One Year Later

by on March 12, 2021 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

One year ago, we were starting to realize that there was a shortage of various medical devices. Some States and businesses had simply refused to spend the money to fill the stockpiles they were required to have. As the Wuhan Virus… oh wait… that’s a racist term. As Covid 19 spread and various entities checked their stockpiles, they suddenly realized how badly they were behind the curve. The manufacturers were in China and China had bought up the production runs. Trump directed new production in America, but that would take time to catch up to demand. Businesses donated their masks to hospitals, and other people got creative. Cloth soon disappeared off the shelves. And don’t get me started on the toilet paper. One year later, masks are the new fashion accessory, since we all know that “Masks Save Lives.” And those who don’t or can’t wear them are trying to kill you.

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One Year Later

by on March 11, 2021 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

One year ago, the economy was humming. My hometown had an unemployment rate of something like 1%, which is the same as saying that everybody who wanted a job had a job. The trick was finding people who wanted to work for their money. Then we started “14 Days to Flatten the Curve,” to slow down the growth of the Wuhan Virus and keep the hospitals from being overloaded. That quickly transitioned into “Lockdowns Save Lives,” the never-ending effort to stop the spread at all. The government and government scientists dictated what businesses or schools were allowed to stay open and paid people not to work. Those businesses like mine that were deemed essential had to let many people go, and then had trouble finding people for what work remained when the government paid them not to. One year later, finding people who want to work for their money is still the big trick.

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One Year Later

by on March 10, 2021 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

One year ago, I traveled up north. I got my hair cut before going. I wore a suit. I was going to court, you see. I sold my house up there, and the people buying it stopped their monthly payments a year before. So after a year of working with two different lawyers to get the house back in my name, and then telling them to leave, I was finally going to court to get them evicted. There were rising worries about the Wuhan Virus back then, but things were still normal in Middle America. I got the eviction order, to be executed on the 20th, and went home. The national emergency was declared 3 days later. “14 Days to Flatten the Curve” began, and all eviction orders were suspended in Minnesota. No one could be evicted during a stay at home order, after all. It wasn’t until August that existing evictions were allowed to be processed again, at which time I finally got the squatters removed. After they built up several more thousand dollars in utility bills that go against the property. And me. I paid to have their garbage removed. I paid to fix the worst of the visible damage they caused to the property. I finally have a buyer lined up, with an agreed upon price that doesn’t lose me my shirt, and a plan to sign the papers within the month. One year later, I need to get my hair cut again, and I’m getting ready to travel up north once more.

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Five Years Later

by on March 9, 2021 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

Five years ago, Philando Castile was shot five times in Falcon Heights, near Minneapolis, after following standard policy and informing an officer that he had a firearm. He died. Four years ago, the officer who shot him was acquitted on all charges. A month later, Justine Damond was shot dead by a Minneapolis officer after she called 911. His body camera was not turned on. Two years ago, he was convicted on some charges and sent to jail for over twelve years. One year ago, George Floyd died while a Minneapolis officer held a knee to his neck for nine minutes. That set off a year of protests, riots, lootings, and the general burning of entire neighborhoods in Minneapolis. The court case charging the officer with murder and manslaughter has now started, and the city is braced for more violence. Five years later, I’m still glad I don’t live in the Twin Cities.

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One Year Later

by on March 8, 2021 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

One year ago, Saturday, I remember going to eat at a Pizza Ranch. Rumors had been percolating for a while about the virus ripping through the Wuhan Province of China. Hence the term China or Wuhan Virus that it was being called at the time. Also Wuhan Flu, even though we knew it wasn’t a typical flu. Trump had banned travel from China and it appeared to be holding or slowing the flow of the virus from there, but I remember wondering if that was the last time I would go to a buffet. One year later, I have not been to a buffet.

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