This is a curmudgeonly slice of life, so reader take heed.

Covid-19. 2020. If I could take my Time-Turner (we’ll see how many nerds read this) and go back, I’d put a stop to Covid and make 2020 something worth celebrating, because right now, it’s a suckatude to the nth degree!

#stopcomplaining

Exhibit #1: Our jr. high season was all but canceled today by the superintendents of our conference. No practices, no games until December 10th. Yes, I muttered curse words into my mask when I got the text/emails. However, I agree with this decision, with out a doubt. I was nervous going into the season and as cases spiked, I became more nervous.We’ve struggled without our best player, but we’ve been learning how to play with out her. My girls would stand and watch as she makes plays. Heck, I catch myself doing it too because there are some passes she makes that I simply cannot believe happen. But, we played last night and again, we had more girls step into roles they were not used to, and they were being successful. We lost, but we were getting better. And now, I just don’t know.

#blah

Exhibit #2: The team I wrote about here will graduate this year. While there’s nothing I can do to stop time, there are those moments, those memories, and those teams that you can picture as clear as day. This will always be one of those teams in my mind (I have three). My sadness comes from not only their impending graduation, but also that there’s only two remaining on our high school team. We have to do a better job keeping kids in general engaged in the things they love, rather than running them off with over the top expectations. The girl I wrote about came down to talk a bit and she’s so excited about this season. They can be good, really good. The problem is, Iowans aren’t taking a flipping pandemic seriously and their season is in jeperdy as well. Again, furious at the “you can’t take away my rights” crowd who will wear pants in a store, but not a mask!

#thissucksandpeopledontcare

Exhibit #3: I talked to my students on the way out and said if you aren’t wearing your mask when you are out in public, you are telling those around you, “I don’t care about my sport.” This shook a few of them, with one saying out loud, in front of the class, during a pandemic, “I guess I should keep my ask on.” What?? I just can’t what this attitude of “I’ve not gotten it so it can’t be that bad.” When will be learn? But again, the adults have to model and the adult have to keep the conversation going about why we are wearing them, not just wear your mask. Kids deal with this better if they can see the absolute effect somewhere. Attaching it to a sport they love, suddenly, it become important. *sigh*

We Iowans, we are an independent group, but why we cannot simply do the right thing is beyond me! I want some “normal”, but not so much that my season and the holidays are impacted, but that’s exactly what HAS happened. I’m just furious at all the “it’s just the flu” crowd here in this part of the state. Ugh. We’ve really messed this up for our kids by NOT taking things seriously. Our governor issued a half hearted mask mandate, which really is nothing as it says the mandate “applies only when people are within six feet of others who are not members of their households for 15 minutes.” 15 minutes? Seriously? This was something that should have been done months ago, but I digress. Wear your damn mask. Just do it.

I’ve worked hard to be upbeat for my wife, my daughters, my sixth graders, and my team, but it’s tough to be upbeat when this keep hammering you down.

Of course there are the upsides, I just don’t have the inclination to look at them. Right now, I’m wallowing, but eventually, I will right myself, look at the half full up, and figure some things out.

Until then, get off my lawn. 🙂