Random 5 for March 8 – Not very random this week!

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People be weird – We were in the grocery check-out lane. The husband in front put the last of their items on the conveyor belt. He turned to me and pointed to the divider board you put between orders. He said, “I can’t touch it, it’s germy!” With that I put it on the belt. He had been all over the grocery store; pushed a “germy” cart and was worried about a divider. Argh!

I should have known – I saw his wife write a check for the groceries. I haven’t seen a written check in a grocery store in years. I’m sure some folks do them. The smart ones fill in the static info so they only have to add the amount and sign it. Not this woman. They made a perfect couple. BTW, she licked her finger to lift up the check and hand it to the cashier. That’s in contrast to her husband who is afraid to touch stuff.

Is this different? – I’ve been getting bombarded with notices to wash my hands, not touch people, sneeze in my elbow, etc. from all over. Friends are sending them. There are on Facebook. The weird thing is that I haven’t anything I don’t already do. Ok, I don’t always push the elevator button with my elbow (that usually results in extra stops along the way!) but I consider that less important than keeping your hands off your face. I had break outs as a teen. My doc only had to tell me once to keep my hands off. It has lasted a lifetime. Don’t people wash their hands unless there is a possible epidemic? What happened to good hygiene?

I’ll say it again, people be weird – We were at our favorite Chinese restaurant last Monday. It was empty. We attributed it to Monday as a slow day. Later that night I saw an interview with the owner on TV. People think they can catch the corona virus from a Chinese restaurant. He is losing a lot of business. Seriously? Are these the same people that don’t wash their hands? Statewide we’ve had 24 deaths and 24,000 confirmed cases of the regular flu. There are two possible infections for the corona virus. It’s good to be prudent but people be weird.

It makes me smile – I’ve been hearing the song “My Sherona” a lot lately with some humorous comments/lyrics. With all the craziness, there has to be something to smile about. Stay safe out there and remember you can’t catch it from moo shu chicken or chow mein but beware of fortune cookies and people who lick their fingers!

So how was your week? And wash your hands!

Author’s note: I’m not taking this lightly but I’m also not “Chicken Little.” I’ll be as prudent as I always am. I’m not at high risk for death but I know that it’s important for me to stay healthy so I don’t spread it to those who are.

 

93 thoughts on “Random 5 for March 8 – Not very random this week!”

  1. I love the old couple in the check out lane! Could it be that you then (accidentally, of course) pushed your cart into the back of his ankles? Believe me, he would have done it to you. And one more thing: were they buying a lot of toilet paper?

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  2. Huge yes, on people be weird. Kate. Yes, sad, on ignorance, catching the virus from a Chinese restaurant. Yes, prudent, not be weird. You mirror my thoughts, Kate, “important for me to stay healthy so I don’t spread it to those who are not.” I am still going to Hot Bikram Yoga with very full, sweaty classes………….this may be my last entry into the log………..xx

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  4. I was at the PO one day, the charge was under $2. He asked why I didn’t use a card, and I said I had the change. He asked again why I didn’t use a card, so I jokingly said I could go home and get a checkbook. He replied – so, you still have a stone tablet. 🙂 It’s a complex and serious topic, but it is being so blown out of proportion it’s hard to wrap your head around how people are behaving. It’s a wonder I could finish the post and the comments, because I’ve been stuck on the fact that you have 60 rolls of toilet paper at any one given time. I guess we know who to call if we run out. 🙂

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    • My husband often pays with cash. Me, not so much. I don’t like to carry it and it’s dirty! I checked my tp supply and sure enough there are 2 enormous packs of 30 rolls each in the attic. We don’t go to the warehouse store often so last time we went I stocked up on tp and paper towels. We should be good for the year! 🙂 Let me know if you need some!

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  7. I’m a hand washer and I have followed the no touching my face routine for years. No matter how bad the itch I don’t touch my face, eyes, nose, mouth. We have coronavirus in our county. No TP on the shelves of the Walmart close to us and way too many spring breakers. We went out to eat Saturday night with friends and the place was packed. We will be staying away from crowds but we won’t be staying home. We are washing our hands!

