OMG.....

 So this just happened.  Last week, Hurricane Helene wiped Asheville, NC nearly off the map, and cut it off from surrounding counties.  They are in need of resources...food, daily items, clothing, housing, gas, you name it.

Today, a popular singer with a huge following made an undisclosed donation to 1400 food banks in-wait for it-

THE UK.

********needle scratch*********

This singer is AMERICAN.

Unfortunately, this singer has backed one of the WORST presidential candidates (IMHO!) in my lifetime.

So where's the donation to your HOME COUNTRY?

Saw a post the other day that our *cough* WONDERFUL *cough* government has donated the following:

$24.4 BILLION to Ukraine

$11.3 BILLION to Israel

$1.6 BILLION to Jordan

$1.4 BILLION to Egypt

$1.1 BILLION to Afghanistan

$1.1 BILLION to Somalia

$1 BILLION to Yemen

$987 MILLION to Congo

$896 MILLION to Syria

$9 THOUSAND to each illegal immigrant who crosses our border without permission.

What did they send the hurricane victims?

$750.  SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS.

Do you know how long that lasts?  For instance in my family, we're surviving EACH MONTH on $5000. That pays for mortgage, utlities, medical bills, my phone, groceries, and gas.  These people will still owe these things.  That $750 will maybe last a week.

So back to my original post:  Why doesn't this singer (TS) donate to her HOME COUNTRY?

And why the hell are we sending money to Syria? Congo? Somalia? YEMEN? 

How many foreign countries are coming to OUR aid?

Unbelievable.

I'm About To Lose A Friend.......Or Several......

 Ironically enough, over this post:

"Don't damage friendships over politicians who don't even know your name. You can have differing political views and still treat each other with kindness and respect...."

I thought it was a perfectly neutral post, and I HAVE REFAINED from sharing memes that line up with my views, because 50% of my FB friends don't share it, and seem to take GREAT PLEASURE in trying to shove their opinions down my throat.

Here's what's got me irked.  A friend's Significant Other, whom I haven't really spoken to in YEARS, decided to comment:

"If a politician has promised to do harm to people you love and you still support that politician, you support the harm done to people you love. Id say that's a pretty valid reason to distance yourself from someone."

Okay,  First of all, did you not see the ‘treat each other with KINDNESS and RESPECT?’?????

2) You’re the SO of one of my good friends, who has stood by you during your transition from male to female. I really have no relationship with you, other than the fact she loves you.

3) When she called me in tears over something you’d done to her, I stood by her, tried to help her process her new reality, and offered advice.

4) When you decided to become female, I supported your decision, because she supported you, even though I don’t claim to fully understand it. 

5) Ever since the pandemic and 2020 election, we’ve been on opposite sides of the political aisle, and pandemic policies.  Did I shame you?  No.  I firmly believe everyone has a right to his/her own opinions and follow them however they choose.  You and she chose to stay home, wash your hands frequently, bathe in sanitizer, cover your mouths and noses.  Did I comment about how wrong I think you were?  No, because it’s YOUR life, YOUR opinion, YOUR decision.

6) My decision on which candidate to vote for is purely and ECONOMIC one.  I HATE the current economic policies, and think we’ll do better if we get rid of the asshats who want to turn the US into Venezuala or any other Communist/Socialist country.  I don’t care about supporting your sexuality worries; I think they’re being blown out of proportion.  And yes, I firmly believe NO ONE should undergo a sex change until a) they talk to a LICENSED THERAPIST, b) are fully ADULT; and c) do their research and understand the risks.  I also believe transgender athletes need their own category of sports now.  It has RUINED Women’s Sports (swimming and boxing, and any other potential sports where MEN excel over women.  I think I even saw where a transgender MALE won a beauty pageant??  I could be wrong…)

7) Again, you’re the spouse of a friend, and I have had to bite my tongue on MANY occasions where we disagree politically.  But at least she doesn’t come on my page and make disparaging remarks.  I refrain from doing the same on YOUR page AND HERS.  My page is for MY OPINION and if you don’t like it, scroll on by.

You’ve hit a nerve, in case you haven’t realized it.

