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shadowkatWell, they are closing the cemetery now at 5P, starting today. So I got what amounted to a 15-20 minute walk about the cemetery then on home. [I bopped in and then out again.] This could be a problem - although I knew it would become one, since they can't keep the cemetery open after dark and sunset is now 6:30, by next week it will creep to 5:30. By November? 4:30.
Could be worse - I could be living further North, where it the days are about an hour long if that. Hence the reason I don't live further north.
Major League Baseballs playoffs are pre-empting my soap opera or mother's and my soap. Yet, I'm not really seeing any news on it - they talk about sports, just not MLB for some reason. It's odd.
Of the folks in my group or where I sit in the office, most did not come in today to work. Only three of the twelve came in - two were on vacation. I discovered this by calling LD, who has been coming in religiously for the past six months of the pandemic. Now, he can only come in twice a week.
LD: I have to stay home now. What am I going to do at home? And why? I've been coming in for the entire pandemic.
ME: I'm sorry, you poor thing. (pause) I meant that, I wasn't being facetious.
LD: I know..it's crazy.
It is crazy, those of us who were perfectly happy working from home - are being forced to go back in, while those who preferred to be there have to do the intermittent schedule.
Found out today that the US Department of Labor does not have any laws that protect you. It only interferes if you are below the Federal Minimum Wage. If you above it - they can do pretty much whatever they want. It's not their jurisdiction. The NY Labor Dept said the same thing. AND the Americans With Disabilities Act is also apparently overridden by the Union's Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Union screwed us to protect the clerks who can't work effectively from home, jobs, and to avoid signing the Work From Hom Agreement which scared them.
So, my union is costing me a 10% reduction in pay. I got 16 days of vacation that I'm utilizing and 3 personal days. So not all is lost.
I'm not the only one who has been screwed by a union - the teachers were sent back into unsafe work environment because of their screwy union. (I know it's unsafe and many of the staff aren't wearing masks - because one of the members of my church is a teacher and has been complaining about it on FB.)
Everyone is in agreement that I should work from home. My blood pressure was a little lower today, but the low number is still rather high and disconcerting. Keep in mind - high blood pressure and COVID are a nightmare combination. COVID is a virus that attacks the blood vessels and it adores a high blood pressure, high blood sugar environment. But I keep wondering if I'm overreacting.
Mother: You are not overreacting. Stop beating yourself up over it, already.
Speaking of family, mother got a release date finally. It's supposed to be next Friday - she has mixed feelings. (I don't blame her, I have mixed feelings.) But overall, she's relieved. She misses him. But it's going to a be a lot of work. She ordered a wheel chair, a hospital bed, and a transitional chair (or a smaller wheel chair) from her pharmacy - all are rented, to be delivered next week. She also is going to have daily home health care - since she can't move him by herself.
Expensive but worth it.
She also told me more than I ever really wanted to know about catheters.
I worry about my mother - she's struggling with diabetes and high blood pressure as well, and is very stressed out.
But alas there's nothing I can do outside of what I'm already doing.
I'm beginning to think the upstairs neighbors have a furniture moving habit.
I'm tired - didn't sleep well. Had window open in bedroom, and ended up closing it at 5 am - because it smelled like rotten eggs. Very odd.
Mother asked if it could be a gas leak - no it was outside and it didn't smell like gas - more like sulphur.
New York Vs. the Corona Virus
Now they have a phone app that will tell you if you are close to someone who has indicated that they have the virus. (Note it only works if other people get the app and indicate if they have the virus on the app. So...we're not quite where China is at the moment - but hey, we're working on it.)
Contact tracing has been instrumental in stopping the COVID spread, and we have worked hard over these past months to establish a nation-leading testing and tracing program. Today, we are building on that effort with an additional innovative technology-based tool — COVID Alert NY — our official Exposure Notification App created by the New York State Department of Health in partnership with Google and Apple. With COVID Alert NY, you can use your phone to receive alert notifications if you have been exposed without compromising your privacy or personal information.
The app will never track your location and is completely anonymous. Using Bluetooth technology, it can detect proximity to another phone with COVID Alert NY downloaded. The State Department of Health cannot identify who downloads the app, and does not collect your name, phone number or other personal information.
