Day 326

 January 30, 2021

The Waiting is a song by Tom Petty. Some of the lyrics are: 

"The waiting is the hardest part

Every day you see one more card
You take it on faith, you take it to the heart
The waiting is the hardest part"

The song is about love, but these words seem to be relevant to many people these days. As I talk with colleagues and friends and family the conversation is initially consumed by the current state of our pandemic world, but eventually the glimmer of hope shines through in words...words with hope that things will one day be as they were before March 12, 2020. Before the world was shut down by an invisible virus that has to this date infected some 102,848,125 people and taken the lives of  2.2 million.

As these graphs show we have not done a good job of preventing the transmission of the virus or the virus was too powerful, too widespread and too easily transmitted. Either way this graph tells the story.

So we wait. We hope. Some pray. The waiting, is indeed, the hardest part. This is not to discount the suffering many have gone through and continue to go through, but they are waiting too. 

Waiting for change and safety and freedom. Waiting for a not-so-distant past to once again be our future.

There is good news on the horizon as vaccines continue to be distributed and new vaccines are being created (Johnson and Johnson being the latest). The latest daily numbers are decreasing and many governments are taking the virus more seriously and restrictions are helping. Ultimately, it may be up to us. The reason the virus spreads is human transmission. Can we do more to stop the spread?

If you believe you can then you will, but there are those who are in a different category. These are people who either do not feel the virus is that bad (no worse than the flu) or frankly not real. Those that fall under this heading are being fed misinformation or believe the conspiracy theorists or are gathering information from social media rumors.

This must be taken into account when we realize we are all in some way fighting this virus or spreading it. According to an article in the Scientific American, "experts suggest that what happens next depends on both the evolution of the pathogen and of the human response to it, both biological and social."

No matter your opinion on the virus it will continue until one of several things occur. These are some of the possibilities:

Herd immunity: Most people contract the virus and become immune, thus making it unlikely to spread amongst the few who are not immune. "Ultimately, in most cases, antibodies developed by the immune system to fight off the invader linger in enough of the affected population to confer longer-term immunity and limit person-to-person viral transmission. But that can take several years, and before it happens, havoc reigns." -The Scientific American

Containment: This is the one that depends on may factors such as the noted above the evolution and transmission of the virus and the response by humans. The original SARS outbreak was contained and resulted in some 8,000 cases and some 770 deaths. That virus did show symptoms quicker and people were less contagious early on. Once they were symptomatic they were quarantined thus helping containment. 

Vaccine effectiveness: The vaccine does its job and enough people develop immunity long enough to stop the transmission of the virus.

Because the end relies on roughly 50% social-political influence and 50% scientific (vaccine) the end will probably not really be an end. 

Meaning the virus will survive, but not as a global plague. 

Yes, one day the pandemic will end. The virus will stay. For many of us we may never be infected, but all of us are affected.  The year 2020 has left its stamp on us and each time a new virus strain is found some panic will breathe its way into our hearts and minds. 

Maybe we will learn from this, maybe not. 

Either way, our current reality is waiting. And then, accept the outcome and when the restrictions are lifted and the pandemic officially ends be mindful of the lessons learned and take better care to prevent transmission of any kind. By being smarter and healthier. By taking better care of each other. 

 

Day 291

 December 26, 2020

The Last Supper. The Last of the Mohicans. The Last Picture Show.

The Last time I saw Paris. The Last Detail The Last Starfighter.

These are stories, events and films. You are about to read the last blog of...2020.

As we look back on this past year it will be strewn with many disappointments, an unprecedented time where days became weeks and then months of fear, frustration and emotion. We sighed. We cried. 

We lost time, opportunity and human lives. Too much of everything was lost. We stand now on the precipice of a new year and much is still unclear. How long will the pandemic last? How will the vaccine affect the spread of this virus?  The novel coronavirus, labeled COVID-19, which has devastated our social, economic, physical and psychological lives and have given many of us pause for concern of our future world.  The virus came into our world one year ago this month. The gift we never asked for during the most giving time of the year.

