Patti Ridenour (Adams)

Janet Yost (Maney)

This elderly chick is doing fine.  Being compliant with social distancing/staying at home etc.  had knee replacement recently which confirms elderly status!  But enjoying life,appreciative of all that the first responders are doing, aware that many in our class fell into this catagory whether police, fire or health care.  Take care and be safe to all of you!  I read the newark advocate article about Sharon woods and the staff choosing to stay in the facility for the next three weeks so as not to bring in or take out and any virus.  I was so proud of them!   Newark should be proud

Roger McDonald

I'm glad that Janet drew attention to those of us who may be in the frontlines of this fight, and indeed, other classmates engaged in the unsung tasks required to keep food and other necessities of body and soul in adequate supply during this crisis.  I am reminded of Lincoln during the early days of the Civil War, who mused that he hoped God was on the side of the Union, but he knew he needed Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri.  Emily and I have essentially hunkered down with long novels and old films, but the more or less constant wail of sirens here in Brooklyn the past couple of weeks reminds me to tip my facemask to those of you who are doing what needs to be done.  Thanks!

David Fredrick Smith

I came across an article from The Cincinnati Enquirer of October 23, 1918. It states, "Newark, Ohio, October 22.-With 3,300 cases of Spanish influenza and 50 deaths in the past 10 days local health officials announced to-day that the number of new cases is lower to-day than at any time since the epidemic started. The ban on all public meetings has not been lifted." Things may not change as much as we think. But our personal response may. Stay home, stay safe, stay sane. Dave

Douglas L. Gage

Who would have thought one 12 oz. Corona could cause so much havoc.

Anyway, I'm holding up well hanging around the house. Thankfully, with 5+ acres of grass, woods, pond and a house I have a lot to keep me busy. I would be climbing the walls otherwise. Glad to hear so many are still doing well and hope that those I haven't heard from are doing likewise.

Be strong. This too will pass!

Susan Rose

Glad to hear from some folks across the country.  Been staying at home in St Charles, MO for a few weeks now, getting church, meetings, and exercise classes over the internet - just not the same as in person but this too shall pass!  So glad that mom is at Sharonbrooke where, as Janet mentioned, they locked down early and tightly with staff "living in" for the duration.  Several nursing homes in the STL area have unfortunately had pretty serious outbreaks among residents and staff. Stay safe everyone!  And God bless those on the front lines.

Sharon Courson

Best wishes for good health.  Here in Georgia and near Atlanta we have been on shelter in place for several weeks.  Just got word that is extended through April 30.  As much as I thought I would get so much done, I have to admit little has happened  Except to binge watch some shows I have been wanting to see.  The cats love it that I'm home.  Stay safe and Stop the spread!

Gary Berry

Happy Holy Week from Washington District of Nuts I mean Columbia it's been a hard month but this has not peaked yet.  I am still working 100% from car surveillance. I see a lot of knuckle heads not social distancing.,The Wharf DC finest outdoor fish market was shut down because folks were on top of each other.  So my friends if you got to go out wear PPE please.  I have a N95 mask and the other type also if you need mask let me know. I have a contact that has them. Stay Safe we have to turn on that light at the end of the tunnel by being safe and home trust me there is nothing out here in these streets but death. 
 

Steve Carlson

That must be right Doug becausee I saw it on the internet. I guess I'll haqve to drink Bud light for CINCO DE MAYO. Making sure I don't start a second wave.

Richard Sunkle

My wife and I are practicing social distancing here in San Diego. We manage to take walks almost daily in our neighborhood, which breaks up the complete isolation. We have seen more neighbors walking, biking and skateboarding than ever before. Yes skateboarding is big here.

We FaceTime with our grandkids in Ohio and here in CA. Thank goodness for FT, Zoom and Skype. We connect with friends via these technologies. 

I too am so grateful for the healthcare workers, first responders and our military, etc. We have family and friends on the front lines of the Covid-19. We need to pray for their protection.

Take care and stay healthy.

