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.
Cats have it all: admiration, an endless sleep, and company only when they want it.
Rob McKuen
Oh, what I would give at this moment to switch places with my cat, Cutie. I could wake my master up at 4 AM for water from the sink just to go back to sleep when I was finished. I could make noises at the top of the stairs and when my master finally walks up the stairs to see what the commotion was, I could plop down and roll over for a belly rub, then insist on a drink of water from the sink, and then, you guessed it, go back to sleep. I could sun myself on the front patio while watching the dogs walking by on leashes and be grateful that I do not have to deal with that sort of thing. I can just lay around soaking up the sun and occasionally jump up in the wild grass planters to feel as though I am in the jungle getting ready to stoke my next prey. I could play with my cow toy and leave it in the hallway and not worry about putting it away. I could lay down where I wanted whether it be on the top of the chair, my master side, my master’s towel bin, my master’s PJ drawer, or in one of my two cozy beds with a piece of a foam mattress underneath for added support. One bed is a sleeping bag with its own pillow designed just for me. I can choose to go to work with master on my own terms where I sit on her lap and watch her type. I also sometimes sleep by the window in the room so I can enjoy the sun while at the same time reminding her that I am there keeping an eye on her. I would walk her to the office every morning even if I don’t always stay with her to supervisor because I want her to get it done in order to have nap time together.
The best part is I would not have to stress about what is happening in the world around me. I would not have to worry about anything. I would not worry about finances, medical issues for those I love, the extreme hatred towards others that is more evident than ever in the world around me, the realization that all things, including life, must come to an end at one point or another, cleaning, heartbreak, drama, tests, etc. I don’t have to clean my cat litter as I have someone to do that for me. All I have to focus on is the love and attention I receive and figuring out the next unique spot I want to nap. Being a cat would be nice, if just for one day.
Moral: 1) Remember to not take for granted not only what you have, but the people you have in your life. 2) Pets are great stress relievers.
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
Leo Buscaglia
First, thank you for the kind get-well wishes following last week’s post. I am happy to report that my father is still doing well and has no symptoms. We have been told that he may be a carrier but is no longer contagious. He is free to roam the house once more with precautions in place, of course, such as wearing a mask and staying, a 2020 new term, social distanced.
I am also grateful to say that thanks to my uncle’s superpower – Patience – he was able to get my grandmother an appointment to get her first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. In Arizona, that means 4 hours of waiting on hold. Yes, 4 hours and every minute which means 240 times you will hear a cheerful voice telling you, “We will be with you momentarily.” I have patience but there is a breaking point somewhere in the first hour. Kudos go out to him. Grams received her shot earlier this week at her 2 in the morning appointment. As a reward for his patience, they gave my uncle a shot too since he was her essential care giver. I can honestly say I feel more hopeful than I have in quite some time that things are going to get better.
Kindness is defined as “the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.” It can also mean different things to different people. To me, kindness is doing something for someone and expecting nothing in return. Being kind can be doing something as simple as holding a door open for the person walking behind you, picking something up that someone dropped and handing it to them, leaving a note for someone, even if all it has on it is a smiley face, acknowledging a stranger, either by smiling, wishing them a good day, etc. Kindness does not need to be extravagant to be meaningful. Often the simplest acts are the most meaningful.
Over this past year, I have thought a lot about what role I might be able to play in cultivating kindness. I started out by making Cards for Kindness. Cards for Kindness is a project run through Scrapebook.com. They accept homemade cards that can lift the human heart and spread happiness. The cards are sent to cancer foundations, hospitals, shelters, and retirement homes. If you are into crafts this is a creative way to spend a few hours of homebound time to spread kindness.
While scrolling the web I saw an organization called Feed. It is run by John Legend and his wife, Christy Teigen. With every product purchased from their foundation website, the profits are used to provide meals to children in school. I bought the $38 tote pictured above and 10 meals were donated to the one in seven American children who experience hunger and do not know where they will get their next meal. I received a great themed carryall bag some children received a much needed meal.
I am also happy that I have been able to donate 96 of my, Even Beavers Can Be Heroes, books to organizations that care for children in foster care such as Together We Rise, Department Of Child Safety, Child Help, Changing Hands, and Ryan’s House.
