I haven't written a blessed thing in MONTHS. Not a line of poetry, no more of the story I'm working on, not even a journal entry. My mind has been dragged into the national stupor known as Corona Virus. We were locked down, now we've started 'reopening', and much too soon, obviously, as infection rates are spiking. We are back in the branch at the library now, waiting on word of when or if we reopen fully to the public, with social distancing enforced and masks strongly recommended. (We will give you a mask if you need one.)
I am still afraid, because so many idiots refuse to wear a mask, saying it infringes on their "rights." Your rights end where another person's well being begins, folks, and ALL rights come with RESPONSIBILITIES. You aren't two anymore, you have to Adult now, and wear your mask, and STAY HOME UNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO GO OUT. (And no, seeing your friends at the bar for a drink or twelve is not something you HAVE to do, no matter HOW you feel about it.)
During this time I have made a LOT of masks, and have just ordered filters and nose pieces for them, and some more of the "good" elastic that makes better ear loops. Matt and I each have several masks we can wear if we must leave the house. I wear mine to work, to walk, and certainly if I have to go to a store. Matt wears his on his rare trips to pick up his prescriptions and get takeout food. We both have doctor's appointments coming up, and you can bet we'll be masked for those. We also carry hand sanitizer with us. (I was recently able to restock my supply of "pocket bacs" from Bath and Body Works. I like those because they are small, and have pleasant scents.) I also have the generic type in a small squeeze bottle that I refill from our large bottle at home and take for use at work. Every time I do venture out to a store, I pick up as many packages of paper towels and facial tissues as I am allowed to buy. I also try to get disinfecting wipes. Toilet paper isn't as big a deal here lately, I have a 20 pack of Scott Tissue in the closet, and a couple of generic brand backups just in case. Each of our "crates" we store tissue in is almost full right now. (One in each bathroom, each holds 12 rolls.) I was pretty well stocked with Scott Tissue before this whole mess started, and there's only the two of us, so it lasts awhile.
I get very tired of the Trump Circus. I wish it would leave town already. It's old, it's sad, it's being run by shady characters, and it really isn't doing anyone any good. The fact that he is not the least bit averse to cheating scares me. He and his minions are going to do everything possible to mess up the election. Biden needs to win by a really, really, big landslide, one that CANNOT be ignored or 'Electoral College -ed' away. It needs to be OBVIOUS that the people want Trump OUT. His idiot base has so thoroughly swallowed the Kool-Aid though, that they will support him no matter that he's actively trying to kill them. (By giving them all the Corona Virus at his "rallies".) What really worries me is what is happening behind the scenes while the media is paying attention to his circus. All those judges appointed for life, who do the bidding of big corporations and care nothing really about the Constitution or the spirit of the law, all the money disappearing into Trump associated accounts, there are so many things going on that we never see.
Joe Biden will be such a breath of fresh air. He LISTENS, he learns, he tries to do better. He is an honorable man, no matter how much the Trump projection machine tries to claim he has all the same foibles as their boy.
All this is to say my mind has been far too much taken up with all this outside noise to listen to my insides. I haven't been able to write, I don't get to sing much, since choir and voice lessons are out because of this virus. I have been reading, but a lot of it has been non-fiction, and work related. Good, thought provoking and interesting, but I need some escapism. I've read White Fragility, and have been mentally chewing on that for awhile. So many, many things we never even think about, and they are founded in the fact that in this country, white is the default setting for everything. I hope to God I haven't hurt, frustrated, or exasperated any of my friends by my sometimes clueless white person behavior. I want to do better, I want to know when I screw up, and own it, and try to learn from it and not do it anymore.
So much rattling around in my brain, and nothing good coming of it so far, at least nothing tangible. So, that's my self- centered navel gazing for this blog post.
May this find all of you in a better place than I currently am, may you be able to deal with all the noise productively, and may you stay healthy!
