PLAIN ENGLISH
Maureen N. Maratita
For those of you reading this outside of Guam, and especially outside of the islands, this is a time of change, but in a good way.
As I write, 75% of our population is vaccinated, and therefore quarantine is due to be lifted July 4.
On July 21, we can expect 100% occupancy and the cap lifted on social gatherings, according to Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, who seems confident we will reach 80% of vaccination (or even beyond), and official herd immunity.
The non-profits in Guam have already begun announcing dates for galas.
The fall months look busy. …
My husband and I attended our first fundraiser at the end of June. It was full.
And it was a pleasure to be present at the first in-person Chamber lunch since February 2020.
That was full too. …
The governor said at the June 24 Economic Forum that she will still encourage people to wear masks, especially in crowds.
I know we are not out of the woods, but oh, how nice it will be to be out of the masks.
Some of you reading this will apparently also be dealing with the dilemma of masking or not masking, since about 57% of U.S. citizens say they will still wear masks.
(Though you would never know it from what my friends who have visited the U.S. mainland tell me.) …
Come to think of it, the forum was full too.
This is not surprising. Those restaurants that have been able to make dine-in work have been full too.
But our restaurants had a tendency to get full pre-pandemic. …
I will be most glad to see masks go when there are speeches to be made.
Not everybody can use a mic efficiently, not everybody has a voice that carries, and some masks muffle the best of speakers.
At some events, those at the mic have been taking their masks off to speak, for which I truly thank them, and so do their audiences. …
And now for something different, the internet — the gift that goes on giving. Imagine an email that goes out on one of those government lists that has just about everybody on it.
An email that really should not be shared.
The sender realized and politely withdrew it.
A whole bunch of people acknowledged, and “Replied all.”
Then another bunch of people got upset. Can we please stop replying all, they said (with exclamation marks and in capital letters, but … replying all. …
I also was copied on an email from a relative, who lives in the Northern Marianas (and is apparently working hard). Yes, it was auto-fill at work.
I replied. “Glad to hear from you. The Maratita’s in Guam are well,” I added. …
Lastly, a big thanks to Alan Torrado, event coordinator and design consultant. You may know him from his role in parties in Guam.
Alan is our guest consultant for the Real Estate Journal features on interiors and is lending us his talents and ideas through the summer. I hope you enjoy his expertise. …
— Maureen N. Maratita is the publisher at Glimpses Media. Publications at Glimpses Media include the Marianas Business Journal, MBJ Life, The Real Estate Journal, Guam Business Magazine, Beach Road Magazine, Buenas and Drive Guam.
