Living With the COVID 19 Blues

Note: I began this post on April 12, 2020. That was before we had lost some 220,000 Americans to this pandemic. Now, it is October 23rd, new cases in the U.S. are at 60,000 per day and the President is still insisting this virus is just "going away".

It has not gone anywhere. For most of 2020, we, the people of this country, have not gone anywhere!

So here you go, for what it's worth-my take on how it was and how it is!

(April 12, 2020)

Today, we are on about our third week of "stay at home". We gradually worked into it. At first, we were allowing our thirteen year old son's friends to come over. Now, no one but family and one next door neighbor comes in. We also do not go out, save for a daily walk. Only one person is allowed in the store, so if the kids go, they have to wait outside.
In America, this is very difficult. We are so accustomed to going where we want, when we want and with whom we want, I have to confess, I am feeling put out!
My energy level is in the tank, as well. I think it's mostly boredom, though I cringe at every dry cough I emit! No fever, so I'm good, I tell myself.
But mentally good? That's another story!
I don't know how to "have a pandemic". None of us know this stuff! Well, except for "Donald, the Greatest Genius Ever to Walk the Earth". Right?!
Yes, I know. I am dripping with sarcasm, but somebody has to say these things!

So, COVID 19 is proving to be more of a mental challenge for me than anything. I wake up early, see if the sun is shining and depending on how gloomy it looks outside, I may have coffee then or go back to sleep a while.
Soon, though I must have that hot, slightly bitter, black liquid washing over my tongue or I am not happy...

And that is where I left off in April.

Now, here is the rest...in October 2020...

After that, all bets are off what I may do. I might burst out in song, or in tears, either one. It makes it hard for others to predict whether walking on eggshells is a good activity or a waste of time. I can honestly tell them it doesn't matter. Eggshells or not, my mental state "is what it is", to borrow a recent "Trumpism" Run along! Nothing to see here! And I head back to bed.
I tried hot baths. They made me more tired. I don't drink anymore-not for ten years now. I do, however,  thoroughly enjoy my evening "herbal remedy", the only thing that really soothes my jangled nerves!

As for any sense of normalcy, it may be to my advantage that my adult life has never had much of that. I am not sure what people with "normal" lives do, but I suspect they don't have conversations with cats, as though they are humans(who speak English, no less!). I have to imagine they do not have a grown autistic son camped on their living room floor for months due to a major change in group home arrangements. Did I mention his favorite cat appears to be wanting to "check out"? I doubt many "normies" are dealing with all this today! I am also pretty sure that normal people don't have blogs they rarely write on-and that they don't use writing to avoid washing the dishes! It doesn't really make for good blog posts!

See? This is probably my worst post ever. So, chances are I will never publish it. But it kept me awake a while and kept the housework at bay!

In closing, let me say that when all else fails to cheer me, often I can come up with a song about how things are. Not 

The COVID 19 Blues:

I got up to go to work
Then on my radio some jerk
Said "Stay at home! Don't ya roam!"
And I lost my spunk and perk.

I need a reason to smile

So in just a little while

I'll watch Trump try to grin

As he polishes his spin...

I'm sorry, Donny. No, it's not funny.

It's the Covid 19 Blues!

That's it. The COVID 19 Blues is a crummy little song for a crummy little time in Murika!

The America of My Upbringing

 I realized today that I have not written anything about the current presidential election. One would think that as often as my head has nearly exploded from it all, I would have put down some notes, at least!

When I watched the first debate, what I saw was depressing, at best. Here were two supposedly grown men, acting like children on a playground engaged in name calling, and talking over one another, as an ill and tired nation shook its collective head. 

Now that we have heard Trump once again publicly disrespect a veteran-this time, Biden's now deceased son, Beau-and we have heard Biden call Trump "this clown", let's take a deep breath. Now, take another. Take as many as you need! And then listen to this liberal, 50+ year old, life long Democrat mom from Iowa. I am about to just say it the way I see it.

No white supremacist or nationalist group should ever have the ear, let alone the blessing, of the President of the United States. To those who would give these bad actors the benefit of the doubt, I say perhaps you should "go back where you came from". I don't know what vision of America was painted for you, but the one I loved and believed in is the one where we all count equally regardless of race, religion or national origin. Maybe that was only a dream, but it was a good one. It was nothing resembling the vile hatred we have seen and heard in the past four years under Donald Trump.

       I grew up in a small rural county and never laid eyes on a black person, in person, until the age of ten. The student pastor of our church brought a van load of African American boys to our farm. They were close to my age, maybe a couple years older than I. They had never been outside their impoverished neighborhood, and definitely  had never seen farm land!

      Did we look down on them? Ridicule them? Tell them to "go back where they came from"? My God, NO! There was no way our family would have dreamed of being anything but welcoming! The boys had a great time, as did we, all of us huddling around our kitchen woodstove to warm up, while Mom cooked lunch in the gas oven.

It was a  very good experience for all of us.

THAT is the America of my upbringing, and the country that we will be again. THAT is the true "Make America Great Again" campaign and we will make it inclusive for all people. 

Where anyone gets the idea that one group of people is  not the same, not like us,  not to be trusted is just beyond me. Taken to the extreme, it costs lives. I see no room for that in our America.

