An Angry Hum

Doin’ my civic duty. Socially Distanced. Cancelled vacations. No going out for dinner, or drinks…

This sucks everyone. I’m sorry.

On top of all of that, We’re processing a great disappointment. What was an unusual and joyous development has turned into an unusual and acute sadness. Our two sons, both of whom I am very proud, will be graduating college in a handful of weeks. Neither one of them, however, will get to experience commencement. Neither one will sit in another classroom between now and then. They’ve worked very hard, the two of them, to get here. They’ve persisted, they’ve sacrificed, they’ve WORKED. And this is how it ends.

There are others in my life; my nephew, my son’s friends, who are also dealing with this. I’d like them to know that I’m thinking about them too, all the time.

I’m stalking the house like a cat in a cage, raging at the universe, chuckling at the absurdity of all of this, resigned to it’s necessity, angry at those who didn’t provide the leadership we required of them. Logging hours of Xbox time (come on programmers, do your part. This nation NEEDS some new games, now more than ever.) It’s all so unprecedented.

I’m having to change old and comfortable ways. For the last 15 years or so, I’ve gone to the grocery store about every other day. It’s been years since I bought frozen or canned food that wasn’t ice cream, tomatoes, or refried beans. I don’t like thinking that far ahead. I don’t like buying food without a plan on how I’m cooking it, or what I’m serving next to it. I bought frozen tater tots yesterday. It was weird. I bought canned green beans and canned tuna. What’s happening to the world?

Obviously, I’m no prepper, but one does as one must. I’ll just do so with a wry smile and self-deprecating shrug of the shoulders. 

I am concerned about the small businesses I frequent: our gym, our trainer, our favorite restaurants and bars.  (A quick shout-out: If you want the best noodles in the cities, call Satay 2 Go in Apple Valley. She’s open for takeout, and she’s a wonderful lady. If you want great tacos and other great Mexican dishes, call Hidalgo Taqueria in downtown Burnsville, or Andale Taqueria in Richfield. For amazing Chinese food call Grand Szechuan in Bloomington. Order off the front of the menu for the really authentic Szechuan dishes. And World Street Kitchen, Pizzeria Lola, Young Joni, Hai Hai, Brianno’s deli… I could add so many more. These are great people making amazing food, and I’d like to do my part to make sure they’re still there when this is all over.)

I’m going to write more often, for multiple reasons. Primarily because I’ve become lazy and need to do it more. But also because my house isn’t as much fun as a bar or a beach. And I’ve got to be honest, I’m probably going to write more about my Boys. I really wanted them to see their accomplishment marked by a moment. I wanted them to see their hard work rewarded with pomp and circumstance. So instead of a gown and mortar board, they’ll get a maudlin and emotional dad. Buckle up Boys.

This sucks, but what do you do? I’d love to say screw it, and with Her, fly off to somewhere warm, sandy, and boozy. But that’s off the table for now too. So today I’m going to braise some ribs, work on the basement, bother the Wife, and play Dying Light for the fifth time.

Have a nice Isolation. Talk to you soon, though not in person. Duh.