Category: covid-19

There is a Difference

I am way too loose with the word quarantine. I use it interchangeably with lock down and I really shouldn’t. They are two different things. Lock down is when you shut down your social activities in order to help keep everyone safe. Quarantine is when you suspect that you may have the virus and shut yourself in to absolutely keep everyone safe.

The end goal is the same, it’s just that lock down is much more abstract than quarantine. Lock down is a concept, or a mind set. Quarantine is your responsibility.

I need to stop using quarantine when I mean lock down and vice versa.

The Stir Crazy Files – Episode 67

I’ve mentioned this one or two (thousand) times before but when the lock down started we vowed (well, that’s too dramatic a word but it works) that we would make the bed every day. After a few months my company made a suggestion that if you’re from home in your bedroom you should keep your bed made. Two good reasons to keep the room looking neat.

I made the bed this morning. While doing so, I very nearly did the single most impossible thing a human being can do. I nearly, very nearly, made the bed while the cat was sitting on it. I pulled up the sheet on my side of the bed while Patches was sitting on Jen’s side. I walked around to Jen’s side and Patches walked back to my side and I did the sheet again. Same thing with the blanket. I did one side while she was on the other. As I was grabbing the decorative pillows to finish the bed making job, Jen walked in the room and Patches the magical kitty jumped off the bed to go say hello to her.

I was that close to completing the single most impossible task ever.

The Stir Crazy Files – Episode 66

Execute Stir Crazy Files Order #66. What? Oh, sorry…

I’m feeling trapped. It’s rough today. I think it’s more than just the lock down. I think it’s the weather and the thin little sheet of ice that is covering everything. The Christmas lights are on, it’s warm and cozy inside, I have every thing I want and need and all I can think of is going outside. It’s barely above freezing out there but I want out. I want to go to a restaurant and a concert and a music store that sells Gibson guitars and Fender amplifiers.

In the immortal words of Tiny Rick Sanchez, “Let me out. Let me out.”

The kids will be coming over tonight. That is good. It should cheer me up. It does, definitely, but I still want out. I want to go outside. I want to go for a drive and have a destination. Come on, let’s end this pandemic thing and go out and see the world.

Let me out!

(having said all of that, I am most definitely not going out. I am, and will remain, a loyal observer of the lock down. I will keep my family safe and healthy if it’s the last thing I do)

Long Day

Today was a long, stressful, tiring Monday. I’m not sure why, it just was.

I found out that at some point in the next couple of weeks I’m going to need to drive to one of my company’s buildings to pick up a new computer. Going into a building is literally the last thing I want to do during the pandemic, but it can’t be helped. Crud.

We are also planning a holiday party at work this week. It’s going to be over video conference. I’m really sick of Covid.

The Stir Crazy Files – Episode 65

I don’t have a stir crazy story. I wish I did. Today was just a crummy day at work. Lots of stuff going wrong. It just wouldn’t end. I’m so ready for the weekend. That’s my stir crazy, I’m going crazy waiting for the weekend.

Christmas is coming the covid’s getting fat. Please put a vaccine in the old man’s hat. If you haven’t got a vaccine then an antiviral will due, if you haven’t got an antiviral then shit man, yer screwed.

I need to go to sleep, I think. G’night, America. Dream sweet dreams of a fascist free country.

Cautious Optimism

The United Kingdom has approved one of the Covid-19 vaccines (Pfizer’s? I think?). They are starting to work on actual distribution.

There is suddenly a very tiny pin prick of light at the end of this long, black coronavirus tunnel.

The United States isn’t there yet. I’m not sure what the FDA’s timeline is, or even if they have a timeline yet. I’m not sure what Pfizer and Moderna need to do to proceed. I’ve heard that first responders and elderly folks in homes will be the first Americans to receive the vaccine. I’m good with that. After that, I don’t know what the rumors are. I hope my step son and his immune deficiencies will be near the front of the line. My weight problem puts me at risk too, but I want him taken care of first.

