Facing the possible extension of social distancing until April 30 per CDC guidelines, I continue to plug along on making the corrections to the Greenwich Meridian Memoir manuscript. I am on page 201.
I have also signed up for Camp NaNoWriMo starting April 1. Try it; it’s a good platform that keeps you on track with your writing and publishing projects.
While fine tuning the manuscript, I came across some interesting paragraphs about waiting which I consider relevant during this time of Coronavirus shutdown.
But most importantly, I want to offer hope based on what I have learned in this morning’s meditation about “Hope in Uncertain Times” by Oprah & Deepak Chopra.
Hope increases with gratitude. List five things you’re grateful for today. These are my five things that I am grateful for today:
1- time to write 2- chicken burrito from Taco Bell 3- a story about museum intern Darcy Stubbs for Fallasburg Today 4- my parents’ arrival in Elizabethtown, KY from Florida 5- my blood pressure finally came down after three weeks
You spent a lot of time waiting around for anything and everything, quite often it was in lines for desirable items like bananas or meat.
The grocery stores were small with only a limited amount of shopping baskets, so you waited for the shopping basket, then you waited inside the store at the dairy counter for cheese, and at the meat counter for meat, you waited in a line for the cash register and you waited for the bus to get home with your groceries. There you waited for the elevator to get to your apartment.
Copyright (c) 2020. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
On the fifth Sunday of Lent, I watched the mass broadcast on TV from the empty St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Grand Rapids due to the Coronavirus quarantine.
Televised mass without an audience from St. Andrew’s Cathedral Cathedral in Grand Rapids.
I do my daily Lenten readings from The Little Black Book 6-minute meditations and in shock I came across this reading for March 28, that I somehow missed.
The bubonic plague in Oberammergau
When an outbreak of the bubonic plague began to spread in the 17th century, the people of Oberammergau prayed to be spared. They vowed that the whole community would, every 10 years, stage a massive production presenting the story of Christ’s death and resurrection to the world. The town was spared from the plague, and the tradition of the Oberammergau Passion Play was born. It’s first performance was in 1634.
The Passion Play is scheduled for this year from May 16 to Oct. 4. It is performed on an open stage with seating for nearly 5,000 spectators. Members of the 1,700 cast must be Oberammergau natives, or have lived there for 10 years. The play lasts a whole day, with a three-hour break for lunch. The play is performed five times a week for several months.
But, on Thursday, the organizers of the play- which has a cast of some 2,500 and can feature 900 people on stage at once- announced they were canceling this years edition, because of the Coronavirus pandemic. The first of the 103 daylong performances had been scheduled for May 16.
Historically, the human kind has been plagued by diseases from the bubonic plague, tuberculosis, Spanish influenza to Coronavirus, to name just a few.
The least we can do is to quarantine ourselves to protect others from the spread of the virus.
Tips:
Learn something new. It’s Sunday, cook up a storm.
Lowell, MI – I have found out that creativity battles the anxiety invoked by the Coronavirus shutdown the best.
Facing the dark stats, how do I wake up inspiration from its gloomy dream? First of all, I had to turn off all the devices I own. Next I am trying to push out of my head all the images of suffering and exhaustion I’ve seen over the last two weeks.
I have to substitute the negative with the positive; easier said than done. I have to transform and focus on the light with its different shades.
I found relief again in the “Hope in Uncertain Times” meditation with Oprah & Deepak Chopra. I can see light instead of darkness.
“The single biggest threat to man’s continued dominance on the planet is the virus.”
— Joshua Lederberg
We continue to stay at home per Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s executive order due to the Coronavirus pandemic as the U.S. takes the lead in the number of virus cases in the world-100,000- and counting. We are allowed to go outside for walks but minimize our trips to the grocery store.
“Remember, this is an order, not a recommendation,” Whitmer said in a virtual town hall meeting on Thursday evening.
Personally, as a writer, I am used to isolation; it’s the only way to get anything done. I finished making corrections to 150 pages of the Greenwich Meridian Memoir in the afternoon.
My tips:
If you ever wanted to write a book, now is a good time to start. If you want to finish your book, now is a good time to pick it back up.
You can make an outline and write two to three chapters or you can write a short story. The inspiration is all around us as well as in us waiting to spill out into the world.
