Here in the state of Washington, today is the one-month mark since the first COVID-19 death in this state. The Governor released a statement, and I suppose this was when everybody really became aware that we were dealing with something serious.
Washington state was "ground zero" for the Corona Virus in the USA; at least "patient zero" in this country was diagnosed here.
Red cactus blossom
As of this morning, we've had over 4,300 confirmed cases, and 189 fatalities, statewide.
For all intents and purposes we (meaning our household) has been in alternately voluntary or decreed self-isolation for a month.
Ironically, we HAVE Toilet Paper...
The whole "hoarding" thing is very strange. It's only now — after about a month — that toilet paper is beginning to occasionally be available at our local supermarkets again.
What's ironic about that, is that we are doing just fine, with as much toilet paper as we simply had on hand because it happened to be on sale that week.
Prickly Pear cactus
In general, we have plenty of dry goods, because we simply always "shop big" for those. I can't remember the last time I bought anything smaller than a 20lb (9kg) bag of rice, for example.
Naturally, people don't hoard perishables, and there are plenty of those at the shops... and I expect there will be, unless supply chains are severely interrupted.
The "Next Pandemic" in 2030...
I've seen a growing number of articles by people (conspiracy theorists?) that COVID-19 is just a "dress rehearsal" for the next great pandemic, which will be far worse, and will happen in 2030.
It amazes me how many people "go in search of something to be afraid of." And when there's nothing to actually be afraid of, they "invent" disaster scenarios... just so they can be afraid.
I guess we all have our addictions. And foibles. And mental illnesses and instability.
Ducks in formation!
Our friend Ann, the therapist, points to Mrs. Denmarkguy's and my own relative sense of calm in all this as supporting her (old) diagnosis of "complex PTSD," for both of us — stemming from our childhoods.
We both tend to be at our calmest and most functional when everything is going to shit. We're much less effective when everything is smooth sailing.
That's not a statement about what we like, however... just a statement about coping abilities, under different types of environmental situations.
But enough about all this "deep stuff... I need to get this out there and then deal with the "Town Run" for some food and supplies.
Thanks for reading, and stay safe and healthy out there!
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Created at 20200329 11:48 PDT
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I was so disappointed to come across this and see no comments. Seriously. Throw a cat on the screen and you would get hundreds of comments. Not that I don't like cats.
I do the same with dry goods and our toilet paper was on sale at Target, where you got a $15 target coupon if you bought $45 worth of goods. Okay 3 Giant packs of TP enough for months and months... the week before all hell broke loose. So I got a fourth because it was essentially free.
Thank you for always weighing in your thoughts.
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Hi there @dswigle, thanks for the visit and comment... always welcome!
I think it's going to take people a few weeks to untangle themselves from Steem and figure out the value of actually building community again... I hope everyone keeps up their level of enthusiasm; the way to succeed with Hive is to keep the momentum going and not ever letting that fall apart... THAT is how we get more people to join us from the "outside world."
So far, we have really not suffered any hardships around here, in spite of the fact that Washington state has COVID-19 cases going back all the way to late January, and "precautions" starting already 7-8 weeks ago... we're on the front end of the curve, in the US.
An interesting kind of "new normal" seems to be developing... I see groups of friends getting together for walks in the park, where they walk clearly as a group, but 10 feet apart. People work quietly with what they have. The shortages at the groceries are slowly abating. I expect we'll be dealing with "limitations" for much longer than officialdom is saying... my guess is that even basic restrictions will remain in place till Mid-June.
Time will tell!
We are officially on a mandated stay at home here in Washington.DC Metro area includes Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. It could reach further than that but because work here is so incestuous with the borders, they usually run the same rules.
I am looking for a norm and hopefully, soon, no matter how different it would be, I am sure we would embrace it. We are still running around yelling the sky is falling.
Le sigh.
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