Small Talk: The Polygamous Cul-de-Sac

[Cetacean]

Another long day of volunteering at a mass vaccination clinic but feeling good that we got 500 more first doses out.  And an unexpected delivery of 400 doses coming on Thursday so working a "pop up" clinic an hour north of me. 

I am happy that SO many people are clamoring for the vaccine!

[Meowwww]

so.  I’m sitting here all worried. 
The neighbors across the street have 2 dogs.  The dogs aren’t friendly; I’ve seen them chase people walking their dogs.  But the neighbors let them outside, free. 
A bit ago, I heard the dogs howling and crying, probably to come in the house.  It’s cold and snowing here in Wisconsin. They were pretty much screaming to go in. 
Then....a dozen or so gunshots.  Dogs fell silent. I heard a man’s voice outside saying who knows what, not long after.  
This is a family who keeps to themselves.  Their kids are outside playing a bunch, but it just feels dark over there. 
I called the sheriff, they said they would check it out.  Here in the countryside, it’s pretty much ok to shoot guns whenever, not much law around. Lots of angry ugly people. 
I hope it’s all just a coincidence.   Maybe they let their dogs in and someone else was shooting.  I mean, it could be.  But hunting season is over and I didn’t hear any coyotes.  Ugh.  
 

[Sofa Sloth]

6 hours ago, Cetacean said:

Another long day of volunteering at a mass vaccination clinic but feeling good that we got 500 more first doses out.  And an unexpected delivery of 400 doses coming on Thursday so working a "pop up" clinic an hour north of me. 

I am happy that SO many people are clamoring for the vaccine!

Love this. Science is amazing and YOU are amazing! So excited to see vaccines created and rolled out after only a year and the fact they are being administered by selfless and caring volunteers such as you - really heartwarming! Even more amazing, the fact that people are actually lining up to get vaccinated and not listening to misinformation from ignorant anti-vaxxers pushing their own agendas, which is a win for society ❤️  I hope Australia and NZ have such a good response to the vaccines when they are rolled out here also. 

[dmbo]

19 hours ago, Meowwww said:

so.  I’m sitting here all worried. 
The neighbors across the street have 2 dogs.  The dogs aren’t friendly; I’ve seen them chase people walking their dogs.  But the neighbors let them outside, free. 
A bit ago, I heard the dogs howling and crying, probably to come in the house.  It’s cold and snowing here in Wisconsin. They were pretty much screaming to go in. 
Then....a dozen or so gunshots.  Dogs fell silent. I heard a man’s voice outside saying who knows what, not long after.  
This is a family who keeps to themselves.  Their kids are outside playing a bunch, but it just feels dark over there. 
I called the sheriff, they said they would check it out.  Here in the countryside, it’s pretty much ok to shoot guns whenever, not much law around. Lots of angry ugly people. 
I hope it’s all just a coincidence.   Maybe they let their dogs in and someone else was shooting.  I mean, it could be.  But hunting season is over and I didn’t hear any coyotes.  Ugh.  
 

Any update? 

[Pickleinthemiddle]

To all of you who might be a little uptight, anxious or tired of being stuck inside all the time.  Recently I've been listening to some LOFI channels on YouTube, it is calming and relaxing.  Most of it is hip-hop and jazzy but still soft and calming.  It has made me feel less stressed.  Also listening to relaxing sleep and meditation music.  Some are live loops that play for hours.  Just an idea.  I play it when I am cleaning or doing things around the house.

[laurakaye]

My daughter ordered the Sister Wives coloring book for me for Christmas - it was just delivered this past weekend, lol.  

But I have to say, the author ("Splendor in the Trash") MUST read here, because some of the pages contained jokes straight out of these forums!  If so, *waves* - excellent work, Splendor!  I don't know how you capture these women so perfectly but I laughed out loud at every page!

Robyn and Meri are both crying on every page, in every situation.  There is a "choose Kody's hairstyle" page.  She captures Mariah, Mykelti and FT perfectly.  But the thing that had me LOL-ing the most - and I'm not even sure if this was deliberate on the author's part - was how she draws Meri wiping away her tears.  There's a particular way she places her hand on her face (maybe so as to not smudge her orange foundation, I don't know) but it was drawn to perfection.   My daughter rolled her eyes as I looked through it and cracked up.

