OT - Well wishes

[Scooter]

Since there have only been a couple of posts in the last few
days, I thought I'd post some random thoughts during this
stressful time.

Hoping everyone is staying well.

It's nice to see so many people walking and riding bikes in
our neighborhood. Some with kids, some with dogs. Some folks
with dogs actually had bags to pick up after their dogs.

We paid an amazing $1.15 per gal. for gas last week.

I was able to get my hair cut last Friday. Very happy about
that.

I'm trying to figure out how to repot a large spineless
prickly pear cactus without getting inpaled by its tiny,
almost invisible stickers, also known as "Satan's Spawn."

We've watched lots of old movies recently. Fred Astair and
Ginger Rogers are still so amazing to watch. "Brewster
McCloud" (1970) was sooooo politically incorrect. Bette Davis
and Henry Fonda in "Jezebel" showed how they dealt with a
yellow fever epidemic in 1852 New Orleans. Wow...

Two of our neighbors are RNs. Truly amazing ladies. I pray
they stay healthy. (You, too, Annie.)

Scooter

[Brenda M]

Scooter,

Thank you for sharing.

Honestly, Iately I feel terrible guilt. Remember in “Titanic” when Kathy Bates was safe on the lifeboat and could still hear the people screaming on the ship?

That’s how I feel.

I am so grateful that I get to make a great living working from home doing what I love. I am in the best place - financially, emotionally, spiritually, professionally - than I have ever been.

But I know that most of the world is suffering terribly. So it’s like I’m happy one minute and riddled with survivor guilt the next.

This all still feels like a bizarre nightmare.
Will it ever feel real?

Bren

[Kristen Cladek]

Post by Brenda M
Scooter,
Thank you for sharing.
Honestly, Iately I feel terrible guilt. Remember in “Titanic” when Kathy Bates was safe on the lifeboat and could still hear the people screaming on the ship?
That’s how I feel.
I am so grateful that I get to make a great living working from home doing what I love. I am in the best place - financially, emotionally, spiritually, professionally - than I have ever been.
But I know that most of the world is suffering terribly. So it’s like I’m happy one minute and riddled with survivor guilt the next.
This all still feels like a bizarre nightmare.
Will it ever feel real?
Bren

I'm glad someone said it. I'm in the weirdest position of limbo lately. I haven't worked a normal day of work since St. Patrick's day when NJ mandated the closure of all adult day programs. I've started picking up some shifts to help out at my agency's group homes, but its all very surreal. It's very intense being there because I always have to be on guard, but on the other hand feels somewhat safe? It's odd.

On one hand, it's really nice to not be working and only doing little bits of stuff online every day, but on the other I feel super guilty for not being able to do more. There's been moments I finally look up and out of my self and realize how awful this really is.

Life is weird, this is all surreal. I hope you're all doing well and staying safe.

Lots of love,
Kristen

[D]

Post by Scooter
Since there have only been a couple of posts in the last few
days, I thought I'd post some random thoughts during this
stressful time.
Hoping everyone is staying well.
It's nice to see so many people walking and riding bikes in
our neighborhood. Some with kids, some with dogs. Some folks
with dogs actually had bags to pick up after their dogs.
We paid an amazing $1.15 per gal. for gas last week.
I was able to get my hair cut last Friday. Very happy about
that.
I'm trying to figure out how to repot a large spineless
prickly pear cactus without getting inpaled by its tiny,
almost invisible stickers, also known as "Satan's Spawn."
We've watched lots of old movies recently. Fred Astair and
Ginger Rogers are still so amazing to watch. "Brewster
McCloud" (1970) was sooooo politically incorrect. Bette Davis
and Henry Fonda in "Jezebel" showed how they dealt with a
yellow fever epidemic in 1852 New Orleans. Wow...
Two of our neighbors are RNs. Truly amazing ladies. I pray
they stay healthy. (You, too, Annie.)
Scooter

Yeah, I'm of mixed emotions sometimes too.
Being disabled, I'm almost always in the house all day, every day, by myself... and that was BEFORE y'all had to start doing the same thing.
So part of me kinda feels like... welcome to MY world, bitches.

