Maxwell 36: Wearing What Some Might Call an Outer Garment While Dealing with Cancer in the Family

[sparkles]

On 3/13/2020 at 11:24 AM, Alisamer said:

I'm generally pretty nonchalant about germs. I tend to think that much of life is a little TOO clean these days (having grown up on a farm playing in the dirt affects my opinion there), and the immune system needs a little challenge now and then to strengthen it. Wash your hands well after using the restroom and if they're dirty, and before making food. Wipe down the machines at the gym after using them. If you do get ill try not to spread it. But otherwise? I'll eat a chip that fell on the floor, at my home or office. I don't break out hand sanitizer on top of hand washing. 

But those are all everyday things for a healthy person! And I tailor to the situation and who I'm around. If I'm ill, but well enough to work, I do. I have to. But if I'm ill I'm not going to visit my immunocompromised friend or go out in crowds if I can avoid it.

This is a pandemic of a virulent virus that is highly contagious. Am I afraid of it? Not really. Am I washing my hands much more frequently, staying out of crowds, and generally taking precautions? Absolutely!

(I'm actually far more worried about the non-health effects of the virus. We've already lost several high-dollar jobs due to events being cancelled, and we're a small business where it's essentially impossible for most of us to work from home. We're going to struggle through this.)

I feel pretty much the same as you do. I’ll take the recommend precautions (especially since I’m about the tip over in to my late 60s) but I’m certainly not panicking and I’m going about life normally. I’m pretty much an anti-social introvert so social distancing is most welcome and right up my alley. I’m a little aggravated that several concerts I’ve been looking forward to are cancelled but I understand and I’ll deal (Thom Yorke is rescheduling but if BTS cancels their tour my wailing and moaning will be epic).

Workwise though, I’m in the same industry as you are and we’re facing the same problems. Because so many of our clients have cancelled events, work has been dropping off precipitously to the point that my boss is considering furloughs and that would hurt big time. We’re currently waiting for word from one of our clients regarding a major event they hold each year in Washington in early May that’s our biggest income producer. Honestly, if that’s cancelled we will probably be in serious trouble. So I’m far more concerned about the economic effects of the virus than I am about the possibility of contracting it. 

Too bad I don’t have the Maxwell arrogance so I’d have nothing to worry about. ?

[sparkles]

17 hours ago, SPHASH said:

They did Live stream Prissy Chris and Amish Anna's wedding.  Instead of going to another church why don't they ust have church at the Fathership sans the old folks.  Speaking of I have to correct myself its a retirement community not a nursing home but its still shitty to not black out that lady's name on her walker.

I’m totally hearing this in Tony Soprano’s voice. ?

 

Spoiler

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/70990cbb-f915-408e-9587-8cc45bb56d60#IKkHJawUv.copy

 

 

Edited March 15, 2020 by sparkles

[smittykins]

On 3/14/2020 at 4:03 AM, Syriana said:

the sign of peace being stopped.  

At my Episcopal church last week, some people opted to flash the ✌️ instead.

[Syriana]

2 minutes ago, smittykins said:

At my Episcopal church last week, some people opted to flash the ✌️ instead.

I'd love to see the reaction to that in the Catholic church I go to - although our parish priest has a sense of humour so would probably enjoy it!

 

[Topaz]

19 minutes ago, smittykins said:

At my Episcopal church last week, some people opted to flash the ✌️ instead.

That happened at my Episcopal church this morning. One of the choir was doing it towards the congregation which amused everyone.

[Lady Grass Lake]

Michigan closed the Casinos, OMG, what are the gamblers going to do?  Michigan now has legalized sports gambling, including college sport, and what happened, no sports!  I do like the fact that the schools are going to continue the school food programs, you can drive up to the school and receive a paper bag with lunch and breakfast foods for the next day, and also the weekend food bags will continue.  I hit the OLD and chronic disease Type II diabetes but retired last year, so I'm good, hubby is still working but will work from home.  We are not preppers or horders but always have months of food on hand, so we are good.   It took years to build up the supplies by buying a case here or extras there.  When RiteAid had a 30% off your entire purchase, I stocked up on OTC medicines, first aid supplies and more.  We could easily lay low for 6 months.    

 

[SPHASH]

2 hours ago, smittykins said:

At my Episcopal church last week, some people opted to flash the ✌️ instead.

Today at church instead of handshakes and hugs we waved at each other and for the offering we went up front and put it in the collection plate.  Also the pastor live streamed the sermon.  A lot of the older ones were gone today too.

Edited March 16, 2020 by SPHASH
ETA

[BlessingsVonFundiePants]

Steve found the upside to a pandemic. New post is all about how now is the time to take advantage of anxious loved ones and frightening them into loving Jesus ?

[Syriana]

The only vaguely appropriate bit of the new blog post is his advocacy of recommended safeguards...the rest had me wanting to vomit!

