Exile on Corona Street, Day 74 (Finalem Edition)

Yesterday, my county of residence in Pennsylvania, Luzerne, moves to what they are calling "yellow" status, meaning that the most stringent of the COVID-19 precautions are being eased.  Among other things, outside dining at restaurants will be allowed.  For the record, I'll note that I hate eating outside.  Anyway, while some things will not be allowed until the next status (green) is reached, such as hair-cutting places, it's good to know that progress is being made.  I know we are not out of the woods yet when it comes to this whole nasty business, and things will likely get bad again, it's worth celebrating the fact that at least some of the prior normal will be returning.

None of the above is intended to diminish what's happened by the way.  With over (at least) 100,000 casualties from COVID-19, it's hard to comprehend the damage all of this has done to our collective selves.  Like a deep physical wound, there will be scar tissue even after this has healed.  One of the worst scars will be the realization that, for some folks at least, self-interest supersedes everything else, including caring for others.  I refer specifically to those who continue to refuse to wear masks while out in public.  No doubt some of those folks call themselves Christians, full well forgetting the following:

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

(Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 22, verses 36 to 40)

It's worth noting that there is no carve-out to the above for "unless I feel like it infringes on my personal sense of freedom".  I got to see this on full display at the supermarket a few days ago, when a shopper complained loudly about having to wear a face mask.  I wonder if that same "gentleman" also complained about his "personal freedom" being taken away because he was also required to wear a shirt and shoes while in the store?

As you can probably tell, I have...

...sympathy for folks such as this. 

In any event, here's to the hope that some of those who lost their jobs find new work and those who are suffering from depression and other illnesses resulting from the lock-down begin to find relief.  Let's also continue to be careful out there.

Exile on Corona Street, Day 64 (In Memoriam Edition)

Here's a basic & a timely lesson in Science:
Let's suppose, very unfortunately, that your doctor diagnoses you with having cancer.  Let's also suppose that you have unlimited financial resources.  Based on those unlimited resources, you are able to see 99 other doctors for a second (and third...up to 99th) opinion.  In all of those 100 diagnoses, 98 of the doctors said that you do, in fact, have cancer.  Two doctors, one of whom is not a specialist, by the way, said that you do not have cancer.  The question is this:  At the end of all of this, do you now think that you have cancer and will you seek out appropriate treatment?

Science is about coming up with a hypothesis (i.e. you have cancer) based upon the preponderance of the evidence (i.e. data from medical test results).  That hypothesis then stands up to scrutiny and is either validated or proven wrong...again...based upon the preponderance of evidence/data.  Not faith.  Not the opinion of a politician or his enablers.

The moral is this:  If in doubt about something related to biology (or climatology, or astronomy, etc.), look for what consensus of what science tells you.  Ignore fringe opinions.  And certainly ignore the opinions of those who are not experts, most especially those who are politicians or media talking heads.

* * * * * *

The lilacs are in bloom, including the two small bushes I planted last Spring.

My mother loved lilacs, and I have to confess that I am rather fond of them myself.  Lilacs are interesting plants in that they are very slow-growing, they can be very long-lived and for the most part pretty damn unimpressive as far as bushes go.  Yet, those two or so weeks in mid-spring when they are in bloom, they are the kings of the plant world.  Sometimes a single grand gesture can make up for a year's worth of mediocrity.

* * * * * *

(My brother in his natural habitat...the kitchen)

Today would have been my brother Chris's 55th birthday.  To honor him on this day, I'll talk about some of his very human qualities.

First, Chris was well-read.  Like me, he wasn't all that interested in fiction (unless you include the border-line fictional writings of Ann Coulter), but he devoured biographies, especially about musicians.  He also loved the poetry of Edgar Allen Poe.  There were more than a few books we traded over the years.  In fact, the last gift I got for Chris was I Am Brian Wilson.

Second, Chris was tidy.  Another trait we had in common, absolutely the result of how we were raised, was the fact that he was very neat and tidy.  Wherever he lived, the place was always well taken care of, including (and especially) the kitchen, where he loved spending time.

Third, Chris loved to cook.  I have little interest in food for the most part; I don't like to cook and my tastes tend to run in the simple/boring.  Chris, on the other hand, just loved cooking and eating different things.  He shared the later with my older brother Rich, who will basically eat just about anything once.  No matter what he was actually doing to earn a living, he almost always had a cooking side-job.

Fourth, Chris was very good-hearted.  While he was quick with what could be some insensitive humor (see "Finally, ..."), in reality, Chris had no time for racists, racism, bigots, or anything else of that same ilk.  This is one of the reasons why I firmly believe that this often-spouted love for some political conservatives was actually more about theater (and cheesing off our mother) than anything else.

Fifth, Chris was the only one of us with any shred of athletic ability.  While I played a little bit of basketball, in reality, I have little in the way of natural athletic ability.  Chris, on the other hand, was both a runner and an amateur boxer.  I could tell when life was getting the better of Chris as he stopped running, something that he truly enjoyed.

Sixth, Chris was very thrifty.  I think part of that was also a reaction who how we were raised.  Regardless, it was sometimes almost comical in its application.  For example, the first new car he ever owned was a completely generic small economy vehicle.  No air conditioning.  Crank windows.  A standard transmission (Chris preferred standards; I can barely drive one).  AM radio.  I don't think the thing even had carpeting.

Seventh, Chris loved music.  His tastes in music generally were more bent towards the blues and jazz, with some Rolling Stones and The Doors thrown in for good measure.  My musical tastes, on the other hand, are nowhere near as diverse as his.

Eighth, Chis was incredibly gregarious.  Chris could literally walk up and talk to just about anyone.  For the most part, that's not something I enjoy doing.  Yes, Chris naturally was outgoing and engaging.  So many times in my life I wish I would have had that talent.

