January 25, 2021

45 Weeks Behind Us (Weekly Update)

Well hello there people! It's 45 weeks behind us now since coronavirus hit the state of Georgia. We are nearing that 52 week mark - meaning we've been at this for almost a year now. And coronavirus is totally out of control where I live. I can't tell you how many people I know or people connected to people I know who are fighting this virus as I write this. Go USA (and Georgia)! We are definitely feeling the effects of the lack of mask use and social distancing.

It feels so strange writing about the 45th week behind us in regards to coronavirus without 45 being in office, but it is oh so amazing...

 
 
Last week was really quiet for our family - not much going on. Our biggest excitement for the week was the inaugurat!on. The virus is so rampant around here - we try not to go out much now (not like we did a lot before). Doug's work is super busy, Bri is trying to get into the swing of the new semester and I'm still trying to keep the house as "normal" as possible - though nothing feels normal anymore.
 
 It was quite cold toward the beginning of last week, so I had been enjoying our fireplace...

Now it looks like things are going to warm up a bit this week. I'm kind of sad because it's looking like we won't be getting any snow in our neck of the woods this year. We only had some light flurries on Christmas Eve. Real bummer.

I'm still cooking quite a bit - trying to make things that are not too complicated. I just don't like complicated right now...

I've been binge watching "The Handma!d's Tale" (still) to keep my mind busy. It's really good but really dark. I'm ok with dark right now. Not feeling super cheery nowadays anyway...
 
 So, let me talk about something very uplifting - at least for me and 80 million other people in the US. The Inaugurat!on of J@e B!den took place last Wednesday, and I was finally was able to take that breath that I so desperately needed. 

First, I have to say that I've never been so happy to see someone leave office in my entire life...

Tr@mp snubbed going to B!den's Inaugurat!on (first time a president has done this since 1869 - totally classless), gave one last boastful, annoying speech at an airfield (which he managed to get in the term "Ch!na virus" one last time - a-hole) and took off on A!r Force One (hooray). You know the saying "don't let the door hit you on the way out?" Well for him, I hope it did. Right smack in the head. 

  Doug, Bri and I all sat in front of the TV on that historic day. Watching the first wom@n VP get sworn in. Renewed hope. My daughter finally gets to see and experience true leadership again.

So many memorable moments that day...


 
And the two new Georgia sen@tors were there too...

A black man, a Hispanic man and a Jewish man were all sworn in that day. 

Now THAT is America. 

Doug picked up some L@nghorn that evening for a celebratory dinner...

There were some funny moments that came out of that day...

Like Bern!e memes...

And people trying to figure out what Tr@mp's letter to B!den possibly said...


It's been fun getting a bit of a laugh.

But, we are still living in a very somber time right now.

I was very moved when B!den and Harr!s held a memorial for coronavirus victims the night before the inaugurat!on. It was a long time coming. Too long...

And B!den has quite a mess he has to fix...
 
 I am SO happy that there is actually a feder@l plan now to try to fix the mess Tr@mp made regarding the virus. But, we still have such a long way to go...

Tr@mp was so worried about how a global p@ndemic was going to affect the US economy (which is what he was banking on to win a second term) that he downplayed the virus for months and months and spread extremely dangerous rhetoric about social distancing and mask use. And now we are where we are today. All he cared about was getting elected again - which didn't end up happening anyway. So it was all for nothing. Over 400K lives lost.

All I know, is our former pres!dent incited a riot on purpose and people died. He needs to pay for what he did. Everyone getting arrested is saying they were there for him...

Because they were. Because he asked them. He should not just be told he can't run for office again. He needs to be sitting in a prison cell.

So now that B!den is in office and I can start to breath again, I am feeling a mix of relief and a huge sense of sadness.

On Saturday, there were over 9K new virus cases again in GA...


And for some reason, the public schools thought it would be a great idea to send the kids back to school today after one measly week of keeping the kids home as numbers stay super high. Like one week will do anything. Even when 3 teachers have now died of the virus in our neighboring county. I just don't get it.

