How to Clean and Disinfect for Covid-19

Surfaces

 If surfaces are dirty, they should be cleaned using a detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.

 For disinfection, diluted household bleach solutions, alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol, and most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective.

§ Diluted household bleach solutions can be used if appropriate for the surface. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for application and proper ventilation. Check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser. Unexpired household bleach will be effective against coronaviruses when properly diluted.

 Prepare a bleach solution by mixing:

§ 5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) bleach per gallon of water or

§ 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water

§ Products with EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens claims are expected to be effective against COVID-19 based on data for harder to kill viruses. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products (e.g., concentration, application method and contact time, etc.).

§ For soft (porous) surfaces such as carpeted floor, rugs, and drapes, remove visible contamination if present and clean with appropriate cleaners indicated for use on these surfaces. After cleaning:

§ If the items can be laundered, launder items in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions using the warmest appropriate water setting for the items and then dry items completely.

§ Otherwise, use products with the EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens claims that are suitable for porous surfaces

Linens, Clothing, and Other Items That Go in the Laundry

 Do not shake dirty laundry, this will minimize the possibility of dispersing virus through the air.

 Wash items as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If possible, launder items using the warmest appropriate water setting for the items and dry items completely. Dirty laundry that has been in contact with an ill person can be washed with other people’s items.

 Clean and disinfect hampers or other carts for transporting laundry according to guidance above for hard or soft surfaces.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Hand Hygiene

 Cleaning staff should wear disposable gloves and gowns for all tasks in the cleaning process, including handling trash.

§ Gloves and gowns should be compatible with the disinfectant products being used.

§ Additional PPE might be required based on the cleaning/disinfectant products being used and whether there is a risk of splash.

§ Gloves and gowns should be removed carefully to avoid contamination of the wearer and the surrounding area. Be sure to clean hands after removing gloves.

§ Gloves should be removed after cleaning a room or area occupied by ill persons. Clean hands immediately after gloves are removed.

 Cleaning staff should immediately report breaches in PPE (e.g., tear in gloves) or any potential exposures to their supervisor.

 Cleaning staff and others should clean hands often, including immediately after removing gloves and after contact with an ill person, by washing hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available and hands are not visibly dirty, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60%-95% alcohol may be used. However, if hands are visibly dirty, always wash hands with soap and water.

 Follow normal preventive actions while at work and home, including cleaning hands and avoiding touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.

 Additional key times to clean hands include:

§ After blowing one’s nose, coughing, or sneezing

§ After using the restroom

§ Before eating or preparing food

§ After contact with animals or pets

§ Before and after providing routine care for another person who needs assistance (e.g., a child)

With Friends Like This...

I worked at a women’s clothing store that carried Plus sizes up to 3x. We had some steady customers who were just difficult, and thought we would never notice that they were ‘renting’ clothes and would return them used. These women would search and hunt through the discounted racks, often trying to match several items that they had carried in. I could plainly see that the clothes that they had brought in still had on price tags that were well worn and blurred from body sweat: and without a doubt they would return that over-used piece of clothing and expect to be reimbursed full price.

A pair of them came in, one tall, plus sized overbearing woman who played the return used clothing game and the other one was quiet, petite and also plus sized. Sadly the second woman was barely 5 feet tall and none of the clothes were scaled for her height and fit poorly.

At the checkout counter the overbearing woman gave me a hard time about sales, returns, discounts, and more, just exhausting. But when I turned my attention to her short friend and made suggestions on possibly having custom made some basic slacks, then altering some blouses off the racks, if her budget would allow. Then I went on to kindly tell her that she deserved pretty clothes that looked well on her and hoped that my suggestions would work. I sympathized with her that fashion stores simply ignored all woman built like her, and tried to encourage her that she could look wonderful without being that mythical perfect size 8.

She had tears running down her face, and I kept searching for more kind, encouraging words for her. While I was speaking to her I became very aware that her alleged friend, that large plus-sized, difficult and conniving customer resented that I was paying so much attention to her friend. She was rude to me and a bully to the one who was crying, which made me be even kinder. That short woman deserved so much more, being petite and very overweight is not a crime, just a sad lifelong struggle with her weight, and of course, suffering with a phony and bullying friend who was morbidly obese herself, and certainly had no cause to mock anyone with a weight problem!

Telephone SCAM ALERTS!!

There are so many deceptive and even threatening phone scams and many otherwise smart people have caved into these high pressured and even threatening scam artists.

u And don't be polite: Hang Up on Them!! They are thieves!

