Pasta with Tomato, Chili, and Avocado

A few weeks ago, I read about how pop-up drive-in movies are the new thing in the pandemic era (see also this piece), and I thought it would be the perfect first step back into the Real World. I did a search and found one about 30-40 minutes from our house, and while almost all dates were sold out, I got a spot for June 27, seeing The Karate Kid (original version, wax on, wax off).

My initial excitement faded a little, some days later, when I had a terrifying thought: how would we use the toilet safely?! I also saw a photo of one of the showings, and the cars aren't THAT far apart. The wind left my sails. We considered selling our ticket.

But then we reconsidered. This might be a relatively safe time to go out, since (some) people are still being cautious, and in our area, caseloads aren't sky-high anymore. And we cannot stay home forever, I guess. It might be good for our mental health to get out.

So we did it. Without warning or explanation, they showed the 2010 version rather than the 1984 version of the movie, but it wasn't bad, and we had to concede that if we rewatched the 1984 version, we might well find it terrible. The toilets turned out to be a non-issue: there was no line, and they had those fancy port-a-potties that are like an individual restroom with a sink and lots of space, and we went in armed with disinfectant wipes. Everyone we encountered on the staff was very friendly and helpful, from the check-in guy to the people directing cars to the concession stand staff to the people who helped us tie down our car hatch at a level even to our car roof (they even supply the rope).

You can choose whether to face your car forward or backward; we chose backward.

But...then there were the other moviegoers. Everyone was required to wear masks outside their car, but it will come as no surprise, to those of you who have been out lately, that not everyone did. I'm not going to go on and on bemoaning and questioning the lack of masks, because you've heard it all before, I'm sure. I'm going to offer one "radical" thought of my own:

The virus is still out of control, and not everyone is wearing masks. Is it therefore possible that we could more or less STOP THIS THING if everyone simply wears a mask?

And here's something useful, authored by someone else, that's been circulating on Facebook:

Retired surgeon Sam Laucks has this to say about wearing masks:“OK, here’s my rant about masks:I have spent the past 39 years working in the field of surgery. For a significant part of that time, I have worn a mask. I have worked with hundreds (probably thousands) of colleagues during those years, who have also worn masks. Not a single one us of became ill, passed out or died from lack of oxygen. Not a single one of us became ill, passed out or died from breathing too much carbon dioxide. Not a single one us of became ill, passed out or died from rebreathing a little of our own exhaled air. Let’s begin here by putting those scare tactics to rest!(It is true that some people, with advanced lung diseases, may be so fragile that a mask could make their already-tenuous breathing more difficult. If your lungs are that bad, you probably shouldn’t be going out in public at the present time anyway; the consequences if you are exposed to Covid-19 would likely be devastating.)~ “But”, you ask, “can’t viruses go right through the mask, because they are so small?” (“Masks keep viruses out just as well as a chain link fence keeps mosquitoes out,” some tell us.) It is true that individual virus particles can pass through the pores of a mask; however, viruses don’t move on their own. They do not fly across the room like a mosquito, wiggle through your mask like a worm, or fly up your nose like a gnat. The virus is essentially nothing more than a tiny blob of genetic material. Covid-19 travels in a CARRIER – the carrier is a fluid droplet- fluid droplets that you expel when you cough, sneeze, sing, laugh, talk or simply exhale. Most of your fluid droplets will be stopped from entering the air in the room if you are wearing a mask. Wearing a mask is a very efficient way to protect others if you are carrying the virus (even if you don’t know that you are infected). In addition, if someone else’s fluid droplets happen to land on your mask, many of them will not pass through. This gives the wearer some additional protection, too. But, the main reason to wear a mask is to PROTECT OTHERS. Even if you don’t care about yourself, wear your mask to protect your neighbors, co-workers and friends!~ A mask is certainly not 100% protective. However, it appears that the severity of Covid-19 infection is at least partially “dose-dependent.” In other words, the more virus particles that enter your body, the sicker you are likely to become. Why not decrease that volume if you can? “What have you got to lose?!”~ “But doesn’t a requirement or a request to wear a mask violate my constitutional rights?” You’re also not allowed to go into the grocery store if you are not wearing pants. You can’t yell “fire” in the Produce Department. You’re not allowed to urinate on the floor in the Frozen Food Section. Do you object to those restrictions? Rules, established for the common good, are component of a civilized society.~ “But aren’t masks uncomfortable?” Some would say that underwear or shoes can be uncomfortable, but we still wear them. (Actually, being on a ventilator is pretty darned uncomfortable, too!) Are masks really so bad that you can’t tolerate them, even if they will help keep others healthy?~ “But won’t people think I’m a snowflake or a wimp if I wear a mask?” I hope you have enough self-confidence to overcome that.~ “But won’t I look stupid if I wear a mask?” I’ve decided not to dignify that question with an answer!! 📷:)~ “But I never get sick; I’m not worried.” Well, then, wear a mask for the sake of the rest of us who are not so perfect!There is good evidence that masks make a real difference in diminishing the transmission of Covid-19. Please, for the sake of others (and for the sake of yourself), wear your mask when in public. It won’t kill you!P.S. - And, by the way, please be sure that BOTH your nose and mouth are covered!Recommendations around mask usage are confusing. The science isn't. Evidence shows that masks are extremely effective to slow the coronavirus and may be the best tool available right now to fight it.”

My confidence in humanity's ability to save itself is a bit shaken right now, it's true. It seems - seriously - that civilization as we know it is collapsing, so why am I pressing on with eating less meat as an action against climate change? I guess I can't fathom not trying to do the right thing. And I guess I hope that we can rebuild civilization in a way that's smarter and more just.

A plant-focused diet is a small step in the right direction, but one that everyone can take. So here's a really good and easy vegetarian (and vegan!) pasta recipe from a cookbook called "Pasta Sauces". I like to make it with orzo pasta, and despite my long-ago note on the recipe to skip the cilantro, I now like it with a little cilantro. This year I have cilantro in my garden.