Let us see

Surprisingly calm post. 11/3/2020 at 8:20pm

I'm managing election night anxiety fairly well.  I've canvassed and messaged and donated and put up the signs and tried to educate folks on deceptive ballot measures (Ammendment 3), even supported legal groups who fought to keep voting legal and possible for as many Americans as possible, even went around trying to help any folks with issues getting to a poll or waiting in line.  No shortage of volunteers for that tonight.

I'm nervous, but not impossibly so.

Lots of good news in the last 72 hours, a family member has a kidney donor, my mother tested negative for Covid-19, my wife went horseback riding, my son did great on an exam with a subject he was really struggling with and my little on me has his first loose baby tooth and I pulled through a recent thing with work.  Things could have been much worse around here.

No stories in the Metro of folks shooting up a polling place or ramming folks with a truck.  A few yelled Racial slurs and belligerent folks... but that isn't as bad as it could have been.

Settled in, cooking for the family and ready to watch this thing through.

Labor Day 2020

The months since my last post have been, to say the least, eventful. The pandemic has changed our lives. Teleworking went from a rare privilege to mandatory. Home, school, travel, entertainment, dining, and, of course, work have changed. 

 With this post is an image of my father's 25 years with the same company certificate. 25 years in the same steel mill. It's almost unimaginable. I took my son there this weekend, the old steel mill is an auto salvage place and service vehicle storage now.  My father would be happy to know the place is in use again.

 I've been working a project for Umcle Sam since February and it's long hours but the pay is good and I'm finally putting my brain to some good use. I don't know what my father would think of the work I do now. It's necessary and it's honest work, but it isn't as exciting to hear about as soldiering or firefighting. 

 When I think about the comfortable life my family has, I have an almost religious epiphany thinking of all the hours of labor it takes to make something like clean running water, air conditioning, broadband and things like reliable emergency services happen. Most of us work and do our part and when we get our share of bread and roses it's pretty nice. 

 I love that there is a day to take time to thank the millions of calloused hands, sore feet and furrowed brows that go into making the multitude of things that make our modern world nice.