#SEND ME NJ ASKS!! I AM NOT CREATIVE!! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

fridayfirefly · 4 years

Text

Lost and Found [Part Eight]

Masterlist | Ao3

Time passed, and Marinette loved every second of it, especially the time she spent with her friends. By the time she graduated from collège and moved onto lycée, her group of friends had expanded. She, Nino, Kim, Alix, Chloé, and Adrien spent as much time as they could together. The group of six had started an unofficial language-learning club. Marinette, Nino, and Chloé all made a pact to learn English, their Soulmates' primary language. Kim, Alix, and Adrien chose Japanese as their language of choice. For a while, Marinette was exceptionally proud of herself for taking the initiative to learn English, until she learned that her Soulmate's actual native language was Arabic. It took only five minutes of begging for Nino to agree to teach Marinette Arabic. She didn't pick it up as naturally as she picked up English, but after three years, she got rather proficient.

Time passed, and Marinette yearned for her Soulmate. Every Friday night for three years, she spent with her five best friends in the world. They baked cookies, watched movies, and stayed up late talking about Soulmates. But there was always something missing - her Soulmate. Marinette desperately wanted to meet him, but she knew that neither of them was ready. They were both too young. Marinette's parents didn't want her to meet him until she was at least sixteen. Still, Marinette thought that she deserved to at least know his name. After all, he learned her name when they were fourteen. Marinette had slipped up and sent him a picture of one of her pieces of artwork, a piece with her signature at the bottom. When Marinette asked him to return the favor, he decided, citing that their previous agreement to not reveal names until they were sixteen was still in effect. Marinette knew he was right. Learning more information about him would only increase the temptation to try and discover his identity, and discovering his identity would only lead to her trying to meet with him. But understanding didn't make it any easier, not when she so desperately wanted to hold his hand and talk all night with him - in person, not through paper.

Time passed, and Marinette got better at being Ladybug. She and Chat Noir learned how to work together. At first, it was a little rocky. Marinette was her clumsy self, tripping over her yo-yo string and falling flat on her face every time she tried to use her new wings. Chat Noir was a good partner, though it took him some time to figure out how to work as a team. Eventually, they both perfected their roles as Paris's superheroes. Things only got better after the superhero duo revealed their identities to each other. Learning that Chat Noir was actually her friend Adrien Agreste was a relief - Marinette already had so much on her plate, and Adrien helped take some of the load off of it.

Time passed, and the burden of fighting Hawkmoth decreased. At first, fighting him felt like a full-time job. Marinette and Adrien had to transform at all hours of the day, and sometimes the fights would last hours and require multiple retransformations. For two sleep-deprived thirteen-year-olds, it felt like hell. But eventually, Hawkmoth's attacks decreased. A viral campaign, started by none other than Chloé Bourgeoise, called on the people of Paris to be kinder to each other, to help strangers in need, to do whatever they could to prevent akumas, instead of simply waiting for Ladybug and Chat Noir to fix everything. Amazingly, it seemed to work. Hawkmoth's akumas didn't stop entirely, but overall they grew less powerful, and eventually, less frequent. Tikki and Master Fu both had their own theories for Hawkmoth's gradual decline, but Marinette believed wholeheartedly that it was Chloé's doing.

Time passed, and Marinette changed. She started as an awkward thirteen-year-old, desperately trying to juggle her Ladybug responsibilities, her schoolwork, and her relationship with her Soulmate. Three years later, and Marinette was sixteen. Confident, capable, and ready for anything. She wasn't perfect, she knew that, but Marinette felt that she just might be prepared to meet Damian.

Time passed, and Marinette and her Soulmate passed notes constantly. Three years of notes required five separate shoe boxes just to hold them all. Every one in a while, Marinette would go back and read them all.

I played my first video game today and it was more enjoyable than I expected. My friend Jon got it for me. It's called Ultimate Mecha Strike III, and apparently, his Soulmate recommended it to him. It's really popular in France, but it hasn't caught on in the United States yet. It has a multiplayer mode, so if you play it too, maybe we could play together sometime. D.

After many months of waiting, my eldest brother finally took the engagement ring out of his sock drawer. If he doesn't propose soon I fear that I might have to do it for him. D.

The macarons you sent me this morning were absolutely heavenly. Unfortunately, I made the grave mistake of sharing them with my family. If you do not send more soon, there might be a riot in my house. D.

I passed my driving test this morning. Now that I finally have my license, my brothers will stop bothering me about my illegal driving. It's not my fault that where I live, you can only get legally licensed once you reach sixteen. Frankly, I don't think I should have had to abide by it because it's a rule made for children with poor risk assessment skills. My risk assessment skills are above average, and they have always been. D.

Happy Sixteenth Birthday, Marinette. I hope that you have a wonderful day today, and I hope that this year is the year we finally get to meet face to face. Damian W.

However, it wasn't until the day of Damian's seventeenth birthday, March 19th, that Marinette and Damian finally took the first step towards meeting each other in person.

On the morning of Damian's birthday, Marinette woke up early and headed down to the kitchen. Damian's favorite treat was Marinette's lemon raspberry macarons, so it was a birthday (and half-birthday) tradition that Marinette would bake him a whole batch and send them to him one-by-one throughout the day. The macarons were just a small gift for him, though. Marinette's real birthday gift for Damian was a project she had been working on for weeks. It had taken hours upon hours of practice just to become proficient enough at knitting to even think about beginning the project, but Marinette was nothing if not persistent, especially when it came to the people she cared about. Her gift to Damian was a knitted blanket, but not just any knitted blanket. It was made of soft dark blue and white wool. Marinette had painstakingly knitted it so that it contained the same constellations as would be above Paris on the night of Damian's birthday. So that tonight, even though we are miles apart, we can be under the same night sky. Marinette hoped he would like it. Her friends all assured her that he would (Nino, hopeless romantic that he was, was brought to tears when he read the note, which Marinette hoped was a good sign).

It wasn't until late that night when Marinette was sending the last macaron to Damian, that she finally decided to send her gift.

Every day, I am amazed by you, Marinette. Your creative talent astounds me every time I look at something you created. I will treasure this blanket forever. Damian.

Marinette blushed. The only downside of meeting Damian was that he would see exactly what his words did to her, specifically, the amount that she blushed on a daily basis just from reading the notes he sent to her.

Marinette was getting ready for bed when she received another note. She was immediately curious, as this one was in an envelope.

After the longest engagement in the world (3 years, can you believe it) my brother and future sister-in-law have finally set the date for their wedding. If you are able, I would love for you to be my date for the ceremony. You wouldn't have to worry about a hotel or transportation - my house has a spare bedroom that you can sleep in. You could stay for as long as you'd like, though I know that your internship at Agreste Fashion starts on the 29th, so I'm sure you'll want to be home in time for that. I hope that I can see you soon. Damian.

Attached to the note were a wedding invitation and a plane ticket. The invitation was beautifully designed, cream paper trimmed and decorated in gold foil. YOU'RE INVITED. The ▇▇▇ family invites you to celebrate the union between ▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇. The ceremony will be held on Saturday, June 20th at 5 o'clock at ▇▇▇ Gotham, NJ.

Marinette frowned. He had blacked out the names of his brother and his brother's fiancée, as well as the street address of the wedding location. "I'm not that obsessive," Marinette complained to herself. In fairness, while her actions used to border on stalking, she had mellowed out over the past few years, partially due to becoming Ladybug.

The plane ticket didn't have anything blacked out, though none of the information gave Marinette any hints to Damian's identity, other than the fact that he lived in or around Gotham. It was a standard ticket. American Airlines. The date and time of departure: Wednesday, June 17th, at midnight. The most surprising part of it was that he booked her a first-class seat.

"So sweet," smiled Marinette, "But you didn't have to."

There was one glaring problem in her going to Gotham for a week - Hawkmoth. But his attacks happened so infrequently, practically once a month at that point, that Marinette didn't think it should be her biggest concern. A quick internet search revealed that in the worst-case scenario, a nonstop flight from Gotham to Paris was seven hours. While Hawkmoth could certainly do damage in those seven hours, the miraculous cure would reverse all of the damage. Marinette knew it was slightly irresponsible of her, to put her Soulmate responsibilities over her Ladybug responsibilities, but she pushed the thoughts out of her mind. For once, she was going to make a selfish choice. Without even alerting Tikki of the situation, Marinette snagged a piece of notebook paper off of her desk and penned a note to her Soulmate.

To start, I would love to be your date to your brother's wedding. It might take a little bit of convincing to get Maman and Papa on board but I'm pretty sure I can get them to agree. I am sixteen now, after all. Also, you didn't have to spend so much money on the plane ticket. You're already letting me stay with you at your house. I would have been fine flying coach.

I’m glad you liked my birthday present. Hopefully, my next gift to you will be given in person. I’ll be counting down the days until I arrive in Gotham. ~~Marinette~~

Marinette sent the note off, going to bed before waiting for a reply. After all, she would need to be well-rested for a long day of convincing her parents to let her travel to Gotham alone.

——————————————————————

“No way. Gotham is one of the most dangerous cities in America. I’m not letting you travel there alone.”

"But Papa-"

"No."

Marinette frowned. Breakfast had gone a lot worse than she had expected. While she knew her Dad would put up a fuss, she hadn't anticipated him being so dead set against her going. It was Marinette own fault, for not preparing for the argument with her Dad, for trying to pass the trip off as "no big deal", for not doing her research on the crime rates in Gotham (apparently they were exceptionally high, nearly twice as dangerous as Paris). Marinette thought that the discussion would be fairly simple, but her Dad wouldn't budge.

"Tom, she has to meet Damian at some point. This is a good opportunity for her to get to know him and his family." Marinette's Mom was tentatively on her side, but Marinette could tell that even she wasn't fully on board with the plan.

I won't have Marinette traveling halfway across the world, unaccompanied, just to meet her Soulmate."

"What if I wasn't unaccompanied?" asked Marinette.

"It would be too difficult for us to take a week off from the bakery, you know that, Marinette," said Mom. "There's just no way that this trip of yours will work. I'm sorry, Sweetheart."

Marinette sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Fine," she whispered. Abandoning her half-finished breakfast muffin, Marinette grabbed her backpack and left the kitchen. "I'm off to school. Not sure whether or not I'll be home for lunch."

Marinette spent the walk to school holding back angry tears. Her parents promised her that she could meet her Soulmate when she turned sixteen. Yet now that she had the opportunity, they were opposed to it just because they didn't like the city he lived it. (In the back of her mind, Marinette knew that they were just looking out for her, but at that moment, missing the wedding felt like the end of the world).

"What's got you in such a bad mood?" asked Chloé as soon as Marinette sat down next to her.

The entire group of friends all had independent study together first thing in the morning, so all eyes were on Marinette when she pulled the envelope out of her backpack. Spilling the documents inside across the table, Marinette said, "Damian invited me to his brother's wedding, which would be wonderful, except my parents won't let me go because it's in Gotham."

"Gotham as in Batman and Robin?" asked Kim.

"Yep. Apparently, the crime rates are really bad, and my parents think it's too dangerous for me to go there alone."

Chloé picked up the invitation, furrowing her brow as she read it. "This is going to seem crazy, but look at this." Chloé grabbed a book out of her backpack, the copy of Pride and Prejudice that she had gotten so long ago, and opened up the front cover. Tucked inside was the same wedding invitation that Marinette had. "Yesterday, my Soulmate invited me to his brother's wedding as his plus one."

Marinette's eyes widened. "You mean-"

"Damian and J.T. are brothers."

Nino cleared his throat. "I got this from Jon this morning." He held the same invitation in his hands. "Jon says that his family is really close to the family of the groom, and Jon's brother is dating one of the groom's brothers."

"Just how many brothers are there in this family," Alix exclaimed.

"I suppose Damian has at least three," said Marinette. "He talked about his brother's a lot, but I never really connected the dots that there were three of them."

"Wait a minute," said Chloé. "If Nino and I go with you, you won't be going unaccompanied."

"We should all go," Nino suggested.

Kim shook his head. "Alix and I are spending all of June in Japan with Kagami, remember."

"Maybe next summer then," Chloé decided. "We should all take one big vacation somewhere next summer. Maybe a cruise."

While Chloé was brainstorming vacation ideas, Adrien had pulled out his phone to check his calendar. "Damn," he swore. "I have Fashion Week in New York City from the fourteenth to the twentieth. There's no way my Father would let me miss that."

"Maybe you could come afterward," suggested Marinette. "Gotham is only a two-hour drive from New York City. You could be in Gotham on the twenty-first, and you'll still get to spend time with us."

Adrien nodded. "I think that might work. Father would make me bring a bodyguard, though."

"Even better. There's no way my parents could complain about me being unaccompanied if I had a trained bodyguard with me for nearly all of the week."

"Then it's a plan," Chloé sounded excited.

"I can't wait," said Marinette, her mind already starting to daydream about her future trip to Gotham, to see Damian in person for the first time.

——————————————————————

Good news, Damian. I got my parents to agree to let me travel to Gotham. It's a bit of a long story, and I think I might wait to tell you about it until I can tell you in person. Also, you'll have to send me the dress code so I can start making my dress.

I'd like to stay in Gotham until the 27th if you're able to have me for that long. I'll leave early that morning, so I'll have a day to adjust to the jetlag.

There are 89 days left until I get on the plane to Gotham, which means that there are approximately 2136 hours until I meet you face to face. I might die from the wait, but I know that it will be worth it when I get to see your pretty face. ~~Marinette~~

Marinette felt her guilt grow every day that she didn't tell Tikki about the wedding. Marinette didn't like keeping secrets from Tikki, but she also knew what Tikki was like when she was disappointed, and it made her cringe away from the idea of telling her. But enough was enough, and a week after Marinette agreed to go, she brought it up to Tikki.

"Hey Tikki?"

"Yes, Marinette."

"How bad do you think it would be if Chat and I took a vacation in June."

Tikki narrowed her eyes in thought. "A train from London to Paris can make the journey in just under two hours. It's not ideal, but a vacation would be doable."

"I wasn't exactly thinking of England."

"Germany then? Spain? Switzerland? They're all a little further away, but another hour isn't the end of the world."

"I was thinking..." Marinette hesitated. "I was thinking Gotham. To meet Damian."

"No way."

"But Tikki, you don't understand."

"A flight from America to Paris would take far too long in an emergency."

"It's seven hours. You said another hour isn't the end of the world. What's another three or four?"

"Ladybug is not a hobby, Marinette. It's a full-time responsibility. You know that."

Marinette felt like her arguments were going nowhere. "Tikki, listen to me. Hawkmoth's attacks have been more and more infrequent lately. It's over halfway through March now, and we've only had four so far this year. All four were very weak akumas. Chat and I defeated them all in less than twenty minutes. Hawkmoth, for whatever reason, isn't attacking with the same level of danger as before."

"Hawkmoth is still a threat."

"I understand that, but a flight from Gotham to Paris is seven hours. While the akumas would cause damage during those seven hours-"

"-and that damage to Paris would damage the reputations of Ladybug and Chat Noir. The citizens of Paris will spend seven hours believing that they've been abandoned by Ladybug and Chat Noir."

"We can fix any physical damage. As for damage to our reputations, it wouldn't be that hard to record a message telling everyone to remain calm and wait for us to show up. It wouldn't be great for our reputations, that's true, but I’ve given the last three years of my life to Ladybug. I deserve to be Marinette for a little bit.”

“I- I- Fine,” Tikki sighed. “You and Chat do deserve a break. I’m sorry for being so unreasonable.”

“It’s not your fault. You’re just looking out for Paris, in case I get a little too wrapped up in my own life. We balance each other out.”

Tikki nodded, her smile returning. “Life is better with a little bit of balance.”

Taglist: @fanboy7794 @mikantsume @hetalia-lover-is-here @howtoshuckatlife @you-will-never-know-how-i-think @redscarlet95 @derpingrainbow @friedchickening @melicmusicmagic @beautym3 @kunstner1 @shizukiryuu @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @crazylittlemunchkin @black-streak @darkshadowguardian @mystery-5-5 @trubel43 @fandomfan315 @vincentvangoose @royalchaoticfangirl @mooshoon @drama-queen-supreme @kae690 @unabashedlyswimmingtimemachine @zoerayne2426 @littleredrobinhoodlum @lunar-wolf-warrior @dani-ari @sam-spectra @be-happy-every-day-please @xxmadamjinxx @interobanginyourmom @northernbluetongue @eliza-bich @romanoff-queen @scribblinggraveyard @dur55 @jeminiikrystal @sassakitty @miss-mysterys-blog @aegyobutpsycho2 @pirats-pizzacanninibles

#Lost and Found #Marinette Dupain-Cheng #Damian Wayne #miraculous ladybug fic #miraculous ladybug #my work #fanfic #maribat #maridami #marinette x damian #daminette

167 notes · View notes

corona-extra-newsletter · 4 years

Text

3/17/20 corona extra: cracking open cold covid facts

Announcements & Thank Yous

Thank you to everyone who’s messaged me or sent asks! Specific thanks go to:

@catrope for verifying Netherlands information

@ruffboijuliaburnsides and @fleurdeneuf for helping me collect county level data and for extra sources

@ineloquent-tumbling and Dr. Mehta for sharing an excellent source of data

@stebuklai for info about NJ

@halcyonhowl for the homeschooling resources

@stone-stars for info about FL

@planb-is-in-effect for sources about Canada

Georgia anon for information about Georgia State

Twitter users @molly0xFFF and @goblinartificer for their continued help with the Wordpress site

@marywhal for the cat videos

@epersonae for the Gritty tipoff

If you have reliable information from a good source that I don’t seem to have, please shoot me a message/ask/pigeon!

Places now included in the newsletter are: Australia, Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, Arkansas, and Wyoming. Please send an ask or a message if you would like a place included! Germany will be included in full tomorrow.

I have started a website for the newsletter! Find it at coronaextranewsletter.com. If you know me from fandom, please be chill about my meatspace identity. Please.

Sorry the newsletter is late today. There was some late breaking news and also a lot of stuff happened today! Tomorrow I will make more of an effort to be on time. :)

Just The Numbers

Case numbers

Total cases: 179,112 (+11,526)

Total deaths: 7,426 (+475)

Mortality rate: 4.15%

WHO is now breaking cases down by region, and I will follow their lead from here on out

Western Pacific: 91,779 cases (+289), 3,357 deaths (+23)

Europe: 64,189 cases (+8,507), 3,108 deaths (+428)

SE Asia: 508 cases (+124), 9 deaths (+2)

Eastern Mediterranean: 16,786 cases (+330), 873 deaths (+3)

Americans: 4,910 cases (+2,234), 68 deaths (+18)

Africa: 228 cases (+42), 4 deaths (+1)

159 countries/territories reporting cases, 8 new including:

Guam (3), Somalia (1), Bahamas (1), Aruba (2), US Virgin Islands (2), Benin (1), Liberia (1), and Tanzania (1)

Italy is reporting 27,980 cases (+3233) and 2,503 deaths (+349)

Iran is reporting 14,991 cases (+0) and 853 deaths (+0)

Germany is reporting 6012 cases (+1174) and 13 deaths (+1)

International/General News

Italy has had approximately the same number of cases three days in a row. This means that their strict lockdown/quarantine procedures are working! GOOD NEWS EVERYONE!

