Suburbia

You know, while we live in a suburb of downtown Cleveland, it's not suburbia. 

I'd say the majority of homes in our 'hood are century homes. Farther out there is the plethora of single story houses, ranch houses, Brady Bunch looking houses from the 50s to early 70s. 

Months ago, while looking for a place to walk Shep, I told 710 about a place I had run that had trails etc. While I knew - or thought I knew - the route, each residential street I ran to get to said trails looked familiar, because there were no distinguishing features. We never found the place.  I never found it. 

Fast forward like 8 months (from running, not the aborted hike), and yesterday here we were back at this place to put in 6 or 8 miles. I was going 8. I thought we were supposed to go 10, but I was wrong. 

I should mention, overnight we got 2-3" of snow and it was bitter cold. 21° without the wind, which was easily 15-20 mph. As the run started at 08:00, None of the streets, or highways were touched.  Yayyyy. I still got there with 15 minutes to spare. 

"Are those going to keep you warm?" said a women pointing to my knit gloves?  "No, but neither do the pair I have that I paid $70, and I don't care if I lose these or not".  And it's true, the expensive REI, Dicks, NorthFace stuff still leaves my hands not just cold, but PAINFUL. So a pack of 8 sets of knit gloves for $12 is fine with me.  .....and I can peel them off and throw them away during a race when it warms up, if needed. I have found no glove that works effectively under 40°F. 

So off we went. 

I was doing really well......considering the sloppiness and slipperiness of the roads and trail. My shoes and socks were soaked before the first mile completed. No bother.  The good runners were out ahead of me, but not by much. The 6 milers and a few 8 milers trailed me. 

But to get to those trails, the labyrinth of streets is confounding. But I was running with folks who seemed to know the way. Great for the way out. 

However, at the turn, I was a mile ahead of the people behind me, and a half mile behind the folks ahead. Once off the trail and back in the neighborhood every street looked the same. I honestly couldn't tell which ones we had come in on. Or exactly how to get back. This is when a Garmin probably comes in handy, or having cell service on your Apple Watch. I had neither. 

How bad could it be? I pondered, as I selected a route / road.  Pretty bad, it turns out.

I ran two miles OUT of my way to somewhat get back. At the 10 mile mark, I ran into another from our group. He's not just handsome, but a great great runner, but he slowed down to run with me. He seemed to know the way. 

Seemed to. 

He didn't. Quentin took us another half-mile out of our way, which meant another mile total. The last mile was pure sleet right in our faces with a very steady headwind. He was asking me questions I could not answer, not because I didn't have answers, because my faces was frozen. It was like I had a stroke and barely able to form words. My beard was all ice.  Yayy. 

So my 8 mile run became an 11 mile run. Fudge. 

Oddly - or not - the most treacherous part of the outing was walking from the stopping place to my car. 200 yards, in which I slipped and almost fell four times!

I stopped to get a warm beverage and pulled out my phone to see that 710 had texted he had tested positive for Covid. He felt crappy Friday (and before I left yesterday). I had had nasal drainage down the right side of my throat earlier in the week but had a random cough, which was not inconsistent with allergies, or even asthma (for the cough part). But I had a Covid test laid out for me once I got home. 

Four years into Covid and this is the first time either of us had tested positive. Even though I took three negative tests last summer, I still think I had it then. But now it's "official".  I tested positive along with 710.

I don't feel bad. Not Covid horror story bad. Not 710 bad. 

I ran 11 miles in the freezing cold on snow, slush and ice with Covid. I think I can "officially" call myself a "runner" now. 

But I still loathe suburbia. 

Song by: Pet Shop Boys

Stuffy

I still feel like death warmed up. 

I mean, I'm assuming I will when you read this. I feel this way when I draft it. 

Friday night, I eventually moved to the downstairs couch to "sleep". Shep kept me company, which was adorable. But he actually slept. I tossed. I turned. I tried not to drown in my own snot. .

As predicted, a 13 mile run did not happen. I tried to nap in the a.m., but it had the same results as the night before. 

