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Covid Confessions!

I’ve blogged about the Pandemic Crisis since it’s inception. I never called it the Chinese Virus, or pretend it just wasn’t there. As usual I was excessively honest. There weren’t many Polly Anna posts.

Collectively I’ve named these musings my Covid Chronicles. I’d like to think a few were poignant, some sad and one or two were funny. I went out of my way to tell it like it is. When I wrote about my feelings of isolation, loneliness and spasms of depression, some concerned readers asked me, “Are you OK?” My answer was the same, “I’m hanging in there. I’m just writing what so many others are thinking. This sucks.” 

Recently, the New York Times reached out to its readers for their accounts of this universal malaise. The one’s  I read were also poignant, sad and funny. For instance: the young man who stared at a wall for over an hour before blinking himself back to the here and now. 

The New York Times provided me with an idea. Why not ask folks what’s on their post-pandemic bucket list? In other words, what’s one of the first things you will do when the Scientist Eggheads tell the World it’s safe to come outside and play? (Without a mask!)

I’ll start this off with a couple of my planned events:

A) To be sitting inside a bar while taking in a MLB post season game. I’d be jawing with strangers whom the only commonality we share is our mutual love of America’s Pastime. There will be a lot of story-telling and good natured ribbing. 

B) Attending an outdoor Brew Fest or concert where I’d settle in on the outskirts of the action. This is my preferred position of comfort for someone like me who isn’t into crowds, yet loves to People Watch.

C) The long awaited hugs from friends and acquaintances whom I haven’t touched in over a year. 

All the above are my wishful thinking dreams. The US and the World still have a long way to go before achieving Herd Immunity. As of this posting, 21% of America’s population are fully inoculated. 34% have one jab onboard. 

Yet, there is a looming wall of vaccine hesitancy (a pleasant way of saying anti-vaxxers)  on our horizon. Of course, the division lines run along political and racial issues. (Doesn’t everything these days?). A significant percentage of Republicans state they will not get the vaccine. The numbers range from 40%-50%  based on the polls. Many Blacks and Latinos aren’t  excited about boarding the vaccine train either. Their issues might be based on mistrust of White Folks. (Who can blame them?)

Personally, I believe it’s an established fact germs and viruses cause a world of hurt for humanity. Vaccines and antibiotics provide a tool to combat these ills. However, I’m aware the US is now a country of contrarians. Therefore I won’t bother to change anyone’s minds. Only time and Darwinism will prove who is right and who is wrong.

BTW. I received my second dose of Moderna on March 30th. I feel fine and relieved. I now stand a better chance of not transmitting or contracting the nasty

So back to the audience participation part of this post! Please write to the most unholy Rabbi Sambini what your post pandemic desires are. I’ll collect them and create another blog with your thoughts. All participants will remain anonymous. If you’d like, include a photo. There’s no need for the pix to be a selfie either. 

For those folks who really know me, text your thoughts.

For others, post a comment at the end of this blog.

Finally if all else fails, contact me at: 

Jeffsambur@gmail.com

(I promise not to try to make you an Amway distributor) 

You’ve been hearing from me for a long time. I’d like to hear from you.

Stay safe, sane and healthy,

I’m so looking forward to a few hugs.

Cheers,

Jeff

FYI. Here was my most popular Covid post. Probably because so many folks could relate to what I was saying.

https://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2020/12/whats-your-covid-number.html

The Coldest Campout in the World!

Would be the way I’d describe my latest four night trip to Canyonlands National Park. I’m aware my lead in for this blog might be a wee bit kosher Blarney (but just a bisel). 

The reason I know its Fake News is because I’ve read about the coldest, most miserable, hardcore campout in the world. Ever. The memoir was appropriately named “The Worst Journey in the World.” It was written in 1922 by Apsley Cherry-Garrard. (I wish I had a pen name like that.) His journey was a side note to Robert Falcon Scott’s ill-fated race to the South Pole. (BTW Scott and four others lost the race and their lives.)

 Mr. C-G’s adventure classic is his account of an Antarctic icy cross country trek to rip-off  Emperor Penguin eggs The omelette theft was all done in the name of science. I’m sure they didn’t call it stealing for that reason. Maybe you are thinking, well that’s not so bad. Tourists pay big bucks to see Emperor Penguins in the wild. Here’s the kicker. Apsley and company performed the frigid mosey during an Antarctic winter. Nothing but dark, Mach 3 winds and nearly absolute Kelvin cold. (-459 F). This strikes me as both suicidal and insane. They somehow survived. Barely. 

OK. So my recent attitude adjustment wasn’t that extreme, but it WAS cold in Canyonlands! The Arctic north winds hardly abated. On my hikes I wore fleece on top of fleece topped by down. Plus a wool beanie, leg warmers and gloves. My clothes alone doubled my body weight. I ran the furnace in Sanctuary Too all night long when I discovered it was 34 degrees inside the camper. Taking an outside Solar Shower? Fahgettaboudit! I settled for inside sponge baths with the furnace blasting away. 

