The Circle of Life

I've mentioned that weird thoughts have a way of rolling around in my head. Here's the most recent:

I've been more concerned with the planet and how we are abusing it. Consequently, I've been reading about things that upset the natural balance of the ecosystems and how the earth resolves the imbalances. Occasionally humans will try to intervene and correct some of the problems we have caused, but our solutions often address the problems from our perspective, not from a save the earth perspective.

Anyway -- from somewhere came this thought about a scene in the Lion King. Mufasa is explaining to young Simba about the circle of life. He says that even though they (lions) eat the antelope, when they (again, lions) die their bodies turn to grass and the antelope eat the grass--or something like that.
But that doesn't happen in the human circle -- at least, not anymore.

Our bodies are not left to decompose and return minerals and nutrients to the soil. We pump them full of chemicals, seal them in a casket, seal the casket in a concrete burial vault, and finally buried in the earth where they will eventually decompose but still remain isolated from adding our basic elements back into the earth's ecosystem.

Weird, huh?

Burial vaults have only been used for a hundred years or so, and primarily serve to keep cemetery grounds level by not allowing the ground to collapse as the casket and body decay. I imagine that cremation has a negative impact on the atmosphere from the burning part, but at least the elements can be reintroduced into the environment in some fashion -- spreading or burying the ashes in some manner. There are now several companies that offer to make bio-pods from your ashes and create an urn with a tree or potted plant that can be replanted for a memorial. Or you can even have your ashes compressed into a diamond or jewel that can be worn or handed down for generations.

Personally, I kind of like the tree idea.
I mean, since dumping my corpse into a ditch or burying it in the backyard isn't really an option.
Anyway -- just another weird thought.

And since you're already singing the song in your head, here it is with the video intro to the animated movie version.

https://youtu.be/Zn_qirpdBag?t=35

John

Maybe I Should Get Out More -- Maybe Not

It's a bit before sunrise on Thursday morning and I'm looking out the front window. I see the garbage dumpster still sitting at the end of the driveway and realize that means that I didn't even make it to the end of the driveway yesterday. And it was a beautiful day!

I did manage a couple of hours laying on the hammock in the sun, so that's good. I didn't even make it down the road to the mailbox. This morning I'm reading that the US topped 3,000 Covid-19 related deaths yesterday, so I'm going to say staying at home is a good thing! I should probably get out for a walk or make it past the boundaries of our yard. It will be near 70f (21c) today before it turns cold again.

I will be out for a bit this morning. Someone donated a bunch of blankets to The Venues and they need someone to deliver them to The Connecting Grounds' Outreach Center. Making a pick-up and drop is something I can do in a world where my volunteering has been reduced to pretty much zero.
Local Covid-19 numbers continue their upward trend and hospitals are stretched to the max. Unnecessary exposure is just stupid.

The new vaccines offer hope for a better tomorrow, but that tomorrow is still a long ways off. A Monday article in the New York Times compared the vaccine to a fire hose that works well to put out a building fire, but not well in containing a forest fire. What we have is a forest fire and will continue to require masking, hand washing, and social distancing for some time along with significant participation in the vaccine. The analogy stated that a 50% effective vaccine at September's infection rate would have been more effective than the 95% effective vaccine at today's rate.
Damn.

In addition to that, we still face a critical shortage of available doses of vaccinations. The US Operation Warp Speed failed to secure adequate doses and placed the US around 32nd in per capita doses on a worldwide scale. While we will be able to vaccinate most of the higher risk citizens and healthcare workers soon, risk will continue for most of us for some time. There is a real danger that we forget to practice the necessary precautions in order to adequately suppress the spread while we wait for the magical numbers to end the pandemic.
In the meantime, we wait.

I know it's holiday season. Stay home.
I know you want to gather for Christmas parties and family gatherings. Stay home.
I know you want to celebrate the end to 2020 and party into 2021. Stay home.
Let's do what is necessary to end this thing.

Have hope, but continue in practicing safe socializing.

John

Wednesday Wisdom

 

Dinner Plans?

Just curious -- when do you plan for dinner? Or do you?
Do you make up a weekly menu and shop accordingly?
Do you put frozen meats in the fridge a couple of days early to thaw? Or maybe thaw on the counter same day? Microwave thaw just before cooking?
Maybe you don't make plans and just sort of wing it night after night?

