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A short story today.

By lunch, I was too tired to go on and sent an email to my boss and other colleagues it was time to stop and rest.

Before this, I had a few video conferences and managed also to apply some fixes to the software I upgraded last week. There are always fixes. Various crises of the moment kept me busy until I found that I was dizzy and tired. Decided to stop and rest.

I went for a mile walk to try to shake off the poor feelings. I put on my mask and my helmet.

(that is my palm tree in front of the house behind me)

Also, during today’s work Zoom conference calls, I use a moving beach scene background. I have my pith helmet and put that on. It makes it look like I am really somewhere lovely. I ordered some little paper umbrellas and party cups on Amazon, they will be here next week. Yes, if I am going to do this for another month, I need props!

Lunch was delivered from Red Robin; instead of the salad I usually have, I have to admit I had a burger. It was a Smoke and Pepper burger that includes bacon. Decadent!

I made a small dinner of a bagel, one of the Einstein’s Bagels from Monday–now nearly solid, as the burger from Red Robin was a lot and I spent the afternoon napping and reading. I finished  Digging Up Armageddon: The Search for the Lost City of Solomon by Eric H. Cline. I have added the book to my prop collection for writing horror adventures for Call of Cthulhu role-playing game. I enjoyed the text as it clearly described what a dig was like in the 1920s into the start of World War 2.

I reworked a bit of one of my Howard’s SciFi stories. It is getting a bit better. I am working on the flow and completeness of the descriptions in the text. This is my last step in my process.

This morning I watched the head of The Fed call. Mr. Powell, in the call, was clear that they are working to prevent permanent damage to the ability of the USA to do business. There was also positive news on some treatments for the virus. The stock market flew-up more than two percent today on all the good feelings.

The reports are nearly the same total as yesterday. Today two-thousand three-hundred people were taken by the virus in the USA. I went with this new take on How Firm A Foundation to remember these people and the nurses and doctors and friends and family impacted by their loss.

Today started with 6AM coming too soon. Susie had her normal issues getting to bed before midnight last night, and I was still reading Digging Up Armageddon: The Search for the Lost City of Solomon by Eric H. Cline and was not ready for sleep too. This made 6AM a hard starting time for me, and this was made harder by the first-ever All Nike Employee Meeting on Zoom at 7AM. Dressed and ready for my workday online an hour early.

John Donahue, the new CEO of Nike, gave a good talk on Zoom with just a few words from others to expand a few points. He made it clear that Nike has a plan on how to handle the restart and expects to be stronger after the emergencies. He explained that this plan was already used in China and he especially thanked China for their help. He also asked everyone to take care of themselves. With the hours I had been working, this rang a bit false for me–but I am tired. I decided to take him up on his suggestion and I went for a walk in the afternoon and slowed down a bit in the afternoon. I feel a bit better.

During my walk, I saw my neighbors, they had a ladder out and a poor lost baby jay. They were trying to return it to a nest. Heartbreaking to see baby birds lost. On a more cheerful moment, the geese have their babies, and they looked happy.

(walking on the driveway across the street)

I ordered lunch from La Providence, a tuna melt.  I had a French onion soup with it that is still waiting for Susie (she will have it tomorrow). The sandwich is more like dinner-sized, and as I had one of yesterday’s bagels for breakfast, I could only eat the first half. Corwin was happy after he got up to finish the other half.

Here is the song for the day: Here Comes the Sun.

The Schwan’s truck came today, and we got more pork tenderloins wrapped in bacon. We grilled them while we made mac and cheese and fire-roasted veggies (also from Schwan’s). Susie approved of dinner!

I read more of Eric H. Cline’s book and read that the Oriental Institute, the organization hosting the dig at Megiddo, had made a film of all their main digs in 1932 include Megiddo. I watched the movie on YouTube for its entire hour today. Again, my interest is both to enjoy another book by Eric H. Cline and to read about archeology during the main period covered in the role-playing game Call of Cthulhu. While the film is obviously slightly racist and thus a product of its time, it was one of the first docu-dramas made: The Human Adventure. Still, it was amazing to see the people I am reading about and the places in the book. I was in Megiddo with Susie in 1996, but it was still interesting to see it freshly dug in 1932. I might be able to show part of the film in one of my next adventures for Call of Cthulhu.

