Life is not fair. I’ve been living carefully for a year and a half. I wear a mask when I’m out. I’ve avoiding spending time with unvaccinated people. I’ve been vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19 and got my flu vaccination last week. So, what happened? I started feeling a scratchy throat late the night before last. It got scratchier yesterday, now I have a full-fledged cold. How do I know it’s not COVID-19? I don’t and I’m treating it like it is. I canceled my plans last night and I wear my mask in the house when I’m in the shared areas of the apartment. I’m scrubbing my hands before I touch a surface, though that’s for the cold, not the possibility of COVID-19. I should get the antibody test when I no longer have symptoms to see if I had it. There goes my plan to see Mile Twelve tonight. I was so looking forward to that, but I can’t endanger others. This is something I have not historically been good about. I went out when I had colds. I’m not sure how absolute I’ll be about this in the future. I would much rather have a cold and go out than not have a cold and stay in. If I felt confident that everyone felt that way, I’d have no qualms about going out. A cold is an annoyance, not a threat. I will certainly wear a mask if I have a cold and wash my hands often. As for now, I’m staying home.
At least it’s a good weekend for staying home; it’s NERFA. It’s virtual so I can participate without risking anyone else’s health. Lots of people get sick at NERFA because we are all in close quarters so the one person with a virus spreads it to others. Not me, I never got sick. When I was teaching and everyone at school got sick I didn’t. I stay home for the most part and live carefully, I catch a cold. I’m listening to the NERFA open mic as I write this. This is my big music discovery weekend. There is also zoom socializing. We had a zoom meeting earlier this afternoon. Much of the time was people saying hi to old friends.
What I most look forward to is the guerilla showcases. In real life I can wonder the hall and listen for something I like. Virtually I have the advantage of quickly flitting into and out of rooms. Sturgeon’s law applies to folk music, “90% of everything is crud.” I’ve always viewed my job as DJ, presenter, and blogger is to expose you to the 10% that isn’t crud in the hope that you might find that only 50% of what I present is crud. 50% is optimistic. If I could achieve that I’d be a musical curation superstar. One person’s crud is another person gem and 5 people’s mediocrity. Part of my problem is that consider mediocrity crud. I am a tough grader.
The first real hint that my health wasn’t write was my reluctance to take a walk yesterday; my legs felt heavy. I decided to listen to my body. In doing so I did a favor to all the people that I didn’t interact with. Sure, our bodies lie to us sometimes, but I still trust mine for the most part, more than I do my gut instincts which is another way of saying prejudices.
I better take a nap before the showcases start. I’ll be up late tonight and I’m already tired.
Wise Madness 