Sunday, March 29, 2020

Capable.Obsessed.Radical.Obstinate.Negative.Adaptive.Virtual.Irritable.Reticent.Unbalanced.Sour

Another couple of weeks of self-isolation and very different attitudes spring up as I put relevant words to phrase-initials. Today’s are hinting at an increasing OCD fous and irritability. I’m seeking essential balance by staying active mentally and physically, but over time also sensing reduced reality. All this from spending most of my hours alone to avoid the invisible, invasive pandemic.

Every few hours reveal some new twists in behaviors. During last night’s sleepless hours, my best friend, from our high school days, and I carried on a long intimate discussion–right there on Facebook. Enough of privacy, the whole world can listen! Reach out for any situation that offers an opportunity for chatting interactively and safely with someone else.

In my mind’s eye, all this will last only minutes, but in reality hints toward long-term changes.

Dear Friends: Over the long haul, how might our sequestering reveal more changes? Diana

Saturday, March 28, 2020

These days of self-isolations force the closures of non-essential public places. Those include libraries which stay in touch with borrowers by opening stacks online, adding titles, and finding ways to make it easier to search for and obtain preferred books. I like that, as an occasional consumer of online books, for sometimes I read from a tablet or cellphone. But I’m accustomed to holding an actual book and prefer reading while balancing its weight, turning pages, and pausing to feel, explore meanings, and do some thinking. Reading is a physical activity, and I’ll read print over digital versions.

Last night, during a sleepless period, I happened across an article from the “New Yorker” (March 26, 2020) by Jill Lepore (one of my favorite writers), about a free online borrowing opportunity. She wrote that, “The Internet Archive, in San Francisco, announced—and, in the blink of an eye, opened—the National Emergency Library, a digital collection of 1.4 million books. Until June 30th, or the end of the national emergency in the United States (“whichever is later”), anyone, anywhere in the world, can check books out of this library—for free.”

I followed the link to the site. Its intelligent search tool brings up many titles both new and arcane. The older titles tossed me back to my college days and access to UCLA’s Library. Then, I had a heavy-duty involvement with literature and a fascination with early British novels. The UCLA Library held many old works–from stories by Sir Walter Scott through those from the Brontes and Jane Austin.

While drinking up those authors, I stumbled across the writings of Elizabeth Gaskell (1810-65). An English author living in Manchester, she was married to a Unitarian Minister and the mother of five. She also had managed to become a productive novelist. In those days women were just beginning to be published and Gaskell’s affluence and social stature gained publishers’ attention. Her best known work, and also a delightful read, was Cranford (1853), which has been serialized for British television.

I was addicted to the writings of Charlotte Bronte, a young woman who popped from nowhere and wrote great stories. (Be assured, none of the Brontes escaped me, those siblings were amazing.) Anyway, Gaskell lived about an hour’s drive from the Brontes, was friends with Charlotte, and in 1858 published, The Life of Charlotte Bronte. There, I discovered the delights of Gaskell’s writing skills, character insights, and humor that bubbled.

Those were great days of self-directed studies and early writings that held me in thrall. Those old feelings of delight returned when my Open Library search found Mrs. Gaskell, and her Cranford, Bronte, and whatever else I might wish to re-read. Maybe my future wide-awake midnight hours will have me going back to the future.

Dear Friends: Along with other changes, our increased online access is altering habits. Diana

Friday, March 27, 2020

Today will be another of tree-trimming. After deciding to ride my horse on this property, I looked more closely at the trees. Even those already trimmed had too-low limbs. I got myself outside with a chainsaw and trimmed higher. All went more slowly than anticipated, and so, I must go to it again.

If this were any time other than this Coronavirus stretch, I’d be less among my property’s trees. This trimming work has required dedication and lots of effort but has beat staying inside for hours. I suppose if we were in deeper winter, there would be fewer opportunities for adequate physical activity.

The battle beginning to rage among leadership is whether to put the nation back to work soon, or to promote longer periods of self-isolation and social distancing. We understand too little about this virus, but have learned that it’s serious and often can result in death.

It’s troubling, that people might be forced soon to return to populated workplaces to renew national productivity, but that might happen. This virus supposedly tapers off as warmer weather arrives and it’s almost summertime.

Recently, the “New Yorker” offered a link to one of its classic articles, “Crisis in the Hot Zone”. It’s about viruses and focuses on Ebola. Written in the 1990s by a very-knowledgeable Richard Preston, it’s informative, readable, and teaches. I’m passing it along:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1992/10/26/crisis-in-the-hot-zone?mbid=&source=EDT_NYR_EDIT_NEWSLETTER_0_imagenewsletter_Classics_ZZ&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_source=nl&utm_brand=tny&utm_mailing=TNY_Classics_Daily_032520&utm_medium=email&bxid=5be9d7b63f92a40469e7251c&cndid=48830477&utm_term=TNY_Classics

Dear Friends: What do you think about returning to work, or continuing to distance? Diana

Thursday, March 26, 2020

I spent most of yesterday burning juniper limbs previously cut and piled. The work awaiting my attention looked huge, and was. Creating those piles had taken several days for trimming, loading, and hauling. Finally, now a fire (I’m getting better at starting one), and ahead, more hours of dragging brush.

