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I got it!!! (Editor: Poor Larry…)

I got it!!! (Editor: Poor Larry…)

I am not one to be left out of the latest trends.  It took me more than two years, but I am now an official member of the Covid Club – though not in the in memorium rank.  That may be a bit of a disappointment to some of my readers.  Covid is why there has been an absence of my commentaries for a few days.  

I was not asymptomatic.  I did not have those “mild symptom” the medical experts promised me if I got vaccinated.  I got vaccinated – and on a scale of 1-to-10, I was about a 6 on the sickness scale – one point under a trip to the hospital.  

The clogged sinuses, the coughing and the general aches and pains were bad enough, but the extreme tiredness is what kept me in the sack for a couple of days, watching Turner Classic movies and sleeping.

My lack of appetite reminded me of something I wrote about in my college days.  My contribution to a humor publication was the “Serious Disease Diet Plan” – having noted that the more serious the disease, the more weight people lose.  For me, Covid was worth about 6 pounds.

But losing weight was not the only positive benefit.  I found that broccoli is much better if you can’t taste it.

While I am still on self-quarantine, I am obviously back to writing.   I really enjoy commenting on the news rather than critiquing movies like Mildred Pierce, Space Odyssey or one of the newer ones like Back to the Future III.  But no … I did not see Gone with the Wind when it was first released.

Always good to be back at the computer.  I was worried how the world would get along without my thoughts.  But please do not tell me.

So, there ‘tis.

About The Author

Larry Horist

So, there ‘tis… The opinions, perspectives and analyses of businessman, conservative writer and political strategist Larry Horist. Larry has an extensive background in economics and public policy. For more than 40 years, he ran his own Chicago based consulting firm. His clients included such conservative icons as Steve Forbes and Milton Friedman. He has served as a consultant to the Nixon White House and travelled the country as a spokesman for President Reagan’s economic reforms. Larry professional emphasis has been on civil rights and education. He was consultant to both the Chicago and the Detroit boards of education, the Educational Choice Foundation, the Chicago Teachers Academy and the Chicago Academy for the Performing Arts. Larry has testified as an expert witness before numerous legislative bodies, including the U. S. Congress, and has lectured at colleges and universities, including Harvard, Northwestern and DePaul. He served as Executive Director of the City Club of Chicago, where he led a successful two-year campaign to save the historic Chicago Theatre from the wrecking ball. Larry has been a guest on hundreds of public affairs talk shows, and hosted his own program, “Chicago In Sight,” on WIND radio. An award-winning debater, his insightful and sometimes controversial commentaries have appeared on the editorial pages of newspapers across the nation. He is praised by audiences for his style, substance and sense of humor. Larry retired from his consulting business to devote his time to writing. His books include a humorous look at collecting, “The Acrapulators’ Guide”, and a more serious history of the Democratic Party’s role in de facto institutional racism, “Who Put Blacks in That PLACE? -- The Long Sad History of the Democratic Party’s Oppression of Black Americans ... to This Day”. Larry currently lives in Boca Raton, Florida.

17 Comments

  1. Perry

    Glad that you are doing better. Stay healthy.

  2. Frank stetson

    Glad you’re through this.

    Still have the same mask opinion?

    • larry Horist

      Frank Stetson … Of course I have the same mask opinion. But since you like to misrepresent my opinion to serve as straw men to be used in your counter arguments, I will state it again. Non-surgical masks are not effective in preventing contracting disease. They are best used to reduce spreading. Masks are unnecessary out of doors unless in a VERY crowded place for a prolonged period. Masking indoor depends on the venue, the mass of humanity and the length of time. And again, it is predominantly about those with Covid being masked. I am assuming I got mine at a bowling ally on a Saturday that was mobbed with about 300 people — including lots of young kids (unvaccinated?) and no masks. My policy was only to wear masks where required — which mean almost no place. That was my policy and will be my policy. I was actually surprised that when I went to a clinic to be tested, there were no masks — not even among the staff. My local senior home has ended its mask mandate about a month ago. Life is too sad if you live in constant fear. I prefer to enjoy the fulness of life — and take my chance. And I do not whine when the dice rolls against me on occasion.

