Yes, this is true! The pandemic changed our personalities and not for the good. That was not exactly a sunny way to begin the day but NPR .org brought news of a study conducted by Florida State university College of Medicine that found that “”In the later period of the pandemic, the researchers noted significant declines in the traits that help us navigate social situations, trust others, think creatively, and act responsibly. These changes were particularly pronounced among young adults.” The NPR article discusses the methodology used “a widely accepted model for studying personality called the Big Five Inventory, that measures different dimensions pf personality neuroticism (stress), extroversion (connecting with others) openness (creative thinking) agreeableness (being trusting) and conscientiousness (being organizer, disciplined and responsible). For many reasons, enumerated in the studies and by other experts, young people were affected because they have less resources to ‘ride out the storm’.
My goodness, yet again it is evident: it pays to be old because although older people were at greater risk from the virus there were in a much more stable place in general said researcher Sutin. Studies will continue in order to see if these changes are just temporary or if there will be permanent repercussions. The study admittedly had its problems as there was no control group – everyone went through the pandemic so it was impossible to develop one. Maggie Mertens was the author of this enlightening article.
By the way, what I find fascinating (and frightening) is that practically no one understands the basic elements of the scientific method. What in the world are teachers teaching these days?
Although initially it seemed up to me to try and explain the scientific method, I turned the job down. I Googled and then went to Wikipedia which generally renders information readily and, most importantly, honestly. However their discourse on the scientific method was practically unintelligible. Unintelligible means impossible to understand.Its synonyms are: incomprehensible, indiscernible, meaningless, unfathomable, obscure, cryptic, inscrutable, enigmatic, mumbled, indistinct, unclear, slurred, inarticulate, incoherent, confused, garbled, scrambled, muddled, jumbled, senseless; all Greek to me.
Some of these synonyms will be used when soon speaking of the Alberta political situation but you may have to wait a little bit to get the news.
Unfortunately personality change is not the only consequence of the pandemic. The Economist reports that covid has resulted in what it described as the worst educational crisis for a century. The Economist is not just gloom and doom and instead looking for a solution, here is what they have to say. “THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC starved young brains. Estimates suggest that globally schoolchildren may be eight months behind where they’d normally be. Host Anne McElvoy asks Jaime Saavedra, global director of education at the World Bank, how kids can catch up after “the worst educational crisis for a century”. They discuss the education policies that could make a difference, and why political will is the key to implementing them. Run time: 23 min.”
Yesterday morning I was about to get out of bed to get dressed, then walk to the Legislative Cafeteria for breakfast. Looked at the weather app to learn it was 42 degrees Fahrenheit. Yes indeed it was. This I remember from my former Edmonton days. If it rains and it is 32 degrees Fahrenheit – the rain turns to snow. Thankfully I was, and am, prepared. I put on my half price Winner’s navy blue coat and my red Uggs bootsand off I went. Breakfast the delicious Thursday special – loaded skilled eggs (no meat for me please). Then home – I was absolutely exhausted and was facing a physiotherapy appointment in the afternoon. I worriedly questioned my fantastic physiotherapist.
Me: I think there is something wrong with me. I walk to breakfast in the Legislative Building and walked home but then I am absolutely and thoroughly exhausted.
He: How far away is it?
Me: I do not know. I guess about five blocks. It is through the park so hard to exactly know.
He: Alexis! No wonder you are exhausted! You are walking probably over a mile and because you have been immobile for so long you have not worked up to it slowly.
Me: Oh my goodness. I did not think of that. Okay. If I go to breakfast there I will do it when I have no other plans for the day.
So that is me, all over again. Remember what I said: “If something is worth doing, it is worth overdoing.” That has been the motto of my life and unfortunately it seems not to be going away.
This morning I woke up to learn that it was 3 degrees Celsius – my iPhone did the conversion.
I instagrammed an Abu Dhabi buddy who posted something from Dubai.
