And on Top of COVID-19....

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Like many people in the world, I watched the TV last night for the first US Presidential Debate between President Trump and former Vice-President Joe Biden. Like many people in the world, I was embarrassed by what I saw. I was embarrassed for the United States of America. This country had been a huge player on the world stage. It was rich, it was where people from all over the world went for refuge, for help, for a new lease on life and to be part of something quite new and special on the world stage. It was the home of Coca Cola and blue jeans, it was the popular music country, it was the movies, it was the TV shows, it was youthful and fun to watch.

I know some Americans. I have a friend who immigrated to the States, I have relatives who became US citizens because their work took them there, I have friends and relatives who used to go to the southern States in the winter and I have always paid attention to US politics because we are small Up Here and have to get along with whatever happens Down There.

My take-aways from last night’s debacle:

1. Can you imagine what it would be like to work for Trump? If he doesn’t respect the former Vice-President and calls him names, can you imagine how he treats generals and assistants and the file clerks in the White House?

2. I can see Putin this morning laughing and laughing and laughing over his coffee and as he watches the chaos descending on this sad country across the ocean.

3. There is no “moderator” in the world who could have controlled that disaster last night. I might have considered picking up my papers and walking out.

4. I learned that the President will ally himself with whatever and whoever he thinks can get him a win. He doesn’t care if those allies are racist, lowbrow, misogynistic, violent, gun bearing people. As long as they can help him win.

5. Joe Biden is a decent human being. I am surprised he didn’t just go over and punch that man in the nose. I am surprised that he didn’t just walk off that stage, pick up the moderator on the way by, hug his wife and go home.

6. The outrage expressed by the CNN commentators after “it” was over were restrained. But the rage was there. They were outraged on behalf of their country.

7. I was left speechless and breathless and very afraid for what will happen to our world and my country in November.

8. This terrible man has unleashed hatred and drips vitriol over his amazing country and I just hope for all our sakes that the voters see him for what he is and get him out of that White House.

9. I also hope that the Republican Party realizes the mistake it made and remakes itself into a reasonable political party after all this dreadfulness is over.

10. I also hope there won’t be any more presidential debates. I think we’ve seen enough and I think we know it would just be more of the same awfulness.

To all my relatives and friends out there – Remember the words from the CBC Radio program The Dead Dog Café 20 years ago - "Stay calm! Be brave! Wait for the signs!".

Onwards!

Half a Year Gone By!

Thursday, September 17, 2020

Here we are 6 months in! While I have been out of the house occasionally with my snazzy Dawn Oman artsy mask, it is still kind of odd to go out among real people other than my husband and our dog. I’ve been keeping in touch with relatives and friends via email, Facebook and now Zoom.

I have also been paying close attention to our municipal election slated for October 17. I will be the Deputy Returning Officer for 2 days of the Advance Poll and the Deputy Returning Officer on Election Day in one of the Districts. [I had to decline as my health made me unreliable.] This will be a new experience for us all here in Annapolis County. We’ll be voting electronically – phone or online. If you don’t know how to vote online, you can go to the poll in your district and there are people to help you out. No paper. No staying late to count ballots! I’ve done that a few times over time.

I had call from my sister to ask me (as the keeper of the family history and Matriarch now) for ancestor information for her grandchildren for a school project. I spent a lot of time filling in the Family Tree  and it sure is handy to have. I haven’t looked at it for a while and was surprised to see over 2,700 people on it. I may have gone a little overboard but it is for me and 2 husbands so that makes it interesting.

I belong to a small group called the Parker Mountain Wind Turbine Society. Once a year, the owners of the Parker Mountain turbine gives 1% of their annual earnings from the turbine back to the community. We were formed to disburse those funds. After 3 years, we have given out almost $40,000 to small non-profit groups in our area. This year, we delayed the disbursement because of the pandemic and finally were able to get together and make our decisions. It is hard because all are hurting and finding it difficult to do their regular fund-raising events. We had many applications but only so much to give out.

In this Time of COVID-19, I came across a piece in an interesting book I’m reading – PRESS ENTER TO CONTINUE: Scribes from Babylon to Silicon by Joan Francuz (2018). Ms. Francuz lives in Annapolis Royal and has written a most engaging account of “the history of our digital age through the words of the people who described things – the scribes and technical writers of their time.” Here is what struck me this morning –

“The people living during the period that we call the Renaissance didn’t use that word to describe their age. It wasn’t until the 1830s that the word Renaissance was even used. Their story begins in the aftermath of a plague, and covers a few hundred years when the very idea of the individual was born, and maps of the known world were expanded to include whole new continents.

“Ironically, it was death that made this change possible. During the Middle Ages, everyone was part of a community, and any individual yearnings a person might have were trumped by the goal of helping their community survive.”

I could go on quoting this delightful book kindly loaned to us by good friend Bob Maher.

I am keeping busy.

Onwards!