I guess last week was a really tough one. You ever just break down in tears at the end of it because all the pent-up stress and emotions simply floods out? That was my Friday evening, at the tail-end of a truly stressful week. I was listening to some tunes trying to relax for a bit, and the floodgates sort of just started. It was nice to release it out.
The utter lack of getting any amount of vitamin-D probably did not help the situation I was in. It’s been said that getting some sunshine is helpful for the mood, and unfortunately none of us got any last week. Much of the Bay Area was (and still is) blanketed by a cover of smog due to the numerous wildfires that are currently burning in California and up the coast in Oregon. Most eerie and apocalyptic was on Wednesday: our marine layer kept the smoky air up high, causing it to quite literally block out the sun. The brightness level at noon was more akin to evening, and the sky was this ominous orange the entire day.
I can’t imagine what it must be like for people dealing with real depression seeing such apocalyptic scenes right outside their windows. And let’s not forget: we are still in the middle of the worst pandemic of our lifetimes.
What was causing me stress was the health of our cat. He’s been dealing with stomach issues, and last Tuesday it was confirmed he had severe inflammation of the intestines. Therefore, for much of the week – on top of my work duties- I’ve been giving extra care for the kitten, making sure it’s eating properly and drinking enough water. Like a parent caring for a sick child, it’s really difficult to concentrate during your regular routine when the nagging feeling of worry never leaves the back of your head. No surprise that quality of sleep is negatively affected as well.
On top of all that, some lowlife stole the rear license plate off of my dad’s car, so that was something additional I had to deal with. The life of an immigrant kid never leaves you – it will always be up to me to help my parents out with anything that involves heavy English. I don’t normally complain about this – can’t choose your parents, after all – but last week was not the best time to have that added on top, honestly.
I hope this week will be better. For all of us.
1:00 PM on a Wednesday afternoon…