It’s still going to take months for that tiny pin prick of light to grow into an opening big enough for us to walk through, and it is WAY too early to start making plans. Still, we have a high school graduation in the Spring. We are hoping to go back to Disney World in the Summer.

I’m spending my lunch break today listening to a podcast where two part time musicians are fantasizing about getting their bands back together in the Spring and what that’s going to be like. I don’t want to look that far ahead. I don’t want to get optimistic. I don’t want to start fantasizing. But… that first band practice is going to feel like a victory parade. We’re going to play like garbage and it’s going to be the most enjoyable rehearsal in the history of rehearsals. The first gig… when we can fill up a room with friends and family and music lovers and people from all walks of life… that is going to be a celebration like no other. That is going to be an amazing experience. I mean, yeah we’re just a silly cover band, but it’s going to be a wonderful thing.

Don’t get cocky, Robert. Cautious optimism is all you get for now. Maybe stop thinking about that tiny little point of light at the end of the tunnel. Try, at least.

Welcome to December

Hello and welcome to December 1, 2020. It is really hard to believe we are here, but we are. We are just a couple of weeks away from the first day of Winter. When the lock downs started back in March it was at the very end of Winter. All of Spring, locked down. All of Summer, locked down. Pretty soon all of Autumn, locked down. If you stop and think of it, it is pretty overwhelming. For that reason, I suggest you don’t stop and think about it. Just put your head down and keep moving forward.

I’ve done 10 album in a month projects over the last 10 months. Today marks the start of project #11. I think I want to restrict myself to just my Les Paul, a Klon Klone overdrive pedal, and my two 15 watt tube amps. I need to put new strings on the Les Paul, but I can do that tonight. I still have five songs left on the re-recording project too so those might be Les Paul. We’ll see.

November was noteworthy for this here little bloggie. It had the most page views in any month since I created the account. It also had the most unique visitors of any month since I created the account. How about that? The numbers are still teeny tiny in terms of most real bloggers’ goals but for me it was kinda cool. Thanks for dropping by, everyone. Ya’ll come back now, ya hear?

Today is my weigh in day. I was down a little. That’s nice. I hit a minor milestone. That’s nice too. I was paranoid that I was going to be up, and out of fear I did my entire 30 minute exercise first thing this morning. I doubt it had any effect on the scale, but it sort of made me feel almost better at the time. I find myself doing this on most Tuesdays now. Whatever works, right?

How Was Your Thanksgiving

How was everyone’s Thanksgiving? Was it socially distanced? Did you stay safe or did you ignore the pandemic and spread the disease far and wide? We stayed safe. If you didn’t, fuck you.

We moved some furniture around to prep for Christmas decorations. One of the things that got moved was the Apple HomePod. Ever since they announced the HomePod mini, I’ve been kinda jonzing for one but Jen wanted to upgrade our Sonos system. Either way is fine with me, but I just like being an Apple fanboy.

Well, after moving the HomePod last night Jen has seemed to be a little inspired. She did a lot of cool stuff with the Home app, including setting it up for our Hue lights, and the new intercom function. I had taken the HomePod Mini off of my Christmas list, but now… woah. Are we getting on the HomePod bandwagon for more than just listening to music?

Have you watched the episode of The Mandalorian that came out today? I didn’t think they could top last week’s episode, but holy crap did they ever!

I was going to do some car singing this morning but given the choice between that and sleeping a whole lot, I chose sleeping. We just got some new flannel sheets and oh the comfy.

That’s the kind of news you get when you read this bloggie… you learn about the new flannel sheets on our bed. Kick ass, dude!

Now, go and watch The Mandalorian while I do a little walking in place exercise and watch the new episode of That Pedal Show and think about all the cool reverb effects that I can’t do without spending hundreds of dollars. Also… is a Wampler Plexi Drive Mini a good alternative to the racism that an OCD pedal represents? Questions, babie. All the questions.

Happy Day After Thanksgiving/First Day of Christmas.