Finally, Chris had a wickedly funny sense of humor.  While we disagreed on many things in life, we absolutely shared a very similar sense of humor, with a good portion of it being (mostly) offensive.  There was this element of shock in humor that he enjoyed, including seeing the reaction of someone to something he would say.  Here are just a few examples:

• The first words he ever said to my (now) wife Chris involved a midget porn joke.
• He's the first person I've ever heard actually using the term GILF.  And no, I will not define that, for the record.
• His ability to perfectly time a wholly inappropriate reference to the movie Children of the Corn.  It didn't matter that he (and myself) were just about the only ones who actually got the joke.  Like most naturally funny people, for the most part, it was all just about entertaining himself...the rest of us where just along for the ride.  He had similar "movie drops" for A Clockwork Orange and The Naked Civil Servant.  

Happy Birthday on the Other Side my brother.

Exile on Corona Street, Day 59 (Squirrels & Greed Edition)

(The above is not open to debate, at least with me)

I don't see ditching the mask any time soon.  In fact, I just ordered something to use while hiking/outdoor work.  Yes, I get that they are a pain in the rear-end.  Do you want to know what would be a bigger pain in the rear-end?  The knowledge that I may have inadvertently contributed to someone else getting sick.  It's the kind of small sacrifice thing that Americans used to be really good at, a long time ago, before the "Greed is Good" era came about.

The squirrels keep eating.

I love having a bird feeder, and surprisingly, I love having squirrels around as well.  Granted that I've already noted the cold war that exists between myself and the squirrels relative to the bird feeder.  The last escalation when the squirrels deployed swing technology to empty the feeder.  What, may you ask, is "swing technology"?  Well, since they can not get to the feeder directly, they figured out that they can get on top of the feeder and swing it enough such that seed spills onto the ground.  They did this so much that the feeder contents completely emptied in about two days (normally the feeder, sans squirrel tech, lasts about a week).  I'm still pondering my response to swing tech.

As a side note, I still feed the squirrels peanuts every morning. They do need a balanced diet after all, and peanuts are high in protein.  Besides, there is nothing quite as adorable as a squirrel picking up a shelled peanut in its little hands.  For the most part, what they do is pick the shelled peanut up, inspect it for a moment, put it in their little squirrel mouth, and then frolic away somewhere to eat the peanut in peace.

Why am I even mentioning this?

I guess I see something of a larger lesson in squirrels.  Like people, they can be a pain in the rear-end, but yet what they do (unlike people, at least sometimes) isn't malicious.  Squirrels raid bird-feeders...that's what they do.  It's in their nature.  In fact, something would be wrong if they weren't continuously trying to raid the bird-feeder.  They don't take the birdseed because they simply want to acquire and horde lots of stuff...unlike people...they do it because they need the food.  There are times when I have a lot more sympathy for the squirrels in my backyard than I do some of the people I read about in the news.  Greed is not, in fact, good.

Exile on Corona Street, Day 53 (Some Good News edition)

The brave new world continues, although, as previously noted, I do see change coming.  I honestly and sincerely hope that we end up in a better place after the worst of this has concluded.  I mean that in the most macro of senses, as I know that for some, the recovery here will be long and painful.  Think of your local small business that has so far been forced to close.

Here's some of the good that I think will come out of the pandemic:

• Work - A greater appreciation for the value of work, particularly on the front-lines of the economy.  Millionaires and billionaires may be insulated from many of the mundane things of life, but they still need people working at their businesses and supplying the food they ultimately have to eat.  These front-line folks need to be better valued by our economy.
• Compassion - COVID-19 doesn't care if you are an immigrant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim a progressive, or conservative.  At a very basic level neither should you or I.  This whole festering mess proves that we need compassion more than ever.  Speaking of compassion, the video from (former) President George W. Bush is a terrific example of it in the public arena. While I didn't agree with many of his policies, I never doubted for a moment that President Bush is a good man.

  

• Truth - While many of our fellow citizens easily get caught up in various conspiracy theories and "latest thing" YouTube videos, in the end, COVID-19 is pretty much gas-lighting proof.  Even if someone does, for reasons that escape me, believe this whole thing is a hoax, sadly (I will add) the point will come when a friend/family member will come down with the disease.  At that point the conversion back to reality will be complete.
• Healthcare - I honestly hope that on the backside of the current situation will come a renewed discussion about the necessity of universal healthcare in the United States.  We can't be the "greatest nation on Earth" while simultaneously rationing healthcare based upon the ability to pay.  We're better than that, and no one should ever have to declare bankruptcy because they couldn't pay their medical bills.  
• Family - Having families "stuck together" isn't necessarily a bad thing.  I see more families walking together in my small town now than I ever did before.  I hope that continues.
• Small Businesses - Another hope is that people will better appreciate the value of small businesses and do everything they can to support them once the economy opens up.  Shareholders don't care about you and me; your family-owned local hardware store does.

Speaking of good news, actor John Krasinski has been putting on a weekly YouTube show called

SGN (Some Good News).  You can find all of them HERE at his YouTube channel.  The latest installment is noted directly below.

Watching these videos gives me hope for the future.

On a more local level (really as local as it can get, seeing as though the following is pretty much all in my head), having more time at home does have it's ups and downs.  Seeing as though this is the "Some Good News" edition of Exile on Corona Street, here's part of what I've been up to.

• Professional Stuff - Not much I want to report here, other than I'm working the whole job search endeavor.  Eventually, there will be some good news.
• Learning - I've been fascinated by the whole Sovereign Citizen movement, so I've spent a few hours learning about the beliefs of this sub-set of our collective culture.  This includes listening to courtroom records of Sovereign Citizens during hearings and trials.  The fervency of these individuals reminds me a lot of Scientology (something else I've studied over the years), all be it without the organizational structure and Hollywood celebrities.  
• Home (Inside) - I finally got around to organizing an odd lot of old documents.  I am, admittedly, something of an organization nut; I have 30 years of my professional life organized into binders, as well as personal financial and other things.  In an odd sort of way it makes me feel better.  I'll also confess to being probably in that 1% of adult males who actually has his own scrapbook.
• Home (Outside) - There has been some planting already, including two honeysuckle plants in our backyard that, in a year or so, will hopefully make the space smell really, really nice.  We're also working on having our rear parking area re-graveled, we're planting a small garden this year and I am finishing the last section of covering for our front porch.  One of these days I need to organize the garage.
• Technology - Given the fact that remote work will likely be a thing for many in the months and years to come, I've upgraded some of my home office technology.  This includes adding a dual-monitor set-up, an HD webcam, and a Blue Nessie microphone, which we will be testing during a Zoom meeting tomorrow morning.  I've also finally gotten around to installing an exterior digital antenna for my office television.  So far I'm only getting 5 local stations (2 WNEP, 3 WVIA), but I've set it up so that I can re-locate it for better reception.  

