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Year 2 - Day 190
Bro got home okay, and had a long chat with Mother, who regaled me with their trip to London - and niece's current set up.
They apparently have contacts in London, one of which is a Director of British Television series like Call the Midwife - who came in to meet them for a day, and offered for niece to come visit her if she needed a break from London.
The other day, Niece decided to pick up stuff from Ikea. (Apparently, just like NY, there's an Ikea in London. I have never been to IKea in my entire life. I have no idea what it is like. Should I feel deprived? It's hard to say. I don't. I've heard their stuff is kind of cheap.) Anyhow, she just took off without giving them much warning other than - I'm going to IKEA to pick up stuff, and off she went. Unfortunately, she didn't realize that London unlike NYC is not 24/7 and things shut down. Also IKEA is way out there. So she figured out how to get there with buses and stuff, and had a lot of bags, but couldn't figure out how to get back home. She asked around, her phone kind of died so she couldn't get ahold of them - finally did and they told her to just take a cab ride home. Mother was amused.
Her dorm room is smaller than expected, and while her roommate is really nice - they don't have that much in common. The roommate is from Singapore, 19 years of age, and a Freshman. Niece is 17 years of age, from New York, and a Junior. People keep asking her how she managed to get into the London School of Economics at the age of 17 and as a Junior. (Niece is wickedly bright - that's how. I mean seriously, she is. She hated Chinese and made straight As. Also she doesn't see herself as that bright.)
Anyhow, she did get the booster shot - for the Pfizer either before they left or when they got there, with a doctor's prescription. And the school tests for COVID twice a week, and has a goal of testing 80% of the school before it starts. Other than that - according to my brother, London is kind of ignoring the pandemic? Unlike NY which has lots of outdoor dining, almost nothing but outdoor dining - London has very little outdoor dining, and no-one is wearing masks indoors. (Well they aren't exactly here either.) Also not many people wear masks on the streets - while most people are wearing masks on the streets in NYC.
I don't know...I may wait until 2023 to do overseas trips? My niece is 17, and feels immortal. I'm 54, I know I'm not and I've got enough health issues to keep track of, as it is.
Mother still can't see father, but will most likely be released from the Arbor next week - to her home and the home health care aids again. Because she can walk to the bathroom, and get in bed by herself. They are promising that they will provide her with the care she needs at home, even if they have to use an outside service. She can't go back to the Preston and be near my father. Also this is a better room and ironically cheaper, because Medicare pays for it. But she also can't see my father - because of the COVID outbreak - until October 6.
**
Work was better today - mainly because I got pro-active and came up with a few things I can do that will make my job and possibly others easier. Plus I bought bags from Amazon, which I'm hoping are nice. I'm in desperate need of a new cross the body bag. The current one is ragged.
I'm debating buying hair dye - Overtone (which is allegedly good for the hair and has no ugly chemicals). But on the fence about it. I do need a haircut - I'm just procrastinating. Tempted to throw caution to the winds and get a massage.
Found an interesting pod-cast for television/film geeks and James Marsters/Buffy fans out there - Inside You - with James Marsters - the Dark Side of Buffy with Michael Rosenbaum. The start of it? They go in detail about film shoots, lenses, long lens and wide lens shots and hitting your marks. And what that means. (And oh my god, I'm such a geek - I love details like that. )
Note - having just listened to all of it now - don't expect any major revelations. He stays away from personal stuff and doesn't mention his ex-wife at all. Regarding Whedon? He didn't see or hear anything, mainly because he was Mr. Method, and kind of disappeared from the set when he wasn't shooting scenes. Also, he wasn't filming that closely with the others. They asked if he reached out to anyone, he said he texted Sarah, and she was amazed he didn't see any of it and didn't know anything was going on. "Yeah, I was kind of into myself, and being Spike - the method" She retorted, "Oh yeah, you were that guy." Method actors. Sigh. LOL!
Anyhow, what he says about Whedon fits a pattern I've picked up reading about Hollywood Directors and my own workplace, including what recently happened with Governor Cuomo. Basically "Mad Wizard" or the Auteur who is obsessed with his own art, and full of himself.
