Tag: Musk

The European Flush

Lucy Moore
Stylish in Greece

I just returned from three weeks in Europe. There were dozens of highlights as you can imagine, but only one obsession, and that was the toilet – maybe not surprising, given its necessity and the intimate relationship we have with that receptacle. I was never disappointed in the clean and functional European offering and never resented occasionally paying a Euro or so for a worry-free experience. But my obsession was for the flushing mechanism: The Push Button Flush. Or, I should say the push buttons, for there were always two buttons, one larger, one smaller, indicating the amount of work you were asking the flush to handle.

Tidy in the Netherlands

Not only did the variety and aesthetics of buttons in Germany, Netherlands, Kosovo and Greece make me smile, but their efficiency was impressive. The flush was powerful, speedy and seemed to use less water than the swirling, meandering flush of many American models, including ours. In the privacy of the stall, I snapped photos of different styles, hoping my fellow flushers didn’t think I had an obsession of a different sort. Ugh.

I snap a quickie in Germany

My son, whom we were visiting, agreed that the push button system was superior, but as a long term renter, he pointed out that maintenance requires opening up the wall to get at the plumbing. No lifting the tank lid and jiggling that bulb-thingy.

Creative in Kosovo

I found that I was so “button-aware” that I saw them everywhere. Below are lighting fixtures in a hotel restaurant in Greece. Can you blame me for reaching toward them for just a quick press?

It was a wonderful trip that included seeing family, visiting museums, cathedrals, markets, eating too much with no regrets, swimming in the Aegean Sea, and shutting off all political news from the US. Now that we’re back, it’s a blow to learn that the deterioration is picking up speed. Musk has abandoned DOGE, but I’m not abandoning my “5 things I did” project. I will continue to do at least 5 good things each week and spread the word, and maybe I will find a new recipient for my weekly postcards. As for Musk, we’re through. I’m pushing the BIG button and whoosh he’s gone… to the sewer where he belongs.

An odd instruction….but I’m making an exception

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Elon Update

Lucy Moore

Hello Blog Friends —

I have been busy this month and I wanted to check in before my regular first of the month posting. Below are my weekly letters to Elon. I’ve gotten quite inspired, thanks to his actions, and am raising hell in my small way. Below are letters #2 and #3, also posted on Facebook and Bluesky.

Letter #2

Friday, March 7, 2025

Hi Elon –

It’s me again, Lucy. Before I list the five things I did this week, I just want to thank you again for the great idea. I never would have thought of it – documenting the good work that we do each week. It gives me much pleasure and I have heard from others that they are doing the same thing. You’ll be hearing from them, too, I’m sure. So, you see, you really started a movement!

  1. I wrote 40 postcards to voters in Wisconsin urging them to vote for Judge Susan Crawford. She is a wonderful candidate. You should get to know her.
  2. I contributed to VoteVets. It’s amazing how many groups there are doing terrific work. And they have T-shirts and stickers you might want to check out….well, maybe not the one that says “Fire Elon.” I know how sensitive you are.
  3. I sent a letter of apology to the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, DC. I’m sure you agree that President Zelensky was treated very disrespectfully. Do you have their address? It’s President Volodymyr Zelenski, Embassy of Ukraine, 3350 M Street NW.
  4. I was so embarrassed by the rude and disrespectful behavior of our leadership in the oval office, that I sent a critical letter to our president telling him so. I’m sure you’ll want to do the same. Or, better yet, you could just mention to him next time you see him how upset I am. I would appreciate that.
  5. And, I know you’ll be pleased with this last one. I went public with your “I Did 5 Things” concept. There are now people on Facebook and Bluesky signing up, embracing the idea, and spreading the word. You should be so proud!

OK, that’s it for this week. Again, thank you so much for your inspiration. I’ll be following you closely to see if there are other bits of genius I can act on.

Have a nice day!

Lucy

And letter# 3:

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5 Things I Did This Week

Lucy Moore

Dear Mr. Musk

I heard that you were asking people to list 5 things they did last week, and although I didn’t get a personal request from you the way so many did, I want to be a good citizen. So here are my 5 things. And I might add that I really appreciate your asking because it has cheered me up quite a bit to realize how productive I have been.

#1 – I went online and doubled my monthly contribution to Democracy Forward. I’m sure you’ve heard of them. They are filing dozens of lawsuits and are winning some. You like winners, so I’m sure you’ll understand my wanting to be on their team.

#2 – I sent a donation to Tomorrow’s Women, a wonderful non-profit committed to building relationships between young Palestinian and Israeli women who have experienced so much of the same violence and terror in their lives, and who want to break the chain of hate and retribution and find peace through friendship and understanding. This non-profit has lost one-third of its funding due to the loss of USAID support. Oops, now I’ve gone and used several bad words in this paragraph – women, peace, relationship, friendship, non-profit and the killer, USAID. I don’t mean to upset you, but please keep reading and I will try to redeem myself.

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