As far as I know, nobody on TV, radio or print has made mention of what could be an everyday viral menace:
THE HAIRCUT
Think about it. The typical haircutter touches about a dozen heads a day. All it takes is one infected haircutter to infect dozens of customers. And given the exponential nature of this pathogen, thousands and thousands can get ill or perish at the hands of a few infected haircutters, I hate to take away the livelihood of one category of worker; but it’s preferable to taking away the lives of untold number of humans.
The solution? Order a home haircut kit from someplace like Amazon. Then Stay Home.
Sports closed. Schools closed. Libraries closed. Restaurants closed. The whole world is closed!
One place that is empty is your local grocery store. You would think they would be jammed packed…and you’d be right. However, it’s easy to maneuver your way through the store because everyone is in one aisle. Everyone is in the toilet paper aisle.
It really is strange. I would understand if people were loading up on milk and bread. Bottled water would also be a good thing to have in an emergency. How about frozen dinners…something you could stick in the microwave. But toilet paper? I don’t get it…or at least I didn’t when I heard about the tp hoarding. But I think I came up with the reason for the run on paper…maybe.
Most have us have never seen anything like what is going on now. Sure, schools have been closed for weather related issues, but only for a couple of days. Then we go back to normal. Same thing with restaurants. The only time I remember the sports world being shut down is after 9/11. Never has everything been closed at the same time for an undetermined amount of time.
The early estimates on the timing for this was two weeks to a month. That now seems to be on the low end. Kansas has closed their schools for the year. California may be following their lead. The Kentucky Derby and The French Open tennis tournament have moved their dates from May to September. All this is disconcerting.
People are scared. People are anxious. The unknown makes us have those feelings. We need something we can hang on to. We need something we can control. We need something that we know will be there when the days get bad.
Hence…TOILET PAPER!?
You wouldn’t think that a roll of toilet paper would make someone feel better and secure, but in desperate times, we take what we can get.
Honestly, no one needs to get fifty rolls of toilet paper unless you have a family of ten, but if getting a case of toilet paper makes someone feel safe, it’s okay with me. I’m not going to condemn anyone for that. But, don’t come back day after day after day. Safe and secure…cool. Taking more than your fair share…not cool. Show some compassion for your fellow man who also needs to feel a little less anxious.
So, I’ll see you at the grocery store. But, I won’t see you in the toilet paper aisle. I’m good for now. However, who knows about tomorrow or next week. I may be a tp hoarder and just don’t know it yet.
My so called friends think it’s time to edit this section. After four years, they may be right, but don’t tell them that. I’ll deny it until they die!
I can’t believe I’ve been writing this blog for four years.
It started as a health/wellness thing and over the years has morphed to include so many things that I don’t know how to describe it anymore.
I really thought this was going to be the final year of the blog but then Donald Trump came along. It looks like we’re good for four more years..God help us all!
Oh yeah…the biographical stuff. I’m not 60 anymore. The rest you can read about in the blog.
Internal Spiritual Knowledge being discovered by Individuals. Psychic Medium Edward Shanahan discusses it.
What I am seeing is terrific. I have been explaining during my psychic readings, what internal spiritual knowledge is if I have seen during the palm readings that the person has internal spiritual knowledge.
The Internal Spiritual Knowledge is due to the individual being an old soul.
Yes, many of the private readings I do, along with psychic house parties, often the discussions goes to one’s faith and beliefs.
I enjoy hearing about other individual’s faith along with their beliefs tied into their religion. Pagan is a wonderful belief to follow, and I enjoy listening to the details and beliefs related to it.
Many individuals I have done readings for are Christians and or Catholics. I also fall under the Catholic umbrella. When I was much younger, I always felt and then have come to know that there is something Magical (Magick) to the faith, from the Catholic Bible (is different compared to King James) to the Mass and other rituals performed.
Below I have included a couple verses from the bible. You will see in 1 Corinthians 12, what I call the promised powers for us.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 [a]bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 12 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The Use of Spiritual Gifts Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith [d]by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of [e]healing [f]by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the [g]effecting of [h]miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the [i]distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
Yes, it seems there are promised spiritual powers, as stated above. Word of Wisdom, Knowledge, and Faith (internal spiritual knowledge). Then there are the gifts of Healing, Effecting of Miracles, Prophecy, Distinguishing of Spirits, Various kinds of Tongues and the Interpretation of Tongues.
My belief is that many people are going deeper in their gaining of spiritual knowledge just by what I see is starting to grow on social media. It is out to find so to gain the knowledge and yet there are those with Internal Spiritual Knowledge, meaning it comes naturally. In many cases, it is a self-discovery by way of discussions with others as the person starts stating knowledge that can be found in the scriptures.
