Signs of the Times

PLUGGING ALONG: This week, we've been doing the best we can with what we have to work with. We have no Internet, and two adults who are working at home and two kids who need to do schooling 'online.'

We have limped along with our hot spots on our phones, thanks to T-Mobile. (I really am going to write them a thank you letter.)

Amidst all this, the kids entered an online art show sponsored by the Renton Arts Commission. The call asked students to share art based on their COVID experiences. 

By the way, it's worth noting they were submitted before our anti-masker in chief was diagnosed with COVID-19.

Here's what CJ shared. ... (I encourage you to click on the image to see its larger version.)

"These word clouds, shaped like the contiguous USA, contrast the terminology and vocabulary used by current President Donald Trump as compared to mainstream media reporting on the deadly pandemic. The left word cloud is composed of two articles about the reported death toll hitting the 200,000 mark: With Flags, Crosses and Photos, Mourning 200,000 Dead from the New York Times, and We’ve reached 200,000 deaths. Our response has gotten even worse than it was at 100,000 from the Washington Post. Meanwhile, the right word cloud is composed of two speeches given by Trump: On the Coronavirus Pandemic, given by Trump on March 11, and the speech he gave at the ill-fated Tulsa rally on June 20, which highly likely resulted in the COVID-19 death of Republican politician Herman Cain."

Below is what Annabelle cared to share. (Again, I would click on the image to see it in a larger scale.)

"Title: COVIDland
My visual arts entry sums up a slice of my life during the COVID-19 pandemic. My family (and others) have taken to playing many more board games to pass our pandemic times. That led me to imagine this COVID inspired parody of a classic board game, Candyland. Gloppy the chocolate swamp monster becomes Germy, who's made of hand sanitizer. Mr. Mint, or rather Mr. Mask, is complying with guidelines and wearing a face covering when in public. It was a lot of fun coming up with these silly puns in these unsettling times."