Welcome to What Plans

Planning and being on top of a schedule has become a key part adulthood - for work and my personal life. If I want to see a friend or go out of town,  I need to plan for it and make sure that everyone's schedule is clear and that I can take time away from work. 

I sometimes have to plan brunch or a coffee trip months in advance to make sure I'll be able to see a specific person. It's not like high school or college when you could text someone "you free?" and then head over to Wawa. 

Having a plan is super important, but having flexibility is equally key to not going crazy. Especially when your plan is so far off the rails, it's not clear which direction you're headed in anymore. 

My motto since 2019 has been to "roll with it".

I have a preference to plan out my year well in advance. I like to know when I'm taking a trip or going on one of my mini-adventures not too far from home. I even like planning when I go on one of my cleaning sprees. I once planned an entire trip to Disney World with spreadsheets detailing where and when we had to be somewhere. I made sure to build in "spontaneous time" (though is it really spontaneous if you plan for it?).

However, even my best laid plans have blown up in my face.

No one expected the pandemic shutting everything down in March 2020. It seriously upended my life (along with most people's lives). 

At the start of the pandemic, I thought I had some security. But security is a luxury if I've ever known one.  

Despite my good fortune landing a full time job, I'm still a little on edge. I thought that my last job few jobs would be long term, but two layoffs have taught me that few things are truly long term. I've started wondering if I am just living for the next set back or (worse) disaster. 

That's not a healthy way to think. It's kept me anxious and on edge - unable to relax when I really need to.

We've started seeing some hope. With the introduction of the vaccine, things began to open back up and people felt safer. That was until Delta and then Omicron showed up to shut everything down again. Though it feels never ending, the patterns we're seeing with COVID are similar to what happened with the Spanish Flu. 

However, what might happen after COVID? Could there be another pandemic? What about what's going on with the economy? There's already reports that a recession is likely to show up within the next four years. How will that affect my life?

I can't answer these questions. I can't plan around them.

I can only hope that I'm prepared to "roll with it" again.

I know this post isn't the happiest or most optimistic, but sometimes writing out the things that bother us helps us work through them. I wish I had a crystal ball that would let me know everything would work itself out, but I don't. 

I just have to take things one day at a time.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope my readers like hearing from me.

Welcome to Feeling like an Adult

 As we approach September, my anxiety is rising again. For the past few months, I’ve been a contractor. It’s a good position with awesome work. My contract ends the first week of November.

There is the possibility that the organization that I’ve been working for will make me a full time member of their staff, but nothing is guaranteed and after the past two years I’ve had regarding my employment status (or lack there of), I don’t want to get my hopes too high.

When I think back on my 20s, I realize what an ideal time it was in my life. I had stable employment, a great friend group, opportunity to travel and have fun, and a good support system. In my mind’s eye, the problems from my poor mental health are smoothed over in favor of memories of going to Broadway plays and trips to the farmers market. My homesickness replaced by laughter from my writer’s group and nights clubbing in Hoboken (as infrequent as they were).

I almost want to go back in time and give my younger self a pep talk. Enjoy this time, take a few more risks. I’d want that version of me to enjoy that life because COVID-19 is just around the corner - lurking like a vampire just beyond the streetlight’s rays - to upend everything.

Things haven’t all been bad, but I can tell how restless I am - how listless I’ve become. I’ve struggled to writer and create art. I’ve had to take on even more responsibilities (though I wouldn’t trade my grumpy fur baby for anything).

She’s sweet, but also has teeth!

For once in my life I actually feel like an adult, not an awkwardly old teenager pretending to be one.

Soon, this period of transition will end. And my mind will find something else to overthink. I’ve started looking at apartments in different areas and I want to cry over how expensive they all are. 

Sometimes I think life in general is just one long period of transition - though between what I haven’t a clue. It’s not life or death though. That answer doesn’t feel right.

Meditation and yoga can help me find some form of stillness that goes against the natural chaotic momentum that shapes our world. Time never stops moving forward, even when a clock does. The Earth will keep changing regardless of human activity. 

We live, we change, we go to the next life.

It makes for a great story though.

If you enjoyed this blog post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y’all like hearing from me.

Until next week*.

*next week is Labor Day, so maybe the week after that.

Welcome to Two Weeks After the Vaccine

 Roughly two weeks ago, I got my second COVID-19 vaccine shot. Life already feels a little less stressful. 

For those of you who don't know. I'm terrible when it comes to shots (well needles piercing my skin in general...I have a terrible history giving blood too). It's not that they hurt or anything. I can handle a prick of pain. It's that something is going into or coming out of my body that freaks me out.

