2020-04-24
Friday
A Month To Go
Whatever symptoms I might have had seem to have dissipated in the night. Well, no. I can still feel that edge of breath. And the more I think about it, the greater the desire to cough. Oh, well. Never mind.
The worst part about all this will be the cancelled festivals. I was looking forward to The Blues Fest.
Do you remember how kids used to be in charge of programming the VCR? Well, that's how some older folks work The Internet... by sicking their children and grandchildren on it.
At the start of the year, I put almost everything on Auto Pay. I am very removed from Time and Reality.
The days go by. I am on my second book about cults, reading straight through. And then, a big part of my life is writing. So with those two activities, I've described half of my typical day.
I've noticed as of late (for a few years, now) a preference for semi-real work {in my writing}. I don't want to call it Non-Fiction, but stuff more like this... observation, awareness. Yeah, I really don't want to call it Non-Fiction.
Tonight was a Take-out Feast: Chinese Food. We do eat well. If I have a vice (other than Pride, Vanity, or similar), it's Food. I don't want to call it Gluttony. But if the shoe fits...
Marijuana is legal in these here parts. For the first time in weeks, I had a momentary desire. But it will pass, has passed. I'd like to be high, now... or really, a few minutes ago. Truthfully, I probably won't even take a sip of booze. For whatever reason, Kefir {a fermented yogurt drink} is sounding better.
Vanity! I have a Vanity Website. I mean, I don't think in those terms. But how arrogant does a person have to be to believe notes such as this (such as this very note) are one's Gift To Humanity?
Second day without a walk... correlates directly with when I started my game... also, Non-Sunny Weather.
Some Covid Tests may only be 70% accurate.
Perhaps, possibly, maybe, upwards of half the people who have Covid will never display any symptoms. It could be far fewer. So, like, no one really knows yet.
Another fun fact (keeping in mind all such 'facts' are little more than hearsay) a mild case of Covid is (probably, most likely, and/or sounds good to me) harder to detect than a severe case. In other words, if I've already had The Vid, there may be no way for me to ever know.
I'm reading The Reports from The Imperial College. I may not be interpreting them correctly. So, you know, best to go to the raw documentation. I'm just offering {recording for history, for historical purposes} my Working Knowledge, My Take-Aways.
Hey, I forgot to say. In the park the other day, it sort of looked like two minivans were doing a Drive-By Birthday Party. Though, it was causing a bit of a traffic jam. So, poorly planned... and therefore, likely not. Just a chance meeting.
2020-04-25
Saturday
Rainy Day
Lots of coughing around here.
Rain. Lazy morning. Proofreading, reading, and in a bit, writing.
I'm doing what I want, playing games. It's an easy life.
Games, reading, and television for the rest of the day. It's a boring sort of report.
I had no idea regular flu was such a big thing. Covid is more acute, but it doesn't seem to be categorically different. Well, I'm comparing entire years of the flu to two months of Covid and calling it similar. So clearly, they are not.
There is a certain freedom in not having (or not being able) to plan activities. Life is what life is.
It feels like I am forgetting to breathe, stopping at the ends, and failing to follow through.
2020-04-26
Sunday
Game Day - Same Day
I'm enjoying my stench. I'm over-selling it. I have an aroma, which is far more pronounced as I lean back in my chair, hands behind my head.
If one believes the rumor mill, an informal prom was held in the school parking lot. This is why the Lock-Down will become increasingly pointless, more and more will opt to get on with their lives.
At least, I did a tiny bit of proofreading between long runs on my game. It really does kill time. I find it quite addictive.
I've got a pretty bad cough, nice and deep. But it's allergy time. So, who knows?
I'm looking at a graphic from CDC. Rounding (because that's what I do), it looks like upwards of 1 in 20 get Influenza on a yearly basis. Of course, 1 in 10 is likely more typical and average. For each case, there is a 1 in 10 chance Hospitalization will be required. And of those, 1 in 10 die. So, nice round numbers; which means, they are rough and not overly accurate. But based on those numbers, Covid doesn't seem to be much different. Though, the real difference may lay in what one means by Hospitalization.
Essentially, at 55,000 and counting, we are already at a peak year (record breaking, no doubt, in comparison to influenza) with no end in sight.
2020-04-27
Monday
Rain Is In The Forecast
The bedroom smells of mold, again. I don't know why. Seems like it's coming from the AC Vent.
Meat Shortages have been threatened.
Lots of the stuff I report here is hearsay, things others have read. I am no longer on Social Media and care little for the news.
On our walk, we saw a Birthday Caravan, Dandelions, and Tons of Flowers. Spring is here. Rain is expected for the next few days.
The Birthday Caravan was little more than a train of Cars and Minivans with Poster Board signs in the windows. I assume children were riding along. But I have no idea. I do know that Social Distancing was not strictly enforced, as at least one person was walking from vehicle to vehicle, talking through the window to the other drivers... coordinating the event, no doubt.
I feel stress in my lungs, a place where I stop. Allergies remain the most likely explanation.
I have a slight cough, which was slightly productive, just now. So, I don't know what that means.
2020-04-28
Tuesday
Game Day... Again!
I woke up early and started thinking about the game. So, that's where the morning went. I'm almost too tired to do anything else.
