Robot Hot Pot

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U & Me Revolving Hot Pot (12384 S Apopka Vineland Rd, Orlando, FL) required masks om entry though many guests did not have masks. The sign on the door said that temperature checks were required but none were done.

I had written an article about how restaurants were embracing robots to serve in the age of COVID-19. I learned about this robot hot pot restaurant and wanted to sketch. A shirt robot with a purple cap lead us to our table. Don’t get in the way of this robot however because it would rudely tell you to get out of it’s way. A chair from our table had slipped a few inched out into the aisle and that was enough to get the desert robot to have a melt down.

A conveyor belt circled the seating area offering dished full of vegetables and noodled that could be added to a broth that is boiled on four electric burners on each table. I ordered a pork broth from our flesh and blood server. He has a mom who is an artist and thus appreciated my sketching. The robots couldn’t give a flying fig. My mask came off to around my neck for the duration of the meal since my chance of getting infected by the Delta variant that is gaining steam in America is about 10% since I have had both vaccine shots. I have eaten out three times this week since Pam has family in town and it is a strange adjustment after over a year of isolation. The open all you can eat bar to our left was full of sea food and that is what I sampled the most myself.

A robotic recording sang happy birthday to a table behind us. D found a live worm in one of her bowls of vegetables which was less than appealing and fly’s did make the rounds to each table. I thought buffets had gone the way of the dodo bird on cruise ships and in restaurants. However ‘All you can eat’ is irresistibly American and worth the risk of possible infection and death.

Morimoto at Disney Village

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Pam had relatives visiting the theme parks in Orlando and we agreed to meet them for lunch at Morimoto in Disney Springs. Masks are required when entering the restaurant but they can come off once seated and eating at the table.

The table was round with a lazy Susan in the center making it convenient to order small dishes and share. However we all ordered separate dished due to the pandemic. The lazy Susan was relegated for art supplies. The kitchen was right behind out table visible through a glass wall. The place was bustling.

I ordered an Eel roll and it was convenient to eat while I sketched. I tried dipping one piece in soy sauce but it dripped on my sketch so I stopped dipping. As we all ate it began to pour outside. Lori is the artist in the family and she was seated beside me working on an intricate and beautiful sketch. She asked the waiter if he could get her some plastic to protect her sketchbook from the rain. He took he sketchbook back into the kitchen and wrapped it multiple times in Seran wrap. The sketchbook was waterproof.

Since my eel roll was rather small, I ordered desert and had a delicious tiramisu. That desert was in itself, worth the trip. Pam’s relatives paid the bill which was very much appreciated. We all masked back up as we left the restaurant. The rain died down and we were able to walk back to the parking garage with just a few sprinkles. Pam’s aunt was going to join us after her week in the theme parks and we met at a Disney gas station to get her bags into Pam’s truck. We have been eating out quite a bit this past week and it it a major change from our year of solitude and isolation. The pandemic isn’t over, but life is returning to a new normal.

Lab Leak?

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President Joe Biden asked the intelligence community to redouble their efforts to examine whether COVID-19 emerged from human contact with an infected animal or from a laboratory accident. The COVID-19 lab leak theory seems to be gaining ground after 3 researchers from the Wuhan Institute of Virology were reported to have gone to a hospital with COVID-19 like symptoms in November 22020, a month before the outbreak was reported in China. Those researches have yet to be identified.

SARS and MERS were linked to an animal host that then infected a human. It  should be noted that finding the source of an outbreak can take decades, so a quick evidence based answer may not come with the report President Biden requested. The World Health Organization (WHO), reported that there’s no support for the lab leak theory. However the director of the WHO said that the lab leak theory is still on the table. Bat caves about 1000 miles from Wuhan have been considered as a possible source for the virus. However researches have yet to find the virus in captured bats from the caves. The Chinese government has sampled something like close to 80,000 different wildlife samples. The outbreak began in the winter which is a time when bats would have been hibernating.

In the Untied States, the National Institutes of Health grants money to this EcoHealth Alliance which then grants money to other groups, including the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Peter Daszak, the head of EcoHealth Alliance orchestrated a letter that discredited the lab-leak theory. A number of the signatories on that letter were on EcoHealth Alliance payroll. There is a clear conflict on interest. When the WHO went to China to research the origins of the virus China approved one U.S. representative, and that was Peter Daszak who had authored a letter discrediting the lab leak theory.

