Puffs

Puffs

2020 . . . The year will not be the first, nor the last, to be cursed, and blessed. (I’m afraid from the current generations, more cursing than blessings.)

However, we do move on and many of us will remember 2020 as the year of the battle . . . we fought many things in 2020: COVID-19 will maybe be the top battle for the year, but it will include many other things as well. It seemed the 2020 election campaign was all year long, rather than the usual four months or so, and it continues on in January in a fashion. We, in southcentral Nebraska have fought the effects of a drought for at least the last half of the year. For some, the elimination (or change) of sports programs of all kinds was a real battle. The isolation and elimination of family activities may have been one of the hardest battles of all.

For me, I came upon an expected battle late in the year. On Dec. 30, I found myself in a doctor’s office late in the day. I arrived early in the hope that maybe I could get in (and out) early.

Silly me. By my appointment time I had been there for at least 20 or 30 minutes. By the time the nurse came and took me back to the room, almost an hour (after the appointment time) had passed.

Remember, I said this was late in the day. Only a few people were waiting when I arrived and most of the time I was waiting, I was alone. (They don’t call it a “waiting” room for nothing.)

I also have to confess I learned something while waiting . . . that is “they don’t put large wall clocks in waiting rooms.” Most likely they learned long ago, people get upset while waiting and clocks only remind people how long they have been waiting.

I do have to admit, for a while (while waiting) I thought everyone went home for the day and I gave serious thought to getting up and walking out. I did get up and was going to leave, but I saw at least one other person in the building, so I stayed.

It was close to an hour (after the appointment time) before I got back to the room. After the preliminaries, it took another 10 to 15 minutes before the doctor came in. Ten minutes later I was walking out the door to a parking lot containing only one vehicle resting in the icy twilight of the evening sunset. (That was my vehicle.)

I guess I shouldn’t complain. I did ask the doctor if he had a rough day. He just rolled his eyes, let out a long sigh and said yes . . . and that was it.

So, for me, the 2020 battle continued right up to December 30th.

The whole episode reminded me of the little joke my son told me the day before. He reminded me that people are always talking about how bad 2020 was and how much better 2021 is going to be. “Well,” he said, “between 2020 and 2021 . . . 2020 won.”

A O

Thinking about the event later I realized a couple of things. A person can learn things even in strange events. I did learn why “waiting” rooms are called “waiting” room and why they don’t have clocks in them. I was also reminded that no matter how bad you think your situation is, there is someone around in a much worse situation.

I was also reminded to count my blessings . . . not my problems.

A O

Besides the COVID-19 problem, 2020 may be remembered for the election process. Several thoughts:

• Why do we wait more than two months for a newly elected president to take office?

Once the election is over, shouldn’t that person be able to begin his term sooner. (I understand some nations let the newly elected person begin within a week or two.)

• “Election Day!” I understand the history of having just one day to vote and you have your answer. However, considering, the urban centers of America. Is it a good thing to think New York can have their millions of voters find a way to cast ballots all on one day?

Maybe I’m naive but I think most rural counties have handled this voting process just pretty good. However, I’m not so sure the urban centers do such a good job. I mean we have watched the urban centers being the focal point of news stories for years. Usually about how many hours people waited in line to vote and how many did not have the chance to vote.

Even with all the changes made, especially what is called ‘Early Voting’ by mail, I’m not sure the problem is solved. Seems that it just opened up the process to more tampering and voter fraud. I’ve mentioned before, and I have no proof, but I suspect there had to be some fraud by the Democrats in this past election in some parts of the country.

I would suggest a two day voting period and revert the early voting to only ‘absentee voting’ for the future and add polling places in urban centers. I just don’t see a reason there should be a two or three hour waiting period to vote.

A O

Anyone who has attended church at Sacred Heart church in Lawrence knows the “choir loft” has not been used for more years than most of us can remember.

Well, I suspect one of the good things to come out of this COVID-19 pandemic is a change for the singing for Christmas Eve Mass.

To allow choir members to ‘social distance’, they moved to the choir loft.

The sound . . . outstanding! I noticed that the ceiling above the choir loft has also been repaired. I don’t know if more is planned, but what is done looks good.

A good way to begin the year 2021.

A O