TulaneLSU's 2020 year in review with a special Top 10

2020 will be remembered for many things, none more so than the global pandemic that caused nearly two million deaths and untold suffering from illness, loneliness, economic losses, and disruption to community. Many of us first heard of the disease in frankthetank’s January 23 post about people collapsing in the streets of Wuhan. Many of us had never heard of the city or of Honkus, who found himself in China in need of rescue. Some say Honkus brought the virus back with him, but I think that is a lie.

The outbreak brought me first back to the Arts Board, which some people have called the Movie Board. There I tabulated
TulaneLSU's Top 10 movies about pandemics, which did not seem to be widely accepted as a good list. I felt a bit like Soren, when he wrote, “People understand me so poorly that they don't even understand my complaint about them not understanding me.” So it is for many of us, but especially those of us who believe in a delicate balance between communal responsibility and obligation and personal liberty. It was not and still is not happily accepted by the virus minimalists who rejected my a priori and a posteriori deductions and observations that the latter depends entirely on the former and without the former the latter does not exist.

As February came to a close, it became quite apparent that the virus was going to affect each of us and in some very profound ways. My first trip to prepare occurred on the day before Leap Day, and some scoffed at TulaneLSU's Top 10 quarantine preparations and Lenten sale at Walmart and Sam's (2/28). Soon, though, the panic spread and bags of rice and cans of Le Sueur peas were as sought after as toilet paper. The mood in town and in the country darkened a short two weeks later, evidenced in TulaneLSU's Top 10 lessons learned from Walmart 3/13/2020. And less than a week later, panic truly set in, as our food supplies seemed strained, documented in TulaneLSU's Top 10 lessons from Walmart and Sam's 3/17/2020.

The quarantine time gave many people a break from normal life. It was a time many posters noted quite bucolic behavioral changes. Kids liberated from the mundane life of school once again found joy in the outdoors, as skating and bicycling returned to 1980s levels. Parents joined them, while also starting many home improvement projects. It was a time that many of us were seemingly removed from the pandemic and had nothing but free time. Some of us, probably not many on the OT, even found in the mailbox, not mid-April notices from the IRS, but instead, $1200 checks signed by President Trump.

Outside ICU units, dare I say late March and early April were peaceful times for most of us. The country seemed somewhat united. There was freedom in the air. We had time to ponder trivial matters like TulaneLSU's Top 10 plays in Saints history and TulaneLSU's Top 10 New Orleanas novels. The time also provided reflection on some more important questions, like TulaneLSU's Top 10 book opening lines and TulaneLSU's Top 40 pizzas in the United States of America. I returned to the kitchen to discover ways to stretch food, as my concerns for feeding Mother were heightened. I was able to produce TulaneLSU's Perfect 10 Ezekiel 24 quarantine chicken rice soup while finding a way to upcycle the famed Sam’s rotisserie chicken and its packaging.



Somehow masks became a contentious issue in our country, perhaps among the OT more so than elsewhere. I was ambivalent about them at first, but after reading a few scientific articles I became convinced that they would be helpful in decreasing, not eliminating, the virus and decreasing disease severity. Thus, I put together TulaneLSU's Top 10 face masks five days before the Governor’s mask mandate. I do not know if it was this thread that convinced him of the need. Many of my OT brethren rejected me because of my extreme pro-mask stance, but I would rather lose a friendship than lose the life of someone on the fence who needs that little nudge or reminder that, yes, masks are helpful and a sign of good citizenship.

The highlight of the Christian year, Easter, soon followed. How strange it was to celebrate this most holy of days at home, separated from our brethren inside a church. Holy Week, though foreign in its accidents, was in essence the same at it always had been. The TD community joined in the Holy Week preparations. We toured TulaneLSU's Top 10 photos of St. Vincent dePaul Cemetery, remembering that death is real. But we remembered too through feast and song that death is not the last word. We remembered that dark night on which Jesus broke bread with his friends, even the one who betrayed him, and joined together in singing TulaneLSU's Top 10 hymns for Holy Thursday and Good Friday. We discussed some of our favorite Easter traditions, one of which was watching TulaneLSU's Top 10 Easter films. Finally, on East morning, we gathered to share the great news that Jesus Christ is risen. And yes, he is risen indeed. We sang hymns of great joy and thanks, many which found their way in TulaneLSU's Top 10 Easter hymns.

