A good letter today. Aside from the dark humor in the last paragraph, I am struck by this. Nothing matters right now more than the Voting Rights Bills. Nothing is more of a priority. Without fair and inclusive elections the misinformed minority will win. And the Earth will lose. If we are to address the Climate Crisis, Democrats and Independents who respect science must carry the day in every election. The Republicans have become something out of Dr. Strangelove. It's as if Peter Sellers was in Congress. (Although he did make a pretty good "President").
Chuck Schumer should make monumental history by carving out a way to remove the filibuster for the Voting Rights Acts. Only with real democracy can we make true progress on saving the planet. What could be more important?
Yesterday, my rain gauge registered 1.7 inches of rain, only the second time in three months there was enough rain to actually register. Agriculture is still the number one industry in Minnesota but this year’s drought means yields will be bad/non existent for those without big irrigation rigs-which many small to medium farms cannot afford. I saw ample evidence over the weekend of corn, soy beans and even fields of hops and barley that will provide little more than silage for livestock-provided the livestock has survived the endless heat, humidity and pest problems this weather pattern has produced. Don’t get me started on how many people have died during recent heat waves or because of respiratory or heart problems from smoke particulates from wildfires. The only good news here is that remnants of Henri will visit soon and tamp down the raging forest fires in the BWCA-I hope. My asthma is driving me nuts- and I have ample access to medical care? Oh wait, not at the moment. COVID!
The planet will survive regardless what happens in Congress but life as we understand it will not. I second your idea Bill, that Schumer needs to find a way to pass the Voting Rights Act. Without that, we cannot make progress nor work on the truly pressing problems we face. Thank you highlighting this.
One more note: during the last week, as the military has worked to evacuate Americans and Afghans from a war zone, no one has yet died. From the media frenzy, you would think hundreds, maybe thousands had been killed or maimed but the answer is none (so far). But how many Americans have died of COVID? Because of power hungry Republicans? Voting rights must be protected. Otherwise, these “pro-life” bastards will kill even more Americans. !&$#!
Sheila B, my fellow Minnesotan, you hit so many important points here! I hadn’t thought about how many, if any people have died in the Afghanistan crisis. Yet, I have seen posts and news stories of health care workers burning out, of COVID cases and hospital caseloads hitting highs worse than at any time in the pandemic. The blatant disregard for the science, the data, and the risk to the lives of their constituents by members of the current GOP is criminal. And continues to surprise me! Even though I should know better than to think any of them will have an epiphany.
It is mind boggling to me too but at least Walz/Flanagan follow the science! The media are doing a crap job, period. Creating drama where little exists and ignoring real trauma. I can just hear my Journalism advisor from the U of MN screaming from the beyond, “Back to work getting out the vote!” Yes sir. We the people. All of us this time!
Humans differ in the way we react to vaccines and Covid. One size does not fit all. Please stop demonizing people with whom you disagree. It makes you look stupid.
Are you against masks? Can you explain that stance? They are inexpensive and they save lives. I have a huge problem with anti-maskers who ignore science and data. They want to expose my children to their unvaccinated, unmasked children, who are daily exposed to their unvaccinated, unmasked selves. Anti-maskers make zero sense to me. If you are opposed to vaccines then you should be adamantly in favor of masks to protect yourself.
The Imperial Press Corpse: "But his truthfulness!" Ouside of about ten reporters, the rest of the otherwise-unemployables would serve us better as burger flippers (assuming they had the physical dexterity)
My understanding is that at least one person died after clinging to a plane that took off. At least one other person was trampled on and died(all from NPR). The problem isn’t how many have died trying to get out, but the fact that the Taliban is not unified in allowing safe passage. They have started to kill Afghanis. They suggested on NPR that they don’t want them to leave since they know how to do things to keep government going. That makes some sense to
me.
Look, Trump was a horrible president and I wake up every morning so relieved that he is no longer in charge. I have no doubt that he is deeply at fault for the chaos in Afghanistan. But this doesn’t mean that Biden may not have made some wrong calls. I only hope that we don’t see negative consequences in 2022.
You are correct Patricia. And as of earlier today, as many as 20 people are reported to have died at Kabul airport (I missed the fact that the Afghan who clung to the wheels of the plane died day one - my mistake) My point still stands - how many hundreds have died of COVID? Here where vaccines are free and readily available? As for Biden making mistakes, I’ll ask you to remember that Trump did not allow for the peaceful transfer of power and did not provide daily national security updates in a timely or acceptable manner. Trump negotiated with the Taliban. I suspect the Saudis helped because of Kushner’s and Trump’s cozy inside relationships that also did not follow national security protocols. Did Biden make bad decisions? How the hell could we know given the machinations of the previous administration? The good news is that if he did screw up, he’ll own it. The adults are back in charge- for how long is the question.
Did you see the woman and her baby who were beaten to death? As a nasty, power-hungry Republican, I believe you have failed to look at reality, science, and compassion.
How dare you demonize Republicans when Democrats are consolidating power so they can rule as the only party allowed in the U.S.
Excuse me, I think you have this place mis-identified as the Fleeceblock page were drooling morons like you congregate. I think it's called MAGA Wold - where the sky is green and the grass is blue. This is Reality world, a place you're obviously unfamiliar with.
Come now. If we don't mend our fences, some other idiot is going to get elected who wants to keep building the wall. Without civility, there is only "ization" and that doesn't make any sense.
One has to admit that Dems are incredibly bad at controlling the narrative, whereas Repubes excel at that. All we need to keep driving home is that the current GOP worldview is completely incompatible with a humane, inclusive, functioning society. "Okay, voter, do you want corporatocracy or democracy? You choose."
You couldn’t be more right on, Bill, if we don’t get voting rights right, we’re not going to have a country. The idea of these known nothings running the country is beyond comprehension. Just take a look 👀 at the maga crowds, how many of them are in the 1% that the huge tax cut benefits the most, probably less than that 1%. The intelligence level in that crowd is a clear demonstration that our education system has failed to educate a great many people, if that isn’t the case, then why in the world would so many vote against their own economic interests. Those people have no idea how to separate fact from fiction, truth from outright lies. The Democrats have some culpability here, the teachers unions are overwhelmingly Democratic and they are the ones that have educated those same people. How can they get through high school, and from the looks of them, that’s as far as they got in the education system, without being able to see where the truth lies. There is such a thing as the truth. WTF 🤬
I find it incredulous how many screaming maniacal mothers showing up at school board meetings. Putting the health of their own kids on the line, for WHAT? Oh yeah, their CHOICE!
