It is only when they go wrong that machines remind you how powerful they are.
Clive James
Today it seems that everyone has a cell phone, even my nieces and nephews received smart phones when they were 10 years old. One might wonder what does a 10-year-old need with a phone? The answer depends on the perspective. For the parents it satisfies a safety concern, for the kids it satisfies their addiction to the latest video games. Unlike a computer, the smart phone lets them play anywhere at any time – 24/7.
If I had had a phone at 10, I would have been able to call my mom at Magic Mountain when I wandered away from our after-ride meeting spot. Realizing I was lost, I did the adolescent most responsible thing, I wandered around the entire park looking for them. I checked the parking lot and was happy to see they didn’t leave without me. So I checked all of the other rides. Thinking they might be hungry like me, I check the restaurants to see if they were eating without me. I finally gave in and faced the truth. I was lost. So I went to the Lost and Found booth to see if my parents were waiting there. They weren’t, as they too where busy wondering the park. The officer was able to reach out on my behalf and bring us together.
All could have been avoided had I stayed where I was supposed to wait and had I realized that the people getting off the ride were the people who went into the ride before them. The other solution, I could have just gone on the ride, but then I would not have gotten the Mickey Mouse rain jacket the police officer provided to a scared and rain-soaked 10 year old. At the end of the day when time had soothed the anxiety pains and Mickey was still keeping me warm and dry, I began to think it worked out pretty good for me. I still have a tendency to wander off the beaten path and get turned around, but my trusty cell phone has made getting unlost sufficiently easy to the point that I now am no longer burdened with the ‘I will never be found syndrome’.
I remember buying a 20-foot phone cord that would let me take the desk phone from the office to my bedroom for 14-year-old girl talk privacy. I was later excited when we bought our first wireless receiver. I could then talk anywhere in the house and even on the front porch with just a handheld phone receiver, WOW. Now, my iPhone has advanced from a wallet sized phone that allows phone calls from most anywhere in the world to a small, advanced computer. Even more amazing, I can dictate a letter into my watch and have it sent as a text message and even answer a phone call on my watch. We have advanced to the point where we need on-line classes to learn how to use our phones to monitor our sleep and our wellbeing, how to take and edit photographs and videos from our professional-grade phone cameras, and how to use all of the programs that make life easier.
My dad brought home the newest iPhone 12 ProMax this week. It is a bit heavier, wider, has a better tri-lens camera for landscape photos, has more memory, and a battery that lasts longer. However, the new Siri may need some improvements. My dad decided it was time that Siri got his name right. He felt confident this new Siri on his phone was up to the task.
He asked Siri, “What is my name?” It told him, “Dobson.” It believes my dad’s name is, actually, the name of his place of employment. When my dad asked to change his name, Siri wanted to know the nickname he wanted to change. After dad said, “Dobson.” The phone seemed to go dead. We sat at the table for a minute or more when my dad, thinking he needed to start over, said, “Hey Siri.” The phone said, “Hey Siri,” back. Then my dad’s Ipad awoke with, “What can I do for you.” Every time someone said, “Hey Siri”, Siri, responded with my dad’s new name, “Hey Siri” and it started another device. This went on for about 10-15 minutes before Siri was reprogramed to acknowledge my dad’s name is Dennis and not “Hey Siri” or “Dobson.”
Moral: 1) Be patient as Siri is always learning too. 2) While cell phones are great, don’t forget to take some time to live as if cell phones don’t exist and spend more time communicating in person at a CDC socially acceptable distance.
Feel free to share your stories in the comments below or at zsmisadventures@gmail.com and your story may be used in an upcoming blog. Stay Whimsical.
Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.
William James
No one knows what any moment will bring. That became very clear this week. We all have our routines: Get up, go to work, come home, go to bed, and do it all over the next day. However, there are those moments when something happens outside of our daily routine. Ever decision we make effects those around us.
