Reflections of a Freaking Genius

  Christmas is upon us again.  It seems like the events of the last couple of years has everyone more inclined to celebrate (and celebrate bigger) this year than most.  Our neighborhood isn't known for 'The Great Christmas Light Fights', or for having a bunch of Clark W Griswolds.  But this year there are a lot of Christmas lights up.  Heck, I even have some up this year.  Granted I paid someone to do it this year, but they're up and we're good to go.  It's not that I'm incapable of climbing an ladder and doing it myself, I just don't want to , plain and simple.  I'm not going to go terrorize Whoville or anything like that, but let's just say that the older I get the more I'm into simplicity. When it comes to Christmas I'd like to think I'm a purist. I remember a long time ago, back on the farm, we had Christmases which really did focus on the basics. Dad wasn't a member of the fire department so he could get rich, and his off dut

I don't remember when I first heard about the virus.  I'm thinking I was at work.  At the end of 2019 there were a couple of coworkers who were pretty sick with the flu, but this one hit them pretty hard.  It seemed different but at the time that was a passing thought.  When it was announced that there was a virus out of Wuhan China that was spreading pretty rapidly and that people were dying, it caught my attention.  In February the announcements were made public that there was a threat to the United States concerning the virus, and that people who had traveled internationally seemed to be getting sick.  National leaders and 'experts' weren't indicating at the time it was something to watch but not be too concerned about.   In March, the first of the 'suggestions' was presented to our country supposedly aimed at helping our country to see the least amount of impact possible and not overwhelm the healthcare system.  Shut everything down, leave work, go home,