2021, A New Hope

Around Oaklyn, many kids (and some adults as well) know me as "The Guy who runs the LL Snack Stand!"  And, well, I guess that IS who I am.  But what people rarely see is the VILLAGE of people it takes to help this happen.  Yeah, people see me, and my wife and kids, and April and so many others working in the Snack Stand.  But the hidden villagers also make it happen.  On the 90th day of 2021, two of my most important villagers helped me in a HUGE way.  On 3/31/21, Shawn Fore and Brian Cole went with me to BJs and we lugged around flat beds (mostly them) while I (and they) pulled items off the shelves.  And we got all the regulars, Water, Gatorade, Snacks, Candy, Condiments, and, especially this year, a LOT of cleaning supplies.  And they did this for me even though they no longer have kids in the league.  AND in the rain.  Tonight I have hopes for my snack stand village.  Hoping that this season will be a great one and, even though ...

The 89th day of 2021, 3/31/2021, Is National Virtual Vacation Day!  And today was the day that our family was confirmed for our AirBnb vacation home in Seattle!  We have not been on a family vacation in what seems like forever and it'll have been almost two years since I have seen my parents, and sister, and her family IF we actually get to go.  Yes, we were confirmed, but there is a possibility of cancellation.  Things are not altogether great yet on the Covid front.  But its's fun to peruse the pictures of the house, online (VIRTUALLY!) and have hopes for a Summer Vacation.  Having something to look forward to is a nice change.  But here's hoping it can actually happen.  Let's hope for 10/10 of our family to be vaccinated and all to go well.  PLEASE! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RHTiXvELNg

I was off on the 88th day of 2021 so, on 3/29/2021, Sarah did not wake me and took Anna to school early so I could get some extra sleep.  Tonight I have hope for good sleep.  I have been finding myself working later and later in the past few weeks as the volume of tasks is piling up.  I have to remember to practice what I preach and take care of myself and sleep!

A tradition returned, in a changed format, on the 87th day of 2021.  3/28/2021 is Palm Sunday.  And, with Palm Sunday USUALLY comes the Oaklyn Fire Department's Palm Sunday Pancake Breakfast.  Last year, of course, this event was cancelled (the first event cancelled that I was REALLY sad about (first of many!))  But, this year, the event happened in a modified format.  I drove over to the Fire Hall and picked up our pancakes and, BOY, were they good!  But I still have hope for pancakes.  Not really the food, but hoping that next year we can have our breakfast together, as a community.  Because, it's not just the pancakes I love, it's also seeing my neighbors, saying hello, and supporting one of the finest organizations in town.  Happy Palm Sunday..... next year, in the Fire Hall!

The morning of the 86th day of 2021 found us in an old, familiar place.... the Oaklyn Little League Snack Stand!  Yes, 3/27/2021 was the Peter's Creek Cleanup and the Little League Field Cleanup Day.  So many people came out to help clean.  And I had my usual helpers in the Snack Stand, pulling out the items in storage (since August 2019!) and taking inventory so I can shop in the coming week.  And, of course, I have hopes for a good season.  For the Snack Stand, for teams in Oaklyn, for my daughters' softball teams, and, frankly, for all teams across all leagues (except when playing us!) :-)

Before the 85th day of 2021, the last in-person rehearsal of the Penn Band which found me in attendance was March 2, 2020.  So it's been a long time from then to 3/26/2021 when I found myself in the 38/Walnut Garage, on the 6th Level (coincidentally where I used to park EVERY DAY when heading in to work!), watching a Penn Band rehearsal, IN PERSON.  And it was great to hear them (link below) and it was great to see them and it was great to talk to them (and not be on Zoom!)  It was great!  My reflection tonight is that I am Hoping for More Band (More Cowbell??)  The more Band  events I can attend in person, the closer we are to a camps where things are a little more open and maybe we can even cheer at a Penn sporting event soon (at this moment, no spectators).  With more people I know getting vaccinated with each passing day, I think the chances of this happening are constantly improving!  FIGHT ON! https://drive.google.com/file/d/147zBcRIldQ6luDT...

Today, 3/25/2021 is also the Birthday of Aretha Franklin.  I cannot think of  the Queen of Soul without thinking of R-E-S-P-E-C-T!  So, on the 84th day of 2021, I am hoping for respect.  Not for me, personally.  I hope that people can show more empathy and respect to each other, especially online.  I hope that we, as a world, could have more respect for our planet and the climate thereof.  And I hope people can respect themselves, and be caring to themselves.  We can all use a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T!  So let's listen to the Queen! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzqGZjFnYnA&ab_channel=ArethaFranklin

There is not much different that happened on the 83rd day of 2021.  So, on 3/24/2021, I want to my focus myself to hoping for equity.  Today is Equal Pay day focusing, during Women's History Month, on the disparity between men and women's compensation in the SAME jobs with the same experience.  It's something I do not feel as though I have much of an ability to conquer, so hoping is all that I can do.

