Musings of a marginally sane feline-appreciating female.

So, now that I figured out the trick to making my KN-95s fit so they’re not flapping at the sides like a fish out of water*, I’ve been using them exclusively for the past week.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how comfortable and lightweight they are. (Weird, cause when I first tried them a while back, I did not feel that way at all, no idea what’s different, cause they’re the same masks, but hey, I’m weird.)

Of course, given this relative comfort of them, my brain can’t help but go, “Are you sure it’s really working? It’s awfully comfortable to be effective.”

This despite multiple articles saying KN95s are a) good, and b) can be comfortable.

THANKS, BRAIN.

*Rather than having the straps loop over my ears, I pull it back and clip it behind my head with a large paper clip. Better fit, plus the straps aren’t rubbing on the back of my ears.

My friend’s sister tested positive. She’s got some fairly significant disabilities, and I am so scared for her. Picked it up at the doctor’s office.

Meanwhile, our Governors comments on our record case numbers is basically, “Welp, it was inevitable I guess, but hey, seems mild, hope the hospitals don’t crash, get vaccinated, peace out, bitches.”

Trying to get a PCR test is a multi hour to multi day exercise, there are still folks wandering around the market without masks, and the antibody treatment they’re trying to get for my friends sister is in short supply, and we have no structural mitigation or support whatsoever.

I’m so fucking angry.

Not really in the mindset to work today, but I haven’t won the lottery, so… (Maybe tomorrow, LOL.)

On the upside, I did an excellent job of not thinking about work in the last week, to the point where I have zero idea what I even have on my plate today, so that’s something.

But, it is at least a short week and we get paid, so it’s not all bad, but I am wishing I’d taken a half day today to ease back into things. My work ethic – amazing isn’t it? (It might be slightly better if I didn’t already know raises will be garbage this year and they’d sent me a gift card for the holiday instead of ear buds I can’t use – but only slightly, cause I’m just tired more than anything.)

I’m not “OMG, fuck this company” just more, “Y’all really, really need to understand how tired everyone is and yet they’re still doing amazing work and maybe a set of earbuds flung from a FedEx truck with no note that makes the recipient think they’re getting fake merch in an Amazon review scam* isn’t the best way to show you get it.” (That’s on corporate, my department has done pretty well, I will say that.)

But, it is what it is, and there is only so much you can do in the face of a pandemic and capitalism. Time to go do the thing and see if anyone in charge was visited by some ghosts last week.

You have a good day, take care of yourself, and stick it to the man where you can.

*I did come close to throwing them away cause it seemed so very sketchy, ROFL. How do you not tell the fulfillment company to put in a note? But then again, whoever was in charge of this is probably very tired, too.

2021 has been a year, hasn’t it? It wasn’t *all* bad – we had a couple months with truly low case counts and I was able to spend some time at the beach and eat great food and go to the aquarium and the Elizabethan Gardens, and there were a couple indoor dinners beyond that, too.

But overall, the theme seemed to just be whiplash. It started off with such promise. Vaccines on the way in. TFG on the way out. Then an insurrection. New administration, new broken promises.

Low case count summer, then Delta. Then Omicron. Federal/State/Local governments who abdicated responsibility for public health over and over again, because, “well, there are vaccines.” (I think I’m on my way to being an anarchist. Mutual aid FTW.)

Fall plans canceled. Winter plans canceled. Watching other folks *not* cancel plans as cases have skyrocketed.

Some days where I wanted to cry from exhaustion, but I was too tired to actually do it.

But, we got through it. Some days definitely easier than others, but we’re here – and I’m glad you’re here, too. And I hurt for those who didn’t make it.

Seems like Omicron may have peaked in South Africa – not sure what that really means for us, but I am really happy for them.

2022 is going to be off to a rough start, but we’re getting good at this. (A skill I know I didn’t want, but here we are.) Take care of yourself as best you can – both physically and mentally. Extend the grace you give to others to yourself as well.

Here’s some shots that made me smile this year – because it won’t always be like this and there will be nice things again.

And yet again, I sit here disappointed that it doesn’t mean I can punch someone.

I hope everyone had a nice Christmas – for those who had to cancel plans, I’m so sorry, but I’m also really glad you’re staying safe. And hey, there’s still Orthodox Christmas on January 7th. Or some random Saturday whenever – as a military brat, I can tell you – you can make Christmas whatever day you need it to be.

Our day was very nice and low-key. I’ve hit the point in life where “low-key” is my favorite type of event. I don’t know when my brother and I decided we’d just stick with brunch and not do a full Christmas dinner on top of that, but I’m so glad we did – makes the day so much easier.

I still don’t know how my mother managed a full Christmas Eve dinner, breakfast, and then a full Christmas dinner. But I do recall the year when I said, “What if I just got a slew of heat & eat appetizers for Christmas Eve and we just snack all evening?” and she was very HELL, YES. (Still very proud of that idea.)

And now it’s time to ease myself into the post-holidays, bleah. Start the next house project, back to work tomorrow, etc, etc. Also time to think about what I’d like to accomplish in 2022 – that’s going to be an interesting intellectual exercise after the past 2 years.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Maybe next year will be a little less weird. But I have a very large coffee, the hashbrown casserole is done and tucked in an insulated bag and wrapped in heavy bath towels to keep hot* and the egg casserole is in the oven, and weird though things may be, all is well in my little corner of the world.

For Christmas Eve, my brother got me this awesome shirt – I *love* it!

Lily got a new jar of catnip blend and she is high as a kite. Fancy stuff, too – has catnip, passion flower, lavender, dandelion leaf, chamomile, valerian root, and silvervine in it.

I hope your day is safe and calm and filled with love.

*The towels work really well to keep it hot.

So, the FedEx truck just dropped off a box addressed to me/my company.

Wireless earbuds, but no note of any kind – I guess they’re from the company?

And the box has already been opened?

Ohh, yes, from the company, the logo is on the case, LOL.

It’s a nice gesture, even if having it drop shipped with no communication or a note is a bit weird.

$1 says one is lost by New Year, LOL. (My engineering department had the right idea giving us a list of things to choose from.)

But, a nice gesture nonetheless.