????? ? ??????????? ????? ????????, ??? ????? ?? ??????? ???? ? ????? ?? ?????. ??????? ???? ??? ???????, ????? ????????? ????? ?? ???? ?????. ???? ??? ????? ???? ????? ??????, ?? ????? ?????? ???? ??????? ??? ??????.¹

The slow-motion global disaster of 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t fit any of the big screen—or small screen—cliches of rampant global outbreaks.

There are no heroes that save the day in a 2-hour action flic, a primetime drama with time out for commercial breaks, or a series on Netflix.

There are no archetypical villains—other than the virus—no evil scientists, no zombies, no misguided genius who meant well, no accidental release from a secret bioweapons lab.

Instead, we have governments’ floundering responses to a very infectious virus that has left over 840,000 dead and has infected more than 25 million people across the globe.  Some governments have had some amount of success in mitigating the catastrophic impacts of the pandemic—others, not so much.

I had developed a much longer blog post than this, which I am not going to try to recreate. For some reason, all that was saved was everything before this paragraph.

 I had written about the wide impacts of the pandemic.  While most people are focused on the local, state, or national impacts of COVID-19, this is an epidemic that is truly global in its reach.  This naturally occurring new (novel) virus is more infectious than influenza but somewhat less infectious than measles. 

There is no COVID conspiracy to benefit anyone, implant microchips, affect the outcomes of elections, skew the count of the number of cases or deaths, spreading by 5G, or any of a number of other theories.  Given the extent and duration of the extraordinary circumstances we are now in, it is understandable that there will be more questions about the how and why of things and reasonable to expect that some people will turn to notions of conspiracy to shape their understanding of today’s world.  Ironically, “research… indicates that outside of social media and the interests of journalists, most people probably have no idea these conspiracy theories exist.”²

COVID is not going to magically disappear any time soon and some of its effects may be very long-lasting, perhaps even permanent.

1. Editorial review of Pandemic, a limited release (April 1, 2016) science fiction movie subsequently released as video on demand (April 4, 2016).
2. Should we be worried about COVID-19 conspiracy theories?—The Big Q, Project for Media in the Public Interest (PMPI), University of Aukland, New Zealand

2020kickstart#17

2020kickstart#16

Royalty-free images by Mike¹ — No. 80 of over 1200 images

West-Central Arkansas, February 10, 2011

For parts of Arkansas, a February  2011 snowstorm was a record-setting weather event.

Northwest Arkansas has topped the 24 hour snowfall record, the single storm snowfall record, and the seasonal snowfall record for at least the last 70 years. In northern Benton and Carroll County the snowstorm of March 10-12, 1968 and the 1967-68 seasonal snow totals still rival this storm and there were a couple other years in the 1910s that we believe may compare as well. Otherwise, this one takes the cake. To top it off, low temperatures just shattered all-time records a day after the storm.(40/29 TV Weather Blog, Thursday, February 10th, 2011)

We don’t often get snow.  Some years, we don’t get any at all, though usually, we get at least enough to say we had some.

Then there are occasional years where we get a nice snowstorm with that leave us with scenes of nearly pristine snow.

While I can recall larger storm totals of from 6 inches to around 2 feet over the 40 years that we’ve lived in Arkansas, snow generally doesn’t last for more than a few days.  Most snowstorms leave just enough to cover the grass and then, when the sun comes out, most of it is quickly gone except in the shadows on the north sides of buildings and stands of trees.   Sometimes when we get snow, the town just down the road and a bit lower in elevation won’t have any at all or, if they do, the city about 7 miles further south and lower in the valley doesn’t.

We’ve even had a few years where much of the ground cover that normally browns is green almost the entire winter season!

1. I am sharing some of my public domain images in periodic blog posts.

• • This image is also shared as public domain on Pixabay and Flickr as “Winter in the Ozarks.”
  • Images are being shared in the sequence they were accepted by Pixabay, royalty-free image sharing site.
  • Only images specifically identified as such are public domain or creative commons on our pages.
    • All other images are copyright protected by me, creative commons, or used under the provisions of fair use.

2020kickstart#15

Royalty-free images by Mike¹ – No. 79 of over 1200 images

Garvan Woodland Gardens Tulips, April 9, 2014

American Public Gardens Association: “Garvan Woodland Gardens, the 210 acre botanical gardens of the University of Arkansas, is located on beautiful Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, AR. Garvan Woodland Gardens is an example of The Natural State at its best: a canopy of pines reaching skyward providing protection for delicate flora and fauna, gentle lapping waves that unfold along the 4 ½ miles of wooded shoreline, and rocky inclines that remind us of the surrounding Ouachita Mountains. Garvan Woodland Gardens’ mission is to preserve and enhance a unique part of the Ouachita environment; provide people with a place of learning, research, cultural enrichment, and serenity; develop and sustain gardens, landscapes, and structures of exceptional aesthetics, design, and construction; and partner with and serve communities of which the Gardens is a part. From the dynamic architectural structures to the majestic botanical landscapes, Garvan Woodland Gardens offers breathtaking sights (and fantastic photo opportunities) at every turn.”

