Friday, March 19, 2021

Taking It Easy


I realized last night that if my foot doesn't start showing more sign of improvement, I'm going to have to go see a doctor. Those of you who know me understand how gravely serious this is. I NEVER voluntarily go to a doctor except for my annual check-ups and doing that is enough to stress me out for months ahead of the appointment. But as I have discovered in the fast few weeks, feet are incredibly important. I know this in theory, of course, but when every step becomes a Little Mermaid moment theory turns into painful reality. 

So. Today I did very little, and rested it as much as I could. Mr. Moon got up early to go to Orlando to pick up a wrecked car with an engine in it that he wants for that other car he bought in Texas that has no engine. I can't even remember what it is now. I did only the most basic things. I didn't hang the clothes on the line because toting a basket of wet laundry is probably one of the worst things I could do. I used the dryer and it hurt my soul. But, it didn't hurt my foot. 
However, I had to take a short stroll around the yard to see what was blooming, to kick a few bamboo. And I need to stop doing that as well but...

Maurice strolled with me, pretending all the while that she was not, in fact, the least interested in what I was doing but just happened to be going my way. 
In the picture above, I had just taken a photo of the wisteria when I saw her. 


It's just so pretty even if it is an invasive pest. 

I specifically wanted to check on the tung tree. I'd seen some blooming on my way into town the other day but mine hadn't started opening then, being in the shade as they are. But today I found this.


Another beautiful invasive. The colors of these blooms knock me out. What could be prettier? 
Maurice thinks so too. 



My little lion. 

And the rest of the day I have mostly been sitting and at one point, I even laid down on my unmade bed with my comforter and took a little nap which is something I haven't done in forever. I was reading and my eyes got so heavy and it was pure luxury to just close them and drift away, to sleep until I wanted to get up. For all I knew I could have slept for ten minutes or two hours. 

I really have very little else to talk about today. I'm trying to process the anti-Asian racism which has been so dramatically and tragically brought to the forefront of our consciousness. I am going to be honest here- I have been woefully unaware of this issue and I have no idea why. Have the issues of homophobia, racism against Black people, and the eternal sexism and misogyny of men taken up all the band-width in my tiny white woman head? I mean, I just read Ali Wong's memoir and of course she talked about issues she's faced due to her race. But, but, but...
I don't know. 
I have a lot of learning to do about this subject. And I do believe that racist misogyny is a real thing. Asian women are very much fetishized and I don't think you need to be in the least bit woke to realize that. 
The one thing that has not surprised me at all is that the killer, being a white man, was taken into custody unharmed even though he was armed. Dang but police are so good at capturing white boys without damaging the goods! I mean, it's like they have a special skill or something!
And then they claimed that he'd been having a bad day.
Whoa! I've had thousands of bad days in my life and never once have I had to kill anyone. I may have thought about it, but I haven't. 
What bullshit.
And then of course there is the matter of the easy access to guns we enjoy here in the US.  

Enough of all of that. Me sitting here talking about it isn't going to change a thing. 

I think I hear Mr. Moon pulling into the yard...
Yep. I sure do. I better go kiss him.

Happy Friday, y'all. 

Love...Ms. Moon

40 comments:

  1. Speaking of Robert Long, Captain Baker of Atlanta Police said "Yesterday was a really bad day for him and this is what he did". It was more than a really bad day for his victims - it was the end of their lives. Long said he was suffering from some kind of sex addiction but this was clearly a hate crime. He deserves to feel the full weight of justice.

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    1. Captain Baker is no longer speaking for the police on this issue. No shit.

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  2. I haven't read all of your comments on previous posts, so I apologize if I am repeating things. Is it possible that your heel pain is plantar fasciitis. I have it and in order to keep it at bay I have to religiously wear shoes and slippers with arch support. I never go barefoot, even to the bathroom at night. And during the day I have custom orthotics, which aren't necessary for everyone but are for me. Even an hour in the wrong shoes will give me pain for weeks. And stretches help too.

    I hope you figure out what is going on.

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    1. Yes. Probably plantar fasciitis. Obviously quite common!

      Delete
  3. About wisteria: I hate it. It strangles trees, rips down gutters, tears off shingles. A deadly beauty. Like purple loose strife which kills all other plants to create its own monoculture, starving birds and fish. Around here they're on the ten most wanted list. And don't get me started on phragmites grass.. okay, I've spoken.

    About the AAPI violence, I was in touch with the Vietnamese refugee who creates and runs Act together NJ, which singlehandedly protected and extended vote by mail, drop boxes and ballot curing. Three entire legislative bills got through to law. I started a monthly donation to help her at least draw a salary. Because nonprofits run by Asian American women never get funded. No matter how success their program's. I decided my part is to give a little
    Small income, small donation, but it adds up.

