Joe Biden's Calendar

 

After 4 years of not knowing what was going on in the White House  I found Joe Biden's daily calendar on line the other day.  Bottom line, I need to up my game. 

At an age when most men my dad's age are out playing golf, fishing or puttering around the garage JB at 78 is up before dawn.

 Here's typical day:

After working out on the Peloton and getting ready for the day POTUS has coffee & breakfast with FLOTUS at 7 AM. He's ready for work by 8 and starts the day with the intelligence briefing, usually by 9 AM. After that there are meetings, briefings and speeches.  There may be a trip out of town on the schedule. The day I perused showed him in Wisconsin to tour a Pfizer plant. Then he made a speech ("for God's sake, wear your mask!").  Then it was back on the plane to Washington.  While on the plane there are more meetings & briefings.  He usually walks back to the residence from the West Wing with a stuffed briefcase to work on after dinner at 7. If there are no crises to deal with he's in bed around  9.

JB is not the only one still at work well past retirement age. He's in good company. I first noticed the trend in music: Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney still writing songs, making records and touring; Mick Jagger, Brian Wilson still going strong. (All over 70)

Meryl Streep, Michael Douglas, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin are all finding ways to work. (Also over 70 and some are over 80 and still out there demonstrating (Jane Fonda)).

And then there's the indomitable Ruth Bader Ginsburg in a class by herself. Who can forget Notorious RBG working out 3 times a week while fighting cancer at 85. 

And everyone seems to have a podcast. Bruce Springsteen  (scored an AARP mag cover at 71) just started one with Barack Obama. Alan Alda (84) interviews other "old people" on his.

Clearly the word "retirement" (n. "the point at which one withdraws from work usually at a certain age" per MerrimanWebster) needs to be retired.  And clearly the first thing I need to do is to dust off my elliptical cross trainer. I can't let some old guy beat me out on his Peloton.

You can find what JB's up to at  https://factba.se/biden/calendar/.

 

Hope in the Time of COVID

 A flock of Western Bluebirds has been stopping by the birdbath the past few early mornings even during the bitter cold.  The robins come shortly after; arguing and splashing in the water as they bathe. I refill the bath and then it's the smaller brown birds' turn to sit in a circle on the edges of the bath like a bunch of middle school girls talking and giggling at recess.  These avian visitors  remind me the world is still turning no matter what happens in Washington or my state capitol.  

I'm coming up on a year in quarantine.  Every purse and jacket has a mask tucked in the pocket. There are masks on the table by the front door, in the car, and hanging in the laundry room. I haven't been to the community swimming pool or the grocery store since last March. I haven't bought new clothes, make up or shoes. Although...I got a coupon from my favorite shoe store for the upcoming sandal sale and was excited until I reorganized my shoe rack and saw the sandals I bought last season still in their boxes. 

Mostly everything I do is on line now. Work, church, exercise, family dinner.  

I haven't seen my daughter or my sister since last January. I miss hugging them.

Threat assessment is the first step for any suggested outing. The checklist is reviewed: 

Is the trip necessary? Can an appointment be made? Can whatever it is be gotten through the drive-thru? Do I have to go into the store?  If I do, how many people will be there? Can they be avoided?  Is there curbside delivery?

My hands are so chapped from the everlasting washing and sanitizing I had to take my wedding band off.  I keep trying different creams to stop the itching and cracking. There's a whole array of bottles of hand lotion by every sink in the house. 

It's exhausting, yes, but much better to go through this than getting COVID-19. In many ways the anxiety is worse now than at the start of the pandemic. Without the vaccines I got angry and frustrated with those who refuse to give a thought to other people and instead loudly proclaim their "right" to infringe on my "right" not to get sick. Why, I would rage at the heavens, won't they do this one little thing that will save all of us?

With the vaccines came hope but now I don't want to be one of those people who die right before the end of  the plague.  I still have rage but it seems most people are cautious and my news feed is not filled with stories of people screaming at each other in the grocery store. 

I've learned that connections are important to me.  I sent out a hundred Christmas cards this year.  I delight in sending e-cards to family and friends to mark holidays and getting answers back. I check in with past work colleagues and neighbors.  The cards I received all echoed the same wish: we hope we can see each other in person.  Keep the faith. We will.