The Frontline

There’s a new phrase in town. Well… new in context, anyway…

“The Frontlines”

I’m seeing posts all over Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, & the news about workers, “On the frontline’s” in this COVID-19 pandemic, and something about it is bothering me.

Context

How you use a word makes a huge difference in its meaning, and how people take it. The word, “frontline’s” has always been a word reserved for reference to wars and battles being fought.

Bullets flying, bombs exploding, swords forcibly rammed into abdominal cavities so hard they come out the victims back, severing the spinal cord, flesh being torn from bone by the force of blazing hot metal ripping through it, soldiers being doused in Napalm, (a highly flammable sticky jelly used in incendiary bombs and flamethrowers, consisting of gasoline thickened with special soaps) thereby dying a horribly agonizing death, or worse , surviving a Napalm attack only to live the rest of their lives horribly disfigured and in constant pain… you catch my meaning.

So when I see grocery store clerks and other essential workers describing or being described as, “being on the frontline” of the pandemic—which is essentially a bad cold/flu—my brain has a hard time reckoning it.

Here’s the thing—literally EVERYONE in my immediate family is considered an “essential worker” because of what they do and who they do it for. Even I—as a care provider—am considered an “essential worker” during the pandemic. I have several friends who work in grocery stores. One of my sons is a Meat Cutter, aka Butcher, for Safeway. Yet no one—in my family at least—has yet referred to themselves as being, “on the frontline.”

I absolutely DO, consider police, doctors, and nurses as being on the frontline’s, because of how absolutely intense that situation is in this situation. However, (and yes, I’ve seen the news and been in the stores) I would not consider working in any kind of store or other business that I can think of at the moment, being “on the frontline’s” though I definitely DO acknowledge how absolutely intense and difficult it has been for those workers, God bless their souls for putting up with all the B.S. every day that they show up for work! Nothing but love here, people… nothing but love!

But let’s regroup for a minute and consider what’s been going on. There’s a virus, yes. It has killed more people than anyone hoped it would, (if they even had any hopes where that was concerned in the first place) and yes, essential workers are absolutely putting their health and their family’s health in jeopardy every time they go to work, but… the phrase “frontline’s” — I dunno… I don’t think I’d go that far.

There are no bullets. Well… no more than usual, anyway…

There are no bombs.

There are no swords.

There is no Napalm.

Something else has been bothering me. I’ve seen people in this country—some, I know personally, go from trashing the president for shutting down the country, to not shutting it down fast enough, to not opening it soon enough, to opening it too soon, all in a span of about 60 days. Really?? Have we all become bi-polar, or have we just been watching the news too much and believing EVERYTHING we’re being force-fed in order to keep us in control by living in a state of constant fear?

We need to be stronger than this, people.

Be safe. Wash your hands. Wear your mask—by the way, it should be covering BOTH your nose AND your mouth, not one or the other as I’ve seen quite a lot of. I mean honestly, what’s the point in wearing the damn thing if you’re going to wear it wrong? It’s definitely not protecting you or the people you come in contact with if either your nose or your mouth are not covered, and if you’re going to wear it that way, don’t complain about the risk factor of your job on the frontline’s, because that just makes no sense. They’re uncomfortable. They’re hot. It’s hard to breathe in them. Wearing one ALL DAY fricking SUCKS! But it’s supposed to be working for your protection and the protection of others, and if you’re not wearing it correctly then you are part of the problem and should stay home.

I’m sorry if any of this upsets or offends anyone, but truth is like this, and if you have a problem with any of it, your problem isn’t with me, it’s with hearing the truth and having to acknowledge it. Many of you will blow it off and tell me how wrong I am. Okay, but that doesn’t change the truth of it. If I lose any friends over this then I want to say that I sincerely hope you stay safe and stay well, and THANK YOU for all your hard work and personal sacrifice! I do greatly appreciate it so much more than you might think I do, I just seriously think people need to reconsider some things.

Have a blessed day.

Crystal

How Do You Feel?

This morning, a Facebook writing group moderator posted the question, “How do you feel?” With a picture of Spock in front of the computer. The computer was asking the question of Spock and, being half Vulcan, he didn’t understand the question. His mother explained that the computer knows he’s half human, and is simply asking him how he feels in that context. Spock, in true Vulcan form, replies, “The question is irrelevant.” But is it? Even Spock has feelings, whether he chooses to acknowledge them or not.

As I sat there for a few minutes, pondering the question, I was slightly overwhelmed by what I really was feeling. Here’s what I came up with.

Depressed because I used to see my oldest four sons at least once a week, and I miss their big bear hugs, and refrigerator raids with, “What’s good to eat?” queries. I haven’t see them in person in two months.

Thankful for FaceTime so we can at least have cyber visits.

Annoyed because I used to enjoy going shopping and wandering aimlessly through malls, and visiting Barnes & Nobel, but now the options are extremely limited, and B&N is out of the question.

I miss going to the library only one block from my house, and where some of my friends work.

I miss meeting up to go out to eat every Thursday morning, when my husband is coming off night shift, and my youngest son and I are just getting our day started.

