Year #2 - Day #88 - Pandemic
Jun. 12th, 2021 03:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatKind of paralyzed with not caring all that much about anything at the moment. I think the week rolled over me and left me tired? It's gloomy and cool outside. I'm debating a walk but feeling highly unmotivated at the moment. I've accomplished next to nothing today. Sometimes the weekends just slip through my fingers like sand in a hour glass, but so do the days.
1. Sci-Fi writer, John Scalzi's daughter - is co-writing his blog, and wrote a post regarding her frustration with the whole return to normalcy/the pandemic is over - that kind of resonated with me. Or spoke to my own fury and frustration over it.
Getting Back to Normalcy
The pandemic has changed everything, yet we are expected to return to how things were before. But how can we? These institutions, as well as companies, cannot understand how profoundly the pandemic has affected not just society, but people on the individual scale.
Part of that is because they don’t want things to change. Like I said, the pandemic has changed everything, but what do I mean by that? Because, from the looks of it, almost nothing has actually changed. For example, aside from the vaccine, did we get tax-supported no-cost healthcare? That would have helped. Did we get the institutional level of support that would have been equal to these “uncertain times”? No.
And why would these institutions allow any sort of change when things have been working so well for them up to this point? They’re not going to suddenly turn around and be like, “oh, we’ve realized our mistakes and now see the flaws in the systems we’ve created” because they’ve known all along. They know their systems are fucked up, but it makes them money so why would they stop?
Meanwhile, we as individuals, are completely changed. Maybe you’ve lost loved ones, or lost your job, maybe even lost your home, or got COVID and suffered serious effects. Or maybe nothing really happened to you personally, but you got a front row seat to watch the world around you burn, and that’s traumatizing enough on its own.
Most of us have known for a while that our society and our government are fucked up, but this pandemic really put the final nail in the coffin. It was eye-opening for a lot of people. It showed that we are not cared about, even if a Ford commercial says we are. It showed that our institutions would rather sacrifice us than lose money. And it showed that we would rather sacrifice each other than not go out to eat at Applebee’s.
Yes, things are returning to normal. But only after half a million people died, only after the unemployment rate skyrocketed to new heights, only after the homelessness rate increased, and only after we’ve all sustained trauma that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives.
But we aren’t feeling, thinking, human beings to these institutions. We are numbers on a graph, we are statistics in the making, we are cogs in the machine. They couldn’t care less if our mental health is less than fucking ideal after over a year of dealing with the pandemic. We are meant only to make them profit, traumatized or not. Depressed or not. Anxious or not. Burnt out or not.
Then in the comments, I read these posts...which resonated as well...
* The biggest casualty of 2020 was probably people’s faith in the goodness of their friends and fellow citizens. The biggest casualty of 2021 may be the incentive to strive for something better. - Exactly. I find myself unmotivated and kind of paralyzed with not caring all that much.
* I never thought I’d get to work from home and it’s been great, I don’t look forward to losing it again forever. I’ll note that a lot of my giant org is actually going to try to let people work from home–but my office, hell no. Sigh. Yep. THIS. I never thought I'd get to do it - now I don't understand why it can't continue and neither do any of my coworkers.
*2020 was messed up, but 2021 has been a personal shit-storm.
I only knew one Covid victim, so the whole shut-down, shortage, mask and social isolation thing seemed surreal.
This year, so far, 8 people I knew have died, and another has stage 4 cancer. One of those who passed was my best friend, and we managed to keep2020 fun and interesting.
I realize that others suffered far greater losses from Covid, but if there is a ‘new normal it must be ’emptiness.’ This year in some respects has been harder. My parents are in far worse straights, multiple people I know are fighting cancer. Also you can only push it aside for so long apparently.
I used to wonder why no one wrote or filmed much about the aftermath of WWI, or the period between 1917-1925. We get a lot on the roaring twenties, the Depression, the Second World War, and the first World War. But not much on that time period. Now, I know. I really wish I didn't. I could have been quite happy never knowing.