I finally realized my 5800’ campsite was too high and exposed. I decided upon an altitude adjustment. I descended towards the Green River at 4100’. Ahh! That made all the difference, plus the sun coming out of hiding and the wind taking a TV timeout. On that lovely afternoon/evening, I read outside and partook of Happy Hour. Now that’s my kind of camping! 

Jeff. If it were that chilly, why didn’t you just drive the 3.5 hours back to your Durango townhouse with its fireplace and unlimited hot water? Why? Because I’d rather hang out in Canyonlands National Park with its dry mud-free trails, it’s multicolored rock formations and scenic vistas while awaiting vaccine number two. That’s why.

Besides, I’m into the exploring mode with my new Macho Truck for a Macho Guy like me, who happens to keep a clean house, cooks, smiles at babies and takes photos of pretty flowers. Yep! I’m macho, alright. Gggggrrrrr!

Canyonlands, the Grand Canyon, Great Sand Dunes, Death Valley, the Eastern Sierra and the San Juan Mountains are a few of my happy places. I’ll endure some hardships for experiencing  their beauty. Especially when I have access to a furnace, cold IPAs and books to read. 

I had it heaps easier than Apsley Cherry-Garrard did on his worst journey in the World.

Enjoy your journey no matter where it takes you. 

Gentle reminder. Please get your Covid vaccinations.

Cheers

Jeff

Last Photo. I was joking about cooking. That’s a kosher for Passover Asian Fusion

March Madness Malaise.

I love basketball, although I’m pathetic at playing it. I can’t shoot, dribble or jump. I’m short too. Not that’s there’s anything wrong with that. I’ve always joked I have the attitude of a power forward in a minute non-shooting guard’s body. That all being said, I’m a great spectator. For the majority of my life I’ve  joyfully anticipated the start of the NCAA’s March Madness Tournament.

When I was a firefighter, I organized and managed the Department’s betting pool. I guess you could say I was a “Bookie.” I kept out of trouble since many of the Chiefs bet too. It was a time when rank meant nothing. All were fair game for my jibes. “Hey Guys! Chief X chose Stanford to go all the way. Those Eggheads study at halftime!” Our fun times would spill out in the off-duty hours too. We’d meet in neighborhood bars and perform a non-violent take over. These affairs were open to all acquaintances. The noise level was intense between the TV commentary, the cheering, jeering and incoming and outgoing insults. No wonder I’m deaf. 

I wasn’t just a weekend warrior of college basketball. I began dialing in when there was more night than day and more frosts than thaws. I checked box office scores, the Top 25 Polls, watched games and read analysis on who’s hot or not-so-much. College Hoops was the distraction to get me to the other side of winter. This was my All-American ticket. In fact I was a season ticket holder for both University of Colorado and Colorado State basketball. The games got me out of my house and fire stations. They created an “event” for me to look forward to.

In the NCAA season of 2019-2020, I might have been at the top of my game. I was paying a lot of attention, going so far as to print out the weekly Top 25 Polls. I was determined to win the betting pool which I’ve been associated with for twenty years. The name of the pool is “Madness which occurs in March.” The manager lives in New Jersey, I can’t remember how I got involved in it. (I think my nephew Keith hooked me up). Anyway the payout is BIGLY. In the $$$$. That can buy a lot of IPAs. 

Alas, then came Covid. The 2020 tournament was cancelled. As if death, sickness, lockdowns, isolation, lay-offs, Trump etc weren’t enough to  bum people out.

In  2020-21 the NCAA powers to be decided, damn the pandemic! The show must go on! It was all about the $$$$. No games=no revenue. The result was a ridiculous duct taped together season. On occasion there were more postponements and cancellations than live action in front of cardboard cutout fans. None of this inspired me. I lacked the energy to get involved. Thus NCAA malaise. 

Then out of the Orange of Syracuse, NY, I received a message from my old college roommate Mike J. 

“Jeff! Syracuse is playing Virginia tough. They might be going to the Big Show. Are you watching?”

I called Mike a few days later after the Syracuse Orangemen lost to Virginia.

“Mike, have you really been paying attention this season? I just can’t get excited about it.”

“Yeah, I’ve been watching a lot of Syracuse and the ACC games. Hey, it’s college basketball. There’s not much else going on.”

Then it dawned on me, I’ll place my bets in the BIGLY pool after all. With Mike’s picks!

“Mike, send me your bracket for the tournament. I’ll fence the money and you’ll get half if we win.”

“OK. No guarantee though.”

“None expected.”

Mike’s bracket arrived via a text. I looked it over. Hmmm. I’m not sure about Gonzaga going all the way. The Zags give Confession and take Communion at halftime! Let me take a closer look at the bracket. Before I knew it, I was looking at schedules, analysis and commentaries. I slight grin evolved yielding to a smile. I placed Mike’s text to the side and started my own bracket. 

Traditions are hard to break, even with Covid. This was therapeutic and part of my transition to a post-Covid world. It’s a good thing. Like the below photo of me volunteering at the library.

BTW. The Fighting Illini will go all the way. Bet on it! Mike J will still receive half of the winnings cuz that’s how this basketball rolls.

Last photo: My first outside brewpub IPA since the fall of 2020. Baby steps towards a more normal 2021.

Cheers and get your vaccinations!

Jeff