You hate the US so much?  Move to another country.  I’ll even come help you pack.  But I REFUSE to roll over and kowtow to economic policies that clearly ARE NOT WORKING.  The day I have to choose between paying my property taxes, medicine, or FOOD is the day I sincerely hope I’m already on my deathbed.

I used to be a die-hard Democrat, I really did. But this open border/sexuality/climate change BULLSHIT is not doing our country any good.  Economically, we were better off in 2017 than we are now. THINGS ARE WORSE.  Just do your research.

******UPDATE********

11-10-2024

1) S//he did not unfriend me.

2) The election last week was a resounding Republican wave. Reps now control the Senate and possibly (still yet-to-be-decided) the House.

For the record, I've been out of town at my Christmas Event, and woke up Wednesday the 6th to a mix of 'Red Wave' and 'If you voted Republican, unfriend me now...' (WHY?  I actually LIKE you. We can agree to disagree, right????) posts. Liberal friends were posting idiotic, panicked things like: 

"I don't want to have to leave my home again..." For the record, I have several LGBTQ friends in this state and not one of them are expressing the same level of fright that you are.

"The USA voted in white supremacy and dictatorial rule..."  No, we voted back in COMMON SENSE and to stop giving free handouts to everyone but AMERICANS who NEED it.

"If you don't understand why your LGBTQ friend is scared right now, then you don't have an LGBTQ friend.  You KNOW an LGBTQ person." Eye roll.....see above.....

"You can't tell someone you love them, then vote for someone who will burt them..." It's not going to happen.  However, if I'm wrong, I will revisit this and apologize.

I saw another post about the 'Tolerance Paradox'.....it made my eyes glaze over.

A feminist actually posted this as a comment on one of my neutral posts, and it set my teeth on edge. Normally I can scroll on by and ignore it, but this one got under my skin:

"Don't let politics ruin your relationships"

It's funny how this is almost always said by the same people who voted against your rights.  I don't feel comfortable around you. The person you voted for is homophobic, racist, and hates women and none of that was a dealbreaker for you. It IS personal. We have a difference in morals and I do feel differently about you.  You cannot tell someone you love them and then try to take away their rights.

Again, I have to eye-roll. We were raised in the same church; our parents are good friends, but you no longer accept Christianity and The Bible. You let science, feminism, and the legal system to dictate your values.

"If you need to start stashing meds, here's how to do it..."

Another eye-roll moment, for obvious reasons.

I freely admit that I'm exhausted; I've been having 18-20 hour days with only 6-7 hours of sleep and little food. Only history will tell us if I'm on the right or wrong side.  If I'm on the wrong, then I will apologize.  I'm a big girl and can admit when I'm wrong.  I just hope in four years I can look back and be happy, the way I was from 2016-2020.

And for the record, in 2020, I didn't publicly state 'Not my President' or express any anger; I dealt with it; I watched appalled as the floodgates of illegal immagrants streamed in and jobs were lost (NOT due to the pandemic; he halted a valuable pipeline that ended JOBS and made us dependant on foreign oil!  "Green energy' my ass.....when the snowstorm hit, it was GASOLINE which kept drivers warm, not a dying electric car battery!

Every once in a while, I would quietly post 'Hope you're happy now' and 'be careful what you wish for; you might just get it..."  Again, if those words come back to haunt me, I'll admit it.

So okay; you've had your tantrum; you've hidden in your safe spaces for nearly a week. Let's get back to work.

Cancel Culture Strikes Again!

I believe I wrote this in 2021.....not sure why it was still languishing as a draft.....

 First it was the Civil War monuments.  Then History in general.  Last year, they criticized Baby It's Cold Outside....fine.  Yeah, it's a little creepy by today's standards.

But now they're going after some of my favorite movies, not taking the fact they were made in the 40s and 50s.  And today I saw a list of the 30th Most Disturbing Christmas Carols.

1) Jingle Bells

-Are you kidding me?  Who even sings that 2nd verse?

2) I'll Be Home For Christmas

-It was written by a WW2 soldier!  It's still relevant, since we still have military personnel overseas.

