​I noticed when Norah does virtual learning for her school, I feel like I am always one step behind in her coursework.  I am starting to realize that is not enough time in the day to get this stuff done.  Most of the things she is doing it’s too difficult for her, but it is taking the time for her to learn how to use the tablet and how we are to post her work on which message board, what folder, and constantly new things we have to do to submit such work.  Some of the things we have no idea how to do it because we don’t know what her password is in one of her classes.  So far the school or teacher hasn’t mentioned anything, so I assume all is good.  But I just can’t get that nagging feeling in my head that I am causing my child to be one step behind in stuff.

I feel like I need to be more active in helping her do her school work, but it’s hard.  Having the kids at home causes a whirlwind of stuff to do.  Norah’s here doing school, but at the same time I have to do my work and at the same time I have to keep Ben entertained so he doesn’t yell or scream or cry or bother Norah while she is studying.  My wife and I feel like we are just juggling through our responsibilities, trying to do everything all at once or needing to pick and choose what do to, while neglecting the other duty or child.  But I think feeling this way is natural.  I think most people always feel like they are one step behind or they are not good enough in something.

When I feel this way I am always reminded the Bible passage, Matthew 6:25-31.  You know that passage about not worrying.  Jesus illustrates that the birds do not sow, reap or store food in barns yet God always feeds them.  And God tells us that we are more valuable than birds.  Isn’t that nice?  Doesn’t that make you feel good?  Well it at least points me in the right direction.  Do not try to worry too much, everything will be OK.

But it’s hard to feel like you can’t get everything done in that day.  So, Norah is like two days behind in her homework… soon to be three days.  The teacher is really nice and told me not to worry about it since she is doing good, but at the same time I want to teach her good work ethics.  To make sure we get everything done on time.  But so far we have been late.  And I can’t help but not get the MxPx song, “Late Again” out of my head.  Great song in general… check it out.  Just heads up… it’s loud…
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                “Late again, Forgive me friends,
                 For I am late again,
                Til’ the day I die, Lord knows I’ll try, ‘
                Cause I’m still late again.”
 
But, I must remember, like what Norah’s teacher is saying, what the Gospel of Matthew is saying, “Don’t worry about it.”  I feel like God is sending me messages letting me know, everything will be OK, so do not sweat it.  And I think that is something we should always remember is how God speaks to us just so we can get the message through out think heads!  What more can God do to send this message.  The Bible, Norah’s teacher, and MxPx.
 
              “With all the saints, that don't place blame
               On sunshine, rain or snow,
               Believe me 'cause I know.
               That I'm Late again,
               Forgive me friends,
               For I am late again,
               Til' the day I die, Lord knows I'll try,
              'Cause I'm still late again.”
 
 Right… I got it… I’m OK now.

​I have heard rumors from the governor’s office that they have the vaccine available to anyone over 65 and anyone over 16 with health conditions, and also a whole list of other people ready to get the COVID-19 vaccine, which includes clergy or anyone in church staff, but where is it?  And how do we find out where to get it?
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So here’s the thing, if you go to the PA health website thingy, it actually maps out places to get vaccinated in this Central PA area.  However, nobody seems to have it.  There is one place that has it, but they are only for medical personnel only.  So… umm… where the heck is this elusive vaccine?

I have heard in Pittsburgh and Philly getting it, but nothing in Central PA.  Makes me wonder… are we the forgotten in the state of Pennsylvania?  To me, it is hard not to feel heart broken that we do not have the vaccine available to us at the moment, even though the State Health Department says so.  We are way behind everyone else in getting the vaccine to the right people.  Medical personnel, first responders, and nursing home residents haven’t all had the opportunity to get it.  And for the rest of us in Central PA… we haven’t even sniffed this vaccine.  I called a couple of places and they told me that have everything ready to get the vaccine to the public, but have not received any shipment of the vaccine.  But in other bigger cities they have it…. But what about us?  Aren’t we important enough to get the vaccine?

Since the revolutionary war and every war after that, Central PA has been vital to the US governments to provide boots to serve.  Central PA young men and women for years have sacrificed their life for this great country.  First one’s to serve, last ones to get any benefits.  Reminds me of a Dropkick Murphy’s song called, “Worker Song.”

              Yeah, this one's for the workers who toil night and day
              By hand and by brain to earn your pay
              Who for centuries long past for no more than your bread
              Have bled for your countries and counted your dead

              In the factories and mills, in the shipyards and mines
              We've often been told to keep up with the times
              For our skills are not needed, they've streamlined the job
              And with sliderule and stopwatch our pride they have robbed

             We're the first ones to starve, we're the first ones to die
             The first ones in line for that pie in the sky
             And we're always the last when the cream is shared out
             For the worker is working when the fat cat's about

             And when the sky darkens and the prospect is war
            Who's given a gun and then pushed to the fore
            And expected to die for the land of our birth
            Though we've never owned one lousy handful of earth?

Does it sound like Central PA?  Kinda similar right?  Not having this possibly life saving vaccine feels like Central PA is the last in line.  I hope in the next day or so, this all will change.  