The 82nd day of 2021 is Puppy Day!  Happy Puppy Day!  And, on 3/23/2021, I am so happy that Alexa scored a goal in soccer and we ended up driving to pick up our rescue puppy, Skylar.  And she is a pretty big dog these days, but she has been my constant companion, lying on the couch next to my desk, during the pandemic.  I think I am happier for her being here and I'd like to think she is happier too!  We're both going to be in shock when (hopefully not if) I end up going back to campus on a regular basis.  My reflection tonight is puppy hopes.  I hope we always have a pup in our lives.  I am such a dog person.

I had a day off of work on the 81st day of 2021.  So I spent most of the day (and a glorious day it was!) doing a lot of odds and ends and errands.  One of my main goals today was to get a haircut.  Not that I have a lot of hair, but the few I do have were getting unruly.  So, I called Chuck, at Campus Barber, and I made an appointment, drove to campus, and got my haircut!  And with it I am pleased.  I have been thinking a lot about small businesses such as Chuck's and, tonight, I have Haircut Hopes.  I hope Campus Barber (and MANY other small businesses) can make it through the rest of this pandemic and are given time to recover.  I want Chuck to be cutting what little hair remains on my head for a long time!

So the 80th day of 2021 was the first full day of Spring for 2021.  And, on 3/21/2021, I am buoyed by the coming Spring season.  Thinking about warmer weather, planning for the Snack Stand to open, thinking about the upcoming softball seasons, hoping for continued good numbers (negative is positive) on Penn's Campus.  I guess you could say tonight, Hope Springs Eternal.  I hope my hopes are not in vain.

The 79th day of 2021 was notable in that it was the second Saturday in a row that I wore a tie!  Last week, it was for Anna's ChildrenSong concert (I was the Emcee) and today it was part of a whole suit and tie ensemble!  Yes, 3/20/2021 was the day that my cousin Stephanie was able to finally celebrate her wedding to her new husband, Steven.  Now they got legally married on their original wedding date, 3/21/20 (so the 1 and the 0 just swapped places), and today we could all (well half of who originally planned) could celebrate with them.  And, strangely enough, it felt good to get dressed in a shirt and tie for a change.  I mean, I am looking forward to returning to work, which would mean more ties.  So tonight I have a hope for ties.  For ties that I wear to work, and for the ties of love and faith that bind a couple together in matrimony and keep things together, even in the tough times.  These hopes inspire the hymn I have linked, and an optimi...

It's been a long a crazy week and I forgot to make a reflective post on 3/19/2021 and, instead, went to bed, late, after slogging through a backlog of email.  I am behind on a lot so my hope for the 78th day of 2021, posted late, is a hope for forgiveness.  Not only do I hope that others forgive me for what I have forgotten and what I am behind on, but I hope I can also forgive myself.

So, on the 77th day of 2021, I completed my 52nd trip around the sun.  Yes, I turned 52 on 3/18/21 and, being a plaindromic (77th) day, it was sure to be good!  And the workday was pretty good (getting really busy, though!) and then a family dinner and TV and game night.  NICE!  But, tonight, I also hope a good year is in the cards.  As my parents told me, I am no longer just a card, at 52, I am the WHOLE DECK!  So, now that we are back to my birthday being on the 77th and not the 78th day, and 52 years are in the books, let's hope that his is more of a Royal Flush kinda year than 52 Pickup....

3/17/2020 was my last full day in the office on Penn's Campus.  I was not in MY office back then.  I was in the Conference Room, formatting laptops for SRFS' remote workers as the campus had gone remote the Friday before.  But, on 3/18/21, the 76th day of 2021, I am longing for the next full day I can spend on campus.  In my office or not (I mean I want to return to my office, but I would settle for baby steps).  Yes, tonight I have Hope for Return to Work.  RTW will not happen before July 2021, and I am guessing it will be more like late August 2021.  But one major thing I have realized (or confirmed my realization thereof) is that I miss Penn's Campus.  I miss Penn Students.  I miss my Penn Colleagues.......counting the days....

The 75th day of 2021 is also the 23rd Birthday of my nephew, my Godson, Kevin Christopher Walters.  So on 3/16/2021, I have hopes for Kevin.  He graduated from college (Penn State!) during a pandemic.  He is making his foray out into the world.  May only good and good things come his way!

