Five things I’m grappling with right now.
The general state of things. Ugh. The country is a dumpster fire. The world isn’t doing much better. Everything feels so fraught, and I constantly feel like I’m not doing enough to combat the horror… And Catherine O’Hara died and I’ve seen Waiting for Guffman so many times I can basically recite the whole movie, but her lines have always been the most fun to say. Corky we love you! We want you to live!
Local tragedy. Last Friday, during the nationwide walkouts, a highschooler was shot and killed here in San Francisco. My friend’s daughter knew her; she was also a sophomore at my friend’s daughter’s school. She was a sweet, vibrant, 15 year old that everyone loved, and now she’s dead, shot after she got into an altercation with someone at the protest, and was followed home. How exactly is one supposed to process that? I just have no idea.
Impending UESF Strike. San Francisco Unified School District teachers are striking next week. I, personally, have complicated feelings about it. Do I think teachers should be paid more? Yes, absolutely. Do I understand the district’s difficult financial situation as enrollment continues to decline? Also yes. I am very lucky that my kids are old enough to take care of themselves while we’re at work, so I don’t have to be writing sub plans for next week. But also, I want my kids to be in school learning and seeing their friends. I really hope the strike doesn’t last too long.
Superbowl city. Thank god the stadium is not ACTUALLY in San Francisco, but is instead about a 45 minute drive south, in Santa Clara. Even so, the city is going to be crazy this weekend and I am not looking forward to navigating said craziness. I know I’m a being a Grinch about this, but I don’t even like football, so having to be this hyper aware of an event I care nothing about, is exhausting.
My body. I’m definitely grappling with my body right now. How I look and feel. I tried a bike boot camp today, and thought I had avoided anything that would trigger shoulder pain or knee pain but ended up feeling both. I had to take off a pair of pants last minute earlier this week because they were just too tight. I just don’t feel comfortable most of the time, and I’m trying not to spiral about what the future is going to look like with possible chronic knee and shoulder injuries. I’m trying to take it one day at a time, but I have to admit, I’m struggling.
Have you watched Schitt’s Creek? It’s essential Catherine O’Hara viewing. You’ll have lots of new lines to use – “Fold in the cheese, David!”
As for the US dumpster fire, from this vantage point (Ontario, CAN) I don’t know how anyone down there is able to cope at all. I am finding it all too much so I can only imagine what you’re going through. These are strange times. For our part, we aren’t crossing the border at all until the US cleans up this mess. Here’s hoping it’s sooner rather than later!
I have watched Schitt’s Creek. Definitely one season, maybe two. And I definitely started watching because of my love for both Catherine O-Hara and Eugene Levy. It’s a great show.
Ugh, Noemi, any one of these would be hard, and you have all five at the same time. The crowning blow is your knee injury. Whenever things are really bad, I’m always super grateful when I can get out and run. If I have an injury, it’s a constant worry. So I’m sorry you’re dealing with that on top of everything else.
That’s TERRIBLE about the girl who was shot. I can’t even fathom what her parents are going through.
On a lighter note, I do care about football but I wouldn’t be happy either if the Super Bowl were here. Well, I would probably just try not to leave the house all weekend. As a matter of fact I probably won’t leave the house much this weekend anyway. Good luck with it!
Honestly, it’s the best case scenario of the Super Bowl being here, because the stadium is so far away. So the city is crazy with people and parties, but I feel like it would be way worse if the actual stadium were closer.
And yeah, to your point, I’ve been in a bad mood all week and I realized that part of the reason is that working out, my normal mental health booster, is super fraught right now with worry that I’m going to exacerbate my injuries. So not only am I not getting my normal mental health boost from working out, but it might actually be making my mental health worse! Blerg.
The sun rose, flowers bloomed, rivers flowed, grass grew, birds sang, snow fell, stars twinkled. And the news terrified & infuriated. The sky was blue. Sitting in the sunshine was warm. I feel very old.
Everything you write about is real. Deaths, strike, mobility in city, injuries and their long horizon impact. (I thought the 15 year old was innocent collateral bystander near 2 fighting teens.) I am old.
SO back to the refrain above: flowers bloom, birds sing, stars twinkle …. not sure snow will fall or rivers flow but the sun will rise again. For now I have shelter, hot and cold running water, food, and relative safety when I sleep.
Hope your body cooperates with PT and improves, so you heal thoroughly.
You help a lot, such a clear writer.
sun, flowers, grass, birds, river, snow, stars….. muttering over and over.
Thank you, as always, for both the validation and perspective. And very effective combo.
I heard of that shooting on the news, and wow, I am so sorry your friend’s daughter actually knew her… and what a tragedy.
I have a hard time processing the news myself these days. Everything feels so heavy and I feel so helpless.
I AM looking forward to the SuperBowl and Green Day’s performance.
The news is so heavy and so hard and I find myself getting numb, which I don’t want to do…
I’m definitely looking forward to the half time show! BAD BUNNY LET’S GOOOOOO!
It’s hard with the news these days and I feel you for the teacher strike. Our district had that before the holidays for a week. The teachers really deserve better pay but I think there needs to be a change in school funding to make it work long term.
I feel you on the body pains. I had sciatica for a long time and it’s so ,uch better now but it still flares up every couple of weeks.
You’re right that there needs to be a change in school funding to make it work long term. And I know other, bigger, unions are planning to strike soon, like LA Unified. Maybe the state will start to listen. Doubtful, but that is where the funding changes really need to happen.
I’m sorry you deal with sciatica. My sister had it for a while and it sounds awful. There are so many things in our bodies that can cause pain!
We are in our contract negotiation year and our board of es has been more than uncooperative. Not sure if we will get to a strike but we may.
I am sorry you are struggling. The world is shit right now. Hugs friend.
HUGS! The world is shit. For sure.
That shooting is so very unsettling and horrifying. Heartbreaking. I hope you hunker down at home with some good snacks and at least enjoy that part of the superbowl. 😉
The body pain – eek, that’s not easy, my PT husband says motion is lotion. Maybe don’t overdo it right now. I’ve not seen Waiting for Guffman and now I look forward to it. I loved her and I cannot believe she passed away – too soon.
Let me know what you think of Waiting for Guffman! It’s, in my opinion, the best of the Christopher Guest mockumentaires (Best in Show, A Mighty Wind), but it was also the first and a little rougher around the edges. I think it’s a masterpiece.
I hadn’t heard that the student who was killed was followed home, that’s horrible. I mean, it’s horrible no matter what, but that makes it more deliberate and evil in a way. I’m so sorry.
The good news about the Super Bowl is that maybe things will be calm DURING, if you want to go to the grocery store or whatever.
The world right now is a dumpster fire, isn’t it? Every day is some new low, when I don’t think we can go any lower. One sign I see at the local protests that I like says “WE ARE NOT OK”
We are not okay. It’s so simple and so true.