Relatively fine, anyway. It’s hardly been a day, but it’s time for another post on this whole pandemic thing. Mostly because it’s hard to avoid.
Everything is shutting down, basically. People are holing up in their homes, surrounded by the mountains of toilet paper they’ve hoarded from Costco.
Multiple cruise lines have shut down for 60 days. The NBA is suspending its season after a player tested positive. The NHL, just about to start the playoffs, is also suspending the rest of its season. Major league baseball is on hold. NASCAR? Nope! The Juno Awards, E3, major events by Google and Microsoft have been cancelled. It’s assumed that soon Apple will announce its annual WWDC event will be set aside this year.
There are travel bans all over, bans against large gatherings, restrictions on visiting elderly relatives in assisted living homes.
The stock markets are melting down, but they are silly and irrational at the best of times, so no real surprise there.
Even Prime Minister Trudeau is self-isolating for 14 days as he awaits his wife’s test results.
Trump has been in contact with lots of people who could easily have transmitted the virus to him, but claims he is fine. He made an address to the American people last night, which some teenager edited down to 36 seconds of heavy breathing and the clip is both awesome and terrifying.
my teenage daughter edited together a version of trump's address with only heavy breathing moments and I honestly don't think I've ever been prouder of her
— ??????? (@schnd) March 12, 2020
parental discretion advised @dyl_seidel pic.twitter.com/m8U8B1ZMcK
Oddly, the only real impact on me directly so far is the postponement of our semi-annual all-hands IT meeting (roughly 50-60 people in one room, with a buffet-style lunch). I’m wondering what will happen when it’s inevitably discovered that an employee or student at the college has COVID-19.
Fun times.
Note to self: I’m setting up a calendar reminder to update this post one year from now, on March 12, 2021, assuming civilization is still standing. Let’s see what happens over the next 12 months!
UPDATE, March 14, 2022: Yes, I missed updating this post a year later, but here's a link to the post of March 12, 2021, which is a pair of drawing prompts featuring ANGRY and FURIOUS. It kind of works anyway.
