Day 9
Can we talk about plagues?
Other than the obvious one and the fact that I am currently without internet or TV due to one major provider in Toronto cutting the main cable line of the other (ours) that supplies the entire downtown core. I am using my phone as a hotspot so please forgive typos, spelling and grammatical errors, and the lack of hyperlinks. All of what I am stating in the following post is verifiable. I can't post links because I don't want to suck up all of my available data. Loss of the internet in the coronavirus age is definitely the eleventh plague.
'Tis the season after all, right?
"And I will mete out punishments to all the gods of Egypt, I the Lord." (Ex.12:12)
It seems like the first quarter of 2020 has already met the plague quota laid out in the book of Exodus. Let's review shall we?
Blood-Yesterday, here in Toronto, something eerie and ugly turned the Etobicoke Creek a grotesque shade of red. Passersby likened the crimson water to something out of The Shining. Peel Public Works stated that the bloodying of the waters was slightly less sinister and was, rather, the result of the accidental spilling of hundreds of litres of red ink into the normally pristine creek. Sure Jan.
Plague 1. ✅
Frogs-In February, yet another invasive species was seen to be overruning areas of Florida. (Because, of course...Florida.) The ugly and, frankly pretty disgusting, cane toad was spotted in locations all over the state. The toads, which ooze a milky toxic substance called bufotoxin, can be deadly to dogs and cats if they bite or lick the giant reptiles. Florida needs to get it's shit together but the governor there is also a milky toxic substance.
Plague 2. ✅
Lice-With kids all over the world out of school right now, the possibility of lice transference remains lower than normal but with kids home from school and parents less caring of their personal hygiene because they themselves are going a little batshit crazy, I won't be surprised to see a few schools infested when they reopen.
Plague 3. ✅
Wild Beasts-While there are internet hoaxes galore about Putin releasing lions in Russia to keep looters at bay, (it's decidedly untrue) there are reports from all over the world of animals that normally live on the outskirts of populated areas, are suddenly headed into cities in search of food. In Japan, sika deer have been spotted wandering through empty city streets and subway stations. Raccoons have been seen on the empty beaches of Panama and wild turkeys have made a strong and clustered appearance in Oakland, California. In Thailand, local monkeys have taken to the streets searching for food that is usually left behind by the now absent tourists. Monkey brawls over discarded yogurt cups have been reported throughout the country. I wish I was making these stories up. Absolutely true. If I had any semblance of Internet right now, I'd provide the links. Search for yourselves.
Plague 4. ✅
Cattle Disease-It may not technically be a disease, but the massive loss of cattle and livestock after the devastating Australia bushfires in January is incalculable. Tens of thousands of livestock are likely to have perished and carcasses have been scattered all over fire-ravaged communities, creating a biohazard and biosecurity issues. Australia was just beginning the clean up when the coronavirus hit.
Plague 5. ✅
Boils-I'm just going to use the coronavirus as the stand-in for a human disease. I'm pretty sure that I won't get much argument from the masses.
Plague 6. ✅
Hail-Climate change and weather upheaval has been fierce in the first three months of 2020. Wildfires in Australia, earthquakes in Croatia, massive rainfalls in India, tornadoes in Tennessee, droughts in California, and resulting tsunamis have all been on Mother Nature's menu. Just this morning, there was a 7.5 earthquake reading coming out of Russia. Hawaii is currently under a tsunami alert. If your political leanings are toward a party that doesn't take the climate crisis seriously, you are leaning in the wrong direction. Oh...and climate activist Greta Thunberg is recovering from the virus. What a world.
Plague 7. ✅
Locusts-Swarms are currently eating their way across parts of Africa and the Middle East and India. Crops in the areas have been devastated, seriously harming the food supply. Climate change and global warming are said to be the cause. Some of the swarms are reported to be three times the size of New York City. The size and scale of the insect outbreak is only just now being addressed but because of the coronavirus, governments are overwhelmed. It will take a concerted and coordinated effort on the part of agriculture organizations to repair the damage. We are talking about billions and billions of insects in even the smallest of swarms. Yuck.
Plague 8. ✅
Darkness-We can discuss actual darkness or we can discuss metaphorical darkness. Without my internet, my connection to the outside world in my time of isolation has certainly left me in the dark. There is the darkness brought on by ignorance. There is the darkness in the discussion happening right now about sacrificing the lives of the most vulnerable for the sake of a healthy stock portfolio. Darkness isn't just when day turns to night. It is when minds are closed and uneducated. We are currently surrounded by darkness.
Plague 9. ✅
Death of the First-Born-This one is making me queasy. I am first-born and am at increased vulnerability to this plague. Prince Charles is first-born and he is reported to have been infected. Of course, many who are not first-born are infected and will suffer because of this horrendous illness. Once again, the metaphors are running rampant. Good people are dying. Creative people are dying. Parents, children, famous, ordinary, rich, poor, humble, and brash. This virus knows no limits. The only way to stop the death is by listening to science and medical experts but unfortunately, some places are plagued with ignorant and selfish leadership.
Plague 10. ✅
Sorry to be so glum. I am tired, mentally spent, and without a lot of distractions right now.
Today's music break comes from Susan Werner. Susie (we had dinner together once so I feel ok calling her Susie) is doing free Facebook Live concerts every Sunday evening until the crisis is over. The woman is a goddess.
Wash your hands. Don't touch your face. Be Kind. Stay healthy.
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