So, how are we doing?
This is certainly a strange time to be alive. The world is at a standstill, and “social distancing” is sure to be Webster’s “term of the year.” The entire world is facing an invisible enemy that is wreaking havoc on us all, no matter our social status, race, religion, or location. Humans have always answered the call to action and rallied in times of need, but against this current enemy, we have to stay home, and stay apart. Binge-watching Netflix is one of the biggest weapons in our arsenal. Strange.
Having been raised on post-apocalyptic movies, I’ve been training for this event my entire life, but now that it’s here, it seems pretty mellow. I know how to light a fire using at least six different methods, and am pretty sure I could weld some spikes onto the hood of my car, if needed, but those skills just don’t seem relevant at this point in time. The lights are still on. Water is still coming out of the pipes. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad we don’t have leather-bound brutes with machetes tearing up and down the street in their dune buggies, but I did not think that all we’d have to do to beat the end of days, is to sit on the couch and play the XBox. But that’s exactly what we have to do. If you’re going out, stop. Just for a little while. If you need to go out, do it safely and think of others.
I know, this sucks. Humans are not meant to be confined to small spaces for extended periods of time. If you have a young child, or two, or three, you have my deepest sympathies. I am fortunate that my sons are old enough to entertain themselves online. I’m not even sure they realize the apocalypse is happening, other than the fact that they don’t have to get on the bus in the morning.
The Cool & Collected HQ is based just outside the nation’s capitol in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. and, so far, things seem to be going well. The cherry blossoms are blooming and the sky is blue. We’re being told that the worst is yet to come, so there’s that. Many people are out of work or working in a new way. I’m a firm believer that people will adapt and while some industries will suffer badly, others will rise up — I had never even heard of Instacart before this week!
I’ve run my own home-based business for over 25 years, so this new way of life isn’t all that different for me, but many of my clients are taking these days out of the office as if they were vacation days. Hopefully, this will be short-lived as people realize they need to start making money again.
So, how are YOU doing? What’s going on where you are? This little blog o’ mine used to be a place where people would hang out and chat, and even though many of you have moved on, I know you’re all out there still, and I wanted to check and make sure everyone was okay. If you need someone to talk to, send me an email or DM on social media. Social isolation is a real thing, and sometimes, it’s just nice to hear from another adult every now and then.
It won’t be quick, and it won’t be easy, but we’ll get through this — as long as the internet doesn’t go down.
Hey Brian – doing all right down the street from you. My daughter is a freshmen and she desperately wants to go and be with her friends at school. Going a bit stir crazy. I’m going with the flow trying to stay out of everyone’s way. Spending my off time with my hobbies a bit more. It’s nice to have a hobby. I know plenty of people who don’t who can’t occupy their time. Bummer.
Good to hear from you George. My freshman is loving the isolation. 😉
It seems like we have so much time, but I’m finding that the days are going by rapidly, and I haven’t gotten around to any projects yet. We’ve been building a lot of puzzles though! Take care over there.
It’s a change that’s for sure. I feel lucky to have a job where I can easily pivot to remote work and the company I work for continues to make money (eCommerce). My two kids, 4 &6, are also home and that is a struggle, but my wife has been a SAHM for a number of years so again I feel very lucky in that sense.
I am becoming much more acquanted with my at-home office and let’s just say with video chat now my entire team knows my collecting habit, for better or worse. As someone who keeps that hobby under wraps it is interesting to let others in. I have always been tight lipped about what I collect but perhaps this will help me become more open about it all.
Hope all is well with you Brian!
Hey Cody, it’s good to hear from you! Your collecting pursuits are now public knowledge–Ha! There’s a side effect I had not considered, though I am guilty of judging the talking heads on the news for their messy offices and book selections that appear in the background of their updates from home.
Four and six are tough ages to be going through this — both for the kids and you, the parents! Hopefully, you have the ability together them outside and let them run off some energy. Summer can not come soon enough. Hang in there, hopefully this will all be a distant memory sooner rather than later.
I’ve been on partial lockdown myself here in Malaysia since mid March and I suspect that the Govt’s gonna extend it further come 14th April. My son’s seem to be enjoying himself but has recently grumbled about how he hasn’t seen the tarmac for weeks now…lol. A lot of free time means that we can do a lot of things…or can we? I haven’t come to the stage where I begin to question life in its entirety but I heard (and seen) on socmed that some people have indeed gone half bonkers.
Stay safe Brian.
You too! I’ve been wondering about how you were doing–glad you and the family are holding up okay. I can’t think of another event that has affected the entire world in such a way, and we are so fortunate to have the internet which allows us to interact with one another instantly. Let’s hope none of us gets to the point where we start asking the big questions. Take care over there!
It is scary to think “the worst is yet to come”! Things are good so far up here near Salem MA. I’m lucky enough to be working for a small IT company that supports local businesses that don’t have their own in-house IT, many of which are able to function while working remotely. Let me tell you what fun it’s been for our company to suddenly have all our clients requesting their employees be able to work from home! It’s keeping me busy if nothing else.
Weekends are a little more frustrating as the weather isn’t great yet but I do try to get out while there’s no mandatory stay at home order.
Hey Dex, I’m glad to har you’re keeping busy. Honestly, I think the entire workflow for most businesses will have evolved permanently after all this is done. Why pay for fancy offices when people can just work from home? Why pay for travel when we can just use FaceTime? It’s a good time to be in your line of work. 🙂
Boston sounds like it’s getting pretty bad, and I know the New York spread is headed our way, but it just seems so odd to go out on a pretty day and watch the kids play in the yard, knowing that the entire world is pretty much on lockdown. Let’s hope the “worst” fizzles out and ends up being an incorrect prediction (it could happen!).
Hang in there, and stay busy, it’s probably the best thing you can do right now.
Never thought I would say that I prefer to be at work, but after nearly three weeks working from home I am ready to go “back” to work. I have drank so much wine and I am glad it is still being delivered to my door. I hope it and I hold up.
No really, it has been rather stressful at times, but I am still alive and I am grateful for the health of my wife and mine.
Be safe. We will get through this regardless of how much confusion comes our way.
What an amazing world we live in where we can have all our food and drink delivered to our door! Hang in there, we’ll get through this.
Hi Brian!
It was around 2015 last time I visited your web, mainly because a master degree i got in 2018… long story, now it is 2020, it is like the End Of The World As We Know It, not in no way as we were told in sci-fiction.
I consider myself lucky, I’m full employed as a software developer, working online from my boyfriend’s home where I’m spending the lock-down. Our mean of transportation are our bikes (I love mine, bought it on sale at the Trek store here in Lima-Perú), so we get social isolation by default when going to buy food.
This look pretty bad in this hemisphere: Winter is coming! This is the season of colds and any respiratory disease. I was sick with a throat infection in 2019, it lasted all winter and it was because I had to go to work not fully recovered. As long as we stay home, I hope it doesn’t happen again this year.
I’m at the point that I miss my “normal” life: going to work, going to the university’s library near my home, taking my mom out for a coffe anytime we wanted. I really miss those days!
You’re not alone, Yelinna. It’s great to hear from you again, and I’m glad you are staying safe down there. Hopefully, this virus will burn itself out soon, or a vaccine/cure is found. Until then, all we can do is play it safe. The “normal” good times are sure to return, and I look forward to the day that we can all go out for a cup of coffee without any worries.
Hey Brian, I hope that you and yours are doing alright. It has been awhile since you have been active and hope you will get back to the blog in some general manner when you can. Be well.