Testing an app

I found an app called Blogg that purports to work nicely to manage Blogspot blogs. 

Ok, then, I’ll give it a try. 

Have some SQUEE!

Happy Blogday to Me!

I can't believe it has been 17 years since I started this blog!

I normally gift myself a celebratory trinket of some sort in honor of Blogday, but we might have to postpone that this year. The quarantine has knocked out my two side gigs and eliminated any OT pay, so I have to watch my expenditures.

But I will celebrate this day at some point. Even delayed celebration is celebration.

Kitty Break

Me: [work work work]

[Tiny kitty face appears in my line of sight, looking up expectantly.]

Me: Hi, Merlin! [skritch skritch skritch]

Merlin: PURRRR [Wanders off after his need for a dote has been sated]

Me: [work work work]

When we go back to the office, I will miss having random kitty breaks during the workday.

Star Wars Day

Oh, and BTW. On the departmental conference call today, I told everyone, "May the Fourth be with you!" #nerd

I need to track down some writers groups

I think it's time I seek out some writers groups on Facebook.

Maybe I can find one or more groups geared toward writers on Medium.com. Not only can we give each other feedback, if we are all in the Members Partner Program, our interactions with one another's articles will result in payments to the articles' authors. Win/win.

For the time being, I have resolved to take some of my favorite topics, things that I have been expounding on for years anyway, and write about those things. (Hence, the article I posted on Sunday afternoon.) That sounds like the epitome of "write what you know" to me!

I also seem to write at my best when I am really motivated by emotion. Ironically, for a person who really tries to manage her anger, some of my absolute best writing has sprouted from events that have made me incandescent with rage. Go figure.

I certainly hope that I don't often have the need to pour out words on topics that have me ready to breathe fire, but I certainly have decided to resort to deploying my keyboard regularly when I have something to express... and I don't just mean for brief snippets of writing on social media. I am going to get back to the Real Thing, too, and REALLY write the way I did for all these years on this blog.

Therefore, to do during my lunch break: scan Facebook for writer's groups.

P.S. I was tipped off over the weekend to the existence of another site called MyLot.com . If that is another paid writing site, I will have to look into joining. Income streams FTW. Even pin money is money.

I Never Had to Find Myself

My latest Medium.com post:


I Never Had to Find Myself

Folks who know me offline have heard me opine on this topic, and how early I think the seeds are planted for midlife crisis, multiple times. I thought it would be a good idea to write it out.

I am now officially a writer at Medium.com

I have been a paid member of Medium.com for a few years now. I finally reached the point where the Urge To Write grew too strong to resist, so I started working on articles.

Here's my profile, which I just realized I need to add to my sidebar on here:


Donna's Medium Page

So stop on by and see what's happening! I published my first article over there yesterday. As it happens, I also posted a version of the same article here, but there are going to be times when I post content that is unique to either this blog or Medium, rather than being duplicated.

Here's the article link that allows both free and paid members to read the content:

I Enjoy My Lockdown Work Situation

Enjoy!

Does it make me a terrible person?

I enjoy my lockdown work situation.

Am I a terrible person?

I read a LOT online during my free time. Social media, Medium, news sites, blogs; you name it, I read it. Since every possible pastime that involves leaving the house has been temporarily curtailed by The ‘Rona, that leaves me even more time to sit and read.

Understandably, those of us who partake in social media, we who write online snippets about our day and click the Send button, are opining about what the stay-at-home orders mean to us. I think it’s crucial for people to express these points of view, since the appearance of COVID-19 is going to be viewed as a major historic event. People in the future will be curious to know what it was like to live under a worldwide lockdown, and we owe it to them to give a contemporaneous account of how our lives were impacted.

We also owe those future people the benefit of our insight, as well as descriptions of how the changes in our world have made us feel. Whoever has not lived through these times will be ill-served if all they are able to access is a bland timeline of events. To make the information come alive, we who are living the experience will have to record our thoughts and feelings for posterity, to shed light on what life was like when the social distancing rules were enacted.

As such, I can’t help but contribute my own point of view to the mix. I am one of the fortunate folks who is able to work remotely while our office space is locked down. I work in an outpatient medical clinic attached to a large medical system. The entire floor of our building has been temporarily converted to house non-COVID patients, in the event that the hospital across the street becomes overloaded by patients with coronavirus. The intent was to give the COVID patients the beds in the hospital, and migrate the non-COVID patients onto our floor.

We were told on April 1 that we had two days to remove our personal effects from the clinic, so that the transition could take place. I dutifully brought a large box to work and packed anything that was mine, so it would not be damaged or misplaced while the clinic was repurposed.

Then I came home, and I have been working from my living room ever since. And I have discovered something about myself that almost makes me feel guilty. Every day, I am seeing people write online and speak on TV about the hardships that the lockdown is visiting upon them. They express how much they miss the things that are currently disallowed, or lament the way their income has been utterly disrupted by all the business closures. But all I can think of, when I assess my own lockdown life, is how much I revel in working remotely.