Tired. Is it The Vid? Breathing deep means nothing. It's the lack of intake that counts. And I'm exhausted.
Did light Housekeeping. Though, considering I was sweating, light may be a misnomer. I cleaned all the AC & Air Filters, which led to Vacuuming Up all the dust.
Rain. A hard rain. Thunder... maybe. I was slow in turning off my computer. I was enjoying My Game.
I am sure The Future will laugh at our handling of The Virus... or be completely indifferent. Like I know thing one about The Spanish Flu. Why? Because I do not care. I might if I ever got into WWI. But I opted against following along (a century after the fact) in celebration of The Centennial, as I thought it would be too grim and get me down.
The Diary Project
Virus Watch: Week 7
Going A Little Crazy
But Still Staying Cool
{The idea was to trace World War I in real time, a hundred years after the fact. So, on April 14th 2014, I'd read about whatever happened on April 14th 1914. But I know enough about what happened during The War to know I have no desire to look at That Debacle very closely.}
My legs are dead tired from standing in front of the computer, playing My Game all day. I stopped at a non-action, non-stress, non-race point, so hopefully I can forget about it through the night. I have a nasty tendency to strategize at three in the morning.
A whole lot of rain in the forecast. I'm going to need to work-out, tomorrow... maybe, work on a writing project.
In other news, I finished the book I was reading. So, that opens up some Mind Space.
2020-04-29
Wednesday
Let's Sleep In
Got up around 9:45AM, which is pretty late for me. If going to the City, I'd like to get up by 8:00AM for a 9:30AM train.
I'm back in the writing groove. I took a day or two off. Well, maybe I didn't. But if I recall, yesterday was pure game.
In The Game today, I walk over an Enemy Civilization, which is less fun, as I have no belief in their mounting a viable Counter Attack. Still, it needs doing. And I find a one-sided victory to be mentally soothing. At this point, it's really just a study in discipline and not making simple mistakes.
I'm guessing ALL the Summer Festivals will be cancelled. Just got word of another one.
It will be a good summer to write a book... if I ever get started.
I've lost interest in The Vid.
2020-04-30
Thursday
My How Time Flies
Thoughts of Computer Games got me out of bed.
Masks are sprouting on all the Statues about town. These are a wonderful example of Propaganda, Social Engineering, and/or Cultural Shift, depending upon one's preferred nomenclature.
Forced Meditation! Is this the Cabal's true intent? What it wishes out of Social Isolation? Or the awareness of the meaningless of others? If I can do months, I can do years. I now return you to your regularly scheduled delusions.
The Protests Against The Lock-Down are a bit silly. Well, they're a good excuse for a protest. But as they were not issued tickets for breaking Lock-Down, it's pretty clear their is no enforcement. It's a voluntary Lock-Down.
I finished My Game. Declared it a Victory. Maybe, I'll get some programming done in the morning.
I just downloaded Report 17 from The Imperial College. But I am way too tired to read it.
I'm wiped. Not enough sleep last night. Got a pretty bad cough, as well. But it's intermittent. I'd hardly call it persistent.
A whole lot of rain in the forecast. I'm going to need to work-out, tomorrow... maybe, work on a writing project.
In other news, I finished the book I was reading. So, that opens up some Mind Space.
2020-04-29
Wednesday
Let's Sleep In
Got up around 9:45AM, which is pretty late for me. If going to the City, I'd like to get up by 8:00AM for a 9:30AM train.
I'm back in the writing groove. I took a day or two off. Well, maybe I didn't. But if I recall, yesterday was pure game.
In The Game today, I walk over an Enemy Civilization, which is less fun, as I have no belief in their mounting a viable Counter Attack. Still, it needs doing. And I find a one-sided victory to be mentally soothing. At this point, it's really just a study in discipline and not making simple mistakes.
I'm guessing ALL the Summer Festivals will be cancelled. Just got word of another one.
It will be a good summer to write a book... if I ever get started.
I've lost interest in The Vid.
2020-04-30
Thursday
My How Time Flies
Thoughts of Computer Games got me out of bed.
Masks are sprouting on all the Statues about town. These are a wonderful example of Propaganda, Social Engineering, and/or Cultural Shift, depending upon one's preferred nomenclature.
Forced Meditation! Is this the Cabal's true intent? What it wishes out of Social Isolation? Or the awareness of the meaningless of others? If I can do months, I can do years. I now return you to your regularly scheduled delusions.
The Protests Against The Lock-Down are a bit silly. Well, they're a good excuse for a protest. But as they were not issued tickets for breaking Lock-Down, it's pretty clear their is no enforcement. It's a voluntary Lock-Down.
I finished My Game. Declared it a Victory. Maybe, I'll get some programming done in the morning.
I just downloaded Report 17 from The Imperial College. But I am way too tired to read it.
I'm wiped. Not enough sleep last night. Got a pretty bad cough, as well. But it's intermittent. I'd hardly call it persistent.
Next Diary Project Entry
Home Diary Project Index
I can't see Next Week being much different. But maybe there will be more sun. I miss the sun. I'm happier when the weather is conducive to a nice long walk.
© copyright 2020 Brett Paufler
paufler.net@gmail.com