My Thoughts Exactly by Annette Kniola

Who doesn't appreciate family traditions? I can't think of one person who wouldn't. So, what exactly does a tradition mean to you?  For me, it's all about my family and my beliefs. I was raised by parents that had 5 children and stayed together through thick and thin. They were married for like 52 years, I do believe. (God rest their souls). We had all the wonderful traditions of the holidays, reunions, summer vacations, and all that great stuff. I had a wonderful childhood and I am very thankful to this day.  I am also thankful for my four boys, and four tight bonded crazy-ass siblings as well. Let's hear an "Amen" to that!😇 With the many traditions we hold, there are also extensions of such.  It also goes into our beliefs along with our behaviors. With that said, I am going to indulge a bit further, because I see myself slowly slipping away on certain traditions. I'm probably not the only one. Reason being, the traditional marriage I worshiped for...

The many times I have sat down at this computer to write has been far from many. Ever since my last blog written, I feel like my world has stood still. I'm sure that goes for the rest of us. The Coronavirus has not only consumed our lives, but sadly has taken many as well. Heartbreaking to see the many stories of those affected, and the many other events that have since surrounded it. The death of George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, peaceful demonstrations, in turn, some not so peaceful. A strong feeling of a country divided, for sure. Then of course, there's ole Trumperoo!  I don't plan to bring him up since everything is so "Fantastic!" 😁  We'll just leave it at that. All in one swoop starting in the first half of the year, I took many big hits. I lost my job, I lost my Mom, and I was at the point where I realized I could lose my home. So I had to get creative. Thankfully, I am a saver, always have been, and can go many months without work and survive. Though...

As you all know, most of us have lost our jobs and have since been told to stay home under quarantine through Governor Ron DeSantis order back in March. So obviously I have since complied and applied for reemployment just like the rest of you.  I literally applied on March 15th and followed through on resume builder and wizard.  Did my claims for two weeks, which by then were waived later by DeSantis until May 2nd.  On top of that, supposedly the stimulus was to add an additional $600 per week to our claims up to four months. Amen to that because I have no job and am in need of that money.  Four boys, all home, online schooling, mortgage, utility bills, insurance, cars, you name it. I have bills! Then came the overload of unemployment claims. And you would think of all states, Florida would have key technology and the process would be smooth as silk. WRONG! Florida completely bombed it trying to keep up to the Reemployment site called CONNE...

You have to admit, it is a beautiful virus all colored up like that. Though we all know they add color to all those images.😏 So this Covid-19 started just a few months ago in the city of Wuhan, China. Some say the source of the coronavirus was from the Huanan Seafood Market that also sold dead and live animals.  From monkeys to deer, to wolves. All kinds of wild creatures. And if you look back to the Sars and Ebola, those too were associated to open markets such as that.  I also read bats as the true culprit because they drop there feces just about anywhere, and could easily spread it that way too. Just one of many theories we hear about. A friends theory mentioned a Wuhan laboratory. Apparently this lab can hold the world's most dangerous pathogens at maximum bio-containment levels.  And one being this Covid-19. Maybe this lab was using animals to test on, in turn when the results showed negative to the virus, they were sold on the open market for their meat...

Life is full of phases. A phase when you are young, free, and full of hope. A phase when you get that reality check knowing you will soon become an adult and it's time to take things a bit more serious. A phase of a dream job, find that one true love, have a family and live happily ever after. If life doesn't go in that order, we soon find ourselves adding new phases.  I have since had to add one myself. Growing up in Wisconsin was the best time of my life. I know we moved quite a bit growing up, but by the time I was 8, we settled in Rome, Wisconsin until the move to Naples in 1986. I was the youngest of 5. Scott, the oldest, now resides in Columbia City, Indiana. Gregg, in Cape Coral, Florida. Mary, here in Naples. Then Bruce in Fort Lauderdale. All of whom have families of their own and seem to be doing pretty good.  The Woodrell's I was four here, so it must have been 1972 in Voyager Village, Wisconsin.   My parents had all the phases. Together 50 so...

So, first thing this morning, I get pulled over. 🚔 The next thing you know, I had helicopters over my head, literally landing down in front of me, squad cars screeching in, guns drawn... Absolute insanity! 😲 (Okay, kidding...Lol! 🤣  Got your attention though, didn't I? For good reason...) Let's revert; So I get pulled over because I was going through a yellow light shortly after it turned green. The cop was very kind and explained what I'm doing is basically going through a red light. He said as soon as I see it turn yellow, doesn't mean I can cross over the white line and say to myself, "Yes, I made it!" He went on to say there's been too many fatalities recently and we all need to learn. Teaching me, so to speak. I told him I do it all the time, and I do!  But never a red light, I always see yellow above my head. He said everybody does, but we have to learn the rule. Once you see it yellow, doesn't mean you can continue on. That means...

Isn't it rich? Are we a pair? Me here at last on the ground, You in mid-air, Where are the clowns? I am hoping your remember this song, sung by Judy Collins way back in 1975.  I was only seven then, but this song has never left my soul. It's very deep. Send In The Clowns It's not so much as the song that brings me to write about, it's about one such clown and the movie, The Joker.  It's truly no joke. Here's why; Less than a week after "The Joker" was released, I wanted to go see it. I personally was not caught up in what entailed social media wise, other than the fact I love Joaquin Phoenix. All of his work that he has done as an actor and knowing he lost 50 pounds just to play this part made me curious. When I walked into the movie theater, I saw a cop. I asked him why he was there. I have never seen a cop inside a movie theater patrolling.  He explained to me that is was the movie, The Joker, is why. I told him I didn...