So much good stuff

[lunabee34]

1. MeeMaw appears to be okay. She didn't have any cognitive or physical impairments from those episodes she had after coming home from the hospital, so my mom (a nurse) thinks her blood pressure just tanked rather than her having subsequent strokes. I talked to her on a video call, and mom sent me a couple of videos of her laughing and talking with everyone. I am under no delusions; she is nearer to the end of her life than the beginning. However, I will be very happy if she continues to maintain the good quality of life she is enjoying now until the end, whenever that may be.

2. Josh and I put our names on the no-waste list at Walmart. Several of our colleagues did so last week and got calls for shots within a few days. So hopefully this will lead to us being vaccinated soon.

3. Everyone should go read the new Blake's 7 zine The House Always Sins. I am partial to executrix's contributions. Her writing is always very funny with great dialogue and sharp character insights.

4. I have never shopped at this stationery store, but I thought I'd pass on the PSA: Chicago-based Paper Source is declaring bankruptcy and possibly not paying all the small stationery makers they ordered from during the pandemic.

5.

The Novel-Machine: The Theory and Fiction of Anthony Trollope by Walter M. Kendrick

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book looks at what Kendrick sees as Trollope's grand unified theory of writing as laid out in his autobiography. I think what Trollope has to say about writing is really interesting and is not far afield from what some of today's writing manuals suggest is necessary to form a writing discipline, but his treatment of writing as something to diligently practice and then sell is exactly what led his contemporaries to devalue his writing (according to Kendrick).

Also, did Henry James ever like anything? Every time I run across a James quote, he just sounds like the worst kind of snobby jerk.



View all my reviews

Comments

[princessofgeeks]

Fingers crossed for you getting the vaccine! So happy about Meemaw.

[lunabee34]

Thank you thank you! It's feeling like a good day.

[kore]

I really wish more pharmacies/stores were doing vaccines here -- from what I can tell, Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens aren't doing it at all in WA, and Kroger (QFC) is still doing it by the goddamn state guidelines, "Health care workers and first responders at high risk for COVID-19, individuals who live or work in long-term care settings, individuals 65+, individuals 50+ who live in multigenerational housing, pre-kindergarten through 12th grade educators and school staff, and child care workers." No word about official no-waste lists....

[lunabee34]

This is not any kind of official list; it's just handled by the store itself. I think it's worth going to Kroger and seeing if you can be put on a no-waste list.

[kore]

Ohh I didn't know it was unofficial by the store! Hmm I could try that....

[lunabee34]

I think you should. The worst that can happen is that you waste time. I think you prob will have better luck going in person than calling on phone, but IDK for sure.

[kore]

Where did you do it, did you just go up to the in-store pharmacy?

[lunabee34]

Yes!

[kore]

The emphasis right now is on vaccinating everyone over 65+, so those are the people who are eligible for leftovers/no-waste &c &c https://komonews.com/news/local/new-seattle-emphasis-get-everyone-65-the-covid-19-vaccine

Supposedly highly at-risk people with two comorbidities (who are often disabled to boot) may be eligible in late April, but it looks like they may be expanding that category from everyone 50+ to everyone 16+ which is going to create a huge logjam and supply shortage. I think that might happen because they are desperate to re-open schools, IIRC that got delayed until late March and the general consensus is teachers and pupils should be vaccinated before that happens.

[rydra_wong]

I cross my fingers for you! I've heard of unofficial no-waste lists happening over here too -- because of the issue of potentially having to throw doses away, they want people who can drop everything and come at short notice, even if they're not in the currently-eligible priority groups.

[kore]

There is at least one Seattle standby vaccine list but it's reserved for people 65+.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/seattle-creates-covid-19-vaccine-standby-list-for-certain-residents-heres-who-can-get-on-the-list-and-how/


And apparently WA state is now going to maybe vaccinate people with two comorbidities sooner BUT that is also not going to be just people 50+ anymore, but they're possibly starting with people 16+? I can't imagine the absolute clusterfuck that is going to cause. It's also really unclear which two comorbidities "count" and right now people who are NOT eligible and apparently won't be for a long time, but who are also at a real risk of getting really sick or even dying if we get the virus, are feeling....well I've already been negative enough in the comments here, I don't need to go on and on about it. It's kind of a sharp reminder of how little the lives of the chronically ill are valued in general society, even as a large part of the general society looks at risk for a lot of post-viral chronic illnesses.

[rydra_wong]

It's kind of a sharp reminder of how little the lives of the chronically ill are valued in general society

YUP. It has certainly been SUPER-FUN seeing how eager large segments of society are to decide that disabled and chronically-ill people are disposable.

[kore]

Yeah....I mean I have a lot of these chronic health conditions because I wasn't able to get treatment at a point when that could have really made a difference, because I had no health insurance, and I didn't get health insurance after grad school until I was declared disabled (quite a while) because I couldn't hold down a job. And I kind of got used to the extreme lack of care and not being anyone's health priority. But having to just sit around and wait and hope and wait while the BMI that has been held against me for nearly all my life finally JUST MIGHT work in my favour, for once, because I am apparently also in MORE danger from this virus than some other populations, but there's no sign I may be given any priority for it based on what my state politicians think....that's a new one. It's been really fucking me up for the past several weeks. (Seeing state after state throw away mask mandates and open businesses back up right before a very possible B.1.1.7 surge while we're in the "eye of the hurricane," also not helping.)

