Hope!

[Jimbo59]

On 3/23/2020 at 9:43 AM, Georgia_Peaches said:

 

 

In the meantime, I have made a conscious choice to control my thoughts and steer them away from negativity.  I will watch the President's daily virus briefing and that's it.  I will not read any more threads on CC whose only purpose is to promote worry, grief, or condemnation for those of us who refuse to give in to doomsday ideals.

 

You might want to consult other news sources in addition to TV. 

www.nytimes.com

[Georgia_Peaches]

10 hours ago, Jimbo59 said:

 

You might want to consult other news sources in addition to TV. 

www.nytimes.com

NY Times is not my cup of tea but thank you for the suggestion.

Edited March 29, 2020 by Georgia_Peaches

[mayleeman]

@Georgia_Peaches If you want other recommendations, The Atlantic is a great source of in-depth news. Their perspective can be a bit liberal (I don't know your leanings--I read both sides), but you can ignore the political articles if you want. Many of the articles on science are written by experts, and you can read fascinating stuff on history, social issues, culture, and entertainment by digging through the links.

 

I also find it useful to go on Amazon and look at the Kindle offerings if you don't already. They have thousands of books for free or at low cost. Ebooks are also usually available from your library, with no worries about who last returned them!

 

I plan on grabbing my copies of Lord of the Rings for the umpteenth time. It is fantasy, but it can bring back feelings of hope even at the darkest time. The stories of the real heroes dealing with our current crisis won't be fully written for years.

[Georgia_Peaches]

26 minutes ago, mayleeman said:

The Atlantic is a great source of in-depth news. Their perspective can be a bit liberal (I don't know your leanings--I read both sides)

Awesome! Like you, I like to read both sides and then formulate my own opinion.  Appreciate the suggestion!  It seems I have plenty of time these days to catch up on some reading ☺️

[Blackduck59]

Georgia Peaches, when I first read that you would watch the presidents briefings I was concerned. I don't think that is a good source for truthful information. Like many Canadians I prefer to look at all sides of issues and us verses them is not hopeful. Let's all work together from all nations to do what we can to slow the spread of this scourge.

As many have said this will pass and we are seeing that for those selfish and greedy few there are many more with good hearts and open minds.

Be well everyone and take care.

[Georgia_Peaches]

3 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

Georgia Peaches, when I first read that you would watch the presidents briefings I was concerned. I don't think that is a good source for truthful information. Like many Canadians I prefer to look at all sides of issues and us verses them is not hopeful. Let's all work together from all nations to do what we can to slow the spread of this scourge.

As many have said this will pass and we are seeing that for those selfish and greedy few there are many more with good hearts and open minds.

Be well everyone and take care.

You need not be concerned.  Although I will never defend listening to what my President has to say (I view it as my civic duty to listen and formulate my own opinion which I will continue to do despite any polarization that may exist in America), I watch the briefings for the information coming from the doctors on the task force. (And I don't really do that much anymore since I made that post.)   It is very easy to get over saturated with information...much of it conflicting, that I have restricted myself to taking in just enough to get me through the day but not so much that I worry myself sick.  (I'm a worrier by nature and it's very frustrating sometimes.)  Agree whole-heartedly with your sentiment that we all need to work together to get through this volatile time.

[LXA350]

April through begining of May will give us a much better indication to where we are standing. Unfortunately that the US has miserable leadership skills up in Washington has of course wasted a lot of precious time. I will not go into blaming as also in Europe things were not handled the best way either. Nevertheless you need to be realistic and unfortunately we need to give it some time before we can see the end of the tunnel. I am optimistic that if the pandemic can be drastically slowed down as of June things can start to get better again and cruises to commence as of July per current status. However this we will only know over the next two months if this is realistic or not. At this stage we have to remain patient and disciplined to do everything we can ourselves to prevent this virus to spread further and sooner or later we will get over it.

[mayleeman]

@Georgia_Peaches By the way, if you are a baseball fan, Joe Posnanski (winner of numerous sports writing awards) of The Athletic has been running his countdown of his choices for the top 100 baseball players of all team. Each day has been a new essay, often 2,500 or more words, with many new stories and fascinating facts about these players. The comments to each essay are also (mostly) fun to read, with a lot of elaboration and additional info from lifelong fans. Many poignant stories about kids being taken by their dads (almost always dads!) to see some of these guys and how awestruck--or disappointed--they were.

