Jim Styro's CO-MAS-19 Update, 2020-12-21 (The Photos of Christmas Past, Part 1)

Long time no see/write/read.

Only true if your sole contact with me is via blog or email.  In the past 7 months, I have proved myself The King Of Zoom (or at least, like, the Archduke).  Much of the year has been spent walking a tightrope between frustrating seclusion and irresponsible interaction.

No 'Vid here, so I must be doing something right.  I hope - think - pray...

Anyway, I read in my daily New York Times email update about someone that had decided to share a daily Christmas photo with friends & family.  I may have included some unsuspecting bystanders by posting on the Internet.  But I don't think the readership on my blog is too extensive.

So here's my first foray into The Photos of Christmas Past - from good ole 1991!

If you're reading this, you either know or can make an educated guess at the individuals pictured above - but I'll provide a bit of assistance for the uninitiated.  From left to right are:  

• The Girl (a couple months past her second birthday)
• The (not yet) Middle-Aged Woman [heck, not even 30...]
• Yours Truly (oh Hair, we hardly knew ye!)  [I am currently a little more than twice as old as pictured above.]
• The Boy (fresh out of the oven, so to speak.  A little over two months old - and wondering why he got stuck with Dad...)

This was taken in the living room of our first home on far west side of Detroit.  We had spent several years of renting in Dearborn and Detroit after the nuptials.  

While preparing this post, I noticed a small frame on the wall behind us in the picture (between the Christmas tree and my big head).  It's a needle-point which my loving Bride prepared for me many moons ago.  Maybe it caught my attention because - at this very moment - I only need to raise my eyes from my computer monitor and slightly to the left to see it more clearly on the wall just a few feet from where I'm sitting...

One more thing - I have completed a new addition to my Jim Styro's Christmas Collection mix of favorite holiday tunes.  Here's the cover graphic - and I will include a link for anyone interested in downloading an iTunes rip of these Christmas Collections.

Here's the link:  Jim Styro's Collections

The first two disks were created in 2007 with a Sacred Side & a Secular Side.  'Cause I'm multi-faceted.  And stuff...

I'd love to write more stuff - but I can only be interesting in short bursts.  Hopefully, I can be interesting again tomorrow.

Take care and stay safe.

Jim Styro's COVID-19 Update, 2020-05-12

Here's my philosophy:  If a post gets too long, it can be intimidating to the reader.  So I view it as a bonus that I forgot to report on some important stuff Sunday.  It just means I'm well-motivated to send out another update today with the stuff I missed -

• I completed ANOTHER personal music collection last month which is called “COVID and Collected.”  New collections in back-to-back months!  It's unprecedented.

 I completed write-up of the lyric notes last night and all the necessary files have been uploaded to Box.net. If you are an interested party, send me an email and I will provide a link so you can download it.

I started work on the collection before we settled on a topic for this Saturday's Virtual Music Night - but, regardless, one thing is certain.  I have a list of songs ready-made for the "Social Distancing" collection that will be a by-product of this weekend's event.  

• Only in Pandemic World (It's like "Jurassic World" - only a virus is trying to kill you instead of dinosaurs) would I find the motivation to finish two collections in two months.  Of course, having completed remastering of the remaining Music Night cassette tape collections on CD was also a major factor.
• Another area that has seen a significant uptick in attention is special Music Night and Spinner Invitational merchandise.  I mean what home would want to be without these awesome mugs?

Or this stylish mask?

 

Not to mention shirts, baseball caps, knit hats...the list goes on and on.  Even people who are practicing physical distancing are allowed to shop.

• Things I've watched:  Jerry Seinfeld's new Netflix special "23 Hours To Kill" is VERY funny.  My bride and I give it two thumbs way up.

If this message gets too long, no one's gonna read it.  So I'm stopping.

Right.

Now.

Take care.

Jim Styro's COVID-19 Update, 2020-04-17 (Special Edition)

I know that you weren’t expecting an update until Sunday – but I got excited and wanted everyone to know about the new Led Zeppelin 2020 remasters that are coming out.

PS:  For those of you who are not Led Zeppelin fans, I apologize for this esoteric bit of visual humor.  For everyone else – I can’t be sure I’m the first one to think of this.  But maybe I am.

Take care.

PS:  I neglected to provide a track listing for the Remastered version

Disk One:

Humble Pie
The Napper
In My Time Of Dying (explicit)
Houses Of The Restless
Trampled Under Germ
KashKow (or Ballad of the Medical Supply Profiteer)

Disk Two

In The Line (Ode to Costco)
Coron-A-Vir
Down By The Bedside
Ten Weeks Gone (so far)
No Flight
The Waiting Song
Boogie With Flu
Black Market Tissue
Sick Again (explicit)

Jim Styro's COVID-19 Update - Easter Sunday Edition, 2020-04-12

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.

Jim Styro's COVID-19 Update, 2020-03-29

Didja miss me?