We used to eat out quite a bit, but now (you know, pandemic) we stay home for dinner. The common afternoon question in our house is, "What are you making for dinner?"

It's forecast to be sunny and mid 50s in the Ozarks (12c) so I think I'll put some ribs on the grill along with a couple of baked potatoes. Maybe I can talk Chris into making a salad.

So -- What's for dinner at your house? 
And when did you decide that?

John

Monday Motivation

 

We Did a Thing...

It's been a few years since we've decorated for Christmas. We've never been the big Clark Griswold kind of Christmas people -- more a nativity scene, the tree, a Christmas village, stockings kind of folks. But for the past three years, we really haven't done anything. We we had a couple of post surgery holidays and last year we were in a tiny apartment, so...

In those light Christmas years and while packing to move, we got rid of a lot of our decorations so this year is still a pretty light year as far as decorations go -- a nativity set, a small tree, some figurines, stocking on the fireplace, etc. I even hung a small string of lights outside! 
And we mailed out a few Christmas cards! We didn't have a lot of addresses, but it was fun sending cards to the few that we had.

Covid-19 will see to it that we have a small Christmas again this year. I expect that we'll see our local kids (Hannah and Daniel) over the holidays, but know that our Chicago kids (Aaron and Jenny) won't be traveling to visit. That's pretty much life in the Covid era (at least for some of us).

Christmas will be very different for many people this year. Like Thanksgiving, I expect there will be a lot of virtual family get-togethers or perhaps just some lonely, isolated observances. Maybe if each of my 30 or so reader's (more if you share this) would pick one or two people that will be spending Christmas alone and call them on Christmas Day. Maybe one family member and one friend or family member of a friend -- anyone that might need a call on Christmas Day.
Many charitable organizations are having a difficult time meeting with the increased demand this year. The pandemic has both put more people in need and made it more difficult for organizations to reach out for help. If you don't have a place to give and would like to - here are a couple of my favorites:

The Venues Lights of Love
The Connecting Grounds

Merry Christmas,
John

Not a Fan of Winter -- or a Pandemic

Nor am I a fan of traveling during a pandemic.
So I guess I'll endure another Midwest winter as we wait for some relief from the coronavirus.

I know there are many that are traveling and our favorite spots in Mexico are among the few places that still allow US tourists, but I think we'll stay put for now. Morning coffee by the fireplace wouldn't be my first choice, but it's not a bad thing either. 

Here in Southwest Missouri, life goes on as usual for most people. While many still refuse to take the simple steps of wearing a mask or not gathering in groups, our local hospitals are filling up with covid19 patients and having to deny treatment or care for other health issues. 

Last week I noticed a number on my blog stats -- the number of views my blog has had since its beginning. Today that number is 275,164. 
I've been writing since July of 2006 and this is my 2,096th post. To be sure, my simple blog is not widely read, but it only took 10 months for the number of US deaths to surpass the number of views on a blog that I've been writing for more than 14 years! By March of 2021, the US deaths will probably be twice that amount. The death rate in the US is now about 1 death due to covid19 EVERY 30 DAMNED SECONDS!

I get it. You're tired of staying home. You're healthy and the virus isn't going to kill you. Let the people that are immuno-compromised take precautions. 
By now, we all know people that have tested positive and it was no big deal. Most of us also know someone that was very sick from the virus and may still be dealing with the after effects months later. I would think that there are very few of us that haven't personally known someone that has died from covid19 -- and yet, here we are.

Today and tomorrow will be around 50f (10c) in the Ozarks. I'll spend some time in the sun and maybe enjoy a cigar or two. I'll probably even take the motorcycle out for a little ride. I'll avoid people (I usually do, anyway) and wear a mask when I can't. If you know someone that shouldn't be out, perhaps you can offer to run errands for them. Or maybe you can just give them a call to let them know they're not alone. Winter has enough suck without the added isolation of a pandemic.

Be kind. 
Think of others.
Love your neighbor. (I read that "love your neighbor" thing in a book. It was a Good Book.)

