WEEK #1 – The New Reality

Discloser: I’m used to isolation. I’ve been quarantined for years so welcome to my world. What follows is how the last week of a ‘New Reality’ has seemed to a hermit in the woods.

How did you do on this first week? Being at home with the family? Never getting out of your jammies? Attending Face Time meetings while eating cheetos? Telling your kids to read a book without restricting their screen time?

My recollection of this past week has been the radio announcements. The daily governmental briefings that are always late telling the American public to wash their hands followed by talking heads analysis every word and phrase and body movement in medical or political terms will better inform our understanding of the spreading cooties.

Seems the kids don’t mind as kids are invincible and at a certain age full of testosterone and just want to boogie down. Close the bars? They will get booze. They always have. Besides this is the time they will have tales to tell their children.

The GIGANTIC SNOW-DAY rush at the Tummy Temple was amazing. That was the first time I saw the meat locker empty. Do people have that many freezers? I applaud the staff maintaining the long lines of anxiety with professionalism even thought they were exposed to more than 10 at a time.

The panic in the air has cut back on traffic (and that is fine with me) and everyone on the block is parked as if everyday was Sunday. It must be the digital age for no one is outside. A few will run out, cut their grass then run back inside. The WiFi is getting slower but the list is much longer than before. A few folks are out walking their dogs and the dogs don’t know. It is good to be a dog.

Sure this ‘cootie’ thing has changed the world. Timeline reports show the numbers of those who have been tested ‘positive’ and those who have croaked. It is a database.

Everyone complains there are no testing or limited testing while lining up in a drive-thru line getting your temperature taken and a swab up your nose. Would you like fries with that?

If you do get a test and pass ‘positive,’ then what do you do? There is no serum or potion or elixir or magic lotion to save you from (possible) death. It is a virus and no matter how many times you take your temperature, it will run it’s course and you will feel better…. Or you will die. (That is by 3/22/2020 2:27PM)

So let’s talk about that dying part.

I (personally) have made my amends with my maker so if a house was to fall on me right now, I’m OK with that. This aspiration virus doesn’t sound like a good way to go, but we all don’t get our choices.

Yet we (as a culture) are afraid of death. It is the unknown. We aren’t afraid of history. These were times before ‘we’ had life, so why be afraid of life after death?

Now think about your mother.

Don’t know how close you are (were) to your mother but she was just part of the family. That group you were quarantined with through your early years.

Your mother was that one who brought you into this ‘life’ business so you had a bond. She had food supply that your father, brothers, or uncles didn’t have. What about your father? You carry his family name, but your mom is from your species. These people interact but your father is the only one who sleeps with her. Oh!!

See what happens when you are alone?

Other than the comical GEO of the nation, there is music to listen to. Music is always available and always good. Whatever your taste or liking, music can sooth or excite. You can listen through headphones and be lost in other worlds. You can blast the speakers and wake the neighbors. Since you have time on your hands, you can learn to play the piano (or kazoo).

So what was remarkable about the past week?

I don’t have any kids to try and educated with ancient learning or walk the dog, so my world is pretty normal.

Go to the Tummy Temple with the same route at the same time everyday. There are the usual staffs that recognize you because of the frequency and other than the empty shelves; the products needed are in the usual place. The Colorado spring keeps providing hydration and the exercise get to and fro provides exercise.

This week’s good deed was to give a vendor girl with a great smile a pair of gloves. She’s cute so I say “Hi” when I walk by. She had complained about working in the frozen food section. She said the gloves provided to them kept coming off. I suggested she try some other gloves. The next time I saw her I gave here a pair of my bike gloves. I got a smile. Well worth being kind.

Also tried to start another conversation with an old schoolmate but it doesn’t look good. I’ll try and stick it out, but time will tell.

The weeds are changing into flowers as they poke up and open their faces. The smell of fresh plants is in the air and the birds are having free concerts. When the buffet was opened a new bunny showed up. All good.

This evening I’ll turn off the electronics nonsense and drift off into another movie I’ve written and didn’t know.

Tomorrow will be another day. Rain or shine (Lord willing and the creek don’t rise) and project for the day will be clean up or sleep in or cook a pizza or wash the dishes or answer the phone or comb my hair (after I wash my hands) or check that crud between my toes or meet my buds down at the local pub (!!) or just open a brew at home.

Well see when the future gets here.