Souls Sold: Word Counters

 

Counting my words again.

Today my fellow Word Counters and I are sharing our monthly group post. Each month, one group member picks a number between 12 and 50. All participating bloggers are then challenged to write something (or a few somethings, as the case may be) using that exact number of words. Today we share what we all came up with.

This month's number is 44. 
It was chosen by Diane of On the Border.

As I've been doing in these Word Counters posts, I've chosen a theme and am using my word count multiple times in keeping with the theme. This month I'm writing about an addiction, of sorts, about sold souls.

 

~ I have, many times over the years, been in awe of the all encompassing foresight of the founders of this country. How much effort and thought they put into plans for every contingency, even circumstances unfathomable in their time. Well, in awe until now.

~ I'm going to talk about addiction today, or what I consider a form of addiction. I mean no disrespect to those who suffer with and fight off personal addictions of all sorts. I don't claim that my views are medically sound, just personal observation.

~ Narcissism. It's an addiction to self. It most likely has its roots in insecurity, but how it manifests is dangerous. Unlike many addictions, it's not only dangerous to the narcissist, but to everyone around them, through self aggrandizement, manipulation, arrogance, and lack of empathy.

~ Narcissists feed mostly on power. They don't have the emotional tools to deal with disappointment. If they don't like dinner, they could throw their plate against a wall. If they do like dinner but are angry about something else, they could throw their plate. 

Seared Scallops with Canadian Bacon

~ To achieve the insatiable need for power and adulation, they will use any conceivable (and inconceivable) strategy. Lying, cheating, exploitation, stealing, alliances made with anyone who will stroke their ego, and broken when those people no longer serve their purpose. There are few boundaries.

~ Like most addictions, the current high won't last. Addiction is hungry. The high isn't just needed again, it has to be bigger. And if they're surrounded by other narcissists, feeding off of them, stakes get even higher, the behavior even more erratic and unthinkable.

~ As I said, I am in awe of the foresight of those who envisioned this constitutional republic, based firmly in the tenets of a democracy. But now they have met their match, never imagined a political party run by narcissists who've sold their soul. 

~ There is a step we need to take to buttress their vision, fight off authoritarianism, fill in an unforeseen hole in our politics. We need to amend the constitution to disallow any convicted felon from running for office. Hasn't happened yet, but it could . . .

Here are links to the other Word Counters posts:

On the Border 

Messymimi’s Meanderings 

Seared Scallops with Canadian Bacon         
                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1# sea scallops

salt and pepper to taste

3 TBSP canola oil

2 TBSP butter

2 oz Canadian bacon slices, chopped

Directions:
*Place the scallops on a plate covered with paper towels. Top with a few more paper towels and refrigerate for an hour.

*Gently press down on the paper towels, then discard them.

*Sprinkle both sides of the scallops with salt and pepper.

*Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until very hot. Add the scallops to the pan carefully, the hot oil may spit, if it does, turn down the heat just a little bit. Cook for 2 minutes without touching the scallops at all.

*Remove the pan from the stove, quickly move the scallops to a plate, add the butter and Canadian bacon to the pan, swirl around then return the pan to the heat and add the scallops, cooked side up.

*Cook for about 1 1/2 minutes, until the scallops are cooked through, flake apart and are opaque in the center. Move the scallops to a serving dish, drizzle the butter and Canadian bacon over the cooked scallops and serve immediately.