COVID-19 Diary – week 11

Things that happened, things I think, things I ponder, and other things that maybe don’t fit into any of those categories.


My brain hurts when I think about all the hypocrisy in the world. People that spout their beliefs and feelings, then live in total contradiction to those beliefs and feelings. I struggle to understand.


My heart hurts when I think about all the anger, frustration, and sadness in the world. Between the blatant racism that is happening and the protests by people who feel they have no other way to express their outrage … I struggle to understand.


We’re on day 11 with no hot water. The old water heater is dead. The new one has been approved by the home warranty company. Now the plumber has to purchase, pick up, and install. We’ve been plagued by bad timing on this because of decisions being made just before a weekend; so five days of no progress. I’m ready to fight this week to get ‘er done!


I picked up some pastries and Brötchen at a local Swiss bakery this week. The Brötchen was amazing and brought me back to my childhood in Germany. The son bought a Fanta imported from Austria too. It was the legit Fanta orange flavor, not the HFCS flavor of the version you get here in the States. Schmeckt gut!


I start a “digital declutter” tomorrow for the month of June. I’m severely limiting my access to apps on my phone and scheduling when I check email and access other sites (*cough*social media*cough*). I’m limiting video games and surfing the internet mindlessly too. I anticipate a lot of reading and writing happening next month. Don’t worry, I’ll still post my Project 365 photo every day.


The puppy is doing very well after the spay surgery and ready to be all rough and tumble. She still has her scabs at the site of the incision though, so we’re doing our best to keep the sisters apart because they love to wrestle and play keep-away.


I ran a virtual 5K with the wife today. We passed a house with a sign that read “tough times don’t last, tough people do.” I like that. I’m going to digest that and make it part of my life.


Today’s Daily Stoic (May 31 in the daily journal) taught me the most important lesson of the Stoics: be a good human. I’ve resonated with this principle for a long time and have always felt that if we could just be kind and decent to each other, the world would be a better place. I know there will always be greed, mental illness, etc. that stand in the way of the ideal world. But there are far more good people than bad out there. Stay off social media, get out into the real world and interact with your friends and neighbors and you’ll see that.


While this week has been hurdle after hurdle, it’s been doable. We endure. I still have a great life, better than a vast portion of the world. Stay safe. Wash your hands. Wear your mask. Be good humans.

2 Comments

  1. I agree with everything you’ve said here. I’ll never understand the racism we have in this country where every human being is supposed to be equal with every other human being. For some reason, some people just need to feel superior to other people. Then, of course, there’s greed which is running rampant in DC. It’s always been there, but it’s increased dramatically in the past three years. Did you see Mitch McConnell’s net worth when he first entered Congress and what it is now? Almost all of Congress uses Insider Trading to pad their salaries. No wonder the Republicans in the Senate are holding on so tight to their jobs.

    Call your Home Warranty representative and put your foot down. Eleven days without hot water is ridiculous. There must be some compensation in my humble opinion.

    We loved the birthday card “Sawdust and Man Glitter” couldn’t be more perfect except that your written sentiment did make it more perfect. You’re such a good writer–ever thought about writing a book???

  2. Almost forgot. Next time (if there is one) we get to VA, we absolutely positively must go for Brötchen (every day).

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