RealRhonda

All about art, nature, design, baseball, Dallas Mavs, Boston Terriers, BBQ and chocolate. (not necessarily in that order)

[Inner Practitioner @MindTendencies2]

When a conversation takes a harmful turn, you can literally say, "Let's pause for a moment, take some space, and revisit this later." Setting this boundary is an act of emotional intelligence, not rudeness. It protects the relationship from unregulated states and reactive damage.

[♡yG♡🧚‍♀️ @angellailah_yG]

Please fall in love with someone who genuinely wants you, patiently waits for your messages, understands you even in your madness, talks to you after a fight. The right person sees the mess and moods but still chooses you.

[Hunter Biden @HunterBiden]

Dear Joe,
I wish I could sit down with you face to face and explain why so many of us were offended by the UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House.
For me, it had nothing to do with the UFC or who showed up for the fights. The brand you and Dana have built is a bona fide American success story. More power to you. As for the fighters, in my book, anyone brave enough to put it all on the line in the arena is remarkable to witness. Their dedication and discipline inspire me. I don’t understand anyone who can’t admire that.
And as for the people who attended, I, for one, love Shane Gillis. I think he’s hilarious and brilliant. It was a show. A once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. I can’t blame anyone for wanting to witness it firsthand.
My problem is that I believe some of our public spaces are sacred. And unlike many of the great powers that came before us, these American monuments belong to all of us. Not to whoever happens to hold power at the moment.
The White House does not belong to Donald Trump. It does not belong to any President. It belongs to the people. To treat it as Caesar treated the Colosseum is antithetical to everything our founding fathers fought for.
This is not Rome. Presidents are not emperors doling out bread and circuses for the peasants. The White House is the People’s House. This “celebration” could have happened in any stadium within a stone’s throw of the South Lawn. No one would have had an issue with it.
But that was obviously Donald Trump’s whole point. By holding the event on the South Lawn, what he was saying to the rest of us is:
“This is my house. I own it. I will do with it what I please. I’ll build a colosseum and have the gladiators fight under my gaze. I’ll tear down the East Wing. I’ll pave over the Rose Garden. I’ll cover everything in gold and marble. I’ll erase the names of all the men who came before me.”
The fights were an exhibition of imperial domination, not a celebration of our 250th anniversary as a democracy.
The White House is not Buckingham Palace. It is not the Palace of Versailles. It is not the Forbidden City of Beijing. It does not belong to an emperor, or a king, or a commissar.
The White House belongs to us. All of us. The person who sits behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office is nothing more than an honored guest. A temporary caretaker.
The President is our servant. Not our Caesar.
Respectfully, Hunter

P.S. Cage match between me and Don Jr.? Your call on the venue. Anywhere but the South Lawn.

[Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex]

I would like to appeal once again for reflection on the consequences of war and for their prevention through wise and responsible decision making, for this is not the result of an inevitable fate, but of free choices and, therefore, of morally accountable actions.

[Blake Burge @blakeaburge]

Underrated life advice: Become generous with your assumptions. Assume they were tired, not rude. Overwhelmed, not careless. Preoccupied, not distant. This doesn’t mean tolerate disrespect. It means stop turning every small moment into a personal attack. Grace makes life lighter.

[FOX Sports @FOXSports]

OWN GOAL. 1-0 USA! 🇺🇸

THE @USMNT SCORES FIRST AND LOS ANGELES IS ABSOLUTELY ELECTRIC!

[Bleacher Report @BleacherReport]

BALOGUN DOES IT AGAIN 🤯🔥

TEAM USA UP 3-0 ON PARAGUAY AT THE HALF

(Via @FOXSports)

[Gianl1974 @Gianl1974]

I really miss this kind of America.

Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford ran against each other in 1976.

When Ford passed away, Carter gave the eulogy at his funeral.

When Carter passed away, Ford’s son Steve spoke at Carter’s funeral.

Barack Obama and John McCain ran against each other in 2008.

When McCain passed away, Obama gave the eulogy at his funeral.

They disagreed. They debated. They fought hard for what they believed in.

But at the end of the day, they still saw each other as human beings. As Americans.

That is the part we have lost.

Somewhere along the way, disagreement turned into hatred. Politics turned into teams. And people forgot that respect does not mean you agree with someone on everything.

I still believe we can get back to this.

Not because it will be easy. Not because everyone will suddenly think the same.

But because America is supposed to be better than this.

Bipartisan respect used to be possible.