[Teafortwo]

13 hours ago, Pickleinthemiddle said:

Also listening to relaxing sleep and meditation music.  Some are live loops that play for hours. 

I played one of those, with the title "calming music for cats" when I was taking care of a very shy foster kitty recently. It soothed me as well!

[Meowwww]

On 1/24/2021 at 3:02 PM, dmbo said:

Any update? 

Hubby saw one of their dogs outside today.  The other wasn’t there.  It’s the country, so neighbors regularly shoot.   
Not long after, I heard and saw a car leaving their house at high speed, then another drove in their garage and a group of people came out to greet it. 
So, probably shooting at coyotes.  They are bold here. 
But it’s all conjecture and I don’t know the facts.  But something was up.  No blood in the snow outside their house today.  

[Yeah No]

On 1/25/2021 at 1:29 AM, Pickleinthemiddle said:

To all of you who might be a little uptight, anxious or tired of being stuck inside all the time.  Recently I've been listening to some LOFI channels on YouTube, it is calming and relaxing.  Most of it is hip-hop and jazzy but still soft and calming.  It has made me feel less stressed.  Also listening to relaxing sleep and meditation music.  Some are live loops that play for hours.  Just an idea.  I play it when I am cleaning or doing things around the house.

Thanks, I am always looking for more Chill music as I love it so much.  That chill-hop stuff is very nice.  I used to listen to SiriusXM Chill in my car but since I rarely drive that much these days I've had to start playing it from my computer and TV in the house.  I missed my music!  It relaxes me like nothing else, and it's very therapeutic.

I also have started playing the keyboard again, which I also find therapeutic.  I used to play a lot when I was younger but had gotten out of it in recent years.  I don't read music but I doodle a lot and have composed some songs.  My husband keeps a few keyboards around and is practicing a lot too.  He plays church organ music and has a 2 manual electronic keyboard with pedalboard that sounds pretty awesome for such a little thing.

[laurakaye]

YouTube has a relaxing jazz channel that changes with the day of the week, which I love.  I just randomly looked up "Relaxing Jazz" and it was the first thing to pop up.  It's a live channel so it plays all day, and I don't notice if it loops (it probably does) - some instrumental channels bug me because of the looping every few minutes.  I need it on while I work, but I also need to be able to tune it out at the same time, lol.

This is a nice change from playing ASMR channels in the background in an attempt to bring down the constant hum of anxiety that I've had for these many, many months.  I have found with the recent "changes," shall we say, the anxiety has come down considerably.  It's a nice change of pace.  I didn't really realize the anxiety I was carrying around with me until it started to fade a bit.

[Roslyn]

Well. I had my dental surgery (triple root canal) on Monday.  Everything went very well and she was done under the scheduled time.  I took some time thinking about what music I would want to listen to and at first I thought of some of my classical or new age guitar favorites, but I realized that I really wanted something to distract myself with more rhythm. My doctor gave me my free choice so I went through my music catalog and made a list of older punkish and alternative as well as some of my eclectic choices. 

It worked a treat.  While I do not wish anyone to have to experience those damn injections (!!!) it really is the only horrid part of the whole thing.  The doctor is very talented at what she does with little to no vibrations, her speaking voice is low and even and she has the most gentle touch.  She explains everything before hand in terms that a non medical person can understand and doesn't proceed until you are fully aware of what is going to happen.

I honestly gave myself a couple of days for what I was assuming would be recovery, and I'm shocked that I have had zero.  Yes. Zero pain.  The only residual feeling is if I open my jaw wide, I have some tightness, but that is all. Several years ago I had a root canal by another doctor.  I was told at the time he was "the best" and he taught other doctors the profession.  He gave zero information and prescribed me a steroid and pain killer afterwards.  The after pain was blinding, and honestly worse than the tooth pain that led me to get the root canal, the pain killer made me horribly sick and I couldn't take it.  After 2 doses of the steroid I was checking off most of the list of side effects, including what became a lasting depression that took over a month before I felt better.  My entire jaw was bruised for a long time and I was in pain for a long time.  When I called about the medicine I was told..."well...don't take the pills then" and when I mentioned the pain killer making me sick I was told "just take some ibuprofen".  Weeks later I called to again ask about pain and bruising and I was again blown off and told to take ibuprofen.  So. Having the experience of a kind, gentle and truly wonderful doctor with a quality support staff was a joy...even for a root canal !!

