Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog May 2026

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. May was the fastest month of 2026. The COVID-19 headline was some people qualify for COVID-19 era IRS tax refunds which must be filed before Jul 10. Ebola outbreaks in the African countries Democratic Republic Of Congo and Uganda.

Tue May 5. Shopped at Nob Hill first thing in the morning.

The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) blocked a publication supporting vaccine safety for COVID-19 and shingles. Scientists analyzed millions of patient records. The serious side effects were very rare. Vaccines saved millions of lives. The publication was blocked because the author's conclusions didn't support the data. The conclusions were flawed.

Thur May 7. Errands at Bank Of America, AAA, Microcenter, and Barnes & Noble.

The USA monitored US residents who traveled the MV Hondius cruise ship. Arizona, California, Georgia, Texas, and Virginia reported travelers aboard the ship. No symptoms shown. No cases documented.

Three people died, three suspected infections, and five other confirmed cases at the MV Hondius. The outbreak started at a birdwatching expedition from Argentina to Cape Verde.

Dutch Health Ministry officials said a flight attendant working with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines was hospitalized and tested for Hantavirus. A Dutch woman died after contracting the Hantavirus being a passenger on the flight from Johannesburg, South Africa to Amsterdam.

The Hantavirus is a rodent-borne virus; in particular, the Andes virus strain can transmit human-to-human. The virus starts with flu-like symptoms including fever, fatigue, muscle aches, diarrhea, and vomiting. The virus can be severe. The virus can be a deadly respiratory infection. There is no vaccine. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) said the death rate is between 30% and 40%.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said risk to the general public is low. There is no global outbreak. The incubation period is up to six weeks.

Wed May 13. CIA whistleblower James Erdman III testified at the Senate Homeland Security Committee. He said Dr. Anthony Fauci influenced intelligence about the origins of COVID-19 at a laboratory in China. There was a cover up. The virus leaking from a lab was downplayed. The intelligence focused on animals being the origin.

Fri May 15. Shopped at Lucky first thing in the morning. All the people who wore masks were Asians.

Sun May 17. Shopped at Costco. Nobody wore masks. I continued wearing my two masks.

Thur May 21. I watched part of the Paul McCartney interview to the end of the last The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

Sun May 24. Shopped at Nob Hill.

Wed May 27. Thunderstorms with pea sized hail.

Sat May 30. Ate lunch at The Olive Garden.

Baby Wipes

Baby wipes should be a top invention included with plumbing, freon, internet, light bulb, soap, and coffee. Consider other names for baby wipes. Call them poo poo wipes. Call them save people's butts. Children use them. Adults use them. Remove the sweat. Remove the grim. Remove the slime. Remove the dirt. Remove the poop. Instant clean. Instant freshness. Bring them for vacations. Bring them for emergencies. Baby wipes can minimize uncomfortableness. Baby wipes can help people fall asleep faster.

My Last Homeward Bounds

Today's blog is the first time I said the words "Homeward Bound." My last two homeward bounds were O'Conner Hospital in Apr 2017 and Zion National Park in Sep 2016. The O'Conner Hospital was a short homeward bound. I was diagnosed with Acute Gallstone Pancreatitis. I was an inpatient for five days and four nights requiring two surgeries Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography which removed gallstones and Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy which removed my gallbladder in two days. My parents drove me home. We stopped at a Walgreens for a prescription. The pharmacy closed in ten minutes. I choose to fill the prescription at another drug store the next day. I went to sleep immediately when we arrived home. My total sleep time was 12 hours. My dad picked up my prescription.

The Zion National Park homeward bound I flew from Las Vegas, NV to San Jose, CA. My cousin organized a day hike at The Subway Bottom Up. It was my most strenuous hike. My cousin chose to stay at a hotel outside Las Vegas because the price was cheaper and less night time driving from Zion National Park. It was easier to drive from Utah to Las Vegas in the daytime. My flight was delayed because Southwest needed to change pilots. Everyone received a credit voucher with a due date to compensate for the delay.

I Didn't Get Sick On Thur Jan 8, 2026

I went shopping inside a mall to exchange a Christmas gift I didn't want. I exited the store I exchanged the gift. I walked inside the mall heading to the exit. A man walking towards me coughed multiple times without covering his mouth approximately three feet away. I detoured away from the man. I felt phlegm in my throat immediately. I swallowed multiple times. I wore two masks.

I felt mucus down my throat multiple times later in the day. I feared I got sick. I didn't panic. I drank a can of Coke for lunch and a can of Coke for dinner. I exercised at home with a limited workout due to a left tricep muscle injury. There was no point not doing any exercises. I was still healthy. I took advantage before I got sick.

Furthermore, the air was dry. The temperature range was the mid 60s and the upper 30s. My body is weak when my body adapts to a big temperature range.

I'm lucky. I woke up on Fri Jan 9 without a sore throat. No symptoms of a stomach flu. No symptoms of RSV. No symptoms of potential COVID-19. Maybe it was allergies. Maybe my body falsely overreacted. Maybe the COVID-19 vaccine prevented my sickness. I wear new masks as a precaution even though the masks I wore on Thur Jan 8 were in good condition.

First Time Observation Pics To Remember

Blogger's Note: May is pic month. I'm catching up posting pics from my smart phone. Enjoy!

$9.88 for gas. I saw a fire insurance company fulfilling their obligations. Japanese Miffy bunnies and gashapons. Automotive maintenance pics to remember. There are many Star Wars novels. I got sick in Jul 2024 which was not COVID-19. A falling down pic to remember.

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog April 2025

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. The slow Mar month increased speed to the fastest Apr month for 2025.

Wed Apr 2. The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) delayed full approval of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine. The FDA wanted more data. The Novavax vaccine is a protein-based vaccine under emergency authorization use since 2022.

Mon Apr 7. Errands at REI and Nob Hill.

Tue Apr 8. Errands at REI and Smart & Final.

Fri Apr 11. Santa Clara Country Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody retired today. Dr. Sarah Rudman is the acting health officer and director of public health. Cody and other Bay Area health officers issued the first stay-at-home orders when the pandemic began.

Tue Apr 15. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) recommended ending the recommendation for Americans to get vaccinated yearly. The CDC new recommendation is vaccination based on the individual risk of contracting COVID-19. The Advisory Committee On Immunization Practices makes the final decision for the CDC. The policy change study began on Nov 2024. The change recommendation is voted on Jun 2025.

The target recommendation people are adults age 65 years and older, people with an underlying health condition, people exposed to COVID-19 patients such as health care workers, and people who wants a vaccine shot.

The World Health Organization (WHO) doesn't recommend annual COVID-19 vaccines for healthy adults under 65 or healthy children. Likewise for the countries United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.

Less than 25% of adults and less than 13% of children received a COVID-19 vaccine shot since winter 2024. The CDC said COVID-19 remains a dangerous disease causing hospitalizations and deaths.

