Maria and I got back from our excursion to the Bronx Zoo late this morning, we had the most wonderful time. My daughter Emma and Robin joined us for most of the visit, and that was a lovely and nourishing experience, I much enjoyed it.

The Penguins were adorable, and I’ll write about them a bit more this afternoon. They remind me of Labrador Retrievers in many ways, genial, funny, affectionate.

I have some work to do first.

It was a gorgeous day in the Bronx, the zoo had a good crowd, and I loved seeing all of the different colors and hearing all of the different languages, New York City is such a feast. And such a resilient place.

Robin and I did some sweet bonding, as you can see.

Emma says Robin is strong-willed and resilient, and self-assured, she says she got those genes from me, which I take as a compliment. We do seem to connect on several levels.

All-day, I didn’t hear the coronavirus mentioned once. I learned this morning from reading about bacteria that sanity wipes and anti-bacteria soap doesn’t help much with a virus, which is what the coronavirus is.

It’s not a panacea. The virus is very serious and should be taken seriously. It is not Armageddon, our world is not coming to an end, and every older person does not need to go into a hole and hide.

Neither do most masks, unleased they are sealed and expensive.

New York is a tough and durable place, I love the spirit there. There were lots of anti-bacterial soaps around, no panic or confusion. We all chose life.

I am taken aback by the awful and confusing information behind handed out about this virus, including in many of the absolutely loopy messages I have gotten. Sometimes the online world is just a cesspool of hysteria and grievance.

I have just as much chance of getting this virus going to the post office or getting coffee as I do going to the zoo. More actually, because the zoo is on 265 acres and we were out in the open air.

And if I get it, I am confident there is good and overwhelmingly effective treatment available, even for 72-year-old people with heart disease.

I am disheartened to see and learn that almost everything I have been told about the virus is garbage or speculation or panic. My best unsought advice: Listen to the doctors, not the politicians.

It’s a good idea to use anti-bacterial wipes and lotions, it doesn’t hurt to be healthy.

But the specialists are still figuring out just what this virus is, where it came from, and how to stop it. As an older person with underlying conditions, I will avoid long trips in busses or planes or other crowded spaces for awhile.

I will stay out of nursing homes and rehab facilities where there are large numbers of very sick and elderly people.

And if I feel as if I am getting sick, I will get to a doctor right away. By the end of this week, they will all have testing kits available to them.

There was absolutely no reason to cancel my trip to the zoo, and there is nor reason yet for me to stay indoors until summer. Good Lord.

I will continue to do my work, and be vigilant and thoughtful. And you know what? It will be fine.

This seems so much bigger than our political leaders’ ability to cope with it, we will just have to see what happens and figure it out for ourselves to some degree.

My doctor says I absolutely should work at the Mansion or Bishop Maginn this week, and so does the Mansion and Bishop Maginn.

They both pointed out that the risk if there is any, will be mine more than theirs.

I continue to take the virus seriously, I will learn about it, but not be panicked or overwhelmed by it.

We had a great time. I am glad I didn’t sit at home and fret.

Penguins are great,  the visit was a great Valentine’s Day gift. We even visited Maria’s Hissing Cockroach from Madagascar.

I want to focus on in the penguins later. Maria and I are doing a podcast first.