 

The reason I bring it up to you is the other day he got into his top 10 (lots of arguments by the readers on his rankings). And his essay on a certain Georgia Peach is amazing. 

 

The Athletic is worth the subscription price just for this, and so much more. With no live sports, it is a great escape into a world of real, imagined, and even questionable idols.

[hcat]

1 hour ago, Blackduck59 said:

Georgia Peaches, when I first read that you would watch the presidents briefings I was concerned. I don't think that is a good source for truthful information. Like many Canadians I prefer to look at all sides of issues and us verses them is not hopeful. Let's all work together from all nations to do what we can to slow the spread of this scourge.

As many have said this will pass and we are seeing that for those selfish and greedy few there are many more with good hearts and open minds.

Be well everyone and take care.

Dr Fauci and Dr Birks are well respected scientists...they are valuable sources of info and give me hope!

 

I keep up with  local news as our area in NY is a" hot spot".  Some very discouraging  numbers but also feature stories of recovery and hope, and the heroism of our  medical  workers, first responders and others !

[Georgia_Peaches]

23 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

In keeping with the theme of hope, My hope is that many of the acts of kindness and good will to others, in face of these extraordinary times will lead to a new normal of community and strength in a less selfish world.

Well said.  One of the things I've noticed more than anything in my area is the stories of selfless acts of kindness towards others in the community.  I, too am hopeful that it continues well after this crisis is over.

[chemmo]

On 3/23/2020 at 7:19 PM, Georgia_Peaches said:

 

  I've self-isolated and social distanced from my friends and family.  I've followed guidelines about hand washing to the extreme.  I've tried my best to avoid panic and I am not hoarding toilet paper.  I'm doing all that a single person can be expected to do (and I don't think I'm alone...especially here on CC) and at the end of the day, all I have left is hope.  So let's be careful not to trample on people's hope when they may otherwise feel quite helpless in this terrible crisis.  

 

Stay well...

Thank you @chemmo for being a calming "voice"...

 

Totally agree we all need hope...

 

One thing that I always remember from being a child are the many words of wisdom of an elderly lady who was like a grandmother....

 

No use worrying about yesterday

Enjoy each day for what it has to offer

Don’t waste time fretting about things you cannot change

Trust in God but keep your powder dry

 

She seemed to have a comment that would comfort and guide me through all the little difficulties a child experiences...How little did I know then her words would still be influencing me all these years later...

 

So I am not worrying about yesterday, I am enjoying its memories...

I am enjoying each day despite isolation, the blue tits nesting in my garden, the naughty squirrel stealing a whole fat ball!

I keep up to date with the news but focus on my responsibilities.

I trust in god but know I am responsible to do my bit, speaking of which have you seen this? I hope it makes you smile, a friend mailed the link to me earlier.

 

 

Keep safe and well and keep your hope for the future 

[RickT]

A friend send me the following link from Capt Kate's instagram page (I hope it's not a repost).  During this difficult time I found it very moving and hope you do too.

 

[jelayne]

This has been occurring for close to 2 weeks, many nights she posts the sounds of all the ships horns blasting together along with some amazing sunsets.

[cachouonacruise]

7 hours ago, chemmo said:

I hope it makes you smile, a friend mailed the link to me earlier.

 

Thank-you very much Chemmo for my first smile/laugh of the day! I enjoyed watching this clip! Thanks! 

[cachouonacruise]

This time period is unique in a sense that it provides the whole World an opportunity to unite and fight a universal and common ennemy: Covid-19!

 

Since, I started the Hope thread, I feel responsible for the direction it is going.

 

It would be appreciated if divisive political opinions would be kept out! 

 

I would prefer it, if we help each other to Hope and win this battle! 

Edited March 30, 2020 by cachouonacruise

[Georgia_Peaches]

21 minutes ago, cachouonacruise said:

It would be appreciated if divisive political opinions would be kept out! 

