Newsletter: Week of 20 Mar 2020

This is the week when Everything Changed. The arrival of the COVID19 virus, coupled with criminal mismanagement by the US government, resulted in draconic public health measures—essentially shutting down much of the country. The economy is in freefall, workers are losing jobs and income, businesses stand on the brink of extermination. All indications are that it's going to get worse before it gets better.

My personal situation is a good one. I'm retired and do my writing from home. Staying at home, keeping busy, and avoiding most social contact is pretty much my everyday life. My husband Thomas lost all part-time hours from his airport job—but even without that income, we have enough to pay our bills and live well enough. Both of us are healthy.

Some of our friends and family are less fortunate. My Library colleagues who are salaried are on paid leave while library branches are closed; but hourly employees are left without pay. I assume it's the same for folks in education. Folks who work at the airport are effectively unemployed. Artisans and dealers who sell at cons and festivals are out of luck. Restaurant workers (and owners), shop clerks (and owners), anyone who works in a shopping mall, and many, many others are hard hit. Those who work in the medical field are working ahrder than ever, and constantly putting their health on the line. Most of the writers I know also fall into one or more of these categories.

There's reason enough to worry, opportunity enough for anxiety.

No one knows what will come. We're in the midst of the quickest and most massive disruption to society in living memory. In a culture that's averse to change, sudden and catastrophic change is unavoidable.

To make it through these challenging times, we need to treat our fellow human beings with dignity and sympathy. We need to be especially good to one another.