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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/books/item_id/1311011-Porthole/day/3-7-2020
Rated: 13+ · Book · Personal · #1311011
A terminal for all blogs coming in or going out. A view into my life.
Started July 1st 2019 for contests, etc. as other blogs are filling up and have other purposes.

Ferry boat between Solvorn and Ornes across the Lustrafjord i Sogn og Fjordane.




I'm starting a new blog because
BOOK
L'aura del Campo  (13+)
Online journal capturing the moment and the memory of moments. A meadow meditation.
#982524 by Kåre Enga in Udon Thani
had over 1,200 entries and that was getting close to full. I don't want to trim it by deletion. I did that once, much to my dismay. Will be used more for poetry.

BOOK
Hoarfrosts from Hell  (GC)
Anything I'm not happy about or that I don't want in my main blog!
#997339 by Kåre Enga in Udon Thani
is still hidden from the public and will remain so. It's more personal and full of angst. Was used for 30DBC for May 2020 and now used for Blogville.

BOOK
Enga mellom fjella  (13+)
Enga mellom fjella: where from across the meadow, poems sing from mountains and molehills.
#1317094 by Kåre Enga in Udon Thani
was full... until the number of entries was increased. A mixed blog, mostly stories.

I'll be linking to
BOOK
On The Write Path  (13+)
ON THE WRITE PATH: travel journal for Around-the-World in 2015, 16, 18.
#2032403 by Kåre Enga in Udon Thani
as I need to post there about my travels.

 
BOOK
O Pinions!  (XGC)
May my opinions gather wind under their wings and fly, perchance to soar.
#1501776 by Kåre Enga in Udon Thani
is for my opinions. *Laugh*

BOOK
Nurture your Nature  (13+)
Look around. Let Nature nurture your Soul. I record images I sense and share them here.
#1439094 by Kåre Enga in Udon Thani
was set up for nature observations and musings.

 
BOOK
Watt's Gnus  (18+)
On topics and today's gnus. Definitely opinionated. Set to 18+ for a reason.
#1439092 by Kåre Enga in Udon Thani
come out of a need to share interesting stuff I come across. When I was young I did a small newsletter named as such. (or was it column in the newsletter? Been 30 years... I think.)

 
FOLDER
Flash Fiction  (GC)
Short 300 word, more or less, "stories" .
#2190336 by Kåre Enga in Udon Thani
is where I put my flash fictions. Maybe someday I'll figure it out and have enough good ones to publish. Ratings vary and some are hidden from view.

I've started an appendix (I no longer have one personally) to keep track of my Space Cadet journals for Space Blog. It's a work constantly under construction. Mind the mess.
STATIC
Space Cadet - the never ending journal  (18+)
Journeys of an Alien Space crew.
#2226611 by Kåre Enga in Udon Thani


I needed to start a folder for contests as there are so many deadlines and details to remember.
 
FOLDER
Conquest ... to keep track of contests  (18+)
A place to keep track of in progress works and up-coming deadlines as well as any awards.
#2233119 by Kåre Enga in Udon Thani
(also very messy!) *Shock2*

 
FORUM
Blogville   (XGC)
Where bloggers meet and greet to read and share. No required prompt. Alias: blogville.
#2253938 by Kåre Enga in Udon Thani
is for posting personal blog entries in hope that folks will comment and post their blog entries there as well. I will be commenting on all blog entries posted. It's my effort to rebuild a blogging community.

BOOK
Bibimbap 비빔밥   (13+)
Left-overs piled on hot rice and mixed.
#2296648 by Kåre Enga in Udon Thani
an E blog focusing on food and culture. Easily digestible for the Queasy and Questioning.

March 7, 2020 at 12:38pm
March 7, 2020 at 12:38pm
#977410
30DBC: What does wisdom mean to you? Give an example.

I responded to bobturn: "I think wisdom can be present without 20/20 vision or hindsight. But having a clear grasp of the situation (experience helps) seems to be a component. When it's foggy (whether any decision is wise or not), wisdom may only be clear in retrospect."

Wise: Years ago, I went to a meeting. I knew these two guests were "off". Knew enough about the danger. Read between the lines. I left without making a scene, but shared my concerns with my friend Linda who listened, concurred and made a phone call. When it all came out in the wash I was right. Other friends were very upset but with all due respect ... they were naive. They didn't know. I did. Didn't make me 'better', just made me wiser for that moment.

Unwise: I take risks with people in order to connect. I'm needy. This isn't good. It clouds my judgment. Yes, I could give specifics, but shame, fear, and realizing that most people wouldn't understand ... means that I won't. I won't invite your criticism ... and there has been plenty over the years. Was it a lack of knowledge? Sometimes. But mostly it was a mix of denial and hope leading to poor judgment.

We shall see: I'm easily overwhelmed and I tend to over-think (when I'm thinking). At times I feel lost in a fog. I can't see the path in, out, around or through. Life doesn't always wait for the fog to lift. My trip to Spain is a prime example.

What I was dealing with:

1. Two trips planned with only 9 days respite. A 9 week trip planned (March-May). I was tired.
2. A new unexpected threat: the Wuhan coronavius.
3. Experience watching how Taiwan went from a friendly peaceful place to one on edge. While the Americans and Europeans were blissful in their ignorance I had to confront choices. One friend re-arrange flights at a personal loss; I chose to stay. Now ... in retrospect ... we were safer there than here.
4. But ... I needed to make decisions. I'd booked my flight to Spain without travel insurance. I tried to add it. I couldn't. Later the bank suggested that maybe it was a glitch. The glitch may have been activating a new charge card that deactivated my old one. I may never know for sure.
5. So ... No INSURANCE! Information on-line mentioned how an American getting sick in Europe could be charged thousands of dollars with no recourse. For those who don't know ... Medicare does not go abroad; there are no reciprocal health agreements. Spain, specifically, can be expensive and brutal in this regard.
6. I stay in hostels ... not safe in times of viral infections. Countries were quarantining ... at whose cost? Private room with private facilities are no guarantee to be low-risk but I started to check on-line. Not cheap but I could swing it. However, I was already out-of-time.
7. And in the US? I stay in an old hotel where we share toilets and baths. Not safe here either.
8. Will the US quarantine? No idea then, still none.
9. Can I get checked? NO! Only now have test-kits become available.
10. Can I get checked now? Maybe ... the numbers will soar. I suspect that presently there are 500-1000 positive cases overall, most undiagnosed. So there will be a backlog. Get in line.
11. Will it cost? Yep. They say Medicare will cover the test. But the hospital? Doubt it. Will there be a public place to get tested? Doubt it. New York is working on this, but Montana has a pay-as-you-go mentality. Don't have the money? Die. Just DIE.
12. Should I just go ... somewhere ... where there's a cheap private room ... not many in Costa Rica (although I know of one)! I looked; they are not to be found on-line. There are NONE here in Montana.
13. Should I go somewhere where it's safe? The only 'safe' places I know of are Taiwan and Singapore. You paying? I lost $700 by cancelling my non-refundable flights. No recourse.
14. Next flight? Travel insurance. Shorter trip. More flexibility. All this = more expensive.

Was I wise to cancel? Am I unwise to stay here? Would I be better off leaving? Would travel insurance even matter? I'm 'old' and not as healthy as 10 years ago. I suspect that when this is over the mortality rate will be about 1%, but among the elderly more like 5-10% and groups at risk? 20%. I'm guessing I'm at 2-3%. Roll the dice? I'm not a gambler. Only time will tell what is/was/will-be wise.

What would you do if it were your life?


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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/books/item_id/1311011-Porthole/day/3-7-2020