The following have scams I have received in ONE month!

FIRST Scam:

I am sure everyone has received the robo calls for your car warranty. I actually answered n played along until they asked my name and I replied, "YOU called me! If you have my warranty information surely you SHOULD have my name and all car info!

u One poor guy who answered said that 'he gets paid minimal wage to do this.'

u I felt bad for him but still hung up.

But the following have been so intimidating n could have cost real money.

SECOND Scam:

I just happened to be there when my friend received a very aggressive call allegedly from JCP&L demanding his account numbers, and personal information as he had a $130 credit due him.

I took the phone, caller confirmed he was from JCP&L n insisted that I must answer all his questions and GIVE them all the account numbers!

I hung up--THEY called back angry that I did so!

Finally I demanded that he say my name, "Since you called me regarding my account, you must know my name...What Is My Name!"

The next day I reported the numbers to JCP&L n asked if they would check my friend's account as he did give out his numbers

THIRD Scam:

Social Security called me about alleged criminal activity on my account and am now being investigated by the Federal Marshall's office and the DEA!! Wow something about my account being connected with terrorists!!

Woke me up!! I was urged to call an 866 number immediately!

I am pretty sure if all that was happening; a SWAT team would have showed up at my home first!

I reported it to Social Security, a simple online form.

FOURTH and FIFTH Scams:

Both Microsoft and Apple called alerting me that "my computer called them." Seriously!! I'm going to assume they would insist on a very expensive repair or warranty issue and let them have all my personal info and credit card numbers too!

My reply was to laugh and ask "Which one called?" I then rattled on about all my equipment plus iPhones and iPads. Caller stammered and I hung up.

These callers are so aggressive, demanding and threatening. The JCP&L caller almost scammed my friend for his information. He is elderly and not as sharp as he once was. He later told me he had received another similar call and followed my advice to simply hang up: which he did. Whew!

Millions of dollars are reported scammed every year, don't be intimidated by high pressure salesmen or be embarrassed if you have lost money, be aware and report it n maybe help close these jerks. Yes, it's like cutting off the heads of the mythical Hydra, but you just can't assume someone else will do it and it's not your fight.

Mean Bosses Suck!

Many eons ago, before Desktop Publishing was a glimmer of hope on the horizon, we artist labored over drafting tables, bright lights, galleys of typesetting outputted on film drying off a ledge, hours in real darkrooms creating or enhancing photos (no Photoshop yet), all of these things were carefully sliced apart with single-edged razors, exactor knives often balanced against T-squares. I actually had a slightly calloused middle finger from the way I held a single edge razor:  and I was like a surgeon with a blade, and deadlines were pretty intense.

We had a smart mouth manager, who just loved to insult us, our skills, time spent on jobs, and of course any errors AND what they cost. Loudly in front of our coworkers, long drawn out details, just belaboring the issue—all with a mean goofy grin. He even loved to stand under the open stairwell and listen in on our conversations—NOT even embarrassed when we caught him!

And one afternoon it was my turn to be lectured and he just wouldn’t let it go. My desk was alongside that open stairwell, and as he was slowly walking down those stairs, repeating the criticism and letting the sarcasm just linger in the air.

No worry, I was ready.

Barely taking my eyes off my work on the drafting table, holding a single edged blade in my hand, I slowly turned to stare at him and stated, “You really shouldn’t piss off a woman who really ENJOYS playing with razor blades.” And I held his gaze until HE became uncomfortable and his smirk left, then he slowly turned and made his way down the stairs. The squint and anger in my eyes must have spoke volumes because he kept looking back at me without another word.

Later, that day or soon afterwards, I gave a direct demand to both the owner and that jerky manager: No longer should any of us tolerate either of them ripping us in front of the entire staff. It is wrong. “I do not want an audience when either of you are criticizing my work and I sure as hell did not want to be the audience for someone else! “

They mumbled somewhat, kinda discussed it, then that jerk made comments for several days later, but I held my own! We were ALL DONE with his sarcasm, even mocking our children and their health! Seriously, he had the fucking nerve to gossip about a coworker’s daughter’s emotional health, accused her of drug use and worse. That teenage girl was also the owner’s niece.

Moral: There will always be jerks in your life, stand up to them, sometimes you will win and sometimes you may be fired. Damned if I will be a doormat for mean people and their insecurities.

Bullies: Narcissistcs from Hell

What Is Bullying

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems. 