There are other things going on as well, but at this stage, the above is enough.  Hopefully any and everyone reading this is also using their new-found home time to make some improvements...of their residence, intellect, etc.

On that note, I'm going to call this posting concluded.  Please do be careful out there.

Exile on Corona Street, Day 47 (& the Importance of Mental Health)

Go to this site for the above-referenced support =>  https://www.covidmentalhealthsupport.org/

It's almost hard to fathom the toll that this whole pandemic mess is having; while we are bombarded with stories related to the physical health of COVID-19 patients, it's easy to forget the emotional toll these days are taking on so many.  I hold myself fortunate in that regard, as I am doing decidedly okay.  I will note though that (as James Taylor sang), I've seen my share of "fire and rain".  Regardless, I do think that once we are out of crisis mode, there will be an even greater need for mental health support by many.  Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a real thing, and sometimes it doesn't manifest itself until years after the event.  You can learn more about PTSD by clicking HERE.

Changing gears, well kind of, I was in the shower on Wednesday morning and as I turned on the radio, this song was playing:

I don't consider myself a big fan of the whole Southern Rock genre, but I have been known to enjoy some "Skynyrd" from time to time.  In fact, I've probably heard this particular song a hundred or so times, but it wasn't until Wednesday that I really heard the following lyric:

Oo-oo that smell, 

can't you smell that smell?

Oo-oo that smell, 

the smell of death's around you

Not only did I hear the words, but I understood them, maybe for the first time.  

As I am in the shower, radio blaring (Ms. River was already up, being productive as part of her work from the home gig), that line is sung and almost immediately my mind is brought back to late morning on January 5, 2017.  That's when I went to my brother Chris' house to check up on him, at the urging of his boss at the Office of Mine Safety and Health Administration, who had called me with a worried tone to his voice.  Side note:  When you are on a first-name basis with your brother's boss, well, it's usually not a good sign.  Anyway, I was eating a late breakfast/early lunch at Denny's after having spent an hour or so at the gym.  At the time, I was still looking for a new job with few prospects in the pipeline, so part of my daily routine was getting up, putting my to-do list together for the day, checking the job boards, and heading over to the gym.  Anyway, I headed up to Scranton to check on Chris.

By the way, I'm sure I've recounted most of this story before, so I'll apologize in advance for any redundancy.

Arriving at Chris' house in Scranton (I had already tried to call him multiple times), I knocked on the front door to no avail.  Luckily for me, well if you want to call it "luck", the front door was unlocked.  That led me to open the front door, where three things hit me immediately:

1. I could hear the radio playing upstairs.
2. I was an icebox in the house, even colder inside than out (it was in the teens that morning).
3. "That smell"*.

There was no power in the house, and as a result, there was no heat.  The radio that was playing was apparently running on batteries.  As I called for him to no avail, I almost instinctively went upstairs.  Part of the reason why I didn't look around on the first floor, which I now realize, was the smell...I just wanted to find him, make sure he was okay, and then leave.  The smell was over-powering and hung in the stillness of the cold air like a blanket, smothering everything it came in contact with, including me.

I did find Chris, laying across the top of his bed, face down, his face facing the floor.  I was fortunate in that the room was relatively dark, so I didn't see some of what was in the room, including what Chris went through prior to passing away.  I found out it was a somewhat gruesome scene.  About two weeks later, the Lackawanna County Corner's Office confirmed that he had likely died a minimum least 12 hours beforehand, based in part on the fact that his body had been frozen solid when I came upon him.  There's some contention as to the circumstances of his death; while I had a conversation with a detective in the Scranton Police Department a day or so after finding Chris, noting some suspicions on my part (Chris' daughter had similar suspicions), nothing further was said or done in that area.  Part of me thinks that's just as well.  A saving grace in all of this was the fact that I alone found Chris, saving others the trauma...including having to deal with the "smell of death's around you".

As noted above, I've already written about these events before; details can be found in the archive on this blog (see January 2017).  Part of me feels uneasy recounting these details now, but given the circumstances at hand, I think it's somehow important I speak to my experience in dealing with emotional trauma and post-traumatic stress.  Had someone told me 10 years ago that I would end up personally dealing with PTSD, I would have told them that it was ridiculous, that such things were, for example, what returning soldiers had to face.  It's not.  While I don't dwell on the events of January 5, 2017, very often, just thinking about it in order to write this posting brings back memories of that smell...and the feeling under my fingers of his frozen body as I tried to wake him (that feeling...one of both softness and hardness, is unforgettable).  There isn't a day that goes by though when I don't think about Chris though.  

Bring this monologue full-circle, I know from (the above) experience that there is no shame in seeking help, especially during trying times.  And these are trying times for many.  Trauma isn't something that is easily measured or compared.  I can't say "well my finding my brother dead is worse than you losing your job", mostly because that may not, in fact, be true.  What is true is that we have an absolute obligation to ourselves and our loved ones to take care of our mental health.  We only get one shot at this life thing, and that shot is far too short to ignore problems that can be effectively treated.  

Oh, and lastly, let's be careful out there.

(*) At the time, there were easily had 30+ open cans of honey lager beer in the house, so if I had to describe the "smell of death" it would include a reference to something with alcohol that is sickeningly sweet.

Exile on Corona Street, Day 42

Day 42 of this quasi-documentation, and while I have little hard evidence to support the following point, I'll make it anyway:  It "feels" like things are getting better.  At best, well, maybe I'm right.  At worst?  Well, I'll gladly accept criticism for unwarranted optimism, as the converse is a place I've been to in my past and I have no desire to return.  In the end, we only get so much time here, so it's best to make the very best of it.