We took Shep out, as we are wont to do, yesterday for lunch and a park walk, but he wasn't feeling it and neither was I.  As we went for food though, I had (and still have) a strange metallic taste in my mouth. It's not good. No matter how much I drink, it does not dissipate.  Bother. 

What had me a little worried was on the way home. 710 smelled skunk. Me? I smelled nothing. 

Now, at best, I have a bad bad bad sense of smell, but skunk is one of those things that permeates my olfactory senses. He tried to play it off like it was a quick whiff, but that's not usually true of skunk. Pot, maybe. Didn't smell that either. 

I meant to go home and smell our basil, since I can always smell that, but I finally ran out of steam and fell asleep for a few hours on the back patio. While prepping dinner, I did attempt to smell the basil.  Nothing. 

Fuck. 

710 smelled it and said it had aroma, so double fuck. Upstairs to our Rx cupboard and pulled out one of Pappy Joe's free Covid testing kits. 

In my best Chandler Bing delivery - could there be more directions?  

Srsly, I've had fewer ones for me to assemble the IKEA Slfiengiieighyr. 

As you can see, the test is Negativo.   BTW, why do instructions only come in English and Spanish? I get the box couldn't contain more 8x11 fold-ups, but still..........

710 concludes, I can't smell or taste anything because of my nose. 

There will be no running or gym for me tomorrow. We will reconsider Monday on Monday. 

I'm glad I'm "only" exposing the household to a cold and not to Covid. I don't want to be "that guy". 

Oh, to all expecting a Jimmy Buffet post..........keep waiting. But I suggest not holding your breath. 

Song by: Stan Getz

Breathe (in the Air)

Three years. One month. Nine days. 

That is how long we've been wearing masks at work. Elsewhere too, but I'm taking work. 

But who's counting? 

As of this last Monday, in non-patient care areas, they are no longer required, per CDC guidelines. 

I honestly don't know how I feel about it. 

I enter and exit through the basement of the hospital, where there is very little patient traffic, so I will say, I have worn the mask into work. However, if I'm out and about in the hospital, I slap one one. It feels a little weird to be without one. 

While it's only been a few days, I'd say about 50% of the folks are still wearing them. Maybe they don't. read their emails, maybe they're not feeling well, maybe they're immunocompromised. Maybe it's just a 3 year, 1 month and 9 day habit. 

Oddly, this change comes with an announcement of yet another booster for Spring. Those over 65 can now get it and in two months, those who are immunocompromised. 

It seems like mixed messages. 

Oh, and the grocery store took down their lucite barrier between the customer and cashier. 

Small-ish steps. I'll see how my comfort level goes. 

Song by: Pink Floyd

20 Dollar Nose Bleed

Honestly, 27 months in and I took my first Covid test.  

Well.........second. The first was for a pre-op when I had my nose fixed a year and a half ago. This time, it was for possible exposure. 

Ever vigilant, whilst in Chicago, we semi-let our guard down. Since we had almost never been out to eat in the last two years, we met my nephew for dinner and I wasn't thinking. They asked for proof of vaccination. 

I didn't have my card. 710 did. But I hopped onto my electronic medical record and could show proof that way. I was cool. And we were eating outside, so we felt somewhat safe(r). 

The next evening, we had dinner with my friend Doug and his husband. Everyone but said husband had been boosted x 2.  Erik has not met the age parameter to get the second booster - so good for Doug for landing a "younger" man. 

I gave both a quick kiss upon arrival. 710 had never met Erik so they just exchanged greetings. We had a lovely evening (though the second worst pizza I have ever had in my life, and that includes the from the box Chef Boyardee shit). And we ate and socialized outside at their residence. 

We ended the evening somewhat short, as they were flying to London the next day. 

Cut to two days later, I get a text from the UK. Upon entry,  tested positive for Covid. 

Fuck.  x 3. 

I texted 710 to let him know. He took it better than expected. Doug and Erik felt terrible, but my take again was:  we've made it 27 months. I took it as a when, not if, situation. 

