No Strings Attached

Posted By Kathleen David on June 29, 2020

I woke up as the sun started to rise this morning. I know my body well enough to know that I was not going back to sleep. I got up and started my day.

My signal to noise ratio this past week was not great. Signal-to-noise ratio is a measure used in science and engineering that compares the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise. When the background noise is overwhelming, it can be hard to get the signal to punch through.

And there has been a lot of background noise this week in my life.

I feel like a Yo-yo of emotions with things changing really fast. Caroline has been in the same situation this past week. Even was not a word I would use right now.

Clarity of mind is precious. It allows for rational decisions to be make and let’s one see the path before them. There have been times in my life that I know beyond any doubt that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing and where I need to be at that moment. Right now, I know I am where I need to be, but the doing is a little more ephemeral.

Strangely I feel that I need to slow down and catch up with my brain. Too much going on in the noggin.

This morning I have a plan of attack for the day. Now I need to execute it. 

I also have a plan for my mental health. I have to remind myself it is okay to slow down and get my brain under control. It is not a weakness. 

I hope this week is better than last week for my mental health. 

But I know I will muddle on and get to the next thing.

I am grateful for clarity.

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Posted By Kathleen David on June 28, 2020

Day 33 of the Reopening Epic or Sunday June 28, 2020

We are almost to July. Hard to believe since it feels like we just stared June.

Most of yesterday was cleaning up from cleaning up so I can start the next part of the cleaning project. I am trying to keep things organized after I finish a section so I am not going over the same thing and just pushing things around. Except those things that have to pushed around until I am done and can put them where they need to go. 

Caroline has picked up her flute again. She was stymied by her Invisalign. Now she gets to play without an overbite. She has discovered that it is easier for her to get the air into the flute and be able to control it.

Today Peter is going to participate in a table reading of The Trouble with Tribbles on Facebook. He is playing Scotty. You can find more information at https://www.facebook.com/events/604269376882235/permalink/614976939144812/. Keith DeCanado is playing Cyrano Jones. A fun time should be had by all.

This week I want to get the next cleaning project down and move on. The first one took less time and this one is taking more but I think we are to the point that things will move forward rather than looking that nothing is happening. I have a way for doing this that works but it can be a bit of a mess getting there. 

I am grateful for organizational skills that I turned into a job.

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Posted By Kathleen David on June 27, 2020

Heard last night on the news that Phase Four does not include gyms and malls. Caroline and I are not happy. There are no real answers as to when.

I have my plan of attack for the day. Now to execute it.

I thought it was Thursday until I looked at the calendar this morning.

We have rain predicted for later today which means I need to get my outside stuff done before that. 

Caroline will be social distancing with some friends today. She is looking forward to spending some time away from her house.

We watched “My Spy” on Amazon Prime last night. It is a sweet film. Worth your time if you need a pick me up that you don’t have to think hard while watching.

Next is “The Comedy of Terrors” which Peter has never seen.

We are looking forward to baseball and more bowling.

I have a solution for indicating that you are smiling under your mask. Raise your eyebrows which opens your eyes more.

Yeah this is random, but I am on my second cup of coffee for the day.

I am grateful for my family who have my back no matter what.

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Posted By Kathleen David on June 26, 2020

Day 31 of the Reopening Epic aka Friday

I have over time tried to keep politics to a minimum here. The few times I expressed my feelings about a matter that was touchy, I put it under a cut giving people the option to opt out.

That stops today.

I have been thinking about what has been going on all around me in 2020. All the people I know who are affected by what is happening more than I am. One of them thanked me for being an ally and I felt embarrassed.

Back in the 80s during the AIDs crises there was a phrase that was used that has stuck in my head. Silence = Death.

Silence doesn’t help those who have been marginalized. 

I cannot be silent anymore. 

This is some of what I believe. There will probably be more of these as time goes on.

I believe in basic human rights for everyone on the planet. I believe that civil rights in America means civil rights for everyone in America. 

I believe that Black Lives Matter and until they don’t have to worry about stepping out of their house because of the color of their skin, I will continue to believe in Black Lives Matter and doing what I can to help this become a reality.

I believe in equal rights regardless of the long list of exceptions some people would like to keep in place. Equal (noun): a person or thing considered to be the same as another in status or quality. Equal does not mean that you get less rights because someone is getting the rights they should have had since the formation of this country. No one is taking anyone’s rights away. Equal pay for equal work. Equal opportunities for everyone. Equal not more. 

A job should be decided on the person’s abilities and character not their outer appearance. 

What consenting adults do in their bedroom is none of anyone else’s dámņ business. I blame the Victorians for this.

Also this obsession about what consenting adults do is very creepy. 

I believe that LGBTQ+ people deserve the same rights as everyone else from employment to education to housing to marriage and any other rights straight folks enjoy.

Today is the fifth anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that marriage is marriage with no qualifiers as to who can marry whom. Five years later the dire predictions of the people who were in opposition to it have not come to past.

I believe that being smart is not a detriment.

I am an intellectual who was raised by intellectuals that taught me that being smart is a good thing. My family is smart and well educated and I refuse to apologize for that.

I believe in being educated and continuing to learn and expand what I know. 

Knowledge is power. Willful ignorance is stupidity on steroids.

I know my brain works faster than most of the people on the planet. I know that I am smarter than most. I refuse to dumb myself down for others comfort. 

I believe in science and the scientific method. 

I believe in facts and evidence. 

I believe that, given new facts, my beliefs can change.

I believe in wearing masks and social distancing will keep us on the right path until we have a working vaccine. If the CDC or another scientific body I trust change what we need to do to be safe, I will do that.

I believe we can be better than we are now. 

I am a Democrat raised by Democrats who believe in helping people is the right thing to do. I believe in social equality. Peter and I have the same political beliefs and I support him in expressing himself.

I believe we can be better than we are now.

I believe that Silence does Equal Death and I will be silent no more.

I am grateful for my parents giving me the tools to shape my moral compass. 

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Posted By Kathleen David on June 25, 2020

We have been working on reopening for a month now. I think the way we are doing this is the right way. So far, knock on wood, we have kept the numbers where they need to be to continue the reopening.

When we enter phase four it will not be back to the previous normal but the new normal until we have a vaccine and can congregate safely.

We are going to have baseball finally. I know Peter is looking forward to seeing a game again.

I had a weird dream last night a gothic/Victorian house with a mystery that had to be solved. All I can remember is the last thing I heard which was “At least the frogs are happy”. 

The next paper recycling day is going to be a doozy. 

I have a plan of attack for the cleaning project. So, we are going from a mess to organized after making a bit more of a mess. That’s how things work. I have to tear down before I can rebuild.

Mentally I am not in the best place. I am working on getting to a better place, but it is hard right now. And that is okay. Not every day is going to be rainbows and sunshine. I am happy if I can get out of bed and get things done even at a slower place. 

Caroline is sorting out her daily routine. It is a little at loose ends for her because she doesn’t have the structure of school to put around her day.

Peter has to go see one of his doctors this morning. His mask is ready to go along with hand sanitizer. These visits are the ones that concern me the most.

Last night Peter participated in a performance of MacBeth: Death by Fluffy Kittens which will be up later this week for everyone’s amusement.

This weekend Peter is joining a bunch of my friends in a reading of Trouble with Tribbles. He is Scotty. I need to find him a red shirt.

I am grateful for plans that work.

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