Month: April 2020

Quarantine Bingo – Part 2

Man was born for society. However little he may be attached to the world, he never can wholly forget it, or bear to be wholly forgotten by it. Disgusted at the guilt or absurdity of Mankind, the misanthrope flies from it. He resolves to become a hermit and buries himself in the cavern of some gloomy rock. While hate inflames his bosom, possibly he may feel contented with his situation. but when his passions begin to cool, when time has mellowed his sorrows and healed those wounds which he bore with him to his solitude, think you that content becomes his companion? No! No longer sustained by the violence of his passions, he feels all the monotony of his way of living, and his heart becomes the prey of ennui & weariness. He looks round and finds himself alone in the universe. The love of society revives in his bosom and he pants to return to that world which he has abandoned. Nature loses all her charms in his eyes…no one is near him to point out her beauties or share in his admiration of her excellence & variety. Propped upon the fragment of some rock, he gazes upon the tumbling waterfall with a vacant eye. He views without emotion the glory of the setting sun. Slowly he returns to his cell at evening, for no one there is anxious for his arrival. He has no comfort in his solitary, unsavory meal. He throws himself upon his couch of moss, despondent & dissatisfied, and wakes only to pass a day as joyless, as monotonous as the former. – Matthew Gregory Lewis

If you missed out on Part 1 please go and check it out. We’ll leave the light on for you.

 

 

Baked in the Kitchen – Well, I’m a bachelor. I can cook, but most of the time it’s just easier to eat a sandwich or throw something in the microwave. Occasionally I get in the mood to bake. For example, a couple of years ago I made a whole bunch of cookies & candy for my family as Christmas gifts. Alas, that urge doesn’t hit all that often, and it hasn’t occurred during this quarantine.

 

Watched Tiger King – I alluded to this in Part 1 because I wasn’t thinking ahead, but no…I haven’t watched it…yet. I may get around to it or I might not. We’ll see.

 

Spent Day in Pajamas – I don’t own pajamas per se, but I oftentimes lounge around the apartment in sweatpants or shorts and an old t-shirt I wouldn’t wear in public. I’ve done that a lot the past few weeks, but it’s really nothing new.

 

Googled About a Cough – No. I feel okay and haven’t been stressing out too much about the whole virus situation.

 

Slept in Late – My sleep habits have always been weird. I am naturally a night owl, although with my work schedule the past year I have been going to bed earlier. Since I am currently not working all bets are off. I’m up til 4 or 5am. The strange thing is that I’ll still be up by 8 or 9 in the morning, but then I’ll want to take an afternoon nap. When I return to work I’ll need to readjust my internal timeclock.

 

Did Zoom or Facetime – I’d never heard of Zoom until all of this started, and now I wish I would have bought some stock in it. I do have Facetime & video chat on Messenger, but no one ever hits me up. As a matter of fact, the most disappointing thing has been the lack of interaction I’ve had with people despite all the available technology. The only people I ever talk to are my father (who I love but he drives me nuts) and a well-intentioned neighbor who simply isn’t equipped to hold up their end of the type of insightful, intelligent, meaningful conversation that would gratify my soul. Someday this will probably be the saddest memory I have of the whole situation.

 

Did Your Nails – I’m a guy, so…I just cut them when needed.

 

Watched a Disney Movie – Not yet, but that’ll probably happen soon.

 

Worked Out – Lord knows I need to. I don’t get enough exercise as it is, and nowadays I’m moving around even less than usual. It’s a recipe for disaster.

 

Cleaned Your Whole House – My apartment is kept fairly neat most of the time, and I haven’t gone overboard just because I am home more.

 

Cried – No, not really. I’ve been sad a few times, and there is a situation that’s got me tied up in knots just a bit, although it isn’t virus related. I’m not ashamed to cry, but the quarantine hasn’t brought me to that yet.

 

Found Out You’re Essential – Unfortunately not. I alluded to my job in Part 1, but there are reasons why I’m not working right now. I’d go back tomorrow if called, but I don’t believe that’s going to happen anytime soon.

