I make a point of walking a couple of miles every day (weather permitting), and I particularly enjoy hiking one of the preserves maintained by the Forest Preserve District of Kane County. But I have good memories of hiking Veteran Acres Park in Crystal Lake. There is a section of the park that contains a sizable stand of pine trees, and I always enjoyed walking under those trees during my visits to the park. I haven't been to that park in nearly 18 years, but I cherish my recollections of that stand of pines. I just wanted to share that with you.
I was disappointed to learn conditions related to the Covid-19 Virus forced The Evening Whirl in St. Louis to suspend production of its print publication after more than 83 years of operations in the Missouri city. For those not familiar with The Whirl, it specializes in covering the crime and night life in many of the city's "economically challenged" neighborhoods. It is known for its snappy headlines and the street slang it incorporates into its reporting. And the Whirl's staff pays no attention to the Associated Press Stylebook, which most conventional journalists adhere to with a religious-like fervor. A friend in St. Louis introduced me to the Whirl 38 years ago and regularly mailed copies of the paper to me. I hope it returns from hiatus one day and will miss it.
I was talking with a friend the other day about what life might be like after the "stay home" orders are lifted, and we're all allowed to return to our jobs (if they still exist). Professional commentators speculate life will not be like it was prior to the shut down and some think it might take until 2022 before we can expect a return of a "normal" lifestyle. The physical-distancing we are all encouraged to practice alone raises all sorts of questions about life after the immediate crisis. The impact to the world economy and daily life is almost too depressing to contemplate.
-- Thank you for reading. Please share your comments here or email me at kbotterman@gmail.com.
