Both of my parents graduated from high school during the Great Depression.  The Depression molded their values and approach to life.  Dad got a job at a local water utility after high school.  He was smart – he graduated from high school at 16 because he skipped a grade.  His Dad was the manager of the local Kroger’s grocery store.  Granddad was told to re-locate to Rockford Illinois from Hobart, Indiana.  There was no choice – he moved the entire family – except my Dad.  Dad was the eldest, had a job and refused to move with the family.  Dad found a one room apartment and ate all of his meals at a local diner.  For the rest of his life Dad didn’t care for dining out – he had his fill as a young man.

I remember growing up that my Granddad ALWAYS wore a suit.  His white shirts were starched stiff and he wore a belt, not suspenders.  Even on a Saturday or Sunday when we visited the Rockford clan, grandpa wore a suit.  His shoes were always shined to see your face reflected.

My Dad always wore a suit with a fedora.  By the time I was born Dad was about 80% bald and did the famous comb over.  Also, by the time I was born he excelled at work and was an operations manager in the local utility.  He had 40 men report to him daily.  My father’s shirts weren’t starched because my mom was an expert at ironing.  I recall Dad having closet full of suits and various fedora’s.  He had a different hat for different seasons.  In the winter he wore a felt fedora, then he had one you could wear in the rain and for summer he had a straw fedora. 

One time after retiring Dad had an accident with the lawnmower and cut a finger.  He came into the house changed his shirt and trousers and then drove himself to the ER.

Dad taught me the proper way to polish shoes, hang pants in a closet, the proper way to tie a necktie.  As a young man I used the same after shave as Dad – Old Spice.  Dressing this way was his way of fighting back from the Depression.  It took me many years to understand why he dressed as he did.  Dad was making a statement – he was successful. 

I certainly don’t dress in that fashion.  In fact my usual garb is sweatshirt, jeans and sketchers.  Dad would be appalled – I’m comfortable.
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There is a point, during our social distancing it’s important to take care of ourselves.  I’ve trimmed my own hair, trim the beard every several days and of course wash hands frequently.  Do, do your best to keeping up appearances – you’ll be glad you did.            

​In my last job before retirement I worked for a health care organization during the H1N1 craze.  I volunteered to represent our organization for on local pandemic planning committee and I received hours of FEMA training.  The point is, I saw what would happen early on and began voluntary social distancing on March 11th.  I’ve been “distant” for 43 days.
 
I have been distanced long enough to get a bit snarly and things are irritating.  Of course, like many of you I have become addicted to the 24 hour news cycle.  I toggle between MSNBD, CNN, NBC and PBS.  Don’t ask me to explain this behavior, I can’t.
 
I have noticed an all too common speech pattern that now drives me crazy.  People begin any sentence with “Listen”.  Why do they say that.  I’m watching the news program, I don’t need to be told to listen or asked to listen,  I’m already doing that.  Adding “listen” to a sentence adds nothing and is irritating.
Worse is that many add “right” to the end of their comments.  My guess is that they are seeking approval or agreement with what they have just said.  Well, they can’t know if I agree or not when I’m sitting in my living room and even if I could respond, I wouldn’t.
 
So, I would like to propose that everyone in tv land immediately cease from using the words “listen” and “right”.  Those words will not be missed and I may regain what little sanity I had before this mess started.   

Way back in 2020 the genius Steve Jobs invented facetime on apple products.  It allowed people to connect on their phones and laptops and have a real time conversation.

The concept was later expanded to android phones and computer equipment and was dubbed “video calls” – a really boring name.  Facetime is much more appealing.

During our health crisis I have come to rely on time with my grandchildren on video calls.  I use a program called Duo which my oldest son taught me to use.  Now the whole family uses it. 

This is a miracle technology and has kept me sane during this period of social isolation.  I’m in the group at high risk because I have underlying conditions.  I have been VERY careful.

Without this technology life would be hell.  As I aged I’ve found myself slower to adapt to technology and frankly not pay a lot of attention to new things available to me.  It wasn’t until this crisis that I learned about Duo and video calling.
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So, out of the crisis I have learned a lesson.  I need to pay attention to what’s going on.  Become familiar with changes in technology and determine if it fits in my life and may even improve my life.
My next challenge – noise cancelling headphones.
 
p.s. For the record when I downsized last year I got rid of my dvd player and donated my cd’s to St. Vincent de Paul.  

I am a calendar guy.  Back in 8-5 days I read The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.  Who wouldn’t want to be highly effective?  I still do.  From this book I learned how to use a calendar to organize my life.

Yes, I make lists of goals and tasks but those lists don’t have any meaning until they show up on my calendar.  I use my calendar for EVERYTHING -  deadlines; meetings; birthdays; anniversaries; writing goal; when to take out the recycling and trash receptacles; my day for grocery shopping; picking up meds at Walgreens.  I keep my calendar on my phone so that it is with me at all times.

As cornovirus spread the rules for social activity became more draconian by the day.  At first events of 250 people were cancelled; then 200 then it plummeted to 50 then 10.  The final step was to just stay home only go out among people for food and medicine.
With each guideline I removed items from my calendar – meetings, my grandson’s birthday, doctor appointments.  Nothing took these items place and my calendar was filled with white space.  White space became a metaphor for an empty life.
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I have developed a fear of white space.  I hope I can begin filling in those spaces soon and get my life back.