Charest Family on the Web Posts

Published January 8, 2025 by

When Nothing Is Good Enough

Shame, John Hain, https://pixabay.com/users/johnhain-352999/
The Shame of Failure

Estimated reading time: 16 minutes

As I get ever closer to retirement, in what sometimes feels like running up a down escalator, I continue to mentally replay career flashbacks both good and bad. Part of replaying these flashbacks is gaming out how I could have changed bad events to come out different. For some events, as often as I’ve replayed them, I’ve never been able to game out how results could have been different.

One of those events was dealing with a client who openly scorned me from the first day we met. Over the ten months I worked for her, I was never able to gain her trust. Nothing I did was ever good enough.

Continue…When Nothing Is Good Enough

Career Management

Consulting Career

Published December 24, 2024 by

Jamming Christmas Eve

Free peach and berry jam, courtesy Openverse images
Not This Christmas Jam

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Yes, it’s Christmas time again. Another season of being jolly and having good will towards men. And being we’re in a post-patriarchy world, lets have good will towards women also. But we’re doing all of this goodwill in a Silent Night while Santa Claus flys through the skies.

So, I think it’s time for some Christmas Eve jamming music.

Continue…Jamming Christmas Eve

Just For Fun

Christmas Music Video Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Published December 17, 2024 by

Living in Fear: Authoritarianism vs Democracy

Fear by Hugo Steiner Prag, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
Fear by Hugo Steiner Prag
Licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Until now, I’ve never had any direct experience with living under authoritarianism. However, through both my first and present wife I’ve learned what that life is. Although I grew up in a democracy, I now recognize the key difference between authoritarianism and democracy.

It’s all about living in fear.

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Opinions & Commentary

America Dictatorships trump

Published December 10, 2024 by

Who Inspires Me

statue of liberty with winnie in front posing as the statue. Photo taken October 2010
Winnie Under the Statue of Liberty

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Last Christmas my oldest nephew, Terry, gifted me a one-year subscription to “Storyworth.com.” This is a service designed to get people writing about themselves, in response to questions the subscriber selects. Storyworth poses a new question every week, and at the end of the year compiles all answers into a book.

I’ve been pretty good about answering the questions. Some have forced more introspection that I’m used to. Which is probably a good thing. One question that I’ve just finished answering deserves to be posted here, in consideration of the current wave of national xenophobia.

This is my answer to the question of “Who Inspires You?”

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Family Stories

America immigration Inspiration

Published November 25, 2024 by

An Open Letter To My Senators on Trump’s Nominees

Train wreck at Montparnasse 1895, a metaphor for trump's cabinet nominations.
Trump’s Cabinet Nominations

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

I have been horrified by the train wreck of trump’s nominations for leadership positions in his future administration. While I did not expect much integrity or competence from anyone willing to work for trump, these cabinet posts nominees already exceed my expectations.

Both of my North Carolina senators are Republicans. So, I guess I shouldn’t expect too much of them. But in the fleeting hope that they have some integrity, I decided to write them a letter expressing my feelings. So, here is my open letter to my senators on trump’s nominees.

Continue…An Open Letter To My Senators on Trump’s Nominees

Opinions & Commentary

Senate Letter trump

Published November 8, 2024 by

So What Will It Take?

beating my head against a wall, Photo by Ba Tik from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-punching-gray-wall-3754243/
Beating My Head Against A Wall

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Just like clockwork, I’m hearing Democrats mouthing the tired old tropes of “if Trump and the Republicans screw up badly enough, people will start electing Democrats.”

Oh, Really? So, what will it take?

Continue…So What Will It Take?

Opinions & Commentary

democrats trump Wishful Thinking

Published November 7, 2024 by

We’re Losing The Messaging Wars

Woman kneeling in a desert screaming, titled "Furiosa"
Furiosa

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

I’m still trying to process Tuesday’s election loss to Trump by an actual majority of American voters. I’m also watching the inevitable Democratic circular firing squads looking for someone to blame. “Victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan [1].” So, Democrats are busy looking for that orphan.

Meanwhile, I see one major cause for this horrible defeat. Democrats lost this election, and lost so badly, because too many American are not getting our message. For a variety of reasons, we’re losing the messaging wars.

Continue…We’re Losing The Messaging Wars
  1. J.F. Kennedy, The Socratic Method [↩]

Opinions & Commentary

Elections Social Media

Published November 5, 2024 by

Judgement Day

Scales of justice. Photo by Sora Shimazaki: https://www.pexels.com/photo/judges-desk-with-gavel-and-scales-5669619/
Judging Ourselves

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Today is the last chance American’s have to vote for our future and our President. Do we want a fascist-lite morally corrupt convicted felon who was sued over 4000 times for not paying his bills? Who went bankrupt four times, each time profiting while his investors lost everything. Banned from running charities in New York after stealing from a children’s cancer fund. Who has credibly been accused of multiple counts of rape and pedopillia. A man showing clear signs of malignant narcissistic personality disorders and age-related dementia?

Or do we want a woman who is an accomplished former prosecuting attorney, former California State Attorney General, former Senator, and current Vice President to one of the most successful Presidents in our generation? Who also happens to be a black lady and daughter of immigrant parents.

Amazingly, according to polls, as of last week one third of our nation’s voters had not yet made up their minds.

Continue…Judgement Day

Opinions & Commentary

2024 Election Kamala Harris YouTube Video

Published October 29, 2024 by

Your Institutions Will Not Save You

Crumbled democratic institutions. Photo by Uğurcan Özmen: https://www.pexels.com/photo/ancient-stone-monuments-in-historical-site-29055855/
Our Democratic Institutions

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Way back in 2016, after Trump “won” the presidential election through minority vote, there were a number of experts on authoritarianism speaking out on the results. One particular writer, Masha Gessen[1], summarized three principles:

  1. Believe the autocrat.
  2. Don’t be taken in by small signs of normality.
  3. Your institutions will not save you.

Gessen was absolutely correct, and his predictions are still playing out eight years later. Especially, “Your institutions will not save you.”

Continue…Your Institutions Will Not Save You
  1. Gessen, M. (2020). Surviving Autocracy. Riverhead Books. [↩]

Opinions & Commentary

American Institutions Democracy trump

Published October 17, 2024 by

A Reunion in Seattle

Ron and Winnie Charest at Pikes Market, Seattle, Washington
Ron and Winnie Charest at Pikes Market, Seattle, Washington

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Winnie and I recently returned from a week’s vacation in Seattle, Washington. It was a great week. We had a chance to visit with one of our nephews, explore Seattle and the lovely surrounding parks, and attend another Navy reunion. The reunion was the primary reason for making this trip.

Continue…A Reunion in Seattle

Family Stories In the Navy

Deep Submersibles Navy Reunion