I miss seeing people’s faces, knowing they’re smiling without having to look for the eye crinkles behind the mask, and chatting with total strangers about random commonalities while out running errands.

I miss turning on the TV and radio without having to hear the latest death toll, and what to do to stay safe and healthy.

I miss not ever having heard the phrases, “Social Distancing” & “Shelter In Place.”

I miss opening Facebook and NOT seeing the term COVID-19 every other post.

I feel disappointed by all the people who have shown their true colors by hoarding food and toilet paper, behaving atrociously in public places, stealing their neighbors deliveries, and harassing their fellow humans.

I miss writing without the influence of being under lockdown and the depression it causes.

I feel sad for the high school students who will miss out on the prom, and both high school & college students who will not be walking in a hard-earned graduation ceremony this year.

I feel horrible for all the younger generation for having their own version of The Plague during what should be a time of discovery, growth, and celebration of life before having to settle into a life of adult responsibilities.

I feel afraid of what could be yet to come, but hopeful that things will get better.

I have faith in God, and pray for humanity every day, but still go over all the other things in my mind almost constantly.

Mostly, I feel tired.

So no, Mr. Spock, I don’t agree that the question is irrelevant, but I do know that even you eventually discovered that, and in the end, you sent a message to your mother. A message I hope we will all echo soon.

Preview: Chapter Two

Preview: The Russian—Chapter Two, “The Russian”

The Russian: A Matt Vaughn, P.I. Novel by C.A. Bennett

#writingcommunity #books #detective #privateeye #crimefiction #mystery #suspense #thriller #reading #writersnetwork #writer #fiction #kindle #kindleunlimited #paperback #murder #noir #noirfiction

The Russian— Chapter One Preview

For Matt Vaughn, P.I., the City by the Bay isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be. Murder, abduction, stolen treasure, and espionage are just the beginning.

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/B08468Q8N5

What The Hell Are We Doing?!

I was thinking… many people didn’t get their tax refund and had to pay in for the first time in a very long time. Now we have this sudden crisis with its financial impact to tax-paying citizens.

Here comes the government to the rescue, saying, “We’re gonna enact a stimulus package and give every American a check!” The proposed check amount is oddly close to what the taxpayers would have got on their refund, and the government looks like the hero, coming to the rescue. Businesses are closing, and the government is talking about helping them as well, once again, effectively becoming the good guy in the white hat.

Interestingly, a store employee told me yesterday, they were told they’ve been making record breaking sales since this whole thing started. Get that? RECORD BREAKING SALES. This business has been operating for over 30 years, and they’ve never seen sales this high.

These situations could be just coincidental. They could also have easily been orchestrated. Create a situation where the people and businesses become completely dependent upon the government for everything—money, food, medicine… freedom… in a time where so many people are jumping on the socialist bandwagon? Control the population with fear and tell them they can’t leave their homes—even to go to work so they can take care of their own basic needs—until the government gives the green light.

At the moment, the magical date is April 7th, but people haven’t been staying home, have they? No. They’ve been going out, interacting, and spreading the virus, which means the government will extend the timeframe and we will become even more dependent on them for our every need, while martial law becomes enacted to enforce the orders for quarantine. They’re already talking about it.

A quarantine SHOULD have been put in place, IN CHINA, the moment they knew how quickly COVID-19 could spread. But they didn’t. Up till a few days ago, people were flying in and out of China as free as they pleased, carrying the virus from China to every corner of the globe, effectively creating a pandemic.

The first case in China dates back to Nov. 17, 2019, and it spread rapidly from there. Travel to and from China should have been stopped months ago, but it wasn’t, and now we have a global crisis on our hands. One, by the way, which effectively targets the two groups, (sick/disabled & the elderly) of people most dependent upon the world’s government resources for their livelihood—in this country, at the very least. Coincidentally, that source of money—social security—just happens to be the one source of money the government has being dying to get their claws into to be used for their own purposes for years. What better way to free up that money than by killing off the group most dependent upon it?

Meanwhile, it’s an election year in America and let me say again—there’s a whole massive group of The American People—who are just screaming for a socialist government in which EVERYONE would become totally dependent upon the powers that be for EVERYTHING. Is this REALLY what you want, America? Are you really just standing by and watching/letting this happen?

All the wars. All the battles. All the lives lost. All the sacrifices made. All of those freedoms which this nation proclaimed were our right 244 years ago, are about to count for shit, and we’re LETTING IT HAPPEN!

Wait!!

“Sometimes it’s hard to see the forest for the trees.” That’s an old saying my grandparent’s generation used when we needed to focus on the here and now and stop trying to see what’s in the future, because we can’t actually see the future. We can’t know everything, and we cannot control everything, only God can.

That can be hard on some of us humans. We can see what we want, but not how to get it. We can see what we need, but not always what needs to be done to achieve it. That’s where faith comes in. God always knows what’s in store for us, and what needs to happen to get to where we need to be. All we need to do is trust in Him.

