Tessera

In the back of the drawer I found the watch that I lost at the start of the pandemic, and so I kept digging and so I kept digging to see if I could find the other things that I lost at the start of the pandemic, but (alas) my faith in other people wasn’t in there.

According to a new study Covid has evolved to evade our immunity, and has mutated to avoid the cells we have that detect infections, and while this may explain one reason why we keep getting sick, the main reason remains that we pretend the virus has gone away.

When they ask why you are masked explain that the Pope has lung cancer so you’re doing your part to help protect him, and when they say but he isn’t here, ask them if they think the Pope is the only person whose lungs need protecting. * Week 345: librarianshipwreck.wordpress.com/2026/10/23/p...

Plague Poems – The Three-Hundred-and-Forty-Fifth Week

At this point it seems there is not truly a plague outbreak occurring in Russia, and while it is good (while it is very good) that we need not worry about the literal plague, unfortunately there is…

librarianshipwreck.wordpress.com

My friend, the activist, tells me he’s worried this administration will refuse to accept the vote count in November. And my friend, the epidemiologist, tells me she’s worried this administration is refusing to accept the measles death count in Pennsylvania.

A friend in New York says everyone there has a cough A friend in Michigan says everyone there has a cough A friend in Georgia says everyone there has a cough A friend in Oregon says everyone there has a cough My friends I fear they have more than just a cough.

I confess: had you asked me 24 hours ago what the Shamonda virus is, I would not have been able to give you an answer, and though I am thankful to have an opportunity in which to learn new things, I am getting quite tired of learning about new viruses.

I know, I know, of course I know that controlling diseases is a difficult thing, but considering that the “CDC ignored request from states to validate a new measles test,” it really seems like they aren’t even trying.

The first known human case of Shamonda virus and the first known human death from Shamonda virus have occurred in France, and though it is being reported that the victim was immunocompromised the key thing to remember is that they were a human, human just like you.

I keep hearing people worry about what “the October surprise” will turn out to be, and at the same time I keep hearing people worry that they have caught “something,” which suggests that for many the real “October surprise” is that Covid is still out there.

The climatologist told me we’re in a climate crisis The economist told me we’re in a confidence crisis The epidemiologist told me we’re in an outbreak crisis The historian told me we’re in a historic crisis I called my sibling and told her “sis, I want to cry.”

At times I hear it said that if we were to collectively acknowledge the reality of Covid and long Covid that the stock market would implode, and while I fear that this is true of Covid and long Covid, I fear this is also true of our response to most things these days.

As I waited for the meeting to start I looked around and realized that there were several other masked faces in the room, and though I wanted and though I really wanted to interpret this as a good sign, I couldn’t help but worry that this was actually a very bad sign.

I keep hearing people oooing and aahing over those videos of the supposedly flying car, but considering how I also keep hearing people coughing and coughing I cannot help but think  that we are paying attention to the wrong thing  that is airborne in this moment.

When they ask why you are taking precautions explain “Researchers often compare it to Russian roulette: Any infection could be the one that leads to long Covid,” and tell them you don’t like those odds, and when they respond by rolling their eyes, just wish them luck.

I understand that with the story of the (potential) plague outbreak in Russia (thankfully) fizzling out, it is easy to go back to ignoring deadly outbreaks occurring elsewhere, but please remember: the Ebola outbreak is ongoing in Congo and now growing in Kenya too.

A sincere apology to you, my readers: yesterday I contrasted the many crises currently unfolding with a celebrity wearing a $20 million bra, but I was mistaken, alas, I was quite mistaken, in actuality that celebrity was wearing a $50 million bra.

My aunt, the doctor, told me a new joke. She asked: How can you tell that there’s a lot of Covid going around? I said I did not know. So she answered: Because the New York Times is warning people about the risks of repeat infections. And neither of us laughed.

After I handed her the jar she had asked if I would get her from up on the top shelf the silver-haired woman said “thanks, I knew I could ask you for help,” and when I replied with a caught off guard “why?” she just said “because you’re wearing a mask.”

I saw a clip of protests in Europe and thought: the world is on fire. I saw a clip of El Niño predictions and thought: the world is on fire. And I saw a clip of a celebrity on a runway in a $20 million bra and thought: the world is on fire.

It is being reported that in the UK Covid-19 hospital admissions have surged by 41% in the last two weeks, but there is really no need to worry about that happening here in the US, for over here none of us can afford to go to the hospital.

I have a friend  who says  beanie season  has finally arrived. I have a friend  who says  flannel season  has finally arrived. I have a friend  who says  scarf season has finally arrived.  I have a friend  who says  mask season has never ended.

A note to my precautious friends: should you worry that you are being laughed at for your precautious ways, think back to when your teacher asked if you would do the right thing even if doing so meant being laughed at? And know that you have now answered that question.

I’ve heard “it is so annoying when you use the phrase ‘during the pandemic’ to refer to 2020 and 2021” and someone replies: “we're actually still in the pandemic btw,” and while I am sorry for being annoying, please remember: catching Covid is more than just annoying.

Had you told me when I started writing these I’d be writing them about the actual plague I would have picked a different name. And had you told me when I started writing these I’d be writing them for years I wouldn’t have started. * Week 344: librarianshipwreck.wordpress.com/2026/10/16/p...

Plague Poems – The Three-Hundred-and-Forty-Fourth Week

There are many things which plague our world as this week begins, but unfortunately as this week begins one of those many things is quite literally the plague. * Much remains unknown about the plag…

librarianshipwreck.wordpress.com

Within the profile of the “Olympic sprinter now bedbound for 22 hours a day,” it is noted that: “it all started with back-to-back Covid and glandular fever infections,” and if this is what can happen to an Olympic athlete, just think of what can happen to you.

After the Secretary was asked about the measles deaths in Pennsylvania a staffer quickly stated “We’re not going to talk about that,” and while this obviously isn’t much of an answer, it is an accurate description of how this society talks about contagious threats.

An important clarification: A mnemonic device is a trick  to improve memory. Johnny Mnemonic  is a movie  with Keanu Reeves. A pneumonic outbreak  is a reason  to still wear a mask.

I read an article which wrestled with the question of “What to say when someone shows up sick,” but after years of experience (after too many years of experience) I feel I can confidently state that the thing “to say when someone shows up sick” is to just put on a mask.

I keep seeing clips of a politician at a town hall saying “I think the responsible thing to do when you have something like the flu is to stay home and not get other people sick,” and I wish the next question had been: “what will you do to ensure everyone can do that?”