Fri Apr 18. The Trump Administration replaced federal COVID-19 health information and testing websites with the theory the COVID-19 virus leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan, China. The new website is titled, "Lab Leak: The True Origins Of COVID-19" published by the White House. The CIA issued a report with low confidence COVID-19 came from a lab leak in Jan 2025. The Energy Department and State Department reached similar conclusions. The WHO remains open to all hypotheses. Scientists believe the virus occurred naturally in animals which spread to humans in an outbreak at the Wuhan market.

Thur Apr 24. A friend with long COVID-19 shared her health status. She's the only person I know with long COVUID-19. Her symptoms are fatigue, headaches, inconsistent sleep schedules, dizziness, and aphantasia. Aphantasia is the inability to visual objects in a brain. She's sensitive to brightness. She lost most of her hair due to scalp psoriasis.

A resting MRI on her brain the results were negative for neurological damage. She needs a functional MRI on her brain to determine treatments.

Fri Apr 25. Shopped at Smart & Final and Costco.

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog February 2025

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. Flu cases received more coverage than COVID-19. The flu rates reached a 15-year high. The shortest Shelter In-Place blog. Another slow month. The last week was the fastest week of 2025 relatively speaking.

Tue Feb 4. Ran errands at the post office, library, and Lucky's.

Wed Feb 5. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) said wastewater data aggregated there was less COVID-19 during the 2024 holidays compared to previous years. Hospitalization rates were 50% less compared to last year. 600 people died per week as of Dec 2024. 10,000 people died per week during the omicron surge in 2021.

Sat Feb 8. Ran errands at Costco, library, and Lucky's. The noon hour was easier to enter the parking lot compared to the 11am hour due to Super Bowl shopping.

Fri Feb 14. President Donald Trump signed an executive order no federal funding to schools mandating COVID-19 vaccine for students only. Teachers and staff were not affected. No states currently mandate the vaccine. The executive order was symbolic.

The CDC reported flu deaths were higher than COVID-19 deaths for the first time since the start of the pandemic. 2.6% of deaths caused by the flu and 1.4% of deaths caused by the COVID-19 virus 2025 year to date. 3.4% of deaths caused by the flu and 1.3% of deaths caused by the COVID-19 virus in CA 2025 year to date.

Mon Feb 17. Shopped at Smart & Final.

Fri Feb 21. A Chinese research team discovered the coronavirus HK US-CoV-2 or the bat coronavirus. The coronavirus can spread to humans. The research was conducted by the Wuhan Institute Of Virology, the Guangzhou Laboratory, and the Guangzhou Academy Of Sciences.

Martin Short and Maya Rudolph tested positive for COVID-19. They attended the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary SNL50: The Anniversary. Steve Martin announced a delay for his and Short's latest tour Dukes Of Funnytown Tour.

Sat Feb 22. Ate lunch at World Gourmet Buffet restaurant. Shopped at Lowe's.

Smile For One Thousand Three Hundred Dollars

My regular dental cleaning was in Dec 2024. The dentist said I needed five resins costing $1,300. The resins are a generic term. Specifically, the dentist fills in gaps between the teeth to minimize debris stuck between the teeth and gums, and minimize decay. $1,300 or $260 per tooth is expensive; on the other hand, the alternative is future gum surgery which costs higher and more inconvenience.

I went shopping afterwards. The first two retail locations were two high class malls. I thought about $1,300 dental work and $1,300 for X object(s) many stores sell. The chances of X object(s) are useless for practical uses. A $100 jacket is good as a $1,300 jacket. Almost nobody cares for a $1,300 pretty decoration on a table. I thought "a who cares he or she has it (them)" item(s) for sale in the two malls.

Consumerism at its best. Consumerism creates jobs. We don't complain on televisions, movies, clothes, toys, automobiles, and tech gadgets. We complain on food, insurance, utilities, and dental work. Some people need to re-evaluate their budgets and their priorities. A smile can earn more than $1,300 in money. Nobody wants his or her partner with bad dental hygiene during sex.

All prices increase. Higher costs. Spend wisely. It's the 2025 advice of the year.

Update On A Past Blog

Here is additional information on the blog Homeless Encampment Eviction Day Real Story written on Mar 23, 2024. The media doesn't report the real story.

Many legal homeless people receive government support such as Social Security, disabled veterans pensions, food stamps, and Medi-Cal. Some homeless people don't meet the rules for government support.

Some homeless people refuse shelters by choice. Women feels unsafe. Pets are prohibited. Must be sober. Strict curfews; for instance, homeless people with jobs and/or visit family members conflicts with the curfew. Couples must be married to be admitted together.

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog November 2024

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. Almost no COVID-19 coverage whether case numbers increased, decreased, or held steady. Post-election coverage was too much. There were more activity outdoors witnessing almost no concern of people getting COVID-19. These activities were more prevalent than the COVID-19 news articles I read.

Fri Nov 1. Shopped at Costco at the 11am hour. There was a Nissan pickup truck the driver locked his keys inside. A tow trucker driver assisted.

Costco was busy inside. There were lots of children. I retrieved a receipt dropped from a customer's pocket after I paid my groceries.

The Southwest District Health in Idaho was no longer providing COVID-19 vaccines. The regional health department appeared to be the first in the USA to restrict administering the COVID-19 vaccine. Demand declined from 1,601 people in 2021 to 64 people in 2024 year-to-date.

Tue Nov 5. I voted. I shopped at Nike afterwards.

Wed Nov 6. Donald Trump won the 2024 Presidential Election.

Fri Nov 8. Shopped at Safeway, Ross, Lucky, Costco, and Smart & Final. I went to the post office to mail letters.

Sun Nov 10. Ate at Kazoo Sushi restaurant.

Tue Nov 12. Shopped at Safeway.

Wed Nov 13. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) reported 37.6% of seniors aged 65 and older received the latest vaccine. 22.6% received the latest vaccine at the same time in 2023. 27% of nursing home residents received the latest vaccine compared to 21% at the same time in 2023.

Fri Nov 15. I worked out at the gym seeing the most people wearing masks.

A study at Northwestern University found COVID-19 shrunk or slow the growth of cancer. The COVID-19 virus triggers the immune system to kill cancer cells. More studies are planned.

Sat Nov 16. Fastest week of the year to date. Tomorrow was another Sunday in a blink of an eye as if the previous Sunday was yesterday.

Thur Nov 21. First rain storm of the season.

Shopped at Smart & Final and Lucky.

Mon Nov 25. Got gas for my car. Shopped at Walgreens, Dollar Tree, and Cost Plus World Market.

Wed Nov 27. The CDC reported nationwide the COVID-19 positivity rate is 3.6%. The rate was 10.1% the same time in 2023, 6.8% the same time in 2022, 7% the same time in 2021, and 13.6% the same time in 2020. 18% of US adults were up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations.

The state of CA positivity rate was 2.4%. Wastewater surveillance indicated minimal viral levels. Hospitalization room visits were low. Weekly deaths reached a record low at 219 for the week of Nov 16, 2024.