3) I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause

-O.M.G. The singer is obviously watching his mom kissing his dad, and there's NO THOUGHT of 'OMG, Mommy's cheating on Daddy!'  Get a clue....

4) Back Door Santa

-Never heard of it.

5) You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch

-*eye roll* It was made to go with the movie. 

6) Do They Know It's Christmas

-This was made to raise awareness of the famine in Aftica, and regardless, it's a great tune and song!  Shut up already....

7) Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

-*eye roll*

8) Baby It's Cold Outside

-See previous comment at top

9) Please Daddy (Don't Get Drunk On Christmas)

-Another one I've never heard.

10) The Christmas Shoes

-This one makes me cry....It's a sad song about a child's desire to buy his mother a gift for Christmas, since she's dying.

11)  Santa Clause Is Coming To Town

-Another eye roll.....

12) Don't Shoot Me Santa

-Yet again another one I've never heard.

13) White Christmas

-I'll admit, I prefer a green Christmas....but the 'logic' behind this is so skewed....geez/...

14) Santa Buddy/Santa Baby

-I'll admit, I've not heard Buble's version, and I can't stand Madonna's.  This is the song I like the LEAST this time of the year.....unless, of course, Vickers is singing it at karaoke....

15) Blue Christmas

-Leave Elvis alone....

16) Last Christmas

-It's catchy!  

17) It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

-The main complaint is 'scary ghost stories'?  Has the author never seen Christmas Carol?  That Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come is pretty scary....

18) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

-Again, the main complaint is 'if the Fates allow..' Ummm.....there ARE people out there who believe in Fate....

19) Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer

-Dude, where's your sense of humor?  I bet you don't like 12 Days of Christmas by Bob and Doug Makenzie either....This song was a staple on Dr. Demento!

20) This Christmas

-Okay; the 4th one I've not heard...

21) Happy X-mas (The War is Over)

-5th one I've not heard....

22) Frosty The Snowman

-Frosty committed suicide?  Give me a break....

23) Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa

-6th one not heard....

24) Father Christmas

-7th one not heard....

25) Santa Claus is Watching You

-8th one not heard....

26) Up On The Housetop

-Some kids would be thrilled to find a hammer and tacks (or nails!) and a whip that cracks.....yeah, probably not today, but maybe in 40s???

27) We Three Kings

-Let's face it; the only time we actually sing this verse is at the organist's discretion!

28) Bells Will Be Ringing

-Oh geez.....

29) I Have A Little Dreidel

-At least they included a Hannukah Song!  What about Adam Sandler's?

30) It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

-Yes, it mentions gender-specific toys.  Geez....

Did I Hear That Correctly???

Heard this on the radio yesterday: 

"Gender will no longer be assigned at birth..."

Excuse me; I must have missed something.  Last time I checked, when a baby is born, there is an 'obvious' gender difference, not to mention the DNA!  XX=Female; XY=Male.  

You can definitely change from 'obvious' male or female, thanks to hormone replacement therapy and surgery.  But you can NOT change your DNA! 

What the hell does 'non-binary' and 'binary' mean?  We are NOT a mathematical symbol.

'Asexual'=a person who is non-practicing sexual being, either due to low self-esteem or 

Hetero/homosexual=a person who is in a sexual relationship with either a member of the opposite gender (sex) or same gender (sex).

Hermaphrodite=a person with both sexual organs or tissue.  May present 'obviously' female, but with testicular tissue; or 'obviously' male with ovaries.

Shame on Lilly's and other pharmaceuticals companies.  Shame on the medical profession to taking this position.

Where the hell is this country going? 

I KNOW four transgender people.  I know one self-professed 'asexual'.  I know plenty of LGBTQ men and women.  I know one misguided teenager (imho) who calls herself by an astrological phenomenon.  I know her mom means well, but I can't help but wonder if this 'decision' stems from watching her mom in two struggling relationships and has concluded she doesn't want to go down that path.  Or maybe that now she's begun this path, with Mom in her corner, she can't return to her 'former self'?

I've also heard (via the same radio program) that some transgenders are now regretting their decision to surgical reassignment.  As one caller pointed out, you cannot change your DNA.  You may look different on the outside, but on the inside, you're still male or female.

