#anyone who works a job that has them frequently washing/sanitizing their hands needs this

[dragonanon]

Both love it and hate it when amazing products have questionable sounding names because on one hand it’s funny, but on the other hand you also end up having to tell your friends and coworkers that you use Daddy Oil on your cuticles

[dxmichelle]

I am not normally one to throw a whole lot of personal stuff around on my blog, but I feel the need to rant. 

Some big-name grocery stores are paying hazard pay to their employees. $2/hr bonus for having to deal with the customers panic-buying all the eggs, meat, toilet paper, and pasta sauce (but not pasta? What’s all the sauce for???), restocking as much as they can, and dealing with the likelihood of catching COVID-19 just because they have to show up for work because it’s an essential business that can’t close.

That’s great! Now that the employees have to be there, of course, because I’m sure they’d all rather be home, but that their companies are acknowledging that they are what’s keeping the store afloat and are compensating them better for it. Even if it is a temporary boost in pay until the pandemic is over, I’m sure it will not go unnoticed by the team members.

Now. Having said that...

I think I’ve mentioned once before that I work at Walgreens. (If not, it’s no big secret *shrug*). Like any other grocery store and pharmacy, we are an essential retailer that can’t just close down in the face of a serious pandemic. We know the store has to stay open. We don’t expect it to close. Ever. I mean, we’re the only store in town open on Christmas all day. The world can end twice over and we’ll still be selling cigarettes and printing photo orders.

Some of what’s happened to other stores (read: grocery) has happened with us. My store in particular is out of toilet paper and paper towels, milk, eggs, sanitizer, etc. All those nice things that the panicking hoarders bought everyone out of within two weeks or so, they’re gone. They’ve been gone. And it’s near impossible to get it back in stock.

We’ve had customers give us shit because we don’t have any paper goods, cleaning supplies, disinfectant, masks, gloves, rubbing alcohol, heck - even the Tylenol is all gone. You know how much OTC pain medicine we keep on the shelves year-round? TONS. And it’s wiped clean. Even the generic Tylenol is out. It’s nuts. 

“Why are you still out of everything!? Don’t you guys receive trucks anymore?”

“When are you getting “[name that product]” in?”

“WHY DON’T YOU EVER HAVE TOILET PAPER?”

Okay, truth be told, we have been getting paper goods back in stock. By the third hour it’s been restocked to the floor, it’s gone again, and that’s with setting a harsh limit per customer. We’ll get maybe two bottles of hand sanitizer in a week. Clorox or Lysol wipes and disinfectant spray? Forget it.

The Tylenol is a recent addition to the “whoop, it’s gone!” club. We’ll probably restock just fine on it, but it might take a week or so. ...Or maybe it won’t. Who knows.

I can see exactly what comes in on each truck before it arrives. But I can’t tell the customers that in fear they’ll storm the truck or something before we’ve finished unloading it. 

“Our truck comes later this week. We can’t guarantee what’s going to be on it.”

Which is true, because essentially every distribution center is out of all the things people want. 

And because we are also a pharmacy, where the sick come to get the medicine to feel better, we are constantly in the line of fire for picking up whatever illness our customers drag through the front door. Doesn’t have to be COVID-19. People don’t know how to stay the fuck home when they’re ill.

You would think that all the Karens and the Susans who bought all the hand soap, sanitizer and face masks would have better sick etiquette, but nooo, they’re the ones not covering their mouth and nose and spreading their germs all over everyone and everything.

And don’t even get me started on how dirty money is.

So, being such a large and well-respected(?) retail pharmacy, what has Walgreens done for our employees in these troubling times of uncertainty and unease for their team members?

1. 2 weeks of paid sick pay but only if you’ve been confirmed to have COVID-19. And since testing is so readily available (HA), if you have flu-symptoms and choose to stay home and self-isolate, you can! But it comes out of either your PTO, or goes unpaid. 

And if your child is home because no school and you have no one to watch them? It’s fine to stay home, but you won’t get paid unless you pull PTO. If you have it.

2. Social distancing markers! There are tape lines on the floor for the checkout and pharmacy lines. Except that when you need the pharmacist for a consult and you’re at the window, or standing at the pharmacy/front checkout counter, it is impossible to stand 6ft away. What, am I supposed to let the customer throw the money at me? Am I supposed to ring out their purchases and fling the bag back at them? Let me tell you a secret: it doesn’t work.

3. Discouraged wearing of gloves and masks at the front register. Okay, I see the point behind these. Not that anyone has masks to wear, mind you, but they don’t prevent the catching of COVID-19. And wearing gloves just keeps the dirt and germs on the gloves, and keeps you from frequently washing your hands, which is what everyone recommends you doing anyhow. But...realistically. The checkout cashier doesn’t have the ability after every 2 transactions to go wash their hands. And sanitizer is really only so effective. Either way, it’s not stopping whoever wants to wear gloves from wearing them, so we have gloves up front to use. 

4. Sent care packages to help us clean, and reduced store hours. My store was open 8am-10pm. Now it’s 9am-9pm. That hour in each direction really doesn’t do a whole lot of difference. The idea is to clean, disinfect everything, and restock in the new time window that the store is now closed. Which is fine. But we don’t have anything to restock, our stockroom is BARE. And those care packages for the store to use? A case of toilet paper that I could have ordered myself when ordering supplies, a 6-pack of paper towels, two tubs of Clorox wipes, a box of 30 gloves. Oh yes, this will last a long time... We’ve also been given the go-ahead to expense any product off the shelf that we need to keep the store disinfected. 

...Expense what!? THE SHELVES ARE EMPTY.

---

To give my company some credit, they are very good at keeping us updated with what’s going on. There are usually message posts every/every other day, and I honestly do feel like they are trying to do well in a situation that is trying for just about everyone. 

Many team members have spoken up in comment forums with concerns, and they are doing what they can to address them.

Now, having said that....

(Remember that first paragraph about hazard pay? I know it was like a year ago up there at the top of the post)

Today, 3/22/20, Walgreens announced that they are giving their store and distribution team members a one-time bonus to show their appreciation for us. 

We, the team members ringing out all of our customers purchases while they cough and sneeze uncovered in our general direction, the pharmacy technicians and pharmacists dealing with angry and impatient patients because the lines are long and everyone’s trying to get early refills on their medications, on top of the usual crowd in for their regular pickup or just trying to drop off a new script. We the team members having to placate the customers by walking into an empty stockroom, look at the empty shelving for 10 seconds so we can then walk back out and assure them that “no, we really are out of face masks and rubbing alcohol”. 

We hourly team members fighting the fight on the front lines and praying to whoever we believe in that we don’t contract COVID-19 from anyone and everyone, will get a one-time bonus of $300 for full-timers, and $150 for part-time, at the end of APRIL.

Are. You. Serious?

I realize that it is better than them shrugging their shoulders and doing absolutely nothing. For many people, I’m sure it’ll be welcome. I can definitely use the $300, considering I lost all my hours at my second job and am going to probably be short in the upcoming months. 

But, as this is a bonus, it’ll probably be taxed to hell. I’ll probably really see only half of it. And when you break it down, it’s like a $.53 raise, for four weeks. But you have to wait four weeks to get it. 

We are just as vital as the grocery store down the street. The fact that Walgreens think that this will placate its worried employee-base is completely out of touch. But then again, the people making these decisions are probably doing so from the comfort of home and not in the stores super busy with customers standing on top of each other, and us while they grab the last can of soup and box of vinyl gloves available. 

For us fighting to keep everyone else happy and healthy, this is a slap in the face and a punch to the gut. 

If I am going to work every day, risking my health and the health of my family just so everyone else can pick up their essentials...and non-essentials, I should be compensated for it. Without us in the stores, no one is getting their good sad stare at the toilet paper aisle, ranting over the lack of Tylenol, or waiting in line for that flu shot they should have gotten at least 5-6 months ago.

Not to mention...you know...getting their medication. That’s important too.

It’s time Walgreens gave us the hazard pay we deserve. And conveniently enough, several days ago, someone started a petition in hopes that might happen.

So if you’ve made it to the end of my rant, and want to try and help out a frustrated shift manager, or any of the other thousands of store and DC employees who must feel extremely slighted right now, feel free to click and sign. There are already 45,000+ signatures. Every bit helps.

And if not? Maybe signal boost this post. It might wander onto the blog of another Walgreens employee just as frustrated as I am. Who knows.

Thanks for reading,  Michelle the disgruntled employee 

[volturialice]

I have eczema too do you have any tips on dealing with it?

ooooof. ok content warning for discussion of Gross Things and injuries and lowkey self-harm below the cut

so. I grew up with like, SEVERE severe eczema. as in, huge open sores all over my arms, legs, hands, feet, and sometimes neck/face/ears. ones that never went away. my quality of life was…not great, lol. I frequently got staph and other infections, I had to wear long pants and long sleeves at all times, it hurt to shower or bathe or swim and salt water was RIGHT out, people avoided me because my appearance grossed them out, and still other people (frequently adults and teachers) saw the injuries and assumed I was self-harming, which. I mean, the scabs were itchy as fuck, and I frequently scratched them open (gross gross GROSS and yet I still did it!) so in that sense it sometimes…was? but was also a very involuntary and physiological medical condition, so when people who didn’t know me told me it was self-harm that felt horribly dismissive of my feelings and agency. (like…to this day I still couldn’t tell you if it was self-harm. maybe it was part self-harm and part medical condition, I have no idea.) basically it was a lot of discomfort, a lot of pain (to this day I have a freakishly high pain tolerance) and a lot of gargantuan struggles with self-esteem, body image, and social stuff.

people (including many doctors) also told me I would “grow out of it.” 

I did not. some people do, but like. come on asshole that’s not a fucking solution, you expect me to sit here covered in scabs until puberty maybe fixes everything? shut the fuck up steven

what happened to me was that my mom is a fucking terminator who did tons of research and eventually, through sheer persistence, got me in to see one of the best dermatologists in the area. this guy took one look at me and went, “yeah, you need UV treatments.” so that is what I got, for about 2.5 years during middle school—basically went twice a week to get zapped by an upright tanning booth. sometimes had sunburn in the dead of winter. it was weird (and it isn’t for everyone because there is of course the risk of skin cancer), but it eventually worked on all but two areas: my right hand and left foot. took another year of trying to treat those two places with medicated bandages and shit before they finally gave up and injected steroids directly into my hand and foot, which hurt like a biiiiiiitch but worked within weeks.

so that was pretty much my Eczema Journey. by high school, I had gone from walking around bleeding all over the place (seriously, jasper would’ve killed my delicious ass SO FAST, what the fuck is a papercut lol bella get on my level) to having a pretty good quality of life, my eczema reduced to “irritating dry skin.”

today, 1/9/20, to take stock, I have:

gross dry hands because it’s flu season and I’ve been washing them a lot

perpetually chapped lips

one (1) cut on the corner of my lip that has been there since december and refuses to heal ugh

which is like absolutely nothing to me, I spend every day so grateful that my skin has been basically fixed and now does its one (1) job of holding my blood and guts in

before I was Cured, there were a couple of things dermatologists had me do that might help you

…they didn’t always help me but here they are

1. mineral oil baths. they are gross but they will leave you feeling like a snail (effervescent) or a greased pig, or a p*rn star because you’re covered in slippry slime lmao. it’s supposed to help form a barrier to protect your skin? idk man sometimes these made me itchier but I’m just one person

2. chlorine bleach baths—please note that this means A TINY AMOUNT OF BLEACH diluted in water, not a bath in 100% bleach lol fucking ow. these are good for killing bacteria and preventing staph infections, etc.

3. going to the pool. same deal as the bleach bath, the chlorine kills bacteria.

4. get some sun. UV rays in the right amount are good for eczema, as my particular case proves. but like, don’t get skin cancer. it’s a balancing act.

things I still do now that I’m Cured 

…and have a normal, manageable level of eczema (some of these are no-brainers but idk your life so bear with me)

1. moisturize constantly. I never leave the house without a travel-size tube of moisturizer. I moisturize every morning, every night, and as needed throughout the day. this requires keeping a giant thing of moisturizer by my bed like some kind of gross h*ntai-addicted teen boy, but whatever that’s a sacrifice I have to make

2. ALWAYS moisturize after getting wet in a pool/shower/etc. like, within minutes. PAT your skin dry, don’t rub, and then moisturize immediately.

3. but also? don’t get affected areas wet that often if you can help it. take sponge baths rather than showers sometimes, or shower in cooler water. when it comes to avoiding washing your hands without spreading Spanish Influenza et al, hand sanitizer is your friend.

5. use a generic, non-cosmetic moisturizer. I can’t stress this enough. I am currently not on any prescriptions, which means I get my stuff over the counter. but my skin will absolutely not tolerate ANYTHING with any kind of cosmetic-y chemicals that make it Smell Nice or whatever. no aveeno, no neutrogena*, no…see I don’t even know what other brands are because I don’t use any of them. brands I use: cetaphil and cerave, and that’s IT. this goes for shower gel and other skin products, too! basically, the less Fancy and nice-smelling something is, the better it probably is for your skin.

*the one exception is neutrogena’s “sensitive skin” sunblock. that is the only sunblock I’ve found that doesn’t irritate my skin. is good.

6. same deal as #5 when it comes to laundry detergent. most brands will irritate your skin, so look for something labeled “sensitive skin” or “free and clear,” etc. 

7. fabric softener bad. do not use

8. for lips, I’ve heard aquaphor is good. hasn’t really worked for me, I just use regular chapstick and apply it like every 5 minutes. dermatologists have also recommended I use vaseline, but I don’t like to feel slimy (see #1a)

9. not to sound like a Live Laugh Love insta influencer, but stay hydrated! it’s extra important if you suffer from eczema. people aren’t kidding when they say it’s good for your skin.

10. kind of an obvious one, but if you have allergies, avoid the stuff you’re allergic to. ‘twill cause flare-ups.

11. try not to sweat. which isn’t to say, like, “don’t exercise ever,” but be ready to rinse off with fresh water and then moisturize immediately after you sweat.

so yeah, that’s my whole spiel. think I covered everything! but of course, different things work for different people. if anyone else has tips, feel free to comment with them!

