A Christmas Carol: Poster Evolution

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Each poster I illustrated for the Orlando Shakes this season went through an evolution from initial concept sketches to final tweaks and refinements.

My initial concepts simply used sketches I had done at past performances. There is a big difference between a loose spontaneous sketch done in a dark theater and a final illustration, but it was a way to start getting ideas out.


I then went on to an illustration of the ghost of Christmas past in front of the raging fireplace. My thought was that we could all use some semblance of joy after more than 20 months of living with a pandemic.

Ultimately however I settled on Scrooge’s conversion on Christmas day as he holds up Tiny Tim. That visually expressed the joy I wanted without the visage of ghosts. It also helped to put a large chorus in the scene. There were other refinements to the poster involving refining chorus members, but I will not get into that minutia.

A Christmas Carol runs through December 24, 2021. The show features your favorite carols and awe-inspiring special effects, this delightful rendition tells the iconic tale of one man’s chance to change for the better. Gather together to witness the holiday magic and create a tradition for the whole family.

Omicron Beats Delta

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Experts believe that the Omicron Variant of COVID-19 will be more transmissible that Delta. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 38 countries across the world have reported cases of the highly mutated omicron Covid-19 variant so far.

The virus spike proteins have  32 mutations which make it easier for the virus to spread and infect humans. For comparison, Delta had 9 mutations. The Omicron variant might also evade COVID-19 vaccines, but it could take some time to see if that’s true or not. The Omicron variant may also cause more re-infections.

More children are being admitted into hospitals with COVID infections in South Africa where the variant was first reported. Last month in South Africa, 74% of genomes sequenced were Omicron. Within two weeks, Omicron has replaced Delta in South Africa. 56 countries have imposed travel bans but the virus has already spread world wide. Thousands of people have flown into the United States from South Africa and other infected countries since the variant was first reported and when the flight restrictions finally began. Omicron can reinfect people who have had COVID-19. Since it can reinfect people the pool of potential hosts makes for exponential growth in infections. Omicron will become the main variant in the world.

At the moment, the only data scientists have to estimate omicron’s transmissibility comes largely from the cluster of cases at a university in Pretoria, South Africa. The rapid rise in cases there could be due, in part, to a superspreading event.With only 4% of the population vaccinated, thousands of people took to the streets to protest in a “Superspreader March.” It was a “March to Save Lives” but may have instead been the perfect way to spread the new variant.

Cases of Omicron in America have been reported in 5 states so far but it is likely fare more wide spread. The only reason we don’t know more, is that the United States has a very poor record of genomic analysis compared to other countries. The first case discovered in America had been fully vaccinated but had not gotten a booster yet.

Basic health measure that have been promoted since the start off the pandemic still work. Wear a good quality mask, social distance and wash your hands often.

The good news is the early cases have been mild so far. However cases usually get worse in the second and third week of infection, so we will see how deadly the virus  mutation is soon. If it turns out that it produces only mild cases that do not require hospitalization, then that could be very good news. Time will tell.

Phantasmagoria’s A Christmas Carol, A Ghost Story of Christmas

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I went to sketch a rehearsal for Phantasmagoria’s A Christmas Carol, A Ghost Story of Christmas at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Masked, I sat alone in the audience . Many of the cast wore their masks before the full run through of the show.

From the cast: “To protect the health and safety of our audience, cast and crew—especially going into this holiday season—the Phantasmagoria troupe prefers that you wear a mask while in attendance for Christmas Carol. Thank you and the very best of the season to you!”

The Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center no longer requires masks, So I am left wondering how many of the patrons will respect the wishes of the artists.

We are definitely living in dark times with a new, more transmissible variant of the virus invading the world, but the heart in this time honored tale can still melt even the hardest heart. I found myself getting choked up as scrooge chose kindness over profits and was accepted by family. The joy of celebrating the holidays being recreated on the stage had me wiping away tears as I felt a warm glow of hope for the future. For another year Pam and I have chosen not to travel to visit family to avoid spreading the virus. Some family are unvaccinated and have no intention of protecting themselves and others. Perhaps this is why the warmth of the message stung so hard.

