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  1. #1
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    Soooo...are you "self isolating" during this Corona thing?

    just checkin' in to see what ya'll been doin' since we have this awful crisis goin' on...

    I do medical billing, and have been working from home since last Friday....the hospital I work for has set up a drive-thru test site at the building I work in....

    It's my [[and other employees) opinion that our building has been nothing short of a human petri dish, since the carpets hadn't been cleaned in the 2 years that I got "moved" down here...

    I've heard people from both sides of our "workspace" sneezing, coughing and you can tell they aren't covering their faces...some of them think that loud sneezing is "cute" and humorous...

    Last Thurs. I actually WATCHED one of the interns sneeze, and cough without covering her face, then she proceeded to PICK HER NOSE and RUB HER EYES....and never bothered to reach, nor look for any tissue, and when she left a couple hours later, NEVER bothered to sanitize her hands [[yes, we have sanitizer available)..She's 26 and goes out "into the field" to work with children....

    That was enough for me....I already have a pre-existing condition, and last year this time, a respiratory infection I caught made me almost wish I was dead...

    Me and Mr.Gzu have been at home - we recently "stocked up" on stuff we need and should be good to go...

    My godfather passed away last summer and he told me before he died, that we would indeed go thru another recession....

    My own father said the same thing before he passed away back in '07..and he was right too...

    So um, "How YOU doin'?




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    I live in a fairly rural area of Virginia and as of the moment, there are only two confirmed cases about 25 miles each away, but in different directions. Virginia as a whole had 51 the last I heard with two deaths so far but the more urban areas such as Virginia Beach and NoVa have the most of those, which is to be expected. Meanwhile, to the best of my knowledge, West Virginia [[less than 100 miles from me in some places) has absolutely NO confirmed cases.

    Therefore some folks around here just cannot consider it "real" yet. However, things have been canceled all over the place, and the grocery stores are wiped out of some essentials. To me personally, the biggest heartbreak was the cancellation of March Madness, my favorite sporting event of the whole year. I keep hoping they will find a way to bring that back. So we are "getting by" you might say.

  3. #3
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    I'm in North Carolina and still coming in to work every day. I've been to the grocery a couple of times and while toilet paper and sanitizer are gone, I haven't seen any folks piling up their carts with food. Seems pretty normal right now. I've noticed that there's much less traffic in the mornings and at 5:00 pm. Silver lining, I guess. There have been just a few cases of corona in the county, so no drastic measures yet, although all events are cancelled and recreation centers are closed.

    Really hoping this is over soon.

  4. #4
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    yeah, Mr. Gzu went to the store early yesterday a.m., and said it was the most "eerie" feeling in the air....streets deserted, and when he walked into the store, he said folk were looking at him [[and erry'body else) with a lot of "reservation" otherwise read as "do YOU have "it"....no more than 10 customers including him shopping...

    shelves over at the Dollar Store and Dollar Tree are empty...glad we got stuff before it all came down...but there's still Amazon of which I will still need my beloved Dove shower soap...[[hope it's still available, cuz I buy by the bulk)...and we got an Amazon distr. center around the corner and down the street from where we live...

    all the schools are closed....bars/restaurants closed...surprised I could still get to the beauty supply store to get some curlers for my hair..[[not that I need to go anywhere really, but I can't resist a good "sale")

    I have no problem with being "locked up" in our home....It's big enough for the 2 of us to "get lost" when we feel the need..but you WILL hear LOTS OF GOOD OLE MUSIC rolling thru our coffers...

    And our dog don't care as long as he continues to be fed and petted as needed....[[I swear I can look in his eyes and he says back to me, "mom, don't worry I got you, we will get thru this").....

  5. #5
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    I haven't watch so much[cnn]in my life as i've seen this week but got to keep up,but i'm blessed the family is good and i too have alot of good music and my sdf family to chat with.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by GrtGzu View Post
    yeah, Mr. Gzu went to the store early yesterday a.m., and said it was the most "eerie" feeling in the air....streets deserted, and when he walked into the store, he said folk were looking at him [[and erry'body else) with a lot of "reservation" otherwise read as "do YOU have "it"....no more than 10 customers including him shopping...

    shelves over at the Dollar Store and Dollar Tree are empty...glad we got stuff before it all came down...but there's still Amazon of which I will still need my beloved Dove shower soap...[[hope it's still available, cuz I buy by the bulk)...and we got an Amazon distr. center around the corner and down the street from where we live...

    all the schools are closed....bars/restaurants closed...surprised I could still get to the beauty supply store to get some curlers for my hair..[[not that I need to go anywhere really, but I can't resist a good "sale")

    I have no problem with being "locked up" in our home....It's big enough for the 2 of us to "get lost" when we feel the need..but you WILL hear LOTS OF GOOD OLE MUSIC rolling thru our coffers...

    And our dog don't care as long as he continues to be fed and petted as needed....[[I swear I can look in his eyes and he says back to me, "mom, don't worry I got you, we will get thru this").....
    Dogs will do that...bless their hearts.