[chair-leader]

Covid-19 Came to Town

The Covid-19 virus came to town.

I wear a mask, faithfully wash my hands, sanitize everything within my reach, and go out only when necessary.  And to be honest, the Covid-19 crisis is not my biggest fear.  

My underlying, overwhelming, and biggest fear is a loved one being in a hospital without someone at their side and making sure their needs are being met.  And, now that anyone staying in a hospital is unable to have help with them, I am filled with anxiety.  

I believe I spent more than 3,000 hours sitting next to my husband who was laying in hospital bed as he waited for a heart transplant.  Being his advocate was my critical job on his medical journey.  I helped him when I could, took notes, asked questions, watched carefully, and offered comfort and care whenever necessary.  I knew from very early on – it was imperative that I be next to him.  My late husband would often quip the hospital help call button was wall art.  He was convinced ‘it had form but no function.’ He thanked me frequently for being his eyes, ears, legs, and caregiver when he was in the hospital.  When kids and career prevented me from being with him, I feared that his basic needs were not being met in the same manner as when I was there.  

As Covid-19 has unfolded, and hospitals became more rigid with visitation rules, I put off my annual health screenings.  What if something would be wrong with me?  I know I would not seek additional medical attention at this time.  I encouraged my kids to drive slower.  And, I pray that no one I know would need emergency medical attention.  Then, it happened.  My sister was called for surgery on the first day that hospitals started doing elective surgeries again.  ‘You will be fine,’ we all told her.  In reality, our entire family was scared to death.  You are sending a loved one in for surgery and afterwards they wake to complete strangers.  

After my sister was released from the hospital, she cried or remained weepy for several days.  She recounted the horror of being alone in a hospital.  Prior to surgery, a blood draw was done.  The individual doing the draw could not find the needle.  They looked around for a bit and said, ‘Oh well, it will show up.’  ‘Could it be in my bed?’ my sister worried. She recalled waking up from surgery and no one being able to answer her as to how the surgery went as ‘they had not seen the report.’  She talked about a drain hanging from her neck that two nurses were going to pin to her gown.  They never returned.  She needed pain medication and hit the call button.  After much time passed, a technician came in.  My sister mentioned that maybe her call button was not working. The tech replied, ‘No.  I saw your light on in the hallway.’  It was midnight when my sister requested pain medication from that technician.  ‘I will let your nurse know,’ the tech replied. For three hours my sister laid in excruciating pain waiting for relief.   At 2:40 am, the nurse arrived with pain medication.  ‘I forgot to head your way and get this to you,’ she said. My sister recounted the call button falling from her bed.  She needed help.  Within hours after having surgery, she undid her leg compression device, scooted out of bed, and she cried as she crawled on the floor with the surgery drain still hanging from her neck, hoping to find the button.  Then, she worried that she did not put the compression device back on correctly.  ‘Could that cause a blood clot?’ she feared.  She could hear others on the floor crying or calling for help.  She heard nurses talking and laughing.  Her heart ached with sadness and fear.  ‘Is this how we treat people?’ she pondered.

When it came time to be released, she received mixed messages.  Person one: ‘You should be able to go after blood work at 7:30.’ Person two: ‘You should be able to go at 11 or 12.’  My sister explained that she lives 30 minutes away and would need to let her husband know. Around 8:30, transport showed up to take her to the lobby.  She sat in the lobby for more than 30 minutes waiting for her husband to arrive.  As my sister cried telling me her hospital story, she caught her breath and said, ‘I received better care picking up our Easter dinner at Texas Roundhouse.  They were more helpful, organized, and accommodating.’  While I laughed hysterically at the analogy, I completely understood the reality of her comment.

I know more and more Facebook, chat groups and blogs are popping up recounting the horrors of loved ones’ needs not being met who are alone in hospitals, retirements homes, and extended care facilities during this Covid-19 crisis.    

Hospitals are starting to lay employees off by the thousands.  Their business has dwindled.  They believe patients continue to hold off on elective surgeries as families ‘fear the virus.’  The virus may not be the fear and the crisis may not be Covid-19.  The fear and the crisis may be the way people are treated when alone in care facilities.    

Hospitals continue to lock patients in and lock loved ones out.  I continue to wear a mask, faithfully wash my hands, sanitize everything within reach, go out only when necessary, and pray daily that no one I love will enter a hospital without a loved one standing by their side.  

My biggest fear is real and realized by millions in care facilities each day, even before the virus came to town.  

 By Terri McEachern

[techcrunchappcom]

New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/survey-reveals-disparities-in-virus-testing-news-sports-jobs/

Survey reveals disparities in virus testing | News, Sports, Jobs

By Matt Westerhold

Special to the Times

Some public health directors in Ohio say there’s enough COVID-19 testing available in their communities, while others say the supply is woefully inadequate.

And in many health districts, the only way to get a test is if you’re sick with symptoms of the coronavirus or have insurance or the money to pay the out-of-pocket expenses associated with a test. The Register – along with partner newspapers – is conducting a statewide survey of health directors about the availability of tests.

“We have completed approximately 7,500 tests,” said Mike Samet, a spokesman for Hamilton County Public Health in Cincinnati. “Most of this was accomplished through pop-up sites with the Ohio National Guard.”

Samet said the testing available for Hamilton County’s 480,000 residents is adequate.

“We just launched a county-wide effort using some $18 million in CARES Act dollars to accomplish 175,000 tests by year-end.”

At the opposite end of the spectrum – population-wise – Paulding County in Northwest Ohio along the Indiana border, the public health agency does not provide any testing services for the county’s 19,500 residents. Testing is more available for residents who have insurance or an ability to pay out-of-pocket expenses, said Bill Edwards, nursing director with the county health department.

“Other agencies do offer other options,” Edwards said, referring to hospitals and other private healthcare providers.

But the available testing is “adequate,” Edwards said, and anyone who wants a test can get a test.

Asking questions

The Sandusky Register on Thursday sent questionnaires to 115 public health officials in Ohio, including county and municipal agencies, asking that it be completed and returned by a next Tuesday deadline. By late Friday, about a dozen agencies responded.

A question about the “anyone who wants a test can get a test” statement made by President Donald J. Trump in March drew a mix of responses.

As in Paulding County, the health department in Hocking County in south-central Ohio does not provide testing for its 29,000 residents, but the director there said residents aren’t complaining about wanting to test and being unable to get it.

“It appears that the testing level and availability is currently meeting the needs of our county,” said Doug Fisher, the county health commissioner. “Now that school is back in session and with flu season starting, I expect the need for testing to possibly increase.”

Fisher, like Edwards in Paulding County, could not estimate how many tests that have been conducted in his district since the pandemic began earlier this year, but like Edwards said, anyone who wants a test can get a test.

That’s not the case in Summit County, which has a population of 543,000. The health department, based in Akron, has exact numbers of how many tests it’s been able to deliver to residents at no-cost, and people who want to get tested cannot easily obtain a test.

“The testing capabilities are not adequate for the need,” Marlene Martin, the agency’s public information officer said.

“We have offered mass testing clinics in the past when the testing/lab capabilities were readily available, however, at this time we do not have the lab capacity to do mass testing or test just any community member who wants to be tested.”

The combined total of no-costs tests administered or distributed to the high-risk individuals in Summit County is just 3,927, she said.

“Testing is not readily available to any of our residents without symptoms at this point. I am sure, however, that those with insurance have an easier time getting tested should they show symptoms through their primary care physician.”

Haves, have-nots

Nearly 40% of the U.S. population is considered to be in a “low-income status” category, defined as 200 percent of the federal poverty level. For individuals, that is about $25,000 in annual income and for a family of four, it’s a combined annual income of $52,000 or less. Many in this category do not have a primary care physician or insurance, and for minorities, the problem is even more pronounced.

“So many of the individuals infected are asymptomatic that broader testing would help reduce the spread by those who may experience mild to no symptoms,” Martin said. “As schools start it is imperative we have increased testing opportunities to keep the students in school and stop outbreaks that may occur.”

In Hardin County, in Northwest Ohio, there’s a similar concern.

“The testing in our district is not adequate to the need, we still have people with mild symptoms or no symptoms who have had trouble getting a test,” said Kelsy Ralston, spokesperson for the Kenton-Hardin Public Health Department. “We would like to see testing improve, but will likely see it stay the same or deteriorate as we progress, being a small county our resources are limited.”

Hardin County has a population of 32,000 residents.

“It is still difficult for anyone to get tested in our county due to limited testing sites and criteria.”

Supply chain challenges

The inconsistencies across the state in the response to the pandemic have spawned a host of concerns – some of which are inane and dangerous and others that are real and deadly dangerous. Some Ohio lawmakers want to impeach Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, making unsubstantiated complaints that he’s violated state law and overstepped his authority.

Dr. Amy Acton reportedly resigned as the state’s health director after proponents of this “hoax” conspiracy and anti-mask efforts – including the lawmakers pushing to impeach DeWine – took aim at her.

“State Rep. Nino Vitale, R-Urbana, called her ‘Doctor of Doom,’ a tyrant and a globalist, which the Anti-Defamation League of Cleveland condemned as an anti-Semitic slur. Lawmakers like Rep. Paul Zeltwanger, R-Mason, called on her to resign,” the Cincinnati Enquirer reported in June.

On Thursday, President Donald Trump accepted the Republican Party’s nomination to be president at the White House in front of a crowd estimated to be from 1,500 to 2,000, most of them not wearing masks. The mask-less event took place despite Trump’s own federal coronavirus response team recommendations to wear masks to slow the spread of COVID-19.

State health officials also support wearing masks and the other precautions ordered by the CDC, DeWine, the state health department and other municipal and state leaders.

“Wear your mask, stay 6 feet away from others, wash/sanitize hands often, stay home if you are sick or experience symptoms and frequently disinfect surfaces,” said Marlene Martin, the spokeswoman for the Summit County Health Department, a theme repeated in the responses the Register received.

The inconsistency in the message coming from Washington, and in testing availability across the state is hampering the pandemic response.

“Testing at the local level has been inconsistent and many variables exist from day-to-day, that impact availability,” said Erie County Health Commissioner Pete Schade. “Local health departments need to be able to obtain consistent supplies in order to carry through with known and well-defined response plans for situations like this pandemic.”

They know how to respond, Schade said, because public health agencies in the state worked together developing emergency response plans. But, the supply chain issues are damaging the effectiveness of that response.

“The pandemic offers many hurdles, and a truly great strategic plan addresses those hurdles. When testing supplies and laboratory use is altered and inconsistent, however, we witness the shortcomings.”

What’s next?

Testing needs to be a priority, now, and health agencies also must start planning for vaccination programs for when a vaccine becomes available.

“There are five key points in order to provide a COVID-19 vaccine to our community, when one becomes available,” Schade said. “Clearly, we do not have any information on a date or a supply or a distribution eligibility protocol, but my point is this: We, as local public health, will need to have an assurance that the vaccine will be available and that we will have the unencumbered ability to provide it to our community.”

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[joannaarobinson]

Eight Ways to Keep Yourself Safe from COVID as a Wedding Planner

Normally, this time of year wedding planners would be in full event mode -weddings every weekend, pre-event meetings during the week, and thriving in the typical excitement and business of wedding season. To say this 2020 wedding season is unprecedented is an understatement. From dealing with ever-changing guidelines to helping clients downsize/reschedule/cancel their weddings, this year is truly testing the most seasoned event planners. 

As COVID-19 is likely to persist with us for some time. How can wedding and event planners keep their employees and themselves safe during wedding season and in the future? 

Here are 8 tips to stay safe personally and professionally as a wedding planner:  

1) The Basics: Masks, Distancing, and Hand Sanitizer

Everyone knows that we need to wear a mask, social distance, and wash our hands frequently. Not only is that good advice in your daily life, but also on wedding days. Make sure you are clear with your clients, employees, and wedding professionals that you will follow all recommendations set forth by the CDC and the local government. 

As the planner, you will likely set the tone for adherence to guidelines. Have a frank discussion with your clients about what your company will be doing and what the expectations are for other vendors. Provide this information to all event vendors ahead of the event, with the timeline of how things will proceed, so they are aware of what to expect. Most event professionals will likely follow the guidelines, but it is always good to reiterate. 

On the wedding day, make sure that you and your staff have plenty of masks for yourselves. Employees should change masks often, so make sure you are adequately equipped for numerous changes. You also want to encourage your couples to have extra masks on hand at the event along with extra hand sanitizer for guests. Bulk masks can be purchased on Amazon along with ear savers so that masks don’t hurt your ears when wearing it for an extended time period such as on event days.

Finally, during the wedding, make sure you are getting outside for a breath of fresh air whenever possible. 

2) Strategic Vendor Set-Up and Strike Schedules

The schedule you create for the wedding day is now even more important in keeping your employees and other vendors socially distanced. Try to work with your event vendors to stagger their set-up times and strike times when possible.

If you are able to maintain less people during set-up and tear-down, you minimize the time during the day when it could be difficult to social distance. 

3) On-Site Cleaning Service

A qualified cleaning service vendor is now a critical new vendor to have. Encourage clients to hire a professional cleaning company to be onsite during the event. They can continually disinfect bathrooms, door handles, tables, shared seating areas, the bar, etc., throughout the event. 

It is likely that your clients are not going to love the idea of spending more money and hiring yet another vendor, but ongoing cleaning is important in keeping all attendees safe. Not only should you encourage current clients to hire a professional cleaning service, but make it a line item for future clients. As eager as we are to get back to normal, COVID-19 does not have an end date. 

4) Staying Healthy

A typical wedding season has always been exhausting physically and mentally. Now, adding the stress of dealing with a global pandemic on top of typical wedding season stress, your mental health needs to be a top priority.

Make every effort to keep yourself healthy. Get plenty of sleep, eat a healthy diet, get regular exercise, and stay hydrated. On event days, make sure you are scheduling food and water breaks for you and your team. Above all, try to keep your stress to a minimum. This is a stressful time, so make sure you have a way to blow off steam, relax, and find peace. 

5) Go Virtual When Possible

In the weeks leading up to wedding days, the meetings with your clients and their wedding vendors often become much more frequent. Make every effort to meet virtually when possible. The more you can avoid in-person contact, the more you reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. By applying this practice to your business and personal life, you dramatically reduce the chance of getting sick.