As we continue to battle the virus, this app offers another way to protect yourself and your community. The more New Yorkers who download the app, the more effective it is. Get the app today and help stop the spread while maintaining your privacy. Click here to download it directly to your iPhone. Click here to download it directly to your Android device.
Meanwhile, NYC became the first major city to Reopen all its schools - in many cases, the kids are there - the teachers just aren't - and they are doing remote learning in the building. Saw that on the news.
See? This is why myself and many of my co-workers are taking a 10% reduction in pay and continuing to work remotely from home. Frigging kids are dangerous.
The Governor in a teleconference stated that he'd gotten bloody tired of being polite about the mask thing - they'd spent millions in advertisements and educational campaigns - enough was enough - you don't wear a mask, you are getting fined.
And if the local governments don't take action - he'll put together a task force and enforce it himself. The same way he did the infractions at various bars and restaurants. There's an interesting pattern emerging here. This happened with the fireworks, the restaurants, and now the masks.
Problem arises.
Governor states the problem, provides facts, and hopes people do the right thing. "So there's an uptick of cases, please observe the protocol. Wear a mask, social distance...and we'll be fine."
Some do, some don't.
Governor gets back on the air and pleads with the public to comply. He's jovial, kind, loving, pleading, makes jokes. "Hey, look, I've brought Paul Rudd, Chris Rock and Rosie Perez to talk you into wearing masks. Wear a mask - show you care. Be NY Tough! I even have a contest for the best mask ad. Go NY!"
Same results.
Governor gets angry and frustrated, he starts to threaten them. "This is the law. If you don't wear a mask - I will fine you. And if the local governments don't enforce it? I'll enforce it myself and send my task force in to make sure you bloody well wear masks! Got it?"
Same result.
Governor takes action. [I have a feeling we're going to see a lot more cops etc fining folks soon. The City is apparently starting to crack down. They kind of have to.]
People comply.
Sigh. People are idiots. The Universe has to work more on the whole evolutionary bit. (Actually this is why I'm skeptical of the whole survival of the fittest crap - seems to me a lot got through the cracks.)
I don't know why it is so hard for some folks to put on a mask whenever they leave their home or apartment, and could end up interacting face to face with strangers.
Ah well...good night and good luck. I've got tomorrow off. May take some long walks.
Could be worse - I could be living further North, where it the days are about an hour long if that. Hence the reason I don't live further north.
Major League Baseballs playoffs are pre-empting my soap opera or mother's and my soap. Yet, I'm not really seeing any news on it - they talk about sports, just not MLB for some reason. It's odd.
Of the folks in my group or where I sit in the office, most did not come in today to work. Only three of the twelve came in - two were on vacation. I discovered this by calling LD, who has been coming in religiously for the past six months of the pandemic. Now, he can only come in twice a week.
LD: I have to stay home now. What am I going to do at home? And why? I've been coming in for the entire pandemic.
ME: I'm sorry, you poor thing. (pause) I meant that, I wasn't being facetious.
LD: I know..it's crazy.
It is crazy, those of us who were perfectly happy working from home - are being forced to go back in, while those who preferred to be there have to do the intermittent schedule.
Found out today that the US Department of Labor does not have any laws that protect you. It only interferes if you are below the Federal Minimum Wage. If you above it - they can do pretty much whatever they want. It's not their jurisdiction. The NY Labor Dept said the same thing. AND the Americans With Disabilities Act is also apparently overridden by the Union's Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Union screwed us to protect the clerks who can't work effectively from home, jobs, and to avoid signing the Work From Hom Agreement which scared them.
So, my union is costing me a 10% reduction in pay. I got 16 days of vacation that I'm utilizing and 3 personal days. So not all is lost.
I'm not the only one who has been screwed by a union - the teachers were sent back into unsafe work environment because of their screwy union. (I know it's unsafe and many of the staff aren't wearing masks - because one of the members of my church is a teacher and has been complaining about it on FB.)
Everyone is in agreement that I should work from home. My blood pressure was a little lower today, but the low number is still rather high and disconcerting. Keep in mind - high blood pressure and COVID are a nightmare combination. COVID is a virus that attacks the blood vessels and it adores a high blood pressure, high blood sugar environment. But I keep wondering if I'm overreacting.