While I like to make and send cards, I am quite blessed to have friends that take the time to call, text, and often stop by to drop off their creative treats like cupcakes and super-duper delicious cookies not just because I am Lady Linzie but because they care. I appreciate the spontaneity of friends popping in to say, “Howdy”. I actually don’t have any friends that would say, “Howdy,” but you get the drift. Seeing smiling faces lifts your spirits in new directions.
Moral: 1) Remember kindness does not live in a bubble it spreads so “get out there” and spread some. It’s contagious.
2021 has been anything but boring. It has already beat 2020 with being the worst year and it has only just begun. It started with insurrection at the capital that was instigated by the President and other elected officials that have sworn to protect this country. On top of that we have had a record-breaking number of deaths from Covid each day of this new year. In the next three weeks a loved one will die every 3 minutes or about 92,000 more people will die of COVID in the United States. In Arizona, where I live, it is estimated that 1 in 10 people will test positive. We have the highest numbers per capita and no action plans in place to try and contain the situation. Our hospitals are filled with COVID patients to the point that doctors and nurses cannot treat those who might need to be seen for something other than COVID.
With my job, I read daily of the people we are trying to help not only contracting COVID but also dying of the virus. I read one entry where someone died who only had a dry cough as a symptom. It took an autopsy to prove it was COVID. I have had friends that tested positive. Some had no symptoms while others had a few days of chills, coughing, aching joints, trouble breathing, and psychotic dreams. I read of one client in his twenties who had no symptoms but died of a heart attack 3 months later. He worked out daily and had no history of heart issues in his family. The report indicated that a COVID side effect could not be ruled out. A half a million Americans will have died by the end of the month and we don’t know how the 24 million who contracted the virus and recovered will fare in the future.
That is why this week when I found out my dad tested positive for COVID, I was not jumping for joy, but instead thinking of all the horrible outcomes. I was grateful that my dad is careful and wears a mask and social distances, but I do understand that some of those he works with aren’t as conscious. They claim to be over COVID. While they might no longer care about doing what they can to protect those around them, my family and I like many others do.
I have basically lived in yoga pants since March 2020 and seldom leave the house. I do not hug my parents as I know my dad leaves the house and I do not want to unknowingly pass something on to my mom. Seeing family and friends outside of my parents who I own a home, with is nonexistent. At first, I was annoyed, but I feel that love is the most precious thing of all. If I can do anything to keep those, I love safe then I will, even if it means I don’t see them face to face. We still find ways of keeping in touch. I have sent more homemade cards and random gifts than ever before. It is my way of letting others know they matter and are always on my mind.
The news of my dad’s COVID test came as a surprise. He had no symptoms. He would not have tested if a few people from his work had not come down with it. He was made aware that one co-worker who lost his sense of smell, had the shakes, was throwing up and looked as if he would need medical attention at any moment. My dad looked and sounded like he did every day. He still has no symptoms, however, thanks to our understanding of the situation, my mom and I got up and put our masks on, and gave my dad his. We wiped everything down. My mom gathered her clothes and toiletries and moved into our guest bedroom. My dad set up an office in his master bedroom quarantine lock up with two sawhorses and a piece of plywood. He called the doctor the next day and was told to stay in isolation for 10 days and take pills if he has a headache or cough. He was to call back if he had trouble breathing. Luckily that call was never needed. My mom and I got tested and thanks to my dad getting tested when he found out about his coworkers my mom and I were negative as we addressed the situation in time to keep it from spreading.
My mom laughed as we got tested. We did the saliva-based test. I was asking, “how do you do this?” while trying to fill up a test tube with spit. I have never spit in my life. It was a humiliating experience gagging and on the verge of vomiting while the nurse was telling me I still had a long way to go to hit the black mark on the tube. I am sure it is a story my mother will be telling all family members for years to come. It has been weird walking around my own home and driving in my car with my mom wearing our masks. All I can say is I am thankful my dad was asymptomatic as millions of others were not as lucky. To those who lost someone, I have no words other than I will do what I can to ensure we don’t lose anyone else.
Moral: 1) COVID is serious, we should do everything they can to prevent it from spreading. 2) Even in the worst of times good memories can be made. 3) Never lose hope that things can turn out better. 4) Your decisions matter and affect not only you but everyone around you.
“The greatest threat to American freedom is a government that ignores the constitution.”
