I'm a Jungjägerin!!

On Friday I passed the third and final part of my Jägerprüfung and can now apply for my Jagdschein! I can now call myself a “Jungjägerin,” which in direct translation is “young hunter.” The German concept has nothing to do with age, but rather refers to someone who has passed her test and earned her first Jagdschein. She keeps this name for the first three years of having the Jagdschein. It’s not an official or legal term, just a title used among hunters.

a gift from my dear friend Hedda and the Glücksbringer
from my Falkner-Lehrprinz - a newly molted feather from
his Habicht (hawk), Frieda.

My first attempt at this three-day test was in early March. I did pass the written test and the oral-practical test, but I failed gun handling. My re-take was scheduled for May, but by then we were in full-blown Corona Virus mode and that test was cancelled.

The Waffenhandhabung & Schießen (gun-handling and shooting) test was at a Schießstand near Esslingen, and we – our Schießtrainer (RS), the four of us being tested and our spouses – all met there at 8:00. It was 11:30 before we were called up, so there was a lot of time to pace around being nervous. We all were, including our spouses, who didn’t let their nervousness show until we’d been called in! RS told story after story non-stop, and I knew he was trying to distract us from our nerves.

There were groups from several other Jagschulen there also, and one by one they emerged, some having passed and some having failed. The nice thing about being a non-native speaker is that I can easily block out what others are saying in German. If I’d heard how and why they failed (especially those who’d failed at gun handling), I would have been even more twisted up. I was never worried about the shooting disciplines because RS has been such a great teacher. He and another trainer at the Schießstand had helped us a lot (as in private lessons for several hours!) with gun handling also and we were all ready, but I already knew how quickly one can forget something and fail. The major mistakes are called “K.O.-Fehler,” “K.O.” meaning “knock-out.” An obvious example is if your booger hook is on the bang stick (finger is on the trigger) before you simulate a shot at a deer. To this day I keep my finger far away from ALL triggers, including on the gas pump when I’m picking up the nozzle to fill the tank.

I was the second of our group to be called up, and I entered the room where our six guns were lying on a table hoping I wouldn’t barf on the Prüfers (proctors’) shoes. There are two Prüfer: one gives me instructions while the other takes notes. Prüfer A said to me pleasantly, “So you are interested in hunting” but unfortunately I didn’t hear him well and had to ask him to repeat it. I then answered, “Actually in falconry, but that starts with hunting.” They indicated interest, and Prüfer A said, “Your native language isn’t German, is it?”  I said no, it’s English. He asked if I was able to do the whole test in German, and I affirmed that, adding that I never learned a thing about guns until I moved to Germany and only know the important terms in German.

Ok, so then off we went. Prüfer A wondered aloud which gun we should start with. The test requires that we train with four long guns, all different types, a pistol and a revolver. He said to me, “Should we go on a duck hunt?” Shit. I’ve practiced simulating shooting stationary land animals a lot, but seldom flying birds. I understood his question to mean “Are you planning on going duck hunting in the future” and started to answer, “Actually, I’d rather not. I will probably…” and then it dawned on me that he was politely starting the test. He chooses how we start, not I! So I recovered and said, “But if you say we’re going on a duck hunt, then we will!” 

To cut this short, all four of us passed the Waffenhandhabung (gun handling) with flying colors, to the extent that the Prüfer told RS when he picked up the guns that we were an impressive group - we didn't make a single mistake! We also all passed the three discplines of shooting (all artificial targets!):

1. Stationary buck at 100 m, seated, rifle resting on wooden brace (3 of 5 Treffer*)
2. Running boar at 50 m, standing freehand with rifle  (2 of 5 Treffer)
3. Running Kipphasen (rabbits) at 35 m, standing freehand with shotgun  (5 of 10 Treffer)

*A Treffer is a shot that counts based on the requirements for the test.

We toasted with a Schnäpsle (Ouzo, actually, because the restaurant at the Schießstand is Greek), profusely thanked our fabulous Schießtrainer, I sent a message to literally everyone I know who had wished me luck, and then M and I drove home as two Jungjäger!

Now just like M after he passed his Jägerprüfung in Saarland, RS lets me shoot a higher caliber with one of his guns! M took the photo above today, where I'm shooting at the running Keiler (boar) with the same type of gun I ordered for myself - a Heym SR-21, caliber .308 with a Schalldämpfer (suppressor).