Because there was so much media coverage of ANTIFA and the general anarchy occurring in Portland and Seattle, Mother and I agreed that those two cities would be on our list to visit. It was important to us that TD get a view of those cities that one might not get on cable news or online. It was clear to us that Seattle and Portland were in a heap of trouble. While we did not join in the lawlessness, we mingled with those who were, even watching one riot start. What was most depressing was the death of those downtowns. Nary a storefront was not vandalized or boarded, and not for hurricanes.
TulaneLSU's Top 10 memorable painted plywood signs in Seattle's Chinatown
TulaneLSU's Top 10 hikes of Rainier National Park
TulaneLSU's Top 10 signs of Portland, OR
TulaneLSU's Top 10 signs of Seattle
TulaneLSU's Top 10 views from 30,000 feet from NOLA to Seattle
TulaneLSU's Top 10 signs of a civilization in ruin in Seattle
TulaneLSU's Top 10 signs of a civilization in ruin in Portland (NSFW)

No sooner than returned that I knew it was time to get back in the air. I convinced Mother that we needed to meet SuperSaint in his San Francisco home. When it comes to SuperSaint, it does not take Mother much convincing, as she has always enjoyed his entries. So we returned to the West Coast, again on Alaska Airlines, the best domestic airline in our land. What a marvelous spot on this world the Bay Area is. I will list some of our highlights, while I have several more series waiting for release.

TulaneLSU's Top 10 signs of San Francisco
TulaneLSU's Top 10 bridges of central California
TulaneLSU's Top 10 signs of Carmel, CA
TulaneLSU's Top 10 signs of Merced, CA
TulaneLSU's Top 10 observations and tips for playing a round at Pebble Beach

October, of course, is normally the nicest month of the year for New Orleans. At least historically it is. But this year’s warm weather and record breaking hurricane season worried both Mother and me. While professional and amateur meteorologists dangled forecasts of chilly front weather in our faces, Mother reminded us that Front Day had not yet arrived. Until it did, your eyes better look south for tropical weather rather than north for jet stream weather. Like usual, Mother, not the professionals, was correct. I always suspected that we share some DNA with Nash Roberts. Anyway, we all know what happened with Hurricane Zeta, just three days before Halloween. New Orleans was treated, or rather, tricked, with the first hurricane to have its entire eye over the city since 1915, according to some people. No sooner than it arrived did it fly out. Thankfully, according to the Catholics, Our Lady of Prompt Succor protected the city. The occasion prompted us to consider TulaneLSU's Top 10 meteorologists of New Orleans and TulaneLSU's Top 10 weather memories.



When Front Day finally arrived, we had a first -- a Halloween Front Day! What fun it was as we dispensed Bibles to the few who visited from a distance. We had large mugs of hot chocolate and together, Mother and I debated and compromised to form TulaneLSU's 2020 Front Day Top 10 hot chocolates while also considering TulaneLSU's Top 10 Halloween treats.

November was a crazy time for our nation with many people convinced that Trump had won and that the covid vaccines were fake or dangerous. The craziness spilled into our forum. But I think common sense and logic are beginning to restore order. One of the oddest days I have ever spent in the Quarter was the morningafter the election. I have never seen it so quiet yet so restless. TulaneLSU's Top 10 French Quarter election in limbo day observations caused many to lash out against Mayor Cantrell. By this time, it did not matter where you were, as elected officials from coast to coast were publicly mocked and criticized. I have never before seen animosity against elected officials as I have this year. Anyway, Mother and I had a great follow-up trip chronicled in TulaneLSU and Mother tour the Cabildo.

(no message)

I’ve enjoyed reading your posts. Thank you for sharing in the love and faith of Jesus too.

Please don’t kill us all one day. TIA.

legendary lists

You're one weird sumbitch...

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I don’t know what kind of decisions you’ve made in your life to afford you this kind of time, but I’m a bit jealous