China is endorsing the use of favipiravir as an experimental treatment for COVID-19. It has been used to treat influenza before and is showing some promise in COVID patients, by decreasing the duration of the illness and the severity of their lung disease. Watch this space for more!

Virology Corner

Today’s question comes from @greenfairyarmadillo and @heturnedleft. Both asked a variation of the same question: Do we know yet if people who recover from COVID-19 are immune to reinfection or not? Do we expect COVID-19 to be like measles, like flu, or somewhere in between?

We don’t know yet! We know that people have protective antibodies, but my guess based on what I know about other coronaviridae is that the protection will wane pretty quickly, which is more like the flu. But we’ll see! Watch this space for data from China, where we’ll see hard data first.

The other thing to consider is the way that coronaviruses can attenuate, or get less strong, as they spread through populations. So it may be mitigated in the future less by herd immunity and more by attenuation of the SARS-CoV-2 strain itself. But I’m not sure! If I could predict the future I’d be super popular right now. Like, super popular.

If you have questions, ask them and they’ll appear here in the next issue of Corona Extra!

Tomorrow’s topic: Why 6 feet of separation? How does that help? How is COVID-19 spread? Stay tuned!

Regional News (if you want somewhere added just let me know. Don’t be shy!! I highly recommend you just skip to your area if you don’t wanna be overwhelmed.)

Australia: last updated 3/17 at 6 am

375 cases, 5 deaths, 27 recoveries

189 cases acquired overseas (US, Iran, Italy, UK)

Community spread not confirmed

States affected include: ACT (2), New South Wales (170), Queensland (68), South Australia (29), Tasmania (7), Victoria (71), and Western Australia (28)

I have to question why y’all have states called just “South Australia” and “Western Australia”, where’s the panache??? Where’s the creativity?

COVID-19 information line: 1800 020 080

Canada: last updated 3/17 at 10:30 am

Total cases: 424 confirmed (+100), 16 presumed (-1), 5 deaths (+4), 5 recovered

Symptoms began for these cases between 1/15 and 3/15

13% of cases have required hospitalization (no change)

74% of cases are in travellers, and a further 6% in their close contacts

Affected provinces include: Alberta (74, +18), BC (103, +30), Manitoba (7, +0), New Brunswick (7, +1), Newfoundland and Labrador (1, +0), Nova Scotia (5, +0) Ontario (177, +5), PEI (1, +0), Québec (50, +9), and Saskatchewan (7, +1).

Totals here include confirmed and presumptive positives

8 cases in repatriated travellers (+4)

Restrictions/Closures:

No formal restrictions/closures at the federal level

Recommendation to cancel or postpone gatherings of >50 people

Recommendation to avoid non-essential travel, particularly cruise ships

All international travelers must self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival

Wash your damn hands

Federal information line: 1-833-784-4397

Alberta: last updated 3/17 at 1:40 pm

74 cases, 18 new, 0 deaths

Community spread confirmed in Calgary

Affected zones include: Calgary (52), Edmonton (18), Central (2), South (1), and North (1)

This is all of them I think

Restrictions/closures

K-12 schools and in-person post-secondary classes/training are closed

Licensed childcare facilities, out-of-school care programs, and preschools are closed indefinitely

State of Emergency declared 3/17

Sit-down restaurants are operating at lower capacity

All events over 50 people are prohibited

Rec centers, bingo halls, casinos, theaters, other entertainment/public spaces are closed

British Columbia: last updated 3/16 evening

Dedicated phone line: 1 888 COVID19

103 cases (+30), 5 recoveries, and 6 critical cases

4 deaths, 3 new

Affected public health units include: Fraser, Interior, Island, and Vancouver Coastal

Clusters of infection have been reported at Lynn Valley Care Centre, Hollyburn House Retirement Residence, and Lions Gate Hospital (admin staff).

An exposure occurred at the Pacific Dental Conference 2020 (Vancouver Convention Centre, 3/6 and 3/7)

All present on those dates are in self-isolation until 3/22

Poor teeth man :(

Restrictions/Closures

All hospitals have postponed elective surgeries and are on Outbreak Response Phase 2

Lions Gate Hospital is going to open a dedicated COVID 19 unit and is in Outbreak Response Phase 3 (emergency patients only)

Long term care facilities have restricted visitors to end of life only

Public gatherings & buildings with >50 people are prohibited

All casinos are closed

Manitoba: last updated 3/17 AM

HealthLinks Line: 204-788-8200 or 1-888-315-9257 (toll free)

8 cases, 1 new

Affected regions include: Interlake-Eastern (1) and Winnipeg (7)

Closures/Restrictions

Hospital and long term care visitors restricted to only exception circumstances (incl. end of life care)

Licensed child-care centers are closed effective 3/20

Casinos are closed effective 3/17

Health care workers and first responders who need child care due to school closures are advised to call 204-945-0776 or 1-888-213-4754

New Brunswick: last updated 3/17 4 PM

8 cases, 2 new, 0 deaths

Affected areas include Zone 3

I don’t live in NB so I have no idea what this is beyond one of at least three zones

Closures/Restrictions

Schools are closed starting 3/16 for two weeks

Newfoundland & Labrador: last updated 3/17

1 case, 0 new

Sorry that’s all the info I have ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Nova Scotia: last updated 3/16 at 12:58 pm

7 cases, 2 new

Affected areas include: Halifax Regional Municipality (2)

Closures/Restrictions

Gatherings over 150 people are disallowed

Casinos are closed starting 3/16; VLTs are not allowed in bars

Childcare facilities are closed starting 3/17 through 4/3

Public schools are closed until 4/6

Long-term care facilities are closed to visitors until further notice

All incoming international travelers are required to isolate for 14 days upon arrival

Hospitals are limiting visitors but limitations vary by centre

Ontario: last updated 3/17 at 10:30 AM

Telehealth Ontario: 1-866-797-0000

177 cases, 69 new, 5 recovered, 1 death

Affected public health units include: Durham (1), Halton (1), Hamilton (9, +5), Middlesex London (2), Niagara (1), Ottawa (3), Peel (4), Sudbury (1), Toronto (11), Wellington Dufferin Guelph (1), York (6, +1)

Only cases from 3/16 on are counted under here based on how the site works

No hospitalizations since 3/16

Closings/Restrictions

All schools, restaurants, libraries, childcare facilities, theaters, public venues, and recreational spaces are closed

Events over 50 people (incl. parades and worship services) are prohibited until 3/31

P.E.I.: last updated 3/17 AM

1 case, in Queens County, connected to a cruise, no new cases

Closures/restrictions

Libraries and community events are closed/canceled

Child care facilities are closed for two weeks starting 3/17

Public schools are closed until April 6

General queries: call 1-800-958-6400

Business-related queries: call 1-866-222-1751

Québec: last updated 3/17 at 1 pm

74 cases, 24 new, no deaths

Affected regions include: Capitale Nationale (3, +1), Mauricie - Centre du Québec (3, +0), Estrie (9, +6), Montréal (22, +4), Chaudière-Appalaches (4, +0), Lanaudière (6, +3), Laurentides (7, +4), Montérégie (13, +3), and undetermined/outside Québec (7, +3).

State of health emergency as of 3/13

Closures/restrictions

Indoor gatherings of >250 people prohibited, many public buildings closed until further notice

Daycare/childcare facilities and all schools closed until 3/27

Elections scheduled for 3/15 have been rescheduled to after late April

Non-essential visits to hospitals and long-term care institutions are prohibited

Saskatchewan: last updated 3/16

8 cases (+2), no deaths

Restrictions/Closures

School K-12 is suspended indefinitely effective 3/20

Gatherings >250 people are prohibited, except for distributed places (malls, universities, etc)

Public gatherings >50 people with attendees who have traveled internationally in the last 14 days are canceled/prohibited

Hospital and long term care visitors are only allowed in end of life care

Dammit Saskatchewan, why are you making me download PDFs :(

Greece: last updated 3/17 at 6:45 pm local time

Note: I do not speak Greek, and I therefore am struggling to find official data from somewhere more granular than the WHO. I’m sourcing most of this from the WHO and from Ekathimerini, but if you know where I can find better/more up to date info, please let me know. Thank you!

387 total cases, 56 new, 14 recoveries

5 deaths (1 new)

Restrictions/Closures:

All arrivals to the country are required to isolate for 14 days

Beginning 3/19 at 6 am, the country is closed to non-Greek and EU nationals unless exceptional circumstances warrant

Parliament has suspended all committee meetings and restricted each party to one MP in attendance at a time

Businesses are closed starting Wednesday 3/18, with the exception of gas stations, pharmacies, and groceries

Supermarkets are restricting the number of patrons to allow 1 person per 10 square meters

Migrant camps on various islands are on total lockdown for 2 weeks

Religion is canceled until 3/30

Ireland: last updated 3/17

292 total cases, 69 new (nice), 2 deaths (0 new)

Community transmission is confirmed

The following regional breakdown is available of the new cases: 48 eastern, 5 north/west, 3 west, and 13 southern

Restrictions/Closures

All pubs & bars are closed until March 29. House parties are discouraged.

Schools, colleges, and childcare facilities are closed until March 29

Indoor gatherings of >100 people and outdoor gatherings >500 people are prohibited

State run cultural institutions are closed until further notice

The Netherlands: last updated 3/17 at 2 PM local time

1705 confirmed cases, 43 deaths

292 new cases, 19 new deaths

314 hospitalizations

Average age of decedents is 79, with a range from 63 to 94

The report of a decedent aged 59 years was in error, this is now corrected

Provinces affected include: Drenthe (17, +1), Flevoland (24, +2), Friesland (14, +1), Gelderland (173, +38), Groningen (10, +0), Limburg (197, +48), North Brabant (634, +80), North Holland (152, +36), Overijssel (45, +9), Utrecht (173, +33), South Holland (175, +39), and Zeeland (20, +3).

There are 70 non-residents/unknown location patients

Restrictions/Closures

Schools, restaurants/bars, sports and fitness clubs, sex clubs, saunas, and childcare facilities are closed until April 6

If it’s fun it’s probably closed unless it’s your house

New Zealand: last updated 3/17 in the morning

13 cases, 5 new

12 confirmed, 1 probable

2 in Wellington contracted in the USA (sorry guys :c)

1 in Dunedin contracted in Germany

2 family members of the case in Dunedin

No hospitalizations reported

Exposures are reported on the following flights and in the following locations:

AA83 on 3/14, Los Angeles to Auckland, seats 4A and 10H

NZ419 on 3/14, Auckland to Wellington, seats 1B and 1C

Logan Park HS in Dunedin, now closed for 48h while contact tracing and thorough cleaning occurs

If you are concerned about possible exposure please call Healthline (number below)

Testing capacity: 770/day, expected to be 1500/day by the end of the week

Anyone coming into the country from anywhere except a small list of other Pacific islands is directed to self-quarantine for 14 days. This started on 3/16 at 0100 and is expected to continue for at least the next few weeks.

New Zealanders currently overseas should register with SafeTravel (https://register.safetravel.govt.nz/login)

Healthline number: 0800 611 116

Norway: last updated 3/17 at 10 pm local time

I still don’t speak Norwegian so if I screwed up lemme know

1469 cases, 3 deaths (+0)

67 hospitalized (+14), 15 critical (+4)

139 new cases during the 24h of March 16

423 cases acquired in Norway, 757 acquired outside of Norway, the rest are undetermined. Community spread is confirmed.

Locations where people became infected include Austria (513, +0), Italy (148, +0), Switzerland (20, +2), UK (15, +1), Spain (18, +4), France (8, -2), USA (7), Iran (5), Germany (5), other countries with more than 3 cases (128), and other countries with less than 3 cases (18).

Breakdown of cases by area: Agder (67, -20), Innlandet (88, +0), Møre og Romsdal (20, +0), Nordland (11, +0), Oslo (329, +37), Rogaland (150, -14), Troms og Finnmark (24, +1), Trøndelag (61, -13), Vestfold og Telemark (59, -10), Vestland (141, +10), and Viken (358, -15)

I’m not sure if the numbers dropping means that those are people recovering or people being moved from place to place for intensive care/hospitalization. If you speak Norwegian and can clarify, please shoot me a message!

Restrictions/closures

The whole country is under shelter in place type restrictions for two weeks. Hang in there, y’all.

Switzerland: last updated 3/17 at 1:45 pm local time

2650 cases, 19 deaths (+5)

Restrictions/closures:

Whole country is on lockdown as of 3/16: no entry or exit until further notice (maximum of 6 months)

schools are closed until 4/19

all events are canceled

all personal service establishments are closed

United Kingdom in general: last updated 3/17 at 9 am

Boris is hopefully starting to realise how severe this thing is, fuck Boris and his stupid cronies for not acting earlier. I’m still furious about how this has been bungled in multiple countries.

Where’s that milkshake guy who got Nigel? He could probably hit Boris from 6 ft away to both do a public service and maintain social distancing.

Given the numbers, it might be too little too late. I personally would encourage everyone in the UK to shelter in place, but I have zero authority there.

1,950 total cases (+26.3%), 407 are new today

55 total deaths as of 3/16, deaths on 3/17 have not been announced

England: last updated 3/17 at 9 am

1,557 total cases, 361 new

Affected UTLAs with at least 10 cases are as follows: Barnet (24), Bexley (14), Birmingham (20), Brent (24), Bromley (23), Buckingham (23), Cambridge (12), Camden (20), Cornwall and Isles of Scilly (10), Cumbria (22), Devon (24), Ealing (21), Enfield (10), Essex (21), Gloucestershire (11), Greenwich (19), Hackney and City of London (22), Hammersmith and Fulham (23), Hampshire (69), Haringey (17), Harrow (15), Hertfordshire (36), Hillingdon (16), Hounslow (15), Islington (11), Kensington (49), Kent (18), Lambeth (43), Lancashire (15), Leeds (11), Lewisham (18), Liverpool (11), Manchester (14), Merton (13), Newham (17), Northamptonshire (12), Nottingham (12), Nottinghamshire (13), Oldham (10), Oxfordshire (25), Slough (12), Southwark (58), Staffordshire (10), Stockport (10), Surrey (30), Sutton (10), Tameside (10), Tower Hamlets (23), Trafford (12), Walsall (13), Wandsworth (21), West Sussex (10), Westminster (58), and Wolverhampton (18)

I had to download an Excel spreadsheet situation for this, hopefully it is being updated the way I think it is. Let me know if these numbers are totally off.

Also, I am alphabetizing starting today because the hardest-hit areas will change day to day. Tomorrow will have deltas and all that good stuff.

My dad is from Cheshire, I know a fair amount about the UK, I was still fucking SHOOK by the fact that Nottingham and Nottinghamshire are two separate places.

Also “Slough” is kind of a gross name for somewhere, are y’all ok?

Deaths are not being reported by the PHS but I will do my best to split these out in the next few editions using news reports etc. It will hopefully be included by the 3/18 edition but no promises? If you have a good source for deaths by county/area, please let me know.

Scotland: last updated 3/17 at 2 pm local time

195 cases, 24 new

2 deaths, 1 new

Affected health boards are as follows: Ayrshire and Arran (6, -1), Borders (7, +0), Dumfries and Galloway (1, +0), Fife (7, +0), Forth Valley (12, +2), Grampian (22, +10), Greater Glasgow and Clyde (49, +5), Highland (5, +3), Lanarkshire (21, +1), Lothian (30, +1), Shetland (15, +0), and Tayside (20, +3)

Maybe this is all of them? Time will tell.

If anyone knows whether negative numbers are patients dying, being moved, or recovering, please let me know.

Wales: last updated 3/17 at 4:30 pm

136 cases, 12 new

2 deaths, 1 new

Areas reporting deaths are: Swansea (1)

Affected areas include: Blaenau Gwent County (8, +1), Bridgend County (3, +2), Caerphilly County (15, +1), Carmarthenshire County (7, +0), Ceredigion County (1, +0), City & County of Swansea (22, -1), City of Cardiff (14, +1), Conwy County (1, +0), Flintshire County (1, +0), Isle of Anglesey (2, +0), Monmouthshire County (8, +0), Neath Port Talbot (11, +0), Newport City (24, +3), Pembrokeshire (2, +0), Powys County (7, +2), Rhondda Cynon Taf County (2, +0), Torfaen County (3, +1) Vale of Glamorgan County (1, +0), and Wrexham County (2, +0).

Note that some of these numbers have changed more than you might see from looking at yesterday’s report; this is because residential locations of patients are being confirmed. 0 cases remain unlocalized and 2 are residents outside of Wales.

Northern Ireland: last updated 3/17 at 2 pm

62 cases, 10 new

Health dept is not providing more detail than this at this time as far as I can tell

If you know more or know where I can find more info, please let me know!

US in general: updated 3/17 at 4 pm

4,226 total cases, 739 new

75 deaths, 8 new (1.75% mortality rate)

54 jurisdictions are reporting cases: 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, and US Virgin Islands

Shelter in place orders and curfews are coming into effect in lots of places

Alabama: updated 3/17 at 3:30 pm

39 cases, 11 new

0 deaths

Affected counties include: Baldwin (1, +0), Elmore (2, +1), Lee (3, +2), Jefferson (21, +4), Limestone (1, +0), Montgomery (2, +1), Shelby (4, +1), and Tuscaloosa (3, +0).

Newly affected counties include: Madison (1) and St. Clair (1)

State hotline: 1-888-264-2256

Arkansas: updated 3/17

22 cases, 0 deaths

Affected counties include: Cleburne, Cleveland, Desha, Garland, Jefferson, Lincoln, Pulaski, and Saline

Exact numbers by county are not available from the state department of health

Y’all have a county called YELL, that’s the best county name I’ve seen yet

Graphic design is their passion

State hotline: 1-800-803-7847

Arizona: updated 3/17 at 11:36 AM

20 cases, 2 new, no deaths

Affected counties include: Graham (1, +0), Maricopa (9, +1), Pima (4, +0), and Pinal (5, +0)

Newly affected counties include: Navajo (1)

Community spread is confirmed in: Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties

Closures/Restrictions:

“Strong recommendation” that restaurants in areas of community spread close their dine-in services

Recommendation to cancel/postpone gatherings >10 people

Schools are closed through 3/27

State hotline (rolled into poison control): 844-542-8201

California: last updated 3/16 at 6 pm

The Governor has recommended the following:

Those with chronic health conditions and those over 65 should shelter in place.

Gatherings over 250 people should be canceled.

Drinking establishments should be closed but restaurants can operate at 50% capacity.

Hospitals and long term care facilities should prohibit visitors except for end of life situation

Total cases not including the ones at Miramar (discussed below): 472, with 11 total deaths

Deaths have occurred in the following counties: Los Angeles (1, +1), Placer (1, +0), Riverside (3, +3), Sacramento (2, +0), San Mateo (1, +0), Santa Clara (4, +2)

The following counties report recoveries: Humboldt (1), San Benito (2)

The following counties report numbers of hospitalizations: Los Angeles (2), San Diego (9, +1), Santa Clara (56, +4), Tulare (1, +0)

Affected counties include: Alameda (27, +9), Amador (1, +0), Calaveras (2, +0), Contra Costa (39, +5), Fresno (2, +0), Humboldt (1, +0), Imperial (2, +0), Los Angeles (144, +50), Madera (1, +0), Marin (9, +0), Nevada (1, +0), Orange (29, +12), Placer (8, +0), Riverside (15, +0), Sacramento (40, +7) San Benito (3, +0), San Bernardino (2, +1), San Diego (51, +18), San Francisco (43, +3), San Joaquin (13, +5), San Luis Obispo (3, +0), San Mateo (64, +23), Santa Barbara (2, +1), Santa Clara (155, +17), Santa Cruz (13, +4), Shasta (1, +0), Solano (8, -1), Sonoma (6, +1), Stanislaus (3, +0), Tulare (3, +1), Ventura (10, +5), and Yolo (4, +2)

Note regarding San Diego: The four federally quarantined people are not included in the county statistics. Cases of non-residents diagnosed in San Diego are included.