6) Protect Yourself with Client and Staff Contracts

Your services contract has always been important, but in the last six months, many wedding planners learned just how important a sound contract really is to safeguard your business. Your wedding planning contract should protect you, your business, and staff should anyone get sick. The contract should also address what happens if you or the client wants to cancel, if the client still wants to have the event despite local laws that prohibit it, and if you don’t feel safe coordinating an event due to a recent outbreak. 

it is also important to have an updated contract with your employees and contractors with details on what happens if they get sick with COVID or do not feel safe working at an event.

Check out these great articles about contracts in the time of COVID-19 here and here. 

7) Stay Informed on Latest Rules

Your clients hired a wedding planner to make their lives easier. During this pandemic the guidelines and mandates are constantly changing, and you should be aware and ready to communicate the details to your clients. Part of your job is to stay on top of the changing situation and be ready to help clients make decisions about their wedding. 

An important example of a new COVID rule that recently started is how certain states are requiring anyone flying in from outbreak states now have to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. This is virtually impossible for most wedding guests. As the wedding planner, you need to help your couples communicate with their guests and come up with a plan to include those who cannot attend. You want to be the one leading the conversation, not playing catch-up. 

8) Encourage Clients to Purchase Event Liability Insurance

Most event insurance companies are no longer offering event cancellation coverage right now due to the pandemic.  Even though event cancellation coverage is not available at this time, it is still essential for your couples to have event liability insurance to help protect them and their wedding day.

Markel Event Insurance offers event liability insurance for weddings. Up to $2 million in event liability insurance can be purchased by your client from Markel Event Insurance any time at least 1 day before the event. Policies start as low as $75. 

By recommending your clients purchase event liability insurance, it will protect them from financial loss if they are held legally responsible for property damage to the venue or bodily injury if someone is injured at their event. Markel Event Insurance is an easy and affordable solution for your clients – a free event insurance quote takes only a few minutes online or on the phone. 

Get more information now on the Markel Insurance website on how easy it is for event planners to recommend event insurance to their clients.

It is a tough time to be a wedding planner, but it is also an opportunity to rise up as a true professional. This pandemic will pass but not all planners will still be in business when it is over. By keeping yourself and your staff healthy and treating your clients with professionalism and respec, you can come out on the other side of this more established and ready to thrive when we can return to normal. 

*this post is sponsored by Markel Insurance

This blog is intended for general information purposes only, and should not be construed as advice or opinions on any specific facts or circumstances. The content of this document is made available on an “as is” basis, without warranty of any kind. This publication is not intended to be legal, underwriting, or any other type of professional advice.  Persons requiring advice should consult an independent adviser.  Markel does not guarantee any particular outcome and makes no commitment to update any information herein, or remove any items that are no longer accurate or complete.   

from Event Planning Essentials https://plannerslounge.com/keep-yourself-safe-from-covid-as-a-wedding-planner/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[livpureusa-blog]

Common Myths and Facts About Hand Sanitizer

In this pandemic time, masks, hand sanitizers, soap, and clean water have become more important than ever. To maintain cleanliness and stay infection-free, one must wash his or her hands frequently and wear masks.

You might get tired of the reminders every time! Before you eat? Wash your hands. After you go to the bathroom? Wash your hands. If you touch anything? Wash your hand, and so on. It is a bit of excellent advice not only for COVID-19 but in daily routine also. Unfortunately, we don’t have soap and water always available, and for most of us, it would be uncivilized to do it in public areas.

Fortunately, you can use a little drop of hand sanitizer to rub your hands and make them free of any infectious bacteria and viruses. Hand sanitizers provide a convenient and effective way to clean your hands if soap and water aren’t available.

But do hand sanitizers really work? That’s the question stuck to the minds of many of our curious friends. We decided to find out and share what we learned!

How does hand sanitizer work?

When it comes to hand sanitizers, most of us think that higher the percentage of alcohol more effective, a hand sanitizer solution is. Well, that is not entirely true. If you start using a 100% alcohol sanitizer, the result will be far less useful than the 60% – 80% alcohol sanitizer. 100% alcohol may sound better, but it needs extra ingredients to work effectively. The extra ingredient in a hand sanitizer is purified water that acts as a catalyst. When filtered water is combined with 60% – 80% Ethyl Alcohol, the hand sanitizers become less effective than hand sanitizers with a concentration of more or less than that.

When you start rubbing a hand sanitizer, it begins penetrating the microbial cells. But to kill the bacteria and viruses, you must rub your hands until the hand sanitizer dries off. On average, it should take at least 20 seconds.

Known myths and facts about hand sanitizers

Myth #1: We need only a quick pump of hand sanitizer

Fact: No, this is entirely a myth. It begins with a quick pump, but merely squirting some hand sanitizer onto your hands won’t cut it. As with soap and water, sanitizer won’t work unless used at the proper duration and with the right amount and proper technique.

The expert recommends a 20-second hand wash, and this recommendation has been reinforced by The Joint Commission (2020).

Myth #2: All hand sanitizers work the same way

Fact: Many people think that all hand sanitizers are the same, but this is not true. There are tons of options available—and not all are equally effective.

The significant difference between hand sanitizers is their alcohol concentration.  Some hand sanitizers even are alcohol. While they seem appealing, for this reason, they are not at all practical. People choose alcohol-free hand sanitizers due to their qualities like:

They don’t dry out the skin.

They’re not flammable.

They don’t smell like alcohol.

But what use they have if they are not killing germs, bacteria, and viruses. Almost all of the studies conducted by medical experts conclude that to be effective, a hand sanitizer must have at least 60% alcohol. And the same studies show that sanitizers and more are the most effective at killing germs and bacteria when used in the right way.

Myth #3: Hand sanitizer is the best way to protect against all germs.

Fact: While it is recommended that healthcare workers use hand sanitizer, it cannot kill certain germs.

Hand sanitizers will not kill the germs that cause C. diff infections, norovirus, and Cryptosporidium (the parasite that causes the diarrheal disease cryptosporidiosis).

Besides, non-alcohol-based sanitizers can contribute to certain germs becoming resistant to sanitizing agents and some antibiotics. The main antibacterial ingredient in non-alcohol based sanitizers is triclosan, which can add to bacteria growing immune to many types of medicines.

Myth #4: Anyone working in a healthcare facility — not just nurses and physicians — should use hand sanitizer to clean their hands.

Fact: It’s crucial for everyone who could have contact with patients to keep their hands clean. But there are different recommendations for different types of workers in health care facilities. Cooks, cafeteria workers, and anyone else handling food should follow the hand hygiene recommendations for the food industry. US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines state that since sanitizers are not as effective when hands are wet since people handling food often have wet hands—soap and water should be used instead of sanitizer.

Various medical organizations recommend health care workers to use soap and water when:

Hands are visibly dirty.

Hands are visibly soiled with blood or other fluids.

They’ve potentially been exposed to Clostridium difficile (C. diff) when the facility is experiencing an outbreak or higher rates than usual.

They’ve possibly been exposed to patients with infectious diarrhea during an outbreak of norovirus.

They’ve potentially been exposed to Bacillus anthracis (anthrax).

They’ve recently used the bathroom.

They are preparing to eat.

Myth #5: Hand sanitizer causes antibiotic resistance

Fact: No, this is entirely a misconception. The alcohol-based hand sanitizers do not include the ingredients the same as antibiotics. It works in a completely different way than antibiotics. Several medical studies suggest that antibiotic resistance occurs due to the overuse of antibiotics. If you rub a hand sanitizer on your hands, it will kill the germs by destroying their cell membrane and denaturing proteins. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer leaves no way for bacteria to stay alive and become resistant to anything.

Moreover, once the hand sanitizer has done its job, it evaporates from our hands. Bacteria and viruses can become resistant to alcohol-based hand sanitizers only when we don’t use them correctly. As recommended, you should take enough drops of alcohol-based hand sanitizer and rub it for at least 20 seconds on your hands.

GET A EXPERT ADVICE

If you have any doubt or question? Do not get confused. Ask the experts to find out which hand sanitizer would be a good choice for you. Whether it is water soap or hand sanitizer, but always keep in mind that whatever option you are choosing, they should be used in the right amount. Also, choose a Trustworthy Brand.  

Hope this article helps you find out how hand sanitizers work. And together you must have come to know about its myths and facts.

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A Professional Team Offers the Best Patio Cleaning in London

The patio is one of the most common parts of our home. We can say that it is a perfect blend of indoor and outdoor space that can be used for different home activities. We hang out with friends and family, children play and have fun around it and many other activities can be done. From children to elderly people, everyone appreciates the patio area a lot. Moreover, we spent our time on patio doors and windows.

Have you ever imagined that patio can be distressed when left untreated? Most of the time we fail to take care of it because of various reasons. As a result of our less attention, patios and driveways make it completely dull and out of shine. So, it is our responsibility to take care of the patio.The most important thing is patio can become soiled quite easily since it is exposed to the elements.There are various factors can behind it such as Dust, debris, frost, rain, and some additional factors that can hamper the sheen and beauty of the patio over a while.

However, making your patio area clean and neat is not a big task. You can bring the original look of it once again. Fortunately, there are various reputed cleaning service providers available in the market that can help you with the qualities Patio Cleaning in Surrey.

On the flip side, patio cleaning should be performed on a regular basis and any delay or laxity will not help. As we know that a simple black spot on a white canvas sticks out like a sore thumb. Simple greasy stains on the patio or driveway can ruin the entire look of your property and it is not uncommon as it can happen anytime. Another example we can take here in this section that when a vehicle leaks oil can leave behind a stain and the most important reason is that we ignore these issues that can lead to more stubborn and difficult to remove. And all of these are not a DIY task. We cannot do it single-handedly all the time. Thus, it requires professional Patio Cleaning in London. 

Everybody wants neatness and cleanliness in their home surroundings. And it is a good habit. IN that case, a professional and expert cleaning team can assist you with the outstanding Patio Cleaning in London as well as they can ensure that your driveway too always looks spick and span. But, most of the time people have themselves got down to the business of cleaning and spend their time and effort. But, you have to understand that this is not done. And surely you will not happy and satisfiedwith the results. So, looking for a better solution is the right key.

Different effective solution for Patio Cleaning in London:

When we talk about different effective techniques used in the patio cleaning process, you must have heard that pressure washer is best for cleaning concrete, tiles, or bricks. Sometimes, you may experience that some middle pores of water getting a block on your driveways during rain. It cannot flow out properly due to improper concrete foundation. IN that case, applying pressure washing on the driveway and patio can be the best solution. So, we can state that the pressure washer ought to be implemented to clean the patio and driveways. In this pressure washer, detergent or cleaning powder is generally used and it offers the best results. However, you should avoid some cheap or low-quality detergents as they can lead to unsatisfying pressure cleaning services.

When you observe dirt and grime stuck to the patio, you must know that it requires power pressure jets to remove them from the surface. They are mostly used to clean up a large area within a short span of time. At the same time, during this process is applied, you must ensure that it doesn’t get messed up with the rest of your building. And a professional cleaning team knows very well how to deal with it. They use highly advanced machines that come with a nylon brush skirt that will easily prevent water and dirt from being involved in the rest of your property.

Moreover, patio or driveways cleaning is best done via the method of power washing. And it is important to wash patio or driveways frequently since it is typically the entry to the house and reflecting your hygiene standard. Along with that when these areas get stuck with dust and grime, it will not only impact the appetence of your home but alsocan cause adverse effects on the health of family members. SO, it is essential to keep your patio neat and free of dirt and it should be carried out by a professional team that has expertise in pressure washing and has the essential equipment. 

Do you think it is a DIY job?

Most people think it can be done by anyone who is not right. Also, many property owners buy or obtain power cleaner or pressure washer to perform this job on their own and try to clean the driveway and patio, but you will not get the same outputs. Even, it is not possible to buy all those equipment and apply them without proper knowledge of it. IN that case, it is always better to opt for expert Patio Cleaning in Surrey.

In other words, experts or professionals with years of experience in Patio Cleaning in Surrey are used to with such services. They know how and where to apply the right equipment. All you just need to hire the best cleaning team at the right time to obtain the best results. They can able to bring back the original look of the patio and leave it more beautiful and gorgeous.

For Patio Cleaning in London, make sure you choose only those companies that have a wealth of experience in this business. If you will chooseinexperienced people for this job just because to save a few bucks, remember that it might damage your patio. You may have to spend more money later to rectify the damage. So, instead of inviting these losses, make sure you got one of the reputed firms who can handle it as per your needs and specifications.

  When you choose a professional cleaning team, make sure they would offer a no-obligation quotation free of cost. There are also various factors that you can consider at the time of choosing those companies such as the cost of the service. You need to get the best value of your money. 

A professional team will vacate the patio of all stuff and then use chemicals, cleaning agents to eliminate collected grime or oil stains. They will use the power jet cleaning methodwhere jets of water are released at high pressure to dye the patio. Moreover, it is the process that ought to be performed by an expert team.

Why do you hire a professional patio cleaning team?

 This is a valid question that comes in mind. Let’s analyze it. First of all, we cannot undermine the major role of professional cleaning services. We ensure that no one can replace the proficiency of well-trained cleaners. However, you must choose the best cleaning team for Patio Cleaning in Surrey.

Generally, we rely on a well-cleaned and sanitized area that delivers the best comfort. And a professional cleaner can ensure this purpose at an optimum level. As a result, people can use these areas properly for different activities.

In addition, most of the people are now looking after a professional cleaning service for various purposes along with patio cleaning. The main reason behind it is just they don’t have time to do this anymore. A versatile cleaning team can also help you in cleaning wooden decking, garden furniture, etc. 

In this hectic work schedule, we have to do various works to be earned. Also, women nowadays are balancing their life as a mother and as a career woman. They also require a professional, quick, and efficient service that can handle all these problems effectively.

IN that case, hiring an expert team for Patio Cleaning in London can be a great decision that will reduce your stress by managing these works efficiently. So, you can easily focus on your daily life, work easily, and improve your way of life.

