(04-03-2020, 10:53 AM)taramarie Wrote: Didnt go so well. Seems i have to return for some time to nz and end up in quarantine in auckland then return to christchurch. On top of it my mother had a stroke.

(04-03-2020, 12:47 PM)sbarrera Wrote:

(04-03-2020, 10:53 AM)taramarie Wrote: Didnt go so well. Seems i have to return for some time to nz and end up in quarantine in auckland then return to christchurch. On top of it my mother had a stroke.

Sorry to hear it, Tara. I hope your mother recovers well.

(04-08-2020, 05:38 AM)taramarie Wrote: I can stay! Govt changed the law so i can stay during quarantine and one month after quarantine is lifted yay!

(04-12-2020, 12:38 PM)taramarie Wrote: Now its 2 months its extended past quarantine being lifted. I will be married to my partner in less than two days time. Things are finally looking up for us staying together for life.

(04-13-2020, 05:40 AM)David Horn Wrote:

(04-12-2020, 12:38 PM)taramarie Wrote: Now its 2 months its extended past quarantine being lifted. I will be married to my partner in less than two days time. Things are finally looking up for us staying together for life.

Best of luck in your shared future. 

One of the players, when it came time to pick a country, wanted Yugoslavia.  I had a little trouble with that.  Why Yugoslavia?  It was an obscure little country with no possible conflicts, one that added little to the campaign.  Why Yugoslavia? 

(06-17-2020, 03:47 PM)TnT Wrote: So how is everyone?  I'm probably your only Silent, or at least one of the last.

I've not been on since last July.  Now that we are fully in the Crisis, there doesn't seem to be much to talk about.  I guess we have some more years left in it, and maybe a full-scale shooting war, perhaps civil or even both civil AND international.

During the last months, since my wife has had three serious cardiac events, we have been hunkered down.  I've read my books and finished the chores around the house, even those most distasteful.  So here I am again.

(06-17-2020, 03:47 PM)TnT Wrote: So how is everyone?  I'm probably your only Silent, or at least one of the last.

I've not been on since last July.  Now that we are fully in the Crisis, there doesn't seem to be much to talk about.  I guess we have some more years left in it, and maybe a full-scale shooting war, perhaps civil or even both civil AND international.

During the last months, since my wife has had three serious cardiac events, we have been hunkered down.  I've read my books and finished the chores around the house, even those most distasteful.  So here I am again.

(07-06-2020, 09:00 AM)sbarrera Wrote: My big life event is that i have moved in with my long-time girlfriend. I had been keeping an apartment about half an hour from her, but since the pandemic lockdown started, I basically moved in with her anyway, while still paying rent on the (unused) apartment. It was obvious this made no sense so after much effort reorganizing, we got my stuff into her house and I have fully moved in. The apartment lease expires shortly.

She is out of work, since she is in the theater business. It's been tough on her. I am able to WFH in my cushy tech job so I can take care of her.

Interestingly, as i look around at all the people close to me - extended family and my close friends - everyone is doing fine. All my siblings are still able to work, my friends are all either WFH in their white-collar jobs or, in a few cases, continuing to be employed as "frontline essential workers" (for example at a big-box retailer). I'm thinking this is because most of the people I know well are college-educated office worker types. I just don't seem to know anyone who is a restaurant worker or a small business owner - the people most likely to be out of work. My gf is the exception, but I don't need to worry about her b/c she is close by. 

But that gets me thinking that if you are in the class of worker that is affected by the Covid recession, it might be that your whole safety net is down, since everyone tends to aggregate into social groups of people with similar backgrounds.

(07-06-2020, 11:20 AM)David Horn Wrote:

(07-06-2020, 09:00 AM)sbarrera Wrote: My big life event is that i have moved in with my long-time girlfriend. I had been keeping an apartment about half an hour from her, but since the pandemic lockdown started, I basically moved in with her anyway, while still paying rent on the (unused) apartment. It was obvious this made no sense so after much effort reorganizing, we got my stuff into her house and I have fully moved in. The apartment lease expires shortly.

She is out of work, since she is in the theater business. It's been tough on her. I am able to WFH in my cushy tech job so I can take care of her.