Moral of my story...

Last year just as my local area was going into full shutdown I was scheduled to have my teeth cleaning and check up with yearly X-ray. It was cancelled and once things were opening back up in the summer the office was flooded with trying to book appointments with limited hours available.  I have not yet had my check-up because before it was scheduled I had the pain set in and had to deal with the emergency.  My dentist wanted to get the infected tooth dealt with and so it was pushed back.  Only the tooth with the immediate problem had an X-ray.  Then before Thanksgiving the next issue surfaced and just before Christmas...the next. NONE of these teeth had issues that were visible with the eye.  Missing my checkup is what led me to the root canal.  If anyone is putting off their dental check ups...don't.  If you can get a scheduled appointment and your office is following good practices get your checkups.

[Absolom]

I've been in twice since the pandemic started and got x-rays last time.  It's like being on a space odyssey except for the patients.  Mine has multiple air purifiers going and every precaution possible is being taken.  Every patient has to rinse with antiseptic as soon as they remove their mask.

[Teafortwo]

16 hours ago, Absolom said:

I've been in twice since the pandemic started and got x-rays last time.  It's like being on a space odyssey except for the patients.  Mine has multiple air purifiers going and every precaution possible is being taken.  Every patient has to rinse with antiseptic as soon as they remove their mask.

Same here. My dentist has strict protocols too. I went in October for cleaning and xrays, and very relieved I did so. The news about these new variants scares me. I'm overdue for a mammogram, tried to get in there in Oct also but they had no openings til after Christmas. Then I was scared about the holiday surge. I have an appt Feb 22 but I think I will postpone again. Sigh....

[Absolom]

Did the mammogram last Friday.  It was as low contact as could be.  There were two of us in the waiting room about 10 to 12 feet apart.  Three ladies in the inside waiting room so I stayed in the dressing cubicle area.  Was called within 2 minutes of changing.  Then right out the door and on to the building exit.  The technician and I were both double masked.  

[Cetacean]

Please don't neglect essential medical diagnostics! Most departments have put in place as many safeguards as possible and they are as interested in keeping their staff safe as they are with keeping patients safe so nothing has been spared.  I have had a mammogram and felt totally safe - they have even shut down the changing rooms so you change in the mammogram room and your clothes are not in some cubicle. 

Did my third mass vaccination clinic in two weeks today so another 400+ seniors had their first dose. I'm really proud at how prepared and efficient our little rural health department is - they have put through over 2000 people in less than two weeks with a total staff for four counties of 50 people including clerical. I have been recruiting other volunteers like mad, it takes a LOT of help to get this done.  But feels good to actually doing something rather than sitting home and stewing.  I will be a lot less antsy after my second dose next week, though.

[Teafortwo]

Off-topic, but this documentary looks really good: https://www.indiewire.com/2021/01/some-kind-of-heaven-review-darren-aronofsky-the-villages-1234609430/

Sounds like a bit of a cult-like place. The documentary works in an elliptical style that is more evocative than a simple "expose." It focuses on several misfits, and it's made many residents mad because it punctures their fantasy of a utopian bubble world. Well worth watching. I really enjoyed it.

Edited February 1, 2021 by Teafortwo
additional notes after watching

[Meowwww]

On 1/22/2021 at 12:17 AM, Yeah No said:

SI hear you.  I am putting some routine exam stuff off for the same reasons.  I still haven't been to the dentist in over a year.  I got my mammogram last summer so at least I'm good with that.  I just heard Dr. Fauci tonight say that the vaccine rollout should be ramping up really soon with Federal help.  I am trying to remain optimistic.

Same.  
I need the dentist.  I need the eye doctor.  I need the regular doctor for other things.  I have had video visits, but they aren’t like getting real help.  My main doctor and eye doctor and dentist aren’t seeing anyone in real life except emergencies.  The appointments for even that are months out.  I’m over it.  

[TurtlePower]

On 1/28/2021 at 3:45 PM, Cetacean said:

Please don't neglect essential medical diagnostics! Most departments have put in place as many safeguards as possible and they are as interested in keeping their staff safe as they are with keeping patients safe so nothing has been spared.  I have had a mammogram and felt totally safe - they have even shut down the changing rooms so you change in the mammogram room and your clothes are not in some cubicle. 

