The Life Less Blogged
July 17, 2020
Hi.
Hello.
What's up?
Not much, what's up with you?
Wait, are you talking to yourself or your blog readers?
HA HA HA "blog readers." That's cute. Very circa 2009.
ANYWAYYYYYYYYYYY.
I haven't gone anywhere, I haven't done anything. (Besides watch Hamilton at least once every other day, because it's honestly the only nice thing we still have at this point.) I haven't been on Facebook in weeks and the latest photo on my phone is a blurry shot of my black cat lying on my black work laptop, so you absolutely 1,000% have no idea what you're even looking at and no Instagram filter can fix it. Jason still takes pictures of literally every plate of food we make, but even he'll admit that the early joy that came from the near-constant pandemic baking and ambitious cooking projects has worn off and it's kind of boring now. Everything is boring now.
(And I know "boring" has never stopped me from blogging like...ever, but...I mean. Sometimes I leave the house and it feels really weird and dangerous? Most of the time I don't? Yesterday the most meaningful interaction I had with my teenager involved a lecture about eating seven sleeves of Ritz crackers in a single sitting?)
I realized the other day that since this all started -- since that fateful day in mid-March when I struggled to accept the idea that schools were closing for TWO WHOLE WEEKS OMG!! -- that the anniversaries of my dad's death and my attempt both passed by without me even noticing at all. Too preoccupied with oh, I don't know, too much good stuff on Netflix? That whole artisanal moldbucket fiasco?
'Tis a mystery, truly.
Anyway, I'm working like, 60+ hours a week and...it's good! I like it. I am good at all the things I'm doing and nobody has asked me to do anything I am not good at doing. Although somebody at some point will probably notice that all my Excel spreadsheets are super fucking basic because I would rather do all the math on my goddamn fingers than deal with Excel functions.
Our school district announced yesterday that they're dropping plans for part-time/staggered attendance and will remain fully online/virtual-only until at least late January. On the one hand, we had zero intention of sending any of them into some overcrowded virusbucket of a school in September anyway (suck it, DeVos!) so this wasn't exactly Brand New Information.
On the other hand, late January. At a minimum.
Again, does anybody remember...March? It's like we're living in a real-life version of The Money Pit. Two week? Two weeks!
Except instead of a house, it's civilization!
Anyway, I've written like, six more paragraphs than I ever thought I'd realistically be able to stretch this forced little attempt at a blog post, so Imma consider that a job well done. Stay well, everybody.
At least you got an answer from your school district. Here, there are still wavering and there are like 600000 plans with different options, all as unrealistics as the others, and we, parents, cannot plan for anyhting at all since we do not know what it will be. And I am also afraid that the district will cave to the pressure of the Facebook parents that are screaming HOAX, LIBERTY and CHILDREN DON'T GET SICK ANYWAY...
slightly stressfull leading to a lot of stress-eating but beside the bread baking (and corresponding carbs) I am not as motivated as you guys to make restaurants worthy meals...
Awesome to see you are doing good with work and concentration!
Posted by: Sylvie | July 17, 2020 at 02:59 PM
SO glad to have heard from you! Figured work was very real and keeping your busy. This is actually good.
Glad to know your area isn't signed up to produce any of Ms De V's acceptable almost 15,000 dead children. And, let's not even talk about the long term physical health permanent damage among the survivors. On-line school may not be perfect but.......
Please keep on enjoying your job and occasionally telling us you all are ok. Posting shopping lists or some of the food photos will be appreciated and will count towards your golden of wonderfulness.
THANK YOU. You are making a difference.
Posted by: rose | July 17, 2020 at 02:59 PM
Our district in NJ sent out a survey a couple weeks ago and now crickets. I’m just assuming at this point that I’m going to be homeschooling a 2nd grader and a preschooler for the rest of my natural life. It’s fine, I’m fine, everything is fine.
Posted by: Heather | July 17, 2020 at 03:06 PM
I'm a preschool teacher and WE ARE WORKING because daycares don't have the same social status as schools. Meanwhile my metro area today had it's largest daily spike in deaths yet. So.
