Corona Virus

[Geo]

I just want people to know that UnO ASKED for a sleeping pill…I take unisom and melatonin to sleep when I’m working, and he asked if I had something that might help him sleep….

Reading UnO's comment again I see why you felt the need to stress the point. I didn't thought he was deliberately 'drugged' when I read if first, just sayin'.

Rain the last few days cleaning out the air lets us know the lingering lung [poop] is covid.  Not really enough to be worrysome but enough to be annoying.  Nose seems to plug up at night as well.  Reading over cases, seems like I'm just going to be in a 20+ day stretch of this unless it turns for the worse at some point.

I can't remember, were you ever vaccinated against Covid in the last 2 years? If so, its a bit alarming it got to you with such strong symptoms.


Just a couple days ago I read an article correlating older people having a much larger chance of developing Altzheimer within a year after a Covid infection.
The study couldn't rule out if it was the infection that brought the syndrome to the front earlier then these people should normally have developed it, or if it was Covid itself that caused it.
I think it was a study done in the USA.

[Unorthodox]

I was due for another booster, but was waiting for the omicron specific one to be available. 

My symptoms seem about average for most vaxxed people I know that have come down with it.  A curious thing is the most current version here in Utah does seem to have mild symptoms hang on for 20 days after the initial sinus misery. 

As for Alzheimer's, I believe they've been linking inflammation to it for a few years now, and Covid causing general systemic inflammation (hence why the wide range of symptoms, it'll get you where you're weak) it doesn't surprise me there's a correlation. 

For me specifically, we got to watch signs of heart issues and a potential recurrence of my H.S. Purpurra (which caused heart issues as a child.  Yeah, there's a google hole for you H.S. Purpurra with cardiac involvement, literally a one in a billion complication I was so lucky to get).   

[Buster's Uncle]

Just got back from another booster shot.

[Unorthodox]

Covid has just closed the final local "Halloween" shop in the last 2 years. 

1st to go was FX Supply.  Steve was an odd duck to begin with, specializing the hollywood makeup style supplies, he very much kept odd hours.  As I referred many people to him, I told them, know what you want, go in, get it, pay, get out.  He didn't have much toleration for people browsing as he'd rather be making something than minding the store, and had been known to throw people out if he felt they didn't know enough to be shopping at his store (again, professional stuff here). Don't browse, don't ask questions, tell him I sent you and he'll at least be understanding and give them a lecture to tell Uno he doesn't like me sending newbs on my shopping sprees, but here's what you need, have Uno show you how to use it. 

He completely and immediately went F this when covid hit.  Technically he's still open by appointment, but he doesn't have the inventory anymore, so it's more I know a guy who knows a guy who can get you something situation, and it's typically easier to just internet shop, unless you're after one of his in-house products.  Some of the best blood in the business if you need 5 gallons... 

2nd to go was Bennion Craft.  This was a local Micheals/JoAnnes styled craft store.  I ALWAYS shopped there first, only opting for the other options if they lacked something and I couldn't wait for an order.  Typically better clay and paint selection than other options as well.  Sorely going to be missed. 

Now, finally, Fun Daze is closing after Halloween.  This is a local Party City / Zurchers styled store.  The great thing is they'd stock the halloween makeup year round which came in quite handy multiple times, and they even had a limited selection of high end makeup.  I just cleaned up the high end stuff as they announced the closing today.  Former neighbors owned this and would occasionally ask my opinion on what items to stock for Halloween.  Always had some cool props that were not the typical things you'd find everywhere else, and a better kid costume experience than your local Spirit. 

Taken as a whole, I'm relegated to 100% online for my supplies that aren't at a hardware store. 

[Geo]

Well, there's a hole in the local market now. You could be the one to fill it. 

[Unorthodox]

Well, there's a hole in the local market now. You could be the one to fill it. 

Realistically, if you were to look at it IMO: 

Craft store sector is not viable.  The margins were pretty low on supplies, this store was getting by on side activities of party supplies and niche crafted decor.  Covid killed the party supply side of things, and forced even the older generation to learn to rely on online shopping where they found alternatives to the decor. 

The Party supply store margins were tiny as well for much of it, and was getting by largely on being a unique balloon supplier, event rentals, and Halloween sales.  Covid cutting into event rental side of the business hurt.  The current helium shortage killed the balloon side.  Halloween has seen a tectonic shift the last 5 years I'll go into in a bit which kills this leg of the business. 

FX Supply: there was always a very limited market for the professional makeup.  Covid killing those events made attempting to pay rent for a show room through covid impossible.  See above about how covid accelerated online sales, local stores now have to compete online. 

My brother's music store was able to take advantage of the whole covid situation by increasing his online footprint as other stores struggled for instance.  Local only stores may be a thing of the past.


Now, the commercial halloween prop market has exploded in the last 5 years.  The creation of reasonably realistic affordable skeletons began the shift.  Various patents around their construction and the popularity of the model led to a huge consolidation of manufacturers.  There are probably only 5 manufacturers that matter anymore, and I'll be shocked if that isn't cut to 3 in the next 5 years.  It's to a point where you see more or less the same products in most stores with very little change.  While the manufacturing side consolidated, the retail side saw the meteoric rise of Home Depot as a major Halloween retailer.  They uniquely capitalized on their name brand and were able to leverage their free ship to store service for larger and larger props that focused on being better quality than other market options, signed exclusivity contracts with suppliers, leading to the now ubiquitous giant skeleton.  Absolutely brilliant marketing went along with this, with them engaging youtube personalities with sneak peaks and hosting parties online where they revealed that years props or pre-sale events showing cheesy horror movies on their website as countdowns leading up to these events.  Honestly, Spirit is in trouble with the prop sales, and better hope the costumes can keep them going.  They have the animatronics still, but they are being viewed as cheap and unreliable in the customer base.  They'll need to shift that perception rapidly if they are to survive.  (they do seem to realize this with GRIM, however, which is a notable exception to the rest of their prop lineup)

[Buster's Uncle]

I had to ASK for a flu shot at my doctor's last Fall, and got my crows vac at the pharmacy.

Mostly, I was being a decent human being, as I was more motivated to not be a disease vector than concerned about getting either.  I mean really; what the hell's wrong with people who don't?