[kpmom]

I think Steve needs to re-read Sheri's comment on his earlier post, and pay attention to what her friend from Italy wrote, before he writes things like "media-hyped".

 

[Palimpsest]

Steve is a such a peach.  The silver lining is that people are thinking about DEATH!

And he has a very short memory:

Quote

These are historic times. Since the 50’s, generations have been shielded from epidemics and significant consumer shortages, except for the “gas crunch” in the 70’s.

He forgot the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which is still killing people world-wide.  To say nothing of consumer shortages caused by wars, droughts, and famines world-wide.  Apparently only consumer shortages in the US count. 

Quote

If you have the money, you can buy what you want. 

Some people, even in the US, don't have the money, Stevo.  Including some of your followers who are rightly worried.

Quote

Media-hype over the coronavirus has induced shortages country wide. This seems to come as quite a shock to most US citizens who are accustomed to full shelves at the grocery store. People are afraid of not having food and supplies they are accustomed to and ultimately of getting the virus. 

Actually the shortages were caused by panic buying. I expect the Maxwells were shocked not to be able to buy toilet paper at Costco last Thursday for their stockpile.   That phone call from the NF canceling their church may be when they first learned about the pandemic because they don't read the paper or listen to the news.

There is plenty of food and toilet paper at the moment and employees are busy restocking.  The problem will be later if there are labor shortages due to COVID-19 spreading explosively. 

However, by taking sensible precautions like social distancing, not gathering in big groups, and washing hands,we can all help slow and stop the explosive spread of the virus.    

Quote

Previously, many who might have had little concern about dying are now thinking about it as evidenced by their fear in contracting the virus.

Steve's not afraid of the virus and DEATH.  He's going straight to heaven.  Nor are any of the Maxwells.  At all!  But what if God lets them get really sick and they end up with permanently damaged lungs.

Quote

What might you do in addition to taking recommended safeguards?

1. Make a list of people who you suspect might not be saved.   
2. Earnestly pray for them daily. Are there things you might do to help them?
3. Seek a time when you can have a heart-to-heart talk with them regarding Jesus Christ.  

Fuck off, Steve.  Except for this bit.  Are there things you might do to help them?

Yes there are.  Steve, Teri, and Gigi should all be very careful about social distancing as they are in the highest risk group.  However, they can do more than pray.  Also there are 4 healthy young adults in that house who can do a lot more to help the community.

Some ideas for you Steve:  

• Make a list of vulnerable people in the community (not limited to your family, and not limited to church members and "the elderly" for a change) who might need help with grocery shopping and errands.  Help them out.  Regardless of religious beliefs and without attempting to convert them.
• Volunteer to help health workers and other essential workers with child care or meals.  They are pulling extra shifts and may not have any care for their children as schools close. 
• Donate to a Food Bank or volunteer to help with school lunch deliveries if schools are closed.
• Donate to homeless shelters and places that provide food for the homeless.  
• Stop tipping people with tracts.  Tip generously for all services rendered.
• Buy gift cards to local restaurants.  You don't need to use them right now but it will help to tide these businesses over until business picks up.

Edited March 16, 2020 by Palimpsest

[Syriana]

23 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

 

• Make a list of vulnerable people in the community (not limited to your family, and not limited to church members and "the elderly" for a change) who might need help with grocery shopping and errands.  Help them out.  Regardless of religious beliefs and without attempting to convert them.

Depending on the protocols where you live, prescription collection as well.  I'm fortunate that my local pharmacy knows me well, it made collecting multiple prescriptions for multiple people easy at the weekend because I often collect for people who can't get up the hill to the pharmacy.  This is something which is becoming more of an issue near me with carers self isolating, delivery services breaking down due to excess demand and family members not being close by - may be more complex in the USA though.

Quote

• 
  
• Buy gift cards to local restaurants.  You don't need to use them right now but it will help to tide these businesses over until business picks up.

I hadn't thought of doing this, it's a really good idea though.

[fundiefan]

That post made my stomach turn, literally. What disturbing words & thoughts. Their Jesus would weep if he existed. 

It's also so typical and evidence of just how selfish they are. Find someone YOU can pray for. What does that do? Make YOU feel better; it does nothing for that person. 

Praying is not helpful. Doing what someone else actually needs/asks for is helpful. 

God, I can't stand these people.

[anachronistic]

Doesn’t a heart to heart talk usually involve sitting in close proximity to a person? In other words, exactly what you’re not supposed to do right now?

[freejugar]

He has such a dark and twisted mind, who the fuck gets happy about people starting to fear death?

The only silver lining I see in this epidemic is strangers looking out for each other, like the examples posted above. It warms my heart to see not everyone is a selfish asshole like Steve.

