pinging in my nose

Hey!
Anyone else been feeling that?

"Feeling what, sunshine?"

The sharp impact of something landing inside the nasal cavity.

"Beg pardon?
Did a gnat get inside your nose?"

No, that is a completely different sensation.
It doesn't feel nearly as sharp and pointy as what I'm talking about.

"So, you're saying some imaginary assailant is besieging your sinuses?"

Not at all.
My sinus cavity is not affected by this, just my nostril.
Well, just my nostril thus far.

"I see.
And which nostril would that be?"

The left one.

"Only the left one?"

Yes, only the one on the left.
Plus, it's always the same location that feels the ping.

"And that would be..."

About midway along the inside of the surface facing out.
It's right above the flare of that nostril, but on the inside.

"Okay, that seems to be very specific."

I know, that's what has really caught my attention.
If it had just occurred once, then it would have been a one-and-done odd sensation.
However, I've experienced it on multiple occasions in the past three months.

"So, you're serious about this "pinging in the nose" thing.
When did you first notice it?"

I was at Planet Fitness, on the treadmill.
You know, at the start of my program there.
And I'm bopping along, dancing on the machine, when suddenly...
PING!
A sharp pain, like something with needles had crashed onto the surface.
That was probably the 8th of March.

"The 8th of March?
How can you be so sure after all this time?"

Well, like I said, I was on the treadmill and dancing.
I made a note in my journal about being so happy that Elton had finally been successful in getting the volume restored to its correct level, so I could clearly hear the music.
That was a good evening for me!

"And was anyone around you at the time?"

Nope, I was alone on that entire row of machines.
Others were in the gym, but the closest was at least thirty feet away.
None of them were facing me at the time.
Believe me, I looked around when I got the ping.
No one anywhere near.

"Still, couldn't it have happened some other day when you were there?
You know, like some date closer to the "Shelter At Home" order?"

Well, that order was effective on March 24th.
The purple Planet had been closed four days at that time.
The cinemas had their last day on March 16th.
I know, because that was the last "almost Tina Tuesday" the panda and I had before all this.
We had dined at El Potro, then popped over to the Wynnsong for the latest Vin Diesel.
Good times, made even better by being shared!
Neither of us truly thought this pandemic would have taken such a toll.
To date, the USA has more than 40 million unemployed, making this an economic crisis of incredible magnitude.
The hospitality industry - from the cinema ushers to the cinema owners, restaurant managers all the way to the busboys, hotel and motel and resort personnel, anyone associated with the vacation and tourism in this country - has been hit very hard.
Friday, AAA made the news because, for the first time in twenty years, it did not issue a travel advisory for Memorial Day weekend.
That's because folks aren't going anywhere of any distance.
That's why gasoline was been at $1.75 per gallon, or less, for well over a month.
As of yesterday afternoon, the United States has 1,595,885 people who have been infected by this novel coronavirus.
We will most likely break the two million cases threshold by week's end.
Worse, though, is the impact COVID-19 has had on the death rate in this country.
To date, in the USA alone, almost 100,000 people are dead.
Almost thirty thousand of those deaths have been in New York state.
Yesterday marked the first time since March that New York state had less than 100 deaths per day.
Let me rephrase that.
New York has had more than 100 people die of COVID-19, per day, since March.
For many days in April, it was common for them to have at least 1000 daily deaths.
Italy's sadness of March repeated here.
So much sadness, all over the world.
Sigh.

"So much sadness."

Yes, and it'll only get worse.
The northern states are still a bit cold, but every state in the US that has ocean, lake, or river beaches has them wide open this weekend.
Every state with a park, be it national or state or city in type, has that park open for folks to enjoy the sunshine of a holiday weekend.
In fact, except for bars, nightclubs, and entertainment venues, all businesses in this country are open for revenue - I mean, people - to come on in.
Sure, folks are advised to wear face coverings...
but I was one of a handful, outside store staff, who was doing so.
At least the prior social distancing has given the hospitals and medical community time to arm up for the onslaught of new cases in two weeks.

"And the pinging in your nose?
Is that happening when you have your face covered?"

Not yet and I hope that my face covering continues to provide shelter from that.
Knowing that static forces do well to trap particulate matter, including sticky little barbs like the SARS-CoV-2 clusters, I have taken one of my synthetic kitchen towels to make my latest creation.
Like the one before, this one has a GM 8511 respirator secured inside.
I made it for that birthday62 trip to the bookmine.
It's lighter in weight than the earlier mask, so that is good.
Plus, the seashell design is calming.
I also spray the respirator with lavender, so that is calming, too.
I'm so glad that idea popped into my head...
i thank You, God!

"I'm so happy for you... and for me, too!
Now, then, tell me more about this pinging.
You think it's the the virus cluster making contact, don't you?"

I do.
What else could it be?
This isn't something which has happened to me before its existence.
My guess is that spot in my left nostril has a sensor that is being set off.
I have to wonder if the protein component of the SARS-CoV-2 might have a high concentration of sulfur-containing amino acids.
After all, Mama was allergic to sulfur and I am allergic to strawberries, which have a thioester as their aroma and taste factor.
I don't know.
I have not read about anyone else experiencing this.

"And where are you having it happen?"

Well, sometimes in my house, when I've just brought in groceries and such.
Not in the actual stores, of course, since I have my face covered.
And once in a while, my nostril gets pinged outside.
In every case, I'm just standing there and ...
PING!!!
Fortunately, it doesn't happen daily.
I think I would lose my mind if it became a more regular occurrance.

"I gotta agree with you on that assessment.
You'd most definitely lose your mind, taking me right along with you."

You betcha, sweetness.
(smile)

"Yeah.
Right back atcha."

Okay, I have church to go view.
Asbury Memorial is honoring the military and the graduates today and I want to see that.
Then, I'll be venturing out to Hinesville for a cookout.
So, later!
Try to behave yerself!

"You, too...
and don't forget your face covering.
You might actually need to gas up the car for the first time in over two months."

Thanks for the reminder, dear!