Doug, Bri and I drove to get some lunch Sunday afternoon (grabbed from a drive through and eaten in our car). In my area of town, people were out and about like there is no virus going on at all. There is a flea market by my house and it was packed and maskless. The ignorance that immediately surrounds me is becoming almost too much for me to bear. I feel like I am screaming in a wind tunnel (that I've been screaming in for almost a year). No one can hear me - well, no one wants to hear me.
 
It's not like I've been wrong. I haven't been wrong at all.

As for Briana and school next year, I am still not sure what will happen. All I know is Briana will not be stepping one foot in her public school without having a vaccine. And I'm not sure there will be one for her by then (kids start back in August). I don't want her to do another year of virtual. She needs some (masked) human contact soon. So, it's looking like private school will have to be an option if things don't start moving along quicker. It breaks my heart that Bri may have to start her school life over again, but it's better than being stuck at home (even though she may not think so). It's so hard not having any real control over this situation.

At least Fauc! finally has his muzzle off and can freely speak about science and facts again. He is beaming from ear to ear...

He should have been front and center this entire time. He was the expert in all of this. Not Tr@mp.

There is no doubt some depression is hitting me now. I'm ready for my life back now yet somehow have to continue to find patience. I'm not sure how I'm going to do it. My whole life has been a trial in patience and I am seriously running out. Running out fast.

 And I am still holding on to so much anger right now. Anger at ignorance and selfishness. Anger at Tr@mp and his enablers. Anger at my lack of control over things. I just don't know how to let go of it. Even when life goes back to some sort of "normal," how is that going to look? Who will I still be associating with? What will I do with my life? What will be left in the rubble?

So, once again I am very conflicted. How can someone be quite happy yet very unhappy at the same time? I feel like a crazy person sometimes.

So that is where I am right now. Trying to hang on and be patient. It is tough though. So tough...
 
 I think I'll leave it here for now. I'm sure this week will be a quiet one as well. Be back next week.

Be safe.

January 18, 2021

44 Weeks Behind Us (Weekly Update)

44.

44 weeks behind us since coronavirus hit the state of Georgia. 

 The virus is still surging and worse than ever.

 This is the last post I will write with our current administrat!on in office - thank goodness. 

 The big news of last week...

Very deservedly so.

But before I get all political, let me do a short recap of my week last week.

****************

My best guy celebrated his birthday on Wednesday. It was a quiet, restful day for him. I cooked him his favorite dinner, he opened gifts and we feasted on birthday brownies...

 And my parents celebrated 51 years of marriage on Sunday. That is quite an accomplishment...

Doug has been cleaning out the unfinished, workshop area of our basement. He has carved out some space for Briana to set up an art station for Bri to paint and create... 


Check out this painting Bri did on Sunday afternoon - freehand...

She amazes me.
 
 Doug ordered in some hibachi to be delivered for us last week and it was so delicious. I had not had hibachi in almost a year and it tasted so amazing (first world problems)...

Mei is still as spoiled as ever with all her favorite humans around...

 Briana just completed her second week of school virtually...
 

 She had a lot of work to complete last week for some reason. I think honors geography and honors geometry are going to keep her quite busy. So far, she is doing great though.

*********************

Speaking of school (time for the not so good stuff), our county (and surrounding counties) decided to close schools this week due to the increase in coronavirus numbers. I have a feeling it will probably last several weeks. I'm grateful that Bri is full virtual because she won't be affected by this change. Scientists warned that the virus would get so much worse after the holidays (with people gathering even though they were told not to) and due to winter time. Of course, once again, everything explained and predicted has happened. Cause you know - science.

Georgia's case count on Jan 15...

I'm finally seeing some friends/family members/acquaintances getting vaccinated and it makes me so happy. What makes me unhappy is that the reserve that the Tr@mp administration promised was waiting to go out actually doesn't exist. What a horrible blow for vaccine distribution...

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/15/politics/coronavirus-vaccine-reserve-dose/index.html

 I am happy that there is a new federal vaccination program that will be enacted when our new pres!dent takes office...

 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/15/us/politics/biden-coronavirus-vaccine.html

 Not all hope is lost. 

I'm so ready for my vaccine, but I have to wait until my turn comes up in line.

************************

Time to get political... 

You'd think I would be in a super happy place right now, but I just can't be. I am finding I cannot focus really well. I am still feeling traumatized by what I witnessed on the 6th. Seeing our democracy almost crushed to death like that.

