Last Updated on: 28th March 2020, 05:56 pm
Sorry…Too many emails…
So how are we doing? So far, we’re doing ok. I’m working from home, we’ve been told we’re working from home until at least May, being kept very busy because when everybody *has* to do their courses on line, problems come up that haven’t been dealt with before. It’s a busy busy time. I’ve worked from home before, so I have what I need and it’s all good. Our routines aren’t massively up-ended, I just don’t have the big daily train rides back and forth.
Living through this has taught me how amazing technology can be. There is so much that we can do remotely, and we’re already spread across multiple offices across the country, so there is a lot less need for a giant office. Hell, we even did our work yoga class over Zoom and it went really well! I have had to pull my internet cable from my desktop to give my laptop an internet strength boost for the heavier duty stuff, but other than that, the tech has been strong and reliable and awesome.
I hear about all these couples wondering how they’re going to survive being at home in each other’s faces all the time. I’m a little confused. How small is your place? If you can’t live with each other, why are you…living with each other? Steve and I are fine. We each do our own thing during the working hours, and come together at lunch and breaks and the end of the day…just like we did before. Maybe it would be different if we had kids running around us, but I’m hearing this from couples who don’t even have kids! Whaaaat?!
If anyone has an adjustment to make, it’s Shmans. I think she’s confused. I can hear it now. “So…you don’t look sick, the weather doesn’t suck, but we’re not going anywhere? Whyyy?!” But even she seems relatively chill with it. She’s a little more frisky, so we play, and then she’s cool. We go on some sniffy time when I can do it, but she seems fine with the quieter schedule.
As for grocery shopping, thankfully all my worst case scenarios haven’t come to be, but I try to prepare for them. I feel like I’ve gone back to the early 2000s when I would write out my list on a piece of paper, call ahead and then go to the store. When I call, I try to offer multiple options. “We could go around the store together, or I could give you my list and wait, or I could give you my list now, cab down and you could have it ready and I’d just buy it and leave.” That sort of thing. Thankfully, when I went for some stuff last week, they told me to just come on down. It was weird to see the store so picked over. Thankfully I got most of what I needed, and neighbours said they were going to get food later in the week and picked up what I couldn’t.
I also know I need to get set up for some online grocery delivery services. We haven’t wanted to use them because getting groceries is a good excuse to take a walk, but it would be good to have them available just in case.
I was about due for a haircut when everything started going insane. I didn’t make it for one. I’m going to look very shaggy at the end of this. Oh well, we’re all going to look shaggy I’m sure.
There are all these new protocols coming to be because of Coronavirus. For example, I had to order my prescriptions delivered, and they wanted me to pay cash, but put my cash in a baggy. Then I had to chuck the baggy in a bigger bag that the delivery person was carrying. Also, we ordered food from Skip the Dishes, and when it showed up, the person just set it by the door, knocked and headed away. I’m glad we heard the knock and I’m glad they buzzed first. Sometimes a delivery driver just slips in behind someone when they enter the building, so doesn’t buzz.
Living in an apartment building where we have to ride an elevator up and down is strange too. You wonder what is the proper thing to do. If someone is in front of you at the elevator, do you let them get on alone because they might not want to share, or are they waiting for you? If the elevator opens and there are people inside but you can’t tell how many, how do you quickly ask if you should get on or not? Everyone’s pushing elevator buttons with their sleeves, except little ol’ me who has to feel for them. How many people look at me and think I’m the biggest slob?
I think that’s about it around here…but I guess nobody has much news these days. Thankfully, we’re lucky. The world is still spinning, we’re fine, our families are fine, we have what we need, we’re getting by. We’re adjusting what we need to, controlling what we can, and doing our best to not worry about all the things we can’t. All we can do is do our best and try to ride this out.
The elevator thing is funny. There seems to be no set rule for it, unwritten or otherwise. I’ve been on a couple of elevators full of people, and I’ve also seen the odd person decide not to get on even with plenty of room. Well, plenty of room in an elevator sense, at least. But I wonder if this is going to sort itself out somewhat once everyone here’s about the new no public gatherings of more than 5 rule, hahaha.
My hair is going to be totally out of hand by the time we’re freed from virus jail too, don’t worry. Right now I’m pretty much on that line where I start thinking maybe it’s time. If things really get desperate, I’ll be happy to cut yours for you. Not like anybody’s going to be seeing you anyway. And if they do, just do your best to convince them it must be their video settings. Yes, even if you bump into them in person outside. Hey, it might just work with all this remote stuff.
Just read this story on elevators and apartments and such. Despite its length, I learned precisely 0 things from it. Perhaps I missed something.