Category: COVID-19, Politics, Social Justice Issues and More
In my series “Life During COVID-19” I discuss what’s happening in my life and how the pandemic affects me, the U.S., and the world. I also reflect on politics, social justice issues, and national or world news.
Today, I published “A Collection of Pandemic Poems.” This collection is FREE and can be Downloaded or Printed at flipsnack.com. I will be ordering a small batch of printed copies which I plan on sending to those I dedicated this collection to.
In March 2020, I was laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While I was unemployed, I wrote poems for friends and family that gave me compensation in return. This collection is comprised of those poems and is solely dedicated to them.
Backstory
Last year was a wild ride. I was unemployed for months during the beginning of the pandemic. I spent eight or more hours a day searching for remote work, applying to jobs, refining my resume, and blogging. In the end, I applied to over 450 jobs before I found a full-time remote position.
During that time, I decided to write personal poems for $, and the response was incredible. Friends and family reached out and ordered poems in exchange for any amount of compensation they wanted to give.
Each poem took me hours to create, from writing various drafts to blending my handwritten poem with carefully crafted designs on cardstock. The poems were framed with unique art, hand-colored, and then mailed to the recipient.
These poems are one-of-a-kind unique pieces. I decided not to include scanned copies of the originals in this collection because I felt those belonged solely to the friends and family I made them for.
How I Ended Up With a Flipbook
For the past few months, I had working on how to publish this collection. In the beginning, I was going to design an entire zine by hand and then make copies the old-fashioned way (using a copier in a print shop). I realized going that route was time-consuming and would waste paper products. I then settled on formatting the collection into a digital zine which turned into this, a flipbook! I chose Flipsnack because it was easy to use, and it gave me complete control over editing the essential elements.
What’s Next?
Now that I’ve completed this goal, I am refocusing on editing the first five chapters of the novel I’ve been working on for the last few years. It’s been a very long and tedious journey, but I love my book and am committed to fine-tuning it as close to perfection as possible.
Starting next month, I will participate in a Fiction and Poetry workshop by The Writers Studio in San Francisco. This course is fully remote and takes eight weeks to complete. I am so excited to be in another workshop! I think I miss being in school. (I’ve already begun to research out Master’s programs in San Francisco).
Enjoy!
I want to say thank you to all of my friends and family that made this collection possible. I really can’t say it enough. Without your continuous support of my writing, I honestly don’t think I would be where I am now. It means the world to me that such incredible people support me.
I’ve been taking a break from posting regularly, from writing and reading, to take in what’s happening. Until today, I even forgot this month is National Poetry Month. It seems so trivial compared to the events that are propelling us into another tumultuous year.
When the trial of Derek Chauvin began, tensions were starting to build. Then, on Sunday, Daunte Wright was shot and killed by a police officer less than a year since George Floyd’s killing and only miles away. Protests broke out the same day in multiple cities.
Dealing with the frustration and the sadness of this event while processing the trial’s updates is nerve-wracking. Hoping for true justice for George Floyd’s killing, and then only to have another Black man killed. These events are the kindling for a raging fire primed to spread across the nation.
To me, it feels like this is the start of another summer of protests. The same emotions and tensions are there, but now a compound interest of the events of the past year have the ability to birth events that will make last year appear tame in comparison (—add the growing frustration about the hate crimes directed toward the AAPI community. The nation will continue to ride these waves of unrest until real change happens. We cannot step back into the past; we have to move forward.
I feel a gnawing sadness mixed with irritation. This country is on the cusp of change, but it’s not safe to say if the change will be for the good of the people or reinforce the plague of systemic racism and economic oppression that have killed people for generations.
The poor are getting poorer while the rich are benefiting from the pandemic. The gaps are growing among social classes, which adds to the tension from the murdering of Black people by police, hate crimes, and the pandemic.
The pandemic is an infectious thread weaving it all together. With many places opening up, loosening restrictions, and ending mask mandates without the recommended minimum of 70-90% of the population fully vaccinated for herd immunity to work, there could very likely be another deadly wave like what we saw during winter.
We’ve already lost approximately 562,000 people. How many more will die? I think it is very likely with the low percentages of people either partially or fully vaccinated, this premature reopening could result in states shutting down again this year.