Lynn, I agree! I want to be at one of those meetings and ask the anti-mask parents, “do you make your kids where seat belts? Or do you object because they should be free to move about the vehicle while the car is in motion? Masks are like safety belts. It’s not just about your driving or other drivers, it’s that plus the road conditions and the weather and the auto mechanics. Safetybelts save lives. Masks save lives. The science and the data prove that masks save lives.” Some of the screaming parents sound insane to me.
What I ask them is “why are you yelling with your child by your side? Is that how you want your child’s teacher to speak?
Calm the “f” down. Yelling like that adds 10 years to your face.”Honestly, it is not until the last sentence that there is a moment of pause on their part.
If there is one thing I learned clearly in 35 years of teaching the little ones is that when a parent disses or complains about a teacher in front of their child, it creates a real problem in the relationship of that child in relation to school. Feel what you want, but keep it from your child. Most of them adore their teachers, and to cause chaos is to harm your child.
Totally agree. I would not continue a conference with students or younger ones in the room if the meeting got contentious and parent was choosing to rant.
My dad died in Mississippi last century, so IDK if he would be an anti-masker, but it is likely. My last visit with him in 1987, he was driving his pickup truck and I was looking for the passenger side seat belt that was tucked away. He saw this & told me I didn't need to put it on because MISSISSIPPI DIDN'T HAVE A MANDATORY SEAT BELT LAW. So, I was supposed to be comfortable riding with a man driving with a pig valve and pacemaker in his heart?
Tough memory, Rob. I feel for you. We may at least smile thinly that some of us have them as memories of a past, and were (somehow) able to escape the local cultures not of our choosing in which we were embedded for a time. I've been trying to understand my own journey and appreciate the key people and events that carried me into my present mindset. Is there anything about such experiences that can be generalized? If there is, perhaps it can be somehow taught.
Oh, but it's too much control as one of my ex-classmates in Indiana told me yesterday. I expect she watches Fox because I don't know how anyone could be tuned in to nightly news elsewhere and see all the full ICUs, the medical personnel begging people to get vaccinated and telling of their anger and exhaustion, and the data on how the it's mostly the unvaccinated who are filling the hospitals....and dying. Our governor just expanded the mandate on masks yesterday and sure enough, there was a post on Next-door about dictatorship within hours. I deleted it because I don't want to debate every internet medical "expert."
I always find the connection to trumpism in these so called protests. Usually in comments on FB posts and our local paper. Push them enough, and they blurt out their alliance with our ex president.
As a school librarian for 22 years, I always started my online research unit with “I could create a website stating that the moon is made of green cheese, citing “studies” that support my claim. There is no law or rule against my doing that.” I would go on to talk about sources, currency, etc. I also cautioned them about choosing only the top three or so hits in a search, with a discussion of how Google chooses the first ones to appear. Most teachers have done what they can, but between the reach of social media and a significant lazy streak among many students, it’s like pushing a boulder uphill.
A significant factor has been the growing lack of respect for teachers, including a lack of support from parents. In the mix is the onslaught of massive standardized testing and the constant blame of only the teachers for the poor scores. We don’t hear blame of the parents for not insisting homework be done or that the student behave in class. We don’t hear blame on all the cutbacks in funding for public education or the poor quality of textbooks that cater to Texas. As the cost of testing has climbed, more of school budgets are paying for that (and all the computers needed now that they’re online), less is available for support staff like librarians and counselors, or field trips or science kits. With the testing focus on language arts and math, science and history have gotten lost at the elementary level, so students go to middle school without a basic foundation.
And now, at the beginning of the school year, news broadcasters are lamenting the shortage of teachers. Who wants to take a job where you’re underpaid for the level of education required, and also blamed for student failures and half the problems in society?
The dark humor in the last paragraph got me off to a good start today. Since Biden’s success in the 2020 election, my righteous indignation response has cooled to a “so there!” I hope the victims of Covid working to invalidate the election results will recover enough to have an epiphany and pay attention to more constructive business.
Those that dont vaccinate or mask. Those that dont believe there is a climate crisis. Those who dont want all eligible voters to vote. You guess which party they may belong to.
I’m so glad the military is moving so quickly and that the infrastructure bill has passed. I hope the Senate passes it too. So much effort by the Biden Administration seems to get lost in the mess that is our media these days.
Despite Biden Administration’s extraordinary efforts and with all that needs to be fixed in America, I am ashamed to feel frustrated with past and present government that seems to be ignoring my generation - or at least it seems that way from my point of view.
Ronald Reagan’s economic framework began a few years before I graduated high school and I’ve been stuck in its results ever since.
I sink lower and lower in the economic class system every year despite being a college graduate and a hard worker. I’ve worked hard for over 25 years for the same company, but I can never retire because I could never put more than minimum into 401k and still pay my bills. Salary increases get lost in the rising cost of healthcare (and at least a certain amount of employer selfishness). I haven’t had so much as a cost of living increase in almost nine years.
I don’t want or need a handout, but I wish:
-that there was a way to have decent & affordable living in my area (safe enough that I can get from my car to my door without fear, no cockroaches or mold, and my “kitchen” includes a normal sized refrigerator & oven which are at least more than 20 feet away from my bed), because I see living in a van in my future. Single people, particularly women, get punished financially if we don’t earn 100,000/yr, we’re considered low income in the housing world. Minimum monthly rent in my area is at least $2,000/mo (not including parking, maintenance, or utilities) and I can’t even get close to that. I’d move out of state, but my field requires living near airports which usually has expensive cost of living no matter which state. I’d consider changing careers, but I am middle aged and would surely go down in pay.
-that there was a way to retire and not get stuck living on the streets.
-that there was a way to get out of credit card debt without having to live in a van before it’s necessary for a couple of years.
There are a lot of people around my age dealing with the same things and it’s a serious problem that I don’t see being acknowledged. I’m afraid the Reagan’s Rejects group within Generation X is doomed. I just don’t want us to become an expensive problem the government (and taxpayers, God forbid) have to deal with when maybe some smart people can help work on things with taxes, employers, and housing developers, etc to help turn this around.
I am really sorry for dumping my worries here when so many others in America and around the world are suffering terribly.
I’ve gone for therapy (still paying off the bills) only to find out I don’t suffer from Depression although I do get depressed. I have anxiety, more than anything else, but medication is out of the question.
I considered Debt consolidation but found it is a death knell in this economic environment and has been to some degree since before the pandemic.
I tried to see if I could live with family until I pay down debt to a manageable level (about a year), but situations made it not possible.