In this business market, there are many reputed cleaning teams available to be used. You can easily find them online. You can see hundreds of cleaning service advertisements being givenonline. However, be aware of such fake or unreliable companies as they are not all necessarily true. With extensive research, you can make sure that the right cleaning Service Company will be picked.

How to select a reliable cleaning team online?

Everyone is busy with their daily routine that makes them unable to spare some time for cleaning and maintaining their patio or driveways. This has precisely exposed the importance of a professional team and you can outsource this task to those experts without any hesitation. However, choosing the best team online for Patio Cleaning in London is a daunting task. You have to care during this searching process.

Here in this article, we will focus on such crucial tips that will help you in finding the best cleaning team that can meet your needs, expectations, and budget perfectly. 

String reputation- Eve though you can find many companies online easily, make sure you are in the safe hand. A cleaning team must have a strong reputation in the market. You can visit their website as every company now has its website to reach a larger audience. You can read their services levels and read their testimonials. You can also contact some of the existing clients to enquire about the professionalism and quality of their work. They must meet a deadline forrelated work.

Cost of the service-The price of the Patio Cleaning in Surrey matters and you cannot ignore this point. Even, the cost and quality of work are the two major factors. A reliable power cleaning company provides free inspection services and price estimates. Stay away from such doubtful cleaning professionals who provide wrong price quotes by adding such unnecessary repair or substitute costs as it can cost you more. Always consider these factors and make your decision properly.

Another vital point is tocheck whether a cleaning company is licensed and insured or not. Only a vetted, licensed, the company can give you the best patio cleaning. They use state-of-art equipment and modern latest technology to clean the exteriors of your place. Different advanced techniques are being used in this process of Patio Cleaning in London and they can easily handle it by using their experience and expertise. An unprofessional use it wrongly that can be fatal for your building or home. If a company is not skilled enough to do this task, then waste your time to choose them as it might end up with a big loss.

When it comes to the cleaners, they must be licensed, skilled, vetted, and friendly. Professional and experienced cleaners can make a big difference when it comes to cleaning your patio or driveways. You can check their credibility thoroughly before hiring them for this task. Don’t lose hope. A reliable company always employees highly experienced cleaners in their team to meet the client’s requirement. Client satisfaction is a top concern for them and they never compromise with the quality of their work.

Make sure your cleaning is providing all the advanced cleaning processes to make the best output of it. And they should also work closely with their clients and count their concerns over cleaning services.

All the above tips and information will surely help you to get a thorough knowledge of Patio Cleaning in London and nearby areas. And it will help you to find a reliable and professional cleaning team that can exceed your expectation within a pocket-friendly budget. In a nutshell, hiring a professional team for cleaning purposes can give you the best deal.

[runoncallie-blog]

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Calamus, and Then a Little More

“I don’t wanna tell you guys how to live your life, but I’m pretty much sure this could be fixed with ice cream..”

  General Information

Name: Calamus Custer Name Meaning: His name means “cane,” “grass,” or “reed.” Pronunciation: CAL-uh-MUS CUS-tur Other Names: Callie

Sex: Assigned male at birth Gender: Male Age: 24

Birth Date: June 10th

Birth Place: He was born in Tchulla, Mississipi, in the local hospital.

Species: Human Home-Planet: Earth Nationality: Mixed white American Occupation: Café Barista/Waiter

Dominant Hand: Right-handed. Astrological Sign: Gemini Blood Type: O-

  Appearance

Main Appearance: Calamus is tall and slender, with a nice build, a slim waist and decent muscles, and long legs. He’s got a pretty damn nice silhouette and is naturally quite pretty, as well as putting a lot of effort into his appearance. He’s been growing his blonde hair out for years, and it goes down to his mid-back at this point. He usually puts it up into complications braids and buns and loves to play with it and pamper it. He has a somewhat rectangular face, with prominent cheekbones, a Greek nose, a defined brow and deep-set brown eyes. He has fair skin, pink lips, a strong jaw, and his forehead wrinkles a little when he frowns. He has a very small scar on his lip, some faded track-mark scars on his wrists, and some heavy scarring on his upper thighs and butt. His right ear-lobe is scarred. Overall, he’s a very attractive person, and is quietly proud of this, though he doesn’t have a ton of confidence in himself.

  Image

Wardrobe: Calamus likes anything kind of retro, and has a lot of clothes from thrift stores or second-hand. He has a lot of tight jeans and band tees. He doesn’t have a very varied closet, but likes the excuse to dress androgynously and wear dresses or skirts whenever he has the excuse… But he does this rarely.

Accessories: He always keeps one hoop earring in his left ear. Musical Instruments: He knows a little bit of piano that he learned at school, but doesn’t know a lot, though he desperately wants to learn more. Piercings: His left ear is pierced. Hygiene: This is typically Calamus’s main form of self-care. He loves long, warm showers and baths with bubbles or bath bombs. He does one or the other almost every day as a chance to rewind and likes to keep himself looking clean and feeling put-together. While he was homeless, he rarely had a chance to clean himself properly and keep himself clean, so now retaining this is incredibly important to him. He can frequently be caught washing his hands or brushing his teeth for no reason other than he feels like it and he can. Makeup: He doesn’t wear makeup, but he frequently wants to… Perfume / Cologne: He has one thing of cranberry-cinnamon body spray that he got as a gift one time, and frequently wears. Scent: He keeps everything on his person a bit obsessively clean, so he often smells of laundry, soap, or hand sanitizer... Or coffee. Tattoos: None

  Health

Diet: Calamus eats fairly simply and doesn’t have very much skill in terms of cooking, though he’s trying very hard to learn. He eats a lot of beans and rice, which makes up a majority of his diet, as well as pasta, chicken, and soup. Everything he eats is fairly cheap, but he makes a very real effort to be healthy. Ice cream is his one treat that he allows himself, most of the time. He has a huge sweet tooth. Exercise: He likes to go on a run or at least a walk at least once a day if he can get away with it. Fitness: Calamus is very much in shape, as his appearance is something he values and he hinges his self-worth upon. Posture: He usually tries to stand tall and sit straight, but will recede into a more timid, smaller posture very quickly if startled or intimidated.

Abnormalities: While Calamus is a fairly healthy person physically, he struggles a lot with his mental health, self-esteem, sleep, and past traumas. Aids: Though he needs glasses, and probably needs medication for his mental health and/or sleep aids as well, he doesn’t know or doesn’t have any way to access these things, and is currently living without them. Allergies: Calamus has no allergies. Diseases: Calamus has no diseases. Illnesses: Calamus has no illnesses. Disorders: Though undiagnosed, Calamus experiences generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and complex post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as on-and-off insomnia and frequent migraines due to stress and strain from his eyes. Broken Bones: Calamus has never broken a bone. Reason for Health: Calamus’s mental health issues stem from the abusive environment he grew up in as a child and his time as a homeless person in New York City.

  Voice

Accent / Dialect: Though he’s trying to wean himself off of it, Calamus still has a fairly strong and noticeable Southern accent. Voice: Calamus has a deep, raspy voice. It is deep, steady, and clear, and he is usually very audible, even when he is upset or crying. Laughter: Calamus always tries to hide it or hold it in when he laughs, frequently covering up his mouth with his hands. Impediments: N/A

  Psychology

Languages: English Personality: Calamus has a lot of reasons to be timid and anxious, and really, he has a lot of these two features inside of him. He looks long and hard before he leaps, and is very scared of change or any sort of risk. He prefers to play it safe most of the time, and always fear or assumes the worst. He is easily intimidated or shot down and has a difficult time advocating for himself. However, he has a naturally friendly, charismatic, and chipper disposition. He can be incredibly charming when he wants to be and is horribly empathetic and sweet. He hates being alone for too long, and always prefers to surround himself with loved ones and physical affection. He has a hard time with being ignored or feeling alone and takes any sort of criticism or snideness very hard. He’s a sensitive soul, and gets upset, offended, or his feelings damaged very easily. He has a tendency to talk down about himself and blame himself for any shortcomings or bad luck that occurs in his own or friends’ lives. He holds onto a lot of guilt and has a habit of internalizing things, though he is often very outwardly emotional. He gets excited easily, gets very worked up and flustered when he’s angry, and cries incredibly easily when he’s upset or when he’s been put down. He’s ashamed of his past in a lot of ways and wants in so many ways to be better than what he is. Though he doesn’t necessarily believe that he has the ability to achieve very much, and assumes that others think the worst of him, he is ambitious and very hard-working and wants to get in far in life as he possibly can. He strives to achieve independence and be able to take care of himself without relying on others. He feels guilty when others help him out and doesn’t want to drag anyone else down. He thinks he should be able to handle his own life by himself without reaching out to others, but is also always willing to lend a hand to anyone around him who may need it. He’s curious and has a natural thirst for knowledge, but doesn’t consider himself to be smart, and has a large mischievous streak to him. He loves to explore and get into things he probably shouldn’t and learn new things. He is a bit selfish and becomes defensive quickly. He’s very protective of himself and those around him but is also very sweet, loyal, and funny. He’s naturally rather effeminate and kind of a show-off at times and loves to have fun and get physical affection and validation from others whenever he can get it.

  Philosophy

Outlook on Life: Calamus tries to very optimistic and grateful for everything that he has in life, but sometimes has a hard time actually sticking to these ideals. He’s fearful and doesn’t have high hopes for himself, though he can’t help but dream of great achievements and beautiful things for himself. Philosophy / Motto: “Love what you have.”

  Character

Priorities: Their main goal right now is making their way through life without relying on other’s goodwill, making enough money to get themselves a good education and a good job, and find some security in their life. Self Confidence: Though they often act very confident outwardly, or pretend that they are, they have very little confidence in their own skills and abilities. They have a lot of doubt and often expect the worst. Self Control: Calamus has a great deal of self-control, and tends to bottle up his anger and ignore larger conflicts instead of confronting them. He pushes himself very hard and holds himself to very strict expectations. He demands a lot from himself and keeps himself on task. Self Esteem: Callie has very poor self-esteem, and look down on themselves. They downplay all their own achievements and see themselves as a failure. They blame most things on themselves.

Quirks: Calamus is always playing with his hair, and has a habit of taking charge of situations without meaning to. He is a natural leader, but without the confidence to declare himself one. Hobbies: Singing, dancing, doing complicated hairstyles, exploring, sciencey things, watching comedy shows, sewing, embroidery, running. Closet Hobbies: He really loves to dress up and try on skirts and dresses, but tends to keep this on the down-low. Guilty Pleasures: He ADORES ice cream.

Habits: He habitually sleeps on his couch instead of on his bed. Nervous Tics: When he gets nervous, he’ll chew on the ends of his hair, flinch, make himself smaller, and back himself up against a wall or try to find nearby exits. Soft Spots: He has a HUGE soft spot for babies and little kids.

Most Prized Possession: Honestly, his most prized possession is his apartment itself. He values having a home of his own almost more than anything else. Collections: He basically collects free samples of makeup and hair care products.

Regrets: He has a LOT of regrets. Sometimes, he regrets running away. Sometimes, he regrets waiting so long. Sometimes, he regrets his lack of education. He regrets leaving his friends. He regrets his choices. He regrets getting involved in drug and sex, he regrets trusting the people he did, he regrets the things he did to get arrested… Secrets: He keeps his former drug use, his family history, and his opinions of himself. Darkest Secret: His extended drug abuse while he was homeless is one of his closest guarded secrets. He hasn’t really talked to anyone about it… Ever. Pet Peeves: People who are too loud when it’s not necessary, people who take charge even when they don’t know what they’re doing, baby boomer customers.

Phobias: He has a very real fear of physical pain and being trapped, of making others angry with him or disappointing those around him, and of embarrassing himself or his friends.

  Preferences

Likes: fancy things, singing, dancing, pop music, fashion, make-up, Beyoncé, the 70’s and 80’s, anything vintage or retro, making friends, looking good, attention, metal bands, make-up and hair tutorials on YouTube, the piano, racing games, learning, science, exploring the dump, junkyards, woods, making people laugh, pineapple, dogs Dislikes: family, being judged, prying eyes, loud noises or yelling, anything overly salty, belts, flying bugs, his childhood, thunderstorms, anything made entirely of leather (tacky and uncomfortable,) rules, the summer, sudden noises, the color orange, prying questions, bills

Favorites: Caramel ice cream, german shepherds, goldfish crackers, bright sunny days, bright colors, Beyoncé.

  Combat

Ability: N/A Position: N/A Weapon: None Element: N/A Martial Arts: None, knows basic ‘street fighting’ skills. Strengths: Larger, muscular, has a decent amount of strength and agility, could probably hold his own very well based only on physical capabilities. Weaknesses: Locks up in physical conflicts, is afraid of hurting others, panics and shuts down. Restrictions: PTSD

  Home, Work, and Education

Abode: They live in a small, somewhat shitty studio apartment; but it’s home to them.

Pets: None Roommates: None

Sleep Patterns: They’re pretty bad at sleep. They’re typically only able to sleep for a few hours at a time before they wake up, either due to nightmares or insomnia, pace, and then settle back on their couch. Then repeat, and onto the bed. They have a very hard time getting to sleep at night and has semi-frequent nightmares that they deal with regarding their past. They are a very light sleeper and will wake up at a moment’s notice at any sort of noise. Eating Habits: Calamus loves to eat, though he tries to be healthy, and has a habit of hoarding food and consuming pretty much anything he gets his hands on. He will never, ever, ever turn down free food.