Posted by: Samantha | July 17, 2020 at 03:40 PM
I mean...I'm still stuck on YOUR TEENAGER...but fine. Time is a mystery. Also glad all are well (in Trump/COVID-adjusted terms).
Posted by: Moira | July 17, 2020 at 04:12 PM
I just wanted to second Rose’s comment and say that it’s good to hear from you and good to know you are enjoying your new job! I’ve been following the news regarding the current situation in the US and it just seems so crazy! It’s good that they are keeping your schools closed, we don’t expect ours to open up in September either and If they do, it’ll probably be for a short spurt of time. There’s one thought that is giving me peace of mind in these troubled times and that is: I am doing everything I can to keep myself and my closest safe. I’m keeping my eye on the ball - I wear my mask, practise social distancing etc. If others choose not to play by the these rules, it’s up to them and I’ve forced myself into realising that I cannot change this (following several public discussions/attempts at lecturing strangers) and I just have to keep trudging along, making sure I am not letting my guard down, taking it day by day. It’ll all pass and IT WILL get better. Just do what you have to do and be kind to yourself. Also! Be kind to us and post here from time to time, OK? ;-)
Posted by: Katie | July 17, 2020 at 04:21 PM
OH MY GOSH. I am so glad to hear from you!
Quarantine is just the worst. Stay strong Amalah family <3
Posted by: Laura | July 17, 2020 at 06:19 PM
I’ll trade you Excel formulas for SharePoint tips. I don’t envy anyone with school aged kids right now. The choices my friends in Florida are facing are the pits.
Posted by: Lori | July 17, 2020 at 07:16 PM
So glad you posted. I worry 😄. Please take care of yourselves!
Posted by: Virginia Luyster | July 17, 2020 at 09:06 PM
My best friend is expecting her first baby in two weeks (!). I sent her directly to your calendar and advice smack down way back at month 1, and she has loved your calm and non-judgy advice. So even when you aren’t posting here, you’re still Spreading Good. So thanks, and keep taking care of yourself!
Posted by: Emily H | July 17, 2020 at 09:29 PM
I’ve honestly been waiting for you to say how many times you’ve watched Hamilton! I’m on my approximately 87th viewing, and I had never seen it nor listened to the soundtrack prior to it coming to Disney+. In fact, I may put it on again now...
Posted by: Laura | July 17, 2020 at 09:36 PM
Glad you posted, good to hear from you, even if it's just... stuff. It's all just... stuff these days.
Posted by: Kate | July 17, 2020 at 11:21 PM
I was just thinking the other day that we hadn't heard from you in a while. So it's good to hear that everything is still ok-ish in Amalah Land.
I got Disney+ just so I could binge on Hamilton. I may be more that just a little in love with Daveed Diggs as Lafayette/Jefferson. He brings so much more to the characters than the one who did it in the live version we saw. I will be cancelling Disney+ at the end of the month, so I'm hoping they make it available soon on DVD.
Y'all stay well and keep in touch!
Posted by: Sue W. | July 18, 2020 at 06:02 AM
Oooo. Lovely to hear from you. Seeing the post was like getting a text from a friend. Both of you have nothing much to say, but it's pleasant to trade nothing stories, even if to remember words. Some of them at least.
Late January? Woah.
Posted by: Jill | July 18, 2020 at 09:29 AM
Had been thinking about you as well — so nice to hear things are stupidly boring, but fundamentally OK.
Posted by: Megan | July 18, 2020 at 11:08 AM
Our school district (in S. Florida) is also going fully online for the foreseeable future. My daughter will be in 10th grade and I feel awful that she doesn't get to see her friends and have a "normal" high school experience (although, High School SUCKED for me, so maybe it's good?) I hate this virus.
Glad everyone is doing well! And I'm pretty sure Hamilton is the only thing keeping many, many people sane right now (including me).
Posted by: Cheryl S. | July 18, 2020 at 05:54 PM
So glad to hear from you. We are all just hanging in, and here in Canada, really worried about our neighbours to the south. Glad your family is all well, and you are coping - and even productive! Take care of you and yours, and hope you all stay well and safe.