The 74th day of 2021 was a pretty normal Monday.  3/15/2021 is not just the Ides of March, it is also Act Happy Day.  So tonight I have hopes for happiness.  And I am glad that I did not have to ACT happy today, it was a pretty happy day.  Here's hoping for more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7d0NRewzW4

I have to admit, as I head to bed on the 73rd day of 2021, I am a bit concerned.  Last week, classes at Penn were not held on Wednesday and Thursday.  Now, that is usually the case for the whole week but, with Covid being the reality, Penn has broken up the days off into two break days (last week's "Spring Stay") then three other interspersed days off ("Engagement Days").  This was done in the hopes that students would not travel to traditional Spring Break locations which, as we found out, was one of the ways Covid spread on so many campuses last year (not at Penn because students never returned from Break!)  But, on 3/14/2021, I am a bit nervous.  Because I have heard of many students who did travel over "Spring Stay."  Many of them to, in fact, traditional Spring Break locations.  And, although I understand the Covid Fatigue many of us have, I hope there is no surge.  The next two weeks I will be holding my breath as the testing results are rel...

Well the 72nd Day of 2021 was the 265th Day of the Covid Lockdown.  Yes, things are a little more open on 3/13/2021 than they have been in the past year, but we still viewed Anna's ChildrenSong Concert online on Zoom, instead of in Auletto's (I miss the Ice Cream Sundaes at the end, but I miss the people most!)  But, tonight, I am hopeful for the next 365 Days.  I have a vaccine scheduled for 4/3.  The Oaklyn Little League Snack Stand has been given the green light to open, with Covid protocols.  Penn is planning to hold an in person Commencement (smaller than usual, but IN PERSON in FF!)  I feel MUCH better about the direction of things on 3/13/21 than I did on 3/13/20.  Let's hope my optimism is warranted!

Our family enjoyed "Puppy Polos" on the 71st day of 2021.  This is because we ordered takeout on 3/12/2021 (for the Spanish Club Fundraiser) and went to see our niece/cousin Ashley and her fiancé Johnny, and their PUPPY, Vito!!!!  And, we used the app Marco Polo to share our enjoyment with my family on the Wesst Coast.  My reflection tonight is that Puppies Bring Hope!  Everyone was smiling with the puppy tonight.  And it made my family happy to see as well.  As this quote says, puppies bring happiness.  And tonight, it was good to be happy.

3/11/2021 is National 311 Day, according to my online Day of the Year website (the same one that Breakfast with the Beatles uses).  So on the 70th day of 2021, I am going to take 311 to mean information, since that is the number one calls in Philadelphia to get information from (or to give information to) the City.  Yes, tonight I have hope for information.  Fact matter, and there have been some loose playing with facts and truths in politics.  Informing people through valid news outlets and education has never been more important.

I am not sure if it was because I worked with the window open for the second day in a row on the 69th day of 2021.  Or maybe it was because the weather was nice.  Or maybe it's because 3/10/2021 was the day when Group Ticket Leaders were allowed to buy Phillies tickets for the first 19 games of the season (I got tix to 4 games!)  But, today I have a hope for optimism.  Things seem to be moving in the right direction for a lot of things in the world.  And, yes, there are some issues, but they will be worked through and overcome.  I also like this quote (with a sun to represent the sunshine we had today) and I like to consider myself gritty.  Not in the Orange Flyers Mascot sense, but in the Angela Duckworth sense.  Hope and optimism can really keep things going!

The 68th day of 2021 is National Panic Day.  Now I KNOW this is a made up holiday so I did not do anything on 3/9/2021 to commemorate it.  But I was thinking about panic a lot today, only because I heard this day described by Chris Carter on Breakfast with the Beatles this AM.  But my hope is for fewer things that inspire panic.  I hope for calm in my project (time is ticking and there is a lot to do).  I hope for calm in politics (I wish fearmongering weren't a thing).  I hope for fewer people worried about Covid because the numbers continue to decline and more people are vaccinated each day.  There are SO many more things about which, we should panic less.  Deep breaths and let's keep calm.

On the 67th day of 2021, the International Day of the Woman, I reflected on all of the amazing women who are or were in my life.  From my Mom and Sister, with whom I grew up and who were strong role models to me, to all of my grandmothers (all four of them, what a family tree!!!), to all of the women for whom and with whom I have worked, at Penn mostly, to all of the amazing Moms in my community who do so much, to the women with whom I live now (and the one who is at College!)  Yes, on 3/8/2021, my hopes are for the women in my life.  May they continue to thrive and continue to do great things.  May they achieve all for which they strive, and may the world in which we live move closer to a place where all are respected and honored and rights are equal.  I am including photos of my Mom and Sister, of Sarah and the Girls, and of the Four Generations of Fox/Weaver/Walters/Sherr Women!  I am blessed!

