• July Check-in

    Sunday, August 1, 2021 Permalink 0

    Well, masks are back! The un-muzzling lasted about a month and a half. My office and my yoga studio re-initiated mandates. And at the CDC recommendation, I’m voluntarily wearing one indoors.   It makes me cranky! I’ve been living a limited life for 16 months. I’ve sheltered-in-place, worked from home, and gone without seeing friends and ...

  • June Check-In

    Saturday, July 3, 2021 Permalink 0

    July 3, 2021 Happy Independence Day!  Our freedom celebration is particularly relevant this year, especially to us vaccinated folk! After a year and half of self isolation, I’m back out in the world. Chicago opened up officially in early June. Restaurants are welcoming people back at full capacity. Masks are optional for the vaccinated. My condo restrictions ...

  • May Check-In

    Saturday, June 5, 2021 Permalink 0

    What a difference a month makes as a fully vaccinated person!!  May has been pretty damn glorious especially considering I spent May 2020 locked-down and primarily in isolation. I’m enjoying the unmasked big outdoors. And I have also been unmasked in family and friends indoor gatherings. I’m still masked inside public places, including; stores, restaurants, my ...

  • March and April 2021 Check-in

    Saturday, May 1, 2021 Permalink 0

    May 1, 2021 Yesterday, I took my walk outside without a mask. This is something I have not done in Chicago in over 410 days. I strolled past plenty of folks still wearing their masks outside. Although I had several twinges of guilt, I am following recent CDC guidelines. And it felt pretty damn great to ...

  • February Check-in

    Monday, March 1, 2021 Permalink 0

    March 1, 2021 Thank God February is a short month… because it was a rough one.  Here comes the venting….  The pandemic hit the 500,000 death milestone. Illinois was recognized as THE worst state for percentage population vaccinated. As coronavirus was ever looming in the background, centerstage I had three friends die. They were all gentlemen in their ...

  • January Check-in

    Tuesday, February 2, 2021 Permalink 0

    February 2, 2021 Day 334 of a pandemic 41 hours of being ‘locked in place’ Happy Groundhog Day! Although I’d like to go outside to see if I can see my shadow, I’m on lock down. Nope, it doesn’t have anything to do with the pandemic, quarantine or a travel restriction. I’m sealed in to my home due to ...

  • November and December Check-in

    Monday, January 4, 2021 Permalink 0

    January 4, 2021 Day 302 of a pandemic Day 7 of a 10 day travel quarantine Well, I was hoping election night would give me the solace that I have been seeking for four long years.  It didn’t! Still, I felt surprisingly pretty good the next day. Preliminary results were favoring Biden/Harris. To quote Trump (2016), it would ...

  • September and October Check-In

    Sunday, November 1, 2020 Permalink 0

    November 1, 2020 Day 237 of a pandemic Day 8 of a 14 day quarantine Last Sunday, my dear friend James and I spent thirty minutes in my car together. We went to see a house decorated for Halloween. The next morning he called to tell me his sister tested positive for COVID-19. He had seen that sister ...

  • July and August Check-In

    Tuesday, September 1, 2020 Permalink 0

    Day 176 Between the 3 Ps (pandemic, protests, politics), I wrestle with low grade depression (like Michelle Obama) and medium to high grade rage (depending on the daily lies and manipulation  coming out of the Trump administration).  Emotionally, I’m frayed. Still, unlike millions of Americans, physically I’m fine. I am employed. I can work from home. ...

  • May and June Check-In

    Saturday, July 4, 2020 Permalink 0

    Happy 4th of July!! Although it’s our nation’s birthday, our celebration of independence is slightly tainted by the looming pandemic. COVID-19 rages through our country. Without a unified national response, USA has 25% of the world’s coronavirus deaths. This is such a dark moment in our 244 year history. Oh America, put a mask on! I’m ...