I have lost friends over this freaking a-hole. I have lost family members over this freaking a-hole. It's devastating.

  I think I need the inaugurati@n to actually happen and then I will take a small breath. Every time I have taken a slight breath since the election, I have been hit in the face with something else horrible that the f@r right/m@ga cult/tr@mp administration has done. I just need them finished and out - as soon as possible.

And even when Wednesday happens, there is a still a sadness that will linger for me...

When Tr@mp leaves office, the strong m@ga mentality will linger for a very long time. What is heartbreaking to me are the people (friends and family of mine) who are still supporting this crazy person who encouraged and supported domest!c terror!sm.

In my naivete, I thought for sure when people saw what Tr@mp said and did on that horrible day that Tr@mp supporters would finally realize what a mistake they had made about him. I think a few did, but a whole lot didn't. And not only did they refuse to claim any sort of mistake, they doubled down on their stance and made excuses and/or straight up lies about the whole situation. I guess that is how brainwashing works.

Ant!fa had NOTHING to do with the riot. The elect!on was NOT rigged. Period...


It was straight up m@ga that day. These were white suprem!sits, ant!-semitists and sedition!sts. Tr@mp told these people that he loved and understood them.

If you are a hard core supporter of Tr@mp, you are either supporting and/or sympathizing with these ideals. My kid is As!an. I'm half Jew!sh. Half my family is Jew!sh. What do you expect me to do? Just be ok with you still? I can't. I just can't...

I never was a person to disconnect with anyone based on their belief system. But since this pandemic started, I started doing just that. And when the Cap!tol was attacked and I saw people trying to lie about it or make excuses for it, I was even more done. This is so different and next level. The pres!dent just led an outright sed!tious act (and got impe@ched for it) - and that is not ok...
 
 
And as more information comes out, we are finding out this attack was meticulously planned. These people were looking to kill officials (including P@nce)...

There was a woman with a bullhorn shouting directions to the mob - what windows to break, what doors to go through, what floors to find people. There are reports that some people inside the Cap!tol may have been involved too. It's horrifying...

Now the people getting arrested are blaming Tr@mp. They are saying he asked them/invited them to do this and they are seeking pardons...

https://www.wkrn.com/news/horned-shirtless-capitol-rioter-wants-pardon-from-trump/

It's just sick. It was very, very planned.

This attack was fueled by fiction...

And after the attacks happened, some G0P legislators had the nerve to complain about this...

Seriously?

And they complained about the impe@chment too...

You can't make this crap up.

I did see something that really did make me laugh (and I haven't been laughing all that much lately)...

 
And now, after lying and bullying for so many years, after inciting a riot where people died and after getting impe@ched for a 2nd time, Tr@mp plans to throw himself a going away ceremony. It is a level of narcissism that I cannot wrap my mind around.

This is how I will always envision him leaving...

These past four years have been beyond difficult...

When I write my next post, the next administrat!on will be in power. Hallelujah...


Hoping for a happier tomorrow...

I really, really hope things will get brighter again soon. I really need them to.

I am not sure how to repair relationships that have been so deeply broken. I'm not sure they can ever be repaired.

I'm not sure how I will resume my "normal" life when we get finally get a hold of this pandemic. I know I will never be the same again. I am forever changed.

I have so much to think about when it comes to where I live, who I continue to associate with and how to heal from all this. It's very overwhelming.

 On a side note, I just started watching "The H@ndmaid's Tale." It's pretty intense. I probably should have waited until Tr@mp is completely out of office. It felt like foreshadowing to me. No joke.

*******************

I want to thank all of you who have continued to read my blog - even when I started getting all angry, scientific and political. And I want to thank those who have left comments introducing yourselves and letting me know how long you've been reading my blog (hi Susan - thanks for your nice comment on my last post!). I cannot believe change is finally around the corner. I just have to keep holding on.

Have a good week everyone. Be back next week.

January 10, 2021

43 Weeks Behind Us (Weekly Update)

 I think it makes perfect sense that the picture above would be the picture of an alcoholic drink. Because right about now, I could use numerous drinks.