My primarily motivation has been being outside, physically active, and at least maybe beautifying the place. It seemed that something else, too, might be behind these activities. Later, while drinking a beer and watching my fire burn down, more ideas surfaced. In the beginning, I had fantasies of creating a driving trail that would follow the property borders. But much of this place is rocky, in fact, bedrocked. Pulling a cart over bedrock might wear too much on my horse, and certainly, bumping along in it would be the end of me.

The burning fire, cold beer, and a bit of hanging out encouraged my new plan. I will ride horseback on the property! With most of the invasive limbs removed, my horse can take me anywhere–along the border, through the middle, and wherever. She will move easily under limbs, and best, no branches threatening to knock me from my saddle.

It’s pleasing to know various motivations for doing all the hard work, and especially, figuring out that the results needn’t simply be cosmetic.

Dear Friends: Ahead, in another day of Coronavirus-capture, let’s stay motivated! Diana

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

My adventure in Costco yesterday won’t be repeated soon. I was anticipating that seeing a crowded parking lot would send me home, or that once inside the store I needed assurance that social distancing was being practiced. Well, so much for anticipation, beginning when I arrived. The parking lot was jammed. A line of seniors began at the tire section door and wrapped around the building. We seniors marched in lockstep. One guy sneezed once, and although straight into a handkerchief, I felt myself cringing. Inside the store, many shoppers made social distancing impossible.

All of us were in food sections with clothing and appliance areas left empty. We found purchasing limitations, like only one rotertossorie chicken and just one organic raw chicken per customer. I wanted whole raw chickens and bought several. Like everyone else, I pushed through aisles for more, like beverages, bread, cheese, salad, avocados and oranges.

Costco has been a friendly place where folks were meeting, greeting, chatting. Yesterday, none of that existed. People were focused, stone-faced, quietly pushing past one another. Many wearing face masks and gloves made visual and more possible infection spread.

Certainly, there’s no doing things as normal. Yesterday, a mobile veterinarian called to cancel her visit to my house. My farrier has asked if I want to postpone his visit to trim hooves, and I’m thinking that might be wise.

We retirees might feel less pressured than folks younger–still working and facing layoffs, trying to manage after becoming cooped with restless children. But for every one of this this situation stinks.

Dear Friends: Today I’ll try to be more creative and turn captivity into advantage. Diana

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

I drove past Costco and looked for a posting about possible new special shopping hours for folks 60+. It’s so, as the store has set aside for seniors Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. According to the posting, age must be verified before entry is allowed. Hopefully, that’ll be so.

I’m creating a list of items I want that usually are available from Costco. In the early morning hours, the store should be well-stocked, and the environment having been sanitized overnight hopefully is relatively safe for gatherings of early shoppers.

I could use a little adventure, even just a short time out and among. Setting aside best-advice to continue self-isolating, I’ve thought up some shopping criteria. For example, if outside the store its early-hours parking lot is packed with vehicles, I’ll turn and head home. As another, I want to sense once inside the store that people reasonably are practicing social-distancing.

Under today’s threatening clouds of disease, everybody is doing their best to accommodate and cope. Everything that’s in planning ultimately must ensure the safety, productivity, and optimism of people worldwide. Much depends upon our regaining of viable economies despite disease-fears and self-isolations.

Underlying everybody’s wishes to be out and about are deep concerns about possible near-future cash shortages. Societies that sustain populations, willing to work full- or part-time for income, must have and maintain-well the viable triangles of products, consumers, and cash.

As I write, it seems that American leaders have begun to talk better across the aisle. They seem be about to make some kind of deal that will ease our currently-failing economics.

Dear Friends: Anyway, I’m about to check-out the new early-morning shopping. Diana

Monday, March 23, 2020

This photo from yesterday shows my Gater loaded with juniper limbs for transporting to a staging area. That load was one of many from hours I spent sawing and lopping. Each filling of the Gater’s hydraulic dump made me forever grateful for acquiring this vehicle years ago on a whim. It’s a major workhorse.

I’m escaping Coronavirus-caging almost daily by trimming trees. It’s work that corrects long-ignored limb tangles, but is never-ending, not fun, filled with bending and lifting. Handling a 14′ long saw especially is wearing. Balancing that saw works my back muscles until standing straight is difficult. On starting to feel my head and shoulders leaning and leading, I force myself to self-straighten by positioning my head and shoulders straight over my hips. It’s a too-short fix.

