May 18, 2020 – Here’s the fourth (and final!) installment in my pictorial journey through self-imposed home quarantine. As I said in my first post (see Part One), I wanted to keep this light with some humor thrown in. These last four weeks, however, have been almost as surreal as the first few days of the pandemic. My somewhat dark mood has given way to anger, just pure anger.
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| I’m so bored! |
When the Walls Come Tumbling Down…
So, May 1st came and people acted as though they had been stuck at home for years…decades, even. As a species, we still have a ways to go on the evolutionary track. I know I’m sick of being at home, but to put your fellow humans – potentially – in harm’s way…it’s sickening (pun intended).
A Month of High and Lows
During a typical May, our family endures an emotional rollercoaster of highs and lows (or, ups and downs) that might cause motion sickness for most folks. The ups and downs started on May 1st – Sam Black’s birthday – and continued on May 2nd with my guest appearance on the Melanoma Research Foundation’s Virtual Miles for Melanoma Opening Ceremony.
There was The Blues Foundation’s virtual Blues Music Awards the following day, then, a week later, there was Mother’s Day – a bittersweet time in our home. At least the weather that weekend was nice and crisp (we even made an outdoor fire).
May also brings back memories of high school and college graduations, along with the end of the school year, which seems to coincide with my birthday on May 20th. (See They Say It’s Your Birthday)
All of this in the midst of a pandemic and a nation that is trying not to dissolve into complete chaos. At that point, we stopped watching the news and tried our best to stay away from the internet. Pretty much impossible to do.
Politicians, Pundits, and People
I’m tired…just plain tired of people…politicians and pundits. Everyone has an opinion and anyone else who disagrees is wrong, just wrong. One group feels their rights are being infringed upon, another group believes those people are reckless and selfish, while others believe this entire “virus thing” is a hoax. To say that people are idiots is to almost understate the problem. We simply don’t care, regardless of our intents, regardless of what we believe or say…bottom-line is – we don’t care. As long as our little self-contained world hums along with no government interference, or pesky intrusions by the neighbors, or whatever…we don’t care.
We are becoming a nation of morons who think only in terms of instant gratification and what can be achieved by crapping all over others. It’s sad…and disgusting. Throw in useless politicians – who only make things worse – and pundits who are simply out for themselves – and its no wonder no one has faith in our societal systems any longer.
Saving Grace(s)
The saving grace for me is that I’m healthy and at home. (Yes, my own little world, thank you.) We have spent a lot of time together, which is wonderful given my health situation. And there are my plants, of course. Always a source of comfort even when they’re a
lot of work. I’ve finished more yard/garden projects this spring than
I’ve finished in the past five years.
So the three pics on the right are definitely my saving graces: good food (compliments of Vicki), gardening, and, as always, beer.
By The Way, Thanks for Asking…
I’ve grown tired of religious folks in this country. As I mentioned in Part 3, I already have a strained relationship with God to begin with. I used the word tenuous – meaning flimsy or weak – and that’s about right. God and I haven’t been on speaking terms in years, especially after Emily’s cancer diagnosis.
I know that runs counter to what most Christians believe…if anything, you’d turn to God in time of need. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work for me any longer. To better understand my frustration with organized religion and with people who claim to be “religious,” you have to understand the distinction I make between religion – which is of men – and spirituality – which is of God, or a higher power.
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| Yeah, I could use a haircut…and a shave. |
I’m tired of people using their “religion” and their religious institutions to judge others and – in the process – cause pain and anguish. Its hypocritical and destructive…and goes against the teachings of that two-thousand-year-old Jewish carpenter from the Galilee.
Matthew 7:2 pretty much sums it up…For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged
I’d like people to stop and think the next time they say “We’re praying for you.” Some of these same people post ugly political memes and defend worthless politicians who match their world view. They’re very quick to chime in on a political post, but don’t take time to wish someone a Happy Birthday, or simply ask someone with a chronic condition, or cancer, How’s it going? How are you feeling?
Time to Move to New Zealand
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| An entire country full of sheep! Count me in! |
At one point a few weeks ago, I was so fed up with our country – including places I thought we might end up living after retirement – Colorado, Florida, the Carolinas – that I told Vicki that we’re retiring to New Zealand. Seems the Kiwis have figured out to handle the virus, mass shootings, and runaway Hobbits.
Finally… I’m Still Healing
As you may remember (see Don’t Believe the Gripe), I had another melanoma removed on February 28th. It’s been almost three full months, yet I still have a wound that has to be cleaned and bandaged every day. At this point, I think it will be the end of June before I’m fully healed.
Anyway…thanks for listening. I promise the next post will be a little more positive.
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‘Like Walking in Wet Sand’
It’s been another month of the same old, same old. I saw this quote somewhere on the internet and thought it was appropriate. One day just seems to roll into another. We’re all just trudging along.
It’s the Little Things in Life
Pretty flowers, a cold beer, a good book…it’s the little things that I look forward to nowadays. Yet, I can’t seem to remain happy, or satisfied. I constantly worry about everything and everyone. There’s a definite “lack of control” that for people like me is unsettling and unacceptable. I’m beginning to understand how isolationists feel…stressed, paranoid, not able or willing to think clearly.
The Great Escape
As I first posted on Facebook on April 14th, after more than two weeks at home, I broke quarantine and toured Memphis from the safety of my car. While far from a ghost town, I was taken aback by the empty feel of the city – especially in downtown and Midtown. At the same time, I was surprised by the number of construction workers, city work crews, etc. hard at work like any normal day. Most, if not all of them, had no face coverings at all.