Thomas Jefferson
Being an American does not mean you are always going to approve of new laws and regulations that are being put in place or even who oversees the leadership positions that guide our country. Being an American, however, does mean understanding that when an election is held and the votes are counted, it is those votes that must be honored. Those votes are the voices of the American people. The best way to be heard is to vote. There are other ways to be heard, such as, calling your senator or representative, participating at sit-ins, and marching in nonviolent protests. What happened at our country’s Capital on January 6th, 2021 was not a reflection of the American democracy I have witnessed. It was domestic terrorism. Anyone who argues otherwise needs to question why insurrection based on lies is an American tradition. Do they not consider it terrorism because the President of the United States and other Republican senators helped set it into motion and even encouraged the violence as they spewed hatred and lies about a “rigged” election?
They also encouraged a divide by being uncaring for one’s neighbor and not wanting to combat an invisible enemy that has sickened millions of our friends and family. This is not a time to be hyping hatred and division. This is a time for everyone to understand we are not islands. Everyone is connected to someone else. We encounter hundreds of people a day completing our daily tasks. Being an American means we must do the best we can for ourselves and others. Following CDC guidelines and doing something as simple as wearing a mask is one of those.
Being an American is honoring the constitution. It does not mean that it’s okay to storm the Capital with the intention of killing, beating, or hanging our Vice President, senators or representatives because your candidate didn’t win an election. Being an American does not mean bringing a guillotine to the Capital complex in Arizona or gallows to the Capital in Washington. It means understanding that the people have voted and spoken and we aren’t always going to like the results. It means comprehending that one cannot pick and choose who rules this country just as we cannot pick and choose which policies we want to enforce and rules we want to follow when it comes to the government.
Being American doesn’t mean turning a blind eye to our country’s history of racism. Though advances have been made, systematic racism still exists. I know that on January 6th, if the insurrection was lead by blacks, Mexicans, and Muslims, it would have been treated like a Terrorist Coup and thousands would have been gassed, shot, and beaten. The invaders would have faced insurmountable force. However, because the mob was white, excuses were made to try and explain that the people were just upset and needed to let off steam. Letting off steam is punching a punching bag in one’s garage and drinking a beer. It is not placing bombs in the capital and killing a PD officer. It is not bringing guns and stealing from the capital. It is not wearing shirts that say 6MLE (6 million Lives were not Enough when speaking to the number of Jews killed by Hitler’s forces). I find this to be greatly offensive and heartbreaking that such hatred can be displayed in plain sight with no thought they would be held accountable and arrested. This is not patriotism or blowing off steam, it is a domestic terrorism plan and simple.
If you want to be proud of being American, you would start by condemning what happened on Wednesday and want to move forward to get those involved prosecuted and taken out of the office to ensure everyone knows this is not to occur again. Lastly being an American is being proud that we are a nation of immigrants who came together to build a country where the opportunities are endless if one only chooses to commit. Hope and resilience are two words I would use to describe America.
Moral: 1) Words do matter. 2) Nothing is stronger than the truth. 3) Pay attention to those around you as their actions and words say a lot about who they are.
My soul sister, Yenzully, and I bringing in the New Year (2000)
“What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet.”
Ann Frank
If you haven’t thought that the New Year’s holiday was the longest, loudest, and craziest holiday of them all, then you haven’t celebrated the New Year in Aruba. They do much more than bang pots and pans together at midnight, or sit in front of their TV watching a ball drop in New York City or sing and sway to the big band sound of Auld Lang Syne.
The holiday in Aruba officially begins when the Chinese ship docks at the downtown harbor on December 28th. I saw the newspaper headline “Klapchie Arrives” on Friday the 29th. The staff at the resort where my dad was working seemed overly excited that morning. When he asked his supervisor, “What’s going on?” He rubbed his hands together in a frenzy and said with a conspiratorial grin, “ Klapchie.” “Klapchie?” “Fireworks.”
When my dad went to the bank with my brother and I in tow, he told the teller that we needed some cash for Klapchie. She laughed when I asked for $50. “You better take $200,” she said smiling, “and get a nice pagada.”
A pagada is a long string of firecrackers that can be bought in various lengths. There must be about a hundred little finger sized firecrackers per foot with every tenth one the size of your thumb. The pagada ends in a massive finale of interwoven wicks and sticks that is a foot square. The idea, I was told, was to roll out the string the width of your property along the frontage road. It would, not only, ward off the evil spirits from entering the property, but also, provide the residents with good luck to start the year.