But we tested when I got home. It wasn't great, but it wasn't horrible. I'm not a fan of things up my nose - boogers included. 

15 minutes later..........

It says I'm negative, though they don't make it easy to read. 

C vs T.  I suppose the FOUR PAGE  INSTRUCTIONS tell you what that means, but all I had to know was C does not = Covid.  It means it's negative.

710 was negative as well. 

I texted Doug yesterday morning (the night before would have been rude, as it was the middle of the night in the UK).  He and Erik were very relieved they had not passed it along to us - as they Erik felt awful about the prospet.  I assured them ill feeling from something like that was never a concern. 

Thanks to Pappy Joe, we used two of our free home tests. 

Song by: Fall Out Boy

Fourth Time Around

Fourth time is a charm ? 

It's been 7 months and four days since my last Covid booster, but hey, who's counting?   

Oh that's right - me!

Getting the booster was not easy. There doesn't seem to be the eminent threat of catastrophe if it doesn't happen like right now! And because of that, the availability and staffing just aren't there. 

You'd think working at a healthcare facility, they'd be giving them out like they did doses #1-3, yet this does not seem to be the case. Bother. 

So for the last two weeks I've been trying to get boosted. 

CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid. Allegedly Wal*Mart had them, but I just refuse to do that.  ....even if it means saving my own life, or someone close to me. 

Without a doubt, Rite Aid has the best scheduling site. By far.  CVS is ok at best. Walgreens SUCKED.  ....and I used to work from them.  Our grocery store chain that has in-store pharmacies takes walk-ins, so they claim, but I got turned away there because they were "too busy". 

Rite Aid is the place I eventually got scheduled, as they had times and days (eventually) that worked for my schedule and that actually had Moderna (eventually). 

Yesterday at I showed up for my 16:40 appointment at 16:30, only for them to take me at 16:50.  Bother!

It was quick. It was painless.  .....at least as I write this at 20:55. 

I took ibuprofen the second I got back into the car and I'll take it again right before bed time. 

Dose 1 had my arm aching, but that was it.  Dose 2 had me achy, and then fever / chills for about 4-6 hours and a headache the next day, but that was it.  Dose 3 was just like 1.  So, I expect arm ache from this last one.  710 got his last week and was lethargic for a few days afterwards. 

My idea is to power through tomorrow should I not feel great. But I can work from home if needed. If it happens to be like Dose 2, those symptoms came 12 hours after the shot, which means this would hit after I leave for the gym.  THAT, would be a bother. 

This makes four shots in 14.5 months. I'm not at all bothered by that. Say what you will, I didn't get Covid. But I also wear / wore masks most everywhere, didn't go out and do anything and washed my hands a fuck of a lot. 

So far. So good.  Let's hope it stays that way. 

Song by: Bob Dylan

Going Up

I don't even know what to do about this number. 

The day - and days - before have been in the 19k-21k range. And by days, I mean weeks. And those had all been record highs. 

So a one day jump that doubles that highest (or previous highest) number just boggles my mind. 

I suppose BLOTUS was right. If people stop getting tested, the number would stop rising and Covid cases would drop. 

We keep hearing that "we've" peaked in numbers. This tells me we might be near there, but no, "we" are not there. 

Our hospitals are still overcrowded. Non essential surgeries are still on pause. We even have the Ohio National Guard helping with staffing. As you know, Ohio and the National Guard haven't had the best results in the past. Ask Kent State. 

Song by: Echo & the Bunnymen

Put it On

I won't lie - there are some times I love being a dick. 

Two days ago I was at Massage Envy to buy two gift certificates. Only one other person in the lobby besides me. And of course, two Envy workers. 

Immediately I was annoyed because my gift certificate consultant just started out with the up-sell.  ANNOYING. 

But I was more annoyed with the other customer. First, on her phone while trying to pick options and times for her next massage. As it would turn out she hadn't even done her massage for this visit yet. I guess the up-sell works for some people. 