My mother is known for jumping into a swimming pool in her jeans and t-shirt when a friend’s child fell in. She is known to gallop on horseback to push me back up on the horse I was falling off of. She has run down the street partially clothed to make sure I was alive after being hit by a car. She has kept an eye on my dad to make sure he doesn’t pass out from having low blood sugars in the middle of the night. She is an everyday hero.
This week I tapped into a family trait of jumping into action when those around us may be in danger. I got off the light rail on Monday focus on the thought that this was the first week of shadowing for my new job. I listened to my tunes while waiting for the cross walk sign to change. All of sudden another light rail was coming my way on the right. I looked to the left of me and a lady was standing on the tracks listening to her tunes ignoring the blasting honking of the train as it was hurling towards her to the stop. I waited a moment thinking maybe she would finally turn around to notice the train, but as the train came closer and closer it become evident that was not the case. It became evident that either I moved the lady or else. I know enough to know that a human can not take on a train.
I yelled, “train, move”, but I hardly heard myself. I leapt and grabbed her and pulled her back. I braced myself to be hit so I moved my head out of the head as I grabbed her around the waist. It only took a split second. The train came past us and the driver pointed to his ears indicating that possibly he was not a fan of headphones. The lady looked at me and in a apathetic tone said, “oh sorry.” She didn’t even see the train go past her. She assumed she just fell backwards into me.
Moral: 1) Never stand on the tracks. 2) Always be alert. 3) Everyone, even a Lady of Scotland, has a chance to be a hero to someone in someway.
Feel free to share your stories in the comments below or email zsmisadventures@gmail.com and your story may be in an upcoming blog.
Birds don’t just fly they fall down and get back up. Nobody learns without getting it wrong.
Shakira
Growing up I could not wait to be an adult. I was excited at the prospect of dressing up in a suit or a dress and sliding my feet into a pair of heels before picking up my leather briefcase and heading off to a job that made me feel alive. I was excited to think that I would have my name engraved in gold leaf lettering on the door to my office that overlooked the city. I was excited to think of the freedom and ability to surround myself with office supplies and art that I could arrange as I saw fit. I thought being an adult meant no more tests and being able to make my own schedule. I thought it meant no more late nights studying for tests. I was wrong on every account.
It was a rude awaking when I entered the corporate world after stacking chairs on the beach, working the line at Jack In The Box, and being a waitress for many years. I was saddened to learn that not everyone gets an office. Instead most get a tiny bit of space to call their own. Rather than a skyscraper view of the city, I was surrounded by neck high carpeted walls. Rather than fine art, I hung production graphs from binder clips that were pinned to the wall with special carpet hooks. They don’t install gold engraved nameplates on the outside of the cubicle. Instead, they pin an index card with your name printed in 24 pt. Times New Roman. This makes for an easy disposal when leaving. I have been able to have my own office space twice and was deflated when I was told that cubicles were the new standard to better utilize space. I was heartbroken to see that most jobs’ dress codes are pants and a nice shirt. While this is nice it took away from the fantasy that I had of seeing my coworkers and I go shopping for fun colorful outfits that projected confidence. Instead, it left me feeling at times as though others may see me as trying to stand out when in fact, I just like to dress like the Avon ladies in the 70’s as it has always given me a sense of pride and confidence within myself. If I dress up, I feel as though others respect that I know what I am doing and are more likely to hear what I have to say. It also reassures me that I am at the job because someone believed I should be there. I learned that I do not get to set my own schedule and in fact, even if I am not working, I tend to find myself obsessing about projects that need to be completed. I found that studying never ends. Tests are just a part of life that is to be embraced so I am grateful that learning has always been something I enjoyed.
I also learned that Heels and the light rail, however, are not two things that go together. Last week I donned my favorite pair of pink heels and when I finally delicately tried to hurry to the light rail stop, the train took off as I swiped my boarding pass. I then went back to the car where my dad cautiously maneuvered through traffic to get me to a stop ahead of the train. I was able to run across the crosswalk with ease. I had learned how to better plant my feet when I run in heels from the time, I twisted my ankle. While trotting in heels, I went down in the middle of the crosswalk skinning my elbow and knees. Embarrassed but grateful my skirt didn’t rip in front of the hundreds of cars backed up at the Central Avenue light.
