Charest Family on the Web Posts

Published April 17, 2020 by

Suicide Is Painless

Suicide is Painless
Suicide is Painless

I’m so old I remember watching the classic TV sit-com “M*A*S*H” back when the shows were airing for the first time. The show was a classic in too many ways to count, but part of the draw was the iconic theme song. That song, “Suicide is Painless,” has been running through my head these past few days as I watch the amazing spectacle of right-wing protesters demanding they be allowed to get the coronavirus.

I’ve witnessed a lot of stupid from the right-wing branch of American politics over the past years, but I don’t think I’ve seen anything quite approaching this level.

Continue…Suicide Is Painless

Coronavirus Diaries

coronavirus YouTube

Published April 12, 2020 by

Stay-At-Home Day Thirty and Counting

May You Be Born in Interesting Times

So today is day 30 since I’ve been staying at home due to this coronavirus pandemic. While I’m not missing my weekday commuting up to Washington, D.C. I am getting restless. I’m not used to being restricted to staying inside my house for days on end. Especially now as we’re coming into spring weather and the best time to be getting outside for some kayaking, hiking, or just hanging out enjoying the fresh air.

It seems that right now, we have to suspect even fresh air as not being a good thing.

Continue…Stay-At-Home Day Thirty and Counting

Coronavirus Diaries

coronavirus free-time pandemic slugging

Published April 4, 2020 by

A Modest Coronavirus Timeline

Coronavirus, appearing in interesting times
May These Be Interesting Times

Forced isolation in my house for 21 days and counting has given me a lot of time to think about things. Like; how in the hell was the entire world forced into quarantine literally in a matter of days? How we did get here? How in the hell did a microscopic blob of genome popularly called “coronavirus” manage to take over the entire world so quickly? I decided I needed to build a timeline and map it out.

I took a shot at a timeline a couple of weeks ago in an earlier post, for just five days worth of events. Since then I spent some time researching and working with new web building tools, and finally put it together. What I offer below the fold is over 200 coronavirus-related events, most of which have occurred since December.

Continue…A Modest Coronavirus Timeline

Coronavirus Diaries

coronavirus global pandemic timeline

Published April 2, 2020 by

This and That, April Fools Day Coronavirus Edition

This And That
This And That

Even though this is nominally April Fools Day, I can’t help noticing how few April Fools pranks are actually being played today. If I didn’t know better, I’d think that nothing anybody could do would be disbelieved. Four months ago if you told someone an awkwardly-titled thing called “coronavirus” could cause so much chaos, they wouldn’t believe you.

Our president trump certainly didn’t.

Continue…This and That, April Fools Day Coronavirus Edition

Coronavirus Diaries

coronavirus This and That

Published March 16, 2020 by

Music For These Times

Music Inside
Music Inside

So the world is on fire right now. Stock markets are collapsing, a pandemic is raging across the globe, a buffoon is occupying the role of “Leader of the Free World,” and our supermarkets are out of toilet paper and hand sanitizer.

But things could be worse – we could be in a Groundhog Day time loop living the same day over and over again. So we need some music for these times.

Continue…Music For These Times

Coronavirus Diaries Just For Fun

Billy Joel Music YouTube

Published March 16, 2020 by

Living In Interesting Times

Coronavirus, appearing in interesting times
We Are Living In Interesting Times

One of my favorite quotes is an alleged Chinese Curse that states “May you be born in interesting times.” Given what’s been happening this past week, I’d say we are in fact living in interesting times. These times are not particularly the times I’d have chosen to live in, all things being equal.

The most recent interesting thing is, of course, the medically-defined “Novel Coronavirus.” Interesting to epidemiologists at least. Those folks are probably having the time of their lives studying this new and improved virus. The rest of us, not so much.

Continue…Living In Interesting Times

Coronavirus Diaries

coronavirus pandemic stock market trump

Published February 18, 2020 by

In Requiem: A Scouts Honor

Boy Scouts Planting Flags on Veteran’s Grave-sites

I grew up in the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, leaving Scouting only to join the Navy in 1974. My experiences in the Scouts form some of my best childhood memories and Scouting values helped shape me into the person I am today.

I’ve followed the controversy over the past years about the Scouts with increasing dismay. Then, on Monday February 17, 2020, the Boy Scouts of America filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Continue…In Requiem: A Scouts Honor

Opinions & Commentary

boy scouts honor code

Published October 10, 2019 by

Who Eats Best? Another Quora Question

In the Navy Quora Re-Posts

Navy quora

Published October 5, 2019 by

A Little Saturday Morning Pick-Me-Up

Just For Fun

Music Video Vanessa Mae Violin YouTube

Published September 24, 2019 by

This and That, German Holiday Edition

This And That
This And That

“Now, meanwhile, the clock, it just ticked on
As clocks are known to do
For time’s their only purpose
Their only point of view”

So, one of my favorite lines from one of my all-time favorite albums, Beethoven’s Last Night, created by the amazing musical group “Trans-Siberian Orchestra”; a reminder that I haven’t written anything in this humble blog for many months and I’m past due.

Continue…This and That, German Holiday Edition

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