On December 2nd of last year I started watching my granddaughter for three days a week.  In February, I reduced my work week by another day so that I could start creating inventory for a summer farmer's market.  I have been social distancing for a few months now.  The new increased levels of distancing aren't really effecting me much.  I am still seeing the same few faces on a regular basis as these people have essential jobs which means I am essential (for baby care) as well.  

I have also been a military spouse and that gives you a preparedness for most anything.  I have also lived with a grounded Jacob, that too, gives you a preparedness for most anything else.

I have already checked off items on my to do list that I would be doing now.  But I still have so many projects I would like to finish or give up on entirely.  There are books to read and shows to binge on.  I have recipes to make and sewing projects to finish after 50 years.  And in a month or so, I will have flowers to plant and gardens to grow.  It will be okay for me.  And I believe that it will be okay for the rest of us as well.  

Let people grieve for what they are losing because these are moments we will not get back.   Let the seniors mourn the loss of those last precious days of ruling the school.  Of getting out early and for a few moments, not having a care.  If you are the class of 2019 or older, you know what I am talking about.  Those were the finest days of freedom and after 13 years of learning, they are well deserved.  Don't diminish the graduates sadness and pain.  It is real and valid.

Let people grieve the missed concerts and performances.  The ones they bought tickets to see and more so, the ones that they will not get to perform.  Those opportunities may not come again.  In  the world of the arts, I imagine it is a lot of talent and a lot more luck to reach a stage.  And even if it is the stage at the local bar, let them grieve this lost opportunity.

The games not played, the Olympics not competed in, the races not run are all real hurts that we should not make light of.  For so many people, not even going to the gym is a real hardship.  Be kind when they express worry about getting lethargic or find it hard to be motivated alone at home.  

I am disappointed that The Broadway Series has been postponed and probably cancelled.  I want to see the new movies in the theater with kettle korn and a giant coca cola.  I wanted to watch my son stick a nail in his nose on a stage.  Yeah, I can see all these things in my living room, and I will, I just wanted the stage, the screen, to hear the moans as he licked the nail off.  

So, be kind and let people express their sorrow.  It is real.  It should be acknowledged.  

I started listening to NPR in mid February when Italy was just getting it.  I listened too much.  By the beginning of March, I had made myself so anxious.  I was having crazy dreams.  I was wondering if it would anyone would call bullshit on me if I started praying again.  I did, so didn't.  I wanted to stock up on toilet paper and bottled water and convince my kids to hunker down in the spare places in our home.  I thought about the emergency kit I had in SoCal in case of earthquakes and wondered why I never made one here for tornadoes and coronaviruses.  I needed a good old fashioned "snap out of it" slap.  

I got back on the loom.  I put in Disney movies and the baby kept coming (her parents are both still working essentially).  And I calmed my shit down.  I bought a reasonable amount of groceries, except for malt balls and chocolate stars, there is no reasonable amount of those.  I bought Costco amounts of diapers because they had a box in stock and I called it good.  

And here we are, truly in the first week of it as everyone has returned from spring break, the non essentials are closed and the case and fatality numbers are rising.  I am taking it seriously, and I think that I always have.  I am sheltering in place except for the two days I work.  I am wiping down door knobs, light switches and phone screens.  I have been washing hands since December 2nd.  I am of relative good health and believe that I would survive an infection.  I don't care to find out though.  

So what to do for the next month to six months, because we don't really know how long we need to be sheltered in place, be grateful.  I have not been grateful enough in this life.  Be productive.  I plan to take care of all those little projects that have been laying around taking up space and joy.  An if the project remains when we are free to roam the street again, I am throwing it out!   I have been sending out postcards.  I have been cleaning out closets.  I have been, as of today, going on walks.  And as soon as the yard waste trucks come by, I will be in the yard.  I will celebrate every little bud that pushes through and every bird that has survived the winter and is creating a home in my yard.  I will make more rugs the world has floors for and hope that people will buy them, someday.