  7. #7
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    Made it to a couple of stores on Friday afternoon and at one, all produce was gone and most of the shelves were empty. Went to another and got roughly a quarter of what was on my list because everything else was sold out. Also went to a Walmart and there was no toilet paper, paper towels, sanitizer, hand wipes or water. I usually make that run and come home about $200 lighter but I got back having spent only about 70 bucks. Fortunately, I'm well stocked for protein and canned goods. Won't need to load up until the middle of next week but it'd be cool if folks stopped emptying the store shelves by then.

  8. #8
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    Welp - just got an update from my boss and she said there's very few people coming into our office now...I started it last Friday when I saw "That Girl" sneezing and coughing without taking "preventive measures" and that was when I called Mr.Gzu and told him to come and get me after he had his CAT scan....

    She told me to plan on staying home for the next 2 weeks after I sent her a pic of what my "home office" looks like now...She said I have the "perfect setup" here in my bedroom with a dual screen display and a laptop...Also said the traffic coming into our office is horrific but I already knew that from watching the local news....

    Was gonna order some stuff from Amazon, but heard they have stopped shipments on regular stuff - I still need my Dove Soap, but I might be SOOL, if I can't get it...need to go to the vet to pick up doggie's meds, and also get to CVS for my "heart pills"...thinking seriously about having them delivered from CVS...

    This disaster is now Trump's "Katrina"....

    He needs to find a way to "fix this"....and get his head OUT of his ass...

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    Kroger is offering call in orders and pickup. We're giving that a try. They will also deliver. We picked up a prescription yesterday from a drive-up window. All very handy.

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    It was surreal to see the difference in restaurants just between Monday and today [[Wednesday.) Almost every fast food joint had chairs up on tables so that you could not sit inside and eat. You could only order things to go or use the drive-thru window. Also I was told at work today that I simply HAVE to work from home until further notice and that I am not even allowed in the building. DMVs are closed, libraries are closed, you name it, you can't go there!

  11. #11
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    I am wondering if permanent changes will be made after this thing clears up. Tele-commuting is not all that bad when you don't have to deal with NYC and LA traffic.

  12. #12
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    I generally work from home, with a large % of meetings with my editors and clients done when I'm out of country on Skype [[live audio camera). When in country, I usually visit their offices. But, now I hold ALL meetings on Skype. And, since the Corona Virus breakout, I've put all travel plans on hold because I'm in the 75+ old age risk group. I'm in Los Angeles [[was visiting my sister). I had planned to return to The Netherlands soon. But, I cancelled that trip due to the current travel crunch, and risk of catching the virus in the airport crowds, and sitting in airplanes for 14+ hours. I also have seminars to hold in Denmark starting in May, but they are pending cancellation. And currently, I can't enter that country because, living there less than 6 months means I'm not an official resident. I hope the virus peters out fairly quickly, and I don't lose my already booked jobs.

    I am quarantined along with my sister and brother-in-law. They are also lucky they are semi-retired, and do most of their consulting work from home, and can also have their client meetings on The Internet. The grocery stores have been filled with people every time I've gone out. They seem to be stocking up on food, water, TP, cleaning items for expected long stays at home. All public events, classes, meetings in The L.A. Area have been cancelled. There are less cars on the streets, but still a lot of people stocking up on provisions. Maybe that will die down after a couple more days, as by then, everyone should be fully stocked for the next few weeks.

    I've worked mainly at home for the past many years, so it's nothing new for me. I also don't risk losing my main source of income, although, I'd hate to lose my seminar income from this spring and summer [[as ALL the different weekend cultural event special guests will be fighting to get whatever few weekend days will be remaining to get their events rescheduled).

    But, I hope this will end soon, so that parents with families to support won't lose too much income, or lose their jobs due to their firms' going under.
    Last edited by robb_k; 03-21-2020 at 02:22 AM.

  13. #13
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    Yes and no.
    I of course had to be working at a hospital when this thing broke out. It's so me to be in the middle of something.
    I tuck myself away, and everybody should. And this is about the vulnerable people - and we don't quite know who's vulnerable with this one - not getting this, so if we all self-isolate as much as we can and keep our distance when we can't that's a good thing. Please help the lonely old widow neighbor of yours with some shopping of you're symptom free. Call her, don't ring the doorbell. Ask her to use PayPal or Google pay app or something - and if she's not on a computer let her give you the cash - but put it away immediately and wash your hands [[for a good 30 seconds), and then don't touch it for 5 days. This virus can live outside a host for 5 days. On the 6th day it's definitely dead, and you can pick up the money or anything else where you put it. Put the groceries by her door, ring the doorbell and leave. And tell her to do the same. Anything that she boils is okay to eat right away. Everything else: leave it for five days. And buy her soap. You might literally save her life, because she could be so malnourished for fear of going out and there being nothing at the store if she does that this is detrimental to her , and if she does go out to shop for food she's the one who is probably the most vulnerable to this, and if YOU who is healthy doesn't help her somebody might rob her while pretending to ''help'' her. So I highjacked the question to talk about your neighbor, but we must help each other through this, and you will feel so different knowing that you did once we are out of this.
    Turn off the media at times. They are using covid-19 for click bate and are making tons of money off stressing everybody out extra much. Sure, this is serious, but nobody is going to get healthier by being in a panic for the rest of the year.
    The current hashtag for live music streams in this crisis is #TogetherAtHome. Let's see who will use it or where it goes.

