Raquel Martina Martinez

Earth date: August 3, 2020One hundred and forty-seven days ago I went to the bank, had the car checked, and went shopping inside stores for what I knew could be the last time in a long while. People made fun of us with cases of water, pantry items, hand sanitizer, and paper goods.Yes, I was among those who bought more than my share of toilet paper, because long before the President closed down the US borders and the nation, I had witnessed the corona virus Covid-19 firsthand. Two daughters-in-law came down with a “new strain” of flu in the fall, both were hospitalized, and one died. We believed it may have been this virus, and if it could do that to two healthy, young women, it was serious. But how does one shut down a nation of over 332 million people? What does that mean? We knew there was no cure, no vaccine, so how long would we be sheltered in place while the medical community came up with a solution? What if closing down our country meant there would be no food, no water, no ele…

Earth date: July 26, 2020
We never thought this would happen to us. We watched insurrections and epidemics on the national news. They happened elsewhere but never on our soil. It wouldn’t dare. In our benevolence, we sent troops and doctors and money to France and Afghanistan and Iran when rioters burned and pillaged their cities. From the safety of our high horse – our sofas and our cell phones - we expounded our political views, never once considering that one day someone would dare do the same on our turf. Just look at Seattle or Minneapolis or Portland. Riots disguised as protest have doubled and tripled their efforts until discourse is no longer an option to settle our disagreements. Likewise, with the pandemic, in our arrogance we sent doctors and money and supplies to countries on the opposite side of the globe thinking we could keep plagues far from our nation. Surely a contagion would bow to our greatness; yet, it has snuck through our borders and continues to do so. We refuse…

1.Donuts Until recently, doughnuts/donuts were not available on the choices available for online ordering from my grocery store. I crave walking into a bakery and buying freshly baked, hot from the oven donuts. 2.Grandchildren My five grown children and their families are sheltering in place, and out of caution and respect, we all took care to stay virus-free. We recently let our guard down but, because of the uptick in the virus, we are back to limiting our visits, wearing our masks, and keeping our distance. 3.Eating Out HoneyBunch and I would treat ourselves and go out to eat once or twice a week, and I would intentionally schedule my weekly errands around mid-morning so I could bring home take out for lunch or dinner. The virus put a stop to all of that. 4.Shopping Sprees Online sources have greatly reduced my impulse buying. My food budget and bank account are grateful for the discipline it provides. 5.Hugs and Handshakes I miss human physical contact. 6.Licking my Fingers I never …

Every Sunday afternoon for the last ten weeks, HoneyBunch and I have rebelled against the pandemic shut down by risking a drive in our car. Radicals that we are, we jump into our trusty steed, roll up our windows, and lock our doors. We arm ourselves with two bottles of water so we don’t have to leave the safety of our vehicle and two masks in case we do. In March, the first month into the statewide “sheltering in place,” we would encounter few other anarchists out and about, but with the start of May, we’ve witnessed an increase in the numbers of fellow malcontents out there. The congested streets, the full parking lots, the packed shopping malls are all examples that a rebellion is a foot – and those who are a foot refuse to wear masks! Yes, we can attest to this since we’ve spied it all from the safety of our car. Seventy days into this edict and the citizens are ready to shed the chains of bondage. Before we return to our previous lives, may I suggest something? What have we learned…

An overweight, workaholic who made time and money his priority, suddenly finds his life turned upside down. The lone survivor of a plane crash, he finds himself on a deserted island. Not knowing when he will be rescued, he has to make it on his own. His possessions are whatever he can salvage. The plush life he took for granted is gone, but he still has a strong human instinct to survive. With courage and fortitude, he scrambles for food, shelter, clothing. As time passes and day after day slips away, his character strengthens and there comes the day when he realizes he cannot live like this forever. He decides, against all odds, to leave the safety of the island, take his chances against what awaits him, and return to the world he was forced to leave behind.

Yeah, I’ve watched Cast Away with Tom Hanks one time too many, and yes, I cry every time he loses Wilson, but one thing I always take away from this movie is the universal message of the strength of the human spirit.
We were happ…

When I was very young, still at home with my parents, Dad expected us to have what he called “polite conversation” at the kitchen table. Everything was a learning opportunity, so he delighted in having a captive audience while we sat for meals. We said grace, kept our elbows off the table, and were expected to “converse” while we ate our cold cereal, our afternoon sandwich, or our casserole at dinner. Topics got more difficult in high school and college. Gone were the days of discussing what we had learned in school that day; we were expected to discuss the news from the front section of the newspaper, something Walter Cronkite had reported on the Evening News, or the many uses of math in one’s life. It may sound like a drag, but it stuck with me, and I likewise expected my three to participate in “polite conversation” during our sit-down meals. Likewise, my grandchildren cringe when I subject them to inquisitions about their everyday life, their progress in math, and the latest book t…