My Daily Struggle in the COVID-19 Lockdown

Last week of work before vacation. Huzzah! I'll still go to my Saturday job, though. That's a cakewalk compared to social work, and I get free pastries! I probably should go easy on the pastries though. I already have the gut of a woman who is 5 months pregnant. Just kidding! I bought my tickets to the monastery, I confirmed my itinerary with the Reverend Father, and it is all settled. It is going to be great to get away for a few days, to be in the middle on nowhere and commune with the Lord in contemplation and reflection. In actuality, I knew about this place for over 10 years, but this is my first time going. It was my plan that, if I were not married by 40, I would settle all debts and join a Lutheran monastery. Well, that didn't happen, but the principles of a monk have not really departed from me. In fact, I consider myself sort of an independent friar. Both monks and friars take similar vows, but friars do not separate themselves from society. Instead, they serv...

Today was fine for a Monday. There are still protests going on, but thankfully, there are no riots. The National Guard did a good job of eradicating the violence. If only they called sooner, especially in Minneapolis. That city is wrecked. Some of the protesters are still demanding the defunding of the police force. Now the Mayor of New York, De Blasio, has promised to give them what they want. Yes, you read that correctly. The Mayor of New York plans to defund law enforcement. First, that is not a call he can make. He can recommend and sign bills into law, but it is up to the Council to make such laws. Either he is too easily slept away by emotions, or he remembers that he is up to reelection. At any rate, his ability to show leadership is constantly found wanting. He cares only about pleasing lobbyists and cultural elites. His regime as of late has only fostered division instead of unity. For a large and overcrowded city like New York, reducing the police force will only create dis...

Today was slightly better. I had to deal with a client who is chronically sick who is starting to reject treatment necessary to live. This same client is going mad from cabin fever since he cannot safely go out until the pandemic ends. I hope we can get him back on track; I don't need another client dying on me. I am just tired. I am so glad that my vacation is coming up. I am excited about getting on the train and going to the monastery for a few days. I have been longing to go to a place that is far away from everyone and everything. My peace of mind continues to slip out of my grasp, and I want it back. I want to feel sane again. At least I had a chance to get a portion of normal back tonight. My Working Stiffs Bible Study reconvened. It was great to have the Bible study with my group again. Even The Wife (sorry, Kristaleh; this is just my writing style) and our Vicar came. I will be returning to my Saturday job this week, and I will be able to fika again with She Sits by the ...

Macchiavelli. Those who have taken Humanities in college have learned at least a little about Niccolo Machiavelli. He was a Renaissance diplomat who taught his contemporaries how to maintain power yet extend mercy and reason. One thing I remember most about him is how he asserts it is better to be feared than hated, which is why you can execute a man's father for a petty crime, and he might forgive you as long as you leave his inheritance alone. Hence, Machiavelli was, if anything else, a pragmatist. He was ruled by reason. I have seen little pragmatism in the George Lloyd matter this week. Before I continue, I want to commend the many police chiefs across the country who have condemned this hate crime and called it what it is: murder. Now, I wish to denounce Hal Marx, the mayor of Petal, Mississippi, who said, "if you can talk, you can breathe," referring to George Lloyd's last words. Has this man even graduated high school? Seriously?! It does not take an asth...

I am going to digress a from my usual topic to discuss a topic that has really upset me. By now, you know what I am talking about when I tell you about the name George Lloyd and the city Minneapolis. This is a man who was murdered by Derek Chauvin, the Klansman in blue, in broad daylight and on film. Yes, he was resisting arrest. Yes, he probably was passing counterfeit bills. Still, there are ways a belligerent perpetrator can be detained and transported without chokeholds, which have been proven to be unnecessary and deadly. I have even seen footage of a man with a weapon apprehended without injury to either party. Therefore, there is no reason an unarmed man should be killed by one officer, with the blessing of three other officers. There is no reason why a cop should kneel on a man for five minutes, FIVE MINUTES, especially when the man stops resisting. Especially when he is pleading for his life, saying "I can't breathe! Everything hurts!" Don't believe me? Wat...