Final blog post of 2022

 Another year has come to a close. 

And personally, 2022 has been a challenging year for me. Career-wise, health-wise, and other wise. 

Employment

I spent most of this year working at Macy's, an employer that I re-started working with back in October 2020.  It was originally meant to be just for the winter holiday season that year.  I applied to be on Macy's merchandise team (the ones who organize items on the selling floor in the morning), because I like to organize stuff. But with their bait & switch tactics (sadly typical), they had me sanitize hi-touch points, which I just went along with because it's an easy job. That "seasonal job" was extended to year-round. 

 However, the geniuses at Macy's corporate office decided to do away with sanitizing hi-touch points when the mask mandate ended in March 2022. I thought that was stupid because that would be when you needed sanitization the most since all those maskless people would be spreading their germs. 

Then the geniuses at Macy's thought it would be a good idea to switch me to "back of house support" which has plusses (organizing incoming materials, which I love doing) and minuses (working with machines, which I hate doing). After a few weeks, I had a discussion with them, telling them they are negligent about workplace safety, I told them I'll go to OSHA, and I told them they should've asked me if  I liked working with machines before switching me to a position involving machines. After that, they switched me to "front-of-house support duties" (folding towels and clothes, replenishing the shelves, etc) which was what I should've been doing the whole time because that's where I excel.  But now the new problem is the reduction of work hours.

Meanwhile, I keep applying for other jobs. My main preference is libraries, but I also applied for office clerical positions.  

Then by September of this year, I decided it's time for me work at the schools again. I was a substitute teacher from 2005-2018, and I was a library assistant from 2019-2020. I was considering returning to substitute teacher in late 2020, but I've heard from other substitute teachers there wasn't much work for them available due to the classes being online. 

But by Fall 2022, in-school classes were back in session.  Time to go back.

In October of this year, I did reapply with Kelly Services (an organization that provides substitute teachers for private and charter schools). At the same time, someone from Kama‘aina Kids saw my resume and encouraged me to apply for their afterschool program. Within a few days apart, both organizations hired me. But who to pick? Kama‘aina Kids had a more consistent schedule. 

Kama‘aina Kids had an after-school position at  Mary, Star of the Sea School (aka MSOS aka Star of the Sea), a private school in Kahala.   I started the position in November. 

I was happy to be back working with the kids again, though in a different context from the sub teaching I've done in the past.  The problem was that the admin at MSOS thinks that we should "move on from covid" and doesn't understand the seriousness of contagious respiratory diseases.

I blogged about the issue at https://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2022/12/covidiocy-at-star-of-sea.html

Meanwhile, the state Department of Health, whom I interviewed with for an office position back in September, offered me a temp full-time office position that started this December.

I was done with the afterschool job at MSOS. 

And I was done with Macy's. A part of me was sad to leave, a part of me was happy to leave.

My main mentors in my last few months at Macy's were wonderful people. I was sad to leave them.

But the position was only part-time, and they cut my hours earlier this year due to budget reasons. Also, I didn't totally like some of the directions the corporate office wanted to take the company. 

So, I'm now a temp office assistant with the Department of Health. I'm applying some clerical skills I learned in the past, as well as learning some new procedures.  Basically, I'm organizing both physical and digital items for the department. I don't have to interact with the general public (for now).

Being that I'm a temp, there's no guarantee I'll still be in the position a year from now. 

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I did spend some time volunteering with the Friends of the Library of Hawaii (FLH) this year.  

They have a bookstore Village Books & Music located at Ward Villages. They're open Tuesday - Sunday. For most of the year, I came in on Monday (when the store is closed to the general public) to reorganize and replenish the shelves. I loved it.

However, with my new job, I won't be able to come in on Mondays anymore. :(

FLH did have their annual summer booksale again this year, after the pandemic cancelled it the previous 2 years.

We still took the pandemic seriously, and we still required attendees to wear a mask to prevent it from being a super-spreader event.

Whereas the past summer booksales took place at my alma mater (McKinley High School - should be renamed Honolulu High School), this year, it took place at the former Pier 1 Imports location at Ward Village.  It is also across the street from much smaller Village Books & Music. 

At the annual booksale, I mostly did exit surveys, questioning those leaving how they found out about the event. Some just wanted to rush out of there, while others were willing to answer the questions. The greatest part for me was when I talked to a former classmate, and he mentioned his regrets from his past. 

