Virus Meme

I snagged this virus meme from cactuswatcher. (It was named after the Doofus, but I refuse to use that murderer's name if I can help it.)

1. Are you an essential worker?
2. How many drinks have you had since the quarantine started?
3. If you have kids... are they driving you nuts?
4. What new hobby have you taken up during this?
5. How many grocery runs have you done?
6. Do you have any special occasions that you will miss during this quarantine?
7. Are you keeping your housework done?
8. What movie have you watched during this quarantine?
9. What are you streaming with?
10. 9 months from now is there any chance of you having a baby?
12. What's your go-to quarantine meal?
13. Is this whole situation making you paranoid?
14. Has your internet gone out on you during this time?
15. What month do you predict this all ends?
16. First thing you're gonna do when you get off quarantine?
17. Where do you wish you were right now?
18. What free-from-quarantine activity are you missing the most?
19. Have you run out of toilet paper and hand sanitizer?
20. Do you have enough food to last a month?
21. What else have you run out of besides patience?

( memage )

Day #27 of Self-Isolation in Epidemic Central

I'm pretty certain it's been twenty-seven days since I stopped taking the subways and going to work - and holed up in my apartment. With the exception of maybe four grocery store runs, a couple of walks about the neighborhood, taking recyclables to the basement,and picking up packages and mail from the lobby - I've not ventured outside my apartment and had no actual contact with people.

It is sort of funny in the way - to see masks. At first it was mainly bandanas and head scarfs with a few, very few, surgical masks. But now folks have gotten creative and sewn their own masks or managed to purchase some - so less face scarfs and bandanas.

Watching how this changes day by day, week by week is similar to watching the slow progression of spring outside my window.

Outside of allergies (because hello, spring, and dust), I'm well. My family is well, if a tad stir crazy in their locations. I don't feel sorry for them. They can wander about the hills, valleys, streams, and do laundry. I'm stuck in a city apartment with no balcony - but a halfway decent view of trees and birds and sky so there's that.

1. New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Jersey vs. the Corona Virus (and Trump)

So, I watched or rather listened to the NY State Governor's live press Q&A with reporters and Governors from four other states. He's leading the East Coast Governor Coalition. On the chat were Conneticut's Governor, Rhode Island's, New Jersey, and I think Massachustus and Pennsylvania - not positive about the later two. I'd have to check somewhere. Memory is kind of sketchy on that point.
( Read more... )

2. Found this funny ...

Poster ranting about the corruption of the US Postal Service
Response: What do you know about the US Postal Service? You live in Russia and can barely speak English?

Watching TV and over things...

1. So, my soap opera - which I record daily - was interrupted by the New Jersey Governor. The problem with living in NYC, is you can get television programming preempted by NJ, Conneticut, and NY. The news covers the tri-state area.

Apparently New Jersey is in the same boat as NY, albeit with fewer deaths and cases, yet still struggling, and following the same play book.

Anyhow, thanks to the nifty Hulu subscription - I got to watch the entire episode at 8PM as opposed to watching it on my computer screen. Also got to watch most of this weekend's Saturday Night Live - the At Home Edition - for a bit the innovative style kept my interest, then I just got bored. The best sketch by far was the satirical parody of a sales force meeting on Zoom. (And that's kind of saying something.) Also, when did Tom Hanks get old?

My gratitude to the friend who lent me this subscription is unfathomable at the moment.

2. While other people are watching old movies, I'm watching Cartoons on Disney + and Hulu.

Last night after Jesus Christ Superstar Live - I watched Disney's Aristocrats - which I don't think I've seen in thirty years, possibly longer. It's dated, by the way. Hilarious in places, but as it warns the viewer prior to the showing, there are two definite "Asian" racist slurs - typical of the time - it was released in 1970. There's a couple of Asian slurs in it that most likely will offend viewers. They aren't prominent, but they are definitely there. Although I did kind of look for them because of the warning.

Tonight, after watching the soap and part of SNL, I decided to try The Steven Universe - which at least two of my friends adore. Hulu has the complete season from 2013 on-wards. The episodes are not long - particularly when there are no commercials. So about fifteen minutes each? Also, they look better on a big 55 inch screen television than a tiny 12 inch computer screen via Youtube. For one thing the resolution is better. Yes, resolution and picture do matter in regards to cartoons and apparently soap operas. (We had a lengthy debate over the color of a character's necklace - until I finally figured out that it depended on the light and which resolution you had on your television screen. Not all television screens are created equal. My resolution is actually really spectacular - but grays and blacks don't always come out well - you need an OLED screen for that. And I can't afford an OLED Screen. I've had not one but two television set experts explain this to me in minute detail. Since I'm detail oriented myself - I tend to remember stuff like that.)

Anyhow the first two episodes were rather charming. The first one was admittedly a bit weak. It seemed to just jump into the action with no explanation. I was thinking, okay this is the first episode? It felt like the tenth. But, the second episode was hilarious in places - with it's absurdist sense of physical comedy, reminiscent of the old Disney animated films that I've been watching. And the animation style kind of grows on me after a bit.

Right now, I want cartoons, soap operas, old kid's movies from the 70s and 60s, nothing too deep or dark. I want giggles and cotton candy.

My mind really can't focus on anything else. I don't know how people are watching things like The Ozarks, Cheer, Tiger King, The Sopranos, or The English Game (which my family just watched.)

I want fun. So yes, I've graduated from Trevor Noah and SNL to Robin Hood, the Aristocrats and Steven Universe.

What's everyone else watching during their self-imposed isolations aka stay-at-home orders?

3. Oh, my good deed of the day was hunting down and finding "Daddy and Them" on Showtime for my cousin - at no more than $11. He couldn't find it anywhere for less than $72 on Amazon. This is the film that co-starred Billy Bob Thornton and John Prine. (I have five or six grieving John Prine fanatics on FB. Personally the appeal is kind of lost on me. He's okay, but I like other singers better and think Bill Withers was a bigger loss.)

4. Food

I keep compulsively buying weird food items from Amazon. Today it was cheese, popcorn and crackers.

I kid you not.
( Read more... )

5. Finally, there's a meme going around on FB about what albums or books influenced you.

Some people posts the books, some are posting the albums.
( Read more... )