Some days you roll with the punches and some days you don’t. The more you can handle or slip the blows, the better life is, but I forget that from time to time, and just like a fight, some punches are harder than others. But I’m up and dancing in the ring again so as they say I’ve lived to fight another day.

Today is a planning day. Some very important negotiations are coming up and the better-prepared one is the better the results usually. It’s going to affect things fairly significantly going forward in my professional career and therefore affect my personal life and time.

I was out and about the last few days a bit and saw that masks are making a comeback. Maybe rightly so, I see the positivity rate climbing again and maybe soon into areas where it would be smart to mask up again. And when I say out and about I not talking about attending a concert or going to the most crowded restaurant or a packed shopping mall or ballpark.

My breathing isn’t the best when I’m feeling great. For instance that smoke from the fires out west and working outside those few days that it was heavy, put a hurting on me. So I’m really on guard against this virus. I got vaccinated as soon as it was available to me. I’m interested in getting a booster because I believe I read that the J&J vaccine was good for at least 8 months, probably more. Well, I’m not a probably guy. So that means I’m protected (as far as anyone knows) till November.

Even though our state (Maryland) has been above average on getting the vaccine and the number of cases is still low Maryland ranked 9th this past week in the percentage change in daily cases in the last 7 days at 80%. While our cases are still in the hundreds per day instead of the tens of thousands in some other states, it’s obviously present in our area and spreading. And I’ve got to think that has a lot of people stressing out at the thought of more changes and restrictions again.

Nothing really has changed much since the beginning. Look at the Olympics taking place now. Do you see throngs of fans that normally attend the games? No, it’s like some of the previous sports seasons here in the US if they played at all. And all this makes me take a long-term view of it again as I did when the pandemic started. Some of my friends were stunned when I said a year at least, probably more back in March of 2020. Well after about 16 months we are still in it because we are selfish.

Science told the longer it went on the more it would mutate. Science told us that it would probably be like the flu and need annual vaccinations. Science told us early on it was more deadly and contagious than the normal flu and many brushed it off and died as a result.

That’s not to say I wasn’t in fear of the vaccine. We all saw how fast they were all developed. Some off different concepts. Multiple companies producing them. Availability short in the beginning so you took what was offered. You looked skyward and hoped for the best. My concern for my children and wife was off the charts hoping a bad reaction wasn’t in their future. All the time we are getting new updates on how effective they are against the various strains coming out.

I’ll have the same fear in getting a booster shot but I’ll get it when it’s available and recommended. Because that is the best we can do now. We have always had faith in modern medicine. The trouble is some expect perfection and that just isn’t possible because medicine is not an exact science.

We trust our doctors as they prescribe us medicines throughout our life. We trust them to operate on us. We trust them with flu and measles and other vaccines. What all changed so much? I guess politics had some impact, misinformation or just contradictory information sowed confusion and still does.

Is the summer surge that has started going to continue to grow or just drop off? I’m not taking a chance, my mask will be reappearing and my activities and contacts will be limited. This is about adapting quickly and being patient. Think about the likelihood of success of telling everyone they have to were a mask again and that they can’t attend their favorite sporting event or eat inside again. There is going to be a mass revolt among many and it will continue on and on.

But my main concern is for the children under 12. The unvaccinated who can’t be at this time. And were going to put them in school again soon in large numbers and this could be a disaster. I don’t know why we can’t see this coming. I know the alternative is hell, but at least some won’t parish.

Random Thoughts of the Day

• I’m much happier when I get in the car and start it and have no destination to reach.
• I wonder if the selfishness in a few is increasing the selfishness in others?
• I’m getting better at getting answers to questions without even asking them.
• I look forward to the joy that I will have on Sunday nights the first weeks when I’m retired and not having to work them.