A Moment for Applause to All!

[Art]

I want to take this moment to applaud everyone in the USA and other nations who are putting their lives on the line to help keep society moving forward; while humanity passes through this horrendous, severe Covid-19 global pandemic.

Risking your and your loved ones lives is above and beyond the call of duty.

I thank you with my heart and soul!!

Please do your best to stay safe, stay healthy...

My hat's off to - YOU!

Art

 

[Frosty]

Hear, hear!

I'm doing my small part by staying isolated (Day 54 -- but I'm a germaphobe so started early ). But that is nothing compared to the brave and dedicated people on the front lines in hospitals, grocery stores, trucks, Amazon warehouses, squad cars, and many other places. I would be whimpering in fear. They are so strong.

 

[BruceK]

Well said Art! They are brave, we help them best by playing our part in harm minimization.
I add to the list: the gin distillers making sanitizer, the factories making ventilators, the 3D printers making vital parts, groups of sewing ladies making textile masks,factories making facial protective screens, etc. Not on the front line but filling an essential need.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

Amen my Brothers. We need to stay together in these troubling times.

pete

 

[moparharn]

They are as brave as any. Many health care workers have just recently received a pay and benefit cut for all their hard work. Trillions being spent and we can't leave their pay alone. Many people are being paid more to stay home than to work, and we have our healthcare workers taking a pay and benefit cut? All while looking death squarely in the face. Many of them completely overloaded with cases, and even worse, viral overload. Let's take it one more insulting step forward. When they get home they turn on the TV and see their fellow citizens protesting the stay at home orders, or possibly having a block party. ANYTHING other than staying at home puts their lives at greater risk. So go ahead have that get together. Protest the stay at home order. Complain about not being able to go out in your boat. I wish there was some way to get these people into a besieged ER. They only see how things effect themselves. So let's show them how it could effect themselves. Maybe waterboarding would be close?

 

[hfoster]

Art me two fisted Irish brawling Mate.

Thanks for the great words and thanks to you as well.

Me Youngest daughter is an RN at Cleveland Clinic and has be working her bum off. I know she thanks you as well and all the front liners need our thanks and are support!


Cheers Mate.

H.

 

[healhustler]

Oh Boy, are you dead right about that, Art. Your enthusiasm can always be counted on here on the forum and I can’t think of a more worthy subject to spend it on right now. I’ve been thinking of others less fortunate than myself and what I can do to ease their distress. We all need to remind ourselves that those workers in the supply chain from the product to the actual delivery are doing heroic work. And the sacrifice of health workers...what a commitment! Humble thanks....really, really humble thanks.

 

[Bacchus]

Absolutely agree and take my hat off to the front line workers

It is ironic and unfortunate that one health care org in our area just announced layoffs and pay cuts due to the drop in appointments, operations, emergencies, etc (and thankfully no major CV influx!)

 

[BandB]

Wifey B: We sit at home, get groceries and supplies delivered, conduct business on the phone and cams and yet many complain about being isolated or quarantined when we're living the lives we are because others are putting themselves at risk every day. Infuriates me.

Seriously, people at home thing they're making some freaking sacrifice by doing nothing?

There are so many doing so much from the doctors and nurses and hospital staffs to law enforcement to order processors to grocery employees to delivery people to those preparing take out food to those collecting our garbage to those working in factories to process food or masks or gowns or ventilators. There are no words adequate to express my thanks to all of them.

 

[GFC]

Art and WifeyB, my hat is tipped to both of you for your spot on comments. As I sit here in the safety of my home, not worrying about my next meal or my income I realize how blessed we are.

Be safe, all of you. The price we're paying by staying home is a mere pittance to the price being paid by many others.

 

[klee wyck]

I agree whole heartedly with the sentiment that Art expressed and join in his gratitude for those who must continue to serve under the current adverse circumstances. It is easier to take heart in his post ironically because he did not name names for the occupations of these 'essential' workers.

Others named names. I went thru the list of named occupations and it is as expected. These days when people are inclined to be in a generous mood rather than wallowing in self pity or looking for a political battle they commonly name these same essential service workers for which I add my applause and gratitude.
1.Health care
2.transportation/logistics
3.factories making healthcare supplies and PPE
4. technology workers making remote work possible
5. law enforcement
6. other government services to include free money/the president or your senator
7. grocery workers

But, while I have sort of tolerated this patiently for 35 years of my career, now that my career is winding down, I am on the verge of irritated that the one profession that has been so reliable and efficient that it is always taken for granted even in the face of a calamity such as we are in now where life itself, not just comfort, is at risk, and this line of work is almost never mentioned as the single most important reason we all live and breath with a chance to fight another day.

