Coronavirus Chronicles: A new week approaches
I haven't blogged for a couple days because, believe it or not, Friday I forgot to. After the news embargo, I slept really well Thursday into Friday, then kept the ignorance up all day Friday. I wasn't perfectly insulated from the all the news, and I wasn't in a completely optimistic mood, but the combination of some late working and just being exhausted led me to go to bed without even thinking of writing.
After realizing that Saturday, I wasn't in a hurry to again write. I'm sitting on the porch on what I'm calling Day 9, with another week of work looming -- and I'm feeling a little bit of apprehension. I'm fairly confident I'll be more creative and less distracted than last week. I know that avoiding news sites helps with avoiding stress. The novelty (no pun intended) of the changed reality has passed. We've been good about social distancing, and we're getting plenty of exercise. Also, I'm thinking we won't have another earthquake this week ...
Maybe it's not apprehension but the fact the weekend went too fast. Ben and I were supposed to go to Chicago for my stepfather's memorial gathering this week, but my mom obviously canceled that. Although I wish our trip was for a different circumstance, I was looking forward to the break -- I don't think I've had non-holiday time off since last summer. We've all but canceled our trip to Seattle next month, too, although I'm going to take a few days off just to do so.
The weekend was nice. Lori and I went for two long walks, I managed a little bit of office/storage organization, grilled yesterday, made a mostaccioli bake, went grocery shopping, took a nice walk with Ben, and enjoyed a virtual happy hour with my friends. And I fell asleep pretty quickly last night.
Still, I've been getting to the evening and feeling a slight sense of dread, kind of what it was like after 9/11. It almost felt claustrophobic, as if there was nowhere else for me to go. The solution: Bundle up and sit on the porch when I feel like the walls are closing in, which is what I'm doing tonight.
Ben also gave me some good advice. I was telling him that the toughest part of work for me last week was that I couldn't find a change of scenery -- I'm not used to working in my office for eight hours, and it's been not quite warm enough to sit on the porch. That doesn't mean I want a 9-to-5 office job again, but I like the freedom to work wherever and the constantly varied environments, whether it's a coffee shop, a swim practice, the library, or someplace else. Ben's recommendation: Put on my winter coat and work from the patio, no matter the weather. I cleared a space tonight if I need that option tomorrow.
In the meantime, this evening is so quiet and feels darker outside (although it might just be our neighbors don't have their porch light on as usual). I lit tea candles in the lanterns out front tonight, for anyone whose lost their way. I'm planning on this every night until this all ends.
Maybe it's not apprehension but the fact the weekend went too fast. Ben and I were supposed to go to Chicago for my stepfather's memorial gathering this week, but my mom obviously canceled that. Although I wish our trip was for a different circumstance, I was looking forward to the break -- I don't think I've had non-holiday time off since last summer. We've all but canceled our trip to Seattle next month, too, although I'm going to take a few days off just to do so.
The weekend was nice. Lori and I went for two long walks, I managed a little bit of office/storage organization, grilled yesterday, made a mostaccioli bake, went grocery shopping, took a nice walk with Ben, and enjoyed a virtual happy hour with my friends. And I fell asleep pretty quickly last night.
Still, I've been getting to the evening and feeling a slight sense of dread, kind of what it was like after 9/11. It almost felt claustrophobic, as if there was nowhere else for me to go. The solution: Bundle up and sit on the porch when I feel like the walls are closing in, which is what I'm doing tonight.
Ben also gave me some good advice. I was telling him that the toughest part of work for me last week was that I couldn't find a change of scenery -- I'm not used to working in my office for eight hours, and it's been not quite warm enough to sit on the porch. That doesn't mean I want a 9-to-5 office job again, but I like the freedom to work wherever and the constantly varied environments, whether it's a coffee shop, a swim practice, the library, or someplace else. Ben's recommendation: Put on my winter coat and work from the patio, no matter the weather. I cleared a space tonight if I need that option tomorrow.
In the meantime, this evening is so quiet and feels darker outside (although it might just be our neighbors don't have their porch light on as usual). I lit tea candles in the lanterns out front tonight, for anyone whose lost their way. I'm planning on this every night until this all ends.
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