The COVID-19 coping thread

[MrLobster]

[zero]

It rained this afternoon. So my daily digression into the woods was dull, dismal, dreary, drizzly, dark, dank, and dreadful. Nonetheless it was far more desirable than the dire reality of this damn pandemic.

My mental toolbox lacks the tools necessary to deal with this situation long term. Depression is looming like some devilish disease which desires to devour me. Perhaps this feeble attempt at alliteration will help somehow. I must surely do whatever it takes to stay strong, and somewhat sane.

[piggy]

If anyone on here needs to vent or have someone to talk to via PM, just hit me up. I'm here for whoever...

[ickyvicky]

Yes but not often. I have been thinking about opening up my contacts bit more during this time...

I wouldn't hesitate reaching out to her at all. I don't know about you guys, but I've even started hearing more from people that I haven't heard from since my childhood via Facebook. From sharing all these memes and funny songs and videos about the virus, it strangely connects all of us.

Maybe that would re-initiate your connection with her, send a couple of memes her and there. It doesn't have to be personal, but it def shows her a way you're thinking of her to make her smile.

[ickyvicky]

Like I mentioned, we put down our cat on Thursday. Friday was "work" for both of us since we were expected to be available from "9 to 5". Saturday we had two friends come over the house, one of them is pregnant and they don't have a washer and dryer in their place, so we offered for them to do their laundry at our place so she could be safe. Today, Sunday, it was rainy and gloomy all day and I really fucking felt it. Our one cat that we have left, she wouldn't stop meowing at us, and us getting rid of one of the litter boxes. Today fucking sucked.

And for Walking Dead's episode tonight, Ezekiel killing his horse, didn't help me tonight. :-(

[MrLobster]

I wouldn't hesitate reaching out to her at all.

Uhh... which her are you referring to?

[allegro]

Uhh... which her are you referring to?

I think she meant to respond to @Mantra ?

[allegro]

It rained this afternoon. So my daily digression into the woods was dull, dismal, dreary, drizzly, dark, dank, and dreadful. Nonetheless it was far more desirable than the dire reality of this damn pandemic.

My mental toolbox lacks the tools necessary to deal with this situation long term. Depression is looming like some devilish disease which desires to devour me. Perhaps this feeble attempt at alliteration will help somehow. I must surely do whatever it takes to stay strong, and somewhat sane.

Maybe pursue journaling?

[sick among the pure]

I wish self-quarantine were an option.
I hate being "essential" to a corporation's bottom line and risking my health for little more than what expanded unemployment would net me.

[eversonpoe]

watched two john oliver episodes today (from two weeks ago and last night) and while i cracked up a lot i also started crying a couple times. this is really starting to hit me harder than it did before. i'm feeling the strain of not being around people other than my wife (who i adore and would gladly spend all my time with as long as i also get to see other people, with or without her around). i don't get everything i need, emotionally, from one person, and it's starting to fuck me up.

still listening to a lot of records. we had a really nice day yesterday (watched THREE movies). was thinking of going to my parents' tomorrow to work on music (and stay far away from them). i feel like i want/need to create during all this and i wish i could do it at home but all of my recording equipment and instruments are there, and i can't really be loud here.

[allegro]

@eversonpoe I know you said you don’t like video conferencing or phone calls but have you seen all the things that social people are doing with Zoom? People are hosting Virtual Happy Hours so it’s like Happy Hour Brady Bunch intro screen.

Although, l dunno, this looks very office conference to me https://www.washingtonpost.com/techn...outs-hate-bad/

Can you go for a walk around the neighborhood while keeping your distance? That made me feel less imprisoned. Just waving back to people made it feel less deserted island.

[allegro]

My husband had to take one vehicle to the dealer in Libertyville today, and called me on the way home, gas was $1.89 per gallon plus he got .20 off / gallon with our Jewel Rewards Points, so he paid $1.69 per gallon. He was very happy about this.

I’m going to re-watch all the seasons of Schitt’s Creek, since there are only two episodes left.

[eversonpoe]

@eversonpoe I know you said you don’t like video conferencing or phone calls but have you seen all the things that social people are doing with Zoom? People are hosting Virtual Happy Hours so it’s like Happy Hour Brady Bunch intro screen.

Although, l dunno, this looks very office conference to me https://www.washingtonpost.com/techn...outs-hate-bad/

Can you go for a walk around the neighborhood while keeping your distance? That made me feel less imprisoned. Just waving back to people made it feel less deserted island.

every time sarah has gone for a walk, she has said there are so many people out in our neighborhood that it makes it almost impossible to maintain proper social distancing, so i'm a bit paranoid.

i also get painfully awkward doing any kind of non-text electronic communication (i even hate being on the phone, so video chatting is even worse). but i feel like the awkwardness might be worth it to be able to interact with other people. ugh.

