Nevertheless 2020 persisted...

I should, I guess pick up where I left off, which was in May of this year.  After I got home and recovered from jet lag, things got interesting, at least in the news.  The death of a man at the hands of the police led to wide scale protesting and rioting across the country.  It became obvious that Joe Biden was going to be the Democrat nominee to run against President Trump in the November election.  All this in the ongoing shadow of Coronavirus which has continued to ebb and flow like the angry respirations of a chain-smoking giant. Constantly trying to understand and keep up with the latest media dicta is exhausting.  I am glad my friends are friends without labels or agenda.

Let’s see…I attended my nephew’s graduation from HS, took two trips to Pensacola, one to Columbus, my brother had his heart operated on and came through like a champ, and I helped plant, tend and harvest from a massive garden and spent a lot of time with my parents and friends, using the appropriate coronavirus safeguards.  The global buzz-word is “social distancing.” I remember when we could kiss on a first date without first getting a medical history and temperature check.

In August I finally got a waiver to travel to Sicily where I had signed on to Magellan Health to work as an MFLC.  Long story short, the company I worked with for years essentially lost the contract over this Coronavirus.  The official word is they simply opted to not continue in this work. The truth is out there but like the virus, we may never know the truth.  Apparently, I am the only one to get the waiver so I feel pretty special.  My waiver says I am critical to the infrastructure of the US Government operations, yeah, I feel special and after quarantine in Sicily for 14 days, finally got to work.  My apartment is decent and I can walk easily uphill to the castle and have a look at the local volcano, Mount Etna, which is always steaming and occasionally erupting.

So now September is ending and the first rains have arrived.  This is the season for the weather to start getting cooler and wetter.  Holidays are upon us and ‘tis the season to celebrate all the good things in life: family, friends, faith, and hope for a bright new year.  It can’t be any worse than 2020.  And as the year comes to an end with death and destruction affecting all of us in some way, we will have a presidential election which I am sure will be met with quiet dignity and grace.

 

Hindsight is 2020 (or 2020 in Hindsight – so far)

My excuse for having not blogged in awhile is varied and strange. AND this is a long one so go ahead and get a cup of coffee. 

January: Spent some time hiking in the woods and then the beginning stages of the Coronavirus led to more people in Japan wearing masks to provide a barrier to this virus and also the onset of flu season. Coldish, rainish and windish January in Sasebo; even a little snow.

February: Took a couple of road trips, spent more time walking and running as the weather slowly got nicer.  Paid a little closer attention as Coronavirus began to spread at first from China to Japan and South Korea and then to the USA by the end of the month. 

March: Plum blossoms popping out everywhere and my allergies kicked into gear. Then as the month moved along, the Cherry blossoms began to bloom. Road trip to Nagasaki by way of the sea coast. Coronavirus started spreading fast worldwide.  The USA went crazy with massive breakouts of the virus, and some people bought up all supplies of Toilet Paper, Rubbing Alcohol, Hand Sanitizer, Masks and all manner of things to fight off the germ (Although I still don’t understand the toilet paper freak out).  By mid-month the whole country was in Lockdown-ish situations but Japan seemed to be getting over the hump.  The base was getting much stricter with daily new prohibitions and Japan schools, gyms and libraries were closed, but the malls were abuzz with activity.  I learned that dating during a pandemic can be very challenging especially wearing a mask and not being allowed to go to restaurants or other places where people gather, so that gradually went the way of the dodo.  Then also there was my employer which freaked out and shouted, “go home, now!” within the next few days. I packed what I could and gave away what I couldn’t, then the company said  “…Never mind.  Youcan stay but if things go bad, you’re on your own.” Fine. I decided that Japan was probably safer anyway. So I unpacked, and watch as restrictions grew tighter and people lots their minds. Normal doctors told people to wash hands and wear masks and avoid crowded spaces while the media doctors screamed that millions would die.  Fear was the new meat for the media. Panic was gripping the planet although most people eyed this situation with a distrustful eye. Life continued pretty normally for me in Japan until April.

April: Dramatic increase of restrictions on the base. America in free fall, stock market disintegrating; millions of people furloughed, laid off or forced to stop working. As usual, the media goaded panic. On Friday the 3^rd, I decided that this was a good time to go ahead and make sure I had enough food and everything I would need for the next month until my contract ended, so I did.  Then on the 4^th my employer, suddenly said, “Your position does not exist as of yesterday. Pack, get your affairs in order and leave asap. This is non-negotiable.” So for the second time in a month I packed and gave away everything I could. I took a couple of days to end relationships, clean house, and make arrangements for my trip home.  Then I flew through 5 different and almost abandoned airports, on 4 different jets with very spacious and socially distanced seating, rode on one intercity express bus, all supposedly placing myself at great risk even amid the precautions I was taking, then sat in relative blissful isolation at home for 14 days in quarantine.

May: Since I have been home, I pulled a muscle in my back while doing my morning stretches making isolation that much easier. Finally managed to get a haircut after a month, tripped while running and fractured my thumb, managed to land a new job in Sicily when the travel restrictions are lifted and I have the cleanest apartment in the world.

So while I wait for the next thing, I prep for the next pandemic outbreak which the media and “experts” says is inevitable and that millions will die in the Fall this year.  So, now my blog is current. See ya!

Bangkok 2019

And my trip to Bangkok in December 2019!

Tokyo November 2019

Hard to imagine that I haven't blogged or even posted my trips on my blog This was November 2020.