Your last normal day

It's just another day, there's murder in the air
It drags me when I walk, I smell it everywhere
It's just another day where people cling to light
To drive away the fear that comes with every night

~~ "Just Another Day" by Oingo Boingo

In one of the many newsletters I read every day, the author posed an interesting question that someone had posed to him: when was your last normal day?

I thought about it and it didn't take me long to come up with the answer: March 7th. I had to pull up the calendar to make sure that was right because that was over three weeks ago! But yes, it was correct. Ken and I went downtown and met Shane and Matt at one of our favorite places, Woochi, for some Asian fusion cuisine. We had wonderful meals (as always), we had warm sake (also as always), and we had fun chatting about this and that. Then we walked down to the Morris and enjoyed a wonderful show, The Lion King. After the show, we had a drink at WXYZ Bar and talked about how much we enjoyed the show, and it was a very enjoyable evening. We walked back to our cars and parted ways with hugs all around. 

Shit, thinking about all that makes me want to cry. It seems like forever ago. I miss our nights out and I miss Shane and Matt. I miss my sisters and I miss my Mom. I miss seeing friends out and about and miss the buzz of a crowd enjoying a show. When I think about it, it's kind of dumb because I don't mind being at home and am actually quite content here. Even as introverted as I am, I still need an occasional boost from being around dear friends and family. It's hard to realize that we can't have that for a while. 

I went out to the grocery store after that but there was already plenty of buzz about social isolation and being careful. About a week after, we were set to have a fundraiser for the non-profit at one of our local favorites, South Bend Brew Werks. On the morning of the fundraiser, Ken got an email from the owner, Steve, who said that they were closing at noon and the fundraiser was off. That's when we knew shit was going to get real. I went to the store again the day after that and that was the last time I had been out until today. 

I had to go to pick up a prescription so decided to stock up for the long haul. I'm already well-stocked, but I wanted to get lots of fresh produce and will work on using that up. I'm sure I'll need to go out again at some point, but it will be a while. Being at the store today was a very strange experience. I felt very anxious. I felt in a hurry. I felt almost claustrophobic every time someone got a little too near. The stores weren't crowded and everyone behaved themselves but I still felt weirded out. I had no desire to dawdle and my main goal was to get what I needed and get out. The roads and parking lots weren't deserted, by any means, and I saw no stark images of desolation like the photos we're seeing of places like Times Square and Bourbon Street...usually bustling places that are now deserted. I'm sure our downtown area is a little more desolate because so many of those establishments are now shuttered. 

Usually, I enjoy being out in my Mustang, blasting some fun music, hearing that engine roar...today I felt like a little old lady, keeping my eye out for other cars more than usual, listening to our local NPR station as our Governor had a conference call with people around the state. I felt like I was paranoid and on high alert. Like danger was just around the corner! 

That's a little overly dramatic...but not by much. It was surreal. I posted a little about it on Facebook after I got home and I was both heartened and dismayed to see that others had had that same feeling when they had to go out. It was heartening because it was good to know that I wasn't alone in my feelings, but it was also dismaying to see that others are experiencing those same feelings. A couple of dear friends even said that they cried after they got home. That just broke my heart. 

This is anxiety-inducing for everyone. So please, please don't hesitate to reach out to others for support. Hit me up anytime if you need an ear. I'm not an endless wellspring of either strength or information but I will do my level best to listen and do what I can to answer your questions or just provide a word of encouragement. And believe me, there may come a time when I ask for encouragement myself. 

This is going to be weird for a while and we're going to start seeing some pretty grim numbers in the next couple of weeks. There is no getting around that. That kind of thing is out of our control. What we can control is our response. Will we treat others with kindness or hatred? Will we let fear control us or will we temper our fear with reliable information and science? Will we grasp desperately at nonsensical conspiracy theories or will we use our brains and THINK? 

I know what I plan on doing—and part of dealing with this is most definitely thinking things through and planning—and I hope you know what to do, too. Peace, love, rock & roll, and handwashing! 

May you live in interesting times

And school's out early and soon we'll be learning
And the lesson today is how to die

~~ "I Don't Like Mondays" by The Boomtown Rats

So '80s, so wonderful!

Man, that's dark, isn't it? 

It's hard to find a lot of cheer in the world right now. Ken and I still find the humor in things and still have plenty of laughs, but fuck, things are grim right now. Even the biggest sense of humor in the world—and we both have very healthy ones—is taxed at times. 