I used to work two jobs until I acquired chemical sensitivities.
So I just keep getting up and putting one foot in front of the other and working at things.
But like I said, this isn’t only about me. There are lots of us in same situation and I’m hoping it gets recognized and addressed to avoid a larger crisis in the future.
Depression and anxiety are valid responses to a depressing situation that creates anxiety about the outcome. People who don't get depressed and anxious nowadays probably aren't paying attention.
The problem, Diane, isn't that Lisa needs financial-planning help. It's much sadder than that. It's that a quadrant of the baby-boomer generation (my people) has gotten us in such an economic predicament that the "trickle-down" consequences are already painfully apparent in the lives of the millennials. Greed and avarice, which burst on the scene with the sainted/tainted Ronald Reagan, have made life impossibly difficult for many of our own children and nieces and nephews. College debt, costly health care, end of pensions, blood-sucking corporations, miserly employers -- the younger people don't stand a chance. We really need to help them fix this mess.
Many, possibly most of us Boomers are also hanging by a thread. I do not adhere to the overly simplistic and totally inaccurate Blame from the Millennials meme. (I doubt that many Millenials do either.) It is the Reaganomics fans, Milton Friedman uber-capitalists, and self-serving wealthy (almost all are white males) of all ages who squarely have produced this sad, life-denying phenomenon.
And forget subsidize senior housing. You can put your name into most of them and get lucky if they call you within 10 to 15 years. There is not enough housing for this generation moving forward. Cold stop.
SLWeston, I completely agree we have a structural problem that individuals alone can’t repair. I was in no way blaming her.
I’ve lived in deep poverty. My only child developed type I diabetes when she was two. Living on minimum wage as a single parent with no medical insurance was a nightmare. Getting her medical care through county assistance programs was a full time job. My own severe asthma was another barrier to health insurance.
We only survived through the kindness and help of friends. One paid for my real estate license and mentored me that first year. Another helped me buy a reliable used car. It changed our lives and I’ve done my best to pay in forward.
My hope was that Lisa might find such help in her circle of friends. I’ve walked in her shoes and feel her pain.
Wow, Diane, does THAT ever anchor your comment in rich context. Thank you for sharing that. I so appreciate and admire your having had the dignity and humility to accept help from your friends, to build your life on it, and then resolve to share that kindness as best you can.
Stories like yours just thrill me, Diane. Isn't this just how communities, how life should work? Making connections, helping each other, honoring the help we've received by passing it on? You have made my day.
Do I feel a committee coming on? I’m not a leader but I’m a great follower! Should we sit back on our thumbs and just let this happen to us and other generations or is it time to open our mouth’s and make our voices heard?
I have a sister in the same rut. Working in child care, barely making $33K/year, 52 yrs old, grown son in college, divorced, husband reneged on alimony years ago and she cannot afford to fight him, no way up and few options out. She found a small one bedroom for $975/month in a dicey neighborhood. She is making it. But would love to have some to save for her future and for her son.
I am so glad that you wrote this, Lisa. Squeaky wheels on serious issues need to be heard. If not for the grace of something all of us could be in the same position. I have been thinking as I help older friends look at senior housing and how ridiculously expensive it is. I loved visiting my grandmother's expensive senior community in Irvine, CA and wished I could live there. I was too young and the costs were exorbitant. Why can't we create or extend Habitat for Humanity to build build communities tiny houses with communal areas for our aging population and for low-income persons? The smaller footprint is essential for to cope with inequality and and low pay and will help with climate crisis. Or converting the rising defunct malls and business buildings into senior and low income housing. Corporations that make profits that stink to high heaven whilst their employees have to live on food stamps and/or Medicaid is truly unconscionable. They need to pay a living wages that promote dignity as their workers age. Corporate America has run amuck and failed our people. They have swung too far on the capitalist pendulum greedily drooling for more. We need to demand social responsibility on corporations that make obscene profits at the cost of our society. Take all those gigantic political donations and lobbyist payrolls and invest in our people and communities instead.
Lisa, I do think, until my fantasy is realized, it is good to pool money with other people to share housing. I do not agree it is good to live in a van, unless you are healthy, live in a warm climate and can migrate with the seasons. You may need to contact a social worker who can help you with things like Section 8 housing or programs in your area to help people in your situation. Take heart and keep sharing your plight with people in your area. Our little village here in VT has two living places for those who cannot afford much housing. They have to qualify and include veterans, people on disability, and low income people who appear to be mostly middle aged to elderly. We also just built another apartment complex for young families because available, affordable housing and jobs here are compromised. Wishing you success-- you had the guts to write here, that indicates you are willing to reach out, which I encourage you to do locally and wish you the very best.
Habitat For Humanity is very compelling. I think of the Carters. But it's an inefficient and expensive way to provide housing. The benefits of high quality, industrially produced modular and manufactured homes using the benefits automobiles have from quality control, small tolerances which make better fits, and a much lower price than if every auto was built in your driveway by volunteers. There are a LOT of people to house.
Yes, just an expansion of the idea of HFH using more efficient means for multi-housing. There is also a huge wave of more affordable tiny houses or apartments, using recycled materials such old buses, 18-wheeler pods, and trailers. A lot of young and retiring people are creating homes on wheels in very imaginative and very cheap ways. We need to use our imagination to make this happen. I wish I had more time and financing to work on things like this. Saving our democracy is at the forefront at the moment...
It would be sooo easy and efficient for the government to throw box houses up, rows and rows of them, for people who’s financial situation is slipping away ( that’d be me). So so easy. They do it in natural disasters inside of a week. But no they won’t because theyre too focused raking in the dough from big pharma and there vaccines. It’s far more lucrative for them than building reasonable housing for people who are 1 foot from the street.🥾
Great ideas. It’s sadly not possible in our lifetime, but I have hope for future.
FYI: It is rarely possible for chemically sensitive individuals to share living quarters (which is why van is in my future). The chemically sensitive community all have varying levels of sensitivity and varying chemical triggers. Most are too sensitive to work outside the home and some literally cannot even live inside a home.
Many of us tried to pair up, but learned the hard way that one of the hazards is if one party seriously declines and can’t work, the other person sharing a space is going to be responsible for all costs and for nursing roommate back to good health if it is possible.
Everyone in the community live so precariously that we fear sharing space with others. Non-chemically sensitive individuals generally can’t understand the illness and can’t live the necessary way needed to share space with chemically sensitive person.