She would not. stop. talking. And all the while: maskless. Her voice had to fill the void at a place where, in theory, people come to relax and destress - and my levels were on the rise

As they were about to complete my transaction, I could not help but overhear here (she was 5' from me) about as the holidays got closer, she had taken a covid test and how she stood there waiting hoping and hoping and hoping it would be negative..............and it was, she said with a certain amount of glee and self satisfaction.  

My rep was handing me my cards and I just turned to the other customer and go, "and yet, here you are, without a mask - putting everyone at risk. Bravo." 

It wasn't even the look on her face. It was the Massage Envy rep (who was masked) that got me. It wasn't one of, 'yay, thank you'.  It was one of, 'holy fuck.......service recovery'.  She hustled the customer into the back for her morning rub down. 

I'm guessing - and hoping - she was tense as fuck by the time she lay nekkid face down on that table. 

I won't lie - I was proud of me. 

Song by: Bob Marley & the Wailers

Help

 I suppose, had this appeared in the Sunday paper earlier, it could have been my Ad of the Month. 

This was a full page ad in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.  I didn't hit space-space-space-space in that top part. "Help" is the overriding message of the ad.  Below the fold (I mean, if I had an actual physical paper) would have the text. 

The Omicron variant has taken three weeks to do what the Delta variant took four months. Depending on where you live, Omicron is 70-90% of all Covid cases. Just think how that replicated that quickly - and how fucked we are. 

I have a number of staff out with the virus. I have had more out in the last 3-4 weeks than the last 19 months combined. 

Last week, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Indiana made up more than 50% of the entire countries cases of hospitalized Covid admissions. Think about that. 

And according to the NYT Covid Tracker - Cuyahoga County, my county, has the nations third highest Covid cases per 100,000 population.  Third highest........in the U.S.  And I live here. And work where we treat these. 

Honestly, the fact that I have not gotten Covid is just staggering to me. 

Now is really the time you don't want it - not that you ever did.  Nurse burn-out is a real thing. Daily - DAILY - at the end of shifts, we have nurses quitting. Not a two week notice. Just leaving. Even if there was a bed in the hospital, it is harder and harder to staff. No one to start your IV, get your meds of snag you a bedpan. Forget checking your vent. 

Every hospital in the city has stopped non-essential surgeries and procedures. If you actually need an ICU bed for something not Covid related, you're kind of fucked..........and kind of dead. 

So, holidays in our house are cancelled.  

I mean, we don't really do much anyways. But dinner with my sister and her family was semi-planned, but we just can't risk it - nor should they, so we 86'd it. 

So anyway - if you haven't been vaccinated - GET ON IT.  NOW. 

HELP. 

Song by: the Beatles

Lies

Poor "straight" Aaron Rodgers. Caught in another probable lie. 

I'm not saying he's gay, I'm just saying he had a public tiff with a male roommate. You know, because many multi-millionaire professional athletes need someone with whom to split the rent. 

I have a feeling the break-up was over, "hey, did you eat my last yogurt?!  I was SAVING that!"

No, now he's having a hissy because he's been found to have publicly lied about having gotten the Covid vaccine.  

What a nancy-boy. It's no wonder he's a "packer".  Allegedly. 

Somehow he's mad at the "woke mob". He's made at whomever leaked the information. He's mad at the press for reporting it. Perhaps the person he should be mad at it right in the mirror.

Of course, the funniest thing about this shit is his admission that he went to Joe Rogan - a failed actor and now a flaky radio show guy - for advice on where / how to get treated for Covid.....for which he's tested positive. If memory serves me well - and it does - Rogan doesn't have a medical degree. Probably not a high school one either. 

But Aaron is a guy who has also takes (not past tense) ivermectin. So...........yeah. 

Oh, and his rationale is that he wants to be a father someday and you can't do that with the vaccine due to fertility issues. If that's an issue, then jerk off into a cup for later. But in reality, butt-babies aren't real things anyway, Arron!

Rodgers has at least one sponsor  - a health care system! - drop him. Honestly, I hope there are more. Though I don't know who normally hires professional rumoured gay football players as their spokesperson. Yeah, the company and Rodgers put out a joint statement saying they'd end their agreement, which they just signed a four year extension. I'm pretty sure Aaron didn't have a say in this termination. 

