Corona - what does help you? Your fears, thoughts, everything

[Penthesilea]

Hi BetterMostians,

I thought this topic is so important nowadays, it deserves its own thread.
You can share your experiences, your thoughts and fears on the whole mess. Tips are also highly welcome: what keeps you sane while in (more or less) lockdown?

[Penthesilea]

I'll go first: since yesterday I live under (limited) curfew. The curfew is for my county and the neighboring counties, it's not for whole Germany.

We're still allowed to leave the house for work, grocery shopping, doctor visits and going for walks alone or with members of the same household.

The nursery I work at has been closed for a week now and will remain closed for at least another four weeks. Last Friday, I had to go in for one day and suddenly realized how much I like going to work, how much I like my coworkers, how much the social contacts at work are part of my life. There were only six of us and the boss sent three back home shortly after they arrived, but we three staying had a great day together, each sitting in a different room but the doors between open and we moved our tables in the line of sight of each other. Lovely. We had lots of fun.


One thing that really keeps me sane is going for long walks with my dog. I live in a small village in a rural area; I'm out in the fields and woods within five minutes from my house. I'm thankful for that.

Another plus is of course not living alone, but being part of a family in the same household. My girls are back from university, daughter's BF is mostly here, so we're six people, a dog and a kitty. Not so lonely now.

I've also started some serious spring cleaning  

[Front-Ranger]

That was a lovely story about your threesome at work, Chrissi. We are truly learning to value our interactions with our fellow human beings.

My daughter and I were going to cook together for a little party on her birthday March 12. I gathered corned beef, cabbage, eggs, butter, potatoes and broccoli. But she was too ill to have the party, so we postponed it. We didn’t know at that time that the party would have to be postponed for a long time. Everyone is now quarantined because of the corona virus. Her housewarming party and grandson’s birthday party are also postponed indefinitely.

[Front-Ranger]

Recently tested positive: the mayor of Vail, Colorado; Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky; Plácido Domingo.

[CellarDweller]

Hello.

New numbers for my state of NJ.   We are now up to 4,402 positive cases, and 61 deaths.

My county in NJ (Essex) just announced they are opening a drive-thru testing area.

I've been working from home for the past 14 days (that includes weekends for the day count, but I don't work weekends) and before the panic shopping started, I had managed to get to the grocery store and bought what I needed, so I'm ok, as is my family.

My middle brother (Michael) is a Lt. in  the police force, so as a first responder, he has to be at work.

[CellarDweller]

LOL!!

You have to see this 30 second video!

It's a video of a priest from Italy, who is live streaming his service via Facebook Live, due to CoronaVirus.

The issue?  He unknowingly had filters on at the time.  As he talks, confetti falls, he suddenly had a headband and lifts weights, even at one point gets glasses and a fedora.

He has no clue, and just keeps on preaching.   

[Front-Ranger]

Here in Colorado, we now have more than 1,086 cases, and 19 deaths. The cases are growing rapidly now, and there is a "stay at home" order issued by the governor for the entire state. 

Governor Polis said he has been checking transportation records as well as data from the phone companies that indicate who is moving about and how well they are distancing themselves, and he has concluded that efforts thus far are not enough to give him a comfort level that lives can be saved.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Governor Polis said he has been checking transportation records as well as data from the phone companies that indicate who is moving about and how well they are distancing themselves, and he has concluded that efforts thus far are not enough to give him a comfort level that lives can be saved.

Wait. Your governor is tracking the movements of the citizens of Colorado? 

[Jeff Wrangler]

I will be working at home until April 30 (unless things change), and already I feel it's not going well. I've reached a point in my life and my job where it's already difficult enough to stay focused in the office, and it's even more difficult to stay focused at home and honestly put in the seven hours I need to put in.

I have no problems accessing the company network in order to do my regular work, but meetings are now problematic. There are certain technologies involved that I never learned because in the usual course of my work I don't need them. Yesterday for an hour I was in a situation where someone was trying to use one technology I don't know to teach me another technology I don't know. I wish I had brought more office supplies home with me, and it's inconvenient not to be able to print some things. I get along fine with my coworkers, but I don't miss them. They're "work friends," not "friend friends." It's the "friend friends" I will miss seeing this weekend.

I'm having trouble falling asleep, which is sort of funny because I just started a new medication for my neuralgia, and my doctor told me to take it at bedtime because it would make me drowsy. Well, guess what? 

My dad is a constant worry more so than usual because the trains aren't running. I have not tried to look into a one-way car rental to get to his place.

[brianr]

My dad is a constant worry more so than usual because the trains aren't running. I have not tried to look into a one-way car rental to get to his place.

We are not allowed to travel anywhere except to supermarket, chemist, pharmacy and for  fuel. Although the whole country went into lockdown at midnight last night, they have extended travel for 48 hours to allow people eg university students trying to get home. The airports and the ferry terminal between the islands was chaos.  We have to form 'bubbles' but I am a bubble of only 1. The only 'bubbles' allowed between homes is where essential service workers may need grandparents to look after children (all schools etc are closed) or where separated parents have shared access to their children.
I have had 3 phone calls over the 2 days, friends I would not usually talk to on the phone but go walking with or meet for coffee. I am not a phone person. One of my friends wanted to have us drive separately to a forestry reserve about 30 km away and walk 2 metres apart but that is not allowed, we must walk in our local area. Fortunately I have a reserve nearby with a steep path along a stream so I will go there tomorrow. I can keep busy in the garden and today I have done 2 stints of about 1 and half to 2 hours but then my back aches and I need to come in for a coffee and a lie down. I think I have enough supplies until next Monday. Milk might be the problem. I do not like long life milk but do have several packs of soy milk. My skype with my sister in Sydney is longer than usual. Usually only 15 to 20 minutes each morning but has been nearer 30 the last 2 days. That is my biggest worry. I always thought I was just 4 to 5 hours by plane away and could organise to get there in 24 hours if necessary.