One more day of Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow. I haven't gotten nearly as much done during my time off than I had wanted.

With these senseless new tariffs possibly being implemented, I'm trying to get myself as mentally and materially prepared for what's coming as possible. I'm still picking up at least one bag of rice and/or beans every time I go to the supermarket for something, and I'm starting to make a list of other food items with a long shelf life that I'd like to have on hand if inflation skyrockets and I need some food comfort. I want to semi-prepare for the worst as much as I can - reduce spending as much as possible, purchase durable goods (coffee maker, toaster oven and new air fryer) before the tariffs take effect and pick up some new work clothes before the end of the year. Some off-brand collared Polo-style shirts and some jeans, enough to get me through the week, and the laundry on the weekend. I need my getting through each workday next year to require as little mental energy as possible, at least for the first several months. I am anticipating something along the lines of Shock and Awe. Overwhelm, overload and demoralize the non-believers. I hope that it's not as bad as I'm anticipating, but all the dark shit I feared would happen so far has pretty-much happened - or will start within less than two months.

I'm just an awkward, old, empathic, autistic Gen-Xer who hoped, if not to retire, to at least be able to work part time and still keep a roof over my head. With Trump in office and the Republicans in control of everything, I expect them to siphon the Social Security fund dry, like they've wanted to do for decades. I expect they'll do it this time. Medicare will probably get the ax as well before I'll be able to benefit from it. I've paid into it every day of my life since my first paycheck. Those are things I can't really save extra up for at my age.

I'm a street kid, though. I learned from the best, my mom, the important poor-survival skills that would get me through life. I'll fare better than a lot of people, I think.

It's the calm before the storm that's unnerving. Not knowing exactly how bad it will get, or how quickly. Realizing that the next almost two months are quite possibly the last days of democracy in the US. That this is as free as Americans will ever be again. Then, having to dress myself and get myself to work and go through the motions like nothing sinister is lurking just over the horizon.

I feel like, in any other country, we would be out in the streets, either protesting or properly mourning the final days of our democratic republic.

It's going to suck. It's going to suck really badly.