Using your creativity is the best way to battle containment. Watch for excerpts from the Greenwich Meridian Memoir- how mom Ella battled with loneliness in Texas during the first immigration from former Czechoslovakia.
To be continued…
Copyright (c) 2020. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Weighing in on the positives of the coronavirus pandemic: in search of humanity
In spite of the state shutdown, and shows like the Lowell Expo not happening this weekend, I see positives of the coronavirus shutdown in Michigan.
I pay more attention to the good things around me: my flowering orchids and amaryllis. My husband Ludek can get caught up on stuff rather than wining that he never has time to do anything around the house.
Our son Jake is homeschooling the grandkids and loving it.
I talk more to my daughter Dr. Emma, who is on the frontlines of fighting COVID-19 in France. Before the outbreak, I never heard from her. My brother calls me more nowadays and I return his phone calls.
There is goodness coming out of this pandemic. The pandemic too shall pass and we’re in it all together.
I think in this isolation we find a common bond- humanity and we recognize the need for each other.
I spoke with Dr, Emma Palova- Chavent about the Coronavirus pandemic this morning.
Dr. Emma Palova-Chavent on the frontlines of fighting COVID-19.
“We’re treating COVID-19 as triage,” she said.
She stressed that the social isolation is the most important and effective tool in the battle against the COVID-19 spread due to the resilience of the virus. It can live on surfaces up to seven days outside of the human body unlike the HIV virus. It has yet to be determined if the Coronavirus can be airborne.
France has reserved up to 50 percent of hospital capacity for COVID-19 patients after observing outbreaks in Italy and China. The remaining 50 percent is reserved for cardiac emergencies, chemotherapies and births.
“We’re behind them like two weeks,” she said.
According to Chavent, the USA and France, as well as other countries have taken late confinement measures.
The isolation must last at least two to three weeks to be able to assess the drop in new cases.
However, not every patient gets tested and most are not hospitalized. Patients with risk factors such as diabetes are more likely to get tested. Any low number of cases is an indicator, that infected people have not been tested, such as the Russians.
Ultimately, the death caused by the coronavirus results in respiratory failure.
“We’re not able to untubate people,” she said.
The outbreak should definitely not to be underestimated.
“It’s a highly infectious illness.
Hang in there. Stay at home. Stay well.
Featured photo: Melinda Cosgrove of Snow Avenue Greenhouse at last year’s expo in Lowell.
Copyright (c) 2020. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Dr. Emma Palova- Chavent in full protective gear against the COVID-19 virus fighting on the front line in ER in France.
The battle against the Coronavirus at home in the USA continues with more than 40 percent of population under the Stay-at-Home order as the number of cases rises. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the USA could become the new epicenter of the pandemic.
Copyright (c) 2020. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Fighting fear, anxiety and boredom during the three-week shutdown
Note from Emma Palova:
I will be tracking the COVID -19 shutdown in Michigan for the next three weeks in this series, in order to offset people’s, and my own worries about unemployment, boredom and anxiety by providing resources and tips. The good news is that spring is here inspite of the Coronavirus shutdown of 43 percent of population in the U.S.
Day 0: Monday, March 23, 2020
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a stay-at-home executive order on Monday at 11 a.m. for the next three weeks effective at midnight on March 24.
In the evening, we watched Steven Soderbergh’s “Contagion.” Released in 2011, the movie tracks exactly what we’re experiencing now with the Coronavirus outbreak.
At times, I did not know if I was watching the movie or the news on TV.
Heeding all the warnings of the worsening Coronavirus pandemic, I am staying at home and making the final corrections to the upcoming book “ Greenwich Meridian Memoir.”
Thanks, to editor Carol Briggs, for editing the manuscript that covers more than 50 years of the Konecny family immigration saga from former Czechoslovakia to the U.S.
There has been a wave of cancellations of shows and events including the West Michigan Women’s Expo, Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce Expo and the upcoming Spring into the Past historic tour in early May.
I fear for my parents who have decided to travel from Florida back to Michigan this Sunday. It’s a 1,500 mile trip across four states.
I fear for my daughter Emma, who is a practicing ER doctor in France, where the spread of the Coronavirus is as bad as in the USA.
One member of our extended family has already been diagnosed with the Coronavirus.