FLH will have another booksale at the former Pier 1 Imports location in January. Not yet sure if they'll require masks, but I'll wear one anyways. Learn more about the upcoming  Music & Book Sale at https://friendsofthelibraryofhawaii.org/2022/09/26/2023-flh-music-book-sale/

Health

The past few years, I've been struggling with my weight. 

When I look at my photos from 2019, I'm amazed I look slimer than I do now. Then I get depressed over the weight I gained since 2020.

Back in August 2020, I got an ankle injury that lasted a few weeks. I was less active in my movements but still active in my eating. And it's been downhill from there. 

The lounge at Macy's almost always had snacks available. But time to exercise that weight off wasn't always available.

I admit I've become more sedentary and homebound since 2020.

Then when I did a blood test in October, the results came in. I had high cholesterol and was considered prediabetic.  It was suggested that I talk with a dietician.

When talking with my dietician, I noted to him that I've long been a picky eater (learn more at this link), only able to eat a limited types of fruits and vegetables, and I also admitted I eat too many snacks, meats and rice. 

With that information, the dietician suggested I start eating more whole-grains to counteract the cholesterol.  Eat more brown rice and less white rice. Good to eat more sandwiches with whole-grain bread and eat peanut butter.   Eat less red meats and more chickens and fish.  On my plate, add a little more lettuce (one of the few veggies I eat) and a little less rice and meats. Also, snack on carrots (one of the other veggies I eat) and less on sweets. 

I did inform my parents on this, in case they want to send more care packages to my home. 

And also, at my new job, there's no vending machines, and there's no restaurants in walking distance. So I bring home lunch. I am eating more sandwiches & carrots during the week. 

Making changes to eating habits is never easy, but I think I'm on my way to better health. Only time will tell

Music/art

Sadly, I haven't had as much time to work on my music as I did in past years. I also made much less money from my music compared to last year.  Sadly, other priorities got in the way.

Pablo the Mad Tiger Warrior did release one single this year. It was a ska-metal track "Summer Fun"

You can download the track via iTunes at

https://music.apple.com/us/album/summer-fun-single/1626080434

You can also listen to it on Spotify at

https://open.spotify.com/album/34mR5tmT4aBMPeBhUYfwD5

You can watch the YouTube video for the track at 

https://youtu.be/UggJH2pj96g

and you can read my blog post about that track at 

https://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2022/05/summer-fun-instrumental-track.html

Pablo the Mad Tiger Warrior has some tracks ready for a potential future album(s) but I can't give you a timeline on when they'll be released.  Other priorities need to be taken care of first, and I have extremely limited funds. Those who want to help out on the financial end can donate via PayPal at https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/pweg

As for my visual arts, I did add a few more designs to be available on RedBubble. You can buy all kinds of merch (shirts, hats, pillows, postcards, stickers, magnets, and much more) showcasing my designs at RedBubble. They don't make it until you order it. Check out my designs and start shopping 😊 at https://www.redbubble.com/people/madtigerwarrior/explore

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and going back to music, here's my list of favorite tracks by other artist this year

• Post Malone & Doja Cat "I like You"
• Harry Styles "As it Was"
• Harry Styles "Late Night Talking"
• Tyga & Doja Cat "Freaky Deaky"
• Doja Cat "Get Into It (Yuh)"
• Tyga, Jhena Aiko, Pop Smoke "Sunshine"
• Destiny Rogers "Summer Nights"
• Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa "Sweetest Pie"
• Dua Lipa & Young Thug "Potion"
• Chainsmokers "I Love You"
• Steve Lacy "Bad Habits"
• Muni Long & Saweetie "Baby Boo"
• Fior "YoYo"
• Stela Cole "Rhapsody in Pink"
• Lizzo "About Damn Time"
• Lizzo "2 be Loved (Am I Ready)"
• Bebe Rexha "I'm Good"
• Marshmello w/Khalid "Numb"
• Camila Cabello w/ Ed Sheeran "Bam Bam"
• Lil Nas X "Star Walking"
• Wiz Khalifa "Memory Lane"

And for nostalgia's sake, we had 

• New Kids on the Block (w/Salt N Pepa, Ric Astley & En Vogue) "Bring Back the Time"
• Swedish House Mafia (featuring Sting) "Red Light"
• City Girls w/Usher "Good Love"

and also, Kate Bush's 1984 hit "Running Up That Hill" got new life this year, entertaining fans who were either too young (like me) or not yet born when the song came out. 

Hopefully my 2023 will be so great that I'll be nostalgic for it further in the future.

It ain't over

 2022 may be almost over, but covid-19 isn't!