Seriously, folks, this is something I could never have imagined myself doing - and enjoying! - even just a year ago! I genuinely look forward to our hours at the Schießstand, and now that I've passed my test the real learning begins. The goal is no longer to get enough Treffer to pass the test, but rather to learn to shoot well. Well enough, perhaps, to actually go hunting.

So tomorrow I will drive to Freudenstadt to apply for my Jagdschein, we will keep returning to the Schießstand, and also turn our focus at home to Falknerei, since our class starts in three months.

There is much yet to learn!

Update: I applied for my Jagdschein this morning (Monday) and M's was sitting on the clerk's desk (along with a bill for €200). She gave it to me so I was able to hand-deliver it to M on my way home! In about six weeks I should have mine as well.

Ami Gets Her Gun

If you've been following my blog for the past year+ you know that I have been pursuing my Jagdschein (German hunting license) so that I can then pursue my Falknerjagdschein (falconer's license). At the end of this post I'll include some links to earlier parts of this journey for those who want to catch up.

One important update since I last wrote is that M took his Jagdkurs (hunting class) in Saarland as Germany started slowly emerging from the Covid-19 lockdown and passed the whole test on his first go. He applied for his Jagdschein (hunting license) four weeks ago and we're hoping he'll have it sometime in August. If I pass my gun handling & shooting re-take at the end of this month, I'll be able to apply for mine as well.

near Nonnweiler, Saarland

I wanted to write today about our ongoing journey to become hunters and therefore gun owners here in Germany. If you know the previous version of me, you have some idea how absolutely absurd that sounds in my head. I was never a fan of guns and am still not. But I have learned a lot and have lost enough fear to legitimately look forward to our time at the Schießstand (shooting range) on Sundays and Wednesdays. Gun handling and shooting is now a skill I want to keep improving.

How does one go about getting a gun in Germany?

In order to be issued a Waffenbesitzkarte (gun license) in Germany I have to first earn a Jagdschein (hunting license). In order to earn a Jagdschein I have to pass the Jägerprüfung (hunting test). And before I can take the test I have to successfully complete a hunting class.

In order to register to take the Jägerprüfung (hunting test) I needed:

1. Proof of having successfully completed a Jagdkurs (hunting class - ca. 170 hours)
2. €350 (for the test - the class costs €2000 - €2500)

The prerequisites for getting a Jagdschein are:

1. Zeugnis (certificate showing I passed the hunting test)
2. Jagdhaftpflichtversicherung (liability insurance for hunters, €1 million minimum)
3. €€ and Passfoto
4. Extended background check (state does this behind the scenes)

In order to get a Waffenbesitzkarte (gun license) I need to prove or provide:

1. Zuverlässigkeit (responsibility / trustworthiness)
2. Persönliche Eignung (mental & physical aptitude)
3. Sachkunde (knowledge - proven by hunting test certificate)
4. Bedürfnis (need - proven by possession of a hunting license*)
   *other legitimate reasons: you are a sport shooter or work in security
5. Minimum of 18 years old
6. Another extended background check

In case that wasn't clear yet, in Germany you cannot buy a gun just because you want one or because you think you need to "protect your family" from some unknown threat. There is no second amendment in Germany and owning a gun is a privilege, not a right.

One of the things the Bundesverfassungsschutz (German FBI) checks for in the extended background check is that the applicant is not a Reichsbürger or connected to extremist groups.

M is using our Schießtrainer's Heym SR-21 (cal. .308).
This is the rifle I have ordered.

Since M passed his test and has applied for his Jagdschein and I am hopeful of following suit in two weeks, we have ordered two Büchsen (rifles) from the German company Heym. In my case that's a bit like ordering a car before you've passed your driver's test, but we've got a good trainer and I am confident.

In order to legally have guns in the house, we needed to first purchase a Waffenschrank (gun safe). There are strict regulations concerning the resistance grade of the safe, these laws having changed after the school shooting in Winnenden in 2009, in which a 17-year-old got access to his father's guns and killed 15 people.

Once I have my rifle, it must be stored when not in use in this safe and unloaded. Not under the bed, not behind the sofa, not in a closet. At home I can have it out (unloaded!) to clean it or to pack it into a Futteral (locked gun case) to take it to the Schießstand, the Büchsenmacher (gun smith) or to a hunt. It may never be loaded in the house, and it may not be loaded while transporting it in the car. If my Revier (hunting ground) is within walking distance of my house, I still may not load it until I reach the Revier. As our Schießtrainer explained it, our guns are for hunting only and the gun may only be loaded when I am actively engaged in a hunting-related activity.