We've completed Week 2 of The New Normal - and nothing seems close to returning to normalcy.

Staying at home (except for food acquisition)?  Check!  [Full disclosure: I stopped at Redbox to rent movies - but cleaned them thoroughly with a Clorox wipe.  No human contact involved.]

Physical distancing?  Check!

Wrapping myself in a body condom?  Uhhh, OK - I did NOT do that.  [Full disclosure:  I don't believe this was ever recommended by the CDC.]

But I did do other stuff, like -

• Bought even cheaper gas ($1.39) at Costco than the previous week ($1.65).  

• Tried to keep active with walking & exercise.  While my walking streak was halted at 10 straight days (3/14 - 3/23). I did complete my two-mile walking route on Wednesday and again today [I have provided the screenshot from MapMyWalk below as evidence].  I also spent 40+ minutes (and the equivalent of over 12 miles according to the digital display) on Friday morning using my recumbent exercise bike.  [Full disclosure:  I have no screenshot evidence from the exercise bike.  It is a low tech device - but a quiet way to pedal away some fat.  And it is easier on my lower back.]

• Participated in 6 video conferences/chats within 24 hours (6pm Friday to 6pm Saturday).  I met with church leaders on Friday night (Zoom); my sister, Sarah (FaceTime); Olivia from church (Zoom again, to discuss slides for on-line worship service); Music Night planning with Chuck and Pat (Google Hangouts); my dad (FaceTime again); and virtual happy hour with the Burks (Hangouts again). This was in addition to multiple church group video conferences earlier in the week and VBN (Virtual Bar Night) with the Spinners earlier in the week.

Oh - and I had all my usual conference calls during work hours too.

I thought this thing was supposed provide an opportunity for me to be bored and binge watching Netflix...

I have also engaged in some "cabin fever" on-line shopping - but the most expensive item was less than $16 (a CD/ BlurayAudio set from XTC in their guise as the psychedelic throwback rockers, The Dukes of the Stratosphear) - so it shouldn't leave me destitute.  [Full disclosure:  Other items were - CD/DVD slim cases, card stock for CD package use, and CDs from David Byrne, Miles Davis & the American Hustle soundtrack.]

I have made no purchases (yet) from biologyproducts.com.  Although their uncut Sheep Heart looks like a bargain at $3.30.  [Full disclosure:  It is (you guessed it) "not alive nor is it edible".  Which - while not a surprise - may be disappointing to some.]

I have been able to remain light-hearted through the pandemic so far.  I hope I'm not becoming light-headed.

Take care everyone.

Jim Styro's COVID-19 Update, 2020-03-22

Week One of the COVID-19 "New Normal" is in the books - and all in my household remain disease-free (to the best of our knowledge).  We are asymptomatic at least - but (for the most part) trying to behave as though we have been diagnosed with the virus in order to minimize any spread.

Below are some additional things I have thought and done during the past week -

• On Tuesday, I bought gas after shopping at Costco.  The price?  $1.65 a gallon.  Never thought I'd see gas prices like THAT again.  It makes me wish I had someplace to go...
• I wrote about Glenn W. Levey Middle school the other day - but I don't know who Glenn W. Levey is/was.  (Full disclosure:  I assume he's dead.  Don't they mostly name buildings after dead people?)  I did some Google checks for Glenn - but came up empty.  I did pay closer attention to the sign in front of the school during my walk on Friday - and confirmed my earlier suspicion that being an "Exemplary School" and a "Blue Ribbon School" are the same thing.

• Speaking of walking, yesterday was my eighth straight day of walking my 2-mile route.  I have started to see more people out strolling the past couple days.  Physical (not "social")  distancing protocols were observed in all cases.  
• I was advised yesterday - and subsequently confirmed through other sources - that "physical distancing" (rather than "social distancing") is now the preferred nomenclature.  The intention is to emphasize the need for maintaining physical distance to avoid the spread of COVID-19 - but acknowledge the need that social interaction (which can be done while maintaining physical distance) is very much needed during these stressful times.
• You cannot kill the COVID-19 virus with a hair dryer.  I had a conference call for work mid-week where a lady told us otherwise - and that she expected to see people buying up all the hair dryers to blow dry their way to health.  The misinformation that heat will kill COVID-19 has been going around for a while.  Thank goodness Snopes knows better.
• Donated double red cells at the Red Cross in Livonia yesterday.  My blood pressure was a little higher than normal (I wonder why?) although I haven't detected feeling emotionally stressed.  I do know that even after 78 donations (according to my profile at the Red Cross website), I still don't like needles or the sight of blood (Imagine that!  Since so many of us love both needles and blood.)  I don't know how many years their records cover - but I estimate having given regularly for about 40 years.
• Here's the thing - my blood type is O Negative.  Only about 7% of the population have that blood type.  While it is not the rarest blood type, it is much desired by the Red Cross - because patients of all blood types can receive O Negative blood.  In the lingo, I am a "Universal Donor" - which makes me extremely popular in the blood biz.  I have already scheduled my next donation for August 15 in the hope it will forestall many emails and phone calls from the Red Cross in the meantime.  But I don't hold out much hope this tactic will work.  I'll keep you posted.
• No new items to share from biologyproducts.com.  But you haven't heard the last of them.

