SELF-ISOLATION, DAY 9

It is a beautiful sun-shiny day! The sky is so blue; just wispy clouds which look far far up in the sky. I think they have been called Mare’s Tails. I do not know the technical term. My son probably knows if he reads this. Someone could tell me their name. So I feel so much better today, at least 2.3 times better than yesterday. I do crave sunshine. Never been diagnosed with SAD, that is, I believe, Seasonal Affective Disorder. It could also be MAD, Meteorological Affective Disorder. I like that. OK, not really. Anyway I am not MAD or SAD today.

Took myself for a long walk after taking my dog for a walk. She does not really go for a walk, she goes for a sniff, so I do not get much exercise from it. I walked around the grounds of the apartment complex and over by the lakes. In the summer one can take a canoe or rowboat out on the small lakes. Last summer a friend of mine who is an Episcopal Deacon went out canoeing with me. He is very talented and experienced with canoes. I am very not. So I capsized. I did not scream or panic (it is difficult to scream underwater) and my dad would have been proud of my composure but it was startling to suddenly find myself mostly submerged with a canoe half-ways on top of me. Not trying to make it sound more exciting than it was, but…it was exciting and it occurred to me how quickly things can happen, like drowning. Long story short, my friend the  Deacon rescued me. We managed to get the canoe out, righted, etc. We made it back to shore. Afterwards, drying out I told him it was a pretty good story, him, the spiritual advisor saving me from the water. Almost like some weird Baptism. Or not. I hope I do not offend anyone. I have deep spiritual beliefs, just not traditional. Can’t help it.

But, where was I? I intended to write about the walk. So, my walk took me by the boat shed and the rowboats and canoes which are upside-down and tarpaulin-covered. I am pretty sure one of the canoes sneered at me. That is the one, almost certain, and it remembered me. Next time I will be sure to not take THAT one out. Anyway, I walked at a brisk pace and when I do this, all the stiffness in my back and sore joints, it all disappears. Walking is great. Seagulls circling overhead, Canada Geese making noises and chasing each other. I think it is Goose mating season. Which brings me to part of this that I thought twice or three times about recounting, but hopefully no small children are reading this. So I believe I saw goose-mating for the first time. I have sometimes wondered how birds “do it”. We know that “birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it” (thanks to Eartha Kitt), so I am walking along and 2 big geese were swimming along, then suddenly one began quacking or honking, then it kind of bit the other one on the back of the head (goose kiss??) and proceeded to climb on top of the other and sat there for a few seconds, completely immersing or submerging the other. I thought I should avert my eyes but was too fascinated. Then the one on top got off, they both kind of shook their feathers and continued cruising along. I should look this up on Wikipedia. Maybe one of my readers is a goose expert and can tell me. Yeah, my life in isolation is pretty exciting.

Also, the Weeping Willows appear to be turning green. Another sign of Spring, besides the crocuses and geese. Oh, not to forget, remember, remember, DO THE CENSUS. It is important. All right, a sort of summary: for me, a great day so far and tonight our spiritual discussion for the Theosophical Society, via ZOOM. New thing for me. As I have mentioned, we start with a meditation, then discuss various topics. As I have said, we do not smoke incense and try to levitate or anything weird. It is much like a serious religious discussion found in many religious institutions, except that this is not a religion per se, but an evaluation, discussion of religion, philosophy, science. A belief that there is a unity in all of LIFE. I cannot explain it well. Just a beginner. But it feels good and is good for my soul.

All right, remember to maintain some kind of order. I still take a shower, brush and floss and try to eat healthy, but not too healthy, LOL. I need chocolate. Walk or run, love your pets and your friends and relatives (not necessarily like the geese, but that is up to everyone to decide for themselves), and remember that important is that we have to do this FOR EACH OTHER, not just the stock market but because we are all humans, all brothers and sisters in the Spirit.

Be safe, stay well, believe in the higher powers. We can do this.

David, March 25, 2020

Where Chicago Chefs and Foodies Shop

If you’ve been doing more cooking since you’ve been sheltering in place and are frustrated by not finding what you want at your local supermarket, you are not alone.

But worry, no more.

It’s Green City Market to the rescue.

Green City Market

For more than 20 years, Green City Market has been the leading source of local, sustainable food in Chicago.