Did my third mass vaccination clinic in two weeks today so another 400+ seniors had their first dose. I'm really proud at how prepared and efficient our little rural health department is - they have put through over 2000 people in less than two weeks with a total staff for four counties of 50 people including clerical. I have been recruiting other volunteers like mad, it takes a LOT of help to get this done.  But feels good to actually doing something rather than sitting home and stewing.  I will be a lot less antsy after my second dose next week, though.

I get the second dose on Wednesday. I was feeling some emotional relief about that, but now they're scaring us with the variants. 

[xwordfanatik]

46 minutes ago, TurtlePower said:

I get the second dose on Wednesday. I was feeling some emotional relief about that, but now they're scaring us with the variants. 

I get my second dose Feb. 9 or thereabouts.  We are still trying to get Mr. X's first dose.  The VA clinic in our city still hasn't received any.  

Supposedly there will be a mass vaccination drive-thru at our local fairgrounds, if they ever get a shipment.  It's hard to have patience in this scary situation, but there's no other choice.  I worry about the mutations, too.

[Cetacean]

34 minutes ago, xwordfanatik said:

 It's hard to have patience in this scary situation, but there's no other choice.

It really, really is so difficult to be patient. 

Because they know I volunteer I am being bombarded with questions and complaints about "how do they chose, why am I not first?"  "Why can't they just do it at the local K of C so I don't have to drive?"  And I can't speak for the health department but it's pretty much first come, first served.  How do you decide between the 99 year old who is healthy and the 70 year old with a triple bypass and diabetes?  What constitutes an "essential worker" status?  There are no algorithms to apply to the waiting lists that are being handled by a handful of clerical staff for four counties with thousands on the lists.  It's a major clusterf-ck is all I can say.  There have to be 50 different ways it is being handled in my state alone!

Then throw in the assholes that blocked the entrance to a mass vaccination clinic in CA to further upset people.  I swear to God I would have run right over them.  There is a special place in hell for those spawn of Satan.

[xwordfanatik]

1 hour ago, Cetacean said:

It really, really is so difficult to be patient. 

Because they know I volunteer I am being bombarded with questions and complaints about "how do they chose, why am I not first?"  "Why can't they just do it at the local K of C so I don't have to drive?"  And I can't speak for the health department but it's pretty much first come, first served.  How do you decide between the 99 year old who is healthy and the 70 year old with a triple bypass and diabetes?  What constitutes an "essential worker" status?  There are no algorithms to apply to the waiting lists that are being handled by a handful of clerical staff for four counties with thousands on the lists.  It's a major clusterf-ck is all I can say.  There have to be 50 different ways it is being handled in my state alone!

Then throw in the assholes that blocked the entrance to a mass vaccination clinic in CA to further upset people.  I swear to God I would have run right over them.  There is a special place in hell for those spawn of Satan.

OMH, I hadn't heard about your last paragraph!  How can anyone be that fucking stupid?  Why do they want to prolong this terrible situation?

Those were rhetorical questions, of course.  Shit like that just makes me furious.  I know, stupid can't be fixed.  If only.

ETA: Cetacean, bless you for doing what you do!  ❤️

Edited January 31, 2021 by xwordfanatik
add a sentence

[Teafortwo]

5 hours ago, Cetacean said:

Then throw in the assholes that blocked the entrance to a mass vaccination clinic in CA to further upset people.  I swear to God I would have run right over them.  There is a special place in hell for those spawn of Satan.

In college, I read a book by an anthropologist, Julian Jaynes, called "The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind." It was fascinating. Jaynes posited that religion originated during a time when human minds were not yet fully conscious, so people lived in a sort of dream-like, hallucinatory state. Eventually, people became fully conscious, but religious beliefs persisted. This is a vast simplification of the book, of course. I feel as if, today, many people have once-again fallen into that sort of dreamlike, trance state, and that accounts for some of the behavior and beliefs we are seeing (belief in conspiracies and so forth).

[Yeah No]

5 hours ago, Teafortwo said:

In college, I read a book by an anthropologist, Julian Jaynes, called "The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind." It was fascinating. Jaynes posited that religion originated during a time when human minds were not yet fully conscious, so people lived in a sort of dream-like, hallucinatory state. Eventually, people became fully conscious, but religious beliefs persisted. This is a vast simplification of the book, of course. I feel as if, today, many people have once-again fallen into that sort of dreamlike, trance state, and that accounts for some of the behavior and beliefs we are seeing (belief in conspiracies and so forth).

