today and tomorrow/March 31

Are You Watching Him?

Andrew Cuomo is evidence of strange times.  He stayed in the back of the minds of even the most devoted political junkies until this moment.  Until his leadership made it his moment.  Somehow he was  able to stifle his "inner jerk" and find an "inner Churchill." 

I find myself leaning on him to get through the day.

Julia

Today is another day when I look at my calendar and see a date I was looking forward to:  lunch with my friend Julia.  I came to know her when she was my boss.  For anyone who was around me during my working years, you know how unlikely it would be for me to like my boss!  We've stayed in touch over the years.  Sometimes Annie joins us.  Annie was my colleague in Julia's department and feels the same way I do.  

Julia sent a poem for me to pass along. You can find it at: alp@poetryfoundation.org

Annie, who is now a librarian, recommends these ebooks:  Maisie Dobbs mysteries.  Also Rennie Airth's River of Darkness.  They are both English mysteries about the aftermath of WWI.

today and tomorrow/March 30

My Private Trainer

Did you know that my great friend —  the fabulous Lisa Kunst  — is a certified personal trainer?    She has lots of ideas on how you can be active even as you are moaning about being stuck at home.  And, she has generously said you can email her with questions and start a chat to help achieve your goals.  Take advantage of this everyone.  Contact Lisa at:

myprivatetrainer1@gmail.com

Gerry Stein is back

His latest blog is a deep dive into therapy for today.  I am going to send it to you directly via email.  Gerry's voice is so important right now.

Soo is so Generous

Once again, she has sent us lovely sites:  Practicing Delight and A Care Package for Uncertain Times.  I will also email these.

The Earth Pipes Up
Air Pollution is way down in the European cities under lockdown.

today and tomorrow/March 29

Extraordinary

 The man who lives next to me knocked on my door. He asked if he could go to the store or run an errand for me.  Over the years, I’ve passed him a million times in the hall and in the garage, but I don’t “know him.”  And yet here he is. 

Shopping List

Colleen is having a hard time keeping the proper social distance from her refrigerator.  I’m  toeing the line because I’m too embarrassed to ask my friends to bring me what I really want from the Jewel or (oops) McDonald’s.  


Keeping Food Safe

Marilyn added to the conversation with this article: https://www.seriouseats.com/2020/03/food-safety-and-coronavirus-a-comprehensive-guide.html 
Thanks!

DIGG.COM

If you have Facebook, please go to my page to watch that guy do his impression of Trump.  Or google and look for the red hat on DIG.COM.  Hilarious!

today and tomorrow/March 28

My Last Census

I counted myself in the 2020 census today.  I have no clue how I became KPW4-RVZT-QHGK (very hard to pronounce) but that’s me. And, I’ve never understood why I have to identify myself according to race.  I think the last time I entered “human race.”  I wonder how many of those they get?  Anyway, I’m still here for this one and happy about that.

Tax Time. . . then the Tunes

Laurie just finished doing her own taxes!  She wants us to know that FREE TAX USA is "super easy."  Now she has time to watch the Broadway Coronavirus Medleys on You Tube.

Landscapes

Forced inside, our favorite photographer Stuart, is exploring inner landscapes.  He is reading From Bacteria to Bach and Back: The Evolution of Minds by Daniel Dennett. And, Big Sky, by Kate Atkinson.

Who Steps Up

Have you noticed how so many big name sports stars stepped right up to help out the stadium workers and to contribute to relief efforts?   (Drew Brees brought Hoda to tears.)  With the laudable exception of Mark Cuban, are the billionaire owners just being quiet or are they MIA? 

Let's Chat

When my kids were babies and we young moms were stuck at home, we spent a lot of time talking on the phone with our friends.  We would light up our cigarettes and get comfortable.  I’m not sure when everything turned to email.  All I know is that whenever my phone rang these past few years, it was more likely a robocall.  Now, when it gets too quiet, give me a call and I will do the same.

today and tomorrow/March 27

The Earth Pipes Up
Thom Hartmann, the author and radio show host, delivered a rant along these lines:  "What if this is the earth finally putting its foot down and stoping us from destroying it? The earth is telling us it is going to grind everything to a halt.  Demand a simple time.  And, though gravely wounded, give itself some time to heal."

Threading the Needle
Trudy, our own "Rosie the Riveter," brought out her 100 year old sewing machine, selected some material from Jeff's t-shirts, and is making face masks!  "The hardest part was getting the thread into the needle. I've actually finished 4 now and plan to do 4 more tomorrow."  I say: "Wow".

Chalk and a Sidewalk

Julia sends this beautiful photo of what kids are doing.  I remember hopscotch.