What would have happened if, when our oldest son's favorite color was pink, we'd dressed him as a girl?  Or when our daughter was 3 and wearing her brother's clothes and insisted we call her 'Joe'?

Instead of ignoring both and letting nature take its course, we decided to have 'Kylie' or 'Kayla' and 'Sam' or 'Joe'?  A) I wouldn't have a 9 y/o grandchild or even a 3 mo/o one.  Or at least, they'd look different.

But no; by the time he was 5, our son was definitely 'all boy', though our daughter only wore her 1st Communion dress 'because Grandma was coming and Aunt Liz paid for it'.

Final Word:  God doesn't make mistakes. (well, okay; why bed bugs?  Why roaches?  Why mosquitos? Lice? Scabies? LMAO!).  He created us in His Likeness; who are we to judge ourselves otherwise?  To reject what He has created is to reject Him.

And I certainly don't want to do that.  I'd be lost without my faith.

Faith is what got me through my 8th grade year and the start of the 9th.  I wouldn't be the person I am today without going through that pain.

What is the world my granddaughters will grow up in?  Will the 9 y/o bow to peer pressure to declare herself other than female?  Will the 3 m/o grow up a tomboy and be encouraged to declare herself  'non-binary'??

Will we ever be able to stop wearing the damn masks?  Guess we'll know in 4 years??

Listen To The Red Flags

 I'm about to embark into the world of Children's Books, but first I need an artist.  I talked about my new venture with friends, who advised it would take over a year from start to publication.  After our discussion, the holidays and family matters pushed most of their suggestions out of my memory, so not much has been done in the five months since.

While scrolling through my FB feed last week, I discovered I'd joined a Children's Author group some time ago, so went scrolling through the posts and discovered it was perfectly fine to post a 'Looking for' question.  I did so.

Overnight, I got about a dozen or so links in the comments.  I started checking out the art.  Some weren't my taste; it looked too anime.  Some posted only families or cats or other creatures....I needed dogs.  

I did happen upon three I liked, and actually reached out to one when I saw a familiar logo on their site.  Okay; I've got one possibility.

A second link took me to a blog where the artist listed tips for finding a professional illustrator, which I was very happy to learn I was inadvertently following, but then I clicked over to her prices and my eyeballs nearly bugged out.  $12K starting price? Who the hell has that kind of money to drop, especially if you're an indie publisher aka 'starving artist'?  Okay, she's out.  But thank you very much for the advice, and your artwork is BEAUTIFUL!  I just can't afford you.

Ping...I've got a PM.  I can do it...check out my site.

I checked.  Beautiful art.

Ping.....Did you check out my site?  What is your book about?

Thinking he's being a little pushy (Red Flag #1), I politely replied with a one-sentence synopsis about the subject matter.

Ping....ping....ping....Suddenly he starts sending me samples of his work, and mentions his company is offering a limited time 'lock down' price on publishing.  I take a look.....and it's a sweet deal.  So even though there's no idea of when the price goes back up (Red Flag #2), I nevertheless sign up for it.  

Then he asked for a style reference.....then says he'll do a sample for $50, which is not surprising, since I read it in #2's blog.  I agree and send him the funds, along with specific requirements, such as facial expression, background, and other characters.

He sends me two beautiful pictures, then asks me to check out the pricing list, and drops the bomb he's charging $50/illustration.  So total cost would be $1185....BUT that includes illustrations, cover art, formatting, AND uploading it to KDP and Amazon.  Okay.....$1200 is slightly steep, but remember I've got 14 months before the project is expected to release.  I ask about a payment plan.

He states he wants 50% 'during the contract signing' and the rest 'during final delivery' (Red Flag #3).  I've stated clearly I can pay him $100/mo.  I decide to sleep on it.

Three days go by.

Ping....(Easter, I might add.  Red Flag #4) Have you an update?

I mention again I can only pay $100/mo, plus more, if my summer conventions bring in big sales.

Ping....you mean royalties?

No, I mean hand-sales of my books, you idiot....I only average $1-5 in royalties.

