Day #308...Brand New Day! (Sort of)

Today, was the first time in about five years that I didn't doomscroll - or dread reading the NY Times Briefing. Felt like someone pulled the bricks off my shoulders. [ETA: That was before I read the Evening Briefing - sigh, we're back to the seemingly endless horror flick. But hey at least we got one day off from it.]

Mother: Really? Whoever is in the White House affects you that much? [pause] Okay, I guess it kind of does considering where you work..
Me: Yup. I work for a major state agency that is federally and state funded and the 45 was being vindicative against NY and hurting my agency, as well as threatening my job. Also I had to deal with all the idiots who supported and voted for him. Now, I may actually get to keep said job a little while longer.

Last night I fell down a Twitter Rabbit Hole...regarding the insane US far-right cult otherwise known as Qanon.

( for your amusement the unraveling of Qanon, which was apparently led by a pig farmer and his Dad, currently residing in Japan )

Also found on Twitter today..

( the US monuments sing goodbye to the asshole )

Meanwhile..


In the UK it’s starting to feel like America has reneged on our suicide pact the second after we downed our kool-aid..

Yes, we blinked, thank god. It was touch and go there for a while.

Work is slow as molasses, and I keep hoping that more is coming my way soon. I don't get performance evaluations - so no clue how well I'm doing. And I keep worrying that the lack of incoming work is a sign - no way of knowing to be honest. Also the last time I worried, I got promoted, so who knows, really? Jay told me not to worry - everything is chaotic at the moment and up in the air. Also it doesn't make a lot of sense.

Mother is fretting about father - who was incoherently ranting when she talked to him. So she was afraid she'd lost him, and half in tears over the phone. But then she talked to the Preston and they said he was fine, he'd seen the inauguration, got along fine with his roommate, etc. The only reason he might have been a bit riled when she talked to him, and saying people were nasty - is one of the patients had started yelling - and it set everyone off. But they were all calm now.

Mother also feels the need to describe in detail everyone's bathroom practices, whether I want to hear it or not. And the inner details of her friends personal lives and histories.

Workplace sent me three emails about their new Portal, oh and...they even got Anthony Fauci to do a youtube PSA video to convince everyone to get the vaccine, because it could save your life. Apparently they are having problems getting folks at the agency to get the vaccine. [We're considered essential workers, and frontline workers. All of us. They are determining which ones to get it first by age - and if they are actually frontline. There's about 70,000 people in the agency.]

Apparently what we are supposed to do is log into the Portal, fill out a form of sorts stating that yes, we are willing to take the vaccine and are eligible. This puts us into the system - so that they can make appointments for us and keep track of everyone who needs to be vaccinated, etc. But the wait may be a bit long. We are permitted to go through the City and State as well - but if we do - to please let them know, so we can be taken off their vaccination list. Also, there's a shortage, so we may have to wait until February or later.

I got tired of fretting over the emails and bit the bullet, and put myself in their system. I may register for an appointment through the State after I get the printer.

They also informed me that if I get an appointment, to take my email confirmation with me to the test site. And once I'm vaccinated to email my proof of vaccination to the agency. I panicked. Because I don't have a printer at home. So I went online, did a little research, and bought a MacBook Air/Iphone compatible All in One printer/scanner. Compact. Cheaper ink catridges, which I can get sent to my home, via HP.

I realized that I could no longer survive without a printer - since I'm working from home. Who knows, maybe I can deduct the cost from my taxes.

Picture from last night's walk to the grocery store.



Do you want to know what is happening via the news? Or can you do that on your own? I really don't feel an overwhelming desire to report it.

There is some good news - how about that?

*Dr. Anthony Fauci told the World Health Organization that the U.S. would re-engage and intended to join Covax, a program to distribute vaccines to poorer nations.

*President Biden released a national pandemic response plan, including 10 executive orders intended to increase testing capacity, require mask-wearing on federal property and boost production of Covid-19 supplies.

( pandemic plan by Biden, note the 45 didn't have any plan.. )

Because of the new strain - I panicked and bought more KN95 and KN94 masks off of Amazon. They are easier to breath with, and provide better protection than the cloth variety. I swear - I have an ever-growing stock-pile of masks, and various types. Designer masks, cheap disposable blue and white surgical/dental masks, masks with filters, masks without filters, buffer masks, masks that go over the ears, masks that go over the head...KN94 recyclable masks. Also multiple brands of hand sanitizer, soap, and disinfectant wipes.

Anyhow, good night. I've run out of things to ramble on about. Aren't you lucky? I chose not to share the bad news in the Times. I don't know about you, but I'm kind of burned out on bad news.