Living Proof

We just went through three months of pure anxiety-ridden hell of a pandemic, and people are just at each other's throats. For me, I'm used to anxiety, and I'm learning how to accept it, feel it, and let it pass... But those who have never experienced panic attacks or anxiety, are now feeling it for the first time due to the virus. Many of us have hidden "health anxiety" -- aka, hypochondria. Those who have it don't feel comfortable admitting they have it, only because they're seen as "germaphobes" and get mocked due to their excessive cleanliness or avoidance of catching germs by shaking hands or sipping out of the same cup. Now? It's become the norm to not shake hands or sip out of anybody's cup. This is good for us hypochondriacs. For some people like myself, this world is going to be a much pleasant place to live in, 'germ-wise'---because it's now acceptable to pass up a handshake or hug or kiss from somebody we don'

In most cases, people who are unsure of themselves usually possess one or two traits: being introverted and quiet, or on the flip side, they're angry, combative and will argue with you until you say that they're right. This ego-driven behavior is usually a deep-seated ax to grind. You usually see this on Facebook debates over politics or on a news' thread. I see people who don't even know the full story or those who weren't even at the scene of what happened argue as if they knew everything. To be right is part of the ego's mission. It can't be wrong, or the ego simply dies. Nobody wants to look vulnerable and throw in the towel on a good debate, especially when there are quite a few onlookers. To them, it's like losing the 'schoolyard fight' at 3pm. Let's not forget the internet name calling trolls. They'll blurt out some of the most ridiculous things, between insults or using the straw man argument. For me, I've been down that r

Lola loving her beef marrow bone. Whether you like it or not, your fight is not my fight. You can't force people to be on "your side" or have the same opinion or beliefs as you. For instance, a vegan friend of mine claimed that I must not really love my dog that much since I eat meat. Listen, I totally respect your stance on not eating meat, whether it's for your health or for saving animals, but since the beginning of time, we were put on earth to eat vegetables and meat. The same friend put her dog on a vegan diet, which I disagree with---but I never told her I disagreed with it because it's none of my business. Dogs are omnivores. These kinds of different point of views can bring a strain on the friendship if one is trying to convert you over to the other side. Even little 'digs' here and there are uncalled for. It's like me saying that if you don't pray to the same God I do, then I refuse to be friends with you, or I'm constantly gonna

We've all had it. We're done. We're sick and tired of being cooped up and told to stay home because the virus will make us sick or possibly kill us. We're missing family, friends, work, shopping, dining, haircuts, manicures, pedicures---everything we used to do before March of this year.  I remember this one night back in late February on a Wednesday eating dinner at the bar of my favorite restaurant. Madelene works late on Wednesdays, so instead of eating by myself, or waiting to eat at 10pm with her, I would occasionally take myself out, sit at the bar and have some sort of seafood with a glass of wine. I knew the owners and workers, so there were people I could chat with, as well as whoever strolled in. We were all watching the news on their big screen TV. They were talking about Wuhan, and how this new virus called, "corona" was killing so many people. It hadn't come to our area as of yet, so we were all like, "Wow, I feel bad for them," in