Entry Two Hundred Twenty-Eight.
Tuesday, 2020.05.23, 11:53 AM CST.
A global pandemic, projects aplenty, and just staying home.
Current Mood:  A little bummed out but determined and hanging in there.
Current Scent:  New York '55, from a sample, by 4160 Tuesdays.

I hope you're all holding up okay.  Well, most of you.

There are a few people whom I just wish would get COVID-19 and be ended.

Some of them might be reading this very post right now... and they know who they are.

But for most of you... yeah, I hope you're doing okay.

LIVING IN THE DAYS OF THE 'RONA...

For those of you who may be reading this in the far-off future:  Congratulations.  Are things less crazy yet?  I'm writing this during the beginning of a global coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic.  It's been going on for a few months at this point, but trust me when I say that it's going to be going on for a long, long time.  So, yes, we're still in the beginning, and you can thank society for keeping it going as long as possible.

Let me go ahead and get a few things out of the way, in case you're curious:

•  I am VERY fortunate in that I am able to work from home for my "day job."  I was already doing so most of the time before the pandemic.
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•  If you're having to leave your home to do your job near other people, whether you're a medical professional or a fast-food worker, I have a ton of sympathy for you.  Stay as safe as you can, please.
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•  When I leave the house to go pretty much anywhere at which I'll possibly be near other people, I bring a mask along and I fucking wear it.  I do this because I'm considerate for the health of others.  You should be, too.
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•  If you're going to stores, gatherings, restaurants, or anywhere else where you're going to be around a lot of people, you should consider wearing a mask, lest you end up looking like a selfish asshole.

From the looks of things, we have a lot of people in Tulsa who fit the categories of "I'm too good to wear a mask," "I'm healthy so I'm not wearing a mask," "Wearing a mask infringes upon my constitutional right to spread a plague around," "Putting a strap of elastic around each of my ears constitutes too much effort," etc., etc.  I avoid going into stores unless it's necessary, but when I've been out picking up orders... I'd say that over 50% of the people I see are not wearing masks.  So, that's certainly helpful.  You know, from the disease's point of view.

And no - the masks aren't perfect, and not everybody is able to get their hands on a proper N95 mask.  I don't have an N95 yet.  But, even a cloth mask is better than nothing, and the longer that we have a bunch of yahoos wandering around like everything's okay and this pandemic isn't anything to worry about...  well, the longer we're all going to have to deal with it.

And thus, my sympathies for those who are refusing masks and raising a stink about it because "MUH RIGHTS" have pretty much been launched firmly into the toilet.  Science is a real thing, boys and girls - and this disease really doesn't give a shit what you think your "rights" are.

It's not that hard.  Wear a damn mask.

And if any of you are reading this and have gotten "offended" or decided that I'm a socialist/pinko/commie/nazi/lefty liberal scum etc. because I want you to wear a simple mask when you walk into stores... please know that all e-mail and messages of complaint/insult will be cheerfully ignored (unless I choose to use them for public ridicule), and any long lectures about how "wrong" I am will be a solid waste of your typing time.  Simply use your cherished "rights" and don't come back to my site, never hire me as a DJ, don't listen to my music streams, and don't come to my events.  Nobody's forcing you!  Okay?  Okay.  Simple as that.

As for the rest of you... let's continue.

PLENTY TO KEEP ME BUSY.

I've got SO much going on these days, it's not even funny.

My first novel is still in the works, and I add a bit more to it every now and then.  I really, really want to get it completed and published by the end of the year.  But, we'll see.  I'm not posting about the subject matter just yet, but I would say that if you're a fan of Chuck Palahniuk, Quentin Tarantino, and/or Kevin Smith... you'll probably enjoy the book.  I'll keep writing and posting updates.

I've been updating my studio/home office area quite a bit.  I'll have some pictures up soon, but once it's all finished up, one will definitely be able to walk into the office and say, "This definitely belongs to Badger."  Among the items decorating the room at this time are massive posters of Johnny Cash and Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins version), the folded-up flag that was draped over my father's coffin at his funeral, vintage film posters for The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) and Stephen Sayadian's Dr. Caligari (1989), the first and second computers my family owned (my TRS-80 Color Computer from 1982 and my Apple IIe from 1985), the eerie portait of Jesus on black velvet from my late grandparents' dining room, and a ceramic "Pac-Man" windchime that my late mother hand-painted long, long ago.  I cherish all of these items and having them around brings me comfort.

Also, I've been messing around on Mixcloud Live a lot recently.  I'll post more about that shortly.  That's been a lot of fun and it gives me an outlet for DJing that is in many ways preferable to doing actual in-person events.

Anyway... other than all of that, I'm staying home, trying to stay in shape/get into better shape, and just enjoying life as much as I can.

More soon.  Very soon.

Badger

The views/thoughts expressed above, just like every other view expressed on my site, are mine as an individual.  They do not necessarily reflect or agree with the views of any company for which I work, nor any company for which I've ever worked, nor any company that I own.