loving art, science and creative kids
10/24/2026 11:24:26 AM
MYSTERY
Democracy Under Pressure: Lessons from America's Past
This election cycle feels like one of the tensest I’ve experienced. I worry that the democracy I know is under attack as leaders challenge democratic norms and concentrate power.It is difficult to accept policies that threaten health care and food assistance for struggling families. It is equally troubling when access to information is restricted and public statements conflict with established facts. I fear a future in which wealthy industrialists wield disproportionate influence over our government. At least, that’s how I see it. But America has weathered bitter political battles before. How do today's divisions compare with some of the most contentious presidential elections in our history?
1800: A Constitutional Deadlock: Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, both Democratic-Republicans, tied with 73 electoral votes each. The House of Representatives had to break the deadlock, taking 36 ballots before Jefferson prevailed. The crisis led to the Twelfth Amendment, which required electors to cast separate votes for president and vice president. Political rivalries can turn deadly. In 1804, Burr killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel. No matter how deeply divided we are today, I don't believe violence is the answer to our nation's problems.
1824: The “Corrupt Bargain”: Andrew Jackson won more popular and electoral votes than any other candidate, but no one secured an electoral majority. The House chose John Quincy Adams. When Adams subsequently appointed Henry Clay secretary of state, Jackson's supporters accused the men of making a corrupt bargain. Jackson ran again in 1828—and won.
1860: An Election That Tore the Nation Apart: Abraham Lincoln won the presidency with about 40 percent of the popular vote. His opposition to the expansion of slavery made him unacceptable to many Southern leaders. South Carolina seceded weeks after his victory, followed by other Southern states. The Civil War began in April 1861. The election also led to his untimely death. This election reminds us that when political divisions become irreconcilable, the consequences can extend far beyond the ballot box.
1876: A Compromise with Lasting Consequences: A special commission settled the disputed election between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel Tilden in Hayes's favor after awarding him the contested electoral votes. Political negotiations produced the Compromise of 1877, which included the withdrawal of remaining federal troops from the South. The end of Reconstruction weakened federal protection for formerly enslaved people and helped pave the way for decades of segregation and disenfranchisement. A political compromise may resolve an immediate crisis, but we must also consider who pays the price.
2000: Five Weeks of Uncertainty: The contest between Al Gore and George W. Bush came down to Florida, where a narrow margin triggered recounts and lawsuits. The Supreme Court's decision in Bush v. Gore effectively ended the recount. Bush won the Electoral College, although Gore received more than 500,000 additional popular votes nationwide. The election demonstrated how a small number of disputed ballots in one state can determine the outcome of a national contest.
2020: A Challenge to the Peaceful Transfer of Power: Joe Biden defeated incumbent Donald Trump amid a pandemic and deep national divisions. Trump disputed the results, alleging widespread election fraud. Courts rejected numerous legal challenges, and election officials certified the results in their jurisdictions. On January 6, 2021, as Congress counted the electoral votes, a mob of Trump supporters, with his encouragement, stormed the Capitol and interrupted the proceedings. Congress later reconvened and certified Biden's victory. The attack was a sobering reminder that democracy depends not only on election laws but also on a willingness to accept lawful outcomes and resolve disputes without violence.
Midterm Elections also Changed America
The 1866 midterm became a referendum on Reconstruction and on Johnson, who had alienated many Republicans. Anti-Johnson Republicans won overwhelmingly in both chambers of Congress, giving them the two-thirds majorities needed to override the president’s vetoes. Over the next two years, Congress ratified the 14th Amendment, guaranteeing equal protection under the law. The 15th Amendment protected voting rights for all men regardless of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”
The 1934 midterms were a win for the New Deal. Democrats in both houses of Congress gained seats, allowing the Social Security Act, the Wagner Act (which guaranteed collective bargaining), and the WPA (Works Progress Administration) to pass. Four years later, there was a conservative backlash over his attempt to purge his own party of anti-New Democrats.
Though Lyndon B. Johnson won a landslide victory in 1964 over conservative Barry Goldwater, the Democratic Party suffered a stinging midterm reversal. The civil rights acts Johnson touted fueled a Republican surge among Southern Democrats that lasted decades.
The midterms in 1994 marked a major shift in American politics, giving Republicans control of both chambers of Congress for the first time in 40 years. This was primarily due to President Bill Clinton’s unsuccessful push for healthcare reform and his “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Policy,” allowing gay, lesbian, and bisexual people to serve in the military.