My husband had to take one vehicle to the dealer in Libertyville today, and called me on the way home, gas was $1.89 per gallon plus he got .20 off / gallon with our Jewel Rewards Points, so he paid $1.69 per gallon. He was very happy about this.

holy shit. i thought i did well for $2.39 the other day in wilmette!

[allegro]

I honestly don’t know how I’d survive without:

* Kitties on Instagram
* Home Town and My Lottery Dream Home marathons on HGTV
* I just discovered the Illinois Lottery app and I NEVER play the Lottery but I’ve been playing a few quick picks over the last few days and I get these emails that say “You Won!” And I almost have a heart attack. I’ve won SEVEN DOLLARS SO FAR, woot woot LOL

[allegro]

I wish self-quarantine were an option.
I hate being "essential" to a corporation's bottom line and risking my health for little more than what expanded unemployment would net me.

I REALLY believe that ALL “essential” workers should be receiving CONSIDERABLE hazard bonuses from the Federal Government right now.

If you all quit or went on strike, especially grocery workers, we’d all be fucked. No bagger ever signed up for this shit. It’s bullshit.

[scotty79]

I wish self-quarantine were an option.
I hate being "essential" to a corporation's bottom line and risking my health for little more than what expanded unemployment would net me.

i’m the same, i’m classed as a "key worker" (railways) i even have a letter in my van incase i get stopped by the police, i also travel with another two people and go to a job where on saturday night there was 12 of us in total and only 4 of us regularly work together so there’s a massive gathering of people that there shouldn’t be at all, we all then have to go home to our own families taking whatever we may have picked up with us, that along with my wife who works in the local village shop doesn’t help matters much for us, i reckon it’s only a matter of time before one of us gets this

[ickyvicky]

@MrLobster yes, I meant to refer to @Mantra - sorry about that.

[zero]

Maybe pursue journaling?

That's not something I have ever done, and could never really understand why people were into it. But it is a reasonable suggestion so perhaps I will give it a go. Thank you.

Bright Side: Vastly reduced travel (car, plane, etc) is surely putting a significant but temporary dent in carbon emissions. Many things which people over bought last week in the grocery are now restocked and on super discount because people stopped buying them, like meats, and mushrooms. Many people are out wandering the woods and discovering nature, perhaps for the first time! My elderly (90+) parents are isolating and safe for now. Our church is live streaming services and while not the same as being there it is very nice to have.

Unbright Side: Dawned on me that the long term fallout from this, both financial and societal, is completely unknown and quite likely severe, which is frightening. I gained ten pounds from eating comfort food after a difficult battle to lost that extra weight. My wife has symptoms and is getting tested tomorrow.

Well at least there are more words in the Bright Side paragraph.

[eversonpoe]

@allegro my lottery dream home & world's most extraordinary homes are our before bed shows. i love david so much (but don't watch his older show, Color Splash...some of his design ideas are pretty awful hahahaha) and most of the people on the show are just so kind and sweet.

[piggy]

That's not something I have ever done, and could never really understand why people were into it. But it is a reasonable suggestion so perhaps I will give it a go. Thank you.

One of my best friends is journaling while she's been going through the healing process after separating from her narcissist husband, and I think it's been good for her. Maybe treat it like writing prose? That way, it might feel more like an artistic pursuit/creative energy thing.

[ldopa]

I recently got a "bonus" for being an essential worker, HOWEVER, it threw me in a higher tax bracket which rendered my check exactly the same as it ever was since I got tax raped.

[ldopa]

however I have food, clothes, and running water. and a roof. life is good.

[ickyvicky]

I'm sorry to hear that @ldopa - we all wish we can be using that extra money for something else

[MrLobster]

ha ha ha... just felt an earthquake.

[zero]

ha ha ha... just felt an earthquake.

See the shaking! - Seismogram viewer

[MrLobster]

See the shaking! - Seismogram viewer

Sweet...

May as well post this there too... 6.5-magnitude Idaho earthquake felt in Calgary

[zero]

Earthquake, Pandemic, this shit is getting Biblical. Interesting to note that the quake in Idaho clearly showed up on seismograph near Boston!

[piggy]

Felt it here at the bottom of Idaho. Also felt the Magna, UT earthquake when it happened a couple of weeks ago.

[MrLobster]

[Pillfred]

It's been pretty much business as usual for me minus work and not catching the occasional movie. To battle the couped up feeling I just do my usual loop around town in my car. Until today when they closed the parks I would chill at a park or the mall parking lot to save gas. Again I don't typically do much outside of work so it's not been that big of a change.

Activities beyond that are a definite increase in trolling YouTube videos and a slight bump in video games but the latter has been on a decline due to the fact I get bored of it pretty fast.