I have a feeling, the folks at Jeopardy are thinking they dodged a bullet not picking this guy as their new host. It'd be the second guy they'd have to fire in as many months. 

Song by: the Mavericks

Another Day

For the record - as if the image didn't already tell you all you needed to know - I'm still Cranky. 

I gotta be semi-honest, Pappy Joe's vaccine mandate isn't sitting well with me either. 

You know I'm not an anti-vaxxer or anything. But you also know that this is going to the courts, but there will also be a caveat for extension after extension. So, like most of what else he's done in his almost first year has been worthless. Or at least, meaningless. 

On paper, it sounds good, but when the rubber hits the road (yes, two cliches in one sentence!) it is mostly showboating.  If he thinks there is a labor and supply chain issue now (and he has!), I don't see this helping any of those two. The idea for folks to get vaxx'd is correct, the approach is wrong. 

So far, there has been no substance to this administration. He's showing he's not BLOTUS, but that isn't working for him in pushing any agenda items forward. He has a weak-ass Congress, yet both are, in theory, controlled by the dems, but they're not.....at all.  

Off cycle elections were a bust and it looks horrible for mid-terms next year. If you think Pappy Joe is stalled in the water right now............just wait. 

Song by: Paul & Linda McCartney

Regret

Twice vaccinated Colin Powell died yesterday of Covid-19. 

Boo. Hoo, 

Sorry.  Boo-fucking-hoo. 

My take: two down, like 18 more to go. 

Rumsfeld was the first. Now Powell.  C'mon Cheney, Bush, Rice, Scooter and the fucking rest of you. You are all war criminals. 

The image you see is Powell knowingly lying to the UN about imaginary weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. 

Depending on which new agency or governing body you believe, the Iraq dead (civilian and military) range anywhere from 109,032 to 645,965. 

U.S. deaths are at about 4,431 and another 31,994 injured. 

.....all for a lie.  Oh, and oil.  

Powell claims...well, claimed.....past tense, now, he 'regrets' making a case for the Iraq War. He called it a 'blot' on his record. 

Jesus. Fucking. Christ. 

Wrecking dad's car when you're underage drinking is a 'blot'. Knowingly leading soldiers - whom you used to be in charge of as Joint Chief of Staff - to their death is more than a fucking 'blot'.  The killing of 110,000 (or more!) is your fucking ticket to Hell. 

Powell's faux apologies always rang hollow to me. Of course, he had nothing to fear. There was no tribunal for him or anyone in Shrub's administration. There would be no dishonorable anything. No trial. No jail time. No hanging.  But there should have been. 

I don't give half a fuck if Powell tried to peal himself away from his precious GOP that was tainted with BLOTUS. A war criminal trying to cast dispersions at a traitorous president was downright laughable. BLOTUS - I hate to admit - was right to mock Powell for that as well. 

Covid killed Powell, the reality was, he was 84. I mean..........tick tick tick......

Now the angel of death can come for the rest of them. I won't feel a thing, though I might dance a bit if Cheney bites it.  IF.  I'm not sure he's human to begin with.  And unlike Powell, I'll have no regrets chuckling over their demise. 

btw....the one "good" thing to come out of the Iraq war was this blog. While I didn't hold onto it for a huge length of time, the idea was to use the forum to protest the then soon-to-be start of that war. Ironic I lasted longer than that, but my body count is a LOT less.  It's not zero - just to be clear. 

Song by: the Eurythmics

Signs of Life

First off - what the hell is Nebraska doing right? 

This map - as of yesterday - showed all the Covid hot spots in the U.S. 

It's not the one county area Nevada has goin' on. It's almost the whole frickin' state. 

Either zero people live there, or they've all gotten the vaccine or got their hands on some primo horse dewormer. Either way - good for them. I guess. 

We've all been making fun of Florida - and you know, usually, rightfully so. But fuuuuck. Tennessee - you are all sucky as hell. Kenfucky - you get exactly what you deserve with the leadership you keep re-electing. I have zerrrrro sympathy for any of you. 