Who's to know if we keep our gun behind the sofa or if they're loaded? The authorities can show up at any time to check how our guns are being stored. (In Germany there is a national gun registry.) They know how many and which guns we have, and if I show them the safe and one is missing, I have to answer for where it is. If only M has the Jagdschein and WBK, only he may know the combination. If the authorities show up to check and I open the safe for them without having a Jagdschein/WBK, we've broken the law. If they determine that we are not storing our guns according to the law, we do not get a slap on the wrist; we lose our hunting licenses, our gun licenses, and our guns.

I was recently asked by an American what M would do if an intruder broke into our house in the middle of the night while we were sleeping and his gun were handy. It wouldn't be. It would be unloaded in the locked safe in the basement. If we had to call the police because M shot an intruder in our house, during the investigation we would have to answer how one of us was able to get from our bedroom, through the single-story house past the intruder into the basement, unlock the gun safe, load the gun, return upstairs and shoot the guy before he decided he'd better leave.

M has been waiting so far four weeks for his Jagdschein. With the Jagdschein he can pick up the rifles we ordered (they should be ready at the end of August). Within two weeks of possessing the guns he needs to request that a WBK (gun license) be issued in which the rifles are registered. If I have my Jagdschein by then also, then I will request a WBK for myself. An aquaintance of ours has been waiting for his WBK for several months. Anything involving government agencies takes ages here, and Covid-19 has made things even worse.

For anyone who is still reading and would like to know what we ordered, my rifle will be a Heym standard repeating rifle, caliber .308 with a silencer* and a Leica scope.

M has ordered a Heym straight-bolt-action repeating rifle, caliber 8 x 57 IS also with silencer and scope.

*Silencers are legal in most states in Germany including Baden-Württemberg in the interest of hearing protection, but they have to be registered in our WBK.

"Deutlich Luft nach oben!" my Schießtrainer would say.
("Much room for improvement!")
50 meters, freehand, moving target

The Rehbock target isn't moving and I get much better results here.
100 meters, aufgelegt (resting on a brace)

We will continue to spend a good amount of time at the Schießstand before we ever consider actually going hunting with an experienced hunter because we want to be confident we can do this right and Waidgerecht. This thing that I was never against but certain I would never do (hunting) has become something I could consider doing. There is no meat that is more Bio than Wild, and I can imagine cooking (or rather helping M cook) meat from an animal I shot well and field-dressed myself can be a satisfying experience.

Roe buck and yearling season in B-W is
May 1st through January 31.

Previous Posts:
  Jagdschule Week 1 (hunting school)
  Jagdschule Week 2
  Jagdschule Week 3
  Jägerprüfung (hunting test)
  Jägerprüfung result
  First Treibjagd
  Second Treibjagd

Funnily, six years ago the previous anti-gun me wrote a blog post about the topic of guns in my home state of Wisconsin, USA. I know more about the German gun laws now than I did then, so I need to go back and correct a few things!

Buy Local!

Now more than ever it is so important to support small local family businesses in any way we can. The ones around us are doing what they can to make this "new normal" as manageable as possible for their customers, to keep us fed and to stay in business.

This is one of the things I have always loved about living here in southwestern Germany - the open air markets, the small butcher right in our village an 8-minute walk from home, the family bakery in the next village - also within walking distance though it's more of a commitment at 45 minutes, the Hofläden (farm shops), and our vegetable guy who parks his produce truck in front of our neighbors' house once a week.

I've written often about walking or driving to these little shops, some of them often enough that the propriaters and their employees knew me by name quite early on. Sometimes in the past, however, I've been lazy and just grabbed a pork tenderloin or bag of potatoes at the grocery store because I was there anyway. Not anymore. During this Covid-19 ordeal I have been avoiding the grocery store like the...uh...never mind. I will only go there for milk, juice, water and a few other minor items I can't get anywhere else.

Our butcher is open for regular hours despite Covid-19, but they have increased their delivery service and encourage customers to pre-order by phone. They offer a daily lunch deal as well, but now only to-go. There is a sign on the door asking customers to keep to only two in the store at one time, and they are enforcing it by politely asking the 3rd person who walks in to wait outside. They also have plexi-glass partitions now between the customers and the workers, as do most places.

