The View from the Hermitage, Day 86

Early morning highlight: The 1970s channel on DirecTV this morning followed Carly Simon's "That's the Was I Always Heard It Should Be" with Mac Davis's "Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me." It was probably unintentional, but it did engender some interesting thoughts given the lyrics of the two songs.

On the coronavirus side, the governor today laid out the plan for K-12 schools; the one for higher education will come on Thursday. State government must like the three-phase approach to opening, because schools have to go through their own three phases. After hearing just a summary of what will be involved, I can say for certain that I would not want to be on a school board or working in the central office of a school division at this time. Divisions (or private schools) will have to submit detailed plans of how they will manage each phase. One of the central points is the maintenance of social distancing. Desks must be six feet apart. Kids on buses must be six feet apart. Kids are supposed to be kept in the same group as much as possible. Forget the cafeteria--kids will eat in a classroom. Schools will have to stagger kids, maybe having them come every other day. It seems as if it will be much easier to implement everything for the elementary grades, but less so for middle and high school. Thursday's briefing will include the state plan for colleges and universities. I told the husband we could watch it together.

The WHO kept things interesting by announcing that there was very little virus transmission from asymptomatic people, that the real contagion came from folks incubating the virus before their symptoms appear. Not too much later, WHO announced they had misinterpreted the question and there was virus transmission from asymptomatic people. There is so much we're still learning about the virus, its transmission, its effects, that it would not have surprised me to hear that early models had been incorrect about asymptomatic transmission. So many things seem to change from day to day.

Protests continue but are becoming more peaceful. Are protestors tired of violence, or are they realizing it doesn't get them anywhere. "Defund the police" is the new mantra, though it's not clear exactly what defunding the police would involve. Will they have to hold bake sales or car washes or  stand in the median with large boots as firemen sometimes do? That would actually be somewhat humorous in a demented sort of way. There used to be a button or magnet to the effect that it would be nice if schools got the funding they needed, and the branches of the military had to hold bake sales. Only in our dreams, I'm afraid.

It's Beginning to Sound a Lot Like Christmas

I love Christmas music and have been known to make it the soundtrack of my day even in the depths of summer. I especially love the carols, by which I mean the religious rather than secular pieces. It seems hard these days, though, to find a radio station playing the day away with carols or, for that matter, secular songs. Perhaps I just have the wrong stations "buttoned" on my car radio.

The physical therapy assistant who runs me through shoulder exercises twice a week asked what my favorite Christmas song is. For carols, it has to be "Silent Night" especially when sung in what I imagine the original manner was, by a solo singer to minimal accompaniment such as just a guitar. The large-scale choral or orchestral versions don't do it for me. I prefer simplicity.

Thinking about a favorite of course led to thoughts of a least favorite. I'm not sure I have one of those when it comes to carols, though there are some that do much less for me that others. I have never, for example, warmed up to "Good King Wenceslas." "Ding Dong Merrily On High" doesn't do much for me either.

When it comes to the secular side, it is safe to say that my favorite song can change from year to year. For the past couple of years, it has been "I'll Be Home for Christmas," but one specific version, the one on Josh Groban's Noel. Before, after, and during the song are clips of deployed soldiers or their families talking about their wishes for the season. Hearing those adds so much meaning to the lyrics. Oh that they all could be home for Christmas and not just in their dreams.

And if I have a favorite secular song, where to begin with the least favorite? Does anyone like "Grandma Got Run over by a Reindeer"? Or "Jingle Bell Rock"? Or the current version of "Winter Wonderland" in which the snowman built in the meadow is no longer Parson Brown but a circus clown? Really? It's not politically correct to have Pastor Brown marry them while he's in town? Give me a carol or Josh, please.

Now where's my iPod?