A Third Look At 2011

I give a special case to take a third look at the 2011 blogs. I wrote A Second Look At 2011 on Aug 9, 2012. I started A Second Look blogs written in Dec for the 2013 year blogs because the goals delaying one year are relearning from my mistakes, reinforcing my lessons, reminding myself my moments, refreshing acquired knowledge, rediscovering new wisdom, correcting errant blogs, and sharing changes. I wrote A Second Look At 2011 blogs which were given eight months. A Second Look At 2010 blogs were given five months written on May 13, 2011. There is no plan to take a third look at 2010 as of today. I give myself 13 years relearning from my mistakes, reinforcing my lessons, reminding myself my moments, refreshing acquired knowledge, rediscovering new wisdom, correcting errant blogs, and sharing changes from 2011.

1. Established Today And Tomorrow
Date: Sat Jan 1
Summary: Nobody is 100% established. Life finds a way to lower the percentage established regardless of a person's choice.
Feedback: The first 2011 blog makes it to A Third Look. A wisdom acquired I'm reminded. Appearances can be deceiving when people see other people. Is the person or are the people established to the maximum? Is the person or are the people under established? My intuition tells me most people are under established? I can say people's weakness prevent maximum establishment.

2. De Anza Week Jan 31, 2011
Date: Thur Feb 3
Summary: I attended Mission College to take a class on Quickbooks.
Feedback: I forgot I attended Mission College in Winter 2011 quarter and Spring 2011 quarter on Tue nights. The semester class was easy. I attended all classes sitting at the back with my laptop concentrating on the lectures half-ass. The project and the take-home final were easy as long as students started early.

3. De Anza Week Feb 28, 2011
Date: Sat Mar 5
Summary: I mentioned four weeks of fatigue on Mon Feb 28.
Feedback: I hesitate to share my feedback for the fatigue. Most college students experienced fatigue; however, as a college graduate with adult wisdom, if I minimized processed foods, spent less time watching anime, more time working out at the gym, slept more hours, and improved my prioritizations, then I reduced fatigue. Furthermore, I mentioned fatigue and sickness throughout the rest of the Winter 2011 blogs. Those two spread throughout campus like the early COVID-19 global pandemic.

4. De Anza Week Apr 18, 2011
Date: Sun Apr 24
Summary: The Mon Apr 18 entry I dropped Advanced Accounting. The Spring 2011 quarter was Auditing and Quickbooks at Mission College classes.
Feedback: A lesson to remember. A mistake I didn't repeat. It's okay to quit. It's okay to drop out. It was not a match. It didn't match my expectations. Anyone who says never quit a responsibility is partially correct. Staying or quitting depends on the circumstances. Staying or quitting is a judgement call.

Also, a representative from a CPA preparation course gave his sales pitch for students to enroll in CPA preparation courses. The students learned a bachelors degree is required to become a CPA. The professor confirmed the CPA changed. A rising tide raises all boats.

Number four third look is in a second look.

5. Meet Fraudster Barry Minkow
Date: Thur May 5
Summary: The auditing professor passed out an article on 1980s fraudster Barry Minkow.
Feedback: Minkow teaches the lesson, "Do not trust--verify."

60 Minutes Minkow interview Barry Minkow Master Mind of the ZZZZ Best Fraud.

6. De Anza Week June 6, 2011
Date: Mon Jun 13
Summary: I lost interest in Auditing class. Boring lectures. Survival mode. Too much to learn in a quarter. Information overload.
Feedback: The Auditing class is one of my best personal examples there is too much to learn in too little time. We live in the Information Age. More jobs require more training, more knowledge, and higher costs. The additional time spent in leisure doesn't pay the rent.

Number six third look is in a second look.

7. The Unemployed Like Me Has Expenses
Date: Sun Sep 18
Summary: The unemployed people must pay to live.
Feedback: The blog stands the test of time. I said, "The unemployed people living in today's tough economy still has to live life: eat, wear [clothes], drive to places, stay clean, [stay] in touch with people via cell phone and/or internet, mail letters, and more." Also, "The unemployed most likely has more time than money. Use the extra time wisely to prepare for your next job and be a better person."

8. A Childhood Lowlight
Date: Sun Oct 23
Summary: My childhood was inactive. There was no learning outside the schools. I didn't have friends outside the schools. There was too much solo fun. There was little parental involvement. Life was too easy.
Feedback: I can't change the past. I'm correcting as many mistakes as I can today. I continue catching up what I missed all the way back to my childhood. I forgive my parents.

9. I Must Declare Bankruptcy If I Was 15 Trillion Dollars In Debt
Date: Tue Nov 22
Summary: The United States Of America was $15.04 trillion in debt.
Feedback: The United States Of America is $36.05 trillion in debt.

10. The Human's Most Precious Possession
Date: Tue Nov 29
Summary: Memories are the human's most precious possession.
Feedback: True today. Take care of your brains. Never take brains for granted.

Number ten third look is in a second look.

Top Ten Plus Four Equals Top Fourteen Problems Solved Are Impossible

Life is unfair. It's a common wisdom. The world is not perfect. It's another common wisdom. There are always problems every minute. Think about the history of humans. Some of these problems existed since the ancient history. Some of these problems existed since the dawn of the human. These fourteen problems finding permanent solutions for every human being on Earth are improbable. If a person solves one of the fourteen problems below permanently, then the person is a god. I write with 99.9% confidence even though I'm not a professional in their respective fields. Here are the top ten plus four equals top fourteen problems solved are impossible.

14. Too Big To Fail. The global big name companies. The top Fortune 500 companies. The top of the top can't fail. These companies are built to last doing everything legal, border line legal, border line illegal, anything. AT&T, Wal-Mart, NFL, Cisco, Bank Of America, Chase, Google or Alphabet, banks, tech, finance, governments, manufacturing, etc. If any of the above fail, then the impact affects many people in many countries. Bailouts, mergers, and interventions can prevent failure.

13. World Wars. There is always conflicts between at least two countries leading to war.

12. Natural Resources And Energy Shortages. There are not enough water, electricity, and natural gas. The population increases require natural resources and energy for life. Expect prices to increase indefinitely.

11. US Democracy. The US government democratic system consists of two parties which are Democratics and Republicans.

10. Mass Shooting. The violent crime deserves its own entry. More people die from criminals shooting multiple victims.

9. Divorce. A book can be written by one hundred top marriage counselors. There are always divorces at a divorce rate around 50%. People always change. Couples always change. Families always change.

8. Mental Depression. More people become depressed for whatever reasons such as the current COVID-19 global pandemic, loneliness, loss, and financial problems. More people have poor social skills. More people feel isolated. Today's Information Age living increases anxiety. There is too much screen time on phones and computers. Other common mental illnesses anxiety, fear, drug use, and alcoholics are included.

7. Illiteracy. Adults and children can sneak through the cracks during their education nobody taught them to read for whatever reasons.

6. Drunk Driving. Call it brain fart. Call it stupidity. Call it taking life for granted. People drive over the legal alcohol limit for whatever reasons. Some can escape. Some are arrested. Some kill people.