My revamped workday is an easy thing to enjoy. Reducing my daily commute time from a 3-hour round-trip to ten seconds is outstanding. Instead of leaving the house before sunrise and returning home after sunset, I am actually able to see sunlight coming through my front window on weekdays. Having actual free time after work, and being able to spend it in my own home instead of languishing at bus stops, is a pleasure. For the time being, I have even more downtime than I am accustomed to, because on top of not commuting, I also am not working overtime. A person could get used to relaxing in their own house, you know?

I am very cognizant that I am one of the fortunate people, in that I am still able to work full-time while not being put at risk of contracting coronavirus. I also am grateful that the income disruption I am experiencing, the lack of overtime pay and the suspension of two side gigs, is not a crippling blow. The bills are still getting paid and the groceries are still being purchased (presuming we can find them in the store). And, most importantly, my husband, parents, and I are all in good health. In short, I am well aware that having the ability to like anything whatsoever about La Vida Lockdown is a luxury, and I count my blessings that I can see positives in our current situation while others justifiably lament the difficulties that they are withstanding.

But while other folks are expressing their frustration at the changes coronavirus has made on their daily lives, I frequently think of how much I will miss remotely working once we resume a normal schedule. I feel guilty for enjoying myself in this regard, so I have kept this to myself (until now).

I sincerely wish that all the dreadful aspects of the lockdown were not happening to people. My heart goes out to the ones who are sick or in financial distress, and I adamantly agree that their well-being is just as important as mine. Therefore, once society gradually begins to resume normal practices, I will not complain. Certainly, I look forward to resuming seeing family and friends in person instead of communicating only via the phone and Zoom calls. I will also willingly go back to long waits at bus stops in the rain and snow, working all kinds of extra hours, and only seeing the sun come through my front window on the weekends. We need the world to be healthy and thriving, physically and financially, and that is the only way we are going to achieve it, so I will not bemoan my fate.

But boy, am I ever going to miss the ten-second commutes. Son of a gun, but are those ever nice.

And then the world turned upside-down

Well, it has been a couple years since I have made any major updates. Merlin and Pyewacket are two years old now. Baxter will turn 13 in September. Mark is retired as of a couple years ago, because his employer moved his entire department from PA to FL and cut all the PA jobs. To get the severance package, the PA folks had to train their FL replacements to do their job. He passed his 40-year work anniversary at that company a few weeks prior to the job being cut.

I am still working for the medical system, a job which I started in late 2015 as a temp, and then converted to working full-time with Real Live Benefits nine months later.


In mid-March, the plague known as COVID-19 swept over the US significantly enough that PA started issuing stay-at-home orders. As medical system employees, we were classed as essential, so we could continue working. However, we all converted to a schedule that had us working part of the week in the office and part from home. This would allow for a skeleton crew in the clinic, but keep as few people as possible on the premises to reduce the risk of the staff being exposed to coronavirus.

Two weeks later, though, our schedules were revamped again. We were told that we had two days to retrieve all our personal effects from the clinic, as the entire floor of the building where we work was going to be converted to surge beds. The idea was that if the hospital across the street was overloaded with COVID patients, the non-COVID patients would be set up on our floor, so that the coronavirus patients could take up more hospital rooms. This meant that we were all going to be working full-time from home. And so that is where we stand now. We will be working from home for at least the next two weeks, as we are working on converting all appointments through the middle of May to telemedicine if possible. Folks who absolutely must be treated in person are being directed to other health system locations where the clinic is open.

We all miss socializing on weekends. The Misfit Toys have a weekly Zoom call at 5:30 PM. JFM, KR, Mark, DH, and I have been regulars. BAS and ES have joined in when they could, but BA has had work meetings that have kept her from coming in for the past couple weeks. I actually subscribed to Zoom to make sure that we wouldn't get cut off after 40 minutes on the conference call. I can have up to 100:participants now. I think I will not be running afoul of that limit any time soon, lol.

So, that's all the news that's fit to print.

Except this: I have a new project. I want to start writing for Medium.com. I think I am going to have to create my posts elsewhere and import them, though, because the freaking editor page looks utterly blank. I even double-checked to make sure I was using a compatible web browser, and I am. Therefore, Step One is going to be to find a tutorial or three that explains how to create a post on their FREAKING BLANK PAGE screen. I am used to Blogger where the fields are clearly marked so you know what you're writing, and where you're supposed to write it.

When I publish a new post on there, I will link it here.

I am reminded that other people's opinion of me is none of my business.

So be it.

Whoops!

Upon reviewing my blog contents, it appears that there were NO posts for 2019. That will never do!

Therefore, by the power vested in me by the Scheduled Post option, I shall now repair that error.

Behold! A 2019 post.

Kittenfest!

[Two black kittens step up to the microphone]

Merlin: A-*hem*. Is dis fing on? It is? Oh, good.

Ohai, I'm Merlin, and dis my brofur Pyewacket. We's THREE WHOLE MONTHS old, and dat's a longlong time! 

