The week between Christmas and New Years Day is the perfect time, after all the hoopla in December, to do absolutely nothing. Well, except for writing a musing.
It’s also the time to think of a new year resolution. Do you make one each year? Got one in mind? I haven’t yet. But, I have a couple of days to come up with something meaningful, and something I have half a chance of keeping. You may just hear about it in my next Marla’s Musings.
I wonder what 2022 will bring in terms of CoVid. Seriously, I was hoping as time went by that we would be past it by now. That enough people would get vaccinated. That seeing sick people and people dying would change people’s minds about getting the shots. Now I’m not so sure. Thankfully the new variant seems less deadly, and even less sickening, but it’s still concerning for those who are dealing with other health issues. Hospitals are filling up again including the ones around here.
What is concerning is every time CoVid numbers go up then businesses, schools, churches, etc. have to make changes. I think we are all getting pretty tired of it. I know it has quite an impact on my church – and it worries me. I still don’t know if it will survive. I know that businesses sure don’t want to close up again.
There is good news though. The delay of wares seems to be easing. Ships in the ocean are not waiting as long to unload and to bring goods to stores. Christmas gifts were under the trees! And, the price of gas has dropped a little and those who wanted to drive to visit relatives and friends could go. Now, a part of our country will not accept that all of this was an effect from CoVid around the world. They would rather blame our president, and they certainly would not give him any credit for any of the efforts either.
Rambling thoughts leads me to this: I was in the living room the other morning and my hubby put Fox News on. (I know – groan,) I never watch it – and oh, I never watch CNN, MSNBC or the others in the morning either. But for the ten minutes I sat and listened to Fox it felt like I was in a time warp. Why? The major story was STILL the border! The talking heads were again at it, or I should say opining, about all the horrible people coming across the border – and the drugs, and sickness they were bringing in – and the children they were trafficking. Don’t get me wrong, I know these are issues on all 4 borders, by land and by sea, and that domestically we also have horrible people profiting off of selling drugs and people. But, the continual effort to blame just the southern border for so many sins in our country left me amused, but also frightened. The amount of viewers who stay on that channel day after day, and let this stuff soak in is really alarming. It has created a large group of people who live in fear of others (not like them), and who will be angry all the time. If you watch Fox, I wonder… how can you be happy? They seem to talk about the world going to pieces. Oh, and it’s ALWAYS the Democrats fault.
The anniversary of January 6th’s insurrection will be here soon. The information that has already come out about the people who attacked the US Capitol, and who fired them up to do it (and met privately to make plans). I pray that the Congressional committee will finish their work, and get out the facts of what happened. Yet, even then I believe there is a brainwashed element who won’t listen to it, and will never change allegiance.
I just finished the book about the loss of expertise in America. It was one of those books where I just kept nodding and agreeing on every page. The author, yes, a professor, and an expert – ha, says we have a few things going on here now. One, we have ‘lay people’ who think they know as much as experts who have spent countless hours, and education, and experience on something. We have access to express any opinion – like this, now. Right? Ha!! We have experts now who are afraid to tell facts, knowing others will twist them… and therefore the experts validity will go down. Their work will be cheapened. And, we have outright lies told – without any repercussions. How to turn it around? Even this ‘expert’ author ended the book by saying it is bleak.
So – Lighter topic? Yes. The weather. Or is it? I mean the wonderful, warm weather I am enjoying in South Carolina. Wow!! The end of December and the highs each day are in the mid 70’s this week. I’ve got shorts on today. In times like this I know I live in a good part of the country. Climate change and global warming? I believe in it, but this seems to be just a really nice streak of good weather.
I was thinking back the other day on how long I have been writing my musings. If I go back and look up the first ones it started out as a place for me to write so my daughters could read about other aspects of their mother… and get my insight (for good or for bad). It became a place to honor people on special days and to also let out my frustrations when I see injustices around me. Now, I think about how these musings will outlive me, and perhaps some day my grandkids might be bored and read a few of them. It’s like a singer who’s music lives on, and an author and all of the books he or she wrote. Life goes by quickly. But – the written word can stick around a long time.
Rambling on… it makes me think of the boxes found under the Robert E. Lee statue just taken down. Those keepsake boxes have artifacts in them including letters and a book. I can’t wait to hear more about them.
I’m starting the book by Kristin Hannah called “The Great Alone” right now. It’s our January book club selection and I am the discussion leader. “Goodreads” readers picked it as one of the best fictions of 2021.
NCAA football bowl games have started. I plan to watch a few of them – there are so many of them now!! Remember when it used to be just the Orange Bowl, the Peach Bowl, the Rose Bowl?? Now it has become big business, and there are so many bowl games. Yes, I’ll watch the South Carolina Gamecocks. Or, at least I will start to watch them. No guarantee if I can stick with it if they start losing. Many of the A-team players opt out of bowl games so they don’t hurt themselves before their NFL careers get going. I get i, but it’s sad for the fans who want to see the best game possible.
Well…
Let me know of your resolutions. What is something unique to do? Not lose weight, or not swearing. Too easy to pick, but usually not successful. But, instead, what is a positive resolution? Something to do that is good for others??
What can we do to make 2022 better?
I’m listening…
Marla’s Musings 