  Social

Mother: His mother is a woman named Gracie Custer. She dropped out of high school and married her boyfriend when she got pregnant at the age of sixteen; an uncommon occurrence where she lived. Though she is a sweet woman, and hard-working, she has a hard time finding her own path and has a habit of allowing others to decide things for her, such as her husband. She was raised with the rigid rules of the Bible Belt and lives by them rigorously in many ways that are unhealthy. Despite this, she is kind and giving, but easily flustered and annoyed as well. She loves babies but struggles to handle all her children in the small space which they live. She works at a local corner store. She loved her son, Calamus, but largely sat idly by whenever he was beaten, and often told him that he was ‘asking for it’ and wouldn’t have to take whippings if he just ‘followed the rules.’ Father: Calamus’s father is a man named Hank Custer, who works in construction. He is not very in touch with his emotions and is an incredibly hard-working and proud man. He values appearance, obedience to God, and doing things correctly, and he and his oldest son never got along. What was initially just conflict and discipline eventually grew to serious abuse as Calamus got older and bolder, and he would frequently beat or hit Callie growing up until Calamus ran away from home at the age of sixteen Guardians: Callie was raised by his mother and father. Siblings: While Calamus lived at home, his mother had ten other children; Jethro, Atticus, Juniper, Chrysanthemum, Caspar, Elseth, Serafina, November, Clyde, and Patience. Unfortunately, Juniper, Chrysanthemum, and Caspar all passed away during the Virus outbreak. Callie was forced by circumstance to play a large role in raising his younger siblings. His family lived in poverty, and both his parents had to work, so Callie frequently would stay home from school and skip class in order to look after his younger siblings when his parents couldn’t get the time off or couldn’t afford a sitter. Consequently, Calamus was held back several years in school, and always struggled with grades. Calamus got along decently with most of his siblings and was especially close with Juniper, and Patience, who was only a baby when he left home. He and his brother, Jethro, however, were constantly at odds. Jethro was very much a daddy’s boy, and constantly wanted their father’s approval, and so he took on the same attitude as him towards Calamus. He would frequently tease or tattle on Callie growing up. Unbeknownst to Calamus, his mother has had three more children since he left home; Noah, Hazel, and Calliope. Children: Calamus has no children. Best Friend: Audrey Zaccadelli Close Friends: Levi Price, Alex Temple, Marcus Bailey, Friends: Darius Rufus, Mary Sheehan, Angel Rodriguez Acquaintances: Marriage Law Group Rivals: N/A Enemies: N/A

  Romance

First Love: His first love was one of his best friends growing up, Lucas Hughs. He was part of Calamus’s ‘posse’ and the two of them would frequently hang out together, but Calamus found himself wanting to be more than Lucas’s friend. The two of them were close, and at one point, the two of them kissed; but Lucas decided he didn’t feel that way about boys. So Callie let it go. They remained close friends, and Calamus would still consider him to be one of his closest friends, even though they haven’t been able to see each other in years. Love Interests: N/A Significant Other: N/A Sexual and Romantic Orientation(s): gay

  Reactions

Angry: When Callie is angry, he tends to get really vocal and will often tell you exactly why he’s angry, which is a stark contrast to a lot of his other reactions to negative emotion. Anxious: An anxious Callie will talk a lot, fidget, and try to flit around whatever subject is causing him stress, and focus on distractions instead. It’s hard for him to get anything done when he’s very anxious. Conflicted: When conflicted, Calamus will often seek the advice of others; mainly those he trusts. Criticized: Callie takes criticism incredibly poorly, and almost always takes it purposefully and becomes downtrodden or depressed once it’s delivered. Depressed: Calamus withdraws and often becomes more short-fused or even violent. He doesn’t seek social company or speak very much. Will often fall back into patterns of substance abuse. Embarrassed: He becomes very flustered and quiets down, trying to step away from the spotlight; for once. Excited: When excited, Callie is bouncing off the walls, ready to speak about everything to everyone. He wants to share his feelings and thoughts with anyone who will give him the time of day. Frightened: When Callie is frightened, their first instinct is to usually flee, and get far away from or protect themselves from whatever is the source of their fear. Guilty: Callie can’t deal with guilt. It eats them alive. They don’t speak of up, or really break it up externally, but rather hides it away and lets it bother them for years and years, slowly picking away at his insides. Happy: When he’s happy, Calamus is sunshine; bright and full of smiles and cheer and compliments and bold ideas. Humiliated: He’ll almost certainly cry and flee the situation. Nervous: He usually plays with his hair a lot, and talks a bit more than often, asking a lot of questions. Offended: If Callie is offended, they’ll usually get very angry and tell you exactly what they think of you. Praised: Calamus gets very bashful when he’s complimented, and laughs and flushes a lot, but he totally loves it. Rejected: Typically, he becomes discouraged and embarrassed. He retreats and takes time for himself, and pities himself for a while, before he’s ready to try again. Sad: Over the years, Calamus had learned the explicit value of a good cry, and this is one of his most powerful tools when dealing with negative emotions. Stressed: When he’s stressed, Callie will often kick it into high-drive, and work twice as far in a result.

  Biography

Background: Calamus was born in the deep south of Mississippi, the firstborn to two high school drop-outs living far below the poverty line in a trailer park. Through the years, they had six other children, all the way up until Calamus was fifteen. Maybe more after that. He doesn’t really know.

Growing up, Calamus didn’t have the same interests as a lot of other boys his age. He loved the idea of having long, beautiful hair, wearing his mother’s make-up and clothes, dancing, and singing. He liked things like trucks and exploring the woods and making things blow up and racing, too. But no one ever worried about that. The more prominent these interests became, and the more his bold personality began to show, the more his family tried to squash it down. His father, in particular, a man who highly valued hard work, obedience, and image, often clashed with his eldest son. He frequently punished him for being too feminine, for shaming their family, for not working hard enough, and anything else that happened to piss him off, and Calamus was no stranger to neither his belt nor the back of his hand growing up.

Calamus was naturally very charismatic and charming, and surprisingly, didn’t have a difficult time making friends in his neighborhood. While he faced a fair deal of bullying and discrimination at school over the years, he built up a small “following” of boys who lived in the same trailer park as him and were more open-minded than their parents. He spent most of his time wandering the streets with them and sleep over at their houses. They were close-knit. They would protect each other even at self-sacrifice, laugh and play together, and go along with Calamus’ whims. Doing complicated hair tutorials from Youtube with the blonde locks that Calamus had been passionately growing out since he was small, recreating music videos, exploring the local dump and racing through the town. This was what protected him and kept him going for a very long time, and what made him stay, despite everything else that happened. His family, the virus, the troubles at school. When Calamus was freshly sixteen, however, he and his father had a severe altercation after they found out that Callie had secretly pierced their right ear some time ago, typically hidden by his long hair. By the end of the night, Calamus had a split lip, a limp, and a buzzcut. Leaving their friends behind was the hardest thing Calamus ever had to do, but it was at this point that they decided that they couldn’t stand living in the same tiny town with nothing on the horizon and no adults caring about what went on at home. He hitch-hiked his way out of town, New York bound, and didn’t look back.

Earliest Memory: One of Callie’s earliest memories was when he was around two years old, and got into his mom’s stuff in her room. He ate an entire tube of lipstick because he thought that was how it was used and how to make his lips red and then threw up later. His mother was sympathetic, but his father spanked him until he cried when he found out about it.   Fondest Memory: Callie’s fondest memory is a tie; between hanging out with his roving gang of friends back in Mississippi, after a very long fall afternoon. They were all piled atop a junk car like seals on a rock in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by this endless field and watching the sunset while they talked about nothing in particular. The other contender is the first time he got his baby sister, Patience, to fall asleep in his arms. Typically, she would only cry or fuss or stay up if anyone but her mother held her. But when he laid down and put her on his chest and she drifted off, that was one of the warmest feelings Calamus ever had. Worst Memory: The time he was beaten for piercing his ear before he ran away from home. Everything after that was awful, too, but the realization that his father didn’t care for his mental or emotional wellbeing at all, and he and the rest of his family and all their neighbors would always value appearances more than him, stung worst of all.

[yourmikecounsilplumbing]

Covid-19 Update

  Mike Counsil Plumbing and Rooter, and all of our family of employees, would like you to know that our thoughts are with you who have been affected by, and struggling with,  COVID-19 locally and around the world.  We are closely evaluating the situation on a daily bases and monitoring the (CDC) for current information on UPDATED  protocol in an effort to provide safe and healthy service to the community.  You can count on Mike Counsil Plumbing and Rooter to keep you safe!  Mike Counsil Plumbing has implemented the following Social Distancing Protocol that is distributed and followed by all employees at Mike Counsil Plumbing and Rooter. It is our mission to provide Safe and Controlled Plumbing Service to all that need it in this time of uncertainty. View Informative Video Mike Counsil Plumbing COVID-19 Mitigation Protocol – Social Distancing Protocol Date: March 12. 2020 Updated: March 16. 2020 Updated: March 20. 2020 (Field Safety Details) Updated: March: 26.2020 (Respiratory (face mask) PPE requirements under Field Safety Details) Updated: March 27.2020 (Extensive Updates) Updated: March 31.2020 (Included time frames when allowed at shop on permitted days) Updated: April 1.2020: To comply with County of Santa Clara Public Health Department Updated Order on March 31.2020. To all MCP EMPLOYEES: Effective immediately, for the health and safety of all employees, we are implementing these COVID-19 mitigation company protocols: • A copy of this protocol will be provided to each employee • Messages, announcements and safety updates will be communicated through mass text messaging, Evernote application (Announcements/Message Board Notebook) and posted at the entrances of our building. Your understanding and adherence are required. If uncertain about any of the following contact a manager for clarification. • Since the incubation period can be up to 14 days for the virus (where an individual is not showing any symptoms), one must assume that every single individual is infected with COVID-19 and follow the necessary precautions as such: • Mandatory to keep 6 feet of space between you and another individual ALWAYS per the CDC’s safe social distancing recommendations. • Refer to our "Health and Safety Script (COVID -19)" for necessary verbal dialogue for CCR's that are booking calls on the phone and field team members when greeting clients at the front door of their home. • Wash your hands with soap and water as frequently as possible for a minimum of 20 seconds. • Use a hand sanitizer (60% alcohol or greater) when soap and water is not readily available • NEVER TOUCH ANY PART OF YOUR FACE WITH YOUR HANDS • If you are sick or any member of your family is sick, we highly recommend to not return to work until you are fully recovered. We will be following the CDC guidelines for employees who become sick. Please refer to CDC’s recommended strategy for employers: Actively encourage sick employees to stay home: • Employees who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay home and not come to work until they are free of fever (100.4° F or greater using an oral thermometer), signs of a fever, and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g. cough suppressants). Employees should notify their supervisor and stay home if they are sick • Field Team members including technicians, installers and apprentices are only allowed in the warehouse and warehouse bathroom on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 7:30 am - 8:30 am. No other days or time frames are permitted. These days will be referred to as “Green Days.” • Locations that are not permitted (anytime) include, but not limited to, the laundry room, laundry room bathroom, compliance office, break room, dispatch, call center, general manager’s office, all locations upstairs and the training room. • Laundry service will no longer be provided until further notice. Field team members are to launder white shirts and crawl suits at their own home. • The company will not be providing food or breakfast of any kind. • Cups, paper plates, plasticware, silverware or kitchen utensils of any kind will no longer be provided. • Black coffee will no longer be provided • Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, Field Personnel will be dispatched directly from home. Some employees may need to come to the shop that have been approved by management. • Field team members are not allowed ANYWHERE ON MCP’S OR RIVERS EDGE BUSINESS PARK PREMISES on Mondays, Wednesdays or Saturdays. These will be referred to as “Red Days.” • Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday trainings are postponed until further notice. • All field personnel will be allowed to enter the warehouse & warehouse bathroom only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 7:30 am - 8:30 am. These days will be referred to as “Green Days.” • No other days or time frames are permitted. (same days as on-site mobile fueling) for the following reasons: 1.Replenish PPE 2. Check out company tools 3.Retrieve paperwork from temporary cubby box inside of warehouse. 4.Using the bathroom (warehouse bathroom only.) Limit of 5 minutes inside bathroom. • Hand sanitizer will be provided upon entrance to the building • Inside the warehouse & warehouse bathroom, there will be a maximum of 7 persons at one time. (4 people in the warehouse,1 in the bathroom, 1 distributing PPE in the cage and 1 Field Supervisor or equivalent monitoring and enforcing this activity. • 6 feet of social distancing will clearly be marked by X’s on the floor. It is mandatory to stand on an X when inside the warehouse. • All discussions and conversations with dispatch, call center, accounting and other office team members are to be done via phone. • There will be no congregating inside the building at any time. Conversations and discussions are to be had outside. • Equipment swaps will be permitted in the field. Both distributor and receiver must disinfect/sanitize equipment after and before using it. A text must be sent to Gus, our Equipment Coordinator, to coordinate hand-off. If a text message is not sent to the Equipment Coordinator, the last personnel who it was signed out to is responsible. (See equipment policy.) Timecards & Clocking In: • To field employees using timecards: Punching in using your timecards will not be required at this time. Clock-ins and 10’s sent to Dispatch will now be used as reference to process your paychecks. • Green Days (Tue|Thur|Fri): You are permitted to come to the shop and clock in (available-on) as early as 7:30 a.m. and Departing (10-5) no later than 8:30 a.m. • You will be dispatched to your first job (ongoing or new call) by 8:00am • Red Days (Mon|Wed|Sat): Clock in(available-on) when you arrive to your first work related destination, i.e. the client’s house or a supply house. You will also send your arrival notification (10-7) at that same time. • Red Days: for technicians, installers and apprentices that have not been dispatched by 8:00 a.m.,they are permitted to clock in (available-on) at 8:00 a.m. This needs to be a text message to dispatch. They will be (available-on) from 8:00 a.m. If dispatched to a call/jobsite (commute time will be deducted from timecard.) Time will restart upon arrival to your first work related destination, i.e. the client’s house or a supply house. You will also send your arrival notification (10-7) at that same time. • As normal policy, if an employee services are not needed by 12:00 p.m., they will likely be instructed to clock out for the day (available-off) and will be compensated 4 hours of “show-up/readily available time.” Turning In & Handling Paperwork Details: • Only permitted on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. This includes contracts, change orders, receipts for material purchases, financing paperwork, Daily performance chart, etc. from 7:30 am - 8:30 am. No other days or time frames are permitted. • Initials from techs on Daily Performance Charts are not required until further notice. • There will be a table with a receivable container in the warehouse next to the temporary cubby boxes. You are to place all paperwork in the receivable container. • Text the call center phone @ (408-691-0879) the day before if you need more service portfolios w/ contracts or change orders. Let them know how many of each you need, and they will be placed in your cubby in the warehouse. Note: a maximum of 10 service portfolios w/ contracts at once will fit in your cubby if you have no other paperwork inside it. Office Safety Details: • The sharing of workstations/terminals are strictly prohibited • Any office employee handling HIC’s/Invoices needs to wear protective gloves and dispose of them accordingly. • Gloves must be removed immediately after handling any paperwork from the field. You are not allowed to touch another object before removing gloves. • Wearing gloves DOES NOT make it safe to touch your face. Same rules apply: NEVER TOUCH YOUR FACE • Disinfect/sanitize credit card terminal after every use. • Meetings and performance reviews will be conducted through web video conference applications such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom. Field Safety Details: • Must wear company provided respiratory PPE (a face mask) any time you're interacting with a client or when you're inside their home. We are not requiring a specific type currently. • If wearing reusable respiratory PPE, you must clean it daily by one of the following methods: soap and warm water, 60% or greater rubbing alcohol or bleach/water mix of 2 tablespoons bleach per 1 quart of water. • At first greeting with the client at the door it is mandatory to ask: "Are you or anyone living in the residence currently sick or showing any symptoms of illness?” • If the client’s reply is NO: Follow up with, “We’re happy to hear that, Thank you.” And continue with the regular script. • If the client’s reply is YES: Follow up with, “We’re sorry to hear that, unfortunately you will need to call us back to reschedule your appointment once all family members have been symptom free and fully recovered for a period of 24 hours." • Inform the client that we must always maintain 6’ ft of distancing between them and yourself. • Never shake the hand of the client. Never touch the client. This same rule applies for your co-workers. • Only 1 company Representative can go inside the home during the diagnostics phase. If there is more than 1 person on the service call, all but 1 individual is to wait outside during the diagnostics. The other person is allowed to come in once physical plumbing work commences. • 6' ft. social distancing is required between employees wherever possible when working. • It is required to perform all paperwork (such as writing contracts or change orders inside of your service truck.) NOT in the client’s home. • The sharing of pens or any writing instruments are strictly prohibited. This includes with the client. Client must use their own pen to authorize any paperwork • The sharing of tools, of any kind are strictly prohibited, unless the tools are sanitized and disinfected between user. • Latex/surgical gloves must always be worn inside client’s home and must be changed out and safely disposed of at the end of a specific task. Example of this: clean pair for greeting and diagnostics, clean pair for writing up paperwork, clean pair for performing a physical working task. • Wearing gloves DOES NOT make it safe to touch your face. Same rules apply: NEVER TOUCH YOUR FACE • Sterilize and thoroughly clean surfaces and working area at the end of the job. Remove and dispose of latex/surgical gloves immediately after this task These guidelines may be updated to keep all MCP employees and our clients safe and protected. Read the full article