During the course of the year 2020 we endured a series of lockdown restrictions ranging from shelter at home to hybrid models of social-distanced interaction. We endured protests and riots after another person of color was unnecessarily killed by a police officer. The world continues in a state of unrest in regards to racial and social equality. The protests went on for weeks and although time can heal; the pain and fear continues for many. The inequality is everywhere. The pandemic was no different as the indigenous people of color and the impoverished were hit the hardest by the virus. Many continued to work in-person and risk infection as essential workers were asked to continue moving products, serving and maintaining status quo as the world around them worked from home and/or had remote access to continued employment. 

We endured a heated presidential election ending in a switch of parties and not surprisingly it came with more protest, more riots and accusations of ballot tampering. A division within one of the strongest in the world, which like many others has failed to control the transmission of the virus.

Many countries have buried thousands of people. Many are still on restriction. Many are still in a  remote learning model, hampering educational systems around the globe.  Many are still in debate over mask wearing and the proper strategies suggested to slow and even stop transmission of the virus.

During the month of March an official pandemic announcement sent the world reeling.  Most schools immediately closed and professional sports were suspended as were many other large gatherings.  Production and distribution was temporarily halted as experts collected intel on what the virus was and how it can be transmitted.  Eventually bans were lifted and modified restrictions were put in place, but life was still quite different and many were still infected leading to too many deaths. The summer promised us more outdoor activities and a relief in regards to the number of infections and deaths. And although this was true the second wave came as predicted and the fall and winter months saw a record number of infections and deaths. Currently the world has experienced 80.2 million infections and suffered 1.7 million deaths. 

So 2021 is days away...

Every new year brings with it hope and resolution. And this year, more than ever. has people praying for the days of yore (well not too long ago-but it feels like forever since this pandemic began). 

Let us all hope this year, 2021, brings us some new stories, events and films such as...

The Last Patient, The Last Vaccine Shot Needed, The Last Lockdown, The Last Pandemic.

The Last of the Viruses.

Day 284

 December 19, 2020

A December to remember. Well, more like a year to remember. Nearly all of the year 2020 has been marred by the coronavirus outbreak and subsequent pandemic which has handcuffed the world and now taken over 1.6 million lives. As we grow closer to the end of the year we are inclined to reflect on the recent past and even sometimes the station that is our current life.  If you are alive and reading this, then in one way, it is a wonderful life. 

The iconic holiday film "It's a Wonderful Life" starring Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed and my favorite film noir femme fatale, Gloria Graham tells the story of all of us as we exist though the trials and triumphs of our lives. The film, produced in 1946, was initially a flop and when its copyright was not renewed it was broadcast for free and began airing frequently during the last few weeks of the year and thus became a holiday tradition. (NBC owns its rights and airs it every Christmas eve)

Jimmy Stewart was a WWII fighter pilot in the Army Air Corps and flew some 20 combat missions. Upon his return to Hollywood It's a Wonderful Life was his first film and since he was still grappling with the traumatic experiences of war and feeling of loss fellow pilots his emotional scenes where his character, George Baily, is breaking down and crying are all very real. 

The movie is about loss and pain and everyday failure and how many humans sometimes feel like they are at the "end of their rope". George Bailey turns to prayer and the answer to his prayer is an angel named Clarence who goes on to show George how wonderful his life really is even amidst the struggles and setbacks he has endured. As we all reflect on our lives, particularly this past year and how the pandemic has shaped and misshaped our living, consider all the wonderfulness in your life.

Beginning with life itself. Each and every day is a new opportunity to see, act and hope. 

See all the beauty life has to offer you, beyond the seasonal lights, there is natural beauty (like last nights moon) and imperfect beauty (the human body and its intricate workings).

Act in a way that manifests your deepest desires for love, joy and self-worth and then act as if every human you interact with is someone of value. This mortal life is fleeting and frail and we must not forget our time on this earth is limited. Cherish yours and the lives of others.

Hope for all of your wishes and keep hoping (and praying-if you are disposed to do so).

Never let the light go out on your dreams. 

Even beyond this life. Your memory will live on in others. 

Take this time to recall those souls which touched us and moved us in ways we will never forget. 

The dearly departed are with us still in our heart of hearts.

Loved and preserved. 

For the eternity of our lives they live on.

And let us recall the people, we may not know, but we are linked with indelibly everyday as we proceed through these challenging times. The essential workers. Those in day care and nursing homes. Those doctors and nurses caring for our brothers and sister struck with COVID-19. The grocery store workers and all those who continue to supply us with our daily needs. They are amazing humans doing what it takes for all of us to see this through.