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    1. You are a remarkable woman. You really are and are as awake and aware as anyone I know. Thank you for that suggestion.

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  4. I forgot to say, about your foot: yes, do get it seen. You're a woman after my own heart. My late husband used to quote me saying I was so sick I almost called the doctor! But do get it checked out.

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  5. Hi Ms. Moon,
    I'm so sorry your foot hurts. It's a little thing we take so much for granted until it hurts.
    I agree with alk you say about the racism thing. I've been watching some history documentaries that go back ages and it seems for whatever reason the Caucasians seem to think we own the world. Even white slavery existed (Irish Catholic laundries). It's all just horrible and I don't think it will ever end. I just don't understand the want for power. I hope you have a nice weekend. Spring is popping out all over here in central NC!

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    1. I'm totally with you on the Caucasian version of humans. What IS it about white people and their need to conquer and own and control the entire world?

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  6. I’m half Japanese and have been called all sorts of things but I never really feared for my life until now. The kraken that was unleashed was making hatred acceptable and “patriotic”. When I was a little girl I remember wishing fervently for blonde hair and blue eyes so I could be pretty. It’s so sad thinking about that now.
    Hope the foot pain gets figured out, last time I had lasting pain turned out to be a broken metatarsal.
    That tung tree is so pretty!
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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    1. I think we can draw a line directly from "The Chinese Flu" to a lot of what's happening at this moment. Trump was not the originator of racial hatred but by golly- you are right. He unleashed the kraken.
      I'm so sorry you didn't realize how beautiful you were just as you were when you were young.

      Delete
  7. I remember when Maurice first invaded your life and your thoughts on keeping her or not. And then came Jack...
    Please do get that foot investigated. Worst case they'll put you in a boot to let whatever you've done heal.

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    1. Yes. Both of those cats just showed up with their luggage and moved in. Maurice especially was not taking "no" for an answer. Jack was still wavering between here and next door but I think their sixteen dogs helped with his decision although maybe he didn't like their politics.

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  8. sorry to hear foot not really improving.....yes, likely time to get it checked. I had Plantar fasciitis once....and yes.....painful and long time healing (if that is what plagues you). No more flip flops or ugg boots with no arch supports. Good thing about PF is......it *is* treatable. I'm so tired of the hatred in the world..... and the havoc and pain it wreaks. How can anyone treat another fellow human with such violence, disregard and venom? It hurts me to the core. But.......it's Friday and Martini night with Mr Moon! Foot up,
    and bottoms up on the martini glass!
    Susan M

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    1. For some of us, racism is just not really something we grasp. I can remember when I moved to Denver being absolutely mind-blown that people were racist against Native Americans and Mexicans. Of course, where I came from, we had very few of that sort of people of color. Our racism was all about Black people. Thankfully, I never got injected with any of it to any degree that would affect how I feel about others based on skin tone.
      The martini was much appreciated last night.

      Delete
  9. You could have plantar fasciatis (spelling?). I had it and it took months to recover, with rest, icing, exercises and several sessions of shock wave treatment from the podiatrist. I now know what exercises to do when I feel twinges coming on again.
    J

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    1. Yeah. Everything I hear and read says that it takes a very long time to heal no matter what you do.
      Sigh.

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  10. HUMANS! Pah! I have had about enough of them especially white entitled males of the species. Defective on the whole, also victims of patriarchy. Well I can see why Maurice is still alive, she is very pretty. She is not the gangster of love....just gangster.

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    Replies
    1. You're right about Maurice. She ain't no gangster of love.

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  11. Feet are amazingly useful, aren't they? Glad you are considering getting the painful one checked out. Swooning about like a mermaid sounds glamorous but quickly wears thin.

    Your anti-racism ponderings are interesting. How easy it is to just focus on one or two kinds of injustice, when there are so many. How to effectively stand against all the wrongs in the world? More thought needed. I appreciated Boud's concrete action.

    Chris from Boise

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    1. Yes. Turns out that feet are of great importance.
      I appreciate YOUR comments on how we tend to just focus on a few types of injustice. Generally those are the ones right in our faces or the ones that affect us personally.
      As open as we may think our minds our, we probably all need to crack them far wider.

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  12. I hope it was a good kiss, and that you get to the bottom of the foot problem without a lot of stress. Have a sweet night.

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  13. You have reminded me of something my son told me about 20 yrs ago. he and his very pretty, tiny chinese girlfriend went into a pub for a drink, and a group of men, when seeing Alison said , very loudly......" anyone order a chinese?" I was so angry when he told me this. Sadly she died a few years ago ( aged 32).....drank herself to death by all accounts!
    I hope that you get some answers and treatment for your foot. Nothing worse than not being able to walk....I have had various problems with my knees over many years !

