This is challenging time for many of us. I just keep telling people how weird I feel. It feels good to be home and to live a simple life. It does. I think it’s hysterically funny that my word for 2020 is GATHER. I wanted to cut my schedule down to something more manageable and I think I’ve succeeded but I certainly didn’t expect it to go to this extreme. Some think we will be living this way for months.
Right Now:
We watched online church earlier in the week. Later, I meet with my high school group in a Zoom room. They wanted to try video this time. That means I need to actually do my hair.
The rest of the day will be doing much of what you are doing. I was wondering if taking my daughter for driving practice would be okay if we don’t stop anywhere. We are under a “safe at home” order.
This Week:
I am working from home but online classes start at the university this week so I suspect it will be very busy. I’ve actually been swamped so I’m anticipating it getting much busier.
Reading:
For the past two weeks, my reading has suffered and you know how well I was doing in that area. It was the combination of work craziness, a book I could not get into, and my need to keep checking news feeds. I simply could not focus, but I finally finished the one book and just picked up The Woman in the Dark. One of the students in my group dropped it off for me!
Watching:
Oh man, The Walking Dead got really good.
The Crown, still good but kind of dark. Not as light and amusing.
New Things I’ve Tried:
On a supply run, I picked this up. Notice how it’s mostly gone. It’s so yummy.
Grateful for:
- Being able to work from home
- A decent stocked pantry
- Extra time with the pup and girl (Hub still working)
- Friends who are staying behind with my son at school
It seems like the situation changes hourly. I feel pretty good one moment but then a little antsy the next. I’m glad I have you guys to connect with.
Book Chatter 
I’ve been super swamped at work as well and I don’t know if working from home has anything to do with it. Suddenly everyone needs to talk more and also do more, which for me, as a project manager, gives me TOO much to do. It’s no fun, I tell you. I love however, that I get to be home. I’ve always wanted to work from home so I’m testing how this works out. This was was kinda meh in that regard but also it was the first of such weeks. Hopefully, it gets stable.
I have not been able to stay out of the news. Somehow I feel the urge to constantly check the numbers or how bad it is. I had to start setting a time limit in my phone for news-related apps so that I didn’t go down rabbit holes.
The thing about the news is that it seems to be a very fluid situation. New restrictions each day. The lack of ventilators is alarming to me. And the amount of beds that they are preparing to need is alarming as well. I can’t stay away from it although none of it is surprising.
Working from home has its challenges. Like boundaries. I forgot to take a lunch the other day and worked past my normal schedule without even knowing it.
I think it’s going to take a while to recover from this because people aren’t taking it seriously. A friend of mine works at Target and she said lots of people are coming in to shop for nonessential items like clothing. Our society has become so selfish.
I’m trying not to stay glued to the news but I’ve been too distracted to read like I’d like to.
I do think a lot of people are self medicating by buying things. There is absolutely no need to buy clothing right now. None, whatsoever.
I was in a reading slump for the last part of 2019 and beginning of 2020. Just when I started coming out of it the virus started happening and now I spend too much time on the computer/phone checking stats etc., and not getting much reading done.
I’m staying home other than work and I really need to stay off any “news” related posts/sites. I’m fine and then I’ll read something that makes me start worrying again. I too am wondering why people aren’t taking this serious. I pray they won’t regret it!
I am finding it super hard to stay away from the news. Every day there is a new restriction.
I think everyone needs to give ourselves, our kids, our parents, and our partners a lot of slack right now as we all adjust to work and school from home. I think we’ll be doing this for quite some time.
My daughter’s school district extended the order through the first or second week of May which is pretty much the rest of the year. My university has us working at home for an unspecified date. Eight weeks is floating around but I see that changing.
I’ve had a lot of trouble focusing on reading. I finally managed to start the Laura Ingalls Wilder book, The Long Winter. It was a reminder to me that we have always faced difficult problems.
It’s funny that you mentioned Ingalls because my daughter keeps handing me items of clothing to mend as if I am Caroline Ingalls. I do not sew. 😄
I find that funny! Let’s hope she does not expect you to do some of the other things Caroline Ingalls did in this story, like cooking over a woodstove.
I take a break from news on the weekends or at least I try. I monitor this crisis for work and clients, so it has been very depressing to see how many people think this is some kind of vacation and gather for cookouts at parks and large group events, while others are losing their jobs and will have no way to pay bills.
My problems are working from home is normal, but educating my daughter at the same time is rough
This whole thing is a challenge. I get to work from home but there is definitely less structure which I have to be mindful of. The first day I forgot to take a lunch and worked past my scheduled hours. At least your daughter is a little older so she can at least work on her own with direction. I really feel for the parents who are working from home and have tiny children to tend to. They don’t understand boundaries, obviously and let’s face it, kids come first.
The WI governor just issued a “stay at home” edict for the state. I was wondering the same thing with my own teen driver. She’s on spring break this weekend, so it would get us both out of the house for an hour or so.
Plus, the streets are not as crowded but we are really not supposed to be out. Just for essential trips.
I’m trying not to watch too much dismal news … but it sucks you in. Are you doing IT for the online University classes? That sounds like a lot. I find it funny … that your word was GATHER. That’s the Opposite of what we’re supposed to be doing. Maybe it should be ISOLATE now. hmm.
I was responsible for setting up all the tools and info for students, faculty and staff. About 30 web pages total. I started building them three weeks ago so I am in pretty good shape today. Just adding things here and there.
I know. Gather. LOL.