This is a really difficult situation for a specific population's needs. I am so sorry-- a van does sound like the right thing for you. I lived in a vanagon and on boats for a couple of years. I loved it and the freedom. The whole world can be be your front yard. And there are campgrounds that are not expensive to rent space in. Sharing showering facilities might be problematic for your chemical sensitivities.
I think you are much more informed about your situation and are teaching me that I do not know a lot about the home life and aging of chemically sensitive individuals. Thanks for writing the community here.
I have also lived in my Vanagon for months at a time. While I do well in such a situation, I cringe to think of the impact it may have on other less adapted types.
Just the smell of dryer sheets makes me literally sick, that and perfume, scented cleaning products etc. That so many people don’t know yet that all of these things are basically poison and sit in the brain and the liver is beyond me. Shame on these companies, shame on the government for not banning these horrible chemicals. People, you are selling your children up for horrible diseases in their lifetime if you keep putting clothing on them that you use dryer sheets with. This is not a joke. One scientist said that wearing clothing with dryer sheets and centered laundry detergents on them is actually worse than smoking cigarettes.
People don’t realize how bad many of the ingredients are. Plus, an ingredient is only tested in a particular amount under certain circumstances. The test doesn’t account for when person uses multiple products containing that ingredient. For example, testing for a common fragrance ingredient, won’t account for 70 people wearing 12 scented items containing that ingredient all stuck in an office for 7-10 hours a day, 5 days a week etc, year after year.
Buyers just assume they’re safe, but really, they’re sneakily classified as GRAS/GENERALLY Recognized As Safe, (for most and only under the specific circumstances used for testing).
There’s a decent App called Think Dirty - you scan a cleaning / body care product bar code and if it’s in their database, the ingredients pop up with ratings. And if you click on the ingredients, it tells you a lot about it like what it does and how it affects the body.
We’ve all seen the misinformation/disinformation campaigns and the political game playing. They got a lot of tactics from Advertising & Marketing practices.
Look what Trump, Death Santis, MTG, et al have done for themselves and their political party, do people really think manufacturers lie, cheat, or endanger any less? Advertising & Marketing hides a lot of sins.
Thank you. It is embarrassing to be in such a position and admit it, but I only brought it up because it’s likely going to have greater impact on America in the next 10-25 years.
Lisa, risking vulnerability to tell your story is an act of courage. And sometimes it even helps us to see our own stories more clearly. You are a survivor against terrible odds. Thank you.
Why does a Roommate have to be a woman ? I had a Roommate for 20 yrs that was a guy who just happen to not know how to clean house, or cook, or do laundry or anything else he really just didn’t like to do. I paid $250.00 a month rent . As it turned out we became best friends. He dated , I dated .We had each others backs on everything. If you have an agency that hooks up roommates, does background checks etc. And you mentioned you live close to an Airport.You just might be what a single Pilot is looking for. 2. Not sure who you work for or how you are to request a raise ? But Do It ! The worst that can happen is a denial. 3. Take a day off, go to public and private ( A good charity is the Catholic Charity ) but check your area for any Gov help and charity, $ you can save on food put on that CC payment. We have a ‘Sharing Center here ‘ they will often pay some or all of high electric or water bills. Catholic Charities often will also. There is food pantries also. 4 The best medication for anxiety is simply Breathing. Ever notice women who are big belly PG and they are standing and rubbing the sides of their belly’s in circles. That is not just a thing PG woman do. It has a purpose. It calms the baby and the CB mom. The good news is you don’t NEED to be PG to do it and men can do it also. Just let it all hang out baby and just Breath. We women think we have to hold our belly’s in . I took a friend to get help here once. There was a long line. Everyone was anxious , moody, irritable. So I got everyone in line to do it. They were laughing, smiling and calm in minutes. When it was my friends turn at the counter the worker looked at me and said “ Thank you , can you stay all day ?”. True story. We make ourselves anxious. We can make ourselves Unanxious as well. Try it ! So now you have things to do.❤️🦋
I don’t care if person is male, female, or transitioning. Roommate is highly unlikely for me as most cannot comply with needs of chemically sensitive individual.
I only go to places if I have to. Substitute covid germs for problem chemicals and you might see why leaving safe space other than to work or get groceries is a problem.
The biggest difference between germs and chemicals for me is that catching covid upon exposure is not guaranteed but exposure to problem chemicals both causes immediate reactions and cumulative ones, which can have more serious impact later. Cumulative chemical burden is like cumulative financial debt, one wrong move and you can go down hill for a lonnnnng time.
Okay so that’s out. But make contact with any /all types of organizations . My mom always said “The squeaky wheel gets the grease .”Maybe the Sensitivity thing can work in your favor with you’re Dr.s help.
A good letter today. Aside from the dark humor in the last paragraph, I am struck by this. Nothing matters right now more than the Voting Rights Bills. Nothing is more of a priority. Without fair and inclusive elections the misinformed minority will win. And the Earth will lose. If we are to address the Climate Crisis, Democrats and Independents who respect science must carry the day in every election. The Republicans have become something out of Dr. Strangelove. It's as if Peter Sellers was in Congress. (Although he did make a pretty good "President").
Chuck Schumer should make monumental history by carving out a way to remove the filibuster for the Voting Rights Acts. Only with real democracy can we make true progress on saving the planet. What could be more important?
Yesterday, my rain gauge registered 1.7 inches of rain, only the second time in three months there was enough rain to actually register. Agriculture is still the number one industry in Minnesota but this year’s drought means yields will be bad/non existent for those without big irrigation rigs-which many small to medium farms cannot afford. I saw ample evidence over the weekend of corn, soy beans and even fields of hops and barley that will provide little more than silage for livestock-provided the livestock has survived the endless heat, humidity and pest problems this weather pattern has produced. Don’t get me started on how many people have died during recent heat waves or because of respiratory or heart problems from smoke particulates from wildfires. The only good news here is that remnants of Henri will visit soon and tamp down the raging forest fires in the BWCA-I hope. My asthma is driving me nuts- and I have ample access to medical care? Oh wait, not at the moment. COVID!
The planet will survive regardless what happens in Congress but life as we understand it will not. I second your idea Bill, that Schumer needs to find a way to pass the Voting Rights Act. Without that, we cannot make progress nor work on the truly pressing problems we face. Thank you highlighting this.
One more note: during the last week, as the military has worked to evacuate Americans and Afghans from a war zone, no one has yet died. From the media frenzy, you would think hundreds, maybe thousands had been killed or maimed but the answer is none (so far). But how many Americans have died of COVID? Because of power hungry Republicans? Voting rights must be protected. Otherwise, these “pro-life” bastards will kill even more Americans. !&$#!