Thankfully the people administering the vaccine did a wonderful job, listened to me, and took what I had to say seriously. They made sure that I couldn't watch at all while they injected me - though I did find the spring return for the needle really cool.

The experience was fantastic - better than I expected. There were volunteers available to direct people and answer questions. Everyone was nice and smiling. We did have the National Guard out directing traffic at the location I went to - which worried me about any trouble that might happen - but over all I felt safe and welcomed.

There was even a baby Yoda happily thanking everyone for getting the vaccine.

My side affects were minimal. Other than my arm aching for a couple of days and being a little sleepier than normal, I was fine. Other members of my family experienced chills, trouble sleeping, and flu like symptoms, but they weren't as bad as actually getting COVID.

Now that it's been two weeks and I'm "fully covered", I feel like a huge burden has been lifted off my shoulders. I'm still wearing a mask around other people and when I go into buildings, but I no longer worry that every interaction might cause me to get sick.

This week was the first time I started using the gym and pool at my apartment complex. Prior to getting the vaccine, I didn't even feel safe going to these locations. Very few people are at these places and I'm still weary of going somewhere with a large crowd, but I'm getting out of my apartment. I even feel comfortable enough to get into an elevator with other people.

No the vaccine hasn't turned me into an X-man (not that I would complain if it did). I've seen those hilarious videos of people claiming keys and other metal objects are sticking to them and I can't help but roll my eyes. If anything these claims might encourage the younger and more adventurous of us to get the vaccine.

Tis a shame. I was looking forward to having spare change fly at me in all directions.

I encourage everyone who is eligible to get the COVID vaccine as soon as possible. Yes, there are side affects. Yes, getting a shot sucks. 

But getting COVID is so much worse.

Seeing someone you love suffer from COVID is the last thing anyone should experience. 

So, make an appointment. The shot is free. 

Until next week. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like hearing from me.

Welcome to Weddings in the Time of COVID

 This past month, I participated in two weddings. For one I attended in person as a bridesmaid. For the other, I was able to watch the ceremony via a Zoom video link. 

I was equally thrilled to attend both. 

I've seen a number of my friends celebrate major mile stones on Facebook recently. I've seen posts about engagements, marriages, baby showers, major birthdays, graduations, and, unfortunately, even a few funerals. Some of these events are in-person, some are only over the internet, others are a mix.

The wedding I attended in person was outside and everyone (except the bride, groom, and officiant) wore masks the entire time. We were able to dance, but, again, masks were always on and we kept our distances. The favors included hand sanitizer and another mask. 

No flowers were thrown. Sparklers couldn't be lit. But the wedding planner provided everyone a stick with colored ribbon to wave as the bride and groom left the ceremony. It still felt like a normal wedding, just with a lot less people and a few minor changes that Instagram or Pinterest might list as a new wedding trend.

Which a lot of this might become. 

Weddings (well any event really) can be expensive and a lot of personalities can cause unnecessary drama. Only allowing a limited number of people at the actual event would likely help the happy couple out a lot. 

Attending a wedding ceremony via Zoom is also really nice. 

I felt included and honored to be a part of my friend's big day. I'll admit that the lack of stress trying to get to the wedding on time was really nice (I've been late to many weddings, coming in just as the bride walks down the isle). Certainly, I'll miss seeing them in person, but I can call them later and mail them a present.

I did something similar for a baby shower I was invited to (though there I was having some technical difficulties and missed most of it).

We as a society want things to go back to "normal" - whatever that means to you - but the reality is, "normal" isn't coming back any time soon. We likely adopt some of these new practices for future events (especially the Zoom stream option).

It's good for us to have these celebrations, even if there are a number of limitations. 

Many years into the future, we'll be sitting down with the next generation or the one after that and looking at our old Facebook timelines when a memory will annoyingly pop up. The kids will see the pictures and they might ask us why everyone at the wedding was wearing fancy masks that covered their mouth and nose. And we'll tell them about the virus that stopped the world in it's tracks and likely changed the course of history.

These pictures are going to end up in history books. They'll be right next to the ones showing the doctors and nurses working hard to save lives. Adjacent to the protestors in masks marching in the streets demanding justice and change. Below the ones of long lines at the polling stations. 

COVID-19 isn't the end of our way of life, but a new beginning that allows new adaptations when we are faced with the toughest of times.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome to Speeches, Pamphlets, Essays, and Letters

Not every writer is someone who writes fictitious stories. Some writers are known for writing persuasive pieces meant to convey information and draw attention. These pieces can take a few forms, but the ones I’d like to write about today are the essays, pamphlets, letters, and speeches.

