Hooray! It Was Nice Out.

It took long enough, but today was a really nice day weather wise.  High in the mid 20s.

I also decided to celebrate that tomorrow is Day Seven of Passover.  The little things are important now until things die down.  I also need to do a better job of regulating my COVID 19 news intake.  It's become a significant amount of income for me and that means I deal with it during the day, and honestly want to do something else than see what is going on during down time.

But I still have to keep up as the solution for small businesses who are losing income will either be legislated or litigated, and I need to talk to people about it.

Here is hoping things get better soon.

Quick Hi on Day Five of the Omer

As I try to stay sane, I did my good deed for the day.

I made a little boy happy.

After losing his job in a bar, he now works in a restaurant.  Doesn't make any tip money, but he did do some social media marketing for them.

I visited the restaurant, and mentioned his efforts.

He was thrilled.

The thank you I got was very nice too.

Chalk one up for AMLO

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away - THEY MADE  A MOVIE!

And the Russians and the Saudis got in a snit over oil production and decided to let the taps flow freely.

And Mexico's economy took a direct hit as a result meaning that the peso crossed a psychological barrier of 20 to the dollar for the second time in four years.

Then COVID 19 damaged the country meaning if it was nonessential, it shut down.

So, according to the dashboard maintained by Johns Hopkins University, as of today, a little over 50% of the COVID cases have been resolved.  While that is chugging along, AMLO cut a good deal for Mexico regarding an agreement to cut oil production (they're not cutting as much.)

Looking forward to seeing the results.

Oh, and happy Easter.

Day Three of the Omer

I decided to be serious about counting the Omer this year.

It will give me something to do while I wait for the US to get it's act together and combat coronavirus.  From my point of view, it looks like a big old mess on that side.  I sincerely hope that the whole thing ends sooner rather than later but every time I hear the US President open his mouth, I doubt it.

I really miss hanging out with my friends.  Takeout is not the same and I want to have a drink in a bar.  I know it's for everyone's own good, but still.

Other than that I'm fine.

Or is that FINE?

Anyway while riding the storm out I explored Orthodox Judaism.  I celebrated Passover by having seders on the first and second night using two different Haggadot.  The second one pointed out that it never mentioned Moses.  Once.

Why?  Because finding your way out of your Egypt and heading toward The Promised Land is up to you.

Dovetails nicely with the religious people in my circle whose it question is, "What is your Egypt?"

Mine centers around the Promise of the US and still believing in it.  How that plays out between now and the end of the year will be interesting.

Thinking about five years ago

As I wait coronavirus out, I am constantly thinking about five years ago.

Five years ago at this time, Rick was actively dying.

To make matters worse parts of his brain that controlled emotions and crying failed him.

I dealt with screaming

I dealt with anger issues

I dealt with crying

But somewhere inside him, he knew to help out on a subject that was near and dear to me.

So, when my therapist wanted to borrow us for a school project she was doing, he was great.  It involved how people with Alzheimer's processed music, and she wanted to use Rick to do some illustrations.  It was one of the two visits during this time that I will always remember.

I also wondered when that chapter would end.

It ended three months later.

And this chapter will end too.

I just want it to end yesterday.

Next Week's Plan

Holy Week (at least the non - Orthodox version) starts on Sunday.

In normal times, this would be a sellout week for tourism in Mexico and it would be impossible to go anywhere.

These are not normal times.  The hospitality industry is decimated thanks to COVID - 19.

That said, I will do an anything but Kosher for Passover seder.  Why?  Well, it celebrates a bunch of people who were told to hunker down because something really bad was happening.  Ultimately they got out, but then started a trek into the unknown.

Guess that is what we are doing now.

Stay safe and sound.

Coronavirus.

So, the world went topsy turvy over the past two weeks.

I knew there would be trouble when the Baja California authorities advised people not to go to the USA.

Of course I have things I need to take care of there, and now I can't until at least April 21.  Maybe longer.

I get to see sober government advise people to socially distance themselves and entities helping that one on by doing things like blocking off every other table in a restaurant, and everyone engaged in capacity controls.  Some places are now takeout only.  Others have closed for the duration.

Meanwhile in the US, the President appears to be in some alternative universe.  Sigh.

I am really having a hard time to digest the fact that right now it is probably safer to be in Mexico than in the US.  This was reinforced when it was announced that all coronavirus patients that need to be in a hospital will go to the one commandeered for that purpose.  Hopefully, there won't be many.

Also, hopefully, this ends sooner rather than later.  I want to visit family and friends as well as get in some beach time.

Badly.

Hopefully all of you are staying healthy too.