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there’s something about meditation, wherein judgement is suspended… which seems notable / useful - to maybe carry into everyday life
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$14 / month - and you better believe you’re still the product 🤮
arstechnica.com/tech-poli… -
with piles of books across the place (and devices) I noticed that, depending which pile I find myself at, I’m reading both “The Midnight Kingdom” by Jared Yates Sexton [@JYSexton], and “How to Be an Antiracist”, by Ibram X. Kendi [@ibramxk] - concurrently.
and, each being seriously grounded in important - and suppressed - history, I find that they’re almost meant to be read together.
much learning - and much needed.
which reminds me, that I’ve also been meaning to read Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States”.www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/673…
books.apple.com/us/book/h…
www.howardzinn.org/collectio… -
got my first pension check; nice. retiring, is the best (work-related) decision I ever made - LOVING it.
(BTW: kudos to Cox Auto, for continuing to offer a pension.) -
ugh: just after 3am, I got an email that my HSA was going to start charging a fee - per month - after today. so much for that account being - as they so often market it - “my money”. 😟
“luckily”, I had enough med. expenses to drain the account 😕 -
reminder:
that thing you opened you phone/computer for - to be immediately distracted by other notifications? do the first thing FIRST - those notifications will still be there.
(otherwise, you’ll likely forget the first - likely more important - thing.) -
COVID and elevated risk of blood clots, strokes or heart attacks
“If you’ve had covid, watch out for stroke symptoms: Given that most people have had Covid by now, everyone should be more vigilant about the early warning signs such as chest pain, unusual swelling, numbness or weakness, or sudden changes in balance, speech or vision.” [Washington Post] (with hat-tip to Violet Blue)
I can tell you from direct experience: Do not waste a moment second-guessing; if someone shows signs of stroke (memomnic acronym is FAST; look it up), get to the hospital ASAP.
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if you’re able, I hope you’ll join me in supporting the amazing Violet Blue and her book: www.kickstarter.com/projects/…
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wow; i had no idea how challenging it would be, to get off the treadmill. yet another learning experience.
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did we really need more evidence that Elon is a terrible human being? really?? “demanding workers show up for at least 40 hours a week in the office or find another employer”
www.ft.com/content/f… -
COVID tips
With so many of us now, simply shrugging and giving up on being careful about COVID - prompted by government and business leading the way down this dangerous path (especially dangerous for the many of us who cannot get vaccinated) - it’s sad that the reality at this stage, is that you’d have to be in a bubble to avoid getting it. N95 masks provide decent protection - to the people on the outside of the mask. That’s the best we’ve got - and many of the people who should most be wearing them, are the people who care the least, so aren’t.
So we’ll all likely get it - and with that in mind:
- get all the boosters you can, as soon as they’re available to you
- don’t wait on a booster since this will increase your risk AND delay your ability to get the next one, which may be even better and/or more targeted
- manage risk as best possible; minimize time in closed rooms, especially with poor ventilation
- for recent variants, the amount of exposure to become infected, is about 60 seconds
- test early and often, especially after anything you think even MIGHT have been risky
- tests are generally covered by healthcare plans, or otherwise available at no additional cost - get as many as you are allowed, and use them
- PCR tests are the gold standard, and pick up infection sooner than antigen tests
- PCR tests will also show positive, for awhile afterward (because you’ve still got it in you)
- there are no at-home PCR tests; they require more advanced lab equipment and expertise
- LAMP tests are _similar to PCR; they look for the same thing in a different way
- PCR tests are still available at no additional cost, usually run by the state
- antigen tests are useful to show if you’re at a high enough level that you should isolate
- antigen tests will take awhile after infection, to show positive; test >5 days after exposure
- antigen tests are also useful after you’ve had it, and are no longer symptomatic, to show when it’s safe to exit isolation (even when a PCR might show positive)
- test results are no longer tracked in even a remotely comprehensive way, so those stats are dubious at best
- we DO have treatment options - and you need to prepare NOW to be able to use them
- for instance, Paxlovid is apparently most/only useful, immediately after infection
- so have that conversation with your doctor NOW, to know how to get it as soon as you need it, since you can get it only on their say-so
- the treatments (like Paxlovid) have significant potential side-effects and drug interactions; check those carefully - also good to do NOW, before you’re in the throws
Last: Please point out any errors I’ve made above, or any additions / questions / comments - best way to get through this, is TOGETHER. ❤️
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another nudge to get any tests and boosters you’re eligible for, ASAP:
Fauci signaling that [due to GOP opposition to COVID funding], the US is going to start running out. :(
this, as we appear to be in a surge in the NorthEast, and likely country-wide by Fall (if not sooner).
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2022/05/13/fauci_we_have_the_possibility_of_a_surge_due_to_waning_immunity_and_people_gathering_without_masks.html -
do yourself (and everyone else) a favor - get some of these N95 masks:
www.airgami.life
why? excellent breathability, excellent fit, excellent protection.
BTW: also works very well, for those of us with beards - for a solid (and safe) fit -
we will not be deterred! 😉
www.rutlandherald.com/opinion/c…
❤️ -
whoever made this, gets 1,000 internet points
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more painful evidence that many officials - yes; “even” in VT - are making decisions heavily weighted on political considerations vs. science (but ham-handedly abusing science, to justify): vtdigger.org/2022/03/3…
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“Thus far, only the state’s larger hospitals… have filed rate adjustment requests”
Oh; but “economies of scale”!
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brilliant explanation of why - especially for some of us - it’s hard to switch tasks: eisforerin.com/tag/adhd/
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“market forces” and healthcare - forcing many of us, to get neither health, nor care vtdigger.org/2022/03/1…
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The kids, are a whole lot better than alright: “teen wanted COVID vaccine; had to hide it from parents”
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maitri
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well this looks darn handy: sayyescovidhometest.org
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