The above isn't designed to diminish the craziness that many are experiencing these days.  I was just talking to Ms. Rivers about how much this is wearing on her, being a full-time home-based worker now (considered essential by her employer).  I get that by the way, although my experience as someone in the job market now is certainly different than her experience.  Of course, there is the obvious to that last point, namely that I have more discretion as to how I use my time.  Discretion being a keyword in that last sentence.  Prior to having lost a job, a was under the uneducated opinion that the full-time job of someone who is out of work should be finding new work.  Experience teaches me that this is not entirely true, as (at least for some professions) it's simply not possible to job-search full time unless you are in a very large employment market.  There just isn't that much under your control.  Part of this whole thing of finding a new position is luck, all be it one sufficiently lubricated by hard-work.

As for the specifics of my current situation, well, I'm lucky (there's that word again) in that I have one or two things that might pan out for me.  I take nothing for granted, by the way, and if I do land something over the next two months or so, well, it will be a blessing.

Speaking of blessings, I was thinking yesterday about how these transition times in our lives have a purpose.  They are here to teach us things that can only be fully understood in the past tense.  Sometimes the profundity of a situation would be too much to bear if we even could understand it in real-time.  Best to just try and experience things as they come, and save the analysis for another time.

Being a creature of routine, I enjoy having tasks to perform.  One such temporary tasks came in the form of one the many "Facebook Challenge" whereby you list the 20 albums that have influenced your musical taste the most.  For those not on the Facebooks (i.e. Ms. Rivers, although I'm working on that...), here's my list:

• Day 1 - John Cougar Mellencamp: Scarecrow 
• Day 2 - U2: The Unforgettable Fire 
• Day 3 - Prince and the Revolution:  Purple Rain
• Day 4 - West Side Story:  Soundtrack
• Day 5 - Harry Nilsson:  Greatest Hits
• Day 6 - Genesis:  Duke
• Day 7 - The Beatles:  The While Album
• Day 8 - David Gates:  The Goodbye Girl
• Day 9 - Supertramp:  Breakfast in America
• Day 10 - Tears for Fears:  Songs from the Big Chair
• Day 11 - John Lennon:  Shaved Fish
• Day 12 - ABBA:  The Album
• Day 13 - The Traveling Wilburys:  Volume 1
• Day 14 - The Rolling Stones:  Made in the Shade
• Day 15 - Warren Zevon:  Excitable Boy
• Day 16 - Squeeze:  Greatest Hits
• Day 17 - Blondie:  Parallel Lines
• Day 18 - Paul McCartney and Wings: Band on the Run 
• Day 19 - The Pretenders: Learning to Crawl  
• Day 20 - The Beatles:  Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Bank

I know, that's hardly a diverse list, but it has the benefit of being honest.  I could have listed a few more, but as it stands it's a good list, and I enjoyed putting it together.  What's not on the list?  Heavy Metal...as in I just don't enjoy it.  Classical...there is a lot of some stuff I like, but it's hard to put that into a single album.  Country...outside of Johnny Cash and an occasional dose of Vince Gill, well, it doesn't do much for me.  Rap/Hip-Hop...not my thing (obviously).  Punk...I like *real* punk, as in the Sex Pistols, Iggy and the Stooges, etc.; not what some call punk now, i.e. Green Day.  As a side note, calling Green Day a "Punk" bad is a bit like calling No Doubt a Ska band (it isn't; see The Specials, Madness, etc. for the real thing).  Just my opinion.

On that note, I have a better posting in the works, well as long as you consider more serious to be better.  Time to go.

Oh, and hey, let's be careful out there.

Exile on Corona Street, Day 33

In news of the COVID-19 kind, it appears that we may have misunderstood how many, and how severe, the outbreak has been.  Article links HERE and HERE.  I can, by the way, already hear the anti-science crowd shrieking "See!  So much for your Science!", which in and of itself is a great example of ignorance at its finest.   Science is inherently an iterative process, whereby ideas are continuously tested and theories changed as a result of new information.  As for the absolutes that some folks pedal, well...

This is not to say that this whole thing isn't stressful, and we know that sometimes prolonged stress leads to bad decisions and ideas.  Speaking of stress:

(The ironic part:  I been doing three of these things all along.  Other tips HERE.)

Another way I try to minimize stress in my life:  I keep a "To Do" list, diligently, I might add.  It's right on my desk, directly to the left of my keyboard.  It's important to note that the value of the list, at least for me, isn't in the idea that I get massive amounts of things done, although that's certainly a secondary benefit.  No, the value of the list for me is in the idea that I have a list in the first place.  I have a mind that tends to ramble about here and about, so having a list creates something of an anchor for me, a way to focus a bit more, a way to create order out of what would be some sloth-y chaos.  In essence, the value of the list that it simply exists.  Kind of like a cat 😸.

One thing that I didn't have on my list for the weekend (I tend to have a single list for Saturday and Sunday) was to go through the massive store of old papers I kept in the attic.  It amounted to about three plastic tubs-o-stuff, some of which went back to the mid-'80s.  Since yesterday afternoon was cold, wet and generally not all that Spring-like, I decided to make an ad-hoc addition to my list and tackle the store.  The results?

• Three tubs of storage stuff reduced to one tub of storage stuff.
• Three large garbage bags of shredded paper, badly degraded binders and "why did I ever keep this?" paperwork.
• Three bins of paper to recycle.
• A shredder that was screaming for relief.
• A few surprises (see below) in terms of things I found that I'm going to keep.

Some of this stuff may actually be helpful (i.e. samples of past work), others are just simply nice to have, such as the hand-drawn picture of my old, red, Ford Ranger, courtesy of my (now older) daughters.  Still, others are just neat markers, if you will, of days gone past.  The older we get, the more we have a tendency to forget the richness of our lives in the past (that's a fancy way of saying that we/I forget things).

Philosophy noted it's time to get some other things done before calling it a night.  A kind of/sort of Monday awaits tomorrow.  Just remember, let's be careful out there.

