CUTTING THE BUDGET

We are being told by the Republicans that problems are smaller than they are. Politicians and Congressmen, like helpful salespeople, are saying we can fix the deficit by cutting things from the budget.

And having been told this over and over, most Americans and Congress think the federal deficit is the number-one problem that must be addressed now.

I say it isn't. But 7 out of 10 Americans, according to the Gallup Polls, say it is.

And THIS is what Congress is working on? Nope. It seems to be "PRETEND TIME."

Republicans lunch with the President and emerge talking of "common ground" and, smiling happily, say "We need to send a signal that we are serious about cutting spending."

"SIGNAL?" A beep-beep? A green light? Well, maybe with their "Yay team!" stuff, they've been sending the "SIGNAL," but I don't see or hear anything but noise.

What actually is going to be cut? And is the amount $100 billion? Even the amount, has been fudged.

President Obama proposed a budget that ultimately addresses the deficit. His budget adds $7 trillion to the deficit over the next decade, rather than $8 trillion.

Note the word "ultimately." Eventually, after 10 years, the debt might be $1 trillion less. Well, at least it sounds okay.

Actually I can't picture $1 trillion, but I don't know why I have to bother. Nothing is happening.

Everyone says NO to cutting antipoverty programs or education supports. What about cutting "unemployment payments to jobless millionaires?" Or cutting all waste, fraud and abuse; all foreign aid; Air Force One; all congressional pensions?

Hey guys, c'mon -- unless Congress cuts Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and defense, we are NOT going to be able to cut the deficit by anything approaching what they're sort of fudgingly, more or less talking about.

If you believe that low taxes promote strong growth -- okay, enjoy it, but be prepared to put some of your money into cancer research, paying for the music classes your kids' school canceled, and contributing money to take care of the men and women who come home from the wars they've fought to protect us.

I can't help thinking, and therefore stating right here -- don't try to cut the deficit now.

Despite all the former great American presidents (starting with Jefferson) who have said the federal deficit must be reduced and paid -- yes -- I'm saying again, don't fix the deficit now.

Times have changed. It used to be major, number one, significant, important not to pass federal deficit onto the next generation.

Right now we have urgent, life and death problems we are neglecting in order to figure out how to handle the deficit.

Congress, Republicans, Democrats -- people -- we have get to work on those life and death problems. We can't fix/solve/ or pay off the national debt right now.

KINDLING

When my literary agent and friend said. "We'll shoot your manuscript, and get it onto a memory card," I was stunned.

Selling books so they could be read on a Sony Reader, or on Amazon's Kindle was, as of two years ago, the new way my agent was going to be selling novels.

I gnashed my teeth, sulked, had a real snit-fit. To me a "kindle" was kindling -- sticks of wood that you put together in order to start a good fire.

Having experienced the feeling of becoming a "has-been" in the dance world, I felt I was about to become a "has-been" writer. I found a website designer though my good PR friend Sue, who introduced me to Website designer, Fran. With Fran's help and her knowledge of the Internet, I published my 5 unpublished novels on The Readery. com, my Website, where readers are downloading and reading my novels for free.

Whoopee -- 159 000 people have downloaded chapters of my books. People are reading my books and now ... well, now I write posts for my blog.

My logic: if you make jewelry you need people to buy it and wear it. If you write books, you need to have people you don't know, (not friends or relatives), read them.

Facts about the state of the book business: Borders, the second largest bookstore chain in the U.S., recently filed for bankruptcy; Barnes And Noble now has fewer stores, and their stores now have a "Nook." . The Nook is a reader like the Kindle.

Many literary agents have quit. Becoming a "published author" is even tougher than "making it" as an actor. Every year as population increases, there are more would-be actors, and many more would-be writers.

You can "self publish" and promote your own book. You or an agent can send your book to various publishers and it might be bought and published, but being a "successful" writer -- a writer whose book is bought by readers is a matter of luck -- of being in tune with the times and at the same time, being special -- different -- weird, unusual, outrageous, super-shocking -- being, perhaps, something in the freaky sex department.

So ... "Hurray for Jeff Bezos, Amazon's CEO, for creating the Kindle, which has spawned the Nook, and other tablet book readers.

If you, who are reading this, are a writer who's hoping, dreaming, planning, outlining, working on a book, do not let Kindles, Nooks, the over-crowded world, too many writers, up-tight publishers, or agent distract you. Don't use any of these realities as a reason for not writing.

Write, then contemplate where and how to sell what you've written.. Writing is fun -- an art, that transforms ideas/thoughts/experiences/research/knowledge/personal experience, and who YOU ARE, into a comprehensible form that affects others.

Be brave. Be and do what you want to do.

Ever heard the phrase -- don't bite off your nose to spite your face? Absorb the bad and the good of whatever the trend is. You need your nose to breathe, while you are writing.

ANXIETY

I am an anxious sort of person, and a worrier. It doesn't matter what I'm doing. As a writer, I worry more than I did as a dancer -- I used to worry about pirouettes, but conquered it by using acting techniques. Writing a new post for my blog is nerve-wracking. I know what's on my mind, but am often not sure how to pull my thoughts together and make a point. It can take 3 to 7 hours to write a post and I'm tense while I'm writing.

When I'm cooking -- even if I'm cooking a ten course meal for a group of people -- I'm relaxed and confident. Other domestic jobs are also easy, but I get tense because I want to get them done -- be done with them fast.

Recent articles about anxiety state that many anxious people unconsciously cultivate anxiety because they're used to feeling anxious, and are comforted by their anxieties.

Psychologist Maya Tamir tested a group at Hebrew University, and learned that those who called themselves "anxious" invariably chose to feel worried before a demanding task.

At the University of Denver, Brett Ford, a psychology researcher, discovered “Trait emotions” (feelings people tend to have most of the time). “Trait anger” means chronically angry, irritated, or annoyed; “trait happy” means usually cheerful, joyful. Both types of people preferred to feel the way they were accustomed to feeling

Neuroscientist Kent Berridge, at the University of Michigan, discovered that wanting and liking are mediated by two distinct sets of neurotransmitters. He concluded, “Some people get addicted to feeling anxious because that’s the state that they’ve always known. If they feel a sense of calm they get bored. They feel empty inside. They want to feel anxious.” (Notice he didn’t say “like.”)

Do you worry? Are you generally anxious? Here are three tests. The questions seem boringly standard, but my test-scores confirmed my own evaluation of myself as a worrier.

What's your evaluation of YOU? Do the tests say you're evaluating yourself realistically?

IF YOU THINK YOU ARE DEPRESSED TAKE THIS TEST

TAKE AN QUICK ANXIETY TEST

TAKE THIS MORE THOROUGH TEST

LIKE THE LOOK OF YOURSELF? (Video)

This is a chat about how most people react to seeing themselves in photos -- Emily Frankel observes that most people seem to dislike the way they look.

John Cullum has often complained about not liking the way he looks in movies and television shows.

John Cullum and Emily have advice to give on the subject -- things you can do so that your photographs and videos will be more attractive, even to your own critical eye.