What has started to appear on the Internet are things like Catholic Craft, Catholic Witches, and books like Magical Secrets of the Palms, Magic Spells of the Bible and others.
Internal Spiritual Knowledge is there. If you are drawn to it in the form I mention here, then go with the pull to it.
Yes, Miracles happen. Yes, Healings happen. Yes, Prophecy happens. Yes, the Distinguishing of Spirits happens (seances and spirit feelers).
From one who knows and has experienced it to the point that I have no question that it does exist; as I am one who is an Old Soul.
Your Chicago Psychic Medium and Spiritualist wishing you blessings,
Edward Shanahan
Visit Edward Shanahan’s Psychic Medium website and awarded Best Chicago Psychic at: Edward Shanahan’s website. Private Readings, House Party/Gatherings, Spirit Communications information at the website.
Spiritual Observer – Psychic Reader – Paranormal Host. Edward Shanahan has been written about in four paranormal books. Providing Chicago Paranormal Nights to explore and experience the paranormal at haunted historic locations.
Chicago Paranormal Nights
Public and Private Chicago Paranormal Nights to explore haunted locations with Edward Shanahan and each night ends with a seance.
The restaurants and bars are observing the first day of being closed to dine-in and drink-in patrons. You can still get your favorite dish from most restaurants and scurry home and wash your hands for ten minutes, singing “Southside Irish” to yourself, but the days of dropping in on your favorite tavern, sitting at the bar, and having a drink while you wait for your meal are over for a few weeks. And as far as I know, there are no bars with a curbside pick-up of Jamison.
The not-so-surprising surprise, I fear, is that restaurants and bars are going to be closed for a few months, at least, based on what is happening in France and Spain and Italy and China. I hope I’m wrong and that some compromise of social distancing can be reached or there is going to be a restaurant desert everywhere.
Illinois governor, JB Pritzker, announced the first death in Illinois, a Chicago woman in her 60’s with “underlying conditions”. How long will it be before we just get the numbers and no qualifiers as to health? I’d say about five days from now.
I took two walks today, one early in the morning and one after I finished what work I could while working from home. I work in travel and tourism, so my clients — travel agents– are slammed right now trying to rebook clients and assure them that Covid-19 will end the world will still be here and they will need a break after all this. They don’t have time to talk to me.
In an earlier post, I had conceived the idea of walking in cemeteries to avoid living people, but I’m waiting to put that plan into effect, so I found a deserted trail in the forest preserves, all the while watching my gas needle go to E and wondering how soon it will be before I have no work and no money. The second walk was at a park, which was virtually empty, but I walked the parameter of it anyway. Social distancing to the extreme. I could look in the distance and see a hospital. I wondered about the storm that is soon to hit there.
Meanwhile, President Trump promised to have a check in the mail to me for one thousand dollars. He might as well keep it. Save the postage. When I file my taxes it’s going right back to him. I’ll look for it in the mail, delivered by a now gloved postal lady. My mail has been in my box for a week now.
It feels like September 11 every day. The shocks keep coming, the news changes every hour. The various Death-O-Meters click off the infected, the sick, and the dead.
We wait for the invisible enemy. Not to bomb us or crash airplanes into buildings, but to invade and terrorize our most sacred possession, our bodies.
Yes, I LOVED TV Dinners. I’m sure they have every chemical known to man — and some that weren’t, but they were square and cool at the same time. And you really did eat them in front of the TV.
Precautions intended to slow the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in the widespread cancellation of concerts and the temporary closure of the great majority of Chicago’s music venues. Many people working in live music–artists, road crews, promoters, venue staff–are losing most or all of their income during this crisis.
Because every concert the Reader intended to cover this week has been called off, we’ve converted our show previews to record reviews where possible. We hope this will drive sales of music or other merch and help artists compensate for lost gig income. We’ve included links on each review page where you can make such purchases.
Several local venues have already launched fundraising campaigns to help their employees stay afloat while operations are suspended, among them the Hideout, the Empty Bottle (and Bite Cafe), Metro (along with Smart Bar and Gman), the Hungry Brain, Reggies’, Sleeping Village, the Whistler, Cole’s, SPACE in Evanston, Cafe Mustache, and Tonic Room. Please consider donating, especially if your job still exists. And please e-mail [email protected] to let us know about campaigns not on the list below.
Venue names, alphabetized below, link to the relevant fundraising pages.
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The 2020 Illinois High School Association’s boys state basketball playoffs will never be completed. All the players and coaches were left stuck just steps from Peoria.
There’s nothing anyone can do about that. But a day after the cancellation I had an idea. Sports video games are huge. I regularly play a computer baseball simulation game called OOTP Baseball. Why couldn’t we do something like that for the state playoffs?
