COVID Lingering Around

One of my doctors told me that the vaccine was available, but when I checked the local health department, they informed me that it was for only healthcare workers, and seniors 75 years old and older which leaves my wife and I waiting a little longer.  And, it really is no big deal since we are both retired and don't need to go anywhere and because we vacations so much when we first retired, we are kinda "burned out" on traveling...   messing around with all the crap at airports, trying to find where to go at foreign airports, hotel accommodations, inconvenience of luggage, food availability, ground transportation, and spending hours in a car driving to the coast whether it be the east coast or the gulf coast, and the friendliness of locals and hotel staff.,

We have been on 10 Cruises, traveled to Europe, Alaska, Hawaii, Martha's Vineyard, NYC, Chicago, Denver, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, Vegas, Seattle, LA, DC, Gulf Coast, and numerous places in Florida with our traveling plans pretty much encompassing every other month for a week or two.

It is nice to finally stay at home and have no place to go.

But, when we do go places, only about 80% of the people are wearing facemasks and of those 80%, I would say about 10% are wearing them inappropriately...  this is especially true in places where facemasks are not mandatory.

It shows me that AMERICANS don't really listen to the advice of the doctors or their leaders and don't seem to care if they catch the virus or not.  These people are not just young, but middle aged, and older.  With this type of behavior, the virus is going to be around for a long time...

Staying At Home

My wife and I have basically stayed at home since he middle of February or for about 3 months (90 days) so far...  with the except of necessary doctor appointments or chemo treatments...  and, with the understanding that if we need something from the store, my wife who has a stronger immune system than me, is the one who does the shopping which she really care to do as it gets her out-of-the-house.  She is somewhat annoyed by the quarantine at home whereas it bothers me not at all.

So, what do I do on these days that I stay at home?

1. Drink coffee and write in the mornings
2. Maintain my blogs
3. Exercise for an hour
4. Work outside on the yard, pool, deck
5. Cook 'idea of the moment" meals
6. Watch shows on Netflix and Hulu
7. Listen to Audible Books
8. Soak in the hot tub

I have read articles recently that many people have gained weight because of the Stay At Home Orders because they are bored...  and, that many people have consumed more alcohol than they normally do as well...  and, have taken more drugs to offset the boredom.

In a way, I feel sorry for these people because they lack self-respect, self-confidence, self-determination and lack the ability to take responsibility for their actions...

My first question is:  

Do you really want these people as your employees?

My second question is:  

Do you really want to be married to these kinds of people?

Unfortunately, this crisis is not really going away until we find a vaccine...

Home Sweet Home

Staying-at-home has been a problem for most Americans who relish the idea of FREEDOM more than they relish the idea of their own/others health.  While I am a HUGE proponent of FREEDOM, I am not yet willing to RISK my own HEALTH in order to receive the FREEDOM that most of us took for granted before it was taken away.


I am reminded of Janis Joplin and the song Me and Bobby McGee

Lyrics

Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waitin' for a train
And I's feelin' near as faded as my jeans
Bobby thumbed a diesel down, just before it rained
It rode us all the way to New Orleans

I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandanna
I was playin' soft while Bobby sang the blues, yeah
Windshield wipers slappin' time, I was holdin' Bobby's hand in mine
We sang every song that driver knew

Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose
Nothin', don't mean nothin' hon' if it ain't free, no no
And, feelin' good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues
You know, feelin' good was good enough for me

Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee
From the Kentucky coal mine to the California sun
There Bobby shared the secrets of my soul
Through all kinds of weather, through everything we done

Yeah, Bobby baby kept me from the cold
One day up near Salinas, Lord, I let him slip away
He's lookin' for that home, and I hope he finds it
But, I'd trade all of my tomorrows, for a single yesterday

To be holdin' Bobby's body next to mine6
Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose
Nothin', that's all that Bobby left me, yeah
But, feelin' good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues

Hey, feelin' good was good enough for me, mm-hmm
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee
La da da
La da da da

Is COVID-19 causing us to lose our common sense because we cannot bear to lose the freedom of not being able to go where we want to when we want to, putting our own health and the health of others at risk in the process.  For some of us, COVID-19 could end of lives if we don't stay at home and for others, not staying at home could cause future quarantines and future loss of employment because we did not exercise common sense...

Personally, I am not willing to take that RISK and am perfectly willing to stay at home as long as it takes to guarantee my life.  It is simply not worth the RISK.

I'll be right there...

Staying-at-Home: Week 6

March/April are the months.

Staying-at-home is not and has never been a problem, especially since my immune system is not functioning as it should be functioning due to chemotheraphy.

What do I do all day?

• Watch FOX NEWS for most of the morning.
• Exercise on a stationary bike and treadmill.
• Research and write articles on my 4 blogs.
• Play with the cats.
• Watch TV/Cable.
• Yard Work.
• Sleep.

There was talk this morning on FOX NEWS that our economy is going to reopen on May 1, 2020 and personally, I think that is a mistake...  I think we should not reopen until June 1, 2020...

I also hope that I am wrong so that people can get back to work but my concern is that Americans do not like to be told what to do and do not like wearing face masks or keeping their distance from people, especially males who want to flirt with females.

If we go back to work and do not take precautions then we could have a second phase of COVID-19 and our economy gets shut down again.  And, our economy gets shut down again...

So, my thoughts are let's just bite-the-bullet and stay closed for another month.

However,  I realize that if I were younger that I would not feel this way...  I would want to get going and take my chances believing that I would not get sick.

Hard to believe that I was ever that stupid, naive, and innocent...

You've Got To Be Kidding Me...

Staying at Home -- 5th Week

For my wife and I, we started staying at home March 16, 2020, and I remember when I went to my

monthly cancer treatment last month on March 26, I was wearing a surgical mask and disposable gloves and made a point of gargling mouthwash in my car before leaving the parking lot...  We postponed all our medical appointment until the month of June except for those that were critical to our health and for one I had a video teleconference...

Once or twice a week, my wife who has a better immune system than I do, drives to a restaurant for a take out meal so that we can support our local restaurants as best as we can.

From what I have heard on FOX NEWS, many Americans are having a difficult time staying at home because they are the most comfortable and relaxed when they are around other people.  I logically understand why it is difficult for those people while at the same time cannot identify with those feelings because I have never needed to be around people for my happiness or sense of self-worth or comfort.

What do I do each day?

First of all, I give our three cats their morning treats and then fill their food bowls which are typically empty from their nocturnal hunger...

Second, I watch FOX News for a couple of hours while drinking coffee in an effort to stimulate my body to have a bowel movement...  sounds crazy...  but, this has been a routine for me since 1966 and 99% of the time it works perfectly...

Third, I start writing...
I have a Composition Notebook in which I write each day.  It could be thoughts, feelings, concerns, a list of things to do, financial analysis of our future funds, recipes that I found on the Internet, counting my calories for a meal I want to cook, a political opinion, ideas for a novel, and possibly a poem which does not happen that often anymore.

I review my 4 blogs and make sure that something is ready to be posted for the day and if not, then I create a post and schedule it.

Fourth, I eat breakfast and take my 6 morning pills.

Fifth, I work on my chores either inside the house or outside the house.

Sixth, is lunch.

Seventh, is preparing article for my blogs which includes research.

Eighth, I cook something if I need to and if I don't I play with the cats.

Ninth, I eat dinner

Tenth, I watch something that we recorded on Cable or a series on Netflix until it is time for my evening pills and bed.

This is my routine and it never gets old.
I am comfortable being with my wife and cats and writing.
I want for nothing. 
I am content.