May this years end bring you joy and tears and hope 

in a way that inspires you to endure and be more human than you ever thought possible. 

To care and love and cry.

To live and love and laugh.

To be alive.

Day 270

 December 5, 2020

There is so much going on as the entire world population braces for the holidays, the flu season, and the dead of winter while also anticipating the long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine. 

Both  Pfizer and Moderna have developed adult vaccines and many people are awaiting the public release and distribution.  As of this writing, Britain has given emergency authorization for the Pfizer vaccine and will begin distribution on Monday. The U.S. has stricter authorization guidelines and hopes to have the vaccine ready for distribution around mid-December.  A pediatric version is in the making, but it is complicated as children are usually not included in trials (Pfizer began trials in children aged 12 and up in October and Moderna is set to begin testing soon).  There are many who do not approve of testing on children and while that delays the distribution for the vaccine to school age children most experts agree that children do not transmit the virus as readily as adults

Nor do they typically show serious symptoms when they are infected. It seems this information and the fact that teachers will be some of the first offered the vaccine will in all likelihood mark the end of remote teaching starting in 2021.  Most school districts around the world are currently in either a fully remote model or a hybrid version. In the meantime experts are also predicting a massive surge in both cases and deaths in the U.S. by February if people do not take mask wearing and social distancing seriously.  This may scare school boards and district administrations from pushing for in-person education. All of this makes for a very controversial topic.  

We can only wait and see.

In other virus news the second wave of COVID-19 is streaking across the globe. Decimating the European nation and dampening the lives of those in the U.S. Hospitals are near capacity again and shutdown orders are once again in effect and the number of infections and deaths continues to reach mid-April numbers. The death total in the U.S. has exceeded 270,000 and as both infections and hospitalizations continue to rise it makes the coming weeks seem dreary. It appears this may go down in history as the worst holiday season ever. And for those who like to read you may want to look into good-reads-book-worst-holiday-ever

This graph tells the European story.

The first memorial for victims of COVID-19 is being constructed in New Jersey On the site of a former toxic dump, everything is legal in Jersey of all places.

In sports news, Rafer Johnson, the first Black captain of a United States Olympic team and a participant in the1960 Olympic games and gold medal winner in the decathlon has died at 86.

The NFL continues, but not without its COVID-19 cases, quarantines and game delays. We recently has a game on a Wednesday for the firs time in decades. Having bye weeks has helped but those are ending soon and the league will have to get more creative such as the case with mid-week games.  Due to the Wednesday game we will have a second MNF game and a Tuesday night game this upcoming week.

The Rose Bowl, a major college football game, will be played in an empty stadium on Jan. 1.

    

Day 256

Saturday November 21, 2020

I am presently sitting on the couch drinking my usual morning coffee. With Pucci, our long hair dachsund, staunchly lying beside me I begin the quest of writing down not only my thoughts, but an account of the last week. Yesterday we finished remote teaching and look forward to a week off. The vacation time comes with no travel, no family and no celebration. It is a time for us to relax and refuel.

A time to think solely of ourselves while being thankful for those we love and help those in need. This season for us has become less about tradition and more about condition. The situation we find ourselves and how we can be benevolent.  The current reality is we are healthy and fortunate to be working during the pandemic. While much of the world spars with the virus and the rising infection rates, the U.S. is faring no better and in some ways worse. 

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in several U.S. states is growing more rapidly than anywhere else in the world. Dante learned in The Divine Comedy to escape hell one must go through the center of it. I suppose as we journey through this pandemic we are in the center of hell and must proceed through it in order to exit.  The suffering will continue.

The nation of the United States of America is in trouble. The divide in this country has caused a separation of thought and cohesiveness.  Our divided states has brought about carelessness instead of unity.  We struggle because we do not care. The pandemic has played its part, our government has a role and so do all of us. We have fought and tried to remain diligent in our fighting, but we have failed. We have failed each other. We will continue to do battle with this coronavirus, but ultimately it will win the war. In fact it already has to the point of 250,000 lives lost.  Humans are survivors and those that live will move on and make adjustments to survive, but the losses will be many and the pain will be much to bear. The holidays will not be the same. The joy will be tinged with a scent of sorrow and hopelessness as we move deeper into the winter and the discontentment that comes with loss. 