  14. #14
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    My church opened in 1960 and I became a member in 1994. In all of that time, it only closed one Sunday and that was due to a huge dump of snow. Blizzards, tornado warnings, you name it, and the doors have never closed. If you could make it, the pastor would be there and he'd preach to only you if you joined him. It was a point of pride for the previous pastor as it is for the current one. The last two services were both centered on maintaining faith in a time of turmoil [[even though we are no longer holding hands during prayer, hugging during the greeting or laying hands during intercessory prayer).

    Yesterday, I received an email notifying me that there will be no service, no choir rehearsals, no Bible studies, no anything for two weeks. And perhaps longer.

  15. #15
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    Yeah,when the lord's house closes,that's serious,just as you've said the church is the rock always there in time of need,this thing ain't no joke!

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Oz View Post
    My church opened in 1960 and I became a member in 1994. In all of that time, it only closed one Sunday and that was due to a huge dump of snow. Blizzards, tornado warnings, you name it, and the doors have never closed. If you could make it, the pastor would be there and he'd preach to only you if you joined him. It was a point of pride for the previous pastor as it is for the current one. The last two services were both centered on maintaining faith in a time of turmoil [[even though we are no longer holding hands during prayer, hugging during the greeting or laying hands during intercessory prayer).

    Yesterday, I received an email notifying me that there will be no service, no choir rehearsals, no Bible studies, no anything for two weeks. And perhaps longer.

    The good thing is God is everywhere. He will lead us through these troubled waters. This always bring me real comfort.


    I to the hills will lift mine eyes
    From whence doth come mine aid
    My safety cometh from the Lord
    Who heaven and earth hath made.

    Thy foot He'll not let slide, or will
    He slumber that thee keeps.
    Behold, He that keeps Israel,
    He slumbers not, nor sleeps.

    The Lord thee keeps, the Lord thy shade
    On thy right hand doth stay
    The moon by night thee shall not smite,
    Nor yet the sun by day.

    The Lord shall keep thy soul; He shall
    Preserve thee from all ill.
    Henceforth thy going out and in,
    God keep forever will.

  17. #17
    thatanyway Guest
    Zechariah 6:15

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    I am wondering if permanent changes will be made after this thing clears up. Tele-commuting is not all that bad when you don't have to deal with NYC and LA traffic.
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    I think we've now moved up a notch in the % of white collar workers that will be working at home for a major portion of their workweek, and also a big % of people will now do a major % of their shopping from home. There'll be no turning back in these areas until "Western Civilisation" crashes and burns [[which may not be all that far away).

    Public School is now having an experiment in online schooling, which is coming earlier than it would otherwise have. However, after this emergency blows over, I think it will
    become a bigger and bigger part of public and, possibly private school teaching.

  19. #19
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    I'm with you robb.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by robb_k View Post
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    I think we've now moved up a notch in the % of white collar workers that will be working at home for a major portion of their workweek, and also a big % of people will now do a major % of their shopping from home. There'll be no turning back in these areas until "Western Civilisation" crashes and burns [[which may not be all that far away).

    Public School is now having an experiment in online schooling, which is coming earlier than it would otherwise have. However, after this emergency blows over, I think it will
    become a bigger and bigger part of public and, possibly private school teaching.
    I agree with all of this. Personally, I think people will grow used to having groceries delivered at home, especially in the increasing number of cities that promise two hour delivery times. When I pursued my masters degree about ten years ago, I had the option of attending classes or taking on-line courses. I love people, so I drove to school three times a week. But I think we're going to see the further erosion of social engagement, where you can make friends with people from around the world but have no idea what your next door neighbor looks like.

