Pliers and Covid, All the Jobs and Some Dating

Pliers are a wondrous tool. I mean aside from using them to build or repair something, which I don’t really do, I use them to open the stubborn corks of Mum sparkling rose and most recently to get the lid off a plum eyeliner I just purchased. I tried many times over two days to get the lid off with just my hands. It was impossible. Was it glued on? I grabbed the pliers and still had to work but voila! It came off.

I don’t even wear makeup that often. – much to my mother’s displeasure. She doesn’t usually leave her bedroom without makeup. It was the way she was raised. It was the way I was raised – I chose to ignore it. I remember as a junior in high school on a Saturday in the fall, I ran down the stairs, ponytail in place, no makeup, jeans, keys in hand. Mom asked where I was going. I said the mall. She was aghast. “Like that?” My thinking was – why get dressed up and fix my hair and put makeup on to go the mall for a pair of shoes for the dance and then come home and get ready all over again?

I don’t wear makeup during the day usually because I work from home unless I have a video meeting – and then not always. I don’t wear makeup to go for a run or to go play hockey. I don’t put it on to walk to Wake Up Marco or to go to the grocery store. I don’t wear makeup to go to the beach. You’ll usually find me in running shorts and a tank top. But you know what, when I do dress up or even casual with makeup, it’s special. You’re worth the effort – dinner out with friends or a date; dinner with my parents when they are in town; church; a party, etc. You get the point.

Of course, there for a while, no one was going anywhere so we were all in sweatpants, no bra, no makeup. We went days without washing our hair. Covid. All the covid. And it’s still here.

Life has improved of course. Most of us decided to take the chances and start going places. For me and many of my friends, it was after vaccination, but we’re careful. We have our regular people we hang out with, and we all know vaccination status, stance, and antibody level practically. We know when someone is sick and we watch out for each other. There have been a lot of adventures and fun this year and conquering of fears (I snorkeled in Aruba and didn’t’ panic!) and taking chances with the heart – kind of.

I have had some visitors and taken some trips – I’m on a plane right now. I play hockey regularly and see my friends. I was sick recently and got a covid test (may be my 14th or something since this disease hit the States). I didn’t have covid but I did have a nasty virus (yep, the other viruses are still here too), as did several friends. We’re not sure who patient zero was. Glad that’s over. Sadly, it kept me from getting to Kentucky to see my family. Sisters were home. Grandaddy is not well, and Dad is recovering from major back surgery. I made it to Nashville and had to get on a plane and go back to Florida. That was a fun day.

In other news: there are home updates!

I have countertops! Kind of. I ordered butcher block counter tops a few months ago after my friend Matt (contractor, Brendan, Karl, Mosely, and I stayed with him and wife Anita during Hurricane Irma in 2017) measured for me and told me what I should pay. He also took some wood I had to build the base of an island for the piece I bought for it. They came in and are sitting in my living room because Matt isn’t talking to me. He got mad at me way back in May or June after we had a text misunderstanding about some blinds in a friends’ condo. A condo he and I remodeled together for my dad’s friend. The friend died and his wife sold the condo. Matt made friends with the new owners and wanted some info about the blinds. I didn’t get it to him right away and suggested they look up how to reset the remote instead of contacting the company. He hasn’t spoken to me, answered an email or text since then. I don’t understand it. Anyone have a miter saw and want to help me?????

I think that’s the only tangible home news. Oh, except that a few months ago, I broke every single wine glass and champagne flute (except one) that I owned. It was startling and tragic in an each-of-these-has-a-story first-world kind of way. Of course, it happened in a spectacularly Kyle kind of way. I was cleaning my kitchen and decided to move the entire wine glass rack that sat on top of a buffet in my kitchen – without taking the wine glasses off. I thought it was sturdy enough to move to the other side of the buffet. I hadn’t realized my floor isn’t even (I should have – I have dropped an entire bottle of wine and watched the red juice flow downhill into the bathroom). The rack I had moved to the other side of the buffet slid quickly but also felt like slow motion off the buffet and onto the floor. There were tears.

Among the projects on my long list that have been sitting around for many many months are the following: I have a faucet I need to install in my master bath because the one in there leaks. I can do this. I must make the time. I have tile for when I finally take the carpet off my stairs and out of the bedrooms and hallway. I don’t know how to do either of these things, but I do have a nice sharp knife to take the carpet up. I know what color I want to paint my bedroom and one living room wall. Need to buy the paint and make the time to put it on the walls. There are many photos I want to put on the other wall going up the stairs to match one wall with photos. And there are so many things I want to do to my lanai. I have the carpet squares to put down. I want some shelving and then I want to make the open space my yoga/workout space. So many plans. So much other work to do. I’m not complaining; I do a lot of playing too – whether running and yoga (though I’m a teacher so it’s also a job), playing hockey, traveling, or visiting friends for silliness and a good time.

Let’s see – how many jobs do I have now? Two jobs I had to give up – one at the school where I worked part time because I couldn’t do that job and take on the job at JAWS; the other was doing social media for a not-for-profit I really think is doing great things. I even went to Guatemala in March with some of the volunteers and the director and a board member. In the end, the director and I clashed. I could not work for him. Current jobs: 1. The Journalism & Women Symposium (JAWS) – I’m the full-time interim communications and community manager. 2. SPJ and Facebook’s Facebook for Journalists program – I’m a trainer. 3. Reporter for The Orlando Sentinel’s GrowthSpotter. 4. Blog writing for American Patriot Getaways. 5. Property/condo management for my parents rental unit. 6. Yoga teacher. 7. The newest – researcher for Coindesk (Thanks Kevin!). Back working for and with old friends. Seven. Seven jobs. I do miss the days of having ONE job (with benefits) but I enjoy all these positions. My head is certainly going to explode soon.

There have been two hospital visits this year. One for three days with my O2 at 87 and I was put on oxygen. I had some infection they never figured out but filled me with antibiotics until I was better. The second, a kidney infection. Fever, chills, pain. Good times.

With all that, I do still manage to find some time for all the exercising and fun things. It’s not like the fun times, trips, outings, hockey are every day. Oh and my sailboat? Still sitting on the jetski lift at my parents’ house. Haven’t been out on it in ages. Another thing I need to find time for.

I have found time for a little dating. Some of it good (especially current dating situation – don’t get excited, it’s very very early. Just getting to know each other. Not sure we’d really. even call it dating yet);  some of it ridiculous; and some of it I ask myself why and say I won’t be fooled by him again. There have been some hurt feelings on my part, but no giving away of my heart or breaking of it. Not since B in 2017. I have some stories! But they aren’t ready for sharing yet. They will have to wait for another post. I promise it won’t be 9 months this time. I am nothing if not a hopeful romantic, certain (even now) that there is a someone for me and me for him.