6-Month Wall

  The year 2020 will go down in history books, and I'm certain all of us will remember it long after the dust from this pandemic settles. A phenomenon known as the 6-month wall occurs in any sustained crisis, that I'm sure many are feeling about now. We've been in this for a little over that time, and I have personally experienced it during rough times in my past. Long deployments, trainings, and even personal events have pushed me against this metaphorical wall.


  During those times, I have felt depressed, anxious, lethargic, and even a loss of creativity. The desire to get away or make it stop can be intense. I have had to power through this 6-month hump to find the other side many times before. I want you all to know that if you're feeling these things, it is perfectly normal. There's nothing wrong with you. Based on personal research and experience, the best way to handle this time period is to know that it is temporary. There is light on the other side. It also helps to look back and see what we've accomplished during those 6 months.


  This pandemic has fundamentally changed the way our society--and even the world--operates, bringing on a "New Normal." We've learned new ways to do grocery shopping, teaching, learning, holding meetings, doing business, and so many other things. Human beings are the most adaptable creatures on Earth. It hasn't been easy, but we've done it. Together we'll have the strength and will to keep going. There is no benefit in ramming against the 6-month wall and trying to knock it down. It will break in its own in time. Instead, find out or remember what lets you relax.


  Everyone has their own way of destressing. For some, it is religion, or reading a book, or spending time with friends and family. I encourage all of you to think about what does it for you, and go out and do so safely. If you enjoy riding a bike--motorized or pedal--or maybe putting on some headphones and jamming out, maybe playing that game on your phone or computer or a board game with your family... Do it. Find some time this week, and re-center yourself. Know that while it may seem dark, and the path unending for now, it IS temporary.


  The news and the media paint a dank picture. That's their job and how they make money. Facebook is rife with stories both true and false. I won't tell you what to believe, but encourage you to do your own research before sharing that post from Uncle Fred. As we head into winter, the days will get shorter, colder, and darker. There are still things that must be done during this time. Work. Teach. Cook. Pay bills. Exercise. Don't expect to suddenly be sparklingly ecstatic because you've read my words. I wish I had that power... But by doing the things that help you find yourself, by meeting obligations, and by being kind to family, friends, and even coworkers, we'll come out the other side of this in better shape than we went in.


  If you've ever listened to the safety briefing before a flight, they tell you to take care of yourself before helping others. The same is true here. Find yourself. Be kind. Know that this will end. Take heart. We have navigated this harrowing global disaster for over 6 months. We have learned, we continue to love, and happiness can be found if we but look for it, even in these rough conditions. If nothing else, this is hard evidence that we have what it takes to grow, persevere, evolve, and make this world a better place.

Open Letter to Educators for 2021 School Year

Dear Principal, Educator, or Guardian of Future Learning,

 

I’m certain that you receive multiple complaints, gripes, and other negative messages daily. I will strive to ensure this is not one of them. This COVID-19 pandemic has seen the best, and the worst of humanity come to the fore. Between worrying about how our economy will survive businesses being closed, to listening to news and social media spread conflicting information faster than the disease it’s about, America is at a crossroads for how our future generations will look back upon this time.

As a parent of two boys who are both high-risk, as well as having two high-risk adults living in our home, I worry about how institutions across this great nation will proceed. I understand that we have the choice of keeping our children home and using online tools for their education. If it follows anything similar to how the last school year ended, I fear my children’s success. Individual teachers acted as though their class was the only one, and piled on one to two hours of work each day per class. Even with three adults helping supplement the reading my children did and trying to teach them the subjects that the online tools couldn’t, they struggled. The biggest problem with online tools is that it offers little opportunity for the students to ask for clarification, or to have something rephrased.

I don’t want this to seem like a gripe letter. Some teachers were excellent and contacted their students to work with them via Zoom or other online tools. While this still left a significant burden on parents who continued working, it was much appreciated. One on one training like this isn’t sustainable in most situations, however.

With some parents complaining about forcing their children to comply with state and local mandates to wear masks, it puts everyone who attends the schools in person at risk. Faculty and Staff will be forced to spend much of their time and effort either enforcing the rules instead of educating their pupils, or putting themselves and other students at risk as well as the families of students and teachers. I will gladly fight and argue for people being allowed to make their own choices, except when they are putting others at risk to exercise their freedoms. An adult may drink alcohol to excess, and that is their choice. But the second they get behind a wheel and decide to drive—again, their choice—they put others’ lives at risk, whether they end up in an accident or not. People can choose to wear a mask or not at home, but the second they leave and interact with society, they are putting others at risk. The argument that they are healthy, so why wear a mask, sounds the same as the drunk stating they are good enough to drive. Their judgment is impaired by the aforementioned social media and news spreading conflicting information.