Sheila B, my fellow Minnesotan, you hit so many important points here! I hadn’t thought about how many, if any people have died in the Afghanistan crisis. Yet, I have seen posts and news stories of health care workers burning out, of COVID cases and hospital caseloads hitting highs worse than at any time in the pandemic. The blatant disregard for the science, the data, and the risk to the lives of their constituents by members of the current GOP is criminal. And continues to surprise me! Even though I should know better than to think any of them will have an epiphany.
It is mind boggling to me too but at least Walz/Flanagan follow the science! The media are doing a crap job, period. Creating drama where little exists and ignoring real trauma. I can just hear my Journalism advisor from the U of MN screaming from the beyond, “Back to work getting out the vote!” Yes sir. We the people. All of us this time!
Humans differ in the way we react to vaccines and Covid. One size does not fit all. Please stop demonizing people with whom you disagree. It makes you look stupid.
Are you against masks? Can you explain that stance? They are inexpensive and they save lives. I have a huge problem with anti-maskers who ignore science and data. They want to expose my children to their unvaccinated, unmasked children, who are daily exposed to their unvaccinated, unmasked selves. Anti-maskers make zero sense to me. If you are opposed to vaccines then you should be adamantly in favor of masks to protect yourself.
The Imperial Press Corpse: "But his truthfulness!" Ouside of about ten reporters, the rest of the otherwise-unemployables would serve us better as burger flippers (assuming they had the physical dexterity)
Not that he can in any way be considered a reporter but your comment gave me a vision of Tucker, bow tie and all, flipping burgers. Still laughing….
Tuckems would last 5 min at Mickey D’s.
(F)ucker Carlson is definitely one of the "otherwise unemployables."
Could be made into a reality show!
My understanding is that at least one person died after clinging to a plane that took off. At least one other person was trampled on and died(all from NPR). The problem isn’t how many have died trying to get out, but the fact that the Taliban is not unified in allowing safe passage. They have started to kill Afghanis. They suggested on NPR that they don’t want them to leave since they know how to do things to keep government going. That makes some sense to
me.
Look, Trump was a horrible president and I wake up every morning so relieved that he is no longer in charge. I have no doubt that he is deeply at fault for the chaos in Afghanistan. But this doesn’t mean that Biden may not have made some wrong calls. I only hope that we don’t see negative consequences in 2022.
You are correct Patricia. And as of earlier today, as many as 20 people are reported to have died at Kabul airport (I missed the fact that the Afghan who clung to the wheels of the plane died day one - my mistake) My point still stands - how many hundreds have died of COVID? Here where vaccines are free and readily available? As for Biden making mistakes, I’ll ask you to remember that Trump did not allow for the peaceful transfer of power and did not provide daily national security updates in a timely or acceptable manner. Trump negotiated with the Taliban. I suspect the Saudis helped because of Kushner’s and Trump’s cozy inside relationships that also did not follow national security protocols. Did Biden make bad decisions? How the hell could we know given the machinations of the previous administration? The good news is that if he did screw up, he’ll own it. The adults are back in charge- for how long is the question.
Did you see the woman and her baby who were beaten to death? As a nasty, power-hungry Republican, I believe you have failed to look at reality, science, and compassion.
How dare you demonize Republicans when Democrats are consolidating power so they can rule as the only party allowed in the U.S.
Excuse me, I think you have this place mis-identified as the Fleeceblock page were drooling morons like you congregate. I think it's called MAGA Wold - where the sky is green and the grass is blue. This is Reality world, a place you're obviously unfamiliar with.
Come now. If we don't mend our fences, some other idiot is going to get elected who wants to keep building the wall. Without civility, there is only "ization" and that doesn't make any sense.
One has to admit that Dems are incredibly bad at controlling the narrative, whereas Repubes excel at that. All we need to keep driving home is that the current GOP worldview is completely incompatible with a humane, inclusive, functioning society. "Okay, voter, do you want corporatocracy or democracy? You choose."
By voting against all legislation the Democrats pass, the Republicans are causing their party’s own demise .
How are “they,” the Democrats, consolidating power?
You couldn’t be more right on, Bill, if we don’t get voting rights right, we’re not going to have a country. The idea of these known nothings running the country is beyond comprehension. Just take a look 👀 at the maga crowds, how many of them are in the 1% that the huge tax cut benefits the most, probably less than that 1%. The intelligence level in that crowd is a clear demonstration that our education system has failed to educate a great many people, if that isn’t the case, then why in the world would so many vote against their own economic interests. Those people have no idea how to separate fact from fiction, truth from outright lies. The Democrats have some culpability here, the teachers unions are overwhelmingly Democratic and they are the ones that have educated those same people. How can they get through high school, and from the looks of them, that’s as far as they got in the education system, without being able to see where the truth lies. There is such a thing as the truth. WTF 🤬
I find it incredulous how many screaming maniacal mothers showing up at school board meetings. Putting the health of their own kids on the line, for WHAT? Oh yeah, their CHOICE!
Lynn, I agree! I want to be at one of those meetings and ask the anti-mask parents, “do you make your kids where seat belts? Or do you object because they should be free to move about the vehicle while the car is in motion? Masks are like safety belts. It’s not just about your driving or other drivers, it’s that plus the road conditions and the weather and the auto mechanics. Safetybelts save lives. Masks save lives. The science and the data prove that masks save lives.” Some of the screaming parents sound insane to me.
Or they scream that God will provide while wearing glasses that make their statement null and void.
What I ask them is “why are you yelling with your child by your side? Is that how you want your child’s teacher to speak?
Calm the “f” down. Yelling like that adds 10 years to your face.”Honestly, it is not until the last sentence that there is a moment of pause on their part.
If there is one thing I learned clearly in 35 years of teaching the little ones is that when a parent disses or complains about a teacher in front of their child, it creates a real problem in the relationship of that child in relation to school. Feel what you want, but keep it from your child. Most of them adore their teachers, and to cause chaos is to harm your child.
Totally agree. I would not continue a conference with students or younger ones in the room if the meeting got contentious and parent was choosing to rant.
My dad died in Mississippi last century, so IDK if he would be an anti-masker, but it is likely. My last visit with him in 1987, he was driving his pickup truck and I was looking for the passenger side seat belt that was tucked away. He saw this & told me I didn't need to put it on because MISSISSIPPI DIDN'T HAVE A MANDATORY SEAT BELT LAW. So, I was supposed to be comfortable riding with a man driving with a pig valve and pacemaker in his heart?
You can't fix stupid.
