Coping during Covid

[Ellener]

How are you coping during the pandemic, emotionally and practically?

 

[peaceminusone]

2 hours ago, Ellener said:

How are you coping during the pandemic, emotionally and practically?

 

I'm not in a relationship or have to put up with any particular partner drama, so from that p.o.v my emotions are stable lol 
I am slightly anxious about how things will unfold after the lock-down ends in my city and I might have to wait a while before I can go back to office job. As I'm in the education sector. 
 

Other than that, thankful to have my own living place, pets and good food to eat. 

How about you?

[Ellener]

1 hour ago, peaceminusone said:

I'm not in a relationship or have to put up with any particular partner drama, so from that p.o.v my emotions are stable lol 
I am slightly anxious about how things will unfold after the lock-down ends in my city and I might have to wait a while before I can go back to office job. As I'm in the education sector. 
 

Other than that, thankful to have my own living place, pets and good food to eat. 

How about you?

My living situation has fallen apart, so trying to fix that and to get some income going.

One of my customers just suggested an open air concert soon, thinking about the logistics of that, nice idea.

Yesterday was a bad day so today I reached out to some friends and colleagues and looked into my stimulus check ( coming friday ) and got word some outstanding invoices are being paid.

So feeling a bit better.

1 hour ago, peaceminusone said:

put up with any particular partner drama

I hate drama unless there's a stage curtain 😄

[peaceminusone]

21 minutes ago, Ellener said:

My living situation has fallen apart, so trying to fix that and to get some income going.

One of my customers just suggested an open air concert soon, thinking about the logistics of that, nice idea.

Yesterday was a bad day so today I reached out to some friends and colleagues and looked into my stimulus check ( coming friday ) and got word some outstanding invoices are being paid.

So feeling a bit better.

I hate drama unless there's a stage curtain 😄

Open Air concert , does sound awesome. 

Kinda reminds me, how some people want to arrange drive thru cinemas in my city again 


Ah yes, money is a terrible goddess and we are its hungry slaves. 

[Ellener]

4 hours ago, peaceminusone said:

money is a terrible goddess and we are its hungry slaves. 

I have never been motivated much by money ( I know, wrong country! ) 

 

 

[nittygritty]

4 minutes ago, Ellener said:

I have never been motivated much by money ( I know, wrong country! ) 

 

 

If you were suddenly not receiving any money nor anything from the government, you would likely be more motivated to get some.

[Ellener]

1 hour ago, nittygritty said:

If you were suddenly not receiving any money nor anything from the government, you would likely be more motivated to get some.

I always keep a reserve, being self-employed, but I'll be honest I don't like collecting benefits, I'd way rather work.

Maybe I can find a way.

[Foxhall]

Practically- Income is down but thats not a big issue. restrictions while I may complain, they are lessening ones chances of getting the virus so that is good.

Emotionally- am more of an introvert really so its not bothering me that much in one sense being cut off from people,

that could be another thread- (are lockdowns affecting extroverts more)

I am missing not seeing girlfriend though and am struggling a bit mentally with a 2km travel from houses restriction that is currently imposed-

that last thing is annoying me but reasonably ok otherwise.

[preraph]

Yes, extroverts have got to be going nuts but they're probably locked up with someone, which would be my worst nightmare. 

I guess I'm mostly introvert just because it's stressful to me to be too long around someone visiting or that sort of thing. I have to have my solitude to really relax.

 

But I'm enough in the middle but I also really miss the brief bursts of socializing. It's a good thing there's Love shack. This takes care of a lot of that. I am tired of ordering groceries and cooking and I'm not getting as much work done because of that. I'm used to eating out more and that's my entertainment even though I usually go alone. 

 

I'm really worried about how many of my favorite restaurants will pull through this. my only close good Tex-Mex cheap restaurant closed down as soon as this started it hasn't even been doing takeout orders. 

 

my favorite restaurants are nowhere near here and are places I drive quite a ways to go to so I can't do that for pick up because it's too far. 

 

I just feel really lucky that I've had work so far because of my work can go away on a normal basis and I was a little behind because it has been light leading up to this. I'm also lucky because my little bitty morning job that is an office job pays me to be on call and I really work so few hours but I get paid on call. And I know this is got to be hard on him because he is not a big company he was so nice and called me last week because I have been working at home which is always been kind of an option but I always try to go in some and make an appearance. but I had told him even before they lock down the old folks that I wasn't coming in because we had this kind of viral woman who works there and is always care less when she's sick. 

 

but anyway he called last week just to touch base and tell me not to worry about anything that the company would pull through and no worries. he's not very busy so there's very little to do now but I'm still getting paid that little pittance that I get for being on call so I am indeed lucky. 