Our three sisfurs dat we was borned wif are already out ruling houses. Now it's our turn to take ofur ruling DIS house.

I is da great magician kitty, and Pye here is my second-in-command.

Pyewacket: EXCUSE YOU, I don't fink so! We are equals and we rule togefur!

Merlin: You can be my familiar.

Pye: Yes, I am familiar wif you. You're my brofur.

Merlin: Dat's not what "familiar" means! It's... oh, nefur mind.

Oh, look, bowls of fud! [Kittens run to see and crash into each other]

Pye: Excuse you, I was here first!

Merlin: Were not!

Pye: Was too!

Merlin: I'll turn you into a toad! Hocus Cadabra!

[A pawful of glitter materializes from thin air and drifts to the floor.]

Pye: Cool trick, bro.

Merlin: I MEANT to do that. [washes paw]

Pye: Anyway, your technique's all wrong. Rememfur how they teach it at Hogwart's? Swish and flick, swish and flick. Watch my tail, I'll show you. [swish] [flick] [swish] [flick]

[Merlin watches swishing, flicking tail. His eyes get ever larger until...]

Merlin: AAAAHHHH! GET DA TAIL! [pounces]

Pye: Ow! Hey! OK, if you wanna be DAT way about it, then... [wrestling match ensues]

[Wrestling ball of kittens rolls off and exits, stage left]

---

The new Royal Felines are currently exploring the basement. They'll stay down here for a few days until they get acclimated; then they can explore the house.

Good Mourning, America

I grieve for my country today. Our Founding Fathers' foray into democracy has been usurped by a narcisstic, thin-skinned, vulgar, vengeful, ignorant, crass, affluenza-ridden manchild.

I don't do adult beverages, but I dealt with my feelings today via copious amounts of hot cocoa.

There's only so much depression-relief to be gained from consuming carbs, however. So its impact was, necessarily, limited in scope. Drinking enough hot cocoa to drown sorrows THIS all-encompassing would land a person in the ER.

You Shall Not Pass

On Tuesday night, Baxter went partway up the stairs to the second floor. Captain sat at the foot of the stairs. I became aware of that fact when the dog decided he wanted to return to the living room, and found the cat blocking his way.

"Yip yip yip yip yip yip" went Baxter. Captain just sat and looked at him. I sat and watched to see what would happen. To my great amusement, even though the dog has chased the cat in the past, he seems to have found a newfound respect for Captain in recent days. Possibly, this started when Baxter attempted to chase the cat, and Captain just sat there. Either that, or Baxter has a memory of being swatted by the Paw of Doom. I haven't seen the cat smack the dog upside the head in recent days, but it's always possible that there was some Paw of Doom usage when I wasn't there to see it.

In any event, Baxter showed enough deference to Captain (and the Paw of Doom) to just yip at him until he finally moved out of the way, allowing Baxter to get past him and enter the living room.

😂😂😂 I have such #spoiledcritters .

Aftermath

All I can say is this: C'est vomir.

Also: 

"But I fear that in every assembly members will obtain an influence by noise rather than sense, by meanness rather than greatness, and by ignorance and not learning, by contracted hearts and not large souls. There is one thing, that must be attempted and most sacredly observed, or we are all undone. There must be decency and respect and veneration introduced for persons of every rank, or we are undone. In a popular government, this is our only way.” -- John Adams

As if burying my late nephew on the morning of my birthday wasn't bad enough. I had to bury my country on the night of my birthday. 

I'm disgusted. 

I knew it'd happen eventually

When you work for a health system with 5 million patients in its database, it's only a matter of time before a name you recognize comes across your desk. And in the words of Forrest Gump, that's all I have to say about that.

Techie Na'vi

I listened to music at work today. I plugged earphones into the computer, rather than use my phone, just to see if it was logistically feasible. 

I alternately felt like a recharging device, or else like a Na'vi communing with the Tree of Souls. (See: http://james-camerons-avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Queue )

Still not feeling great

In early September, I received some outreach that effectively ended the rift I posted about earlier.

So why am I no less sad now? I think I'm still in the grieving process for my old worldview. Just like putting a cast on a broken limb doesn't magically, instantly knit the bone back together, the impact of showing me that I can be consigned to the garbage heap, for months on end and without explanation, isn't something that instantly dissipates. 

I don't trust much anymore. I had trust issues BEFORE this happened. To put it mildly, they're no better now. 

I do miss the old me, and I miss the way the world used to look.

The verses we should hear more often

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

15 years ago today

At church today, the weekly bulletin has the scripture quote from St. Paul: "Be not overcome with evil, but instead overcome evil with good".

In the same vein, we have Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s quote: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

We can honor the fallen by remembering both these things before we start promoting hostility. Do, say, and post things that bring people together, not divide people or promote hate and prejudice.

This is not a day for hatefulness. This is a day to be reminded of what hatefulness will do if left unchecked. That's what we should be remembering today before we speak or hit the SEND key on a post.

May God rest the souls of those who died in the attacks 15 years ago today, and may those who grieve those lost ones be consoled.