I asked around and found a few people willing to take on the task and ended up deciding to go with The Barking Crow.
The Barking Crow started in 2017 as All Things NIT, a farcical college basketball blog written by someone very bored at work. While it’s still primarily a farcical sports blog, it’s expanded to include legitimate statistical forecasting surrounding the College Football Playoff, the NCAA Tournament, and the NIT.
The Barking Crow used Aaron Britton’s (@NestoHoops) spreadsheets as data for the simulation. They are available on his website.
Obviously this is all totally fictional and made up and just for fun. So I made a few rules. I’m not going to mention any player names in the short write-ups. It doesn’t seem proper to have a high school kid’s name attached to something that he isn’t involved in. For that same reason I’m not going to use any of our pictures.
Just to be very clear: The IHSA has nothing to do with this. The schools and teams are not involved in any way. This is a completely fictional result based on data from the season.
Class 1A and Class 2A will be released on Tuesday.
Check back on Wednesday for Class 3A and Thursday for Class 4A.
CLASS 2A
State semifinal: Orr 73, Breese Mater Dei 54
The Spartans jumped out to a 20-10 lead and Breese Mater Dei was only able to cut it down to nine by halftime. Orr dominated the third quarter and cruised to the win.
State semifinal: Timothy Christian 55, Sacred Heart-Griffin 52
This one was a lot closer. Looks like it was an excellent game. Sacred Heart-Griffin led 14-5 after the first quarter. Timothy Christian cut the lead to six by halftime and just one point after three quarters. The final quarter went back and forth until Timothy Christian took the lead for good with 3:44 to play. Sacred Heart-Griffin hit a shot to pull within three with 49 seconds left but that was the final score of the game. The computer had Sacred Heart-Griffin as a 1.5 point favorite, so this was a minor upset.
State championship: Orr 58, Timothy Christian 41
Orr has dominated Class 2A for four years and entered this game as a heavy favorite, but Timothy Christian held its own early and led 31-30 at halftime. The Spartans then locked down on defense and held Timothy Christian scoreless for the first half of the third quarter. Orr led 45-33 after three quarters. The Trojans only got as close as ten points in the fourth quarter and Orr buckled down on defense again and held them scoreless for the final 5:07 of the game.
As an Amazon Prime member, I can safely speak for all of us when I say, social distancing is something we have been practicing for YEARS now. With the recent news of the novel coronavirus spread, you may be developing a severe case of agoraphobia. Well, dear readers, have no fear, we’re here with some great news. Amazon Prime Video has released some of the latest and greatest TV shows for your viewing pleasure.
PRIME: Limited-Time Sample Season 1
HOLD THE PHONE – Amazon Prime is tempting us with a good time – and we’re hooked! This month Amazon has released select series for their season 1 viewing only! Just enough to tempt you to buy the next season. We’re not too upset, though, because they are some seriously great shows. What’s the catch? They’re only available to Prime members, free of charge, until March 31st. Interested in what we recommend?
Photo Credit: Kidding on Showtime
Kidding
Featuring the main character, Jim Carrey…
Looking for a show to take your mind off the potential impending doom? This show will do the trick. Jeff Pickles is a man full of wisdom and kindness who hosts a children’s television show. Season 1 takes you on a heartwarming, yet cruel journey, through Mr. Pickle’s life and the once perfect world he lived in, as it begins to implode around him. We laughed, we cried, we gained 10 pounds binge watching this.
Photo Credit: Jamestown TV Series
Jamestown
From the makers of Downton Abbey…
This show is set back in the 17th-century in Jamestown, Virginia. This troublesome town was settled nearly 12 years prior to the arrival of the first woman. As the ladies arrive, they find that this tiny settlement isn’t all they expected it to be, but maybe it is in fact, everything they needed it to be. This show takes viewers on a journey of curiosity, excitement, desire, and worry. Every episode is sure to shake things up.
Photo Credit: Black Sails
Black Sails
“War against the world”…
Everyone loves a great pirate adventure! In these uncertain times, this American tale is one of historical adventure that we needed to distract us. Set in the West Indies in 1715, the laws of every civilized nation stated that these pirates are “enemies of all mankind”. In return, the pirates believe they are in a war against the entire world. The coolest part of this show? It was written as a prequel to the much loved “Treasure Island”. This action-packed series will surely keep you preoccupied during your self-imposed quarantine.
PRIME: Amazon Original Series
You guessed it, these are only available to the ever-so-fortunate, Amazon Prime Members. These shows are the added bonus of having, in some cases, multiple seasons to aid us in our binge-watching addiction.