[namine-somebodies-nobody]

Hikari’s Likes and Dislikes

☆ Likes ☆

Donuts - I think everyone knows that by now, but her absolute favorites are honey glazed and fruit preserve filled. Raspberry, especially. She likes the fruit filled because its like a little surprise inside!  

School - She actually enjoys school most the time. She excels in Science, Language, and Music classes. But she greatly dislikes History, Home Economics, and Physical Education class. P.E., the most, because she is so clumsy. So no matter what activity they are doing she is likely to spend is sprawled out, from tripping over her own feet. 

Music - She can play the piano and sing very well. She enjoys participating in competitions and does not suffer from stage fright while preforming.

Art/painting - Hikari loves art, she appreciates all art in different, and even enjoys visiting art museums. Hikari is rather creative herself. She has a sketch book that she has with her, so that she can doodle when bored. But the book is mostly used for her paintings. She prefers watercolor paints the best. 

Animals - She LOVES animals! But the animals she loves the best are seen usually as pests or “not girly” animals. Hikari loves snakes, frogs, lizards, raccoons, and bats. 

Space/Astronomy - Hikari’s love of space and stars comes from her mother. When her mother had the time, her and Hikari would lay outside their home at night and try to point out as many constellations that they could see. When younger, Hikari would study as much as she could about space, planets and stars so that she could try an impress her mother, but her mother would always know more. So it would just encourage Hikari to try harder. 

Challenges - While most people like to take the easy way out, Hikari is the exact opposite. She likes when the task at had makes her work harder. She often feels like she needs to prove herself to others, even when she really doesn’t. But liking challenges also has gotten her into trouble and in over her head. Especially after moving to the mansion. It often gets her swept up in Ayato’s shenanigans. 

Fairy tales/Sappy Romance - Hikari loves to read, but some of her favorite things to read are fairy tales, and sappy happy ending mangas. She is often embarrassed by this, so if she is reading something embarrassing she will put a false cover on the book. The cover is always a science themed and boring looking so that other’s won’t ask what she is reading. But this backfired the first time she tried it in front of Reiji.

☆ Dislikes ☆

Bugs/Spiders - When she was younger she once got locked in a storage shed. Inside was covered with bugs and spiders, there was no safe spot from the insects. Since then Hikari has been deathly afraid of both. 

Lazy People - As someone who is always moving and pushing herself to do better, lazy people just bother her. Hikari hates when getting put into group projects at school because she is inevitably put with others that will not pull their weight. 

Germs - Hikari is sort of a germaphobe. She will go out of her way to stay away from anyone who “might” be sick, she is very aware of hygiene. Frequently washes her hands, and hand sanitizer is always in her purse or bag. 

Public Speaking - While she is okay with singing or playing the piano in front of a crowd, speaking is a whole other thing. She freezes, stutters, and has even gotten physically ill when forced to speak in front of a crowd. 

Failing - No one likes to fail at a task, but for Hikari failing can send her into obsession. She will keep trying and trying, until she runs herself ragged or someone steps in to stop her from her destructive behaviors. 

Cars/boats - Hikari has horrible motion sickness, she can manage small/short trips like back and forth to school or town. But anything longer than 10-15 minutes has her feeling like a yucky mess. If she could she would walk everywhere. 

Cooking - Hikari cannot cook to save her life...and with Reiji, it might one day come to that. When she was younger, her mother had a very busy job so she would pre-make all her meals for her family, so Hikari was never forced to cook at home. And at school, in class Hikari would just cause one disaster after another. Fire is always a BIG possibility when Hikari is in the kitchen. 

Shoes - When it comes to clothing Hikari prefers loose fitting clothing so that she doesn’t feel confined. But when it comes to shoes, she hates them. She would rather be barefoot all the time. 

[catherinepsrettig]

Traveling During The Pandemic? Get To Know The Dos The Donts And The Must-Haves

Traveling During The Pandemic: The COVID-19 has no doubt changed the way people live, in various aspects of livelihood. Aside from the significant loss of human life in countries afflicted with the pandemic, it also caused people to lose their jobs, for businesses to earn less or to close down, and for the poverty to worsen. Even the travel industry has been affected. 

The pandemic also has effects upon the leisure of traveling or upon the tourism industry itself. The World Tourism Organization has the details. Among the most widely affected sectors by the COVID-19 pandemic are the travel and tourism sectors. Contributing to this effect are the global restrictions placed by governments in order to mitigate the spread of the virus. Based on the 2020 data, international tourist arrivals fell to a significant 72 percent in January to October 2020. These include a loss of $935 billion upon export revenues normally gained from international tourism. Yet, there are individuals who need to travel for business or for work. Then, there are people who simply cannot let go of the joys and the pleasures that traveling gives them. 

Traveling During The Pandemic

Traveling provides a lot of advantages, for the health and for the overall. Did you know traveling decreases the rate of heart diseases? Aside from this, traveling also relieves stress, promotes physical activity similar to working out, boosts the person’s creativity, and makes the traveler happy. 

This changed when the pandemic struck the world. Nowadays, not everybody can freely travel to their dream destinations compared to before. There are a lot of travel restrictions in place, meaning to say, only essential travel is allowed in many parts of the globe. Essential travel includes travel for work or for business. Should anyone wish to travel for recreation, they will have to abide by the rules set by the government in the location they are in, present documents that say they tested negative for the virus, wear their face masks at all times, and many other requirements relevant to the COVID-19 situation. 

However, you cannot simply restrict yourself from traveling, especially if it is needed for work, or when you want to travel just like you normally would. In this edition of our post, we take a look at the do’s, the don’ts, and the travel must-haves in this time of the pandemic. 

The Do’s 

Prepare your notepads to take down notes on the do’s, the don’ts, and the must-haves when traveling in this time of the COVID-19 situation. We organized the do’s according to the appropriate category. Let us get started.

Prior To Traveling

Before you travel, it is important to make sure you are at the best of your health. If you show symptoms, it is strictly advised not to go further with your trip. One of the best ways to prevent spreading the virus is to get vaccinated. Ask yourself the questions whether you are at a high risk of spreading the illness, you live with people who are at greater risk for the illness, and more. You must also follow the testing and travel rules of your state, locality, or federal area. 

Local Restrictions And Testing 

Check with your locality whether there are requirements for travelers, such as wearing masks or getting tested. For those who are vaccinated, there might be no requirements to get tested before the trip. It is important to choose to stay home for now if you show symptoms of the disease. For those who are not yet vaccinated, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rules that you must get tested one to three days before the trip, and wait for the results. Keep the results on the duration of your trip. If you tested positive, it is best to stay home and quarantine. 

During The Trip

During your travel, it is necessary to wear face masks, especially when you are commuting on the train, buses, or while inside the airplane. Maintain a six feet distance between you and the other travelers. Always keep a hand sanitizer with you as you limit contact around. 

Air Travel

If you are traveling by air, social distancing is also a must. Aside from wearing face masks, you must also use a hand sanitizer and keep this inside your carry-on bag. Be careful about handling food to avoid the spread of the virus. Wash your hands frequently. 

Road Travel

If you are traveling by car, wearing face masks, using hand sanitizers often, and handling food carefully are a must. If you need to get gas, wash your hands or use a sanitizer afterward. If you need to get food, prefer to get them via drive-thru or curbside pickup. 

Staying At A Hotel

Staying at a hotel or any lodging space is part of every travel. There are also measures to follow while at the hotel. Wearing face masks and bringing a hand sanitizer with you are among the habits you must have to avoid the spread of the virus, or to avoid getting infected. If you are not yet vaccinated, once you arrive in your room, be sure to disinfect doorknobs, tables, phones, faucets, and more. You should also wash the plates, cups, and silverware, among others to avoid getting the virus. Later on, you will get to know the must-haves when traveling in this time of the COVID-19 situation. 

Prioritize Safety

Know that there are comorbidities, or other diseases you might be diagnosed with that can further worsen the situation.

Safety should be a priority. Choose to stay home when you are showing symptoms of COVID-19, waiting for the results of the test, when you are diagnosed with COVID-19, or live with someone who is diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 14 days.  

The Don’ts

Now that you got to know the do’s in traveling during this time of the pandemic, let us take a look at the don’ts. We are now at over a year since the virus struck the world, more so that you should take precaution. 

First, do not travel when you do not have to. Traveling increases your risk of getting the virus. Everything will fall into place one day in the future, and it is best to wait for the pandemic to end before your recreational trips. 

If your travel is essential or you really need to take a trip, do not forget to check the travel restrictions and safety protocols in your destination. You might be coming from a country with fewer infections, but going to a country with a lot of infections. 

Do not get too close with other travelers. Maintain physical distancing. Avoid touching your face. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. If you do, use sanitizers to avoid getting the virus. Avoid traveling with people who are showing symptoms of the virus, or diagnosed with the illness. Do not travel when you have tested positive for the virus. This is to avoid you spreading the virus upon others, and worsening the situation. 

When on your trip, avoid engaging in high-risk activities that include the usual participation in the crowd in restaurants, airports, and the like. Assess the situation when you are looking at attending large gatherings, like weddings, church services, and more. 

Traveling During The Pandemic: Travel Must-Haves In This Time Of COVID-19

Here are the travel must-haves in this time of the pandemic:

Face masks

Face shield

Clean towel

Portable hand sanitizer

Antibacterial wipes

Travel-size disinfectant wipes

Smartphone sanitizer

A reusable bag to store your travel gear

Thermometer

These are on top of the usual travel essentials and gear you bring with you while on your trips.

Taking on a trip is a stress reliever, yet these interests are put to the test now that the world faces the pandemic. In these times, making your choice can be difficult. However, one thing is accurate, we will get through with this. 

For more travel blogs, visit greedymind.com

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[wineanddinosaur]

Wine Harvest Is Happening in the Southern Hemisphere — Producers From 5 Countries Weigh In

Covid-19 is having a major and possibly devastating effect on the wine industry as a whole — tasting rooms across the globe are closed and many depend on visitation for sales — but it’s been especially difficult for wineries in the Southern Hemisphere, which also happen to be in the throes of wine’s most demanding season: harvest.

Winery operations in locked-down areas have been defined as essential, and thus the harvests throughout South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and South America have been allowed to press on, although it’s far from business as usual. The pandemic is presenting unprecedented challenges during the busiest time of year as many wineries are forced to speed up their production despite a skeleton staff and a laundry list of safety protocols that effectively slows down their progress.

“All harvests are stressful,” said Paula Borgo, head winemaker at Bodega Séptima in Mendoza, Argentina. “We risk the year in a couple of months, but adding Covid-19 is one of the biggest challenges that life has put me in. I have 25 harvests carried out and I had never had to decide also on the health of the workers.”

A RUSH TO CRUSH

Time was on the side of many wineries in some Southern Hemisphere regions, like South Africa, which  managed to harvest and crush most of their fruit before a lockdown was put in place. “We were very grateful to have all our grapes harvested and in our cellar,” says Corlea Fourie, vineyard and wine manager of Bosman Family Vineyards in Wellington, South Africa. Fourie added that her team was also able to get essential topping, barrel filling, and analyses done prior to South Africa’s 21-day lockdown. “We are in a lull as the 2020 harvest will be safe for the next few weeks. It will become problematic if the lockdown is extended as some critical wine actions will then be necessary.”

Photo Courtesy of Bosman Family Vineyards

Several other winemakers acknowledged that, in retrospect, they were gifted with an earlier harvest this year, especially in Chile, where an especially hot and dry growing season resulted in harvest beginning two to four weeks earlier than usual. “What was first perceived as a complicated situation to handle ended up being a huge help in order to finish this harvest as soon as possible,” says Christian Blanc, managing director at Viña Casas del Bosque in Casablanca, Chile. His team is speeding up the process in an effort to get all of their fruit in the winery by Easter, and before the virus reaches its expected peak in Chile. “Because of this reason, the overall volume of fruit will go down, but we will not have any effect on quality,” he says.