Absolutely well said.  Despite one's political views, perhaps in spite of them, this is a unique opportunity for us to lay down arms either in our words or in real terms, to unite and conquer...as a divide and conquer approach simply won't work.

[downsmead]

Hope: I hope that the kindness and neighbour hood spirit continues once this is long past. It will be something good to come out of all this.

[MarkWiltonM]

On 3/25/2020 at 7:15 PM, ravinblue said:

I'm not an epidemiologist, but I do have some experience with infectious diseases having practiced pediatrics for 39 years. If you are asking when the cruise companies and/or the politicians say it will be OK to cruise, then my guess is as good as anyone else's. 

If you are asking when I will cruise again, it will be when I am immune to this virus, either by a vaccine or from getting the disease and surviving. Now, that may change if there are good treatments discovered or if the virus miraculously disappears with warm weather or something, but I am not hopeful for either of those scenarios.

Cruise ships have always been a great incubator for germs, but when the major risk was catching a cold or intestinal virus, the risk was worth it to me. But, the fatality rate for this disease is too high. 

 

I agree. Hopefully, there will be antigen and antibody blood tests within a few months.  Then we will know who currently has the virus and may be infectious, who has had it and has antibodies (whether they were symptomatic or not), and who is still susceptible to infection. I also (and regrettably) will not cruise until I have evidence that I was exposed and have antibodies or I have been immunized.  I hope it may only be six to eight months for the antigen/antibody blood tests to be widely available. But a vaccine may not be available before fall 2021. I will be sad if I have to cancel my January 2020 cruise on Reflection, but if I have to I have to. I don't have another cruise booked until Jan. 2022.  I feel positive about that one! 

 

Apart from the cruise industry, the antibody tests will be essential so that those who are immune can get back to work. The longer it takes for those tests to be available the more damage to the global economy. 

[hcat]

Arrival  of the USS Comfort brings HOPE..

 

Help has arrived to those under siege.   So many are pitching in!

 

 

 

[Georgia_Peaches]

18 minutes ago, hcat said:

Arrival  of the USS Comfort brings HOPE..

 

Help has arrived to those under siege.   So many are pitching in!

 

 

 

I literally just got chills.  Thanks for posting.

[Georgia_Peaches]

Wow.  Very cool.  Thank you for posting.  It's good to see that they have not lost hope.

[chemmo]

13 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Wow.  Very cool.  Thank you for posting.  It's good to see that they have not lost hope.

 

Agree!

[GeorgesGal]

On 3/25/2020 at 8:57 AM, radarcruiser said:

  after 9/11.  It seemed that never again would we feel comfortable getting on an airplane or visiting a foreign country where security may be more lax than our higher standards for fighting terrorism.  I WAS WRONG!   

 

And a travel agency we used thought out of the box.  They put together a Rail and Sail in '02 - Amtrack, Orlando to LA to San Diego for a Panama Cruise!  And quite reasonably since RCL was offering rock bottom prices.

 

What fun that was getting across the Country by rail, then sailing through the Canal back to FL.  (We have since taken several Amtack trips around the Country, we enjoyed that first one so much.)

 

Donna

[Jimbo59]

2 hours ago, GeorgesGal said:

 

And a travel agency we used thought out of the box.  They put together a Rail and Sail in '02 - Amtrack, Orlando to LA to San Diego for a Panama Cruise!  And quite reasonably since RCL was offering rock bottom prices.

 

What fun that was getting across the Country by rail, then sailing through the Canal back to FL.  (We have since taken several Amtack trips around the Country, we enjoyed that first one so much.)

 

Donna

Please tell me some more abuse the cross country Amtrak trip. Did you have a bedroom? Could you stop off along the way on the same ticket and pick up the train the next day? How were the meals?

[Ride-The-Waves]

Our USN hospital ships Comfort and Mercy have deployed to Los Angeles and New York to provide relief for NON COVID-19 patients.  They will assume some responsibility for treating non-virus related emergencies, surgeries and other medical procedures offering 15 wards and about 1,000 beds each ship.  They are not a panacea and will not alter/slow the spread of this very contagious virus.   Please thank a US Navy sailor/officer when you get the chance.  They serve America and Americans.

Edited March 30, 2020 by Ride-The-Waves