Photo Credit: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
IMDb: 8.8/10 | 3 seasons, 26 episodes
Looking for a show to truly lift your spirits and put a smile on your face? This series is sure to do it. Set in the late 1950’s viewers follow Midge Maisel through her ever-changing life. From a perfect life, to changing everything to chase her dreams, the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel will have you on the edge of your seat.
Photo Credit: Bosch
Bosch
IMDb: 8.4/10 | 5 seasons, 50 episodes
Excuse us while we swoon over the true intellectual hero that is Harry Bosch. This show had us hooked not only emotionally to the storyline that tugs on the heartstrings, but from the moment we saw just how real Bosch can get. This L.A.P.D. Homicide Detective works day and night on thrilling crime. Chasing serial killers was never so thrilling.
Photo Credit: Sneaky Pete
Sneaky Pete
IMDb: 8.2/10 | 3 seasons, 30 episodes
We love when a character grows on us because we sure did NOT love Pete in episode one! This series tells the story of Marius Josipovic who recently regains freedom to the normal world (got released from prison). After stealing his cellmate’s identity, Marius decides to take it even further by stealing his entire family! This three-season series will definitely satisfy those TV binging urges.
PRIME: Other Quick Notable Mentions
Catastrophe
IMDb: 8.2/10 | 4 seasons, 24 episodes
Jack Ryan
IMDb: 8.1/10 | 2 seasons, 16 episodes
Transparent
IMDb: 7.8/10 | 5 seasons, 41 episodes
Homecoming
IMDb: 7.5/10 | 1 season, 10 episodes
Forever
IMDb: 7.2/10 | 1 season, 8 episodes
You heard it here first folks, stay inside, grab a blanket, and cuddle up. Amazon Prime Video – keeping the world safe one TV series at a time.
At UrbanMatter, U Matter. And we think this matters.
Tell us what you think matters in your neighborhood and what we should write about next in the comments below!
A lot of us are wondering what we can do to keep our kids busy during this 2020 COVID-19 quarantine. In this time of struggle and confusion, it is important to keep our minds, bodies, and souls cleansed with fun and interactive activities for our youth. A busy mind results in an educational approach for our little ones at home who are unable to practice social interaction at this time.
Although it is easy to throw on your child’s favorite TV show or games on a tablet, providing a structure of learning curves with at-home supplies will keep your kids busy from boredom and fatigue while they are limited for the next few weeks.
If you joined in on the world-wide panic of lack of toilet paper and hand sanitizer, you are probably fully stocked with some supplies you didn’t think about using.
Now, keep in mind that you do not need to necessarily participate in the pandemic of racing to the convenience store to purchase items that you may or may not have. It is still important to keep you and your loved ones safe from large crowds that create a higher risk of catching this respiratory disease.
Here are some family-friendly bonding activities that you can do with your kids, and while you’re at it, recycle those gently used items you bought recently at the store!
Toilet Paper Roll Rainstick
We know for a fact that you all are stocked up on toilet paper. This easy craft takes most of us adults back to our younger, simpler years. In light of current events and now that we’re rolling into spring, this will keep your children’s imagination running. The best part? This activity only requires 3 supplies: toilet paper rolls (after you’ve used them—no one is insinuating that you should deplete your hoarded stash), tape, and rice! To make their rainstick’s unique, you can add stickers, construction paper, or rhinestones to the outside. No two sticks are alike! For step-by-step instructions on how to create your own in your home, visit Happiness is Homemade.
Tissue Box Bird Houses
The COVID-19 virus is no joke when it comes to your immune system and flu-like symptoms. If you have been feeling a little under the weather recently, you more than likely have a few empty tissue boxes lying around. This quick and easy activity will be a great addition to your family’s outdoor living spaces, gardens, and backyard trees. These are hard times, not just for us, but for our wildlife as well. You could give a bird a new home. This craft only requires a few supplies: tissue box, glue, some sort of stick (popsicle sticks, toothpicks, kabob sticks), paint, and safety scissors.
Whale Pool Toy
During this time, one of the few things we can do is look forward to positive dates and events coming up in our near future. One of those is a favorite season for most of us: summer! Summertime calls for outdoor fun, playing at the playground, and hitting your local swimming pool to let out some energy. This activity will be fun to do to help the anticipation of fun in the sun! This requires only 2 supplies: an emptied-out hand sanitizer gallon jug and a pair of scissors! To make this more festive, add some glitter or googly eyes to make your pool toy come alive! Crafty Morning can give you tips and tricks to make yours right at home!
Looking for a few more projects to tackle? Upparent is an amazing resource for families looking for things to do at home and in Chicago.
At UrbanMatter, U Matter. And we think this matters.
Tell us what you think matters in your neighborhood and what we should write about next in the comments below!
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