Laundry Day in America

      Laundromats are a way of life. Our local 'mat is a good one, with friendly people. Nearly half the equipment actually works, the owner never springs for repairs. His workers are not paid for promised sick-leave. He mistreats staff, mostly the women. It's the way of the world...part of our understanding as a national whole. You know, the kind of thing we used to criticize in foreign regimes.

     Public Storage employs the dreaded Dynamic Pricing practices for their customers who are found to be on welfare benefits. Free Money! It's expected.

     Uber drivers yell at their senior riders. Too Slow! Uber is currently facing charges for violating conditions of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). But their contributions to the Trump campaign are likely to get that case dropped by the DOJ.

     These are among the perfect topics for discussion at the laundromat.

     It's expected.

A Blog is a Terrible Thing to Waste

     It's hard to keep up the momentum for making diary entries on the regular. Who really has the time? "Dear Diary, I'm home now, and currently scribbling in your pages as I write this..."

     Likewise, many blogs I've followed over the years have stalled indefinitely. One in particular, Opium Hum, is on hiatus while the auther starts a grueling schedule at work work work. After much invested time (and many downloads later) you begin to feel like you know these hardworking folks like your own acquaintances IRL.

     I myself am momentarily COVID-free, and living in a new place, with plenty of new responsibilities to bear, and I haven't even the time to waste in the long lines at the foodbank.

     But I'm curious to see where this will go.

     In the meantime: remember to Vote For Your Life, soon!

A Trip To The Food Bank

      After what seems like a couple years now I've decided to revisit our local food bank. DSHS apparently believes that there's been a recent change in my income, so they've notified me of a decrease in my food stamp allowance. It's a common tactic with them. They'll issue a letter with some made-up excuse to cut you back, and if you don't refute it, that magically means their "guess" was correct.

     Employed on a wide scale, this tactic serves to appease temporarily those conservative legislators who are congenitally hostile to welfare programs.

     The food bank has also suffered cut backs since I was there last. With less food, the line of bodies moves more quickly. Toiletries are no longer handed out. The volunteer staff has changed, they no longer recognize my card. I have to reapply, naturally. I'm prepared.

     People are well-behaved, for the most part, save one unmasked fellow who encourages his dog to jump on the few chairs available, smearing its wet, muddy paws on the seats. He talks so loudly that I can hardly communicate with the office attendant.

     Despite my criticisms, things seem to run efficiently. They're out of romaine by the time my number is called, only fresh kale left. Government cheese, which I hadn't seen for decades, is in stock. Hope it's not that old. On my second trip later there is no dairy available.

     One rule of note: Face masks are actually required, they had them out as you take a number.

DAY 590: "Updates"

     Hi. What's new…?
     Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 are quietly sweeping the nation. BA 2.75 has been detected in India.

     Researchers had been concerned that Chinese tree shrews were showing signs of infection by a new variant but now they think it's "Langya." …Yeah, new word for me, too.

     By now you probably know that President Joe Biden recently tested positive. Twice! And that Governor Inslee mandated that all Washington State employees be vaccinated against COVID-19.

     Our friend Pete in Central Washington came down with the dreaded symptoms and tested positive. He seems okay now and hasn't talked about it much.

     I was to receive my 2nd booster at my Doctor appointment this Monday past, but how was I to know that Metro bus route #303 had been discontinued since March 21st due to "workforce challenges," and that no one was apparently available to change all the signs at the transit center that (still) claim route 303 is due at 8:19 AM sharp every weekday. Yeah. That made for a challenging day.

DAY 495: "Updates"

     It's happened as predicted: America has passed its one millionth death from COVID-19 as of May 4th, 2002 (National Renewal Day, whatever that is). We're some 30 months since this slowly-unfolding crisis began.

     Worse still, the World Health Organization has calculated the actual number of under-reported deaths from Covid, thus expanding the overall fatality count to 14.9 million worldwide.

     Here at home, we have finally had some negative test results, and no one developed any appreciable symptoms over the past few weeks. All of us are double-vaxxed & boosted. 

     We used the antigen home-tests, which detect the presence of live viruses. These tests initially resulted in positive findings; then some 15 days later, the newer results were neg. No live viruses.

     Being thorough, we also went to local UW Med/King County walk-up sites, which use PCR tests for live and dead viruses. This meant that previous positive tests are even now still pos, as dead viruses still turn up some 90 days after initial exposure, even though no live viruses are present.

     In the meantime, we are still being cautious, wearing masks and testing again, occasionally.

DAY 488: "Infections: Orange Alert"

     AJ has officially tested positive for Coronavirus. His symptoms are rather like allergies, he says, as he settles-in for a 10-day stretch of isolation & PS5 gaming.

     To know where the rest of us stand, we decide to get tested too. Luckily there is now a UW Med site no more than 6½ blocks away, via hypotenuse. Appointment preferred, but not necessary.

     Brando was the first to go: Positive. He has a migraine that lasts a couple days.

     Bat: Positive, nothing worse than a runny nose.

     Me: Negative, but with a lightly-sore throat.

     Joel takes the home test: Negative. The control line is clear, indicating that he performed the test correctly.

     Masks are kept on, and one bathroom is cordoned off from those unclean. Everyone's isolating for nearly 24-7.

DAY 465: "Status Update"

     Now that many Americans are celebrating our fourth consecutive victory over the coronavirus, the WHO (World Health Organization) says the new Omicron subvariant "XE" is quickly becoming the dominant strain in some countries. XE, they tell us, is 10% more transmissible than the previously more-transmissible mutation. 

     Dr. Fauci predicts the BA.2 strain will be the next surge in America this fall. In the meantime, our total hospitalizations are stable but infection rates are up. Some members of the US Congress have even tested positive for Omicron, including Pelosi, Schiff, and the allegedly centrist Republican from Maine, Susan Collins.

     The Washington State government has issued this decree: "Everyone 50 and older can receive a second booster dose four months after receiving their first booster dose." So here we go again, keep your masks on!