I share a strange link with John F Kennedy. I almost wasn’t born because my Mom was so upset by the news of JFK’s assassination that she nearly lost her pregnancy (me). I learned of this fact years later when I was a child.

     Mom was on the verge of being medicated when JFK was killed because she was seven months pregnant, and at 38 years old, she was in great danger of losing her pregnancy.  I am glad (obviously) that things turned out ok because I came into the world on January 20, 1964, almost two months after JFK died. I wonder how many other people can relate to my story. A worldwide event that traumatized everyone and caused all sorts of reactions.

     I wonder how many children hear the same stories if they were born soon after 9-11? The circumstances are similar. I genuinely hope that no woman miscarried because of 9-11, just like I’m glad my Mom didn’t back in November 1963.

     Does anyone out there have a similar story about themselves?

     Thanksgiving is nearly here, and I am still deciding what to have for the traditional Thanksgiving meal. My plan to try cooking a turkey breast fell through because we don’t have the freezer space for the turkey, and the shortage at the local grocery stores killed the idea.

     My next option is salmon. I choose salmon over chicken because we have chicken so often. I will check Costco for their salmon selection to help make my decision. If salmon isn’t available or is too expensive, the nest options are a roast or pork chops.

     Storing the meat is the problem I have. I wish that we had the room for a freezer chest to store meats and buy in bulk, but that isn’t the case. If all else fails, I will get some chicken breasts and either make them for tacos or cook them in the Instant Pot with some cream of mushroom soup and veggies with egg noodles.

     The meal is only for Hal and me. I want it to be special for us regardless. I will figure something out before Thanksgiving.

     I’ve accomplished a lot recently. Cooking was my main chore. I’ve made a pot roast in the Instant Pot, which came out delicious. Hal enjoyed his dinner, and that made my day.

     I use the term “day” rather loosely because I am usually awake late at night and crash for an afternoon or early evening nap. My circadian rhythm is out of sync right now.  I will try again tomorrow and see if I can straighten out this mess I am in right now.

     Thanksgiving is next week, and I am still debating whether to try cooking a turkey. I researched recipes on the internet. I would not use the internet to research vaccines, of course. So far, I am leaning toward cooking a boneless turkey breast in the air fryer, using the rotisserie spit. Because we have almost no room in the freezer, I won’t bother getting a turkey breast until next Tuesday. If there are none available, I know that I will not be cooking a turkey this Thanksgiving.

     I’m looking forward to the future for a change. My sense of optimism and adventure has returned. I feel I am making a New Start.

     I needed a break from blogging. I was burned out and felt like writing was a task rather than a joy. I took time to focus on other areas of my life for a change and feel better as a result. I focused on my health and controlling my COPD and Diabetes. I understand my body better now and what it tells me every day.

     The world continues to shit itself, but I don’t worry about that as much as I did before. I only posted one item that I read online during my enforced absence from blogging. My deeply held opinions are still intact, but they won’t be the focus of this blog anymore. I concentrated on sticking to a budget since I am on disability, and I needed that discipline in my life. I have done better than I thought I would. Now I must stick to the plan I created.

     Hal (person) and I are doing fine. The Stooges are all well. Hal and I are spending most of our time at home, but we try to get out for a short time each day. We still haven’t eaten at a restaurant, and we won’t until there is no more COVID. I started a weekly tradition of Stir Fridays here and recently added Taco Tuesday to the plan too. We enjoy our time together by preparing and enjoying these meals. I haven’t decided what to cook for Thanksgiving yet; I want to try a turkey breast in the Instant Pot. The only problem is we don’t have freezer space for the turkey breast here, and I don’t know if I can get one at the last minute. If turkey breast doesn’t work out, we can always have salmon or a roast for Thanksgiving.

     Getting back to my health for a minute, I used the Freestyle Libre sensor on my arm to measure my blood glucose. Unfortunately, I kept getting faulty sensors from the pharmacy because the manufacturer wasn’t controlling quality. Anyway, I switched to a traditional meter which is cheaper each month. I am keeping the standard meter until Apple develops something that can be a part of Apple Watch. 