 

And then I've had a bunch of typing work from my work I do at home. It's certainly not high-dollar work because it's kind of hard and I can't get through it fast enough to make a big profit at it especially with cooking all the time, but it will keep me afloat and I also have social security income. 

 

So I'm lucky but I am starting to get stir crazy. I'm really going to be mad if I can't go swimming at the casino hotel this spring or summer. one of the first things they did was close pools down. I'm not sure why because I haven't heard anyone explain it. There is one place pretty close to home I could go but it's usually crowded. 

 

I decided when I start going back out to the restaurant switch may open in a week, as long as they're open all afternoon, I have the luxury of being able to go when there wouldn't be anyone there mid afternoon. 

 

So yeah I'm ready for a change. But I'm staying busy.

 

 

[lana-banana]

I have nothing to complain about. We have our jobs, our health, each other, and now two absolutely gorgeous little kittens that have completely stolen our hearts.

But, yeah, it's a struggle mentally. Some of our best friends have lost their jobs. My sister is a nurse at a COVID-19 ward in her city. My friend's husband is a resident serving COVID-19 patients. My artist friends went from being some of the city's most popular event planners to panicking about their next meals. I miss seeing my parents. Government incompetence, malice, and ignorance has killed tens of thousands of people and f-cked over millions more. I go to bed and my mind spins with anger at friends who have lost relatives, people who are losing businesses, all the pain and suffering that never had to happen. When I hear about "health care heroes" and "we salute you" I want to vomit. My sister didn't sign up to be a "hero", she never signed up to do her job without proper medical equipment. We would never send somebody off into battle without so much as a vest but that's what we're doing and the president says we're whiners if we complain. Meanwhile states have to literally fight the federal government just for the supplies we need. All the bullsh-t talk about sacrifice and heroism is just to distract us from how needless it all is. It never needed to happen. This is negligence and all of it was completely avoidable.

My life is great but none of it seems to matter when so many people are hurting and there's so little we can do. I'm involved in local politics, I pay for neighbors' groceries, I deliver homemade meals no questions asked to people who say they want it. But it doesn't feel like anywhere near enough. We need affordable health care, not casseroles.

I haven't been sleeping well.

[preraph]

Aw, cute kitties will cheer you up.

[gaius]

I'm still working, which requires travel throughout a few of the southern states. I wear my mask when in close proximity to people and wash my hands whenever I can but I'm not fully in control of whether I catch it so don't think about it beyond checking for a temperature occasionally. What will be will be. 

A lot of facilities I visit now won't let you in without a temperature check and I've always been normal so far.

At this point it's fairly clear the lockdown is a bit of a joke and the virus isn't going anywhere anytime soon. So acceptance of the fact that some high risk people I care about will stay at risk for a while is setting in. Timshel and I know someone in a nursing home nearby that we visit occasionally, just hoping for the best that they stay unaffected there. 

[Ellener]

3 hours ago, Foxhall said:

2km travel from houses restriction

Wow, really. Does seem a bit much. 

[Ellener]

1 hour ago, gaius said:

Timshel and I know someone in a nursing home nearby that we visit occasionally, just hoping for the best that they stay unaffected there. 

All my seniors are good so far, and their carers. I can't wait to get back.

[Ellener]

@gaius one of my 96 year old friends called a few days ago and said 'no visitors, no activities, alone in my room- I love it!' She's a card!!

[CloudyHead]

I had posted on a thread about my lack of motivation.  I never thought I was a social person but I do miss my family, eating out and interactions with others.  And, I'm heartbroken for my daughter.  She's a senior in high school.  She missed her junior prom last year because my mother passed away and now she will probably not have a senior prom.  She's missing the usual senior activities - senior walk, awards ceremony, beach weekend and there may not even be a graduation ceremony.  

[Ellener]

1 hour ago, CloudyHead said:

I had posted on a thread about my lack of motivation.  I never thought I was a social person but I do miss my family, eating out and interactions with others.  And, I'm heartbroken for my daughter.  She's a senior in high school.  She missed her junior prom last year because my mother passed away and now she will probably not have a senior prom.  She's missing the usual senior activities - senior walk, awards ceremony, beach weekend and there may not even be a graduation ceremony.  

Is she upset?

I thought my son would be, he graduates university this month, but he's pretty laid-back about it all. 

[Curious-Sam]

I have found the lock down weirdly beneficial. Obviously the situation for the wider world isn't good and I know many people have been negatively impacted and lost loved ones. But if there is a silver lining to come out of it I have found the enforced lock down has allowed me time to slow down, relax, center. While I struggled with the restrictions at first - now I have personally begun to find it very peaceful and almost like an enforced doctors prescribed rest period.

I'm blessed to be able to work remotely so still able to be productive but as I am no longer rushing around in my free time with many other tasks to complete and social obligations I've found stress levels are much lower. I heard someone famous say (not sure if it was the Dalai lama or someone like that) the difference between a prison and a meditation retreat is only your perspective. I've been trying to channel that mindset.