We bought a fifty foot pagada and a large grocery bag full of firecrackers, rockets, helicopters and an assortment of items that were a mystery to us New Year’s neophytes. We paid a little under $50. Cheap, I thought.
The pagada custom which no one explained extends to the closing of each business for the year. So beginning on that Friday afternoon, as many stores closed, the employees would gather along the fronting street and set off a pagada the width of the property right down the middle of the road. As you can imagine, traffic came to a halt while the celebration burned noisily down the pavement. The noise and smoke, and flying red paper could last for 10 to 15 minutes for a hundred foot business frontage. The business district behind the resort was especially loud because the narrow streets and two and three story buildings endlessly echoed the exploding sounds for all to enjoy. The celebration for most businesses did not end with the Klapchie finale but continued with drinks, food and music in the parking lot or in the red paper covered street. Those caught in the traffic jam were invited to join the celebration. The larger businesses that had a good year would have a band on a semi-trailer half full of speakers that could drown out a Rolling Stones concert. These mini celebrations continued all afternoon and evening across the island.
The pagada for my dad’s resort was set off at 1 PM on Saturday. It was a tradition that attracted thousands of people, was over a half mile in length and took an hour to reach the finale which was a tightly bound ring of cherry bombs five foot in diameter. Five million fire crackers in all and an explosion at the end that knocked your socks off. It took twelve people about two hours to clean up all the remains.
While we originally intended to set off our grocery bag of pyrotechnics on Sunday evening which was New Year’s Eve, we got caught up with all the neighbors and the neighborhoods that traded explosions beginning Friday night and dispensed with our entire load. We reloaded Saturday morning with three grocery bags and two eight inch rockets. Beginning at 7 am Saturday and continuing throughout the day and late into the night you could hear the explosions and see rockets light up the sky.
I remember seeing people lined up Friday at the veterinarian clinic. We learned that they were there to buy pet tranquilizers. By Saturday night, we were beginning to see why. From our front porch that Saturday night, no matter which direction you turned, you could see something exploding in the sky. We are talking big time rockets with big time booms at the end. Anything you have ever seen or heard at a fireworks event, you could buy and you could launch. All of Aruba was the launching pad….and this was only Saturday night.
Then came New Year’s eve. While we were at a formal beach party to welcome in the new year with plenty of loud music, you could still hear the intensity of Klapchie rising as midnight approached. I slipped off with my soul sister, Yenzully, several times that evening to the roof of the resort that looked out over the island. Aruba is about three miles wide by twenty miles long and from our roof top vantage point you could see that every nook and cranny was lit up with the reds and blues and greens of 10 and 12 inch bottle rockets. By a quarter ‘til the new year a small group of us had gathered on the roof. Yenzully would volunteer me for a dance competition while we waiting for the countdown to start. I want to tell you, that at the stroke of 12, as the cruise ships sounded their fog horns, this island erupted. It was like a war zone … the ground shook, colors flashed, pagadas roared to a deafening crescendo … it was unbelievable. It was everywhere. Trying to describe it how much noise 10 thousand people with bottle rockets can make, impossible. Within 15 minutes, the sky was filled with smoke and the acrid smell of spent powder. We could not see the ground from 6 stories high.
We were home by 1 am to contribute to the excitement. It took us about three hours to shoot off our supply. Our finale was to be lighting and dropping an 8 inch in diameter rocket into a galvanized launching tube and watching it light up the sky and shake our little part of the island. My dad’s mistake was dropping an 8” rocket into a 10” diameter pipe. Without a snug fit, the rocket came out wobbling enough to turn about five feet into the air and blast like a fighter jet across our yard, slamming into the house as we all screamed for our lives, exploding near the front door and pelting us with paper shrapnel. The loudest and momentarily deafening boom at the end of that memorable expedition also knocked pictures off the living room wall. For a split second I thought the fire department was going to need to be called. I started to understand why fireworks of this calla bore are not sold in the states; to keep our homes standing. What a night.
Another custom is to visit your friends and relatives throughout the night and into the morning. Klapchie is set off with each arrival and each departure. Our neighbors had lots of friends and relatives it seemed, tranquility returned and the longest, loudest, and craziest holiday ended just before sun rise on the New Year’s morn.
Moral: 1) Once you have enjoyed Aruba’s New Years nothing else compares. 2) New Years is a time to embrace the here and now.
Please feel free to share your New Year’s experiences in the comments below or email zsmisadventures@gmail.com.
Lady Z's MisAdventures 