I'm not the only one

Would it not be an irony of all ironies that we, as world of people, no matter race, creed, gender, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, political persuasion, sinner, rich, poor, young, old, educated, non-educated, we are being affected almost identically by Coronavirus?

If we cannot find some comfort in unity, woe be to us... and worse, if we cannot find a way to draw together in the aftermath, we might deserve more sadness. I can hope...

Yeah, you might say I'm dreamer, but I'm not the only one.

It's the End of the World as We Know it (and Yes) and I Feel Fine

It strikes me sad that this topic would be my first post for 2020.

David Gerrold, in one of his best essays a few years back, admonished people who look down on people who are fast-food workers, janitors, grocery store clerks, waitstaff, etc. David said something I have never forgotten. We all are a cog in society. He said something I believe in as well... all are deserving of respect and a decent pay wage.

These are good hard-working people who traditionally are not well paid. Since restaurants have shut down, their staff are scrambling for work. Unemployment insurance may not be kind to these folks. A lot of us are still working, a lot are not or soon will not be.

If anything has been made clear is that this crisis has exposed how completely vulnerable this nation, as are others, is to what Mother Nature can throw at us.

I am reminded of the irony of this in these troubled times. As we all have heard about (and I hope none of you reading this partook in this shameless practice) over the course of the past few weeks people have been swarming into grocery stores, panic buying nearly everything in sight. Hoarders buying cartloads of sanitizers, paper towels, and paper towels.

Please, someone, tell me what people can do with 20-30 + rolls of toilet paper? I do not know about you, but that would take me two years to use.

Grocer clerks have worked tirelessly keeping the shelves stocked best they can. They have seen humanity not at its best. One day last week I thanked a young girl working at Meijers. She told me she had never seen anything like this--and hoped not to again.

I would like to think the next time increasing the minimum wage is discussed in Congress that we will remember how hard these people worked to keep the shelves ready for their customers.

I mentioned earlier this week that I fear for food wait staff who are paid far less than the current minimum wage. Is it not time we start an honest discussion about wages in this country? AND in the meanwhile, I hope you remember how hard food care staff work when you tip your waiter or waitress when we all can dine out again.

I have often talked with a favorite Navy Chief of mine about there being angels on Earth and...

We also talk often about heroes. In these past days, it should be abundantly who are heroes should be. Doctors, nurses, EMTs, grocery store workers, truck drivers... anyone who is keeping this lumbering economy going. 

They sure have my gratitude and thanks!

Farewell 2019

--WHEW-- What a year!

All I can say of 2019 is this: I am glad it's almost over!

A house divided

There is little less--actually nothing more--disappointing than discovering a sibling supports Donald Trump. And that this sibling thinks the impeachment trial nothing more than a waste of time and money. Instead of seeing Trump as the traitor he is, the view held here is that Nancy Pelosi is a criminal.

I guess the fact that the Donald has no love for us, only he and his own selfish self-centered needs; the fact that Donald has betrayed our country, our allies, and worst of all, every single American; the fact that he is a spiteful, vengeful, petty little man; the fact he demeans his detractors, his so-called enemies, foreigners, women, the disabled, and gays (and anyone who is a "neverTrumper").

Remember his holiday greetings a few years back? "Happy New Year to all, including to my many enemies and those who have fought me and lost so badly they just don't know what to do. Love!" This is the mentality of the man. What kind of leader says something so hateful? And who and why would someone follow someone so petty?

He thinks he knows better than us, he thinks he is smarter than everyone else (just ask him about wind turbines) and has no moral compunction about walking on our backs to get to what he desires. Just ask all the businesses, all the people, he has destroyed.

I guess these things make no difference. Needless to say, I am seriously disheartened that about half of my siblings are so misinformed, and seem to be happily so.

If this were any other person, I would say everyone is entitled to their [stupid] opinion, no matter how wrong, but this is not just anybody. This is a sibling whose opinion I care about, and it saddens me deeply about this turn of events.

For strangers, this would be easy. I do not owe someone I do not know anything, but a family member? How do you deal with someone you hold in regard? I won't mince words, this hurts.

I honestly do not know how this will turn out.