Yet in cooler regions with slower ripening, if the grapes aren’t ready, they’ll simply need to stay on the vine. Winemaker Blair Walter at Felton Road in Central Otago, New Zealand, said that recent cooling temperatures after an unexpected early start to harvest have allowed his staff to slow down and make the best of a tough situation. While taking all the necessary social distancing and safety precautions, Walter said the crew is able to have “some longer, more contemplative lunches, and of course, accompanied by some mystery bottles.”

SHORT-HANDED HARVEST CREWS

For wineries that have managed to maintain their full harvest and cellar crews, the challenge is now to keep the number of workers gathered together in one space to a minimum. Some have divided their teams into smaller, rotating shifts, or have opted to machine harvest when they usually hand pick. Across the board, all non-essential and high-risk employees are working from home and most of the foreign harvest interns hired for the season have been sent back early to their respective countries. By creating a safer work environment, the consensus among winemakers seems to be that the days are a bit longer as tasks take more time to complete.

“It has actually been quite enjoyable and relaxed,” says Justin Van Wyk, winemaker at Constantia Glen in Cape Town, South Africa. “We are only harvesting with a skeleton staff that resides on the farm and as a result, we harvest smaller volumes of grapes per day and this makes it a lot more manageable for me in the cellar.”

Cautiously anticipating the worst-case scenario, Blanc, of Viña Casas del Bosque in Chile, says he’s operating with half the usual staff. “As you can imagine, harvest is not something we can stop, so we were forced to take some precautions to ensure our operation. We had to split our team in two different crews,” he says. “The B crew was sent ‘to the bench’ and they are working from home mainly on administrative issues, while the A team is actively working on harvest. The idea behind this is that if someone in the A team gets sick with Covid-19, then the whole A crew will have to go on quarantine and be replaced by the B team. Of course, it’s not very efficient, but there is no other way to ensure harvest.”

Blanc’s nightmare was nearly a reality at Distell in Stellenbosch, South Africa, where several employees had been in contact with an international visitor who got tested for Covid-19. “An international guest on site resulted in the red winemaker, one assistant, and the offloading team landing up in self-isolation until the test [came back] negative,” says Elize Coetzee, cellar master at Distell. “Three days at home during peak harvest, the stress levels were through the roof, but the remainder of the team stepped up and the job got done.”

EMPLOYEE SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY

A successful harvest is undoubtedly essential to a winery’s bottom line, but each winery VinePair spoke with insists that its No. 1 priority is the health and safety of its employees. Unfortunately, social distancing doesn’t exactly come easily in wine production. In the vineyard, for instance, workers sidle up next to and across from each other within the narrow rows to pick grapes, usually with just a few feet of distance between them. Then, as those grapes arrive at the winery for processing, there will often be multiple staff members lined up on either side of the sorting table, their hands overlapping as they reach for leaves and undesirable clusters.

Photo Courtesy of Altocedro Winery

But under the dark cloud of Covid-19, wineries have enacted a strict standard of protocols in both the vineyard and the cellar. Employees are instructed to remain six feet apart from one another, wear protective gear like masks and gloves, and wash their hands frequently. Sanitizing stations are set up throughout the winery, worker temperature checks are made upon arrival and departure, and daily safety briefings are conducted at the start of each shift. “Everyone has an individual alcohol spray to clean surfaces, tools, plugs, valves, pumps, and everything they touch,” says Karim Mussi, winemaker of several wineries and brands in Mendoza, Argentina, which include Bodega Altocedro and Bodega Alandes. “Every winery gate or door has a boot cleaning area with a disinfectant solution.”

At Bodega Garzón in Maldonado, Uruguay, managing director Christian Wylie says the company is handling the transportation of employees to and from the winery in order to minimize outside contact. At Bodega Séptima in Argentina, Bogro told VinePair that vineyard employees are now spaced one per row for harvesting. The company has also gone a step further, considering the mental health of its employees by arranging virtual sessions with psychologists for anyone who needs them during these uncertain times.

THE SHOW (ALWAYS) GOES ON

Covid-19 presents new challenges for vintners, but it’s certainly no worse than some of the catastrophes the industry has survived before, from extreme weather events to war to that vine-killing pest phylloxera, which nearly eradicated wine-making grapes in several countries in the 19th century.

“In Argentina, and especially in this business, we are well-trained storm pilots and we know how to manage a crisis,” said Mussi of Bodega Altocedro. “This harvest will prove, one more time, how beautiful and important this activity is, how many jobs it generates, and the strong-minded people needed to continue moving forward. No wars, or crises — and now a pandemic — can stop us.”

As for the quality of the wine, the virus is unlikely to define the 2020 vintage in the way that Mother Nature often does. As Wylie, of Uruguay’s Bodega Garzón, sees it, “We are grateful that, even with disconcerting news circulating, nature continues and the 2020 harvest has been the best we have had to date, with a dry year and cooler-than-usual temperatures yielding off-the-chart quality fruit.”

The article Wine Harvest Is Happening in the Southern Hemisphere — Producers From 5 Countries Weigh In appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/wine-harvest-is-happening-in-the-southern-hemisphere-producers-from-5-countries-weigh-in/

[isaiahrippinus]

Wine Harvest Is Happening in the Southern Hemisphere — Producers From 5 Countries Weigh In

Covid-19 is having a major and possibly devastating effect on the wine industry as a whole — tasting rooms across the globe are closed and many depend on visitation for sales — but it’s been especially difficult for wineries in the Southern Hemisphere, which also happen to be in the throes of wine’s most demanding season: harvest.

Winery operations in locked-down areas have been defined as essential, and thus the harvests throughout South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and South America have been allowed to press on, although it’s far from business as usual. The pandemic is presenting unprecedented challenges during the busiest time of year as many wineries are forced to speed up their production despite a skeleton staff and a laundry list of safety protocols that effectively slows down their progress.

“All harvests are stressful,” said Paula Borgo, head winemaker at Bodega Séptima in Mendoza, Argentina. “We risk the year in a couple of months, but adding Covid-19 is one of the biggest challenges that life has put me in. I have 25 harvests carried out and I had never had to decide also on the health of the workers.”

A RUSH TO CRUSH

Time was on the side of many wineries in some Southern Hemisphere regions, like South Africa, which  managed to harvest and crush most of their fruit before a lockdown was put in place. “We were very grateful to have all our grapes harvested and in our cellar,” says Corlea Fourie, vineyard and wine manager of Bosman Family Vineyards in Wellington, South Africa. Fourie added that her team was also able to get essential topping, barrel filling, and analyses done prior to South Africa’s 21-day lockdown. “We are in a lull as the 2020 harvest will be safe for the next few weeks. It will become problematic if the lockdown is extended as some critical wine actions will then be necessary.”

Photo Courtesy of Bosman Family Vineyards

Several other winemakers acknowledged that, in retrospect, they were gifted with an earlier harvest this year, especially in Chile, where an especially hot and dry growing season resulted in harvest beginning two to four weeks earlier than usual. “What was first perceived as a complicated situation to handle ended up being a huge help in order to finish this harvest as soon as possible,” says Christian Blanc, managing director at Viña Casas del Bosque in Casablanca, Chile. His team is speeding up the process in an effort to get all of their fruit in the winery by Easter, and before the virus reaches its expected peak in Chile. “Because of this reason, the overall volume of fruit will go down, but we will not have any effect on quality,” he says.

Yet in cooler regions with slower ripening, if the grapes aren’t ready, they’ll simply need to stay on the vine. Winemaker Blair Walter at Felton Road in Central Otago, New Zealand, said that recent cooling temperatures after an unexpected early start to harvest have allowed his staff to slow down and make the best of a tough situation. While taking all the necessary social distancing and safety precautions, Walter said the crew is able to have “some longer, more contemplative lunches, and of course, accompanied by some mystery bottles.”

SHORT-HANDED HARVEST CREWS

For wineries that have managed to maintain their full harvest and cellar crews, the challenge is now to keep the number of workers gathered together in one space to a minimum. Some have divided their teams into smaller, rotating shifts, or have opted to machine harvest when they usually hand pick. Across the board, all non-essential and high-risk employees are working from home and most of the foreign harvest interns hired for the season have been sent back early to their respective countries. By creating a safer work environment, the consensus among winemakers seems to be that the days are a bit longer as tasks take more time to complete.

“It has actually been quite enjoyable and relaxed,” says Justin Van Wyk, winemaker at Constantia Glen in Cape Town, South Africa. “We are only harvesting with a skeleton staff that resides on the farm and as a result, we harvest smaller volumes of grapes per day and this makes it a lot more manageable for me in the cellar.”

Cautiously anticipating the worst-case scenario, Blanc, of Viña Casas del Bosque in Chile, says he’s operating with half the usual staff. “As you can imagine, harvest is not something we can stop, so we were forced to take some precautions to ensure our operation. We had to split our team in two different crews,” he says. “The B crew was sent ‘to the bench’ and they are working from home mainly on administrative issues, while the A team is actively working on harvest. The idea behind this is that if someone in the A team gets sick with Covid-19, then the whole A crew will have to go on quarantine and be replaced by the B team. Of course, it’s not very efficient, but there is no other way to ensure harvest.”

Blanc’s nightmare was nearly a reality at Distell in Stellenbosch, South Africa, where several employees had been in contact with an international visitor who got tested for Covid-19. “An international guest on site resulted in the red winemaker, one assistant, and the offloading team landing up in self-isolation until the test [came back] negative,” says Elize Coetzee, cellar master at Distell. “Three days at home during peak harvest, the stress levels were through the roof, but the remainder of the team stepped up and the job got done.”

EMPLOYEE SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY

A successful harvest is undoubtedly essential to a winery’s bottom line, but each winery VinePair spoke with insists that its No. 1 priority is the health and safety of its employees. Unfortunately, social distancing doesn’t exactly come easily in wine production. In the vineyard, for instance, workers sidle up next to and across from each other within the narrow rows to pick grapes, usually with just a few feet of distance between them. Then, as those grapes arrive at the winery for processing, there will often be multiple staff members lined up on either side of the sorting table, their hands overlapping as they reach for leaves and undesirable clusters.

Photo Courtesy of Altocedro Winery

But under the dark cloud of Covid-19, wineries have enacted a strict standard of protocols in both the vineyard and the cellar. Employees are instructed to remain six feet apart from one another, wear protective gear like masks and gloves, and wash their hands frequently. Sanitizing stations are set up throughout the winery, worker temperature checks are made upon arrival and departure, and daily safety briefings are conducted at the start of each shift. “Everyone has an individual alcohol spray to clean surfaces, tools, plugs, valves, pumps, and everything they touch,” says Karim Mussi, winemaker of several wineries and brands in Mendoza, Argentina, which include Bodega Altocedro and Bodega Alandes. “Every winery gate or door has a boot cleaning area with a disinfectant solution.”

At Bodega Garzón in Maldonado, Uruguay, managing director Christian Wylie says the company is handling the transportation of employees to and from the winery in order to minimize outside contact. At Bodega Séptima in Argentina, Bogro told VinePair that vineyard employees are now spaced one per row for harvesting. The company has also gone a step further, considering the mental health of its employees by arranging virtual sessions with psychologists for anyone who needs them during these uncertain times.

THE SHOW (ALWAYS) GOES ON

Covid-19 presents new challenges for vintners, but it’s certainly no worse than some of the catastrophes the industry has survived before, from extreme weather events to war to that vine-killing pest phylloxera, which nearly eradicated wine-making grapes in several countries in the 19th century.

“In Argentina, and especially in this business, we are well-trained storm pilots and we know how to manage a crisis,” said Mussi of Bodega Altocedro. “This harvest will prove, one more time, how beautiful and important this activity is, how many jobs it generates, and the strong-minded people needed to continue moving forward. No wars, or crises — and now a pandemic — can stop us.”

As for the quality of the wine, the virus is unlikely to define the 2020 vintage in the way that Mother Nature often does. As Wylie, of Uruguay’s Bodega Garzón, sees it, “We are grateful that, even with disconcerting news circulating, nature continues and the 2020 harvest has been the best we have had to date, with a dry year and cooler-than-usual temperatures yielding off-the-chart quality fruit.”

The article Wine Harvest Is Happening in the Southern Hemisphere — Producers From 5 Countries Weigh In appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/wine-harvest-is-happening-in-the-southern-hemisphere-producers-from-5-countries-weigh-in/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/614659306066968576

[johnboothus]

Wine Harvest Is Happening in the Southern Hemisphere Producers From 5 Countries Weigh In

Covid-19 is having a major and possibly devastating effect on the wine industry as a whole — tasting rooms across the globe are closed and many depend on visitation for sales — but it’s been especially difficult for wineries in the Southern Hemisphere, which also happen to be in the throes of wine’s most demanding season: harvest.

Winery operations in locked-down areas have been defined as essential, and thus the harvests throughout South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and South America have been allowed to press on, although it’s far from business as usual. The pandemic is presenting unprecedented challenges during the busiest time of year as many wineries are forced to speed up their production despite a skeleton staff and a laundry list of safety protocols that effectively slows down their progress.

“All harvests are stressful,” said Paula Borgo, head winemaker at Bodega Séptima in Mendoza, Argentina. “We risk the year in a couple of months, but adding Covid-19 is one of the biggest challenges that life has put me in. I have 25 harvests carried out and I had never had to decide also on the health of the workers.”

A RUSH TO CRUSH

Time was on the side of many wineries in some Southern Hemisphere regions, like South Africa, which  managed to harvest and crush most of their fruit before a lockdown was put in place. “We were very grateful to have all our grapes harvested and in our cellar,” says Corlea Fourie, vineyard and wine manager of Bosman Family Vineyards in Wellington, South Africa. Fourie added that her team was also able to get essential topping, barrel filling, and analyses done prior to South Africa’s 21-day lockdown. “We are in a lull as the 2020 harvest will be safe for the next few weeks. It will become problematic if the lockdown is extended as some critical wine actions will then be necessary.”