U.S. State Department investigators  investigating the possible lab leak theory realizes they might be opening a Pandora’s box since U.S. tax payer dollars were being used to fund research that might have caused the COVID-19 outbreak. The investigators put out a statement that Wuhan Institute of Virology was conducting classified military research. Gain of function research takes an existing virus and makes it more contagious for humans.

China acted to cover things up from the beginning of the outbreak by initially claiming that the virus was not transmissible from person to person, they downplayed outbreak severity, and they silenced of scientists and doctors in China who spoke out about this. Journalists who went to the Wuhan marked were detained by police. Shortly after the start of the COVID-19 outbreak China invested in beefing up the safety protocols a the virus research institutes. A critical database that contains about 22,000 viral samples was taken offline several months before the official outbreak of the pandemic and has not been restored.

Back in 2012 six miners in China went to the Mojiang mine shaft to shovel bat feces. They became incredibly ill with symptoms that resemble COVID-19. Three of the miners died. The incident was not reported to the WHO. Viral samples of from that mine shaft  were taken to the Wuhan Institute of Virology and analyzed. The virus sampled was 96.2% similar to COVID-19.

There is no smoking gun to prove or disprove a lab leak theory. Weather the virus transferred naturally from an animal to humans or it leaked from a lab, it is important to find the answer of how this outbreak began. Much like how the FAA always looks into every plane crash, finding the problem that caused the crash can prevent future crashes or pandemics.

Beach Day

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Pam, her niece and I took a trip to New Smyrna Beach. We had an industrial strength umbrella and I stayed under it as often as possible to stay out of the sun. Pan and her niece however lounged n the sun pretty much all day.

When we arrived I quickly slathered on some sun screen and joined them out in the waves. I wore a baseball cap to keep my scalp from burning but didn’t thing to bring a tee shirt for while I was in the water. Maybe I was out in the waves for 20 minutes at most.

The rest of the afternoon I rested in the umbrella’s shade with a white towel covering my legs. I sketched Pam while she read a gourmet magazine.

By the end of the day Pam’s niece was lobster red. Pam got some sun mostly on her upper legs and I figured I was fine. That evening however I looked in the bathroom mirror and found that my chest was a checkerboard of protected spots and spots that were turning beat red. I had been rather sloppy with my sunscreen slathering missing several kept spots like the tender spot at the base of my arm we tend to call my turkey cutlet. Pam had applied sun screen to my back and that was completely protected.

Pam’s niece was burnt everywhere and several days later pealed a huge sheet of flesh off of her upper thigh the side of a sheet of office paper. Regardless it was well worth it to be able to relax and listen to the waves. The salty breeze coming off the waves also opened my airways and lungs and it felt like it was the first refreshing breaths I had taken in over a year. There were two shark attacks the weekend we were at the beach but for once I let my COVID radar relax.

 

Bingo

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Pam and I have been driving past the Elks Lodge on Primrose for years and I always wanted to go in for Bingo night. Pam’s niece and aunt are in town so she decided to take them to the Elks Lodge. I was teaching a virtual class so I couldn’t go with them, but I decided to go once class was over to do a sketch.

The idea of sitting in a crowded room full of people during a pandemic wasn’t appealing but since I am fully vaccinated, I should be about 88% protected from getting the COVID-19 virus. The odds seem fine to take the chance and start sketching on location.

The front door of the lodge was locked but a woman let me in moments before I wandered off to look for other entrances. The parking lot was crammed full of cars. There was indeed a full crowd.

A smattering of people wore masks but most went mask free. I kept my mask dangling around my neck like an ascot.  Folks in the room were serious about the competition. Each chair had a garbage bag which held dis guarded bingo cards. A TV screen showed the numbered balls as they ere drawn at the front of the room. A woman seemed annoyed at me as I searched for a chair. Shortly after starting the sketch, Pam shouted out Bingo! She had just won $50. I was finished with the sketch before everyone was finished playing. I decided to leave early and get back to the studio to work. I immediately stripped and took a shower when I got home.

Jim Coffin After Pulse

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Advisory: Please note that this post is about the Pulse Nightclub Massacre on June 12, 2016. It may contain sensitive and difficult to read content. Post written with narrator’s consent.  

Jim Coffin is from the Interfaith Council of Central Florida. Jim is an interfaith community leader. The interfaith Council began over 30 years ago as the National Conference of Christians and Jews. Jim has been the director of the Interfaith Council since 2011.