Tough memory, Rob. I feel for you. We may at least smile thinly that some of us have them as memories of a past, and were (somehow) able to escape the local cultures not of our choosing in which we were embedded for a time. I've been trying to understand my own journey and appreciate the key people and events that carried me into my present mindset. Is there anything about such experiences that can be generalized? If there is, perhaps it can be somehow taught.
Idiotic, imbecillic, deranged, maniacal was my best adjective I could think of....but, sad also comes to mind.
Oh, but it's too much control as one of my ex-classmates in Indiana told me yesterday. I expect she watches Fox because I don't know how anyone could be tuned in to nightly news elsewhere and see all the full ICUs, the medical personnel begging people to get vaccinated and telling of their anger and exhaustion, and the data on how the it's mostly the unvaccinated who are filling the hospitals....and dying. Our governor just expanded the mandate on masks yesterday and sure enough, there was a post on Next-door about dictatorship within hours. I deleted it because I don't want to debate every internet medical "expert."
Fox News enthusiasts don't like their news, but are addicted to their opinion writers and commentators. That says everything.
I always find the connection to trumpism in these so called protests. Usually in comments on FB posts and our local paper. Push them enough, and they blurt out their alliance with our ex president.
As a school librarian for 22 years, I always started my online research unit with “I could create a website stating that the moon is made of green cheese, citing “studies” that support my claim. There is no law or rule against my doing that.” I would go on to talk about sources, currency, etc. I also cautioned them about choosing only the top three or so hits in a search, with a discussion of how Google chooses the first ones to appear. Most teachers have done what they can, but between the reach of social media and a significant lazy streak among many students, it’s like pushing a boulder uphill.
A significant factor has been the growing lack of respect for teachers, including a lack of support from parents. In the mix is the onslaught of massive standardized testing and the constant blame of only the teachers for the poor scores. We don’t hear blame of the parents for not insisting homework be done or that the student behave in class. We don’t hear blame on all the cutbacks in funding for public education or the poor quality of textbooks that cater to Texas. As the cost of testing has climbed, more of school budgets are paying for that (and all the computers needed now that they’re online), less is available for support staff like librarians and counselors, or field trips or science kits. With the testing focus on language arts and math, science and history have gotten lost at the elementary level, so students go to middle school without a basic foundation.
And now, at the beginning of the school year, news broadcasters are lamenting the shortage of teachers. Who wants to take a job where you’re underpaid for the level of education required, and also blamed for student failures and half the problems in society?
Perhaps not so much the teacher’s unions as the school boards who decide the curriculum.
The dark humor in the last paragraph was priceless imo.
Herman Cain “There is no pandemic”.
Pandemic “There is no Herman Cain”.
Love this! Thanks for the belly laugh. (Sad how much I enjoy macabre humor these days…
Since I live in 'fraudizona' I found it quite a chuckle.
I read the term "fraudit" applied to the Ninja's efforts the other day.
You are spot on, Bill. And not one Republican voted for the voting rights bill, not even Chaney or Kissinger.
Yes, really sad, and unfortunately, telling. I thought they favored democracy.
Sad!
Agree agree agree, I could not agree more, Bill Alstrom.
The dark humor in the last paragraph got me off to a good start today. Since Biden’s success in the 2020 election, my righteous indignation response has cooled to a “so there!” I hope the victims of Covid working to invalidate the election results will recover enough to have an epiphany and pay attention to more constructive business.
Who is the misinformed minority? Perhaps they are not Democrats?
Those that dont vaccinate or mask. Those that dont believe there is a climate crisis. Those who dont want all eligible voters to vote. You guess which party they may belong to.
I think you are right. The importance of BEING THERE is important.
Just to answer your rhetorical question, Bill: NOTHING! The nation and a form of government is at the edge of an abyss.
Nothing.
I’m so glad the military is moving so quickly and that the infrastructure bill has passed. I hope the Senate passes it too. So much effort by the Biden Administration seems to get lost in the mess that is our media these days.
Despite Biden Administration’s extraordinary efforts and with all that needs to be fixed in America, I am ashamed to feel frustrated with past and present government that seems to be ignoring my generation - or at least it seems that way from my point of view.
Ronald Reagan’s economic framework began a few years before I graduated high school and I’ve been stuck in its results ever since.
I sink lower and lower in the economic class system every year despite being a college graduate and a hard worker. I’ve worked hard for over 25 years for the same company, but I can never retire because I could never put more than minimum into 401k and still pay my bills. Salary increases get lost in the rising cost of healthcare (and at least a certain amount of employer selfishness). I haven’t had so much as a cost of living increase in almost nine years.
I don’t want or need a handout, but I wish:
-that there was a way to have decent & affordable living in my area (safe enough that I can get from my car to my door without fear, no cockroaches or mold, and my “kitchen” includes a normal sized refrigerator & oven which are at least more than 20 feet away from my bed), because I see living in a van in my future. Single people, particularly women, get punished financially if we don’t earn 100,000/yr, we’re considered low income in the housing world. Minimum monthly rent in my area is at least $2,000/mo (not including parking, maintenance, or utilities) and I can’t even get close to that. I’d move out of state, but my field requires living near airports which usually has expensive cost of living no matter which state. I’d consider changing careers, but I am middle aged and would surely go down in pay.
-that there was a way to retire and not get stuck living on the streets.
-that there was a way to get out of credit card debt without having to live in a van before it’s necessary for a couple of years.
There are a lot of people around my age dealing with the same things and it’s a serious problem that I don’t see being acknowledged. I’m afraid the Reagan’s Rejects group within Generation X is doomed. I just don’t want us to become an expensive problem the government (and taxpayers, God forbid) have to deal with when maybe some smart people can help work on things with taxes, employers, and housing developers, etc to help turn this around.
I am really sorry for dumping my worries here when so many others in America and around the world are suffering terribly.
Lisa, this sounds like a terrible trap and you’re too buried in it to see a way out. It also sounds like depression, which is another trap.
Perhaps you could enlist the guidance of a wise friend to help develop a plan to free yourself from this situation and move forward.
Just the act of reaching out and looking at other perspectives often breaks the log jam just enough to find some maneuvering room.
My heart goes out to you.
Believe me, I’ve done that.
I’ve gone for therapy (still paying off the bills) only to find out I don’t suffer from Depression although I do get depressed. I have anxiety, more than anything else, but medication is out of the question.
I considered Debt consolidation but found it is a death knell in this economic environment and has been to some degree since before the pandemic.
I tried to see if I could live with family until I pay down debt to a manageable level (about a year), but situations made it not possible.
