No, I’m not talking about that girl everyone knew in high school. I’m talking about our trip to the Volusia County Fairgrounds yesterday to get the Covid-19 antibody test. We arrived at about 2 P.M. and were in and out in about a half-hour. No lines, no waiting, no problem.
It would have taken us less time, except they had to stick poor Miss Terry three times to get a vein. So even though she was ahead of me in line and they started on her first, I was done and waiting for her.
Then, somewhere between when I checked in and had to show them my driver’s license and insurance card, and the time we got back out to the Explorer, I somehow lost my United Healthcare AARP supplemental insurance card. I went back inside and retraced my steps, and a couple of the staff people looked all over, but we could not find it anywhere. I very seldom lose things, so it really bothered me that I managed to do that. Fortunately, we called United Healthcare and told them what happened, and they said I would receive a replacement card within 5 to 10 business days.
A couple of blog readers have told me that getting the test is a waste of time, and others have said that staying home, or wearing a mask when we go out in public, is foolish and not going to make a difference. Maybe not, but I don’t tell you how to live your life, so how about you let me live mine the way I want to.
Everything about this pandemic, (and yes it’s a worldwide pandemic so don’t start any nonsense with me about it just being a typical flu), is disastrous. I understand that people are losing their incomes, businesses are having a hard time surviving, and many of them won’t. Unfortunately, a lot of people who have been infected are having a hard time surviving, too, and many of them will not.
It’s also destroying friendships and family relationships. Sadly, it’s even caused a rift between one of my best friends and me. And while I am hopeful, I don’t know if the relationship can ever be mended. I have had to block a number of people on Facebook who post vicious comments about people exercising what they consider to be unreasonable precautions.
How does it hurt you if someone else wears a mask when they go out? One of the people I blocked was an author I have known for a long time. He is convinced that this is all a scam by the Democrats to hurt President Trump. I watched him viciously tear into another author friend who said that not everything in the world is a giant conspiracy, calling him all kinds of filthy names because he disagreed. I’m sorry, I don’t need toxic people like that my life.
Someone else insisted that I must be a liberal Democrat because I don’t buy into the president’s theory that it’s all going to be okay before too long. I had to laugh, because that reminds me of my newspaper publishing days. Half my readers thought I was a card-carrying, commie pinko fag, and the other half thought I was a gun-toting, sheet wearing, cross-burning bully. I keep telling people that there is a middle ground between either extreme where common sense lives. Unfortunately, it’s a lonely place these days. Just for the record, I’m neither a Republican or Democrat. I’m an Independent because I prefer to do my own thinking, not simply buying into any party line.
I keep hearing terms like libitard and sheeple. I have no tolerance for that nonsense. Name-calling went out somewhere around the third or fourth grade, didn’t it? Every time I hear someone say something like that, I want to reply that they have cooties.
In other news, people keep asking me when I will be bringing out more audiobooks. At this time, I don’t have any plans to do so. I have quite a few audiobooks available on audible.com, but they never sell enough to cover the cost of production. I know some authors that do very well with audiobooks, but they have never been successful for me.
I mentioned that we had been binge-watching Bloodline on Netflix. We finished the third and final season, and while the series itself was good, the ending sucked. It left too many questions unanswered. I don’t know if a fourth season was planned that would wrap things up, but they pulled the plug before that could happen or if they planned it that way. Either way, we were left hanging and disappointed in the ending.
After seeing the two latest shawls Terry wove in yesterday’s blog, someone asked me if there is anything she can’t do. I replied that she’s not real good at using a hula hoop while standing up in a canoe in white water rapids, but that’s about it.
And finally, here’s another chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.
Be sure to enter our latest Free Drawing. This week’s prize is an audiobook of undone, the first book in my buddy Jason Deas’ new Burt Bigsley mystery series. To enter, all you have to do is click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening.
Thought For The Day – Sometimes you have to be done. Not mad, not upset. Just done.
Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!
I agree 100% with you on this Covid-19 and am doing the same thing as you. Joyce and I will probably get tested soon for the same reasons as you and Miss Terry. Although I have not lost anyone close to me thank God I think it is just a matter of time. And, some of my friends have disagreed with out response as well but I pretty much just ignore them. Stay safe and keep up the good fight Nick.
Just have to reply how I love your comment “there is a middle ground between either extreme where common sense lives.” Wish more people would ascribe to this! Thanks, NIck!
I share your opinion of Bloodline. It started out strong in season 1 but by the time we got towards the end of season 3 it was tired and the ending was a real disappointment. I kept hoping that a season 4 would save the series but it never happened. I wonder if they lost some of their writing talent in between season 2 and 3?
Hmmm, you asked ” I don’t tell you how to live your life, so how about you let me live mine the way I want to”, I’m sorry but there is not a lot of that going around anymore.
