ABSILVER's World

  So my top ten pet peeves as we end 2020: 1) People who wear masks into a store, to take them off right after they enter.  While we are at it, those who wear the mask and show their nose, those who choose not to wear them at all, and those of all ages seem challenged by masks.  Whether you will be stricken very ill or not, the choice to wear a mask not only puts me at risk but everyone of all ages I may be in contact with, including my in-laws.  2) The curiosity of Texas, at least driving in East Texas, why is using your turn signal too stressful? This impacts me as another driver and while walking the dog. Is knowing where you are going at an intersection asking too much? 3) The barrage of tweets by the president and his minions about the rigged election.  Especially as he takes credit for getting 8 Republican senators re-elected, since all candidates were on the same ballot, it can't be rigged for the president and not rigged for everyone else. 4) It is not reasonable to blame t

So, I started again to write and came up with the idea of a COVID survival kit.   I have had some challenging days around the pandemic.  I am not the easiest person to live with during normal times and am sure a greater challenge during the pandemic.  But, overall, we have weathered the storm so far pretty well, I think.  We are in our tenth month of being somewhat locked down, and I thought I would share some of what has helped me as it might help others.  So, here it goes, we have been officially locked down since March 7th.  I know that date because it was the day I flew back from Savannah.  In the beginning, we stored up on essentials, not knowing what this meant.  Would the stores run out of toilet paper, and we even bought enough dry beans to store to be extra safe.  After trial and error, here are some of the tips that have helped me survive the pandemic. Find space in your home to be alone . It is not just for your peace of mind but for others.  I have an "office" as

As many of you know, I have been working with two colleagues and friends to start a new consulting company that has taken a great deal of my time and exhausting my writing talents. But, I keep thinking there must be something to contribute to my own blog. This morning I thought about the top ten lessons from the pandemic. 1) Does it really matter?  Does it matter what car you drive?  Does it matter how many square feet are in your home?  Does it matter which celebrity you ran into at Starbucks? Does it matter whether you are the president or a kid in school?  It doesn’t matter at all to COVID, as it doesn't discriminate. Hopefully, as we look forward, we will all remember our change in priorities learned during the pandemic.  I hope to keep my focus on human relationships, health, safety, and happiness compared to the desire for material goods and power.   2) The digital divide in this country is getting larger.  Like it or not, there is a divide between those who are leading a d

I sit here on the cusp of another Thanksgiving holiday. As I can figure this is number 56 as I was born the day before my first. I started to write about Trump, COVID, and how we got to where the world and our country are and I thought who in the hell needs to read about that!  So, I thought maybe the right thing to do, in honor of Thanksgiving, is to make a list of what I am grateful for. First, I am grateful for Frank, DaisyBelle, and Lucky.  We may not have the textbook family, but we definitely have found a home together.  I am honestly not sure how others survive without pets in their home when the humans we love have to put up with us every day.  Second, I am thankful we moved from Austin to Longview, TX.  We may miss Central Market, and even miss the walk around Lady Birdy Lake and our neighbors, but being in Longview near family is a joy.  It also took the pressure out of our life when the world decided to go a bit haywire.  We have a nice home, nicely updated with Frank's

I sit here the evening before another presidential election.  Four years ago, I was excited.  I had voted for Hillary, proudly, and was watching the polls and thought this was a great day for America.  I have to confess to waking up Tuesday morning with a gut feeling that something in the universe was not going the right way.  Without any doubt, I still am sure she would have been the better president and more qualified if not the most qualified president in my lifetime. So, although the polls all show Biden in a stronger position than she was, I worry.  Ok, it is my inclination to worry, but there is still a concern not only about what happens tomorrow but how difficult the current president will make certifying this election if it doesn't go his way.   Then, I wondered what could I do?  There may be 1 person in my network on Facebook who is undecided, maybe one more blog post would sway them the right way. Here it goes.. let’s make this simple.. here are the questions that I woul