Day 19: California Under Martial Law Lite (Bark At The Moon)

I listened to part of Trump's press conference Sunday. It's apparent that the role of leader of the free world doesn't suit him well. He doesn't like questions that call his abilities into account, properly or not. His explanations are lacking to anyone with anything higher than a sixth grade education, and having him be our leader throughout this mess is really quite terrifying. He is in over his head. He doesn't have the intellectual capacity to deal with Covid-19. That makes him dangerous.

Trust me. I'm a doctor.

I've heard, though have yet to see, that our local WinCo is now requiring people to wear masks to enter the store. When I inquired to the person who told me this as to what type of masks (N95? bandana?) she did not know. As our positive cases of Covid-19 get one away from 50 and three people are hospitalized here in Humboldt with it, WinCo seems like it is instituting a smart policy.

If you've been following the numbers here in Humboldt, you'll notice a fairly consistent clamor on social media about where these cases are located. People want to know towns, though that information is fairly useless, and not a single one of those curious souls have been able to properly explain why they need that info. If you are doing everything you can to prevent catching or spreading coronavirus, then knowing the location of the county outbreaks changes nothing . . . unless you decide that since there aren't any cases . . . yet . . . in a certain location and you are there that you can somehow be less careful in your routine. The assumption is, and your actions should agree with this, that it is everywhere. It doesn't matter if Fortuna has two cases and Eureka has 33. In fact, that would only make sense. It seems these people want to feel that they either have some kind of control over the matter or they take a false sense of security from knowing useless information. The only people who need to know the exact locations are health professionals and that's in order to see patterns that could be used to determine contagions. For the rest of us, it's useless, but still people chatter on.

Today we will probably hit the magic 50. I actually predict we may hit 53. I hope I'm wrong, and that it doesn't happen, but it seems inevitable. At least we aren't NYC.

Day 17: California Under Martial Law Lite (Spreading The Disease)

Humboldt, by all appearances, is taking the mask recommendation fairly seriously, though I have yet to have one. Unfortunately, when it comes to social distancing, we are still lagging.

While in WinCo, I was in front of the teller who was shouting a conversation to the person at the teller behind me. (It was about anime, so I'm guessing it was really fucking important that the entire store hear this.) The guy behind me was shouting back. When I turned to glare, the fucker, who works for Coca Cola as noted by his work uniform, just smiled. Hey, bra, it's all good. I wanted to gut him on the spot. One more reason not to buy Coke products.

Our neighborhood has started an email chain to lend services to each other, keep an eye on one another, etc. It's a good idea, and one I hope to see more people doing. I know there was another howl last night, but I didn't participate, and nor did I hear anyone doing it. I kind of think it's pointless. I would rather organize a lynching of our elected officials.

Humboldt now has two people hospitalized with Covid-19, and the number of positive cases is creeping close to 50. Small numbers when compared to New York City, but still big enough . . . and going to get bigger in the days to come. What are the numbers where you are?

Yesterday full-on depression hit me. See, my bedroom is my sanctuary. I got some books there, my Roku, my TV, my Blu Ray player, my PS2. My girlfriend hates the movies I watch, so I tend to have to watch them alone, which is depressing enough because I like to watch movies with people. Anyway, we had a power outage a few days ago, and yesterday I realized the entire wall that everything is plugged into has lost power. It's not a fuse issue, either. Now I can't watch anything. And now I'm told they may not come fix it because it's not an emergency. I guess it'll become an emergency once I go all Jack Torrance. Bottom line, being locked inside and unable to watch my movies . . . I'm about to go nuts and do bad things.

Anyone up for a lynching?

Day 11: California Under Martial Law Lite (Pigs In Zen)

We had to do our weekly shopping yesterday, which is not even enjoyable when there isn't a shelter in place order. When custom dictates that stores only let so many people in at the same time, and that shoppers should stay six feet apart it gets downright unpleasant. Why? Despite taped lines on the floor showing six feet, people can't seem to stay the fuck back. While shopping, there are no lines to denote the six foot space, so WinCo has put up signs stating that the six feet distance means staying away from people the distance equal to at least two shopping carts. That seems pretty easy to follow. I don't know why a large portion of Humboldt has such a hard fucking time with that.

Maybe they're just ignorant.

You're too close!

Some shoppers get it. They are the ones who when they pass you give you an uneasy smile, the same smile you'd get if you were talking to someone at a party and the conversation is going well and then the light hits you just right and reveals that you have a herpes sore on your lip. Yeah, that's the kind of look you get in the store when people have to pass you and they understand the six feet rule. Others don't even bother, They just cozy up right next to you to get the best cilantro they can find. 

