Shopping During the Apocalypse
While looking for something else, I stumbled upon this piece I wrote going on four years ago. It holds together, so I thought I would share it even though its current relevance is questionable. It was written in April of 2020. Consider it an historical document. :0)
I admit it. I’ve gone shopping during our state’s (California) lockdown. For groceries; only groceries. It’s difficult to lay in a month or so’s supply of perishables like bananas (which my youngest thrives on), eggs, and milk. Things like that.
In the past, B.C.V., before Corona Virus, shopping for us was pretty ad hoc. Although we made lists, we had separate ones for Trader Joe’s, Vons, and Smart & Final. We also shopped occasionally at Sprout’s, Stater Brothers, Ralph’s, and a local mom and pop called Green Acres. We would go at least three, sometimes four times a week to pick up fresh produce, dairy, and re-stock our cupboard and freezer. Actually, I forgot to mention Costco which, last time I went (just before the State was locked down) was a freaking nightmare.
So, I’m now basically shopping only once a week, but there are some things we’d like to have available that generally aren’t carried by all of the stores, which is why we normally go to more than one during any given week. This is making it a bit difficult to hold down the trips to only one. In the past week, I went three times.
Inasmuch as I’m nearly 73 years old and have numerous comorbidities (none of which are acute, but they’re active and I take meds for two of them) I’m reluctant to leave the house. However, I’m even more reluctant to expose my wife or daughters to the danger of infection. My oldest has had lung issues when she was a toddler and my understanding is the disease can leave survivors with impaired lung function. I would rather risk my health than hers . . . or my other daughter’s . . . I’ve had a wonderfully rich, often exciting life and they’ve got a long way to go. My wife’s lungs are worse than mine, so I don’t have to balance anything with the decision for her to stay indoors.
I was pleased last week to find that Trader Joe’s, like most local markets, was reserving one hour each morning for those considered more vulnerable. The way they have approached it is to form two lines; one for the elderly, immuno-compromised, and pregnant women (they say nothing about pregnant men; guess that would be another story!) and one for everyone else. They only allow twenty shoppers at a time in the store so, each time the 20 who were shopping are finished, a worker sends in 10 from each line. Last week I was handed a disinfectant wipe upon entry, which I used to clean the cart handle and my hands.
The store was stocked to the gills. I had never seen it so full of just about everything they normally carry. Lots of fresh veggies and fruits, frozen food almost spilling out of the cases, eggs fully loaded, and plenty of dairy, meat, etc. Lots of alcohol as well. I was in and out in about 15 minutes. The lack of crowding means it’s easy to maintain distance from other shoppers. It also makes checking out go quickly and smoothly.
This past Monday, when I returned for my weekly trip, I wasn’t handed a wipe, though I’ve become adept at not touching my face until I return home, unpack and put away the groceries, and ever so thoroughly wash my hands . . . after which I can scratch every damned phantom itch that was plaguing me from the moment I entered the store! I also wore a mask this time, which I found in the garage. It’s an N95, which I purchased about a year ago, when I was doing some woodworking and needed to ensure I wasn’t inhaling sawdust as I was sanding my project. I did feel a wee tad guilty about having the kind of mask that HCWs are having a hard time finding these days, but I got over it.
SCOTUS would be crazy not to rule in favor of Smith.
I see the speed with which the Supreme Court has accepted Jack Smith’s request for a hearing on the issue of Presidential Immunity in the January 6 prosecution of Trump as a golden opportunity to cement their “supremacy”, and create a modicum of good will at the same time. It’s kind of a Marbury v. Madison moment for not only the court, but for the entire judicial system.
Maybe they’ll cave, but I think the odds of their taking the opportunity to make a major consequential decision that will inure to the benefit of the judicial system (and the nation) are high.
