Damn Corona!

So yesterday I was determined to make it a better day. I had to do things differently to pick up my mood. On purpose I got up, got dressed, COMBED MY HAIR, took a nice shower, cleaned up a bit, washed clothes and played music all day as I worked from home. I even entered a Zoom conference with video instead of my usual still photo concealing the mess that I am. LOL! I purposely decided to make it a better day...


Later in the evening I went for a drive and even picked up a cheesesteak and fries; comfort food to treat myself in closure of my good day. But for a walk around the block at 9pm one night when the moon was beautiful and bright, I have been in the house since Sunday. No fresh air! I know this is not good but in my overwhelming sense of helplessness, it seems it is becoming my new norm. Ugh... Somehow I went from creating a daily task to get me outside to only going out once per week. Too much information coming at me. I have no way of knowing what is true. So I guess my response has been to just stay put where I feel the most safe... Not good. I must work on it...


Thursday was freaky too. I have had no one in my apartment since this nightmare began. On Thursday, a cable guy HAD to come in. I was getting new service. The new norm says they don't come in but call and let you know that there is a bag outside your door with instructions on how to install your own equipment. That of course depends on there being no problem with the wiring already in your home. Of course there was a problem with my wiring which required him being in my apartment for what seemed an eternity. Creepy as I am masked up and watching everywhere he went so to know what I had to clean when he left... This new norm, being afraid of the mere presence of others, is freaky y'all and 'social butterfly me', doesn't like it...


So after Thursday, a "snap back" Friday was important. I purposely set out to MAKE it a good day in this new normal and it was, kinda' sorta', UNTIL that evening. I received the dreadful text from a person very dear to me that she and maybe her little one have Coronavirus. Shit just got even more real! She is the first person in my intimate circle to disclose that she is positive. It was just a matter of time as we can all expect this kind of news, even for ourselves.  Brace yourself. The virus is too prevalent and too little is being done to contain it nationally to think otherwise... In my heart I KNOW that she is going to be fine, so I didn't really panic, but still my heart sank. So much for a good day. I ate only half my cheesesteak...


I hate that she and others are going through this. I hate that disproportionately Blacks are being affected by Corona and that we live in a country where we have an administration that largely doesn't care and is likely quite happy and motivated that estimates of nearly 50% of the deaths from this virus are Black people, thus his nonchalance that a possible 100,000 Americans could die from Corona. He is banking that they will be largely Black people. And we thought "George Bush didn't like Black people"... Corona is Katrina on steroids...


We are on our own in this fight, AGAIN... Good and forward thinking for Sean Combs to assemble a Town Hall to launch a discussion of just how we start to do this; take care of ourselves. What a nice new normal that would be post Corona, Black independence... Something has got to give... If you have not seen his Revolt special, check it out, it is on YouTube.


Throughout all of this, I have repeatedly said, it is one of two things that will sustain and get us through this mess; our strong belief in faith and/or our strong belief in US and the resilience of our Ancestors and confidence that we are similarly resilient. We've been through some stuff y'all and amazingly we have come through. As dreadful as it seems, this too will pass. As someone shared with me yesterday, no season is permanent. This time however we need to come through standing much differently on the other side. What does that look like? What will be OUR new normal? WE MUST envision... WE MUST decide...


Of course in the interim, we have to do our best to do as much as we can to protect ourselves; stay home as much as possible, practice social distancing, wear masks, wash our hands, try not to touch our face, all that we are being told are preventative measures. Stay strong and fight like hell if Corona does pay us a visit but most importantly, let's check on, take care of and pray for one another. My special friend is atop my list right now. I know that you are reading this. Hang in there and don't hesitate to call no matter the need. I will be there...


Happy Saturday Folks & DON'T go to church tomorrow no matter what that foolish preacher is saying. Easter is the day of resurrection for Jesus not you. You may not rise so don't risk it. Worship on line, on the phone with family and friends or alone with you and your God in your living room. Put on your Sunday best if you must but just stay home!!!


Be Well EVERYONE!!!


#DamnCorona!!!