It’s a dip deep into covid times. Join me for the ride.

sleep disturbance, the princess posse, and redneck entitlement — originally published 6/11/20

Everything’s gotten all topsy turvy. I’m wide awake when I used to be sleepy, I’m dozing off when I need to be wide awake. It’s a mad mad mad mad world.

Speaking of, Disney’s planning a reopen the week of July 11th. Have any of you good folks visited the Magic Kingdom lately? It’s been more than a few years but the last time we went I remember being shocked at the level of Mickey savvy required to navigate entry and tickets and fast tracks and dining choices. Now Covid-19’s ratcheted things up to a whole new level.

New park attendance procedures require both a ticket and a reservation to control physical distancing in each park daily. Masks are required for guests and Cast Members, and they’ll be taking temperatures at the park entrances. It’s that last one that makes me tilt my head because from what I remember park openings were basically Thunderdome with tiny people in tow. Not sure how they’re planning to wrangle the hordes into triage but I’m sure the princess posse is on it. Can’t say I’ll be there to see it but I’m sure there’ll be photos.

Speaking of insane crowds of people, Ace Speedway here in North Carolina has repeatedly violated the state’s limits on mass gatherings with three races over the last three weekends. The county sheriff refuses to cite them for violating those restrictions because – wait for it – he says the race track is unfairly being singled out, so now we’ve got the Department of Health and Human Services issuing an Abatement Order requiring the Speedway immediately close their facility and halt operations. I try to keep an open mind. I try to appreciate the wide variety of pastimes we humans enjoy. But I will be hardcore mortified if the governor has to call in the National Guard because freaking stock car race fans won’t temporarily give up their fix.

Now it’s 11:45pm and I’m wide awake because of course I am and I’ve got to choose: wrap this thing up and try to get to bed at a decent hour (yes, midnight is considered a “decent” hour for me these days) or keep trolling for that third item because who starts a blog post and only hits two points? Nobody! That’s who! Any English teacher worth their salt would say you need a topic sentence, at least three supporting details, and a closing but what do I have? A random sleep complaint, Disney World commentary, and barely contained contempt for NC race track idiocy. Madness!

Good night.