     I think that is all there is, at least that I can remember right now. It feels good writing again, but I will pace myself from now on so I won’t burn out again.

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It is time for me to leave Instagram. I don’t need the cancer of Facebook and Instagram anymore. Initially, I thought I could use IG without things turning into FB, but that happened despite my wishes. The family and friends who use IG only do so sparingly, so it isn’t like I will be losing any actual contact with them.

I won’t make any dramatic parting speech, just a quick message explaining that I am leaving, with my email address, if they ever want to get in touch again.

I see this not as an ending but as a new beginning. Much like my decision to stop posting to my blog with nothing but reposts from other sites, this decision frees me from the obligation of another social media site. My distaste for Facebook is well known, and the recent discoveries of their activities make me feel much better about my decision.

I won’t be sitting around hoping that someone finds my IG post witty or entertaining anymore. I will have one less thing to worry me.

I’ll close my IG account Monday night. As of lunchtime Monday, most of the important people have seen my message. It is up to them to respond, or not.

     Every time I attempt to reach out to my extended family, the attempt fails. It is impossible to build a family relationship where mine has existed before at this stage in my life. I don’t feel ostracized, or hated, because the lack of closeness began when we were children. Behaviors were enforced and that kept us apart.

     I am actually fortunate in a strange way. Because I was an only child, I learned to depend on myself instead of a large support group. My relatives were all parts of large immediate families, and their lives took different paths. I’m glad that I never lost that extended family closeness, I simply never had it.

I always try to make one more effort to reach out, but each time the results are the same. It’s time to move on and let this go.

I read the story about the Washington State University football coach who refused to take the COVID vaccine as required by the same university that employed him with a massive grain of salt. This story is another example of the false equivalence that the media is so fond of these days. It is a story that demonstrates the actual value of stupidity but forces us to hear the side of the terminally stupid as if it were valid. 

The coach knew the requirement to keep his multi-million-dollar job, but he refused to comply. The most hardcore conservatives always say that you “have to obey the boss,” but in this case, I am sure that they will find some ridiculous justification for his behavior. 

I find it predictable that the coach tried to justify his stupidity with a “religious exemption” from the vaccine. I don’t believe any religious exemptions should be granted in a time of public health crisis. I am tired of people claiming that their “freedom” is more important than my life. IT IS NOT! 

     In a strange twist of fate, I’m writing a lot but publishing less than ever before. I feel great because I no longer feel like writing is a chore. I’m not simply responding to external stimuli. I’m doing what I want. 

The freedom I feel is exhilarating. I enjoy writing again because I am doing it for myself. I love and appreciate everyone who follows my blog, and I hope you will remain with me as my journey continues. 

I do not know if all the things I write will eventually end up here. Some are intensely personal. As I adjust to this new experience, that might change. 

Being at peace with myself is the first step on the journey towards being at peace with the world. It is a step into the unknown, with no guidelines other than what I impose on myself. Meditation and discipline are my guiding principles.

     Each day is a new adventure to cherish. Some are good most are good, but there are some terrible adventures as well. The key is accepting each event as it happens, not trying to rush through things. Patience is a great teacher if we choose to listen.

     I know now that things are temporary in my limited view of the world. I started writing this blog post, but Jax The Cat decided to play with one of his toys. He shows up with the toy in his mouth, meowing at me. In the past, I would shoo him away because I was “busy” writing. Now, I stopped writing because Jax wanted to play. Jax is a living being worthy of attention and love. I played with him for 5 minutes, and he left as a happy cat. I know that I am also pleased and calm because of that time with Jax.

     “Zen” is a state of mind, hard to describe and achieve, but it is worth the effort for just a momentary feeling of that unique inner peace. Zen doesn’t work on a schedule. Zen doesn’t appear on demand. We must find it through patience and practice. Remember that every minute is precious. That knowledge puts me on the right path to Zen.