I submit that if it were not for front line workers in this occupation showing up every single day during your lifetimes, including now, none of the above services would be needed at all. Not one bit.
One percent of our population serves the other 99% without fail in this profession, day in and day out, more often vilified rather than shown a snippet of gratitude, even now. On the front lines, and some dying for it.

How long would you last without them?

 

[MurrayM]

While sitting in our vehicle waiting for my wife to finish food shopping a couple weeks ago (only one person per household allowed into store) I found myself watching the store clerks and cashiers.

The importance of their remaining at work, despite the risk to themselves and their families, so the rest of us can eat began to weigh on me.

I found a piece of paper, a sharpie, some tape, made a Thank You!! note and taped it to the front window facing into the store. One of the cashiers noticed it, smiled, and told her co-workers. It's still there.

Little things add up.

 

[Frosty]

But, while I have sort of tolerated this patiently for 35 years of my career, now that my career is winding down, I am on the verge of irritated that the one profession that has been so reliable and efficient that it is always taken for granted even in the face of a calamity such as we are in now where life itself, not just comfort, is at risk, and this line of work is almost never mentioned as the single most important reason we all live and breath with a chance to fight another day.

I submit that if it were not for front line workers in this occupation showing up every single day during your lifetimes, including now, none of the above services would be needed at all. Not one bit.
One percent of our population serves the other 99% without fail in this profession, day in and day out, more often vilified rather than shown a snippet of gratitude, even now. On the front lines, and some dying for it.

How long would you last without them?

First of all, I'm sorry if my naming some groups caused you to feel snubbed. I hoped it would come across as a random sampling but I can imagine that if no-one's random sampling ever includes your group it could become very tiresome and frustrating.

That said, I feel a bit dense now because I've read your post a few times and am somehow still not understanding who the missing group is?

 

[klee wyck]

First of all, I'm sorry if my naming some groups caused you to feel snubbed. I hoped it would come across as a random sampling but I can imagine that if no-one's random sampling ever includes your group it could become very tiresome and frustrating.

That said, I feel a bit dense now because I've read your post a few times and am somehow still not understanding who the missing group is?

My vent was not directed at anyone and I apologize for being uncharacteristically owly today.
My 'group' who I mostly walk among and watch in admiration everyday rather than participate in much these days, is food supply. Farms, farmers, farmworkers.

I have probably seen the noble profession very occasionally referred to obliquely thru all of this, but never directly by name. Seems a bit odd from my perspective/bias when I think of where we would be if they all took a few days off in the middle of this....

 

[menzies]

Look guys, here is my take.

We absolutely should applaud each and every one of our "front line" people in the midst of this.

The definition is broad. It's kind of like a pyramid, but not numerically. Our health care workers, paramedics, ambulance drivers at the top, others as we come down the pyramid, including all those keeping essential services going - food, power, social services including mental health, law enforcement, probably too many to mention.

But the point of this post is that somewhere near the bottom of this pyramid is also us. The people who are also doing our bit. Staying at home or responsibly distancing if we do venture forth. Those of us who have cancelled services like home cleaning, but still pay those folks to make sure that they are not seriously impacted. Those who are not attending church services, but continue to support financially on-line. Provide for local food banks, homeless support and the like.

Yes, we are not highly risking contacting the virus like those at the top of the pyramid, but we are helping the community at large get through this.

And we should continue to do so.

So make time out to also recognize and applaud yourselves.

 

[rgano]

Well, this is the most boring thread ever - not one dissent! Well played to you all from someone who has been "at sea" in a vessel for a month and who is asked to bring his own pen to marina offices for check-in, and does!

 

[Art]

I applaud the fact that we all who are posting here are thanking and congratulating all of the people who are working hard to help overcome Covid-19 pandemic catastrophe.

Additionally, all who are maintaining separation during this pandemic also need applause... that's including members/contributors in TF!

Stay safe, stay healthy!

Developments into the oncoming "New Lifestyle" will eventually be hammered out. The road to reach this New Lifestyle will likely take much time and considerable effort; as well as highs of success and low times of failures . Economic conditions could experience severe hiccups - such as never before experienced.

Best Luck To: All !

 

[markpierce]

Living, with its risks, must continue.

 

[Lou_tribal]

I agree whole heartedly with the sentiment that Art expressed and join in his gratitude for those who must continue to serve under the current adverse circumstances. It is easier to take heart in his post ironically because he did not name names for the occupations of these 'essential' workers.