At the same time, I'm in the higher risk groups, so when I DO go out (hey, still need groceries) I make sure I wear my mask, keep my distance, etc. But some people seem to think it's "guvvmint overreach" and "they can't tell ME what to do" and all that. I just want to grab those people and tie a plastic produce bag tightly over their heads, ya know? (which might also slow the spread, by one person, anyway...)

Yet at the same time, there are things that I'd like to do, too. Which nobody can, at least not right now. And yeah, I get frustrated about those things too. So it's kind of mixed bag.

Add in a totally incompetent fool trying to tell us that he knows best and everything will be over soon, yada yada, lie after lie after lie... and I've totally HAD IT.

GRR. Rant over for now.

[marvin]

It is so strange to have to adjust to a world of social distancing in which, even when businesses open ps, we have to stand six feet apart and spend lots of time avoiding shaking hands, kissing our loved ones, not celebrating weddings, bar mitzvahs, graduation ceremonies, and not attending concerts or theatre, being able to travel or even to visit a movie houses the way it used to be prior to March.
We are all meant to be social beings, not individuals who are forced basically not to interact with each other the way people used to, including going to a party with friends as well as business networking.
I am grateful to be healthy, to be able to write my articles from home as opposed to an office, but I do not feel that I am enjoying my life, as I hope and pray that a vaccine will be found sooner than later so we can go back and live our lives the way we want to.
I am glad we can all at least share our concerns in this group and may we all resume our normal lives as soon as possible. Thanks, Marvin

[Jackilope]

Glad to read people checking in and see familiar and loved names here. Happy to read you are safe, healthy, posting.

All okay so far in SD. My town was one of the nation’s hot spots with Smithfield plant in Sioux Falls. My last day with students in person was 3/13. Very thankful to be doing remote teaching. Some students have family members working at the plant. Others are on the front lines of working at day cares and in grocery stores. Many miss school. My son is a senior, he made All State Band & All State Jazz Band, but no performances. In band he played for others graduation at commencement events, so sad others won’t play for him. Very minor compared to people getting sick and loss, though. The other losses we are seeing are small businesses in town now closing doors. Nationally we need healing and recovery ... badly.

Dave, right there with you on the mask issue. If everyone wore a mask (such a minor inconvenience) we could curb infection rate by 80%. There are grocery stores that waived delivery fees here if people are over 60 or are vulnerable health wise. I wish you could get groceries delivered to you.

Hugs & love to all of you. Just wanted to check in.
Jackie

[D]

Post by Jackilope
Glad to read people checking in and see familiar and loved names here. Happy to read you are safe, healthy, posting.
All okay so far in SD. My town was one of the nation’s hot spots with Smithfield plant in Sioux Falls. My last day with students in person was 3/13. Very thankful to be doing remote teaching. Some students have family members working at the plant. Others are on the front lines of working at day cares and in grocery stores. Many miss school. My son is a senior, he made All State Band & All State Jazz Band, but no performances. In band he played for others graduation at commencement events, so sad others won’t play for him. Very minor compared to people getting sick and loss, though. The other losses we are seeing are small businesses in town now closing doors. Nationally we need healing and recovery ... badly.
Dave, right there with you on the mask issue. If everyone wore a mask (such a minor inconvenience) we could curb infection rate by 80%. There are grocery stores that waived delivery fees here if people are over 60 or are vulnerable health wise. I wish you could get groceries delivered to you.
Hugs & love to all of you. Just wanted to check in.
Jackie

Jackie...

Thanks for the thought on grocery delivery. I've thought about that too and, aside from the higher costs, I don't qualify. (Disabled yes, but got a ways to go before I hit 60!)
My county is listed as the highest count in Virginia for positive cases. Maybe that's because they finally started testing here, dunno. I just put my mask on before I head out, if I have to go somewhere.

[Scooter]

Dave, most stores in my area have free pickup. Order online,
and they'll bring it to your car with no extra fee. People are
lined up in their cars to pick up every time we go to the
grocery store. The store is filled with folks filling orders.
Maybe that would be an option for you?

Stay well.

Scooter