Ping.....Okay, we need to put this in the contract also...what percentage of your sales you'll send me.

*Blink* Excuuuuse me?  

I normally charge 35% of all books sold. (Red Flag #5)

Ummmm.....that's not how it works.  If I'm paying you $1200 to upload my book, then it's on YOUR account, and you'll receive any royalty sales money.  I only expect you to provide me with print books and sell them to me for $4-6 per copy.

Ping.....No, you share your KDP log in information. (Red Flag #6)

Oh hell NO!  No one gets access to my personal log in info.  I go to bed.

Three more days go by.  I've discussed my red flags with other author friends, who agree with me; this guy has a delusional and shady business practice.

I bite the bullet and send it to a publisher friend of mine who actually does Children's books.

Ping....Are you free to discuss our arrangement?

I tell him I've thought it over and sent my MS to a publisher, but if it's rejected, I'll be happy to return to the negotiations.

I just received another job and am not sure I would be able to schedule you in.

That's fine, dude....I was playing nice.  There's no way in hell I will ever work with you.  But I'm a nice person who won't say that to your face.  If you find someone else to snow, be my guest.  But believe me, anyone I come across who's looking for an illustrator, I will speak your name and warn them NEVER to work with you.

2021: Year of Confusion???

I have tried to bite my tongue.  I have tried to keep my sense of humor.  If you haven't heard the news that I broke my arm last month, you'll understand what a trial this is to type when my left arm is protesting being at an uncomfortable angle, rather than resting against my pillow or my body.  But I can no longer keep silent about recent events.

****WARNING:  Trigger-Alert To The Easily Offended****

I'm serious; if you're easily offended by any humor pre-2019, STOP READING AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!  This is MY blog, MY opinion, and MY 1st amendment right to express my feelings.

Okay.  Still here?  Good.

If you're a regular reader of any of my blogs, you know I'm a fan of Song of the South, and wondered why critics weren't yelling over Peter Pan and the depiction of the Indians.  Well, apparently someone caught on to my sarcasm, because now this CANCEL CULTURE has not only banned SOTS (though, if you buy the whole library, as advertised on FB, you can own a copy!  I bought it, and yes, paid nearly $100, just so my kids and grandkids will always have access to it, should DVDs never disappear), but now PP, Dumbo (OMG, the crows.  REALLY??), The Aristocats (OMG....the 'junkyard cats' scene, with the Chinese cat playing the piano with chopsticks.  SERIOUSLY???), and Swiss Family Robinson (no clue; have never seen that version).

Other media have come under fire.  Remember about ten or so years ago, Sesame Street released 'classic' episodes with a warning, 'May be hazardous to your child'?  Well now, six Dr. Seuss books will no longer be sold, due to 'offensive' content.  I've been told it's because of a Chinese character portrayed much like the cat in Aristocats.  Other cartoons depict animals being whipped, and 'good' colorful characters being mean to 'bad' colorful characters.  I've only read one of the now-banned books, and it's been so long ago, I didn't even remember the supposed controversial character.

Remember last year, when CC decided TWO CARTOONS, Yosemite Sam and Elmer Fudd were 'no longer to have their guns'?  Now Pepe Le Pew has come under fire for promoting 'rape culture'.  WTH....he's a CARTOON!  When is the movie 9-5 going to be banned, because the women get back at their boss for the same thing? (Yes, I'm being sarcastic....I LOVE THAT MOVIE!!!)

Oh, and another thing.....apparently a soda company has decided they're 'too white'.  Give me a break....and the only drink I like by this company is their bottled water.

Now, a NY charter/private school is saying the kids and staff are no longer to refer to parents as 'Mom/Dad'.  I'm not even going to get into the whole gender/non-gender issue; I think it's stupid.  We're raising an entire generation of kids who worry about their sexuality WAAAY too early (there was even a stupid parent claiming her 6 m/o was 'gay'.....give me a break!).  So now any late bloomer will be labeled LGBTQ?  I didn't date until I was 19.....but I had a boyfriend at 12, a serious crush at 14, and walked the halls with my boyfriend in HS.  The only 'dates' I went on were to the HS dances, and on band trips with my boyfriend, where we'd eat together, snuggle on the bus, and yes (gasp!) change clothes in front of each other.  Perfectly innocent, back in the early 80s.