Photo Courtesy of Bosman Family Vineyards

Several other winemakers acknowledged that, in retrospect, they were gifted with an earlier harvest this year, especially in Chile, where an especially hot and dry growing season resulted in harvest beginning two to four weeks earlier than usual. “What was first perceived as a complicated situation to handle ended up being a huge help in order to finish this harvest as soon as possible,” says Christian Blanc, managing director at Viña Casas del Bosque in Casablanca, Chile. His team is speeding up the process in an effort to get all of their fruit in the winery by Easter, and before the virus reaches its expected peak in Chile. “Because of this reason, the overall volume of fruit will go down, but we will not have any effect on quality,” he says.

Yet in cooler regions with slower ripening, if the grapes aren’t ready, they’ll simply need to stay on the vine. Winemaker Blair Walter at Felton Road in Central Otago, New Zealand, said that recent cooling temperatures after an unexpected early start to harvest have allowed his staff to slow down and make the best of a tough situation. While taking all the necessary social distancing and safety precautions, Walter said the crew is able to have “some longer, more contemplative lunches, and of course, accompanied by some mystery bottles.”

SHORT-HANDED HARVEST CREWS

For wineries that have managed to maintain their full harvest and cellar crews, the challenge is now to keep the number of workers gathered together in one space to a minimum. Some have divided their teams into smaller, rotating shifts, or have opted to machine harvest when they usually hand pick. Across the board, all non-essential and high-risk employees are working from home and most of the foreign harvest interns hired for the season have been sent back early to their respective countries. By creating a safer work environment, the consensus among winemakers seems to be that the days are a bit longer as tasks take more time to complete.

“It has actually been quite enjoyable and relaxed,” says Justin Van Wyk, winemaker at Constantia Glen in Cape Town, South Africa. “We are only harvesting with a skeleton staff that resides on the farm and as a result, we harvest smaller volumes of grapes per day and this makes it a lot more manageable for me in the cellar.”

Cautiously anticipating the worst-case scenario, Blanc, of Viña Casas del Bosque in Chile, says he’s operating with half the usual staff. “As you can imagine, harvest is not something we can stop, so we were forced to take some precautions to ensure our operation. We had to split our team in two different crews,” he says. “The B crew was sent ‘to the bench’ and they are working from home mainly on administrative issues, while the A team is actively working on harvest. The idea behind this is that if someone in the A team gets sick with Covid-19, then the whole A crew will have to go on quarantine and be replaced by the B team. Of course, it’s not very efficient, but there is no other way to ensure harvest.”

Blanc’s nightmare was nearly a reality at Distell in Stellenbosch, South Africa, where several employees had been in contact with an international visitor who got tested for Covid-19. “An international guest on site resulted in the red winemaker, one assistant, and the offloading team landing up in self-isolation until the test [came back] negative,” says Elize Coetzee, cellar master at Distell. “Three days at home during peak harvest, the stress levels were through the roof, but the remainder of the team stepped up and the job got done.”

EMPLOYEE SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY

A successful harvest is undoubtedly essential to a winery’s bottom line, but each winery VinePair spoke with insists that its No. 1 priority is the health and safety of its employees. Unfortunately, social distancing doesn’t exactly come easily in wine production. In the vineyard, for instance, workers sidle up next to and across from each other within the narrow rows to pick grapes, usually with just a few feet of distance between them. Then, as those grapes arrive at the winery for processing, there will often be multiple staff members lined up on either side of the sorting table, their hands overlapping as they reach for leaves and undesirable clusters.

Photo Courtesy of Altocedro Winery

But under the dark cloud of Covid-19, wineries have enacted a strict standard of protocols in both the vineyard and the cellar. Employees are instructed to remain six feet apart from one another, wear protective gear like masks and gloves, and wash their hands frequently. Sanitizing stations are set up throughout the winery, worker temperature checks are made upon arrival and departure, and daily safety briefings are conducted at the start of each shift. “Everyone has an individual alcohol spray to clean surfaces, tools, plugs, valves, pumps, and everything they touch,” says Karim Mussi, winemaker of several wineries and brands in Mendoza, Argentina, which include Bodega Altocedro and Bodega Alandes. “Every winery gate or door has a boot cleaning area with a disinfectant solution.”

At Bodega Garzón in Maldonado, Uruguay, managing director Christian Wylie says the company is handling the transportation of employees to and from the winery in order to minimize outside contact. At Bodega Séptima in Argentina, Bogro told VinePair that vineyard employees are now spaced one per row for harvesting. The company has also gone a step further, considering the mental health of its employees by arranging virtual sessions with psychologists for anyone who needs them during these uncertain times.

THE SHOW (ALWAYS) GOES ON

Covid-19 presents new challenges for vintners, but it’s certainly no worse than some of the catastrophes the industry has survived before, from extreme weather events to war to that vine-killing pest phylloxera, which nearly eradicated wine-making grapes in several countries in the 19th century.

“In Argentina, and especially in this business, we are well-trained storm pilots and we know how to manage a crisis,” said Mussi of Bodega Altocedro. “This harvest will prove, one more time, how beautiful and important this activity is, how many jobs it generates, and the strong-minded people needed to continue moving forward. No wars, or crises — and now a pandemic — can stop us.”

As for the quality of the wine, the virus is unlikely to define the 2020 vintage in the way that Mother Nature often does. As Wylie, of Uruguay’s Bodega Garzón, sees it, “We are grateful that, even with disconcerting news circulating, nature continues and the 2020 harvest has been the best we have had to date, with a dry year and cooler-than-usual temperatures yielding off-the-chart quality fruit.”

The article Wine Harvest Is Happening in the Southern Hemisphere — Producers From 5 Countries Weigh In appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/wine-harvest-is-happening-in-the-southern-hemisphere-producers-from-5-countries-weigh-in/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/wine-harvest-is-happening-in-the-southern-hemisphere-producers-from-5-countries-weigh-in

[superbarrydaveblr]

A Professional Team Offers the Best Patio Cleaning in London

The patio is one of the most common parts of our home. We can say that it is a perfect blend of indoor and outdoor space that can be used for different home activities. We hang out with friends and family, children play and have fun around it and many other activities can be done. From children to elderly people, everyone appreciates the patio area a lot. Moreover, we spent our time on patio doors and windows. Have you ever imagined that patio can be distressed when left untreated? Most of the time we fail to take care of it because of various reasons. As a result of our less attention, patios and driveways make it completely dull and out of shine. So, it is our responsibility to take care of the patio.The most important thing is patio can become soiled quite easily since it is exposed to the elements.There are various factors can behind it such as Dust, debris, frost, rain, and some additional factors that can hamper the sheen and beauty of the patio over a while. However, making your patio area clean and neat is not a big task. You can bring the original look of it once again. Fortunately, there are various reputed cleaning service providers available in the market that can help you with the qualities Patio Cleaning in Surrey On the flip side, patio cleaning should be performed on a regular basis and any delay or laxity will not help. As we know that a simple black spot on a white canvas sticks out like a sore thumb. Simple greasy stains on the patio or driveway can ruin the entire look of your property and it is not uncommon as it can happen anytime. Another example we can take here in this section that when a vehicle leaks oil can leave behind a stain and the most important reason is that we ignore these issues that can lead to more stubborn and difficult to remove. And all of these are not a DIY task. We cannot do it single-handedly all the time. Thus, it requires professional Patio Cleaning in London. 

Everybody wants neatness and cleanliness in their home surroundings. And it is a good habit. IN that case, a professional and expert cleaning team can assist you with the  awesome Patio Cleaning in London  as well as they can ensure that your driveway too always looks spick and span. But, most of the time people have themselves got down to the business of cleaning and spend their time and effort. But, you have to understand that this is not done. And surely you will not happy and satisfiedwith the results. So, looking for a better solution is the right key.

Different effective solution for Patio Cleaning in London:

When we talk about different effective techniques used in the patio cleaning process, you must have heard that pressure washer is best for cleaning concrete, tiles, or bricks. Sometimes, you may experience that some middle pores of water getting a block on your driveways during rain. It cannot flow out properly due to improper concrete foundation. IN that case, applying pressure washing on the driveway and patio can be the best solution. So, we can state that the pressure washer ought to be implemented to clean the patio and driveways. In this pressure washer, detergent or cleaning powder is generally used and it offers the best results. However, you should avoid some cheap or low-quality detergents as they can lead to unsatisfying pressure cleaning services. When you observe dirt and grime stuck to the patio, you must know that it requires power pressure jets to remove them from the surface. They are mostly used to clean up a large area within a short span of time. At the same time, during this process is applied, you must ensure that it doesn’t get messed up with the rest of your building. And a professional cleaning team knows very well how to deal with it. They use highly advanced machines that come with a nylon brush skirt that will easily prevent water and dirt from being involved in the rest of your property. Moreover, patio or driveways cleaning is best done via the method of power washing. And it is important to wash patio or driveways frequently since it is typically the entry to the house and reflecting your hygiene standard. Along with that when these areas get stuck with dust and grime, it will not only impact the appetence of your home but alsocan cause adverse effects on the health of family members. SO, it is essential to keep your patio neat and free of dirt and it should be carried out by a professional team that has expertise in pressure washing and has the essential equipment. 

Do you think it is a DIY job?

Most people think it can be done by anyone who is not right. Also, many property owners buy or obtain power cleaner or pressure washer to perform this job on their own and try to clean the driveway and patio, but you will not get the same outputs. Even, it is not possible to buy all those equipment and apply them without proper knowledge of it. IN that case, it is always better to opt for expert Patio Cleaning in Surrey. In other words, experts or professionals with years of experience in Patio Cleaning in Surrey are used to with such services. They know how and where to apply the right equipment. All you just need to hire the best cleaning team at the right time to obtain the best results. They can able to bring back the original look of the patio and leave it more beautiful and gorgeous. For

Patio Cleaning in London

, make sure you choose only those companies that have a wealth of experience in this business. If you will chooseinexperienced people for this job just because to save a few bucks, remember that it might damage your patio. You may have to spend more money later to rectify the damage. So, instead of inviting these losses, make sure you got one of the reputed firms who can handle it as per your needs and specifications.

  When you choose a professional cleaning team, make sure they would offer a no-obligation quotation free of cost. There are also various factors that you can consider at the time of choosing those companies such as the cost of the service. You need to get the best value of your money.  A professional team will vacate the patio of all stuff and then use chemicals, cleaning agents to eliminate collected grime or oil stains. They will use the power jet cleaning methodwhere jets of water are released at high pressure to dye the patio. Moreover, it is the process that ought to be performed by an expert team.

Why do you hire a professional patio cleaning team?

 This is a valid question that comes in mind. Let’s analyze it. First of all, we cannot undermine the major role of professional cleaning services. We ensure that no one can replace the proficiency of well-trained cleaners. However, you must choose the best cleaning team for Patio Cleaning in Surrey. Generally, we rely on a well-cleaned and sanitized area that delivers the best comfort. And a professional cleaner can ensure this purpose at an optimum level. As a result, people can use these areas properly for different activities. In addition, most of the people are now looking after a professional cleaning service for various purposes along with patio cleaning. The main reason behind it is just they don’t have time to do this anymore. A versatile cleaning team can also help you in cleaning wooden decking, garden furniture, etc.  In this hectic work schedule, we have to do various works to be earned. Also, women nowadays are balancing their life as a mother and as a career woman. They also require a professional, quick, and efficient service that can handle all these problems effectively. IN that case, hiring an expert team for Patio Cleaning in London can be a great decision that will reduce your stress by managing these works efficiently. So, you can easily focus on your daily life, work easily, and improve your way of life. In this business market, there are many reputed cleaning teams available to be used. You can easily find them online. You can see hundreds of cleaning service advertisements being givenonline. However, be aware of such fake or unreliable companies as they are not all necessarily true. With extensive research, you can make sure that the right cleaning Service Company will be picked.

How to select a reliable cleaning team online?

Everyone is busy with their daily routine that makes them unable to spare some time for cleaning and maintaining their patio or driveways. This has precisely exposed the importance of a professional team and you can outsource this task to those experts without any hesitation. However, choosing the best team online for Patio Cleaning in London is a daunting task. You have to care during this searching process. Here in this article, we will focus on such crucial tips that will help you in finding the best cleaning team that can meet your needs, expectations, and budget perfectly. 

String reputation- Eve though you can find many companies online easily, make sure you are in the safe hand. A cleaning team must have a strong reputation in the market. You can visit their website as every company now has its website to reach a larger audience. You can read their services levels and read their testimonials. You can also contact some of the existing clients to enquire about the professionalism and quality of their work. They must meet a deadline forrelated work. Cost of the service-The price of the Patio Cleaning in Surrey matters and you cannot ignore this point. Even, the cost and quality of work are the two major factors. A reliable power cleaning company provides free inspection services and price estimates. Stay away from such doubtful cleaning professionals who provide wrong price quotes by adding such unnecessary repair or substitute costs as it can cost you more. Always consider these factors and make your decision properly. Another vital point is tocheck whether a cleaning company is licensed and insured or not. Only a vetted, licensed, the company can give you the best patio cleaning. They use state-of-art equipment and modern latest technology to clean the exteriors of your place. Different advanced techniques are being used in this process of Patio Cleaning in London and they can easily handle it by using their experience and expertise. An unprofessional use it wrongly that can be fatal for your building or home. If a company is not skilled enough to do this task, then waste your time to choose them as it might end up with a big loss. When it comes to the cleaners, they must be licensed, skilled, vetted, and friendly. Professional and experienced cleaners can make a big difference when it comes to cleaning your patio or driveways. You can check their credibility thoroughly before hiring them for this task. Don’t lose hope. A reliable company always employees highly experienced cleaners in their team to meet the client’s requirement. Client satisfaction is a top concern for them and they never compromise with the quality of their work. Make sure your cleaning is providing all the advanced cleaning processes to make the best output of it. And they should also work closely with their clients and count their concerns over cleaning services. All the above tips and information will surely help you to get a thorough knowledge of

Patio Cleaning in London

and nearby areas. And it will help you to find a reliable and professional cleaning team that can exceed your expectation within a pocket-friendly budget. In a nutshell, hiring a professional team for cleaning purposes can give you the best deal.