Quarantine Bingo – Part 1

I never thought we’d be playing BINGO (so to speak) again in this space quite so soon, but inspiration strikes in the oddest places at the strangest times. I saw this meme on Facebook, and since I have a platform that many others don’t I decided it would be fun to provide context that social media just doesn’t allow.

I think I’ve gone thru all the stages of grief during this quarantine, though probably not in the correct order. Presently I bounce back & forth between acceptance & anger. In my more accepting moments I figure that I may as well be productive and achieve a few things while all of life’s other distractions are on hiatus, but then my lifelong & overwhelming tendency toward procrastination kicks in, so honestly I haven’t gotten as much done in the past few weeks as one may presume.

 

 

 

Shopped Online – Yes, but mostly for my father. Dad doesn’t have a computer and watches way too much TV, so I’ve ordered quite a few things for him on Amazon lately, from copper gloves for his arthritis to a boombox (Dad still has CDs) to country music that I’d never listen to myself.

 

Listened to a Podcast – I’ve been telling myself for the past year that I am going to get into podcasts, but I just can’t do it. I have no idea why.

 

 

Ordered Takeout – Thankfully one of the few things that haven’t shut down are restaurants…atleast not most of them. Not only that, but sit down restaurants are offering curbside service, meaning I don’t even need to drag my big ol’ butt or my wheelchair out of the vehicle. The only thing stopping me from eating out every single night is a tight budget and a desire to shed a few pounds. I’ve been taking one of my neighbors along once or twice a week, more as an excuse to get out of my apartment and enjoy the sunshine than anything else. Food is just an added benefit.

 

Binge Watched TV – I never watched NBC’s The Office when it originally aired from 2005-13. I have no idea why, because it is hysterically funny. Perhaps it was divine intervention. God knew I’d need a pleasant distraction during this mess, and I’m so thankful for it. I am currently in Season 6, and already have a few ideas about what I want to watch next. And just in case you are curious…no, I haven’t watched Tiger King. Under normal circumstances it just wouldn’t be my thing, but now…who knows?? I’m not normally one to follow the crowd, but I may eventually check it out.

 

Braved the Grocery Store – Yes. At first I wasn’t the least bit concerned, and since the opportunities for human interaction are so limited I hit WalMart, Kroger, & Price Cutter all within a couple of weeks. However, the last time I was in WalMart folks were walking around with masks & gloves, which kind of freaked me out. Then all the stores began limiting the number of customers and enacted other restrictive (but understandable) protocols, so now it’s just not worth the hassle. I’ll just go back to the pickup option where they bring everything out to your vehicle after you’ve shopped online, which is how I’d been grocery shopping the past few years anyway.

 

Went for a Walk – No. Well first of all I can’t walk, so there’s that. Could I go for a…stroll?? Ehhh…not really. I live in the city and accessibility is an issue. I’d be better off if I could get some exercise though.

 

Home Schooled – No. I’m not a student and I have no children. Kudos to all the parents out there that are dealing with all of that.

 

Shared a Toilet Paper Meme – Yes, absolutely. One of the few bright spots in all of this have been the memes. I lean toward posting amusing content on social media anyway, and especially now I think we all could use a good laugh as much as possible.

 

Worked from Home – Sadly, no. I work in reception at a local hospital, and when all of this first started my boss was concerned that the place could be locked down at any moment, meaning employees could conceivably be forced to stay there for an extended period of time. Due to my disability that would be an untenable situation, so we mutually agreed that I’d take some time off. I no longer believe that such a lockdown will happen, but I understand that they want to have a skeleton crew there as much as possible, and with no visitors allowed into the facility I’m not really needed right now. Part of me feels bad about that, but intellectually I know it’s the safer option.

 

Did Yard Work – No. I live in an apartment building. I don’t do yard work.