      • Frank steTsonfrcvb135@yahoo.com

        Jesus, it was just a question. GFY with the crap. I give up. Jerk.

        Spew what you will. My family, all five location in all five states follow the proper recommendations and we fear not. We also are covid free. So…. byte me, tyvm

        • Ben

          You and your family are pussies

          • Ben

            Really, being stupid is manly is your family??? Whattta loonie.

  3. R. Hamilton

    I had what I assume (no testing) was a milder case in January – very much like a typical seasonal head cold, except for temporary loss of taste and smell – at worst, a good drive-through cheeseburger with everything on it had nothing but the texture to appreciate; neither the beef, cheese, tomato, nor even onion was noticeable otherwise.

    For the usually temporary loss of taste and smell, I did what I could: googled and found articles like the following: https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-regain-sense-of-smell-naturally

    The variety of smells from assorted aromatic oils, and the castor oil in the nose with a Q-tip (fortunately didn’t have to consume it!) may have helped. The sense of smell comes back very gradually, and it may also take time to recalibrate before everything smells right; some sandalwood shaving cream smelled horrible at first, but it seems normal now.

    Hope you’re 100% soon. 🙂

    (For the curious, I’d had the 3rd Pfizer shot 10/26/21, and tended to mask more than required, with a multi-layer cloth mask with optional filter insert. The vaccine seems to have done no harm and had no side-effects beyond temporary local soreness usual for most shots. It may have at least made the episode reasonably mild; but neither of those precautions was entirely successful, nor even sanitizer and wipes for shopping cards faithfully applied. I’ll admit to getting a bit less rigorous with time, and I didn’t long continue precautions like disposable gloves.)

    • larry Horist

      I had Moderna and one booster. But even before the vaccine, I only wore a mask were required. Never out doors. Never in restaurants — and I continued to eat out often when the restaurants were not shut down. I am never good about self imprisonment — and I do believe the shutdwon was over done to great counter harm that we are paying for today.

      • Ben

        Yeah, that million dead and one of the worse response results in the modern world are the direct result of Trump’s response and the sheep, like you, that believe folklore over science.

        South Korea probably had one of the best responses including lockdowns, massive testing, contract tracing and vaccinations. They had few cases until Omichron, Trump’s response and Trumplicant theories set the stage for 1,000,000 dead, dead, dead. Having torn back the curtain for Omnichron, SK had cases through the roof but far less death than us. Masks and vaccinations, Larry, and they had less fear than us I would imagine.

  4. John Hewett

    Glad to hear and see you’re better Larry. I always figured you to be an old school journalist pounding out your scribes on an IBM Selectric. I guess the main problem with that is finding someone to work on it if it breaks. Oh well, we’ve almost perfected the throw away society so computers are disposable commodities. Get better and stay well. It’s always fun to poke the bear.

  5. Frank stetson

    What might Cheer you up, Larry is a Hugh Grant movie marathon. Start with About a Boy, move to music and lyrics, then notting hill, and end up with love actually.

    I believe those will make you smile.

    • larry Horist

      No John … I have always embraced the newest technologies eagerly. I has a personals home computer in 1975 before most folks even heard of them. It was a monster. I had a car cell phone about the same time. Oddly, the only thing you could do with it was make calls. Yes.. it is fun to poke the bear .. as long as you understand and accept that the bear can poke back.

    • larry Horist

      FRank … Thanks … but unfortunately my movie watching time is again limited.

      • frank stetson

        that’s a good thing!

        I’m a Western guy, but a soft spot for Grant, coming of age flicks, marvel, dc, disney, and ……cobra kai. Johnny and Daniel rule! Can’t tell who’s good, who’s not, but pretty sure it’s gonna work out for the best for all: think it’s a metaphor for liberals and conservatives….

  6. Tom

    Glad you are getting better Larry. Hey if you get a chance, watch the movie “Rage”. Its about the accidental release of an airborne virus that kills people and the military cover-up until a man’s son dies of it and he goes ape shit over the death!

    • larry Horist

      Tom .. I was never a fan of the outraged parental or spousal vengence movies. Maybe because I would be too much like the lead characters in such cases.

    • Perry

      Or watch the movie The Stand. A Stephen king story