Glory be, if there's anything to get happy about during this pandemic, it's that Spargelsaison has started! This means several trips over the next few months to the Spargelhof, which is also a Hofladen with fresh produce, noodles, homemade jams, candies, Schnaps and eggs. This is the place that supplies our local butcher with eggs, and that's where I usually buy them (why buy grocery store eggs when you can get farm fresh ones?!).

The photos are from a different time.

I went there Thursday morning (the day before Good Friday), and I have never seen it so packed. In order to only allow a limited number of people in their shop at any given time, they had a traffic light at the entrance! I did expect it to be busy, and I'm glad for them. Spargel season has just started, and everything is closed on Good Friday, Sunday and Easter Monday - so it's common for Swabians to do a whirlwind shopping tour on Thursday. Pretty much everyone is being cautious, keeping their distance, some wearing masks, many wearing gloves, but no damn Coronavirus is going to keep Germans from their Spargel!

To the left of the door in the photo above you might be able to just see the red light telling us all to sit tight and wait. That's not my cart, by the way - the woman in front of me parked it there while she dashed off to check out the strawberries. It was kind of funny when the light turned green. Each person went to the door and hesitated, wondering if s/he would make it through before it turned red again.

Then there's the Bäckerei in the next village. This has been a family bakery since 1890, and it is the only one around that I know of where the bread is made fresh daily rather than delivered frozen on trucks to be baked. They're closed on the big holidays, but they sell half-baked baguettes, pretzels and rolls that one can finish baking on the day they're needed. Perfect for these long weekends!

They have tables for guests to have a breakfast or coffee break, but due to Covid-19 that's currently a no-go. They sprang into action and have done everything they can think of to keep their customers supplied with bread, cakes and life-sustaining Butterbrezeln, despite not being able to allow customers to dine in. They've added an on-line shop where we can pre-order and pay online (no touching money - yay!), and then we can pick up our order there or they will deliver. The delivery service is new, as far as I know, and so important for the elderly who really need to stay indoors. They swing by sometime between 7:30-8:30 and leave your order on your front porch. You don't even have to get dressed! 

Ok, we're not elderly, but the delivery
only costs €2, so I gave it a try.

On weekends when you pre-order you can even just go to their back door and ring to pick it up rather than having to wait in line. I did that last weekend and it was brilliant!


On Tuesday evenings Mustafa, "our vegetable guy," parks his truck on our street for about a half hour. His produce isn't as local as the Hofladen because he loads up from the Großmarkt in Stuttgart, but it still feels better than the grocery store. I appreciate his service even more now that I really don't buy any produce at the supermarket. He also has peanuts in the shell, a special treat for M, as well as some dried fruits and eggs.

The situation here during the virus is that only one customer is in the truck at a time, which is fine since it's pretty narrow anyway. He also told me this week he has several older customers who put their basket outside their front door with a shopping list and money, he picks that up and collects what's on the list, puts the change back in the envelope and returns the basket to their front porch. He showed me a picture of one customer peeking through the door cracked open just a hair to thank him! He giggled at the cuteness.

I need to give a quick shout-out to the Kartoffelhof, which sells potatoes (of course) and several other products, including a potato salad that even I like. They also have boiled, peeled and vacuum-sealed potatoes for when I forget to boil the potatoes for Bratkartoffeln the day before. I don't have a great picture of the place, but they have recently added a vending machine, which I find fabulous! Now even if they're closed we can pick up some of their products including a bag of potatoes. Local potatoes rather than a plastic bag of taters that came from heaven knows where? It's worth the drive - and it's not far from the Spargelhof, so I often stop at both.

I'm not sure if they're doing anything special for the Covid-19 situation, but they probably don't have to other than limiting the number of people in the little shop. Germans love their potatoes, and the vending machine also cuts down on close contact.

Last but surely not least is our favorite restaurant! No one can dine in or outside, of course, so the Chefkoch got right on it and completely changed his business model to keep serving the delicious food he and his team prepare. He just published his Ostermenü, and Mama Mia!! We've signed up for Monday...

With just a phone call you can place your order for one of three options: to go, to car, or Lieferservice (delivery). "To car" means they will bring your order out to you so you don't even need to get out of your car. You tell them what time you will be there and your food will be ready. "To car" and the delivery service are new because of the virus, but they have always offered to go service for pick-up.