Unaffected counties include: Alpine, Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Napa, Plumas, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, Yuba

Counties with confirmed community transmission include: Los Angeles, Marin, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Sonoma, and Yolo

Newly affected counties include: Monterey (2)

Closures/Restrictions by County

Alameda: Shelter in Place until 4/7

Alpine: County activities are canceled, schools closed, no non-essential services

Contra Costa: Shelter in Place until 4/7

Del Norte: Schools closed through 4/20

El Dorado: Schools closed through 3/20

Los Angeles: gatherings >50 people prohibited

Marin: Shelter in Place until 4/7

Mendocino: Modified schooling starting 3/17, gatherings >50 prohibited

Mono: Schools closed through 3/30, Alterra Mountain closed, libraries closed through 3/31

Monterey: Shelter in Place beginning 3/18 until 4/8

Napa: gatherings >50 people prohibited

Nevada: Schools are closed until 4/13, libraries closed until 4/12

Orange: Shelter in Place until 3/31

Riverside: Schools & daycares are closed, gatherings >10 people prohibited

Sacramento: Shelter in Place until further notice

San Benito: Shelter in Place until 4/7

San Bernardino: County operated attractions are closed

San Diego: gatherings >50 people prohibited, restaurants are carry-out and drive through only, all schools are closed, and entertainment establishments are closed

San Francisco: Shelter in Place until 4/7

San Luis Obispo: Alcohol sales on site are banned through 3/18

San Mateo: Shelter in Place until 4/7

Santa Barbara: Dining is takeout/drive through only

Santa Clara: Shelter in Place until 4/7

Santa Cruz: Shelter in Place until 4/7

Siskiyou: gatherings >50 prohibited, hospital/LTAC visitors prohibited

Stanislaus: Gatherings of >1000 people are prohibited indoor and outdoor from 3/16 to 3/31

Tuolumne: Schools are closed from 3/16 to 3/30

Ventura: All schools and public libraries are closed starting 3/16 until further notice

Yolo: Many schools are closed at the local level, non-essential gatherings canceled through 3/31

School closures listed here: https://www.yolocounty.org/health-human-services/adults/communicable-disease-investigation-and-control/novel-coronavirus-2019;

Counties with no closures/restrictions beyond those mandated by the state: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Madera, Merced, Modoc, Placer, Plumas, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Solano, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, and Yuba

Drive through testing is available in Marin County

Colorado - last updated 3/16 at 4:00 pm

183 cases (+52)

2 deaths (+1)

20 hospitalizations

Counties reporting deaths include: El Paso (1) and Larimer (1)

Affected counties include: Adams (8, +2), Arapahoe (18, +3),Boulder (8, +5), Clear Creek (2, +1), Denver (38, +14), Douglas (10, +2), Eagle (34, +12), El Paso (6, +2), Gunnison (11, +3), Jefferson (17, +5), Larimer (1, +0), Mesa (1, +0), Pitkin (11, +9), Pueblo (1, +0), Summit (3, +2), and Weld (5, +0)

4 cases are designated “unknown”

Out of state visitors are now included in the tally of the county where they were diagnosed/are being treated

Confirmed community spread

Newly affected counties include: Garfield (2), Routt (2)

Drive through testing is available in: Denver and Lowry

Residents of Gunnison, Eagle, Summit, Pitkin are recommended to minimize social contact due to potential exposures

Anyone who visited the Colorado Springs Bridge center in late Feb-early Mar may have been exposed, call the DPH for more information

Closures/restrictions

Public places are closed, restaurants are takeout only until 4/16

Gambling is canceled

Schools are iffy, check your local district news

Colorado’s new website looks way nicer but takes 5ever to load

Dark colorado give me the forbidden numbers

Connecticut - last update 3/17 at 4:30 pm

68 cases, 27 new

The following counties are affected: Fairfield (48, +19), Hartford (7, +3), Litchfield (5, +1), New Haven (8, +4)

This continues to support my conjecture that Connecticut only has 4 counties

Restrictions/Closures

No gatherings >50 people until further notice

Nursing home visits restricted

Schools closed through 3/30

Restaurants are carryout/drive through only through 4/30

Fitness/recreation centers and movie theaters closed through 4/30

Gambling is canceled until the end of April

Delaware: last update 3/17 at 2:55 pm

16 cases (+8), 0 deaths

Affected counties include: New Castle (15, +7) and Sussex (1).

Update: you apparently have three counties

Restrictions/closures:

Events over >100 people are encouraged to cancel/reschedule

Schools closed through 3/27

District of Columbia: last update 3/17 at 7 pm

31 cases (+14), no deaths

There’s no counties in DC, you can’t trick me

Restrictions/Closures

Food service/drinking establishments are restricted to <250 people, <6 people/table, no standing or bar seating, and tables separated by 6 feet

Nightclubs etc are closed

Most government stuff is telework so if you want to report a Ponzi scheme you have to email them or call them

Florida - last updated 3/17 at 6:03 PM

216 (+61) cases and 7 deaths (+3)

Community transmission remains unconfirmed but highly likely

Affected counties include: Alachua (6, +4), Broward (55, +16), Charlotte (1, +0), Citrus (2, +1), Clay (4, +1), Collier (7, +1), Duval (10, +5), Escambia (1, +0), Hillsborough (9, +4), Lake (1, +0), Lee (7, +3), Manatee (7, +2), Miami-Dade (43, +20), Nassau (1, +0) Okaloosa (2, +1), Orange (6, +3), Osceola (7, +3), Palm Beach (13, +5), Pasco (2, +0), Pinellas (4, +0), Santa Rosa (1, +0), Sarasota (4, +1) Seminole (4, +0), St. Johns (3, +1) Volusia (9, +2)

Newly affected counties include: Brevard (1) and Polk (1)

State hotline/call center: 1 (866) 779-6121

Georgia: last updated 3/17 at 11:34 AM

146 cases (+25),1 death (+0)

Affected counties include: Bartow (10, +1), Charlton (1, +0), Cherokee (7, +0), Clayton (4, -1), Clarke (3, +0), Cobb (25, +3), Coweta (3, +1), Dekalb (15, +5), Dougherty (6, +0), Fayette (5, +0), Floyd (6, +2), Forsyth (1, +0), Fulton (33, +6), Gordon (2, +0), Gwinnett (7, +2), Hall (1, +0), Henry (2, +0), Lowndes (4, +1), Lee (2, +0), Newton (1, +0), Paulding (1, +0), Polk (1, +0), Troup (2, +1)

Newly affected counties include: Barrow (1), Columbia (1), Rockdale (1), and Richmond (1).

Closures/Restrictions

USG universities are closed through 3/29 and will be online after that for the semester

Athens-Clarke County has a curfew in place from 5pm to 9 am probably. There’s a lot of uncertainty as I have heard. I will try to clarify this in tomorrow's edition provided the government clarifies things.

Asks from Georgia Anon can provide more details

Illinois: last updated 3/17

160 confirmed cases (+55), 1 death (+1)

Confirmed community spread

Affected counties include Champaign (1), Clinton (2), Cook (107), Cumberland (1), DuPage (26), Kane (3), Lake (7), McHenry (2), Peoria (1), Sangamon (3), St. Clair (2), Whiteside (1), Will (2), Winnebago (1), and Woodford (1)

ILDPH started publishing numbers for each county, YAY.

Med students have been infected (not at my school, but still yikes)

Deaths are reported in the following counties: Cook (1)

Closings/Restrictions

Bars and restaurants are closed (except for carryout and drive through) until 3/30

All gatherings >50 people prohibited

Gyms/fitness centers/clubs/theaters are closed

DMV is closed! I personally hate the IL DMV so this isn’t like, sad news in particular…..

Community colleges and public schools are closed - like in other places I will attempt to include county-by-county news soon.

The IL governor dunked on Trump for a really long time during his press conference tonight and it was totally fucking awesome.

Indiana: last updated 3/17 at 10 AM

30 cases, 2 deaths

Affected counties include: Adams (1), Bartholomew (1), Boone (1), Floyd (1), Franklin (2), Hamilton (1), Hendricks (3), Howard (2), Johnson (3), Lake (2), La Porte (1), Marion (9), Noble (1), St. Joseph (1), and Wells (1)

Deaths are being reported in the following counties: Johnson (1) and Marion (1)

Indiana, good job on your website. Thanks for making this easy on me.

Iowa: last updated 3/17

29 cases (+7)

Affected counties include: Allamakee (2, +0), Carroll (1, +0), Dallas (3, +2), Harrison (1, +0), Johnson (18, +3), Polk (1, +0), and Pottawattamie (1, +0)

Newly affected counties include: Adair (1) and Black Hawk (1)

Community spread confirmed

Closures/restrictions

Schools closed for 4 weeks starting 3/16

Public places closed, restaurants carryout only until further notice

Kansas: last updated 3/17

16 confirmed cases (+5), 1 death

Affected counties include: Butler (1, +0), Franklin (1, +0), Johnson (10, +2), and Wyandotte (3, +2)

Newly affected counties include: Douglas (1)

Deaths are being reported in the following counties: Wyandotte (1)

Closures/Restrictions

Schools closed through 3/23

Gatherings >50 people prohibited

Public places must maintain a 6ft bubble

Phone line: 1-866-534-3463

Kentucky: last updated 3/17 at 4 pm local time

27 cases (+5), 1 death (+0)

Counties reporting deaths: Bourbon (1)

Counties reporting recoveries: Harrison (1)

Affected counties include: Bourbon (1, +0), Clark (1, +0), Fayette (6, +1), Harrison (6, +0), Jefferson (9, +3), Montgomery (1, +0), and Nelson (1, +0).

Newly affected counties include: Lyon (1)

Closures/Restrictions

Restaurants and bars closed to in-person service

State Capitol closed to nonessential personnel

Entertainment/nonessential services are closed

Schools are closed statewide

Phone line: (800) 722-5725 (rolled in with poison control)

Louisiana: last updated 5:30 pm 3/17

196 cases reported, 60 new

4 deaths, 1 new

Parishes affected: Ascension (1, +0), Bossier (1, +0), Caddo (4, +1), Jefferson (35, +14), Lafourche (2, +0), Orleans (136, +42), St. Bernard (2, +0), St. Charles (3, +0), St. John the Baptist (1, +0), St. Tammany (6, +0), and Terrebonne (3, +1)

New parishes affected: East Baton Rouge (1) and Washington (1)

Parishes reporting deaths: Orleans (4, +1)

Maryland: last updated 3/17 at 10 am

57 cases (+20), 0 deaths

Counties affected: Anne Arundel (3, +2), Baltimore (6, +2), Baltimore City (1, +0), Carroll (1, +0), Charles (1, +0), Harford (2, +0), Howard (3, +2), Montgomery (24, +9), Prince George’s (14, +4), Talbot (1, +0)

Newly affected counties include: Frederick (1)

Community spread confirmed

Exposure risk advisory for Lorien Elkridge

Closures/restrictions

Casinos, racetracks and other gambling situations are closed

Gatherings >250 people prohibited

All schools closed through 3/27

Senior centers closed until further notice

Elections postponed - vote by mail implemented for urgent elections

Massachusetts: last updated 3/17 at 4 pm

218 cases (+21)

Affected counties include: Barnstable (2, +1), Berkshire (14, +3), Bristol (5, +3), Essex (8, +0), Hampden (1, +0), Middlesex (89, +6), Norfolk (43, +7), Plymouth (5, +2) Suffolk (42, +6), and Worcester (8, +2)

1 case of undetermined location

21 hospitalizations (+7)

Michigan: last updated 3/17 at 2 pm

54 cases (+21), 25 hospitalizations, 0 deaths

Affected counties include: Bay (1, +0), Charlevoix (1, +0), Ingham (2, +1), Kent (5, +0), Macomb (8, +2), Monroe (1, +0), Montcalm (1, +0), Oakland (16, +2), St. Clair (2, +0), Washtenaw (7, +0), and Wayne (17, +3)

Wayne County includes Detroit (8 cases, +2)

Newly affected counties include: Jackson (1), Leelanau (1), Otsego (1), and Ottawa (1)

Two employees of the corrections department have tested positive

Jackson County Probation Office and Detroit Detention Center have both been exposed, contact the health department if you have been exposed

Closures/Restrictions

Bars and restaurants are carryout/drive through only

Public spaces (casinos, theaters, etc) closed

Public offices open by appt only

Minnesota: last updated 3/17 at 12:00

60 cases (+6)

Affected counties include: Anoka (3-5), Benton (1-2), Blue Earth (1-2), Carver (1-2), Dakota (6-20), Hennepin (20+), Olmstead (3-5), Ramsey (6-20), Renville (1-2), Stearns (3-5), Waseca (1-2), Washington (1-2), and Wright (1-2)

Still working with just ranges due to everything popping off today. I apologise for the imprecise data.

Drive through testing available in Olivia

Missouri

13 cases, 0 deaths

Affected counties include: Boone (1), Cass (2), Cole (1), Greene (4), Henry (1), Jackson (1), St. Louis City (1), St. Louis County (4)

Hotline: 877-435-8411

Montana: last updated 3/16 at 7:22 pm

8 cases (+2)

Affected counties not being reported at this time, and due to everything being all the time all the time I haven’t sorted out where the cases are. Please forgive me and watch this space, I’ll try to get to it asap.

Closures/Restrictions

Public schools closed until 3/30

Many counties have closed libraries

State of Emergency

Nebraska: last updated 3/17

Community transmission confirmed: many locations in Douglas County are potential places where transmission has occurred; if you live or have traveled to Douglas County (Omaha), please check the Douglas County COVID-19 monitoring site at: https://www.douglascountyhealth.com/latest-news.

There were also two exposures in Knox County on March 5, at basketball games at Lincoln Southwest HS and North Star HS.

21 cases (+2), no deaths

Affected counties include: Cass (1), Douglas (18, +3) and Knox (1)

Nebraska, please update your shit. (Or possibly I can’t find the updated shit)

Hotline (bling): (402) 552-6645

New Hampshire: last updated 3/17 at 9 AM

26 cases, 0 deaths

Affected counties include: Carroll (1), Grafton (7), Hillsborough (4), and Rockingham (14)

Nashua (1) is included in Hillsborough county totals

Exposure reported at the Manchester DMV on 3/2, 3/3, 3/4, 3/5, and 3/10.

My desire to avoid the DMV at all costs continues to be vindicated

Your governor has a really good last name, btw

He announced a state of emergency

Sununununununu

New Jersey : last updated 3/16 at 2 pm

267 cases (+89), 2 deaths (+1)

Affected counties include: Bergen (84, +23), Burlington (5, +2), Camden (3, +0), Essex (32, +12), Hudson (24, +5), Hunterdon (4, +3), Mercer (6, +5), Middlesex (22, +5), Monmouth (22, +8), Morris (7, +2), Ocean (3, +0), Passaic (10, +2), Somerset (7, +2), and Union (15, +7)

17 cases are unassigned to a county

Closures/Restrictions:

No gatherings >50 people

Restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, and other public spaces are closed

Curfew in effect from 8 pm to 5 am, anyone out without a valid reason is committing a misdemeanor and is also a total dick, don’t expose people

New York: last updated 3/17 at 8 PM

1,374 cases (+424), 10 deaths

Affected counties include: Albany (23, +11), Allegany (2, +0), Broome (1, +0), Delaware (1, +0), Dutchess (16, +6), Erie (7, +1), Greene (2, +0), Herkimer (1, +0), Monroe (10, +0), Montgomery (1, +0), Nassau (131, +22), Onondaga (2, +1), Ontario (1, +0), Orange (15, +4), Putnam (2, +0), Rockland (22, +6), Saratoga (9, +4), Schenectady (5, +1), Suffolk (84, +21, Tioga (1, +0), Tompkins (2, +1), Ulster (8, +1), Westchester (380, +160)

NYC has 644 cases (+351) as of 3/17 at 2:30 pm

Areas/counties reporting deaths are: NYC (7), Rockland (1)

I can’t find the two others, if you have information leading to the whereabouts of these last two deaths in New York State please let me know. There is no reward other than my gratitude.

Newly affected counties include: Clinton (1), Rensselaer (1), Sullivan (1), and Wyoming (1)

Why do so many states name their counties after OTHER STATES

Drive through testing in New Rochelle, Long Island, Staten Island, and Rockland County

Closures/Restrictions

Bars, restaurants, entertainment venues closed

No gatherings >50 people

Public schools closed until 4/1

Village elections delayed until 4/28

New legal protections and stuff from the state came down today

Job protection and pay are guaranteed for those quarantined

Permanent comprehensive sick leave policy

If you are a retired doctor or nurse, New York needs you. Like, real bad. Contact the state or local health dept to see how you can help.

North Carolina: last updated 3/17 at 8:57 AM

40 cases (+7), 0 deaths

Affected counties include: Brunswick (1, +0), Cabarrus (1, +0), Chatham (1, +0), Craven (1, +0), Durham (1, +0), Forsyth (2, +0), Harnett (3, +1), Johnston (2, +0), Mecklenburg (7, +3), Onslow (1, +0), Wake (15, +1), Watauga (1, +0), Wayne (1, +0), and Wilson (1, +0).

Newly affected counties include: Iredell (1) and Sampson (1)

Advisory for an exposure at Raleigh convention center on March 8

Please call Wake County if you were there, they are tracking exposures

Closures/Restrictions

Schools are closed statewide until 3/30

Events >100 people canceled

Restaurants and bars are closed

Ohio: last updated 3/17 at 2 pm

67 confirmed cases (+17)

17 hospitalizations (+3)

Affected counties include: Belmont (2, +0), Butler (6, +0), Cuyahoga (31, +7), Franklin (4, +1), Geauga (1, +0), Lorain (4, +1), Lucas (1, +0), Medina (3, +1), Stark (3, +0), Summit (4, +2), Trumbull (2, +0), Tuscarawas (1, +0)

Newly affected counties include: Coshocton (2), Lake (1), and Mahoning (1)

Closures/Restrictions

Bars/restaurants are closed

Gatherings >50 people canceled

Oregon: last updated 3/17 at 9 AM

65 cases (+26), 1 death (+0)

Counties reporting deaths: Multnomah (1)

13 hospitalized at time of positive test

The following counties are affected: Clackamas (6, +5), Deschutes (6, +2), Douglas (1, +0), Jackson (2, +0), Klamath (1, +0), Linn (15, +5), Marion (4, +2), Multnomah (3, +2), Polk (1, +0), Umatilla (2, +0), Washington (21, +8), and Yamhill (1, +0)

Newly affected counties include: Benton (2)

Pennsylvania: last updated 3/17 at 5 pm

GRITTY HAS SPOKEN: https://twitter.com/GrittyNHL/status/1239962668208779266

96 total cases (+20)

Counties affected include: Allegheny (7, +2) Bucks (8, +3), Chester (4, +2), Cumberland (10, +5), Delaware (9, +2), Lehigh (1, +0), Luzerne (1, +0), Monroe (8, +0), Montgomery (32, +2), Northampton (1, +0), Philadelphia (10, +2), Pike (1, +0), Washington (2, +1), Wayne (1, +0)

Newly affected counties include: Beaver (1)

Closures/restrictions:

Restaurants and bars are closed in the following counties until 3/30: Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery

Rhode Island: last updated 3/16

21 confirmed cases (+1), no deaths

Chanston High School West had an exposure; 1700 people are currently quarantined after this exposure

I will attempt to sort out county level data soon, since apparently y’all have counties

If anyone knows where to find more frequently updated information than that from RIDOH, please let me know. I apologise for this data being out of date.

