Life goes on

 The good, and the not so good:

My friend Laura, who is a cellist, is performing (she also performed last night) some "modern" classical music - in a couple cases the composers were on hand to talk a bit about their pieces; it was all done as a Facebook livestream. It was nice to get to see her play; I normally would not as she lives five hours from me. While I can't deal with all-Zoom-all-the-time (gives me headaches), it is nice to have some selected things to participate in, makes a person feel less lonely than just watching tv does.Especially since I know the cellist performing...

I got to talk a bit with my second-newest colleague (he was new last fall), he wanted some advice on a couple things (I originally went to ask him about the final exam in the class we both teach sections of). Standing in the door of his office, both of us masked and six feet away but it was still a chance to talk, and I think I was able to give a little helpful advice and maybe encouragement (reminding him my evals were not good my first year; I don't think many people's are). And I talked with my chair, signing off on my annual report (not as good of a score as in the past but understandable why) and she's also not going anywhere for the holidays and I suspect a lot of us are quietly doing that, despite all the people who are being publicly upset about being asked to make adjustments to avoid spreading the disease. But it's the people quietly weighing the costs and saying "okay, not this year" who don't make the news.

But some sad news: a young man I remember as a kid from Youth Group (his family had moved a bit east of us and belong to a different church now) was killed in an industrial accident yesterday. It's kind of horrible. I first heard about it on the morning news and they gave his name and I thought, "please let it be another guy by the same name" although then that wouldn't be fair to that guy's family....but midday, the church secretary sent out the e-mail, yes, it was the Jared we knew. I'm most bothered by the fact that he was so young - 18 - and he was working at a job, he had all his life ahead of him. 2020 has been a terrible year all around.

***

I have the socks on the needles nearly done - working on the toe - and I might finish them tonight. I also think I need to go through the new "Edward's Menagerie" book I bought the last time I was at JoAnn's (almost a month ago now) and pick out one to make for my niece for Christmas; consulting with my mom, no, 8 won't be too old for a stuffed animal. (I don't always know; I know some eight year olds are very sophisticated and don't want "baby things"). I know I've got yarn on hand, either acrylic or Wool-Ease that would work. 

I also want to work more on the OTHER stalled projects; maybe the time at home over breaks will be spent clearing out some of the accumulated things - either unraveling things that seem unsuccessful or finishing things that will be. And then starting new things.

I also DO think I'm going to try to decorate for Christmas in the coming week, and go as all-out as I can this year - wreaths and twinkly lights (yes, I ordered some snowflake shaped LEDs to hang up over my front window). I don't have any outdoor power outlets (old house) or I'd consider net lights for the shrubs. I want all the twinkly and sparkly and bright things to try to keep myself happy and distracted during what will probably be a darker than normal holiday time. (And I am saving the Doki Doki and Gachapon crate that will be coming to open Christmas morning, and I might even consider if I can find some other fun/nice "surprise crate" item to order, just a one off, not a subscription, where I might get a little surprise). I'm also thinking of doing a second Folio Press order for myself - I see they have Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and it might be interesting to have a nice copy of that. 

Other than that, yeah, I am still a little worn and sad and tired. At night I get into my bed which I have transformed into a giant nest of stuffed animals because it gives me comfort to be surrounded by them. I never feel like I quite get to sleep *enough* but maybe if I can force myself not to stay up late over Thanksgiving break I can get a little caught up. 

I will admit, the other reason I called my mom this afternoon....I had a tiny little health scare. With out going into very gross detail, while washing, I found a bump somewhere you don't want one. But, after consulting with her and thinking about the thing - the itching and burning - adjacent to the bump, and the fact that I have been getting less fresh fruits and vegetables (not able to get out to the grocery store every 2-3 days like I formerly did) and drinking less water (I bring a thing of water from home but forget about it, and I'm avoiding the drinking fountains), it sounds like what I have is....well, a typical problem some OLDER people (I am now older) get from not drinking enough water and not eating enough fiber and also they used to blame sitting on cold concrete steps for it, so it's probably not a tumor but, uh, a "pile." Or I'm going to assume that unless it doesn't seem to clear up; I have a doctor's appointment in about two months and I figure if I just noticed it yesterday if it IS something other than a minor thing, I've got time.

 I'm probably eating too many simple carbohydrates, too.

But like I said: my dietary choices have become more circumscribed due to the pandemic and not being able to get out as freely as I once did.

 

But yeah, I am ready for 2020 to be done being 2020.