As I sat in the lounge watching CNN at lunch, I felt a sense of overwhelming anxiety build up in me.
1. a hurricane is heading towards Florida. Many of my friends and family live there. There are wildlife preserves and zoos there. My hometown is there. The Everglades is there. Lots of great things are there in FL, just like New Orleans. Just like every other major city in this country. Hurricanes are scary and can destroy the lives, jobs and homes of those who live in their path. Very frightening.
2. New Orleans and surrounding cities are without power and don’t know when they’ll get it. It’s probably really freakin’ humid and hot over there right now too! I feel awful for them. They’ve been through so much. They’re still trying to rebuild. Why the hell can’t we get the power back on or pass out more generators and ice?! What’s taking so long?!
3. Watching our country so divided and fighting for two drastically different candidates to win the Presidency is quite upsetting. As much as Obama speaks for my views and much of the nations… there are still many right-wing religious McCain / Palin supporters who want legislature that opposes gay rights, wants to retract current abortion policies, wants to add the teaching of creationism to schools, want to continue fighting this long, drawn-out war; and, the wealthiest of these people are just simply afraid of having their income taxed to help out the middle class with schools, clean-energy, and health-care. I don’t relate to them or understand them; but, I respect that they have an opinion too, and these people won’t be represented by my candidate of choice. That’s very troubling… we are so freakin’ divided! I wish we were two separate countries; but, that’s impossible with where the blue states and red states are located.
4. I’m also stressed about my job. The economy is not good. People are not buying tickets to events as much as they used to. I have very little to do on a regular basis right now; and, project management skills are not being utilized at all at the moment. I worry that they may not be used in the future. I took a strong chance on working for a start-up, but it’s starting to scare me. I’m not making enough to pay my bills comfortably. I do not have paid sick or vacation days. I do not have group health-care. Privately, I pay a LOT! It’s not easy for me right now. I imagine many other people in this country are in the same boat as I am… taking chances and risks, with the hope to make ends meet. Not much hope for a better life in general, but hope for a survivable tomorrow.
I am very distressed…