Day 49 - Governor Newsom imposes new restrictions

B. 1. 1. 7 virulent strain emerges in the UK…

1/3/21. Sunday.

Does anybody else find Congressman-Elect Luke Letlow’s [R-Louisiana] death from Covid-19 especially troubling? The fact that he was only 41, had no pre-existing conditions, and leaves behind a wife and two little kids is horrible and sad…but, what exactly happened? Rep-Elect Letlow’s passing received 2 minutes in the news cycle and the AP reports he suffered a “cardiac incident” shortly after he was hospitalized…

The UK reports a virulent strain of Covid [B. 1. 1. 7.] that is 50% more transmissible than the regular strain, although NOT more deadly. Uh-huh, sure.  This strain made it to our shores and has been found in several states…oddly, those states where deaths are currently peaking, like California and New York.  Could it be that B.1.1.7. is actually 50% more lethal?  Faucci says no, so we can all rest easy [sarcasm, here].  Seriously…what other explanation could there be for the Covid-19 spike in California? Why, as a country, are we refusing to accept that a 50% more lethal strain of the virus has arrived?  Not to worry, though…Faucci says that B.1.1.7 still responds to the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.

 Sheriff Villanueva says that a person dies every 10 minutes in LA County. Our hospital ICUs are now at full capacity. God help you if you’re in a car accident, break a bone, or have a heart attack. You’ll have to splint your own arm or go to Michaels to get plaster of paris for your leg cast. EMTs have been instructed to avoid performing life-saving measures if they think their patient will die anyway in order to free up hospital bed space.  The point of an EMT/paramedic is to stabilize the patient for transport – not play God.  Hospitals have canceled all ‘elective’ surgeries and those surgeries that appear, suspiciously, as ‘necessary’, such as prostate cancer surgery or a breast cancer biopsy, have been re-categorized as non-essential or ‘elective.’  Apparently, wanting to survive cancer is a hobby or fun pastime, something you choose to do.  The fact that you’ll die without the requisite surgery is inconsequential – it’s still classified as non-essential.

And so, in order to combat all of these issues – the Covid-19 spike; the increase in deaths; the lack of hospital beds; EMTs determining who lives or dies – Governor Newsom has…wait for it…wait for it… CLOSED ALL RESTAURANTS. This edict went out 45 days ago and continues at the time of this writing. Apparently, outdoor dining and NOT strain B.1.1.7, is killing Californians. Walmart remains open and, as usual, is packed with people -there’s a ‘rollback’ on Suave shampoo.

But, what’s this?…what are these new whisperings?... Another strain of Covid-19 was found in South Africa.  501.V2 is, in fact, more lethal, more transmissible, and does NOT respond to the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. Thankfully, Faucci says 501.V2 will never reach America.  Hmmm…where have I heard that before? 

1/3/21. Sunday.

10:30 – 11:00 - I’m awake, but I don’t get out of bed until 11:00.  Downstairs and the dog and I go outside.  She pooped near the front door…probably because she was mad at me for taking so long to come downstairs. We go outside and she goes potty.

11:00-2:00 – I read Blackout and the day is officially half-over. I have more of L. and R.’s pasta and roasted vegetables for lunch and continue reading.

2:00-2:45 – I take the dog for a walk. Then, I take my trash cans out.

2:45-4:00 – I go through my media list of things to watch and finally settle on What the Constitution Means to Me. I watch the first half of it.  Highly recommend!!

4:00-6:00 - I go through the files in my filing cabinet [the upper desk drawer in my office] and purge, beginning with files I have on L., then moving to my alphabetical filing system. I get as far as D.

6:00-9:30 – I continue reconciling my 2020 data.  This involves reviewing every post on my blog and tabulating the hours I spent on my various activities throughout the year.

9:30-11:00 – L. and I watch the first episode of The Wilds. I eat a pre-made salad that I prepared the other day.

11:00-3:30 – I finish reconciling my 2020 data and write a lengthy 8-page synopsis for several life categories that I end up posting to the blog. Based on my 2020 findings, I set intentions for 2021. I’m finally done.

3:30-4:30 – I shut everything down, take the dog out, and head upstairs. Nighttime routine. Bed.