A necessary evil…

The impacts surrounding the virus onslaught of 2020, which held the world captive, have drastically altered the work scene. At least where I’m concerned.

I like working, being involved with people, and just feeling damn productive in all I do. Let’s face it, getting older and coming up to a door marked “retirement” isn’t for everyone. Unless you have a plan to head straight towards the final sunset of life, traveling the globe and racking up new adventures, work definitely beats sitting around watching sand fall through some hourglass.

Personally, I enjoy having structure, agendas and opportunities to exercise my creativity in a work environment where I help to make a difference. Or at least I think so. In the past few years, that bit of my idealistic attitude has taken a big hit as my industry related hours have been drastically modified. I find myself at a crossroad of decision; should I stay or should I go? Where can I go? Who will hire me? Not an easy choice, being older, but my potential speaks for itself; sadly no one seems to hear.

This leaves me wondering, what if the pandemic had not been unleashed on humanity, how much better would any of us be at this very moment? So much was taken away from our lives in the span of two or more years, especially job-related. The choking hold of a foreign, laboratory created, virus sucked any normalcy from life as we once knew it. Working, anywhere, either became a painful memory or a fight for survival, almost a necessary evil, for those still able to do so.

Somehow, we’ve survived and will continue on that twisted path of uncertainty. Mostly, we have even settled for so much less than what we’ve worked hard to rightfully deserve.

From Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop… Write a blog post inspired by the word: work

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The gone me.

I miss…being me. 

Somehow, in the past two years, while dealing with the virus pandemic and its continuing aftermath, I’ve lost my edge, whatever that was. 

Who hasn’t? 

Okay, okay, not everyone feels like me but, I’ll bet that if you dig down, deep inside, not everything about the image looking back at you in the mirror is the same. Yes, we’re all older, not necessarily wiser, but damn road-weary of the tumultuous ride life’s taken us on since 2020. 

As much as I enjoy getting out, either to work on my still-limited schedule or just to be part of the mostly unmasked civilization in the stores or restaurants…I’m happier to return home and jump into my pandemic loungewear. Think about it. In some ways, we’ve made it through what I call the “virus gauntlet”, even though the variants continue to threaten everyone. But, either through the vaccination process, or the benefit of any natural immunity incurred from getting Covid or one of its offsprings, we’ve become a lot more resilient and less impacted by all the previous virus hysteria of the past two years.

But just as we were all ready to pick up life’s virus-shattered pieces, along comes a political/financial type of influenza…full-blown inflation and skyrocketing gas prices which our fearless leader attributes to the Russian assault on Ukraine.  C’mon man!! I won’t go into some exhaustive diatribe on this issue even though my inner, sarcastic, child is throwing a tantrum in my head. That…is a rant for another day. Sadly, more and more of such days are heading our way. 

I long to get back to the me who embraced each new day and whatever it brought my way. I laughed more and enjoyed life’s simple pleasures. Maybe I took too much for granted, maybe I ignored mortality staring back at me in the mirror, like it does now. For all of us. 

I miss the me who didn’t give a rat’s ass about matters out of my control. I miss the me who can usually rise to most occasions and take charge. And some people in my life have chosen to be distant, for a myriad of reasons, both personal and likely political, I miss the interactions with them. The current state of our world and its issues has brought so much divisiveness between us all. We need to realize that life is just too damn short to spend time hiding in some corner of our existence on this angry planet.

From Mama Kat’s Writers Workshop…Write a blog post about something you miss.

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A different Christmas…

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This current year began with so much hope and a positive outlook that it would be better than the last.  So far, 2021 has been like traveling on a winding road, bringing us back to the starting point rather than to a new beginning.

I think all of us share the same determination with trying to get back to anything normal.  Especially during the holidays.  Yet, we take a few steps forward and a mother-load of steps in reverse.  It’s sad, in so many ways, especially as we prepare to celebrate what should be a joyful time of year.

The dynamics of the ongoing virus war against humans, and all the protocols involved are exhausting.  Still, most of us continue to forge ahead, just trying to make it through one more month, week or day.  I’d guess that all we can do is to throw caution into the wind as we attempt to plan family gatherings, shop until we drop and try to enjoy the Christmas season.

My home will be missing family and the usual holiday chaos.  The decorations are up, the tree is a magnificent presence, taking up almost half of our living room…but that’s it.  My usual holiday frenzied behavior is nowhere to be found.  At least for this year.  In the middle of it all, I’m feeling and sounding much like Scarlett O’Hara, fists firmly clenched and determined that tomorrow is another day and next Christmas will be different.

It damn well better be, as God is my witness!

 

workshop-button-1From Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop…Write about how you plan to spend your holidays this year.

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