The 2010 midterms,s another big win for Republicans, were fueled by a grassroots conservative movement called the Tea Party. In the wake of the Great Recession, anger over government bailouts of large financial firms fueled a protest against government spending, the national debt, and President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act. The House losses were huge, though the Senate held its majority. Though the Tea party faded as a political movement, its anti-establishment politics influenced the Republican Party during Donald Trump’s rise to power.
Why History Matters Now
As we approach the November 2026 midterm elections, we are not choosing a president, but we are choosing the representatives who will shape our laws and help determine how our government operates. The stakes are significant.
Our history shows that democracy is neither automatic nor guaranteed. It depends on institutions that protect our rights, leaders who respect the law, a free press, and citizens willing to participate even when the political climate is discouraging.
This is one reason I write the Rightfully Mine series. My novels explore what happens when powerful interests put profit and control ahead of people's rights—to clean water, unpolluted air, safe food, and a voice in decisions that affect their lives. Although the stories are fiction, the underlying questions are real: Who holds power? Who is held accountable? And what happens when ordinary people refuse to accept injustice?
I don't expect everyone to agree on every issue. Disagreement is part of democracy. But protecting our right to disagree peacefully—and ensuring that our government remains accountable to the people—is essential.
Learn about the candidates. Question what you read. Check claims against reliable sources. Listen to people whose experiences differ from your own. And vote. Democracy isn't something we inherit once and can then take for granted. It is something we must work to preserve, election after election.
References:
Pruitt, S. (2016). Most Contentious US Presidential Elections.HIstory. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/articles/most-contentious-u-s-presidential-elections
Roots, D. (2026) 5 Misdterm elections That Changed America. History. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/articles/5-midterm-elections-that-changed-america
I look forward to your thoughts in the comment section below.
Mystery is available for sale through my website, If interested go to https://www.eichingerfineart.com/workszoom/3288831/mystery#/
Purchase the Rightfully Mine Novels to understand why access to clean water and unpolluted air should be considered a right notraded on wall street. purchase books go to https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Books+by+Marilynne+Eichinger
10/16/2026 3:49:11 PM
FAMILY OUTING
Family: The More, the Merrier?
I grew up in a traditional family: a mother, a father, three siblings, and lots of relatives. My grandparents played an important role in my upbringing. Grandpa, an amateur photographer, taught me to process film in his basement darkroom. Grandma took me to the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra’s children’s concerts. Afterward, we would stop for lunch—waffles smothered with ice cream. I can almost taste them now.
As a young woman, I dreamed of marrying early and raising at least six children in what I considered a medium-sized family. I made it to five, never imagining that in my late thirties I would launch a career as demanding as helping my children grow into the caring, competent adults they are today.
Last weekend, I attended a granddaughter’s wedding. Counting my children, their spouses, my grandchildren, and their partners and children, we numbered nearly thirty. Add the children and grandchildren I've adopted, along with their challenges and successes, and life is never boring!
Finding My Own Way. It would have been easy to get swallowed up in family responsibilities and lose my identity. But I came of age during the women's movement and wanted to discover who I was beyond my role as a wife and mother. I also wanted to prove that I could make my own way in the world.
It wasn't easy. When I started my museum, all the board members were men. Most ran companies whose boards were also dominated by men. Business and university clubs often excluded women. Business trips to the Caribbean and Baja Peninsula could involve heavy drinking and prostitution, while women were left outside these circles of professional influence. It was a man's world, and women had a long way to go to gain equal footing.
As I built my career, my children became part of the generation known as latchkey kids. The older ones were in high school and the younger ones in middle school. They sometimes came to the museum, helping in the gift shop or serving as guides. The younger children enrolled in museum-sponsored classes.
Still, I wasn't home when school let out, which was often when trouble started. I created a family problem box where the children could put their complaints. After dinner, we'd pull them out and discuss solutions together. It worked—at least some of the time!
Like many working parents, I was learning to balance a career with family responsibilities. There were competing demands, occasional guilt, and plenty of improvisation. Somehow, we made it through.
Families Change. The women's movement of the 1960s and 1970s challenged traditional expectations about marriage, employment, and child-rearing. Greater access to birth control and changes in the law gave women more choices about their lives.
Family structures have continued to evolve. Today, families include married couples with children, couples without children, single parents, unmarried partners, multigenerational households, and same-sex couples. There are also those who create families through adoption and close personal bonds.
According to Pew Research Center, in 1970, about 67 percent of Americans ages 25 to 49 lived with a spouse and at least one child under 18. By 2023, that figure had fallen to 37 percent. Americans are marrying less often, having children later, and having fewer children overall.