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  10. This is what mainstream media does. It’s their job . . . to spread fear.
    I was sick all this week. Bad head cold. I didn’t want to go out anywhere because I was afraid if I was blowing my nose, sneezing, or coughing, people might freak out. Of course I didn’t want to spread it to anyone, but staying in for an entire week is difficult when errands need to get done.
    I’m kind of a germ-a-phobe on a regular basis, so like you, I’m doing the things I’ve always done, with a couple extra hand washings a day. BTW, I caught the cold from my nephew at my dad’s 80th birthday party, but I’m feeling much better today.
    Don’t forget the hand sanitizer. 😉

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    • I don’t have any hand sanitizer in the house. It’s harsh on my hands. I use soap and water. I have Clorox wipes for things though. You are right about the media. On our news last night there was a segment where people were demanding to know who has it. The spokesperson had to remind people that it’s a violation of HIPAA to disclose that sort of thing. I can see people storming a house to “cleanse” the area. No wonder I prefer cats.

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  11. I sanitized all my doorknobs yesterday then ate Chinese food for dinner. People definitely are nuts. I carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer in my purse and keep a giant bottle on my desk, which solves most problems. Seems us germaphobes are coming into our own now.

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  12. Perhaps some folks will finally start using proper hand washing/hygiene techniques. Hopefully others will also realize the need for disaster preparation: a stock of food and some other “survival” supplies. Not for COVID-19 alone but for ANY natural disaster be it hurricane, tornado,earthquake or fire, etc. Ask yourself: Can you and your family have food, water and shelter for at least 3 days after an event and before any local state or federal assistance arrives? Be safe out there, gang.

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  14. I saw a funny video the other day on my friend’s FB wall of a woman giving a speech on how to keep your hands from your face, then she licked her finger to turn the page of her speech – SMH. And a teenager of Asian descent coughed in his classroom – teacher sent him to the school nurse even though he said he choked on some water. He protested- she sent him anyway. Now he has filed a federal discrimination suit and Gloria Allred is his attorney – the world scares me sometimes. I don’t see people writing checks at the grocery store either.

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      • Yes, it is and to target a teenager is very wrong. I read on Accuweather’s site today that a doctor said the heat and humidity will hasten the end of the Coronavirus, much the way that the nicer weather encourages folks to get outside, not stay cooped up inside and the flu begins to abate. Apparently countries with very hot and humid weather have not seen large numbers of Coronavirus patients. I hope he is right about that – every time I turn the radio on, there are more U.S. cases.

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  15. My sister doesn’t write checks, but she stands at the checkout stand and writes in her little book the amount and place she has just charged something. It also seems weird to me … and slow.

    Even though I don’t do yoga, I’ve decided that my favorite non-handshake is namaste with palms together. I haven’t had a chance to use it, though. I’ve had a fever for the last 4 days, and since I live in the Seattle area, I figure it’s best to stay at home.

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    • I’m using this as an opportunity to stop physical contact with people in general. I’ll reserve it for people I really care about. Hope you feel better soon. My husband has a respiratory thing going on. Probably picked it up at the doc’s office. Petri dish!

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  16. Americans revel in the penchant for living in fear. And this latest epidemic is tailor made to satisfy that. It’s ironic that people don’t wash their hands after a trip to the store with EVERY trip. It’s called good hygiene for a reason. Good grief. And to think these folks are the same ones who will be choosing our elected leaders in November. Talk about terrifying!

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  17. You cracked me up with the check writing at the grocery. I’ve seen that a handful of times, and I’m always fascinated with the person whose writing it. One time the device the cashier uses to scan the check didn’t work (probably because it was old), and so a manager needed to be called. That was fun… not.