As much as the alt right is going to burn this country down in flames - Pappy Joe isn't wrong about the vaccination mandate. 

Make no mistake - the right WILL burn this country down with that mandate too. 

This will force the two of the three major hospital systems in the CLE to make sure their workers are immunized. The third one has already required this.  The two others were afraid staff (read: nurses) would leave - and they still might, but they'll have much fewer place in which they can be employed elsewhere. 

It would be nice if any of this happened, or enough so that it could make a difference in the severity of the illness to give some relief to this current way of life. I see ironic anti-vaxx'ing lawsuits from the same group that are proponents of 'right to life'. 

I have said it before, if these guys want to fight it and keep dying, I'm ok with it.  ....but the response is not going to be pretty. 

Oh - and this Pappy Joe proclamation totally diverts his Afghanistan fuck up. 

Song by: Arcade Fire

Get Together

We have been in our "new" house 17 months. We had our first gathering last night. 

Gathering might be a strong word, but friends David and James came over for dinner. Carry-out, actually, as some people are still being cautious about who touches what and how. I totally get it. 

While I'm happy I didn't have to cook, I'd have gladly done it, but we got to spend a LOT of time with the two. 

As 710 pointed out, usually we see a movie with them and then a quick after-film dinner. This was a four hour eat (well, maybe 35 minutes of eat) and catch-up.  We have not seen them - not really - since February of 2020. They are our closest Cleveland friends and it was weird not to be seeing them. 

As I've mentioned here any number of times, I'm fairly socially inept and this was no different - though with these two, I don't think they cared, though both are fairly socially fluent. But with a 19 month gap, 710 said to me beforehand, "I don't know how to host anymore".  

I'm not sure we ever did, but I think we do ok. And we did ok. 

We had some drinks, though they usually do not. We had some things to sample that were in individual bowls for each person, so no one shared or had to. Dinner was carry-out and the individual chocolate mouse cups were a huge hit.  

Everyone was double-vaxxed and no masks were used, though we all had them. We sat a decent amount apart, so we were mindful but not overly diligent. There were hugs and not just touched elbows. 

It wasn't a spreader event - super or not. No one left with Covid.  Probably. 

I know Delta variant is out there, so we won't do this often or maybe anytime soon, but it was nice to reconnect. It felt human. 

But it was the catch-up.  We missed an election cycle. We have missed the dozen movies we would have seen with them. We missed job changes, life changes, family changes. It took four hours to catch up. Maybe longer, but we cut it at four. I mean, I'm writing this after my normal bedtime because they left after my normal bedtime.

But at least I'll go to bed content. 

Song by: Madonna

Poison

As if the courts aren't already deciding what a woman can (well, really what they can't) do with their body, now they are moving on to what hospitals and doctors should do. 

Texas, which I still cannot deal with at this point in time, isn't the only fuck up state in the union. Ohio is right there too. 

In West Chester, which unsurprisingly in the southern part of the state - a stone's throw away from Kentucky, y'all - a judge has ruled that a hospital ICU must (yes.......MUST!) give a Covid patient Ivermectin. 

Yes. A woman got a prescription from a doctor (allegedly not an animal one!) and now a judge is forcing the hospital to give it to the patient, who is on a ventilator. 

The order is to treat the patient with it for three weeks, because it is requested by his wife - - - who is not a medical or veterinary expert {shocking}.

Poison Centers across the country are spiking with calls regarding people who have taken it.  Like. I. Care.  This, people, is how Natural Selection works. And why it works.  Let. Them. Die.   Be it by not vaxxing or taking livestock medication. I really don't care.  Not. At. All. 

Yet this is a no win for the hospital and / or healthcare. Should he live (doubtful), it won't be due to Ivermectin - not that you'll be able to tell the Yokel Republic that. If he dies - dollars to doughnuts the family sues the hospital for administering a drug that the FDA has not approved.  Or because they didn't give the drug soon enough. 

At this point, I hope the drug makes it a horrible, painful death that the wife has to watch.

