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In A School Daze

“I’d rather have a life of “oh wells” than a life of “what ifs.” 

One of my Facebook friends posted these words of wisdom on her page recently. And believe me, I’m not judging this philosophy. I actually envy it. And, how I wish it was that simple for me to live in such a carefree way. But, unfortunately, I am dealing with this pandemic with more anxiety than positivity lately.

Like many parents, I desperately want our kids to go back to school and return to some sense of normalcy. Andrew does so much better in an interactive classroom setting than reading from a screen. Jenna can be a successful student either way, but obviously prefers attending lectures on campus to learning online. As their mom, I hope they are able to enjoy their youth and all of the milestones that come with it.

But, there is a flip side. The virus hasn’t disappeared like some people would like us to believe. As I write this post, CNN is reporting three million cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. THREE MILLION! That is some hoax!

(P.S. – it’s NOT a hoax.)

I hate to admit I have concerns. I would much rather have a c’est la vie‘ attitude. While I have been incredibly impressed with our school superintendent, local officials and the governor, who is thankfully not beholden to the president, all the precautions in the world may not be enough. On the other hand, what other choice do we have? I don’t want to be confined to our homes indefinitely. In some ways, life must go on and school is a big part of the process. As parents, we have all done our due diligence by reminding the kids about handwashing, social distancing and mask-wearing. Schools have put a lot of provisions in place and made changes for a safe return and are still working tirelessly to address other issues.

But, this is some scary shit. Am I right? The curve has not flattened and yet we are going from 0-60 – from lockdown to small groups at a social distance to being thrown into crowded schools. In my neck of the woods, restaurants are still limited to take out and outdoor dining only. How will schools do it any better?

I’m clearly in a daze when it comes to this unusual back-to-school season. We are dealing with things we have never dealt with before and on a global level. Hopefully, the plexiglass, hand sanitizer and temperature checks will protect all of our kids until a vaccine is discovered. In the meantime, I will pray that it all comes to an end soon enough.

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Anti-Coronavirus Activities

I’m sick of talking about this virus. Talking about it and listening to the news is like a plague within a plague.

So, I’m not going to write about it either. At least, not tonight. Here are some wonderful distractions to keep me from talking or listening or reading about…well, you know.

Let’s see…

I’ve become quite the competitor on Words With Friends–so much so that I had to delete the game from my phone because I was getting nothing else accomplished.

In other exciting news, I am one entire book ahead of schedule on my 2020 Goodreads challenge. I’m hesitant to recommend any of them to you though. Not because they weren’t fantastic reads, but picking the books you want to read should be up to you. Everyone has their own taste, and there are so many to choose from. Having said that…if you don’t have The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides on your list, you must buy it immediately.

Just sayin’ 😉

if you have followed my blog for a while or are one of my Facebook friends, you know that jigsaw puzzles bring me much joy and a zen feeling many of us might be craving these days because of… oops, never mind.

I’ve lost track of how many of them I’ve done since March. All I can say is that I know I’ve ordered more puzzles than I’ve finished. My TBC (to be completed) tower of puzzles might be just as tall as the TBR pile on my nightstand.

Oh! I was so bored one day that when Staples sent me an email requesting a review of my purchase of Wite-Out, I couldn’t say no. Perfect timing! How did they even know I was a writer?! I told them I’d be happy to. I thought it was pretty creative, but you tell me.

“Seriously? What can I say about Wite-Out? You don’t know you need it or remember that it even exists until you mess something up, and it is literally the only thing that can come to your rescue. Great texture. Same horrible smell. Not too tasty. But, it worked like a dream. Does it really need to come in a two-pack? I only needed one bottle.”  

Sadly, this might be the highlight of my quarantine life. That and spending time with my family, of course.

What are you doing to distract yourself these days?

 

 

200th Blog Post – A Gift Guide

What do you do when your friendly, neighborhood writer publishes her 200th blog post?

Do a little dance… Make a little love… Get down tonight!

Moving on…

I know it’s hard to figure out what to get me on such a momentous occasion. But, what is the appropriate gesture? This is a toughie. Birthdays – even milestone birthdays – require selecting a gift based on age and interests. Brides and grooms and babies make it easy because they have registries. Wedding anniversaries have a specific and helpful chart for what to buy each year you are together. Lucky for you, I have put together this gift guide for your convenience. You are welcome. 

In the $0-$10 category, recommendations of your favorite books or podcasts you think I might enjoy is always a wonderful idea. Whether you have been a long-time reader of my blog or are just checking me out for the first time, I’ll bet you know something I’d like that feeds my creative process. Feel free to leave your best picks in the comments box at the end of this post.

Can’t think of anything? Don’t worry. A box of my favorite writing instruments  – the Pentel R.S.V.P. Ballpoint Pens, Medium point in assorted colors would make me very happy. You can never have enough good pens. But Lord knows, I have plenty of promotional click pens lying around that may or may not work anymore.

In the $15-$50 category, a gift card to a local independent bookstore is always a big win. I love supporting these establishments and with the pandemic, they need all of the support they can get. If you don’t like to give gift cards, there are always some cute book-related, writer-themed coffee mugs, bookmarks or comfy socks that I know I’d enjoy.

In the $150 – $500 category, I could really use a writing desk. My work set up is not ideal for writing. My laptop is perched on an ergonomic portable shelf which is sitting on the countertop of my kitchen peninsula. Staring at the dishes in the sink only makes me feel guilty for not doing them and therefore they are not conducive to the writing experience I wish to have.

Also, if there is any money left over, you can put it towards writing workshops and yearly conferences I plan to attend in the near future. Just ask me for my list.

And at the “money is no object” or “I married you and want you to have everything you want” level of giving, I’d like a she-shed or a dedicated writer’s room. One of these days, I will transform a bedroom into my own writing haven. It will include a lovely sofa for reading and pondering my next post. I’ll stock my new writing desk with Moleskine journals and boxes of Pentel R.S.V.P. medium point pens in assorted colors. The sky-high bookshelves will be filled with novels from my favorite authors as well as some good dictionaries, a thesaurus and, of course, the latest version of the AP stylebook. There should also be a coffee nook in the corner and a place for inspiring quotes and artwork as well as a scented candle and a fresh bouquet of flowers.

Too much?

Ok, fine. You got me. Deep down, I know a gift isn’t expected or necessary. In all honesty, what I really want from you on this milestone occasion is to continue reading, commenting and encouraging me however you can. I can’t tell you how much it means to have someone tell me they liked what I’ve written or that it made them think about things a little differently than before. Writers are a funny breed of creatives. We need reassurance that what we are putting out into the world is relevant and from a voice that should be heard. That’s really all I could ever ask for.

But, the pens would be nice too.

 

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