03/08/2020 - 03/14/2020

Despite numerous warnings (and contingency plans being drawn up) over the previous weeks, many people, (including the President of the United States) didn't seem to take the threat of COVID-19 (aka Coronavirus) seriously despite it ravaging areas of China, Italy and South Korea and beginning to be seen in the U.S.
- Excuses from the President and several people (including family) I follow on Facebook/Insta for not taking COVID-19 seriously included:
  - The flu kills more people
  - The media has been hyping viruses since 2002.
  - It's a Democratic hoax
  - Don't give in to the fear
  - It only kills old people
  - Warmer Spring temps are the real cure
  - It's mostly contained anyway
I tried not to think about it as I focused my time and energy on work and getting birthday gifts for The Goddess, Erika Paradise.
Throughout the week, we (mostly The Goddess Erika Paradise) agonized over emailing our renters to see if they would allow us to take in her cat.
During work, one of the trainees complained of flu-like symptoms. This prompted myself and other Trainers to practice calmly asking them to leave while inside we're all thinking…

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By Wednesday night, most Americans began taking the threat of Coronavirus seriously only after Tom Hanks and his wife were diagnosed, the NBA suspended games for the rest of the season and MLB delayed Opening Day by 2 weeks. Maybe the President's address to the nation banning travel to and from Europe had something to do with it too.
- Overnight, a group of magicians disappeared all the toilet paper in the U.S.
- Also overnight, the call volume at work skyrocketed, forcing management to throw money at us so everyone wouldn't quit or curl up in the fetal position under their workstation cubicles and cry.
Birthday Gifts for The Goddess that were ordered on Sunday arrived by Friday and Saturday. Also bought her a falafel burger and hard cider on Saturday as a birthday lunch while both of us tried not to think about how the world might be careening toward the end, my only friend. Happy birthday… Hooray?