Daily Hits of Happy: August 4, 2020 - 326 - "Horsemen of the Apocalypse"

Is This Really Where We Are Now?

Some of the horsemen of the apocalypse are surely: Tabloid News, Disdain for Education, Addiction to Distraction, and Mental and Physical Sloth.

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I do really try to stay positive. But, damn, there are days.

It's not enough to avoid the crazy tabloid news that has become what we call 'news', but bares no resemblance to the news I grew up with.

Everything is just a 'he said'/'she said' battle. And everyone is supposed to decide on a 'side', and hate everyone on the other side. No real debate or conversation or actual facts.

Frankly, I think history is going to see a lot of this time period in much the same way thinking people look back on the Brown Shirts in Hitler's era. Lots of individuals are going to have to rewrite their personal stories because they are so on the wrong side of history.

Kind of like how there are almost no Germans today who had "any family members who were Nazi's". To hear them tell it today everyone's family was part of the resistance.

But that can't be true, can it?

But I'm Only Talking About The Small Signs of The Apocalypse Today

All I wanted to do was to catch up on my work email...

It seemed pretty normal at first. There were tons and tons of offers for airline travelers. Tourist businesses just love airline employees during tough times.

We can, theoretically, get on the few flights that are running and go support the hotels, resorts, and cruise ships that are trying to stay afloat (haha) by offering great airline employee discounts.

But mainly I was thinking: These are really great deals! How many people can really do that right now?

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Then I see all the emails about the virus. Going back to the 'you can't wear masks' days, through the 'you can wear masks' days, and moving right onto the 'you must wear masks' current situation. Then there are the signed affidavits that employees have to present monthly saying they don't think they have the virus.

Well, yeah...maybe congressional leaders and senators like to contract diseases and spread them around, but I have more faith in my fellow employees than that. Mostly they'd rather not add to the problem.

Still, that wasn't the worst of the emails...

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I read emails about how we're ramping up for our 'heavy' season. Huh. How's that working out right now?, I wonder.

Then I saw the number of flights leaving in a day. Whoa.

Uh, yeah, it's less than a quarter of what a historically normal non-high-season day would have been.

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Then there's all the stuff about curfews in the area, and that active employees have a paper they can print out to show they are essential workers and can be out after hours.

Sigh. Strange times, indeed.

But Wait! There's More!

Then I read that even employees on leave need to keep their DFW Airport badges up to date. (I think because you have to go back to square one on security clearances if you let them lapse.)

Makes sense.

Okay, I make a mental note to check my next renewal date. Then I read the new requirements to renew them.

This year there will be extra training. Okay. What for?

Well, everyone has to be sure to take the "Active Shooter and Insider Threat training before renewing your existing badge."

This is probably long overdue...but damn. Not something I wanted to read about right now. Or, really...ever read about.

Ugh.

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This too shall pass. This too shall pass. This too shall pass. Ohmmmm.....