In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:

An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.

Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.

Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

Types of Bullying

There are three types of bullying:

Verbal bullying is saying or writing mean things. Verbal bullying includes:

Teasing

Name-calling

Inappropriate sexual comments

Taunting

Threatening to cause harm

Social bullying, sometimes referred to as relational bullying, involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships. Social bullying includes:

Leaving someone out on purpose

Telling other children not to be friends with someone

Spreading rumors about someone

Embarrassing someone in public

Physical bullying involves hurting a person’s body or possessions. Physical bullying includes:

Hitting/kicking/pinching

Spitting, Tripping / pushing

Taking or breaking someone’s things

Making mean or rude hand gestures

Where and When Bullying Happens

Bullying can occur during or after school or in the school building and classroom, a significant percentage also happens in places like on the playground or the bus. It can also happen travelling to or from school, in the youth’s neighborhood, or on the Internet.

https://www.stopbullying.gov/what-is-bullying/index.html

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Although this website suggested a few comeback lines, I truly disagree with any. The bully wants ANY attention, anything to fuel their destructive and narcissist for ANY kind of attention. But I will include some below and truthfully no snappy comeback ever worked!

Some great comeback lines against bullies are:

Whatever!

Do you feel better now?

If you're talking about me behind my back, clearly my life is a lot more interesting than yours is!

Let’s move on!

Here we go again. This is boring. Let me know when you’re done.

I've been called worse from better.

Wow, did you come up with that all by yourself?

Pardon me, but you seem to think that I care

Your Rights Against Bullies

NO MATTER, you deserve to feel safe. Everyone has the right to live in a safe and violence free atmosphere both at home and at school.

https://www.stompoutbullying.org/get-help/about-bullying-and-cyberbullying/are-you-being-bullied

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students who bully are lacking the skills they would need to attain status and attention in adaptive ways—skills like emotion regulation, self-regulation, communication skills, and social thinking. As a result, they seek status and attention in ways that prove harmful to others. Yes, bullies would like to avoid detention and suspension, and they would if they could. But detention and suspension don’t teach skills; the bully returns with no more skills than she had when she left, and so cannot behave any differently.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/changeable/201904/different-take-how-stop-bullying

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1. Acknowledge that it's OK to feel bad.

Bullying is a form of mental abuse. In fact, it's a violation of your human rights. It's completely normal for you to feel bad about it. Nobody likes to be mocked or treated with disrespect, so it's absolutely natural for you to feel hurt by it.

2. Remember that it's not about you.

It's about them. People who bully do it because they believe it makes them feel better. Somehow, they have got it into their head that by making others feel bad, they can feel better themselves. Basically, it's a reflection of their insecurities, not your shortcomings. Perhaps they are threatened by you and want to make you feel more insecure. Other times they are afraid of the kind of change you're causing, and they try to stop it by taking you down. Whatever the scenario, bullying is never the right way to resolve it, and it's never justifiable. Mature adult conversations, on the other hand, are.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-path-passionate-happiness/201806/what-adult-bullying-does-you-and-how-overcome-it

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Preventing Bullying and Child Abuse

Who are the Bullies

At some time or another, we all have encountered a mean kid who says something that hurts our feelings.  Is that kid a bully?  Well it depends.

      A bully doesn’t know when to stop.  He or she hurts someone over and over again and knows he or she is inflicting pain on another.  A bully intends to hurt another and has usually established a pattern of hurtful behavior. A bully can be big or small, a boy or a girl, have good or bad grades in school and can be older or younger than you.

 However, there are some things that most bullies have in common. :

      like to have power and control over others

      think they should always win

      think they should always get what they want

      intend to humiliate others

      lack empathy

      are very comfortable with their behavior and feel pretty good about themselves

https://capsli.org/parents/bully-prevention-center/about-bullying/the-bullies/

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When Bullies Grow Up

That is the very sad part, unless they have a life changing epiphany, they become just mean, sad and often controlling adults and parents. Their need to control everyone in their sphere, from family to coworkers, neighbors or the poor salesclerk at the local stores will never cease. They will die as angry and bitter as they lived, never attaining what they so desperately crave: Love, acceptance, peace.

Just Sad.

Pop Songs of Wisdom to Get You Through the Crazy Days

Sometimes we are just faced with crazy situations ya just can’t back out of easily, that ya just can’t win: Unhappy tenants; irrational co-workers; and things that just go wrong…like backing up to another car in the parking lot. It’s life. We’ve all been there. So sometimes I hum these tunes in my head, get a laugh, get through, move on. Hope you find some humor here too.