Edited April 23, 2020 by Curious-Sam

[CloudyHead]

5 hours ago, Ellener said:

Is she upset?

I thought my son would be, he graduates university this month, but he's pretty laid-back about it all. 

Yes, she is upset.  She has close friends who were at my house every week, often spending the night, and that has stopped (I miss those kids too).  The seniors participate in a senior walk wherein they wear their caps and gowns and walk through all schools in the county to see former teachers.  Baseball season and other sports were cancelled so we've missed kids playing their last year of sports.  I actually have a graduation party planned in June with a caterer and such but it's on hold at the moment.  And the prom - she is very upset.  We bought a dress in February and it's altered and ready for her to wear.  She's attending college in the fall but all events for orientation have been cancelled.  

[Ollie180]

11 hours ago, preraph said:

Yes, extroverts have got to be going nuts but they're probably locked up with someone,

Not when said housemate goes back to their parents home for lockdown 😭😭😂

[Ellener]

5 hours ago, CloudyHead said:

Yes, she is upset. 

I'm sorry.

[preraph]

Aw, poor Ollie.

[schlumpy]

I broke isolation Tuesday and Wednesday.

I went to Sam's Club to stock up. They actually had toilet paper on the shelf. Lots of cakes, cookies and pies available but lettuce was in short supply. I had hoped to get some Johnson's Bratwurst but there was none to be had. Maybe something to do with Smithfield being shut down. Picked up some packaged smoked porkchops and sliced beef to make up for no Brats and a three pound chuck roast for the slow cooker.

Load up the car, unload the car, put things away, dispose of gloves and took a nap.

Wednesday I went to Target for some things. They still had some Easter candy available. Restocked my supply of dried pineapple. Got some Fancy feast for the cats.

Stopped at Krogers for some Folgers tea bag coffee then on to Giant Eagle.

Giant Eagle is back to normal as far as selection goes. Mild cheddar cheese seems in great demand right now.

I'm all stocked up and should make it into May before I attempt another sortie.

I have to say that except for the lack of traffic, things seem pretty normal. No one seems spooked or paranoid. Lots of people without masks or gloves.

I did notice that the bike shop was open. In my selfish opinion (IMSO) if the bike shop is considered essential then so are the music stores. Some one doesn't have their priorities right!

Everyone button up.

 

[preraph]

14 hours ago, Ellener said:

@gaius one of my 96 year old friends called a few days ago and said 'no visitors, no activities, alone in my room- I love it!' She's a card!!

This would be the only time you could actually send her sweets and the rest of the nursing home inmates wouldn't come steal them.  Man, I had a hard time keeping my dad in sweets.  I wasn't there often as I lived out of state, but if they saw a visitor coming, several of them would follow you and just take whatever you brought.   I never understood why rooms weren't keyed so people couldn't wander in randomly like that.  It's not safe.  Rapes even happen. 

[preraph]

I went to the local Braum's ice cream store.  For those of you not from Oklahoma or Texas, they're a small freestanding store that is part ice cream parlor with also burgers and breakfast and then half a grocery store with very nice fresh goods.  It's all very small and not crowded (now that it's pickup only) and it's a great place to pick up what they carry, but of course, they carry no paper goods, just fresh produce, fresh meat, and a lot of dairy and bread and chips, ice cream novelties and ice cream of all sorts.  Anyway, it was quick and clean in and out.  I got chip dip, a new thing of colby cheese, my favorite finger cheese, because when I ordered it for delivery they substituted a giant package that already had mold.  I cut it up into portions and froze it and that ruined it for me, but not for my dog, so she's got that to look forward to.  Meanwhile, I got myself some fresh.  

 

I also picked up bacon, which I've not bought in months, and had a bacon and lettuce sandwich for breakfast and saved a cooked piece for later on a club sandwich.  And the main reason I went is they're the only place I can find my chocolate peanut clusters I like to keep on hand right now.  Winco has them in bulk, but they had to shut the bulk bins down because of the virus.  Walgreen just hasn't had them listed lately.  And See's, my very favorite, just got back up and running after being closed for a month the first time in their 100-year history.  But that's as well, because it would cost a fortune to have them shipped.  I got enough to last awhile.  I've been making do with Peanut M&Ms, but pretty sure they're worse for me.  

 

Everything was stocked at Braum's and I wasn't there super early.  Their produce looked so good I kind of wish I'd just gone ahead and gotten it there and cancelled the Walmart order I placed this morning.  At least I know if they Walmart doesn't fill it, they have baby romaine and avacados and everything I need for the avacado Caesar dressing except anchovies, which are preferable, but I made it without the first time and it was very good.  Doesn't keep forever, though, I guess.  Was good to get out of the house.