I Care

I care. I care deeply. Daily, I am horrified at what I see on the news. I limit myself to an hour a day. A half hour of local and a half hour of national news is all I can stand. I do read thoughtful and carefully researched articles, but I can only stand so much of actually watching the news. 

The same goes for discussing hot topics on social media. I used to get into the fray, but I am just too exhausted to do it now. I have yet to see a case where arguing on social media changes anyone's mind. 

Yes, I care. I am horrified at what has happened to Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. I am horrified by all the incidents of senseless violence that have come before. I am horrified by the cavalier attitudes towards these incidents. I am horrified to the point of tears and I do not cry easily.

Even though I no longer get into the fray publicly on social media, I try to do things that will hopefully help situations in the long run. I am active in my party's local executive committee. I support candidates with whom I share values and ideals in hopes of making my city, state, and country a better place. I call and write my representatives to let them know how I feel about pending legislation. And, I vote. I will wear my mask and take my Clorox wipes to the polls with me in November. I will stand in line (probably sitting on my walker!) as long as it takes.

Post on social media if that is your thing. I have read a meme that says something to the effect that people post not in hopes of changing minds, but to keep from being changed themselves.

Whatever works for you.

Just keep caring.

Phyllis George

I read this evening where Phyllis George has passed away at the age of 70. She was Miss America 1971 and that night is one that I will never forget. 

Before the pageant, my brother had gone to the refrigerator to get a drink for my mama. Unable to wrest it from the plastic ring that held the 6 pack together, he got some scissors. Sparing my readers the details, he injured his eye and lost all vision in it at the age of 9. 

Of course, chaos ensued. My brother was rushed to the emergency room and neighbors came to pick up my sister and me. In an attempt to keep us from worrying (I was 10 and Tammy was 8) our friends tuned into the pageant and we all began to watch. Phyllis George was a favorite from the beginning. Her charm and personality overcame a very weak piano rendition of "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on my Head" to help her become Miss America that year. As she took her triumphant walk, her crown fell off of her head. She bent down, picked it up, and just kept going. 

And so did my brother. 

Spoiled

I will be the first to admit that Amazon Prime has spoiled me. I do shop small businesses here in town, but some things I can only get by mail order. I got way too used to that speedy delivery, although I often traded some of that speed for credits towards e-books for my Kindle. Even then, I usually received things within a week.

Enter COVID-19. Speedy shipping is not always guaranteed due to necessities taking precedence. I am OK with that. I want medical supplies and masks to get to those who need them. I can wait on my craft supplies, print books, and kitchen things. But, when it took 3 weeks to get my printer ink (Office Max seldom has the high yield black cartridge for my Epson Workforce printer) it got a little dicey. I was watching those ink levels daily, saving print jobs for the things that were absolutely necessary. I was also almost out of paper, but it was actually delivered within 3 days. Go figure. 

If this virus has taught me anything it is that I am privileged beyond belief. It has taught me to conserve resources more carefully. To be extra thankful for those who work to get me the things I don't just need, but want. 

I almost did a happy dance when those ink cartridges arrived. But, I decided against it. 

I didn't want to add the cost of a visit to the ER to the already hideously expensive ink! 

Jane

I have often heard the expression, "When God made _____, He broke the mold." Never has that expression been more true than in the case of my friend Jane. 

I did not meet Jane until just a few years ago, when I was introduced to her by a mutual friend while we were at one of the Metropolitan Opera Simulcasts at Tinseltown. If I recall correctly, the opera was Madame Butterfly and it was a lovely production. 

Jane and I ended up in a book club together and that is where we really bonded. Jane reminded me a lot of my mother, who passed away in 1990. Jane said what she thought and would try anything...at least once. As someone who tends to worry about what others think, Jane's fearlessness was fun to be around. 

I am going to miss picking her up for political meetings and smoothies at the Coffee House Cafe. I am going to miss her love and acceptance of me. She loved me for me and not just for what I could do for her. The older I get, the more precious that has become. 

Jane passed away on March 20th and I still can't quite wrap my head around the fact that she is gone. I see things every day that I want to share with her and it is all I can do not to post something that would have tickled her to her Facebook wall. 

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, a proper memorial could not be held and that makes grieving more complicated. I hope to be at least be able to raise a socially distant glass with her son and daughter before too terribly long. 

Rest in peace, Jane. 

Cheers. 

The Graduate: Bryan Edition

My young nephew has just graduated Magna Cum Laude from Mississippi State University with his  Master's Degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering. 

There is a running joke in our family that if Bryan had been the first born, he would have been an only child. He was a sweet, shy child, but boy was he stubborn! His parents and grandmother had to practically sit on him to get him to do his homework. I worried about what would happen to him when he got to college and did not have "Granna" to make him study! He used to joke that he was taking her with him! 

Fortunately, well before that, this bright kid got serious about his studies, graduating in the top ten in his class at Clinton High School. And, when he got to MSU, he followed in his Papaw Nelson's footsteps by majoring in Engineering. 

To say I am proud of this kid is an understatement. He has overcome a reading disorder by finding ways to learn that work for him. Over the past year or so, he has taken charge of his health, changing his eating habits, and exercising regularly while taking graduate courses and working as a graduate research assistant. He interviewed for 4 jobs on a Friday and had offers from 3 of them by the next Monday. He will be moving to Huntsville, AL in the next few weeks to start working for Dynetics, an applied science and information tech company. 

For those parents who are pulling their hair out dealing with stubborn kids, take heart. Those things that drive parents insane when kids are little can be the very things that ensure success when they are older.

Hang in there.