June 12 is Jim’s oldest sons birthday. Jim and his wife had planned a trip to Atlanta Georgia for about 8 days. His daughter in law worked for a hotel chain, so they had a great room deal. When they heard the the news of the Pulse shooting they had to decide if they would actually go. Perhaps he could help from Atlanta. They realized it was a time to put aside all personal things. He had to focus on where the need was which was Orlando.

Jim immediately looked to see what he could do. He realized an interfaith prayer service would be needed. Monday night there was an interfaith service at Saint James Cathedral. There was Muslim representation, Jewish representation, it was quite diverse. Tuesday the First United Methodist offered their church for a service. The minister had a close connection with the LGBTQ community. They did a reading of the names of those who were killed. They had a picture of each person. Someone would stand and read details about the person and then put the picture on display at the front of the church. About 600 people attended.

When Camping World Center opened, they had every imaginable service available. It was impressive. They had travel for bringing in relatives for funerals. Airlines were giving free passage and accommodations. Intimidate cash was available. There were 30 different services like that. There was no problem getting mental health counselors. The Catholic Church had a big part on spiritual counseling. The city called and said they need pastoral counselors who are gay sensitive. Jim put out the word. That involved lots of calls from around the country and even outside the country.

Because the gunman claimed he was Muslim, there were backlash concerns in the local Muslim community and law enforcement. Jim became involved in lots of meetings with law enforcement along with other faith leaders. When Obama cam he wanted to meet with faith leaders so Jim helped line up faith leaders who could be available at the given time. On top of that it could be that nothing happens and the meeting with Obama didn’t happen. The attorney General also came down and he was asked to find faith leaders. That meeting as well didn’t come off. It is a lot like a metaphor for life, it often doesn’t come off like it is supposed to.

7PM June 12, 2021 at Pulse

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June 12, 2016 is he day 49 people died while dancing at a Pulse Latin Night celebration. At 7PM on June 1, 2021 a Remembrance Ceremony was held at the club which is still standing and surrounded by a temporary memorial wall covered in photos.

The event was to be telecast on the jumbo trons at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts front lawn as well. Concerned about crowds I considered sketching from the front lawn but decided to sketch at the club instead. est Esther Street was shut down being blocked by a pink Lynx bus. Suburban side street were shut down for blocks, and police cars blocked traffic driving north on Orange Avenue as well, effectively securing the site from any fringe lunatics.

Folding chairs were set up in the street intersection and the stage was on the North West corner of Esther and Orange. All the seats were occupied when I got there so I walked around looking for a safe spot to sketch from somewhat removed from the crowd. I settled on sketching from behind the media cameras which were set up in a line in the Dunkin’ Donuts parking lot across the street from the club.

I couldn’t hear much from my vantage point but I did hear the names of the 49 victims being read. It was brutally hot and the remembrance was over just before the sun set.

2:02AM June 12, 2021 at Pulse

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Advisory: Please note that this post is about the Pulse Nightclub Massacre on June 12, 2016. It may contain sensitive and difficult to read content.

2:02AM June 12, 2016 is when the gunman opened fire inside the Pulse Nightclub killing 49 and injuring many more.The effects of that horrific massacre rippled outwards.

At this vigil held at 2:02AM I cold her a woman sobbing across the street as I set up to sketch.  I began sketching an hour before the vigil began. The crowd as light at first with groups of people seated on the circular benches near the temporary memorial wall covered with photos. LED lights illuminated the wall with each color of the rainbow in succession. I chose blue. A red blood drive bus was parked across Orange Avenue.

Pastor Terri Steed Pierce from Joy Metropolitan Community Church spoke to those gathered but I couldn’t hear her from where I was seated. Candles were handed out and lit. Then a group of about 6 people read out the names of the 49 who had died that night. Since I was removed from the crowd I wore my mask loosely around my neck.

An FBI agent told Pam that a copycat extremist named Muhammed Momtaz Al-Azhari, 23, of Tampa had come to this memorial site about a year ago and sat looking for inspiration to carry out a similar attack on beaches around Tampa. Al-Azhari “expressed admiration” for the gunman responsible for the Pulse nightclub shooting and “spoke of his desire to carry out a similar mass casualty shooting.”He wanted to kill more that 49 people. When he purchased guns to carry out the attack he was actually buying from an FBI agent and was arrested. At this year’s 5 year vigil there was concern that extremists might want to attack. Plain clothes security was scattered throughout the crowd. Pam watched every car that drove by and instructed me just run should anything happen. Thankfully it was a peaceful beautiful service with love compassion and caring.

