Since I began to shelter in place last March, the Daily Walk has been a thing. First I overdid it and ended up with tendonitis in my right shoulder. But it continues to be a thing, gently done. In the last week or two I have started walking in circles in the basement. (I do a mile. It takes between 21 and 24 minutes.) This means that there are many days that I don’t leave the house. I am very aware of my bubble.

       I don’t tolerate corona viruses very well. A cold descends into my lungs and requires antibiotics and / or steroids to shut it down. This may be due to the CP, because we found documentation from the CDC that listed CP as a risk factor for serious disease. My spouse and I have taken this virus very seriously from the beginning. I am very grateful that my job became remote. I continue to be grateful for a very interesting and complex job for which I am well paid.

     I am also very grateful for T. Somehow not being face to face with the rest of the planet is a little easier with hugs from my beloved.

     I also really acknowledge my privileges. This virus has hit BIPOC communities very hard because often the essential workers are from those communities. I did take NJ Transit into NYC a couple of months ago and I didn’t see any “suits.” I am here and reasonably comfortable because of the people who pick, pack, and deliver my groceries. We do takeout on Friday and Saturday nights, very aware of the people who cook and pack up our food. I think we all need to be a little bit more aware of the people who don’t get to stay home.

     I will be vaccinated when appointments become available. I believe I am currently eligible, but there are no appointments due to supply issues. Time will tell.

Darity Jr, William A., and A. Kirsten Mullen. From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century. UNC Press Books, 2020.

Like everybody else I have been pondering what I want to see happen, in this era that we enter today. I returned to a book that I read this last summer. I believe that we will not complete the work of the Reconstruction until we have tackled the question of economic inequality. It’s time to start studying reparations. Darity highlights H.R. 40.

A friend has reminded me that our representatives are our employees. Please reach out to your representatives and ask that this be introduced and passed. I believe it is time for true change.

Wiegand, Wayne A. Part of our lives: A people’s history of the American public library. Oxford University Press, 2015.

        One of the articles I read recently really recommended Wayne Wiegand’s history of public libraries. Because I could not get it digitally, I opted for borrowing it in paper from my local public library. I buzzed through it in less than a week, completely enchanted. Among other things the author does an excellent job of addressing the racist history of public libraries in the south. This is a beautiful reminder of the unique mission of public libraries, please read it if you haven’t already.

       I was reminded of something I already knew. I love public libraries. They are a fundamentally important part of each community. When I retire, if I am well enough, I intend to volunteer at my local public library. I honor their mission.

       So two things I will leave you with. The best thing I can do for my public library today is contribute to their circulation statistics. I want to urge my readers to support your local public library. The other thing that has got a hold of me is starting to read paper again. All of the conversations about it being more tiring to read digitally have come back to me. I am making a habit of a paper book in the last hour before sleep. I seem to be sleeping better. This is my project for 2021.