Mother: You are not overreacting. Stop beating yourself up over it, already.
Speaking of family, mother got a release date finally. It's supposed to be next Friday - she has mixed feelings. (I don't blame her, I have mixed feelings.) But overall, she's relieved. She misses him. But it's going to a be a lot of work. She ordered a wheel chair, a hospital bed, and a transitional chair (or a smaller wheel chair) from her pharmacy - all are rented, to be delivered next week. She also is going to have daily home health care - since she can't move him by herself.
Expensive but worth it.
She also told me more than I ever really wanted to know about catheters.
I worry about my mother - she's struggling with diabetes and high blood pressure as well, and is very stressed out.
But alas there's nothing I can do outside of what I'm already doing.
I'm beginning to think the upstairs neighbors have a furniture moving habit.
I'm tired - didn't sleep well. Had window open in bedroom, and ended up closing it at 5 am - because it smelled like rotten eggs. Very odd.
Mother asked if it could be a gas leak - no it was outside and it didn't smell like gas - more like sulphur.
New York Vs. the Corona Virus
Now they have a phone app that will tell you if you are close to someone who has indicated that they have the virus. (Note it only works if other people get the app and indicate if they have the virus on the app. So...we're not quite where China is at the moment - but hey, we're working on it.)
Contact tracing has been instrumental in stopping the COVID spread, and we have worked hard over these past months to establish a nation-leading testing and tracing program. Today, we are building on that effort with an additional innovative technology-based tool — COVID Alert NY — our official Exposure Notification App created by the New York State Department of Health in partnership with Google and Apple. With COVID Alert NY, you can use your phone to receive alert notifications if you have been exposed without compromising your privacy or personal information.
The app will never track your location and is completely anonymous. Using Bluetooth technology, it can detect proximity to another phone with COVID Alert NY downloaded. The State Department of Health cannot identify who downloads the app, and does not collect your name, phone number or other personal information.
As we continue to battle the virus, this app offers another way to protect yourself and your community. The more New Yorkers who download the app, the more effective it is. Get the app today and help stop the spread while maintaining your privacy. Click here to download it directly to your iPhone. Click here to download it directly to your Android device.
Meanwhile, NYC became the first major city to Reopen all its schools - in many cases, the kids are there - the teachers just aren't - and they are doing remote learning in the building. Saw that on the news.
See? This is why myself and many of my co-workers are taking a 10% reduction in pay and continuing to work remotely from home. Frigging kids are dangerous.
The Governor in a teleconference stated that he'd gotten bloody tired of being polite about the mask thing - they'd spent millions in advertisements and educational campaigns - enough was enough - you don't wear a mask, you are getting fined.
And if the local governments don't take action - he'll put together a task force and enforce it himself. The same way he did the infractions at various bars and restaurants. There's an interesting pattern emerging here. This happened with the fireworks, the restaurants, and now the masks.
Problem arises.
Governor states the problem, provides facts, and hopes people do the right thing. "So there's an uptick of cases, please observe the protocol. Wear a mask, social distance...and we'll be fine."
Some do, some don't.
Governor gets back on the air and pleads with the public to comply. He's jovial, kind, loving, pleading, makes jokes. "Hey, look, I've brought Paul Rudd, Chris Rock and Rosie Perez to talk you into wearing masks. Wear a mask - show you care. Be NY Tough! I even have a contest for the best mask ad. Go NY!"
Same results.
Governor gets angry and frustrated, he starts to threaten them. "This is the law. If you don't wear a mask - I will fine you. And if the local governments don't enforce it? I'll enforce it myself and send my task force in to make sure you bloody well wear masks! Got it?"
Same result.
Governor takes action. [I have a feeling we're going to see a lot more cops etc fining folks soon. The City is apparently starting to crack down. They kind of have to.]
People comply.
Sigh. People are idiots. The Universe has to work more on the whole evolutionary bit. (Actually this is why I'm skeptical of the whole survival of the fittest crap - seems to me a lot got through the cracks.)
I don't know why it is so hard for some folks to put on a mask whenever they leave their home or apartment, and could end up interacting face to face with strangers.
Ah well...good night and good luck. I've got tomorrow off. May take some long walks.