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THE SINNER VS.THE SAINT

Soon, we’re going to have Vice Presidential candidate, Senator Kamala Harris questioning Federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett as to whether or not she’s fit to be confirmed as a supreme court judge.   It’s going to be like a scene from the Wizard of Oz:   Sweet  Dorothy from Kansas pitted against the Wicked Witch of the West.  Get ready for a case of the sinner vs. the  saint,  

Amy Coney  Barrett is  mother of seven children–including two adopted black children, and  one  child with Downs Syndrome.  She’s been married to the same man for eighteen  years.  In contrast, when former San Francisco prosecutor Kamala Harris was twenty nine, she  hooked up with an influential  married man thirty  years her senior who helped her get ahead in politics.   Recently married, she has no children, only step children.

This is what then Democratic presidential candidate, Rep  Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii,  had to say about  Kamala Harris. :

As attorney general of California, “She put over 1,500 people in jail for marijuana violations, and then laughed about it when she was asked if she’d ever smoked marijuana. She blocked evidence that would have freed a man from death row until the courts forced her to do so. She kept people in prison beyond their sentences to use them as cheap labor for the state of California. And she fought to keep cash bail system in place that impacts poor people in the worst kind of way.”

Federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett was voted most popular professor on three different occasions at the University of Notre Dame.  During her confirmation hearing in March of 2017,  a group of 450 former students signed a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, telling senators that their support was “driven not by politics, but by the belief that Professor Barrett is supremely qualified.” She also she had the unanimous support of her 49 Notre Dame colleagues, who wrote that they had a “wide range of political views” but were “united however in our judgment about Amy.”

The contrast between the two women couldn’t be more stark.  Kamala sashays around in a form fitting pants suit, while Amy  is seen holding a small child’s hand,  walking to the podium in a modest dress.
the saint vs the sinner: Barret vs. Harris
The saint vs. the sinner. There is  going to be a showdown between two very different women.

I have a  problem with Amy Barrett’s stance on abortion,  but it’s not a deal breaker.  This week in my city,   a beautiful, seven year old   boy was  murdered by his father with a  belt.  No unwanted child should be brought into this world, only to be tortured and killed.  This is why I am pro choice.  And I don’t think Roe vs. Wade will ever be repealed.

Nevertheless, we’ll soon have a ringside seat to an interaction between two very different women.. It will be interesting to see who prevails. The saint or the sinner?.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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PANIC ATTACK! LOST CREDIT CARD.

A lost credit card can elevate my anxiety level to the panic mode. Unfortunately, it happens more often than I would like.  A few hours after I’ve been to the store,   I open my wallet, and find a blank slot where my credit card belongs.  My stomach tightens.  I take a deep breath.  What if it’s been found in a parking lot,  and someone is charging thousands of dollars to my account?   I dash out to the car, look under my purse, frantically open drawers and claw through papers on my desk.  Sometimes I find it right away. But if I don’t, look out. Panic attack! Lost credit card. 

Losing my credit cards causes me to have a panic attack.
Panic attack! Lost credit card.  The company may offer to block your account until you find it.

 I explain my erratic behavior to my husband.  Here’s a man who has never lost a credit card in his life. When we were first married, he would join in my search, worrying along with me.  Especially if it happened to be our joint credit card.  But now, he faces the crisis calmly.  First, he assures me that it probably hasn’t been stolen, simply misplaced.  He advises me not to report the card lost for at least an hour or so, which gives me time to calm down and retrace my steps.   

Why does this happen to me?  It started about 30 years ago, when I got mugged in a parking lot, and my purse was stolen.  It was a scary experience, with a sinister looking man who also tried to get in my car.  As he rattled the door handle, I  jumped out and screamed.  He grabbed  my purse from the front seat and took off in what turned out to be a stolen car.  After that, I vowed never to take my purse into a store.  I always put my credit card in a back pocket, and never pay with cash.  Most of the time, I remember to put the card away  when I get in the car, or after I’m home.  But sometimes, I get preoccupied and forget what I’ve done with it.   

Finally, I call the credit card company.  Why are they not surprised?  Probably because they know it happens to me about two or three times a year.  Or maybe it’s a more common experience than I realize.  I cringe when I place an order on Amazon, and see all the “expired” credit cards listed on my account.  They aren’t expired at all. They were lost by a  scatterbrained woman.   

Often, I find the credit card later. But I’m still mad at myself.  I devise procedures that will ensure this will not happen again.  Once, I went two years without losing a credit card.  Then I have a relapse, and may lose two or three a year. I’ve decided there are three  categories of people in this world.  People who have never lost a credit card, those who seldom do, and then the day dreamers like me..

 There must be a lot of losers, because the credit card representatives seem to take it in stride.  Lately, they’ve begun offering to block my account while I look for my credit card.  But I know it’s only a matter of time until it happens again, and I will have another  panic attack over a lost credit card..    