I read that book in college too.  As a one time Theology, Philosophy and Psychology student with an interest in science, I have often thought about it over the years.  I thought it was a fascinating theory although I wouldn't call myself completely sold on it.  I think aspects of it are true. 

I think a modern, mature religious belief is on a far more advanced level than that of people from all those ages ago.  Religious belief has evolved and matured a lot since then and depending on who you're listening to, it's become much more grounded in what I and others would call a rational approach to faith.  Of course there are faiths that haven't evolved that much and which seem like throwbacks to that earlier form of consciousness.  And that's because in my opinion even today not all people are up to having a mature faith, or they have been so indoctrinated to believe one way that they can't even think maturely on the subject.  Those people instead subscribe to belief systems that ask them to check their minds at the door and offer easy black and white answers for everything.  That's because for whatever reason, they can't cope with accepting that reality consists of many gray areas that may not be so easy for them to understand or reconcile with other conflicting beliefs.  Reality is often complicated and hard to assess, and they were not encouraged to have the ability or desire to deal with things that pose that kind of mental challenge.  It involves using critical thinking skills that not everyone has in abundance because either they weren't taught them or were told not to use them.  I also think it's part of the denial coping mechanism to regress into more immature ways of seeing things.  When faced with harsh realities like we are facing these days some people can't cope with it and will regress into that more childlike emotional state as a way to shelter themselves from that reality.  So they will engage in denial of reality and latch on to easy answers that often run counter to evidence and rational judgment in order to avoid it.

Unfortunately today we are seeing more beliefs of all kinds that seem more like they come from that era Jaynes talked about.  It's a real shame because I know a lot of otherwise intelligent people that are falling prey to all kinds of throwback beliefs that fly in the face of both science and rational judgment.  My friends and I have been talking about this.  I have my own opinions on how we got into this mess.  I think somewhere along the line in certain parts of society critical thinking skills were not so much encouraged and people were indoctrinated by people seeking to control them.  So they were not taught to learn how to tell the difference between reality and that indoctrination.  Or when they see facts that conflict with their indoctrinated beliefs that are hard to deny, they end up susceptible to all kinds of conspiracy theories and cult like beliefs in order to keep denying the reality that conflicts with their beliefs.  You have to have a strong grounding in freedom of thought and critical thinking skills in order to resist that stuff and accept reality.  Unfortunately a lot of people do not have that these days for any number of reasons, sometimes because their religions don't encourage it.  The faiths that encourage free thought and critical thinking aren't the most popular ones these days, unfortunately.  They are the ones closing their doors instead.  It's really very sad.

Edited February 1, 2021 by Yeah No

[Cetacean]

Great post, @Yeah No.  It makes me sad for future generations.  With the need for isolation and lack of in-person education I really fear for what will be happening to a whole generation.  Glad I'm old enough not to be seeing it!

[laurakaye]

10 hours ago, Teafortwo said:

In college, I read a book by an anthropologist, Julian Jaynes, called "The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind." It was fascinating. Jaynes posited that religion originated during a time when human minds were not yet fully conscious, so people lived in a sort of dream-like, hallucinatory state. Eventually, people became fully conscious, but religious beliefs persisted. This is a vast simplification of the book, of course. I feel as if, today, many people have once-again fallen into that sort of dreamlike, trance state, and that accounts for some of the behavior and beliefs we are seeing (belief in conspiracies and so forth).

This is interesting, because at the height of the lockdown in the spring of 2020 when I was only working 8 hours a week, I would say that I wandered around my house in a dreamlike state for sure - unable to start and finish a project, unable to read, flipping through Netflix at random and never settling down to finish anything through, going into a room to clean and instead sitting down to do a puzzle only to abandon it a few minutes later, etc.  It was a singularly weird experience.  I assumed that somehow my brain was completely overloaded with information and my daily routine was nonexistent, so in order not to have a meltdown my brain just kind of went into a power-down mode or something.  I don't know, but it was very strange.  I look forward to when this nightmare is firmly in the rear-view mirror because I already know that I am going to be interested in the books and articles that are sure to follow about how this all happened and how badly it was managed, and what that did to the collective pysche around the world.

To be fair I sometimes still find myself in a dream-like state.  I started watching the news again only to abandon it once more because I just can't with the info overload.  It's like we take one step forward and five steps back.

