Finally Maskless, CRT, and OTB

Mask restrictions have pretty much been lifted here in Minnesota with the rare exception of some smaller businesses that may still require them. I'm good with leaving mine in the car when I'm out and about running errands. It's disappointing to me that so many people are hesitating, with many refusing to get the vaccine — roughly 50% nationwide have had at least one jab. I would not want to be someone who abstained from getting the vaccine only to become infected and die or end up with long-haul Covid symptoms for years to come or possibly for life. It seems like a foolish risk to take simply to make a political point as it seems many are.

I was a lousy student through all of my years of schooling with the exception of when I was enrolled in community college after my enlistment in the Navy. I wasn't dumb; I was immature and had zero motivation to do anything more than what was necessary. It didn't help that my parents never once asked to see my grades. Ever. And never once did they inquire about my plans beyond high school. There was no mention of or expectation that any of my 5 siblings or I would attend college. And for the most part, none of us did. I signed on with the FAA just shy of completing my first-year studies at Inver Hills Community College. I admire those who are self-starters at such a young age, taking advantage of challenging classes and making the most of their school days. That was our daughter Rachel. Me? I'm left with the occasional dream that I'm in college, it's the end of the semester and I've done none of the required assignments and there's no way I can fake it through the exams. It's an awesome dream to wake up from!

I mention all that as a segue into what's being taught in our schools — or more accurately — what isn't being taught. As lousy a student as I was, I think I would've recalled a history lesson about the Tulsa race massacre of 1921— or maybe not. Regardless, It appears it wasn't taught about in the US, not even in Tulsa or anywhere in Oklahoma! It's astounding that something so significant in our nation's history was allowed to be buried as if it never happened. But what's even worse in my view is that not one perpetrator of violence toward innocent Blacks in the Greenwood District of Tulsa was prosecuted for their crimes of murder and mayhem. We're so far from the image of the shining city on a hill that many like to see us as. This past Monday marked the 100th anniversary of that tragic event. In a TV program about the Tulsa Race Massacre that I watched, an African American woman commented, "Don't tell it white, tell it right".

I'm hearing a steady drip from conservative media about "critical race theory" and how they're alarmed that it's being taught in our schools. The horror! Rather than continuing to ignore and whitewash our ugly and overtly racist past, it would be enlightening for us all to acknowledge where we've failed so many. And rather than backtracking on whatever progress we've made, let us move forward as a society. Let's have those conversations about generational wealth that many minorities were denied due to systemic racism within our society. Let's talk about redlining and reparations for those who were left behind as our policies all too often decimated minority communities, and still are.  

Seven months removed from the last election finds Trump and his followers continuing to push the Big Lie that Democrats stole the presidency from him. Trump is now claiming that he'll be reinstated as president in August. It would be laughable if it weren't so corrosive to our democracy as too many of his followers are incapable of discerning lies from truth, or they just don't care. This only gets worse as more states sign on to the unmonitored and corrupt audits being set up around the country in Republican-controlled states as they attempt to cast Biden as an illegitimate president. What worries me most, though, is the way in which Republicans are placing people in control of their states' election oversight in the hands of people who have signed onto the Big Lie, and had they been in place, would've given Trump a win in states he clearly lost. That's happening and it's worrying. 

Because that's how democracies die. 

Coolish rainy weather had me indoors for part of last week. I took advantage of my downtime to create a sun-catcher to sell in my Etsy shop. It was nice to be down in my studio again. Plus, it was nice to add some non-winter photos to my Etsy catalog of stained glass pieces. Snow (as is the norm) does provide a perfect backdrop for the colors of my pieces to pop but I enjoy photos of them during warmer months as well.

I've been going somewhat easy on my riding this year in comparison to years past. There's no reason for it — it simply is what it is. I was just starting to find my stride this past week and logging a decent amount of miles when I experienced a slow-speed crash on Monday that sent me over my handlebars (OTB or endo in bike lingo), causing me to land with my full weight, all 157 lbs, on my chest and head. I was trying to negotiate a benign-looking eroded section of the river bottoms trail, a section that's always in a state of flux depending on the rain. I only had a moment to commit myself to the line I was on — a line I felt my front wheel would roll right over but I was wrong. My front wheel came up against a few-inch-high lip and abruptly stopped, sending my rear wheel over the top and me with it. I'm guessing I probably swore (yes, I did) before checking that my teeth were all intact and that my bike was okay. I pressed on, determined to do the full 55 miles (88 km) I'd set out to ride but I had to head for the exits early out of concern that I'd maybe triggered some internal bleeding (I'm on a blood thinner) that would maybe need to be addressed. Plus, the pain was building with each mile. I brought it home after 40 miles (64 km). I was hoping a trip to Urgent Care wouldn't be necessary but Tammy strongly suggested I go in to be looked at. The CT scan revealed no broken ribs or anything concerning. The doctor diagnosed it as a chest wall contusion in addition to a sprained right wrist and said I should be good to go in about a week. That seems optimistic tonight as I write this 3 days post-crash but I'm hopeful that he's right. The crash is a little more than 2 minutes into the video below. 

The 2nd video below is from an SNL rerun last Saturday night with a performance by Machine Gun Kelly. I wasn't at all familiar with the artist but loved his music. He's singing about losing his father too soon in his life. They had been estranged for years but had recently reunited, only to have him pass away last year. Give it at least a couple of minutes before exiting out if you choose to. The raw emotion of his performance is so genuine. 

That's all I've got.