Tuesday, June 23, 2020

The Days Are Just Packed


They really are.
BTW, If you never saw this strip firsthand, catch up on it. Totally worth it.

When my knees hurt like this, it's because I've been running around too much.

Spring cleaning, just in time for summer, but COVID-delayed, and long overdue.
But opening boxes and bags that have sat unattended is like Christmas everyday.

For the "Just The Flu, Bro" lunatards, COVID is exploding again, both where I am, and in any 10-15 states where up to 1/3rd of all y'all are. Not everywhere, thank a merciful deity, but it didn't go anywhere while you were sheltering at home, because the Gilligan Effect.

Firsthand anecdotal reports have it rampant in L.A., and they're looking good for being the next NYFC by end of next month. It's up 300% in SoCal in general, and I spent the weekend in a hospital that was closed to all ambulances, and full to the gills, with both COVID problems, and non-COVID problems. And burnout is becoming a thing too.
Exactly like we warned you would happen if this thing started to spread, waaaaay back in February.
"You can ignore Reality; but you cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring Reality."
That stinging sensation for some folks just now is the bear trap jaws of Reality closing on their tender bits.

Multiple projects in various stages of completion. Sleep is good, but more of it would be better.

You're watching the Cold Civil War heat up, as intended.

As the election approaches, it'll get worse.
If OrangeMan wins, it'll get worse.
If OrangeMan loses, it'll get worse.

Nota bene the lack of other options there, according to our Magic Eight Ball.
Plan and prepare accordingly, and hope for better times eventually, but for some reason, the phrase which keeps coming up in most contexts is "Rivers Of Blood". The open question is whether we're talking on a timeline of fruit flies, or geologic strata formation.

But that which cannot continue, economically, politically, socially, or any other which way, won't.
"How did you go broke?
Gradually. And then all at once."

If you would not be a puff of smoke at the bottom of a canyon in the Painted Desert, do your best not to follow Wile E. off the cliff to the point that gravity is about to kick in wickedly.

Safety. Shelter. Water. Food. Medical. Energy. Allies.
This is the Do Re Mi of those who intend to see the other side of where things are headed.

Like my recent transportation purchase, for those of appropriate disposable means, there are and will continue to be deals to be struck, and bargains to be hoovered up in the current crisis. E.g., both car dealers, and car renters have a burgeoning glut of vehicles.
Some people already have, are, or will soon be, sold or selling all sorts of interesting things.
Some run on gas. Some on gunpowder. And so on.
If you can, help friends, allies, and potential ones.
But don't hesitate to take advantage of strangers' misfortune. People selling things below market, at a loss, are nature's way of telling you what your own cash reserves can be used for.

OTOH, the skills to keep old, tired things working are going to be in higher demand.
Anyone who can help folks "Use it up; wear it out. Make it do, or do without." are going to be both in demand, and in a great position to barter and horse-trade for things they lack, which, if done right, also doesn't generate additional tax liability, nor in many cases, paperwork reviewed by BATFE or any other of TPTB. If someone wants to trade plumbing work or a fixed transmission for half a hog or their 4th G17, that would seem to me to be between you and them, when all is said and done. Just don't  swap for their sawed off shotgun, and find yourself in Ruby Ridge II. Remember, times are tough for federal stool-pigeons too, just now. Don't be That Guy. But if you can do something that gets you a full freezer, woodbox, or ammo crate, and leaves your fellow man better off as well, while starving Leviathan a little more, ROWYBS. Let Nancy Alzheimer's buy her own damned ice cream.

For those pathetic Never Trumpers salivating at the prospect of his most recent rally flopping in attendance, they jumped too soon. The overnight Nielsens put the television audience, who opted to watch from their Barca-loungers, and miss the COVID and the BLM/Antifatard riot potentials, while hanging on every word at the rally mere steps from their own bathrooms, literally buried every other TV event for the week, at last report. Remember, the list of people who've run aground on the rocks of "This will finally be the End of Trump" looks like the Manhattan phone book. Literally. People working or hoping for his departure or demise this side of January 2025 are apt to be sorely disappointed.

Beyond that notation, politics neither feeds me, nor fills my wallet, nor likely you either, so while Situational Awareness is always a thing, focus on the things that do and will feed you, pay you, or break your leg and pick your pocket.

You'll be better prepared in general, and loads happier. Both of which pisses off the commie hordes mightily. There will always be butthurt in the world. Resolve to be an asymptomatic carrier who gives it to deserving others, rather than a victim, or volunteer, of such result.

Pardon me now, for I have a date with some ibuprofen, and tub of hot water.

13 comments:

Bear Claw Chris Lapp said...

