My life did become a bit busy as I predicted previously. I had scheduled posts in advance but did read your comments as I moderated them, found them stimulating, though I did not take time to add my own views as I usually do when I publish them.
I appreciated concentrating more of my time on the activities with which I became involved. Some issues I was experiencing were resolved which I welcomed -- some major, some merely pesky little ones needing intervention, and some unanticipated new ones to hassle, all together reaching close to overwhelming proportions it felt like. Even now more have arisen.
My son was able to visit to assist me, also in initiating some long overdue "right-sizing" in my house. We filled a special trash/recycle bin for starters. I continue the process since his departure as I had been gradually doing on my own in recent years with just the usual smaller weekly bins.
Of course, there are sorting items for shredding, donation, other special dispositions. As usual, there are always more issues requiring my attention along with some that seem to unexpectedly emerge, but they can be more readily integrated into my daily activities now. These efforts seem like so much more because I'm slower than in years past, I think.
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I'm pondering the pros and cons of getting this second Covid booster shot though I've tended to think I would wait until Fall. I'll monitor what science information is forthcoming about the efficacy of taking this new booster sooner since I don't really experience a lot of situations and other people that might expose me to the virus whatever the variant.
Still, reportedly, this latest variation is much more contagious even if the illness is not more serious for those who have been vaccinated plus had the first booster shot as I have. More viral variations can always surface sooner or later as they seem to be doing.
Why don't people just use common sense, critical thinking, and judgment weighing science reports and health officials recommendations? Instead they complain of being confused, tend to blame officials for not telling them specifically what to do in this evolving ever-changing situation the virus dictates. This virus situation often seems like a "kill the messenger" reaction by some people.
It really is a tragic circumstance for all of us trying to protect one another to think that if more people had cooperated for preventative measures with vaccines, masking, etc., our nation could have had a higher percentage of more virus-resistant people but most significantly less deaths -- even today.
Possibly we could well have circumvented this virus continuing to be such a threat in our country on a permanent yearly basis. Perhaps even more tragic are all those countries that still don't even have some of the basic vaccines and medications in quantities available here and in a few other nations.
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California is destined to another drought year weather authorities tell us as our so-called wet season, which has been quite dry, ends. Our water shortage is such that we likely are going to incur having mandatory usage limits since voluntary cutbacks have been insufficient.
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Putin's Russian army unable to overwhelm Ukrainian's forces in the manner they expected have withdrawn in some areas, leaving behind boobytraps and bombs to kill the innocent. Wherever possible they also seem to be increasing slaughter of the helpless citizens, women, children, old people and their homes. That once proud Russian nation fought against Hitler's Nazis and now emulates them in too many ways while their leader lies to the citizens.
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Have you read any good banned books lately?
PBS Newshour -- Book Banning
Seems to be a lot of book banning going on in parts of our country -- along with efforts to suppress voting under the guise of false claims alleging election fraud. Amazing the number of people who continue to believe these sensoring extremists, lie mongers and conspiracists.
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Maybe you have some thoughts on your mind to share here?
I have taken my second vaccination shot and am scheduled to take the booster shot next week. With my other health issues, I simply cannot afford to take any chances.
ReplyDeleteA book Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie is banned in India and I wanted to read it to see why it was banned. A visiting friend from the UK kindly got one copy for me and I found it as interesting a read as all Rushdie's other books and am yet to find out the reason for the ban. Even the officially stated reason that it is likely to hurt Muslim sentiments in India sounds hollow to me.
That’s wise, I agree, to get both vaccination shots, then the first booster, all of which I’ve had. Now that they’re offering a second booster shot for older people and those with special medical needs here in the U.S., that’s the shot I’m debating about taking now or later.
DeleteI recall when Rushdie’s book was published and all the uproar that occurred with the Muslim banning, threats against him. I’ve never read it but understand the Muslim allegation was it was blasphemous. Interesting to read your assessment after reading the book.
So glad you had help from your son. Right sizing is so needed and I am merely pecking away at it. Need to get serious and oh my the shredding I need to do.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope the sane can stop the voter suppression in our country.
I feel for so sorry the Russian people being roped into following this madman. I am almost positive if upon learning the truth and given the choice, the soldiers would all head home.
Yes, my son's help met a lot. My right-sizing is a very gradual process, too. Shredding I haven't even gotten to -- just accumulating what needs doing. Much more to do little by little.
DeleteI've had my second booster in January. The easiest of the four jabs.
ReplyDeleteHave a read here:
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-1478439/v1
"This retrospective cohort study included all members of Clalit Health Services, aged 60 to 100, eligible for the second-booster. Mortality due to Covid-19 among participants who received the second-booster was compared with participants who received one booster dose. A Cox proportional-hazards regression model with time-dependent covariates was used to estimate the association between the second-booster and death due to Covid-19 while adjusting for demographic factors and coexisting illnesses. A total of 563,465 participants met the eligibility criteria. Of those, 328,597 (58%) received a second-booster dose during the 40-day study period. Death due to Covid-19 occurred in 92 second-booster recipients and in 232 participants who received one booster dose (adjusted hazard ratio 0.22; 95% confidence interval 0.17 to 0.28). This study demonstrates a substantial reduction in Covid-19 mortality by the second-booster in eligible subjects."