2. My "male" friend tripped me on purpose and shattered my leg
Well, it was a prank - he didn't mean to shatter his female friend's leg.
They liked to play "games" with each other. [There's his and her versions.]
Confused? What Happened? One day they sprinted into a race down a residential street, and he stuck out his leg playfully and tripped her as a joke. Unfortunately she landed badly and shattered her leg. [That's all we really know, they didn't exactly go into detail. In her version - she was beating him, and he tripped her to outrun her, in his he did it as a joke. I'm guessing it was a bit of both - since I've seen these situations first hand and have more experience with them than most. Also there wasn't anything to be gained. Plus she chose to forgive him and stay friends, and was telling the story to ponder that. I'd not have stayed friends, but I also wasn't there and have no clue what happened. I know people well enough to know not to believe their accounts - people have a tendency to embellish and twist things to make themselves look good, and forget the bits that don't, or vice versa. People are not reliable witnesses or narrators to their own experiences or anyone's for that matter. ]
Note - runners do that. Not all runners, but they do it - in college and high school and junior high. I know because I used to run track and cross country, and I've watched races. In the Olympics - a woman got disqualified for "accidentally" tripping and seriously injuring another player. (Over in another post they've all decided it's criminal or a crime - I don't know, I don't think it is in the US. There's no intent, and neither party saw it as a crime. And neither did the witnesses. Also, I don't trust journalists and written accounts in newspapers - and would question that.]
Why would anyone think it is funny? Situation comedies? Slapstick? The pratfall is a big source of amusement in our society. Slipping on a banana peel. People are trained to laugh when folks fall. And often it is a prank in school and on television where a guy trips a girl or girl trips a boy in the cafeteria, food flies everywhere and everyone laughs. Famous physical comedians such as Steve Martin, Dick Van Dyke, John Ritter, Carol Burnett, etc. were known for the pratfall. But, what must folks don't know is Dick Van Dyke and John Ritter know how to fall. It's choreographed. They are professional physical comics. As were others. Physical comedy is very hard to do well and difficult on the body, and you have to be limber and agile. Also often they will hire a stunt double.
Anyhow the woman writing the article poses the following question:
I did wonder, though, would a female friend kick me over ‘for a laugh’?
Yes. Absolutely.
The writer didn't think so, nor did her family members - possibly because they have an odd romanticized view of the female gender?
How do I know it isn't gender specific?
My best friend in junior high or high school pulled my chair out just before I sat down for a laugh. I bruised my tail bone. And the whole class laughed. I've watched women trip friends while running track and laugh about it. I've seen women push other women into pools.
I don’t think so; that kind of physical horseplay isn’t what women are generally taught to do in social situations. This is a point several of my friends and family have made too.
LOL. I'm sorry, it's not gender specific. This is a pet peeve of mine, this tendency to romanticize whichever gender, sexuality, race, age, etc you happen to be. Or in some cases that is the opposite of yours. I'll share a little secret? Race, age, gender, sexual orientation, sexuality, size, weight - have little to no bearing on whether or not you are selfish, greedy, nasty to others, mindless, engage in rough horseplay, etc.
3. The networks appear to be clearing house in 2021, to make way for a whole new fall slate. Also weirdly most pilots got picked up this season.
Which Shows Are Canceled, Which are Renewed
The Cancellations that might interest folks:
Prodigal Son, All Rise, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, For Life, Rebel, Mix-edish, Away, Jupiter's Legacy, The Haunting of Hill House and House of Bly Manor (no further seasons planned at this point), The Irregulars, Kim's Convenience, The Order (cancelled). [The cancellations didn't surprise me.]
The renewals:
Grey's Anatomy was renewed for an 18th Season - that show may well be the longest running prime time medical drama on television. [It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is also renewed for an 18th Season.]
