Day 14-but let's not kid ourselves, it will continue.
We both are healthy.
It is everything right now.
All of the bitching, moaning, joking, swearing, Zooming, complaining...none of it matters.
It is everything right now.
We are healthy. My children are healthy. My parents are healthy. My family and friends are healthy.
It is everything right now.
We can't let up now. We can't give in to the temptation of warming spring weather or misplaced need for even more toilet paper. This week is critical. We here in Canada will either contain it now or we will pour gasoline on its burning embers. We need to mantra the shit out of...
STAY THE FUCK HOME and ACTUALLY DO IT. STILL...
After fourteen days of self-isolation, we are both healthy.
It is everything right now. And I am grateful.
A few random thoughts.
I am tired. I haven't done all that much during this past fortnight but I am exhausted. It is full-body exhaustion, exhaustion of body and of spirit. The constant worry and lack of sleep are catching up to me. I know I am not alone in this. I feel like I have aged ten years in a month. I am tired. I know you all are too.
I finally finished a book. It wasn't a great book and it took me two weeks to finish it but it is an accomplishment just the same. Starting the next one now. Yay me.
Have any of you ordered take-out and delivery food, not groceries, but dinners during this time of uncertainty? I will admit that we have not. Yes, some of that is driven by an element of fear but most of our aversion is because we simply don't want it. I am torn between the need to support local restaurants that are really hurting right now and needing to heed the little voice in my head. I am curious about what the climate out there is like for take-out. I do miss my Chinese noodles.
Today's music break is from the stunningly brilliant John Prine. John is amongst my favourite singer/songwriters and he is critically ill right now with Covid-19. I have lost count as to how many times I have seen John live. His concerts are like invitations into his living room. His songs have been a huge part of my life's soundtrack. If you aren't listening to John today, you are doing today wrong. Let's play the fuck out his music today so that he feels the healing energy.
One more because it's for John
Wash your hands. Don't touch your face. Be kind. Stay healthy. Here are some photos of John from one of his Massey Hall shows.
Our closest friends have been holding a weekly Zoom get together the last two Saturdays. It has been a way to keep in touch, share our stories, and to see each other's faces. It can be a bit of a messy free-for-all when everybody is unmuted but our normal interactions in real life can also be a bit of a messy free-for-all when everybody is unmuted. It's who we are and I love every single one of these wackos, idiosyncrasies and all. I hope that they can say the same about me. It has been a lovely break from the monotony to see them and virtually hug them.
We have been sharing self-isolating distractions like Netflix viewings and book suggestions. I am grateful for whatever everybody is reading or watching but here's the thing, I am finding sustained levels of concentration difficult in the CoVid-19 world. I have been listening to a book on Audible while exercising but the truth is that a book that in normal times should have taken a few days to read is taking me two weeks. And don't even ask me to read anything visually that requires the sit-power of longer than the average television commercial. I simply don't have the ability right now. Even these posts are "write and pace" ordeals. Basically, I write three words and then pace for three minutes. It is a combined mental and physical workout.
I wondered if anybody else was struggling with concentration issues. I am seriously impressed by those out there who are able to hunker down and write the "Great Canadian Novel" right now with their hours of free time, but I am wrestling to achieve even five minutes of sustained attentiveness. I have repeatedly read about how Shakespeare wrote King Lear during the quarantine of London during the Black Plague and I honestly wonder about his mental health during that time. I mean, have any of you seriously read King Lear? It's the story of a man slowly descending into madness. Shakespeare had to have been writing his now-considered masterpiece as a self-isolating journal. Of this, I am certain.
Some random thoughts.
As I begin to source and put together our family's virtual Passover seder for Zoom, I am realizing that the average screen attentiveness quota is about thirty minutes. I am looking for any seder-relevant readings that use these odds times and ties it to a section of the seder. Handwashing is a perfect example. The funnier the better. Please send them my way. You can post links in the comment section here or on my Facebook post.
For my friends who watched our synagogue's group Havdallah and music share last evening, I want it understood that I was NOT the anonymous highest bidder of the toilet paper with Agent Orange's face embossed on it. I know many of you thought it was me and, believe me, I wanted to buy it. I had my fingers on the chat to do it and was all ready to type, but The Husband stopped me. I wanted to use it to post "unusual" photos with it. I had some interesting ideas but, alas...somebody else will have to keep you all entertained.
I have noticed something really odd about the interactions on these posts. It seems that the more I swear like a sailor on leave, the more people seem to read. The kinder, gentler version of Dawn seems to drive traffic down. What is up, people? Do I have to cuss you all out for you to read? Maybe if I call you all a bunch of...nope not today.
Today's music break is an apology from yesterday's music break. A dear friend pointed out that given my post yesterday about Proverbs and our discussion during Shabbat morning Torah study, I really should have posted the Indigo Girls classic song, Strange Fire. It was my self-isolation brain that really fucked that up and he was correct, I should have, so I am today.
Wash your hands. Don't touch your face. Be kind. Stay healthy.
To paraphrase the Carpenters, rainy days and Saturdays always get me down.
But, not today. Not on what is being called the most crucial weekend for curve-flattening in our city. The more it rains today and tomorrow, the more people will stay home and the more links in the viral chain will be broken. With the city effectively shut down for anything social and the rain keeping people indoors and aways from parks and sidewalks, we have a huge opportunity here to really mess with the curve. I'm looking at it this way...
Rainy days and Saturdays are a huge blessing in the pandemic era.
People are asking me if I'm ok. I am. I just need to vent from time to time. It is how I manage my mental health. Some people cry and some watch Mel Brooks movies. I vent my spleen of pent up hostility toward all the stupidity I perceive around me. It isn't directed at any one person, (unless you are married to me and, believe me, he takes on a shitload) but it is, instead, me issuing a global tongue-lashing and hopefully a few people might get the not-so-subtle hint.