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Oz View Post
    I agree with all of this. Personally, I think people will grow used to having groceries delivered at home, especially in the increasing number of cities that promise two hour delivery times. When I pursued my masters degree about ten years ago, I had the option of attending classes or taking on-line courses. I love people, so I drove to school three times a week. But I think we're going to see the further erosion of social engagement, where you can make friends with people from around the world but have no idea what your next door neighbor looks like.
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    This has been my own situation since 1989, when I started dividing my time among 4 countries, which even became more that way, when I started using The Internet in 1993. I knew a few of my neighbours in each country, but also had neighbours in 4 countries who I didn't know in the slightest. I met ALL my neighbours in Munich, Germany [[in same townhouse building, when a 100-year windstorm broke a window in a unit where the occupants were away on holiday, at 1 A.M. in the middle of the night, which set of the alarm, and the police were there with 2 police cars, and several officers, who blocaded the street, and had a stakeout. It was such an unique happening in Germany [[actually seeing policemen pulling out firearms), that we often still talk about it, today [[just about 30 years later). I met them all because the police marched floor by floor, from the ground floor up to the 5th floor [[would be called 6th in USA) to the house with the open window, with their guns pointed, expecting to encounter a gang of armed burglars. Against orders from the police, ALL of us residents stood on our particular floor's railing, looking either up or down through the stairwell, to watch the police. They ended up breaking the door latch and knock the door open, and entering cautiously pointing their guns only to find no one there, and the wind-broken window. The excitement and shared experience, and finally having some connection with other neighbours to whom we had never said more than "Guten Tag", kept almost everyone on my floor awake and talking to each other on the stairwell for about a half hour, until several of us were invited to go into one of the owner's houses for coffee, and because we finally realised that we were interesting people, and we wanted to continue to get to know each other. A handful of us stayed up the rest of the night, talking. Odd that it never before occurred to any of us that any of the others might be worth knowing. I had lived there for 6 or 7 years before the incident. Before then, the only other people in the building I knew, I had met because of a particular incident or concern that effected both of us.

    It's 30 years later, and MOST of the residents [[almost all are owners) still live there. Almost all of us are still very friendly, and most socialise together a bit [[grill parties, watching films). In my other cities of residence, I usually know only one or two neighbours, fairly casually. None are really what we would call "friends".

    But don't most people today, in Western Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand metropolitan areas [[cities and suburbs), have a small circle of friends living a decent driving distance from them, scattered in different parts of that metro area, and have just a casual, cordial swapping greetings relationship with a few of their neighbours, and others to whom they have never said more than "Good morning", and "Good evening"?
    Last edited by robb_k; 03-22-2020 at 12:36 AM.

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    In the UK, an additional 12.4 million people with high risk medical conditions are being sent letters asking them to self-isolate for 12 weeks.

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by robb_k View Post
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    This has been my own situation since 1989, when I started dividing my time among 4 countries, which even became more that way, when I started using The Internet in 1993. I knew a few of my neighbours in each country, but also had neighbours in 4 countries who I didn't know in the slightest.
    How many languages do you speak, robb_k?

  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Oz View Post
    How many languages do you speak, robb_k?
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    3 more or less fluently [[I forget many words in ANY language in THESE DAYS of deteriorating memory) . I also can speak a handful of others enough to get along on the street, handle my affairs, hold simple conversations, read and get the gist of it, write with a little dictionary help here and there. But, you should know that currently, in all 4-5 countries I spend my time [[USA, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Canada), I could get along perfectly without ever having to speak anything but English). In ALL of Scandinavia [[Norway, Sweden, Denmark-and in Iceland, and also Finland), virtually EVERYONE [[other than Sami Reindeer herders) speaks English fluently, and in Germany, most people under 80 years old do to varying degrees.

    But that wasn't always true. I started visiting Germany in the mid 1960s. And, at that time, almost no one, other than those in tourist-related business spoke any English. Yet, in all those years, I haven't learned to speak their national language "Hochdeutsch" [[High German) very fluently. But, I can stumble along inserting Dutch words when I can't think of the Hochdeutsch word.

    In Northern Germany Lower Saxon [[Low German) "Plattdeutsch) dialects are sister languages of Dutch, so I can understand those languages fairly well. Speakers of Dutch and Plattdeutsch just speak their own language to the other and both understand [[just as the different Scandinavians speak to one another in their own tongues and everyone understands. However, I lived in Bremen for 5 years and spent a lot of time in Groningen [[Dutch/German border area), so I can understand and speak the local Plattdeutsch from those areas. In Munich I speak my butchered Hochdeutsch with Plattdeutsch words and grammatical structures, and usually people can make out the gist of what I am saying. But, now, almost everyone over 80 years old speaks enough English to speak that, if and when we come to a struggling point. Only a handful of the older people I knew in Munich who spoke no English are still alive. But we've always been able to communicate anyway. They just reverted to explaining in simpler language what they meant, using other wording that I'll understand, like a dictionary or thesaurus.

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    No BS whatsoever, but I'd gladly read a book or watch a movie about your life. You're one of the most fascinating people I've "met", even if we only converse virtually.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Oz View Post
    No BS whatsoever, but I'd gladly read a book or watch a movie about your life. You're one of the most fascinating people I've "met", even if we only converse virtually.
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    Just remember that not only is the grass not always "greener" on the other side, it is almost never greener - just different. Everyone has an unique road to wander. We're all born, live a short while, get old [[if we're lucky), and eventually die. By the time we get to the end, most of us think it was way too short. If we think it was too long, we've suffered too much [[mainly during old age) and forgotten how good youth was. If one travels all over The World most of his life, chances are, he hasn't settled down, and had the security and great feeling of support a spouse and children can bring [[especially in old age). I have to admit that I'm a bit jealous of people who have raised children to become good people, and solid citizens, and to have watched them develop, and to enjoy grandchildren and great grandchildren.

