Disco baby.

It’s time, cause no one can be sad listening to the Ohio Players sing “Love Rollercoaster” while performing those sweet dance moves learned at Charlie Tuna’s Sunday night teen night circa 1979. Plus, the moves have now evolved through The Clash, Grateful Dead, and the Red
Hot Chili Peppers. Time to move, like right now, like tell Siri or Alexa or Apple Music to play Rick James then boogie around the kitchen like nobody’s watching.

And there it is, 11 months lying on the couch covered in Cheeto dust unable to interact with other humans, waking up to death, anger, bigotry and lies, working a job that is about a third of what it once was, trying to help your kids maneuver life through a screen, no movies, no concerts, no restaurants, no bars, no fun.

But the light is finally, maybe, almost, kinda here. And you think the roaring 20’s was a scene, just wait for the roaring 21’s or 22’s (still gotta work on the name). Never have so many wanted to do so much after so little.

Have you read J’Biden’s agenda? Yeah, it’s thick but he did exactly what we hoped for, surround yourself with the smartest people, promote unity, diversity, truth and science. Lead and see how the game plays out. Finally, an adult leader with a vision for the future, thanks Joe (http://valleytalking.blogs.sonomanews.com/2020/04/23/day-35-thanks-joe/).

I start Friday advisory with “Gonna Fly Now” while screensharing videos of Sly Stallone and Burgess Meredith yelling and sweating and getting ready for the big fight. It’s the end of January and I’m tired of swirling in governmental disfunction and sick stories of Kellyanne Conway and her daughter. Plus, I know if I’m tired of it, the students checked out long ago.

I take roll and have students do the familiar how are you scale from 1-10 plus talk about one of their goals for after the pandemic. “It’s coming” I tell them, “It might not seem like it now but soon things will change, life will resume, it’s time to Rocky up.” http://valleytalking.blogs.sonomanews.com/2020/08/08/day-139-rocky/

Do I care about the Inauguration? About J’Biden’s truth and science-based plans? About 2 million people dead from Covid? Heck yes, I do but there is exactly zero chance that my fretting about them will have any influence whatsoever.

Better to do my weekly calls to Sonoma Hospital, SCOE and Kaiser to see when the vaccine will be distributed to teachers so that I can end this 300+ day nightmare. Prioritize, serenity prayer, move on. That’s the new mantra.

The other day I was at Readers (is there any better place to dream than the local bookstore when one is stuck 24/7 at home?) and I noticed I had zero interest in anything political (especially about the last 4 years or anything mentioning that guy whose name shall never be spoken again in this blog) or Corona related. I read books to escape and learn stuff (top 5 of the pandemic, “American Dirt”, “The Overstory”, “The Museum of Modern Love”, “Daddy” and my overall favorite, “After the Plague” by TC Boyle a collection of short stories from 2001 including “Peep Hall” which could be the greatest commentary on places like the Hype House in 2021). Obviously, I like fiction that correctly predicts the future.

Most students, not surprisingly, want to travel. I explain that it’s as easy as deciding where they want to go, where to stay, budgeting expenses and setting up monthly goals to get there. And most importantly, I tell them to lose the fear and do it, because once you start travelling you get travel brain and you realize the world is big and there is much to learn and people might look and talk differently than you but most humans like other humans.

The secret lesson, and there’s always a secret lesson, is to foster a lifetime of grit which is where the Rocky theme song comes in. We must Go, Do, Now as a certain amazing local writer writes every week in a certain amazing local newspaper. Or at least plan to Go and Do whenever we achieve herd immunity and feel comfortable Going. But we can start planning now, start saving now, start earning now, and set goals now. Because tomorrow will come.

Yes, we have PTSD and OCTD and great people are dying (Rest in Peace Tom Ellis-way too soon, way too unfair), but the sun comes out each morning and KC and The Sunshine Band want you to remember that and dance like you’ve never danced before.