Rant and Rave, Cry and Complain

**Hilary** · 04-28-2022 01:39 AM

Guys. I don't mean to be a fear mongerer here, but the news has been getting more concerning every single day. Nuclear threats again, Russia heading now toward Moldova, the Solomon islands thing, Beijing possibly going into lockdown like Shanghai soon (will effect global economy), supply chain issues, fires and other issues with agricultural facilities in US, in Europe, and other fires in Russia, bird flu... honestly? I am scared. I think we're in for a very rough ride in the next year.

It's easy to close our eyes and assume that everything is going to be just fine. I refuse to think like that anymore. Not after covid. I remember when it broke out 2 years ago in March. That last day at work, at 2 pm they announced we were going home and not coming back until further notice. I remember my friend, a fellow science teacher, she said.. "Oh, well, it will be over in 3 weeks tops. All we need is a bit of social distancing for a few weeks, and we'll be good."

That's how people think. I got judged for being the first teacher at the school to wear a mask. By an assistant principal, too. "Who's that?" (pointing to me) "Are you kidding me??" ... I think I've been vindicated (just for the record, I was also one of the first teachers to take off the mask when the mandates lifted).

I also got in trouble with my principal because I refused to teach a student who was coughing up a storm, and obviously sick, back in March 2020, too. "We can't play doctors," he said. I told him he needed to send the sick kids home or find a place to put them that WASN'T in a tiny classroom filled with students. My students were genuinely scared that day, but I did not let the student back in. I think my principal probably feels bad about that; I know he feels way differently now. But at the time...

Point: make no assumptions about what will or will not happen. Just prepare for the possibilities. It's not a bad idea to stock some extra food, extra water, and other things that you think are essential - while things are still peaceful, while things are still on the shelves. We don't know what's going to happen in the future. I know one thing, though. Things can be just fine one day, and then escalate rapidly the next. At the very least, I think we're in for higher prices and shortages. At the most, well... WW3 and nuclear proliferation? (and "nuclear winter")

**Hilary** · 05-02-2022 01:09 AM

So today I bought some cinder blocks, bricks, and paver stones. I assembled them to make a rocket stove (neat trick: using a tea candle is a great way to get a fire started

). I had to modify the rocket stove though because it was just not getting hot enough at first. But eventually I got it to work and enjoyed cooking my dinner over it. I made eggs.

Very pleased!

**Hilary** · 05-04-2022 09:43 PM

We're in the middle of state testing right now at work. It started yesterday, and I had to stay late too. Today and next two days as well, and again next week. I am very exhausted when I get home because not only do I test students in the mornings, but then after the majority are done, I go with the extended time ESE kids and test for the rest of the day with them. I got home yesterday and just crashed. So forgive me if I'm not as active the next week or two. I am very busy

Good news - 3 weeks until school is out for summer.

**Hilary** · 05-06-2022 09:25 PM

Well. Could only avoid it for so long I guess. My dad has just tested positive for Covid and now my mom is also getting sick. I live with them. Luckily it's not that bad so far. My dad is oddly happy because he wants the immunity from it.

**DarkestDarkness** · 05-06-2022 10:49 PM

Hope you'll all be alright.

**Lang** · 05-06-2022 11:37 PM

NOOOOOOOO!!
Hope your family recovers from this thing.

**Hilary** · 05-07-2022 03:43 PM

Thanks guys. I feel just fine so far.

But I did order a covid test to be safe. My dad had a fever of 103.2 last night. He's pretty sick but seems to be doing a little better now.

----------
5/7/22

Update: My son started throwing up. He threw up all night long. At least 5 times, we lost count. He is right now moaning in bed, but not running a fever. I am now coming down with chest congestion and a light cough. We're all vaccinated here except for my kids. I didn't want to give them the vaccine at their ages because I am not sure how safe that would be long term. So I suppose it could be worse for him because of that.

**monoe96** · 05-07-2022 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by MoonageDaydream

Update: My son started throwing up. He threw up all night long. At least 5 times, we lost count. He is right now moaning in bed, but not running a fever. I am now coming down with chest congestion and a light cough. We're all vaccinated here except for my kids. I didn't want to give them the vaccine at their ages because I am not sure how safe that would be long term. So I suppose it could be worse for him because of that.

This happened to me when I had the virus as well. Given I had the vaccine it didn't seem to make much of a difference as I expected honestly. It's the worst physical ill I've ever been through. Not really though, because I'm alive now. But anyways help him power through it with a lot of cold medicine and vitamins some doctor would recommend, for me it was D mostly. With that death is basically completely off the table, it's just your son will be a sad rage zombie for about a week. Keep safe.