I made it safely to work on time, the ride home however was more adventurous. When the train stops at the platform before my home station, I like to move down the aisle and down the stairs to the doors. Today, while rehashing the training exercises, I stood up a little late for my walk to the front of the exit door. Halfway down the stairs, the train took off. The zero to 60 seconds take off, flung me backwards up the steps, arms flailing, legs spread out in front of me. As I slid back down the stairs, the spike of my heel caught on a steel clip which stopped my forward progress but not the spike which broke and smacked a sleeping dog, awake. The sudden stop launched my ASU lunch bag with such velocity that I now have bruises where it slipped off my arm. My laptop bag which I carry on a long strap across my body, darn near strangled me as it came loose and caught me around the neck. Luckily only two people saw it and it happened too fast to hit record on their phones. Luckily this time I was not in a skirt. I may become a commuter memory for them as the girl in heels that tried to walk when the train took off, just as I am known to several other passengers as the ‘flying cupcake girl’. I tripped once on my way out of the train. The cupcakes I was bringing into work went flying up the backs of several of my fellow passengers.
Moral: 1) Wear what makes you feel like you. 2) Heels and trains don’t mix, so make sure to wear flat shoes on the train and change into heels when arrived at the final destination.
If you have a story you would like to share feel free to do so in the comments below or at zsmisadventures@gmail.com and your story may be featured in a future blog. Stay whimsical.
Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends. We’re so glad you could attend, come inside, come inside.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Starting a new job is never easy. It is a mixture of anxiety and excitement. One may have a bit of guilt mixed in because of the sacrifices needed to be made to make starting the new job possible. This past week, I ventured out of the house and back into the world of office-work feeling a multitude of emotional reactions. Even wondering if what I was doing was a good idea.
Should I have left a job where I had complete freedom because I was trusted, for a step up the career ladder where I would be micromanaged? Should I have left a job where I could work from home for a job out in the still problematic pandemic world. It had been a year since I rode the light rail; would it be the same, would I be safe, and most importantly would I be able to get off at the right stop? I am here to report that the security on the light rail seems to have decreased, but that most people do follow the mask mandate while on the rail. Most people also maintain some distance from those around them. There have been a few instances where I did not feel 100% comfortable because masks were either not worn or taken off once they sat down around me. However, knowing I was vaccinated made me feel a bit more relaxed. If I contracted COVID I would not die, nor would my family, if I did unknowing bring it home.
There was one instance on my ride home that I had to get off a few stops early because police boarded the train to confront a man threating those who did wear masks. He stood on the seats, like a soap box preacher, and proclaimed his belief that the pandemic was a hoax and applauded those who stormed the capital on January 6th as true patriots. He gave the passengers five minutes, or he would remove their masks for them. That did not go over well with the majority of fellow passengers and lead to the call for security. His countdown was drowned out by the people yelling at the man to get off the train. When the uniformed officers of the law entered our car, I got off. Curiosity killed the cat as I recall, and I have a better use of my time. Needless to say, the light rail has not changed.
My first week at the new job was spending time in a classroom learning about the organization and the fundamental information needed to be successful. I was comforted knowing that employee safety was a number one priority, and every measure was taken to keep employees safe in and out of the classroom. Since I had previous experience working with the organization I wasn’t too worried about passing the end of the week test on a plethora of reading and lecture assignments. My personal quirk of never wanting to fail a test lead, as always, to making note cards, highlighting and memorizing all I could, in order, to ace the test.
There was one glaring failure during the week. On Friday the Test Day, construction required that the water to our building be shut off. My discovery meant I did not have access to drinking water, to the soothing sound of the entry fountain where I ate lunch, to water to wash my hands thoroughly for 2 minutes, or to the water that moves my pee and poop downstream. At my reportage, the bathrooms were closed and locked for the day. As a person who needs to drink plenty of water due to constant thirst and being exposed to Arizona heat, this was not something I wanted. I also am someone who when I get anxious, I must urinate frequently. “Test Day was going to be a long day,” I thought.