There is one more performance on December 4, 2021 at 8 PM at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts (445 S. Magnolia Avenue Orlando, FL 32801). Tickers start at $30. Feel the horror and warmth of this holiday season. Should you miss tonight’s performance, you can also catch them next weekend in Sanford, and the 22 and 23 at Athens Theater in Deland Florida.

Why are 30% of healthcare workers in America unvaccinated?

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Why are 30% of healthcare workers in America unvaccinated? Since they are on the front lines you would think they have seen enough people gasping their last breaths  and might prefer not to die the same way.

Among healthcare workers, those with the most years of higher education are more likely to be vaccinated. A study from Carnegie Mellon University found that 9 percent of physicians said they were hesitant to be vaccinated, while 20 to 23 percent of nursing aides and emergency medical technicians said they were.

In Alabama, which a 46% vaccination rate statewide, around 50 percent of hospital workers are currently unvaccinated. Hospitals nationwide are responding in recent weeks and months by implementing vaccine mandates for their workers. These mandates are resulting in protests from the stupid.

An anti-Vaccine summit was held in Ocala Florida. Seven doctors who attended that conference tested positive for COVID-19 within days of attending. One of those infected, Bruce Boros, is a 71-year-old cardiologist who advocated for the use of Ivermectin as an effective treatment against COVID-19 during the event. “I have been on Ivermectin for 16 months, my wife and I,” Boros said at the event, according to The Daily Beast. “I have never felt healthier in my life.” He fell ill with COVID-19 two days later.

Houston Methodist Hospital fired a doctor for spreading misinformation about COVID-19. The doctor insisted that vaccine mandates are wrong and shifted her practice to focus on treating unvaccinated patients. She has also used her personal Twitter account to promote the anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin as a treatment for the COVID-19, despite warnings from public health officials advising people not to take it.

Av Med Health in Florida reversed its decision to have vaccine mandates for it’s healthcare workers after Florida Governor Ron DeathSantis signed a bill making vaccine mandates illegal. He wants to give healthcare workers the “freedom” to infect their patients. He also wants to give moms the “freedom” to have their children infect other children.

Omicron Detected in California

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The first United States confirmed case of the Omicron variant has been detected inn California. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the case was in an individual who traveled from South Africa on November 22, 2021 and tested positive for Covid-19 on November 29, 2021.

That individual, Fauci said, is self-quarantining and close contacts have tested negative for the coronavirus so far. The person was fully vaccinated and is experiencing “mild symptoms, which are improving at this point,” Fauci said.
California Governor Gavin Newsom tweeted, “As we continue to learn more about Omicron, there is no reason to panic but we should remain vigilant. We know how to protect ourselves from COVID – get vaccinated, get your booster & wear a mask.”
Scientists are working to determine how transmissible the variant is, how sick it makes people and how well current vaccines work against it. The United States restricted travel from South Africa and seven other countries on November 29, 2021 which is seven days after this first case arrived on a flight from Africa. As always too little too late. The genie is out of the bottle.
Health officials are urging people to get vaccinated against Covid-19, or get a booster if they’re eligible. Other measures such as masks, handwashing, physical distancing and good ventilation will still work against the Omicron variant.

World War O

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Walls and borders do not stop the virus. Travel bans might gently slow the spread but are not a solution. on will become the dominant strain of COVID-19 around the world. Everyone will be exposed to it. The hope is that it is not as deadly as Delta. We will knw this in several weeks. Only world wide equitably distributed vaccinations and a change in human behavior will help slow the virus spread.

In a Huff Post article Max Brooks the author of World War Z, pointed out the general public’s disregard of science and argued that the biggest threat to the United States is “the gap between the American people and those who protect them.”