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, laurakaye said:

This is interesting, because at the height of the lockdown in the spring of 2020 when I was only working 8 hours a week, I would say that I wandered around my house in a dreamlike state for sure - unable to start and finish a project, unable to read, flipping through Netflix at random and never settling down to finish anything through, going into a room to clean and instead sitting down to do a puzzle only to abandon it a few minutes later, etc.  It was a singularly weird experience.  I assumed that somehow my brain was completely overloaded with information and my daily routine was nonexistent, so in order not to have a meltdown my brain just kind of went into a power-down mode or something.  I don't know, but it was very strange.  I look forward to when this nightmare is firmly in the rear-view mirror because I already know that I am going to be interested in the books and articles that are sure to follow about how this all happened and how badly it was managed, and what that did to the collective pysche around the world.

To be fair I sometimes still find myself in a dream-like state.  I started watching the news again only to abandon it once more because I just can't with the info overload.  It's like we take one step forward and five steps back.

I think what you're experiencing is not uncommon to any of us during the pandemic, especially if we are locked down at home and ingesting a lot of information from news and other sources.   I am experiencing that even now because I am rarely going out these days.  I am ADD to the max and bouncing around like a ping pong ball between Netflix, the internet, my house cleaning, being in touch with friends, doing this board, reading, watching news programs, and cooking.  I start one thing and two minutes later drop it for something else.  The days are running together and it's all feeling like one big dream.  It's getting a little alarming. 

I do think that's a little different than the type of dream/trance-like state Jaynes was talking about, though.  He was referring to an earlier way people experienced reality that made people believe in things that don't exist.  Kind of like people that see an apparition or hear voices and think it's real (think Old Testament).  The way this is translating into the pandemic is that a lot of people are experiencing cognitive dissonance between what they have believed without evidence, and the evidence to the contrary that they are being bombarded with every day.  It's much safer and not as hard to continue to deny the evidence than it is to accept that they may have been wrong about something and readjust their views to accommodate the facts.  Much easier to say they aren't facts at all and have every rationalization, no matter how far fetched, to continue to deny them.

Here's an interesting article on the subject that mentions some of the stuff I touched on in my message above.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/07/role-cognitive-dissonance-pandemic/614074/

[Teafortwo]

11 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I also think it's part of the denial coping mechanism to regress into more immature ways of seeing things.  When faced with harsh realities like we are facing these days some people can't cope with it and will regress into that more childlike emotional state as a way to shelter themselves from that reality.  So they will engage in denial of reality and latch on to easy answers that often run counter to evidence and rational judgment in order to avoid it.

I agree. There is so much to cope with these days, I think all of us have been affected to some degree by the ongoing state of crisis. I know I'm regressing too - for example when I watch old episodes of "Little House on the Prairie" - and cat videos - as a way to escape reality. We all have different sources of comfort - some more benign than others. 

[laurakaye]

My escape is watching song reaction videos (Jamal AKA Jamel and Twins The New Trend are faves) as well as watching makeup tutorials (Jamie French, Raw Beauty Kristie), which is funny because I don't wear that much makeup anyway but especially now, when a mask covers 50% of your face.  And I've needed an ASMR video playing on my iPad in order to fall asleep since, like, March of 2020.  Whatever gets you through the day. 🙂

[Yeah No]

19 hours ago, Teafortwo said:

I agree. There is so much to cope with these days, I think all of us have been affected to some degree by the ongoing state of crisis. I know I'm regressing too - for example when I watch old episodes of "Little House on the Prairie" - and cat videos - as a way to escape reality. We all have different sources of comfort - some more benign than others. 

LOL I know what you mean.  It's amazing how suddenly shows like "Wipeout" (or better yet MXC, the show it was based on) and "Worst Cooks in America" are a welcome diversion when beforehand I was often calling them mindless drivel.  Sort of like when I worked in a very stressful job and watched "Storage Wars" for a bit of stress relief.  A little escapism is good for the soul.  But if it goes too far it's not good!

This morning when I got up, Mr. Yeah No shared this YouTube video with me.  It was just what I needed!

 

[MargeGunderson]

You all reminded me that I am way overdue for a dental cleaning. My last one was scheduled for last March but was canceled because of COVID. I few weeks ago I requested an exam through the office’s on-line scheduling form but never heard back. I called this morning and they are able to see me in early March! Usually for a cleaning it’s at least a five to six month wait, so I was really surprised. Now let’s see if I can make up for all of the missed flossing in the next month.....