    There are only a fixed small amount of hours, days, and years in a Human life, which flies by very fast after age 45 or so, and gets exponentially faster each year after. If you fill your life with only a few different kinds of so-called "interesting" happenings, that time isn't available for other things. One non-harmful activity isn't inherently better than another. What matters is that you enjoy what you are doing, are comfortable with what you do, and yourself, and help The World rather than hurt it [[give back as much as you take or use). If you can look in a mirror and think "I'm an okay person, after all!", that's all that matters.

    I tried to compete in the business world, but it was too competitive [[vicious/dog-eat-dog), so I quit, and became an environmental consultant, writing reports on UN development projects, trying to save trees and animals, and keep the developers from cementing over the Earth. But, the developers ALWAYS won, and were never forced to follow our recommendations, so I gave that up after 20 years, went to art school, and became a cartoonist. And, I could see that THAT was what was meant to do, because I love every minute of it. It makes me feel so good to see the joy in kids' eyes when I draw them an original drawing, after they've told me they really enjoy reading my comic book stories, or watching a film I worked on. I would have LOVED to meet the artists who drew the comics I loved to read as a young child, back in the late 1940s and early 1950s. That was our main evening entertainment, as there was no TV or electronic games, or electronic toys in people's homes back then. Travelling a lot over the years may sound "interesting" to you because you've led a more balanced life. EVERYBODY who has lived a long time has traveled a long road, which is usually interesting because, even if they got married, raised children, stayed in the same job or field all their adult lives, they lived through several different eras when The World was different, and they had to adapt to it in their unique way.

    I've rarely met an old person whose life wasn't interesting if they were willing to talk about it in some detail. My father was a grocery store owner most of his adult life, until he finally owned an ran a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. That might sound dull to some people. But, he lived through the hard times of The Great Depression as a teenager, and at the age of 23, he was in The Royal Winnipeg Rifles, who were in the first wave who stormed Juno Beach in Normandy on June 6, 1944, where 60% of his unit was killed on the first day. He witnessed a lot of them being killed. He was wounded a few months later, and was in hospital for several months. I never even had anything to do with the military. He was a very good youth hockey player, and had wanted to go to university to become a college hockey coach. After returning from the hospital after The War, he had a hard time thinking due to his head injuries. He attended U. of Manitoba for a year, but couldn't hack it. So, my grandfather bought him a ma and pa-type small grocery store. He had one in Winnipeg, then The South Side of Chicago, and, later, one in The Crenshaw Area of L.A. And yet, overall, he led an interesting life. He was so well-known and well-liked in his L.A. neighbourhood, that rioters left his store alone during the burning and looting during The Watts Riots. He may not have had a career that was interesting in and of itself, but he had an interesting life, and lots of great stories to tell. I used to work in his stores until I graduated college. In Chicago we had a lot of famous singers [[local Chicagoans AND stars travelling on The Chitlin' Circuit) and sports figures who came into the store. Same in L.A.

    My cousin-in-law fought in Vietnam. He became addicted to drugs he took for pain. He went to Rock concerts. He had a wild youth. He ended up having his own truck and a bar supply business for 40 years. He had a lot of great stories. An older cousin of mine with whom I grew up in the same house [[like a brother to me) was always very sharp. He started running rackets even in elementary school. He had a ridiculously high-stakes floating poker game during high school. He became a pool hustler. Later, he moved to Las Vegas and became a poker dealer. He also has had an interesting life [[but NOT one I'd want to live).

    I love to hear stories old people tell about the old days. Just about everybody who is old has a long, winding road they followed, with interesting events, and twists, and "what ifs". What is interesting is that it is different from yours, and you can learn things about "humanness" from how people reacted to different situations to which you can relate, and then you can understand a little more about humans, and yourself.

    When I was a little kid, I always liked talking to my grandparents and their generation, and even more to the few people I met in the generation before them, to find out what life was like way back in the past. I still do like talking to the generation before me [[the few that are still around). But, I also like talking to people from my own, because their experiences were different from mine, and also taking to young kids, because the "Bizarro World" of today is so very different from my experience that I like to get the kids' take on it.
    Last edited by robb_k; 03-24-2020 at 12:54 AM.

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    There's very little in my life that I would change. If I could go back in time, I'd take more pictures and keep a journal of my best days because I'm 57 now and there are friends that I've lost and memories of great times that are vague when I wish I could remember every second. I probably would go nuts with an photographic memory, but I might take the craziness if I could just laugh like I laughed in my youth. I'm so glad to be alive.