Economic pressures, housing costs, career goals, changing expectations, and the difficulty of finding a stable partner all play a role. These choices have consequences. Fewer children may mean fewer workers supporting a growing older population, while adult children increasingly find themselves caring for aging parents as they raise their own families and manage demanding jobs.
Affordable child care, paid family leave, and tax credits could ease some of the pressure on parents. But family decisions are personal, and there is no single arrangement that works for everyone.
What Matters Most? For me, one of the greatest rewards of a large family is the way people reconnect. At the wedding last weekend, the room reverberated with happy chatter. Parents, children, cousins, and relatives caught up, shared stories, and celebrated a new beginning. With Zoom and FaceTime now available, I know many will stay connected long after the party ends.
I'm grateful that I had my large family when I did. I love watching the generations grow and seeing relationships develop in ways I could never have imagined when I was a young mother.
Of course, having a big family doesn't mean there aren't problems. But when someone hits a stumbling block, there are usually people ready to help. We celebrate one another's successes and try to show up when life gets difficult.
But a large family isn't the only way to find connection. Some people are only children, live far from relatives, or have family relationships that aren't close or supportive. In those circumstances, building a community may take extra effort. Friends, neighbors, and chosen family can also provide love and encouragement. The people who show up for us are the ones who matter most, whether or not we're related by blood. A strong community helps us weather life's unexpected turns and reminds us that we don't have to face everything alone.
I left the wedding feeling fortunate—not simply because my family is relatively large, but because it is close. For a few hours, surrounded by people who cared about one another, I felt at peace. I had followed the right path for me, and I was content.
What I hope everyone can find is a circle of people who make life richer, funnier, and a little easier to navigate. If you're lucky enough to have a large family, enjoy it. If your circle is smaller, nurture the people in it. And if you need to build your circle from scratch, it's never too late to start. After all, the best part of family isn't how many people are in the room. It's how glad you are to see them when they walk through the door.
References
Pew Research Center. The Modern American Family.
https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2023/09/14/the-modern-american-family/
Pew Research Center. Family and Relationships.
https://www.pewresearch.org/topic/family-relationships/
I look forward to hearing about your family, whether biological or created.
Art is always for sale through my website. FAMILY OUTING can be fond at https://www.eichingerfineart.com/workszoom/3044972/family-outing#/
The Rightfully Mine Series speaks this genration, urging our youth and young adults not to give up the right to clean water, air, and safe foo. They are inalienable righta. Once they understand what is at stake, hopefully they will be moved to do something about it. To purchase books for your children and grandchildren, go to AMAZON
10/13/2026 9:36:52 AM
Floating in Space.
Am I successful in portraying a sense of wonder and mystery in outer space with this painting? Is that enough, or is it only successful if someone purchases it?
Success Is Finding a Reason to Move Forward
How do you measure success? Winston Churchill is thought to have said, “Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm,” and that “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” These quotes capture an important truth: success can depend less on our achievements than on our willingness to keep going.Resilience and mindset are at the heart of these messages. Rather than an uninterrupted string of victories., success is the ability to recover from setbacks, learn from mistakes, and find the determination to try again. Ongoing enthusiasm bridges the gap between failure and eventual achievement.
Many of the goals I achieved were met simply because I persisted, pursuing my dream despite adversity and the nay sayers encouraging me to stop. Most of those were well-meaning friends and family concerned that I would fail, lose money, or become distraught. Instead of listening to them, I learned how to deal with failure.
The inability to cope with failure is an obstacle that keeps many people from trying. From childhood, we're taught to avoid failure and we rarely analyze the causes and discuss it openly, fearing embarrassment or humiliation. It's easier to hide our disappointments and not try than admit that something we tried didn't work.
I think that approach is misguided and a sad way to go through life. Failure happens to all of us. Why push it into our subconscious and pretend it never happened? Our failures are stepping stones that can teach us lessons. The challenge is to enjoy the process, use what we learned and move forward.
A famous Thomas Edison quote says, “Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Whether or not those were his exact words, his experimental approach to invention illustrates the point. He conducted thousands of experiments and worked on many inventions before developing a commercially practical incandescent lighting system. What others might have considered wasted effort, he treated as part of the process.
People sometimes stop trying because they're exhausted or discouraged, not necessarily because their goal is out of reach. When the going gets tough it’s time to double down or decide if your goal needs to be altered.
