Some Scattered Thoughts on What's to Come

I completely spaced that it was going to be Martin Luther King Day today. Every year, I seem to do that mostly because it just falls so darned close to all the major winter holidays. Somehow, my brain never got the memo that national holidays and the associated three-day weekends aren't just spring and summer things.  

That's the great thing about my writing schedule these days, though. Thanks to the passive income I've been bringing in via platforms like Medium and News Break lately, I haven't had to pack my schedule to the brim with copywriting and ghostwriting assignments the way I used to. I've continued to write for my long-time regulars, but that's about it. 

The more income my blogging generates, the more wiggle room I have, as far as my work schedule goes in general. I usually try to get my freelance obligations out of the way early in the week when I'm freshest, but I'm a little behind where I want to be with my Medium postings for this month. In honor of Martin Luther King Day, I'll compromise by leaving the freelancing until tomorrow and spending the entire day on my other content instead. I've gotten much better at actually seeing it as work and taking it appropriately seriously.

........

I have so many emotions going on regarding Biden's inauguration the day after tomorrow. On the one hand, I'm so excited about getting a normal president back in the White House again. I get that all politicians have their agendas, but Trump just took things to this whole other level that I never want to see again in my lifetime. I have my issues with Biden, but I at least feel confident that he cares about this country and about doing a good job as our president. He's not a flaming racist, a brazen liar, or a troublemaker. He doesn't grab women by the pussy or secretly yearn to turn American into a dictatorship. A low bar, perhaps, but it's more than good enough for me at this point.

On the other hand, though, I'm scared shitless that something awful will happen on (or near) Inauguration Day. I already felt unsafe and like America's future was uncertain because of COVID and all the racial tensions that have been simmering away all year long. The insurrection on Capitol Hill really screwed me up, though. I've been having nightmares and awful, panicky thoughts ever since it happened. I especially can't get that gallows out of my mind. 

I've always been a realist, so I understand we're all on our own to a greater degree than we want to think about and that nothing's guaranteed in this life. But this particular occurrence shook me on a level I wasn't prepared for. I realize I'm far from alone in that, but I'm usually the last person who's truly surprised when things like this happen. I honestly had no idea how bad things would become under Trump if he were elected, and even once I did have an idea, I never expected something like January 6th. 

I suppose all I can do is pray for our soon-to-be new president and his safety. I can continue to reflect on what I've learned from all of this, especially when it comes to realizing that things like this can happen here. Americans really do reside in this cozy little bubble that lets us think we're unique and protected in a way the rest of the world is not. I have more thoughts on that, but I believe they are best left for another day and another post.