August 5, 2020

 

Being as I didn’t have to be in until 10:00am this morning, I planned on waking up at my usual time of 7:00am, hitting the gym, getting tested, and getting on with my day. That didn’t happen.  Sure, I woke up early as expected, but just didn’t have the energy or desire to do anything.  I kept trying to convince myself to get moving but nothing I could say internally was making any difference.  I made some coffee, got back on the bed with three McVitties to dip in my beverage, and blindly flipped through the television channels.  Coronavirus, weather, explosion in Beirut, Trump, Biden, the usual stuff, with the exception of the explosion in Beirut. That was horrible.  I passed the time until housekeeping knocked on my door.  I told them I will be out in 20 minutes so I showered, completed my NBA Health app again, was out the door for COVID testing.  After that, headed to the dining area to nab some waters to put in the fridge and boarded the bus for today’s game.

 

On the way in we received an email once again reminding us to wear our masks properly and consistently each and every day at all times unless we are eating, or exercising, or any other task that allows for the mask to be removed. Apparently there are some people that are getting a bit lax regarding the mask protocol.  It’s understandable, but not acceptable.  I thought the reminder sent out was not only appropriate, but it was expressed in a very professional manner and reiterated the fact that we are all in this together and survival depends on the success of everyone. 

I scanned my wristband when I entered the WWOS complex and…blue!  The damn thing read blue. Uh oh, what’s wrong?  Rather than being welcomed to work and told to have a nice day, I was directed to enter a door where my improper reading would be analyzed and then proper protocol administered. 

 

It appeared that my most recent test, not the one I took this morning but the one yesterday, had an inconclusive reading, meaning it was unclear if the results were negative or positive.  Preliminary conjecture was that not enough sample material had been collected, thus the lab was unable to accurately diagnose and provide a clear result.  The next step was to have one of the doctors make a judgment call regarding my status.  I told them I tested early this morning and they knew I had completed the NBA Health app so the doctor was confident that I was not sick nor carrying the virus, but it was important that my test this morning be analyzed immediately.  In the meantime, I could continue my job duties but I needed to isolate myself from others, more than usual.  I guess I will be eating my lunch alone today on my camera platform.  I am 100 percent sure I am not infected as none of my tests or morning checkups have indicated otherwise.  And if the doctors felt I was a risk I would have been isolated immediately.

 

Today was our first in The Arena.  All our other contests were in either the HP Pavilion or the Visa Athletic Center.  The Arena is where the finals will be played, but it was just another court from our point of view.  The hapless Wizards ran with the 76ers for most of the game but ultimately succumbed as expected once time ran out.  Even though Washington lost, they didn’t look nearly as bad as they had appeared previously.

 

I think the coolest thing about this game was the singing of the national anthem. None of these are performed live for obvious reasons.  Who would actually want to quarantine for seven days to sing a song that lasts, or should last, about ninety seconds?  Anyway, the Wizards are from Washington, DC.  The gentleman that sang the anthem, his name was DC Washington. 

 

One thing I missed today was a webcast that occurred this morning at 10:00 am.  Because I had to be at the arena at 9:00 am and we were occupied, I didn’t have the opportunity to log in.  It was a live webcast from the NBA Safety Committee giving everyone an update regarding safety protocol and it affected us greatly in the green zone.  It appears there are major changes that greatly affect us.

 

Not only will there be greater emphasis on mask wearing everywhere within the green zone, like masks must be worn if not actively eating or drinking, or walking, or exercising, but if you are dining with someone or participating in any of those noted activities, that mask had better be on.  Put it this way, if I am drinking a beverage, I must put my mask on between sips.  That is how tightly the mask wearing rules are being enforced.  You are able to get one warning.  If you get a second violation, you get to go home.

 

The only sports bar in the green zone is no longer accessible to anyone but players and team staff.  There is a small bar outside that serves the same food for purchase but does not have any televisions or shelter from the ever present Orlando rain. The area adjacent to the players only pool is now completely off limits to anyone but them, so no more arcade, volleyball court, or that wonderful spa/Jacuzzi that I have been using.  Also the restaurant in the middle of the lagoon that was recently opened for us to utilize as well converted back to players only once again.  The path around the lagoon that many have enjoyed running or biking or simply walking has been cutoff near the player’s only pool area.  A continuous loop it is no longer.  And people are not happy.

 

We weren’t given any explanation for the change in protocol.  There have not been any positive COVID results in the green zone, nor in any other zone that I am aware.  In my opinion, because of the wonderful job that all of us had been doing, I would have thought our freedom would have increased.  Instead our liberties have been reduced and that is concerning.  No one, I mean no one, interacts with the players unless that communication is initiated by the player. We all know the importance of their privacy, their health, our success, so the changes that came down were not only unexpected, they were shocking as well.

 

Living in the green zone definitely has its advantages, compared to the being at the Waldorf.  All our meals are gratis.  That is huge plus given the fact we still receive per diem even though we rarely have to spend any of it unless we opt for the only small restaurant available to us now. But all that free food gets a bit monotonous as the choices do not change much.  We long for a meal from a decent restaurant now and then.  When I was leaving WWOS, I was able to speak to the camera guys that were on our show today, from a safe distance of course.  They were in their yellow lanes, I in my green.  They said they were going out for seafood dinner once they got back and changed their clothes.  They are able to venture to the great outdoors and experience more than where they sleep and where they eat. How I longed for what they have.  And they longed for free food like we have.  It’s funny how the grass is always greener on the other side of the barrier.

 

As I walked to my room, I came across an area on the sidewalk that had pooled water on it.  It hadn’t been raining for quite some time, yet this water attracted my attention.  I realized the liquid was always there, day in, day out.  Being from Arizona I knew the importance of water and I knew a water leak when I see one. Why haven’t I noticed this before?  I think I had noticed it before but I ever took any action.  I called the front desk and reported the small pool of ever present water then went to dinner.  I was only at the dining area for less than twenty minutes.

 

On my walk back I witnessed one of the Disney maintenance personnel working in the area that I had notified them about.  One of the valves that feed the various sprinkler heads in the area was damaged causing the pool of water on the sidewalk.  He repaired the valve, swept away the stagnant water, and now the sidewalk is moisture free…that is, until it rains again.