    By the way, when I said that I find you fascinating, it was more for your personality and warmth than your experiences. None of us is exactly who we appear to be online, but you strike me as a genuinely good guy. Please don't feel compelled to reply to that. But I learned great lessons from my elders [[whom I also miss greatly BTW) and your stories of your journey remind me of the times I spent with them as well. Some of the most impactful words of my lives were those shared by my grandmother and her sisters [[and others) when they sat me at their feet and taught me about their lives. They shaped how I see the world and I hope I'll have that impact on those who look up to me.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Oz View Post
    There's very little in my life that I would change. If I could go back in time, I'd take more pictures and keep a journal of my best days because I'm 57 now and there are friends that I've lost and memories of great times that are vague when I wish I could remember every second. I probably would go nuts with an photographic memory, but I might take the craziness if I could just laugh like I laughed in my youth. I'm so glad to be alive.

    By the way, when I said that I find you fascinating, it was more for your personality and warmth than your experiences. None of us is exactly who we appear to be online, but you strike me as a genuinely good guy. Please don't feel compelled to reply to that. But I learned great lessons from my elders [[whom I also miss greatly BTW) and your stories of your journey remind me of the times I spent with them as well. Some of the most impactful words of my lives were those shared by my grandmother and her sisters [[and others) when they sat me at their feet and taught me about their lives. They shaped how I see the world and I hope I'll have that impact on those who look up to me.
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    So am I. That's why I hope I don't catch The Covid-19 Virus. I hope for all our sakes, the anti-virus serum that's being worked on can be mass produced fast enough to be given to everyone in affected countries as soon as possible, and all the hospitals can get a LOT more ventilators, because there aren't even remotely enough for everyone who will need one. I read this morning, that in some areas of Italy, doctors have been told to not allow ANY people over 60 years old to be placed on a ventilator, regardless of the severity of their symptoms, and to reserve them only for younger people, as there are not nearly enough for all who need them. Wow! I'm glad I didn't get stuck in Italy! I am stuck in L.A. I had planned to leave here last week, to return to Europe. But, at 75 years old, I didn't dare sit on airplanes for 13 hours, and in an airport waiting room, with hundreds of possibly infected people nearby. Now there's an international travel ban. But I'm in self-quarantine, staying in the house, and seeing only my sister and brother-in-law [[who are also semi-retired, and can work from home). We have food delivered. Epidemiogist have estimated that fully half of California's population will contract the virus, and we are currently woefully short of ventilator machines in our hospitals [[pretty much true all over USA, unless the spread of the virus can be stopped or drastically slowed down soon. Maybe US scientific ingenuity can work a miracle like they did when John Kennedy gave them 10 years to get to The Moon. Then, at the same time, The Federal, State, and local governments will have to become more efficient during this crisis. I wouldn't feel "cheated" if I had to bow out of this World after 75 years, but I'd much rather stick around if I can. Best of luck to us all!
    Last edited by robb_k; 03-24-2020 at 03:32 PM.

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    I've had a cough for about 3 weeks ...contacted NHS-UK last Friday and was told to self-isolate at home for a week ...it's not too bad ...Mrs Grape ...God bless her ...goes out for her hour of exercise each morning ...and luckily manages to get whatever we need along the way ...Boris is restricting our movements ...so expecting ankle tags in the post any day now...!!

    Stay safe everybody

    Grape

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    Quote Originally Posted by robb_k View Post
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    So am I. That's why I hope I don't catch The Covid-19 Virus. I hope for all our sakes, the anti-virus serum that's being worked on can be mass produced fast enough to be given to everyone in affected countries as soon as possible, and all the hospitals can get a LOT more ventilators, because there aren't even remotely enough for everyone who will need one. I read this morning, that in some areas of Italy, doctors have been told to not allow ANY people over 60 years old to be placed on a ventilator, regardless of the severity of their symptoms, and to reserve them only for younger people, as there are not nearly enough for all who need them. Wow! I'm glad I didn't get stuck in Italy! I am stuck in L.A. I had planned to leave here last week, to return to Europe.
    Hang in there. I have enough food supplies to last for about 10 days, including protein. Fortunately, I'm retired so with church closed and no job, I have no reason to leave other than to visit my parents. Our governor has been very proactive and so far, our numbers for contraction and death are lower than other states. Unfortunately, the states around mine [[Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania) are less aggressive so the virus is still going to find its way here via them. Now, we have a nut job in chief who is saying that he's going to recommend all isolation be stopped in two weeks and that's going to make it balloon. I hope everybody on SDF takes it seriously and takes care.

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    Trump says he wants to open the country up by Easter. He said he wants to open the U.S. economy up by then against the advice of medical experts. Lt. Governor of Texas, Dan Patrick said that senior citizens should sacrifice themselves, their health and their lives for the sake of Wall Street and the economy. Anyone over 70.

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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    Trump says he wants to open the country up by Easter. He said he wants to open the U.S. economy up by then against the advice of medical experts. Lt. Governor of Texas, Dan Patrick said that senior citizens should sacrifice themselves, their health and their lives for the sake of Wall Street and the economy. Anyone over 70.
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    Bye, Bye, Folks! That'll pretty much be the case if I catch it before the existing , serum they are working on and the additional ventilator respirators they are cranking out can get to my local hospital. Epidemiologists have predicted that fully half of California's population will come down with the virus.

