Another day, another... day.
I know a lot of you are feeling high levels of anxiety, and stress right now. Perhaps you've lost your stream of income. Perhaps you had project that are put on hold. Perhaps you have been or people in your family have been directly impacted by COVID-19.
That's understandable. Often, when things we can't control begin to dominate the landscapes of our lives, we feel anxious about it. Being pushed to change our routines, the way we relate to people, the way we even relate to ourselves; it can be a difficult, stress-inducing adjustment. My suggestion is to find things that you can do, and can control while still observing the shutdown protocol. You don't have to write that 1,000 page novel, but writing something you enjoy would help. You don't have to become Rembrandt, but you can pick up some painting supplies to play with, and get creative with. Start learning a musical instrument. Start learning a new language. Keep your brain busy, and your body, and psyche will follow.
Yesterday I pulled together all of the window trim for a decorative window we had to dissemble in order to repair a wall in our living room. We're going to paint it white to match the window, and other elements we're building into the room. I sanded it all down, and prepped it for painting. That occupied my mind for a couple of hours. I might start into writing a feature length movie script shortly, I don't know yet.
My point is, this situation doesn't have to be an awful thing. It gives us the time, and excuse we need to take on things we always complained we don't have time for.
The creek is not frozen - the kayak rack might be going back on the car this week. I can definitely manage social distance by being out in the water where no one else is.
COVID Bailout / Stimulus Bill
Right now this is being held up in the Senate by the very Democrats who wanted it.
"What?! How dare they!" I can hear the conservatives saying. "That was a bi-partisan bill, giving them what they wanted! HOW DARE THEY! Pelosi should be arrested!"
Yeah, how dare they. And this isn't about Pelosi, in case you're still in the dark about that, Pelosi is the Speaker of the House, not the Senate, and she did work on creating this bill that received bi-partisan approval. But, after it got to the Senate, Moscow Mitch, and his cronies decided to sit on it while he recessed the Senate for days. Upon return, the bill had a number of things added, and subtracted based on Republican agendas, namely, more help for big businesses, than individual citizens. A $500B slush fund with no controls, to be used by the Sec. of the Treasury as he sees fit. Basically it stripped away all but the most basic support proposals for Americans, and added in a whole bunch of unregulated support structures for the big businesses that have historically taken relief funding, and ran to the bank with it, instead of putting it to work for their employees.
That is why the democrats are pushing back. They want this to help America. Past precedent has shown helping big businesses, and especially banks, doesn't often help individuals. In case you haven't noticed, trickle down economics have never worked.
And remember, use this time as a shifting point. We don't need things to just go back to normal - we need things to progress. Situations like this should be showing us what is possible, and how we can change for the better.
Anything less than that is conservative mindset, which rarely, ever works in our favor.