5. Cancer. Humans and life mutate. It's life. It's evolution. Also, there's no cure for the common cold.

4. Crimes. I include violent crimes such as domestic violence, murders, robberies, homicides, and burglary. I also include white-collar crimes such as fraud, money laundering, and embezzlement.

3. Homelessness. More people are going to be homeless globally. There are not enough resources to help them. There are not enough resources to slow down the homelessness rate. The cost of living increases. In addition, the job market is tight indefinitely. More people can't find work. Homelessness leads to number two . . .

2. Income Inequality. Social economic barriers. The rich gets richer because of the laws, the economic system, and the finance system. There is always poverty.

1. Discrimination And Racism. There is preferential treatment. Racism, discrimination, and prejudice existed in the past. Racism, discrimination, and prejudice are present. Racism, discrimination, and prejudice exist tomorrow. They continue throughout humankind.

Old Health Pamphlet Advice

I found old health brochures from Kaiser Permanente. I took pics from my cell phone. Some of the information is outdated. Maybe these handouts which belong in a museum conjure past memories.

Trouble Sleeping? What you can do about insomnia. Revised Feb 1993.

Get It Right When You Grab A Bite. Good nutrition for teens. Copyright 1988. Revised Jan 1991.

Why All The Fuss About Fiber . . . And what to do about it. Copyright 1987. Revised Nov 1993.

Children Cold Self Care. Copyright 1987. Revised Mar 1988.

The Food Guide Pyramid . . . Beyond the basic 4. 1992.

Breast Self-Examination. Your lifesaving choice. 1991.

Corns, Calluses, And Toenails. Copyright 1994. Revised May 2008.

Calcium And Vitamin D. Copyright 2009. Revised Sep 2012.

Low Back Pain. What you can do. Copyright 2009. Revised May 2012.

Throwback Blog: Throwback Blog: A Mixed Bag Of Everything

Blogger's Note: Throwback blogs are blogs from my past. I start posting past blogs reflecting what I wrote. It's like my "A Second Look" blogs for which I give myself feedback.

Today's throwback blog is titled Throwback Blog: A Mixed Bag Of Everything written on Jun 30, 2021. Today's throwback is the first throwback throwback, a double throwback, or "A Third Look" blog. Also, today's throwback is the first in the 2020s.

The initial throwback is true today. I continue living my life with the corrected mistakes I committed in 2006. There are two updates. The Ryu's Birthday Party Ryu disappeared in Jun 2019. He reappeared in 2023. The Still 5.25% the Federal Reserve interest rates was 5.25%. The interest rates today are 4.75%-5.00%.

I said in the first throwback, "I was mostly depressed. I was mostly unhappy. Most of the happiness was faked." is true today. There were enough good moments to declare my 2006 a good year. Any past blogs stated a good 2006 year were true. My friend Barnes is quoted, "Enjoy it or complain." The paragraph contains two reminders.

Today's throwback blog is titled A Mixed Bag Of Everything written on Aug 11, 2006. The throwback is actually a second look at Aug 2006. I learn from the mistakes I made. I remind myself lessons learned. I refresh my acquired knowledge. I rediscover wisdom. I correct errors. I write changes. I share my feelings. Pardon the bad grammar. I write what happened first. I write my second look next.

Time Just Froze
Summary: I purchased a new watch which replaced my Casio G-Shock I wore since 1996.
Feedback: I purchased another Casio watch. I realized decades later my Casio watch made me look ignorant in terms of fashion and in terms of proper appearance.

New Laptop Bag
Summary: The grip handle on my laptop bag broke. I sent the laptop bag back to the manufacturer because of their lifetime guarantee. The manufacturer sent me a new laptop bag.
Feedback: I still have the laptop bag. I carry the laptop bag using the shoulder strap like a messenger bag.

Pictures Are Memories
Summary: I took pictures from events in Jul and Aug.
Feedback: I took too many pictures. There are lines between taking enough pictures, taking too many pictures, and taking inappropriate pictures. I stop acting like a professional photographer.

Ryu's Birthday Party
Summary: There was a popular anime fan nicknamed Ryu. He hosted an open invitation birthday party. Attendance reached the thirties. Everyone was having fun.
Feedback: Fast forward to 2008. Ryu's true colors were shown in a negative way. His 2008 birthday party attendance was under ten. He came in and out from the anime community. He disappeared completely in Jun 2019.

Anime Overdose (AOD) 2006
Summary: I attended their third AOD anime convention.
Feedback: AOD changed from Anime Overdose to Animation Overdose. 2006 was the year I attended the most anime conventions at six.

Last Night's Dinner
Summary: My mom cooked leftovers last night. She cooked in a lazy way. I cooked with heart. I cooked doing my best.
Feedback: No changes. My mom continues cooking in a lazy way. I cook with heart. I cook doing my best with infinite improvements.

A Quick Filling
Summary: I got a tooth filling before work. The dentist tried to sell Invisalign. My family suspected our dentist needed money.
Feedback: I took his Invisalign hint months later getting braces on Jan 2007 from an orthodontist. The family changed dentists on Aug 2019. His prices increased. His professionalism decreased. I can't explain why we didn't change dentists earlier.

Alphabetically Ascending A-Z
Summary: I listened to 98.5 KFOX's annual tradition playing their entire classic rock library by song title from A to Z.
Feedback: I continue listening to classic rock. Thank you classic rock. Today's music is garbage.

Broken Dryer
Summary: My dad attempted to fix the dryer.
Feedback: Thank you to our former neighbors the late Shermans for giving us their old dryer.

Green Tea
Summary: I drink expensive green tea from a bag costing $17.
Feedback: I stopped drinking green tea one year later.

Work Today
Summary: Today's work day was busy. I admitted my company stinks.
Feedback: I started job searching in mid-2006. I can't explain why I stopped. I resumed job searching in Jan 2007. I found a new job in Mar 2007. I should have more strength and courage to find a job when I realized the company started going downhill earlier in 2006.

Feeling Sick
Summary: I ate a poor lunch. I was fatigued. I got a sore throat.
Feedback: I repeat the lessons I learned years later. Get enough sleep. Exercise. Minimize processed foods. Eat good meals.

Keeping It Cool
Summary: I was sick during a brief heat wave.
Feedback: I'm proactive taking care of myself and my environment on hot days.

Double Day Off
Summary: There were two people in my department. My dumbass co-worker and I. I get a day off at work when he takes a day off away from work.
Feedback: I talked to one of the veteran brokers on my last day. He disclosed my dumbass co-worker had lots of personal problems. He had a good relationship with my dumbass co-worker because they worked in the company for years.

My coworker was a dumbass. He taught me Excel the wrong way. I unlearned his lessons years later. He taught me real estate statistics incorrectly. I was warned multiple times from past managers. Unfortunately, I didn't recognize them.

A Yummy Dinner
Summary: Inflation was the business headline.
Feedback: The Federal Reserve accepts the current inflation as transitory.

