Monday, May 13, 2024

better off?

 

After a wonderful three day class at ESSA, and with a five day class coming up in just over 2 weeks, and while we're in the midst of a presidential election campaign, I'm reminded of the question asked every four years, "Are we better off now than we were four years ago?"

Four years ago, Clear Spring School where I taught woodworking K-12 had been closed down but for on-line classes. ESSA was trying to move its classes online as well. My class making Viking Chests with forged hardware had been cancelled.

At home we'd buy groceries to be picked up and then would carefully wash the outsides of packages before things would be put away, as we were all fearful of catching and passing it on to family or friends. My daughter, soon to be son-in-law, his brother, his cat and their dog had joined us here in Arkansas, as Covid had run amuck in New York City and their healthcare system was on the brink of collapse. Unemployment was spiking out of control as folks could no longer work.  

A bipartisan economic rescue plan was put in place to prevent a total economic collapse. We knew people in our own community that were dying or on the edge of death.

We had a president that claimed that Covid would just magically disappear and that maybe just injecting a disinfectant like bleach in our veins would provide a cure. Some folks tried and died.

That president won twice in Arkansas and will likely do so again in our state. 

Have folks become so tribal in world view that they're willing to put themselves, our communities, and others at risk of death? In my home state of Arkansas this presidential election that will likely be the case. Candidate Trump claimed that one or the first things he'll do if elected will be to eliminate the CDC Office of Preparedness and Response. And if he's not elected, he'll claim fraud and proceed to take over by force.

In the meantime, I received a near final full cover design for my new book Designing Boxes, showing both the front and back and a review PDF for an article in Popular Woodworking that goes to print today... their next issue.

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