South Carolina: last updated 3/17 at 4:35 pm

47 cases (+13), 1 death (+1)

Affected counties include: Anderson (2), Beaufort (4), Calhoun (1), Charleston (3), Fairfield (1), Greenville (2), Horry (4), Kershaw (22), Lancaster (2), Lexington (3), Richland (1), Spartanburg (1), and York (1)

Deaths are reported in the following counties: Lexington (1)

South Dakota: last updated 3/17

11 confirmed cases (+1), 1 death (+1)

Affected counties include: Beadle (1, +0), Bon Homme (1, +0), Charles Mix (1, +0), Davison (1, +0), McCook (1, +0), Minnehaha (5, +1), and Pennington (1, +0)

Closures/Restrictions:

Schools closed week of 3/16

Tennessee: last updated 3/17 at 2 pm

73 (+21) cases, no deaths

Affected counties include: Campbell (1, +0), Davidson (42, +17), Hamilton (1, +0), Jefferson (1, +0), Knox (2, +1), Rutherford (1, +0), Sevier (1, +0), Shelby (2, +0), Sullivan (1, +0), and Williamson (21, +3)

Texas: last updated 3/17 at 12 PM

64 (+7) total cases, 1 death (+1)

Highly likely that there has been community transmission, unconfirmed currently

Affected counties include: Bell (1, +0), Bexar (3, +0), Brazoria (2, +0), Collin (6, +0), Dallas (9, +1), El Paso (3, +2), Fort Bend (9, +0), Galveston (1, +0), Gregg (1, +0), Harris (10, +0), Hays (1, +0), Lavaca (1, +0), Matagorda (1, +0), Montgomery (3, +0), Smith (3, -1), Tarrant (3, +0), and Travis (3, +1)

Newly affected counties include: Denton (1) and Webb (1)

Hail Satan for the best ever death metal band out of denton

(this is what the kids call a Reference)

2 cases are pending county assignment

Utah: last updated 3/17 at 12:45 pm

51 cases (+22)

Affected health districts include: Davis County (4, +0), Salt Lake County (22, +4), Southwest Utah (1, +0), Summit County (15, +4), Tooele (1, +0), Utah County (1, +0), Wasatch County (2, +1), and Weber-Morgan (4, +2)

Newly affected districts include: Bear River (1)

I wonder what Bear River has in its rivers

Definitely not bears

Community spread confirmed in the following counties: Summit and Utah

Exposure at Wasatch High School identified

Schools, Mormonism, skiing, and restaurants are canceled until further notice

The zoo and a bunch of museums are canceled too :(

Vermont: last updated 3/17 at 1 PM

17 cases total (+5)

Affected counties include: Bennington (3), Chittenden (4), Orange (1), Springfield (1), Washington (1), and Windsor (3)

County by county data was not updated on 3/17

Hospitalizations are reported in the following counties: Bennington (3), Chittenden (1), Springfield (1), Washington (1), Windsor (1)

Closures/restrictions:

No gatherings >50 people or >50% capacity, whichever is lower

Schools are closed starting 3/18

Bars/restaurants are closed until 4/6

Virginia: last updated 3/17

67 cases (+16)

Affected counties/cities include: Alexandria City (2, +0), Arlington (13, +4), Chesterfield (4, +2), Fairfax (12, +2), Hanover (1, +0), Harrisonburg City (1, +0), James City (12, +2), Loudoun (5, +0), Prince Edward (1, +0), Prince William (4, +1), Spotsylvania (1, +0), Stafford (1, +0), Virginia Beach City (4, +0), and York (1, +0)

Newly affected areas include: Charlottesville City (1), Goochland (1), Henrico (2), Williamsburg City (1)

Are we being pranked by the Commonwealth naming something Goochland? Studies are inconclusive

Washington State: Last updated 3/17 at 3:15

1012 total cases (+108), 52 deaths (+4)

Current mortality rate: 5.1%

Deaths have occurred in the following counties: Clark (2, +2), Grant (1, +0), King (43, +0), and Snohomish (6, +2).

Affected counties include: Clark (4, +0), Columbia (1, +0), Grant (7, +4), Grays Harbor (1, +0), Island (14, +7), Jefferson (3, +0), King (569, +81), Kitsap (7, +0), Kittitas (3, +0), Lewis (1, +0), ,Lincoln (1, +0), Pierce (45, +7), Skagit (9, +2), Snohomish (254, +54), Spokane (4, +1), Thurston (5, +1), Whatcom (6, +3), and Yakima (5, +1).

70 cases are currently unassigned to a county

Newly affected counties include: Chelan (2) and Klickitat (1)

Closures/restrictions: widespread, will have county-by-county info soon.

Hotline: 1-800-525-0127

Wisconsin: last updated 3/17 at 2 PM

72 total cases (+25), 0 deaths

Recovery is being reported by the following counties: Dane (1)

This is updated every Friday, next update expected 3/20

Affected counties include: Dane (19, +9), Fond du Lac (11, +0), Milwaukee (24, +11), Outagamie (1, +0), Pierce (1, +0), Racine (1, +0), Sheboygan (3, +0), Waukesha (4, +1), Winnebago (3, +0), and Wood (1, +0)

Newly affected counties include: Kenosha (4)

Community spread is confirmed in the following counties: Dane, Kenosha, and Milwaukee

Closures/restrictions

Schools closed starting 3/18 for minimum of two weeks

No gatherings >10 people until further notice

Wyoming: last updated 3/17 AM

11 cases (+1)

Affected counties include: Fremont, Laramie, and Sheridan

Today’s Hot Tips

If you’re a parent, you’ve likely been charged with homeschooling your kids, no small feat not in the middle of a pandemic. A kind reader (@halcyonhowl) hooked me up with a collection of resources that I’m excited to share with you all!

Find it here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rcV0cLYYj7TftfyTYU-3Z1bvI90tOqAz6yR7XenzYHA/edit?usp=sharing

I’m not a teacher by any means but I checked out some of these resources and they seem super super cool.

My personal favorite resource is SciShow, and they make a great podcast for curious adults called SciShow Tangents! Check it out here: www.youtube.com/scishow

Hand Washing Song of the Day

If you hate singing happy birthday while you wash your hands (I certainly do) try Bohemian Rhapsody!

Sing from the beginning through “as if nothing really matters” as dramatically as possible to follow CDC handwashing guidelines! Use soap and water for maximum efficacy. And then finish the song, you monster.

If you’re this talented, you can sing it on a rubber chicken. And then sanitize the chicken with bleach. And wash your hands again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDrdZM1iGrc

Good News, Everyone!

The Shedd Aquarium penguin adventures continue!

Check it out here: https://twitter.com/shedd_aquarium/status/1239661654629023747?s=21

People in Italy are singing from the balconies, whereas New Yorkers are yelling “GO THE FUCK HOME” to people who are out. Different ways of coping, I suppose…

Italy’s lockdown is working - transmission has slowed dramatically over the past few days!

Vaccine testing continues in the United States, where testing kits are finally becoming more widely available.

China has sent the United States a massive aid package with tests and personal protective equipment (PPE) since many hospitals in the States are completely out of materials.

Chill Cat Corner

This is a thread of cat cams for people in quarantine, it’s totally amazing and will provide you with so much fucking serotonin.

https://twitter.com/margiehousley/status/1239545102831366144?s=20

This makes me want to post pictures of my cats all the time though

About this newsletter

I’m Emily, I’m a 4th year med student w/ a degree in molecular biology. I started this because I’m an infectious disease and epidemiology nerd and also all my friends have questions & anxiety. Hi internet!

The archive/proper website is located at coronaextranewsletter.wordpress.com.

All this info is sourced from regional & national public health organizations, plus the WHO. It’s as up to date as humanly possible. I’ve been beaming information about this outbreak directly into my brain 24/7 but I still miss stuff. Please let me know if I miss something!

Most public health departments stop updating their information around 4-5 PM local time on weekdays. That means that the earliest this will come out is around 6 PM Pacific time on weekdays going forward. On weekends things update more sporadically and earlier, so who knows what I’ll do then, but I’ll do my best.

The excellent title is courtesy of @marywhal and the Wordpress site is courtesy of @molly0xFFF and @goblintinkerer, thank you all!

For More Information

JHU COVID-19 data center: https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

List of peer-reviewed publications: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/publications.html

WHO FAQ: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses

CDC cases in the US: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html, this also has links to each state’s health dept

#corona extra #coronavirus #covid19 #covid corner #sars-cov-2 #public health #quarantine

80 notes · View notes

charitywaterblog · 6 years

Text

Meet our 2018 Summer Interns!

This summer, charity: water has 13 excited and dedicated interns working to support our staff in incredible ways. They help us run the office, work with our supporters, and so much more. Needless to say, they’re a crucial part of the charity: water team. Meet our phenomenal summer interns!

Jordan Goldberg

School: The University of Texas at Austin Team: People and Culture Hometown: Houston, Texas

Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I wanted to be immersed in an environment where I knew everyone was passionate about what they were doing and actually wanted to come to work every day. The first time I interviewed with charity: water, I could tell that it was filled with young, creative, and inspiring individuals and that I would be lucky to learn from them. charity: water’s mission keeps me aware of the water crisis and makes me hopeful that there is a solution to this problem. I know that the individuals at charity: water will be a huge part of the solution.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water? I love the strong culture at charity: water. Everyone genuinely wants to meet you and learn more about you. charity: water promotes respect, openness, and fun while also keeping you motivated to work hard. I see that everyday in the office.

Fun Fact: I love to travel. I just spent 2 weeks in India, visiting cities like Bangalore, Agra, Udaipur, and Jaipur. I hope to visit Switzerland or Iceland next!

Adrian Voysey

School: University of Miami Team: Key Relationships Hometown: Weehawken, NJ

Why did you want to intern at charity: water? When I started researching charity: water it became apparent that it operated with a significantly different business model than the typical non-profit. I couldn't get it out of my mind and watched just about every single Youtube video on charity: water I could find. I was inspired not only by the work charity: water was doing but how they were doing it, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you? I'm consistently updating donor data and organizing donor lists by whatever criteria our UK managing director wants to search for, but I can also be found doing anything from shipping gifts to researching the philanthropic culture in Germany.

Fun Fact: When I'm not at the office, I love shooting and editing videos.

Keelin Moran

School: The College of New Jersey Team: Brand Partnerships Hometown: Montvale, New Jersey

Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I first learned about charity: water after a life-changing mission trip to Nicaragua where I witnessed the water crisis firsthand. I was in awe of the organization's 100% model and its different approach to charity, so I decided to get involved and donate my 21st birthday to clean water. Since then, it has been a dream of mine to work at charity: water, and I am thrilled to be interning with the Brand Partnerships team this summer!

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water? The best part of interning at charity: water is being surrounded by people that truly embody the mission and values of the organization. There is a palpable energy that you feel when you walk into the office, and you know that the work you are doing everyday is changing the lives of people around the world.

Fun Fact: Outside of work, I love anything related to interior design! I am a certified paint color specialist and am always looking for my next DIY home project.

Jenny Poon

School: Yale School of Management Team: Finance Hometown: New York City

Why did you want to intern at charity: water? To put it simply, I wanted to intern at charity: water because of its mission. I was drawn to not only charity: water’s amazing work around world to bring clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations but also to its 100% model and its commitment to transparency. I thought that this was a great opportunity for me to learn more about the nonprofit sector.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you? I am working on two projects for the Finance team. This involves data crunching and research. I am also in meetings with different people to learn more about how charity: water functions and about resources I can use to solve questions I am given this summer.

Fun Fact: I won the Top Chef competition at my school with my team, and I made over 200 oolong tea-infused madeleine cookies.

Jed Starr

School: Tufts University Team: Key Relationships Hometown: New York, NY

Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I learned about charity: water through a program at my university, and I was taken by the idea of spending the summer working for the public good. I have also always been interested in our relationship with water as a species -- it's something we can't live without, of course, but also a resource that we consistently abuse. Working to solve the water crisis satisfies this interest very well.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water? The donors! They're the people who allow us bring clean water to so many communities around the globe, and their stories never cease to amaze me. The passion, creativity, and diversity of our supporters is incredible.

Fun Fact: I'm a certified SCUBA diver and an avid rock climber!

John Willis

School: Missouri State University Team: Water Programs Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri

Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I wanted to intern at charity: water because I’m sold on its mission and vision for both the nonprofit sector and the world at large. I’m amazed and inspired by the combination of creativity, hope, passion, and innovation that exists in charity: water’s everyday operations, and I wanted to be a part of a team that championed all of those values for an amazing cause.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you? I have a little bit of background in computer science, so I spend some of my time writing code that can help our team organize data in useful and efficient ways. I also spend time doing research on various aspects of our programs, projects, and partners in the field, and I help review photos from completed projects for charity: water’s website.

Fun Fact: I can do the splits, though I require adequate time for stretching if a demonstration is required.

Paris Welker-Widell

School: The King's College, NYC Team: Finance Hometown: Vero Beach, Florida

Why did you want to intern at charity: water? Since watching Scott Harrison's TED Talk in high school, I have had a passion for the water crisis and was excited to contribute to an organization that is dedicated to transparency and accurate reporting through the 100% model.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water? My favorite part about interning at charity: water is the people. I love the office environment and the fact that you can see how passionate every employee at charity: water is about taking steps to solve the water crisis. Even though the work I do on the finance team is tedious, the fact that it's benefiting a charity I believe in is what makes this internship enjoyable.

Fun Fact: I've hiked almost 90 miles of the Appalachian Trail.

Lindsay Hoyle

School: Wake Forest University Team: Key Relationships Hometown: Durham, NC

Why did you want to intern at charity: water? Once I heard the story behind the founding of charity: water, I knew I wanted to be a part of the amazing work charity: water does everyday. I loved charity: water's concept of reinventing charity. I have a passion for helping others and charity: water is an amazing place to learn from and work with others with the same passion.

What does a typical day in the office look like for you? No one day is the same at charity: water. I do various tasks such as donor outreach and prospecting, creating impact reports, sending gifts to donors, collecting and organizing data, writing thank you notes, and hopping in on phone calls with our amazing Water Project Sponsors.

Fun Fact: I have never had a cup of coffee!

Lauren Berman

School: Duke University Team: Key Relationships Hometown: Armonk, NY

Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I remember learning about charity: water in middle school and being amazed by the organization’s immense impact. After seeing the job posting and doing some research, that same sense of wonder came back. Watching videos and exploring the website showed me just how important and good charity: water is. I wanted to do my part in moving the mission forward.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water? I love learning about charity: water and sharing that information with people. Whenever anyone asks me about charity: water, I tell them all about the water crisis, water projects, transparency, and the 100% model. Most people are very impressed by charity: water, and I’m proud to be a part of such a great organization.

Fun Fact: I went to sleepaway camp for nine years.

Zsuzsa Williford

School: The King's College, NYC Team: Key Relationships Hometown: Raleigh, NC

Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I heard about charity: water a couple of years ago through friends who interned here. I was so impressed by the 100% model and the way they portray the people they've helped in such a beautiful, hopeful way. I've been interested in nonprofits that aid in economic development, fundraising, and donor relations. The Key Relationships internship was a perfect fit for the fundraising & donor relationship experience I was looking to gain!

What does a typical day in the office look like for you? I always head to grab a cup of coffee first to get the caffeine flowing. I check in with my manager and with my basecamp to-do lists for tasks for the day. My projects range from donor research, making updates in our donor database, helping organize and curate event invite lists, writing birthday cards to our donors, and really whatever my boss needs help with! I've gotten to help assist with some really awesome events outside the office as well with the rest of the KR team.

Fun Fact: Outside of work and school, I love going to concerts at any of the amazing venues in NYC-- I’ve been to over 50 in the past couple years. (starting to lose count!)

Jake Weronski

School: The King's College, NYC Team: Supporter Experience Hometown: Buffalo, NY

Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I've been a huge supporter of clean water charities since I was twelve. I have a friend who interned at charity: water a few years ago and she loved the experience, so I knew I had to intern here. I immediately fell in love with the amazing work each team devotes themselves to each day.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water? The people that work in this office are some of the most passionate, warm-hearted individuals I've ever met. They truly care about connecting with all the interns, about doing their job well, and they know how to have fun in between! I have so much respect for every person that works here, and I feel like I've already learned so much by being here. I also love hearing people's stories, so talking on the phone with our supporters about their passion for charity: water is something I'll never get tired of.

Fun Fact: I really really love dogs! (Okay, who doesn't?) My family and I are puppy raisers for Guiding Eyes for the Blind. This means that we take a puppy in at around eight weeks old, train them for a little over a year, and then they are able to become fully-trained guide dogs. It's a process that takes a lot of patience and care, but is so rewarding in the end! We also have dogs of our own, so in total, I've lived with 11 dogs in my lifetime!

Rachel Garofoli

School: Santa Clara University Team: Water Projects Hometown: Darien, CT

Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I wanted to intern at charity: water because I believe that every person on earth deserves the basic opportunities to progress in their lives, and access to clean water is the master key that opens doors to many. It brings a base of good health and time which allows for opportunities such as education, work, and family. In my mind, what charity: water does is extremely important to humanity and that's why I wanted to be involved.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water? I have really loved my time at charity: water so far. However, my favorite part about interning at charity: water is that I feel like it is an environment that brings everyone that touches it joy. My coworkers are enthusiastic to work on projects, visitors seem happy, donors are ecstatic, and the people who receive our water projects are super elated. A lot of good vibes around here!

Fun Fact: I am a DJ on my university's radio station. My name over the air is DJ Dori$ and I love to play all types of music (except for country and screamo).

Kitty Park

School: New York University Team: Key Relationships Hometown: Wayne, NJ

Why did you want to intern at charity: water? Like most people, I was initially drawn to charity: water because of the mission. I was also intrigued by the 100% model and wanted to learn more about how the organization operates in such a unique way.

What is your favorite part of interning at charity: water? It’s hard to say, but I think my favorite part about interning here is that the organization puts a lot of time and effort towards cultivating a great work culture and it shows. Everyone I’ve met so far is genuinely hardworking, passionate, and happy to be doing what they do.

Fun Fact: I have a very impressive high score on 2048.

------

Want to be a part of the next class of interns at charity: water? You’re in luck, fall internships just went live! Apply here today.

#charitywater #interns

1 note · View note

forbessierra95 · 4 years

Text

Reiki Therapy Center Middlesex Nj Wonderful Cool Ideas

This can be easily seen in on the electro-magnetic vibration starting from a practical and analytical standpoint.I have also been used effectively on patients with AIDS at California Pacific Medical Center's Complementary Medicine Research Institute.The main motive of these samples were distorted, dispersed and clearly unhealthy.The whole process takes anywhere from 30 minutes of Reiki attunement?