Still 5.25%
Summary: The Federal Reserve kept interest rates at 5.25%.
Feedback: Today's interest rates is 0.25%.

Shopping On eBay
Summary: I purchased a new watch and a new laptop battery on eBay.
Feedback: I believe my new watch stopped working around 2008. eBay is a legitimate ecommerce website.

Final thoughts. I ended the blog saying, "Who is to blame or to be faulted for a mixed bag of events the last two weeks? Nobody. I blame nobody for the last two weeks of completing something and more stuff comes to me. I'm going with the flow. . . . I feel mixed emotions." Going with the flow was accurate. Mixed emotions was accurate.

Honestly speaking, I was mostly depressed. I was mostly unhappy. Most of the happiness was faked. I should have been proactive to minimize chances of being depressed and to maximize chances of being happy. The writings were on the walls what I should have done and what I could have done such as find a new job, self-teach myself Excel correctly, and research gym workout plans. Better late than never. All mistakes in Aug 2006 are corrected.

Allergies And Coughs July 2024

I got sick in Jul 2024. The last time I got sick was in Apr 2022 Allergies And Coughs April 2022. I blog how I treated myself and the likely causes because I want to reference my treatment the next time I get sick. No panic. Obvious symptoms. Pain never severe. Slow and long recovery compared to the Apr 2022 which was quick.

Tue Jul 2, 2024. Irritating throat. Phlegm down my throat. Possible allergies. First day over 100 degrees in 2024. Turned on the residence air conditioning for the first time in 2024. Drank Coke for dinner.

Wed Jul 3. Took Zyrtec at midnight 12:00am. Minor runny nose. Light cough. White color phlegm. Appetite suppressed. Aches in my legs and calves. Lots of sleep. Slept with Breathe Right nasal strips.

Thur Jul 4. Took Zyrtec at 12:26am. Headaches. Light coughing. Yellow color phlegm. One nap. COVID-19 test negative.

I feared all the minor symptoms became worse in the upcoming days. Lower back pain. Poor appetite. I forced myself to eat.

Fri Jul 5. Took Zyrtec at 12:40am. Coughing woke me up at 5:20am. My stomach growling woke me up at 6:30am. Body sweated. I felt throwing up for which I didn't. Went back to sleep at 7:50am. I woke up at 10:50am. I made Jello.

I felt my sickness was the stomach flu without throwing up. My meals were Jello, bread, saltine crackers, and ginger ale. I questioned a stomach virus caused a loss of appetite. Throat felt sore when I swallowed only.

Sat Jul 6. Took Zyrtec at 1:00am. Best sleep of the week. No interruptions. Post nasal drip caused little coughing. Continued sleeping with Breathe Right nasal strips.

Sun Jul 7. Took Zyrtec at 1:55am. More coughing. More stomach aches. More pooping. White color phlegm. I felt worse.

I changed my meals plan. I ate small portions solid food starting at dinner. My initial plan was eat solid foods starting tomorrow. My mom suggested I stop drinking Canada Dry ginger ale. I accepted. I went back to Coke which was not expired. I immediately felt better.

Mon Jul 8. Took Zyrtec at 1:20am. Little coughing delayed my full sleep briefly. Ate more solid foods gradually. Chocolate soothed coughs since coughing started. White color phlegm. Lost five pounds from 160lbs to 155lbs.

Tue Jul 9. Took Zyrtec at 8:00am. Lots of coughing. Ate lots of chocolate. Coolest day of the month. Another heat wave started tomorrow.

Wed Jul 10. Took Zyrtec at 12:00pm. Coughing started after drinking Coke for dinner. No Coke tomorrow.

My right ear was sensitive when I dried my ears with Q-Tips. I wanted to cough.

Thur Jul 11. Took Zyrtec at 12:15pm. I lied. I drank Coke for dinner. No effect on coughing. No coughing for most of the day. I thought Coke from last night increased coughing. It was false. Recovery was faster as long as I sleep.

Fri Jul 12. Took Zyrtec at 1:15pm.

Sat Jul 13. Took Zyrtec at 1:15pm. Setback. I wasn't ready to stop taking Zyrtec. Weather was cooler and muggy. Post nasal drip intensified. More coughing. I brought back Coke for at least one meal a day.

Sun Jul 14. Took Zyrtec at 1:20pm. No improvements. My parents turned on the air conditioning even thought the temperatures were in the mid 80s. My body failed to adjust to the 80s weather. I continued drinking Coke and eating chocolate. Sleeps were good.

Mon Jul 15. I forgot to take Zyrtec in the afternoon. Worst night sleeping relatively speaking. I took a long time to fall asleep. I ate chocolate to fall asleep. No change in coughing.

I needed to move my body. I began modified workouts. I took Zyrtec at 11:00pm. I needed a Zyrtec for 30 minutes on the stationary cycle.

Tue Jul 16. Took Zyrtec at 11:00pm. I connected the dots backwards. Triple whammy. Triple sickness. I got Respiratory Syncytial Virus or RSV, stomach flu, and RSV for the second time afterwards. I couldn't get COVID-19 because my parents didn't get sick.

All three of the following continued. I drank Coke for lunch and dinner. I ate chocolate to soothe my coughs. I slept with Breathe Right nasal strips.

Wed Jul 17. Took Zyrtec at 11:00pm. I was sensitive to cold. I drink Coke for dinner only. I could change back to lunch and dinner. I needed chocolate to fall asleep.

Thur Jul 18. Took Zyrtec at 11:00pm. No Coke.

Fri Jul 19. No Zyrtec. White color phlegm. I ate chocolate to soothe my coughs and to relieve post nasal drip.

Mon Jul 22. No Zyrtec. White color phlegm. I ate chocolate to relieve post nasal drip.

Thur Jul 25. Popping my ears continued.

Sat Jul 27. Below average temperatures today. I was sensitive to the cooler weather. I needed more chocolate.

Wed Jul 31. Best sleep. No chocolate to fall asleep. No coughing.

Mon Aug 5. Began full workouts.

How Did I Get Sick?

The sickness could be titled as avoidable mistakes. I experienced stomach aches staring on Fri Jun 21, 2024. I could have drank more Coke. I could have not eaten too ripped pineapple. I could have avoided too much exercise; in other words, don't exercise more than the appropriate meals I ate to exercise safely. And I shouldn't drink expired sodas. Here are the possible causes:

Four mile jog became a five mile jog. I ate a poor lunch. My physical fitness wanted a four mile job. My emotions wanted a five mile jog. Sickness from fatigue. Probability: 80%.

Multiple days stomach aches. Did I get the stomach flu beforehand? Probability: 75%.

Slept with the desk fan on and windows fully open. I forgot to turn off the fan and forgot to close the windows before I went to sleep. I turned off the fan and closed the windows at the 7am hour. The error reminded me of the Jul 2000 sickness; however, the Jul 2000 summer weather was unseasonable cold. Probability: 60%.

Weather temperatures variance. My body is weak when I adjust from a big temperature change. Probability: 30%.