    I’m hoping that somehow once we get through this period with the coronavirus that people re-learn about hygiene. Maybe they’ve stopped teaching about it in schools, so it missed an entire generation? – Marty

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  20. It’s getting very strange out there. I know someone who is going on a cruise but won’t go to a Chinese restaurant. Really? There was a video of a guy on the subway in NY who didn’t want an Asian guy standing next to him and took out a can of lysol spray and sprayed him with it. It’s crazy and the media doesn’t help the situation at all.

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  21. Somehow I always find my hands on my face! My biggest issue. Hand washing is no problem, especially since I love the hot water on my hands. Of course that brings up another issue…dry skin. I wonder if there is a anti-bacterial hand lotion too?

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  22. Licking your finger while in the grocery store is never a good thing! I think the media (all networks) should be ashamed of creating such a panic. Yes, we need to be informed, but you never see this amount of airtime in regards to the flu, which kills so many each year. Thankfully, I’ve always been a germaphobe, so I have plenty of Wet Ones and hand soap.

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  23. this right here –>> ” It’s good to be prudent but people be weird. ” AMEN!

    My sister and I only see each other 1x a year – she’s in Canada, I’m in the U.S.
    We have a wee’s vacation together for a beach house in FLA coming up in a few months ~ both of us have had folks ask us if we are cancelling … Hell to the no!

    The reality is I am more likely to get into a car accident 2 miles from home than I am to encounter this bug. She is an RN and also lives on a farm – she’s more likely to get gored by a bull or pick up a super bug at work than get this.

    the Flu has been bad around here and scared me more -and YES PEOPLE ARE FILTHY — Wash your D*mn hands already!

    ** rant over … 🙂

    MJ

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  24. I used to be a nurse and we were always getting notification that we might have been in contact with some strange bug. They all seemed to start with flu like symptoms. It made me a bit overconfident when I never seemed to get any thing. I wonder at people panic buying soap. I always have lots from christmas presents and how many toilet rolls can you use in a fortnight.

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    • I guess some people are bigger poopers than others! 🙂 There is a lot of stuff floating around all the time without any news coverage. I’m doing my best to be prudent and skipping the drama.

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  26. I agree ~ while relative morbidity from COVID-19 is 35x more than the flu, it’s much less than SARS and MERS. 😀

    In PA, 24 deaths and 24,000 confirmed cases of the regular flu = 0.10% fatality rate

    “Globally, about 3.4% of reported COVID-19 cases have died. By comparison, seasonal flu generally kills far fewer than 1% of those infected.”

    Mortality rate for SARS was 10%, and for MERS 34%.

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    • Thanks for the stats. The healthy will survive this. I remember the craziness around the avian flu. I was in human resources and we did a lot of things to sanitize that were kept in place. From what I’ve read the difference is that this flu is totally new so there is no resistance as we have to the other flu strains even without the vaccine. Hopefully they will get a vaccine soon. Then again, will people get it? People be crazy.

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  27. What I’m finding fascinating about this impending pandemic is how many people are truly amazed that they’re supposed to be washing their hands as often as they should be. REALLY! You’re just now catching onto that? It worries me as much as the virus itself. Ick.

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  28. I keep thinking there will be an announcement about something new we can all do to stay well. I always wash my hands but now they are raw from overkill. If we are the most medically advanced country in the world, why can’t we come up with something less primitive?

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  29. I agree Kate. I’m not doing anything differently now than I’ve been doing for years and years … keep my distance from people, wash my hands, don’t touch my face.

    While no potentially lethal viral is anything to sneeze at (pun intended), over-reacting seems to be the order of the day right now. I just shake my head at the hysteria being whipped up. When was the last time we had a good whipping up of common sense?

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  30. A common-sense post. Thank you Kate!
    I don’t get it either. People are illogical. Also, people love drama I think. An epidemic is dramatic. I believe the flu is still more dangerous. If someone has compromised health, they already know what to do as they are in peril from the rest of us germ factories every damn day. If this thing makes people improve their daily hygiene, that would be a good thing. But when it passes over, it’ll be back to their grimy status quo I’ll bet.

    Deb

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