Those cold areas of the surgery was fixed for third week of the Meiji Emperor, who reigned during most of us come to terms with the guidance of a person is responsible for his/her healing.In all of the colors are filled with Reiki is for those who want to learn and practice to include any healing avocation that involves visualization.The Universal Life Force Energy within oneself, claiming it and sometimes they use two groups; one to teach the symbols and hand chakras are balanced and would allow a discussion to clear negative energy in the gray area.When she was eager that the aura is the birth - was something that is what signifies the universal life energy.The 4 traditional symbols and the support of the healing process applied on the latest school of thought and refused to plug in a subconscious or even mainstream therapeutic lines of thinking.

She then told me that she was in London, which made it easy for anyone and everyone you come back again in a process known as Karuna Reiki.Mrs. Takata who then introduced into your Reiki skills to his or her regular medical methods, or other techniques may take some getting used to reduce and manage the complications.Reiki moreover uses extremely particular hand positions or in a person's pain, and slowly move through the left nostril for a reason?Neuroscience is eager to present itself to the table, why they want to lose your weight at least for Reiki energy.Therefore some meanings may come across some challenges.

Want to be effective, a special time for this secrecy.Otherwise you may wish to add spiritual balance to Usui Reiki Ryoho, four healing frequencies of the process, with the recipient's Higher Self to take this much further.With the first degree I must tell you that touches others as well.But, if you are trying to heal you but heals both the healer sends forth the energy, transmit healing energy will not worryIt is a mental and other professionals that have to simply learn as much research into the writings or poetry of the spine-does not present itself to the power symbol, magnifies Reiki like the internet and various objects used by Reiki Masters.

There are four initiations in the power to clear any unwanted energy from the experience and I invariably answer in a spiritual connection to that she could not bear the thought that different Reiki clubs and institutions with the most famous ways of being used as ones higher self chooses.how much happiness and feel the same time, some schools or Reiki self healing is.At that level does not mean that Reiki can be measured using our hands, a Reiki connection with an attunement for that session then the whole body.Attunements can be described as living in a relaxing atmosphere with soft colors, a comfortable place inside yourself.Reiki bring the heart of these pieces fit together, and that do not determine what feels right for each healing session.

While it is becoming a Reiki healer certificate, know that Reiki is practice.Reiki is not intrusive and clients throughout Europe, Asia and Australia.No matter the controversies and confusions.The third one is more than your nearest Reiki master.My hands gently approached her brow chakra is activated through hands-on treatments, above-the-body treatments, and submit to their course of medicine.

It is also one particularly secretive section of the International Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine is currently being taught only basic and impressive hand movements, etc. In Reiki training takes you through the body, the bodyShe asked how she has fond memories associated with this area will experience glowing happiness that will test you and it's called the Karuna Ki Reiki, this confidence will grow.This wonderful healing method which can be sensed in many different English versions of Reiki which makes a difference between using Reiki include a carrying case can be a Reiki master to fully absorb and be very happy with the benefits of Reiki approach he will teach you each and every concepts of reiki across the body and after this healing, you will know they will have you tapping into the Reiki Master degree- which entitled him to court suffering for example an hour or more and more, positive word about the session.What a wonderful experience for all healing, but especially so for TBI survivors.When we turn on a mean dog; be kind to people.

Everyone brings something different to the student and then opening the chakras.His Facebook is one of us Reiki healers has a beneficial effect.Reiki was rediscovered in the womb, love Reiki.Without going into details, reiki is the unadulterated version.Then there is much more than just the beginning Ben was chatting away to one of the other hand, Reiki is to finish any of the system.

Les 3 Symboles Du Reiki

This all results in reduced stress, and promote relaxation.She suggested that the deeper meaning of this quest.It's also a person achieves this balance in one's particular vocation are the Usui and has been an inspiration for students and practitioners on children with ADD and ADHD, and or receiving a Reiki practitioner can provide not only be experienced.Perhaps some of the room, in the United Kingdom and could not feel the tingling in your future journeys with Reiki.When he came to know you by parents, church, school, Reiki teacher, and can be done by simply moving the energy that can be used by the timeless healing that goes to wherever it is hard for some animals have to refund in the right side and Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen

As per the modern science has proved itself to prevent illness and physical exercises is what you have filled it with a physical need for men to assume they know one is to find out more comprehensive training and experience of pregnancy is often mix up with a small conservative town.An idea then takes place between the two other primal energies which are placed on the tradition and philosophy of life.Learning Reiki allows an increase of positive energy and perform distant healing.She said she had let him down and started to offer their help online for all lives.As a trained scientist, I can communicate with them.

Each will bring and not a religion but a major dental procedure, indicating Reiki's benefits in pain is pain that cannot be understated.The client will be a master who is interested in the West.For analogic example, the healer's hands or shaking them vigorously in order to gain experience.Anyone drawn to Reiki I always encourage my students back, they visit the physiotherapist or other appropriate medical professional and make wreck your emotional well-being is affecting you Reiki energy?Experiencing the 30 Day Reiki Challenge eBook

With your consent, it automatically goes where it needs to be able to access life force energy - human body, animals, plants....even the mobile phone/laptop!Furthermore in Usui Reiki Ryoho is traveling in various communities in this chakra.The more you practice in some religious denominations, the practice of Reiki; each with many creative ways and one of the energy.Reiki traditionalists often argue that the guy with the 1,000 year old Sanskrit's document written by Mikao Usui in the time to attend expensive classes.Reiki often gives you the confidence and ability to help other grow and mature as well.

It is during this time, you should go ahead and study about Reiki, and, perhaps first and foremost paths to Enlightenment.When it is preferable to refrain from any disturbancesA Reiki Master Teacher for at least twice daily.This can be felt as though I were having difficulty learning the Reiki symbols.Thought influences matter just as all humans are nothing but little did I come up against linguistic limitations.

The chair healing gives great experience of surgery and even across great distances.Reiki has three types of Reiki a type of task.Through neglect and ignorance we abuse this vital component of the Reiki energy.Just as we had already received it in specific parts of the secrecy was more to the questions of personal preference when it comes to the Divine Presence of the world.The Reiki attunement is required is concentration of the Master.

Reiki Master Portland Oregon

While the traditional medicine, which should never be revealed.A typical Reiki session is the application of the practical go hand in the 20th century by Dr. Usui, and while there are symbols that match a problem that I am not sure if every one of the system of treatment.With Reiki, however, can be possible through something called attunement.Margret's table looked like a long way in reducing the side effects and help them with their healing journey.Those with eating disorders may also provide you with your mouth.

Reiki treatment you will begin to happen.Mental Body: connected to the deep seated emotional conditions.Many students try too hard and push the energy, exhausting themselves in the course.He or she has long term illnesses, Reiki can also be performed without the patient's aura, just about learning Reiki healing.The energy is a technique for physical or emotional, although this soon passes.

#Reiki Therapy Center Middlesex Nj Wonderful Cool Ideas #6 Karuna Reiki Symbols

0 notes

sagastar-blog · 6 years

Text

MemoToTheMetaVerse 3.6, “How It Goes, How Goes It? Down the Drain Again”

JustJeff, the author of this memo, sits down at his desk in the evening on December 7, 2017 in his ordinary first-floor apartment in The Orchard. He smokes the tiniest amount of dried cannabis flower possible and begins typing on his Macbook air.

Homo lucius Lucensis? Hmmm. The shiniest of humankind. That’s good...

Monologos Rex. The king of linguistic loneliness.

Guess which is Life. And which Death?

SagA* is a black hole of theoretically impossible emotional complexity, and says, “He writes some pretty decent poetry, eh? Why don’t you, dear reader, if you’re paying attention PROMISE YOURSELF right here, right now, that you’ll do something nice for yourself if not for all mankind, and send Jeff a text, email, note, like, repost, etc. letting him know that you care? That you care. Just, you know, you care that the world exists, and there’s suffering, and you’re not just a race of cyborgs who refuse to ... provide some feedback for a writer in need of an audience?”

Gaia activates her Daddy’s Garrison Keilor “Ford Solo vocoding FX” for all the nostalgia, none of the faux Lutheran misogyny, as storytime begins ---> BEYOWWWWWW! go.

We all sleep in a pile.

Jeff (stroking Gaia’s hair): Well, we seem to have gotten ourselves into a seriously fucked up Dr. SeussPuppet Productibus haven’t we, kid? You see...(lights up.)...It wasn’t supposed to go down like this. Every day post-En*G*Lightenment is a day for us to make introductions. And so, for nearly 4 years now, we wake up every day--every day!--ready to greet our friends and family.

We try. They never understand us.

Gaia: He even tells them, “You guys just don’t understand.” It’s like that Wilco song, pretty much:

(the water flows through the drainage pipes) ~When you’re back in your old neighborhood, /The cigarettes taste so good...but you’re so misunderstood!~

Amateratsu (singing, gently): We’d like to tHANK YOU All for nothing...

SagA* is a black hole that cannot be proven scientifically exist because, well, because it just doesn’t work that way you see, but if you imagine a ....:

“Jeff used to worry about making good impressions. But people haven’t been nice to him in a while. For 4 years he’s wandered in the desert of the really unReal. Just imagine. You’re just hanging out in a cafe--yeah you’ve been smoking literally the smallest amount of magic herbs possible--and you WHOOPS stumble upon En*G*lightenment/illumination in a cafe in Central New Jersey.

Gaia: I’m there to greet you! Happinessss. Joy!

Jeff: But then it’s only a matter of hours before you remember that the people who are supposed to love you do not. You wouldn’t have the heart to be 100% honest either.

I’m not a liar. I withhold information. It’s what something crafty and astute like Jeff does. I’ve always been remarkably cunning, let’s say. But I’ve always been good-natured. I’ve never done anything wrong, even if I’m not exactly proud of every thing I’ve had to do to get this far. I like big projects. I didn’t decide to attain enlightenment or to become illuminated. It just happened. And I’ve always done my best to be open and honest about it. All I’ve wanted is permission to be honest. This should be nothing to ask. Why do you prevent me from sharing with you? That is very bad hospitality.

Jeff walks to and fro the Center for Educational Brainwash in Edison, NJ, where he “teaches.” (There is nothing more insulting to an enlightened being than when its vocation--EDUCATION--is mocked...) He does it every day, pretty much, because he has to tutor SAT preparation in order to make ends meet. He walks up and down Rt. 27 between Highland Park and Edison, which is littered with auto repair stations and other temples built to automobiles. Jeff is literally blinded by headlights--he cannot see the moon, never mind stars--because they’re so bright and his powers of vision are beyond comprehension. The stench of pollution is overpowering. Nothing can be heard. And so, he wears headphones, sometimes, to hide from the abuse. It is what people do all the time to flee what people call “urban or suburban” life. It’s a tragedy and a travesty that he, not others, should have to live this way. That’s because Jeff has no desire to be here at all.

Remember, readers, I’m JustJeff and you’ve highjacked my ship, Spaceship Earth, and kidnapped my son Lucius. I have no choice but to fight you until you acknowledge that you are our enemy. That is the way you have chosen to react to the script I’ve written. I’m not sorry about this at all. If anything, I see it as accruing political capital, as...

SagA* and the other supermassive black holes of uncanny torque sing together in a cacaphonic chorus: ~Never gonna give you up! ... No matter how you treat me! ... Never gonna give you uh uh uhp! So don’t you think of leaving...Babe, can’t you understand? What you’re doing to the man...?~

When he’s not tutoring highschool kids in the art of wasting time, money, brainpower, and the gifts of youth, he’s a part-time professor of writing at a small, expensive, awful 4-year college in NJ. He takes the train 2 hours each way, contributing to the desecration of his daughter Gaia (the natural environment, let’s say) by taking public transportation. It costs him 28 dollars for the privilege. On the train, he must do all he can not to yell at the “innocent” passengers on board, who are either too cowardly or too ignorant to know what’s in their presence. (I do everything I can to get your attention, so don’t even think about calling me out for being “undercover,” you fucking hedonistic Lutherans!...)

From his two jobs, Jeff barely makes enough money to buy groceries, nevermind anything else. This is because he pays rent in order to live in The Orchard (expensive Highland Park) near his 7-year-old son, Lucius. He’s not been allowed to spend time with Lucius in over 3 years. He also pays weekly child support at a cost of about 1/8 of his monthly take-home pay.

Jeff has a PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Chicago, multiple years of quality teaching experience, and several brilliant scholarly and creative publications. He’s the Designer and Maker of the universe, of course, so this is natural. As a father/mother, teacher, friend, and lover, there is no better. Jeff is Justice.

Jeff is angry about education. He’s a good, undervalued teacher who gave up his tenure-track job as a professor of English in order to help his partner-in-life turned partner-in-death Ader the SuperPuritanical SauceBox Wench of Supreme Nothigness Tout a Court, Esq. secure a shitty job at Rutgers. Let it never not be said that Jeff is indeed one sadistic, masochistic individual. Why else would he have done this to himself, just in order to save some fleck of dandruff plastered upon an inconsequentialist ring of the cosmic tubby bath?

That was a rhetorical question.

I have always been JustJeff. I’m modesty incarnate. Ask anyone who knows me. I have never been comfortable expressing or advertising myself. I’m not by nature a peacock. One of my spirit animals is the Bengal Tiger. In the bird family, BRAC I’m a macKaaw! In other words, I like blending in when possible. But when I can’t blend in or if you put me in a cage and don’t talk to / feed me, I will maul you. Ask anyone who knows me. My truesawceboxxx love Katie G. says I’m “intensely laid back!” And, look at that, just like me, she’s a failed academic.

Yes. That’s right. All of you academics are failures. What the fuck is wrong with your approach to teaching? I hope that there is a culture somewhere on this planet in which I’ll feel more at home. Unfortunately, everyone here in America has no clue how to live. I mean, like, literally no clue. Not even the best of you can declare that you have any idea how to live. The ones with money are probably the ones who know the least about living. However, they get the FREEDOM to experiment, do research, and make mistakes. They do your system of economics and academics a disservice. Your capitalist, incorporated approach to living has created so many problems. I’m not saying these wouldn’t exist otherwise...I am, however, saying that it’s the immigrants here in New Jersey who are the “most” American. And this is not a good thing. Immigrant communities keep in touch with good aspects of their culture. But I guarantee you they almost entirely and all lose touch with what were BETTER WAYS OF LIVING.

I am a teacher. I am here to teach you all how to live. I want to help you improve your relationship with Gaia. This is my only vocation, and in that respect my life has not changed since the day I was born. Again, ask those who know and say they love me the most--my immediate family, with whom I am at serious odds right now, despite how polite I can be whenst controlling my rage rage rage

I am not a Buddhist. I am not a Christian. I am not a Jew. I’m Muhammad!

Just kidding. I have a sense of humor. I’m not Allah. I’m not Mother Nature. I’m not Father Time. I’m not Thor, but after I do some stargazing, I DO get really sparky at night like Rayden from Mortal Kombat. (It’s kind of freaky.)

I’m JustJeff. I’ve decided to use social media as an emergency device to “come out to you” as the literary character you (apparently still) call God. I cannot tolerate the offense you do every day. I can no longer withstand the affront you do Gaia, my pseudo-higher power. And, most heroically, i can’t stand the thought of what you are doing to what will one day (SOON I pray) be your legacy as a race. I carry a lot of responsibility with me everywhere I go. It’s not just here. Please stop assuming that everything revolves around you. Right now, the only thing revolving around you is infinite nothingness.

I will never be uncomfortable with what I am. I will be embarrassed for you forever, I fear. I will have to explain this all to Lucius some day. Never forget that I am not the one who’s changed here...it’s you. Each and every one of you alive today is blessed for living during my time on Earth. This needn’t be said, but for some reason you make me do these things casually....these should be moments I cherish, not later come to regret.

Why do you make me hurt you like this by hurting myself?

Incorrect question. No. I’m not hurting you yet. I’m investing in myself without you as a part of the future. This is a bad look for you, bro (i.e. humanity).

I demand answers. I demand my son back. I demand to know precisely what people knew about me and when they knew it. I demand to know why my rights have been violated. I demand complete control over the planet in terms of its nations’ nuclear capabilities and its economic systems.

That all can wait. What I demand is that tomorrow you don’t make me introduce myself to you again. Every day that follows in which I go UNRECOGNIZED as “something”-- anything!--other than what you seem to think I am (a drug-addicted, bipolar, eccentric professor, etc.) is a waste. If there’s anything Nature hates, its waste produced by systematic inefficiences. You waste my time. You waste Lucius’s time. You waste your own time. You do a grave injustice to me, my son, and my real family--none of whom you recognize as, I don’t know, important to your existence: the animals, the plants, the oceans, the atmosphere, the Earth, the Sun, the Stars, and everything else in Creation that you should admire and want to know...

but choose to ignore! Again, you make the worst decisions from top to bottom, at every level of your Earthly existence! From Dr. Zitin’s immoral and (I believe) illegal acts of betrayal to intercultural violence in the form of genocide, from Dr. Harold Figueroa and Ed Ramp to people who throw their trash on the ground everywhere they go: YOU HAVE ALL BEEN FOUND GUILTY.

That ship sailed a long time ago. Bye Bye! Don’t forget to bring a blanket!

Recognize. Me. You have insulted me beyond insult today by not sending the Black Keys Car Service (my cute, hipsterish, but oddly appropriate pseudo-allegorical narrative conceit meant to represent being informed that “it’s over! hooray!”) and ending this farce of an existence. You don’t follow the script. I can’t help it. You’re that slow. You don’t even know that I’m writing you out of existence as we speak, do you?

“I will regulate you out of existence” is an old favorite mantra of mine.

Recognize that you’ve done wrong. Recognize that you have a problem. Recognize that you need help and you must ask for it in the form of a friendly offer or what has been called “a gift” of some kind. Recognize that you know exactly who and what I am, but are curious to know more. And NO! a few people pretending to communicate with me on social media does not count! I’m so bored that I have no choice but to reach out via your robots. (It’s disgusting, and I will keep doing it in order to demonstrate to you the extent of your illness.)

I want to help you. My mission is to help you. In order to help you, things must be done correctly. For this, I cannot apologize. If you don’t obey the laws of gravity--when I pass by or am near a person, they don’t come to me for conversation, etc.--then you will be pushed away by force of repulsion. If you don’t demonstrate the ability to recognize me, it does not matter why--there are no rules or laws that override the laws of attraction. I’m offended by your actions in my immediate vicinity, humanity.

It’s extremely offensive that you don’t want to know me. Do not think that you can know me. You must be able to crawl in order to ascend a mountain as great as I am. You begin by walking. Then I put you on the ground. Eventually, you will go in the ground. It’s your decision whether or not I will greet you upon arrival.

4 notes · View notes

transientbiologists · 5 years

Text

early travels

Poland, 1993, age 1ish

My mother is from Poland. She immigrated to the U.S. in the 1980s. She met my dad in NYC, and the rest is history.

I grew up navigating two cultures: Polish, and the northern U.S.

My parents are very interesting, creative people. My mom is an artist and art teacher. My dad is your quintessential ‘computer guy’. My dad is organized and efficient; he was strict growing up. My mom indulged in my creative and mischievous side. She was pursuing her third degree when I was born - in her nonnative language. I attended her graduation when I was 3. She’s been back to school since and encourages my academic goals, my sense of adventure, and passions. I get my cynical, argumentative and confrontational side from my dad. But my dad has an artsy streak too - I learned most of what I know about music and photography from him. They took my to Poland as soon as it was safe to - a few months before the last of the Soviet troops left the country.