Building my first museum was a minefield of rejection, setbacks, and failed attempts. At times, I wondered whether it would ever succeed, especially given Lansing’s political climate at the time. But circumstances change. Politicians change. People gradually begin to understand what I was trying to accomplish, and some become my strongest supporters. That doesn't mean the road got easier. As the museum developed, new obstacles appeared involving permits, financing, and staffing. Just when one problem seemed resolved, another emerged. I remember when a winter storm deposited so much snow, the roof collapsed.
What kept me going were the small victories: the smiles on children's faces when they experienced an “aha!” moment while using one of our hands-on exhibits, and the encouragement of friends who volunteered their time. Those moments made the struggle worthwhile. Eventually, I stopped dwelling on the months when my efforts seemed to accomplish nothing. What I loved most about museum work was making displays that made visitors think. Yet, I soon realized that developing interactive exhibits wasn't the hardest part. It was persuading the public to embrace the idea of a hands-on science museum and getting them to support it.
Years later, I encountered a similar challenge when I began a writing career after retirement. People sometimes asked, “Why bother trying to get published? Write for your own enjoyment. Sure, improve your writing if you like, but don't worry if your books don't sell.” The more I heard this advice, the more determined I became to ignore it. I wasn't writing simply to keep busy and improve my writing skills, yet that was important. I had something to say about the right to clean air, water, and safe food, and wanted people to look at these human rights with fresh eyes.
Environmental concerns are easy to ignore when they compete with the demands of everyday life. Still, I believe our planet needs us to become better caretakers. I’ve read dozens of nonfiction books filled with facts and figures about the problems the earth faces. But facts alone don't necessarily change minds. The question in my mind that keeps me going is much the same as it was when I started a museum: How do I reach people who aren't already interested in the environment or science and persuade them to pay attention?
That’s a puzzle that continues to challenge me. I've learned a great deal about climate change and continue to hone my writing skills, but marketing still drives me crazy. Some independent authors spend tens of thousands of dollars promoting their books. I don't have that kind of money, so I keep looking for other ways to reach readers.
Am I a successful writer? I've won national and international awards, yet I'm still largely unknown. I hear from plenty of people who promise to make my books famous, provided I hire them. Unfortunately, many of these offers come from people more interested in my money than what I'm writing.
I continue to improve my craft and enjoy speaking to reading clubs. But I'll admit that I no longer have the enthusiasm for marketing that I once did. I want to write books that make people think, not spend my days trying to convince them to buy those books. If I don't overcome that reluctance, I can't succeed—or can I? If hundreds of people are enlightened by what they read, is that enough to say I’m successful? Do I need thousands?
That's my story. What's yours?
What have you tried to accomplish that required perseverance in the face of repeated setbacks? Did you pursue a sport when you were younger, only to give up when progress became difficult? Did you start a career believing you would reach the top of the organization, then abandon that ambition halfway through because the sacrifices seemed too great? Or perhaps you pursued a personal dream that others didn't understand.
Did persistence pay off in ways you never anticipated? During the process did your goals change? Did you discover that a different direction made more sense? Perseverance doesn't mean stubbornly pursuing every ambition forever. Sometimes success means recognizing that the path you were on isn’t viable and it’s time to change course.
So what is success? Thomas Edison became a celebrated inventor and businessman whose work helped transform modern life. Winston Churchill, after a long and often turbulent political career, became Britain's wartime prime minister and won the 1953 Nobel Prize in Literature for his historical and biographical writing. Their achievements were monumental. Both men left lasting marks on the world.
Most of us will never receive that level of recognition. We may never become famous, change the course of history, or see our names celebrated in books. But we still set goals, overcome obstacles, learn new skills, and find ways to contribute to the world around us. Those pursuits give meaning to our days. Small victories bring satisfaction. The people we meet on the way, the ideas we share, those we help, and the challenges we overcome can provide more satisfaction than public recognition.
My advice? Don't spend too much time worrying about whether the world considers you successful. Decide what matters to you, pursue it with determination, and take pleasure in the progress you make along the way. Perhaps success isn't reaching a final destination. Perhaps it's having a reason to keep moving forward.
I look forward to your comments below.
Art is always for sale through my web site. Interested in Floating in Space? Go to https://www.eichingerfineart.com/workszoom/6696813/floating-in-space#/
References:
Wie.J. (2026). Many Of Life’s Failures Are People Who Did Not Realize How Close They Were to Success When They Gave Up – Thomas A. Edison. DUE. Retrieved from
10/2/2026 6:43:50 PM
SEE ALL
The painting is like a Rorschach Test. What you see may say something about your personality.
Who Makes Life Fun?
