When Beauty Is Gifted To Your Son and You're Lucky Enough He Just Might Share It With You

I was up at 7 a.m. yesterday and very surprised my mailman was, too. He delivered three packages and I figured one would be a book for me. Actually, a Patriot's face-mask also arrived for me, but as a gift to Chitunga.

The other box, a big one, was for Chitunga from the Louisville grandparents: a bottle of Wilderness Trail bourbon and two bourbon glasses Sue picked up in the Czech Republic for just the right person (which she decided was Chitunga). Chitunga's Czech-Chill. I thought she was sending bagels, so I was surprised to see such wonderful fanciness (with hope that he'd say, "I think we should open this tonight").

I finally finished Kendi's How to Be An Anti-Racist, and love the melodic way in which he reads his work. I also am challenged by his thinking, and moved towards new angles and understanding. I also pulled out my calculator today, after hearing from many that COVID-19 is no different than the flu, and that this has been a tremendous overreaction by the media. I read a piece by an ex-nurse, now mortician, claiming there's no reason for a mask, that this is all exaggerated and hyped for political reasons.

Fine. Everything is political. Everything is hyped. Still, beyond opinion and reaction, there has to be facts, no?

So I spent some time to read comparisons and find out for myself. On average, 56,210 people die each year from the flu or flu-related illnesses (more than I ever realized). That makes for approximately 154 people a day. This noted, 1,554 people died yesterday of Covid-19.  I believe a case can be made that Covid-19, whatever it is, is causing more havoc than the flu. Could it be worse? Yes. Could it be better? Of course. And we are lucky it isn't more extreme. These numbers, too, are the result of two months with social isolation. I suppose if this didn't occur the numbers would be higher. Almost twice as many people die of gun shots each day in the United States than from the flu, or 114,245 people a year (this includes death from suicide). That's a whole other debate. In my dimwitted head, it appears that, yes, Covid-19 has more potency than the common flu season.

I don't trust humans and I have respect for nature, so that's the quandary of 2020. News agencies will have us believing a billion different things, but for me, I go to medical sites, medical reports, and peer-reviewed analysis to make sense for what it best for me and those I love most. It's not fun, but we're respecting the science and our own interpretations of what the numbers tell us. If others want to put the wellbeing and health of their families on the line, then so be it. I also believe in freedom.  That's on them.

Finally, Two Towers. We hit movie number two last night. Nothing can break this work-a-holic from his computer faster than a kid's sudden interest in Tolkien.

Even wizards have their flaws.

Oh, yeah. One more thing - never, ever, ever eat the yellow sauce Edem leaves in the refrigerator to cover rice and beans. Well, don't eat his sauce (our sauce is fine). I think lava poured into my mouth, stomach, and intestines, and if I don't make it through the night, it is because of him. Holy hot peppers, Batman. That is not healthy at all. And I thought the Indian restaurant in Monroe was toxic. Phew. Edem about killed us.