Tip of the Day

Mario, the wonderful man in my garage, says:  "Right-handed?  Use your left hand for anything you touch when you are out.  Reason?  You are going to use your right hand to touch your face.  You can't

help it."

today and tomorrow/March 26

Letter from Nebraska

Greetings from lockdown in Nebraska. I live about a 5 minute drive from the University of Nebraska Medical Center which houses the Bio-Containment Unit that you are all seeing on the nightly news.

In Nebraska, we are kind of used to the drill of them transporting critical, contagious patients into our city to be treated. (This was the primary facility in the United States that treated ebola patients several years ago.) The local media always covers the planes flying into the airport and unloading patients in bio-secure pods reminiscent of Spock’s in Star Trek. Then there’s a motorcade to the medical center

all filmed live and shown on television in “Breaking News” interruptions as we’re watching “The Bachelor”. The only difference now is that we all know we could just as easily be in one of the pods arriving at the Med Center. Heretofore it was always someone else from a far away land with an exotic disease that didn’t directly affect us. This is a bit more personal. As Nebraskans say, “The chickens have come home to roost.”

This is from Colleen Botsios, Caitlin's mother.  Thanks!  And, there's more to come.

FOR LIFE
I'm drawn toward these legal dramas especially when some kind of justice prevails.  This show is based on the true story of an innocent man who obtains a law degree in prison and eventually gets himself out.  50 Cent, the executive producer, wanted to tell the story.
"miraculous results to immeasurable challenges."

today and tomorrow/March 25

Bury the Virus!
Bill sent this from his yard. I hope this late March blizzard in upstate New York acts like a virus killing avalanche.


The South has other good ideas.  Thanks Florida Marilyn for this.

https://www.tampabay.com/narratives/2020/03/19/our-world-is-shifting-into-another-gear-one-thats-slow-and-surreal-and-anxious/

My other dear Marilyn, the massage therapist, had to close her doors last Friday,  She is hoping for government relief for small business owners.  

Because of my  subscription to the New York Review of Books, they sent me an email reminding me of Susan Sontag’s famous essay:  Disease as Political Metaphor.  I’m sure you can find it easily.  I was surprised to see it was written way back in 1978.

Myles sent me a series of haunting photos of Chicago.  I am sending them direct via email.  

You will want to see these. 

Craig's book recommendation reminded me of how much we love this character -- Olive Kitteridge.  Olive Again is another glimpse of her.  If you've made it to the last page, you know why you're still thinking about this book.

Zoom
Lail laughed when she saw her notebook right by the front door where she put it to go to her Ollie class at Northwestern.  Of course, it was going to take place right in her home.  She figured out how to install Zoom and led the class on Monday.  Victory is sweet!

Today and Tomorrow/March 24

"I am a wartime President."

I am a child now.  It's World War II.  I am pasting little "victory" stamps into my book.  I ride my bike over to the Victory Garden in the lot on the corner.  Every day we check to see signs of the seeds we planted.  My mother is pouring grease into a tin can.  Something about ammunition.  We have our ration books at hand.  I am obsessed with reading about the sailors who survived being tossed into the sea.

My mother keeps telling me that "Roosevelt will keep us safe. He is our President.  He will save us."
The day he died my mother cried and cried.  She hugged me.  I knew something very important had happened.

today and tomorrow/March 23

From Stuart in Arizona.

Hi Joan,

My lockdown is not exactly self-imposed, but the effect is the same.  So far a combination of reading and online stuff has kept me busy. 

 Outside the lockdown, we are surrounded by silent, timeless beauty.

Thanks Stuart for these marvelous photos.  I am so grateful for you, your unfailing eye, and your
camera.

Whatever Works

So far we had a Buddhist meditation and a Catholic church response to lockdown.  Now, my nephew Jim has sent this link to Jewish services at Kol-Ami Synagogue in Salt Lake City where he volunteers as the Co-President.  Jim is a gem. I hope we hear more from him.

https://venue.streamspot.com/108d92ef 

For a general exploration of the mysteries of life, I recommend a long running TV show, Closer to Truth: short pithy interviews with thinkers of every persuasion.  I’m sure you can find it easily.

Today and Tomorrow/March 22

Sophie

Sophie, my Catholic Church guru, (oops! maybe I shouldn't use those two words next to each other) has written an article in The National Catholic Reporter.  Congratulations Sophie on getting the gig and doing such a great job.

https://www.ncronline.org/news/parish/masses-go-digital-livestreamed-services-find-out-how-join

*If this link doesn't work, please google.  I haven't completely figured this out yet.

