My Daily Struggle in the COVID-19 Lockdown

I returned to work this week. The COVID-19 restrictions did not change. I missed two clients getting seriously ill however. Another one must self quarantine for two weeks because he visited a state with a resurgence of COVID-19. At least he is accepting of it. Another one said that he would refuse to honor the quarantine--as if he had a choice. It has been one week since I stopped attending my previous church. I turned in the key to the more decent member of the "ruling family." If I had to give it to the first person who asked for it, I would have sinned. The latter man has one of the worst attitudes I have ever seen in a church. He is disrespectful and domineering. Maybe he is trying to compensate for something he feels is missing, or maybe he needs surgery to remove the large bone from his head. At any rate, this good-old boy is one of the causes of a dying church. Such pettiness and phariseeism have no place in a church or any Christian group. It drives people away and...

Today was very sultry! Fortunately, I was able to spend most of the time indoors. When I got up this morning, after taking care of an unpleasant errand, I went to Panera Bread and did some writing on my book. I was able to get much accomplished since I had gotten many messages and texts. I received two comments about my post from yesterday. One person told me to "judge not, lest ye be judged, " and another accused me of gossiping and being one-sided. First the former comment. So many people, young and old, conservative and liberal, misquote that passage from the Gospel of John, seventh chapter. They do this to keep people from confronting them about their sins and because they are not interested in changing. Many will use their legal protected classes statuses for this, and many will use their youth or old age. People get tired of this from others. Those who are protected eventually are targeted, and while recalcitrant children eventually get the rod, elderly "good old...

Summer began today! Though the rain and the clouds made it difficult to notice, today was the longest day of the year. Tomorrow, I plan to go to church and then hurry home so The Wife can take me to the train station. Then, it's off to the monastery. I am really looking forward to the serenity and spiritual healing. Again, I plan to continue writing my blog while I am gone, internet access permitting. Good news and bad news for Chicago. First the good news. Starting Monday, the bars will be open, and indoor seating will be allowed once again--with restrictions. Is it possible that Olive Garden will break down and take reservations? Now, the bad news. A three-year-old boy was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in the Austin neighborhood tonight. Disgusting. It does not even matter that the boy was not the target. If you are going to kill someone, at least be a man, get out of the car, and face your target. Don't open fire from a moving vehicle! What, do you think a bul...

It's vacation time! I was even able to leave early today. Hurrah! It's also Juneteenth! I arose this morning, added the red, black, and green flag just below the American flag on my car antenna, and I said the African-American pledge of allegiance. I am sure people are wondering what the African-American Pledge of Allegiance is and why we have it. First, here is the the answer to the first question. The African-American Pledge of Allegiance We pledge allegiance of the red, black and green Our flag, the symbol of our eternal struggle and to the land we must obtain. As for the second question, such a pledge, which is one of several for the same purpose, is mean to unify people for the sake of a common need and a common identity. Alas, African-Americans have a rich culture that is different from African or even Caribbean cultures. There are certain things that African Americans understand about each other that are foreign to all others, while there are things ...

To the quacks and the TWA doctors out there, I have a simple request. Would you kindly leave my clients alone? One of the people I have worked with for a long time has severe cancer, along with other health problems. She has been very trustworthy and polite with her doctors, and and with me. Still, she has a cancer that could have been treated effectively with a simple, routine test. A long time ago, she had a blood test result that came back abnormal, but a certain number was not high enough to be cancer even though it was higher than normal. Considering how my client always went to her medical appointments, and always complied with treatment, it could have been prevented with a little monitoring. Guess what that no-account doctor did? Nothing! And then, under the Obama regime, the "experts" said that such tests were not necessary to conduct annual as before, so she went years without this test. Then, when Trump became President, the test was given annually again. That is ...

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...

Went to church today. I was glad to see people there to worship and were not too afraid or "uncomfortable" to come inside. We had a decent service. Short, but decent. I am going to be on vacation in one week. Hallelujah! I can't wait to get on the train and go to the monastery for a few days. I still don't care to celebrate my birthday, but if my mother or my family want to do something, I'll go with them.  I also learned some good news today.Illinois has had the lowest COVID-19 dead count since April. That is such a blessing and a beacon hope. They will find a vaccine soon enough, and COVID-19 will be like a bad dream. Isn't God good? Now for some enlightening news. Someone videotaped the burning of Wendy's in Atlanta after Rayshard Books. Guess who lit the match? You guessed it: a White woman. She could be from Antifa White supremacists groups who want to frame African Americans, but many of these rioters are undoubtedly from BLM. Alas, they fit t...

