Avatars and Peculiar People

          Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have always been referred to as “a strange and peculiar people”. Perhaps one reason is because many members will spend time getting high on life instead of drugs.  We march to the beat of a different drummer in many minds – and while there are many who may find us odd, there are just as many who may admire us because of our values and being able to face challenges with a different perspective.

          I remember both Corey and Joh were present when my youngest son got married.  As they waited for us on the outside and walked around temple square (I guess) Joh had many questions and would ask Corey – who by then had not been a member on record due to his excommunication (see here) 

It was then that Corey understood why members are often called “a strange and peculiar people”.

          I remember one time one of my brothers (Patrick, I think) either purchased or had received a CD featuring Huey Lewis and we listened to it and all of us danced to each song.  We were in their living room and the curtains were drawn away from the window.  I wondered how odd we may have appeared to any passerby.  It didn’t matter.  We were having fun.  I cherish the memory of us as we really enjoyed ourselves. I am reminded of this memory each time Jenna and I “work out” and our front door is open.

Jenna has decided that we must exercise each day.  Her workout choice is to dance.  She will play videos on YouTube and we will follow the dance moves – or attempt to.  Mostly she has been pulling up “Just Dance” videos with Wii avatars, but occasionally we will try to work out or Sumba with real live people who are always in sync even though we’re not.  Especially me. I don't know if anyone has seen us through the door.

         

          The other night we asked Roland to join us.  He joined us for one song.  Jenna selected “Living La Viva Loco” as she really appreciates the single avatar who dances on a flatbed it appears to be moving through the dessert.  Roland mostly just did the arm movements, but occasionally I could see that he may have been working his legs – although we were all looking at the screen more than one another.

         

          After I got up yesterday, I went over my normal routine of checking email, checking facebook, downloading the dailys on my kindle and then attempted to make breakfast.  Jenna, who normally has left her room by 5:00 was still in her room when I started breakfast.  Three poached eggs, three slices of ham, two English mufflins (as our toaster will only do four slices) and whatever cheese was left in the container.  I made two sandwiches pretty similar to the McMuffin and Roland and I ate.  When he returned to his office to work, I asked Jenna if she would like me to fix her some breakfast.

          I put another muffin in the toaster and she unloaded the dishwasher while I made her sandwich.  We asked a blessing on our food and began our day with prayer and watched “Come Follow Me” which covered Enos, Jarom, Omni and Words of Mormon.  And then we danced. We finished watching the 2^nd Jumanji and each did our own thing.  I  attempted to crochet some dishcloths and played several puzzles on my kndle.  I think Jenna watched more videos and made some tiktoks.  Silly girl.  

Why is this orange shaped like a pear
and why does my hand appear to be twice
the size of my head?

Jenna had asked me to send the above photo to my brother-in-law as the face I am making reminds her of the ones he makes.  He is a professional photographer and may cringe at the result of pic

Documenting Day 7.  Jenna's bored.

          Once Roland got off work, we headed up to the big city of Roseburg and went about our regular activities.– like those who had brought this virus outbreak upon us had finally finished the Jumanji game and things felt normal.  The traffic flow felt normal.  The recycling plant was open – not overly crowded with people – but well more than ten standing closer together than you think the “accepted social distance” would allow.  No one wore masks, though there were a few patrons who wore gloves.  The majority of the hands that I saw were naked  After turning in our bottles and cans, we headed to Stewart Park to feed the ducks.  

And since we were already there, we went into Fred Meyers to pick up some milk and cheese. 

          There weren’t any monitored lines as we had witnessed the last time we had attempted to go to Costco.  

There were many shoppers – no panic- no distance.  The only thing that had changed was the number of unhoused people standing between the park and store parking lot holding signs, begging for financial aid.  I saw only one shoeless woman standing holding a sign.  It said “God Bless” and she had drawn a red heart.  Near her was a cart full of cloth bags – I don’t know if they contained all her possessions.

          We had heard her singing, and when Roland returned to the store to purchase a forgotten item, Jenna and I took the rest of the groceries to the car.  While we waited for Roland, Jenna approached the sign holder and asked her if they might sing a duet together.  Jenna made another Tik Tok of the two of them singing “This is Me”.  I thought it was great!

          Traffic wasn’t outrageously heavy going back to Tri-City, but there were a good amount of cars.  Enough to make it feel as though nothing about the week had changed and changed and then changed again.  But after we returned, Roland had turned on the TV.  The newscasters had taken us to Italy where the virus has gotten out of hand.  And I wondered how many of my followers who live in Italy would comment about how careless I have been.  Or if they would agree with my wrecklessness. 

          It’s said that the rural areas will be hit hard eventually.  Rural hospitals may not be prepared to handle the outbreak.  I believe that only because of the reputation that many will say are unable to deal with what was thrown at them before COVID-19.  There is one hospital in our county which I mentioned is geographically the same size as Rhode Island.  Douglas county has just over 109,000 persons occupying space whereas Rhode Isand houses over a million residents.

          I’m not scared.  I refuse to live in fear.  I do wonder what other restrictions lye ahead.  I predict that soon we will be grounded to our houses and will be breaking the law if we drive our cars.  Almost matches the description of the restrictions put on citizens during World War II.