April 2020

 

So…you know all those things I said about March entertainment?  Well, forget about it…a few things changed in the last couple of weeks.  Have you heard about it?

 

Vegas is closed…casinos, shows, malls, etc.  100’s of thousands of people are out of work…certainly all of the performers, stagehands, casino workers, etc.  As much as Vegas has talked about diversifying its economy, it is still fueled primarily by tourists.  Vegas is going to recover very slowly.  We are a town that depends on disposable income.  First, we have to get past this virus.  Second, we have to be comfortable in crowds, and we have to feel comfortable travelling.  And third, we still have no idea how the economy is going to truly respond.  When are people going to have disposable income?

 

Casinos were shut down for thirty days starting in mid-March.  There was a short lived appeal to get them opened sooner than mid-April, but that currently doesn’t look feasible right now.  We may continue to be shut down through April.  We don’t know.  Everyone wants to get back to normal, but no one knows what ‘normal’ is going to look like in our post coronavirus period.

 

Like everyone…I worry.  I worry about people getting desperate…running out of money, running out of food.  I worry about what happens when people get desperate.  We are going to get relief checks…in a month.  What happens between now and then?  We have only been dealing with this for two weeks, and relief is still four weeks away.  So much has happened in the last two weeks, and I really have no idea what the next four weeks have to offer.

 

I really haven’t minded the home isolation that much.  I’ve always like being home anyway, and I always have things to do.  Yes.  The house is REALLY clean, and the yard looks terrific.  I have discovered that I love touching my face…I am eager to wash my hands now, because immediately afterwards, I can freely touch my face.  The “honey-do” list is now a “honey-done” list.  I’m writing another book, doing more photography, and I’m eating better and exercising more.  I want to come through this better than I was.

 

Many performers are turning to the internet…posting performances…really wanting to share their art.  It does brighten my day to watch these…but it still doesn’t pay their bills.  I have heard about many different fundraisers…but none have come to fruition yet.

 

Apparently, Pornhub is thriving…as are all the streaming sites.  Dating apps are being hit hard (Gee. Really? No one wants to get out and meet strangers on the internet right now?)  I guess the only safe dating in the near future will be: Covid-19 survivor…now immune.  Looking for same.

 

April is usually my favorite month of the year.  And isolation is hard during this time of year.  It’s springtime, and the world is saying, “Get out, it’s time to renew the earth!”

 

How different is the celebration of Easter going to be this year?

 

As a distraction…

 

The other monthly celebrations include: Keep America Beautiful Month, National Welding Month, and Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

 

As for the daily celebrations:

 The 1st of course is April Fool's Day, but it is also International Tatting Day.

 The 3rd is Don't Go to Work Unless it's Fun Day.

 The 4th is Hug a Newsman Day, as well as, Tell a Lie Day.

 The 5th Go for Broke Day.

 The 6th Plan Your Epitaph Day.

 The 7th is National Beer Day, No Housework Day, and World Health Day.

 The 8th is Draw a Picture of a Bird Day.

 The 9th is Name Yourself Day and Winston Churchill Day.

 The 10th is Golfer's Day!!

 The 11th is Eight Track Tape Day (but we’re not sure why).

 The 12th is Russian Cosmonaut Day.

The 14th is Ex Spouse Day, International Moment of Laughter Day, Look up at the Sky Day, and Reach as High as You Can Day.

 The 15th is Titanic Remembrance Day.

 The 17th is Blah, Blah, Blah Day and Pet Owners Independence Day.

 The 18th is International Juggler's Day.

 The 20th is my birthday,

 The 21st is National High Five Day.

 The 23rd is Lover's Day and Take a Chance Day

 The 26th is Hug an Australian Day.

 The 27th is Babe Ruth Day and Tell a Story Day.

 The 28th is Kiss Your Mate Day and Take Your Daughter to Work Day.

 And finally, the 30th is National Honesty Day (really it is.)

 

 Figure out which one of these you can do on your own.

 

The Romans gave this month the Latin name Aprilis. The traditional etymology is from the verb aperire, meaning "to open", in allusion to its being the season when trees and flowers begin to "open" for spring.

 

The Lyrids meteor shower appears on April 16 – April 26 each year, with the peak generally occurring on April 22. Eta Aquariids meteor shower also appears in April. It is visible from about April 21 to about May 20 each year with peak activity on or around May 6.

 

April’s birthstone is the diamond.

 

The birth flower is typically listed as either the Daisy (Bellis perennis) or the Sweet Pea.

 

The zodiac signs for the month of April are Aries (until April 19) and Taurus (April 20 onwards).

 

While Christians are observing Easter; Pagans are celebrating Ostara. In ancient Egypt, the festival of Isis was held to celebrate the resurrection of Osiris. The Celebration of Dionysus always took place about this time in Greece; celebrating the return of the leaves on the grapevines.  It seems that there is something innate that is built into the core of our being that senses this time of regeneration for the earth. There have always been celebrations in the spring honoring that spirit of rejuvenation. It is the end of winter. Spring is about re-birth, life after death, and a fresh start after a cold period in our lives. Spring brings us hope…and we are a world now looking for hope.

 

Stay safe world!

 

Wash your hands!

 

And just for fun, here are some viral pick up lines:

If Covid -19 doesn’t take you out…Can I?

Is that hand sanitizer in your pocket, or are you just happy to be within 6 feet of me?

Since all the public libraries are closed, I’m checking you out.

You can’t spell virus without U and I.

Baby, do you need toilet paper?  Because I can be your Prince Charmin. 

I saw you from across the bar. Stay there

 Without you; my life is as empty as the supermarket shelf.

 Hey Babe! Can I ship you a drink?

 You can’t spell quarantine without U R A Q T

 I really can’t stay.

 

Now really…wash your hands.

 

Oh…and one more thing, I hate the wasted water while it runs as we wait for it to get hot.  So I’ve created a series of pipes and pails to capture that water.  Then I can use that water for the plants.  Oh, the things we do when we have too much time on our hands.