BarretWallace

This is one case where I am not proud that my state ranks so high. Gov. Walz announced a slew of new restrictions yesterday (https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/11/18/coronavirus-restrictions-mn-gov-walz-announces-restrictions-on-social-gatherings-restaurants-gyms-and-youth-sports/). I can't say that any of his announcement comes as a surprise. What struck me the most about his announcements was the delivery. I found Walz to be eloquent and to the point. He also described how this is affecting his own family, so it's not like he's asking us to do something he's unwilling to do himself. While this may be a dubious thing to feel any pride about, in these times I'll take what I can get.

"Ho, Ho, Ho, And A Bottle Of Rum" Santa's stressed out as the holiday season draws near He's been doing the same job now going on two thousand years He's got pains in his brain and chimney scars cover his buns He hates to admit it, but Xmas is more work than fun He needs a vacation from bad decorations and snow Mr. Claus has a has escape plans, a secret that only he knows Beaches and palm trees appear night and day in his dreams A break from his wife, half-frozen in life The elves and that damn reindeer team Ho, ho, ho and a bottle of rum Santa's run off to the Caribbean He thinks about boat drinks and fun in the sun Ho, ho, ho and a bottle of rhum Plastic creations and crass exploitations aren't good He wants to go back to simple toys made out of wood Just for the weekend he's like to be Peter Pan Get out of his long johns and dance with a sword in the sand Ho, ho, ho and a bottle of rhum Snata's off to the Caribbean Marimbas, calimbas, he's playing steel drums Ho, ho, ho and a bottle of rhum Ho, ho, ho and a bottle of rhum Santa's off to the Caribbean A week in the tropics and he'll be alright Sporting a tan as he rides out of sight Merry Christmas to all and to all good night

I echo what Old Man said. We're all happy that you're breathing, and at least energetic enough to type. I'll venture that I speak (type?) for many when I wish you a smooth recovery in the physical and mental/emotional arenas, and in the meantime I'm happy for whatever steps you take, however small. For my part, I am stepping away from my dojo at least through the holiday season. It's been a blessed emotional outlet and has also helped me see excellent fitness and weight loss benefits. On the flip side, the holidays are coming, and I want to increase my safety precautions for the sake of older relatives. Doesn't help that Minnesota is on the upswing in cases and deaths (along with many other states and nations).

Final Fantasy 7 soundtrack!

"What do you pay him for?" "Public relations."

Oh, I thought this room was abuse.... 😉

Hey, save some turkey and cranberries for me, as I have a lot of blame to dish out too.

*Barret offers Pariah a beer to go with the popcorn. Yeah, this election aftermath will almost certainly get ugly, and I hope the innocent casualties are minimal.

Amen, preach on!

...what Starlord said. Kick Covid's butt!

Best wishes for a smooth recovery, and I'm sorry that a vacation turned into abusive hell. I am trying to come up with good words for both things (sickness, abuse) and I don't think there are any. I wish we could rally a throng of Herophiles to your support beyond these forums (though even on these forums, this remains one of the coolest groups of people I've ever found).

One of our local theaters was having "retro movie" nights, and were showing Ghostbusters and The Empire Strikes Back. I very....very...............nearly went to see both of these, but chickened out--in ESB's 40th anniversary year no less! I am still so twitchy about going into a theater that I will even pass on seeing beloved childhood classics on the big screen.

"That's the bedroom, but nothing ever happened in there." "What a crime."

I grew up not far from Maplewood Mall in good old Minnesota (ya sure you betcha). In my childhood through young adult years, that was a thriving shopping mecca, with everything from video arcades to book stores (two!) to clothing shops, a rotating roster of kiosks, and a wonderful food court. I can't even remember the last time I was in there...probably around the time Sears, a formerly invincible anchor store, closed its doors years ago. To me, it seems like the pandemic is simply accelerating some trends that were already in motion. Shopping malls have long been in decline (and even Mall of America is having serious financial trouble). There's long been a general shift away from brick and mortar stores toward Amazon and similar online merchants. Companies can build smaller office spaces because working remotely is increasingly possible. Even conference rooms can be bypassed in favor of virtual meeting formats (there is no meeting, only Zoom). Whatever the new normal turns out to be, I'm sure that the old normal is gone forever. As for the human suffering, that is what I want to see end. I've known several people who have caught Covid, but thankfully none who died. However dire things get, I do try to find gratitude for things like this every day. Keeping my eyes on the blessings in my life (and there still are many) keeps me sane. Mostly.

"I can't lie to you about your chances, but...you have my sympathies."

There is a lot I could say, but the flotsam and jetsam rising to the top of my brain is pretty much this: at this time next year, I hope all of us are still around and commenting on these boards. Maybe some of us are getting to be old codgers, but this is a damn wonderful community. I've never met any of you in person and maybe never will, nor am I the best or most prolific writer here, but dang, this is a great community of nut-jobs to be part of. Stay safe and I look forward to your next posts!

For my part, I still find some comfort in this. At least it's a timeline of some kind. Although it can (and probably will) change, it sure beats being totally in the dark.

Barrett tempts fate and throws a swarm of Ewoks back at Badger. They have their intended effect and give the demons something to gnaw on besides the faces of the fair members of this board. Unfortunately, one or two get past the demons and land within striking distance of Badger. Barrett blanches and prepares to take cover. (+5 points)

Hey, baby, whew I know that you believe in me That's all I ever need, uh huh No, no, nothing's gonna stop me Nothing will be scaring me, oh no Hey baby, it's the only way out Oh, little darling C'mon what's it all about? Standing on top of the world For a little while Standing on top of the world Gonna give it all we got Oh, I know it won't hurt I gotta have a little taste I just wanna sink my teeth in that Fine piece of real estate, yeah Hey baby, make it nice and sweet Oh, little darling Let's take a walk down easy street Standing on top of the world For a little while Standing on top of the world Let's give it all we got, ooh ooh Baby, gotta feeling, ooh ooh Oh, I wanna touch it, now Ooh ooh ooh See the whole wide world turn upside down Hey,…

That problem isn't unique to old folks. I'm annoyed a lot more often by clueless middle-aged folks or even young adults who are being assimilated by their phones and remain unaware of the rest of the world--like the people trying to use the aisle or buy the merchandise that they are blocking. No matter how wide the aisle, these people can somehow arrange their carts and themselves to block it anyway. Of course, if this is my worst problem during the pandemic, I count myself lucky.

Well, dang.... https://io9.gizmodo.com/ron-cobb-a-designer-on-star-wars-back-to-the-future-1845130929

What is a good place to go for reliable Covid data now? My first instinct always used to be CDC, but with the recent...meddling, I'm looking for other options too.

As someone with heart issues to begin with, this is...well, scary, but it confirms something I've already heard from another reliable source. [checks to make sure mask is close by] But yeah...scary stuff

Good luck BoneDaddy, and take care of yourself. It sounds like you are doing the best you can with the resources you have available. May that continue, and may the dice ever fall in your favor.

I had a "ScottishFox" moment and read "beware of the spam" the first time I read that....