Yep, it’s my birthday. January 19, 1954 (do the math) is the day I was born…and I’m totally thrilled to be sharing the day with one of my all time heroes, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr..

Mahalo to all for your words of support and affirmation.

Many are offering their best wishes and also asking the basics, “How’s it going Gary? How’s the family? How’s your health? How’s politics?”

So…I’ll try to offer back the basics here:

Life is good, not without its ups and downs but I am truly blessed. I’m finding purpose and fulfillment through my writing, AND my political advocacy – with a goal to expand both.

Claudette and I have two grown children Dylan/Leeona and Kelli-Rose/Justin – who have given us 4 incredibly beautiful, smart, talented, and yes sometimes precocious grandchildren – 3 little girls – Isabella (8), Kaliyah (3), Harper (2), and the oldest and only boy Rixon (9).

My health is good and thanks for asking

I walk 6 or 7 miles almost every single day, and I love it.

A few years ago I had a health/lifestyle epiphany and switched to a mostly plant based diet, zero alcohol, and minimal dairy, sugar, salt, or highly processed foods.
I’ve since lost about 60lbs and feel fabulous.

I’m fully vaccinated (just had to insert some politics into this). While I’ll take a very occasional aspirin, Tylenol, or antihistamine – I’m not on any “life-time drugs”. Though my primary care physician (who is fabulous) has encouraged me to consider statins, I’ve chosen to fight the cholesterol battle via diet and exercise.

As to the “How’s politics?” question…

Crazy, bat shit crazy is one way to describe the situation at the federal level. Dangerous kine, keep your loved ones close, grow your own food, consider building your own bunker, buy toilet paper, and gas up the car kine crazy.

At the State and County level – bottom line is we need to do more, much more. Too many of our elected leaders seem to believe just holding on is good enough – and are fearful of the risks that come with the bold proactive decision making we so badly need.

Personally, I want to do more – but am pretty much at capacity…which is why I’ll close this by asking for your help.

Please:
SHOW UP with Indivisible, the ACLU, Common Cause and other organizations, on the street holding signs in support of Renee Good and opposing the policies of the Trump administration.
TAKE ACTION via email and calls to legislators and in-person testimony asking them to expand the facilities and services available to the homeless, support citizen involvement in the government process, and end pay-to-play government corruption.

MAKE A CONTRIBUTION to help pay the legal expenses in the Acasio v House of Representatives law suit demanding the House follow the constitution and stop committee decision making in secret.

Whether $20, $200, or $2,000 your contribution by January 22 if possible is urgently needed. Email me for the GoFundMe specifics at GaryLHooser@gmail.com

And, AFTER you’ve completed the top 3 tasks, if you want to help improve/expand my technological capacity so I can reach more people more efficiently – I will gladly and with great appreciation – accept gifts of support via Venmo @Gary-Hooser-1

This work and my writing, is a labor of love. Mahalo to all for sharing it with others.

And mahalo for the birthday well wishes!

Gary

P.S. Regardless of your age – Please listen closely to the lyrics of Forever Young – by Bob Dylan (and yes Bruce Springsteen does a fabulous version of it also)