kidsmoke

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/cancun-concerts-wilco-dmb-omicron-1281187/amp/

Rolling Stone article on the debacle unfolding in Mexico with these festivals.

Cloud9 has really dug in their heels.

3 hours ago, Sandoz said:

You want to hear a crazy stat?  Based on the current US 7-day average: Every second, 7 people in the US are testing positive for COVID!  WTF! 

That's sobering. I'm going to get my hair done tomorrow and just dug out one of my few and precious N95 masks. Then realized the 2 over-the-back-of-the-head straps wouldn't work for getting my hair done. So I practiced a bit with the elastic straps and discovered you can wrap one around each ear and the mask still fits well & snug. So, I may look ridiculous but hopefully I'll get my hair done without getting covid. It's raging in this area.

My DIL works processing test samples so I've been very aware, through her, of the climbing positivity rates in the past weeks. Now it's flu also...sometimes in combination with covid. A dangerous winter.

Sandoz & Boss_Tweedy, ugh, I'm so sorry you're both going through this! Boss_Tweedy, the tendency to respiratory complications sounds just like me. I think I might have an equally hard time with it. I hope your symptoms fade quickly.

Sandoz, this variant is so damned catchy that I don't think people get it. With previous variants a little caution and masking and distancing were enough. It isn't that simple with Omicron. Even brief interactions are said to be enough.

I'm so sorry. I hope your daughter doesn't catch it. 💖

2 hours ago, jff said:

Jeez, that’s crazy,  was that because of Delta?
 

Rumor now is the Dead is about to cancel their fest.  Announcement at 4:00.

Yep, they cancelled. Many festivalgoers had already arrived! What a mess.

On 1/2/2022 at 7:43 PM, Sandoz said:

And @kidsmoke have you made a final decision yet? You in or out? I am still undecided ---- I actually think that Omicron still has a very healthy chance of showing Cloud 9 who's boss here. Two weeks is a long ways away...just think it was only FIVE WEEKS AGO that this variant was first identified in South Africa....

Sorry for my slow response Judy...it's been so hard making this decision, but I'm almost certainly out. Things aren't trending in the right direction. Airlines aren't keeping up with covid staff shortages, testing facilities are also struggling with covid related staffing shortages... so many issues at once, not even counting Covid itself. Common sense says don't travel. 

Amazing that none of us had even heard the word "omicron" until maybe 6 weeks ago. 

2 hours ago, Boss_Tweedy said:

I'm not going to SBS, but I do have COVID (probably - I have an appointment for testing later this week) and signed the petition. Hope it works out for everyone. I'm pretty sure I have Omicron, and this stuff is spreading like wildfire!

Thanks for your empathy, Jon! I hope all your symptoms are mild. 

3 hours ago, Chez said:

Maybe Monica would be interested in purchasing my SBS tickets? 

Too late Chez, I've already messaged her to try to unload my half-a-room. Boy is my roommate going to be surprised when Monica shows up instead of me.😄

Shhhh, it's a secret.😏

What a horrible bunch of circumstances, Jeff! I'm so sorry. I missed the first SBS because one of our dogs had a terminal cancer and had to be put down during that time. Of course you don't want to be away. 

I hope your insurance will cover you. You certainly seem to meet the criteria.

It's so good to see you, Rei! Someday I will get to visit Japan & meet you in person! 

...all I've come up with so far is, "I really need to vacuum more, with all these shedding pets." 

What do YOU plan to do more or less of, in 2022?

2 hours ago, Madcap said:

Short of Jeff getting sick, I don’t see any way that it gets postponed.  We’re still planning on going, but at this point offering refunds to those who want it seems fair.  It does make me wonder why more people didn’t buy the cancel for any reason insurance though.  Even though things were looking better at the time, we were still in the middle of a pandemic. 

In my case, when I went to buy their "Cancel for Any Reason" insurance I discovered that I had missed their very brief window to purchase it. I looked elsewhere for CfAR insurance but found it prohibitively expensive and you only recover up to 75% with a claim.