One last note, just before the Big V hit, we'd attended a Wein-Menü at Straub's Krone where Martin and his team prepared four delicious courses and the Winzer from a family winery from the Kaiserstuhl in Baden presented two types of wine for each course. We were suitably impressed with the selections and placed an order that was delivered during our second or third week of the Kontaktsperre (contact-ban). So we even filled up our wine cellar with near-local Bio beverages (also grape juice). That was good timing because if nothing else during this rotten virus, let's enjoy some good wine.

Cheers!

Do you have small local family businesses near you? What are they doing to make it through this?

Ten Popular Things

10 Popular Things I've Never Really Cared For

A college acquaintance of mine posted this listy thing on his social media page (albeit without explanations), and I thought it was an interesting topic to ponder. Nine were relatively easy to think of, but I had trouble coming up with a tenth. I don't do the tagging-other-people thing, but if you're a blogger and decide to give this a shot, let me know and I'll come and check out your list! Otherwise go ahead and put some of your answers in the comments.

So here we go. But first a Steinkauz to set the tone.

10. Sheboygan brats

You might have to be from Wisconsin to know these, but "brats" (short for "bratwurst" though they're nothing like German Bratwürste, which I also don't like much) are hugely popular there, especially at "brat frys," which are held pretty much every weekend somewhere from March or April through September.

9. Halloween

I don't like masks or costumes that include concealing the face. Masks worn for Covid-19 are a different ballgame - those aren't for stupid fun and silly games. I also don't think it's a good idea to have children beg for candy from stranger. Haunted houses, Halloween decorations, horror movies, costume parties...just none of it. Thank God it's only one day of the year.

8. Mystery novels

I know I'm missing lots of obvious hints as I'm reading and I want to know what those are to get the most out of the book. So generally I skip to the end after the first chapter to find out who did it. That defeats the purpose, obviously. I don't want to be tricked and misled by the writer while I'm reading a book.

7. Chicken soup

I actually don't like any broth soup. It doesn't matter whether I'm sick, or cold, or need comfort food - broth soup is just not for me. It also doesn't matter what's in it - noodles, chunks of chicken, corn, vegetables, all of the above... I like homemade cream soups and tomato soup, just not broth.

6. Gardening

There was a time, the first year or two after I moved to Germany, when I did sort of enjoy gardening, so "never" isn't exactly true. But lately it's just a chore to get over with. Weeding, planting, clipping, etc., aren't the worst chores I can imagine, but I'd rather wash windows.

5. Nutella

That is not chocolate, it's brown hazelnut spread. And even if it were chocolate, chocolate does not belong on my bread. It is an understatement to say I do not like the taste of hazelnut. Many a good ball of chocolate (such as in an Adventskalender) has been ruined for me by hazelnut filling. Blech.

4. Texting / WhatsApp

I'm a 10-finger typist. I need a keyboard. Those short message things are for me strictly for near-emergencies or short schedule notices ("Train delay, arrival now 13:35"). Even typing something like that takes me longer than it should because I have to keep correcting my mistakes. It first looks more like this: "Tfaun deöay, attival noe 133:35."

3. Winter & snow

My daughter's Golf after a Wisconsin snowstorm

I don't like being cold. I don't like being wet. Cold and wet is the worst, so being out in snow and winter is one of my least favorite things. When I was young (teenager and younger) I remember enjoying cross-country skiing - until I got cold and wet. I quite like southwestern German winters, though it does rain a lot. There's just not the layer of ice and snow one has in Wisconsin for months, making driving treacherous. It doesn't get very cold here, which is probably "thanks" to climate change.

2. Parades

This might come from my having to march in so many when I was a kid. Labor Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Homecoming... I was either in the school marching band pretending to play my flute because I never memorized more than the first 7 notes, or marching in my silly brown or green uniform with the Brownies or Girl Scouts waving at throngs of onlookers for what felt like a 25-mile hike on concrete. Spectating is even worse because of the crowds of people and screaming kids. No thanks.

1. Beer

I still remember my first beer - in Esslingen during the exchange when I was 17. I ordered it at some dance or party we were at because I could, and after my first gulp I choked back a gag and secretly wondered why the hell anyone would drink that willingly. I'm sure I tried to play it cool as I also later did in college, but that stuff is nasty. On a scorching hot day after some physical effort or exercise I can enjoy a Radler - beer mixed with Sprite or something similar - but otherwise, no.

No thanks.

In case this came across as too negative in these already trying times, here are ten things I like very much!

