Reflections From The Kitchen Sink on Panic

Panic

I’m a detail driven kind of girl. I’m also not a froo-froo make-believey sort though I can get caught up in a good daydream from time to time and think unicorns are pretty cute. Add my cut-and-dry leanings to the fact I have dabbled in journalism a bit during my time breathing, and you’ve got a girl who is really just blown away by the hodge podge of “news” being shared. I have anxiety, too, but this last week’s info sharing even has that emotional leaning as confused as a kid trying to pin the tail on the donkey after riding a Tilt-a-Whirl. 

Let’s look at a couple examples:

(1.) The Economy. 

After a bit of panic in my small widow tribe about the tumultuous market turns—widow panic is different that norm panic, but that’s a different sink talk—I reached out to an expert in the field. This professional calmly approached college funds, mortgage refinancing opportunities, and basic questions the tribe had. He was concerned but calm. Almost immediately after getting his take, I saw and read “news” stories that ran the gamut of “this will be worse than 2008 and maybe the worst ever” to “we need to push through the next few weeks, and we will see a steady incline getting back to the stronghold the market has had.” Of course, there are some unknowns, but holy cow. Opinion whiplash. 

(2.) Shopping patterns. 

Some folks decided to wait it out, and others moved like a bunch of cows heading for the rationed bail of hay during a feed shortage when we were told to stock up. (I got an extra gallon of milk and a more sandwich stuff than usual because my kids would be home for lunch.) Many Americans bought what they were told including hand sanitizer that won’t even kill most viruses. Again, the “news” stories are driving us in opposite directions, both of which are concerning. 

The couple of things that have been consistently presented are the need to be socially responsible and lockdown for a bit to protect others and yourself. It seems the medical community is thinking in concert on crowd control and travel restrictions. Do these things inconvenience us from every angle? You bet. I have one generally healthy kid and one not-so-healthy one, and we were beyond disappointed our weekend visit to see someone special was canceled. That guy is mid 80s though and doesn’t need whatever critters we may already have attached to us. It totally stinks, but my home is so used to dealing with the harsh realities of life, we don’t get our knickers twisted about every little thing that happens now. (That’s another coming out of the widow fog topic for another day.) 

Am I worried?

Am I doing what I can to be prepared? I am…I think…I really don’t know… I know that today here at Chez Campbell I am going to address the worry that the number 19 is the number of pounds someone can gain during the first two weeks of isolation. I don’t think carb cycling is supposed to look like it has here. Baking cookies every day probably isn’t a good idea. 

Am I over the hyper-politicized mud slinging? YES! Why can’t we just pray for leadership and work together. Unity would help the country a lot more than this hateful rhetoric. The president and the KY governor represent different parties, but I can applaud some of the actions of each of these men. My core values line up more with one, but that isn’t the point right this minute. Work toward the goal. If a building is on fire, all hands need to pass buckets of water. All this toddler tantrum stuff does is keep the public misinformed and frazzled which creates the wrong kind of panic and concern. 

So, let’s summarize. News folks need to stop editorializing everything and present facts. People need to be considerate and try to stay fact centered. Don’t bake cookies every day. Drop the political poop talk. 

…oh, and drink coffee at your sink and wear a cardigan to remind yourself to be a nice neighbor. Those are two every day basic Melinda practices. 

#reflectionsfromthekitchensink #factorfiction #soapboxatthesink

Bio:All Reflections from the Kitchen Sink posts are written by Melinda Campbell. Melinda is a retired educator who currently focuses her efforts on raising her two teenaged boys, advocating for individuals with special needs and against drunk driving, and serving in her local community. New Kitchen Sink Merchandise-Click Here?