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Paul Simon wrote “One Man’s Ceiling is Another Man’s Floor.” I’ve suffered with Music Bullies myself, and very loud and amorous neighbors. (Yeah, just get up and hide in the kitchen until they’re quiet.)
Here are the lyrics:

"There’s been some hard feelings here 
About some words that were said 
Been some hard feelings here 
And what is more 
... 
It’s just apartment house rules 
So all you ‘partment house fools
 Remember: one man’s ceiling Is another man’s floor 
One man’s ceiling Is another man’s floor 

And there’s an alley In the back of my building 
Where some people congregate in shame" 

(and now that we have security cams on that alleyway, that has no longer happens. Yippee!)

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"I'm Alright" written by Phil Vassar. 

This one popped into my head after some interminable drama made everyone miserable. These lyrics made my day sooo much easier!

"I'm alright and nobody worry 'bout me 
Why you got to gimme a fight, can't you just let it be? 
I'm alright don't nobody worry 'bout me 
You got to gimme a fight, why don't you just let me be? … 

Gotta catch you later, no, no, cannonball it right away 
Some Cinderella kid 
Get it up and get you a job"

(Last line is really good advice for people with way too much time on their hands to complain about every last little hangnail!)

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Can’t leave out Billy Joel belting out “My Life”

"Got a call from an old friend 
We used to be real close 
Said he couldn't go on the American way 
Closed the shop, sold the house 
Bought a ticket to the West Coast 
Now he gives them a stand-up routine in L.A. 

I don't need you to worry for me cause I'm alright
I don't want you to tell me it's time to come home
I don't care what you say anymore, this is my life 
Go ahead with your own life and leave me alone 
I never said you had to offer me a second chance 
I never said I was a victim of circumstance
I still belong, don't get me wrong 
And you can speak you mind But not on my time"

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"Dead Skunk" by Loudon Wainwright III

In my younger days, the singer at the old RE's Plum in Bogota, NJ would belt this song out and the crowd would sing the chorus. It's just a song to make you laugh! Enjoy it.

"Crossing the highway late last night

He shoulda looked left and he shoulda looked right
He didn't see the station wagon car
The skunk got squashed and there you are

You got your dead skunk in the middle of the road
Dead skunk in the middle of the road
Dead skunk in the middle of the road
Stinking to high heaven"

When life gets too stressful, just play this one LOUD!

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And this song has gotten me, and so many others, through the toughest days.

“Amazing Grace” 

"Amazing grace! How sweet the sound 
That saved a wretch like me! 
I once was lost, but now am found; 
Was blind, but now I see. 
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, 
And grace my fears relieved; 
How precious did that grace appear 
The hour I first believed. 
Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; 
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
 And grace will lead me home. 
The Lord has promised good to me, 
His Word my hope secures; 
He will my Shield and Portion be, 
As long as life endures. 
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail, 
And mortal life shall cease, 
I shall possess, within the veil, A life of joy and peace. 
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, 
The sun forbear to shine; 
But God, who called me here below, Will be forever mine. 
When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, 
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun"

No, I DON’T Want to Get High!?!

Can’t make this stuff up. Oh, and forgive the double-negative in the heading.

Let describe the scene: It is the dumpster enclosure, pictured above. Oversized with room for dumpster and cans of recyclables that are collected weekly.

I have discovered the remains of ‘picnic lunches’ eaten inside: Someone sat on the plastic milk crate and enjoyed a private meal of MacDonald’s take-out. They also left scattered on the ground ketchup packets, French fries and the bags the gourmet meal came in. Wow! The ambience they must have enjoyed.

And I suspect that sometimes people have hidden inside to escape from police.

But I digress:

A tenant called me, alerting me that there was a women sitting inside the dumpster enclosure. I flew down the stairs to investigate.

I passed one of our manly tenants (big guy) and said: “Please don’t move!”

In case I screamed, he would be a good backup.

I discovered behind the dumpster, in the alley between the buildings, three women sitting on the grass, shaded by the dumpster fence, a large transformer and an overgrown bush.

Not my first choice if I was looking for a shady nook to relax with my girlfriends: NEXT TO A DUMPSTER?! Were you guys raised by wolves?

Strange Lady, upon seeing me staring at them: “Oh, it was so hot on the beach, we thought we would cool off here.”

Me thinking: There’s a million billion gallons of nice cool salt water in that ocean, did you try that?