I discovered the no water situation because I happened to be the first person in the building that needed to utilize the facilities. My stomach was making noises as I entered the foyer. I ran into the nearest bathroom and took care of business. I felt relieved and ready to focus on the day ahead. However, that feeling only lasted for a split second because I soon realized the toilet was not flushing nor could I get water to wash my germ covered hands.
I telephoned the building maintenance department and reported the water outage at the entry restrooms. I was informed about the street construction and that staff was going to post signs and lock the bathrooms for the rest of the day.
I mentioned the imposition to our instructor who suggest we could use a gas station located a few miles away. At 8 in the morning that did not seem like an issue, but by noon the jug of lemon water I drank throughout the morning had been screened for all of the minerals my body could use and, by midday, had some left over to dispose of. Not having a car, getting to a gas station a few miles away seem impractical. I panicked. I reached out to past coworkers to see if I could use the restroom at their office during lunch or if they had the water shut off as well. I was relieved emotionally not physically to know that their restrooms were open. I was able to walk a few blocks to the rail station and jump a ride North two stops to my old office, punch in the secret code, do my business, and then wash my hands. I was back in time for the Friday Test and forgot to worry about passing it because I was so busy minding nature’s call.
As I sat in “my seat” (the first row, first section, facing the direction of travel) I could hear the universe whispering, “Welcome Back Z, to the ‘real’ world”.
For those wondering about the Friday Test, despite having to deal with the added anxiety of no restrooms and walking in the rain to use one, missing an afternoon hydration, and eating lunch on my way home. I did pass with 52/52.
Moral: 1) Don’t take even the little things for granted. 2) Always expect the unexpected.
Life takes us down many paths, but my favorite one leads to the beach.
unknown
This past week my parents and I drove the desolate back roads and highway from Arizona to San Diego for some vaccinated, old time R&R. We endured the 6-hour drive through the desert dirt sprinkled with a little farmland here and there. We also endured my dad telling us his stories of picking cantaloupe the summer before going off to college. He mentioned several times possibly for sympathy “in the scorching Yuma sun.”
As we approached Mission Beach, the smell of the ocean washed away all the worries and negative thoughts. We were able to spend most of the day bundled up in sweatshirts being grateful to be out of the rising Phoenix heat. We sat with our toes in the sand cheering on strangers from afar who were learning to surf. We also walked the beach in search of seashells. We marveled at one lady who appeared to have run the whole beach in the soft sand. We watched an elderly gentleman grinning from ear to ear while he roller bladed down the boardwalk between shops and restaurants. We saw a huge bulldog dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day by his green haired master who pulled him up and down the beach in a Radio Flyer wagon with green painted sideboards. We smiled after listening to a little boy who told us about his first fantastic adventures in the water despite his teeth tapping and shivering from the cold interruptions.
Sitting on your patio watching as the beach life passes by is priceless entertainment. The greatest laugh was seeing a man in a Shamrock onesie jumping on a blow-up trampoline and on the other side of the walkway…. a goat with a basketball. The goat lives in a yellow tangerine painted hippie bus with the word “GOAT” spray-painted across the side. Tied to the front bumper was a little red wagon full of hay. No one seemed to bat an eye as they walked past the goat except me. I may have let slip, “Is that a goat on the beach?” Yup. Everyone seemed to accept the presence of the traveling goat as if it would be stranger not to see him there. I have been to my share of beaches all over the world. I have seen beaches lined with sea lions, covered in black sand, pinkish sand, rocks, flamingos, cats, dogs, etc, but never a goat. I can now check that off my list.
We were also fortunate enough to catch up with a high school friend of mine over clam chowder at World Famous, a little know restaurant with a big ego. My parents had not seen him in 21 years and me about 4. Blending new and old memories, what a great way to end our get-away.