[lunabee34]

*hugs*

I totally understand. It's so scary and demoralizing. I'm not surprised it's fucking you up.

[lunabee34]

And the elderly. :(

It's so gross that so many people think it's fine that it's "just" elderly people or people who are already sick who have the worst outcomes, as if those people's lives are worthless.

[likeadeuce]

Is the nowaste list through your state/county? I tried to find a website w/ that info but no joy

[lunabee34]

No! It's just unofficially handled by the individual stores. So I would go to Walmart and to pharmacies and ask if they to be put on such a list if they have one.

[likeadeuce]

Oh good to know.

[lunabee34]

I think it's worth pursuing. I mean all they can do is tell you no.

[likeadeuce]

I'm not having any luck figuring out what pharmacy locations have the vaxx but if i don't hear anything this week i might start poking around...

[lunabee34]

I think CVS, Walmart, and Kroger for sure.

[likeadeuce]

P sure it's only CVS here.

[kore]

Yeah, for some reason in WA, CVS, Walgreens and Walmart aren't doing it. The patchwork of vaccines in states and even counties and local health care providers and clinics is driving me FUCKING NUTS. But the new head of the CDC said on Maddow last night that they were still going to leave it all up to the states! Because that's been working SO WELL so far. sigh.

[likeadeuce]

I don't really have an issue w/ how things are being handled here w/r/t my category of vaccine eligibility, the ppl i know who should be on those lists have mostly been able to get it (restaurant workers being the exception and locally they've finally been pushed up the line), there have been lots of public events and i haven't heard of waste being an issue.

ETA: i don't have an issue w/ how it's being handled HERE i meant to say.

[lunabee34]

Gotcha.

[likeadeuce]

Our local health district is run by the guy who is in charge of vaccine distribution for the state + so far they've been pretty good about getting them to eligible groups -- eligibility was recently expanded to include the group I'm in so that's why i want to give them some time to get their ducks in a row (plus with expanded eligibility probably the waste issue is going to become less of a thing?) But on the other hand I'm on vacation for two weeks so it would be a dream to get it during my down time. . .and somebody else I know was offered a spot on literally the other side of the state that's like 7 hours away and we went ahead and took it. Which, you know. Wild.

[lunabee34]

*nods*

Several of my colleagues have gotten shots by going to Alabama.

[executrix]

For families that accessed Medicare hospice services at the end of a family member's life, pretty much everybody said "I wish we had done this sooner." Hospice can make a huge difference to helping the last months of someone's life be the best they can be.

WRt the zine: thanks for the signal-boost here (as well as your lovely comments).

What a country, eh? The system that worked so well for PowerBall and Led Zeppelin tickets is naturally a perfect fit for getting people protected against a potentially fatal hyper-contagious disease.

[lunabee34]

Ha! Don't you know it. If wishes were horses, yes, but I really wish that we had started this pandemic out sensibly, and we'd all be vaccinated by now. *sigh*

I agree with you re: hospice. If she lives out the six months, it won't have hurt anything for her to have that support and will probably be helpful.

<3

[corvidology]

Great news about your MeeMaw. ♥

I hope you're lucky with the vaccines. I looked up our local Walmarts but they don't seem to be doing it here.

[lunabee34]

Thank you!!

I hope so, too. Our governor just announced that all adults over 16 will be eligible starting in April, so I'm stoked about that, too.

[teaotter]

I'm glad your MeeMaw is doing better!

I know people who've gotten vaccinated because of extra doses at the local pharmacy. It's kind of a lottery, but well worth putting your name in. Good luck!

[lunabee34]

Thank you thank you!

*crosses fingers*

[independence1776]

I'm glad your MeeMaw is doing okay and thrilled you're on the no-waste list.

[lunabee34]

Thank you on both counts!

[amejisuto]

So glad your MeeMaw is doing better! And yay for the vaccine!

[lunabee34]

Thank you! I'm relieved about both.

[slightweasel]

That's good to hear about Meemaw! 💜💜💜

Fingers crossed about the vaccinations! Ly is expecting to get hers in the next couple of weeks, since they're opening it up to people with type 2 diabetes here on Thursday.

[lunabee34]

Thank you!

I'm glad Ly is going to be able to get hers soon.

[china_shop]

So glad to hear about MeeMaw, and crossing my fingers for your speedy vaccinations! *hugs*

[lunabee34]

Thank you on both counts! *hugs*

[chelseagirl]

Good luck with the list!

[lunabee34]

Thank you!

[oracne]

Hooray for good quality of life.

Also Blake's 7.

[lunabee34]

Indeed. These are both good things.

[spikedluv]

That's great news about your meemaw! And ya for getting on the list to get a vaccine . . . soonish!

[lunabee34]

Thank you!!

[timespirt]

Happy to hear your MeeMaw is OK hon.

"HUGS"

[lunabee34]

*hugs*

Thank you!