more politically active. Donate more to the causes that caught my eye the day after Trump was elected (Nov. 9, 2016 was a really awful day).

Finally resuming work on clearing out the eBay stuff will serve two purposes - give me more income for donations, and clear out stuff for the long chance that I do decide it's time to move. I live in a state now where anyone can be sued by total strangers if they think you supported someone's abortion actions, and if they win, they get cash and their legal fees paid, but if you win, you still pay all of your legal fees. That is the part of this new "law," the preordained outcomes, that I think will be what get this taken off of the books, but apparently not any time soon. Heaven help the court system in Texas, there will be lots of random lawsuits by opportunists.

Add to all of this the heat and still-high humidity and it's a pretty miserable place right now.

In a funk in Texas. Time to roll up the sleeves and get to work.