Strange Lady, reached out her pipe and asked: “Do you want a hit?”

It was a FRIGGING Hash Pipe.

Me: “NO! I don’t want to get high!” and stared at them.

At that, they calmly stood up and left.

WT heck?

So sorry I had not grab my cell phone on the way downstairs, local guys in blue could’ve used an easy bust and good laugh.

Big guy in parking was stunned, but had a good laugh.

Shared this story with everyone, including Facebook.

This is why I write this blog, we all need the laugh.

Prospective Tenants: A Bit Ballsy & a Tad Twitchy

‘Twas just after dinner, a pair of tenants knocked at the door and we waved them in. As they stepped forward, I spied a couple turning the corner on the stairs, looking through our door, then yank it open and boldly walked thru: without knocking or even attempting to look at me through the door as if to ask, “if it was ok to walk in.”
The first couple turned around, looked at them, looked at us: clearly, they didn’t know them. I stepped past them, blocked the rude couple and stated: “People KNOCK before just walking into my home.”
Rude Dude, without apology or explanation of why they just walked in stated: “We want to look at a model apartment.”
Me: “We don’t have any models or empties to show you, we are fully occupied.”
Rude Dude, with attitude stated: “Your sign outside says, ‘Vacancy.’ ”
Me, thinking: Oh you are such a lying idiot! I wrote, designed and ordered those signs on the side of the building! The word ‘VACANCY’ DOES NOT EXIST. The sign is a standard “For Rent” with the apartments’ description and contact information.
Me: “Excuse you, it says ‘For Rent’ and we do not have any vacancies. (nor EVER will have one for you two.)
Then I got a good look at them: Well dressed, uptown clothes, pressed, good haircuts; however, wife was a little disheveled and a bit twitchy.
Twitchy is exactly how crack-heads move, even when they are standing still. Sadly, I have seen a few over the years and they are NOT welcomed here.
I didn’t offer them an application, and firmly bid them farewell.
We all got a good look at their car, a late model Lincoln Towncar!? Are you Kidding ME?! They were looking for a summer rental, a room for the night or simply a place to get high?
The really great tenants that were standing in the living room when all this began, got a taste of some of the crazies that I deal with, and how quickly I weed out undesirable prospective neighbors. They did commend me and we had a good laugh. Whew!
Hey, these apartments are our homes and we all enjoy our little “Peace of Heaven” on the Jersey Shore. Big Smiles.

Murphy’s Law and the Domino Effect

Most women, when they learn that they will have the home to themselves for a few hours, don’t always dream of luxurious bubble baths, some of us think, “Great! I can get the cleaning done without anyone underfoot!"

I had hopes of not just vacuuming and straightening up, but of scrubbing the kitchen cabinets.

Exciting, I know!!

But, this is stuff that actually needs to be done every now and then, and it is easier to do with no one underfoot.

Murphy’s Law

Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

1. Emptied all the trash
2. Gathered up the bags
3. Stuffed them into the larger kitchen trash bag
4. Carried kitchen trash out the front door onto the deck

Domino Effect

• Crap! On the deck, oozing out from the trash bag, a large smelly pool of goo.
• Look back through front door…trail of goo on carpet, trail of goo on kitchen floor.
• Run to grab another trash bag to stuff first leaky bag into
• Fill a pitcher of water and suds, and grab a broom to wash goo off deck. Pray that NO ONE is walking under the deck boards as they will get an unwanted shower.
• Exam the trail thru living room and kitchen.
• Pull out carpet shampooer and floor steamer.

It was like slow moving dominos toppling: My easy morning slipped away and was replaced by some damn hard work! Unfair!

When shampooing a rug, you just can’t do one dirty section: the entire rug must be done. And the “Domino Effect” worked its way down the hall and into the bedroom.

Hours later, the place looked and smelled great, but as I was sitting in my clean kitchen, the kitchen cabinets were laughing at me and demanding, “When was their turn for a thorough cleaning?”

Ha! Not anytime soon.

Formidable Gladiator-Style Hub Caps

We drove into Manhattan a few weeks ago and we were working our way through the cross-streets to the East Side. Traffic was heavy, but moving.

Then I spotted these coming at me. By the time I grabbed the cell phone and flipped to camera, the truck had passed, but these rear-view shots are still impressive.

I gotta ask, Are Those Spikes Street Legal?!

Yikes! Worthy of Mel Gibson’s Mad Max movies or a Roman chariot race.