Of course, she might just be in it for the insurance pay-out. 

Still - the courts are making medical decisions - and not just end of life kind of things. This isn't "to pull the plug on a patient who has been brain dead for 8 years".  They are making medical / treatment decisions on something about which they know nothing. You can't even have expert witnesses in this - as this is not a drug for humans, let alone tested on them. There is zero data on this and zero "experts" for the pro side. 

I don't know the repercussions for the hospital if they refuse to comply. Personally, I would transfer that patient out of there quick as fuck. But of course, they'd be sued - live or die. 

Song by: Bell Biv DeVoe

O Children

There was a news item yesterday saying it is possible / probable that 90% of school-aged children could have Covid before the end of the first semester of school. 

It sounds heartless for me to say this - but say it I will:  

I don't care if they get it.  I don't even care should they perish. 

If parents, teachers, elected officials (local, state, federal) want to fight people on the need to get vaccines and / or wear masks  as a "personal choice", then fuck it - I say, "let 'em crash".  All of them. 

Sure, I feel bad for the kids, but just as grandparents were a write-off to the same elected officials in the first few surges, kids can be just as expendable this go round, right? 

Honestly, I want these parents to hurt. And all these who are just digging their heels into the ground. 

Yeah yeah - I'm sure there are the parents who are doing all the right things. Then vaccinate those kids, if you can, and make them wear a mask at school - even if the other snot-nosed shitheads are not. Or home school them. 

Honestly, DeSantis and Co. down in Florida are the worst of the worst and just like BLOTUS, nothing is sticking to this guy. Maybe a few hundred kids lives on his hands will. And their teachers. 

I really don't understand the teacher's unions. I haven't heard a peep from them, but why are these teachers not striking?  Why are they just sitting there and taking the potential for a deadly respiratory disease?  If the districts all band together, what the fuck is the state actually going to do?  Fire every single teacher? They'er already severely short staffed. 

So, if the state and local governments want to play g-d, that's fine. They just get to deal with the fall-out. 

I hope. 

Song by: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

Delta Machine

20,000 x 4. 

That is 80,000 new cases of the Covid Variant D in four days. More than 20,000 each of those consecutive four days. In the U.S. 

We are back to May 2021 numbers. Extrapolate that, at that rate, for a month if you will. Should this continue - that's about 620,000 new cases. That can't be good. 

Vaccination rates have plateaued long ago. BLOTUS states are extremely low. There is even a map to say that the states Biden won have the best vaccination 

Masks are off - at least in Ohio.  Everything is totally opened - at least in Ohio. 

What could go wrong?

We still haven't ventured out much, save for me in Provincetown. We still haven't seen local friends, gone to a restaurant or movie. I still don't feel the need and wonder if 16 months of self-isolating has led to a what time is left of isolating. 

Now, according to Pfizer and Moderna (maybe J&J?), the vaccines should work against the Delta variant, but I think that isn't quiet as well known. And honestly, as quickly as this variant came about - and is now the dominant disease - it doesn't like it takes much to morph this virus. 

I'm waiting to see when we really start to backtrack. I think getting people to re-mask and re-shutting down businesses are gone. That barn door is open and it was hard enough for compliance the first time. I still mask in stores and going in and out of work. I'm honestly finding it weirder not to mask. 

We will see what the next few weeks bring. 

Song by: Depeche Mode

Take it Off

It's clearly not back to normal - whatever that might be. Or mean. 

Starting this week, in certain parts of the hospitals and at certain meetings, if you're double vaccinated, you do not have to wear a mask. 

Clearly, patient care areas are out. And any and all exits and entrances are too. 

I can already unmask in my office, because it's my office and no one else is in there. But anywhere else I've been going, I mask up. 

The floor on which I work is non-patient care, and there is still a high hybrid of work from home, so at any given time there are usually a dozen of less folks on the entire floor.  On my wing? Maybe three, including myself. 

Still, I have always worn a mask, and currently still do. Though yesterday, I ventured to the Wizz Palace, which is directly across from me - and I didn't don a mask. Granted, I was the only one on my wing, but still I thought it quite daring. 