How will it be six months from now? Three months? Who knows, but this year isn’t going to be a quiet one from what I’ve observed.
I wrote this at the beginning of the week. Yesterday, there was another mass shooting, this time in Indianapolis. A 19-year-old man killed eight people, injured seven, and then killed himself. I wonder how many people have to die before we take responsibility for these killings, enact stricter gun laws, and provide more resources for those in need of help. We need to seriously consider why men are capable of these horrific acts of mass murder. How do these acts reflect on the condition of our society? Our country?
What do these killings say about us? It’s not just the actions of one person that resulted in the murder of innocent people, it’s our inability to take action to prevent this that resulted in their deaths. These deaths, from racism, hatred, pain, from the pandemic, these are on us. We have to take responsibility for what we’ve done.
We’re not even out of March, and there have been two mass shootings in the U.S. Places are opening up around the country, and it seems like that is an OK go signal for white domestic terrorists to start their killing sprees.
I’m so sick of the murder and death. Where are the consequences? Where is the action? How long does this country have to suffer from this infectious disease of hate?
It’s not enough to wait for someone with the power to take action. We have to speak up against these killings, these acts of terrorism in our country. If we can come together and put our lawmakers on the spot, we can make change happen. We need those in power to do what is right; we need more restrictions. We need to make our country a safe place for everyone.
These mass shootings take place in establishments people frequent every day. Our schools, our businesses, places we come together as a community. White domestic terrorists are killing us, and we need to act now to save lives.
I’m so disillusioned by this country. It’s no longer bittersweet, there is blood everywhere, and the majority of people still don’t seem to care.
Trump’s own corruption shed light on the rotten mess hidden in plain sight, a plague of crooks and thieves that abuse their power for their own gains as people die.
I’m not proud to be an American until there is accountability for the actions of murderers, white domestic terrorists, and every single crook in office. GOP, I’m looking at you.
Do we have the guts to ban assault rifles? Do we have the guts to enact strict gun control laws? Is this the year where we start to make the necessary changes to save lives?
My heart goes out to those family and friends who have lost someone in the mass shootings. I cannot imagine the pain you must be going through. The shock, the anger, and the despair. One morning your family is whole by the end of the day it’s in pieces.
I stand in solidarity with our Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities. Since the start of the pandemic, hate crimes toward our most vulnerable communities have become more and more common, but they have always been happening. These hateful actions are unacceptable and should not be tolerated.
Words are powerful. Rhetoric can be weaponized to incite hate and even murder. Trump’s racist rhetoric, and constant finger-pointing on “who’s to blame for COVID-19” spurred a rise in hate crimes. We are still suffering from the damage that racist has done to our country. He should be rotting in jail for what he’s done to all of us.
How can we come together and take a stand? How can we unit and communicate with our lawmakers, with our President, to demand change? Is this going to be another summer of protests? Are we going to have to show the country what needs to be done by pounding pavement day after day? If that’s what it takes, then let’s go.
One year ago, on March 16th, I wrote my first “Coronavirus” blog post. Rereading it today, it is still wild to think how crazy last March was. This past year has been tumultuous worldwide, in the U.S., and in Salt Lake City. 2020 will be a year I’ll never forget, and it has shaped my life in ways I could never have thought possible.
Flashback to March 16th, 2020
I remember work being slow for a few weeks leading up to when we closed. I remember being tight on money since me and my boyfriend had just moved into a new apartment on March 1st. I was okay with being sent home; I could organize our new place and make money later. Then, the news began to spread Coronavirus was in the States, then suddenly someone had it in Utah, then I was being told everyone was going to be laid off in a matter of days.
On March 18th, a 5.7 earthquake struck Magna, Utah, less than 15 miles away from Salt Lake City. It shook our entire (and already crooked) 104-year-old apartment multiple times. Even weeks after, slight tremors and more minor earthquakes rippled through the valley, shaking our place and our lives. All I remember thinking with every additional quake was, “The building could collapse, and we’re going to be homeless.” Thankfully our place is still standing, although slightly more crooked than before. But I have never been more stressed out in my entire life than in March 2020, and it didn’t stop there.
Looking back on all of it, we are fortunate. During this last year, I had to cash out my retirement savings to get by and apply for unemployment. I wrote Poetry for $, creating little art/poem pieces for friends and family.