I used to work two jobs until I acquired chemical sensitivities.
So I just keep getting up and putting one foot in front of the other and working at things.
But like I said, this isn’t only about me. There are lots of us in same situation and I’m hoping it gets recognized and addressed to avoid a larger crisis in the future.
Depression and anxiety are valid responses to a depressing situation that creates anxiety about the outcome. People who don't get depressed and anxious nowadays probably aren't paying attention.
You’re right.
I’m so sorry you’re struggling. And yes, many others, especially women, are in your shoes.
My heart really goes out to you. Sending so much good juju your way even though it won't change policy and what you really need is cash. Take care.
Sending equal amounts of good juju back at you 😀
Is your huge debt load due to student loans repayment? Sorry if I am being personal and don't answer if it is offensive.
Car loan, student loan, & credit card.
Thank you for your story. It has struck a nerve.
The problem, Diane, isn't that Lisa needs financial-planning help. It's much sadder than that. It's that a quadrant of the baby-boomer generation (my people) has gotten us in such an economic predicament that the "trickle-down" consequences are already painfully apparent in the lives of the millennials. Greed and avarice, which burst on the scene with the sainted/tainted Ronald Reagan, have made life impossibly difficult for many of our own children and nieces and nephews. College debt, costly health care, end of pensions, blood-sucking corporations, miserly employers -- the younger people don't stand a chance. We really need to help them fix this mess.
(That's enough. No more coffee for me!)
Many, possibly most of us Boomers are also hanging by a thread. I do not adhere to the overly simplistic and totally inaccurate Blame from the Millennials meme. (I doubt that many Millenials do either.) It is the Reaganomics fans, Milton Friedman uber-capitalists, and self-serving wealthy (almost all are white males) of all ages who squarely have produced this sad, life-denying phenomenon.
And forget subsidize senior housing. You can put your name into most of them and get lucky if they call you within 10 to 15 years. There is not enough housing for this generation moving forward. Cold stop.
SLWeston, I completely agree we have a structural problem that individuals alone can’t repair. I was in no way blaming her.
I’ve lived in deep poverty. My only child developed type I diabetes when she was two. Living on minimum wage as a single parent with no medical insurance was a nightmare. Getting her medical care through county assistance programs was a full time job. My own severe asthma was another barrier to health insurance.
We only survived through the kindness and help of friends. One paid for my real estate license and mentored me that first year. Another helped me buy a reliable used car. It changed our lives and I’ve done my best to pay in forward.
My hope was that Lisa might find such help in her circle of friends. I’ve walked in her shoes and feel her pain.
Wow, Diane, does THAT ever anchor your comment in rich context. Thank you for sharing that. I so appreciate and admire your having had the dignity and humility to accept help from your friends, to build your life on it, and then resolve to share that kindness as best you can.
Stories like yours just thrill me, Diane. Isn't this just how communities, how life should work? Making connections, helping each other, honoring the help we've received by passing it on? You have made my day.
Thank you for your kind words. Without the love and kindness of one another, this life would make no sense.
Do I feel a committee coming on? I’m not a leader but I’m a great follower! Should we sit back on our thumbs and just let this happen to us and other generations or is it time to open our mouth’s and make our voices heard?
I’m for the latter myself.
There is no “other plan”. There are no solutions. I’m living it and I know.
I’m sure there are other plans, but I think they’re mainly unlikely, unpalatable, or illegal :)
I have a sister in the same rut. Working in child care, barely making $33K/year, 52 yrs old, grown son in college, divorced, husband reneged on alimony years ago and she cannot afford to fight him, no way up and few options out. She found a small one bedroom for $975/month in a dicey neighborhood. She is making it. But would love to have some to save for her future and for her son.
I hear you. 🙏🏼
I wish your sister the best of luck.
Thank you, Lisa. I wish you well, too!
I am so glad that you wrote this, Lisa. Squeaky wheels on serious issues need to be heard. If not for the grace of something all of us could be in the same position. I have been thinking as I help older friends look at senior housing and how ridiculously expensive it is. I loved visiting my grandmother's expensive senior community in Irvine, CA and wished I could live there. I was too young and the costs were exorbitant. Why can't we create or extend Habitat for Humanity to build build communities tiny houses with communal areas for our aging population and for low-income persons? The smaller footprint is essential for to cope with inequality and and low pay and will help with climate crisis. Or converting the rising defunct malls and business buildings into senior and low income housing. Corporations that make profits that stink to high heaven whilst their employees have to live on food stamps and/or Medicaid is truly unconscionable. They need to pay a living wages that promote dignity as their workers age. Corporate America has run amuck and failed our people. They have swung too far on the capitalist pendulum greedily drooling for more. We need to demand social responsibility on corporations that make obscene profits at the cost of our society. Take all those gigantic political donations and lobbyist payrolls and invest in our people and communities instead.
Lisa, I do think, until my fantasy is realized, it is good to pool money with other people to share housing. I do not agree it is good to live in a van, unless you are healthy, live in a warm climate and can migrate with the seasons. You may need to contact a social worker who can help you with things like Section 8 housing or programs in your area to help people in your situation. Take heart and keep sharing your plight with people in your area. Our little village here in VT has two living places for those who cannot afford much housing. They have to qualify and include veterans, people on disability, and low income people who appear to be mostly middle aged to elderly. We also just built another apartment complex for young families because available, affordable housing and jobs here are compromised. Wishing you success-- you had the guts to write here, that indicates you are willing to reach out, which I encourage you to do locally and wish you the very best.
Habitat For Humanity is very compelling. I think of the Carters. But it's an inefficient and expensive way to provide housing. The benefits of high quality, industrially produced modular and manufactured homes using the benefits automobiles have from quality control, small tolerances which make better fits, and a much lower price than if every auto was built in your driveway by volunteers. There are a LOT of people to house.
I wish all states make arrangements to allow people to live in their vehicles legally until better solutions are possible for all.
Lisa. It’s not just that they live in their vehicles. They poop and pee in neighbors yards, a tremendous health risk for humans and dogs.
I agree, which is why states need to make arrangements for legal vehicle-living. Sanitation and safety needs would be part of that.
Yes, just an expansion of the idea of HFH using more efficient means for multi-housing. There is also a huge wave of more affordable tiny houses or apartments, using recycled materials such old buses, 18-wheeler pods, and trailers. A lot of young and retiring people are creating homes on wheels in very imaginative and very cheap ways. We need to use our imagination to make this happen. I wish I had more time and financing to work on things like this. Saving our democracy is at the forefront at the moment...