**Hilary** · 05-10-2022 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by monoe96

This happened to me when I had the virus as well. Given I had the vaccine it didn't seem to make much of a difference as I expected honestly. It's the worst physical ill I've ever been through. Not really though, because I'm alive now. But anyways help him power through it with a lot of cold medicine and vitamins some doctor would recommend, for me it was D mostly. With that death is basically completely off the table, it's just your son will be a sad rage zombie for about a week. Keep safe.

Thanks. His test came back positive. Mine was negative, but I am going to test again tomorrow because I am just starting to get sick now.

--------- Update 5/8/22:

Absolutely miserable today. Been lying in bed all day. Fever, cough, congestion, body aches all over. Even my knees and knuckles ache. Wow, didn't think this thing would kick my butt so much. It's just like day 2 of the vaccine.

Second update: My test just came back positive as well.

------------ Update 5/9/22:

Happy happy happy. I am feeling much better today, AND I get this week off from work!

------------ Update 5/10/22:

Well. I thought it was over, but I think I've just entered phase 2 of Covid now. It's the "queasy nausea" phase. Ugh.

Zero appetite all day. I think I'll have some tea...

**andreasdevig** · 05-11-2022 06:27 AM

Originally Posted by Hilary

Thanks. His test came back positive. Mine was negative, but I am going to test again tomorrow because I am just starting to get sick now.

--------- Update 5/8/22:

Absolutely miserable today. Been lying in bed all day. Fever, cough, congestion, body aches all over. Even my knees and knuckles ache. Wow, didn't think this thing would kick my butt so much. It's just like day 2 of the vaccine.

Second update: My test just came back positive as well.

------------ Update 5/9/22:

Happy happy happy. I am feeling much better today, AND I get this week off from work!

------------ Update 5/10/22:

Well. I thought it was over, but I think I've just entered phase 2 of Covid now. It's the "queasy nausea" phase. Ugh.

Zero appetite all day. I think I'll have some tea...

Damn. Sorry to hear. I hope you and your son feel better soon.

**Hilary** · 05-11-2022 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by andreasdevig

Damn. Sorry to hear. I hope you and your son feel better soon.

Thank you. Actually feeling quite a bit better again, as is my son. Still no appetite, but not nauseous.

My daughter is sick now, though. I'm sure she will be well soon.

------

In other news, my sister and I had a falling out and are no longer Facebook friends. Honestly, I just don't get it. Basically, she's very offended that I am pro-life (always have been) and actually quite happy about the political events right now. She's obviously pro-choice. That's cool with me, I can respect that even if I disagree, but it's not cool with her. Especially because I refuse to "debate" (aka - have a fight) with her on Facebook.

I don't want to. What a waste of time. Especially because she has a tendency to get mean with her comments. Albeit, she hasn't been very warm to me in years. She can't really respect other people who have different political views.

It's sad because why does this have to come between us? Why can't we just accept each other even though we're different? I have so many liberal friends, and I love them. I would never stop loving them because I don't share all of their views. I also have some very right-wing family members that I love as well.

It's like this big sin to think differently - the one situation where hatred is OK and glorified is when someone has differing political views. You can be great friends with someone, for years, and suddenly, they are no longer your friend. Their friendship and love is conditional on having the same political beliefs as them. People who are like this tend to be incapable of seeing outside their platform's views. They can't think for themselves anymore.

I refuse to identify with a party, even if I've started leaning right lately. I'm going to think on my terms - no one else's.

..And I certainly don't want anyone touching my 1st amendment rights. **** that ~~Ministry of Truth~~ .. I mean "Disinformation Governance Board"

....

**andreasdevig** · 05-11-2022 09:18 PM

Originally Posted by Hilary

Thank you. Actually feeling quite a bit better again, as is my son. Still no appetite, but not nauseous.

My daughter is sick now, though. I'm sure she will be well soon.
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Good, I'm glad. I'm sure your daughter will be feeling better soon as well, and her finger.

**Hilary** · 05-11-2022 11:01 PM

Originally Posted by andreasdevig

Good, I'm glad. I'm sure your daughter will be feeling better soon as well, and her finger.

Yeah, actually it was my finger. And you know what? It's still sore! I think I messed up my joint or something. It's still healing.

**andreasdevig** · 05-12-2022 12:39 AM

Originally Posted by Hilary

Yeah, actually it was my finger. And you know what? It's still sore! I think I messed up my joint or something. It's still healing.

I meant the time that you bit your daughter's finger. But I see. Sorry to hear that. It sounds very stressful to deal with both Corona and an injured joint.

**Hilary** · 05-12-2022 02:55 AM

Originally Posted by andreasdevig

I meant the time that you bit your daughter's finger. But I see. Sorry to hear that. It sounds very stressful to deal with both Corona and an injured joint.

Wow, you knew about that? Dang, thanks for reading my posts

I think that was like .. 2 years ago?