We have been studying the book of Proverbs during our weekly Shabbat Torah study, and today we came across a fascinating and strangely relevant passage for the times in which we find ourselves.
A scoundrel, an evil man Lives by crooked speech, Shuffling his feet, Pointing his finger. Duplicity is in his heart; He plots evil all the time; He incites quarrels Therefore calamity will come upon him without warning; Suddenly he will be broken beyond repair. (Proverbs 6:12-15)
It continues...
Six things the Lord hates; Seven are an abomination to Him: A haughty bearing, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A mind that hatches evil plots, Feet quick to run to evil, A false witness testifying lies, And one who incites brothers to quarrel. (Proverbs 6:16-19)
The question was asked if evil is the correct word. Is perhaps, wicked a better descriptor? I think it is a difficulty with the translation but it is worth a discussion. How do we view the difference between evil and wickedness? I think that evil is a core issue; a malevolence and sociopathy that is so fundamental to a particular person that they derive a twisted pleasure from the results of their cruelty. I'd like to think that wickedness can be educated out of an individual. At Passover, we read about the four children and we do not discount the wicked child. We use the opportunity to teach and hope that this child will learn from her selfishness. Evil is unteachable. Wicked seems to have the ability for self-growth.
But come on...
Doesn't that passage from Proverbs describe a certain world leader to a fricking tee? I found it positively creepy.
A few random thoughts.
My hands are so dry that even the callouses and hangnails have their own callouses and hangnails. There isn't enough moisturizer in the world to bring them back to life. I am now resigned to having old-lady hands for the rest of my days.
There is an empty parking lot directly across the street from our window and as I look out right now, I see a father and a small child of no more than five-years-old playing tennis. Mostly they are just running around but it is cute and properly distanced.
Have you all learned any lessons from the last few weeks? I am amazed at the many progressive ideas that were previously derided as untenable and impossible, that are now being implemented by governments and businesses. That guaranteed basic income is looking pretty good to Canadians right now, isn't it? How about how little you really need to get by? Places of worship have drastically altered their mission statements and have seen an increase in participation. I realize that some of that growth is because people have a lot more time on their hands, but it is fascinating to see what kinds of programs lend themselves to the online world and don't require in-person attendance. I also have been reminded as to how important our teachers and minimum wage earners are to the smooth running of our societies. I've said it before and I'll say it again, pay them all. If you haven't been able to leave your home for a while and aren't doing right by the person delivering your groceries, you need a slap upside your head. We absolutely can afford a fifteen dollar per hour minimum wage. We are proving it every single day right now.
Today's music break comes from Toronto's own Barenaked Ladies.
Wash your hands. Don't touch your face. Be kind. Stay healthy.
Day...I've lost count. Whatever the fucking day it is, it is.
I had an interesting conversation with my mother yesterday. She and my dad are also self-isolating in their apartment following their snowbirding south and are a day behind us. Not that it matters all that much. My mother, a retired nurse, asked me what I thought would be different at the end of our fourteen days. After about a second and a half, I replied,
"Not a fucking thing." Yes...I have taken to swearing during conversations with my mom. And no, she isn't at all impressed by it but she understands where and why I feel I must.
She readily agreed. After fourteen days we will still be stuck in the same places where we are right now.
Why?
Because this misery doesn't follow our timelines. As much as the Auburn Asshole to the south wants his hypnotized minions to believe that it will all be over by Easter, the science tells us a vastly different story. Many of us would like to pretend that it isn't so, but science doesn't pick political sides. It simply is. The waves and crests coming out of China, Italy, Spain, and other world hotspots, have shown that despite the rantings of The Really Unstable Genius, the only way to stop the spread is to socially isolate and shut it all down. The stories coming out of Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana are positively dystopian. Obdurate governors in southern states who are overturning stay-at-home orders from mayors and county officials are simply blinded by the politics and cult of the Umber Imbecile. I have no doubt that they will all have blood on their hands and will one day have to answer for their stupidity.
Please. I'm begging all of you.
Stay in place. Don't visit. Don't plan for in-person Passover Seders, even with your closest relatives. If they don't live with you, they can't join you. Don't bring children to visit their grandparents. Shop online if possible and have it delivered.
In other words... STAY THE FUCK HOME.
So, in answer to my mom's question as to what will change after fourteen days...very little.
I would like to walk outside for five minutes. I haven't even seen our newly renovated lobby in our building.
My mother would like to do some laundry in the machines in her building rather than washing her undies in the bathroom sink.
Unless I am dressed in a fucking hazmat suit that has been double-dipped in bleach, I'm not going to any stores. My personal risk is simply too high.
Given the magnitude of the crisis, we need to be mentally and physically prepared to hunker down for the long term. Very little is going to change at the end of our fourteen days.
Some random thoughts.
I am hitting my tolerance limit when it comes to positive affirmation statements online. I have taken to rewriting them. Today's gem. "You're not stuck at home. You're safe at home." To which I wanted to reply, "If he's so safe at home with me, then why is The Husband hiding in the closet?" Really, people. When this is all over, I am coming for all of you cheery, positive people. I'm going to bring a bit of hard-assed anarchy into your lives. Count on it.
I aggravated my sciatic nerve yesterday because of course, I needed a bit more discomfort in my life right now. I haven't had a flare-up in more than five years. How did this happen, you may ask? I have no bloody idea. I just know that I was playing guitar when it wrenched and sent blistering, coursing pain down my right leg. The moral of the story? Music doth not have enough charms to soothe the savage ache. I'm sitting on an icepack as I compose this post.
Does anybody in the GTA really believe that Pusateri's just made a "mistake" in jacking up the price of Purell by ten times its norm? C'mon! If you believe that, then I have a Covid-free toilet for you to lick. This is a store that regularly charges its customers eight dollars for an apple and six bucks for a carton of OJ. This wasn't a mistake. They finally got caught gouging their customers and it came at the worst possible time for them. The public shaming is well-earned.