I find myself very emotional lately. (Ken will be like, "What's new?" when he reads this.) Yes, I am usually that way but I find myself losing it to things like songs (like the one I'm posting here) but more so to watching videos from hospitals in Italy and around the world as they try to handle this outbreak. 

[Intermission]

I started writing this last night and found that I just didn't have the stomach to finish it. I felt very disheartened. I felt better today and I'm not in despair or anything. But shit, this is messed up, man. It is dismaying to hear reports of the lack of equipment both on the news and from friends and family. 

And I can't even talk about the so-called "president's" response to it all. He's either preening about his beautiful, amazing response to this or whining about how certain Governors aren't kissing his ass enough. I'm just done with that for the night. He is unfit. That is all I'll say about it for the moment. 

I've been thinking about it and about how I feel so emotional at certain times. I'm not kidding, I'll listen to a song and end up with tears running down my face. I'm always kind of bad that way, but I'm a little off the rails right now. I've decided to be okay with that and just accept it. We're all plenty scared right now and worried about people. It's a natural reaction. It's okay to feel deep emotions. In the face of dire situations, I can shut it all down and let my rational brain take over. I can be quite stoic and not lose my shit when all around me are losing theirs. While we're staying at home and watching this all unfold, I give myself full permission to get as weepy as I want. It's not constant...it's just certain things hitting me at certain points. (I'm looking at you, "Star Trek: Picard"!)

I've had friends message me asking how we're doing and we try to encourage each other. Do this, as often as possible. Reach out to people and if you need a little encouragement, don't hesitate to reach out to others. We're all dealing with this and we're all weirded out and wondering what's going to happen. Sometimes hearing a simple word of love and friendship can do a lot to make us feel better. Dick jokes are always funny, too! The world could use more dick jokes right now. 

Stay engaged, stay connected, and yeah, there's probably a dick joke in there somewhere. Grab it! 

Life, I mean. 

Salt and Pepper Take a Walk

We're on a road to nowhere

Pepper tossed the magazine he'd been reading onto the table. He sat back and looked at Salt, who returned his gaze calmly. Salt said, "What is it, baby?"

"I'm tired of being cooped up in this house. Let's take a walk."

Salt nodded. "We can do that. Let me finish this chapter."

Pepper said, "Okay." He got up and paced around the room, sighing heavily.

Salt closed her book, despite not finishing the chapter, and looked up at him. "I sense your impatience."

He glanced over at her. "I'm not impatient."

"You're about ready to catch on fire."

He shook his head. "Ready for a walk?"

Salt nodded and got up. She could use some fresh air, too. She could also tell when Pepper was ready to blow his top and she sensed that he was on the verge. Better to do as he wished. She was getting a little tired of his volatility, though.

This mandatory isolation had weighed on them both. She was well-suited to this sort of thing. She was an introvert to begin with and had never lacked for something to keep her occupied. She was as content to stay in and read as to do anything else.

Pepper was a different story. He was definitely more fiery and full of energy. He got restless easily. Their relationship had been a little uneasy for the past year. This isolation had really heightened it and Salt was feeling unsettled. But she decided to take a walk with him in hopes that it would alleviate his restlessness. She put on her beret because the day was a little moist and she hated to get her head holes wet. When that happened, she really had to work to clear them. Pepper had fewer head holes so it wasn't much of an issue for him.

They went outside and headed into the woods. The nights were still cool so the full foliage in the woods hadn't sprung to life yet, and the little path was clear. Salt tucked her hand into Pepper's arm and they walked along quietly, listening to the sounds around them. Salt thought a little more about where they were at in their relationship. The difference in their color wasn't an issue. Salt's family had embraced Pepper as one of their own. Salt's cousin Chive was a registered Unitarian minister and had once whispered to Salt, "If you two ever want to get hitched, just let me know!"

Pepper's family was a little more reticent with Salt, but they had come to accept her.

No, she thought. The real problem is that I'm too mild for him.

As if to echo her thoughts, Pepper spoke up. "Salt...can we talk?"

They were under a large evergreen, sheltered from the mist. Salt stopped and looked at him. "About what?"

He looked away from her. She didn't like the looks of that.

He finally turned back to her and said, "I...I'm not entirely happy."

"What is it?"

He shrugged. "I don't know."

She stepped back from him. "Don't give me that. Don't tell me you're not happy and then say you don't know why. Tell me."

He sighed. "I'm bored."

"I see. Go on."

"I need a little spice in my life! You're great and I love you, but...."

"But what?"

"Do you ever think there's more?"