This long overdue trimming that makes my place look cared-for, neater, is saving me from feelings of cabin fever and stir-crazy shpilkes. Outside, there’s more work needed that over a long stretch could keep me active and productive. For one thing, only half of my trees have been trimmed, and for another, this warming weather makes wooden steps and decking call for cleaning and protecting. To this end, and with thanks for online suppliers, in my garage a new pressure washer awaits assembly.

Dear Friends: This stressful downturn is more physical than any other in recent memory. Diana

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Current status in America: 24,000+ Coronavirus cases, and ~300 deaths.

News that maybe welcome to some of us is that big stores like Costco, Whole Foods, and Target, are planning to reserve hours for senior-only (age 60+) shoppers. It appears that most stores will reserve for this purpose their opening hours. They will have been sanitized in overnight closures.

Early-hours shopping could be a bonus for seniors as stores will have been freshly stocked. So far, people have been able to find online adequate staples, and avoid great needs to shop. There are other sorts of items, however, very popular and in too-short supply. In early reserved hours, shoppers might obtain quicker-moving products, like bananas, chicken, and fresh carrots.

I’m interested in “safer-shopping” opportunities, and hopeful. If I decide to take advantage of reserved senior hours, it makes sense to self-adorn with disposable gloves and a face covering, like a surgical mask or scarf of some sort. One out and about can’t ensure absolute self-safety, but it’s excellent to be aware of safety measures that might preserve health.

Dear Friends: I don’t want to write about Coronavirus, but it is hugely invasive. Diana

Saturday, March 21, 2020

We’re stuck trying to create a palatable lemonade from that weird lemon: Coronavirus: Cart…Oregon…Ranch…Obstacles…News…Athletes…Vital…Inspired…Rosie…Utilize…Sunni

Major newspapers are filled with stories about the ways Americans stuck indoors are coping, and guiding us to links offering online learning and respite opportunities. Front page stories highlight the booming of online sales as buyers seek board games, puzzles, books, and sanitizing supplies. Reporting has found that some lawmakers are profiting mightily from this economic downturn. There’s speculation about whether and how much major drug and food manufacturers ultimately may gouge consumers.

Through generations of Americans, our economy has made it possible for families and individuals to live increasingly better than in any past times. Suddenly now, our government’s lack of preparedness for a possible pandemic, that became real, has made every American vulnerable on all fronts. Each of us is impacted negatively by the current failing economy, shortages in medicine of skilled providers and equipment, and production and distribution inadequacies of standard supply-chains.

We’re accepting a need and leadership orders to stay indoors. For awhile we’ll obtain supplies from online distributors, be entertained and educated via computer, socialize over the internet.

But, for how long?

I’m beginning to want more to go into a grocery store and stroll through it aisles. I think about finding attractive items, selecting fresh produce and fruit, and maybe bringing flowers home. These feelings aren’t because of “not having”, they’re wishes for “being out and about”.

How long will “going out and being among” seem a dream instead of a return to reality?

We are good citizens, well-schooled through our activities and education, hard-working, and tax-paying. We have earned the right to expect an intelligent government that can lead wisely, is well-prepared for potential or predictable downturns and emergencies, and frequently communicates, intelligently and truthfully.

Dear Friends: We hold hands in cyberspace, hoping for the revival of good economy. Diana

Friday, March 20, 2020

Care…Online…Real…Outside…News…Active…Vivid…Internal…Rose…Unity…Share

During this unknown length of time, while we’re forced to limit outside contacts, we must be creative. Staying healthy mentally and physically requires that we keep a positive outlook. This could mean exploring our minds, to search out ideas and activities that might inspire pursuit. A pursuit could be an original or renewal.

It’s been years since I’ve attended an opera or listened through one, but I’m familiar with much opera music and have loved it. These days the Metropolitan Opera offers free streaming, and so, maybe it’s time to renew my seeing and listening. Steaming is a lovely opportunity, but few of us could sit for of hours before a computer streaming music, art, and Broadway shows.

Computer learning for most of us would be part-time activity. Maybe we could designate one or two hours for learning via streaming. Beyond that, it’s about planning for more activities during daylight hours. We can reach again inside to an “old me” and seek a physical interest.

One who once enjoyed a team sport, like basketball, can start working again at the skill by installing a hoop and practicing. For one who enjoyed gardening before becoming too busy to dig in dirt, start a garden. Grow items you love to eat, avoid having to shop for favorites.

This advice is for anyone who wants it and primarily for me. This morning with Coronavirus on my mind and knowing I’d write about it, I wondered how to speak to the situation agreeably. After all, it’s a real situation. Defining each letter of the word in a positive manner helped to lift me out of the “self-isolation doldrums”. In writing today, I’m trying to remain creative. To be honest, it’s helping, and I’m coming up with new ideas for daily activities.

Dear Friends: We’re complex beings, not intended to be isolated, but will navigate this. Diana