So now it's August. I can't believe we're already into the eighth month of the year and summer is winding down. It's been a mixed bag summer for me so far. I did get to go to Walt Disney World in June. The following week, I was on a normal training run, tripped and broke my shoulder (I've never broken a bone before). So the past six weeks I've been in a sling and also not permitted to drive. Of course I broke my right shoulder, which is my dominant arm. That means typing - especially at the beginning of my injury - was ridiculously painful and slow. In fact, whenever I had to write something, I would peck it out with my left hand only. You'll note I never missed posting a single day during this entire fiasco.
I am hopeful that I get good news at my next round of X-rays next week and that I get out of my sling and can start to rehab and drive again. I assume physical therapy is going to be painful, but it is what it is. I have to get my arm back to full range of motion. The accident meant the half marathon I was training for isn't happening now, either. I deferred my registration until next year. Oh well I guess. I've read it can take a full year to get back to optimal strength. I want to start lifting weights again soon.
I can't believe I haven't been in a pool all summer yet (thanks again, sling!). I am hoping to get some pool time this month. And last night I saw my first concert since the beforetimes! I saw Brit Floyd with Eric and my friend Joe. It was a fun, sold-out show with great music. Who can argue with "Comfortably Numb" live?
Since my injury, I've had lots of time to read books, watch news and stare at the wall. The news over the past week was a lot about the Olympics and the resurgence of COVID-19 thanks to the Delta variant and the unvaccinated.
The single biggest story out of the Tokyo Olympics is gymnast superstar Simone Biles pulling out of competitions to focus on her mental health. And good for her. Elite athletes are not toys built for our amusement, programmed to "perform" on a whim. Not being in the right headspace when flipping and flying through the air is dangerous. Simone is smart for knowing when to step back. Hopefully her actions bring more awareness to mental health, period. Gymnastics is a career for Simone, the same way some of us program computers, write articles or teach kids. When work pushes too hard and things become overwhelming, all of us has the absolute right to push back and protect ourselves.
Florida is ground zero for the current COVID-19 surge. The state is setting new records for cases and hospitalizations, despite the fact that there is a vaccine that can basically stop the virus in its tracks. The vaccine is available to everyone in America, for free and basically on demand at this point. But alas, here we are.
The massive numbers of unvaccinated folks in America - along with some new study findings - lead the CDC to reverse decisions on masking. Now, if you live in a COVID "red zone" the CDC says you should mask indoors regardless of vaccination status. That's because the CDC now knows that even vaccinated folks can transmit the disease - with high viral loads. This is disappointing news to learn of course.
And I leave you with these interesting images:
Saturday, August 14, 2021 at 06:37PM