10. Corn on the cob
9.  Easter
8.  Historical novels
7.  Cream soups
6.  Cooking, and even more - assisting M (he's the better cook)
5.  Cream Cheese
4.  Writing long emails or hand-written letters
3.  Spring
2.  Solitary walks in the forest
1.  Grauburgunder (a dry white wine)

The New Normal

Living in the age of Corona Virus…

PSA: Stop ALL non-essential travel NOW. Your holiday is not worth risking your or others' health.

For me this is so far no big deal. I prefer to stay at home, we don’t have or want a social life, M and I value time we get to spend together, I have a pile of books to read, there's cheese in the fridge and the wine cellar is full. As long as things are going ok with M’s small company, our lives will proceed as usual and we'll enjoy our health and the peace and quiet as long as we can. I hope that you are staying healthy and taking care of yourself if you've fallen ill. Look out for each other.

M and I have been criticized and laughed at (all in good fun, I’m sure) by family & friends for living somewhat like hermits. We do not need the physical presence of people, idle small talk or personal contact. We embraced “social distancing” long before it became a thing.

Expats - especially from the US - have complained endlessly about Germans’ lack of respect for personal space. I have had shopping carts pushed into my bum while waiting in line (with no apology or “excuse me”), other people’s children standing so close to me if I’d taken a step back I would have knocked the kid/s down, and I have felt the stank breath of a guy behind me in line. Back the hell off, Jack Jakob!

Suddenly things are changing, and for the better if you ask me.

I was at Real (our local grocery store) today, and I saw some really fabulous things. Please, dear God, let this remain the new normal!

1. Signs at the entry instructing people to keep a 1,5-meter distance to others, especially at the check-out.
2. Signs near some products - like milk - urging people to be thoughtful of others and only buy their normal household amount.
3. Those grimy little triangular strip dividers we have to put between our items and the next person's items on the conveyor belt are GONE!! We now just have to leave a deliberate space between the items of the person in front of us and our stuff.
4. On the floor at each check-out lane is a strip of tape instructing people how far back to stand from the person in front of them.
5. The woman behind me got too eager for the cashier's comfort, put her items too close to mine and was standing close behind me to put her items on the conveyor belt. The cashier (she is my hero today!) told her to back up including pushing her items further back from mine.
6. Some shoppers are wearing rubber gloves (including the woman behind me in the check-out).
7. No one was standing in the aisles chit-chatting with each other casually (normally I have to slalom through the store around small groups who use the grocery store for their social time).

Short version at the Spätzle and Maultaschen shelf:
"Be fair and buy only what you normally need."

Tape lines showing Germans how much distance to keep
at the cash registers.

I had brought rubber gloves with me (the same one-use ones I’ve used until now for Aufbrechen – “field dressing”!), but I decided it wouldn’t make enough difference. I could avoid touching the shopping cart and door handles, but then the germs are on my gloves as I touch all the items I’m buying and will then put in my fridge. I just kept my hands away from my face and washed them twice when I got home. This is also nothing unusual for me – I always wash my hands when I return from being at the store, out in public, and especially after being on trains or buses. The fact that this is apparently such a new concept to so many confirms what I’ve always thought – that public places and everything we touch in them are filthy.

Handshakes are another thing. I happily shake the hand of the people I actually care about. But this whole shake-everyone's-hand-every-time-you-meet business drives me bonkers. People's hands are generally filthy. They're just got off the train or bus and touched door handles, poles, seats, the stop or door button, etc. I have taken care to avoid touching anything without a glove on, and now you want to shake my hand? I'm loving this unfortunately temporary ban on hand-shaking.

It's not that I'm a germaphobe or anti-social, but more because I'm an American (Midwesterner?) We greet people more removed than our closest friends and family with a distant wave, a fake smile, maybe a quick nod of the head. We don't even stop as we pass someone when we say hello, we just rush on to wherever we were going. We save handshaking for formal occasions like job interviews and meeting our fiancé's parents. Oh, and that "exchange of peace" thing in church, which is reason enough for me to avoid such gatherings.

I saw a meme the other day that falls under “sad but true”: Back in the 80s when we were all watching “Back to the Future” we thought by 2020 we’d have flying cars. Here we are teaching people how to wash their hands and be considerate of others.

Don't forget the positives:

1. The air over China has not been this clean since the industrial age.
2. The canals in Venice are crystal clear.
3. People are starting to pay attention to basic hygiene.
4. Life is slowing down for many of us, providing perhaps some time for reflection.

What positives have you found in all of this?