I reflected, on the 67th day of 2021, on the Voting Right Marches in 1965.  Mainly because, at Church, I was reminded that 3/7/2021 is the 56th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday."  And, sadly, on this March 7th, again a Sunday, things were not violent (as far as I can tell), but that does not mean that voting rights are something that all people in this country can obtain easily.  I always thought of voting as my civic duty and, in a way, it is.  But I think I can feel this way because of all of the privileges with which I am afforded.  On this solemn anniversary, I keep hearing about the efforts, in FORTY THREE states in the US to limit voters ability to access polling places.  And, sadly, the access limitations always seem to affect people of color and people of limited means more than they affect those people in more privileged statuses.  It seems to me that if we are to have a country "of the people, by the people, and for the people," then we need to ...

The 65th day of 2021 was a bittersweet day for me.  3/6/2021 is the last day for HS Basketball in our area and, so, I spent most of my day in the Colls HS Gym, working the clock and announcing for the Boys and Girls teams.  And, as the Seniors came off the court in the Varsity Games and I announced the substitutions, I waxed nostalgic.  I'll be honest, I even got choked up for Ellyn, Taylor, Nat, and Maggie who I have been watching play for 4+ years (even back into Middle School!)  Tonight I am hoping for smooth transitions.  For the Seniors as they move from Basketball to their next sport (I think at least three are playing Volleyball and Ellyn maybe lacrosse as well).  For the Class of 2021 as they end their HS Career and prepare to start college in the Fall.  For the schools in this area as they are working to return students to more in-class instruction.  And, for the world, as the % of vaccinated people rises with each day.  We're not "t...

There was good news and sad news from Penn Athletics on the 64th day of 2021.  Good News was that 3/5/2021 was the first day of Phase 3 return to action for Penn Athletics.  This allows full practices (with continued Covid precautions) in preparation for Phase 4 which hopefully would include an abbreviated, local competition schedule.  The sad, sad news is that Grace Calhoun, our wonderful Director of Athletics has announced her departure to become VP and Director of Athletics at Brown, her alma mater.  I totally understand the draw of returning (well, in my case I never left) to one's alma mater, especially since she was a varsity athlete there.  Truly a Homecoming in every sense of the word.  Brown's gain will be Penn's loss and, thus, tonight I have Athletic Hopes.  Hopes for Phase 4, hopes that during the days off this week that the students do not engage in behavior that will cause spikes on campus (it would be horrible if the actions of non-athle...

The 63rd day of 2021 is Marching Music Day.  So on 3/4/2021 (MARCH FORTH), I have Marching Band Hopes.  I am testing negative, I have a relative clean bill of health, the campus us opening up slowly and my hopes are to soon be back with the Penn Band!

So I spent a lot of the 62nd day of 2021 thinking about medical milestones.  I mean, yesterday's negative (still happy about that) Covid test was important.  But, tomorrow, I get a Physical by my PCP, Kelli.  I have written about Kelli before and I like her bedside manner and her style.  But, on 3/3/2021, I am still nervous about seeing her tomorrow.  I am Hoping for a Clean Bill of Health!  Quarantine has been tough for daily movement.  I no longer have a reason to leave the house on many days and I have not been disciplined at getting up from this desk and walking.  I HAVE, on the other hand, been going to the pool to do my workout 3-4 times a week for the past many months.  I have always struggled with weight and I am worried about that number tomorrow.  We shall see, hopefully all goes well.

So, on the 61st day of 2021 (which is the 351st day of our Covid Quarantine) I got my first Covid-19 Test.  I was excited to head to the Testing Center this morning, bright and early (so I could make it back to NJ to work from home!)  But then I spent most of 3/2/2021 a little nervous, I have to admit.  What if my results were positive?  Have I been an asymptomatic carrier?  So I spent most of the day hoping for negativity.  Covid has turned many things on its end.  So, a positive outcome is a negative test result.  And thankfully, at 6:57PM, I got the notice - NEGATIVE!  May the rest of my tests (I have to test weekly now) continue to be negative.  And that would be positive!!

Well, here we are, 3/1/2021.  March is here and the 60th day of 2021 came in like a lion.  50 mile an hour winds blowing our recycling all over (we grabbed it up, put it back in the can, and put the can on our porch until tomorrow AM (hope I beat the recycling truck).  I probably will, though, since I need to get up early tomorrow to go to Penn for my FIRST COVID-19 TEST!  A year ago, today, we were all nervous about this pandemic that might be spreading in the US.  Three weeks later and we were in lockdown and have been (in some form or another) since.  Tonight, I am hoping for a better March.  A test, better Covid numbers, and hopes for a better March and beyond....... please....