Posted by: Alison F. | July 18, 2020 at 06:10 PM
Also agog at you just casually dropping "my teenager" into a sentence like that. And also will just always be glad to see a new post from you- just because I think you're swell, and also I don't know, Amy, as weird as this is, having been a Your Blog Reader since before the teenager was a twinkle in his parents' eyes, even an "I have nothing new or exciting to report"report is still somehow, like, a comforting force in the universe. The sun rises, the blogs turn.
Happy to hear that work is going well. Weird fuckin' year, man.
Posted by: K | July 19, 2020 at 01:25 PM
Thanks for posting, I was wondering what you guys were up to. Pretty much the same as everyone else, I guess. But your post made me smile (seven sleeves of crackers? Is it ok that I think that's hilarious?)
Posted by: Raizel | July 19, 2020 at 04:28 PM
Well hi:).
Posted by: Lisa | July 20, 2020 at 12:12 AM
My mom died in 2009, and I have NEVER NEVER NEVER not marked the anniversary until this year.
Posted by: T | July 20, 2020 at 08:33 AM
What is with the entire sleeves of crackers! "Its not a portion size, son!" is a thing that I say. A lot. Nor is an entire batch of cookies. And he always looks down at it like its the first time he even realized it was in his hand. SMH.
Posted by: Melissa | July 20, 2020 at 01:09 PM
I did not know about Artisanal Moldbucket Fiasco, so thank you for an additional internet wormhole to fall into! So gross. Like many others, I was thrown by "my teenager". Right now I have no idea what our school districts plans actually are but based on our governor we are going to act like nothing ever happened and will expect that some hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes will protect all the children, teachers, and staff. Yeah.
Thanks for updating, I'm glad your actual work things are keeping you happily busy.
Posted by: Dori P | July 20, 2020 at 06:04 PM
Hey it's you!
How is that real job going?
I still haven't seen Hamilton, maybe someday.
❤️
Posted by: Spookie | July 21, 2020 at 12:17 AM
I was hoping the silence was you loving your job and I’m so glad! All the things you are good at! 60 hours a week sucks, but ... new jobs, right? 7 sleeves?!? That’s a ... lot ... of Ritz.
Posted by: Elizabeth_K | July 22, 2020 at 09:24 AM
My district BLESSEDLY just announced we will be online for the foreseeable future, which means I can finally breathe instead of worrying for my teacher friend's.
Also I watched CATS (the not recent version) Because i loved your review so much? And it was AMAZING. Now my sourdough starter is called Mr. Mistofolees!
Posted by: Cece | July 23, 2020 at 06:26 AM
Today is the two year anniversary of my dad's death and I was thinking about how you blogged about buying books a few years ago on the date your dad died and how it’s such a great idea. Be well and I think I’ll go order some books now, and maybe read about the mold bucket fiasco.
Posted by: Jenn | July 23, 2020 at 10:05 AM
Amen to all that you wrote. So glad to hear from you.
My son's going into college this year and...we still don't have a housing placement? And they're in NYC and we're in one of the 31 states that needs to quarantine for 2 weeks when going to NY? And his college has said NOTHING about their plans for this? And they keep saying it's going to be in person but LET'S FACE IT, we all know they're not? And he's supposed to be having his first class in a little over a month and....
Posted by: Liz | July 23, 2020 at 01:50 PM
Puttin' on the Ritz. (I just had to.) Oh god, similar household. I have worked my behind off ever since we all went home. My husband on the other hand has nothing but time. So raised bed gardening, cement projects, increased exercise routines. I just wish he cooked. Or could carry a pleasant conversation with our two teenage daughters (TWO!) Or had rudimentary laundry skills. But anyway. I digress. Online school until Voldemort is vanquished. (That's what I call COVID-19.... and Trump.) But everything is boring. There is nothing to look forward to. And I am so bloody grateful for my health and my family's health and that we are still gainfully employed. Ok, back to work I go.
Posted by: Jessica | July 23, 2020 at 07:37 PM
A friend of mine hid 'the expensive snacks' when her boys were teens. Buy him some saltines and hide the Ritz!
Posted by: Sassy Apple | July 24, 2020 at 09:13 AM