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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    Trump says he wants to open the country up by Easter. He said he wants to open the U.S. economy up by then against the advice of medical experts. Lt. Governor of Texas, Dan Patrick said that senior citizens should sacrifice themselves, their health and their lives for the sake of Wall Street and the economy. Anyone over 70.
    Parts of Italy have stopped admitting anyone to the hospital who is over 60 years of age. Trump, Patrick and the GOP would have no problem with this, knowing that their healthcare plans would make sure they're never going be excluded from treatment. Deplorable.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Oz View Post
    Parts of Italy have stopped admitting anyone to the hospital who is over 60 years of age. Trump, Patrick and the GOP would have no problem with this, knowing that their healthcare plans would make sure they're never going be excluded from treatment. Deplorable.
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    They get to choke to death in a lot of pain, from clogged lungs and lack of oxygen. What fun! Is that my fate, as well as that waiting for Ralph, Dennis, and all the rest of our 60 and over, or 70 and over members, and the parents or grandparents of the rest of our members? Sounds pretty awful.

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    Never thought it could be so difficult and boring to stay at home... Actually, I love to stay at home but I feel so bored since you can't even go for a walk in these times. We were preparing to go to France to buy property in Cannes for the last months and we had to cancel the plans; so here I am at home now, sitting all day and watching TV.

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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    Trump says he wants to open the country up by Easter. He said he wants to open the U.S. economy up by then against the advice of medical experts. Lt. Governor of Texas, Dan Patrick said that senior citizens should sacrifice themselves, their health and their lives for the sake of Wall Street and the economy. Anyone over 70.
    Great idea ! Seriously that happens in Italy because of the lack of tests and ventilators and other "health machines", here in France I'm afraid we'll be in the same situation soon.
    I heard that in a near future the U.S.A. will be the most infected country in the world.We must be prepared to some huge changes in our lives I believe...

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    Did that Lt. Governor REALLY say that? That sounds horrendous.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Oz View Post
    Parts of Italy have stopped admitting anyone to the hospital who is over 60 years of age. Trump, Patrick and the GOP would have no problem with this, knowing that their healthcare plans would make sure they're never going be excluded from treatment. Deplorable.
    Here's the really ironic part. It's been reported that the White House is now considering re-implementing Obamacare to cover those without health insurance in this crisis! Go figure.

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    Quote Originally Posted by robb_k View Post
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    Bye, Bye, Folks! That'll pretty much be the case if I catch it before the existing , serum they are working on and the additional ventilator respirators they are cranking out can get to my local hospital. Epidemiologists have predicted that fully half of California's population will come down with the virus.
    Robb, not to worry. Those demonic assholes will not get their way in this instance. Everyone has family members that are seniors and will not allow it!

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    Quote Originally Posted by daviddesper View Post
    Did that Lt. Governor REALLY say that? That sounds horrendous.
    Yes he did!


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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    Robb, not to worry. Those demonic assholes will not get their way in this instance. Everyone has family members that are seniors and will not allow it!
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    The Billionaires will have their senior family members treated with the best care, regardless of rules. If there aren't enough ventilators during the big wave of the virus hitting [[and that's very likely), I could see hospitals in USA obeying that directive of saving non-seniors first. It's already happened in Italy, and they've had that type of rule for ALL emergency AND long-term care for the elderly in Germany for the last 20 years. When facilities or medicine are limited, the oldest are the first cut off from whatever is in short supply [[including operations).

    The Government needs to focus policy on saving as many lives as possible, and worry about the economy later. They could transfer money from the military to the people hurt economically to help fix the economy, and ensure that any help given to banks and corporations goes to helping the nation's overall economy, NOT just to line the pockets of the billionaires. In the meantime, thousands of aged people, who would otherwise still have 10-15-20-25, or 30 years more to live, won't have to lose those years because of rich people's greed.

    I wonder what all those NON-wealthy people who voted for Trump think of him now? they wanted a change in how government behaved. They got a man who is willing to sacrifice thousands of lives so he and his rich friends can make tonnes more of money, or, at least not lose money due to a major crisis. He also said he would do something to control guns more after the school massacres, but when it came to action, he sided with The NRA. He first said that The US Government will do all it can to save lives, but now he just told us that they won't.

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    Quote Originally Posted by robb_k View Post
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    I wonder what all those NON-wealthy people who voted for Trump think of him now? they wanted a change in how government behaved. They got a man who is willing to sacrifice thousands of lives so he and his rich friends can make tonnes more of money, or, at least not lose money due to a major crisis. He also said he would do something to control guns more after the school massacres, but when it came to action, he sided with The NRA. He first said that The US Government will do all it can to save lives, but now he just told us that they won't.
    Trust me, they're fine with it. He bankrupted thousands of farmers with his tarriffs and they're still firmly in his corner. He lied outright to coal miners about bringing their dying industry back and now that he allowed several owners of coal mines to close up shop with a lot more money in their pockets, West Virginia, Kentucky and the mining areas of Ohio and Pennsylvania are among his staunchest supporters. He put barriers in the way of LGBTQ+ military enlistees and is advocating to allow workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation, yet the Log Cabin Republicans endorsed him a year before finding out who his opponent in the general election will be.