The importance (and occasional cross pollination) of these literary works has shaped history. We first learn about these writings in American history with the knowledge of Thomas Paine’s little pamphlet called “Common Sense” - which you can occasionally see re-enacted as a spoken as a speech in Colonial Williamsburg. I learned to write persuasive essays starting in middle school. In high school I studied Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg speech (the famous speech starts with the line “Four score and seven years...”) and Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have A Dream” speech.

These types of writing may not seem as glamorous as writing a novel or play, but they are important.

There are some people who are amazing speakers, but can’t put a thought to paper to save their political campaigns. Many politicians employ a speech writer to put their passionate thoughts together and create a clear and concise platform (whether or not that person sticks to the script varies greatly).

In some instances, speeches by the same speaker or author are compiled into a book. I personally own a book of speeches written and spoken by Greta Thunberg called No One Is Too Small To Make a Difference. It's really cool to see how her writing has changed since she started speaking on climate change.

Pamphlets are not as well known or utilized in our modern era of persuasive arguments. They are unbound books that can be easily carried and shared. Historically, pamphlets were also read allowed or performed similar to a speech - see Thomas Paine again for more details.

In modern days, pamphlets occasionally appear, though usually as some form of marketing campaign. However, they have mostly morphed into online forums and discussion board. While their shorter literary cousin, the essay, continues to be taught in America public schools.

Essays aren't necessarily meant to be read out loud to a crowd and they are often short enough to be combined with several other essays to be turned into a full book. Examples of essays can be found in  Kurt Vonnegut's standalone work: “How to Write with Style", while Roxane Gay's “Bad Feminist” is a collection of essays bound together in a book.

Finally, I want to address to you (pun fully intended) the lowly letter. I love receiving letters from my friends and family in the mail - breaks up the monotony of bills and junk - but there is a bit of an art to letter writing. Letters don't even have to be pen to paper in style, they can be sent via email, printed in a news paper, or left on a social media site as an open letter meant for anyone to read.

Oh, and one of the most famous letters ever written in US history is on display at the National Archives in Washington D.C. That letter is the Declaration of Independence.

Yeah, we wrote a letter telling England to buzz off.

In fact, writing letters to politicians and the government continues to occur even after that little declaration sent King George. I've written to politicians before (usually via email) to make certain that my voice is heard and part of the public record. You can also follow up your letter with a phone call (or vise versa). And they have to listen to you if you cal them on the phone - I had to when I was an Intern for a Representative (one guy liked to call the representative just to sing and we weren't allowed to interrupt him until he was finished). This may have changed (unlikely), but if you want your voice heard and recorded, send a letter.

Especially now that so much is going on between COVID-19 and protests occurring this past week. Because of the virus, some people may not be able to safely protest, but still want to participate and share their grievances with their elected officials. For example, sending your local, state, and federal elected officials a letter asking them to outlaw No Knock Warrants might draw attention to how they have been used to unjustly harm or kill innocent people (such as Breonna Taylor) or demanding that funds be used to investigate complaints against officers who use excessive violence when detaining a suspect.

Not everything a writer writes is fiction. Sometimes it's a persuasive argument drawing attention or campaigning for change. Speeches, pamphlets, essays, and letters all have their place in the literary world and to change the physical world.

Thank you for reading my blog post (or should I call it an essay?) this week. I hope you are all able to stay safe during these trying times.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to Writing During the Time of Covid-19

There’s been a lot of talk on social media about people wanting to take up a creative endeavor (such as writing), and having trouble doing it. Though I can’t speak for all writers, I can speak for my own experience writing. And I know that when my life feels completely out of my control, I struggle with writing anything...even in my personal journal.

However, that struggle shouldn’t stop writers (new and old) from trying. All I ask is that writers don’t put a ton of pressure on themselves right now to write the next great novel or classic short story.

I blog to stay sane...

I was recently gifted a year’s subscription to MasterClass. There are a lot of different classes to take and learn from some incredible and accomplished people. The first class I finished was a gardening class (because naturally I would pick a class on plants) by the gangsta gardener Ron Finley. It was fun and entertaining and I was excited to check more classes.

To my delight, there were a ton of classes by famous authors on writing.

Now I’ve been writing for a while, though I’ve only recently had my first publication, and have learned a lot by attending writer’s groups and workshops. Some of the best ways to learn to write is to connect with other writers to better understand the craft (and writing really is a craft).