I predict another surge coming soon, mostly because of 2 reasons

• New Year's parties of maskless people doing the exact opposite of social distancing 
• China lifting restrictions, and people there using their newfound freedom to gather in large groups maskless. Add to the fact that much of China's population is either non-vaccinated or got the vaccines that are weaker than what's available in the USA or other Western nations. 

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Some might say I'm "living in fear"

I prefer to call it "living with awareness"

For those who don't know me in the pre-pandemic era, I was one of those attending those public New Year's parties (as well as Halloween parties). I know for a fact that most people go there to do the exact opposite of social distancing. 

Had we opened up a little slower,  I wouldn't be so nervous. Maybe we could've eased restrictions slowly, to eventually allow for 100% capacity while still having a mask mandate for a few months before ending the mask mandate.

But the Democrats were nervous that the Republicans would have the upper hand in exploiting grievances against the mask mandate that the Democrats just gave in. 

It also didn't help that back in January, Democrat representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) visited an event in Florida maskless while her home state (New York) still had mask mandates.  The "do as I say, not as I do"  mentality really undermined the Democrat's message of taking the mask mandate seriously. 

Even in mostly blue Hawaii, the local Democrats gave in back in March. This was partly due to the nagging of Honolulu mayor Rick Blangiardi (who said NOTHING about easing covid restrictions during his 2020 election campaign but ranted endlessly against restrictions ONLY AFTER winning office), but mostly to protect fellow Democrats on the continent from being disadvantaged against Republicans on this issue.

So the Democrats gave in and dropped mask mandates, and the Republicans lost the advantage and therefore couldn't overwhelmingly win Congress this year.

While Joe Biden said "the pandemic is over" (usual political pandering), it's not! It might've subsided since 2020 (yes, I'll give both Trump and Biden credit for endorsing vaccines), but I still think we let our guard down due to lockdown fatigue.

I'm not endorsing China-style lockdowns, but I'm endorsing mask wearing in public spaces. If there wasn't so much resistance towards wearing masks, I truly believe that the coronavirus would've been an endangered species by now.  

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Also, here's some knowledge I mentioned in previous blog posts about long covid and the extra vulnerabilities those with weakened immune systems face during the coronavirus crisis

From here in Hawaii about a teacher who experienced living with long covid.

Nina Wu, “Number of Long-COVID Cases Continues Growing, Potentially Affecting Hawaii Workforce,” Honolulu Star-Advertiser, July 18, 2022, https://www.staradvertiser.com/2022/07/18/hawaii-news/number-of-long-covid-cases-continues-growing-potentially-affecting-isle-workforce/.

Villanueva, 40, of Kaimuki, used to run marathons and live an active lifestyle. The high-energy mother of two was vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 and had no underlying health issues.

She loves teaching, and has been a teacher’s advocate and mentor for the Hawaii State Teachers Association. In 2020 she was the recipient of its S.T.A.C.Y. Award for Teaching Excellence.

The day she caught COVID-19 has changed her life, and she clearly remembers it.

After working on a Tuesday, she recalls feeling really “off,” then came down with a sore throat in the evening, followed by a fever the next day. She tested negative on a rapid antigen test at home but decided to call in a substitute and get a PCR test.

She would eventually test positive for the coronavirus and isolate at home, expecting to get better after a week or so, but that did not happen.

After the fifth day she would have been able to return to work under current guidelines, but she was not feeling better or physically able to do so.

Instead, Villanueva said, she cycled through new symptoms daily for up to 16 days, experiencing everything from a loss of taste and smell to brain fog, piercing migraines, swelling hands and the “shakes,” or tremors, after physical exertion.

She saw several doctors before an infectious disease specialist informed her she was suffering from long COVID.

The doctor prescribed her medications for inflammation, which initially helped, but six months later she is still seeking help for other persisting symptoms such as the shaking, joint pain and fatigue.

Also in Hawaii, a former  Waikiki bartender speaks of his experience with long covid

Jenn Boneza, “Waikiki Bartender Continues to Battle Impacts of Covid-19 Almost Five Months after Falling Ill,” (KHON2, August 1, 2020),

https://www.khon2.com/coronavirus/waikiki-bartender-continues-to-battle-impacts-of-covid-19-almost-five-months-after-falling-ill/

 More than four months after Coby Torda tested positive for COVID-19, he still struggles with lingering complications caused by the virus.

The 38-year-old Waikiki bartender tested positive for COVID-19 in March. He thinks he contracted the virus while at work, but isn’t sure.

Torda spent 69 days in the ICU, most of that time in an induced coma. When he woke up, the world had changed.

