Day #76 in Epidemic Central

After work, I walked through Greenwood Cemetery again to get a little perspective. I needed it. By 4pm today, I had this overwhelming sense of futility. As if no matter what I did - it did not matter. Nothing I did mattered - I was merely pushing rocks up a cliff. I stared bleakly out my window. Hard to focus on work related activities, hard to think.

I did manage to get some work done but not a lot, which means tomorrow will be busy or the day after that. My shoulders ached. And I've not been sleeping well. Outside the clouds roll in and out of the sky, and the breeze ruffles the leaves, although it is still now, and quiet, twilight moving slowly to dusk as the sun dips out of sight in the horizon and the light slowly fades from the night sky.

Online...I've read the stories of last night's protests across our country, our world. And a discernible pattern begins to emerge - the enemy is organized. They've sent people to infiltrate the peaceful protests to sew anarchy and chaos. Carol, a friend of mine (the belly dancer, Doctor Who addict, and IT networker), reported live from the protest in Brooklyn. ( Read more... )

At noon, the Governor came on - and what he said had me sitting upright with rapt attention. ( Read more... )

And I realized as I meandered through Greenwood Cemetery and these long days on my own...that I'm not alone. Every where I went in the Cemetery, I stumbled upon people. Various shapes and sizes of people. Some sitting on the grass talking on a phone, a child playing among the tombstones, a woman and man chatting...granted I was alone for long periods of time, but eventually I stumbled upon people, glorious, frustrating, kind and weary people.





I got an emergency alert on my phone that a CityWide Curfew" has been put in place from 11 pm to 5 am for New York City. Essential workers are exempt. It should be noted that no curfew was put in place during the lock-down, and we are due to start opening up next week. People stayed in and home during the lock-down. They don't know if the mob protests have spread the virus or not. Most people wore masks and social distanced, also most were under the age of 55-60.

And then I popped on line and read a long post from my cousin, a veteran, who stated that this war can't be won by raging impotently on social media. And posting political views.

This is what my cousin posted:
( Read more... )

And it is an echo of what the Governor of New York stated today - "The reason we were able to climb off this mountain and contain this virus is you, the people. Not leaders. You. The people. The people lead, leaders follow. You have to set the course. The leaders will race after you to catch up."

(no subject)

Here's tonight's email from the New York Governor...

( basically you are doing a great job but we're giving you a curfew for your own protection )

Tonight's "Deep Breath Moment": The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP) recently banded peregrine falcon chicks on the Verrazzano-Narrows and Marine Parkway bridges. As part of a cooperative effort between the DEP and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, chicks are banded with both a metal federal band with a serial number and a color-coded band to make it easier to identify the birds by sight. By the 1960s and '70s, the peregrine falcon had vanished from the East Coast; the species has recovered thanks to decades of conservation efforts.

While the deatht toll and the number of cases in NY is steadily declining it is increasing elsewhere.

The COVID MAP OF DOOM has these numbers..
( Read more... )

It's not done with us yet - but it's not increasing as fast as it was, and the numbers are on the decline. So good news, I guess. No clue what the protests mean.

The Anger Regarding the Police Killings and Protests Explained in Charts. Although I've been fighting this for years, so I already knew it. I keep wishing it would be over.
That's one of the main reasons I'm against the death penalty - it's racist, state sanctioned murder. White serial killers never get, no it's usually black men put in prison for felony murder - such as shooting in a bank robbery or the shooting of a cop or a domestic dispute or the robbery of a gas station.

The Lost art of breathing can impact sleep and resilience - knew most of this, but I didn't realize how important it is to breath through the nose and limit congestion.

This is actually kind of interesting, albeit not all that surprising...
This is how deeply the Coronavirus changed our behavior around the world
Basically - people are buying more from liquor stores than every before. (I get it - I started buying spiked seltzer and wine from Foodkick. Type 2 Diabetes - pffibble. )

Oh, cousin responded to my statement in the last post - "you already to a lot, thank you for your service. It's the little things that count." I don't feel like I do that much - I feel like I'm pushing a stone up a hill.

Me: I feel guilty for not protesting.
Mother: Why? You are NOT a protestor.
Me: But -
Mother: Do not make me worry about you. Stay home. You are donating, you are doing enough.
Me: Well, considering I'm afraid of walking around the park by myself at the moment, let alone with a crowd of fifty to a thousand people - I don't think it's going to be a problem. I wish I had more money. I could barely give anything. Still have to make a pledge to the damn church, and I had to spend a lot on a damn desk chair.

Me: I think I should look into getting a bike.
Mother: I do not want you anywhere near a bike. You are not in your twenties, and you'll hit some uneven road and get yourself injured severely.
You also haven't ridden one in twenty years.

ME to Wales - I tell my mother I'm thinking of getting a bike just to torture her.

Meanwhile mother tortures me by informing me that she is going to the bank and supermarket tomorrow.

Me: I thought you already went to the bank.
Mother: No, we avoided it.
Me: Are you opened up now?
Mother: No.
ME: Maybe you should ask them first -
Mother: No, I don't need to ask anyone anything. Other people do it all the time. I do not see why I can't.
Me:Don't make me worry about you.
Mother: I'll be fine - I'll wear a mask.