I Love Libraries

One of my favorite books last year was The Library Book by Susan Orlean.  She investigates the fire at the Los Angeles public library and takes off from there.

So this is a real tough one.  The libraries are closing.  I wrote a heartfelt thank you and goodbye  to Mark, my local librarian.

My branch, Bezazian, opened January 26, 1957. (Maybe that's why it looks like a ranch house in Skokie.)  The branch is named for Harold A. Bezazian, the son of Armenian immigrants and an aspiring writer, who enlisted in World War II and became a hero.

I have two books at home.  They will wait to return…and so will I.

eBooks
BookBub has a "free" offer.  Trudy saw it at nytimes.com.  Thanks!
*see above

I'm gathering more information about ebooks.  Please send me your reviews or recommendations.  More to come...

today and tomorrow/March 21

Voices

Natalie

It seems as though many adults presume that due to this virus, high schoolers have been dismissed from school only to have complete, leisurely free time. In actuality, teachers- at least the ones at my school- have been utilizing the "Google Classroom," an online method of lesson distribution, to teach us from home. It has been a strange adjustment to get used to, but thanks to the internet we are all able to feel a little more connected during these isolating (literally!) times than we would have otherwise.

Joan:  You are my youngest voice and whenever you contribute my readers love you!

Gerry Stein

Our favorite psychologist is back.  Every time I hear from him, I feel better.  You can google him at drgeraldstein.wordpress.com.  I am also going to forward his email version where you can leave a comment.

Elsa

“Maybe that's why people in Cuba are so friendly, caring about each other, and down to Earth.

The permanent crisis there makes people understand the importance of community.”

Camille

Last night I took Charlie, our dog, out for a walk.  I noticed a father and his 3 kids playing basketball in their driveway, another father and son talking a walk, and several folks walking their dogs.  Our weather is nice and I think all of these people represent us all making the best of our collective self isolation.  It is reassuring.

Ellie

I hope you're doing all right. I've told my mom about something I've heard about here: "quarantini's." It's  getting together with friends for cocktails--over google hangouts or facetime or Zoom! She thought it sounded fun, so maybe she can set one up with you :)

Joan:  When the toilet paper aisles were empty at my local store, the liquor section was full.  Another reason to ponder: "What's wrong with us!"  Right now, Quarantini is my favorite word.

I noticed that Kenny Rogers "folded 'em."  I liked his music.  RIP.

Today and Tomorrow/March 20

Letter from Lockdown

Who's the socialist now?
If that check ever comes in the mail, are you going to chuckle at how much the powers that be are willing to spend (but what will it cost?) when the noose is around their neck.  And let's bet that Andrew Yang (Mr. $1,000) is smiling too.

Retro has taken hold.

WFMT.  Yes good old classical music on the radio, even though I get to it with my Echo.  Especially good in the middle of the night.  When it's 24/7 at home there's plenty of time to nap, so why worry about being up at 2 a.m.

Crossword Puzzles.  They disappeared when I gave up delivery of my newspaper.  Silly me, I wasn't
devoted enough to the habit to find them elsewhere.  I found some free ones online from the
Washington Post.  You can print them out or do electronically.

More entertainment possibilities from my friends.  I hope these links are okay.

15 Broadway Plays and Musicals

http://www.playbill.com/article/15-broadway-plays-and-musicals-you-can-watch-on-stage-from-home

Concerts

https://www.wqxr.org/story/must-see-concerts-covid-19-streaming-edition/?mc_cid=4f0a846dcf&mc_eid=331652c633

Listening to good vibrations from the Beach Boys.  Thanks Myles for that special evening. Simple.  Safe.  Summer.

 

Online Culture for You

Here are some sites sent by my cultured friends:

https://www.wqxr.org/story/must-see-concerts-covid-19-streaming-edition/?mc_cid=4f0a846dcf&mc_eid=331652c633

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NGi3CzD0gY7Dq83dtX_Oa4LDVdU0qkew251N

6LQk-Fw/htmlview?usp=sharing&sle=true

The Two V's

The Virus and the Voter.

Virus:  Okay everyone, now that I’ve got your attention,  are you ready to really get engaged and maybe save your life?  Are you ready to demand government backed health care for everyone?  Are you ready to demand a living wage, some affordable housing, a safety net?

Voter:  Ohhh.  I am so scared.  Now is not the time to overturn everything.   It won’t happen.  I’m bummed about working from home and no basketball.  I just want to return to normal.  Put some nice people in charge. We’ll work it all out eventually.  

Virus:  Sorry for the intrusion.  And good luck with all that.