 This post is going to be raw. I'm really freaking angry and hurt. After months and months of writing and explaining my thoughts regarding this administration, I think I have permission to write this post. I have described, foreshadowed, predicted and warned so many times about the danger of this pres!dent. I'm going to tell you now that I will be blunt. Proceed at your own risk...

43.

 43 weeks behind us since coronavirus hit the state of Georgia. 43 weeks since my life changed drastically. 43 weeks since my kid stepped inside a classroom or my family inside of a restaurant. 43 weeks of praying/waiting for a vaccine that I'm not sure exactly when I or my family will be able to get.

Look at the case numbers from Friday in GA...

 Tr@mp is to blame for how bad this virus spread is now (and K@mp in Georgia). Everything from the downplaying and lying about the severity of the virus to the creation of the bullsh!t mindset that "masks take away individual rights" to refusing to support social distancing. The US numbers are the highest in the WORLD. And no - numbers are not being overreported or skewed. If anything, numbers are under reported because not everyone tests. Just ask the overworked hospital workers who are busting their asses right now trying to keep people breathing each and every day. Hospitals everywhere in the US busting at the seams. I'm at a point where I don't care if you don't like me anymore for saying all this. After this past week and after everything we have witnessed, if you can't finally own that the person in charge of our country has completely unraveled, then maybe we shouldn't be talking anyway.

When I wrote my post last week, I was definitely nervous about the elect!on certification. I was nervous about the objections and how long it would take to get done - which is crazy to think about now. My thinking was just naive. I knew that Tr@mp would try to raise a ruckus, but I never imagined a true coup. I never imagined him (and his enabling minions) inciting an actual riot. I really didn't. How did I not see it? And this is coming from me, someone who knows how straight up nuts he's always been. I still didn't imagine what would actually happen...


I'm so sick about it.

It's so hella scary. 

For the first time, I see a number of Tr@mp's enablers looking kind of scared. Possibly regretful. Definitely not all - but some. Including ones who were totally against him 4 years ago but then decided to sell their souls to the devil and jump on the M@ga train. 

Seriously, look at this...

I have never seen a more fractured party in my life.

I know some people will say this reckoning was coming way before Tr@mp came into office. Yes - a lot of people didn't like Ob@ma. A lot of people hated H!llary. I knew it was totally possible that the person elected after Ob@ma could be a Republic@n (power had been going back and forth between the two parties since George H. B@sh) because many didn't agree with Ob@ma's policies. But somehow Tr@mp became the candidate for the right, and he's not a true Republ!can. Tr@mp is an agitator and bully, has always put his own interests first and is in a completely different league (and not in a good way). I've always said he is downright dangerous and boy he proved me right.

I wrote an "it doesn't matter" post back in August and boy does it still ring true. The one thing I said in it was "First and foremost, Tr@mp is not a Republ!can or a conservative. He is a populist and nationalist who manipulated his way into the Republ!can party and hijacked it. It's now the party of Tr@mp and he is the supreme ruler."

 Some people didn't like Ob@ma's policies. Some thought he was arrogant. And some just didn't like the fact that he was a bl@ck man. When Tr@mp came along, he said all the right things to those people who hated that a bl@ck man had been the leader of our nation. Tr@mp is rac!st and anti-semet!c, and those people LIKED that. 

We may have been a divided nation when all this started, but Tr@mp's divisiveness has made things a million times worse over these last 4 years. It was his job to at least try to win over those who didn't vote for him - just like every other president. He had no interest in doing that.

Just ask my Ch!nese-American daughter how she feels after hearing "Ch!na Virus" and "K@ng Flu" over and over again since the virus started from our pres!dent (and people who support him).

If that isn't enough to convince you...

R@cism.

I honestly don't think you can really compare the protests from the summer to what happened at the C@pitol. Yes, there were people at the summer protests with bad intentions - especially after hours. Looting and rioting definitely happened. Violence is definitely wrong and I'll never condone it. I am sure Ant!fa supporters injected themselves into some of the protests. But overall, most people protesting wanted peace and wanted to send an important, powerful message. I personally know people who protested. Peaceful protesters...