Not sure if they want Trump in because they control him why would biden be their choice think about it. Or they will steal the election because nobody will do anything about it just as they have wilh all the previous election cheating. Or will they?

Toirdhealbheach Beucail said...

Aesop, I have come to the conclusion that, at least for my job, we will not return to work before the end of the year and perhaps not ever, at least in the office. It does present the burn out issue you speak of though: we have a staff of critical employees who must be on site and whom (I suspect) are eventually going to just say enough is enough, no matter what the additional bonus or enticements are to stay.

For the rest - I have to admit that I am less and less hopeful every day that this ends up anywhere but in a rather large mess. As I have been arguing for a long time, you cannot bring the economy back by a snap of the fingers no matter which side of politics you sit on, this is very far from over yet (If ever. I wonder if the economy will not but be in shambles 10 years from now). Trying to do my best to make my way back to Home but competing with people's understanding that the New Normal is not the Permanent New Normal (I think it is, by the way), is a difficult sell.

Michael said...

On time on target Aesop! You have distilled all my angst I've been telling my worthwhile friends about. Trustworthy friends are a critical prep.

Calvin and Hobbs was my stress GO TO when I was in the Sandbox.

idahobob said...

I'm old, so my advice is, be prepared spiritually, physically, emotionally. You can never be prepared enough or too much.

Stay frosty.

Night driver said...

Make sure that, at some point, you read the ending post of the saga.

Hobbs wins, of course, but he tears your he3art out as he gets another little boy to shape.
Another kid who NEEDS him to shape him.

Bring a towel or box of kleenex, but it is SO worth it. And SUCH an end as we all might wish.

Night Driver

John said...

Hot tub. A cigar. Blue skies.

Knees. My least favorite joint, outside of where AOC used to sling booze.
-JW

Rhea said...

I guess I am not as interested in the Cold Civil War as I should be since a whole bunch of Right Wing Barking Moonbats just proved that they'll wuss out around week 3. If they couldn't hack staying at home for 6 weeks, I don't foresee them having the endurance to fight and win a war, no matter how many guns they own.

They'll have to stop fighting and go back to work because reasons.

~Rhea

Reltney McFee said...

Any word ref Ol' Remus? Hope he is alright.

McChuck said...

@ Rhea -
There was never any reason to stay home from work. It's all just virtue signaling, except for stuffing infected people into nursing homes to kill off those old folks who take up so many valuable tax dollars.

ADS said...

Every day we're not at war is another day we can spend sharpening hatchets. I've improved my position significantly over the past months, and I was hardly unprepared to begin with. Been bringing friends and family up to speed as well.

I remain excruciatingly frustrated at the tendency of people to be led by the nose by our media masters. One day, covid-19 is the plague and we must all shelter in place (except for groceries, and home improvements, and car repairs, and anything else you reeeeeeally want to do because to hell with an actual quarantine). The next day, covid-19 is no threat, go ahead and mingle in mass protests it's perfectly ok! It's worth the exposure risk to accomplish the vital task of pulling down every statue of an evil white man that can be found.

Frankly, we deserve the coming bloodbath.

Aesop said...

@McChuck

The 30,000 Americans who've died after lockdowns started being lifted, which is 10K more than deaths in any average flu season for the whole year, could not be reached for comment on your hypothesis.

And daily cases have now reached the level they were at the peak of the spread in April. This is going to keep killing people all year long, at +/- 1K/day. Texas ICUs are at 97% capacity, at latest report. Where I work, ours has been full and closed all week, and we only get vacancies when people die. COVID-land in every department and level is all full, all the time, which never happened here prior to June.

So tales of this imaginary reality don't square well with ground truth, except for people who live in BFE. For the 70% or so of America that lives in cities and suburbs, it's as real as a heart attack, and it's not getting any funnier as time goes on.

The fact that the media wants to tear society down and turns a blind eye to protests just proves they never have your best interests at heart, but don't throw the baby out with the bathwater in denying reality. There are consequences there.

Chip Anderson said...

One of those worn out but feel good days I see.

On the other observations, I do pay attention and although; aside from an admonition or two(duly ignored) in regards to not giving due diligence towards the Kung Flu proscriptions above and beyond the tried and true precautions we followed after the fiasco of the Spanish Flu, I can check of most of Heinlein's "should be able to" list as having been there done that.

ts said...

About things getting worse regardless of election outcome: If orange man loses, we’ll be told everything is so much better by the bootlicking press. The destination won’t change, just the route we use to get there. Owning all the branches of government will give them a shot at trying to disarm citizens via edicts and unconstitutional laws, paired with mandatory confiscations. Maybe it saves a few rats lives, maybe not.