Rant #2,364: Stand or Fall

The coronavirus situation we are going through is not likely to make sick as many people as some think it will, but it is truly making just about everybody depressed.

Like I said yesterday, "manic depression."

And I also said that "fear itself" is the one thing that we must protect ourselves from, as the true concerns get mixed in with ultra-panic.

We will survive this, but we are going to have to put EVERYTHING WE DO on hold for at least a few weeks, if not a few months.

Broadway is shut down, other venues have canceled or postponed concerts--one concert my family and I were going to attend this weekend at the NYCB Westbury, Long Island, venue has been postponed until July--and sporting events of just about every kind have been postponed, canceled, or who knows what.

Vacations of every shape and form have been upended, and both Presidential and State Department edits are with suggesting curtailing certain trips abroad or outwardly banning trips off the U.S. mainland, which makes the cruise industry, for one, a completely moot point.

Major League Baseball is not only our national pastime, it is the sport that we use to soothe our soul. During 9-11, baseball shut itself down for a few days so we could all recharge our batteries, and when it came back, it was more than a Band-Aid for our collective hurt, it served as a cure for what was ailing us as a nation.

Of course, the current situation is much, much different, and with MLB basically closing its spring training and closing its doors until at least April 9, we don't even have that sport to make us feel good, and that date is only something to reach for, and is not set in stone.

My prediction is that by the end of April--let's say my birthday on April 28--the hysteria, real or imagined, will be lessened or gone entirely. We will know more than we do now about this virus, and while we certainly won't have a vaccine by that date, I do believe that the world will calm down, see the reality of the situation--what I have read is that clearly for about 90-some-odd percent of us, getting the affliction is much like getting a bad case of the flu, with recovery time, like the flu, anywhere from a week to two weeks or so--and almost demand that things get back to normal.

So, using my birthday as a linch post just because I can, I think we should be prepared for at least a month and a half--six weeks--of just doing what we are supposed to be doing--working, doing food shopping, enjoying as much as possible the Easter and Passover holidays--but using our homes as real home bases for whatever down time we have.

Go to work, go home. That is what we, and people around the world, are going to have to accept as the new life mindset.

On a personal basis, the worst thing that really has happened as far as the precautions being taken to hold off this virus is that my son's athletic/social events have been canceled until further notice.

This means that his Friday night basketball and Saturday afternoon bowling have been put on hold indefinitely, which is really hard on him and really hard on me, too.

He really enjoyed his participation, the fun he had with people in the same situation as he was, and that is all gone now, at least for the time being.

For me, taking him to these events made me forget about my own problems for a few hours each week, and I will miss seeing him have some fun on the court and on the lanes.

And as for me, if I thought I was going through a living hell trying to find a job when things were where they used to be, well, I pretty much think that the next few weeks are going to be completely impossible, for lack of a better word.

Who is going to hire anyone now, because the "unknown" factor is there in any new hire that a company might make?

I understand this. You don't know who you are going to hire, who you are going to bring into your petri dish of an office, so why bother? And so many companies are going to go to extreme measures to keep themselves solvent now that I can't see too much hiring going on, what with budgets certain to be slashed and companies being on red alert for anything out of the ordinary.

And that Long Island Ducks job I went for the other day? Fuggedaboudit.

If MLB is on hold, these lesser leagues might not get their own acts together for many months, if that short of a time.

Our vacation, which we planned and took care of way before this current situation--and my own current work situation--is completely on hold now. We don't know much of anything, although we do believe that we will be accommodated--or at least we hope we will.

In fact, the decision won't be ours to cancel, it will be made by other forces ... and we hope we can get our money back. So far, no word on that, which kind of riles me.

Back to the general situation, I guess we are now really a world population, because no matter where we come from or who we are, we are going to be greatly impacted by this virus.

I almost thought it was funny--almost, but not quite--when I read yesterday that people were absolutely aghast that Tom Hanks and his wife were unfortunately tainted with the disease themselves.

I wasn't amused at the fact that they got it--I wish both of them the best, and I hope for a speedy recovery--but that some people actually had the audacity to say things like, "How could Tom Hanks get this disease?"

I don't know, the last time I looked, he put his pants on the same way I do, so sure, he IS a world famous actor, but hey, first and foremost, he is no different than you or me.

He is a human being, the disease is in the air, and he and his wife got it.

What is so hard to fathom? Do people really believe his being famous protects him from all of this?

We should know better, if for nothing else how much the AIDS crisis got to everyone from the most popular actors and athletes to the people who live on your street.

Yes, my fellow human beings can be pretty stupid at times, and yes, they can over-panic, as they are going now, but whatever the case, I firmly predict that by the end of April, we will be so bored being good little boys and girls that this panic will dissipate while the vigilance will not.

Keep clean, keep your areas clean, watch for any illnesses to yourself or in others around you, and we will all--and I mean everyone around the world--will get through this.

And to boot, I am saying all of this in a Friday the 13th Rant!

How things work out at times.

Stay safe, and I will speak to you again on Monday.

Try to have a good weekend ... but the next few weekends are going to be really, really difficult for us all.