Currently | May

May 26, 2022

(Illustration above courtesy of Heather Schieder).

DEVASTATED | by the news of the school shooting in Texas (and really, any of the mass shootings recently, but especially a shooting where kids are killed in what’s supposed to be a “ safe place”).

As a young man, who survived the Parkland shooting in Florida, said on the news so eloquently yesterday: we can’t keep up anymore because there is at least one, if not more than one shooting, in America EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Honestly, I am out of words at this point.

WONDERING | when is enough enough? How many people have to die senselessly before our representatives are going to do something?

If you’re a Republican but against gun control, tell me you’re “pro-life” one more time.

If you want to take some easy action, write your representatives by texting RESIST to 50409 (Resistbot will take care of the rest). If you have it in you, you can also CALL and leave a message for your representatives. It’s not enough, but it’s a start.

HOPING | that you and I and everyone who think this is wrong will not give up, but fight for change. Primary elections are underway. Vote accordingly. Don’t be a single-issue voter.

READING | The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5) by Diana Gabaldon. It’s slow-going right now (because I don’t have much headspace for reading).

GOING | on weekend walks with Jon.

ENJOYING | brunch on our front porch on the weekends.

JUGGLING | a lot of things at work right now. I mentioned last week that I switched research groups and that I have a new supervisor. That means I am being moved to a new “office” (cubicle) on a different floor in our building, I am all of a sudden in high demand (more work than I have officially time for), and I have not one, but three field trips coming up. My summer’s going to be busy.

Oh, and have I mentioned that I am officially going back (part-time) to the office starting next week?

STRUGGLING | hard to get back into my exercise (and especially) running routine, but I’ve been thrown off by some unexpected aches and pains in the last couple weeks. First I had pulled a muscle in my lower back two weeks ago, now I have a pinched nerve (or something!) in my neck. What is going on here? Is this what getting old feels like? Or, am I just stressed out right now?

FOCUSING | on lots of stretching, yoga, and meditation this week. I really hope all these little nuisances are gone soon.

EATING | apples with almond butter. My new favorite snack.

DRINKING | water.

BUYING | new purification elements for our Berkey water filter. It’s been three years and it was time to replace them. They’re not cheap, but considering how long they last and provide fresh, filtered water, I am still so, so happy we invested into this filtration system.

LOOKING FORWARD TO | the long holiday weekend. Monday is Memorial Day here in the States (and my BIL’s birthday).

What is currently going on with you?

Suzanne
May 27, 2022 at 6:22 am

I also have no headspace for reading lately. And, like you, have been struggling with some unexpected muscular issues that have really put a damper on my exercise routine. I am so sorry you have a pinched nerve! That sounds awful! Hoping it resolves quickly and you can get back into the swing of things.

And good luck going back to the office!
1. San
  June 4, 2022 at 7:15 pm
  
  How are you feeling, Suzanne? I was wondering if your muscular issues have been resolved? I am slowly on the mend over here. Do you think all the bad news lately have been building up in our bodies?
NGS
May 27, 2022 at 1:05 pm

When I was in my late 20s, I had a period of time when I was so stressed out and I held all my tension in my neck and I could barely move it. It made driving seriously dangerous because I couldn’t turn to look out the mirrors! So, maybe it’s stress. Or maybe it’s getting old. I certainly have more daily aches and pains than I did in my 20s! Getting old is not for the faint-hearted.
1. San
  June 4, 2022 at 7:16 pm
  
  I was wondering if it was stress (although I don’t really feel that stressed out, but that doesn’t mean that I am not)… but yeah, maybe it’s getting older… LOL it’s not for the faint-hearted for sure ;)
Kate
May 27, 2022 at 8:24 pm

I can’t stop thinking about this shooting, & I can’t stop thinking about the fact that it took babies dying – AGAIN – to shake me (back) out of this apparent complacency that we’ve all gotten into about the sheer frequency & brutality of gun violence. It’s so commonplace that we barely notice until it’s children???
1. San
  June 4, 2022 at 7:16 pm
  
  The news has been so awful lately. Oof.
Nicole MacPherson
May 28, 2022 at 7:58 am

I wonder if it’s stress manifesting in your body, and I don’t blame you one bit. It’s stressful – going back to the office, and of course, the terrible, terrible news from the US. It’s just so defeating. I remember exactly the Sandy Hook shooting, and here we are, so many years later, just the same. It’s a complete and utter tragedy, preceded by so many complete and utter tragedies.
1. San
  June 4, 2022 at 7:17 pm
  
  You’re one of many people who have suggested that it’s stress manifesting in my body… and even though I don’t “feel” that stressed out, it could totally be a subconcious thing! I am slowly starting to feel better though.
Stephany
May 28, 2022 at 8:48 am

It’s so hard to wrap my mind around another school shooting. And the fact that Congress still doesn’t feel the need to pass commonsense gun laws. It’s despicable. The “pro-life” party? Give me a break.

Good luck on your return to the office! I really enjoyed being an office setting again but I don’t know if I’d want to do it weekly, lol. It’s nice to pop in and out whenever I want.
1. San
  June 4, 2022 at 7:17 pm
  
  These last few weeks have been so hard. Let’s take a collective deep breath. Hopefully people will go out and vote in the primaries to put better people in positions of power.
Lisa of Lisa's Yarns
June 1, 2022 at 12:13 pm

I have so little hope that our country will pass gun control legislation. I’m so envious of the legislation that will likely pass in Canada this week – a buy back program of assault rifles which are now banned and I believe handguns are also illegal. Time to move to Canada, I guess. I am glad I live in Minnesota and not Texas. But it could happen anywhere. The governor in Texas is so so so so so so awful. I need to educate myself better so I can better discuss gun control. I’m the outlier in my family in wanting more gun control. I’ll try to avoid the topic this summer as I work on learning more. But I want/need to be better armed in the future.
1. San
  June 4, 2022 at 7:18 pm
  
  Ugh, I know, the news has been so awful and so many politicians, who COULD do something, just don’t seem to care. It’s defeating. Jon hasn’t said for the first time that we should consider moving.
anne
June 11, 2022 at 4:39 pm

Oh, San. I hear you. It’s so damn hard. And when you just want politicians to do the right thing, for ONCE – and they refuse, when babies are dying… it just adds to the ‘everything else’ that is going on. And you have a lot going on! It sounds like your body wants and needs a bit of a rest so I am glad you gave it that. Walks with Jon must be a lovely addition to your days, too. (You weren’t doing that regularly, before, were you?) I wish I could just come and sit with you and say yes, I hear you, I am in the same place. So maybe knowing that there are so many of us who are, scattered geographically though we are, might help a bit? You really aren’t alone in this – despite what it seems like sometimes. (I swear, sometimes I think the whole world is crazy outside of my small universe, which now includes you and all of my favorite bloggers…) Sending hugs. <3 <3

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Currently | May

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