That's  really all I can say right now. The Presidential election is upon us and I hope everyone votes. I think we have seen that complacency favors tyrants. Let's  not be  asleep at the wheel my friends! The future of our democracy is  at stake, and I don't  take this lightly and hope you too see the handwriting on the wall.

 

 

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Peace: The Hard Sell

Hi! It's been a while. Well, I have to admit that after the election in November, I went into a bit of hibernation.
But I think it's time to come out of hiding and rejoin society, however screwed up it may be.

     A friend of mine told me recently that she had a disturbing encounter on Facebook. Someone in another country was accusing all Americans of supporting our government's policies. My friend felt understandably angry and hurt by this. She tried to explain that many of us did not vote for the current President. Additionally, some of us are active in organizations that protest war, speak out for human rights and lobby Congress for progressive issues.

     It is unfortunate that some individuals in other countries lump us together and assume we agree with all that our elected leaders do. Such is not the case, of course! We wonder why they would think that.

     First, we must understand that the media in other countries may be just as biased as ours-or even more so. Secondly, leaders in other countries bicker and rattle sabers just as ours do. But we have done more than threaten; we have attacked one country after another until people believe the United States to be a bully. Is someone in a war zone supposed to NOT hate his attacker?

     But wars are never fought by those we elect. The White House and halls of Congress continue to be occupied mostly by those who have never been in uniform. Leaders give the order for war; young and healthy people fight it. Often, they do not make it back alive and if they do, their mental wounds can be every bit as bad as their physical ones.  Many of them sign up because their prospects for education or a good job are not looking good. The military promises full time employment, benefits, and money for college, not to mention the travel and adventure every recruiter peddles. They must play down the facts about war.

     I love the quote, "What if they threw a war and no one showed up?"

     Think about that. How do we get young people around the world to refuse to fight a war? That's a tough sell, even here in America. Somehow, our flag and national anthem have been mixed with so called "patriotism", which could better be described as "nationalism". That has led many down the road to xenophobia. They seem not to realize the irony of their bigotry against those in other countries.

     These are people who have forgotten we Americans, for the most part, are the descendants of immigrants. It is precisely because of their hard work that this country has been successful for so long. It is our diversity that makes us truly great! We really are a melting pot of many cultures and religions.

     So, I say to the rest of the world, especially those in war zones, to those who are angry and fearful of us, many of us wish you only peace. I am sorry we have not yet been able to get all Americans to say "no" to war and "yes" to peace and compassion for all people. This awakening that must take place is manifesting itself more slowly than we would like. But we are grateful for the progress that has been made.

     The vast majority of people in the United States are good folks. They mean no harm. But they are lied to by our government and the mainstream media. We do not often get to hear the voices of the oppressed. We need them! We need all of our voices, demanding the insanity of perpetual war be ceased!

     Those are my thoughts today, as I ride a city bus and contemplate my mutual humanity with the rest of the world. 

     From somewhere near The Lake, be well and wage peace!

     Peace Train

Water is Life-DAPL is Death

It's been busy here this week. We got through the Thanksgiving gatherings with grateful hearts and full stomachs.
On Black Friday, my son and I stood with one other person outside a Wells Fargo bank, holding signs and raising awareness of what the Dakota Access pipeline dispute is about. Why Wells Fargo? Because it is one of numerous banks that have been funding "The Black Snake".
Lakota prophecy says "If the Black Snake crosses our land, our world will end."

So, I am putting a link here to more information about the  movement to defund DAPL. I encourage you to tell these banks "Dump DAPL-or I dump you!" If you wish to do more, there is plenty to be done in both North Dakota and Iowa. This battle is not over!

 pdf of Banks funding DAPL


Signing off from The Lake....stay tuned for more later.

Welcome to My Couch | The Holderness Family

A friend sent me this video and I love it!
As a nation, can we set it all aside for just one day and be grateful for all we have?
Can we at least not argue? Ok-well, can we at least not punch each other?

With Love..Happy Thanksgiving!

P.S. Dear America, you are already great. Just remember what made you that way! And keep a sense of humor, huh?!

"The Only Courtesy Donald Trump Deserves" is a Must See!

Well, the election is over and here at The Lake, I'm just trying to get my head to stop spinning! As an unapologetic Monday morning quarterback, I can say that the DNC got it wrong and we knew they had it wrong months ago! The polls back then said that Hillary would lose and that Bernie would win against Donald Trump. So much for utilizing things like numbers. I guess that was too complex.

So here we are, looking at the prospect of mass deportations, the end of Obamacare, the end of protections for the LBGTQ community, the death of Roe. v. Wade and the end of regulations put in place to protect our health and well being from pollution of our air and water. That alone should scare the piss out of anyone. Add to that what deregulation will mean in terms of climate change and it's enough to make you want to just stick a gun in your mouth now and get it over with!

But we can't do that, folks. Especially here in the U.S., we cannot just sit and wait out the end. No, that's not us. Not deep down. We will still fight for the common good and for our children's futures.

Please watch the video here and subscribe to the Carbon Freeze channel. He's got some great things to say!

Signing off from The Lake...stay cool...

From America With Love: IOWA CCI Action Fund

From America With Love: IOWA CCI Action Fund: IOWA CCI Action Fund The Dakota Access Pipeline is a threat to soil and water across eighteen counties in Iowa. A leak will impact million...