Yes. Save our democracy. SB1, and fighting gerrymandering.
It would be sooo easy and efficient for the government to throw box houses up, rows and rows of them, for people who’s financial situation is slipping away ( that’d be me). So so easy. They do it in natural disasters inside of a week. But no they won’t because theyre too focused raking in the dough from big pharma and there vaccines. It’s far more lucrative for them than building reasonable housing for people who are 1 foot from the street.🥾
Wait. What?! Who’s “raking in the dough from big pharma and there vaccines,” Elaine???
Sounds like you might be getting your intel from Hugh Hewitt. You’re not related to him, are you?
Great ideas. It’s sadly not possible in our lifetime, but I have hope for future.
FYI: It is rarely possible for chemically sensitive individuals to share living quarters (which is why van is in my future). The chemically sensitive community all have varying levels of sensitivity and varying chemical triggers. Most are too sensitive to work outside the home and some literally cannot even live inside a home.
Many of us tried to pair up, but learned the hard way that one of the hazards is if one party seriously declines and can’t work, the other person sharing a space is going to be responsible for all costs and for nursing roommate back to good health if it is possible.
Everyone in the community live so precariously that we fear sharing space with others. Non-chemically sensitive individuals generally can’t understand the illness and can’t live the necessary way needed to share space with chemically sensitive person.
This is a really difficult situation for a specific population's needs. I am so sorry-- a van does sound like the right thing for you. I lived in a vanagon and on boats for a couple of years. I loved it and the freedom. The whole world can be be your front yard. And there are campgrounds that are not expensive to rent space in. Sharing showering facilities might be problematic for your chemical sensitivities.
I think you are much more informed about your situation and are teaching me that I do not know a lot about the home life and aging of chemically sensitive individuals. Thanks for writing the community here.
I have also lived in my Vanagon for months at a time. While I do well in such a situation, I cringe to think of the impact it may have on other less adapted types.
Just the smell of dryer sheets makes me literally sick, that and perfume, scented cleaning products etc. That so many people don’t know yet that all of these things are basically poison and sit in the brain and the liver is beyond me. Shame on these companies, shame on the government for not banning these horrible chemicals. People, you are selling your children up for horrible diseases in their lifetime if you keep putting clothing on them that you use dryer sheets with. This is not a joke. One scientist said that wearing clothing with dryer sheets and centered laundry detergents on them is actually worse than smoking cigarettes.
Oh and don’t let me go on about plug-ins and scented candles. They are the worst!
People don’t realize how bad many of the ingredients are. Plus, an ingredient is only tested in a particular amount under certain circumstances. The test doesn’t account for when person uses multiple products containing that ingredient. For example, testing for a common fragrance ingredient, won’t account for 70 people wearing 12 scented items containing that ingredient all stuck in an office for 7-10 hours a day, 5 days a week etc, year after year.
Buyers just assume they’re safe, but really, they’re sneakily classified as GRAS/GENERALLY Recognized As Safe, (for most and only under the specific circumstances used for testing).
There’s a decent App called Think Dirty - you scan a cleaning / body care product bar code and if it’s in their database, the ingredients pop up with ratings. And if you click on the ingredients, it tells you a lot about it like what it does and how it affects the body.
We’ve all seen the misinformation/disinformation campaigns and the political game playing. They got a lot of tactics from Advertising & Marketing practices.
Look what Trump, Death Santis, MTG, et al have done for themselves and their political party, do people really think manufacturers lie, cheat, or endanger any less? Advertising & Marketing hides a lot of sins.
Isn’t Medicaid helpful?
Lisa, thank you for your honest post. I am angered and saddened by the dilemma you are in. You are in my thoughts.
Thank you. It is embarrassing to be in such a position and admit it, but I only brought it up because it’s likely going to have greater impact on America in the next 10-25 years.
Don't be embarrassed. Speaking out is self-advocacy. You may be able to connect with individuals in a similar situation and find resolution.
Lisa, risking vulnerability to tell your story is an act of courage. And sometimes it even helps us to see our own stories more clearly. You are a survivor against terrible odds. Thank you.
An extremely important perspective. Thank you for writing. Take care.
Yes. The legacy of Republican deficit spending on stupid wars has made you poor through currency destruction.
I doubt it will get better.
I’m afraid you’re right…
Why does a Roommate have to be a woman ? I had a Roommate for 20 yrs that was a guy who just happen to not know how to clean house, or cook, or do laundry or anything else he really just didn’t like to do. I paid $250.00 a month rent . As it turned out we became best friends. He dated , I dated .We had each others backs on everything. If you have an agency that hooks up roommates, does background checks etc. And you mentioned you live close to an Airport.You just might be what a single Pilot is looking for. 2. Not sure who you work for or how you are to request a raise ? But Do It ! The worst that can happen is a denial. 3. Take a day off, go to public and private ( A good charity is the Catholic Charity ) but check your area for any Gov help and charity, $ you can save on food put on that CC payment. We have a ‘Sharing Center here ‘ they will often pay some or all of high electric or water bills. Catholic Charities often will also. There is food pantries also. 4 The best medication for anxiety is simply Breathing. Ever notice women who are big belly PG and they are standing and rubbing the sides of their belly’s in circles. That is not just a thing PG woman do. It has a purpose. It calms the baby and the CB mom. The good news is you don’t NEED to be PG to do it and men can do it also. Just let it all hang out baby and just Breath. We women think we have to hold our belly’s in . I took a friend to get help here once. There was a long line. Everyone was anxious , moody, irritable. So I got everyone in line to do it. They were laughing, smiling and calm in minutes. When it was my friends turn at the counter the worker looked at me and said “ Thank you , can you stay all day ?”. True story. We make ourselves anxious. We can make ourselves Unanxious as well. Try it ! So now you have things to do.❤️🦋
I don’t care if person is male, female, or transitioning. Roommate is highly unlikely for me as most cannot comply with needs of chemically sensitive individual.
I only go to places if I have to. Substitute covid germs for problem chemicals and you might see why leaving safe space other than to work or get groceries is a problem.
The biggest difference between germs and chemicals for me is that catching covid upon exposure is not guaranteed but exposure to problem chemicals both causes immediate reactions and cumulative ones, which can have more serious impact later. Cumulative chemical burden is like cumulative financial debt, one wrong move and you can go down hill for a lonnnnng time.
Okay so that’s out. But make contact with any /all types of organizations . My mom always said “The squeaky wheel gets the grease .”Maybe the Sensitivity thing can work in your favor with you’re Dr.s help.