So, unless you've been in a coma for the last few months, You're aware that the world as we know it, has changed forever. And, if you're like me, you've already experienced the fear, the terror, and the heartbreak of this terrible virus, and how it has shaped our world for the foreseeable future.

This thing has wrecked down economies, stretched already challenged healthcare systems to the breaking point, and left many of it's survivors with long term after affects. And, most sobering is the mental drain on so many of us that have to live with the loss of a friend, a beloved coworker, or family member. In fact, it is estimated that for the thousands of souls lost to this virus, there are 1,000,000-plus people who mourn for them. Even with the hard push to vaccinate as many folks as possible, this year has the potential for more sickness and deaths, as we are already seeing in other parts of the world......

And yet, even with all that, We Americans still claim the distinction of some of the highest case numbers in the free world.

This, sadly is an unavoidable truth. There is going to be more sickness and death, before herd immunity gets a handle on this thing. But, there are ways to fight back. In fact, these methods have been our best defense against the virus long before we got to this point. And so, just a friendly reminder, here is how we continue to fight back until we can get back to some semblance of normal:

1. WEAR A MASK OR A FACE COVERING AT LEAST- Let's face it, there are some truly stupid people among us. And while a small part of me roots for natural selection to claim it's own, I understand that there is family left behind in the wake, businesses that had to close because it's manager/ boss is gone, etc. To those of you who claim that wearing the mask infringes on your freedoms, STFU, and put it on anyway. Your freedom isn't free, stupid- it comes with a price. Your "freedom" to not wear a mask puts all the rest of us at risk. But, just to simplify things, don't think of the rest of us. Instead, think of your own families. Thinks of how, your irresponsibleness can negatively impact your own family. If it makes things easier for you, just switch out not wearing a mask for driving drunk with your family in the car. See how that works? 

"But, Victor, what about the rest of us that can't wear a mask for medical reasons? What about all of us that can't wear a mask because we can't breathe?"

Well, let me share this simple thing with you. The perceived inconvenience, or discomfort you would feel wearing a mask, is nothing compared to  what you'll feel when you truly can't breathe for real because you contracted this virus. Now, I'm not talking about folks that suffer from asthma, COPD or other forms of respiratory distress, No, I'm talking about those folks out there that feel wearing the mask is a nuisance. You've seen them like I have; those folks that have the mask wrapped around their necks, have their noses sticking out of the mask,  or my personal favorite, the geniuses that have a slit in the mask so they can breathe. 

Grow......the FUCK..........up.

2. WASH YOUR HANDS- So, yeah, this one is a no brainer. And yet, I've constantly seen folks just totally walk out of restroom without washing their hands.....GROSS.

Think about yourself. Think about all the times you've seen your co-workers do their business, and then want to give a fist bump or a hug, or a pant on the back, etc. I'm willing to bet you rush to the nearest bathroom to wash your hands, or soak them in some alcohol. Either way, it's a better solution than just not doing anything. But, if you are going to take those safety steps. be sure to do them right:

a. wet your hands

b. get the soap on them and work up a good lather

c. get all around those hands, not just the fronts, but the backs as well

d. get in between those fingers as well

e. work the hands out for 20 seconds (it's ok to count it off to yourself)

f. thoroughly rinse and dry your hands

" Good job Vic. But what about when you've done all that, but you still got to open that covid-infected door just to get out the bathroom?"

Now that, my friends is going to be a challenge. Honestly, I may just wait it out and hope someone opens the door so I can make a clean getaway. But more often then not, I don't bother waiting. This is where toilet paper, paper towels are your friends.

No paper or towels? Then get 1-2 of those seat covers.

No luck on that, either? Improvise (no, I'm serious; make that shit work).

3. SOCIAL DISTANCE- This is probably the toughest part of all, especially if you don't have the luxury to keep your distance. In these cases, just do your best. What I find that works for me is wearing nitrile gloves in addition to wearing a mask. Often times, being in such close proximity like on a train, you have to grab the strap or the pole, (and you already know they been tainted for a good few hours before you even got there). Take an earlier train or bus, experiment to see what works for your situation, if you can. A crowd of folks waiting for the elevator? wait for the next one, or better yet, take the stairs.

4. GET SOME EXCERCISE AND LOSE SOME WEIGHT- This was another no brainer from before the pandemic. But, now that it's still tormenting us, there has never been a better reason to shed some pounds, especially if your obese. Just in case you didn't know, carrying the extra weight works every part of your body harder; especially your lungs and heart, which can lead to heart disease, reduced lung capacity, or even strokes.

Now, I get it, it's not easy to shed the weight especially if you had other issues going on. But, you have to do something. One positive thing you can do is change some of your eating habits such cutting down on processed foods. You can look at the nutritional content on the food and see how much sugar (fructose) or salt (sodium) each has. If they have high numbers per serving, take a hard pass. Something else you can do is spend more time cooking your own meals. I'm willing to bet you can make meals that taste good and much healthier than what you might get at fast food spots. 

"Vic, I don't have time to cook...."

Make the time. You can make time to NETFLIX, or whatever. You can make time for this. Heck, if you're resourceful, you can do both (just don't do any chopping or use heavy machinery while you're watching The Witcher or something).

Which leads me to my last suggestion:

GET VACCINATED.

I know this is a point of contention for a lot of folks. But, if we are to believe the science, all the vaccination types so far, offer a high level of protection. In fact, as I re-write this, the number of new cases and death are from folks just like you and me that for some reason did not get vaccinated.

But, I suspect for a lot of folks, that means nothing as they don't trust the vaccinations. They feel it's some insidious trap, or a means to control the population. Stuff like that.

To those opinions, I would simply say, that thanks to the COVID, we are already in a state of population control. And if we are being honest, just messing around with our "smart" phones is enough an insidious trap for a lot of us.

I said it before and I'll say it again. Grow up. Stop thinking about yourself. Think about your family, your friends, anyone that is important to you. Because your unwillingness to get vaccinated puts them all at risk.

I have a lot more to share, but I'm going to take a break for now. In the meantime, DO what you can to stop the spread, as well as protect yourself and your family.