Oh man - I have so much to tell you...and so much time available to tell it.
Actually, that may be more true for you than it is for me. It seems that I am an "essential employee" - or, at least, I am able to do whatever it is that I do from home. So my schedule has not been adjusted much - at least not during U.S. business hours.
I had every intention of sneaking in a blog post last week on Palm Sunday. But I decided that I would only post if I had completed ANY of my annual reviews beforehand. As you can see, that motivational technique was...ineffectual.
Motivation - Round #2 was based on the same restriction (no blogging until the review were fully complete - since the deadline was midnight tonight, Easter Sunday) - but with much better results. I actually finished and posted all the reviews last night, so I was able to sleep with a sense of accomplishment.
But now I'm starting to get ahead of myself. Let's go back in time and review Weeks 3 and 4 of the New Normal -
- Family photos - The Girl (my daughter) and her husband, Derrick, are currently residing with my bride (The Middle Aged Woman) and I. The Boy (my son) is living in our previous residence in Redford, MI. Two Fridays back now, The Boy came over for dinner and we watched Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon A Time...in Hollywood". But before the movie, I wanted to get a family photo that would reflect appropriate physical distancing in these harrowing times. Below is the youngest to oldest version (Boy, Girl, Derrick, MAW, me)
- I found out during Week 3 that Jackson Browne tested positive for COVID-19 - but based on this article from the LA Times, he should be fully recovered by now. [If the link doesn't work, I can send a PDF of article - just leave a request in the Comments.]
- Exercise update: Until the weather turned cold and damp this past Thursday and Friday, I have been on an eight-day exercise streak (4/1-4/8) - either walking 2 miles or doing the equivalent of 12-14 miles on my recumbent stationary bike. Started what I hope will be a new streak on Saturday walking with MAW. And today I did double duty - did 14 miles on the recumbent bike this morning before church and walked 2 miles before dinner this evening.
- This Week(s) in Video Conferencing: Had a bunch more video conferences during the past two weeks - for church, with friends, and with family. My single biggest video partner has been my Dad as I helped get him get prepared to join the on-line worship at my church for Palm Sunday (he joined us again for Easter this morning), use Google Hangouts for video calls, and play the World Golf Tour (computer golf) with me on-line. And just today, I was able to show my Mom how to receive a call from me in Google Hangouts on her computer. I am clearly ON FIRE providing tech support to retirees.
- This Week in Entertainment: No Redbox rentals the past couple weekends - but I did watch -
- Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood (mentioned above; apart from about 3 minutes of completely over-the-top violence, this is arguably his best movie)
- Yesterday (if you love the Beatles, I highly recommend this flick) The basic premise is: what if there is only one musician left on earth that remembers the Beatles' songs? A world in which that band never existed. A great "wish fulfillment" scene toward the end of the movie is almost worth the price of admission (I mean, rental).
- Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (for Kevin Smith fans only. I'm glad I watched it.)
- Finished making CD for my Mom with selections from the Purdue University Choir and Varsity Glee Club (with appearances from the Morehouse College Glee Club as well).
- Al Kaline: Where have you gone, Albert William? A sad day in the midst of many such. One of the greatest players that I can say I saw live and in-person. May be THE greatest.
- Michigan - Top 5 with a bullet: There are some contests that you just don't want to win. One of those is - State with the most COVID-19 cases and/or deaths. It seems unlikely that we will shoot past NewYork or New Orleans (in deaths per 100K population) - but it seems like we are solidly in the Top 5 - and moving up.
- Braving Costco (or "The return of toilet paper and donuts"): For a solid month or more, I have been unable to purchase toilet paper from my usual toilet paper vendor, Costco. But this past Wednesday, I made a trip in the mid-afternoon and was able to sip from the sweet cup of victory. Even better, I cruised by my favorite donut shop (which had been closed previously due to the governor's Stay At Home order) and found they have reopened. (On a person note, I have always felt that donut-making was an essential job. Without certain things, life just isn't worth living.) Needless to say, the transaction was conducted at a distance (yelling my donut selections into the store) and I tipped big.
I was going to post a picture that I call "The Easter Without Pants" - but I chickened out. It's probably all for the best. I will post another "Family Portrait in the Era of Physical Distancing" instead.
Hope you are staying home and staying safe. Happy Easter!
Take care.