After I posted the foregoing to Threads, a friend offered his opinion that Clarence Thomas would side with Trump, adding “for starters”. I responded as follows:
Actually, no, I don’t. I suspect he might. There’s lots of evidence to suggest he would do that, but there are long-term, historical reasons why this is a deeply historical opportunity for the court to strengthen the ruling of Marbury v. Madison. If you’re not familiar with the ruling, Britannica explains:
“Marbury v. Madison is important because it established the power of judicial review for the U.S. Supreme Court and lower federal courts with respect to the Constitution and eventually for parallel state courts with respect to state constitutions.“
I may be wrong – perhaps crazy – but what remaining legal spidey sense I have (it’s been over 47 years since I graduated law school) tells me this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to further cement the court’s power to be the final say in matters of constitutionality.
It doesn’t have to be unanimous, though I believe there are powerful and important reasons for the court to rule en banc.
If they pass up this opportunity to strengthen the position (and power) of the court to rule on the constitutionality of both legislative and executive acts, as well as make a decision that seems – prima facie – in line with our country’s stated objectives for existing, I would be surprised. Not necessarily shocked, as they are dominated by RWNJs. However, I think they could write a decision that could conceivably be as momentous as that of Marbury v. Madison. Furthermore, from a political perspective, I think such a decision would serve to blunt some of the criticism certain members of the court have been receiving, though it should in no way negate the egregious performances of those who have accepted bribes from wealthy patrons. That should NEVER go away!
A Memory Of The Takeis
Five years ago many of the women on my wife Linda’s side (they’re a large majority) gathered at the studio of famous photographer Toyo Miyatake, now run by his grandson, for some group photos. While wandering around playing the role of 8th wheel as her immediate family posed for pics, I came across a photo montage Mr. Miyatake had taken at George Takei’s wedding to Brad Altman. I took a photo of it as its rarity was obvious and I had my Apple tricorder, er, iPhone with me.
A year and a half later we went to the Ricardo Montalbán theater* in Hollywood to see (and hear) “Uncle George” discuss his new book “They Called Us Enemy” about life in the Japanese internment camps during WWII. Linda’s parents and older sister were imprisoned for two years in Colorado (Amache).
As we were in line, slowly climbing the stairs to purchase the book and have it autographed, Brad came up behind us and introduced himself. He graciously – nay, enthusiastically – agreed to pose for us. I didn’t get to meet Brad’s husband, but Linda did … and I got this photo of them.
*I didn’t get the Khanection with the theater at the time. I was focused on the connection between his experience and that of Linda’s family.
50s Kitchen Chic
This photo and its caption were posted by a friend on FB. I both commented on it and shared it with my FB friends, saying: “This is a Mom kitchen to me. I never knew my paternal grandparents and my maternal grandparents lived with us. Our kitchen wasn’t precisely like this, but it was similar. We had a ‘breakfast nook’ that was partially built-in and, if memory serves, it was turquoise and pink, which was all the rage in the 50s. My strongest memory is of eating breakfast and listening to my mother’s favorite radio show, Don McNeill’s Breakfast Club, which originated in Chicago, where both my parents were born and raised.”
I actually grew up in three different places. Panorama City from a year and a half old until I was seven. Then Palms (West L.A.) for a year, then North Hollywood on the border of Sun Valley until I left home. Although I frequently noted my disappointment my family issues couldn’t be resolved in a half hour like Donna Reed’s did, I really had a great childhood, all things considered. I consider myself luck; some may say privileged … and they’d get no argument from me. Hardly wealthy, yet reasonably comfortable.
I Was Just Passing The Time
When I first ended up at Rocketdyne (it was serendipity, not a conscious move) I was gobsmacked knowing I was working on the Space Shuttle Main Engine program, with bonafide rocket scientists and engineers. It was 1987, almost exactly one year since Challenger exploded and I was working on the FMEA/CIL (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis/Critical Items List) in anticipation of the shuttle’s return to flight. There were frequent dead times while I waited for an engineer/scientist to bring me their work so I could input it into the format we were using to present the information.
I was just going through a folder I found stashed away that’s chock full of some of the things I created back then while I was bored. Keep in mind we only had dot matrix printers and early IBM PCs. I’m pretty sure we were using IBM XTs running Intel 8088 processors. Anyway, here’s one of the things I put together to assuage my boredom back then.
An Aging Update
So, I think I owe it to at least some of my friends to report on the results of all this doctor shit I’ve been doing. Here ’tis.
