I absolutely take my county statistics and trends into account in decision making. My county has reported a little over 400 cases total, with about 80% of those considered recovered. Our positive test rate is 2.5%, suggesting that a high percentage of active cases are in fact being tested and reported. Most of the cases that have been reported are in the southern portion of the county and we are in the north. We are, with caution, resuming some activities--for example, my five older children are attending a tumbling class together. I was able to arrange for the coach to open a class just for them first thing in the morning when no one else is in the gym nor has been in the gym since the day before; coach and kids all wear masks. I am comfortable that the actual risk of contracting covid-19 under these specific conditions is minimal. Businesses need all the customers they can get so will accommodate whenever possible.

I'd do a tour of archeological sites. Better yet I'd spend a few days working at each.

Yes, I'd be fine showing those to any of my kids.

Good morning! We made a fire in the backyard last night and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. Good times.

Another way that viral strains sometimes evolve very rapidly is by actually swapping portions of their genetic material with other viral strains. This happens for example with influenza viruses: say a person is unfortunate enough to get infected with two separate strains of influenza at the same time--I'll call them P and Q. If both viruses are replicating inside the same cell, portions of their genomes sometimes get swapped so you end up with a new viral strain that is part P and part Q.

Off the top of my head, I can think of several reasons that viral genomes would retain a lower percentage in common: 1) viral genomes are much, much smaller than animal genomes. If you have a single page manuscript and you change ten words you've changed a much higher percentage/retained a much lower percentage than if you have a twenty-six volume encyclopedia and you change ten words. 2) A single stranded RNA genome like that of SARS-COV-2 is inherently less stable than a double stranded DNA genome such as animals have. The viral genome mutates much more easily. Also, viral "generations" and therefore opportunities for mutations to occur and be passed on are incredibly short compared to human or animal generations. 3) a virus has only two jobs: find a way to get into a cell, and make use of the cell's existing structures to replicate itself. As long as whatever mutations happen in its genome still allow those two things to happen the virus remains viable. Complex living organisms however require thousands of fine-tuned processes that must be carried out with precision in order for the organism to grow, develop, and function. Genetic sequences are retained from organism to organism because when something has evolved over millions of years in a way that works it continues to get passed on. When significant mutations happen they most often disrupt working systems and the offspring with the mutated gene doesn't develop properly and doesn't pass the mutations on. Humans share most of our genome with other mammals because we each needed a lot of the same critical genetic sequences in order to function. We've inherited them in common from far distant ancestors. Viruses simply don't have or require many critical sequences because they are extremely limited in function. In fact, most of the genetic material that must be retained for viruses to continue to replicate isn't in their genome at all--it's in ours.

We went for a walk. Along a path where painted rocks have become The Thing. People paint rocks and leave them next to the path. Our favorites were the ones painted like dragons hatching out of eggs. Oh, and the little collection of rocks painted like different candy bars--some in their wrappers, some unwrapped and partly eaten 🙂

Lori, you are my soul sister 💕

The moral of The Boy Who Cried Wolf applies: when a person has repeatedly demonstrated a disregard for facts and a tendency to lie openly and loudly that person will have no credibility should they happen one day to tell the truth. Anything that comes out of such a person's mouth is going to be suspect.

I did a test last week, it was part of an antibody study in our state. They did a venous blood draw, not a finger prick, through Labcorp, and ran both IGG and IGA tests. Both came back negative. I was sick around the beginning of March, after dd16 came back from an out of state karate tournament with a cough and fever. I really was hoping we'd already had this and might have some immunity, but knew the chances weren't high. The positive rate for active covid-19 tests in my county is only 2.5% so obviously the vast majority of people with symptoms have other infections.

These lists are great, there are several new to me recommendations. Thank you especially for the notes on content.

How did I not know about this?! I've been friends with Dan Wells since college; most of his adult books are horror/thriller genre which I have no interest in, I think Zero G was his first foray into YA fiction but I somehow missed that there was a sequel out! Dd would be thrilled to read a book by someone she knows.

Yeah the reasonable conclusion at this point is "we need more data".

I've been giving him supplements--calcium, vitamins D as K, and 5HTP. This based on the theory that the scoliosis was due to poor bone formation during a period of rapid growth so I ought to support healthy bone formation. Calcium of course is critical for that, and vitamins D and K assist. 5HTP is a precursor to serotonin, which it turns out is also critical in bone formation. I know from 23andMe that ds has double copies of a version of the TPH2 gene that doesn't work very well--TPH2 codes for a protein that helps convert tryptophan to 5HTP, which then gets converted to serotonin and later to melotonin. If he can't produce 5HTP he can't produce serotonin either, so supplementing the 5HTP seemed like a good idea; I strongly suspect that this disruption contributes to many of the challenges this kid faces--serotonin plays a role in so many things from anxiety to tic disorders to hearing acuity. I didn't know it was involved in bone formation until I started researching the scoliosis. I also encouraged him to use inversion to allow his spine to stretch out. I don't actually know of course if any of this made a difference or if the scoliosis would have improved in its own but it may be helping so I'm going to continue.

Appointment went well, his spine curvature is down from 15 degrees to 9 degrees--officially out of of the scoliosis range.