Hey Darling Ones,

I should have written this appreciation post before today. Today I’m a sourpuss who is sick of everything I usually love. I’m restless and bored and cranky.

At physical therapy Wednesday, the formerly grumpy guy who checks in patients and is now nice to me asked, “Any COVID symptoms or new travel?”

They ask me this every time I go in. Every. Single. Time. It’s not quite so ridiculous now that I only go in once a week, but over the summer I was there two or three times a week.

“Travel?” I said, smiling at him from the wheelchair I still need to get to the pool. “This is the only place I travel to. Here. And it’s barely travel. I live right over there.” I pointed behind me in the direction of my house. I live less than a mile from the clinic.

He laughed and buzzed me into the pool. Like I said, he’s not so grumpy with me now.

And this brings us to this month’s appreciation list.

Healthcare Providers

I am pretty annoyed with the American healthcare system. It’s straight up trash. However, I’m fortunate that the people I work with inside the garbage system are all aces. Most of the people I see are younger-than-me women, and they are all phenomenal. They actually work together to make sure I’m getting the right care. My retina specialist is a man, and I love him too because every five weeks we bond over how stupid insurance companies are. Even though I’m sick of recovering and all the health crap, I can still appreciate the people helping me get better

Black AF History by Michael Harriot

This book, as they say, is fire. FIRE! I don’t think I’ve ever been so angered by a book I enjoyed so much. I’m a bad history student. It mostly bores me to death and I’m fond of saying I don’t care about anything that happened before Rock & Roll was invented. Incidentally, Harriot does cover Sister Rosetta Tharpe and the invention of Rock & Roll. And he also gives a whole new (to me and maybe anyone else educated in the US) perspective on American history. This book is good. SO GOOD! And it’s funny and infuriating and should be required reading for being alive in America.

Roisin Waters – Sinéad O’Connor’s daughter sings “Nothing Compares 2U”

I still cannot talk about the death of O’Connor. Just thinking about it chokes me up. That loss on top of all my stroke-related losses is a bridge too far. Too much. Someday I will deal with it, but not today.

“Cowboy Carter,” Beyonce

This record is as good as everyone says it is. Beyonce’s music has never really clicked with me until now. What can I say? I’m a little bit country.

This record is so smart. SO SMART. I could list 1000 ways it’s super smart, but my favorite example is a Willie Nelson as radio DJ interstitial where he says, “Sometimes you don’t know what you like until someone you trust turns you on to some real good shit. And that, ladies and gentlemen is why I’m here.”

Who doesn’t trust Willie Nelson to know good county music?

Also, her cover of “Blackbird” is a thing of beauty. If you haven’t heard it yet, go do that now.

David Lynch on Depression and Art

That’s all I got for now. I’m gonna go make some turkey meatballs for my diner salads and listen to Modest Mouse’s “Good News For People Who Love Bad News” since it’s the only thing my brain will tolerate.

What have you been into lately?

Love,
Jodi