In face of these challenges, I found consolation and strength in several things; the televised mass from the St. Andrews Cathedral sponsored by the Grand Rapids Diocese. Bishop David Walkowiak served in an empty church.
Governor Whitmer Signs “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order
Governor directs all non-critical businesses to temporarily close, all Michiganders to stay home or six feet away from others during COVID-19 crisis .
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
LANSING, Mich. — Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order (EO 2020-21), directing all Michigan businesses and operations to temporarily suspend in-person operations that are not necessary to sustain or protect life. The order also directs Michiganders to stay in their homes unless they’re a part of that critical infrastructure workforce, engaged in an outdoor activity, or performing tasks necessary to the health and safety of themselves or their family, like going to the hospital or grocery store.
Effective at 12:01 am on March 24, 2020, for at least the next three weeks, individuals may only leave their home or place of residence under very limited circumstances, and they must adhere to social distancing measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when they do so, including remaining at least six feet from people from outside the individual’s household to the extent feasible under the circumstances.
“In just 13 days, we’ve gone from 0 to over 1,000 COVID-19 cases,” said Governor Whitmer. “This is an unprecedented crisis that requires all of us working together to protect our families and our communities. The most effective way we can slow down the virus is to stay home. I know this will be hard, but it will be temporary. If we all come together, get serious, and do our part by staying home, we can stay safe and save lives.”
“Taking aggressive action to protect our communities is the most important thing we can do to mitigate further spread of COVID-19,” said Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Chief Deputy for Health and Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun. “If we do this now, we can make sure our hospitals and healthcare workers are prepared to take care of the sickest people. It is crucial that people do the right thing by staying home and staying safe.”
Executive Order 2020-21 prohibits all businesses and operations from requiring workers to leave their homes, unless those workers are necessary to sustain or protect life or to conduct minimum basic operations. Businesses and operations are to designate the workers that meet those criteria, and must adopt social distancing practices and other mitigation measures to protect workers and patrons in the performance of that necessary in-person work.
Workers that are necessary to sustain or protect life include those in health care and public health, law enforcement and public safety, grocery store workers, and more. For a full list of these critical infrastructure workers, click the link to Executive Order 2020-21 at the bottom of this page.
Additionally, under Executive Order 2020-21, all public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring among persons outside a single household are temporarily prohibited. People may leave the house to perform for limited, necessary purposes, and may engage in outdoor activities like walking, hiking, running, cycling, or any other recreational activity, consistent with remaining at least six feet from people from outside a person’s household and with other restrictions imposed by prior executive orders.
Michigan is currently in the top five states in the nation in number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. Several governors across the country have taken similar steps to protect their communities from the spread of COVID-19, including governors Mike DeWine (R-OH), Andrew Cuomo (D-NY), J.B. Pritzker (D-IL), Tom Wolf (D-PA), Gavin Newsom (D-CA), John Bel Edwards (D-LA), Phil Murphy (D-NJ), and Ned Lamont (D-CT).
Patients with confirmed infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of:
Fever
Cough
Shortness of breath
The best prevention for viruses, such as influenza, the common cold or COVID-19 is:
If you think you have symptoms of COVID-19, call your health care provider. If you do not have a health care provider, call the nearest hospital.
Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. If not available, use hand sanitizer.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or sneezing.
Avoid contact with people who are sick.
If you are sick, stay home, and avoid contact with others.
Stay at least 6 feet away from others when in a public setting.
For those who have questions about the state’s actions to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, please call the COVID-19 Hotline at 1-888-535-6136 between 8AM – 5PM daily.
Michiganders can apply for unemployment benefits if they have left work or taken a leave of absence because of self-isolation or self-quarantine in response to elevated risk from COVID-19 due to being immunocompromised, displaying the symptoms of COVID-19, having contact in the last 14 days with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, the need to care for someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, or a family care responsibility as a result of a government directive. Those temporarily laid off from work should apply for unemployment benefits online at www.michigan.gov/UIA or 1-866-500-0017.
Governor Whitmer is working to ensure that children who rely on the food provided by schools will have the resources they need. The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has developed an online map for families to find meals. Families can access the map at: https://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/schoolnutrition/.