Richard Sunkle

Sharon Courson

This is possibly old news to some but there is a Facebook group called Licking County Treasure Hunters.  It's been fun for me to learn more about my home county.  Some members are researching family history and asking for help.  Others are posting old photos about Buckeye Lake, the Square, etc.  Join us in the discussions!

Also Doug Stout (Facebook same) is posting information about Licking County soldiers.  His research is also very interesting.

Stay safe.  Stay well.  Stay sane during this time of sheltering in place.

Charles Price

I hop eeveryone is staying safe and healthy during this difficult time. Research from Roger McIntyre's group at the University of Toronto projecrts an increase in suicides of 3,000 to 8,000 due to the pandemic. If you know of someone who seems more depressed during this time, please have them reach out to friends, family and/or a mental health professional.

In addition I came across the following:

A note on history … repeating itself?

Gale Cady (Williams)

Chuck, 

Thanks! That was really interesting. This feeds into my relatively newfound interest in Alexander Hamilton ( (What's my name? 🎶🎶)

I frequently wonder about how people in the future will look back on our healthcare in America, and I am hopeful that they will be horrified that only the people who could afford it received adequate healthcare in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. Food for thought  

Gale Cady Williams :)

Charles Price

Gayle,

Part of my early training was in cultural anthropology and psychology. Thus I sometimes see things through this lense, thus the following:

In my opinion, our healthcare or rather disease care system reflects our collective consciousness. In many countries the focus is on community trumping the individual. This was brought home to me when I was lecturing on Psychiatry in China. We were curious how the Chinese delt with certain psychiatric issues. When asking the about involuntary committment issues for people with mental illness that were unable to care for themselves (mostly schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) they seemed quite baffled. We thought it was the lack of clarity on the part of our translator. It turned out that was ot the case. In China if a person is told by authority or family to do something, thy just do it. So they did not have a need for laws requiring compliance. Thus the good of the community trumps individual rights. In Europe where community has been so important as banding together was necessary for survival in wars and othe disasters for many hundreds of years, a greater sense of community psychologically and in society exists. With our American roots in Rugged Individualism it is harder to transplant systems that work in Europe into the American consciousness. It is also harder to get the buy-in from people to increse their taxes to pay for social services. 

Having said this, there has been a lot of movement toward community during our lifetime. Looking at the policies of a very libeal Democrat JFK in the early 60s, by today's stadards would be considered ultra conservative. 

Complex issues with no easy answers, but hopefully as a nation we will continue to inch forward. There is reason for optimism mixed with a lot of frustration.

It will be interesting to see of this pandemic tilts the balance one way or the other.

Gale Cady (Williams)

Chuck,

A very insightful perspective on the roots of why we do, what we do. My 11 years of interacting with Muslim Somali women students, as well as students from many other countries, has really opened my eyes to the differences in our cultures. As a writing tutor in our college tutoring center, the vast majority of students I helped were not native English speakers, and in order to help them better, I often asked them the stories of how and why they came to America, and their goals in getting a college degree. 
Twin boys who were originally from Bhutan, then force-marched with their family to Nepal to the world's largest refugee camp, had stories that literally made me weep. Their goal in becoming nurses is to earn enough money to buy a very large home in Reynoldsburg, where they live together, in order to be able to take care of their parents, "so they never have to work again." This is common in Nepali and all Indian families, but to us, in Central Ohio, the uncommoness of it was stunning to me. There is little collective consciousness, just a "do it yourself or screw you" attitude, which you kindly attribute to the Rugged American philosophy, but which I attriubte to a culture based on complete self-indulgence and selfishness. I think as a nation we are at the very beginning of coming out of that,  but (and I know you don't live in Newark anymore), there are far too many homes flying enormous Trump flags and proudly streaming huge pro-slavery Confederate flags from the backs of their trucks, and openly carrying gun belts in stores. We have not gone forward; we have gone backwards, to the point I am literally afraid to go out in public. BUT, when I do, I am wearing my women's rights, RGB, Obama, Biden, or LGBTQ T-shirts. 
My biggest fear is that it does not take another Civil War to teach unwilling Americans that tolerance and acceptance for all people is a necessity, because right now, I see us at the brink of that. 
Thank you for the stimulating and interesting dialogue. I am pretty much in the house alone most of the time these days and appreciate the opportunity for discussion with a person whose education and intelligence I admire. I lost my job at the college along with my entire department on April 22 and this is a thing that I miss very much. 
Wishing you well, 
Gale 
PS here's a link to my WordPress blog https://galecady.wordpress.com/2018/08/ - 
this story was also published in an online magazine, Between Coasts, here: https://betweencoasts.org/manas-american-dream/

