i woke up with a terrible pain on my right shoulder blade area, it hurt every time i move, especially if i turn my neck, so i walked around all day like frankenstein's monster. despite all that, after a bagel sandwich for lunch, i went out for a walk, visiting the dollar tree along the way. what i was looking for was maruchan instant noodles, of which they were all out, so i left with some gummy candies, a bag of rice, a can of black beans, and a few boxes of tissue paper. there were only a handful of people in the store, i noticed none of the employees wore gloves or masks, though there was a plexiglass shield at the register. it also snowed a little bit today, just flurries, at first i thought it was pear blossoms blowing in the wind.

the big coronavirus news today was a 3rd grocery clerk death due to covid-19, this time a star market employee at the waverley square belmont store. this in addition to the employees who died from market basket (salem) and whole foods (swampscott).

i read up on articles about the connection between coronavirus deaths and high blood pressure, specifically the medication used to treat HBP - ACE inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). it may just be because coronavirus is deadlier for older cases, who are also more likely to have HBP and thereby taking HBP medication. a side effect of ACEIs and ARBs is increased ACE2 receptors, which is what SARS-CoV-2 binds to. the verdict is still out, and ACEIs and ARBs may in fact help curb the coronavirus by flooding the body with ACE2 which binds with the virus preventing it from attacking the healthy cells.

ever since the coronavirus pandemic started, i haven't really bought anything online. i purchases a few things here and there, but mostly for my father or something essential (turbotax software, ferrite core, car load battery tester, concentrated insecticidal soap, rain barrel diverter, UHF cable and adapter, 5 way pipe fitting, vector antenna network analyzer, USB-C to AUX adapter, nexus 7 case). plus ever since amazon delayed their shipping for non-essential items, if i can bear to wait a week for my item to arrive, maybe i can bear it even longer and holding off on purchasing. besides, with the economy as it is, seems like everyone is saving their money for the true essentials, which is primarily groceries. anyway, but today i had a very minor splurge. i bought a pair of clarks leather shoes on sale ($45) from shoes.com, and a simple rubberized bicycle phone mount ($8) to replace the mount i got many years ago but have since lost.

i had some pasta with meat sauce for dinner, can never go wrong with that choice, delicious and filling. i started watching counterpart on amazon prime. originally a starz network show (2 seasons), it stars JK simmons as an aging desk worker in a spy agency. there are elements of science fiction, and hopefully without giving up any spoilers the show reminds me a lot of fringe, clandestine secret wars and whatnot. i'd watched a bit of the first episode a few days ago, and finally watched the entire episode where i was then immediately hooked. i knew nothing about the show and discovered it from one of those online lists, this one undiscovered streaming scifi gems. i'm usually not a JK simmons fan (he usually plays assholes too well that i can help to think he's an asshole in real life), but you can deny he's a good actor, and this series really showcases his talent. i can't recommend the show enough, don't read anything about it, watch it blind like i did and be pleasantly surprised.