I started at the beginning of May with a 1 sec every day picture/video post. It's fun to look back on the previous month and see what great things happened throughout the month. I like to post them on Twitter, as well, just to share in the good vibes. I plan on sticking with it each month to help with my positive affirmations each month. This is the end of May 2020. You can get the app here and start recording your affirmations each month.
Five Simple Things (May 29)
Hello.
Wow, what a week! From the Coronavirus pandemic (over 100,000 deaths in the United States alone), and a new strain of the virus. But, a few counties are able to move into Phase 2 of reopening, and now with the death of George Floyd, there's a lot of negative going on. I just don't even know where all of the negativity in the world if coming from. People are so self-absorbed and blind by other people's suffering. It's almost like people go day-to-day with blinders on and can't even see what's in front of them. Jeff said that he was at the store getting supplies and a woman he said, was literally screaming at the store manager and two officers about how they were forcing her to wear a face mask for a made up virus to control her. There's a lot to unpack with that one statement, but the main one, she's clearly not okay in her mental state. Two, stores are private property. If they required you to wear a clown costume while shopping, you damn sure better wear a clown costume. I don't think people realize that no one is forcing anyone to shop at that location and you have to abide by their rules. Same as with your house. If you wanted everyone that came to your house to remove their shoes, that is your choice to make in your own home, even if you RENT. As with the George Floyd murder, the protests here have really picked up. I agree that something needs to change. Police need to be retrained in some areas, sure, but holding your knee onto a man's upper back and neck area for over nine minutes while he is saying he can't breathe, is wrong on so many levels. I do believe that policeman (former policeman) is going to face some serious charges. I watched the video, it's heartbreaking. It's not only heartbreaking, it's disgusting. I feel bad for the bystanders having to stand there and not be able to do anything. I hope they are doing okay, too. I guess we'll see YET AGAIN, how this black man's murder plays out. It's so disheartening to know that people, put in a position to serve and protect us, take our lives and our existence so lightly. Black, Hispanic, Native, Asian, and even white... I've had my own experiences with the city police here about three summers ago. A K9 officer and another officer belittled, and bullied me over trying to get help for a neighbor's dog that had been given a large dose of pain medication (by accident). As a K9 officer for the city, this policeman proceeded to tell me, "cops don't care about animals." What a dumbass thing to say as a K9 officer. I stood in the lobby of the police department and had to listen him tell me I was a poor citizen for trying to save this poor animal and that I should be arrested. I just couldn't believe it. Only thing these two policeman did was make a law abiding citizen hate city police and not trust them ever again. I will never give my time, energy, or even respect to the city police here because of that one incident. And, that's all thanks to that one policeman and his need to feel in power by his badge. I really do hope karma gets him, but I hope it's not in a way similar to George Floyd, but with this shitty attitude, I wouldn't be surprised. Here are five things this week to help pull back some of the positives.
1. These Flowers.
Walk along South Santiam River
Skylar and I decided to take a bit of a hike into the back areas of the city and through the woods to the South Santiam River. There's a park at the end of the walk and eventually the city has plans to pave a walking path, as part of the Build Lebanon Trails project, but for not it's either bark mulch, or gravel. It was a nice day and we walked slower than normal, because I'm not very fast right now, and once we reached the river, we weren't disappointed in the view.
Five Simple Things (May 22)
Hope you are well. We've had quite a time here lately with things. I had my three month checkup last week and since then I've had a lot of random pain. Starting to feel myself again and slowly coming off pain medication. I was on pain medication throughout the day, then went to having it just at night to sleep, and now I'm able to sit up without excruciating pain, and not needing as much pain medication. I am happy about that, because it's made me a little sick after eating. I finished my antibiotic and my other medications I was on, so that's a plus, too. I'm not on a multivitamin with extra iron. I've been getting up more and moving around and actually sitting on a stole in the bathtub and bathing the lower parts of my body and slowly washing the upper parts. Jeff and Skylar actually helped me wash my hair this week, too, so that felt great. I'm slowly getting back to normal and it feels wonderful. Oh, another thing, I was able to sit up long enough to be able to wash my bedding, too. Things are looking up, as far as this house goes, but with the rest of the state, and world, it looks very sad. As of right now, there's been over 95,000 deaths in the state of Oregon. That is just incredible to me. Of course, people die every day, but that amount of people in that short of time is sad. Slowly counties are able to enter a Phase 1 and reopen things slowly. Hopefully, people will still abide by the mask mandate and keep distance. Jeff and Skylar are still being cautious with coming and going from our own house. I am still very vulnerable and they are doing a great job at keeping me safe. Here are five things from this week.
1. This Basin.