What is even happening? I feel like every day there is something new and crazy and strange and unexpected. I find myself asking the universe, “WHAT?”

What is COVID-19? (a deadly virus, I know)

What is happening to our form of democracy? (the Republican regime, led by liar-in-chief Donald Trump, of course)

What is so wrong with people that they can’t handle being told that Black Lives Matter? (spoiler: it’s racism)

What can I do? What can I say? What would make things better? Well. Here is what I have done (in a nutcase-shell):

  • followed CDC guidelines about wearing masks and maintaining physical distance from other people as much as possible
  • limited my travel (hi, canceled cruise to Alaska with Mom and my sister)
  • made (socially-distanced) food and care package deliveries to friends
  • indulged in a LOT more texting with my friends than usual
  • joined a weight-loss program to help me get my weight and health under control, since so much else is totally out of my control
  • gotten my flu shot!
  • volunteered to work as an election inspector/poll worker (okay, that’s a normal thing for me, but I’m a precinct chairperson now!)
  • Hobbies: knitting! spinning yarn! dyeing wool! baking!

I have obviously done more than this, but really, the main thing is that I am listening to the scientists and doctors and educating myself as much as I can about COVID-19. I am educating myself about what is happening to people of color here in the United States. I am working to become a better person every day.

I am not a perfect person. No one is perfect (even if they think they are). However, we can all become better if we put in the effort.

Frankly, I think that the only way that this year can be even partially redeemed is if we all take this opportunity to learn and grow as people (and vote out the current political administration, but that last bit is just my opinion as a devotee of the “radical left agenda,” clearly).

What hope is there for 2021? I don’t really know, but I am already looking towards it to be an improvement over this disaster of a year!