I am in absolute awe of all of you who have self-isolation schedules and are sticking to them. All of these photos of kids cooking with mom or settling in to clean out your closets are positively inspiring. Today I managed to change from my black sweatpants to my grey sweatpants. That's only partially true. I also changed into a clean sweatshirt, sans bra, of course, and I dried my hair for the first time in three days. I also ate peanut butter. I hate peanut butter. It's the end of the world as we know it.
For those of you who have asked, both online and off, about The Husband and His Twin Son converting the distillery over to produce hand sanitizer, the answer is a resounding yes. They are partnering with another friend in the business to make, bottle, and distribute the gelatinous gold to first responders of York Region and other essential services that need to remain open during the crisis. Hospitals and first responders are receiving it free of cost, a small thank you for the yeoman's job they are all doing. THEY WILL NOT BE SELLING TO THE PUBLIC. So, please do not, I repeat DO NOT, under any circumstances, visit the distillery in search of it. There are organizations and front-line workers who need it far more urgently than does a Thornhill, Boca-babe wannabe who is just looking to stockpile and hoard. I am so very proud of these guys. The Husband, Twin Son, Older Son, and the others in the distillery are true mensches. They are contributing to the fight and they are doing it with heart, soul, and a pure sense of Tikkun Olam, the reparation of the world. Carry on, gentleman.
Today's music break comes from Broadway. Multiple Tony award-winning uber writer, Terrence McNally died this week from complications due to Covid-19. He was equally adept at writing books for major musicals like Kiss of the Spider Woman and Ragtime, and plays like Master Class and Love! Valor! Compassion! He will be truly missed. Here is the prologue from his masterpiece, Ragtime. One of the great opening numbers in Broadway history.
Wash your hands. Don't touch your face. Be kind. Stay healthy. Shabbat Shalom, to all who observe.
It feels a bit like spring here in Toronto. Ten degrees and mostly sunny. That's fifty degrees for my pre-metric American friends.
Of course, the most that we in apartment or condo isolation can do to enjoy the early seasonal weather is to open our windows. The phrase "breath of fresh air" has never felt so literal or apropos. The sounds of the city, which are usually a cacophony of sirens, streetcar screeches, and a dull thrum of traffic coming from the Gardiner, is strangely and eerily muted these days. Don't get me wrong, there are still far too many people out and about in the west end doing God knows what, but the music and rhythm of our city are definitely suppressed. We live in one of the busiest nightlife corridors in Toronto, the entertainment district, and last night it was a veritable ghost town.
It reminds me of one of my favourite HBO shows of the last five years, The Leftovers. The premise of the program is that on one day, and all at the exact same moment, over one-billion people simply just vanish off of the face of the earth. There is no explanation and no logical reason given. They just aren't there anymore and those who are left behind, the " Leftovers" are expected to do the impossible; to move on and pick up the pieces.
During the course of the show's three seasons, it is amazing what pops up to fill the void in these people's lives. Bullshit science, strange religious cults, people with messiah complexes, and hidden government agendas all rear their ugly heads to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comforted. But when it comes right down to it, what seems to get most of them through the pain are the connections they forge with others and the kindness they exhibit in the face of great calamity.
I've been asking myself this question a lot over the past ten days. "What am I doing right now that will bring comfort and help to those who need it?"
I am not a medical or health professional who is on the front lines of this crisis. I can't shop or do laundry for anybody right now. While others are sewing masks and other needed PPE equipment, I haven't got those skills. There are so many doing so much right now and I am at a loss for things that I can do to help. I'll take your suggestions.
A few random thoughts.
If you have somebody who comes to clean your home on a regular basis and can't or shouldn't be coming right now, please pay them. You would have paid them anyway and the money was budgeted for it, so pay them for not coming. These gig workers are amongst our most vulnerable and need the income. Also, I hope that you are increasing your tips for those workers who are delivering your groceries. Be a mensch. It doesn't cost you all that much.
Happy Opening Day, baseball fans. The only good news about the postponement of the season is that my beloved Blue Jays will be in the race until at least July. Small favours.
The Mandarin Menace to the south mused today that he wants to put troops on the Canadian border to keep us out. Aside from the fact that he is clearly ignoring that we share the longest undefended border in the world, and have for generations, I'm pretty sure that there are zero Canadians clamouring to get INTO the U.S. right now. The massive fuckups there are just the beginning. Thanks, Donwit. We'll stay right where we are for now. No need to tax your resources enforcing it.
Our internet and television were restored yesterday after almost twenty-four hours without. On the first day of this isolation, I mentioned how grateful I was for the connections through technology. While many of you kibbitzed with me about having to now talk to The Husband, I need you to know that my funny bone is malfunctioning. If I sounded snippy or harsh, I apologize but we are feeling very squirrelly right now. Note that I use the word squirrelly in the most derogative way possible. I still hate those f***ing creatures. Internet access in the CoVid-19 age is not a luxury. It is as important as caffeine and chocolate.
Today's music break comes from James Taylor. His new album American Standard is so soothing and has helped me a lot during the past few weeks. Yesterday, James and his wife Kim donated $1,000,000 dollars to help in the virus fight to the hospital in Boston where he was born. So many, doing so much.
Wash your hands. Don't touch your face. Be kind. Stay healthy.
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.
I see we have entered the Social Darwinism phase of the crisis.
Increasingly today, I am seeing Americans follow the lead of their Cheeto in Chief and intently discussing whether or not there is merit in letting approximately six million (a very conservative statistic using a two-percent fatality rate) die in the name of economic stability.
Hmm. Six Million. Why does that number ring a horrifying bell? Bueller, Bueller?
The Faux News crowd has been crowing for the last day or so that the economic crisis that is unfolding is even bigger than the public health catastrophe and needs immediate back to work action. The sociopathic schmuck leading the gong choir is on record today as saying that he wants things back up and running to normal by Easter. Meanwhile, back here in Lucidity Land, the Prime Minister was asked today how long these extreme measures might last and he said...