I sent the link for “The Human Adventure” to a fellow Call of Cthulhu player, Matt Vincent, and posted it on the Call of Cthulhu Facebook page.

I also learned about the archeology publications for the area in the 1930s and went on-line to look at them. Again for Call of Cthulhu, I collect original archeology paper reports and found one, not on Megiddo. The hardcover was for sale on a collector site for big bucks, while I found the cheap paper version, made for poor students, for under ten dollars, volume 1, on eBay–purchased. I was surprised to see other official reports are also available online as PDFs for no charge. More material for props!

As usual, I watched the stock market reporting for a while today. I leave Bloomberg channel on while I work and look up once in a while when they say something interesting–there are many commercials. The stock market went up and down and settled on about where it started. I listened to the interviews, and it seems that folks are buying the shares now while they are down about ten percent. I also increased my contribution to my 401K to buy more. This is surprising the experts as earnings are down–way down, stock-buy-back is a dirty word now, and dividends are much more optional these days. I could explain it to the experts, but they don’t call me for advice (I was up 27% last year, and I am only down 7% now). From what I see, the companies we are buying into today are still the same. The emergency is new. The companies will survive, as will most of us if we can get this over with while not dong anything stupid (i.e., using the cleaner for cleaning).

The reports are showing that for today more than two-thousand four-hundred people lost their fight with the virus and passed away. The radio report said we still have over forty people on ventilators and more than two-hundred people hospitalized here in Oregon fighting the infection. I found a new song that I liked for today: Mansions of the Lord.

I was online ordering dinner at 6:35 from Stir Crazy Kitchen when I saw that I had missed a call from Cory. It then dawned on me that it was Monday and I play, and DM Dungeons and Dragons on Roll20 on Mondays @ 6:30PM PDT. Or five minutes ago! I had just woken from rest. I had worked all night from Sunday into Monday late morning. I then took a short nap and then another set of work updates and emails that I can find nothing happy to say about. I went back to sleep and totally spaced that it was Monday and I had gaming scheduled.

And it is The Tomb of Horrors, the wicked tomb hunt that in many ways inspired the creation of Laura Croft and some of the traps that Indiana Jones faced, that we are to play tonight. This requires a certain level of sharpness from the gamers, including the hosting Dungeon Master. I got going ten minutes late and accept their condolences for my work schedule. When work becomes so crazy that you miss a game session, that gets true sympathy from the other gamers.

My players forgave me for being a bit muddled, but we did have a few surprises and my players avoided some horrific deaths and solved some diabolical trap-puzzles. So far just close calls. We enjoyed the content and the game!

(here is the start screen in Roll20)

The day is a blur as I was working all night. I spoke to India, Singapore, and locally through the night-morning-day that was Sunday-Mondy. At about three in the morning, I ordered bagels to be delivered at 7:30 from Einstein Bagels via DoorDash. I had a lox bagel. I had half a dozen and garden smear provided for Susie and Corwin. After a short nap, I another bagel for late lunch with garden smear.

The work is finally done, and I can return to regular hours after this Sunday-Monday non-stop day.

I saw that the stock market in the USA is going up again. There are a small collection of companies that are showing windfalls. Toilet paper, aspirin, home-based entertainment, and like obvious highly sought after products during the emergency are showing rising sales and profits. While oil prices are at best confused as we just have too much oil and the oil producers are well producing (pun in there, I think). Oddly, large companies have managed to scoop-up most of the money for small companies from the Washington DC stimulus package. Maybe that is not that odd; free money is very attractive.  From what I see in the reporting, there is no liquidity problem now. JC Penny, it is reported, is looking at its options. With the amount of support from Central Banks and The Fed, the reports I saw on Bloomberg suggest that JC Penny might not have to go bankrupt, and if it does, the debt is backed by the vast liquidity now available so it might get true restructuring options. It is not hard for me to conclude the virus might be good for brick-and-mortar after all.

I will likely put in for some days off soon. I have robot things I want to do, civil war armies to build, Howard stories to finish-up and start (Like, “Howard in Lockdown”), figures to pain, and Python to code. So many cool things to do–need some sleep and a few open days (week?).

Recently I found a new figure company: Black Army Games. They are the first to offer a Tesla that is not overly steam-punked.

