Wow, huh?

I’ve been holding back on talking about this because I’ve been testing the wind, so to speak. I wanted to see for myself what was going on and try to speak from an informed perspective.

I don’t know that I’ve found that perspective yet, but that could have something to do with the rate at which the information is changing, evolving, mutating. (And that’s not a word we want to hear a ton of times right now.)

But there are some things of which I’m pretty sure.

First of all, I am far more afraid of the people than I am of the virus they may or may not be carrying. I am serious, people. We need to stop losing our shit and we need to stop pretending that shitting is all you’re going to do. Every store near me has nothing but empty shelves where the toilet paper used to be. I found a couple of six packs the other day, and as I told my Facebook pals,

This was the most I was allowed to buy, but that’s really not an issue, since it’s how much I always buy. Because I know that I am going to use the same amount that I always use. Nothing on the horizon makes me think any differently.

Also there’s no meat. Okay, that’s not true. There’s a few chunks here an there, but no chicken, no burger. So I have to figure that someone has enough meat to last not just until the end of the virus situation, but until a few weeks after the end of the next Ice Age. And I’m not talking about the movies with Ray Romano as a mammoth. which I’m hoping they’ve stopped making by now…are delightful films, all 127 of them.

And believe me – I am not minimizing this situation. The virus is potentially very dangerous. But, folks, we haven’t seen anything yet! People are catching the virus, people are even dying. But should things get worse, the state of society, in my opinion, is very much in question. Any elevation to the hysteria boggles the mind.

I certainly have no answers with regard to the things we don’t know about the virus, and that of course is the scariest part. Our understanding of what we’re up against is evolving, but we are still pretty much in the dark.

So what’s my Rx? Well, as a non-doctor I’m not technically allowed to prescribe any pharmaceuticals, but my general advice is for everyone to do everything you’re being told to do by medical experts, use common sense (the most inaptly crafted phrase in history… there is nothing common about common sense), and…

Seriously, people. Just relax. Recognize the reality of the situation but don’t make it worse than it ever had to be. Remember how much toilet paper you used a few weeks ago, then go buy it.

So what should we do instead?

Super, super question!

Read, certainly. A lot of people who mean the world to me write books, and if you buy their books you’ll stimulate their economies. Remember, writers have been practicing social distancing since way before it was cool.

But how about something special?

This Saturday, at 9 am Pacific, New York Times Bestselling Author and educator Angelique L’Amour will be offering a free class in character creation. Her goal is to help parents who are suddenly home-schooling their kids, so the class will be family friendly, but it’s open to everyone. If you’re a writer or would like to be, you’re going to get a lot out of this. (And I’m hoping this next factoid won’t sour the deal for you: I will be in the audience, probably running my mouth hoping to be part of a lively discussion.)

All you have to do is visit her Facebook Page, to which I happily provide this nifty link.

If you are interested, you can get a little head start by visiting her website to download her “25 Questions that Will Bring your Characters To Life.” Let’s make that easy too.

And above all else…

…remember to be good to one another.