"The duration of this crisis will be determined by the choices we make right now... STAY HOME. We are continuing in Canada to base our recommendations on science. We recognize the need for social distancing is going to be in place for many more weeks, and Canada will restore economic activity when it is safe to do so."
I wonder why the Cantaloupe Clown is so very interested in getting things open again in the name of "economic stability". Could it be that six of seven of his most monetized resorts have been shuttered? Or maybe it's because his electoral chances slip further away from him with each passing day of his bungling of this crisis. When asked yesterday during his rally/briefing who he thought should have oversight to the more than half a trillion dollars in aid money currently being debated in the Senate, the Cheezie Cretin stated that he would oversee the disbursements. Deep sigh inserted here. Sure. Let's let the crooked fake-billionaire who has declared bankruptcy four times, handle $500,000,000,000 ALL BY HIMSELF. No red flags there.
Why is it that the demographic most likely to deny Darwinism as a science to be taught in schools, is so ready to embrace Social Darwinism and a culling of the herd? What's next? Will the national guard soon be coming to doors all over America in an attempt to dispose of the most vulnerable? Will they be rounded up and disposed of all in the name of the common economic good?
For the record, no assholes, I am not willing to sacrifice my parents or myself on the altar of your dwindling stock portfolios. Yes, I think that the economic crisis created by this health pandemic needs addressing in tandem with the medical needs, and am heartened that our Parliament is coming together today to pass an eighty-seven billion-dollar stimulus package. It won't be nearly enough but it is a start. I am not an economist but I do know that when a government has the health and well-being of its citizens as its first priority, the rest will follow in due course. Right now, smarter people than me are trying to figure it out. I hope for all of our sakes that they get it right.
In the meantime, we are under an emergency stay at home order here in Ontario with only essential services now allowed to operate. Why? Because this is what science and medical professionals have deemed appropriate.
A few random thoughts.
Day eight and we are over the mid-isolation hump. I have no doubt that my personal isolation will continue after the fourteen days given my high-risk status due to asthma but I will admit that the middle point is a psychological relief. A walk for a few minutes outside, socially distanced, of course, will be cleansing.
My doctor sent a letter today to her patients. Among many other things in the email, she told of the many requests she has been getting for the anti-malaria drug chloroquine because the dipshit to the south is touting it as a cure-all. To her great credit, she is refusing any and all requests for prescriptions because there is ZERO scientific basis to prescribe the drug for Covid-19. In the meantime, her lupus patients, who depend on it for their very survival, will all be heaving great sighs of relief. Have I told you that I adore my doctor?
I shaved my legs today. I have no real reason for sharing this other than it allowed me an extra five minutes in the shower without feeling as though I was wasting water. Take the extra five when your mental health is low like mine is today.
I am amused by all of the handwashing videos as if you all weren't doing it before. Can I just say...Ew! Seriously, I hope that every single person will continue the skin-abusing handwashing after this is over. It is the best way possible to stay healthy.
People have asked me if they can share these posts. Share away. My Facebook page is shareable as are the posts directly from this link. My Facebook feed is usually private and open only for friends but I will make these posts shareable.
A few days ago, I asked for ways that you all thought things might change after the pandemic. A friend posted that childcare is hopefully now being viewed as an essential service for the entire workforce. Here in Toronto, the city will be opening childcare facilities by the end of the week strictly for medical professionals and first responders. It's a start.
Today's music break comes from the Dixie Chicks. This is their latest song, the first original music in 14 years with the entire album releasing in May. It seems appropriate today.
Wash your hands. Don't touch your face. Be kind. Stay healthy.
I don't think that I have ever seen our Prime Minister as angry as he was today in his briefing. Never known for getting his dander up, the PM was clearly pissed off this morning.
"Social distancing, physical distancing, is the single best way to keep the people around you safe,” Trudeau said. “If you choose to ignore that advice…you’re not just putting yourself at risk, you’re putting others at risk as well.”
He continued, “Enough is enough. People need to stay at home as much as possible.”
You can watch the clip for yourselves here.
In order to support my Prime Minister, my Premier, my Mayor, and my country, today is my angry post.
STAY THE FUCK HOME!
How many times do you people need to be told?
We travelled home a week ago and have been in social isolation ever since. I haven't been outside of my apartment with the sole exception of taking the garbage out. And...in order to accomplish that task, I had to wait for a specified time that has been designated to self-isolators in our building; call building management in order to let them know we were indeed taking the garbage out, and then a cleaning staff came into the garbage room to disinfect it after we left.
I don't have a balcony or a backyard. I can't just climb out of my fourteenth-floor window to get some fresh air. Yes, we have opened them when the weather has permitted, but for the most part, we have been stuck inside. I'm not looking for sympathy or commiseration. I'm just stating my current reality.
Why? Because we are STAYING THE FUCK HOME!
We didn't stop for groceries on the way home when we went into isolation because we were instructed not to. I had been away for over four months and had next to nothing in my fridge or pantry but through the kindness of friends and a few orders from Instacart, we have managed to cobble together supplies. I didn't run to the grocery store, the health food store, or the pharmacy. We are in self-isolation and we are (all together now...) STAYING THE FUCK HOME!
If you are returning from vacation or snowbirding and you are out in the grocery store, you are selfishly putting your needs ahead of public health. I don't give a flying fuck if you only went for an hour and practiced "social distancing". You could have carried the virus into that store and endangered every single person there and those that they ultimately come in contact with. Don't gather with friends. Don't shop.
STAY THE FUCK HOME!
By the way...if you think this is a political situation, the Premier just said effectively the same thing. He is pissed off, too.
A few random thoughts.
I'm doing laundry today. I'm fortunate that I have machines in our unit. Other condo and apartment dwellers aren't so lucky. If you know of somebody in self-isolation that can't access laundry and you have the ability to help, well...you know what to do.
