May in the time of cholera

So now it's May. Here in New Jersey most parks are now reopened, including the neighborhood one near me. I was excited ( it doesn't take much to get excited about these days).  I no longer had to sneak into Pennsylvania for a hike. I wore my mask, as recommended, but discovered most people were not wearing them. Anyway it wasn't that crowded, except at the entrance near the pond.

I've discovered that connecting the mask flaps with a rubber band and wrapping the thing around my head is easier on my ears and makes the mask less likely to fall off. It almost fell off at the ShopRite yesterday and I was afraid of being arrested.

Walking in the park. Buying wine. Life's little pleasures in the time of cholera. I've noticed a group of mother's and kids are gathering together at the green area where I live. Looks like they are having fun. Hope they cleaned up the dog droppings.

One of the high spots of life today is watching the governor's daily briefings. Each governor is different. Andrew Cuomo reminds me of a college professor teaching calculus to reluctant freshman. California's governor is folksy. Murphy of New Jersey reminds me of a library director on his semi annual staff meeting. Congratulating the staff but reminding them to mind their p's and q's or their recently obtained privileges may be revoked.

Editor's note: Recently I discovered a Kindle book that may be fun for 99 cents. It follows an out of work librarian following Jack Keroauc's journey to Denver. It's called It must be the altitude.

The new oil crisis

The crisis now is that oil prices are low and storage tanks are filled. Apparently that can lead to the price of oil being below zero. Right now in New Jersey you can get gas for about $1.80 or so a gallon. It will be interesting to see if the price of gasoline could go below zero.

You drive to the gas station. He fills up your tank. Then you give him your credit card. He deposits ten dollars to your account. You leave with a full tank of gas and an additional ten dollars on your credit card. I need to wash my mask.

Baseball in the time of cholera

The latest theory going around is that baseball will be played this year in indoor stadiums in Arizona and Florida starting in July.  No fans in the stadiums.  The players will stay in hotels and get bussed to the games. This might be interesting.

The biggest problem that I see is that able bodied male athletes should not be asked to be chaste for an entire baseball season. I can see players getting a little rough and fights breaking out. Perhaps a cotillion of ladies of the evening can be given special dispensation to hang out in the hotels to keep the boys of summer amused.

Better things and Breeders

It's time for my second blog on Better Things. Now that I'm home all day, I have not missed an episode and proudly can tell anyone that I am a feminist, and can prove it by never missing this show.

Although I still like the show and like that the kids are "growing up" and becoming a tiny bit less obnoxious, I now notice a dream like, disjuncted feel to this season. There is no real plotline to the shows, they are almost like  Robert Altman movies, and it is a little jarring. I'm used to a sitcom where there are lots of one-liners, and a plot that is introduced in the beginning of the show and resolves at the end.  And I'm used to a laugh track that tells me when something is funny.

 I liked the scene where the kid, Mom, and Grand mom were cooking in the kitchen. It felt like a real family moment, but it really didn't introduce a problem that was supposed to be resolved by the end of the show. The New Orleans show was also nice, but again where was the plot?

The show that precedes Better Things on Monday nights is Breeders and I have also been watching that while waiting for Better Things. It's not bad, it's a somewhat dry family oriented comedy, of British extraction. Like Better Things, it features children. The twist is that they are raised by a couple that are not married. The show also features parents, with her father being featured, now dying, and his father suddenly turns up in an episode. This one is not a must see for me but as a captive audience, I will probably become a regular viewer.

Fifteen good things about the crisis

Looking at the bright side, here are fifteen good things about the health crisis.

• Everyone will have something to talk about. Next Thanksgiving, we'll all talk about our experiences. 
• It's easier to save money.  Without bars, casinos, restaurants, trips to the city, and travel we can all save money.
• We can get a look at tv talk show hosts houses and see what celebrities look like in their pajamas.
• There's no traffic on the roads.
• We can watch news shows done in people's kitchens.
• We can practice our  cooking skills.  I am getting real good as slicing garlic.
• We now have something to do with the old teddy bears in our closet. 
• We don't have to talk sports with male relatives or co-workers. 
• We are learning the art of the corkscrew. 
• We can practice the guitar or go back to working on our novels. 
• We have an excuse for everything.
• We don't forget to watch our favorite tv shows. 
• We're going to feel wealthy with our $1200.
• Pollution is going down with less people driving.
• Gas prices are real low and we aren't filling up as much either. 
• We don't miss Facebook postings anymore. 
• We can watch our cute neighbors playing with their dogs. 
• Married people and parents get to spend quality time with each other. (No I'm not sharing my abode with a spouse or kids)

Of course for some, nurses, emergency responders, etc. it can mean more work, not just goofing off at home.

I went to the liquor store

Thank you Governor Murphy, I'm sure you will get re-elected because you kept the liquor stores open during Ovid 19. I drove to the liquor store today and happily went in. The clerks were dressed in haz mat costumes, or perhaps like the characters in space in Gravity. Bought my liquor.

At my condo kids were outside playing with their dogs. Apparently, a dog is the license that allows people to hang out in public places and cavort. As long as I have my Internet and my Netflix I will survive the crisis. With a little help from bottled alcohol.

Kitchen sink movies

Thanks to TCM, I've become a fan of kitchen sink movies. These British films of the 50s and 60s show a side of Britain few of us get to see. No royalty, Victorian ballrooms, costumes or gardens, these largely black and white films portray a gritty realism with industrial neighborhoods, working class flats, and inevitably a grimy looking kitchen sink makes its appearance somewhere. A Taste of Honey, Alfie and Look back in Anger  were hits in America but there were lots more made in this genre.

Rita Tushingham was one of the major actors of the era. Not exactly pretty, but with an interesting face, she is a fixture of many British films of the genre. Now that we all have extra time on our hands, searching out kitchen sink movies may prove to be a minor diversion in the coming weeks.

Editor's note: There are some freebies if you search "Kitchen Sink Movies" on Youtube.