I received some good news today. First, I am no longer exiled from my office. I can start working on-site again. Hallelujah! There are still things I cannot do, such as drive clients and stay in enclosed spaces with them, but I will be able to have my office again. In the words of Mabel Simmons: "Halleluyer! Praise de Lort!" 😁 More good news: my church can start worshiping inside now, with social distancing of course. I have seen it done, and it will work. It has worked. I know that there are others who are still uncomfortable coming inside, but it is time. The virus is being controlled, we have been taught what viruses can and cannot cling to and for how long. Besides, other churches just as small as us are letting people inside with the same rules, and these churches have vulnerable people too: elderly, sick, et cetera. Another thing: summer is coming, and Chicago summers can be extremely hot. It was in the 80's and 90's in late May even. Do we want our clergy to...

Another rough day. Do you know what warfare tactic Shaka Zulu introduced to Southern Africa? It was called "impi" in which his soldiers would charge and surround the enemy in the shape of a bull's horns. The enemy would become surprised to find themselves so quickly surrounded by the enemy to a point where they could not escape and could only fight or die. That is how I have felt today in particular. It felt as if everyone were attacking me in some way: people at work, people from church, all of society, and even at home. I am tired of fighting. I am tired of needing to explain myself. Not that anyone would listen anyway. People are just so full of talk that they are deaf to the words of others. It's like I cannot do anything right. It feels that every mistake I do is placed on a billboard and taught to parrots to constantly repeat. What bothers me the most is that those who do the least have the most to say. They are the most critical. They will not volunteer to do...

Today was a mixed bag. We had another good service outside, even though we had issues with the sound system. For those who are unaware, moving an entire sound system is hard work. You must position speaks in a way that people can be heard, plug in cables to each of them, make sure there are enough microphones, and find a power supply for everything, all whilst organizing things so that no one trips. Trust me, preparing outdoor services is no picnic, and if the slightest thing goes wrong, someone will come over to complain. People seem to  be so quick to complain, yet it never occurs to them that people are trying their best. This is why it is difficult to get people to commit to volunteering. After all, if you are only going to get a finger wagged at you at every mistake, why bother? This reminds me of the story of an old man, his son, and their donkey. They had just harvested their crops for the year, and they placed their finished product in a cart and hitched up their donkey. ...

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 ...

Another rough day. They had this call-in meeting at work, and we talked about the latest events with a few speakers and the CEO. The meeting was okay for a while, but then this speaker, an educated woman, said that the riots had to happen. When she said this, I ended the call. I could not bear to listen to her anymore. I have heard people trivialize the damages and losses of those whose businesses were looted and vandalized by bringing up the 99th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre. I have no patience for such people. Let me tell you about the Tulsa Race Massacre that started on June 1st, 1921. A group of armed veterans tried to protect themselves from an angry lynch mob. As a result, the lynch mob shot and killed African-Americans randomly, burning down the entire neighborhood. This lynch mob hated the fact that Blacks were doing better than them and needed the slightest excuse take away all they have earned. I have done much research on this, and I wrote a novel about it . The ...

This was a bad day. All over the country today, even if my hometown, Chicago, there is rioting. Yes, some areas have peaceful protests where police officers have even joined them, but in Chicago, its suburbs, such as North Riverside, Tinley Park, Orland Park, etc, as well as Atlanta, New York, Dallas, Los Angeles, Seattle, Phoenix, and, of course, Minneapolis, people are burning buildings, firebombing police cars, throwing things at officers, turning over vehicles, spray painting, and so forth. There was even a demonstration across the pond, in London! Many news networks still call these punks "protesters, so allow me to summarize what I wrote last night: While some of these rioters and looters are opportunists or more violent factions of BLM, there is much evidence that White supremacists have provoked the protesters, and Antifa has taken a great hand in hijacking peaceful demonstrations, turning them into riots. This is why the President has declared them a terrorist org...

