Month: March 2020

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It was weird flying.

IMG 1270The planes & airports were empty.

I was amused by people wearing “Fashion Masks” and bandanas across their faces. Uh yeah right, that’s going to help.

But you’ll look cool no matter what.

Really?

I noticed a number of freaky people and thought, “Wow, look at those freaks.” Then I realized I was right there among them so what did that make me?

Never Mind!

The airline counter people were re-balancing passenger seating to keep us away from each other (social distancing) and also to keep the load balanced in the plane.

I’ve always been good with social distancing.

The bald guy up there was an old codger who in an empty terminal sat down right next to me. Under any circumstances I’d have been uncomfortable with that. (What, do I have a sign that says, “Hey I’m friendly. Please annoy the shit out of me.” 

Anyway, I got up and started wandering around the empty terminal. 

We boarded the plane and immediately he’s fiddling with all the buttons and air vents in not only his overhead, but the one in front of him.

It was at that point I decided to simply go to sleep. When I woke up in Dallas, the few of us on the plane had to wait for him at the end of the ramp because he stopped in the doorway to get his bearings. Oblivious to the fact that there were other people behind him who couldn’t exit into the terminal.

I swear, this guy needed a leash and a responsible person to keep his hand off things and make sure he wasn’t in the way.

Eventually he moved so that he could ask a ticket agent where he was, and how to get to the next flight. The rest of us were greatly relieved when we were moving again.

The flight from Dallas wasn’t as empty but I slept through it too.

First time I’ve flown in a decade and well… not much has changed.

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Happy St Patrick’s Day

Of course depending on where you are you might not have had the usual party.

Thankfully, there was more than enough beer and booze, a great meal and a nice small crowd.

But with bars & restaurants being closed it’s obvious that the celebration wasn’t quite to the extent that it normally is.

Gotta admit that I’ve not been a huge St Patricks’ day celebrator but it was nice to drink and laugh with nice people.

Today was kind of a day of little projects, Naturally the smallest project turned into one of those situations where pulling the thread was problematic.  It’s the nature of “small,” “simple” projects for them to a pain in the ass.

I’ll finish up those projects tomorrow, then head back on schedule, home. What awaits me there may be more chaotic that when I left. but the chaos is now nationwide. There’s no escape unless I find that mythical alien ship to “jack” and get offworld.

Since that’s not likely to happen, home to the mountain it is. It’s going to be a shock to my system, here it’s been in the low light 70s and wonderfully comfortable. Home has been in the 30’s so I’m going to be freezing, again.

It will be a long flight but perhaps this time it will be mostly empty. 

I’d thought about extending here but two factors prevent me from doing that. 1) is that I’m starting to be slightly concerned about not being able to get back. 2) I’m worried about contaminating my elderly relatives.

Mel Brooks and his son made a sortof cute PSA about it and they have a point.

I’ve got to plan to visit again soon. Perhaps when the Coronavirus is on the wane. 

 

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Okay Coronavirus is a big deal…

I said it was gonna be because China quarantining a huge area was a big deal.

But folks… 

Come on, how can you say you’re observing social distancing when you’re packed into CostCo, and virtually every other store thicker than sardines?

Look. Do your normal shopping. Get in, get out, and leave something behind on the shelves for the next folks.

I must say the folks in Northern FL are a lot calmer than the LA folks I left behind. Perhaps it’s a function of population density perhaps, it’s a function of pragmatism.

Thank God the bars are still open here. 

At this point it looks like I can still get home. But if I can’t well I’ll stay right here and if necessary try to locate some kind of job locally and adapt to the new reality.

Worst case scenario. I’l shave my head into a mohawk, outfit a car with steel plating and go “Mad Max” 

I don’t think it’s going to come to that. On the one hand it might be interesting. On the other hand I’m feeling more like Pooh, “Oh Bother!”

Let’s get smart, let’s be kind, let’s understand that this thing is going to do what it’s going to do. It’s not right, wrong, good, or evil, it simply is. 

Panicking isn’t helping. 

Take a breath. Turn off the news for a few hours, read a book. and calm down.

Trust me you can’t stay healthy in a blind panic 24/7.

Stream “The Martian”

Start by solving one problem at a time. Solve the most immediate problem first. Keep solving problems as they arise and we’ll all come through this. We may be forever changed, we’ll probably learn a lot, and the next time we’re presented with an emergency we’ll do better. 

This isn’t the time to play blame X, Y, or Z. Quoting Hillary Clinton, “At this point what does it matter anyway?”

Play the cards we’ve been dealt.

I’m not sure I could carry off the “Mad Max” look, and if I go “Mad Max” you’re not going to like me very much.