OtherWise

Locked down due to Covid, confined to the house, drinking multiple cups of coffee, my waking hours are dominated by boredom and inactivity.

Sleeping is another matter. As my physical boundaries have narrowed, my dreams have taken on whole new dimensions. During one extended sequence, I was visiting a watery paradise of islands and beaches and waves, following some time in the mountains, green and endless-seeming.

After the tropics, I was again back in the mountains, only now there was snow everywhere, quite beautiful in appearance.

As I navigated my way through these imaginary environments, there was nothing palpably dangerous or threatening for once — I seemed at ease no matter where I found myself, although I was definitely aware that I was lost and trying to find my way back to basecamp.

Nothing unpleasant, just a contentment with the world around me. But this drifting feeling when asleep is in sharp contrast to my actual physical life, which contains no movement and no change of venue.

As we process the test results as they come in, I have no indication when “real life” will resume. Until then I guess I’m hoping that my dream life at night will continue to compensate for the cabin fever of my days.

TODAY’s NEWS:

• Machine in the Garden — We now occupy a nearly natureless world, and it’s having a profound effect on what it means to be human. (Atlantic)

• U.S. Says Russia Sent Saboteurs Into Ukraine to Create Pretext for Invasion (NYT)

• Why Ukraine’s Turkish-made drone became a flashpoint in tensions with Russia (WP)

• Ukraine cyber attack ‘part of Russian playbook’, says top US diplomat (Financial Times)

• Fear of Russia Brings New Purpose and Unity to NATO, Once Again (NYT)

• Headed to disaster? US, Russia harden stances in talks (AP)

• U.S. Considers Backing an Insurgency if Russia Invades Ukraine (NYT)

• Over 1-meter tsunami observed in Japan (NHK)

• Google mandates weekly COVID-19 tests for people entering U.S. offices (Reuters)

• Walensky faces CDC burnout as pandemic enters third year (Politico)

• From voting rights to vaccines, Biden experiences the limits of his office — and the fragility of his presidency (WP)

• U.S. grocery shortages deepen as pandemic dries supplies (Reuters)

• Covid created 20 new ‘pandemic billionaires’ in Asia, says Oxfam (Guardian)

• Expect more worrisome variants after omicron, scientists say (AP)

• The Pain of Online School Remains, Even When Kids Are in Classrooms (WSJ)

• No Shots, No Day Care: Parents of Kids Under 5 Stuck in Grueling Limbo (NYT)

• Trump officials interfered with the 2020 census beyond cutting it short, email shows (NPR)

• Tech Giants Weave an Undersea Web of Power — Google, Amazon, Meta and Microsoft increasingly dominate the internet’s critical fiber-optic infrastructure. (WSJ)

• DirecTV says it will sever ties with far-right network One America News (WP)

• DirecTV loss could cripple rightwing One America News (Reuters)

• Scientists in disbelief over discovery of world's largest fish-breeding area

  Researchers estimate 60 million icefish are hanging out in one ocean region of Antarctica. (CNET)

• Koalas are getting harder to find. Scientists are on a quest to uncover a hidden population. (WP)

• There is life after addiction. Most people recover — America is facing a deadly drug epidemic, but there is hope. Research shows 75% of people with addiction survive and go on to live full lives, especially if they get good treatment. (NPR)

• Wings In Basket From 3 Chickens Who Were Friends (The Onion)