I don't really feel like writing much today. This week I took apart my keyboard for the first time because there was an issue where one of the keys was sticking and it wouldn't register all the time when I hit it. It was very interesting to see the inner workings of the piano and the whole process was very calming and methodical. Interestingly, each set of keys could be removed by octave so you can access the circuitboards underneath without having to remove every single key, which I thought was a genius design. It was nice to clean out the insides as well, since I've had the piano for over 15 years now and it accumulated a lot of dust inside. It felt like the most important repair job I've ever done because my piano is so precious to me, so I made sure to do the whole process with the maximum amount of care.
January 17, 2021
This photo of empty meat shelves in my local supermarket may be extreme, but all fall we've been noticing shortages of "normal" items in the grocery stores and pharmacies. I had gone into the supermarket to pick up a prescription in the pharmacy department but couldn't help but notice the depleted shelves in the produce, dairy and meat sections. I think the depleted shelves were due to a combination of factors: it was a few days after New Year's; and there was a significant snowfall in our area (which doesn't handle snow well) which led to a 36 hour road closure on Interstate 95 south of us. Plus all the supply chain issues which have become so normal they aren't even news anymore. Every time I see empty shelves or see the "out of stock" notation when shopping online, I think of the shops in the countries of the former Soviet Union and the long lines that were standard for people in those countries decades ago just to buy staples. Obviously, it isn't that bad here... but honestly, I never expected to see this situation here. And of course, these supply chain issues are most critically important when it has meant that health care professionals and medical facilities have not had the equipment and resources they need to fight this pandemic. Or when we had to made do with poorly made masks. Sigh.... it is not a good way to start the new year.... I honestly just wish this -- the coronavirus -- was over.
January 10, 2022