A Wing and a Prayer

I’ve been back at the gym for seven days. Monday night was my seventh time back in the last eight days.

It makes a difference. I feel good. Much better than how helpless I felt following an hour at the gym on a late night two weeks ago. I was tired and should’ve took the day off. Instead, I had a setback and went to ER due to a bad anxiety attack.

I think I pushed too hard too soon. Some days, you’re not going to have it. I didn’t then and the last week of October sucked. I was weak and holed up in bed not wanting to know or do anything. It was bad.

However, I finally went back last Monday. That initial first step was a positive one. I never hesitated. I slowly worked my way back. I’m doing better. I feel a difference. I’m even used to wearing the mask without any kind of issue including on cardio. I go for my water when I need it and do my meditation breathing and pace myself.

Here’s the thing. While I do the right thing along with many others during our workouts, not everyone is. It’s disturbing that you have a few idiots who aren’t following the instructions. By either abusing the mask or incredibly not wiping down each machine before and after use, they set a poor example.

It’s unhealthy and unsanitary. Why is it so hard to listen to simple rules so we are safe? Being at the gym is a luxury. We missed it for several months until it reopened this Fall. Between utilizing the cleaning stations which include hand sanitizer and social distancing, we can each do our part the right way without putting others at risk.

I don’t care what time of the day you come. Even if it’s late with fewer people, clean up after yourself. It puts the dedicated workers at risk. It’s disappointing that some people aren’t listening. I don’t get it.

If I can do it, anyone can. No wonder Staten Island is seeing spikes in Covid. A few zip codes are high danger spots including in Tottenville. The increase has to do with people thinking they are out of danger. They’re not social distancing outside in the uncanny mild autumn November weather which includes parks, etc.

We’ve also seen several people test positive in schools including my old grammar school over here in Arden Heights. That means we aren’t out of the woods. I don’t take any risks. When I go out in public, I make sure to wear my mask in stores and keep my distance. I also have plenty of sanitizer in the car.

When you see all those people in the city celebrating Joe Biden’s projected win following a controversial Presidential Election, they look like misinformed imbeciles. No one social distanced properly. I don’t care if you wore masks. That kind of crowd is irresponsible and indicative of how hypocritical the clowns that run New York City are.

It’s okay to protest or celebrate if you’re a Democrat. But not acceptable for people of faith to go to synagogues or even churches. Do as I say. Not as I do. I’m fed up with this ridiculous attitude. Most of the city are full of crap and aren’t even noticing how poorly things have been handled. That’s why people are leaving New York.

So, when President elect Joe Biden says he wants to unite both sides, I don’t buy it. Not the way one side has been treated the last four years. The arrogance of the left is a joke. They’re no longer the party of tolerance. But the party of intolerance. If you disagree with their line of thinking, you’re censored like on the biased social media which pushes one narrative.

That’s not traditional American principles or values. If they really want to change things, actions speak louder than words. And assuming there was no voter fraud which I don’t think will make a difference, Biden will take the oath of office on January 20th next year. Only then will we learn if he’s a man of his word.

That means not being swayed by the dangerous progressives who are toxic radicals to the more moderate Biden. It also means leading by example unlike President Trump, who despite accomplishing some good things, was too childish and arrogant which rubbed people the wrong way. The Democrat motto became ABT. Anyone But Trump. Understandable given his narcissistic tendencies. He basically handed Biden the election with his slow response to the pandemic and rude behavior.

The thing is when I hear people like Governor Andrew Cuomo talk, he is a total hypocrite. He didn’t do a good job either. Many people lost their lives including the horrible nursing home debacle. Take some responsibility. I won’t even mention the do nothing Mayor. The worst in New York history. Even Cuomo loathes him.

What bothers me is that you still have too many people doing the wrong thing. This isn’t about what party you support or if you don’t like me. It’s about being more responsible. Each and every day we go out, we have an obligation to do the right thing.