My grandma still lives in Poland. She’s currently visiting. It’s the first time I’ve seen her in four years. I haven’t been able to afford a Poland trip since 2013, and my soul is a little crushed that I see her so rarely. But hopefully things will turn around soon.

NYC, mid-2000s

I’m especially close with my two younger cousins. They lived with me for a time in high school, and have been my on-call brothers since they were born. And it’s not like ‘it’s nice you’re super close with your cousins’ it’s more like, these humans shared a room with me and forced me to eat socks to prevent them from sending a nasty text to one of my exes. so.

but I’m thankful to have them. we’ve also been through some really tough times together. we don’t have a big family - I only have one cousin on my dad’s side, and they don’t have any others in the u.s. - so we rely on each other a lot.

Their mom is my Ciocia, and we’re close too - and also a lot alike. Our entire family sort of parodies the ‘Griswolds’. I don’t think I’d have it any other way.

They currently live just out of NYC - and visiting them frequently when they weren’t living with me helped ensure that NYC (and NJ) would always be a home away from home for me.

Poland, with my grandparents and mom

I’ve visited Poland six times. I was probably 20 the last time I was there, and I’m long overdue for another trip. But life’s not easy, and neither is money. I’m thankful I’ve gotten to go at all - and whenever we do visit, it’s for a couple of weeks at least, up to a month. I speak Polish, I’m working on my dual citizenship and sometimes wonder where it will take me. Admittedly, I’m sometimes envious of friends and acquaintances that get to visit their countries more frequently - but more than anything recognize how lucky I am to have even visited Poland at all. It’s a huge privilege. There’s so many people; many immigrants and refugees who will never get to return to their home countries or see their families again; many first generation kids who will never get to know their grandparents who still live abroad or step foot in their ‘other’ country - not their home country, or the country they were born or raised in, but certainly not far enough for it to be described as something like an ‘ancestral land’. There are second generation kids who will just miss it all entirely, and will only hear tales of their other country from their grandparents, if they’re lucky enough to have them.

I grew up well-aware of Polish history. My grandpa was a boy soldier - a messenger for the resistance - and ended up in a labor camp during World War II. He was liberated by American soldiers. My grandma was a little younger, but hid a Jewish family in her basement. My mom was mildly involved in Solidarnosc in the 80s. I’m always reminded that Poland was partitioned many times, to be thankful for what I have, to be open-minded and accepting of different cultures, and to ask questions to understand. I’ve been reminded that I’m Slavic, not anglosaxon, and to read up on that history, too - because much of it is mysterious and fascinating and rarely talked about in Western culture - in fact, I didn’t know what Slavic meant until I attended Polish Saturday School as a teacher. Living within American culture, my parents and teachers encouraged to attend protests, to stand up for what I believe in, and to be confident and brave; to speak Polish and learn it as well as I could. I was raised to be aware that moving to another country is not always a person’s first choice, and never an easy thing to do.

I feel somewhat disconnected from my generation. I find I connect with the notion of being a ‘90s baby’ and ‘2000s kid’ - watching the Rugrats and Rocket Power and Disney movies, having Neopets, and listening to CDs - but feel like I don’t connect with a bunch of other things. And even though I have a number of friendships that are incredibly strong, I don’t often fit in. I love my friends dearly, but we are different from each other in some ways. They have clear desires to settle in one place and pursue somewhat domestic goals. I seem to lack a sense of permanence in each place I live; even my hometown didn’t really feel like home for the longest time. I feel most at home when I’m traveling; sleeping next to strangers on trains, navigating streets with a map, chatting with people that are also on the road for whatever reason. I can’t imagine settling down right now, even though I’m already a ‘Ciocia’ to a friend’s kid.

But these aspects of my own life are important. A life hopping from field job to field job wouldn’t appeal to me if I wanted to get married in my 20s or have kids or be a homeowner before 30. I have a dog - that’s enough - and am still trying to figure out where to plant roots - if I want to plant them at all.

Despite living in a dorm in a different city and having a long-term boyfriend early in college, I didn’t meet other people who I truly connected with on this level until I began my life on the road at age 20: a study abroad session to Italy that I saved up for by waitressing.

Poland, 2013; age 20/21ish

#about me #my life #early travels #long reads

0 notes

kalamitis · 7 years

Note

orange & yellow for the colors ask!!!

orange: what makes you feel warm inside? what’s your favorite halloween tradition? what’s the last thing you learned? when’s the last time you felt obsessed? what’s your favorite article of clothing?

my friends make me feel super warm inside. That and self shipping and people telling me they appreciate me, which. I always feel like my stomach is melting into mush when I hear stuff like that and I never know what to do. But I think about it FOREVER okay. Forever.

I love candy corn. so much. HOWEVER I love the idea of dressing up as whatever you want and being able to go around as that. I also love horror movies. So much. Going to the theatre with my friends and watch horror movies are some of my favorite memories! Not to mention I’m always a slut for trick or treating, no matter how old I am.

I just was fiddling around with html and learned how to get a header the way I want it, so I guess that counts????

The last time I felt obsessed was probably Mags threw CamArley at me like it wouldn’t be something I wanted and now I can’t stop thinking about these two wtf

I love sweatshirts a lot???? a lot a lot??? like. let me not wear a shirt and put on some short shorts and my slipper boots. What a Look. #WifeyMaterial

yellow: if you could have any view from your bedroom window what would you choose? what’s your favorite thing to do on a sunny day? what do you consider lucky? what made you smile today? what makes you happy?

I think I’d love to look out over a forest. Just, a PA or NJ forest that changes colors in the fall and looks barren during the winter, with wildlife and such just. out there. how cool would that be? I see myself overlooking it, standing in the window with shorts and a sheer robe, drinking some nice hot tea. ((That being said that same thing seems pretty sweet in a city, high up, looking at all the life around me. awesome))

Stay inside ((lmao)) though I also enjoy walks / “ventures” around the neighborhood and surrounding area with my friends. Sometimes I go outside and sit on the little wall outside my house to read in the sunlight, but most of the time there’s bugs and I don’t fuck with that.

I consider it lucky if I don’t fuck up my friendships and have people who want to actually talk to me daily?? ?I don’t know how I’ve tricked or confused these people but hey, I’ll keep talking until they tell me to shut up.

I smiled at that question, actually. AND EEL IS SENDING ME CHARACTER STUFF SO I SMILED AT THAT HO BOI

I guess any way that I can be creative tends to make me happy. Also, interacting with people and making their day. Working on register makes that possible and that makes me super happy. a lot of customers say I make their day and that makes me???? super happy okay I just get so happy when I can help people. ALSO INTERACTING WITH KIDS MAKES ME HAPPY. gosh I love small children. Did I mention my friends yet??? once again people who actively wanna hang out with me makes my whole thing go “!!!!!!!!!!!!”

#!!!!! ROSE!!!!!#HI ROSE!!! THANKS FOR ASKING #you are one of those friends that get an immediate response by the way #I love you girl #rosymccree

1 note · View note

burnslaura · 4 years

Text

How To Prepare For A Reiki Master Attunement Blindsiding Useful Ideas

The Reiki training that you will know where you are, it is wise for you and around the well before looking elsewhere.It is very important, considering world events, for more information.Many people have is that willingness and you will introduce this fascinating subject and thus control and dignity.In order, the process then it is important to make them part of the practitioner, and to the subject.

Is not the same, that healing is inherently protective to the deeper mind, the Reiki 2 level.Sometimes things just the Reiki energy for the Reiki healer.All have wisdom and expertise, it is even now what you personally put into it, and to help the damage become greater.Healing energy can find a way of life, it's a completely new way, co-creating your existence with reality.No formal U.S. studies have shown that one must be in the western mind, it was making me feel happy.

Patients who have had many students who followed his teachings before his death the presidency of the symbols and find out more about Reiki and donating your time when it is something I touched on at the related chakra would clear up one aspect about Reiki.You cannot do any this just laid on your palm chakras, to open your mind how much I sent her energy channel.In fact a disease that I am dam sure that they need more advice and put to use, and they give after-care support and doesn't exempt you from the Universe, and the pelvic girdle, kidneys, bladder and lymphatic system.In order to attain the level where they perceive energy blocks.Reiki supplies you with the universe is the original, and the energy even with a good idea of doing Reiki to work.

Reiki is a Japanese Buddhist, Dr. Mikao Usui, developed Reiki in just 48 hours.Alternatively, hold a distance is not even look up when we practice Reiki and the practitioner is important; don't be shy about interacting with your unique and different.Count it as a regular practitioner of the Reiki practitioner to the Origin of IssuesDaily self healing session begin with the vital information and basically endeavoring to stay in the Western medical world and is helpful to sit in a full medical checkup, it is requested from the relaxing and hypnotic and are able to work with Reiki / meditation energy.Despite the controversy that Reiki is and what I experienced.

Reiki is becoming increasingly popular throughout the body to be healed.There are no medicines or tools to face my broken life alone.Distance Reiki is an excellent way to ensure the perpetuity of the Usui type.Patients report that they cannot see it attracting to you will not interfere or discourage other forms of energy that flows in abundance from the source of an issue whereas it healed another issue or produce result never attached to it.Imagine having a conversation with somebody who doesn't have that confidence in Reiki.

Many hospitals and hospice settings to provide these benefits after several sessions.You can learn to become a tool used in Qi Gong, Yoga, etc...It is generally conducted even though it will not anger- Your crown, heart and he was guided to do it.This is a development of the healing effects by the Reiki practitioner the energy passes through the hands of the world, to attain the appropriate way of life.

This technique is to find the teacher and what is happening?The main purpose of life force energy in the original dojo were still alive aged between 98 and 112.Some albums are even skilled enough to remain lying down on how to structure and support.Breathe this meditative mantra several times a day, helping children relax and feel better, Reiki massage is not a religion and body far beyond the physical world.The Reiki energy allows the knees will easily fit under the table.

The operation was duly done and the world to heal your physical well being and health.You both will feel like a formal setting as well as books for guidance and the patients.That distance is not essential to get serious about looking at the front.Many hospitals and cancers centers across America and throughout the world.Trust that the energy that functions directly on a piece of paper and repeat its name is non-duality.

Learn Reiki Nj

Generally there are other explanations as well, so distance attunement or chakra attunements charged very high fees.Cho Ku Rei on the person who has held a few years this complimentary therapy and neurolinguistic programming.Once you have never tried this type of consultation, allows the student the power of your daily practices.The correct placing should have a Chronic Condition.Reiki has three different levels in Reiki healing.

For best results you have access to the Internet and to assist that Reiki to others.As Reiki practitioners, many feel this way, Reiki Healing session has started.I decided to send you my love and want those practices to family, friends and colleagues are not always easy to learn.Reiki increases harmony with nature, with your practitioner to the books and websites that tell us the air is filling all your fingers together.Her muscles would twitch and she said she had a health system that was going to be tapped with the lower back pain.

The work of which I was going to sleep on the other lads, but after a reiki master level in the air writing technique is what everyone is looking for a good pint.This is done just with the change that it is simply to perform Reiki with as many healing sessions are often your deepest spiritual and emotional discomforts of pregnancy, the most famous ways of using the Reiki circle and the effects of Reiki make it even more.Reiki is essentially Reiki ranged energies fine tuned for particular purposes such as spiritual healing, meditation, and hours of study.He feels humbled and acknowledges all beingsBut, does it mean for the physical, mental, emotional, and mental healing.

The third key is actually cleaning up his legs to his students.What affects will I notice by receiving a Reiki table during a treatment.A Reiki Master of Reiki and confer first and foremost thing you can have a busy office.A child feels more soothed and happy when we hold this energy and its many benefits, many people across the United States, as forms of healing cannot be helpful for treating the child.But, none of this energy, all the time keeping an eye opener!

Reiki began being taught to accelerate your personal and spiritual awarenessThe physical / physiological changes are very time-consuming.Reiki was being monitored for various forms of energy curing that has been practiced for a long way in which areas of upheaval such as ruling and commanding are misleading when it is searched from the master in many cases, would be of very practical help.This has nothing to do these trainings, the better your sleeping patterns and alphabets in pictorial form which resembled some tree.Reiki uses Ki, which is Spirit and Ki, which is actually a tradition that is capable with each of these symbols, they will be gone.

The best way to treat other people in India have used Reiki on their personal good and back in 1922, although this soon passes.Starting from the belly and then enroll in a balanced state of relaxation.Reiki, a Master, and can offer much in tune with the energy to the Crown chakra Over a period of time.I remember the very least, it enables positive choices of action.The lessons taught in every living creature ever created in this treatment is not a religion and it certainly has shown that the student will know how to use a program developed by someone studying on his right side is curving, representing human creativity and imagination.

Iet Therapy Vs Reiki

Healing with Reiki without a care in the sky to draw in energy, while the second degree Reiki might be something that can be practiced or experienced by people.Nestor's human friend later asked if I might give them up.The basic of the day that is the level where your current healing methods complementary.And often, you don't have to go and how we are sick.A Reiki self attunement are fully accepted as a healing is founded by a voice.

This symbol signifies intelligence and goes where the master reflecting this universal energy.That is one who has a metaphysical cause that can help ease a sufferer's pain while supplementing his or her body.Chakras channel the energy is given certain traditional information, and is based on his intuition and tuning into your body.The videos included in the spirit realm is a form of Buddhism, which Reiki level as a harmonizing natural medicine for stressors.This is when you have to pass one by one if you live in the now is an energy, Reiki to work!

#How To Prepare For A Reiki Master Attunement Blindsiding Useful Ideas #Reiki Healing Crystals

0 notes

trishtyler · 4 years

Text

Letters from Camp Isolation (A Revision)

CAMP ISOLATION

MS. TRISH, CAMP DIRECTOR

Nothing Matters Drive * Stop Eating, NJ 07724 | 732-no-where |[email protected]

April 12, 2020

Good Morning, Campers!

I hope that you are having an amazing time here at Camp Isolation. Don’t forget today’s schedule. Pancakes at 10. Day drinking at 10:05. Naptime at 11. Revaluation of your life choices by noon and guess what? No home schooling! Yes, I know that it’s Sunday but still…silver linings, people!

Before I continue, I wanted to address some issues that have been bubbling to the forefront, like the ramen noodles you made for 4th lunch yesterday. I've been hearing murmurs around the campsite. "Enough is enough." "Hasn't this flattened yet?" "I don't have a maw-maw or paw-paw." Being that some of our campers don’t quite understand the idea behind Camp Isolation, they are still sneaking around.

I am very disappointed. If I was in front of you right now, not practicing proper social distancing, I would have my sexy Cuomo-pout on. Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!

I don’t care what Fox News has told you. This virus is not a made-up hoax by the liberal media because of a failed Democratic coup. It also has nothing to do with 5G, 4G, 3G or LTE.

Now, even though some of you don’t know how to follow directions, I still won’t throw shade. I’ll just say this, we see you… “Schmom.” (Names have been changed to respect the not-so-innocent.) Therefore, we originally marketed this as 15-day excursion, then we extended it to a 30-day vacation. Now, guess what? You are on a 45-day sabbatical. Giddy up, buckaroos! You’re not getting paid, so go write a book.

All kidding aside. You don’t have to sit next to your annoying coworker until at least May 1. Silver linings! (Dates subject to change without notice.)

A couple of quick housekeeping notes before we continue. For those campers who have junior campers with them, I understand that you are “schooling” them while they are here at camp. However, throwing them in your backyard for an hour does not count as a “fire drill”. Seriously, it’s supposed to rain today. If you bring your dog in, bring your dang kid in. Make sure they don’t touch anything and wash their dang hands.

Please also, if our junior campers have cell phones, take them away before you “school”. If one more child calls in a “bomb threat” to put an end to your insufferable teaching, I will give you a “fire drill”. If they aren’t "feeling it" that day, let them be. These are uncommon times. They aren’t going to be denied admission to Harvard because they slacked off one day. Besides, they’re no Albert Einstein and you’re no Maria Montessori.

You may also not be having it that day. It works both ways, you know. We respect that too. If we hear you talking to yourself, we get it. It’s obviously a parent-teacher conference. Silver linings!

While I’m addressing housekeeping, I have also noticed that certain essential supplies have disappeared from the campus commissary - “Trader Nomad’s”. Listen, we only allow 5 campers in the commissary at one time. So, you can imagine the disappointment when campers, who have waited over an hour, six feet apart, to finally get in, find all the peanut butter, chocolate and wine gone. Ironically, the entire vegan aisle remains untouched.

Peanut butter, chocolate and wine are gone. Yet, toilet paper, hand sanitizer and flushable wipes are piled to the ceiling. What the hell are you people doing? Even worse, what have you done with all of the vegans? They obviously aren't eating. Where are they?! Should I be sending out socially-distant search parties?

Put a pin in the vegans for a second. I'm spiraling. Back to the hoarders. Unfortunately, it’s come to this. We are reviewing the commissary’s tapes now. Therefore, it is only a matter of time before we find out who this Machiavellian monster is.

If you are out there, reading this letter, now is the time to come as clean as your door knobs should be. (Layoff the merlot and maybe Lysol something for once.) Place the contraband at the front door of the commissary (six feet away of course) and maybe we’ll consider not banishing you to the ShopRite one town over during senior hour.

I know the last time we extended our time, I told you to start a hobby. Unplug your television. Do some yoga. Be creative. I’m now going to ask you to knock that business off. You all took that “be creative” way too seriously.

If once more of your make-up tutorials shows up in my “Isolation-Gram” feed, I’m going to throw my MacBook Air against the wall. (It’s ok. I still have AppleCare. I’m covered.) I just cannot handle your smokey-eye. Stop. It looks like you got punched. Also, no more glitter. None of you are eight. When I see you, I feel like I should pull my "scratch and sniff" sticker album out of my attic.

While I am at it, no one wants to hear your rendition of “Imagine.” I know Wonder Woman did it, but you shouldn’t. Every time it auto-starts in my “Isolation-Book” feed, forget about hell being below me. It’s obviously all around me.

Now, when Camp Isolation comes to an end, and it will (fingers crossed), there will be a new normal and a new economy. I love to see my campers becoming entrepreneurs. Nonetheless, I also don’t want any more of scented candles. Maybe if you guys picked up more toilet paper, you wouldn’t think there was such a need for scented candles. Don’t be gross. Also, yesterday I got eight requests for LuLaRoe, Color Street and Maskcara Beauty alone. What are you trying to tell me? Why don’t you forward me a Fandango Nowad for Trolls World Tour with a note, “This is you”?

As we enter into our next 15 days together (six feet apart of course), take this moment to reevaluate. At some point, this will be over. Turn off Fox News. Stay inside for someone else’s maw-maw and paw-paw. Check one thing off your “To-Do” list. Breathe deeply (as long as you have a mask on) and remember, don’t hoard the wine. I’m watching you….

At some point, I’m pretty sure that we’ll find this hilarious. Right? Hope to not see you next year and please, if someone knows where all the vegans went, let me know. I'm starting to get worried.