_____________

Other references:

• Wikipedia
• University of Arkansas, Fay Jones School of Architechture and Design
• Hot Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Facebook page
• ExploreSouthernHistory.com
• Encyclopedia of Arkansas

1. Royalty-free images by Mike — No. 79 of over 1200 images
2. Only images specifically identified as such are public domain or creative commons on our pages. All other images are copyright protected, creative commons, or used under the provisions of fair use.
3. Image shared as public domain on Pixabay and Flickr as “Garvan Woodland Gardens Tulips.”

2020kickstart#14

I’m getting a bit of walking doing stuff around the property—staying active—and this mild weather has been cooperating.  We usually get in more walking than needed—intentionally—when we go in to Walmart (or other stores), which we did twice over the last week.  Last Wednesday, I picked up a pair of very dark, non-prescription sunglasses because the next day I would be having my eyes dilated at an eye surgery center where I would be having a consultation about cataract surgery.  Then Friday, I picked up two prescriptions for eye drops that I will start using after the surgery for the first eye, scheduled for September 1st

So far, over the last 7 weeks since we got the treadmill, I’ve been walking on the treadmill for 2 hours or so a day. At the gym, I would do it all in one stretch on the elevated indoor track.  Here at home, I do it in 2 or 3 increments, depending on what I am watching on my iPad.  If it’s a network series, it’s usually 3, since the one-hour shows run about 40 or so minutes after ads are taken out.  Netflix series shows are running around an hour but the actual time may be a little less or several minutes longer.

Last week, my weight was 282 lbs.  This week, I am at 278 lbs with a BMI of 34.7.

This time, I started tracking my weight on June 27 when we started using the treadmill.  My weight at that time was 293.5 lbs, with a BMI of 36.7.  My optimal weight by the ap that I am using is 207.7 and my target date for achieving that is June 27, 2022, with a BMI of 26.

If I could maintain the progress I am currently making, the predicted date for my target weight is currently April 24, 2021.

We’ll see.  It’s been a long time since I successfully achieved a long-term weight loss goal.

2020kickstart#13

WednesdayWeighIn#3

Death Valley just happened to be the hottest place on Earth on Sunday.

Various news media sources are touting it as setting the record for the highest temperature on Earth at 130°F.

And it was.

For Sunday…, and for August 16th.

According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the highest registered air temperature on Earth was 56.7 °C (134.1 °F) in Furnace Creek Ranch, California, located in the Death Valley desert in the United States, on 10 July 1913, but the validity of this record is challenged as possible problems with the reading have since been discovered.

Whatever… it’s Death Valley, and it’s hot.

If we ever go there, it won’t be in August.

2020kickstart#13

That was the title for the last post—Thanks for the memories….—published on January 4th, 2019 on a blog called Writing to Myself by “Alan G.”

Sometimes, people stop blogging and you never know what happened to them.  Today, through a non-blogging connection, I learned that Alan passed away on June 18th.

Alan had set his blog up as a self-hosting publication.  In January 2019, the hosting fee was coming due and Alan decided that he didn’t have any more that he wanted to write about and that he was going to let the blog go after having blogged periodically since April 2006.

In memory of another blogger, here’s some of Alan Ginocchio’s thoughts, in his own words:

January 4, 2019

I just feel that after some twelve years I have given a pretty good accounting of myself and my life. My life is in its final phase now (although I should emphasize I am not on my death bed) and my quality of life is quite limited. And although recently I have written a fair amount regarding health and dying, it’s not something I really enjoy writing about. I would much rather be writing about my trip to the Grand Canyon or relating the story about the big fish I caught but… those days are gone.

I may have to bear looking at these four walls, so to speak, but I refuse to sit here and write about them. I’ve enjoyed my time with all the bloggers who I have interacted with and gotten to know over the years. (Well, most of them) And it is my intent to stay in touch through your blogs as much as possible.

January 1, 2019

As to the “eeny, meeny, miny, moe”, well it has always been my tradition since being afflicted with several health issues in my old age to speculate on when my last New Year would arrive. And although its not normal that we really have any choice in the matter, sooner or later you and I will welcome in a New Year with little knowledge usually that it is our last. But I would like to think I have some measure of choice in the matter.