Yep.....my blood pressure is up over the STUPIDITY I see going on around in this 'woke' society.

Society needs to take a step back and get a clue, a sense of humor, and stop letting the children run the country.  Where are the adults?  Is out government too full of entitled people, raised by single parents who were too busy to raise their children properly?  Where is the sense of values, CHRISTIAN VALUES, that once ruled this country?

I'm watching for the day that people 'wake up' to the fact they've made a mistake, and I can quietly post on social media....'Be careful what you wish for; you might get it.'

NEW TOPIC:

Unless you've been under a rock since this weekend, you know the whole hullaballoo with the Royal Family.  Poor Meg....realizing an American Princess meant RULES?  OMG....and someone had the audacity to wonder OUT LOUD what her baby's skin tone would be?  Shocking.....and even more shocking.....that she felt so isolated, she considered suicide?  OMG....

But wait a minute....she is an actress, and knows when to milk the camera, and to gain sympathy.

Maybe she honestly didn't realize what she was getting into?  Maybe she thought things would magically change?

Stupid, stupid.  You've duped the most eligible bachelor into marriage, and now you've managed to distance him from his family.....manipulate him into your socialistic beliefs....and whining on camera about how 'tough' your life has become. Entitled snob (b**ch).

Grow up.

And kudos to a Piers Morgan for standing up for his opinion.  I don't always agree with you, but in this case, I'm right there with ya!

3-13-21:

Now there's another kerfluffle:  Apparently, if ANYONE stands behind with PM, now we're 'racist by association'?

Just saw an article where now a major network is 'investigating' an incident in which hosts of a popular TALK show had a disagreement when one of the hosts said she agreed with PM.  The A.A. host took offense, because now, "What would you say to people who may feel that while you're standing by your friend, it appears you gave validation or safe haven to something that he has uttered that is racist, even if you don't agree?"

And... "it is not the exact words of racism, it's the implication and the reaction to it."

Wha-at???

"To not want to address that because she is a Black woman, and to try to dismiss it or to make it seem less than what it is, that's what makes it racist. But right now, I'm talking to a woman I believe is my friend and I don't want anybody here to watch this and think we are attacking you for being racist."

To add insult to injury (imho), the other host issued an apology for accidentally 'supporting racism'.

Someone explain it to me???

What Happened To Common Sense?

I've avoided blogging about our current situation, because I have friends on both sides of the radical position, and don't want to risk pissing anyone off.

First of all, the back story:
-We first heard about the Corona Virus/Covid-19 back in December/January, when a cruse ship from China was reported to have Patient Zero.  When it reached the states, it was on lockdown, and eventually the passengers were transported to Army medical bases.  It began to spread.
-Italy became infected, and we learned of horrific deaths, also from other parts of Asia and Europe.
-California became infected....and then other states reported cases.
-March 2nd, we moved Mom into her new assisted living facility, and that week, continued to shuttle her back and forth from the house, as Chris (BIL) and I were moving her things.  Chris wasn't feeling well; he thought it was just the fact he was experiencing spring in Indiana, while Whitehorse was still under snow.
-March 10th, Mom wasn't up to going to her hair appointment, so I went.  On the 11th, I took her to Bible Study.  On the 12th, the facility announced it was going on lock down, since the virus had arrived in Indiana, though the only cases were around Chicago, Indianapolis, and Louisville.  We could go in, but Mom couldn't go out.
-March 13th, Chris returned home and was quarantined, due to being out of the country and his flu-like symptoms.  Two weeks later, it was determined he only had the flu:)
-March 23rd, 2020, Indiana went on lock down, and 'Shelter in Place' was ordered.  Restaurants could do curbside service or drive through. 
-I returned to work March 31st, and we had plexiglass between us and the customers, plus were sanitizing the credit card machines after every use.  We could wear masks if we wanted to.  I opted not no.
-May 4th, my boss announced we had to wear the masks, as the state prepared to open.

