Month: March 2020

Life in Lockdown

/ justdrivewillyou / 2 Comments

Sucks, doesn’t it?

Being stuck in the house all day, every day. Can’t go out to dinner, can’t go to a movie, can’t go to a ballgame, can’t go anywhere, basically.

Can’t go to work, cause I’m a driver with nobody to drive. Got laid off, as a result, so I’m another one of the many newly unemployed folks in our country. Thank goodness my wife still has her job and can work from home, as everyone is encouraged to do who can.

Just stay home and order out and get caught up on TV shows. My wife and I got started on Manifest; interesting show.

I don’t like it, friends, but this is our reality. This is what COVID-19 has wrought.

And honestly, if this is as bad as it gets for me, I’ll be very thankful.

This illness is touching a lot of lives, and I’m so scared it will touch someone in my family, or among my friends.

And it scares me that they will die alone and be buried alone, just because of its potential for spreading. That’s just heartbreaking.

My heart goes out to the people on the front lines of this war, doctors and nurses and health care workers, some giving their lives in the fight to save others. I cannot thank you enough for your compassion and courage. Bless every one of you.

Same for all the people working in the grocery stores, doing their best to keep the shelves stocked, in spite of all the greedy folks who have to hoard stuff so other people have no shot at getting any. Shame on you. A little less selfishness would go a long way, here.

And anyone else out there doing whatever they can to help us get through this, thank you so very much.

I don’t know when we’ll turn the corner on this thing; it could be a long while, yet. And while that’s discouraging, even depressing, we must all do what we’re asked to keep it from getting worse. Please.

This is unlike anything our generation has ever faced before. It’s time for us to prove what we’re really made of.

Do your part. Stay home. I recommend Manifest.

 

 

 

 

 

You won’t see this on Fox News

/ justdrivewillyou / Leave a comment

I don’t have to say anything; this speaks for itself. Larry

Ends and Beginnings

Just as a reminder:

Feb. 7 (tweet): “…… as the weather starts to warm & the virus hopefully becomes weaker, and then gone.”

Feb. 10: “I think the virus is going to be — it’s going to be fine.”

Feb. 14: “We have a very small number of people in the country, right now, with it. It’s like around 12. Many of them are getting better. Some are fully recovered already. So we’re in very good shape.”

Feb. 19: “I think it’s going to work out fine. I think when we get into April, in the warmer weather, that has a very negative effect on that and that type of a virus. So let’s see what happens, but I think it’s going to work out fine.”

Feb. 24 (tweet): “The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. … Stock Market starting to look very good to me!”

Feb…

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Covid-19 Blues

/ justdrivewillyou / 1 Comment

Well, maybe now, I’ll have some time to write, at least.

The company that uses me as its shuttle bus driver has advised its employees to work from home, if they can, for the next two weeks, due to the you know what. That means fewer people to shuttle, which means no need for yours truly for the rest of this week, and maybe next.

Boooooooo…

So now, this thing is hitting me in the pocketbook, like it is several others, as the world continues to shut down. Sporting events and concerts cancelled or postponed. Schools temporarily closed. Restaurants and shopping centers emptied out. Grocery store shelves ransacked. Toilet paper is the new precious metal; won’t surprise me to see it go on the black market.

Utter craziness.

Oh, and a lot of people getting sick around the world, including the United States.

And for those of you trying to convince yourselves and everyone else that this is just the flu, permit me to wake you up: the mortality rate for Covid-19 is 10 times that of the flu.

This is serious, folks, and it needs to be taken seriously. Look out for yourselves and each other. We will get through this, but not without some sacrifice and some common sense precautions. By now, I’m sure you all know what those are; do them.

As for me, I guess I’ll have some time to get caught up on a few things around the house, spend some quality time with my wife and cats, and maybe write some more.

Y’all, please take care, and take your finger off the panic button, for gosh sakes.

 

Oh, one more thing: I have avoided comment on my government’s response to this whole crisis in order to maintain a stable blood pressure. Later.

 

 

 

 

 

What’s On My Mind

/ justdrivewillyou / 6 Comments

I haven’t written about my depression in a while, so for you new followers and visitors, let me bring you up to speed:

I was diagnosed with clinical depression several years ago. I was angry all the time, but I didn’t realize that was an outward manifestation of depression in men, until a therapist told me. And then, once I learned more about its symptoms, I thought, “WOW, I check a lot of these boxes!”

Didn’t mean I was crazy, mind you; that’s an old stigma that needs to be buried forever. Nobody with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder or any other mental illness is a crazy person. He (or she) just lacks the necessary mental faculties, for any number of reasons, to safely navigate this life.

Anyway, with the help of a couple of good therapists and some medication, I’m doing better.

For the most part. There are still a few dark days, even fewer really dark days, and a lot of days of just, meh. But, without the medicine, I know I’d be worse.

The important thing is, I got help. If you think you may need help, too, please ask for it. Depression is a beast, and you’re likely not going to beat it on your own. I know us guys especially are reluctant to talk to anyone about things of this nature.

We just go kill ourselves, instead.

Let’s not let it come to that,okay? Help is available; here is a great place to go to find it.

If you want to learn more of my story, read my post from July 2016, “The .05 Cubic Foot Cell.” See if you identify.

I wish you well.