I am seeing some chatter amongst my MOT friends about what Pesach seders might look like. I'd like to share this letter from the Toronto Board of Rabbis.
Act accordingly.
Today's music break is Dido with an oldie but a very relevant tune.
Wash your hands, don't touch your face, be kind, stay healthy.
A week ago, I posted this article on Facebook. (Oh, God. Has it only been a week? It feels like years.) I really hope you will spend a few minutes reading it. It basically exposes some of the crappy rules, laws, and regulations that we have all been subjected to for decades and have never really questioned until crises like the one in which we are currently immersed come to the forefront.
I have been giving some thought to what the world, both small and large, might look like when we come out the other side of this mess and how we might do away with some of the archaic notions of what our society has been and what it should look like. Obviously, this will be an ongoing project but it couldn't hurt to take a look at a few off the top of my head.
Maybe, just maybe, Doug Ford might give sober second thought to that the basic income pilot project he axed in Hamilton and that it might have some merit right now, especially given the multitudes who will be needing financial assistance from the province over the next year to eighteen months.
Maybe, just maybe, governments, parents, and critics might recognize the yeoman job done by our teachers and other educators while they all try to homeschool. Our teachers are not greedy individualists. I have never once heard of or encountered a teacher who goes into the profession to get rich. This past week, my granddaughter's preschool put together home activity kits for their kids and waved from a distance as parents picked them up in a drive-by convoy. Teachers are wholly underappreciated by western societies. Pay them. Pay them, all.
Maybe, just maybe, we are finally realizing how important our minimum wage workers are. They are the ones who are restocking your grocery shelves, delivering your food, working your drive-thrus, and checking you out at your local mom and pop. A fair and living wage shouldn't be a debate. We here in Ontario pay a fourteen-dollar minimum only because our provincial leader rolled it back a buck when he came into office. Give these people their dollar back and more.
Today I learned that the TTC is not accepting paper transfers during the pandemic. Good. These proof of payment slips are relics from a bygone era. Presto should have eliminated the need for them for most riders, but many in our city cannot afford a Presto card or even the minimum amount of five dollars needed to activate the card. Fare enforcement on the TTC has become a lightning rod issue here in our city. Did you know that the fine for not paying your TTC fare is almost three times that of a parking infraction? Our most vulnerable have a right to basic transportation. These are discussions that are ongoing and difficult but we simply cannot continue to subsidize our public transportation by the farebox alone.
Yesterday, the minister of health in Ontario asked doctors, pharmacists, and patients to refill a single month's worth of prescriptions at a time to avoid hoarding and shortages. As someone who takes longterm medications for chronic issues and who usually has a six-month supply, I am certainly on board with the directive and will do my part. I only hope that pharmacies won't charge me six separate dispensing fees instead of the usual one.
I'm sure I will keep adding to this list. Please feel free to add your own to the comment section or on Facebook. I will publish them as they come in.
A few random thoughts.
I am getting a lot of ads in my email from bra brands I have previously purchased. Ladies, are any of you seriously wearing a bra while self-isolating? I will be doing laundry tomorrow and I expect to find only one in the hamper, the one I wore last week while travelling. Free the girls.
I started binge-watching Picard today and I have been delightfully reminded of my Patrick Stewart crush. I'm convinced that The Husband is going to look just like him in twenty or so years.
I received a gift today from the veggie fairy. Many of you saw my photo of tofu and canned beans on Facebook or Instagram. My family is truly the best family but I have to give a shout-out to the dozen or so of my dear friends who offered to shop, drop, and run stuff from the store or even their own pantries. I live in a good world and my friends and family are a huge part of why it is good. I hope to return the gestures and favours someday soon.
Today's music break comes from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra as they all self-isolate. It is worth the time.
Wash your hands, don't touch your face, be kind, stay safe.
You know what I am noticing about myself from all of these Zoom meetings, Facetime chats, and the odd self-post?
I suddenly realized how old and drawn I look.
This is not me fishing for compliments. I'm not looking for you all to tell me I don't. I do and there is simply no way around it.
The computer camera doesn't lie.
I look old and tired.
Some of it is definitely the hair thing. I am not a fan of my Rapunzel look and I know that a hair cut, while scheduled, is not in my future. The grey isn't bothering me nearly as much as the length. Pulling it back is certainly utilitarian and functional, but it is less than flattering. I am not yet at the self-shearing stage but this might be an option if this carries on without a finish line in sight. I'm thinking Yul Brynner-style might be an ideal look. Charlize Theron managed to pull it off in her Mad Max movie and I look just like Charlize Theron, except for the height, the blond-glow, the perfect skin, and the impeccable body.
Ok. Yul Brynner, it will be.
I'm also dispensing with any pretext of makeup while home, you know...that whole "don't touch your face thing" would mean an endless cycle of handwashing and then face washing and then handwashing again. So no makeup and bad lighting make for some pretty frightening looks on Skype.
Is eyebrow or chin-hair plucking allowed? Asking for a friend of a certain age.
I'm getting dressed for comfort and not for show so my friends and family are seeing a lot of sweatshirts and work-out clothing on these live tune-ins. Staying relaxed in my clothes is so much more important right now than pretending I am going anywhere. I understand the idea that teaches us to stay in our routines in order to maintain some semblance of sanity but honestly, if I had to wear anything other than comfort clothes right now, you'd be peeling both The Husband and me off of the walls.
I am absolutely subscribing to the lululemon mission statement. "Provide people with the components to live a longer, healthier and more fun life." The Husband's life is being made markedly longer and healthier by not complaining about my continual wardrobe of sweatpants.
So, yeah...I look like shit and here's the thing; my give a damn is busted.
A few random thoughts.
There are pleas from our works department here in Toronto to NOT flush sanitizing wipes down the toilet. They are clogging the pipes. I can't imagine any of my educated and wise friends are doing such a stupid thing but you might want to pass it on to the Cro-Magnon set.
