I’m deeply grateful for that very thing. Except for one daughter and her kids (and their friends and their friends’ families and…). And for them, I’m CAREFULLY thankful.
Today I’m going to pick up my son from school. I know the CDC is advising against travel but the semester is over and his school is closing til January so we don’t have a choice. To ease our concerns the school is providing COVID PCR tests.
Much as I would love to throw caution to the wind, am sticking with a short socially distanced visit with my Mom, who is providing me a carry out package. :-) As an essential worker, truck driver, much as I try to be careful, I can’t always stay far enough away from some of the fools that have the herd mentality that makes them believe herd immunity can be achieved by pure stupidity.
I have two cousins who think covid is a hoax to control and subvert. As much as I love them both, there is no denying that they are struggling emotionally and mentally. For them this is a way to congregate with like minded people (usually on line) and get a feeling of control over a situation that really overwhelms them (not just covid, but life in general).
This is a very timely arc. It very clearly expresses the frustrations felt by all of us. Our grown children live only a few blocks from us, but, for the first time in years, we will not gather on Thursday. At our ages, my wife and I cannot count on many more Thanksgivings, but we will gladly bet this one against the possibility of more to come.
My family is pretty mad at me for not coming for Thanksgiving. It is frustrating the way they insult me for being cautious. I try to be calm and not lose my temper with them. But they are of a perspective whereby they believe the danger of Covid is mostly a hoax and the Governor of Michigan (where they live) is trying to destroy the state’s economy for some nefarious purpose. I feel bad for being a little relieved I have an excuse not to go.
If you do choose to go out or gather for the holidays remember:
From the Harvard Medical School:
“A person with COVID-19 may be contagious 48 to 72 hours before starting to experience symptoms. In fact, people without symptoms may be more likely to spread the illness, because they are unlikely to be isolating and may not adopt behaviors designed to prevent spread.” -Nov 3, 2020
So a person may not know they are ill and should wear a mask to protect people around them and stop the spread even if they are not experiencing symptoms. Another case on knowing what you don’t know and acting on it. Stay safe everyone.
Thanksgiving is not a mandate. There is no requirement to get together with a bunch of people during a pandemic. Everyone should know this, and do what they can to avoid overcrowding hospitals to the point that most of the staff is ill and no one with a “normal” emergency can be helped. Cut your hand badly on thanksgiving? Do you want to go to the ER? Overeat, fall asleep, wake up with chest pains? Do you want to go to the ER? Fall on ice on your way into grandparent’s house? Ditto. Need surgery, maybe a new hip, but it can wait? Live with the pain, or take a risk? We shouldn’t be here like this. Our freedoms seem to be in direct contradiction to the right to stay alive. Wait until the hospitals haven’t calmed down after Thanksgiving and then Christmas comes. Then New Years. Nothing like a bunch of drunk people forgetting to even consider keeping a distance from each other. The USA has the highest covid rates in the world and the best opportunities to control it. It’s not a little flu. Try going into a hospital and visiting someone to verify that it’s a real pandemic. Or while you are being removed, notice that all employees and medical personnel are wearing protective equipment. Especially masks. Probably two. Plus a face shield or goggles.
Here’s what I learned this month: Even if you’re pretty sure you know what you don’t know, you’re probably overestimating yourself. I work at home. I don’t have co-workers. I don’t have to go out much, and I don’t. (In addition to not wanting Covid myself, the woman I live with has a compromised immune system.) When I do go out, I’m careful to the point of paranoid. In the rare instance of a discretionary outing to see a friend, I make absolutely sure that friend is smarter than me, just as paranoid and maybe has just as much to lose. Check, check, and check. And I STILL got the phone call. Got it from just such a trusted, slam-dunk safe friend who nonetheless came down with a fever one day after I saw him. He got tested, tested positive, got miserable and recovered (as much as we know about recovery from Covid, and we still don’t know much). I was properly masked and distant and mostly outdoors for the brief encounter; got tested after he called, tested negative and quarantined for two weeks anyway. Neither my wife nor I had the tiniest symptom. We dodged a bullet. But it really rattled me.
Because it didn’t just shake my confidence. It shook my confidence in my confidence.
And this was all before the current surge. Be careful out there. And if you think you’re being careful enough, please keep thinking.
Bilan about 4 years ago
People that know what they don’t know, know a lot more than people that know what they know.
Whoa. that’s deep.
Concretionist about 4 years ago
I’m deeply grateful for that very thing. Except for one daughter and her kids (and their friends and their friends’ families and…). And for them, I’m CAREFULLY thankful.
nosirrom about 4 years ago
Today I’m going to pick up my son from school. I know the CDC is advising against travel but the semester is over and his school is closing til January so we don’t have a choice. To ease our concerns the school is providing COVID PCR tests.