She was starting to feel a little defensive and to be honest, a little pissed off. He thought he had the market cornered on 'spice.' Well, if it weren't for her, their life would be utterly bland. He didn't seem to understand what she brought to the table.

She crossed her arms. "What more do you want? A little more heat? Cayenne? Chipotle? Habanero? You know that's not me, Pepper."

He ran a hand over his head holes. "Dammit. I know."

"Then what is it you want?"

"Fuck! I don't know. Could we at least add a little...I don't know...some garlic to the mix?"

"Dammit, Pepper! I've told you over and over that I am not cool with a threesome! Jesus, what is it with you hot spices?"

He turned away and muttered, "Shit!" He turned back to her and said, "I'm sorry. I know that. I don't really want that. Maybe just a little more adventure."

She looked at him and uncrossed her arms. She took a step towards him. "That's reasonable."

He leaned his head rim against hers and laughed. "Always the pragmatic one."

"You know I am."

He put an arm around her and said, "Let's go back."

She nodded and they walked back down the path. They were almost back to the house when she tripped over a tree root and went down hard. Her beret flew off when she hit the ground, and she hit her head on another root. She felt something come out of her head holes and laid on the ground as she tried to get her bearings.

Pepper knelt beside her. "Salt! Are you okay?"

She blinked and put a hand to her rim. She felt something there and when she pulled her hand away and looked at it, she saw crystals.

Pepper said, "Shit! You're leaking!" He put a hand on her head holes and muttered, "Shit!"

Salt put a hand on his arm and raised up. "I think I'm okay. Just help me inside."

"Okay, okay. I got this." He gathered her up and held onto her as they went into the house. He took her right into the bathroom and sat her down. "Oh, shit, Salt. You're leaking everywhere!"

Salt felt her head holes again and came back with crystals covering her hand. She felt a little faint but knew what had to be done. She grabbed Pepper's hand. "Listen. You're going to have to tape me up."

Pepper said, "No way! I'm taking you to Spice General!"

She said, "Stop it. With this mandatory isolation, the last place either of us needs to be is in a spice house. You need to do this."

"I can't."

She smacked him on the side of his canister. "You can and you will! I need you now, Pepper! Do this for me!"

He took a deep breath. "Okay. What should I do?"

Salt wanted to ask how he'd made it this far in life but held her tongue. "Clean it off first."

"Okay." He got a towel and ran it under warm water. He started to dab at her head holes and Salt winced and hissed in a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He cleaned the crystals off and said, "Now what?"

"You need to put some tape over a few of my head holes or I'm just going to keep leaking."

"Ahhh, shit. Okay. I got this."

She looked up at him. "I know you do. You're doing fine."

He laid a little tape over three of her head holes, and to his credit, he was very gentle. When he was done, he knelt beside her. "Did I do okay? Are you okay?"

Salt nodded. "You did great, baby."

They leaned their rims together.

She pulled back and looked at him. "Listen. I get that I'm mild. I know you burn a little hotter than I do. But we can still be a pretty good team. How often do you hear just 'salt'? How often do you hear just 'pepper'? Nope. It's always Salt and Pepper. You know it, baby."

He nodded. "You're right."

Salt said, "But I also get that maybe I can make an effort to be a little more adventurous. Maybe we'll go to the sea. Maybe I'll dye my hair pink. I don't know...but maybe something different."

Pepper laughed. "It's all good, baby."

Salt said, "Now, come on. Help me out to the couch, because I'm going to lay on it and you're going to take care of me."

"Yes, ma'am." He helped her up and got an arm around her and held her as she walked gingerly out to the couch. He settled her in and said, "I'm going to make you some tea."

Salt nodded and as she watched Pepper in the kitchen, she resolved that even if she didn't get as adventurous as he wished, there was a lot to be said for the flavor that she brought to their life. She might not be especially fiery, but she worked hard and knew that she was indispensable. She might be subtle but she brought a lot to their relationship and she was confident in that.

She leaned her rim back against the couch. But she could certainly spice things up in their bedroom. Not tonight...but definitely tomorrow. She drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face. 

We'll be okay (I think)

The world's goin' crazy and
Nobody gives a damn anymore
And they're breakin' off relationships and
Leavin' on sailin' ships for far and distant shores
For them it's all over
But I'm gonna stay
I wouldn't leave anyway
I know that someday we'll find a way
We'll be okay
'Cause I'm your brother,
Though I don't even know your name
I've discovered that,
Deep down inside, you feel the same

~~ "Brother" by The Kinks

It's oddly elegant, isn't it? 