Me: It is 3 degrees here and 38 degrees in Dubai. I am glad I am here and not the hell of Dubai. Here I can dress for the cold but cannot undress enough for that heat. I feel sorry for you.
This is written later, it is now 10 here. The high in Dubai was 108 Fahrenheit – the high here is going to be 68 Fahrenheit. As I keep saying to everyone.
Me: Thank goodness I was in Abu Dhabi. It was an Edmonton Appreciation course, in every way..
They: Tell me more about it.
So I do and they laugh in appreciation of my ability to turn horror into mirth. Mirth is amusement, especially as expressed in laughter. Synonyms are: high spirits, mirthfulness, cheeriness,, hilarity, glee, jocularity, levity, gaiety, buoyancy, blitheness, euphoria, exhilaration, elation, light-heartedness, joviality, joyfulness,, fun, enjoyment, amusement, frolicsomeness; Antonyms are gloom and misery.
Here comes gloom and misery. I awoke to ‘news’ – a Story posted by an old Instagram friend He: Danielle Smith is our New UCP Leader
Me: Really? I got the news from you. Spoke of it on my blog. What a mess. Oh well, perhaps she will self destruct. I just hope she doesn’t take the province with her. I must right about it on my blog and get the word out.
He: Will read your blog.
Me: In the process of writing it. It may take awhile but I did write about feeling powerless in a blog I have already posted.
I realized that I may have called her by the wrong first name in a prior blog. No one is perfect.
I must do some research, get information from a reliable source of course but she is proposing to somehow ‘fix’ the Alberta Health Plan. Please remember that she reportedly is anti-vaccine and anti-science. Prior to my return to Canada I researched the Alberta Health Plan and found it significantly superior to that of British Columbia – where I resided from 2017-2019. It is one of the top five health plans in the world as it offers integrated services and is privatized. Cannot imagine what she might do. If it ain’t broke – don’t fix it.
A reliable source, (more about The News From Alberta Counsel at a later time) quoted her as saying “I do feel like we’ve got a mandate to defend the Constitution and defend the Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” she said. “And that is what I would do.”
But her proposals are actually unconstitutional. She does not listen, nor read my blog I guess. Here is a quote from my September 4, 2022 blog speaking of the matter.
“The front page article featured the remarks of the Lt. Governor of Alberta, an amazing Muslim woman born in Uganda. The subtitle to the article captures her resoluteness and determination. “This is why I live in my own house,” Lt.-Gov. Lakhani said, referencing 1937 closure of viceregal residence following the refusal of the lieutenant governor of the day to give Royal Assent to three bills.” She is refusing to be bullied by crowds of those that Smith hopes to incite. You may read the extremely well written article by following this link. https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/albertas-lt-gov-says-shes-willing-to-toss-smiths-sovereignty-act-if-unconstitutional
So Smith’s Sovereignty Act is most probably unconstitutional and will not be signed by the courageous Lt. Governor of Alberta. This policy proposal is outside the UCP’s 375 platform commitments that were made in 2019 and may therefore may result in a mandated general election – but Daniele Smith does not listen. Nor read my blog.
I am sorry. I do apologize. Even I am not perfect. Ms. Smith – may I suggest you get a more distinctive name? Alexis is already taken however. There was an Alexis Smith – she a famous 1943 movie star – which is how I got my name. They were going to call me Regina – in Saskatchewan it rhymes with vagina. What a life it would have been.
Years and years later I went to a theatrical performance in San Francisco starring Alexis Smith. She was incredible – she could sing and dance, even at her then advanced age. I can neither sing nor dance. As I said, to Danielle Smith (soon to be Premier Danielle Smith) – nobody is perfect.
There shall be no photographs. Gentle readers you will be busy enough. Look up the scientific method on Wikipedia, there is a diagram on the right hand side that makes it easy to understand although the written version is unclear. Then listen to the solution to the world wide education crisis (also linked in the blog). Link the Edmonton Journal article as provided. Then read my entire September 4, 2022 blog. Here is some good news. Funny cartoons follow the September 4, 2022 blog.
