QUARANTINE BLOG # 534

September 15, 2021

The Covid-19 vaccines save lives.  Unlike much of the world, the United States has an overabundant supply.  And yet many areas and groups of people in the United States are undervaccinated.  This has led to preventable deaths throughout the country.  

To quantify just how many deaths, The New York Times set out to estimate how many lives might have been saved if all states had managed to vaccinate their residents as quickly as the state with the highest vaccination rate (Vermont).  They estimated that an unvaccinated person was about 11 times more likely to die of Covid-19 than a vaccinated person.  During the latest coronavirus wave, in July and August, at least 16,000 deaths could have been prevented if all states had vaccination rates as high as the state with the highest vaccination rate.  The number of lives that could have been saved will grow unless vaccination rates in lagging states improve.

👉  Let’s go back to the jukebox for two more Number 1 songs from 1960.  First up is "Cathy's Clown," by the Everly Brothers.  The lyrics describe a man who has been wronged and publicly humiliated by his lover.  The choruses are sung by brothers Don and Phil in their trademark close harmony style.  The song was a worldwide success and the best-selling single of the Everly Brothers career.  It sold eight million copies worldwide, spending five weeks at number 1.

My brother, Kyle – known in these blogs as The Bro – took his girlfriend, Catherine Jean Cianciarulo – the blog’s CJ – to a racetrack in the early days of their relationship.  A horse named Cathy’s Clown was running, and he hurried to the betting window to put down a $20 bet.  The window closed before he could get there, and you know the rest of the story.  Cathy’s Clown won, paying 12-1 odds.

The last Number 1 song from 1960 is "Save the Last Dance for Me," by the Drifters.  This video features clips of many dancers and many dance moves.  First recorded in 1960, the song was the B side of the record.  Writer Don Pomus credits Dick Clark – of American Bandstand fame – with turning the record over and realizing “Save The Last Dance”  was the stronger song.

In the song, the narrator tells his lover she is free to mingle and socialize throughout the evening, but to make sure to save him the dance at the end of the night. The song was written on the day of Pomus’ wedding while the wheelchair-bound groom watched his bride dancing with their guests. Pomus had polio and at times used crutches to get around.  The song gives his perspective of telling his wife, Willi Burke, a Broadway actress and dancer, to have fun dancing, but reminds her who will be taking her home and “in whose arms you’re gonna be.”

👉  An Aphorism is a statement of truth or opinion expressed in a concise and witty manner.  Consider:

👉  Matt sent me this cooking tip, to which your favorite blogger says a hearty, “Amen!”

👉  Mike sent me one about an annoying phone call, or series of calls, we’ve all received.

👉  Today’s vacation suggestion is The Land of Oz theme park in Beech Mountain, North Carolina.  It opened in 1970 based on the L. Frank Baum Wizard of Oz books, and closed in 1980.  Why is QB suggesting you vacation at a place that is closed?  Well, it’s not completely closed.  For the last two years it has opened for Fridays in June for “Journey with Dorothy Tours” and in September for “Autumn at Oz” – the largest Wizard of Oz festival in the country.  You’ve already missed the first weekend of Autumn, but tickets are still available for September 17-19 and 24-26 ($45/person + taxes & processing fees, children age 2 & under free).  All of the Oz characters will be in attendance, and guests are invited to dress as their favorite Baum person.  Tickets are available at the attraction's website (several times for this Saturday are already sold out).

If Oz is not your thing, maybe you’d like to travel Scappoose, Oregon to “The Peace Candle of the World, awarded the Guinness World Record for world’s largest candle.  The 50-foot-tall structure was built in 1971 outside what was then the Brock Candles Inc. factory, which burned down in 1990 – no idea if the 50-footer was the cause.

The candle was originally built with an actual wick. On May 9, 1971, the town’s mayor and Oregon Governor Tom McCall lit the candle with a specially-made 60-foot-long match.  President Richard Nixon declined a request to light the candle.  Due to difficulties in keeping the candle lit during rainfall, the wick was replaced with a natural gas line up the center of the candle to create a real flame at the top.  However, due to environmental concerns and high gas bills, the flame was eventually replaced with an electric neon light flame structure.

👉  Some “Signs for the Times.”

👉  And some “QB Smiles.”

👉  Today’s close “Healthy Habits,” is by Max Lucado.

I like the story of the little boy who fell out of bed. When his Mom asked him what happened, he answered, “I don’t know. I guess I stayed too close to where I got in.”

Easy to do the same with our faith. It’s tempting just to stay where we got in and never move.

Pick a time in the not-too-distant past. A year or two ago. Now ask yourself a few questions. How does your prayer life today compare with then? How about your giving? Have both the amount and the joy increased? What about your church loyalty? Can you tell you’ve grown? And Bible study? Are you learning to learn?

There they are. Four habits worth having. Isn’t it good to know that some habits are good for you? Make them a part of your day and grow. Don’t make the mistake of the little boy. Don’t stay too close to where you got in. It’s risky resting on the edge.

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