Others named names. I went thru the list of named occupations and it is as expected. These days when people are inclined to be in a generous mood rather than wallowing in self pity or looking for a political battle they commonly name these same essential service workers for which I add my applause and gratitude.
1.Health care
2.transportation/logistics
3.factories making healthcare supplies and PPE
4. technology workers making remote work possible
5. law enforcement
6. other government services to include free money/the president or your senator
7. grocery workers

But, while I have sort of tolerated this patiently for 35 years of my career, now that my career is winding down, I am on the verge of irritated that the one profession that has been so reliable and efficient that it is always taken for granted even in the face of a calamity such as we are in now where life itself, not just comfort, is at risk, and this line of work is almost never mentioned as the single most important reason we all live and breath with a chance to fight another day.

I submit that if it were not for front line workers in this occupation showing up every single day during your lifetimes, including now, none of the above services would be needed at all. Not one bit.
One percent of our population serves the other 99% without fail in this profession, day in and day out, more often vilified rather than shown a snippet of gratitude, even now. On the front lines, and some dying for it.

How long would you last without them?

Thank you sir, my wife and I are part of your two first picks

L

 

[MurrayM]

...and food processing plant workers, temporary foreign farm labourers...it's a long list!

 

[psneeld]

I guess we have found a whole new realm of national service beyond the military and a few others.


Lets see what happens when it's all over.

 

[Art]

I guess we have found a whole new realm of national service beyond the military and a few others.


Lets see what happens when it's all over.

"When it's all over..." Interesting conjecture.

 

[psneeld]

"When it's all over..." Interesting conjecture.

We humans seem to move from one crisis to another....without much looking back.


So it's not much of a stretch.

 

[MurrayM]

People of European descent here in North America say, "He's on the bottom of the totem pole" as a derogatory remark. First Nations people hold the bottom figure in high regard, because it's holding the rest of them up.

It feels like some people who have been overlooked by many in the past are finally getting some respect. I hope it holds in our collective memory.

 

[koliver]

Now we need the rest of the world to get on board with the medical necessities. Way too many jurisdictions are behind on "flattening the curve".
Speaking personally, I hope Japan gets moving on putting the proper restrictions in place soon, as we have family there.

 

[SteveK]

I wish to thank ALL essential service workers faithfully performing their chosen field. We may not be able to name all of you until a time when your service is missed.
Thank you.

klee wyck
I am reminded of an on the street survey done in a large city years ago where the people were randomly asked a series of food related questions.

The question that stuck with me;
Where does the food you eat at home or restaurant come from?
The answer was quite seriously from the grocery store.

While we are aware of farms, farmers et al, we forget. Please do not take it personally.
Thank you for our food supply people.

 

[Frosty]

Klee Wyck,

You are so right: Farmers are *always* essential! I was probably showing some of my own personal fears right now -- because while I have no doubt farming would be beyond me in terms of work and stress in the best of times, right now being exposed to a jillion people is the scariest thing I can think of, so that influenced my list of appreciated workers.

But I am sure farmers are also living with many new stresses, in addition to all the usual ones they have.

I now remember you showed some cheese photos earlier. Definitely essential to quality of life! Your boat looks Dutch and one of my favorite cheeses is kanternagelkaas. (Of course one hopes to never have to choose just one favorite.) Some people bring back normal souvenirs; I had a backpack full of nailed cheese and gestampte muisjes

Murray: I agree. I hope some jobs that have been held in low esteem in the past aren't automatically dismissed in future. An honest day's work is an honest day's work. Interesting about how "low man on the totem pole" is backwards the way it's used to mean lesser.

PS: For anyone who is interested, the cheese I referred to is studded with cloves and cumin seeds. Mmmmm. Gestampte muisjes is a white/fine powder that's anise flavored and goes on breakfast toast. Now I'm hungry...

 

[healhustler]

My 'group' who I mostly walk among and watch in admiration everyday rather than participate in much these days, is food supply. Farms, farmers,..

Agree. The trouble is, that the work achieved by farmers and farm workers from the half-acre vegetable garden to the largest volume wholesale producer, it all goes “without saying”. When it comes to farmers, “without saying“ is well said.

During the 3 day Independent Truckers strike back in the 80’s, I watched a woman interviewed in front of a supermarket by a local TV channel. When asked what she thought of the Independent Trucker’s strike, her response was “It doesn’t matter to me what they do. I buy everything at the supermarket anyway”.

Sometimes a pie in the face is justified, you know.