I'm getting a bit nervous myself, LR. People around here know the instructions and try to follow them but just don't know how to distance well enough. And shop workers (especially fast food!) aren't up to speed with Food Safe practices. It's all putting me right off eating. Or shopping. Or going out. (Which is kind of the point!). But there's only so much canned food I can stomach, literally. Some of my favourite haunts have closed for the duration though in terms of pick-up better stuff than fast food. I'm even sick of my perennial favourite - pasta. When the cashier who's handling cash is also the server who presses her entire bare palm down on the lid of your soda to make sure it's on tight it's time to start writing letters to the editor. Or giving up the convenience food for the duration.
When I was a kid I would do *exactly* the very thing I was told not to do, out of curiosity. It often didn't work out well. But this is super-scary and I have tried to follow all instructions but still the thing lurks. I so very much don't want to get it. I think I did my duty already by getting that awful flu last year. So I would like a pass this time, please!
I may spend the time writing blurbs on how to maximize safety, in view of what I observe all too often. Then I'll hand them out to friends and relatives (they'll thank me one day - maybe). Today I saw a man, having tried to keep himself safe with his heavy duty face mask, who was climbing into his car and juggling a large pop along with his keys while also with relief ripping off his mask. He let it swing outside-in so the "dirty" side was now against his face. Then he quickly dragged it upwards, where it snagged on his ear, and continued on until it had rubbed against his entire face and over his eyes, then off over his head (!). He just infected himself (if indeed he had come into contact and it was on the mask). Time for a lesson or two on safety practices. He tried but he failed. Let's hope he gets a second chance.
I don't expect people to know best practices for something they've never had to think of before or to hear or see news in a comprehensive way. I don't know how to get the most complete message out to the largest number of people and get them to learn quickly how to protect themselves and thereby all those they contact.
To hear and see John in concert in Salt Lake in the mid-1980's. When I heard he had the Corona virus, I feared the worst because I remembered he'd been a chain smoker back then.
There's a YouTube video by Joan Baez that she offers as a tribute to Prine; someone is welcome to put up the link, but I'm not the one to do it. I love Baez (and saw her once, too), but her voice these days just leaves me sad as well; it's also faded with the passing of time even though it's still with us.
Sing it again, John:
>>You know that old trees go stronger, >>And old rivers grow wilder every day, >>But old people, they just grow lonesome >>Waiting for someone to say "Hello, in there." >>Hello
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/2020 10:46AM by SL Cabbie.
I'm going out with the mask, and keeping this social distance of 6 feet plus as requested. But I still wonder about this idea that it lives on surfaces. I know at my job they put up all these signs about health and safety and how much they care about us, but the toilet is just as used as usual. 200 workers, 3 stalls, and one janitor who has too much to do and can't get to the restrooms fast enough. It's bad!
But I guess if the social campaign about being clean helps people feel better, then that's good. I look out over the fields by my house and see the cows, they don't worry about keeping clean and washing everything down, and they seem to be ok.
In a few months the scientists will likely cut back on the washing mantra, back to before you eat, and after using the restroom. But we'll see?
I worked as an engineering consultant before retirement. One of my projects was at the TVA Paradise coal power plant. Unfortunately the later part of my work there was to isolate two older generating units to allow a third to operate independently. The two older units would be shut down permanently. This also precipitated mass lay offs. Paradise Kentucky is in dead center of the state. It is quite impoverished. I feel sorry for the financial struggles folks have who live there. It is nearly impossible to make a reasonable living anywhere near the former town of Paradise.
In my first visit there I was using a GPS to find Paradise KY. The GPS took me on a lonely two lane road that eventually turned to gravel and the GPS said. "You have arrived at your destination". It was an empty field. These are the words from John Prine's song:
And daddy won't you take me back to Muhlenberg County Down by the Green River where Paradise lay Well, I'm sorry my son, but you're too late in asking Mister Peabody's coal train has hauled it away.
People at the plant smiled when I told them what happened. It occurs all the time. The town was literally hauled away. There is not even a sign designating the site when the town stood. Underneath it was a massive coal deposit.
A good friend of mine is a folk musician. He wanted a picture of the street sign named after John Prine that is near the Paradise power plant. I took the picture of the street sign. John Prine was famous there.
I'm a longtime fan. I have his first album and "Sweet Revenge" on compact disc. He had a good run of 73 years, and his canon of music will age well, in my estimation. Good night, sweet prince.