EL SEGUNDO HERALD April 9, 2020 Page 3
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Your Neighborhood Therapist
Douglass
MORTUARY
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Te l e p h o n e ( 3 1 0 ) 6 4 0 - 9 3 2 5 • F a x ( 3 1 0 ) 6 4 0 - 0 7 7 8 • F D 6 5 8
Robby Pedersen Adjusting
to New Norm
Letters
Feels COVID-19 Overrated
The COVID-19 crisis is overrated. People
are overreacting and buying as many necessary
items in mass. This is not as bad as it
was at the beginning of the crisis, but is
still creating problems for those not ready.
This is not the first time a crisis like this
has happened. In 2003, SARS broke out in
China, another respiratory virus that was
not as contagious as COVID-19, but has
the same effects. Using information from
SARS, we can handle COVID-19 the same
way because it is a coronavirus. Taking such
extreme measures is unnecessary.
The only concern is places where inhabitants
have weak immune systems or lung
issues and where school has been cancelled
and the students are not in school and need
to make up days in their school year when
school has been cancelled for the rest of the
school year.
– Isaac Bucknell •
By Gregg McMullin
When Robby Pedersen walked the halls at
El Segundo High School, he was a popular
senior who greeted everyone with his infectious
smile. These days, with school closed, he misses
seeing his friends each day. Robby said, “I
was so busy after school that during school
was the only time I had to talk to everyone.”
Robby admits that dealing with the new
norm for completing his senior year at home
can be a challenge. “I check what homework
I have in the morning, watch all the videos
that are suggested and ask as many questions
that I need to in order to get everything done.”
His favorite class this semester is Political
Behavior because of the discussions they have.
He says that the topics and conversation keep him
current on the political forefront. “Before that
class, I was rarely up to date on political
news. It brought a new perspective on our
government.”
Though he doesn’t see his friends and
teammates on a daily Robby uses texting,
emailing and face-time to stay close with
everyone. He misses the in-person contact that
is more personal, but he’s not missing out on
a chance to keep in touch. He and his friends
play video games since they cannot hang out.
“It is the only interaction we can have.”
Robby is a multi-sport athlete. He played
soccer, baseball and basketball growing up.
When he started high school, he narrowed it
to basketball. At his mother’s urging, he began
playing volleyball as a freshman. Volleyball
was just something that substituted his need
for physical activity when he wasn’t playing
basketball. As a junior, he played on the varsity
basketball and volleyball teams but got burned
out playing basketball.
As a senior, Robby concentrated on volleyball
and said goodbye to basketball, something he’d
been playing since he was seven years old.
His hard work improving his volleyball skills
paid off. He has received college offers from
Arcadia University in Pennsylvania, Lasell
University in Massachusetts and Marymount
University. With no after school practices, he
stays in shape in the backyard doing agility
and bodyweight exercises. He also does a lot
When Community Counts
We want to serve the community the best way we
possibly can. As we always do, we want to bring some
positivity and light to what we all are going through.
You can help.
Please send us photos of what you are doing as
individuals, families or businesses, while staying home
and sheltering in place. Write a brief paragraph of
the strength and pride of your community, a happy
memory or of a good deed that you’ve witnessed.
I’m sure there are plenty.
Send anything positive to: web@heraldpublications.com
Stay safe. Shop locally. Support our business
community. Love your family, neighbors, community
members and your local paper.
Much love from us.
Send your photos
and/or memories to:
web@heraldpublications.com
of online research doing home workouts and
being creative, so he doesn’t get bored.
When he isn’t in his backyard or staying up
with classroom work, Robby looks for a break
by watching ‘Ozark’ on Netflix. He insists that
he is doing his part to self-quarantine and doing
his part in not spreading the virus.
Many young people Robby’s age have goals
for their future and he is no different. He wants
to be a commercial airline pilot one day. So
he’s hoping to take pilot training classes this
summer so he can start his pathway to what
he sees as his future. “I see myself flying for
a commercial airline as my career.” •
If Robby doesn’t attend a four-year school
to further his education and play volleyball,
his plans to go to a local community college,
that way he can stay close and continue his
pilot training at the nearby airports.
Robby’s interests, all with staying connected
with his friends and doing classwork, is his
obsession for working on his car and working
out. While he has more time these days, it has
allowed him to learn more about his car. “I
have a passion for cars, especially working on
mine. I like working out in general, so I am
trying to get in the best shape possible and
work on my car whenever I get the chance.”
Robby has two sisters, and he is close
to them. Becca was teaching English in the
Republic of Georgia near the Black Sea. When
the pandemic hit, worldwide, the government
helped get her back home. His other sister,
Miranda, is a flight attendant and she is very
concerned about contracting the virus. According
to Robby, she may be taking a leave of absence
from her job due to the high risk of the work
environment. “We’re all pretty close, but I
worried about my sister getting back home.”
Robby says that this time of his life was
supposed to be special. He was finishing up
his high school volleyball career, studying and
hanging out with his friends, getting ready for
Prom and graduating. He says the memory of
a senior year ending so unexpectedly, will give
him time to think about the most cherished
years that many take for granted. “I never
noticed how much I enjoyed school and just
having that interaction with people my age.” •
Sports
Dear Neighborhood Therapist,
I am having trouble living with so much
uncertainty. About my job, about my
relationships, about what life is going to be
like two weeks or a month or a year from
now. Can you help? - The Most Common
Question I Get These Days, El Segundo
Dear The Most Common
Question I Get These Days,
I wish I could help with certainty about what
is happening in the world - we have to wait
a bit longer for that - but there is one thing
we can reach for no matter what is going on:
our own values. Now is a good time to make
them clear, and let them guide you.
When we have pressure to perform and
achieve, at work and in our relationships
with our colleagues and clients and partners,
many of us do not take time to make our
values explicit, and thus we end up assuming
we share the most prevalent values in
our environment, whether or not we actually
agree with them.
It might be helpful to sit down with a pen
and paper and write out the answers to a
few questions: When I think about a time I
was really at my best, what was I doing and
what was I standing for? If I could embody
that version of myself right now, what actions
would I be taking? If your routine has
been disrupted, and you could build it back
up again from scratch, would you rebuild it
exactly as it was? If there are differences,
what is it about your life that explains what
you would do differently?
If you need help, or have the ability to help
others, please reach out and I will coordinate.
If you or someone you know needs to talk
to someone, please reach out and I will take
as many people as I can during this crisis,
regardless of ability to pay.
Please write to tom@tomandrecounseling.
com or text to 310.776.5299 with questions
about handling what is affecting your life,
your family, the community or the world. Tom
Andre is an Associate Marriage & Family
Therapist (AMFT96089) supervised by Chris
Thomas (MFT78020). The information in
this column is for educational purposes only
and nothing herein should be construed as
professional advice or the formation of a
therapeutic relationship. •
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