How Hard Is It To Understand?

Simply put and completely true.

I'm terrified of going back to work.
 I've worked in restaurants, non stop since the late seventies. It's been my chosen profession and  know all too well about cross contamination and how quickly it can spread.

I do not feel comfortable about being a server at this exact moment in  time, especially considering I live in the number one travel destination of the entire world.
Mask or no mask.
At my age it simply isn't worth the risk to me.

But here's a clue...

Wear a freaking mask when you are out in public, and distance yourself from others whenever it is possible.

Throw in washing your hands a lot and keeping your surroundings clean and sanitary...it's really not that hard to do.
That should about do it, and would one hundred percent absolutely make a more than tremendous difference in the fight  against COVID.

One problem is that our own president won't even wear a mask or tell others they should.

 And I thought "I" was a slow learner?

If I hear one more person screaming about "don't try and control my rights to freedom"... 'I' could puke.

 You can't fix stupid, but you can block and delete it.

I spend less and less time on Facebook, the twenty four hour cyber water cooler of illiterate haters.
 I haven't seen or read as many hateful things, mostly all untrue, since Barrack Obama ran for president and was elected.
Twice.

I'll take class over crass any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Sometimes I am so appalled and taken aback from things posted by people I have known my entire life. Dang, were they racist when I was a kid and I was just too much of a knuckle head to notice?
That's totally one possibility, and I freely admit to it.

I am so far from being perfect I can't even see the halfway mark, but at least I consistently try and get it right more often than not.
So there's that.



I've never seen this country more divided over simply wanting (asking) for equal rights
...for every single person, every single day of their life.

Here's a challenge.

Read this book and get back to me about Black Lives Matter.


Hell, just look what we did to Native Americans when we first arrived...on their land.

Come on, America.
We have a lot to make up for.


Not to mention, these examples are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg of inequality and injustice, and a huge elephant in the american living room. Don't expect change to happen in one weekend, and don't expect it to be pretty.




It hasn't been  pretty for them, so why should it be pretty for you?
Think about that for a minute.

Think about George Floyd, with that (not all) cops knee on his neck for 8 minutes and forty six seconds, even though he was handcuffed, non combative...and innocent?

I could go on, and on, and on...and on.
Literally.

If reading this makes you feel uneasy, angry or uncomfortable, maybe you should ask yourself why?

I think Dr. Seuss put it best, years and years ago.

Love is all you (we, or they) need.


Til next time,

COTTON

Apparently I've Changed Careers

I got a new job!!!

After almost three months of being unemployed, I am working again.

It's a great company. I have my own office which includes a killer view.

It doesn't pay all that much but the benefits are out of this world.

No cubicle for me!

There's plenty of free parking available, but is also close enough to walk.

So we have had to tighten our financial belts... but who hasn't, given these tumultuous times?

Lucky for me, I'm reasonably easy to please. Give me a house with a yard which needs my attention, and I'm the (wo)man for the job!

 Yes it would probably look better with  professional landscaping but I kinda prefer my Slap Dab method...and it feels wonderful to look at how much work I accomplish every single day.

And then there's the beach, less than an hour away.
I've always loved being by the ocean.



It was a huge adjustment for me, moving to another state after over half a century in the same one.
I'm a true Georgia Peach, southern born and bred - suddenly transplanted amongst the oranges.

I suffered a huge bout of depression after first moving here.
I had absolutely, but more than willingly, drained my entire savings account to help with the massive undertaking of moving and combining three separate places, containing the entirety of our lives.
I arrived in the Sunshine State, only to find out the extremely lucrative job I had transferred with from Georgia didn't actually exist.
That was a crucial blow- financially as well as emotionally.

Remaining at your own pity party, in a bed - temporarily consisting of a lot of blankets and quilts piled high on a wooden platform bed base- in a darkened room doesn't sound like an awfully long time... but it really was.

Trust  me, I'm one of the  lucky ones. I was able to kick my way out of  that bag of depression,
which relentlessly seems so all consuming to millions of others every single day; Spiraling them into an abyss so deep they feel it's useless to even try and get out. Instead they limp by best they can, and hope they avoid the worst.

So my latest (only) job in Florida (for over three years)  hasn't called me back to work like they said they would do (per email) once plans were made to  reopen . I waited for the call, like they said to do.
I never got that call.
I waited for a text. I never got one.
I waited for a link or email.
All I have heard is crickets.

It bothered me at first. No, actually it almost drove me insane at first.
 I'm not that great of a person, and never claimed to be; but what  I AM,  is a hands down 100% excellent, dedicated, loyal and more than extremely efficient and hard working employee who is more than capable of doing my own  job and work circles around others, some over half my own age.

If they don't want me, I'm not seriously really sure I want to work for them.
Does that hurt?
Yes.
Can I get over it now?
 Absolutely.

And I will.

It took us over thirty years to get to this point in our lives. This serving job of mine here in OTown, as great as it was, isn't going to make me feel bad about myself as a server. I know what kind of  waitress, server and employee I  am, have been, and can be.

In my opinion, it's their loss not mine.
I am redirecting my focus to writing. It's a lot easier for me physically...and helps me more emotionally.
You gotta be happy in life... or you're not going to be happy.


Till next time

Cyber hugs, COTTON