It's not that bad. I just complain a lot. :-)

**andreasdevig** · 05-12-2022 04:14 AM

Originally Posted by Hilary

Wow, you knew about that? Dang, thanks for reading my posts

I think that was like .. 2 years ago?

It's not that bad. I just complain a lot. :-)

Yeah Monkey told me about shared dreaming. And he showed me that thread. So I read that recently. A strange experience you had indeed.

Originally Posted by Hilary

It's not that bad. I just complain a lot. :-)

Hey, that's what the thread is for.

**Hilary** · 05-12-2022 02:34 PM

A funny story: the other day I could sense that my daughter (8) was up to no good. She was doing something clandestine in the bathroom. Usually, these activities are "science experiments", and often involve things like paint, shampoo, soap, and that one time she found an old unused diaper and tore out and hydrated the inner absorbent material all over the bathroom floor... So, I go in the bathroom after her.

Lori: "Mom! Stop smooching in the bathroom! Go out! Stop smooching!" [She meant "snooping"]

Turned out it wasn't too bad this time. She had acquired one of my Mom's orchid flowers and was trying to pin it into her hair.

**andreasdevig** · 05-12-2022 06:48 PM

You're very intuitive. I wish I could tap into my intuition like that. I feel so out of touch with my intuition.

**Hilary** · 05-12-2022 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by andreasdevig

You're very intuitive. I wish I could tap into my intuition like that. I feel so out of touch with my intuition.

Haha, thanks, but I just know my daughter.

**Lang** · 05-14-2022 12:37 AM

I slept on my arm wrong and ended up dreaming that I got shot in the shoulder blade. It still hurts.

But, I still managed to have 5 dreams, 4 non-lucids, and a Wake Initiated Lucid Dream, that night. Despite the pain and being really hot in my room.

**Hilary** · 05-24-2022 10:00 PM

Wow! I find this awesome app. It's called PictureThis. I hold up my phone to any plant and it identifies it for me (98% accuracy!!). To say I'm having a lot of fun with this today... WOULD BE A MASSIVE UNDERSTATEMENT!

I ate 3 smilax shoots, and can verify that they DO indeed taste just like green beans. Also! I found a LOQUAT tree! Wild!! AND... a Barbados Cherry bush!!

----- 5/21/22

Feeling really sick today. And my dad has been running a fever again, too. My son had a fever 10 days into covid, and other symptoms. It's like it goes away, comes back, goes away, comes back.. Honestly? When I was on the bus yesterday to go to Universal, my stomach was off even then, and my chest felt achey. I think this is Covid fallout.

Oh, and I haven't had an appetite since it first started. Oh yeah. And when I went to the dentist a couple days ago, they were concerned because apparently my blood pressure was really low. Not uncommon for me, but not surprising having had covid recently.

---------- 5/24/22

Work rant:

I was very annoyed today, which is rare. I had an IEP meeting that I had to run this morning, as usual. With a parent and all. Yesterday I was told by the testing coordinator that she would be needing my room for kids making up classes they failed. I told her that I would just need another place to run my meeting that is private. Then come this morning, I get another email from her (with principal, assistant principal CC'd) that she'd be taking my room for the remainder of the year. Again, I email back (CC'd as well) asking her what room I could host my IEP meetings in, and reminding her that it starts at 8:45 am this morning (aka, in 15 minutes).

Left high and dry with no place to host my meeting, kicked out of my room, and scrambling trying to find a place. Thankfully the speech therapist did not mind sharing her office with me today. That was nice.

I was so mad! But, happy ending. The idea of confronting her about this issue was scary to me. In the past I probably would have said nothing, but I was brave and went up to her office at the end of the day. I politely let her know that I really can't be scrambling to find a room, etc. Of course she said she forgot, got busy ,etc. But it's a big deal to me. Anyway, I felt like I effectively communicated the issue with her, without having any kind of argument. Just laying my boundary out there in a way that hopefully she understood. It felt very empowering!

And I think most likely in the future she will make a greater effort to make sure this doesn't happen again. If I hadn't spoken up, I'm sure it would have.

------- 5/28/22

Officially summer break

**Lang** · 05-29-2022 09:12 PM

Rant: I Slipped on a wet floor in our kitchen and my bird, Yahtzee laughed at me. Was very closed hitting my head on the counter. Twisted my leg. I'm just a little sore.

EDITED: Rant: My Leg is still hurts. I have a toothache.... The worse part is that I went to the store to get some stuff that need only to fine out when I got home that I lost it.

**Hilary** · 06-03-2022 08:56 PM

Outside: Rain rain rain rain rain rain. We're having a tropical storm. I love it.

**DarkestDarkness** · 06-07-2022 01:16 PM

A little annoyed I still haven't been able to finish writing up a new post I want to make. Mostly because I still need to do more attempts with a technique and I haven't had the time for it.