It's interesting, if you like this sort of thing. I followed it up with a podcast with Charisma, who has charmed me on Twitter. What's weird is these folks are my age. I didn't think they were my age. I thought they were a lot younger when they were playing teens on Buffy and Smallville, and I was my 20s and 30s.
Like I said I'm a geek. I like to hear other folks' stories. I find people interesting. I probably would have made a great journalist in another life. Who knows, maybe there's a version of me in a parallel universe who is a journalist, with kid, and either a wife or husband.
***
COVID
From the NY Times Briefing:
* Dr. Howard Zucker, the New York State health commissioner who came under fire for his possible involvement in obscuring the virus death toll in the state’s nursing homes, resigned. [Not surprising. Probably got tired.]
*Cuba expects to reach “full immunization” with homegrown vaccines by Dec. 31.
* Many major religious organizations support vaccination, which may make it harder to get religious exemptions, The Washington Post reports. [Good news?]
*When Biden announced vaccine mandates at companies with 100 or more employees, business leaders wondered: Why 100? [Good question.]
* A vaccination deadline looms over employees at New York’s largest private hospital.
* Hospitals in Alaska are struggling to handle a worsening outbreak. [Interesting - they had no issues in 2020, and now they are drowning.]
* New Zealand wants a vaccination rate near 90 percent to help it avoid future lockdowns. [ Sigh, can I live in New Zealand?]
* U.S. Olympians and Paralympians must be vaccinated before the Winter Games in Beijing. [And why wasn't this done for Tokyo??]
* The House approved $1 billion in funding for Israel’s Iron Dome defense system after a bitter debate among Democrats. [ Ugh. Can we stop funding Israel's military and defense, please? I'd rather spend that money funding hunger relief or vaccinations in Africa. ]
* House Democrats plan to push through broad legislation to uphold abortion rights. The vote on Friday will largely be symbolic because of Republican opposition in the Senate. [They are going on record for the Mid-Term Elections. That's why they did that. Risky move, but possibly workable. I still think they need to do away with the fillibuster which the Republicans have misused.)
***
Sigh.
****
Parents walking on the beach in 2017. (Now they can't see each other, because of COVID and related issues.)
They apparently have contacts in London, one of which is a Director of British Television series like Call the Midwife - who came in to meet them for a day, and offered for niece to come visit her if she needed a break from London.
The other day, Niece decided to pick up stuff from Ikea. (Apparently, just like NY, there's an Ikea in London. I have never been to IKea in my entire life. I have no idea what it is like. Should I feel deprived? It's hard to say. I don't. I've heard their stuff is kind of cheap.) Anyhow, she just took off without giving them much warning other than - I'm going to IKEA to pick up stuff, and off she went. Unfortunately, she didn't realize that London unlike NYC is not 24/7 and things shut down. Also IKEA is way out there. So she figured out how to get there with buses and stuff, and had a lot of bags, but couldn't figure out how to get back home. She asked around, her phone kind of died so she couldn't get ahold of them - finally did and they told her to just take a cab ride home. Mother was amused.
Her dorm room is smaller than expected, and while her roommate is really nice - they don't have that much in common. The roommate is from Singapore, 19 years of age, and a Freshman. Niece is 17 years of age, from New York, and a Junior. People keep asking her how she managed to get into the London School of Economics at the age of 17 and as a Junior. (Niece is wickedly bright - that's how. I mean seriously, she is. She hated Chinese and made straight As. Also she doesn't see herself as that bright.)
Anyhow, she did get the booster shot - for the Pfizer either before they left or when they got there, with a doctor's prescription. And the school tests for COVID twice a week, and has a goal of testing 80% of the school before it starts. Other than that - according to my brother, London is kind of ignoring the pandemic? Unlike NY which has lots of outdoor dining, almost nothing but outdoor dining - London has very little outdoor dining, and no-one is wearing masks indoors. (Well they aren't exactly here either.) Also not many people wear masks on the streets - while most people are wearing masks on the streets in NYC.
I don't know...I may wait until 2023 to do overseas trips? My niece is 17, and feels immortal. I'm 54, I know I'm not and I've got enough health issues to keep track of, as it is.