John

Christmas is Coming

 I know that in the past I have read through the twenty-four chapters of The Gospel According to Luke during the December days preceding Christmas. It's a nice daily practice to read through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus in the days leading up to Christmas. I hadn't really intended on doing it again this year, but I found out my mom is doing it and I have decided to join her. 

I read chapters 1 & 2 yesterday to get caught up and chapter 3 for this morning's reading. 
The first three chapters cover the birth of John the Baptist, the birth of Jesus, and John's ministry of baptizing in the Jordan river. 

I like Luke's Gospel. I don't think I'll be posting daily summaries of my thoughts about each chapter, but I wanted to share the idea while it's still pretty easy to get caught up in case anyone else would care to join in.

Earlier I wrote about December 25th being the day that we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Since then I was thinking about that combined with the sentiment of putting Christ back in Christmas that is common during the season. Maybe we should (as Christians) consider putting Christ into every day.
That would be cool!

Even though it is past Giving Tuesday, there are still plenty of needs this holiday season. If you'd like to share your generosity with others but don't know where, let me offer this opportunity to you.
Each year The Venues Church partners with several community agencies to provide for people during the holiday season. This year's pandemic has presented challenges in getting the word out, even as needs are much greater. If you check out our Lights of Love page, you can help kids, seniors, families, unsheltered youths, unsheltered adults, even pets. The need is great. 

I would encourage you to contribute in your local community, but if you don't know where and just want to help someone in need through a trusted organization -- you are more than welcome to give a gift through my church community.

John

Trump Tweets While the World Burns

Yes, it's an awful, contemporary take on the old "Nero fiddled while Rome burned" but at least it is more accurate (fiddles weren't invented at the time of Nero's rule).

I know -- to many, the idea of climate change and global warming as a result of human action is still a hoax. But for those of us that do believe in science and the data that we have, the analogy is real. The past four years in the US have done great damage to the efforts to reduce our impact on climate change and to begin to repair the damage we have done to our home.
Well, at least the current Administration has. I do believe that many of us are still interested in reducing our own carbon footprints and are actively working at activities that can help.

Here's an article about the escalating crisis and the rising temperatures of our world's oceans.

Our 2020 pandemic controlled lives have greatly reduced our travels -- both in the way of leisure activity and local driving. We stay at home more, eat out less, and try to consolidate local errands to avoid covid exposure. I wonder how much we've saved this year on gas alone. I suppose some of that savings is offset by the five acres of land that I now have to mow, but I have plans to plant a few trees this year to contribute to our footprint reduction.
I know that "Giving Tuesday" has past, but I think that we will be making a donation to the Arbor Day Foundation and picking out some trees to plant on our property.

Did you know that conifers and deciduous trees of comparable sizes produce similar amounts of oxygen on an annual basis? However, it is believed that deciduous trees sequester more carbon in their much denser trunks and branches.  

I am glad that the coming Biden/Harris Administration will make addressing climate change a priority in the coming years. As a country, I believe it is important for us to do this and move away from fossil fuels.
As individuals, it is also important that we work to be more ecologically minded in our daily activities. We will continue to recycle and reduce our use of single use plastics. We will continue to consolidate errands (which is also necessary due to the distance we have to travel to get anywhere) and make fewer local trips. We will plant some trees and a small garden this year (not sure if that helps with climate change, but it sounds like it should). And I'm still hoping to do that beehive thing this year.
We're also looking into a solar grid, but I don't know if that's going to happen in '21.

What about you?
Will you fiddle while the world burns?
Or will you act to put out the fire and rebuild a better world community?
What are your green plans for 2021?

John

Things in my head this morning

Does anyone else ever wonder why the calendar year doesn't begin with an annual astronomical event?
Why doesn't the year begin or end with a solstice or equinox? 
Why not with the perihelion or aphelion of our orbit around the sun?
Both the winter solstice (summer solstice for the southern hemisphere) and the earth at perihelion occur within days of the beginning of the calendar year. If you're going to pick a mark to count the days around the sun, why not use something related to the actual journey around the sun?

I suppose if you're just going to pick a day and one of your months is named for a two-faced god that has a face looking backward and a face looking forward (Janus) -- well, that makes some kind of mythological sense.

Yeah, I think about weird things sometimes.

John