Banter Bites

Over – But Not Done

Although 57 of 100 senators voted "guilty," many of the others took the position you can't try a president after he left office – so we'll never know how many believe he's actually guilty.

BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: As expected, Red and Black looked at the impeachment trial outcome very differently.

Black was fascinated by the legal maneuvering of the impeachment trial, and admits she's a frustrated attorney at heart. However, she realizes that her opinion of what happened and why is just that – an opinion. But the facts remain that Trump's the only president to be impeached twice, and this was the most bipartisan vote in any presidential impeachment trial (seven Republicans voted he was guilty). He's the only president to seriously threaten the peaceful transfer of power. And he's the first impeached president to have left office before being tried. And, there may be more firsts based on the looming amount of legal trouble on the horizon.

Red, on the other hand, doesn't care about all the firsts. Well, she does, but it's not first and foremost (pun intended) in her mind. But as someone who loves history, she can't help but wonder how this chapter in American history will be written. Will it be the trial where some senators, whose lives were at great risk when the Capitol was overrun by rioters, were able to "ignore" Trump's behavior because he was no longer president? Will it be the changes we saw in what people deemed "acceptable behavior" during the last four years? Will it be the power of social media to spread both information and misinformation? Will it be the physical and emotional attack on the Capitol and democracy? Will it be how it has caused a divide within the Republican Party? Or, all of the above?

But we both agree,

Only time will tell how Trump and his presidency will go down in history, and whether he'll actually face consequences of his actions. Meanwhile, we all have been affected by this – in many different ways. But, hopefully, we can now move on …

“A Dictator & His Mistress” might have been a catchier title, but that doesn’t change the fact that the combination of history and food makes this one of Red’s favorite Banter Bites. While Black loves the leadership lessons (from a dictator?!). Curious? If so, read on …

Quick! If someone says "Julius Caesar," what comes to mind?

BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: Almost everyone has heard of Julius Caesar, but how many of us really know much about him, or at least that's what Red starts to wonder when she receives the usual flippant, but still accurate, reply from her sister, after feeling very proud that she knew that July was named after the famous Roman.

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Today’s technology may be very different from when we first ran this four years ago, but it makes  communication skills even more critical, and Effective Communications Month is the perfect time to acknowledge it’s a superpower …

Talking isn't the same as communicating. And hearing isn't the same as listening. Think about it.

BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: Being an effective communicator, whether in our personal lives or at work, is a critical skill but one-size-doesn't-fit-all as we each use very different methods and styles … ranging from lots of words and talking stuffed animals (Red) to bullet points and racing flags (Black).

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What better way to celebrate May Day than bringing back one of Black’s favorite posts? A little history (for Red), mixed with fertility and workers’ rights (no, we’re not kidding), and a reminder that sometimes "pole dancing" doesn’t only happen in clubs …

If you’ve never thought about May Day, don’t worry, most of us haven’t.

BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: Red appreciates that some holidays have historical significance, some have ancient traditions, and some are opportunities for one of Black’s unexpected, but often amusing and clever, comments, but May Day checks all those boxes.

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