contest details-how to enter
This is a great second opportunity for those newer to the Hive space to share a slice of themselves, having gained a little more "know how" around here.
Most importantly it is a way to HUMANIZE the person behind the keyboard. It is all too easy to forget that behind the writing, photography, art, cooking and so forth - is an actual person... living a life in the "real world". Yes, many of us here share snippets of our daily lives in our blog posts... but this does not normally entail the fundamentals of what makes us who we are, where we came from - our life experiences and so forth. I also think this will be a fantastic way for all of us to connect and "re-connect" on a more personal level which is greatly needed in this day and age.
So here goes.
I joined STEEMIT in 2017, not so much as a way to make money, but as a place where I could post my original poetic writings, in a format that would allow me options that FB and others did not offer (at the time).
Things like Bold, Italics or Both, with TINY TEXT or
text
of
varying sizes
Here I can include more than one image per post, I can include .gifs and (as long as it can be posted as a link) a video.
So that is why I started here on the blockchain. And I HAVE made some real Fiat Currency along the way (USD)
When I started here, I was 62, my physical health declining, my only income was from ♫♪Music♫♪ That I played for senior citizens in Nursing Homes, Assisted Living and Retirement Community venues.
Here is an example:
Since that time, my right hip has been replaced:
I've had Umbilical Hernia Repair surgery
TMI?
I would have been playing music all this time to add to my meager income, but also because that is my joy, my gift, and it gives me great pleasure to share that with others.
It is said that a candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
When I am performing, and I see the enjoyment that the folks in my audience (who are almost without exception older than I am) smiling, tapping their feet, or god bless 'em, DANCING, it makes my heart sing in harmony with them.
But it has not always been like this.
First, in High School, I played for the Chorus as they sang
I joined the US Air Force a year after I graduated, did really well in my job
We'd been Awarded SAC Combat Crew of the Month
I lost my mind after suffering some abuse, got discharged and spent the next 27 years spiraling downwards into a pit of despair, lined with other drug and alcohol addicts.
source
In 2007, I began clawing my way out of that pit, moved to the Atlanta Ga Metro area, where I began my new dual careers, as a Certified Nursing Assistant working in a Nursing Home and for Home Care agencies, and as a 'Musical Clown" playing for those same venues
Due to the "Plandemic" I have not played at all since February, and due to the isolation
(I am a bachelor, with PTSD so I have NO friends to speak of; no one wants to spend time with me, and I don't blame them)
I have started having a drink now and then. I've quickly discovered that I am no longer
Young, and cannot tolerate much drinking.
The day after my 65th Birthday this past Aug, I tested positive for Covid.
I was never sick, never had any symptoms, but the blood test now shows I have the antibodies.
In all the time since the quarantine began, I never left my apartment but to go to the grocery store (Always masked), 4 times to sit down and eat (where all the staff were masked) and yet, I got it.
Go Figure!!
(and when you figure it out, please let me know)
So now, FINALLY one of my longest musical clients has called me to come play for them
TOMORROW AFTERNOON.
They can do this because they have an enclosed courtyard, where I will be under a tent.
Those residents who have balconies facing the courtyard can sit and enjoy, and I am assuming there will be others sitting in chairs, socially distanced on the grass.
Well the gig is done and past. It was dismal
No one on the balconies, no one sitting in the grass, I was alone outside
Outdoors, all by myself. About 1/3 the way through, I had TWO people come from the building to my right, across the leaves/grass and sit about 8 ft away behind me.
The other (no more than) 10 people were inside these doors
Back far to the right (behind the trees). The door was open, a wide door to be sure, but still.
I had to turn up my gear far louder than I am accustomed to, there was clipping and deadening. Seemed fine until I tried to play my keys along with the midi files.
They said they had a good time, and I got paid but on a personal level, I am disappointed.
I love to cook, but cooking for one is a total bore. If I cook a big pot of veg/beef stew or chili, it is delicious, but I eat for several days, freeze the leftovers which are never as good once thawed at a later date.
Now, I am back to cooking ONE piece of meat, small portions of veggies or salad.
Go figure !
I have stayed at home a lot and now I even get my groceries delivered instead of going to shop for them myself. Other friends and family go out a lot more, but do use masks and sanitizer. So far we are good, but I did think about how just because I go out less and make less contact with others, that still doesn't mean that I won't be the one that gets it. Funny.... and here you say that very thing.
That had to be weird performing to no audience.
This covid thing really has been a crazy experience.
Hi @jacey.boldart, I'm glad you are doing well so far, and I hope you remain that way.
RIGHT after I got my (ahem) positive result, a friend said that I should get some "Fever Tree Tonic Water", because tonic water has quinine in it, and that brand (I looked it up) is made with extracts from a tree from the jungles of the Congo.
I ordered it from the store where I normally shop. The three 4 packs cost about $17 (not sure, but it was up there) and the delivery was another $6.
I cannot afford to pay someone that kind of percentage for my groceries.
On the other hand, with so many people out of work, home delivery of meals and groceries DOES give a tiny fraction of those displaced a small income.
This should never have happened in the first place. in my humble opinion.