I was raised never to present a problem unless I had a possible solution. Schools can offer their classes virtually. And educator can connect to a Zoom meeting—or whatever means the school district dictates—and students can log in and listen to their teacher. The technology is there that students can ask questions when they need, and teachers can provide instant feedback. This method also allows for a digital process of roll-taking. Chats can be incorporated, allowing for group note-taking, should the teacher allow it. I acknowledge that this will create a little more overhead for teachers, as they schedule their classes. But once set up, it would be little different than how education proceeded for centuries. The teacher stands and instructs, the students take notes, listen, or ask questions as appropriate. Assignments can still be given out via email or your school’s portal and turned in by the same method.

Teachers would still be able to utilize their classrooms for instruction. They would spend the same amount of time in their classrooms as they did before. There would be less trash and mess to clean up at the end of the day. Books could be delivered digitally, cutting back on waste. Even if a child is sick, they would still be able to attend lessons. It would offer more opportunities for children NOT to miss school. This method protects everyone, and no one would have to wear a mask.

I know that this would drastically change our education system. Teachers would have to pay closer attention to whose face is logged in at the other end. Parents will have to keep a closer eye on what their children are doing during school hours to make sure they are where they need to be.

I will admit that there will be difficulties. Despite government efforts, broadband is not available everywhere. Not everyone has a computer or smartphone to connect to classes. These issues are a minority. School districts can work with these families to provide a system for the student if they meet qualifications. If their access to the internet is insufficient, I must ask how they finished the last school year? I do not want to disparage their ability to learn, as a good education is the best hope for everyone’s future. There are programs to get them the internet access they need.

The only hurdle that cannot be overcome with this method is the social engagements and interactions that students enjoy during school. They could interact through the virtual class during appropriate times, but they will miss the physical interactions. My best solution to this is that parents of students that do not have a high-risk person in their home could schedule “play dates.” Those that are high risk will not likely be sending their children out to bring back a disease that, as of this writing, has about a ~4% mortality rate in the nation. While some places boast of a <1% mortality rate, I must ask at what number is any death justified because of the discomfort of wearing a mask?

I ask that you consider the path of teaching via virtual classrooms to ensure that the best education is offered to our children, while simultaneously allowing people not to wear a mask, and keeping our future generations safe.

 

Thank you,

A Concerned Parent

 

Good luck with that...

     I have kept my mouth shut. I’ve kept quiet. I’ve tried to be that watched pot, and not boil. The pressure has built up, and now it’s time to burst. This nation—this wonderful nation—is wounded. Full disclosure before I move on to my rant: I voted, but not for Hillary, or Donald, or as I called them, Dillary. I didn’t make the decision on who I voted for based on sex. I could care less what kind of sex an Oompa-Loompa has. I didn’t make my decision based on gender either. I disagreed with too many of their promises (pronounced in this context as “lies”) to pick one, and my conscience wouldn’t allow me to “pick the lesser evil.” Okay, with that out of the way… Wait, where did I put my soap box…? Hmm… Aw, screw it. Moving on!

     Many of you know my stance on various topics because you’ve read my previous blog posts. If you haven’t, bookmark this post and go ahead and read them. I warn you, my opinions (hereafter referred to as facts) can offend some people. Read the lighter fare and decide if you want to risk this one. I intend to be blunter here. I intend to be honest and truthful, even if it paints me in a poor light. I even intend to back up my facts with a work’s cited at the end! Oh, joy!

     Now to start out with, let me get this off my chest: I don’t care who you voted for, or who you supported during the election. If you voted, good on you! If you didn’t, hide your shame and do better next time. Donald Trump, with all his orange, er… colorful characteristics won the election according to the laws of this nation. If you stand up and claim that he is not your president, then you are either an illegal immigrant or intend to move out of the United States. If you’re sticking around, then he IS your president, like it or not. I didn’t like Obama and his politics, but he was still my president for the past eight years. I understand that Trump lost the popular vote, but our election system is based on an electoral voting system and has been for longer than anyone has been alive. “The founding fathers established it in the Constitution as a compromise between election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens.” (What is the Electoral College? n.d.) If you don’t like that fact, then write your congressman or representative. Standing in a crowd and proclaiming that the legal winner of the election is not your president does nothing. Unless Trump is found guilty of some impeachable offense, he IS the President of these United States… At least until the next election.

     I’m not saying that protesting is pointless, or shouldn’t be done. Rioting, looting, and breaking laws because you don’t agree with something SHOULDN’T be done. Legal protesting should happen, but done with intelligent action. Protest the election process, not the final result. Protest a law BEFORE it’s passed, not after it’s too late. Yes, laws can be repealed, but that’s like going on a date with a known killer. You know what could happen by doing it, but what’s the point in complaining when they’re holding a knife to your throat? Bit extreme? I’m not sorry.

     I’m sick and tired of all of this apologizing for things that are ridiculous. I will not apologize because I am a white male. I was raised Christian, and have many of those beliefs, though I’ve decided to form my own religion: Humanity. What I was born and raised as does not mean that I am a bad person. What I’m driving at is this movement of political correctness. In my humble fact, the most egregious of this is the taboo term of Muslim Extremist Terrorism. No, not all terrorists are Muslim, and MOST Muslim’s are peaceful. But when they decide to go to the extreme and commit terrorism, then call them what they are! If they're a terrorist, but not a Muslim, then that term wouldn’t fit them. Yes, some terms have an insult built right into them like the infamous “N” word. But calling a person of color African American, when they’ve never been to Africa seems a little silly. They’re black (or brown), just as I’m white (or beige with a hint of pink except when I get burned in the summer). I don’t expect people to refer to me as European American. I have a friend who came to America from Madagascar. Great guy! He was my roommate during my last tour of Iraq. He qualifies as African American.

If you’re still reading this, then you seem to have thicker skin than most. Go ahead, pat yourself on the back. Or better yet, send the link to this blog to another person who has or needs common sense in their lives.

     I want to go back to the political situation. No, I’m not going to tackle the whole “Alternative facts” fiasco or the fake terror incident. That has enough comedy written into it without me adding. Believe what you will about Left Wing protesters blocking security entrances during the inauguration, but consider the sources, and ALWAYS use Snopes (www.snopes.com) to verify anything, especially if you read it from Facebook, or Breitbart, or any other site that is not legitimate news. Be very wary of fake news. If it is something that sounds unbelievable, it might actually be. I even encourage you to follow up on this blog post and check for yourself.

     I’ve heard and read many people saying that they hope Trump fails… Let me allow that statement sink in a little bit. They want the leader of this nation to fail, and thereby drag this nation down with them. This is the true height of folly and hubris. People are so upset that their candidate didn’t win, that they want the nation to fail. Make no mistake: the President of the United States is the leader of this country, and if he fails, we all fail. Like it or not, Trump is the man in that seat. This is like being on an oceanic cruise, and a fellow passenger shows you a tape of the captain making a sexist remark. Instead of disliking the captain, you want him to run the ship into an iceberg… Brilliant!

     Don’t take that the wrong way. What Trump said in that tape YEARS AGO was sexist, misogynist, and is held in almost every high school locker-room across the nation. I’m not condoning it, but men talk like that when it’s just men, and they feel comfortable doing so. The small budget movie, Range 15 (Range 15), is a great example of how men act when they’re alone. Believe me when I say I’ve heard much worse during my time as a soldier. It’s not right, and it’s not appropriate, but if you want a man who has never spoken that way in his entire life or been a part of such a conversation, you’ll have to find one who has never been through puberty or one who was never alone amongst other men. I’m not proud of it, but even I have been caught up in one of these conversations, though I never said anything as crude as what was on that tape. I won’t defend my past actions, but I will say that in my house, the toilet seat gets put down, my wife’s needs supersede my own, and I believe in equality. Did I just contradict myself in that last statement? Maybe I should be a politician!

     Let’s do a quick tally… At this point, I’ve probably pissed off the race-sensitive, insulted the brainpower of some protesters, torqued the religious from my previous post, struck a chord with the bleeding hearts, and inflamed the feminists. Who’s next? The minimum wage millennials, or the Obamacare fanatics? Heck, why not take them in order.

     Let’s do some simple math. An employer needs to pay their employees a decent wage. That wage comes out of the business’s profits. When a person works hard enough to increase those profits, they deserve a raise. If an employee gets a raise, but there isn’t a corresponding rise in profits, that money has to come from somewhere. Either cut costs or increase the price of goods. Cutting costs could mean letting employees go. Increases the costs of goods does nothing for the employee, whose higher pay rate now goes to cover an increase in the cost of living. So… The minimum wage goes up, and either people lose their jobs, or the cost of living increases, making the whole thing moot.

     “But wait!” you say? “The greedy employer should just cover that. Why should they make that money, when I’m the one working for it? They should be the ones to take the loss.” That answer isn’t as simple. A business owner is at risk and has put a lot of their money into building their business. Small business owners often have a very small margin that they take for themselves. They aren’t greedy, and they often work harder than any of their employees, making less per hour for their efforts. “Okay, okay,” you’ll reply, a sneer in your tone as you think you have me cornered. “But what about large corporations? They can afford to take a pay cut to make sure 16-year-old Tommy can make $15 per hour flipping burgers.” Please stop here for a moment and give me a second to stop laughing… … … …

     Large corporations won’t do that. They’ll put in computers, or robots, or machines that cost a lot up front, but will be less expensive in the long run. Especially when you consider the cost of health insurance, Worker’s Comp, paid leave, etc. (Peterson, H., 2015) Gripe, and groan, and protest, but big business isn’t going to cut their profits. And now for my coup de grace on this subject: minimum wage was never designed for someone to make a decent living. It was designed for high school kids, and those joining the workforce to get their foot in and work their way up. Yes, I know this economy hasn’t been the best for that. I know many people would love to work their way up and earn a better income. I did that. Unfortunately, there is a large vocal group that wants to make more without earning it. The unfortunate trend shown in the media over the last few years has been a mentality of give it to me now, and I’ll earn it later. Good luck with that.