Exile on Corona Street, Day 32

I choose the graphic in part because of the reference to Dr. Levine.  Some of the article commentaries I've read about Dr. Levine has been utterly horrible.  Pro-tip:  Anyone who isn't sure as to what pronoun to use in reference to Dr. Levine can simply say "Dr. Levine".  That's not so hard, now is it?  For the record, she has been doing an outstanding job during the pandemic.

The above noted, time to throw some randomness into the blog-o-sphere.

* * * * *

Music
I have no musical abilities.  I can not sing well at all.  I had Band in junior high school but reading music just didn't seem to work for me; I think that the underlying concepts were just so alien to how my mind works that it was doomed from the start.  The prior three points noted, I love music.  As I've noted in other blog postings over the years, I almost always have kind of tune in my head.  In fact, sometimes these songs are basically a kind of soundtrack to what I am going through at any given time in my life.  As I think about now, well, this is the soundtrack song that's in my head.

The sentiment seems somehow fitting.  

Prognostications
Regardless of when the worst of the pandemic is over, the world will be different than what we had before all of this started.

• Social Distancing - I don't see everyone going back to the pre-social distancing ways of being out in public, at least not for most of this year.  
• Masks - That American sense of bewilderment at certain Asian countries where folks regularly wear surgical masks in public?  It won't be so bewildering anymore.  
• Consumption - Having all of this time at home may just change consumption habits.  The notion of going out shopping as a form of leisure activity may give way to viewing it as more of a necessity. 
• Delivery - Some folks are just going to get firmly addicted to home delivery, be it from restaurants, groceries or other things.  
• Retail Apocalypse - Sadly, this is going to hasten the demise of Sears/Kmart (what's left of it) and push JC Penny's over the edge as well.  The good news?  This is going to create opportunities for smaller/new companies to fill the void.
• Healthcare - Nothing like a pandemic to get people to realize that healthcare is not a privilege, it's a right, and it's ridiculous that it is currently rationed in this country*.  As it stands, people are going to grow even more impatient with the current state of American healthcare, which is a good thing.
• Employment - A few companies will come out of this looking very good, regardless of industry.  What will separate the heroes from the rest will be how leaders viewed on-going employment as an organizational imperative.  
• Organized Religion - Not going to church is becoming a habit for many that will continue after the doors re-open.  For some, it may be the luxury of sleeping in on a Sunday.  For others, it may be the very idea that "well gee, God did not strike down all those times I didn't go". 

Closer to Home
On my (personal) end, the work related to finding a new job continues.  There are a few opportunities out there, but this is a strange time to be in the job market.  As I may have noted before, I genuinely feel bad for people have lost their jobs on the basic skills end of the employment spectrum.  I'm sure I will eventually get something; worst case I'll end up doing something completely different.

None of the above means that I am immune to the stress of my situation and the pandemic environment.  In fact, I've had trouble sleeping past 5am, since I am not as active as I should be I have more aches than I should at my age, and I'm struggling to keep a productive daily routine**.  As it stands, the days are just kind of melting into each other.  My saving grace here is that Ms. Rivers is keeping a regular work schedule, so at least there is some way for me to differentiate, say, Tuesday from Saturday.

On the good news front, the days are promising to get warmer, which means that I'll have more opportunities to work outside (we're going to plant a small garden this year & I have a few outdoor projects to complete) and get some cycling time under my belt.  I just have to wait for it to stop, for example, snowing.

That's about it for now...and hey...let's be careful out there.

* * * * *

(*) Healthcare is rationed in the United States, based on ability to pay.  The wealthy can afford the best healthcare in the world in this country; the poor?  Not so much.  One of many, many citations HERE.  

(**) Spoken from experience:  One of the worst parts of finding a new job is the waiting between things you need to do as part of the process.  

Exile on Corona Street, Day 27

Here's the thing about social distancing, at least for me:  Outside of the really horrible issues surrounding it (people dying, inept government responses, people losing their jobs), it isn't actually all that terrible.  That's not exactly a mark of triumph for me, but more so a recognition that I actually don't need a lot of interaction to keep going, at least under the current circumstances.  I have an almost guilty kind of feeling about that fact, by the way.

I may be the minority.

In fact, I know I am in the minority.

I also have some bigger fish to fry at this present time.

I know this whole social distancing this is hard for many.  In fact, I think about how I feel when I have to engage in a lot of social interactions and it's unnerving; for those who like a lot of interaction...and are now not getting it...well it's terrible, and I genuinely feel sorry.  Today is Easter, and as a traditional day for families to get together, the disruption and isolation for some are only, and sadly, amplified.

In addition to the change in social interactions, there are a ton of practical things that have to change during this pandemic.  Easter is a religious holiday for many, but in an environment where "two or three or more of you" is pretty much against the rules...rightfully so, I will add...what do you do?  Well in our case, it was an Easter service via Zoom.  My father-in-law is a retired Episcopal priest and has immediate family members in three different locations (with one of them being the other side of the world at the moment), so this morning it was a virtual Easter service.  The experience was interesting, and while the practicalities of modern video conferencing technology were laid bare in some instances (hymns, for example, don't work well via video conference), overall I'd call it a victory.  It may also be a preview of the future.

Another part of today for me was a trip to my late brother's grave-site.  I don't go all that often, but for some reason, today it just felt like the right thing to do.  I never know what to do when I get there though.  It seems odd to try and talk to Chris when I am there, and as for praying, well, I'm never quite sure what I should be saying.  Mostly I think about how different life is now.  In the later part of his life, holidays were difficult when it came to Chris, as he really wouldn't want to visit anyone else, and visiting him was not always the best of ideas.  Still, I think about how it could have been, with The Albert Boys getting together later in life, finally being able to exhale after the sometimes strange trips that we call our lives.

(In our Easter finest, sometime in the early '70s.)

Tomorrow is another work (but for some not really work) day with the country getting back to it's new normal after a holiday respite.  I claim in extra-sensory powers, but yet part of me feels like we'll be turning the corner, of sorts, on this whole nasty business.  While I don't know exactly when that will happen, one thing is for sure:  What we go back to will be different than where we started.  That may not be such a bad thing.

Lastly, let's be careful out there.
    