[Cetacean]

9 hours ago, Yeah No said:

This morning when I got up, Mr. Yeah No shared this YouTube video with me.  It was just what I needed!

I'd seen that before but what a treat to view it again!  Makes me a COL but they don't make dance films like that anymore, wonderful choreography and WAY over the top sets and costuming.  I am going to have to go seek out some of the oldies - the stories weren't always great but, wow, the dancing never gets old.

[deirdra]

Who knew old movie stars and tap dancing could be so funky?  I enjoyed that.

[Yeah No]

I know, it's amazing how just changing the music makes them all look so cool and modern.  Kind of like on "Dancing With the Stars" when they have people dance the Foxtrot or Quickstep to current music.  I recognize many of those movies.  I have always been a fan of the movies from that era.  When I was a little kid I just loved Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.  I used to call them "the black and white" because she always dressed in light colors and he was always in a black formal suit.

[Cetacean]

Covid booster yesterday and so far so good, same sore arm as last time but nothing else.

Working a "second jab" mass clinic this Saturday so I can hopefully allay some fears of a reaction. Of course everyone responds differently but sometimes I think it's also psychological.  Every twinge I had last night I amped up to "uh-oh, here comes the reaction" when if I hadn't just had the booster I wouldn't have thought twice about it. 

Of course it didn't help that I slipped on ice while out feeding the birds yesterday afternoon and keeled over underneath a feeder.  Still picking bird seed out of my hair.

[laurakaye]

I had the same thing with my vaccines....it was like, "oh no - here comes the fever....nope, that's just another hot flash!"  

For my second vax I took a Tylenol prior, hoping to head off some of the arm discomfort.  And recently I read something that says you should not take any pain reliever prior to the vaccine because it might lessen its effectiveness.  Whoops.  Also, whatever.  What's done is done.    

[Cetacean]

1 hour ago, laurakaye said:

I had the same thing with my vaccines....it was like, "oh no - here comes the fever....nope, that's just another hot flash!"  

For my second vax I took a Tylenol prior, hoping to head off some of the arm discomfort.  And recently I read something that says you should not take any pain reliever prior to the vaccine because it might lessen its effectiveness.  Whoops.  Also, whatever.  What's done is done.    

I have read that as well but there doesn't seem to have been much of a study on it. I think it's more conjecture than anything.

[TurtlePower]

So is anyone else pissed at NFL or is it just me? I just read a story that one of the player's hairstylists tested positive for Covid but that the player can play if he tests negative. WTF? IF it were anyone else, they'd be quarantined for 2 weeks! And also? THeyve been playing a contact sport all season while the rest of us have been staying home and having our sports cancelled. What makes them so special? Doesn't that set a bad example and isn't it hypocritical to support "stay  home" and then watch people who are defying "stay home"? 

I'm so mad I haven't watched a single game all season. It's not right to hold the rest of us to a standard, cancel our marathons (it's not even a contact sport!) yet they get to play football. I hate this hypocritical world we're in right now. 

Edited February 4, 2021 by TurtlePower

[xwordfanatik]

What I find crazy, besides letting these players play, is Tampa hosting a freaking Super Bowl amid all this illness and the risk people are taking by going to it!  I won't be watching, either.  

[Cetacean]

4 hours ago, TurtlePower said:

WTF?

One word;  MONEY - upon which the entire world turns.

[suomi]

Special treatment for athletes begins in junior high and high school and for some it lasts their entire lives.

In my 400-student high school the band was voted down when it wanted uniforms but the athletes had a totally tricked-out travel bus. Gah!

[Teafortwo]

10 hours ago, TurtlePower said:

So is anyone else pissed at NFL or is it just me? I just read a story that one of the player's hairstylists tested positive for Covid but that the player can play if he tests negative. WTF? IF it were anyone else, they'd be quarantined for 2 weeks! And also? THeyve been playing a contact sport all season while the rest of us have been staying home and having our sports cancelled. What makes them so special? Doesn't that set a bad example and isn't it hypocritical to support "stay  home" and then watch people who are defying "stay home"? 