Dad was able to keep with the family tradition by getting lost on a one-way road on the way home. He had an explanation for the unexplainable, but that’s another story.
Moral: There can be a beach bum in all of us, even goats.
Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.
Babe Ruth
We all have fears, it is part of being human. A lot of fears are rational because they are based on human experiences, but many fears are the result of an overactive imagination. For example, I fear getting kidnapped and not being able to fight my way to safety. This fear was, probably, born from watching too many movies where women are kidnapped while walking to their car at night and from reading the details of real-life kidnapping news stories. I also vividly remember the instance at Frenchman’s Pass in Aruba where we pulled into a little opening in the trees and where a bunch of camouflaged marauders armed with machine guns came out of the trees and began trotting towards us. I remember them yelling to stop, my mom, however, was not listening. She hit the gas on our Blazer, made a sliding U-turn in the dirt that sent a cloud of dust into the quickly approaching band of bad looking men. My dad later informed us that the Dutch Navy Seals were on island doing some practice missions. Since then, I have taken a few self-defense classes, kickboxing, allowed my mother access to my phone on Find a Friend, designated a friend to be my fake husband to be contacted on the fly when needed, avoided attending major events solo, etc.
Some might say at times in my life I may have had autophobia as I tended to exhibit some behaviors that may come off as me being afraid of being alone. I am happy to say that over time and personal introspection I have been able to overcome this. Now some might say that I find excuses to be alone because it is less stressful to not have to worry about relationship drama. I have also learned to hold myself to higher standards and know I deserve to be treated with respect and love and will not settle for anything less.
I also fear not being good and efficient at a job so I take as many classes as I can to expand my skills, focus harder on the tasks at hand, and make sure to ask questions when needed. I will be starting a new job on the 22nd (Department of Child Safety) and despite it being with a company I have worked for before it is a different position and schedule than I have ever worked before. I am used to having a lot of freedom in my work environment due to the nature of the job. This new job is structured and requires a set schedule of checking in and out for my shift as well as breaks and lunches. It also requires working weekends and a few holidays. But most of all, it requires that I dress in something more that sweatpants and a tee and being around people again after a year from working at home. It also requires my cat, Cutie, to retire sitting on my lap and helping me through my workday. It does provide greater opportunities and a greater sense of pride. The biggest issue holding me back from being over the moon about the new opportunity was having to leave behind a slew of people that I have grown close to over the past 5 years, most I never even met in person. It was comforting to know the voices on the other end of the line not only knew I could help them, but I also felt comfortable in my role and knew I could.
Not all fears are a bad thing. Some fears cause us to be proactive to ensure the fears do not become a reality. My brother, for example, was getting ready to tow his camping trailer for a few days of snow shoeing. Since he had not used it for over a year, he took it in to be checked. They found the wheel bearings were shot and would not have lasted a 5- hour tow. Fears allow us to be more aware of what we value. My brother refers to this as a check list for safe travel. It may be that men will not admit to fears. Checklists sounds better.
Other things that drive me crazy are the creaking sounds when I am home alone. A few years ago, I heard a loud creaking sound that woke me from a sound sleep. As I sat up in bed, the sound grew louder. I was in horror film just waiting for the murderer to come around the corner and tell me, “Come here precious, I got a surprise for you.” Now, I knew that the creaking was just the house settling and not someone walking down the hall outside my room. However, I could not stop the thoughts rushing through my head. I got out of bed and peeked my head out the door. I ended up calling a friend to come over to ensure my house was safe. It took quite a while to settle into sleep again that night.