You Gotta Have Faith
My relationship with the Almighty is a tenuous one to say the least. This situation has neither strengthened or diminished that relationship. I honestly don’t understand people of faith who turn their backs on fellow human beings all in the name of politics or a particular way of thinking. I sincerely hoped that our country would figure out some things, maybe even come together. That lasted for about two or three weeks. Now, it’s everyone for themselves and to hell with others.
Easter was particularly troubling. Frankly, I’m not sure what I believe any more. But to paraphrase the late George Michael…You gotta have faith, faith, faith.
Note: As I mentioned in Part Two, I’ll have a longer discussion about people and religion. That will be in Part Four.
Old School Becomes New School
It’s funny how because of work-at-home and safer at home measures – self-quarantining included – old things have become rediscovered, even in our digital age. Pictures of people playing board games, trivia night via Skype or Zoom…people walking, jogging, and bike riding. I’ve seen and met more neighbors in the past two months than have in the past two years.
Folks hanging out on their porches and listening to music. Even sidewalk art has become a cheap, easy time-filler. Reading, even through digital means, has become a popular pastime, once again.
A Green Thumb and Brown Knees
Gardening, too, became a more popular pastime. It’s late April, so around here that means it’s time to work outside in the garden. I finally got out of the house – with the help of my daughter, Emily – to buy plants and such at a local nursery. It was good to be around plants, once again. Zoe even went along for the ride.
Manna From Heaven
After a full day of yard work and gardening, I was exhausted and starving. Meals, like Vicki’s famous spaghetti sauce (as seen on the right) made it all worthwhile. In fact, cooking and eating have become central characters in this weird pandemic teleplay we find ourselves in.
Meals are a combination of our tried and true favorites, or new recipes found online…as long as we can have the right ingredients. In some cases, our meals are simply improvised with whatever’s on hand. Nothing wrong with that and no complaints from me.
Every time Vicki (or, Emily) goes grocery shopping it’s like Christmas when she returns. Oooh, what did we get? Oh, toilet paper! I love it! Did you get any candy? It’s amazing what being holed-up for almost two months does to your expectations.
Advocacy Work Continues
My latest article for Skincancer.net was posted on April 23rd. (Recurring Vigilance) Since that time, it’s been difficult if not impossible for me to write on a consistent (and focused) basis. That’s one reason this post is more than a month after its date.
Hopefully I’ll soon get back on-track.
For now, thanks and stay safe.
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March 24, 2020 – Here’s the second in my pictorial journey through self-imposed home quarantine. As I stated the last time (see Part One), I’ll try to keep it light and try my best – no guarantees – to keep out the politics and frustration (a hard one at this point). We all need to smile a little more, right now.
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| Aero Garden in the kitchen. We should have grown veggies instead of petunias. |
Pandemic Hits Home
Thursday, March 19th, Vicki comes in the back door and puts her things down in the dining room. She has an odd look on her face. It’s lunch time, so both Emily and I are sitting at the table in our breakfast nook. I ask her if everything’s okay…she proceeds to tell us that a coworker – who is new to her department – just got a call that her adult son was sent home from work because he has a cough and was running a fever. Suddenly, coronavirus gets even more real for our family.
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| Really? Sleep in here? |
Upstairs/Downstairs
We disinfect everything – and I mean everything. Vicki moves all of her day-to-day things into the dining room. We use clean dish towels to touch door handles and sink faucets. Emily and I continue to eat in the kitchen area while Vicki stays mostly in the dining room and the (rarely used) living room. Emily and I commandeer the den.
I sleep in the mother-in-law’s quarters downstairs. Zoe, of course, sleeps downstairs with me, but she doesn’t like it. Life is now very surreal. We have a much better appreciation of how people on the front lines of the pandemic deal with everyday life.
Weather, Weather, Weather
As I said in Part One, the weather in Memphis has been crappy – and that’s putting it nicely. Warm and rainy one day, cold and rainy the next. It makes a weird, depressing situation even more miserable. You can’t go outside, and it’s so dreary that every day looks like nightfall. Ugh.
God Paid the Utility Bill
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| Finally…sunshine! |
Finally…sunshine! Saturday (March 21st) was a glorious day. The sun was out almost the entire day. The neighbors were out, too, which was a mixed blessing. I’m not sure everyone is on board with social distancing. In particular, one set of neighbors are all crammed together in the front yard yucking it up and playing a form of tennis on the driveway. I watch from my front porch as one player hands a racquet to another neighbor (not a family member, by the way), who proceeds to get in the game. Yeah, I’m really not sure that everyone – even when one of those neighbors has cancer – understands how serious this situation has become.
One other note – We were invited (via text) to come over and hang out with these same neighbors. Vicki replied – also via text – that we may been exposed and needed to self-isolate. Did she get a response? Has she gotten any kind of response to this day? Nah. Piece of advice – If someone who’s married to a Stage IV cancer patient says that she may have been exposed to a deadly virus, and, therefore, we need to stay away from each other and everyone else, shouldn’t you do the courteous, caring thing and – at the very least – respond? People. I’ll address this, especially “religious” folk, in my next installment.
Zombie Apocalypse
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| Apple Store in Germantown. Four o’clock on a Sunday afternoon. |
After about two weeks of being at home, I decided that Sunday to get cleaned up, put on some real clothes, and drive around Germantown. Vicki and Emily had told me about the store closures and empty grocery shelves, but I wanted to see – from the safety of my car – what this pandemic looks like. It was – as I told Vicki when I got home – like a zombie apocalypse. No one’s out. Very few people driving around. Shopping center parking lots empty – on a Sunday afternoon! Wow.
Thanks, as always, for listening…and be safe and, if you can, stay home!
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