Interestingly, as i look around at all the people close to me - extended family and my close friends - everyone is doing fine. All my siblings are still able to work, my friends are all either WFH in their white-collar jobs or, in a few cases, continuing to be employed as "frontline essential workers" (for example at a big-box retailer). I'm thinking this is because most of the people I know well are college-educated office worker types. I just don't seem to know anyone who is a restaurant worker or a small business owner - the people most likely to be out of work. My gf is the exception, but I don't need to worry about her b/c she is close by. 

But that gets me thinking that if you are in the class of worker that is affected by the Covid recession, it might be that your whole safety net is down, since everyone tends to aggregate into social groups of people with similar backgrounds.

Your last comment is highly important, because the tide-you-over money is running out.  The Paycheck Protection Plan is already ending and the enhanced unemployment is done in 4 weeks.  What then?  If the GOP holds true to form, they will only help those in need if they can also help their rich friends.  Will the Dems go along with more money for the already comfortable, or will they sacrifice the poor for principle?  It's a given that, other than government, no entity can get the job done.  Charities and churches are not going to be saviors.

(07-06-2020, 11:53 AM)sbarrera Wrote:

(07-06-2020, 11:20 AM)David Horn Wrote: Your last comment is highly important, because the tide-you-over money is running out.  The Paycheck Protection Plan is already ending and the enhanced unemployment is done in 4 weeks.  What then?  If the GOP holds true to form, they will only help those in need if they can also help their rich friends.  Will the Dems go along with more money for the already comfortable, or will they sacrifice the poor for principle?  It's a given that, other than government, no entity can get the job done.  Charities and churches are not going to be saviors.

Yeah, those who really need that paycheck protection are going to be in big trouble soon. Those who have the luxury of working from home, like me, are doing fine - if anything better, because we are spending less money. I used to spend $100/month on gasoline - now it's more like $25. I used to eat at the cafeteria at the office- $50/week I am saving. For those in a certain economic class, we are fine. But who will help the others? I hope they have family who care, because I don't have much faith in government handling this. We will probably just end up letting the virus spread - basically already are.

(07-06-2020, 01:04 PM)David Horn Wrote:

(07-06-2020, 11:53 AM)sbarrera Wrote:

(07-06-2020, 11:20 AM)David Horn Wrote: Your last comment is highly important, because the tide-you-over money is running out.  The Paycheck Protection Plan is already ending and the enhanced unemployment is done in 4 weeks.  What then?  If the GOP holds true to form, they will only help those in need if they can also help their rich friends.  Will the Dems go along with more money for the already comfortable, or will they sacrifice the poor for principle?  It's a given that, other than government, no entity can get the job done.  Charities and churches are not going to be saviors.

Yeah, those who really need that paycheck protection are going to be in big trouble soon. Those who have the luxury of working from home, like me, are doing fine - if anything better, because we are spending less money. I used to spend $100/month on gasoline - now it's more like $25. I used to eat at the cafeteria at the office- $50/week I am saving. For those in a certain economic class, we are fine. But who will help the others? I hope they have family who care, because I don't have much faith in government handling this. We will probably just end up letting the virus spread - basically already are.

To be honest, I live in a bubble with other comfortable to wealthy retirees.  Here, Trump is a demigod.  Yes, I know that shouldn't make any sense, but for many of my near and distant neighbors, it's all about the stock market and money in general.  They've quaffed the Kool-Aid in full.  Only once or twice have I actually engaged any of them in a serious conversation about what's going on and where it will all lead.  One business owner actually stopped talking to me, which is fine.  In another case, just announcing that I was a liberal drove a dinner party guest away from the table until I left the building -- which I didn't btw.

In any case, these folks are concerned that the business community won't get some additional money, while simultaneously being outraged that more money for the less well healed should even be considered. Even pointing that out as an obvious dual standard tends to rankle.  We all live in our own version of America, apparently.

(07-06-2020, 01:37 PM)sbarrera Wrote: From your profile, I see that you are in Central Virginia. The last place I travelled to was actually Scottsville, VA. It was to hang out with some old college friends (I went to Virginia Tech). We drank beer, played cards, and joked about the coronavirus. That was in late February. Then I came back up to Pennsylvania and we've been in lockdown ever since.

Stay safe and enjoy your retirement.