3 Positive Things Part 7

[gooblax]

1. Had a better night's sleep last night.
2. Even though I'm feeling anxious and sad for no reason and am tempted to beat myself up because of all the usual things, I know it's temporary and will be ok. I don't really want to be nice to myself but I know that I probably should try.
3. On pokemon go I finally had a good enough set of pokemon to defeat the Team Rocket boss this morning. Plus the game allowed me to do that without getting out of bed so +1 for convenience.

 

[Daniel E.]

BONUS: Got a large, Christmas-scent candle from my neighbor for Christmas.

 

[gooblax]

1. When I walked into a spider web this morning (an inevitability with the trees around the house) the spider got on my arm rather than on my face.

2. Decided that if I'm going to be stuck here, I should try the new hairstyle that I've wanted but been too anxious to try due to expected comments/judgement/attention. Less attention if I don't see anyone I know, right?

3. Only 15 new COVID cases reported today from yesterday's testing, out of 38000 tests.

 

[Daniel E.]

BONUS: The newly adopted, 65-pound dog (boxer-looking dog, a.k.a. Black Mouth Cur) is still getting along well with the kitten, the adult cat, the four small dogs (and the chickens).

 

[Daniel E.]

1. Saw the Christmas star (Jupiter and Saturn conjunction) in the night sky just now.

2. Going to celebrate Christmas early tomorrow in Phoenix with sister-and-brother-in-law. Much easier than Thanksgiving since we are making chili (with Impossible Burger).

3. Got free chicken nuggets for the dogs with the McDonald's app.

 

[gooblax]

1. No news about psych's COVID test which suggests it was a negative result. Also across the state there were only 8 positive tests out of 44000-ish conducted yesterday.
2. I made the laksa and dad said he enjoyed it.
3. After making myself upset about therapy stuff once again, I think that I should take the earlier session. But I don't want to give him the satisfaction of me replying to his email. And whenever I think about replying it brings my decision back into question, so I'm still just having to leave it unreplied for now.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

With people increasingly ignoring COVID-19 restrictions in major cities in Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia, Quebec, and Ontario, and corresponding increases in daily new cases in the 1000-2000 mark for those provinces, the provincial governments are taking additional steps to crack down, including increasing fines, shutting down walk-in businesses, and limiting gatherings over the approaching holiday season.

However, the governors are mostly talking a tough line but caving into big businesses (not small businesses who as usual are getting the shaft). For example, Ford, premier of Ontario, announced yesterday that the situation in Ontario is dire (mostly in the Greater Toronto Area including Hamilton but it will affect the entire province including areas with zero to maybe 8 or 9 new cases). After that stern warning and a display of being a tough leader, he then announced new restrictions beginning December 26 on things like businesses and maximum gathering sizes (not sure yet but that was originally rumored to be only families living in the same household). He totally caved into to the malls and corporations so they could get past the annual Christmas shopping binge despite the fact that most of this can and should be happening online now. Even at that, there is a lot of bitching from businesses about loss of Boxing Day sales, again sales which very easily could continue online.

I find it astounding two counts:

1. the gutlessness of primarily Conservative leaders (many of whom still admire the Republicans and the Trump administration) to do what needs to be done to stop the spread of this virus; and
2. the apparent rush among Canadians (like Americans) to get out, drink and eat too much, and spend money before they all get sick and die. The rush to "get back to normal" may very likely turn out to be a "rush to die or get seriously ill".

It's all so incredibly shortsighted and misguided, not to mention willfully ignorant.

Positive news:

1. got good news from recent medical tests (not COVID related)
2. family members are relatively healthy and all doing well - no COVID-19 despite two of them being in frontline nursing, one in Canada and one in Scotland
3. my sons and their families are also doing better despite some depression with one of them earlier in December.

 

[gooblax]

That certainly is one thing to be thankful for here. Although there definitely are people who have the 'back to normal it's no big deal' mentality (plus conspiracy theorists etc.) they're not in positions to make laws and our governments aren't caving to their whims.