In the next four-year window, which by the way am considering as quite generous in regards to longevity estimations for myself, I have 2019 (eeny), 2020 (meeny), 2021 (miny), and 2022 (mo) as my choices. I have to say outright that 2019 just really sucks. There is nothing at all attractive about that year to me. Now 2020… okay now we are getting somewhere. 20-20, like a great eye exam, gives off the familiarity that you had a good death. I can boast to my friends in the afterlife that I had a 20-20 death. Now how cool is that?

December 25, 2018

Christmas morning in the 1970’s… It was obvious at the onset that it was a pair of shoes by the shape, size and weight of the box but that was okay, I’ve always had a thing for shoes. I noted the gift was from my mother and believe you me, no one had a sense of fashion like my mother. Now, I know you have seen this before. I’m sure most folks have seen that look when someone opens a gift and the contents  seems to completely shut down their mind. They are in complete bewilderment as to what they are looking at and why it belongs to them. For the gift recipient it’s like an out-of-body experience and your sure this is all actually happening to someone else. I know everyone in the room noticed my reaction including my mother as I grabbed hold of the shoes. lifted them out of the box and sat them on my lap. Even to this day my little sister says she remembers the look on my face!

But there they were in all their patriotic glory, a pair of red, white and blue wingtip shoes. I know I must have stared at them for an eternity when my mother finally chimed in and noted, “I thought those shoes would really complement your blue suit with the red stitching. Especially when you are wearing your red and white paisley dress shirt.” As I sheepishly thanked my mom for my gift I knew even she had detected my bewilderment and puzzlement over the gift. As I sat the shoes down next to me I knew deep down in my heart already that I would never, ever put those shoes on my feet and I had at least one good thing going in my favor, I actually worked and lived in a town some seventy miles from where my mother lived so she would never know one way or the other whether I was wearing them or not.

…after some two years or so believe it or not I began wearing the shoes. Much of that probably propagated by the fact I was a part-time musician usually playing at supper clubs and restaurants in the evenings. In that context, it seemed much more natural to be wearing such flashy shoes. Eventually I passed them off to some clothing charity and often wondered what may have ever happened with them. In hindsight it may have been one of the dumbest things I ever did.

The town that Alan lived and worked in at the time of this last little story would have been Russellville, Arkansas, where he was an electrical field engineer for the construction of the nuclear plants—where I came to work a few years later.

2020kickstart#12

I guess the biggest change in our lives resulting from this pandemic is that we’ve, for the most part, stayed home.  Yesterday, we strayed about 50 miles from here for an appointment, but our normal excursions for groceries and other things are less than 20 miles.  Before the pandemic, we each usually went into the nearest small city almost every day. Since March, I haven’t filled the tank in the truck at all and we’ve filled the tank in the car maybe 4 times.

Our day-to-day life at home is fairly normal for us except for having more time to do what we do. While we’re staying home mostly, I don’t think either of us has been bored.  We each have things that we enjoy doing.

When we’re away from home, things at times seem quite surreal. Our state governor finally issued a statewide face-covering mandate a few weeks ago.  A lot of people had been wearing them in stores before that, but there were a lot who didn’t.  A week or so before the governor issued the state mandate, a number of retail chains had established policies requiring customers to wear face-coverings.

We were in Walmart Wednesday morning and again today.  Virtually everyone was wearing a mask or some other kind of facial covering. It all still seems so strange and surreal.  While they have three, only one customer entrance/exit was open and there are employees stationed there to ensure customers have face coverings, to control entrance and exit traffic, and to clean and sanitize shopping carts.

So far this month, I have been to the local clinic to get a blood test, my cardiologist for a regular checkup, my dental office for a checkup and cleaning, my optometrist for an eye exam—including an evaluation of my cataracts—and an eye surgery center for a consult on cataract surgery.

In each instance, there was someone at or near the from door to do a COVID screening, which simply consists of answering a few questions and having your temperature checked. All in all, although it was pretty much what I expected, it was still strange with all (most) of the employees and doctors wearing masks and, in some instances, other PPE.

The cardiology clinic was very busy, but the waiting room was set up for social distancing.  On the other hand, the eye surgery center wasn’t set up for social distancing, but I think they accomplished it through reduced scheduling.  While I was in the waiting room there were never more than two other people.  A couple of years back, when we went there for a cataract in one of Karen’s eyes, the waiting room was packed and there was more traffic in the hallways.  This time the hallways were mostly empty.

Other things that are “surreal” during these pandemic days

• not shaking hands,
• having to recognize people by seeing only half of their face (or less),
• not having been out to eat in over five months.

2020kickstart#11

I had plenty of miles in this week, but gained weight.  I’m now at 282 lbs.

2020kickstart#9

WednesdayWeighIn#2