December 18, 2020 – The Twenty-Fourth Blog in the RestorationAge

Don’t let the thirty degree temperature fool ya, It’s fall. Still. But, we’re almost officially in the winter season. It’s the only season we haven’t lived through COVID in. And it’s the darkest and longest of all. I remember saying all of last spring, “Wow, I don’t know how I could have lived through quarantine and lockdowns without the ability to sit out back on the deck in the sun.” Well I’m getting ready to find out how. I have no choice. Neither do you.

The vaccine rollout has begun, but it could be the end of winter or even into spring again before some of us receive it. But even though the vaccine train is rolling, the numbers of those infected, in the hospital, dying are at their highest. The promise of a vaccine doesn’t give us immunity, the shots do. In this long process we’re at that last 10% of effort where most people have a hard time completing any task. It’s so easy to be like, that’s close enough, I’m done. Unfortunately that is happening now and we can’t afford it. We have to push through that last 10% to reach the goal to END this damn thing.

Anyway, despite the promise of a vaccine, the impending cold and family-less Christmas have got me feeling a little bah-humbug about this holiday season. So I’ve decided to implement my first “Don’t Cha Hate It When” blog. These aren’t necessarily complaints, but more of a misery loves company approach, because these things happen to everybody. Maybe just the mention of them will make you smile and that is my goal today.

Here Goes:

Don’t cha hate it when you are in a long line of traffic going through a stop light and just as you’re getting to the front, the light turns red.

Don’t cha hate it when you finally pry that box/bag of (favorite treat) from your husband/friend, reach in, and there isn’t anything left.

Don’t cha hate it when you want to check Facebook for just a second, but fall into the black hole, only to emerge an hour later feeling pretty disgusted with yourself.

Don’t cha hate it when you eat a sandwich and then notice that the bread sell by date was several days ago and so you wait to get sick.

Don’t cha hate it when you’re typing up a big document and before you can save it, your computer battery dies or the software freezes, requiring a reboot.

Don’t cha hate it when you head to the garage to jump on your bike for a much needed ride outside and you have a flat.

Don’t cha hate it when the time changes and 6 o’clock pm feels like 10 o’clock pm.

Don’t cha hate it when you’re avoiding all of the spam phone calls you’ve been getting and then miss a serious call you’ve been waiting for because you don’t recognize the number.

Don’t cha hate going to the grocery and when you get home, realize that you’ve forgotten the main thing you were going to the grocery for in the first place.

Don’t cha hate when you get out of the car, walk to the front door of whatever business and realize you don’t have your mask on so have to turn around and walk back to the car, fish your keys out, avoid the looks of people around you, etc…

Don’t cha hate it when you’ve made it to five minutes till quitting time when your boss calls with a dire need that he/she needs before you shut down, and it will take about an hour or two to finish.

Don’t cha hate it when you’re convinced you’ve lost a couple pounds – I mean you’ve been really disciplined – and you feel great – but when you get on the scale, it doesn’t share your enthusiasm.

Don’t cha hate it when you find something online to buy someone for Christmas and it looks awesome and perfect, but when it’s delivered, it’s nothing like you thought it would be, in a bad way.

Don’t cha hate it when you are in a hurry to get somewhere first thing in the morning and when you get in the car, realize you don’t have any gas and will have to stop.

Don’t cha hate it when you’ve got time on your hands, but no money to spend.

Don’t cha hate it when you’ve got money in your pocket, but no time to spend it.

Don’t cha hate it when you’re supposed to be grateful all the damn time, but all these other things pop into your mind first.

This list could go on and on. I’m sure you have some of your own. Real life things. No amount of positive thinking can help you avoid real life things. It’s not you. It’s all of us. Real life.

Next Friday is Christmas Day. I won’t be posting till sometime over the weekend, so until then, enjoy the time, stay safe, think about keeping others safe. Enjoy the knowledge that you’re doing a great job. You’ve almost conquered this thing – ALMOST. Stay the course.

LLM