On March 19, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) approved the governor’s request for a statewide Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) declaration, opening the opportunity to small businesses to access low-interest loans from the SBA. The application for disaster loan assistance is available at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/. For businesses looking for more information on how to apply for an SBA EIDL loan or whether it is something they should consider, visit michiganbusiness.org/covid19.
To view executive order 2020-21, click the link below:
After having a second show- the West Michigan Women’s Expo – canceled due to the coronavirus threat and reading the posts about the shortage of toilet paper, this excerpt seems like a great fit.
The Haves and the Have Nots
The useless feeling never went away; it intensified with time until it became a monster. I watched this happen between my mom, Ella, and her younger sister, Anna, over the years before 1968 and after my parents’ immigration to the U.S.A.
In 2018, Time published a special edition:1968 The Year That Shaped a Generation with introduction: “Like a knife blade, the year severed past from future.”
Before 1968, the two sisters were like regular siblings with occasional hard and soft feelings for each other. They even went together on vacations with their spouses to the Tatra Mountains in Slovakia. Aunt Anna is also my godmother as was the custom in the old country for the closest relatives to be the Godparents.
Their parents treated them equally as any parent would. They had similar hopes and dreams. Neither one of them made a lot of money.
Life before the 1968 “Socialism with a human face” movement started by Alexander Dubcek and the Velvet Revolution in 1989 was simple.
People enjoyed both the advantages and the disadvantages of socialism; everyone had the right to work. There was no such thing as unemployment. If you were unemployed for more than six weeks, you went to jail. Since the economy was regulated and planned, there was always work, whatever work and any work at any given time. If you wanted a good job, you needed connections or my mom’s long arm.
That was balanced out by having to stand in long lines for basic items such as toilet paper. However, college education was free, along with healthcare for all and free daycare.
Copyright (c) 2020. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Great Lakes Writers at the West Michigan Women’s Expo
Grand Rapids, MI- The Great Lakes Writers group will be at the 22nd West Michigan’s Women’s Expo at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids on March 13-15. They will be located in booth 976 inside the Exhibitors Hall.
Stop by and chat with authors, who have been sweeping the shores of the Great Lakes with the renaissance independent author movement. Join our @Michigan Authors group at http://michiganauthors.com/welcome/
The West Michigan Women’s Expo will feature over 350 exhibits, seminars, shopping and fun that aim to provide a weekend of entertainment, education, and enjoyment tailored to women and their families.
“This year the 22 nd annual West MichiganWomen’s Expo will be larger.We are pleased to have you join us in the largest 2020 event for women in the West Michigan area,” said author/organizer Janet Vormittag.
Pictured authors below from left to right, top row and left to right bottom row:
Janet Vormittag, Joan Young, Robert Muladore, Emma Palova, Jean Davis, Melanie Hooyenga, Norma Lewis and Judith Wade.
Vormittag is an author, publisher and animal advocate. She is the founder and publisher of Cats and Dogs, a Magazine Devoted to Companion Animals, a free publication distributed in Western Michigan that promotes pet adoption and spay/neuter.
Most recently, the group expanded to the Lansing Women’s Expo held in February.
Following are the participating writers:
Great Lakes Writers Sherry A. Burton Jean Davis Ellen Murray Laura Holmes Judith Wade Norma Lewis Christina Lonski Kimberly Mocini Robert Muladore Nancy Sanders Pokerwinski (Friday – sharing with Melanie) Melanie Hooyenga (Saturday and Sunday – sharing with Nancy) Kathy Spohn Wendy Thomson Janet Vormittag Joan Young (Friday and Saturday –sharing with J.R. Armstrong) J.R. Armstrong (Sunday – sharing with Joan Young) Emma Palova
PUBLIC SHOW HOURS: Friday, March 13 – 10:00am – 6:00pm, Saturday, March 14 – 10:00am – 6:00pm Sunday, March 15 – 11:00am – 4:00pm DeVos Place 303 Monroe Avenue NW, Grand Rapids MI 49503
My personal favorite is Applejack Rabbit made with maple syrup and apple brandy.
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I am proud that Jake is fully bilingual both in his native Czech and English.
This is really an awesome event which kicks off the holiday shopping season without rushing. Get into the holiday spirit…
authoremmapalova 
My personal favorite is Applejack Rabbit made with maple syrup and apple brandy.