Without that money, we would’ve had to move out and figure out where to go. There was no way we could have survived on just my boyfriend’s income.
Every day I spent a minimum of eight hours applying to online jobs and searching for any way to make money. I was scrambling to find something to hold onto while working through the bizarre new reality we are living.
This is stuff out of a sci-fi novel; this is a dystopian futuristic story plot like no other. The events of last year felt like something right out of a South Park episode.
It didn’t help that we had Trump in office, that for months he downplayed COVID-19 and then dismantled resources to combat it. He spouted hateful rhetoric when the Black Lives Matter protests spread across the nation after the murder of George Floyd in May. Trump made it clear, to him and his followers, it became us vs. them, White vs. Black, rich vs. poor.
Over and over again, Trump poured fuel on the fire, working hard to divide the country. Then after the 2020 election results came in, it was all lies and accusations. Everyone besides Trump was lying about everything that negatively affected him and his presidency.
All of it came to a climax when domestic terrorists comprised of Trump fanatics, QAnon conspiracy theorists, and white supremacists descended on the Capitol on January 6th, 2021.
The aftermath resulted in five people dead and hundreds arrested by the FBI. A national search continues for the remaining extremists that stormed the Capitol, planted explosives, defiled, and mocked our country.
I’m not quick to forget events like these. We were so close to losing it all, and many more could have died, throwing our entire nation into further chaos.
The future of the U.S. is uncertain, and I still feel it is ready to collapse at any moment without the proper action. I have only hope for the future, but I am cautious about fully trusting Biden and Harris. I hope they can help unite the country, remain active, and fight for everyone’s future in the U.S.
I’ve been impressed with the Biden administration’s action in combating the pandemic, hatred, and inequality both socially and economically in the nation. But they can’t go soft or let up for just a minute. It could all go to waste since the GOP is in chaos but vehemently against any new administration’s efforts to level the playing field for all Americans.
Republicans everywhere are working to pass stricter bills on voting. With every step forward, they keep trying to send us decades back into the past.
We can’t go back. We can only move forward, which means working for a future that benefits ALL, not just a selected few.
In May 2020, I applied to a remote Literary Internship for a private publishing house, and I got it! Since then, I learned how to expertly read slush piles, review galley edits, and hone my growing skills as a Developmental Editor. I work with authors and polish manuscripts at almost every stage, getting them ready for publication. I love this internship and have learned so much during all these months. The experience that I’ve gained from this internship is invaluable, and I know it will help my career.
The skills that I utilize in my Literary Internship inspired me to become a freelance Beta Reader on Fiverr. I know what my time is worth, and I work hard. I made some decent side money last year helping fellow writers hone their pieces.
Now I am more prone to thinking outside of the box when it comes to making money. I ask myself, what are some unique skills that I can utilize to help people? and more importantly, what is my time and my knowledge worth? I value my skills and time more than ever now, and I know that it’s wise to ask for decent compensation because my work is worth it.
Last summer, I did the unthinkable. After months and months of applying to remote jobs, I did it! I was hired as a Writer/Analyst by a startup company based in New York City that provides real-time reports on crime, police activity, fires, and events that affect public safety. This job is incredible, and I love the work that I do.
For the first time my B.A. English was necessary on an application. My writing and my passion for keeping people informed and safe were valued. Now I am doing something I love, and it’s incredible. It was a huge relief after I spent hundreds of hours searching for work and eventually applying to over 450 jobs.
I am more driven than ever to write as much as possible. Besides surviving last year, working full-time, plus a part-time internship, and freelancing, I am still working on my Novel, poetry, and applying to literary journals and readings.
There is never enough time, so I feel like I have to make every second count and continue to work on my goals.
Since the pandemic, I learned how to stock up on food and plan for the future. I am now used to buying one extra whenever I go to the store and rationing. I’m all about good deals, so I diligently use coupons and cashback options whenever they’re applicable. I am also looking down the road 5-10 years to make sure I never find myself in such a hand-tied situation like I was last March.
