These are some crazy times we live in.

Some days I think I’m living a remake of Steven King’s The Stand.

I’ve been out and about, driving around mostly to see what’s what. And while plenty of stores are closed and bars are closed and churches not holding service, plenty is still open. Yeah…wierd right?!

Home Depot is open. And it is packed.

The movie theater is open, line out the door.

Target: open, packed.

So what’s going on here? Why are some people taking this seriously and others not?

My kids live with their mom and I’m only 5 minutes away but I haven’t seen them directly all week because she doesn’t want anyone from outside coming in. We text, phone and Facetime everyday though. The kids are out of school and she stopped working because, as a cashier at a grocery store she didn’t want the exposure. I get it. She’s taking it seriously.

Her sister on the other hand had friends over for ‘Coronas on the deck – vacation staycation party’ on one particularly warm Sunday…

Ummm, not taking it seriously!

We’ve all seen the video from Miami with the kid saying “If I get coronavirus, I get coronavirus, I don’t care It’s not stopping me from partying”. And the girl so upset the bars and beaches were closed and how pissed she was that this virus was ruining her spring break. Ok, people are dying and will continue to die. People are out of jobs and not able to pay their rent and mortgage, so listen blondie, you self-entitled little brat, it’s not about you.

People are taking the time to clean house, do yard work, de-clutter and decompress. Many people I know are taking this seriously, staying inside and going out for long walks. That’s great. And if you need to there’s plenty you can do from your home for a great workout, just follow…okay anyone on Instagram and you’ll see someone pressing their laundry basket overhead or doing trunk twists with a broom.

NYC has checkpoints into the city. What are you doing here, where are you going, are you a resident? No? Go home.

Some New Jersey towns have inflicted curfews along with other cities across the country.

And then there’s LA, where folks like Evangeline Lilly who, while she could be setting a good example for her fans and followers, is instead valuing liberty and ‘choosing freedom over their lives” and it’s business as usual with gymnastic camp etc. So I get it that you don’t want to be inconvenienced and honey you do you, but you are putting your kids’ lives at risk, as a parent I have a big problem with that. And as a celebrity, you could do all of your fans a huge favor by doing your research, protecting your family and advising caution.

But is that her responsibility? Is it even mine?

On the other extreme are these hoarders that have been stocking up on bottled water, toilet paper and canned goods for weeks and can’t get enough. They are still in line at Costco, waiting to be one of the 50 let in at a time to run to the far corner hoping there is still one giant 32 pack of Charmin on the shelves to add to the other 40 packs they have stored in every nook and cranny everywhere. Why toilet paper? Is there really a risk we will run out of trees with this virus?

A few extremes here, who’s right? Do we honker down and stay inside and wait it out? Playing board games and connecting with our friends virtually and reconnecting with distant friends and cleaning house and home and headspace? Or do we go on with out lives as best we can and pray we don’t catch it, like we did with the bird flu the swine flu, H1N1 and SARS? I didn’t take those seriously, and I got the swine flu!

People may not realize this but there is a lot of shit going on around the world and it’s coming to America.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel doesn’t do TV broadcasts but went live telling her country “this is serious”, and pleading with them to ‘take it seriously’
She’s compaing this to the second World War in that no challenge since then has demanded such united action.

The crematoriums in Italy can’t keep up with the death toll. That’s messed up. Think about that!

Somehow a perfectly healthy Paul Rand was able to get tested. I don’t know how because all the hospitals around us won’t even test even if you have symptoms because they don’t have any more kits or by the time the test comes back you’ll be fine or dead. For real. And they won’t admit you unless you seriously can’t breath.This is from doctors and nurses I know working the front lines, putting their lives at risk when there aren’t even enough supplies of basic safety equipment like masks and gloves to see through this pandemic.

How was Rand able to get tested? And do we think it’s okay that while he waited for the results he used the senate gym and pool and held meetings etc? I mean he seemed healthy and had business to do. But that sends a statement to the country.

‘Hey I’m scared and want to know if I have this thing and I’m an elite member of society so I can just get the test without cause. And while I wait and see I’m not going to take it seriously and possibly infect others’.

You know what Paul, why don’t you invite Evangeline Lilly an her family over for dinner while you wait, oh and be sure to include the spring breakers on your invite list, those poor kids need some fun.

Who’s right?
Who’s wrong?
How much social distancing do we need and how long is it going to go on?
What do you do?

What are you doing?
Leave a comment and let me know how serious, or not, you are taking this.

Me? I’m taking the time to get back to me. What an amazing opportunity we have to look inward, work on ourselves, read…books! Meditate, learn, reflect & interact with distant family and friends and tell them I love them.

Get some piece of mind and discover what’s important, and it’s not getting the latest fashions at the mall it’s about laughing with your friends and family however you can, and enriching each others’ lives as well.

It’s a crazy time full of interesting opportunity.

Use it wisely and maybe find a new shade within yourself.