Huh...Killing Eve got a fourth and final Season. And Doctor Who was renewed for Season 13. Amazon renewed Lord of the Rings - I didn't know it aired. I'm going to have to find it. And apparently they are considering giving WandaVision and Falcon and the Winter Solider a second season? I thought there was only going to be one for both.
Bridgerton has been renewed through S4, which is interesting - since the biggest draw - the Duke is gone. My mother got her home health care aids enthralled by it - everyone was into the Duke.
Cobra Kai is renewed through S4, and the Crown is to its sixth and final season. Fate: The Winx Saga was renewed to S2. Lock & Key renewed through S3, Lucifer is renewed for 6th and final season (considering I've yet to make through S5...it's very uneven.) Russian Doll renewed for S2 (??), Lost in Space renewed for 3rd and Final Season, Shadow and Bone renewed for S2, Umbrella Academy renewed for S3, Virgin River renewed for S3, Warrior Nun renewed for S2, The Witcher renewed for S2...The Expanse renewed for the 6th and final season. Marvelous Mrs. Maisel renewed for S4.
4. Took another walk - a brief one. Was going to get an milkshake, but chose to buy the ingredients for a smoothie instead - chobain non-fact plain greek yogurt, banana, peach, ginger tumeric immunity booster - came home and added maca powder, plant protein, water, almond/coconut milk, and berries. It's tasted better than you'd expect - with a peppery kick from the immunity booster. I also feel better - although kind of tired of the hot flashes.
5.Well this is interesting.. How to Survive Encounters with Dangerous Animals - although they include things in there that I would not count as animal. Bed bugs, Alligators, and Rattlenakes.
However - agreed on Mountain Lions. And apparently they've invaded cities now - which is actually kind of cool. We had one wandering about Brooklyn this winter - or so I've been told. I didn't see it. I've only seen them in zoos or at a distance - as in very far away.
6. Mother said her visit with father wasn't the best, but it was better than yesterday - apparently he was upset with her yesterday because she'd interrupted his meeting. Tonight she's going over to a kind of party at the clubhouse - with her wheelchair to socialize.
7. Here's another picture from yesterday's walk..
1. Sci-Fi writer, John Scalzi's daughter - is co-writing his blog, and wrote a post regarding her frustration with the whole return to normalcy/the pandemic is over - that kind of resonated with me. Or spoke to my own fury and frustration over it.
Getting Back to Normalcy
The pandemic has changed everything, yet we are expected to return to how things were before. But how can we? These institutions, as well as companies, cannot understand how profoundly the pandemic has affected not just society, but people on the individual scale.
Part of that is because they don’t want things to change. Like I said, the pandemic has changed everything, but what do I mean by that? Because, from the looks of it, almost nothing has actually changed. For example, aside from the vaccine, did we get tax-supported no-cost healthcare? That would have helped. Did we get the institutional level of support that would have been equal to these “uncertain times”? No.
And why would these institutions allow any sort of change when things have been working so well for them up to this point? They’re not going to suddenly turn around and be like, “oh, we’ve realized our mistakes and now see the flaws in the systems we’ve created” because they’ve known all along. They know their systems are fucked up, but it makes them money so why would they stop?
Meanwhile, we as individuals, are completely changed. Maybe you’ve lost loved ones, or lost your job, maybe even lost your home, or got COVID and suffered serious effects. Or maybe nothing really happened to you personally, but you got a front row seat to watch the world around you burn, and that’s traumatizing enough on its own.
Most of us have known for a while that our society and our government are fucked up, but this pandemic really put the final nail in the coffin. It was eye-opening for a lot of people. It showed that we are not cared about, even if a Ford commercial says we are. It showed that our institutions would rather sacrifice us than lose money. And it showed that we would rather sacrifice each other than not go out to eat at Applebee’s.
Yes, things are returning to normal. But only after half a million people died, only after the unemployment rate skyrocketed to new heights, only after the homelessness rate increased, and only after we’ve all sustained trauma that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives.
