A record 4.3 million Americans voluntarily left their jobs in August, according to number of “quits” reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). News media are calling it “The Great Resignation.” But there are actually even more than 4.3 million,

Do you like to watch the credits after a movie? I do. I especially like to see which locations were used and the list of songs in the soundtrack. But, except for wondering what the “best boy” did, I’ve never thought much about the jobs listed. Then my daughter sent me this:

The new hammer is molnupiravir, named after Thor’s hammer–Mjollnir. I’m just glad they didn’t call it mjollnirvir.

We can’t see ahead. I threw away my crystal ball months ago. But we can look back and it’s clear that COVID-19 is still here, still affecting our lives more than we ever expected. Instead of a return to “normal,” 2021 is turning out to be a year of adjustment. We live in an era of negotiation

CNN recently ran an article called, “5 countries that are opening up and living with Covid.” This caught my attention immediately. Which countries? I asked. Does that mean people are just walking around like it’s 2019? Open up in comparison to what?

Podcasts abound on the subject of COVID-19. One of my favorites is Dr. Osterholm’s weekly podcast from the University of Minnesota. Lately he’s remarked that his crystal ball has grown cloudy. I answer back that I threw mine away–

Yes, that apostrophe is in the right place. I’ve spent the weekend in a writer’s retreat, as in one writer. Namely me. The original plan was a few days in Lake Tahoe, but they had to evacuate and everyone was going the other way.

We weren’t expecting this. Last summer we expected things to be cancelled: school, sports, the Olympics, the Hollywood Bowl season, the Rose Parade. Now we’re approaching fall with caution and contingency plans. Yes, we plan to meet in person, the first email says. A few weeks later, it’s yes, but. . . maybe . . . no, not yet.