‘Twas the most wonderful time of the year: We flew all our Christmas presents from Germany, spent Christmas Eve together with my family, had lots of nice food, and visited our elders on Christmas Day. The warmth of the holidays started to lift our spirits after crashing into The Philippines… until Markus had chills lateContinue reading “How not to spend the holiday season”
Tag Archives: covid-19
Getting vaccinated… again
Last week, I had my first jab of Biontech, which is great, except I have been fully vaccinated with Sinovac before leaving The Philippines. But as the politics of Covid-19 vaccines goes, I am legally unvaccinated here, since Germany, like most European countries, does not recognize the China-made vaccine. Some physicians and majority of theContinue reading “Getting vaccinated… again”
The worst has happened
I have been delaying this post for two weeks now, in false hope and denial, but the truth is, we have COVID-19 community transmission here in our town for the first time, a year after the pandemic began. We are okay, of course, but the poorer communities are not. It is more heartbreaking that thereContinue reading “The worst has happened”
A quick thought on our pandemic response
Here is something I’ve been wondering about since the start of this pandemic: Why aren’t we testing more? Vaccines are definitely a crucial component of overcoming the pandemic. The problem with vaccines, however, is that they are complicated.
Wear a mask, you pricks
I can’t believe this has to be said, but wear a face mask, you pricks! How can something as blindingly obvious as wearing a mask during a global pandemic be a controversial topic all of a sudden?
What the future brings
Does anyone else share this feeling that humankind is closing in on a dramatic climax? On the one hand, the climate catastrophe, rising tensions between governments and within countries around the world and, of course Covid-19, seem to indicate a world that is stumbling closer to the abyss.
No normal no more
Everyone wants things to get back to normal. I get it, ‘normal’ is what we know. Even if your life didn’t seem particularly great before Covid-19 hit, you might still wish you were back in it now. But I think that the longer this whole Covid-19 thing is going on, the clearer it becomes: ‘Normal’ is gone for good.
How much climate protection can we afford?
I read a headline rather similar to this in the German newspaper FAZ today. It’s a good article that refers to this letter of “Business Europe”, one of Europe’s most important industry conglomerates, to EU-Commission vice president and person responsible for the prestigious “European Green Deal” project, Frans Timmermans. The letter basically read: Climate protectionContinue reading “How much climate protection can we afford?”
Essential my ass
I can’t help but get pissed every time people go on about the “heroism of essential workers” these days. What, after years and years of having no problem at all with nurses, farmers, grocery store workers, truck drivers and others being underpaid as hell, suddenly they’re “heroes” who valiantly choose to sacrifice themselves for theContinue reading “Essential my ass”
The end of the world! (As we know it)
Comments abound these days of people touting the end of the world because of COVID-19. But I assure you, the world is doing just fine. Better than ever even. It is just us, humankind, that faces unprecedented challenges because of the pandemic. So, I wanted to list some things that I think are going toContinue reading “The end of the world! (As we know it)”
Markus + Micah 