Back to Coronavirus today because that's about all the news that matters right now, isn't it? 

It is affecting every aspect of our lives. People are being laid off. Retirement accounts are essentially wiped out. We are probably already in a recession, and it's going to get worse in the immediate future. Cases and deaths are soaring around the world (at least it seems to be slowing down in China) and we have an emergency travel advisory in my county, meaning that only essential travel is warranted. Indiana schools are closed until May 2, and I wouldn't be surprised if the rest of the school year is canceled. 

Ray Davies' "we'll be okay" lyric seems a little overly optimistic right now. 

So I'm going to step back for a moment and get clinical on you all. It helps me to be rational and all science-y and junk and maybe it will help you, too. 

My friend Julie on Facebook posted about Indiv-1 calling this novel Coronavirus the "Chinese virus." She felt that this is a blatantly xenophobic "dog whistle" on his part, and I completely agree. I went into science mode, though. I commented that naming bacteria and viruses and other organisms are frequently based on where they were first found. Virtually all subspecies of Salmonella are named after the location where they were isolated. The Ebola virus is named after the Ebola River. There is Lassa fever, named after a city in Nigeria. There is Pontiac fever, something caused by the Legionella bacterium, named after a city in Michigan, and Legionella itself is named after the Legionnaires because that outbreak took place at one of their conventions. So I said that there is a longtime tradition of naming things after where they originated. It's not because microbiologists are racist, it's just a way we name and differentiate organisms, subspecies, and even diseases.

Hear me out. I wasn't done. I said that the 'big but' here is that Indiv-1 is obviously using this as a dog whistle to create racism and xenophobia. There are already incidents of racism against Asian Americans and Asian immigrants. He is trying to place the blame on someone, anyone, other than his own failed response. He needs a scapegoat, and he has decided that calling it the "Chinese virus" does the trick. The virus has a name: SARS-CoV2 and the disease it causes is called COVID-19. These are the scientific names, and calling it anything else is blatant prejudice and discrimination and designed to gin up hatred against others. Because that's what he and his rabid base feed upon. Like some kind of weird, racist vampires. 

After I posted that, I realized that I was being that pedantic bore who feels the need to comment at length. I shut up pretty quickly, but I felt the need to message Julie and apologize. She said essentially that that wasn't needed, and I appreciated that. I have friends who seek out my thoughts on various things, including scientific papers about it, and I am happy to respond to that kind of question if I can. It's what I did for most of my career and I know that people are wanting answers. I can come at it from a scientific bent and I will do my best to answer their questions. I'll write about it here when I want but I need to dial it down a notch when it comes to commenting on others' pages. I don't want to be "that person," you know? Ugh. I don't like that person! Don't be that, Beth! 

Back to the music. I thought of this song today when I thought, "The world's going crazy." I think it is a very nice song with a nice message. Viruses and bacteria and other beasties don't give a fuck about where you're from or what political party you belong to. They're here to fuck your shit up and they do what they can to do so. (There's a whole other topic about beneficial bacteria and about how crowded conditions and poverty result in increased outbreaks, as well as how certain populations develop defenses against infections ubiquitous in their communities, but that's a story for another day. One of the most fascinating to me is that Africans developed sickle cell anemia to fight off malaria...that parasite doesn't infect sickle cells. But again...a story for another day.)

The point is that this is a pandemic. It's bad. It's nationwide. It's global. They don't care about your goddamn SPRING BREAK, and I'm looking at you, KAYLEIGH. (I don't know a Kayleigh...just a generic name for some chick on spring break right now.) This is a worldwide problem and we are truly all in this together. The actions we take now can save lives. 

We're all brothers and sisters in this. 

Veepin' at Nutwood

I like black and white
(Dreaming of black and white)
You like black and white
Run run away

See chameleon
(Lying there in the sun)
All things to everyone
Run run away

~~ "Run Runaway" by Slade

I'll get back to The Corona soon enough, but I thought I'd write about something more fun today: the 2020 presidential race! 

Hello? Hello? [taps microphone] Is this thing on? 

I need something to take my mind off of the looming apoxalypse (see what I did there?) so I'm going to indulge in a little speculation. This is always a fun exercise for me. While I don't recall if I went on record in 2008 predicting that Obama would pick Biden as his running mate, I believe I thought he was on the shortlist. However, in 2016, I did go on record to predict that Tim Kaine would be Hillary's pick, and I was correct. 

