Preface

For those that know nothing about me please understand that I have been a stay at home parent since 2016. During this Coronavirus, COVID-19, Quarantine 2020 my wife has been working from home at her makeshift office in our garage/den.

Thank you Goodwill for the monitors, keyboard, mouse, and a few chords that have allowed her to continue working from home for the low price of about $20 in parts.

A Collective Breath

I understand the severity of this pandemic. People that wouldn’t have died, have. That should never be OK in the most “civilized” and “advanced” nation in the world. There is enough blame to go around between our public and private sectors. As soon as the President put Mike Pence in charge I knew things would get worse before they got better and they have. As far as I’m concerned our leaders denied the severity of this virus until it was to late. Because of that a lot of us find ourselves at home. For some of US it’s basically business as usual. For others we find ourselves truly having to balance a work/life/school balance. And yet for others we find ourselves in pretty dire straits in terms of our physical, mental, emotional, and financial health.

I’ve felt bad

I’ve got to witness so much

But my wife, like most parents, had to go to work.

Not any more!

This might be way to much silver lining for some of you but these last six plus weeks have been the greatest of my life. Honestly, the only underlying concern I have had as a stay at home dad was the fact that I was getting to witness firsthand all those firsts in both of our daughters lives. I’ve had a front row seat to witness one of the few miracles I’ve ever seen in my life, and that is the development of life. Now because of this pandemic I have gotten my wish, kind of.

24/7

6 weeks and counting

Me, my wife, and our daughters

Truthfully my wish was and is to win this election,
Then give her a few years as a stay at home parent

No interruptions. No intrusions. No distractions. No visitors. No change in my wife’s paycheck. That’s the most important for our house at this moment. Missy’s company has been flirting with a work from home policy for the last year. They were by no means ready for a situation such as this, but so far it seems it has worked out. In fact, Missy believes she is actually more productive, efficient, and even more connected to her work while at home. Sounds like a winning situation as far her company is concerned.

A collective breath

Outside of health and happiness the one hope I have for all of US during these uncertain and unprecedented times is that we are all able to take a collective breath and think about what is important to US. Personally, I know what has been the most important to me and that is the health and happiness of my wife and my daughters. Equality, Education, and the Environment have been and will be the focus of my campaign.

Healthcare in this society is a right. Access, treatment, and outcomes should be equitable. One thing this virus has shown all of us beyond a reasonable doubt is that our health care system is far from equitable. I think most of us knew that even before this. Another thing these last 6 plus weeks have shown us is that denying science is never good. Plan for the worse, hope for the best. Not the other way around.

Personally, the only real complaint I have with this strange socially distant world that we know find ourselves in is that now it seems everyone seems to be crowding my favorite trails, parks, and paths. Even worse, I can’t talk to them about my campaign.

I honestly think that this quarantine is an opportunity for all of US to take a moment to think about what we want out of our time on this planet. What is important to US? I’m hoping you’ll also think about how new markets, innovation, and the time tested American “Can Do” spirit could propel us into a more self sustaining way as a state, as a country, as an economy, and as the type of democracy we really want to see left in this world.

Breath and Think

Indiana

Ken