I’m coming up on two years of bonus days. That’s a lot of extra time, and I’m still grateful every day for it. The thing, though, is that I’m no longer assuming that it’s just borrowed time. I mean, it’s not just borrowed time. I don’t know when I’ll die for the third and presumably final time, but I have to make the most of my remaining time before that.
It’s too easy just to let each day slide by when I work from home and don’t really drive any more. I mean, I drive to the grocery store, and I’ve driven a few other local places in the last two years. But, for the most part, I no longer drive. It’s because my perception is terrible and I can’t cover my blind spots any longer. My perception has always been shaky, but now, it’s just awful.
The only reason I would want to drive, even, is because of my Taiji classes. They are in South Minneapolis, and I am in the north (suburbs). We’re talking a half hour drive. I used to do it three times a week before the pandemic. Now, however, it’s more than I’m willing to drive.
My mother asked me to go to Taiwan to help out with my father. Or rather, she phrased it as, “You wouldn’t be able to come, would you?”, but then was angry when I said I couldn’t and I wouldn’t be that much help, anyway (because I can’t speak the language). She said I would be a help, which, yes, I probably would have been. But I haven’t even flown in the states, let alone internationally.
My mother is now pressuring my brother to go. I get that she’s in a terrible bind and needs help, but it’s sad that she thinks guilting her children into going there is the way to go. I have a pretty iron-clad reason not to go (my health and the flight), but my brother has of a valid reason (in her mind) to not go. Especially as he just went to NYC for pleasure. I countered that was a great reason to say she couldn’t go to Taiwan–he couldn’t take back-to-back vacations. Granted, he’s a realtor and has no set schedule, but most people could understand not being able to take two lengthy vacations in a month.
We both agree that it would be better if they came back here, for them, I mean. the political climate in Taiwan right now, especially for Taiwanese people, is terrible. In addition, if they moved here, my brother and I would be able to help out much more. Me more than my brother because we would be living in the same house, but my brother as well becasue he could come over every day or at least several times a aweek.