     And let’s talk about that insurance. Here’s where I’m going to lose a few more of you. I mentioned near the beginning that I didn’t support President Obama or his politics, and his Affordable Care Act was one of those agendas I opposed. Before the pitchforks come out, keep reading. I’m not against affordable healthcare. Heck, in fact, I’m all for it! Many of you know my wife’s health issues, and there have been times when we couldn’t afford the medication that keeps her alive. My objections were with the way the wool was pulled over the American public’s eyes. They (Here the word ‘they’ refers to all the politicians that were trying to push the ACA through) stated time and again that it would not be a tax, though those that were fighting it claimed it would be. In the end, in order for it to pass the Supreme Court, it had to be classified as a tax… “The Affordable Care Act’s requirement that certain individuals pay a financial penalty for not obtaining health insurance may reasonably be characterized as a tax. Because the Constitution permits such a tax, it is not our role to forbid it, or to pass upon its wisdom or fairness.” (Supreme Court ObamaCare) And who could forget such wise nuggets of common sense like this quote, “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.” (Christopher, T., 2013) I understand what she was trying to say, but she failed miserably.

     The ACA was something that had the right ideas behind it, but poor execution. My insurance premiums went up, making it harder for me to make a living and afford insurance. Insurance that I have to have, or get fined/taxed for not having it. I’m not saying the healthcare system was perfect—or even good before—but the ACA broke it for those who could afford healthcare, and caused problems for those needing to get it. So let me say once more, the ACA was a terribly implemented good idea, but there has to be something better. Too bad all we have are politicians to figure out what that something better is. I know more people have healthcare now than did before, but time will tell as the years pile onto the ACA. Will it be repealed, and replaced with something better? We’ll see….

     Wow! I think I’m almost out of steam here. Are there any groups left that I haven’t offended or upset? Like… Oh. My. Gosh! There totally is!

     The Gimme Generation that needs a safe place to be cuddled and swaddled in. I’ll make this one brief. Yes, you’re special, but you’re not a little snowflake. Grow up, and realize that the world doesn’t owe you anything. Go out and earn it! Don’t give excuses as to why you can’t! Come up with solutions. You’re tougher than you let on. Quit asking for handouts. Dang it, now I’m starting to sound like some self-help infomercial. The fact of the matter is, in this world, if you want something you have two choices: take it from someone who worked for it, or work for it yourself. Too many are starting to do the former, without even trying the latter. Listen, I get it. It’s easier to take than to put forth the effort and work for something. Unfortunately, you’ll never get anywhere other than being a bottom feeder with that mentality. Don’t take this as criticism of the entire generation. There are many good eggs in it. Take this as criticism of the bad eggs that are spoiling the rest of the bunch.

     I think I’ll finish this rant with an eye on the gender confused. Whoa, whoa! Put down that organic latte, and listen to me. I don’t care if you were born a man, and identify internally as a woman. I don’t care if that last sentence is backward to your situation. I couldn’t care less if you’re a potato and identify as a strawberry. If you want to be a woman, become a woman. If you want to be a man, then do so. BUT, until you do, use the bathroom that matches your plumbing. If you’ve made the change, then your plumbing has been swapped, and you can use the appropriate defecation location.

     If you’ve read this far, congratulations! You’re either a human being (or some other sentient being) with a soul and a fair amount of common sense or have a very thick skin. I do have to wonder who might have quit reading, and either blocked me or went straight to the bottom to comment.
Well, I think I’ll step down from this soapbox, and let you get back to your regularly scheduled life!

Works Cited

Christopher, T. (2013, November 17). The Context Behind Nancy Pelosi’s Famous ‘We Have to Pass the Bill’ Quote. Retrieved February 15, 2017, from http://www.mediaite.com/tv/the-context-behind-nancy-pelosis-famous-we-have-to-pass-the-bill-quote/

Peterson, H. (2015, August 06). McDonald's shoots down fears it is planning to replace cashiers with kiosks. Retrieved February 02, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/what-self-serve-kiosks-at-mcdonalds-mean-for-cashiers-2015-8

Range 15, www.range15.com, 2016.

Supreme Court ObamaCare | Ruling on ObamaCare. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15, 2017, from http://obamacarefacts.com/supreme-court-obamacare/

"What is the Electoral College?" National Archives and Records Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2017.

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