           

Exile on Corona Street, Day 23

(RE:  4th Point, this is why saying "Chinesevirus" is horrible)

I've done my level best to avoid some of the more polarizing things being written and said about Covid-19, but sometimes we all have to point out the obvious.  This includes, by the way, acknowledging two dual truths about the pandemic:

1. The media has a bias towards the sensational.  That's what they do.
2. Politicians have a bias towards never accepting responsibility.  That's what they do.

Both of these points feed off of each other.  Like most truths in life, the best advice here is to approach anything you see or hear with a bit of healthy skepticism, asking yourself how much the inherent bias at play is potentially changing the story.  For example, referring to Covid-19 as the
"Chinesevirus" or "Chinavirus" is the outcome of bias #2, above.  Why?  Because by using that/those names, it basically deflects all blame and responsibility away from our leaders and towards "those people".  The truth?  Yes, the virus did originate in China, but how it has spread (and how our leaders have reacted to it) is a function of our political leadership.  It would be like the rest of the world calling nuclear weapons "American Weapons" simply because the first one was created here.  In the final analysis, things like viruses crossing the species barrier have happened before and it will continue to happen in the future.  Deflecting and demonizing won't change that fact.

The above noted, the Chinese government does have some responsibility here, namely when it comes to the regulation of its food supply.  I fully understand the notion that cultural norms about food (and what is considered food) vary geographically, but in this day and age, it is reasonable for the world as a whole...all of us and every government...to adopt some basic standards about food purchasing, preparation, and consumption.  China as a nation is prosperous enough now that it can literally afford to move away from the consumption of what amounts to the Asian equivalent of bushmeat.  

* * * * *

On a more local level, I've been at home for about four and a half weeks now, two and a half of those being in the business of looking for a new job.  I have my good days and my moments of doubt and pain (to paraphrase the Rolling Stones "Sympathy for the Devil").  I do, at a very basic level, realize that this isn't good for me.  It's simply not.  I'm working (ironically used) on all of the things they say are important, including networking, using the time to learn new things, and keeping an eye out for new opportunities.  That noted, under normal, non-pandemic circumstances this would be difficult; I say this with the benefit of prior experiences fully acknowledged.  Under the current circumstances, well, let's just say that if patience were a muscle, by the time this is over, the folks in Gold's Gym will have nothing on me.  

It will all work out in the end...it's just that in my mind, the actual notion of having a job is only a small part of this whole thing.  This speaks to the very nature of who I am.  To quote one of my favorite authors, the late Dr. Gordon Livingston -

"We are not what we think, or what we say, or how we feel. We are what we do."  

Granted that quote actually works two different ways for me...at a basic level what I do is a big part of my identity.  What I do is also descriptive of what I am doing now...as in what I am doing about things in the here and now.  That's a heady thought, but then again these are heady times.

To end this on a more positive note, here are a few photographs I took earlier today.

And hey, let's be careful out there.

Exile on Corona Street, Day 15

(Some Sound Advice)

It's Day 15 and there is no sign that the pandemic crisis is going to let up any time soon.  While that's far from good news, the reality is that fortunately, the fatality rate for Covid-19 is still relatively low in the United States, at about 1.96%.  Granted that any fatality is bad, especially when it is someone we know.  At this stage though, we need to hang onto any bit of hope we can get.

On a related note, it does appear that the fatality rate varies wildly between states in this country.  For example (all data from THIS site, as of 4:45pm on March 31, 2020):

Louisiana:  4.6%

Georgia:  3.4%

Michigan:  2.8%

Mississippi:  2.1%

New York:  2.0%

Texas:  1.5%

Connecticut:  1.4%

Florida:  1.4%

New Jersey:  1.2%

Pennsylvania:  1.2%

Massachusetts:  1.0%

When the dust settles on this truly sad period in our country's history, two things will become self-evident about the fatality rate:

1. Adjusting for age, the poor will be far more likely to die from Covid-19.
2. Access to quality healthcare is more of a challenge in the southern United States.

Both points have a common underlying thread, namely that healthcare in the United States is rationed based upon the ability to pay.  Then again, this isn't necessarily "new" news; if anything the pandemic will simply amplify what some have realized for a long time.

* * * * *

In addition to watching Covid-19 march through the United States like Sherman through Georgia, I'm also been busy with the business of career stuff.  Finding my next...and hopefully, final...career stop is going to be a bit of a challenge in the current environment, but I've not always been known for doing things the easy way.  At this point, I've got my resume spruced up, I've re-introduced myself to most of the job boards and I'm looking at opportunities for networking.  I'm also being a realist in that this could be a long haul.  Something could also happen for me quickly as well.  I just don't know (and hold that thought).

Looking back, I've already been through what I'll call "Layoff Bootcamp" when I was retired at the end of 2016 after nearly 28 years with the same employer.  Calling that time difficult is a bit of an understatement.  One thing that I learned from that experience though is that, at least for me, my expectations are probably the biggest hurdle I'll face.  I don't know what will happen, and that is disconcerting.  Especially for me.  I don't however, have much of a choice in this matter.  In fact, the only thing I do have the ability to make a choice resides with my attitude.  That sounds too much like a bad Pinterest graphic, I know, and I concede right now that I will be failing from time to time to choose a positive, productive attitude.  Another thing I learned though from the end of 2016 though is that choosing a positive attitude is something I need to do for me.  The alternative just isn't much fun, especially these days.

Let's be careful out there.

Exile on Corona Street, Day 12

 

Effective yesterday (Friday, March 27th), the governor of Pennsylvania issued a "Stay At Home" order for Lackawanna and Luzerne counties.  Details can be found HERE.  From a practical standpoint, it really doesn't change much for me or Ms. Rivers, as we were pretty much just staying home anyway.  The hope is though that more folks will be more cautious in the days and weeks to come.

I get, by the way, how difficult this is for many.  Heck, I don't like to socialize, but even I am starting to get some cabin fever.  The reality though is that the alternative is worse.

