Day 8 - Los Angeles lifts its vaccine mandate. A vax card is no longer required.

Striders route tonight…

The BA2 variant is 30% to 80% more transmissible than the original Omicron strain – it now accounts for 70% of circulating strains. There’s been a surge in Europe and the UK, which is the natural cycle for new variants before they make their way ‘across the pond’ to infect our shores. Not to worry, tho.  Most of my fellow Americans have either contracted Omicron [recall that at one point, the US were at 800,000 cases a day in January] or were vaxed and boosted which means that…[record scratch]…what’s this?

Dr. Dean Blumberg, Infectious Disease expert, with UC Davis Health, reports that the vaccines, boosters, and/or an actual Covid infection only give us “partial immunity.” Add this new definition to your Covid vocabulary such as ‘flattening the curve”; “social distancing”; and sanitizing your mail.  Partial immunity?!  Have you ever heard of such a thing? This term has NEVER been used in conjunction with a previous vaccine as in, “Four out of five doctors surveyed recommend getting vaccinated for measles and polio so you can have partial immunity from these deadly diseases. Maybe you’ll die, maybe you won’t because…you know…it’s partial. But get vaccinated anyway.” This is ridiculous!

BTW, partial immunity lasts just three months…four months if you’re lucky.

Public health officials are now advocating a new strategy:  hold off on the booster until the next variant turns deadly and starts felling Americans.  Then, get the booster ASAP so you can survive for three months. You’ll have to pay out of pocket (unless you have Medicare) because the Senate has refused to pass any bill that includes additional Covid funding.  With inflation increasing daily, Americans may have to make a choice between yet another jab ($500), organic fruit ($500), or a tank of gas ($500). I think I’ll hold out for the fruit.

 4/7/22. Thursday

4:45-5:15-It is too early. I need 30 minutes of transition time today.

5:15-5:30 - I go downstairs to warm up my coffee and tiptoe past the dog. She sees me and weakly wags her tail so I take a moment to pet her before starting up the microwave. The dog jumps off the couch and stands by the door so I take her outside. I note that she pooped in two places on the patio (sigh). I survey my plants while I wait for her to go potty. The yard needs work; my plants need to be watered. Return inside and cheese for her. I grab my coffee and go upstairs.

5:15-6:15-Shower. I sit in the shower, drink my coffee, and ice my eyes while listening to The Daily. Lotion. Light makeup. I’m fat today so I wear leggings and a hip-length sleeveless blouse. I load my bags in the car and I’m on the road by 6:15.

6:15-7:20-Traffic terrible. I eat cold scrambled eggs and listen to What a Day and Today Explained.

7:20-7:40-Arrive at the parking lot and I put my makeup on in the car and review my lecture notes.

7:45-8:00-I walk to the office, take my temperature with the standing thermometer [“Temperature Normal!”], and sign in.

8:00-9:30-Class is in session. It’s a straight lecture today about, what I consider to be, a boring topic; HOWEVER, when I’m finished, the students clap so I curtsey. Kind of sweet [insert smile emoji here].

9:30-9:45 - I drop off Attendance and walk to my car.

9:45-11:00-Driving. Traffic is horrible. I eat leftover salmon in the car while listening to Happier.

12:00-1:00- Home and I bring in all of my bags and put everything away. I read Women in the Portrait; then

1:00-2:30-I do a 15-minute Insanity Ab workout and a 30-minute Insanity - Friday Fight workout.

3:00-4:00-I take the dog for a walk; and

4:00-5:30-try to take a nap.

5:30-6:00-I get dressed in athletic housewife attire and drive to this weeks’ Striders meeting place.

6:15-7:30-Tonight, the Striders group is meeting at Bridgeport Elementary School and the route takes place on the neighborhood sidewalks surrounding the lake. 20 minutes into the walk, I meet Stacy, an audiologist for LAUSD, in the San Fernando area - her commute is an hour, one way, IF she takes surface streets. Stacy is a single Mom with two sons [Brian and Josh], but went through an amicable divorce and now has a great relationship with her ex-husband and a wonderful custody arrangement [one week on, one week off]. As mothers, in this society, we’re not supposed to say that we like having a 1-week break from our children…but most mothers in similar situations secretly appreciate that time off. I tell Stacey about my own divorce and how having time to myself to recharge, when it was my ex-husband’s turn to take L., actually made me a better mother. Stacey agreed. The walk ends. Spoiler Alert: I never walk with Stacey again. She doesn’t appear for the next six weeks, and when I do see her, on 5/26/22, she says nothing to me and walks alone.

7:30-8:00-I drive home;

8:00-9:30 - and have a nice phone call with my parents

9:30-11:00-L. has been MIA for a week, but surfaces tonight. We have a conversation about her new job at The Club and the problems with “Membership.”

11:00-12:00 - Long day today so I shut everything down, lock up, and start my nighttime routine. Bed.