So as I sit and write and try to remain present knowing the concepts of past and future have little meaning to the persistent flow of thoughts streaming in my mind. It is verily an ongoing quandary of how we separate the "I" from the "me". Alan Watts, says, "the truth is revealed by removing things that stand in it's light..." and I perceive unawareness as a darkness shrouding our present mindfulness.

Alan Watts describes the mind and it's inability to stop thinking. We think thoughts that are not present and thus those thoughts cause anxiety or fear or pain. Even a joyful thought of our past is really just a piece of our present because we are thinking of it now. And the memory may be cheerful in nature, it reminds us of what is not now and that can trigger sorrow.  In this video Watts explains the only way to stop the mind from thinking is to leave it alone. And thus by leaving it alone, "it will quiet itself" 

Alan Watts - The Mind

Day 249

 Saturday November14, 2020

In her book, Gift from the Sea, Anne Morrow Lindbergh talks of the ebb and flow of relationships. It provided fuel to my thoughts of this current time in our lives.  How we have ridden the tides of this pandemic for days, weeks and months and have implemented strategies to stay sane and secure our humanness. We have been shut in, put out and inconvenienced for so long and with no true end in sight. 

Our hopes lie in a vaccine, one not yet created, in which we will not know the impact until massive distribution is complete.  Even then, we will be unassured of complete eradication of this coronavirus which has lived among us for so long. Like the popular game Among us, each of us could be the imposter carrying the virus and infecting others.  We crewmates must navigate this tenuous earth and with each day comes risk.  Some days are safe at home while others are days we feel more exposed. 

We venture through places where others abound and wonder who is a potential carrier. Everyday is an ebb and flow of feelings. Everyday is the ebb and flow of questions. Am I being safe enough? Should I go out today? When will we feel completely at ease? Will the imposter always be among us? 

The ultimate imposter being the virus itself, a parasite feeding off human behavior.  We like to be around each other. We feel the need to gather. We long for human touch. And with this innate desire the ultimate imposter is transmitted throughout the world. In the United States the infection is rate is skyrocketing in nearly every state. New mandates regarding lockdowns, curfews and gatherings are being put in place, yet the number of infections, hospitalizations and deaths continues to rise. A recent graph for the NY times shows alarming numbers.

We as a country have reported over 100,000 cases ten days in a row. And the world is faring no better as Italy, Poland, Russia, India and other counties are seeing an increase in cases.  Efforts are being made as many schools have returned to remote learning or will do so after the Thanksgiving break. 

Governments are putting curfews and mandates in place to decrease the amount of human contact, but it seems that enough people are not giving the effort needed. Many still do not social distance nor where a mask. Gatherings, parties and events are still taking place. In India, a five day Hindu festival, Diwali, will be celebrated beginning this weekend. 

People say, "life must go on. We have to live." 

This is something we have never experienced before and having our privileges and freedoms taken from us makes many of us defensive and rebellious.

Yet it comes at a cost. And I suppose some people are okay with that. We are a population of humans who are the same in configuration of cells and organs and senses, but in our minds we are diverse and it is with our thoughts and actions we tell our story. 

We all must playout this pandemic each in our own way. And thus the ebb and flow of it is intertwined with our daily decisions. For better or worse our humanism will be both our greatest triumph and our greatest failure. Here are the words of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 

"We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, of love, of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror its ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity; when the only continuity possible, in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity - in freedom..."

Good Luck everyone. There is no doubt this pandemic will leave it's indelible mark on all of us.

May your god, spirit animal or universal subconscious be with you. 

Day 242

 Saturday November 7, 2020

The days are shorter, cooler and consistently more fall-feeling. As Maren would say it's sweater weather. She says this as an inside joke because I love sweaters. Here is a photo from 2012 during the filming of Sane in 1974. I am also sporting a moustache. This is November or Movember (which asks men to grow a moustache as a reminder to bring awareness to men's health)

