#162 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Wednesday October 6)
Good morning,
VACCINES AND TOUGH DECISIONS
A conservative friend forwarded me this ludicrous defense of anti-vaxxers, from that brilliant social commentator, Russell Brand (listening to just a little of this helps one appreciate the sophistry, leaps of logic, and sheer lack of education and information of the anti-vax crowd):
Enough with the defense of those who claim that we don’t know enough, claim there is risk with the newness of the vaccine, not trusting the government, etc. This guy misses the point. Those who are allergic, have unique medical conditions or have true deep-seated political opinions should be granted exemptions, because they have reasons. There is no “layered or complex issue” here. There is no question about individual liberty or government control.
Let’s not kid ourselves—the issue is not government control or the planting of GPS chips (by the way, how do these nuts think the chips get through those tiny needles?). It is wrong to focus on whether government has the right to force people to have vaccinations. Government forces us to follow a lot of laws for our collective good. The more important issue of force against one’s will is that the vast majority of the population should not be forced to expose themselves to the risks the non-vaccinated pose—in spreading the disease, in acting as human incubators for mutations and, most importantly, for jamming up hospitals and the healthcare system, preventing others from access.
SLOWING DOWN TIME
One of the things I’ve been thinking about lately is how the pandemic has recalibrated our concept of time and its passage.
As a result of the pandemic, we have spent more time at home, more time with family, and more time alone. Through long periods when we were living in semi-isolation and/or in our “bubbles” (there’s a word that likely will recede in our memories…), we had the chance to sit and watch nature unfolding in our yards, or witness the change of seasons and happenings around us when taking long walks or hikes.
During the pandemic and “remote work,” we have been gifted hours of extra time that otherwise would have been devoted to commuting and foraging for lunch while at work. This time has put to good use (reading, taking classes, getting to know our friends and families better), fun exercises (more card games, puzzles, golf) and some things just plain entertaining (binge watching, napping, chatting on the phone).
STOP AND SMELL THE COFFEE
One place where I’ve found myself slowing down a bit is with my coffee addiction. I love coffee—every bit of it. I love the smell and the taste. But I also love the warmth that it represents, both temperature-wise and comfort-wise. I love the ritual of coffee—the grinding of beans, the foaming of the milk. I enjoy coffee so much that I don’t require the caffeine (I limit myself to one caffeinated beverage each morning). It’s not about the “jolt”! I know that tea drinkers similarly enjoy the choice of flavors (far more and with greater variety than coffee), the steeping of the tea and the rituals associated with its presentation.
Often I “short-circuit” the process through use of our Nespresso machine. But recently I’ve found myself going to opposite direction and adopting the “pour over” methodology. Lauren, my daughter and fellow coffee aficionado, recently turned me on to this method (employed at the higher-end places like Blue Bottle and La Colombe). It is a “low tech” process of pouring warm water (not boiling, which I think helps retain flavor) over freshly ground beans in a filter, directly into the carafe below. Slowly pouring the coffee over the beans and watching the slow drip into the carafe has a zen-like quality. It doesn’t take long, albeit longer than Nespresso. But, importantly, the experience is enhanced because I’m not leaving the process to a coffee-making machine. There’s no electricity and I’m engaged in the process throughout. A little slower, but a little more satisfying, and a better cup…
All of this suggests that sometimes the fastest way to do something isn’t necessarily the best way to do it. Sometimes we need to be “in the moment” or “more present.” If this mindfulness of the world and the little things around us is one of the byproducts of this long global pandemic, that’s one of the few blessings to come out of this otherwise awful situation.
As Paul Simon said, “slow down, you move too fast…”
Have a great day,
Glenn
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