In terms of where Pennsylvania is at this point (7:15pm on Saturday, March 28th), there have been 28,005 residents tested for Covid-19, of which 25,254 have had negative results (90.2%) and 2,751 (or 9.8%) have had a positive result.  There have been 34 fatalities attributed to Covid-19, make the death rate 1.2%.  Current numbers can be found HERE.  I mention this not out of some morbid curiosity, but rather to (at least for me) put this in perspective:  While this is terrible...and we need to do everything possible to end this as soon as possible...the infection rate is still relatively low.  Assuming that the total number of cases (28,005) is dramatically understated and that the real number is actually triple that (84,015), the infection rate in the general population would stand at 0.6%*.  AGAIN, my point isn't that "this is a very low number, therefore we don't have to worry about it"...instead, it's "this is a low number, so if we act now, we can potentially save a lot of lives".

The above noted, any life lost to this is a tragedy.  For example, I learned last night that one of the people who hired me at Prudential in 1988, and who was my first Director, recently passed away as a result of the pandemic.  Augie (August) A. Urgola, was one of a kind individual.  I could spend the next 5,000 words telling "Augie Stories", but I'll just list two:

• First - It was 1990 (or so) and one of my clients was laying off a ton of people.  I was talking to Augie about it, and he said in complete sincerity, once the business side of our conversation was over, that it (laying off people) was terrible and that one of the things companies are supposed to do is employ people.  I was 26 years old at the time, and that perspective has stayed with me all these years later.  I've thought about that conversation every time I was laying people off or getting laid off myself**.  This was Augie's simple but profound wisdom at work.
• Second - It was 2012 (or so) and I was a Director in HR, conducting some kind of training in our Woodbridge, NJ office.  The class was gathering, and the doors were still open.  Just as I was about to begin, Augie, walking by, sees me, comes into the classroom, lets out a very loud hello, shakes my hand as if I was his long-lost son, asks me how I was doing (etc.) and then proceeds to tell the entire class...the room was full...to "make sure you listen to Steve...he's really smart" (or something like that).  Understand I had not seen Augie for a couple of years, and by then he was a very successful Sales VP.  In a large, formal, sophisticated company like Prudential, well, people just didn't do that sort of thing.  But Augie was an original, and he did.  I don't have enough words in me to say just how happy that simple gesture made me feel.

I could tell a few more (including a time when Augie and I were in Kansas City, MO or the time a bunch of us got Augie talking about the JFK assassination), but I'm just one voice in a chorus of people who have countless Augie stories.  Anyway, may Augie Rest in Peace.  You can read Augie's obituary HERE.

Sadly, there will be more Augie-like stories to come.  This is all the more reason we need to take steps now to prevent even more tragedies.  This, all of this, matters.

On that note, I am a bit drained.

Oh, and before I forget, let's be careful out there.

* * * * * *

(*) Based on a total population of 12,820,878 (source HERE).

(**) I went into my former office yesterday morning to pack my stuff and bring it home.  As I was packing, that very same Augie story came to mind.  A day and a half later, I find myself thinking that, while in the past CEOs were lauded for making tough decisions...including to "rightsize" their organizations...maybe now we'll save the lauding for CEOs that do the opposite...that find a way to keep people employed through these difficult times.  Augie would approve.

Exile on Corona Street, Day 9

(because we all need a reminder)

You know, the least that the cosmos can do for us during this time of forced shut-in is to not make it miserable outside.  Today has been a pretty overcast & gloomy day in Northeastern Pennsylvania, with temperature in the low 40's and a perpetual sense of drizzle in the air.  I know, you could argue that the reverse, as in it being really nice outside, would be worse, but I disagree...there is nothing preventing any of us from going outside and enjoying the fresh air.  As long as we stay outside and keep at least 6 feet away from others.

As for me, I did go outside today, mostly to take some measurements for an outdoor project that I'll be starting soon.  I've got the time.  See yesterday. 

I had wanted to start these postings with some news of the pandemic crisis, but honestly, why make it worse?  What I will provide, of interest to my fellow Pennsylvania residents, are the following links:

Covid-19 Cases by Pennsylvania County

Interactive PA County Covid-19 Map

You can add these to the Guardian/Johns Hopkins University excellent overall United States coverage (link HERE) if you want to keep up with the numbers.  

Among other news of note, there is conflicting information about how Covid-19 may interact with  Ibuprofen products, leading some to say that Acetaminophen may be the better choice to manage aches, pains and the like (reference HERE).  If you don't have Acetaminophen/Tylenol in your home, you may want to get some.  We didn't have any*, so there was a purchase made yesterday.  I really should be using Acetaminophen/Tylenol all the time, as it easier on the entirety of my digestive system, but Ibuprofen works better.  Anyway, go get some Tylenol, before the mad hordes start to hoard it.

Bouncing back to home, and in the news of the pedestrian and ironic, I'm getting the parts tomorrow needed to set up dual monitors at home.  This was for all the working at home I will was going to be doing.  I'm still going to set it up, as it's yet one more thing to tinker with and add to my technical resume.  On a more serious note, others have tried to convince me of the merits of dual monitors, but the last 9 months have truly shown me the light.  If you want less paper in your work life, go the dual monitor route.  

Lastly, now more than ever we need music.  More music.  Right before I started typing, this song just happened to appear in my head...

...which given the situation in New York City seems all the more fitting.  Here's to hoping that the lights go back on before too long.

Oh, and hey, let's be careful out there.




(*) In fact, I have some in my former work office, in a desk drawer.  Unfortunately, I can't access it at the moment, as I'm still working on the mechanics of collecting my (former) office stuff.

Exile on Corona Street, Day 8

It's one of the oldest bits of wisdom imparted upon us:  Practice makes perfect.  That's usually applied to things where we want to get better.  Sometimes it's not though.  That's especially true for me now, as I found out yesterday morning that my position was one of several eliminated as a result of the economic slump caused by Covid-19.  Yes, I am being given more practice at the art of not being employed.

Was I surprised when I got the news?  Not really.  We all choose where we are in our professional lives, for the most part.  Part of having a cool job in a field like HR/learning and development is the realization that, come expense cutting time, you might be closer to the top of the job endangered list than you are to the bottom.  To quote the late Dr. Hunter S. Thompson:

"Buy the ticket, take the ride… and if it occasionally gets a little heavier than what you had in mind, well… maybe chalk it off to forced consciousness expansion..."