 

Drank Wine – I’ve never been a fan of wine. Grapes don’t like me anyway. I have considered buying some beer and hearkening back to my college days by just getting plastered, but I’ve not given into that temptation. I watch these really fun videos online from The Tipsy Bartender, so I have pondered the idea of heading to the local liquor store (which has a drive thru) and making some cocktails at home, but I haven’t done that either.

 

Read an Entire Book – Surprisingly…no. I have plenty of options on hand, but the truth is that I don’t read as much as I used to or as often as I should. There is one book that I’ve made it a goal to complete soon, and when I do you’ll real all about it right here.

 

 

I think this is a good place to take a break. Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion!!

Hope Springs Eternal (Even In Quarantine)

What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered? – Groundhog Day

 

 

 

 

In the spring of 2006 I landed in the hospital with an ulcer on my tailbone. After six months in a “skilled” nursing facility and over a year homebound I finally had the surgery that should have been done much earlier, so by the time I recovered and got back out & about a full two years of my life had passed by. Longtime citizens of The Manoverse will recall previous mentions of what I refer to as My Unfortunate Incarceration, but I bring it up again because I feel like it prepared me for our current situation.

 

I’ll be honest…at first I didn’t take the Coronavirus/Covid-19 seriously. We have these little plagues occasionally, right?? H1N1. SARS. Ebola. Zika. Not to be flippant, but unless you or someone you love is directly affected most of us carry on with our lives and don’t give it much thought. There is normalcy outside of the infected bubble. But not this time. In the past few weeks I temporarily lost my job, live sports have totally disappeared from the landscape, toilet paper has become a valuable commodity, folks are walking around grocery stores wearing masks & gloves, every kid is being homeschooled, no one can gather together in a restaurant for a meal or at a music venue for a show, we are being bombarded with constant admonitions to wash our hands, and social distancing has become the most unlikely of buzz words. Our nation has practically shut down.

 

Having said all of that, I refuse to get dragged down into a depression. I will not allow myself to wallow in the doom & gloom that is being promoted…almost gleefully…by the media. There is a fine line between staying informed and crawling up into the fetal position in a corner. Instead, I am choosing to look ahead.

 

When I was in the “skilled” nursing facility my father would visit every single evening, and something he told me constantly was “Son, just remember the difference between you and almost everybody else here: eventually you’re going to get out of here, go home, & resume a normal life”. And you know what?? He was right. I did leave that facility after six incredibly tough months. Sure, I was homebound for an entire year, with my only outing being the occasional doctor’s appointment, but atleast it was a step forward. Then, after recovering from my surgery, I began driving again, started a new job, and got back to my boring little life. However, what I discovered was that it wasn’t quite as mundane anymore.

 

After being locked up…so to speak…for two years little things meant a lot. Running into old friends at the mall. Seeing a movie at the theater. Eating at a favorite restaurant. In other words, all the things that we are being deprived of during this virus quarantine. It may be a month. It may be two months. It may be longer. I don’t know. But eventually we can all get back to our routine, only that sense of normalcy won’t be taken for granted…I hope.

 

I hope that we retain a robust admiration for our “essential” workers. Truckers. The food service industry. Anyone who works in any capacity in healthcare, from doctors & nurses to aides to janitorial crews. I actually am employed at a hospital, but for a variety of reasons I won’t bore y’all with I’m not currently working, and to be honest I feel a sense of guilt about that. A big part of me would rather be on the front lines with my colleagues than holed up at home, even though I know I am safer not being at work.

 

I hope churches are packed when this thing ends. I haven’t been to church myself in a couple of years because of my job, but I need to find a way around that. Church folks will tell you that the church isn’t a building, and that’s true. Ministers have found some creative ways to reach out in recent weeks, presenting the Word of God online in various formats. That’s fantastic, but we also know that The Bible tells us in Matthew 18:20 that “where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” That doesn’t mean that God isn’t with you while you are “social distancing”, but it does speak to the value of fellowship. In the meantime, the current circumstance does provide a unique opportunity to read The Bible more than usual and spend some quiet one-on-one prayer time with The Lord.

