Here’s my “get rich” tip of the month. Rent you a building and hire a couple of medical doctors. Start a “Long Haulers COVID Clinic.” Before very long this will be a reality in every city across the country. Once the insurance coders have a number and Medicaid and Medicare approve the care, it’s a no-lose proposition for decades. It will literally take decades to determine what COVID did to us and what it didn’t. In the meantime, might as well make some cash.
As a side hustle you might add a wing that deals with health-related issues with the COVID vaccine. That way you will have market appeal to both sides of the political and COVID divide.
I say this on the heels of an odd circumstance in my own health. As I have said in this space, I had COVID in October/November of 2020. A couple of months ago, I noticed a ringing in my ear. Went to the doctor and found out I had permanent damage to my right ear. She said I was her ninth patient that she believes COVID virus damaged their hearing. Who could prove her wrong?
However, I have taken this in stride. I will forever blame all my illness and aging related issues on COVID. It should work out well for me. I’m balding and can’t hear anymore because of COVID, not because of the chronological ticking of time.
Having damaged hearing works out well for me, I’ve never been listening very closely to most of you anyway. Now I have an excuse to go with my behavior and we’re probably even, because I’m not sure you’ve been listening to me either.
I have never been to the Missouri State Fair. In fairness to me, I don’t have any prized sheep or pigs to take and I gave up fried foods a few years ago. Heck, I don’t have any sheep or pigs at all, let alone ones that might win prizes. I’ve made a promise to myself if I ever get a farm animal that might win a prize, I’m going to the State Fair, until then I’ll probably not make it.
Big year for schools and all that goes with schools. Listen, everyone had a bad year last year, but schools were roughed up in all ways. Disruption was the norm and it had profound impacts on education. I’ve had my share of complaints about public education but I’m pulling for them this school year. Across this nation in every state, county and town, we need to let them get back to education and socialization that benefits students. We need to take them out of the parental mask battles and get back to teaching math, science, reading and even how to get along with the kid at the desk next to them.
It is a critical year for public education because the last two years has seen a seismic crack in their system. Many of the failings have been laid open by the COVID shutdowns and legislation is spreading across this country to begin funding students instead of schools. That is not going to slow down unless public schools get back to the basics of education. Public school won’t get back to the basics of education until we allow and force them to. If we keep relying on them to be babysitters, primary food providers and a plethora of other roles, the system is in trouble. We need them to educate, and this is the best chance I see for a restart that they need.
(Guy Speckman can be reached at gspeckman@me.com or looking for prize winning potential sheep and pigs)