Sure, being a fully functioning human being I do, in fact, feel a whole host of emotions when it comes to this recent life event.  Mostly though, I'd much rather spend my time thinking about what's ahead for me rather than what's behind me*.  This noted I think I've gotten enough practice in the layoff area, thank you very much.

More to come on that front.

* * * * * *

I've read in the news that some are calling for a relaxing of social distancing requirements (see HERE).  My take?  If this comes from a politician or business person...beware.  In spite of what some may have the general population believe, science is remarkably simple in that it is about a preponderance of the evidence.  Science doesn't care about politics or profits.  This means that if there is scientific and medical consensus around relaxing these guidelines, well, then take heed.  Otherwise?  Don't assume the folks at the press conference/briefing always have your best interests at heart.

On a related point, one of the (many) things giving me pause these days is the impact that the covid-19 outbreak is having on the elderly and/or those who may have compromised immune systems.  Even if you personally don't think you need to stay at home because of the virus, remember that you could inadvertently expose someone else to it.  This could be someone who is not in as good of a position as you are to weather the (viral) storm.

I get it by the way...part of me wants to go get a slice of pizza at Bouna's, sit down, and ponder life in a cloud of granulated garlic.  I know though that the best path between now and when I can do that again is to do my part and stay home.  That's pretty un-American of me (America's motto should be "I want it all, and I want it now"), but it's also the most human thing I (and we) can do.  Besides, these are truly first-world problems.

That's a wrap for this posting.  Remember, let's be careful out there.

* * * * * *



(*) I am, of course, looking for a new employment opportunity.  If you know of something, if you're curious about my background, or if you are in a similar boat, please do connect with me.  You can comment on this posting or connect with me through LinkedIn.

Exile on Corona Street, Day 6

(From THIS source)

So, how goes the "sheltering in place"?  Note that everyone should be sheltering in place, to the greatest extent possible, until further notice.  We're doing our level best in West Pittston, Pennsylvania to heed that advice, although I wouldn't call us complete shut-ins.  Currently, the amount of outside the house ventures are pretty much limited to the grocery store every other day or so (usually just for perishable things, like fruit and milk), walks when it is warm enough and car rides done basically just to remind ourselves of the world outside of the home, with the occasional trip for take-out food.  I suspect this will be the new norm.

One thing that does involve being outside and which is also exceptionally safe is working around the house.  I happen to love this time of the year.  Saturday I spent about two hours cleaning up the yard of debris, and today it was about an hour or so cutting down some branches that I trimmed off of our dwarf plumb in the front yard.  The actual pruning of the tree took place two or so weeks ago.  Of the things I do as part of any kind of routine, working outdoors is one that brings me real satisfaction.  Part of that is grounded in my need to work with my hands from time to time.  Another part comes from growing up where there was no yard of our own to tend for.  Maybe the biggest appeal is the fact that when I'm outside, it just seems like my thoughts are somehow more free than they are when I am inside.  These days that is more important than ever.

Speaking of inside, it's looking like I will be working from home (WFH) for many weeks to come.  As I mentioned in the Day 1 posting (which I inadvertently over-wrote), I really don't like working from home.  That noted, it truly is the best thing these days, and I count my blessing at having that opportunity.  Anyway, to prepare for the extended run of WFH, I ordered all of the parts I will need to run dual monitors in my home office.  The biggest expense for that project, namely actually having a second monitor, is one I don't have to bear, as we just happen to have a spare.  For those curious, we have a total of 8 flat-screen televisions and/or computer monitors, 3 of which will soon be running in the office.  A side benefit of the dual monitor set-up is that I am configuring it to easily switch between my work laptop and my home desktop.  I know, this whole subject is of interest only to me, but there's more to it:  It gives me something different to focus on, even if just for a moment or three.

Do you worry about all of this swirling around us?  I do, although I find those worries tend to slip in between the mental cracks.  It's easy for those cracks to exist, by the way, as following the pandemic news is about as addictive as crystal meth.  I need to do more to detach from the onslaught of 24/7 corona coverage.  No small feat for someone (myself) who feels a real need to have 3 or 4 things pinging around in my head at any given time.  Maybe that's part of the appeal of working outside for me:  I can trade one set of thoughts for another, such as this afternoon when I needed to be concerned about cutting a stack of branches down so that it would fit into a yard waste can.   

Maybe another line of thinking, one that is more productive, is to ponder just what the world is going to look like when this is over.  I haven't really fleshed that out all too well, but I do see two things right of the bat:  1) A newfound respect for those on the front lines of employment...such as truck drivers, grocery store personnel, the folks at your local pharmacy, etc.  2) A re-orientation away from the idea that collecting stuff...be it money, power, possessions...is somehow the highest aspiration for our country and species.  Maybe, just maybe, we will discover that greed is not, in fact good.  

Looking to the week ahead, I have to take my younger brother to the bank, something that has to be done in person once a month, going inside the bank to see a teller in order to execute a slightly complex transaction.  I'm not looking forward to it, and the truth is that I never look forward to that monthly chore, but I am thinking about how I can limit my (and my brother's) exposure risks.  Outside of that, it will be more of the same new normal.  As long as everyone stays healthy, well, that's not too bad.

By the way, when we do get take-out, we make it from a local establishment/small business.  This evening the trek was made all the way to Plimmitt (actually Plymouth; inside joke) to get barbecue from Uncle Buck's.   

(Half rack of ribs)

Yes, I've been relegated to posting pictures of food.

A Final Thought

I've managed to ramble on in this posting for a few paragraphs.   Honestly, I am quite unimpressed.  The reality is this:  I am stressed.  You are probably stressed too if you are paying the least bit of attention.  This pandemic thing is vexing:  On one hand, the vast majority of people who catch Covid-19 end up with a mild case; on the other hand, fear and anxiety rarely care all that much about logic and statistics.  All of us will just need to slug this one out, doing the simple but important things, like hand-washing.  I wish I had something more inspiring to say, but that's really just it...keep washing your hands.