“Great crises tend to bring profound social change, for good or ill. […] After the Black Death, nothing was the same,” Pomata said. “What I expect now is something as dramatic is going to happen, not so much in medicine but in economy and culture. Because of danger, there’s this wonderful human response, which is to think in a new way.” — (How Pandemics Wreak Havoc—and Open Minds)

I seem to recall a few courses in European History during my school days but I’m pretty sure they didn’t give much space to the Black Death. Interesting days ahead here in the USofA.

noun: the ups and downs of a pandemic. One day you’re loving your bubble, doing work outs, baking banana bread and going for long walks and the next you’re crying, drinking gin for breakfast and missing people you don’t even like.

When you hear someone you love and think is smart and literate say Oh it’s no big deal if I catch the virus, say “I love you and you’re smart and literate, and please read this story, because you’re wrong about it not being a big deal.”

The virus is hidden inside of me. I feel its force and power. My body aches. Cold knots snarl in my calves and my thighs; my back feels frozen; shivers ripple up my arms. By the time I reach the birdbath, I’m sweating in the soft breeze. I close my eyes. The hardest part is taking the next breath. I must breathe very, very slowly, in a very specific way. Breathing has become like remaining steady on a balance beam over a dark pit.

Perfect example of save my life story-telling. (An essay by Heather Sellers)

“If 80% of Americans Wore Masks, COVID-19 Infections Would Plummet.” Good, hard science. If you’re not wearing a mask, I don’t want to be within 20 feet of you. Stay the fuck away.