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CAMPAIGN YARD SIGNS ARE A FUTILE EFFORT

It’s that time of year again.  The campaign yard signs began to appear a few weeks ago, but now, they’re all over the place.  Some people are enthusiastic yard signers.  Their lawns are littered with numerous signs, all of which usually means they’re pretty active in some political party.  I imagine the signs are  expensive. I don’t know, because I’ve never been a political activist.  But I do know that a yard sign will never persuade me to vote for a particular candidate.  Campaign yard signs are a futile effort. 

Do campaign yard signs work? they annoy many, and may not change voters minds.
Are campaign yard signs a futile effort? Although they annoy many people, they increase name recognition.

 The question has been posed to various political experts:  Do yard signs really work?  The consensus seems to be that they raise awareness about coming elections.  Campaign yard signs  may motivate people to  get out and vote.  Other than that, they don’t actually influence voters one way or another.  

 Why do some people litter their lawns with numerous yard signs?  It’s speculated that it may be to simply annoy the opposing party.  Sort of an in-your-face type thing.  See here you liberal/conservative fools.  This is who I’m voting for, not your stupid candidates. If that’s the motivation, it  works. Many people  are annoyed by yard signs.  Why would that be? Obviously, because they may not agree with your politics. But also  because they’re ugly.  There is nothing artistic or  aesthetically pleasing about a yard sign. 

 We’ve been asked once or twice to let some friend or acquaintance to post campaign signs in our yard. Reluctantly, we agreed, just because we liked the person, and didn’t want to hurt their feelings.  But six or seven signs?  Never. Just as I dislike talking politics with strangers, I don’t want to advertise my political leanings to the entire town.  How I vote is my own business.  And sometimes,  I change my mind right before I go to the polls.  I’d hate to have a yard sign for a candidate who gets arrested for drunk driving right before election day. 

 The one advantage I can see for yard signs is their predictive value.  During the 2016 election, there were Trump signs all over town, even though the polls predicted he would lose.  So far, I’m seeing an equal number of Trump/ Biden signs.  But the Trump ones were out earlier.  I guess they were left over from the last election.  But it’s early yet.  Yard signs may be an  exercise  in futility.  But they could be an important bellwether.  

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DON’T FORGET ABOUT SQUASH

Have you gotten tired of cooking during this pandemic?  After awhile, you’re racking your brain, trying to come up with something other than mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice as a side dish to  accompany meat.  But now you’re in luck, because we’re seeing squash of all kinds at farmer’s markets and in the grocery stores. If you’ve never cared much for squash, maybe you haven’t experimented with different ways to cook it. Baked acorn squash halves are  great, but  take an hour to bake in the oven.  A quicker, easier way is to cube it, and roast it in the oven.   When planning your meals, don’t forget about squash.

Here’s what’s great about squash as a meat accompaniment.  If has only about one third the calories of potatoes.  Not only that, it is filling and nutritious.  Low in cholesterol, and a good source of vitamins. And it brightens the plate—adding color to stimulate the appetite.

If you are cooking more during this pandemic don't forget about squash.
Squash is a low calorie, nutritious substitute for potatoes and pasta. Don’t forget about squash.

I’ve played around with different methods, and combined certain flavors to come up with my very own recipe. .  After peeling and cubing the squash,, I sprinkle it with nutmeg, garlic powder, and a little brown sugar.  You may want to add salt, but I don’t, because we try to stay on low sodium diets.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Ingredients:

1 medium  butternut squash , peeled,  seeded and cut in 1-inch chunks

2 tablespoons  olive oil

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1  teaspoon brown sugar

Sprinkle of garlic powder, if desired

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place squash on baking sheet, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with nutmeg, brown sugar, and garlic powder.  Toss it all together.  Spread the squash in one layer and roast for 25 to 30 minutes until tender.

Makes 2 to 4 servings, depending on your appetite.

Don’t forget about squash!  Your vegan friends will love it, too.

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RUNNING AWAY FROM COVID-19

Our city was a pretty safe place in early spring.  Only one or two cases in a county of 100,000.  Which meant that 99.9 % of us would NOT be infected.  And then, at the end of July, that all began to change.  Suddenly, we became a hotspot, with a positivity rate of about 11%.  Everyone felt a little panicky—some more than others.  In our case, we simply continued isolating at home, and wearing our masks when doing errands. But some of our fellow citizens  took more drastic measures.  They sold the homes they had lived in for years and fled to other cities.  At the same time, people from worse hot spots like Vegas and LA are moving back home. They’re running away from Covid-19.

 What prompted these drastic moves?  Maybe the move-aways had thought about moving closer to their children for a long time, and this  gave them the extra incentive needed to sell out and move on.  If you’re extremely worried about  catching covid-19 and dying, you probably want to be around your children and grandchildren. . 

More puzzling is those that have come back home.  Let’s say they lived in New York or LA.  They thought they would be safer in Indiana.  So they packed up and bought a home here.  No sooner had they done that, than our cases began to skyrocket.   

Running away from Covid-19. Moving is one of life's most stressful evens.
Running away from Covid-19. Moving is one of life’s most stressful events.

