The COVID Chronicle, January 1-15, 2021

 

January 2 [Saturday]

Our garbage service is receiving a Covid-related change. Garbage remains weekly pickup, but purportedly due to Covid-afflicted decreased manpower, the recycling and green bins will now alternate weeks. Previously the three bins were eligible weekly for curbside pickup. With this change green and recycling will go aloft on alternating weeks until further notice. It’s understandable, really, and I have no beef with the reduced pickup. Not OK, however, is the astounding bravado of a corresponding rate increase occurring at the same time as the 33% service decrease. 

 

January 3 [Sunday]

I’m curious as to what’s going on with the vaccinations. Health care workers have understandably been prioritized recipients. While the denizens are plied with trust-building photos and videos of public figures getting vaccinated, there is a minor percentage, though considerable number, of health care workers abstaining. What gives? Are they concerned that a first round of vaccine was maybe rushed through and they’re worried of side effects? I can’t imagine it’s a politically based abstinence. Time will tell, I suppose. There are also reports of vaccines being thrown out because they are not getting used or have expired. This is unbelievably sloppy. What, the vaccine-bearers can’t proactively send word to at-risk locals to offer free vaccinations instead of throwing them out?

 

January 5 [Tuesday]

A friend in Singapore ran out of books to read during Shelter In Place. Book stores and libraries were closed due to Shelter In Place and the guy has no eReader. I know, first question, ‘What, Amazon doesn’t deliver there?’ Regardless, he went empty at a most inopportune time. Locally, our libraries are not open for public perusal, but books and items can be requested online followed with an email notification when they’re ready for retrieval. Book stores here in southern California were closed earlier during Shelter In Place, but they reopened long ago simply with reduced occupancy limits. 

[Note: my pal has since acquired an iPad and is now reading electronic books. He’s especially bulking up on the free books in the public domain.]

 

January 6 [Wednesday]

Barbarians stormed the Capitol today, the morons. President Biden’s election was to be certified and sore losers took up with violence to break windows and prance into the Senate, plus we’re receiving reports of other government buildings throughout the country being abused. Shameful. There’s no Covid angle, just documenting the dumb for posterity. I hope they will shortly be coupled with the full extent of the law.

 

January 7 [Thursday]

One of [the boy’s] friends got vaccinated, college-aged. He’d been prioritized because he works in a dental office, plus he has a lung issue qualifying him as at-risk. I’m hoping the occasional close-proximity vaccination updates favorably sway my mom to abide her own vaccination when offered.

 

January 8 [Friday]

President Trump has been banned from Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites. No Covid angle here, I’m just documenting a major note. President Trump did react in a limp manner in not issuing a timely denunciation of those citizens violating the Capitol. He should have done a better job making it clear that such behavior was not acceptable, not that anybody in their right mind need to be told. My beef is two-fold. Banning leads to huge gaps of inconsistent enforcement. Troubling messages have been conveyed by extreme segments of both political teams, but if only one side is silenced then trouble brews. Second, the riots this summer resulting in burned buildings and businesses being destroyed were not met with the same vehemence as the Capitol violators. For me, I want both sets of rioters subjected to the full force of the law. But I’ll just leave this entry for documenting purposes on the decrepitude of our times.

 

January 9 [Saturday]

My football team, the Cleveland Browns, are in the playoffs for the first time since 2002. I’m excited about the quality of their play this year. The playoff game is tomorrow and the coach, and several players, are ineligible due to positive Covid tests! So Browns play without their coach and those players. In other news, [the boy] and I baked a 15-lb. turkey! True. This was done to celebrate their long-awaited playoff berth and an effort to brew up positive Wildcard weekend playoff mojo. Hope it works.

 

January 10 [Sunday] 

Holy Toledo, the Cleveland Browns were expected to get crushed by the Pittsburgh Steelers in today’s playoff game, but emerged with a most unlikely victory. Their coach watched from his home without contact with his coaching staff due to his positive Covid test. Anyway, so the Browns play next weekend. I will make an apple pie [premade crust, the rest is up to me] next weekend in an effort to carry forward positive Divisional playoff mojo. Again hope it works

 

January 11 [Monday]

Wife Klem and I are slated for a March vaccination, according to the age-category schedule. The kids, however, would not be lumped in with us, which is a bummer. Dodger stadium is being considered as a drive-through vaccination center. Thoughts of that beautiful stadium being run through with vehicles conjures sad imagery, but I’m pretty sure it would only be the stadium parking lot.

 

January 14 [Thursday]

Shelter In Place has reached an unhealthy level here at home. Sure, I understand, things are tough all over. We’ve one kid who’s an introvert and this longevity is causing him to regress into his reclusion, it’s gone immersive. He gets out once in a while. He and Wife Klem volunteered at the local state park this week which was very good. But I’m hoping he finds some cause to get out under his own volition. 

The other kid’s an extrovert and she seems to be breaking. She’s active online talking and gaming with friends. I like that she has her conversations in the dining room so we can hear what’s going on, rather than secluded in her room. The conversations sound mostly fun and upbeat, not worrisome, but not seeing or hearing what’s on the other end bugs me. She’s withdrawing into this virtual dynamic.

I look forward to reverting back to the good old days of pre-Covid when our concerns are hoping they get good grades, drive safely, don’t engage drug use and no dangerous sex. We’ve totally lost on the battle of screen time. Steffi and I are trying to keep this thing together and everyone healthy for a little longer. We can do it.