I have all these dreams and goals in mind, and I know I want to do things in my lifetime that will last well after I leave this earth. I have five sons who are my legacy, and I am proud of them, and want the best for them. However, there are other things I would like to do, be, and achieve. When I was young, I wanted to be a teacher and an author. As an adult, I worked in the public school system for twelve years—first as a program coordinator, then as a behavior specialist. I loved working with kids, and I was good at it, but my career ended abruptly when I was injured and forced to walk with a cane for about three years.

Fun Fact: Public schools—at least in Northern California—will not allow adults who must use a cane to be employed with them because they consider it a liability, yet they do cater to disabled students. I have worked with many disabled students and they are some of the most wonderful people I’ve ever met in my life. I just don’t think it’s the nicest thing that school districts discriminate against disabled adults.

Let’s talk about my dream of being an author for a moment… I love to write. I wrote a book, (I write hard-boiled detective/crime fiction) and published it on January 22, 2020. I want to be a successful author. I would love to see my books sell in the millions and be able to reach readers the world over. I want to buy a house. For the first time in my life, I would love to own a home. I’d like to leave it to my kids and leave them an inheritance that will sustain them for years to come.

I would like to help people in need. I’ve always been one of those people who give the few dollars I have left in my wallet, to someone on a street corner. Or donate to a good cause for a sick pet, friend, or family member. I’ve given away several of my typewriters to those who express an interest in writing, or have some terrible, difficult story they want to tell even if only to themselves. My heart goes out to people who are in bad situations. If I have something to give of myself, I do it. I enjoy it.

The problem is—I can’t always see the future. I don’t always know what will happen next, or when it will happen, and that makes me very impatient sometimes. I try not to be. I try to remember to be faithful, and put my trust in The Lord, but sometimes I do have a hard time with that. What do I do in those times? I pray. I just have a simple conversation with God and ask Him what he needs from me. I ask Him to show me what He wants me to do and then I try my best to listen.

It’s funny, but when I sat down to write this post, I was feeling a little down because I had just looked at my book sales for this week and was disappointed with the fact that only four copies sold all week. I was frustrated and wanted to think about anything but that, so I sat down with the intention of working on the second book in the series in order to focus my frustrations in a productive direction.

Before I work on my books, I always do little finger exercises and just type random thoughts as they come to me in order to loosen up my fingers and get the blood flowing through my brain. That way, the words can flow easier. Then this happened. What began as a simple writing exercise born of frustration, ended up being a way for The Lord to remind me to be patient and let Him work. Sometimes the reason we can’t see the forest for the trees, is because the path hasn’t yet been cleared, and we need to wait. Just wait. It’ll happen. Have faith.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” —Proverbs 3:5–6

 

By the way—Just in case you’d like to read my book, the links to all the sources can be found Here    🙂

Read Any Good Books Lately?

Well, it’s true that this one is my proof copy, and you can’t have it because it’s all mine! That’s okay! You can get your very own copy online at Barnes & Noble, and on Amazon! I’m told I’m a pretty good writer and that this is a good book, but you should totally find out for yourself! Btw, after you read it, leave a review! I mean—what fun would it be to keep it all bottled up to yourself?! Come on… you know you want to 😉

Barnes and Noble:

https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-russian-ca-bennett/1136293789?ean=9798603030760

Rakutan Kobo:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-russian-a-matt-vaughn-p-i-novel

Scribed:

https://www.scribd.com/book/445173820/The-Russian-A-Matt-Vaughn-P-I-Novel

Apple Books:

https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-russian-a-matt-vaughn-p-i-novel/id1497439816

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/C.A.-Bennett/e/B08468Q8N5

While you’re at it, you may as well follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It’ll be fun! 😁

Twitter:
@CABennettWriter

Instagram:
ca_bennett_author

Facebook page:
@CABennettAuthor

Exciting News!

Hello everyone! I know I’ve been gone quite a while, but sometimes you need to really buckle down and FOCUS!

So that’s what I did! I stopped blogging and finished my debut book, “The Russian: A Matt Vaughn, P.I. Novel” which is now PUBLISHED on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle, and is becoming available on more ebook platforms! It should also be in physical book stores within a few weeks through IngramSpark!

Here are a few links where you can find it NOW! 😁

AVAILABLE ON:

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Paperback and Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/C.A.-Bennett/e/B08468Q8N5

Rakutan Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-russian-a-matt-vaughn-p-i-novel

Scribed
https://www.scribd.com/book/445173820/The-Russian-A-Matt-Vaughn-P-I-Novel

COMING SOON:

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The Still, Small Voice

What do you do when things aren’t going right? Do you sit and sulk, or do you get up and take action? Do you listen to what the Lord has to say, or do you try to handle things your own way and hope for the best? *A revision of an article I wrote a while back.*

https://hubpages.com/religion-philosophy/The-Still-Small-Voice

Fun With Menopause

I wrote this several months ago and wanted to share with the women of the world, what my experience has been like. You are not alone! To the men of the world… I apologize if this scares the daylights out of you, but I honestly hope you get a good laugh from it. Quietly… away from your wives… like… in a closet somewhere safe… with the door locked and the lights off… 

We’ve all heard of the “Big M” but what is it really like? Let’s take a journey, shall we?

https://hubpages.com/health/Fun-With-Menopause