My Thoughts:
-Being required to wear one NOW is a lot like being 6 months pregnant and using birth control.
-I've been exposed to many customers the past month, including a BIL with the flu, and never got sick.
-When they described symptoms of the virus, it's the same as my seasonal allergies, only getting progressively worse.  Mine have been normal, plus my temp has been 97.1 and 97.6. (Weird, since I assumed 'normal' was 98.6!  Guess I'm not 'normal' after all...)
-I find it hard to breathe in the mask; it fogs my glasses, and it feels as if I'm trying to breathe through a mild asthma attack.
-Discovered the 2nd week, we don't have to wear the darn things in LG, and on the 16th and 17th, I managed to get away w/o wearing it at all:)  Plus, upper management wasn't around.  And, we were no longer required to sanitize the credit card machines after every use, unless we just wanted to.  But being slammed after the stimulus checks arrived made it easy to 'forget' to do it.

Heard on the radio the other day about the whole protective gear policy, it's 'common sense' as a mom:  If you keep your kids in a protective 'bubble'....always clean, using hand santitizer, not being around anyone who sneezes....then they're gonna catch everything.  If you expose your kids to bacteria (letting them eat dirt, going to school with kids with the sniffles-you get the picture), then they build up IMMUNITY.  Every 1st year teacher, nurse,health care worker, etc, will tell you....the 1st year, you catch EVERYTHING.  But by year 2, you're healthier, because your immune system says, 'oh, I remember that invader....let's kill it!' 

People are in a panic, because if we resume 'normal activities', the virus will spike, and send us into lock down again, or worse, more will die.  Or, I've heard 'the states opening up are recording more cases...' Umm, no, it's because TESTING is now available, and there's an issue with the results; people are being counted twice....once for testing positive, and another for recovery.  As of now, 'healthy' people who have died from the virus are few and far between.  The ones who have died have had underlying health issues which compromised their immune systems.

So yeah, it's a gamble, much like chicken pox.  My older two were exposed to chicken pox for three years before they caught it, and the daughter only had a light case.  My younger son came along when the vaccine was mandantory.

I think a) I've already been exposed, so I either should have caught it, or am a carrier, or am immune.  As long as I don't sneeze in anyone's face, continue to use sanitary practices (hand washing and sanitizer) at work, I'll be okay.  If I do get sick, then I get to lay around and let the family take care of me for a change, and I might even lose weight. b) I have FAITH that God is in control of this situation and it's out of my hands.  Whatever happens, happens.  I refuse to give into FEAR, just because there's a virus on the loose.  I want to get back to normal, and see my friends, eat in restaurants, shop in stores again, attend conventions.

Side Note: 
With conventions cancelled (April and two in July), plus getting hazard pay at work, a) the bills are getting paid faster; b) inventory is being collected; and c) I still have funds available at the end of the pay period!  The bad news is, working 40 hours a week is taking its toll on my body.  It's May 25th and my back has been killing me for two days, after being on my feet for just one hour.  I've lined up a massage on June 3rd, and cut my hours today to 4, with the hopes that will help.  The good news is, if I only work 20-25 hours a week, I'm still in good shape financially, plus I won't be spending $5-10 a day for lunch.  $20 if I go to McAllisters.  The only inventory I have left to get is Second Chances when it's released (should be anywhere in the next two weeks or so), and the reboot of Best of Both Worlds (whenever I get around to fixing the font and covers.  If I can cut my hours back, this will give me more time to work on it!).

So there's good news all around!  Now, I just need my back to stay healthy!

Final Word:
Temps hit the 80s this week, and wearing the mask has been uncomfortable.  Fortunately, I've been in Lumber and can take it off between customers, or when things slow down.  I don't wear it when I'm at the store, and don't care about people shooting me angry glances or saying anything nasty (for the record, this has NOT happened, but I've heard it happen to others).  My 1st Con is Heroes For Kids on July 18th, and K's wedding is June 27th.  I really hope I don't have to post pictures of mask-wearers, unless they're in Cosplay!

Stay safe, wash your hands, have faith, stay calm, and use common sense!