Originally I was going out to get my own groceries, but I was only going once every three weeks and buying a huge amount of groceries, including more canned and frozen items than I would have before, so it would last that long and still have some variety. I did this until I had trouble with one of my knees. No way I could shop for an hour or carry all the groceries from the car and up the steps into my house. That is when I started having them brought to me and so far, it has worked out quite well. I was fortunate to have been working a job that was easily converted to my home back in March. That has meant that so far, I have had no interruption to my finances. (and I am thankful daily, because none of use are guaranteed that will last forever) Since I am not going out, I am not spending as much on other things, so I have the extra to pay a small fee to get them here. I try to order a lot at a time, so the fee is not such a great percentage of what I am spending anyway (and the fee is the same whether I order a little or a lot) and it is true that if I can do that and someone else can make a little money too, then we both win. Those of us that can... should... right? Otherwise I would still be going out every three weeks to get my own. I have to admit though, that having them brought to me makes me feel quite spoiled.
😜
I have to admit though, that having them brought to me makes me feel quite spoiled.As if we Americans aren't spoiled enough already?
I wondered if the fee were a sliding thing or not. Seems like someone who would do an hour or more trolling around a large grocery store to get 1-2 carts full of food would need to get more (hence the tip I suppose, but when I did it, the tip was included)
I only live about 4 mi or less from one of the largest Kroger's around here, so I tend to bop over every couple of days and pick up the couple of things I am out of.
My kitchen is QUITE small, hence no storage space in cabinets.
I only have my fridge/freezer, so I can't keep a LOT of stuff there either.
We do what we can I suppose.
Thanks for commenting @jacey.boldart; I forgot to do that earlier. 💓
In my case, I am having Walmart do my groceries. I believe I am about 6 miles from them and didn't realize at first they would bring them to me. I "believe" but am not sure that the shopper is a Walmart employee, so they get paid by the hour, so whether they spend an hour pulling my order or do 3 other smaller orders instead, they get paid the same.
The driver's however, I do not believe are Walmart employees, so you get an online option to tip them or not.
My kitchen is not large, but there is a small pantry closet and my fridge is a side-by-side and I have never had the freezer full even when I bought extra. Before the covid crap, I did the same as you as I worked 20 miles away from home and would stop at different groceries stores on the way back home depending on my food whims. I had to get use to buying big and infrequently. Since they are bringing them to me though, I do not order three weeks worth at a time.
Hello I've passed by your publication because so far you are my only competition in this contest.
I'm sorry about your health situations, even if I don't put anything about that in my publication, bad health has also taken away a lot of energy and time to enjoy.
But I have realized that if we have been sick it is our fault, we do not appreciate our body well when it is healthy.
I feel that life passes quickly, and even though I am younger than you, I feel the same way.
I really like your photos, I love old photos, thank you for sharing them and don't ever say again that nobody wants to spend time with you, don't punish yourself like that. When people hear you playing or singing, even if it's just one person, they are sharing time with you even if they don't talk to you.
I send you a big hug, I am very happy to have read your post, stay strong and take refuge in God who does existe @jerrytsuseer
Well hello there @soyunasantacruz (I hope I got that spelled correctly)
I will have to hunt your entry now, I should have already.
Do you mean you and I are the only entries? How odd.
I have realized that if we have been sick it is our fault, we do not appreciate our body well when it is healthy.Well yes, this is most certainly true in my case, but it is also true that for all those years when I was in the depths of my addictions, I was also aware of what I was doing to myself; I just didn't care. It was a form of slow motion suicide.
I am a very intelligent (he said patting himself on the back) person. At age 27, my IQ was tested at 135 (and I had been smoking pot before the test)
I am very well read, and I remember most of what I read.
Now, I live alone. I have severe depression (clinical) and PTSD, which makes me almost totally intolerant of stupidity in people around me.
I don't like to "chat", because it is pointless. If I want to talk with someone, there must be a reason, a topic with a goal for me to willingly attempt to converse (mostly applies to in person, but to a large part online as well)
Playing music is the ONE thing that brightens my aspect, my POV of the world, but this pandemic has snuffed out that candle. At least for now.
Thanks for reading and for the encouragement my friend. I'll go look now
Hello, you made me have a good laugh, for this reason.
I don't doubt that he is intelligent, that explains his intolerance to the common factor, I used to be like that, only now I put it into practice.
I like people better, empathy works miracles.
I see that you also enjoy the solitude 👍, thanks for stopping by and supporting me.
What kind of music do you sing and play? @jerrytsuseer
Hello dear friend @jerrytsuseer good day
What an interesting trip dear friend, how good that you have been called to play your music, I am sorry that you feel disappointed, do not be so hard on yourself.
Those dishes look very delicious. I really appreciate that you let us know who you are.
Have a wonderful day and an excellent week
Thank you @jlufer, I appreciate your kind words
#posh
GREAT POST!!!
Thank you for publishing it to our community feed!
Compliments of the PHC founder @jaynie...
We have tweeted, upvoted and reblogged it for you.
❤ MWAH!!! ❤
JOIN OUR DISCORD COMMUNITY
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR COMMUNITY FEED
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER