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shadowkatEnd of another week - I walked to the grocery store - which is approximately 1.1 miles round trip. I needed to get out of my apartment after being cooped up in it all day - with the people working in the kitchen.
See picture below the cut for how they kept me safe. Besides wearing masks, they covered everything with plastic and construction paper, and sealed me off from them with plastic. I put on my noise cancelling earphones - plugged into some 1980s and 1990s rock via Apple Music and went to work. I work very well listening to music. Been doing that since grade school. I tried Billie English's latest album and Beyonce's - but both were too mellow, they couldn't compete with the banging. No, I need Jon Bon Jovie screaming out the lyrics to Living on a Prayer, or Aerosmith or AC/DC or Deborah Harry.
Overall it went well - except when they interrupted my conference call to inform me that they were turning off the electricity in my apartment. Which was kind of amusing in that the participants on the call determined it was over and took off. It was a call with the rail yard about various outstanding change orders and a signal hut. I negotiate construction and consulting services agreements for a Railroad, and manage the contracts, among other things. It's a difficult job to explain to folks. Requires a lot of critical thinking, analysis, resourcefulness and creativity.
Anyhow - the unfortunate and somewhat anxiety inducing side-effect of turning off the electricity was losing wifi. Yes, I lost the wifi while working remotely at home. And couldn't get it back for over an hour, could have been far worse of course. I called Optimum, and they informed me that due to the Coronavirus - wait times were up to forty-five minutes or longer. To hold my place, I could ask for a time for them to call me back or stay on hold. I stayed on hold, finally someone appeared to answer - but just to cut me off - so that I was the only one on the conference call. So I called back - went through various steps, and was put on hold again - so set up a time for them to call me back, which was forty-five minutes from when I called. Then I went on Safari via my phone (which has a wireless link not dependent on wifi) and tried to log into optimum's trouble-shooting, only to run into issues with my password - which locked me out. So I got the help assistant - and FINALLY, got some help. Apparently to reset my wifi, I had to turn off of the modem and the router, separately, then replug in the modem, wait until it was fully lit up - takes a little while, then once it is fully lit, plug in the Router, and wait until it lights up - and voila - the wifi magically reappeared!
Sigh. Technology.
The workman re-plastered the walls, and thoroughly cleaned. All that is left is for the super to paint. And I need him to repaint the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, and foyer. Also, replace lightbulbs in the bedroom, only one of the three led lightbulbs hasn't burned out. But COVID, and he won't wear masks. So...I can live without it.
Where I want to be at the moment - the coast of Maine. It's a photo I took in August 2010. I'd like to go back to 2010 and then jump to a different timeline.
Mother: You're brother is considering a side trip to the coast of Maine, because your sisterinlaw needs to get into the ocean. He's doing fine, she's climbing the walls.
Me: Yeah, she's not a gardener. He's perfectly happy gardening and rewiring his house for sound.
Mother: he finally got his sound system to work for the entire house.
Me: Reminds me of my discussion with the project team at the Rail Yard today...I told them about the people re-wiring my kitchen. They kidded that I was actually doing it myself. I said, yeah, I'm an electrician and should get a career as one - much better job security. [These phone conferences with the Electric Rail Yard project team - is basically me and bunch of men. Most of my work is me and a bunch of men. My union is run by men.]
Mother: You're brother hasn't been able to finish a book since February or March either.
ME: Really?
Mother: I asked him if he'd read any good books lately and he told me the exact same thing you did - that he couldn't concentrate long enough to read.
Me: Did you tell him that I had issues too?
Mother: Yep, said you could write on the internet and read stuff on it, but not an actual book. He is doing better than the rest of us though - he's not following the news, and just outside gardening and working on his house - his wife however is climbing the walls. And his daughter is lonely, although having a few of her friends out - has helped.
ME: I'm kind of envious.
Mother: I told him that I'm most worried about you - I don't trust your union.
(I'd read to mother my email interaction with the union.)
Me: The hardest thing right now is placing my trust and faith in others to do the right thing. And to do nothing. I tried last week to do something, and it didn't work and ruined my weekend.
Crazy Workplace
Boss: There's still no news regarding the labor negotiations between your union and management. I'm as worried about this as you are and promise you that I will inform you all - the moment I find out anything. As of now, the current "telecommuting" agreement between the Union and the MTA expires as of midnight on August 3. Any questions?
Me: So we don't need to come in on Monday?
Boss: I just said that the agreement expires on midnight August 3, so no, you don't.
Me: So, we wait to come in on Tuesday if no new agreement in place? Okay.
Boss: Yes. Any other questions.
Group: No.
Gabe: One thing - this would be the time to reach out to the union and express your concerns on how they should best represent us, and what they should do.
Me: Kind of already did that.
Boss: To the degree you can do that - yes, go ahead. If there are no other questions, we'll go around and report on what we're each working on.
(The connection was horrible and the workers were banging in the kitchen at the same time and talking. So I went into my bedroom to listen to it. But apparently the connection was horrible for everyone not just me, so boss ended the call.)
I hate these staff meetings. It's like going to a military briefing or debriefing. My boss was military in a past life - when I discovered this - it explained everything. I shared the knowledge with a few people and they reacted the same way I did. Me and military are unmixy things - I don't like the military or authority figures to begin with. So, I've had to re-think how I deal with my boss with this in mind. Also he despises complainers - he will punish you for complaining or whining to him. See? Military.
I am not contacting my union. I am doing the hardest thing that I can possibly do which is absolutely nothing. It's hard to do nothing. Very hard. But sometimes the wisest choice.
Also, I get more banging on Monday, they are doing the kitchen above mine. Hopefully it will be better than the last three days worth of banging.
I discussed it with them - and they said, my line took less time, it's smaller than the four bedroom apartments which have a lot more wiring. Also that I wasn't cluttered at all in comparison to most apartments (I am fairly neat and minimalist - I don't understand the point of memorabilia and material possessions, or why people display them. My mother and grandparents and the rest of my family is - with the exception of my brother, who is also minimalist. Apparently there are a few hoarders - the guy in 3H, who is the one I've seen in threadbare clothing, and has a long gray beard. The workers warned me to stay clear of his apartment and him - that it was crawling with bugs, and very cluttered. It's the apartment that is across the hall - a long ways across the hall. The bugs would have to make a lengthy journey to get to me, and risk much hardship, much better off staying put. The exterminator always visits his place. And the woman who lives in 1F, whose apartment smells like a poorly sterilized nursing home, whenever you pass it. She's been there for fifty years, and is also a hoarder and they can't get rid of her. NYC has bizarre real estate rules and guidelines.
Instead of in Maine...I'm here, feeling as if I'm going round and round..with the painted ponies going up and down...
This is the carousel in Dumbo, Brooklyn - which I took a picture of ages ago. And no, I'm not actually there - but I am in Brooklyn. So close enough, I guess. Now I have Joni Mitchell's Circle Game stuck in my head...specifically the chorus.."and the seasons they go round and round, and the painted ponies they go up and down, we're captive on a carousel of time, we can't go return, we can only look behing from where we came, and go round and round in the circle game" - frigging song is an ear worm. Although fitting.
New York vs. the Coronavirus
There are days in which it feels as if NY is the only one fighting the virus. This was one of them.
Today, our erstwhile Governor, who has kind of gotten fed up with the epic fail of Federal Government in regards to "testing", decided to try to provide the knowledge he had obtained on testing to the public at large via an Op-Ed article in the NY Times.
Let's End the Wait for Coronavirus Test Results, Here's How - State's Should Look at NY Strategies
New York is frustrated because 40 out of 50 states, mainly everywhere but the Northeast, and a few scattered ones in the West, have spikes in the virus and no testing capacity. Their lack of testing capacity puts NY at risk. As he's put it constantly - an outbreak somewhere - is an outbreak everywhere.
It’s been six months since the United States reported its first coronavirus case, and getting a test can still take days. National labs are overwhelmed, leaving people to wait as much as two weeks for results. Every day that testing falls short is another day the virus can spread undetected, costing lives and delaying the reopening of our economy, schools and society.
As states try to control the virus and as Congress considers the fourth Covid-19 relief bill, New York offers important lessons on how to fix the testing mess.
Keep in mind, NY is test happy. They figured out in February that there was a problem with accessibility to testing - and being resourceful and rather creative folks, they created their own testing program. Mainly because the CDC, FEMA, and WHO weren't able to provide them with tests or help. If they had not done that? We'd have lost a heck of a lot more people than what we did to date. As it is, the delay cost us about 32,000 lives and counting. See previous posts on NY and the testing issue. I give NY a lot of credit for figuring it out like they did. Our department of health - rocks - in that regard alone. No other state managed to do what NY's Health Department did in the record time that it did it.
By taking four steps we can help fix the testing issues. Government must: Mobilize smaller local labs, streamline the supply chain, invest in innovative solutions like "pooled testing" and fund all medically necessary testing.
I gotta give him credit for trying. The hardest thing about this year is trying to have faith in folks to do the right thing, all evidence to the contrary. But I am trying. I'm also trying not to envy the folks who are lucky enough to live out in the country and wander about. But, I'm equally grateful for living in the apartment complex and community that I live in - which is far kinder than the one I had left.
New episodes of my soap opera return Monday, so that's something to look forward to at least. Interesting tidbit - the actress who plays Sam on General Hospital had to be briefly replaced because she had a breathing issue with her mask (turns out she's claustrophobic or something similar). They sent her home to self-quarantine for about 14 days, even though she tested negative for COVID three times. No one is taking any chances, due to the false negatives. This is in LA, which kind of shut down again, but not completely - workplaces that are taking strict precautions can stay open. I'm curious to see how the soap handled the virus. The new episodes next week were filmed before the initial shut-down, so won't show any of that. They had another actress sub for her.
I've decided to start streaming The Mandalorian on Disney +. It looks like fun and escapist enough that I can focus on it. My inability to focus on reading and completing a book - is similar to television shows. My brother is having the same problem. Neither of us quite understand why.
I can't watch anything that requires much focus or thought. And I have no interest in analyzing it. I loved Last Airbender for example, but I've nothing to say about it. I did love it enough to pick up the comic book graphic novel "The Search" which explains what happened to Zuko's mother. Comic books I can read - they don't require much attention - caveat I can read action comic books and superhero comic books.
The hardest part about this year is holding on to my faith. It takes a lot of mental and emotional energy to do that - I think. Leaving not a lot of room for other things. I think my brother and I are oddly enough, both coping with this in the same way - through meditation. He's doing it with gardening, I'm doing it with long walks through a Cemetery, sharing my thoughts and photos in an online journal, and meditating each morning. Also working. My work - or ability to focus on it and multi-tasking helps as well.
How do you cope with a pandemic? Any way you can think of - that doesn't harm anyone or anything else. First do no harm, is my motto. Or at least try really hard not to. Sometimes we can't help it - clutzy elephants that we are - we're likely to step on a squirrel or two in the process.
I leave you with flowers...taken in 2018 in Tacoma, Washington Park.
See picture below the cut for how they kept me safe. Besides wearing masks, they covered everything with plastic and construction paper, and sealed me off from them with plastic. I put on my noise cancelling earphones - plugged into some 1980s and 1990s rock via Apple Music and went to work. I work very well listening to music. Been doing that since grade school. I tried Billie English's latest album and Beyonce's - but both were too mellow, they couldn't compete with the banging. No, I need Jon Bon Jovie screaming out the lyrics to Living on a Prayer, or Aerosmith or AC/DC or Deborah Harry.
Overall it went well - except when they interrupted my conference call to inform me that they were turning off the electricity in my apartment. Which was kind of amusing in that the participants on the call determined it was over and took off. It was a call with the rail yard about various outstanding change orders and a signal hut. I negotiate construction and consulting services agreements for a Railroad, and manage the contracts, among other things. It's a difficult job to explain to folks. Requires a lot of critical thinking, analysis, resourcefulness and creativity.
Anyhow - the unfortunate and somewhat anxiety inducing side-effect of turning off the electricity was losing wifi. Yes, I lost the wifi while working remotely at home. And couldn't get it back for over an hour, could have been far worse of course. I called Optimum, and they informed me that due to the Coronavirus - wait times were up to forty-five minutes or longer. To hold my place, I could ask for a time for them to call me back or stay on hold. I stayed on hold, finally someone appeared to answer - but just to cut me off - so that I was the only one on the conference call. So I called back - went through various steps, and was put on hold again - so set up a time for them to call me back, which was forty-five minutes from when I called. Then I went on Safari via my phone (which has a wireless link not dependent on wifi) and tried to log into optimum's trouble-shooting, only to run into issues with my password - which locked me out. So I got the help assistant - and FINALLY, got some help. Apparently to reset my wifi, I had to turn off of the modem and the router, separately, then replug in the modem, wait until it was fully lit up - takes a little while, then once it is fully lit, plug in the Router, and wait until it lights up - and voila - the wifi magically reappeared!
Sigh. Technology.
The workman re-plastered the walls, and thoroughly cleaned. All that is left is for the super to paint. And I need him to repaint the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, and foyer. Also, replace lightbulbs in the bedroom, only one of the three led lightbulbs hasn't burned out. But COVID, and he won't wear masks. So...I can live without it.
Where I want to be at the moment - the coast of Maine. It's a photo I took in August 2010. I'd like to go back to 2010 and then jump to a different timeline.
Mother: You're brother is considering a side trip to the coast of Maine, because your sisterinlaw needs to get into the ocean. He's doing fine, she's climbing the walls.
Me: Yeah, she's not a gardener. He's perfectly happy gardening and rewiring his house for sound.
Mother: he finally got his sound system to work for the entire house.
Me: Reminds me of my discussion with the project team at the Rail Yard today...I told them about the people re-wiring my kitchen. They kidded that I was actually doing it myself. I said, yeah, I'm an electrician and should get a career as one - much better job security. [These phone conferences with the Electric Rail Yard project team - is basically me and bunch of men. Most of my work is me and a bunch of men. My union is run by men.]
Mother: You're brother hasn't been able to finish a book since February or March either.
ME: Really?
Mother: I asked him if he'd read any good books lately and he told me the exact same thing you did - that he couldn't concentrate long enough to read.
Me: Did you tell him that I had issues too?
Mother: Yep, said you could write on the internet and read stuff on it, but not an actual book. He is doing better than the rest of us though - he's not following the news, and just outside gardening and working on his house - his wife however is climbing the walls. And his daughter is lonely, although having a few of her friends out - has helped.
ME: I'm kind of envious.
Mother: I told him that I'm most worried about you - I don't trust your union.
(I'd read to mother my email interaction with the union.)
Me: The hardest thing right now is placing my trust and faith in others to do the right thing. And to do nothing. I tried last week to do something, and it didn't work and ruined my weekend.
Crazy Workplace
Boss: There's still no news regarding the labor negotiations between your union and management. I'm as worried about this as you are and promise you that I will inform you all - the moment I find out anything. As of now, the current "telecommuting" agreement between the Union and the MTA expires as of midnight on August 3. Any questions?
Me: So we don't need to come in on Monday?
Boss: I just said that the agreement expires on midnight August 3, so no, you don't.
Me: So, we wait to come in on Tuesday if no new agreement in place? Okay.
Boss: Yes. Any other questions.
Group: No.
Gabe: One thing - this would be the time to reach out to the union and express your concerns on how they should best represent us, and what they should do.
Me: Kind of already did that.
Boss: To the degree you can do that - yes, go ahead. If there are no other questions, we'll go around and report on what we're each working on.
(The connection was horrible and the workers were banging in the kitchen at the same time and talking. So I went into my bedroom to listen to it. But apparently the connection was horrible for everyone not just me, so boss ended the call.)
I hate these staff meetings. It's like going to a military briefing or debriefing. My boss was military in a past life - when I discovered this - it explained everything. I shared the knowledge with a few people and they reacted the same way I did. Me and military are unmixy things - I don't like the military or authority figures to begin with. So, I've had to re-think how I deal with my boss with this in mind. Also he despises complainers - he will punish you for complaining or whining to him. See? Military.
I am not contacting my union. I am doing the hardest thing that I can possibly do which is absolutely nothing. It's hard to do nothing. Very hard. But sometimes the wisest choice.
Also, I get more banging on Monday, they are doing the kitchen above mine. Hopefully it will be better than the last three days worth of banging.
I discussed it with them - and they said, my line took less time, it's smaller than the four bedroom apartments which have a lot more wiring. Also that I wasn't cluttered at all in comparison to most apartments (I am fairly neat and minimalist - I don't understand the point of memorabilia and material possessions, or why people display them. My mother and grandparents and the rest of my family is - with the exception of my brother, who is also minimalist. Apparently there are a few hoarders - the guy in 3H, who is the one I've seen in threadbare clothing, and has a long gray beard. The workers warned me to stay clear of his apartment and him - that it was crawling with bugs, and very cluttered. It's the apartment that is across the hall - a long ways across the hall. The bugs would have to make a lengthy journey to get to me, and risk much hardship, much better off staying put. The exterminator always visits his place. And the woman who lives in 1F, whose apartment smells like a poorly sterilized nursing home, whenever you pass it. She's been there for fifty years, and is also a hoarder and they can't get rid of her. NYC has bizarre real estate rules and guidelines.
Instead of in Maine...I'm here, feeling as if I'm going round and round..with the painted ponies going up and down...
This is the carousel in Dumbo, Brooklyn - which I took a picture of ages ago. And no, I'm not actually there - but I am in Brooklyn. So close enough, I guess. Now I have Joni Mitchell's Circle Game stuck in my head...specifically the chorus.."and the seasons they go round and round, and the painted ponies they go up and down, we're captive on a carousel of time, we can't go return, we can only look behing from where we came, and go round and round in the circle game" - frigging song is an ear worm. Although fitting.
New York vs. the Coronavirus
There are days in which it feels as if NY is the only one fighting the virus. This was one of them.
Today, our erstwhile Governor, who has kind of gotten fed up with the epic fail of Federal Government in regards to "testing", decided to try to provide the knowledge he had obtained on testing to the public at large via an Op-Ed article in the NY Times.
Let's End the Wait for Coronavirus Test Results, Here's How - State's Should Look at NY Strategies
New York is frustrated because 40 out of 50 states, mainly everywhere but the Northeast, and a few scattered ones in the West, have spikes in the virus and no testing capacity. Their lack of testing capacity puts NY at risk. As he's put it constantly - an outbreak somewhere - is an outbreak everywhere.
It’s been six months since the United States reported its first coronavirus case, and getting a test can still take days. National labs are overwhelmed, leaving people to wait as much as two weeks for results. Every day that testing falls short is another day the virus can spread undetected, costing lives and delaying the reopening of our economy, schools and society.
As states try to control the virus and as Congress considers the fourth Covid-19 relief bill, New York offers important lessons on how to fix the testing mess.
Keep in mind, NY is test happy. They figured out in February that there was a problem with accessibility to testing - and being resourceful and rather creative folks, they created their own testing program. Mainly because the CDC, FEMA, and WHO weren't able to provide them with tests or help. If they had not done that? We'd have lost a heck of a lot more people than what we did to date. As it is, the delay cost us about 32,000 lives and counting. See previous posts on NY and the testing issue. I give NY a lot of credit for figuring it out like they did. Our department of health - rocks - in that regard alone. No other state managed to do what NY's Health Department did in the record time that it did it.
By taking four steps we can help fix the testing issues. Government must: Mobilize smaller local labs, streamline the supply chain, invest in innovative solutions like "pooled testing" and fund all medically necessary testing.
I gotta give him credit for trying. The hardest thing about this year is trying to have faith in folks to do the right thing, all evidence to the contrary. But I am trying. I'm also trying not to envy the folks who are lucky enough to live out in the country and wander about. But, I'm equally grateful for living in the apartment complex and community that I live in - which is far kinder than the one I had left.
New episodes of my soap opera return Monday, so that's something to look forward to at least. Interesting tidbit - the actress who plays Sam on General Hospital had to be briefly replaced because she had a breathing issue with her mask (turns out she's claustrophobic or something similar). They sent her home to self-quarantine for about 14 days, even though she tested negative for COVID three times. No one is taking any chances, due to the false negatives. This is in LA, which kind of shut down again, but not completely - workplaces that are taking strict precautions can stay open. I'm curious to see how the soap handled the virus. The new episodes next week were filmed before the initial shut-down, so won't show any of that. They had another actress sub for her.
I've decided to start streaming The Mandalorian on Disney +. It looks like fun and escapist enough that I can focus on it. My inability to focus on reading and completing a book - is similar to television shows. My brother is having the same problem. Neither of us quite understand why.
I can't watch anything that requires much focus or thought. And I have no interest in analyzing it. I loved Last Airbender for example, but I've nothing to say about it. I did love it enough to pick up the comic book graphic novel "The Search" which explains what happened to Zuko's mother. Comic books I can read - they don't require much attention - caveat I can read action comic books and superhero comic books.
The hardest part about this year is holding on to my faith. It takes a lot of mental and emotional energy to do that - I think. Leaving not a lot of room for other things. I think my brother and I are oddly enough, both coping with this in the same way - through meditation. He's doing it with gardening, I'm doing it with long walks through a Cemetery, sharing my thoughts and photos in an online journal, and meditating each morning. Also working. My work - or ability to focus on it and multi-tasking helps as well.
How do you cope with a pandemic? Any way you can think of - that doesn't harm anyone or anything else. First do no harm, is my motto. Or at least try really hard not to. Sometimes we can't help it - clutzy elephants that we are - we're likely to step on a squirrel or two in the process.
I leave you with flowers...taken in 2018 in Tacoma, Washington Park.
no subject
Date: 2020-08-01 10:35 pm (UTC)I adore Maine as well. I may retire to Maine, with climate change on the horizon, it'll be better than going south. I like Maine, Florida makes me edgy.