Wednesday, July 1st, 2020
Punch Buggy, we all know the concept. Well EM and I have expanded it to include Fiat 500, black squirrels (for our neighborhood walks) and most recently to include Wrangler Jeeps (though black and white jeeps do not count). We are now also collecting Buggys, Jeeps and Fiats when alone in the car it seems to punch when both of us are back in the car together. Maybe we are going crazy with the lack of distraction!
Yet another glorious summer day turned humid in the early afternoon, which was a perfect time to take a break from the machine I am spending my day within various locations of the house and garden and head to the pool for my thirty minutes of lap time.
The afternoon was spend with various powerpoint decks before I headed out to see two of my Aikidoka in person. What an excitement. I dropped of some of the Rhubarb compot I had made on Sunday together with EMs meringues. We had a wonderful conversation on their patio over a glass of wine. It was so nice to see them, the first time since March 15th, when we had the last Aikido class.
Who would have thought this could go on for so long. Good news: we may gather in a park to practice weapons in person! Jos are perfect as each Jo is 1.5meters long, so by default we can maintain a distance of two to three meters. More normalcy returning to life! We agreed that everyone needs to manage risks on a personal comfort level and I am so glad B. & L. are, like us, creating small social pods to try and carry on with life, rather than resigning selves to being locked up in a property. Especially since the current state of affairs will likely last for a long time to come. To see others reopening their lives cautiously makes me feel much better about what I am doing on this front. And beyond weapons practice we may get together socially as long as we can be outside and keep safe.
Meanwhile the Virus continues to spread unabated in the USA where today sees 2.72 million reported cases with deaths now exceeding 130K. The world has broken the 10.5 million mark and the US continues to make up a quarter of known infections and reported deaths. A sad state of affairs. While every day brings new record numbers of reported infections in the US and the pandemist in chief, Dr Fauci, is calling on States to act, ideally in unison, something tells me that this will not happen. As far as the moron in chief is concerned the virus is done, so do not expect any leadership from this administration for America to follow Dr Fauci recommendations. In fact, the country has never been more divided and managing the spread has turned into a partisan issue. I am not sure what it will mean if the USA loses control over the virus completely as Dr. Fauci is warning. He is concerned with the very fast spread across the country. So am I, we do not want it back on the East Coast. Following reports of infections rising after beaches and bars opened, I will be sure to avoid any bars and will seek lone beaches, like we are seeking lone lakes.
Because of reduced business during the pandemic Andela, an African start-up, had to let people go, that in itself is not unusual, what is unusual is the pay cut of 10-30% which all senior staff took at the same time. Other than government officials in New Zealand I have neither heard of nor can I imagine any Manager or government representative taking a similar pay cut, anywhere. Andela is now moving to a hundred percent virtual business and has started hiring again. Great story!