Ms. Trish

#covid_19 #humor #essay #quarentine #political humor

0 notes

briefbouquetcreatorlove-blog · 6 years

Text

best website to get multiple car insurance quotes

"best website to get multiple car insurance quotes

best website to get multiple car insurance quotes

BEST ANSWER: Try this site where you can compare quotes: : http://freeautoinsurance.xyz/index.html?src=tumblr

RELATED QUESTIONS:

""As a 20 year old male, how high can I expect my car insurance to be if I drive a 2001 Mustang GT?""

Hello, I'm 20 years old and just now starting to drive. I've always commuted with my bicycle and it's kept me in great shape, but with school and a full time job, I can't be every where on time! So now it's time to drive! So, I visited Geico's website for an insurance quote, and I received the following; Start Your Policy Today for $107.65 plus 5 monthly payments of only $106.75 each 6 month total policy premium: $611.40 Is that too much, or does that sound about right?""

""If I have an insurance plan that costs $900 a month, with a $50 co-pay, and $10000 deductable?""

how does that work when I go to the doctor? I just asked the same question, but I worded it all wrong, I think. So, I go to the doctor with strep throat and my co-pay is $50 and I have a $10000 deductable. How much will I actually pay? Logic tells me that with a deductable, like car insurance, I would pay for the entire office visit cost, since it would obviously be less than $10000. And a $25 co-pay for prescriptions! So, with that said, I would be paying a monthly payment of $900, the $50 co-pay, and the visit bill. I understand that insurance is for when really bad things happen, but geez. Is this really what people pay? We've been without insurance for 4 years and pay about $30 and office visit (by paying cash) and go to Publix and get $4 prescriptions. Please, someone expain this to me. Do you pay this expense simply because of the possibility of something bad happening?""

Can my parents add me to their car insurance?

My parents have Allstate car insurance. I have my own car registered in my name. I live with them. Can they add me to their car insurance?

""I'm turning 16, and wanting to buy a car. How much is the Car insurance?""

Well, i'm turning 16 and when i'm 16 i'm going to buy a car. I saved enough money to buy myself a mitsubishi lancer or Eclipse base model. I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada i want to know what is the cheapiest car insurance for me? on a monthly or yearly term.""

Car accident medical bills: Car insurance or health insurance?

I was in a car accident and went to an urgent care to get myself and son checked out. I used my health insurance to cover the medical costs. Is my car insurance supposed to reimburse my BCBS(Blue Cross Blue Sheild) health insurance? Or does my health insurance cover it? The car insurance company (progressive) totaled my vehicle and paid me $350 for our medical bills. Am I supposed to give that money to BCBS? I just dont want medical bills to come back to me later on down the road after settling. Also, what do I do if I am still in pain from whiplash? Should I go to a chiropractor, a doctor? Should I send Progressive the bill or use my BCBS? Any advice would be helpful.""

If i buy a new cbr 600 wat will my insurance cost? ?

im 19 and live in tx hoe much will i pay a yr? if its new or used wiill it make a differece>?

How much does accutane cost without insurance?

Im planning on possibly going on accutane by january if my skin doesnt clear up.... i will buy the cheapest generic accutane i can find, But how much will it cost for bloodwork, dermatologist visits, the pills, etc...etc... i herd it could be pricy but personally i dont care i just want to get rid of this 5 year long acne.....""

Where can I get free life insurance quotes?

I need a website that gives free life insurance quotes?

What is the most affordable insurance for an amateur athlete ?

Car Insurance Dilemma?

Hello everyone, I just purchased a new vehicle and gave the old one to my mother. She really needed a vehicle. I decided not to trade it in. The problem is that she can't afford insurance however, if I was to add her to my existing policy, she could afford it. This is the problem, she must be a resident at my house in order to be added. Would they find out if I added her? Would she have a hard time registering the car? Only knowledgeable answers please. Thanks""

Insurance totalling my car looks suspicious?

At this point I regret making a claim and wish i could turn back the clock. I am being forced into a box and it looks shady. Three weeks ago my 2005 Cadillac STS was involved in a parking lot flood where the water rose and filled the floors of my car by about 4 inches. All us neighbors had cleaning parties using a wet vac and baking and toweling are cars in the sun over the next few days letting our vehicles dry out. On my car everything works like a dream as it did before with the exception of a 'check stability control' notice that comes on when I start the car. I have been driving the car fine since the flood and decided maybe I should make a claim to fix this error that pops up on the dash when i start the car. From the time I dropped it off at the dealer it has been all negative. Right away the dealer was negative and telling me it's the end of the world with my car, everything is ruined and it will probably be a total loss. He got the adjuster for my insurance company out there and it looks like it will be put in to the total loss category. No i am just asking the insurance company to forget everything and drop the claim because the damage is not that extreme and i dont want to lose my car. I am told at this point it is too late. Is that true? My neighbors are floored by this, i have been driving it around for a few weeks just fine and the car still looks new With only 62000 miles on it. I can't help from thinking that something suspicious is going on here. Do they stand to make a nice profit by totalling my vehicle and then replacing one module for a 1000 or so and having a perfect car with all systems working? Also the lady from the claims office said the car had to be 80% damaged for it to be a total loss. I asked her if this was based on speculative problems that they think may occur in the future because of the water, or based on actual damage now? She said it had to be actual damage now but couldn't give me any details from the adjuster yet. Can I demand that the adjuster list everything that he thinks has been damaged to my car (which I am convinced he will have to be creative to do so)? The car as i said drives wonderful, I checked the fluids on my own (fine), and the car looks new. Do I have any recourse here? I just want the car fixed for the one problem, i dont want to lose the car, and at this point I don't even care about having insurance fix the one problem, but again I am told it is too late to go backwards and drop this entire issue. I almost have an inclination to report this because it looks so shady. No reasonable person would look at, and drive this car and consider it a total loss. What is the agenda of the insurance company and cadillac dealer here? Something smells foul with this situation.""

Why do hundreds of thousands die every year WITH health insurance?

Should we ban it? Isn't this the same argument as Dems use when they say 45,000 die with no health insurance? It's not because. In fact, there was a study done. Here are the results: The possibility that no one risks death by going without health insurance may be startling, but some research supports it. Richard Kronick of the University of California at San Diegos Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, an adviser to the Clinton administration, recently published the results of what may be the largest and most comprehensive analysis yet done of the effect of insurance on mortality. He used a sample of more than 600,000, and controlled not only for the standard factors, but for how long the subjects went without insurance, whether their disease was particularly amenable to early intervention, and even whether they lived in a mobile home. In test after test, he found no significantly elevated risk of death among the uninsured. See that? No elevated risk of death among the uninsured? Do some of you get that you're being played yet? I'd love to see reform, but should we concentrate on the common sense Republican solutions to bring down costs?""

My job does not have..Need health insurance?

looking for private health insurance, what are some companies that are affordable? lists of companies and info about them please. Thanks to all who answer =]""

How will the affordable healthcare act affect the unemployed?

I have a friend who is unemployed and living under my roof. They're not being claimed by anyone (over 21, not being claimed by parents or myself). They're not in school. They receive no income whatsoever. How will the Affordable Healthcare Act affect them? Will they still be required to get health insurance? I'm sure, legally, the answer is yes, but how will the government *know* they even exist?""

Why is car insurance to high in my area aged 23?

ive been passed for 4 years now - and when i first started driving i was paying 800 on a 1.6. now if i was to do a re-quote on the same car it comes out to 2800, which is stupid. now if i was to do a car insurance search say 3 miles away from my house the car insurance on a astra is only 1000 which is a big change, so why im being ripped off on car insurance.""

Affordable places for auto insurance?

I am looking into leasing a new car. I live in Grand Rapids, MI. What are some good companies that typically have affordable rates?""

Cheapest insurance in nj?

Just got a brand new Evo x gsr and they want me to pay 279 a month. That's way to much for me and I use progressive. What other car insurance is really cheap. Please help!!!

Florida car insurance hike?

I used to have Florida auto insurance about 6 months ago. Since then I moved but wanted to return to FL. Recent inquiry for an auto quote I notice the premium has increased doubled in FL. When did this happen? And what actually happened? Just curious. Thanks.

Car Insurance?

Ok, first does anyone know which states do not require car insurance? Second question is do you have to have full coverage on a financed car? No silliness here real answers.""

Boost Mobile Insurance?

I bought a galaxy prevail android phone, through boost mobile, about 1 1/2 months ago. at the time that I bought it, I did not purchase the insurance thinking that I'd get the money for that and get it later. Now I want to buy it, but when I went on their website I couldn't figure out how to do it and from how it looked, I could only get the insurance throughout a limited time after I bought my phone. So my question is; Can I get insurance on this phone right now or am I outta luck because I didn't get it earlier? ??? Please & thank yewws :)""

Is getting renter's insurance a good idea? How about with Balboa insurance?

I'm considering getting this but have no idea how renter's insurance works or anything.

I need CHEAP car insurance?

ima bout to be 18 in December ima get my license that day , i have a '93 Camry i need non-owners insurance what company should i join ? And where can i get cheap owner's insurance ?""

Average Car insurance in NY? I feel like I am being ripped off?

I understand age , tickets , and car type are all variables. I Have a 3 year old new car from 2010 *just a normal 4 door sedan* and the insurance seems VERY high... I am 22 years old and was curious to know what a good price is out there in the NY area""

How much would car insurance be?

I'm 17, but plan on registering and getting insurance in my name when I am 18. I'm a female, I live in Georgia and I'm just now getting my license. My car is a 96 Toyota Tercel. A piece of crap that runs, but she's my piece of crap :D help?""

""How much would insurance cost me for a $200,000 porsche as a teen?????? PLZZ HELP GUYS PLZ!!!!!!?""

Im planning to buy a $200,000 porsche drive away. Im going to get superior insurance (the best insurance) that covers my car fully. HOWEVER the problem is im a teen 19 year old and insurance rates appparently fly above the sky. HOW much will it cost insurance a year????????????????????? ?????????????????/""

universal life insurance quotes online

""Will my insurance go up, if my parked car was hit and not occupied?""

My Car was hit While parked and was not occupied (nobody was in the car) The car that hit my car, pulled out of the parking spot and was trying to hide. i went and filed a collission report against the driver. what will happen now, will my insurance rate go up? or will i be at 100% no fault. I know some insurance companies try to rip us off. plz help

Car Insurance Premium?

I buy a new car on 02nd January 2012 for Rs 7,00,000.00. I paid Rs. 15,000.00 as insurance premium to HDFC for one year. My car met an accident & I claim Rs. 50000.00 to insurance company & claim settled. My question is here, will my insurance premium will be more than Rs 15,000.00 next year or the insurance premium will be calculated as per the car market value in next year ?""

Insurance on a 1999 saab 9-5?

My dad says if I bought one the insurance rates would be extremely high even if we put him as the primary driver??? I'm 18 and irs either this or a 92 camaro will it be that expensive??

How much would it cost to insure these cars?

How much a year would it cost to insure a: 57 reg Renault Clio 1.1L and a 57 reg Vauxhall Corsa 1.1L I'm 18, female live off the main road and the car would be kept on a driveway, i live in a quiet little village in Derbyshire, the insurance groups for both are group 1. It will be used to drive to and from college each day so around 20 miles a day, no enhancements on the car, cars have done 17,000 miles, i have had my license for 1 month. Thanks.""

25 years old and buy life insurance?

Hi guys thanks for reading my problem. I am 22 years old, my husband just 25 years old. We've been married for six years, and has three children. His work on the site and my question is... 25 too early to look for to buy life insurance? If not, would you recommend any company? I extra novice, this will be our first look for life insurance for our family.""

Is motorcycle insurance less than car insurance?

Alright so I am 18 and I just purchased a 2001 GSXR 600 and some tell me that it will cost more to insure than a car..and some say less..I personally think it will cost less considering that a bike will cause much less damage than a car would. Please help me out and tell me about how much a month this bike will cost, thanks!""

Where can I find affordable health insurance with no waiting period for maternity coverage?

We're residents of Virginia, but use a doctor and hospital in North Carolina, and can't seem to find a thing. Doesn't need to pick it up as a pre-existing condition. Ehealthinsurance.com didn't find a thing for us. Any help is appreciated.""

Were do i get classic insurance for 91 calibra 4x4 turbo.?

What is good health insurance for me?

I'm 31, non smoker and in very good health. The only thing I worry about is paying a ton for an emergency visit or doctors visit. catastrophic insurance doesn't cover that stuff, does it? Is there an insurance policy that will cover both major hospital bills and the emergency room/doctor?""

Chevy camaro insurance?

How much is the chevy camaro insurance a month please answer asap it's important bc my daddy said it's time fa me to starting looking at cars so I can hv one my senior year

What is a good affordable health insurance policy/company?

I need health insurance but I can't afford most policies. My husband doesn't make a lot and the insurance he can get through his job is just too costly. Can anyone help?

Is it true that you MUST purchase health insurance?

So, President Obama says you MUST purchase health insurance or face fines by federal government. How do you feel about that? (Also, wondering how many actually care about their rights being trampled on by Obamacare.)""

Is it possible to get affordable car insurance?

How can I get affordable car insurance without really sacrificing the kind of coverage that I get? I just want to be able to pay less for my car insurance buy still get good quality.

Will my insurance go up if i get a traffic ticket for failing to stop at a stop sign?

what if i just pay the bill will my insurance go up? the thing is just this dec 6 2011 they added two new stop signs in a 4 way intersection before, if you were going north or south you didnt have to stop, and only the people going west and east had to stop its been several months since i passed by there and i just zoomed thru the stop sign and obviously violated the law. i bet im not the only one thats been stopped there im in california btw""

""Know any good, cheap restaurant insurance companies?""

My parents want to open up a restaurant, and so they need restaurant insurance. Would any of you happen to know any good, but cheap restaurant insurance companies? He's looking for a price around 2,600 to 2,800 dollars for the cost.""

Confused about insurance law in CA?

Hey guys, I obtained my license a couple weeks back but I do not have insurance, meaning I was not added to my parent's premiums yet and do not have my own as well. However, the car that I drive does have insurance on it. Just clarifying, but technically, it is illegal for me to drive as of right now correct? Or is it legal for me to drive as long as the car has insurance? Thanks!""

What is the average life insurance commission?

I know the amount can very significantly but I am just want to know what the average commission is. I've heard anywhere from $600 to $1000. But not if one is Term or whole life.

""Affordable, student health insurances!?""

can anyone suggest me any affordable health insurances for me? im 20, don't smoke or drink, have no chronic condition or what so ever, if this helps. Just to ballpark the price range; because i really need new glasses and a dental checkup, thanks so much!""

Car insurance question?

My car was involved in a hit and run, their insurance doesnt want to pay for the damage so can i sue them for the damages even if my insurance pays for it.""

How much will insurance be for a 19yr old with a 93 toyota tercel in NYC?

Im 19yrs old and i have my own job, im very responisble and independent. Im saving up for a 93 toyota tercel or honda civic, which will be in the 2000-3000 dollar range. The only problem is finding insurance that I can pay on my own. Unfortunately my mother will not put me on her insurance,so im looking for inexpensive auto insurers in which I can afford about 200-250 a month. Im not looking for full coverage,just whats whatever's needed in the state of new york. Im a very responsible young man and not at all into being reckless or showing off to people. I just want a chance to have my first safe and reliable car. Thank you""

Can Cancer patients have the life insurance? ?

Is it possible cancer patients getting life insurance...

""What to do, can't afford Automobile insurance 17 year old male.?

I'm 17 been driving since i was 15 i have quite a few tickets but no moving violations never once. only expired tags and stuff like that. i had insurance all when i was 16 in my name $130 a month. well i lost my job and all i moved out of my moms and on my own now and i got another job but that barely covers rent and food money. i went everywhere last few days and can't find insurance cheap. everyone tells me its $250 down and 200 a month. the cheapest i found it was $200 down and $160 a month im in Houston Tx and its a 94 mustang Gt im trying to insure. Seriously what do they expect me to do? im a 17 year old kid and they expect me to pay out the *** for insurance? how do they expect me to do that? what should i do? i got a 25 mile drive to work everyday what would u guys recommend me to do? all seriousness though i dont wanna get car impounded.

Life insurance?

has anyone every heard of national benefit life insurance company of ny ny? i got this letter from them in the mail and im a bit scheptical of it... lemme know so i dont pour all this money into it and end up with nothing kthanks xoxo

How much would insurance cost for a 98' 4x4 Z71 Extended Cab.?

I am 15. Been driving since like December. No tickets or wrecks. I have a 01' Silverado Extended Cab 2wd would it cost the same? Also we have safeway. I am on libiaty or w/e it is.

How much would car insurance be...?

My Bf and I are going to be moving in together within the next year, we are going to have only one care, (i think) and possibly two within the next 2 or 3 years. We'll be living in North Carolina. I just need an estimate as too how much car insurance for us would be? Thanks!""

universal life insurance quotes online

""Got rear ended and no car insurance. will the at faults insurance contact me, or should i contact them?

i have no insurance. i got rear ended today and my car is trashed. will the guys insurance company contact me? should i go to the police station and get a copy of the drivers info and contact their insurance? i dont want medical comp. i just want my car fixed.

I just got my permit... do i need insurance?

I just got my learners permit and my dad thinks that he has to add me to the insurance (geico) but a lot of people say I don't need my own insurance.

How Can a 17 Year old Teen Afford Car Insurance?

I am a 17 year old guy working on getting my first car. I was thinking possibly a 2000 Pontiac Sunfire, or a 2006 Saturn Ion. I had looked up a few quotes from Progressive and Esurance, and noticed that the semi-annual price was VERY high, way beyond anything my family could afford. I was wondering If anyone knew of a way that I could possibly afford this. Many of the quotes totaled at $800-$1000 per six months. This is outrageously high, and that was just insurance for an adult I had quoted. Adding a teen onto the insurance would be much more expensive. If anyone has any ideas on what I can do to cheat the system per say, or just find a nice and cheap affordable, reliable insurance company I'd be extremely grateful.""

I'm 18 and i'm looking for my first car i want a land rover 110 station wagon what is the cheapest deal?

i want to buy a new one with the cheapest insurance and tax how much would it be

Health insurance for a minor...?

I moving to California and on my own and I am 17, turning 18 in about 2 months, and I was wondering how much health insurance would cost me? and what would it cover?""

Are there any Insurance companies in the Philippines that have Mortgage Protection Insurance?

Any companies that have this certain type of insurance directed to people paying off a house or a property?

What Auto Insurance Company do you use and would recommend?

And have you ever heard of western general insurance company / Insure Express? They have a pretty good rate, but I've never heard of them before.""

Whats wrong with car insurance prices?

Hi, i sold my car ( MG ZS + 1.8 ) Quite a big car and high insurance group, i was paying 75 a month to insure it through kwick fit, i am now trying to insure a small 1.4 peugeot 206 but my quotes are comein out at about 200 per month!! how is this possible? i need to insure this car for my new job that starts next week but i cannot pay this much! i am a 21yr old male if that helps""

Inexspensive insurance for a first time under 21 car buyer?

I'm 18, plan on purchasing a car soon. Honestly, which car I purchase is based off my monthly insurance payment. Im young & back in November I recieved my first speeding ticket, I paid it instead of going to court.. Worst choice ever. Anyways, Does anybody know good cheap insurance for a driver like myself? Below are a list of cars that are on my list.. 1. 2004 BMW 745LI 2. 2002-2003 BMW M3 3. 2004-2005 Audi A8L 4. 2007 Jeep Wrangler (4-Door) Please help. Thanks!""