We’re moving out of the state next Spring. We’re very excited, and it’s been a long time coming, but with my job and hard work, we’re finally able to make a significant step forward in our long-term plans of leaving Utah for good. We never wanted to live here for as long as we have, and I’ve been doing my best trying to move out of state since I was 18, so it seems fitting it’s all finally coming to fruition. For the first time, we have a solid plan with dates lined up and steps in place to get going.
After a year, so much has changed. My outlook on life (very positive), my goals (to make the world safer for everyone), my career (using my writing to help people), and taking care of myself and my family. I look forward to the future and I am hopeful it will get better.
What’s Normal Now
Since last March, we’ve worn masks whenever we go outside our apartment. We’ve stayed home and hoped we wouldn’t lose anyone to COVID-19. I know a handful of people that have lost family members to the virus and I know more people who have gotten it. Wearing a mask is normal for us and we have a huge selection to choose from. It’s natural for us to always put one on when we leave home.
We’ve been very careful and will continue to social distance and wear masks until it’s officially deemed safe enough that we won’t have to. I’m hoping we’ll be able to get vaccinated soon but we’re in no rush, other people should get the shot before us, since we don’t have any underlying health conditions. I have my fingers crossed my family and friends survive this and we all make it out alive.
What’s happened in your life the past year? Have you lost someone to COVID-19? Were you laid off or looking for work? Are you still struggling to survive?
February is already here, and COVID-19 is still running rampant. I can’t believe it’s almost been a year of this craziness, and that’s just counting the pandemic. I’m tired of staying inside, but I don’t care. I’d rather stay inside than run the risk of getting sick and infecting people.
Since I work remotely, I’m fortunate to be able to stay home, but it’s become a balancing act, so I don’t feel like I’m turning into an agoraphobiac.
I have mixed hopes about Biden and Kamala. All I care about is they do what they say they’re going to do. With Democrats having control in the House and Senate, this time shouldn’t be squandered. And I’m sure if republicans win back control or if
I’m beyond relieved Trump is out of the office and a bonus, no more tweets, no more misinformation, and no more support from the most influential social media platforms.
The Capitol Riot is quickly being twisted or forgotten entirely by the GOP and most republicans (which was expected). But I really hope people don’t forget.
What’s frustrating are the conversations already happening about the Riot. People complained that we need to move on, and it wasn’t as bad as it’s being made out. Ridiculous. We’re still not over 9/11. Why the hell should we sweep an attempted coup, a domestic terrorist event, under the rug and pretend everything’s all right? This is a problem: sweeping things under the rug.
Another problem? (a tiny rant)
People get sick of the pandemic and decide they’re done being safe and taking responsibility for their actions. Or worse, the ones who’ve refused to wear masks or follow safety precautions since day one.
I’m so sick of anti-maskers. I’m so sick of people being selfish. It’s not about a single person being comfortable and doing what they want. It’s about being responsible and thinking of others.
What’s hilarious is the argument that somehow masks requirements and safety precautions are the government controlling you. Really? The government knows where you live, what you do, how much money you have, and where you travel. Wearing a mask and getting vaccinated crosses the line? Give me a break.
Oh, and by the way, the government doesn’t need to chip people when we’re all assigned a social security number at birth. Unless you live in the middle of nowhere on land you don’t own, are self-employed, pay only in cash, and don’t pay taxes. Chances are you’re leaving a digital trail of your entire life that the government has access to.
I’m sick of the selfishness. I’m sick of the greed. People are starving, losing their homes, and some have been unemployed for months. Children need help; families need help. And the politicians just squabble over bills that will affect their cash flow.
Staying Focused
But despite the distress, it’s all about endurance. I’m doing my small part by staying home and practicing social distancing. It’s the least I can do.
Focusing on my writing and reading helps me stay balanced during all of this. I’m thinking about a few art projects, and I have a few song ideas floating around in my head. (I’m dying to record a few tracks solely using my Theremini.)
For anyone losing their minds inside, I strongly suggest cultivating those newfound Pandemic hobbies or finding something you haven’t done yet. Remember to allot time just for yourself and make sure you’re getting enough rest. I think one of the biggest issues I’ve been having during this whole thing is unwinding at the end of my day and making sure I get plenty of sleep.
What are your new Pandemic hobbies? Have you had to deal with sleep-loss, anxiety or depression during this time? Do you have any suggestions? Leave a comment below and start a conversation.