But we aren’t feeling, thinking, human beings to these institutions. We are numbers on a graph, we are statistics in the making, we are cogs in the machine. They couldn’t care less if our mental health is less than fucking ideal after over a year of dealing with the pandemic. We are meant only to make them profit, traumatized or not. Depressed or not. Anxious or not. Burnt out or not.
Then in the comments, I read these posts...which resonated as well...
* The biggest casualty of 2020 was probably people’s faith in the goodness of their friends and fellow citizens. The biggest casualty of 2021 may be the incentive to strive for something better. - Exactly. I find myself unmotivated and kind of paralyzed with not caring all that much.
* I never thought I’d get to work from home and it’s been great, I don’t look forward to losing it again forever. I’ll note that a lot of my giant org is actually going to try to let people work from home–but my office, hell no. Sigh. Yep. THIS. I never thought I'd get to do it - now I don't understand why it can't continue and neither do any of my coworkers.
*2020 was messed up, but 2021 has been a personal shit-storm.
I only knew one Covid victim, so the whole shut-down, shortage, mask and social isolation thing seemed surreal.
This year, so far, 8 people I knew have died, and another has stage 4 cancer. One of those who passed was my best friend, and we managed to keep2020 fun and interesting.
I realize that others suffered far greater losses from Covid, but if there is a ‘new normal it must be ’emptiness.’ This year in some respects has been harder. My parents are in far worse straights, multiple people I know are fighting cancer. Also you can only push it aside for so long apparently.
I used to wonder why no one wrote or filmed much about the aftermath of WWI, or the period between 1917-1925. We get a lot on the roaring twenties, the Depression, the Second World War, and the first World War. But not much on that time period. Now, I know. I really wish I didn't. I could have been quite happy never knowing.
2. My "male" friend tripped me on purpose and shattered my leg
Well, it was a prank - he didn't mean to shatter his female friend's leg.
They liked to play "games" with each other. [There's his and her versions.]
Confused? What Happened? One day they sprinted into a race down a residential street, and he stuck out his leg playfully and tripped her as a joke. Unfortunately she landed badly and shattered her leg. [That's all we really know, they didn't exactly go into detail. In her version - she was beating him, and he tripped her to outrun her, in his he did it as a joke. I'm guessing it was a bit of both - since I've seen these situations first hand and have more experience with them than most. Also there wasn't anything to be gained. Plus she chose to forgive him and stay friends, and was telling the story to ponder that. I'd not have stayed friends, but I also wasn't there and have no clue what happened. I know people well enough to know not to believe their accounts - people have a tendency to embellish and twist things to make themselves look good, and forget the bits that don't, or vice versa. People are not reliable witnesses or narrators to their own experiences or anyone's for that matter. ]
Note - runners do that. Not all runners, but they do it - in college and high school and junior high. I know because I used to run track and cross country, and I've watched races. In the Olympics - a woman got disqualified for "accidentally" tripping and seriously injuring another player. (Over in another post they've all decided it's criminal or a crime - I don't know, I don't think it is in the US. There's no intent, and neither party saw it as a crime. And neither did the witnesses. Also, I don't trust journalists and written accounts in newspapers - and would question that.]
Why would anyone think it is funny? Situation comedies? Slapstick? The pratfall is a big source of amusement in our society. Slipping on a banana peel. People are trained to laugh when folks fall. And often it is a prank in school and on television where a guy trips a girl or girl trips a boy in the cafeteria, food flies everywhere and everyone laughs. Famous physical comedians such as Steve Martin, Dick Van Dyke, John Ritter, Carol Burnett, etc. were known for the pratfall. But, what must folks don't know is Dick Van Dyke and John Ritter know how to fall. It's choreographed. They are professional physical comics. As were others. Physical comedy is very hard to do well and difficult on the body, and you have to be limber and agile. Also often they will hire a stunt double.
Anyhow the woman writing the article poses the following question:
I did wonder, though, would a female friend kick me over ‘for a laugh’?
