Monday, March 16 - Difficult Choices

Day 52. The aliens are coming, silent and invisible, but we can trick them. Listen, I know the way. Stay home.

My mom has reported the island is moving into a state of emergency. Although the clinic has been set up for several days, the first case is a woman who works for veteran affairs who came back from a cruise and did not self-isolate. She worked closely with old military veterans for several days before her fever began. Now the contact tracing backward will occur. It’s a limited contact tracing focussed around symptoms, but it’s better than nothing.

The province is looking at online education options useful. Kids need to learn.

I speak with my father, with frustration, because my step mom’s family, and it seems, half of Canada, is going to work like it’s no problem. I helped my dad get ready, get work from home, and everything, but if they have risky business coming into the house every day, what’s the point?

Here’s my take: every country is getting ready to play dodgeball. You’re either on team smart, staying home and being safe, or team stupid, acting like nothing is wrong. If you don’t know what team you’re on, you’re automatically on team stupid. Difficult choices will have to be made. If people won't listen to you to stay safe you may need to isolate yourself from them to protect yourself or a vulnerable loved one. Be kind, but trust yourself.

Looking at the data, the USA is about a week, maybe two, behind Italy and Canada about three. Considering the 7-14 days incubation, this is the week that will determine the explosion. So stay home, be a PJ hero. Binge Netflix. Use your sick/vacation days. You will save lives.

Some people see this coming a mile away. They have 2020 vision. Listen to them. Following Italy’s lead, I have a good feeling that mortgages, rents, and lines of monthly credit payments will be deferred and excused. And if you want to speed that along, let’s write a letter and sign it 50,000 times. We can make this happen and help those most vulnerable.

Why do people think all they will need in the apocalypse is toilet paper?

Eat a healthy diet! Get good food, people. I am worrying too much. I need to pull back a bit. I’m going to start meditating before and after I get into the social media realm, but I will remain through the chaos, and I will try to shine like the sun. Anyone can. Be the peace you want to see in the world.

Today, I’m preparing to hand over my manuscript in four days for publication by the spring. It’s the only way to get this message out in mass while people are still quarantining, and it can make a difference, so I believe this is the way.

I won’t be sleeping much this week, sorry, Xiaolin, sorry bed.

We went shopping today at RenRen. It was almost back to normal, it was nice. Just like regular life but we all wear masks and take temperatures anyway. This is the new world.

I talk with one of my smartest people I know, Myagi, for an hour or more. He’s buzzing with energy. His take on RNA viruses is that each one infected is a bioreactor. It’s extremely transmissible with a very long lag time. It can mutate a lot. He calls it the prom queen of viruses. It’s not amazingly lethal, but it’s so virulent … which makes it so dangerous. Does UV light and summer kill it? Or will the humidity spread it more easily through the air? We can only wait and see.

I’m going to try to start a zip grow system for home gardening. My damn Kanso “Magic self-cleaning” Kickstarter towels finally arrived, over a year late, to local CQ post office. Still, they want over $100USD in taxes. Damnit, Kanso, you’re drunk. We made another Egg cake. It’s delicious.

Trudeau speaks publically, 30 minutes late, people are waiting for some big news. He offers helpful platitudes, but it’s only hot air until it’s substantial, but it’s in the right direction. We need to work together now.

Watching the problems grow with European quarantines, I worry people are not thinking about their collective good, and that’s what’s needed now. Personal sacrifice for the overall good. They might be difficult choices, but the answers are simple. Stay home.