Category Archives: Flotsam / Jetsam

Bandwagons, Flotsam / Jetsam

A farewell to 2020

It’s the All & Sundry year-end review!

What did you do in 2020 that you’d never done before?

Ordered curbside pick-up for my groceries. 

Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Last year’s resolution was “to try to feel more at home in my body.” I’m not sure how I did with that, and I’m not making another resolution.

Did anyone close to you give birth?

I don’t believe so.

Did anyone close to you die?

Yes. My mother-in-law passed away in November.

What countries did you visit?

I’ve been doing this end-of-year wrap-up since 2006, and this is the first time I had something to report. Isn’t it ironic? Rockford and I went to Mexico for a music festival in January, and it was marvelous. 

What would you like to have in 2021 that you lacked in 2020?

Last year I said, “A greater sense of calm.” Haaaaa-ha-ha-ha. In 2021, I’m hoping to get a COVID vaccine and to be able to see my extended family.

What dates from 2020 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

There are several, for not-great reasons.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Getting through it.

What was your biggest failure?

I’m not counting up failures this year.

Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing major.

What was the best thing you bought?

A bidet.

Where did most of your money go?

The mortgage.

What did you get really excited about?

The election and the COVID vaccine.

What song will always remind you of 2020?

“Reincarnation.” Jeff Tweedy and his family have been live-streaming “The Tweedy Show” on instagram around four nights a week since March, and I’ve watched all but two episodes. They started playing “Reincarnation” as their closing song early on.

What do you wish you’d done more of?

Four years in a row, I said more family hikes. I’m not saying it again this year. 

What do you wish you’d done less of?

Last year I said “Worrying.” I am once again laughing at my past self. Even so, I’m hoping to have less anxiety in 2021.

How did you spend Christmas?

At home, quietly. 

What was your favorite TV program?

We loved watching “The Mandalorian” as a family again this year, and I’ve also been enjoying “The Durrells in Corfu.”

What were your favorite books of the year?

“Hamnet” by Maggie O’Farrell

“Deacon King Kong” by James McBride

“How Much of these Hills is Gold” by C. Pam Zhang

“The Stormlight Archive” by Brandon Sanderson

“The Big Year” by Mark Obmascik

“Here for It; Or, How to Save Your Soul in America” by R. Eric Thomas

“Jubilee” by Margaret Walker

What was your favorite music from this year?

Jeff Tweedy’s “Love is the King” and Fleet Foxes’ “Shore.”

What were your favorite films of the year?

I did not see a lot of new movies this year, but I loved “Soul.” I think it would’ve been near the top even if I had been able to go to the movies this year.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 42 this year, and it was the day my mother-in-law went back into the hospital for the last time. Not a great day.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

C’mon, survey. I’m not answering this one.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2019?

Comfort.

blessings, Flotsam / Jetsam, Homeschool

It’s pandemic time!

I’m trying to do a little bit of journaling every day during these weird, anxiety-laden times, and I thought perhaps I’d share a little of that with you.

Back to homeschooling, sort of

The kids’ schools are closed for the next two weeks at least, and today was our first day of pandemic homeschooling. The schools are planning “Virtual Days.” They aren’t starting that until Wednesday, though — in part because not all of the students had taken their school-issued laptops home with them on Friday — so today we just winged it.

Poppy had an essay to finish on “Lord of the Flies” for English class, so she worked on that for part of the morning. Pete and I, meanwhile, read an article in Scholastic magazine about Jordan Reeves, a young lady who made a confetti-shooting prosthetic arm with a 3D printer. He also watched an episode of “Marvel’s Hero Project” about Jordan, and then he made a short comic about another hero, Chef Jose Andres, who seems to fly in to every natural disaster to provide food and encouragement. Later we all did a chemistry experiment (three cheers for MEL Chemistry!) and watched an art video on Google Arts & Culture.

Adventures in e-Learning

I’ve been volunteering as an ESL tutor since November, and yesterday the organization I work with announced that they were canceling all in-person tutoring for the time being. I only have one student, and she suggested we try to continue our lessons over WhatsApp. So I downloaded it and we gave it a try this morning. We had a few hiccups — all technical difficulties on my part — but I think it’ll be a fine way for us to continue for a few weeks. (Although I am, of course, not convinced this will be over in just a few weeks. I’m consistently pessimistic, at least.)

The bright side

Everything is just worlds of anxiety, and I’ve been struggling with small, daily panic attacks for the last few days. I’m trying to be optimistic, though, so let’s talk about some things I was grateful for today.

  • Our chemistry experiment was a lot of fun.
  • Dinner was delicious. I made mini Korean meatloaves with roasted broccoli and mashed sweet potatoes. The meatloaves and broccoli were from an eMeals menu a few months ago.
  • The kittens were all stretched out and sleeping peacefully on my bed this afternoon when I went back to spend a little time in a quiet, dark room trying not to panic.
  • I talked to my dad for a bit this afternoon, and he’s doing well.
  • “Britain’s Best Home Cook” on Hulu.
    • Flotsam / Jetsam, National Blog Posting Month

    Two things that happened this weekend

    Let me tell you about the two funniest things that happened to me this weekend.

    1

    My brother’s dog is a labradoodle, and the place they board her when they go out of town asked if they’d be interested in breeding her. So they did, and a few months ago she had seven puppies. The breeder has two puppies left, and she’s now offering them at a significant discount. I texted some friends who’d expressed interest to let them know, and I got a text back that said “Who is this?” Turns out I’d transposed two of the numbers in one of the phone numbers. I apologized and jokingly told the wrong-number guy I knew where he could get a discounted labradoodle if he was interested. And he was. This will be my favorite wrong number story if he ends up buying a puppy.

    2

    Poppy has been watching a lot of old episodes of “Saturday Night Live,” and she has justly fallen in love with Stefan. She keeps saying “This place has everything!” and tagging “Dan Cortese” to the end of the list of wonderful features of whatever she’s describing. We’ve been talking this weekend about places we might like to go for spring break, and I made the kids brochures for the places we’d discussed. (I know.) On the intro for the Pittsburgh brochure, I wrote “This place has everything! Museums, baseball, Dan Cortese!” This evening Poppy said something about it, and I wondered what Dan Cortese is up to these days. So I looked him up, and it turns out he was born in a suburb of Pittsburgh! That place really does have everything!