Here's our tenth round of journal entries for the week. If you'd like to play a part in history as it unfolds before us, please send your submissions to lmizzi@southamptonhistory.org
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Laurie Collins (age 62, North Sea)
I live in the woods where it is usually quiet. Too quiet lately. We mostly hear the sounds of nature. I like to listen to the birds singing and I am so glad when I hear the kids playing in their back yard through the woods. They are soothing sounds. My neighbors walk, run and bike like clockwork every day. I admire their discipline. Lately, I need a destination to motivate myself. Sometimes when I am lonely I wish I was in the village. I’d like to hear the sound of a lawn being mowed. My brother who lives in a neighborhood is hearing different sounds. Loud music coming from a neighbor’s home. It is not the kind of music that he enjoys and to make it worse it contains a barrage of foul language.
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Joan Magiet (Eastport)
Cole Bay At Twilight
Needles of rain prick evening winds.
They toss crushed soda bottles, decomposed paper boxes
into patterns suffocating the beach.
Bellies of gray clouds gather,
dim mountains sheltering Cole Bay,
threaten to burst their bladders over moored sailboats
looking frail and thin, sails furling the mast.
Black streaks pierce the sky,
momentarily paralyzing Ruth
on her daily walk across twilight.
She kicks coffee-stained cups scattered on sand,
abused by storms, neglected by man.
Then she runs into the water for a final swim
before losing another day,
before the inevitable dark.
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Liana Mizzi (age 28, Hampton Bays)
Things have been crazier than ever these last few days. The concerns of COVID have seemingly fallen to the wayside in light of the Black Lives Matter movement. However, just because it’s our right to protest and speak out against injustice, we should also still be taking the necessary precautions, as we are still in the midst of a pandemic. Although from what I’ve seen at last night’s protest in Southampton, I didn’t see a single person without a mask on. It is hard to maintain social distancing though while marching together in solidarity. You wind up within close range of everyone around you no matter how much you try to keep 6ft away. It gave me lots of anxiety knowing I was putting myself at risk by going to the protest, but I would do it again and again if it meant standing up for what is right. It was a real life changing experience being out there with everyone, marching, shouting, crying, and listening to the young speakers talk about their personal struggles. If you can, I encourage you to get out there and experience it for yourself (as safely as possible). It was a very peaceful protest with no interference from law enforcement, everyone seemed to respect one another and let the voices of the oppressed be heard. These are defining moments we’re living through, better get out there and be the change you want to see in the world.
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Zachary Taylor (age 29, Farmingdale)
As of right now, I've started my Remicade treatment for the first time since pausing in 2007, with another appointment this upcoming Wednesday. It's frankly surreal returning to a treatment I thought I finished needing ever since having surgery in both 2008 and 2012. It's for the best though, as it's the most effective treatment I can seek for Crohn's at the moment.
The first dose went well, and surprisingly quick for a total of 2 hours and 40 minutes. I brought my laptop with me with work that I planned on doing, but forgot to take into account that the Benadryl injections basically left me in a sloth-like state of exhaustion. Pretty sure I fell asleep with my laptop still in my hands during the time, which is both hilarious and precarious since I didn't wanna drop the thing on the ground.
I was also talking to a few friends of mine while I was sat there. One of my friends remarked "I've never seen someone hyped about getting IV meds", which made me laugh while I drifted in and out. For me it was much less about the meds, and moreso about finally reaching the point where my health is getting noticeably better. My surgeon said as much when I saw her this past Tuesday. I'm absolutely excited to have my health return back to normal, and indeed for my life to have one less stumbling block when trying to just live.