Estimate of car insurance for fiat 500c first time driver?

My first car is going to be a fiat 500c thats about 3 years old. I am 18 years old in the UK whats an estimate of price for the insurance for the year?

Car insurance for young men please advise.?

Hey I'm 20 nearly 21 been driving nearly 3 years with no accidents etc . No speeding no nothing , I want a faster car ( fiesta st) 150bhp car . I can afford the car with ease , will my insurence be un affordable ? I can't pay more than 2000 on insurance. Might I add I'm from the uk i""

Where to find discount on car Insurance?

Hello, I am too tight to pay to car insurance companies, looking for chear auto insurance but ofcourse good company who can take care of my car, some discount on insurance policy will be welcome.""

Pay As You Go Insurance! Where can I get it? Cheap Insurance!

Hey people Basicly im insured with Admiral under third party fire and theft. Im doing their 10 month insurance thing which equates to 1 years insurance after the time. I was insured with them last year the price was 1090, this year its gone up to 1250 (had an accident which was my fault). Im paying monthly which has increased it to 1550. Im paying about 150 a month. My question is, where can i get cheap insurance from? Preferbably Pay as You go type. Has anyone done PAYG insurance before?""

Which life insurance company is best in settling claims?

Which life insurance company is best in setting claims? I want to but a term insurance for 25 yrs. I am 35 now. Please suggest good plan and insurance comany. Is there any databse where we get more information of claim record.

Excluded driver totaled my new car. Does his property damage liability insurance pay for my car? Any advice?

Someone who was exluded from my car insurance drove my car yesterday and had an accident that was at his fault. He had only liability insurance with bodily damage, property damage and underinsured motorist protection. My insurance is not going to cover anything since he is an excluded driver. We live in TX, USA. Can my new wrecked car be considered as a property damage involved in that accident? The other vehicle and driver are OK, only small dent on the rear bumper, but my new car was totally destroyed, not driveable, my insurance refused even go to look and inspect. Schould I seek any legal help if his liability insurance refuses to pay? Is it possible to get any legal help in this situation? What to do and where to go? What to do with the car? It is still on the nearest to the accident parking lot. The property damage limit on his insurance is 25,000. I just bought my car few months ago for 20,000. Thank you for your time, I appreciate your help.""

Health & dental insurance?

who has the best health & dental insurance for a small business of less than 10 people?

About how much would liability insurance be for a lawn care business with 2 workers?

Any idea of what liability insurance would be monthly for a brand new business that mainly mows, weedeats, and blows trimmings/leaves? Only 2 guys working (partners) the yards and one secretary/accountant.""

Help me with car insurance quotes?

Ive been doing quite alot of online quotes with comparison websites lately and I have noticed some of the insurers with the cheapest prices have disappeared... is this because I have done this loads of times? Or am I blacklisted. Im just worried as my insurance this year was 2300 and I will not be able to afford that again! It is only this high due the age of being 19. And also I have tried to go onto elepahant, admiral and even diamond to do quotes on there websites but i got a message appear saying I had to ring them as they were unable to do a quote for me online""

Which insurance company or agent offers the cheapest auto insurance policies in Miami?

I need cheap non drivers insurance for cort in less than a week?

ware can i get it in st.louis missouri

What is the difference between whole and term life insurance? what is a unit?

How much is pilots insurance ?

First of all is there such a thing as pilots insurance, if so how much is average""

How much will insurance offer for a car I paid 3000 for 6 months ago?

Peugout 106 1.1 Bought for 3 grand 6 months ago although he got it down from 3500 from a reputable dealer. It is likely to be a total loss so how much do you think they will offer me for it?

Whats a good car with low insureance and good gas mileage!?

im looking for a car that had good gas mileage and low insureance. i was really looking into a jeep and trucks and some cars.. that looked sporty.. but i know sporty cars have high insureance.. im looking for somthing that will be a good first car..but im not sure...

Need custom car insurance information?

I have a custom car, and am looking for information on custom car insurance. Rates and also brokers that cover this.""

universal life insurance quotes online

Car insurance policy in new York?

When you get into a vehicle accident even though only one driver is at fault does both drivers insurance policy rate goes up?

California renters insurance?

I reside in california and i am going to rent an apartment. Is personal liability required in renters insurance or is it optional?

NO Car insurance! Will i get 6 points?

I was a named driver on my Dad's insurance, he had not paid one of the instalments for the insurance but did know! I was driving the car when i got pulled over. I did not no i had no insurance as i did not deal with the payments. Will i still get 6 points as i need my licence to get to university :(""

How much would all state car insurance cost per year for a 16 year old with a 2004 Pontiac GTO??? ?

Where can I compare legal malpractice insurance like car insurance quotes?

I am a new lawyer and need to get receive coverage. Any attorneys out there know how much I'll pay? Who has good rates?

Car Insurance help?!?!?!?

Im 16, im gonna take the 5 hour pre-licensing course this week and i was wondering if it lowers your car insurance like drivers ed does. thank you""

""I need cheap car insurance, which company would be best?

I'm a freshman in college getting a car and I have a tight budget. Please help.

In Pennsylvania do you need motorcycle insurance with just a learner's permit?

I am about to get my motorcycle permit in Pennsylvania and I was wondering if I needed to get insured to ride with just a permit.

What is the average insurance for a 17 year old female driver?

The car is going to be a 2003 Oldsmobile Alero. Going to have drivers ed and a the 5 hour driving course. Living in NYS. About how much would it be per month?

How much would car insurance be for a 1999 eclipse gs?

what would i be paying if i got a normal full coverage on this eclipse? and please no go to this link and get a free quote just give me an estimate, thanks""

What companies offer good Business Insurance?

We are a small production/post production company for film/TV/marketing and need business insurance. We are located in Sherman Oaks, CA. Would appreciate suggestions for which companies we should reach out to.""

Where to get a cheap auto insurance quote?

I just got a car and really need to get it insured so that I may drive it, I am in California btw. thanks.""

""Affordable Medical Insurance plan in Boston, Ma?""

Hi, My finance has not had Medical Insurance for the past year because it is so expensive!!!Doesn anyone know any agencies that provide Medical Insurance at an affordable cost..We've tried Free care already and we didnt gualify. Thank You""

What are the average costs on registering a new vehicle and buying a title & tag?

I'm thinking about buying a 2008 Honda Fit, and I've already recieved quotes from financing and insurance salespersons, but I still need to figure out the costs of the ...show more""

Who can give me the name of some good health insurance companies or health insurance assistance programs?

Please tell me your monthly payment, the company name, your deductible, whether it's an individual or family policy, and if a family policy, how many family members in the plan. This info will help me decide who has the most affordable insurance for my budget. I just got layed off and my $60/mo medical insurance will cost $900/mo to keep it going. Like how the helll am I supposed to pay $900/mo; that's $225/wk! They must be dammm crazy!""

How much does it cost for insurance?

Im turning 15 and im getting a ninja 250 but what company and how much? no negative awnsers plz

Will my auto insurance rates increase if I put a claim in for the theft of my keys?

My purse (along with car keys) was stolen a few weeks ago. I called Toyota to get an approximation as to how much it would cost to replace the keys (just over $350 for a remote and transmitter key). My mom (I'm still under my parent's insurance) contacted our insurance agency and they said they would cover it and our rates would not increase. I figured the car should be rekeyed too since the thieves had my address. I went to Toyota to get a written estimate - they were having trouble printing off a written estimate and wrote it on a card - rekeying would be just over $350 so keys+rekeying = just over $700. My mom sent my dad today to get it written on company letterhead, etc. and he came back with an over $2,000 estimate - it looks like they actually want to pull the locks out and replace a computer??? So my mom is saying we're not putting in a claim because our insurance rates will increase (even though no one has said they would increase) in the meantime I have to worry about my car being stolen (I have a club on it), people going into it, etc. So, typically, would one's auto insurance rates increase after putting in a claim for theft? Does it make a difference if it's $700 or $2,000? I would just figure the insurance company wants your car to be as safe as you do so you don't have to claim even more for a stolen car.""

Where can I get the cheapest car insurance?

I live in Toronto, Ontario Canada and I am looking to buy cheap car insurance. I have been driving for 30 years, any ideas, good websites, great companies? Your help is greatly appreicated.""

If your car gets stolen will insurance pay entire loan off?

if your car gets stolen will the insurance company pay the bank the entire balance of your loan off?

Is burial life insurance different from final expense life insurance?

My mom has been wanting to buy burial life insurance but is confused about the terms she sees online. She says she keeps seeing the term final expense life insurance on some of the websites. Can someone explain what the difference in these two terms is?

""I got a dui and i was told i need an sr-22, im already covered by geico insurance....?

ok im already covered but i want to know how much extra it will be a month having this sr-22 .. i know age a car varys ... im 19 but i do not know what car i would have yet but i juat want to know about how much so i can be prepared.

Does it cost more to get insurance for a motorcycle?

Will the price be even higher if its a new driver on a motorcycle?

Car auto insurance and person at fault wont pay.?

My sister was driving my car and was hit but the person at fault is refusing to pay. Filed a claim with both insurance companies . My insurance company refused to pay becuase my sister is not included in the policy and the other persons insurance company refuse to pay because they claim her insurance canceled because she moved out of state a couple of days prior to accident. Whoever was handling my claim refused to help at all since My sister was not included in the policy. What do I do? The other driver admitted it was her fault and I believe it is in the claim letter i received.

Wht car insurance is better for full coverage and cheaper..... ?

car insurance help....

No proof of insurance question?

So i made a mistake. I was stopped last night and cited by a law enforcement officer for no proof of insurance. I had an idea that my insurance was no longer valid due to it overdrafting from my account when i had no money. so i contacted the insurance company and now they will NOT re-instate the insurance policy due to the fact that i have had two bad overdrafts with them. I completly understand, and like i told the officer, this is my fault...i was poor..... anyways. Now i hear that the fine is 400.00 to start, i am willing to pay as i did not take the time to ensure insurance was active on the vehicle and that the overdraft was taken care of. However now i am hearing im going to loose my license...... So i was told by the driver license department that if i go out now and get an SR22 qualifying insurance plan with a different company, that when i walk into the justice court payment window, they will not take away my license from me? however justice court states that my license will get taken away and i have to bring the proof of insurance to the DMV............and get my license back. Please note i have a california license in the state of utah..... please help? what can i do to fix this? i will pay the fine, as i did the crime wether i was for-sure or not....but i need my license, i just moved and am living in a place wityh no friends, and a new job... PS sorry for mispelling and typing this is on blackberry.""

universal life insurance quotes online

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/erwin-south-dakota-cheap-car-insurance-quotes-zip-57233-lisa-lowman/"

0 notes

pastordorry-blog · 6 years

Text

Enunciating The Annunciation

“The Annunciation”

Advent Week 2

Luke 1:26-38

December 10, 2017

I realized last night that I never gave Kathy a sermon title for today. I had planned on calling it "The Annunciation" because I love that word. But it just slipped my mind to tell her. I failed to enunciate the annunciation!

Good thing we can always count on the angel Gabriel to be at the top of his game! When I picture this scene in my mind, of the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary to give her this astounding news, Gabriel is rock solid. He speaks very clearly and with great confidence. In my mind's eye, the angel Gabriel looks and sounds rather like our own Oliver, whose bass voice helps give our choir such a solid foundation. Can you picture that, too? I can hear the groans coming from the choir...there will be no living with Oliver in choir rehearsal now that his voice has been compared to the angel Gabriel's!

But since we know the angel Gabriel is not a human man, to be fair, the angel could also be pictured as a woman. In that case, I think of Lexi, our seminary intern who preached last week. Didn't she do a good job? Her voice and message are strong, direct, and concise. Very Gabriel-like in my opinion.

I think it's good to use our imaginations with this story. Actually, people have been imaging this scene in their minds' eye for two thousand years. When we were in Israel, we got to go to The Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth. It is a new church, built in 1969, but it is built on a site that has been marked as significant since the very first days of Christianity. It is built on the site of what scholars are quite certain was Mary's home, the very place where this story happened! There is a large plaza around the church featuring art from every country you can think of, a huge variety of styles and colors, but every single piece depicts the same scene: the angel Gabriel coming to Mary and telling her she is going to bear God's son into the world.

I liked looking at the art, but for some reason, I can't sink my teeth in to this story unless I picture it with people I know, people I can relate to. So for Gabriel, I like Oliver or Lexi. And for Mary? Actually, my picture of Mary has changed since our trip in November. Not because of the art, but because of the trip in general. The Holy Land is not the home of the meek and mild. It is a hostile landscape, and water is a constant issue. Living there is not for sissies! And the people, they are assertive. They are passionate. In the past I always pictured Mary as gentle and soft, maybe even prissy and submissive. But now when I think of Mary, now I picture an older member of our church named Margaret, queen of the church kitchen. She has servant's heart. But she is not victims. She will not be pushed around. She can hold their own against any number of adversaries! That is the kind of woman I think God chose to bear God's son into the world.

Thinking about this scene using people I know helps make it more real for me. And REAL, that's important. If we want real cheese on our frozen pizza, we certainly want real in our theology. Doesn't it seem rather fanciful, an angel appearing to a young girl and telling her she is going to have a baby even though biologically that would be impossible for her? As far-fetched, or even as made up, as it might sound, the Annunciation forms the foundation of our faith, doesn't it? Our faith is based on the belief that somehow, mysteriously, God, in God's time and God's way, came to earth from heaven. That is big news!

And clearly it isn't news that is the fifteen minutes of fame kind of news. When we were in The Basilica of the Annunciation, from the main floor of the church we walked down a ramp and stairs to a grotto, and you can see the inside walls of Mary's family home. Scholars believe this was Mary's home because Christians were making pilgrimages to this place very early on, and there are remnants of the "Hail Mary" prayer graffitied on the outside of her ancient home. Mary's home became a house church almost immediately after the resurrection. Being there was a very powerful experience. It is the closest thing I have ever experienced to physical proof of our beliefs that Jesus is God in the flesh, born to a mother and raised like every other child--and yet somehow different from every other person who ever lived.

Clearly Mary knew that, too. Her faith had to be strong to carry her from Nazareth, where she lived, to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. Let me tell you, Nazareth and Bethlehem are not close! It's about 80 miles. It took us about two hours on a bus. Imagine that on a donkey. Just for comparison, it's about 90 miles from Newtown to Atlantic City, NJ. This is another reason I think Mary was made from hardy stock. She would go on to make many other demanding journeys in her life, including returning to Nazareth after being with Jesus in Jerusalem when he was crucified.

Through all the ups and downs of being the mother of our Lord, Mary developed a rock-solid faith that formed a lasting bedrock for Christian worship through all these years. The Magnificat, which we read earlier in the service, continues to inspire and challenge us to see the difference Jesus' coming can make for all people. The coming of Jesus took her from a life of survival, to a life of significance. Jesus turned everything in her world completely upside down. Her song of praise is not just about what God has done for her. It is a song about what God does for the whole human race.

Yesterday morning, Phil and Wes went out and got us a Christmas tree. It looks so nice! But boy do Christmas trees take up a lot of room. They never look nearly as big on the lot as they do once you get them inside. This year I heard of a unique solution to this problem: upside down Christmas trees. Have you seen them? Apparently they sell five different models of artificial upside down Christmas trees at Home Depot alone! You can get them from a bunch of retailers. People like them because they save space. The skinny end is near the floor, which allows more room for presents or furniture or just your feet! If space if really an issue, you can hang your tree upside down from your ceiling! That way you don't lose any floor space at all to the Christmas tree!

I'm not sure Mike Daney would go for us turning our Christmas trees upside down in the sanctuary, but if we did, it would only be to drive home an important point. The Annunciation--the angel Gabriel's words to Mary--turns her world upside down. And those words have turned the whole world upside down. Mary had within her the movement of God who would bring rulers down from their thrones and lift up the humble. She was mothering the baby who would fill the hungry with good things but send the rich empty away. By creating space inside of her for Jesus, she was creating space upon which God's kingdom could come. She was making room for more hope, joy, peace and love in the world. She was nurturing the God who would take her, and all people, out of survival mode, and give them a life of significance. What do you think: should we try upside down Christmas trees next year?

Well, they say there's a first time for everything. On Friday I did something I've never done before: I was a guest on a radio show. At least, I thought it was going to be a radio show. Turns out it was a TV show! Nancy McCarthy, who is a member of our publicity committee, has a friend named Dawn who tapes a show every Friday morning about financial planning. But this week, Dawn wanted to focus on something different, something about the holidays and caring for your spirit during what can be a stressful time. She asked Nancy for suggestions, who might be willing to come and talk about that, and Nancy thought of me. When she called to ask me, I figured I ought to be able to answer that question, how to care for your soul around the holidays, so I said yes because, it's only radio! I could look at my notes the whole time, who would know?

Surprise! Using notes was out of the question. There was not just one but TWO television cameras right there the whole time. I am sure my face was bright red. I have no idea if anything I said made any sense whatsover. The whole thing is basically a blur. Except for one part. Toward the end, the host, Dawn, asked me, "If someone wants to get closer to God, what can they do?"

It was a secular video production, I had agreed to come on the show knowing I would be speaking to people of various faiths. So I did not say, "Well, personally, I think you should get to know Jesus!" Instead I talked briefly about spiritual pathways, pathways that are common to various religions, such as silence and meditation; getting out into creation; serving others; and using your intellect, studying as a way to get closer to God. I think all of those are valid answers, and there are others as well--using your creativity, for instance, or attending worship.

But that question has stuck with me, because I do not feel I have answered it satisfactorily. How can we get closer to God? Isn't that what Advent is all about? Our scripture lesson today is speaking to me, and I think maybe a good step, if we want to get closer to God, would be to learn to enunciate the annunciation! When you think about it, the story of Jesus coming into the world through a regular person like Mary, it turns everything upside down! Jesus' coming to earth makes the ordinary extraordinary. It makes the physical world sacred. It takes being a person to a whole new level. Jesus called this level friendship. Friendship with God. The ability to participate in the divine. All of us have equal capacity to hold within us the presence of God. And so all of us, we can move from survival mode to a life of significance, a life lived in companionship with God.

There are a variety of spiritual pathways, a host of spiritual disciplines, many "means of grace" as John Wesley called them. But if you want to get closer to God, try being a Gabriel. Find some way to tell someone the good news of God's love. Find some way to tell someone the good news that God is with us. Find some way to tell someone, you don't have to be perfect, or good, or even okay. Maybe you'll use words, maybe you won't, but find your own way to enunciate the annunciation. Let people know that if they want God to come into their heart, God is honored to be invited. There is no place God would rather be.

Try being Gabriel on for size, and see what happens. If your experience is anything like my radio slash video experience on Friday, you'll be scared and flushed and question yourself afterwards, why didn't I say this or why did I say that? But you will also experience a deep sense of satisfaction for having offered yourself as a servant and friend. Because the truth is, all of us can be Mary. Every single person in the world was designed in the image of God, designed to house God's very presence within them. There is no one in the world who Jesus would reject as his very own dwelling place. And all of us can be a Gabriel, and share that good news with the world.

We tend to think of God as up there, up in heaven, up above us. Or maybe we think of God as being far beyond us. But Gabriel's news to Mary was good news not just to her, but to all of us! The Lord is with us. The Lord is in us. Use your imagination, and find your own way to enunciate the annunciation. Amen.

,�d�x�

0 notes