More Reading, Working out, traveling and Work, Work, Work

Seems like I am just busier these days than I ever remember before. I eat lunch at the desk more often than not, and have stopped working out at the office altogether... something I had been religious about before I went to DC.  But, this isn't a self-pity blog so I'll move on.

I finished two audio books this month and find myself well into an ebook I started at the beginning of the month.  I started out with Calypso written by David Sedaris.  David reads his own audio books and actually reads chapters from his books at readings. He makes tons of money doing this, or at least I figure he does, because he seems to do nothing else and lives everywhere and travels often.  Anyway, Calypso seemed to be an endless stream of thought from a gay man who tends to be on the bitchy and dark side.  Listening to him, I find he spends a lot of time in idle thought, not much unlike myself.  He gives me hope that I one day could make tons of money doing nothing but letting my mind ramble on, uninhibited. His book was perfect for audio, since it's pretty much like listening to someone who hasn't much to say, just talk and talk and talk.  It's something I would play to someone in a coma hoping the mindless drivel would eventually wake them from their deep sleep, if for no other reason than to turn it off.

The second book was also audio; The Rooster Bar, by John Grisham.  This mystery book was a good format for audio book, and though there were moments I wasn't especially enthralled, I found it was a good distraction on my walks to and from work.  Generally, the book was a story about these three law school kids in their last year of school and how they had been essentially robbed of their money getting a sub-par education through this diploma mill call Foggy Bottom Law School in DC.  Their disenchantment led them to unauthorized practice of law with assumed names.  Worth a listen to if there is nothing else to do.

In other news, we started our field activities again. The challenges have been upped by the COVID-19 (new name for New Corona Virus) and the need to plan an exit strategy in the event of mass panic.  We always have lots of challenges, so it hasn't been especially more stressful than normal.

Travel Season again. Boarding my flight from Saigon to Hanoi.

The plus side of the activities is that I got to spend a few days in Saigon.  I was on the road for about nine days, so I was definitely read to get home, but I did manage to get some runs in.  I learned that running on a treadmill for the same distance and time as on the road is much easier. I had been on the treadmill for a couple of weeks before getting on the road, and the road nearly killed me.  I never thought I would find running so hard.  I am going to keep it up, though. Avoid injury and take it easy until it gets easier.  Take it one day at a time.

2019 Novel Coronavirus and Me

There has been much talk about the 2019 Novel Corona Virus around here for the last three weeks, or so.  Knocking at the southern door of China, we are taking it pretty serious in Hanoi.  I am fortunate that I get a lot of updates from the U.S. Embassy, and also happy that we have a robust CDC presence.  Everyone is emphatic that there should be no panic.  Since my only daughter is in Nepal, fairly distanced from this epidemic, I am calm about the matter.

The advice given by U.S. officials expert in these matters to our in-country American citizens is to wash hands frequently and limit touching your face.  Stay home if you are sick, and call into the medical clinic if you have flu like symptoms before walking in and infecting everyone around you.  Schools have been out, but classes should resume next week, barring any upsurge in infections.

I remember the SARS outbreak nearly two decades ago, and the bird flu we suffered through not long after that. It seemed, at least to me, that we didn't take things as seriously then.  Now, you can see people wearing masks - though the efficacy of a mask to prevent the virus is negligible - all over the place... at restaurants, airports, on motorbikes, everywhere.  I don't recall that before. The only real prevention measure I recall was the flight attendants spraying permethrin down the aisles of commercial aircraft just before take off.  Strictly a psychological prevention, and probably not good for the respiratory system, either.

By far, the worst epidemic I have seen while here in Vietnam was the bird flu (H5N1).  Vietnam killed hundreds of thousands of chickens in the outbreak, and I didn't eat chicken for at least six months due to unavailability. I love chicken, especially here in Vietnam, and I didn't realize how much until it wasn't available.

Anyway, I'm just sitting here holding my breath because I figure this NCOV (New Corona Virus) will either go away completely in the next month, or spread like wildfire.  My heart goes out, right now, to the doctors and nurses in Wuhan who are overworked, tired, and devastated by this outbreak.  No relief in sight and people dying daily in their wards.  I will reserve my prayers for them for now.