“One of the reasons [COVID-19] has been such a devastating plague in the United States is it’s a generational problem,” Brooks said. “If this had hit us 40 years ago, there would have been enough Americans still alive and in positions of authority who still remember the dark days of polio and whooping cough — the pre-vaccine days when viruses and bacteria used to kill and cripple a large portion of our population.”

Most members of today’s U.S. population “grew up post-World War II and don’t have the muscle memory and gut terror of germs,” leading to the current situation in which the coronavirus has blindsided America, Brooks said. He argued that all the scientific knowledge in the world isn’t “worth a warm bucket of hamster vomit” if it isn’t succinctly communicated to the average American.

Retirement Party

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David Krepcho is the CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank and he will be retiring in January. Staff organized a party in his honor in the Second Harvest warehouse.

For those who are not aware, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is a private, nonprofit organization that collects, stores and distributes donated food to more than 550 feeding partners in six Central Florida counties: Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia. Last year, with the help of numerous donors, volunteers and a caring, committed community, the food bank distributed enough food for 73 million meals to partner programs such as food pantries, soup kitchens, women’s shelters, senior centers, day care centers and Kids Cafes.

Local musician Beth McKee performed on piano as people filtered into the venue. She is the President of the Swamp Sistas La La Foundation and a very fine musician.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings declared November 15, 2021 to be David Krepcho day with a decree. All staff of the event wore masks but very few attendees wore masks. After the event I learned that Demings had lifted the mask requirements for city workers. From were I sat I was at least 22 feet from others. The warehouse was thankful quite spacious which offered dilution. It felt good to be back on location sketching an event. I used to sketch on location every day but over the past 20 months this might be the third event I have sketched on location. Most of my attention no is devoted to doing a painting a day documenting the pandemic.

I got to learn quite  bit about Dave that I did not know. For instance he got his start working at an Ad agency in Miami. Hurricane Andrew resulted in his interest in with disaster relief programs which lead him to Second Harvest. He is also a rather amazing photographer. Several of my sketches done on location at Second Harvest were framed and offered as a retirement gift. This sketch will be a part of that set. I was impressed the gorgeous frames the staff picked.

Leaving the event I was given a party bag. Inside was a Spoon full of Hope Tomato Basil soup. That is what Pam and I had for dinner that evening. I added some Mozzarella and Pam advised me to add a splash of cream. With a grilled cheese sandwich if made a fine dinner. The soup is made by Second Harvest Food Bank and all proceeds support their culinary training program, a no cost culinary and life skills program that helps those in need become more self sufficient, while pursuing rewarding careers in the food industry.

State of Emergency

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New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) declared a state of emergency to prepare for a new coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa. Her declaration on November 26, 2021 is one of the first emergency steps taken by a state in the U.S. against the new variant, known as Omicron, whose discovery was announced November 25, 2021.

“We continue to see warning signs of spikes in COVID-19 this winter, and while the new Omicron variant has yet to be detected in New York State, it’s coming,” Hochul said in a tweet.

The executive order, in effect until at least Jan. 15, 2022 allows nonessential procedures to be postponed in hospitals in order to increase hospital capacity. This is one of the few examples of a politician acting proactively rather than re-actively to the pandemic.

President Joe Biden has already restricted travel from several countries in southern Africa in order to mitigate the spread of Omicron. However those travel restrictions do not come into effect until November 28, 2021. That allows hundreds or thousands of passengers to fly into the United States before the restrictions take effect.The president also issued a proclamation that people entering the United States must be vaccinated. However there is a huge loophole. The proclamation only apples to US citizens returning to the states.

Two flights out of South Africa to Amsterdam landed with 60 passengers infected with COVID-19. It has not yet been established how many of those were the Omicron strain. Had those same passengers landed in Orlando International airport, they would already be in Disney World busy infecting others. In Johannesburg, South Africa, holiday travelers rushed back to the airport and stood in long lines to fly back home from vacations before the ban came into effect.