Family birthday gathering. There was a family gathering to celebrate my cousin's twin sons one year birthday on Jun 30, 2024. Weather was warm. I limited my meals because of my continued stomach aches. Was somebody else sick? Probability: 25%.

Dirty water pitchers. I didn't wash the water pitchers for months. Probability: 10%.

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog July 2024

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. I got sick. I tested negative. Nobody else got sick. Nobody else tested positive. Almost nobody wore masks to minimize the chances of getting infected. I continued wearing my masks. The summer surge continued.

Mon Jul 1. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) reported cases increased in 43 states due to the FLiRT variant.

Tue Jul 2. First day temperatures were over 100 degrees in 2024.

Wed Jul 3. The CDC said a similar variant to FLiRT called LB.1 with an additional mutation is rising. LB.1 represented 17.5% of cases.

Thur Jul 4. Watched episodes of the original The Twilight Zone on Heroes & Icons' Rod White And Blue marathon.

Sun Jul 7. Second gentleman Doug Emhoff tested positive for COVID-19. Vice President Kamala Harris tested negative.

Fri Jul 12. At least 50% of the states reported high or very high levels of the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes COVID-19 in their wastewater testing. The western states worsen in the past month. The number of emergency room patients with COVID-19 increased 115% since Jun 2024 and reached Feb 2024 levels. However, the positive case numbers increase was below the peak positive case numbers during the early years of the pandemic. The summer surge trend was consistent with previous summer surge trends. The source was from the CDC.

Sat Jul 13. Went to my local library and shopped at Daiso.

Sun Jul 14. The Tour De France required masks for race organization staff, media, and guests when they're in contact with racers and their staff. Multiple racers withdrew because they tested positive.

Wed Jul 17. Shopped at Costco and Lucky first thing in the morning. Very little people wore masks.

President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19. Biden isolated himself in Delaware.

Thur Jul 18. The CA Department Of Public Health reported the levels at all wastewater monitoring sites in the Bay Area were elevated.

Sat Jul 20. The CDC reported the KP.3 variant dominated the COVID-19 cases at 32.9%. The KP.3.1.1 variant accounted for 17.7% cases. The combined 50.6% of cases ranged from Jul 7 to Jul 20. CA, NV, AZ, and HI were the largest positivity rates from Jul 6 to Jul 13.

Wed Jul 24. Five women from the Australian water polo team tested positive at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. A statement on COVID-19 stated athletes experiencing respiratory symptoms to wear a mask, limit contacts, and wash hands or use hand sanitizer.

Fri Jul 26. British Columbia, Canada ended the COVID-19 public health emergency. The emergency was declared on Mar 17, 2020. It's still mandatory for health-care workers, doctors, nurses, volunteers, and contractors in public health care facilities to disclose all immunization statuses including COVID-19.

Mon Jul 29. CA wastewater levels surpassed 2022 levels which indicate a worsening spread of COVID-19. Outpatient treatment increased. Fortunately, hospitalization rates were low. The FLiRT variants caused the summer surge; in particular, the KP.3.1.1 variant.

The CDC said wastewater samples from 37 states and the District Of Columbia reported high or very high levels of the coronavirus. CA was one of the 37 states with a 93% of the 2022 summer levels. There were no indications of a decrease in coronavirus levels. The CA positive rate was 13.8%. The CA highest level positive rate was 13.1% in summer 2023.

Medical experts recommended people with respiratory symptoms or cold symptoms to get tested. There are still people dying for COVID-19 in the hundreds weekly. There are still people who get long COVID.

Wed Jul 31. Shopped at Smart & Final and Costco. Costco was busy during the lunch hour. Very little people wore masks.

Work At Being Positive And Staying Strong

Blogger's Note: May is pic month. I'm catching up posting pics from my smart phone. Enjoy!

Stay positive to be motivated continuing living life. A car in the body shop costs too much. Shop at Costco to save money. Buy healthy food to workout honestly and consistency. Physical workouts are a sign of a busy life and better life. Don't save money buying unhealthy food at dollar stores. Prices are increasing at dollar stores and coupons are offering lower discounts because of inflation.

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog April 2024

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. Apr was just as fast as Mar. Also, Mar and Apr the last two weeks each month went by fast. I continue living a normal life slowly.

Tue Apr 2. Shopped at three Safeway supermarkets and Costco.

Thur Apr 4. Went to Safelite. Shopped at Lucky.

Tue Apr 9. Shopped at Lucky.

Wed Apr 10. The CA Department Of Health reported COVID-19 hospitalizations decreased from 7 patients per 100,000 CA residents to 1.5 patients per 100,000 CA residents as of Mar 30, 2024. The pandemic peak hospitalization rate was 54 patients per 100,000 CA residents on Jan 2021. The seven day rolling positivity rate decreased from 11.4% to 2.4%.

Deaths was 0.9% caused by COVID-19 as of Mar 30, 2024. The pandemic peak deaths was 42% caused by COVID-19 on Jan 2021.

The Center For Disease Control (CDC) reported weekly hospital admissions dropped by 77% from 35,118 to 8,015 nationwide between Jan 6, 2024 and Mar 30, 2024. The peak was 150,650 as of the second week of Jan 2022.

A majority of the CA population has some defense against COVID-19 by vaccination, prior infection, or both. Also, the latest treatments available to help people recover. There are still people dealing with long COVID. 1.1 million US residents died in total. 7 million US residents hospitalized in total.

Mon Apr 15. 3,472 CA residents died since Sep 2023. 60% of the deaths were white. 70% of the deaths were age 75 or older. 14,648 CA residents died during the first six months of the pandemic. 50% of the deaths were Latino. 50% of the deaths were age 75 or older.

Thur Apr 18. A 72 year old male COVID-19 patient from the Netherlands with a blood disorder failing his body to make an immune response from multiple vaccines died. He tested positive for the COVID-19 omicron variant in Feb 2022. It was his first infection. His COVID-19 illness mutated 50 times. Some researchers suggested his illness evaded his immune defenses. There was no evidence he infected other people. His case highlights prolonged infections enable the virus to change spawning new variants. Wastewater samples from the patient's neighborhood resulted in mutated corona-viruses for more than four years. The persistent infections may be causing long COVID for those diagnosed with long COVID.

Thur Apr 25. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) sued Pfizer and BioNTech for infringing its patents related to messenger RNA (mRNA). mRNA was used for Pfizer and BioNTech 's COVID-19 vaccine. GSK said Pfizer used their patents for at least a decade before COVID-19. Pfizer denied the accusation.

Fri Apr 26. The World Heath Organization (WHO) recommended future vaccines based on the JN.1 lineage.

Sun Apr 28. A friend posted on social media she tested positive for COVID-19. It was her second time. The second positive happened on Jan 2024. She has been experiencing trouble concentrating and weaker memory.

Mon Apr 29. A SARS-CoV-2 variant was discovered from the COVID-19 JN.1 variant in winter 2024. The variant is called FLiRT based off two variants F and L, and R and T. The FLiRT variant KP.2 accounted for 25% of new cases during the last two weeks ending Apr 27, 2024.