One of the first classes on writing I decided to try was on writing short stories by Joyce Carol Oates. So far, it’s been a good class and I’m also trying to work through the workbook that goes with the class.

In a past blog post, I wrote about keeping a journal has been helping me during these crazy times. That practice was brought up during Joyce Carol Oates’s class. If you’ve been needing an outlet or are interested in starting a writing project, find a blank notebook (or a half used notebook) and start putting pen to paper. If you can’t find a notebook, I’ve been known to use my notes sections on my phone and tablet to write (for me it’s usually poetry).

I have a lot of journals

However, some of you guys might be interested in starting a writing career while stuck at home with little todo. I think that’s a great idea. Whether it’s a novel, series of poems, or some short stories, writing stories is awesome and we need more writers.

Now, you might be wondering, what about publishing the stuff I write?

To which I would tell you: woah - hold your horses.

Getting published is an awesome goal, but don’t be under some misguided notion that that’s what is going to happen right away when you start writing. It took me years of hard work and learning about the craft of writing to even get my foot in the door. And my experience isn’t that unusual. Rejection will become your greatest frenemy.

If you want to write during the time of Covid-19, do it.

Write anything and everything and don’t worry about publishing. Write a journal, poetry, short stories, novels, or even that weird fan fiction idea that’s been buzzing in the back of your mind (it might not be as weird as you think). I don’t keep it a secret that I got my start writing in fan fiction.

And like I said, don’t put pressure on yourself to write something great. There’s a lot that goes into writing that goes beyond the craft (like emotions).

If you’re interested in learning more about the craft of writing, see about taking an online class, check out one of the many books on writing, or join a writing group (one that’s meeting online) whom are good at critiquing (it’s harder than it sounds). Don’t forget to read as much as you can.

Some of the books in my “to read” pile.

But just know that publishers are going to be flooded with isolation and quarantine stories until someone finds a vaccine for the virus, so maybe stay away from writing those stories.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome to Connection in the Time of COVID-19

Yes, I know this is a play on the famous book title “Love in the Time of Cholera". If you are looking for something to do, why don't you download a copy of the book or order one from your local bookstore.

Shout from the balcony!

I’m a bit of a hermit by nature, but nothing has prepared me for the isolation that comes with social distancing, quarantine, and COVID-19. I’m used to being able to spend sometime at a coffee shop or bookstore, enjoying the atmosphere and talking to my friends who might be around.

Now I can’t even go over to a friend’s house without worrying that I could be spreading a dangerous virus. Grocery shopping along has become an exercise in keeping as far away from other people as possible. The only time I ever leave the house (aside from grocery shopping) is to take a walk so that I don’t go stir crazy.

I may be an introvert, but I still need some form of human contact.

Thank goodness for the Internet and cell phones.

My family and friends are constantly calling, messaging, and video chatting with me. Sometimes it’s so they can catch a break from the other people they are staying safe with. Other times they’re board and just want to say hi. Occasionally, we chat because we’re scared and worried and don’t know how to handle the situation.

I have noticed that the amount of time I spend on social media has increased. That’s not necessarily a good thing, but it makes me feel like I’m part of a larger community, instead of just the same white walls of my apartment. I try to share happy posts - fun videos from YouTube, my latest art project, or pretty things I see on my daily walks.

This is the most unusual time I have ever lived through. The closest my one friend and I can compare this to is growing up in the DMV during the DC sniper. We still went to school, but we couldn’t go outside and hardly anyone went shopping. It was a scary time, much like this.

I don’t even remember how we stayed sane those few months (was it months or week - my memory is a little fuzzy).

The current pandemic is completely different. Part of me has a hard time reconciling the idea that this will one day be taught in history classes in generations to come. It is affecting everyone and people feel powerless against a microscopic virus - myself included.

Aside from the general tension of our daily lives. Some people are struggling with their mental health right now. The lack of social interactions can lead to higher rates of depression and anxiety. The people going through these tough times might have trouble reaching out.

I urge everyone to reach out to your friends and family, heck even your coworkers, and check in with them to see how they are doing. Take some time to chat with someone, either via phone call or video, about anything and everything that isn’t virus related.

We will get through this time, hopefully healthy and whole. Until then, we have to stay as safe as possible and that means staying at home as much as possible.

But thankfully the technology is there for us to keep connected.

Facebook and Google might bury this post (it has COVID-19 in the title), but know I’ll be around writing whatever comes to my mind during these uncertain times.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.