Half a Month Later

Here we are at the end of week two of self-isolation and it's already been more dramatic than I originally expected. So much has changed, and yet everything is the same.

One thing that has been helping my partner and I get through these two weeks is Ben Gibbard's Live From Home, a virtual concert series in which Ben Gibbard (lead member of Death Cab for Cutie) performs songs and answers fan questions online every single night. He even debuted a new and incredibly appropriate song called "Life in Quarantine" during one of these shows. It's kind of surprising just how comforting it is.

Similarly, yesterday I was pleasantly surprised to learn that my favorite band, Nine Inch Nails, recorded and released for free two long-overdue sequel albums to their 2008 instrumental album Ghosts I-IV, titled "Ghosts V: Together" and "Ghosts VI: Locusts," to help fans get through these unique times.

While the only thing that we've done to really "adapt" so far is to place an order for grocery delivery rather than going to the store ourselves, it's been really interesting to learn about how other people are adapting to the new lifestyle. Netflix Party lets you watch movies and shows in sync with friends and family without being in the same place, DJs are hosting digital dance parties, and people are socializing over drinks with virtual happy hours just to name a few.

Working while parenting is interesting. My partner only works in the mornings and has to get as much done in that time as she can, while I'm full-time but my workload and employer is pretty flexible. The plan is for me to keep an eye on our toddler while trying to get work done whenever I can in the mornings until my partner is done with work, then she takes over and I return to my office to have a more productive afternoon.

Yesterday's attempt was stressful but overall alright. Today has been a bit easier since I had a better idea of what to expect out of my morning. In any case, it's nice to be able to look at this face during a workday:

We're looking forward to the much-needed weekend. The weather isn't looking too great so we'll probably be stuck indoors again, but I know we'll make the best of it. Plus my friends organized a time to play Team Fortress 2 online together on Saturday night, so I'm looking forward to the bit of social interaction and escapism that will provide.

Stay healthy and sane.
-Ryan

Comments

The Escalation of Events

So yesterday I stumbled upon this article in which a respiratory therapist describes in detail what the worst of COVID-19 looks like in the hospital. These disturbing descriptions were all new to me, which is worrisome given how far into this pandemic the world already is. The details of the disease shouldn't still be unknown or downplayed at this point. I began to reflect on my experience learning about this disease and how long it took for me to take it seriously versus how quickly everything seemed to go wrong. I was away on business in Boston for PAX East (a big video game convention) from February 25th through March 2nd. There was talk of the "novel coronavirus" at the time but I didn't know much about it. While I worked my booth and walked the convention floor I couldn't help but notice the (relatively small but nonetheless) increased number of attendees wearing face masks at the event. I just kind of shrugged it off, thinking it was good that peo...

I've Been Unemployed for a Month

Sorry I haven't written here in a while. So much was happening in those first few months of the pandemic, and then it seemed like everything just kind of slowed to a crawl before it all went stale. Every day has been the same thing. People don't believe facts. People are getting sick. The pandemic isn't over yet. We need to stay home. We need a sense of normalcy. The numbers are down. The numbers are up. On and on and on in a never-ending loop. Like many people, I fell into a sort of numb depression without even realizing it. The pandemic and quarantine weren't great for my mental health, and I stagnated. I kept on going through the motions, but it was all in a sort of half-conscious way. Fortunately, a few months ago I became aware of this and made some changes to improve my mental health and overall lifestyle. It seemed like everything was going to be alright again. Then, after an incredibly stressful two months at work during which I worked and pushed myself harder t...

News Updates for Posterity

As I said in my previous blog post, I'm not sure there's really anything significantly new to say about this pandemic since it's been going on far longer than it should have. That said, I still want to keep this blog updated on a somewhat regular basis for future historical reference. In the absence of any new insights to share, I'm going to share and comment on some recent news. July 14: CDC says U.S. could get coronavirus under control in one to two months if everyone wears a mask This is pretty much the thing I've been preaching from the beginning because I respect the advice of educated experts. Still, it's nice to have the CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (spelled out, capitalized, and bold in case you forgot that this pandemic is literally what the CDC was designed to help us with) slap the nation across the face with how badly we're messing up and how quickly we could be done with quarantining if everyone just wore their damn masks. July 15...

Ryan's COVID-19 Chronicles

Search This Blog