COVID-19

[Drunk Monk]

I did catch one racist comment outside the Catalyst when this was first breaking months ago.  It was a couple of drunk guys.  It surprised me mostly because the Cruz is pretty tolerant so I wrote it off as out-of-towners.  

The xenophobia does have me on edge a little more though.  I've always got my daily carry blade plus a few more self defense pocket items, but that's not unusual.  I always have those.  Always.  

Honestly, prior to that, it's been years since anyone has hurled any racist epithets at me.  It was a lot more pronounced in my youth, all the way until my senior year in High School.  The only thing that has shifted for me personally is that I'm super self conscious about sneezing or coughing.  And it's allergy season.  So I'm constantly sniffiing, scratching and sneezing.  

That and I'm worried for my kid, but I'm always worried for my kid.  Always.  She mentioned some racist incidents went down with the International housing at her U.  I'm not quite sure how much racism she was exposed to growing up - not as much as me - different generations, for sure.  As a dad, I always worry that she doesn't have her guard up enough.  I imagine all dads do.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

She's still in SB? Living/working in town? I've been hearing about many more racist incidents in the Bay Area from my friends who have adopted an Asian lifestyle. I mean, it's a *choice*, right? Overall more racism since 45 was installed, more Asian-specific stuff since Covid.

[Drunk Monk]

She's still in SD. She's got an apartment with two other gals.  Classes started today - all online.  We gave her the option to move back as many of her high school friends did, but she's better off down there.  She had been working as a barista and a secretary for one of the student body officers.  Not sure on the status of either job, and that's important because she gets work study financial aid, but now that we're both unemployed, who knows how aid works?  

Hold the phone - you have trans-AZN friends?  I've been seeing a lot of vitriol on sitonmyfacebook, ironically from my martial circles.  That's the thing about the martial arts - it crosses all demographics.  So I have more than a few trumpers on my feed, but I keep them there due to that friends-close-enemies-closer strategy.

[cranefly]

Sounds like SWSW could be happening on the web, and in front of Amazon's paywall:

Amazon Prime Video Presents the SXSW 2020 Film Festival Collection

[img=700x0]https://www.sxsw.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AmazonSXSW2020-blog.png[/img]

https://www.sxsw.com/news/2020/amazon-pr...ollection/

[The Queen]

I’m starting my 3rd of 4 furlough weeks tomorrow. The president of Stenograph sent a very positive email to all of the employees saying that he hopes circumstances will be that they can go back to the office by August or September, and that he thinks everyone will be able to come back to full time remote employment as of June 1st, as originally planned. Keeping my fingers crossed that happens, because the every-other-week experience is odd. When I’m working, there’s so much to try to accomplish that I wind up working 60+ hours during that week, then spending the “off” week worrying about how the hell I’m going to figure out how to get everything I’ve committed to doing done when I get back, and then diving back into the deep end. Miraculously, it’s turned out okay. Stressful, but okay. Having a lot of very uncomfortable dreams, most of which involve toxic people that I avoid in reality.

I was worried about the CA EDD experience, but it was surprisingly straightforward and simple for me. Probably helps a lot that I already used B of A for checking; I was able to transfer the debit card funds to my checking account without any drama.

I’m looking forward to this week away from work. getting back to weed-whacking and other gardening-related chores, reading and naps at the Serenity Space. And more photo walks around the property. The yellow wildflowers have mostly gone away and have been replaced by pink ones, and giant white cones of sweet-smelling flowers on the buckeye trees. I’m honestly glad to get the break from flying all over the place and having the luxury of time with the four-legged family and enjoying the Lair.

[Drunk Monk]

Glad EDD worked out so smoothly for you. I was wondering how alternating furlough might work. I suggested that to TC. 

I went back on payroll last Monday. It's a weird way to do severance. They're giving me a two-month grace period and a raise. TC had to do it this way due to cash flow. I'm not obligated to work however, as a favor. But I am doing a lot of closure things for the mag and such. If I don't find work by the end of July, I got back on UI. 

FUCK COVID. Ruined my life completely.

[The Queen]

i’ve had my fill of living in “interesting” times. Keeping my fingers crossed that your new path is revealed soon., and the anxiety caused by uncertainty is short-lived.

[Drunk Monk]

Thanks. I feel ya. Things got way too 'interesting' for me last Monday.

And here I was bummed because my concert and comic-con schedule was put on hold...

[Drunk Monk]

SF’s Oldest Gay Bar “The Stud” Closes for Good

A virtual drag funeral helps say goodbye to historic LGBT Bar after 55 years
By Johnny Funcheap - posted 5/20/2020No Comment

Gareth Gooch via The Stud

According to a press release sent out late Wednesday by Honey Mahognay, [b]The Stud[/b] (399 9th Street in SoMa), [b]SF’s oldest Gay Bar dating back to 1966[/b] is shutting down.