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Today the reports show that more than one-thousand three-hundred Americans were lost to the virus this Monday. Everyone one of those people we lost today had nurses and doctors that felt the loss. I picked this Crown Him With Many Crowns as it is Prince Albert Hall, which holds more than 5,000 people. We have lost the equivalent of ten Prince Albert Halls of people so far in the USA alone.

I think my shortest report–I am already working tonight.

The number 42 is famous in the improbable Douglas Adam statement that it is the answer to the ultimate question, “Life, the universe, everything.” I did not find my answers today, but I keep looking!

For me, day forty-two is a day of mixed weather today in Oregon and diverse events. I took most of the day off. I did make dinner. We made grill steak over pasta alfredo for dinner. Lunch was reheated pizza. I did some reading, finishing The Kaiser’s Fleet. I managed to do some robot work and get the command reading part working in Python. I have a lot more work to do, but the hardware side is working. The transceivers are on their way from Denver. If I can get this upgrade done for the shoe company, I will take off some time to get some them working.

I am already working for the shoe company tonight as I have a very high ticket for a problem with an upgrade. I will likely work all night. I have already sent out a status report and reminded folks to get ready.

I have today started the final editing on a short story from my sci-fi writing. For those who know me, yes. Another “Howard” story is finishing up. This time my fictional version of H.P. Lovecraft, a Portland-based time-traveling agent against arcane horrors, visits Amsterdam. The same place we spent Christmas. I usually become inspired when we travel to create another story, and so it is finishing up. It is set in present-day (pre-virus) Amsterdam. It should be finished soon.

I attended two Zoom church meetings today. We talked about isolation. It was nice to see all the church folks. Susie slept in today, and so it was just me this time.

Today’s report shows thankfully low numbers, but at least a thousand Americans passed away from the virus today. I was looking for a hymn that fits today and decided it must be Easter again and found this supercharged version: Christ the Lord Is Risen Today arr. Rutter/Burnett/Metzger.

I wish you another Happy Easter! This year we need more than one!

I have not slept into 10AM in a long time. I did wake up a lot, but I just rolled over and went back to sleep. I have had too many long nights, not to sleep.

When I finally get up and make coffee, I turn to The Met Opera. It is the Gala. It is the first time I have been invited. Actually, anyone online was asked to come. I get to watch the great opera singers give solos from there homes. I spent the morning watching. I donated $20 in honor of Leta, my mother-in-law, for the Gala.

(me in my robe drinking coffee at The Met Opera Gala 2020)

Elina sang this song from her home for the Gala: Carmen: “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” (Elina Garanca).

I have to admit I read and watched some TV and took it easy today. I made New England Clam Chowder from a can for lunch. I went to Safeway and got some basics. I did not shave as there are no video conferences today.

I made jambalaya from a box for dinner adding in kielbasa, bratwurst, and andouille sausage–I picked those up today. I lightly cooked the angle-sliced sausage (it is already cooked) to give it a bit more flavor in the pot with a bit of oil, I then added a can of stewed tomatoes once the sausage was just showing some brown, and added a cup of long grain rice to reduce the spiciness with a cup of extra of water. I follow the cooking instructions on the box (2.5 cups of water more). Twenty-five minutes later, we are ready for dinner. No seafood here at the Wild’s as Susie is allergic.

I called and was called. I talked to a lot of folks today. It seems everyone wants to reconnect and catch-up. It was nice to chat with so many friends today.

I started Digging Up Armageddon today. It is enchanting like Eric H. Cline’s other books I have read on history and archeology. I have already pre-ordered his new book on archeology on Amazon. Again, if you look on YouTube, you will find his lectures. They are highly recommended.

I managed to work a little bit on my robot stuff. I managed to reconfigure the GPS device to talk to the alternative serial port#3. I am now trying to get a connection to yet another serial port. I want it to use another serial port to give the robot commands. I have a USB to serial 3.3V device from SparkFun and will see if I can make that work.

I did have to connect with the shoe company today. They wanted a status report on the crises of the day. I explained where we are and what is the plan. I then closed the Nike computer and put it aside.

The reports show that more than two-thousand America’s lost their battle with the virus today. My mother mentioned she listens to Willie Nelson a lot now, so let’s go with this one: Just a closer walk with thee – Patsy Cline And Willie Nelson.