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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
Is it Tuesday already? Time for the Pandemic Journal entry? Where did the week go? Time, which was moving so slowly before, seems to have picked up now. Probably because I am suddenly overloaded with work. Here in Maryland, the week of April 26, we had one of the lowest transmission rates in the country! That's good news and I'm trying to hang on to that. Hard to say why--could be that the British variant never made it here, or people mask here more, or we got out ahead of it with the vaccines. Who knows? Anyway, things feel a little safer, and then today, the CDC said those of us who are fully vaccinated can take our masks off outside in small groups. Yay! I'd been noticing a lot of people not masking, and it's hard not to worry, but something like 50% of my county has had at least one shot so we are getting there. it's nice to think that at least some communities will reach something close to herd immunity. Meanwhile, India is imploding, as is Brazil. And the Philippines. I shudder to think what would have happened if Trump had been re-elected. It's not a coincidence that five of the worst countries with regard to Covid are run by narcissistic, self-serving authoritarian men (Put the UK in that group too). Biden gets very little credit, and individually the vaccine rollout has felt chaotic, but honestly, look at what his team has done. We now have one of the fastest vaccine programs in the world, coming off the heels of one of the worst Covid mitigation measures. For this I am happy. Today I'm just not going to think about the Covidiots who refuse to get a shot.
April 28, 2021
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When is the last time something really made you laugh? Tell us about it.
That's a great question, and my very sad answer is "I don't know." I can't remember. I watched four movies over the weekend that were supposed to be good, and they were all so fucking nihilists I felt worse after. I love my husband but he's a complete introvert, can go days without talking to me. I recently ran workshops for first responders, to help them manage their trauma, and that was so sad I cried afterwards. We celebrated my daughter's graduation from nursing school last weekend, and that was fun, but we didn't laugh. The nursing home called to tell me my mother had an abscess on her anus, and that was "funny" in a sick sort of way, just the alliteration and sound of it. But I know it's very painful, so I didn't laugh. This question has made me realize, I need to reconnect with my funny friends and do some laughing! OMG. I had no idea I hadn't laughed in so long.
April 28, 2021
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How has media coverage of the coronavirus influenced what you think, how you feel, or what you do?
Media coverage of coronavirus frankly has me exhausted and overwhelmed. Coverage seems to lurch from “we’re failing and falling behind in every measure and there’s no hope” to “we’re totally rocking it and outperforming the world”, from “how do we get every eligible American to take it” to “Americans need to stop being so stingy and share our abundance with the world”. And while technically all of those ideas could be true at once (and perhaps are), every story feels like it’s written in a vacuum. It’s like emotional whiplash. Then the wild sensationalism of every preprint scientific journal article regardless of caliber and quality—do this don’t do that this will save you no wait kill you no wait.... Somehow despite all this coverage, I can’t find answers to the only questions I really care about. Am I endangering my unvaccinated daycare teacher or toddler daughter every time I send her to school? Is it safe to fly across the country to visit grandparents? I know it’s not the news media’s fault that there aren’t yet hard and fast rules about what is safe and what isn’t. But for all the noise, what actual information is being shared?
April 28, 2021
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What was the biggest news story this past week -- either in your community, nationally, or globally?
Nationally, the conviction of Derek Chauvin in what we hope will be the trial of the new century. As I have written elsewhere, some justice was done--with the emphasis on some, since there is so much more still to be done as far as racial justice in this country. Internationally, there is the current horror going on in India, with a new surge (with a new, more deadly variant), that has people dying like flies--some expiring at the doors/gates of the overfilled hospitals. And the crematoria are going 24/7, bringing rather horrid thoughts of something else--even when cremation is thoroughly in the national cultural tradition. And only now is the U.S. moving to send oxygen, protective equipment, supplies--and the AstraZeneca vaccines that we've basically been sitting on since they're not approved for use in this country. It is a most sobering reminder of how "over" this pandemic is not in some parts of the world, and how our country helping out is not only the right thing to do, but could be necessary for our own survival.
April 28, 2021
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Talk about how the events of recent months have affected your financial situation.
I'm very fortunate that the pandemic hasn't affected my financial situation too much, even though I had to take 3 months of disability leave off, and now I need to go back on disability leave part-time. I am blessed to have an employer that works with my schedule and medical needs, and my employer also provides disability insurance. My employer also has a generous sick and vacation time off policy, and I have been using those hours for my recovery and care. Without this, though, my situation would be much different! I am so grateful 1) for employment and 2) for my current employer.
April 28, 2021
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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
Since April 14, 2020, I've been creating a daily Haiku accompanied by an image and posting it on my Facebook page. This is my Haiku from April 19: Day #366 Haiku in Corona Time So many changes Sadness and uncertainty Need to acknowledge
April 28, 2021
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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
I got to play with my string quartet again today! We hadn't played together in a year, except for one outdoor meeting last summer. We are all vaccinated, and we sat a few feet apart. No masks, just music! I've been smiling all day.
