COVID IS IN THE BUILDING

Okay, I suppose it was bound to happen.

Just sucks that it happened here.

We received an email from the building management that someone who lives here has a case of...roll them drums.... Covid 19.

The email is somewhat vague to protect the resident -- it's not clear whether he/she is alone in the space or there are others involved. I understand why this is done -- the more to protect someone from the inevitable vicissitudes of humanity. 

You know, someone doing something that's not very nice and ends up in a stupid post on some social media site.

I have to admit here that I am weirded out by the above statement in the purple box. We had another email some time ago about a patient in another building close by, but that seemed very far away.

This is close to home. This is my home, where I've spent week upon week doing all I could to prevent  Covid 19 -- aka "the scourge of 2020" from invading my space. It sucks.

But then it sucks for the person who has it, of course. We can only hope it's not a bad case and it ends well. Admittedly now everyone here will be even more on guard, let's assume. 

So allow me to repeat my mantra -- WEAR THE DAMN MASKS, PEOPLE, WEAR THE DAMN MASKS.

Amen, and pass the hand sanitizer. 

COVID 19: We Are "All Not in This Together"

One of the most inane messages that is being thrown about during this Covid 19 Era is how "we are all in this together." 

The idea that "they" are trying to shove down our collective throats is that somehow no matter who or what or where any of us are, we are sharing this common experience in a way that is very egalitarian. No, no. no. 

Lately our televisions are showing images of celebrities holing up in their respective homes, proving very visually that we are not in this all together.  The idea is supposed to be that these privileged and moneyed folks are putting up with the same difficulties that those of us who live in much smaller residences endure. 

Yeah, right. 

Take the Today show's Al Roker who presumably is broadcasting from home. So far I've seen a huge kitchen, an outdoor fireplace bigger than my bathroom and a sweet collection of vinyl in what I think is his living room. This shot of Al in his kitchen is notable for the huge stove and the collection of Le Creuset on the shelves.

Meanwhile singer Kelly Clarkson is broadcasting her daily show from her ranch in Montana, festooned with log walls, some horse runs and a couple of fire pits.  

The rest of us mere mortals are doing our level best to keep our cool in spaces that are nowhere like those residences. Those of us lucky enough, I meant to say, to have a home. Let's not talk about people who are enduring the Covid 19 era on the street of any city worldwide.

My point is this - I don't  begrudge any of these folks their nicely appointed digs. Hey, they worked hard for it and more power to them. 

But when I hear them tell me that we are in this together -- that makes me cringe. Al, Kelly, and all the rest of you - we are NOT all in this together. You are hanging out in spaces with every amenity you can imagine - and if you don't like that house, you have others to visit when boredom strikes. 

We are not all in this together, people. It's about time we stand up for ourselves and ask, no, DEMAND that the powers that be stop using that ridiculous statement when patently it's an absolute load of crap, and nothing will convince me otherwise. 

Amen, and pass the hand sanitizer. 

COVID 19 ERA: PUT THE MASK ON, PART 2

I can't believe I'm scribbling again on this same, lame topic.

The facial masks are now an ubiquitous symbol of the Covid 19 Era.  A couple of months ago I was calling it "the pandemic" like everyone else, but I've changed my tune on that. Humor me. 


This afternoon a members of the Miami-dade County League of Cities Mayor's Coalition (aka a boatload of South Florida mayors) held a press conference on Covid 19. Usually these things tend to be about the same sort of topics, not just in Miami but across the country: how many have died, how many are infected. 

Holding court today was City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, a guy who has a lot of my admiration because he tested positive for Covid 19 and posted video updates daily. As a former Communications Director for a Rhode Island politico, a guy I couldn't get to do anything which required personality, I was gobsmacked that Mayor Suarez did what he did. Not bad for a Republican. 

So when he said today that from now on anyone walking outside in Miami must wear a mask of some kind, I was rooting for him and any of the other mayors standing near the podium.

Wearing a mask has become a cause celebre for the intellectually challenged. Some monkeys think it's a violation of their civil rights, and fight like hell not to put the things on. One Floridian got into a wrestling match at Walmart (duh) because an employee told him it was mandatory to wear one in the store. The videos are all over the place and someday the Maskless Wonder may regret having one of his less than finer moments recorded for all time.

I have been wearing a mask from the get-go because I have a phobia about being close to an infected human who will sneeze and blow his/her snot all over my face. I recognize the mask may not provide a ton of protection, but the more we get into this Covid Era the more it seems that they might.

So as I said in an earlier post, wear the masks, people, wear the masks. There are a bunch of styles and colors to choose from and at least you can make the Covid Era part of your fashion statements.

And Mayor Suarez, thanks a lot, I mean it. 

Amen, and pass the hand sanitizers.