Being Howard Beale
Who, you ask, is Howard Beale? He's a character in a movie from the 70s. But that's for later.
Meanwhile, 2020 truly is the year that just keeps on giving.
On Tuesday came the announcement of involuntarily lay-offs at Minnesota Public Radio/American Public Media, my place of employment for the past 14 years. The sad thing is, most people there probably knew cuts were coming given the present state of the economy due to the global pandemic. What stunned me (and many others I'm sure) was the number of people dismissed - 28. That's a hefty number, even for a large organization like MPR/APMG, which had around 400-450 employees last I checked. And that's on top of the "voluntary" separations by 14 employees last month.
I don't even know all 42 names yet. The ones I do know are all extremely talented, creative folks - who deserve better than being shown the proverbial door when there isn't even an actual door to walk out of - you know....Covid-19....everybody's home. You may leave the ZOOM meeting now.
I'm home too - haven't worked an air shift since March 22nd.
My job at MPR/APMG was terminated when my six-month short-term disability was exhausted following my bone marrow transplant six years ago (I learned of this via email from Human Resources while in a hospital bed on April Fools Day, 2014 - no joke - on a day I won't soon forget). I was finally able to return to work part-time by November of 2015. Since then I've filled in as needed as a national host on Classical 24 and, more recently, was just starting to do newscasts for MPR News, which was challenging, fresh and exciting.
Then came March, of good ol' 2020.
And now comes the end of the final week of spring - a Trump rally in Tulsa Saturday, with maybe 19,000 people under one roof, cheering and screaming and spitting all over one another before leaving and spreading back out across various parts of the United States.
To me, it's the epitome of recklessness.
When the pandemic first hit the fan, my primary physician hit me with this: "I don't want you getting this virus." So I've been cautious, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. If I get this virus it won't be pretty. Between February and March, 2014, I was on a ventilator in ICU three different times. It’s no fun. I was given a 10% chance of living, and I’m still here.
That movie from the 70s was NETWORK. I haven't seen it in years. Perhaps it hasn't held up well. But when I see people complaining about the inconveniences of a global pandemic I want to open up the window and go all Howard Beale on everybody. You know the line. Say it with me - I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!
Wearing a mask? When I'm inside with other people, hell YES I'm wearing a mask - and I'm offended and annoyed by anyone who doesn't. Destroying my freedoms? Hardly. I see it as my common sense responsibility as an American during a global pandemic.
Yes, it's been kind of a week. Time for Howard to close the window and go to bed.
But know this - my heart goes out to my colleagues laid off earlier this week and to the many fine people across the country who have lost their jobs during this pandemic. It stinks.
Godspeed to them all.....and to Tulsa.
Meanwhile, 2020 truly is the year that just keeps on giving.
On Tuesday came the announcement of involuntarily lay-offs at Minnesota Public Radio/American Public Media, my place of employment for the past 14 years. The sad thing is, most people there probably knew cuts were coming given the present state of the economy due to the global pandemic. What stunned me (and many others I'm sure) was the number of people dismissed - 28. That's a hefty number, even for a large organization like MPR/APMG, which had around 400-450 employees last I checked. And that's on top of the "voluntary" separations by 14 employees last month.
I don't even know all 42 names yet. The ones I do know are all extremely talented, creative folks - who deserve better than being shown the proverbial door when there isn't even an actual door to walk out of - you know....Covid-19....everybody's home. You may leave the ZOOM meeting now.
I'm home too - haven't worked an air shift since March 22nd.
My job at MPR/APMG was terminated when my six-month short-term disability was exhausted following my bone marrow transplant six years ago (I learned of this via email from Human Resources while in a hospital bed on April Fools Day, 2014 - no joke - on a day I won't soon forget). I was finally able to return to work part-time by November of 2015. Since then I've filled in as needed as a national host on Classical 24 and, more recently, was just starting to do newscasts for MPR News, which was challenging, fresh and exciting.
Then came March, of good ol' 2020.
And now comes the end of the final week of spring - a Trump rally in Tulsa Saturday, with maybe 19,000 people under one roof, cheering and screaming and spitting all over one another before leaving and spreading back out across various parts of the United States.
To me, it's the epitome of recklessness.
When the pandemic first hit the fan, my primary physician hit me with this: "I don't want you getting this virus." So I've been cautious, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. If I get this virus it won't be pretty. Between February and March, 2014, I was on a ventilator in ICU three different times. It’s no fun. I was given a 10% chance of living, and I’m still here.
That movie from the 70s was NETWORK. I haven't seen it in years. Perhaps it hasn't held up well. But when I see people complaining about the inconveniences of a global pandemic I want to open up the window and go all Howard Beale on everybody. You know the line. Say it with me - I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!
Wearing a mask? When I'm inside with other people, hell YES I'm wearing a mask - and I'm offended and annoyed by anyone who doesn't. Destroying my freedoms? Hardly. I see it as my common sense responsibility as an American during a global pandemic.
Yes, it's been kind of a week. Time for Howard to close the window and go to bed.
But know this - my heart goes out to my colleagues laid off earlier this week and to the many fine people across the country who have lost their jobs during this pandemic. It stinks.
Godspeed to them all.....and to Tulsa.
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