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Covid Life Thoughts

Covid Life, is this the new normal?

When one of our T-shirt designers found out that I was refusing to follow the guidelines and lock myself in my house he created the EBCT T-shirt. At first I thought of it as a funny comment on how our society has changed in just a few short months.

Early Bum Covid Triathalon Shirt, part of the Covid Life
EBCT, Part of the new Covid Life?


A year ago walking into any major store wearing a mask would have gotten you arrested. Disneyland didn’t allow halloween face coverings for anyone over 12. Now they require it. Isn’t life strange?

The problem with the Covid Life is that people don’t understand what the real issue is. They don’t want to learn about it, they just want a simple answer. Worse yet they want an answer that everyone has to follow. Sheep, v sheep dog v shepherd.

The answers are very simple. If you have a temperature, stay home and stay away from other family members so you don’t spread it. Wash your hands. Wear a mask. But that is only necessary if you can’t stay at least 6 feet away from people. You can tell the least interested of the sheep because they are in their car alone with a mask on, gloves on, smoking a cigarette.

Common sense says that the “asymptomatic” people walking around with Covid (50-80% depending on the study you read) are less contagious than the petri dish with a 100 or higher fever. If you have a fever stay home. Wash your hands. I watch people still leave the restroom in public places without even looking at the sink.

Maybe Covid is here to eliminate the stupid?

I watched a man in Costco, drop his mask and cough and sneeze all over the printer cartridges. He didn’t bother to use his hand or elbow either. I looked at him and he said “I don’t want that in my mask”. I wanted to scream “That is what the mask is for you moron”. Maybe carry a handkerchief? Needless to say, I went to Staples for a printer cartridge that day.

Is Covid so scary our economy needed to be devastated? All that money that the government is printing to pay extra benefits and bail companies out will result in one of three things happening.

1. Very high inflation, like the late 70’s to early 80s when inflation was 18% and home loans peaked at almost 18%.

2. Major tax increases. Because the money was printed and spent up front, the bills are piling up. Earn first, spend second is the smart way to go. This isn’t smart.

3. Both high inflation and major tax increases.

Countries like Sweden that didn’t shut down haven’t had higher rates of Covid infections. So why did we do this? The Plague took out 1/3 of the population during it’s time. TB still far outpaces Covid world wide and we don’t shut down for it? So what gives. Will this be worth it? I don’t think so.

Let’s go back to normal with one major change. If you are sick, have a fever, stay home. Wash your hands and face, and cover your coughs and sneezes. If you want to protest, go back to work and live like you actually care instead of blindly following ignorant orders.

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Show Your #beachmode

We know it is getting cold here in Southern California and across the north, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go #beachmode all year.

This week we launched the #beachmode series of T-shirts, Hoodies and Goodies at our online store. The casual side of Earl Banes exactly fits the #beachmode philosophy. If you are not working, you should be playing, like the Early Bum Catching the Waves.

#beachmode hood by Earl Banes - part of the Early Bum© line.

Earl spent a lot of time with his kids at the beach, at home working on cars (work to some play for him) and golfing. Maybe someday we’ll have a line of golf attire too. Who knows.

The old horse barn in Earls backyard was filled with toys and games to keep kids going until they passed out. If it was meant to be played with outside and it fit in the barn it was in there.

These days horse barns are pretty rare and sadly a lot of kids don’t go outside and play. You won’t see any video games here either. When the first video games appeared that you could connect to the TV, Earl made it clear they were forbidden in the house. “Go outside, enjoy the world, you will be inside enough at work.” he would say on many Saturday mornings as the grandchildren arrived.

For now as the winter chill sets in, grab a hoodie and if you aren’t at work go #beachmode.

There are more than just hoodies in the series. We have T-shirts, #RWTH approved re-usable travel mugs and more.