Despite the bans, the new variant has already been found in at least a dozen countries. Most of the cases detected have been in travelers returning from the region.

Mercy Kitchen

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Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida collects, stores and distributes donated food through a powerful hunger relief network spanning 6 counties: Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia. Their programs are fighting hunger and feeding hope.

When they opened the on the south end of Mercy Drive, I did several sketches of the opening of the building and of volunteers at work sorting food. At that facility there is the Darden Foundation Community Kitchen, a 2,000-square-foot, commercial kitchen space. Food could be prepared there and distributed to the community.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the community needs more than doubled. The kitchen was no longer large enough to meet the demand.

As a result of CARES Act funding through Orange County and financial support from the community, the food bank expanded into the new 20,000-square-foot facility, two miles from its main warehouse. Mercy Kitchen includes an expanded production kitchen, a cooler and freezer area, dry storage, and six receiving and distribution bay doors to support Second Harvest’s operations.

Volunteers and staff at this location support hunger relief efforts by packing meals for kids, seniors and veterans. Programs supported at Mercy Kitchen include:

  • 7-Day Breakfast and Lunch Boxes
  • Kids Café after school program
  • Summer Food Service Program

As I was sketching volunteers were busy preparing packaged school lunches. The assembly line work was fast an furious and the volunteers seemed to have a blast. They wanted to get a group photo together outside the building after their shift. 23,000 meals are prepared at the kitchen each day. Weekly 5,500 seven-day boxes (77,000 meals) and 450 family meal boxes (9,900 meals) are distributed to people in need.

Bring Hope Home is Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida’s newest innovation in response to the high demand for home-delivered food due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program utilizes external delivery partners as well as volunteer drivers to safely transport perishable and nonperishable food items directly to those in need in a contact-free manner. Besides this program they also partner with 550 feeding partners in Central Florida. They include emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, senior centers, day cares and more.

Our network of partners help us distribute food to six counties in Central Florida, including: Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia county.

I was glad to see that masks are required at Second Harvest. Now that the hospitalizations are slowly dropping due to COVID-19 there has been just a minor decline in the demand for food. The pandemic is far from over.  It will likely take many years before Mercy kitchen will see pre-pandemic levels of demand.

Omicron

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A new variant has shown up in South Africa and the World Health Organization (WHO) has labeled it Omicron. This variant has been spreading faster than the Delta variant which Europe, Northern American states and the world in it’s grip.

“Initially it looked like some cluster outbreaks, but from yesterday, the indication came from our scientists from the Network of Genomic Surveillance that they were observing a new variant,” Minister of Health Joe Phaahla said, stressing that it is currently unclear where the variant first emerged.

Initially given the number, B.1.1.529, it was rumored that t might be called Nu, the 13th letter in the Greek alphabet but they called it instead Omicron after the 15th letter of the Greek Alphabet. I had already started my painting of Gnu’s, which are like wildebeests,  stampeding, and since I was close to finishing I stayed the course.

Omicron has an unusually high number of mutations, with more than 30 in the key spike protein. It is believed that it is infecting the vaccinated as well as the unvacinated. Only about 21% of the population has gotten the jab. Many scientists have been warning that there should be a concerted effort to vaccinate the entire population of the world, but rich countries have instead been focused on providing third booster shots with the vaccines that they have hoarded for their own populations. By hoarding vaccines new mutations are able to develop in countries where much of the population is unprotected. Even so, half of the population in countries like America have refused to get vaccinated.

UK officials announced that six African countries will be added to England’s travel “red list” after the UK Health Security Agency flagged concern over the variant.The United States as always is slow to react. The United States will restrict travel from South Africa and neighboring countries effective November 29, 2021, a senior Biden administration official said. With air travel open for several more days over the Thanksgiving holiday it is very likely the Omicron virus has already arrived in America. The financial markets have begun to tumble, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 2.5%, its worst day since late October 2020.