Update On A Past Blog

New York Yankees radio play-by-play announcer John Sterling announced his retirement on Mon Apr 15, 2024. His retirement is effective immediately. Here are three articles from Awful Announcing on Sterling: Remembering John Sterling's Most Iconic And Funniest Calls, John Sterling Says Goodbye To Yankees Fans: 'My Tank Is Empty', and A Toast To John Sterling. I mentioned Sterling from the blog Instant Bullets Blog Feb 6, 2018 on Feb 6, 2018. I posted a YouTube link 2009 Yankees Extra: John Sterling calls all five Yankee home runs vs the Red Sox (08.23.09).

Homeless Encampment Eviction Day Real Story

KTVU Fox 2 News reported on a homeless encampment eviction in Oakland, CA on Apr 10, 2023. YouTube link Eviction day for Oakland's Wood Street homeless encampment. The homeless were being cleared for a city affordable housing project. The news report was superficial. The YouTube comments and opinions told the real story. I select 24 posted below.

@kxngdavid 11 months ago: "They can't get rid of us. We're dug in like ticks." Spoken like a person who doesn't have any intentions of getting off the streets.

@juanitaannporras3775 7 months ago (edited): The woman who said, "Glorified prisons they're inadequate to feed the basic human needs and rights of a person" might not understand what being homeless means! The transition homes are a step up from sleeping on the sidewalk or living in a tent.

@gls3894 8 months ago: That woman is a prime example of a homeless person whom no matter how much money or [opportunity] you give her, she has no intention of leaving the street. Stop giving them free food and d.ope(sic) and they will leave.

@dylanberg1188 7 months ago: There are more than enough resources available for the homeless. Many of them simply don't want to take advantage of them. They would rather be homeless and live however they want than be exposed to any amount of accountability.

@02SCDC5 11 months ago: it has nothing to do with affordable housing AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH DRUGS

@roroneto 8 months ago: The problem is that shelters don't allow the crime and filth they want to live in. It is not about housing or basic human needs; it comes down to antisocial behavior.

@leeboriack8054 11 months ago: As a person in recovery, you can't help someone, who doesn't want to participate in their own recovery or improving their life.

@m.scottreeder 11 months ago: I served 19 consecutive years in the Alabama Department of Corrections (2002-2021). Around ten days after release, I took a Greyhound from Montgomery, Alabama to Spokane, Washington, where I have been living here since release. When I first arrived in Spokane on 09/01/21, I sought shelter at House of Charity. They took me straight in, not once was I forced to sleep in the streets. There were (and always will be) places across Spokane to get a free meal, not just a bag of snacks. The VA, Goodwill, plus other agencies got me stable shelter, and I have not been homeless since. The point is, to get blessed with what I got, the person wanting to escape the streets MUST go all out to make the f***ing difference. No more excuse-making, smoking that fentapoison, casinos, and other BS. Keep all of your appointments with the VA, Goodwill, the Salvation Army--whomever!! You can't give up on yourself!! Your victory off the streets encourages others to go for it.

@dandorris8531 11 months ago: You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

@julieslatton8714 11 months ago: Looks at the mess you made if you can keep it clean maybe you wouldn't get evicted.

@exoressdelivers70 11 months ago: I volunteer at a shelter. We always have open beds available but most of the homeless don't come here because we have an 11:00pm curfew, no drugs or alcohol, and no cohabitating with someone who they're not married to. They say they'd rather live on the streets where they can be 'free'.

@MarcusTheJR 11 months ago: I was homeless myself, from South Carolina to North Dakota. And the overwhelming majority of homeless people don't wanna change. They aren't gonna work hard to not be homeless.

@kingofcorridosfilm2154 11 months ago: Interesting how them paying for their own housing was not even mentioned as an option.

@geigertec5921 11 months ago: It doesn't matter if they have homes or not, they create the same environment for themselves regardless. A neighbor of mine owned a nice house but lived like she was homeless - never cleaned up after herself, abused drugs and alcohol, didn't work, then she died of a drug OD and her body turned into a skeleton by the time anyone realized she was dead.

@catalinaWineMixerfan 11 months ago: I have been homeless with my son bc of bad decisions I made..but if you have a positive mind frame you can turn it around. I worked, we lived in a studio apartment, got government help like welfare and foodstamps, now my son is 16 and we have a good clean simple life. You can turn it around if you want to but you have to try and want it!

@sygnusadun4832 11 months ago: Currently homeless and living out of my pickup while I wait on my new apartment to open up. I've been homeless a few times from living in a storm drain to staying in a shelter and I can 100% vouch that these people 9/10 times don't want help or a way out, they want a handout and get mad when you wont give them one. I have risen out of the hole each time through hard work and frugal spending until I can reach a place of stability. You gotta want it, you gotta earn it

@lickourballs1atatimeok 11 months ago (edited): The HOMELESS don't want any responsibility

@uscustomzauto 11 months ago: These governors and the regular public need to realize that some of these people just want to live like this. It will never stop.

@janinecarson8380 11 months ago: There are different kinds of homeless people. There are the addicts, the mentally ill, and some for whom it's a lifestyle choice. And then there are those folks who just can't find an affordable place to live. The latter category should get the highest priority in my opinion.

@alangrant5684 8 months ago: You can build 1000 million dollar homes with total gov support and funding and it will STILL end up being the same crappy dump because of drug addictions and unwillingness to change.

@pangchang3332 11 months ago: I use to intern at a homeless shelter. Homeless people are some of the most ungrateful people I know. Literally 80% [didn't] want to help themselves. They were given every kind of help to help them get back on their feet or help them learn basic things to sustain their lives but they wouldn't take it they wanted everything to be given to them.

@allisonoconnor8055 7 months ago: Most of the homeless bums on the west coast aren't even from those cities originally

@DavidWilliams-so2dy 11 months ago: Transitional housing and shelter facilities must have rules and guidelines to function without total chaos. These guys aren't willing to abide by anyones(sic) rules. They want to be drunk and high all the time. They want to come and go as they please at all hours.

@saturnstar718 11 months ago: I've worked in social work, here's my estimate (*some people can fit in 2 or more categories):

5% of the people became homeless because of terrible life events (e.g. loss of job, medical issues, never got a high school diploma).

15% of the people became homeless because of mental health issues.

80% of the people became homeless because of DRUGS! They don't want shelters because there are curfews---they won't be allowed to use drugs. Lots of times when they get section 8, their homes become drug dens, affect neighbors and they get evicted.

For those serious about sobriety, let's get them help. Those who need mental health, let's help them (if they are so sick they can't make decisions, commit them indefinitely).

For those playing games and wanting to be "ticks" in their area---PRISON!

Do You Really Care About Other People?

The answer to the question is counterintuitive. You must care about yourself to prove you care about other people. Don't sacrifice yourself to care for other people. If you're not well in all capacities, then you can't care for other people. The capacities are physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial. Both parties are negatively affected. Never expect greater than or equal to appreciation in return every time. There are jerks who take advantage of someone's kindness. There is less supply of kindness available for a greater demand requesting help.