I hope that the tourism board in Venice, Italy decides that they are going to continue to take care of their city and curb tourism.  They are going to see the value of clean waters and let their city find a healthier way to share its beauty and warmth.  I hope China finds a way to keep the air pollution levels lower as it has been during their quarantine.  Maybe they need to start saying no to making the junk of the world.  That may close a factory or two.  And in that vein, the world needs to stop buying the junk of the world.  In America, hospitals and medical facilities need to look at purchasing from American businesses so that in the event of another crisis like this one, there can be a quicker response (based off the interview I listened to on NPR).  Americans need to learn the difference between being prepared and panic.  When kids move out of the house, parents should gift them with a thermometer.  We cannot stop a virus from spreading, but we absolutely can have a god damned thermometer in our house.  

When we are set free again, let us celebrate with our newfound kindness and gratitude.  Let us find those small businesses that worked so hard to survive.  Let us return to Farmer's Markets and playgrounds and ball fields.  Let us remember our neighbors names and continue to yell hello from the back of the decks. Let us not forget how wonderful our teachers and schools are.  Let us contiune to treat our store clerks with appreciation.  Let us continue to cover our mouths and wash our hands and remember to take care of ourselves. 

We are better together, six feet apart!

Covid19, Panic and Keeping it Together

So, this is the first time I think most of us have experienced something like this.  We were nervous with SARS and H1N1 and we absolutely lost our shit with Ebola, but this, this is different.  We are expected to be alone, no gatherings, no out to eats, no St. Patrick's Day parades.  And if we aren't panicking, then we are frustrated or irritated or some other unpleasantry.
I way over read.  I listened to NPR like I was an intellect.  I knew too much.  I now know as little as possible.  And I feel better.  I have sworn myself off of Yahoo news.  I might watch the evening news, but probably not because M*A*S*H is on at the same time on another channel and, well, I can deal with that war.
I understand why people want to hoard.  It is something they can do in a time where they feel like they can do nothing.  I don't know why toilet paper was the hoard of choice.  I don't know why people weren't buying up chocolate and beer, but suit yourself, it's your two months. And in regards to the hoarding of toilet paper and hand sanitizer, I hope no retailer accepts returns of these products and other pandemic related items.
I am concerned for the economy.  For the small businesses that won't rebound.  For the retail and restaurant employees that are out of jobs for weeks and maybe months.  Honestly, for my own little business that doesn't really make any money, but that people won't come back out to craft shows and farmer's markets, that people will be afraid to buy their wants just in case.  I hope that companies with a little breathing room in their budget will help out the people and businesses that don't.
But at the same time, maybe the world needs a month off to get their houses cleaned and check books balanced.  Maybe this is a good opportunity for some businesses to figure out some of their issues.  Airlines could review the limited social distancing in airplanes and spread those seats out a bit.  They could also look at their customer service record and fix that up a little.  TSA will have less screenings to do so they could reorganize the area a little better so people weren't on top of each other while putting lap tops in bins and taking off their shoes.  Companies could repair their parking lots and facades.
I am not social distancing any more than usual.  I am usually home, only working two days a week now, so my schedule is really unchanged.  I don't have to struggle with child care for the next month or longer.  I don't have anyone with compromised immunity in my home.  I have no planned vacation to cancel.  The weather is warming up so I will be able to go outside, if only in my yard.
Facebook, though great at sharing dog photos and recipes, has become decisive over this virus.  Like we aren't in the middle of an election year, and we needed something else to argue about.  Anyway, there is a lot of good information out there that is great to share, but also remember that anyone can make a post or a meme with any information that they want.  The spread of false information is such a shitty thing to do.  It takes an extra 20 seconds to verify if your facts or opinions are factual.  And if you overhear someone say "I heard..." don't repeat it.  Remember that there are some people, even on your friend list, that are scared, or feel anxious or irrational.  There are some that are far from home or from their loved ones or their paycheck and they are afraid.  Be aware of that when you tell people to stop overreacting or that this will blow over.  Tornadoes blow over but can also fuck shit up.
And while on the subject of Facebook, the doomsday biblical posts aren't helping.
This seems like the perfect time to figure out what is important, focus on that.  Try a few new recipes.  Read a book.  Check off a few to dos on the list.  Appreciate who you are social distancing with.  Binge a comedy.  Oh, and be kind to everyone.