It looks likely that Joe Biden will be our nominee this year, so speculation has already begun about who his running mate will be. For a while, I had hopes that it might be our Mayor Pete: young, charismatic, some foreign policy chops, brilliant. In the latest Democratic debate, Biden put the kibosh on that, saying that he would choose a woman to be his running mate. (I suspect that Pete will get a Cabinet position in a Biden presidency, perhaps VA Secretary or even Secretary of State. He'd be great at either position.)

Okay! [clapping hands] So now we've narrowed it down to a woman. I've seen various pieces speculating on who it might be. Here is the shortlist (in alphabetical order):

Stacey Abrams (candidate for Georgia Governor)
Val Demings (Florida Congresswoman)
Michelle Lujan Grisham (Governor of New Mexico)
Kamala Harris (California Senator)
Maggie Hassan (New Hampshire Senator)
Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota Senator)
Michelle Obama (no title needed)
Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire Senator)
Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts Senator)
Gretchen Whitmer (Michigan Governor)
Sally Yates (former US Deputy Attorney General, appointed by President Obama)

Each of these women is capable and qualified to serve as a VP, but of course, there are many things to consider when narrowing down the field, and first and foremost should be whether or not the VP will be able to assume the presidency if necessary. But other considerations include their current position and whether their absence would be felt in the Senate or elsewhere; if they are currently in office, does their state have a Democratic Governor; name recognition; the nebulous "it factor" (i.e., charisma); ability to get along with and support the policies of the nominee; previous experience in government, at whatever level; a solid grasp of policies and politics in general. There are probably many other considerations, but those are the ones that immediately come to mind. 

Here are my quick thoughts on each of these potential candidates. And although this might be a little controversial, I am going to include their race, because I think that is part of the consideration here. 

Stacey Abrams: brilliant, charismatic, African American, ran a great campaign for Georgia Governor (and was robbed of the win by her nefarious opponent), gives a great speech.

Val Demings: also brilliant, former Chief of Police of Orlando, African American, outstanding in the impeachment hearings. 

Michelle Lujan Grisham: of Hispanic heritage, comes from a long line of politicians in New Mexico, but little name recognition.

Kamala Harris: outstanding in various Senate hearings, African American and Jamaican heritage, former AG of California, but that also includes lots of baggage about her policies as AG, ran for President and did well for a while, but it looks like there was some campaign mismanagement, sitting Senator. 

Maggie Hassan: low name recognition, sitting Senator, white. 

Amy Klobuchar: sitting Senator, tough debater, white, ran a pretty good campaign for President, a good record of getting things done in the Senate, weird stuff about how she treats her staffers. 

Michelle Obama: Seriously? Not going to happen. As much as I love her, I don't think she has any desire to be VP, let alone President. I think it's absurd that people are actually floating her name. Granted, a Biden-Obama ticket would be virtually unbeatable but...nope. Not happening. 

Jeanne Shaheen: sitting Senator, low name recognition, white. 

Elizabeth Warren: sitting Senator, brilliant policy chops, white, ran a great campaign for President, a fantastic debater who isn't afraid to go for the jugular, bad response to the ridiculous "Pocahontas" moniker bestowed upon her by Indiv-1. 

Gretchen Whitmer: great speaker, delivered a great Dem response to the most recent State of the Union address, white, seems to really have her shit together as Governor of my state's northern neighbor. 

Sally Yates: brilliant lawyer, not afraid to speak up, white, takes little crap from anyone. 

I can narrow this list down pretty quickly because I think Biden will choose a woman of color. He might not need to since his support among African Americans has been fairly broad and sustained. However, I really think that he will want to send a big "thank you" to that coalition for basically getting him the nomination. Especially African American women, who are the heart of the Democratic party. 

I think there is also a concern about choosing a sitting Senator because our goal is to not just keep the House, but also win the Presidency and the Senate. When someone chooses a sitting Senator or a sitting House member, they need to make sure that the state has a Democratic Governor or is a reliably blue state. 

Based on all these things, I had narrowed it down to two: Stacey Abrams and Kamala Harris. I think Abrams would be amazing and a great running mate, but I feel that Biden will choose Harris. I tipped to that choice today when I read this article from Jonathan Bernstein of Bloomberg. He advises that the best, safest bet is to choose a running mate who has won a statewide office and has been vetted by running a national campaign. That's Harris. Yeah, she has her issues, especially with her record as California AG, but I think she would be a formidable pick. Can you imagine her debating Mike Pence? I sure can. She is also a Senator from a reliably blue state with a Democratic Governor, and while I don't know what California's policy is, a special election or gubernatorial appointee, either way, her replacement will be a Democrat. 

