Tag / Corona Virus

by admin

Fitbit 6: Week 8

My worst week since Thanksgiving, but at least I can blame it on something other than myself.  Social distancing due to the corona virus was the name of the game, especially come Sunday night when, after 2600 steps, I got the call that I would be working from home for the forseeable future.  The adventure started on Monday, where I managed only 2600 steps.  Tuesday was the high point of the week, with 5600 steps, thanks to going to vote in the IL primary and then the grocery store to stock up on supplies.  Wednesday I was able to spend a little bit more time outside, which netted me 4300 steps.  Rumors dropped on Thursday that a total shelter-in-place warning was on the way, so I ran out to the grocery store to get some additional supplies and finished with 4800 steps.  Friday, I garnered 3700 steps as the shelter-in-place order was announced.  Saturday was a complete dud of a day, falling short of 1500 steps.

Total steps: 25,276

Daily average: 3610.9

by admin

200 Things To Do In Illinois – Superman

Illinois celebrated its bicentennial as a state in December of 2018.  To celebrate, the Chicago Tribune published the Bicentennial Bucket List: 200 Things To Do In Illinois, celebrating the best the state has to offer in history, food, architecture, culture, sports, nature, drink, and oddities.  With the state shutting down tonight due to the corona virus outbreak, I figured this was the second-best time to look through this collection and cover the ones I’ve done/eaten/seen.

We kick things off with one of the entries from the Oddities category: Superman, from Metropolis, IL.

DC Comics proclaimed this small town with a big statue the official home of Superman in 1972, and Metropolis isn’t about to let you forget it.  A 15-foot-tall bronze Man of Steel overlooks Superman Square, where you’ll also find the Super Museum packed with toys and props, amassed by Superman super fan Jim Hambrick.  This town on the banks of the Ohio River – from here, you can practically throw a chunk of Kryptonite into Kentucky – hosts an annual four-day Superman Celebration.

My one trip to Metropolis occurred in 2015, as part of a Mother’s Day Elvis trip.  On our way home from Tupelo, Mississippi, we decided to make a detour towards Metropolis, IL to see the symbolic home of Superman and, at least according to the travel guide we picked up at a rest station along the way, the world’s largest Dippin’ Dots store.  Sadly, the Dippin’ Dots store had closed and was replaced by a gift shop filled with DC merchandise and a cooler in the corner that did supply said Dippin’ Dots.  In the center of town, we found the giant Superman statue and posed for pictures.  We decided against going through the museum, which was probably the correct call.

by admin

March Sadness

With the corona virus wiping out the NCAA tournament that was supposed to go into full action today, someone posted the above TV show theme song bracket.  Since the world is coming to an end, I figured why not play along and see what the top TV theme song (at least from these selections) is.

Barney Miller (#1) vs. Amen (#16)
This one isn’t even close.  The bassline from the Barney Miller theme is a classic and easily surpasses the faux-gospel tune that introduced Amen.

Cheers (#9) vs. Harper Valley PTA (#8)
I’m surprised that the Cheers theme, known pretty much by everyone, is ranked this low.  I’m not too familiar with the Harper Valley PTA theme (listening to it now, it sounds vaguely familiar), so I’ll go with the classic 8-9 upset and go with Cheers.

Roc (#5) vs. The Jeffersons (#12)
What the what?  I don’t get this matchup at all.  Movin’ On Up, performed by the recently departed Ja’net DuBois, was a rollicking good time that introduced The Jeffersons for 11 seasons.  The Roc theme just doesn’t match up.  It pains me to even call this an upset.

Facts of Life (#4) vs. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (#13)
You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have…..  In West Philadelphia, born and raised, on the playground is where I spent most of my days….  This is a tough one.  You really can’t go wrong with either one.  I even have two versions of both of them in my iTunes library.  So, I leave it up to said library and, since Fresh Prince has the most listens, that gets the nod.

Golden Girls (#3) vs. Magnum P.I. (#14)
OK, if I can be honest for a moment, my initial reaction was that I didn’t even know the Magnum theme.  A quick trip to YouTube later and I realize that of course I do and it is pretty iconic.  That said, there was no doubt in my mind that I knew the Golden Girls theme, so that has to get the nod.

Dukes of Hazzard (#6) vs. Knight Rider (#11)
At first blush, this is a slam dunk in favor of Waylon Jennings and the Duke boys.  But there’s something about the Knight Rider theme that just screams 80s.  I guess I have to go with my gut, though, and stick with the country stylings from Hazzard County.

Happy Days (#7) vs. Greatest American Hero (#10)
I don’t know how this one is even a contest.  Happy Days has a pretty good theme song for a long running, hit show.  Greatest American Hero cannot claim to be the show Happy Days was, but Joey Scarbury provided a classic love ballad for its theme song that easily wins this battle.

A Different World (#2) vs. WKRP in Cincinnati (#15)
Both are nearly perfect examples of their time.  I probably enjoy WKRP more, but I’m willing to concede that A Different World is the better song.

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by jim

Corona Update

The CDC issued a guidance on Sunday that any in-person events that consist of 50 or more people should be canceled or postponed for the next 8 weeks.  Assuming the need to re-prepare for a season following a 2 month layoff, that means that the 2020 baseball season is unlikely to begin before June, with some rumors saying things wouldn’t get started until July.  This would put the kibosh on my west coast trip in mid-May to see the White Sox battle the Giants and the Padres.

In more local news, schools, restaurants, and bars have been closed throughout Illinois for the remainder of the month, after revelers disregarded warnings to stay home and packed bars on Saturday to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.  Plus, I’ll be working from home until further notice, after a call on Sunday night to not come in.

by admin

It’s The End Of The World As We Know It

Earlier this afternoon, Major League Baseball suspended the remainder of spring training and delayed the start of the season by at least two weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic.  Instead of the March 26th openers, the earliest the season would kick off would be April 9.  Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said he had talked with owners of Chicago’s major sports teams and asked them to cancel games until May 1 or play without spectators.

This follows the suspension of the NBA season last night following Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert testing positive for the virus prior to the team’s game in Oklahoma City against the Thunder.  On the college scene, the Big Ten Tournament was cancelled earlier this morning, followed by the entire NCAA Tournament.

Personally, this means I won’t be going to opening day for the White Sox in two weeks or the Cubs home opener the following Monday.  It also puts my trip to Boston the following weekend in doubt, as the White Sox v Red Sox tilt at Fenway Park will not be taking place and Angelina may not be back at school.