We’re not living in 1968, https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1968-pandemic.html
Hi Nick…Nile you haven’t named the friend with the rift…long time readers can guess who it might be. No matter though…and just food for thought…but perhaps both sides are just being a little too going ho in their approach to the virus. It is serious…and people are dying from it… it the counter argument that people die from flu, car crashes, etc is technically true and we haven’t banned cars or shutdown over flu. Some isolation at the beginning is a good and necessary thing…but we can’t shut down the economy indefinitely. There is also a lot to be said for not taking a cookie cutter approach and tailoring the response depending on case load, population density or whatever…Mike Rowe has made good arguments for this. We live in FL as you do…and the outbreak and deaths here pale in comparison to NY, which really means NYC. Reasonable precautions are necessary…but from watching and reading many websites…far too many people are overreacting or under reacting.
Just a thought…
Like you are saying Everyone should have the choice of what they believe and what they do about it. If you are protecting yourselves you are actually helping the Health Care System by not getting infected.
When Miss Terry accomplishes those feats she will truly be world famous.
I try to not getting into politics but have witnessed the President walking up to the podium and just verbally attacking reporters before saying anything else.
End of Political talk.
Be Safe and Enjoy your seclusion.
It’s about time.
Nick, I share your thoughts. The same things have happened to me over this virus. People I thought were intelligent seem to have lost it somewhere. Oh well.
Waiting patiently for the next Big Lake adventure.
…you DO have readers who see things through clear glasses!
Loved the Thought For The Day. Thanks for posting it.
We wondered how you were coping with your friend; now we know. Sorry. He reminds of that saying, “Lies, damn lies, and statistics.” But, I still read his blog; after all, he’s entitled to his opinions, too. even if we think he’s wrong. I still hope he doesn’t discover he’s wrong the hard way.
If you’re referring to the long post that I posted to you About the antibodies test Take it for what it’s worth. An where you did take the antibody test you at least have a peace of mind
Knowing your status And with research knowing what you can or can’t do with it
also I’m assuming you’re referring to Facebook
(Sadly, it’s even caused a rift between one of my best friends and me)
As an administrator to a blog site you also have the right to remove the blog post Which I think is usually done before you unfriend an/or band the poster
I as someone that has been slapped on the hand a number of times for posting (what has been quoted as true). on Facebook None the less you are the Administrator
But if the person is your best friend one would assume one would have their telephone number. Regardless of one’s opinion neither should be in the way of ones friendship that’s why there called best friends unless you’re arguing over a pizza then all bets are off…. Call your Best friend
Nick, no matter the relationship, sometimes we have to simply agree to disagree. And be kind. Not easy…seems in the long term friendships I have had, at times, I had to take some abuse. Backing off for a time…and then resuming some notes, etc short contact calls, made things ok again. I hope you can repair the friendship because IF, even as you believe it is NOT a conspiracy of some sort…IF that turns out to be true that it is, then you will have let whomever those powers be, WIN…and we cannot do that!! I am certain that our goofy governor here in WA state, is indeed actively trying to promote anything to destroy relationships…he has changed a huge lot since he came into the state politics…we even voted for him, though we virtually never voted for someone of that party…sigh!! I want to go have a chat with him and let him know to either retire or get his brain working better again (and at my age there is no way I would do that job and he is close in age to us!!!) But that said…don’t let disease, whatever else comes, divide the friendship forever. One can always let the other know that they still love them and do not want it to end!! We too wear masks…not sure it will help…but I personally like some space when shopping near strangers so this does not bother me in the least!! The best thing is sick folk staying home…like has always been the case. Because the hygiene in this country has sunk SO LOW…in public even…this was a needed wakeup call too. I am glad to see a little fear in folks who were perfect pigs!! My youngest had bad immune troubles so it meant we had to live mostly like hermits, she and I. HAD the sick folks stayed home, WE could have gone out…but so it usually is…we loose our rights actually because others don’t care enough. So being careful is ok. I don’t buy all the so-called “fix-it” meds…but then our family has permanent damage from meds from docs (I do not blame the docs…though they need to do their homework better)…but I DO blame the pharms!! Because my husband was given Cipro years ago…he has gradually gone downhill to where I am now not sure how long before he can no longer walk even. Yet online, there are so many who also took that whom are even worse off…So you see, I am a skeptic about meds… Pays us all to do our homework. Like Paul Harvey used to say…”the rest of the story”.
“I keep telling people that there is a middle ground between either extreme where common sense lives.” Great comment. My wife and I are there with you and it’s pretty darned lonely! Keep on being careful & hopefully this pandemic will end relatively soon. I’m not so optimistic about a return to civilized behavior.