 

I hope we learn a healthy gratitude for just how good we have it. An old friend of mine once observed that I “basically live in a library” because the walls of my apartment are lined with books. On top of that I just bought a brand new TV back on Black Friday and have access to Netflix and whatever else is available. Youngsters today probably take The Internet for granted, but I am old enough to remember life before it existed, and I am so glad it is an available & useful distraction right now. More than a decade ago I spent two years having to find ways to entertain myself, keep my mind sharp, and stay engaged in the world. I did it then, and it’s much easier now. I have listened to music more in the past few weeks than I had for a long time, and it is the best therapy on the planet.

 

I hope everyone retains a vigorous sense of humor. It has been difficult to converse with some lately, the kind of people who lean toward the negative and watch too much CNN & MSNBC, regurgitating morose talking points. I am not suggesting that we should bury our heads in the sand and not be knowledgeable about what’s going on in the world, but there is a fine line between staying informed and becoming mired in pessimism. I don’t feel like I have anything too significant to offer the world, but a small contribution I can make is to keep things light & fun. One of the few good things to come out of all of this has been the hilarious memes & really creative parody songs, and I have made it a point to post positive, fun, uplifting things on social media. If something like that can put a smile on just one person’s face or even make them literally laugh out loud then it’s a good thing. That doesn’t mean I or anyone else is unaware of what’s going on or that we don’t care about people becoming ill & dying. Trust me…I am very mindful of the gravity of the situation…it’s just that I am making a conscious choice to not add to the melancholy.

 

I hope we have just a bit more appreciation for the fun little excursions we think the world owes us. I am a diehard sports fan, and to see things like March Madness, the NBA, MLB, & NHL seasons, The Masters, and Nascar races postponed or cancelled has been excruciating. And while many restaurants have remained open because…well, we gotta eat, right??…they are limited to drive thru & carry out service. How great will it be…when this whole deal is over…to sit down with a good meal, maybe flirt a little bit with a cute waitress, and run into old acquaintances we haven’t seen for awhile?? There is an old refurbished theater just down the road here that just re-opened a couple of years ago after being empty & neglected for decades. I’ve spent some enjoyable evenings there with old movies, Jay Leno, Travis Tritt, and even the Tony Award winning play Once. I always run into a few people I know. There may not be long & meaningful conversations, but there are smiles, waves, handshakes, & the occasional embrace. I look forward to all of that when this darkness is over.

 

I hope parents have a new respect for the people educating their kids. I do not have children, and one of the debates I’ve been having with myself is whether or not I’m better off. Is it better to go thru this challenging time a little bored & lonely, or would I prefer to have a house full of little ones that I’d be responsible for home schooling and helping to make sense of the craziness?? Kudos to all the Moms & Dads out there trying to make all of this okay for their progeny, and a tip of the cap to anyone who works in education and prepares the next generation for their future.

 

I hope we all learn to appreciate our jobs just a bit more. We all have bad days. Sometimes things just don’t go right and people simply tick us off for no reason. That’s okay…we’re human. Everyone hates their job sometimes and wishes they could just retire & go hang out on the beach. However, the truth is that most of us desire to be productive and contribute in some way to society. We need a reason to get out of bed in the morning, and obviously many people have families to provide for and bills to pay. My heart hurts to think of the economic impact of this quarantine…the small businesses that may never re-open & the massive job losses. Even those who are still working right now have seen their daily routine changed, whether that means working remotely from home, taking extra precautions at “essential” businesses, or other new protocols that are far from the norm. Perhaps when things get back to the way they used to be we can all try to not complain as often and maybe even enjoy being at work as much as possible.

 

Is it all just wishful thinking?? Am I being whimsically optimistic?? Author Oscar Wilde once said that “we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars”. Your mileage may vary, and that’s okay. Is the glass half full or half empty?? The answer lies in one’s perspective, and I just happen to believe that a waiter with a pitcher will be along shortly to give me a refill…hopefully in a crowded restaurant chock-full of friends, family, and beautiful single women that I can flirt with & be rejected by, as has been the status quo for my entire life.