I'm so mad I haven't watched a single game all season. It's not right to hold the rest of us to a standard, cancel our marathons (it's not even a contact sport!) yet they get to play football. I hate this hypocritical world we're in right now. 

It comes down to one thing: money. I fully agree. It's outrageous that they've been playing all season.

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, Teafortwo said:

It comes down to one thing: money. I fully agree. It's outrageous that they've been playing all season.

I agree, plus now people are starting to discuss a possible Superbowl spike as people have the usual in-home Superbowl parties.  This is the very type of thing that is driving the virus right now.

[Teafortwo]

10 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

I agree, plus now people are starting to discuss a possible Superbowl spike as people have the usual in-home Superbowl parties.  This is the very type of thing that is driving the virus right now.

And driving me nuts!

[Twopper]

23 hours ago, xwordfanatik said:

What I find crazy, besides letting these players play, is Tampa hosting a freaking Super Bowl amid all this illness and the risk people are taking by going to it!  I won't be watching, either.  

I don't like pro football very much, but I really enjoyed the SEC season this year, although it was odd to see the stadiums  empty.  I will watch as long as the game is close which it often isn't.  I haven't watched the halftime show in years.  I have no idea how they will handle one this time.  Probably just all the performers on screen.   Or maybe in the end zone seats like the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.

 

12 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I agree, plus now people are starting to discuss a possible Superbowl spike as people have the usual in-home Superbowl parties.  This is the very type of thing that is driving the virus right now.

Maybe a small bump, but I don't expect it to be like the Christmas spike when approximately 84 million people travelled.   Florida is different, but in most places the sports bars are either shut down or out of business or limited to 30-50 per cent occupancy.   I obsessively track my county and after a Jan 6-10 major spike which seems to be obviously the Christmas holiday spike, positive tests and hospitalizations are plummeting.  Unfortunately, deaths are a tad higher but that's probably from the spike.  And doubling days are up which is good, but they are still only half of what it was over the summer.

I am still mostly hiding.  We "go" to Mass online, but I shop for groceries once a week, and we have gone to a few doc appts that we had postponed.  I am more nervous in the big medical centers than at the grocery.   We have a grandson due in June, and I want to be able to feel like I can travel by the summer.    I am so sick of this.

[CalicoKitty]

It's not just high school athletes that get special attention, it is "special" sports.  My nephew is a high school soccer coach (championship team), and he has to beg for equipment.  A couple of years ago his equipment trailer was vandalized and all his equipment and uniforms stolen. The administration gave him a couple of new balls, and when the public started fundraising for him, he was told to put a stop to it.  But football and basketball get all the financial support they need, as well as equipment.  So there is a "pecking order" in high school sports.  Football, especially.  

[Absolom]

In high school, I bought my kids' uniforms for almost all sports.  They were issued school owned uniforms, but generally those were so old, worn, junky that they were close to unusable.  The coaches told the parents they couldn't make us buy uniforms, but if all the team parents wanted to do so he couldn't stop us.  BTW here are some choices you could pick.  I never heard of that happening with football. 

[xwordfanatik]

My daughter is/was musical.  She took band and choir.  Whenever there was talk of school cutbacks, team sports were never mentioned.  It was always the music and art classes on the chopping block.  This was in the late 90's.  

[suomi]

I think the odds are that the average person can indulge their talent for music longer and more easily than their talent for sports.

[CalicoKitty]

6 hours ago, suomi said:

I think the odds are that the average person can indulge their talent for music longer and more easily than their talent for sports.

I think you are correct.  However, when students see football getting more support than their choir or band, it is disheartening, and it does not go unnoticed by the students.

Edited February 6, 2021 by CalicoKitty
wrong word

[Cetacean]

Sadly the arts always lose to athletics.   Is a career in music longer that in, say, football?  Probably but at a pittance in terms of salary.  There are far fewer scholarships for those in the arts.  And only a miniscule fraction of athletes go onto pro careers and most of those recruited for colleges never graduate as opposed to those in the arts.  So a handful of morons play a few years at a sallary in millions and never make anything of themselves.

When I was an ER nurse we were in a community that had a number of football players living in the area.  Those I met (and their wives) were some are the dumbest humans I have ever met, 

The inequality is staggering.  And all about money. There is never any thought as to the enrichment in life that the arts provide. It's all about ticket sales for the owners of sports teams.  It's very, very sad what this countyr sees as important.

How bleak our lives would be without art or music.