April 28, 2021
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Are you doing anything artistic or creative these days that you weren’t doing before? If so, talk about it.
I'm a writer. The stress of the pandemic has Decreased my creativity. I feel drained, empty; distracted; worried about my friends and family. There's a list in my head of people I haven't heard from recently. Are they OK? The effort of pushing aside these thoughts is enough to leave me with little emotional and creative energy. So not anything new that's creative, and my one creative work--my true love--had become inhibited by the pandemic.
April 29, 2021
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Has the pandemic disrupted your plans for the future in any major way? If so, talk about the most significant disruption(s).
I ride roller coasters. I’m old, so I ride the front seat to minimize dizziness and G-forces. Some amusement parks are assigning seats to keep people spread apart. I can’t sit just anywhere. I started riding coasters at the age of 50. It took a lot of effort to face my fears and get to the level I’m at now. I have a long way to go before I am able to ride the taller, loopy coasters. I’m terrified that I will lose the ground I’ve gained. And I’m old. There’s a limit to the number of years ahead of me to do this. I’m stressed and anxious about losing something I love so much. My other love is music festivals and concerts. I like to stand as close as I can to the stage. That requires stamina that is also on the wane. If vaccines were required for entry into concerts, theme parks, etc., people would be more interested in getting them. Let’s do it!
April 29, 2021
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¿De que manera el coronavirus le está afectando su vida en este momento? Cuéntenos sus experiencias, sensaciones/emociones, y pensamientos.
El tema de la semana es: la desconcentración. Me cuesta concentrarme para trabajar y para realizar otras tareas. De hecho, escribir este diario es mi primer ejercicio de concentración en varios días. Lo que vino a terminar de dispersarme fue una invitación a una reunión virtual con algunos alumnos de un centro educativo. Cuando las reuniones eran presenciales, me iba peor. Antes y después de las reuniones me la pasaba estresada y dispersa. Ahora todas las reuniones son virtuales por el COVID-19. Con todo y ello, pasé dos noches sin dormir y aunque la reunión se dio de una manera normal, me siento cansada y descentrada. Se supone que estoy en la semana anterior a recibir una importante carga de trabajo que se debe realizar de forma rápida. Así que, sea como sea, voy a tener que concentrarme y tratar de hacer mi mejor esfuerzo. Debido a algunos problemas domésticos, tuve que salir, aunque estamos en la tercera ola del COVID-19 y una cepa californiana del virus amenaza con ponernos en peligro de contagios más rápidos. Lo bueno es que logré caminar más distancia sin sofocarme tanto y encontré unas medias de compresión en la casa. Me las puse y siento que me ayudaron con las piernas hinchadas. Esas son las buenas noticias. Otra buena noticia es que tenemos un nuevo bebé COVID-19 en camino en la familia. Estoy muy emocionada, probablemente nacerá en octubre. La verdad: me impresiona cómo la vida se abre camino a pesar de circunstancias tan difíciles como las que estamos viviendo. Estoy muy contenta por la mamá y con muchas ganas de ver el proceso y apoyar a ambos.
April 30, 2021
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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
The CDC must be out of their minds. Sounds great--those of us who have been vaccinated get fewer restrictions. Everyone who isn't vaccinated will now go around without being masked. Don't believe me? Think about all the people who think rules or laws don't apply to them: the driver who figures the 25 mph speed limit is merely a suggestion? Or masks as a fashionable chin decoration? Or maybe "sampling" food at the grocery? Permission from the CDC for everyone to go without a mask. Am I angry and upset? You bet your ass I am, and you should be too.
April 30, 2021
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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
this week has been dominated by anxiety. Frankly, I am anxious about re-opening. On the professional front, as the CEO of a mid sized non profit I am anxious about what to do about bringing people back into the office over the next 9 months or so, and uncertain about how to get it right. I'm anxious about the ongoing work load associated with the additional burden of the pandemic. On the personal front, I don't really feel like engaging full on, from being a little foot dragging about any potential travel, to hesitating to be seen outside without a mask even though I am fully vaccinated. I feel like masks have been a sign of solidarity for so long that I am reluctant to have anyone think I"m not one of the good guys. But also I really, really like breathing fresh air. So I will have to sort it out. I wake up more often lately fretting about work. Usually I am pretty good about separating myself and getting down time, but not so much lately.