I wound up getting very good insurance via AAA's advice, at Allianz. But while they cover me, or a family member, getting Covid, what they don't cover is the terror (however valid) of getting Covid and being stuck in a Mexican quarantine hotel for as much as 2 more weeks. Although the "trip interruption" coverage would probably assist me in rescheduling my return flight at that point.

I have been incredibly careful in this pandemic, throughout. But waning Delta variant risk is not the same as this SURGING newcomer, Omicron, which hadn't even evolved back when we all bought these tickets. It didn't exist. It is a new threat which dramatically increases the odds of getting quarantined in Mexico.

Sigh. I really wanted to go to this.

7 hours ago, Chez said:

A refund option would be great.  I'd be happy with a credit that I can use for the next SBS.

That's kind of how I'm thinking. Here's the link for any of you wishing to sign the petition to allow refunds for those who want them. 

https://chng.it/Zf9BYDpLK8

Even if you are fine with the event going on, and you still plan to attend, it would be compassionate of you to sign this petition so that others who don't feel safe going have an option to withdraw. Thanks. 

Edit: just noticed that jff already posted that link. Follow it, folks!

1 hour ago, dagwave said:

I see the Grateful Dead fellows are now offering refunds for their upcoming Mexico festival…….

Let's hope we get offered that option, if they don't see fit to postpone.

I'm feeling seriously depressed at the thought that the penalty for 6 days of fun in Mexico may be...could very likely be!...being stuck in a Mexican Residence Inn for 10 days!  With covid, and no particular help if I got quite sick. 

Never mind the original expense, which on my budget was tough in the first place. But if I opt not to go for my own wellbeing, I stand to simply lose about $3000. Nobody is buying up these packages now, with good reason.

With Omicron raging, it's time to pull the plug and postpone to a safer time. I'm really sad about it all. 

I think we are ready for Christmas shenanigans now.

To everyone reading this, I wish  deeply for you to have the most beautiful, peaceful Christmas. The past couple of years have been flat-out HARD for almost everyone, so if you can carve out an island of calm and love and laughter in the middle of it, and celebrate your loved ones and their health, I'm all for it. Be happy today, and know that your loved ones, your tribe, are enough. Bask in it.

Merry Christmas, with love to all of you. And on to make a better 2022!

I'm going to need some inspiring pictures here, to get me through this last round of slapping bows on presents. Would it help if I gave y'all cookies? 

These had to be hard decisions, but I respect the band for placing everyone's health first. 

Here comes Santa Claus

He's vaccinated and masked

Santa's no dummy

So I have finally gotten my tree decorated. Just needs the tree skirt now & we're ready for Santa! Well, as soon as I make cookies tomorrow. 

My current state of mind:

FAMILY

Family is the 

Heart of Christmas, except when

They are being jerks.

And:

PRESENTS

The presents won't be

Wrapping themselves now will they?

Obnoxious presents

And similarly,

TREE

The tree's not gonna

Decorate itself, so that

Pretty much leaves me.

4 hours ago, TCP said:

Rural white old man,

Odds are NO VAX! Show me card

Or fuck off, Santa!

Can't disagree. 

That's right, I want you to get creative and entertain me with your cleverness! It's the most stressful time of the year, and we all could use some creative venting, right?

I didn't write this one, but it was my inspiration for this topic.

This is a haiku

They don't have to rhyme, Karen

Jesus fucking christ

Ok, let's see what you've got in your squirrelly little brains. Holiday themes or other frustrations welcome. 

Thinking of poor Kentucky after these horrific tornadoes...and the surrounding states also affected. I hope our members haven't been directly impacted. Those in the areas struck, please check in as you are able. It looks like GA and AL are still under dangerous warnings.

Be careful, everyone. We love you.

I'll be there too Dan, hope to see you! Come say hi if you see me! Love that Tweedy band!