Lyin', Tigers, and Bears... Oh My!
Late last night, while brainstorming possible blog topics to write about, I realized that quite a bit has been happening recently. Even though the United States has effectively shut down for the time being, things are still happening both related and completely separate from the virus which is causing all of this chaos. In today’s post, I’m going to discuss these, starting with the White House’s response to this global pandemic.
Around 5:00 PM Eastern every afternoon, I watch the White House’s Coronavirus Task Force update. I generally watch for the meaningful contributions from Dr. Anthony Fauci or Dr. Deborah Birx, but I stick around to watch the President spread misinformation and grapple with journalists seeking information and clarity regarding the situation we’re in. Some of these anti-truth bombs being dropped recently are that the United States will be ready to reopen on Easter Sunday (it won’t), the United States responded to this pandemic faster than any country in the world (it didn’t), and that we just found out there are asymptomatic carriers who can spread the disease. If that last one is sincere, we may all be doomed from the incompetence of our “leaders”. In trying to escape from the gravity of COVID-19, I turned to Netflix and decided to jump on the Tiger King bandwagon.
I am only a couple of episodes in, but this documentary is alarming (and admittedly entertaining) on multiple levels. First of all, I don’t think I realized the depth of absurdity and abnormality that makes up the underbelly of the United States. This documentary series is truly exposing how vast of an amount of people both coordinate and partake in bizarre practices, specifically animal trading in this case, around the nation. I didn’t know people like Joe Exotic or Carole Baskin existed up until recently, and I’m not sure if I’m happy that I know who they are now. That being said, I’m going to finish watching the series, and hopefully there’s a shred of humanity or common goodness that I can take away from it. It’s based in Florida, though, so I’m not getting my hopes up.
Aside from Netflix binging (check out Ozark season 3), I’ve been keeping up with sports highlights from around the major leagues of American sports. My NFL team, the Chicago Bears, just made a big move by trading for Jacksonville Jaguars Quarterback and former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles. I’m not sure how I feel about this move. I’ve been ecstatic watching the Bears make moves on the defensive side of the ball, but I think bringing in someone like Teddy Bridgewater or Cam Newton would’ve served Chicago better at the QB position. Either Mitch Trubisky will be able to learn by having an experienced veteran backup, or Nick Foles will take over and hopefully take Chicago on a run just like he did in Philadelphia just a few years ago.
These are wild times, and we’re all doing what we can as we take things day-by-day. I’ve been focusing on my mental health and well-being as much as possible, which is important right now as the outside world is a source of separation and anxiety. I suggest you do the same. Stay informed, but don’t scare yourself. Stay entertained, but keep getting things done. Keep your relationships healthy, whether in-person or at a temporary distance. We’re going to get through this together. Thanks for reading.
