May my opinions gather wind under their wings and fly, perchance to soar. |
Death becomes us? Just a quickie tonight... yeah, I'm pushing it. I just want to say that I need to be reminded of this from time to time to time (repeat). 1. ignore the weather. Did I ever mention how I went outside while a tornado was passing overhead. Stupid me. Which is why I don't talk about it. Ah... Kansas. I do miss you. Four years ago I didn't realize how much smoke was in the air. Ash should've given me a clue! I left for Northern Norway where the air can be crystal clear. I immediately felt the difference but it took two weeks for my lungs to clear. I now wear a mask when the AQI is over 50 and don't go out when it's over 100. I've felt trapped inside most of the summer. I have mixed emotions about hurricane Ida deaths. Yes, each death is a tragedy, but folks were warned! A friend in New Jersey whined about how she didn't know. WTF, turn on the Weather Channel instead of binge-watching Netflix? 2. ignore danger. Did I tell you I nearly got pulled in from a riptide. I was walking alone, my friends who-know-how far behind me. It was Cahuita, Costa Rica. I was 22 years old. I nearly left a good looking corpse for Armodio and Joan. Dear Armodio. His brother fell off the train from Turriable to Limon the next year. Riptides and vehicle accidents are major causes of death of death in Costa Rica. A few years ago I met Jonas Berger from Germany at a hostel in San Jose. Very intelligent and personable young man. He wanted to protect turtles at Matapalo. He went swimming with friends. Drowned at age 18. That still bothers me. 3. ignore science. Your body is not meant to last forever. But it isn't meant to be squeezed, trampled, banged around. I was in high school when I went over the sidehorse, totally clearing it and landing on my wrists. Sprained my left wrist, broke the other arm. I was so thrilled to get out of swimming! Did you know casts itch? Ah... chemistry (drugs, poison, venom), biology (bones break, muscles pull, STDS?), physics (what goes up must come down). Vaccines have saved millions from death or worse. Older folks have horror stories about polio. This is well documented. To travel to certain areas one must be vaxxed for yellow fever. Areas prone to malaria are still hopeful that a new (2021) vax will prove effective. After almost 40 years we still wait for an HIV vax. 4. zig instead of zag This is a category that carries blame, shame, and shock. "If he wouldn't have stayed home on 9/11... if she wouldn't have been so impatient and taken the next flight... if we would've checked in on ___ before going shopping..." No one can know. I've had near misses. I could just as easily be dead. 5. muh freedom... ...to live or die. I don't have as much sympathy for stubborn or irrational people. Last I checked stupidity wasn't contagious. Although, after the last few years of conspiracy theories, that could be argued. So no. I'm no longer interested in excuses to not wear a mask or get vaxxed. I've heard them all. There are very few legitimate reasons. The rest is bullshit. Local pastors spew shit. Local politicians spit shit. Local quacks sell shit. And many of my friends eat shit. Do you know what really angers me? That my friends really don't care if their family, friends or neighbors live or die. Masks are cheap. The vax is free! But noooooooooooo... their ODD attitude is more important than their lives, my life. Received today: Make Things Happen This badge was given to you by: ruwth I definitely see you as capable of doing exactly what this badge says to do! If only... I wish. Posted in "Blogville " 812 |