Ida Eskamani: After Pulse

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Advisory: Please note that this post is about the Pulse Nightclub Massacre on June 12, 2016. It may contain sensitive and difficult to read content. Post written with narrator’s consent.  

Ida Eskamani is formerly from Equality Florida, she went on to work with Representative Smith’s office as chief of staff.

Equality Florida was born at a time when no one was investing in the south when it came to LGBTQ rights. The founders felt if they build it they will come. The organization was launched 20 ears ago. There is nothing else like it. It was grass roots funded.

Ida got back from vacation on June 11, 2016, the day before the shooting at Pulse. It was the first vacation she had taken in 10 years. At 3AM she woke up from the jet lag. There were a lot of notifications on her phone. It looked like a shooting but she wasn’t aware of the severity of what was unfolding. She sent an e-mail to staff to let them know what was happening. She drifted back to sleep. When she woke up again, it was 6AM. That is when she realized this was something much more horrific. She lives about 2 miles from Pulse and she could hear helicopters overhead. The TV stayed on all day.

For the next three weeks she didn’t sleep. She was working non stop. She may never again feel the the way she did that Saturday night before Pulse happened. The first text she got from Equality Florida was to ask if all the staff were OK. All 5 staff in the Orlando area were OK. At 9AM there was a staff conference call. They agreed to draft a statement and make people aware of all the resources that were becoming available. They decided they needed to launch a fundraising page. Donors were already coming to the organization.

She wasn’t sure what roll she could play and she had to go to an event in Jacksonville Florida. Around 11AM she realized the no one had created the Go Fund Me Page yet, so she did it. She had never launched a Go Fun Me Page before. She wanted to connect it to Equality Florida’s page. But you can not connect it to a page, it has to be a person. She put a goal of $100,000. It was clear that there would be major gaps in support and anything Equality Florida could do, they wanted to do.

On the road to Jacksonville, Her boss was driving and she was checking her laptop and found her e-mail was flooding with messages. People were asking if the fundraising page was real. As they were driving she updated the description on Go Fund Me. She responded to everyone letting them know it was real and any contribution would help. By the time the Jacksonville event was over they had already hit the goal of $100,000 so they upgraded the goal to $200,000. Then it increased to $500,000 and then to 1 million. It just kept growing. It was the fasted page to reach 1 Million in Go Fund Me’s history. It was the first ever to reach 2 Million. It raised 7.8 million. Offline an additional 1.2 Million was raised. About 9.5 Million dollars were raised in total. Those donations came from 120 countries and over 120,000 people. It became known as the Pulse Victims Fund.

She suddenly had to field tons of press interviews. Press was never ending. During the dark time she would read the comments on the Go Fund Me Page where people expressed love and warmth. A little kid donated from a bakery sale to celebrities. All these gay bars had fundraisers and donated to the page. It was so powerful. Equality Florida was not in charge of dispersing the funds. The goal was for the money to go directly to victim’s families and survivors.

Head Over Heels

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Encore is presenting Head over Heels which is being performed at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 E Rollins St, Orlando, FL) from through June 13, 2021. This was my first sketch inside a theater since the pandemic began in March of 2020.

This was a dress rehearsal so the audience was very scarce. Performers who were vaccinated went without masks and the dancers always wore clear masks. Thankfully everyone in the audience wore masks.

This was a musical set in Arcadia which resembled a medieval utopia. I must say the costuming in this show by the late A.J. Garcia was stellar. A live band was on the upper level and and they were a bit overbearing at the start of the show. However this musical was a delight and the show started with a high energy dance number set to We Got The Beat. The songs are contemporary so if you liked the Moulin Rouge movie I bet you will have a fun time seeing this show.

The heart of the show is a love story between a sheep herder and a princess. The king denies the match and the herder only can get close to the princess dressed as a Amazon warrior. An oracle who was first a snake later appeared as an owl in fabulous drag. The kings anger and close minded view of his subjects and his family is eventually overpowered by love. This is a great show to run during Pride week since acceptance and discovering our true self are at the core of the show.

The actor playing the shepherd, Michael Angelini Jr.,did a hilarious job jumping back and forth between his male and female roles. Lillie Eliza Thomas was regal as the queen and Laurel Hatfield was heart warming as the plane princess Phiolclea. The bottom line is that this is a fun and exciting night of theater and for someone who once sketched shows every night this was a breath of fresh air. Tickets are $39.