The market is a magnet for serious cooks, foodies and chefs from many of Chicago’s finest restaurants who shop side by side with regular folks, kids in strollers and those who may just be looking to get a healthy, tasty, local and seasonable bite to eat.

The Virtual Market

But due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ruling of no groups of ten or more and social distancing, the market has had to put their indoor market on hiatus and currently it’s wait and see if they will be able to open the outdoor market scheduled for May 2.

But leave it to, Bill Kurtis and Sarah Stegner, founding board members of Green City Market, to find a way to make everyone happy with a Virtual Farmer’s Market.

Currently 20 plus farmers are onboard with this Virtual Market that offers everything from fresh produce to meat, breads, soup and even grilled cheese sandwiches.

It won’t be long before all your spring favorites will be coming to the market including garlic scapes, strawberries, rhubarb and those beautiful crunchy radishes. And now, even if you can’t go to the market, you can still get the best of the best at the Virtual Market.

Photo: Carole Kuhrt-Brewer

Here’s How

Just go to the Green City Market website and click on the virtual vendor link on the home page. Once there, you can connect directly with over two dozen local family farmers and artisanal food producers who are able to offer pick up or delivery services.

Click on the farm profiles to learn about the details on how to place orders, where to pick up, or in some cases of larger orders, how to arrange for delivery directly to your home.

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St, George Street in the old town of St. Augustine, Florida is always packed with tourists, shoulder to shoulder. Daytime or night time, it always looks like this (below). Not today, in broad daylight (above). Hardly a soul to be seen; not a dollar changing hands.

We visited it today and took the picture of the empty street. While it should satisfy the public health experts that the place was virtually deserted, I couldn’t help but worry about the people who earn their livelihood there.

We stopped at one of the few stores open, a women’s apparel shop, where the woman behind the counter said she couldn’t believe her eyes. Never, not ever, has she seen the place so empty, not even at night. She said (this was about 1 p.m.) that the only money she had in the till was $10 from a pair of sunglasses she sold that morning. She’s hoping her landlord doesn’t press her for rent.

We enjoyed an Italian sausage and some great ice cream at another one of the rare places open. No one near us, no one bothering us. Doing our part to keep the economy from collapsing.

Your correspondent at work.

[email protected]

www.dennisbyrne.net 

My historical novel: Madness: The War of 1812

By Sandra Guy

People hunkered down at home to keep others safe from the coronavirus pandemic should beware spending every moment in front of their handheld, laptop or computer screen, experts warn.

The pandemic’s global death toll, which surpassed 20,000 on March 25, makes this, the designated “Workplace Eye Wellness Month,” uniquely prescient.

Indeed, optometrists are finding that young people, and even children, are at risk for dry eye disease, partly because they’re spending so many hours staring at a computer screen or hand-held device.

Other tell-tale signs include getting blurry-eyed when sitting in harsh fluorescent lighting and feeling a burning sensation in your eyes after sitting in front of a bright computer screen.

One of the underlying causes is a considerable reduction in how often we blink our eyes.

When we stare at screens — whether those screens are on smartphones, laptops or desktop computers — we blink less often, experts say.

Healthy people blink 10 to 15 times each minute, compared with those staring at a computer screen, whose rate plunges by 60 percent, according to research published in the journal Survey of Ophthalmology.

Blinking matters because each blink renews tear film, a microscopic layer that protects and moisturizes the eyes.

Dr. Brian Hollett, MD, a physician at Chicago-based SHIFT https://shiftlife.com/ offers these tips for working well – and healthfully – from home.

SHIFT uses a membership model to deliver expert primary care medicine alongside a team of nutrition, fitness and recovery experts. The concierge service’s aim is to help people take control of their health, find purpose, and realize their full potential to live a happier, healthier, and more productive life.

• Set up a workspace that eliminates glare on your computer screen. If possible, limit exterior light by closing drapes, shades or blinds, and position your computer screen so windows are to the side, instead of directly in front or behind your screen.

• To prevent or alleviate eye strain from prolonged screen time, follow the 20-20-20 rule. Take a 20-second break every 20 minutes to focus on something at least 20 feet away.

This allows relaxation of the small ciliary muscles in the eye. These are the eye muscles keeping the lens in tension to maintain focus when looking at your screen.

• Every 40 to 60 minutes, stand up from your desk and move around a bit. In that time, do some squats, lunges, upper body stretches, or shoulder rolls.