Viral Vicissitudes

COVID in the Land of Oz: "If I only had a …"         If only we could tap our heels three times and this whole thing would go away, if we could harken back to a more genial time, unencumbered by viruses and injustices. But clearly, "we are not in Kansas any more Toto". So what, from whom, and where do we seek the powers to overcome our present circumstances?        "I'm off to see the Wizard". The scenes, plot, and themes of Oz offer us parallels as well as compelling messages from which we might draw inspiration and hope for a better future. But first a noteworthy twist (or twister!): while Dorothy seeks to find her way home to Auntie Em, Uncle Henry, and others, we have all become restless at home after such an extended time in place (though most I have spoken with the past four months now have actually continued to interact more favorably with their families than many in the media would have predicted).        "If ...

Viral Vocations: The New Occupational Outlook        Our federal government is constantly updating forecasts regarding different occupational sectors. Contained in the "Occupational Outlook Handbook", this is an attempt to direct us to careers that are growing rather than likely to shrink, a benevolent act as well as self enlightened (as it ensures a larger tax base for the government). Various states (including Michigan) also publish more localized versions. Given the ongoing pandemic and its impact on the economy, I offer a few examples of career paths that have become emergent or come to the forefront as those one might consider if just starting out or experiencing a career 'makeover'.        "When I grow up I want to be a...." "Bovine Manicurist!"  Admittedly, this occupational 'sector' has little if anything to do with the pandemic but I have been waiting for the chance to write about it and this seemed my best opportunity. A...

The Seven P's of the Pandemic: How are We Measuring Up?        "We did it; we rid ourselves of the virus!" Polio, that is. Earlier this year, an assortment of world health organizations recognized Nigeria as being free of any new cases of polio for a sufficient period of time to consider it 'polio free'. Quite a feat, considering that as recent as 2013 it accounted for about half of Africa's polio cases. How did Nigerians accomplish this? A number of articles analyzing all the relevant factors point to an ongoing assiduous assault by several organizations, including government, NGO's, and other volunteer groups in and outside of Nigeria. Further, a strong educational program accompanied by vaccinations made available to the public at large (as well as a willingness to be vaccinated, an outcome of the educational program) were highly instrumental.        Locally, after making it to the MLB playoffs following a long drought, the Detroit Tigers' ...

COVID Canary in the Coal Mine: Back to Work...School        "I triple dog dare you!" (translated: "You go first, sucker!"). If it were any situation other than what we are currently facing, it might be experienced like the scene from the 1983 "A Christmas Story" (depicting a boy compelled by a 'triple dog dare' to place his tongue on a frozen flag pole, not an unfamiliar story of my own childhood). But the scene we currently find ourselves in locally and throughout the world, and what we anticipate in the fall on behalf of children of all ages, is far more serious. With potentially lethal implications, many fear.        A few months into the ongoing pandemic, in an understandable attempt to reinvigorate a stalled economy, some factories and offices (more the former) started calling workers back, reassuring them that the workplace had been sanitized and safety measures installed. Many a grown adult expressed apprehension and skepticism in respo...

Greetings and Salutations! A Pandemic Paradox?        Since about the 'Ides of March' many of our methods for communicating with one another have been transformed by the pandemic, as have the content of our daily messages. Ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous, from the casual to the more dramatic. I touch on only a few examples that this space allows, examples that have become so commonplace they may have escaped your awareness.        "We are (actually not) here for you": How many letters, emails, and/or advertisements have you found in your In box (and probably deleted) throughout the past few months, which have suddenly asserted concern for your personal welfare? These from every organization you belong to, especially those for which you pay dues or a premium. Only to discover, if you venture a phone call to contact the fictional person writing the email rather than a robot or zombie, that there is even a more layered/convoluted set o...

Change in Direction 2.0: Regaining Traction        Feeling in disarray, out of alignment, out of 'rhythm'? It's not your imagination--you are! This, due to the persistent and pervasive 'changes in direction' (see 7-6-20 post) the pandemic has assaulted us with for months now. So how does one regain their bearings and/or traction in such an atmosphere? In my professional and personal experience a decent starting point is a mindset that is not novel to this current set of circumstances, but transcends time and place. I borrow here from a current radio commercial representing such an overarching perspective: "A crisis is not a time for panic but a time for problem solving and effective decision making" (otherwise you will panic and in turn deem yourself ineffective).        In turn, I offer you, in the midst of so many uncertainties (or 'viral vicissitudes' once again!), an immediate and accessible opportunity to (re)build on the most tangible ...

Up the Down Staircase: A Change in Direction        Dazed and confused, are you? This is likely due to a large degree to the dizzying array of changes in the way we normally experience activities of daily living (ADL's) concurrent with the pandemic so far this year. For many of us, it's as if the world has been turned upside down, at least sideways (July 3rd: "The global economic crisis has managed to turn stock exchanges worldwide on their head"). Indeed, one does not have to look far in any direction to see tangible evidence.        Witness, for example, a simple trip to a convenience store (or what used to be convenient, eh?), where a sign previously greeting us "no masks allowed" (usually around Halloween) has been altered slightly--"no one allowed in without a mask" (or shirt or shoes, of course). Then there's the arrows in every other aisle indicating "One Way Only", so many it reminds me of my college town when trying to fi...

COVID'S Calling us...Back to Nature?!        Throughout the past four months a frequently suggested remedy for restlessness, boredom, and feelings of malaise, has been to go outdoors and enjoy fresh air, sunshine, and the cool breeze. All the ingredients of a 'natural cocktail' to cure a myriad of pandemic ills. If the empty shelves from Amazon to Walmart previously containing kayaks, blow up pools, bicycles and the like are any indication, we are doing our best to answer the call, whether we venture out to our own backyards, the local park, or 'over yonder'.        A lover of outdoors myself, I have subscribed to "Outside" magazine for several years. Opening any issue is a joint exercise of intimidation and invigoration. Intimidation as I am tempted to try everything presented but realize I don't have enough time to do so. Invigoration for a similar reason, knowing that I will never be bored with so may options.       ...