Some fears others would consider irrational such as fear of mayo, escalators, hair salons, scrapping the top of one’s foot, paper napkins, eating a cheeseburger, string cheese, etc. While these fears seem irrational to me, they are perfectly rational to the person who has them. I recently learned that my cat is not only afraid of the vacuum cleaner, hairdryer, and extremely loud noises, such as a garbage truck going by, she is also afraid of unicorns. These fears result in spending an hour or so under my parent’s bed. I recently discovered her fear of unicorns this past week. I own a unicorn custom that I bought for Halloween last year. I decided to put it on for my last work zoom meeting to add some levity before saying goodbye to my co-worker and friends for the last time. I knew they would enjoy my one last whimsical act. I had no idea the impact that small action would have on my cat, Cutie. When she saw me as a unicorn she ran and hunkered under the nearest chair by the stairs while she watched me walk past. Then ran down the stairs and hide under my mom’s bed for a few hours. When she finally decided to venture back upstairs, she was extremely cautious pausing for a few seconds between each step checking to see if the unicorn was in sight. Once she was convinced it was gone, she ran to me, meowed, and jumped on my lap. The costume was in the closet. She was safe but wanted a little more comfort than to be curled up alone under a bed. Cutie is kind of like her human friends when it come to seeking comfort from our fears.
Moral: 1) To fear is part of living. 2) Sometimes what you see as fear is something that motivates you and makes you uniquely you. 3) What you see as a magical creature some people or animals might see as threat; always try to be understanding.
Feel free to comment or share your comments below or at zsmisadventures@gmail.com.
What is the greatest lesson a woman should learn? That since day one, she’s already had everything she needs with in herself. It’s the world that convinced her she did not.
Rupi Kaur
You are wonderful as you are. I know it is hard to believe some days, especially, when looking in a mirror first thing in the morning, shopping for clothes, or taking all criticism to heart. Self-doubt is not reality. The reality is that you are funny, smart, courageous, talented, and have a beautiful soul that needs to keep shining. If someone ever tries to dim your light give them shades and walk away. You were born to shine. You will face daily obstacles that are meant to keep you down. Silly criticism that you overhear, such as, “Did you see the outfit Linzie wore today? Kind of skanky. Not very professional.” The way you dress, no matter if it is in a dress, pants or shorts, will always be under extreme scrutiny so wear what makes you feel happy, confident, comfortable and most alive. You will be labeled a “bitch” for taking a stance, but do not ever let that stop you from speaking your truth. You will be labeled “emotional” for caring about what goes on in the world. Don’t let that stop you from opening your heart, your mind and volunteering your spare time to make our community a little better for everyone.
You will be told that you are “sensitive” or “overreacting” because you understand that you need to take precautions to protect yourself when walking to your car at night or wearing a mask driving through Starbucks. You are cautious with how you carry your purse in crowded places, cautious about not leaving your laptop in clear view on the passenger’s seat while you run into the pharmacy, and cautious about walking the stairwells in public buildings. You are cautious when traveling on public transportation. You have pepper spray and know that hitting your SOS button on your iPhone will call 911, send your location and notify your emergency contacts. I wish I could tell you that you didn’t have to worry about traveling alone or leaving your doors unlocked but you do. I wish we could have a ‘Girls Day Out’ one day a year where women went out and men stayed in. Kind of a freedom from fear day. You are strong and will not be held back from expanding your horizons but just be ready for confrontation. It is better to be proactive and aware, to be forewarned and forearmed than a sitting duck.
You will be looked at by many as just another body and not a mind. Don’t let that stop you from learning all you can every day and bettering yourself. You are more than just a body; you are a beautiful human being. If you are single, you may get asked a lot whether you are going to get married and have kids. However, marriage is not a requirement for living nor is childbirth a requirement for being a woman. Just know that you deserve the best and if marriage is what you want someday then hold out for the right someone. Someone who encourages you to shine and sees you for all that you are. Someone who gets “emotional” too because he truly loves and cares as you do. In other words, don’t marry just because you feel it’s a societal norm. Generations of woman were taught that being a wife and mother is all it means to be a woman. Women are still fighting for equal rights and the freedom to be whatever they desire. Today, you are more than a baby-machine. You are a daughter, an aunt, a writer, a sports fan, an intellect, a comedian, an athlete, an activist, a role model, a creator… to sum it up… YOU ARE A BADASS!
Moral: 1) Live your truth. 2) You are enough as you are; try not to let society and self doubt tell you otherwise.