Thse is another in my series of Immigrant Stories here: https://galecady.wordpress.com/2019/04/25/reaching-for-the-american-dream-yami/

I have not written the one on the twins yet because it feels so important to me that my attempts so far, I feel, do not do them justice. When I finish it, I'll share it. These three stories are the beginnings of a book of my collectied experiences with immigrant students and how knowing them has changed my life. It is constantly surprising to me that the college campus is insulated from the community the way it is, with students from 26 different countries, while it sits at the far end of the whitest end of Newark. The campus and the town exist in separate and totally different worlds, which is really kind of bizarre. 

Sharon Courson

Gayle and Charles -  Such an interesting discussion.  Working for several nonprofits over the years, I too became keenly aware of the cultural differences.  Especially where the care for family is concerned.  I am always amazed when people are surprised that I've cared for so many family members.  I cannot imagine doing less.  We do seem eager to "park" our responsibilities and problems on someone else or another entity.  Other cultures would not even consider such an option.

I am frustrated by our health system as well.  As the Director of a nonprofit vision charity I was dismayed to learn that if you have hip or heart surgery insurance pays for rehab, but lose your vision or hearing and there is no insurance resource for you.  You are expected to go on welfare or SS even if you are a fully capable person otherwise.  Also frustrating is that there are so many preventative and early actions that would stop or prevent vision loss, but our health system does not promote those things.  

In GA we are experiencing much the same political polarization as the rest of the nation.  It saddens me greatly.  

My brother and I have been limiting our activities.  It chafs but is necessary.  My granddaughter had COVID - now recovered - and lives with us since her campus closed.  I feel for you, Gayle, in your isolation.  

Be Well!  Be Safe!

Charles Price

Sharon and Gayle,

What a pleasure to hear of your work with disadvantaged populations. Living in Sweden for a year, I was able to experience the socialized medicine and culture. As with everything there are up sides and down sides. But it is a different side. During college I spent an academic year in India which was yet a third side. There I lived with a family of 3 generations in the same home. Very usual for India. Perhaps bringing things into the light will help at some level rather than having divisions grow in the dark unfettered by contra currents. 

Chuck

Charles Price

Sorry Gale (not Gayle) 8-(

Julie Dillon

Two words that have become more and more important to me everyday. They are Respect and Tolerance.

Although not always easy to remember and put into practice,  they do define us to others.  I am respectful of differing opinions and I tolerate other's words even when I find them hurtful or offensive. 

I hope our Message Forum does not become a vehicle for divisiveness or politically charged.

Stay safe and healthy all!

Sharon Courson

My apologies as well GALE!  

Sharon

Charles Price

Julie,

Well said. 

Charles

Charles Price

I post this as a piece of humor during these trying times. My apologies if it is inadvertently offensive to anyone.

Charles Price

Yoko Ono’s surprisingly difficult instructions: “Try to say nothing negative about anybody for three days, for forty-five days, for three months. Se what happens to your life.” (This may be especially difficult in an election year)

Diana Holmes (Brown)

Sorry, Yoko. You'll have to wait until after January 20, 2021. That is everything goes the way I hope. Otherwise and until then,  I just can't. 

Charles Price

"Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends with them?" - Abraham Lincoln