Tuesday, September 29th, 2020
Another bipolar weather day. It is just crazy, when the forecast says it will not rain, it rains; now it is the other way around. It was meant to rain all day, so after I had barely managed to dry my cushions, I had packed up everything last night, just for it to be a mostly humid and warm day. Running the risk that as soon as I would move to my outdoor office it would rain, I did anyway. Who knows how many warm days we may have left. Once my work day was done, I diligently packed up again and headed to the pool. And in anticipation of said forecast rain Aikido practice had also been moved; instead of the park we congregate in the covered parking lot of BCC HS, which is not only dry but also features lights. We have plenty of space to spread out despite the few kids who come to either use the field or just hang out in a car with their friends.
Just as we wrapped up practice a bunch of students arrived, set up a picknick table and some chairs and settled down to take-out pizza and beverages. The new COVID life – kids hang out in the school parking lot as they can no longer be in each other’s homes, the movies or cafes. It is a little sad and it also shows how much they are missing school, while illustrating how creative the kids get in maintaining social life. As EM reminds me it is critical for their mental health.
Today is the day of the first presidential debate. Initially I was not going to put myself through watching it as I just cannot stomach the orange Cheeto. Then I thought the better of it and turned on the TV to sort of listen to the debate which is just being kick-off. I fully expect the orange Cheeto to lie, insult and misbehave. I am just hoping Vice President Biden will do well. The Cheeto’s Tweets have been unethical all day; suggesting Vice President Biden is on drugs, has dementia and so on. It is just so unbelievably low. And the first ten minutes of the debate are a shitshow with the orange Cheeto interrupting Vice President Biden continuously. The moderator is already getting pissed off that the Cheeto is not even allowing the moderator to ask questions without being interrupted. Vice President Biden is staying on facts. Goo for him. It will be interesting what Twitter has to say tomorrow.
Otherwise the news was breaking with announcements that over 1 million people have died worldwide of COVID-19, with of course America first accounting for 210k of the one million. Infections keep rising, with 7.39 million infected of the 33.5 million worldwide reported cases in the USA. Looking at Florida it is clear why infections are increasing; to a large extend also because regulations are crazy. Given how confusing it is in just one State, imagine what it looks like across the country. There is no United States and no united policy. Clearly this country cannot move to business as usual. Football season has barely started and already venues are closing down again.
It will be years before normal can return to this country.