I have been dealing with an autoimmune skin condition known as Granuloma Annulare (GA) for at least a year and a half, more likely two years. I have been treating it with phototherapy for the past five months and it seems to be somewhat efficacious. Just when I thought the raised, sometimes itchy, sometimes painful lesions were the best it had to offer, a new “side-effect”, possibly a “companion” condition began to emerge about a month or so ago. I’m now experiencing joint swelling, stiffness, and pain in my knees, my ankles, my wrists and occasionally, at least one elbow. Did I mention my fingers?
I can’t definitively make a correlation between the GA and the joint pains which, by the way, generally appear and disappear fairly suddenly.
So Kaiser wanted me to see my GP for possible referral to a rheumatologist. That’s what I was up to yesterday at the Simi Valley office. Stay tuned.
Today I went to see my cardiologist, now a routine part of my overall health regimen given he implanted a pacemaker in me six months ago and he likes to keep track of his work. Pacemaker’s working as expected. Heart is working on its own more than I expected.
Saturday I’m having my first echocardiogram and I’m giddy with excitement and anticipation. Hope I don’t embarrass myself. 
Bottom line, I have issues (who doesn’t at 76?) but I’m still enjoying life, especially as my girls are really beginning to spread their wings. I’m hoping the future holds a few more years of “adulting” in store for me.
Fani Flames Gym
Just finished reading Fani Willis’s response to Jim Jordan’s ill-conceived attempt to bully her into backing off of her RICO J6 investigation/prosecution. She flames him at least a half dozen times while refuting every position he asserted in his previous demand letter sent to her on August 24.
While it was an eminently enjoyable read given the disgust I feel, and the disdain I have, for the congressman, Fani’s (or her staff’s) approach is readable and succinct. If you ignore the numerous citations—which I would only research if I was intent on answering her letter, which I’m not—the points made are clear, concise, and to-the-point. That she occasionally takes him to the woodshed is a lagniappe.
Don’t take my word for it, read it yourself. Feel free to download it. I’m also including the original letter sent by Jordan to DA Willis for your reading pleasure (see below).
For My Epitaph
I came across this poem a couple of years ago and shared it on Facebook. It just came back as one of my “memories” and I was a bit stunned to realize I had completely forgotten about it. I’ve thought about (and written about on occasion) death, though it was always kind of philosophical; musings on mortality if you will.
However, given the health issues I’ve experienced in the past nearly nine months, I’ve begun thinking seriously about the inevitable. The other day I made my oldest daughter my legacy contact for everything Apple and I have a lot more to get done in the next few months. I also told my wife I thought this poem would be nice to read if there’s any kind of memorial service conducted after my death. I’m also including the introductory comments from the person who originally shared it.
Since it is an optional reading in the Reform Jewish liturgy recited before the Mourner’s Kaddish, and I was raised as a Conservative Jew, I’d never encountered it. I find it breathtaking. Hope it resonates.
”Every once in a while, a poem or song is so well constructed, so clearly conveys the authors meaning and is so precisely expressive that it becomes something of an anthem. The poem below, Epitaph, was written by Merrit Malloy and as one of those poems, has become a staple of funeral and memorial services…for good reason.”
Epitaph – By Merrit Malloy
When I die
Give what’s left of me away
To children
And old men that wait to die.
And if you need to cry,
Cry for your brother
Walking the street beside you.
And when you need me,
Put your arms
Around anyone
And give them
What you need to give to me.
I want to leave you something,
Something better
Than words
Or sounds.
Look for me
In the people I’ve known
Or loved,
And if you cannot give me away,
At least let me live on in your eyes
And not your mind.
You can love me most
By letting
Hands touch hands,
By letting bodies touch bodies,
And by letting go
Of children
That need to be free.
Love doesn’t die,
People do.
So, when all that’s left of me
Is love,
Give me away.
I’ll see you at home
In the earth.
Hot Diggity
Perfect hurriquake lunch. Hoffy all-beef, natural casing hot dog, Francisco seeded bun, Gulden’s spicy brown mustard, Hormel chili (no beans), Trader Joe’s Mexican cheese blend, and freshly chopped onion.
I’m calling this a cHilary dog.
Systems Savvy 