Pen-pricks
• USA Today reported on the thousands of virtual graduation ceremonies in coming weeks over Zoom. It’s sad. If graduation ceremonies cannot be held in a gym or a football field, perhaps the grads can walk through a Home Depot, a WalMart or a Lowe’s, and be announced over the speaker.
• The Weather Channel reported violent storms off the Indian Ocean ravaging the subcontinent this past week. High winds and flooding caused extensive damage to the economy. A cyclone laid waste to a big swath of northeast India, leaving three hundred million Americans without tech support.
• Foreigner will launch its Juke Box Heroes tour with a rock concert in Albuquerque this July and will play their greatest hits. Talk about irony. All fans who attend the show are being warned that their temperatures will be taken at the door, and if they are HotBlooded they will be denied entry.
Argus Hamilton is the host comedian at The Comedy Store in Hollywood and a speaker. His email address is argus@argushamilton.com.
OK. So going to a local grocery store today, we came across a lovely family shopping. The four kids were touching everything in the produce and cookie aisles, the parents wandering leisurely through the store.
Of course, while many people were wearing masks, these people were not. I was accused of being ‘unconstitutional’ in asking people to wear masks, and even making over 17 dozen for the assisted living, hospital and now more for the law enforcement units.
Why is it these people, clearly not practicing social distancing, cannot see it’s a safety feature to put on a mask? They are endangering everyone around them if they might be carrying the virus undetected.
Worse, the store isn’t counting the number of people entering, or even trying to provide for social distancing other than waiting to check out. If someone walked in without a shirt or shoes, would they be asked to leave? Yet, with this pandemic, nothing is required or enforced? So many restaurants and other stores are on top of this. People were blocked from coming into one local store as it was simply too many at one time. People are admitted as to the capacity level at any given time.
As I said before, I make masks. Need one? Contact me. Some people did, but perhaps I am asking for too much. I think stores should simply give people the option of taking a mask when they arrive, and count the number of people shopping at any time. Isn’t our safety and health important? Or are we just simply going back to ‘normal’ willy-nilly?
I would like to try to help those who are turning to drugs, or alcohol, to help ease the depression that the virus has brought to their world. Trying to cope in these trying times is very difficult, which is understandable, especially if your livelihood has been shut down. Trying to cope with no job to go to, no paycheck, not enough groceries. Crying kids, or sadly a crying wife, or a very depressed husband. So much sickness.
The pressure, building more, and more each day. More arguing. Things are getting out of hand.
It’s hard to cope with this anymore. Well, let me introduce myself. Let’s get this AA meeting started. “Hello, my name is Fred, I’m an alcoholic, I’ve been sober 17 years today.” Tell us how you did it? “With the help of the Lord, and one day at a time.” If you think coping with all this is depressing, and out of control, wait till you try it drunk/high.
This is not the end of the world.
It’s always dark before the sun comes up. Someone “needs you” to be brave. Someone strong to lead the way. Some of those someones are way too young to be without you. Having that first drink, or hit, first thing in the morning, is not the answer. Even if you’re not a parent. Do someone you love a favor. If you can go an hour without getting high/ drunk, then you can go two. Make it to noon. Go to bed straight.
Having a hard time with it? Ask the Lord for a hand. Remember, Jesus loves you. When Jesus was on the cross, “you” were on his mind. Try this. This is the prayer I learned when my life was a shambles and lost everything. I was lost. The Serenity Prayer, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference”. There are others who love you besides Jesus. You, I, and we, will get through this. The Lord has a plan. Be brave little buckaroo. One day at a time...