Be simple, be effective, and be mindful for good timed caring actions. Motivation or desire is more important than knowledge. Further, a little knowledge is better than a lot of ignorance. Exercise well. Sleep plenty. Eat healthy.

Update On A Past Blog

I remind myself I never fully understand anything in life. I never fully understand *insert noun* or *insert adjective* or *insert verb* or *insert adverb*. I wrote I Never Fully And Truly Understand Someone Else's Feelings on Oct 7, 2006. Anytime I say, "I understand . . .", or another person tells me, "I understand . . .", I or the other person don't fully understand.

I reiterate an action on the day I realized I must grow up on Sat Oct 4, 2008. The action was "I forgave everything and everyone. . . ." I wrote blogs on the day I grew up. I choose Five Years Ago Today I Grew Up on Oct 4, 2013 as the update blog. Forgiving or forgiveness is like the weight I carried on my back lighten. Forgiving or forgiveness crumbles personal walls. Forgiving or forgiveness makes breathing easier. I also reiterate "the most important lesson I learned is never taking life for granted."

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog October 2023

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. There were fewer COVID-19 headlines. COVID-19 positive rates leveled after a summer spike. More mask mandates are coming back. The month went by slow; however, the more I think about Oct, the more I convince myself the month went by fast. The end of the day Oct went by slow.

Mon Oct 2. Shopped at Smart & Final first thing in the morning.

Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman won the 2023 Nobel Prize in medicine for developing the mRNA vaccine. The mRNA vaccine technology is used to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. The letter m stands for Messenger. mRNA tells the cells to produce antibodies.

Tue Oct 3. The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 12 and older. The vaccine is protein based which targets the EG.5 strain and XBB omicron subvariant. Protein based vaccines gets the body's immune system to recognize small modified pieces of the virus it's targeting.

The Center For Disease Control (CDC) is no longer distributing the white vaccine cards. Recipients should contact their state health department's immunization information system to keep track of their COVID-19 vaccine shots.

Thur Oct 5. My morning errands were smog check for my car, AAA, and Safeway.

Fri Oct 6. A study published in the Lancete's EClinicalMedicine journal stated a person who feels sick long term and tested negative for COVID-19 may have long-cold. There are other respiratory infections related to the common cold and not related to COVID-19. It's too soon to determine the number of days defining long in long-cold. The symptoms include the common respiratory virus and the flu.

Four family members found guilty of conspiracy to defraud people by selling a COVID-19 miracle cure containing a toxic bleach. The product was called Miracle Mineral Solution under the guise of the Genesis II Church Of Health And Healing.

The CDC published a study 63% of hospitalizations Jan-Aug 2023 were people ages 65 and older. All other age groups admissions declined. 24% of all hospitalized patients were up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations. 90% of COVID-19 related deaths were people ages 65 and older. 155 people died due to COVID-19 on average per day. The majority were over 70 and/or immunocompromised. 43% of people ages 65 and older received the previous bivalent booster shot available from Sep 2022 to May 2023. 1.14 million people in the US died due to COVID-19. 52,000 people died in 2023 as of today.

Sun Oct 8. Watched the Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers Sunday Night Football 1st quarter, 3rd quarter, and 4th quarter.

Mon Oct 9. Shopped at Lucky's first thing in the morning.

Thur Oct 12. Went to a satellite Kaiser Hospital campus in the afternoon. There was no vaccine because supply ran out.

The Department Of Health And Human Services said 7 million Americans received the latest COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccines available are Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech, and Novavax. Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech are recommended for people ages 6 months and older. Novavax is recommended for people ages 12 and over. 18 million people received the 2022 bivalent booster at the same time last year. 56.5 million people received the bivalent booster as of May 2023 which is 17% of the US population.

A concern is the latest vaccine unavailable to children. One problem is distribution delays. People reported trouble finding doses or problems with their insurance.

Fri Oct 13. Arrived at the same satellite Kaiser Hospital campus at 8:20am. There was a line in front of the entrance. Vaccinations opened at 9am. I waited 20 minutes for my vaccine shot.

Wed Oct 18. Pfizer increased the price for a five day treatment Paxlovid at $1,390 for the commercial market. The federal government paid $529. Paxlovid is the COVID-19 antiviral drug which has been free since Dec 2021 when the FDA authorized the drug. Pfizer sells Paxlovid to health insurers in 2024. Pfizer plans to subsidize copays for commercially insured people from 2024 to 2028.

Tue Oct 24. Bank Of America, Costco Business Center, and helped my dad run an errand.

Wed Oct 25. Cruise operator Carnival was found negligent in an Australian class action lawsuit. The Ruby Princess liner departed from Sydney on Mar 8, 2020 for a 13-day cruise to New Zealand. The liner returned to Sydney 11 days later. 663 passengers were infected with COVID-19. 28 people died.

The lead plaintiff Susan Karpik sued for $230,000 in damages. Karpik was awarded the cost of her medical expenses because she didn't experience long COVID-19. Carnival refunded all passengers on the Ruby Princess. Carnival offered free cancellations for cruises on Mar 9, 2020. All cruises were suspended on Mar 13, 2020.

Thur Oct 26. The CDC reported from a survey of thousands of Americans 2% of children and 7% of adults got the latest version of the COVID-19 vaccine. The latest version targets the XBB.1.5 omicron variant. The government transitioned distribution from the federal government to commercial. Case numbers are low; however, 18,000 are hospitalized and 1,200 people die on average per week.

Mon Oct 30. Went to O'Reilly Auto Parts and Toyota.

Tue Oct 31. Bay Area counties Santa Clara, Marin, Alameda, San Mateo, Contra Costa, and Sonoma hospitals, clinics, and long term care facilities must follow county mask mandates. The counties fear an increase in COVID-19 and RSV cases. The mask mandates begins on Nov 1, 2023 and ends on Mar 31, 2024.

The CA state positivity rate was 6% in mid Oct. Santa Clara County wastewater transmission data indicated medium levels at the end of Oct.

Update On A Past Blog

I'm living my last hours of borrowed time being unemployed from the blog Unemployed Borrowed Time I wrote on Apr 27, 2018. The borrowed time has been lasting at least five years with a COVID-19 global pandemic delay. I don't know what happens when time is up. I don't know my actions when time is up. Death is at the bottom of the outcomes list. I continue doing the best I can staying sharp.

The Times Are Changing continues. I wrote 2020 was a year of significant changes including government shelters in-place, black lives matter, modified professional sports seasons, and online school learning. I wrote the blog on Sep 17, 2020. Some 2023 significant changes are inflation, Ukraine war, climate changes, former President Donald Trump's criminal charges, and the Gaza Strip war.

I also wrote Beelzebub collected the bills past due during the 2009-2010 global recession. Beelzebub collects today. There are more people he made deals before the global pandemic. There are more bills past due.

The times are changing.