day 354 of the apocalypse reprinted from the new york times

 I am going to include something from my inbox that I found disturbing but interesting enough to share.

I woke up early because I had been working on a problem in my head, perhaps in my sleep and the cats would not leave me alone.

I wrote down the work that I had started and then moved on to the thing from the NYT in my inbox which was a disturbing look at what to be thankful for.

I went for a bike ride (picture above from the bike trails, me and you?).

I also did a couple of easy sets on wet bars outside, it seems to keep raining despite the weather odds and cold weather is on the way.

Made some additional mental notes and came back and wrote them down.

The deal is modeling my current work to get a fission powered battery which is not that complicated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81qIUuExQmQ

That song played on my ride.   Not everything is romantic.

Things seem to be on track still, no additional word, but I have plenty to do and I should get what I'm looking for; because I was told it was coming.  In exchange, that work I wrote down last night has to be completed.

I'm not sure how to approach romance anymore, but things appear to be happening.  There are multiple elements of change and for the moment they all seem to be progressing in terms of the science.  I'm still waiting for the government to cut loose, but I'm also not expecting that.

It's all too exciting, but the excitement is tempered by fears that I will never see you again.

For the moment, I need to be thankful so...the end of this made me intensely aware of the passage of time in a way that was not comforting.

‘I am thankful to be thankful’

Last week, I invited readers to send us six words describing what made them thankful in 2020. It’s a form of writing — the six-word memoir — popularized by the author Larry Smith.

More than 10,000 of you replied, and we’re grateful to all of you. Here is a selection of your responses:

The crinkling eye above the mask.

A furtive hug with a friend.

The backyard haircuts are getting better.

My choir still meets on Zoom.

Friends who give me streaming passwords.

Family reunion in January, before Covid.

Miss family, but safer for them.

Saved a lot of lipstick money.

More homemade pasta, no more jeans.

No shame in elastic-waist pants.

Braless at home? No one cares.

Mom, 87, rocking pretty, pandemic ponytail.

Teenage son still likes to snuggle.

My parents live two blocks away.

No better excuse to avoid in-laws.

This stinking year is nearly over.

*

Sunny mornings, a window facing east.

My bicycle, the trail, each morning.

Windows have never been so important.

Toscanini’s recording of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

5329 games of solitaire, won 5286.

Throwing the football with my sons.

Jonesy got a hole in one.

Still ridin’ my horse at seventy.

Postcards crossing the country — real mail.

Living in the Green Mountain State.

So grateful to live in Canada.

Left US for science-believing Germany.

I am thankful for Pastor Bob.

I’m just thankful for indoor plumbing.

I am thankful to be thankful.

Never been social; now I’m good.

I am bored, but not dead.

*

Ambulance took him. He came home.

Hearing granny laugh on the phone.

It’s just a cold, not Covid.

My parents did not get it.

Reached age 92, grandson reached 3.

I held my dying husband’s hand.

Held my son as he died.

Our kids, after my wife died.

My wife gave me her kidney.

Lung cancer team at Sloan Kettering.

Got sober during 2020, stayed sober.

Wasn’t too late to say sorry.

Wildfires took much but we survived.

Faith, family, friends, dedicated medical professionals.

Dr. Fauci and all truth-speakers.

Volunteers who take experimental vaccines.

Healthcare workers. Healthcare workers. Healthcare workers.

*

Pandemic baby after years of trying.

At twelve weeks, size of lime.

Special-needs child, graduated feeding tube.

My toddler and my weed guy.

Toddler sees Audrey Hepburn, says “Mama!”

I watched her learn to read.

Water cooler chats with six-year-old son.

Thankful for learning, in my pajamas.

Teachers’ patience. “ … Reminder: no fart machines.”

I teach funny, resilient 8th graders.

High school, even in a pandemic.

Survived first semester of online university.

Six years later, wife completes PhD.

Out of prison with great job.

Rediscovering myself by reading the Bible.

Stole my car, not my books.

Tried. Failed. Failed worse. Kept going.

*

To be a United States citizen.

Americans waited in line to vote.

Thanks for voting, Americans. — Immigrant scientist.

Gritty becoming an icon for democracy.

Once again, my Black vote matters.

God, family, freedom, Trump, health, USA.

Trump is our best president ever.

Vaccines are coming. Thank you, Trump.

Vaccine is coming, Trump is going.

Obama, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Reagan, Carter.

Biden won the election — thank God.

Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Georgia.

Paris Climate Agreement returns in January.

The first female Vice President, baby.

The women who came before me.

Democracy triumphed. Now pass the stuffing.

*

Aunt’s Jell-O salad not gonna happen.

Solitary Thanksgiving means no turkey. LOBSTER.

Alone, spouses thankful for tiny turkey.

Daughter lovingly uninviting me for Thanksgiving.

Zoom Thanksgiving beats an ICU Christmas.

Thankful for sweet potato pie, y’all.

Red or white, and occasionally rosé.

The many people who deliver food.

My restaurant colleagues, who never quit.

248 cocktail hours with my mom.

Empty calendar means frequent dinners together.

There’s really more kindness than hate.

*

We’re falling in love over FaceTime.

Fell in love six feet apart.

I have someone I can hug.

Even after I cheated, she stayed.

The freedom of filing for divorce.

Lost job. Lost boyfriend. Found happiness.

I might marry Coronavirus Boy Toy.

Gayer than ever, very in love.

Postponed wedding, having a baby instead.

Fell in love at age 75.

I proposed and she said yes.

Will you marry me, Taylor Hollenkamp?