The bar is the country’s only cooperatively owned LGBT venue and has been in operation for 55 years. Because of a lack of revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the historic bar announced that they are[b] permanently closing their location[/b] and will be[b] holding a drag funeral[/b] to honor the end of an era of LGBT nightlife.
[i]Photo: Gareth Gooch Photography via The Stud[/i]

[b]Watch the Drag Funeral online[/b]
[b]Sunday, May 31[/b] at 6pm Pacific on Twitch – link coming soon
Date Change – (please note the original press release stated the drag funeral would be on May 21st, but that was changed to be May 31st)

[b]Does this mean the “end” for The Stud forever?[/b]
The specificity of the wording of this announcement “closing their location” seems to leave it open that The Stud may appear in another location at some point. KQED reports that the owners are seeking new venues, which will cost at least $500,000

[Greg]

Was that the bar where the DM and The Yeti story began?

[Drunk Monk]

Honestly, I can't remember if I've ever even been in there now. But I used to drive past it all the time on my commute to AFS or over the past years going to BGC or Civic Center.

[Drunk Monk]

May 24, 2020 2:27pm PT
Bolivian Orchestra Stranded in ‘Haunted’ German Castle Surrounded by Wolves During Pandemic

By Jordan Moreau

32

[/url]
[url=https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://variety.com/2020/music/news/orchestra-stranded-german-castle-haunted-wolves-coronavirus-bolivia-pandemic-1234615376/&text=Bolivian%20Orchestra%20Stranded%20in%20%E2%80%98Haunted%E2%80%99%20German%20Castle%20Surrounded%20by%20Wolves%20During%C2%A0Pandemic&via=variety]


[color=var(--color-brand-secondary-50)][/color]

[color=var(--color-brand-secondary-50)]A Bolivian orchestra group has been stranded in a German castle for 73 days after the countries closed their borders during the coronavirus pandemic.[/color]
[color=var(--color-brand-secondary-50)]The musicians, some of whom are as young as 17 years old, arrived in Germany for a spring concert tour just as the COVID-19 crisis was beginning, the BBC reports. However, their concerts were soon called off as Germany imposed a social gathering ban, and their flight back to Bolivia was canceled after the country closed its borders as a coronavirus precaution.[/color]
[color=var(--color-brand-secondary-50)]Since then, the group has been staying safe at the Rheinsberg Palace, a 600-year-old castle located an hour and a half northwest of Berlin.[/color]
[color=var(--color-brand-secondary-50)]“Our bus broke down on the motorway. I remember joking that this was bad luck and perhaps our concerts would be cancelled. But never did I think it would actually happen,” said one member named Carlos.[/color]
[color=var(--color-brand-secondary-50)]The ancient estate was home to German royalty dating back to the 1500s, including Frederick the Great, who the group jokes is haunting the castle halls.[/color]
[color=var(--color-brand-secondary-50)]“We all joke that Frederick’s ghost is following us and trying to trip us up. I don’t usually believe in such things but it does feel as if there are ghosts on the grounds,” said Camed Martela, a 20-year-old member of the orchestra.
[/color]

The castle grounds and surrounding woodland are also home to more than a dozen packs of wolves. One member, named Tracy Prado, said she saw three wolves while out for a walk.
“I froze in fear but they were just play fighting and moved on,” she said.
[color=var(--color-brand-secondary-50)]The nearby town of Rheinsberg has been mostly welcoming to the musicians, who socially distance themselves and remain on the castle grounds. The group stays at a guest house on the estate, which has a kitchen staff that drops off food for their unplanned guests. People have also donated clothes to the group during their longer-than-expected stay.
MaerzMusik, the festival at which the orchestra was going to perform, has helped raise funds for the group. Director Berno Odo told the BBC that the accommodation costs are as high as $38,400 a month.
Some of the musicians are still able to communicate with their family members back home, but they say their temporary lodging is far from a vacation.
“People back home think we’re in a fairytale land. I’ve had hundreds of messages telling me to stop complaining, and that I’m living like a princess in a German castle,” Carlos said. “We feel abandoned.”
The BBC reports that the Bolivian embassy hopes to get the orchestra on a flight back to the country in early June.[/color]

[color=var(--color-brand-secondary-50)]There's a great movie in this story...[/color]

[Greg]

Send in the Scooby gang!

[Drunk Monk]

I just took my first covid test. Someone in my circle tested positive yesterday. I saw him over a week ago, but we were more than 6' apart and masked. He thinks he picked it up over the weekend - he only went out once then to Walmart.

The test was super efficient. I called Kaiser's advice nurse, then got a follow up call from a Doctor. After detailing my interaction with my covid friend, the Doc thought it was extremely unlikely that I might have contracted it however, if you've had any sort of contact, the test is free, so I took it. 

The test wasn't so bad. The throat culture is just like a strep test. The nasal swab wasn't as bad as the throat culture. It was a drive-up, not busy at all, and the testers were very good. 

I'll know in 24-48 hours.

[Greg]

Good luck. I think I have to drive to Fresno to take the test.