GiantShetlandPony about 4 years ago
Much as I would love to throw caution to the wind, am sticking with a short socially distanced visit with my Mom, who is providing me a carry out package. :-) As an essential worker, truck driver, much as I try to be careful, I can’t always stay far enough away from some of the fools that have the herd mentality that makes them believe herd immunity can be achieved by pure stupidity.
cervelo about 4 years ago
I have two cousins who think covid is a hoax to control and subvert. As much as I love them both, there is no denying that they are struggling emotionally and mentally. For them this is a way to congregate with like minded people (usually on line) and get a feeling of control over a situation that really overwhelms them (not just covid, but life in general).
jessegooddoggy about 4 years ago
Saves me a 4 hour drive to visit with conspiracy theory relatives.
sandpiper about 4 years ago
This is a very timely arc. It very clearly expresses the frustrations felt by all of us. Our grown children live only a few blocks from us, but, for the first time in years, we will not gather on Thursday. At our ages, my wife and I cannot count on many more Thanksgivings, but we will gladly bet this one against the possibility of more to come.
Prayers for all, whether masks wearers or not.
StackableContainers about 4 years ago
My family is pretty mad at me for not coming for Thanksgiving. It is frustrating the way they insult me for being cautious. I try to be calm and not lose my temper with them. But they are of a perspective whereby they believe the danger of Covid is mostly a hoax and the Governor of Michigan (where they live) is trying to destroy the state’s economy for some nefarious purpose. I feel bad for being a little relieved I have an excuse not to go.
B.D. about 4 years ago
If you do choose to go out or gather for the holidays remember:
From the Harvard Medical School:
“A person with COVID-19 may be contagious 48 to 72 hours before starting to experience symptoms. In fact, people without symptoms may be more likely to spread the illness, because they are unlikely to be isolating and may not adopt behaviors designed to prevent spread.” -Nov 3, 2020
So a person may not know they are ill and should wear a mask to protect people around them and stop the spread even if they are not experiencing symptoms. Another case on knowing what you don’t know and acting on it. Stay safe everyone.
Richard S Russell Premium Member about 4 years ago
After Big Thanksgiving Dinners, Plan Small Christmas Funerals
Richard S Russell Premium Member about 4 years ago
Mask Math — why they’re more effective than you may think:
https://youtu.be/Y47t9qLc9I4
Moonkey Premium Member about 4 years ago
Thanksgiving is not a mandate. There is no requirement to get together with a bunch of people during a pandemic. Everyone should know this, and do what they can to avoid overcrowding hospitals to the point that most of the staff is ill and no one with a “normal” emergency can be helped. Cut your hand badly on thanksgiving? Do you want to go to the ER? Overeat, fall asleep, wake up with chest pains? Do you want to go to the ER? Fall on ice on your way into grandparent’s house? Ditto. Need surgery, maybe a new hip, but it can wait? Live with the pain, or take a risk? We shouldn’t be here like this. Our freedoms seem to be in direct contradiction to the right to stay alive. Wait until the hospitals haven’t calmed down after Thanksgiving and then Christmas comes. Then New Years. Nothing like a bunch of drunk people forgetting to even consider keeping a distance from each other. The USA has the highest covid rates in the world and the best opportunities to control it. It’s not a little flu. Try going into a hospital and visiting someone to verify that it’s a real pandemic. Or while you are being removed, notice that all employees and medical personnel are wearing protective equipment. Especially masks. Probably two. Plus a face shield or goggles.
thedogesl Premium Member about 4 years ago
As well he should be! (:-)
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] about 4 years ago
Jef Mallett’s Blog Posts
Frazz14 hrs ·
Here’s what I learned this month: Even if you’re pretty sure you know what you don’t know, you’re probably overestimating yourself. I work at home. I don’t have co-workers. I don’t have to go out much, and I don’t. (In addition to not wanting Covid myself, the woman I live with has a compromised immune system.) When I do go out, I’m careful to the point of paranoid. In the rare instance of a discretionary outing to see a friend, I make absolutely sure that friend is smarter than me, just as paranoid and maybe has just as much to lose. Check, check, and check. And I STILL got the phone call. Got it from just such a trusted, slam-dunk safe friend who nonetheless came down with a fever one day after I saw him. He got tested, tested positive, got miserable and recovered (as much as we know about recovery from Covid, and we still don’t know much). I was properly masked and distant and mostly outdoors for the brief encounter; got tested after he called, tested negative and quarantined for two weeks anyway. Neither my wife nor I had the tiniest symptom. We dodged a bullet. But it really rattled me.
Because it didn’t just shake my confidence. It shook my confidence in my confidence.
And this was all before the current surge. Be careful out there. And if you think you’re being careful enough, please keep thinking.