 The M@ga people at that rally on Wednesday were looking for a fight. Objecting to e!ection fraud that the pres!dent has continually lied about and does not exist. SIXTY courts cases dismissed, rejected or lost - decisions handed down from judges in both parties all over the country. To this day, nothing substantial has been revealed regarding widespre@d voter fr@ud. A few M@ga people at the C@pitol that horrible day may not have realized that it was going to get as bad as it did, but from what I understand, if you are a current member of Parl@r, you most likely knew EXACTLY what was going to happen that day (including rioters crapping throughout the C@pitol hallways).

Many on the r!ght had been saying this...

Time to eat those words.

Anyone who has said it was Ant!fa who caused what happened on the 6th, I've disconnected from on FB. I'm just done with it. If you use the word "libt@rd" - I will also disconnect from you. I had two people get offended and unfriend me when I posted my position about disconnecting due to the spreading of that particular Ant!fa misinformation. I finally had to draw a line.

Yes, I know there are extrem!sts on both sides. But on the 6th, it was Tr@mp-supporting extrem!sts who did this. That is fact. The constant spreading of misinformation is why we are where we are right now. I am fine with people having opposing political opinions or beliefs, but I can't accept untruths and excuses anymore.

 These are the faces of who stormed the C@pitol on Wednesday...

 I know people will say that the media has warped people's views. That's definitely true. There's a ridiculous amount of embellishment, truth bending and straight up lying from news/social media on both sides. That's why you have to seek out information from all different sources - less slanted places. Remember though, Tr@mp was easily able to address the people directly. I watched his hate-filled rallies first hand. I read his inciting tweets. I watched his politically-motivated, lie-filled press conferences. I didn't need the media to explain any of that to me. 
 
I heard it directly from the horse's mouth...

 I believe there are now four parties...

The Republ!can party, the Dem@cratic party, the Libert@rian party - and now the M@ga party. I am fine with the first three. I get (even though I struggle a bit with it) that there are people who voted for Tr@mp because they just couldn't vote for B!den or their conserv@tives beliefs and ideals were too important to them to vote for the other side. But if you still support Tr@mp specifically after what happened last week (including the shakedown of the GA Sec of St@te), that's what I have a problem with.

Just remember...

One very big thing I am happy about is...

It was a long time coming. Too long.

Don't shout "censorship" or "1st amendment" about this - it's a private company and he's been violating their policies (for years). They have the right to drop him - for any reason they want. And if you are not aware, exceptions to the 1st amendment are "incitement" and "fighting words" - he did both of those things bigly.

It's funny - I actually thought on Tuesday that the big news of this blog post would be that Georgi@ turned blue. It really did get overshadowed, didn't it?

Yep - we have a bl@ck man and a Jew!sh man heading to the Senate from Georgia. I think I am still in shock about it, but I'm really happy. All I know is that I didn't want people who partook in insider trading to represent me. I didn't want people who thought riding on Tr@mp's coattails was the thing to do. I wanted people in those positions who really seem to care about the needs of this state. I think because  a lot of Georgia politic!ans have gotten so used to getting elected for "just being Republ!can," they stopped "working for it" a long time ago. I mean Perd@e didn't even show up for his last debate. So I think those days are over now (at least in GA) - as they should be. Everyone should have to "work for it." Prove to me you deserve the position you are running for...

I have to admit - I am so disappointed in so much right now...
 

I am definitely going to need time to process everything that has happened. And since I am still stuck at home most of the time because of this "out of hand" pandemic, I'll probably need a lot of time.

Here are some words of wisdom...

  I am waiting for January 20th. I hope that B!den can heal this nation somehow. He has a MONUMENTAL job ahead of him. We will see what he can do. I hope that everyone can stay safe while a dangerous person is still in charge. Tr@mp should be kicked out of office immediately and not be able to run for office again.

I beg those who are still doing this - please do not make anymore excuses for Tr@mp. There are no more excuses.

So, that is my post for this week. Because Tr@mp has gone out with a bang, I guess I am too with this post. I can't seem to bring myself to talk about anything super positive right now - except that Bri's first week back at school (virtually) went really well. So I'll end it here.

I hope I can be more positive next week. My next post will be the very last post with Tr@mp in office. I won't have to post about him ever again - and that makes me very happy.

 Even though the pandemic is still raging, I really want my blog to go back to being a happier place. Maybe with this big change, it eventually can. Please - everyone be safe and be smart this week. Be back next week.

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