Ironically - or not - one of the people who works for me and is seemingly always masked called me today to say she has Strep Throat. 

We will see how this goes. I expect people to either outwardly abuse this right or absent-mindedly do the wrong thing at the wrong time in the wrong place. Either way, I think I'll be good. 

Song by: the Donnas

Saved

7-2. 

That was the SCOTUS vote to keep the ACA.  .....for the third time. 

And better yet: it was on a thrice seated BLOTUS SCOTUS. 

....and two of three of his appointees voted with the majority. 

SUCK. ON. THAT. you Obama-hating BLOTUS. 

Just for the record - we are still waiting for BLOTUS' "it's gonna be great" healthcare plan. 

Maybe he did enact it with COVID. And his secret Death Panels killed 600,000. That probably was his health plan. 

Song by: Bauhaus

New Age

This past Sunday, I tried a little experiment. 

It used to be when 710 went to the office, he'd hit the grocery store every Tuesday on his way home. But that was 15 months ago. 

As he has almost strictly working from home and I had been mostly going into the office, we thought it wise for me to take over that duty. No reason to expose both of us to outside germs and possible death. 

So every Sunday morning, I slog off to the grocery store to pick up provisions. And I was going to the fancy store too - because they truly limited how many people could come in - and sometimes I'd have to wait outside in the freezing cold for 20 minutes for my turn. I was good with it. 

You'll be axing why not delivery or curbside pick-up, etc.  For one, I'm not a planner that way. You had to order sometimes days or a week ahead of time, as the demand was so great. And honestly, no one was picking out my produce but me - let alone their substitutions for things. 

But now, 15 months later, and even though the requirements for masks has been lifted in Ohio, I had not gone anywhere, other than dog walks, without one.

.....until last Sunday. 

I got to the parking lot and made a conscious decision to not wear a mask in the store. 

I won't lie - it felt freak as fuck. It felt wrong. It felt weird. 

And save for the store staff, I think I only passed four shoppers who were wearing them. So then I felt guilty for not wearing one. 

I don't know yet what the right balance is for having one or not. Oddly, I had to stop at a second store because the first one didn't have something 710 wanted.  I went in with a mask and was immediately calmer. 

For the foreseeable future, masks will stay I think. I have to wear one at work, and that just might be the way work is from now on. I mean, i LOVED not getting a cold that lasts 10 days during this last year. Flu shot or not, I think Blobby will be wearing a mask during flu season. 

At least that's my thought right now. 

Song by: Rachel Sweet

Goin' Back

Masks off. 

Starting today, Ohio is abandoning masks............if you're fully vaccinated. 

LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Yes, by all means, let's take people at their word. 

Businesses and schools may still require them, soooooooo.....that should all go well.  When mandatory, people were having melt downs in establishments about wearing them.  Now that the governor says they don't unless................well, I'm sure that won't create any animosity at all. 

It's going to be a shit show. 

Our closest grocery store has changed their verbiage to 'consider wearing a mask inside'. Yeahhhh.....that's gonna do it. 

I am fully vaccinated and as of now, I have no intention of going into a store or crowded area without a mask. If people want to mock me, I have two middle fingers I'd be happy to show them. Oddly, they won't see their mocking as an affront, but my less than subtle non-verbal will tick them off. 

“Ohioans have done a great job during the pandemic", touts our governor. 

Always the politician that douche is. I would think the 19,681 deaths and the 1,102,556 would tell another story on our greatness.  We have the 10th most deaths by state in the U.S.  We are not the 10th largest state by a long shot. 

But all sporting events will be at full capacity, along with bars and restaurants. And movies. And yet, I'm not ready for any of these, mostly because I think most people are morons. 

Only 4.6 million folks  are vaccinated in Ohio. People are stupid and reckless, so I suspect that come Fall, we will all be back to the masks.........except I fear there is no going back. I fear we're just not ready.  Even with increase in deaths. 

As work goes, we will still have masking in place.  Actually, I'm ok with that. 

Song by: Neil Young