Things have calmed a bit here in Humboldt, however, when it comes to the stores. Where shelves looked barren last week, this week you can actually find things like paper towels and toilet paper. It's partially because hoarders have stopped most of the hoarding, and also because this is becoming normal. Sheltering in place becoming normalized is a bad thing, though. It sets us up for regular social isolation and lets us be divided and conquered far more easily. It is something that can very easily be used by a government that wants to control its population. I'm not saying the coronavirus is a hoax, but I am saying that I believe governments at the very least are watching how we react to it and filing that information away for future use.

On a sadder note, as an essential employee I have to go back to work on Wednesday. This means these daily updates may just happen every few days. I'm not sure how many people are reading them, either. I think everyone is tiring of virus coverage . . . and that also denotes a new normal. If you have been reading them and want me to continue daily, let me know in the comments section, and I'll do my best to continue. For the rest of you, stay six feet away from me in WinCo. I don't need whatever germs you're carrying.

Day 8: California Under Martial Law Lite (Darkness Descends)

Yesterday my daughter informed me that this online learning her school is utilizing is not going so well for her. She doesn't think she's learning much, if anything at all; the assignments are often vague; and she feels like she just isn't performing up to her standards. For a kid who does well in school and has high expectations for herself, this was hard to hear coming from her. She wondered how all of this will affect her and her classmates' future. Explaining to her that this was uncharted territory for us all did little to quell her fears. She can't see her friends. She can't go to the high school sports games. She can't go to class. She wants life to return to normal. At one point she said, "I think this is the new normal."

I think she's partially right.

Social distancing. Hoarding. Idiots doing their best to deny there is a problem. Wall Street being a higher priority than Main Street. All of these things were not only predictable, they are also manipulated by the powers that be because they are a form of control. Humboldt is no exception. Our tip line  to turn people and businesses not following the shelter in place guidelines just lets us do most of the work for them.

WinCo is still out of toilet paper and paper towels. As soon as they get a meager supply in, the hordes raid it. Why anyone is doing this is unknown, yet because others did, now more people must, too. Pot dispensaries are allowed open because they are essential businesses, though California legalized recreational pot, which has far surpassed medicinal use. Why is this recreational business allowed to be open, yet movie theaters are not? Could be because people who smoke pot are more subdued than others. It's an effective form of crowd control, especially when everyone is to stay home. Again, we are doing the work for them. Consume above all else. Consume.

The streets of Humboldt still have cars, but not as many as ten days ago. There are still people walking their dogs in Henderson Center, but not as many as were seen nine days ago. In fact, Henderson Center looks like it does on Christmas minus the decorations and lights. Darkness has descended, but midnight is still hours away.

I read yesterday that our hospital, a St. Joseph's establishment that I am not too fond of, has limited ICU beds. By limited, I believe it is under 20. If that is the case it's a good thing Henderson Center looks like it is out of 28 Days Later. We've got one person hospitalized now because of Covid-19. If those numbers climb too quickly then those beds are going to be utilized just as quickly, and if that happens I doubt any of the hospitals in Redding or near there will allow our patients to be flown in. It is the situation the experts said would happen and the one the politicians ignored, that will happen. Humboldt's numbers are going to climb and those beds are going to be used. We will be no different than any other country, and we proved that when our country's numbers of infected climbed higher than Italy's. We weren't supposed to really match Italy until April 1. We were early. Hurray!

Our governments at state level and above have failed us, yet we still demand their help. We aren't really going to get it. $1200 is nothing, and they know it. It's not even a pacifier. We should stop appealing to these morons, the same ones incidentally who made this situation worse, and start taking it upon ourselves to save ourselves. Listen to the medical experts. If the fed opens the economy back up, don't participate in it. If the numbers are still climbing (and I suspect they will be, or will be high enough that intermingling should still be a concern), don't go back to the ball games. Continue to wash your hands. Your president and some of your governors will tell you that everything is back to normal, that everything is all right. Go about your lives as you did before. But look around and you'll quickly spot the lie. It will stick out like a sore thumb. If you compare this crisis to the crisis of 9/11 you'll be able to easily see your role in it. The role of Joe Q. Public in both. You were told how you could help. In the case of 9/11, you had to continue to be a consumer. Once the fed gives the all clear, it won't be, "Go out and see your family. Hug your neighbor." It will be, "Go out and buy stuff." Watch. Our roles are clearly defined.

Mussolini and friends hanging out with the citizens of Italy.

Humboldt has always been suspicious of politicians, though we do have our Trump parrots here, too. It will remain suspicious on the whole after this clears. I hope more people re-examine their roles, though, and decide that maybe they want to be more than a consumer. And maybe we should try to remember that the people who will claimed that they saved us, actually made this situation far worse. The Italians showed Mussolini how they remembered him. Maybe we'll show the same love to our "leaders" if they try to take credit for that which they fucked up. Or maybe we'll just continue down that consumer path, happy that we can easily buy toilet paper once again.