Heading down the home stretch...
... to a new year.
What roller-coaster of a year. It started out on a note of cautious optimisim and is ending with the realization that we may be under pandemic conditions at least through late spring.
Still very little seems to be known about omicron. Initial, tentative reports seem to indicate it's milder. One thing that is known is it's extremely contagious. I know four people personally who had the vaccinations plus boosters and still caught it. Thankfully, two only had mild symptoms and the other two compared it to a bad cold. Seems like every day I'm reading about someone getting it, including the vaccinated. If omicron is milder, this development could be a good thing- have everyone catch this mild variant and hopefully they will have at least a modicum of protection against any more dangerous strains.
The problem is that hospitals are bursting with COVID patients, mostly the unvaccinated. Around here, elective surgeries have again been postponed because of the lack of beds and of staffing. Two weeks ago, this area came very close to topping the record set around this time last year in COVID-related hospitalizations. The numbers have come down since but are still very high. Theaters are having to cancel shows right and left. At this rate they will probably be forced to close entirely and given the safety issues (not to mention that airlines have been canceling flights due to COVID and lack of staff- complicating things for both actors and attendees) that may be for the best, even though it will be heartbreaking. Some schools are going virtual when classes resume. It's so frustrating because this didn't need to happen.
We didn't have the traditional big family gathering, I think I said this earlier. I went over to my parents' house, which was perfect, especially given everything. Far better than last Christmas, where I worked much of the day (I volunteered), and followed with a virtual get-together. That was rough. Spending Christmas with my parents, munching on friend chicken, celery and holiday cookies, watching Christmas movies and television specials, seeing Encanto, and giving Edelweiss ear skritchies and tummy rubs was the perfect way to spend Christmas day.
I'd hoped to go see a movie with a good friend on Christmas morning, but we talked and both agreed this was NOT a good idea with the COVID numbers. A bit of a bummer, but again- at least I could go to my parents' place. I am content.
It's been unusually warm in the past week, and it looks like it will stay that way for a while. Easily mid-50s on Christmas Eve (may have been closer to 60), and the same on Christmas Day. It was really overcast, rained off and on yesterday, but otherwise it was nice. The selfish part of me is oh so happy, but on a pragmatic big scale it's a bit worrying.
Another nice note is we will start regaining sunlight starting tomorrow, starting with a one-minute gain. I'll take it, this time of year with its early nights are rough.
We are supposed to start returning to the office next week but I just don't see it happening. Actually, I'm happy working from home. I feel I'm more productive at home. Also, the thought of driving in downtown in the winter, in an area I'm not all that familiar with, when it still gets so dark so early, is not a thrilling idea. At all. Still hoping this gets postponed to at least March or, better yet, April. Get winter largely out of the way so I won't be contending with ice and snow and have more daylight in the evening.
No major plans for New Years. I'll actually be working New Year's eve- which I volunteered for. I haven't gone out on New Year's Eve for many years and the thought makes me shudder. I'll probably spend time with my parents again on New Year's Day, watch the Rose Bowl parade, which so far is still a go. Now, who knows in a few days? I've heard of at least one Bowl game being cancelled due to COVID-19. I know the parade was cancelled last year- the fourth time in its history. I love watching the Rose Bowl Parade- it's so bright and colorful, and so many of those floats are just amazing examples of engineering. It's a highlight for me. Pragmatically I wonder if it's too risky this year :/
For next year, my main goal is to keep my head above water. I don't see it being much better than this year. I need to restart my goal of swimming regularly. I'd like to get my play performed at a theater, even if it's a virtual reading. Also, I got a nice set of markers this past fall which has opened up a lot of possibilities in drawing and illustrating, including on a certain children's book idea I've started and drafted. I was thinking of using paints but I'm thinking I may get better results with inks and marker, maybe even some colored pencil. I'll experiment.
Reading goal- I'll probably bump it to 40, since I was able to make it to 45 this year without too much difficulty. I'm still mulling whether to participate in the Book Riot challenge- it looks like a good challenge. But between my book club and all the books I have personally that I have yet to read, I'm just wondering if that would be too frustrating.
Speaking of books... I've made it to 45, yes! And I've got a good start on next year with the January book club selection.
44. Annihilation of Caste, by Bhimrao R. Ambedkar. My cousin recommended I read this, and those who have read Isabel Wilkerson's Caste may recognize Ambedkar's name because she quotes a lot of his writings. The book is actually a speech which he had planned to deliver at a conference aimed at liberal Hindus wanting to change India's pernicious caste system. That speech was never delivered, the conference was cancelled. I got the impression it was called off because the speech was considered that controversial. Which... yeah, I can see why it would have ruffled more than a few feathers from even the more open-minded. The book I have also includes a refutation from Mahatma Gandhi, and a response to Gandhi's writings from Ambedkar. I will confess I only know the bare bones basics of Hinduism and Indian culture in general, so some of the details Ambedkar described went over my head. But the general ideas anyone can grasp. Ambedkar in his speech carefully outlines the need to abolish the caste system, and why it's detrimental to ALL castes, including the highest castes. Back then I imagine this would have been polarizing but today, I think most people would agree (I say this as an American with, again, only a rudimentary knowledge of India's history and culture). He goes over why it would be advantageous to eliminate the caste system and embrace a merit-based structure. Again, not too hard to accept. He gives a couple ideas on how to break down caste, primarily through allowing inter-caste dining and inter-marrying, a contentious issue. However, his conclusion on the actions he ultimately felt were needed to eliminate caste I would think would raise eyebrows at the very least even today. The last quarter of his speech is probably why the conference was cancelled. His idea is, because the Hindu religion upholds and outlines the strict caste system, those tracts of the religion must be discredited. Ambedkar does say he believes that religion is important to a society but given his ideas for reining in Hinduism and eliminating the caste system (which would include licensing religious leaders through the government) that statement comes across as disingenuous. I've read elsewhere that around this time Ambedkar himself left Hinduism and eventually became a Buddhist. This was an interesting read and makes me want to learn more. I recommend it for those wanting to expand their worldview.
45. The Haunted Dolls' House, by M.R. James. This was a fun story, although not really that scary (this may have been creepier for those reading it when this tale was new). I can see this as a movie or play, and with some tweaking the story could truly be creepy. The premise is similar in The Mezzotint and was better done in that story. The plot is obvious from the title: an unsuspecting man buys a beautiful doll house from an antiques and curiosities dealer. When the man brings it home, he puts it in his bedroom. He wakes up in the middle of the night to see the little dolls inside enact a macabre scene, which he suspects may have happened. Minor spoiler, yes, what he saw reenacted by the dolls happened, which he discovers when he takes a seaside vacation to recover his health after that night.
Currently reading: Bonk, by Mary Roach.