Take care.

Jim Styro's COVID-19 Update, 2020-03-19

Maybe you thought I would leave you alone.
Maybe you thought my previous update was an anomaly.
Maybe you thought I had better things to do.

Wrong on all counts.

The first week of COVID Closure (aka "The New Normal" - schools being closed, church being closed, restaurants & bars being closed or reduced to carry out) is nearly over.  Below are some additional things I have done & thought about -

• Completed my 2-mile walking route three more times.  On Tuesday (Day 4), I finally encountered someone else out walking.  [Full disclosure:  We failed to observe proper social distancing since we only moved to opposite sides of the sidewalk.  There's no way we stayed 6 feet apart at all times.  But we didn't cough or sneeze on each other - just a polite greeting.]

• It was raining yesterday evening, so I had to use my golf umbrella while walking on Day 5.  My shoes and socks were VERY wet by the time I got home.  Once again, I saw another person out walking.  [Full disclosure:  We observed proper social distancing - because they were on the north side of Nine Mile Road and I was on the south side.]

• It rained again today (Day 6) while I was walking.  Sneaky rain.  The kind of rain where - it's not raining at all when you leave the house - but before you get a block away, it starts to rain, so you open up the umbrella.  It's not raining very hard.  Looks like your shoes aren't going to get all wet this time.  But then, when you're a mile away from home (half-way through, at your FARTHEST point away from home), it starts to rainy pretty hard.  And then the wind starts to blow.  But there's no short cut now.  No way.  You just have to persevere and walk home.  My shoes and socks were VERY wet again today when I got home. [Full disclosure:  Nobody else was dumb enough to be out walking today.  But I did see someone taking out their garbage.  Proper social distancing was observed.]

• I walk by Glenn W. Levey Middle School on my walk each day. Over the main entrance to the school are the words,  "An Exemplary School".  The sign out front also indicates that Levey Middle School is a "Blue Ribbon School".  I felt good about living so close to school that is both "Exemplary" and "Blue Ribbon-y".  Subsequent research has revealed that both parts of the signage at Levey refer to its designation as a National Blue Ribbon school for the school year 1999-2000.  [Full disclosure:  There is an Exemplary School Designation awarded by the Arts Schools Network - but there is no indication that Levey Middle School ever received it.  But Interlochen Arts Academy did from 2012-2016.]

• One more day and I will have completed a full week of my new 2-mile walking regimen.  [Full disclosure:  I really hope it doesn't rain tomorrow.]

• I have a Double-Red blood donation set up for Saturday morning in Livonia.  [Full disclosure:  'Cause that's how I roll.]

• You CANNOT purchase a Large Plain Bat at biologyproducts.com.  But you can purchase a Bat Skelton for only $40.  [Full disclosure:  The site states that "Our Skeleton Specimens are real animal bones, cleaned and specially treated" - but makes no mention of whether the product is alive or edible.]

• Full disclosure:  I don't think I can keep up this "full disclosure" thing much longer.  [Additional disclosure:  But I'm not making any promises.]

Hope you are all taking care of yourselves and those about you.  

Take care.

Jim Styro's COVID-19 Update, 2020-03-17

Just when you thought I'd never post again...here I am.

OK - I know you weren't thinking about me (posting or otherwise).  But I've got to start somewhere.

If you (or your significant other – using your email address rather than their own) make regular on-line purchases, I expect that you are receiving multiple emails every day from businesses, organizations, government entities – all wanting to tell you about the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.  I, for one, think that MY experiences & insights on this matter are equally valid and noteworthy – so I have decided to victimi post my musings here.

Since this is my first post in several years, I’ll start with the basics –

• I do not currently have COVID-19.  [Full disclosure:  I have not been tested for COVID-19.]
• I feel better than James Brown.  [Full disclosure:  James Brown died on Christmas Day 2006.]
• For the past 3 days, I have walked two miles each day.  [Full disclosure:  In those two hours of walking, I only saw one other human outside.  I maintained appropriate social distancing.]
• I haven’t been able to find toilet paper in stock at the Livonia (MI) Costco in two weeks.  [Full disclosure:  My son-in-law, Derrick, was able to find some at the Target on Grand River in Farmington Hills, MI.]
• You can purchase a Large Plain Rabbit at biologyproducts.com for only $29.  [Full disclosure:  As the site warns, “Product is not alive nor is it edible."]

 Since my Music Night workload has been greatly reduced, I completed a personal music collection which I’m calling “All Over The Place.”  I’ll be working on the lyric notes prior to distribution. 

That’s all I have for today.  In the words of Sgt. Phil Esterhaus, “Let’s be careful out there.”  Or as I always say...

Take care.