Who do you like to spend time with? And what’s your definition of fun? Is it jumping into a pit filled with plastic balls and trying to make your way through it? Or climbing a rock wall secured to a tether? Playing a round of golf? Perhaps you’d rather sit on a beach, watch the sun set in a magnificent array of colors, and enjoy the quiet.
We all have different ideas about what makes life enjoyable. Some people gravitate toward humor, spontaneity, and adventure. Others prefer a good conversation, a creative project, or the simple pleasure of watching the world go by. What one person considers exhilarating, another might find exhausting.
Psychologists and personality researchers have devised numerous ways to categorize these differences. But do these classifications tell us what we really want to know? Can they predict whom we enjoy spending time with or what we consider fun?
Consider the Myers-Briggs personality system, which identifies 16 personality types based on four pairs of preferences. The categories include the practical Logistician, the analytical Logician, the imaginative Architect, the outgoing Entertainer, and the adventurous Entrepreneur, among others.
I confess that I find reading the entire Myers-Briggs list almost as entertaining as taking the test. We may recognize ourselves in some categories and our friends in others. Yet knowing someone's personality type doesn't necessarily tell us whether that person would enjoy a spontaneous road trip, a lively party, or an afternoon spent reading a book. If curious, explore the categories and take a personality test at 16Personalities.
Another system classifies people according to behavioral tendencies, motivations, or traditional astrological signs. The Type A and Type B framework, developed by cardiologists Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenman in the 1950s, initially focused on behavior patterns in relation to heart disease. The Enneagram describes nine personality types, each associated with characteristic motivations and challenges. Astrology groups the twelve zodiac signs into four elements—fire, air, water, and earth—each with its own traditional personality traits.
Then there is the distinction between introverts and extroverts, popularized through the work of psychologist Carl Jung in the early twentieth century. Introverts tend to appreciate quieter settings and time alone to recharge, while extroverts generally enjoy social interaction. Many of us fall somewhere between the two. We might love a crowded party on Saturday night and crave solitude on Sunday morning.
These systems offer different ways of thinking about ourselves, but none can tell us everything about what makes us happy. They don’t tell who our preferences change with our moods, circumstances, and companions.
So what actually makes something fun? In her book The Power of Fun, Catherine Price identifies three elements of true fun: playfulness, connection, and flow. Playfulness involves being lighthearted, curious, and humorous. Connection comes from feeling engaged with other people. Flow occurs when we become so absorbed in an activity that we lose track of time. This perspective shifts the emphasis away from personality labels and toward what we experience.
Fun isn't necessarily about being outgoing, adventurous, or funny. It can emerge when we're fully engaged in something we enjoy, especially when we share that experience with others. Our emotional circumstances matter, too. Someone who feels lonely may experience social activities differently from someone who already feels connected to others. Simply putting people together doesn't guarantee they'll enjoy themselves. The quality of the interaction matters.
What does all this add up to? First, get to know yourself. Notice which activities leave you energized and which leave you drained. Do you enjoy competition, exploration, creativity, conversation, or quiet contemplation? Do you prefer planning an outing or deciding what to do on the spur of the moment?
Get to know your friends better. You may have one friend who loves hiking, another who enjoys discussing books, and a third who can turn an ordinary dinner into an evening of laughter. You don't have to share every interest to enjoy one another's company. Most importantly, don't expect one person to satisfy all your social needs. The friend who's perfect for a spirited debate may not be the one you want beside you while watching the sunset. And the person who enjoys a quiet afternoon with you may be reluctant to join you on a rock-climbing adventure.
Friendship doesn't require us to be alike. It requires us to appreciate our differences, find the experiences we enjoy together, and allow one another room to be ourselves. Perhaps the secret to having more fun isn't finding people with the right personality types. It's discovering what makes us feel most alive—and finding the people with whom we can share it.
I look forward to your thoughts in the comment section below.
See All is avaiable for sale through my website. If interested, go to https://www.eichingerfineart.com/workszoom/5558644/see-all#/
Questions? Contact me at [email protected].
References:
Rung, R.. (2025). Is there a List of All Personality types? Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/list-of-personality-types
Price, C. The Power of Fun. copyright © 2021, randomhousebooks.com. ISBN 9780593241200
Reis,, H., O’Keefe,S & Lane,R. (2018) Fun is More Fun when Others Are Involved. National instate of Health Library. Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5597001/
Website Myers-Briggs overview. Myers & Briggs Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/myers-briggs-overview/
Website. 16 Personalities. Take the Test. Retrieved from https://www.16personalities.com/personality-types