I recently heard from my friend George that he has prostate cancer. He has some tests coming up that will help determine which steps to take (surgery, radiation treatment, etc.) He sounded encouraged that it could be controlled. I think about him and hope to visit with him soon. This pandemic is really making travel difficult. It is once again the fear of the unknown making simple decisions more strenuous.  This is, for many of us, the current reality. Each day brings with it a level of anxiety and uncertainty we are typically not accustomed to.  However with the pandemic going on for as long as it has (hello, day 242) this everyday anxiousness has become common. Simple tasks like going to the grocery store or work bring out some feelings of stress. As the number of infections continues to rise all across the globe we continue to feel the pressure. In some sense, we will all be lucky to escape this pandemic without being infected. For some nearly 50 million people who have been infected it has been real and for the 1.2 million who did not survive we mourn. The road to recovery can be long. I spoke with a person the other day who said a friend was infected in March and is still dealing with the effects of the virus.  Some reports say you may never recover to full capacity in an article from Hackensack Meridian Health, "For some who recover from COVID-19, symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath, muscle pain, confusion, headaches and even hallucinations are among the growing number of issues survivors face following the illness." In the U.S. many states are seeing an increase in reported cases. In Colorado, the governor has issued a be home by 10:00 PM curfew to help slow the spread. 

On November 6th there were 132,540 new cases. Now onto some political news. It is not official, but it appears we will have a new POTUS beginning in January.  The polls are closed and the counting of ballots is still occurring. Presidential candidate Joe Biden is close to having the 270 electoral votes he needs to secure the win. He spoke last night and was eloquent and honest. He was a calming voice in these troublesome times. Our country is divided and may continue to be so until the new administration can completely move into the White house and begin to make the necessary changes for the healing of our country and it's people. We are hurting. We are a proud nation and sometimes that pride gets in the way of being human. It prevents us from thinking rationally and our actions can be downright unfathomable. There will be an announcement any day regarding the election results and already businesses in many major cities are boarded up in anticipation of riots and vandalism.  What kind of nation are we that we have to perform acts of violence and the defacing of public property over a decision made by a democratic society? The United States is in pain. We have been put through four years of unrest. Social unrest, civil disorder and a nation divided on important topics including the one to keep us all safe. And as I am writing this the Associated press has called the election. It is official Joe Biden has defeated Donald Trump to become the 46th president of the United States. 

And all I can say is Here we go America.

Day 221

 Sunday October 18, 2020

Today we voted. We are hopeful for change. We are hopeful the people who take office can make the changes needed in this country to help us re-establish our nation as one of diversity and unity. A nation which allows immigrants to arrive and thrive here as a true land of equal opportunity for all people. 

The world needs hope now more than ever with a pandemic known to the world as Covid-19 rifling through the planet and making life difficult for most and unbearable for others.  The novel coronavirus has infected nearly 40 million people and taken the lives of over one million.  The world will never be the same.  In our efforts to regulate we have sacrificed time and luxury. Many opportunities have been lost.

Many lives have been shattered. This past month has seen a second wave of infections hit the world and countries devastated early on (France, Spain and Italy) are being ravished again. In the United States the number of daily infections has increased in over 75% of our states. 

 The dire conditions many areas were in during the months of April to July are rearing again. All this as we enter the cusp of flu season. How will this virus and the flu react together? Little is still unknown and a vaccine is still months away.  The school district we currently work in has seen both exposures and positive cases in several schools.  The in-person hybrid model is four days old and only in elementary and middle schools. High schools are set to open this week, but with state infections on the rise and a multitude of quarantines it seems this may be the last week before all goes remote. The challenges of the hybrid model are many and our feeling is it may not have made the impact on those in-person students as hoped. Remote learning certainly is not the answer, but the safety of students and staff is and always should be the precedent. The superintendent will make a decision no later than October 22nd regarding the model we use in the coming months. Needless to say, education has been thwarted by this virus as much as our economy and travel industry if not more so because it affects our future population of working adults and potential world leaders.  Where will we be a year from now?

Maybe school districts around the world will move to year-round schooling to make up the gaps in learning?  Maybe a longer four-day work week with a remote-learning Friday will be the new standard?

It will certainly be interesting to see the world in one year and note the changes in an array of areas most assuredly what our government will look and act like. We are in need of a leadership with empathy and understanding for those less fortunate than the 1%. However, the U.S. is just one piece of a large global puzzle and many nations need reform and healing. The remaining few months of 2020 are a mystery for many reasons and let us hope the unwrapping of those unknowns will be wrought with a feeling of hope and relief rather than despair and pain. I voted today. I voted for change and hope for a better tomorrow. A better country. A better world. And a resurgence of caring persons who are unified for the good of all humans in the spirit of empathy and love.