“I just remember working and everything was normal and then waking up from my coma and everything was different. Everybody was quarantined. Everybody was in masks in the hospital with like tape and signs saying be careful when entering this room. It was a little bit scary,” said Torda.

When he came to, he’d lost 80 pounds, he couldn’t eat or drink and needed help going to the bathroom. He said he had to relearn how to do just about everything.

He was released from the hospital May 29th, but continues to struggle with the aftermath of COVID-19.

Another article on those suffering from long covid

Kate Murphy, “Covid-19 'Long-Haulers' Don't Want to Be Forgotten as the U.S. Goes 'Back to Normal',” Yahoo! News (April 7, 2022),

https://news.yahoo.com/covid-19-long-haulers-dont-want-to-be-forgotten-as-the-us-goes-back-to-normal-161703601.html?.tsrc=374

Long COVID has been a “traumatic change” for Mary Snipes of Kansas. An otherwise healthy woman in her early 50s, she was previously active in her community, campaigning against gun violence ever since she lost her son, Felix, to a shooting in 2018. Snipes caught COVID-19 in December 2020 and nearly died of the virus after being hospitalized for two weeks. “I remember the doctors and nurses asking me, 'Should we resuscitate?' And I started crying because I had never been asked that before,” she recalled.

 Snipes never ended up on a ventilator, but was sent home with oxygen. More than a year later, she still remains on oxygen and experiences a multitude of symptoms, from joint pain and forgetfulness to hair loss. Snipes said this is the first time she has ever had a whole team of doctors. “I basically feel sometimes that I'm a lab rat, that I'm being used [for] research, because nobody knows what to expect.”

 For Joe Farina in upstate New York, long COVID has stolen his identity. In March 2020, he was about to turn 50, in excellent health as a competitive athlete and former boxer and as a worker in the hospitality industry. Then he caught COVID. It first appeared as a bad cold, but within a week he had to be hospitalized. Farina was never intubated, but recalled, “It was really one of the most terrifying experiences I've ever been through.” He has since suffered from lasting cardiac and neurological issues and takes several medications to manage all of it.

An article from a writer with a compromised immune system

Lindsay Karp, “The Forgotten Immunocompromised Are Shouting from the Trenches,” Salon (November 13, 2022)

https://www.salon.com/2022/11/13/the-forgotten-immunocompromised-are-shouting-from-the-trenches/

Millions of people with compromised immune systems exist — in spite of the collective, tacit declaration that the pandemic is over. A significant number of them, myself included, don't respond to COVID vaccines, or respond minimally. According to The Atlantic, close to three percent of adults in the U.S. take immunosuppressants, totaling at least seven million immunocompromised people throughout the country. In July of 2022, the Drug Discovery World noted that immunocompromised COVID patients are more likely to require hospitalization and are about four times more likely to die once in the hospital than hospitalized immunocompetent COVID patients. Now, as the virus continues to circulate and mutate, the immunocompromised population is stranded in the trenches, pleading to be remembered.

You can't typically tell that someone is immunocompromised. I probably look healthy when I roam the grocery story, one of the few customers still wearing a KN-95 mask. But I see the eye rolls from customers and employees. I feel their judgement as I reach for a crown of broccoli, this white cloth hiding my irritation from the ignorance in the air. I sense some think this face covering shouts my political stance. Perhaps they believe I wear it because I'm overly paranoid. But I wear it because I have no CD20 cells, a subset of B-lymphocytes that attack viral invaders. An invisible, purposely-induced deficiency of these cells prevents further neurological damage to my body. Hence, I wear a mask solely as a mode of defense against the viral threat that many have dismissed as "just a cold."

But a simple cold is never simple when you live with an autoimmune condition strong enough to dismantle your ability to walk. Indeed, without the body's full pathogen fighting abilities, a routine illness, seemingly benign, can pose a serious threat to those of us with immunocompromised conditions of any kind.

 

and this 

 

Do you hear me from way down here? I'm not telling anyone how to live their life. I'm not asking you to wear a mask as we enter public places together. I'm simply showing you that we, those who are immunocompromised, are shouting, loudly, to be heard. We deserve recognition that our lives are valued like yours. We want to be remembered as seven million Americans who matter to the majority. When you come to our home, we expect you to protect us in the one place we feel safe. We want you to see us, not as political activists (we're not), but as people. It would be swell if you could remember that immune system status is invisible. It would be kind if the world considered us and our complicated situations as they wonder why some haven't moved on beyond the crux of COVID.

I can't really force anyone to keep wearing their masks, but I'll keep mine on a little while longer.