We, vegetarians who are self-isolating, are having a bit of an issue filling our protein needs. I cannot seem to get anybody to deliver some tofu to us. If anybody is safely out and about in the downtown core and stumbles upon a couple of extra-firm tofu bricks, private message me, please. I will take them off of your hands. Additionally, some assholes who think that the nuclear holocaust is here, have hoarded all of the canned beans which we use as protein components. I would give up haircuts for a year for a few cans of chickpeas or black beans.
Today's music break is one of my favourite rocking country chicks. Jo Dee Messina singing it out.
Wash your hands, don't touch your face, be kind, stay healthy.
I know that many of you who live great distances from family can understand my longing. Facetime is a nice compromise but nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing can replace a hug. We haven't seen Older Son in person since November and it's been over a month for Younger Son, His Beshert, and the Grandbaby.
I miss my kids.
Molly is just starting to become a real character who, not only knows us but asks for us by name. To not be able to visit with and hug the stuffing out of that little human right now is excruciatingly difficult.
Especially now.
Now when we need human contact more than ever, we are told to be distant. Now when we need to hug each other so hard it feels like we might suffocate, we are told to stay away. It is almost unbearable to think that the best and safest thing we parents and grandparents can do for our families right now is to stay away from them, to not touch them, to not offer in-person help and comfort.
But...stay away we will, for their sake as well as ours. For their health as well as ours. For their futures and our continued presence in each other's lives. We will stay at home.
But...
I miss my kids.
A few random thoughts.
My hair is longer right now than it has been at any time since the 1970s. I have been mostly tying it up but I feel that I am far too old to be wearing a ponytail. I may end up looking like a Sonny-era Cher by the time this is all over.
I have been restricting most sugar and carbs for almost a year but I unabashedly dove into an unopened bag of black licorice last night. As that wonderful philosopher John Prine once said, "Father forgive us for what we must do." By the way...it was delicious and so needed. Everybody give yourself a break on food right now. Eat mostly healthy, but a little chocolate couldn't hurt.
A bit of anger welled up in me today when I saw that EB Games here in Toronto is opening several of their stores in order to release a new video game. Really??? What the actual fuck? Young gamers are lined up by the hundreds to get games that they pre-ordered. You'd think this company could have found an alternate method of delivery? Hey, young bros. STAY THE FUCK HOME! It's a fucking game, not the cure for COVID-19! I'm hoping that the city ends this nonsense and soon.
Today's music break is me, long hair and all. Don't feel obligated to listen. I recorded this for Molly. It is our bedtime song. It isn't the best I've ever played or sounded but it matters a lot to me.
Wash your hands, don't touch your face, be kind, stay healthy. Shabbat Shalom for all who observe.
I haven't slept well in over a week. I am certain that the anxiety caused by this entire situation compounded with the stress of travel has put me somewhat over the edge. While most of you had the opportunity to stock up on necessities over the last ten days or so, those of us returning after a significant time away, weren't necessarily in tune with what we had on hand in our homes. Again, I realize that this is a first-world and very privileged problem to have, but coming home to a paucity of Kleenex or cleaning supplies is unnerving for a great many, especially those who are not equipped to handle the internet all that well.
I have had to teach my parents about online grocery shopping and how the delivery service works. Self-quarantine is a new experience for all of us, but for seniors who are still trying to figure out the difference between "reply" versus the "reply all" button on their email, this experience is exponentially daunting. They are far from ignorant nor are they computer-illiterate, but rather they are fearful of making mistakes and wiping out their entire credit card limits. My dad, God bless him, keeps thinking that he can go downstairs to his lobby to retrieve his deliveries. I have had to calmly explain to him that he needs to instruct his security people to allow deliveries to come directly to his door. Understanding isn't the problem. Changing decades of learned behaviour is the problem. My parents are amazing and capable people who have suddenly been thrown into the deep end of the pool like toddlers learning to swim.
Some of us have the ability to adapt easily to changes in our circumstances and some have difficulties. While we are trying right now to practice kindness and understanding, patience might be something to add to the list. If you can't get your groceries immediately, deal with it with patience. If you see seniors and other vulnerable individuals struggling with everyday tasks, reach out and offer help and support. Adult grandchildren, call your grandparents a little more often than you might under normal situations. Offer to pick up some things that they might need or just let them hear your voices. Little things go a long way for this generation. They just need a bit of extra support and some TLC. Let's hashtag this #callyourbubby
A few random thoughts.
Exercise is helping me. I usually bitch and moan about my daily workouts but right now, they are unquestioned. Even a walk, if you can manage it, provides rejuvenation for the soul.
Taking a shower whenever I feel the walls are closing in, is also regenerating. Feeling clean in a world of unknown dirt and filth makes me whole for a little while.
I shlepped out my guitar today. I might regale you all in the near future, so fair warning if you want to duck and cover.
Kim's Convenience is my favourite comedy on TV at the moment. I have been a fan of this CBC gem for several years but the new season is a riot. Canadian television at its finest. American friends, you can find the first three seasons on Netflix. We here up north are on season four.
I am still impressed with the coordination happening between all of our very diverse, and diametrically opposed, levels of government. Unless you have experienced the shitshow to the south, I am begging all of my Canadian friends to shut the fuck up about your political preferences. If I can praise Doug Ford, and most of you know how much I loathe every member of his punk-assed family, you can mute the Trudeau bullshit. They are doing the best they can and it is obvious that they are taking their direction from the experts. If I see any more shitposts about Canadian government officials, I will block you. WE SIMPLY DON'T KNOW ALL OF THE INTERCONNECTED PIECES THAT THEY ARE DEALING WITH. I know you're angry and scared. These men are doing their jobs right now under the most trying of situations, and that should be applauded.