Thanks Sabine, I hadn't read any of the specifics about the research and comparisons after the 2nd booster shot. There are quite a sizable number of participants and the reduction in Covid-19 mortality after the second-booster is impressive.
DeleteCertainly does seem reason to take that 2nd booster sooner rather than later.
Received my second Moderna booster a few days ago, on the same day it became available. Didn't need to make an appointment. Just walked into the pharmacy and filled out the forms. Didn't even need my COVID proof card. They simply looked me up on their computer and gave me a sticker to attach to my COVID proof card. My arm was not as sore as before but I did feel tired and out of sorts the day after I received the shot. My arm is a little bit itchy now but otherwise I feel well.
ReplyDeleteI re-read Beloved recently. It has long been on my list of favorite books. It was even better than I remembered. My mother was in the midst of reading Salman Rushdie's book at the time of her death. After her death, I found it at her bedside. I've yet to read it. Someday.
April is my month for going through all my belongings and letting go of what I no longer need. I'm surprised each year I do this.
The sorrow of war continues.
Good for you getting your second booster and having such little after effects. I've not read either of those books though they probably are good reads -- perhaps one day. That's admirable that you sort through your belongings yearly, one I should adopt once I finish what I'm doing.
DeleteRe right-sizing, Jenny and I still live in a fairly large house that may eventually prove too much for us to maintain, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. We certainly don't want to give up all this space, including a lovely garden, until there's no alternative!
ReplyDeleteWhat's happening to Ukraine is one long horror story. The death and destruction is unbelievable, but other countries don't want to do anything that might lead to a third world war. I read today that the scale of sexual assault and rape by Russian troops is massive.
Enjoy your house and garden as long as you're able. What is happening in Ukraine is horrendous. People have to kill or be killed to stop the killing -- insanity. We've been down this road before.
DeleteI'm proud that I've taught a great many banned books. And very glad that I'm no longer in the classroom during such a fascist time. I'm stunned and outraged at the rise of this far-right bullying. The world is unrecognizable to me.
ReplyDeleteGood for you and the books you’ve taught to stimulate students thinking. These are worrisome times with so much censorship.
DeleteI, too, am waiting to take my 2nd booster especially since it may not be effective against the BA2 variant.
ReplyDeleteI would hope a new booster will soon be available to be more effective against BA2, but the current booster reportedly does lessen any sickness should the recipient contract the virus.
DeleteOf all your thoughts and words the line I like best that you wrote is ...
ReplyDelete"Have you read any good banned books lately?"
Perhaps we better read them now, or we may be deprived of doing so in the future -- especially if the autocracy crowd takes over our government. Could book burnings be next? Don't kid yourself if you think that's impossible.
DeleteNo thoughts at all. The new therapy seems to have cleared my brain. LOL
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your post. What are you clearing out?
Much to be said for having a cleared brain! I accumulated a multitude of magazines, professional journals with articles I wanted to read. I finally accepted I likely would not get to them as also have lots of unread books I am still keeping. I have items, some handmade, by my mother and MIL which must be sorted, plus clothes of mine, professional therapy materials, files and books I'll no longer use, some documents that must be shredded, a multitude of books I must sort for donation, sorting drawers and linen closets, toys that were my young children's, a variety of old luggage, possibly some furniture, probably some more items.
DeleteIf I commented on everything you've mentioned, I'd be here all night usurping your blog. I was struck by your mention of "pesky little things" needing attention. It reminded me of a day at work many years ago when simply getting a new stapler than didn't jam made my whole world brighter. Absolutely amazing what fixing that one little annoyance did for my entire outlook.
ReplyDeleteI just scheduled my second Covid booster for tomorrow (It's been almost 7 months since my first one.) I figure it can't hurt, might help (I turn 79 tomorrow). I'm assuming that come fall, we'll probably be getting more Covid shots or boosters along with our annual flu shots.
I don't need to "right size." I've already downsized into a cute little 2-bedroom ranch. But boy do I need to de-clutter! So much stuff dragged here from larger previous homes. I don't want to call it "death cleaning" but it sure needs doing.
As for your sociopolitical observations, I agree with every one.
Often I think it is those "pesky little things" piling up that undo me, so I can appreciate how resolving one, like a stapler that didn't jam, could brighten life.
DeleteI have the accumulation from when we purchased our first house, subsequently took everything with us every time we moved -- a lot of years! De-cluttering is a large part of what I'm doing, too. At one point years ago I had collected a pile of newspaper sections that had articles I wanted to read, including some recipes I wanted to cut out. My nephew came to visit, noted my ever-increasing pile and said, "Is this where old newspapers come to die, Aunt Jo?" I was motivated to stop saving those items, and disposed of those papers soon after he departed.