(I also hope that he nominates Sally Yates as US AG.)

My prediction is that Biden's running mate will be Senator Kamala Harris. If I'm wrong, I'll eat a bug. (A tiny one, like a gnat.)

Strange Days

Strange days have found us
Strange days have tracked us down
They're going to destroy
Our casual joys
We shall go on playing

~~ "Strange Days" by The Doors

For starters, I'd like to thank whoever it was who walloped the "president" over the head with a sledgehammer and finally got him to realize that this is a serious problem and we most certainly do not have it under control. It's about damn time! 

But for the entire time that he was denying that this was a public health emergency and his propaganda machine ClusterFox was telling people that it was a media hoax, his rabid followers were out there potentially carrying the virus and infecting others. As Austin Powers so eloquently put it, "That train had sailed." 

So that precious little RNA bundle known as the novel Coronavirus has been percolating and circulating and for all we know, tailgating, for a good seven weeks. And it took this idiot until two days ago to publicly say that it was an emergency. Baby jeebus wept. 

He finally told the truth about that, but since he's a compulsive liar, he can't stop himself from continuing to spread lies. He said that he didn't know that the pandemic team initiated under President Obama had been dismantled. "I don't know anything about that," he said. Of course, there is video of him saying that he made the decision because he sees no point in paying these people for "nothing," and if he needed them again, he'd just hire more people. 

Well, it doesn't really work that way, idiot. Surveillance teams must stay active and be funded in order to track emerging diseases. This stuff takes constant vigilance and research and you can't just set it all in motion by hiring people and trying to play catch-up. 

He is also now saying that he knew all along that it was a pandemic, even before the WHO officially declared it a pandemic. I doubt that he even comprehends the meaning of 'pandemic,' but this also a bald-faced lie, because guess what? There is plenty of video of him saying that this was all going to pass, no big deal, we'd soon be down to zero cases. ZERO. 

As of March 17, 2020, at 4 PM, the CDC lists the number of cases in the United States to be 4,226.

That's a lot more than zero. 

Even when he starts taking things seriously and starts taking steps to mitigate this crisis, he just can't stop himself from lying. Even when there's video. Baby jeebus is still weeping. 

States are finally trying to take matters into their own hands and taking steps to close things down in order to slow the transmission. I hope that will be enough but it remains to be seen. I have a sneaking suspicion that this virus is already fairly ubiquitous in the US after seven weeks of unchecked transmission. When widespread testing ramps up, we are going to see a massive, shocking, and downright scary increase in cases. Brace yourselves for that because it will make you think that it has exploded out of control. To be honest, that may have already happened. The better picture will come as we start to see the increase in new cases slow down.

I'm just trying to breathe, keep my sense of humor, and find joy where I can. Like every other person who can manage it, we will be hunkering down at Nutwood and doing our best to be like REO Speedwagon and ride the storm out. I'm sending solidarity to all my fellow healthcare workers who are going to be in it for the duration.

I've been seeing the word 'surreal' a lot lately. I honestly cannot think of a better word for it. In my 25 years in healthcare, I have never seen anything like this.

Moose out front shoulda told you

Closing time
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end

~~ "Closing Time" by Semisonic

Well, shit is getting real. 

Both Ohio and Illinois are closing down restaurants and bars for a couple of weeks, and the Mayor of Hoboken, NJ has instituted a curfew in addition to closing things down.

Closer to home, although Indiana has not taken that step or the step of closing all schools, South Bend has closed schools for a couple of weeks.  

Unfortunately, there are still some people who are not getting it. From a microbiologist's viewpoint, this is dangerously short-sighted. Although these steps might seem draconian and an over-reaction, I can assure you that we need to break the transmission chain. 

I understand that this will impact millions of people. I understand that people who are barely making ends meet are going to be hurting. However, the alternative is worse. I don't think people are truly understanding just how bad this could get. If our healthcare system is overwhelmed, people will not get needed treatment and people will die. 

This is where the federal government absolutely must pass a relief bill. We need to protect those workers whose lives will be upended by this. 

As I am writing this, the White House is having a press briefing. I am absolutely livid. This so-called "president" came out and his main concern is not with the people who are ill or dying, but his delight at the Fed lowering the interest rate. 

I just can't even anymore. What is wrong with him? He is an utter psychopath. He has no empathy. 

This was going to be a longer entry but I need to do some self-care right now because I need to bring my blood pressure down.