In a effort to supply my readers with support I offer an article How to destress

I wish you all good luck and safety this upcoming week. 

Day 214

 October 11, 2020

Unbelievably, seven months into the pandemic the world health organization reported the highest daily cases of coronavirus. According to The NY Times, “The world recorded more than one million new cases of the coronavirus in just the last three days, the highest total ever in such a short span, a reflection of resurgences in Europe and the United States and uninterrupted outbreaks in India, Brazil and other countries.“

It does not seem fathomable that COVID-19 is increasing in number of cases instead of decreasing. It speaks potentially to two ideas, one how little we know about this virus and the lack of precautions people are taking in the world. Last week the POTUS tested positive for coronavirus and this week he is holding an in person rally with hundreds of people, at least masks were required. The situation for Trump is dire as in most polls he is losing to democratic candidate Joe Biden. 

As the situation in the United States becomes increasingly anxious (as cases are on the rise in many states)

the situation in India is even more so as the countries rural areas are being devastated. The number of cases in India is quickly approaching the U.S. total of 7.7 million. 

As many school districts have installed, Aurora Public Schools is moving into a hybrid model. This model allows for a small percentage of students to be in the building while other students join the class remotely.

The planning for this has been daunting and more than ever before this looks like a trial and error approach since there are several variables in motion. Internet connections, the limitations placed on remote learners, the unknown behavior of in person students under restrictions and lack of community with in person student-to-remote student. The reality is this is new territory for most of us. I am resigned to performing the best I can and adjust as necessary. I imagine the students at home will feel left out and disengage. We shall see how it goes. In the meantime if you are looking for reasons to be cheerful. Check out this website https://reasonstobecheerful.world/ it is engineered by former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne, an activist for positive change in the world, he is an influencer in not only the music world.

Enjoy the week and stay Safe out there.

Day 207

 Sunday October 4, 2020

The leaves are changing as the season turns to fall. The thrill and fear of summer is over. The pandemic continues in full force as the coronavirus known as Covid-19 continues to wreak havoc upon all people everywhere. The United States has taken an exceptionally sever hit as over 200,000 Americans have died from the virus. In the most recent and least shocking news the POTUS has tested positive for the virus. Trump and several cabinet members are seeking treatment after testing positive for Covid-19 on Thursday and Friday.  One month away from election day and two days after the first presidential debate and the nation spins more into a frenzy. 

The spring and summer months had coastal and major cities across the U.S. fighting desperately to keep Covid-19 under control.  And although these cities and regions have leveled off for the most part lesser populated states and areas are being affected now. Montana and the Dakotas as well as Wisconsin are being hit extremely hard with daily cases as the country continues see an average of nearly 44,000 cases a day. The cold and flu season awaits us next and the unknown marriage of the coronavirus with our seasonal flu is an awful scary thought. It will bring more than the usual Halloween tricks. All kidding aside this year of trick or treating is most likely on hold. Or at least unlike anything we have seen before.

The world outside of the U.S. is dealing with the virus in its own way and many are failing to control the outbreak.   The world seven day average is over 300,000 new cases. In the last seven days India has reported over a half a million cases. Countries such as Spain and France, two countries hit extremely hard early on are again suffering from large cases loads. Brazil and Russia continue to struggle as does Argentina and the U.K. Interestingly, mainland China where the virus originated seems to have the virus under control at this point and has done so for some time. Under 100,000 total cases and just over 230 cases in the last week. 

The NFL just into its fourth week of play has had several players and coaches test positive this week causing two games to be rescheduled. One in a few weeks and the other a few days. MLB started off with some early cases and subsequent rescheduled games, but has weathered the virus and is now in the heat of the playoffs.  One of the early affected teams, the Florida Marlins, are still in contention.  The magic kingdom bubble of the NBA has protected players and coaches and officials so far. No games have been postponed or cancelled and the NBA finals is currently in play as the LA Lakers and the Miami Heat are vying for the chance to call themselves champions (and in 2020 that is quite the accomplishment) 

Each and everyone of us fighting each day to stay healthy and deter the spread of the virus are champions in our own right. Protecting self and others from a potentially deadly and unknown entity is a thankless and stressful job. We all must continue to stay diligent and attentive to our actions and choices. Especially as the season of germs weighs down upon us we must remain cognizant of our daily selves and the affect it has on others. Be safe friends.