Yes. Absolutely.
The writer didn't think so, nor did her family members - possibly because they have an odd romanticized view of the female gender?
How do I know it isn't gender specific?
My best friend in junior high or high school pulled my chair out just before I sat down for a laugh. I bruised my tail bone. And the whole class laughed. I've watched women trip friends while running track and laugh about it. I've seen women push other women into pools.
I don’t think so; that kind of physical horseplay isn’t what women are generally taught to do in social situations. This is a point several of my friends and family have made too.
LOL. I'm sorry, it's not gender specific. This is a pet peeve of mine, this tendency to romanticize whichever gender, sexuality, race, age, etc you happen to be. Or in some cases that is the opposite of yours. I'll share a little secret? Race, age, gender, sexual orientation, sexuality, size, weight - have little to no bearing on whether or not you are selfish, greedy, nasty to others, mindless, engage in rough horseplay, etc.
3. The networks appear to be clearing house in 2021, to make way for a whole new fall slate. Also weirdly most pilots got picked up this season.
Which Shows Are Canceled, Which are Renewed
The Cancellations that might interest folks:
Prodigal Son, All Rise, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, For Life, Rebel, Mix-edish, Away, Jupiter's Legacy, The Haunting of Hill House and House of Bly Manor (no further seasons planned at this point), The Irregulars, Kim's Convenience, The Order (cancelled). [The cancellations didn't surprise me.]
The renewals:
Grey's Anatomy was renewed for an 18th Season - that show may well be the longest running prime time medical drama on television. [It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is also renewed for an 18th Season.]
Huh...Killing Eve got a fourth and final Season. And Doctor Who was renewed for Season 13. Amazon renewed Lord of the Rings - I didn't know it aired. I'm going to have to find it. And apparently they are considering giving WandaVision and Falcon and the Winter Solider a second season? I thought there was only going to be one for both.
Bridgerton has been renewed through S4, which is interesting - since the biggest draw - the Duke is gone. My mother got her home health care aids enthralled by it - everyone was into the Duke.
Cobra Kai is renewed through S4, and the Crown is to its sixth and final season. Fate: The Winx Saga was renewed to S2. Lock & Key renewed through S3, Lucifer is renewed for 6th and final season (considering I've yet to make through S5...it's very uneven.) Russian Doll renewed for S2 (??), Lost in Space renewed for 3rd and Final Season, Shadow and Bone renewed for S2, Umbrella Academy renewed for S3, Virgin River renewed for S3, Warrior Nun renewed for S2, The Witcher renewed for S2...The Expanse renewed for the 6th and final season. Marvelous Mrs. Maisel renewed for S4.
4. Took another walk - a brief one. Was going to get an milkshake, but chose to buy the ingredients for a smoothie instead - chobain non-fact plain greek yogurt, banana, peach, ginger tumeric immunity booster - came home and added maca powder, plant protein, water, almond/coconut milk, and berries. It's tasted better than you'd expect - with a peppery kick from the immunity booster. I also feel better - although kind of tired of the hot flashes.
5.Well this is interesting.. How to Survive Encounters with Dangerous Animals - although they include things in there that I would not count as animal. Bed bugs, Alligators, and Rattlenakes.
However - agreed on Mountain Lions. And apparently they've invaded cities now - which is actually kind of cool. We had one wandering about Brooklyn this winter - or so I've been told. I didn't see it. I've only seen them in zoos or at a distance - as in very far away.
6. Mother said her visit with father wasn't the best, but it was better than yesterday - apparently he was upset with her yesterday because she'd interrupted his meeting. Tonight she's going over to a kind of party at the clubhouse - with her wheelchair to socialize.
7. Here's another picture from yesterday's walk..
no subject
Date: 2021-06-13 03:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-06-13 01:06 pm (UTC)But the reason it got cancelled was the problems with creative team aka the writers.
Here's Story.
no subject
Date: 2021-06-14 12:38 am (UTC)