Please feel to share your comments below or email zsmisadventures.com and your story may be shared in an upcoming blog.
Just when the Caterpillar thought its life was over, it became a butterfly.
Annoymous
Life has not been easy this past year, but I can honestly say today I feel a lot more at ease. I finally feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I did not realize just how stressed I was until the lady gave me my first shot of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to combat COVID 19 on Saturday, 2/20/21. Contrary to popular belief it does not have SARS-COV-2 and cannot give a person COVID-19. It is a mixture of various ingredients that may prevent it. FDA has authorized the vaccines to be used for emergency use to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 16 +. Even if you already have had COVID getting the vaccine is important because you could get it again.
On 2/20/21 I took my father to get his shot at his scheduled appointment time. I did not think I would be able to get mine. It was 12 in the afternoon and I have heard there have been issues getting vaccinations to various states. None the less, I felt there was nothing wrong with asking. I let them know that I am a social worker and am a diabetic on an insulin pump. I also take care of my dad. They let me know that they had some extras that they were able to give out and I might receive one. Waiting in my car behind several other cars getting registered I felt as I had won the lottery. I could hardly believe it. I did not think it was real. I kept thinking I was going to start filling out the paperwork and they are going to say, “Just kidding.” Luckily, they did not. I could have hugged and kissed the whole crew that helped me. I was so grateful.
A tear of joy ran down my face as she put the needle in my arm. I have made the conscious choice to remain in the house this past year and only leaving on rare occasions. I have not been able to hug family or friends let alone see their faces. I may own a home with my parents, but we have not been able to really hug a lot this past year as various people at my dad’s work came down with COVID (some more severe than others). One man lost his father while he ended up in the hospital twice and could not go to the funeral.
COVID has impacted us all and it is here to stay for a while. It has turned everything upside down. I live in yoga pants and no longer wear make-up. My hair is growing out to its natural color which I hate, so I have tried to dye it purple. I am not even sure I could function in the real world now.
I am thankful that I have a job that allows me to work from home, have food on the table, and did not have to rush my father to the hospital when he got COVID. I am thankful that my grandmother, Uncle, mother, and now father and I have been able to get our COVID vaccines. I am grateful to know that if I or any of them got COVID, the results would not be fatal. However, we still need to be careful and follow CDC guidelines of wearing masks and being 6 feet apart as we could still be carriers of the virus and pass it on. There will always be tough times, but there is always something positive and hopeful to cling on to if one looks hard enough. This week I feel like I got my life back and can worry a little less. I can enjoy the world around me and know that those I love are okay. I am okay. Together we can make a difference and inspire hope by continuing to help others get vaccinated and follow CDC guidelines.
It took my dad 5 hours on the computer to finally get an appointment time. It was unbelievably complicated and frustrating for no reason, but you must work with what they give you. My dad is computer literate but I can’t help but think of the challenge for those that do not even have an email address. My uncle spent 6 hours on the phone on hold before someone answered in order to schedule an appointment for my grandmother. When the general public is ready to make appointments, we are going to volunteer to help those that need assistance with the computer scheduling. I hope I can help others feel the relief that the vaccine means to returning to ordinary family life. My life has become a lot more hopeful and I hope yours does too.
Moral: 1) Hope inspires the impossible to be possible. 2) Part of being human is not only doing something to protect ourselves but to look out for others.
Feel free to comment below or email zsmisadventures@gmail.com and your story may end up in a future blog.
You ever have one of those weeks that seem to go on forever. A week where it seems like you are standing still while everything around you is falling to pieces. How silly of me to ask, I am sure with this pandemic we have all had quite a few of those. This past week was no exception for me. It was filled with more grandees adventures than I care to account for.
Since the pandemic started a year ago, I have rarely left the house. I have found great pleasure in lounging in my sweat pants and not having to wear makeup. I have not put on a pair of my many colorful heels but instead have opted to wear my Arizona Cardinal tennis shoe slippers whenever possible. I will admit that there have been days I have decided that I would just sprites perfume on and skip the shower altogether. On those rare occasions my cat, Cutie, reminds me the next day that showering is essential. She does this by escorting me to the shower when she wakes me up. She likes to let me know that even though no one else may be near me, she likes to smell me at my best.