Trump, on the other hand, is a twat. He is a menace, a danger, and is bound to increase the contagion due to his gross incompetence, negligence, and narcissism. His press conferences are circuses where he is desperately searching for praise and back-pats, even if he gives them to himself. Today, I watched the CDC doctors actually roll their eyes in disbelief. The best thing he could do, right now, is to resign or at least let the experts handle the crisis. He won't. He is a man in desperate need of mental health intervention. I am very worried about our friends to the south.
Here is today's music break to help you all wind down.
Wash your hands, don't touch your face, be kind, stay home.
I've been thinking today about how this world crisis has offered us an odd paradox. As we watch the world shut down bit by bit and our personal interactions dwindle to almost nothing, there is a fear that our forced isolations will become permanent and that we will lose our connections with our closest of friends and even the strangers among us. And yet, over the past few days, I have felt more connected than ever through the magic of our virtual world.
The Husband and I discussed this during our long drive over the weekend. Imagine that this plague had hit even twenty years ago. Imagine being forced into isolation and the only communication available is your telephone. No Facetime. No photographs. No chats. Now, imagine it had occurred one-hundred years ago. Telephones were limited, mail might have been downsized due to the direct contact, and telegrams were scary and expensive. We live in an amazing era. An era that is so global in scope, that a virus can attack an entire planet in a matter of months but is also so global in scope, that we can sing with nine-thousand people from all over the world on the internet in a mass choir gathering without ever leaving our homes. It may not replace sitting next to your friends in the alto section but it does offer a cooling respite from the separation.
My GUCI friends will remember when our teacher Bonia Shur (z"l) came to camp one summer and taught us, in his own unique way, the valuable lesson of "everything is connected". We laughed and goofed around, thinking it was trite drivel and bullshit philosophy but today it is more important than ever. We are all connected and that connection is now critical to our very survival. The person who stays home is perhaps saving the life of the senior citizen in a nursing home. The person who frolics on the beaches of South Florida is potentially endangering the health of the child with cancer. We can no longer live our lives for ourselves. We must think of every person on the planet as a potential victim and we must do everything we possibly can to prevent the spread. Everything is connected.
Today, my synagogue's weekly Talmud class grew from an average of about five attendees to a whopping seventeen souls, all online. Connection! (People have more flexible work schedules.) Our continuing conversation of Tractate Berachot led us to our current situation. The idea of punishment and reward was on the table and the question was asked, "where does God fit in?" I suggested that rather than looking for theological answers of why The Divine Spirit would let such a calamity occur, we should instead look for sparks of the divinity in our everyday interactions. It reminded me of the Joan Osborne song, What If God Was One of Us. Maybe we are seeing God in the cashier who paid for the elderly woman's toilet paper. Maybe God is in my friend who drove out of her way to deliver groceries to us. Maybe there is a spark of God in my Sister/Cousin who is nursing sick patients through this virus without once complaining or expressing her own fears. These are godly acts and through them, we have been afforded the great gift of connectedness.
This isolation is only beginning. There will be difficult days ahead and I am certain that I won't always be able to wax philosophy and Talmud but will instead be bitter and angry. I'm sure that there will be days when I rail at stupidity and swear uncontrollably. Today, I am merely grateful for my internet access, my friends, my family, my music, and my communities. Everything is connected. Wash your hands. Don't touch your face. Be kind. Stay healthy. ***Here are the lyrics and video for What If God Was One of Us. If God had a name what would it be? And would you call it to his face? If you were faced with Him in all His glory What would you ask if you had just one question? And yeah, yeah, God is great Yeah, yeah, God is good And yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah What if God was one of us? Just a slob like one of us Just a stranger on the bus Tryin' to make his way home? If God had a face what would it look like? And would you want to see if, seeing meant That you would have to believe in things like heaven And in Jesus and the saints, and all the prophets? And yeah, yeah, God is great Yeah, yeah, God is good And yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah What if God was one of us? Just a slob like one of us Just a stranger on the bus Tryin' to make his way home?
I thought that it might help my nerves to keep a log of my thoughts and ideas over the next two weeks of self-isolation. While I am in most ways an introvert and usually not really all that uncomfortable staying in my cocooned space, there is the sense that because I can't go out, I really want to go out. It's like the mantra to stop touching your face. How many of you really want to scratch your nose right now? C'mon. You know you do.
At this moment, I am sitting on shpilkes as I await the news that my parents' flight from Florida has arrived. The flight did leave on time and the good news is that they will be arriving home today. Thank you to everybody who has offered help to both them and us. While we were on the road yesterday, we had several offers of lodging from American friends along our route. While we obviously didn't take them up on it, I can't tell you how much it meant to both The Husband and me. "Wherever you go there is indeed always someone GUCI" and to our family in Cleveland, your call, while we were on the road, meant everything to us during what was an incredibly challenging time. Thank you doesn't seem nearly enough.
For those of you asking, the land border at the Peace Bridge in Buffalo was the quietest I have ever seen it. Yes, we travelled with NEXUS but most Canadians seem to be paying heed to the non-essential travel requests. Is it perfect? Probably not, but the border agent was a disembodied voice coming through a monitor and we never had a face to face contact. This was in stark contrast to the tollbooth agents in both West Virginia and New York state where not only were they ungloved and unmasked, they were fumbling with change. We told them to keep it and carried on. Yes, we were asked to self-isolate when we arrived and yes, we were asked about any symptoms. I realize that none of these measures are going to calm our frayed nerves but it was better than I expected.
America is so far behind the Canadian response that it is positively frightening. The president is a colossal moron and his ridiculous self-aggrandizing messaging of the last four weeks has gotten in the way of real action to help mitigate the spread. Watching his narcissistic press conferences and the bowing down of the sycophants to praise der leader has been positively nauseating. And the stupidity is contagious, at least in South Florida. People are selfishly hoarding supplies and yet, they are still heading to the malls, beaches, and restaurants. And...the lineups at gunshops are particularly unnerving. I worry about what might be coming in the next few weeks.