Before I begin, I want to correct myself on one thing. I kept calling the subject of the rioters George Lloyd, when his name is George Floyd. My apologies. What started as a protest last Tuesday has turned into a violent national free-for-all. In the middle of all of this, everyone continues to point fingers at everyone else. If it is not the President, it is the entire police force, the prosecutors, or the progressives. There were even acts of violence in downtown Chicago today, forcing Mayor Lightfoot to impose a curfew "until further notice." If I must blame someone, I blame the "progressives" for encouraging people to fight belligerently for their rights but ignore their responsibilities. I blame the Democratic party for making empty promises to ethnic minorities and for caring more about sexual minorities and women who want to kill unborn children than about true understanding and mutual respect. I blame the White supremacists who taught Chauvin that, in th...

An angry world has become angrier. A frightened world just became more frightened. Minneapolis is on fire, and looters follow angry protesters, ruining what could be a noble movement. People express bitterness against the police--those who are sworn to serve and protect. While some officers uphold their oath, others choose to serve their hatred and protect their egos on steroids. As a result, Mayor Frey is demanding the arrest of the villainous swine who lynched George Lloyd. Every single organization with an agenda has expressed outrage. Conservative groups, liberal groups, religious leaders, actors, singers, and politicians finally have something in common: they have seen a gross injustice, and they are outraged. Even with all the sadly ironic division during the pandemic, only now are people starting to hold hands and sing kumbaya. All it took was the murder of a Black man. I'm glad it is finally happening, but how long will it have the right effect? Who will ruin it, like the...

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...

So, the good news is, the issue with Big Syl is not the compressor. Halleluyah! It appears to be electrical. They need another day, however, to find and resolve the problem, so I won't get my car back until tomorrow. More good news: the death toll for COVID-19 is the lowest it has been in a month. Yes, it does seem as if the virus is being controlled. So far, it seems that the move to Phase 3 on Friday is inevitable.  In retrospect, when the nation determines what the "new normal" will be after a vaccine or treatment is approved, they need to create laws to stop people from neglecting to cover their mouths in public areas when they cough or sneeze. We need to outlaw such carelessness of people. To take it a step further, schools must start making sure their students, even kindergartners, are aware of preventative measures. Additionally, all child care providers must either send sick children home or keep them in isolation. Workplaces must either provide sick pay for t...

I had a good worship at church today. We did a drive in service, and people formed a circle with their cars. It just made me want to burst out singing: "Oh, may the circle be unbroken by and by, Lord, by and by..." It was a warm and sunny day, and I needed to hold onto an umbrella to avoid getting overheated. An argument between a few people almost but a damper on the beautiful day as a few people had gotten into an argument about who is the right authority on social distancing and COVID-19, and so on. This damned virus is driving everyone crazy. Not just the virus, but fearmongering politicians, media, and "experts". I see truth in what each of them say, but not full truth. Besides, none of them truly know everything, so we must stop behaving as if their words are gospel. I am unaware if any of you have experienced this yet, but when I wear a mask too long, I start having trouble breathing. At first, I thought it was too much fat in my midsection, and then I thou...

Today was an interesting day. First, I was expecting a package to be redelivered today, but the mail never came. Now I will have to wait until Tuesday to receive the package. Blimey! Yes, I know that COVID-19 slows down everything, so I will just need to be patient. I am going to feel guilty if the postal workers are working tomorrow, a Sunday. Second, I took my minivan in for an oil change and to have them check the air conditioner. When I turn the air conditioner on, it only blows warm air. I had to spend all of last summer, the world's hottest summer on record, without air conditioning in my car. They had to recharge the car with freon, but the compressor would not start. They need to hold onto Big Syl until Monday so that they can rule out electric wiring. I can never catch a break, it seems. Why must life be so difficult for innocent people and for people who try? I so hope it is not the compressor because I have already put so much money to essentially rebuild the car. If...

Hello, friends! So, I have gotten a total of 5 responses to my survey, all of them recommending that I keep writing the survey,and 4 of these recommending I keep writing this blog  until the end of Phase 4. Four out of five are responses from my biggest fans, plus some of the few people I allow to give me a hard time (though one rarely does; she knows who she is). One is an art teacher who took an interest in me as a child; she would always shake her head and ask me, "What am I going to do with you?"So, while I have not officially made up my mind, I will most likely keep writing this blog. Since The Wife does not like beards, She-sits-by-the-hearth recommended removing the beard after Phase 2 ends--to put my wife out of her misery. So, as long as she is good, I will oblige her. 😀 Let's get back to that church bombing for a moment. I was able to speak to the pastor of that church, First Pentecostal of Holly Spring, Mississippi. They are not going to let terrorism stop...