When You Shouldn’t Have To Ask

What I’m Listening To:

Earlier tonight, I was at the shopping center here in Arden Heights running a errand. After I picked up Claritin for my allergies in preparation for my first allergy shot in two decades at CVS, I decided to takeout Japanese from a good restaurant in the same vicinity.

I was in the mood for soup. So, I ordered the spicy dumpling soup with two rolls. I went with my favorite eel avocado and a spicy crunchy tuna roll. It was good. Especially the soup. However, as nice a dinner as it was, that’s not what drew my attention while there.

As many know, Staten Island is currently a yellow zone due to the sudden increase in positives for COVID. New York is back to shutting down local businesses such as restaurants and bars by 10 PM. That includes gyms even though they already were. For bars and particularly restaurants, that really hurts business.

As I walked in, two women politely asked if they could sit down at a table. I mean the place was basically empty and it was just past 8:30 EST. I thought it was ridiculous. Why should they even have to ask? They’re two customers and came in wearing masks as did I. The only difference is they wanted to eat in at a table like a normal night out. Except nothing is normal these days, which is sad. How much longer will this dog and pony act go on?

I was happy they said yes to them. It was a fair request that gave the restaurant more business. Especially with things back to Phase One in Ghost Town USA. That’s my little nickname for New York. It may as well apply to New Jersey too and Pennsylvania is even worse. They are insisting that you wear masks inside at Thanksgiving. Ugh. You may as well go as Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger or Jason for the festivities a month after Halloween. Trick or Treat.

Look. I’m not suggesting that this pandemic isn’t serious. It definitely is. I’ve chastised violators in this space for not adhering to rules and regulations. The thing is I feel like we’ll never get out and be the same in NYC. Not with Dictator Governor Cuomo calling the shots. I loathe that man. I understand his job isn’t easy, but I see through the facade. Don’t be fooled. He’s not nice nor is he some Saint as they like to portray. It’s par for the course. At least he isn’t the do nothing Mayor.

New York is a great place and can be again one day. I just don’t know when that’ll be. If they keep things shutdown, the economy will never fully recover. Of course, you want to be safe from this pandemic. As they promote the vaccine they’re working on just as the President they hate more than some of the worst people in history, just remember he is a reason it’s almost ready.

Even with his many imperfections and flawed logic, Donald Trump doesn’t deserve the treatment he’s gotten from immoral hypocrites. If they could shoot him the way our (your) government killed Kennedy (sadly both JFK and then RFK) 57 years ago, they would.

That’s how messed up these people are. There are no moral standards or principles anymore. That fell out the window when Barack Obama kept mouthing off during his second term. That’s where it started. And he’s still talking a lot of nonsense which slanted networks can’t wait to air. That man is full of fluff. He wasn’t a great President. He was a good talker. He also was great for evil regimes who don’t like our country. He was good at telling jokes. He didn’t deliver on enough over his eight years. Neither did George W. Bush. A topic I’d rather not elaborate on.

Truth is something not everyone wants to accept. There are no more heroes left in Washington, DC. They’re all crooked frauds who can’t work out anything while stealing money. George Carlin said it best. This is the best we can do. Garbage in and garbage out. At least Bill Clinton was exactly what he said. We like our bull crap in plain view. And even with his flaws, he was a better President than anyone since the 21st Century began.

So, here we are. Nowhere better than we were in March. As I said a while ago to friends, COVID-19 wasn’t going anywhere. Unfortunately, the increase means that a second wave is here. They at least have a better handle on how to deal with it. But it sure is tough. Imagine what an average day must be like for emergency workers. They’re the true heroes everyday. The ones putting themselves at risk while doing a great job taking care of patients in crowded hospitals.

As for the people who frequent establishments, please do so while listening to the rules which include wearing masks and social distancing. If you’re one of the rare people who eat out inside a restaurant, you just made their day. They can use the extra business. It’s essential for their survival.

I wonder how much more of this they can take. Some places have constructed outdoor tents to draw customers. It’s creative and helps improve business. That’s if you have enough room to do so. However, you must be closed by 10 PM. There are no exceptions.

I’d like to think eventually, things will turn around as they did once before. Back in mid-September when I went to Wolfe’s Pond Park twice, I knew we were doomed. The park was packed with hardly anyone social distancing and no masks. I social distanced. But never went back because I knew what would happen. I guess people wanted to enjoy themselves on what were great late summer days. I understand. It’s not easy for anyone. People want to do things. It gets boring rather quickly.

So, where will we go from here? Well, we are just over a week away from Turkey Day. I’ll be staying home with family. That’s all I can do. And you know what. That’s plenty. Maybe if the weather cooperates, I’ll go outside for a bit. Or for a ride. That’s about all we can do.

For the many families who can still have a get together of over 10 people, I say go for it. Just don’t go too far over the CDC limit. Please practice social distancing. But if you want to see loved ones you hardly get to see during the year, why not. As long as you use caution and common sense, then go right ahead. I know I would if I could.

Oh well. I definitely miss those days. Family means everything in life. So do friends. Without it, we’d go crazy. Especially now. I hope everyone is good out there. See you all later.

Peace and Love.

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.

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.