Be part of the change.

“Do You Remember?”

“Do You Remember?”

by Derek Felix

Do you remember

When things were different

A time of excitement

In an age of innocence

Long ago lost

That kept us laughing and smiling

So young at heart

I’d like to go back

And time machine

To the year 1985

When childhood dreams

Playing in parks were alive

Along with loud screams

The days where we went out

And didn’t come home till dinner

Things were more about

Cool games and creativity

All outdoors with cheers to shout

Little league and hoops ruled the day

Manhunt and climbing

Never faded away

You just wanted to stay forever

In your own world

With friends hanging out together

That was our fancy pearl

Rocking out to memorable music

Enjoying movies for fun

Playing arcades and video games that were fantastic

Along with a boombox that had the best sound

It provided electricity like cool videos on MTV

You never were lost, but always found

Remembering a night out in the city

That was a special time

Little did we know how much it would change

Do you remember the rhythm and the rhyme

I sure do and the wonderful stage

Our Broadway was full of light

So was home in a unique setting

That gave us the spotlight

Don’t ever forget how lucky we are

We lived all of it

Forever captivated by a shining star

A Taste of Spring

By how nice the weather is on this second day of May, we are getting a taste of Spring. It’s about time. After all the yucky rain and cool temps in your usual hectic April in NYC, we’ve gotten a nice break.

Two straight nice days with it topping 70 degrees on the first May Saturday. Tomorrow is supposed to be just as good. I took a peak at the extended forecast on my Weather Channel app and the week ahead is supposed to cool off. However, it doesn’t look like much rain is expected. So, that’s good.

I’ll admit that when it suddenly heats up like this, it feels a bit strange. I like moderate temps and sunshine with it anywhere from mid-50’s to 70’s minus the humidity. For that reason, I’m not a summer person. The sticky weather and high humidity never really helps my mood.

That’s part of having bad allergies and anxiety. Hay fever season is always around the corner. The lesser the humidity is, the better. Sneezing will increase and so will itchy eyes and nose. I’ll need to get more nasal spray and eye drops soon. I’m almost out. Growing up, I went for allergy shots. I mean heck. I still got them at 21-22 before my old GHI coverage expired.

All the resistance built up disappears. It makes it harder. So does waking up with puffy eyes in the morning. As many who suffer from allergies know, it’s not pleasant. A good pair of sunglasses helps. So does the air conditioning. Though I’m a window person as much as anyone. As long as it’s not muggy or affecting my eyes.

I don’t mind your casual Spring storm. Sometimes, we need it to cool things off and for the environment. Not that I’m a big fan of that topic. But more for our plants and flowers. That is important. You don’t want to have a drought.

So, I’m sure everyone is happy for the better days ahead. You can still do stuff as long as you don’t go to an area that’s too crowded. Parks and beaches get busy during this time of year. I just wonder how much people will adhere to the social distancing rules. How many of us are actually going to remember these aren’t ideal times? I’ll practice and do my part.

I doubt as it heats up, many people will be outside wearing protective masks. That’s the issue as this new situation continues. It’s rather complicated. We can’t just go back and do all the things we love. Not without considering the extreme circumstances. As has been echoed like the classic Bill Murray Phil character in Groundhog Day, we’re not out of it yet. We can still do different things to make it interesting, but must still be careful.

I don’t know about you. But I miss the gym. That was something I really liked. I wish it could reopen soon. But wonder how long it’ll be before that happens. If you go outside to a popular area, it’ll be crowded. That’s where it becomes increasingly difficult to social distance.

The real trick is to find spots that aren’t so packed. Luckily, I know a couple that shouldn’t be as crammed. It’s like going to a lesser known store for food and drinks over a more popular supermarket. The best kept secrets can be discovered if you just look. As a native Staten Islander, I know them well. I’ll be taking advantage.

With things picking up, here is a taste of Spring from my good old YouTube channel.