How are you doing so far?
Feeling a little fried by it all? You are not alone.
Okanagan residents (and Canadians in general) are thinking ‘big picture’ and responding much better than many folks in other parts of the world. Most of us are staying home when possible, keeping a ‘safe’ distance when having to go out, and caring not only for ourselves and family but also our fellow humans. Patience, commons sense, self control, and being cognisant of others is imperative if we want to not only survive but get back to a more regular lifestyle.
Sadly enough the same behaviour and thought process is not being displayed by other cities or nations, particularly the United States. As I write this the mighty moron across the border has come out with yet another of his dangerously dumb decisions informing the world (in his bimbo bravado voice) that he is “ordering a halt” to funding the World Health Organization. Trump justifies his absurd decision saying WHO has, “mismanaged and covered up” the pandemic. Rather than admit it was himself that screwed up and ill advised his fellow Americans about taking safety precautions earlier in the outbreak.
In addition Trump is now saying it’s time to get the U.S. active again suggesting he may open up the borders to various states and countries including New York State and the city itself. That comment was announced yesterday – the same day just under 2,0000 Americans died from the virus. More than 10,000 deaths have taken place in New York State alone connected to the disease. Thankfully such final decision making regarding state guidelines on health orders are different than in Canada. Governors or state governments have the final say, not Trump on such closures.
Scary man, that Mr. Trump. Scary and dangerous.
Meanwhile in B.C. there is some minor hope that the virus is starting to plateau, though certainly a few more days are needed to see if that trend is actually true.
Certainly it has been an adjustment for all of us and many folks have pondered the thought of how long life will take to return to ‘normal’ or like it use to be. I suggest the answer is never.
Depending upon your lifestyle or life routine this new ‘social distancing’ isolation scenario is currently feeling pretty good or pretty horrible. Regardless of how it seems today it must continue for a while. We have a fair bit more time to go before the pendulum swings back. Hoping, of course, that it does.
For most of us the concern of how we got here and who’s to blame, if anyone, is low on the priority list. The chart topper is staying alive, surviving this pandemic, ride the wave.
An internet contributor wrote yesterday he could not wait until things got “back to normal” to which another person responded that “nothing should go back to normal – normal wasn’t working.”
Good point, a lot of it was not working. the internet conversation continued with a prophetic ending comment by one saying, ‘If we go back to the way things ‘were’ we will have learned nothing.”
Certainly we are far from done with this. Some suspect we may simply be at the tip of the iceberg on this world wide implosion. Others believe the complete opposite – that it’s over, that it’s really not a big deal or that they are immune. It’s those folks that will prolong the time it takes to attempt to rediscover normal.
Things will never be the same – which in many ways is a good thing. Or at least I hope not. This cataclysmic legitimate ‘game-changer’ may well be the silver lining behind the cloud but that is next week’s column.
Meanwhile a little bit of brevity can’t hurt. A former journalist buddy of mine with a dark sense of humour sent me this gem. Read with adult glasses please.
“The American Medical Association has weighed in on Trump’s Corona strategy:
The Allergists were in favor of scratching it, but the Dermatologists advised not to make any rash moves. The Gastroenterologists had sort of a gut feeling about it, but the Neurologists thought the Administration had a lot of nerve.
Meanwhile, Obstetricians felt certain everyone was laboring under a misconception, while the Ophthalmologists considered the idea shortsighted. Pathologists yelled, “Over my dead body!” while the Pediatricians said, “Oh, grow up!”
“The Psychiatrists thought the whole idea was madness, while the Radiologists could see right through it. Surgeons decided to wash their hands of the whole thing and the Internists claimed it would indeed be a bitter pill to swallow.
“The Plastic Surgeons opined that this proposal would “put a whole new face on the matter. The Podiatrists thought it was a step forward, but the Urologists were pissed off at the whole idea.
“Anesthesiologists thought the whole idea was a gas, and those lofty Cardiologists didn’t have the heart to say no. In the end, the Proctologists won out, leaving the entire decision up to the asses in Washington.”
There you are. Keep smiling and… stay home.
