Like most people, I was in denial. I’ve been wrong about most things regarding this pandemic. Let’s hope I’m not wrong in my current predictions:
School will resume in Los Angeles by mid-April
Vaccines will ramp up to the point that by May anyone can have access
By the summer our numbers will be very low but not low enough to allow crowded indoor gatherings, and we’ll still need masks (which will enrage many people)
The virus will not disappear. We’ll have a small resurgence next winter among un-vaccinated people in little pockets around the country and around the world, some schools may close, but for most of us, life will be normal
I don’t expect the variants to throw us completely off course, but they will slow down recovery. We’ll see slowing of numbers dropping and spikes here and there as we race to get people vaccinated ahead of mutations
That’s what I expect to happen over the next year. I hope that, unlike last time, I’m right.
Teachers in LA can get vaccines starting today. Bobby’s teacher is absent. I hope it’s because she’s getting her vaccine.
Can I tell you my dream without fear of judgment? Ok, here it is. I went down a rabbit hole this weekend, one that’s recurred many times in my life. It’s the concept of buying land. Since I’ve been so in love with the California desert, my dream is to buy a big plot in the Twentynine Palms area (Joshua Tree, Yucca Valley, Wonder Valley), preferably with a derelict homestead cabin on it, and make it my “bug out” place. I want at least five acres - preferably 10 or 20, and preferably up against BLM land so I can be guaranteed isolation (ie, I want to run around naked). I would like water access, but honestly I don’t need any utilities - I would prefer to be entirely off grid. Water is complicated out there - many plots (although not all) do not have access to city water, and I’m not sure if you can drill wells (conflicting information about this) or have a tank on your property. Electricity is easy - solar all the way. And I don’t need gas. So that’s pretty much it. Rehabbing a broken down shed will cost some $$ - but it shouldn’t be that much if it’s just a one-room shack with no plumbing or electric - it’s basically just salvaging the structure as best you can, fortifying the roof, insulation, doors and windows, walls. A few thousand. And I wouldn’t do that now; that part can wait. There are several properties online that meet this criteria, and that I could plunk down cash for. Should I be doing this now? Probably not. But I feel strongly compelled to make this investment. If I decide not to do it now, it’s definitely on the to do later list. The idea of having a serene, isolated place to escape to is very much on my mind. The first place we went in Joshua Tree is my model for what’s possible - one room shack, nicely appointed, with an outdoor kitchen, shower, and bathroom. I could easily and cheaply create all those things, even with no running water. I have not told the BF about this. I know he’ll think I’m crazy (he’s always highly skeptical about everything and is the first to point out everything that could go wrong) and I don’t want anyone dampening my enthusiasm. I may tell him before we go to JT in two weeks, though, since that’ll be the perfect opportunity to look at some properties. For now, I get to plan and fantasize, which is the best part. Inspiration is the enemy of depression.
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