Mother still can't see father, but will most likely be released from the Arbor next week - to her home and the home health care aids again. Because she can walk to the bathroom, and get in bed by herself. They are promising that they will provide her with the care she needs at home, even if they have to use an outside service. She can't go back to the Preston and be near my father. Also this is a better room and ironically cheaper, because Medicare pays for it. But she also can't see my father - because of the COVID outbreak - until October 6.
**
Work was better today - mainly because I got pro-active and came up with a few things I can do that will make my job and possibly others easier. Plus I bought bags from Amazon, which I'm hoping are nice. I'm in desperate need of a new cross the body bag. The current one is ragged.
I'm debating buying hair dye - Overtone (which is allegedly good for the hair and has no ugly chemicals). But on the fence about it. I do need a haircut - I'm just procrastinating. Tempted to throw caution to the winds and get a massage.
Found an interesting pod-cast for television/film geeks and James Marsters/Buffy fans out there - Inside You - with James Marsters - the Dark Side of Buffy with Michael Rosenbaum. The start of it? They go in detail about film shoots, lenses, long lens and wide lens shots and hitting your marks. And what that means. (And oh my god, I'm such a geek - I love details like that. )
Note - having just listened to all of it now - don't expect any major revelations. He stays away from personal stuff and doesn't mention his ex-wife at all. Regarding Whedon? He didn't see or hear anything, mainly because he was Mr. Method, and kind of disappeared from the set when he wasn't shooting scenes. Also, he wasn't filming that closely with the others. They asked if he reached out to anyone, he said he texted Sarah, and she was amazed he didn't see any of it and didn't know anything was going on. "Yeah, I was kind of into myself, and being Spike - the method" She retorted, "Oh yeah, you were that guy." Method actors. Sigh. LOL!
Anyhow, what he says about Whedon fits a pattern I've picked up reading about Hollywood Directors and my own workplace, including what recently happened with Governor Cuomo. Basically "Mad Wizard" or the Auteur who is obsessed with his own art, and full of himself.
It's interesting, if you like this sort of thing. I followed it up with a podcast with Charisma, who has charmed me on Twitter. What's weird is these folks are my age. I didn't think they were my age. I thought they were a lot younger when they were playing teens on Buffy and Smallville, and I was my 20s and 30s.
Like I said I'm a geek. I like to hear other folks' stories. I find people interesting. I probably would have made a great journalist in another life. Who knows, maybe there's a version of me in a parallel universe who is a journalist, with kid, and either a wife or husband.
***
COVID
From the NY Times Briefing:
* Dr. Howard Zucker, the New York State health commissioner who came under fire for his possible involvement in obscuring the virus death toll in the state’s nursing homes, resigned. [Not surprising. Probably got tired.]
*Cuba expects to reach “full immunization” with homegrown vaccines by Dec. 31.
* Many major religious organizations support vaccination, which may make it harder to get religious exemptions, The Washington Post reports. [Good news?]
*When Biden announced vaccine mandates at companies with 100 or more employees, business leaders wondered: Why 100? [Good question.]
* A vaccination deadline looms over employees at New York’s largest private hospital.
* Hospitals in Alaska are struggling to handle a worsening outbreak. [Interesting - they had no issues in 2020, and now they are drowning.]
* New Zealand wants a vaccination rate near 90 percent to help it avoid future lockdowns. [ Sigh, can I live in New Zealand?]
* U.S. Olympians and Paralympians must be vaccinated before the Winter Games in Beijing. [And why wasn't this done for Tokyo??]
* The House approved $1 billion in funding for Israel’s Iron Dome defense system after a bitter debate among Democrats. [ Ugh. Can we stop funding Israel's military and defense, please? I'd rather spend that money funding hunger relief or vaccinations in Africa. ]
* House Democrats plan to push through broad legislation to uphold abortion rights. The vote on Friday will largely be symbolic because of Republican opposition in the Senate. [They are going on record for the Mid-Term Elections. That's why they did that. Risky move, but possibly workable. I still think they need to do away with the fillibuster which the Republicans have misused.)
***
Sigh.
****
Parents walking on the beach in 2017. (Now they can't see each other, because of COVID and related issues.)