Last night on tv, we saw a couple who had recently  moved to New Orleans from NYC.  They put their life savings into a new restaurant, which was now flooded out.  They might just as well stayed home. 

Meanwhile, the realtors are having a hey day.  Home values here have risen 8% in just one year.  And they’re selling fast.  Studies have shown that moving is one of life’s most stressful events.   When every thing settles down, will those who moved wished they hadn’t? 

 

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WHO’S TO BLAME FOR THIS VIRUS?

Are you a mosquito magnet?  I know that I am.  My husband and I can sit on the deck for half an hour, and he won’t have a single bug bite.  I, on the other hand, will be covered with little red itchy bumps wherever I’ve neglected to use bug repellent.  It got so bad that we finally bit the bullet and invested in a screened in porch.   It’s West Nile virus season here in Indiana, and it can be serious, folks.  Now, who’s to blame for this virus?

I’m hoping it won’t be politicized this year.  I mean, it’s been around forever, and no one ever tried to blame it on the Democrats or Republicans.  But that could change this fall.  When the wildfires started in California, I predicted it would be politicized.  Never mind that California has always been prone to  wildfires.  What if they have an earthquake?  Will that be politicized?  It seems like  any human pestilence or apocalyptic scale disaster can be blamed on the president,  governor, congress,  senate, or the local mayor. .  No one ever thinks about blaming Mother Nature or The Good Lord.

 

Who's to blame for this West Nile Virus. Will the media politicize it?
Who’s to blame for this virus? Will the media politicize it?

West Nile Virus infections occur mostly between June and September.  That means we’re still not out of the woods.   WNV disease is the most commonly reported mosquito-borne disease in Indiana and in the United States. Symptoms begin to appear about 3 to 14 days after infection.  They include fever, stiff neck. headaches, rash, disorientation, swollen lymph nodes, vision problems, seizures and fatigue.   Before you get too worried, you should know that most cases are mild and go away within a week or so.   Encephalitis only occurs in about 1% of the cases.

Is this beginning to sound familiar?  We’ve been hearing that most cases of Covid-19 are mild.  If you’re like me, you know of someone who had  symptoms that lasted less than a day.  But the media focuses only on the most serious cases.  That makes it easier to politicize.

I once worked with someone who was out for several months with WNV  that went on to encephalitis.  When it hits home like that, you become more aware of the dangers, and also more apprehensive.  I’ve never really lost my fear of West Nile Virus. .  But you can’t stay indoors all summer in fear of mosquito bites.  Our local health departments do everything they can to inform us about ways to stop mosquitoes from breeding. But in the end, who’s to blame for this virus?

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UNPAID CAREGIVERS ARE UNSUNG HEROES

During this pandemic, city parks have provided much needed relief from enforced isolation.  Every shelter is occupied on holidays and weekends, and the roads are heavy with traffic slowly navigating around joggers and walkers.  Also, we’re suddenly seeing more caregivers of disabled children or aging parents.  Did you know that approximately 43.5 million caregivers have provided unpaid care to an adult or child in the last 12 months? Unless you are a caregiver, you may not realize what a difficult task these people are performing.  Unpaid caregivers are unsung heroes.

Unpaid caregivers are unsung heroes. It takes patience and empathy to care for a handicapped child.
Unpaid caregivers are unsung heroes. Where do they get their strength? Perhaps it’s the power of love.

There are varying degrees of caregiving, but all of them require patience and empathy.  Aging parents may require just a bit of help with shopping and household tasks.  But a sick or disabled child or spouse often requires full time commitment.  Lately, at the park,  I’ve seen many more children in wheelchairs  with missing limbs or other handicaps. .  My heart goes out to the parents who so lovingly devote their lives to the care of their children.   Where do caregivers get their strength?  I guess it’s the power of love.

Caregiving can be a lonely business, leading to caregiver burnout.   Often, it falls on one person in a family.  Other relatives and friends go about their lives without much regard for the day to day efforts required to take care of a disabled or handicapped person.  When you’re the only one who can shop, cook, clean and run errands while taking care of a person’s needs, you often feel worn out and forgotten.  What’s worse is seeing a loved one through episodes of pain or suffering with no one around to  comfort them but you.

Unfortunately, caregiving is  highly stressful and hazardous to the health. Thirty percent of caregivers die before the people they care for do. A 2003 study of caregivers by a research team at Ohio State University discovered a significant deterioration in the health of caregivers when compared to a similar group of non-caregivers. Even more disturbing is the fact that caregivers had a 63 percent higher death rate than the control group. Before the end of the 6-year study, 70 percent of the caregivers died and had to be replaced.

What can we do to help  caregivers?  If they’re strangers we encounter in public places, perhaps all we  can do is open a door, or give a smile of encouragement.  It get’s a little more complicated if they are family or friends.  The last thing a caregiver wants  is advice or  implied criticism.  What they really need is  your emotional support and appreciation.  A phone call or visit means a lot. Just let them know they’re not alone in all of this.

Unpaid caregivers are unsung heroes.