Vegas may be closed, but we're all gambling.

Hello and howdy.

I hope everyone is doing well with their quarantine situation however that may be playing out for you and your family. Ours is still boding well and although we are feeling the drag of it, we're in good spirits. Again, we're overwhelmingly thankful that we are able to continue to work in our jobs, full-time, from our home. Our hearts go out to all of those who are unable to do that and as a result are out of work, have been laid off or hours drastically cut back. On the flip-side of that, we equally feel for those who are continuing to work in the exact same capacity. Such workers as law enforcement, doctors and nurses, UPS drivers and other delivery services, fast food workers and facility workers. Yes, I have thanked them before, but I continue to do so because they continue to do their jobs in the midst of this weird and uncertain time we're in.

In my last blog I mentioned that there was light at the end of the tunnel and I believed people were at least planning strategies on what they would do as we begin to come out of this quarantine and a week later, that is very much the topic of discussion. From the Federal government to state and local, they are all talking about it. No specific dates are being thrown out and all are leading that they will be making the decisions based on science and medical data which is, in my opinion, the only way to do this correctly.

I think that as these conversations continue to develop, it is giving people hope. Giving them something to look forward to, something to prepare and plan for and a reminder that this way of living will NOT last forever. It is this optimism that has a taste of excitement in the air and I also believe giving people a re-ignited spark of patriotism as well. There are so many positive instances of our governments and communities coming together during this time. Putting politics aside and truly working together for the betterment of our great nation. Yes, not everyone, but I'm not going to focus on that. I do believe that there are more examples of cooperation and good than there are of the bad, so I'm sticking to those.

Before I continue, I feel obligated to note, even though it should be obvious, I am not a doctor or a medical expert and this is just my opinion based on things I've been reading and watching about the Corona virus.

Lastly I want to talk about re-opening and the risks that are involved. With the discussion of lifting the stay at home orders in certain areas of the country, there seems to be two camps. Those who think it is too early and those who want to open yesterday. The protection of people's safety and well-being is one of the top priorities of government, on any level. But just in that, "safety and well-being" is a great conundrum. If by keeping the economy shut-down, which the data seems to show that it is helping destroy the spread of the virus, but also destroy businesses and within that people are losing their jobs and ability to provide for their families, aren't we both providing and robbing people of safety and well-being at the same time? I believe yes, which is what makes our situation so difficult. I can certainly see the point from each side and I believe both are valid. So which one should win? Well, to continue living in the middle, I think they both should. Meaning, there will always be both camps, but if we can meet in the middle and open at a point where they both sort of get what they want, that seems to be the best for both.

The worst would be for this quarantine to be all for nothing should the virus flare up, which the scientists leading the research on this have all agree that it could. Again on the flip side, if we stay closed for too long and too many people are out of work and too many businesses go under, those people will find themselves out of work and possibly homeless and starving which could also lead to their deaths.

Here in California, it is law that you must wear a face mask when going to the store. I understand it, and Marzz and I have been complying, but I must raise the question, is this legal? Can the government mandate this? I know some religious groups have already sued Governor Newson of California for not allowing them to congregate, even if they are practicing social distancing. I'm not a religious person, but I do see their point. Again the question will be, does the state government have the authority to prevent them from doing so, even if the state is doing it in what they believe, to the best of their knowledge, for the safety and well-being of those people? I think that part will be interesting because there are also people being arrested for being at the local public park. Is that okay, even if it is in the name of safety and well-being? If a man and his daughter are the only ones in the park, aren't they social distancing? If that isn't good enough, and apparently it wasn't because he was arrested, then is social distancing even worth practicing? It seems to me he should have been fine and was not endangering anyone else? We must be careful not to give up too many of our freedoms in the name of safety. Our freedoms what make us great and what keeps us, citizens truly free and in charge of our governments and not the other way around.

This is truly an unprecedented time and I wish I had the answers, but I do not. I am hopeful that the leaders that we, as the people, have placed in charge do their jobs and both destroy this virus and get us all back up and running as a country.

Las Vegas may be closed but we're all gambling in our own ways, whether we think we are or not. We've all placed our bets, the chips are down, let's hope we hit on a winner! I joke of course, but now is a good of time as any to be placing bets on when we will open....gotta fill the time some how?