Also, I was expecting an update on Anna, she should be starting chemo or something, right?

[browngrl]

Oh course Steve is glad that people are thinking about death. Their whole belief system is built around the fear of death. They talk the talk about how they are pro life and not scared because...Jesus but it is all a sham. They only care about death and they are petrified.

The truth for me is that  all this talk about death makes me even more unwilling to embrace their eschatology. The thought of an eternity alongside Steve and the rest of the fundies horrifies me. Also, there is no way I'd even consider worshiping the sort of God the fundies worship.Even the thought of 5 minutes stuck with fundies makes me sick - not to mention an eternity. 

Anyway I'm off to go bake something good because if this IS the zombie apocalypse I want to go down eating cake.

 

[Syriana]

49 minutes ago, freejugar said:

He has such a dark and twisted mind, who the fuck gets happy about people starting to fear death?

The only silver lining I see in this epidemic is strangers looking out for each other, like the examples posted above. It warms my heart to see not everyone is a selfish asshole like Steve.

Also, I was expecting an update on Anna, she should be starting chemo or something, right?

They were seeing a different oncologist for a second opinion last week.  With a stage 2A diagnosis I would expect that chemo or radiotherapy would have been recommended, COVID-19 makes chemo an utterly terrifying prospect though given how easy it is to end up neutropenic.

[IsmeWeatherwax]

The Maxwells = Always looking on the bright side of death ?

[Jasmar]

darn it, I wanted to insert “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,” but I can’t figure out how to do it on my iPad!

 

[PennySycamore]

@Palimpsest, no wonder Steve didn't mention HIV/AIDS.  Didn't it mostly kill off those disgusting homos?  Oh, and Haitians.  And hemophiliacs?  And Africans?  And babies?   (Those babies that got HIV from transfusions don't count as they are already born. Never mind those infected before birth. Many of them have African mothers so they don't count either.)

[SisterCupcake]

Loooong time listener, first time caller - this post about death is the Maxwell post that brought me out of hiding. I seriously can't with these people. I also finally commented on their blog - although it will never ever get approved:

Yes, let's please take advantage of people who are scared by frightening them into believing in Jesus...ugh. I can't with you folks right now. I guess I'm now on your list of people to pray about, huh?

Anyway, these people really make me want to vomit.

[allyisyourpally5]

This is the same family that, instead of helping the people affected by the floods in their state, took happy smiley pictures of themselves near the water. And when asked to consider the people who had died, responded with “oh yeah, that’s super sad”.

In the old Corners they explained that they avoid the paper and the news. Basically because it’s the bad things that happens to sinners, they can’t do anything about it, unGodly people blah blah blah. They’ve decided they don’t want to know. They don’t care. I really believe they don’t care. They have their money, they have many luxuries. They believe they are favoured and actually live the opposite of a Christian life in so many ways.

Their reaction to this virus, in my opinion, puts them firmly into the same category as the Anderson’s and many other fundies. Preaching and not helping. Constantly wanting prayers for themselves for big (Anna and all childbirths) but mostly small things (pray that window cleaning goes Well today, please pray that there’s enough people to help us make salad” but actually quite unwilling to give to others. Also going to use Nathan as an example when he once spoke about Samaritan and he said he didn’t want to give money to unchristians, and used people with diabetes as an example, stating that people with diabetes obviously have not taken care of themselves therefore he didn’t want to help them. 

[llg1234]

23 hours ago, Syriana said:

I'd love to see the reaction to that in the Catholic church I go to - although our parish priest has a sense of humour so would probably enjoy it! 

Eh, back when I was forced to go to Catholic mass, it was pretty common for people who weren't feeling well or who didn't want to shake hands for any reason (immune compromised, pregnant, etc) to give the peace sign. 

Although this is the same Catholic church that sold margaritas during picnics to help raise money, so maybe things were just more lax overall.

[Syriana]

6 minutes ago, llg1234 said:

Eh, back when I was forced to go to Catholic mass, it was pretty common for people who weren't feeling well or who didn't want to shake hands for any reason (immune compromised, pregnant, etc) to give the peace sign. 

Although this is the same Catholic church that sold margaritas during picnics to help raise money, so maybe things were just more lax overall.

I've never seen anyone giving the peace sign in church, but our previous parish priest - although very nice and extremely sensible - was very 'proper' in terms of how mass was conducted.

Our current parish priest would approve of the margaritas, as long as he could have a real ale instead ? he too is very fond of fundraising socials!

[SisterCupcake]

21 minutes ago, Syriana said:

Our current parish priest would approve of the margaritas, as long as he could have a real ale instead ? he too is very fond of fundraising socials!

This was my experience growing up, there was beer or a beer garden at every parish festival, and drinking (for a cause) was certainly encouraged! As an alcoholic in recovery, one of the first people I met at a meeting was also a parish priest!