Luckily the day of the first misfortune of my week, Cutie had escorted me to the shower but unfortunate she did not remind me to wear a bra. The first misfortune occurred on my way with my mother to pick up the groceries we had ordered for pick up from Fry’s earlier that day. Ever since my father got COVID we have embraced the new age of shopping. Once my dad can go back to work, he will be happy to know that grocery shopping will no longer be on his to-due list.
We were almost to the store when about 10 motorcycles came flying at us on either side swerving in and out of traffic. It looked like a scene from any high-speed chase in a movie. The noise was thunderous and it appeared as if time stood still while they zoomed by. I slowed down out of fear of being hit or hitting one of the motorcycles, but my efforts were in vain. In a matter of seconds, we heard a crash, felt my car get jolted to the left, and go over something in the road. I could see out of the corner of my eye a motorcycle to the right laying in the middle of the road. I whispered under my breath with tears running down my face, “Did I just run over someone? OMG, I ran over him, didn’t I?” I immediately pulled over by the median as I did not want to hit anything or anyone and put my hands to my face and broke down. While I stayed put shaking, my mom got out to survey the scene. She came back to report that I did not hit or run over anyone. I had in fact been hit by an unmanned motorcycle and I had gone over a part of the bike that came off as it was skidding towards me. She reported the man moved over to far to the left accidentally and clipped a car behind me at which time he was thrown from the bike. While he skidded to the right across the pavement, his bike continued to skid forward and clip my car. This is what caused my car to be pushed over and the car behind me had jump the median to avoid hitting me.
Despite the trauma of the incident, it was encouraging to know that someone was possibly watching over me. The more I think about it the more I know this could have been a lot worse. I was particular thankful for the following: the man was wearing a helmet, the man behind me was able to jump the median, no one was in the turn lane on the other side allowing the man to jump the median safely, he had a vehicle to do so, and it was only the bike that hit me nothing more. I was also glad to know the man would be okay despite a possible broken arm and collar bone. He was able to stand up and move around, which is always a good sign after an accident. I was also humbled by the fact that I got to brighten a few people’s days who assisted me with the claim when I recounted my story. No one had ever heard a story quit like mine.
Later in the week, I found out my cat had a piece of poop stuck to her bottom that ended up on the sofa. I kept asking where the poop smell was coming from, but not knowing any better blamed the dishwasher. It was not until later that evening when I sat up and picked up my blanket did I notice the medium size turd on the sofa. I was immediately grossed out because that meant I had been laying next to it most of the night. I also put together that Cutie had licked it off and then licked my fingers. Not a good thought to have when one is trying to go to sleep.
I also received a voice mail from an agency who wanted to have my book, Even Beavers Can Be Heroes in the New York Times Sunday Literary addition. While it would be nice to have my book mentioned in the Times, I know better than to think that it has meat the approval to do so. They kept saying that Amazon has recommended it as an up and coming book because of all the positive feedback and the ability to past a lit test. Spoiler alert: my book only has 3 reviews that resulted in a 4.6-star rating. I also know that if someone is spending a ton of time trying to pitch an idea to you, it is most likely a scam. It also gives it away when the number they are calling from comes up as a scam risk number on my phone. Last but not least, asking me to pay $3,500 is not a price I would pay no matter the potential.
The week concluded with Cutie meowing at me at 5 AM to get up. As soon as I got out of bed, she plopped down, rolled over, and asked me to rub her belly. I couldn’t help but laugh.
Moral: 1) Things are not always as bad they seem. 2) When possible find the humor in chaos, it will keep you sane. 3) Your life story can in fact brighten someone’s day. 4) Treasure the little things.
Please feel free to comment below or email Zsmisadventures@gmail.com with your stories as they may be featured in a future blog.
Lady Z's MisAdventures 