One Year of Long-COVID

Last St. Patrick’s Day, my luck ran out.

After being exposed by a roommate, I tested positive for COVID-19. After a full year of masking and distancing and following all of the rules, I was laid up with the virus that had changed the world and upended every facet of modern life.

At first I just felt sick– pretty sick but nothing extraordinary. I had all the flu-like symptoms, chills, body aches… but I followed my doctor’s orders and I felt like I would be fine.

I even took advantage of New York City’s COVID Safety Hotel program. By calling 311, the city sent a car to pick me up and I was able to stay in a hotel room in Times Square during the duration of my contagious period. I was determined that the strain of the ‘rona that had infected me would end with me. I didn’t want to infect anyone else. The hotel was both wonderful and horrible. Wonderful because it was free, I got three meals a day, and it gave me the tools to ensure that I could stop the spread with me. But horrible because, well, have you ever spent six days isolated in a small square room? Plus the wellness checks every six hours (including in the middle of the night) could be grating, although I understood their necessity.

Expect Good Things: Grampa’s Best Advice

Last year, I sat down with my grandfather, Charles W. Daly, Jr., to ask him about his philosophy. Anybody who has ever met my Grampa knows that he exudes peace and happiness. Over his lifetime—which includes service in World War II and Korea, and raising a family of ten kids—he has cultivated a way of living focused on acceptance, moderation, and gratitude. His strong faith has set the groundwork for ninety one good years of living—and counting! Charlie Daly lives in Walpole, Massachusetts with my grandmother Ruth, his wife of sixty-six years.

What is the most important thing you have focused on to have lived ninety good years?

Well, I think asking God for help each day and then trying to—as best I can—live the good life the way I think that God would want me to. I’m not perfect by any means, but I try to do what I think God would want me to do, keeping in mind the family, love, and truth.

I know gratitude is important for you.

Oh, very important.

New York is many things at once.

New York is many things at once.

Names in lights, inspirations;

And the stench of piss, both new and stale.

Towering ‘scrapers, your head in the clouds,

And stifling B.O., strong enough to choke you.

Dazzling stars and blinding wonder,

Mixed with the foulest notes to hit your nose.

But even with the stank that overwhelms you,

So too are you taken, by all of it’s awe.

Kesha’s Rockshow Comeback

As summer officially transitioned into fall, I spent the equinox watching Kesha and the Creepies perform at the Warsaw in Brooklyn. This was my third time seeing the formerly dollar-signed singer, but the first in over three years since her very public legal drama began.

For those who haven’t heard, Kesha has been trapped in legal limbo for the last few years. She sued her producer Dr. Luke, accusing him of sexual and emotional assault. Because artists have to sign their life away to labels, Kesha’s contract with Sony stipulates that she can only work with Luke– essentially forcing her to work with her rapist. The legal proceedings are ongoing, but she has been prohibited from releasing new music for almost four years.

But last night, Kesha was not about to let those problems inhibit an incredible show.
She addressed the lawsuit early, telling the crowd how grateful and appreciative she was of our support. The crowd was deafeningly loud in response, with such powerful cheers and chants that Kesha at moments was on the verge of years. She noted- and I felt- the palpable love in the room. It was both a heavy moment but one of reassurance. Love always conquers hate.

People are missing this crucial detail that proves TSwift is right and Kimye is wrong

Note: none of this actually matters.

If you have the Internet, you may have heard that there is a war going on between two camps: one headed by Taylor Swift, the other by Kanye and Kim Kardashian West. Basically, Taylor Swift is pissed about some lyrics in Kanye’s song “Famous,” but Kimye (referring to Kim and Kanye as a team) alleges that Kanye told Swift about the lyrics, she gave her approval, and is therefore a liar and a snake and all these awful things.

What really escalated things was