April 30, 2021
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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
Our property management company sent out a notice that someone in our complex had been diagnosed with Covid-19. Certainly that's a cause for concern. I don't know who it is and I don't know how bad they've got it. That said, it doesn't change what I'm doing when I'm in the common areas. I still mask, distance, and sanitize. I suspect I'll keep on doing that for quite a while too. I received my first vaccination shot last week. I'm very glad about that, but I know it's just the first step. I'm seeing social media posts from others saying they've received their first shot too. Naturally I'm happy for them. Then I see those same folks posting about all the stuff they are doing now that they're vaccinated. Hold the phone. You've only got the first of two shots. You're not done yet. This is not over yet. I'm concerned that getting the first shot is giving people a false sense of security and as a result they're abandoning the public health protocols. I mean, I get it. People are tired of the pandemic and all the restrictions; they want to get back to "normal". The thing is, though, it's too soon. Case counts are still elevated. Our area is still considered a hot spot. There are a lot of people who still haven't had their first shot, never mind the second one. Getting careless now could prolong the pandemic indefinitely.
April 30, 2021
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Estamos viviendo con restricciones de movimiento y contacto social. Háblenos de cualquier restrición que le está impactado su diario vivir.
Siempre he sido aficionado al futbol (soccer), pero por los tiempos que vivimos no podemos asistir a los estadios para apoyar al equipo de mis amores. El año pasado justo por estas fechas acompañe al equipo hasta la ciudad de Ibague en Colombia para un partido de la Copa Libertadores. en esta ocasión hay que conformarse con comprar una par de gorras del Macará y ver los partidos por TV, justo en este momento estamos viendo el partido del Barcelona con el PSG.
April 30, 2021
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Talk about what is most upsetting or scaring you right now about the coronavirus pandemic.
India. Not simply because of the horrors inflicted upon the masses by their leadership, but also because it has (needlessly) become a petri dish for SARS-CoV-2 variants that may threaten my health, even though I am vaccinated (against the Coronavirus Classic!). So, yeah, I'm upset, and scared, but mostly angry, because this is all just so unnecessary. History will reveal who the bad leaders were and who the good leaders were (in autocratic states). Even in non-autocratic states, history will reveal the forces of death-cult and greed who posed overwhelming challenges to otherwise good leaders - e.g., Michigan governor vs. its state leg. Meanwhile, we wait for history, and some of us die, or experience lifelong disabilities, waiting for history.
April 30, 2021
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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
This is a card that the local school kids sent to the ICU. Every time I walk by it, I smile and say Yes.
April 30, 2021
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Many people have strong opinions about the COVID-19 vaccines, or about how vaccines are being distributed. What are your thoughts?
Just yesterday I was walking with a couple new neighbors (outside, at a safe distance) and we were talking about the COVID Vaccine. They shared with me that they both initially weren't planning to get the vaccine. One of them said through when it opened up for her to take it, she decided it was okay and that it would make her life easier. The other said that she was initially opposed to it, but was later "peer-pressured" into it. They asked me about where I stood with the vaccine. I told them I couldn't wait to get the vaccine and the minute it opened up for me to sign up for the first one I did it. I also shared with them that vaccines are a modern miracle of science and that I've been so surprised that so many people are opposed to them. If all those who are vaccine-hesitant out there really knew the truth about vaccines, they would be lining up to get themselves and their children vaccinated. We should be celebrating the continued advancement of science, particularly the advances with vaccines!! It's amazing that our scientists around the world developed, tested, manufactured and started distributing the vaccines for COVID-19 in less than a year!! I am in awe. All of us, around the globe, have witnessed a modern medical miracle.
April 30, 2021
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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
Glorious spring flowers make me forget about Covid for a while. It's still with us, but if we reach 70% vaccination rate, that should signal the end to the pandemic in the U.S.!!
May 2, 2021
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Has the pandemic disrupted your plans for the future in any major way? If so, talk about the most significant disruption(s).
My hobby - and a secondary source of income - was creating one of a kind arts and crafts. I used to sell my work at conventions and art gallery shows. The things I made were made specifically for these shows. All of the shows that I was going to participate in have been cancelled. That's left me with a stock pile of unsold stuff and no real incentive to be creating anything new. I don't know if the shows will return after the pandemic. I may need to find another way to sell off what I have created. Right now, though, I don't have the emotional wherewithal to tackle that.
May 2, 2021
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Para muchos, la pandemia ha creado una sensación de aburrimiento o monotonía en sus vidas. Describa algo nuevo o diferente que ha pasado esta semana que rompió con la rutina.
La monotonía y la rutina nunca me han parecido tan malas; por el contrario, me dan seguridad y tranquilidad. Lo cierto es que yo ya estaba recluida en mi casa antes de la pandemia y la sorpresa fue que todo mundo tuvo que empezar a vivir como yo vivía. Esta semana rompió la rutina una reunión familiar que tuvimos para ver el ultrasonido de un bebé que está en camino. Lo vimos en mi computadora. Me emocioné mucho. Pudimos comentar y felicitar a la mamá. Luego, comimos todos juntos. Como he mencionado en otras ocasiones, mantenemos distanciamiento social, no nos tocamos para nada y usamos mascarilla, si es necesario. Esos momentos de convivencia son los que nos dan la fuerza y la esperanza para seguir adelante, a pesar de las circunstancias tan difíciles en el país.
May 2, 2021