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    1. What a horrible, horrible thing to say and how disgusting that anyone might have found it amusing. I am so sorry about that woman. Her life must have been unbearable.
      Knees- me too, but they've all healed with time, thank goodness.

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  14. Before the dreaded doctor visit I would try getting some insoles for plantar fasciitis and a special brace they sell to stretches your foot at night. My husband had immediate relief with those!

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  15. I was at work the other day and one of my coworkers who is Chinese, said to me, out of the blue, "I'm glad you're not racist." I didn't really know what to say, I mumbled, "Thanks, I'm glad too." or something like that. She said she thought one of our coworkers is racist and who knows, maybe she is.

    I grew up with kids from all over. There were all kinds of immigrants after the war and I never thought anything of it. I remember going to my Tina's birthday party and I was the only white person, she was Chinese. I thought it was kinda cool as I was pretty much excluded from most things.

    I'm so tired of hate and anger and fear of others and using anything as an excuse to do violence against those people seen as other. And yeah, the cops managed to arrest him without bloodshed or death. How does that work?

    You need to see a doctor woman.

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    Replies
    1. You were very lucky to grow up with kids from all over. So much racism, I think, comes from not actually knowing people unlike us. Although, not always of course.
      And how sweet of your coworker to thank you for not being a racist. How sorrowful that it's even necessary to tell someone that as it does indeed imply that many are.

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  16. The tung blossom is gorgeous! Love the color!
    I, too, have dealt with plantar fasciitis and it does hurt! I wasted money on some shoes ... got specific insoles at Walmart and they did help ... I froze bottles of water and then would roll the cold bottle along the bottom of my foot and that did help, as well!
    You can search on-line for exercises and for orthotics to help relieve the pain but you really need to see a podiatrist to get it dealt with by a professional instead of by your Blog readers!
    Thank goodness ... Plantar fasciitis can be treated!!!

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    1. I have looked online for stretches. I need to do them more religiously. And yes, insoles would be a good idea although "insoles" does assume one wears shoes they can be put in!

      Delete
  17. My DIL is from China and 2 of my grandchildren are Chinese-American and now I fear for them.
    Hope you can find out how to fix your foot. You do not sound like a person who likes to sit all the time...

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    1. I bet your grandchildren are gorgeous. I would fear for them too.
      No. I hate sitting around. It's not me.

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  18. I love that tung tree. Every year when you post photos of it I'm amazed all over again. It's so unlike any tree I ever see.

    It probably is a good idea to get the foot checked out. It sounds like you're doing the right thing by trying to rest it. I love your photo of Maurice, stalking prey beyond the wisteria!

    We humans are so good at "otherizing" each other. I suppose it's bred into our tribal DNA to want to be with "our people" and be suspicious of "other people." Not just racially but in all ways that people can be the "other" -- people from different countries or regions of our own country, people who are different politically, people who are older or younger, even simply people who are strangers. Our challenge in the modern world, it seems to me, is to move past that tribal urge.

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    1. The words in your last paragraph are extremely insightful and your last sentence rings so true, Steve. Thank you.

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  19. My (former) DIL is half Korean, half Caucasian (Swiss), and when my son first laid eyes on her he said she had all the beauty of a European with all the exoticism of an Asian - and I thought that was lovely. But you're right, I'm ashamed to say I had not given much thought to anti-Asian racism. Damn, why does racism have to exist at all?

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    1. I think that Steve's comment held some of the answers about why we have racism. Your son's comment was meant to be a compliment, I'm sure, but taken apart and examined, it's pretty cliched, isn't it?

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  20. The Invasive Blooms are Magnificent, if Wisteria grew well in the Desert I'd have some. Having Asian Loved Ones I'm very concerned about the increase in violent Racism against Asian Americans. The Racism has always existed, but like the Native American population, the Asian population is very stoic about what they've always endured, so they've remained rather Invisible as a maligned group/community. I worry for my Asian DIL and my Asian Grandchildren, that their safety now is all the more compromised due to that previous Administration vilifying Asians and acting as tho' they're to blame for this dreadful Pandemic.

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  21. it's hard for me to keep up on Thursdays and Fridays and Saturdays. I felt that the initial 'ism' was hate for women and that they were asian was incidental as I thought those were the places he frequented but now I've been informed that he had a lot of anti-asian crap on his social media. what is wrong with people. we can thank Trump for the in your face expressions we've been seeing since he was appointed against muslims, mexicans, blacks, now asians. that bastard gave legitimacy to the worst traits in this country.

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