And someday, I pray we remember how to do it again. 🇺🇸💙

[Papa León XIV @Pontifex_es]

Vivimos en una época marcada por las guerras, por una polarización creciente y por profundas divisiones culturales y sociales. Sin embargo, precisamente en medio de esta fragilidad, surge una nueva esperanza. Aunque las divisiones parecen acentuarse, emerge un elemento común que nos une a todos de manera innegable: nuestra humanidad compartida.

[‏ً @omgsidewalks]

I really do think we underestimate how many people are hanging on by a single, fraying thread, and how, some days, the only things saving them from the abyss are the small comforts of a TV show that feels like home, a book that tells you you’re not alone, or a pet that needs you.

[𝙋𝙖𝙢𝙢𝙮 ✨️ @_Pammy_DS_]

Having an emotionally intelligent partner is TOP TIER. You can express yourself freely & openly. They dont insult you. They don't give you the silent treatment. They dont become aggressive or manipulative. They listen patiently to understand. Healthy relationships are so healing.

[RealRhonda @RealRhonda]

It isn’t over until the last guy bats. Way to go Burger and Duran! 👏🏼⚾️

[Texas Rangers @Rangers]

ZEKE WALKS IT OFF!!!! #AllForTX

[Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex]

Deep inner suffering inevitably arises when the human person is reduced to performance, consumption, or a statistical datum. Many young people today live under the yoke of expectations to perform, immersed in an exasperated competitiveness that generates anxiety, fear of not measuring up, and disorientation.

[Robert Sterling @RobertMSterling]

I just had the craziest experience at the airport.

We are about to board a flight to Atlanta when the pilot from the incoming plane walks out of the jetway. Guy is probably late 50s, salt and pepper hair, military look. The kind of pilot you instantly feel good about seeing on your flight.

Pilot walks over to the counter, gets on the PA system, and starts addressing everyone. “Folks, I’ve been doing this a long time. Flying one of these jets is easy. The hard part is looking at 130 people and telling them their flight is going to be delayed.”

Audible groans throughout the boarding gate. Most people here are flying to Atlanta as a layover before another flight. 130 people just had their day become a complete mess.

The pilot goes on. “I get it, trust me. But here’s the deal: During our landing, we had a small mechanical issue. I’m not your pilot for the next leg, but I don’t feel confident the jet’s safe to fly until we have a mechanical team look it over, and I don’t feel comfortable asking the next pilots to fly you guys until we get confirmation.”

He points at the agents next to him behind the counter: “Now, none of this is the agents’ fault. Please be kind to them. I’m the one who made this decision, not them, so any inconvenience you experience is my fault. Just please know that I don’t do this lightly, and I’m only doing it because I believe it’s in the best interests of everyone’s safety.”

Now this is where the story gets crazy. The pilot puts the microphone down, grabs his suitcase, and all the people in the gate…

Start clapping.

I’m not joking, everyone starts clapping for the guy. 130 people who just had their travel plans ruined give an ovation to the guy who made the decision and delivered the message.

All because he addressed them with decency and transparency, took ownership of the decision, made it clear that it was necessary, and explained why it was in everyone’s best interest.

It’s honestly one of the best examples of strong communication—of strong leadership, for that matter—that I’ve seen in a long time.

@Delta, whoever your Atlanta to Wichita pilot was this morning, he’s one of the good ones. Please tell him the delayed passengers of flight 1637 appreciate what he did.

[Blake Burge @blakeaburge]

Underrated life advice: Learn to take a beat. Anyone can react instantly. But most damage is done in moments of impulse. Anger wants speed. Ego wants the last word. But wisdom is giving yourself space to think. Slow your reaction and you’ll improve almost every area of your life.

[Elizabeth Warren @ewarren]

Trump sued his own government to pay himself $10 billion in taxpayer funds.

He even said: "It's awfully strange to make a decision where I'm paying myself."

It's not strange. It's corrupt.

[Blake Burge @blakeaburge]

Underrated life advice: Make yourself easy to root for. Be kind. Be reliable. Celebrate other people’s wins. Work hard without complaining. Carry good energy into rooms. You'll be shocked by how many doors open for you by making life better for others.

[Dan Go @CoachDanGo]

The biggest cheat code on the planet is the ability to be in a good mood regardless of what's going on in your life. Not letting external events dictate how you feel is a skill we can learn. If you can train yourself to be in a bad mood you can train yourself to be in a good one.

[Blake Burge @blakeaburge]

Underrated life advice: Be kind to the version of you that is still figuring it out. Growth is not linear. Some days you feel unstoppable, other days you feel lost. Both are part of it. Keep going. The path makes sense when you look back, not when you’re in it.

[Harrison Ford @HarrisonFordLA]

May the fourth be with you