Saturday was Alaina's birthday. We had a fun party planned in Brooklyn, but the rapidly unfolding coronavirus situation led instead to us packing up and leaving the city indefinitely. It has only been a few weeks since the first case was discovered in the US but it has progressed exponentially and 48 hours ago, all major sports leagues were suspended and Broadway closed; schools across the country including my various work establishments were shut down, leaving me without scheduled obligations for the forseeable future. The general, worldwide consensus for this disease seems to be "duck and cover and prevent its…

I have highest of hopes for this new year but it began with the death of my Uncle Tom. He had been suffering from cancer for several years and was struggling with immense pain recently, yet somehow found the energy to travel from his home in Naples, Florida to Washington, DC to visit family for the holidays. His health deteriorated rapidly upon arrival and he was placed in hospice at his sister's house. I made the journey to see him as soon as we returned from Vermont but arrived a few hours after he passed away... It has been a…