It would be easy to slip into a “woe is us” mindset given the toll coronavirus is taking, but I am feeling pretty good about life right now.
Everyone in Brentwood is taking long walks, and people are genuinely nice to each other. Nobody is in a big hurry to get anywhere.
Our neighborhoods are quite beautiful, really, when you take the time to really look.
Last month I discussed how those working in our grocery stories and pharmacies are our true heroes. To this list we need to add anyone in the medical field and those who deliver food, packages or the U.S. Mail.
My wife and I recently walked over to Chin-Chin and ordered some Chinese takeout. The guy behind the counter said business had never been better, even when people could sit down and eat there!
My wife is now planting a garden in the backyard; we’ve cleaned out a lot of closets and drawers. We can’t wait for Goodwill to open again. I have a feeling there will be lines of people dropping things off. Six feet apart, folks!
The VA is now, after all these years, allowing tents to be erected on the West LA Campus in order to house homeless veterans. Let’s hope this is the dawning of a new era – and that the VA will continue with this effort once the coronavirus crisis passes.
Some time ago, I wrote a column in the Brentwood News suggesting everyone who could should be allowed to work from home at least one day a week, thinking that would do a lot to reduce traffic. I called it LAWorkFromHomeDay.com.
I registered that domain name, but maybe we no longer need to build a website and promote this idea; maybe this is an idea whose time has simply come. One day a week is not enough, really; we could cut LA traffic in half – at no cost – if we wanted to. Who doesn’t want to?
It feels like our elected officials are visible, concerned – and focused. I keep getting emails from Brentwood Community Council and others about all the important conversations taking place about issues facing Brentwood.
Let’s hope the current sense of purpose and urgency persist for many years to come.
Schools and local religious establishments are quickly becoming world-class experts at running video meetings. People are calling each other more and conducting online cocktail hours.
The people who run the Farmers Market made accommodations to keep that venture going. Squirrels and birds seem happier. We got some nice rain.
Those of us who subscribe to the Los Angeles Times owe a debt of gratitude to Brentwood’s Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, who is absorbing huge losses right now in order to keep the paper alive.
If you haven’t noticed, there are very few ads in The Times right now. Advertising is the lifeblood of a newspaper.
Same goes for the folks over at Mirror Media Group, who make the Brentwood News possible.
Not all forms of media are suffering: Anyone in the streaming media business – and that includes many in Brentwood – are doing better than ever.
Everywhere you look, good things are happening. We are lucky to live here. We will get through this and maybe come out better for the experience.
Getting the economy going again will be hard and take time. But maybe, in the new era, we can learn to slow down a bit.
Maybe all the hustle and bustle aren’t worth it and we will finally figure that out.