Though inconvenient, I appreciate the state border lockdowns for keeping the virus isolated to certain areas. The fewer people it affects, the fewer people doing the wrong thing. On the whole, people in this first lockdown area have been taking it seriously and not just trying to see what they can get away with before getting fined.

Today is the announcement about what restrictions will be in place over Xmas and New Year's. I hope there are pretty tough restrictions on NYE for gatherings in the city because we really don't need one night of partying to mess things up for everyone.

Anyway, 3 positives:

1. Drafted my email to psych although I'm not satisfied with my final sentence yet.
2. Going to go for a walk and catch pokemon while 'exercising'.
3. It's a sunny day today.

 

[gooblax]

Bonus: 42000 tests across the state yesterday, 8 positive cases. Restrictions fairly similar over the next few days although they didn't announce NYE specifically yet.

 

[forgetmenot]

Having a quiet meal tomorrow got most of it ready
Actually made some cherry and mincemeat tarts, will bake them tomorrow morning have not baked for years
Family members are staying somewhat stable and brought gifts to my brother as he cannot come here for Christmas this year.

 

[gooblax]

1. Didn't dwell on the negative thoughts/feelings this morning and did a jigsaw puzzle instead.
2. Played jingle bells on piano to my grandma and aunt over Skype.
3. Made something reasonable for dinner out of leftovers rather than the gross cold cuts that we normally get stuck with.

 

[gooblax]

1. Just learned about the existence of a type of bird called a potoo from Central and South America, and they're pretty cute.
2. Went for a short walk and did a tiny bit of jogging until my shoes got wet in the dew which made it a good time to stop.
3. Yesterday I helped dad assemble the bike helmet mount for the action camera I got my parents for xmas. He'd been so confused by the poor detail in the instructions that he'd somehow been accidentally recording a video for 45mins while trying to charge the battery. :lol:

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I'd never heard of a pootoo before either, although I might have previously confused it with the word "ptooey".

Interesting looking bird though, one of those who is good at camouflage (i.e., the opposite of peacocks), as in this photo of one camouflaged: against a tree stump

 

[Daniel E.]

BONUS: Kitten and Chihuahua safely play fight with each other each night, with the Chihuahua under the bed covers.

 

[gooblax]

1. Although there's a mosquito in my room which I heard just when I'm ready to sleep, there's also a spider on the ceiling directly above my pillow. He's only a little guy so he won't be much help against the mosquito unless he hurries up and makes a big web, but at least I'm not alone hunting the mosquito.
2. Mum hasn't turned off the wifi yet for the night.
3. My feelings about my therapist are not overly intense at the moment which is a nice break when it happens.

 

[Daniel E.]

2. Mum hasn't turned off the wifi yet for the night.

Since my ISP is not reliable (as there is no competition in the area other than satellite providers), I often use the unlimited hotspot data on my prepaid phone plan, which is only $40 a month.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Hate mosquitoes. And mosquitfingers for that matter. Hate everything mosquit. Ignorant rude little punks with their RAP stuff and their pants around their butts annoying people when they are trying to sleep or get into stores in strip malls.

They all need to get decent haircuts and real jobs and stop bothering grownups.

 

[Daniel E.]

I have yet to see a mosquito in Arizona. Z00j
O


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[David Baxter PhD]

I have yet to see a mosquito in Arizona. Z00j
O


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That’s both interesting and surprising. I wonder why not. I thought they were pretty much everywhere.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Looks like you’ve just been lucky, @Daniel:

ADHS

“Mosquitoes can be active year-round in parts of Arizona, but they are most abundant between March and October.”

AZ Mosquitoes - Are There Mosquitoes in Arizona?

“There is something in excess of 40 different species of these insects in the state and most of them are not likely to be a concern for residents. However, there are several local varieties that could transmit serious diseases. The key species of mosquitoes in Arizona are: Western encephalitis mosquito, Culex tarsalis.”