Last week the Capitol building in Washington D.C was under siege from upset group of protestors that stormed the Capitol building to stop Joe Biden become the next president of the United States.  To be honest, I really have no strong opinions about people causing a big mess at the Capitol.  By what caught my attention is the aftermath, the mess, the destruction, and who was there to clean it all up.  It seems like in the USA at the time being… there will always be 50% of people unhappy, regardless of what side you sympathize with.  But for me, this blog is not abut picking sides, it is about the absolute sadness I felt seeing what happened in the aftermath of the riot.  All the pointed fingers, blaming Trump, blaming Republicans, blaming BLM, blaming our police… everyone is willing to point the finger at someone, but nobody wants to take responsibility.
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Everything that is totally wrong with American politicians are summed up in this picture right here.  One politician, who wasn’t even in the building when the riots occurred, is cleaning up all the mess.  His name is Rep. Andy Kim, a democrat from New Jersey.

Listen, I don’t care one bit about being a Republican or a Democrat.  I don’t care, because the only thing I will care about is whether the politicians we put up there on Capitol Hill are making the decisions in the interest of Americans and American life.  The issue for me is that in this picture no other politician is cleaning up with Andy.  It is not whether Rep. Kim is a Democrat or whether he is Korean-American, it is that he cared so much for what the room represents.  Capitol Hill is the heart of America. 

So we have one politician that cares about America, Rep. Andy Kim.  He, Himself, and God alone, and law enforcement officers cleaned up the rotunda, and other rooms, filling trash bag after trash bag until 3:00am in the morning.  What is wrong with American politicians?  None of them care enough about America to even clean up what is right in front of them.  No other senator or congressman was there to clean up.  After the other politicians got done voting, they went right into blaming one another, but failed to clean up the mess in front of them…  Maybe they thought, “It’s not my responsibility,” or “someone else will clean it up.”  And they are right… it is not their job to clean up the mess at Capitol Hill and they are right, someone will clean it up… I am sure they have janitors to do the job…. But that’s the problem.  It’s not about your job, but it is about what you represent. 

The reason why politics are so rotten currently is because everyone wants to point the finger, everyone doesn’t want responsibility, and everyone is thinking that someone else will do it.  We have these politicians that say they want your vote and that they promise to clean up the political mess, yet they can’t even clean up what is right in front of them… they rather just point the blame or simply ignore it.

Where were you Nancy Pelosi?  Where were you Mitch McConnell?  Where are you Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez?  Where were you Ted Cruz?  Where were you Chuck Schumer?  Where were you all?  All you politicians cared was someone else will clean this up… well one person didn’t wait for someone to pick up the mess, Rep. Andy Kim went into action.  Politicians promised to clean up America, but they can’t even pick up one trash in the Capitol Building.  Nice. 

For four years we paraded with the slogan, “Clean up the Swamp.”  It being directed to Democrats, but I think we need that reset button and get rid of all Republican and Democrats politicians.  I think we need Thanos again… Get rid of everyone in Washington and start over…  

What is it that you hope for in the year 2021?  What are we hoping for?  2020 was a rough year.  Covid-19, racial tension, political fighting, protests, Karens, and a seemingly divided United States between the blue people and the red people. 
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To be honest, I have no idea what I really want to see in 2021.  I want to see a better world that’s for sure.  I mean, I know that sound very much like  Miss. America answer, but that is generally true.  I feel like 2020 was a year that was defined by FEAR.  Fear of the “other.”  Fear of the virus.  Fear of whatever.  Actually I don’t necessarily wish for a better world, but I really wish we can hit the reset button or maybe even better have the ability to go back in time.
Now just recently I finally watched The Avengers: End Game.  I know it took me forever to finally watch it, and also I avoided any spoilers at that time.  Listen, I got kids, it ain’t like I’m going to the movie theaters anymore.  Nor am I able to watch what I want to watch on TV, Netflix, or YouTube.  But the movie was an interesting concept of going back in time in stopping the evil Thanos all together.  The Avengers would go back and get all the infinite stones before Thanos does, come back in their time and undue what Thanos done, which instead of wiping out 50% of the population, the avengers would restore and bring back to life the 50% of people.  Not a bad idea.  I wish I could just do that, go back in time, and find a better way in stopping this virus from ever happening. 

But obviously in the real world there is no such thing as infinite stones or a gauntlet of power, or even a time machine.  We have to deal with what happened in 2020 and somehow make 2021 a better year.  I wish I knew how to make 2021 a better year than 2020, but I don’t.  Maybe I will try to do my best to not be living in fear.  That doesn’t mean I am going to be reckless, especially with this COVID-19 stuff going on… still… but it just means I must feel confidence with the measures that I am taking to make sure this thing doesn’t affect the people I love and care about, and at the same time be comfortable in my life and what I do. 

I hope that I can be more up-beat and cheerful, regardless of the doom and gloom that is out there.  I hope that I can be a person that can make encouraging changes that make my corner of the world feel a little more happy.  Ehh… that all sound too much like a Miss. America contestant answer.  Maybe I should start looking for infinite stone and make a gauntlet, snap my fingers and go back and stop this virus from ever happening.  I better get working on that.