At this very moment, I am watching an update from the Ontario provincial health officials and the professionalism and accuracy of their updates and answers are in stark contrast with what I saw in the U.S. There isn't a single politician at the table and they are separated by the required social distance recommendations. Each person has their own microphone and the press is composed, polite, and asking follow up questions when needed. Again, compared to the squashed gathering around a single mic with the asshole-in-chief at the front is stunning. There are no handshakes, no elbow bumps, and no praising of any elected official. It is strictly a relaying of information and answering questions. It feels positively sane.
I am also going to say something that may shock my friends. I am heartened by the response, communication, and cooperation by every level of government. I am usually the first to criticize Justin Trudeau and his bullshit nonsense, Doug Ford and his minions of idiots, and Mayor John Tory and his incrementalism but I am wholly impressed by the response of all these men to do exactly as health officials are telling them. There is a lot of chatter on social media about the slow responses of our governments but I will take the calm exuded by these leaders over the shitstorm and political blame game that is happening to the south. Mistakes will be made. I'm certain of it. But, they are doing the best they can with the information given to them at any given hour. None of these men are acting as though their political careers or their egos matter more than the public good and for that, I am a grateful citizen. There is also a moratorium on stupidity. Every one of our leaders is letting science and medicine be their guide. It may not be perfect but it is sane.
There will be a great deal more to deal with over the coming weeks and our self-isolation is just beginning. It is difficult to imagine a Pesach without our big family seder but that is now a reality. It is my hope to try and figure out a way to connect us all for at least parts of it and I will be spending part of my downtime over the next few days to attempt to find some solutions.
For a few things to keep you busy over the next few days, I urge you to check out some of your favourite music artists on Facebook. Susan Werner is giving Facebook Live concerts every Sunday at 7:00pm until the crisis is over. The Indigo Girls are doing the same this Thursday evening. John Legend is also doing an unplugged Facebook Live. The Metropolitan Opera and some Broadway shows are doing online productions. Google them.
I have a librarian friend who is asking her Facebook list to share what they are reading. What a lovely idea! In order to help with isolation and mental health issues, synagogues, churches, and mosques are reaching out online to check in with their members. Using these resources can make an isolated person feel less alone and can help vulnerable individuals.
For now, I just want to thank everybody who has offered to buy us groceries, bring us toilet paper, making sure that we are healthy, and just reaching out. I will never again take my large family and circle of friends for granted. Love you all even though I can't hug you.
Wash your hands, don't touch your face, be kind, stay safe.
I am currently in the country below the 49th and as such, I need to say that the government, public health, and media response down here is severely lacking and hugely behind that of my home country. I am not for a minute suggesting that this is solely a political issue but the entirety of the health response has been retarded because of a lack of political will, and the narcissistic need for politicians rather than health experts to be the face of the crisis. I am grateful for the hard lessons that my city and country learned from the SARS outbreak and am watching a smart and measured response from afar and wishing it was happening here, toilet paper hoarding notwithstanding.
That said, there are some things that I really wish people would understand about me and people like me when they cavalierly post obviously well-meaning statistics and responses about not panicking. Here are a few thoughts on the subject and a few things I require from you, my friends. This is all being written in love and with the best of intentions.
I am a self-described germaphobe. I have been for years and have been a fastidious hand-washer long before it was fashionable. Ask anybody at my synagogue how I feel about hand-holding for our blessing of motzi and they will tell you of my aversion to this seemingly harmless custom and of my ubiquitous purse-sized bottle of Purell. I am also a buffet-avoiding individual and I am not impressed by pot-luck meals because I like to know how and where my food is being prepared and while I am not questioning anybody's individual cleanliness, this aversion is just part of my DNA. I am also considered to be in the high-risk medical category for this virus due to chronic asthma, so any normal common cold affects my lungs in a way that those who shrug off these illnesses simply cannot fathom. I also have dear people in my life--my parents, my mother-in-law, my other dad--who are similarly in the high-risk category due to their ages and chronic health conditions and I would very much like them to be protected.
While I am not in panic mode and I deeply resent those who suggest that I am, I am taking wise precautions to avoid exposure both for myself and my loved ones. But, I could really use a little help from my friends. Here are a few things that I need from you all.
1. Stop minimizing other people's true feelings of fear. This could involve maybe refraining from putting up memes and statistics showing that only twenty percent of cases will be difficult and whatever the morbidity rate might be on any given day. Every single one of those statistics is a person who has people who love them. The octogenarian who dies from this disease is no less a person than the forty-year-old.
2. Similarly, stop posting bullshit. If your posts are coming from anywhere except a reliable news source or health authority (and no...home healers or your friends who got their post from another friend aren't those) DON'T SHARE IT! I will block you forever if I see another post from some crappy homeopathic blog site.
3. Stop hoarding. I honestly don't understand the toilet paper thing but there are items that will definitely be required from people who might find themselves in quarantine, especially if those individuals live alone and don't have daily help. Your hoarding could mean somebody else's crisis.
4. Under the most ideal circumstance, everybody who is ill should stay home but let's not pretend that it is an option for all. Many people who don't work can't pay their rent and until our government guarantees paid sick leave for all people affected, there will be individuals out there who are sick. If you can help cover a shift for an ill co-worker or maybe help with some childcare for others, that would be a far sight better than criticizing online. We are in a time of true collective need. Let's help each other.
5. Understand that we are asking people to change their true selves. My father is a natural hugger. It is proving very difficult for him to change this habit. Let's cut people some slack.
6. Finally, we need to understand that this health crisis is changing hourly and we will all need to be flexible. That may mean changing long-standing plans, cancelling gatherings, and understanding when individuals just have to say no to attending. This isn't panic. It is common sense. Contingency plans are something we should all have.
Thank you, friends. I do appreciate your understanding and above all else...
WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP AND WATER. A LOT. ALL THE TIME. FOREVER AND A DAY.