    He's trying to slash Social Security and Medicare, yet knows he has the support of elderly white people who will be most affected. And he pushed back on red states expanding Medicaid and even though poor white folks make up the largest recipients of it, they love him more than ever. He could literally sacrifice a virgin once a month with the blessings and adoration of his supporters and they would see nothing at wrong with him doing it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by robb_k View Post
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    The Billionaires will have their senior family members treated with the best care, regardless of rules. If there aren't enough ventilators during the big wave of the virus hitting [[and that's very likely), I could see hospitals in USA obeying that directive of saving non-seniors first. It's already happened in Italy, and they've had that type of rule for ALL emergency AND long-term care for the elderly in Germany for the last 20 years. When facilities or medicine are limited, the oldest are the first cut off from whatever is in short supply [[including operations).

    The Government needs to focus policy on saving as many lives as possible, and worry about the economy later. They could transfer money from the military to the people hurt economically to help fix the economy, and ensure that any help given to banks and corporations goes to helping the nation's overall economy, NOT just to line the pockets of the billionaires. In the meantime, thousands of aged people, who would otherwise still have 10-15-20-25, or 30 years more to live, won't have to lose those years because of rich people's greed.

    I wonder what all those NON-wealthy people who voted for Trump think of him now? they wanted a change in how government behaved. They got a man who is willing to sacrifice thousands of lives so he and his rich friends can make tonnes more of money, or, at least not lose money due to a major crisis. He also said he would do something to control guns more after the school massacres, but when it came to action, he sided with The NRA. He first said that The US Government will do all it can to save lives, but now he just told us that they won't.
    By Jov you got it Robb! That's it in a nutshell. I have said almost exactly what you've said here to other people. I also said recently that now people are going to really see what this country is really about. Like the late, great George Carlin said....."It's a big club and you [[or I) ain't in it!".

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Oz View Post
    Trust me, they're fine with it. He bankrupted thousands of farmers with his tarriffs and they're still firmly in his corner. He lied outright to coal miners about bringing their dying industry back and now that he allowed several owners of coal mines to close up shop with a lot more money in their pockets, West Virginia, Kentucky and the mining areas of Ohio and Pennsylvania are among his staunchest supporters. He put barriers in the way of LGBTQ+ military enlistees and is advocating to allow workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation, yet the Log Cabin Republicans endorsed him a year before finding out who his opponent in the general election will be.

    He's trying to slash Social Security and Medicare, yet knows he has the support of elderly white people who will be most affected. And he pushed back on red states expanding Medicaid and even though poor white folks make up the largest recipients of it, they love him more than ever. He could literally sacrifice a virgin once a month with the blessings and adoration of his supporters and they would see nothing at wrong with him doing it.
    You think he may have given those people "drinks" or something at his rallies? I ask because none of it makes sense to a rational person. He is going to take this country down further than it's ever been!

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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    You think he may have given those people "drinks" or something at his rallies? I ask because none of it makes sense to a rational person. He is going to take this country down further than it's ever been!
    He just made them an unspoken promise that "others" would always be beneath them in the social order. Lyndon Johnson had it right:
    “If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you.”

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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    By Jov you got it Robb! That's it in a nutshell. I have said almost exactly what you've said here to other people. I also said recently that now people are going to really see what this country is really about. Like the late, great George Carlin said....."It's a big club and you [[or I) ain't in it!".
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    It's a SMALL club! THAT'S the problem! We told this over and over again to the ordinary people who said they planned to vote for him. Now we are seeing that he and his cronies are even worse than we imagined, and we take no joy in being right about all this.

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    Quote Originally Posted by lakeside View Post
    dogs will do that...bless their hearts.
    that's a dog?? I thought that one of my wife's sisters had posted a photo!

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    Quote Originally Posted by robb_k View Post
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    It's a SMALL club! THAT'S the problem! We told this over and over again to the ordinary people who said they planned to vote for him. Now we are seeing that he and his cronies are even worse than we imagined, and we take no joy in being right about all this.
    I don't take any joy in this, but I am very frustrated. My first Presidential election where I was eligible to vote was the Carter v Reagan election in 1980. They were calling it the "Republican Revolution". I've seen people vote against their own best interest over and over again in all the years since and it just frustrates me in trying to understand why they would do that.

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    Quote Originally Posted by arr&bee View Post
    that's a dog?? I thought that one of my wife's sisters had posted a photo!
    JAI, you know you ain't right, don't you? LOL!!!!

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    Quote Originally Posted by arr&bee View Post
    that's a dog?? I thought that one of my wife's sisters had posted a photo!
    I'd already have a concussion if I posted something like this, Jai. I know you looked over your shoulder when you typed it. Or is the missus is self-isolating somewhere else?

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